Chapter 15
It was past noon when Lin Shuge quietly slipped out of the banquet. He found an excuse and prepared to come out to sober up. The host and guests had a great time at the welcoming banquet, but after the banquet, they felt a little bored.
The county magistrate's mansion was too big, so Lin Shuge didn't dare to walk far. He just walked through the corridor and leaned on the railing. There was still unmelted snow on the roofs in the distance. A row of pine and cypress trees were still green and tall in the cold wind. The wind blew the hem of his clothes, dissipating the heat on his face.
The matter of papermaking has been explained to Envoy Wei. If nothing unexpected happens, we can return to Ganzhou County in the next two days. I have been out for a few days. I wonder how things are going at home? After coming to this strange world, Lin Shuge actually had no sense of belonging at first. He felt that he was not from this era and even looked at the world from an outsider's perspective.
The loneliness brought about by this kind of wandering was dispelled by relatives and friends. A lot of things had happened to Ayuan, Axuan, Zhongxuan and Zhoudu without them realizing it.
Maybe he was drunk and suddenly started to feel sad about the passing of time. Lin Shuge shook his head to get rid of the sudden sentimentality.
"Is County Magistrate Lin too drunk or is he just trying to be lazy?"
It’s Wei Huan.
"Where is the young master? Is he drunk or did he come out to look for a lazy person like me?"
"You're so sharp-tongued, but you never suffer any loss." Wei Huan said helplessly.
Lin Shuge smiled faintly and said, "Sir, you are too kind."
"Sun Xian has been dealt with according to the law. But Sun Gongcao was appointed by the imperial court. Even if my father pursues the matter, the most he can do is to punish him for not disciplining his children strictly."
"Thank you, sir." Lin Shuge thanked.
"As it should be, it was indeed our negligence that such an incident happened in Dingyuan City. Father was busy with official duties, and Sun Xian actually committed a crime under his nose. It was also because of our ignorance."
Wei Huan said this, but Lin Shuge didn't dare to say anything. He just smiled and said nothing.
"Looking at the sky, it looks like it's going to snow."
Lin Shuge looked up at the sky. Dark clouds were rolling, as dark as ink, as if a snowstorm was brewing.
"Sir, it's getting late. I'm going to say goodbye to you, sir."
After finally going on a long journey, Lin Shuge wanted to buy some gifts for his brother and sister-in-law and Xie Chen before leaving.
Wei Huan waved his hand, "Go ahead. By the way, I didn't tell you just now that I came out because my father was looking for you."
What? This man was taking revenge on himself for taking his anger out on him. Lin Shuge was so angry that he vomited blood, but he could only suppress his anger.
"Thank you for telling me specifically, sir. Bye." The word "specifically" was emphasized, but a faint smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.
Lin Shuge turned and left.
Wei Huan laughed out loud from behind. It was beautiful. It was indeed beautiful. It was even more beautiful when the beauty was angry.
Lin Shuge returned along the same route relying on his memory. The banquet had ended and only Wei Xuan and County Magistrate Li were left drinking together.
"I can't hold my liquor, so I went out to sober up. It was really rude." Lin Shuge quickly apologized.
"It's okay. I just remembered that I haven't rewarded you yet. County Magistrate Lin has improved the papermaking technique and benefited the people. It is reasonable that he should be rewarded. Then I will reward County Magistrate Lin with fifty taels of gold and ten pieces of silk."
Wei Xuangang was chatting with County Magistrate Li and mentioned that Lin Shuge's family was poor and he lived in a rented house with his younger siblings, so rewarding him with gold and silver was the most appropriate thing to do.
Lin Shuge was delighted, but his face still showed no joy. "Thank you, sir."
"Well, we won't keep you here today." Envoy Wei had drunk too much and was getting drunk, so he was ready to send them to rest.
Magistrate Li and Lin Shuge bowed together, "Farewell, Your Excellency." The two came out of the county magistrate's mansion. Lin Shuge was going to go shopping at the market before coming back, so he went alone.
The market at this moment was not as lively as it was in the morning. The weather had changed and pedestrians on the road were hurriedly finishing their business and preparing to return home. Lin Shuge also quickened his journey.
Snowflakes began to fall, landing on hair and clothes like grains. The wind was blowing hard, and the sky was covered with white snow and yellow sand, like fog but not fog. I could not see clearly in front of me.
Xie Chen was processing the skins he had hunted today. He had hunted a fox today. The fur of foxes in winter is thick and very warm to the touch. Unfortunately, the bow and arrow he bought casually was not suitable and a red fox ran away. Otherwise, he could have gotten two skins.
A Xuan is not very good at needlework, so he plans to take it to a clothing store and have it made for him. When his brother comes back, he can wear the fox fur coat he made himself.
The snow was getting heavier and heavier, and it was getting dark. Xie Chen got up, packed up the fox skins, and prepared to cook dinner with the twins. Since Lin Shuge was not at home, the three of them usually cooked together. However, ever since Lin Xuan tasted the food he cooked, she refused to let him cook anymore, so he had no choice but to help him.
He walked out of the room and glanced at the kitchen. Lin Xuan was not there.
He suppressed his doubts and called out a few times towards the main house, but Lin Qingyuan was nowhere to be seen. He suddenly became anxious and hurried to the store they visited most frequently in the past few days, perhaps to buy something.
As soon as he walked out of the hospital gate, he saw Lin Xuan stumbling over to him, crying, "Erlang, Ayuan is missing. I... I just went..."
Lin Xuan was in a state of confusion at the moment, and her words were incoherent. Xie Chen quickly calmed her down, "Don't worry, what happened to A Yuan?"
"I didn't find him. He just went out to get jealous and said he would be back soon. I waited for a long time but couldn't see him, so I went out to look for him, but..."
Lin Xuan sobbed, "But I looked everywhere, and I didn't see him at all."
Xie Chen calmed himself down. The grain and oil shop was not far from home and was surrounded by residents and shops. Lin Qingyuan had been going there frequently in the past few days and should not get lost. Moreover, Lin Qingyuan has a gentle personality and never acts naughty. He will definitely not forget the time when going out to play.
Something must have happened.
"Ah Xuan, listen, go to the second store in Fengsheng Lane to look for Zhou Du and ask him to send someone to look for him. I'll go over and take a look first."
"Okay, okay, I'll go right away." Lin Xuan wiped her tears and ran out immediately, "Erlang, you should be careful too."
"good."
It was getting dark, and Xie Chen went to the grain and oil shop that Lin Xuan mentioned. There was a thin layer of snow on the road in front of the shop. Xie Chen asked the shop owner carefully. The shop owner had a very good memory and said that he remembered a boy came to buy oil around the hour of You, but he went out after a while and he didn't hear any cries for help.
Xie Chen left the store. It was now more than half an hour past the hour of You, and the store owner did not hear any cries for help, which meant that it was either an acquaintance or it was planned in advance.
Snowflakes were flying, and Xie Chen looked towards the roadside. The flying snow covered some traces, but some marks could still be seen, such as footprints and tire tracks.
Xie Chen followed the wheel tracks.
The wind was getting stronger and stronger. Lin Qingyuan felt a splitting headache and the sound of the wind was whistling in his ears. His hands and feet were tied and he was carried by someone. His stomach was pushed and he felt nauseous. He wanted to speak but found that his mouth was blocked.
He was shocked and scared, but he heard a door open. He must have arrived at a house. He was thrown to the ground and almost cried out in pain, but he immediately held it back. The man hadn't left yet, so he could only pretend to be unconscious.
The door creaked again, and a man came in and asked anxiously, "Did you get it? Where's the kid from the Qian family?"
"Here, that kid was stubborn and kicked and hit me. I didn't want to attract attention, so I knocked him out."
"Well, why are there two of them? Didn't I tell you to kidnap the guy named Qian? Wait until his father gives me the money so I can leave this damn place."
The man who came in should be the mastermind, who wanted to kidnap and extort money. Lin Qingyuan slowly held his breath, not daring to breathe.
"The other one saw me kidnapping the Qian kid, and was afraid that he would make a noise, so he kidnapped him as well. What are you afraid of? If he's in the way, I'll just chop him up with a knife."
When Lin Qingyuan heard this, his heart started beating like a drum. It seemed that this desperado would not be able to escape today. Axuan and Erlang were still waiting for him at home. He was afraid that his elder brother would only see his corpse when he returned after he went to Dingyuan City.
"Wait, this one looks familiar to me." The mastermind suddenly spoke up.
"Do you know him?"
"Hahaha, it's really a narrow road for enemies. I, Cheng Jinbo, ended up kidnapping people for money because of Lin Shuge." He walked over slowly and kicked Lin Qingyuan. "What a coincidence, the person you kidnapped is Lin Shuge's younger brother."
Cheng Jinbo, Lin Qingyuan went over the name in his mind.
Cheng Jinbo... Cheng is Manager Cheng, the manager who lends money.
On that day, they were about to arrest Axuan to pay the debt, but were stopped by the eldest brother. After meeting Magistrate Li, the eldest brother suggested to the magistrate that the Qian family, who had caused countless families to be destroyed, should be punished.
"Lin Shuge, ah Lin Shuge, you made me flee to the ends of the earth. Today, your brother is in my hands. It's really like searching for something without any effort."
On the same day, Magistrate Li ordered the arrest of Manager Cheng's master and put him in jail, but Manager Cheng escaped. But as he was wanted by the county government, he had nowhere to go and could only hide. The situation has not been so tense recently, so he came out and teamed up with the capable men under the master's family, intending to kidnap the young master of the Qian family and demand money, and then prepare to flee far away.
The young master of the Qian family is the son of the wealthy Qian family in Ganzhou County. His family loves their son dearly and would definitely not dare to report to the police. They would only pay money to redeem the son.
Manager Cheng thought about this and looked at Lin Qingyuan angrily, "I'll deal with him later."
There was a noise outside, a magpie flew up, and the snow on the trees fell down suddenly. "Don't worry, just come out with me."
After the two men left, Lin Qingyuan slowly opened his eyes and saw a dilapidated house. Next to him lay a boy about his age, his hands and feet tied, unconscious.
He used his hands and feet to crawl over little by little, "Hey, wake up." He tried to keep his voice as low as possible so that the two people outside the door would not hear him.
Seeing that he hadn't woken up yet, Lin Qingyuan used all his strength to hit him with his head. Qian Ying groaned and slowly opened his eyes. "Who are you? Where am I?"
"My name is Lin Qingyuan. You've been tied up. Have you forgotten? Hush, don't talk yet. I'll turn around. See if you can untie the rope on my hands."
Qian Ying suddenly remembered that he was walking on the street and asked a servant to help him buy something. Unexpectedly, someone covered his mouth and stuffed him into a carriage. He looked around and didn't know where he was taken.
As he moved, he asked, "Why did they tie me up?"
"I heard them say they wanted to ask your family for money." Lin Qingyuan told him what he overheard.
Qian Ying struggled to get her hands out and found that she could loosen two fingers. "What about you? Are you asking your family for money too?"
"No, I saw you being tied up, so I was also tied up here, and my eldest brother has a grudge against them, can you untie him?"
"Wait a moment, I..."
The door was suddenly pushed open, and Manager Cheng had a gloomy face, followed by a man in black with a knife in his hand. "You are awake indeed," he looked at the actions of Lin Qingyuan and the other man, raised his hand and slapped Lin Qingyuan, "You are smart. In this case, I can't let you stay." After saying that, he signaled the man in black to take action.
There was another noise outside the house. Manager Cheng was worried that it was the Qian family coming. He cursed, "Another diversion, you deal with him." But he still ran out.
Lin Qingyuan swallowed and closed his eyes. Brother, Axuan, Erlang, you must avenge me.
Unexpectedly, the knife did not fall. A stone hit the knife with great force and threw it to the ground.
Lin Qingyuan looked at the knife and stones fallen on the ground, and tears suddenly fell down. Wuuuuuu, Erlang, save me.
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