Republic of China small businessman

At this moment, on Yunmeng Mountain, inside a dilapidated temple.

Li Chunlin was tied to a pillar in the main hall, and the Huang family nurses around him were even worse than him. Some were punched and kicked, and some had their hands and feet tied.Beside these men, there was a half-grown boy and an old woman. The boy was unconscious, while the old woman was crying with tears in her eyes and a ball of dirty cloth stuffed in her mouth.

On the wooden table at the side were two white cloth bags, spread out, a few gold bars contained inside were exposed, the bags were bulging, and it looked like they contained a lot of gold and silver.A few squashed candlesticks, silver trays, and wine jugs made of copper or whatever were piled up beside the cloth bag.

It was the people who were kidnapped from the Huang family in the lower city. The young man was Huang Wanxing's son, and the old woman was Huang Wanxing's old mother.

Li Chunlin was tied to a pillar, and he tried to smile a little: "Everyone, Mr. Huang is sincere in asking everyone for help this time. He has already donated money before, why did he do what he did today?"

The mountain bandits on the opposite side let out laughter, many of them were from Shu, they spoke a dialect similar to Xichuan, and Li Chunlin could understand all the sneering and cursing, and a few words made him blush.

The bandit leader was cutting a piece of cooked pheasant meat with a knife, and he didn't stop him. He was about thirty years old, with a beard on his face, and he ate a few mouthfuls before throwing it into a clay bowl aside.

Li Chunlin hadn't had a drop of water all day and all night, and now his eyes were green with hunger, staring straight at the gnawed roast chicken, swallowing his saliva.

"It is indeed Master Huang who invited us to come here. Speaking of which, this is the first time someone has paid us to kidnap someone. Your Huang family is a bit interesting." If you are familiar with it, let’s do a lot of practice first, brothers, don’t you think so?”

There were jagged voices from behind, laughing and saying yes.

Li Chunlin: "If you let me go, it won't be too late to start after some time later when businessmen from other places pass by?"

The bandit leader lazily said, "We'll talk about it when we meet."

Li Chunlin kept begging for mercy in a low voice, and the bandit leader said, "Why did you tie you up? Didn't you listen to your master Huang's request? It was he himself who said that you can't be tied up indiscriminately, because he is afraid of scaring the snake. It's not convenient for me to look at other families. , let’s try it with your Huang family.”

Li Chunlin panicked: "Boss Zhang is joking. My master is talking about Xie's family in Shangcheng. It's fine if you don't tie up Xie's family. Why did you tie up us and the old lady in the house?"

The bandit leader said: "Of course it's to get money. If you bring someone here, then prepare for the ransom. I'm sure your Huang family understands the rules of the road." He glanced at the old lady of the Huang family beside him, feeling very annoyed. Relying on the number one hundred and ten brothers in his hand, yesterday night he lit a torch, smeared his face with pot smoke, broke through the gate of Huang's house, rushed in and robbed wantonly.Unexpectedly, he robbed the yard twice and found nothing of value. In anger, he carried Huang Wanxing's old mother up the mountain and demanded a ransom from there.

Li Chunlin looked at the two white cloth bags on the table, swallowed and said, "Yes, but we have already given a share of the money before."

Bandit leader: "That's the deposit for us to tie up Xie's family in the city, yours will be counted separately!"

Li Chunlin: "It's fine to pay, but it's better for Boss Yu to let me go first. I have high prestige in the mansion, and I was intercepted suddenly. I need someone to report back and ask for money, don't you think? No matter how bad it is, I will stutter... "He was still talking, when the impatient bandit leader gave instructions to his subordinates, and two ferocious men came over and beat and kicked him severely.

The other party scolded: "If you are tied up, you will be tied up, and grandpa will still serve you?"

Li Chunlin was beaten until his nose was bruised and his face was swollen, and he kept crying.

He secretly regretted that he had brought up this bad idea to Mr. Huang at the beginning. He originally wanted to find some bandits to kidnap Xie Siquan's people and kill them as an example, but now he realizes that this is seeking skin from a tiger, and he is the one who suffers first!

The news that a group of bandits appeared on Yunmeng Mountain spread quickly.

Not only the Huang family, but also other merchants and common people suffered.

Xichuan is rich, even the common people have some spare cash on hand, this group of people obviously don't want to leave, the hundred and ten people are entrenched here, not only robbery, but also specialize in "carrying people".

The so-called lifting of people is kidnapping. People are tied to thick bamboo poles like piglets with their feet upside down, and carried to the cottage for a ransom.

Down town, Huang's house.

Huang Wanxing paced back and forth in the small mansion, and in just a few days, his gray hair suddenly appeared.

When bandits came to rob his house a few days ago, he was not in the mansion, and he was always stingy, hiding all good things, and his wife didn't know about them, let alone those bandits!It was also because he couldn't find anything from before that the bandit boss Zhang "carried" his old mother away by cursing!Hearing that it was considered decent for the old lady, I first found a low table and tied it upside down on a bamboo pole, and the old lady tied it inside the table and carried it away.

The Bandit asked for a lot of money. Although Huang Wanxing was stingy, he was a filial son. He gritted his teeth and used the cash to make up enough money to redeem his wife, but he had to sell some things to make up the rest.

The second aunt was sitting on the chair, dizzy from his turning: "Master, why don't you bring some jewelry first? Anyway, they are all gold and silver."

Huang Wanxing said: "Didn't you listen to that bandit, just find the ocean!"

Second Aunt: "Then I won't be able to sell for a while now. The old lady has sent it back. What can I do with Xing'er?" She began to cry as she spoke. The boy who was tied up was her son. The wife closed the door and ate fast and recited Buddha as usual, and the other rooms were silent. The old lady came back, but she was frightened and now she can't speak well—sit at the table twice in a few days, and carry it back and forth. Gotta get sick.

Huang Wanxing picked up his felt hat, gritted his teeth and called for someone to prepare the car, and went to the government again.

Huang Wanxing donated money and food to help the government people go out of the city to suppress the bandits.

The government had sent people to Yunmeng Mountain before, but there were not enough troops. Most of those who stayed behind in Xichuan were city gate guards and civil servants. It was okay to let them collect taxes, but they really didn't have the ability to suppress bandits.

Huang Wanxing and a group of people begged, the government bit the bullet and sent several teams of patrols to suppress the bandits, but they beat up a few bandits and bandits here and there. .The opponent had a gun in his hand, and it seemed that there were quite a few of them. He took up the ground and was easy to defend but difficult to attack. He went up several times and was beaten back.

Originally, I wanted to surround the mountain to trap those bandits, but there were pharmacists in that group, who knew how to make medicines to disperse the miasma and poisonous insects, so they couldn't trap the bandits to death.

The officers and soldiers surrounded it for a few days, and saw a wooden box sent down from the mountain, containing a severed ear.

There is also a single-sided silver earring engraved on the ear.

It was Huang Wanxing's youngest son.

According to the rules in Xichuan City, the next heir will wear an earring in one ear. Huang Wanxing is most satisfied with this son, and he couldn't help crying when he saw it.

The bandits still had hostages in their hands, and the officers and soldiers did not dare to act rashly. After a stalemate for a day or two, they had to withdraw to the city.

The merchants and common people in Xichuan City were in danger for a while.

"On weekdays, I only know about collecting taxes, but I can't count on law and order!" Huang Wanxing couldn't help cursing, "What's the use of paying so much money and rice!"

During this period of time, he didn't dare to go back to live in the Huangfu's mansion, and kept hiding in the small mansion. Firstly, he was a little worried about his own safety, and secondly, the second aunt couldn't stop crying every day.Since he received the wooden box, his mouth had blisters, his lungs were not well, and he vomited blood twice in a row.

The second aunt cried: "Don't you still have a few guns in your hand? If you can't command others, then go by yourself and recruit more people. Ten yuan will make someone willing to leave." He took off several twisted gold bracelets and put them all on the small tea table in front of him, "I don't want any property, I only want my son! Even if he is useless or disabled, I will support him for the rest of his life."

She reminded Huang Wanxing of her words, his face changed, and he suddenly said: "Yes, I have a gun and a nursing home in my hand, and several other houses also have..." He immediately got up, couldn't sit still for a moment, and started to go to other places Merchants circle around.

Uptown, Xie family.

Xu Jun was teaching Xie Jing, and it was obvious that the other party was absent-minded, but he could still answer the questions correctly.

Xu Jun said: "I see that you are restless, so don't study today."

Xie Jing immediately sat up straight.

Xu Jun smiled and said, "I don't blame you, I'm just worried. If you need my help, just ask."

Xie Jing shook her head, thought for a while, raised her hand and scratched her cheek, and said in a low voice, "I have seen something in the past two days, but the money in my hand is a bit out of hand."

Xu Jun said: "How much is missing?"

Xie Jing said a number: "More than 2 oceans."

The money is not too much for Xu Jun, but the amount is not small. He asked, "What are you fancying? Antiques?"

Xie Jing said vaguely: "That's right, what's in the shop in Rongcheng Mansion." Li Yuan entrusted someone to deliver a letter, and a new batch of firearms came from the shop, all of which were made in Germany. It's just right.

Xu Jun thought for a while, nodded and agreed: "I will ask the housekeeper to get you the money later, and I will give you [-] oceans."

Xie Jing was a little surprised. He thought Xu Jun would give it to him, but he didn't expect to give it all.

Xu Jun poured a cup of tea for Xie Jing, sat down and chatted casually with him and said, "Although I gave you the money, I can't go to Rongcheng now. Follow me for the next two days, and I'll take you after a while." Let’s go together.” Afraid that my nephew would think too much, he explained, “Bandits are happening in the lower city at this time, and a group of bandits came from Yunmeng Mountain, they only carried people to extort money, and I heard that one person died, It's a big deal."

"Yunmeng Mountain?"

"Yes, it's on the way from the wharf ferry to Xichuan, not far from Zhuandou Township. In the past, everyone used that canyon, but after accidents happened, they gradually changed to Zhuandou Township."

"Is it near there?"

"Well, if you go out of Chuan, you only need half a day to go there, and you don't need to stay overnight."

Xu Jun is very familiar with this road, and he also knows something about Yunmeng Mountain. After emphasizing it with Xie Jing, he said: "Your uncle went down to the city today to talk about something. He didn't let you follow because he was worried about your safety. Those people Since I can settle in Yunmeng Mountain, I am afraid that I have some background."

Xie Jing asked: "Is it okay for uncle to go down to the city?"

Xu Jun said: "He's not in the way, with Hu Da and the others around, ordinary people can't get close."

Xie Jing thought of the skills of those Xichuan men, and felt a little relieved.

Xu Jun: "It's just about the bandits, it's a little strange."

Xie Jing thought about it for a while, and asked: "The second master is saying that the person they tied up is wrong, or is the place wrong?"

"I'm not sure, I just think they came too suddenly." Xu Jun circled around and returned to the topic, "So from today onwards, you must either go out with me, or bring enough guards. Do not go out alone."

Xie Jing agreed and was as obedient as ever.

Xu Jun looked at him for a moment, then suddenly raised his hand and rolled up the hair around his ears, exposing his ears, looked at the earlobe and smiled, "Your uncle hasn't pierced your ears yet?"

"No, is it important to tie that?"

"Important to your uncle."

Xie Jing was a little puzzled: "But I don't think there are many people who have their ears pierced. Do they have to wait until after they get married? I see that the heads of several other families wear them when they are older. The uncle also wears them after they get married, right? The second head of the family, uncle Did I pay homage to you at that time?"

Xu Jun coughed.

Xie Jing tried to ask: "Didn't you say hello?"

Xu Jun: "...bye."

Xie Jing was very interested, turned to look at him, and asked with bright eyes: "How do you pay attention to the church? Are the customs in Xichuan different from those in the Central Plains? Do you need to prepare anything in advance?"

Xu Jun was perfunctorily questioned by him, so he could only tell the truth: "I don't know the rules of Xichuan, the Xie family only talks about your uncle's rules, and he does what he says. At that time, the Xie family had no elders, so we just worshiped him." Heaven and earth." After he finished his worship, his father almost broke his leg.

Xie Jing looked forward to it: "Where's the wine?"

"Your uncle was so drunk that day, he drank over and over again like a maniac, and drank a whole jar, and no one else could persuade him."

"Another person? Is there anyone else on the side, that night..."

Xu Jun was a serious person, his face was flushed when he asked him every day, he tried his best to find words and asked, "Why are you asking these questions, don't you want to marry a wife?"

He only thought that Xie Jing was the same as him, but he forgot that this was Xie Siquan's nephew. After being asked, he only blinked, then laughed after a while, and said frankly: "Yes, I thought about it."

Xu Jun said: "No wonder you are absent-minded today, but you still can't let go of your studies. Even if you don't go to school, you can learn a lot at home. When your uncle was your age, he had swallowed two nearby salt farms and doubled his family property. "

Xie Jing said: "Uncle is better than me, I don't care about that."

"where?"

"The East Courtyard of the Bai Family."

"..."

Xu Jun looked at him, looked at that face and said to himself: It really looks like it.

Whether it's this handsome face or the serious and angry words, they are all exactly the same as Xie Siquan.

The author has something to say: Little Theater:

About getting married——

①

Xie Jing who took out a small notebook to record the process: What else?

Xu Jun: Then your father will break your leg.

Xie Jing:? ?

②

Xie Jing: Uncle, how does it feel to be married?

Uncle Xie: That would be too lively!Come on, let me tell you in detail...

Xu Jun: Shut up——! !