The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

In an unknown small village fifteen miles north of Yangzhou, two hunters told Chao Mahan and others what they saw that night.

"That night, my fifth brother Wang and I went out to check the traps and see if we had gained anything. The two of us first went to the northern hillside, and then we planned to go around to the south of Shugang Mountain, the hillsides on both sides of the official road. There are also more than a dozen traps set in the grass; after going to the northern hillside, it has been nearly three o'clock, but the two of us didn't feel tired, because the traps in the north alone caught four wild animals that day. Great reward."

"When we were walking south around the wasteland, suddenly the five brothers Wang pointed to the official road in the south and said: "Brother Li, it seems that the official road is marching. I saw that it was so. There was a long dragon with torches in the mountain pass. Zheng Hao Walking out in a mighty manner, it seems that there are hundreds of people."

Wang Chao and Ma Han looked at each other, and Wang Chao asked, "What happened next?"

Li Hudao: "Originally, the five brothers Wang and I didn't want to go to the official road to join in the fun. If they were really officers and soldiers, it would be better not to provoke them, but the two of us really couldn't bear the trap in the south. What's more, the southern hillside is a place where there are many hares and deer roe, maybe we can catch seven or eight of them; so the two of us approached the official road slowly along the mountain trail, hoping to go in and search after the officers and soldiers passed by; At first glance, those people were not officers and soldiers, but ordinary people. The strange thing was that these people were driving large carts, and the carts were slowly piled up with hemp bales. They looked very heavy, and the animals were struggling to pull them. They all push and pull beside the car, looking impatient."

Wang Chao said, "Can you see what's on the cart?"

Li Hu shook his head and said: "I can't see clearly, I dare not get close, I can only look at it from a distance, the torch is so bright, I really can't see clearly."

Wang Chao took a sip of wine and said, "Brother Li, please continue."

Li Hu said: "The five Wang brothers and I thought together that there was an accident in the city, and the people fled out overnight, but it didn't look like it after a closer look. The fleeing must be dragging their children and taking their daughters with them. How can they be all young and strong men?" , still carrying a large bag of things; the two of us didn't think too much, just nestled in the grass, and wanted to wait for the team to pass; sure enough, about half an hour later, this group of people walked out of the official road and headed north. Wang Wu and I just went in and searched all the traps on both sides of the official road, we were really lucky that day, and we caught another seven wild animals."

Wang Chao was a little disappointed and said, "That's all you saw?"

Li Hu smiled and said: "Don't worry, sir, I haven't finished talking yet, come here, have a drink, eat some rabbit meat, the night is still long, let's talk slowly."

Ma Han said in a loud voice: "I said you two, don't be fooled, we are all in a hurry, and my son can't sleep at night because of the anxiety."

Li Hu hurriedly said: "Yes, yes, so let's say; Wang Wu and I just packed up and went home to have a good sleep, when we suddenly heard movement from the north, we hid on the hillside and saw that it was the group of people who went back and forth. "The same team, the same chariots and horses, but all the sacks on the carts have been unloaded, leaving only empty carts; the group of people went straight to the direction of Yangzhou City, and it seemed that they were going to load things; anyway, Wang and I Wu's had nothing to do, and he was a little curious, so he nestled on the hillside and waited for a while, wanting to see what this group of sneaky people were doing; as expected, within an hour, this group of people came back again. Back to the cart was full of sacks again.”

Wang Chao muttered to himself: "My master's guess is indeed correct, this group of people was transported out of the city by such ants."

Li Hu asked: "What ants move?"

Wang Chao hurriedly said: "Go ahead and talk, it's no good for you to know these things."

Li Hu slapped his thigh and said: "What the poor man said is very true, and the five Wang brothers also said the same at the time, but I was too curious, so I ignored his objections and secretly followed the convoy to the north, and walked about five miles. There is a ruined temple called Lanruo Temple. It is said that Lanruo Temple is often haunted by ghosts, so I dare not go to that ruined temple on weekdays; Get out of the car and load the sacks, pile them up in the yard, and then turn around and run to Yangzhou City."

"Brother Wang Wu and I were so frightened at that time that we thought it was the fox fairies and wild ghosts in Lanruo Temple. They organized little monsters to go to Yangzhou city to steal things in the middle of the night. The old people said that the fox fairies and ghosts like to sneak around the most. This time I saw it with my own eyes.”

Ma Han said: "What kind of ghosts and foxes? Those are human beings. Look at you two wimps."

Li Hu blushed and said: "In that environment, of course we were terrified, but we also had some selfish intentions. The old people said that fox fairies and ghosts usually steal gold, silver and jewelry. They are also greedy for money. Me and The five Wang brothers became jealous, and wanted to take the risk and go in and secretly carry a bag back when the group left. If it was really gold and silver treasures, wouldn't everyone have to worry about food and clothing from now on? It was also forced by life. It really did that in a daze.”

Chao Chao laughed loudly and said: "Good man, you dare to even think about ghosts and monsters. You two are definitely not cowards, but you are a man."

Li Hu and Wang Wu giggled, Wang Chao said, "Did you steal it?"

Wang Wu said angrily: "Don't mention it, I almost lost my life; Brother Li and I climbed over the wall and went in. I didn't expect that there were dozens of guards inside. We just touched the side of the pile of sacks and were discovered. In the panic, Brother Li pierced the sack with a hatchet and grabbed a handful, and the two of us ran wildly. Fortunately, the two pairs of us are very familiar with the terrain. Those people are obviously not familiar with the terrain, and our brother circled around twice. And threw it away."

Wang Chao asked Li Hu, "What treasures did you catch?"

Li Hu said embarrassingly: "When I bought it, I thought it was golden sand and gold, but when I got home, it turned out to be a lot of rice. It was really a joy."

Wang Chao nodded and said, "That's right, it's not rice that really has ghosts."

Li Hu said: "Could it be that the rice transported by these people is the batch that Su Qingtian tracked down?"

Wang Chao said: "Nine times out of ten, it is the grain hoarded by profiteers in the city. The imperial court strictly ordered them to hand over the grain and sell it to the official warehouse to survive the famine this winter. , Instead, they hid it in many ways, seeing that the government searched it tightly, they wanted to transport the grain out of the city to hide it, and when my lord left, they began to sell it at a high price again."

Li Hu suddenly said: "So that's the case, no wonder you are so sneaky."

Wang Chao asked: "Then what happened afterwards? Did you stop watching after returning home?"

Li Hu said: "We were so frightened to death, how dare we go again? But at the entrance of the village, we can see the movement on the official road from a distance. The team of people worked until almost dawn before stopping, transporting the food overnight. how much."

Wang Chao said: "More than 180 million stones are enough for the people of Yangzhou to survive until next summer's harvest."

Li Hu clicked his tongue and said, "No wonder the famine is so severe. The food was hidden by these thieves."

Chao Chao reached out and took out the bag of copper coins and threw it on the table, "Thank you two elder brothers for providing such important clues. This is half of the reward. You take it first. After we find the food, my son will definitely reward you."

Li Hu pretended to decline and said, "This... how dare you do it."

Wang Chao said: "You deserve it, this is what you deserve. Take An Ansheng and buy some rice, noodles and meat to have a good new year with your wife and children at home. Don't say these words just now, lest the remnants of those profiteers know that they will come provoke."

Lihu and Wang Wuqian thanked each other for their kindness, and their subordinates rewarded them with money; Chao Chao got up and said, "So, my two brothers will leave."

Li Hu hurriedly asked: "Where are you going in the middle of the night?"

Wang Chao said: "It's not too late, we have to go to the ruined temple of Lanruo Temple you mentioned as soon as possible. If the food is still there, everything will be fine."

Li Hu hesitated: "Where are you going so late? You guys are not familiar with the place..."

Wang Chao said: "Didn't you say that you are on the side of the official road? Five miles north from here?"

Wang Wu interrupted and said, "Well, we brothers will lead the way for you. The temple is not next to the official road. It is said that it is haunted by ghosts. If it is on the edge of the official road, how can there be trouble? It's just There is a road leading to the temple on the official road."

Li Hu also said: "Yes, yes, my brother will lead the way."

Wang Chao said: "How can this be done? How can I bother you two again."

Li Hu said seriously: "You poor master and Su Qingtian have worked hard for me and other common people. What is it for me to wait for the little people to help with this? Besides, you have also given rewards and taken people's money. How could you not return it? Wait, I went to get a lantern to light the way."

Wang Chao smiled and said, "Alright, thank you very much."

Li Hu found a dusty wind lamp from nowhere, carefully took out a candle from the cabinet and lit it inside, lifted the wind lamp and took Wang Chao Mahan out of the village to the north slowly.

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