Records of the Lost Cases of Helaitang in the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 220 Treasure Mountain

The sun and the moon are sneaking around, and time is passing quickly. The students in Nanjing Prison are carefully preparing for the ten-day and monthly examinations. May is here, and Nanjing Prison will have a one-month field holiday as usual, which is equivalent to summer vacation.

Uncle Wang Heng's family has thousands of acres of fertile land, but he has no property in his own family. He claims to be a farmer and has never participated in the busy farming season. The journey is expensive, and he has no intention of returning to his hometown if his family is poor and has a lot of money.

Wang Heng went to Siye's house to see if Zhang Xiru had any errands. He knocked on the door but didn't answer. He knew that Zhang Xiru was deaf, so he pushed the door open and entered.

Zhang Xiru was writing furiously in the study. When he heard footsteps, he looked up, put down his pen and stretched, and said, "Qi Lang, I was just looking for you. We are about to go on field vacation. Are you ready to go back to Taicang?"

"The journey is long and the boat is tiring. I don't plan to go back to my hometown. I will study in Nanjing and visit ancient times. I have already sent a letter to my parents and aunt to tell them." Wang Heng said honestly.

Zhang Xiru was quite satisfied and looked very happy, and said hurriedly: "That's good, you might as well go to Jubao Mountain with me. There is a widow of Liu Biejia who offered me a thousand taels of silver to ask me to make an epitaph. This Mrs. Liu wants to go to Jubao Mountain." The temple held a three-day release ceremony and invited me to attend. I thought about the quiet scenery in the mountains, maybe my mind opened up, and I wrote like a spirit. I had already promised her. There is no one around me to help you. You are not returning home, and Your little brother Xiaocai will be my book boy for a few days."

"Oh, of course." Wang Heng had long known that although Zhang Xiru's family was considered a wealthy family in the south of the Yangtze River, he himself was the son of a maid, and all the family property belonged to his eldest brother. Mr. Zhang also traveled all over the world, helping the poor and was extremely skillful. Da, Siye's salary is obviously far from enough, and he has always relied on making epitaphs for others to make a living.

Zhang Xiru patted Wang Heng on the shoulder and said with a smile: "There are many historical sites of the Southern Tang Dynasty in Jubao Mountain. You two brothers can just take a look and gain insights."

The two made an appointment that Wang Heng and Xiaocai would go to Siye's house at noon the next day (11 o'clock noon), and wait with Mr. Zhang for the Liu family's carriage and horse to take them to Jubaoshan.

Wang Heng stepped out of Si Ye's house. Frogs were croaking in the pond outside the house. It was already dusk. After a few steps in the setting sun, he saw Lishan people walking around in the willow shade ahead, as if they were looking for something.

"Mountain people, what are you looking for?" Wang Heng greeted.

Li Shanmin raised his head and saw Wang Heng. He cupped his hands and said, "It's Qilang. I don't know why Xiao Hei didn't come to eat today. I heard from Zhaifu and the others that they saw Xiao Hei in the willow tree in this area." Down."

Wang Heng said with a smile: "I'm afraid Xiao Hei is not making trouble these days. Just wait for a day or two and he will come back to eat when he is hungry."

Li Shanmin nodded and thought it made sense. The two of them walked together for a while. Li Shanmin went back to his living room, and Wang Heng walked to the memorial archway to leave the Imperial Academy.

I told Xiaocai in the evening that Mr. Zhang asked them to act as companions to attend Liu Biejia's Dharma conference and to stay in Jubaoshan for a few days.

Xiaocai was very excited: "It's cool in the mountains, and the Liu family is in charge of food and housing. Where can I find such a good job?"

He gave Yao's mother a three-day holiday, so that starting from the day after tomorrow, she only had to water the courtyard of her new house by Liuqiu Bridge once a day, and then she could rest on her own.

After taking care of some mundane matters the next day, Wang Heng and Xiaocai packed their respective bags, bringing one or two volumes of books from their daily classes, two or three changes of shirts and pants, and wrapping them into a small package.

Then he went to Zhuge Xian in Suojin Village and told him that they were going to the mountains for three days. Zhuge Xian was very envious. He had been admiring the treasure mountain for a long time. He heard that there were ancient ruins in the mountains and Buddhist treasures in the temple, but Mr. Zhang did not invite him, so it was difficult to follow him. .

On the day we set out into the mountains, the weather was not good. The sun was covered with haze and clouds filled the air. It seemed like a thunderstorm was brewing. Seeing the storm approaching, Wang Heng and Xiaocai went out early and entered the Imperial College before noon.

There was a carriage with green curtains parked in front of Si Ye's house. Lao Zhang was parked under the eaves. Seeing Wang Heng and Xiao Cai coming, he hurried in and called Zhang Xiru. Soon Zhang Xiru came out with the bag.

The three of them got on the carriage and found that the Liu family's carriage was very spacious. The Liu family was really a wealthy family.

Lao Zhang was old and asked him to look after the house at Siye's house. Zhang Xiru looked after the candles carefully, and the Liu family's horseman drove slowly.

The carriage started for a few miles and then stopped. Wang Heng opened the sedan curtain and saw many supervisors carrying luggage parked on the side of the road, causing the road to be blocked.

Wang Heng saw the people of Lishan passing by in despair. From time to time they looked up the trees and then at the grass on the ground. Their faces were pale and pale, and they looked very ugly.

Wang Heng shouted: "Mountain people, won't you go home during the holiday?"

When Lishan people saw Wang Heng's face revealed in a carriage, they immediately said, "Well, I have to find Xiao Hei and entrust him to Lao Chen before I can go back with peace of mind."

Wang Heng was surprised, Xiao Hei hadn't been found yet. Usually, Xiao Hei's rice bowl was placed in the Lishan Village. After eating, he would play around in the Imperial College, eating and sleeping here and there. He would not come back for a few days. , it seems that it hasn’t happened yet, where will Xiao Hei go?
The supervisors were gradually picked up by carriages and horses, the road became clear, and Liu's coachman continued to move forward.

Xiaocai said: "I have known the mountain people for half a year. Every time I have a break, I invite us to go out for sightseeing, or come to our new house to have a meal cooked by Yao's mother. People who don't know me think he is from out of town like us. people."

Wang Heng nodded and said: "Perhaps the elder in the mountain people's family is a high official. He does not want to show off his family background and only wants to be independent and self-reliant."

"Li Shanmin, an official of the Hall of Justice? I have seen his roster, and let me think about it." Zhang Xiru is famous for his photographic memory. He closed his eyes for a moment, and said with a stunned expression: "Li Shanmin is actually the son of Governor Li Wanli." Young son."

"Supervisor Li Wan Li!" Xiaocai was so shocked that he couldn't open his mouth from ear to ear.

"Will the mountain man be the youngest son of Inspector Li?" Wang Heng was also surprised. He guessed that Li Shanmin must have a good family background, but he only speculated based on the origin of the supervisor in the South Prison.

Lieutenant Commander Li Wanli was a Jinshi of the 20th grade and a leader of the army at the 30th grade. The soldiers came to supervise the battle in advance. His morale was as high as the enemy and the enemy was frightened. He defeated countless Japanese and was powerful in the southeast. He was a hero who stood up to the heaven and earth.

Zhang Xiru came to have a chat and had nothing to do on the journey, so he told them some heroic past stories of Governor Li, which made them fascinated.

Xiaocai lost no time and said: "Mr. Zhang's storyteller is not even comparable to the first-class connoisseurs among Qinhuai Painting Boats."

Zhang Xiru's face was reserved, but his heart was cheerful, and he was talking more and more happily.