There were originally many people who were kneeling and praying around the gate of the county government office. They were so frightened by this posture that they all moved aside.
Qiao Yuyan did not move forward and hid behind the crowd.
After the two columns of yamen officers rushed out, they lined up on both sides, and a policeman came forward with an official document.
"I received a secret report that spies from Heifeng Village have sneaked into our Nankang County in the past two days, intending to wait for opportunities to cause trouble. I have now received an order from the county magistrate to search and arrest the whole city. Everyone must obey the order. If there is any disobedience,
Punished as a party member!"
After reading it, two officials posted the official document on the notice board.
The crowd immediately started talking, and the head catcher said loudly: "Everyone knows that there are a group of murderous madmen in Heifeng Village. Our county magistrate has devoted all his energy to this, just for everyone's safety!
Now the Heifeng Village dares to come to the city. If they really succeed, we don't know how much trouble it will cause. We are all residents of Nankang County and have relatives and family members. Even for your own safety,
They should also cooperate well!
From today on, try to avoid wandering outside as much as possible. In addition to conducting door-to-door searches recently, the focus of the investigation has been on several places in the city where unemployed homeless people wander."
After saying that, the head catcher waved and led the few catchers behind him to start the investigation from the front of the Yamen.
The first few people were the people who were kneeling at the gate to pray when Qiao Yuyan came over just now.
Just now, Qiao Yuyan felt that the county magistrate seemed to attach great importance to the security of the county. When she saw the policeman grabbing those people who were praying, he said that they seemed to be somewhat similar to the thieves from Heifeng Village mentioned in the secret document, so she detained them.
When you do, you will know that things are not what you thought.
Think about it again. The entire officialdom in the south is now no longer under the jurisdiction of the imperial court.
It is really difficult to say whether there is any connection between these government offices and Shen Jing and others.
Maybe the thief looking for Heifeng Village is fake, but the traces of her are real!
The people who had been watching the excitement just now saw the Yamen start to move, and they all retreated. Qiao Yuyan followed the crowd and left in a hurry.
But as a result, she no longer dared to wander on the streets. She had to cross the streets and alleys, and then ask the direction of the city gate when no one was paying attention.
Fortunately, this county town is still small, and she is wearing Sister Xiang's clothes, which really doesn't stand out much. It was almost lunch time when she saw the city gate.
But when she saw the checkpoints set up and the people passing by who were being interrogated, she had to stop again.
This road is dead!
Qiao Yuyan felt a little panicked and had to turn back again.
She had been walking all morning, and she was wearing Sister Xiang's unsuitable cloth shoes. The hard soles had already worn out the soles of her feet, and she felt burning pain with every step she took.
But the key is, she doesn't know where to go now.
The entire Nancheng County was surrounded, and she felt more and more that the order to search the city was aimed at her.
With the flow of people, Qiao Yuyan had no choice but to go in the direction of the vegetable market.
There were a lot of people coming and going in that place, maybe many coming from outside the city, so she could hear some news about Nankang County.
When entering the vegetable market, Qiao Yuyan pretended to be looking for someone and listened carefully to the conversation on the roadside of those who were selling vegetables in the city.
After hearing about it, he directly bought all the vegetables from a woman who went to the city to sell vegetables, filled a basket full, then entered the market, went directly to the other end, and stood pretending to be a vegetable seller.
But she had just inquired about the price of the radish in her basket, and it was a penny more expensive than ordinary people.
So after many people asked, not many people bought it.
"This Black Wind Village is really annoying. It comes out from time to time to cause trouble. How can we live our lives like this!"
Qiao Yuyan pricked up her ears when she heard the two uncles selling loaches opposite complaining.
"Hey, how do you know if the people from Heifeng Village are really here now! Speaking of which, it is a bandit den. The county does not think twice about sending people to suppress the bandits. It just shrinks in the county town every day and doesn't care about the lives of the people outside.
.
Now it has been done like this by two bandits who came in! I have the nerve to say it is for the safety of us people!"
"Hush! You don't want your life! How dare you talk nonsense like this!" The face of the uncle at the front changed. "If anyone hears it, you will be locked up later!"
"It's better to lock it in!" said the uncle behind him, "just watch the city gate, I'm afraid it won't be opened tonight. I came in to avoid the city tax, and I can't sell loaches for a day today."
If I can’t earn two cents, what else can I do if I pay the city tax?
Maybe I don’t have a place to spend the night at night, so I’ll go squat in another county jail and maybe even have dinner!”
Qiao Yuyan couldn't help but be stunned when she heard that there was even such a thing as city tax?
She thought about it carefully, and it seemed that she had indeed seen the officers and soldiers at the city gate checking some vouchers in the hands of people leaving. She thought it was a road guide.
I secretly thought that up to now, the road guide system has basically become useless, how can it still be seen in such a small county.
The county magistrate of Nankang County is also very good at thinking about money.
No wonder the streets are full of refugees. Living in the countryside is threatened by bandits. When entering the city, you have to pay taxes. Naturally, once you come in, you won't go out.
In this case, today's inspection of the city under lockdown may have been a coincidence made by the county magistrate, who wanted to make money from these refugees.
Qiao Yuyan couldn't help but sigh. She had read Wen Tingyuan's book before, and she only felt unfamiliar with the tragic conditions of people's livelihood in history. Although she sighed a little through the paper, how could she compare to the shock she felt when she faced it directly.
It seems that these two uncles can't go out today, Qiao Yuyan thought, or else just stand here and see where the two of them have been tonight, and then go out with them later.
So he smiled and took a step forward, "Uncle, I came here to sell vegetables from Dasha Town. I snuck in with others this morning and didn't buy any city tax. Now that the inspection is so strict, am I already unable to go back?"
Gone!"
Hearing her words, the two uncles looked her over in surprise. Qiao Yuyan quickly handed over two copper coins and said, "I'll treat you two uncles to a drink of tea. I didn't sell any vegetables this morning.
There is no extra money.”
The uncle who spoke behind waved his hand, "You little girl is well informed, but no need, everyone comes to the city to earn a living, and it's not easy for anyone. How can I ask for your money."
She pointed to her vegetable basket and said, "Is this your first time selling vegetables in the county? Dasha Town is far away!"