Chapter forty-seven life without life, death without death
Ma Guaizi is still in the city.
This news is tantamount to giving Xu Mu a blow in the head. People like Ma Guaizi will probably become even more unscrupulous in the current situation.
"The boss, the wine, the restaurant was smashed."
When several carriages approached the restaurant, a boy accompanying them spoke in a trembling voice.
Xu Mu looked up and saw that, sure enough, it seemed that in order to rob the exquisite and luxurious Fugui Restaurant, within a short time, those who could not get out of the city broke the door in an instant and surged in.
Zhou Fu had a sullen face, and originally wanted to call someone to clean up, but in the end he took care of his family, turned the carriage, and continued to move forward.
"Master Xu, where are we going now?"
Xu Mu was also hesitant. Under such a situation, the whole Wangzhou was in chaos. Moreover, there were people like Ma Guaizi in the dark. It seemed that no place was safe.
"Master Xufang, how about going to Guanfang?" Li Xiaowan said tremblingly in the carriage.
"That's all it can do."
At least the old official who looked after the shop was a nice person.
Several carriages, after half a day of useless work, could only return to the official square to temporarily avoid disaster.
When the old official saw Xu Mu and others leaving and returning, he was not angry at all. Instead, he happily opened the door and welcomed the people in.
"Senior, excuse me."
"Don't talk about this, and get some rest. Maybe in a couple of days, those refugees will be gone. I'll go get you some water bags."
Zhou Fu on the side raised his fists respectfully and saluted.
Xu Mu raised his head and made a visual inspection. Now, their group totaled only a dozen people, excluding Zhou Fu's first wife and two concubines.
"These boys have been with me for several years and I can trust them." Zhou Fu seemed to have noticed Xu Mu's worry and spoke hurriedly.
"Shopkeeper Zhou, how about this? Divide the manpower into three groups and take turns to stay on duty at night."
"No problem. Someone heard that Master Xu was the one who defeated the bandits."
For some reason, Zhou Fu felt very at ease with Xu Mu in front of him, and would not worry that Xu Mu would suddenly make a move to steal his wife.
"I estimate that Wangzhou City will continue to be troubled for a few days." Xu Mu looked very unhappy. The road was isolated and there was no communication such as mobile phones. He was very worried about the situation at the winery and village.
"If we calculate carefully, there are ten men present here. We can only pick up some weapons for self-protection."
Zhou Fu had no objection. When he first started doing business, he was also the master of fighting with sticks.
"Xu, Master Xu, we are scholars." Fan Gu and Wang Yun huddled in the corner, rarely uttering a sentence with a trembling voice.
Li Xiaowan bit her lip and didn't know what she was thinking. After a long while, she spoke angrily.
"Fan Gu Wangyun, you two also pick up weapons!"
Fan Gu and Wang Yun's expression paused, and for a moment he was startled and wanted to explain.
"What I said! Do you listen? If you don't listen, I will tell my father when I go back!"
Fan Gu and Wang Yun lost their temper in an instant and had no choice but to stand up and walk to join a few boys.
Xu Mu turned his head and looked at Li Xiaowan with some curiosity. The girl... is a good girl, but she has a bad temper.
"What are you looking at! You're a bastard!"
Xu Mu rolled his eyes and simply turned his head.
"Mu, Mu!" The old official rubbed his head, as if he remembered something again, and staggered back.
"Senior, my name is Xu Mu."
"I remember, I remember, you can follow me for a few steps."
"Outside, the commotion is getting more and more fierce. Just now a flower girl came to ask for help. Before she reached the corner, she was dragged away by a stickman."
"Hey, that year I was twenty-four, and I was very powerful. If anyone dared to anger me, I would draw my sword."
The group of people followed the old official, turned into the depths of the official residence, and stopped in front of a warehouse with a locked iron door.
The old officer shivered and took out the key, and opened the iron door with a "chirp" sound.
Not long after, the scene in the warehouse shocked everyone present.
This is a storage room. Although it is a bit old, it is densely packed with weapons, including ring-headed knives, sabers, long swords, iron bows, hand crossbows... and even two tiger shields.
"Everyone takes one piece." The old official said unsteadily, "When Wangzhou is settled in the future, come back to Guanfang."
Xu Mu and Zhou Fu looked at each other and nodded. At this time, they really needed weapons to protect themselves.
Ordinary sticks and the like are no longer of much use as a deterrent.
After hesitating, Xu Mu chose a long sword.
Si Hu chose a long saber and carried it on his back. It matched his iron tower-like body and looked even more extraordinary.
Zhou Fu also chose a sword, and the rest of the people also chose their weapons.
What left Xu Mu speechless was that Li Xiaowan actually walked out with difficulty carrying a tiger shield. The coverage of the tiger shield was enough to cover her entire body.
"What are you looking at!" Li Xiaowan blushed, "My aunt doesn't know how to fight, so why can't she use a shield to protect herself?"
"Can……"
In front of them, the old official had carefully locked the iron door, and he was still stumbling as he led everyone forward.
"Mu, Mu?"
"Senior, my name is Xu Mu." Xu Mu took the trouble to hold over his hand.
"Ah, I remember again. You go to bed now, I will help you keep watch later."
"Senior, how can this be done?"
"I am a Daji official, so naturally I have to protect the people." The old official's face became excited again, "Let me tell you, that year I was twenty-four, armed with a simple sword, and fought back the siege of Beidi Dog."
Xu Mu's heart ached when he heard this.
In the entire Wangzhou City, the last official left was this old official who could even stagger when he walked.
"Si Hu, you take two people and go out to watch the night. If senior is sleepy, remember to find a quilt to cover him."
"Brother Mu, don't worry."
Not knowing whether it was intentional or not, Si Hu ordered two scholars, Fan Gu and Wang Yun, and followed the old official and walked outside.
"Shopkeeper Zhou, please rest first."
"Hey, in this world, there is no life and no death."
Xu Mu sat down in silence, and turned down the oil lamp in the official room slightly. When he looked back, he found Li Xiaowan in the corner, hugging the tiger shield, curled up and falling asleep.
…
Night ends and dawn dawns.
Wangzhou City, which had been noisy all night, finally became a little quieter.
"Master, I've seen you!" Zhou Zunzong walked in hurriedly, his voice filled with shock and anger, "Ma Guaizi took twenty or thirty stick men along the street to rob people and money, and now they even dare to use knives to kill people.
Previously, in Guanfangqian Street, I couldn't say a few words, so I stabbed someone to death."
"What to do?"
Xu Mu had a cold face. In the past, in Wangzhou City, only at night when there were fewer official patrols on the streets, would these dog-fighters come out to make a scene.
Fortunately, now, due to the siege of refugees and the departure of official officials, Ma Guaizi and his gang have completely let go of their hands and become lawless.
"Brother Mu, there is one more thing. The old officer chased some rioters last night and was knocked on the head. He is still unconscious now."
Xu Mu looked startled, and hurriedly asked someone to help the old official into the inner room. He found that a circle of linen had been twisted crookedly around his forehead, and there was faint traces of blood.
"Master Xu, it's okay. I haven't suffered any brain damage. It's just that I'm old and frail, and I can't stand it anymore." After Zhou Fu looked carefully, he spoke with determination.
"Zhou Zun, call everyone back and close the door outside the official residence." Xu Mu's face sank.
At this time, it would be safer to avoid the horse cripple.
"Master Xu, I still have a lot of dry food on my carriage. If there is no other way, we can only stay here for a few days."