It was already dark when Luo Yangming returned home. The whole family was waiting in the main room. When they saw him coming back, they immediately surrounded him. Ding Atao and Wen Yun even burst into tears, holding his arms and refusing to let go.
"Why are you all crying?" Luo Yangming let out a long breath, "Didn't you come back safe and sound?"
"You suddenly ran out in the middle of the night, and there was such a fierce commotion outside..." Ding Atao cried with eyes like rotten peaches, "There is a whole family here that depends on you. What are the benefits of working for the Australians? So,
Risk your life and forget your own death!”
Luo Yangming originally couldn't bear to hear his wife scolding the Senate, and would definitely reprimand her if she heard it. However, now her eyes were red with tears because she was worried about her, and she couldn't help but feel pity in her heart, and said: "There are many benefits to following the Senate. Don't worry about it.
." After saying that, he turned to Wen Yun and said, "This time your eldest brother has made great achievements. The Senate will definitely promote him."
Wen Yun was also in tears, but after all, she was young and had nothing on her mind. She was relieved to see Luo Yangming back safely. And when she heard what he said, she couldn't help but burst into tears and smiled, saying, "Is it true?"
"Of course it's true."
As he spoke, he sat down on the chair, feeling sore all over his body, and said: "Not only him, but also the laborers under him will benefit this time." At this point, he felt like the world was spinning and he collapsed on the ground.
It was chaos now, the women were crying, the men were shouting, and they said they wanted to call a doctor quickly. But Li Wensheng was older and could control it. He felt his breath and pulse and said, "It's okay, sir. I'm just too nervous."
I have been busy for half a night, and this time I lost my energy and actually fell asleep. Just let him have a good rest."
At that moment, everyone was busy asking Luo Yangming to take off his dirty clothes and carry them to Wen Yun's bedroom. Ding Atao told everyone that from now on, the master will not see guests, and "we will talk about big things when he wakes up."
Things have been tidied up here, and it is already dawn. Someone is beating gongs on the street outside and reading the notice of peace of mind for the people: the riots at night have subsided, Wuzhou is safe inside and outside, the four gates have been opened, and the people can live their lives in peace.
"It's finally peaceful." Ding Atao said to Li Wensheng, "My heart is about to burst out of my throat. I'm really afraid that the officers and soldiers will come back..."
"Don't worry, madam, how can the officers and soldiers fight back? They are just a few clowns..."
While they were talking, Ah Chun suddenly came to report: The eldest lady of the Jiang family wants to see her.
"Which eldest lady of the Jiang family?" Ding Atao didn't react for a moment.
"She is the wife of Uncle Jiang, the shopkeeper of Ruijintang Silk Shop..."
"It turns out she is Qiu Chan's sister-in-law." Ding Atao finally came to her senses. However, although she and Jiang Qiuchan are best friends, they have no contact with this eldest lady of the Jiang family. Why did she suddenly come to visit? This is not etiquette. Moreover,
The situation outside is turbulent now, so it's better to avoid making trouble.
"Go and reply to her: I am in poor health and cannot see guests. Madam, please go back first. You will definitely come to receive instruction someday."
Ah Chun took the order and came back after a while, reporting:
"Madam! The eldest lady of the Jiang family said that she came here because of something important. She also asked me to save her family. She also said that this matter has something to do with Jiang Qiuchan!"
Since the matter involves Jiang Qiuchan, Ding Atao has no choice but to take it to heart. She knows something about the personality of the eldest lady of the Jiang family - she is quite snobbish, and she has never been very fond of her own family. If there is nothing important,
It’s not like you have to come to your door to ask for advice.
"In that case, please invite her in."
As soon as the eldest wife of the Jiang family came in, she knelt down on the ground with a plop and bowed her hands: "Madam! Please save our family!"
At this time, not only Ding Atao was shocked, but also Li Wensheng was confused. Ding Atao quickly said: "Why do you do this, Madam! When you have something to say, speak slowly. Hurry up and help Madam up!"
However, the eldest daughter of the Jiang family was kneeling on the ground, crying and begging, but refused to get up. She had to ask Ding Atao to personally agree.
"Madam, what do you want me to promise?" Ding Atao became more and more confused, "If you have anything to say, please stand up and speak. If we can help, we will definitely help!"
After hearing this, the eldest lady of the Jiang family got up crying and sat down on the chair next to her. She rambled on and told the story one by one.
It turned out that Jiang Qiuchan stayed overnight at the Third General Office yesterday and did not return. Early this morning, a group of policemen came and arrested Jiang Rongxian.
"...I spent money to get the news from a detective team. It was his sister who was the one who caused the trouble and caused my husband..." As she said this, she started crying again. "The people from the detective team said that this matter is very serious."
I'm afraid everyone involved in the case will be hanged. This prodigal sister-in-law..." She was about to curse Jiang Qiuchan, but suddenly thought that the only hope in front of her, Ding Atao, was her sister-in-law's close friend. If she offended her, this would
The answer was in vain.
"What?! Qiu Chan has been arrested?!" Ding Atao was shocked. To be honest, she didn't care whether Jiang Rongxian would be hanged. The most important thing was that Qiu Chan committed an unexpected crime. After all, she had been
In Wuzhou, Jiang Qiuchan is one of her few close friends in the boudoir. She has a deep relationship and many things can only be told to her...
"Madam, don't panic, please explain the matter in detail," Ding Atao said.
"Yes, yes..." Seeing her solemn expression, Mrs. Jiang's wife knew that there was hope, so she told the whole story from the beginning, including the fact that she had found someone to inquire about the news.
"...We, the Jiang family, have always been good and law-abiding citizens. This was the case when the Ming Dynasty was here, and it was also the case when the Senate came. Last time, the leader of the Xie family said that there was not enough money to buy food, and all merchants were asked to contribute. My family was the first...
"
Although it was time for her to talk and cry, Ding Atao understood clearly: Jiang Qiuchan was involved in a big conspiracy, which involved the murder of the elders, so early this morning the whole city was searching for Jiang Qiuchan.
All the principals of the family were arrested.
Ding Atao immediately thought of Master Hao's arrest last night - wasn't Master Hao recommended by Jiang Qiuchan? He was also the tutor of Qiuchan's son! Could it be something that happened to Master Hao?
Thinking of this, she couldn't sit still. Master Hao had been working in her family for so long. If he was really involved in some "rebellion" case, how could her family be immune?
She no longer wanted to listen to the chatter of the eldest wife of the Jiang family, and said: "This matter will be discussed after my husband and I have discussed it. As long as my family can help, I will definitely help! Don't mess up your position."
After seeing off the eldest daughter of the Jiang family, Ding Atao was anxious in the room. She wanted to wake her husband up and asked him about it, but she was worried about his health. She had no choice but to discuss it with Li Wensheng. Li Wensheng persuaded her: "Madam, please don't do it."
Be anxious. Australians do things in a systematic way. They will not convict people easily and will not wrongly accuse good people. Mr. Hao and Qiu Chan will be fine for a while. We are not in a hurry. The master will wake up at noon.
.It will be easy to ask again then.”
Zhao Toyota was busy with the aftermath all morning. After dawn, the scouts sent by Qian Duo to Sanhezui came back and reported back that Sanhezui had been defeated last night, and most of the prisoners and refugees in the camp escaped, and some
They were killed. Only ten of the retained personnel responsible for managing and guarding the camp remained. Some were killed and some fled.
"...There are also some people who followed the bandits."
Zhao Toyota nodded, which was expected.
A preliminary inventory of the reception team sent by Qian Duo showed that there are currently less than 800 people left in the Sanhezui camp, mostly women, children, old and young. There are more than 500 corpses in the camp, and most of the others have fled. The camp has been basically destroyed and the buildings have been burned.
Most of the supplies and tools in the camp were also severely damaged.
"Who attacked Sanhezui?"
"They are a group of bandits. They are actually not many in number. But the camp was organized inside and outside," Qian Duo said with a frown, "Jiang Yougong was killed as soon as the war started..."
"Blasted to death? The bandits brought cannons?" Zhao Toyota thought of the sound of cannons outside the city at night.
"The bandits didn't have cannons, but they brought a lot of gunpowder..."
Zhao Toyota still couldn't imagine it, because the camp of the National Army Squadron in Sanhezui was a closed fortress, and it was impossible for the bandits' combat power to be blasted at close range.
"He took some unknown medicine and went to the Sanhezui camp to 'listen to a play'!" Qian Duo spat, "I found out later that he went to sleep with a female actor! As a result, the female actor was sleeping with him and was called inside.
A cannon from the inside shot him into the sky! He really deserves to die!"
Before a major mission, the squadron leader and Guanying Liu of the Third Squadron were actually "listening to a play" and "playing with female actors." When Qian Duo heard this, he was beyond surprised. He had vaguely heard about Sanhe for a long time.
There was "something wrong" with that part of my mouth, but I didn't expect the problem to be so big!
"Listen to the opera? Are you saying that Liu is expected to manage the opera troupe?" Zhao Fangdang immediately thought of the theater boxes ordered by the chief to be sent out, and his head got bigger again.
"Yes, it's that troupe." Qian Duo said, "I don't know the specific situation yet. There was a lot of chaos in the camp and a lot of people ran away. But Liu Zhizhi can't run away from this!"
"How is he doing?"
"I was injured during the explosion and was crushed under the rubble. I managed to save my life! However, there were so many dead people in the camp. There were corpses everywhere. The No. 3 Squadron camp was not lost, but more than half of the people were killed or injured.
, this squadron is considered useless. It will look great once the grain fleet arrives today."
"Whether it looks good or not is another matter." Zhao Toyota said solemnly, "Now we have as many debts as we can and as many lice as we can get itchy. How much worse can it get? Sanhezui is an important place, and the No. 3 Squadron's fortress still needs to be repaired as soon as possible."
―After the first squadron comes back this time, they will take over the defense and take a rest. The second squadron will be patrolled instead.”
"Then there's only one company left in the city during the day..." Qian Duo said.
"Although the Third Squadron has suffered heavy losses, its strength is still there. Once the Third Squadron has been replenished, it will still be possible to patrol the city. It will just take time to hone it."