Chapter 23 appointment in distress

From the banks of the Yangtze River to the banks of the Qiantang River, most of the Jiangnan area was full of protests and wars.However, Mao Xiang, who was fleeing with his family, had no time to take care of this.Because since he escaped from Haining County, where the soldiers and bandits were rampant and the situation was chaotic, he and his family have been wandering in the countryside, hiding in Tibet. At first, they just moved to Dabai, the villa of their friend Zhang Weichi on the outskirts of the city. They didn't go too far, thinking that once the situation was under control, they would still go back to the city.Because in late July, the King of Lu regime had sent envoys to formally appoint Yu Yuanliang as the censor of the supervising army and county magistrate of Haining, and Jiang Guochen as the governor;Unexpectedly, at the beginning of August, the situation suddenly became tense again, and there were rumors in and out of the city: Because Haining refused to submit, Zhang Cunren, the governor of Zhejiang in the Qing Dynasty, sent soldiers from Hangzhou, and was rushing towards them in a threatening manner.So Maoxiang's family suddenly fell into unprecedented panic.After an urgent discussion, everyone felt that Hangzhou in the west was not to be visited; Jiaxing in the north was said to have been occupied by the Qing soldiers, and going there would be like throwing yourself into a trap, and it would be impossible; Hiring a boat can be done, but the difficulty is safety when crossing the river.In the end, Maoxiang and his son had no choice but to manage overnight and lead the whole family to flee eastward.

Now, dozens of members of their family, with a large number of boxes and cages outside, have traveled to the neighboring Haiyan County after several rounds of trekking, and temporarily settled down in a remote village called Reshan.Speaking of which, Zhang Weichi arranged this place for them.It is called a village, but it is actually the family cemetery of a distant relative of Zhang Weichi.The only three households in the village are the tenants of that distant relative. They usually take care of the ancestral graves for their masters while farming.According to the etiquette and practice, the ancestors are worshiped in spring and autumn every year, and they have to guard the tomb to be filial when their parents die. Therefore, houses are built in the cemetery as usual for rest and accommodation at that time.In normal times, Zhang Weichi would naturally not place his old friends here, but in times of war and chaos, this kind of place has become the safest place of refuge.

Maoxiang sent his father here first, and then the whole family came to join him.Those forty or fifty people now live in three bungalows.They are masters, a total of eight people, men, women, old and young, plus a few personal maids, living in the largest building, and the rest of the servants are divided into men and women, and live in the other two buildings.The cemetery is located on a small hillside. In the garden there are a few long pine trees and ancient cypresses with sparse branches and leaves. The surrounding area is full of green bamboo forests. In addition, it is far away from the market, and the environment is quite secluded and quiet.However, since the day they moved in, the endless autumn rain has been dripping down without stopping.The cloud-covered sky was gloomy all day long, and there was hardly a moment of cheerfulness; the potholes on the ground were filled with water, and the soil was as soft as cold porridge, which was smashed into pieces after being trampled by pedestrians.Looking up, the distant mountains, nearby trees, and nearby huts with bamboo fences were all buried in the misty water vapor, showing a dejected look; only the weeds all over the slope grew up suddenly after being moistened by this accident. The misty green and luxuriant green trees spread all the way to the front and back of the house, adding a bit of coldness and desolation to the already remote cemetery...

However, right now Maoxiang doesn't have the mind to pay attention to these things, he can't even stay in the house with his family anymore.Because just now, Zhang Weichi entrusted someone to send a message, asking him to rush to Gapu Town, ten miles away, to meet immediately, saying that there was an urgent matter to discuss.Since half a month ago, after Haining broke up, Maoxiang lost contact with Zhang Weichi.During this period, frightening news continued to spread, saying that Haining had been captured by the Qing soldiers, many houses were burned, and many people died, including the family of Yu Yuanliang, the magistrate appointed by the King of Lu regime, and a group of people who led the resistance. Gentleman.Mao Xiang didn't know whether it was true or not, and he didn't know whether Zhang Weichi, who stayed in Haining to participate in the city defense, was also included.Although I sent people out to inquire again and again, but due to the impassable roads in Haining, I still couldn't get a very accurate one.This made him very worried, and he felt like sitting on pins and needles every day, because Zhang Weichi was not only his close friend, but also the main support of their family after they fled to this foreign land. If something happened, their situation would be much more difficult in the future.Therefore, Maoxiang was really overjoyed to receive Zhang Weichi's oral message.After explaining the whole story to his father, he immediately led Maocheng and two other capable servants to leave Reshan in a hurry and headed for Ganpu Town.

Now, a group of people have left the path in the mountains and embarked on the road to the south.Ganpu, located at the southern end of the county, is the only big town in the area other than the county seat, and has a port to go to the sea. Therefore, this road is always full of cars and horses on weekdays, and there are endless streams of merchants and pedestrians; Neighboring Haining is fighting a war, coupled with the continuous autumn rain, it is obviously left in the cold right now.The huge road was actually empty, and there was no one to be seen. There was only a burst of rain, splashing countless small dots on the mud-filled ruts and hoof tracks.Maoxiang wore a bamboo hat on his head and a coir raincoat over his body, sitting silently in the uncovered bamboo pole, feeling like the weather in front of him, gloomy and wet in his heart.He sometimes looked at the gray clouds, and sometimes at the distant trees and mountains in the rain. Although he was quite anxious and wished to rush to Ganpu immediately, he also knew how difficult it was to travel in this ghostly weather. It was difficult, so I had no choice but to be patient and stop urging the two bearers who were trekking hard.

However, as he walked, he felt that the situation seemed a little wrong, because if it was true that the Qing soldiers were approaching this way after capturing Haining, as the legend said, then no matter how heavy the rain was, the common people would be shocked. It is also bound to drag men and women, scrambling to escape.But now the surroundings are abnormally calm, without any signs of chaos. "Could it be that the rumors are not true, that Haining did not fall, and that the Qing soldiers did not kill them? It's just that if there is no need to flee, the villagers should come out to farm and work for their livelihood. Why is there no one on the road or in the fields? Can't see?" Thinking of this, Mao Xiang couldn't help becoming suspicious, and began to open his eyes wide, looking around from far and near.

The ticking autumn rain gradually became smaller.Although the leaden gray clouds are still condensed above the head, the sky is no longer as dark as before.Only because of the loss of the noise of the rain, the surrounding area seemed more empty and quiet, so quiet that it made one's heart tremble. "Hey, what's that?" A servant walking in front suddenly pointed to the front and said. "What?" "Where?" The others immediately joined together.It was obvious that even they felt that something was wrong and became quite sensitive as a result. Mao Xiang, who was sitting on the bamboo stile, saw through the rain curtain before the servant could speak, and found a dark object lying on the road ahead, but it was not very clear because of the distance.As soon as the servant pointed out, he paid more attention, and at the same time began to vaguely recognize that it was a person.

"Ah, a dead man, a dead man!" The servant walking in the lead was the first to scream. "What? Dead man!" Mao Xiang's heart tightened, and he almost stood up from the bamboo pole, but suddenly found that his feet were shaking, and sat down quickly.At this moment, the bearer has stepped up and rushed forward, so Mao Xiang, with a feeling of panic, saw clearly the dead man crouching stiffly in the muddy water. This is a strong man.Judging from the black and old shorts and trousers, he looks like a commoner, but it may also be a rich man with status who changed his clothes to escape.There was a big hole in the clothes on the back, exposing half of the shoulder blades.He was obviously hacked to death with a knife, because there was a deep and wide wound on the shoulder blade near the neck.It's just that the blood has been drained and washed away by the rain.Now, the pale muscles were horribly unfolded, revealing a severed backbone and bulging, purple lungs.His head was twisted unnaturally, his eyes were protruding, and his teeth were grinning. It is estimated that he died in great pain.

"Well, how was he killed?" Maoxiang stepped out of the bamboo pocket, thinking in shock, without taking his eyes off the corpse, "Could it be that a robber cut the path? Or..." "Hey, hey, there's more here!" "Oh, there, and there, all of them! All of them!" Several voices came out in amazement at the same time. Mao Xiang was startled, and hurriedly followed.Sure enough, on the road ahead, in the ditches, and even in the fields, there were many corpses of the slain lying there, one on the east and one on the west! "Ah, no wonder there was no one in sight along the way, so such a terrible thing happened!" He stared dumbfounded at the corpses that had died in different ways, some of them were decapitated, some of them were dead. There are also arrow shafts stuck in his body.He thought horribly: "It's just that, judging from the number of dead people and the severity of the killing, I'm afraid it wasn't the work of local bandits, so, then could it be Qing soldiers?" It shook like a drum.Seeing that the two servants walking ahead were still bold enough to sneak into the pile of dead people, he stomped his feet and shouted in a hoarse voice:

"Bastards, what are you doing? Come back! Come back quickly!" Then he turned his head to Maocheng angrily and said, "Look at the situation, the Tartar soldiers must have arrived at Ganpu! There is no way to go any further, hurry up and go back to Reshan!" Hearing what the master said, the servants suddenly became nervous with an "ah".Everyone hurriedly helped Maoxiang onto the bamboo pole, ignoring the muddy road, turned around in a panic, and hurried towards the way they came. However, within a few steps, I heard a strange sound coming from afar.It was a powerful whining sound, like a horn, but not a horn, it sounded sharp and fierce, full of chilling air.Everyone's heart trembled violently, and they stopped in shock.

"Bastard, what are you stopping for? Go, go!" Mao Xiang waved his arm and scolded viciously. "Uncle, Uncle, you can't go, you can't go, you see—" a servant said tremblingly, pointing to the village opposite the rice field. Mao Xiang was furious: "What are you going to..." But before he finished speaking, he also saw: at the north end of the village, a group of people was coming out one after another.Although they were far away and couldn't see their appearance clearly, the strange clothes, shiny knives and guns, as well as the large and small bundles on the horse's back, and the cattle, sheep, pigs and dogs behind the horses were still vaguely discernible... … "Master, the Tazi soldiers are coming, you have to dodge quickly!" Seeing that the master was in a daze, he urged anxiously from the side. Mao Xiang was stunned for a moment, then suddenly woke up. "That's right, Qing Bing! This is Qing Bing! That means, I have to run away quickly! Yes!" He thought, planning to step off the bamboo pole in a panic, but he was not careful that his legs gave way suddenly and he almost fell down.Thanks to Mao Cheng and another servant who had quick eyes and quick hands, they helped him up.The three master and servant hugged each other, bent down, and ran towards a patch of reeds growing on the dirt slope beside the road. This is a common reed clump in coastal areas. It grows tall and dense due to the moisture of the salt air.The whole group of them braved the accumulated rain like a chaotic spring on the reed leaves, and they kept digging in, and their whole bodies were soaked in a blink of an eye.Just as everyone hid their bodies, before they had time to take a breath, they heard the sound that sounded like a horn but not a horn, and it sounded again "woo-woo-".Judging from the direction, it still came from the village just now.When everyone was wondering, suddenly, as if in response, the same whining sound came from another direction; then, a third direction joined in.It rang like this one after another for a while before returning to calm.Although the group of people hiding in the reeds couldn't figure out the exact meaning of these voices, they all undoubtedly guessed that it must be the Qing soldiers communicating with each other; and it seems that there are at least three soldiers and horses nearby. !So when everyone looked at me and I looked at you, their faces could not help but change color. As for Maoxiang, through the gaps between the reed leaves, he looked up at the sky where the terrifying sound had just been echoed, and besides being shocked, he felt fifteen buckets in his heart, up and down.Undoubtedly, because they hid in the reeds, they were temporarily safe; but, since my group is so eye-catching, could the Qing soldiers have already noticed that they were planning to come and search, and the voice just now was calling for their companions?If so, I am afraid it will be difficult to escape today!Originally, I have lived to this age of thirty-four, and I have gained fame, money, and everything I should enjoy. Even if I die, I don’t have too many regrets; In times and ages, living is just suffering!However, what should I do after I die and leave behind men, women, children and a whole family?Moreover, judging from the situation, the Qing soldiers seemed to be dispatching everywhere, so could they have also arrived at Jalan Mountain?Could it be that the father, mother, wife, son, and Dong Xiaowan have already fallen into the clutches of the Tartars and are being brutally tortured, killed, and ravaged at this moment?This sudden and intense fear made Mao Xiang's heart jump for a moment, the blood in his body rushed rapidly, and his breathing became more and more rapid.If he hadn't pretended to reach out his hand from the side and press him lightly, he would probably jump straight up. Mao Cheng held him down because there was a sound outside the reed.It was a sound of horseshoes approaching from far away, but it didn't sound chaotic, as if there was only one person and one horse.Even so, Mao Xiang immediately became nervous.He temporarily put aside his worries about his family, and began to press his body close to the ground, hold his breath, prick up his ears, and listen intently to the movement outside. The man and the horse obviously came along the main road.Hearing the sound of hooves kicking, the coming was swift, but when they approached their hiding place, they slowed down significantly. Finally, the rider clearly tightened the reins and stopped. "Not good! Could it be that you really came here for me?" Mao Xiang tried his best to catch the movement of the other party with his ears. For a moment, the blood in his whole body seemed to freeze, and even his heart almost stopped beating. The man outside—now Mao Xiang had no doubt that it was a Qing soldier—had remained silent for a while.He seemed unsure of the position he had determined, and was still looking around; but it might also be that he already knew that there were many people hiding in the reeds, and was thinking about how to do so in order to catch them all at once.It is this kind of threat that is already approaching but has not yet been released, which makes every nerve of Maoxiang tense, and his heart beats wildly... But the soldier remained silent.He seems to have calculated that these "prey" in the reeds will never escape, so he is not in a hurry to make a move. The more this happened, the more nervous Mao Xiang was in the reeds.He opened his eyes wide and waited in despair and terror, so that in the end, every slight sound outside - the trampling of horseshoes, the occasional collision of armor and weapons, reached his ears as if it was a sound. There was a thunder, and his heart almost jumped out of his chest. "Oh, why did he do this? What does he want to do?" Mao Xiang thought in bewilderment and pain. "Get it, get it." Listening to the sound, the horse's hooves were approaching him directly, and the reeds in front also began to rustle.Maoxiang's cold hair suddenly stood on end: "Come on, he finally found me! This time I look like I'm going to die!" He instinctively planned to jump up and run away, but in the end he just buried himself in a slump. Go down, grit your teeth, close your eyes, and wait for the ruthless blow that will end your life... However, he didn't wait.Because of the sound of hoofbeats, the horse stopped for a while, and then stepped back clearly.It's just that when the rider did this, he seemed to wave the big knife in his hand.Because after a few sharp whistling sounds, a lot of broken stems, broken leaves, and white tassels of reeds fell like raindrops... "Savages! Get out quickly! Get out, master!" A violent shout sounded suddenly.The sound was so abrupt, it came through the air, pierced people's eardrums, and made Mao Xiang who had just opened his eyes tremble, almost going to respond to the sound, but only when he woke up in time did he try his best to hold on. "Barbarian, get out! Get out quickly, master!" The ferocious voice yelled again, but this time it was already dozens of steps away. When it rang for the third time, it went even further... "Yes, this is just the beginning," the threat of death finally passed, Mao Xiang looked at the servants who started whispering and discussing how to escape, and thought silently, "The days to come will be long, and there will be more suffering." How much pain can you teach me how to endure?" Thinking like this, Mao Xiang found himself falling into a bottomless abyss, in which there was only darkness and no light, even if he survived by luck, those who accompanied him would also be Is it nothing but suffering, or suffering... Gradually, his whole body was enveloped in a thick, icy, weary fog, so that for a moment, in his feeling, everything that caused mountains or homes seemed to be irrelevant. is redundant...