Chapter 47 The forty-fourth round of mistakes, mistakes, observations, and trials

That young man who claimed to be surnamed Zhu walked too abruptly.Wang Jiuxi felt very surprised, hurriedly greeted the waiter, and asked him what was the guest's last name?Is it a regular or a newcomer?The man said: "This guest doesn't even know the villain's real name. He has been here three times even this time. That big man seems to be his long-term follower. Whenever he comes, he is always with him. But he doesn't smoke, and he doesn't sit upstairs. He just sits on a stool by the counter next to the door. After half an hour, he will go upstairs to have a look. Before leaving, he always Open the road ahead. They all rode bicycles. Once they went out and jumped on the bicycle, they were faster than an arrow and disappeared in a blink of an eye. That's all the villain knows. As for other situations, the villain really doesn't know anything. If you know, can you still hide it from you!" Jiu Xi heard what he said so earnestly, and guessed that the man really didn't know, so it was inconvenient to ask further.Smoking a cigarette by myself, depressed.I only heard someone talking in a low voice on the other side of the board wall, and he looked over there through the crack in the board wall.Just don't look at it, and after seeing it, you can't feel surprised: "Oh! Isn't that Xiao Yuan, the waiter of the Yingbin Hotel? Why does he come here to smoke? This kid is very well-behaved, why did he go to these places? "Looking at an old man in his sixties lying on the bed again, holding a cigarette stick in his hand and smoking on the lamp, he looked absent-minded. Ask in a low voice.He listened but couldn't hear clearly, as if asking do you know where he lives?Yuan Jinhuan shook his head and waved to the old man again, which meant to tell him to keep his voice low so that no one could hear him.Seeing this situation, Jiuxi became more and more suspicious.I deliberately called Yuan Jinhuan over and asked him a question.Then I thought about it, but I couldn't help it. I knew who he was with. If I was reckless, it would not be beautiful to bring out right and wrong.Why not go back to the hotel and lie to him first, if you can tell the truth, you will save a lot of trouble.Otherwise, you have to intimidate him, so that you don't worry about him not telling the truth.After making up his mind, he still lay down and smoked his cigarette.He took two more puffs, looked at his watch, and saw that it was getting late, so he took out two dollars to reward the buddy.The smoking account is already waiting.Walk downstairs, take the servant with you, and return to the hotel.

When he got to his own room, he called Yuan Jinhuan loudly, but another guy came over and replied to him: "Jin Huan went out with a master Song. If there is any order from the adults, the younger ones can go right away." At this moment, Jiuxi understood in his heart that the old man he met in Qinglian Pavilion just now had the surname Song.Then he asked, "How long has that guy surnamed Song been here? What does he do? You should know." The clerk said: "The old man Song came only one day earlier than your Excellency, and he didn't say what he did. , looks like an official." Jiuxi nodded, and told the clerk: "Jinhuan is here when you are young, you ask him to come to my room, I have something to ask him." The clerk said "Yes" then went.After lighting the lamp, Jin Huan still hasn't come back.Jiuxi was puzzled, could it be that he was guilty and timid, so he ran away first?A person was wondering in the room, when he suddenly saw the curtain open, Yuan Jinhuan came over with a smile, and said to Jiuxi, "Hasn't your lord eaten yet?" I'm not busy, please sit down, and I'll chat with you for a few gossips." Jin Huan said: "What's the matter, my lord? Why did you give up your seat to the villain? We are a waiter, how dare we talk to Master Daotai?" Sit down and talk!" Jiuxi laughed and said, "You are welcome, I am always the most casual person. In front of the public, I am of course a Daotai master; in the private room, we are all equal people, no distinction No matter what! If I tell you to sit down, you can sit down yourself. Because our conversation is very long and cannot be exhausted in a few words. If I want you to stand for a long time, how can I feel at ease. You sit down yourself. Don't give in." Jin Huan already understood in his heart at this time, but he had to pretend to be confused and give in.Now that Jiuxi said it so sincerely, he sat down on the next stool and said: "There are so many adults in the world. The villain is too presumptuous today. But I don't know my lord." Do you have any instructions?" Jiuxi asked in a pleasant low voice: "Jinhuan, when you were in Qinglian Pavilion today, there was a young man next door to you, you always saw him. What is this person doing? What is it? The origin? You probably know a little bit. I ask you to tell me in detail today. I will never let you down. I specially prepared 20 yuan to help you save money. You must not hide a word. In the future If I borrow your words, I will finish the matter and reward you with another two hundred yuan. Don’t you think this is a beautiful thing that flew from the sky? Fortunately, there is no third person in this room who comes out of your mouth and into me Just tell me the truth." In Jiuxi's mind, Jinhuan is just a child's house, he speaks sweetly and baited him with great profit, so of course he has something to say what.Unexpectedly, after hearing Jiuxi's words, he seemed at a loss.On the contrary, he asked Jiu Xi, "My lord has said so many things, but the villain can't understand at all. Why is there such a young man in Qinglian Pavilion, what's the matter, what's the origin, the villain has never even entered the door of Qinglian Pavilion!" Where did your lord come from to say these words?" Jiu Xi became happy when he heard that he refused to admit it.Because he refused to admit it, the young man must be a giant bandit, so he was afraid of getting involved, so he insisted that he didn't know.So he showed a very kind attitude and said to Jin Huan: "Good boy, don't be afraid. If you decide your own way, you will definitely not be implicated. You are rewarded yourself, and other things have nothing to do with you. If you If you don’t say anything, even if you are with him, you will not be able to run away if you hold him in the future. You say at this time, even if you are really with him, the original way will be cleared up for you. Promote you, and find some good things for you to do. You little person, if you think about it, don't fool yourself." Jiu Xi earnestly persuaded Yuan Jinhuan to avoid it.Unexpectedly, this child's heart is harder than eating a weighing hammer.He still insisted: "I never went to Qinglian Pavilion. My lord must have misunderstood the wrong person. Please think about it again, and you will naturally understand." Seeing his insistence like this, Jiuxi was anxious again, He was angry again, so he had to endure and endure, endure and endure, and still confessed to him kindly.From nine o'clock in the evening until eleven o'clock, not a single word was uttered.At this moment, even Jiuxi hesitated, could it be that I really misunderstood him?Well, let's see.After making up his mind, he said to Jin Huan: "Since you have never been there, I am wrong. You go first! I will visit you tomorrow." After hearing this, Jin Huan immediately resigned as if he had received a decree of amnesty. Jiu Xi ran out, already sweating profusely.

When Jiuxi came this time, he brought twelve guards and another platoon leader named Zeng Desheng, all of whom lived downstairs.There is only one master and two family members upstairs.He waited for Jin Huan to go, and told his family, Lu Sheng, to go downstairs and call the platoon leader Zeng Desheng up.It didn't take long for Lu Sheng to leave. Zeng Desheng followed him upstairs. When he saw Jiu Xi, he asked An to stand by.Jiuxi ordered: "tonight, you must send guards to be extra careful, and don't let Yuan Jinhuan go away. And the old man who went out with Jinhuan, you have to be extra careful, and pay attention to who comes in and out of his house .If he escapes alone, you must catch him; if he doesn't move, you can't do anything wrong. Do you understand what I say?" Zeng Desheng replied repeatedly: "My lord's instructions, I have fully understood " Jiuxi said: "Okay, go down and do it!" Zeng Desheng went.After Jiuxi waited here until the third watch, he took off his overcoat and only wore a short overcoat with a belt around his waist. He hid a Browning pistol in his arms and came out of the house.Went downstairs, went straight to Kuayuan where Ershun lived, looked around, but there was no one there.He jumped into the room, first lying on the top of the back hill, then slowly climbed from the back hill to the front hill, snaked to the front of the eaves, and hung himself upside down; then, holding the lintel on the window with one hand, he wiped a piece of window paper with the tip of his tongue , looking in.It can be seen very clearly that the old man in the room is not the one he met during the day, but who he is.He understood, and didn't wait for a while, still climbed to the back hill and jumped down, jumped over the wall, and returned to his bedroom.Only at this moment did he feel fully rooted in his heart, knowing that it was definitely not his eyesight, but Yuan Jinhuan's cunning refusal.Looking at it this way, even the old man is also a person in the case.Tomorrow I will give him a surprise, a formal interrogation, to see where they go.This really deserves me to show my face. I didn't expect to solve this huge case unintentionally.The more I thought about it, the more complacent I became, lying on the kang, tossing and turning, I never closed my eyes all night.Until the next morning, he wrote a letter with his own hand, and sent his family member Lu Sheng to send it to the Chengde County Yamen immediately, to hand it over to Mr. Chang and wait for his reply.

It turns out that Fengtianshou County, formerly known as Chengde, was changed to Shenyang since the Republic of China.At that time, the elder of Shouxian County was also a banner man named Chang Lu, but he was a member of the old state and county team, and he was extremely capable.When I got up early that day, my family members came up and said: "Master Daowang of the East sent someone to hold a letter to meet the master and answer." Chang Lu ordered him to come in quickly.When Lu Sheng met, he greeted him first, and then presented the letter.Chang Lu took it apart and looked at it, and said that there is trouble with the housekeeper, and I will report back to your lord. I will send all the room shifts, torture tools, chains, etc. immediately, and there is no need to write a reply.Lu Sheng agreed to step back.Sure enough, Chang Lu immediately called the room shift on duty to give instructions face to face, and so on.The room squad took the order and went.When I was young, everything was ready: two recruiters, two torture chambers, two head catchers, four Zaoli; boards, locks, bracelets, shackles, wooden shackles, and all kinds of torture instruments.A few handymen were sent to carry them to the Ying Hotel.After entering the guest house, Mr. Xingfang, the head of the hotel, greeted Mr. Jia, the owner of the hall: "Close the gate quickly, and we have to suspend business today." I can't help being a little timid: Could it be that there are sea robbers left in my hotel, and they were ordered to hunt them down?I had no choice but to hold my scalp and come over to ask for instructions, saying that Mr. brought these many people and asked us to close the door. What does it mean?Mr. Wang from the torture room sneered and said, "What do you mean by asking me? I don't even know what it means. I just ask you, does the Lord Daoist of the East live in your hotel?" Mr. Jia said: "Yes, I live in this hotel." Upstairs. What did you ask him to do?" Mr. Wang said: "Today's action was entrusted to me by Mr. Wang. He may be asking about some cases. Don't talk too much, and close the door quickly. Don't let a single person go." He ordered the shopkeeper and ordered the people to close the door early.Around this time, there were fifty or sixty people staying in the hotel.Seeing this situation, everyone was very surprised, and they all asked Mr. Jia: "What's going on? Are all the residents detained and not allowed to go out? We all have our own personal affairs, so it's unreasonable. Are you still doing business?" Mr. Jia bowed to everyone, apologized, and said: "Masters, don't misunderstand the shop. This is the order of the king of the east. How can the shop resist it?" Got it? I have to wrong you and wait for a while, and I will go up and beg to open the door early." Hearing his pitiful words, everyone felt embarrassed to pursue further.At this time, Mr. Jia is most afraid of the guest surnamed Song from the Kuayuan Court. It seems that his head is not small. If he refuses to agree, the dispute will become serious.However, none of the person surnamed Song and his subordinates intervened in this matter today, so Mr. Jia was relieved.But he also wondered that the surname Song pretended to be an official. Now that he really meets an official, he is also in trouble.

It doesn't mean that Mr. Jia is thinking wildly here, but he said that Lu Sheng led a group of officials, all of them went upstairs and nodded in front of Jiuxi.Jiu Xi selected them face to face, and asked Mr. Wang of the torture room to be the head of the room, and Ma Hongxiang, the arresting squad, to be the head of the team: "If there is anything to do at that time, I will ask you two to handle it. You first arrange the cases in the living room downstairs. When I was young, I would sit in court and ask questions." All the officials agreed with a "Hey" and immediately went downstairs to arrange everything.When I was young, everything was arranged, and it was still Mr. Wang and Ma Hongxiang who came upstairs to invite Jiuxi to sit in the hall and ask questions.At this time, Jiuxi has changed his attire: he is wearing a blue woolen robe and a green woolen coat; he is wearing an autumn hat with two poinsettia red top beads embedded on it, and a large flower plume hangs from the back of the hat; court beads are hanging on his neck, and official boots are on his feet. ; On top of the nose, there are big citrine glasses.It depends on whether the style is mighty or not.Once the officials went up, he went downstairs with the officials, came to the living room, and sat on the chair behind the case.These three large living rooms are supposed to accommodate fifty or sixty people, and they are really useful if they want to sit down and ask questions.After he sat down, there was no one in the shop who, except Song Ershun, was eager to see him.Take care of yourself, but everyone is sweating, not knowing who he is going to interrogate.I saw that he took a piece of paper and marked his name on it. The first one wrote "Jia Changfa".The room squad shouted together: "Take Jia Changfa!" Who do you know Jia Changfa is?It turned out to be Mr. Jia who opened the hotel.Mr. Jia was the first one to call him. He was so frightened that he was trembling all over, his legs were sore, and he could hardly walk.All the officials pushed and dragged him to the desk.Mr. Jia involuntarily knelt down on his knees.Wang Jiuxi patted the gavel on purpose, and shouted loudly: "Hey! I have lived in your store several times, and I still recognize you as an honest businessman! It turns out that you have fornicated horse thieves and become their nest owner. I have all interviewed the truth Now, you come up with the real trick, and I will forgive him for his punishment. If not, you can see that all the soap squads in the county are here, and all the big and small boards are ready-made, so don't blame your way for being merciless." The officials on the left and right He also helped and shouted: "Quick trick, quick trick! Don't make adults angry!" Poor Jia Changfa was so frightened that he burst into tears, kowtowed upwards like pounding garlic, and begged: "My lord! Why do you call me a small one? A small one I have never seen what a horse bandit looks like before, so how can I say that a young man has an affair with a horse bandit! If the adults don't believe it, the little one is willing to swear, the little one wants to know a bandit, and he told lies in front of the adults, and he will be called tomorrow I have a big boil on the tip of my tongue." Jia Changfa replied while crying.The people watching in the store whispered: some complained about Mr. Jia's injustice; If he is innocent, he should be killed. He must be a gangster and a landlord. Lord Wang will never wrong him.

Not to mention that everyone was talking about it, but it was said that Jiuxi heard Jia Changfa's plea, so he might not know about it.But he couldn't help but give him this thunderstorm, so that he could ask Yuan Jinhuan's history and the whereabouts of that Song from his mouth.So he still shouted: "Nonsense! You were going to cry for a while, and then you got away with it. That's a dream! You said you didn't know a horse bandit, and now there is a horse bandit living in your store. Don't you think you don't recognize him?" Jiu Xi had just finished these two sentences, but all the people in the hotel who were on trial looked at each other in shock.You look at me, I look at you, anyone who doesn't recognize him will be suspicious that he may be a horse bandit, and even those who are timid will run away in fright.Everyone became more and more suspicious that he was definitely a horse bandit, and he couldn't be wrong. They couldn't wait to catch him and bring him back, so that good people would not be implicated.In fact, the yamen servants and Jiuxi's guards had already paid attention to them.Jiuxi then continued: "Hurry up and confront this man, and it's nothing to do with you. If you catch him yourself, you won't be able to wash him off even if you jump into the Yellow River." Everyone, until now, he still firmly insisted: "The people living in the small hotel are all decent people, either the big masters in the official career, or the big businessmen who want to make money. The rest of the idlers, etc., don't stay here. How can there be horse bandits among them? My lord must not listen to the rumors outside, they may have a grudge with the little one, and they deliberately made up rumors to frame me. If the adults don't believe it, the little one can take the 20 Lianhuan shops to protect the little one. Don’t believe me, my lord?” Jiuxi sneered and said, “Do you think that you are a man who is willing to listen to rumors? This is what I saw with my own eyes, and it is absolutely true, so I sat down to ask questions. Otherwise, would I make such a fuss over a molehill!" Jia Changfa didn't dare to grit his teeth when he heard that he saw it with his own eyes, and kowtowed: "Your Excellency, the small shop is full of regular customers. As for the real origin, Except for a few people who come and go frequently, the rest, I really don't dare to be surety. But I really don't know who is a bandit, and I don't want to be a nest owner. If you know who is a bandit, please point it out, and save him He ran away." Jiuxi smiled slightly, and said, "Let me ask you! Your little tea house Yuan Jinhuan, do you know his origin?" Jia Changfa said: "My lord wants to ask Yuan Jinhuan, this is the disadvantage of a villain's meddling. That day, his mother and son came to Shenyang to beg for food. In the wind and snow, with no clothes and food, they almost fell down in front of the villain’s hotel. It was the villain who saw them so pitiful that he took Jinhuan away. He went down to work as a tea house and led his mother to a thatched cottage in a stable, which is considered to have saved their lives. Could it be that repaying their kindness and revenge, fornicating horse bandits, and intentionally framing villains are not enough?" Jiuxi said: "Knowing people and knowing faces I don't know. Do you think that if you treat him well, he can't cooperate with the gangsters? Haha! He has brought you all the gangsters to your house. Now you are hiding in the eyes of Yun, and you can never think about it." Jia Changfa heard this. Standing up abruptly, he turned his head and ran out.The officer grabbed him and said, "Where are you running! Do you want to run away before your lord asks?" Changfa said anxiously: "Don't stop me, I'm not running away, I'm looking for that little wolf Boiler went desperately. I fed his wives to life, and now I will repay my kindness and bite back. I will risk my life, and I have to fight him to the death. If you are vague, you can't be regarded as friends!" The official had to explain to him However, Jiuxi said first: "Jia Changfa, don't mess around, you have your own way to decide everything. He can't run away anyway, you have to be patient and wait for me to interrogate slowly." Changfa returned and knelt down again, angrily He hummed and bowed his head in silence.

At this time, Jiuxi had already written the three characters "Yuan Jinhuan", and the officials below had already called Yuan Jinhuan repeatedly.In a short time, like a goshawk catching a finch, the golden ring has been brought to the hall.He knelt down and kowtowed upwards, saying that the villain Yuan Jinhuan would see the lord.When Jiuxi saw him now, he had a different face from last night.He stared at him, slapped the gavel as hard as he could, and shouted loudly: "Hey! Damn you little thief! What else do you have to say today? Tell us the truth and the truth in detail! Cut off your dog legs! Watch the instruments of torture from left to right and serve you!" With this order, all the officials yelled like a thunderstorm, picked up a pile of boards and sticks, threw them on the ground, and shouted to Yuan Jinhuan: "Hurry up! Move, move quickly! Be slow for a moment, beware of slapping the mouth forty." At this time, dozens of people in the hall and the hall concentrated their attention, staring at the child with both eyes.Generally speaking, with such authority, even if an immature child is not frightened stupid, he will be frightened and cry.Unexpectedly, Jin Huan's face didn't change, and he replied calmly, as if he was doing nothing: "Why should you be so arrogant? As the saying goes, real gold is not afraid of fire. The villain is indeed a bandit, so I will tell you frankly." You don't need to spend a lot of words; the villain is not a bandit, don't say that the adult is a Daoist, you can't frame the good as a robber, and torture him into a trick. " Just now, Jiu Xi was trying to threaten him, but he didn't get really angry, but now he contradicted him a few words, and his words were sharp and aggressive, but his anger rose a little, and he couldn't hold it back.Then he shouted again: "You said you are not a bandit. What did you do when you went out with that old man Song?" Jin Huan laughed and said, "Hey! This is really strange! The guests who have always stayed in the hotel want to go out to play, and they don't know the way. , all accompanied by our waiter. That Mr. Song, he has never been to Shenyang before, so he must be guided when he goes out. I accompanied him out yesterday, and this is absolutely true. Could it be that he is a bandit when he goes out?" Jiu Xi said: "Do you dare to confirm that the surname Song is not a bandit?" Jin Huan laughed and said: "This is even more strange! He is a guest staying in the shop, and the villain is a waiter serving guests. We are neither Companion, but not companion, he is a bandit or not, how do I know? Can I make such a knot! This villain understands, it must be that the adults know that the surname Song is a Hu bandit, and saw the villain with him Walking, I also think that the villain is a horse bandit, and I really wronged the villain." This remark actually stopped Jiu Xi.The people listening to the trial at the side also nodded and smacked their mouths at this time, implying that they agreed with Jin Huan's words.Even Jia Changfa, who was kneeling, seemed to have come to his senses and didn't hate Yuan Jinhuan as much as before.The room squads standing on both sides covered their mouths and smiled secretly, as if to express that Wang Daotai was happy with the children.

At this time, Jiuxi also regretted his recklessness.After all, he is an observer, so how can he admit his mistakes?But with this child, there was absolutely no way to get a confession.Thinking about the situation in the smoking tower again, the two of them must know the boy's whereabouts.Now that Yuan Jinhuan is unwilling to recruit, it is better to pass on the surname Song and threaten him.This is called non-stop doing two things, or asking for some news from him, maybe.Thinking of this, I picked up my pen to write my name, but I only knew the surname but not the first name, so I had to ask Jia Changfa: "The guest surnamed Song, do you know his name?" I remember his name is Song Qifeng." Jiuxi said: "Okay." He started to write "Song Qifeng" when he picked up the pen, but he stopped suddenly: "Wait a minute!I have always known that there is not a single fangban in the provincial capital, prefectural and county yamen who does not cooperate with bandits.I sent them to arrest the person surnamed Song. If they betrayed me and came back and said "I haven't seen me", what can I do?Besides, the person surnamed Song lives in the Kuayuan, so he is especially easy to sell.I'd better send my own people!Thinking of this, he called out to Lu Sheng.Lu Sheng was standing beside him, and quickly responded, "Hey!" Jiu Xi said, "Call Zeng Desheng!" Lu Sheng went.When he was young, Zeng Desheng came up to greet him with a knife, a battle skirt, a crystal-topped raccoon tail autumn cap, and a green serge short military jacket.Jiuxi said: "Go to our shop quickly and arrest the old man surnamed Song. Don't make a fuss, the sooner the better." Then he called Jia Changfa to get up, and said, "You can lead my officer to the Kuayuan. Help him and persuade him, don't resist." Changfa agreed, as if he was being pardoned, he got up immediately and led Zeng Desheng all the way to Kuanyuan.

I saw a guard in front of the gate of the Kuayuan, with a Zilaite inserted in his chest, standing still, black and oily like a half-black tower.Seeing Zeng Desheng, he was a little timid.With a smile on his face, Jia Changfa went over to the guard and asked, "Have you ever eaten, Vice Master?" The guard replied very kindly, "I haven't eaten yet! The boss and his colleagues are here, what's the matter?" The introduction said: "This military officer is the valet of Lord Daoist King of the East. Today, Lord Wang ordered me to visit your lord. I have important matters to talk to. Dare to bother the deputy to report back!" The guard smiled. Said: "Okay, okay, please wait here for a while, I will go up and answer." Then he turned his head and left.When I was young, I came out and said: "Our adults said that there are family members inside, so it is inconvenient to give up. He will come down and talk at the door." The two nodded.After a while, an old gentleman came out. He was wearing very simple clothes, his beard and hair were already gray, but he was full of energy, and his eyes were particularly bright.Jia Changfa has met him many times, but Zeng Desheng met him for the first time.When he saw it, he felt terrified, and felt that the spirit of this old gentleman was higher than that of his family's Lord Wang.Unknowingly, I asked Ann first.On the opposite side, he just squatted down slightly, as a return of courtesy, and asked with a smile: "I have nothing to do with Mr. Wang. What do you want me to do, my lord?" My majesty has a little embarrassment today, and I want to discuss it with the old gentleman. Therefore, I sent an official to invite me, and it is best not to talk about it in vain. Otherwise, I will have to go back to the palace again." Mr. Song smiled slightly , I can't go to see him first in terms of reasoning, now in terms of you two, it's better for us to go together.When Jia and Zeng heard that he was willing to go, they were really overjoyed, and even said that we would accompany them.Ershun said to the guard: "You go with me, just stand behind you and don't say much." The guard repeatedly agreed.Jia Changfa led the way, Zeng Desheng followed side by side, but the guards followed behind.The three of them beat around the bush and came to the front hall.At this time, there were many people gathered in front of the hall. Seeing that old man Song was really coming, everyone unanimously moved out of the way.Jia Changfa led Ershun into the hall, Zeng Desheng deliberately blocked the guard and refused to let him in, but when he saw Zilaide, he became a little timid again, so he let him in, and passed on the people by himself, and he couldn't control many other things.Sui Xiang replied: "Song Qifeng has arrived, now I am in front of you, please ask my lord." Jiu Xi had already seen that his ears were compliant, and looked at his expression carefully, but he really didn't look like a bandit.But people have already passed it on, so how can they not ask?Just when he was about to open his mouth to ask a question, Ershun spoke first.Said: "You are the Daoist King of the East, and what are you called Kuaima Wangsan?" Jiuxi heard him call out his nickname, and guessed that this person must be an old bandit, so he knew the details and dared to do this Presumptuous, he wanted to take the medicine according to the prescription, and still came to take a tiger head shot, first to scare the old man.

Wang Jiuxi was born in the army. He not only carried a gun barrel, but also served as a bodyguard and performed art before joining the army.To put it bluntly, Ben is a rough man.Because of his prosperous official career, he fought several Miao bandits in Guangxi, took the lead in several battles, and unexpectedly wiped out all of them, and he has been saved to the rank of general.He suddenly thought that it was not good to be a military officer, so he insisted on Futai, and he was willing to be transferred from the general to the magistrate's team.What is the reason for this?Because that year, the admiral of Guangxi Xuezheng sent a reviewer from the Hanlin Academy—the reviewer was a seventh-rank official, wearing only a gold crown and pearls, but sitting in a big green baize sedan chair.When he arrived in the provincial capital, there was only one admiral of Guangxi who was parallel to him among the military officers, and all the others from the commander-in-chief down had to hand over their books and roll their names and kneel down to receive them.This kind of etiquette system also had its roots at the beginning.It is said that it was still in the Ming Dynasty, when Xuezheng was all called Xuedao.Although he is an imperial envoy, he has no jurisdiction over military duties.There was a Taoist who was trapped by bandits on the way, so he sent someone to find the nearest military officer to ask for help.The military officer didn't care about it.Later, the inspector found out, and immediately sent troops to solve the siege.The Xuezheng returned to the court after his full term of office, complained in front of the emperor, and stated that there was no danger of military power in learning Taoism.The emperor allowed him to play, and he would learn Taoism later, and the word "admiral" was hard placed on the top of his head.Since he had these two words, no matter which province he went to, he was the temporary admiral.From the main town down, they are all his subordinates, who dare not welcome the guards?Those above the vice-counselor are all in military uniforms with knives on their shoulders, and roll their names in front of the sedan chair; all below the sub-counselor must kneel by the roadside and roll their names loudly: "So-and-so official with such-and-such name, kneel down to meet your lord." In the sedan chair, he passed by without even raising his eyelids.Wang Jiuxi has already served as a general in the Chinese Army in Fubiao, Guangxi. This year, he took over the academy.On the more humble school platform, for the sake of Futai, they always bow their hands; but this young Hanlin, who is arrogant and ignorant, looks up and doesn't even pay attention.Jiu Xi was so angry that he had nowhere to vent.When he arrived at the yamen of the college, he raised his eyes and saw that even the county magistrate of Lingui County and his classmates were on an equal footing, but he himself stood below, accompanying the military patrol team, like a domestic slave in disguise.From then on, he became angry and never wanted to be a military officer again.The next day, he submitted his resignation and told Futai his difficulties.Futai rewarded him for his ambition, and he got it right.A memorial was specially written for him, saying that he cared about civil affairs and was not suitable for military posts.He is currently a general, and he is named as the general soldier.Please refer to the emperor's hadith on how to grant grace and change it to a civil position.At that time, it was the first year of Guangxu's personal administration, and he was very happy to see this book, so he wrote it down with his own pen: "Wang Jiuxi wrote it as a Taoist and sent it to the three eastern provinces for trial. This is it." Guangxu transferred him to the three eastern provinces, among them There are also deep meanings: one is because the horse bandits in the three provinces are making trouble, and they know that he is very good at suppressing bandits, so they use his strengths;Wang Jiuxi was overjoyed to receive this decree, and thanked Chi Xu for his great kindness.After arriving in Shengjing, I put in a lot of effort and waited for more than ten years to make up for the vacancy in the east.This is the past history of Jiuxi.

Although he has become a senior supervisor, his behavior is still very rough.This time, he mistook Song Ershun for a horse bandit and arrested him.He wanted to intimidate people, so he beat the table with his fist, stood up, put one foot on the chair, blew his beard and stared, and showed his soldier's air again.Er Shun looked at it, and was angry and ridiculous at the same time, and said: "What are you talking about? You say I am a horse thief? Your eyesight is not bad at all. But I have been a horse thief for decades. Do what you can with a few words. You brought the pen and paper, and I will carefully write a kiss for you, don’t you think it’s easy?” Jiuxi was very happy when he heard that he had written a kiss for him, and immediately told his family, Lu Sheng, Pass the pen and paper on the koan to Ershun.Ershun smiled and said, "You can't write standing upright, so move a seat and come over with the tea table." Lu Sheng looked at Jiuxi with his eyes.Jiuxi said you take a seat for him.With an order, Long Hair didn't wait for Lu Sheng to do anything, he had already picked up a chair and a coffee table, and put them in front of Ershun.Er Shuntan sat on it calmly, picked up the pen and wrote it with one stroke.After finishing writing, he greeted Lu Sheng and said, "Submit it to your officials." When Ershun was writing the confession, Mr. Wang in the torture room and Ma Hongxiang, the head of the class, were standing next to him. They were officials and had the fastest eyes.Ershun writes a sentence, and they remember a sentence.Before they finished writing, the two men turned pale with fright, exchanged glances at each other, and then looked up at Jiuxi.It means that you have made a lot of trouble!But he didn't dare to express anything, he just stared at him, wondering how Jiu Xi would react when he saw this confession.Lu Sheng took it, and he could read a few words, secretly said, "It's broken, it's broken", and tiptoed to Jiu Xi, he only said in a low voice, "Your Excellency, try to make it right!" Knowing what kind of medicine was in the gourd, he stretched out his hand to take the confession, and raised his eyes to take a closer look.I saw it said: With a relative, he was ordered by the imperial court to be the headpin Dingdai, the minister of the Ministry of the Army, and the censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, and Song Ershun, the governor-general of the three provinces of Fengji and Heibei.Because the Daoist Wang Jiuxi mistook the headquarter hall as a bandit, he wrote a personal confession, which shows that the Daoist cares about civil affairs, and the headquarter hall is very happy.The head office has been in Shenyang for a few days, so those who have not yet received the seal also want to investigate civil affairs and the rampant situation of horse bandits.However, the bandits are also the people, and they are also the children of the Ministry.Gou Neng can change his mind, but our hall is extremely unwilling to punish him.Even if the crime is unforgivable, it should be investigated clearly, and it is absolutely impossible to arrest passersby and call them bandits.If the way is reckless and absurd, and the abuse of authority, it will miss the purpose of calming the robbers and calming the people.What's more, this place is the provincial capital, with the governor's hall on the top and the governor of the first county on the bottom.If a suspicious person is found, he may be consulted by the patrol police, or arrested by the county magistrate. How can there be a court in the hotel, where he can take everyone and torture them privately?Today, I was lucky enough to meet Benbutang, so I won't be wronged or innocent.Otherwise, under severe punishment, why not ask for it?A child of three feet can't get rid of it!Er Qi calmed down, quickly withdrew from the hall, and followed the head office to the office to receive the seal, so don't be disturbed by others!It is true that this edict is true. (Note: "The confession is true" and the words "切切这书" are added, which is really a strange prose.) Jiu Xi trembled while watching.After reading it, I don't know whether it is fear, anxiety, shame, or annoyance.After all, he is a man who is old in officialdom, quick-witted and thick-skinned.Quickly got down from the seat, brushed the dust off the public seat with the sleeve of his robe, walked up to Er Shun shyly, bent his waist, arched his hands to the top door, and said in a low voice: "Please be promoted to the public seat, Commander-in-Chief. Thank you for your professional career." Er Shun was not polite, and swaggered to the back of the case and sat down.Jiu Xi knelt down on the ground, ready to kowtow.Ershun hurriedly ran down from the public seat to help him up, and said: "My brother is an observer, how can he be like this. Please sit down and talk." Jiuxi said: "The profession has no eyes, offending the commander-in-chief Huwei, it is a crime He deserves to die! The commander-in-chief is measured by the prime minister, and he doesn't want to be offended, but his professionalism is very ashamed, and he has no place to be ashamed." At this time, everyone in the shop knew that the governor, Marshal Song, had found it here, and none of them wanted to come and have a look.Immediately, a living room was crowded inside and outside.Where can the officials drive them away. In the midst of the chaos, someone knocked on the door and shouted loudly, saying that Lord Vice Du Tongkun has arrived, please open the door quickly.The store clerk opened the door, and there were many horses and chariots. Governor of Nursing Kun Hou, Patrol Dao Kong Xiangyun, Chengde County Magistrate Chang Tai, all came in sedan chairs.Liang Degong, the deputy general of the Chinese army who supervised the bid, came on horseback, and he also brought a team of twenty or thirty cavalry.Kun Hou was in front, and everyone followed him. They rushed into the store and asked, "Where is Marshal Song now?"大人，宋大帅现在前厅，同东边道王大人谈话呢。”坤厚道：“你引我去吧。”长发在前面引路，来至大厅，将众人分开让了一条路，坤厚进来。他同宋耳顺在北京见过几次，所以认得。抢行几步，先朝着耳顺，跪着请了圣安，然后问大帅是几时到的。其余各官也都请过圣安，然后同耳顺见礼。可怜王九锡却忘了这一层礼节，他心中十分难过，只得含羞带愧地又补请了圣安。耳顺向着他只是冷笑。又同坤厚周旋，说兄弟来的日子也不多，因为要访一两件事情，所以未曾到署先与老哥去请安。坤厚连说不敢当。孔祥云说职道管理警察，事前却不知大帅驾临，过来伺候，实在惭愧得很。耳顺笑道：“兄弟这次来，本不乐意叫同寅知道，若非这位王大哥把兄弟当胡匪办了，只怕现在你诸位还不知道呢。”一席话将大家全说笑了，个个看着王九锡，仿佛像看怪物似的。羞得九锡，此时有个地缝儿，也想钻进去，好避一避他的丑脸。坤厚请示耳顺：“今日是吉日良辰，就请大帅早早接印视事，以安民心。副都统年轻才浅，护理这些日子，战战兢兢，时虞陨越。如今幸大帅驾临，多一天也不敢护理了。”耳顺听他这样说，只得应许今天便去接印，宅眷明日再迁。坤厚道：“大帅的宝眷，今天也随着搬进去吧！督署内早已修饰一新，并无人住，何必久在旅馆中避委曲呢。”耳顺也应许了。早有承德县知县常泰，预备好了轿马车辆，专伺候大帅家眷，搬运入署。耳顺先坐着绿呢大轿，去到总督衙门接印。坤厚、孔祥云、梁得功，全都跟去伺候。常泰却在店中，同耳顺的账房、师爷接洽一切。特备了四顶轿子、六辆马车，还有十几辆笨牛，连人同东西，一律送入督署。此时茶房袁金环，却变成跑上房的二爷了，方才向各官署通电话，也是他办的。哪一个不巴结他，知县全拱手作揖，呼为老弟。贾长发也暗地托付，千万在大帅驾前美言几句，可别听王道台的话，把我牵连上，这个小小旅馆，可打不起胡匪的官司咧！金环大笑说：“老板自管放心，决然牵连不到你身上。宋大帅的为人，明白极了，不像王道台那样糊涂。”长发这才放了心。 却说耳顺接印之后，歇马三天，暂不会客，却特特把王九锡叫进衙门，去商量要公。九锡捏着一把汗，心说我得罪了他，他如今不见别人，单单见我，这葫芦里不定装什么药。我见了他，倒得格外当心。耳顺在花园中特特预备了一桌酒席。王九锡到了，耳顺把他请到花园中，殷殷招待。对他说：“今天咱们要脱略形迹，做肺腑之谈。你老哥不必以官礼相拘，快将外褂宽一宽，大帽子升一升，随便吃烟喝茶。在座也没有外人，只是你我两个，连伺候的长班，全不准他们进来，只有袁金环随身伺候。你有什么心事，也无妨对我细谈。”九锡见大帅待他这样优渥，不觉感激涕零，说：“职道此番到省来，原因为有一件难事，想请示大帅，筹一个解决妙法；要不然，职道就不回任去了。”耳顺道：“什么难题？至于这样厉害。”九锡随将副都统喜成阿被章春林绑票，花了十万银子，才得赎回；如今喜成阿得命思财，非叫职道赔偿不可；如不赔偿，必须将章匪擒来，在他面前正法，出了他这口怨气，才能算完；要不然，他与职道誓不两立等情由叙说了一番。耳顺哈哈大笑道：“怪不得呢！你把袁金环同本部堂全看成了胡匪就是因为这件事啊。实对你说吧，那一天在青莲阁上同你对灯吸烟，候了你烟账的那个少年，他就是章春林。彼时你为什么不逮捕他呢！却跑回旅馆来胡出主意。你这岂不是一误再误吗？”九锡听罢，不觉又拿出他那粗人的面目来，跺足懊悔道：“罢了罢了！我真糊涂极了，为什么要将他放走！”耳顺笑道：“慢来，慢来，你先不必后悔。你自己问一问你的本事，能够擒获他吗？他身边那大汉，名叫杨四虎，有万夫不当之勇。照你这样，有一百八十，也敌他不过。何况那章春林，别看他吃大烟，也是一身好功夫，不但身体矫捷，有飞檐走壁的能力，而且枪法极妙，百发百中。你幸亏不曾捕他，如果捕他，性命早就没有了。”九锡冷笑道：“大帅看职道无捕盗的能力吗？职道还真不把他们放在眼中。职道虽非绿林出身，却自幼习学武术，一切软硬工夫，俱有深造。区区那几个匪徒，职道可自信手到擒来。可惜当时错过了机会，此时后悔也来不及了！”九锡说这话时候，吐气扬眉，又显露他的本色。耳顺笑道：“老哥且不要着急，听我慢慢地对你说。你那捕盗的能力，兄弟也早有所闻。不过目前的形势，与往来又不大相同了。那马二麟同章春林，他们党羽很多，势力很大。你倘然办得太鲁莽了，就许激成意外之变，这不是闹着玩的。你我要从长计议一个妥善的法子，给东三省除一永久之患，那才对得起人民。若只图眼前快意，纵然将章、马二人擒获正法，安知以后没有更甚于章、马的出来捣乱？老兄你要平心静气的，三思而行。” 耳顺一席话，说得九锡闭口无言。少时酒菜摆上来，耳顺拱他上座，自己却在下面相陪。喝了几杯酒，耳顺笑道：“那一天你老哥怎会看出破绽来，疑惑我同金环是匪呢？这事倒很有研究的趣味。”九锡很惶恐地答道：“叫大帅见笑。职道哪里有什么把握？不过看那少年来势很突兀。他走了以后，职道隔着板壁窥看，见大帅同袁金环正在低声秘密地谈话。大帅问那少年住在哪里，金环却不肯说。看他那张目四顾的神气，不难一望而知，金环同那少年必然熟识。因此，当时便决定了，必要从金环嘴里讨供，实不曾疑惑到大帅身上。后来因为金环咬定牙关不肯说出一字，职道这才想入非非，疑惑大帅也同他们是一伙，必然背地里教唆金环，不叫他说出实话来。职道也是为事所迫，情急无聊，所以才想起从县衙门借人，威吓一番，或者能得一点线索。却没有想到撞在钉子上了。”耳顺大笑道：“你老哥真是快人快语。那教唆两个字的罪名，真真给我加得切当。实对你说，袁金环所以不说，实在是我不叫他说。要不然，一个小孩子家哪里禁得住威吓呢？后来连传我到案，种种情形，全是我预先料定，故意要这样做。要不然，我那护兵焉能看着我被人捕去，他袖手不管呢？到底这其中很有深意，假如在旅馆中，金环说出重要的话来，他那党羽众多，耳目极灵，就不免要打草惊蛇，将他放跑了。”九锡到此才恍然大悟，说：“到底是大帅眼光远，能沉得住气，不似职道那样鲁莽灭裂。看起来二匪的下落是有了，但不知大帅怎么逮捕他们？”耳顺叹了一口气道：“逮捕的话休提了。这在座没有外人，咱们说自己话。试问这沈阳地方，可有一支可恃的军队吗？七拼八凑，连巡警算上，不足六千人，军械还是老式的，怎能同胡匪见仗？何况章、马二匪骁勇绝伦，他们随便一号召，三五千人连军械，立时就能整队出发。我们要是不度德，不量力，轻自同他们挑衅，倘然军队接不住，把省城失陷了，你我身为地方长官，便是碎骨粉身，也对不起皇上家啊！”九锡听到这里，把一团高兴霎时间化为乌有，不觉踌躇道：“依大帅，可有什么高明法子呢？”耳顺道：“据兄弟想，此时除去招安之外，别无他法。”九锡道：“大帅不要把招安看容易了。前任大帅在这里，也曾招安过章匪一回，后来他依然背叛了，连省城地方，几乎遭了很大的蹂躏。这时候要再说招安，无论章春林未必肯俯首纳降，就算他答应了，这省城中的官吏，全是惊弓之鸟，谁敢担这考成啊。”耳顺拈髯微笑道：“这一层你老哥倒不必虑。兄弟要没有十分把握，也不敢冒这个险。如今只需有一个居间奔走的人，这个人既须有姜伯约的胆子，还得有苏季子的口才。兄弟想了三四天，实在难乎其选。最后想到你老哥身上。要论大胆，得推为第一了；至于口才，你是老于官场的人，一定也不弱。所以这说降的差使，只好委托在你老哥身上。无论如何，你得要辛苦一趟。将来事体办妥了，兄弟必专折保荐，藩臬两司，保管你不出三个月准能升到。 " 九锡听罢，倒吸了一口凉气，回说：“大帅抬举职道，就是赴汤蹈火，也决不推辞。所怕的是徒劳无功，白送了自己的性命，也不能使他们回心转意，以后反叫他们把官府看轻了，这岂不是有损无益、枉费心神吗？”耳顺道：“你自管放心，我授给你锦囊妙计，你要处处依照我的计策而行，保管你既无危险，又可成功。你也就不必游移了。”九锡道：“果然这样，职道情愿前往。”耳顺道：“你肯去好极了，但是必须一个人前往，万不可多带一人一骑。我给你三封密信，你拿了去，千万不可预先拆看。你临起身的时候，拆看第一封；到了目的地，拆看第二封；俟等到了急难时，方可拆看第三封。保管你马到成功，兄弟在家里专候喝你的庆功酒。事不宜迟，你明天就去好了。今天的酒席，权当与你送行。”九锡到此时，又不觉高兴起来，连饮了十来杯，有些醉意了。问耳顺道：“职道在东省数年，到如今并不知章、马二匪究竟住在何处。大帅才来十几天，竟自调查得这样清楚。虽说是大帅才大，职道究竟有些不解，还求大帅指示迷途，开我茅塞。”耳顺大笑道：“天下事不是人力所能强求的。我初次来，何尝有一点成见，要打探他们的下落，好预备招降。不过是事机凑巧，于有意无意间，竟自撞着了。这也是天助成功，我们大家也该当跟着露脸。”他说到这里，便用手指一指袁金环，说：“线索全在他一个人身上，只是眼前还不能向你说清。事到临时，你看我的锦囊，自然就明了啦。”九锡也不便往下再问，心中却打算，到底我的眼力不差。他若错非通匪，如何能知道匪的下落。自己草草吃过饭，便向耳顺告辞。耳顺从怀中取出三封信笺来，交与九锡，说：“可要保藏好了，不止关系你的前程，还关系你的生命。你务必要照信而行，千万不可自作聪明，误了大事。你可要牢牢记住了。”九锡连声答应，恭恭敬敬地把信接过来，藏在自己怀中，然后告辞回寓。自己踌躇了半晌，有心同师爷葛先生商议一番。继而一想，这事万万商议不得，商议不过徒乱心曲，莫若勇往直前。常言是福不得祸，是祸躲不过。我王九锡一生以剿匪起家，从步卒致身监司，老天爷总算不亏负我。如今年逾知命，纵然为国捐躯，也值得了，何必畏首畏尾呢！想到这里，勇气立刻鼓起来，便决定明日清晨，出马办事，自己带来的人，一概不叫他们知道。于是安稳睡下。五更天便起来，先把第一封信拆看了，只见上面写道：“出东门行三十六里，至石麟堡，寻章明夷。此人与春林同姓不同宗，为春林之盟兄，且为谋主。彼颇有纳降之诚心，唯因同盟志趣不一，未敢造次，且亦不得其门。兄如得见此人，先与之接洽一切，不必遽见春林。俟有阻力时，再拆看第二信。”后面又缀着一行小字，是：“兄入龙潭虎穴，彼将以种种方法，试验兄之胆力与技能。可持以镇定，随机应变，千万不可慌张。”九锡看了，仍旧装入函内，揣在怀中。此番出门，只带了二十元钱，作为缓急之用。其余手枪、兵器等，一概未带。因为此去投身胡匪巢穴，如带兵器，反招他们疑忌，倒有种种不利；莫如赤手空拳，反可表明此来的诚意。主意打定了，只穿了几件很质朴的衣裳，戴上一顶大草帽，所为遮蔽日光，足登鹿皮靴子。吩咐吕升，备马伺候。吕升想问他到哪里去，却又不敢问。只见他起得这样早，出门又不带人，未免心中疑惑。便一面备马，一面知照葛师爷亮如，同曾副爷得胜，请他二人去问一问。曾得胜也不敢去。还是葛亮如因为宾东相处七八年，感情很好，无论什么话，全可对九锡说，说的对与不对，九锡也不见怪。所以他爬起来，连脸也没顾得洗，听了吕升的话，便过来质问九锡：“东家到底上哪里去？为何这般早，又不带人？”九锡道：“我想骑马到郊外散散步，一者吸一点新鲜空气，二者操练操练身体，也省得马闲坏了。”葛亮如道：“既然这样，咱们带来的，还有马呢，晚生情愿陪伴东家到郊外跑一遭，岂不比一个人去的好吗？”九锡摇头道：“不劳驾了。我今天很想一个人出去跑跑，人多反倒没有意思了。”亮如此时还想向下追问，他已经大摇大摆地走出店门，只向亮如托付：“好好看我的屋子，不要出去。今天早晚，我准回来，倘然回不来，也没有甚大耽搁。你们安心看家，不要多虑。”亮如才要答言，他已经腾身上马，一松辔头，箭一般的便没有影儿了。 本来骑马是九锡的专门学问，无论何人，也比不上，所以才叫快马王三。何况他骑的这匹黑马，真不减项羽的乌骓，所以眨眼间风驰电掣，已经不知去向了。葛亮如无法，只得回到九锡屋中追问吕升：“他昨晚休息以前，同今早起床以后，是什么情形？”吕升说他昨天从督署赴宴回来，便愁眉不展，有时叹息几声，有时又狂笑一阵，也不知他心里怀着什么事。今天五更起来，是他先把我叫起来的。我去替他淘净面水，回来见他正拿着一封信观看。见我进来，他便将信藏起，看神气是不愿叫人看见。他净面漱口后，师爷便赶了来。以前的情形，只是如此，究竟有什么事，他连师爷全不肯告诉，我们当下人的，哪里知道呢。亮如点点头，嘱咐吕升好好地看屋子，无事不得出门，他自己一个人，想到督署去寻袁金环，探问一切。 作小说的，暂将葛亮如放在一边。如今单说王九锡，匆匆忙忙地出了旅馆，连点心全没顾得吃，一抖缰绳，便走出十里开外，到了一座镇店上，太阳才上来。个人心中打算：这个石麟堡，我并不曾到过，知道哪里是呢？这样吧，我先在这镇上打个尖，吃些点心，顺便问一问本镇的人，自然就明白了。想到这里，用眼看一看，那边有一座油果铺，正在早起烙烧饼、炸油果之时。心说我何不去吃一点，随跳下马来，自己牵着来至油果铺门前，向里面招呼道：“请你们把我这马拴好了，我在你们这里吃些点心。”里面的伙计，答应着出来，说：“客人请里边坐，我们这里边有热粥咸菜，你可以吃饱了再走。后面有马棚，你的马如果上料，我们也能替你喂，决不多算你的钱。”九锡道：“那好极了。我们行路的人，但求人马不受委屈，多花几个钱，算不得什么。”伙计听这话，益发高兴，亲自接过牲口去。九锡随他到铺里来，见后面很大一个院子。院里陈列着条桌、板凳，桌上摆着碗箸，看神气就知道是卖饭的。九锡拣一副座头坐定。伙计问他怕冷不怕，如果怕冷，可以请到屋里坐。九锡身体健壮，其实并不怕冷，只因他想要访问事，恐怕外边坐着，少时来了吃饭的人，人多耳杂，问着不便，便假装怕冷，说好极了，我到屋里坐吧！伙计把马拴好，陪九锡到东厢房。屋子很宽，配着一座大炕，地上放的是方桌圆凳。九锡随便坐了。伙计拿过一盘咸菜、一双白竹筷子，放在他眼前。问九锡是喝高粱米粥，还是喝小米豆粥？九锡说：“我生平最喜喝高粱粥，你盛过两碗来凉着吧！”不大工夫，伙计用油盘托着两碗高粱米粥、一盘烧饼、一盘油果，一样一样地，全放在九锡面前。 九锡一面吃着，一面同伙计闲谈，问他是哪里人。伙计回说是山东荣成县人。九锡笑道：“原来咱们是乡亲，并且还是近乡亲。在下原籍是文登的，离家已经三十多年了。”伙计道：“怪不得你老的口音全变了呢，没请教你老贵姓啊？”九锡说姓王，又问伙计姓什么，伙计说：“姓车。因为自幼会赶大车，人家便随口叫我大车，在这省城也十多年了。不知你老这早赶路，是要到什么地方？”九锡回说要到石麟堡。大车听了，登时现出很诧异的神气来，二次睁大了眼，将九锡浑身上下仔细打量了一番，然后低声问道：“你老到石麟堡，寻访何人？”九锡道：“我是去会章明夷的。”大车一听章明夷三字，立刻现出一种很恭敬很害怕的神气来，说：“原来你老是章四爷的朋友！恕小人眼拙，实在失敬了！”九锡道：“我同章明夷并不是朋友，只因有人给介绍，特地去拜访他一回。只是道路生疏，倒要请教乡亲，离这里还有多远路？他那村子可有什么标志？我到了以后，怎就能够认得呢？”大车见九锡这样殷殷动问，便老实不客气，同他对面坐下，低声回答说：“你老寻章四爷，是想入伙？还是访他闲谈呢？”九锡听大车问得突兀，便反过嘴来问大车说：“入伙怎么样？闲谈又怎么样呢？”大车道：“小人是一个老实买卖人，并且同你老是乡亲，想进几句忠言，不知你肯听不肯听？”九锡道：“你我既是近乡亲，我如今是在迷途之中，恨不得有人指给我明路才好，哪有不听的道理呢？”大车道：“你既然肯听，我就可以说了。假如你是入伙的，或为饥寒所迫，或是遭了屈官司，有什么血海冤仇，想要投在他的部下，将来好图报复，那我也就不便说了；你如果是慕名访友，我却不能不告诉你底细——但凡能不去，总是不去的好。”九锡道：“我原不懂得什么叫入伙，不过朋友谈起来，说这章明夷行侠仗义，不愧是一位好男子大丈夫。因此就起了好奇之心，想要同他会一会，瞻仰瞻仰侠义的风采。别的思想，却是一些也没有，哪里能说到入伙呢？”大车道：“既然这样就好极了！你老是不知道，这位章四爷，诚然是一位侠义，平日挥金如土，仗义疏财，并且抑强扶弱，排难解纷，做了不少惊天动地的事。因此，奉天人全景仰他，提起章四哑巴来，没有不知道的。他生平最不好说话，见了人只点一点头；人家说话，他就会瞪眼看着，说一百句，他也不准答一句，因此大家管他叫章哑巴。别看他嘴里不说话，心里可真有劲，无论什么大事，不动声色，他就办了。他今年也不过三十四五。明着他是一镇的绅士，暗着他就是胡子头儿。什么杀官劫库，没王法的勾当，他全能干。他手下有三四百人，是时刻不离的，打一个招呼，三五千人，即刻便能聚齐。凡关东各路英雄，到省城来的，全住在他家里。他能保险，决然担不着一点危险。他那石麟堡，是一座很大的寨子，犹如铜墙铁壁，几千官军是决然打不开的。这里军警官儿，多一半同他有往来，通声气。这次宋大帅前来，我听人说，有信带兵剿他。所以我劝你老千万别去，一者倘然赶上官军到了，困在寨子里，岂不玉石俱焚；二者你此时前去，他如果疑惑你是宋制军派来当奸细的，性命更是难保。为什么单拣这个时候去同他闲谈呢！依我劝你老，吃过点心仍然回省城去吧，不必再惦着石麟堡了。 " 九锡被大车一席话，说得毛骨悚然。心想，宋大帅这明明是同我开玩笑，你既要带兵去剿，为何又派我去招抚呢？也罢，或者是社会的谣言未必可信。我如今且去探访一回再说。想到这里，又和颜悦色地对大车说：“乡亲的话，全是金玉良言，我听了感激得很，当然不必去了。但是有一样，叫我无法摆脱，因为我来的时候，有朋友托我捎一封信给他，并且这信要当面交，不能托人转递。我既受人之托，就应当忠人之事，哪有半途丢下的道理？如今不求别的，只求乡亲指给我这石麟堡究竟在哪一方，他村前是怎样一种形式。我自要走到了，把这信当面交上，也许即刻就回来，我何必一定同他谈呢。”大车道：“既然这样，我就告诉你：此去向东南，有一条大道；顺着大道走三十里上下，便有一座大镇店，这镇名青龙镇，镇的南边，有一桁柳林，足有三四里长，便是石麟堡的后寨门；你过这林子，见有一座小城，城墙全有枪炮眼，城上有隐身的垛口，那便是石麟堡的围子；围子四面，有四个城门；林子后边，是南门，东西两门，轻易不开，南门倒是时常开的；门的里边，有营房，时刻有兵在那里把守；你到门前，得先将来意说明，有信的投信，无信的投名片；那些兵应许替你回话，你便在营房等候。这就是该村的形式，同求见的手续，你老可要记住。如果错了他的规矩，便免不掉危险。”九锡拱手道：“多谢多谢！”大车还想往下说，只见外边有几个推车的苦力跑进来吃点心，连忙撂下九锡，出去照应。此时九锡点心吃饱了，道路也打听明白了，心中十分高兴。随掏出一块钱来，喊大车进屋里，交在他手中。大车说：“你老连吃点心，带喂牲口，通共六百六十个钱，合三十三枚铜元，洋钱按两吊四百，合一百二十枚铜元，下余的找给你吧。”九锡笑道：“不必找了，下余的全给你做酒钱吧。”大车听了，自然是喜出望外，再三称谢。立时将马牵出来，九锡腾身上马。大车又用手指给他向哪里走。 九锡顺着他指的方向，纵马跑去。不大工夫，便跑到青龙镇，见有许多人，纷纷俱向南去。九锡心中打算，这些人是做什么的？我何不先问问他。随下了马，站在道旁，向一个有年纪的老人和颜悦色问道：“请教老先生，这地方可是青龙镇吗？”老人看了看九锡，回道：“不错，这正是青龙镇。你是做什么来的？莫不是官兵啊！”九锡忙分辩道：“在下并不是官兵，老先生不要错认了，我是来这里访朋友的。请问老先生，章四爷不是在这镇南住吗