Chapter 24 vanished

The next afternoon, Mr. Wu arrived at the appointment. He had just sat down, and before he got to the point, a letter from Dexin came in at the door, nine words the size of a walnut: "If you have something important to tell, please ask for it. "Only the word "Liang Hun" is signed below, there is neither a payment nor a payment, and there is a tacit understanding between the grant and the acceptance. "Probably there is information in Beijing." Hu Xueyan said solemnly, "Don't leave, we can talk about it when I come back." "Yes, yes." Mr. Wu said, "I won't go, I won't go."

At this time, Mrs. Snail had to report and rushed over, and asked worriedly: "I heard that Defantai invites you to go immediately, why?" "I don't know yet." Hu Xueyan tried his best to relax the muscles on his face, "It's nothing serious, I'll talk about it when I get back." After finishing speaking, he hurried downstairs, took the sedan chair to the vassal office, got off the sedan chair at the side door, and the footman led him into the signing room. Dexin was smoking a big cigarette, and waved his hand to signal him to lie down on the cigarette couch.

After smoking a tube of cigarettes, Dexin picked up the small teapot, drank two sips of hot tea mouth to mouth, closed her eyes for a while, then opened her eyes and said, "Xueyan, someone is going to make things difficult for you." "Oh." Hu Xueyan only answered this one word, waiting for him to continue. "At noon today, Liu Zhongcheng sent someone to invite me to dinner, and told me that you have something stored elsewhere, and asked me if I knew about it?" This happened so suddenly!Are Zhu Baoru and his wife playing tricks?Hu Xueyan was so confused that he didn't know how to answer.

"Xueyan," Dexin said again, "with our friendship, there is nothing difficult to say." Hu Xueyan gathered himself together, thinking that Liu Bingzhang did not know what evidence was in his hands, so he had to speak clearly, "Xiaoweng, you know, I will never do such a thing." He said, "Did the concubine get confused? Thought, I won’t understand until I go back and ask.” "Perhaps it was arranged by Fourth Sister Luo in private." Dexin hesitated and said, "Liu Zhongcheng seems very unhappy about this, and the way he explained it was very inappropriate. Go alone, just watch the door for you."

Obviously, the method Liu Bingzhang explained must be to send people to guard him, and even search the house when he enters and exits the house.At this point, I can't say any hard words, I can only arch my hands and say: "Please be fulfilled by Xiao Weng, and maintain my face." "Of course, of course, please rest assured. However, Xueyan, please also restrain your family members, especially Fourth Sister Luo, please see through it." "Yes, yes. Please follow Taiwan's orders." "Please go back! Prefect Wu will probably send someone there, but if they can't get on, it will cause disturbance, and it will be embarrassing."

Hu Xueyan repeatedly said goodbye to the sedan chair, only urging the porter to leave quickly.Hurry back to Yuanbao Street, ask the door, Hangzhou Mansion or Renhe County haven't sent anyone yet, only then can I feel relieved. "If anyone comes, please sit in the flower hall and come in to report immediately." After explaining, he went back to Baishi Tower. Mrs. Luosi was chatting downstairs with Mr. Wu. When they saw him, they all stood up and greeted him with earnest and inquiring eyes. Thinking about it is something that can never be concealed, Hu Xueyan decided to tell the whole story, but when he was about to speak, he thought that there was still a chance, so he said to Mrs. Luosi without hesitation: "Hurry up and find a leather bag or a hat cage. Pick up a batch of things and ask Mr. Wu to take them away."

"Why?" "There's no time to go into details, the sooner the better." Mrs. Snail thought that the raider was coming, and she was so frightened that her hands softened, but Ayun was still calm, and grabbed her and said, "I'll help you upstairs." "Yes! Ayun is going to help, take as much as you can, hurry up." Mrs. Snail gritted her teeth, straightened her chest, and said to Ah Yun, "Bring me a western leather bag." After speaking, she went upstairs first. "What?" Mr. Wu asked, "Is there any news from Beijing?"

"No. Nine times out of ten, it was Zhu Baoru who went to tell the secret, saying that Fourth Sister Luo had something left outside. Liu Zhongcheng told De Xiaofeng to send someone—" Before he could finish a sentence, a report came from the door, and Lin Zixiang, the canon historian of Renhe County, came. "Have you brought anyone here?" "Four." Hu Xueyan gave a warning look, and was led by the concierge to the Dahua Hall where ordinary guests were received. Lin Zixiang knew Hu Xueyan very well, so he greeted him from a distance, picked up his skirt and swiped a thousand times, saying that he still met in the past Title: "Lord Hu!"

"Don't dare to be, don't dare to be! Four Masters." The official position of the county yamen ranks fourth in the history, so it is commonly called "Four Masters". call." "Master Hu, what did you say? He said that the Japanese officials are still wearing red hats when they return to their original posts. I have changed my title now, and I will change it back in the future. It is troublesome to change it. It is better to keep it the same." "The fourth master's eloquence is getting better and better. Please sit down." When the guest was promoted to the kang, Lin Zixiang refused to take the seat, or even to sit on the kang bed. After a long time of humility, he sat down on the lower end, and Hu Xueyan sat on a mahogany chair beside the kang to accompany him.

"De Fantai has already talked to me today, and said that they will send someone to come. If the fourth master has any orders, I will tell them to do so." "Don't dare, dare not! I'm ordered by God, I can't help myself, and the county magistrate told me that our Renhe County, thanks to Mr. Hu, has done more public welfare affairs than Qiantang County. Please tell me not to be rude." Lin Zixiang continued. , "Actually, the magistrate of the county is more accountable, I bring people to the house, as if I were a guest, how can I be so rude?" These words comforted Hu Xueyan deeply. He donated a lot of money to "do good deeds" every year. Because Renhe County is "local", the donations are the most.Listening to what the county magistrate said now, it can be seen that someone knows anyway.

"Thank you for the kindness of the county magistrate." Hu Xueyan said, "I had an accident this year, and everything I have now is equivalent to public funds. I don't dare to donate any more casually, and I feel very sad." "Actually, it doesn't matter, just do good deeds!" Lin Zixiang said, "Even if Futai finds out, he won't speak." "Yes, yes!" Hu Xueyan didn't know how to answer. "It's still too late." Lin Zixiang said, "This year is not good, and the Chinese New Year is coming soon. The county magistrate wants to build more porridge factories, but the funds have not been found yet." "Okay! I'll donate." Hu Xueyan asked, "How much do you think you want to donate?" "Your Majesty Hu, just donate a box of silver." Hu Xueyan only felt that the phrase "a box of silver" was very strange. At the same time, he thought that the county magistrate was asking for bribes, but he didn't expect that he was implying that he could openly carry a box out. The matter of the Hu family's gate. "I'm afraid there's not much cash in hand, so I'll scrape together a few thousand taels of foreign bank notes. Wait for the interest, and ask the fourth master to take it back." Lin Zixiang suffered from the inconvenience of speaking clearly, and was thinking about how to wake up Hu Xueyan, when a servant from the Hu family came in and said, "The messenger from Renhe County asked the fourth master to speak." The messenger was outside the flower hall, which could be seen from the glass window. Lin Zixiang was afraid that Hu Xueyan might suspect him of playing tricks, so to show his sincerity, he immediately said, "The butler told him to come in and tell." It turned out that Mr. Wu was carrying a leather bag and wanted to go out through the side door. Unexpectedly, the messenger brought by Lin Zixiang was already guarding there. It's a guest of the Hu family, but the leather bag is very suspicious, so I came here to ask for instructions, whether to let it go? "Of course." Lin Zixiang didn't hear clearly, and said loudly, "Master Hu's guest, why are you interrogating him?" This official tone made the policeman very disgusted, "Please tell me, Fourth Master," he asked, "Do you want to take things out without interrogation?" "What do you bring?" "That Mr. Wu brought a big leather bag, and he couldn't even carry it." This made Hu Xueyan lose face, and Lin Zixiang also realized that he had inadvertently created a stalemate, so he continued to speak in an official tone: "You don't know what it is?" "I asked, but that Mr. Wu stuttered and couldn't speak." Seeing this scene, Hu Xueyan secretly sighed.He knew that Lin Zixiang's original intention was to show that in his heart, his respect had not diminished at all, but his situation was restricted and his situation was not what it used to be. If he wanted to help him, he could only help him in secret. Lin Zixiang called someone in for questioning. It was a mistake, and it was a big mistake to speak in an official tone. Now that things are going on, if they are allowed to argue, it will not help the matter, and it will become more and more stiff, which will make them look ugly. Thinking of this, he said in a condescending tone: "Fourth Master, don't blame him, he is also loyal to his duty, and there is nothing wrong with him. In that leather bag are some Duan inkstones that I gave to my friend, but there is no need to blame him. , let my friend go back empty-handed." "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter!" Lin Zixiang said, "A few Duan inkstones are nothing, let Lingyou take them back." Hu Xueyan thought to himself, if Mr. Wu is openly asked to take the unchecked leather bag out, the messenger will definitely not accept it. If the word spreads, not only Lin Zixiang will be in trouble, but Dexin will also be in trouble, and Liu Bingzhang may take measures. More stringent measures, not to mention ugly face, will affect the overall situation of the cleanup, and the loss will be even greater. Therefore, he replied decisively: "No need! It's business, everyone is fine." He immediately ordered the servant: "Go and bring Mr. Wu's leather bag in." Boss Lin Zixiang was very sorry, "Where is Mr. Lingyouwu?" He said, "I'll make him up." Hu Xueyan did not object to this point, "It's not that I should pay the compensation." After saying that, he also left the flower hall. Lin Zixiang followed behind and approached the side door, but Mr. Wu was nowhere to be seen. Only after asking did he realize that he had returned to the downstairs of the Baishi Tower. In the end, Mr. Wu was still invited out. After Lin Zixiang apologized repeatedly, Fang Shi resigned. The face is there, but the face is lost.Mr. Wu repeatedly took the blame and blamed himself, mocking himself as "a coward with a guilty conscience".Mrs. Luoshi suffered repeated setbacks and looked depressed. Hu Xueyan saw it in his eyes and felt pain in his heart. Moreover, there was something else that he had to say, and he hesitated again and again before speaking. "I still need to raise some money for Renhe County. The Chinese New Year is coming soon, and Renhe County wants to build a few more porridge factories. Lin Zixiang told me that the county wants my help, and I have already promised him." Mrs. Snail remained silent for a while before asking, "How much do you want?" "He wants me to donate a box of silver, and I think—" "Slow down!" Mrs. Snail interrupted him. "What did he say? 'A box of silver'?" "Yes, he meant a chest of silver." "The boxes are big and small, how much is a box?" "Yes!" Hu Xueyan said, "At that time, I also thought his words were strange." "Mr. Big." Mr. Wu, who had never spoken, said, "Please tell me about the situation at that time." "Let me think about it." Hu Xueyan thought about the conversation at that time, and said everything he remembered.While thinking back, I have gradually realized. "Could it be that he is 'exposing Lingzi'?" Mr. Wu said. "Huolingzi" is a Hangzhou saying, implying it. What does it imply?Mrs. Luosi understood, "It's still too late." She said, "Invite Mr. Lin Si back as soon as possible, and ask Mr. Wu to talk to him, open the skylight and speak plainly." Mr. Wu kept silent, just looked at Hu Xueyan, waiting for his decision, but Hu Xueyan just shook his head. "Things may not be so easy. When the box is lifted out, there must be a place in the middle where it can be delayed. If it is not done properly, it will cause disaster." He paused, paused and said, "Forget it Yes! Everything is fate." These words were like giving a heavy push behind Mrs. Snail, who was on the verge of despair, and seemed to cut off her tiny lifeline. From that moment on, her mind began to be a little dazed, but Only one thing, and one person's memory is clear, and that is Zhu Baoru's wife. "Ayun," she said, "Buddhas fight for a stick of incense, and people fight for breath. If I can't swallow a breath, and it gets stuck in my throat, I will go crazy. I can only think of one thing, and I feel better. I want to call out The black heart devours my living things, and I am so cruel that anyone who goes to the governor's office to inform me will be afraid of me for the rest of his life." Ayun was stunned, "What are you afraid of?" She asked timidly. "I'm afraid that if I go to King Yan Luo to sue, the ghost of impermanence will come and catch her." "Madam, you," Ayun cried anxiously, "Are you going to seek death?" Mrs. Luosi kept silent, closed her eyes slowly, and fell asleep peacefully with a smile on her lips. I didn't wake up again from this sleep. After the inspection, I found that there was only an empty bottle left in the small bottle of tranquilizing medicine taken from Dr. Mei Tengsara from Guangji Hospital. end of text