The houses and wooden huts along the Xiao Qinhuai River were all built by people seeking livelihood on the water.
The people living on the water are different from the people living on the land. Most of them live in boats. Only those who don't have a boat, or who rely on hard labor on the canal to make a living, build houses along the river.
Most of these houses are simple, low and rough, and the courtyards are messy. Various tools and clothes to be dried are everywhere. Some of them also have broken fishing nets and broken hats and raincoats hanging. It seems that they are all items that can no longer be used, but But reluctant to throw it away.
Zhao Tao looked at these courtyards while walking. Unlike Tokyo, where the houses on the riverside are thick and compact because they have to withstand the severe cold in winter, many of the houses here are made of simple wooden boards, and some have light-transmitting walls.
Zhao Tong glanced at Zhao Yuannu and saw the deep nostalgia in her eyes, and couldn't help but sigh slightly in his heart.
Zhao Yuannu noticed his gaze, lowered his head and whispered: "The Nu family has lived here since childhood."
Zhao Tong nodded and said with a smile: "Sure enough, the geography is different, and the scenery is very different."
It was already afternoon, and ordinary people had two meals a day. Many courtyards were lit with smoke, and a special fragrance filled the air.
"This is cooking fish soup. When the Nu family was young..." As he said this, Zhao Yuannu stopped in front of a house. After looking carefully, his expression changed drastically and his body trembled slightly.
Upon seeing this, Zhao Tong knew that this must be Zhao Yuannu's home, and winked to the side. The spear team immediately stepped forward to surround the small courtyard, and then Shen Fei led others to knock on the door.
In fact, many people along the coast have seen Zhao Tong's Wang Jia team. After all, the courtyard walls are low, and some are even surrounded by tree branches. They can reach far away at a glance.
There is a red canopy above Zhao Tong's chariot, with embroidered clouds and flying phoenixes, and colorful flags flying on both sides. There are also long spears and short knives at the front and rear. Even if the people by the river have never seen it, they know that a big shot is coming. The chariot is not for ordinary people to sit on. , not to mention there are swords, guns and ceremonial guards to open the way.
Although they may not recognize the canopy, this thing that looks like a big umbrella is something that even the prefect does not have when going out. How could they not know how powerful it is, so they dare not go out and only peek in the courtyard.
The place where Zhao Yuannu stopped was not much different from the nearby courtyard. He was also cooking in the stove, and what he was cooking was the fish soup that Zhao Yuannu mentioned.
A fat woman was hiding behind the earthen stove and peeking timidly outside the wall. However, she saw the team stopped outside her home. Then she heard a "hoo!" and was surrounded by soldiers. She couldn't help but panic and staggered. He ran towards the house, shouting as he ran: "He's talking, it's a disaster, it's a disaster..."
Shen Fei was speechless when he saw this situation in front of the door. Although they were armed with knives and guns, if they really came to arrest someone, why would they knock on the door first? This woman is so ignorant!
Zhao Tong touched his chin and said, "Just go in."
Shen Fei pushed the courtyard door twice, opened it, and led the people to line up. Only then did Zhao Tong and Zhao Yuannu step into the courtyard.
Glancing at the small fish soup on the open-air stove, Zhao Tong smiled and said, "It's true that the original delicacies can only be found by the river."
Zhao Yuannu looked forward with some hesitation. At this moment, he saw the door of the room opened, and a barefoot man in coarse cloth came out, followed by the fat woman from before.
The two of them did not dare to raise their heads, and fell to their knees on the other side of the stove with a thump. The man kowtowed and said, "Sir, sir, what did that evil beast of the common people do again? I bother you to come and catch it yourself."
Zhao Tong looked at the man, then looked back at Zhao Yuannu. Zhao Yuannu had been hiding behind the man since he came out. Now he looked at him and nodded tremblingly.
Zhao Tong knew what he was doing and asked, "What kind of arrest?"
The man was stunned when he heard this, then kowtowed and said, "Aren't you here to take down the unsatisfactory young man from the grassroots family?"
Zhao Tong frowned and looked at Shen Fei. Shen Fei immediately said, "You are a confused person. What's wrong with your elder brother?"
Hearing this, the man realized something was wrong, but he didn't dare not answer. He said calmly: "That evil beast from Cao Min's family stole money from shops on the street, went to Guan Pu's shop to Guan Pu, and injured the clerk of Guan Pu's shop. We are in the process of arresting him. I have been here several times, but I am really not at home. If I come back, the common people will definitely go to report to the officials and I dare not hide it."
Shen Fei said: "It turns out that your brother is involved in a crime, but we are not here to arrest him. We just smelled the delicious smell of fish soup outside, so we walked in to take a look, but we didn't expect that this happened."
The man realized that although his elder brother's case was not a small one, two Yangzhou Prefecture officers came to inquire. It was absolutely impossible to arrest someone in this scene. Seeing that it was a noble man who was traveling, he couldn't help but feel relieved. In a tone of voice, he bravely said: "I wonder if you are..."
Shen Fei interrupted him and said, "Don't ask what you shouldn't ask."
The man and the fat woman behind him immediately put their heads on the ground, not daring to blame them.
Zhao Tong said at this time: "It doesn't matter, just let him know."
Shen Fei then said: "You two listen carefully, His Highness the King of Qin was appeasing the two Huaihe Rivers and was stationed in Yangzhou. Today, he went on a tour and the king landed at your home. How dare you be rude?"
The man was shocked when he heard this, and he made an "ah" sound unconsciously, and his whole body started to tremble.
The fat woman in the back was so frightened that she fell to the ground and ate a mouthful of dirt, but she didn't dare to move at all.
"King, the king is a thousand years old... The common people don't know that the king is coming, so please forgive the common people for their sin." The man worked hard on the canal for half his life, and he has more experience than the wife. He reluctantly spoke, and then knocked his head fiercely.
"That's all." Zhao Tong saw that his forehead was bruised and swollen, and said calmly: "I just have a moment of leisure. I saw that your fish soup was cooked well, so I came in to take a look."
Hearing this, the man kowtowed for more than a dozen times before he dared to stop and murmured: "The fisherman's crude things dare not enter the eyes of Wang Jia, Wang Jia, Wang Jia..."
He wanted to give in, but he didn't dare to say it. Although he was a low-level citizen and didn't know anything about the affairs of the court or Yangzhou Prefecture, he knew about King Qin.
Last year, Wang Qing rebelled and Huaixi was in chaos, which spread to many places in Huaidong. There were many fewer merchant ships on the canal. There was not much work in the Yangzhou section of the ferry river. Many people on the water had no work to do and had to rely on fishing. He lived by catching some fish and shrimps, and he still had vivid memories of those days. Later, the imperial court sent King Qin to calm down the chaos in Huaixi, and then he resumed his normal life.
Therefore, even if the common people in Huaidong did not know the other princes and generals in the court, they knew about the King of Qin.
Zhao Tong said: "All things are born to nourish people, how can they be crude and refined? I think this fish soup is obviously good, but I want to try it. You and your wife are reluctant to part with it. I will not eat your food in vain."
The man knelt on the ground and suddenly felt happy. The mother-in-law behind her also heard what Zhao Tong meant, and she was also overjoyed. The prince wanted to drink her fish soup, and he said he wouldn't drink it for free, so wouldn't he be rewarded afterwards?
At this moment, the two of them knelt down and said together: "The king is driving but use it, the king is driving but using it."
Several guards from the Scarlet Pioneer Regiment moved tables and stools over, then went into the house to find dishes and spoons, and washed them again, rinsed them again and again.
Zhao Yuannu said softly: "The slave family will serve soup to the prince."
Zhao Tong nodded and watched her step forward to fill the fish soup and place it on the table. She looked at the man from time to time, but unfortunately the man did not dare to look up and did not see Zhao Yuannu's appearance.
After the fish soup was placed, Zhao Tao took a sip first. It was indeed delicious, much better than what he drank by the Xunyang River. Then he looked at the man on the ground and asked, "How many mouthfuls are there at home?"
The man hurriedly replied: "The king is a thousand years old, and there are four people in total, including two young men below."
Next to him, Zhao Yuannu was sipping soup. When he heard this, his spoon trembled and spilled on half of the table.
Zhao Tong said again: "Tell me and listen."
The man hesitated slightly, as if he couldn't say what he wanted to say. He took a few breaths before saying: "The king is a thousand years old. The eldest son of the grassroots family has failed to discipline him well. He has violated the rules. Now the government is arresting him..."
Zhao Tong said: "As I said just now, has this man been like this since he was a child?"
The man sighed: "I'm not afraid that the prince will find out that it is the sin of ordinary people to develop a naughty temper after being spoiled."
After hearing this, Zhao Tong thought for a while, stretched out his hand to call a guard and said: "Go to Yangzhou Mansion and have a look. If anyone is captured, bring him over."
After the guards left, Zhao Tong drank the soup and asked again: "Where is Erlang?"
The man said: "Go back to Wangjia, Erlang is studying."
"Studying?" Zhao Tong nodded. The Song Dynasty placed great emphasis on education. Even ordinary people had the opportunity to study. Although Shuishui people were poorer, it was not impossible for them to step into this door. It was not a lie to say that they were poor in literature and rich in military affairs.
"Wang Jia, I'm just studying. I'm doing very well. I should be back from school soon." When the man said this, his tone finally showed a hint of excitement.
Zhao Tong didn't comment on this, but slowly drank up the entire bowl of fish soup. Zhao Yuannu went to the stove and served him another bowl.
After a while, the guards outside brought in a young man, who turned out to be the second son of the family. He was wearing a white-washed Confucian shirt and his face was pale. Apparently, the guards outside had informed him of Zhao Tong's identity. He knelt down and saluted as he came in.
Zhao Tong had someone pull him up, and after asking him a few questions, he asked him to stand aside and not kneel down to speak.
After another long while, the two of them drank almost all the fish soup in the pot. Zhao Tong wiped his mouth with a silk handkerchief, and saw the guard who had just been sent to Yangzhou Mansion quickly walked into the courtyard and said: "Your Majesty, Mansion The Yamen captured someone last night, and my subordinates brought him here."
Zhao Tong glanced outside the courtyard door and saw several Yangzhou Prefecture officers locking up a man. The man was not very old. He was wearing prison uniform and his hair was tied up. Although his face was frightened at the moment, his eyebrows and mouth were full of fear. There was a hint of ruthlessness.
"Did you bring all the confession papers as well?" Zhao Tong asked.
Later, the prosecutor of Yangzhou Prefecture hurried over to greet him, and then presented the confession to Zhao Tong. Zhao Tong looked at the man and the woman kneeling on the ground and said, "Read it to them."
Although the two of them did not dare to raise their heads, they listened to the conversation in front of them and looked outside the courtyard with the corner of their eyes. They knew that their elder brother had been caught, but they dared not show any signs at this moment. They just listened to the prosecutor read out the confession and the verdict. He lowered his head and remained silent.
Zhao Tong said: "Are you two listening?"
The man replied: "Your Majesty, common people, listen up."
Zhao Tong said: "Stealing merchants' money, then violently injuring others after Guan Pu lost, do you parents have any doubts?"
How could the two of them have any doubts? The elder man in the family knew his temperament since he was a child. This was not the first time he had done this kind of thing, so he said, "The common people have no doubts."
Zhao Tong said to the outside: "Bring people here!"
Hearing this, the officers outside the hospital immediately brought the criminal Da Lang into the hospital. Although this Da Lang was not old, he was obviously used to hanging out on the street. He had a ruthless temper. Even when he saw that the scene in front of him was different, he still held his chest high. Don’t kneel.
The few officers saw him being so tough and complained inwardly. However, they knew Zhao Tong's identity. For fear of being implicated and blamed, they picked up the stick in their hands and hit the crook of his leg. The elder felt pain and cursed: "Pinch." Bird, be careful when I come out, I know where your home is."
Zhao Tong frowned and glanced at Zhao Yuannu next to him. Zhao Yuannu whispered: "Your Majesty, don't worry about me. I have long been homeless in Yangzhou."
Zhao Tong looked at the prosecutor again. This prosecutor was affiliated to the Tidian Prison Department, which was assigned to all states and counties, and was responsible for sentencing. He figured out what Zhao Tong meant and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, this prisoner has been sentenced to four years. .”
At this time, the officer struck him again with a stick. Dalang knew that it was not a serious crime and he refused to accept the punishment. He twisted the chain and tore the prison clothes on his arms, revealing two flowery arms.
Zhao Tong looked at his ferocious appearance and suddenly said to the prosecutor: "I drank the fish soup of this family and owe you a favor. Now this man has violated the law and needs to be sentenced. What do you think about this matter?"
Even though the prosecutor has been in this business for a long time and is considered an exquisite person, it is not easy to answer at the moment. After all, he is thinking that Zhao Tong cannot have any other relationship with this family, and the current punishment is not related to drinking fish soup. It didn't matter at all, so he said vaguely: "Everything will be decided by the prince."
Zhao Tong smiled: "In that case, I think he will be exempted from jail."
The prosecutor dared not say anything, so he just obeyed and said: "My lord, I know clearly that this crime... is actually not a serious crime. It can be avoided."
When the man and woman kneeling on the ground heard this, they couldn't help but get excited, and kowtowed with "bang bang": "Thank you, Wang Jiaqiang, for your kindness. Thank you, Wang Jiaqiang, for your kindness."
The fat woman hurriedly said to the man next to her: "Son, why don't you quickly thank the king for his grace?"
The old man clicked his eyes, and at this moment he realized that the person sitting in front of him was a prince, but he had a naughty temperament, and was not as cautious and respectful as his parents. He just rolled his eyes and thought to himself, why should this prince be merciful? Own? Wouldn't it be a delay in one's own affairs to be so merciful?
There is a saying among scoundrels, called enlightenment in a cage. It means that no matter how you hang out outside, you will not get rich. It is because your brain has not enlightened. You need to spend a few years in jail to enlighten yourself, and you will be able to do it after you come out. Everything goes well, and this saying has been popular in later generations.
He was only thinking about enlightenment, so he didn't thank him. He just knelt there and frowned.
Zhao Tong looked at him and smiled: "Although I don't have to go to jail anymore, if this matter spreads, it seems that I have violated the law, so... some punishment is still necessary."
The old man heard what he said clearly and couldn't help but said: "You prince is so unreasonable, why don't you let me go to jail for a few years without any punishment..."
As soon as he spoke, Shen Fei immediately drew his knife and shouted: "How dare you speak to the prince!"
Dalang saw the cold light of the knife and was finally a little scared this time, so he didn't say anything, but still held his neck.
Zhao Tong said: "I can't take back what I said. There must be punishment. Someone, come here and break the legs of this stubborn and unrepentant person so that he can never go to the streets again!"
When the guards on both sides heard the words, they rushed forward. Before Da Lang could react, he was pushed to the ground and then beaten with sticks, both of his legs and feet were beaten to pieces.
Dalang couldn't stand the pain. He fainted from the pain and could no longer stand up with his legs.
Zhao Tong put his hands on his hands and smiled and said, "That's great. You can stay at home honestly, honor your parents, and be respectful to your brothers and sisters. Very good, very good!"
The man and the fat woman were almost frightened when they saw this. Just now they had said that they would be merciful and that they would not have to go to jail. Why did they turn around and beat the man to death with a stick?
Zhao Tong looked at the two of them: "You and your wife, raise your heads."
The two of them were still frightened by the stick at this moment, so they hurriedly raised their heads to look.
Seeing the two men raising their heads, Zhao Yuannu's eyes fell on the man's weathered and wrinkled face. The man looked at a loss. Although he did not dare to look directly, he also saw the appearance of the female family members beside the thousand-year-old Wang Jia. She is a beautiful little lady.
Zhao Yuannu bit his lip and looked at it for a moment, then suddenly whispered: "Your Majesty, I'm so rude." Then he suddenly stood up and ran out of the courtyard with trembling shoulders.
Zhao Tong sighed and stood up, looked at the two of them and said, "I said I can't drink your fish soup in vain. I'll reward you with a thousand taels of silver."
The man and the woman were even more stupid when they heard this. The successive changes made the two of them somewhat exhausted. It was not until Shen Fei and the guards put the money in front of them that they kowtowed in gratitude.
Zhao Tong glanced at Xiao Lang who was at a loss next to him, stretched out his hand to hold a pen, and said with a smile: "Remember to study hard."
After that, he put up his hands and walked out of the courtyard.
After a while, Zhao Tong walked away, and the man and the woman got up from the ground. Looking at the unconscious old man and the white money, they felt like they had had a big dream, and they didn't know what to do.
The man's face was still blank. It took him a while to remember something, and he whispered: "I think the little lady next to Wang Jia looks a bit like the same person."
The fat woman said: "He is so cute, he looks like... which one does he look like?"
The man took a breath and hesitated in a low voice: "I, why do I look a bit like the water baby sold to Tokyo back then..."
(End of chapter)
