After the Australians entered the city, in addition to posting notices on the streets, they also sent people to sell "newsprint" on the streets from time to time. :
Zeng Juan knew about this newsprint. At first glance, it looked no different from the local "Chao Bao" newspaper. They were all important news about the imperial court. However, Zeng Juan had read the Australian "Lingao Times" from Wu Ji and knew both. Not the same thing.
"Guangzhou Special City is recruiting police officers. Anyone under 40 without disabilities can apply! Even women can apply. Brothers who have no food, come and take a look..."
He was now in a hurry to find Zhang Yu to find a solution, and had no intention of watching the excitement. He walked over in three or two steps and ran directly to Zhang Yu's walnut cake shop.
The walnut cake shop is steaming with steam, and you can feel the scorching heat radiating from the Wuli oven while standing on the street. Several masters work shirtless. Zhang Yu had studied and was considered a gentleman, so he wore a Gebu sweat suit - it was already soaked.
Zeng Juan called Zhang Yu out, told him his troubles, and asked him if he could do him a favor and speak to the Australian chief minister.
Zhang Yu had a troubled look on his face after hearing what he said: "Ajuan, it's not that I'm perfunctory with you. This matter is not easy to handle. Although I have a relationship with Chief Hong and receive a lot of care from him, in the end, this matter is a household chore. He is the chief and has to deal with everything. Not to mention whether I have the honor to ask him to take care of this matter. Even if he is willing to help, how can he take care of it? As the saying goes, it is difficult for an upright official to deal with household affairs. "
Zeng Juan was at a loss for words for a moment, but Zhang Yu made every word reasonable. So what if the chief is willing to come forward? We can't kill both his brother-in-law and his wife. The most we can do is to take this couple to the government office and slap them with dozens of boards and give them a lecture. Then what? The nephews were still being abused, and the government couldn't send people to keep an eye on the brother-in-law's house every day.
He said anxiously: "So there is no way out? They are going to sell my niece to be a girl! This, this, this..."
Zhang Yu was about to comfort him when suddenly someone on the street shouted: "Ah Yu! Ah Juan!"
The two were startled and looked around. But it was Li Ziyu!
Li Ziyu looked haggard, and was wearing a half-worn straight tie. The Xiaoyao scarf that she usually wore was nowhere to be seen. One look and you can tell that something big has happened.
Zhang Yu took a few steps. She went up to him and grabbed his arms: "Ziyu!" She was so excited that she couldn't speak for a while. Zeng Juan was shocked. He also went to greet him: "Ziyu, where have you been? We couldn't find you even if we looked for you..."
Li Ziyu's eyes were wet and he was speechless. It took him a long time to say: "It's hard to say, but I finally escaped with my life!" At this point, tears fell from his eyes and he started to cry sadly.
Zeng Juan said: "Don't cry, just live." He didn't know how it touched his feelings. He also shed tears, and Zhang Yu also started to cry. The three of them hugged each other and cried in the street.
When they were together, Li Ziyu believed that he came from a military officer family and had better wealth and knowledge than them, so he was a little arrogant. However, after all, they have been friends for many years. Although it has only been more than ten days since Kunren broke the city, it has already made the three young people feel that the world is unpredictable and life is impermanent.
As soon as they cried, the clerk in the store quickly came out to persuade them. Zhang Yu also felt that it was inappropriate to howl in the street like this, so he quickly wiped away his tears and said, "Let's go in and talk about it if we have anything to say."
The three of them entered the back house. After recounting the scene after parting, I learned that on the second day after the Australians entered the city, they ordered military households and soldiers to gather at the school grounds outside the east gate for inspection. Because his uncle is an officer. Not daring to go forward, he took his whole family and fled with him.
"My uncle said that the Kun thief hates officers and generals the most. After he captures them, he will either instigate soldiers to surrender and kill them, or use them as hard labor to open roads. He is a hereditary commander. If he doesn't run away, this will be his fate."
The uncle had no children, and Li Ziyu was considered a father-in-law. He always valued his nephew who would inherit the future, so he took him with him when he ran away. Li Ziyu's family stayed in the city instead.
The direction of escape was Zhaoqing, where the Governor's Yamen was located. Li Ziyu's uncle estimated that the Kun thief would not be able to reach Zhaoqing for a while, and the terrain in Zhaoqing was difficult. There are many soldiers and food, and there is a governor in charge. He must be able to hold on for a long time and go there by himself, at least his safety is guaranteed. After leaving the city, he hired a boat from the Dan family at a high price in Baietan and sailed up the Xijiang River.
"...I didn't expect to encounter any difficulties when leaving the city, but something went wrong while going up the Xijiang River." Li Ziyu said, trembling all over, "I didn't expect that there were so many water bandits along the way, they robbed every boat they saw, and even before they reached Sanshui , our boat was robbed several times, and everything was looted..." He was still shocked when he said this, "I found out later that they were in the same group as the boatman! After finally arriving at Si Xianjiao, the boatman saw I already have nothing to offer, so I simply changed my face..."
So their escape journey became a multiple-choice question in Sixianjiao whether to eat "wonton noodles" or "bandao noodles".
"My uncle's whole family was killed, and even my cousin was kidnapped by the thieves. She probably committed suicide now. I jumped into the water to escape, and finally escaped with my life." Li Ziyu shed tears, "Fortunately, Sanshui County is not far away, and Kunren I have already entered the city and was taken in and rescued by them. They gave me a bowl of hot soup before I regained my breath."
Li Ziyu stayed in Sanshui County for a few days and was repatriated to Guangzhou as a refugee on the return ship of the logistics department. When he returned home, it was already empty - his family members had been gathered at the East Campus for "screening."
Li Ziyu was idle on weekdays and knew nothing about housework. Although there was rice at home, he could not cook for himself. He did not handle the money at home, so for a while he had no meal at all.
"Fortunately, Kun... released my parents and younger siblings yesterday. Finally, the whole family is reunited. It's just my uncle's family... Alas!" Li Ziyu lowered her head and sighed with tears, "If I had known better, I should have persuaded my uncle!"
Zhang Yu advised: "This is my uncle's fate. I can't blame you. Who doesn't know that there are so many bandits on the Xijiang River. Businessmen and pedestrians must be very careful when sailing on weekdays, let alone when there is a war! At least you come back safely, and our family It's a great blessing among misfortunes that everyone is in good order." Zeng Juan also gave some words of persuasion.
After listening to Zhang Yu's persuasion, Li Ziyu gradually stopped crying and asked about their current situation after breaking up.
Naturally, Zhang Yu couldn't be better, so Zeng Juan talked about his troubles.
"I originally wanted to ask A'yu to help the Australians, but what A'yu said makes sense. Even if they want to take care of this kind of housework, how can they take care of it?"
Li Ziyu nodded and said, "A'yu is right. Ask Kun about this...Australians are unreliable. However, I do have a way. It depends on whether you are willing, Ajuan."
"What method? As long as I can do it." Zeng Juan suddenly became energetic.
"Look," Li Ziyu took out a crumpled piece of paper from his sleeve and unfolded it, "This is it. It is better to ask for yourself than to ask for others."
Zhang Yuhe Zeng Juan took a closer look and saw that it was the Australian newsprint "Yangcheng Express". This was a single tabloid that basically conveyed government orders and current affairs news. Li Ziyu was referring to a black header inside: "Guangzhou Special City Recruiting Police."
Looking at the full article again, it turns out that the Guangzhou Special City of the Senate is now openly recruiting one thousand patrol policemen. It was required that the person should be between the ages of eighteen and forty, and be in good health without any serious illness. Below was a series of specific conditions and treatment descriptions. Zeng Juan had no intention of reading any more. He understood what Li Ziyu meant when he said, "It is better to seek help from others than from yourself."
They are all familiar with "髡情" and know that this "policeman" is the "quick class". As long as he becomes the fast class of Australians, his brother-in-law and this couple will have to restrain themselves a lot.
Moreover, the policeman's salary is not low. The newspaper clearly states that he will be given eight bushels of "work rice" per month. According to the price of rice these days, it is almost one tael of silver. In this city of Guangzhou, an income of one tael of silver a month is enough to support a family!
Now I am not good at literature or martial arts, and the business in my father's shop is not good. If I can become a patrol officer, the money and food will be a small help to the whole family, and it will also lighten the burden on my parents' shoulders. . This is more important than protecting my nephew.
However, due to years of traditional consciousness, although they all know that the Australian police are not the same as the Ming Dynasty's subordinates, when the matter comes, they always have some concerns about "this is a lowly servant".
"It's a good job, but, it's just," Zeng Juan hesitated, "I have to patrol the streets to do errands, and it seems to be insulting to be polite..."
Li Ziyu didn't care at all: "Ajuan, you are overthinking! The world is owned by Australians now, and we must behave according to Australian rules. Australians don't even hold imperial examinations anymore. Why do you care about it? It's insulting to politeness!"
He stood up and walked around: "Australians don't hold imperial examinations, and we scholars have no way to advance - after all these years of studying, are you preparing to be like your father, standing in front of a smelly oil pan and dipping candles every day? ! Now they want to recruit police, this is the only way!"
"But this is just a subordinate after all." Zeng Juan finally expressed his concerns, "Not an official."
"Thank you for reading so many Kun people's books and newspapers." Li Ziyu seemed to have changed his temperament since returning from the escape, and became very enthusiastic about Australians. "Australians are officials and officials! There are no officials, only cadres!" If you want to be an Australian official, you must start from a humble official."
Zhang Yu nodded and said: "That's true. It is said that Australian officials follow the old system of the Tang and Song Dynasties: those who are not appointed to prefectures and counties cannot be prime minister."
"Now that the Australians have just landed, it is the time to recruit talented people. Don't miss the opportunity before it comes!" Li Ziyu tried his best to encourage, "It's done-" he lowered his voice, "Maybe we can still get one From the minister of the dragon."
Zeng Juan shook his head and said: "I have never thought about following the dragon and not following the dragon. But Ziyu is right, this is indeed a way out!" He looked at Li Ziyu again, "Do you want to go?" (To be completed) Continued.)
