The night gradually fell.
The entire Dahe Village was not quiet, and every household was filled with the sound of flails.
It was unsafe to keep so much rice in the yard. It had to be threshed out overnight and put into the house. When the weather was fine and windy, the threshed rice was taken out and spread.
The moonlight is so strong that you can see clearly without lighting a torch.
There is only one flail in the family, and the four main laborers take turns threshing rice, while others borrow wooden basins as rice beds for threshing. The family cooperates with each other and the work efficiency is very high.
I was so busy that it was almost midnight, almost twelve o'clock in the evening.
Cheng Wanwan was numb with exhaustion. When it was her turn to rest, she remembered that Shen Zheng and Ah Fu hadn't returned yet at this hour.
I thought that this kid ran away out of anger and would come back naturally when he was very hungry, but it turned out that he was gone forever.
There are endless mountains to the east of Dahe Village. The road to the town is between the mountains. If you accidentally go astray, you may get lost.
Cheng Wanwan's expression became solemn: "There are two dogs and three cows in the mountains. Stop what you are doing and let's go out to find someone."
Zhao Ergou said: "He must have gone back to town. How can the county magistrate's son endure such hardship? It would be good if he could stay for half a day."
"Even so, we still need to confirm their whereabouts."
Cheng Wanwan clapped her hands and stood up.
I felt a little dizzy as soon as I stood up, my legs felt weak, my hands felt weak, and my head was full of mush.
Zhao Dashan quickly supported her: "Mom, just rest at home while we go out to look for her."
As soon as he finished speaking, someone walked in at the door of the courtyard holding a torch. They were the two people in charge of patrol today. Behind them were Shen Zheng and Ah Fu, master and servant.
The robe on Shen Zheng's body was completely torn at this moment, the flesh on his chest and back was exposed, and there were some blood stains on his face. Ah Fu looked similar.
Obviously, these two people should have rolled down the hillside.
The patrolman said: "Aunt Zhao, he said he was the son of the county magistrate. We don't know whether it is true or not, so we sent him back first. If Aunt Zhao doesn't know these two people, we will tie them up and send them to prison." Go to my uncle’s house.”
Shen Zheng and Ah Fu returned to the town, but ended up walking into the mountains. They walked in the mountains in a daze for more than two hours, from when there was still light in the sky to late at night.
After the night was dark, there was no light in the mountains. They heard the howling of wolves and always felt that the wolves were behind them. The master and the servant were so frightened that they ran away. As a result, they accidentally rolled down the mountain. They fell dizzy and lost all their clothes. He was scratched by branches and had many scars on his body.
Although County Magistrate Shen is only a seventh-rank sesame official, he is the number one in this territory. As the biological son of the number one, Shen Zheng has never suffered any grievances since he was a child. But today, when he came to this Dahe Village, he has been suffering. , even if he was angry, he actually rolled down the mountain, and his whole body was about to fall apart.
Fortunately, it didn't last long. They met someone patrolling the mountain from Dahe Village. Before they could identify themselves, they were escorted all the way back by the patroller.
He, the dignified Master Shen, was escorted back to the village like a prisoner.
He wanted to resist and curse, but he had no strength. He was tired, hungry, in pain, and... wanted to cry.
"I know these two people, thank you for your hard work."
Cheng Wanwan sent the patroller away and looked at Shen Zheng and Ah Fu quietly.
Shen Zheng's eyes were red and he stood silently in the yard, which was very different from his arrogance during the day.
"Gulu——"
Shen Zheng's stomach growled.
There was still a portion of corn left in the pot, which originally belonged to the master and servant. Cheng Wanwan took it out and put it on the table.
She spoke softly: "Eat first before you talk."
Shen Zheng didn't want to eat this kind of food at all, but he was really hungry and almost fainted from hunger. He had no choice but to pick up his chopsticks and eat the corn rice. After taking a bite, it tasted pretty good. He accidentally ate most of the bowl. .
Ah Fu beside him stared at the corn and drooled. When the saliva flowed out, he sucked it back with a slurp.
Shen Zheng finally put down his chopsticks and pushed the remaining half of the bowl over: "It's really embarrassing for me, take it and eat it."
"Thank you, Master!"
Afful held the bowl in his arms and squatted under the eaves to eat.
Cheng Wanwan glanced at Shen Zheng one more time, realizing that the child had a little more humanity than she imagined and could be saved.
She said softly: "Er Gou, bring out a set of your clothes for Master Shen to put on, and San Niu also give a set of your clothes to Ah Fu."
Zhao Ergou originally had two pairs of matching patched clothes. Later, his sister-in-law made him one, and the county magistrate rewarded him with one. So he had two new clothes. He himself was reluctant to wear new clothes. How could it be possible? He took it out and gave it away for free, so he took out another piece of dried patched clothing and handed it to Shen Zheng's arms.
Shen Zheng wanted to refuse.
But he saw Cheng Zhao also wearing patched clothes.
Cheng Zhao only had two pieces of blue and white college clothes. Wearing such clothes in the village was too eye-catching, so Zhao Dashan separated one of his patched clothes. Cheng Zhao was wearing Zhao Dashan's clothes, and the other was a swap. It was Wu Huiniang who changed the old clothes left by Zhao Youjin, her father-in-law, and gave them to Cheng Zhao.
Shen Zheng took the clothes and said in a low voice: "I want to take a bath."
Cheng Wanwan pointed outside: "Go over there to fetch water. Come back and boil the water before washing. After washing, spread the rice straw in the yard on the floor of the main room. Place the sheets on the chair. Once spread, you can sleep."
Ah Fu had already finished eating the corn and rushed over immediately: "I'll come, I'll come."
He was also injured, and he was carrying two wooden buckets to fetch water.
Everyone in the yard continued to be busy. Even the youngest Zhao Sidan was working hard to thresh rice. There was a wolf lying in the corner. Although his eyes were closed, his ears were raised high, obviously paying attention to the surrounding environment.
Shen Zheng just wanted to lie down and sleep, but there were only two beds in the house, and they were beds made of wooden boards. They were not much different from sleeping on the floor, so he decided not to find fault with others.
So, your noble son, Master Shen, personally picked up the threshed rice stalks, spread them neatly on the ground, and then put the sheets on them.
At this time, Ah Fu came back with two and a half buckets of water. The master and the servant began to study how to make a fire and boil water. After studying for a long time, they could not figure it out.
Zhao Sidan couldn't stand it anymore, so he took a fire stick and walked over, started the fire with hay, and the fire in the stove started to burn.
Ah Fu's eyes were full of stars: "Young Master Zhao Si, you are so awesome."
Although he was just a slave, he was Shen Zheng's playmate from birth and became a book boy when he grew up. He really had never done any of these menial jobs.
Zhao Sidan coughed and said, "I'm not a young master. You can just call me Sidan. After the hay is burned, put the dry wood in. Four or five of them can almost heat up a pot of water."
After he finished speaking, he continued to work.
A pot of water boiled quickly. When taking a bath, Shen Zheng didn't bother to ask for bath beans, as long as he could wash away the mud on his body.
He quickly finished washing, washed Afu, and then lay down to sleep.
There was still busy work outside, but Shen Zheng didn't think it had anything to do with him. He lay on the ground to sleep, while Ah Fu lay on two stools, huddled up.
Shen Zheng said angrily: "You lie there and the stool moves around, making you very noisy."
Ah Fu was very aggrieved. It was obviously the sound of threshing rice outside that was louder, okay?
Shen Zheng moved to the side to make some room: "Lie here and sleep."
Ah Fu hesitated for a long time. It was unrealistic to sleep in a corner. Sleeping on a stool would disturb the young master. Aunt Zhao would definitely have objections to sleeping on the table... So, then sleep with the young master?
