The sun has risen, and the morning breeze blows through the reeds, making it desolate.
After half a day and a night, Liang Qu had arrived at Fengbu County.
Moving closer to the shore, he passed several villages and small cities, and the scene he saw was completely different from that of Pingyang County.
Food prices in Pingyang County have risen sharply, and many people are suffering. However, after all, this is not a natural disaster but a man-made disaster.
There were no floods or droughts, and the food grew well in the fields. With the help from the surrounding governments, we could barely survive.
Everyone knows that after surviving this period and harvesting a wave of rice, life will be much better in the future.
In addition, the wealthy families who are coming are building houses one after another, and erecting large houses on the flat land, which changes every day, and everyone can feel the vitality contained in it.
Fengbu County was completely silent.
Most of the villages Liang Qu passed through were filled with old people who were dying.
So many young and middle-aged people in Pingyang County did not appear out of thin air, and the neighboring counties contributed the most.
In many small villages, there were originally a hundred or two hundred people. The ghost mother killed half of them and scared away the remaining half, leaving only the old people who could not walk.
Only in big towns and counties the situation is better, and the property is valuable, so they will not be easily scared away.
"Brother, can you tell me, what is the name of your village?"
After finally seeing a lively small market, Liang Qu asked the three beasts to dive down and then he paddled forward to stop a fisherman who was returning to the boat.
When the fisherman saw that Liang Qu was wearing official uniform, he quickly knelt down, but Liang Qu grabbed his arm and stopped him.
"It's okay, I'm just asking a question. Brother, just tell me the truth."
The fisherman trembled and said: "Sir, our name is Shiqiao City."
"Shiqiao City...then do you know where Wuzhen is?"
"I know, I know." The fisherman nodded repeatedly and pointed in the west direction, "Go west and walk more than 20 miles on the waterway, and we're almost there."
"Then you're on the right track." Liang Qu nodded and asked again, "Brother, there's something I don't understand. I rowed all the way here, why are your boats docked at the pier?"
This thing is very strange.
Usually piers are built by private individuals or the government. If you want to dock, you have to pay. For example, in Yixing Town, the fee is 2 cents in normal times and 4 cents in flood season.
Liang Qu had to pay before he got rich.
But those who are brave and not afraid of trouble can stop in the reed swamp and ignore the wind and rain.
Or some people who encounter difficulties, such as parents or children who are sick, sometimes take the risk of stopping outside to save money on a bowl of wine.
Everyone has their own way of living.
But along the way, Liang Qu passed through several reed swamps and never saw anything like this at all.
"My lord, you really frightened me." The fisherman was really frightened by Liang Qu's address and said tremblingly, "My lord, you don't know something. All our boats, one by one, belong to the fishing pen. You parked outside, and you didn't mean to Beaten to death?"
Liang Qu was stunned: "I passed by so many villages along the way, and all the fishing boats belong to fishing pens?"
"All of them!"
How can it be?
Liang Qu's first reaction was disbelief.
When Yixing Town was still Yixing City, there were hundreds of fishermen in the city. Only about 30% needed to rent fishing boats and relied on the fishing pens to make a living. The rest had their own boats.
Why is it so exaggerated to say 100%?
But how dare ordinary people tell lies when they see him in official uniform? There is probably something hidden behind him.
Liang Qu thought about it and said, "Isn't it possible that your fishing pen is run by one person?"
"Your Excellency has a keen eye. All the fishing pens in Fengbu County belong to the Whale Gang."
"How to divide it?"
"Four six."
"Take 60%?"
"Sixty percent belong to other people."
Can you survive this?
Liang Qu raised his eyebrows slightly.
Fishing depends on the season and luck. It is true that experienced fishermen can earn more than 60 or more than 70 fen a day, but only in the seasonal months, more than 10 fen a day in winter is considered good. .
Those who earn three melons and two dates will receive 60% of their income, plus two additional taxes.
Carrying two mountains is nothing more than this.
"Brother, tell me about this whale gang."
Liang Qu took out a small piece of broken silver from his arms. It looked like seventy-eight cents, and could be exchanged for a few dozen copper coins.
The fisherman swallowed hard when he saw the silver, but he didn't dare to take it: "Sir, I can't do it, I can't do it!"
"Here you go! A little money for the drinks."
The fisherman couldn't refuse, so he carefully accepted the silver beans and held them firmly in his hands. He looked around and sighed.
"When it comes to the Whale Gang, we have to start with the boss of the Whale Gang."
After a while, the fisherman held the silver beans and left happily, leaving Liang Qu alone and thinking.
Liang Qu took out the album from his arms, opened it and read it word for word.
In the past half month, six fishermen in Wuzhen have gone missing and eight have been confirmed dead, bringing the total number of people involved in the incident to 14.
But according to the fishermen, Wuzhen has been plagued by water monsters a long time ago.
It's just that no one has been taking care of it. The county government's inspections and the Sanfa Division don't pay attention to the things on the water.
Fishermen often encounter water monsters when they go out of their boats. Some die, and some come back alive, but the boat is lost and they have to rely on the fishing pen to survive.
It's just that it hasn't happened much in the past year or two, and it's happened again in the last half month for no apparent reason.
Liang Qu closed the album again.
I thought I just wanted to cook a weirdo.
Liu Jie, the boss of the Whale Gang, has something.
…
“Looking in the mirror, my face looks thinner and thinner with fear, and my brows are filled with hatred and sorrow.
The alliance mountain vows to change the coastal defense, but the beautiful girl only blames God for her unlucky life. "
Erhuang's slow beat, in response to the melodious singing of Hua Dan, tossed the water sleeves in his hands, and they fell like snow.
The sweet floral perfume overflows, transporting one's soul to an extremely distant place.
"Because of the flashes of infatuation, my tender intestines have turned around, so I have been sick all day long.
I made a vow with Xie Zhaolang in front of the lamp, but who knew that we would not be able to part ways with each other. "
Hua Dan fell down so softly again, and all her hands moved to support her, feeling heartbroken and regretful.
Look around the theater and there are people everywhere.
This is the concubine that Liu Jie, the boss of the Whale Gang, is going to marry. She will only perform her last performance before leaving the theater to get married.
"It's so beautiful. Even if I have ten concubines in my family, they can't compare to her. Master, do you think so? Master?"
Du Wenchang shook his head while listening to the music, and his whole body was trembling with fat and flesh. When he looked back, the master was gone.
"It sounds good, looks good, reward me!"
evening.
Finish singing the farewell scene.
After washing off her makeup, Hua Dan moved with small steps, holding a fine handkerchief with her soft hands, and followed the master into the inner courtyard of the county magistrate.
Du Wenchang's heart skipped a beat and his whole body felt hot.
It is really like flowing water on a small bridge, like soft wind, soft water, and soft catkins.
But he was angry and cursed: "Master, why don't you understand any rules? How can you bring a girl who has never been to Gang Leader Liu into my room? Isn't it ruining my reputation? Send her back quickly!"
"Absolutely not!" Liu Jie followed and crossed the threshold. "This little Chun'er just told me that as soon as I saw the Lord, I felt that you were a tree in the wind. If I can't serve the Lord, I will regret it for the rest of my life! This is the beauty of adulthood."
"Ah, that's true." Du Wen shook his head, and the oil secreted from his neck mixed with sweat dripped down, "Gang Leader Liu is really polite. I wonder if there is anything I can help you with?"
"Inspection duty..."
"Gang Leader Liu is really going to make things difficult for me. Even though this inspector is only a ninth-grade inspector, I am not something that a small county magistrate like me can appoint or remove! It all requires the approval of the Ministry of Personnel."
"My lord, you misunderstood, it's not me, it's my son! What do you think of him?"
Liu Jie knew early on that he had no hope, so he could only settle for the next best thing.
"Your Majesty"
Du Wen squinted his eyes, seeming to be thinking.
Liu Jie had been seeking the post of inspector for seven or eight years, but he never wanted to give it.
There is no other reason. Now that Liu Jie has money but no power, he is naturally at the mercy of others and pays filial piety every year.
But this person is very ambitious. If he gets a high-level official position and has hundreds of followers, it will be difficult to get along with him in the future.
But it’s not good to refuse outright, that’s not how business works.
Du Wenchang squeezed Hua Dan's soft hands.
"I will recommend it, but it's not up to me to decide whether it succeeds or not."
"Thank you, sir!"
"Besides, don't blame me for not reminding you. Now there is a river bank in Pingyang County. The situation on the water is not as good as before. You know how you got up on your own. Just be careful about the trouble on the water. If something happens, don't come looking for it. I."
It's such a loss to go through such troubled waters with only a small amount of filial piety money every year.
Liu Jie's expression was stern: "Thank you, sir, for reminding me. I will not disappoint you at the Hebo Station! I will definitely let you return home with a full load!"
"Okay, okay, I've been busy with business today and I'm tired."
"Have a good rest, sir."
Liu Jie respectfully stepped down.
…
Under the water, the fat catfish came back from a distance, turning left and right, with a very proud expression.
Liang Qu knew what was going on just by looking at the way it looked.
This fat old man is getting more and more arrogant.
"did you find it?"
The fat catfish nodded, pointed to one side with its whiskers, and danced.
Liang Qu understood, and quickly recalled the three beasts. When everyone arrived, they leaned in the direction pointed by Fat Catfish.
One person and three animals followed Fat Catfish, and soon found a narrow wooden house among the reeds.
There was no one around, so Liang Qu could easily see what was inside through the narrow cracks in the wooden house, and it was exactly as he had guessed at first.
No wonder the spirit looks like a human being.
"Grandma, you assigned me such a big job, I need a raise! I must get a raise!"
Liang Qu decided to protest to Xu Yuelong when he returned.
This is an E-level mission. Starting from D-level, you have to go back and forth for three or four days, and you have to count twenty small achievements!
midnight.
Fishermen went out to fish one after another.
Liang Qu lurked under the water to practice, and the sound of reeds folding leaves on the bank was endless.
"The fish are coming!"
