"Quiet!"
As soon as Han Zhen finished speaking, the whispers in the crowd suddenly disappeared.
Looking around, he said loudly: "Blacksmiths, carpenters and other craftsmen from all walks of life, who are literate in writing or have a certain skill, step forward!"
Hearing this, the fugitives looked at each other in shock.
After a while, a thin middle-aged man took a cautious step.
Seeing this, Han Zhen asked: "Are you a craftsman?"
The middle-aged man stumbled and replied: "I...I have learned carpentry before."
"How's the craftsmanship?"
Seemingly seeing that Han Zhen was not as scary as he thought, the middle-aged man became bolder and spoke smoothly: "It's okay. I can make some furniture and help build a house."
Han Zhen nodded: "Okay, you can ask me for a liter of rice later."
A liter of rice grain?
The runaways all looked at the middle-aged man with envy in their eyes.
The next moment, more than twenty people stood up in the crowd.
"I am Shi Zuo."
"I know how to do masonry work."
"I went to school and I can write."
"I was a blacksmith before I went to the mountains."
"I can bark like a dog!"
"..."
Amid a flurry of voices, Han Zhen seemed to hear a strange voice.
Ma Sangou and others looked strange, obviously they had also heard it.
Han Zhen smiled slightly: "Who said you could bark like a dog just now? Come forward!"
Soon, a teenage boy stood up.
Han Zhen raised his chin towards him: "Call twice and listen."
He originally thought that this guy was trying to fish in troubled waters, cheating him of the liter of rice grain, and preparing to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys.
Unexpectedly, the young man didn't panic at all. He cleared his throat and heard a series of dog barks.
The sound is imitated so vividly that you can even hear different emotions.
If you close your eyes and just listen to the sound, you might really think there is a dog next to you.
For a moment, Han Zhen became interested.
When the young man finished learning how to bark like a dog, he asked, "Do you only know how to bark like a dog? Are there other things you can do?"
"I will have more."
After the boy said that, he began to imitate other animals.
It ranges from the chirping of insects to the singing of birds, the crowing of chickens and the croaking of ducks, to the howling of wolves and howling of tigers, the cry of apes and the neighing of horses.
Eye-opening.
Han Zhen asked: "What's your name?"
The young man replied: "My name is Qiu Niu."
"Okay, later, like them, ask me to get a liter of rice."
Han Zhen said, remembering this young man in his mind.
A rooster and a dog robber can accomplish great things if used properly, although he hasn't figured out how to use it yet.
"Thank you, Master!"
The young man suddenly beamed with joy and bowed repeatedly.
Then, Han Zhen ordered: "Those who have gone to school and can write, come forward."
There are a total of six people who are literate and can read and write. These people are not considered scholars. They just came from a better family when they were young and were sent to village schools or landlords' private schools for two or three years.
"Zhang Yi, take them to the lobby to move some tables and chairs."
After receiving the order, Zhang Yi led the six people into the lobby without saying a word.
After moving the tables and chairs out, he eagerly waited for the next order.
Han Zhen patted him on the shoulder and arranged: "Give them some pen and paper. You will be responsible for registering the names and ages of these runaways. The more detailed the better. If you do it well, I will spare your life."
"I understand."
Zhang Yi nodded in agreement and secretly breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that his life was saved for the time being.
After the explanation, Han Zhen shouted to the crowd: "Everyone lined up in a long line and came forward to register. In the future, when you open up wasteland, you must also take the initiative to register, otherwise you will be charged 80% of the rent."
After a period of chaos, more than 800 fugitives formed seven long lines and came forward to register one by one.
Seeing the group of women and children standing there at a loss, Han Zhen asked, "Are you a member of Shi Bao's family?"
"yes."
A little woman nodded.
Compared to the panic of other women, this woman seemed much calmer.
Her appearance is not pretty, but she has a bookish air about her. Standing among a group of farm girls, she feels like she stands out from the crowd.
Han Zhen asked with interest: "Don't you hate me?"
The little woman shook her head and bowed sincerely: "On the contrary, the slave family would like to thank Mr. Young Master for killing that Shi Bao and avenging the husband of the slave family."
"You were all robbed and brought up the mountain?"
"yes."
The little woman looked at Han Zhen carefully and said softly: "They are all a group of hard-working people. I hope Mr. Young Master will not embarrass them. The slave family is willing to tell Mr. Young Master where the Shibao money is hidden."
Hearing this, Han Zhen glanced at the little girl beside her and said with a half-smile, "Shi Bao does love you!"
"This is the child of the slave family and my husband. If Shi Bao hadn't used this as a threat, the slave family would have committed suicide a long time ago." The little woman rubbed the girl's head, her eyes full of doting.
He suppressed his smile and said sternly: "I didn't want to embarrass you at all. Just tell me where the money is hidden and you can just go down the mountain."
"Xiao Langjun is benevolent and righteous."
The little woman bowed Yingying and said, "All the money and wealth are hidden in the well of Shi Bao's residence."
"Let's go."
Han Zhen waved his hands towards them and led Ma Sangou towards the house.
Shi Bao's residence is just behind Juyi Hall, a simple small courtyard, and there is indeed a well in the courtyard.
Ma Sangou walked to the well, took a look, and said in surprise: "Hey, it's a dry well."
Even if there is a dry well in the yard, the key is to place wooden barrels and hemp ropes next to the dry well, which is simply to cover up.
This Shi Bao is really smart.
Han Zhen stepped forward and took a look into the well.
The well was not deep, only three meters at most. It had just rained, so some rainwater accumulated at the bottom of the well.
Ma Sangou suggested: "Second Brother Han, I'll go down and investigate first."
Han Zhen warned: "Bring your knife with you and be careful."
Ma Sangou nodded and jumped in directly.
Soon, a voice came from underground: "Brother Han, there is no one down there, you can come down now."
Han Zhen tied the hemp rope to a tree beside the well, threw the other end into the well, and then jumped down.
A cellar was dug out on the left side of the well bottom, and Masangou had already lit the oil lamp in the cellar.
Under the dim light, what caught the eye were baskets of copper coins and several boxes.
Walking forward, Han Zhen opened the box and found that it contained necklaces, earrings and other jewelry, some of which were stained with black blood.
After a rough estimate, the copper coins and jewelry were almost two thousand guan.
There should be some extravagant wealth in the homes of other big and small bosses, and the money seized this time should be more than 3,000 yuan.
After these rewards, this group of soldiers had dozens of guans at most and more than a dozen guan at least.
In recent days, those villagers have been working as refugees and have made a lot of money on their hands.
Now that the villagers have money on hand, they need to be stimulated to consume.
Otherwise, if money does not circulate, it will become a pool of stagnant water, and the currency itself will lose its meaning.
Han Zhen had already had an idea in his mind, and he could implement it after the summer harvest was over.
Ma Sangou kicked a basket of copper coins with his foot and curled his lips and said, "This stone treasure is not too troublesome. It's so tiring to carry so many copper coins up and down."
"Let's go, we'll move again tomorrow."
Han Zhen said hello, and after leaving the cellar, he climbed up the dry well holding the hemp rope.
As soon as they came up, they saw the little woman and the baby girl walking towards the yard.
Han Zhen frowned slightly: "Why haven't you left yet? Didn't I ask you to go down the mountain?"
"My family is already an unfaithful person. How can I have the dignity to go home? I'm afraid that after I go back, I will be rejected by my husband's aunt and ridiculed by my neighbors. I can tolerate it, but I am worried that my young lady will not be able to bear the grievance."
The little woman smiled bitterly, with a look of pleading in her eyes: "Young master, can you show your kindness and let me live in the stronghold? My family will be able to reclaim wasteland and make a living by farming."
The atmosphere in the Northern Song Dynasty was relatively open, and there would be no criticism if a widow remarried.
But for someone like her, who was caught by bandits and went up the mountain, worked as a village lady for a few years, and then went back... she would definitely be criticized by thousands of people.
In this day and age, a neighbor's mouth can kill.
Han Zhen pondered for a moment and was about to refuse.
Ma Sangou on the side whispered: "Second brother Han, these orphans and widowed mothers look so pitiful, why not just let them stay."
Um?
Han Zhen raised his eyebrows and turned to glance at Ma Sangou.
Seeing his twitchy expression, I suddenly understood, and couldn't help but change my words: "I can let your mother and daughter stay, but if you don't do your duty and have some evil thoughts, then don't blame me for being ruthless."
The little woman hurriedly promised: "Don't worry, young man. I will definitely live my life as expected."
Han Zhen nodded and ordered: "There are many houses for the big and small bosses. You just choose one to live in."
"Thank you, Mr. Xiaolang!"
The little woman thanked him, looked at Ma Sangou gratefully, and then led the little girl out of the yard.
