I'm catching monsters in Liaozhai

Copycat.

Located on top of a steep hill.

The road was very bumpy.

Even walking is a bit difficult.

The cottage is enclosed by some fences.

In front of the cottage, there is a simple watchtower several meters high.

There are people guarding the watchtower.

Once someone appears not far away, he will notice it immediately.

When he saw the bald second master and others returning, he immediately called down.

"Second Master and the others are back, please open the door quickly."

Immediately, someone opened the wooden door and allowed the second master and the others to enter.

As soon as these bandits entered the village, a group of half-grown children immediately ran towards these people, very happy.

One by one they called people crisply.

not far away.

There were seven or eight women helping to clean the internal organs of a large wild boar.

Xu Lang followed in.

Seeing the peaceful appearance of this group, he thought he had entered a certain village.

It doesn't look like the den of bandits you imagined.

"Get in!"

Xu Lang was imprisoned in a simple small house.

Dahei was also locked in the stable next door.

There is a lot of firewood in the small house.

Xu Lang sat directly on it, took out a sesame seed cake and a water bag from the storage bag, and started eating with water.

It's been a while since I left Wucheng.

The roast chicken I bought has been finished long ago.

Only a few sesame seed cakes were left.

After a brief observation just now, Xu Lang had already seen that there were not many people in this village, including the dozen or so people who took him up the mountain.

If we count, there should be no more than fifty people.

Just look at those houses.

Xu Lang ate sesame seed cakes and thought, if these bandits didn't make things difficult for him, he would spend the night and leave tomorrow morning.

The reason why he followed these bandits up the mountain.

I just wanted to find a place to spend the night.

Even in this firewood house, it is more comfortable than in the wild.

At this time, there was a pair of big eyes looking in through the crack in the door.

There is curiosity in the eyes.

That's a child.

A little boy of five or six years old.

"Who are you? Why are you in there?" he asked.

"I'm sleeping in there."

Xu Lang said.

This child, he didn't see just now.

"Then can I come in?" the little boy asked.

"You can come in if you can." Xu Lang said casually.

Unexpectedly, there was a "crunch".

The door opened.

The little boy walked in.

He also held a wooden bolt in his hand.

Xu Lang was speechless.

It turns out that this door is just plugged in with a bolt.

"what are you eating?"

The little boy was not afraid of people either. His big eyes blinked at the sesame cake in Xu Lang's hand.

"Is this sesame cake? Have you never eaten it?" Xu Lang asked.

"I've eaten sesame cakes before, but it doesn't seem like this. The sesame cakes I ate didn't have any black spots on them." The little boy said.

At this time.

Xu Lang had already taken out another pancake, handed it to him, and said, "The one on top is made of sesame seeds, and there is stuffing inside. Eat it and see."

"Thank you uncle!"

The sesame cake was as big as the little boy's face. He was very polite, thanked him, took it, held it in his hand, bit it, and pulled it hard. After a lot of effort, he finally bit off a small piece.

Chewed it happily.

"Your sesame cakes are even more delicious than those made by my mother."

After the little boy took a bite, he stopped eating.

Xu Lang was curious and said, "Isn't it delicious? Why don't you eat it?"

The little boy said: "I want to leave it to my sister and my mother. They should have never eaten such delicious sesame cakes."

Xu Lang thought this little boy was very interesting and said, "Eat it. If you finish eating, I will give you another one."

"Thank you uncle, I just have one."

The little boy was very sensible and refused.

This surprised Xu Lang.

Are all the bandit children so polite now?

"Jun'er, where are you?"

At this moment, a woman's shout came from outside.

"Uncle, my mother called me, I'm leaving first." The little boy stood up and said.

"Okay, goodbye." Xu Lang said.

"Goodbye."

The little boy jumped away holding the biscuits.

"What a funny little guy."

Xu Lang smiled and continued to eat sesame seeds.

I had just finished eating the sesame seed cakes and putting away the water bag. Suddenly, the closed door creaked open again.

In fact.

When the little boy left just now, he didn't fasten the door bolt.

The bald man, also known as the second master, appeared at the door.

Beside, there are a few men.

There was also a woman holding a little boy in her hand.

It was the little boy just now.

"This sesame seed cake, are you giving it to your child just now?" the bald man said.

"Yeah." Xu Lang nodded.

"We searched you just now. Where did you get the sesame seeds? Who are you?"

The bald man frowned slightly.

His eyes flickered, not knowing what he was thinking.

"Don't worry, these sesame cakes are not poisonous. Besides, I am just an ordinary person. I will stay here for one night and I will leave early tomorrow morning." Xu Lang said.

"Aren't you from the government?" the bald man asked again.

"I'm just passing by, don't worry." Xu Lang knew what he was worried about.

The bald man pondered for a moment, then raised his hands to Xu Langgong and said, "Brother, I have offended you so much before. Dinner is just ready outside. Why don't we eat together? How about it?"

"In this case, it's better to obey orders than to be respectful." Xu Lang said with a smile.

Inside the cottage.

The bonfire is bright.

Several large tables were placed in the open space.

On the table, there were large pots of pork.

Except pork.

There are only some wild vegetables.

Not even wine.

However, Xu Lang has.

But when he took out two jars of wine out of thin air, the people around him were stunned.

They have never seen such magical means before.

Even a street juggler.

It's impossible to conjure things out of thin air.

"Brother, how did you do that? Is the wine you conjured out of thin air really drinkable?"

The bald man was very suspicious after a brief absence of consciousness.

His name is Liu Guang.

And his bald head is very vivid.

"You'll know after you try it." Xu Lang said with a smile.

Liu Guang immediately opened the seal, poured a bowl out, took a sip, and praised: "Good wine."

Good wine.

Not really.

But it is by no means a bad wine.

These wines are from the best winery in Shicheng and are usually supplied to Shenxian Tower.

Xu Lang took some easily.

at this time.

Everyone has taken their seats.

Except for the two guards, the entire village is already here.

The people in this village were similar to what Xu Lang had imagined. Including the old, weak, women and children, there were a total of forty or fifty people.

Three rounds of wine.

Dishes have five flavors.

They are quite familiar with each other.

Xu Lang asked: "Brother Liu, you are the second master, so there should be the first master. Why don't you see him?"

Liu Guang's eyes dimmed and he said, "My eldest brother is dead. He was killed by officers and soldiers..."

From Liu Guang’s mouth.

Xu Lang learned some information.

It turns out that Liu Guang and the others are not real bandits.

They were forced to go to Liangshan.

The boss of the cottage, Liu Guang's sworn brother, is called Ma Lie.

He was originally a head catcher in Luhuai County.

Once, because he was dissatisfied with a young man's robbery of a common girl, he took action, beat him, and took him back to the Yamen.

But I didn't expect that this young master was a child of an official family in Luhuai County and was quite powerful in the local area.

So he sued Ma Lie.

The county magistrate had no choice but to ask Ma Lie to apologize.

I thought that the matter would be over, but I didn't expect that the young master had a grudge and kidnapped Ma Lie's wife and children.

He even tried to insult Ma Lie's wife.

Fortunately, Ma Lie arrived in time.

When he took action, Ma Lie accidentally killed the young master.

Malie, this was manslaughter.

And it punishes evil and promotes good.

Originally, according to the law, he could only serve a few years in prison at most.

But the county magistrate actually wanted to behead Ma Lie after being bribed by the young master's family.

Liu Guang was a gangster, but he was very loyal. In order to save his brother, he summoned several brothers to bravely go to jail.

After rescuing Ma Lie.

They fought their way to escape.

But when Ma Lie was escaping, he was accidentally stabbed to save a brother. He was later seriously injured and died.

He left behind his wife and children.

Ma Lie's son is the little boy who Xu Lang gave him sesame seed cakes.

In order to avoid pursuit, Liu Guang had no choice but to take his brothers and family to the mountains in a neighboring county and became a bandit.

The reason why he respected the dead Ma Lie as the master of the cottage.

It's because Ma Lie is the most respected person by Liu Guang and other brothers.

otherwise.

Liu Guang and others would not risk their lives to break into the prison to save others.

Simultaneously.

It is also for the living people to remember.

If you have a chance.

One day, they will definitely go back and kill those people for revenge.

in fact.

As bandits, Liu Guang and others

They rarely robbed, and usually lived in the mountains hunting game.

the first time.

They robbed a passing old man.

The old man has two taels of silver on him.

I raised money from relatives and friends and gave it to my son to see the doctor.

His son was working outside and fell and was seriously injured.

Liu Guang had no doubts.

The old man's clothes were in tatters. Even if what the old man said was not true, it was still pretty much the same.

Although Liu Guang was born a ruffian, he also valued friendship and kindness like Ma Lie. It was not easy for him to meet the old man. Not only did he not rob him of his money, he also gave a few taels of silver to the old man.

It has to be said that time is rare for bandits like them.

The second robbery.

It was when I met Xu Lang.

Unexpectedly, he was also a "poor man".

However, this time Liu Guang was determined.

No matter what, Xu Lang must be kidnapped and taken to the mountain stronghold.

first.

I saw Xu Lang's horse.

That's a good horse.

Liu Guang knew it as soon as he saw it.

Secondly.

It was also because Xu Lang was a scholar and he planned to let Xu Lang teach the children how to read and write.

At first, Xu Lang was very emotional when he heard Liu Guang talk about Ma Lie and the others. At the end, he was speechless.

No wonder Liu Guang and the bandits are unprofessional.

Not only does this place not look like a bandit den, but it looks like a village.

That's what happened.

"I saw you making pancakes for that kid, and I knew you were not a bad person."

Liu Guang said.

This is his truth.

Otherwise, Xu Lang would not be "released".

"Then you will always stay in this village from now on?" Xu Lang asked.

"Just take it one step at a time. If you go back, you will definitely be wanted. In fact, in this mountain, you can usually hunt and don't have to worry about food. It's not a bad idea." Liu Guang took a sip of wine.

This night.

Xu Lang spent the night in this small cottage.

However, he did not sleep in the previous firewood house, but in Liu Guang's home.

After having breakfast at the village.

Xu Lang left.

It was Liu Guang who personally sent him down the mountain and pointed him to the right way.

Xu Lang indeed took the wrong path.

It wasn't originally a one-way street.

The original plan was to follow the bandits up the mountain and spend the night while robbing some supplies, but after knowing that Liu Guang and the others were not the type of bandits who do evil.

Naturally, he couldn't attack them again.

in contrast.

When going down the mountain, in addition to leaving a sesame seed cake for yourself.

Give the remaining two to the child.

Although he didn't have any food on him, according to the route Liu Guang provided, he could go to Luhuai County ahead to buy supplies before dark.

That is the county where Liu Guang and the others escaped.

Dahei's footsteps are very fast.

Soon or so.

Xu Lang saw the city in front of him from a distance: Luhuai County.

This is a small county.

The city wall is shorter than the stone city.

However, when entering the city, you have to pay an entrance fee of ten cents.

This is blatant banditry.

But you said he was a bandit.

But behind them is the government.

When the superior guard stretched out his hand to ask Xu Lang for money, Xu Lang was obviously stunned for a moment.

But he didn't say anything.

He still took out ten copper coins from his arms.

Xu Lang found an inn, had a full meal, and walked to the street, planning to buy supplies for the next few days.

"The trial of He Xiucai's case is about to begin. Let's go and have a look."

"The Ye family is the largest family in Luhuai County. I am afraid that He Xiucai's family will not be able to seek justice."

"Shh, keep your voice down, be careful of trouble coming from your mouth..."

"What are you afraid of? It's not the first time that those people have done something that confuses right and wrong. Are you afraid of others saying that you have done it?"

"..."

Two young men walked past Xu Lang.

Xu Lang thought for a while and followed.

Luhuai County Government.

When Xu Lang followed the two young men, a lot of people had gathered at the yamen gate.

Inside the lobby.

A young woman with a beautiful face was lying on a body covered with white cloth, sobbing softly.

Next to him, stood a young man in gorgeous clothes, waving a folding fan.

On both sides were government servants holding water and fire sticks, standing solemnly.

moving forward.

Under the upright plaque sat a fat-headed and big-eared magistrate of Tang County.

Next to him stood the master with a mustache.

"Silence, who is in the hall? Who is suing?"

Magistrate Tang patted the gavel, tried to straighten his body and said.

"Ms. He Yan, a civilian woman, Ye Yun beat my husband-in-law He Wan to death. Please ask Mr. Qingtian to uphold justice." He Yan said while holding back tears.

"Where is Ye Yun?" Magistrate Tang asked.

"The grassroots are here." The handsome young man standing next to him said with a slight cup of his hands.

"Oh, you are Ye Yun? Then He Yan is suing you for beating He Wanxi to death, but is there such a thing?" Magistrate Tang asked pretendingly.

"Sir, the common people are unjust. The common people beat He Wanyi, which is completely nonsense. He Wanyi and I were friends that day, and I went to see him that day because we had something to discuss."

Ye Yun said, "While we were happy, we all drank a little wine, and then He Wan accidentally fell down, which led to death. Please be careful, sir."