The bear child of the Red Chamber, Jia Cong

Visitors from Yan State have caught the wanted criminal Lou Jinqiao and posted notices all over the streets and alleys, and anyone with a discerning eye has noticed that this person's address has changed, and he has moved to the home of Mrs. Lu Jian.Although it is unavoidable to be afraid of the master, three groups of visiting guests came that afternoon.Whenever he asked about Lou Jinqiao, Jia Cong always played sloppy eyes, only saying that he paid more money during the day yesterday and caught him at night.Then the topic changed, and they began to promote the policy of attracting investment in Yan State, urging people to go to Yan State to open factories and return to Qi State to enjoy the blessings.

That night, Jia Cong called someone to bring Lou Jinqiao over and told him, "We have found the inn where you stayed, and also found the Yizhuang where the doctor collected the body. What you said is true."

Lou Jinqiao was shocked: "It's only been one day! Mr. Zhou, how did you send the letter?"

Jia Cong smiled and said: "We use kites to send letters, which are much faster than pigeons. They arrived in two and a half hours. We sent them out last night, and checked them during the day. After checking, we sent two more kites to reply, and we just received them."

Lou Jinqiao opened his mouth wide: "It's so fast..."

"But I can't let you go for the time being." Jia Cong said, "I told the outside world that Lou Jinqiao has been captured. If you are free and someone sees you, I will lose face. Let's talk about it after I finish my work."

Lou Jinqiao hurriedly said: "You have to let me take revenge later on." Nai said seriously, "I have avenged my benefactor, and I will reform myself and never kill anyone again."

Jia Cong thought for a while and said: "It's nothing to kill people. After all, there are too many people who can't taste the crimes they committed. Just don't kill innocent people. I suggest you recall how many people you have killed and roughly calculate the number." , kill kidnappers with ten times the number. If you can kill all the kidnappers in the world, you will save countless children and parents, and this merit is enough for you to be number one in your next life."

Lou Jinqiao felt his heart relax, and was about to speak with a smile when someone outside came in to report: "Mr. Zhou, Mr. Cui Ju is asking to see you."

Jia Cong said happily: "Please hurry up! It's finally here. I've been waiting for him all day."

Lou Jinqiao hurriedly avoided going outside.There were a few guards sitting scattered in the corridor, all of whom were martial arts practitioners, chatting with him.Liu Zhuang sat aside in a daze.Not long after, the doorman of Lu's family led Cui Ju into the courtyard gate, followed by a boy and an old servant.Liu Zhuang immediately recognized this old servant as the one he saw when he went to Cui's house a few days ago.This person poured a cup of tea for Liu Zhuang, and then sent Xie Jing, the prefect of Jiangxi Province, and his relatives to the study room.From the corner of his eyes, he saw that Lou Jinqiao was also looking at him, so he inquired, "Hero Lou, why are you staring at that old servant? Is he a Lianjiazi?"

Lou Jinqiao had seen Liu Zhuang's martial arts before, and he respected him very much. He hurriedly said: "He is not a Lianjiazi. That old man is a very important elder in the Cui clan, and now he came to Lu's house disguised as a servant. It's interesting."

Liu Zhuang frowned: "Elder? Who is he?"

"I don't know about that." Lou Jinqiao said, "Anyway, he is the same generation as Cui Ju and his father-in-law, and he is still a descendant. The father-in-law of the third son is very respectful to him."

Liu Zhuang nodded: "Thank you." Nai got up and walked to the front of the hall, and saw that the Cui family had just entered, and Jia Cong and Cui Ju were exchanging greetings.Liu Zhuang yelled outside the door in fluent French.

Jia Cong stayed for three seconds: "youspeakEnglishplease?"

Liu Zhuang then said it again in English: "Here's an old Valère."

Jia Cong stayed for another three seconds: "Pardonme?" Liu Zhuang waved his hand helplessly and left.

Jia Cong was stunned for a moment before he remembered that he was talking about the son-in-law in "The Miser", who pretended to be a servant and sneaked into the girl's house to pick up girls.Looking at the two people behind Cui Ju, I immediately understood: the old man bent over with a respectful appearance, his beard and hair were unkempt, he really looked like a servant.It's just that a young man like Cui Ju has never seen an old servant go out with him.Nai bowed to Cui Ju: "I'm sorry."

Cui Ju was a little curious: "What did brother Zhou and the servant say?"

The corners of Jia Cong's mouth twitched: "It's just gossip that doesn't mean much. Young people are so showy, and they learn a few foreign dialects so that they can be known to the world." After a pause, he smiled wryly, "Do you believe me when I say I didn't understand? ?”

Cui Ju was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "I believe it. Brother Zhou just doesn't understand."

Jia Cong looked at the old servant beside him and said, "This old man is getting old, please sit down."

Cui Ju said: "He is just a servant."

"The servants are also old people." Jia Cong said, "years and months can always accumulate some wisdom. If you are an old man, you should respect it." Then he called for someone to bring a soft horse in.Cui Ju and the old servant looked at each other quietly.The old servant saw that Ma Zha was very simple, so he looked at it a few more times and thanked him for his seat.

Cui Junai asked: "Brother Zhou, I heard that you have caught that wanted criminal? How did you catch him?"

"Someone sent the work last night." Jia Cong said, "I can't tell you who sent it. Anyway, I got Lou Jinqiao, and he got the bank note Luyin, and I paid the money with one hand and the other hand."

Cui Ju knew it would be inconvenient to inquire further, and said with a smile, "Would it be useful to send 2 taels of silver?"

"I don't know yet." Jia Cong said, "It's a big deal to send tens of thousands more. He is not the only wanted person. I believe that next time, only [-] will be enough to get someone, and next time [-]." He squinted his eyes and smiled wickedly, "Look How can they protect each other like thieves and thieves?"

Cui Ju said: "Didn't Brother Zhou want to find someone who would bully the monk? Why did you catch the thief?"

Jia Cong said: "I already have an idea, and the enemy is in the way of the thief. It won't be long before the righteousness of the green forest turns into a pan of loose sand. I just pay a few dollars and someone rushes to report." He waved his finger , "The thieves are very good, that is, they are very contractual, and they never talk to you about anything other than business. Everyone quietly did the business, and the two are settled." Cui Ju frowned and said nothing.

The old servant went up and beat Qian'er.Jia Cong waved his hands again and again: "You are so old, don't salute this young man like me, I feel uncomfortable."

The old servant bowed his back and said, "I dare not break the rules."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "The rules are different everywhere. I respect the old and love the young here, and the old people just do as the Romans do. What advice do you have?"

The old servant said: "The slave does not dare to 'teach' on the premise of the master. It is only because of the age that the master is willing to listen to one or two sentences. As the saying goes, there is a way to steal. If Mr. Zhou If the Tao is ruined, wouldn't they become more and more unhindered?"

Jia Cong asked in bewilderment: "Aren't they presumptuous from the beginning? Isn't the way of robbery is that whoever has the biggest fist and the sharpest sword is right?"

The old servant shook his head: "According to what I know, there are people who are righteous in the green forest."

"I believe it. Because I know it too." Jia Cong said, "Among scholars, there are righteous people, among woodcutters, there are righteous people, among craftsmen, there are righteous people, and among merchants, there are righteous people. 360 lines, each line There are people who are righteous. These are individuals and have nothing to do with the whole. The whole way of thieves will not be changed just because there are some people who are righteous. Except for a few people who are righteous, others still kill, set fire, rob and kidnap."

The old servant said: "However, the morality of the green forest can restrain some thieves from acting recklessly."

Jia Cong moved the corner of his mouth: "You probably misunderstood. The morality of the green forest is just the morality of thieves to thieves, not to others. Compared with the harm of the whole thieves and bandits, a little restraint is so small that it is negligible. Besides, I am not a thief. , I'm not the emperor either. I just do my own errands, the morality of the forest and the peace of the world have nothing to do with me."

The old servant said: "Sir, you just want to find someone, just that person, why bother to mess with the whole green forest?"

Jia Cong said with a smile: "Don't worry, they can't do anything to me. I live in the house of the Minister of the Ministry of War. It's interesting to stir up the three-foot waves without incident. It's also interesting to watch the excitement."

The old servant said angrily: "Mr. left after watching the excitement. There are many thieves and bandits in the Qi country. If there are no restraints, the people will suffer."

Jia Cong said coldly: "What misunderstanding do you always have about thieves? Isn't it better to catch one less wanted criminal, and the cleaner the better? Could it be that they can benefit the people if they get away with it? Today I let the thieves go out with each other. First, wouldn’t it save a lot of work for the government? The top thieves were sent overseas again, and there were two less at once. The thieves are like lice, you can catch them one by one, and you can always catch them clean.” Jia Cong spoke freely, and his eyes caught Cui There was a hint of gloating on Ju's face.

The old servant was stunned, sighed lightly, and saluted, "Your servant is overstepping."

Jia Cong waved his hand and said, "No problem. I object to every word you say, but I defend your right to speak."

The old servant saluted again and took a look at Cui Ju.Cui Ju shivered suddenly, and said anxiously: "Are you free these few days? He Chunban is rehearsing a new play. Then let's go and see it in a more ostentatious way, maybe we can catch two fish ?”

Jia Cong frowned: "Huh? I don't like listening to operas, I'm exhausted slowly."

Cui Ju said: "I heard that this is a lively show, it's not slow."

"Say what?"

"It's a new play, and no one knows what it's about." Cui Ju said, "Everyone in the city wants to hear it. Without my help, you won't be able to get tickets."

Jia Cong said with a smile: "Since that's the case, wouldn't it be wrong for you if you ignore your kindness? Just go, I haven't been to the theater for a while."

A very short moment of disappointment flashed across Cui Ju's face, and he smiled immediately: "It's a deal! I'll pick you up when the time comes."

"Okay." Jia Cong said, "You treat me to dinner after listening to the play." Cui Ju agreed with a smile.

After Cui Ju left, Liu Xiaoqi and others who were hiding next door and eavesdropping came in.Jia Cong immediately glared at Liu Zhuang: "What foreign language are you talking about? I almost didn't realize what old Valère is! Can't you make a metaphor that I can understand?"

Liu Zhuang looked innocent: "That book was recommended by you, Uncle Jia. You said it was one of the greatest Western works of the last century, and it fully praised Mr. Molière for a quarter of an hour."

"There are so many great works, and so many characters in them, how can I remember them all! Besides, I only remember the transliterated names in Chinese. If you tell me something about French, I can understand it!" Jia said. Cong patted the table, "I don't know if this king has never learned French? Who is so free to teach you French!"

Liu Zhuang said: "Uncle Chen." Jia Cong choked and remained silent for a long time.Liu Xiaoqi and Shen Zhimo laughed out loud.

Jia Cong angrily grabbed the teacup and ate it up, clapped the table and shouted: "Stop laughing! Talk about serious business. What is the origin of the old man?" Liu Zhuang explained the identity of the Cui family's old servant.Jia Cong snorted, "Cui Mian is indeed controlled by the Dizhi."

Liu Xiaoqi said: "If the direct branch of the Cui family had already seized Cui Mian at that time, Zhou Zhoulang and others may not have been sent by Cui Mian. Those few people are so stubborn that they would not say anything."

Jia Cong thought for a while: "We are away from home, and we live in other people's homes. The interrogation conditions are simple. Should we send them back for interrogation?"

"Alright." Liu Xiaoqi said, "I'll take a trip to the horse shop and ask them to find out what the spring class is."

Jia Cong nodded: "There is another son-in-law of the Cui family named Situ. Since the wife's family is the direct branch of the Cui family, and the mother's family holds the military power, why is it that he is the fifth child who is fighting against the eldest son?" He thought, "This old man Five is too weak." Liu Xiaoqi nodded, got up and left.

After a long time, Jia Cong suddenly remembered something: Cui Ju didn't ask Brother Zhou why he moved away from Cui's house today.

The next day, Cui Ju sent someone to deliver a letter, saying that he and the spring troupe had been scheduled to start a new play in seven days, and he would come to pick up Zhou Xianggong to go with him.Jia Cong wrote back and agreed, and ordered someone to post a reward order from Zhou Zhoulang and others, with a reward of 1 taels.

Five days later, Ma Xing sent back a message: The oiran bustards who have tested the whole city, none of them have martial arts skills, nor do they have strong bodyguards, they are all ordinary women.Jia Cong felt disappointed.

I checked the Hechun class again.This troupe is the most popular opera troupe in Qi country, and the troupe leader is Jiang Baiqu, who is very popular with dignitaries and nobles.She has a son, who is 14 years old, and loves her like a treasure.Leader Jiang originally didn't want him to learn opera, so he inadvertently let the nobleman see him, and asked Haosheng to recuperate by name.It is heard that he studied Zhengdan, and his talent is different.Although he has not officially appeared on the stage, he has already won the favor of many nobles.

Another day later, tomorrow is the day that Cui Ju and Cui Ju agreed to watch a play.In the afternoon, the woman at the back door of Lu's family suddenly came in to look for Shen Zhimo: "Miss Shen, there is a daughter-in-law outside who says she is from your hometown and wants to meet you."

Shen Zhimo was taken aback.She didn't tell anyone where she was from.Nai blinked: "Since that's the case, invite her in." Then he gave the old woman a handful of copper coins.The mother-in-law smiled and left.

Jia Cong and the others were curious, so Shen Zhimo invited the daughter-in-law into the main room, and they all hid behind the screen.Not long after, the mother-in-law led the daughter-in-law in.Everyone saw that this woman had a good appearance, she was wearing a red silk jacket, but she was very haggard.Shen Zhimo glanced at her hands, white and tender, it was obvious that they were not for work.

After dismissing the mother-in-law, before Shen Zhimo could say anything, the daughter-in-law "thumped" and knelt down: "Auntie, I know I'm taking the liberty! I beg my aunt to let me see Mr. Zhou!"

Shen Zhimo was stunned for a while, then blushed in shame: This daughter-in-law obviously misunderstood.He hurriedly said, "I'm not some kind of aunt or grandma. If you have something to say, get up and say it first. Who are you? What's your name?"

The daughter-in-law couldn't get up, she wiped her tears and said, "Girl, I'm the wife of the leader of Hechun Class, and my surname is You."

"Sister You, you should get up first." Shen Zhimo looked back.Liu Zhuang gave Jia Cong a pull.

Jia Cong had no choice but to cough twice and walked out, pretending to say: "Ling Dang, what's going on?"

When Nayou looked up, he was stunned: "Master Cong?!"

Jia Cong was also stunned: "Do you recognize me?" Looking at the daughter-in-law, tears were streaming down her face.Although I don't recognize this woman's face, "You" is an uncommon surname.Jia Cong searched according to the picture, and after a while, he remembered an ancient name: Third Sister You.