The wind swept the rivers and lakes and the rain dark village, and the sound of the four mountains turned over the waves.

Zhu Ping'an had already pinched the time to return from the Fengyong Reservoir in time to go down the mountain, but it was raining and the sky was dark, and it was getting dark faster than usual. By the time we were about a fifth of the way to the bottom of the mountain, it was completely dark.

Because it was raining, I couldn't hold a torch to light it, so I had to walk in the dark. It was dark and rainy at night, and the mountain road was difficult to walk. Fortunately, the guide is experienced, and he often walks this road when he goes into the mountains to cut firewood, so he can find the way even with his eyes closed. In this extreme weather, the guide still accurately found the way back and took Zhu Ping'an and his party down the mountain.

The rain in the mountains seemed to be heavier than outside, and the wind in the mountains was more violent than outside, and a gust of night wind blew through the mountains and forests, playing through the valley of Jiuqu, making a whining sound, like the waves of the sea rolling and rolling.

There was no danger along the way, and I returned to the foot of the mountain smoothly. Zhu Ping'an took out a tael of silver as a hardship fee and thanked the guide for guiding the way.

"Lord Zhixian, you braved the rain to go into the mountains to survey the reservoir for the sake of us people, if I ask for silver again, then I will not be a person. My dad knows and can break my legs. The guide waved his hand repeatedly.

"What, isn't it too little?" Zhu Ping'an smiled and said deliberately.

"How can I be, this tael of silver is enough for me to chop firewood for three months." The guide blushed and hurriedly explained.

"Then take it. Thanks to you today, otherwise we wouldn't be able to go up the mountain and see the reservoir, and even if we went up, we wouldn't be able to come down. Zhu Ping'an smiled slightly, and couldn't help but stuff the silver into the guide's hand.

The guide was about to excuse himself, but Liu Mu patted him on the shoulder, leaned into his ear and whispered, "Fellow countryman, the county respects the people like a son, how can they use the people's power in vain." Now it's dark, and we're going to go back. If the county honors you and asks you to take it, you will take it. If you push it around, it's getting darker, and it's not safe to walk at night. ”

Seeing that Zhu Ping'an was very persistent, and hearing Liu Mu say this, the guide finally accepted the silver.

Bidding farewell to the guide, Zhu Ping'an and his entourage hurried in the dark and returned to the county office. After more than 20 miles of travel, it was not until Hai that Zhu Ping'an and his entourage arrived at Jingnan County. Chaimen heard the dog barking, and returned to the people on a stormy night. I don't know how many loyal watchdogs were alarmed along the way.

When he arrived at the backyard of the county government, Liu Dadao went to the side room to rest, and Zhu Ping'an went to the main room by himself.

Since cleaning up Zhang Xiancheng, Yao Zhushu, Li Dianshi and other local snakes in Jingnan, Liu Dadao and others have also rested in the backyard in order to better protect Zhu Ping'an and prevent Zhang Xiancheng and others from retaliating. The six people were divided into three shifts, always on guard, and at the same time, every night they arranged for the officials to inspect the front and back yards of the county government to prevent assassination and other sinister means against Zhu Ping'an. This is also a lesson learned from the murder of the former magistrate.

The time was fixed, the night was dark, and people were falling asleep. The main house in the backyard of the county government is still lit.

When Zhu Ping'an walked into the main room, what he saw was the little girl with a bun with her little head in front of the table, dozing off incessantly.

When Zhu Ping'an entered the door, he brought a gust of wind and woke up the little girl with the bun who was dozing off.

"Uncle, my uncle is back......"

When the little girl with the bun saw Zhu Ping'an enter the door, she was instantly refreshed, and a heart that she was carrying was finally put back into her stomach, like a spring, she stood up with a swish, and greeted her upside down, helping Zhu Ping'an remove her clothes and hat.

The little girl with the bun helped Zhu Ping'an take off his clothes and hat, and saw that Zhu Ping'an was wet, like a chicken in the soup, the clothes on his body were scratched one after another, and the meat inside was also scratched with several shallow scars, as if he had been robbed, how embarrassed and embarrassed he was.

My uncle went outside to check the water situation, how did he get this appearance, how much suffering he had to suffer.

My uncle is the champion of the Yuanlang, that is, he was demoted out of Beijing, and he is also the lord of the county, and he was promoted to a five-grade official the day before yesterday, which is one level higher than before he was demoted, and he is a more expensive person...... Even when I was a child in Xiahe Village, I didn't see my uncle suffer this kind of crime.

In an instant, the tears of the little girl with the bun couldn't stop falling, like a string of beads with broken threads.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you crying? Is there anyone bullying you, tell me, I'll call the shots for you. ”

Zhu Ping'an saw that the painting was crying, and couldn't help but ask with concern.

Since being demoted to Jingnan, thanks to the painting to take care of his life, he can devote himself wholeheartedly to his work. The painting is very attentive, which can be seen from the improvement of her cooking skills; Painting is also very hard, I get up early and go to bed late, I get up earlier than I do, and I go to bed later.

Although Hua'er is a few years older than herself, Zhu Ping'an usually treats Hua'er's stupid girl as her sister, and she hasn't seen Hua'er's stupid girl cry much, but when Hua'er cries today, Zhu Ping'an can't help but feel distressed.

"Uncle, does it hurt? I'm going to find Liu Dadao and them, how do they protect my uncle. When the young lady came to tell them, they all turned a deaf ear, and I will ask them. ”

While wiping her tears with her chubby little hands, the painting gently touched Zhu Ping'an's scratched scars with her hands, crying and sobbing, and as she spoke, the baby's fat face puffed up, and she turned around and was about to go out.

Good guy, he completely looks like he wants to find Liu Dadao and ask them about their crimes.

Hua'er usually calls Liu Dadao and their big knife brother, but now they don't even call their brother anymore, and call their names directly.

Only then did Zhu Ping'an know that the painting was crying because he felt sorry for himself, so he couldn't help but shake his head funny, grabbed the painting with one hand, and said to the painting with a smile, "Calm down, stupid girl." These are all bruises, and they were scratched by branches and bushes when they entered the mountain, and they were not scratched by your young lady at night. They were much more embarrassed than me with big knives, and they opened the road in front, and there was no room for them to embarrass them. ”

Yes? Haven't you scratched it at night?

"What are you doing at night, Miss?" The little girl with the bun looked at Zhu Ping'an with a circled face.

You're focusing on the wrong point, right?!

Zhu Ping'an pulled the corners of his mouth speechlessly, "In short, they are very conscientious with the big knife, and this abrasion on my body is not worth anything." ”

The little girl with the bun carefully checked it again, and found that it was indeed the same as what Zhu Ping'an said, just some slight abrasions, but the clothes were scratched, and there were grass clippings and mud, which looked more scary.

After confirming that his aunt was fine, and that his uncle had returned safely, Hua'er finally burst into tears and smiled, and said to Zhu Ping'an: "Uncle, I stewed a pot of chicken soup and simmered it over low heat. Uncle first drink a bowl of chicken soup to fill his stomach, and then soak in a hot bath to relieve fatigue. ”

After speaking, Hua'er ran to the back kitchen, filled a bowl of steaming chicken soup, and served it to Zhu Ping'an.

It's hard to resist the hospitality, after Zhu Ping'an tasted it, well, the taste is okay. After being tired, take a sip of chicken soup and get tired all over, which is wonderful.

"How many more are in the pot?" Zhu Ping'an asked.

"There are a lot of them, my uncle can drink it with confidence, it's enough." Seeing that her uncle liked it, her proud little face was about to rise to the sky.

"Very good, then send them to taste the big knife, they are all tired for a day." Zhu Ping'an said.

Send them ......

The painting looked reluctant.

"Forget it, I'll go. I guess they're changing their clothes, too. Zhu Ping'an continued to speak.

After speaking, Zhu Ping'an went to the back kitchen, filled a pot of chicken soup, and sent it to Liu Dadao.

"Uncle, why are they all given, you can keep one more bowl." The painting was very distressed.

Soon, Hua'er heard a burst of laughter and thanks in the side room, and couldn't help but flatten his mouth and muttered that it was cheaper for you.