The old grandson who supported the ferry lazily came to the Bianhe River, looked at the sky, sat down by the ferry, and watched the scenery.

A woman not far away came up and timidly asked, "Master, do you want to cross the river?" ”

Lao Sun looked up and saw that the woman was in her thirties, with a hairpin cloth skirt, and she looked good. Standing up, he said with a pleasant face: "I have been holding the boat here for more than ten years, and I came early today." It only costs five cents to cross the river, which is extremely cheap. ”

The woman's face showed embarrassment, and she twisted for a while before she said, "I have no cash on me, only a fine golden carp. I'm going to the county seat, and it's convenient for the master's house. ”

Lao Sun said with a smile: "This is by the river, and there are many big fish in the surrounding ponds, what do I want your fish to do!" I also have children to support, no money, what to eat at home. There are a lot of people at the dock over there, so you might as well take the fish and let people buy it for a few pennies. ”

The woman looked at the dock and sighed, "It's not yet dark, where is anyone coming to buy fish?" Well, how is this good? ”

Lao Sun said: "Wait for an hour or two, and there will naturally be more people, so why should you be in a hurry." ”

The woman did not speak, but went about there, her face full of sorrow.

Lao Sun couldn't bear it in his heart, and asked, "You are in a hurry to cross the river, for what?" If it's convenient, I'll do it for you. ”

The woman thought for a while before she said, "I want to go to the yamen to find out a matter, and no one else can do it for me." ”

Hearing this, Lao Sun couldn't help laughing: "Inspect the ready-made yamen in the village over there, why do you have to cross the river." Now there is a magistrate in the state, and most of the affairs involving officials on the dock here are cooked there. You just go there, you don't have to cross the river. ”

The woman hesitated a little when she heard this: "I don't go out of the gate all the year round, I don't step out of the second door, and the things on the official side are not clear." It's just that I heard that everything in the vicinity has to be done at the yamen in the opposite city, why don't you need it now? ”

"You just have to go over there to inspect the village, it's all the same yamen."

The woman hesitated for a moment, but still went to the inspection village not far away.

Jin Shuzhao ambushed on the desk and took care of the official documents. A public man came in from outside, crossed his hands and said, "Kongmu, there is a woman outside, saying that there is something to report to the official." Ask her what is going on, squirm there and don't say, just refuse to leave. ”

Jin Shuzhao pushed away the official document and waved his hand: "There is only a wharf on this side of the river, and there are very few people, so someone will report to the official." - That's it, you bring people in, I'll ask. If you drive people away, it's not good to bump into officials on the road. ”

The duke sang a promise, turned and went out. Du Zhongxiao was stationed in the inspection village, and when he went out in the past few days, he encountered several roadblocks and complaints. Fortunately, it's not a big deal, it's just that there is more and less money at the wharf, and there are disputes between buyers and sellers. It is inconvenient for the people here to cross the river, and they do not have the habit of handing over the letter to the yamen, and when they see the official coming, they go directly to the road to stop it, which makes Jin Shuzhao and others have a headache.

After a while, the public brought in a woman in her thirties and stood timidly at the foot of the hall.

Jin Shuzhao stood up and said loudly: "You can also talk to me about something." - If you have something to report to the official in the future, remember to write a letter and wait for the instructions after the ceremony. How many things are in the yamen, how can you come and see them at any time. ”

The woman whispered and whispered, "Folk girl Tan Erniang—"

Jin Shuzhao couldn't hear clearly, and said impatiently: "You have a louder voice, otherwise how can I hear clearly!" - That's it, talk closer! ”

The woman bowed, stepped forward cautiously, and said, "Tan Erniang, a folk girl, is a native of Mengcheng, Benzhou, and has always done some medicinal material business with her husband in the state city. A few years ago, the medicinal herbs were sold here to the Yaren and the officials, and they lost the capital and owed the Yaren. Lord Ma and the officials urged him to repay the money, but there was no way, so the husband kept the concubine here and went back to make up the money. But I don't want to have no news from my husband from now on, and the concubine has been living here for several years and is not allowed to return to her hometown. ”

Jin Shuzhao frowned when he heard this: "In this way, the tooth man surnamed Ma watched and didn't let you go?" Debt repayment, of course, there is nothing to say. You can write a statement about this matter, and attach the deed of the money you owe that year, the deed of your maid in the Ma family, how much you have paid in the past few years, and see how much money you still owe should be repaid, and the two families will discuss separately. Then ask someone to bring a letter and ask your husband to take you back. ”

The woman said, "Official, where is the deed?" At that time, our goods were handed over to Ma Daguan, and after a few days, he said that most of the medicinal materials were rotten and could not be sold, urging us to return his capital. He's powerful here, who can compete with him? My husband returned to the state city to raise money, and Ma Daguan sent a relative, Lu Yuhou, to go with him. A few days later, the Marquis Lu Yu came back and said that my husband had fled and did not know where to go, so he would not allow the concubine to leave. ”

Jin Shuzhao listened to it in a daze, waved his hand and asked the woman: "According to what you said, just by the words of the tooth man surnamed Ma, your husband will go back to the state city to raise money to pay him back?" He said that the medicinal herbs are rotten, who knows if it is true or not? Business people, so confused! ”

"On that day, Ma Daguan also showed us a little decayed medicinal herbs, and the rest were never seen again. He was very powerful here, and when he asked again, many witnesses came out, saying that the medicinal herbs were really bad and were thrown into the river, where could they still be found? ”

Jin Shuzhao thought for a while, and then asked, "When he said so, did you believe it?" Also, he must have a name for you here. Whether it is a servant or a concubine, there must be a written deed, and the price must be a certain amount, and it cannot be so unclear. If there is no tooth man as a guarantor, there is no deed, and the woman is forced to stay at home, isn't it robbing the population? You haven't figured it out for years? ”

The woman looked at Jin Shuzhao, lowered her head, tears flowed out, and said in a low voice: "Please also ask the officials to be the masters." ”

Jin Shuzhao only felt ridiculous, pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back. He is a veteran for many years, he has seen a lot of things in the world, and he knows that the small people are ignorant, and some people are confused, and it is really possible for this kind of thing to happen. Moreover, Ma Meng is a big family here, rich and powerful, and it is not uncommon to bully a businessman from other places.

After pacing for a while, Jin Shuzhao's mind flashed, and he suddenly turned around and looked at the woman: "You said that you are originally from Mengcheng and are engaged in the medicinal herb business in the state city, and there is a Lu Yuhou who went home with your husband to raise money." Then let me ask you, is there another son named Tao Seventeen? ”

The woman raised her head, didn't care about wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes, looked at Jin Shuzhao, and said nervously: "Back to the official, the son of the concubine is really Tao Seventeen." I've heard that he's committing crimes in the state city, but is it true? ”

Jin Shuzhao stomped his foot: "Of course it's true!" Your son killed people on the street in the state city, and it was Lu Yuhou who died! Alas, everyone said that he recognized the wrong person and killed the wrong person, and it was a joke all over the city, but they didn't expect such a thing! ”

When the woman heard this, she couldn't stop crying: "I heard from the Ma family that my husband and son don't know where to go, but I don't want him to be in the state city all the time. How good is that? Official, do you have any news of my husband? For so many years, he didn't come to see me, and ran away by himself, allowing his son to run into such a heinous disaster. How good is that? I waited for several years, but in the end, my family was ruined. ”

Jin Shuzhao sighed: "Your husband died a long time ago. There must be a secret in this matter, and you wait here. ”