It's a hot summer, it's noon, and it doesn't feel good to have a scorching sun hanging overhead. Therefore, most of the people in Runzhou City are under the eaves, or wait at home until the afternoon before going out.

But the footsteps of the merchants will not stop because of the hot weather, even at noon, there are many horse-drawn carriages full of goods in and out of the south gate of Runzhou City, in an endless stream.

It's just that they all tacitly agreed not to take a road, because that road is the place where Nanshan thieves made money and killed people. Although on other roads, there are occasional encounters with Nanshan thieves, but the probability is not high, compared to that road, life safety can be guaranteed.

The merchants did not rest, nor did the laborers who squatted at the gates of the city waiting to be called. Outside the city gate, there was a dense row, waiting for the merchants who were loaded with goods to enter the city to unload the goods to shout, and they rushed up.

Then wait for the merchant to pick a few, and then take them away, and the rest of the people continue to wait for the next merchant.

Runzhou City is next to the Yangtze River, so there are many big ships on the river. Because of this, many merchants of Jiangdong's generation would choose to transport their goods to Runzhou City, and then let the big ships docked in the rivers transport their goods to other places.

Tang Ning was dressed in tattered clothes, gray-headed, and mixed in with this group of laborers. One of the guys beside him had sharp beaks and monkey gills, and he didn't look like a good person, and his physique was not as good as that of other laborers, and Tang Ning felt that he was even thinner than himself.

The phrase that people should not look good is for this guy, although it seems to make people have an urge to punish adultery and eliminate evil. But he was quite enthusiastic, and when he saw Tang Ning squatting next to him, he glanced Tang Ning up and down, and said in surprise: "Obediently, what are you doing here?" What about your parents? Looking at your appearance, Lian is only in his early tens, right? The family doesn't care about you? ”

Tang Ning was silent for a while, and said softly, "My family is all dead. ”

“……”

The sharp-beaked man scratched his scalp, a little unsure if the conversation would continue, and in his opinion, the boy's expression and tone were a little too cold, not like a child of his age.

But after thinking about it, he shook his head, and a child of this normal age would not come here to work as a laborer. Just like yourself, you can never be chosen, and squatting here is also a white squat.

Tang Ning saw the embarrassment on the man's face, and suddenly found that he had talked to death in the sky, and regretted it in his heart.

He came to this place because he wanted to confirm something. The group of people who burned the village were not Nanshan thieves.

After burying everyone, Tang Ning carefully surveyed the scene. He found that this group of people was very aggressive, and at least two or three hundred steps away, Niu San had already fired arrows. This shows that they were still far away when they saw them, and by that time, they had already launched an attack on the village.

With such a strong desire to attack, Tang Ning couldn't think of anything other than the Nanshan Thief. But he still has to make sure, because there are two ways to deal with the Nanshan thieves and to deal with other people. Although the ending is the same, the Nanshan Thieves are obviously a little trickier.

This is a terrorist organization of 3,000 people, and it is no less complex to deal with than inciting a riot.

After Tang Ning saw the corpses of more than a dozen Nanshan thieves who died from arrow wounds five hundred steps away from the village, he couldn't understand why Niu San and the others didn't run away when they had this opportunity, but chose to stay and fight the Nanshan thieves to the death?

Later, when Tang Ning saw the labor of handing the steamed buns to his wife and children waiting at the city gate, Tang Ning figured it out. And ever since he figured this out, he was full of hope, and his heart had been praying incessantly, praying that Aunt Niu and the others would be able to escape and ascend to heaven smoothly.

I thought that Aunt Niu and the others fled into the mountains and forests in a panic under the pursuit of the Nanshan bandits, but now it seems that Niu San and they have won enough opportunities for the women and children. They have plenty of time to discern their direction and go out into the forest. Or find a place to hide, wait a few days, and then go back to the village.

Let's hope they're okay. Tang Ning thought silently in his heart. No matter what happens, as long as you don't die, it's a good thing......

“…… In fact, all my family members are dead. The man with the monkey cheeks said suddenly.

Tang Ning was stunned for a moment, raised his head and looked over, and the man pulled the corners of his mouth and said, "Not long ago, my wife just died of illness. I spent all my family's savings to get my wife away. ”

So miserable? Tang Ning took a serious look at the man and found that although he looked very bad, he exuded an indescribable temperament from top to bottom. It felt like he didn't fit in with the laborers who were squatting here—maybe because he was too thin?

Noticing Tang Ning's gaze, the man smiled bitterly and said, "I was originally a person who had read books, but you have also seen it, but my appearance is disliked by nobles, so I ......"

Before the man finished speaking, he suddenly heard a merchant shouting at the city gate, and in an instant the laborers were boiling, and the man and Tang Ning were crowded by the crowd and rushed towards the city gate.

The sharp-beaked monkey-cheeked man grabbed Tang Ning's hand tightly, and Tang Ning, who was used to crowding the bus, was not afraid of it at all. The two followed the crowd and crowded to the city gate.

Tang Ning saw the small head of a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl poking out of the carriage window in front of him. The girl is very delicate, and the two whips are the same as the hair that Aunt Niu likes to give to Tang Ningzha, and she looks like the maid of this noble family.

However, Tang Ning couldn't tell if the maid was not a maid, he only saw the girl poke her head out and scan around, and then retracted her head.

"Pick a certain one! Choose a certain family, uncle! A certain family has a lot of strength! I can resist things! ”

"Uncle, don't listen to him, a certain family has more strength than him, and a certain family can fall two of him......"

"Haha, you two don't have to talk nonsense, it's okay for a certain family to carry the two of you......"

There were all kinds of people who promoted themselves, and these three almost fought, and the shouting was endless, and Tang Ning felt that the earwax in his ears was about to be shaken out.

The coachman frowned, there were a lot of strong people here, and he didn't know how to choose. There was a shout from inside the carriage, and the coachman immediately turned back and stuck his head into the carriage. When he came out later, his brow spread. He pointed to the man with the monkey cheek and said, "You! You count one! ”

The man was squeezed enough, and was busy standing on his feet, when he was pressed under him by a group of people. Several people in front of them came forward together, and the coachman shook the whip and shouted: "What about people! Spread them all out for me! ”

This is the uncle who is angry. As if they had been rehearsed many times, the laborers dispersed with a bang, leaving only Downing, who was out of condition, and the man lying on the ground screaming and screaming to stop in place.

"And a little doll?" The coachman craned his neck, his eyes widened.

The young lady was kind, and said that she wanted to find those who looked weak, and only two or three were strong physically, and there were not many things anyway, so let them move slowly. But is this little doll weak and can't help but be windy?

The little head of the delicate girl in the car window poked out again, and at first glance she saw the helpless Tang Ning, and then shrank back all of a sudden.

What sound came from inside the carriage this time, Tang Ning could hear it clearly.

"Miss! There was a little beggar standing outside, his clothes were in tatters, he was not as tall as a slave, so pitiful......"

“……”

When the coachman heard the movement inside the carriage, he took the horsewhip and nodded Tang Ning and said, "You, you are also one." ”

Downing was completely stupid, what kind of thing is this? If you come to inquire about the news yourself, why are you still being looked at? Please, I'm squatting in the group of laborers, not in the rabbit's nest? Why do you want to choose yourself......

There's no way, since you've already pretended, you still have to keep acting. Besides, when I entered the city, I could get some useful information if I didn't listen to the chatter of the seven aunts and eight aunts standing on the side of the street. Tang Ning hurriedly nodded in thanks, and then helped the sharp-beaked monkey-cheeked man up. The two of them shrunk down on the side of the carriage, waiting to enter the city with the convoy.

Many strong men looked at Tang Ning's eyes full of unkindness, and they couldn't understand why the nobles of this family chose a little doll and didn't choose them.

Soon the coachman chose the people, all of whom were relatively thin. There were only two or three people who were able-bodied, and a total of seventeen people including Tang Ning followed the convoy into Runzhou City.

The soldiers defending the city wore clothes that were no better than Tangning's, and when they poked under the city gate with a gun, they regarded themselves as guards.

When he saw a man entering the city, he stretched out his hand first. The coachman smiled and threw out a piece of broken silver, and the soldier was quick to catch it, and then he got out of the way, and continued to stand listlessly under the city gate, waiting for the next piece of broken silver to come to the door.

The city is lined with willow trees, and on both sides of the street, there are sparse horse-drawn carriages waiting for guests.

Walking further along the road into the city, you will see a long street, and on both sides of the long street, there are all kinds of shops. Cloth sellers, grain sellers, wine shops, tea houses, medicine halls, inns, all kinds of places.

There are also all kinds of people selling everything on the streets. With a bamboo basket on his head, a dried fruit vendor walking while shouting, a pretty girl carrying a flower basket looking for someone to sell flowers everywhere, all kinds of restaurants on both sides of the road, all kinds of taverns, and people coming and going in the middle of the road......

There is no ancient and lonely atmosphere of the ancient city as Downing imagined.

It's a vibrant city!

Looking at the end of the street, a building surrounded by colored curtains, Tang Ning thought a little shyly......