The Song Dynasty has been deliberate for 16 years, only to know that it is the Water Margin

Chapter 346
The wooden houses on the banks of the Little Qinhuai River are all built by people living on the water.

People on the water are different from those on land. Most of them live in boats. Only those who don’t own a boat or rely on coolies on the canal for a living build houses by the river.

Most of these houses are shabby, low and rough, the courtyard is messy, all kinds of tools and drying clothes are everywhere, and some are hung with broken fishing nets, broken bamboo hats and coir raincoats, which seem to be items that can no longer be used, but But reluctant to throw it away.

Zhao Tong looked at these courtyards while walking. Unlike Tokyo, the houses on the banks of the river in Tokyo are thick and compact because they have to resist the severe cold in winter. However, many of the houses here are built of simple wooden boards, and some have walls that are transparent.

Zhao Tang glanced at Zhao Yuannu, seeing the deep attachment in her eyes, he couldn't help but sighed slightly from the bottom of his heart.

Zhao Yuannu noticed his gaze, bowed his head and whispered: "My family lived here when I was a child."

Zhao Tun nodded and said with a smile: "Sure enough, the geography is different, and the scenery is very different."

It was already afternoon, ordinary people's homes had two meals a day, many courtyards lit up with cooking smoke, and a special fresh fragrance permeated the air.

"This is making small fish soup. When I was a child..." Zhao Yuannu stopped in front of a house, and after watching carefully, his expression changed drastically and his body trembled slightly.

Seeing this, Zhao Tang knew that this must be Zhao Yuannu's home, so he winked to the side, and the spear team immediately stepped forward to surround the small courtyard, and then Shen Fei led someone to knock on the door.

In fact, many people along the coast have seen Zhao Tama's royal team. After all, the courtyard walls are low, and some are even surrounded by trees and branches, so you can go far away at a glance.

There is a red canopy above Zhao Tun's car, embroidered with clouds and flying phoenixes, colorful flags fluttering on both sides, and there are long spears and short knives at the front and back. Yes, let alone the guard of honor with swords and guns to open the way.

Although they may not recognize the canopy, it looks like a big umbrella, even if the magistrate doesn't go out, how can they not know how powerful it is, so they dare not go out, just peek in the courtyard.

The place where Zhao Yuannu stopped was not much different from the courtyard next to it. They were also cooking, and what Zhao Yuannu was cooking was the small fish soup that Zhao Yuannu was talking about.

An obese woman was hiding behind the earthen stove and timidly peeking out of the wall, but when she saw that the team stopped outside her house, and then she was surrounded by soldiers with a "hula", she couldn't help panicking and staggered. He ran into the house, shouting as he ran: "He is a baby, it's a disaster, it's a disaster..."

Shen Fei was speechless when he saw this situation in front of the door. Although they were armed with knives and guns, if they really came to arrest people, why would they knock on the door first?This woman is too ignorant!

Zhao Tun rubbed his chin and said, "Go straight in."

Shen Fei pushed the gate of the courtyard twice, opened it and led people to form a line, and then Zhao Tang and Zhao Yuannu stepped into the courtyard.

Looking at the small fish soup on the open-air stove, Zhao Tang said with a smile: "It's the original food, and it's only found by this river."

Zhao Yuannu looked forward hesitantly, and at this moment the door opened, and a barefoot man in coarse clothes came out, followed by the fat woman just now.

The two dared not raise their heads, and knelt on the ground with a "plop" on the other side of the stove. The man kowtowed and said, "My lord, my lord, what happened to that scoundrel of the grass people? I asked my lord to come and arrest me."

Zhao Tang looked at the man, then looked back at Zhao Yuannu, Zhao Yuannu hid behind the man since he came out, looked at him now, and nodded tremblingly.

Zhao Tun knew it in his heart, and said, "What arrest?"

The man was startled when he heard the words, and then he kowtowed and said, "Didn't your lord come to take down that unworthy Dalang from Cao Min's family?"

Zhao Tong frowned and looked at Shen Fei, and Shen Fei immediately said: "You can't talk clearly, what's wrong with your boss?"

The man felt something was wrong when he heard the words, but he didn't dare not answer, and he said in a low voice: "That evil animal from Caomin's family stole money from the shops on the street, went to Guanpu shop, and injured the clerk of Guanpu shop. They are being arrested, the gentleman has been here several times, but he is really not at home, if he comes back, the grass-roots must go to report to the officials, and dare not hide it."

Shen Fei said: "It turns out that your Dalang has a case in hand, but we didn't come to arrest him, we just walked in after smelling the delicious smell of fish soup outside, but we didn't expect this to happen."

The man came to his senses, although the case of his family's Dalang was not small, but it was only two Yangzhou government officials who came to inquire. The scene in front of him was absolutely impossible to arrest people. It seemed that the nobles were traveling, and he couldn't help but feel relieved. With a strong tone, he said boldly: "I don't know if my lord is..."

Shen Fei interrupted him: "Don't ask what you shouldn't ask."

The man and the obese woman behind him immediately leaned on the ground, not daring to plead guilty.

Zhao Tun said at this time: "It's okay, just let him know."

Only then did Shen Fei say: "Listen up, both of you, when His Royal Highness King Qin appeases Lianghuai and is stationed in Yangzhou, he is out on patrol today, and the king lands at your house, how dare you be rude?"

The man turned pale with shock when he heard the words, and unconsciously let out an "ah" sound, and his whole body trembled.

The obese woman behind was so frightened that she fell to the ground and ate a mouthful of dirt, but she didn't dare to move an inch.

"My lord, my lord is a thousand years old... The grassroots don't know the king's coming, so please forgive me for my great crime." The man has spent half his life working hard on the canal, and he is always a bit more insightful than the woman.

"That's all." Zhao Tang saw that his forehead was bruised, and said indifferently: "This king is just for a while, seeing that your fish soup is cooking well, so I came in to have a look."

Hearing the words, the man kowtowed more than a dozen times before he dared to stop, and murmured: "The rough fisherman's things don't dare to come into Wang Jia's eyes, Wang Jia, Wang Jia..."

He wanted to let it go, but he didn't dare to say it out. Although he was a commoner at the bottom, he didn't know about court affairs or Yangzhou government affairs, but he knew King Qin.

Wang Qing rebelled last year, and the chaos in Huaixi spread to many places in Huaidong. There were fewer merchant ships on the canal, and there was not much work in the ferry channel in Yangzhou. Many people on the water had no work to do and could only rely on fishing. Catch some fish and shrimps to live, he still remembers those days vividly, later the imperial court sent King Qin over to quell the chaos in Huaixi, and then he resumed his normal livelihood.

Therefore, even if these ordinary people in Huaidong didn't know about other princes and generals, they knew about King Qin.

Zhao Tong said: "Everything is born to support people, so how can it be rough and fine? This king sees that this fish soup is obviously good, but I want to try it. You husband and wife are reluctant to part with it. This king will not eat your food for nothing."

The man knelt on the ground and felt joy in his heart, and the woman behind also heard what Zhao Tun meant, so she was also overjoyed, the prince wanted to drink her family's fish soup, and said that it was not for nothing, so wouldn't he want to reward him afterwards?

The two knelt down and said together: "The king's car is only used, and the king's car is not used."

Several guards from the Scarlet Pioneer Group moved tables and stools, and went to the house to find bowls, chopsticks and spoons, washed and washed, rinsed and rinsed.

Zhao Yuannu said softly: "My family will serve soup for the prince."

Zhao Tang nodded, watching her step forward to fill the soup with fish and place it on the table, while looking at the man from time to time, but unfortunately the man did not dare to look up, and did not see Zhao Yuannu's appearance.

After the fish soup was placed, Zhao Tang took a sip first, and it was really delicious, much better than what he drank by the Xunyang River back then. Then he looked at the man on the ground and asked, "How many sips at home?"

The man hurriedly replied: "King Jia Qiansui, there are four people in total, and the following two boys."

Zhao Yuannu next to him was sipping soup, but when he heard this, the spoon trembled and splashed on the side of the table.

Zhao Tong said again: "Let's listen to it."

The man hesitated slightly, as if it was hard to say it, he took a few breaths and said: "Your Majesty is a thousand years old, Cao Minjia Dalang is not good at discipline, he broke the law, and the government is arresting him now..."

Zhao Tong said: "I said this just now, has this Da Lang been like this since he was a child?"

The man sighed: "I'm not afraid that the prince will find out that it is the fault of the grassroots people that he has developed a stubborn temper after being spoiled and spoiled."

After hearing the words, Zhao Tang thought for a while, stretched out his hand to beckon a guard and said, "Go to Yangzhou Mansion to have a look, if you catch anyone, bring them here."

After the guards left, Zhao Tang drank the soup and asked, "Where's Erlang?"

The man said: "Go back to Wangjia, Erlang is studying."

"Study?" Zhao Tong nodded. The Great Song Dynasty valued education very much. Even ordinary people had the opportunity to study. Although the people in Shuishang were poorer, it was not impossible for them to step into this door.

"Wang Jia, he's just studying. He's doing very well. He should be back from school soon." The man finally showed a hint of excitement when he said this.

Zhao Tang didn't comment on this, but slowly drank the whole bowl of fish soup, and Zhao Yuannu went to the stove to serve him another bowl.

After a while, the guards outside brought in a young boy, but it was Erlang from this family, wearing a pale-washed Confucian shirt, his face was also pale, apparently the guards outside had told Zhao Tama's identity, and he knelt down to salute when he came in.

Zhao Tang asked someone to drag him up, asked him a few words, and asked him to stand aside instead of kneeling to speak.

Then after another half hour, the two drank almost all the fish soup in the pot, Zhao Tun wiped his mouth with a silk handkerchief, and saw the guards who had just been sent to Yangzhou Mansion walk into the courtyard and said: "Your Majesty, the mansion Yamen caught someone last night, and the subordinates brought them here."

Zhao Tang glanced at the gate of the courtyard, and saw a few Yangzhou government guards locking up a man. The man was not very old, he was wearing a prison uniform and his hair was tied up. There was a hint of ruthlessness faintly.

"Have you brought all the testimonials?" Zhao Tong asked.

The prosecutor from Yangzhou Mansion rushed over to pay respects, and then presented the confession to Zhao Tun. After Zhao Tun looked at the man and woman kneeling on the ground, he said, "Read it to them."

Although the two dared not raise their heads, they listened to the conversation in front of them and looked outside the courtyard out of the corner of their eyes, knowing that their boss had been arrested, but how dare they show anything at this moment, just listened to the prosecutor's statement and verdict, He hung his head and said nothing.

Zhao Tong said, "Have you two listened well?"

The man replied: "Wang Jia, Caomin listen carefully."

Zhao Tong said: "Stealing money from merchants, and Guan Pu violently hurting people after losing, do you parents have any doubts?"

The two dared not have the slightest doubt, this Zhong Dalang was well known for his temperament since he was a child, and it was not the first time he had done such a thing, so he said: "Caomin has no doubts."

Zhao Tong said to the outside: "Bring people here!"

Hearing the news, the guards outside the courtyard immediately brought the illegal Dalang into the courtyard. Although this Dalang was not very old, he was obviously used to hanging out on the street, and he had a temper like a hob. Do not kneel.

The guards saw him coming hard, and complained in their hearts, but they knew Zhao Tun's identity, and they were afraid of being blamed, so they picked up the sticks in their hands and hit the crook of the leg, Dalang felt the pain, and cursed: Bird, be careful when you come out, do you know where your home is."

Zhao Tong frowned, and glanced at Zhao Yuannu next to him, Zhao Yuannu said in a low voice: "My lord, don't worry about me, I have no home in Yangzhou for a long time."

Zhao Tong looked at the procurator again, this procurator is affiliated with the Department of Penalty and Prison, and every prefecture and county has affiliations, and the department is responsible for the sentence. He figured out Zhao Tong's meaning in his heart, and hurriedly said: "My lord, this prisoner has been sentenced for four years. .”

At this time, the guard came down again with a few sticks. Da Lang knew that his family was not a felony and capital crime, so he refused to accept the ruthlessness. He twisted the chain and cut his prison clothes, revealing two flower arms.

Zhao Tang looked at his vicious look, and suddenly said to the prosecutor: "This king drank the fish soup from this family and owed favors. Now this big man has broken the law and is going to be sentenced. What do you think about this matter?"

Even if the prosecutor has been on this trip for a long time, he is considered an exquisite person, but it is difficult to answer at this moment. After all, he is thinking that it is impossible for Zhao Tun to have anything to do with this family, and the current punishment is not related to drinking fish soup There is nothing to do with horses and cattle at all, so he said vaguely: "Everything is up to the prince."

Zhao Tong smiled: "In that case, I think I can avoid going to jail."

The prosecutor didn't dare to say anything, he just said obediently: "Your Majesty, this crime... is actually not a big one, it can be avoided, it can be avoided."

The man and woman kneeling on the ground couldn't help getting excited when they heard this, and kowtowed in a "bang bang" way: "Thank you, Wang Jia, for your kindness, thank you, Wang Jia, for your kindness."

At this time, the fat woman hurriedly said to Da Lang next to her: "Son, don't hurry up and thank Wang Jia for his kindness."

That Dalang squinted his eyes, and at this moment he also figured out that the person sitting in front of him was a prince, but he was naughty, not as cautious and respectful as his parents, he just rolled his eyes and thought to himself, why does the prince want to be merciful? Own?Wouldn't such a graciousness delay my family's important affairs!
There is a saying in the hooligans, called enlightenment in a cage, it is said that no matter how much you hang around outside, you will not make a fortune, but your brain is not enlightened, you need to spend a few years in a prison to enlighten yourself, and you will be able to come out. Everything goes well, and this saying has been popular in later generations.

He only wanted to get enlightened, so he didn't thank you, he just knelt there and frowned.

Zhao Tong looked at him and said with a smile: "Although there is no need to stay in prison, but when this matter spreads, it seems that the king is disregarding the law, so... some punishment is still necessary."

That Dalang heard these words clearly, and he couldn't help saying: "Your lord is so unreasonable, let me go to prison for a few years, and the punishment is useless..."

As soon as he said it, Shen Fei immediately drew his knife and shouted: "Bold, how do you talk to the prince!"

Seeing the cold light of the knife, Da Lang was finally a little scared this time, so he didn't speak, but still stuck his neck.

Zhao Tong said: "This king can't take back what he said, and there must be punishment. Someone, come and break the legs of this stubborn and unrepentant person, so that he can no longer hang out in the street!"

The guards on both sides rushed forward upon hearing the words. Before Dalang could react, he was pushed to the ground, and then he was beaten with sticks, smashing his legs and feet to pieces.

Da Lang couldn't bear this kind of pain, so he passed out from the pain, and his legs could never stand up again.

At this moment, Zhao Tun clapped his palms and said with a smile: "That's good, I can stay at home honestly, honor my parents, respect my brothers and sisters, very good, very good!"

Seeing this, the man and the fat woman were almost terrified. They just said that they would be kind enough not to go to prison, but why did they turn around and beat them to death with sticks?
Zhao Tang looked at the two of them: "Your husband and wife raise their heads."

The two were still frightened by the beating of sticks at the moment, how dare they not say a word, they hurriedly raised their heads to look.

Seeing the two raise their heads, Zhao Yuannu's gaze fell on the man's weather-beaten and wrinkled face. The man was at a loss. Although he didn't dare to look directly, he also saw the appearance of the female family next to Wang Jiaqiantui. She is a beautiful little lady.

Zhao Yuannu bit his lips and looked at it for a moment, then suddenly said in a low voice: "My lord, I'm rude." Then he stood up suddenly, shoulders trembling and ran out of the courtyard.

Zhao Tong sighed and stood up, looked at the two of them and said, "I told you I can't drink your fish soup for free, and I will reward you with 1000 taels of silver."

The man and the woman were even more foolish when they heard the words. The successive changes made the two of them a little bit short-headed. It wasn't until Shen Fei and the guards put the money in front of them that they kowtowed in gratitude.

Zhao Tang glanced at Xiao Lang who was at a loss next to him, stretched out his hand as if holding a pen, and said with a smile, "Remember to study hard."

After that, he raised his hands and walked out of the courtyard.

After a while, Zhao Tun walked away, and the man and the woman got up from the ground, looking at the comatose Da Lang and the white money, the two of them felt in a trance that they had had a big dream, and they didn't know what to do.

The man's face was still blank, and it took him a long time to think of something, and he said in a low voice, "I think the little lady next to Wang Jia looks a bit like a person."

The fat woman said: "He is sweet, like... Which one is he like?"

The man took a breath and hesitated in a low voice: "I, why do I look a bit like the water baby who was sold to Tokyo back then..."

(End of this chapter)