Starting boy Ma Kongqun

Chapter 231 Yutang disappeared, Silver Hook inquired

At dawn the next day, Ma Ji quietly got up and washed himself, then went to a secluded place in the mountains behind the academy to practice kung fu.

When he returned to the academy, it was the prescribed time to wake up and have breakfast.

He blended in with the crowd, had a hearty meal in the dining hall, and then went to his school building to attend classes.

"Wansong Academy" is known as the leading school in the southeast, and the lecturers hired are naturally well-known literary celebrities. After a few classes, Ma Ji felt that he had benefited a lot.

The gentlemen who taught the class also knew that Ma Ji would accompany the mountain director to the banquet hosted by the new academic administrator Gu Yong, so they also deliberately dialed the exam school during the class to prevent him from embarrassing himself in front of the academic administrator and damaging "Wansong Academy". reputation.

Ma Jiben was a leader among the students of this generation in the academy. He had accumulated extensive knowledge over three lifetimes. He was able to quote and speak eloquently to every gentleman's question, which made these gentlemen praise him and say, "Young people are to be feared, and those who are young are better than those who are good at it." ".

Of course, while receiving compliments from several gentlemen, he also received Shen Cong's almost unconcealable look of jealousy.

However, the road to the imperial examination is to cross a single-plank bridge with thousands of troops and horses. In the final analysis, it still involves the word "struggle".

If you don't fight for an opportunity, someone else will. And this opportunity may determine your fate of crossing the bridge or falling into the water.

Guo Hao replied with a bitter face: "For the sake of the young master's safety, our wife is naturally willing to pay him back. But the master said that paying the ransom will only encourage the kidnappers' greed and arrogance, which will lead to more victims." , so I was ordered to rush to the county government office to report the case as soon as it is confirmed to be true."

Ma Ji first saluted Du Heng, and then asked hurriedly: "Chief, how is he in Yutang?"

Without thinking, he grabbed Qingyun by the collar and lifted her up. He ran like the wind with all his strength and reached Du Heng's residence in an instant.

After a while, Ma Ji said to Guo Hao: "Instructor Guo, has Han Yuanwai ever said that if Yutang is really kidnapped, is he going to report it to the official or pay a ransom?"

The person who came was a martial arts guard from the Han family, his name was Guo Hao. He was about thirty years old, with broad shoulders and broad arms, and a thick single sword on his waist.

While they were talking, Qing Yun, who was staying outside, came to report that someone from the Han family was here again. Du Heng immediately let that person in.

Du Heng, who had always been carefree and carefree, now looked solemn and was asking an old man in his fifties with gray beard and hair something in front of him.

Du Heng and Ma Ji looked at each other, speechless for a moment.

Ma Ji also knew the old man, he was Han Cheng, the old housekeeper of Han Qi's family.

He had a rather ugly expression on his face. After coming in to greet Du Heng, he explained the reason for his visit.

After finishing his classes in the morning, Ma Ji packed up his stationery and books, and was about to rush to the canteen for lunch when he suddenly saw Qingyun, the book boy of the mountain leader Du Heng, running around like yesterday with his two short legs upside down. When he came, he shouted from a distance: "Master Ma, go see the mountain leader, Master Han is in trouble!"

Ma Ji's expression changed. There were many students surnamed Han in the academy, but there was only one Han Qi who was friendly enough for the mountain chief to come to tell him.

Du Heng said: "People have been sent out, but no news has come back yet."

Han Zhang was frightened and angry, and hurriedly sent Guo Hao to the academy to confirm whether Han Qi was really kidnapped.

"What the old steward said makes sense," Ma Ji nodded in agreement with Han Cheng's inference, then turned to Du Heng and said, "Has the mountain chief sent someone to look for it?"

Han Cheng on the side interjected with a face full of anxiety: "Young master has just been severely punished by the master, and he must not dare to do such a thing as skipping school in a short period of time, so something must have happened."

It turns out that someone just passed a message to the Han family on a sunny day, saying that Mr. Han had been invited to be a guest there and asked Mr. Han to raise three thousand taels of silver as a ransom as soon as possible. The specific details of the delivery will be announced later.

"How can this be good? How can this be good?" Han Cheng, the old butler, cried with a bitter look on his face.

Du Heng shook his head and sighed: "Brother Qingshan rushed Yutang to the academy early this morning, regardless of the fact that he had just suffered a family injury and was injured. Madam-in-law was worried about Yutang, so she sent Butler Han and two people to follow him to prepare. He stayed in the academy to look after him for a few days, but Yutang has not yet come to the academy."

After hearing this, Du Heng sighed helplessly: "It's better to take what is straight than to seek what is right. Han Qingshan will be Han Qingshan after all."

Ma Ji shook his head. Although he admired Han Yuanwai's character, he never agreed with his approach. After a moment of reflection, he said to Guo Hao: "Please Guo Huyuan and Han Butler return to the Han Mansion first and inform Han Yuanwai that he will hold off for the time being." Reporter, I will try to find out the news here."

"Thank you, Mr. Ma!" Before Han Cheng could react, Guo Hao was overjoyed and hurriedly bowed to Ma Ji.

He is also half a Jianghu person. He has long heard that after "Sai Mengchang" Ma Yao settled down in Hangzhou, he used clever methods to subdue the city foxes and rats in the county who were trying to get out of the way. , he can always receive the message in the shortest time.

Although Ma Yao has gone out now, as his son, it is not difficult for Ma Ji to mobilize those urban foxes and rats in his name.

At that time, Guo Hao and Han Cheng rushed back to the Han family, and Ma Ji asked Du Heng for leave in person.

It was related to Han Qi's safety, so Du Heng naturally had no reason to deny it. He just repeatedly told him to pay attention to his own safety while trying his best to help, and no matter what the outcome, he should not miss the meeting at Wangjiang Tower in three days.

After Ma Ji agreed, he went back to his dormitory to tidy up and left the academy. He hurried back to Hangzhou and went straight to the "Silver Hook Gambling House" in the west of the city.

This is one of the largest gambling houses in Hangzhou. It is really crowded with people making money every day. Ma Ji was far away when he heard the noise coming from inside.

As soon as they arrived at the door of the gambling house, a young man with a shrewd look on his face came forward to greet him. He smiled politely and said, "Master, do you want to go in and play a few games?"

Ma Ji shook his head and said, "Please inform me that someone wants to see Mr. Qiu."

The boy's expression changed, and he looked at Ma Ji carefully. Seeing his calm expression and extraordinary demeanor, he lowered his posture and asked cautiously: "May I ask the master's name?"

Ma Ji said: "Ma Ji, Ma Long is the matchmaker."

"Master Ma, wait a minute." The boy cupped his hands, turned around and hurried into the gambling house.

Not long after, a strong man with a sallow complexion strode out of the door. He held his hands in greeting from a distance and laughed loudly: "It is indeed Mr. Ma, but what kind of fragrant wind blew this talented scholar like you?" Lao Qiu is a dirty land?"

Among the demons and monsters in the chaotic world of Hangzhou, there are the so-called two tyrants from the north and the south. They set up flags and sticks in Qiantang County and Renhe County respectively to establish brands. One was called "Happy Forest" and the other was called "Sihaishe". Each of them gathered a group of subordinates. The brothers who are engaged in low-level activities control the businesses in the city that tend to be gray or even black.

The man in front of him is named Qiu Yan, nicknamed "Yellow-faced Tiger", and he is the "South Batian" among the two tyrants.

In his early years, when Ma Yao returned to his hometown and started his own business, he was very harassed by these city foxes and social rats, so he brought several brothers from the army who had come to join him and went directly to Qiu Yan's door. With the eighth-level martial arts "Yi" With his cultivation level in the "tendon" realm, he used some rounding and flattening techniques to make this "Southern Batian" docile.

Qiu Yan was firstly afraid of Ma Yao's methods, and secondly he had heard of Ma Ji's name as a talented man, and knew that he would be a high-ranking official sooner or later. Naturally, he did not dare to make a show of Qiao. When he heard that he was looking for him, he immediately went out in person. welcome.

Ma Ji didn't do anything to show off his power. He raised his hand in a polite manner and said, "I'm taking the liberty to visit Mr. Qiu this time. I really have something to ask..."

Qiu Yan hurriedly said: "What's wrong with me? Master, please don't ruin Lao Qiu's life. If you think highly of us, just call me 'Lao Qiu'!"

Ma Ji smiled and said: "In this case, I will just call you 'Second Brother Qiu'."

"I don't dare to take it, I don't take it." Qiu Yan smiled brightly at the call of "Second Brother Qiu" and hurriedly turned to the side and raised his arms, "Since you have something to do, sir, let's go inside and discuss it in detail."

Now the two of them arrived at a quiet room in the backyard of the gambling house. After Qiu Yan asked someone to serve tea, he asked Ma Ji about the purpose of his visit.

Ma Ji first told the details of Han Qi's kidnapping, and then said: "Since Han Yutang and I are sworn friends, I have no reason to sit back and watch him suffer this disaster. I also asked Brother Qiu to help find out what happened. Let’s see what kind of hero this is.”

Qiu Yan knitted his eyebrows and thought for a moment, then said thoughtfully: "With Ma Ye's reputation as a leader, the local dragons and snakes in Qiantang County should not dare to do such taboo things. Most of them are powerful dragons from across the river who are causing trouble. Since it is A strong dragon is destined to make waves when it enters the water and leaves traces when it crosses the grass. Master, please wait here. Lao Qiu immediately went to spread the news and asked the brothers in the "Happy Forest" to take action and carefully grate the entire Qiantang County. Once again, we will definitely get rid of those outsiders who take advantage of Master Ma to cause trouble when he is out!"

Ma Ji cupped his hands and said with a smile, "That's a lot of work."

Qiu Yan stood up and didn't even dare to say anything, so he immediately apologized and went out to make arrangements.

Ma Ji was waiting in the room. He had nothing to do for a while, so he pulled out a soft knife made of Burmese iron from his waist and found a piece of cloth to wipe it carefully.

He recently spent a lot of money to have this soft knife forged by a master craftsman. It imitated the shape of the "Cicada Wing Knife" in his previous life, but the material was far different.

(End of this chapter)