The Child Emperor

Han Ruzi didn't have much time to think about it, and immediately said OK. The person outside opened the door. Han Ruzi asked in surprise, How can you have a key?

Shh, don't wake up the nearby dogs.

Han Ruzi walked out of the cell and saw three people outside, Jin Chuiduo, the maid, and the second son of Jin. The four looked at each other for a while, but no one moved, and they didn't know the way.

Han Ruzi beckoned and motioned others to follow him. When Chao Hua arranged the room, he took the opportunity to observe the situation around him. He couldn't see clearly at night, so he could only make out the outline, but he already had an initial escape in his heart. plan.

It is impossible to go out through the main gate. There are guards there. Although they are not strict, the four big living people will still be found when they go out. Moreover, the road outside is not easy to walk, and it is easy to be overtaken. Han Ruzi wants to go by water. .

The stockade is built on the water, and there must be boats. Han Ruzi had been looking for it before and found a place that looked like a simple dock.

He guessed right, there was a slope not far from them, and at the end was a wooden bridge that reached into the water, with seven or eight small boats parked on either side.

Does anyone know how to row a boat? Han Ruzi asked in a low voice.

Second Young Master Jin nodded, I crossed.

That's it, Han Ruzi walked to the bridge and was about to get on the boat when he suddenly retracted his feet, untied the ropes tied to the boat, and pushed the boat away so that it could float with the current. When you understand it, go to untie the ropes and push the boat separately, leaving only one in the end.

Jin Er found an oar, and the four of them got on the boat and sat firmly. Jin Er gently paddled the water and walked away from the stockade.

They breathed a sigh of relief, and Han Ruzi asked that question again: How do you have a key?

Jin Chuiduo and the maid sat opposite, and replied coldly: The key is on Chao Hua. If you subdue him, you will naturally have the key.

You didn't kill him, did you? Han Ruzi felt that Chao Hua was not all a bad person.

Hey, he called you 'Your Majesty' twice, do you really take him as a loyal minister? Jin Chuiduo was very disdainful.

Chao Hua must be the leader of the stockade. Killing him will cause trouble for your parents and brothers.

Jin Chuiduo held the longbow on his knees, stared at Han Ruzi for a while, and said, I didn't kill him, just tied him up.

You... just leave the others alone?

Shut up, you are still a prisoner.

Han Ruzi smiled and looked around, only to see patches of reeds and endless waters, and said to Jin Er, Don't be too far from the land, we will be able to identify the direction in the morning.

Yeah. Jin Er replied.

By the way, I haven't asked you what to call me?

Jin Er glanced at his sister opposite and whispered, My name is Jin Chunzhong.

How old is this year?

Seventeen.

Oh, I'm fourteen this year, I should call you Second Brother Jin...

Don't dare.

The opposite Jin Chuiduo said: Why are you being so polite with him? He is a prisoner, you should be stricter.

Well. Jin Chunzhong listened to everyone's words, concentrated on rowing, and at the same time observed the land by the moonlight, not too far away, and not too close to avoid running aground.

The maid, however, was not a prisoner of Hou Juan, and smiled: What's wrong with chatting, my name is Dragonfly, I'm the same age as you, and I'm also fourteen. The young lady is one year older than you, this year...

You talk too much. Jin Chuiduo interrupted the maid, We are still near the capital, far away from the grassland. We must be careful every step of the way, and don't be careless at all. Dragonfly, are you ready to entangle yourself?

Dragonfly patted the burden on his shoulder, It's all here, gold and silver.

Second brother, have you brought the customs clearance documents?

Jin Chunzhong nodded.

Do you have all the customs documents? Han Ruzi was a little surprised.

Ha, do you think it's difficult? Three hundred taels of silver is very cheap.

Han Ruzi faintly still felt that he was the Emperor of Great Chu, and could not help but sighed. The frontier was facing off against the Xiongnu army, and the rear was actually buying and selling customs clearance documents. If things continued like this, could Great Chu really end?

The girl ring dragonfly whispered: Don't let us chat, you yourself...

It was the second half of the night when the four escaped. After half an hour, the sky was getting brighter, and Jin Chunzhong was tired from paddling.

When Jin Chunzhong took over again, Han Ruzi said, You two share the same father and mother, and are not the same biological mother as Master Jin, right?

Jin Chunzhong smiled and said, You guessed it right.

The morning sun rose behind Jin Chueduo, shrouding her and the dragonfly in a ray of light. Han Ruzi praised secretly, stood up and looked for the direction of the capital, but the terrain here was too low, and there were reeds and woods covering the surrounding area. There was no sign of the city.

There are fishermen over there, we can ask. Han Ruzi pointed to the reeds not far away.

An old fisherman was also approaching them with a boat in hand, and said loudly from a distance, Morning, is there any harvest?

Han Ruzi replied, We didn't come to fish, we took a boat trip and got lost for a while. May I ask my father, how do we get to the capital?

Let me just say, there are no handsome people like you in the nearby villages. You are going in the wrong direction when you go to the capital.

Han Ruzi didn't want to look back, I beg your old man to guide us. Where can we land, we want to go back to Beijing by land.

That's it, then you come with me, and I'll show you the way after landing.

It's so good, and there will be a big thank you after going ashore.

Han Ruzi looked at the dragonfly, the maid clutched the burden tightly, and it seemed that she didn't want to spend the money on this kind of thing, but Jin Chuiduo was very generous, Give him one hundred taels of silver.

Dragonfly's eyes widened, Miss, do you think I'm a mule, can I bring a box of silver? I only bring... Not much silver, only five taels, it's already a lot, Miss, I'll wait for you at home. It takes a month to get five taels.

Five taels is enough. Han Ruzi said that he has often been shopping outside for the past six months, so he probably understands the value of silver.

But the old fisherman didn't care about the amount of money, he had already turned his direction, punted the boat and rowed into the reeds. His movements seemed to be relaxed and casual, but his speed was much faster than the boats behind him. After a while, he reached the reeds and stopped to wait.

Jin Chunzhong was a little worried, You won't be fooled, will you?

Before Han Ruzi could speak, Jin Chuiduo said, We escaped at night. It's impossible for the news to get here so quickly, and he's an old fisherman. What's so scary?

Kim Chun-joong no longer doubts, rowing hard.

Taking advantage of the distance, Han Ruzi asked, You really don't care about Marquis Guiyi?

Jin Chuiduo's face was slightly angry, but after waiting for a while, he replied, You saw it too, my father is infatuated... With those three goblins, it is impossible for us to reach the grassland. Chai Yun was killed by me. After I left, The father can choose whether to leave or stay, and the eldest brother is willing to stay by his side, but I can't control it.

Aren't those people going to send your family to the grassland?

Hey, all they want is you, they are not interested in the Jin family at all. Chao Hua and these people are local villagers who have never been more than a hundred miles away from home. How can they send us to the grasslands thousands of miles away? I want to go by myself, just With the second brother and the dragonfly.

And me. Han Ruzi reminded, Do you still want to give me to Dong Danyu as a gift?

The boat was approaching the old fisherman, and Jin Chuiduo stopped talking.

You can dock right in front. The old fisherman pointed to the reeds, It's a coincidence that you met me, and if you go further, you must be at least ten miles away to stop the boat, and it will be even farther from the capital.

Thank you, old man, what is the name of this lake? Han Ruzi stood at the bow of the boat and talked to the old fisherman.

Hehe, you dare to come and play without even knowing the name of the lake. You are so daring. This is Kidnapper Lake, and it doesn't have much scenery. I guess you broke in by mistake. Haven't you heard of it before?

Han Ruzi shook his head, he had never heard of it.

The old fisherman slowed down and let the boat follow. Han Ruzi asked, Is there a riverside village nearby?

The old fisherman turned his head and glanced at him, You came from the riverside village?

No, but we've been reminded that it's best not to go near there.

You're right, the riverside village is not a good place. The old fisherman didn't explain much.

Han Ruzi asked carefully: The people in the stockade...are they robbers?

The old fisherman looked back at him again, That's it.

It's only 20 or 30 miles away from the capital, so there can be bandits gathering here? Does the government care? Since entering the riverside village, Han Ruzi has had this doubt and wanted to understand. The maid on the opposite side, Dragonfly, listened curiously. Jin Chuiduo didn't seem to be interested, and gently stroked the bow on her knee.

Government? The robber was sent here by the government.

How do you say this? Han Ruzi became more and more surprised.

Are you an official?

no.

Then what are you asking about?

I know some ministers in the court. If there is anything wrong with the law, maybe I can convey it.

Jin Chuiduo snorted in disdain.

The old fisherman thought for a while, and said without looking back, Have you experienced the earthquake in the capital last year?

I was in... the city at the time, and my memory is still fresh. What does the earthquake have to do with the robbers?

Earthquakes will collapse houses and kill people. The water in the Kidnapper Lake floods ashore and floods many villages. Many people escape, but they have no food or shelter, so they have to be robbers.

Hey, I remember very clearly. At that time, the court distributed a lot of corn to help the victims, and everyone should have a share.

The old fisherman laughed and said, The court is good, but unfortunately we are too far away from the court. Kidnapper Lake is near the capital, and the old fisherman sneered, then sighed: The court did send a batch of food after the earthquake last year. , but the local officials did not distribute it, but sold it at a high price, more than ten times the usual price.

Is there such a thing? Han Ruzi couldn't believe it.

Last year, rice was as expensive as gold, and this year it will return to normal. Corrupt officials counted the corn that should have been distributed last year into this year's rent and tax, and forced the common people to receive it according to their fingerprints. In fact, the common people only got a piece of paper, which can be used to offset this year's autumn rent. At that time, the corrupt officials will use the money they made last year to buy low-priced rice to make up the count. But how many families can survive this year? Either starve to death, sell their children, or… go to be robbers. By the river The village has existed for a long time, and there are not many people in it. Since last year, there have been more people. Let’s see the situation this year. If there are another natural disaster or man-made disaster, there will be more people joining the team.”

Han Ruzi was filled with righteous indignation, There is no reason for this, how can there be such a daring and corrupt official under the emperor's feet? Who is it, please tell me my father.

The old fisherman laughed again. The boat had docked, and he stretched out Changhao and said, Da Chu needs a good emperor like you. Your Majesty, please come ashore.

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