I go to the ancient imperial examinations

Chapter 315: Dark Night Fire
At night, Xiangwu County.

"It's on fire..." A sharp shout pierced the silence of the night, the sleeper was awakened, raised his head from the warm bed, looked out the window, and saw a fire.

"Fire out! It's on fire!"

"Get up, father, mother, it's on fire, get up quickly..."

"God, don't cry, dad is coming soon, don't be afraid!"

All of a sudden, with the warning sound of the copper basin being knocked, the common people got up from their beds one after another, ignoring the biting cold, just put on a coat and ran out the door.

There are also some poor families who are reluctant to part with money. After the couple woke up, they ran to the silver hiding place immediately, stuffed the hard-earned money into their arms, picked up some valuable clothes and bedding, and ran out of the house.

As for the elderly and children with limited mobility, they were all supported by their family members, and escaped by chance, but before they had time to rejoice, they immediately began to cry when they saw the burning house.

The flames lit up the sky, and someone climbed onto the tree in the yard and looked out. Hey, the four main streets of Xiangwu County, which has a well-shaped layout, are glowing red. At a glance, there are at least two or three Ten houses were on fire.

"Miss, are you awake?" He Nuan quickly walked in from the outside, lit the candles and saw that Zhan Feiyu had already put on his clothes.

Zhan Feiyu, who went to bed after midnight, slept for less than an hour, and was woken up by the noise outside.

Zhan Feiyu took out a ribbon from the dressing table and tied his hair into the most convenient ponytail, "What's going on?"

"Someone set fire." He Nuan flew up to the roof to have a look before entering the house. The house in Qiu's mansion is not small, and there are no adjacent houses in the front, back, left, or right, so the fire did not spread to Qiu's mansion.

But several houses not far from the Qiu Mansion were on fire. Fortunately, the fire was not big, and there was snow outside, so it was relatively easy to put out the fire.

Frowning involuntarily, Zhan Feiyu strode towards the door, feeling the cold air rushing towards his face, and standing under the veranda, he could hear shouts from a distance, the dark sky was illuminated by the fire, and the whole framed Wuxian County seemed to be engulfed in flames.

He Sheng and the groom stood quietly not far away, preventing anyone from taking advantage of the fire to rob or kill people.

"Help me, old man, help me..."

At this moment, there were cries and shouts outside the gate of the Qiu Mansion, followed by banging on the door.

The two servants guarding the gate were sleepless at this moment, but having stayed in the Qiu Mansion for a long time, they naturally knew the rules of the big family, no matter how the people outside the door shouted for help, the two servants did not dare to open the door rashly.

One was still guarding the door, while the other hurried inside and reported to the housekeeper.

When Zhan Feiyu came to the front yard, Qiu Zongxi had already gone to the door.

In the dark, a figure came to Zhan Feiyu's side, and said in a low voice: "Not far away, there are three houses that have been severely burned. There are old people and children in the house. The fire is too big. They came to Qiu's house for help."

While walking outside, Zhan Feiyu asked, "Any clues?"

In addition to He Sheng and the other three on the bright side, there was also a team of people protecting Zhan Feiyu in the dark, especially when the situation in Xiangwu County became tense and dangerous, Yin Wuyan called people over again.

A total of 12 people are divided into three groups, and each shift takes four hours.

After discovering the fire, the people in the dark immediately sent out a signal. Before a cup of tea was available, one of the resting teams rushed over to support, while the other team of four went to investigate the situation.

"The fire started from the firewood room. Someone shot a rocket in the dark and ignited the inner room." The subordinates in the dark informed Zhan Feiyu of all the information they received immediately.

Xiangwu County is cold in winter. From mid-November, the climate is dripping into ice, and it will not warm up until the end of March next year. It is not convenient to collect firewood in winter, so every family will build a firewood house, which is full of firewood for the winter. firewood.

Moreover, these firewoods were all dried out in the sun. Not only did they ignite at a single point, but the fire would instantly ignite and engulf the adjacent houses immediately.

In addition, someone secretly wrapped cloth soaked in tung oil on the arrowhead, lit it, and shot it into the bedroom. The bedding on the kang, the clothes on the top of the kang, and the cabinet on the side all also ignited at one point. All things, so the fire will burn so fast and so big.

Probably not aimed at himself, Zhan Feiyu understands that even if he is under the tutelage of a cabinet scholar, he is a civil servant after all, and all the forces lurking in Xiangwu County care about military power, so even if someone wants to do something, it will be directed at the Yang family .

If there is no conflict of interest, then no one will take the risk of offending Bachelor Gu to attack Zhan Feiyu, not to mention that she still has the token of the Forbidden Dragon Guard in her hand. Under the killer.

"When Uncle Yang left in the afternoon, did he say that Yang Xu would come back tomorrow?" Zhan Feiyu asked, and seeing He Nuan nodded, he understood in his heart that he was not here for Yang Xu.

If he wanted to kill Yang Xu, he would definitely set up an ambush halfway to kill him.

"Miss, could it be a trick to divert the tiger away from the mountain? Old General Yang is now alone in Shitou Village." He Nuan's expression was tinged with worry.

There was fire everywhere in Xiangwu County, and there was a lot of cries and cries. General Yang would definitely mobilize the old Yang family in Xiangwu County to help put out the fire and save people.

If the hidden enemy rushed to Shitou Village at this time, General Yang, even though his sword was not old, would be hard-pressed with two fists and four hands, maybe he would be in danger.

"No, these young people who only know how to kill and set fires are not qualified enough to attack Old General Yang." Zhan Feiyu's voice was very low. What she didn't say was that the reason why the Yang family had an accident back then was because of their great achievements. Lord, the Holy Majesty is afraid of the military power in the hands of the Yang family.

Although the Yang family has been dormant for eight or nine years, their power has definitely shrunk compared to the past, but as the saying goes, a camel is bigger than a horse. The Yang family is still the overlord of the Longyou Dao, and at least tens of thousands of troops can be mobilized in the dark , even if the Zhenbian Hou Mansion came out in full force, it would only be defeated.

He Nuan also understood. She admired Old General Yang, so she naturally didn't want him to have an accident. As for who set the fire, He Nuan couldn't guess, and she didn't care. The most important thing at present is the safety of the young lady.

Standing still, Zhan Feiyu looked at the seven or eight people kneeling at the gate of the Qiu Mansion from a distance. There were two old women with gray hair, four and a half children, and the rest were three. young daughter-in-law.

A group of people were crying at this meeting, wanting the nursing home of the servants of the Qiu Mansion to help save people.

"The old man knows, get up quickly." Qiu Zongxi also only wore a coat, but fortunately it was a fox fur, so he wouldn't be frozen.

There was no need for a few people to cry and beg, Qiu Zongxi asked the housekeeper to summon all the servants and nurses. Amidst the crying and gratitude of the crowd, the group quickly ran towards the houses that were raging with fire.

As soon as the people from the Qiu Mansion left, there were hurried footsteps in the yard again, but it was Qiu Jinyu who ran over with six or seven people. Presumably, he knew that something was wrong outside, and planned to bring people over to help.

"Miss Zhan, you?" Although Qiu Jinyu is only a 14-year-old boy, he is not much shorter than an adult man. In addition, he has both civil and military skills. Although he is not as big and strong as a martial artist, he is taller than ordinary scholars. It's much stronger, and it won't make a mess when you go to help.

"Young Master Qiu, be careful." Zhan Feiyu moved aside, not blocking the road so that Qiu Jinyu and his party could pass.

"It's cold now, miss Zhan, go back to the yard first." Qiu Jinyu said with concern, presumably in a hurry to save someone, as soon as he finished speaking, he strode out the door, and six of his subordinates followed immediately.

Zhan Feiyu didn't intend to go to help, even though she was sure that the fire was not aimed at her, she was not afraid of [-] or just in case, and she would be ruthless enough to ignore it if she didn't leave Qiu's mansion.

But if he really went to the fire scene and heard the cries for help in the fire scene, Zhan Feiyu would probably let He Sheng and the others go to save people.

"Miss, why don't we go back to the house first." He Nuan said cautiously, feeling a little worried.

Outsiders thought the lady was cruel, but He Nuan knew Zhan Feiyu's softness and kindness in his heart. At this moment, he only wanted to take her to the yard first.

Sensing He Nuan's worry, Zhan Feiyu couldn't help laughing, "A gentleman doesn't stand under a dangerous wall, Ah Nuan, don't worry, I'm afraid of death and I won't take the risk."

He Nuan's hanging heart was relieved at this moment. To be able to set fires everywhere in Xiangwu County is not something a few people can do, at least a well-trained team.

If Miss went out to fight the fire, if she was in danger, even He Nuan could not ensure that Zhan Feiyu would be brought out safely in the chaos.

……

After half an hour.

He Nuan looked at Zhan Feiyu under the firelight, and could only stick to her side, "Miss, my brother has already gone in to save people, no matter what, I must not leave Miss's side."

Zhan Feiyu, who knew he was wrong, nodded obediently, but after hearing the cries, he still couldn't help himself.

Fortunately, the two burning houses were adjacent to each other. Even if He Sheng and the others went in to save others, but Zhan Feiyu was really in danger, they would definitely be able to come here as soon as possible.

"Thank you, miss. You are the little fairy boy under the seat of the Bodhisattva. The old lady will remember the kindness of the lady all her life." With a plop, the gray-haired old woman knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Zhan Feiyu in gratitude.

The roof of her daughter-in-law's natal house was crushed by the snow, and the couple have gone back to the village to help repair the roof these days, and the Chinese New Year will be in two days, and it is impossible to celebrate the New Year in a house with a big hole.

The old woman stayed at home with her two granddaughters and the young grandson, washing and cleaning the things that should be cleaned, but after all, they are old and young, and they work a lot during the day. The four of them were exhausted. After the fire broke out, the old woman was so smoked that she almost passed out.

When she stumbled and ran out of the house, she fell in the yard and passed out.

It was probably because of the cold, the old woman fell into a coma for a while, and soon after she woke up, her mind cleared up, and then she remembered that the three children were still in the house.

But at this moment, the fire was so powerful that it set the three main rooms on fire, and the sky was illuminated by the flames. The child didn't know if he had choked on the smoke and passed out. Except for the sound of burning wood, there was no cry for help in the house.

The old woman rushed into the house like crazy, but she was stopped by the neighbors, but the fire was too big, even if the old woman was pitiful, and even if she begged on her knees, the neighbors would not dare to brave the fire to rescue people. As soon as they entered the fire, their lives were taken inside.

Fortunately, Zhan Feiyu came in time. After hearing the old woman's cry, the four of He Sheng rushed into the fire scene immediately, and the other two went to the next room to save people. At this moment, only He Nuan was left to protect Zhan Feiyu .

"Grandma, get up first." Zhan Feiyu bent down to help the old woman whose throat was hoarse from crying.

"God will bless you, miss, to live a long life." Wiping away her tears, the old woman eagerly looked at the burning house, hoping that the three children could be rescued safely before the house collapsed.

The few neighbors standing on the side also had bitter faces. Even though their relatives were safe, but the fire was so big that the house was burned down and all their belongings were gone. The Chinese New Year was only two days away. They all knew this How to spend the year, what to do next year?
"I killed him today. Let me know who set the fire. I must have slaughtered him with a butcher's knife." The butcher Zhang on the side said viciously. , the bearded man's eyes were red at the moment.

"I've been busy for a whole year, and I've been frugal for a whole year. I killed two chickens to give to my boss, my favorite steamed fish, and two new clothes for my parents. It’s all gone, it’s all gone by a fire.”

The woman on the side burst into tears as she spoke, squatting down, crying loudly on her hands and knees, she also gritted her teeth and took out the money to buy cloth for her in-laws, and it took a month of sewing one stitch at a time to get out two sets New clothes, even my eight-year-old son didn't have new clothes for the new year.

I just want to be filial to my parents-in-law this year, and be more diligent next year with the head of the family, and then make new clothes for the children from head to toe.

As for the couple, as long as they can fill their stomachs, they will patch up their clothes if they are torn, and save money and let their children go to private schools when the time comes, so they can't be blind.

But at this moment, seeing the house burned down by a fire, and the burned property, no matter how hard the woman was, she still couldn't bear it and burst into tears.

"Mei Niang, our family is doing well, it's okay if we suffer." The man at the side patted the woman's shoulder reassuringly. He still had injuries on his face. He probably carried his son out of the house when the fire broke out just now. When he came out, he fell and hurt his face.

"Yeah, Mei Niang, your father and I still have a lot of strength, as long as we are alive." The old woman also persuaded. Just now, the daughter-in-law rushed into the fire scene like crazy to carry things, but they pulled her away If you live, you will lose your property if it burns out. The most important thing is to live.

Zhan Feiyu looked at the family in front of her, and for a moment, she was really moved.

But while being moved, looking at the sky full of flames, what came to my mind was that the poor and lowly couples are sad about everything, and that being full of love and drinking water is nothing but empty talk.

(End of this chapter)