The world is heavy and late

Chapter 286 Expedited

Xia Qing didn't go to the small restaurant that Xu Zhongji heard about, but headed northward towards Xuzhou.

Time waits for no one, they have heard a lot of news about Xuzhou along the way.

Xia Qing was flipping through some things about Xuzhou that he found from the bookstore on the road. The travel notes and unofficial history are not limited to anything. Although there is a lot of water in them, and some things are even ridiculous, they are the only things Xia Qing can get at the moment .

Xu Zhong sat aside and looked at the official documents sent by the emperor as soon as he left the city and the letters from the governor of Xuzhou. .

Xia Qing put down the strangest book in his hand and sighed, opened the curtain of the carriage and looked outside, "Can we arrive in Xuzhou this afternoon?"

Xu Zhong also took a look through the gap that Xia Qing pulled up. He has been here twice, and he has walked this official road countless times, so he is naturally very familiar with it.

He frowned and looked at the people outside, nodded and said: "It will take about half a day to arrive, the situation in Xuzhou may not be very good."

Xia Qing frowned as he watched the people walking out in twos and threes on the carriageway, these people were also quietly looking at Xia Qing's carriage, seeing Xia Qing lift up the curtain, some people's eyes showed a strange light, and The people behind looked at each other.

Xia Qing felt that her eyes were narrowed, and she was not really a living Bodhisattva. When she opened her eyes and swept towards those people, they turned their eyes away as if they had been stabbed by the cold light, but they saw There were only Xia Qing, a woman, and Xu Zhong, a thin man in the carriage.

Cheng Dalang in the front was still moving around a little uneasy, obviously he was a person who didn't take anything seriously, although the two behind looked very difficult to mess with, but there were so many of them, so they shouldn't be afraid. Look at their carriages and luggage.

Xu Zhong, Xia Qing and Song Qi had already parted ways in front of Huai Town. Song Qi was going to Suzhou, and he had to go west, while Xu Zhong and the others were going to Xuzhou, and then they should go north.

At first, Xia Qing and Xu Zhong's plan was to take a detour from Suzhou to Xuzhou, and then accompany Xia Qing to find someone else. Although it would be three or four days at night, when the imperial court had a real imperial envoy to Xuzhou, it was still a household. Guo Cheng'an, Minister of the Ministry, Xu Zhong is not good at making noise, so it is better to go late to avoid the limelight.

Secondly, they really didn't feel much at ease about Song Qi, who was so simple-minded. Although this was the second time he had left Beijing, this person was no match for prudence. state office.

Who knew that only two days after leaving Beijing, Zhu Ba and Hou San came to Xu Zhong with an urgent letter from the emperor. The official document explained the situation. The world is so big, there are droughts in Xuzhou and floods in other places. There will never be fewer things, and there will never be enough talents.

Moreover, there are already quite a few people going to Xuzhou. The two servants of the household department are the right servants, and the emperor attaches great importance to bringing people and money.

But Xia, Qing and Xu Zhong were startled when they received the urgent document from the emperor, and they didn't dare to delay on the way, even in the midday sun, the group of people still hurried on their way, so they rushed to Xuzhou in a hurry.

Xia Qing glanced over and saw people fleeing disaster on the road, their faces were numb and cold, some people's eyes were greedy when they passed the carriage, and the ten guards belonging to Xu Zhong were also sent away by Xu Zhong Escorted Song Qi.

The couple of them were also worried about what trouble Song Qi, the second middle school young master, would cause when he arrived for the first time.

Cheng Dalang squeezed the rein in his hand, watching everyone's hands were sweating.

He seldom does this kind of thing. Although he looks taller than Anping, and he is more stable than Anping, but Anping has always done this kind of thing before.

He couldn't help but look back at Xia Qing, swallowed and said, "Madam...we..."

Xu Zhong had sensed the gazes from outside a long time ago, but he didn't even give these people a look. Now he just picked up another official document, and said in a flat voice: "Go on."

Cheng Dalang calmed down, while Xia Qing was still looking at the people on the road at the window.

Zhu Ba and Hou San, who were following behind, were more obvious about this kind of scrutiny. They looked at each other, Zhu Ba sneered, and the two drew white big knives from their waists.

There was an ear-piercing sound as the iron rubbed against the scabbard. The sharp blade glared dazzlingly under the sun, and there were even some dark marks at the junction of the handles. I don't know if the two men's knives were not maintained all the year round. It's been a long time since I've seen people's blood wash away.

The effect of this kind of action threat is simply not too strong, people are knives and I am fish, how dare the fish on the chopping board show a greedy look.

Suddenly someone who was looking at him stopped, staring helplessly at the half-figure that Xia Qing opened the curtain of the carriage, and watched the child who was still holding hands and chased in the direction of the carriage.

This action was really shocking. When fleeing, the most fearful thing is that someone will act suddenly. Because they don't know what will happen to them, everyone turns their eyes away.

He looked at the running middle-aged man with excitement in his eyes.

The middle-aged man couldn't help but said while running: "Master Xu, is that you? Master Xu."

His voice was hoarse and he hadn't had a good drink of water for many days, not to mention the white skin turned up on his lips, there was a lot of fresh blood flowing out due to dryness, his body was covered with dust, his hair and clothes were all messy and dirty.

This is the drought, this is the dead people, the dead people who have no hope in their eyes are running and shouting at the moment.

Xia Qing's gaze shifted from some people to that person in an instant, and Xu Zhong immediately put down the official document and said, "Da Lang, stop the car."

Cheng Dalang reined in his horse and turned his head to look at the people behind. Xia Qing glanced at the somewhat defensive crowd around him, put down the curtains, retracted his head, and began to look through things.

Xu Zhong was about to go down, but was stopped by Xia Qing, who had quick eyes and quick hands, and said, "Wait a minute."

Xu Zhong was a little surprised, but he still didn't get out of the car when he heard the voice from afar, waiting for Xia Qing to speak.

"Master Xu? Which Master Xu?"

"Could he be calling Master Xu who came to our county to distribute food back then?"

"Oh, don't say it, I really think the people in the car look alike when you mention it like that."

"Then if it's Mr. Xu, will we be saved?"

"It must be, it must be. Master Xu sent us food back then, and it must be this time."

The voice was weeping with joy, one by one, more and more people recognized Xu Zhong, but there were also many people who did not recognize Xu Zhong and shouted inside, as if they were shouting for the savior, the rest of their splendid, poor and difficult life .

After all, no matter who they meet at this time, as long as they have a glimmer of hope, they probably won't let go of their courage to live.

This is the common people, the simple and indomitable common people, their thoughts are very simple, at least at this moment, they can only survive.

(End of this chapter)