I live in Dayu Changsheng

Chapter 42, Gradually Chaos

Under the bright sun, the heat is transpiring in circles of dazzling light and shadow, and cicadas and unknown insects cry out weakly from time to time.

In such an afternoon, the city seemed to suddenly become chaotic.

The villains who came out of nowhere were causing trouble everywhere, and the local hooligans also trembled. The government's arrests and yamen servants were stretched and they couldn't suppress them at all.

In the midst of such turmoil—

'The reserve army in the county was defeated, and the Taiping bandits are about to besiege the city', this earth-shattering news swept through like a hurricane, and soon spread throughout the entire Changshan County, pouring a barrel of oil into the city that was on fire everywhere.

There was an uproar everywhere in the city, and the willow alley was no exception.

Under the big willow tree, a large group of people gathered, chattering like a vegetable market, as if it had returned to the bustling peacetime of the past, but it was just 'like' - because: everyone's face, without exception, was full of panic. expression.

"It's a disaster! It's a disaster! Have you heard? The reserve army in the county has been wiped out, and the Taiping bandits are coming!" one person shouted.

"Why not? The news seems to have spread suddenly... Now, the city is in chaos, and there are troubles everywhere..."

"If it's true, what should we do?!"

"Hey, I see: it's the big shots to worry about!"

The man gloated and said, "We little people, what can we grab? As long as we avoid the most chaotic times, no matter who comes, whether it's an official or a thief, just obediently pay taxes and money. Who will make trouble for little people like us?" ?”

"That's true, but... the most chaotic period was sad! Soldiers are like a comb, bandits are like a grate, are you kidding?"

"That's right! Besides, when the city is destroyed and people die, it's hard to guarantee that those poor men won't pull us as young men..." His tone was full of worry.

"Avoid the city in a small chaos, and avoid the countryside in a big chaos. I think this time it's a big chaos! It's best to go out of the city and go to the countryside to hide outside..."

"There is some truth. But is it too early for us to talk about this now? The problem now is: the truth of these news is not sure...don't make any troubles!" There are still people who can understand.

"If you can find someone well-informed, just inquire about it."

"Yeah, let me ask, I have a certain letter, and I have a plan in my heart... But who do we know about such a character?" This is the voice of Mrs. Cai Gen.

"Who said no? Isn't Brother Fang Jiarui a high-grade martial artist? He's also on good terms with the government servants! Most likely he knows..."

"That's right, Brother Fang Jiarui should know!"

"Sister Cai Gen, why don't you go to Fang's house and ask?" Someone booed.

Who doesn't know, what happened to Song Dashan a few days ago, the grievances between the three families including Mrs. Cai Gen and the Fang family.

"Hey, just to tease people, why don't you go?" Cai Gen's wife was embarrassed and spat angrily.

"Aren't the Fang family and I not very familiar?"

"My house is too!"

"My family is fine, but they may not be willing to talk about such an important matter... I owe it to you..." The last half of the sentence, the voice was extremely low.

……

In the end, everyone looked at Uncle Zaohuai's family either obviously or implicitly.

'Co-authors, if you don't want to owe favors, let my house go, right? Aunt Xianglin snorted coldly and wanted to turn back.

"okay!"

At this moment, Uncle Zaohuai gave Mrs. Xianglin a tug and stood up: "I'll go!"

……

Fang Rui stood at the window, listening to the voices outside, and guessed in his heart: "Those people who are causing troubles in the city are mostly peace thieves sneaking into the city...including spreading news, I am afraid that they are all for the purpose of causing chaos and breaking the city." prepare for……'

"The mountain and rain are about to come and the wind is full of buildings!"

He stood on his back and murmured: "Fortunately, before the tide of this era comes, I have enough strength to protect myself and the people I cherish!"

"Brother Rui!"

Mrs. Fang Xue and the third lady each brought a little girl over.

"It's getting more and more chaotic. In this world, when will you be the leader?" Fang Xue sighed.

Last night, San Niangzi told her in advance about the 'defeat of the county's reserve army'; this morning, Fang Rui also took the time to talk to Fang Xueshi and San Niangzi about his plans, and there was no major problem.

Therefore, Fang Xueshi was not as flustered as the neighbors outside, but she didn't have the calmness to do needlework either.

At this moment, when they came here, they didn't have anything to say, they just thought about it subconsciously - even if they didn't say anything, just seeing Fang Rui, they would have a backbone and their minds would settle down.

"Auntie, you'll get better." The third lady comforted.

"That's right, mother, after great chaos there must be great order..." Fang Rui also said.

Of course, what he didn't say is: how many people will die during the period from great chaos to great order, and how many difficulties there will be.

"Hope it!"

Fang Xueshi responded, apart from the sadness between her brows, there was also a faint hope in her heart: Maybe, I can see Fang Baicao again.

——At the beginning, the first wave of bandits was defeated, and Fang Baicao might be captured, but now the Taiping bandits have arrived...

This is not impossible.

Fang Rui naturally thought of this possibility, but he didn't say it, it was only a possibility after all.

——The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment; on the contrary, if you don't pay your hopes and come unexpectedly, that is a surprise.

Boom boom boom!
There was a knock on the door, accompanied by Uncle Zaohuai's voice: "Brother Rui?!"

"Uncle Zaohuai is here, he should be looking for news, mother, you guys stay in the back room, I'll go and have a look."

Fang Rui explained and went to the main room.

……

"Uncle Zaohuai, come sit down and drink water!" Fang Rui poured a bowl of water.

"Well, brother Rui, you're welcome..."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Uncle Zaohuai was not a good talker after all, so he couldn't hold back and asked, "Brother Rui, I want to ask, is the news spread outside true?"

Fang Rui was silent for a moment, then nodded, "It's true."

"This is really..."

Uncle Zaohuai's hand holding the bowl trembled, and the expression on his face was extremely complicated for a moment. There was both sadness at the news of such a disaster, and the relief that the big stone fell to the ground when the news was confirmed.

Fang Rui didn't say a word, giving the other party time to digest.

He knew: Uncle Zaohuai didn't finish half a sentence, he didn't want to sigh or ask something, but to express his inner emotions.

Inside the house, it was silent.

For a while.

Uncle Zaohuai said: "Brother Rui, what are your family going to do?"

"Stay in the city!"

"Yeah, Brother Rui, you are related, you are not afraid of strong men; you also have force, and you are not afraid of the most chaotic times..."

Uncle Zaohuai, who has always been taciturn, rarely spoke such a long paragraph.

This is more of a catharsis, venting his inner panic, apprehension, and fear of the unknown.

"Where's Uncle Zaohuai?" Fang Rui asked.

"Maybe... let's go out of the city!" Uncle Zaohuai thought for a while and said.

"Avoid the city in a small chaos, and avoid the countryside in a big chaos. In my opinion, this time, I'm afraid it's a big chaos...ordinarily, we should leave the city...but,"

Fang Rui frowned: "In this year, going out of the city may not be easy."

"That's a way too!"

Uncle Zaohuai smiled wryly: "...the situation is urgent, I'm not afraid if we pull a strong man, but there is still Ah Huai... my eldest son's life or death is uncertain, we can't even include Ah Huai..."

"I always want to leave an incense for Old Sun's family..."

"Besides, once the county seat is breached, the most chaotic time..."

Uncle Zaohuai murmured, not only to clear his mind, but also to ask Fang Rui's opinion - a large part of the reason why he came to confirm the news was for this reason.

"Too."

Fang Rui thought for a while, then nodded and said, "This can be regarded as a way out of death. Go out of the city and hide for three to five days, ten days and a half months... Good luck, when the city is stable, come back and you'll be fine."

He didn't say, 'Let Uncle Zaohuai's family stay and give him shelter'.

It's not that I can't take care of her, but: there are too many other problems.

such as:

If you want to take care of her, you have to be closer, but Uncle Zaohuai's house is not too close... Could it be that they are allowed to live here?

Even if they are barely squeezed together, what should we do if we eat?Uncle Zaohuai's family has a lot of wheat bran, but the staple food of Fang's family is cornmeal...

How to deal with this?Even if you help Uncle Zaohuai's house with wheat bran, it doesn't look good... So, do you want to eat it together?

Also, secrets that may be exposed, such as true strength...

……

In short, the word shelter is easy to say, but there are too many involved.

It is true that Fang Rui must avenge any grudge and repay any kindness.But kindness can also be divided into big kindness and small kindness...

In the final analysis, Uncle Zaohuai's family is only a matter of affection for Song Dashan... For this reason, he donated some food, which is the limit.

Any more would be too much.

Fang Rui is not the Holy Mother, so it is impossible to save all sentient beings... Some things, if you do them forcibly, you will cause trouble for yourself, and it will not be good for Uncle Zaohuai's family.

Although Uncle Zaohuai's family is unlikely to be ungrateful people, but they really need to take care of everything, arrange everything well, and then develop inertia...

People's hearts are changeable, favors become enemies, promotions are favored, and enemies are fought against each other, who can say for sure?
"People, apart from husband and wife, it's better to keep a certain distance. If you give yourself a way out, you also give others room..." Fang Rui thought to himself.

"I hope so, as you said, Brother Rui, let's hide!"

Uncle Zaohuai smiled wryly and got up: "That's fine, thank you Brother Rui, I'm leaving now..."

"And... Brother Rui, I will remember your family's kindness to my family... thank you!"

He is not used to 'expressing his kindness' this time, but this time, he may never return, never see each other again, this thank you is the only thing he can do.

"Uncle Zaohuai, wait!"

Fang Rui suddenly stopped Uncle Zaohuai, went to the back room, and quickly returned with a sack in his hand: "This is twenty catties of wheat bran... It's still the same sentence: just borrow it, and when the time is good, I'll buy it again." That's it!"

It's not that he doesn't want more, but: twenty catties of wheat bran is the limit, any more, it's not helping others, but hurting them.

"Brother Rui, I..." Uncle Zaohuai wanted to say something else.

"Take it!"

Fang Rui handed the sack into Uncle Zaohuai's hand, held it down, and said earnestly, "Uncle Zaohuai, I won't say anything else, safe journey..."

"There is only one thing: If you want to leave the city, do it as soon as possible! Otherwise, you will change things if you delay... If you delay for a long time, it may not be easy to leave the city."

Uncle Zaohuai finally accepted it, and before he left, he kowtowed obstinately, but Fang Rui couldn't stop him, saying it was for Ah Huai.

……

Uncle Zaohuai listened to Fang Rui's words, and after he went out, he told everyone a little, and then he took Aunt Xianglin back to the house to pack his things, and acted resolutely.

Not long after, there was a creaking sound outside.

Fang Rui came to the window and saw: Many families in Liushu Hutong have already taken action, carrying bedding, pots and pans... leaving with their families, and pushing a small wooden wheelbarrow if possible. The only condition is shoulder resistance.

Among them are many familiar families, such as Uncle Zaohuai's family, Uncle Fuquan's family, Uncle Baishi's family...

Fang Rui thought for a while, went out, and went to deliver.

"Brother Rui, thank you for your news!"

"Safe journey!"

"The Baishi family is going out of the city too? Do you want to get company?"

……

At this time, no matter who it is, as long as they pass by, they will basically greet each other and be friendly.

"When a bird is about to die, it sings and mourns, and when a person is about to die, its words are kind." Maybe it is not appropriate to use it here, but it also has two or three points of meaning-this is a farewell to many people. Under such a background, the stumbling and some conflicts between neighbors in the past are nothing, and they don't care anymore.

Of course, there were also some people who did not leave, such as Uncle Chang Lin's family. At this time, they were watching not far from Fang Rui, saying hello, farewell, and auspicious words to passers-by.

"Uncle Chang Lin, doesn't your family leave the city?" Fang Rui asked.

"Hey, my family is no better than Zaohuai's family, only that one son is still in the first wave of bandit suppressing officers...Brother Rui, you know..."

"I don't know, if the Taiping bandits come in, they can still catch a glimpse of my eldest son... As long as I see it, I will die and close my eyes. I am satisfied! Haha! Haha!"

Uncle Chang Lin was obviously smiling, but it sounded more like he was crying: "So, going out of the city is a gamble, and staying in the city is a gamble, and I just want to see my eldest child, so I don't have the heart to go back and forth! "

"It's not just my family, your Uncle Mantang's is the same..."

"That's it!"

Fang Rui thought of his father, and he felt sorry for him, and he said with relief, "That's why, maybe your eldest son, and my father and the others have come back with the Taiping Bandits..."

"Furthermore, Uncle Chang Lin, don't you have two daughters in your family? In the future, if you recruit someone who is upside down, you can also inherit the incense..."

"My family's family background, how can I recruit someone who is in the door? But Brother Rui, what you said is still a way... Thank you for your good words!"

After chatting for a few words, Uncle Chang Lin said goodbye, turned around and walked home, with gray hair and a stooped figure... Maybe his spine was crushed by the world.

In Fang Rui's eyes, there was an unspeakable loneliness.

He shook his head, and then looked at the families who dragged their families away, and could vaguely see Uncle Zaohuai's family.

"I hope...see you again!"

Having said that, Fang Rui knew that the families who left were farewell today, and a large part of them would never see each other again in the future.

The red sun was slanting towards the west, and the blood-like glow filled the sky, and the layers of burning clouds were like the flames of a prairie fire.

Under such a sky, those people gradually went away.

Come back home.

Under the eaves of the corridor, Mrs. Fang Xue and the third lady combed each other's hair.

The two little girls, Fang Ling and Nannan, were told not to go out, so they played in the yard, playing games similar to Fang Rui's previous life 'hopscotch', bouncing around, lively and agile.

'very nice! 'Fang Rui said in his heart.

He sympathizes with people like Uncle Zaohuai and Uncle Changlin, but he doesn't want to be those people. He tirelessly pursues strength, and what he does is to have more choices?
Just like today.

In the more distant future... Fang Rui doesn't know, at least, at this moment, his pursuit of power is not only for the power itself, but also to protect something.

He looked at Fang Xueshi and San Niangzi under the eaves, Fang Ling and Nannan in the courtyard with soft eyes.

at that time.

The sun is deflected, and the light of the afterglow at dusk alternates between light and dark, and the warm orange light spreads all over the yard. In the twilight, there is a gentle wind, blowing the grass and trees rustling.

……

(End of this chapter)