The Red Chamber begins with a bastard

Chapter 286 Swear by Sword
The Xichang Salt Farm in Rugao County has been completely destroyed. All the stoves have been knocked down, the iron pots for cooking salt have been smashed, and all other tools have been burned. Everything you can see is ruins. The yamen was in ruins, with only the embers of the charcoal fire spitting out pale black smoke.

The above are all dead objects, which are not pity. The most shocking thing is the dozens of corpses hanging on the trees.

These were salt-cooking households who had no time to escape, or officials and salt soldiers who were stationed there. Some of the corpses had been burnt, and their faces were difficult to identify. Some had severed limbs or even missing parts of their bodies. One of them had his head missing. A small corpse, probably only three or four years old. The head was smashed flat with a blunt instrument, a hole was made in the stomach, and the internal organs were exposed. It was hung upside down from a tree with a calf tied with a rope, and there was still baby fat. His little hands drooped weakly, dangling, covered in blood, and too miserable to look at.

The scene was deathly silent, everyone held their breath, and their faces were full of grief and anger. Jia Huan's eyes were filled with bloodshot eyes unknowingly, and there seemed to be a raging fire burning in his chest and abdomen. He had never been compassionate, but seeing such a tragic situation , and couldn't help but have endless anger and murderous intent.

These pirates are not human beings, they are simply animals, animals with no humanity.

Lin Ruhai's eyes were full of tears, and he clenched his hands. Under the loose official robe, his thin and frail body was trembling, not with fear, but with extreme anger. His face was gloomy, and his eyes were sad, angry and sharp, like a sword unsheathed. .

Lin Ruhai's body slowly became shorter. Lu Xiangsheng hurriedly tried to help him, but the former pushed his hand away, knelt down directly on the ground, and bowed three times to the corpse hanging on the tree.

The civil officials who came with them also knelt down quickly when they saw this. Jia Huan and Lu Xiangsheng wanted to kneel down, but Lin Ruhai stopped them and said: "Ziming Jiandou, you are still white and have no responsibility to the people. There is no need to kneel down. We are officials, sir." Accepting the emperor's favor, we protect the common people and protect one side, but we can't keep one side safe. We are all guilty of dereliction of duty, and we should kneel down to apologize to the people. "

Jia Huan shook his head and said solemnly: "Although students and Jiandou have no official status, scholars should regard the world as their own responsibility, not to mention the dead." After saying this, he knelt down and worshiped three times.

Lu Xiangsheng, who was not good at words, also knelt down and bowed his head. Lin Ruhai nodded happily and said, "Okay, my teaching to you is not in vain."

Lin Ruhai stood up tremblingly with the support of Jia Huan and Lu Xiangsheng, pulled out the sword from his waist and said sternly: "I, Lin Ruhai, swear with this sword that I will never destroy Dulong Island and bring down the bandits. I will use this sword to kill myself as an apology. Heaven and earth learn from it!”

As soon as these words came out, the expressions of all the civil and military officials present changed. Jia Huan could not help but be slightly shocked. Lu Xiangsheng was even more excited and looked at his teacher with admiration.

Lu Xiangsheng had always admired Lin Ruhai's knowledge and was grateful for his careful teaching, but he did not fully recognize Lin Ruhai's way of being an official. He felt that Lin Ruhai was too stable, too conservative and moderate, and had no edges at all. As a scholar, you must have the integrity and passion of a scholar; you must have the courage to hold on to the green edge, even if there are thousands of people, and you must have the mind to "live and die for the benefit of the country, and how to avoid it because of misfortunes and blessings".

At this moment, Lu Xiangsheng finally saw the long-lost blood in the teacher's trembling body.

At this time, all the officers and soldiers present knelt down and bowed three times. The atmosphere was solemn and solemn, as if a strong murderous aura was gathering and rising straight into the sky.

After the worship was completed, Feng Ziying arranged for people to remove all the corpses from under the trees, bury them, and scatter stone fires. The summer weather was hot, and these corpses had begun to stink. Improper disposal may cause plague.

"Report! Baiju Field has been attacked by pirates. Please send troops to help as soon as possible." A fast horse galloped over, dragging billowing yellow dust.

Lin Ruhai's cloudy eyes flashed with cold light. Baiju Chang was less than a hundred miles away. It seemed that these pirates were indeed heading for the salt field. They clearly wanted to destroy the salt production in Lianghuai. He immediately ordered: "Iron Tiger Punishment" Rush to Baijuchang immediately, no mistakes!"

As the saying goes, it takes a thousand days to raise an army, but it can be spent in a moment. The two hundred cavalry led by Tiehu and Xingwei were all elites drawn from various guards. As the first rapid response mobile force that Lin Ruhai personally formed, they finally came in handy at this time.

After giving the order, Tiehu and Xingwei led two hundred riders to the north and galloped away, just like a thundercloud moving quickly on the flat ground, roaring all the way, and flying sand all the way. Just looking at the momentum, you can see this. Time is not wasted.

Next, Lin Ruhai mobilized troops and generals, focusing on sending troops to guard the salt fields in various places. At the same time, each county along the coast sent a garrison in units of a thousand people. Once the bandits were discovered, they would immediately go out of the city to pursue them. After everything was arranged, Lin Ruhai breathed a sigh of relief and returned to the Haimen County base camp to coordinate and wait for the results of the battles in various places.

After returning to the county government office, Lin Ruhai was exhausted. Jia Huan offered him tea and advised, "My uncle, please go and have a rest first. I will stay here and notify you when there is any news."

Lin Ruhai nodded and said, "Then I'll take a break first. I can't stand it any longer."

So Jia Huan asked Lu Xiangsheng to be on duty in the lobby, while he personally sent Lin Ruhai back to his room to rest.

"Brother Huan, don't you understand that my master swore a poisonous oath in public today?" Lin Ruhai lay down on the bed, closed his eyes, and suddenly asked again.

Jia Huan shook his head and said, "Not really."

Lin Ruhai opened her eyes and said, "Let's talk about it!"

Jia Huan said: "My uncle once said that you should use your useful life to do things that benefit the country and the people. And you are not against people who sacrifice their lives for righteousness. On the contrary, you respect such people very much and say that they are spiritual banners." ”

Lin Ruhai nodded and said, "Well, don't you think that my uncle's actions today are contrary to my uncle's way of being an official?"

"It's not contradictory. Actually, my uncle is not opposed to sacrificing his life for righteousness. He is just opposed to the worthless and unnecessary sacrifice of his life for righteousness. He is against the superiors rather than the inferiors. Today, my uncle kneels down to the murdered people and swears with his life to wipe out the bandits. This is That’s right, it benefits both the country and the people.”

Lin Ruhai smiled and nodded when he heard this: "You are right, but not completely!"

Jia Huan continued: "The other purpose is to show determination and inspire all the officers and soldiers to share the same hatred for the enemy, so that everyone can bravely kill the thieves, and at the same time put an end to the fluke mentality of officials who can only eat with their corpses."

Lin Ruhai nodded with satisfaction and said: "Although it's still incomplete, it's pretty good that you can think of this. In fact, the best teaching is to teach by words and deeds. As a teacher, I want to use this to teach you and Jiandou a lesson."

I, Lin Ruhai, have always been cautious as an official, and it is rare for me to be passionate. I am making my final call in my life. My days as a teacher are numbered. If I can wipe out Dulong Island and eradicate this stubborn disease that has been occupying the coast of Jin Dynasty for more than ten years, it will be considered immeasurable. With this meritorious deed, if I, Lin Ruhai, have a place in the history of history, I will have no regrets in this life. "

Jia Huan was shocked and blurted out: "Uncle, you will live a long life and leave your name in history."

Lin Ruhai looked at Jia Huan, whose eyes were reddish, and said with a smile: "Uncle, he knows his own body well and his fate of life and death. You don't have to be too sad. Go ahead. I'm going to take a nap. Wake me up in half an hour." After saying that, he closed his eyes.

Jia Huan silently exited the room and went to the lobby in front.

(End of this chapter)