Idle courtiers

Chapter 24

The so-called escape case refers to the process in which servants or servants of wealthy families escaped in ancient times to gain personal freedom.

In feudal society, maids and servants were absolutely dependent on the master's family. When they sold themselves to the master's house, they signed a contract of sale and belonged to the master's private property.If you do something wrong, you can be beaten or scolded, as long as no one is killed, no one will care.

When encountering an inhuman master, the servants and maids would run away and become refugees if they couldn't bear the inhuman torture.However, because the Ming Dynasty implemented a strict household registration system, it was not easy to obtain freedom.

In this era, you need a diploma to pass the customs, and you need a guide to stay in a hotel.Without the relevant procedures, escapees like this are usually caught within a hundred miles.Regarding this point, Zhou Nan, who had fled for thousands of miles, was very clear, so there was nothing to worry about in this case.

When the clerk mentioned this, Zhou Nan didn't take it seriously, and even laughed at the master's stupidity: the case is so easy to report, and even if it's a big deal, ask the yamen for help. I don't think there is much money on hand to burn the bag?The yamen opens to the south, so don't come in if you have a reason and no money.If this case is solved, you will get the tea, shoes and socks for the yamen servants to handle the case, right?The county magistrate must also give a share, and the three or five taels of silver can't be escaped.But based on the current population price in the human market, an ordinary maid is only two or three taels of silver.There are people in the business of beheading, but you can't do business at a loss.Could it be that the woman who ran away was born beautiful and beautiful, and the master insisted on getting her as soon as possible?
With this doubt, Zhou Nan looked intently at the file in his hand. It turned out that the missing woman was not the concubine or maid of an ordinary wealthy family, but the daughter-in-law of the Mei family. The word is usually called Miss Su.

She is not a girl from a good family, but a child of a criminal official. It is said that her father used to be a Beijing official, but later became pregnant, disobeyed the court, and was sentenced to beheaded. slaves.This sister Su joined the Jiaofang Division when she was three years old. When she was 14 years old, Mr. Mei happened to be studying in the capital. Seeing how pitiful she was, he redeemed her with money and married her.

Ordinarily, it seems inappropriate for a young master to marry a woman from the Jiaofang Division, but Miss Su was young back then and hadn't broken her body yet.Moreover, they are also the children of officials and eunuchs, and their status can be considered passable.The world sympathized with her very much, not only did the Mei family not feel ashamed for marrying such a woman, they even had a good face.

It's just that Miss Su is also pitiful. Not long after marrying Mr. Mei, her husband died within a few days after returning to her husband's house in Andong County.As a result, she became a widow and lived in Mei's house for ten years.

During these years of being widowed, Sister Su obeyed women's morals, never left the house, served her parents-in-law at home, and fulfilled her duty as a daughter-in-law.However, just four days ago, Sister Su suddenly disappeared while washing clothes in the backyard. She probably escaped on a passing boat.

It turns out that the rivers and waterways in Andong County in the Ming Dynasty are full of rivers and waterways, which has the taste of small bridges and flowing water in Suzhou City.Most of the houses of the big families live near the water. The picture is only for washing, water and transportation. Each family has its own small dock.

If Sister Su wanted to run away, she could easily leave Anton by jumping on a boat on the small pier and paddling.

Seeing that their daughter-in-law was missing, the members of the Mei family were also in a hurry. They searched for several days but couldn't find anyone, so they had to report to the Andong County Yamen.It just so happened that Shi Zhixian was not around today, and it was Gui Xiancheng who took over the case, and then Zhou Nan, the team assistant, took over the case.

After reading the dossier, Zhou Nan rubbed his chin and asked, "Which Mei family is this Mei family? Didn't the yamen come to record the statement? Just go and ask."

The clerk suddenly smiled: "Zhou Nan, do you really want to come to ask questions?"

Zhou Nan nodded: "If you want to find out about this case, it's safe to ask the parties involved. Otherwise, what can I know based on these few pages. Even if Sister Su stood in front of me, I wouldn't be able to recognize her. How to find it?"

The scribe: "Zhou Nan, others can go, but you can't. I advise you to give up this idea."

Zhou Nan was amazed: "I still ask for advice."

The clerk had a mocking look on his face: "There are still a few Mei families in Andong County. The Mei family's daughter-in-law, Sister Su, is the widow of the eldest son Mei who you accidentally killed. Zhou Nan, you said that the Mei family To go or not to go?"

Zhou Nan was startled: Yuanjia Road is narrow, which is troublesome.That's right, the Mei family is the old man Mei, who was born in Shuishang family, and he has accumulated such a big business by transporting goods.Where is Huai'an Mansion, the place where Huai salt is produced, the transfer hub of Dayuan River, the economic artery of the country, and the place where the wealth and power of the world gather.It is said that Mr. Mei was just an ordinary fisherman when he was young, and he became a local tyrant within a few decades, so he must have gathered a group of half-black and half-white people.I have a feud with him for murdering my son, and sending it to my door at this time, it's not lighting a flashlight in the toilet-looking for death.

In fact, in Andong County, everything went well for pretending to be Zhou Xiucai. Now that he has entered the Yamen again, he finally has a stable job to support his family.After spending a few years in the government, with my modern knowledge, I don't have a big future, and it is still possible to be a master or something.Although his status is humble, he is still an official in the yamen, as the old man said well.It sounds ugly to say that the subordinate staff, but they have to work in the local area for the rest of their lives. If they work hard, they may not be able to become a local tyrant.

However, with such a big enemy as the Mei family, it is difficult for him to live a peaceful life.Whoever is old man Mei will want to get rid of Zhou Nan as soon as possible.

It doesn't feel too bad to be stared at by such a big enemy.

Let's go to Mei's house, forget it, a gentleman can't stand under a dangerous wall, and he can't do death.

With this in mind, Zhou Nan received the order to return to the county seat, and then went to the fast class to meet with some colleagues.In his previous life, he was a person with a sophisticated personality, and after chatting with everyone, he got along well with everyone.Let's put aside the matter of the case. When I come to report to the county office today, I have to settle down first and settle all the food and lodging.

The county government naturally has public housing, but as Zhou Nan, he naturally does not have one.So, he asked someone to rent a small yard.These days, the Ming Dynasty has not yet developed real estate, and houses are cheap, and the rent for a small courtyard is only three renminbi a month, which is within Zhou Nan's tolerance.

Packed up, the day passed.

The second person, Zhou Nan went to the fast class again, asking everyone to help investigate the case.It's a pity that at this time, the colleagues all turned their faces.Either you have other things on hand and you really can't get away; or you say that the case fell on you after the county magistrate said it, and it's none of my business.If you solve the case, you will be the one rewarded by the superiors for your meritorious service.If it can't be broken, we have to accompany it when it hits the board.If you want to check it yourself, don't involve us.

Yeah, it's none of my business, it doesn't make sense!

After everyone's sarcastic remarks, Zhou Nan felt depressed.He had no choice but to read the file a few more times, and went to the crime scene to investigate for a long time. Of course, he didn't dare to go to Mei's house, so he checked the case in Xiaohe, but saw a big house on the opposite side , There are at least a dozen courtyards, and I praised in my heart: It really is a big family, and the wealth of this old man Mei is second to none in Anton.

This small pier is located at the back door of Mei’s house, and boats come and go on the water.Zhou Nan asked a few boat owners who came and went if there were any strange boats berthing at the small pier on the day of the incident, but he didn't find out why after asking for a long time.Then he knocked on several nearby households, but still found nothing.The nearby residents not only replied that they hadn't seen any strangers, but they didn't even know what Sister Su looked like.

"How could you not know what Sister Su looks like?" Zhou Nan frowned.

That's right, after all, she is a widow of a wealthy family, and she has kept the festivals at home for ten years. She is naturally a woman-observing person, how can ordinary people easily see her face.

I don't even know what this person looks like, so how can I find him?
Zhou Nan has never been engaged in criminal investigation work in modern society. He ran around the city like a headless chicken for a day, but naturally found nothing. He had to go back to the rented yard and cook a pot of brown rice for himself. After a few pages of novels, I fell asleep.

On the third day, he felt that there was no way to go on like this. In any case, he had to go to the Mei family to ask all the details of the Mei family's daughter-in-law before she disappeared. At least she had to find out what Sister Su looked like.

So, as soon as Zhou Nan gritted his teeth, he took the yamen arrest card and confiscated a painter in the city to bite the bullet and go to Mei's house.

It would be a lie to say that he was playing drums in his heart. Zhou Nan was really worried that his visit this time was a meat bun beating a dog.After entering the door, they closed the door, and then a group of wolf-like servants rushed out, packed themselves into sacks, and sank directly into the Huaihe River to feed the fish.

However, I had to go to the duty, so I walked to the gate, waved the badge in my hand to a servant-looking man, and said: "I am the deputy head of the fast shift in the yamen, surnamed Liao, today Come to your house to investigate the disappearance of Sister Su, and please inform the staff of Mei." He observed the surrounding environment with great vigilance.As a precaution, he withheld his name.After the questioning, I drew a portrait of Sister Su and left.

"OK, just a second."

After taking Zhou Nan's post, the servant came to the courtyard and said that the master invited the eldest brother to the flower hall for tea and talk.

As he spoke, he graciously welcomed Zhou Nan in.

Entering the flower hall, Mei Yuanwai has not arrived yet.But the servants were very respectful, and when they got tea and snacks, they apologized again and again, saying that the staff member was washing up, please wait a moment.

Zhou Nan looked at the situation in the flower hall, but saw that the decoration inside was very elegant, and there was a shelf of books.

He is at least a liberal arts student in modern society, and he also likes to read.After confirming that the Mei family would not do anything to him today, he picked out a book and started reading.

This is a story-telling novel, which is well written and interesting to read.

When I was immersed in the plot of the book, I suddenly heard the distant door close with a bang.

I saw an eleven or twelve-year-old boy with a group of family members carrying whistle sticks rushing aggressively.

That young man was the one who presided over the poetry meeting on the painting boat that day, so he must be the young master of the Mei family.

Seeing this, Zhou Nan's expression changed, and he cried out in his heart: something bad is going to happen.

(End of this chapter)