Chapter 290 Finding Qi Renli
"Who are those people and what are they doing out there?" Bafang pressed.
"They..." The words were in his mouth, but he didn't dare to say them out.
Meng Changqing guessed that those who were out must be related to Qi Renli, but the housekeeper was obviously loyal to the Hong family, and it would not be easy to force him to ask questions.
She raised her voice and said to the group of people standing below: "You, the Hong family masters, have been taken into custody by the prefect. As long as you are guilty, no one can escape. It will only be a matter of time before you are found."
As soon as these words came out, people below were really panicked.
Meng Changqing continued: "Now, there is an opportunity in front of you to make meritorious deeds. It just depends on whether you want to think about this opportunity.
Does anyone know what the other servants do when they go out? Where are people now? If you say it on the spot, you will be spared any punishment. ”
As she spoke, she stared at the expressions of these people. Sure enough, among the crowd, there were people with hesitant eyes and quietly looking at others.
"You!" Meng Changqing pointed at the man, "What do you know, tell me quickly, otherwise you will go to the prison to keep company with your master!"
The person who was called immediately knelt down and waved his hands: "It's none of my business. It was the master who asked the housekeeper to send someone to kill the official in Beishan County. It has nothing to do with me."
Meng Changqing took a breath, and her thoughts were exactly as she guessed, "When did the killer leave the Hong family? To be honest, this matter has nothing to do with you."
The kneeling man thought and replied: "It must have been yesterday at noon that the steward personally ordered them to kill the county magistrate named Qi. At that time, I happened to go to deliver food to the steward and happened to hear it by the door."
When the man was talking, the housekeeper kept trying to stop him from talking. When he was excited, he even ignored the knife on his neck.
Bafang almost cut this man's neck.
"What crazy talk are you talking about!" the housekeeper yelled at the man, "How can you throw dirty water on the master and me!"
Meng Changqing held down the housekeeper and asked Bafang to bring a rope to tie him up and gag him, "I don't have time to talk to you."
Let’s ask the person who spoke just now, “Tell me more about what you heard at that time?”
"I heard the housekeeper instruct them to find someone along the official road. The leader spoke with a southern accent. The people around him were dressed as government servants. They were very conspicuous and could be recognized at a glance..."
After patiently listening to this man's words, Meng Changqing immediately asked Chu Mufeng to send someone out to look for him.
The Royal Forest Army searched around outside and came back. They only said that they found traces of suspected fighting in one place, but they could not find Qi Renli, Yang Zheng and the others.
Bafang comforted Meng Changqing, "It's a good thing that we didn't find anyone. Maybe Colonel Yang took the others and hid."
"What Brother Bafang said makes sense." Zhou Qiwen continued: "When we came back, we went to Hongfu Village and found that the people the Hong family wanted to deal with were also missing. There is a high possibility that Brother Yang would lead people to hide. ”
At this time, he heard the sound of galloping horseshoes in the distance. Just by hearing the sound, Zhou Qiwen said, "It should be the brothers who stayed in Dazhou Prefecture."
Sure enough, it was the Imperial Forest Army who stayed in Dazhou Prefecture.
Immediately there were not only the Imperial Guards, but also another person, Qi Xiang who was following Qi Renli.
Meng Changqing saw the person clearly and hurried forward to greet him, helping him off his horse, "Why did you go to Dazhou Mansion? Where are your young master and Captain Yang?"
Qi Xiang's lips were chapped, his face was covered in dust, and he looked haggard.
"I was ordered by the young master to go back to Beishan County to move reinforcements. I didn't know you were coming here until I arrived in Yangmen County." Qi Xiang swallowed hard, and Bafang quickly took off the water bag from his waist and handed it over, "You "Let's take a breath." Qi Xiang swallowed hard, "I agreed on a code with Captain Yang before I left. I should be able to find them by following the code."
"Okay." Meng Changqing also handed over his water bag, "Where did you separate? What was the password?"
With the news brought by Qi Xiang, it can be regarded as a serious path.
The group of people followed the code and climbed up the mountain. After walking for a while, someone suddenly jumped down from the tree. It was Yang Zheng who had been on guard.
"Sir!" The people Yang Zheng was looking at were very excited and turned around and shouted: "Sir Qi, Master Meng and Master Bai are here! Come out!"
"Is any of you injured?" Meng Changqing asked.
"No." Yang Zheng said, "It's just a mob, it's not enough to hurt us."
At this time, Qi Renli and others climbed out of the col.
"Master Meng." Qi Renli stretched out his hands and ran towards Meng Changqing, squeezing Yang Zheng out of the way. "You're here!" He grabbed... Bafang's hand.
Bafang understands Meng Changqing's character and knows that she has never liked others touching her since she was a child. Now that Master Qi wants to come over and hold his young master's hand, he has no choice but to block it for him.
"Brothers Bafang." Qi Renli was also very talkative and hugged Bafang tightly, "You are finally here!" He burst into tears when he said this, "I thought we would never see each other again.
This Dazhou is really dark! ”
"Mr. Meng." Qi Renli let go of Bafang and wiped away his tears, "But the letter Qi Xiang sent back? Do you understand the whole story?"
"I'm not very clear about what happened here." Meng Changqing looked behind Yang Zheng, the obviously elderly people, "These must be the victims, right?"
"Yes, they are willing to stand up and sue the Hong family, but I didn't expect..."
Meng Changqing interrupted: "Go down the mountain first, and we'll talk as we walk."
While coming down the mountain, Qi Ren immediately told Meng Changqing in detail what happened in the past two days, including the humiliation suffered by the victims.
"All the officials in Dazhou are accomplices!" Qi Renli said excitedly: "They don't care about governing the people at all. As long as an official is willing to stand up and make decisions for the people, the Hong family will not dare to be so rampant.
How dare they send a murder officer in broad daylight. ”
Meng Changqing said: "Master Qi, I can understand your anger. Have you written another petition?"
"I've written it." Qi Ren immediately took out the petition.
While he was hiding in a mountain col and waiting for reinforcements, he wrote several petitions and asked the victims to put their fingerprints on them, just because he was afraid that the situation in Dazhou Prefecture would happen again.
Meng Changqing unfolded the paper and looked carefully. In the lawsuit, the Hong family bullied others, robbed people of money, and caused casualties. The writing was well-founded.
Meng Changqing was also eye-opening after reading it. The word "being rich and unkind" was vividly expressed by Hong Deyu.
"Sir, what should we do now?" Qi Renli asked Meng Changqing. At this time, they had entered Hongfu Village.
Meng Changqing put away the paper and said, "Let the victims go back to their homes."
When the sufferers heard this, they immediately felt that this newly arrived adult was unreliable, and they all asked Qi Renli for help, "We will definitely be retaliated by the Hong family when we go back."