Farmhouse Green Plum

Chapter 657 Exception

After passing by, a few people were about to leave when they suddenly heard a commotion from the crowd behind them.

Song Ying's heart tightened, but he tried hard not to show any panic, and looked back along with everyone else.

It turned out to be a woman with a black veil on her face being searched. The canal soldiers wanted to remove her black veil to check, but she held on tightly, saying, "Sir, I am really not a pirate. I am sick and cannot be exposed to the wind."

His voice was hoarse and his breathing was rapid. Song Ying frowned, moved the basket behind him, and said, "Hurry up and stay away."

"Is she really sick?" Yu Lingwan asked.

Without waiting for Song Ying to answer, the searching soldiers looked at her fiercely, grabbed a corner of the black veil and pulled it off.

"Damn it, the Japanese pirates love this kind of trickery..."

His voice stopped abruptly, and the last word "dang" was stuck in his throat.

The woman's face and neck were covered with red rashes the size of red beans, and the areas that were connected were swollen and shiny.

His eyelids were swollen and red, with yellow-white secretions in the corners of his eyes, and a few pieces of flaky skin stuck to his cracked lips.

There were several scratched areas on the neck, and a yellowish fluid had clotted.

The searching soldier took a step back suddenly and almost fell into the water, but he didn't care. He covered his nose and waved his hand, signaling the woman to leave quickly.

The people waiting around also retreated one after another, and in just a short moment, a large area around the woman became empty.

She was extremely embarrassed. She stumbled and picked up the black veil to cover her face. Just as she turned to leave, she heard a cold shout from behind: "Stop."

Xiao Qichang's face was gloomy. He stopped three steps away from the woman. He held his scabbard across his sword to block her path. "Tell me clearly! What's wrong? When did it start?"

The woman trembled all over, tears welling in her eyes, and she stammered, "It's... it's measles. It's been several days. I've seen several doctors but they haven't helped. Cough cough cough..."

She suddenly started coughing violently, and Xiao Qizi took a few steps back in fright, and the people around her also retreated together.

The woman was even more embarrassed and hurriedly covered her mouth with her sleeve. After a while, she finally stopped coughing and continued to answer: "I originally wanted to go to Xuzhou to find Li Yitie. I heard that he can treat this place."

The canal soldier had heard of Li Yitie's reputation, but he was still worried. He glanced at the soldier who had previously forcibly removed the woman's black veil, saying, "You, go over and check carefully."

The soldier was incredulous. "Captain, her disease is contagious, right? I'm the only son in my family. If I die, our family will be extinct!"

The flag bearer glared at him and said, "Just go when I tell you to. Why are you talking so much nonsense? If you really let the pirates go, we won't have enough heads to chop off!"

The soldier wanted to say more, but had to give in under the sharp gaze of the flag captain. He lifted the corner of his clothes to cover his mouth and nose, and tiptoed towards the woman.

"You, put down the black veil." After saying this, he immediately turned his face away.

The woman was extremely embarrassed. She dropped her black veil and closed her eyes, allowing him to examine her. However, the soldiers did not dare to examine her closely. They just took one look and wanted to run away.

Xiao Qizi had no choice but to order the woman to stay aside and then sent someone to call a doctor.

When Aunt Zhang, who was far away, saw this, she broke out in a cold sweat.

I didn't expect these canal soldiers to check so carefully. They still refused to give in to this extent. If they really pretended to be patients, they would probably be taken into custody by now.

At this moment, three deafening cannon shots suddenly rang out.

Then I could hear the sound of gongs beating and the creaking of iron chains rubbing against wood.

Song Ying was stunned for a moment, then quickly realized that this was the sound of the gate opening. They had heard it before when they passed through the gate.

No other ships except official ones were allowed to pass. So, were there any official ships leaving Nanyang Town, or were there any official ships arriving in Nanyang Town?

She thought quickly, her eyes fixed on the direction of the gate. If it was the former, it might be a good thing for them, but the latter was not so good.

The gate winch made a harsh "creak" sound, as if a sleeping beast was forcibly awakened. As the gate plate rose inch by inch, the canal suddenly became furious, and the turbid waves wrapped in foam rushed out of the gate gap, roaring like a beast breaking free from a cage.

The splashing water poured onto the dock like a rainstorm. The onlookers had no time to dodge and their heads were covered with the smelly water.

"boom--"

A loud roar like muffled thunder exploded from the bottom of the river, shaking the willow branches on the shore, as if a giant was beating a war drum underwater.

When the gate was fully raised, an exquisite passenger ship slowly sailed out. The ship was only about five or six meters long and was painted all over with fine tung oil. The eaves of the ship were finely painted with vermilion twined branches. Two glazed wind lanterns were hung on the bow, swaying gently with the waves.

Although the ship is small, it is exquisite in every way. It does not have the majestic decorations of an official ship, nor is it piled with cargo like a merchant ship.

At the stern stood a boatman in indigo shorts, leisurely paddling a bamboo pole. The boat made almost no sound as it slid across the water, leaving only a ripple that gradually subsided.

Song Ying looked at Yuan Qing in surprise, "Didn't they say that only official ships can pass through?"

Yuan Qing was also puzzled, but didn't say much.

Soon, the passenger ship docked and three people walked out of it. The leader was a man wearing a brown straight robe and a plain square scarf on his head.

He leaned slightly sideways and was talking to a middle-aged man who was a step behind him. At the back was a young man dressed as a servant, carrying a medicine box on his back.

An older woman who had been chatting with Song Ying earlier said with a hint of sarcasm, "Although this isn't a government ship, it's not much different from one."

Song Ying asked hurriedly, "What do you mean?"

The old lady curled her lips and pointed at the middle-aged man in front of her. "That's the steward of Master Zhu's family in town. Master Zhu's sister is the wife of the county magistrate. Do you think his boat is no different from an official boat?"

"So that's how it is." Song Ying suddenly realized.

Yuan Qing frowned. Nanyang is located at a strategic location. After the imperial court set up a chief clerk in charge of rivers in Nanyang, it was ostensibly managed by both the river administration office and the local government.

But in fact, the red-marked documents on the river are more useful than the county magistrate's red signature. If the Zhu family is only related to the county magistrate, it is highly likely that they would not open the gates to let their boats pass through at this time.

For matters concerning the river, it would naturally be better to ask Brother Chu Dajiang for help.

He glanced at Chu Dajiang not far away, and patiently left the dock first. When he was out of the soldiers' sight, they reunited.

He immediately asked, "What else does this Mr. Zhu have to do with you?"

Chu Dajiang raised his eyebrows. "Mr. Yuan is indeed perceptive. This Zhu Zhenghong is indeed extraordinary. He has great influence in both the black and white worlds, and has a very close relationship with our Caosi Yamen."

Chu Dahe said, "Mr. Yuan, do you want to leave on the Zhu family's boat? I'm afraid that won't work. We brothers didn't know the seriousness of the matter and brought the damage to the Zhu family. We have some grudges against them, so they won't help us."