The air inside the hold is stuffy.

The smell of varnish, the aroma of newly planed wood and the fishy smell of water mixed together to form a special smell like fermentation.

Ayao has not moved since he was thrown in. At this moment, he is lying on his side on the narrow small bed, like a doll that has been placed there randomly.

The cabin was dark with no lights. She stared at the darkness with helpless eyes. She had the illusion of being suspended above the night sky. It was as if her eyes could penetrate infinitely far and it seemed as if she could not see anything. But she soon recovered from this illusion. She took it out because there was a kind of pain spreading around, as if a hoe handle was pressed under her body when she was sleeping. She knew that it was not a hoe handle, but her right arm. At this moment, it was numbing dullly. It seemed that it was really The left arm was lignified. The left arm that was hanging down and half hanging outside the wooden bed had opened some gaps in the shoulder joint. There was a slight and continuous stretching pain inside. It seemed that the tendons at the connection had been stretched and thinned, and they were about to break. Still connected, almost separated. The same is true for the connection between the thigh and hip joints.

Every slight rocking of the hull will move the body, causing the pain in these places to rise and fall, like microwaves rising and falling, forming a strange torture that is neither too strong nor too unbearable.

However, this shaking brings a familiar feeling...

Yes. Just like the carriage going to Hengshan.

It’s been a year.

At that time, Chuntao was holding a whip in the front carriage. Brother Chang was holding the eldest lady and sitting cross-legged opposite him. The carriage was shaking slightly as it moved. It was the same scene as this moment.

Compared with the autumn in the south, the autumn plains in the north are more crisp and cold. But the autumn colors at that time are warm and warm in the memories.

Why is it that there are always such experiences in life? Neither long nor short. Maybe it is just a very ordinary moment. But it can stay in my heart for a long time and not be ravaged by time.

A year has passed. A year has passed like this. But my memory seems to still be stuck in Hengshan. It seems that I am still with my eldest brother and eldest lady. I have not moved forward with the years.

The endless darkness in front of me is just like the night on the top of the mountain that day... I am still the same me now. I have never left Hengshan. Look at the snow. The snowflakes are falling...

Her mind went blank. She suddenly felt that the snow had become real. When she came back to her senses, she realized that it was not snow, but floating dust illuminated by a few rays of light.

How can there be light?

Light filtered through the cracks in the upper floor. The needles hung down, sharp and thin, followed by a few soft footsteps.

Think about it. This ship is not small in shape. When you came down, you had to go through two stairwells. So you should be at the bottom of the ship. There is a layer of cabins above, and above that is the deck.

"Chi...click."

There was a sound of wooden boards scraping against each other from the upper floor. It was exactly the same as the sound of the sliding door closing after he was thrown down by the steward. It seemed that there was a cabin similar to this one above.

It was quiet for a while. After a few sounds of drinking tea water, words like quicksand finally leaked from the cracks in the upper floor: "Hehehe. The military advisor is indeed worthy of the name of 'the proudest man'. It seems that in the future In the factory, I still have to rely on you more."

Followed by Fang Zhennuo's voice: "Brother Yun, what did you say? The Governor is like a red flower. You and the bosses are like green leaves. Like Zhennuo and others, they are just small fibrous roots that absorb water underneath. There is always some scenery up there. But what can we do with those buried in the earth?"

Yun Bianqing laughed and said, "I think you look like an ant, climbing branches and tearing leaves. I'm afraid you will reach the sky in just a few steps." Fang Zhennuo smiled and said, "No matter how high the branches are, it doesn't matter. You can be as high as the clouds. Zhennuo still has this self-awareness." There was no movement beside the clouds. Ayao listened intently. After a while, there was a sound of hard objects rubbing on the upper floor. It seemed like someone had pulled a chair and dropped it. seat.

Fang Zhennuo yawned long. His laughter was a little vague and sleepy: "I heard that all the palaces in the capital have attracted beauties from all over the world. They are extremely prosperous. I will go back after finishing my business this time. Please ask Brother Yun to take care of my younger brother. Have a good time shopping." Yun Bianqing said: "If you want to go shopping, it's best to ask the third stall driver to go with you. I'll forget it." Fang Zhennuo laughed: "At this point, Brother Yun doesn't have to do this anymore. "Yun Bianqing sneered. Fang Zhennuo said leisurely: "It is said that Emperor Yun is chic, elegant and not close to women. It turns out that it is true. In fact, he has food and sex, and he lives around. It is nothing more than these two things. Still. Don’t treat yourself badly.”

Yun Bian calmed down for a while and said: "Luxury breeds arrogance, and it is easy to do bad things. We are here with the national mission and the great trust of the governor. We should be self-disciplined and self-respected. How can we be willing to degenerate and be contaminated by the bad habits in the world." He He took a long breath. There was a little more emotion in his originally threatening voice: "Actually, what does it mean to be treated poorly? If you do too many things like eating, drinking and having fun, it's nothing more than that."

Fang Zhennuo said: "It seems that Brother Yun is a man of great enlightenment."

Yun Bianqing sighed: "In the early years in the factory, I was still very keen on seizing power. Later... well, I was young after all. I stayed in Juhao Pavilion for these years. I originally planned to make great achievements. I went back to visit their town. Unexpectedly, the changes in the factory have been earth-shaking. I am also used to enjoying the romance of the world. From time to time, I feel a little happy and miss Shu. I mistakenly call this foreign country my hometown. Alas, calm down and think about it. But the governor is right. People As long as you can always be at ease in this life, it will be fine. Anyone who can achieve such a profound enlightenment is still a joke."

"Freedom..." Fang Zhennuo repeated.

Then ask: "What is freedom?"

Yun Bianqing smiled: "You are Mr. Li's disciple. You are well versed in Chinese and Western knowledge, and you understand the three religions. You don't understand these two words."

Fang Zhennuo said: "The word "freedom" is always on the lips. But when you think about it carefully, you will feel a very strange feeling. It is as if you suddenly don't recognize it."

Yun Bianqingdao: "The Governor once said that life in this world is always full of desires and fears. We will want money, be afraid of illness, and worry about the future. For this reason, Confucius passed down the word "Shen Du". Scholars should do everything with sincerity. '. Then you can have great courage and get rid of this fear. Taoism talks about freedom and freedom. You want your mind not to be bound by external things. The core is all in the word law. Only by subduing the law with your mind can you be free and free. In Buddhism, observe and eliminate it. The method is to 'observe one's own mind'. To regulate one's mind, to upright one's mind, and to observe one's own mind are all to find the state of 'I am here'. I am here, that is, being at ease. Then being at ease for a moment is like a fairy Buddha for a moment. A moment of unease is a moment of being a layman. Only when one can observe freedom can one be able to Avalokiteśvara. Today's ignorant people chant the three words of Avalokitesvara day and night in the hope that others will save those who are suffering. But they don't know that Avalokitesvara is Avalokitesvara. As a result, hundreds of millions of kowtows will burn up the sandalwood forest and cause suffering. It’s ineffective. It’s all a joke.”

Fang Zhennuo was secretly shocked and thought: "Before, I was affected by Jing Lingyu and felt sad and frustrated. Suddenly I heard the sound of a teal searching for the shore. Then I suddenly realized. I thought that life would be like a teal standing on an isolated island. When it found Because of their loneliness, they look into the distance, hoping that there is a larger land outside the world. But they are wrong. In fact, this world only has this life, and there is no second other side. Buddhism talks about letting go, which means that people should understand this first. The body is illusory and not real. It will decay sooner or later. Therefore, don’t be attached. Let go of life and death. Face the world with a fearless attitude. In exchange for infinite calmness. Taoism also allows the heart not to be affected by external things. Seek spiritual freedom. Then look back. Do what you should do with a peaceful heart. This is the Confucian "Be cautious in independence" mentality. This is also the meaning. It can be seen that the principles of the three teachings are the same. None of them makes people passively avoid the world. So listen to what he just said Guo Shuronghua’s thoughts coincide with mine."

Yun Bianqing said: "What? Look at your expression. You don't seem to agree with it. Your teacher Li Molei claims that he 'does not eat pork'. So he is using himself as a substitute for the saint to continue his unique teachings, and he is independent and independent of the secular world." You are a strange scholar. I wonder what your master and disciple think of the word freedom."

Fang Zhennuo laughed and said, "I don't dare. My tutor has concentrated on writing books in the past few years and rarely talks about these principles. As for me, I don't ask for a deep understanding in reading. I just accept everything as it comes. Everything depends on my will. I live a relaxed life. It's quite a bit. The appearance of 'comfort'. As for how consistent it is with the 'comfort' that the governor said, I'm not sure."

Yun Bianqing said: "How dare we ordinary people hope to reach the realm of the Governor? It seems that your understanding of freedom is similar to mine. I am a very simple person. I am comfortable in everything. I am also comfortable looking at others." If I'm not at ease, then no one else can be at ease either." Fang Zhennuo smiled and said, "Yes. Yes."

Yun Bianqing sighed: "There are many things in the world that not you and I can figure out. This word "freedom" is still a mantra that the Governor learned more than ten years ago. He was still a young man at that time. I was also still Even though he is young, he is already unpredictable. Now his heart as an old man is even more difficult to understand." After saying this, he was quiet for a long time. I don't know what he was thinking. After a while, he came back again. He continued: "I want to be at ease. How difficult is it? Ji Yeping led the people to fight out of Junshan. They are probably on the river by now. I don't know what will happen next. If he really ran away, I can't say that I am not responsible. I will lose face when I go back. Don't tell me. The achievements over the years will be greatly compromised. In the future, you will be known as "you can only weave baskets, but you can't close your mouth" and make people in the factory laugh. Since you consider yourself my brother, you have to do it for me. Brother, please think of a way to share your worries."

Fang Zhennuo said: "Since I have followed my brother wholeheartedly, I naturally want to share the blessings and hardships with my brother. When I get to the factory in the future, I will also follow my brother's lead. There will be no second thoughts. As long as we brothers work diligently. Be cautious. Don't worry about not being reminded by the Governor. When the tide rises, who will dare to show his teeth?"

Yun Bianqing said: "The fire is burning at the brow. Who can care about the future. The Yangtze River is wide and the current is fast. Even if a large team is deployed to intercept it, it may not be able to withstand the rush of the current. Old General Yu is in front of the emperor. We all have face. This trip has nothing to do with him. Who else can be blamed?" Fang Zhennuo said: "What does Brother Yiyun mean? What should we do?" Yun Bianqing smiled: "Brother Fang. You've already got it in your mind, but now you're still trying to push things around. It's just too insincere."

Ayao was confused at the bottom of the bilge. She didn't know what he meant by deliberately emphasizing the word "in the chest". At this time, there was a slight silence above. There was a little sound of clothes rustling and paper pages rustling. He followed Fang Zhennuo and laughed: "Brother, don't blame me. I was also confused for a moment." He moved forward and then returned to his original position. He said: "Master Zeng led an army to block the river. I don't think Ji Yeping and his group can escape. Let's follow the book and go again. The credit for collecting these shrimps and crabs is not small. I believe we can get through this."

The fleet left the entrance of Chenglingji, turned eastward against the current, and came out of two arrows. They saw numerous artillery mounts along the coast. There were many shadows of sails on the river. Countless ships were cruising by themselves. After the other party saw Zeng Shiquan's flag, they quickly A speed boat was separated to greet them. When they got close, they boarded the gangplank. A young man and two middle-aged men walked quickly and took a quick look. They saw Zeng Shiquan sitting high on the boat building. At that moment, He took two steps forward, bowed and saluted, and said loudly: "Jiang Muxian, please see the boss."

Zeng Shiquan sat still. He glanced down at Jiang Muchian, then glanced behind him, but did not answer.

Jiang Muxian bowed and tilted his head slightly to both sides. The two middle-aged men behind him felt the pressure. They had no choice but to bow and hand over their hands: "It's better to try new things. I've seen the boss."

Zeng Shiquan let out a "hmm" in his nostrils and said with a faint smile: "Jiang Muxian, you are not in the factory guard establishment, and you are not under the control of the military camp. Our family is willing to bring you here this time. It's all because of you, Mr. Qin." To save face, follow the official’s lead and follow the official’s rules everywhere. You must discipline your subordinates well and don’t ruin the dignity of the court.”

Jiang Muxian lowered his head again and said: "Yes. Jiang was ordered by the young master to serve in the army this time. Everything is at his disposal. The master can use it with confidence. However, Jiang's subordinates are all rough. Although he works vigorously and resolutely, he still lacks some etiquette. It is inevitable that there will be a spill. As the saying goes, "adults don't blame villains". It is always necessary to ask the boss to take care of him occasionally. Fortunately, I listened to the young master. He is in Nanzhen Fusi and you are in Dongchang. The factory guards are originally a family. The relationship between the two of you is also quite good, both in public and private. As long as we take good care of you, don't embarrass him and the boss. The boss also We will never let those of us who are servants suffer any injustice."

"Tsk, tsk, cluck, cluck," Zeng Shiquan let out a series of weird laughs that were similar to hiccups. He looked like a chicken choking on food. He squinted his eyes, poked two fingers down, and looked sideways at Li Yichen and said, "Look. Look. No wonder the Qin family has been prosperous in the past year and a half. With such talents, how can it not be popular? Mr. Qin is going smoothly in Beijing. He is better at doing things than his father and uncle. Look at him The people you choose to bring out are indeed very different." Li Yichen also nodded and smiled: "That's right. The waves behind the Yangtze River rush the waves ahead. It is indeed remarkable to sit in the position of the second manager of the Qin family at such a young age." His eyes were in the valley as he spoke. , Mo Ruzhi swiped the two of them on their foreheads. Zeng Shiquan smiled and said: "Hehehehe. Brother Xiao Jiang, you have worked hard. I don't know what the situation is like here."

Jiang Muxian said: "Go back to the boss. We have used blood spider silk to connect boats to spread a large net on the river to form a tight defense line. It is impossible to sneak across. But so far, no Juhao has been found. There is no trace of the pavilion people." Zeng Shiquan said "Hmm" as if he expected it, and said: "What kind of blood spider silk do you have? The brother who tuned the strings used it last night, and it doesn't seem to matter much. "Jiang Muxian said: "Although the manual skills are not as good as those at home, a good saddle also requires a good fit for the horse. Whether something is useful or not depends on whether it is smooth or not."

These words were neither humble nor arrogant. They made Zeng Shiquan chuckle. He waved briefly. A clerk took a roll of paper and spread it out in front of his eyes while standing sideways to block the wind. The paper briefly marked the landscape of mountains and rivers: a wide winding blue line at the top. The line is marked as the Yangtze River. There is a piece of blue in the middle and lower part as the Dongting Lake. There is a thin red diagonal line on both sides. The left is long and the right is very short. They are connected to the Yangtze River on the top and Dongting on the bottom. The land part in the middle is similar to an irregular , an inverted trapezoid. The manager pointed his finger at the top of the long diagonal line on the left and said: "Master, this is the tuning entrance." Then he moved his finger to the top corner of the diagonal line on the right: "We are here. Ji Yehei came upstream from Dongting. It's not a small circle to go up. But judging from the current wind speed, it will definitely be visible on the river in another three quarters or two quarters."

Zeng Shiquan nodded. He stood up and took out the command flag. The chief officers and lieutenant generals immediately lined up on the deck. He said with confidence: "Everyone, listen. Open the bow and load the bullet. Get ready. Meet the enemy. If you let go of a boat or a person, everyone will be held accountable, and military law will be engaged. If you catch the bandit leader Ji Yeping, you will be rewarded with a hundred taels of gold, and you will be promoted to three levels in a row."
Chapter completed!