The last afterglow fell, and thousands of families lit their lamps.
In Qionghua Alley, Mrs. Yang also bolted the door early. She made some simple dinner, ate what she could, and fed Huo Nian.
Carrying him behind her back, she watered the sprouted vegetable seedlings in the yard, while talking to Huo Nian: "I don't know if your father, your sister, and your uncle are back. Didn't they say it's only two days one way? Today is the ninth day."
I don’t know if something happened..."
Nian'er was in high spirits, slapping on her back, and his saliva dripped down, soaking his front and Yang's back.
Yang didn't take it seriously, smiled, and patted him on the back from time to time.
Fortunately, she had this little thing to accompany her, otherwise she would have been too lonely. Then I thought about it, if it hadn't been for Nian'er, she wouldn't be renting a house here and staying alone.
He tilted his head and shook his head desperately. How could he not have Nian'er? If he had Nian'er, he would have cherished her.
This is God's arrangement, they should appear.
"Isn't that right? Nian'er, grandpa Tian sent Nian'er to mother, and mother is happy. Is Nian'er happy to be with mother?"
Nian'er danced and kicked happily to express her happiness. The corners of Yang's mouth were raised high.
There was a knock on the door, but Yang didn't pay attention.
Until she heard another sound, Yang stopped and listened carefully... "Sister!" "Mom! We are back!"
The watering gourd in Yang's hand clattered to the ground. She held Huo Nian's butt with one hand and turned to run towards the door.
"Hey..." he responded, his voice trembling and he couldn't form a sentence.
After finally opening the door, the two children threw themselves into her arms. Yang's eyes became hot.
He stroked the two children's heads back and forth, "You're back? You're back. Why did it take so long?"
"Sister, are you happy that I'm back?"
Huo Xi also looked up at her.
"I'm happy, I'm happy. I miss you every day. It's been nine days, and I'm afraid something will happen to you outside." Yang responded happily. She hasn't been separated from them for so long.
"Nothing happened. He's safe." Huo Xi went to hold her hand and then looked at Huo Nian on her back.
Huo Nian tilted his head to look at her, and when he saw Huo Xi kissing her, the sense of familiarity came back. He smiled so much that his eyes narrowed, and he reached out to grab Huo Xi with his little hand, but Huo Xi grabbed it and shook it again and again.
Yang looked behind the two children and knew that Huo Erhuai was guarding the boat, so she asked, "Where is your father?"
"Dad is guarding our boat at the ferry."
"Sister, we bought a lot of things in Huai'an. A boatload of goods is very valuable, and my brother-in-law can't leave."
"Oh, you need someone to guard you."
I happily took the two children and looked at them again and again. I saw that they were as well as I said, and I felt relieved. "Have you had dinner yet? Mom, can you cook it for you?"
"Eat. We cooked and ate on the ship. We finished all the grain and chicken and duck meat we brought this time."
"I'm done eating now. My mother went to the market to collect more and dried some chicken and duck meat. It's enough for you to eat."
Yang was about to pull them into the house, but Yang Fu and Huo Xi turned around to push the trolley.
Yang turned around and looked: "Is this the time to unload the things on the boat?" She also started to push.
Huo Xi nodded, "We can't push much, we can only load some. Dad told me to unload it in the morning."
As he spoke, he untied Huo Nian from Yang's back, held him in his arms, and teased him.
It’s been nine days and I miss you so much.
"Nian'er, do you miss your sister?"
Nian'er kept touching her face with her little hands, and Huo Xi hugged his head, pressed her face against his, and rubbed his soft nose.
Yang and Yang Fu pushed the cart into the house and unloaded the items on the cart.
After not seeing Huo Erhuai for nine days, he said, "You two are in the house. Mom is pushing the cart to find your father, and then she will transport all the goods on the ship back. This way, the ship will be lighter."
Huo Xi raised her head and looked at the sky. They were going to transport goods all night long, and she wanted to stop them.
But after thinking about it, he added: "Then let's all go. I'll guard the boat then, and we'll rent a few more carts and hire a few more people to help transport it."
Yang nodded, and the three of them closed the door, hugged Huo Nian, pushed the cart and walked toward the ferry.
Yang seemed to be full of energy and walked very fast. Huo Xi held Huo Nian on the trolley all the way and was pushed upright by her, but thinking that she saw Huo Erhuai's eagerness, she didn't say anything.
"Erhuai!"
"Hey, motherfucker!"
Huo Erhuai got out of the cabin, stood on the bow of the ship and smiled at Yang, with the corners of his mouth raised high.
"Why did you come here at night? Didn't you ask the two children to tell you to come back tomorrow morning to move?"
Huo Erhuai took Huo Nian, held him in his arms, kissed him again and again, and walked to a place with Yang to talk.
Huo Xi took Yang Fu to the ferry to rent a cart and look for a mover.
There were more than a thousand bolts of linen, twenty stones of sugar, leather goods and other items on board. To move them all in one trip would require more than ten or twenty carts.
Fortunately, there are many foot shops near the ferry, and there are foot shops not far away. It is very convenient to hire carts, manpower and animals.
After negotiating a good price, we attracted people to move it.
"Dad, you and your mother can go back and take care of things. My uncle and I will guard the ship. You and your mother will rest in Qionghua Lane. You can bring our cabin boards here tomorrow morning."
Huo Xi saw that Yang had endless things to say to Huo Erhuai, so she planned to leave them alone to talk.
"It's so late, you two children..."
Huo Xi interrupted him: "It's okay, dad. Everything has been moved on the boat. There's nothing valuable. My uncle and I can do it."
Although Yang was also worried, she had many things to ask Huo Erhuai. Seeing that Yang Fu was also patting his chest and saying that he could take good care of the boat, he gave a few words of advice, then carried Huo Nian and Huo Erhuai on his back and followed the cart and oxen.
The car carried a boatload of goods back to Qionghua Lane.
Mu Gan sent the news that Huo Xi had returned to the capital, and Mu Yan was stunned when he heard it.
Does it take so long to transport grain to Huai'an?
During this period of time, I was busy inquiring about the affairs of the southwest, and Wu Xia was busy with other things. Now I heard that the little liar had returned to the capital, and I was shocked to realize that another ten days had passed.
A large-scale war was launched to recruit fishermen's ships, and the round trip from Jiangning took nine days. It seemed that the news he received was true, and the new emperor planned to restart the water transportation department.
I just don’t know if the Water Transport Department will still be located in Huai’an.
The Salt Transportation Department is already located in Huai'an. Should the Water Transportation Department also be located in Huai'an?
This grand canal is very convenient for transporting grain, saving manpower and material resources, and reducing losses. In addition to grain, it can also transport military grain, armaments and various materials, which requires an extremely large canal army and guard army...
Mu Yan tapped his fingers on the table, his thoughts flowing.
Huo Xi and Yang Fu spent the night on their boat at the ferry in the outer city.
Still sleeping the next day, Huo Erhuai and Yang pushed the deck to the ship early.
"Your mother was worried about you, so she didn't sleep well at night." Huo Erhuai said with a smile as he watched Huo Xi hugging Yang's waist with her eyes still closed.
Yang Fu was half asleep, "What can happen? I can't defend a ship?"
Yang patted him gently: "Am I worried about you? I am worried about Xi'er."
Huo Xi rubbed herself against Yang's body and said in a daze, "Mom, I bought you something good."
"What a good thing." Yang stroked her messy hair.
Yang Fu suddenly woke up, "Yes, sister, I bought you good things too!"
After saying that, he opened the bilge and looked for the gift he bought for Yang.