According to the custom in Hulu Town, Chen Mengsheng was kept by Zang Demu for three months. Xiang Xiaotian, Qi Ying and Lihua Yao Rengui were both newlyweds, and they were so envious of their endless tenderness and affection.
Others. It is July and it is the continuous rainy season in the Yangtze River. The heavy rains in recent days have washed Hulu Town clean, and gradually those unfortunate past events have flowed away to the east of the river with the trickling water...
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Early in the morning, the townspeople on the riverside rowed newly-made bamboo rafts and started their busy day wearing green raincoats. Chen Mengsheng took Shangguan Yanran, Xiang Xiaotian and Qi Ying together to the house of the patriarch Zang Demu.
At home, Zang Demu saw Chen Mengsheng serving tea and pouring water with great enthusiasm. Chen Mengsheng smiled and saluted: "Haha. Patriarch, there is no need to be more polite. We are here to say goodbye to you. Thanks to the patriarch for treating us these days.
Take care of it. Now that the boats and rafts are all ready in the town, we have to continue on our way."
Zang Demu hurriedly said: "Did someone in the town neglect some distinguished guests? Why do we have to leave in a hurry? Our Hulu Town is close to the Yangtze River and is considered a prosperous place. You guys are also the bosses of the town.
Savior, no matter what, you have to stay longer and wait until the rainy season is over. It’s not too late to taste the delicious puffer fish in the Yangtze River before leaving!”
"Haha, Patriarch, Chen Mengsheng can only accept your kindness, but we still have unfinished business with our brothers. If we have another chance to bother you in the future, there is one more thing I would like to ask the Patriarch for help." Chen Mengsheng bowed.
"My benefactor, what are you talking about? If you have anything to do, just give me orders. Although Zang Demu doesn't have much ability, he will do his best to repay my benefactor for his great kindness."
"Uncle Mu is serious. My companions, Miss Lihua and brother Yao Rengui, are not related to each other. The world is so big that I don't know where they can find their home. Therefore, I think the clan leader can take them in so that they don't have to carry them with them."
The two little girls are wandering around again." Chen Mengsheng sighed.
Zang Demu laughed loudly: "What did I think it was? It turned out to be such a trivial matter. My benefactor, you can rest assured. If they want to stay in Hulu Town, I will definitely treat them like members of the same clan. If anyone
If you dare to bully them, I will definitely deal with them according to the clan rules. If one day they feel that the gourd is not used to it, I will follow them wherever they go."
Chen Mengsheng nodded with a smile and said: "With Uncle Mu's words, Chen Mengsheng is relieved. We will take a bamboo raft to Anqing Mansion at dawn tomorrow. The mountains and rivers will not change, and we will have a drink with Uncle Mu someday.
,Uncle Mu, please take care of yourself."
"Since you are busy with something, alas, old man, I can't delay your important event. Well, I will make arrangements right now and send you to Anqing Mansion tomorrow. I dare not express my gratitude for my great kindness, and my benefactor should cherish it more.
.Old man, I will wait for you to come back every day and gather in Hulu Town again..."
Chen Mengsheng thanked Zang Demu. After leaving the house, Chen Mengsheng looked at the surging river and said to Xiang Xiaotian: "Brother is no longer what he used to be. Now that I have a wife and a family, I should spend more time with my sister-in-law. I am going to Chuzhou now.
Not to mention it’s a long way to go, but you don’t know what kind of trouble you might run into? I think it’s better for you, brother..."
"Hey, brother, stop it, stop it. I don't want to hear what you are saying. Your sister-in-law and I are not outsiders. We all know that the journey to Chuzhou Mansion is difficult, and we don't feel at ease if you and the girl go there.
! We brothers are knocking our heads to the ground, and we share blessings and hardships together. Wife, do you think this is the case?" Xiang Xiaotian asked Qi Ying's hand.
Qi Ying smiled slightly and said: "Xiao Tian has told me about this a long time ago. I also think that if there are more of us, we can take care of each other on the walk. The most important thing is that we haven't had your wedding wine yet, Brother Chen.
If you make our sister Yanran feel wronged, we won't agree to it."
Shangguan Yanran blushed and said, "How come this is all happening to me? Senior brother, he is a god with big things happening... I will wait for him."
"Silly sister, you still call him senior brother? This is too foreign. You should call him Meng Sheng or Qingzhu. From now on, when the two big men go out to do big things, we sisters will chat more about our sister.
You won't be lonely anymore." Qi Ying hugged Shangguan and said with a smile.
Shangguan Yanran blushed and said, "Teacher...Meng Sheng, my eldest brother and aunt are all making fun of me."
Chen Mengsheng said sternly: "How could I not know what brother and aunt mean? Yanran, the three lands in the East China Sea are mulberry fields. I can only prove it with my heart..." Shangguan Yanran covered Chen Mengsheng's mouth with a smile, blinking and staring at him with a pretty smile.
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After a long time, Shangguan Yanran pretended to be angry and said: "Who asked you to swear randomly? I'm not afraid of big brother and the others laughing at me."
Xiang Xiaotian raised his head and said: "I didn't see anything. Why does it keep raining? I'm leaving here tomorrow. It's better to go back and tell Miss Lihua that they can settle down in Hulu Town with peace of mind.
It’s better than hearing some disgusting words. Hahaha..."
Early the next morning, all the townspeople in Hulu Town braved the rain and came to the riverside to say goodbye to Chen Mengsheng and the others. The Lihua Girl fell on Yao Rengui's shoulders and cried like a tear, and the three little girls kept shedding tears and waving goodbye to Chen Mengsheng.
..., there are more than ten bamboo rafts moored on the river, and three or four bamboo rafts are connected together with heald ropes. The bamboo rafts are built with cabins pieced together from door panels removed from someone’s vacant house.
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Zang Demu came out of the cabin carrying a jar of wine and a few porcelain cups. He bowed to Chen Mengsheng and said: "My dear, although the bamboo raft is simple, it is the favor of everyone in Hulu Town. All the wooden boats in the town have been destroyed.
Zang Laosan committed evil and burned it, now he can only wrong his benefactor."
Chen Mengsheng smiled and said: "Chief, you are so polite. We are all satisfied to have a bamboo raft to cross the water."
"Haha, I am not boasting about Haikou. As long as there is another half year, Hulu Town will have all the boats and ships. Several benefactors, the old man, on behalf of the people in the town, would like to offer a glass of wine to the four of you." Zang Demu
He pulled out the cork stuffed with red silk cloth on the wine jar, poured the wine and sprinkled it into the river to pray for Chen Mengsheng's safety, and then toasted them with a glass of wine. A dozen bamboo and wooden rafts started beating gongs and drums to see Chen Mengsheng off.
Zanggui took seven or eight men wearing raincoats and boarded the big bamboo raft.
Zang Demu raised his hands and waved, and the people who came to see him off by the river immediately became quiet and listened to Zang Demu shouting: "Dear guest, have a good trip..." The big bamboo raft carried Chen Mengsheng and the others, tapping their pennies lightly and walking along the river.
.Chen Mengsheng bowed his head to see off the people on the river bank. A dozen bamboo rafts saw each other off for a hundred miles before returning to Hulu Town...
The people in Hulu Town had obviously put a lot of effort into the big bamboo raft, and there were several small cabins with thin wooden door panels as the base. Drinks and dry food were all available. The man rowing the bamboo raft wore a raincoat and braved the rain.
Chen Mengsheng knew Zang Gui. Chen Mengsheng was walking on a bamboo raft facing the river and looking into the distance. The rolling water of the Yangtze River was raising mist in the heavy rain. Zang Gui smiled and said: "My dear friend, the wind is high and the waves are fast on the river.
Go back to the cabin. You are no better than those of us who are used to water and rice. If we get wet, we will be guilty. According to the current speed of traveling with the wind, it will take tomorrow evening to reach Qingxi Ferry in Anqing Prefecture.
Woolen cloth."
"Haha, how can I be so delicate? Everyone has been rafting for half a day. Let's go into the cabin to eat something and rest for a while." Chen Mengsheng greeted everyone into the cabin, and Qi Ying was making mud seals in the cabin.
On the small stove, Shangguan Yanran was teaching Shangguan Yanran to cook a pot of fish soup. Xiang Xiaotian wanted to go up and help him, but Qi Ying pushed him away with a smile.
After Chen Mengsheng, Zang Gui and others came in, Xiang Xiaotian took the opportunity. He pressed Zang Gui and sat down and said hurriedly: "Come on, come on, take off your raincoat, let's drink. These days, I've been given to you
I’m so exhausted. Since Anqing Mansion is far away, come here to have a rest.” Qi Ying smiled and served everyone the food...
After drinking and eating, Qi Ying, who had lived in Huizhou for a long time, couldn't bear the long bumps in the river and felt dizzy and a little uncomfortable. Xiang Xiaotian hesitated and said softly: "Brother, why don't you suffer more and put this raft directly on the river?"
Just send it to Anqing Mansion. Your sister-in-law probably can't stand the turbulence of the water. When we went to Yangzhou, weren't you able to push the boat quickly and steadily?"
Shangguan Yanran scratched her face with her fingers and said shyly to Xiang Xiaotian: "Okay. Now that the eldest brother has a sister-in-law, he doesn't care about your brother's hard work. Oh, how pitiful your brother is!" As Shangguan Yanran said this, she exaggeratedly wiped her eyes with her hands to wipe her tears.
of.
Qi Ying said in embarrassment: "I...I'm not in the way. Xiaotian, don't make Brother Chen work hard. Just wait until tomorrow."
Chen Mengsheng stood up and said: "Sister-in-law, please take a rest for a while. With the help of some friends from Hulu Town, we can work together to deliver the bamboo raft to Anqing Mansion before dark." The seven or eight people in the cabin were all shocked.
, there was still one day to go, how could it be reached in less than three hours? But thinking of Chen Mengsheng’s magical powers in Hulu Town, he didn’t say anything more and worked hard to hold up the pennant.
Chen Mengsheng was half-suspended and pushed the hatch with the steps of a thousand feet. The big bamboo raft was like an arrow from the string, sticking to the water of the river and sailing towards Anqing Mansion quickly and steadily. Shangguan Yanran looked at it with a look of astonishment.
Qi Ying said: "Forget it, I'll go help push him too. Don't tire out Meng Sheng." In three months, Shangguan Yanran learned the Taoist techniques given to her by Chen Meng Sheng and achieved some success. She jumped up and was busy with Chen Meng Sheng.
Together we pushed the big bamboo raft...
"Yanran, it's windy and rainy outside, you should go back quickly." Chen Mengsheng said distressedly.
"It's okay. Sister-in-law, you won't feel uncomfortable when we get to Anqing Mansion soon. Leave me alone and let's work hard together." The heavy rain falling in mid-air broke the strings and hit the speeding bamboo raft like a drum...
…
At dusk, the big bamboo raft arrived at the Qingxi Ferry in Anqing Prefecture. Chen Mengsheng said goodbye to Zang Gui and others, got off the raft, and headed straight for the big boat at the ferry. But when the boatman on the big boat heard that Chen Mengsheng and the others were going to Chuzhou Prefecture, they
They all shook their heads. There weren't many boats going out on the water in this windy and rough sea, let alone going to Chuzhou, which was thousands of miles away. There were a few small boatmen who were willing to go, but Chen Mengsheng thought that the boat was bumpy and it was hard to predict. Qi Ying must be
Unable to bear the pain of seasickness, Chen Mengsheng was suddenly in a dilemma...
Shangguan Yanran came over holding an umbrella and said with a smile: "The big boat sent us to Chuzhou Prefecture, and the reward is five hundred taels. This is the deposit." She took out a two hundred taels of silver note in her pretty little hand.
There must be brave men under heavy rewards. A boatman came up with an idea to Chen Mengsheng: "If you want to go to Chuzhou Prefecture, I think it is better for you to go to Yanyulou to find Uncle Su first. His family is one of the top shipowners in Anqing Prefecture.
He is also righteous, only he dares to send you to Chuzhou Mansion..."