There was a slanting wind and drizzle, and the waves of the Han River hit both sides of the river, causing some splashes and scattered spots to soak the embankments.
A large number of fishing boats rowed carefully on the Han River, loaded with large quantities of fish, lining up and sailing to the dock.
Rain mixed with sweat flowed on their skinny backs. They wore hats and shorts, their frowns slowly relaxed, and they sang loudly from time to time.
There are also large ships carrying a large amount of supplies, coming to Xiangyang, rushing back and forth, and the fishing boats can only avoid them.
The drizzle was like silk, making the whole world seem to be immersed in heavy fog, and the vision began to blur.
Different from hundreds of fishing boats competing for the current, many small awning boats are only engaged in the business of crossing the river. On the turbulent Han River, the awning boats move slowly.
Pedestrians and merchants like this kind of boat the most.
For about ten dollars, you can cross the river, and if you are lucky, the boatman will catch a big fish and you can have a hearty meal of fat fish soup.
"Boatman, do you want to charter the boat?"
The old man tilted his head to collect the fishing nets and shouted to his daughter to wipe the awning. At this time, more than a dozen people came over.
They were all tall and round-waisted, carrying a knife, headed by a gentleman, who looked extremely handsome and had a friendly smile on his face.
A wealthy family.
He sighed in his heart, with a smile on his face: "This gentleman can do it. If you just charter the boat, you can get two coins."
"OK!"
Lang Jun nodded and smiled at the girl in short clothes beside him. The latter's face turned red and she immediately entered the boat.
Chen Dong took out two coins from his pocket.
The old man tilted his head and took out a small scale to weigh it, then put it away with a smile on his face:
"Mr. Lang came at the right time. He just caught the fat-headed fish and made soup to drink. It was very beautiful."
"Drink tea!" The crude tea was served, and the girl looked at him a little shyly, but also a little boldly.
"Thank you!" Zhu Yixi, who rarely experienced this folk custom, nodded and said with a smile.
The girl wore a ponytail and rolled up her arms and trouser legs, revealing her wheat-colored skin. Her facial features were regular, her eyes were extraordinarily bright, her small breasts were bulging, and she was filled with the aura of youth.
"You guys can drink too!"
Zhu Yixi said to the guards who crowded the ship.
At random, the awning boat started to move.
There is a small stove in the middle, which is filled with firewood to keep warm and boil water on rainy days.
After a while, the girl held up the oar.
At the corner of the boat, Lao Ziantou brought a large basin of fish soup. It seemed that he had made a profit today. He made an exception and sprinkled some salt on it, exuding a different kind of fragrance.
The milky white soup, softened fish meat, and some unknown wild vegetables make up a delicious dish without any seasoning.
Zhu Yixi couldn't help but taste a little and praised: "Fresh, true and beautiful——"
"The boatman is really good at his craftsmanship."
"That's right!" The old man tilted his head and glanced sideways. His daughter peeked at her from time to time. He sighed in his heart and said:
"This fat-headed fish weighs almost ten kilograms and is very fresh. I caught it this morning and couldn't bear to eat it. I didn't have the heart to kill it until I met Mr. Lang."
"good!"
Although Zhu Yixi knew that he had beautified a lot, she was still a little happy: "Chen Dong, bring the wine bag."
After saying that, he directly took the bowl, poured two glasses, and said: "I can't eat your fish for free. This wine is good, you should try it too."
The old man tilted his head happily, picked up the bowl, took a sip slowly, and sighed: "Good wine, really good wine."
As he spoke, he squinted his eyes and slowly sipped his lips.
"Take a big gulp, I've got this bag."
Zhu Yixi shook his head, shook the wine bag, and said with a smile.
"Hehe!" The old man tilted his head in embarrassment and drank in one gulp: "It's so happy, it's so happy. I haven't been so happy for a long time."
As he spoke, he wiped his chin and said with emotion: "The last time this happened was during the Tianqi Year."
Zhu Yixi smiled and filled him up again.
He followed the wine with his eyes and saw another large bowl. He tilted his head and said anxiously: "Mr. Lang, this is not good. Alcohol is expensive, so you can't let me delay it."
"It's okay, just drink!" Zhu Yixi shook his head and said, "I don't understand something. Before I left Xiangyang, there were not many people in the whole city. How long has passed, it seems that the city has changed."
"Actually, this is all thanks to King Hanyang."
The old man tilted his head and squinted his eyes, sighing softly: "We got grain from other places, and we also said that we would allocate wasteland and exempt grain taxes this year. All the folks in the deep mountains and old forests came out."
"I also returned to my old business, repairing and managing this ancestral boat to make a living."
"Don't tell me, there are so many businessmen coming and going, I can maintain my job."
Zhu Yixi nodded and sighed: "It seems that this King of Hanyang is also a good person!"
"That's right!" The old man tilted his head and said loudly: "I haven't seen such peaceful days for a long time."
As he spoke, he squinted his eyes and said with a smile: "A bucket of rice is only fifty dollars now. Good times are really coming."
Seeing that he was a little drunk, Zhu Yixi smiled and stopped talking. Looking at the hazy river surface, she felt instantly relaxed and happy.
The water waves beat against the boat, and he vaguely saw many fishing boats, shouting at him from time to time:
"Lang Jun, fresh river fish are very cheap, two cents a pound -"
"My mandarin fish is still fresh!"
"Do you want to eat river pigs (finless porpoises)?"
The fishermen are full of enthusiasm and yearning for life.
Zhu Yixi was filled with emotions.
This is in sharp contrast to the ghost land in Henan.
But equally, if it weren't for him, how long would it take for Xiangyang to return to such a scene?
In troubled times, to protect a piece of heaven and earth, a paradise, his battles these days are not without meaning.
"Here we are, Mr. Lang!"
The old man tilted his head and shouted.
"good!"
Zhu Yixi got out of the boat and landed. The pier was crowded with people, and there was a dazzling array of catches and wild products, which were full of popularity.
"Mr. Lang, your wine——"
The old man tilted his head and looked back. The chair was full of wine bags, and he couldn't help shouting.
"gave it to you."
Zhu Yixi waved her hands and walked away.
"Dad, he's gone!" the ponytailed daughter asked, her face full of melancholy.
"This is not what you should be thinking about!" The old man tilted his head and said seriously: "It seems that I have to find a husband for you. It's unreasonable to show up every day."
Putting aside these remarks for now, Zhu Yixi entered Xiangyang City and only noticed that the scenery changed drastically.
The once empty city was now at least half filled with people, and the streets and alleys were noisy.
“Xiangyang City is really good!”
Arriving directly at the Military and Political Department, Zhu Yixi sighed.
Zhao Shu immediately welcomed him in and said excitedly: "After Jingzhou was captured, not only food from Jiangxi was transported, but food from Lingnan was also transported."
"With the money of Prince Xiang's Mansion, food will come to everyone. As long as the price of food stabilizes, all industries will naturally prosper."
“Agriculture is the foundation of all industries!”
Zhu Yixi said with emotion: "But we have abolished those exorbitant taxes and lightened the burden, especially the three rates, so that we can bring together the people."