As the boat was sailing on the river, Chen Caozhi finished playing a song on his recorder. A strong wind suddenly picked up and the ferry floated downwards, unable to dock at the Fenglin Ferry on the opposite side.
This is a small ferry. On board are Chen Caozhi, Ran Sheng, Zhu Yingtai and two maidservants. Three ox carts are still waiting for the big ferry on the north bank.
A curtain of black clouds generally opened from west to east, covering the sky. The sky suddenly darkened at nearly noon. The small ferry boat surged along the current, rising and falling with the waves. Zhu's second maidservant asked in panic: "The wind is so strong, will it tip over?"
A boat?"
Zhu Yingtai remained calm, but stared at Chen Caozhi with wide eyes.
Chen Caozhi calmly wiped the mouth of Keting's flute, covered it with a green cloth bag, put it in a wooden box, and said: "Don't worry, the ferry was chosen here carefully. This section of the river is wide, the water is gentle, and there are no winds or waves.
As for the rapids, the dense maple forest on the south bank and the towering Qiyun Mountain on the north also play a good role in blocking the wind - sit tight and don't crowd on one side."
The old boatman steered the boat steadily and docked somewhere downstream three or four miles away from Fenglin Ferry. Heavy rain was already pouring down, and all the rain gear was in the oxcart there, so no one could get off the boat.
The old captain recognized Chen Caozhi. Such a handsome young man would be unforgettable for anyone, and said: "Master Chen, don't worry, just wait on the boat. Anyway, you can't go back to the ferry to pick up passengers now - yes
Well, you people from Chenjiawu were waiting at the ferry for Mr. Chen to come back at this time yesterday. You went back just before noon, saying that you would come back today."
Ran Sheng asked hurriedly: "Old man, what does the man who came to pick us up from Chenjiawu look like?"
The old man replied: "One of the oxcart drivers is forty or fifty years old, with a broad face and thick lips. The other has a broken arm and looks a little ferocious -"
"Ha!" Ran Sheng said happily: "Young man, this is Uncle Jing and Uncle Laifu. We are also back in the past few days, so we come to take a look at this time every day."
Zhu Yingtai sat in the stern of the boat, watching the heavy rain falling on the river. The Qiantang River seemed to be boiling, and the current was turbulent. The ink-like black clouds seemed to be pressing down on the river. The water rose and the boat was high. He watched the river overflow.
The huge rock on the river bank——
For some reason, Zhu Yingtai felt at ease in such a rough and lonely boat, with heavy rain and turbulent rivers, and an indescribable, lively and impetuous joy.
"Young gentleman, look, that's Uncle Jing!" Ran Sheng suddenly shouted and came in. Despite the heavy rain, he got out of the cabin and stood on the bow of the ship, waving vigorously.
The broken-armed Jing slave wore a bamboo hat and a raincoat and strode forward with a willow staff. Behind him was an ox cart driven by Laifu. They saw a ferry approaching and was blown to the lower reaches of the river by the wind, so they rushed over to take a look.
But they are really Chen Caozhi and Ran Sheng.
In addition to Laifu and Jing Nu, those who came to greet Chen Caozhi turned out to be Run'er. Run'er was led by Xiao Chan. When he got off the car, Xiao Chan held an umbrella and led Run'er closer.
Run'er's face flushed with joy, and she said in a sharp voice: "Uncle Chou - Uncle Chou - Run'er has received Uncle Chou. Run'er and brother agreed that they would take each other one day at a time. Brother Chou came yesterday. Brother Chou came here yesterday.
I didn’t receive it, but Run’er received Uncle Chou today——”
Ran Sheng had already jumped ashore in the rain. Jing Nu, who had lost his arm, quickly took the bamboo hat on his head and put it on him. Ran Sheng called out "Uncle Jing - Uncle Laifu." Then he strode to Run'er.
, he bowed and said, "Mrs. Run'er is well."
Run'er looked up at the tall Ran Sheng, with a smile in her bright eyes, and said crisply: "How about you, Xiao Sheng."
Ran Sheng said hello to Xiao Chan again, and suddenly a strong wind blew. Xiao Chan couldn't hold the umbrella, and the oil-paper umbrella fluttered up. Ran Sheng jumped up, but failed to catch it. The bamboo-green umbrella floated straight into the river.
go.
Run'er clapped her hands and said: "Wow, it's flying. It's really interesting, really interesting - did Uncle Chou see it?"
The bamboo-green oil-paper umbrella floated over the roof of the ferry, took advantage of the wind and flew for a while, and finally landed on the river, the green point disappearing quickly.
"Brother Zizhong, is that your niece Chen Run'er? Why do you call you Uncle Chou?" Zhu Yingtai asked strangely, looking at Chen Caozhi with his slender and charming eyes.
Chen Caozhi smiled and said: "Of course it's because I'm ugly. Brother Yingtai doesn't know, I'm six ugly."
"Six Ugly!" Zhu Yingtai said with great interest: "Well, which Six Ugly are they?"
Chen Cao said: "I don't know either, my mother took it."
Zhu Yingtai looked carefully at Chen Caozhi's eyebrows, eyes, nose and mouth, and chuckled: "What's so ugly about it? Oh, it turned out to be irony."
Chen Caozhi turned his head and looked at the roaring river.
…
The heavy rain came hard and went away quickly. By the time the three ox carts crossed the river, it was already the first quarter of noon.
The rain stopped, but the road was very muddy. Chen Caozhi and Ran Sheng both took the car. Run'er made sure to ride in the same car with Uncle Chou, so Xiaochan came with him. Chen Caozhi thought of returning home from the heavy snow last year and wearing socks.
Soaked by the snow, Xiaochan hugged his cold feet tightly in her arms to warm them. That warmth and touch are still there to this day——
The bullock cart was driving through the mud. Run'er leaned next to Xiao Chan and stared at Uncle Chou. He kept asking this question and that. Chen Cao answered one by one. He heard that he could go to see his mother the day after tomorrow. Run'er was very happy.
.
When they arrived at Chenjiawu, Chen's mother Li, Zongzhi, the patriarch Chen Xian and other uncles and brothers all came out to greet her. Chen's mother Li smiled and said: "I haven't come back from Laifu for so long. I think I picked you up."
Zhu Yingtai stepped forward to salute Chen's mother, Li. Chen's mother, Li, learned that Zhu Yingtai was her son's classmate and friend, so she naturally welcomed him warmly.
After lunch, Chen Caozhi sat with his mother, looking at his mother's white hair, thinking: "My mother still had gray hair last year, how come her hair has turned all white in just one year!" He asked: "Mom, last year
Have you ever suffered from dizziness again?"
Chen's mother, Mrs. Li, looked at her son with a smile on her face and said happily, "It's okay. Mom is really happy to see you back. Even if you're a little sick, it's fine."
When Chen Caozhi saw his mother say this, he knew that his mother's dizziness had not recovered, so he worriedly said: "Mom, didn't you insist on taking Ge Xianweng's prescription?"
Chen's mother, Mrs. Li, said: "I take it every day. It's much better than last year. Last year, I could only lie down and sit up and my head would spin." She added, "That Mr. Zhu will go back tomorrow."
Shangyu, my son is the master. Don’t underestimate your distinguished guest. Let’s accompany Mr. Zhu to see everywhere. Mingsheng Lake, Jiuyao Mountain—my son’s affairs in Wu County are all known to me. Last time your fourth uncle came back,
I have already told you your story and your letter from home."
Chen's mother, Mrs. Li, did not know that Chen Caozhi had been framed by Chen Liu and made things difficult for her by Yu Xi, which was almost impossible to determine. Chen Caozhi asked his fourth uncle, Chen Xian, not to mention these things to his mother when he returned to Qiantang, so as not to worry her.
Therefore, Chen’s mother, Mrs. Li, only knew that Chen Caozhi was well-known in Wu County and was highly regarded by the prefect Lu——
Chen Cao said: "Well, after dinner I will talk to my mother and play the recorder for her."
Chen's mother, Mrs. Li, said happily: "My mother loves to hear Chou'er play the recorder the most. I heard the sound of your flute in my sleep a few days ago. It seemed like you were playing on the top of Jiuyao Mountain. Even though I was so far away, my mother could still hear it."
Arrive—Okay, you go and accompany the guests first."
Chen Caozhi came to the corridor and heard Run'er's clear laughter in his study, so he walked over. Zhu Yingtai was also in the study, looking through the hundreds of books copied by Chen Caozhi.
The handwriting is perfect and full of energy, with absolutely no slack and few corrections, which shows the seriousness in copying.
Run'er was playing the small harp, which was a New Year's gift from Ding Youwei to her daughter. When Run'er went to visit her mother in Ding's villa in February, Ding Youwei taught her simple fingering techniques, and she practiced it by herself when she came back.
After listening to her playing, he gave her some tips. Run'er admired Uncle Chou's friend Zhu Langjun.
Chen Cao said: "Brother Yingtai, you are going back to Shangyu tomorrow. It is still early today, so I will accompany you to visit Mingsheng Lake. The beauty of Mingsheng Lake is not an exaggeration to say it is a fairyland on earth."
Zhu Yingtai said with joy, "Okay."
Chen Cao said: "Zongzhi and Runer will go together."
The two lovely nephews and nieces laughed happily, and they all said that the ugly uncle was particularly happy when he came back.
Zhu Yingtai looked at the close relationship between the uncle and nephew with a smile. Thinking of her uncle, she felt very moved.
Four oxcarts carried Chen Caozhi, Zhu Yingtai, Zongzhi, Run'er, Xiaochan, Qingzhi and others towards Mingsheng Lake five miles away. When they arrived at the bank of Mingsheng Lake, Zhu Yingtai looked at the blue waves.
With thousands of hectares of Mingsheng Lake, he exclaimed: "I never thought that Qiantang's landscape would be so beautiful. Mingsheng Lake is even more beautiful than Jian Lake in Kuaiji!"
Chen Cao said: "The landscape of Qiantang is like that of Xishi who did not enter the Wu Dynasty. His name is not obvious, but his beauty is free."
Zhu Yingtai said: "Wang Youjun visited Kuaiji and wrote a poem that said, 'Walking up the mountain valley is like swimming in a mirror.' When I traveled to Qiantang, it was like walking in a landscape scroll."
It has cleared up after the rain and the sun is shining brightly. The mountains and trees on the lakeshore are covered with lush greenery. The lake looks green from a distance and seems to be soaked in the mountains, but up close it is still clear and pure, which makes people disappear from all worries.
Zhu Yingtai said: "It's a pity that there are no cruise ships. Otherwise, it would be a great pleasure to go boating on the lake, make tea and talk."
Chen Caozhi smiled and said: "This lake was connected to the East China Sea two hundred years ago and was separated a hundred years ago. There used to be very few fish in the lake. In recent years, there have been more and more fish, but there are still few boats. If Brother Yingtai has time to come here in the future,
I’ll hire a boat to swim on the lake with you.”
Zhu Yingtai said happily: "That's very good." After saying the words, he slowly frowned and said: "It's rare to have such an opportunity to travel again -" When Chen Caozhi asked why, Chen Caozhi was speechless.
At dusk, everyone returned to Chenjiawu. Jiuyao Mountain, which was backed by Wubao, was sitting upright. The afterglow of the setting sun was shining down, and the mountain was covered with golden light, just like a sitting Buddha.
Run'er said: "Uncle Chou, let's climb Jiu Yao Mountain. When Uncle Chou is away, as long as the weather is fine, Run'er and Brother A will be taken by Lai Zhen and Uncle Jing to climb Jiu Yao Mountain every morning and dusk - now
Run'er goes up and down the mountain by himself, and doesn't need anyone to carry him on his back, brother, right?"
Zongzhi nodded vigorously and gave his sister a strong affirmation.
Chen Caozhi said to Zhu Yingtai: "Brother Yingtai is also tired today. I will accompany you to climb Jiuyao Mountain tomorrow morning and then send you on your way."
At night, Zhu Yingtai stayed on the second floor of the west building of Wubao. This was the guest room prepared by Mrs. Chen for guests in the west building. It was very clean. The room of Zhu's second maidservant was right next to it, while the two healthy servants lived in
Bottom layer.
Except for these guest rooms, the second floor is a warehouse, which is very deserted. Zhu Yingtai leaned on the railing and looked at the dark sky above Wubao. He heard Chen Caozhi playing the recorder for his mother upstairs. It was a lively song.
The music was fluent and delicate. Zhu Yingtai had never heard Chen Caozhi play it before. He leaned against the railing and was intoxicated. He thought to himself: "Chen Caozhi's recorder has such a charm that people can't let go of it. But the sound of such a flute is hard to let go."
