Early the next morning, Nie Jiangsheng woke Nie Li up. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Nie Li wanted to stay in bed. However, when he thought of his promise with his father, he sat up, put on his clothes, and used the spring water that Nie Jiangsheng had prepared to wash his face.
Walking in the dense forest, the morning breeze brushed past every tree. The freshness of the soil and the coldness of the thin mist made people's expressions shake. Drops of dew dripped from the bamboo leaves onto the bluestone pavement. Nie Li stepped on the wet pavement and jumped up and down. Behind him, Nie Jiangsheng's eyes didn't leave Nie Li for even a moment.
Looking at the boat by the river, no matter how the river water flowed, it remained motionless. Nie Li strode forward and jumped onto the boat. Nie Jiangsheng also walked to the front of the boat. With a push, Nie Jiangsheng jumped, flipped in the air, and landed on the front of the boat.
Nie Li saw the boat drifting casually in the river. Thinking that his father usually used bamboo to complete the important task of ferrying people, he picked up the bamboo beside him. His small body looked incomparably small under the thin bamboo. His legs staggered, swaying left and right. Seeing that he was about to fall, Nie Jiangsheng made his move.
Hugging Nie Li horizontally, Huo Yuhao carried him in his arms. "Be careful, this bamboo is too long. You can't move it." Nie Jiangsheng smiled and patted Nie Li's little head. Finished speaking, he put Nie Li down and took out a wooden paddle from the canopy. This was something that he had prepared for Nie Li early in the morning.
Taking the paddle from his father, Nie Li happily fiddled with it a few times. However, compared to Nie Jiangsheng, Nie Li's paddle was not very useful in ferrying people. Early in the morning, outside Gusu City, there were already people on the shore. They were all people who had woken up early to make a living in the city.
"Uncle Nie, you're early!" A young man saw Nie Jiangsheng from afar and shouted while waving his hand. When he walked closer, he saw that his face was ordinary, his skin was dark, and his body was sturdy. With one look, one could tell that he worked for a long time. He carried a bamboo basket on his back. Inside it were the things that he was going to sell today.
"Goudan! Although I'm old, my hearing is not bad. You should lower your voice. "Nie Jiangsheng said. He met these people day and night, so they were somewhat familiar with each other.
"Uncle Nie, outside, call me by my full name, Li Shu." The man who was called Goudan by Nie Jiangsheng blushed and prepared to board the boat.
Nie Jiangsheng steered the boat so that Li Shu could safely board. This was also the reason why Nie Jiangsheng was respected by these people. His boat was stable, making people feel incomparably at ease.
"Hello, Uncle Li." Li Shu also gave a simple greeting. Everyone knew that Nie Jiangsheng's son didn't like to talk.
After waiting for Li Shu to settle down, Nie Jiangsheng let a few more people onto the boat until it was full. If it was any other boatman, how would they dare to do this? The Immortal Overlooking River's current was already huge and dangerous. If it carried so many people, it would be like an old man hanging himself.
However, Nie Jiangsheng's words made everyone feel at ease. His level was obvious to all. When the boat was full, Nie Jiangsheng used the wormwood to turn the bow of the boat around. The boat and the people were like flowing water, calm and peaceful.
After several times, Nie Jiangsheng carried all the people on the shore across. Looking at the morning fog gradually thinning, the towering city wall shone with a thick light under the morning light.
"Father, why do you only charge a little every time you cross the river? I see that other people charge us a boat's worth of money for one person." Nie Li curiously asked. He didn't understand why his father always did this kind of thankless job.
"The river's water flows away, the years grow white hair. A wormwood crossing the river, all sent to the people. Being a boatman is not necessarily for money, as long as there is enough money. I'm a boatman to ferry people, to help them cross this insurmountable obstacle. Do your best! "Nie Jiangsheng continued to hold the wormwood in his hand, looked back at his son and said.
How could Nie Li understand the deep meaning of these words? But he has to say, these words of Nie Jiangsheng have been planting a seed in Nie Li's heart, waiting for one day to take root and grow.
There was nothing to do for the day, so Nie Jiangsheng only taught his son some ferry tips. When the sky darkened, Nie Jiangsheng would bring Nie Li home. But today was a little different. Nie Jiangsheng brought Nie Li into Gusu City. Although Nie Li had been to Gusu City many times, every time he came here, he would have a different feeling.
There were many shops on both sides of the street, and the sound of hawking could be heard. The blue bricks and stone tiles had the unique charm of Jiangnan, elegant and graceful. There was a dazzling array of goods, and each of them brought a different impact to Nie Li.
Nie Li looked around, drooling as he stared at the candied haws, or standing in front of the pastry shop for a while. Nie Jiangsheng doted on him very much, so he bought a candied haw and gave it to Nie Li.
They walked to a tailor shop, a very ordinary shop. But for the past few years, ever since Nie Li could remember, in his memories, Nie Jiangsheng would always come here on this day every year.
"Dafu, I'm here to get something." Nie Jiangsheng strode in and said to the shop owner, who was facing the door. He was wearing a silky satin, had an ordinary appearance, and a few strands of beard at the corner of his mouth. Seeing Nie Jiangsheng, he wasn't surprised. Instead, he looked like an old friend and said, "Big brother Nie, you're here!"
"I'll go get it for you." After saying that, the shop owner walked to the back of the room. After a moment, he came out with two parcels and handed them to Nie Jiangsheng. Nie Jiangsheng took out the silver and handed it to the shop owner. The shop owner didn't count it and directly put it in his pocket.
"Big brother Nie, it's been so many years. You should come out now. Not to mention anything else, for this brat, you have to continue. "Wang Dafu whispered in Nie Jiangsheng's ear. Obviously, he didn't want Nie Jiangsheng to hear it.
"It's been so many years. Now that I have this brat to accompany me, it's pretty good." Nie Jiangsheng waved his hand and refused. Seeing that Nie Jiangsheng still had the same excuse, Wang Dafu didn't say anything else.
Nie Jiangsheng carried the parcels on his back and brought Nie Li to a winery. In Gusu City, most of the buildings were as elegant and beautiful as the land. They weren't that majestic. It was like a lonely woman in a drizzle.
Perhaps it was because there weren't many customers during the day, but after Nie Li pushed open the door, a strong aroma of wine assaulted his nostrils. It mixed with the freshness of the soil behind him, giving Nie Li a different feeling.
Nie Jiangsheng walked straight to the counter. Under the dim light, the old table didn't seem that obvious. Nie Jiangsheng left behind a piece of silver and took the wine jug from the counter.
"Father, I've been here so many times, but why haven't I seen the shop owner?" Nie Li saw that his father was about to turn around and leave. He wanted to follow. "Brat, I've only seen the shop owner a few decades ago. Who knows who he is now."
"However, this promise won't be changed because of people. Deep feelings, short lives. The sun and the moon are the same, rising in the east and setting in the west. "
He bought some things from the shop here and some desserts from the shop there. Every year at this time, he and his father would buy a lot of things. Then, they would go home early.
After returning to their home in the depths of the bamboo forest, Nie Jiangsheng would settle Nie Li down and then go out with the things he bought. No one knew where he was going. Nie Li wanted to chase after him several times, but he didn't. The expression in his father's eyes was something he had never seen before. It was pain, struggle, and hope.
Every day at this time, Nie Li would sit in front of the window and watch Nie Jiangsheng disappear into the green bamboo forest. Looking at the towering bamboo forest around him, there weren't many traces of the summer here. The breeze rustled, and a bone-chilling cold drilled into his body.
"Sitting alone in the dim yellow river, playing the zither and whistling. Deep in the forest, people don't know, the bright moon shines. " Nie Li looked at the gradually darkening sky and recited a poem by the great poet Wang Fuwei. The cold moonlight shone on the bamboo cypress. Nie Li picked up the bamboo flute hanging on the wall and began to play. The ethereal sound of the flute echoed in the depths of the bamboo forest. These songs were all learned by Nie Li from Nie Jiangsheng. Perhaps it was because he didn't have the experience, or perhaps it was because he was still young and not skilled enough. He always felt that his flute sound had the joy and innocence of a child, which made the sorrowful flute sound somewhat wonderful.
Nie Jiangsheng carried a big package and walked as if he was flying. The mountain road under his feet was not easy to walk on, and it was even more dangerous in the dark. Ordinary people didn't dare to set foot on it, but Nie Jiangsheng walked quickly and walked to an inconspicuous place. There was a small bump there, and a stone tablet stood on it.
The smooth surface of the tablet was like a mirror, and there were no engravings on it. Nie Jiangsheng opened the package. Inside, there were gorgeous clothes, some rouge, and jewelry. He carefully placed the things in front of the stone tablet.
He took out a pot of wine and two cups, filled them to the brim, and then poured one cup on the ground in front of the tablet and drank the other cup himself.
"Yu 'er, 25 years. It's really like a dream. Today I brought your favorite food. I don't know if you're tired of it after so many years. "
"Nie Li and I live very well. Although he is not my biological child, I don't know why I took him in. Maybe it's because he is very similar to our child! If it wasn't for that, our grandson would be as old as him now. "
"He is very smart. He loves to play the flute with me. Although he is only five years old, he can play all kinds of songs. He will definitely be a romantic in the future."
"But I am most afraid that he wants to learn martial arts from me, but I promised his mother to let him live a peaceful life. But now martial arts is prevalent, and fate is full of misfortune. How can I change it alone? Yu 'er, what should I do? "
Nie Jiangsheng's head was leaning against the stone tablet. His scattered hair covered his face. The sound of the flute was faintly discernible. "Drip, drip, drip." Hot tears dripped from his eyes, drop by drop, into the wine cup.
As if thinking of something, Nie Jiangsheng took three steps back. His right hand gathered strength and slapped the ground. "Bang", the soil in front of him exploded, and a wooden box flew out. He bent his five fingers and stretched out his hand. A red long knife appeared in his hand. The blood-red knife flashed with a strange brilliance in the dark night. The blade flashed with a sharp edge like the Grim Reaper under the moonlight, and as sad as the sound of the flute.
His right hand moved like lightning. For a moment, the world was full of knife light and whistling wind. In the blink of an eye, the ground and trees were in a mess, full of knife marks of different depths and sizes.
The knife in his hand danced faster and faster. It was as fast as the omnipresent darkness. Only a touch of light appeared and disappeared.
After half a cup of tea's time, Nie Jiangsheng stopped the movement of his hand, gasping for breath. His right arm trembled slightly as he put the knife back into the wooden box and buried it in the soil again.
"Song and dance are like water flowing through the clouds and the moon. Knife light and sword shadow solve karma. Playing the flute, hiding the knife, the wordless stele, tears flow in the deep bamboo mountain. "
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