It was the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. There was a light breeze, and there was a hint of coolness in the heat. On the winding mountain road, the sound of hooves was crisp. In the dust, three fast horses were galloping.
The horses were panting and spitting out mist from their mouths. They sneezed continuously. Their bodies were covered in dust. It was obvious that they had traveled a long distance. Among the three knights, there were two young men and a burly man. Their clothes and cheeks were covered in dust, and beads of sweat were dripping down their faces, rushing out of the gutters and turning them into a few messy faces.
The Shu Road was difficult. Ever since they entered the Sichuan Plain, the road had been winding around the lofty mountains and precipitous ridges. The so-called official road was only a few small paths cut out halfway up the mountain. It was incomparably narrow, with one side leaning against the precipitous cliff. When one turned his head, he could see the incessant rushing river beneath his feet.
"Brother Lin, look!" The burly man at the front had already dismounted. He looked around and suddenly pointed at the boundary stone on the side of the road and shouted excitedly.
The young man in the middle hurried forward and walked beside the burly man. The boundary stone was old and mottled. Three bright red words could be faintly seen — "Xuzhou Boundary".
Looking down at his feet, the Jinsha River at the Cloud Cliff was rolling with waves, and the Min River from the Snow Mountain flowed ceaselessly. The two rivers converged and gathered here. The water lifted the boulders, and the waves slammed against the table. The huge waves were like the clouds and snow in the sky, whizzing and crashing between the cliffs. In an instant, they turned into an unruly giant dragon, roaring and rolling into the Yangtze River.
"This is Xuzhou?" The young man patted the back of the horse. His black face was full of surprise.
Xuzhou (now Yibin, Sichuan) was located in the south of Sichuan. It was located at the junction of Sichuan, Yunnan and Qian provinces. It was across the Lu River in the east, Jiayang in the west, Zhaotong in the south, and Liang Mountain in the west. The Min River and the Yangtze River surged and converged here. Since ancient times, it had the reputation of "three rivers flowing into Sichuan, one sail to Xuzhou".
The manservant behind him wiped the sweat off his forehead. He took the water bag and pastries from the horse and handed them to the two in front. "Third Brother, Commander Gao. Eat some dry food first! "
From the capital to Sichuan, they had traveled day and night. One could imagine the fatigue and hardship. Third Brother took the pastry and wolfed it down, then gulped down some water. Cold water droplets flowed down his neck and into his chest. He put down his water bag and gazed at the Yangtze River. After a long time, he let out a long sigh. "We've finally arrived at Xuzhou. It wasn't easy! "
"Isn't it not easy?" Commander Gao smiled and said, "We'll set off after the Mid-Autumn Festival. From north to south, from east to west. We've traveled for more than ten days and nights across the four provinces of Beijing, Shandong, Henan, and Hubei. With the three of us working together, we've changed horses no less than 20 times, and we've only reached the Land today. How could it have been easy? "
"It's okay, it's okay. Just treat it as a vacation! "Third Brother chuckled. He looked forward with a gloomy gaze.
The mountain path spiraled around, hanging horizontally in the belly of the mountain as it continued to extend forward. However, it suddenly broke off after traveling for a while. There was no way out.
He took a few more careful looks, but it was still the same. His eyes suddenly widened. His face was full of astonishment. "This is bad. There's no way out! "
There was no way out of Xuzhou?! No one would believe such a thing, but it had really happened! The three of them were so frightened that they didn't dare to bite their steamed buns. They hurriedly led their horses forward.
Just as Third Brother said, they hadn't even advanced two thousand feet when the cliff had already broken off. No matter how they searched, there wasn't even a narrow path in front of them. Looking at the faint green mountains on the opposite side, Commander Gao swallowed his saliva and said angrily, "This is really evil, we can't even see a path! Could it be that this Xuzhou is isolated from the outside world?! "
It was obviously impossible to be isolated from the outside world. Xuzhou had mountains and rivers and hundreds of barbarians. It had been an important town in the southwest since ancient times. How could there be no road to the outside world?
Third Brother frowned and thought hard for a long time. His gaze fell on the surging river and suddenly his eyes lit up. He jumped up excitedly. "Who said there was no road? Isn't this it?! "
Looking in the direction of his finger, the three rivers merged, the waves surging to the sky. The splashes of water hit the cliff and flew all the way to the waist of the mountain. Commander Gao's eyes widened and he said in shock, "Brother Lin, you mean, crossing the river?!"
Brother Lin nodded and said, "Since ancient times, Sichuan and Shu have been 'seven mountains, one river, and two fields'. The land and water roads intersect. If we can't walk on the shore, then we can only travel by boat."
At the intersection of Jianghu, the current was rapid, like a heavenly river. Not to mention a wooden boat, even if a boulder fell, it wouldn't cause a wave. Commander Gao was stunned. "Brother, don't scare me. How can a boat travel in this river?! Even if a boat could travel, which boatman would dare to ferry? "
Yes, who would dare to ferry?! Third Brother sighed and silently shook his head. His brows were tightly knitted together.
"Hey," The manservant behind him looked a few times from afar and suddenly exclaimed, "Third Brother, Third Brother, look, there seems to be a boat in front!"
Before his voice died away, they heard a melodious mountain song:
Hey —
Chrysanthemums bloom on Liang Mountain,
The smell of fresh flowers is sweet,
If you have already spoken,
Don't wait for the flowers to wither in pairs.
From the cliff below their feet, a bamboo raft slowly walked out. There were two people, old and young, each holding a bamboo pole, slowly paddling the water. The song was coming from the boat. The bamboo raft was like a leaf on the wind and waves, moving up and down, swaying unsteadily, but never overturned.
There was really someone paddling a boat across the river, and using such a simple bamboo raft?! Commander Gao's eyes widened, he didn't even dare to breathe loudly.
Third Brother had already jumped up, swung his arm and shouted, "Uncle, uncle, can you give us a lift, we want to cross the river —"
The current was rapid, he had to shout a few times before the people on the boat heard him. The two boatmen turned their heads, it was a well-built old man and a pretty girl. The girl had fair skin and a beautiful face. She was dressed in a green-black slanted blouse and a crepe flower skirt. The collar, cuffs and apron were all inlaid with bamboo threads of five colors, it was a typical Miao woman's attire.
The small boat slowly stopped. The Miao woman turned her head around and took a few glances at them. She exclaimed in surprise, "You are from the Hua family?!"
The young girl's Chinese had a Sichuan accent. It was crisp and sweet, and the few of them felt extremely comfortable listening to it. Third Brother hurriedly nodded, "Yes, yes, we are all from the Hua family! Miss. We have an urgent matter to attend to and need to cross the river. Can you please give us a lift?! "
The young girl turned her head and said to the old man, "Father. These three people from the Hua Family want to cross the river. Should we bring them along? "
The old man shook his head. "The Hua family has always been sinister, it's best not to interact with them as much as possible!"
Third Brother did not understand their Miao language. But the old man from the Miao tribe shook his head. "Miss," he hastily said, "Don't worry. Don't worry. As long as you can ferry us across the river, I'll give you as much as you want! "
Her words infuriated the Miao woman. She fiercely slapped the surface of the water and said angrily in a delicate voice, "Father said that the Hua Clan is sinister and cunning. That's not wrong at all. You talk about money every time you open your mouth. Only the Hua Clan would do that! Helping others and taking money, if this news gets back to the village, the entire nine villages and eighteen docks will laugh at us! "
Her voice was crisp and clear with a pleasant Sichuan accent. She spoke quickly and quickly. The old man from the Miao tribe smiled and nodded, cheering for his daughter! Third Brother's old face blushed. He laughed dryly in embarrassment, "Miss is right. Helping others is the source of happiness. I'm too vulgar. Forgive me, forgive me! That, may I ask if we can board the boat now?! "
His daughter glanced at her father and obtained his consent. Then she nodded and said, "Quickly board the boat. But your horses can only stay on the shore!"
Third Brother nodded. He slapped the horses' backs harshly a few times and released them back into the forest. The three of them then boarded the boat.
That bamboo raft was extremely simple and crude. Once the three of them boarded the boat, it started to sway and sink into the water. Commander Gao and the other two were non-swimmers. They instantly turned pale with fright. Only Third Brother, who called himself the Little White Dragon of the river, sat motionless.
The father and daughter slowly paddled the boat. The bamboo raft was like a piece of leaf, gently drifting towards the opposite shore.
Third Brother was on the boat. The sound of the rushing water rang in his ears. His heart was silent. His body was light as if he was floating on the water. On both sides of the river, the stone walls were towering, the green pines were everywhere, and the cries of beasts and apes were endless. It was dark green and serene. The surging river flowed eastward, spiraling all the way to the sky.
His eyes wandered and fell on the highest cliff. He suddenly exclaimed, "What is that?!"
At the top of the high cliff, hundreds of coffins were hung with ropes. Although they had been there for thousands of years, they did not decay. The Miao woman said softly, "This is the human hanging coffin, the rock burial place of our ancestors!"
This was the hanging coffin?! Third Brother gave a thumbs up and sincerely praised, "I don't know how these coffins were hung up. Amazing, really amazing! In the future, if I can also hang here and look at the green mountains and the flowing river, how happy it would be! "
When the Miao woman heard that he did not talk about money, she did not sound so annoying. She nodded and said softly, "My wish is the same as yours!"
Not only you and me, I'm afraid everyone in the world has the same wish! He sighed and looked at the stone wall carvings on both sides of the river. His eyes were full of envy.
The young girl held the oars with both hands and sang:
Six hundred and seventy people died,
How many can one hundred and eighty be?
Even the emperor has a day to return!
Who can be like the mountain that supports the sky and never fall?
Who can stand forever like the rock wall that blocks the river?
I'm willing to be the water of the East River,
Year after year, it flows straight to the west!
The Miao woman was good at singing and dancing, and the folk song came out of her mouth. This song was elegant and lofty, coinciding with the scene. It was the most provocative. Third Brother looked up at her and said enviously, "Miss, your singing is so beautiful. Do all the girls in the Miao family have such a beautiful voice like yours? "
His father, who was in the water, smiled and said, "Hua family's son, my daughter is a famous lark. I don't know how many 'Mido' like her!"
"Father …" The young girl hurriedly shouted and shyly stamped her feet. The bamboo raft swayed gently and Commander Gao suddenly cried out in fear.
Third Brother was stunned and murmured, "Mido? I have a lot of rice at home too! "
The Miao woman laughed so hard that she was convulsing, "Mido, this is our Miao language. In your Chinese language, it means young lad, not the rice that you eat!"
So it was this kind of 'Mido'. Third Brother laughed and said, "Young lad is' Mido ', so the young lady should be' Mido '? I understand, I understand! "
"Not 'Mido'," the young girl said hurriedly, "In the Miao language, the young lady is called 'Midi'! You, why do you like to act smart?! "
She was anxious and her Sichuan accent came out. Third Brother laughed happily, "I'm 'Mido', you're 'Midi'. You should've said so earlier, I know!"
Hearing his Sichuan accent, both Commander Gao and Third Brother immediately laughed out loud, causing the young girl to blush.
They were both young people and laughed for a while. The estrangement gradually disappeared. Looking at the young girl's sparkling skin and fair wrist, he asked in puzzlement, "Miss, do you specialize in ferrying on this river?!"
The Miao woman heard him calling her 'Miss' and could not help but frown, "You're really not straightforward, I have a name! What's your name? "
Third Brother hurriedly said, "My name is Lin Wanrong. Everyone calls me Lin San and also Third Brother! May I know your name, Miss?! "
The young girl snorted, "Don't call me Miss! My father's name is Bu Yi. I was born by the lotus pond. According to our Miao family's customs, I take my father's name and my birthplace. My name is Yi Lian! "
"Yi Lian?!" Lin Wanrong exclaimed, "This name is too good! God, why didn't I think of such a beautiful name?! The next time I have a daughter, I'll call her Lin Yi Lian! Wonderful. Wonderful! "
He spoke without thinking. Yi Lian blushed and said embarrassedly, "Since you're called Lin San. Then I'll call you Ah San Brother! Ah San Brother, we're not ferrymen — "
Ah San Brother? The muscles on his face immediately twitched, "Yi Lian, can you get rid of the word 'A'? I'm really not worthy of the title Ah San Brother! "
Yi Lian looked at him with a puzzled look, "Then I'll call you Ah Lin Brother. Ah Lin Brother, my father and I are not ferrymen. We are Miao doctors from the stockade. Today, we went up the mountain to pick herbs and met you on the way back! "
As she spoke, the bamboo raft had reached the center of the river. The torrent washed the boat like a fallen leaf floating in the wind. It jolted violently. Gao Qiu and Si De were dizzy and pale. Their bodies had begun to slide on the boat.
Bu Yi's father held the oars with both hands and shouted, "Yi Lian, get the rope!"
Lin Wanrong reacted faster. Before the young girl could react, he had already grabbed the rope on the bow. He staggered to the other side of the bamboo raft and tied the rope with all his strength. Gao Qiu and Si De took the opportunity to hold the rope tightly and stabilized their bodies!
Several big waves hit. The boat rose and fell, sometimes in the air, and sometimes falling to the bottom of the valley! Yi Lian and her father slapped the waves with bamboo poles in their hands, trying their best to maintain the balance of the boat. Beads of sweat rolled down their foreheads. Lin Wanrong grew up by the lake and was good at swimming. He hurriedly took an oar beside him. He slapped the waves together with the two of them.
After an unknown amount of time, the boat finally passed through the waves. Although there were still some ups and downs, it was hundreds of times stronger than before. Gao Qiu and Si De's clothes were soaked. They hugged each other tightly and panted violently.
Bu Yi's father gave Lin Wanrong a thumbs up and praised, "Good job, Hua Family's son!"
Lin Wanrong chuckled and sat down on the boat, panting. The intersection of the Jinsha River, Min River, and Yangtze River was really thrilling!
Yi Lian wiped the water droplets on her face and sat beside him with a smile, "Brother Ah Lin, I didn't expect you to be so good at swimming and rowing. Other Hua family members don't have your ability. Even my father praised you!"
"That's right!" Lin Wanrong panted and revealed his true colors. He said proudly, "I have a nickname that everyone knows. It's called the Big Tiger of the Land and the Little White Dragon of the River. How can it be an undeserved reputation?!"
Yi Lian was a girl from the Miao family. She was straightforward and cute. She looked at him in confusion and said seriously, "Brother Ah Lin, you're so black. It's not right to call you Little White Dragon. It's more appropriate to call you Little Black Dragon or Little Black Dragon!"
Lin Wanrong's cheeks trembled. He gritted his teeth and stammered. He was too embarrassed to speak! Gao Qiu had just caught his breath, but he laughed out loud again!
"Yi Lian, I think the road is cut off at the mountain. How do people usually cross the river? If we can't cross the river, won't our Xuzhou Prefecture be isolated from the outside world?! "Lin Wanrong remembered the dangers of the river. He hurriedly seized the time to ask.
The girl shook her head, "Usually there aren't such big waves. Father and I can easily get through it. Today, it's because of you guys that there's some trouble! Moreover, we Miao people rarely cross the river. The prefectural magistrate doesn't allow it! If someone comes in from the outside, they also need the magistrate's permission before they can send official boats to pick them up! "
The prefectural magistrate's permission? Lin Wanrong snorted. In this Sichuan Prefecture, King Cheng had many disciples. In the past, King Cheng had threatened the lives of the Miao people to force An Biru to seduce Lin San! It was also from that night that Sister An returned to the Miao village out of sadness. Lin Wanrong naturally remembered it clearly!
At this moment, when he heard Yi Lian mention the prefectural magistrate again, he was furious, "Yi Lian, Father Bu Yi, I see that you guys seem to have some resentment towards the Hua family. Did someone bully you?!"
Bu Yi shook his head and didn't speak. Yi Lian said softly, "Father, Brother Ah Lin helped us row the oars. He doesn't look like a bad person. He probably won't report it to the officials, oh?!"
I helped you row the oars so I'm not a bad person? This girl was really cute. Lin Wanrong laughed. He was about to speak when he felt his body become heavy. The boat had reached the shore!
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