The accumulated rainwater has not receded. The simple ditches have been blocked again and again by the silt brought by the washout.
Xu Mu stopped, wiped the long sword in his hand, and then slowly put it back into its sheath. Going back and forth, he had already led the villagers to clean half of the ditch in Dongfang.
The heavy rain that was raging all over the sky showed no sign of stopping.
"I heard that two women fell into the water on North Street of Dongfang and were washed to death within a short time." Chen Sheng, wearing a raincoat, handed over all the news he had gathered.
"After receiving the money for water control, Guanfang took a leave of absence and went to a restaurant in Xifang."
"An old temple man came in from the east gate and started collecting children, two by two."
Xu Mu remained silent, inexplicably remembering the words of Wangzhou official Tian Song.
"This world is dirty and cannot be cleaned."
Holding the sword tightly, Xu Mu suddenly gritted his teeth. At this moment, he wanted to lead the villagers to kill a wave of people, and then escape from Tangjiang City and fall into the trap of being a bandit.
After a long time, Xu Mu spat out the blood in his mouth, then took heavy steps and walked towards the village.
…
May 27th. There are still three days left before the first month wine market.
The rain will stop.
On the huge river, there were soaked river boats, collapsed thatched roofs, bloated domestic animals, and even dead bodies with floating hair... They all looked like they were in trouble and had gone to the next life.
Xu Mu was suddenly in a bad mood. He couldn't take a bite of the blind fish meat that he caught in his mouth.
"My boss, someone fell into the water again!"
Xu Mu hurriedly raised his head, and as far as he could see, he saw a figure rising and falling. The water surface seemed to be covered with springs. He stood on tiptoe and quickly jumped up again.
Before Xu Mu could call the monster brother over, the figure had already flitted in front of Xu Mu, standing slightly on tiptoe with one leg, stepping on a piece of driftwood as big as a palm.
The figure is not swaying and the face is cold.
Xu Mu was startled, and his expression couldn't hide his excitement. Four months and eight days passed, and this was the first time he saw such a master.
"Lend me a boat." The master was finally a little tired, so he put his feet back and jumped onto the wooden bridge in a few steps.
"Repay it within half a day. If there is any damage, we will compensate you twice as much."
Normally, Xu Mu would have generously given it to him, but not today. After eating this bowl of fish head soup, he would take Si Hu and the others to the Hemu Festival downstream to see if he could save the child.
In the current area of the river, except for Xu Mu's four-oared boat, the rest were either pushed ashore or soaked.
The master in front of me is estimated to be in his seventies or eighties. He likes to blow his beard when talking and seems to be difficult to talk to.
"Senior, I need to use the boat later." After hesitating, Xu Mu spoke.
The old man bulged his eyes and muttered, "If you don't want to borrow it, then I'll snatch it."
Xu Mu twitched his mouth and smashed the thick bowl on the ground.
In an instant, more than a dozen big men hurriedly ran from behind. Si Hu, the leader, roared and beat his chest several times.
"A small wine shop owner knows how to raise his talents."
Before Si Hu and others came over, Xu Mu's body was empty and he felt like he was flying up all of a sudden. When he came back to his senses, he didn't know when he had been grabbed onto the boat by the old master.
Then, as if it was equipped with a motor, the four-oared boat moved forward crazily, cutting curtains of water along the way.
"Brother Mu!"
Si Hu took the lead and jumped into the river first. A dozen young men behind him also jumped in one after another.
The old man was a little amused and wandered around shamelessly for two times. When Si Hu and others were tired from swimming, he turned the bow of the boat and sailed steadily downstream.
"Selling wine, what do you do to support a soldier?" The old man was a little angry, raised the scabbard in his hand, and knocked three or four times on Xu Mu's head.
Yangshi, as the name suggests, is a person who nourishes the dead and protects the master.
But these villagers, no matter how dead they are, are all old friends in life and death who treat each other with sincerity.
"You're just from the village?" The old man looked strangely, "Then you, my little boss, are probably a good person. Oh, then I won't hit you."
My head was so swollen.
"I asked you to borrow a boat earlier. If you had been more generous, why would you be here now?"
"To be honest, senior, I also want to use the boat." Xu Mu's face was slightly unhappy, and he finally found out that today is the day to worship the river mother in the lower reaches. If he arrives late, he will not be able to save the child and collect the body in time.
"The flood is still there, why are you taking a boat?"
"Then why are you robbing the boat? Didn't I know how to do Qinggong when I saw you before?"
"The eighteen-year-old cold legs will be useless if they touch the water again." The old man rolled his eyes and looked downstream.
"I heard today that people from the old temple downstream are performing human sacrifices again. I'll go for a walk."
Walk? You should use Qinggong to walk——
Xu Mu suddenly paused and raised his head in surprise, "Senior also wants to save the child?"
"Isn't it possible? Is it possible that I am not born like a good person?"
"Senior, that's not what you meant. I just want to go for a walk downstream."
"Are you going too?"
The old man became a little amused. He smiled for a while, but a faint look of relief suddenly appeared on his wrinkled old face.
"I originally walked more waterways, so I pushed you into the river. You are lucky, I don't want to kill anyone today."
Xu Mu was speechless, and he didn't know whether what the old man said was true or not, but a person who could snatch a boat and save a child would not be too bad no matter what.
"Senior is a hero?"
"Ouch! You finally asked me! I'm dressed in white, Sheng Xue, holding a sword in one hand and a flute in the other, so I am naturally a hero!"
"Senior, do you have a nickname? I heard that every hero has one."
"The Jade-Faced Young Master Zhuge Fan."
"Senior's age is a bit exaggerated."
"You think I'm exaggerating."
The four-oared river boat moved forward along the still slightly turbulent river. After more than an hour, it finally left the tributary of Tangjiang River and entered the surging Daji River.
The hull began to shake violently.
Zhuge Fan stepped on his feet, and soon the whole ship became stable again.
"You stay on the boat later, I'll go for a walk and then come back."
"Senior, do you need help?"
"Can you do Qing Gong?"
"Won't……"
Zhuge Fan rolled his eyes and said, "Then help me! Take care of the boat, or your legs will be broken."
Tsk, old enemies.
Under the sky, above the water.
Zhuge Fan, who had cold legs, was like a fluttering swallow in the blink of an eye. In a short time, he was already hundreds of steps away.
Xu Mu was left with a confused look on his face, eyes wide open. When the river mist covered the figure and he could no longer see the figure clearly, he withdrew his gaze.
Standing on the bow of the ship.
Xu Mu couldn't help but feel excited. Along the way, he had seen too much misery in the world.
Fortunately, there are still heroes in this world.
This old man who wanted to save people and sacrifice their children was a hero. So were the two villagers who wanted to assassinate corrupt officials in the liquor market earlier.
The laws of heaven are unfair, and all creatures are stupid. There should always be some people who dare to defy heaven and protect the last trace of clarity in this world.
"The mountains and rivers are shrouded in mist and rain, and in ten years a dynasty can be cut down with one sword."