In the middle of the river, the wind is strong and the waves are high.
The biting cold wind rolled in through the curtains, mixed with snow foam, and blew the smoke all over the room.
When Shen Yan first raised his eyes, he found that the dull sky was filled with a bright color for no apparent reason.
The passenger ship was bumping in the water. At this time, the boatman walked into the inner cabin with an apologetic look.
"Several guests, there was a sudden strong wind on the river. I'm afraid the boat can no longer be launched. We have to temporarily park at the dock and wait for the wind to pass before we can continue sailing."
"How long do we have to wait?" Shen Yanchu asked.
"It's impossible to say for sure. It could be as short as a few hours or as long as two or three days."
However, Liu Ruyan asked: "It is normal for rivers to have waves, so why do they suddenly have to stop?"
"The guests don't know." The boatman pointed to the colorful flags planted on the bow of the ship. "The wind is blowing from the southwest. The sky in the distance is dark, but the sky near is as bright as fish scales. This is a sign that a snowstorm is coming. We stay on the river all year round, so we have the ability to rely on the sky for food."
Shen Yanchu knew that she was on her way and couldn't wait too long. He whispered: "If there is a snowstorm and we can't walk by water, we might as well choose another road."
Liu Ruyan responded "Yes" and secretly asked the system: "Yexun, if we temporarily change the route at this time, how long will it take?"
"One day." The young man said, and a map appeared in the void.
It only lasts for one day. If we take a boat, we don’t know how long it will take for the snow to stop.
She looked at the boatman and said, "Why don't you wait until the wind and snow stop and ask the boatman to take us ashore?"
"Okay, guest."
"By the way, I wonder if there are pens and ink on the ship that I can lend to me," she asked.
The boatman nodded repeatedly: "Of course there is some, let's get it right away."
Although the passenger boat was not as good as the painting boat, the scenery on both sides of the Yongding River was unique. When he was out on the boat, he would often meet some talented people and writers, so he would prepare some pen and ink for people to write lyrics.
When the pen and ink came to her, she held the pen with her bare hands and did not compose any words. She just slowly drew a few winding lines and lightly hooked the pen tip, which turned out to be a magnificent picture of mountains and rivers.
As Shen Yanchu approached, he saw that the mountain and river map was not as freehand as a painting, but it was more elegant and neat. The buildings, markets, waterways, and mountain roads were all clearly visible.
Liu Ruyan examined the picture, and finally wrote the words "Wulu Villa" next to a mountain peak. Fang Er raised her head and said to him: "This picture is for you."
"Give it to me?" He frowned.
She pointed to a river: "This is the passenger ship we are on. Walk along the mountain road, pass through the market, and then go north for two hundred miles to the foot of Wulu Mountain."
After the ink dried, she folded the drawing and handed it to him: "The memory you are looking for is in Wulu Villa."
"So, are you planning to part ways with me?" Shen Yanchu stood with his hands behind his back and did not take the picture.
She lowered her neck and put the ink-scented paper into his hand: "Wulu Mountain is where you should go. There is the answer you want to find."
"You want me to leave?" Shen Yanchu closed his long eyelashes slightly, tightened his palms, and stopped looking at her, "That's good!"
He passed her, stepped out of the cabin, and stood alone on the bow.
The cold wind howled, and the long gown decorated with fox fur swayed with the wind, and the white snow fell down, turning into mist around him.
When the boat approached the dock, Shen Yanchu suddenly jumped to the water and landed firmly on the other side amidst the boatman's exclamation.
Bai Zhi leaned in the cabin, watching his silently leaving figure, and then asked Xiang Liu Ruyan: "What are your plans for the future?"
She packed her luggage together and took one last look at the sky: "Before the storm comes, stop a carriage and take the official road instead."
Bai Zhi nodded: "I'll go with you."
The wind on the river became louder and louder, and the water waves lapped at the river beach rapidly.
When the ship docked, Liu Ruyan stepped onto the snow-covered land.
In front of her, two roads were like a watershed, one hidden in the mountains and forests, and the other leading to the snowfields.
In the forest, Shen Yanchu suddenly stopped and turned around, looking in the direction he came from. He could still vaguely hear the sound of water coming from the river.
Outside the forest, Bai Zhi stood in the middle of the road: "Which way should we go?"
"Go south." Liu Ruyan said, walking towards the vast snowfield.
On the other side, Shen Yanchu turned around indifferently and gradually disappeared to the north.
The wind and snow became more and more severe, and pedestrians on the road bundled up in their clothes and hurried home one after another.
Liu Ruyan and Bai Zhi walked quickly to a tea shop, shaking off the snow flakes from their bodies.
She breathed out white air, and the tip of her straight nose was red from the cold, but she had to brave the wind and snow to spy on the passing caravans along the way.
At this time, the New Year is approaching, and many people who are out on business are rushing home one after another.
If you are lucky, you may encounter a carriage supplying water and food outside the tea shop.
She asked people when she saw them, and with their reputation as Medicine Fairy, many caravans were willing to give them a ride.
but……
"You two are rushing to Fucheng. What a coincidence. We are going to Bingzhou next. Otherwise, Lang Jun will wait for other caravans." A man driving the car said.
She and Bai Zhi asked several people in succession, but all returned without success.
"It's getting late now. I'll ask the waiter to prepare some food." Bai Zhi said to her.
"Go ahead, I'll stay here and wait."
"But now the wind is blowing and the snow is blowing, so waiting like this is not an option." He consoled him kindly.
Liu Ruyan raised her lips and smiled: "It doesn't matter, I'll wait and see."
Bai Zhi sighed, borrowed an umbrella from the clerk, opened it, and protected her from the wind and snow: "I'll wait with you."
Liu Ruyan said nothing more. She put her hands in her sleeves and looked through the goose-feather-like snow to the dark line between heaven and earth.
The tea shop is simple and simple, with only a few tables and chairs. The heavy curtains cannot hide the severe cold of winter, and the two oil paper lanterns flicker on and off in the wind.
"嘘嘚嘚——"
A carriage was approaching. The driver was sitting in front of the carriage, wearing a bamboo hat to protect the snow from the snow.
This carriage is different from other caravans. The horses pulling the carriage have majestic eyes, thick bodies, and strong limbs. They are actually two purebred horses from outside the Great Wall.
Liu Ruyan has been in and out of the military camp since she was a child, and she can recognize it at a glance. This horse is not afraid of the cold, does not frighten, and is extremely brave in the battlefield. It has always been used as a military horse.
People who can use military horses to pull carts are definitely not ordinary merchants.
She calmed down and looked at the slowly approaching carriage. The driver was wearing a bamboo hat and his face was unreal. When he got closer to the tea shop, the driver jumped down and his skills were extraordinary.
The driver held a cowhide water bag and glanced sideways at Liu Ruyan who was blocking the tea shop: "What are you doing?"
Liu Ruyan immediately raised her smile and her gesture was quite sincere. She crossed her hands and saluted the man: "Brother, we are traveling doctors. We passed by here and happened to encounter this kind of terrible weather. Now, We don’t even have a place to stay, so I wonder if my eldest brother can be convenient and give us a ride.”
The man glanced at her: "Where do you want to go?"
Liu Ruyan laughed loudly: "Brother, you are really happy. We both want to go to Jincheng."
Under the bamboo hat, the man's expression changed and returned to normal.
He chuckled and said, "Jincheng is far away, and it will be difficult to take you on the road."
"I just dropped us off halfway, but I don't dare to bother my eldest brother," she said.
"Why are you going to Jincheng, little brother?"
Liu Ruyan smiled shyly: "I heard that there is a valley outside the city where there are many beautiful flowers and plants. I want to pick some herbs."
But the man walked around her, uncorked the bottle, handed it to the oncoming waiter, and said without looking back: "The New Year is approaching, little brother, you'd better go home quickly."
Liu Ruyan looked anxious and chased after him in a few steps: "Brother, please help me. It's convenient. Look at this man. He is the medicine fairy named Bai Zhi who can cure diseases. His nickname is 'Yan Bu Shou'."
Bai Zhi made a fist with her hand and coughed lightly on her lips, thinking to herself when she would get another title.
The man stood still and looked at Bai Zhi: "Are you two really doctors?"
"Still a disciple of Yaowang Valley!" She held up the tiger support hanging around Bai Zhi's waist and made a ringing sound.
The man stopped talking, looked at the carved window in the carriage, and called in a low voice: "Mr. Sir?"
Liu Ruyan also turned around to look, and saw that the carriage was completely silent, and the people sitting inside did not move at all.
Suddenly, there was a soft sound inside, and the person inside spoke quietly, separated by several layers of curtains.
"Your Excellency, you should find someone else. Jincheng, we are not in the same boat."
Liu Ruyan looked slightly startled, then slowly said: "Sorry for bothering you."
The coachman retrieved the water bag from the tea shop, lifted up his skirt and sat in front of the coach. He waved his horsewhip and drove slowly past Liu Ruyan and Bai Zhi, and galloped away into the distance.
He looked at the tea shop that had turned into small dots at the back, and finally asked: "Just now, I saw that the tiger brace worn by the man in green shirt is indeed the symbol of Yaowang Valley. Why don't you let him show you his body?" Besides, we are also heading to Jincheng on this trip."
Separated by a door, the carriage is covered with fine and soft ferret fur, and the blue luminous pearls give off a soft halo.
The man was half-leaning on the couch, dressed in plain cloth as blue as water, which reminded people of a small southern town in the early morning after the rain.
His voice was calm: "It's useless, it's just an old problem."
The coachman was silent for a moment, and then continued: "My subordinates have sent people to Liujiazhuang to take action. You only need to wait quietly in the city."
He nodded: "How is the current situation in Dali?"
"My subordinates have given instructions in accordance with Lang Jun's wishes. Within three days, sooner or later, the palace will discover that the prince's identity is different. By then, the Dali government will be in danger."
After hearing this, he said to the coachman: "I will find a way to take the body of the false prince out of the palace. I have my own use."