Lao Suntou and Lao Wangtou are two boat owners on the Bianshui River. On weekdays, the two old men use their own boats to carry goods and deliver goods for short-distance transport to major port terminals along the river, earning some hard money to spend their days.
, Rizi is not too sad.
A heavy rain fell this evening, and business was naturally no longer possible, so the two old boatmen had a half-day free time, docked the ship near the pier, and cooked a few white fish they had caught at home, and ate them with vegetables.
After cooking a pot, the two of them sat in the canopy of the boat, listening to the storm outside, having a drink, and enjoying themselves.
After a few drinks, Lao Suntou suddenly felt the hull of the boat swaying, as if someone had stepped on the bow, and then the boat awning made two "tuk-tuk" sounds. It was not the sound of wind and rain beating, but someone knocking on the boat awning.
Old Sun stretched out his neck and shouted: "Who is it!"
"Boatman, are you doing business?" the person outside said angrily, his voice muffled by the wind and rain.
"It's so windy and rainy, how can we deliver goods? I'd better wait for the rain to stop before coming back. If your goods get wet, I can't afford it."
Old Suntou got up and was about to open the curtain to speak. Suddenly the curtain was opened, and a gust of wind and rain rushed in from outside the warehouse, immediately wetting half of Old Suntou's face; even if his eyes were opened by the wind and rain,
Even though he didn't open it, Lao Suntou still saw a hand that stretched out. It was a hand holding two ingots of gold. The thick hands and short fingers made the ingots of gold particularly large.
Lao Wangtou also saw the gold ingot, and he also recognized the words on it. It was a crescent moon ingot cast by Kaifeng Prefecture with a price of 12 ingots. It was pure gold and pure red and was completely authentic.
Old Sun opened his mouth wide and was talking when a voice from outside said: "Is these two ingots of gold enough to buy your two boats?"
Lao Suntou was speechless and said: "This...how can my broken boat be worth so much?"
The voice outside looked very impatient and asked: "I just ask you if it is enough. If you think it is too little, just tell me and I will buy your two boats."
Lao Suntou hesitated and said: "Well... this little old man's boat is worn out. If you want to buy a boat, why don't you go to the boat shop at Hexi Wharf to buy a new one? A boat like ours only costs fifty guan. This
Two ingots of gold can buy five ships..."
Lao Wangtou covered Lao Suntou's mouth and said repeatedly: "That's enough, sir, I'll sell you."
The people outside flipped their palms, and two ingots of gold fell on the board of the boat, saying: "Take the gold immediately, leave the boat, go home and go to sleep. Don't look around or meddle in other people's business. When you wake up, go to the Hexi workshop.
Buy a new boat and go about your business."
Before Lao Suntou could ask any more questions, Lao Wangtou grabbed the two ingots of gold and quickly bit them with his teeth, confirming that they were genuine. He dragged Lao Suntou out of the cabin, and the wind and rain came rushing towards him, instantly killing the two of them.
Clothes get wet.
There is a stout man in black standing on the bow of the boat, wearing a raincoat and a bamboo hat, standing with his arms folded. Then look at the forty or fifty men in black standing tall and short on the shore, all holding their bamboo hats low.
Yes, no faces could be seen; the two boatmen didn't dare to stay long, they rolled onto the shore and ran all the way to the road, until they reached Bianhe Street, and then they dared to look back at the river.
I saw that all the dozens of men in black had boarded the boat and got into the cabin, leaving only two people outside holding long poles to row the boat away from the shore and all the way downstream.
Lao Suntou took a breath, wiped the rain from his face and asked Lao Wangtou: "Brother, what is going on? I seem to be dreaming."
Lao Wangtou stuffed a gold ingot into Lao Suntou's hand and said: "Just think of it as a dream. These are twelve gold ingots. They are worth at least more than two hundred gold ingots when converted into copper coins. You almost missed such a good thing. Fortunately, you have missed it." Old man, I’m not confused yet.”
Lao Suntou said: "But, why do I feel a little weird."
Lao Wangtou spat: "What do you want to do more? Let's go to Huitong Bank on Bianhe Street to exchange for copper coins and buy a new boat to make a living. What's left is just enough to marry a wife for our sons. I'm willing to pay a high price." What's so weird about buying and we are willing to sell? Don't think about it, don't cause trouble, it's best to go home and sleep and forget about this matter." The two men shook their heads and disappeared without a trace despite the wind and rain.
The two boats traveled less than a mile down the road when they saw turbid water in front of them. A tributary gathered the rainwater on the bank and rushed into the Bian River. Wang Chao, who was punting the boat, poked his head in and whispered: "Young Master, it should be... This tributary.”
Su Jin opened the curtain and looked around, nodded and said, "Yes, it's right here, can I paddle up there?"
Chao Chao said: "There is a lot of rain and the water is turbulent, but there should be no problem."
Su Jin said: "Go out and help. There are a few bamboo pennies tied to the side of the boat. Use some strength to row on."
Several companions stood up quickly, picked up the idle bamboo pennies, and pushed the boat upstream, passing through the bottom of an arch bridge, and slowly rowed the boat into the river. Another boat followed closely, and the dim light was pouring. The heavy rain made these two boats as invisible as ghosts.
After entering the river, the water flow gradually slowed down, and ancient willows danced along the river on both sides, and there were many high walls. Just outside the backyards of the houses in Socks Lane, there were occasionally a few dilapidated houses mixed in. However, with this weather and this evening, The doors and windows were probably closed, so I must have had dinner early and gone to bed.
After swimming for two or three miles, two small boats slowly stopped outside an unusually tall wall, which was the high wall in the Xia family's backyard. Wang Chao looked up and clicked his tongue unconsciously. He turned back to the warehouse and said to Su Jin: "Young Master Master, I'm afraid I can't climb up this wall, it's covered in moss, and there's no eaves on the top, so even if there's a grappling hook, I can't grab it."
Su Jin said softly: "Don't touch the wall. Touching the wall will leave traces. Even the rain can't cover up the traces of trampled moss. There are many big trees in the Xia family's backyard. Take a look to see if there are any branches hanging out of the wall. You can get in from the tree by climbing up the trunk."
Wang Chao agreed and led a few people to slowly row the boat along the wall. The sky was getting darker and darker, and his eyes could no longer see clearly. Although it was difficult to identify, it also gave the two boats a better disguise. .
Finally, after walking hundreds of steps, Wang Dynasty found a large branch growing out of the tree with a dark crown. He didn't know what kind of tree it was. Wang Dynasty took out the grappling rope and stood on the boat and threw it up several times. Because the height was too high, he didn't even touch the edge of the branches, so he murmured curses angrily.
Su Jin looked around, and suddenly his eyes lit up. He pointed at an ancient slanting willow and said softly: "Climb this tree and you will be at least seven or eight feet taller. Don't throw hooks and ropes when it's dark. It won't hook you." It's a bad thing if it's firm. I tied it up with a few bamboo poles and hung it directly on a tree branch, so I should be able to get it."
The emperor immediately took action and ordered his people to splice the four bamboo poles together, hang the hook on the top of the bamboo pole, climb up the willow tree, and slowly stretch the bamboo pole upwards. The four arm-thick bamboo poles were spliced to an astonishing height, but they were also
It was extremely difficult to control. Wang Dynasty used his arm strength and held his breath to stretch the bamboo pole up inch by inch. The bamboo pole swayed upward until it touched the trunk and made a slight sound. Wang Dynasty could no longer support it, and the bamboo pole broke from it.
A loud sound fell on the river. Fortunately, the surrounding rain and wind were noisy, so the sound was not too harsh.
Fortunately, although the bamboo pole was broken, the hook was still hanging somewhere on the branch of the tree, and it was not clear whether it was secure or not.
Ma Han volunteered: "I can climb quickly, so I'll go up first."
Su Jin said softly: "Be careful. After climbing the tree, tie the hook more securely. Also, pay attention to the movement inside. It is said that there are vicious dogs, so don't alert the vicious dogs."
Mahan nodded, rubbed his palms, stretched out his hand to test the firmness of the rope, and then jumped up into the air like a nimble ape. Everyone looked up with bated breath, and saw Mahan climbing higher and higher.
The faster he got, and just when he was about to reach the top, he heard a loud 'pop' sound. Su Jin secretly screamed, and saw that the tree trunk hooked by the rope suddenly broke, and a dark branch fell down.
Han's body also fell.
Everyone exclaimed, and saw Mahan suddenly stretching out his arm. His arm seemed to suddenly have an extra length and suddenly caught the end of the broken tree trunk. He dug his fingers into the trunk and exerted force, turning his toes upwards. In the blink of an eye, he was already dead.
Sitting steadily on the tree trunk.
Zhang Long and Zhao Hu also caught the fallen branch to prevent it from overturning the boat.
Su Jin applauded, "Ma Han is not a fool, he really has two brushes, his skills are very good, and what's even more rare is that he can react immediately when faced with danger."
Mahan took a few breaths, his heart pounding, and he fumbled to tie the rope to a thicker branch. At the same time, he looked into the yard. It was dark inside, and he saw nothing and no sound.
, so he stretched out his hand and shook the rope a few times to indicate that it was safe.
Su Jin waved his hand and said: "Leave two to guard the ship, and the rest can get on board quickly!"
One by one, everyone climbed up the treetops on the rope, and then retracted the rope and hung it on the branches. At the other end, Mahan had already lowered the rope and slid into the backyard of Xia Mansion.