Republic of China: Guandong Ginseng King

Chapter 16 Four People

Everyone stayed in Hulutao for another day. The gang in front finally gathered all the driftwood and re-arranged them in the river bay.

After the river channel was cleared, Shui Laowu led a group of wooden handles and continued to move forward.

The stopping point was quite close to the gourd cover, and the raft entered the main flow with great difficulty.

With the lesson learned from the previous gang, everyone controlled the raft carefully and managed to pass the big bend.

After passing Hulutao, you are very close to Maoer Mountain City.

Not far away on the river bank, there were a number of women dressed in red and green. They were standing with their feet up, looking upstream, waving pink and green handkerchiefs and shouting to the people on the raft.

"Brother, come and help me. The wine is heated up, the kang is ready, and the warm bed is waiting for you.

I will accompany you to drink some wine and rest for a night to relieve my fatigue."

If Cui Fugui had not been cheated, the captains on the platoon would definitely not be able to control themselves when they saw these women, and would have cried out for help and asked for help to rest.

But Cui Fugui's experience gave everyone a big blow.

Who would dare to have any evil thoughts at this moment? At this moment, no one said a word.

"Let's go. Let's not rest at Maoer Mountain anymore. Let's run to the next row of huts." said Shui Laowu.

When they stopped at Hulutao, Qu Shaoyang took his men to buy a lot of food and vegetables, enough to last for three or two days, as they still had to hurry on their journey.

The raft drifted downstream with no intention of stopping. The women on the river bank were disappointed when they saw this.

There was a brave woman who started singing on the shore.

"Azalea, blooming red flowers. My sister is only eighteen this year. She called me to come ashore. Why did my brother ignore her?"

The woman's singing was so beautiful and touching that the men on the raft felt their hearts come alive again.

"Who can sing? Compete with her."

"Erzhao, Erzhao sings beautifully, come and sing a couplet with her." Everyone cheered.

When Li Changliang, the second rower, heard this, he didn't hesitate, cleared his throat and continued singing.

"Little sister, listen to me, it's not that I don't want to pick flowers, it's just that I don't have money in my pocket and I'm weak, I'm just afraid that you will laugh at me."

As soon as these words were spoken, the women on the river bank all burst into laughter.

After the raft passed Maoer Mountain and went forward about ten miles, we saw a rock rising from the ground on the river bank.

The steep stone cliff must be about five or six meters high. On the top of the cliff stands an ancient pine tree with branches spreading out and swaying gracefully.

"The Wangjiang Tower is ahead. Hit the boat to the left when the cat's teeth are biting." The foreman shouted loudly before the raft got close.

Rafting people usually divide the Yalu River into several sections.

The first section is from the foot of Widow Mountain to Tadian (Changbai), with a total length of 180 miles. This is the upper reaches, where the river is narrow and the water is shallow.

The second section is from Tadian to Wangjiang Tower in Maoer Mountain (Linjiang), which is 540 miles long.

The third section runs from Wangjiang Tower to Guanmenlazi, with a total length of 360 miles, and the fourth section runs from Guanmenlazi to Andong, with a total length of 500 miles.

The old platoon set out in early April, passing dozens of checkpoints of varying sizes along the way.

The water was shallow in the upper reaches, and the process was slow. In addition, the weather delayed the journey. It took more than 20 days to travel from Kalami River Bay to Wangjiang Tower, a total distance of more than 700 miles.

It is still more than 800 miles from Wangjiang Tower to downstream. Fortunately, the river is gradually widening and the water is high, making it easier to travel than upstream.

According to this distance, it will probably take another twenty or so days for Lao Pai to reach Andong.

As long as the raft arrives at Andong smoothly, the goods are delivered to the counter, and the raft pay is calculated, the rafting trip will be over. When the time comes, I will take the money and go to the best restaurant in Andong City to eat a meal of sea cucumber stewed with pig's trotters.

Then go to the theater to listen to a play, make some laughing fruits from the flower stand, and have a good time for a few days.

Thinking of this, the boatmen felt full of energy, so they moved the oars with force to control the raft to always move in the main stream.

The raft passed Wangjiang Tower, followed by Dalizigou, Dabaishao, Xiaolizigou, and then there was a gourd-shaped peninsula in front.

"There is a small gourd trap ahead, be careful, follow it and don't panic." The water crow gave an advance warning.

The river before and after Maoer Mountain is winding with many big bends, especially gourd-shaped peninsulas, of which there are several.

The one you passed before should be called the Big Gourd Trap, the one in front is called the Small Gourd Trap, and if you walk a little further forward, there is another place called the Lower Gourd Trap.

The Xiaohulutao River is a sharp bend with a sandbar in the middle of the river. The river water is divided into two streams with fast currents, making it difficult to get across.

"The catfish is biting, look carefully for water in and out, and take the left side of the river." The water crow was calm and shouted loudly.

While rowing, Qu Shaoyang jumped back and forth between several rafts, delivering messages at any time. Wherever he was needed, he would just jump over when someone called him.

Everyone worked together to pass the Xiaohulutao, and then the raft docked at a place called Sirenba to rest.

"Tie all the stupid ropes tightly and put a few more stakes. This place is a windy place and it is easy for strong winds to blow at night."

When the raft stopped at the shore, Shui Lao Crow gave specific instructions.

Following the foreman's instructions, everyone smashed the wooden pegs that tied the ropes on the shore.

He went to the woods again and cut some wooden stakes as thick as arms, sharpened one end, and hammered them into the rocky beach surrounding the raft.

It's strange that the weather was fine when the train stopped in the evening, but a strong wind started to blow before midnight.

The wind caused sand and rocks to fly, and the sky and earth changed color. The raft was also swayed from side to side by the strong wind, making a creaking sound.

Who could sleep in such weather? All the woodcutters stared with their eyes wide open, and spent the night in fear.

After waiting for a long time until dawn, the wind finally stopped, and the foreman quickly took people to check the condition of the raft.

Fortunately, we were well prepared when we stopped the raft yesterday, and the raft was not blown away by the strong wind.

"This place is so damn weird. How can there be such a strong wind?" Someone couldn't help but mutter while eating.

"This night was terrible. I didn't dare to close my eyes. The wind was howling like ghosts and wolves. It was scary."

"I heard from Lao Muba that strong winds didn't blow often here before.

One year, for some unknown reason, a strong wind suddenly blew up at night, and dozens of rafts gathered there were all blown away by the wind overnight.

Because of this incident, several people were beaten to death on the counter, and from then on, there were often strong winds in this place at night. "

Zhao Da Kui leaned close to Qu Shaoyang and whispered mysteriously.

"It's not as weird as you say. The water here is suddenly wide and there are few obstructions. It's a wind vent.

It’s windy in the spring, so it’s normal to have wind.”

Qu Shaoyang was amused by Zhao Da Kui's words. This guy was talking nonsense every day and believed in everything.

"Look at you, why don't you believe me? This has been going on for years.

That’s what Lao Mu told me when I first went to the class.” Zhao Dagui muttered as he ate rice.

(End of this chapter)