Sword comes

At Yefu Pass on the border of Dali, the gates of the city were wide open, and the few light cavalry stationed in the city chose the rare night march. Although there were no more than a thousand cavalry, when the neat horses trampled on the ground, the earth was still shaken. The dense and rapid sound of beating drums makes people's blood boil.

Beside the post road, a military general reined in his horse and stopped beside him, with a solemn expression on his face.

A young lieutenant with a scar on his face rushed to the horse, and after slowing down, he stood side by side with the general and asked softly: "General Han, what is the purpose of this trip to the north? I have a vast territory north of Dali Yefuguan. How could there be a large group of horse thieves? Besides, even if they appear, it will not be our cavalry army's turn to go out, right?"

The general with a stocky figure said in a low voice, "If you shouldn't ask, don't ask."

The young cavalry general grinned, and really stopped asking.

The general of the Yefuguan cavalry army hesitated for a moment, probably because he was also a little uncomfortable. After thinking about it, he whispered: "Not only our soldiers and horses in Yefuguan, but also all the pass military towns on the southern border. Nearly half of the main field light cavalry has been drawn out, and they will all be dispatched tonight."

The young cavalry general was stunned for a moment, "The four-year round of spring search, summer seedlings, autumn, and winter hunting? But the time is wrong. We only participated in the spring search last year. Even if there is such a large-scale martial arts performance this year, it should be in the Summer is right."

The chief general subconsciously touched the soft mane of the horse under his crotch, and said: "After arriving at the temporary station, the imperial military department will issue the next order, so we don't have to think about it."

----

More than 200 miles to the west of Hongzhu Town, in the upper reaches of the vast Xiuhua River, there is a small lonely mountain in the middle of the water, which is called Mantou Mountain by the local people. There is a lonely earth temple on the mountain. Seeking for a child will make a child, and seeking wealth will lead to wealth. It is well-known far and near, and it is a place where literati and poets must go boating.But the local people almost never come here to worship and burn incense.

The night in late spring is chilling and cold, the river is rolling away, the waves are splashing, and it can be seen faintly. There is a three-foot-long blue carp in the river, swimming quickly from the shore to Xiaogushan. The strange thing is that sitting on the back is a red dress The boy, no more than palm height, tightly grasped the two whiskers of the green carp with both hands, like a knight holding the rein, the little boy rose and fell with the carp and the river, was soaked, pale, swearing, cursing.

The green carp swam to the bank, stopped suddenly, and threw Zhu Yitongzi directly to the bank. The little guy rolled a series of rolls, with a disheveled face, and yelled at the big blue carp that was dangling in the river and returned to the other bank, "Go up the beam!" If you're not right, your master is a bitch..."

Li Yu suddenly turned around and stared at Zhu Yi boy on the bank. The latter was so frightened that he was so frightened, he said that good men don't fight with women, and ran quickly to the earth temple.

The gate of the small temple was not yet closed, so the little guy managed to climb over the threshold, turned over and landed on the ground, looked up at the funny statue with badly peeled paint, put his hips on his hips and shouted angrily: "Master almost drowned in the river, why don't you hurry up and kneel down!" Commander?! Believe it or not, the uncle punished you for a crime of disrespect, and clicked your head?"

slam.

The boy in Zhu Yi was kicked out of the earth temple by someone's foot as a stone.

A man with five short stature sat on the threshold, cursing and saying: "You are a young incense boy who was born in this ruined temple, how dare you call yourself a master with me?"

Not a family, do not enter the door.

The boy in red clothes ran all the way back panting, struggled to climb up the threshold and sat there, grinning his teeth and looking sad.

The man frowned and asked, "What is it?"

The little guy muttered, "I'm a little hungry."

The man raised his arm as if to hit him, but the boy in Zhu Yi hugged his head and shouted, "I just overheard the news from the Town God's Pavilion in the city, saying that the imperial court's Ministry of Rites and Qin Tianjian issued two secret decrees. It is required that all the gods of mountains and rivers in the thousands of miles around Hongzhu Town stand by on the spot, must not leave their posts without authorization, must not retreat, and must be there on call. I didn't send you the news, but with your lazy temper, you have borrowed a knife to kill people... Oh, I forgot that you are not human..."

The little guy was slapped and fell into the earth temple this time.

The man stood up, looked towards the direction of Hongzhu Town, with a solemn expression, and did not forget to remind: "There is some food left for you in the incense burner, remember to save some food."

"You have a bit of a conscience. I really don't know how you messed up. In a state, the poor bastard who has served in the Earth Temple for the longest time and has a bad relationship with his colleagues is fine. Even those shrimp soldiers and crab generals in the Xiuhua River dare not Putting you in the eye, why am I so unlucky to be born in your stove? Sigh, I should find a better stove to reincarnate in my next life..." Zhu Yitong kept complaining, but it didn't delay his familiarity. He climbed up the incense table familiarly, and plunged into the brass incense burner with seven or eight sticks of incense scattered here and there.

----

On the way back to Pillow Station, Cheng Sheng found the child beside him, gnashing his teeth and sighing, as if he was making a life-and-death decision.

Li Huai finally stopped, and summoned up his courage to ask: "Old Cheng, I have thirty cents on me, can I go to the previous bookstore to buy a book? How much is the cheapest book there? Can I give it to you?" What do I have left?"

The man who was called Lao Cheng was a little dumbfounded, and after thinking about it, he seriously replied: "It's difficult. The books in that shop are recognized as uneconomical in Hongzhu Town. If it's not for scholars who like to collect rare books, no one will go there. Buy books over there. If you really want to buy books, I know that there are two big bookstores in the east, which have Confucian classics, anthologies of philosophers, and novels of ghosts, and I can help you bargain there."

The stubborn child shook his head and said, "No, it has to be the bookstore just now!"

These are all the surplus food that Li Huai secretly saved, most of it was stolen from his uncle's house, and the lesser half was his sister Li Liu's private money.

In the bookstore before, the poor guy who wore straw sandals all year round didn’t buy a broken book worth nearly ten taels of silver without slapping his face to make himself fat, nor did he refuse on the spot, unwilling to spend so much money for him .

Instead, ask him if he will read the book.

This surprised Li Huai.Although he said he would read it at the time, in fact, after buying it, he would read it of course, just flipping through it to pass the time. Li Huai actually didn't have much interest in this "Broken Water Cliff".

But when someone is willing to pay ten taels of silver for himself, Li Huai feels very happy.

Li Huai is not stupid.Whether others treat him well or badly, the child knows it well.

A pair of straw sandals, a bookcase that has not yet been built, and this book "The Big Cliff of Broken Water", owed so much to others, so Li Huai felt that if he didn't do something for Chen Ping'an, he would feel sorry and panicked.

In fact, Li Huai didn't like Zhu Lu, and even Lin Shouyi, who shared weal and woe, didn't like it very much. On the contrary, Li Baoping, who often bullied him in school, thought it was pretty good.

Li Huai likes A Liang the most.

As for the pauper from Mud Bottle Lane, Li Huai was a little afraid of him.

At this moment, Yicheng Chengsheng looked down at the serious child, thinking that he was worthy of the so-called immortal qualifications of that guy, and some things were really blessed to the soul. He held back his smile, thinking that he could help the child by just going with the flow, Maybe it will lead to a big incense love.Being kind to others, being kind to a thousand ordinary masters, is far inferior to forming a good relationship with a fairy. This is what he has seen and heard with his own eyes, and it is absolutely true.

Cheng Sheng took the child to the alley between the two streets. The young shopkeeper was sitting on the threshold looking at them with a smile on his face, as if he was waiting for their arrival.

At this moment, at the other end of the alley, a stooped old man carrying a lantern walked in, walking towards Li Huai and the two of them.

The young son got up slowly, and waved his hand towards Yicheng Chengsheng, "The bookstore is closed today, and I will bring this kid here to buy books later."

Cheng Sheng pulled Li Huai without saying a word, turned around and left.

After confirming that the two of them had left the alley, the elegant and elegant young son no longer saw the tranquility and leisure before, showing a little respectful and awkward, cupped his fists and said softly: "Okinawa Jiang Li Jin, I pay my respects to Mr. Doctor."

With one hand behind his back and a lantern in the other, the white-haired old man nodded, and went straight across the threshold of the bookstore, followed by the young man who turned sideways to let out the way. The old man inserted the handle of the lantern into the lower end of the book on the high wall of the book , turned to look at the young man with a crown-like face, and said with emotion: "40 years ago, when we first met, you had such a face. When we see you now, you are still the same. You are so envious of others."

The young man held his folding fan tightly and said with a smile: "For us aliens, it is a great blessing to be born as a human being."

The old man nodded and did not refute.

The young man asked curiously: "Is it the arrangement of adults that those people can live in the pillow station?"

The old man was silent.

The young man wisely stopped asking.

He opened this small bookstore a hundred years ago, looked at the world with a cold eye, saw a lot of sophistication and turmoil in the officialdom, and was no stranger to the officialdom of Dali. If he wanted to free up so many A and B post houses in the pillow post, there should be about six books. The servant's ability is outstanding, of course, except for the three doctors.In the Dali imperial court, under the Minister of the Six Departments of the Yamen, the doctor was the chief officer of each department, and Yuanwailang was the deputy, from the fifth grade.The official positions of Lang Zhong and Yuanwai Lang are not obvious, but there are three Lang Zhong with great power beyond imagination.

These are the Department of Examination of the Ministry of Officials, the Department of Military Selection of the Ministry of War, and the Department of Officials of the Ministry of Rites.

A promotion investigation for a local official in charge of all four ranks or lower in the dynasty.

One is in charge of screening and reviewing the promotion of warriors for the dynasty's military, and especially holds the power to recruit people from the rivers and lakes.

A person who is in charge of a country's sacrificial ceremonies, and the king often asks for advice from this person. This low-ranking civil servant is often born in a Confucian school or academy.

The unremarkable old man in front of him was one of them.

40 years ago, Li Jin, as the owner of this bookstore, once presented two classics to a poor scholar who went to Beijing to take the exam. Unexpectedly, the poor scholar was promoted all the way and became the priest of Dali Rites. The doctor, noble and powerful.But for Li Jin, who is not in the temple and far away in the rivers and lakes, there is another meaning of offering sacrifices to the officials of the Ministry of Rites. It is this small yamen. God's selection and assessment, although not the final power of appointment, has the crucial right of recommendation.

Li Jin learned from the officials and merchants who passed by Hongzhu Town that after learning that the old man took this position, he sent several letters, all of which were muddy cows, and there was no news.

For a hundred years, the "young man" with the pseudonym Li Jin has worked hard to seek the position of the God of River Water in Okinawa.

The old man suddenly said: "You should know the reason why Okinawa River did not set up the position of Jiang God, so I just pretended that I didn't see the letter you quietly sent to my house. Powerless."

The young man smiled bitterly, nodded and said: "Understood. As long as His Majesty does not nod, I am afraid that it will be useless for the Minister of Rites to speak."

The old man smiled and stared at the young man in front of him. Every two or thirty years, this person would change his appearance. The old man squinted his eyes and said, "But now there is an opportunity in front of you, it depends on whether you dare to fight for it. "

The young man didn't show any excitement, and asked instead: "I heard that in Longquan County, which was once the Lizhu Cave, Emperor Dali conferred a God of Longxu River and a River God of Tie Fu. Piyun Mountain, Diandeng Mountain and Luopo Mountain each conferred a mountain god, and gave three mountains and two rivers at one time, a total of five seats. This has already used up a lot of the emperor's family. Quota?"

The old man smiled and said: "Don't worry, it's not a conspiracy against you. To put it bluntly, you still don't want me to do it myself."

The young man became a little angry from embarrassment, and then he looked helpless and stopped talking.

The old man restrained his smile and said: "With Hongzhu Town as the center, within a radius of thousands of miles, all the gods of mountains and rivers granted by the Dali court, as well as the alternate lands and river mothers, all need to be on standby in the near future, and are ready to participate in a siege at any time. In addition, a large number of elite cavalry troops were deployed in the southern border town including Dali Yefuguan, and countless scouts and scouts were dispatched. As for you, Li Jin, if it weren't for the love of donating the book back then, I will never tell you this news. With you or without you, it makes no difference."

Li Jin was so shocked, "In the territory of Dali, what are you doing with such a big battle? What are you trying to suppress?"

The old man said bluntly, "Alone."

Li Jin looked into the old man's eyes, and asked slowly, "My lord, what do you need me to do?"

The old man smiled and said: "It's a small thing that I can do, I just need to help keep an eye on a man who just arrived in Hongzhu Town, because I know that you have managed very well in Hongzhu Town more than two hundred years after you walked out of the Okinawa River. Chenghuang and the others are more familiar with the waterways, and more familiar with the troubles of the town than the two gods of the river, and if there are no mistakes in the records of the capital, you have a few rare Qingming fish from ancient books, which are most suitable for small-scale investigation and delivery information."

Li Jin's face was not very good-looking.

The old man said sarcastically: "Relax, it is true that the Qingming fish comes once in a hundred years, but I'm not so low-spirited as to make money."

Li Jin laughed at himself and said, "It's me who treats the belly of a gentleman with the heart of a villain."

He immediately asked, "Who is that person?"

The old man replied slowly: "A man wearing a hat, with a small silver gourd pinned to his waist, is accompanied by a group of children. Those children come from the former Lizhu Cave, and now Longquan County. Not yet known."

Li Jin was dumbfounded, "That man came to my shop before."

The old man's eyes are like lightning.

Li Jin said cautiously: "It's just a coincidence."

The old man waved his hand and warned: "It doesn't matter. From now on, remember not to show your feet. Even if you have no success, it is better than doing it. If you accidentally startle the snake because of your negligence, you don't have to worry, because you must have already done it at that time." If you are dead, if that person doesn’t kill you, I will do it myself.”

"But if this thing is done, I can't guarantee that you will become Okinawa Jiangshen, but I can let His Majesty the Emperor remember your name first."

Li Jin laughed at himself: "Does this mean Jane is in the emperor's heart?"

The old man stopped flipping through the books, turned around and asked, "Why, don't you want to?"

Li Jin laughed and said: "Wealth and wealth are sought in insurance, not to mention that I don't need to be personally involved in the battle, a business that can make a profit without losing money, done it!"

He snapped his fingers, and two small fish with extremely slender tails appeared near his shoulders. They had the same spirit as him, and what the fish's eyes saw was what Li Jin's eyes could see.

They flicked their long tails and disappeared in an instant.

Before the old man left, he smiled and said with emotion: "The books in your shop are still so expensive."

It was only at this moment that Li Jin felt that the old man had a bit of the demeanor of the young poor man back then.

The old man took back the lantern and left the shop.

The old man walked out of the alley, and at the corner stood a burly man with his arms crossed over his chest. The two walked side by side.

The old man said casually: "Actually, the hunting has reached this point, even if Li Jin suddenly loses his mind and runs to that man named A Liang and tells all the truth, it doesn't matter."

The man said angrily: "In the final analysis, should he return the book gift?"

The old man smiled and narrowed his eyes, showing a bit of conceit, and said softly: "The favor I owe is worth some money."

----

Zhu Lu said that he wanted to eat candied haws. Although Zhu He was a little curious about why his daughter suddenly fell in love with sweets, this request was nothing at all, so he took the girl to find a stall.

In the end, the father and daughter really found it. There was a hawker carrying a large bunch of candied haws, walking through the streets and alleys, shouting loudly.

Zhu He didn't like this thing, Zhu Lu bought three skewers at one go, Zhu He was a little puzzled, the girl smiled and said that she would eat one skewer, and the other two skewers could be given to Miss and Chen Pingan.

The girl also said that she wanted to apologize to the boy tonight, so that she could feel at ease by saying sorry to him.

Zhu He felt relieved, and was extremely happy.

The father and daughter returned to the station and learned that Chen Pingan and Li Baoping had returned to the pillow station.

Zhu Lu hadn't finished eating a bunch of candied haws, so he picked the yard behind the first-class post house, and asked his father to help him send a message to Chen Pingan, saying that he would meet Chen Pingan here.

Zhu He strode away, a little amused in his heart, this girl is too thin-skinned, she just bowed her head to admit her mistake, there is no shame in it.

Not long after, the straw-shoe boy appeared at the other end of the painted corridor. After seeing the red deer sitting on the bench at the other end, the boy quickened his pace slightly.

Fifteen or six candied haws were scattered on the bench beside the girl.

The girl smiled and stood up, with her hands behind her back, her posture seemed delicate.

She walked towards the boy.