"There was a heavy thunderstorm last night. I don't know which big family in Heihe County did something wrong to make God so angry."
Xia Tou came to the Soudou House early in the morning and brought two eggs for Bai Qi to eat for breakfast.
"My mother said that you worked hard in practicing, so she cooked it specially. There were four of them in total. My father divided them with you... I didn't even have to eat them. Alas, my mother doesn't love me anymore."
Bai Qigang finished brushing his teeth with a willow branch, then raised his head and drank some water:
"Thank you to Aunt Zhou for me, I'll just eat one egg.
I'll go to Dongshi later and buy two drawers of meat buns.
I eat a lot lately and I always get hungry easily. "
The shrimp head held the hard-boiled egg, thinking that he wanted to share it with himself:
"Ah Qi, you are still loyal enough and remember your brother..."
Bai Qi shook his head and joked:
"What are you thinking about? What's left for my brother is none of your business."
The shrimp's head and shoulders instantly slumped, with a pitiful expression of being deceived:
"Ah Qi!"
Bai Qi stopped teasing his friend and waved his hand generously:
"Poached eggs are not as good as greasy meat! Let me prepare a pot of stewed mutton for you and pair it with freshly steamed steamed buns. Once you taste it, you will know how delicious it is!"
Listening to this description, Xia Tou was so greedy that his mouth watered:
"Let's go quickly. I just heard from my father that Brother Sanshui of Dongshi Shop is going to be promoted to manager.
Arrive early and say a few auspicious words, and you will be rewarded if you fail to save everything! "
His family only gets some meat and fish during festivals and festivals.
Dishes like beef and mutton are rarely seen.
Bai Qi peeled off the egg shell, took two whole bites and swallowed it:
"What's the rush? When my brother washes up, I'll take him to an early market to buy some cotton-padded clothes.
It's almost winter, so we must dress warmly. "
A look of envy flashed through Xia Tou's eyes:
"Ah Qi, I'm so lucky to be your brother.
I have never seen the eldest sister and the second sister...I have almost forgotten what they look like. "
When he was very young, his two older sisters were sold into slavery.
The eldest sister works as a maid in the home of a wealthy family in the county, while the second sister works as a cook in the firewood market.
At most, I send some loose money every year, so I can't even think about visiting relatives and going home.
After signing the deed of sale, everything is dominated by the employer, so there is no personal freedom at all.
"When you become successful, you can redeem your eldest and second sister's lives."
Bai Qi patted Xiantou on the shoulder to encourage him:
"You came to Songshan Gate the day before yesterday and offered you tea.
How did you learn the martial arts of boxing and kicking? "
Speaking of this, Xia Tou looked like a scumbag when someone asked him about his test scores, with a grimace on his face:
"When we first started, Senior Brother Cao only taught us stances and moves. It was too difficult, Ah Qi.
You have to memorize formulas, remember movements, get scolded if your posture is wrong, and sit on the horse for an hour every day... Apprentices whose families have money can afford to buy bone-strengthening meal and make faster progress.
I am stupid and have barely practiced the pile skills correctly these days, but I am still far from being proficient in the moves. "
Bai Qi understands Xiatou's pain very well. This is why ordinary people with mediocre qualifications have difficulty learning.
In many places, you have to think about it seven or eight times before you can understand the meaning.
The little energy I had was quickly consumed in this boring process.
Over time, I completely lost my will to work hard.
Liang Sanshui is an example.
I felt that my talent was too low, and I felt that practicing kung fu and martial arts was just a waste of time, so I had no choice but to give up.
"Senior Brother Cao said that only if you can learn Zhuang Kung Fu and be proficient in the moves in three months, you are worthy of staying.
Ah Qi, I seem to be unable to master the 'Iron Crotch Kung Fu'.
I obviously practiced hard every day, but there was no progress. "
The shrimp lowered his head, a little frustrated.
He used to work as a waiter on the dock, and his perception of the gaps between people was not clear enough.
Until I visited the martial arts hall and met the common people living in the outer city.
Only then did I realize that in addition to family background, talent is also a huge gap that separates the upper and lower.
"When you take a break, come and practice with me. In fact, Zhuang Kung Fu is not difficult.
Mainly in the waist, hips and lower body, the body should not be too tight.
Standing in a living position will not make you tired and you will feel comfortable, but standing in a dead position will have no effect..."
Bai Qi gave a few casual instructions, and each time he made some progress in the skills reflected in the nameless ink scroll, he had related insights.
"Ah Qi, you explained it so clearly! Senior Brother Cao knows how to recite formulas without explaining the meaning to us.
What's the meaning of 'the space is properly arranged like a bow, and the large shape is full and round'... It almost made me think about it. "
Xia Tou's eyes were bright, full of admiration and admiration for a bad student looking up to a top student.
"Brother, let's go."
Bai Qi untied the sampan and called his brother Bai Ming to come up.
He picked up a long pole, carried a few people, and headed straight for Dongshi along the current.
It rained heavily all night yesterday, and the Blackwater River swelled to a large extent, making it look turbid and yellow, with many fallen branches and leaves floating in it.
Shops in the East Market usually open at around midnight, and by the time Bai Qi and others docked, it was already around midnight.
Piles of laborers and fishermen on the dock were all attracted to the public notice board.
There is a young man who holds a gong and strikes it twice every once in a while, reciting the text of the notice loudly:
"It turned out that Chen Ze, the steward of Dongshi Shop, fell into the water and died. The owner thought of his merits and rewarded him with a hundred taels of silver, so that his two sons would not have to go to school..."
Hearing this, the fishermen clapped their hands and praised He Dashan for his warm-heartedness.
Everyone knows that Chen Laizi was snatched away by a demon fish while drinking flower wine, but he still received a pension.
It shows that the owner is kind.
"The principal, Liang Sanshui, is very effective in his work and was specially promoted to fill the vacancy in management!"
Boom!
Boom, boom, boom!
The man picked up the gavel and struck the gong in succession, emphasizing the last sentence.
"Brother Sanshui is in charge? That's great!"
"Fortunately it's not Yang Quan, he's very cruel!"
"Brother Shui is indeed a kind man..."
The fishermen were also happy, with happy faces.
In their eyes, Yang Quan is no different from the Living King of Hell.
Originally, fishermen did not get a harvest every day when they got out of their boats and went down the river.
Occasionally, it is common to owe money to a shop on credit.
But Yang Quan regarded it as a way to lend money, and the interest rate was as high as that of a gambling stall, doubling it in three to five days.
Who can withstand this!
I don’t know how many fishermen were forced to sell their sampans because they could not repay their debts, and then sold themselves into hard labor in fish pens.
"Brother Shui specifically explained that the ghost-striped fish that was said to be offered as a donation was written off, so everyone just pretended that it didn't happen.
Those who submit the number will be exempted from booth commission for three months. "
The man struck the gong again, causing everyone to cheer.
This time he was sincere and there was absolutely no casual intention to flatter him.
Only one man, as thin as a stick, suddenly covered his face and burst into tears.
"Because Shuanzi couldn't afford the ghost-striped fish, Yang Quan used it as an excuse to treat his mother-in-law... Alas!"
A familiar neighbor explained.
"What a crime! Yang Quan, the man who killed a thousand swords!"
"How come the thunder that was so loud last night didn't kill him!"
"We can't beat him with our lives, so let Shuanzi be more open-minded and live a good life in the future..."
The high mood of the fishermen suddenly fell down again.
The death of the rabbit and the sadness of the fox are inevitable.
Shuanzi's fate is just a microcosm of thousands of fishermen in the Blackwater River.
When the atmosphere was slightly gloomy, the mournful music of gongs and drums suddenly came from far and near, and was carried by the wind to the entrance of the pier.
Everyone craned their necks and stood on tiptoe to look around, and vaguely saw a long dragon-like procession gradually emerging on the street.
There were at least twenty men and women wearing sackcloth and mourning, crying incessantly.
"Whose family has died? The funeral was so grand?"
"Yang family!"
"Which Yang family?"
"You don't know yet? Yang Quan is dead! He was just fished out of Lost Soul Bay!
"It is said that there is not much left of the body! His father specially organized a funeral procession! He will be dressed and entered into the mourning hall!"
"My dear mother, God is really powerful! When you have time later, go to the temple and pay homage!"
"What a death!"
Bai Qi stopped the sampan and witnessed the whole process of the fisherman's transformation from sadness to joy.
The sorrow and joy in the distance curl up to the sky, while the joy and bustle nearby are still before our eyes.
One family mourns and hundreds of families rejoice!
A good death indeed!
"Yang Quan is gone?"
Shrimp Tou scratched the back of his head:
"Why did he suddenly die suddenly? He was so good at fisting and kicking that he could walk sideways in Dongshi. Could it be that he fell into the Blackwater River and drowned?"
Bai Qi frowned slightly, feeling a little strange, but he didn't take it to heart:
“After all, it’s a good thing and deserves to be celebrated!
Go to the morning market and have breakfast.
I have a particularly good appetite today, so I have two pots of mutton stew! "
