The big ship was indeed very fast. Following the sailors' neat chants, everyone rowed together and rode the wind and waves straight to the other shore.
Xiahouba and the other two people clung to the side of the boat and watched helplessly as all the fishing boats were overturned by the wind and waves. The boatmen were struggling and screaming in the water, and Zhang Wei did not know where he was.
Before the boat arrived at the pier, Xia Houmao couldn't wait to jump ashore, pointed at the boatman and shouted: "Go and fish out those furniture, there will be a lot of rewards."
The boatman said: "It's cold weather, it's easy to get cramps when going into the water, the wind and waves are strong, and one accident can lead to death."
"I'll give you money!" Xia Houmao was thinking about the gold and shouted, "I'll give you a piece of gold when I catch it."
"Even if you give a boatload of gold, you still have to pay for it!" The boatman just shook his head helplessly.
Xiahou Ba asked everyone to get off the boat quickly, clasping his fists and saying: "Those boatmen are really pitiful. Please help the boatmen to save people as soon as possible."
"The younger one will go rescue people first. As for the things, you can catch as much as you can!" The boatman turned the boat around and went to save people.
"Gold, my gold!" Xia Houmao squatted on the shore, beating his chest and feet.
Xiahou Ba's face was as dark as water, and his face was very ugly. It would be fine if he couldn't take away the gold, but it was even more uncomfortable for him to get it but fall into the river again.
Cao Tai smiled bitterly and said: "The credit I got was wasted..."
"Sword, what should I do with the green sword?" Xiahou Mao suddenly jumped up and grabbed Cao Tai's collar: "Without gold, how can I explain to the prime minister? Tell me!"
"Presumptuous!" Cao Tai was furious, pushed Xiahou Mao away, and said in a deep voice: "This plan was decided by the three of me, why are you holding me back?"
"It was you who came up with the idea!" Xia Houmao's eyes were bloodshot and he roared: "You said there was nothing wrong, so it's all your fault!"
"Blame me?" Cao Tai also showed no sign of weakness: "If you hadn't gone to a brothel to hang out, how could this have happened?"
"You two don't have to argue!" Xiahou Ba persuaded the two of them and said helplessly: "Two million dollars is by no means a small amount. The three of us are unable to redeem the Qingzhi Sword. We can only...account to the Prime Minister truthfully."
In the Battle of Nanyang, Cao Cao concentrated all his efforts to collect a ransom of three million, and the Cao and Xiahou clans spent all their wealth.
This time I bought furniture and pawned all my valuables, including my jade pendant, and still owed Liu Qi two million.
The IOU and Qingzhi Sword are both in Xiangyang. Now that the gold is sinking, this huge sum of money is beyond the capabilities of the three of them.
"The Prime Minister will kill me!" Xia Houmao cried, falling on the stone, holding his head in pain.
Not long after, the big boat returned and rescued seven or eight boatmen, all of whom had purple lips and shivering from the cold. Everything on the boat sank, except for five waterbeds, two tables and four benches.
Looking at the wet cargo, the three of them had empty eyes. Needless to say, the table and waterbed containing gold had already sunk to the bottom of the river.
Xiahou Ba took a deep breath to calm down and went to the boatman to question him, but Zhang Wei was not among them.
"The dreams of spring and the farts of autumn are all in vain in the end!"
Seeing the three people stunned, the boatman sighed and said kindly: "On the Han River, countless caravans and goods sink every year, but as long as people are alive, it is a blessing. They should spend money to eliminate disasters, and some people will come back to pay homage to the Dragon King." , Thank you for the unreserved kindness. Fortunately, the three young masters are not in disaster. The road ahead is still long, so we should be more open-minded."
"Spend money to eliminate disasters?" Xiahou Ba was startled. Thinking of Zhang Wei's death in the river, he was indeed a little lucky. However, thinking of the two million yuan, he smiled bitterly and said: "The lives of the three of us are not worth the money."
"If you keep the green hills, you won't have to worry about running out of firewood!" Cao Tai patted Xiahou Ba on the shoulder: "God has destined that you and I should not have this credit. The three of us will bear this responsibility together."
Xiahou Ba took a deep breath and thanked the boatman. Seeing that the tables and chairs were soaked in water and incomplete, and it would be useless to take them back, he gave them to them, leaving only five waterbeds.
Looking back at the crowd, I saw the same people who had come. I couldn't help but shake my head and sigh. As the old man said, this trip to Xiangyang was really like a dream, full of joy.
Just as he was telling everyone to pack up and go on their way, Xia Houmao came over with red eyes and said, "I have a plan to avoid the Prime Minister's punishment."
Xiahou Ba didn't believe it: "Brother, can you hide this from the prime minister?"
Xia Houmao snorted slightly and said slowly: "Zhang Wei is dead, and the gold has sunk into the river. There is no proof of all the deaths. Only the three of me who pledged the Qingzhi Sword knew about it... just said that there was danger on the river, and the Qingzhi Sword accidentally sank into the river. In the middle of the river..."
"Bah! Seeking death!" Before he could finish his words, Xiahou Ba interrupted him and said in a deep voice: "The three of us are eager to make great contributions and made a big mistake. If we report the truth, the Prime Minister may be able to tolerate it. If we cheat again, He is guilty, and ten heads are not enough to chop him off!"
Xia Houmao said unconvinced: "As long as the three of me don't tell you, who will know about this?"
Cao Tai sneered from the side: "That kid Liu Qi loves money as much as his life. Do you think he won't come to ask for the account? If one day he takes out the Qingzhi Sword, how will he explain it to the Prime Minister?"
"This..." Xia Houmao was startled, and then said angrily: "You are the prime minister's fault."
Xiahou Ba frowned and said: "The Prime Minister may not kill people just because of a sword. I am only worried that I owe Liu Qi a huge sum of money. If we cannot repay it, the three of us will be ridiculed by the world and break our promises. This is not what a man would do." Why!"
Cao Taileng sneered: "Someone bought a private concubine in Xiangyang, and got a lot of money. The two of us lost everything, and we still have to bear infamy. What a bad guy."
Xia Houmao said angrily: "Cao Ziming, it was all your bad idea, and now you want to spit on others?"
"There is no need to argue anymore!" Xiahou Ba said: "The three of me will bear the responsibility of this matter together. As long as we sincerely plead guilty, regardless of the favor of our fathers, we must also consider the feelings of the same clan. From now on, we will make meritorious deeds."
Xia Houmao looked at the waterbeds, his eyes suddenly lit up, he clapped his hands and shouted: "I have a way to make money, and I will definitely pay off this debt."
Cao Tai curled his lips and said, "You only know how to spend money, how do you know how to make money?"
"Humph, we'll see!" Xia Houmao suddenly regained his energy and said proudly: "If I repay this debt, what will happen to you?"
Cao Tai always looked down on Xia Houmao's cowardice and dandy, and sneered: "The three of me borrowed this money together. If you pay it back, I owe you a favor and I am willing to listen to your use in the future."
"If I can't repay it, the entire debt will be put on my head!" Xia Houmao patted his chest and extended his little finger to Cao Tai: "It's settled by pulling the hook!"
"Child's trick!" Cao Tai said disdainfully: "A gentleman says that a horse is hard to catch, and Zhong Quan can prove it."
Xiahou Ba felt extremely melancholy and lost, and waved his hands feebly: "Okay, let's get on the road!"
The entourage carried the waterbed on their backs and rushed to Fancheng. Their horses were left at the posthouse and had someone to take care of them.
Xia Houmao touched the water bed and murmured: "The Prime Minister has many women every day. I hope these beds can satisfy him."
Cao Tai asked: "What did you say?"
"Nothing!" Xia Houmao said hurriedly: "I said the Prime Minister works hard day and night, but fortunately he has this water bed to relieve his fatigue."
Cao Tai wrote to Xia Houmao: "The best thing you can talk about is state affairs."
