The people from Yushan Sword Sect and An Ningguan were just passing by to rest and did not stay long.
It was impossible for Xu Jing to cause trouble for Xiao Yu. Xiao Yu also served tea and water between them but failed to hear any useful news.
In the afternoon that followed, no other guests from the world came into the tavern. They were mostly businessmen and woodcutters passing by.
At dusk, the sky is almost dark and the remaining light is shallow.
After sending away a few individual guests, Uncle Liu and Xiao Yu cleaned up the filth in the yard, cleaned the cups and dishes, and sat in the yard to rest.
Looking through the wooden fence at the edge of the yard, not far away, a figure was walking steadily towards this side carrying a small bamboo tea basket and lotus strips.
Xiaoyu had already seen that person clearly.
Who could Widow Li be if she wasn't from the village entrance?
Liushu Tavern is located on the outer edge of Lin'an Village, the furthest location from the village entrance.
Lin'an Village is named Lin'an because it is close to Yu'an Ancient Town. There is also a small family at the entrance of the village, which is Widow Li's family.
Widow Li comes every now and then to deliver tea to Uncle Six, and Uncle Six also goes to her house every now and then to repair tables, chairs and other furniture...
Xiaoyu saw it and didn't care about other people's affairs. As a widower and widower, they only needed a nanny.
Every time Widow Li came to the tavern, she was more like a manager, and she would always chatter a lot. Especially after Xiao Yu came, she often listened to the widow's whining about arrangements.
"Old Six! Are you finished?" came the concerned greeting from a middle-aged woman.
Xiaoyu frowned, thinking that a bunch of flies were having a meeting on his head again.
Before this person arrived, the voice shouted first.
Uncle Liu was still muttering listlessly about why Uncle Liu hadn't come back at this time. When he heard Widow Li's shout, he instantly became more energetic and stood up to greet her with a smile on his face.
Xiaoyu shook her head helplessly, feeling that Widow Li's voice turned into celestial music in Uncle Six's ears.
"Axiu, come on, come and sit in the yard." Widow Li's real name was Li Xiu. Uncle Six was familiar with her, and he called her "Axiu, Axiu" affectionately.
Xiaoyu frowned, Widow Li is almost forty, her sixth uncle is called Axiu, this old lady deserves to be happy...
There are only two families in the village. Uncle Liu runs a small business, and Widow Li is a lonely person who grows tea and land. In the small village, the country people don't care much about etiquette, so there is nothing to avoid widows and widowers. There are a few gossips. It depends on what the villagers say.
Uncle Six had just taken the bamboo basket from Widow Li's hand, and before he asked Xiao Yu to take it in, Widow Li spoke first.
"Xiaoyu, come here and bring the tea into the house for your sixth uncle. Your sixth uncle has to go to my place. You can take care of the tavern."
Xiaoyu quickly stood up, ran over to catch up, and forced a smile into Widow Li's thick-browed face.
If you neglect even a little bit, Widow Li will have to talk about it for half an hour...
In the days when Xiao Yu first came, Widow Li came to visit Uncle Liu for reasons such as chopping ribs and meat, repairing things, etc. She came several times and didn't even bother to look for excuses. It was as if the girl from Uncle Liu's tavern Like a master, he gave orders directly.
Xiao Yu thought in her mind that the woman knew that she had broken a teapot today and would be scolded at least. You should find an excuse to go out for some quiet time while Widow Li is in the house counting the tea sets!
"Uncle Liu, look, it's getting so late now. Should I put the tea away and send him a donkey?" Xiao Yu asked tentatively.
Uncle Liu glanced at Xiao Yu and said, "What are you giving me? Stay here, it's getting dark now, and Uncle Liu will be back soon. I'm going to your Aunt Li's house. I won't be back today, so stay safe for me." Stay at the tavern and wait for Uncle Liu to come back and cook him something for dinner."
"Little bastard, do you want to go out and be lazy?" Widow Li frowned and glared at Xiao Yu.
Hearing this, Xiaoyu immediately replied: "How dare you, how dare you, Aunt Li, the tea you gave me today is so fresh."
Widow Li listened to Xiao Yu's praise of her tea, and then said softly: "That's right, I fried it and dried it for a few days before collecting it and bringing it over. You kid, watch the tavern. Your Uncle Li and I will go there first."
When Xiaoyu heard this, it was rare that this woman didn't check things. She was probably worried that she would steal things from Uncle Liu's house several times in the past, so she had to take inventory every time. This time, she didn't check things, so as to avoid being scolded.
"Okay, Aunt Li, don't worry, I'll keep an eye on the tavern." Xiaoyu replied with a smile.
"Let's go!" Aunt Li and Uncle Six walked out of the courtyard side by side.
"call!......"
Xiaoyu was glad that today's 'fly meeting' was avoided, and he breathed a long sigh of relief.
Not long after Uncle Six and Aunt Li left, an old figure slowly walked into the door of the tavern, carrying a fishing rod and a fish basket in his hand.
Xiao Yu glanced at Uncle Liu. Uncle Liu looked old and frail and moved slowly, but if you look closely, you could see that he was walking steadily, with an air of calmness in his slowness.
"Brother, why don't you see Uncle Six? Is Uncle Six in the house?"
Uncle Liu walked to the stone table where Xiao Yu was sitting, with a fish basket in one hand and a fishing rod in the other, standing calmly.
Xiaoyu leaned on the stone table with her cheeks in her hands, looked at Uncle Liu and replied: "Uncle Liu went to Aunt Li's house and won't come back tonight. I'll tie up your old donkey in the backyard for you. I'll give you something to eat tonight." Cook it?"
After hearing this, Uncle Liu replied: "Two taels of plain noodles will be good." After speaking, Uncle Liu walked towards his house.
Xiao Yu saw that the fish basket carried by Uncle Liu was clean and tight, so there must be no fish caught.
Xiao Yu got up and went to the kitchen to cook two taels of shepherd's purse egg noodles for Uncle Liu, took them out and placed them on the stone table in the yard.
Because the sky was getting dark, the wine shed seemed dim and dull, but there was still some residual light shining in the yard, which was considered bright.
Usually at night, as long as there are no guests coming to eat, Uncle Liu will not ask for a light oil lamp.
Uncle Liu was reluctant to consume the tung oil he bought. Unless there was a temple fair or other grand event in Yangzhou City, the tavern usually had no customers at night.
Uncle Liu had white hair and a white beard, and was dressed in coarse cloth with a few shabby patches on it. After putting away his fishing gear, he came to the yard and sat directly in front of the noodle bowl.
Xiaoyu watched him pick up the chopsticks, slowly mix the noodles, and then eat happily.
"Uncle Liu, just leave the bowl on the table after you finish eating. It's not dark yet, so I'm going for a walk. I can't sleep so early..."
Xiaoyu stood up and said to Uncle Liu.
When Uncle Liu heard this, his old and kind voice said, "Go, go..."
...
A few miles away, Yangzhou City.
Night shrouds the ancient city of Linhu where the lights are on.
The lights on the shore of Xiyun Lake are brightly lit.
Night is a good time for young men, wealthy people, and local wealthy people to hang out.
Xiyun Lake is very large. On the north bank is the Huatan Temple, on the southwest bank are bustling alleys, and near the lake is a place for entertainment with boathouses and boats.
On the east bank is a village, with some woods and a few scattered households scattered along the bank.
On the edge of the south bank, a man of about thirty years old stood there, preparing to call the boatman to cross the lake.
Dressed in coarse cloth, with a little stubble hanging from the corner of his mouth, he is Ji Ruge after Xiaoyu's bones were broken and his appearance changed.
One day has passed since then, and Chen Daofeng, the boss of Jiangnan Trading Company, should have sent someone to Huatan Temple to find out who died.
Ji Ruge is going to make the final payment.
The remaining payment was made by killing Kong Jian, the old warrior monk of Huatan Temple, for Chen Daofeng.
Yangzhou City is not Lin'an Village, Yu'an Ancient Town.
Uncle Liu's tavern couldn't afford to light lanterns at night, but almost every inn in Yangzhou had lanterns hanging in front of them to attract guests.
There were several waterhouses lined up near the lake. Ji Ruge found a port near Liuliu's shop and walked through the merchants passing by.
"Store, Chenjiadu on the West Bank."
The boatman is an old man over fifty years old. This is a relatively prosperous shore in Yangzhou. There are often many small boats taking guests to the lake to enjoy the moon.
The boatman saw that he was a middle-aged man in cloth clothes, like a farmer selling vegetables, and he frowned.
"It takes two miles of water to go to Chenjia Ferry. Sir, if you are serious about going, you have to pay first."
The old boatman obviously saw that Ji Ruge was poor and could not afford the boat fare.
Ji Ruge took out the money she had saved to buy a donkey for Uncle Liu yesterday from her arms, took out a few coins and handed it to the boatman.
The boatman took the money and happily rowed the boat to Chen's ferry.
