(1)
Xiangyangpo Inn, illuminated by the setting sun, is the only inn within dozens of miles outside Yangcheng. So despite the constant war, there is still more or less life here, but under the setting sun, this little life adds a little more despair.
There are not many people in the inn now, and the noise is far less than before. Even the sounds of insects and animals outside are very clear, making this mountain and forest restaurant even more quiet and quiet.
As usual, the waiter A-Bian was sitting in the stable outside the inn, feeding the horses and dozing off. From time to time, he would take the trouble to drive away the flies attracted by the smell of horse manure.
"Excuse me, brother, is there a family here?" A young man slowly came forward and bowed.
A-Bian was so startled by the young man's words that he didn't notice any sounds except flies and horses. He immediately adjusted his vision and took a serious look at the young man in front of him: Judging from the clothes, he was just an ordinary man, wearing ordinary burlap clothes; his appearance was only an outline under the red setting sun, which was difficult to distinguish, except for his long hair. .
However, he had a gourd tied around his waist, and a sword on the other side of his waist, hanging sideways, with the end of the sheath flush with his knees when walking. Seeing this, A-Bian thought that Uncle Jun was coming, and was so frightened that he immediately nodded and bowed, suppressing a smile to welcome him.
"Is...a guest?! Hehe, this is Xiangyangpo Inn. The young one is the inn's clerk, A-Bian. Do you want to stay or have a meal?" A-Bian said while bowing slightly and rubbing his hands together. palm, hoping to relieve the panic in his heart.
"To stay here, please bring some food by the way." The young man breathed a sigh of relief, and then replied in a tone that was as calm as if he was talking to himself in the air.
After finishing speaking, A-Bian followed the young man into the inn. Only then did he see that the young man also had a baggage and a long object in a cloth bag slung on his back. This object would make noises with the gourd on his waist from time to time. It seemed to be made of wood. stuff.
"Shopkeeper! There's business coming!" A-Bian shouted to the man who was facing the door. After the young man entered the door, he looked around cautiously.
All that was seen were earthen walls and a mahogany staircase leading to the upper floor. A room at the entrance of the corridor was facing the location of the shopkeeper. Four dilapidated wooden tables were placed in front of them. The one facing the door even had a broken corner. They all had signs of being washed away by age. On the table against the inner wall, two people were sitting, drinking and eating meat. There was also a room next to them.
"Little brother, come here." The shopkeeper waved to the young man. "Little brother, are you staying in a hotel or eating?"
The young man replied: "Stay in the hotel and send some food by the way."
"Okay... Well, guest, write down your name here first, and I will arrange it right away." The shopkeeper said that he was familiar with the guests. He smiled while twirling his mustache, and the young man looked sideways at the wall from time to time. The two people sitting there looked more panicked than the former.
"Have you seen enough of these coins?" The young man took out a bag of money from his bag.
"Ouch! This money is enough to stay in the best guest room in the store for a month." The shopkeeper, who seemed to be an old man, was shocked by so much money. He thought, could this be the noble son of the wealthy gentry here?
The young man seemed to be affected by the shopkeeper's reaction, and his already flustered expression became even more at a loss. He looked at his money bag shyly: "Well... I'll only stay for one night and leave tomorrow morning."
The shopkeeper saw that it was probably the first time for this young man to travel far away, so he responded: "Young man is new to the world, so you have to be very cautious. There are wars and killings every day, and there are many black shops that are robbing people. Don't worry here tonight. Stay here, your room is in the second one on the second floor."
"Isn't this a black shop for you?" The young man changed his subject sharply. Just now, he glanced sideways at the two men and looked at the shopkeeper's eyes, like a falcon watching its prey for half a moment.
The shopkeeper didn't expect that the fledgling boy would ask the question in return. However, what really made the shopkeeper feel uneasy was the pair of eyes, "Guest sir! You can't talk nonsense. Look, my guests are listening there. There's something terrible about them." How can I fight with a knife if I have no strength in my hands?" After saying that, he gently wiped away the sweat from his temples while still muttering, complaining that today's young people speak irresponsibly. .
"Okay, hurry up and bring some food over." The young man noticed that he had made a rude comment and resolved the unintentional trouble with a smile, and then walked towards the stairs next to the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper was surprised to think after the young man left: This man obviously had a fair and handsome face, but why did he have such a pair of fierce and terrifying eyes?
After the young man finished explaining, he was about to go to the room, and he happened to meet the two people who were drinking and eating meat on the way.
I don't know whether it was out of fear or concealment, but the young man lowered his head and quickened his pace, just wanting to get past the two drinkers as quickly as possible. Unexpectedly, those two people actually started to observe the young man when he first entered the inn, "Hey! Little brother. Don't leave in a hurry. Come over and say a few words."
The young man's plan failed, and a look of horror suddenly appeared on his face. He slowly raised his head and looked at the direction where the voice with a slightly strange tone came from, and saw that the other person was a foreigner with a "yellow beard and yellow hair." man of. Now the young man was even more anxious, and the back of his palms was gradually eroded by sweat.
One of them stood up and gave up a seat, and just showed the knife on the table in front of the young man, as if to tell him: "Either come here, or try this knife!" The young man was trembling, and his right hand was still missing. He had left the hilt of the sword on his waist, as if he was preparing for the upcoming fierce battle.
The young man sat down, and another foreigner, who was shorter, fatter and stronger, poured a glass of wine and motioned for the young man to drink it. The young man looked at the glass unmoved.
"Drink, this wine is the shopkeeper's old wine, very mellow!" After finishing speaking, the short and sturdy man drank a glass of wine himself, and repeatedly praised: "Good wine!"
The young man said thoughtfully: "Tell me what you want to talk about." His tone was firm and calm, which exceeded the expectations of the other two people present.
"Little brother, I look at your delicate appearance, white skin and tender flesh. From a distance, I thought you were a girl, but unexpectedly, you look like a straightforward man." Another taller and thin man took the knife out of the scabbard and played with it, as if It was teasing, more like threatening the young man.
"Ask me quickly. If you continue to speak lightly to me, I'm afraid you will inevitably draw your sword against me." The young man's tone was as cold as ice.
"Why should this little kid fight with us brothers with such tiny hands and feet!" The short and stocky man was already drunk, but what he said may not be true.
"Okay, I have something to say directly." The tall and thin man said, "We are deserters, and we are part of Erzhu's subordinates. I heard that catching deserters is very powerful outside, so I wanted to ask you where you are. Did you meet any troops on the road?" He kept staring at the knife in his hand when he said this. Although his tone was not aggressive, the young man could not help but be frightened by this murderous aura!
"I...I didn't meet any troops. But I heard that Erzhu's tribe had been killed. There are also rumors that Erzhu Zhao committed suicide by hanging himself from a beam in a ruined temple on a barren mountain."
"General Er Zhuzhao committed suicide? We Xianbei warriors never commit suicide. It's really unexpected." The tall and thin man put down his knife and clenched his fist with his other hand and slammed the table with anger.
The young man raised his lips slightly and sneered: "You are just deserters."
The short and fat man said dissatisfiedly: "We are not soldiers to begin with. If it weren't for the food and salary, we should still be in the north herding sheep. Why do we have to work hard for Narzhu Zhao?"
"He is right. Ever since his defeat against Gao Huan, Er Zhu Zhao's energy has been exhausted." The tall and thin man continued.
"I'll excuse you now and take my leave." The young man breathed a sigh of relief as he turned to leave, and then walked to his room.
After a while, A-Bian brought the food to the boy's room. At this time, the boy was checking his luggage. A-Bian lightly knocked on the door to signal that the meal had arrived, then he leaned close to the young man and whispered softly: "My guest, please don't provoke those two Xianbei people. Their swords are very powerful. Although I Both the boss and the boss hate them."
"What happened to them?"
"They are freeloaders! They say they are looking after our home, but in fact they are almost emptying the granary of our inn."
"Why don't you report it to the official?" the young man said as he tied the bundle and put it on the bedside.
"This is a chaotic situation. How can anyone in the government take care of the affairs of these barren mountains and mountains?" A Bian looked helpless.
"I understand, you go down first."
After A-Bian left the room, he immediately returned to the stable to continue his work.
