It’s Huangmei season again in Jiangnan.
The lingering clouds in the sky were almost pressing down on the treetops, and the surrounding fields were dark and damp.
"Ms. sir, this Sihusa is just a mediocre official, so why bother traveling all the way for this?"
On the bank of the river, a pretty young woman rubbed her feet and kept complaining.
"I have heard that now there are ten rooms in Dantu City and nine are empty. If you, the secretary, are gone, there will be no use for you."
"It is rumored that there is a demon nearby that likes to prey on women. You are so impatient that you are just following the trails, and you are not afraid that I will be captured by that demon?"
"It's better if we catch him!"
Hu Yanyi cursed secretly and didn't say anything. He took out his water bag and went to the river to fetch water.
A woman's view!
Hu Yanyi was quite annoyed.
Doesn't he know what's going on in Dantu City now? Doesn't he know what will happen after the army breaks the city?
It is true that Sihu is just a minor official, but where is the tall building that is not built from the ground?
It is true that being an official in this newly restored land must be difficult, but if not so, how can he show his ability?
I have been studying hard for decades, just for today?
At this moment, he wished he could grow wings on his back, fly into the alchemy disciple and take office. He was already impatient just walking around.
"If I had known earlier, I would have come here alone to avoid the noise in my ears."
He grunted and raised the full water bag to take a sip.
"Mr. Sir, it's best not to drink from this river."
At this moment, an old voice suddenly interrupted.
The couple were both shocked and quickly turned around to look, but they didn't know when there was an old man holding a bamboo pole standing next to them.
The old man was dressed in silk and satin. He seemed to come from a wealthy family, and he looked quite friendly with a smile on his face.
But how could an old man appear in this out-of-the-way place?
Hu Yanyi's wife murmured in her heart, her mind filled with strange stories, and she quickly returned to her husband regardless of her sore ankle.
Hu Yanyi didn't think much about it, he just said out of curiosity:
"What do you mean, father? Is this river water not drinkable?"
The old man smiled and pointed to a certain river surface with his bamboo stick.
"Master, let's see."
Hu Yanyi took advantage of the situation and looked around.
A huge object emerged from the turbid rapids in the middle of the river. The couple stood up and looked at it, their tailbones trembling.
It turned out to be a dead man!
The corpse had been swollen by water, and its limbs could hardly be distinguished, and it looked like a giant. (I won’t describe it in detail here. If readers are interested, just search on Baidu.)
"Quack."
A crow flew from the other side, fluttered and landed on the corpse, and its sharp beak landed on the swollen belly. This time, it was like peeing a urinary cyst, and with a "bang" sound, yellowish water and rotten internal organs exploded out, spreading all over the river.
The crow that was blown up by the explosion fluttered a few times with its intestines hanging on it, but finally did not enter the river.
The stench spread all the way to the shore.
Hu Yanyi was shocked. The water bag in his hand was like a red-hot iron and he threw it into the water. After that, he quickly pulled his pale wife away from the river bank.
The old man followed up with a smile and said: "This river is a branch of Surabaya River, and the upstream is connected to Dantu's moat."
"Although General Luo defeated Liu Heizi, he also killed too many people. Fortunately, Mr. Lang, he didn't come here yesterday. At that time, the river was full of corpses, the stench was thousands of miles away, and the flies and insects were gathering like black clouds..."
"Hi." The old man shook his head, "It's a pity that people all over the city have gained weight for nothing."
After avoiding him for a hundred steps, the stench in front of his nose subsided a little, and Hu Yanyi bowed to thank him.
"Thank you, husband, for reminding me."
"No, it's just a matter of words."
After saying that, the old man looked at the couple with a smile, and suddenly said:
"The old house is nearby. Sir, why don't you go and have a rest and have a bowl of wine to quench your thirst?"
……………………
The two followed the old man, left the road, threw themselves into the forest, and headed for the house the old man mentioned.
Along the way, the trees get taller, the forest gets denser, the light gets darker, and the cold gets deeper.
Looking around, there are all dead and tall pines and cypresses.
The wife was getting more and more palpitated, and she quietly pulled her husband's sleeve and whispered, "Mr.
Hu Yanyi replied impatiently: "You think so much, but don't you want to rest?"
I want to take a rest, but not at this time, let alone here!
The wife was full of grievances and was about to argue.
The old man suddenly turned around.
"It doesn't matter, Lao Chan's house is a bit remote... By the way, we're already here."
As he said that, he led the two people forward more than ten steps.
I saw a large house with high walls and eaves surrounded by a lush cypress forest. In front, a vermilion-lacquered door looks quite old, and two stone beasts beside the door are also hidden in the thatch.
"Make your husband and wife laugh." The old man still had that kind smile on his face, "I just bought this house not long ago, and I haven't even finished it yet. I'm really ashamed."
With that said, he pushed open the door and entered. Hu Yanyi followed him in without thinking, leaving his wife lingering in front of the door.
At that time, the wind was blowing in the woods, and the forest was wailing like a ghost. The cold air gathered from all around. She shuddered, clutched her clothes, and hurriedly caught up with her husband.
Then, the wind became louder and louder, pressing down on the thatch in front of the door, revealing the ferocious face of the stone beast with two horns on its head and four eyes on its face.
……………………
Hu Yanyi originally thought that the old man lived here alone, but he didn't expect that there were several dull-looking servants in the house.
After arranging for his wife to rest in another courtyard, the old man took her to a banquet.
He didn't want to stay here for a long time, and just when he was about to refuse, the old man poured a glass of wine and put it in front of Hu Yanyi without saying anything.
The rich aroma of wine hit his nostrils, and Hu Yanyi was stunned but could not say his words of refusal.
He was not a drinker, but this old man's wine seemed to have a special aroma.
Hu Yanyi couldn't help but drink a glass, and then everything fell into place.
"...This woman is really ignorant!"
I don't know if the wine was too strong, or because the old man persuaded him diligently, Hu Yanyi's cup was full of wine and he talked too much.
Not only did he shake himself to the core, he also poured out all the depression in his heart.
The old man smiled and comforted:
"A woman only cares about the love of her children, how can she care about her husband's ambitions?"
After speaking, his voice changed.
"But, Madam Ling is also delicate and frail. How can she withstand such asceticism? Let's do this..."
The old man poured another cup for Hu Yanyi and said with a smile:
"Why don't we leave him here for the time being, and then send carriages and horses to greet him after he takes office?"
……………………
The wife never expected that her husband would abandon her in this stranger's house.
It's a pity that the tears on the face can't save my beloved's eagerness to go to his new post.
Tired from crying, he had no choice but to follow the old man's arrangement and move into a small courtyard. Under fatigue and fear, he fell into a deep sleep.
When she woke up, it was already night.
The room was silent, and an oil lamp stood like a bean in the center of the house.
The light was so dim that it couldn't even illuminate the wall, leaving darkness surrounding it on all sides.
For a moment, the woman did not dare to leave the bed.
He just listened to his heartbeat getting faster and faster, and his breathing getting longer and longer.
finally.
She asked in a trembling voice:
"anyone there?"
No one answered.
After a long time, she mustered up the courage, tiptoed out of bed, picked up the oil lamp, and gritted her teeth and pushed open the door.
There was no sound in the yard, and there were no stars or moon above our heads.
She held one hand across her chest and held up the lamp with a trembling hand. However, the thick darkness was like an iron wall, pressing the light back heavily.
She shivered again and didn't know whether she should step out of the door.
Suddenly.
"Dong dong dong."
Deep in the darkness, there was a knock on the door.
