The grass is luxuriant and the fog and rain are everywhere.
On the dilapidated ancient ferry by the river, a small boat drifted lightly.
Er.
There was a swaying in the reeds, and with the crisp sound of copper bells, a Taoist holding a donkey suddenly emerged.
"Boatman." The Taoist patted the dew on his raincoat, half complaining and half joking, "It's really not easy for you to take a ferry."
This Taoist was dressed quite strangely, and the Taoist robe he wore looked decent, but the faintly exposed lining and the boots he wore did not look like those from the Central Plains. In particular, he was carrying a long wooden box on his back and a long tasselless sword hanging from his waist. He lifted his bamboo hat, revealing a young face.
"I walked along this river bank for several miles and soaked in the rain for several hours before I finally found your ferry."
"Isn't the world bad?"
The boatman, who was supporting Lu at the stern of the boat, responded slowly.
This was a skinny, stooped old man, with no life at all. His voice and movements were like rusty gears, with a slight sluggishness.
"There are more dead people than living people floating in the water, so I just said that you, sir, are my first guest this month."
"That would be a real honor."
The Taoist smiled and pointed to his donkey.
The boatman understood.
"It doesn't matter, just go ahead and get it."
As soon as he finished speaking, the donkey jumped onto the boat with a whoosh. The donkey's fur was shiny and its body was so fat and heavy that it immediately weighed down the bow of the boat. The boat started "fluttering" like a carp entering shallow water.
But the boatman didn't panic. He just swung the long pole into the water and stirred it up. The boat immediately became as stable as before.
Seeing this, the Taoist got on the boat and patted the donkey's head.
"The donkey is naughty and has disturbed the boatman."
"Nothing, where do you want to go?"
"Just the other side."
When the boatman heard this, he immediately drove the boat away from the ferry without further delay.
It just didn't take more than ten steps.
"Wait a minute and start the boat."
A voice came from the shore.
"Take a ride."
…………
The second guest is a martial artist.
The long sword hanging from his waist is a bit old, and the armor he wears is a bit worn. But after all, it is well-equipped with weapons and armor, but it does not remind people of words like "brave" at all.
Probably because of this, he has a skinny figure, his beard and hair are like weeds in late winter, his face is covered with layers of folds, and large and small brown spots are scattered randomly.
But he is a dying old man.
He was extremely embarrassed when he got on board.
It felt like I had been soaked in the water several times, and then thrown into the wind for a few days. I don’t know how long I had been stuck by the river.
Trembling, shaking.
When the Taoist saw him, he quickly took out a blanket and a jug of strong wine from his luggage and handed them to him.
The old soldier thanked him and sat aside without saying a word.
On the other side, the boatman has already sailed again.
The waves shook the water one by one, leaving the ancient ferry and sliding lightly to the other side.
…………
The fog on the river is much thicker than on the shore, like a layer of cotton wool covering the water. However, the river water is extremely quiet and slow. If it weren't for the slight sound of the waves breaking up, it would really make people think that they are not walking on the water, but floating in the mist.
on board.
The veteran was still trembling; the Taoist just closed his eyes and concentrated; the donkey stuck his head out and tried to take a bite of the cotton-like mist. But the boatman seemed to have become much more energetic, his movements were no longer sluggish, and his stooped body was much straighter.
He suddenly suggested:
"The boat is slow to cross the river. How about I tell you two a story to relieve your fatigue?"
The veteran said nothing.
The Taoist opened his eyes with great interest.
"OK."
…………
There is a man named Wang Er at the nearby pier. He is a scoundrel who makes a living by catching shrimps and crabs. He had no family and was a pauper, so he could only live in a shack by the dock.
One night, he went to the riverside to relieve himself and suddenly noticed a man in a raincoat wandering beside a passenger ship moored at the pier. He suspected that he was a water bandit who was trying to gain some ideas, so he didn't dare to say anything, but hid in the reeds and watched carefully.
I saw the man in the coir raincoat lingering for a while, then suddenly jumped into the water, hung a brass bell on the draft of one of the boats, and then disappeared into the water.
The next day, I received news that the boat was capsized by the wind and waves, and the entire crew was swallowed by the River God!
Wang Er was so frightened that he became evil-minded, so every midnight he would sneak into the reeds to spy. Occasionally, you can see a man in a coir raincoat appearing, choosing a certain ship to hang a bell on. Anyone chosen by it will capsize not far from the dock, and no one on the boat will be spared.
Then he knew that the man in coir raincoat must be the messenger of the River God, and the boat with the bell on it was the sacrifice chosen for the River God!
Wang Er is a rogue who is crazy about poverty, and he actually makes a profit out of this, amassing money by revealing the dangers and blessings of boating on the water.
Over the years, there have been few shipwrecks on this waterway, and Wang Er has gradually accumulated a fortune.
But one day, banditry suddenly broke out in the area. He was afraid of being affected, so he had no choice but to take a boat to the other side for temporary refuge.
The weather was also like that that day, with drizzle and drizzle making it difficult to distinguish the river view.
Wang Er took his vast wealth, wives, concubines and children on a ferry.
Before boarding the boat, he specially made people circle around the boat to confirm that no bells were hung, and then he sailed across the river.
But we arrived at the center of the river.
Suddenly, the fog came thickly, and both sides of the bank were indistinct.
There were also strong winds and waves on the river, and the boat was bumping. At the same time, a thin sound of copper bells was heard.
Wang Er followed the sound and looked over.
The souls of the dead are rising.
It turned out that there was a copper bell hanging on the handle of the oar. The boatman next to him took off his bamboo hat, and it was the man in the coir raincoat.
…………
As the boatman's story ended, the boat gradually moved closer to the center of the river.
The fog and rain became thicker and thicker, and the scenery on the shore gradually became difficult to distinguish. The sun in the sky also faded into a large burr-colored white band behind the rain clouds.
"That's it."
The sword was hanging uncomfortably on his waist, so the Taoist took it off, laid it across his knees, and then smiled.
"I have a story here, too."
…………
As the saying goes: Cars, boats, shops, feet and teeth, even if innocent, they should be killed.
The Li Si we are going to talk about today is a boatman who carries passengers on the river to beg for food. However, this man has bad intentions and vicious methods, and he is a living hell on the water. If an unknown person gets on his boat and reaches the middle of the river, the custodian will put the boat sideways and ask you if you want "bandao noodles" or "wonton noodles".
What's the meaning?
"Bandao Noodles" means you will chop them to death with a knife and then throw them into the water; "Wonton Noodles" means you will jump into the river by yourself to avoid dirtying Li Yanwang's knife.
But after this back and forth, Li Si's reputation spread to both sides of the river, like a smelly piece of shit in the dog days of summer, and everyone walked around him. Not to mention the tricks of "Ban Dao Noodles" and "Wonton Noodles", even a normal business is impossible. Seeing that he was about to starve, he was so anxious that he swore to others that he would change his ways from now on, and if he did that unscrupulous business again, the Dragon King would bless him to eat wonton noodles for once.
But.
Who can believe him? Who dares to believe him?
But who can say for sure? One night, Li Si was sleeping in a daze when he suddenly heard someone calling his name outside the door. He put on his clothes and went out to take a look. It turned out that it was an outsider who was anxious to cross the river and found his head.
He was overjoyed to finally get a business deal and accepted it without much thought.
When he first set sail, he still slightly remembered the poisonous oath he swore. But as the ferry got farther away from the shore, the moonlight gradually became brighter, illuminating the gap where the guests' luggage was exposed, shining with silver light.
But it’s several ingots of silver ingots!
This made him full of bad water and drool, and he naturally fell into his old ways. When he reached the middle of the river, he rolled the boat sideways as usual.
This guest had grown up in stature and seemed to be powerful. Li Si was wary, and only dared to talk about making money, but did not dare to talk about killing.
But when we reached the middle of the river, there was no landing on all sides. The water waves seemed gentle, but in fact, the undercurrent was surging.
The guest had no choice but to say: Money can be given, but it cannot be given in vain, it must be borrowed!
Li Si was not angry but happy. In this way, wouldn't he be afraid that the other party would report him to the official? Besides, he, Li Si, is a scoundrel and doesn't know how to write the word "huan".
It was immediately agreed!
Next, when they arrived on the other side, the guests hurriedly disappeared into the night. Li Siping got seven large ingots in vain and didn't mention them.
Just ten days later, Li Si spent all this windfall. One day when I woke up from a hangover, there was no more rice in the tank. He then remembered that the guest had left behind a envelope when he left. If it was beautifully framed, he might be able to exchange it for a few bucks.
But when he arrived at the pawn shop, he was kicked out. It turned out that the pawn was a guide, not something for the earthly world. It read:
"Huang, a native of central Guizhou, died in Shandong on a certain day of a certain month of a certain year. He is now ordered to return to his hometown and become a ghost. The city god, the community temple, and the master of the Guanjin River Crossing are not allowed to intercept the soul of the deceased."
Li Si was still unlucky, but in an instant he was surrounded by a group of people, all asking him to pay back the money. It turned out that these people were all stewards of gambling stalls, brothels, and restaurants that he had cared for. All the money he spent these days turned into dust today.
He was forced to have no choice but to agree to double the repayment, but at night, he secretly ran to the other side to hide from the debt.
However, when we arrived on the other side, a ghost knocked on the door in the middle of the night.
It turned out that the guest was "Huang" who died in Shandong on "Luyin".
Because he hated the river god, he stayed on the north bank for a long time, and had to use Li Si to cross the sea. Because he was afraid that Guan Shen would notice the lock, he did not dare to entangle with Li Si, and left in a hurry after landing.
He came to the door this time, firstly to seek guidance, and secondly to demand repayment of debts.
Li Si was so frightened that his liver and gallbladder were split apart, so naturally he did not dare to disobey.
However.
It's like a scoundrel meets a scoundrel. You get paper money when you lend it, but you get real money when you get it back!
Now, Li Si was driven by people during the day and panicked by ghosts at night, and neither side of the Taiwan Strait could live in peace.
With no choice but to do so, Li Si took the boat to the middle of the river on a dark and windy night, dug through the bottom of the boat, and treated himself to "wonton noodles".
…………
The story is over.
In the mist of cold smoke, the Taoist smiled and said:
"What would happen if the boatman, the 'Messenger of the River God,' collided with Pindao, the Huang?"
"Wouldn't it be a good time for ghosts to fight ghosts?"
A hoarse voice cut in from the side. It turned out that the veteran had finally regained his breath.
The boatman looked him up and down:
"Brother, where are you going?"
"Disarm and return to the field." The veteran patted his waist knife and said, "Return to his hometown to visit relatives."
"This is surprising."
The boatman suddenly laughed and said:
"The world is in chaos. I can only hear that another soldier is being dragged away, but I haven't seen any soldier being released."
"Isn't my brother a deserter?"
"Pooh!"
The veteran immediately changed his color, spat, and cursed:
"If I were a deserter, you would be a water bandit!"
He cupped his fists and bowed, then explained:
"I served in the northern frontier, and I served with Yan Zhe against the enemy. The eunuch took pity on me because I was old and weak, so he allowed me to take off my armor and return to the fields."
After saying that, he bowed his hands to the Taoist priest again.
"I was blocked by the river and stranded on the shore for a long time. The wind and rain beat me and I almost lost my life. Thanks to the blanket and strong liquor provided by the path leader."
The Taoist waved his hand, not daring to take credit.
But the boatman didn't know what to say, so he started teasing again.
"That's even more surprising."
"A few days ago, the sun was shining brightly, and I wandered on the river for a long time, but I didn't see you. Today, it's rainy, and you showed up."
He paused and said with a smile.
"Isn't my old brother like in the Taoist story, a lonely soul returning home, with no way to lead him, and no way to cross the river?"
This veteran had a good temper. Although the folds on his face were shaking with anger, he didn't do anything. He just cursed:
"If I were a lonely soul returning home, you would be the wild ghost rocking the boat!"
Unexpectedly, the boatman burst out laughing:
"If you are a wild ghost, you will be happy. You will not be bullied by bandits, nor will you be forced to pay taxes."
"It's just that, old brother, do you know that the government, army, and bandits have come here several times in turn, and entire villages are often massacred, and their bones cannot be restrained, and their souls cannot be transcended. Not to mention that at night, even on this rainy day, there are often whole villages. The resentful ghosts are haunting and causing trouble."
He means a lot.
"Brother, you haven't returned to your hometown for many years, so be careful."
These words were extremely vicious, but the veteran calmed down. He sneered and returned the blanket and liquor to the Taoist.
"Huh?"
The veteran looked at the vast river with a suspicious look on his face, as if he had discovered something.
The boatman then turned around and looked.
But this moment.
The veteran suddenly became angry.
With a "clang" sound, the long sword was unsheathed and struck directly at the boatman's face.
But the boatman was also quite alert, and at the critical moment, he turned slightly away.
This fatal knife missed the cheek and fell on the shoulder. It continued to castrate and was embedded in the shoulder blade.
The veteran drew his knife and wanted to kill him again, but when he got to the boatman, he hugged the knife tightly and did not dare to let go.
For a while.
Flesh and blood splattered.
The two old men actually started to compete with each other.
But not for a while.
After all, the old soldier became more and more decayed, and gradually couldn't hold on any longer, so he couldn't help shouting:
"Little Taoist Master, come and help me, this person is a water bandit!"
However.
The man seemed to be stunned, still sitting there, without moving his buttocks from beginning to end.
"well!"
The old soldier stamped his feet anxiously, gritted his teeth, and threw away his long sword.
His body shrank and swelled, and he ran into the boatman's arms in the blink of an eye. A cold light flashed in his hand, and there was already a short knife.
This veteran seemed to be on his deathbed, but he was frighteningly familiar with the methods of killing people.
The attack was accurate and ruthless.
The short knife stabbed in under the ribs, and then stirred up.
Immediately, the boatman's body softened, and he screamed a few times in his throat, but immediately stopped.
The veteran staggered two steps and took several deep breaths.
"Don't panic, Taoist priest, I'm not a bad person."
After resting for a long time, he waved his hand and explained to the Taoist.
"My hometown is not anywhere else, just on the other side of the river. There is a small county called 'Xiaoshui' nearby, and my home is in a nearby village."
"Therefore, I am very familiar with this waterway. Why does it take so much time to cross the river? It is obvious that the boatman took advantage of the fog and deliberately circled in the middle of the river for some evil purpose."
he concluded.
"This person must be a water bandit!"
"I don't think so."
The veteran raised his head in surprise and saw the Taoist pointing at the stern of the boat.
"If you don't believe me, just look back."
The old soldier was filled with doubts after hearing this. He had just thought that the Taoist had been frightened by his sudden killing spree, but now it seemed that he was more of a spectator.
Too.
In this world, how can a person walking alone with a knife and a sword be like Yi?
While he was wary of the Taoist, he looked sideways.
But with just one glance, he was stunned and his hair stood on end.
The place at the stern of the boat was empty, and the boatman's body was gone. There were only two knives, one long and one short, which fell into a pool of mud. The smell was unpleasant.
He joined the army when he was young and returned to old age. A person who has spent his whole life killing people can be absolutely sure that his knife really penetrated the vital point without even the slightest struggle.
But what about the body?
What you can see is only the increasingly dense rain and fog, the long waves swaying gently with the waves, and...
His eyes twitched.
A brass bell hangs from the handle of the boat.
A gust of wind came from nowhere.
"Jingle Bell."
