After ten days in a row, as we approach the market, there will be more pilgrims, travelers, and merchants of all races passing through Resurrection Town. This is the general knowledge of Resurrection Town.
Chen Yi and Hedwig were standing by the window. The former was straightening his clothes and saw a stranger driving his dog passing by the house.
The tight-fitting double-breasted long coat tied up with a belt, the high and funny collar, the bright red raglan hood, the yellow and dark skin color, one can easily recognize him as a Sambu man from the southern islands, with dark blue cheeks. , are traces of long-term application of oil paint.
There is a flute in his belt; a few yarns are exposed in the pocket for wool balls; two leather drums hang on his waist; he has pointed boots with wide bulges at the feet but tight mouth; he carries an old lute on his back; it is obvious that of minstrels.
This was probably the earliest stranger during this period. Chen Yi thought.
The minstrel turned his head and noticed the two people by the window. The corners of their mouths were raised at 60 degrees, exactly, showing a quick and attentive smile, with a stiffness unique to the artist.
Hedwig was startled by this weird smile and stepped away.
Chen Yi kept a straight face, thought about it, pulled the muscles in his mouth, pointed his lower lip down, and squeezed out wrinkles at the corners of his mouth, revealing a Heath Ledger-like smile.
The two smiled at each other.
The minstrel's mouth was hooked, but he didn't look back or stop until he disappeared into the alley.
At this time, Hedwig looked out the window again, and the minstrel was gone.
"That's weird," Hedwig muttered.
Judging from the direction he was heading, he was heading towards a pagan settlement.
Chen Yi frowned.
"Maybe he's just a nervous artist, they all are like that." Chen Yi said.
She arranged her coat and tried to dress decently. It was cold, so Chen Yi buttoned up her shawl. I have three shawls at home, one made of wool, one made of cloth with some embroidered silk on the edge, and one made of elk skin, which is also the most valuable of the shawls.
Saying goodbye to Hedwig, Chen Yi went out.
Walking through the empty wooden canals of Fuxing Town, the straw carts were placed under the stage. It rained last night. The muddy road was filled with car marks, horse hooves, and shoe prints. It was uneven, and smelly rainwater accumulated in mud puddles everywhere. inside.
It's afternoon now, and Chen Yi is going to the prison warden's office to sort out paperwork.
Turning the corner of a long house, there was a woman feeding chickens under a three-meter-high pigeon cage. The fence was not high, only as high as a six-year-old child.
Coincidentally, Chen Yi's eyes caught the minstrel from a distance.
The latter stopped a guard and asked questions in broken Yawen.
After a while, he went to the west side of the town, where the wealthy pagans lived.
Chen Yi watched him go away.
Walking to the prison door, Chen Yi saw a familiar figure wearing a blue and green turban.
Grandma Amy's back was hunched. When she saw Chen Yi, she hurriedly greeted her.
She took out a package from her arms and pushed it into Chen Yi's hand.
"Here you go, kid."
"What's wrong, Grandma Amy?" Chen Yi took the package and looked at it doubtfully.
"Child, there are dry pies and a wooden icon here." Grandma Amy lowered her eyes and said slowly: "You can eat the dry pies tonight. Grandma would like to ask you to return the wooden icon to Father Christopher."
"Father Christopher?" Chen Yi did not refuse. After all, Grandma Amy has always been very helpful to her family.
"Yes, he was a good priest who could perform miracles. My husband - may he rest in peace. He wandered to the Holy Land and almost starved to death. Father Christopher rescued him and gave him a wooden icon. He Before I passed away, I was told to return the wooden statue, but I never had the chance to go to the Holy Land, and I had two children with me at the time...
Xiao Chenyi, I originally wanted to go in for a visit, but the pagans didn't allow me to go in.
I ask you to return the wooden statue to him, and also wish him well on my behalf. "Grandma Amy talked a lot.
"Okay, I get it, Grandma Amy."
Chen Yi went to prison holding the package.
Pushing past the people in the warden's room, Xisen came forward. It looked like he had been waiting for a long time.
"Mr. Clerk, someone is coming to visit tonight."
"Visiting?" Chen Yi looked confused, thinking of what Grandma Amy said just now, "Isn't it forbidden to visit?"
Xisen explained: "Yes, the captain who escorted us here said no visits were allowed, but... the ones who visited were Priest Isa and a lead reader, and they sent someone to deliver the captain's letter."
"I see...Why are they coming here to visit?" Chen Yi asked.
"I don't know about this, I'm just telling you." Xisen spread his hands and said, "So we will patrol earlier tonight and count the number of people earlier."
............
The pagan ghetto of Resurrection.
It was about to fall, in front of a three-story stone mansion with a small garden.
The little girl under the door frame, wearing a silk belt and an embroidered coat neatly buttoned, stared at the obedient little black dog with her big watery eyes.
The minstrel drove the puppy at his feet. Next to the little girl stood a true religious servant. The quality of his long pullover was better than that of ordinary civilians. He was the steward of this mansion.
"Oude, right? My master invites you to perform. Three copper dils does not count as a reward." The steward said.
As the market approaches, there will be more minstrels in the town passing through Resurrection Town, and my master happens to like to watch strangers' tricks and listen to widely circulated epics.
Unfortunately, when the steward was preparing ingredients for tonight, he met this artist named Oude, so he called him to the mansion.
"What a cute girl." Ode gave the girl a 60-degree smile.
The girl shrank back, but she couldn't let go of the little black dog.
"Be respectful, she is my master's daughter." the steward reminded.
The little black dog moved its limbs and crawled to the girl's feet, licking her leather shoes with its thin tongue. The girl knelt down and petted the little black dog's head with a sweet smile. The latter swept her palm with his tongue quite intelligently.
Oded blew the dog whistle, and the little black dog trotted to his feet.
Several people entered the mansion.
In the warm living room fireplace, a lady wearing a soft hat and a rich middle-aged Yawen man sat cross-legged on a soft cushion. A little boy sat between them, curiously scanning the minstrel who came in from the door.
The little girl jumped into her mother's arms in a few steps, and Ode saluted them.
"Distinguished sir and madam, I am Ode. May my King of Kings protect you."
"Hello Oude, I hope you will also find shelter." The middle-aged Yawen man straightened his bloated body and said, "I am Abdul Farad."
Then Abdul introduced the names of his family members one by one, including the manager, who couldn't help but puff up his chest slightly.
Oude saluted one by one.
"Sir, what do you want to perform?"
The little boy asked curiously. He watched as Oded opened the bag in his belt, took out the oil paint and smeared his cheeks, and put the yarn ball on the ground.
"Don't be rude, Fadi." The lady pulled the little boy to her side and smiled apologetically at Oude.
Half of his face was smeared with a pale background, and the smell of lead was strong. Oude's mouth was smeared with mercurochrome, and the corners of his slightly cracked eyes were outlined with iron gall ink.
"It's okay, noble madam," Oded smiled stiffly, stuffed the ball of wool into his hand, squatted down and touched the little black dog's head.
"I'm going to chop off this puppy's head, and then sew it back together properly. This is my most proud performance!"
Looking at the obedient little black dog, the little girl was frightened and exclaimed...
"How about I show you this trick first?"
The black dog stood up and opened its mouth into a smile.
