Longmen Ferry, a small ferry far away from the official road, even in the early winter when the river is about to freeze, there are still groups of caravans with ill intentions who would rather take a long detour. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info

The village on the south bank of the ferry is nothing more than a five-pace-wide dirt road that can be seen at a glance, and a row of low, half-buried mud houses in the loess, most of the people who live in them have followed the herdsmen south to find business. The loess torn mottled by the wind and snow lined the three-story small building at the end of the road, and the Fulai Inn with a row of wind lights under the eaves was as unreal as a mirage. The cold wind squeezed the snow flakes desperately through the crack in the door of the inn, and the runner shrank his hand, leaned his shoulder against the door, and shouted into the hot hall: "Shopkeeper, the wind and snow are getting bigger and bigger, I'm afraid no one will come." ”

The shopkeeper put his hands on his sleeves, slowly bypassed the copper stove next to the counter, picked up the wooden board on the window and glanced out, and muttered: "It's only this hour, and it's dark." ”

At this moment, a series of slamming doors, and the cold wind that suddenly rushed into the hall froze the diners in the hall, and they all turned their heads to look at the door. Seven or eight men covered in snow slag were standing at the entrance of the door, and they were swept away by the heat in the room, and the water fell to the ground.

An old man led by him took off his felt coat and hood, pulled the ****'s forehead hair, pushed a big bag of money to the counter, and said with a smile: "This road is difficult to walk." His face was furrowed, and when he smiled, his eyes were immediately buried in wrinkles, and a few gray beards stood disheveled on a chin as barren as the land outside, and were turned into a goatee by the snow.

The shopkeeper wiped the money into the drawer, smiled, and said, "Old Zhangtou, you are still running out this day, it can be seen that it is a big business, come to two jars of good wine?" ”

Lao Zhang smacked his head on the ground: "What a big business, who would have thought that the sky would become so fast, and the old bones would freeze and scatter for me." Why don't you hurry up and get some hot food! While beckoning his companions, he occupied two tables and squinted at the fire.

As soon as the thick curtain leading to the backyard was lifted, a young man dressed in thick clothes but not too particular stood in the door and rubbed his hands, and did not forget to order outside: "Watch Xiao Er feed the horse and come up again." ”

When Du Shuyan saw him, he smiled and stacked the wine glasses: "Guancheng, let the kid get it, come and drink a glass of warm wine." ”

"Childe, don't dare," Guan Cheng said, sat sideways, took a wine glass and hurriedly poured two sips before whispering, "Someone again?" The caravans have been in this posture all these years? Let the horse thieves along the border live. ”

A smile slipped through Du Shuyan's eyes, he took a piece of brine mutton liver and put it in the bowl, and asked casually without care, "What do you say?" ”

"Childe, those few people, just sit in that posture, they can't grind it out in a few years, as long as there is a sound, they can play it up immediately, and they can't practice it in serious business."

Du Shuyan thought of the bowl of snow almond tofu specially given by the official family before leaving the door, and his son still felt that his stomach was frozen and aching, and this trip was really not a good thing.

"This group of people is too ostentatious......

"If you are old in this business, you can't hide it," Du Shuyan remembered that when he was just picked out of the forbidden army, he was hard to say to people, "When you get to this place, maybe it's better to walk." ”

"This son, are you interested in coming over and talking?" The old man had a sly smile on his face full of folds, obviously noticing that Du Shuyan looked over here a few more times.

Du Shuyan lifted the wine jug, respectfully placed it in front of Lao Zhangtou, and said with a smile: "In Xia Du Zhong, a person from the capital, I went to Baihe Mansion to visit friends, and I don't want to encounter a snowstorm." My servant saw that the old man was a merchant who often walked around, and was about to come to bother him, but I don't know when the snow will fall? Is there a ferry in front of the ferry? ”

Lao Zhangtou looked Du Shuyan up and down, and then glanced at Guan Cheng a few times, and said: "This wind and snow will stop in just a day or two, and it won't hinder walking, but who here doesn't know, as soon as it snows, Second Master Liu at the ferry will cross the mountain to see where his son goes, where is there a boat." ”

"How is this good," Du Shuyan stomped his feet in shock, "As soon as the ferry is passed, won't you have to wait until the beginning of spring?" ”

"That's not possible...... old man shook his head in a long voice, turned around and took the haggis soup from Xiao Er, pouted the sharp mouth with two goatees, and blew it directly, ignoring the young man.

Guan Cheng saw Du Shuyan pretending to be stunned, hurriedly took two steps forward, leaned on Lao Zhang's hand hidden under the table with his sleeves, and said with a smile: "I know that my uncle is familiar with the way, can you give me some pointers?" ”

The old man checked the weight at hand, and immediately dragged a stool with a smile on his face, and said, "Son, please sit down, the old man will give you a comparison," while dipping the chopsticks in his hand in the tea, he drew it up on the table, "Here is ten miles to the south, from Yangjiezi Village up, there is a path up the mountain, and there is a rope bridge on the mountain to cross the river......

"Old Zhangtou, don't play tricks on this son," the young man sitting opposite Lao Zhangtou swallowed the multigrain steamed buns in his mouth with hot tea, and muttered lazily.

As soon as he spoke, a subtle tension suddenly appeared at the two tables.

The old face of the old man seemed to be immediately frozen into a hard clod of soil, and he flicked his chopsticks with a gray face: "Eat you, the kid knows a fart." ”

Du Shuyan couldn't help but glance at the young man more, his handsome face had traces of wind and sand, and at the moment he raised his eyes, he inadvertently showed a trace of an arrogant smile, that kind of unique smile.

The young man wiped his mouth and said: "**** Mountain and that road, the carriage can't go up, do you see that he is so delicate and expensive, can he go?" ”

"Oh, you see I'm an old fool," Lao Zhangtou immediately realized his gaffe, and smiled awkwardly, "Otherwise, you have to fight here to the east, fifty miles, there is a big ferry." There's no way, it's said that this season, who will spend it through the dragon gate. ”

"Hurry up early in the morning, and you can't miss anything while the snow is still thin," the young man waved his hand impatiently, and hugged the teapot to himself by the way.

"Thank you for that," Du Shuyan bowed politely, and his eyes fell on the bowl of mutton soup on the table that had not moved, "This brother is interesting, isn't this thick white paste juice as good as the half pot of tea stalks?" ”

"The road is cold, greasy and has no appetite," the young man said helplessly, looking quite sorry.

"I know a little bit about Qi Huang in the next, why don't I make a prescription for you?"

A big hand gently put on the young man's shoulder, and said with a deep smile: "It's good to pour two bowls of ginger soup, we who work hard don't have to be so squeamish." ”

"In that case," Du Shuyan's eyes moved along the knobby hand to the middle-aged man's square face, and sneered, "If you are disturbed, I will leave now." ”