It had rained all night, and it was still steaming in the morning.

The more muddy the mountain road, the better the time for the herbs to grow, so collecting herbs is also an extremely hard errand.

Mao Er Yin was waiting at the entrance of Xiaotanzi Alley, it was still early, and most of the windows of the residents were not opened, only a few chickens were heard crowing one after another.

In the misty skylight, Xu Shen walked out wearing a short shirt and a bamboo basket on his back with straw sandals.

The carriage drove to the foot of Yongshan Mountain, the winding lane was lined with dense trees, smoke and clouds, and the air was filled with a refreshing aroma.

The usual finger-thin trickling mountain stream has merged into a small river that is ankle-deep.

"Mr. Xu, isn't it dangerous to enter the mountains in such weather?" Mao'er is not at ease

"A lot of herbs can only be harvested in this weather."

"Why don't I go with my husband?"

"You can't help me, I understand your kindness, go back, if you are not afraid of trouble, come here to pick me up tomorrow."

"How does it take so long? Sir, can you bring enough dry food? ”

"Bring enough, I have an old friend in this mountain, and I will pay a visit by the way."

"Oh, be extra careful, sir, I'll pick you up tomorrow!"

Xu Shen carried a bamboo basket on his back and supported a bamboo pole in his right hand and began to climb.

After walking for about a quarter of an hour, he suddenly stopped but did not look back and said: "Whoever is behind, the mountain road is slippery and dangerous, and I hope to show up."

Hearing the swaying of the leaves and the gentle panting, a light voice playfully said, "How do you know that there is someone behind you?" ”

Xu Shen turned around and said in astonishment: "Miss Ling Tong? ”

I saw Ling Tong wearing a light blue cotton clothes, with no beads on his head, a pair of cloth shoes were all mud, but a pair of eyes were smiling, standing under a tree prettyly.

"I don't know if Mao'er has gone far, Miss should go back quickly!" He craned his neck and looked down at the trail below.

"He's long gone"

"Miss is so naughty! Going up the mountain to collect medicine is not a trip, if there is a mistake, how can I explain it to your brother? ”

Ling Tong tilted his head and said, "How could it be so unfortunate, I have long wanted to learn to recognize herbs from you, isn't this an excellent opportunity?" ”

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Ling Tong squeezed his nose and said, "If you sue sù, you will definitely not be able to come."

“…… It takes two days to go out this time, and tonight in the mountains, how does the lady make it? How can you explain it to your family if you don't return overnight? ”

"I've made all the arrangements, don't worry, sir!"

"Besides, Mr. has always been peerless, and he is not confined to worldly opinions, how can there be exceptions?"

He said no more, silently put down the bamboo basket, took out two thick hemp ropes from it, walked up to her, motioned her to lift her feet, scraped off the mud on the soles of her shoes with a small wooden stick, and then wrapped the hemp rope around a few times like tying up rice dumplings and tied them. His hands and feet were sharp, and after a while, the bundle was not loose or tight, and then he took out a knife, cut off a bamboo, cut off the branches and burrs, and said while grinding the knots with stones: "It's hard to imagine that you are so bold, since you dare to visit the Shizi's Mansion at night, naturally you dare to secretly go up the mountain alone, it seems that you don't know the depth, and there is no one in a hundred......"

Ling Tong couldn't help but laugh.

"I wasn't alone in the mountains today," she said.

Xu Shen looked up at her, his brows frowning slightly, and his gaze was deep.

"So it's even worse......"

The two of them just climbed to a higher place.

The mountain road is difficult, Ling Tong is not bitter, Xu Shen looked back at her several times, only to see her wipe her sweat and follow closely, not complaining at all, she couldn't help but be a little unbearable, stretched out her left hand to hold her, she smiled sweetly, changed the cane to her left hand, and generously stretched out her right hand for him to hold, so the speed was a lot faster.

At about midnight, he had already walked into the dense forest, and the more he walked, Xu Shen's face became more solemn. Ling Tong also felt strange and asked, "What's wrong?" ”

After looking around, he said: "At this hour, instead of rising, the sun is getting darker and the humidity is thicker, I'm afraid it will ......" Ling Tong watched the mist rise like a cloud of smoke, and felt faintly uneasy in his heart.

Xu Shen took her to a relatively flat place, there was a big white stone on the ground, and the two sat down, drank some water and ate some dry food.

"I can only pad slightly, I didn't bring dry food for two people"

"I brought it with me," Ling Tong took out a cloth bag from behind his back and held it up to show him, "There are snacks and dried meat and water here."

He sat down with his knees crossed, and Ling Tong sat beside him, the thick fog rolled in, and soon the outstretched feet were invisible.

"Brother Xu Shen" Ling Tong suddenly spoke, and actually stopped calling him "sir", Xu Shen "Huh? With a sigh, he turned his eyes to look at her, and the distance was very close, and Ling Tong suddenly forgot what to say when he looked at the different color in his eyes.

"This mist ......" Suddenly Xu Shen covered her mouth with his hand.

Ling Tong was surprised.

"You can't say that here," he said, picking up a small stick and writing on the ground, "rain, fog," and "you can't mention these words in the mountains, otherwise you will offend the gods." ”

Seeing what he said solemnly, Ling Tong nodded hurriedly.

"What do you mean then?" Ling Tong asked in a low voice.

"The tent cloth, the gauze tent, the cloth of the cloth, the tent cloth, don't raise your voice, and don't walk around, otherwise you won't be able to walk out if you get lost......" Ling Tong found that he was not afraid, Xu was really bold? Or is it because there is Xu Shen beside him?

He looked up at the sky above the dense forest, got up, and said, "I'm going to build a tent, you go and pick up some dry leaves, remember, don't be far away from me!" ”

Ling Tong picked up a lot of broad leaves, Xu Shen put them layer by layer on the boulder, and then used four bamboo poles to prop up a pavilion-like pillar, which was staggered horizontally and vertically into a grid, tied with long and tough cattails, and then spread the broad leaves layer by layer, hanging down on three sides like a cover, and the leaves were also tied layer by layer, and there were some small thatched huts.

Ling Tong was extremely smart, and he knew where to help at a glance, and the two of them were busy for two hours before it was basically completed.

At this time, the sky was even darker, Xu Shen said: "You still have to pick up some firewood and grass, it will be cold as soon as it gets dark, and you must raise a fire!" ”

It's just that the weather is raining and the earth is tidal, and there is little firewood and grass that can be used to make a fire, Xu Shen said: "It's just like this"

It was dark, it was really cold, and it was raining again, the two sat in the thatched hut, Xu Shen let Ling Tong lean on himself, the surroundings were silent, and occasionally the wild birds that fluttered their wings called a few times.

He said, "If the sun doesn't come out tomorrow, we still won't be able to go down the mountain, aren't you afraid that we won't be able to go back?" ”

Ling Tong vaguely smelled the smell of herbs on his body, and there was a lazy and warm and unfamiliar smell, only to feel that even the cold night was like a clear sky.

"Brother Xu Shen, can you tell me, who gave you that nuclear carving? If you guess correctly, it should be a confidant, right? ”

"How do you call me brother? Isn't that supposed to be called sir? ”

"Hey, hey"

“……”

"The nuclear carving was left to me by my mother"

"Do you have a lady? But how come you've never heard of it? ”

"She's no longer alive......" Xu Shen's voice was still faint.

"Are you upset?"

"Hmm"

"I rushed to the plague village for treatment, and I was gone for twenty days, and when I returned, she died of typhoid fever before she could be treated in time...... My mother said that I had a blade and wounded six relatives, and when my mother left, there was a fetus that was only three months old! ”

"Blame me bad! Rashly bring up your sad past......"

“…… Since then, I have vowed to spend my life in medicine, and to treat the sick and save people as my life's wish. ”

"The capital is beneficial but not wasted, helping others does not harm yourself, I never thought that Brother Xu Shen cherished the world, and he actually missed the lady who saved himself, no one could predict this, Brother Xu is worthy of it, and Tong admires it very much!"

"Who wants you to admire?" He seemed to smile bitterly: "You are more cowardly, it would be much better to cause less trouble......"

After a while, Ling Tong's voice came: "Then if I don't go down the mountain, I won't get into trouble again in the future!" ”

Suddenly, Ling Tong sneezed and couldn't help but hug his arms.

Xu Shen hesitated for a moment, slowly turned around and gently took Ling Tong in his arms, and Ling Tong pillowed his head on his shoulder, so that he felt a lot warmer.

"Do you spend the night like this every time you go up the mountain?"

"Naturally not, if it weren't for the tent cloth, I would have spent the night in the Guangyuan Temple on the top of the mountain, where there is an old monk who has been my old friend for many years, and every time I come, I must play chess and drink tea, how can it be so desolate."

"Brother Xu Shen" made Tong want to sleep in a daze.

muttered to himself: "I also study medicine, you wait for me to grow up, I will accompany you to treat people in the future, I am bold and have the benefits of boldness, I am not afraid of hardship, I am not afraid of parting, I am afraid that there is no benefit in your eyes......"

After speaking, he breathed evenly and long, and he fell asleep.

Xu Shen looked at the thick black and boundless night fog and said in a daze, "Why do you care about my opinion? How can you do nothing? It's just that I don't dare to look at your goodness...... Sleep, the sun will come out tomorrow, and I'll take you home......"