At night, the powerful sun has disappeared, and the moon, which is like a curved bow, hangs in the sky, and the temperature slowly drops a lot, and it is not so hot that it makes people dizzy. There are more and more people going out to enjoy the cool weather, especially the banks of the canal are becoming more and more lively, whether you have money or not, you can go there to enjoy the wet river breeze, it is a good place to cool off.

Countless flower-boats docked on the shore, and there were many lightly dressed women on board, laughing and inviting guests. From time to time, there are black and narrow fishing boats shuttling back and forth among these flower boats, and there are fishermen wearing coarse cloth and hats to sell their catches to the passers-by along the shore or the girls on the flower boats, or fresh lotus pods, water chestnuts, salt-boiled peanuts and so on.

On the shore, there are many merchants carrying burdens, old men who paint sugar people, vendors carrying sugar gourds, embroidery girls carrying bamboo baskets and those endless tourists crowding together. Of course, there are also those beggars in ragged clothes who reach out to beg with broken bowls.

Among the many flower boats, one of them is a bit peculiar. Its atmosphere is obviously very different from those other flower boats with the sound of warblers and swallows, the smell of fat and the sound of people.

I saw a string of red lanterns hanging on the high mast of the bow of the ship, and under the lanterns were a few and a few collapses, and sitting on the couch were actually two young men in brocade clothes, and around them were several guards wearing strong suits and carrying large swords at their waists, of course, they were all men.

The flower boat, which was supposed to be boundless in spring and surrounded by clouds and mist, was occupied by a group of men. Let those on the shore look for flowers and willows. All sighed secretly.

Sitting on the left floor was Guo Chengsi, who replaced the eye-catching purple brocade robe and put on a light green bamboo robe. He still has a gold-sprinkled paper fan in his hand. With three-dimensional facial features and honey-colored skin, he still looks as handsome as the sun. But it's a little less powerful and more approachable.

Zhong Ziyuan on the right collapse is still the lake-colored robe, although the material is not as good as the one on Guo Chenghe, but her cold temperament and handsome and attractive appearance. is actually not inferior to that Guo Chenghei.

The combination of these two people only caused the women on the nearby flower boats to laugh and pay attention, and those fishing boats also frequently circled around them. And neither of them paid attention to the excitement outside. They just sat facing each other, you looked at me, I looked at you, and the atmosphere seemed a little weird.

Stunned for a while. Zhong Ziyuan suddenly said dryly: "It's tasteless to sit on." I look at the freshly picked water chestnuts and lotus pods on those fishing boats, so let's buy some and try them. ”

Guo Chengsi slapped his face with a smile and said approvingly: "Your idea is excellent, come on, go and buy all the lotus canopies and water chestnuts on the fishing boat." ”

"Yes." Someone said yes weakly, and called one of the fishing boats to come and buy something. All the water chestnuts and lotus canopies on the fishing boat were soon piled up in front of them, and the fisherman left with a silver horn in her arms.

Guo Chengsi said with a smile: "Eat." Is that enough? Do you want to buy some more? ”

"Enough, enough," the corners of Zhong Ziyuan's mouth twitched. Secretly slandered: You always feed the pigs?

Zhong Ziyuan was originally just talking casually, but now that things were piled up in front of her, she was a little interested. So she picked out a water chestnut with a black skin after cooking, which looked like a goat's horn and exuded a fragrance. It's just that it looks a little small and not very full, so it's because it's picked before the season.

The water chestnut was in her hands, but she began to make trouble. Usually eat this is cardamom after boiling the water chestnut, take a knife to split it, peel out the white and purple flesh inside, and then present it to her.

Nowadays, although there are no knives, there are many knives. She raised her eyes and looked around, and the plainclothes servants behind her were all carrying large knives at their waists. It's just that Zhong Ziyuan didn't dare to open his mouth to find someone to borrow the big knife to chop this small water chestnut. Because she was afraid that if she opened her mouth, those fierce and vicious men would want to use the big knife to cut her head.

Do you want to bite with your own white teeth? In front of everyone's eyes, the image was too ugly. Just when she was hesitantly staring at the water chestnut in her hand, but there was no way. Guo Chengsi stretched out his big hand to take it, he only used three fingers to pinch it gently, and the originally hard and black water chestnut shell immediately cracked a crack, revealing the lovely flesh like ingots inside.

"You're pretty good." Zhong Ziyuan's eyes lit up, and he praised without hesitation. She immediately took the water chestnut in his hand, easily peeled off the skin, peeled off the flesh and threw it into her mouth. Well, it's powdery, fragrant, and has a faint sweetness, and it's really delicious.

Zhong Ziyuan immediately found a four-cornered raw water chestnut with a green skin and a full skin in the pile of water chestnuts, and handed it to Guo Chengsi, his amber eyes were unblinking, looking at him expectantly.

Guo Chengsi smiled, took it and pinched it gently. Soon the tender, milky flesh was revealed. Zhong Ziyuan ate it to his heart's content. Well, it's sweet, crispy, and it's also very tasty.

She was already a little hungry in her belly, so she happily selected a particularly full one from the pile of water chestnuts and handed it to Guo Chenghe. Guo Chengsi didn't say much, only patiently helped her pinch the water chestnut shell one by one.

His actions made the officials around him look straight in the eyes, and it was the first time they had seen their own adults, so patiently serving people. Maybe their eyes were too hot, and suddenly Guo Chengsi raised his eyes and swept them with lightning, and there was a warning in his eyes. Those officials immediately retracted their gaze, some looked at the sky, some looked at the ground, and some looked at the river, but no one dared to look at Lord Guo's jokes anymore.

Zhong Ziyuan didn't realize it, she gnawed on these white flesh like a happy squirrel, until the water chestnut shell in front of her was piled up into a small mountain. Guo Chengsi stopped and said, "Okay!" If you eat it any longer, I'm afraid you won't be able to digest it. ”

Zhong Ziyuan stroked her little belly and said with satisfaction: "I'm also full, but I'm a little thirsty." ”

"It's okay, there's some sour plum syrup here. It can be consumed. ”

When Zhong Ziyuan took a sip of the purple-red sour plum syrup, she suddenly remembered that she didn't seem to be here to cruise the river. So she put the cup down. Wiping the corners of his mouth, he asked puzzledly, "When will we pass?" ”

Guo Chengsi picked out a lotus pod from the table, slowly peeled out the round and snow-white lotus flesh inside, and put it in his mouth to eat. He squinted his eyes, smiled slightly, and said, "What's the hurry, naturally it's the end." It's our turn. ”

A group of big men came on the shore, led by a man like an iron tower. He has dark skin and thick eyebrows. He was wearing a black embroidered bat group suit. It was Pu Yan who had dealt with Zhong Ziyuan and Guo Chenghe. Now no one calls him Pu Lao Er or the second master, he is the new Cao Gang helmsman, and everyone calls him Pu Helmsman.

As he walked, he frowned and asked, "Which boat are you on?" ”

A middle-aged man behind him immediately replied, "It was said that it was about the invitation of the Cui family." "As far as the eye can see, the brightly lit flower boats on the river are as dense as clouds. Everywhere there are silk bamboos and sounds of joy. In the middle, there is a faint mixture of the sounds of drinking, fist-fighting, and singing. It's really singing and dancing, and it's prosperous.

But it is not easy to find one of these flower boats. Because these boats are not stationary, they will occasionally sail to the surface of the river at the request of some guests.

"Then polish your tricks and find out what the hell is inviting the moon." Pu Yan shouted with a headache.

Over the years, the business negotiations have been carried out by the previous helmsman Sun Yuan, and Sun Yuan and his henchmen are all very happy people. Therefore, the places to choose to negotiate business are in these flower streets and willow lanes. With the fall of Sun Yuan and his forces, Pu Yan was newly replaced. But he hasn't fully adapted to it, and he is busy for a while.

Just when this group of big men were anxiously looking for Na Yingyue, a beggar in ragged clothes, about thirteen or fourteen years old, held a broken bowl and timidly stretched out in front of Pu Yan: "Uncle is good, give me a stutter!" ”

Pu Yanzheng was full of impatience, his eyes widened, and the beggar trembled with fright, and he wanted to take back the broken bowl. But he casually commanded, "Whoever of you has a copper plate on him, give him a few." ”

There was a "bang", and someone threw three copper plates into his broken bowl. The beggar thought that it would be good if he was not beaten, but he didn't expect that there would really be money. He hurriedly bowed and said, "Thank you, uncle, thank you." "You must know that although three copper coins are not much, you can buy a few white-flour steamed buns,

Pu Yan grinned, showed his white teeth, and said, "Little rabbit cub, get out of the way quickly if you get the reward, don't get in your grandfather's way." The little beggar knew that he was actually a disgusting and kind person, but he was not afraid, and he grabbed the copper coin in his hand and ran away quickly.

Pu Yan smiled and shook his head: "Little rabbit, run fast." Everyone laughed, and quickly threw the little episode out of their minds.

After walking for a while, someone pointed to a flower boat in front of him and exclaimed in surprise: "Look, isn't that the invitation to the moon?" Sure enough, a particularly magnificent, two-storey painting boat, hung two big red lanterns with the word "Invite the Moon" written on them. You can also faintly see young girls shuttling back and forth on the flower boat.

Pu Yan wiped the beads of sweat on his forehead and scolded secretly: "Self-thief, you really know how to choose a place." ”

As soon as the group approached the boat, they saw an old bustard, who was still greased and whitewashed, and still charming, waved a handkerchief, pinched his throat and asked delicately, "Is the person who came from the Cao Gang?" ”

Someone immediately stepped forward and replied, "It's our Pu Helm Master." ”

"Quick, put the pedals down." The old bustard immediately waved his handkerchief and instructed the boatman to lower the pedal. Pu Yan and his group finally boarded the painting boat along the pedal.

As soon as they got on the boat, a boatman put the pedals back, and then the boat began to move slowly towards the center of the river. Pu Yan's subordinates asked in surprise: "Why did Mom put away the pedals, isn't there any business tonight?" ”

The old bustard covered his mouth with a handkerchief and giggled, and did not forget to tease: "Look at what this little brother said, when Master Sun Helm used to discuss business at our invitation to the moon, they were all chartered boats. Could it be that when you get to the master of Purud, you can't change the rules? The slave family remembers that Master Sun Helm said before that the Cao Gang is not short of these hundred taels of silver. ”

"Bastard." Pu Yan scolded secretly, and his face darkened. Under the leadership of the old bustard, he strode into the cabin. Sure enough, along the way, they didn't meet a single customer, except for the boatmen and the prostitutes.

The old bustard took Pu Yan and his group to the door of a cabin, and then said with a smile: "Master Pu Helm, the guests have been waiting inside for a long time. She pushed open the door of the cabin, and with the arrival of Pu Yan and his group, the original sound of playing and singing and talking inside immediately stopped abruptly.

This cabin was very large, and there was a platform in the middle, on which was a young woman in a pomegranate dress, her ten fingers as slender as green onions pressed lightly on the strings, but her head was slightly sideways, and she looked curiously at Pu Yan and his group who came in. She has a melon seed face that can be broken by blowing bullets, a pair of peach blossom eyes that are obliquely raised, and looking forward to the shining peach blossom eyes. She has a charming expression and an exceptionally slender waist. Sitting there, blown by the river wind, there was a feeling of fluttering like a fairy.

Around the table, there are more than a dozen high-backed chairs with yellow pears, and next to the chairs are placed refreshments, fruits, and incense burners. There were five or six men in brocade robes, tall, short, fat and thin, who also raised their eyes to look at Pu Yan and his group who suddenly broke in.

A round-faced fat man wearing a brown brocade robe who looked smiling and looking like white dough was the first to stand up, arched his hand at Pu Yan, and said, "Your Excellency is the new master of the Cao Gang Pu Helm?" ”

"Exactly down there." Pu Yan also returned the salute and said, "Your Excellency is Boss Long?" ”

"Exactly, exactly." Boss Long responded with a smile, he stretched out his chubby fingers, pointed to the woman in red on the stage and introduced, "Master Pu, let me introduce you." This girl is the owner of this painting boat. "Cui, everyone is like a weak wind supporting a willow to Pu Yanyingying. Pu Yan bowed slightly, which was considered a return gift.

Boss Long smiled slightly, and continued to introduce: "This is Boss Song, this is Boss Jiang, and this is Boss Li" He especially pointed to one of the young men with long hair and shawl, stepping on clogs, wearing a moon-white brocade robe, and looking even more charming and moving than Cui's family, and said: "This, you must know him well, he is the prince of Shu." ”

Zhu Fei, the son of the King of Shu, shook the folding fan in his hand, blinked his swaying phoenix eyes that fascinated people and did not pay for his life, and said with a smile: "Master Puru, don't come unharmed!" Standing behind him were Xue Ji and Yu Ji, who were still wearing brocade robes and jade crowns on their heads.

Speaking of which, the Cao Gang was able to find out Sun Yuan, the murderer of the old gang leader, and Zhu Fei contributed a lot. However, he connived at the servant girl to humiliate the helmsman of the Cao Gang at that time in front of the public, causing the Cao Gang to lose face greatly, which made Pu Yan feel very unhappy in his heart. So he said lightly: "I didn't know that the prince of Shu also had business dealings with our Cao Gang? (To be continued......)