Chapter 31: The Visitor
"Gone?" Xia Chen's first thought was that Hei Mao died, because the countrymen generally avoid the word death, and usually whoever dies will say "gone" or "gone".
Second Aunt Yao nodded: "It's gone when I get up in the morning." Seeing that Xia Chen was still confused, he continued: "The dog with human nature will leave when he knows that he is dying, and it doesn't want to die in the master's house. ”
Xia Chen's heart seemed to have been stabbed violently, so Hei Mao was still dead! It knew that it couldn't do it, so it left by itself while Second Uncle Yao was asleep. She turned her head and ran out to find Hei Mao, but heard Yao Zhen say: "Hei Mao is still alive, but he just went where he wants to go." ”
Hearing this, Xia Chen slowed down and silently left Second Uncle Yao's house. Halfway through, he ran into Cen Shaoze running over: "How is the black hair?" ”
Xia Chen smiled gloomily: "Hei Mao is home." ”
Cen Shaoze nodded, didn't say anything, looking at Xia Chen's appearance, he had already guessed that the black hair was dead. He was worried that the child would be guilty of it, but he didn't know what to say, and he had more important things to do. "Chen'er, I should go too, don't think too much about studying hard."
Xia Chen looked at the dawn of the east: "Gathering and dispersing is life, Brother Cen take care, it's a pity that I couldn't take you to hunt, the black hair is gone, Second Uncle Yao will definitely never go hunting again." ”
Cen Shaoze patted her on the shoulder: "There will be a chance in the future, remember that when he arrives in Anyang, he must sue me." ”
"Hmm."
Xia Chen guessed correctly, after Hei Mao left, Yao Zhen's whole person seemed to be lifeless, and his body was worse day by day, not to mention hunting, looking at Hei Mao's nest would often shed tears.
And Xia Chen has always felt guilty, and he no longer runs out to play, and only stays at home to study every day.
An autumn rain and a cold, after a few autumn rains, the leaves are yellow, the mountains are depressed, this morning push open the door, the house, the ground, the branches are a little frost flowers, white, shiny.
Han Xiang ran from the front yard: "Chen'er, the second brother is back." ”
Xia Chen said happily: "When did you come back?" ”
"Just arrived."
When she came to the big house in the front yard, Han Ran was warming her hands by the brazier, and saw her grinning: "Chen'er seems to have grown a lot, come and let the second uncle take a look." ”
Qiao's is a beauty, and Han Yi also has good facial features, so the children of the Han family are all outstanding, and Han Ran is very manly, two sword eyebrows fly obliquely into the sideburns, a pair of starry eyes are radiant, although the mouth is larger, the outline is very beautiful.
Among several uncles, Xia Chen likes Han Ran the most, because Han An has never read, just a pure farmer, although Han Qi reads a lot, he always treats her as a child, and his personality is a little introverted, and it is difficult to talk to each other.
Han Ran is not only more than a book, he has been herding horses since he was eighteen years old, he has a lot of knowledge, a hearty personality, and the most important thing is that he never treats himself as a child, no matter what he does, he takes her with him, and his life will be much richer and more colorful.
Han Ran patted her on the shoulder: "I'm getting bigger, but my body is still too thin, I discussed it with my eldest brother, and I'll take you out to ride a horse for a while every day from today, and I came back this time with two spiritual ponies." ”
Qiao said: "What kind of horse is such a child riding, what should I do if I fall?" ”
Han Ran said: "Mother, can you still fall Chen'er with me?" Besides, it's better to fall now than to fall in the future. ”
When Xia Chen heard this, she suddenly remembered a famous quote, but she didn't want to fall now or in the future.
Qiao Shi glanced at his son: "If you fall, see how I clean you up." ”
Han Ran smiled: "Mother still has to spank her?" ”
Qiao Shi slapped him on the head: "Anyway, I can't stop it, you are so good to teach Chen'er." ”
Xia Chen smiled: "Second uncle, you seem to be a lot darker. ”
Han Ran touched his face and said disapprerovingly: "This road will naturally be dark when exposed to wind and sun." Besides, I'm a big man, what do I want to do for nothing! ”
Xia Chen frowned at him and said, "How many horses did the second uncle bring back, when will you take Chen'er to take a look?" ”
Han Ran stood up: "I'll take you to see it now." ”
Xia Chen patted his ass and said: "I just like the second uncle's resolute style." "Enough for you.
Qiao said: "Oh, the little crazy ones are also crazy, and the big ones are crazy, put on some clothes." ”
When he came to the stable in the West Corner Courtyard, Xia Chen looked at the dozen or so horses of different colors but all of them were in good health, and he was indescribably excited. "Second uncle, where is the pony you are talking about?"
Han Ran stretched out his hand and pointed: "This white horse and that jujube red horse are just over a year old. ”
Xia Chen raised his eyebrows: "I'm young, but I'm not small." She liked both horses very much, so she walked up to the red horse that was closer to her, and the sun shone on the horse, and the shining hair shone with dazzling brilliance, and the flying mane was like a burning flame.
Xia Chen looked at it for a while, and the horse was also looking at her. "Horses, horses, shall we make friends? As long as you nod your head, you will be guaranteed to eat and drink spicy food in the future. ”
Seeing that the horse was still quiet, Xia Chen stretched out his hand to touch it, but he didn't want it to raise his neck, shook his head a few times, and took a small step back.
Xia Chen's hand shook down in mid-air: "Oh, if you don't like it, just say it earlier, why waste my feelings." If you don't bend your waist for a bundle of grass, will I hang myself on a horse? ”
Han Ran laughed: "Chen'er, where are you here, this horse has not been ridden yet, so naturally there is some recognition, that white horse has a better temperament, you go and take a look." ”
Xia Chen walked to the white horse and found that although it was not as dazzling as the jujube red horse, its lines were as toned, and its whole body was snow-white, giving people a sense of elegance and softness. Xia Chen stretched out his hand, but it didn't hide, but poked his head a little affectionately and was stroked by her.
Seeing this, Han Ran was also secretly surprised, although this white horse had a gentle temperament, it was the bloodline of a famous horse, and no one had ever ridden it, so it would not approach the living lightly. "Chen'er, this pony was entrusted to me by an old shepherd in the Great Xia Kingdom to feed it, and I will return it to him in the coming year, but it seems to be very close to you, you can ride it first."
Xia Chen was a little strange: "Why did you let the second uncle raise it on your behalf?" ”
Han Ran said: "The Great Xia Kingdom was defeated by the Xuan Kingdom, and the rest of the country gradually migrated to the northwest, that old brother is afraid that there will be changes on the road, and he doesn't know when he will be able to settle down, this horse is still young, so ...... He said that if I don't see him coming to herd the next year, the horse will be given to me. ”
Xia Chen suddenly felt that the fate of this pony was a little similar to his own. "Horse, I will feed you the best fodder and feed you strong."
Han Ran chuckled and said, "It seems that this white horse is really a good horse, much smarter than that red horse, and knows who to please." ”
"Third uncle, does this horse have a name?"
Han Ran said: "No, you can get one for it." ”
Xia Chen thought about it, he didn't know the temperament of this horse, and he didn't know whether it was a type with good explosiveness or good endurance, so he had to take it according to his appearance. "Second uncle, is it okay to call it dusty?"
"Well, that's good. Go back and ask Daddy to make a smaller saddle for you. ”
"I'll go find my grandfather right now." said and patted the little white horse: "Juechen, when the saddle is ready, I will take you out to play." ”
Although there are many horse breeders in the village, no child can have a horse of his own, let alone a saddle.
At this time, after the busy farming season, Han Yi only took two days to make a saddle for her, and specially added an extra layer of sheepskin pads, and the front edge of the saddle was raised so that it could be used as a handrail.
Time is like water, the flowers are falling in a blink of an eye, the leaves are yellow, and the frost and snow are falling at night. The snow covers the door, and the mountain village is lonely and empty.
Xia Chen learned horseback archery with Han Ran every day during this time, and although he didn't practice to a hundred steps now, he also achieved something.
On this day, she hunted a hare on Beidianzi, Qiao's added some dried grass mushrooms and stewed a pot of rabbit meat, and the family chatted around the table to eat and chat.
Han Ran picked up the wine cup and handed it to Xia Chen: "Chen'er, take a sip." ”
Qiao Shi turned his head and said, "How old is Chen'er, how can you let him drink." ”
Qiao's and Han Xiang's and Zhang's sat alone at a small table, and women were not allowed to eat at the same table as men in the Great Cloud Kingdom, and this rule was very common in ancient times.
Han Ran smiled: "Mother, Chen'er can hunt hares, and he is already a little man." ”
Han An said: "Chen'er's horse is also riding vigorously now, and besides, how can a man not drink." ”
Han Qi said: "When I was seven years old, I was drunk by my second brother a few times. ”
Xia Chen took the wine cup and took a sip, only to feel that the wine was bitter and spicy, and it was like a fire in his throat, and then his stomach seemed to be on fire. She only drank red wine and beer in modern times, and this so-called soju, that is, white wine, was the first time she drank it, and she couldn't help frowning and coughing lightly.
Qiao Shi hurriedly said: "Choked, right?" Eat quickly and press the food. ”
Suddenly hearing someone knocking on the door, Han An got up and said, "I'll take a look." ”
Qiao Shi muttered: "It's dark, who will it be?" ”
Xia Chen is also very curious, the winter days are short and the nights are long, and the Shen hour is dusk at three o'clock, and the neighbors generally do not come at this time, and this time is nearly the end of the year, and there was just a heavy snow yesterday, there should be no distant visitors.
Just as he was thinking about it, Han An came in with a young man dressed as a sergeant, with a rectangular face and black and red skin, his shoulders bubbling with white gas, and frost on his eyebrows and sideburns.
Han An said: "This is one of my brother-in-law's personal guards. ”
The young man made a gesture: "The villain Liu Quan was ordered by General Xuanwei to take the third young master back to the house." ”
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