Chaotianmen, big wharf, welcome the official and receive the saint!

Chaotianmen is the largest of all the city gates in Ba County, located at the confluence of the Sichuan River and the Jialing River.

Since ancient times, it has been the gateway of Ba County and even Chongqing Prefecture, and the dignitaries and officials who have left their posts in East Sichuan Road are all in and out from this wharf. The direction of the opening of the city gate is directly opposite the imperial capital of the previous dynasty - Jiangning, which is the place where the officials and lords receive the emperor's holy decree, and the emperor is the "Son of Heaven", "Chaotianmen" hence the name.

Han Xiufeng and the three of them passed through the city gate with the four big characters of "Guyu Xiongguan" in the book, and ran to the riverside in one breath, all of them were boats, all porters who were busy loading and unloading goods, and there were many hawkers who specialized in porter business, and even a few slender men with bare buttocks, all of whom arrived in Fucheng and did not hurry up to get dressed, no wonder those big girls and little daughters-in-law by the river always scolded them for being shameless.

"Four babies, four babies, is it you, I'm here!"

Just as he was looking up the Sichuan River, a familiar voice came from a distance, Han Xiufeng looked back, hurriedly greeted him and asked, "Eighth Master, it's me, have you ever seen the Copper Heavenly King?" ”

"I haven't seen it, I haven't arrived, I've been watching you on the dock for the past few days." The eighth master trembled and greeted him, walked to him but didn't dare to approach, and said with a little restraint: "It's different when you put on an official uniform, I almost didn't recognize it just now, four babies, you are also a master now!" ”

Han Xiufeng reacted, and hurriedly went up to support him and said with a smile: "What's the master, isn't it that I haven't made up for the lack yet, even if I can make up for you, it's still my eighth master." ”

"Don't be like this, four babies, if you don't make up for the lack of you, you are the same master, this will cost me my life!" The eighth master was so frightened that he hurriedly pushed Han Xiufeng's hand away, and after thinking about it, he said with an embarrassed face: "I'm dirty, but I can't stain your official uniform." ”

Han Xiufeng couldn't help but laugh and said, "Okay, I'll help you for fear of losing your life, so it's okay to let the pillar help you, right?" ”

"Forget it, let him stay away from me, he can't help him." When people are old, they are afraid of death, and when the eighth master saw the pillar as if he was seeing a ghost, he was so frightened that he hurriedly hid to the side.

Zhuzi couldn't help muttering: "Eighth master, what are you afraid of when you are seventy, even if you swallow your funeral today, it is called a happy funeral!" ”

"You turtle son, dare to curse me to death, see if I don't kill you!" The eighth master was in a hurry, and he picked up his crutches and was about to beat.

The pillar said with a smile while hiding: "Eighth master, you look at your feet, don't blame me if you really fall to death." Besides, life is rare for seventy years, and being able to live to seventy is more blessed than those big masters, what do you still want, and you really want to become a fine person if you live again! ”

"If you become a fine, you will become a fine, and I want to live for a few more years!"

Others say that the eighth master will be angry, and the pillar says that the eighth master will not only not be really angry, but a little proud, because he had a serious illness a few years ago, and the whole person is gone, Jiang Liu asked the big head to call the pillar to come over and prepare to help converge, ready to help with the funeral, but as soon as the pillar arrived at his old man's house, his illness was relieved, and he has lived to this day.

So in the eyes of others, the pillar is very unlucky, but in the eyes of his old man, the pillar is a lucky star, every time he sees it in the past few years, he will quarrel, the pillar always asks why he is not dead, and his old man scolds and scolds, but as soon as he turns around, he shows people that his old man is blessed with a big life, and the prince of Dalian Yan has to give some face, and does not let black and white impermanence rush to take him away.

Han Xiufeng was not surprised when he saw it, and looked at the river and said to himself: "The copper pot post is not far from here, why haven't you arrived yet!" ”

"Maybe it's been delayed by something." When it comes to business, the eighth master can't care about cleaning up the pillar anymore, panting with a cane, and said: "You don't know the turtle sons who transport copper, the copper tank post is a water station, the wharf is not small, and there will be no shortage of cargo ships coming and going, they extort all the way, how can they miss this opportunity to extort money." ”

"The boatman is not a melon baby, there is no way to avoid it, and those who can avoid it are not far away, even if they stay in the copper pot post until the New Year, they can't make a few dollars. Besides, there is a time limit for when the copper catties will arrive in the capital, and they don't dare to delay for too long in order to make money. ”

"yes, but why haven't they arrived yet?" The eighth master was also puzzled.

……

Wearing an official uniform is different, on weekdays, the porters who greet each other have avoided it, and there is a vacant piece of land on the dock because of the arrival of the three of them, the eighth master is very happy and excited, and the porters who are eager to make a living on the dock and those on the ship all know that Han Xiufeng, the official master, was raised by his old man, and he respects his old man very much.

Han Xiufeng was a little unaccustomed to it, and turned around and said, "Eighth Master, it's windy here, let the pillar stare here, let's go to the sixth brother's pergola to sit for a while." ”

"It's okay, I almost forgot if you didn't mention it, there is water boiling on the stove, hurry up, you can't burn the kettle dry."

Isn't it just a matter of face for people to live in the world?

Pan Er could understand the eighth master's mood at this moment, and said with a smile: "Eighth master, the fourth brother is always worried about losing your life, I am the fourth brother's long-term follower, not the official master, I will help you old and fine." ”

"Okay, well, the four babies will rely on you to help them in the future."

"Yes, yes, you should be slow."

There are two pergolas at Chaotianmen Wharf, one is the size of a stage and the other is smaller than a room.

Ba County is a mountain city, surrounded by water on three sides, the traffic mainly depends on water transportation, there is no place like Shili Pavilion and Bali Pavilion, the officials can only be sent to the riverside, and the big pergola is the place where the officials and the old men greet the holy decree and greet the officials.

Although Han Xiufeng was wearing an official uniform, he didn't think about going to the big pergola, but came to Jiang Liu's small pergola with the eighth master Pan Er.

The big men have official offices, although Jiang Liu is not an official or an official, but he also helps the yamen to manage things, he is the head of the Chaotianmen Wharf, and he has to manage hundreds or even thousands of Sichuan porters who are begging for a living at the Chaotianmen Wharf, so naturally he can't do without a place to take care of things, and this small pergola in front of him is his usual "office place".

The shed was very simple, only a dirty and old table of eight immortals and four large stools that were also dirty and old, and dozens of sticks leaned against them in the corners, which at a glance knew were used to fight with the tea gang.

The eighth master unscrewed the teapot that had only a little water left on the stove, and then hurriedly found a rag to wipe the table and wipe the big stool.

Sitting down and not being able to see the river clearly, Han Xiufeng didn't think about sitting at all, standing in front of the pergola and muttering: "I know why the Copper Heavenly King hasn't arrived yet, they are worried about scaring the boats on the dock away." If you're not mistaken, they'll be there when it's dark! ”

The eighth master was old but his ears were not deaf, so he subconsciously asked: "What should I do, four boys, do you want me to ask someone to inform those boatmen?" ”

"Those who are familiar with each other will be informed, and those who are not familiar with each other will be counted."

"Also, I don't recognize it, and the cargo doesn't give us the goods, what do the shipowners have to do with us, they deserve to be unlucky!"