"What if you don't give it?"

"This is a checkpoint set by one side to defend the city, and it has its own fee, and if it is not given, it will not be released. In addition, it will be pestered endlessly, which will only add to its own problems. ”

"If everyone didn't give it, wouldn't there be no trouble."

"People are not in harmony, for their own consideration, someone will give it after all, once someone starts, the atmosphere will become."

"Then why did someone give money to the soldier alone, and the soldier carried it directly in his arms."

"That's the man who gave the soldier a single benefit in order to pass the test quickly, so that he could be accommodating."

"Is this the right approach?"

"It's a private approach, not a real public approach."

"I see."

As they spoke, they saw a big river blocking the way, and a clearing was opened by a river, and several large stones and a few wooden stakes stood there, and a few people stood on the bank, as if they were also going to cross the river, and the master and apprentice also waited for a while. Soon a boat-bearer came from the other side.

After the other people got on the boat first, Zimo stepped forward to ask for the price, but he asked for a penny for one person, regardless of age or young, and handed the captain two pennies, asking the master to get on the boat first, and then Zimo finally raised his legs and stepped onto the boat.

"Oh, you little brother, I can't see that you are quite weighty, this long object in your hand, is it caused by this object?" As soon as Na Zimo got on the boat, he was like an adult, the hull of the boat shook a few times, and the captain saw the problem and asked.

"Yes, old man, it's just a long knife, and it has some weight." Zimo replied with a smile.

"I see, it seems that you are also a person with status." The captain rocked the boat and said, "Then you have to take the knife and don't fall into the river, for the water is very deep." ”

"Thank you for your concern, I'll pay attention."

This father-in-law is very talkative, and when he saw that Zimo was young, he came out to travel, so he opened the conversation and said: "Seeing the knife in your little brother's hand, hehe, I remembered a story told by a distant friend." My friend once went to Chu to do business, happened to cross the Han River, there was a scholar from the Chu State in the same boat, wearing a sword, looking very Sven, when he got on the boat, but he was not careful, the sword fell into the Han River, this scholar hurriedly took a small knife, carved a mark on the side of the boat, and after carving the mark, he put down the knife and sat firmly on the boat, and the captain asked him, 'Why don't you go into the water to salvage the sword, a boatload of people is still waiting for you.' Suppose what the Nashites answered? The captain grinned, and without waiting for the others to answer, he gave the answer first, "The man said, 'Don't be in a hurry, my sword has fallen in this part of the ship, and I have already made a mark, and when the ship reaches the other side, I will slowly salvage it.' When the boat arrived at its destination, the other passengers left, and the man asked the captain to park the boat, took off his clothes and pants and went into the water to fish, but where to find it, the sword was dropped on the boat, and he would not go with the boat, and he would not go with the boat, and he would fish at the place where he disembarked, isn't it a joke, the scholar fished for an afternoon, and gave the boatman three cents as a waiting fee, except for catching a fish, he didn't catch anything. Isn't it ridiculous that you say that Chu people, haha. After the man finished speaking, he didn't wait for others to laugh, but laughed first.

When Zimo heard it, he also laughed: "The story of the old man is really interesting, and this scholar is too dogmatic and doesn't know how to be flexible." Thank you, Uncle, this story has also benefited the kid a lot. ”

"How dare you, it's just a joke of chit-chatter and fart, how can you benefit a lot."

After chatting, the boat swayed and came to the opposite bank, and the master and apprentice said goodbye to their father-in-law, inquired about the direction of Chengyang, and walked forward.

There is no official map, all by one mouth to inquire, that Chengyang City is still nearly forty miles away from this ferry, it is nearly noon at this time, the more you go, the more desolate it is, gradually there are no pedestrians on the road, occasionally one or two hares, foxes from the exercise, sometimes a few wolf howls can be heard in the wilderness on both sides.

In order to be able to enter the city in time when the city gate was closed, the master and apprentice hurried and did not dare to rest for a moment. This red pine nut has cultivation in the body, and he is not afraid of hard work, this half-grown child of Zimo can't stand this kind of walking, but along the way, the true qi runs around the body, harmonizes the breathing, and it is also relaxed, and occasionally sees some strange objects, and can run up to take a closer look.

After some hurrying and hurrying, I finally saw the shadow of the city in front of the sunset, and there were more pedestrians on the road, and they were in a hurry.

"Zimo, we finally see the city, let's speed up a little more." Akamatsuko greeted Zimo.

The gatekeeper was slowly closing the city gate, and when Chi Songzi saw it, he pulled up Zimo and ran to the city gate in a few steps, and clenched his fists with his hands, "There are a few military masters." As he spoke, he slipped through the crack in the door, and finally entered the city, avoiding sleeping outside the city for the night.

By this time it was nearly dusk, and the smoke was rising. This Chengyang City is also a small city, and one of the characteristics of the city is that there are many more rivers than other cities. The two searched all the way, and finally saw an inn with a banner erected in front of the door, which wrote "Chengyang Inn". When I came to the counter of the inn, I asked, and it happened that there was one room left, and I didn't care what the size of the room was, so I didn't have to choose.

Coming to the guest room, simply washing away the dust, the master and apprentice came downstairs and asked for a few catties of beef, a pot of hot tea, and a pot of old wine, and the two of them will have dinner with tea and wine.

It was eating dinner when suddenly there was crying outside, and it was getting louder and louder. The cry was very sad, with the voices of old men, women, and children.

"Uncle shopkeeper, how can there be crying outside, but what happened?" Zimo asked.

"I don't know, but it's very likely that someone has been injured by the snake in the lake, so I'll go and investigate." The shopkeeper said, threw down what he was doing, and walked out of the inn.

After a short time, the shopkeeper came back, and he couldn't help but sigh and said, "Sure enough, I guessed that it was the snake who did evil again." ”

"Uncle shopkeeper, can you elaborate?" Zimo pulled out the bench and asked the shopkeeper to sit down.

"That's the case, isn't our Chengyang City relying on Lei Xia Ze, although Lei Xia Ze is not as vast as Ohnoze, but it is also a well-known lake, dozens of miles of lake water, the water potential is very vicious, the water surface has no wind and three feet of waves, and it is extremely deep, and the surrounding area is full of reeds and grass. The water is vicious, but the fish and shrimp in this water are very beautiful, and they are also the favorite things of the inhabitants of the city, and some people like it and some people go to fish, and some people row into Naze in order to get more money, and they also get a lot of harvest by relying on boat skills and water skills. But there are also people who pay for this, the reason is that this Lei Xia Ze does not know what year and what month, out of two cockscomb snakes, the snake is five meters long, usually has adult legs thick, the whole body is red, on the head, the back of the cockscomb, the crown color is more crimson, like blood drooping, the snake can cruise on the water, can also wander on the land, its activity area is mostly Lei Xia Ze, the poison is incomparable, once it is bitten, it will die, and the snake is extremely fast, the snake tail swings, but also jumps, open the mouth of a mouthful of poisonous smoke, the smell will fall. Originally, every year, there were three or two people who were occasionally attacked and devoured by cockscomb snakes, and everyone didn't care, and there were still many people who went to Nalei Xiaze to catch fish and shrimp. But this year, I don't know what's going on, the two cockscomb snakes seem to have gone crazy, attacking people one after another, devouring people, just this April to now, early May, there have been no less than ten people attacked by it, and only three people have escaped. The cry just now was that Liu Wu's family, that Liu Wu went fishing today, and coincidentally met the cockscomb snake, and was bitten in the thigh, although he escaped, but the snake venom could not be resolved, and he finally lost his life. ”

"Ahh That's the case, so no one reported to the official, can't the official come forward to solve the two snakes? Zimo shouted.

"Yes, but it's useless, officers and soldiers are also people, and they are afraid of death, in that lake, who dares to go into the water to fight with them, and the cockscomb snake is invulnerable to scales all around, and ordinary soldiers are just sent to death."

"Didn't you invite some high-ranking people?"

"Where to invite the masters, this small city, located in a remote area, sparsely populated, who of those masters is willing to come here to do that thankless thing, and if the skills are not enough, maybe they will give their lives." The shopkeeper shook his head and sighed.

"In that case, then let the people not go to Narexiaze."

"It's easy to say, not to mention those people who want to make a living from it, even the ferry has to be done, otherwise how can you get to the vertical capital city, if you go around the distance, it will be at least two to three times the distance on the water." The shopkeeper paused for a moment, and then said, "Take a step back, even if no one goes to Naleishaze, that cockscomb snake will sometimes attack humans on land, there is no way." ”

"It's a problem." Zimo frowned and said, "Then does anyone know the origin of this cockscomb snake?" ”

"I heard the old man say that some snakes will practice after living for a long time, some non-poisonous pythons will turn into dragons after practicing for a certain number of years, and some highly poisonous snakes will turn into cockscomb snakes. These two should have been active in this Lei Xia Ze, but they have lived for a long time, and I don't know what kind of poisonous snake they evolved from. This snake is the scourge, we are not only attacked by humans here, but also the domestic animal. After the shopkeeper finished speaking, he added, "Even the city of the capital is the same." ”

"Master, I want to go and see that Liu Wu." Zimo didn't squeak, thought for a while, and said to Chi Songzi.

"Do you want to see the venom of the snake in there?" Akamatsuko asked.

"Yes."

"Okay, then there's Shopkeeper Lao to take us to see that Liu Wu, how about it?" Chi Songzi said to the shopkeeper.

"What's so good-looking, I was hit by that snake venom, and my whole body was black, and I couldn't recognize a person. But if you want to go, I'll take you, but don't have nightmares at night when you see it, it's terrifying. The shopkeeper said kindly.

"Thank you, Uncle Shopkeeper, I'm more courageous, I won't be afraid." Zimo smiled with gratitude to the shopkeeper.

Following the shopkeeper of Chengyang Inn, the master and apprentice came to Liu Wu's house, and there were people coming in and out of the door one after another, crying inside, and the people who came out of the house couldn't help but shake their heads and sigh.

When I entered the house, the light was dim, and the room was not big, but it was crowded with neighbors, and the villagers had nothing to comfort in this matter, but only to do their best, and to express their condolences and words. The shopkeeper took the two of them to squeeze inside, and whispered to a woman who was crying: "Sister-in-law of the Liu family, there are two guests from other towns, I heard that Brother Liu Wu was killed, come to take a look." ”

The people of that era were very simple and kind, and when they heard that a foreigner was coming, they quickly whimpered and said to their father-in-law and mother-in-law, and stood up to give up some places.

Chi Songzi and Zimo came to the woman and said, "The festival mourns and changes." He took out some copper coins, put them aside, and said, "Our master and apprentice passed through this place, and we happened to encounter this incident, which should not be disturbed, but I want to do our best." After a pause, "Can I let my master and apprentice check the snake venom in your husband?" ”

"Thank you for coming to visit, it's just that you have been poisoned by snakes, which is a bit dangerous, but don't get it." The woman wiped her tears and whimpered.

"Thanks, we'll be careful." After that, Chi Songzi and Zimo came to Liu Wu's corpse, but they saw that the face was swollen and black, and they couldn't see their original appearance, and their clothes were all open, especially the right leg, and there was still some black blood flowing under the leg, emitting a fishy smell.

Chi Songzi frowned, sniffed the smell a few times, turned his head and said to the woman, "Sister-in-law of the Liu family, can you move your husband outside the house, this snake venom is so powerful, put it in the house, you will inevitably be poisoned if you smell this smell for a long time." ”

This doesn't remind no one to pay attention, this said, there are indeed a few people who feel dizzy and nauseous. When the woman heard this, she discussed it with her mother-in-law and father-in-law, and nodded her head in agreement: "In response to this gentleman's words, it is true that we also feel a little uncomfortable, and we thought it was because of sadness. He turned his head and said, "Let's ask a few neighbors to help move my husband's body out of the house." ”

Liu Wu's body was lying on the wooden plank, and as soon as the woman said this, several well-wishers immediately came up, lifted the wooden plank together, and carried Liu Wu outside the house. The doors and windows were opened again, and a burst of fresh air blew in, and everyone suddenly felt much more comfortable.

There were also enthusiastic people who shoveled away the black blood that flowed to the ground, and washed it with water several times.