Shang Cheng saw from a distance that the fork seemed to be more chaotic than before. Less than a stone's throw from the slate bridge, three or four rows of more than a dozen gray tiled houses were newly erected; Around these houses, a half-height wall also takes shape, and depending on the situation, a large area of space is enclosed in front and back of the house. Next to the slate bridge, a larger and wider stone bridge is being built, and now the approach bridges on both sides have been paved, and scaffolding has been erected on the river. The clearing on the other side of the river was full of timber and stone, and the stonemason, with his apron tied around his waist, carrying a hammer and chisel in his hand, smashed the stones with a clanging sound, and from time to time a small cloud of green smoke and dust; The dry smell of stone dust filled the banks of the river. The farmers and laborers who worked here carried heavy stones on thick wooden poles and carried them to the new bridge. They bent over, shouted trumpets in their mouths, and walked with difficulty:

"Hey! One by one! Hey! One by one! ”

Looking at the familiar scene in front of him, those memories that had long been dusted immediately poured into Shang Cheng's mind like a tide.

When he was in Huojiabao and Nanguan in Yixian County, he and Shi were doing this kind of work. In the cold weather, from the stone yard to the camp in Nanguan, no matter whether it is windy or snowy, you have to walk back and forth at least ten times a day. One round trip is four miles away; Every time he came down, he and the stone were full of white steam, and it took half a day to breathe after opening the old sheepskin jacket. But even like this, he couldn't rest, and after receiving the number plate from the official, he immediately turned back and went to get tired of the next trip. Nanguan is a military village, although the wages are sufficient, but the construction period is tighter, the officials who supervise the construction of the small craftsmen are called as livestock, do not care whether the sky is windy or snowy, just a vigorous urging to rush to work, a little slack and slow leather whip sticks to pull over and beat; He has been subjected many times, and there are still traces of a water-stained cowhide whip on his arm. But mean-spirited officials are not the most terrible; The scariest thing is God! The weather that has just fallen in the rain and snow, the road is slippery, and every step is cautious, for fear that I will not accidentally step on the solid footsteps, one by one Yanshanwei In order to repair the camp of Nanguan, the dead and crippled are not one or two people...... During that time, both he and Shi wondered more than once if they would die on Nanguan in the end......

The stone was sent to the bridge and placed where it should be under the direction of a craftsman. The workers drew their poles, removed the ropes, bowed their heads, bent their waists, and staggered back. It's just one trip, and there are more stones waiting for them to carry, to carry, to carry......

Before he knew it, Shang Cheng had stopped his horse. He looked at the busy scene on both sides of the river, his hands clutching the reins tightly, and his ten fingers almost digging into the piso. He felt a fire burning in his chest, and his throat was so dry that it was as if he hadn't drunk a drop of water for ten days and half a month. An uncontrollable warm current flowed in his chest, and his vision became blurred, and every bit of that time appeared in front of his eyes. He was in the prime of life, and the coarse grain on Nanguan that did not stick to oil and meat could not be eaten at all, so Shi often left him a little of his own food; Uncle Zhu went to the county seat to buy New Year's goods, and brought him two sesame baked cakes that were as hard as stones. And on the first day of the lunar month that year, he carried the money and food issued by the government home, and he was so tired that he was snorting and panting like an old dog...... Even now, he still had the feeling of a towel on his forehead, and her warm gaze......

Another trumpet from the workers interrupted his memories.

He reluctantly returned from his memory to reality.

He wiped away his tears and snot, and let out a long breath to calm himself.

He saw several horses descending from the official road with a cart in their arms, bypassing the stone yard and onto the stone bridge. He knew both of the people who walked in front of him.

He rubbed his cheeks, which were a little stiff, showed a friendly smile, restrained his horse to meet him, and greeted loudly: "General Chen!" ”

Chen Pu, dressed as a scribe, sat on horseback with a dull face, and hurriedly didn't know what to do. As early as when she walked down the official road, she had already seen Shang Cheng. But since the New Year's fall with Shang Cheng, she hasn't paid attention to this guy. Later, Shang Cheng went to her a few times, probably wanting to apologize to her, but she ignored it. Shang Cheng's new Zhuangzi is by the Qujia River, and she also knows about moving here to live here; But she didn't think so. Last month, Shang Cheng went to look for her in Zhuangzi, and she was in the village at the time, but she asked people to tell him that she was not at home...... Now that she suddenly bumped into it, she didn't plan to give this guy a good look one by one, she still remembered the revenge he had punished himself!

It's a pity that the plan is not as good as the change, and when the horse got closer, she immediately noticed that Shang Cheng's face was not very good, and immediately asked with concern: "What's wrong with you?" ”

"Not really." Shang Cheng tried to make his expression look natural. He nodded to Tian Xiu, greeted "Hello Tian Da", turned around and explained to Chen Pu again, "The wind is strong, and I accidentally blinded the sand......

This excuse is so ridiculous, not to mention that Chen Pu and Tian Xiu won't believe it, even the little girl who rides a horse with Chen Pu doesn't believe it: "Where is the wind?" Uncle Ying, are you deceiving my fourth sister? As she spoke, the little girl also stretched out her green and delicate fingers and scraped her cheek twice, ashamed.

Shang Cheng himself felt that this excuse was absurd, but it was not good to change his rhetoric, so he smiled and said to the little girl: "Which doll are you, dare to talk to adults like this?" ”

The little girl glanced at Shang Cheng with disdain, pointed to Chen Pu, who was holding her behind her back, and pouted and said, "She is my fourth sister, whose doll do you say I am?" He also said, "Thanks to my father, the emperor praised you, saying that you are the pillar of the country, and you can win a decisive victory thousands of miles away in the midst of strategizing, who would have thought that you would be so stupid and dull!" It's better to meet one by one than to be famous. ”

"Jiu'er!" Chen Pu scolded his sister. She was feigning anger. She still remembers the "enmity" between her and Shang Cheng, and always wants to find an opportunity to take revenge back. But she also knew that her mind was shallow and not clever enough, and she wanted to take revenge on the New Year's Day, unless Shang Cheng deliberately let her, otherwise she didn't want to bargain in front of Shang Cheng. The only thing she can do is to let Shang Cheng eat a few more times behind closed doors. At the moment, when she saw that her sister had inadvertently helped her out of her depressed mouth, the corners of her eyes and eyebrows showed a smile that she couldn't hide. While scolding her sister, she hugged her vigorously to show her intimacy, and closing the door one by one was a means that she was forced out of desperation, where can it be more comfortable than the face of the public business?

Shang Cheng didn't care about Chen Pu and Tian Xiu's smiles, sat on the saddle and solemnly bowed to the little girl: "Ah, it turned out that Princess Jiu'er had arrived!" One by one, the ministers should be in the county, and they have seen Princess Jiu'er! ”

Jiu'er is not yet ten years old, full of doll temperament, and just canceled Shang Cheng, turned his face and immediately dispersed. She didn't know that Shang Cheng was joking with her, so she nodded with a childish little face, waved her little hand, and said, "It's okay, don't blame those who don't know." I still want to learn to say a few more words in an adult's tone, Chen Pu asked Shang Cheng again: "......What is the punishment for your grounding" Without waiting for Shang Cheng to answer, she seemed to remember something, and said silently: "...... Oh, I remember, yesterday was the last day of the punishment. ”

Shang Chengleng paused. He didn't remember much about the punishment himself, if it weren't for Yue'er and Erya's reminders, he would probably have to stay at home for a few more days. Chen Pu, how can she ...... However, he quickly put aside this topic and asked Jiu'er very attentively: "Princess, how do you call Princess Changsha the fourth sister?" In fact, he knew the answer very well. The ranking of the children of the heavenly family is the same as that of the people, sometimes they are in the order of the clans within the five suits, sometimes they are ranked by each family, sometimes they are ranked by brothers and sisters, sometimes they are counted as brothers and sisters who have reached adulthood, and sometimes they add the names of those who died young...... In short, it's complicated. Xiang Jiu'er called Chen Pu the fourth sister, in fact, it is the order of the daughters of the Eastern Yuan Emperor, if she is called Chen Pu's tenth sister, it is the prince and the princess together.

After Jiu'er finished "instructing" Shang Cheng, Chen Pu asked Shang Cheng, "Where are you going?" ”