South of Jinling City.

Xuanwu Lake covers an extremely wide area.

In winter, the lake is calm and gentle, and there are still many withered lotus canopies left on the shallow shore near the shore, and there are still many withered lotus seeds in the lotus canopy, which are gently swayed by the cold wind.

On the southeast shore, a dense cluster of straight metasequoia stands in the shallow water, and the submerged roots of the trees are covered with moss.

Go deeper, there is a quiet courtyard on the shore, the courtyard is not big, the gate opens to the Xuanwu Lake in the north, and there are several tiled houses on each of the other three sides.

There is no extra furnishings in the courtyard except for a well, a stone mill, and a few bamboo chairs scattered around.

Bai Qiao, dressed in coarse linen clothes, was sweeping the fallen leaves, meticulous.

There is a round charcoal basin burning in the main room, and three people, two men and one woman, sit around the charcoal basin. The man in the center drinking hot tea was in his forties, dressed as an ordinary farmer, wearing a gray cotton jacket, a turban wrapped around his head, and a few disheveled strands of hair fluttering with the heat of the charcoal basin.

This person is the Bai family Bai Lou, but his current identity is just a farmer who relies on Xuanwu Lake to grow some lotus roots to fish and catch shrimp.

On the left hand side of Bai Lou sat Bai Ling'er, who was wearing a white jacket, and was a little bored at this time holding a branch and fiddling with the charcoal in the charcoal basin.

Bai Ling'er sat opposite Bai Yu, dressed in a white brocade suit, still holding a folding fan in his hand, but it was not opened, looking at the white building drinking tea next to him for a while, looking at the charcoal fire being stirred by the branches for a while, and the little white hand.

Bai Lou spit out a mouthful of tea foam and wiped his mouth and said: "It's almost the end of the year, and in a few days I will go to the city with Bai Qiao to celebrate the New Year with you. As soon as the New Year passes, there is only one year left, and you insist on persevering. The power in the clan is just arranged by yourself. ”

Bai Yu nodded respectfully and said, "Yes, father-in-law, the child will arrange it." ”

Bai Lou shook the teapot a few times, picked up the iron kettle from the side of the charcoal basin and carefully filled the teapot with the bottom of the tea, and asked casually: "Where did the golden-robed boy and the people around him come from, have you ever found out?" ”

Bai Yu touched the folding fan in his hand and said: "That golden-robed prince is a household name in Jinling, he is the only son of the general of the dynasty, Wang Ying, who is arrogant and domineering, and has many arrogant behaviors, relying on the power of his father Wang Dun can be said to do whatever he wants." But lately, I seem to be looking for something important. Before going to Wuling, I had been to Wuxing and other places, and yesterday I heard a report that I was heading for Poyang County. Wang Ying was accompanied by two people, one was the head of the sect recruited by Wang Dun from the army, named Yang Zhao, who was once the head of the Imperial Forest Army and had good marksmanship. The kings rebelled and fought greatly. I don't know how to be bought by Wang Dun. The other one is called Yuwen Jian, whose identity is mysterious and his strength is not bad. On the same day, one person outside Linyuan City blocked Linyuan from rushing to the aid in time, full of courage and looking very calm. As for the rest of the people, they are all reckless in Wang Dun's captivity over the years, and they turned to do something for Wang Dun. ”

Bai Lou touched the beard on his chin and nodded: "This Yuwen family is really ghostly, has it been addicted for many years and started to fish in troubled waters again?" In each period, once the people of the Yuwen family appear, it will cause a bloody storm, Xiaolou pays more attention to his movements, Linyuan is safe for the time being, and everyone is arranged to go there. See what they're looking for. ”

"Yes, father. On the Linyuan side, I only left three people, and the others dispersed. ”

"Yes. Let's arrange it, the houses in the city are also well done, don't be reluctant to spend money during the New Year, buy a decent one, don't let people see the flaws. ”

"The boy understands, and he will go back to the city."

After Bai Yu finished speaking, he got up, bowed to Bai Lou and retreated, and when he turned around, he glanced at Bai Ling'er who was still fiddling with charcoal. I don't dare to look at it more, but the tear mole in the corner of my eye is inspiring, and it is enjoyable to look at it more. Although I still wanted to take a few more looks, my body took off the thick fur cloak on the wall at the door, and gently pushed the door open and walked out with reluctance.

Seeing Bai Yu go out, Bai Ling'er rested her chin on her knees even more boredly, and continued to play with the fiery red charcoal fire for a while.

Bai Lou looked at his bored daughter and said, "The Jiang family has replied to the news, next year, Jiang Gexing and the crown ceremony will be closed, and then you will be married according to the rules." There is not much time to follow your father, although you are a merchant for a while, a blacksmith for a while, an old farmer for a while, and you have no fixed place to live, but our Bai family has been like this since ancient times. You happen to be born in the Bai family, after so many years of displacement, Daddy is sorry for you, and there is nothing to compensate you, when you get married, the wealth that Daddy has accumulated for most of his life is your dowry, although it is not much but not much, and the Jiang family is estimated to be bottoming out by supporting hundreds of thousands of people in one family. Although it is a floating wealth, this troubled era is the most effective, and it can also help your future husband's family. Look at Jiang Ge's kid who is simple and kind, brave and resourceful, sincere, and has a lot of friendship with you, he shouldn't be wronged by you. ”

Bai Ling'er listened to her father's chatter, and the more she spoke, the more aggrieved she became, and she opened her pink thin lips and said: "My daughter knows, and my daughter doesn't hate that fool, but she will no longer be with her father in the future, who will take care of her father." The daughter wants to spend more time with her father. Don't be separated from your father, Ling'er will worry about her father's body, whether he will eat on time, and whether he will drink more. ”

Bai Lou looked at the lovely Bai Ling'er and said: "What is there to worry about, after doing some things for my father, I will move to live next to you, open a grocery store, you give birth to a few more cubs, take them with your father, and you will not be displaced from now on, just teach Bai Yu other things." ”

Listening to Bai Lou's words, Bai Ling'er's face turned red, and somehow, the deer in her heart was like a deer, and the picture of the fool looking at her dementia and drooling suddenly lit up in her mind. Thinking about it, I laughed happily unconsciously, with some expectations in my heart, and some grievances, time flies too slowly, I haven't seen that fool for a long, long time, I don't know if he has grown taller or smarter.

The girl happily fell into her own world, looking at Bai Ling'er who was smiling and thinking about her little daughter's thoughts,

Bai Lou sighed in his heart, he was still wearing a small padded jacket a second ago, and when he mentioned his sweetheart, he became anxious to turn himself into water and splash it out.

Bai Lou felt that the tea in the teapot was a little astringent, shook his head, got up and walked out of the room.

...........

The east gate of Linyuan City.

Tao Fan reluctantly said goodbye to Jiang Ge and got into the luxury carriage presented by Jiang Ge, wide and comfortable, and the inside was as warm as spring, in addition to being draped with all kinds of high-quality furs, there was also a fixed lantern-shaped carbon stove, made of fine iron, there were countless small holes on the surface, which hindered the risk of carbon stone falling when the carriage was bumped, and a layer of rattan was wrapped around the wall of the fine iron furnace behind a finger to avoid accidentally touching it and causing burns.

Tao Fan was half lying on the soft fur and rolling around, babbling non-stop, and said to Tao Xia, who was sitting on the side: "Brother, don't always look like you're marching and fighting, it's not good to look like you're tired from drinking." No one sees it here, so don't pretend. ”

Tao Xia listened to this ninth brother's nonsense, and did not refute it, but the body sitting upright relaxed a little, and he felt quite comfortable leaning on the soft fur, but he was only slightly relaxed, and he would not sit or stand like Tao Fan.

Tao Fan felt bored when he saw this, took a sip of sweet wine to himself, smashed it and said: "The days of these days are really comfortable, three you say, our buddies are righteous and unjust, entertain us, eat the best, drink the best, play and the best, send this and that, just the fur used as a cushion in this carriage is worth a lot of money." Not to mention those truckloads of medicinal herbs. There is no cheesiness of the yellow and white things at all, it is all a specialty of the situation, and no one can catch the fault. ”

Tao Xia looked at the younger brother of the second ancestor and said helplessly: "You dare to accept it knowing that it is worth a lot of money, if this is spread out, those children of the scholar clan who like light will not be able to say anything about our Tao family." As soon as his father was promoted to assassin history, the Jiang family showed favor like this. Gossip kills. ”

Tao Fan said indifferently: "These are all for me, not for my father." Whoever wants to gossip, I tore his broken mouth. Besides, don't we still have a white horse with us, who knows what's in the carriage. I said that it was military rations, who would dare to say no? ”

"When spring starts and the weather is better, call my buddy to come to Wuchang to live happily for a few days, we can't be stingy, eat the best, drink the best, hahahaha."

.........

Jiang Ge and his son, who were standing at the gate of the city, looked at the horse team traveling far away, and synchronously gathered their cuffs and turned around and walked towards the city, and they didn't get into the carriage, but walked slowly along the wide street.

Jiang Shanyi had a kind face and a bright smile when he just sent Brother Tao Fan, but at this time, he calmed down, he couldn't see joy, and his slightly furrowed brows swayed with a trace of sorrow.

After walking for a while, Jiang Shanyi spoke: "No matter what, it is impossible for us to rise up, learn from the homeless people and Baiyue, they are all forced by this world and have to rebel." We are Han Chinese, and we should be under the jurisdiction of the imperial court, respect its orders, manage the people, and pay taxes. The political situation is shaky, and we should do something about it. Who becomes the emperor is actually a very indifferent thing. Now that the royal family is in decline, it is also an orthodox inheritance, and after watching for a long time, it is time to make a decision, otherwise it will become the target of public criticism, and those people have countless ways to disgust us. ”

Jiang Shanyi told Jiang Ge the content of Tao Kan's secret letter, so Jiang Ge also understood that his father had to make a choice, so he asked softly: "Daddy means a superficial attitude and stand in line?" ”

Jiang Shanyi: "It could have been delayed for a year or two, I don't know who stabbed it, and now many contradictions have been transferred to Wuling's side, and being a father is like a person wrapped in hundreds of cotton jackets to be picked up layer by layer, and every layer is a surprise for them." ”

Jiang Shanyi picked two pears of the right size from the flat pole carried by an old farmer selling pears, wiped them on the cuffs, handed them to Jiang Ge a little bigger, and then rubbed another pear, put them in his mouth and took a bite, the pear flesh was snow-white, crisp and sweet. Jiang Ge didn't hesitate, put it to his mouth and took a bite gently. Behind him, his own servant gave the pear money and added some more rewards. The old man smiled happily and clenched his fists and said the local words of blessing.

Jiang Shanyi touched his beard stained with juice, threw away the pear pit, took out a handkerchief from his cuff, wiped his hands and handed it to Jiang Ge beside him, and continued: "Taking advantage of the New Year, I have to take the initiative to go to Jinling, the prime minister of the dynasty, several adults, several princes, and the heads of the Jiangnan clan, I have to walk around." The emperor has to go there first, and he has enough face first, so that he can have a chance to buy more time to keep the status quo unchanged. As long as the emperor doesn't think about it, everyone else has to weigh the strength of our Wuling, they are not fools, no one wants to go one-on-one with us, it is a lose-lose approach, and in the end it will only make others pick up the leaks. I'm afraid that the emperor will think about it, and we estimate that it will be difficult. ”

Jiang Ge wiped his hands and nodded: "People are unpredictable, they are all guys who eat people and don't spit out bones, and being targeted is like maggots on tarsal bones, disgusting." In such a chaotic period, we still govern a county in an orderly manner, and those people will not be able to see others well. They don't care about the lives of ordinary people at all, and this country is ruined by these scholars and doctors who talk all day but don't take actual action, and only take advantage of the camp and exploit the common people. Sigh~"

Jiang Shanyi patted Jiang Ge's shoulder and said, "Don't be cautious, don't say more about this kind of thing in the future." Let's go home. In a few days, I will go to Jinling, and discuss the affairs of the family with your uncle of the guards, and the broken army and the good and loyal will follow me to visit those cows, ghosts, gods and snakes, hey, it's difficult. ”

The streets where people come and go are full of joy, the residents of the eight villages of ten miles and eight villages have gathered in Linyuan to buy some New Year's goods to go home, and the merchants also rush to prepare the New Year's goods before the year to make more money, like the old man who picks the pears to pick up the surplus agricultural products at home to the city to sell them for money and exchange for more money. Linyuan City is lively and lively, safe and stable, like the walled city under the prosperous era, there is no scene of troubled times.

And the person who created this prosperous scene in the troubled times, his hair was a little gray, his back was a little hunched, and his son, who was taller than him, was slowly crowded like ordinary people

On the street, from time to time, picking and choosing from the stalls on the street, entering the number one to hug his fists and congratulate, his face was full of festive joy, and his mouth was saying festive words, without any pretense, let alone any disgust and disdain. On the contrary, in the lively crowd, this old man who has passed half a hundred is the real one, without the slightest embellishment.

At the beginning of the period, Jiang Ge, who was a little restrained and unaccustomed, gradually integrated into it after following his father all the way around, and with his father's simple and even somewhat rough words, Jiang Ge seemed to reacquaint himself with his father who was gradually getting older, just like the old people smoking cigarette bags on the street, ordinary, ordinary, and great.

Behind every old man is a home that he has dedicated his life to, and the father next to him is a person who protects hundreds of thousands of people in Wuling.

The street was noisy and crowded, and a somewhat hunchbacked figure strolled forward, surrounded by tall and tall teenagers, accompanying him all the way.

..........

Poyang County.

Poyang Lake Island in the middle of the lake.

The island is not large, twenty zhang square, and the shrubs are messy.

Yu Wenjian stood on the wet sandy shore, observing the topography of the island in the middle of the lake.

More than two dozen quacks of different shapes wielded their weapons and cleared the messy ground.

Wang Ying stood beside Yuwen Jian very expectantly, his face flushed, and he kept stomping his feet and rubbing his hands, not because of cold, but because of excitement.

After more than ten days of hard work, I finally found the entrance to the dragon's lair.

And accidentally found the seal letter that opened the entrance to the dragon's lair in a mansion by the lake.

Wang Ying's whole person was excited at this time, this trip was so smooth, he wanted to laugh when he thought of Wang Ying, the head of the mansion.

The family was a well-known landlord in the local area, and they had lived in the village by the lake for I don't know how many years, and no one knew what their ancestors did, only that the land by the lake belonged to their family. And the head of this family is in his forties, wearing gold and silver, wide and fat, a typical rich man.

Yuwen Jian just went to get the seal letter smoothly, without saying a word, without spending a penny, and without killing a person.

Wang Ying stroked a bamboo fish basket that was dull and a little dilapidated in his hand, and his love was indescribable.

"The Sword Comes"

According to Yuwen Jian, this is a dragon king basket, the magic weapon of the water dragon clan, and all the creatures in the water will have a natural three-percent victory in front of this dragon king basket. What dragon king should not care, as long as this broken basket can open the door of the dragon's lair, can enter it to get adventures, and then it is a treasure.

After about half an hour, the small island in the middle of the lake was almost flat with the efforts of more than two dozen people, but no one noticed anything wrong with the island, and almost all of them walked through it, just like the usual land.

Yuwen Jian took Wang Ying to spend half a pillar of incense around the island in the middle of the lake, and finally walked to the center. Yuwen Jian raised his right foot and stomped heavily on the ground, and the island in the middle of the lake seemed to be shaken a few times by Yuwen Jian's stomping.

Just as Yuwen Jian raised his right foot, everyone looked at it, and a small piece of ground under Yuwen Jian's feet collapsed into a dark and bottomless hole.

Everyone approached curiously, wanting to see what was in the hole, it was so magical, Yuwen Jian took out a fire fold from his cuff and lit it and threw it down, but unfortunately he couldn't see anything, and there was no echo of the item falling for a long time, as if it was thrown into the void.

Yuwen Jian frowned and pushed a watermelon-sized stone with his foot from behind him and fell down the hole, at first hearing a few collisions, followed by silence.

Everyone looked at the hole at a loss, Wang Ying looked at Yuwen Jian, Yuwen Jian touched his chin and looked at the fish basket in Wang Ying's hand.

Wang Ying followed Yuwenjian's gaze to the dilapidated fish basket in his hand, his eyes were full of questions, just when Wang Ying thought that Yuwenjian wanted to throw the dilapidated fish basket into the hole, Yuwenjian kicked a man wearing leather armor and a felt hat squatting at the mouth of the hole, and everyone around the hole was frightened by Yuwenjian's sudden move and quickly jumped back a few steps, Wang Ying also unconsciously took a few steps back, everyone did not dare to approach the hole again, and all looked at Yuwenjian with unbelievable and questioning eyes.

Yuwen Jian stared at the hole carefully for a long time, listening to the sound of falling and shouting, the hole lasted for a long time, and finally disappeared after a quarter of an hour.

Yuwen Jian frowned and raised his head and swept around, and everyone quickly ran to the edge of the island, and escaped from the prison water.

Wang Ying was already squatting on a wooden boat with a white face, and waved his hand: "Yu... Yuwen... Big brother, there's... Something good... Well, let's... Yes.... No... Don't push people... Yes.... No way. This... So much.... Military... Weapons come with... Whatever you want.... Good... Not good. ”

Yuwen Jian listened and looked at the people around him, and apologized again and again: "I'm sorry, I'm really embarrassed, I thought it was a wood, I just, I couldn't hold back." Hahaha, sin, sin. Come on, don't be afraid, I know how to get in. ”

Yu Wenjian waved his hand very kindly and apologized.

The crowd breathed a sigh of relief before slowly surrounding.

Wang Ying was a little stunned in his heart, but he still walked to Yuwenjian's side.

And they all gathered together to the side of the hole.

Yuwen Jian stretched out his hand and grabbed Wang Ying's hand holding the broken fish basket, and stomped his foot hard, the hole that was originally only the size of the wellhead collapsed in an instant, and everyone fell into the pitch-black abyss with the broken soil without preparation.

Begging for mercy, help, blessing, cursing, screaming, complaining, crying, shouting mother, laughter echoes in the hole in the island in the middle of the lake.

In a New York minute.

The hole that had just collapsed was gone.

The yellow weeds were blown by the wind.

Shaking their heads together.