Xiangzi was picking vegetables in the field, and when he looked up, he saw the abbot monk with a stick in his hand, followed by a small novice, slowly walking towards him.

Shoko greeted him suspiciously.

The host didn't speak, but pointed to the pine tree not far from the vegetable field, and Shoko walked towards it knowingly.

The abbot and monk sent the little novice away, and said with a gentle expression, "I want to entrust you with something." ”

Xiangzi said with a sincere expression: "What do you command?" ”

The abbot monk's voice was still flat, and he said, "Let you send a letter." It's just a long way to go, and I'm going to work hard for you. ”

Xiangzi readily agreed, saying, "Don't be afraid of the long way, what's the hard time to walk." ”

The abbot monk slowly took out a piece of paper from his bosom and spread it on the ground.

Pointing to the road map drawn on the paper, he said, "Do you know the water mill ditch?" ”

Shoko said lightly: "You know, I often go to that place." ”

The abbot monk then said: "That's good, you go down the mountain before dawn tomorrow morning, don't go into the city, go around the east wall, and go straight to Shuimogou." ”

As he spoke, he pointed his finger on the map and said, "To the east of Shuimogou, there is an oxcart road along the mountain.

Follow this road, all the way to Fukang County.

Once in Fukang, you can follow the main road all the way east.

Outside the city of Fuyuan County (Jimsar County), there is a Thousand Buddha Cave. You just give the letter to Monk Guanghui. ”

After a slight pause, the abbot and monk looked at Xiangzi compassionately, and then said, "A single trip takes more than 170 kilometers.

Moreover, on the mountain road to Fukang, there are no inns and restaurants, only a few Orion families, you can order food and drink.

This way, you can live on the dry food on your back. ”

Xiangzi smiled happily and said, "Don't be afraid, I've come a long way." ”

The abbot and monk carried a pile of things that the little novice had placed on the ground.

They opened them one by one and said, "This is fried noodles, this is the beef jerky bought by the Yamashita layman, eat it to resist hunger."

This is a raisin, and eating it is refreshing and hungry.

These are two hydration bags, which are the powder for treating trauma.

Bring this cotton robe and wear it on your body to resist the wind and cold at night when you can't catch up with people to stay overnight.

This is ten oceans, remember to buy some Uyghur naan in Shuimogou, it is convenient to eat on the way.

In addition, bring this ash stick with you, first, for self-defense, and second, you can use it to carry luggage. ”

Xiangzi suddenly felt a heat in his heart, and forcibly suppressed a stream of hot things that came up, and said in a somewhat choked voice: "Master is really thoughtful. ”

The abbot closed his eyes slightly and said, "Amitabha, this trip is also an experience, and everything happens according to fate." ”

Xiangzi said with some hesitation: "Master, when the letter is delivered, will I come back the way I came from?" ”

The abbot monk still closed his eyes slightly, and his voice became loud and deep: "Amitabha, everything in the world is fateful. You just follow the arrangement of Monk Guanghui. ”

When Shoko arrived at Shuimogou, the sun was already red on the roof.

On the road, from time to time, there are cattle and sheep coming out of the fork of the ditch, puffing out their round bellies, leisurely, raising bursts of smoke like wading soil.

The sparrows in the old elm tree were chirping, like someone who had taken someone's nest or kidnapped his bride.

A black dog, as if looking for a treasure he had hidden, sniffed and sniffed.

Later, he was bored with one hind leg and recklessly sprayed a bunch of clear liquid on the stone lion in front of the house.

Then, he trotted away as if nothing had happened.

Xiangzi is going to stay in Shuimogou for one night to replenish some supplies on the road.

He went first to the blacksmith's shop, and chose a short, open-bladed knife with a cowhide scabbard.

And on the whetstone in front of the blacksmith's shop, he sharpened a thin blade.

I went to the Uyghur naan pit to buy a stack of naan, pulled a coarse cloth wrap, and then went to find a place to live.

By this time, the town was already lit up with sporadic oil lamps.

This kind of long trekking has been experienced by Shoko.

At that time, he was still a thirteen-year-old.

Compared to this time, it was the same as walking alone, eating and drinking on his back, along the path with no end in sight, blankly moving forward.

The difference is that this time, there is no sadness, helplessness and aimlessness as before.

Instead, the scattered vegetation in the barren wilderness and the sun-discoloured stones can be seen everywhere, against the winding mountains in the distance.

In Shoko's opinion, it is almost like a poignant painting.

He was in the midst of a wonderful painting, and the memories of sorrow and joy came to his mind, and his steps felt light.

When the western peaks began to turn red, Shoko saw from a distance the curling smoke wafting from the col.

Here, there are three families staggered.

A house near the road, two thatched huts, and a simple fence wall, hung a few gourds of different shapes, flowers, and morning glories.

The fence door was half-open, and a big black and white dog barked wildly from afar.

Shoko hesitated for a moment, but still walked slowly towards the dog.

The closer you get to the hospital, the more the dog barks.

It kept changing positions, as if it was about to pounce on it.

A pair of oily eyes, spraying a hostile blue light.

Just when Xiangzi and the dog were in a stalemate at the courtyard gate. Out of the hut came a middle-aged woman wearing a coarse cloth jacket.

When he saw Xiangzi, he bent down quickly with his hands and feet to pick up half a stick and bluff the dog.

The dog squeaked aggrievedly, and with his tail between his legs, obediently ran along the fence towards the back of the house.

The woman glanced at Shoko with an inquiring gaze.

Xiangzi hurried two steps and said with a smile on his face: "Eldest sister, can you rest at your house?" ”

The woman hesitated for a moment, then said, "Come in." ”

So saying, he turned around and walked towards the house.

The room was pitch black, except for the cow rib window on the back wall, which shimmered through a piece of twilight.

Shoko, for a while, couldn't see the furnishings in the house.

In the dimness, only the figure of a woman swayed vaguely.

A strong smoky smell permeates the cool air.

After a while, Shoko gradually saw the outline of the house.

The room is not big, except for the low dining table on the ground, the most eye-catching thing in it is the big pot head in the corner.

I saw the woman pour a bowl of water from the iron kettle at the head of the pot and put it on the small dining table, and said, "Let's drink hot water first." ”

Shoko said thank you, picked up the bowl and drank happily.

To be honest, for the first time in a whole day, he drank hot water for the first time.

Shoko is savoring the mountain spring water, with a slight taste of tobacco.

Suddenly, there was a faint * from the back room.

Shoko looked at the faintly visible doorway suspiciously.

The woman lit the oil lamp and sighed, "Hey! It's my man.

A few days ago, I went out hunting and let the wolf pull my thighs. ”

When Shoko heard this, she immediately got up and walked towards the back room.

The bean-sized wick, in the dark room, emits a dim yellow light.

On the messy and simple kang, a middle-aged man with a swarthy and full beard lay on it.

When the man saw them enter the house, he paid no heed.

*, accompanied by slurred words.

Shoko reached out and touched the man's forehead, and said in a low voice, "He has a fever, and the wound may be infected." ”

The woman's voice was a little distorted and said, "What can I do?" How can this be done? ”

Shoko said in a calm voice, "Is there a light in the house?" I look at the wound. ”

The woman turned around and went out and touched a lantern to light it.

The dimly lit room immediately became bright.

Shoko carefully lifted the quilt and peeled off the wound wrapped in an old cloth to see that the flesh pit the size of an egg had already suppurated.

The area around the pit turned blue-purple.

Shoko comforted the woman and said, "Don't worry.

But the wound has to be treated immediately, do you have soju at home? ”

The woman nodded hurriedly and said, "Yes." Then he turned around and took a black clay bottle from the outhouse.

Xiangzi took it and shook it, estimated that there was half a bottle, and said to the woman, "Is there any new cotton that has not been used?" ”

The woman hesitated for a moment, then quickly jumped onto the kang and took out a flower cotton jacket from the cabinet in the corner of the kang.

With a "snort", he tore the needle and thread of the hem and said, "This is only sewn in the summer, and it has never been on the body, and it is all new cotton." ”

Shoko's heart warmed up and whispered, "Get a clean bowl and chopsticks." ”

Xiangzi poured out half a bowl of wine, pulled out the cotton from the torn cotton jacket and kneaded it into a ball, dipped it in wine and cleaned the wound with chopsticks.

The man's * gradually turned into an unbearable shout.

Shoko asked the woman to hold down the injured leg, afraid that he would wake up and move.

The cleaned wound had turned pink, and bright red blood oozed from the pit.

Shoko changed the new wine and cotton balls, and carefully cleaned them up again.

From the backpack, he took out the medicinal powder given to him by the abbot monk and sprinkled it on the wound.

Then, he tore a lock from the new cloth that was wrapped in naan, soaked it in a wine bowl for a while, and dried it in front of the horse lamp before carefully wrapping it in the wound.

After covering the quilt, Shoko wiped the sweat from her forehead.

Chong smiled at the woman with relief and said, "It's okay, he sleeps for a while, and the fever will go away." ”

Hearing this, the expression on the woman's face became lively.

He said, "I haven't eaten yet, I'll go and make cakes." ”

Xiangzi hurriedly said: "Don't worry, I have something to eat." Just give hot water. ”

The woman stubbornly said, "Then you can't eat hot food when you go to the door."

You sit and drink tea first, and then you can eat and talk. ”

Xiangzi didn't refuse, and sat silently at the low table and drank tea.

This time, he tasted the taste of brick tea.