"Actually," Ping'er looked back cautiously outside, and then said to me in a low voice, "Actually, there is a private boat that can cross the river." ”

"Private boats?"

"Yes, it's for delivery by people in the black market over here."

"Oh......"

I raised an eyebrow.

In such a traffic jam, there will naturally be people who take risks for the sake of profits, and the more severe the environment, the more abundant the benefits. Ships on the Yangtze River are blocked, but if there are private boats that can communicate back and forth, then there will inevitably be high returns.

But-

I thought about it, looked at Ping'er and said, "How about being able to get on a private boat?" ”

Ping'er's face darkened, and after being silent for a while, he said, "I want silver." Ten taels of silver can be used to get on a person. ”

"Ten taels of silver?"

When I heard this, I couldn't help but frown.

Although I know that those private ships transport people and goods for profit, it is too much for a person to ask for ten taels of silver, you know, for an ordinary family, ten taels of silver may be a whole year's income.

Ping'er nodded, and said with some frustration: "We don't have that much money at all." ”

“……”

As he spoke, he looked up at me, his eyes glinting with anticipation.

I also know what he means, he wants me to have so much money on me, but my heart is only more embarrassed than his. I left the capital and was taken away by the light cold from the prison, penniless, fortunately there were Ah Lan to take care of them along the way, but there was no shortage of food and clothing, and I didn't worry about money, but as soon as I was separated from Ah Lan, this problem was placed in front of me.

Ping'er looked at my face for a while, and also understood: "You don't have any money?" ”

“…… Well. ”

"Hey......"

He sighed deeply, and I didn't speak, just bit my lower lip hard.

Over the years, I have never worried about money, also because in the palace, there is no way to talk about the use of money, but when it comes to the people, these difficulties that are not on the table at all in the eyes of the heavenly family and dignitaries are really in front of me.

Food, clothing, housing and transportation, everything needs to be paid in order to have a harvest.

Perhaps, it was not until this time that I really had the consciousness that I had left the palace and had left that man's control.

But when I thought that I had left him, although there was still a Yangtze River in front of me, I didn't think it was so difficult, and at this time I also remembered what Ah Lan said to me after sending me out of the city - they were going to send me to Yangzhou, and if I wanted to cross the river, they would do it, but they had to go back to Qinghan to get money.

I didn't expect that one day, my relationship with him would fall to such a simple connection.

Gritting my teeth, I raised my head and said to Ping'er, "Can you do me a favor?" ”

"What's the busy?"

"Help me find someone, maybe, she can help me cross the river."

As soon as Ping'er heard that she could cross the river, she immediately became excited: "Really? Who are you looking for? ”

I said seriously: "I also want to tell you the truth, the way I just looked, I was actually poisoned." Now I'm having a hard time - don't be afraid, listen to me. Someone can cure my poison, and she can send me across the river, but now that I am separated from her, I know that she will come to Yangzhou City to look for me, so I want you to take me out and try my luck. ”

As soon as Ping'er heard that I was poisoned, the whole person panicked, and after listening, his face was also a little pale: "You, you were poisoned?" Are you going to die? ”

I smiled, though the pale lips made my smile look weak: "I'm alive now." As long as I find her, I can live longer. ”

After resting in the house for a while, Ping'er found a scarf that my sister-in-law usually doesn't use to help me carefully wrap it around my head, covering most of my face, only revealing a pair of eyes, and then helped me out cautiously.

Yangzhou City is not big, but it is not small, as soon as I went out to look at the bustling crowd, I also lost consciousness for a while, and I stupidly watched people shuttling back and forth, or Ping'er helped me, and carefully asked in my ear: "Where are we going?" ”

“……”

There was silence for a long time before I whispered, "Let's go around." ”

"Hmm." The child was also careful, helped me walk slowly along the long street, and asked, "What do you say that person looks like?" I'll take a look at it for you, too. ”

"Her name is Alan, and she's a beautiful woman in her thirties—pretty like a vixen, in other words."

"Uh-"

"She's a good person, though."

"Oh."

I turned my head and looked at Ping'er's young face and innocent eyes: "As soon as you heard about the vixen, you didn't think you were a good person, right?" ”

He hesitated and said, "I heard my mother say that the vixen is a bad woman, although she is beautiful, but-"

"So, have any vixens hurt those people, or have they hurt you?"

"Well, not really."

I said with a little smile: "You are still young, but you should also be moderate in watching people do things, don't just blindly follow the clouds, in that case you are just a sound worm." ”

Ping'er turned her head to look at me and said dumbfoundedly, "No one has ever told me about these ......"

I was also a little stunned, and I didn't know why I had to tell him this all of a sudden. Perhaps, it is because I see the shadow of a person's past from him, and those years that can only be returned as if dreaming, and I hope that he can think of that person, well, and embark on a better road.

It's just that......

I smiled: "I'll say it casually." ”

After speaking, he stopped, lowered his head and walked slowly, but Ping'er was silent for a while, and then turned his head to look at me: "Why do I think that you don't seem to be an ordinary person." You-"

Before he could finish his words, he suddenly heard a chaotic voice behind him.

Before I had time to turn back, there was a rapid sound of horses' hooves on the street behind, and several people screamed one after another, Ping'er was also clever, and when he looked back, he immediately grabbed me and took several steps back to the side, my feet were weak, and I almost fell, but he still held me hard, and I saw a team of people running behind me.

I still couldn't get back to my senses, but when I looked up, I could barely see what seemed to be a group of soldiers running over on horseback, and there were people coming and going, and they didn't stop, and almost overturned the roadside stalls.

Ping'er pouted and said, "I don't know what to rush about." ”

I barely stood up straight, and he said with concern, "Are you alright?" Did it hit you? ”

"It's fine." I shook my head, and looked back at the puffs of smoke and dust raised by the horse team, the people had already gone away, I looked back at Ping'er, and heard him mutter, "There are so many people who come every day, can't they let us pass?" ”

I didn't hear it right: "Ping'er, who are those?" ”

Ping'er said: "Them? It's the soldiers of the South Bank. ”

"What?"

"It's the people on the south bank of the river. However, they rarely cross the river, but recently, several warships have docked, and we have seen a lot of soldiers and horses coming. ”

"Soldiers and horses on the south bank?"

I was taken aback, and subconsciously turned my head to see that those people were walking very fast and had disappeared at the end of the long street, and I raised my head again to look there, and only saw the North City Gate in the winter mist.

Now I can't help but feel a little emotional when I see the towering city wall, I used to dream of thinking about the city gate, but now looking at the towering city gate, it makes me feel a little strange in my heart.

The rebel forces on the south bank are actually increasing troops on the Yangzhou side, which can be said to be an increase in troops, but it doesn't look like they want to do anything with anyone, so what are they going to do?

I turned around and asked Ping'er: "You said that they have often crossed the river with a lot of soldiers and horses recently, what are they going to do?" ”

Ping'er shook her head: "I don't know, I haven't seen what they do." It's just that those people are outside the city, and they look like they're looking for someone. ”

"Looking for someone?"

I couldn't help but frown.

Somehow, the strange feeling in my heart was even worse.

In the following time, Ping'er took me back and forth on a few streets, and there was indeed no news of Ah Lan, seeing that it was not early, and my body was getting weaker and weaker, he helped me back home, and promised to accompany me out the next day.

But by the next day, I couldn't get out.

The seventh sister-in-law and the second girl just went out for a while, I vomited again, this time it was even worse than yesterday, not only vomited an empty stomach, but also fainted in front of the eyes, and even in a coma, the uncomfortable feeling that the internal organs were going to be minced was still tormenting me.

I don't know when I opened my eyes, and I saw Ping'er standing by the bed with an anxious face, and as soon as I saw my eyes open, I immediately pounced in surprise: "Are you awake?" ”

"......" I opened my mouth, and I felt my throat burn badly, and I couldn't speak.

He hurriedly brought me warm water, drank some of it, and I felt better, and said weakly, "What's wrong with me?" ”

"You've fainted. It's scary. ”

“……”

"You, you're not, you're going to die, are you?"

This kid really has no taboos.

I listened to a wry smile and looked up at him, but I also understood the fear in his heart. He was still young after all, and he was very careful to save a strange ugly woman at home, in case I really died, breaking his dream of crossing the river, maybe it would cause trouble for their already weak family.

I looked down and counted with my fingers, and said with a smile, "It's not time yet." ”

"Huh?"

"Don't be afraid when I'm not yet dead."

Ah Lan made it clear when she gave me the poison that if there was no detoxification after a month, it would kill me, and now, it has been less than half a month since I was separated from her.

And not when I despaired.

Thinking like this, a surge of strength surged in my heart, I handed him the water bowl, and I struggled to get up, Ping'er put the bowl, hurriedly came down to help me, and said, "You are like this, you still have to go out." ”

"I need to find that woman to live."

"But—you're too weak, I'm afraid you won't be able to go. You're still at home, wait for me to go out and help you find her." ”

Looking at his anxious and concerned look, I smiled, but after thinking about it, I still shook my head and refused: "No need." ”

"You-"

"I can still do it now, but I have to work hard with every bit of strength." As I spoke, I held his arm and slowly turned over and got out of bed, my feet were so soft that I couldn't stand up without gritting my teeth, I sat on the edge of the bed, accumulated strength for a long time, and finally stood up slowly: "When I really can't stand up, I have to rely on you completely." ”

Ping'er looked at my pale face and resolute eyes, somewhat shocked, and was silent for a while before nodding: "Okay, I'll take you out." But you have to promise me, if you feel bad, you must sue me, and I will send you back. You don't want to have an accident. ”

I smiled, "Hmm. ”

After saying that, he followed him out of the door.

Yangzhou is the land of fish and rice, the climate is warm, at this time the north must be windy and snowy, but here is only a little cool, and it does not make it more difficult for me, the street is still bustling and lively, but - maybe it is really because of the poisoning getting deeper and deeper, I look at those people, there is only a vague shadow, and all the noisy sounds, as if far away to reach the ears.

I seem to be a stranger in another world.

The only thing that connects me to this world is Li'er, no matter how difficult it is, I have to live and find her!

Thinking of this, I grabbed Ping'er's arm hard, moved forward step by step, and looked at everyone who passed by.

Unfamiliar faces.

The next one is still unfamiliar.

It's all strange, it's not Alan......

The more I went on like this, the more uncomfortable I felt, and cold sweat fell down from my forehead like a tide - Yangzhou is not big, but it is not small, if it goes on like this, how can I find Alan?

What if, if I haven't found her yet, I've already been poisoned and died, but what should I do?

I have to hurry up and find a way to find her!

At this time, I happened to see a word measuring booth on the side of the road, and an old man with a goatee was sitting there, no business, but he was not in a hurry, only holding a brush dipped in ink and drawing something leisurely.

A flash of inspiration flashed in my head—

By the way, I can write something and stick it on the walls everywhere, Ah Lan said before, if I want to go to the city first, she will come to me, she should be in Yangzhou City now, as long as she can see it, she has a way to find me, so it is much easier than me taking Ping'er to the street to find her!

Thinking of this, I hurriedly grabbed Ping'er's hand and was about to ask him to help me borrow some pen and paper, but when I turned my head, I saw Ping'er looking at the other side of the street in a daze.

I subconsciously looked over and saw a group of people facing a wall, as if they were looking at something.

I asked, "Ping'er, what are they looking at?" ”

Ping'er said: "I don't know, I just saw it, it seems that someone from the government has posted a picture on the wall, and he is looking for someone." ”