In the long, dark tunnel, an oil lamp flickered faintly.

Cheng Shui cautiously followed behind Old Man Cheng, and helped him from time to time. After walking about a hundred meters, I faintly heard some noises, and after a few steps, the fire was flourishing.

Walking from the darkness to the firelight, Cheng Shui's eyes were hazy for a while.

I can only feel that this secret room is square, and there are a lot of bamboo slips and sheepskins. After his eyes adjusted, he saw a person standing next to Old Man Cheng in front.

It turned out to be a young man, although he was clothed, but his posture was straight, the young man glanced at Cheng Shui, and the old man Chong Cheng arched his hand and said, "See Grandpa Cheng." ”

Old Man Cheng looked at him lovingly, stretched out his hand to introduce him, "This is your Aunt Cheng." ”

"Aunt Cheng is good." The young man was obviously surprised, but he reacted immediately and saluted respectfully to Cheng Shui.

Cheng Shui didn't answer, turned his head to look at Old Man Cheng, and asked with his eyes, what is the situation?

"This is your nephew, Li Benqi." Old Man Cheng naturally knew that Cheng Shui had a lot of doubts in his heart, but he would like to introduce it first.

"And this one, Zhao Yannian, you can just call him Mr. Zhao." Old Man Cheng pointed to the middle-aged man sitting in front of the bookcase again.

Zhao Yannian nodded to Cheng Shui, and stretched out his hand to invite the two to sit down.

"Mr. Zhao has been teaching Qi'er here lately." Old Man Cheng said as he sat down, and Cheng Shui also sat on the side of the table.

After Li Benqi poured tea for the two, Old Man Cheng continued: "Cheng girl, I know you have doubts in your heart, you listen to me slowly." ”

"I want to hear about it." Cheng Shui sat upright.

"It's a long story, you should have heard of the name of the Li family's traveling merchant."

Cheng Shui thought of the Li family's grain shop in the town.

Old man Cheng said: "Back then, there were two big caravans in our area, Li and Ye, which almost covered all the material exchanges between the north and the south. But with the fall of the Northern Dynasty and the isolation of information, the Ye family gradually moved north. The Li clan existed near Zengcheng, and the new caravan Feng clan divided the world. ”

"Originally, the two families were fine, but due to a landslide during the transfer of materials from the south, the Li family was decisive, and the Feng family took advantage of the situation to enter and occupy all the southern channels." Old Man Cheng sighed: "It was also that time that the descendants of the Li family were not one in the stone avalanche, and they were almost cut off. ”

"After this accident, Li remembered that the second young man lost a son outside, which was your father Cheng Jixue." Old Man Cheng looked at Cheng Shui.

Cheng Shui was a little wooden, and he didn't know what to do.

"Your father was adopted by a Cheng family in this Changliu Village, and after his adoptive father and adoptive mother died of illness, he studied everywhere, and returned to his homeland with your mother when he was nearly thirty years old." Old Man Cheng continued: "Later, as a last resort, the Li family found your father and asked him to come forward to inherit the position of head of the family. ”

"Of course, your father refused. He supported a small son on the side, that is, Li Benqi's grandfather, to be the head of the Li family. ”

Li Benqi nodded when he heard this, with a bit of respect on his face.

"It's a pity." Old Man Cheng let out another long sigh, as if he couldn't speak.

Cheng Shui thought that Old Man Cheng had said that he had started a family under the teachings of his original father, and he must have had a great friendship with Li Benqi's grandfather.

After a moment of silence, Zhao Yannian next to him stretched out his hand to add water to everyone, and then said: "The head of the Li family is generous, the ancient way is warm-hearted, and love is merciful. It's a pity that he lost his mother at an early age, his father in middle age, and his son in his later years. Now there is only one young master left in the Li family. ”

After Zhao Yannian finished speaking, he touched Li Benqi's head with some pity.

The boy hung his head and seemed to be weeping.

Old Man Cheng couldn't bear it, and said to Cheng Shui: "Your father only got a daughter from you, but he told me that he once regarded Li Benqi's grandfather as a younger brother, and he called you an aunt." ”

Cheng Shui was silent, his heart softened by three points, even if he knew that there must be an inside story, he couldn't help but touch the young man's shoulder.

stretched out his hand, but saw that the young man seemed to be unable to restrain himself, threw himself into Cheng Shui's arms, and cried: "Auntie, I only have one relative left for you." ”

Cheng Shui had no choice but to hold him, gently patted the young man's back, and stroked his head from time to time to soothe his emotions.

When the mood eased, Li Benqi raised his head a little shyly, knelt beside her, and pulled the corner of her clothes.

Old Man Cheng continued: "Because the Li family is weak, your father has never entered the Li family tree, and he has thought about the past, so he has never mentioned it to you. Later, when you got married, he only asked me to help secretly. ”

"I was a vagabond beggar, and I was given your father's surname, and I was entrusted by your father. If it weren't for Qi'er's own hard work, all this would have happened...... Alas. Old Man Cheng was helpless, and he coughed and wheezed again. The old man is over half a hundred years old, and I am afraid that it will not be enough, although I decided to inform you. ”

Seeing that Cheng Shui was silent, Old Man Cheng said again: "I see that although you are sitting in the deep mountain mansion now, you can still win, so I know that you have this ability." ”

Zhao Yannian also persuaded: "The Li family is now scattered, and the caravans are scattered and separated, and most of them are traveling merchants. If it can be sorted out properly, it can also be regarded as a force in Zengcheng. ”

Cheng Shui understood what these two people meant, and the best thing to say was to let her help the Li family. If you don't hear it, you are working for the Li family.

But when he turned his head and saw Li Benqi, the young man looked at her with burning eyes and cautious eyes, and there was still a little baby fat on his face.

Cheng Shui said: "Let me go back and think about it." Cheng Lao Village Chief praised too much, I am a woman in the village, I know how many pounds I weigh, I don't dare, I am self-righteous. ”

"Okay."

……

After sending Cheng Shui away, Zhao Yannian sat back next to Old Man Cheng.

He patted Li Benqi on the shoulder: "Don't worry, your aunt suddenly heard about these many things today, and she should think about it carefully." ”

Li Benqi shook his head and signaled: "I'm not in a hurry, I just feel guilty." Because of me, I pulled my aunt into the water, and I was troubled by many things. ”

Old Man Cheng comforted: "It's not just for you, now that natural disasters and man-made disasters are continuous, who can be left alone, your aunt will figure it out." ”

"I understand, what I have to do now is to learn more from Mr. Zhao, and strive to be able to learn as soon as possible, so that I can help my aunt." Li Benqi said firmly: "I also want to inherit my grandfather's wishes and revive the family business." ”

Zhao Yannian and Old Man Cheng glanced at each other, and they were both pleased.

"Ahem, ahem, ahem, ahem." At that time, Old Man Cheng coughed again.

"Master Cheng, your cough has not healed for a few days. Why don't I ask the old fairy of Shili Village to show you? Zhao Yannian said with concern.

Li Benqi was also a little nervous.

"It's okay, the soup at home is constant, I'm old, it's just a candle in the wind." Old man Cheng politely refused. "That old immortal is just a few years old, and everyone praised it a little more."

Seeing that Old Man Cheng was unwilling, Zhao Yannian had to give up.