The grass is green, and the fog and rain are boundless.

On the dilapidated ancient ferry on the riverside, a flat boat is floating lightly in the near future.

Orr.

There was a shaking in the reeds, accompanied by the crisp sound of copper bells, and suddenly a Taoist leading a donkey came out.

"Boat house. The Taoist patted the dew stained with his coat, half complaining and half joking, "It's not easy to take you on a ferry." ”

This person is dressed quite peculiarly, and the robe covered by the robe still looks like a look, but the faintly exposed lining and the boots under his feet are not like those of the Central Plains. In particular, he carried a long wooden box on his back, and a long sword without a spike hanging from his waist. He lifted his hat, revealing a young face.

"I walked a few miles along the riverbank, soaked in the rain for hours, and finally found your ferry. ”

"Isn't the world good? ”

The stern of the boat replied slowly.

This is a thin and rickety old man, lifeless, his voice and movements are like rusty gears, with a slight stagnation.

"There are more dead people floating in the water than the living, so I said that you are still the first guest of the month of the old man. ”

"That's a real honor. ”

The Taoist smiled and pointed to his donkey.

The boatman will understand.

"It doesn't matter, just get it. ”

As soon as the words were finished, the donkey swished and jumped onto the boat. The donkey's fur was shiny, and his body was fat and heavy, and the bow of the ship sank immediately. The boat was like a carp in shallow water, and suddenly "fluttered".

But the boatman was not in a hurry, and only swung the long boat into the water and stirred it, and the boat was immediately stable.

Seeing this, the Taoist got on the boat and patted the donkey's head.

"The donkey is stubborn, and it disturbs the boatman. ”

"Nothing, where do you want to go?"

"Just across the river. ”

When the boatman heard this, he did not delay much, and immediately left the ferry with his boat.

It just didn't take a dozen or so steps.

"Let's go slowly. ”

A voice came from the shore.

"Piggybacking on a certain ride. ”

............

The second guest was a takefu.

A long knife hung from his waist, though it was a little old, and he was wearing armor, although it was a little torn. But after all, they are all well armoured, but they can't be associated with words like "brave" at all.

As a result, the body was thin, with hair like weeds in the depths of winter, and layers of folds collapsed on the skin, and large and small brown spots were scattered indiscriminately.

But he is an old man who is dying.

He was extremely embarrassed when he got on board.

It was like being soaked in the water a few times, and then being thrown into the wind for a few days, and I don't know how long I was stuck by this river.

Trembling and shaky.

When the Taoist saw this, he quickly took out a blanket and a pot of spirits from his luggage and handed them to him.

The veteran thanked him and sat aside, not saying a word.

On the other hand, the boatman has already sent the ship again.

One by one, he shook the water waves, left the ancient ferry, and slid lightly to the opposite bank.

............

The fog on the river was much thicker than on the shore, like a layer of cotton wool covering the water. However, the river water is extremely quiet and slow, if it were not for the slight sound of the water waves, people would really think that they were not walking on the water, but floating in the fog.

Aboard.

The old soldier was still shivering, the Taoist priest was just closing his eyes, and the donkey poked his head out, trying to chew on the cotton wool-like mist. But the boatman seemed to have become much more energetic, and his movements were no longer sluggish, and his rickety body was much taller.

Suddenly, he proposed:

"The boat crosses the river slowly, otherwise the old man will tell a story for the two of you, and how about chatting to relieve your fatigue?"

The veteran didn't say a word.

The Taoist opened his eyes with great interest.

"Okay. ”

............

There is a man named Wang Er on the dock near the left, this man is a scoundrel, and he lives by catching some shrimp and crabs on weekdays. He had no family, and he was a poor man, so he had to live in a shack by the dock.

One night, when he went to the river, he suddenly found a man in a cloak wandering by the passenger ship moored at the dock. He suspected that he was a water bandit who stepped on the idea, so he didn't dare to squeak, but just hid in the reeds and peeked carefully.

I saw the man in the cloth wandering for a while, and then jumped into the water coldly, and hung a copper bell on the draft of one of the boats, and then disappeared into the water.

The next day, I got the news that the boat was overturned by the wind and waves, and the whole boat was swallowed by the river god!

Wang Er was frightened, but he actually had a crooked heart, so every midnight, he quietly sneaked into the reeds to snoop. From time to time, you can bump into the appearance of the clothed man and choose a certain ship to hang the copper bell. But whoever is chosen by it will capsize not far from the dock, and no one on board will be spared.

So he knew that this clothed man must be the messenger of the river god, and the boat that was hung with the copper bell was the sacrifice selected for the river god!

Wang Er is a poor and crazy scoundrel, who actually takes advantage of this to make a profit, and collects money by leaking the misfortune of the boat on the water.

Over the past few years, there have been few shipwrecks on this waterway, and Wang Er has gradually accumulated a fortune.

It's just that one day, there was a sudden disturbance in the place, and he was afraid of being affected, so he had no choice but to take a boat to the other side for shelter.

It was also the same weather that day, and the drizzle was misty and the river scenery was difficult to distinguish.

Wang Er took his Wanguan family wealth, wife and concubines and children on a ferry.

Before getting on the boat, he also deliberately made people go around the boat to confirm that the copper bell was not hung up, and then drove the boat across the river.

But to the heart of the river.

Suddenly, the fog was blowing and both sides were gone.

The river was also surging and the boats were jolting, and at the same time listening to a thin brass bell.

Wang Er followed the sound and looked over.

The Dead Spirits Rise.

It turned out that there was a copper bell hanging on the handle of the oar, and the boatman next to him took off the hat, and it was the man in the cloth.

............

As the story of the boat family ended, the boat gradually moved closer to the center of the river.

The fog and rain became thicker, the scenery on the shore became more and more indistinguishable, and the sun in the sky was also behind the rain clouds, smeared into a large white shift with burrs.

"That's it. ”

The sword was uncomfortable at his waist, and the Taoist untied it, put it across his lap, and then smiled.

"I have a story here, too. ”

............

As the saying goes: the car and ship shop has its feet, and the innocent should be killed.

The Li Si I want to talk about today is a boatman who carries passengers on the river and begs for food, but this person has a bad heart and poisonous methods, and he is a living Yama on the water. If you don't know what to do on his boat, when you get to the center of the river, you will take the boat sideways and ask you to eat "bandao noodles" or "wonton noodles".

What do you mean?

"Bandao noodles" is to chop them to death with a knife and then throw them into the water, and "wonton noodles" is to let you jump into the river by yourself, so as not to dirty his knife of King Li Yan.

But this time and again, Li Si's reputation spread all over the river, like stinky shit in dog days, and everyone walked around him. Not to mention the tricks of "bandao noodles" and "wonton noodles", even a normal livelihood can't be done. Seeing that he was going to be hungry, he was in a hurry, and swore to the human curse, saying that he would reform from now on, and if he made that immoral business again, the dragon lord blessed him to eat wonton noodles by himself.

But.

Who can believe him, who will dare to believe him?

One night, Li Si was in a daze, and suddenly heard someone calling his name outside the door.

finally had a business, and he was overjoyed, and he agreed to it without much thought.

When he first set sail, he still remembered the poisonous oath he had made. But as the ferry boat drifts farther away from the shore, the moonlight gradually brightens, illuminating the gaps in the guest's baggage, reflecting the silver light in white.

But it's several silver ingots!

This can hook his stomach full of bad water mixed with saliva to flow out, natural old germination, to the center of the river, as usual, the boat sideways.

This guest has grown up, and it seems that Kong Wu is powerful, and Li Si has scruples, and only dares to mention money, and does not dare to say that he will kill him.

And when this reached the center of the river, there was no landing on all sides, and the water waves seemed to be gentle, but in fact, the undercurrent was surging.

The guest had no choice but to say: money can be given, but not in vain, you have to borrow!

Li Si was not annoyed but happy, so wouldn't he be afraid that the other party would report to the official? Besides, if he Li Si was a splasher, he didn't know how to write the word "return."

Now is a promise!

Next, when they arrived on the other side, the guests hurriedly disappeared into the night, and Li Siping got seven ingots for nothing.

Just said that after ten days, this windfall was spent by Li Si. One day I woke up from a hangover, and there was no rice in the tank. He remembered that the guest had left a fold when he left, beautifully framed, and perhaps worth a few dollars to spend.

But when he arrived at the pawnshop, he was bombarded out, and it turned out that the fold was a road guide, not a thing in the yang world, and it was written:

"Huang, a native of Qianzhong, died in Shandong on a certain day, a certain month, and now he is ordered to return to his hometown and become a ghost. ”

Li Si was still unlucky, and in a blink of an eye, he was surrounded by a group of people, who asked him to pay back the money. It turned out that these people were all the housekeepers of gambling stalls, brothels, and restaurants that he had taken care of. All the money he spent these days has turned into paper ashes today.

He was forced to have no choice but to promise to repay it twice, but in the evening, he secretly ran to the other side to avoid the debt.

However, on the other side, a ghost knocked on the door in the middle of the night.

It turned out that the guest was "Huang" who died in Shandong.

Because he hated the river god, he stayed on the north bank for many days, so he had to use Li Si to hide from the sky and cross the sea, because he was afraid that Guan Shen would find out about the lock, so he didn't dare to entangle with Li Si, and left in a hurry after going ashore.

He came to the door this time, firstly, to guide the way, and secondly, to urge the repayment of debts.

Li Si was so frightened that he naturally didn't dare to disobey.

However.

It's really a scoundrel who has bumped into a scoundrel, and it's paper money that is lent out, and real money is required to pay it back!

At this moment, Li Si was in a hurry during the day, and the ghosts were in a panic at night, and both sides of the strait could not live in peace.

In desperation, Li Si picked a dark and windy night, drove the boat to the center of the river, chiseled through the bottom of the boat, and invited himself to eat "wonton noodles".

............

End of story.

In the cold smoke, the Taoist smiled:

"If the boatman, the 'messenger of the river god', bumps into Huang of the poor road, what will the scene be?"

"Isn't that just the right thing to do to a ghost? ”

A hoarse voice interjected from the side, and it turned out that the veteran had finally relieved himself.

The boatman looked him up and down a few times:

"Where is this going, brother?"

"Disarming and returning to the field. The veteran patted his waist knife, "Go back to visit relatives." ”

"That's amazing. ”

The boatman suddenly smiled and said:

"The world is in chaos, and I only hear where there are strong men, but I haven't seen any soldiers who have been released. ”

"Brother Mo is a deserter, right?"

"Phew!"

The veteran immediately changed color, took a sip, and scolded:

"If I'm a deserter, you're a bandit!"

He bowed with his fists and explained:

"I served in the northern Xinjiang, and I had a meritorious service in resisting the enemy with Yan Fold and was too protective of my old and weak, so I was allowed to unload my armor and return to the field. ”

After speaking, he bowed to the Taoist priest again.

"I was blocked by the river, and I was stranded on the shore for a long time, and I almost lost my life by the wind and rain, and I lost the blanket and liquor of the little road. ”

The Taoist waved his hand, not daring to take credit.

And the boatman didn't have a place on his lips, and he teased again.

"That's even more strange. ”

"A few days ago, the sun was shining, and I wandered on the river for a long time, but I didn't see you. Today's rainy day, you will come out. ”

He paused, then laughing.

"Isn't the old brother like in the story of the Taoist, a lonely soul who has returned to his hometown, and he can't be guided or crossed the river, right?"

The old soldier had a good temper, although he was so angry that the wrinkles on his face trembled, but he didn't do anything, but just scolded:

"If I were a lonely soul returning home, you would be a wild ghost rocking the boat!"

Unexpectedly, the boatman laughed:

"If it is a wild ghost, it will be happy, and it will not be bullied by bandits, nor will it be forced by forced labor. ”

"It's just that old brother, do you know that the officers and bandits have taken turns to come several times, and there are often villages that are slaughtered, and the bones cannot be restrained, and the soul cannot be detached. Don't say that at night, on this rainy day, there are often ghosts in the whole village haunting. ”

He means a lot.

"Brother, you haven't been back to your hometown for many years, but be careful. ”

It was a vicious statement, but the old soldier calmed down. He sneered and returned the blanket and liquor to the Taoist.

"Huh?"

The veteran looked at the vast river, his face suspicious, as if he had discovered something.

The boatman then turned his head to look.

But this time, that.

The veteran suddenly burst into flames.

With a "bang", the long knife came out of its sheath and slashed directly at the front door of the boatman's house.

But the boatman was also quite alert, and at the critical moment, he turned away slightly.

The fatal blow missed the cheek and landed on the shoulder, castration and insertion into the shoulder blade.

The veteran drew his knife and tried to slash again, but when he arrived at the boat, he clung to the knife and did not dare to let go.

Time.

Flesh and blood splattered.

The two dying old people actually fought hard.

Not for a while.

After all, the veteran was much more decrepit, and gradually he could not hold on to each other, and could not help but shout:

"Captain Xiaodao, come and help me, this person is a water bandit!"

However.

The man seemed stunned, and still sat there, not moving his ass the whole time.

"Alas!"

The veteran was so anxious that he stomped his feet, gritted his teeth, and gave up his long knife.

The body shrank and swelled, and in the blink of an eye, he crashed into the arms of the boatman, and the cold light flashed in his hand, and there was already an extra short knife.

This veteran seems to be on the verge of death, but he is horribly familiar with the methods of killing people.

The attack is accurate and ruthless.

The short knife stabbed it under the ribs, and then stirred it again.

Suddenly, the boatman's body softened, and he screamed a few times in his throat, and he immediately fell silent.

The veteran staggered two steps and gasped for breath violently.

"Don't panic, I'm not a villain. ”

After resting for a long time, he waved his hand and explained to the passer.

"My hometown is not elsewhere, it's on the other side. There is a small county called 'Xiaoshui' near the left, and my home is in the nearby village. ”

"So, I'm all too familiar with this waterway. Where does it take so much time to cross the river? It is clear that the boatman deliberately took advantage of the fog to deliberately circle in the middle of the river, trying to plot against him. ”

He concluded.

"This person must be a water bandit!"

"I don't think so. ”

The veteran looked up in surprise, only to see the Taoist pointing to the stern of the boat.

"If you don't believe it, turn back. ”

The veteran was full of suspicion when he heard this, and he only thought that the Taoist was stupid because of his violent murder, but now it seems that he is more cold-eyed.

Also.

In this world, where will it be easy for a person to walk alone with a sword and a sword?

He looked sideways while being wary of the Taoist.

But just one glance, he was stunned, and his hairs stood on end.

The stern of the boat was empty, and the body of the boatman was gone, except for two knives, one long and one short, which fell into a mess of mud, and the smell was unpleasant.

He joined the army when he was young, and he returned from old age. has killed people all their lives, and they can be sure that their knife really stabbed into the vital point, and they will not have the slightest struggle.

But what about corpses?

As far as the eye can see, there is only the increasingly heavy rain and fog, the long strokes that sway lightly with the waves, and ......

His eyes twitched.

A corner of brass bells hanging from the grip of the boat.

A gust of wind came out of nowhere.

"Jingle bells. ”