To say, this Fengzhou city is really worthy of being the most prosperous capital of the Southern Xia Kingdom, and it is also a well-known "beautiful" city, not only the people are beautiful and the wine is beautiful, but even the scenery in the city is so beautiful that people can't take their eyes off it.

Pink walls and tiles, cornices and corners, lattice windows, houses in groups, and tourists in the market are endless.

What makes Bai Luoshang nostalgic the most is the river that crosses the entire Fengzhou City.

Stone fence on the bank, peach and willow, fragrant grass.

Along the river, there are Qinlou Chu Pavilions, beauties with sideburns like clouds can be seen everywhere, and the aroma of wine wafting in the air seems to make people mistakenly think that the river is also flowing with wine.

The river spans a number of single-hole bridges, and the pleasure boats cross the bridges, which are crowded with people all day long, with many vendors, the noisy sound of the city, and the trembling river, with a circle of ripples.

The afternoon sunshine, the breeze is gentle, the painting boat is full of tourists, the waves are shining, and the scenery is picturesque.

A place with a lot of people must be a good place to go, Bai Luoshang thought so, so he decided to hire a painting boat to play.

Walking to a ferry with a painting boat, Bai Luoshang saw at a glance that there was a canopy boat parked.

The hull of the boat was anchored close to the riverbank, and there was a small man in the bow, and in the stern sat an old man, wearing a hat, smoking a pipe quietly, and his bearded chin trembling slightly with the action of smoking.

Bai Luoshang walked over, and the wine gourd hanging from his waist also swayed, he cleared his throat and shouted very politely: "Boatman, hello." ”

When the boatman saw the visitor, he also greeted him warmly: "Little brother, do you want to take a boat?"

"That's right!" Bai Luoshang shook his fan and looked at the canopy boat, and asked the boatman with a smile: "I want to go around the city along this river, I don't know how much silver it will cost to hire for a day?"

The boatman took out his pipe, knocked it on the hull, and then pointed to the bow and said, "See that couplet? That's the upper couplet, and you have to give the next couplet if you want to get on the boat." The price of hiring a boat will be based on the following you make, the better the sentence, the cheaper the price of the boat. On the contrary, the worse the downlink is, the more expensive the boat ride will be. ”

Bai Luoshang looked at the bow of the boat along the boatman's cigarette pole, there was a small wooden table on it, on which was a stack of paper and pen and ink, and a bamboo pole was erected in front of the wooden table, and a snow-white canvas was hung, on which the handwriting was inscribed in an atmospheric and smooth manner:

"The willows on the shore are like smoke and green rhyme, and the still water is green and the waves are smoky. ”

The boatman said, "If you are right, I can give you a free day of boating, do you dare to give it a try?"

Bai Luoshang shook the fan and thought about it, then put it away and smiled confidently: "How difficult can this be." ”

The boatman stretched out his hand and made a gesture of please.

Bai Luoshang walked along the hull of the boat, walked to the bow of the boat, bowed and wrote:

"The pond flowers are dipped in water and half-cover their faces, and the jade belt is full of flowers in the wind. ”

The boatman looked at the couplet under Bai Luoshang's inscription, the handwriting was beautiful, the pen was powerful, and the words were neat, and he couldn't help but look at Bai Luoshang again, and then smiled appreciatively: "Get on the boat." ”

Bai Luoshang responded and jumped on the boat.

As soon as he arrived on the boat, he was greeted by the mellow aroma of wine, which made him feel refreshed.

The boat man rose to his feet, and with a little oar, the boat smoothly left the bank and slid towards the center of the river. The boat is small and fast, and when it is small, it has crossed the center of the river.

On the cruise, the boatman holds the penny, swings the oars, and the boat wanders smoothly on the river, and the breeze is pleasant. Visitors lie lightly on the boat, as in the line of paintings.

While rowing the boat, the boatman said, "There are no snacks, tea and wine are free." ”

"It's good to have wine. ”

Bai Luoshang sat under the canopy, poured himself a glass of wine, took a sip, and after a careful aftertaste, he suddenly felt very sweet and very comfortable, so that he couldn't help but be lazy, and slumped softly on the cushion, and even the style of drinking was changed from the past to drink sea drinks.

After sitting for a while, the interest came up, and Bai Luoshang chatted with the boatman.

"Uncle is old this year?"

"Seventy-eight. ”

Bai Luoshang was slightly surprised: "The old man's body looks quite tough, have you always been here to hold the boat?"

The boatman smiled: "Yes." ”

"And how many years have you been doing it?"

"I don't remember, it's been fifty or sixty years. ”

Bai Luoshang was even more surprised, "Won't it be boring for so long? Holding a boat is a very hard job, and young people can't do it for a long time, but the old man has persevered for so many years." ”

The boatman asked, "If you are a heavy drinker, do you think there will be a day when you will get tired of fine wine?"

Bai Luoshang smiled proudly: "Of course not, but how do you know that I like to drink?"

The boat man smiled heartily: "Because you chose to drink just now." ”

Bai Luoshang unexpectedly lowered her eyes to look at the wine glass in her hand, it was just a small choice, and she was seen through?

"The old man really has good eyesight. Bai Luoshang touched her nose and sighed.

"Actually, I don't see with my eyes, I smell with my nose. The boatman also sighed, "When Childe got on the boat, I could already smell the faint aroma of wine wafting from Childe's body. ”

Bai Luoshang lowered his head and sniffed at himself, there was indeed a smell of wine, and he leisurely looked at the scenery rowing outside the boat.

A wisp of wine wind, blowing a pool of spring water.

Bai Luoshang's face was slightly red, he raised his wine glass, and drank it all, "It's really amazing to be able to stick to one thing for so many years." ”

The boatman put down the penny, took out the pipe, and said indifferently while changing the cigarette: "The mountain is high and has its own passenger road, and the water depth has its own ferryman." It's not easy to find something that you can stick to. ”

"Oh. Bai Luoshang nodded slowly, but he didn't understand.

The boatman changed his cigarette, lit it, and took two puffs. Curling green smoke came out of the pipe, slowly climbed, faded and disappeared when it was opened.

"No matter how prosaic it is, it is reasonable to exist. "It's a good thing to have one thing in life that will make you happy." ”

Bai Luoshang fully agreed, holding the wine glass, saluted the boatman, and said: "What the old man said is too right, as the so-called wine is drunk today, no one knows if this time is the last time, so if we do one thing, we must be loyal to one thing." That's why I've always been drinking to the best of my ability. ”

The boat man smiled slowly: "Childe, please." ”

Bai Luoshang casually sipped the wine, ate and said with a smile: "Fengzhou City is really lively." ”

Playing with the wine glass, he saw the painting silk on the bow of the boat trembling slightly in the river breeze, and he asked with a smile: "Your land is really outstanding, Zhong Lingyu is beautiful." But this couplet can only be taken on a boat, and I will see it for the first time, is it the custom here?"

The boatman stroked his beard and said slowly, "It can also be said to be our custom here." ”

Bai Luoshang pursed her lips and smiled, "It's a strange custom, I never knew that what I wrote could be used for money, but I don't see that there are pairs on other ships." If it's a custom, why don't they have a title?"

"It's different. "Everyone else is right with their mouths, but I don't think it's good, just with my mouth, in case I don't write down a good sentence, wouldn't it be a pity to go back and forget it." So before I get on my boat, I ask the guest officer to write down the answer. Okay, I can still slowly experience it when I look back. ”

Bai Luoshang smiled: "How much silver does the old man think can be offset in the next link?"

The boatman asked rhetorically: "How much do you think the next link you are right is worth?"

"It's hard to say. Bai Luoshang put down the wine glass, unfolded the fan and shook it, "Why don't you give me some references, tell me how others are right, how much money can be offset, I'll compare." ”

The boatman shook his head: "I gave you a reference, but it may not be useful, I shouted the price to see how well you make the couplet, second, to see whether the pen is neat or not, and third, to see the mood." ”

Bai Luoshang put down the cup, "Has this Fengzhou City always been so lively?"

The boat man smiled: "Spring is beautiful, and there are naturally many tourists." It's just that on weekdays, it's mostly after dusk, and it's the rich children of the literati and the writers who come out on a boat with famous prostitutes and singers. However, this time is more lively than usual. ”

Bai Luoshang couldn't help but wonder: "Why is this?"

The boatman smiled: "It's because of the poetry competition once a year." ”

"Poetry Club?" Bai Luoshang became interested.

"It is said that it is a poetry competition, but in fact, it is the Oiran ladies of each green building who meet guests with poems. ”

"Interesting. ”

"Since it is an Oiran, it is natural that the people who come and go are rich and powerful, and the theme of poetry can also attract many celebrities and talents to gather here. At this time of year, the brothels on the shore are always much more lively than usual, and the boat boats on the river are even more singing and singing. ”

"Oh?"

"The Oiran lady will first publish a poem in the building, all men can participate in the poetry meeting, pay ten taels of silver to get a chance to the poem, if the poem is favored by the Oiran lady, you can swim with the beauty to enjoy the moon for a night. These oiran ladies don't meet casually on weekdays, which is why the annual poetry festival is so attractive to the rich kids. ”

Bai Luoshang touched his nose and said with a smile: "If you are lucky, wouldn't you only need ten taels of silver to see Fangze!"

The boat man shook his head: "This is unlikely, the Oiran lady's vision is naturally very good." There are many people who pay the money but don't even meet in person, but they are also willing. Even if the talented son wins the favor of the Oiran, if he feels unpleasant to look at after seeing him, he can turn around and leave, and those men can't force it. Clients had to do everything they could to show their wealth and charm in order to win the favor of the Oiran, and some of them even sprinkled hundreds of thousands to millions without seeing each other. ”

Knocking on the fan lightly and heavily, Bai Luosheng couldn't help but start to feel a little stuffy in his heart, so his tone suddenly became a little stuffy: "Presumably, these Oiran ladies must be people with unparalleled appearances." ”