Datang Chang'an, Linjiang Wharf.

In the twilight, the boatman who was over the age of six, standing on the bow of the lonely boat and holding bamboo pulp, looked at the emaciated back of the young man on the dock and comforted: "Childe, don't feel pity, anyway, we have a imperial examination in Datang every two years, and it is a big deal to take the examination again in two years." “

Will you take the exam again in two years?

The corners of the young man's mouth twitched, although the boatman's words sounded comforting, but for him who had failed the list three times, it was undoubtedly a salt in the wound.

This young man's name is Meng Chen, he is twenty-three years old this year, his parents both passed away many years ago, although he left a large amount of money, but after all these years of eating and drinking, plus several imperial examination expenses, there is not much left now.

People of his age in his hometown of Gangneung City are now married and have children and have successful careers, but he has been reduced to nothing.

Meng Chen couldn't help but think of a sentence circulating among the scholars of the Tang Dynasty at the moment, don't think that the spring breeze is proud, and the prosperity will be seen overnight.

This test is famous, as long as you don't have a backer in the imperial court, you really respond to that sentence.

Reluctantly glanced at Chang'an City, which was full of people in the distance.

Meng Chen sighed softly, put away many thoughts in his heart, turned around and stepped onto the boat.

"Childe, have you figured it out?" asked the boatman with a smile, thinking that because of his own persuasion, he saved a scholar who wanted to commit suicide by throwing himself into the river because of his own persuasion, and he couldn't help but feel happy in his heart.

He has such an idea because he has lived on the bank of the river for more than ten years, and in the past autumn exams, he saw scholars who committed suicide by throwing themselves into the river, not 100, but 80.

After Meng Chen got on the boat, he plunged into the boat Wupeng, he failed the list three times, and he didn't feel good in his heart, so he naturally didn't bother to pay attention to this thin old man who seemed to be comforting, but in fact sprinkled salt on his wounds.

The boatman was not angry, threw the bamboo pulp into the river, turned around and shouted, "Childe, where are you going?"

"Fengling Ferry. “

Meng Chen's listless voice came from Wupengli.

The boatman should say, okay, after the Fengling ferry has left you, he will control the boat, turn around and row towards the river shrouded in dusk.

When Meng Chen entered Wupeng, he lay on the desk and fell asleep, but after learning that he had lost the list, he had insomnia for several days in a row, and he was so tired that he fell asleep with his eyes closed.

When he woke up, it was already late at night, and if it wasn't for the autumn night being too cold and waking him up from freezing, maybe he would have slept until early tomorrow morning before waking up.

Got up and opened his arms, stretched a few times in succession, and the feeling of soreness and numbness gradually dissipated, and then he raised his steps and walked out of Wupeng.

The sky and the moon are scarce, and the boatman is still continuing his rowing work, seeing Meng Chen walking out of Wupeng, he said with a smile: "Childe, how did you sleep tonight?"

"It's fine. “

Meng Chen came to the bow of the boat and looked up, the river was covered with thick fog, and the sound of insects, beasts and birds singing was all over the river.

"When will I get to Fengling Ferry?"

"If the little old man didn't make a mistake in judgment, it would probably be around noon tomorrow. "The boatman looked up at a certain star in the night sky, and he looked like he knew astronomy and geography.

Meng Chen nodded, ignoring the boatman, because when he found this person, he looked at his expression, and clearly said, boy, don't you thank the old man, if it weren't for my kind words to persuade you, you would have committed suicide by throwing yourself into the river and being a human being in two lives.

The cool night breeze blew from the surface of the river shrouded in thick fog, and the tiredness that was still not much left on the face was also blown away and drifted away.

"Childe, Ransom Xiao Lao'er took the liberty to ask, others have taken the test for fame, all for the sake of high-ranking officials, so why did you get fame. “

Behind him, there was the sound of the boatman not opening the pot and lifting the pot.

"Meng Mou won fame, not for the high-ranking officials, nor for the glory and wealth, but just to do a modest contribution for the people of the Tang Dynasty, that's all. Meng Chen almost blurted out, his words were gentle, and his expression was respectful.

He didn't just open his mouth to say these words, but in recent years, he has secretly practiced thousands of times before he can say so numbly.

Of course, its original intention is not as great as just said, in fact, everything is just for the title of the gold list, to be able to perform well in front of the Tang Emperor, who would have thought that it would be useless for a while.

But he didn't know that these words were in the ears of the boatman behind him, but they brought a lot of mental impact to this person.

I saw that the boatman stopped rowing and clasped his hands with bamboo pulp, looking like he was reminiscing.

Meng Chen saw that the boat stopped moving forward and looked back at the boatman.

"Not a barbarian son, in fact, Xiao Lao'er was just like you back then, a young scholar who cherished his family and country. “

"Scholar, just you?" Meng Chen took a look, and looked at the boat family carefully for a moment, disappreciating it in his heart.

Because no matter how he observed, this obscene-looking thin old man did not look like a scholar.

"Don't believe it, Xiao Lao'er was the only one who studied in Qi County, Xiangnan, ..................back then. The boatman's lips closed quickly, and his mouth gushed.

Meng Chen listened with great interest, and nodded his head in response from time to time, and Dayou agreed with what the boatman said, the imperial examination is deep, and the unspoken rules are overflowing.

But just as the boatman was talking about the climax, Meng Chen's head rumbled, and the expression on his face instantly froze.

"Fuck, childe, you don't know, I was the top student in high school at the time, but the final test paper was inexplicably changed to someone else's name ............. When the boatman said this, he was so angry that he threw the bamboo pulp in his hand and threw it outward, falling into the river from the thick fog.

If only that were it, but the man didn't seem to realize that his hands were empty now, and his lips were still closing rapidly, and he was talking.

Meng Chen's heart was in turmoil, and he shouted loudly: "Boat family." “

"Childe, what's wrong?" the boatman didn't like it, he was about to talk about the climax, when he was suddenly interrupted by the young man in front of him to narrate the time.

Meng Chen had already become impetuous, but he still resisted the urge to squash the old man.

"Here you are. Meng Chen raised his hand and pointed at the boatman's empty hands.

"I'm grass. The boatman looked down, then let out a strange scream, and hurriedly leaned on the hull of the boat and inserted his hands into the river.

It wasn't even a moment before he panted and looked back at Meng Chen. "Childe, don't be scared, come and help. “

Meng Chen glared at the old man, although he didn't want to in his heart, he still rolled up his sleeves and kicked to the side of the boatman, there was no way, who let him be in the boat.

Although the moonlight is bright, the river water under the fog is still out of sight.

Meng Chen stretched out his hand and groped for a moment, feeling that the river seemed to be surging upward, and looked back at the boatman. "Do you feel anything unusual underwater?"

"It's cool. The boatman didn't look back, looking at his appearance, he touched it very seriously.

"Nonsense, it's late autumn at this time, and it's strange that the river is not cold. Meng Chen was very speechless to the old man, the river was rolling up more and more violently, and the old man didn't feel the slightest? "I mean, you don't feel the river churning upwards?"

"Childe mean there is a ...... underwater?" the boatman turned his head sharply, his eyes facing each other, and he panicked at each other.

Meng Chen nodded, and said secretly in his heart: The old man is not stupid.

"It's unlikely, Xiao Lao'er has been ferrying in the river for many years, and he has never heard of a ............ in the river. “

Boom.

Before the boatman finished speaking, within 300 meters of the river, the river water suddenly splashed dozens of feet high, and layers of water waves spread, jolting the small boat left and right.

The bodies of the two also swayed from side to side, and when the boat calmed down, they were already out of breath, Meng Chen faced the boatman, his face was purple, his four branches were soft, and he sat on the board of the boat.

"Gong, Gong, Gong...... You....... “

Before Meng Chen could recover his breath, the embarrassed boatman in front of him trembled and pointed behind him.

"Behind me?" Meng Chen raised his hand and pointed at himself.

"Yes, behind you. The boatman's eyes were closed and he nodded one after another.

Meng Chen felt his hair stand up, instinctively sat up, and hid behind the boatman.