The clear autumn sky in the north is high and vast.

At the foot of Yinlong Mountain in the western part of Liao Province, a small stream meanders out from the mountains, walks around the mountain, and goes west. At the foot of the mountain to the east of the creek, there is a small village with about 150 families living in it, and this village is called Longyang Village.

The villagers of Longyang Village, who have been farming and hunting for generations, work at sunrise and rest at sunset, living a natural and peaceful quiet life among the green mountains and green waters.

On an autumn morning, the sun was shining. Several hunters from Longyang Village came to a grocery store in the west of the village with large pieces of wild boar in their hands. A young hunter stepped forward and knocked on the door, and shouted loudly: "Doctor Li, the smoked wild boar has been brought to you." ”

After a while, the door of the store opened, and a middle-aged man in gray in his forties walked out. He was slightly chubby, with a kind expression, looked at a few hunters, and said with a smile: "A few are too polite, I didn't have any credit for fighting this wild boar last time, how can you still send me meat." ”

The young man said: "Doctor Li, although you did not fight this wild boar, but the fright is not small, if it were not for your auspicious nature, this wild boar hit a tree and died, I am afraid that you will also be injured by this beast, then we will be a great sin." If you don't accept this pork, we don't want to go. ”

Another hunter also said, "Yes, while we were hunting it, the beast went mad and ran into your yard. Luckily, it got dizzy and hit the tree on its own, otherwise your family would be in danger. This bit of smoked pork should be regarded as a shock to you and Mrs. Zun, and you usually drink two sips, just use it for wine. As soon as these words came out, several people laughed.

Dr. Li said with a smile: "This beast hit the tree by himself, and he was also stunned by a few of you, which is a blessing for everyone." I was scared enough. In that case, I would rather be respectful than obey, and take the pork, and when I smoke it with herbs for a few more days, invite everyone to come and drink. ”

When the hunters heard that he was willing to take the pork, they were very happy.

One person said with a smile: "This wild boar has a fat body, it is extremely ferocious, and it is so powerful that it can smash a pair of heavenly spirit covers, which is really rare." However, it also saves us from having to fight hard. Doctor Li, there is an auspicious character in your name, and it is indeed auspicious. ”

It turned out that five days ago, a big wild boar ran down from Yinlong Mountain, broke into the village, arched and bumped around, chased people when they saw them, and made the village a lot of trouble. There were many hunters in Longyang Village, and they immediately went out to besiege and kill.

The wild boar was driven by everyone in a panic, and rushed into the courtyard of the village doctor Li Ji's house. The villagers who chased after them were shocked, for fear that wild boars would enter the house and hurt people, so they hurriedly shouted loudly to remind the people in the courtyard to pay attention.

At this moment, I heard a loud howl from the yard, which was the cry of the wild boar, and then there was no more sound. When the villagers rushed in to look, they saw Li Ji and his wife standing in the courtyard, and the wild boar fell under the big locust tree two feet away, bleeding from the mouth and nose, and his limbs twitched slightly, and he was already dead of anger.

The villagers were surprised and delighted, and asked the reason, and Li Ji said that the wild boar was about to rush in, and he and his wife hurriedly flashed to the tree, and the wild boar could not recover in time, crashed into the tree, and fell to the ground and died.

After hearing this, the villagers praised Li Ji and his wife for their luck, dodging in time, and not being injured by wild boars. Later, when the wild boar was dismembered, a strange thing was discovered, the wild boar's head was boneless, and when it was cut open with a knife, the skull was shattered.

Everyone was amazed at the force of the collision, and only a few experienced old hunters were puzzled, looking at the crushing of the skull, it seemed that it could not be formed by the force of the collision, but as if it had been smashed repeatedly by a strong man with a sledgehammer, so that it could be so muddy. It's just that although there are doubts, there is no way to solve them, only to call out the strange.

The wild boar was divided among several hunters, and a copy was left for Li Ji, and after a few days of smoking, it was brought to him.

One of the hunters said to Li Ji: "We have disturbed Dr. Li by not hunting properly, and we should use this wild boar to make amends." But then again, even if you hunt prey in the mountains, you should give you a share. Since you came to our village, in the past 10 years, you have treated the villagers and saved many people!

Li Ji thanked him again and again, saying that it is the duty of a doctor to cure the sick and save people, and he would never dare to praise it.

Speaking of this Li Ji, he has a history.

He was not originally from Longyang Village, but was displaced here more than ten years ago due to the disaster in his hometown, and was later taken in by Longyang Village, so he lived here temporarily. He was joined by a woman and a two-year-old toddler. The woman was Li Ji's wife, surnamed Xia, and the child was his son, named Li Longyan.

Time flies, more than ten years have passed in a blink of an eye, and Li Ji and his wife have gained a good reputation in Longyang Village.

When the couple first arrived, they opened a grocery store in the village to make a living. Once or twice a month, Li Ji always goes out to Baili Town, which is thirty miles away, to buy goods and fill the small shop. Thanks to the addition of this grocery store in the village, it is much easier for the villagers to buy things, and they no longer have to travel long distances for a stitch as before. At the same time, Li Ji's medical skills have helped the villagers a lot.

Longyang Village is located in a remote area, and there is no good doctor in the village, so in case of serious injuries and diseases, the villagers are treated with local methods, and the effect is very low. Soon after Li Ji moved in, he showed his medical skills, which amazed the villagers.

That time, Liu Xiaoshi, the son of the old Liu family, went into the mountains to hunt with the crowd, fell from the mountain, and when he was carried back, he was covered in blood, his face was bruised, and his mouth was like a fish's lips. It happened that Li Ji saw it and immediately stepped forward to help.

He stretched out his fingers on Liu Xiaoshi's body to lightly or focus on more than ten acupoints, and then took out the silver needle from his arms, pricked a few places along the meridians, and then slowly rubbed it on his chest and lower abdomen. After a long time, Liu Xiaoshi woke up slowly, and everyone in the audience was surprised and delighted.

Li Ji took out two pills, gave them to Liu Xiaoshi, and immediately ordered everyone to carry him back and take care of him. After two months, Liu Xiaoshi recovered as before.

The news spread throughout the village. Since then, the villagers have been injured and sick, and they have all come to Li Ji for treatment. Li Ji also lived up to expectations, treating the villagers with skillful hands, not to mention the common minor diseases, there was a stubborn disease that had accumulated for many years, and after he applied acupuncture treatment, it was also greatly improved.

Moreover, no matter whether he treats the disease in the morning or evening, as long as the villagers ask for it, it will be in the middle of the night, and he will go to the doctor in time. Li Ji has won the respect and gratitude of the whole village for his style of helping people and doing good deeds.

Li Ji's wife's name is Xia Bai, and she has been in Longyang Village for more than ten years, and she has become the most admired person by the women in the village.

Her first-hand dishes are superbly cooked. When she first showed her skills, when the old Zhao Tou's family married her daughter-in-law a few years ago, she and other women helped in the kitchen, and the meals they served made the guests stunned. The women of the village were envious and asked her for cooking advice.

After a while, the men were pleasantly surprised to find that the taste at the dinner table had changed dramatically. It is a pleasure to be able to eat a delicious meal after working during the day, and it is a great pleasure for the women to watch the men gobble up their own meals.

There was once speculation that the couple came from a large family in the city. The root of the speculation, in addition to their above skills, is also because of the two of them, as if there is a kind of demeanor that the villagers do not have. Where does this kind of demeanor come from, the villagers don't know, they can only vaguely feel that the person who can have this kind of temperament must be a completely different person from them.

Someone also tentatively asked them where the township was, Li Ji just smiled and said, "In Jiangnan, far away." "Jiangnan? Where is Jiangnan and how far away is it? The villagers don't know that their imagination can only be limited to a radius of tens of miles. They could only look at Li Ji's slowly departing back suspiciously, and then unconsciously raised their heads and looked at the sky in the distance. The northern sky is high and vast.

*

In the evening, Li Ji and Xia Bai finished their day's work and sat under the big locust tree in the backyard to prepare for dinner. There was a small table under the tree, on which were already placed four kinds of dishes, namely tofu, mushrooms, wild boar, roe meat, and a large pot of broth.

Xia Bai poured Li Ji a glass of local wine and said with a smile: "I cut a piece of the wild boar meat they sent today and fried it, how does it taste if you taste it." In ten days, it will be the Mid-Autumn Festival, and I want to take Longyan to Baili Town to play before the festival. Long Yan is almost fifteen, so it's good for him to see the world more. ”

Li Ji took a sip of wine, nodded and said, "Okay." He looked at the big locust tree beside him, and said: "Alas, I didn't expect this day to pass so fast, in a blink of an eye, it has been twelve years, and it doesn't matter if we two of us, so we wronged Longyan and grew up in this ravine." ”

Xia Bai said: "Yes." Suddenly, she smiled and said, "Why do you say that it doesn't matter if we two of us, I have lived in this kind of place with you for more than ten years, can you be sure that I must be happy in my heart? I came here at the age of twenty-five, and now I am thirty-seven, I ......."

Before she finished speaking, her hand was already held by Li Ji, and when she looked up, Li Ji was looking at her with apology and gratitude in her eyes. I only heard him sigh: "Yes, after all these years, it's really hard for you, it's me who can't live with you." ”

Xia Bai shook his head, looked at Li Ji, and said softly: "Big brother, don't say that, I was telling a joke just now, with you, no matter where I go, I won't regret it." Besides, we didn't come here for Long Yan, he is in a good situation now, and we can finally rest assured. ”

Li Ji showed a look of relief in his eyes and said, "Yes, in the past few years, Long Yan really hasn't had any abnormalities, I think ...... Is it possible to take him home? ”

Xia Bai sighed, looked around the courtyard, and said: "I want to leave, but I am really a little reluctant, in the past ten years, although I have worked hard and poor, I have become much calmer and more peaceful, and the longer I stay, the more I don't want to leave." ”

Li Ji smiled slightly and said: "Miss Xia, a dignified family, actually wants to be a village aunt with all her heart, if you teach Old Man Xia to know, I am afraid that I will not be angry and will be so angry." ”

Xia Bai smiled and said: "What's the way, my husband is a village husband, and my wife is naturally a village girl, if he wants to his beard, then he has to let him." After a pause, his voice suddenly became low, and he said gloomily: "Alas, I haven't seen you for more than ten years, I don't know what happened to Daddy now, I really want to ...... Go back and see him. ”

Li Ji looked at his wife, showed a gentle look, and said, "Since you miss your father so much, it's okay for us to go back." Long Yan's cultivation of Xuanxuan Gong has been quite popular, and his condition has improved greatly, so accompany the two of us to go out for a wandering, and you can also ask him to have more experience. ”

Xia Bai said with a smile: "You haven't been in the rivers and lakes for more than ten years, you haven't shown your ability, are you itching, aren't you?" Longyan's internal skills are a small success, but you don't know how to use them, you turned martial arts moves into body forging techniques to teach him, he still doesn't know what he has learned, this ability, breaking into the rivers and lakes is still far behind...... Look, isn't it time to teach him some practical methods?"

Li Ji said: "I don't want to hide it from him, it's just that this Xuan Xuan Gong is not small, he is young and ignorant, and he doesn't know the severity of his shots. Anyway, he has learned the art of forging the body now, and it will not be difficult to learn moves in the future. ”

Xia Bai sighed: "He didn't know that we knew martial arts, and he wouldn't pester us to learn, but he was worry-free." It's just that when he is sensible, I really don't know when, this child has not had any scheming since he was a child, although he is smart, he just wants to play...... Hey, where did he go, why hasn't he come back now?"

Li Ji said: "He went to the back mountain with Wang San and Cui Wu to play, who knows when he will come back, just leave him some food." Well, I wish he had lived a life as simple as that, and that his scheming mind was tiring. ”

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Xia Bai got up to open the door, only to see a fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy standing at the door. The young man was dressed in homespun gray, with a thin figure, a thin silver chain around his neck, and a smile on his face. Seeing Xia Bai, his hand suddenly raised and shouted, "Mom, look!"

Xia Bai exclaimed, took a step back, and said in surprise: "You, where did you catch this?" It turned out that the young man was carrying a four- or five-foot-long flower snake in his hand, the snake's head had been broken, and the snake's body was still wriggling. Xia Bai has always been afraid of snakes, and when he saw it, he couldn't help but feel disgusted.

The young man triumphed, and said, "Don't be afraid, you have been killed, and one is gone." Wang San and Cui Wu were looking for it, but they couldn't see it when it was dark, so I came back to get the lantern. ”

Xia Bai scolded: "Nonsense! What is there to find! Dirty and dirty, throw it away!"

"I won't throw it away, I'll show my father!" The young man turned to one side, slipped past Xia Bai, and ran straight to the backyard.

Li Ji was drinking, and when he saw his son coming in, he said, "What, you hit another snake? Is it poisonous or not?"

Li Longyan said: "I've seen it, there are no fangs, no poison." Dad, this snake is very fat, you can chop the soup, Fifth Brother Cui said, the snake soup is delicious, no worse than chicken soup!"

Li Ji smiled: "I also have this intention, you put it here first, and I'll do it later." Li Longyan put down the dead snake, ran into the house, took two lanterns, and shouted, "I'm going, I'll come back and eat again." "I ran out again.

Xia Bai was angry and funny, and said to Li Ji: "It's okay for the child to mess around, but you, the eldest person, are also involved." ”

Li Ji said: "What's the nonsense, the taste of snake soup, you haven't tasted it, it's really good." ”

He drank the wine in the cup in one gulp, picked up the dead snake on the ground, pinched the snake's neck with his fingers, and swiped the index finger of his right hand, and with a soft snort, the snake's head fell, as if it had been cut by a quick knife. Xia Bai said with a smile: "Wonderful! Li Daxia's slashing merry finger power is really used to cut the little snake today, and it is really used to the fullest." ”

Li Ji smiled, looked at the broken neck of the snake, sighed and said, "I haven't used it for more than ten years, I don't know if it's rusty." ”

Xia Bai said: "I knew that your hands were itchy, the last time you killed the wild boar with one palm, you can provoke Xingtou." ”

Li Ji said: "Quietly, quietly! I was also forced to be helpless that day, so I made a move." Fortunately, the people of Longyang Village don't know the goods and can't see it. He carried the snake into the kitchen and made his own soup.