The New Year is approaching, and it is rare to encounter continuous sunny and good weather, when the last few days of the month in Yangcheng Wax Moon, from lively to noisy.

This excitement has nothing to do with Ye Li. He shouldn't have stayed here too long, but continued north, to the border between Southern Qi and Northern Wei, where there might be something he was looking for.

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

In the small courtyard at the east end of the city, because of the new population, the atmosphere is different from the past, with more rouge and fireworks. After listening to the little maid's chatter about the hardships of this road, especially the thrilling scene outside Dangyang City, the hearts of the old couple of Wu Fuzi jumped up and down and tossed seven or eight back and forth. The mother insisted on pulling her daughter up and down and looking at her back and forth for half an hour, seeing that there was no damage in the slightest, a heart settled down a little, but her mouth kept chattering, "Bodhisattva bless, Bodhisattva bless, it's okay, it's okay." ”

All the way back to the city, Wu Yuchu and the little maid were still sitting in a sedan chair, but Ye Li only followed from a distance, and never stepped forward to say a word to Yuchu, which made the little maid have a good impression of him. After that, he entered the city safely, and there was no accident as he imagined, and he confirmed that the young man was not a thief, and this favor increased a little more. At this time, listening to Mrs. constantly chanting the Buddha's name, he smiled lightly and said: "Speaking of which, it is really the blessing of the Bodhisattva, and the little brother is probably the noble person sent by the Bodhisattva to rescue the young lady." ”

Wu Fuzi is a scholar in the end, as soon as the little girl's voice fell, he said in his heart, but he was rude. Isn't it a loss of duty to be a human being if he only cares about the safety of his daughter, but he ignores the benefactor who saved his life, and he doesn't know how to repay him?

"I don't know who that little brother's surname is and where he lives, so let's go and thank you. Wu Fuzi looked at his daughter.

Wu Yuxi's face was calm, but his eyes were a little gloomy, "I'm afraid that people are not rare, and we will thank you." When I left, I didn't leave a definite address. ”

"This doesn't matter, as long as it's in this Dangyang City, I asked Uncle Chen next door to inquire, and I will definitely be able to find it. ”

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

At dinner, he didn't wait for Wu Fuzi to go to invite him, but the old Chen Tou had already gotten the message and looked for it himself. He also carried half a catty of boiled fire and two catties of old wine in his hand, saying that he was here to congratulate Wu Fuzi's family on the reunion.

Yu was very quiet, came out to meet Lao Chen, said to Uncle Chen, and then turned around and entered the inner room. The mother naturally brought the meal in, so that she could say something close to her daughter while eating.

After two glasses of old wine, Lao Chen couldn't stop praising Yuchu's appearance and character, and in comparison, he was even more unsettled about his eldest granddaughter's marriage. Wu Fuzi remembered that incident, so he toasted Lao Chen Tou with two more glasses of wine, and told him to help him inquire about that person.

After hearing about the thief outside Yuxi City, Lao Chen, as an old man in Dangyang City, was naturally very angry. said that this is as good as Dangyang City, but it is difficult to eradicate bandits outside the city. The newly appointed county magistrate has been here for a few months, but there is no action on how to suppress the bandits. I can't say that after the New Year, I will invite some villagers to write a joint letter, and I will give away the county order that doesn't matter, and replace it with a more capable one. I'm afraid that when the time comes, I will have to rely on the old master to spend some pen and ink.

Wu Fuzi hurriedly said, this matter of the imperial court, has its own imperial court system, how can I, a small student, interfere? Presumably, the county commander is having a plan, Brother Chen might as well wait a little longer.

Old Chen Tou took another sip of old wine, his face was already red and his neck was thick, "I'm afraid of a ball, what is there to have my own Lord Bian to support our Dangyang County, what does a small county order do for him?"

The topic turned to the business of looking for people, Lao Chen patted his chest, and said that there is one less person in Dangyang County, we may not know, if there is one more person, as long as it is still in this city, within two hours, our old man will definitely help you find out, and you will wait to listen to the letter tomorrow.

A drink is over.

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

The inn called Yunlai is not necessarily a guest, just like the inn door usually hangs a sign of home, but you definitely don't enjoy the feeling of coming home.

The inn where Ye Li lives is called Yunlai, which is the only big inn in Dangyang County, and it is often worthy of its name. Now there are only three or four rooms of guests, all of whom are merchants who have missed the return journey, and a huge inn seems empty and deserted. If there are no customers, there is less money to earn, and the store will naturally not be attentive. A shopkeeper is often in the store, responsible for the diet and daily life of the guests, because there is no reward of broken silver, the food and tea are often cold. The shopkeeper only came to the store twice a day, and came to see if the guests had paid enough for the room and meal in the morning and evening. The guests don't care too much about this, the New Year is approaching, and their thoughts are back to their wives and children in their hometown, who cares about this?

Except for the occasional trip to the nearby market, Ye Li stayed in the guest room most of the time. He has been accustomed to living alone since he was a child, occasionally going out for a walk, and not buying anything, maybe he wants to meet the woman wearing the beaded hat again? Thinking of that woman, Ye Li felt that his sword heart was a little unstable. The master let himself leave the island this time, just to sharpen his sword heart and improve his realm. Now that the realm has not been improved, the mind has become chaotic first. If the master knew, he would definitely be punished heavily. As soon as he thought of this, he became even more flustered.

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

Chinese New Year's Eve solstice.

It was not yet completely dark, but the sound of firecrackers in the city was already ringing one after another. The aroma of wine and meat overflows from the doors of the streets and alleys, mixed with the smell of fire and nitrate in firecrackers, which seems to be the taste of the New Year.

Ye Li had already settled the room fee for the past few days, and he was still carrying the long sword wrapped in cloth on his back, standing in front of the door of the inn, staring blankly at the sky where the sparks were blooming. After looking at it for a while, he felt a little more happy, and the strong human atmosphere made him feel very comfortable.

"Are you leaving?" A crisp voice sounded, and a beaded hat appeared in front of him, and the eyes under the beaded hat stared directly at Ye Li, and his lips pursed slightly.

Ye Licai's heart lake that had settled down instantly rippled again. "I, I'm ...... Why are you here?"

The role of the little maid is often most obvious at this time. Looking at Ye Li's still dumbfounded appearance, the little maid couldn't help but laugh, "Powerful Ye Shaoxia, you really know how to pick the time, actually leave the city on this Chinese New Year's Eve, don't you know that the city gate has been closed at this time? But you are blessed, my master invites you to go back, have a Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, and repay your life-saving grace. The word "help" deliberately accentuated the tone.

When Ye Li heard this, he didn't know whether to go or refuse, and he wanted to say "I ......"

"Don't you want to go? Let's go back. Yuchu's voice was still cold, but the latter sentence was said to the little maid. After saying that, he turned to leave.

The little maid carried the young lady on her back and glanced at Ye Li, regardless of whether he saw it or not, and said softly: "Ye Shaoxia, why don't you keep up?"

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

The courtyard welcomed its second guest.

"Please, please, this guest apartment is cramped, and the young man is neglected, so don't be surprised. Wu Fuzi's unsmiling green face opened a little rarely.

The two sat down outside, and Yu Chu took the little maid into the inner room again, and there was a busy sound of Yu Chu Niang cooking vegetables and adding firewood from the kitchen. After Ye Li sat down, Wu Fuzi stood up again and bowed to him, "The old man thanked the little girl for saving his life. The poor family has no thanksgiving gifts, and today I invite the young man back for a Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, a little hearty. Please don't dislike it. ”

Ye Li hurriedly stood up and bent his body a few times, but he didn't know what to say. Wu Fuzi saw that although he did not know how to be polite, he was very simple, and he was also interested in his own appetite.

A table of dishes is quickly served, although there is no delicacies from the mountains and seas, the craftsmanship of Yu Xiniang is very authentic, and those home-cooked dishes are full of fragrance. There are no big rules in this house, and the family of four plus Ye Li all sat down at the table.

"Can you drink?" Before Ye Li could answer, Wu Fuzi filled the empty wine glass in front of him with a glass of old wine, "For the New Year, you should drink some." ”

Both of them are silent people, so they keep drinking in a muffled voice, and only Yu Xiniang keeps picking vegetables into Ye Li's evening. Yujiu is still cold, and only the little maid occasionally says a few words to keep the atmosphere from being too awkward.

There was a faint noise outside the courtyard, as if there were drunks who had drunk too much and were fighting on the side of the street. In the Chinese New Year's Eve, for ordinary people, the emotions that have been suppressed for a year are very common with the wanton release of the wine.

Ye Li had never drunk alcohol. I only felt that after that mouthful, there was some spiciness, some burning in the stomach, but there was a faint aftertaste on the tip of the tongue in the mouth.

It seemed that the wine was not unpleasant, so I drank it a little faster. As soon as you take a sip, you can see the bottom of the glass. Wu Fuzi was not strong enough to drink, and seeing that Ye Li was so good at drinking, he had to sacrifice his life to accompany him, his face was already red, and his eyes were straight. The three women took small sips.

That wine is going to be intoxicating. Ye Li didn't know the depth, it didn't take long for his head to become a little heavy, his eyes began to bloom, watching the figures in front of him slowly blur, and watching them slowly fall, thinking to him how they were drunk faster than themselves.

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

Old Chen Tou was also a little drunk. Today's Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, the seventeen or eighteen members of the family are neatly organized, there is no illness or disaster, and they eat happily. Even the eldest granddaughter, who is as stupid as a pig on weekdays, is extremely pleasing to the eye. That Wu Fuzi is knowledgeable, and his daughters are neat, but he is not as prosperous as his own family. Life should be prosperous like this. Thinking about red fire in my heart, but my eyes are really red fire. Is this a good sign? It seems that there will be happy events in the coming year.

But the stupid granddaughter was the first to cry, grandpa, grandpa, is there a fireworks next door, this fireworks today are much bigger than last year's.

"Let's go to the water...... I don't know who shouted in the distance.

Only then did Lao Chen's family react, and the place where the fire broke out was the small courtyard next door to him and rented to Wu Fuzi.

On a clear night, the wind helped the fire and raged haphazardly in the small courtyard, but a pillar of incense drowned the small courtyard in a sea of fire. The fire demon was unwilling to be trapped in the small courtyard, and struggled to escape, so he climbed over the wall and came to the courtyard of Lao Chentou's house. The courtyard was full of dry firewood, and at this time he became an accomplice of the fire demon, helping the fire to rise to the roof and eaves, and burning the fiery days of Lao Chentou's family even more prosperously.

The rising flames swirled in the air, like a huge torch, and like a beam of blooming fireworks, shining a fiery red on the Chinese New Year's Eve of Dangyang Town.