Dongfang Ming's face was full of surprise, and the two children could also listen attentively. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info Cui Jiu was only afraid of scaring the two young children, and it was not good to sell Guan Zi again, so he muttered: "This letter is written to my bad wife who passed away." ”

During the Qingming Festival, Yao sent his thoughts to the deceased, and Dongfang Ming realized that Uncle Cui Jiu was going to help write a letter and burn it to his dead wife. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but empathize, thinking that he didn't have a stomach to say to his deceased wife. As far as the love came, there was a pool of tears in his eyes.

"Uncle Dongfang, why are your eyes red?" asked Guo'er in his arms.

Dongfang Ming almost lost his temper when he saw himself, and he hurriedly wiped his eyes dry with his cuffs, and said with a smile: "It's not in the way, Uncle Dongfang can't stand the pollen, and he will have a burst of eye disease every time the spring flowers bloom." ”

Xiao Zimo knew in his heart that his father Dongfang Ming had never had any eye diseases, and his father's eyes were moist at the moment, and he could also understand the pain in it. Every Qingming Festival, the people in the village have to go to the grave to sweep the grave and pay tribute to the ancestors, but the father never worships the ancestors and relatives, let alone mentions the lineage inheritance of the family to others. Since Xiao Zimo became reasonable, whenever he asked his mother Dongfang Ming, he either cried alone, or was dumbfounded, in short, he never let him know. Even though the boy Mo has a thousand grievances, he can only cry every time. Now that he is a little older, he knows that his father has worked hard to raise him. Therefore, every time he saw his father crying sadly, Xiao Zimo gradually stopped crying, but became a lot more clever and well-behaved.

"Alas, now that I'm old, I'm almost out of work, and I don't have a good time left! Guo'er's parents died early, and then my bad wife left us. I really don't know if my body can survive until she gets married. This year, I went to the city and asked a papermaker to make some "Jingxiao Silver" to burn to my bad woman, and then send her a letter, and let her bless us with the spirit of heaven to grow up quickly. Cui Jiu stared at his granddaughter and said sadly.

Although the scenery by the river is beautiful and beautiful, it always makes people sad during the Qingming season. This Cui Jiu burst into tears and whimpered as he spoke. Although the fruit was young, he seemed to understand his grandfather's sadness, and suddenly cried: "I don't want grandpa to die, I don't want grandpa to die!"

Dongfang Ming felt that he had just wiped his tears, which caused this old man to cry bitterly, regret should not be out of shape, and hurriedly put down the fruit and returned to Cui Jiu's side, and comforted: "Uncle Jiu, don't belittle yourself, half of the fishing boats in the village still rely on you to get old, otherwise who would dare to enter the river and sail?"

Xiao Zimo also persuaded: "Sister Guo'er, don't cry, Grandpa Jiu's life is very hard." Besides, isn't there still me and my father, and my father and I will come back from fishing on the river later, and let Grandpa Nine make braised crucian carp for us, okay?"

After all, Guo'er was still childish, and when she heard that there was fish to eat, she immediately burst into tears and laughed: "I also want to go fishing with Brother Zimo!"

Dongfang Ming hurriedly eased the atmosphere and said: "I want to come to Uncle Nine is Fuhou, I specially brought pen, ink and paper on the boat today, I wanted to write a few poems on the river if I am interested, I can record them casually, who would have thought that Uncle Nine would just use them." ”

Cui Jiu changed his words and said in a low voice: "I heard that now that the imperial court is in prison, there are fewer Confucian scholars who write things, and there are fewer officials who dare to write and speak for the people. Mr. Dongfang has no intention of fame, or likes pen and ink poetry, but if the content of what he writes accidentally coincides with the words of those criminals, I am afraid that he will be innocently implicated. Although our Huaxi Village is located in a remote area, it is better for Mr. Wanwang to be cautious today. ”

Cui Jiu mentioned the word "imperial court", as if poking at Dongfang Ming's sore spot. His heart tightened, and he secretly thought: The remote fisherman is still worried about state affairs, how can those court officials who pretend to be deaf and dumb and only seek self-protection be ministers? He replied with a wry smile: "What the emperor forbids is the words of the Confucian scholars in the world, and I am afraid that it has nothing to do with me, an idle fisherman who does not seek to be heard. But Uncle Cui Jiu has something to entrust, so it has a lot to do with me, and I will definitely do it as my own business!"

Cui Jiu listened to it and said embarrassedly: "Nowadays, there are fewer literati who write things, but paper and ink are not cheap." I also thought about it for a while, and I taught Mr. to break the ......."

Dongfang Ming said angrily: "Uncle Jiu doesn't have to care about the cheap things, but they are just some high-headed bamboo paper and straw pen residues, which are not worth a few dollars." With that, he took out the pen, ink, paper, inkstone, and a small table that had been prepared in advance from the ship.

Cui Jiu said: "Whether it is a Confucian scholar or a fisherman, they all have their own difficulties! In the past, our Huaxi Village Emperor Tiangao was far away, and his life was quite comfortable. The year before last, a river boy came out to ask for fishing lessons, and the people's lives became more and more difficult!"

Dongfang Ming didn't answer, spread out the four treasures of the study on the small table, and said, "Uncle Nine, how to write, you can say it!"

Cui Jiu said the depression in his heart, Dongfang knew his meaning, and wrote a large memorial essay with enthusiasm. When the handwriting was dry, Cui Jiu thanked Dongfang Ming and wanted to say goodbye, but Guo'er was noisy and had to stay. Cui Jiu regards Guo'er as the root of his life, and he can't allow her to take a slight risk. Dongfang Ming also knew that Jiangshang was dangerous, and it was difficult for him to take care of his two children no matter what. The two coaxed and persuaded him, but the boy just didn't listen.

In the end, it was the best word of the boy Zimo: "Sister Guo'er, if you don't go back to make a fire with Grandpa Jiu to cook rice, won't my father and I have to wait when we come back from fishing?"

Seeing off the grandfather and grandson, Dongfang Ming felt sour in his heart, and thought: Although this Uncle Cui Jiu is a poor fisherman, he is a true temperament. It's just a pity that now only his grandparents and grandchildren are left in the family to rely on each other. Alas, how can all the good people in this world have a bad fate! He looked at the backs of the two of them, and couldn't help shaking his head and sighing.

"Why is Daddy sighing again?" said the boy with concern.

Dongfang Ming saw his son's innocence and was relieved, and said, "Daddy doesn't sigh, let's not live up to the good situation in front of us." With that, the two of them walked towards the bow of the boat.

At this time, I suddenly heard someone shouting: "Zimo and his father, it's not too late to leave after taking the wine and rice." ”

When the father and son looked back, it was a plump woman who looked like a village woman, carrying a green cloth burden and a wine gourd tied to her waist, and rushed towards them. The woman in that village was like a spring flower, and she was about thirty-five years old. She ran to the two of them in a few steps, untied the wine gourd and handed it to Xiao Zimo, and spread out the green cloth burden in front of Dongfang Ming, and said crisply: "I have two cakes here, half a catty of beef, and a gourd of old wine, you can take it to the river and use it." ”

Dongfang Ming was slightly embarrassed, and Shi Li said: "Thank you, sister-in-law......"

The village woman was straightforward, frowned and said, "Don't always call me sister-in-law, we are all old acquaintances, and we are called Cuiping." This cake was just made, and it was still hot, so it was just right to take it to the river to eat. This wine is a new altar that has been opened today, and it tastes very fragrant, and you can smell it. With that, he opened the wine gourd and brought it to Dongfang Mingbi.

Dongfang Ming's face flushed, and he thanked: "Sister-in-law's kindness, our father and son have understood it, but I'm afraid..." Besides, there is no one here, who can see it?"

Dongfang Ming was ashamed and said: "Sister-in-law, I didn't mean that......"

"Zimo Dad, I am originally from the north, and you only came to Huaxi Village a few years ago. I have lost my husband, and you have no wife, we can be regarded as sympathetic to each other, why do you need to learn to be sour and rotten when talking to me?" Li Cuiping blamed.

Dongfang Ming bowed his head and said: "My sister-in-law and my father and son are like a mountain, if it weren't for my sister-in-law's help back then, I'm afraid my father and son would still not know where to go today." I don't say thank you for my great kindness, and I will remember it in my heart until I die. ”

Li Cuiping helped Dongfang Ming up, his cheeks were crimson, and said: "What happened in the past, what ...... do to mention it"

Dongfang Ming continued: "Actually... It's not that I don't understand my sister-in-law's thoughts..."Speaking of this, Li Cuiping had already lowered her head and couldn't speak.

Just when the two were embarrassed and wanted to say goodbye, the boy Mo Xing rushed and said: "Auntie's big cake, Mo'er loves to eat it the most!"

Dongfang Ming continued: "In this case, we will stay for this food, and when our father and son come back from the river, we will go to the sister-in-law's wine shop to thank you." ”

"That's it. Since Mo'er loves to eat, I will go back and prepare a few more dishes, so that I can go back and satisfy your cravings. Li Cuiping's face was red with shame, and she turned around and walked away.

How can such kindness be reciprocated? Dongfang Ming stood in a daze, and his heart was surging. When I was young, I saw that the sun was hanging, and it was noon. I think that if I think about it again, I am afraid that I will recall the sad past again, and I will lose the beautiful scenery of this good day, so I will board the fishing boat with the portable boy Mo, and strive to hold the boat, away from the river bank, and sail to the middle stream.

There are many people coming and going on the river, and the current is not turbulent, but it is slightly cold. Dongfang Ming has lived by the river for several years and has developed an excellent water character. He asked Xiao Zimo to sit firmly at the bow of the boat, but he took off his clothes and pants and went down the river to swim. Swim and jump on the boat, and call it refreshing. Then he picked a secluded place, cast his nets, and put up his fishing rod.

Although Dongfang Ming was dressed in coarse cloth and straw shoes, he exuded the spirit of a scholar. He looked at the golden water, and while drinking wine, he chanted loudly: "Lanling wine tulips, jade bowls hold amber light." But that the master may be drunk, and he will not know where it is. Good wine!good mountain!good water!good place!" I didn't feel that the poetry was getting stronger, and he turned to his son and said, "It's good if the water is shining and the sun is shining." "The mountains are empty and the rain is strange!" the boy blurted out the next sentence. He chanted a few more words, and the boy Mo answered them one by one.

The father and son were playing with the poems, Dongfang Ming saw a spring river and mountains, and his son was well-behaved and intelligent, so he couldn't help but think of the old scenes, and then touched the scene sadly, and gave Dongfang Zimo a few sips of wine to drink for a while. It is said that there is a father and there must be a son, don't look at this Dongfang Zimo's young age, but when he drinks wine, he treats wine as if it were his father. After the good morning, the two of them had drunk all the wine in the gourd, and they were so drunk that they both fell asleep on the boat.

By the time Dongfang Ming came to his senses, he had long since disappeared from the light sails on the river, but he realized that the boat he was riding had drifted to a strange water, and the surrounding scenery was unprecedented. He looked down at the surface of the river, and instead of being muddy, the water seemed to gradually turn russet, and whirlpools slowly rose.

Dongfang Ming's mind was wandering, and he suddenly saw the black clouds in the sky ahead, and the wind and rain were coming. The canopy seemed to be cut off, black and white. This one is bright and bright, like a wonderful fairyland, and the other is extremely dim, like a deep demon's mansion. He knew that the situation was not good, and he already had a lot of regret in his heart: Dongfang Ming, you really deserve to die!

Dongfang Ming woke up his son who was sleeping soundly at the bow of the boat, and desperately rowed the boat to the riverbank.

"Daddy, what's wrong, why is the sky so dark, why is the water so red?" the boy Zimo was frightened by what he saw when he woke up, and asked in a lost voice.

"Mo'er, don't be afraid. It's going to change, so let's go back. Dongfang Ming couldn't help but remember that Uncle Cui Jiu had told him that the river here had changed color a hundred years ago, and in the following three years, Huaxi Village had a plague for one year, a fish starvation for two years, and a flood for three years. This small fishing village is almost extinct as a result. He didn't dare to think about it anymore, so he had to paddle with all his might, but the river seemed to be getting wider and wider, and he could never reach the riverbank.

Dongfang Ming never expected that the black cloud would move so fast, and the sky had completely darkened in an instant. Speaking of evil, at this time, a strong wind suddenly blew on the river, setting off raging waves. Dozens of zhang away from the water surface in front of the water rolled up a water column, the water column rotated extremely fast, and the bigger and bigger the roll, the higher the roll, straight into the black clouds.

"Daddy, Mo'er is afraid!" The boy Mo plunged into his father's arms.

"Mo'er, don't be afraid, your father can't row like you, and it's fine with your father. Although Dongfang Ming was able to comfort his son like this, he was already stunned and uncertain. Xiao Zimo didn't dare to open his eyes at this moment, only hugged his father tightly, and his body curled up.

The huge column of water is like a water dragon flying straight into the sky, rushing and roaring in the stormy waves, shaking the sky and the earth. A water dragon is already a celestial phenomenon, but not far away on the water surface, two water dragons suddenly burst up with two booms, turning over the river and the sea. The tip of the water dragon is twisted and entangled, and it merges into the firmament. In the darkness, thunder and lightning struck, causing a torrential rain.

If you are fortunate enough to watch such a spectacle on the riverbank, it will be a life's adventure. However, one of the water dragons was about to devour Dongfang Ming's fishing boat, and he took his son into his arms, and the water dragon overturned them and took them away along with the boat. The boat was torn apart in mid-air, drowning in bursts of light......

In Huaxi Village, although the storm also came suddenly, it cleared overnight. Villagers gathered in the market to talk about yesterday's disaster.

"Do you know that the heavy rain washed away the thatched hut of the old Yu family in Jiangtou? The death of five members of the family in Huangquan is really a miserable one!" said one person to the group.

"Nonsense! It is true that there are dead people, but that broken hut was not washed away by the flood. A sloppy man retorted alarmistly, "Didn't you see the dragon hanging water on the river yesterday? I heard that Lao Yutou caught another big fish a few days ago, and immediately went home and ate it." Who would have thought that the big fish was the grandson of the grandfather of the dragon king, and the old Yu head family was angry with the dragon king, so he was taken away by the shrimp soldiers and shrimp generals. The sloppy man continued mysteriously.

"You lazy man loves nonsense the most, what a good person Lao Yu's family is, that year the war was tight, the men in the village were all requisitioned, and there was a famine in the village, if it wasn't for Lao Yutou to give you rations to eat, would you still be alive now?" said another disdainfully. Everyone is gossiping, you talk to me, and their eyebrows are dancing.

The villagers were chatting happily, and a plump middle-aged woman suddenly ran to the east, and when she saw the crowd, she rushed in, panting and asked, "Which prime minister saw the two sons of Dongfang Ming?"

A hairy man sneered: "Who should I be so anxious, it turns out that Ping Niang came to find a husband!".

This Li Cuiping Niang originally had a little family capital, and a few years ago she fled with her husband and son to the north, took root in this Huaxi village, and bought an old liquor shop to start trading. Although it is remote, it is close to the river, and there are occasional passenger ships passing through the area, so business can barely be maintained. At that time, the husband and wife helped Dongfang Ming, who was displaced with a baby in their arms, so that they could live and settle down.

Li Cuiping only runs the shop for a long time, while her husband goes to the river with the locals to fish for a living. The family of three had already lived a peaceful life, but they never thought that the government yamen would send someone to collect the fishing tax and liquor tax the year before last, and the husband was anxious and suffered from cough. During this period, although Li Cuiping visited nearby doctors, her husband was ill for a long time and passed away in a hurry. His youngest son was not accustomed to the water and soil of the south, and he seemed to have died of tuberculosis due to excessive thinking of his father, leaving her alone. After that, Li Cuiping hired a small bartender with a slope foot disability to get by. Even though she was so embarrassed, she didn't forget to help Dongfang Ming's father and son, who were also difficult.

A person like Li Cuiping, who has been in business for a long time, naturally greets people thoughtfully. In addition, she has a bold nature, and she is known as the honest people in the village, and the younger generation respects her more. Although she is a few years older than Dongfang Ming, the widower and widow have been together for a long time, and it is inevitable that there will be one or two good things to criticize. Fortunately, Dongfang Ming has always been frank and honest in dealing with things, and he has been considerate of his sister-in-law Li Cuiping, and he is kind to people in the village. After all, most of the villagers are simple and benevolent, so it is difficult for this rumor to become a climate.

But said that Li Cuiping couldn't find Dongfang Ming's father and son at the moment, and she was already anxious, and the kid in front of her was talking nonsense here, which made her annoyed and ashamed, so she raised her leg and kicked straight at the kid's life. The kid screamed "oops", covered his crotch and fell to the ground, screaming for a while before fleeing in a hurry.

The onlookers laughed, and at this time, a fisherman who was outside the crowd heard someone talking about Dongfang Ming, so he squeezed in and said: "Yesterday I saw his father and son sailing on the river, and my boat was far behind them, but before I could shout urgently, his boat suddenly disappeared." Later, when I saw that the sky was going to change on the river, I took the boat, and when I returned to the shore, I didn't see their father and son. ”

"Didn't you let the water dragon take it captive?" said sloppy and quiet.

"Don't talk nonsense, Mr. Dongfang is very kind on weekdays, how can the Dragon King have trouble with him?"

"This is not good, we have been fishing in Huaxi Village for generations, who knows if it is the shrimp soldiers and crab generals of the Dragon King, or the dragon son and dragon grandson? Besides, I heard that he has a lot of harvest this year......" Before the sloppy man finished speaking, the fisherman suddenly caught a glimpse of Li Cuiping, only to see that her face was very ugly, he hurriedly glanced at the discussion crowd, and said, "Don't talk nonsense, this Mr. Dongfang is greedy for wine, maybe he is drinking somewhere now!"

Everyone saw that Li Cuiping's expression became more and more sluggish, and they saw the fisherman's eyes repeatedly, and they immediately dispersed with their understanding.