On this day, the wind was gentle and the sky was blue. Gong Ming has also returned. Ren Tianqi deliberately got up early and took Gong Ming Dongxue downstairs, and Lin Tang and the others were already neatly dressed and waiting below with swords. Steward Ming, Shaur and the others were also neatly draped, carrying sticks and knives and waiting outside with horses and horses.

Everyone flew on the horse and was about to go on the road, when they saw a person running out of the courtyard and stopping in front of the horse, kneeling in front of Ren Tianqi's horse with a "plop", and the person who came was Tian Muzuo.

Tian Muzuo panted and straightened his clothes, spread his hair, and kowtowed his head three times in a row, standing up straight, and not speaking.

Ren Tianqi looked at Tian Muzuo on the horse, pondered for a moment, and said with a smile: "Why should Brother Tian be so stubborn, it is not worth wasting his good time in vain." It's a little sluggish these days, so please go and get the sword quickly, and go to the field with me to be a friend. ”

Tian Muzuo was overjoyed when he heard this, got up and ran into the courtyard.

Shaur whispered: "Master, do you really want to keep him?"

Ren Tianqi nodded and said, "You have to keep an eye on him, and you can't leave a step!"

Shaur nodded.

Ren Tianqi turned around and said to Steward Ming, "Give him a horse." ”

Subsequently, a group of people flew out of the gate and went straight to the river. About two hours later, the people came to the river, and a large boat was waiting at the ferry. Steward Ming and others circled the horses and went back, Ren Tianqi and his party of ten people got on the boat, and were about to withdraw the springboard to retract the anchor and set sail, when they saw a person and a horse flying rapidly on the shore, and immediately a person shook his arm and shouted: "Tianqi Xian nephew wait a minute, the old man Liu Chengmin is going to Suzhou, please take me to cross the river together!"

Ren Tianqi hurriedly waved his hand to stop everyone, calling for Mr. Wait, and he first joined hands with Dong Xuefei to get off the boat and wait on the shore. Everyone took Mr. Big and got on the boat, closed the anchor and set sail.

In the cabin, everyone talked about what happened to them since they broke up, but Ren Tianqi intentionally or unintentionally hid the two going to Chongya Academy to fight.

Mr. Big touched his chin with his hand and said, "Have you ever received a heroic post from Long Qiuzhuang?" I heard that this life and death book has appeared in Chongya Academy again, which is very unreasonable. What is the point where a scholar stays worth using a knife and a gun, and I heard that this time the life and death book suffered a big loss, and ten swordsmen died at once, and I think it is time to come to the rivers and lakes to have a bloody storm, and I also heard that even the owner of Qiu Shaozhuang was seriously injured this time?"

Ren Tianqi pretended to be surprised and said: "Ah, my second brother is also injured? Why haven't I heard about it, and Long Qiuzhuang hasn't sent me a letter! Mr. Big, this life and death book is really a thing, and it won't be a rumor anymore, right?"

Liu Chengmin shook his head and said with a straight face: "There must be an evil sect on this river and lake, specializing in killing people and destroying mouths, it should be certain, otherwise where would the ten gray-clothed swordsmen in the academy come from? It's just that I don't know what kind of people they are!"

Ren Tianqi pretended to smile lightly and said: "It's none of my business, hang high, and I won't talk about it." What makes the little nephew curious is that the snow has not melted away, the weather is cold, how can Mr. Big go to Suzhou in a hurry this time, is it to visit relatives and friends, or is there another incident in the rivers and lakes?"

Liu Chengmin shook his head and smiled: "Definitely, this trip has something to do with the virtuous nephew Ru!"

Ren Tianqi was surprised, and couldn't believe it, and said hurriedly: "Why is this, what does it have to do with Zaixia, seniors, please tell me clearly!"

Liu Chengmin swept his beard lightly and said with a smile: "The old man was entrusted by the old owner of Longqiu Village to go to Murong Villa to meet the Murong family and resolve the misunderstanding between Murong Gongzi and you, and at the same time, he also asked the Murong family for Miss Qiu to be a matchmaker. ”

This is a beautiful thing, Ren Tianqi was overjoyed when he heard this, hurriedly got up and gave a deep salute, and said with a smile: "Such a senior has really helped the younger generation a lot, I am really worried about how to explain to Murong Gongzi how to explain to the Qiu family's sister, then I will definitely go to Murong Villa with my predecessor to make a compensation in person." ”

Liu Chengmin approvingly: "The virtuous nephew is really a rare loyal and benevolent person in the world, respectable and respectable. Originally, it is inevitable that there will be winners and losers in the rivers and lakes, not to mention that the grievances between the two of you are not what you want, the heroes of the world are obvious to all, and they are not you; But since ancient times, it is not strange that many people have been courteous, and you don't have to blame yourself too much. It's just that, however, the old man still needs to stop and pass through two places along the way, I wonder if this will delay the important affairs of the virtuous nephew?" Liu Chengmin was silent for a moment and said a little melancholy.

Ren Tianqi smiled: "You might as well do it, we just go to my aunt's house in Suzhou, and it won't be in the way sooner or later." I just don't know where my predecessors are going, and do I need to take a detour?"

Liu Chengmin slapped his forehead and said with a smile: "Don't hinder the best, don't hinder the best, save the old man from running around in this cold day;

Ren Tianqi said loudly: "Shaur, please come over to the boat boss!"

The door curtain was lifted, Tian Muzuo came in, and said to him: "Hui Ye, the ship boss is arranging affairs, and it will be there in a moment." ”

Ren Tianqi wanted to say something, but he didn't say anything, just glanced at Tian Muzuo.

Liu Chengmin was stunned for a moment, rubbed his eyes and looked at Tian Muzuo again, and asked Ren Tianqi: "Virtuous nephew, isn't this the apprentice of the Three-Eyed Guanyin Ximen Qingyuan?

Ren Tianqi saw that this matter could not be explained in one or two sentences, smiled awkwardly, and said, "Just these two things." Kisa, I've seen Mr. Big!"

Tian Musa stepped forward to see Yoo Seungmin and exited the cabin.

Mr. Big looked at Ren Tianqi, thoughtful, and said lightly: "This three-eyed Guanyin is not a good master...... The future life is terrifying! Born a son should be like a virtuous nephew, but unfortunately the old man only has one daughter, and he has already gone, hey!"

Ren Tianqi was surprised: "Ling Ai has already gone, why is this? Could it be that he is sick and incurable?"

Liu Chengmin sighed, looked up at the door of the cabin, his eyes were dull, his thoughts were myriad, he couldn't return to his senses for a long time, his ruddy face was full of grief and guilt, and he was already in tears.

When Ren Tianqi saw it, he understood that he had inadvertently provoked the deep grief in Mr. Big's heart and evoked the bitter memories of his life, so he hurriedly got up and gave a deep salute, and said softly: "Please don't blame Mr. Big, the younger generation really unintentionally aroused your old unhappiness!"

Liu Chengmin shook his head, turned his head and smiled: "Sit down, it's nothing, these things have passed for many years, and the old man himself has almost forgotten it." Hey, it's rare that our grandfather and son have time today, and they have nothing to do, so the old man will talk about my busy life, and spit out the bitter water in the old man's heart for decades. The two of you just give the old man some tea and listen to the old man's bitter past. ”

Mr. Big looked up at Ren Tianqi and Dong Xue, and said seriously: "The old man has never told others about his past in his life, and this is the first time for you two." ”

Ren Tianqi's eyes lit up, and he turned his head to look at Dongxue in surprise.

Dongxue got up and made tea for Liu Chengmin. Dongxue is also very excited.

You must know that Mr. Liu Chengmin has been famous in the rivers and lakes for decades, and everyone knows that his fame does not depend on his proud family wealth, nor on his third-rate skills, but on his omniscient knowledge of the world and the justice of the rivers and lakes that dare to be the first in the world and dare to act. But his birth, how he got his rich money and what his life experience should be, but few people can know, can be a mystery. Now that Liu Chengmin wants to vomit his heart, everyone can't ask for it.

Liu Chengmin took a sip of tea and said: "The old man's family has lived in Liujiazhuang in the north of Cangzhou City, Hebei Province for generations, and the old man is the second oldest in the family. The ancestors of the family had a lot of money and plenty of food and clothing, but they were not considered to be the local wealthy. The old man's brother is a natural trader, he will only use all the family's silver and wealth for trafficking grain, reselling military horses and operating pig iron three kinds of business, just ten years, relying on the continuous war between the Jin and Song Dynasty, a lot of money, ten years later it is already a large local household in Cangzhou. Unfortunately, my brother died young, and he died at the age of thirty-two, leaving only a young son and a young sister-in-law.

At that time, the old man heard the news and had to interrupt his studies and go home to preside over the family's great business. At that time, the old man was only sixteen years old, and he was still a small child. In order to maintain this family, the old man was running around all night, putting all the family's money on trafficking in military horses and purchasing pig iron, and making extensive connections with officials on both sides of the Jin and Song dynasties. At that time, it was really wealthy, and it was said that it was ten thousand gold. There is no place on the east-west, north-south road that I can't reach, and there are thousands of old man's coachmen and boatmen; in less than five years, the Jin and Song Dynasty reconciled and boycotted the army, and the old man has already made a lot of money and returned home, and he is already the richest man in Cangzhou.

The old man was a contented and happy person, and he accepted it when he saw it, and he didn't want to do the blood licking blood on the knife anymore, so he built Juxian Villa and opened a lot of money villages, cloth villages, grain stores, and cloth shops. At the age of twenty-one, under the arrangement of his sister-in-law, he got married and started a family, and after marriage, he was also a young couple who loved and sweetened.

Because the old man is used to walking around outside, and he loves to hug unevenly, it is rare to be at home a few times a year. When the old man came home again, his daughter was already three years old. The old man loves his mother and daughter incomparably. But one day, I found that my wife couldn't bear the loneliness, but she had already gone out of the wall, and hooked up with the family who was very close outside. The old man took his daughter and asked his sister-in-law. The sister-in-law did not dare to speak out to testify because of his wife's female power. I also wanted to forgive my wife's infidelity, but my wife had someone secretly poison her sister-in-law. Old man, I also survived and did not die. The old man later killed the dog man and woman with his own ability, and stayed at home with his daughter, watching her grow happily to the age of sixteen. In the past thirteen years, the old man has never gone far away, and he has never thought of marrying again, for fear that his daughter will suffer a little more grievances.

When his daughter was ten years old, the old man found her a man who was both civil and military. The old man thought that he had fulfilled the responsibility of being a father, so he left home for another year. Soon after the old man returned from traveling, his daughter died unjustly, and his aunt did not know where to go. The old man didn't do much investigation and thought that it was his uncle's poisonous hand, and in a fit of rage, he killed his uncle's whole family. Unexpectedly, I later learned that I blamed my uncle by mistake, but it had already caused irreparable bitterness.

Since then, the old man has no longer been interested in everything in the family, and the surname Suo has handed over everything in the family to the nephew and housekeeper who have grown up, and wandered around the rivers and lakes all year round, bent on justice for the rivers and lakes. ”

After Liu Chengmin finished speaking, he was already in tears.

Ren Tianqi and Dongxue also sighed, what is the matter with this God, how good people don't get good rewards!

Ren Tianqi said softly: "Old man, in fact, you don't need to be too sad when you are old, one thing has passed for such a long time; and if you know it, you will also know that old man, you have been living in grief, complaining and self-blame for many years, and you don't hold a grudge against you for a long time; besides, the nobility of people and the length of life are dictated by the destiny of heaven, and they will not be based on the thoughts of you and me, so why should you blame yourself too much!"

Liu Chengmin shook his head and said: "No, all this is my fault, it is my fault after all, I will not be able to get rid of it in my life, it is my own sin! God will give me retribution sooner or later! There is no doubt about it, the old man has been waiting for the day to come, and only when I arrive at that day can I get the most liberation." In the past, I always thought that if I became the richest man in Cangzhou, if I had a lot of money, it would be the greatest happiness for my family and win glory for them. If I hadn't been running around all day thinking about making money, my child and her mother would not have been lonely and red apricot out of the wall, my sister-in-law would not have died unjustly, my daughter would not have died without complaint, and the old man would not have made such a big mistake, and he would never be able to raise his head and go home. Hey, the old man is having a home at the moment, and he has no face to see his hometown again, so what face does he have to see his uncle!"

Liu Chengmin said: "The old man now understands that money, wealth and fame are all illusory things, which are not brought in life or taken away in death;

Ren Tianqi Dongxue nodded suspiciously.

Liu Chengmin glanced at the two of them and said with a wry smile: "You two dolls are still young, and everything has just begun, but don't take this fame and money too seriously, don't follow the old path of the old man and me, it's too tiring to live like that, it's not worth it!"

Ren Tianqi and Dongxue nodded.

Liu Chengmin reached into his arms and took out a piece of green lotus-shaped jade from his arms, touched it, looked at it, and said affectionately: "If the little girl is still alive, she is already in her early thirties, and the old man should have hugged his grandchildren." Before the words fell, they were already old tears and fell on the piece of jade.

Liu Chengmin's face is sentimental and longing, without the slightest hint of his heroic spirit of smiling and proud of the rivers and lakes in the past, and the passion of his mouth like a hanging river; at this moment, he is an old man who has been ordinary in the whole world, an old man who has gone through wind and frost, has its ups and downs, has its dreams and desires, and has its deep remorse and self-blame; although it is said that it is rich and rich can reach the country, it also has things that cannot be done in the world; money is not omnipotent, without money, perhaps people can only live in poverty; but with money, people may not even be able to enjoy the most basic quiet chat, and perhaps, there will be all kinds of unexpected sorrows in the world caused by money。 Is Liu Chengmin sad? Looking at the vicissitudes of life on his face, perhaps, this is just a microcosm of the world; how many people always have to wait until they are a lot old and have gone through all kinds of ups and downs in the world before they understand this truth.

Liu Chengmin's cloudy eyes stared at Dongxue's decaying face tightly, and he didn't leave for a long time. The little girl was embarrassed to hang down the cicada. Liu Chengmin suddenly blushed and stuttered: "Two little dolls, the old man suddenly had a thought, but he didn't know whether to say it or not?"

Ren Tianqi smiled on the side and said, "Could it be that the old man has the intention of accepting winter snow as a woman?"

Liu Chengmin nodded and said, "The old man knows that the little girl has not seen her parents since she was a child, and she is kept by the princess, so she is inferior. Today, if the little girl enters my door, not to mention those eye-catching money, even the old man's thin name alone should be on par with your Renjiabao, and the door is right. Besides, if a little girl passes under my door, the old man will have an inseparable connection with your Renjiabao, and the old man and I will also have my own dependence. ”

Who said that Liu Chengmin's words were unreasonable, Ren Tianqi and the others were also deeply moved when they heard it, especially Dong Xuezi burst into tears. The two glanced at each other, got up and knelt in front of Liu Chengmin, turned down and kowtowed three times, and thanked Liu Chengmin.

Liu Chengmin picked up the two of them, and he also burst into tears, and said with a smile: "Good, good, good." God is not thin on me Liu Chengmin, and I think that I will have a daughter and a son-in-law in the year of Jiazi, and this life is enough. ”。

Dongxue's face was red, she looked up at Tan Lang, lowered her head and said in a low voice: "Why is it that even the father-in-law makes fun of his daughter! If this is a legend, it won't be angry Miss, and laugh at someone else's death!"

Ren Tianqi said with a smile: "Sister Xue is so cautious, why should she be rigid in front of her father-in-law, the status of you and my husband and wife has been set as early as Shangdu." ”

Liu Chengmin laughed, said well, and said with a smile: "That's it, since Qi'er said so, Xue'er should be a hundred at ease." Today, I said that my father didn't bring anything valuable when he came out, and when he came back, he would make up for Xue'er. It's just that you and my father and daughter, the relationship between Weng and son-in-law doesn't have to be publicized outside, just understand it in your heart. As an elder, I come and go without certainty, and I do not have much benefit to be gained. ”

Ren Tianqi nodded yes.

Mr. Big smiled and said, "Has Qi'er been to Suzhou before?"

Ren Tianqi shook his head and said with a smile: "Not yet." One is that Qi'er had poor physique when she was a child and couldn't go far away, and the other is that Qi'er went out to learn art when she was older. I often remember my uncle and aunt coming to save my relatives when I was a child, and I still know and remember the general appearance. ”

Yoo Seungmin nodded.

After a while, the boat boss came in, Liu Chengmin told them one by one, and then turned around and smiled: "Longqiu Zhuang congratulated his birthday, Lord Yingguiquan said that there is a place called Tianping Town in this Wu land, although the name is good, the local people are not peaceful, and they say that it is haunted." It is said that every day after dark, a monster comes out, sucking the blood of humans and animals, but it has never been killed, and there are many unmarried girls who are inexplicably pregnant, giving birth to some dwarf monsters that look like people and inhumans, among which there are men and women, and no one dares to adopt. ”

Ren Tianqi was very surprised, and said hurriedly: "There is such a strange thing in the world? I have never heard of it!"

Liu Chengmin said: "I don't believe it, so I wanted to go there and take a look, maybe someone is pretending to be a god and scaring people, how can there be any ghosts and gods in this world?"

When Dong Xue heard this, her appearance had changed greatly, and she couldn't help but move towards Ren Tianqi's side, and said hurriedly: "Father-in-law, Xue'er thinks it's better not to look at it, it sounds scary!"

Liu Chengmin said with a smile: "Don't be afraid, Qi'er's swordsmanship is out of the ordinary, and the Tang family brothers are good at using hidden weapons and poisons, and you are waiting for you to stay on the ship." The old man is just going to explore the truth and the truth, be optimistic about the path, and make a forward stop for Lord Houying to send troops to clear and suppress!"

Ren Tianqi said with a smile: "In this way, when Qi'er and I accompany our father-in-law, we will have a good response on the way." ”

Liu Chengmin smiled: "That's the best feeling." After going to Tianping Town, I have to pass by Jiang Fengzhou, which is an isolated island in the big river, and the Yangtze River Shuangjiao of the Yangtze River in Weizhen lives on this island. ”

Ren Tianqi rolled his eyes and smiled: "What my father-in-law said is very true. But I couldn't stop muttering in my heart, I heard Lord Lin Mushan say, saying that there is a pair of river thieves and water bandits on the Yangtze River, who specialize in killing people and stealing goods, it seems that they are called the Yangtze River Double Ghosts, can't it be these two people. The father-in-law is one of the four righteousnesses of the rivers and lakes. It should be two different people, and maybe there are people on the rivers and lakes who fake the names of the two heroes.

Everyone drank tea and chatted in the cabin. It was almost noon, and the captain of the boat brought in delicious food and wine, mainly fresh goods in the water, and everyone ate with relish.