It was as dark as the bottom of a pot, and the stars and moon behind the clouds could not see even a trace of light. The rain became heavier and heavier, hitting the eaves, the bamboo forest, and the plantains, crackling and crackling.

In the early hours of the morning, the cool breeze of the rainy night seemed to blow into the bones, and there was nowhere to hide.

Xu Ping tightened his clothes and said to Pang Ji and Yu Jing: "Zuojiang Dao soldiers and horses inspect Sang Yi, who is the former Jinshi of Kaifeng Mansion, who is an official who catches thieves and has both civil and military skills. At this time, if there is any problem with the war, you can ask him. Han Zhongwen was born in a family, has been in the sugar business for many years, and is proficient in affairs, so you can ask him about civil affairs. ”

After speaking, Xu Ping exhaled and bowed his hand to the two: "Farewell!" ”

Pang Ji and Yu Jing said goodbye together: "The Ministry of Industry has a safe journey!" ”

Not far from the yamen, Gao Daquan and Sun Qilang were holding horses and umbrellas and standing under the willow trees, and Xiuxiu was standing aside with flower umbrellas, also holding a pony.

In six years, Xiuxiu has also grown up, and her body is open, and she is standing tall. She carried a small burden on her back, which was Xu Ping's most intimate thing, and the gold and silver coarse objects were all with Gao Daquan and Sun Qilang.

Turning over and getting on the horse, Xu Ping bowed his hands to Pang Ji and Yu Jing who saw off in front of the yamen, and finally glanced at the yamen that he had built, silently, and turned to leave.

When he came, he would be a supervisor, and when he went to the Ministry of Labor, he was a member of the Ministry of Labor, and in terms of official promotion, Xu Ping had already been far away from the Jinshi of the five years of the Heavenly Sage, and he was proud of himself. But leaving like this is always unwilling.

There were soldiers brought by Ren Shouzhong in front to open the way, Ren Shouzhong took the small yellow door to the back, and the four of Xu Ping's master and servant were sandwiched in the middle, not prisoners but enjoying the treatment of prisoners.

Not long after leaving the yamen. will cross the corner. A soldier's lantern shines. In the dark night, two figures stood on the corner of the street, and the soldier was taken aback: "Who is standing here?!" ”

The two figures walked to the middle of the road and saluted: "Xiaomin Li Ji, this is Qiao Datou, waiting here to send Taishou." ”

Ren Shouzhong was relieved to see that there were really only two people in the light behind. Since the news of Xu Ping's departure spread, he has been pointed at in the yamen, and he is not good-looking. Let his heart rise to his throat, for fear that something will happen.

Seeing Li Ji and Qiao Datou blocking the middle of the road, Ren Shouzhong shouted: "What kind of Diao people, blocking the road and obstructing the officials and people!" Soldiers, whip them away! ”

As soon as the words came out, I saw Xu Ping in front of him turn his head and stare at him with two eyes. The lights were flickering, but he felt that Xu Ping's eyes were shining with a cold light, and he was afraid that he couldn't say the words in the back anymore.

Xu Ping stepped forward immediately. said to the two: "You have a heart, the wind is cold on a rainy night." It's better to go back and rest early. I am a minister, and the dispatch of lawsuits is a normal thing. ”

Li Jing bowed: "The student has been in Yongzhou for several years and has gained a lot. The ancients read thousands of books, traveled thousands of miles, and Yongzhou gained, and students also had to return to their hometowns to figure it out carefully. Tomorrow I will also return to my hometown, and I hope that one day I will see the dignity of my husband in the future. ”

Xu Ping saw that he spoke sincerely, and remembered that he hadn't talked to him many times in the past few years, and couldn't help but feel a little guilty: "I'm busy with affairs, so I don't have much time to learn from you, it's a pity." ”

"The sage said but did not do, Mr. since he arrived in Yongzhou, he expanded his mouth no less than ten times, expanded the land for hundreds of miles, and destroyed a country with the soldiers of a state, and his merits were enough to shine for a thousand years. It is enough for students to experience it first-hand and read for ten years! ”

Xu Ping didn't know what to say, thinking about it carefully, if he talked about learning, he might not be as good as the young man full of poetry and books in front of him, but when it came to doing things, he could still teach him.

In the end, he just nodded and didn't say anything more.

Turning to look at Qiao Datou, he saw that he didn't have an umbrella or a tarpaulin, his body was already soaked, and a small porcelain altar on his back was particularly eye-catching.

Qiao Datou saw Xu Ping looking at him, and hurriedly stepped forward to salute and said: "Xiaomin, my name is Qiao Datou, my father was originally a forbidden army when Taizong conquered Jiaozhi, and he was exiled in Yongzhou after the defeat. Thanks to the kindness of the officials, they have always taken care of Xiaomin and my Daddy Chen. Now that the officials are traveling far away, I will also come to see off the officials. ”

Xu Ping nodded and said with a smile: "I know what you said, you have a heart." ”

Qiao Datou said: "It turns out that the officials know, I thought the officials didn't know my name." ”

After a pause, Qiao Datou said again: "Daddy Chen and I are also going back to our hometown!" ”

Xu Ping said: "It's good to return to your hometown, Ye Luo always has to return to the roots." Why don't you see Chen Laoshi? ”

Qiao Datou patted the small porcelain altar on his back: "Daddy Chen is here, Daddy saw the Shenglong Mansion with the army, and saw the official army of the Great Song Dynasty capture the King of Jiaozhi, and he was dumbfounded." I'm coming home with Daddy! ”

Xu Ping looked at the porcelain altar of Chen Laoshi's ashes on Qiao Datou's back, and was stunned. At this time, Buddhism was prevalent, and cremation was also common for the people at the bottom for various reasons, but they didn't want the veteran who was groggy all day long to have turned into a handful of dust. When he saw the two veterans, he just thought that they were pitiful and had always taken care of them, and he did not expect that one day he would enter the Thang Long Mansion and capture Li Foma alive, fulfilling the veteran's wish.

With mixed feelings for a while, Xu Ping didn't know what to say, so he asked Gao Daquan to come over, take some silver taels and hand them to Qiao Datou as his coil back to Hedong.

Qiao Datou pushed it away, and said in a loud voice: "I also once entered the Shenglong Mansion with the army, and I have a reward on me, which is enough to walk all the way." I promised Daddy to take him back to Bingzhou! ”

The Yellow River flows in Bingzhou, you can't see the fertile fields at a glance, and the fragrance of millet floats everywhere, Qiao Datou always listens to Chen Laoshi talk about his hometown, and now, he wants to take Daddy Chen back step by step to take a look.

The rain kept falling, and as the breeze hit people's faces, the summer night was bitterly cool.

Xu Ping turned his head to look at the two figures who were still standing on the road, and his heart was a little warm. When I leave on this cold rainy night, there are still people who remember me and are willing to brave the rain to send me off, which is enough.

The soldiers and Xiao Huangmen who were traveling with them didn't speak, they were not Ren Shouzhong, they had no grudges with Xu Ping, and they were always a little touched when they saw this kind of scene.

At this time, it was late at night, and it was bitter and rainy, and Ren Shouzhong used the queen mother's will as an excuse to ask Xu Pingxin to set off on the same day. The people who accompanied him suffered together, and there were some complaints in their hearts, and the journey was a little dull for a while.

The horses' hooves beat the gravel on the road, and the rain kept falling, making a fluttering sound, and the group walked out of the market towards the pontoon bridge that had been built on the Zuojiang River not long ago.

Out of the market, Ren Shouzhong finally breathed a sigh of relief. I never expected that this Xu Ping's local official reputation was not bad, and someone would send it in the middle of the night, which was really annoying and annoying.

The pontoon bridge was guarded by soldiers, and the accompanying soldiers stepped forward to report the names of the group, opened the checkpoint, and the group rode on horseback and stepped onto the pontoon bridge.

Since the middle and late Tang Dynasty, Qiaodu began to have officials collect taxes, and the Song Dynasty did not change its habits, and the places with little income were even contracted to collect on behalf of the head. This pontoon bridge is built by the cane sugar office, from the beginning Xu Ping is tax-exempt, erected a monument at the bridgehead, thinking that it is a permanent system, and it is also regarded as the virtue and politics he left to the local people.

In the rainy season, the water of the Zuojiang River rises, and the sound of the turbulent water is like thunder, swinging left and right towards the pontoon. No one dismounted, just silently walked slowly on the bridge.

Xu Ping looked upstream, and couldn't see anything in the dark night. I don't know if there is anyone in front of Liu Xiaomei's small temple to incense now, he specially explained to Pang Ji and Yu Jing, and asked the two of them to take care of this small local god in the far away frontier, and I don't know if the two of them will take it to heart.

Sang Yi broke through Guangyuan Prefecture, captured the Huang Shimi brothers, and was taken to Liu Xiaomei's temple by Xu Ping, and killed Liu Xiaomei's gods with one knife, which is considered this grievance.

The ups and downs, grievances and hatreds in Yongzhou have all gone away with this Zuojiang River.

After crossing the pontoon bridge, Ren Shouzhong breathed a big sigh and said loudly: "Xu Ping, go faster with a horse, don't grind." Don't think that when you leave Taiping County, I will let you rest, and I will go all the way to Yongzhou today! ”

After saying that, he was proud, and looked at the little yellow door next to him who gave him an umbrella and couldn't stop smiling.

Ren Shouzhong has no other way along the way, but he has the final say on food, housing and transportation, so he has to find a way to make Xu Ping suffer a little. The chamberlain was promoted to the Privy Council, and Xu Ping made the privy envoy and deputy disgusted together, and still wanted to have good fruit to eat? When Xiang Cao used to enjoy it, Ren Shouzhong also wanted Xu Ping to taste it. It's a pity that it seems that Xu Ping's face is much thicker than Cao's, and he won't hang himself with a rope halfway.

Xu Ping was in a complicated mood at this time, where was he in the mood to be angry with a eunuch? When people came, there was no one from Shi Quanbin to bring a message, Xu Ping had already thought that the road would not be peaceful, and he had to endure it.

After crossing the pontoon bridge, the river is full of freight yards and inns, and occasionally a light is turned on, which makes people feel the vitality of the people. After passing the riverside market, we arrived at the territory of the sugar cane business, and began to enter the large cane fields and rice fields.

When the rain is big and sometimes small, it just doesn't stop, and along the way, my body is already soaked, and I feel more and more cold through my bones. Ren Shouzhong also had to tremble, so he had already added two rounds of clothes, and put a layer of oilcloth on the outside.

There are fruit trees on both sides of the road ahead, loquat has been ripe, red hearts are fat, lychees are in season, but on this rainy night, it is just a black shadow.

In the dark shadow, there were several lanterns on the side of the road, faintly illuminating the road ahead.

Ren Shouzhong saw it from a distance, and commanded the soldiers in front of him loudly: "I didn't expect that the natives in Lingnan would not want to die for money, and there were people selling melons and fruits on the roadside when it rained in the middle of the night. We don't have this thing in the Central Plains, don't miss it! ”

The soldiers complied with their promises, and they marched quickly.

As the horses walked, the sound of horses' hooves shattered the silence of the night and penetrated the rain far away.

The lanterns in front of him are getting more and more, Ren Shouzhong said: "Hearing the sound of horses' hooves, there are more and more sellers, this is the best, don't give them a high price!" ”

After a while, when I arrived, there were no people selling melons and fruits, only villagers standing on the side of the road, helping the old and the young to stand on the side of the road, holding lanterns high.

Standing at the front, it was Forestry and Li Erlang's family, Iron Hammer and Qiao Niang stood in front, each holding a lantern in his hand, holding it high and stretching it to the front.

Not far away, it was Cen Dagui holding his father's hand and holding a lantern as well.

Looking ahead, I couldn't see far in the rainy night, but as far as the eye could see, there were stars on both sides of the road.

Seeing Xu Ping's figure, Iron Hammer and Qiao Niang learned from their parents' words and shouted together: "The road is slippery on a rainy night, Taishou walks all the way!" ”

Xu Ping was stunned there, but he didn't see it for a while, there were more and more lanterns on both sides of the road, like stars along the road to Yongzhou, and more like the street lamps in Xu Ping's previous life. (To be continued.) )