Chapter 2 Chapter 1 Elopement

The wind blows up and down, and the sound of the hunting wind blows up not only the screams of the canyon, but also the heart of a girl.Shui Yingying was so happy that she was dying, she had never been so close to Brother Jiayuan and so happy.When Lord Wu Mu took the food and went on the road, he was still confused.Two days ago, he was summoned by Qingshiling ranch owner Shui Erye. He thought he was talking about the girl collecting grass, but he didn't think about it. Come to the yard. Let Shiliang go to the yard?This old thing always does some inexplicable things.The old bachelor from Donggou thought so in his heart, but on his lips, he warned Shiliang seriously: "I have found a job for you. Whether you can hold it or not depends on your child's ability."

It was a very warm morning at the end of March and the beginning of April. It was a good time for greenery outside the gorge. The wind blowing down from the top of Qingshiling made the beach moist and the whole big grass beach was bathed in a piece of peace.The old and the young who came to Qingfengxia went to Qingshiling with deep concerns.Waves of wind are stirring Ma Lian, like waves, turbulent and turbulent, it is really beautiful.In April, the Malan flowers bloomed dazzlingly, and the Lan Yingying flowers set off the big grass beach under his feet very dazzlingly. Although the mood of picking up food was very depressing, the unbreakable scenery of the beach under his feet still tempted him to think about it again and again. Open your mouth shut and say something.

Shiliang is the son of Lailu, a man from Xigou, Qingfeng Gorge.Lailu has two sons, the eldest is a useless person who picks up sheep, he is a fool, he has to be fed for food, Lailu will not be able to count on him in this life, the second son is very important.According to the words of the people in the ditch, the root of life is as precious as you want.This kid was born with delicate features and watery eyes. At first glance, he was more delicate than his family who picked up grass.After looking at it for a long time, I realized that there was something else in those eyes besides water.Lord Wu Mu said that it was called spiritual energy, the most precious thing in the world.But Master Wupu said again: "It's a pity that those eyes, if they grow on the faces of the two young masters of the He family or the Chou family, it will be amazing. They must be some people in the future. God is blind, and the eyes are lost. It's a grass seedling."

The grassy beach is called Dacaotan, which is located at the east end of Qingfeng Gorge where they collected food. Once they pass through Qingfeng Gorge, the world seems to change suddenly. Breathing through the desperation all of a sudden, it becomes vast and comfortable, and the human heart is also relieved from the oppression of the canyon. With the ups and downs of the grassy beach, it slowly stretches, and then some life in the canyon is born. Something that doesn't come out. These days, the mood of collecting food is like this, he took a few breaths in a row, obviously, he was shocked by the vastness and magnificence of the big grass beach, and was also tempted.It was the second time in his life that this poor fifteen-year-old child walked into a scene that did not belong to him, and it felt both fresh and heavy.In a trance, he remembered the bewildered scene when he first arrived at Qingshiling.At that time, he was more than six years old, maybe seven years old. Anyway, he was very young, and he came with his father. It seemed that he was there for a bucket of barley.

"Top" is a way of survival for the people in the ditch, and the meaning is similar to mortgage.His family owed a bucket of highland barley to the Qingshiling Shui family compound, and there was no way to pay it back. They had to push him in first and do some work within their ability. One day when they had money, my father would redeem him.Unfortunately, it didn't work out that time. First Master Shui slapped him hard on the shoulder like trading animals on a grassy beach, and his thin body almost fell down. Meimei kicked his little butt that was as thin as a tree stump, and he fell down, eating shit like a dog.Father regretted it very much, and blamed him for not giving him a few more corn buns or drinking two more bowls of glutinous rice cakes when he was on the road, so that he would not be easily kicked down by Second Master Shui.But Dad didn't blame him, he lifted him up like a seedling in the field, fixed his eyes on the imposing Second Master Shui, and asked, "Second Master, is it okay?" Second Master Shui took back his yak With the same gaze, he yelled in disappointment: "Take it away!" Then, he went to kick other people's children with eyes like a tiger.

The memory of the seven-year-old is just like that in my heart, just like the bitter vine in the ditch, firmly entangled the heart of picking up grain.The trip made him a little uncomfortable, and he was a little bit unwilling to admit defeat.Now that he has grown up and become an adult, he is no longer afraid that Second Master Shui will kick him down.However, I was still very apprehensive about the Shui family compound that I was about to enter. Before he came, his father kept cheering him up: "Don't be afraid, baby, there is nothing to be afraid of. There is nothing to be afraid of in this world. The more you are afraid, the more oppressive you will be in this day. It has happened several times since Dad died. Afraid of living? Close your eyes, hold your heart, and move on if you grit your teeth. If they can survive, why can’t my baby survive?” When Dad spoke, the flames in his eyes fluttered. It seems that as long as the son enters the Shui family compound, as long as he becomes a long-term worker, his family's life will no longer have to worry.

Picking up food, he dared not let the flames in his father's eyes go out, let alone let the flames in his heart go out. At the age of fifteen, he already deeply understood the difficulties of life. He said: "Father, I am not afraid, I am really afraid." Don't be afraid, I will remember what my father said, and I have to make up my mind to live or die." Lai Lu seemed satisfied, especially when Shiliang said that he had to make up his mind to live or die, the satisfaction of Lai Lu was clearly on his face.However, after a while, Lai Lu still sighed: "Baby, you are afraid, you are still afraid, I saw your legs shaking. His second child is not a tiger, outsiders say he is a tiger, your father and I If you don’t believe it, you don’t believe it either, even if it’s a tiger, you’ll let him eat it.” When he said this, a gleam of light suddenly shot out from his eyes, very evil, he stood up suddenly from the ground, suppressing his voice Chong Shiliang said: "Is it more expensive to let a tiger eat it than to let a wild dog take gold?!"

Shiliang nodded, father said everything thoroughly, he would rather let the tiger eat it than let the wild dog eat it!Thinking about it this way, his legs stopped fighting, really stopped fighting, and they were so hard that they supported him on the ground. I am very relieved that my son is like a man, a man who is indomitable.So he nodded happily and let him go to the Shui family compound. Picking up the food followed closely for a few steps, caught up with Master Wupai, and said a little freshly: "This flower bites people's feet." After all, I was still a child, and when I saw something with a view, the worry in my heart disappeared.Lord Wu Mu didn't say a word, his eyes were a little tired, and besides, he was already tired of looking at the big grassy beach, and it was not as rare as picking up grain.His bowed waist became more and more crooked after several hours of trekking. In this way, his short body became even more shapeless, like a shrunken mushroom in the grassy beach, or like a clumsy rabbit. to jump.Shiliang glanced at it, wanted to laugh, but felt that the smile was blocked by something, and dared not let it out.He coughed, and looked away from Master Wupa, trying to get rid of the worry that troubled him in his mind, but when he raised his head, he was suddenly shocked.After a while, he yelled out in shock: "Yak, white yak!"

Lord Wu Mu was annoyed now, he was thinking about something, when the scream of picking up grain interrupted him.Fifty-year-old Laowu always has a lot of things to think about, and he can't relax when he walks. To Shiliang's surprise, half of the things he thought of suddenly jumped away like a rabbit.He opened his voice and cursed: "Shiliang, you are a wolf, your sister is dying, and you still have the heart to look at the yak?" Walk forward.The yaks in Shiliang's eyes suddenly disappeared, and when he walked forward, all the yaks that jumped out of the grassy beach became sisters.

The little sister who picked up the food was about to die. She got sick five years ago. She went back and forth to see all the Chinese medicine doctors she could find.Right now, I am lying on the kang to endure the days. Originally, he picked up grain and worked as a part-time job in Donggou, and did some odd jobs for the He family in Donggou. If the He family wanted to say that they treated him well, they didn't treat him as a real person.But the day laborer is a day laborer after all, he does a lot of work and earns little money. When he heard that the Qingshiling Shui family asked him to be a long-term worker, he was tempted to pick up food and clamored to come.When the father came, he was silent at first, not expressing his opinion.His background is always like this, he doesn't express his opinion easily on many things, it seems that once he expresses his opinion, he will not show his wisdom.In fact, he has no wisdom, this thing Ergou, the most ignorant person, is probably his origin.But he didn't admit it, and always felt that he should behave wisely.The best way to express it is to not express your opinion easily when things happen.Of course, this matter itself is also difficult. One is that the origin is uncertain for the son, whether he can do a long-term job?Secondly, comparing the Shui family with the He family, choosing one of the two families also made him embarrassed.In the end, it was the five sticks who decided to win.

"You wooden ghost, you want to miss this good thing?" This is the usual style of Wufu Lord. Whatever comes to his mouth, it is a good thing. Even if the father and mother marry, he can still The rhetoric makes you feel that there is really nothing bad in the world.In fact, he himself doesn't know good things and bad things at all, and he doesn't think about them. His mouth is used to say that the matchmaker is used to it.But the source loves to listen, as long as everything is vague, the source will listen.The matter was finally settled like this, and he picked up grain and went to Qingshiling to work as a long-term worker. This incident made the He family in Donggou very dissatisfied. He Dakuen, the rich man in Donggou, stood in the village alley and scolded: "Come on, you are being stabbed, eating what is in the bowl and looking forward to what is in the pot, what am I?" Treated you poorly?" Lai Lu gritted his teeth and made a very painful expression, which meant that he had no choice but to collect food.Knowing his temper, He Dakun scolded him a few times, stopped scolding, and said to his son He Shuhuai, "Forget the wages. From now on, even if you starve to death, don't let him enter this door!" The reason is clear, the He family is reluctant to let his son pick up grain, and his vision and painstaking efforts have been widely recognized by the He family during the year when he picked up the grain, especially He Dakun, his boss, even regarded him as a treasure. It's a pity that the Shui family's wages are high, and the second master Shui said that if the grain can be collected, the gift of the girl picking grass will add two stone beans.Two stone beans. The yaks in the distance are very quiet, far more leisurely than the old and young running on the grassy beach. When they smelled the strange smell on the grassy beach, they seemed to raise their eyes and look eagerly at the two intruders, but they quickly disappeared. I was also attracted by the white clouds on the top of the ridge and the crazy green grass beach in front of me.He simply dismissed these two strangers.The surprise of picking up the grain was not too much. This is a white yak unique to Qingshiling. It is pure white, and its coat color is as neat as if it has been carefully trimmed.It is said that the meat is more fragrant, and the soup made from beef bones nourishes yin and strengthens yang. If you add snow needle mushrooms from the top of Qingshiling, the taste will be delicious.It's a pity that they haven't eaten the grain, and neither has the five-paste master. It's not what they eat. It's their blessing to be able to look at these noble animals from such a distance. The white yak is unique in the world. Otherwise, the Shui family could make such a fortune? In the distance, the Sister River is rushing, and the water flows out from the Qingshiling mountain stream, with the unique purity of the snow-covered plateau, and the coolness of the four seasons, so moist and pleasant.It seems that it has never had anything wrong with it all year round.This made the two people on the grassy beach jealous.Looking from a distance, the Shuijia compound surrounded by mountains and rivers is peaceful, and the noon sun shines down, bathing the big house at the foot of the mountain in peace. The two-foot-high house foundation wall built of bluestone There was a faint green light in the sun, and in the middle of the bluestone wall, a ramp covered with gravel slowly spread out, connecting the courtyard gate with the big grass beach.That's the ramp to get in and out of the courtyard.On both sides of the slope, eight green pine trees with the thickness of a bowl are like eight green umbrellas, blocking the bright sunlight on the grassy beach, and the slope emits a wet light all year round.Looking up along the foundation wall, the Shuijia compound looks like a temple on Qingshiling, with blue bricks and green tiles, in a solemn style.It is the eaves and carvings with Tibetan style that make this house more ethereal and mysterious than a temple.However, it is not a temple. It is the masterpiece of the Qingshiling ranch owner Shui Erye in his life. Compared with He Daku, a rich man in Donggou, and Qiu Dacheng, a big businessman in Pingyangchuan, Shui Erye’s heroism and refreshingness can be seen. Lord Wu Mu still walked with his head down, without looking at the road, with one foot deep and one foot shallow, as if he was angry with someone.Picking up the grain, he took a step and looked at it three times, gradually forgetting the difficult things in his mind, forgetting well, forgetting that he can concentrate on the grassy beach.The grassy beach is indeed a novelty, which is shocking and strange, but after looking at it, the eyes of picking up food sink again, and the heart also becomes heavy.This is the heaviness that a fifteen-year-old child should not have, but the child who picks up food is born with a heavy heart, and there are strange things and ideas hidden in his mind all day long.This makes people annoying, you want to think about things you shouldn't think about, and you want to think about reasons you shouldn't think about. You are more troublesome than others. What I was thinking about picking up grain was, my God, this wide grassy beach, this kind of posture of the house, is it really like what Lord Wupai said, will I be left to pick up grain? I dare not think, I really dare not think!Shiliang put away his thoughts in panic, followed a few steps, and ran up to Master Wupai again. Just as he was about to ask something, he suddenly heard a gust of wind in his ears, and when he raised his head, a horse roared towards him.It is a purebred Mongolian horse, the kind that gallops on the grassland.On the horseback is a sassy woman wearing a felt hat and a Tibetan robe.The woman leaned over and rode the horse, like an arrow off the string, and rushed straight at Shiliang and Wupaiye.The Tibetan robe fluttered in the wind, like a flying flag.This grassy beach became her world instantly!Amidst the sound of hoofbeats, a whirlwind started up in the sky, and he opened his mouth in shock and shouted: "Horse, horse—" Master Wupai was urinating, and the bean batter he drank when he was on the road was mushy, and he urinated profusely along the way.When he heard about picking up grain, he was startled, and without turning his head, he cursed: "Screaming soul, you wooden ghost, have you never seen a horse before?" , just a few tens of feet away, in the blink of an eye, the horse's snort had sprayed his face, and when he looked up and saw the person on the horse, he was so frightened that he was out of his wits, and he didn't even bother to pull up his pants, so he said tremblingly "Three...three...Miss." As soon as the word sister fell to the ground, the horsewhip was thrown at him, and the fifth master jumped up, dodged the horsewhip, and shouted in a straight voice: "Miss San, you don't dare to hit me!" Me, I am..." Then I heard the third lady who was on the horse say: "Put your trousers up and put your dirty water here again, you are an idiot, you really don't have a long memory." Only then did Master Wu remember that he was peeing just now, and dirt is taboo on the grassy beach of Shuijia.For urinating, Lord Wupai had been whipped several times, but when his mind was busy, he forgot about this taboo.He hurriedly pulled up his pants and said, "I'm in a hurry, I'm in a hurry, besides, I'm fatting the grassy beach." With a snap, the whip slammed on Master Wu's left foot. The third lady didn't spare Lord Wu this time. If Master Wu hadn't been running to his house so often these days, the whip would probably throw him off the thing he urinated on. superior.Immediately, Master Wupai let out a groan in pain, hugged his feet and howled like a wolf. "Don't dare to talk nonsense again, I'll shake your old nose off!" The words came out of the beautiful mouth on the horse's back, and the curse made the old man happy, and he grinned, and the curse was lost However, Liang seemed to be in a daze, and his whole body froze in the grass. The man on horseback didn't bother to look at Shiliang, and he didn't bother to talk to Mr. Wu, who was still holding his feet and making old voices, obviously pretending, for fear that he would throw off another whip right away, and the third lady flicked the whip. , There was a long hiss, and the bay red horse broke through the wind and left. In just one minute, the clothes that were collecting food were drenched with sweat, and my heart seemed to be swept into the air by a whip, and I couldn't find it.As for his eyes, how could he have eyes?This whirlwind swept away everything.After a long time, Shiliang finally woke up, as if in a dream, he caught up with Lord Wumi, and asked in shock, "That girl right now, is that?" "Cut mouth!" Master Wupai said angrily. Like all long-term workers, this day's food collection has really gone through a lot of suffering.Regardless of the fact that he was called by Second Master Shui by name, at the moment of entering the hospital, the Shui family still showed their majesty, and Meimei shocked him. Second Master Shui was sitting on the grand master's chair, very serious.A long robe wrapped his thick and strong body, which was like a bull. Compared with the shortness of Wu Mu and the thinness of collecting grain, Second Master Shui showed the advantage of eating yak meat.On the feet are a pair of blue cloth round-toe shoes, which are very exquisitely made, and every stitch and thread reveals the dexterity and delicacy of the shoemaker.Shiliang stared at his shoes and stared blankly for a while, then suddenly thought of his mother whom he had never met before. It was so strange that Shiliang thought of his mother.Under a round hat, there is a somewhat grotesque old face reflected. The left eye and right eye of this face are a bit asymmetrical, the bridge of the nose is slightly high, and the mouth is also turned up, making the whole face full of eccentricity. This posture of jumping upwards, especially the two pea-sized moles on the bags under the eyes, immediately filled this face with evil spirits. At first glance, it was gloomy, and it was far more frightening than rich man He in Donggou.In addition, he deliberately made a posture, which made the calves of Shiliang, who had rarely seen the world, go limp, fluttering, and trembling.The fifth child stood beside him, and Second Master Shui didn't reward him with a chair, which made him somewhat unhappy, but he didn't have the guts to show it, so he could only pretend to be very pious and respectful standing there collecting food. On the side, wait for Second Master Shui to ask questions. Second Master Shui holds a bong in his hand. This gun is made of eagle bones, polished very smooth, and glows brightly, emitting a kind of watery light.When the light hit the face, it overflowed with the dignity of a rich man.When Kong'er was picking up food and waiting for questioning, he saw the old butler holding the cigarette case in both hands, filling the pipe with shredded tobacco time and time again.Everyone knows that Master Shui in Qingshiling is a smoker, but he didn't let the big cigarette smoke to death, and the more he smoked, the more rosy his complexion became, and he was even more energetic than the rich man in Donggou who was a few years younger than him.This makes many people puzzled. Could it be that he grows opium, and he will be fine if he smokes it himself? Guduer Guduer's voice rang dozens of times, and the second master Shui finally pumped enough, and gave the housekeeper a look at the old prong, signaling to take the guy away.As soon as the housekeeper, Old Prongtou, took the pipe, he suddenly asked, "How old are you?" Just as he was about to open his mouth to pick up the grain, the old five jumped ahead and answered, "As for the second master, after this year, just... just Twenty." "Chinese New Year?" Second Master Shui looked at Wu Mu's face, and the well-informed Lao Wu Mu looked a little nervous. "Second Master, I mean... the Year of the Monkey is over." "You idiot, the words have reached the grassy beach." Second Master Shui withdrew his gaze, and Yuan stared at Shiliang again. For the thin firewood in front of him, Second Master Shui was extremely worried, and there was even a faint hint in his eyes. Contains a warning that is not easily noticed by others.He naturally didn't believe that the skinny stick was twenty, and it would only be sixteen or seventeen if he died, but he didn't expose the five lies.He knew Wumu's thoughts, nothing more than wanting to say how old he was, and cheating him of a few more money.The wages of long-term workers are related to their age, and those under 20 are paid half of the wages.He snorted coldly, taking Wubai's words as a fart, and then asked, "What do you know?" "I know a lot." Shiliang, who had been shaking all the time, subconsciously answered. "Huh?" Second Master Shui frowned, his eyes darkened. It was only then that Shiliang remembered the words that the fifth master had settled down on the road, and hurriedly changed his words: "Return to the second master's words, plowing, farming, and fighting." "What about the animals, will the animals be fed?" "This..." Shiliang was dumb for a moment.If you were born a farmer, who wouldn't feed an animal?But the animals in the Shui family compound are different from the He family compound. The He family raises them for envoys, and those that emit odor from the crops are considered animals.But the Shui family makes money from animals, and animals are more precious than people. Second Master Shui's gaze darkened, half of his face was covered by the rising dissatisfaction, there was only a lack of animal feeders in the yard, and the fifth child in the stable had not given night food to the animals several times because of his sleepiness at night. Let Second Master Shui beat him out with a whip.Seeing that the air was stiff and sinking, Master Wu hurriedly said: "Second Lord, this kid is very spiritual, and he worries about the animals, so he doesn't have any sense of madness." "You're the only one who talks too much." Second Master Shui scolded me vaguely, but he didn't mean to blame him.Wupao salivated, and hit the iron while it was hot: "I'm a rough man, Er Ye don't joke, I watched this baby grow up, Donggou He's family, I still can't bear it." When Wupao spoke, his rickety waist almost To bow to the ground, in front of these rich men, his waist will always be bowed.Humans are only four feet tall, but this bow makes it look like a sweet potato. "Okay, don't ask anymore, it's useless to ask." Second Master Shui was about to settle down with the butler, when he suddenly saw the shaking legs of Shiliang, and asked very unhappy, "Why are you shaking?" "I... I... didn't shake." "Ok?!" "Back... back to the second master's words, pick up the grain, you shouldn't shake it when you pick up the grain." "Look at your potential! Old Wu, let me explain what I said. In this courtyard, you don't have the guts to accept it." Master Wu was in a hurry, and smiled again: "Second Master, you can do me a favor, and give him a bite of food, poor boy." "There are so many poor people." Second Master Shui turned his face indifferently, twitched the corner of his mouth, and threw the conversation to the old housekeeper.He didn't expect that Shiliang, who wanted to call for it, was such a worthless coward.A trace of disappointment rose up, ruining his mood. The old man looked carefully at the food for a while, and asked, "Can you bear the suffering of this courtyard?" "I can bear it." Picking up the food hurriedly replied. "The rules of this courtyard, can you keep them?" "Hold it." "Can you protect the cattle and sheep on the grassland with your life?" "... Protect... protect." Shiliang's words were a little soft, if I asked further, I'm afraid... At this moment, I heard a noise in the courtyard, followed by a gust of wind blowing in, where the wind rose and the wind fell, Third Miss Shui Yingying walked in in a handsome appearance, glanced at the shivering Shiliang, and said to Second Master Shui: "Father, I killed another hare." The butler's old prongtou was about to praise Yingying, but the second master Shui suddenly turned dark: "Yingying, how many times have I told you that the creatures on the grass beach are all relatives of my Shui family, why are you so old?" It's disobedient!" "Father!" Shui Yingying stomped her feet and said coquettishly, "Is it because I am disobedient or it is disobedient. I call it several times, but it still runs away. Can I spare it if I don't chase it away?!" "You!" Shui Erye sighed, and said to the old butler, "Go and have a look, don't break the horse after this trip." Shui Yingying approached with a playful smile: "Father, don't worry, this time I didn't chase him on horseback, I took this." As he said, a cannon belly appeared behind him.Second Master Shui was startled, it was specially used by the shepherds in the mountains to beat sheep, he didn't expect her daughter to learn this game. "Why, can you hit it?" Shui Erye asked. "If it can be hit, just throw a stone, and it will lie on the ground." Shui Yingying looked proud, with a contemptuous smile on her face.While talking, he showed off his long cannon belly in front of his father's eyes, then suddenly remembered something, turned around and wanted to leave.The moment he went out, his eyes accidentally met Shiliang's face. "Which ditch are you from? Why haven't I seen it?" "Ms., I'm the second child of Lailu's family in Xigou, Xiakou." Shiliang answered in the way Master Wupai told him.The scene on the grassy beach resurfaced again, and there was an inexplicable fear in picking up food. "Where did you come from?" Shui Yingying seemed to have never heard of this person. "It's the man who cut the hole..." Wu Muye who was beside him hurriedly explained for Shiliang. Shui Yingying let out a cry. In fact, she didn't know who the source was at all. It had nothing to do with her whether to cut the acupoint or not. To come. "Yingying, come back." Second Master Shui, who had been sullen, saw his daughter walking out, and called her out.Shui Yingying ignored her and hurried away.When she reappeared in the courtyard, she was already dressed in a horse outfit, and she specially put on the riding boots given to her by her second brother-in-law, Qiu Jiakuan, looking even more heroic.In the astonished eyes of everyone, Shui Yingying, the third lady of the Shui family, jumped on the horse, threw out a loud crisp whip, and flew away. On the seventh day of the fourth lunar month in the twenty-eighth year of the Republic of China, Qiu Jiayuan, the second son of the Qiu family in Pingyangchuan, crossed the Sister River and stood on the grassy beach. This was the third time in two months that he took his footsteps to Qingshiling.Qiu Jiayuan was not familiar with the big grass beach in front of him. Ever since his elder brother Qiu Jiakuan married the second daughter of the Qingshiling Shui family, Shui Ermei, the Qiu family and the Shui family became relatives. The road from Pingyangchuan to Qingshiling asked him and Shui English and English are smooth.Before he went to study in Xi'an City, Qiu's family was far away, so he came to Lingshang. He liked the scenery here, and also liked the spoiled little girl of the Shui family. When he came, he took Shui Yingying to the grassy beach Riding horses, chasing hares.Although the adults quarreled and had some conflicts from time to time, he and the third lady of the Shui family had a close relationship. Shui Yingying, who had always been arrogant and unruly, was surprisingly obedient in front of him.But this was all in the past. Ever since he left Pingyangchuan to study in Xi'an, he and Dacaotan have become more and more unfamiliar.If he hadn't unexpectedly returned to Liangzhou from Xi'an a few months ago, I'm afraid that with his footsteps, he would never be able to reach the Sister River or the beach. The world is like smoke, the world is like smoke. Facing the empty big grassy beach, the second son, Qiu Jiayuan, who is suave and handsome, suddenly expresses emotion. The Qiu family is a well-known large merchant in Pingyangchuan. After nearly fifty years of wind and rain, the Renyi River created by his grandfather has grown from a seedling to a towering tree. In the hands of his father Qiu Dacheng, the three words Renyi River have resounded thousands of miles. Hexi Corridor.From the east to Xi'an and the west to Xinjiang, there are enemies' trade, and the semicolons of the Renyi River are opened all over the desert.Not to mention, the Renzi store in Liangzhou City and the Yizi store in Gulang County alone can earn as much silver as the other five big shops in Pingyangchuan combined.Not to mention that, Qiu Dacheng opened two more kilns in the desert area, and started the coal business along the road.This business is an exclusive business, despite the painstaking efforts, the money earned is no less than other businesses, and it has even gradually become the most profitable industry for the enemy. Along with Jiayuan, there is also Sanduozi, a boy from the Qiu family in Pingyangchuan.As soon as Shui Yingying saw Qiu Jiayuan, her heart was like a rabbit hiding in the grass, and she was about to jump out.No matter what Sanduozi thinks, he throws away the reins and runs towards Jiayuan.Seeing Shui Yingying coming all the way to meet him, Qiu Jiayuan was very happy and called her name from a distance.Shui Yingying ran over, grabbed Jiayuan's hand, and said coquettishly: "If you want to come, don't send a letter in advance, which will make people panic." Qiu Jiayuan blushed, Shui Yingying's words made him nervous, he glanced at Sanduozi , as if trying to break free from Yingying's grasp, and said, "Don't worry, it's not the first time I've come here." Shui Yingying grasped his hand even more tightly, leaned half her body over, gave him a sweet look, and secretly blamed him for not understanding what she said.Chou Jiayuan was disturbed by Shui Yingying's gaze, his face was hot, he looked at Sanduozi again, and said, "Leave the horse, and let's go." Sanduozi smiled secretly, led the horse, and walked forward quickly.Shui Yingying became even more courageous, she almost wanted to snuggle her whole body into Qiu Jiayuan's arms, and the sweetness on her face was so thick that she couldn't melt it.Qiu Jiayuan dodged a few times, but he didn't dodge, so he simply let her go.It can be seen that he is vigilant about this intimacy with Yingying.The sun smeared on the big grass beach to its heart's content, reflecting the two young faces very vividly.Qiu Jiayuan from Pingyangchuan originally had something on his mind this day, he came to Qingshiling because he had important things to do.Shui Yingying's sweetness and enthusiasm infected him, for a while, he forgot all the things in his mind, the two talked and laughed, and walked deep into the grassy beach.Because of the two young figures, Dacaotan suddenly came alive. For Shui Erye, the owner of Qingshiling ranch, this day is definitely not a good day. What Second Master Shui dislikes the most in this life is probably this enemy who is far away from home.Every time he heard that he was coming, Second Master Shui would send a message early, that the kitchen can't be done well, and you can't talk to him in the yard, and you can sleep in the small guest room in the backyard, and you can't bring him into Shui's house The south yard for entertaining distinguished guests.All these things show that Shui Erye is very disgusted with Chou Jia, who is a scholar. As early as when Qiu Jiayuan was studying in Xi'an, Second Master Shui thought that after returning from school, Qiu Jiayuan wanted his son to inherit his father's business and work with his brother, Second Master Shui's son-in-law, Qiu Jiakuan, to manage the property of the Qiu family.In fact, this is also a matter of course. The Qiu family's property is so big, and Qiu Dacheng is an ambitious person. It seems that he has taken some medicine these years. It was in the hands of Second Master Shui or He Dakun of Donggou.Although Second Master Shui is dissatisfied with his in-law Qiu Dacheng's insatiable way of making money, but for Qiu Jiayuan, he still hopes that he can behave like a businessman.Not only Second Master Shui, but everyone, including his father Qiu Dacheng, thought so too.Who would have thought that Qiu Jiayuan had failed everyone's expectations, and instead of doing such a big business of his own, insisted on... He is simply a disobedient son!This is a sentence that Second Master Shui dropped three years ago. In the past three years, Second Master Shui's attitude has not changed, but he has become more and more convinced that the second child of the Qiu family is a prodigal son! What makes Second Master Shui even more worried is the vague relationship between the second son of the Qiu family and Yingying of his family.In the past, Second Master Shui didn't think so. At that time, Qiu Jiayuan was small, Yingying was even younger, and the two of them couldn't play too much.But since Qiu's family came to Qingshiling two months ago, Second Master Shui discovered that this girl, Yingying, was different. Specifically, Second Master Shui couldn't tell, but he clearly felt that his girl, Yingying, was different. There was something in her gaze, and the sophisticated Shui Erye knew that kind of thing very well. It was the first sign of a daughter's parent growing up in the world. She knew how to flirt with men.From that day on, Second Master Shui felt uneasy, and now, this uneasiness became more and more intense, sometimes disturbing him so much that he couldn't sleep. I can't say it, I really can't say it, just thinking about it, Second Master Shui is so angry that he wants to vomit blood.In the past two months, he had mentioned it to Yingying many times, both openly and secretly, but the third girl, Yingying, was completely different from her two older sisters, she didn't take his words seriously at all, and Second Master Shui was very troubled by this.Their mother kicked away shortly after giving birth to Bao'er. It was he who pulled them up with shit and urine. He incorporated too much fatherly love during the hardships, especially for the third girl Yingying.Unexpectedly, she was raised into a bird ready to fly out at any time! "You heartless, white-eyed wolf!" Seeing Yingying and the second son of the Qiu family enter the courtyard one after the other, Second Master Shui snorted heavily from his nostrils, and pointed his eyes at the butler's old prong.The old prong head hurried forward, greeted Qiu Jiayuan, took the rein with one hand, pointed to the backyard with the other, and said please.The Qiu family took a long look at Second Master Shui, and wanted to go up to say hello, but saw Second Master Shui turned his neck stubbornly, and walked away disdainfully. Qiu Jiayuan's heart darkened, he was worried that this trip would be in vain again. Qiu Jiayuan, the second son of the Qiu family in Pingyangchuan, did not come here for Shui Yingying, neither did the previous two trips. Compared with Shui Yingying's anxiety and enthusiasm, the eyes of the second son of the Qiu family were much lighter.It's not that he didn't notice Shui Yingying's gaze, the point is that that gaze didn't resonate with him.In his eyes, Shui Yingying is still the little girl she was many years ago, a wild girl in the mountains who fell into the honeypot all day and only knows to act like a spoiled child. For such a wild girl, the enemy has nothing but love and sympathy.He is a person with lofty aspirations, and now he is on a special mission for a great cause, and the love between his sons and daughters, in his opinion, is a bit funny and frivolous.Of course, he can't be too indifferent to Shui Yingying, after all, he still wants to rely on Shui Yingying to convince Shui Erye.Three days ago, Qiu Jiayuan received a secret order from Shangfeng Army Commander asking him to urgently raise a sum of money.The last time the medical supplies sent to the anti-Japanese front line were intercepted by an unknown force when they passed through Xi'an, Lan Qingyun, the second leader of the caravan responsible for the delivery, was also beheaded.Right now, the battle ahead is tense, and medical supplies are quite scarce.The Army Chief asked him to organize the progressive forces in Liangzhou City and Gulang County in a short period of time, and transport the second batch of medical supplies out as soon as possible.After receiving the secret order, Qiu Jiayuan immediately rushed back to Pingyangchuan from Liangzhou City. He first told his father about the situation, but before his father had finished listening, he became furious: "You prodigal son, leave a good book and don't teach it. Why join in the fun!" His father, Qiu Dacheng, was firmly opposed to Qiu Jiayuan's joining any party, and he was even more opposed to his association with the military. Qiu Dacheng has been a businessman all his life, and he originally wanted Qiu Jiayuan to be like his elder brother Qiu Jiakuan, inheriting his father's business and doing business with him wholeheartedly.Unexpectedly, the family is unlucky, the second child, Qiu Jiayuan, was born with a wild and rebellious nature, and half of his studies in Xi'an City, he actually kept telling his family that he was a teacher in a teacher's school in Xi'an when he was under the command of the Army Chief.Half a year ago, Qiu Jiayuan quietly went to Liangzhou Normal University to become a teacher, and when Qiu Dacheng found out, the uncooked rice was already ripe.It's nothing more than teaching, Qiu Dacheng thought to himself, the Qiu family has never produced a scholar in three lifetimes, if Qiu Jiayuan can really teach books well, it will somewhat fulfill his wish.Unexpectedly, the county magistrate of Gulang and his brother-in-law Kong Jiexi found him last month, and whispered: "The second child not only has close contacts with the army chief of Xi'an City, but also very likely joined the Communist Party. The identity of the second child is a mystery." Qiu Dacheng起初不信，认为妹夫孔杰玺纯属胡言。据他所知，共产党在西北一带还是个很新鲜的事物，他也是去年在西安城才听说，咋就把这帽子戴他儿子头上了呢？ 妹夫孔杰玺犹豫半天，才将西安城拦截药物的事说了，原来那药物正是仇家远他们弄的，当然是以凉州城另一家商号的名义秘密收购的，负责运送药物的马帮二帮主蓝青云目前已被证实是共产党。孔杰玺还说，马帮打凉州城一出发，消息就秘密飞到了西安，所以蓝青云到西安，等于是送死。 妹夫孔杰玺说完这话，很是焦虑地叹了口气：“哥呀，这事可不是闹着玩的，上头已经发话，要严查速办，好在凉州府有咱的人，要不然，老二这回……”“混帐！”父亲仇达诚暴跳如雷，当下就要大儿子家宽赶往凉州城，捆也要把老二捆回来。妹夫孔杰玺见状，悄声说：“人我已经安顿在别处，眼下，家里家外还不能张扬，等事态平息了，再让他回来。” “混帐，混帐呀，这个家，怕是要毁到他手上……”一生走南闯北的仇达诚，当然知道参加共产党是什么后果。他在西安城那些个日子，时不时地听说有共产分子被当局押出城门处决。原想自己身居大漠边塞，天高地远，既可免受战乱之苦，又不为什么国共之争而牵扯进是非里。哪知，自己家里，竟就养出一个共产党！ 仇家远从藏身的地方秘密回到平阳川家中，父亲尚在火头上。仇达诚质问他参加共产党的事，仇家远矢口否认，说自己早就是西安陆军长的人，西安陆军长跟共产党势不两立，还一再要求严查共产党的组织，切不可让共产党渗透到凉州一带，他怎么可能是共产党呢？仇达诚见他言之凿凿，也就信了，况且儿子仇家远加入国民党，跟着陆军长干，这事众人皆知，他想一定是妹夫孔杰玺搞错了。不过仇达诚并没放过儿子。仇家远竟然背着他，将凉州城仁字号的柜银动用，还骗大掌柜吴茂，说是他点了头的。 “我多时点了头，啊！你个不成器的东西，居然敢打我的旗号虚骗冒领。我仇家的生意，向来以诚信取人，你倒好，天上地下的乱飞不说，竟敢，竟敢坏了祖宗定下的规矩！” 骂完，立刻唤来管家，将仇家远捆了，锁在厢房里。若不是嫂嫂水二梅好话软话的求情，仇家远怕是还捆在厢房里。 人虽说放了出来，但钱，爹一分不给。“你倒有脸说出来，上次拿走的银票，我还没跟你要哩，你个败家子，木头鬼，我真想一棍子打死你！” 爹这儿显然是没戏可唱，仇家远又把心思动到哥哥家宽头上。哥哥仇家宽眼下虽说还没掌管仇家全部生意，但古浪县城的义字号还有平阳川的善、德二号都归他管，应该说跟他转挪一些银洋还是有希望的。谁知家宽听完他的话，惊乍乍跳起来：“我说兄弟，你咋还执迷不悟，银子哥是舍得，可哥舍不得你的命！”说完，骑马去了古浪县城。仇家远万般无奈，只好跟嫂嫂商量。嫂嫂也是浑身的劲换不来一个好办法，最后，抱着一线希望说：“要不，你去青石岭一趟，跟我娘家爹说说？” 就这样，仇家远硬着头皮来到了青石岭。 仇家远刚刚被管家老橛头安顿到后院客房住下，嫂嫂二梅的脚步便到了。原来，二公子仇家远离开平阳川自己的家时，并没跟仇达诚说实话，仇达诚跟青石岭的亲家水二爷一向嘴和心不和，他见不惯水二爷山沟沟里小财主那副嘴脸，加上去年仇家跟水家合着做白牦牛的生意，水二爷暗中将青石岭以外的牦牛肉混杂到白牦牛肉中，想赚昧心钱，被精明老到的仇达诚给发现。生意非但没做成，反把两家的关系做僵硬了。若不是嫂嫂二梅从中周旋，怕是仇水两家来往的路就断了。二公子仇家远骗爹说：“眼下待在家里不安全，我还是回姑父给我找的地方吧。”仇达诚自然乐意，又怕他再动歪脑子，把自个最放心的伙计三朵子打发出来，叮嘱道：“一路盯紧点，他要是敢乱跑，就拿绳子捆。”谁知三朵子早让嫂嫂二梅私下串通好了，三个人合着跟仇达诚演了一场戏。 二梅是怕娘家爹把家远撵出来，爹对小叔子家远的态度，二梅清楚得很。仇家远前脚上路，她便找借口跟公公说要来青石岭一趟。公公虽然对娘家爹水二爷有看法，对她，却是另眼相待。只要她提出的请求，公公很少反对。 二梅这趟来，是帮小叔子仇家远的。 二公子仇家远选在黑饭吃过夜幕初合的时分来到水二爷的上房，上房里没别人，每天这个时候，都是水二爷捧着烟枪过烟瘾享日子的好工夫。水二爷爱抽两口，这点跟他两个亲家有很大不同，前些年水家在青石岭种大烟发烟财的时候，仇达诚几乎要天天诅咒水家，言辞之尖利恶毒，也只有仇达诚说得出口。不过仇家远倒不认为抽大烟种大烟是多么可耻的一件事，相反，他挺喜欢青石岭被大烟涂染出来的那一派绚丽景色，满沟满洼的罂粟花一开，整个青石岭便包裹在浓浓的芳香中，那花儿，嫩、艳、绚烂无比，把天地一下衬托得跟仙境一样。真是美啊！仇家远忍不住要发出赞叹。可惜好景不长，就在他为青石岭陶醉时，发了横财的水二爷突然收了手，神神秘秘就把那一望无际的景色给弄没了。 “水家姨父——” 仇家远按乡俗怯怯地叫了一声。 “咕嘟”一声，水二爷咽下一个水泡，没抬眼，手伸进烟盒里，又捏了一个烟嘟儿，往烟枪里放。 “姨父——”仇家远又叫了一声。 水二爷就恼了：“叫魂哩，叫魄哩，没吃饱还是没喝好？！” “姨父，我想跟您挪点钱……”仇家远鼓足勇气，把此行的目的说了出来。“钱？”水二爷的脸上有了颜色，赤红。就在仇家远满含着希望冲他望时，他突然话锋一转，恶恶地说：“我水家欠下你仇家的了？啊！你个奸商家的，还有脸跑这儿提钱！” 仇家远被水二爷呛了个满面红，但事情急迫，他还是厚着脸皮说：“姨父，您先甭生气，听我把话说明。” “说你个脚后跟！去，我没工夫听！” 水二爷跟仇家远一高一低地吵闹着，二梅跟英英走了进来，两人刚吃过饭，到后院找家远，家远不在，心想八成是来了爹这儿。刚进门，就听爹扯直了声音骂：“你仇家不是势大得很么，不是有你们的仁义河么，咋个，也跑来跟我哭穷了？” “爹——”水英英叫了一声。 “去，没你说话的份。”水二爷斥了英英一句。 仇家远红着脸，盯了英英一眼。英英被她爹一呛，性子上来了，走过去站家远边上。“家远哥，你跟爹提钱做啥？” 仇家远吞吞吐吐，不敢正视水英英。 “说呀，提钱做啥？”水英英不高兴了，家远的事她一点不知道，她从来不关心家远是国民党还是共产党，这跟她无关，她心里，家远就是她想着念着的人，这人在凉州城教书，又是平阳川有名的阔少，咋个会缺钱哩？ “英英！”见妹妹不明就理死问乱问，二梅赶忙制止。英英却突地转向父亲：“不就借个钱么，你发那么大脾气给谁看，谁家没个不方便的时候？” "you--?" 水二爷啪地扔了烟枪，怒瞪住女儿英英，气得说不出话。 二梅赶忙陪着笑脸劝：“爹，你就少生点气，家远也是有事急用钱，又不是不还你。” “家远，家远，叫得比你亲爹还亲。我还当你是跑来看我的，原来是串通好跑来坑我的！”水二爷将烟枪在桌上猛地一磕，冲二梅翻了几下白眼。 “爹！”二梅让爹这一说，顿时臊红了脸。抬高声音道：“谁都是坑你的，这世上就你一个人清白。” “就是嘛，把钱看得比啥都重，家远哥这么远的来，连个好脸子也不给，人家欠你金了还是欠你银了？”英英接话道。 “你个白眼狼，少替他说话！” “就说！” 水英英一屁股坐椅子上，索性跟爹吵起嘴来。吵着吵着，目光就回到了家远脸上。姐姐二梅看见了那目光，心里暗暗担忧，嘴上，却还在帮家远说话。 这一天的水家，算是热闹了一阵子，水二爷在两个女儿的围攻下，险些无词。不过他心里正得很，任凭你说得比唱得还好听，钱，我是一个子儿没有！水英英气坏了，气疯了，爹这样做，太驳她的面子。她一把抓住仇家远：“家远哥，走，不跟他借，让他搂着钱睡觉去。” “哼！”水二爷在后面重重哼了一声。 仇家远碰了钉子，心情沉重，筹不到钱，药商那儿就不给货，陆军长交给他的任务，就无法完成。他再也无心思听英英说什么。水英英倒是激动得很，一连说了好些爹的坏话，可惜仇家远仍旧闷着脸，没一点响应，水英英忽就来了气：“钱，钱，钱，你干嘛要跟他提钱！” 水英英真是不想提钱的，也烦他们提钱。她跟仇家远好久没见过面了，她想抓住这个机会，好好跟他说说心里话。 水英英有一肚子的话要跟家远说，可惜，管家老橛头不让她说。 管家老橛头奉命将水英英连拖带拽带到了南院，仇家远走出屋子，来到后院的空场子。此时夜幕已经很浓，沉沉的夜幕牢牢地裹住这座富得流油的院子，空气里也飘着一股股殷实味儿。这味儿跟平阳川他家的味儿不同，却又是那么的相同。一嗅见这味儿，仇家远就忍不住要困惑，革命已进行了多年，为什么还有这么多人沉睡在黑夜里？他的耳畔响起陆军长那忧国忧民的声音：“如果这些家底殷实的财主不能发动起来，革命的道路将会异常艰难。” 过了好长时间，院里各屋都已安静，风把白日的喧嚣早已吹得干净，仇家远寻思着自己也该进屋睡觉了，正欲转身，院里突然响出一阵碎响，随着一阵出踏出踏的脚步声，仇家远看见一个黑影儿朝他移来。水家大院占地相当大，跟水二爷住的上院比起来，后院简直能称得上空旷。单是他脚下的这个空场子，就比他家的祖宅还大。仇家远警觉地竖起耳朵，目光也警惕地朝黑影儿望去。这是他多年养成的习惯，但凡在黑夜里听见声响，都会不由自主变得警惕。等黑影儿快到身前时，他下意识地喊了一声：“谁？” 黑影儿吓得憷一下，手里提着的锨腾地掉地上。 等两个人互相看清对方，都倒吸了一口冷气，心旋即也放松。 “我叫拾粮。”黑影儿说。 “拾粮？”仇家远疑惑地盯住面前这个瘦小的男人，跟着问：“我咋没听过？”“回……回……”拾粮一时想不起该把这个陌生人称呼啥，只好道：“回你的话，我是院里新来的长工。” 长工？ 一声尖利的惊叫划破黎明时，位于青石岭山脚下的这座豪宅陷入了混乱。惊叫是由院主人水二爷发出的。水二爷昨黑睡得不是十分踏实，一直担心三女英英会不会偷偷溜到后院去，半夜里他起来过一趟，脚步子像猫似的往后院那边去，他已想好，要是让他抓到啥把柄，他会跟仇家没完。还好，他站在后院外面的石墩上，屏住呼吸偷听了一阵，后院静静的，一点儿异常也没。细一看，那间小客房安静得就像庙一般，心里这才有了着落。往回走时，就听得内心里发出一阵阵窃笑，跟我借钱，你爹都没打我手里借到过一分，就凭你？这么想着，目光越过院里几棵树，朝南院探去。南院更是显出几分死寂。死寂就好，吃里扒外的东西，养你这么大，不替你爹想想，倒向着外人了。想到这儿，水二爷暗暗下了个决心，是该紧着跟她张罗婚事了，不能眼睁睁看着女儿让人拐走。 这三女，可是他留着养老的呀。 水二爷早就打定主意，要给三小姐水英英招个上门女婿，这事他跟老五糊略略提过几次，可惜眼下峡里峡外还没哪一个后生让他看中眼。 天刚蒙蒙儿亮，水二爷便醒来了。醒来的头一件事，便是上帐房看看。每天早起和晚睡，到帐房看一趟是水二爷这辈子铁定了的功课。水家的帐房跟一般财主家不同，一般财主家比如平阳川仇家还有东沟何家，帐房就在东家睡的屋里，也有单独拿一间房当帐房的，但至少跟东家睡的屋有道门，这样照管起钱财来就方便。水家不，水家的帐房在地窖里，这是水二爷别出心裁的主意。建这座院子时，水二爷悄悄从上院一棵树下挖了个坑道，挖进去很深，然后在地下建了一间房。这房，就是专门用来藏水家银子的。第二年，他又不放心，将原来那条通道改了，将进出帐房的窖口跟上院一间堆杂物的屋子连起来，这样，他进出帐房的时候，院里人只当他是进那屋拿东西。他也确确实实每次都从那屋里拿出件破东西。 这个早晨，水二爷往杂物房去的时候，心是澎湃着的，想一想里面堆满的银两，还有稀儿怪儿值钱的玩意，他就没法不激动。这可是他一辈子的心血呀。想想当初，他从万忠台被哥哥水老大撵出来，孤苦伶仃流落到青风峡，那是多么的可怜。这才短短二十年，他就成了青石岭的大财主，家财万贯，哟嘿嘿，不敢想，真不敢想。水二爷这么激动着，掏出一把铜钥匙，朝院里四下望了望，没人。也真是，这大早的，天还没亮透，咋个会有人？他哧地一笑，为自己的小诡计得意了一下，这长的日子，院里上下，竟然没一个人知道这杂物房的秘密。谁都知道他水二爷的银子多，多得放不下，但就是不晓得在哪放。门吱吜一声，开了。进门的一瞬，他的目光还是不放心地朝院里扫了一下，确信自己眼里没看到啥，这才放放心心往里走。等他拿起顶门杠子朝里顶门时，那一声惊叫便响了出来。水家的地窖大开着！ 天呀，地窖大开着！ 水二爷喊了一声，忙就捂了嘴。他是吓坏了，吓得乱了方寸。后来他怪自己，这事，咋能乱喊哩？ 可等他慌慌张张钻进地窖，沿着长长的地道跑进帐房，不喊，就由不得他了。“贼，贼，贼啊——” 水二爷跌跌撞撞，跑出了帐房，跑出了杂物房，门都没顾上锁，就把偌大的院子喊得要炸顶了。 “天老爷啊，贼，贼，贼偷了我的银子啊——” 等管家老橛头带人跑到上院时，水二爷已捶胸顿足，瘫地上拉不起来。 水家进了贼，而且径直溜进帐房，拿走了水二爷不少银两！ “银两，银两，我的命呀——”水二爷近乎哭起了丧。 管家老橛头带人就要往杂物房扑，水二爷腾地打地上站起：“老橛头，你个糊涂鬼，贼还能在里面么？”没等老橛头转身，他一个闪身扑过去，牢牢地锁上了杂物房。 贼的确不在里面，贼早跑了！ 跟贼一同跑掉的，还有两个人。仇家二公子仇家远，水家三女子水英英！ 等人们从惊吓和忙乱中稳下神，细一琢磨，全就笑了。 Laughed. 当下，水二爷就将二女子二梅叫来，喝问道：“说，是不是你定下的计？！”“爹！”水二梅哭笑不得。 “少叫我爹！”水二爷一把打开管家老橛头递过来的烟枪，怒冲冲瞪住二女子二梅，恨不得一口吃了她。确信帐房里进的是家贼后，水二爷第一个就想到二梅。帐房的通道还有窖口，他只跟二女子二梅提过，那一年他病了，病得很重，怕一口气缓不过，双腿一蹬扔下这个世界走了，就抓着二梅的手，跟她把帐房的事说了，没想……“仇家的，你要气死我呀——” “爹，真的不是我。”水二梅又急又气。她相信这事是妹妹英英所为，但昨儿黑她跟英英是一起睡的，英英啥时起来偷钱，啥时又跟仇家远跑，她一点不知晓。 “不是你？不是你她咋知道那窖口？” 水二梅让爹给问住了，是呀，妹妹咋知晓那个窖口？爹在病榻上跟她说完窖口的事时，再三叮嘱，这事千万不能说出去，就算他死了，也要替他守住这个秘密。爹尤其不放心英英，说哪天她不把他养老送终，家里挣的钱，她一个子儿也甭想得到。 爹是想拿这些钱拴住英英的心哩。 可钱确确实实是英英拿走的，这一点压根不用怀疑。天大亮后还不见英英面，跑后院又找不见仇家远，水二梅心里，啥都清楚了。这事，也只有英英做得出。“找呀，还楞着做甚，就是把青风峡挖三尺，也要把这个吃里扒外的东西给我抓回来！”见管家老橛头楞在屋里，水二爷气不打一处来地叫嚣道。 这一天，水家大院乱了个说不成。天黑以后，派出去找人的人一个个回来，全都垂头丧气，打不起精神。一看那脸色，就知道连个人毛也没抓住。 水家三小姐水英英干了一件惊天动地的事，她偷了爹的银两，跟她相爱的人私奔了！ 水二爷轰走三朵子和二梅的第五个日子，英英和仇家远还是没有消息。水二爷大病一场，差点背过气去。管家老橛头连夜打东沟请来冷中医，两副药下去，人是能翻起身了，不过，心，却狠狠地让三女英英剜了一刀。随后，一句死头子话说下去：“不准找，不准打听，是死是活由她！”见众人犯惑，他又道：“不就那几个银子么，让她拿了去，看她能跑到天尽头！”院里人也是让这话给吓住了，真就没人再敢去找。漫长的五天过去了，气愤中的水二爷像是一下老了五年。这天后晌，他无比沮丧地走进后院，空荡荡的场子里，没一点生气。他望着突然灰蒙下来的天空发了会呆，然后就往马厩去。这些日子，他连自己的走马都懒得有心情看了，想想，那可是他花五头白牦牛换来的呀，要是走马再有个三长两短，他可真就不想活了。这么想着，脚步已到了后院马厩前。盖得相当气派的马厩里，来自西沟的长工拾粮正默无声息地提着个水桶发呆。水二爷张开鼻子闻了闻，感觉怪怪的，平日里一走进后院就能闻到的那股马粪味儿，居然不见了。使劲嗅了几口，还是没闻到。当下，他就火火地说：“谁把味儿赶跑了？” 他的喝骂吓醒了拾粮。十五岁的长工拾粮一见是东家，忙忙地提上水桶就去打水。水二爷喝住他，问：“你叫啥？” 拾粮不解地盯他半天，道：“回二爷话，我叫拾粮。” “拾粮，多达来的？” 达是青风峡一带的土话，意思跟哪里，啥时差不多。一听水二爷这么问，拾粮赶忙弓下腰答：“二爷，我来有些日子了。” “有些日子？”水二爷疑惑地眨了下眼，忽然就想起老五糊来。看，咋个把这事儿给忘了，真是老了，不中用了。 “你是西沟来路家的吧？” "Ok." “来路这人哪，苦，苦，比我苦。”水二爷说着，走过去，手抚住十五岁的拾粮，像是动了啥感情。抚着抚着，又问：“味儿是你赶跑的？” “味儿？”拾粮让他问得一怵一怵，心想东家不会是患了啥病吧。 “算了，跟你也说不