Chapter 6 Chapter 5 Apprenticeship
At the end of June, when the air was filled with the strong aroma of herbs, a secret happened in a small guest room in the backyard of the Shui family compound.According to the rules of the pharmacist profession, Liu Xicai asked Shiliang to perform a simple apprenticeship ceremony and kowtow three times, and he was accepted as his disciple.
Pharmacist Liu Xicai called Shiliang into the room, and called out, "Baby, sit down."
This was a few days later, Liu Xicai did not go to the field, he said he was not feeling well, so he rested in the house for a day.Picking up grain also did not go to Langlaoyatai because of other things.
Picking up the food was a little dazed.Liu Xicai had always called him food, but he was not used to calling out a baby all of a sudden.Liu Xicai said again: "Baby, sit down."
To collect food, we had to step up and down the edge of the kang.
Pharmacist Liu Xicai stared at Shiliang, his gaze was warm at one moment, wet at another, and turned into a cloud at another, making it hard to fathom, why is he looking like that?
"Uncle—" Shiliang groaned softly.
Pharmacist Liu Xicai moved, it was his body that moved, but Shiliang felt that the whole room was moving, the sky was moving, and my uncle's heart was moving even more.
"Baby, let me ask you, do you want to be a pharmacist?" Pharmacist Liu Xicai suddenly asked.In Shiliang's heart, he was paralyzed by the question at once, and the question was so tight that he didn't dare to answer it.
"Raise your head!" Pharmacist Liu Xicai suddenly raised his voice, and with his gaze, he forced the frightened Gailiang. "Tell uncle, do you want to be a pharmacist in your heart?"
Picking up food, hesitating, for a long time, said timidly: "Uncle, I think, I really want..."
"Then tell uncle, what do you do as a pharmacist?"
Shiliang never thought about this matter. From the first day his father let him go on the road, he remembered one thing in his heart. People can't always be poor when they are alive. I look down on myself.But these have nothing to do with being a pharmacist. I want to be a pharmacist after I followed Liu Xicai, no, I sat with my father in the backyard straw shed all night, no, it was earlier than that, it should be the first ray of medicine on Qingshiling After incense.
"Speak." Pharmacist Liu Xicai was obviously eager to know the answer.
"Uncle, I don't know, I just want to be a pharmacist."
This answer was completely beyond Liu Xicai's expectations, but it also allowed Liu Xicai to see the other side of picking up grain. This kid is honest and hasn't learned to lie yet.
"Okay, let me ask you again, one day in the future, when you become a pharmacist, what is the first thing you want to do?" Shiliang thought for a while, and answered a little more calmly than before: "Let Dad live a good life. "
"and also?"
"Don't let people die in the ditch, take medicine to save them."
Pharmacist Liu Xicai stared at Shiliang blankly, for a moment, grabbed Shiliang, and hugged him tightly, tears welled up at this moment, in his heart, in the unknown secret, in his whole life. In a large area of pain.
"Kneel down!" Pharmacist Liu Xicai suddenly shouted.
Picking up food for no apparent reason, with a plop, he knelt down for Liu Xicai.
At the end of June, when the air was filled with the strong aroma of herbs, a secret happened in a small guest room in the backyard of the Shui family compound.According to the rules of the pharmacist profession, Liu Xicai asked Shiliang to perform a simple apprenticeship ceremony and kowtow three times, and he was accepted as his disciple.Then, he picked up the food with both hands, and said in a voice that he had never heard before: "Baby, remember, from now on, you are my Liu Xicai's legs, Liu Xicai's feet, and even my Liu Xicai's eyes. I am Liu Xicai If you have the ability to do this, you can take it all away, but there is one thing, you can't do it until you die."
"Uncle, which one?"
"Medicine is used to save people, not to harm people."
Pick up food and nod heavily.
"It's not just medicine. Being a pharmacist means turning yourself into medicine. There's a reason for being a human being. Do you remember it for the rest of your life?"
"Remember. Don't harm people, only save people."
"Okay, from now on, you will be a blind medicine, a bitter medicine, a good medicine, the medicine that can endure the pain, endure the humiliation, endure the collapse of the world, and only save people."
Shi Liang nodded again.
"Well, next, I will teach you three things. You must keep these three things in mind. If you violate any of them, uncle will not forgive you. The relationship between you and uncle lies in these three rules. If you commit any crimes, you will go away." , uncle will not leave you for a moment."
This time Shiliang didn't nod, but bit his lips tightly with his teeth.
A stream of blood oozed out.
Dark red blood.
"Plant medicine with your heart, the medicine is you, and you are the medicine. When the medicine prospers, you prosper, and the medicine defeats you. The medicine is your heart, the medicine is your flesh, and the medicine is your sister."
"The sea of medicines is vast, and all herbs are medicines. Only take their essence and identify their gender. Medicines can save people, but they can even harm others. Whether it saves or harms, it depends on your ability. From now on, you must be familiar with all kinds of herbs. Memorize the principles of medicine firmly, so that the eyes, ears, hands, nose, and heart can understand the medicine. Uncle Cao only teaches you three times, remember it, three times, and whether you can remember it is all up to you."
"Medicine is different from medicine. The principle of medicine is to prescribe the right medicine and save people with medicine. The principle of medicine lies in how ten thousand herbs can extract the essence of heaven and earth, and collect the aura of mountains. A pharmacist is to integrate mountains, rivers, heaven and earth into one herb. Remember, What you are planting is not medicine, but spiritual energy. If medicine is ineffective, it is a plant of grass. If a person is ineffective, it is a corpse..."
Pharmacist Liu Xicai was still talking, but his heart was so heavy that he couldn't hold it anymore.
After that, Shiliang changed and became another person.No matter in the fields or in the stables in the backyard, picking grain is like a ghost. No matter working or walking, the mouth is always moving, but it doesn't make a sound.Uncle Xicai can really do it, one kind of medicine, I really only talk about it three times, from planting to picking, from leaves to stems, petals, medicinal properties, and pharmacology, I only talk about it three times. I will never mention this matter again.Whether you can write it down or not depends entirely on Shiliang.Shiliang is illiterate, and some words have never been heard before, but he has a pair of ears and a heart, from the ears to the heart, from the heart to the mouth, and what Uncle Xicai said, he swallowed it first and wrote it down .take note of it.
"This baby is a god baby." One day, a pharmacist surnamed Cao said this in surprise when he overheard Shiliang reciting it to Uncle Xicai.Just as he was about to pick up grain, Uncle Xicai gave him a wicked look: "Go, wash my socks!"
The superficial calm of the Shui Family Courtyard could not conceal its civil strife and panic. On this day, the county magistrate Kong Jiexi rode a green mule to Qingshiling.The county magistrate, Kong Jiexi, has been waiting for Second Master Shui in the county seat. Second Master Shui made the right judgment. Kong Jiexi was trapped by money. He invited Second Master Shui to the county seat just to discuss borrowing money from him.Second Master Shui didn't go, so Kong Jiexi knew that the way to borrow money was blocked by Second Master Shui.
It was the adjutant Qiu Jiayuan who went out to meet him.Adjutant Qiu Jiayuan has won the favor and respect of Second Master Shui ever since he showed his extraordinary ability in picking grass. Now he has a very high status in the compound.Except for the father and daughter of the Shui family, he always said the same thing to others.
The two shook hands and walked into the yard one after the other. The housekeeper, Old Prongtou, came to take the reins of the mule, and said in a very strange tone: "The magistrate also rides a mule?" The magistrate Kong Jiexi ignored the housekeeper. The old man looked anxiously at the upper courtyard.Adjutant Qiu Jiayuan said: "The second master went to Xigou to see his in-laws."
"In-laws?" County Magistrate Kong Jiexi didn't realize it for a moment.
"That's where the cave-cutter came from." Qiu Jiayuan said.
Kong Jiexi let out an oh, his face was a little dark.He just came from Pingyangchuan, and the business of the Qiu family in Liangzhou City had some problems. Some people took a fancy to the business of the Qiu family and wanted to take it for themselves. It really took a lot of trouble, but fortunately, the matter was handled better than expected better.He and Qiu Dacheng repeatedly discussed this matter, and at the moment, Qiu Jiayuan should not know about it, lest he would be distracted, the young man is young, and he is an adjutant, so don't get excited and cause trouble.
"How is it? Is there any movement in Liangzhou City?" Qiu Jiayuan asked.
Kong Jiexi knew what he was asking, shook his head, and smiled wryly, "It's bloody."
"Don't blame yourself. Right now, the city of Xi'an is very tense. Even the army chief is afraid to speak." Kong Jiexi nodded. Right now, the Kuomintang and the Communist Party are in a turmoil. When he left Liangzhou City a few days ago, he heard the news of the murder again.This time, a big figure from the Communist Party of Liangzhou City was captured, as well as the black three in Heifenggu, who were also secretly executed.His wife has a loud voice and is now in jail.
The two of them were talking, when the butler came in with a teapot in his hands, and was eager to pour tea. The county magistrate, Kong Jiexi, hurriedly changed the conversation and asked, "How is the growth of the medicine recently?"
"Okay, okay, God seems to have eyes, the rain is extraordinarily hard, and the sun is also strong."
"Adjutant Qiu, you still said God has eyes, God, I think he's blind." The housekeeper, Old Prong, answered.The county magistrate, Kong Jiexi, didn't answer, took the teacup and took a sip.Then, put on a tired posture.The butler, Old Prongtou, hurriedly offered hospitality and said, "Why don't I spread a quilt for you, so you can take a nap first?"
The county magistrate Kong Jiexi was lying on the kang pretending to be asleep, and the adjutant Qiu Jiayuan hurried to the carport.This carriage shed was specially vacated by Second Master Shui for him. Inside, the mysterious objects he brought from the carriage last time were locked.The housekeeper, Lao Yantou, has been trying to solve the mystery here, but unfortunately, Second Master Shui said, whoever dares to take an extra step to the carport, don't blame anyone for breaking his leg.
At lunch time, Second Master Shui rode back to Qingshiling, and when he entered the door, he said, "This dream is true, true." Second Master Shui suddenly decided to visit his in-laws because of a strange dream.Waking up in the morning, Second Master Shui said that he had dreamed of Bao'er, and Bao'er entrusted him with the dream, and she felt uneasy over there picking up grass. She was worried about her father's arrival, and said that the Shui family's mansion was in the compound, but her father lived in a dilapidated cave dwelling. When it rained, the cave was too leaky for people to stand on.After thinking about it, Second Master Shui decided to go to Xigou. No matter what he said, he couldn't make the new wife feel at ease.As a result, I went to Xigou, and I saw that the kiln I came from could not live in adults.
"Oh, it's time to tidy up his broken kiln."
The old butler took advantage of the situation and said, "How about building a new yard for his house?"
"New courtyard? Do you think my Shui family has gold and silver mountains? Tomorrow, I will send a few people, pull up some pillars, and build a canopy at the entrance of the kiln." The housekeeper, Old Prong, nodded disappointedly. With the opportunity to build a house on the way, I also built two wing rooms in my own home. It seems that the wishful thinking was done early.After settling things down, Second Master Shui asked, "Has Kong's family arrived?"
The butler, Old Prongtou, nodded hurriedly and said: "Look, I forgot about my business in such a hurry. The county magistrate has been here for a long time, and he has already slept through it."
"Oh?" Second Master Shui walked up the room in a panic.
That night, the lights in the upper room stayed on until dawn.Second Master Shui said, except for the adjutant Qiu Jiayuan, no one is allowed to enter the Upper Court with casual footsteps.Adjutant Qiu Jiayuan was more like a loyal guard, guarding the door of the upper room all night.No one knows what the county magistrate Kong Jiexi had secretly discussed with Shui Laoer, the rich man in Qingshiling.The next day when the sun was shining red on Qingshiling, the county magistrate Kong Jiexi got up and left the Shuijia compound. People could clearly see that his face was dark.
The majestic and steep Qingshiling is suddenly colorful and enchanting.The traditional Chinese medicine that has absorbed enough rain and sunshine seems to have bloomed overnight. Licorice is the first to bloom. The bell-shaped calyx surrounds the butterfly-like corolla, and it blooms densely, or purple red, or blue purple. Let the Qingshiling in July be beautiful and gorgeous.Then there is Astragalus. Once the yellow corolla is in full bloom, the whole mountain will appear rich and noble.Standing on the top of the ridge, the colorful petals surround people's eyes, as if Qingshiling has become a sea of flowers, a world of flowers.In people's memory, apart from wild flowers and weeds, Qingshiling only has the fragrance of poppies.But today, this colorful and gorgeous scene simply makes people suffocate.The drug grower enjoyed the illusion brought by the two pharmacists amidst the excitement of yo yo.
On the stage of Lang Laoya, a small figure gathering food was hidden in the sea of flowers. Looking from a distance, that thin figure seemed to be squeezed dry by the flowers.Pharmacist Liu Xicai followed behind him, watching him make the medicine without saying a word.Dosing and fertilizing while picking up food: "Astragalus membranaceus, plant form, perennial herb. Stems are erect, with branches in the upper part. Racemes are axillary; calyxes are bell-shaped, densely pubescent, with 5 calyx teeth; corolla yellow, flag The petals are oblong and obovate, and the wing petals and keel petals have long claws; the flowering period is June to July, and the fruiting period is July to September."
Liu Xicai smiled slightly when he heard this.
After eating the waist food, the two of them squatted on the hillside and chatted as usual.Recently, the two of them chatted more and more, and talked more and more about picking up food. Only at this time, the old and the young seemed relaxed, and they seemed to match the fairy scene set off by the flowers all over the mountains and fields.During the casual chatter, the pharmacist Liu Xicai already had a general understanding of Shiliang's life experience, but there was one thing that had been stuck in his mind, and he couldn't ask it. Today, Liu Xicai planned to fight it out.
"Boy, talk to uncle, why did your sister get sick?"
Shiliang was silent for a long time, but he didn't open his mouth. Seeing that his uncle really wanted to hear, he moved his buttocks and started talking.
It's all the fault of the third fool.
Three years ago, on the day when the green covered everything, San Han, the shepherd, seemed to be competing with picking grass, and insisted on singing this little girl upside down.After singing August, San Hanye went on to sing September:
Peach and plum blossoms in September Nine ah Chongyang My little sister and I are quarreling! The fragrance of flowers is going to be a quarrel! The flower cotton robe, the little sister was so excited to pick up the grass that it was wrapped around three times. She rolled her hands into a trumpet, raised her neck and sang:
November’s Peach and Plum Blossom Dongzi Festival My little sister and I made a meal of Dongzi. My little sister tastes delicious. December’s peach and plum blossoms are in full swing. One year, the sedan chair is married, the girl is married. What a talented girl! My little sister looks pink and pretty. As soon as she finished singing, she picked up grass and saw an eagle flying over from the sky, and flew over her head in Sanye.Picking up grass and hawks yelled and danced.The Sanhan Master on the top of the mountain also saw the eagle, he said ahhh twice, and shouted: "Gather the grass, be careful."
Before the words were finished, the hovering eagle suddenly swooped down, straight, flapping its wings, and came up to pick up the grass.Picking up the grass was so frightened that he screamed, and just about to turn around and run away, the eagle had already arrived in front of him.
The eagle named Peng must have taken picking up grass for something, and people said so afterwards, even He Dakun from Donggou also believed that the eagle took picking up grass for something.No one can tell what it has become, but it is definitely not a human being!He Dakun said with certainty that he had never seen an eagle pounce on a living person, could it be?He Dakun finished talking halfway, leaving a lot of suspense for people to guess.As a result, various legends about picking grass resounded in the ditch.The family didn't bother to listen. Although the eagle named Peng didn't pick up the grass that the girl picked up, it played in Sanye for half an hour. It was neither high nor low. In the sound of ahhh, the eagle seemed to be very excited, but it didn't directly attack the pick grass, as if it had some kind of malice, deliberately taking the pick grass for fun.The two huge wings made a thunderous sound, shaking the eardrums of picking grass.On the day of picking up grass, I experienced a catastrophe more terrifying than death, until San Hanye rolled down from the top of the mountain, rolled down to Sanye, and made a posture of risking his life with the eagle. The eagle called Peng Only then did he let out a wave of ridicule as if he had played enough, and fluttered away.
At this time, Shicao had already passed out, and the third fool rushed towards Shicao with howls and yells. No popularity at all.
A well-behaved girl became like this because of an eagle.
There was silence on the hillside, and the speakers and listeners all had expressions: horror, fear, shock, and then dazed, suffocating like death.
In the fine wind, waves of little peach plums floated:
The peach blossoms in July, the Niu Lang Hui in the seventh month of the seventh month, the Weaver Girl Niu Lang’s elder brother is in the east of the river, and the little sister Zhinu is in the Hexi... The days are fleeting, July will pass quickly, and August will soon pass.The increasingly tense smell in the Shui family compound made everyone raise their hearts high, maybe something would happen suddenly one day.
The tension still comes from the war, and more and more news is pouring in from outside. Some people say that the Japanese have occupied most of China’s lands and mountains. Some people say that the Japanese are about to wipe out the Kuomintang army. The split between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party gave Little Japan a chance.
The tighter the battle, the tighter the news about the medicinal materials, and the tighter the smell of the Shui family compound.
The only thing that doesn't matter is Shui Yingying.From July to August, Shui Yingying suddenly became active in the medicine fields. This was a new thing. Even Shui Erye was shocked by Yingying's changes.Every time he saw Yingying going to the field, he would run over from a distance: "What are you doing in the field, the work is done by servants." Shui Yingying ignored her father, and continued to walk towards the field. walk.The Chinese medicine in the field rushed towards Gaoli, making Yingying feel itchy in her heart, so she couldn't help but jumped in, and followed Aunt Wu's example, pulling weeds or fertilizing the medicine.A gust of wind blew, and the green waves connected to the green waves, almost drowning her.Yingying's heart was infected by the traditional Chinese medicine, and it also turned green.She began to learn to do farm work seriously, and like an honest farmer, she gave herself to the ground.After a few days, her face turned dark, and the sun spread the blackness to her neck. Anyone who looked at it felt distressed, but she didn't feel distressed.Sometimes, her footsteps would slip to Langlaoyatai, behind Liu Xicai and Shiliang.Shiliang's concentrated appearance attracted her, and the mysterious babble in her mouth also aroused her curiosity. She would ask abruptly, "What are you babbling about, can you speak louder?"
When Shi Liang heard it, he would be startled, and when he saw that it was Miss San, his face would turn red.But he definitely didn't dare to talk nonsense with the third lady, so he could only smile naively.This smile reveals a mouthful of white teeth.It was the first time that Shui Yingying discovered that Shiliang, a long-time worker from Xigou, had beautiful white teeth.This tooth is completely different from that of her man's. Whether it is her father Shui Erye or her younger brother Bao'er, in her memory, the teeth are all burnt yellow, the same color as the smoky Kang cave.Even her two brother-in-laws didn't have such white teeth, let alone such good-looking ones.
With this teething, Shui Yingying began to like this little long-term worker from Xigou.
So, when she was in a good mood, she would take the initiative to walk over and ask some irrelevant topics.For example, how many households in Xigou and what kind of houses do they live in?Yingying Donggou has been there, because her eldest sister is there, and she is very unfamiliar with Xigou. She only knows that there is such a place, but she doesn't know what kind of people live there.After listening to Shiliang's answer, she realized that the two ditches in the east and the west are different. Most of the people living in the west ditch are poor people who escaped from the famine. of a dream.
"Work hard, if you really can learn your skills, I'll ask dad to build you a courtyard house." On this day, Yingying suddenly said such a sentence, and Liu Xicai, who was walking in front, turned her eyes away in shock.
From July to August, another thing that happened to the third lady Yingying was that she no longer had any cold eyebrows with the adjutant Qiu Jiayuan.It's not that she and Qiu Dayuan resumed their previous relationship, no, she just figured out one thing, he is an adjutant now, and he came here to help her family earn money, not the reckless naughty boy before, nor the second sister Shui Ermei's brother-in-law is a celebrity around Xi'an Army Commander, the county magistrate, Kong Jiexi, will be courteous when he sees him.Thinking about it this way, the lump in my heart disappeared, really gone.When facing him again, the eyes will be calm, and the heart will be calm.
Frankly.Shui Yingying is most afraid that she will not be calm, and now she has managed to be calm.So, she resumed talking and joking with Qiu Jiayuan, and sometimes she would make a joke or two, but it was only a sentence or two, and then she left, and she no longer missed him as much as before.
Shui Yingying learned to discard the things she couldn't linger on, and this was her biggest harvest from July to August.
In the beginning of September, mint, motherwort and other Chinese herbal medicines began to be harvested, and the days became busy.At this time, pharmacist Liu Xicai brought a message from his hometown, saying that his old mother was dying and had to go back to take care of the funeral.The adjutant Qiu Jiayuan refused at first, saying: "It's the time when you are busy, who will worry about collecting and drying the medicine when you leave?" Second Master Shui also said the same thing: "You have been busy for more than half a year, and you can't make it to the end?"
"To the end? My old lady is dead, can I still hold it to the end?" Pharmacist Liu Xicai was worried about his old lady, and his tone of voice was bad.
Second Master Shui coughed dryly, even though he was unhappy in his heart, he still had to let someone take care of his old mother, otherwise, what would a man do if he had a son?
After discussing and discussing, the adjutant Qiu Jiayuan said: "Go ahead, you can settle the matter of collecting the medicine with Cao Yaoshi more. If your mother is safe, you can go back early." While speaking, he took out a bank note and said: " Take it, it's a long way, don't suffer on the way. Besides, if your mother is really a hundred years old, don't save money and raise a child, you can't let the old man go away empty-handed, and have a big funeral..." Adjutant Qiu Jiayuan Suddenly he couldn't continue, twisted his nose, and stopped talking.Second Master Shui was not easy to dismiss, he hesitated again and again, and said to the housekeeper, "Go and look, if there is something useful in the yard, give me more."
There was nothing to say that night, and the next day I got up early, a green mule came out of the yard with a woolen sack, and the bag was full, picking up food and leading the green mule, weeping while walking.The pharmacist Liu Xicai said: "What are you smoking? It's not that you won't come back. Seeing your ugly appearance, you still want to be a pharmacist."
"uncle--"
"Hold your head up for me, crying, how can you be a man? If you settle down with you, remember?"
"Remember, Uncle."
"Go back, you don't need to send it."
After speaking, he grabbed the rein, pulled it down the earth cliff, jumped onto the green mule, and left.
Shiliang stared at Dacaotan obsessively, until Uncle Xicai's shadow disappeared, and then went to Langlaoyatai alone.After a while, I went to the ground, it was already dark, and I dragged my tired body into the courtyard after picking up food, and suddenly I heard the second master of water drinking: "Come to the Lu family, you come!"
When he arrived at the Upper Court, Second Master Shui couldn't help but slap him and slapped him: "You bastard, what did you steal yesterday?"
Shiliang was dazed by the slap, and after a long while, he asked with a dark mind: "Second Master, what are you talking about, Shiliang doesn't understand."
Snapped!Another one. "You still dare to talk stubbornly? Someone, tie me up and beat me!"
Shuan Wuzi immediately jumped out from the corner of the wall, holding the rope that had been prepared in his hand, and tied up the grain. "Are you talking nicely or badly?" After the tie was finished, Master Shui asked again.
"Second Master, Shiliang really doesn't know what your old man said." At this time, Shiliang was no longer afraid. Looking at the scene in front of him, it seemed that something important happened in the courtyard. Maybe it had something to do with Uncle Xicai, Xicai Uncle will not fail to go, right?
"Call me! See how hard his mouth is!"
There is no room to struggle to pick up the grain, Shuan Wuzi's fists are already falling down, Shuan Wuzi is really hard, his body is much stronger than Shiliang, and his hands are strong, how can Shiliang after working all day can withstand it With such a beating, his eyes were blackened and he fell down.
When he opened his eyes again, he was already lying in the grass shed in the backyard.Standing in front of them were the adjutant Qiu Jiayuan and Cao Yaoshi.Shiliang felt dizzy and swollen, his mouth was bitter and bitter, and his chest felt sharp pain. "Water—" he called out.
"Do you want to drink water?" It was Yaoshi Cao who spoke. "Tell me, baby, tell me what you did in the dark yesterday. If you tell me, there will be water and meat mixed with soup."
Shiliang held back the severe pain and said: "Uncle Cao, what do you want me to say, yesterday was dark, yesterday was dark, I didn't do anything."
"Didn't do it? Then you just lie down." After finishing speaking, Cao Yaoshi went out, looking very angry at picking up food.
Adjutant Chou Jiayuan touched Shiliang's head, then his chest, and said to Mrs. Wu, "Give him a bowl of water." Mrs. Wu quickly brought a bowl of water. He asked again, "What did you really do?"
"No, really not."
"Okay, I believe you."
This statement surprised everyone present, especially Shuan Wuzi.Adjutant Qiu Jiayuan left the crowd and went to the Upper Court.Not long after, the dog ran up and said, "Second Master has spoken, let Brother Shiliang have a bowl of rice first."
Even the adjutant Qiu Jiayuan didn't know what was lost in the Shui family compound, let alone Cao Yaoshi and the others.Adjutant Qiu Jiayuan heard Second Master Shui's yelling loudly at noon, and he was taking a nap at that time.The adjutant Qiu Jiayuan jumped out of the house, and Second Master Shui's yelling rang out in the yard. At noon, the yard was very quiet, and the grassy beach was also very quiet. The people who went to work in the fields ate lunch on the mountain, and the dry food was water radish. , which saves time.Qiu Jiayuan listened for a while, and realized that something might have happened to Second Master Shui, but he didn't rush there.It's not good to hurry there, it makes people think too much, he expanded his chest twice, went back to his room, and waited for Second Master Shui's call.
Until the next afternoon, the five sons of Shuan all returned from Gulang County, but Second Master Shui still didn't call him.It seems that the matter is not too big. Perhaps Second Master Shui had a nightmare. Second Master Shui, who has never taken a nap in his life, tried to take a nap recently, but according to Qiu Jiayuan's observation, he never took a nap. Sleep well.Not everyone can sleep well during the afternoon nap. When he was in Xi’an, the Army Chief never had a restful sleep. He even scolded: “It’s not easy for me to come to this world. I also sleep in the afternoon and sleep late. Isn’t it a good time? They all fell asleep?" Also, Pingyangchuan's father, Qiu Dacheng, never took a nap, and his father had a catchphrase, saying that laziness comes from sleep.Qiu Jiayuan is just the opposite. Ever since he followed the army chief in Xi'an, he has automatically developed the habit of taking a nap. It's not that he is lazy, but the key is that in their job, he must maintain strong energy all the time.The Army Chief has three adjutants in total, and Qiu Jiayuan is the latest to be with the Army Chief. All his habits are learned from the other two adjutants.
Qiu Jiayuan was thinking wildly, when he saw the five sons tied to the dogs, running up the mountain in a panic, after a while, the housekeeper, Old Prongtou, and Mrs. Wu's dogs returned to the courtyard out of breath. .After a long commotion in the upper courtyard, someone came in and said that the second master called him.
When Chou Jiayuan arrived in the upper courtyard, Second Master Shui didn't tell him what happened, but only said: "There is a thief in the courtyard, and one of his important items is missing."
"When did you lose it?"
"It was dark yesterday."
Qiu Jiayuan snorted, somehow, suddenly thought of Liu Xicai, but quickly shook his head again.Shui Erye said: "Adjutant Qiu, you have done great things, this thief is in the courtyard, you must help me catch it, catch me now!"
What is missing?For two days in a row, the adjutant Qiu Jiayuan was thinking about this issue. All signs showed that what Second Master Shui lost was not something valuable, but this thing was very important to Second Master Shui.
It has been three days since he picked up grain, and Wuzi Shuan's beating was so severe that he still hurts so much that he can't move.Second Master Shui seemed to dispel his doubts about him, and specially asked the dog to stay and take care of him.Last night, Yaoshi Cao suddenly came to the hut, kneaded his body, wrapped herbal medicine in a hot towel, and gave him a hot compress for a while, the pain weakened, but the pain in his heart became more intense day by day.
When the setting sun in the afternoon filled the courtyard, Shiliang heard a noise in the stable, thinking that it must be Miss San who came back.On the day of picking up food and being beaten, the third lady, Shui Yingying, went to Donggou, and it was the eldest sister who brought her a letter to let her go.Sure enough, the snorting of the mountain wind sounded in the backyard, and the snorting was very kind.There are more than 20 horses in this yard. You don't need to look at the food, but you can tell exactly which horse it is by listening to it.Especially Shanfeng and Erye's mount Liying, the sound is really special, Shiliang likes these two horses, they are really good horses.
After the sound in the stable disappeared, Shi Liangyuan closed his eyes again. Just as he closed his eyes, the dog's footsteps came.The dog brought a bowl of radish noodle soup and asked him to eat it.Shiliang shook his head and said he couldn't eat. "If you can't eat, you have to eat. People are iron, and rice is steel. If you don't eat a meal, you will be hungry." The dog's mouth is quite sharp. These days, it is thanks to her to take care of the food.
"Where did you learn this?" Shiliang thinks that dogs are interesting, this girl who is not much younger than her sister Shicao, not only can talk, but also is very clever, especially good-natured.Shiliang grew up so big, no one called his brother except his sister Shicao.Now, the dog called "Brother" to the left and "Brother" to the right, which made him feel really comfortable.As soon as I heard this brother, the pain in my body decreased a lot.
"Brother Shiliang, eat it. I made this soup secretly, and the second master didn't know."
Shiliang didn't dare to push any more, struggled to take the bowl, and swallowed it.It is not allowed to secretly cook in the courtyard, if found out, you will be beaten to death, no wonder the dog is looking forward to the courtyard while persuading him.Just after swallowing a few mouthfuls, an egg popped out of the bowl, a soft poached egg!
Shiliang was taken aback, and immediately after, his heart was seized by something.
After eating, the dog is not in a hurry to wash the dishes and destroy the evidence.Standing in front of Shiliang strangely, with eyes flickering, for a long time, he whispered: "Brother Shiliang, do you know, what is missing in the second master's room?"
Shiliang stared wide-eyed, and no one has told him what he lost until now.
"Let me tell you, don't tell anyone." The dog quickly glanced at the backyard, leaned into his ear and said, "A pair of embroidered shoes."
"What?!"
Still in a daze about picking up grain, Shui Yingying's voice came: "Why do you want to plant dirt for others, and beat it indiscriminately? It's a livestock?"
Shiliang hastily struggled to move his body, and the third lady, Shui Yingying, was already in front of her. Seeing Shiliang's useless appearance, Shui Yingying said bitterly: "You didn't open your mouth, why should you be beaten if you didn't steal?"
Shiliang's lips moved, not knowing how to answer.Shui Yingying lifted up his clothes, and she saw the red and blue wounds on Shiliang's body.
"Tie five sons, tie five sons!" Shui Yingying's voice resounded in the backyard, shouting for a long time before remembering that five sons were tied to the field.He sighed bitterly, and asked Shiliang again: "Does it hurt?"
Shiliang insisted, "It doesn't hurt."
"You don't dare to say it hurts, you are worthless, so you can't be better!" As he said, he took something out of his pocket and threw it to Shiliang.When I picked up the food, I saw that it was a pile of plasters.Shui Erye and Yingying both ride horses, and they always have this at home. This thing is expensive, and there is no such thing as Leng TCM. It was Shui Erye who bought it from Liangzhou City.Picking up food was afraid that people would see it, so he hid it in a hurry.
Shui Yingying's voice rang from the kitchen: "Dog, dog, where did you die?"
The dog was probably trying to wipe out the evidence. She was walking fast just now, and if she was half a step slower, the third lady bumped into her. It doesn't matter if she bumps into it, but if the third lady smells the egg, it would be a disaster.Shiliang was worrying about the dog, so he heard the third lady say: "These two days, you are so good at serving Lu's family, pass my word, add two eggs every day, and add half a bowl of white rice soup."
Gathering the food, he was stunned in the thatched shed. He never expected that the third lady of the Shui family would give such instructions.
Later that day, another incident happened in the courtyard. Shui Yingying tied up Wuzi Shuan and beat him.The reason is that Shui Yingying assigned Wuzi Shuan to comb Shanfeng's hair, but Shanfeng refused to do it. Wuzi Shuan looked around and saw that there was no one around, so he beat Shanfeng ruthlessly.
When the Shui family courtyard was covered with harvested herbs, Damei and Ermei came to Qingshiling on the same day.Second Master Shui was sighing at the new helpers in the backyard, telling them to be careful not to trample on the medicine.Ermei called out timidly from behind: "Father."
Second Master Shui turned around, stared in astonishment for a few moments, and suddenly said: "I'm not your father."
Ermei became thinner and darker, her supple skin became rough, her face was loose and even wrinkled.It can be seen how tortured she has been during these days.This torment is all because of the Qiu family's business in Liangzhou City. Second Master Shui only found out not long ago that the person who became greedy for the name of Qiu Jiaren in Liangzhou City was a man named Feng Chuanwu, who was very powerful. Now, he has successively dominated a lot of business from Liangzhou Chengsun and Li two big families, all in the name of the war ahead.If it hadn't been for the magistrate Kong Jiexi and others to deal with it, it is likely that Qiu Jiaren's name would have already been in his hands.For this, I heard that the Qiu family also spent a lot of money, but Qiu Jiayuan, the adjutant who was in charge of planting medicine in Qingshiling, didn't know this, and Ermei and his father-in-law worked together to overcome this storm.
Ermei called again: "Father—"
Second Master Shui turned his head just now, just in time to see a young helper stepping on the medicine, Second Master Shui refused: "Your eyes are filled with excrement, you can't see that it is medicine."
Damei thought her father was throwing a temper tantrum at them, and said unconvinced, "Who are you trying to show off to, come on, Ermei, go find Yingying." As they spoke, the two sisters really walked out.
"Come back, you two outsiders, didn't you see that the courtyard is full of medicine?"
The two stopped at the door of the backyard, waiting for Second Master Shui to come out.I saw Shiliang carrying a sack of medicine on his back, and went around to the upper courtyard.Damei said: "He is the food collector from Xigou Lailu's family. He works hard." Ermei said: "I can keep him if I don't work hard. Who is father, you and I don't know yet?"
Seeing that Shiliang was sweating and sweating, the two of them sighed at the same time, opened their bodies, and made way for Shiliang.The eyes of picking up food slightly swept over the faces of the two of them, and calmly moved away.Er Mei said, "This baby is honest at first glance." Da Mei then said, "No, I heard from the helpers that he has a clever mind and can recite it."
"Really?" Ermei didn't believe it.
“谁会背，乱呔吣。”水二爷正好听到，抢白了一句。
到了上屋，水二爷还阴着个脸，没等二梅开口，就骂：“你家不是忙得脱不开身么，怎么倒有闲工夫串门子来了？”
水二爷骂这话是有原因的，冷个脸也是有原因的。山上四处要收药，水二爷怕他忙不过来，英英尽管能帮忙了，毕竟年岁轻，很多事还指靠不住。水二爷就差拴五子，先后去了东沟和平阳川，想让两个女儿女婿抽几天空，帮他把药收了。没想，她们一个比一个忙，都说腾不开身。女婿忙倒也罢了，毕竟人家不姓水，可大梅跟二梅说忙，水二爷心里就很不是滋味了。眼睁睁看着她爹往死里忙，这号女儿，养了不是白养？水二爷本来就在这事上有疙瘩，大疙瘩，方圆几十里，他惟一被人戳脊梁骨的，就是没个儿子。原指望两个女儿能帮他把这个疙瘩解开，哪知……“爹，我们不是赶过来了么。”大梅知道爹为啥生气，赔着笑道。
“赶过来看你爹的笑声？”水二爷冲大梅恨了一眼。
大梅扑赤一笑：“爹现在发大财，我们巴结还来不及呢，哪敢看笑声。说吧，叫我们做啥？”
“啥也不做，嘴搁便宜了吃。”
“爹——”二梅不高兴了，为回这趟娘家，她跟公公差点吵了嘴，若不是男人家宽心里惦着药，急着让她来，她还来不了呢。
三个人正说着话，英英打地里回来了，一进院，听说两个姐姐来了，药也顾不得往后院放，扔给下人，就朝上院跑来。姐妹仨见了面，甭提多高兴。英英在两个姐姐脸上连着亲了几口，又打又闹的，还嫌不够，嚷着让爹出去。水二爷一看她们三个的亲密劲，心里的气消了。笑着道：“好，好，我出去，我出去，现在我连屋里蹲蹲的权力也没了。”
当天后晌，水家破天荒宰了一只羊，招待自家两个女儿，羊肉的香味弥漫在院里时，水家三个女儿，正按爹的分工，分头把着三摊子，忙着验药晒药装药。等忙到天黑，吃了香喷喷的羊肉饭，姐妹仨再也顾不上爹，钻南院英英屋里说悄悄话去了。
就在同一个晚上，水家大院外面的草滩上，另一对黑影儿，也在唏唏嘘嘘地拉话儿。
斩穴人来路是在天黑时分上路的，他算好了时间，打西沟到青石岭，放快了脚步走，三个时辰就到，正好是水家大院人睡定。果然，他刚在马莲墩上坐下，草滩上便响起熟悉的脚步声。
这马莲墩，是来路和儿子拾粮的暗记，几个月前，来路决计离开水家大院时，就曾牵着儿子拾粮的手，指给他看：“记住了，娃，这地方背风，也避人，往后，爹和你，就在这儿说话。”这以后，来路偷偷来过两次，一次是在拾草咽气前，一次是在拾草咽气后。父子俩，就以这样的方式传递着安慰，传递着牵挂。
拾粮来到马莲墩前，轻轻学了声夜猫子叫，来路忙说：“娃，我来了。”
拾粮蹲下，来路立刻拉过娃的手，哽着嗓子说：“娃，他们，他们又打你了？”拾粮说：“没。”来路把拾粮的手攥得紧紧的：“娃，你不要瞒爹，爹眼不瞎耳不聋，水家咋欺负你的，爹都知道。”
“没。”
“我苦命的娃——”来路说着，就要哭。拾粮忙提醒：“爹，这是在人家眼皮下。”
来路噤了声，抹了把鼻涕，恨恨地甩掉。“娃，忍，刀架脖子上也忍，我不信你熬不出个头。”
拾粮嗯了一声。怕爹伤心，将水家大院最近的变化一一说给爹听，特别是说到三小姐水英英，他的声音都变了：“她对我不像先前那么狠了，还让狗狗给我打荷包蛋。”
来路不相信，以为儿子骗他。拾粮便将挨打前后的经过又说了一遍，来路听得怪怪的：“怎么会呢，三丫头那脾性，出了名的臭，怎么会对你好呢？”
“她是真好，我身上的伤，还是她给的膏药贴好的。”
“好就好，好就好啊，只要三丫头不欺负你，你的日子就好过了。”来路由衷地说。
见爹不再难过，拾粮从怀里掏出一个用大黄叶子包着的鸡蛋，递爹手上：“爹，你吃。”
“娃，哪来的。”
“狗狗给的。”
“你吃。”
“我吃了好几个哩，这个，爹吃。”
父子俩推让半天，来路终究还是抵挡不过鸡蛋的诱惑，剥皮吃了。
草滩上飘起一股淡淡的蛋香味儿。
来路心里，升腾起一股子做爹的幸福。
吃完蛋，来路打了个嗝，又问：“这阵子，学下啥了？”
“叔走了，没人教我，我自个揣磨着哩。”
“你喜财叔的事爹听说了，没他，你更要用功。对了，曹药师肯教你不？”拾粮一时不好做答，来路心里，似乎明白了。道：“种药的事，爹跟冷中医打听过，不难，只要你用上心，三五年就能学会。冷中医说，一要下苦功记，二是要用心儿辨认。天下的草药，多着哩，不见得就是药师教你的这些，光冷中医的药铺里，就有好几百种。”
“爹，我在辩哩，今儿个，我还在岭顶草丛中辩出一种药哩。”
“这就好，这就好，爹就怕你光知道死记，不知道活辩。”
夜色浓稠，稠得化不开，九月的草滩里，藏着多少不为人知的秘密。
曹药师终究还是控制不住，把火撒在了拾粮头上。
药是分开采的，就是说谁种的药谁领人采，在院里分开晒。一开始，人们都往曹药师这边跑，尤其拴五子几个，好像成心要给拾粮难堪。慢慢，情况就不一样了，先是吴嫂狗狗几个，接着，往狼老鸦台这边来的人多起来，后来，竟连三小姐水英英也来了，三小姐一来，拾粮这边的人气，就比曹药师那边旺了许多。
这也罢了，反正水二爷又雇了不少帮工，曹药师是不会担心没人跟着他采药的。
但，谁也没想到，岭上会起闲话。闲话一开始只在几个人中间传，传着传着，就挡不住了，药地里，路上，晒场上，甚至院里，帮工们只要碰上头，就都交头接耳，神神秘秘议论。议论个啥，闲话。闲话是是非，闲话是祸根，闲话，是撒在当事人心上的一把盐。
两个药师种的药不一样，曹药师的药个小，茎细，像是没吃饱的娃，长得不精神。刘喜财的呢，肉厚，叶肥，那药儿，一采到手里，感觉就实腾腾的，让人想起水二爷种的罂粟。这还不算，长地里差别还不是太大，不细心还瞅不出，一晒院里，让风儿吹几天，太阳晒几天，这差别，一下就显了出来，想遮掩都遮掩不掉。哪怕你不懂药，哪怕你当它是草，还是一眼就能望出二者显显的差别。这差别，最早是三小姐水英英发现的，不过她把话藏在了肚里，没跟任何人说，包括父亲水二爷。
曹药师脸上挂不住了，不是挂不住闲话，闲话他压根就没当回事，是挂不住这差别。身为药师的曹某人当然不会对院里的景致视而不见，事实上他也在焦躁不安地观察着，等待着，等待太阳把差别晒小，等待风儿把刘喜财的那点优势吹走，这样，越来越响的闲话，就都成了一个屁，只臭一下院子，是熏不倒人的。可惜，他还是让闲话熏倒了，熏得越发不安了。
这一天，曹药师莫名其妙就来到了狼老鸦台，拾粮正在专心致志采药，他的身后，一左一右跟着狗狗和吴嫂。站在地头，曹药师的眼生出一股猛痛。不是拾粮刺激了他，是这一地还未采尽的药，是这九月的风吹不走的花。种了一辈子药，凭啥就老是种不过别人呢？种不过刘喜财倒也罢了，输给拾粮这要饭的，让他心口子咋平？
“拾粮，拾粮你个狼吃的！”曹药师一激动，就学青石岭的话喝叹起来。拾粮一个转身，他太用心了，曹药师猛乍乍一声，吓着了他。
“曹叔，你说啥哩？”
“说你爹个头！你娃子倒长精神了，我的话也听不着了？”
“不是，曹叔，我不是采药哩么？”
“采，采，有你这么采药的么？你瞅瞅，这一地的药，你采了多少？丢东拉西，你尽挑肥的肉多的采，瘦的呢，扔了？”
拾粮往后一看，的确他只采了肥的肉的，那些瘦的细小的，还好端端长在地里。这不是刘喜财安顿的，药师刘喜财只说，采药的时候，拿眼睛去采，眼睛带着手，手就知道该怎么采了。喜财叔说得很笼统，具体咋采，没说。按药师们通行的作法，采药是从下埂子往上埂子挨码茬儿采，不漏，不遗。药多，人少，这样采省时省力，再者，不管肥瘦，采到院里都是药。
拾粮没。拾粮是拿眼睛采，眼睛让他采哪朵他采哪朵，同一朵上，眼睛让他采哪个叶他采哪个叶，眼睛看不上的，先留着，交给风儿和阳光，过几天眼睛又能看上，再从头采。
“好啊，怪不得人都往你这边跑，这边好磨洋工啊。”曹药师终于逮着了把柄，逮着把柄就得教训，于是他站地埂上，狠狠教训起拾粮来。教训了一阵，厉声道：“回头来，打下埂子往上采，一个也不留！”
拾粮没动弹，犹豫片刻，原又低住头采药去了。
狗狗紧张地看着曹药师，生怕他扑进地，搧拾粮哥一顿。
曹药师果真扑进来，因为走得猛，脚下响起噼噼叭叭药折断的声音。“天，药，药……”狗狗大叫。拾粮还是没理，他不信，曹药师真敢把这一地的药给踩了。
曹药师控制不住自己了，控制得住他就不会到这地里来！就在曹药师抡起拳头要重重发泄到拾粮头上时，地边响起一个声音：“曹，出来抽烟。”
地边站着的，是水二爷。水二爷身后，立着三小姐英英。
水二爷怪得很，院里响了那么多闲话，他居然听不见，一如既往地，对曹药师好。
“曹，出来抽口烟啊。”
曹药师只好掉转头，陪着一脸笑，到地边抽烟。三小姐水英英看了眼曹药师，又看了眼被他刚才踩折了那些药，一声不吭，进地采那些断了枝的药去了。
曹药师发泄完的第二个后晌，水二爷出其不意地站到了拾粮后头。一个眼色递过去，狗狗和吴嫂背着药下山了。地里，暂且就他二人，帮工们离得远，说话听不到。
水二爷静静地盯着拾粮采药，看他手儿灵巧地打这朵药跳到那朵药，看他准确地把一片片肥肥的叶子或花骨朵摘下来，看他……水二爷眼花缭乱，都不知道该看什么了。
末了，水二爷一言不发，走了。
gone.
九月底，中药采割暂告一段落，采花和叶的，全已采完，剩下要采茎干和根的，还得等段日子。水二爷吩咐管家，宰了三只羊，煮了三锅羊肉，又让吴嫂几个挖了几筐新山药，羊肉垫山药，水家大院升腾起浓浓的香味。水二爷也生平头一次端着碗，蹲院里跟下人们一起吃。药香和着肉香，溢得水家大院就像又娶媳妇似的。曹药师端着碗，远远地躲在墙旮旯里，这些日子他不跟水二爷说话，也轻易不跟下人们说话，脸上始终挂着跟人过不去的颜色。拴五子倒是殷勤，一口一个曹叔，叫得亲热。正吃着，就见水二爷端碗走到拾粮前，拾粮刚要起身，水二爷已将吴嫂特意舀给他的一大块羊肉夹给了拾粮。拾粮惊了几惊，不敢相信似地原又蹲下了。
曹药师看见了这一幕，很疼地闭上了眼。
水二爷丢下碗，他吃饱了，吃爽了，吃得心里一嘟儿一嘟儿往外溢喜悦。他抛下众人，径直走向马厩，牵出烈鹰，豪爽地跃上去，“驾”一声，奔到了草滩上。
九月的草滩，飞腾起水二爷被滚滚喜浪鼓荡着的身子。
如果不是突然而至的一场惊吓，整个九月都将是完美的，是足以令水二爷记它个十年八年的。
是在羊肉吃完的第五个日子，大梅二梅已前后回了婆家，天在头一天下了场细雨，很绵，刚刚湿润了草皮，院里上下忙着把药垛起来，水二爷不放心，还特意拿出些破口袋破毛毡，叮嘱着把药盖好。水二爷想起什么，要找拾粮，却不见这娃的影子。
二天，天还没放晴，人们全都躺草棚里缓精神。这些日子，也真是把大伙给忙够了，忙怕了，所以这样的天气，是很讨大伙喜欢的。水二爷又在上房唠叨，大约是水英英又跟拴五子惹了什么事，闹得他不愉快。水英英现在越来越跟拴五子过不去，每每望见这个下人，总要挑起点事儿，惹得拴五子老远见了她就躲。水二爷觉得这不是什么好事，拴五子是他看着长大的，人还不错，腿也勤快，一度时期，水二爷还在心里悄悄琢磨，如果实在找不到更好的主，就把拴五子招进门算了。不过这想法也只是在他脑子里转了一转，具体招谁进门，啥时招，不是轻而易举就能定夺了的，他必须借助时间，还要看丫头英英的脸色。
水二爷正瞎想，猛就听狗狗连哭带喊跑进来：“不好了呀，二爷，拾粮哥，拾粮哥他……”
“慢些说，狼又没撵你。”
水二爷见不得院里人惊惊乍乍，大小有个事儿，就像狼来了似的，喊得人头上起疙瘩。
“二爷，拾粮哥，拾粮哥……”
狗狗越急越说不出话。水英英打外面走进来，恶恶地瞪狗狗一眼：“你拾粮哥死了！”
“还没呢，不过，快了。”
“啥？！”水二爷惊得，一蹦子就跳出了屋。
正赶上吴嫂失魂落魄往上屋来，两人差点撞个满怀。
“出啥事了？！”水二爷一把抓住吴嫂问。
“来路家的，来路家的昏了！”吴嫂拉着哭声道。
水二爷跟着吴嫂跑上山岭时，拾粮四肢蜷着，抽搐成一团。脸瘆白，嘴角往外溢白沫。水二爷一摸，头上还有热气，冲跟来的水英英喊：“快抬人，往院里抬。”
水英英也顾不上喊别人，自个抱起拾粮，就往山下跑。后来有几个下人追过来，从她手里接过拾粮，轮番将他抱进了院里。
拾粮躺在草棚里，头上的冷汗珠子一般往下落，嘴唇血紫血紫，水二爷连问几句，他都翻着白眼仁答不出话。水二爷急了，这症状，跟当初药师刘喜财的症状差不多，只是，比刘喜财更骇人。
定是吃了什么？水二爷心里想。
“拴五子，拴五子，你个慢死鬼磨蹭什么，快骑快马去东沟，请冷中医来。”拴五子磨磨蹭蹭，极不情愿地上了马，往东沟去了。
狗狗端来一碗醋，哭着眼儿要给拾粮灌。水英英一把抢过来，蹲下身子，亲自给拾粮灌醋。
醋灌下去半天，症状不见轻，人疼得越发厉害。狗狗急得，捏着拾粮的手问：“拾粮哥，到底哪儿疼啊？”拾粮眼仁子白了两下，不动了。吓得狗狗一把松开他：“拾粮哥死了，拾粮哥死了呀。”
“夹嘴！”水英英喝了一声，将狗狗骂出了屋。水二爷心里急得出汗，唤吴嫂去上屋拿人参，说拿最粗的那根。吴嫂慌着脚步，半天钻上屋不见出来，水二爷气得又骂：“没一个顶用的，拿根参都拿不来。”自个正要往上屋走，吴嫂倒给出来了，手里，真拿根大人参。狗狗站在远处，刚要喜，有了这根参，拾粮哥就死不掉。却见水英英不知打哪冒出来，一把夺过人参。
惊得吴嫂跳起身子就喊：“三小姐，这可使不得，来路家的快不行了，快把参给我。”
水英英不吭气，拿着人参去了厨房。过了两袋烟的工夫，众人的焦灼中，水英英端一碗热腾腾的人参汤，来到后院。狗狗见状，心才松下来。
水英英要给拾粮喂，水二爷接过碗，说了声：“我来吧。”水英英也不跟爹争辩，默默蹲下了。水二爷望着碗里的人参，眼睛忽然就模糊起来。
这根人参，是水二爷最值钱的，是三年前去凉州城时托一个老友花大价钱买的，买回来自个一直舍不得吃，藏在上屋一个很不起眼的地儿。不知道吴嫂咋就偏偏翻着了它？水二爷并不是心疼，他只是感慨，看来，啥都是有定数的啊，自己舍不得吃的东西，原来是留着给拾粮这娃救命哩。
水二爷一边感慨，一边一点点的，往拾粮嘴里喂。按沟里人的说法，人不管吃了啥，只要喂了人参，这命，丢不掉的。水二爷祈祷着，老天爷啊，你可千万甭让这娃走，这娃，是我的宝贝哩。
参汤喂下去很久，拾粮脸上慢慢有了色，一直守在拾粮边上的水英英脸上也终于有了色。她跟吴嫂说：“不打紧，这来路家的，命大。”吴嫂听了，眼里的泪才算止住。
太阳落尽的时候，拴五子才打东沟回来，进院就说：“累死我了，早知道白跑一趟，还不如不去。”
水英英猛从屋子里跳出来：“人呢，拴五子，我爹让你请的人呢？”
水二爷也闻声走出来，一看马上没人，心里登时凉了半截。
“没在，问了一圈子，都不知去了哪。”拴五子说。
“不在？”水二爷的目光怪惊惊搁拴五子脸上，不知咋，今儿个拴五子这话，让他不信。
“就是不在嘛，在了我还能请不来？”
水英英想发作，水二爷忙给女儿使个眼色，叹了一声：“天意，天意啊，看来只有听天由命了。”
父女俩原又回到草棚，心，再次为拾粮紧起来。
水二爷怀疑得没错，拴五子压根就没去东沟。我才没那么傻哩，爱死死，爱活活，管我屁事。凭啥要我一趟趟去请人？他先是骑马在草滩上遛了一圈子，然后到姊妹河边，九月底的姊妹河越发清澈，咆哮的河水发出蓝莹莹的光儿，河边的金打碗还盛开着，映得河两岸一派绚烂。拴五子本是个对景呀色呀不上心的人，这阵儿，却像是贪恋起来。他采下一大把金打碗，边走边扔，嘴里喃喃道：“我叫你偏心，我叫你偏心，死，死了才好！”
估摸着时辰差不多了，拴五子才骑上马，晃晃悠悠往回走，一路，他忽儿想起水二爷，忽儿，想起水英英，总之，尽是一些跟水家有关的事儿。
黑饭时分，院里的人