Chapter 23 The Twenty-Third Mother and Daughter Rocking the Boat

Hangzhou. They left the Bijin Gate, passed the Nanping Evening Bell, and swayed towards the Three Pools Reflecting the Moon. When they arrived at Xileng Bridge, it was nearly dusk. The lake was full of autumn water reflecting the setting sun for half a day. A fisherman wearing a black hat was hanging his fishing rod from the bridge. In the distance, on the boat of the Huafang Building, the graceful voice of the young boat girl can be faintly heard. "Looking at the painted boats is full of people in Xiling, but smelling the lake is half full of spring." The wild willows on the Baisha embankment have withered, and the fragrant grass has lost its legs. Very few people walk on the quiet three-mile long embankment.

"Whoever opens the Southwest Road of Husi has a grass-green skirt with a slanted waist." Facing the famous autumn scenery of the lake, although there is no wine, people are already drunk. Feng Siniang couldn't help chanting: "If you compare West Lake to West Lake, heavy makeup and light makeup are both suitable." Shen Bijun sighed lightly, and said: "Although these two sentences are common, but they can't be better used to describe West Lake." Feng Siniang said: "Have you been here before?" Shen Bijun nodded, and there was a touch of sadness in her beautiful eyes.

——Did she come here with Lian Chengbi before? Feng Siniang said: "Do you know where Shuiyue Tower is?" Shen Bijun shook his head. The boatman who rocks the boat is a mother and daughter. Although the daughter is disheveled and roughly dressed, she is still charming. She suddenly stretched out her hand and pointed forward: "Isn't there the Shuiyue Tower?" The place she pointed to was the deepest part of the lake in the middle of the lake, where the setting sun shone brightly, and the boats painted deep songs. Feng Siniang said: "Shuiyue Tower is a painting boat?"

Chuangu said: "There are three largest painting boats on the lake, one is called Buxiyuan, one is called Shuhuafang, and the other is Shuiyue Tower." Feng Siniang said: "How big is this painting boat?" The boat aunt said: "It's so big, at least three or four tables of banquets can be placed on the boat tower at the same time." She sighed, with infinite envy in her voice: "If I can have such a painting boat, I don't need to use it anymore. Suffering like this." She looked at her hands, the originally delicate hands were now covered with calluses.

Although the children on the lake live a comfortable life, they are all poor and hard-working. Shen Bijun looked at her, and suddenly asked: "How much money do you usually earn in a day?" Aunt Chuan smiled wryly, and said: "Where can we see money every day, usually at most we can only earn a few tens of pennies, only in spring..." As soon as spring is mentioned, there is light in her eyes. In the ten miles of clear waves, once spring comes, the flowers and willows on the Six Bridges are connected to each other, flying red and soft green, paved with rock brocade, thousands of pleasure boats, one type of white spinning sunshade, copper railings and small oars, with plain heart, three or five, on the Six Bridges Inside and outside, it wears back and forth like a swallow.

Spring is their happy day. It is now late autumn. Shen Bijun smiled suddenly, and said to Chuangu: "Do you want to go to the city for a few days? Besides spending money, you can also earn five taels of silver?" dusk. There were only two people left on board, a mother and a daughter. What about Feng Siniang and Shen Bijun? Are they on this boat? Shen Bijun is the mother. ——My mother is always less noticed, and I don't want others to recognize me. So Feng Siniang had to be her daughter. Use white powder to make her hair gray, then wrap it with a green handkerchief, add some oil paint on her face, and draw a few wrinkles. Shen Bijun squinted his eyes and lowered his head: "Do you still recognize me?"

Feng Siniang smiled: "I never thought you would know a little bit of disguise." In fact, as long as she is a woman who can dress up, she must know a little disguise. Transfiguration is not a magical thing at all, and the result is definitely not as magical as in the legend. "Right now we can do nothing more than temporarily hide it from others at night." "When the moon is full, isn't it night?" "So we'd better go out less during the day." Feng Siniang said with a smile: "Didn't you hear someone say that I've always been a night owl?"

——Today is Thirteen, and the moon will be full the day after tomorrow. A round of bright moon, which is not yet full, is rising slowly, illuminating the autumn waters all over the lake. The West Lake under the moon is even more beautiful and heartbreaking. "Do you think that person named Tiansun will come the night after tomorrow?" "It will definitely come. I'm afraid we still won't recognize him when he comes." "As soon as he comes, we'll be sure to recognize him." "Are you sure?" "Now we have at least three leads."

"Oh?" "First, we already know that he is a very small man and always has a puppy with him." "Second, we already know that he will definitely go to Shuiyue Tower." "Third, we already know that Lian Chengbi will definitely go to him." "Although we don't recognize him, we recognize dogs, we recognize Shuiyue Tower, and we recognize Lian Chengbi." Feng Siniang was indeed full of confidence, because she forgot one thing. ——If we can find him, so what? The autumn moon is getting higher and higher, and the lake water is getting colder.

Sitting on the side of the boat, Feng Siniang took off her blue cloth shoes, and gently kicked the water with her frosty white feet. Shen Bijun was looking at her, when he looked at her, he suddenly said: "I heard that you kicked to death the bandit Ban Tianyun in Qilian Mountain?" Feng Siniang said: "Yes." Shen Bijun said: "You kicked with these feet?" Feng Siniang said: "I only have these two feet." Shen Bijun also laughed. She hadn't smiled for a long, long time. Facing this beautiful lake and mountain, her mood finally became brighter. She smiled and said, "Your feet really don't look like you've kicked someone to death."

Feng Siniang said sweetly: "I like to hear people say that my feet are beautiful. If you are a man, I will let you touch them." Shen Bijun said: "It's a pity that I'm not..." Her voice sank again—is it because she thought of Xiao Shishilang again? ——It's a pity that you are not Xiao Shishilang. ——Unfortunately, you are not Xiao Shishilang either. Xiao Shishilang, where have you been?Why is there still no news? The moonlight is brighter, and their smiles have dimmed. Another Qing song came from the lake: The first lake and mountain. Ecstasy Nampo. Grass green skirt waist every year. In the southwest of the lake temple, there is a wine curtain in Xinghua village. The east wind is drunk, and the drunken court. The shore gradually moves, Liu Yingguan Bridge. The singing voice is clear and melodious, and there is a silver bell-like laughter in it. The singer must be a girl who loves to laugh and loves to be coquettish. The laughter and singing came from the boat on the Shuiyue Tower by the embankment in the middle of the lake. The lights on the boat were brilliant, and the shadows on the temples and clothes were fragrant, as if someone was having a big feast for a long night of drinking. This man's elation is not shallow. Feng Siniang suddenly smiled and said: "It's a pity that we have something to do these two days, otherwise I must go to the boat and have a few drinks with him." Shen Bijun said: "Do you know who is treating guests on the boat?" Feng Siniang said: "I don't know." Shen Bijun said: "You don't even know who the owner is, but you dare to barge in and drink?" Feng Siniang said with a smile: "No matter who he is, he will welcome me the same." Shen Bijun said: "Why?" Feng Siniang said: "Because I am a woman, when a man is drinking, he always welcomes a good-looking woman." Shen Bijun said sweetly, "You seem to be very experienced?" Feng Siniang said with a smile: "To be honest, I really don't know how many times I have done this kind of thing." Shen Bijun looked at her, looked at her bright eyes, looked at her deep dimples, suddenly sighed softly, and said: "It's a pity that I'm not a man, otherwise I will definitely ask you to marry me." Feng Siniang said with a smile: "If you are a man, I will definitely marry you." Although they were laughing again, there was still an indescribable melancholy in their smiles. They thought of Xiao Shishilang again. Xiao Shishilang, Xiao Shishilang, why do you always act like this so that people can't let go of you, and you can't let go? Suddenly, someone on the embankment called: "Boater, come here." Feng Siniang sighed, and said with a wry smile: "It seems that we are lucky, we just changed our career today, and we have business." Shen Bijun said: "Since we have done this business, we can't push the business outside." Feng Siniang said: "It makes sense." She jumped up, raised the long pole a little, and the boat swung out. Shen Bijun said: "You really know how to rock the boat?" Feng Siniang said: "I am proficient in each of the eighteen martial arts, and I am proficient in each of them." Shen Bijun couldn't help laughing and said, "Is there anything you don't know?" Feng Siniang said: "There is one." Shen Bijun said: "What's the matter?" Feng Siniang said: "I've never been embarrassed." There are three people who want to board the boat. With joy, Feng Siniang said: "If all the people from the Jianghu are gathered and lined up in front of me, I will recognize at least one of every three people." She's not bragging. Of the three, she recognized one. A man with small eyes but big appearance, wearing a long robe and waving a folding fan, looks like a scholar. His nickname is indeed Scholar. Scholar. The folding fan in his hand is a deadly weapon. There are not many people in the world who can use folding fans as weapons, and this "deadly scholar" Shi Qiushan may be the most deadly one among them. People who can be friends with him are certainly not ordinary people. Xiao Shishilang often likes to say: "Feng Siniang knows at least half of the people in the rivers and lakes, and the other half knows her." But these three people didn't recognize her, not even Shi Qiushan, because the night was getting dark and her appearance had changed again.Because no one would have thought that Feng Siniang would be a boat girl in the West Lake. "Where are the guests going?" "Shuiyue Tower," Shi Qiushan said, "Do you know where Shuiyue Tower is?" Feng Siniang breathed a sigh of relief, she didn't know about other places, but she always knew about Shuiyue Tower. Shi Qiushan had already sat down, sitting on the bow, looked up and down the ground, and then stared at her feet, the three pairs of eyes of the three were fixed on her feet, Feng Siniang did not object to others admiring her But now she can't wait to sew up their eyes, because she also knows that the boat girls who work on the lake all the year round should not have such a pair of feet. She must try to divert their attention, but Unexpectedly, the eyes of these three people were like nails, nailed to her feet. ——Why do men always like to look at women's feet? Fortunately, at this moment, another singing voice came from the brightly lit Shuiyuelou boat, which was Su Shi's water melody singer. When will the moon be there? Ask the sky for wine, I don't know the palace in the sky, what year is this eve. I want to go home with the wind, And I'm afraid that Qionglou Yuyu, the heights are too cold... The singing is desolate and tragic, it is the voice of a man. Shi Qiushan suddenly sneered, and said: "It seems that his enthusiasm is really not shallow." A middle-aged man with a sallow complexion said: "He started inviting wine on the fifth day of the lunar new year, and it has been seven days since today." Another bearded man said: "That's why I admire him." Shi Qiushan said: "Do you admire him?" The big bearded man said: "I admire whoever is still singing after being drunk for seven days." The middle-aged man with a sallow complexion said coldly: "How do you know that he has been drunk for seven days?" The curly bearded man said: "Because I know that he is always drunk when he has wine." Shi Qiushan looked at the light and shadow in the lake from a distance, with deep thought in his eyes, and said slowly: "How many women are willing to come and get drunk with him?" The middle-aged man said: "How many people did he invite this time?" Shi Qiushan said: "He seems to have invited all the martial arts heroes in the south of the Yangtze River." The middle-aged man said: "What is he doing?" Shi Qiushan said: "I don't know." The host treats guests, but the guests don't know why he treats them. It seems that the host is a weird person. Although Feng Siniang lowered her head, her eyes were already shining. —Who is the master? ——Is it the grandson of heaven? ——Why did he invite all the martial arts heroes from Jiangnan?Is this another trap? ——A murder trap? Thinking of those people who died in the "Eight Immortals Boat", Feng Siniang almost couldn't help but want to hold Shi Qiushan back and tell him not to get on the boat. But she herself wanted to go up and have a look, to see who this person was? The moon is in the middle of the lake, and the people are also in the middle of the lake. The moon is on the waves, and the people are on the waves. The waves are as gentle as the moonlight, and the moonlight is as gentle as the eyes of a lover, but the eyes of the lover are gone. . Feng Siniang sighed softly, and suddenly found that the people who spoke had closed their mouths. Although they closed their mouths, their eyes were wide open. Everyone was staring at her, not at her. Her feet were staring at her face, but fortunately she still had a bamboo hat on her head to block the moonlight. Feng Siniang's head was also lowered a little lower—the man's eyes should be all sewn up, maybe even his mouth. Shi Qiushan suddenly grinned, and said: "My surname is Shi, and my name is Shi Qiushan. I am the Shi of Tai Shigong, and the autumn mountains are full of autumn colors." Although his eyes are small, his mouth is huge, as if he could swallow a steamed bun weighing half a catty in one bite. Feng Siniang held back her breath, lowered her head and called out, "Master Shi." "It's not Uncle Shi, but Second Master Shi." Shi Qiushan said: "This is the uncle, his surname is Huo, and Huo Wubing." The middle-aged man with a sallow complexion nodded, Feng Siniang had no choice but to call out again: "Uncle Huo." ——Seeing that you are obviously sick, why do you have to be called not sick? She managed to hold back these words, and her temper seemed to have changed a bit. "My name is Wang Meng." The bearded man rushed to say: "Bastard's king, I am the third child." Feng Siniang couldn't help laughing, this Third Master Wang seemed more interesting. She didn't smile, because Shi Qiushan was asking again: "Miss, what's your last name? What's your name?" Feng Siniang said: "I am a boat rocker." Shi Qiushan said: "Don't those who rock the boat have names?" Feng Siniang said: "You don't need to know whether the person who rocks the boat has a name or not." Shi Qiushan said: "Since we are on the same boat, it is fate. Since there is fate, why not ask for your name?" Feng Siniang simply shut her mouth, she was afraid that - opening her mouth, she would point to Shi Qiushan's nose and yell. ——This person is really a "terrible" scholar, and I hate him to death. Huo Wubing said: "Women are always embarrassed to use names with men." Shi Qiushan said: "I don't think she looks shy." Wang Meng said: "No matter what, since people don't want to say it, why do you have to force them to say it?" Shi Qiushan said: "Since I have already asked, why must she refuse to tell?" He stared at Feng Siniang again, and said with a serious face: "Aren't you afraid to say it?" Feng Siniang couldn't help but said: "Don't dare? Why don't I dare?" Shi Qiushan said coldly: "Because you are afraid that I will ask you about your origin." Feng Siniang smiled, not charmingly. She was sneering: "A woman who rocks a boat, does she have any shady background?" Shi Qiushan also sneered, staring at her and asked, "Are you really a rocker?" Feng Siniang said: "Of course." Shi Qiushan said: "I don't think you look like that." Feng Siniang said: "What's not like me?" Shi Qiushan said: "It's not the same from head to toe." Feng Siniang gritted her teeth, and said with a sneer, "If I don't look like a boat rocker, what do you think I look like?" Shi Qiushan suddenly stood up, "swipe", unfolded the folding fan in his hand, and shook it twice. Feng Siniang's hand was also clenched tightly. ——If there is a malicious smile in the man's eyes, of course she can see it. There was a malicious smile in Shi Qiushan's eyes, what exactly did he want to do?Feng Siniang is going to strike first, no matter what he wants to do, kick him down first. Fortunately, at this moment, Shen Bijun from the back was already calling: "Shuiyue Tower is here." Feng Siniang turned her head, and the brightly lit building boat was indeed in front of her eyes, as long as she shrugged, she could jump over it, even if a person weighing 380 Jin jumped over it, the boat over there would never capsize, and it was even possible Doesn't even shake. When she got to her eyes, Feng Siniang saw how big the Shuiyue Building was. Since it was a building boat, of course there were buildings in the cabin. The lights upstairs and downstairs were as bright as day, and the sound of silk and bamboo orchestras came from upstairs. Those who came down could not hear the sound of people downstairs, and they all gathered at the bow. On the deck at the bow, there were at least thirty people, in groups of three or four, gathered together to whisper, but they couldn't hear what they were talking about. "Why don't these people go into the cabin?" Feng Siniang couldn't ask, and couldn't raise her head to look around, but her heart was even more strange. Who is the guest?Why not invite the guests in to drink, but ask them to stand on the bow and drink the wind? Shi Qiushan was still staring at her, paying attention to the expression on her face, and suddenly asked: "Can you jump over?" Feng Siniang shook her head. Shi Qiushan said: "You don't want to go and have a look?" Feng Siniang shook her head again. Shi Qiushan said: "You don't regret it?" Feng Siniang couldn't help but said: "Why should I regret it?" Shi Qiushan smiled, and said, "Because the one who treats you this time is someone everyone wants to see." Feng Siniang said: "Who is it?" Shi Qiushan said: "Xiao Shishilang!"