The water is surging, and you can see the beautiful mountains in the distance, shrouded in clouds and mist, and the beauty of the scenery is intoxicating.
A boat is sailing upstream. The man operating the boat is agile but also cautious. The mountains on both sides of the waterway here are steep and dangerous, the current on the river is fast, and the waterway is winding and dangerous. There is often no way out of the rocks, and the clouds will lead to a different future. , strange yet dangerous, yet dangerous yet interesting, the boat swims like a fish on the waterway, very dexterously.
Danger is hardship for many, but fun for others.
Qining stood on the bow of the boat, looking at the towering mountains on both sides of the strait, rushing towards his face, feeling the simple and natural atmosphere, feeling relaxed and happy. Although he knew that this trip to Xichuan was not a good job, but at this moment breathing the refreshing air, he just felt that this was Just one joy is enough to live up to this trip.
"Qi Feng, I think I can come to Xichuan for my retirement in the future." Qi Ning took a deep breath and said with a smile.
Qi Feng stood aside with a sad face and said weakly: "Master Hou, even if I climb to Xichuan next time, I won't take the waterway."
Qi Ning knew this time that Qi Feng, who usually jumped up and down, turned out to be a landlubber. He got seasick as soon as he got on the boat. If it was not faster by water, Qi Feng would have no choice but to say nothing about getting on the boat.
A middle-aged man in his early forties next to him pointed forward and said: "Master Hou, there is the Goddess Peak, which is beautiful and graceful. It would be a waste to pass here without seeing the Goddess Peak."
This middle-aged man is the general manager of Tianjia Medicine Store who is responsible for purchasing medicinal materials. His name is Tian Mao. This time he brought Qining with him to Sichuan. However, he took good care of Qi Ning and others along the way. All food, drink and accommodation were properly arranged. Of course, Qining doesn't need to worry about it, and Tian Mao also knows exactly what path to take along the way.
After Qi Ning and his party left Beijing, they traveled westward in a very low-key manner. The journey took more than a day. They passed Xiangyang and then continued westward along the Yangtze River.
Everyone went up the river, passed Yiling, and arrived at Nanjinguan. Soon they arrived at the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River. The Yangtze River merged thousands of streams into a great river. It passed through countless high mountains and dangerous places all the way from the west, roaring, and when they reached Wushan, they were blocked by the mountains. Blocked, the vast river cut down like a giant ax, cutting a dangerous path between the mountains and ridges, heading eastward, forming the majestic, steep and charming Three Gorges of the Yangtze River.
Infinite scenery on dangerous peaks.
The Three Gorges of the Yangtze River is even more charming because of the steep mountains and twists and turns of the canyons on both sides. However, the water here is strong and the boat is shaking violently. Qi Feng and another guard under Qi Ning are spinning around on the boat, which is really miserable.
After everyone passed the Xiling Gorge, they soon arrived at the deep and beautiful Wu Gorge. At this time, the boat was walking in the Wu Gorge, and the twelve peaks of Wu Mountain on both sides of the bank stood out. The Goddess Peak was so beautiful that it was indescribable, and the scenery was magnificent, but it made Qining Lingering.
The boatman turned a blind eye to this magnificent scenery, but paid close attention to the waterway. The dangerous shoals and dark rocks were what the boatman paid most attention to.
After passing the Wu Gorge and entering the wide valley of the Daning River, the front is the Qutang Gorge. Because the water flow in the Qutang Gorge is faster and the boating is more dangerous, even an experienced boatman may not be able to control it freely. Considering Qining's identity, Tian Mao cannot Dare to take risks, for safety reasons, suggested taking the land route, Qi Ning did not object, everyone abandoned the boat and took the land route, rested for one night in Wushan County, and traveled over the mountains early the next morning.
Badong is surrounded by mountains and rugged terrain, and there is a folk saying that goes, "Two mountains are sandwiched between each other, and you can't run until you hit the mountain".
Qining's destination is to go to Chengdu first, but Tian's Medicine Store and his party are going to Brazil County. Now they have entered the middle of Sichuan. Tian Mao offered to take Qining to Chengdu. Qining also knows that the land of Shu is rugged. It was difficult. Tian Mao wanted to send him to Chengdu Prefecture and then turn to Brazil County. He had to make a big detour along the way. He politely declined, but Tian Mao did not insist, so he sent a man named Li Tang to lead the way for Qining.
Li Tang is from Shu. He travels between the capital and Xichuan all year round, purchasing herbal medicines in various places in Xichuan, so he is extremely familiar with the terrain of Xichuan. Tian Mao left him behind, which meant that he left Qining with an extremely competent guide.
Although Qi Ning came to Xichuan as an imperial envoy, he and the young emperor tacitly understood that the purpose of this time was to investigate the truth of the Black Cave incident. It was most appropriate to travel incognito and in a low-key manner. Naturally, he could not act like an ordinary imperial envoy. Traveling in such a grand and pompous way.
The situation in Xichuan is complicated, and all forces are intricately intertwined. If you come here pretending to be an imperial envoy, you may not be able to see anything clearly.
After walking for another two or three days, we were getting closer and closer to Jinguan City. However, the road in central Sichuan was winding around the mountains. Without a guide to lead the way, Qining really doubted when he would be able to get there. Jinguan City.
At dusk that day, there was no village or shop in sight. This situation is very common in central Sichuan. The road in central Sichuan is winding. Maybe if you go wrong at one end of the road, you will miss the time and cannot find the hotel.
Fortunately, Li Tang explained that there are wild sheds on this road from time to time. The so-called wild sheds are some kind-hearted people who occasionally build a shelter on the roadside in order to take care of people who missed the trip and prevent them from being exposed to wind and rain. There are huts, and there are also marks nearby. For outsiders, they naturally don't know these doorways, but Li Tang is an authentic Sichuan native and knows these things very well.
Sure enough, before it got completely dark, Li Tang actually found the mark of the wild shed, searched for it, and found the wild shed in a forest.
This wild shed is a wooden house mainly made of bamboo. The bottom floor is elevated and elevated above the ground, and the second floor is the living quarters.
"This is a wooden shed built by the Ba people." Li Tang explained: "In addition to the Han and Miao people, there are Ba people in Xichuan, but their ethnic groups are getting smaller and smaller now, and their population is not large, not as much as the Han and Miao people. The forces in Xichuan.”
Li Tang walked in the front, and Qi Feng and the other three followed Qin Ning, carrying packages and approaching the wooden house. At this time, the sky was completely dark. Apart from that, there was really no other place to stay, otherwise it would be I can only sleep in the open air.
Li Tang opened the door of the wooden house, took a look inside, and turned around and said, "There seems to be no one here. Let's rest here for the night."
Several people entered the house. It was dark inside. Qining was about to start a fire, but suddenly he felt something was wrong. He looked forward and saw two shadows suddenly appeared in front of him in the darkness. He was slightly taken aback. Shocked, at this moment, lightning flashed, and a thunderbolt hit in the air. When the lightning flashed, it shone into the wooden house, but Qining had already seen the two people opposite who seemed to be holding something in their hands. , staring coldly at him.
Li Tang hadn't noticed it yet and couldn't help but said: "The spring thunder came very early this year, I'm afraid the year is not very good." Suddenly he noticed something was wrong, but found that the figures of Qi Feng and the others were shaking, and they had already blocked Qi Ning.
Li Tang was startled.
After Qi Feng and the others entered the house, they naturally noticed something strange very quickly. When the lightning flashed, Qi Ning saw the figure that suddenly appeared in the house. Qi Feng and the others also saw it and immediately protected Qi Ning without saying a word. .
Qining thought that when he first entered Sichuan, he was a stranger to the other party, and there was no need to easily make enemies. He smiled and said, "We came to Xichuan to do business. We missed the road. It was already late and it was about to rain. We can only take advantage of this opportunity." Stay one night, don’t worry, we won’t disturb you.”
Li Tang said that such sheds are not owned by the owner, but are used for the convenience of pedestrians. It seems that someone has come here to rest before this.
The two people didn't say anything. They didn't seem to want to be enemies with Qi Ning and others. They turned around and went directly to the west side of the wooden house. Seeing this, Qi Ning ordered a few people to go to the east side of the wooden house. Everyone lived on one side, and the well water Don't offend the river.
Qi Ning and others sat down in a circle. Qi Feng was about to open the package and take out the dry food when another flash of lightning flashed, followed by thunder, followed by raindrops as big as soybeans falling from the sky, making the roof crackle. .
Qi Feng smiled and said: "Master Hou... Fortunately, Xiao Li is smart. If we hadn't found this place, we would have been drowned in the heavy rain right now."
He almost lost his words, but he reacted quickly and realized that there were people over there at the cabin, so he quickly changed his words.
Of course he knew in his heart that Qi Ning, as an imperial envoy, did not bring many people with a big fanfare. Naturally, he had to keep a low profile. It was best not to reveal his identity. What's more, he was in the wilderness now, and there were several people whose origins were unknown. If you are in the same room with many people, you must be more careful.
After getting used to the wooden house for a while, although it was still dark inside, a few people could still vaguely see that there were four or five people gathered in a group over there, which was similar to the number of people here.
Several people opened the package and took out the dry food. Although the journey was hard, they didn't have to worry about eating and drinking. Moreover, they had to prepare enough dry food every time they passed so as not to miss the place where they stayed.
In addition to the flatbread, there are also two dried and roasted ducks, which Qi Feng specially prepared for the young Marquis. As soon as the roast ducks were taken out, the aroma was overflowing, and Qi Feng even took out the wine in a bamboo tube. , smiled and said: "Master, please try how this wine tastes." This was specially prepared by Qi Feng after entering Xichuan. The wine brewed in many places in Xichuan is packed in bamboo tubes. In this way, the aroma of the wine is also Bamboo aroma, sweet in the mouth.
Before Qi Ning took it, he heard a voice behind him: "Excuse me, may I borrow some drinks?"
Several people immediately looked over and saw a person walking from the wooden house, his eyes looking at the bamboo tube in Qi Feng's hand.
Qi Feng smiled and said, "You also like drinking?"
The man shook his head and said: "No, I want wine...!" After a pause, he said: "Yes, I also like drinking. Can you give me half a bottle?"
Qi Feng looked at Qi Ning, but Qi Ning had already taken the bamboo tube, handed it to the man, and said: "Since you are drinking, half a tube is enough, just take it all, we still have it here."
The man hurriedly took it with both hands and said, "Thank you very much." He bowed and turned around.
When Li Tang saw the man walking away, he lowered his voice and said, "He is a Miao man. He is not proficient in Chinese. You can tell it right away." He thought the person on the other side would not hear him, so he whispered in confusion: "There are very few Miao people. Wearing Han clothes, but...he is obviously a Miao, but he wears Han clothes and speaks Chinese, which is really weird."