UCTOOT CH72.3

Shi Shu settled in this seaside village. Village isolated from world, endless spreading beach soft sand. Every morning, Shi Shu barefoot on wet cold beach, watching sea water beating pale reef lime, tide sound rising falling, watching sun rise from other end of world.

This world too quiet, like peach blossom dream.

Here is end of world?

Shi Shu walked along coastline. Spray kissed toes from time to time. Laifu followed behind, printing string small dog feet on beach. Peace and stability presented in seaside village. This place, seemed no longer under Great Jing political jurisdiction.

Village people very good too. Rest after farming, but mostly lived by sea. Daily beachcombing, carry bucket crabs fish shrimp back fry eat. Village had abandoned houses from tide, slightly repaired, let Shi Shu and Du Zihan live.

Seaside carefree. Shi Shu almost never thought of Xie Wuchi. Du Zihan stayed three days asked him: “Time for us to stop too right? Questioning world stop here first.”

Questioning world stop here first?

Shi Shu: “Okay ah. Anyway winter coming. Winter comes, tired whatever do. Pass winter first say.”

Behind, voice sounded: “Little Shu, eat.”

Village taking him and Du Zihan called Qin Village, named because village people surnamed Qin. Shi Shu lived in Village Head Qin Liu family. His family three children. Big brother twenty-four five, had child, called Abu. Other two exactly brother sister met by coast that day. Brother called Akan, sister called Xiaobei.

Xiaobei only ten, liked find Shi Shu play, always tilted head looking at him: “Little Shu, you so white ah.”

Shi Shu: “Ah? I ask you, why you not call me brother?”

Xiaobei: “Little Shu, why you so white, our village people all black.”

Shi Shu: “Because you live seaside, always sunbathe. Quick, call brother.”

Xiaobei: “Tonight eat steamed crab, I let my brother pick big one for you.”

“……”

Akan looked at her, said: “Xiaobei come quick, wash sea melon seeds (clams), you wash cleaner.”

Family lived in harmony, atmosphere harmonious. Only carefree peace in this village, no intrigue when staying beside Xie Wuchi. Shi Shu stepped forward look in wooden bucket, filled precious but locally easy get seafood. Qin Village lucky village, live off mountain eat mountain, live off water eat water. And sea they rely on happened to have endless food, let them live not so hard, even kindly help two complete strangers.

Shi Shu helped wash sea melon seeds, felt fun, happily washed half basin. Caused next evening morning eating sea melon seeds, family face bitter, but couldn’t help laughing wildly, said never seen mainland come Shi Shu this kind kid.

Happy harmonious. Shi Shu thus spent his second winter in this ancient world by warm coast.

In Qin Village, Shi Shu knew everyone in village. Everyone liked him. Du Zihan opened class, taught kids math here daily.

Confused Shi Shu, daily beachcombing.

Playing playing Shi Shu knew group village young people, went sea with them, rowed boat far market buy salt tea wine. At this time Shi Shu discovered, Qin Village originally not isolated from world, also under Great Jing rule, also government office.

Knowing this, Shi Shu heart not calm. Or knew all external peace broken sooner or later.

Unknowingly, arrived spring.

Recently nothing, idle watching sea.

Shi Shu sat on stool, played string with Xiaobei. Had use two hands separate support as hook, let Xiaobei play string hook changing shapes. Shi Shu slightly careless, let string slide from fingertips.

Xiaobei: “Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!”

“……”

Shi Shu said: “Don’t nervous, watch brother restore for you!”

Staring at rope half day, couldn’t restore. Xiaobei bared teeth: “Start again, you not allowed move randomly this time.”

“Okay okay okay, how long play with you? I want go.”

Shi Shu looked up, saw Qin Liu solid straight body on spreading beach, sighing walked back. Abu stepped forward ask: “Dad, how say, still have go?”

Qin Liu face helpless: “Mm, depart soon. Our village have transport grain to Changping Prefecture. Say now Great Jing and Northern Min fighting, pay new war tax. Village Head escort grain to front line.”

Shi Shu leaned door, looking at them. Abu face resentful: “Walk from Qin Village to Changping Prefecture take two months, still escort grain, back take half year! I don’t want go!”

Qin Liu wife eyes red: “My son, family still many chores handle, I don’t want let you go either. Just this village, your dad became this Village Head, have do things for whole village people, have go ah!”

Abu annoyed: “I don’t want go!”

Shi Shu watching, understood in heart. Even peace at ends of earth, broken by Great Jing and Northern Min war. Shi Shu handed string to Xiaobei, walked to Qin Liu side: “How big matter?”

Qin Liu said: “Sigh, every household apportion grain. One person thirty jin, our family two three hundred jin. Whole village add up, lot ah!”

Shi Shu: “Have escort self?”

Qin Liu said: “Yes ah. This tax not paid many years, now start again. I so old, looks like have walk this trip.”

Chaos arrived. Shi Shu knew, peace long ceased exist.

Shi Shu patted his shoulder, smiling said: “How about I help escort? Stayed here half year, eat drink free, haven’t helped anything, haven’t repaid kindness. Your family busy, I nothing do, I walk trip for you.”

Qin Liu face complex. Moment later, gratefully held his hand.

“Little Shu, don’t know what say good.”

Shi Shu replaced Qin Liu escort grain to Changping Prefecture, shouldering Village Head duty, similar basic civil servant. Shi Shu liked this job. Daily help everyone pitch tent, cook, check route, check numbers, solve life difficulties. Adults all stayed seaside fishing village, unfamiliar city life and rules. Shi Shu came in handy.

Only this group twenty thirty people, inevitable quarrel. Occasionally for an egg, a clothes, decide which road go, even whose animal ate whose grain, caused his little mule hungry, would quarrel whole way. “Ouch, every time stop hurry lead own horse feed! Eat half hour, my family little mule go up eat, only nibble grass roots!” “My family horse precious, worth more than my son!” “Your horse precious, my little mule not precious?!” “You!”

Shi Shu handsome fair face look east west. Daily raise hand coordinate in this group.

“Uncle uncle, listen me say two words…”

“Big brother big brother, listen me say two words…”

“Little brother! Listen me say two words!”

“……”

Long time, in mountain shade road, carriage rumbling walking in mountains. After boat, endless mountain road.

Shi Shu lay on carriage. After spring, weather slowly warm. Sunlight dappled in forest leaves gaps, falling on Shi Shu face. He raised hand blocked eyes.

Du Zihan driving carriage: “Is it further and further from Qin Village? We escort grain finish still come back?”

Shi Shu: “Come back ah, why not come back. I quite like Qin Village.”

Du Zihan: “I like too.”

Shi Shu: “Go, back and forth half year. Back Qin Village just right pass winter.”

Du Zihan driving carriage, kept carriage following front convoy, avoid hit others butt. He said: “But once leave Qin Village, I think of your ex-boyfriend. Don’t know how he now.”

Xie Wuchi…

Shi Shu turned over climbed up from carriage, caught off guard smiling said: “Time pass so fast ah!”

Du Zihan: “Yes ah. In end Senzhou dreaming, or Qin Village dreaming. Always illusion feeling.”

Shi Shu thought of Xie Wuchi name. This person still could stir ripples in heart, but more became gloom when escaping him. However, Shi Shu thought of snowy night in Dasheng Prefecture after long time.

Xie Wuchi wrist bleeding, step by step walked towards him, figure ferocious, said those words.

“Is there so much love?” Shi Shu scared then, somewhat surprised. Until now recall this scene, heart still big shock. But Xie Wuchi like yellowed photo. At this time, instead didn’t know how imagine getting along with him.

“He definitely developed now, wealth glory, bright future, step to sky. Maybe forgot us already,” Shi Shu smiling said, “Originally not same road people.”

“You up? Okay okay, turn me lie while. You drive horse!” Du Zihan moved back.

Shi Shu to his seat, touched sleeping Laifu head, took rope re-drive carriage.

“Crunch crunch——” Carriage forward.

Walking this way, Shi Shu discovered stayed seaside Qin Village half year, back, Great Jing country changed lot. Especially Great Jing and Northern Min war spread range, and impact on whole dynasty up down. Many places County Magistrate, or Village Head, continuously gathering towards border, carrying or consigning grain, consciously paying taxes.

This tax didn’t appear many years. Last year snowy night surprise attack Dasheng Prefecture, war fire burning whole land, restarted.

People from five lakes four seas, passed short twenty years peace, affected by war fire again. Almost every household have pay new war grain. From hometown, escort to thousand miles away border war zone.

Shi Shu walked this way, saw hardship people livelihood. Same time didn’t deliberately inquire Xie Wuchi news. Afraid he good also afraid he bad. But, carriage entered Xingu Prefecture and Changping Prefecture, even Shi Shu didn’t listen much, voices on road more and more.

“Haha? Not pay grain, then you ask our Commander-in-Chief ‘Crane Control Army’ agree.”

“Roll you, bring over!”

Shi Shu sat in tea house gurgle gurgle drank water, wiped sweat forehead. Front soldier ruffian questioning passing grain convoy. So-called harsh government fiercer than tiger, soldiers pass like bandits. Changping Prefecture connected Taiyin Prefecture, same border heavy town, mutual shield with Xingu Prefecture, heart providing grain. This time transport grain, transport to border two prefectures.

Border area most soldier bandits, deceive abduct swindle use all means. And region troop types many, shape complex. Sometimes can’t distinguish speaking person ghost.

But banner they fly, of course use most terrible, most deterrent one.

This person quickly snatched others wallet, shook: “Okay, filial piety money, I will speak good words for you with Commander-in-Chief lord.”

Aside someone couldn’t help sneer: “Commander-in-Chief lord, that you can climb? Damn liar still reason.”

Group people blank said: “Past border, only heard Feng Chongshan lord, Zhao Shirui lord, also Chen Rulian etc lords. Now this Commander-in-Chief lord who ah?”

“You still don’t know? New emperor ascend, this Commander-in-Chief quickly soared. Never heard him, merit recapturing Dasheng Prefecture back then, always heard right? Even Dasheng Prefecture never heard, Lord Xie new policy tour whole country, let officials people pay grain as one, clear wrong cases for everyone, always heard right?”

Shi Shu hand shook.

Xie Wuchi, did you mix too well???

Commander-in-Chief (Du Tongzhi), exactly what official?

Thinking Xie Wuchi step to sky, inevitable recall Dasheng Prefecture bloodbath. Shi Shu heart mixed flavors. Du Zihan increased water drinking frequency, same time hand shaking violently, said: “I convinced. Now really meet him, I don’t know I chopped how many pieces by knife. Flesh blood estimate ground powder, feed pig feed dog.”

Shi Shu also smiling said: “Convinced, I really convinced. Not only convinced, Xie Wuchi, worthy being you.”

Du Zihan: “Same transmigrator, rely on what?”

Rely on what? Rely on his sky-high means, hard fathom depth, extreme calculation, evil ghost heart. Shi Shu inevitable felt fear. He only knew if now Xie Wuchi want him die, Shi Shu really die without whole corpse.

Leaving back then, too heartless?

Two recalling old things. Side people still boasting: “Our Commander-in-Chief lord, now border most authoritative spokesperson. Also lead troops fight, bury Northern Min, wipe shame, kill enemy like hemp. Understand? You group ignorant things. What Feng Chongshan, Zhao Shirui, long past tense. Now border hundreds thousands troops master, long changed name.”

“Commander-in-Chief lord act cruel?”

“That fucking called courage, understand! Courage!”

“……”

Shi Shu really couldn’t drink, turned walking back forth. God bless, this life don’t let him meet Xie Wuchi again. Qin Village very good, Shi Shu still want live.

Tea house boast finished, group people have continue forward. Du Zihan night scared nightmare, came find Shi Shu: “I fuck, tyrant really can stop child night cry ah!”

Shi Shu: “…Truth tell, I can’t sleep either.”

Another few days, grain finally transported to Xingu Prefecture northernmost Yanzhou. Shi Shu sighed relief. Transport grain to army designated location, they common people can return. Shi Shu unconsciously speeded up horse riding. But, this day, endless people grain convoy suddenly intercepted at approaching plank bridge.

Shi Shu jumped off carriage. Now early summer. Row row people grain carts blocked on plank bridge, chaotic noisy piece, threw grain carts aside.

“What meaning? Why not let pass?!”

“Escort grain have deadline, you don’t delay military opportunity, behead crime!”

“We walked three more months, come send grain, why not let us pass road?”

“You don’t bully people too much!”

People grumpy shouted: “Move away!”

Group people stood plank bridge. Short fat round middle-aged man, eyes top head said: “Want pass this bridge, have give money.”

Shi Shu “Wocao” instantly, stepped forward watch.

Crowd instantly someone unhappy: “We specially walked thousand miles pay tax, money grain always gave. This arriving Yanzhou, still let us pay tax? You want force us die! We long penniless!”

Official said: “Penniless don’t know. Anyway, want pass this bridge, have give money. Oh right, not this official idea, this Yanzhou government office idea. Want quarrel, find them quarrel!”

People noisy: “On our body, really not penny left!”

“We eat rice, all own brought old dough. Good grain sent to you.”

“Still want give money really none!”

Official rolled eyes: “Then not pass! Delay military opportunity, die not this official.”

Shi Shu: “……”

Shi Shu couldn’t stand, stepped forward: “Rely what give money? You say government fixed, government document? Or you just want knock bone suck marrow from people, corruption squeeze? No document, we absolutely not give money.”

“Unruly people!”

Shi Shu: “Just not give. People walked thousand miles road send grain, still give road money? You count official? More squeeze than robber. Didn’t see we penniless body? Not give. You have ability kill us all.”

With him came from Qin Village Akan, also echoed: “Your dad, family down field seed grain sent to you, still want collect money! Have ability catch us directly!”

“Right! Catch us!”

“Not give money, not give!”

“Beast! Dog official!”

Crowd uproar piece. Shi Shu chest heart beat wild, in anger. This official angry face red neck thick, loud voice: “Watch plank bridge dead! This official want see, can’t timely escort military grain, die you or us!”

“Beast!”

But, just when scene chaotic piece, not far, suddenly sounded galloping horse hoof sound. “Dong dong dong” like drum beat solid stepped on ground. Momentum like flying rainbow, rolled up roadside wind sand.

Official facing main road. Seeing this scene, face changed suddenly, pushed crowd walk out: “Make way, make way, roll——”

“Lord hunting back! Hurry make road out! And this group unruly people, all blast side for me!”

“Come, maintain order! Hurry make road out!”

“Subordinate Zhou Changde, pay respect——”

Shi Shu didn’t understand reason, squeezed in chaotic crowd, turned face. More than ten flying horses galloping from not far broad road. Horses fat strong majestic, posture vigorous like lightning, full of intimidating oppression.

And behind this row people, followed tens hundreds guards. Horses came very urgent. More than ten galloping flying horses. Foremost person wore striking pitch-black hunting arrow clothes, figure straight bright handsome. One hand holding horse whip, wrist wrapped snow white gauze.

Opponent horse rampage, almost didn’t see front people. Crowd dodged one after another. Cold wind strong, swept up pitch-black long hair. Under sharp brows pair glass-like ice black eyes, suppressed, face no trace emotion.

Horses galloped. Behind horses put hunting corpses, blood dripping. Guards blocked people away one after another. But obstacle on plank bridge still moved too slow.

Horse after neigh, stopped, pacing impatiently.

Shi Shu retreated, retreat no retreat. Front small deer corpse, neck pierced by arrow, flesh blood blurred.

——Xie Wuchi!

Shi Shu smelled blood scent. Moment mind complex. Head down couldn’t find Du Zihan. He holding head shivering squatting behind carriage, deadly holding Laifu, suppressing Laifu crazy shaking tail!

Shi Shu dazed moment. Wanted run. But moment felt, I owe him nothing.

Shi Shu stood spot, watching quietly.

Official Zhou Changde pissing running forward lead horse rope, stumbling said: “Commander-in-Chief lord, subordinate collecting road tax here, so blocked plank bridge first, blocked lord horse, simply crime deserve ten thousand deaths!”

Arrogant before respectful after, worthy official circle person.

Shi Shu amused watching this official.

Sound on plank bridge, “Crack”. Wrist wrapped gauze stretched out, threw horse whip to side guard.

Xie Wuchi figure stood on bridge. Seemingly transparent eyes, inch by inch, swept over crowd.

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