Chapter 103 Two Women Borrowing Umbrellas from a Cruise Ship on a Rainy Day
There is a saying:
Hangzhou has unparalleled beauty, with exotic flowers and plants on the banks of West Lake fragrant all year round.
In spring, you can visit the Su Causeway with its red peach blossoms and green willows; in summer, you can admire the lotus flowers that fill the pond. In autumn, you can watch the bright moon like clear water; in winter, you can see the auspicious snow covering the hills...
From Yuhang Town, go up along Liuhua River and pass Yunhe County, and you will reach Hangzhou Prefecture.
The water is rippling along the way, and there are mountain flowers on both sides.
A small cruise ship is slowly setting off from Yuhang Town.
At the stern, the boatman wearing a bamboo hat was shouting and greeting fellow passengers passing by.
At the bow stood two eye-catching figures.
One was a young Taoist priest in a neat green robe, standing tall, with clear brows and bright eyes.
Looking at his figure and appearance, one always feels that... the world's favorite is nothing more than this, and the rest of the living beings are a bit sloppy,
Next to him stood a girl in colorful clothes, wearing a tasseled dress. She had a figure that had not yet fully grown, a slender waist, and long legs.
She had twin ponytails, her skin was crystal white, and her big eyes looked around at the scenery. She seemed a little excited, but also seemed to be hiding some indelible sadness.
These two people are none other than Li Chu, the founding and last disciple of Yu Qian'an, the abbot of Deyun Temple in Yuhang Town, Shilipo.
And his demon slave, a koi carp transformed into a human, named Yue'er.
Li Chu made this trip because he received a blood letter from his good friend Wang Longqi asking for help yesterday, and planned to rush to the Zhengqi Academy in the city to check the situation.
The reason why I brought Xiaoyueer with me was because she had completely transformed after eating the dragon fruit.
At this moment, she was transformed from a heartless little koi into a human being with rich emotions and complicated thoughts.
Once fish become smart, they tend to worry easily.
She thought that her tribesmen were still missing and she was the only one left away. She couldn't be happy no matter how good her life was.
In addition, she also remembered her grandfather, the koi chief, who had a human name, Liu Chaoan.
So she also had a big name like her grandfather, called Liu Yue.
Yu Qian'an thought that the name Liu Yue was too vulgar, like a country girl. It would be better to change "Yue" to "Yue", which is more elegant.
Li Chu firmly rejected this proposal.
Unusually determined.
This time when I went to the provincial capital, I brought the little koi with me so that she could relax and stop thinking about bad things.
Xiaoyue looked at the beautiful scenery of lakes and mountains around her, and gradually her mood did ease a little.
The cruise ship passed by a ferry, which was crowded and lively.
Taking advantage of the flow of people, many vendors set up stalls and hawked their wares, creating a bustling atmosphere.
Many people also saw the appearance of the person at the bow of the ship and couldn't help but look over to watch.
Yue Er pulled Li Chu's arm and said, "Master, look at what those people are selling. They are colorful and beautiful."
Li Chu looked over and replied, "That's a river lantern. Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon, and people will release river lanterns to make wishes. If you like it, I'll buy you one then."
"Okay." Xiao Yue nodded and raised her innocent eyes again: "Will it really come true if I write my wish on the river lantern?"
"Absolutely not." Li Chu shook his head decisively.
Once, twice.
The innocence in Xiaoyue'er's eyes was also ruthlessly shattered...
"Also..." Li Chu said to her again: "Don't call me master anymore. It's broad daylight and there are many people outside. Others will find it strange if they hear it."
"Hmm...what are you yelling about?"
Li Chu suggested: "You and I should be brother and sister."
"But I'm used to calling you that..." Xiao Yue thought for a moment and said, "Why don't we just call each other brother and sister during the day..."
"At night too." Li Chu immediately emphasized in a firm tone.
The little koi could only nod, swinging her twin ponytails back and forth, as if expressing her confusion about human behavior.
…
The boat sailed from the ferry entrance to the ferry end, but in just a short while, the sky above changed color.
The sunny day turned into dark clouds in the blink of an eye.
When the boat was about to sail away, fine rain began to fall.
The boatman wore a bamboo hat and didn't care about the rain. Li Chu and Xiao Yue'er hid in the cabin and sat down.
At this time, someone on the shore called out in a gentle voice: "Boatman——"
The boatman turned around and saw two women jogging towards him from the shore, waving at him as they ran.
One of the two women was wearing a white dress with flowing long skirts. Her black hair was tied up in an exquisite snow-white bun, and her hair fluttered in the wind and rain. Although her face could not be seen clearly, one could feel her extraordinary temperament, and she must be very beautiful.
The other one was wearing a green gauze skirt. She seemed to be younger, slightly shorter, and had lighter steps, making her look lively and cute.
Seeing that they were two beautiful girls, the boatman replied, "Hey——"
The woman in green called out again, "My master and I have just arrived here, and it suddenly started to rain. Could you please give us a ride on the boat?"
The boatman said, "This boat of mine was chartered by the young man in front of us, and it is going to the capital."
The woman in green said happily, "Then we are just on the way."
The boatman lifted the cabin curtain and said, "Young man, it's raining hard. There are two girls who are going the same way. Why don't we give them a ride?"
At this time, the woman shouted again: "We can pay more for the boat fare!"
Li Chu immediately said, "Of course it makes sense. How can we let the two girls get wet in the rain?"
After a while.
The cruise ship docked, the boatman put on the plank, and the two girls boarded the ship slowly.
It was so clear now that the boatman's eyes almost popped out.
The woman in white had beautiful eyebrows and a delicate head, and seemed to be born with no flaws. Her eyes were as clear as autumn water, and her gaze seemed to be in tune with each other. When she walked, she was like a willow swaying in the wind, indescribably graceful and gentle.
The boatman searched his mind for a long time and only thought of an idiom.
She is so beautiful.
The girl in green behind him looked only fifteen or sixteen years old, with bright eyes and white teeth, and was cute and naive. She did not look vulgar next to such a stunning beauty, and was already a natural beauty.
The two women thanked the boatman, bent down and sat down in the cabin.
The small cabin seemed a bit crowded with four people sitting in it.
Li Chu and Xiao Jinli sat on one side, and the two women sat on the other side, separated only by a narrow mat for placing things.
It can be said that they are face to face.
It would be a bit awkward if I didn't say anything.
The woman in white spoke first: "Thank you for your help, sir. Otherwise, on such a rainy day, we two weak women really don't know what to do."
Li Chu nodded and responded: "Miss, you are too polite. This is as it should be."
The young girl in green rolled her eyes and looked at Li Chu curiously for a few times, then asked, "Sir, where are you from?"
"I am Li Chu, a Taoist priest from Deyun Temple, Shilipo, outside Yuhang Town." Li Chu replied, "This Yue'er is my sister. I brought her to visit a friend in the city."
Since Li Chu answered his name, the woman in white said, "My name is Qin Shuangbai. I came from Jianmen Prefecture in Tiannan Continent and I am going to Hangzhou Prefecture to visit my relatives."
"My name is Yuqing, and I'm the young lady's personal maid." The girl in green hurriedly said.
"Hmm?" Li Chu said, "You two girls came here from Tiannan Continent to visit your relatives. You have come a long way."
Tiannanzhou is located in the southwest, and Jiangnanzhou is in the southeast. Although they are both in the south and border each other in the middle, Yuhang Town is on the side of Jiangnanzhou close to the East China Sea, while Jianmen Prefecture is on the side of Tiannanzhou close to the vast mountains in the west.
There is quite a long distance between them.
"To be honest, sir..."
Qin Shuangbai's charming eyes turned, and the light in them dimmed, as if she could pull people into her eyes in an instant and feel the trace of sadness.
"My parents passed away unexpectedly, and my family fell into poverty. I had no choice but to come and live with my relatives."
When talking about sad things, Qin Shuangbai's eyes were filled with tears, as if he was about to cry.
"Miss Qin...please accept my condolences." Li Chu comforted her.
"Yeah!" Xiao Yue'er wanted to comfort her after thinking for a while, and said, "Sister Qin, don't be too sad. It's not just your parents who are dead. I don't know if my parents are dead or not, but I can't find them. My brother's parents are the same. They died a long time ago! You are nothing special."
“……” Qin Shuangbai was stunned.
Is this... a comfort?
"Uh." Yu Qing looked at them and asked, "Don't you two have the same parents?"
"She is me..."
Li Chu was thinking about which branch of kinship to explain.
Then Xiao Yueer said, "We are half-brothers and half-sisters."
Three people: “?”
…
The waterway was not far to begin with, and when the cruise ship entered the city, pavilions and towers gradually appeared on both sides of the river. Even on rainy days, there were many pedestrians holding umbrellas and going out on the streets.
The boatman called out, "Ladies, are you at Taiping Gate? We are almost there."
"Oh, okay." Yu Qing responded and looked at Qin Shuangbai with a smile: "Miss, we are here."
Qin Shuangbai nodded gently and said to Li Chu: "Master Li, we will meet again someday."
"Well, see you later."
Yu Qing stuck her head out to take a look and said, "It's still raining hard. Do you have an umbrella on the boat?"
The boatman grinned and said, "We are rough people. We all wear straw raincoats and bamboo hats. How can we have umbrellas? We can't work with those things, and they can't keep out the rain when there's wind."
The little koi lowered his head, took down two umbrellas from the bag on the ground, and called out, "We have two umbrellas here, can you use them first?"
Qin Shuangbai took the umbrella and thanked him, "Thank you very much. Where do you two live in the city? I'll send the umbrella back to you later."
Li Chu said, "I'm not sure yet. Miss Qin, where are you going to go to live with your relatives? Why don't I go pick you up some other day?"
"That's fine." Qin Shuangbai nodded: "I should be in the Chui Liu Alley in front of Taipingmen Street, the second one on the right at the entrance of the alley."
"Okay." Li Chu nodded and took note of it.
Then, the two girls got off the boat lightly.
The boatman looked at the graceful figure for a long time before reluctantly rowing away.
The strange thing is, as soon as the two girls got off the boat, the sky cleared up immediately.
Xiaoyue immediately pulled Li Chu and skipped out of the cabin.
Now there's a lot more to see.
The city is clustered around Liuhua River, which is the busiest stretch of street. There are all kinds of shops on both sides, including restaurants, teahouses, horse and carriage shops, street vendors, jugglers and performers...
Even when Xiaoyue went out to play in the past, she only stayed near Yuhang Town. She had never been to such a prosperous place, and her eyes lit up immediately.
Before we knew it, the boat arrived at a shallow bay.
Looking ahead, there are scattered green mountains, and the nearest one is not far in front of the shallow bay.
Ancient Huai Mountain.
Zhengqi Academy is located on this mountain.
According to legend, a down-and-out official of the previous dynasty, dissatisfied with the corrupt government, resigned in anger and left. When passing by this mountain, he met a great monster called "Huai Zu".
This Huaizu was a demon who had been cultivating in the mountains for many years and had great virtues. He was attracted by the official's integrity and could not help but show up.
He told the officials that the world was about to fall, and your talents and ambitions had nowhere to be used now, so it would be better to build a school here and pass on your integrity. A hundred years later, there would be a place for your talents.
The officials followed his advice and built a academy in the mountain, naming it "Zhengqi Academy".
The fruits of one’s labor are not to be underestimated. Over the past hundred years, Zhengqi Academy has blossomed and borne fruit, cultivating a generation of heroes.
During this hundred years, the world underwent great changes, including the great war between gods and demons and the establishment of the Heluo Dynasty.
When the world was restored to balance and people were needed, the outstanding people who came out of Zhengqi Academy soon became famous in the Heluo court, and the academy they came from became famous throughout the world.
It became one of the four major academies.
…
Li Chu walked slowly up the mountain with the little koi. There were many tourists at the foot of the mountain.
Looking over, most of them are young children, accompanied by their parents, who come here to show their talents. Then look up at the magnificent academy lofts on the hillside, which will give the children an ambition.
There was a father standing on the side of the road, holding his hands on his waist, looking at the academy on the mountain, and asked: "Son, do you have any ambitions when you grow up?"
The little boy looked around and saw Li Chu, so he pulled his father's sleeve and said loudly: "Daddy, I want to look like that brother when I grow up!"
His father's face darkened: "That's a problem! You must look like your father."
The little boy blinked and burst into tears.
His father hurriedly comforted him, "For a man, it doesn't matter if he's a little older or uglier. The most important thing is that he has talent!"
Going further up, we soon reached the mountainside.
After passing the stone tablet of "Zhengqi Academy", you can no longer enter easily.
There is a mountain pavilion blocking the only stone staircase leading up the mountain.
There is a guard of the academy in the pavilion.
Li Chu stepped forward and reported: "I came here from Yuhang Town to visit a friend. I wonder if I can come in?"
The guard glanced at him and asked, "Who is your friend?"
"Wang Longqi." Li Chu replied.
"Oh?" The guard suddenly raised his eyebrows and said with a smile, "Seventh Young Master is your friend?"
"Um."
"Go in, follow the stone steps forward, turn right, and you'll find the third attic. Young Master Wang has just arrived and seems to be living on the third floor. You can ask there and you'll know which room it is."
"Thank you." After Li Chu thanked him, he turned and left.
It was also a bit surprising that Wang Longqi seemed to be able to get along with everyone.
Following the path indicated by the guard, we soon arrived at the academy.
There are dozens of teachers and hundreds of students in Zhengqi Academy, so it cannot be said to be a large number of people. However, there are countless pavilions and towers, and I don’t know what they are used for.
The people I met on the road were all wearing Confucian robes with wide sleeves. They walked with a strong step and looked very anxious.
What's more, some people even recite scriptures while walking.
Li Chu felt inexplicably familiar.
He used to study in the best school in the province.
Those classmates who scored 100 to 600 points lower than him in the exam always looked anxious and working hard.
Every time he walked leisurely through the campus, he would feel a little envious of his classmates who had to recite books even when eating and walking.
That’s right, I’m envious.
I envy them for being able to make progress as long as they work hard.
But he never made any progress.
…
When you reach the third attic, turn right and go in.
I found that there was a large room on the first floor of the attic filled with pens, ink, paper and inkstones. Some of the rooms had people sitting on them, while others were empty. It should be a place similar to a study room.
But the people inside were not studying on their own. They were discussing something loudly, and it sounded like it was related to academic subjects.
Li Chu shook his head.
Wang Longqi can't be here.
The second and third floors are similar to dormitories. During the day, there are very few people on these two floors.
Just then, a scholar hurried downstairs, so Li Chu stopped him and asked, "Excuse me, which room does Wang Longqi live in?"
The scholar smiled and said, "Seventh Young Master? He is in the innermost room on the third floor."
"Thank you." Li Chu bowed to express his gratitude.
"You're welcome. Seventh Young Master's friends are my friends."
The scholar suddenly patted Li Chu's shoulder in a very chivalrous manner.
Going upstairs again, I came to the room he mentioned.
I saw that the door of the room was covered with cinnabar and yellow talismans, as if it was a place to seal demons...
Li Chu frowned and hurried forward to knock on the door.
Knock knock.
Then Wang Longqi's voice came from the door, "Who?"
Li Chu said: "It's me."
"Li Chu!"
Wang Longqi suddenly burst into tears.
Then there was the sound of running feet. He ran over, opened the door, and shouted, "You're finally here!"
Li Chu saw through him that the room was also filled with various magical instruments.
Vajra bell, demon-subduing pestle, peach wood sword, bronze mirror...
He couldn't help wondering, "What happened?"
Wang Longqi let him in and said in a trembling voice:
"There's a monster in our academy!"
"Big monster!"
Sorry. I stayed up all night the night before and woke up in the afternoon today... I had a headache when I woke up. Alas, it is no longer the time when I could stay in the Internet cafe for two nights... I finished organizing the outline and it was very late.
This chapter is bland, without any explosive points, so I combined it into a big chapter. In fact, it would be better to separate it, as it seems to have more updates. But... for the sake of the completeness of the plot, I still combined it.
It was originally just over 5,000 words, but I specifically picked out a paragraph and deleted it so that I could charge less.
Let's just say I have two chapters. We agreed to update three chapters on a regular basis, so I owe one chapter... plus the 15 chapters I owed before... that makes it 16 chapters, okay...
Please supervise me until I pay it back. I will never ask for anything except subscription.
Posting at this time, my exquisite badge is pitiful...
(End of this chapter)
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