Chapter 167 Previous Years

The wind blows from the lake, and the cold air seems to blow into the cracks of people's bones.

Lu Xiaosi waited for Ding Wu to entrust the stall to someone else to take care of it. He turned to look at the small market in the distance where she and Sister Xiaoli had sold rice dumpling leaves. The originally lively vegetable market was a little deserted. There were almost no cargo ships on the dock, even those

The men who were doing the work at the pier also lost sight of them.

The doors and windows of Lai Fushun not far away were closed, and the bustle of the visitors was no longer there. The original red lacquered door and window bars were eroded by wind and rain, and became dull. I don’t know when the guise of Lai Fushun, which was originally flamboyant in the wind, would be blown away.

It broke and swayed in the wind, making people feel a bit depressed for no reason.

When Lu Xiaoli saw Lu Xiaosi looking at Lai Fushun without moving, he couldn't help but sigh: "I don't know if Shopkeeper Li will be able to come after the Chinese New Year."

"It will come."

Winter is over and spring is not far away!

The three people hurriedly turned the corner and walked onto the longest street in the town.

Some doors on the streets on both sides are open, some are covered, and some are tightly closed. You can tell by the dust on the door that they have been closed for a long time.

It seems that the business of selling joss sticks and paper horses is okay, and one or two customers can be seen talking inside. The stove is out and the blacksmith shop is covered with thick dust. The blacksmith is wearing an old coat and squatting at the door with his hands folded, basking in the sun. Looking inside the shop, the knives and iron tools seem to be all gone.

It froze my soul, and I looked over at the dark hole, without even reflecting the light.

There is also the proprietress who sells rouge pollen. In the past, I always saw her standing at the door with her eyebrows painted and powdered, smiling and soliciting female customers. Today I saw her with a plain white face, no makeup or lipstick, a face that has been stained by time.

Surprisingly, one can see some of the charm of the past.

Seeing Lu Xiaosi looking over, the clerk at Dong's Cloth Shop hurriedly took a few steps out to attract business. Seeing that the three of them kept passing by, he walked back dejectedly and stood at the door, waiting for the next step.

Waves of customers pass by, hoping to drum up some business.

Ding Wu couldn't help but relax his nerves when he saw that Lu Xiaosi was still interested in looking at him.

After passing the Dong family cloth store, Lu Shege asked: "Should Dong Yong come back for the New Year?"

They are all children in the town, Ding Wu should know better than him.

"Well, I will definitely come back during the Chinese New Year. It's not easy to be an apprentice. Not to mention working for free, you are not free yet. The last time my father met Uncle Dong, he said that Dong Yong had been away for a day during the Mid-Autumn Festival and never came back. His father still felt sorry for him.

He took a look in person and said he was taller but had lost a lot of weight."

After saying that, Ding Wu thought of himself. If it weren't for Xiaosi's family, he might have gone out to be an apprentice, or follow his brothers on the boat.

The five brothers were born to one mother. The eldest brother sells meat at home, he sells braised meat at home, and the second brother, the third brother and the fourth brother run a boat. Talking about the days of running a boat, the three brothers all said it was hard.

But no matter how hard it is, I still have to go. I can't eat at home and eat at my parents' expense.

"It will be fine once you learn how to do it." Lu Xiaoli, who was walking behind the two of them, said silently.

Ding Wu sighed: "I hope so."

It also depends on whether you have met a good master, who is willing to teach the heirloom skills to people with other surnames.

Dong Yong went to work as a clerk, not as an apprentice.

"It's okay, Dong Yong is smart. As long as he wants to learn, he will definitely learn the skills. As long as the general direction is good, he can definitely succeed when he comes back and explores on his own."

Lu Shege still had confidence in Dong Yong. The boy followed him up mountains and down rivers and was willing to do anything to dye cloth.

A bold, careful-tongued, sweet-tongued, thick-skinned person with a smart mind can succeed as long as you give him a chance.

The three people walked for a while and found that the further away from the center of the town, the more shops were closed.

Compared with this side, the side near the pier is pretty good.

Lu Sheige stopped and asked, "Is your family's braised food business not doing well recently?"

"It's indeed not good, but it's not that the braised food business is hard to do. With so many restaurants closed and so many merchants gone, it's hard for everyone to do business. My butchery now kills one less pig than in previous years." As he said, Ding

Wu sighed again: "Business is not like this at the end of previous years."

Speaking of past years, Ding Wu felt a little sad for a moment.

What was it like in previous years?

He couldn't remember it for a moment. He only remembered that in previous years, there were crowds of people everywhere, buying and selling at roadside stalls and staying up late at night to buy food. He led several nephews and nieces from this end of the town to the other side of the town.

At the other end, when they came back, their steps seemed a little heavier and they landed firmly on the ground.

Now, the prosperity of the past seems to have receded like a tide, leaving only the empty streets with dead leaves and dust wandering among them.

Where have all those crowded people gone?

Those shopkeepers who have closed their stores don’t know if they will come to the town again next year.

The Hongying Army revolted, saying that if they follow them, they will have food, grain, and money.

Who knows that they are robbing the people's mouths, sharing the food from the people's pots, and taking money from the wallets of ordinary people like them.

What is the difference between this new dynasty and the old dynasty?

Return the emperor to injustice and support justice.

It turns out that as long as a person becomes an emperor, he will be immoral and immoral!

After all, Ding Wu was a gangster in the town, and it was easier than Lu Xiange to get information. He only asked two or three people, and then led Lu Xiaosi and his brother straight to a yard at the south end of the town.

Lu Quan and others were imprisoned in a courtyard of Mr. Lin's house. The three children walked around the courtyard wall without getting in, let alone seeing anyone. Ding Wu was really eager to help, and told Xiao Si if he couldn't get in.

Waiting at the door with Xiao Li, he turned around and ran back, finally finding two acquaintances who could talk.

With the respect of Uncle Ding, these two people did not embarrass Ding Wu and told him bluntly that they would release him as long as he paid the royal rations.

It’s not that we really want to lock him up, it’s just to scare these country people and find a few people to kill chickens and scare monkeys.

"Can I see you then?"

Ding Wu knew Xiaosi's temperament and was afraid that he would not be allowed to see him because he could climb over the wall in the middle of the night.

Seeing that the acquaintance did not say a word, Ding Wu hurriedly stuffed the money from today's braised meat sale: "Brother Zhou, Brother Wang, I don't have time to invite you to tea. You can take these and drink the hot tea."

"How can I ask for your tea money?"

Zhou Da hurriedly pushed, but Ding Wu pushed him back: "I don't want to be polite to my two brothers. One of the people being imprisoned here is my uncle. My uncle has praised his character."

Hearing Ding Wu mention his uncle, Zhou Da retracted his hand and collected the money bag: "Then I'll think of a way for you. I'll just take the tea money. It's not for nothing. My brother also has to pay for it."

Those gatekeepers are eating."

Ding Wu nodded nervously: "I know, I know, that's what I mean."

When Ding Wu led Zhou Da and Wang Er over, he saw them walking to the gate and saying a few words to the gatekeeper.

The doorman glanced at the three children not far away and nodded.

Ding Wu hurriedly led Xiao Si and Xiao Li over.

Lu Quan and others were locked up in a side courtyard. While they were waiting at the door, Lu Xiaoli slipped to the window and counted them first, without seeing anyone clearly.

He walked over and whispered to Xiaosi: "There are probably less than twenty people inside."
Chapter completed!