A row of old-fashioned stilt houses stand on the shore.

This is also one of the most distinctive ancient buildings in the ancient city of Fenghuang.

The stilt house, also known as the "dial house", is a traditional house of the Miao, Zhuang, Buyi, Dong, Shui, Tujia and other ethnic groups. There are many stilt houses in southeast Chongqing, northern Guangxi, western Hunan, western Hubei and southeast Guizhou.

The stilt houses are mostly built on the mountain and river, and are in a shape of a tiger sitting. They are "green dragon on the left, white tiger on the right, vermilion bird in the front, and black twilight behind" are the best houses. Later, they pay attention to the orientation, either sitting west to east or east to west.

Stilt houses are dry-rail-style buildings, but they are different from the commonly referred to. All the dry-rails should be suspended, so stilt houses are called semi-rail-style buildings.

In the past, stilt houses were generally covered with thatch or fir bark, and some were also covered with stone slabs. Nowadays, stilt houses were mostly covered with mud tiles.

The construction of stilt houses is a major event in the Tujia people's life. The first step is to prepare all the woods. Tujia people call it "fall green mountains". Generally, the tree or purple tree is selected. The tree is homophonic to "spring" and "zi" is auspicious, which means that spring is always big and descendants are prosperous;

The second step is to process the beam and column material, called "frame size". On the beam, you also need to draw patterns such as Bagua, Tai Chi diagram, lotus seeds, etc.;

The third process is called "fan arrangement", which means connecting the processed beams and columns to the tenons and arrange them into wooden fans;

The fourth step is to "set up a house and upright pillars". The owner chooses auspicious day for the zodiac signs and asks the neighbors to help. Before going up the beam, they should sacrifice the beams. Then everyone works together to erect rows of wooden fans. At this time, firecrackers are ringing, and neighbors send gifts to congratulate them. After setting up the house, the corners of the rafters are nailed, tiles are covered, and the board walls are installed. Wealthy families also need to decorate the eaves on the roof, carve dragons and paint phoenixes under the corridor cave, and decorate the wooden railings on the balcony.

The most basic feature of a stilt house is that the main house is built on the ground. Except for one side of the wing room that is connected to the main house, the other three sides are suspended and supported by pillars.

There are many benefits to stilt houses. The high-hanging ground is not only ventilated and dry, but also protects against venomous snakes and wild animals. Debris can also be placed under the floor. The stilt house also has distinct ethnic characteristics. The elegant "silk eaves" and the wide "baring" make the stilt houses a unique structure. This type of stilt house has successfully escaped its originality than the "railing" and has a higher cultural level. It is called the "living fossil" of Bachu culture.

We leaned on the boat on the shore, and Leizi went ashore first and found the Bai family's house number.

There are so many people living here, so I can't use the corpse-guiding bell to drive the corpse, so I have to carry Bai Jing's body out of the cabin.

There was a black gauze hat on the head of the corpse. Even if someone saw it, he would not recognize it as a corpse.

Bai Jing's hometown is a three-story stiles. Except for the roof tiles, all the upper and lower parts are built with fir trees. The columns are made of large fir trees, and the columns are connected by fir trees of different sizes and are connected together. Although they do not use a single iron nail, they are very strong, fully demonstrating the architectural wisdom of the Chinese nation.

There are also hanging buildings around the house, and the eaves are upturned and are like spreading their wings to fly. The four walls of the house are slotted with fir boards, and tung oil is applied inside and outside, which is clean and bright.

There are no people living on the bottom floor, so they are used to raise poultry, and there are heavy objects placed in the placement of farm tools.

The second floor is a place for eating and living. There is a bedroom inside, so outsiders generally do not enter. Outside the bedroom is a main hall, where there is a fire pit, so the family can eat around the fire pit. This place is spacious and convenient. Because there are windows, it is bright and has sufficient light and ventilation. Most of the family does handicraft work and rest here, which is also a place to receive guests.

There is a wide corridor connected to it on the other side of the main hall. Outside the corridor is a half-person-high railing and a large row of benches inside. The family often lives here to rest. During the festival, the mother also dresses up her daughter here.

The third layer is air-dry and dry, and is very spacious. In addition to being a living room, it also separates a small room for storage of grain and storage.

Leizi and I went up to the second floor of the stilt house and knocked on the door.

After a while, an old lady with wrinkles opened the door and an oil lamp lit up on the table.

Under the dim light, the old lady's cheeks looked like old tree bark, full of cracks.

Time carves the traces of vicissitudes on her face. It seems that she should be a woman with a tragic fate and has experienced many things in her life.

The old lady looked at us with confusion: "You are..."

"Old man, we are Bai Jing's friends!" I reported the name "Bai Jing".

Hearing the words Bai Jing, a trace of joy flashed through the old lady's turbid pupils: "Jingjing? Are you Jingjing's friends?"

However, the old lady's expression soon faded: "Jingjing is not at home, she has gone to work in Jishou and hasn't been back for a while!"

I nodded: "I know, we've sent her back!"

I walked into the room with Bai Jing's body on my back and revealed my identity as the corpse-driver.

In the western Hunan area, ordinary people know about corpse driving people, especially older people like this who know about corpse driving people.

So when I showed my identity, the old lady immediately understood what happened. She staggered back and looked depressed. Fortunately, Lei Zi reached out to support her, so she did not fall down.

The old lady was trembling with her voice: "Jingjing...what happened?"

"I was killed by someone..." I gritted my teeth and told the old lady all the time. As Jingjing's relative, she has the right to know the truth.

After listening to my story, the old lady's face was covered in tears, as if she had suddenly become much older.

"Did those bad guys... catch them?" the old lady asked even more.

"Grandma, don't worry, the bad guys...all were brought to justice, and none of them escaped!" I said.

The old lady closed her eyes, threw herself on Bai Jing's body, and cried bitterly: "Jingjing... Jingjing... wake up... I am grandma... I am grandma..."

The old lady was heartbroken and almost fainted from crying several times.

I stretched out my palm and pressed it on her vest, giving her a little bit of true energy.

After a while, the old lady finally stopped crying because she could no longer cry.

"Grandma, you are the only one in this family?" I asked.

The old lady sighed, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and said, "Jingjing has been a miserable child since she was a child. Her mother left early, and her father worked outside all year round to support this family. Jingjing lived with me and my old man since she was a child. When the old man was there, she often went to the town to do odd jobs to supplement the family income.

The old man also left two years ago, Jingjing was admitted to university, and her family's financial situation became even more difficult.

Jingjing originally wanted to give up her studies, but her father and I didn’t agree. No matter what, even if we sell our money, we still have to support Jingjing in studying. Only by reading more can we go to the outside world and change our destiny.

Jingjing is also very sensible. In order to save her family's worries, she works outside during winter and summer vacations and saves her own tuition.

A few years ago, she told me that she would go out to work in winter vacation work, but I didn’t agree. I thought, no matter how poor the family is, the whole family has to celebrate the festival together!

Later, Jingjing still ran out secretly with me on her back.

Before leaving, I only left a note for me, saying that she would go to Jishou to work in winter vacation work and would come back before school starts!

These nights, I can't sleep, and I feel very nervous, and I always feel something is going to happen.

Unexpectedly... Unexpectedly... Jingjing..."

When the old lady said this, she could no longer say anything and let her tears flow silently.

Leizi and I felt sad when we heard this, "It's raining all night long." The fate of the Bai family is so unbearable. Why does God still torture them like this? Bai Jing is the only hope of the Bai family. Now the only hope is shattered. It is undoubtedly a fatal blow to the already stormy Bai family.

"Jiujizi, I want..." Leizi looked at me.

As soon as I saw Lei Zi's eyes, I knew what he was thinking.

I raised my palms and said, "I know what you want to say!"

I flipped through my pocket, took out two thousand dollars from it, and put it in front of the old lady.

The old lady looked at me in surprise: "Master Xiao Jiu, what are you doing?"

"Bai Jing's burial fee is not much, it is my little wish!" I said.

"It's not possible! It's not possible!" The old lady waved her hand repeatedly and refused: "You two masters have helped our family a lot. I'm so grateful for your help Jingjing catch the murderer. I can't repay you. This money... I can't ask for it!"

"Grandma, take it!" Lei Zi stuffed the money into the old lady's hand: "This is the wish of Master Jiu, I hope you will not refuse!"

"This...this..." The old lady was holding two thousand yuan, her hands trembling. Maybe she hadn't seen so much money at once in her life.

Lei Zi gave me a wink and was about to leave.

The old lady stopped us and said, "Two masters, I'm so grateful for it when I traveled a long distance! No matter what, you can stay for a meal before leaving, otherwise I would be really sorry!"

Since the old lady said this, Leizi and I were not easy to refuse.

The dishes are very simple, but they are all very attentive. They are all the most distinctive Miao family members in the local area, such as Miao family sour soup, Miao family sour radish, and Miao family vegetables and tofu. Although there is no meat, Leizi and I still eat our stomachs full.

When we left, the old lady kept kowtowing to us and kept saying thank you.

"Grandma, if you need help in the future, come to us! We will do our best!" I said to the old lady.

When I walked out of the Bai family, it was already late at night outside.

Lei Zi sighed: "I was almost crying when I saw the old lady crying! The old lady is so old, and I don't know how she should endure the pain of a white-haired person giving birth to a black-haired person!"

I looked at the sky: "This is all fate!"

"Jiujizi, where are we going now?" Leizi asked.
Chapter completed!