Chapter 1: Cold Night (10)

Just as Di Renjie and others were busy with the New Year celebration, outside the Lanzhou City, thousands of miles away from Shendu, there were already very few guests in the Gaohe Station nearest to the Yellow River bank. After all, it was the end of the year and the time was still on the road, so I was probably the poor people who were homeless or had difficulty returning home.

This place is close to the outside of the Great Wall. Although the Gaohe Station is large in area, its furnishings are much simpler than those in the Guanguan. In the three meter wide lobby, the wooden tables and chairs are randomly scattered on the mud floor. The walls of mud are painted with yellow and gray everywhere, and there is no bright color. In order to save money, the station owner only lit a brazier in the middle of the lobby. It was just enough to warm a small circle around the brazier. The rest of the land was dripping water into ice, which was no warmer than the outdoors where the cold wind whistled.

A few small groups of passengers sat in groups of three or two on several tables and chairs next to the brazier, passing the time bored. Most of them planned to cross the Yellow River to go outside the pass, but since they arrived here, they encountered heavy snow and could not find the ferry at all, so they had to stay in the inn and wait for many days.

One person pushed the door and walked into the lobby quickly. Although he immediately closed the door behind him, the howling wind still poured into the room with him. The little boy squatting beside the brazier playing with charcoal ash immediately jumped up, shouting "Brother!" and pounced in front of him.

Li Yuanfang gently held Han Bin's small shoulder, took a steady breath, then lowered her head and asked, "Are you playing with charcoal dust again? Your face was all black." Han Bin raised a black and white face at him, stuck out his tongue, reached out to pull his clothes, and asked, "Brother, is there anything delicious?" Li Yuanfang pulled his hand away, looked helplessly at the black handprints on the clothes on his chest, and lifted several paper bags in his left hand to Han Bin.

Han Bin cheered and snatched the paper bag. Li Yuanfang said, "There is medicine here! Take it back to the house first." "Oh!" Han Bin ran away with the paper bag. Li Yuanfang followed him and walked into a guest room behind the lobby.

Like the lobby, this room is also covered with muddy walls. A person lies on a dirt kang under the base of the wall, coughing constantly. Di Jinghui sat on a chair by the door. When he saw Li Yuanfang and Han Bin walking in, he stood up to meet him.

Li Yuanfang nodded to Di Jinghui and asked, "How is it? Is he better?" As he said that, he came to the kang and leaned over to look at the man. The man raised his body and coughed, "Personnel Li, I am better. I'm causing trouble for everyone." Di Jinghui took the medicine bag from Han Bin's hand and looked at it, and asked, "Is this medicine difficult to buy? I've been there for a day."

Li Yuanfang sat down beside the couch and nodded, "It takes two hours to get back and forth from here to Lanzhou City. The wind and snow are too heavy, and the horses can hardly walk. The Chinese New Year is coming soon, and many shops in the city have closed down. I searched for a long time before I found a pharmacy. It is even more impossible to hire a doctor. I asked several questions, but I refused to leave the city."

Di Jinghui said: "Lao Sun's illness is not too serious, and my three-legged cat's ability is enough. However, this disease requires rest, and you cannot be affected, and you cannot be frozen. It seems that Lao Sun cannot move forward with us anymore." Lao Sun said anxiously: "I'm fine! I can leave!" As he said that, he coughed again. Di Jinghui curled his lips at Li Yuanfang and said disdainfully: "Lao Sun, I don't think you need to worry. Anyway, we can't leave for a while."

When Li Yuanfang saw Han Bin open another paper bag, he was saliva and grabbed cumin mutton from it and stuffed it into his mouth. He patted his back and said, "Go and send some mutton to Uncle Zhang Yi. He will brush the horses behind him. Then go and fry the medicine." Han Bin agreed and ran out. Li Yuanfang turned to Di Jinghui and said, "I went to the bank of the Yellow River again today. I think we can leave tomorrow."

Di Jinghui was shocked and asked quickly: "Didn't you say you can't find the ferry? Why can you leave again?" Li Yuanfang nodded and smiled and said, "No need for a ferry. I have seen it. This section of the Yellow River has been frozen. I tried it, and it was frozen quite strongly. We can go to the other side." "Go to the other side?!" Di Jinghui was stunned for the first time, and then laughed loudly: "Very good. I have never walked through the ice river. I have to try something fresh this time!"

Li Yuanfang turned around and said to Lao Sun, "Lao Sun, you and Zhang Yi are here. I will leave the horses for you. If you leave more money, you can just wait for the New Year and go back to Luoyang after the weather gets warmer." Lao Sun coughed and said, "How can this make it?" Li Yuanfang shook his head and said, "No need to say more, we can't delay any more, just settle it. I wrote a letter to your superior. I didn't take good care of you and wouldn't let you get the wrong one."

After having a simple supper for soaking mutton with soup cakes, Li Yuanfang borrowed paper and pen on the counter and started writing letters. Han Bin knelt on the chair beside him and watched. Before he could write a few words, suddenly there was a noise, and Di Jinghui and a group of Hu people started to quarrel. Then Di Jinghui shouted loudly: "There is only one brazier in total, and everyone has a share. You guys, not only do the tables and chairs closest to the brazier every day, but now they just move the brazier to your place. What should others do?!"

The Hu people led the way in a stiff Chinese language, "What do you want?! Don't think we can't see that you are a prisoner, but you still want to cook the fire?! You deserve it if you freeze to death!" The group of people laughed and Di Jinghui was furious: "I am a prisoner, unlike you, I don't know if it's a wolf or a dog!" The Hu people were not in a hurry and raised their voices and said, "The Han people are just good at talking? Unfortunately, they are all despicable villains! Unlike us Turkic men, they are even good at being a wolf or a dog, they are also honest and open!"

Di Jinghui slapped the table and said, "You make it clear, who is the despicable villain?! Who is using conspiracy?!" The Turkic man gritted his teeth and cursed: "That's you shameful Han people!" Di Jinghui clenched his fists and was about to rush forward, but was pushed to the side. When he saw again, Li Yuanfang frowned and blocked the Turkic man, and said in a deep voice: "It's not easy for anyone to go out and cause trouble. Forget it."

The Turkic people refused to give in and said, "Forget it?! It's not that easy! I'm fed up with you Han people, and I'll argue it today!" Di Jinghui laughed: "It turns out that he is holding a grudge and taking the opportunity to take revenge! You guys have been whispering these days. I've heard you gambling with others and lost a lot, right? No wonder they are stretched and spending money is so unpleasant. I said, "You should warm up and let the boss have more braziers, why bother with us?"

The Turkic people were so angry that they stamped their feet and shouted: "You Han people are good at lying people! You even have to gamble and use tricks. They cheated me out of my money. Today I will beat you Han people to exhale!" As he said that, he waved his hand, and about to slap in his eyes, a dozen Turkic men were about to sway, and were about to take action, but suddenly they were stunned again.
Chapter completed!