Big Moon Ballad

When I met an old friend in my hometown eight years ago, there was also a person who met my old friend in an unexpected place.

In the cold wind at the border, Qian Bofang got up while it was still light, dressed neatly, went downstairs and closed the door, and started sweeping the floor with a bamboo broom.

He swept the green bricks at the entrance of Shanhaiju over and over again. Every brick he swept was green and shiny.

"Boss Qian, you're sweeping the floor yourself again!"

The aunt selling soy milk passed by, saw this common scene, and said hello to him.

"Hey, those apprentices are clumsy and their business has been slow recently. Can't I do it myself?"

Qian Bofang was wearing a long gown and didn't care about his image. He wiped his sweat with a towel around his neck and responded with a kind face.

"Boss Qian is such a diligent person, no wonder the business is so big!"

The old mother selling soy milk praised her while pushing the cart through the empty streets, leaving only the sound of rolling wheels.

Qian Bofang straightened up, leaning on his broom and looking in the direction she left.

Although it was still early, the streets in the early morning would not have been so deserted in the past.

From this time on, pedestrians will continue to appear on the streets of Shanhaiguan City.

There were farmers from the suburbs carrying fruits and vegetables to the city to sell, and they bought a bowl of soy milk on the roadside to rest their feet; there was a young man who had enjoyed a whole night at Liuyun Tower, and was carried out drunkenly by a young man and put on a carriage; there was a blacksmith who got up early in the morning They started chopping firewood and preparing to light a fire to beat the old armor; a little girl picked the freshest orchids and sat on the street corner with a basket to weave garlands...

But now, there is nothing.

Qian Bofang stood on the street corner, quietly looking at the empty brick street in front of him, his eyes complex and indifferent.

The streets changed from lively to deserted, and from deserted to lively. He had experienced this cycle many times.

The reason why Shanhaiguan is so deserted today is because starting a month ago, some wealthy families in the city began to move out of the city with their families in horse-drawn carriages.

The common people began to flee when they saw the rich people. Although they didn't understand why, those with some ability and foresight began to take their families and pack up the few belongings at home and leave the city with their baggage.

The people at the border have experienced turmoil for several generations and have developed an almost instinctive sense of danger.

Although no major fighting has occurred in the past month, the impending storm has been noticed by the big families in Shanhaiguan.

The Evernight Great Wall has been breached twice in a row in the past ten years. Although it did not cause a major disaster in the end, the people in Shanhaiguan did not have much confidence in the border defenders.

Once there are signs of war, the people in the city who can escape will begin to flee.It may not be accurate to say that it is the common people, because Guancheng prohibits the common people from fleeing.Those who can leave the city are all people who can manage things up and down.

The truly poor people cannot and will not escape, because there is no way to survive if they escape. They can only hide in this city and pray that the city will not be broken. Even if it is broken, the Xirong people will not massacre the city.

But are the only people from Xirong who will come to break the city?

Qian Bofang was a little distracted, as if he had seen the nightmare seven years ago again. He shook his head and was about to wake up from the dream, but he felt as if he was still dreaming.

Because the street that was empty just now, suddenly stood a Xirong man.

Ok?
Qian Bofang put down his broom and rubbed his eyes to make sure he saw it correctly.

He was distracted for a very short time and didn't see anyone coming or coming out at all.

The man ten steps away seemed to have fallen from the sky.

Is it haunted in broad daylight?Or a Xirong ghost?

The reason why he was said to be from Xirong was because the man was dressed as a Xirong from head to toe, with ribbons and pigtails all over his head, and his clothes were in tatters. He looked as if he had escaped from a refugee.

Wait, it's a girl?
Qian Bofang blinked and took in a breath of cold air when he saw clearly the face of the man standing at the door of Liuyun Tower not far away.

The woman's face was full of confusion, as if she didn't understand why she appeared on the street. She stretched out her arms and hugged her clothes that could not cover her body, and her eyes widened in horror.Footsteps were heard from the far corner of the street, and Qian Bofang's head buzzed. He dropped his broom and ran to the woman, grabbing her arm.

"money……"

Before the woman could finish speaking, Qian Bofang kicked open the door of Liuyun Tower with a bang and shoved the woman in before anyone saw her.

He then followed in, closed the door tightly, and then leaned against the door panel and breathed a sigh of relief.

The girl who was pushed in by him had not recovered yet. She sat on the ground blankly and looked at Qian Bofang with a cold sweat on her face, "Uncle Qian, why are you here?"

"That's the question I'm asking."

Qian Bofang wiped the sweat from his forehead, but he had no time to reminisce with the woman. After all, Liuyun Tower was also a place where people came and went.Now it was because it was early in the morning, the guests were all sleeping upstairs, and the hall was empty, so he could squeeze this woman in. It would be bad if someone heard the noise and calmed down.

Qian Bofang took a breath and quickly pulled the woman to a small door in the yard.

As soon as they arrived, there was a knocking on the door.

The little maid's voice sounded.

"Boss Qian, our boss asked if it was you who caused the noise down there?"

Qian Bofang nodded, "Tell your boss that I want to bring an important person to see her and ask her to freshen up quickly. Also, open the door."

With a creak, the small door opened a crack.

……

When Qian Bofang dragged the woman to the top floor of Liuyun Tower, Wan Liuyun only had time to twist her bun loosely.

But compared to the panting person standing in front of her, she was obviously much more decent.

"What's wrong? It's so early in the morning, are you urging me to die?"

"Where did you pick up this girl's old money? Her clothes are in such tatters?"

Wan Liuyun was originally full of anger, but when she saw the face of the woman standing next to Qian Bofang, her eyes widened and almost fell down.

"Miss Pansy? Why are you here?"

The ragged woman standing next to Qian Bofang was none other than Li Jinniang, who had set off from Shanhaiguan a few days ago and headed to Xirong with many people.

Li Jinniang, who was being dragged all the way, raised her head, feeling dizzy, "I don't know either..."

Even if she wasn't dizzy, she wouldn't know.

How could she open and close her eyes from Xirong Grassland to the gate of Liuyun Tower?

"Then how did you do it like this? Where are Mr. Zhaohua and the others?"

Wan Liuyun looked at Li Jinniang's torn clothes into pieces, thinking that she had suffered some kind of disaster, and her eyes felt painful.

"You mean these clothes?" Li Jinniang said blankly, "This is to cover the wounds of Prince Dongling. By the way, I obviously came to find water with Gui Li. Zhao Guang was seriously injured, and An Ge was still waiting. Why am I here when we bring water back?"

"Don't worry, speak slowly."

Wan Liuyun became excited when he saw Li Jinniang talking. He hurriedly walked to the bed and took her hand to comfort her, but suddenly she screamed.

"what is this?"

On Li Jinniang's arm, a bright red line as red as blood was slowly squirming.