Cutting 1719

Chapter 438 Create peace for the world
In May, when the sun was scorching, but it was also a time of abundant water, the waters of the Yangtze River were very lively. There were boats passing by the river, some of them departed from Nanjing, some from Hankou, and some from the distant Departing from Chengdu Mansion, there is a shadow of sails hanging high, but it is full of prosperity.

Amidst the stream of tall ships, there were also those small boats passing by on the river. Some boatmen rowed their oars and poles to ferry on both sides of the Yangtze River, and they were also busy.

The Yangtze River is broad and windy, and there are turbulent waters and turbulent rocks. Therefore, after a short time, a small boat capsized in the middle of the river. It seemed that a boatman and two young brothers fell into the river. In his heart, seeing that the water was going very fast, he wanted to drag the three of them into the river together.

Those big cargo ships sailing in the Yangtze River could hardly turn around, but it was too late to save them. At such a critical moment, they saw a red boat sailing out of the bank like an arrow. The red flag looks extremely conspicuous.

Just when the red boat arrived at the overturned place, the cries of the three people for help became weaker, and the strength of their hands and feet fluttered much less. There were two men on the red boat with long thick ropes tied to their bodies, one Mengzi plunged into the river, and then disappeared on the river.

Only the sound of thumping was heard, but the two men carried the other on their backs and grabbed the other together. Then they were dragged onto the boat with the help of the people on the red boat. Obviously, they were men who grew up near the river. , water-based can be called a must.

It's just that the three people who were dragged to the boat were out of breath but not in, and they seemed to be dying.

Seeing this scene, the two quickly shouted: "Brother Cheng, hurry up, someone is almost gone!"

While the two were shouting, a rough-looking man emerged from the cabin. There was a long scar on his face. With that beard, he looked a bit perverted. It was just one of the man's legs. Seemingly inconvenient, he limped up to the three of them, then bent down and pressed the chest of one of the youths.

"Hurry up, follow me, put your palm on their chest, and press down, with a little force!"

The man greeted the other two on the red boat, and the two hurriedly imitated the man's technique and began to rescue the other two.

After a while, I saw the three people spit out a few mouthfuls of water, and then their chests shrank violently like a bellows, and they seemed to be alive.

"Hey, you're alive, Brother Cheng, you're really good at it!"

"Brother Cheng, where did you learn this trick? This is simply taking your life from Lord Yan's hands!"

The faces of the two men who imitated were somewhat excited, and it was not in vain to learn this skill. After all, ordinary people would not be able to teach this kind of kung fu to save people between life and death!

Cheng Shitou looked at the excited two people, but his expression was indifferent, as if what he was doing was just a trivial matter, not worth mentioning at all.

"Where did you learn it? From the pile of dead people! You two boys, follow Lao Cheng and learn hard, and you will also be able to cook a bowl of food in the future."

Hearing what Cheng Shitou said, one of them grinned, "Brother Cheng, I understand even if you don't say it, isn't it in the army? Brother!"

Just when Cheng Shitou shook his head in denial, he saw a young man on the ground slowly waking up. He was still wearing a turban on his head, but he fell into the water and fell into the water, and his hair was messed up. There was a ball, but he muttered in a low voice: "Could it be that you met Jiang Longwang?"

"Hmph, thanks to the fact that you are still a scholar, there is no reason to believe in the Water Dragon King. Didn't Confucius always say the truth of 'respect ghosts and gods and stay away'?"

Cheng Shitou spat, as if he was very unimpressed with these scholars, but his attitude towards them was somewhat worse than that of the two burly men.

But the scholar smiled wryly and said: "This strong man, although Xiaosheng is a scholar, he is also a mortal body. When he encountered the strange water situation just now, he didn't believe it."

Cheng Shitou didn't want to continue chatting with him, so he wiped his palms with the towel on his shoulders before reaching out and spreading them out.

"Just the three of you, one life, ten copper coins each, bring the money."

"Ten copper plates. How can it be so expensive?"

The scholar didn't look like someone with a lot of money and extravagance, but when he heard that he wanted ten copper coins, he immediately hesitated, but at least it was a life-saving grace, so he didn't dare to say no to it for a while.

Cheng Shitou looked extremely mean at this time, "Hmph, ten coppers are too expensive to save your life? Why don't you save them? It's cheap to salvage the corpse, only five!"

The two men who went into the water to save people were honest and honest. They saw that the scholar really had no money, so they decided to do it, but now Cheng Shitou was asking them for money, but it was hard to go against the other party's good intentions. Dare to speak out.

At this time, the other two people also woke up one after another, not to mention the other scholar, the boatman was over 40 years old, he was not at this point originally, but after falling into the water, his ankles seemed to be wrapped in the current, and he couldn't sleep for a while. Shen Cai said, now that he escaped from the ghost gate, he was extremely grateful to Cheng Shitou and the others, and knelt on the ground and kowtowed a few times.

"I know the rules of the Red Boat, but all my money is on the boat, and now I have given it to Lord Dragon. When I go home later, the ten copper coins will be sent to benefactor. "

Cheng Shitou nodded, but did not speak again, and the boatman kowtowed a few times in gratitude, then got off the red boat and went ashore.

But at this moment, the two scholars looked at each other, and the other awakened scholar didn't seem to care about the ten copper coins, and his face didn't change at all. He cupped his hands and said, "The student's name is Xu, and this is me. Shen Luochuan, a classmate and good friend of mine, originally came to Beijing this time, but accidentally fell into the river, thank you for your help."

"The student is also from Zuojin Township, and he has heard of the great name of the Red Boat. Naturally, these ten copper coins are a lot of money, and my brother's money was also given by the student, but now the money has been washed away by the river. Let’s go, I’m afraid I’ll have to wait until I get home to offer it.”

Cheng Shitou is not the kind of person who cares about every detail, he grinned, "The money is just a wish, just give it to these two brothers, and I didn't make any effort, so I don't want the money."

"Here, Brother Cheng, although we said that the man was dragged onto the boat, but you saved this life, so I have to give you a share of the money." The two men didn't want to just swallow the money and leave, so they immediately opened the mouth.

Cheng Shitou chuckled, "The purpose of the imperial court setting up the red boats on the river was originally to save people, and the money they asked for was just to prevent those boring people from deliberately throwing themselves into the river to die."

Everyone sighed slightly after hearing this. Those who knew the Red Boat understood that this was a great benevolent policy implemented by the imperial court, especially the people near the Yangtze River, there was no one who was not grateful to the imperial court.

Originally, the red boats had existed since the reign of Emperor Kangxi, but they were only caused by local organizations. Because some ships on the Yangtze River often carried out overloaded transportation for the sake of profit, causing water disasters from time to time. Due to the adverse effects of the disaster, the local authorities actively organized lifeboats to patrol along the river to rescue the victims.

Of course, because it is what the local organization said, it is necessary to hire sailors and buy lifesaving boats. The money can only be paid by the person who fell into the water. One tael of silver is saved for the living, and five coins are paid for the dead body. The scale is not too big, there are only three or five red boats running on the Yangtze River, and the price is not affordable for ordinary people, so the symbolic significance is greater than the actual significance.

Such a small number of red boats is naturally not enough for the Yangtze River, especially from Nanjing, Zhenjiang, Chizhou, Taiping, Anqing, Hezhou and other prefectures and prefectures. Come, but there is no imperial appropriation, so I have no choice but to give up.

After Ning Chu founded the country, Ning Yu naturally knew about these things, and made a special decree on this matter, "Employed in the salt box miscellaneous expenses and other items to allocate annual repairs, work, food and silver, and patrol along the river to take care of them. The former protects, the uncovered seeks to save, and the covered captures the population."

It was Ning Yu's will that caused the number of red boats on the Yangtze River to increase sharply, and they only charged a symbolic fee of ten copper coins to rescue those who fell into the water on the river.

Of course, for those sailors on the red boat who are in danger, there is another separate benefit, that is, every time they save one person, they can go to the bureau to receive a reward of one hundred copper dollars. One hundred copper dollars, in order to ensure that the sailors on the red boat will not choose to stand still because of lack of money.

"Your Majesty's kindness, the students have long remembered it in their hearts, and they wish they could repay His Majesty's grace! In fact, the purpose of the students' coming to Beijing this time is to write a letter to His Majesty, stay away from evil, and reorganize the government!"

Standing on the bow of the boat with his hands behind his back, Xu Zhai said generously that he didn't even have the slightest scruples about his hair being tousled by the river wind. He really had the temperament of a scholar-bureaucrat.

"Stay away from treachery and revive Chao Gang? Just rely on you scholars who don't even have fame?"

Cheng Shitou had a look of contempt on his face. He had already seen through the idiots hidden in the stomachs of these scholars, and said with a cold snort: "Do you know what kind of person His Majesty is today? If you don't know anything, you dare You are not ashamed to speak out, and you even reorganized the court, if you want me to say, everything in this world is messed up by you people!"

"you!"

Xu Zhai's face turned red, he wanted to refute one or two, but the other party was saving his life, but also a reckless man, but it was "you" for a long time, and he didn't know what to say.

Shen Luochuan was originally shy because of the ten copper coins, but now he didn't care about it anymore. He took two steps forward, "We are also scholars after all! How dare you, a little boatman, humiliate us like this? You think we I don’t know what kind of person His Majesty is, but do you know?”

Hearing Shen Luochuan's questioning, Cheng Shitou's expression was suddenly in a daze. He lowered his head and looked at the rough black callus in his hand. It was not formed by holding the oar, but formed by holding the gun barrel for a long time. Traces, grinned and said bitterly: "I'm a boatman, what do I know?"

"Go away, I'll pay you for it! Now, get off my boat!"

Cheng Shitou didn't look at the two ignorant scholars again, turned around and walked into the cabin, but he walked in a hurry, but the injured leg was so painful that he almost knelt down.

It's just that Cheng Shitou gritted his teeth and supported him. He endured the pain in his heart and slowly moved into the cabin step by step. Even when the two men who went into the water to save people came to help him, he One handle was opened.

"Hmph, a reckless man is a reckless man, after all, he is an ignorant villager who has not been educated by the words of a sage!"

With a bit of disdain on Shen Luochuan's face, he looked at Xu Zhai again and said guiltily, "Brother Xu, the written memorial I was waiting for was taxed, and I couldn't get it back at all. I have to ask Brother Xu to copy it again."

A refreshing smile appeared on Xu Zhai's face again, and he said softly: "Brother Shen, you are welcome. Fortunately, my younger brother has a good memory. I just copied it again. After arriving in the capital, it will be you and me. It's time for the two brothers to become famous!"

"That's right! Ten years of hard study, just waiting for the present. As a scholar, I should 'establish my heart for the world, establish my life for the people, inherit the sage's knowledge for the past, and create peace for all generations!', so that I will live up to me." Waiting for the mission."

Shen Luochuan resolutely said: "After the other comrades arrive in Nanjing, we will go to beat the Dengwen drum together and petition His Majesty together!"

The two made a generous speech, but they seemed to have completely forgotten about the boatman just now. Also, how could a small boatman leave the slightest impression on the minds of scholars?

"Cheng Shitou, starting today, you have joined the first team of the first company, the first company, the third battalion, the second regiment, the third division of the Fuhan Army. I am your captain, and my name is Shi Wenfeng!"

"Shitou, you have to remember that our Fuhan army is an army with ideals and aspirations. You have to start learning literacy with us, understand?"

"Every one of you is my soldier of Ning Yu. If I don't let you kneel, you must not kneel. Even if the Heavenly King Lao Tzu comes, stand firm for me!"

"Shitou, Jiang Ning is ahead. We are getting closer and closer to victory, but I can no longer be your captain. Now, I order you, Cheng Shitou, to be the captain of our first team. Take the brothers home for me. !"

"Cheng Shitou, Zi Jiangning made great achievements in the first battle, took the lead in breaking through the enemy's defense line, and was promoted to the deputy commander of the first company of the third battalion of the second regiment of the third division! I hope you will continue to work hard in the future and make repeated achievements!"

"Stone, just now the military doctor told me that your leg... can't be saved and you have to go home! The General Staff has sent a demobilization notice. You will be demobilized with the rank of Army Captain. Of course, other jobs have been prepared for you at least You don’t have to face fights anymore.”

It was getting dark, and the red boat was still moored on the river, but the cabin was completely silent, as if no one was in it at all, but after an unknown amount of time, a man's whimper came from inside, the voice was like a lone wolf wailing.
(End of this chapter)