I stood in the rain and looked at the boat docked quietly on the shore with confusion. There was no movement at all - what is Uncle Ai doing?

"Miss, please wait a moment, I'll go see grandpa."

Aisu Su on the side said, carefully handed the umbrella to me, and got on the boat. I was still standing on the shore holding the umbrella, and suddenly I heard Susu's panicked voice coming from the cabin: "Grandpa!

Grandpa!"

Her voice was full of fear and panic, as if she was about to cry. As soon as I heard it, I felt something was wrong, so I immediately threw the oil paper umbrella and got on the boat in three steps and two steps. The boat started shaking, so I opened the cabin.

From the curtain at the door, one could see Su Su hugging Uncle Ai and shaking her vigorously, her childish little face full of panic as she was about to cry.

Uncle Ai, on the other hand, sat there quietly with his eyes closed, motionless.

I saw at a glance that Uncle Ai was sitting cross-legged.

When I met and talked with him before, I always sat on my knees, but in such a short time as I stepped out of the cabin and disembarked from the ship, he changed into a cross-sitting posture, with his eyes closed tightly, and his dark face seemed to be frozen.

He looked as if he had no expression at all. No matter how Susu shook him or shouted in his ear, he didn't respond.

My whole body suddenly became cold. I bent down and stood in the cabin watching. After a while, I stretched out my slightly trembling hand and put it close to his nose.

Susu had tears in her eyes and looked at me blankly.

And my heart sank the moment my fingers reached under his nose.

There is no trace of breath.

Susu was still looking at me. Although she could know the truth by reaching out her hand, she seemed to have completely forgotten it at this time. She placed all her hope on me, hoping that I would tell her that maybe her grandfather was just sick and was too old.

I was tired and just fell asleep.

However, when I spoke, my voice was broken: "Uncle Ai - your grandfather, he passed away."

As soon as I finished speaking, tears immediately fell from Susu's eyes.

"Grandpa——!"

Her painful cries resounded in the small cabin.

I fell helplessly at the door of the cabin. The curtain was lifted by me, but before it could fall down, the cold wind came with icy rain, and soon my whole body was soaked, bringing a biting chill; I looked at Ai

The uncle's face was calm, but he felt that the charcoal red spot on his chest was getting hotter and hotter.

Later I thought, maybe Uncle Ai had already made such preparations early in the morning.

He never thought about inviting me back from the beginning to the end. The reason why Yan Qingchen invited him out was because he finally got the news about me. He wanted to see me and hand over the things my mother left behind.

Give it to me, and I also want to know if I am living well and if I am suffering.

But after he met me and settled everything, he no longer had any worries.

Or maybe, he also vaguely knew that if he came back empty-handed, the person who invited him out of the mountain would not give up so willingly.

So, he chose to leave like this.

Although he is a monk, I know that this person has never been peaceful. Even until his death, he will still be a great layman in the world of mortals. So I invited many monks to make him a large temple in the largest temple in Qishan Village.

The water and land dojo was bustling with activity for seven days, and his funeral was made very grand. Even many people from Yangzhou Prefecture heard the news and came to watch the fun.

I don’t care how much he disliked studying, loved power, and how much trouble he caused Fu Badai, but now, to me, he is an elder, a person who pours all his affection into our mother and daughter.

Therefore, even though I knew that if he were still alive, he would definitely be angry, firmly refuse, and maybe even shout "lose his life", I still led Li'er to kneel in front of his coffin and kowtow three times respectfully.

Finally, his body was cremated.

Perhaps, we should choose a place with good Feng Shui for him and build him a large and public cemetery. But after all, he is still a monk, and Yangzhou is not his hometown. No matter what, we should find an opportunity to send him back.<

/p>

However, when I told Susu this idea, the little girl said very calmly: "Grandpa has said before that if he leaves, let us cremate him and scatter his ashes from the Sanjiang Dam.

”

"Ah?"

I didn't expect that Uncle Ai would be so ----thinking.

After death, people always think about returning their fallen leaves to their roots and dumping their ashes into the Yangtze River. That is the same as leaving no bones. It doesn’t look like something Uncle Ai would be willing to do. Instead, Su Su said softly: "Grandpa told me

At that time, I also disagreed, but he said that the water in the Yangtze River was not water, but the blood of heroes. He was willing to blend in and watch the vicissitudes of life between heaven and earth."

"..."

I listened, but somehow I smiled.

Uncle Ai, Uncle Ai...

I reached out and caressed the small urn and said, "If that's the case, fine, I wouldn't have to find someone to send his ashes back to Xichuan."

Susu listened and looked up at me doubtfully. I said, "Susu, don't go back."

She didn't seem surprised by this, but she wasn't too happy or unhappy. She just looked at me a little helplessly and a little coldly.

I don’t know how she feels about Xichuan, or to Xichuan’s current deacons, but I need to tell her the stakes. Uncle Ai would rather die than return to Xichuan. In addition to letting go of everything, he has no worries and accidents. That person’s methods

This is also the reason for his popularity. Susu is Uncle Ai's only granddaughter. If someone angers her, how can a weak girl like her bear it?

I vaguely told her my thoughts. Susu kept listening, but felt a little numb and said nothing.

I waited for her response. After waiting for a long time, I said softly: "Susu?"

Then she raised her head and looked at me, a little confused: "Is it safe if I stay here?"

"Anyway, at least it's better than you going back to Xichuan."

"...Really."

I looked at her, still a little confused, and said softly: "Don't you believe me?"

She looked at me and shook her head gently: "Actually, before I came to Yangzhou, my grandpa told me that if anything happens in the future, I must listen to the eldest lady's instructions. If the eldest lady asks me to go back to Xichuan, I will go back

Nishikawa: If the eldest lady asks me to stay, I will stay. Moreover, grandpa also said that even if the young master conquers the world, he cannot conquer the eldest lady. He told me not to worry. If I follow the eldest lady, I will be safe.

."

"Oh?" I was a little surprised. I knew that Uncle Ai was protecting my shortcomings, but to protect my shortcomings to this extent, it was simply blind.

Compared with Xichuan, they have stronger soldiers and horses. Now I am just the boss of a small embroidery workshop. This is not even a difference. If Xichuan's soldiers really come here, I'm afraid they will be blown away in one breath.

Me, why does he have so much confidence in me?

Seeing that I was still half-smiling, Su Su said: "When our ship was heading east, we stopped at the mouth of Jiujiang for half a day, and grandpa talked to some people."

When I heard this, I was stunned for a moment.

"Jiujiangkou?"

Isn't that the place where Shen Xiaokun reorganized Crouching Tiger Village, rescued Li'er from Pei Yuanfeng, and later fought against Pei Yuanxiu?

Could it be——

Su Su looked at me and said: "The bandits in that place - are no longer bandits. If the court gives them a name, they will all become a government office."

"Oh? What's wrong?"

"Those people have carved out their own sphere of influence hundreds of miles away from Jiujiang. However, they do not rob passing merchants. Instead, they collect money from those merchants as soon as they pass through Huaihua, and then give a voucher

, they set up checkpoints on the next several thousand miles of mountain road to check the credentials of those people, but also to protect their safety. If someone dared to rob the road halfway, they would take action without the caravan members taking action.

”

"..."

Su Su continued: "When those caravans leave Jiujiang, hand over the vouchers to them and then destroy them. The rest of the road will not be under their control."

"..."

"If those caravans still want them to continue to protect them, they will have to pay additional money. Those people will send people to follow the caravans along the way to protect their safety, but only in Wuhu."

"..." I was stunned and completely speechless.

If you guessed correctly, they should be Shen Xiaokun’s men.

Unexpectedly, I really didn’t expect that a group of bandits who did all kinds of evil, burning, killing and looting would become a fierce and organized army in his hands, and now, they have become a well-disciplined and combative armed organization!

Moreover, they actually use this method to make a living. Firstly, they can make money to maintain their livelihood. Secondly, that large area is actually placed under their jurisdiction, and it has become an almost regular local army. It really kills two birds with one stone!<

/p>

However, if you think about it carefully, Shen Xiaokun is good at managing the army, but he probably can't think of this method yet.

Then, it should be Wei Ningyuan’s work.

Wei Ningyuan must have had his own way of guarding Jiangnan for so many years. This seems more like his approach. It seems that they must have come together and integrated to achieve such great achievements in Jiujiang area now.

Deep in my heart, I breathed a sigh of relief.

When I pointed out this path to Wei Ningyuan, I was really worried that he would be unwilling, and I was also worried that Shen Xiaokun's temper would not be able to tolerate him. But if the two of them merged, they would definitely form a force that cannot be underestimated.

Whether it is protecting themselves or fighting in the future, they will have a place. Now that I know the news about them, it really makes me feel relieved.

Susu kept looking at me and said at this time: "Grandpa said, that is the eldest lady's great achievement."

"Me?" I came back to my senses, looked at her and said with a smile: "That's a matter for men, it has nothing to do with me. I'm just threading the needle in the middle."

Su Su was noncommittal and just said calmly: "But, grandpa said, that is the eldest lady's great strategy."

"Oh?"

Su Su said: "Grandpa said that there must be a battle between Jiangnan and the imperial court. If there is a war in the future, if Xichuan takes advantage of the situation and sends troops along Jiujiang, whether it is to help the imperial court suppress Jiangnan or to help Jiangnan fight against the imperial court, they will be able to reap the benefits.

It is even possible to control the future war situation. But now, the eldest lady has pressed a nail in Jiujiang, that is, between Jiangnan and Xichuan."

"..." I didn't say anything, and I couldn't help but sweat on my back. I felt like someone had suddenly seen through my internal organs, and nothing was hidden.
Chapter completed!