"Oh? Do you want to go down the river? Then my boat cannot do it. You have to find a boat with sails." The boatman pointed to the shore and said his own big black-sailed boat.

"But why?" Fang Chang was a little curious and asked.

The boatman shook his head and told him:

"It is easy to go down the river. Not to mention the boat, even the bamboo steak can be done, but it is not an easy task to send the guests back to the river after sending them."

"Returning from the downstream, you still need to have sails to borrow the wind, otherwise it is unlikely to go back hundreds of miles by just rowing the boat or slurry."

"If the customer doesn't dislike him, I'll help you find a friend. His boat has sails. If you go down the river, you will pay according to the day, including three meals and meals. If you go fast and slow, you will follow the customer's instructions, the price will not be expensive."

Fang Chang bowed and smiled, "It's great, then I'll bother the boatman."

The owner of the ship hung a large bundle of cables on his shoulders on the wooden stake next to him, walked not far away, and shouted to another middle-aged man:

"Hey, Lao Zhou, there's work coming!"

"Eh?" Old Zhou was busy, stacking a bunch of fishing nets, and heard a shout: "Is it the guest over there? What's wrong?"

"The guest wants to go down the river to Xingqing Mansion. I can't make this boat, so I'll find you."

"Okay, thank you, I'll invite you to drink." Old Zhou was overjoyed and immediately put down the fishing net and stood up straight, and greeted Fang Chang, "Callant, do you want to hire a sailboat?"

"It's me." Fang Chang said with a smile.

He looked at the boatman opposite him, and saw that the other person's clothes, hair, shoes and socks were neat and neat, and he looked very neat. He also saw the sailboat he was referring to, and scrubbing it very cleanly. He was satisfied and smiled and said, "When can the boatman set out?"

"You have to load some grain and firewood, and then wait for the surrounding ships to open the waterway before the journey will take place. It will take about afternoon." The boatman Lao Zhou bowed and said, "If the guests are anxious, go down and talk to the people around you, and ask them to temporarily hold off the loading and move out in advance, and the journey will be done at noon."

"No need," said Fang Chang, "I'm not in a hurry, don't disturb others' livelihood."

"The guest official is kind and sincere."

"Let's calculate the ship's money first, I'll pay a deposit and then set off in the afternoon."

"Okay, guests can take a walk around the city next to you. There are everything in the market here, which is suitable for bringing some specialties to your family. Moreover, the meals provided on the boat are simple, with only rice, fish caught temporarily, and some vegetables. Guests may buy some side dishes by themselves."

………

Winter is a dry season for rivers, with narrower water surfaces, but it is also two miles away.

A small sailboat was walking along the river along the water, with sailboats spreading like ribs, like fans, galloping with the wind, speeding faster than the horse, and never stopping.

Fang Chang stood at the hatch, looking at the water and sky in the distance, waiting quietly.

The cold wind in winter came, but he was not afraid at all. He just looked at the world in a daze, and the bow of the boat and the river surface constantly rising and falling in the wind.

The dark clouds on my head slowly gathered, covering the tilting sun. Not long after, the fine winter rain sprinkled with a bone-bending coldness.

He looked up at the sky, then took a step back, stood in the hatch, avoiding the raindrops, silently looking at the dark surroundings and the shattering waves on the river surface by raindrops.

"Care to catch a cold."

The boatman surnamed Zhou next to him was wearing a straw raincoat and said care.

While the boatman was taking care of the sails and the wind, he was also taking care of several fishing rods beside the boat. There was also a small net thrown in the corner behind them, which was obviously just used.

Since this trip was to carry passengers, the newly sorted fishing net was collected by the Zhou boat's house and did not use it. He just used the small net and fish hook to catch some big fish and some shrimps while taking the sails. He could cook it tonight.

Fang Chang thanked him and turned back into the cabin.

The winter rain did not stop until the evening, of course, it might be the speed of the boat moving away from the rainfall area. The dark clouds rolled in the distance behind, and the sky was clear in front of them. The golden light of the sunset in the west splashed down, making the sails look like torches. The shadows of the sails behind were broken in the waves split by the bow of the boat, and they broke with the splashes.

Seeing that the sunset was approaching the horizon, the boatman turned around and closed the sails, letting the boat slowly slow down, then smiled at Fang Chang in the cabin and said, "I'm ready to dock, I need to find a place to cook dinner."

After he finished speaking, he took out the rod and carefully supported the boat to the riverside.

The sailboat is quite large, very spacious, with complete utensils inside. The boatman made the fire in the two small clay stoves, added some firewood, started cooking and boiling water, and prepared dinner for three.

Fang Chang looked outside.

This mooring place is a wild wasteland. Although there are no rocks on both sides, the terrain is also rugged. Therefore, there are no farmlands and villages on both sides. There are many messy trees, which are straddled horizontally and vertically, making the boat look very desolate, and it makes the boat look very lonely.

"Customer, it's time to have a meal."

The boatman called Fang Chang into the cabin and served him rice, a piece of simple cooked fresh fish, a large size and fatty meat, a plate of fried shrimp with oil and chopped vegetables, and a pot of hot tea.

Last night, the boatman and the boatman's son went to the small table next to him, not preparing to disturb the customers' food.

Seeing that the father and son were preparing for food were far less than their own, Fang Chang invited him: "The boatman doesn't have to be so kind. Since he is in the same boat and is working together, how about all of them come and eat together? It's too deserted for me to eat alone."

Seeing that the boatman was hesitant and shook his head and was about to refuse, Fang Chang immediately persuaded: "I am very interested in life on the river. Why not come and have a meal and chat together, and solve the problem of this."

These words finally moved the boatman. He brought the children with him and brought his job to sit down, and was a little restrained.

Fang Chang turned around and opened his green cloth package, took out a hanging of sausage, and said, "Please ask the boatman to cut the meal."

The boatman agreed, took the sausage, got up and cut it and put it on the plate.

Seeing that the boy opposite was just scattering rice silently, he didn't move his chopsticks very much, Fang Chang took a large piece of fish into the other party's bowl, and asked, "What's the name? How old is it?"

The boy stopped chopsticks and replied politely: "If you say the guest, my name is Zhou Fan. I am eleven years old." Then he continued to cook rice.

While talking, the boatman came over with a thick porcelain plate and placed it on the table.

The sausage on the plate was cut obliquely, and the knife skills were very good. This sausage was made with a casing, filled with a ball of flour and minced meat. The seasoning was very sufficient and the shelf life was very long. The chopsticks were stretched to hold the slices, and the flour on the side was chubby, revealing some minced meat and chopped green onions. It was a little oily under the light, which could arouse appetite.

"Does the guests use some wine? But this time the trip is urgent. Now there is only coarse rice wine on the boat, so I hope you don't dislike it." The boatman took two small bowls and brought a jar over.

"No need, drink this one." Fang Chang picked up the gourd at his waist, grabbed the wine bowl, and poured it on the two of them.

"How can I make it!"

"Even if I drink it, don't look at my small gourd, I can hold several barrels of wine." Fang Chang said with a smile.

The boatman naturally didn't believe it, thinking that Fang Chang was joking, but seeing Fang Chang's attitude was honest and afraid that he would be too humble to the guests, he stopped talking, took the wine bowl and touched Fang Chang lightly, and drank it in a small mouthful.

After half a bowl of wine, Fang Chang asked, "How long have you been on the boat?"

The boat family surnamed Zhou sighed: "It has been more than ten years."
Chapter completed!