"Actually," Ping'er looked back carefully and looked outside, then lowered his voice and said to me: "Actually, there are private boats that can cross the river."

"Private ship?"

"Yes, it's used by people in the black market here for delivery."

"Oh..."

I raised my eyebrows.

I have forgotten that people will always find ways to make profits. In such a traffic jam situation, some people will naturally take risks for profit, and the more harsh the environment, the more lucrative the returns from taking risks. Boating on the Yangtze River is subject to

There is no barrier, but if there are private ships that can exchange goods and services back and forth, then there will definitely be high returns.

But——

I thought about it, looked at Ping'er and said, "How can I get on a private boat?"

Ping'er's face darkened, and after being silent for a while, he said: "It takes silver. Ten taels of silver to marry someone."

"Ten taels of silver?"

When I heard this, I couldn't help but frown.

Although we know that those private ships transport people and goods to and fro for profit, it is too much to ask for ten taels of silver per person. You must know that for an ordinary family, ten taels of silver may be an entire year's income.

Ping'er nodded and said with some frustration: "We don't have that much money at all."

"..."

As he spoke, he raised his head and looked at me, his eyes shining with hope.

I also know what he means. He hopes that I will have so much money on me, but I am only more embarrassed than him. I left the capital when I was taken away from the prison by Qinghan, and I was penniless.

Fortunately, with Alan and the others taking care of me, there was no shortage of food and clothing, and I didn't have to worry about money. But as soon as I and Alan were separated, this problem came to mind.

Ping'er looked at my face for a while and understood: "You don't have any money either?"

"...Hmm."

"Hey..."

He sighed deeply. I didn't say anything, I just bit my lower lip hard.

I have never worried about money in these years, and this is because in the palace, there was no talk of using money at all. But when it comes to the people, these difficulties that are basically out of the question in the eyes of the heavenly family and the nobles become real.

It's before your eyes.

Food, clothing, housing, transportation, everything requires sacrifice in order to gain anything.

Perhaps, until this time, I really had the consciousness that I had left the palace and had left the control of that man.

But when I thought about leaving him, even though there was still the Yangtze River in front of me, it didn't feel that difficult. And at this time, I also remembered what Alan said to me after sending me out of the city - they were going to send me to Yangzhou.

And if I want to cross the river, they will do it too, but they have to go back to Qinghan to get the money.

I never thought that one day, my relationship with him would come down to such a simple connection.

Gritting my teeth, I raised my head and said to Ping'er: "Can you do me a favor?"

"What are you busy with?"

"Help me find someone. Maybe she can help me cross the river."

When Ping'er heard that he could cross the river, he immediately became excited: "Really? Who are you looking for?"

I said seriously: "I also want to tell you the truth. The way I looked just now was actually poisoned. Now I feel very uncomfortable - don't be afraid, listen to me. There is someone who can detoxify me, and she is also

You can send me across the river, but now I am separated from her, and I know she will come to Yangzhou City to find me, so I want you to take me out and try your luck."

As soon as Ping'er heard that I was poisoned, he panicked. After hearing this, his face turned a little pale: "You, you were poisoned? Are you going to die?"

I smiled, although the pale lips made my smile look very weak: "I am still alive now. As long as I find her, I can live longer."

After resting in the room for a while, Ping'er found a scarf that Sister-in-law Qi didn't usually use and carefully wrapped it around my head, covering most of my face with only a pair of eyes exposed. Then he helped me carefully go out.

Door.

Yangzhou City is not big, but it is not small either. As soon as I went out and looked at the bustling crowd, I lost consciousness for a while. I just looked stupidly at the people going back and forth. Ping'er was still holding me up, carefully.

I asked in my ear: "Where are we going?"

"..."

After being silent for a while, I whispered: "Let's walk around."

"Hmm." This child was also attentive. He helped me slowly walk along the long street and asked, "What do you think that person looks like? I'll help you take a look."

"Her name is Alan. She is a very beautiful woman in her thirties - in other words, as beautiful as a vixen."

"Uh——"

"But she is a good person."

"Oh."

I turned around and looked at Ping'er's young face and innocent eyes: "As soon as you heard about the vixen, you thought he was not a good person, right?"

He hesitated and said: "I heard my mother say that vixens are bad women. Although they are beautiful, they-"

"Then, have any vixens hurt those people, or hurt you?"

"This, not really."

I said with a little smile: "You are still young, but you should also be cautious when looking at people's actions. Don't just blindly follow others' opinions. In that case, you will just be a yes man."

Ping'er turned to look at me and said blankly: "No one has ever told me this..."

I was also a little stunned. I didn’t know why I suddenly told him this. Maybe it was because I saw in him the shadow of a person’s past and the years that I could only return to in a dream. And I hoped that he could

Just like that person, be good and walk on a better road.

Just...

I smiled: "I'll just say it casually."

After saying that, he stopped talking, lowered his head and walked slowly. Ping'er was silent for a while, then turned to look at me: "Why do I feel that you are not an ordinary person? You——"

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly heard a chaotic voice behind him.

Before I could even turn around, there was the sound of rapid horse hooves on the street behind me, and several people screamed. Ping'er was smart enough. When he looked back, he saw something was wrong, and immediately grabbed me and took me several steps back.

My feet were weak and I almost fell, but he held me firmly, and I saw a group of people running past me.

I was still a little unable to recover. At this time, I raised my head and barely saw what seemed to be a group of soldiers running past on horseback. People were coming and going, but they did not stop and almost overturned the stall on the roadside.
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Ping'er pouted and said, "I don't know what's the hurry."

I managed to stand up straight, and he asked with concern: "Are you okay? Did I bump into you?"

"It's okay." I shook my head and looked back at the smoke and dust raised by the cavalry. They had already gone far away. I turned back to look at Ping'er and heard him murmur: "I come here every day to do this."

Many people can’t let us pass?"

This sounded wrong to me: "Ping'er, who are those people?"

Ping'er said: "They? They are the soldiers from the south bank."

"What?"

"They are those people on the south bank of the Yangtze River. However, they rarely cross the river in normal times, but recently, several warships have docked. We alone saw many soldiers and horses coming."

"Soldiers and horses on the south bank?"

I was startled, and subconsciously turned my head to look again. Those people were walking very fast and had disappeared at the end of the long street. But when I raised my head and looked over there, I only saw - shrouded in the winter mist.

—North City Gate.

Now when I see the towering city wall, I can't help but feel a little emotional. I used to think about that city gate in my dreams, but now looking at the towering city gate, it makes me feel a little strange.

The rebellious forces on the south bank are actually increasing their troops to Yangzhou. It can be said that they are increasing their troops, but they don't look like they are going to fight anyone. So what are they going to do?

I turned back and asked Ping'er: "You said they often have a lot of soldiers crossing the river recently. What are they trying to do?"

Ping'er shook his head: "I don't know, and I haven't seen them do anything. It's just that those people are outside the city. It looks like they are looking for someone."

"Looking for someone?"

I couldn't help but frown.

Somehow, the strange feeling in my heart got even worse.

In the following time, Ping'er took me back and forth on several streets. Indeed, there was no news about Alan. Seeing that it was getting late and my body was getting weaker, he helped me back home.

We moved home and promised to accompany me out the next day.

But by the second day, I couldn't go out.

Not long after the seventh sister-in-law and the second girl went out, I vomited again, this time more violently than yesterday. Not only did I vomit my stomach, but I fainted as soon as my eyesight went dark, and even in a coma, the kind of internal organs

The uncomfortable feeling of being crushed to pieces is still tormenting me.

I don't know when I opened my eyes, and I saw Ping'er standing by the bed with an anxious look on his face. As soon as he saw me opening my eyes, he immediately rushed towards me in surprise: "Are you awake?"
To be continued...