Chapter 11 Chapter Eleven.four judges
The notices posted all over the county town to arrest and apprehend the unruly have already changed color after several spring rains. Everyone in the city knows that Mr. Slack Nose was defrauded of a large sum of money by an informant pretending to be Judge Zhu Si, and The guy who cheated the money actually soaked the silver in the rice grain and transported it to the salt market.Most people spread the story, thinking that Maotu was sent out by Yanshi as an undercover agent. No one would have expected that Liu Maotu, who used the alias of Maotu, was caught and chopped off by the enemy's little wonton himself. grass.
In the season of continuous spring rain, the sky in the entire county is dark and low, with moderate drizzle, white and heavy fog falling everywhere; Slowly flowing under the formed fog screen, although people believed in the rumors and believed that Yanshi used his wit and won another chess game, but Mr. Slack Nose was furious, and if the overall victory or defeat was to be judged, the fierce fight in front of him was still waiting for a while. The exhilaration still can't suppress people's inner worries about Yanshi. Hope is only sprouting in the spring rain at the beginning, and the days when the wild flowers bloom are still far away.
When the first announcement was made, Mr. Snub Nose was indeed in a rage, slammed the table, threw his hat, fucked the ancestor of the adjutant, and kicked the ass of his entourage, but these bureaucratic ostentations could not help him get back the money he was cheated out of. Even if the money is not enough to make his gang of idiots catch Maotu and Qi Xiaoshe, because after Qi Xiaoshe cheated Maotu away, the organs set up in the cigarette shop of Qingyun were also transferred.Those guys who work for Mr. Snub Nose can do nothing more than make big announcements.
Snub nose also heard rumors brought by Xiao Chrysanthemum in his ears, that the brazen abductor went to Yanshi with a huge sum of money, which made him furious to the point of slamming.When I left the Jiangfang North Transfer, at the farewell banquet in Yangzhou City, I praised Haikou in front of many prominent figures in the Beiyang Army, and compared the group of people in Yanshi to a weed, which can be uprooted by blowing. .It is said that Jiang Fangjun's hair is as thick as the opponent's waist when he pulls out a hair, and attacking Yanshi is as easy as stretching out his hand to strangle an ant to death.Originally planned to come here to win the first blow, and it succeeded immediately, but who knew that the drums did not sound, the horns did not sound, the two armies did not face each other, and before the horoscope was written, they stretched out their necks and asked Yanshi to cheat Yinyang of several thousand!As the saying goes: Good things don't go out, bad things spread thousands of miles. Once such a shameful thing is spread, take off your face and hang it there? !Even if you can give birth to a thousand hands, you can't cover your mouths talking about right and wrong!If the news reaches the commander-in-chief's ears, who knows what will happen if his bear loses his temper?After taking off the head, I didn't even have a mouth to call my mother.
After much deliberation, he must deal with a few people seriously. If he wants to deal with people, he should first deal with Tang Buwen, the old bastard deputy teacher, but if he wants to deal with Tang Buwen, he will definitely alarm the commander. Hua, if he bites the other way, it's like a nest of rats falling into the soup pot. If you can't deal with him, you have to track down Maotu.
As soon as the investigator heard that the teacher wanted to deal with someone, he had no choice but to go to Huajie first to catch a few people who were fed up with the world and cut off their heads, and put the heads on the tray to calm the teacher's anger. It was Xuhuo, when the head was sent to the mansion in Hehuachi Lane, the teacher was already sick in bed and couldn't stay for a few days.
Commander Gong Gong Snub Nose was half lying on the warm couch, and said to the chief of staff who was sitting on the side: This salt market must be attacked, cheated me of thousands of oceans, I'm so fucking mad!
You must bear with it, Master.Shrugging shoulders, slender neck, small eyes and pale brows, the chief of staff put on a sour and polite posture, flicked his hands on his knees, and said softly: It is important to attack the salt market, but your body is even more important. It is also easy to suffer from all kinds of diseases.In my opinion, you should put aside the matter of attacking Yanshi for the time being, and invite two Chinese doctors to come and have a look, prescribe a few prescriptions, grab a few doses of medicine, and let your body recuperate first before talking about it. Whether it's playing cards or fighting, the three characters of essence, energy, and spirit are very important. Think about it, Jiang Fangjun was pulled out to fight Yanshi, but you, the chief general, were humming on the couch. This is a leaderless group!
The flat-nosed teacher frowned, the virtual fire made him feel fluttering, his bones were leaking sore, he was too lazy to even play cards and lost energy, so how can we talk about playing fire? !After thinking about it for a while, he helplessly loosened his brows and sighed, saying, "Forget it, I've slumped my head for nothing, so it's up to you, go to a Chinese doctor to boil some bitter water to drink, but it's just my fault, even I can I can't figure it out, I just feel a little dizzy, and my limbs seem to be scattered
The chief of staff seldom consults with the military, but he only cares about private individuals with flat noses, whoring women, setting up gambling games, picking cigarettes, smoking opium, photographing their bosses, and handling subordinates. He is dedicated to counseling and conspiring, especially for these sensual horses who are promoted and rich, he is an old woman's hairpin and knows everything.As soon as Mr. Snub Nose mentioned his illness, he squinted his eyes like mung beans, shook his head and became a staff officer.
Um, um, um, um, he kept moving his eyes, talking to himself like reciting a poem, and kept beating his knees with both hands: um, um, um, um?
The apartment where Mr. Snub Nose is lying is quiet, a charcoal fire is burning vigorously, making the room as warm as mid-spring; a potted winter jasmine bonsai is placed in the corner of the room, which has been urged to bud early by the heating of the fire; Floating outside the window, the sound of eaves dripping is also slow and slow, and it took a long time to burst out a dripping, hitting the flower branches containing business in front of the window.
A gust of wind blew up the door curtain, and the chief of staff felt his little eyes light up. In the fluttering of the door curtain, he saw a golden lacquer round stool facing an exquisite dressing table, where the teacher's favorite little chrysanthemum was sitting there doing her makeup. The pink water silk long underwear wraps a soft and round buttocks, which are so smooth and plump that it makes one's heart beat. Her two little feet, dragging pearl inlaid slippers, are completely naked, as white and tender as two freshly peeled rice dumplings; She moved her waist and continued humming a fashionable obscene little tune in a low voice. Since she had a lock of hair between her red lips, the meaning of the humming was hazy, and it was even more seductive to her ears.
Hmm, um, in the face of beauty, the head of the chief of staff who turned upside down at dawn and dusk finally got out of the paste: I said, what's wrong with you, um, I'm afraid the little chrysanthemum girl knows it well?
Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh, the head of the flat nose suddenly started laughing surreptitiously, laughing too hastily, his mouth and nose let out air together; while laughing, he pointed his finger at the tip of the chief of staff’s nose and said: You, you, you, you are a staff officer Come to my bones!I have always suffered from the widow's disease, as you know, leaving this bed by Yadantou is very harmful, and his grandma has mirrors embedded on three sides, think about it, me? !He stopped talking and made a funny face ambiguously.
As for food and sex, the chief of staff rolled his eyes and said: This is not a serious problem. If I were you, hey, I'm afraid I would have already drank Shiquan Dabu soup.Needless to say, you are also sick from this.But, um, it's just a common saying: Spring three, summer six, autumn one, winter alone (meaning the number of intercourse.).You, even in the middle of winter and heavy snow, refused to withdraw your troops. You may not have realized it at the time.
Heh heh heh heh hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee saidI have always been a brave player in this field, and I can still deal with a little chrysanthemum. If it weren't for that kid surnamed Mao who got me so angry, maybe I wouldn't get sick.
Actually nothing.The chief of staff said: Add a few prescriptions with big supplements to supplement it, and it will be fine.
I said, you two old and unscrupulous people got together!Little Chrysanthemum just added a nightgown, and came out holding the curtain with her hand, saying: "Jijiguguhehehehahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha That No Good Sayings And I Didn't Know That I'd Be A Talking Topic So I'm Goofing On What Big Talks Are You Talking About Me?" !Be careful I tear your mouth.
God knows, who told you what? !The chief of staff said with lewd eyes: Who doesn't know that you are unforgiving?A teacher with such a sturdy body can't handle it all, how dare I? !
Little Chrysanthemum laughed and cursed, and really walked over and tore the chief of staff's mouth half-truthfully, tearing his small eyes wildly, clasping his fists with both hands and begging for forgiveness: Good girl, good girl, tear it lightly, uh, lightly Your little mouth is just for singing and singing, but my mouth is a bastard, specially used by the staff, uh, without it, I can't do the job as the chief of staff.
It turned out to be the mouth used by the staff officer? !Little Chrysanthemum scolded with a smile: I think I only swear!You probably dig a hole in a cesspit, and after eating shit for three years, you can smell shit when you open your mouth.
Forgive me.The chief of staff asked Xiao Juhua to pinch her body half crookedly, and her buttocks left the bench, and said with a hissing breath: "You pinched my heart, and my flesh hurts too."
Let me say a favor for him, Chrysanthemum.Mr. Snub Nose narrowed his eyes and said, "Look at how pitiful he made you tear up."
No, no one can say, Little Chrysanthemum pretended to be shy and said: This old ghost is not serious, he spoiled me like this in front of you, behind his back, he still doesn't know how to turn his tongue, if you want me to let go, he has to obediently let me Pull out his three mustaches.
I said, just let him pull three roots for fun.Mr. Snub Nose smiled, his illness seemed to be half healed, the false fire fanned the fire of desire, and it ignited like a furnace of coals.
My God, how did you remember that? !the chief of staff called.
Don't yell, Mr. Snub Nose said: She said that men who plucked their beards would be younger, and they kept me poor all day long. Didn't you see that she plucked all my chins? !You close your eyes, endure the pain, and let the three roots be pulled out.
You close your eyes and endure the pain.Little Chrysanthemum gently touched the chief of staff's face with one hand and said: Master, he ordered.
Before Xiao Chrysanthemum finished talking, the chief of staff obediently closed his eyes.The tight round buttocks were wrapped in red water silk, two little feet like white rice dumplings, and a round figure emerged in the black.It's a pity that such a wonderful bitch has a flat nose.She held her chin with one hand, the palm was so smooth and soft, it was as soft as his grandma's, the palm of her hand must have just been smeared with ointment, the fragrance was so satisfying that one couldn't hold it in one's arms.For his grandma, there are not a few people who are willing to die in a romantic way, so what's the point of pulling out a few beards?The pain was so satisfying, the more the chief of staff thought about it, the more he felt that way.
Little Chrysanthemum was not in a hurry to pluck the beard. She put one palm on the opponent's chin, and played with the other finger on the other's lips. She giggled and said, "Be careful, I'm about to pluck it off."
The chief of staff raised his eyelids slightly, and peeked at Little Chrysanthemum's shattered pink face through the slits. Eyes are eyes, eyebrows are eyebrows, and everything is in the right place.She smiled so softly, and there was a half sensuality in her soft smile. The dimples on her cheeks and the affectionate winks were the deep wells of intoxication. When she was talking and laughing, her face almost touched On my own face, when I breathe, I can smell the fragrance of powder on her face. With a woman like this, it's no wonder he's going to suffer from kidney failure? !
Just when his whole body was softening, he saw the little chrysanthemum gritted his teeth and pressed the sharp onion fingers to pick off his lips. The pain caused him to groan, he shrugged upwards, and quickly rubbed his palms and said, "Good girl, You pull me to keep accounts, should it be one?
You said it was easy? !The little chrysanthemum said: "I didn't even pick half of them. I slipped my hands just now."
Ouch, it hurts so badly.The chief of staff smiled wryly and said: I never imagined that it would be so painful to pull out a mere hair of mine?
That's it, little chrysanthemum said: You are used to being careless, and you can speak naturally and easily. Teacher, he asked someone to cheat you into the ocean for nothing. How would it feel?He is obviously suffering from depression, but you are talking nonsense, forcing him to blame me for his illness. I won't pluck your beard, just because you don't know what's wrong? !
Hehehe, I didn't expect that your tender lips are so powerful?If you had made up your mind for the teacher earlier, maybe he would not be deceived.
You really know how to drink rice soup, Chief of Staff.Little Chrysanthemum rolled her eyes, patted the other's cheek lightly and said: For the sake of this bowl of rice soup, I will leave those three beards on your mouth for a while, and wait until that day when your lips are itchy and want to be flirtatious It stinks, I will pick it again.As he spoke, he turned his face, twisted his waist and walked over, tilted his buttocks, sat half-reclined in the arms of the flat nose, and coquettishly said: My good teacher, you can listen to the attendees, he blames me for everything If you don't give advice for you, you will ask the surname Mao to cheat you out of money. He is adding jealousy to me in rice soup. No matter how smart and intelligent we women are, can I interrupt these things? !If Yadantou was willing to listen to me at the beginning, how could he lose his head? !He is so sour that I don't feel sad, I feel so wronged? !You, you better say something fair.
Don't cry, my heart is tender, the chief of staff really deserves a spanking.Flat nose hugged her and coaxed her in a low voice: But he was unintentional, uh, the fault was still on my head, uh uh, I didn't seriously discuss this matter with you at the beginning, uh, don't be sad, from now on you will be me The Taishang Chief of Staff, you can do whatever you want, well, yes, just smile, yes, a drop of your bloody tears can soften my heart, it is more precious than those thousands of oceans!
Little Chrysanthemum still had tears in her eyes, so she laughed when she was talking, rubbed her flat nose and said: Seriously, teacher, I thought that since you were sick, you should let go of other things first.As the saying goes: If there are green hills left, even if there is no firewood?When the weather gets warmer and your illness is cured, it will not be too late to attack Yanshi. I will find a Chinese doctor for you, and I will serve the decoction myself. While calling Ma Bian to prepare the car, he went into the room to change clothes.
It wasn't until the bells of the rickshaw rang all the way that Mr. Snub Nose said to his chief of staff with a satisfied expression: How about it?Don't look at her and I have not been long, but she is really caring and caring. Have you ever seen a married couple with such affection?I've served her my whole life!
And the chief of staff just nodded his head habitually, humming his nostrils indiscriminately, and really didn't hear what the nose was saying. A cloud of smoke fluttering like rain, with no fixed place to fall.I wrapped her grandma's grandma's grandma, the delicate little goblin in the pansi cave, who was eager to bite her face, in pink water silk trousers, with round buttocks and small white rice dumpling feet, even if I waited for it. One guy is also good, in case of a flat nose and braids, I have to accept her if I go bankrupt, grandma's grandma's grandma, I will take her, the dripping eaves can't suppress the fire of one's heart!
The chartered rickshaw did not pull down the awning, and the little chrysanthemum sitting in the car with the posture of a reserved lady was also burning with fire. The land used to be her hometown. When her father sent her to learn opera, she thought very purely, only thinking about how to sing out of the hard years in the class, and save some money so that the family can get rid of the sea of sorrow and suffering. A humble but distant wish, she gritted her teeth and endured all the pain and torture imposed on her when she was an apprentice. Not only did she train her waist, legs, body, and singing skills, but she also had to swallow tears, put on smiling faces, suffer from hunger, cold, and torture. Whip.
I thought that the day when the teacher was full was the first year, but later I realized that I was wrong; the real success has to start from the root, from the wild stage opera singing in the deserted village to the temple fair opera in the Guanwang Temple in the township, from the various villages and villages. Zhen rushed into the Haijing Opera Theater in the city, only to see a little light in his future in his eyes. How far away is a chain of years?How many tear-stained and peeling pains finally endured the little light!Who knew that the bright light hurt himself.I will never forget the night of being humiliated, being dragged out of the backstage to drink, and the upper body was still wearing costumes when I lost my virginity.I dreamed of Diao Chan tonight!And the pain seemed to be not only suffered by himself, but it has always affected the history like smoke and clouds!Living with Yadantou is full of sorrow and humiliation. There is also heart-wrenching misery in a place without a front desk. The audience is no longer limited to a corner of the square, but all living people.
Playing a show, yes.A newly crowned danjiao is still extremely enthusiastic about the art she is engaged in. This play is not only a play, but a living history. She must take pains to perform it well and be worthy of the people who live under the same world. I thought about Fei Zhen'e who stabbed the tiger, and I also thought about scolding the Queen He, but it still won't work. For someone like a flat nose, the Beiyang Army can pick out a cattail bag. Even if he is killed, he will be replaced by a telegram. , then no one will be able to solve the crisis in Yanshi, and now he must find a way to drag him half-dead.The bell of the rickshaw was chirping, and the tip of her eyebrows was always slightly furrowed.
Ximen Street turns to Chengzhong Street, old Dong.
yes girl.
The coachman, Old Dong, was her new coachman, and it was the pawn Fang Shengan inserted to be her helper; Old Dong was not tall, and he always put on an honest and kind smile when he saw everyone, and every time he rushed People must bend down like a kowtowing bug when they speak, even if they have a flat nose and are the most shrewd people in the world, they will not doubt that this bitter old Dong can lift the number one stone lock, and can defeat his four close-knit horses.
Are you going to meet Master Fang?Old Dong held the handlebars with his hands, turned around and said: Then I have to put down the rain curtain facing me. When it rains, no one will tell me, so I have to pay attention to my eyes and ears.
No need, just go straight to Hollow Street and Detang Pharmacy.Little Chrysanthemum waved her hand, a green jade bracelet dangled between her white wrists.
Old Dong was pulling the car, turning down the bell while turning into a long and deep alley. Horizontal bluestone slabs flashed past his feet, followed by a few slightly swirling oily umbrellas; Sitting like a child, absorbed in thought, didn't feel the cold spring in the wind and rain at all.Letting him drag him half-dead is probably the only thing she can do; where will Yanshi fall in the future?No one can predict, at least delaying the day when the Jiangfang army attacked Yanshi for one more day in front of the eyes, there will always be some benefits. The Beiyang army has always been a snake without a head. Snake head.
Flat nose is not an elf, but he is not stupid. If you want to play tricks on him, you must not show your feet. Therefore, you must still hire a famous doctor. No matter who he asks, He Detang's old doctor Qihe Dedu is a well-known doctor in Huaihe River, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the prescriptions, so as not to be suspicious, but he is not familiar with medicine, so the difficulty lies in how to make him half-dead.
The old doctor Qi Hede took the pulse of Mr. Flat Nose, and looked at Mr. Flat Nose through the tortoise-shell reading glasses, stroked his beard and said: "Mr. In the word kidney, the kidney is the source of qi. The human body is a big tree. If you work hard at the front and back, you will consume your vitality, and at night, you will make noise and feast, and you will lose your spirit. In addition, uh, yes, the kidney deficiency is 10%, a virtual image Huansheng, exhaust its source and cut down its root, after a long time, the skin leakage will become bigger!However, if it is only kidney disease, it is not difficult to cure it. Unfortunately, although your disease is not serious, it has many branches. According to the pulse, you are full of joy, anger, worry, sadness, fear, and fear, especially anger. Worry, forming a suffocating fire, which can't be resolved in the heart, both soul-destroying and soul-rehabilitating, really, really
The old man is a Confucian doctor, he shakes his head and shakes his head when he speaks, as if reciting poems against each other. If the patient is someone else, the old doctor may speak less. Facing these generals of the Beiyang Army, he must be careful and cautious, always feel that he is indifferent. It is difficult to explain without explaining the cause of the disease clearly.Who knows that Mr. Flat Nose is not a fine porcelain embryo fired in a Jingde kiln, and playing sour essays with him is like playing the piano against a bull, listening to it with puffed eyes for a long time, still inexplicable, I just feel that the other party is shaking his beard That's all.
Hey, I said my heart's life juice. When the adjutant led the old doctor Qi to the outside to prescribe it, Mr. Snub Nose wiped the back of the little chrysanthemum and said: This old guy babbles, shakes his head, hums and sings After a long time, what are you talking about? !
Little Chrysanthemum turned her face away with a groan, pointed her flat nose with two upturned nostrils, and said: He said that you eat, drink, whore and gamble, are greedy for wine and lust, and you plan to get promoted every day and get rich, attacking the salt market, and you have all kinds of emotions. You are moving, your six desires are smoking, and you are sick because you were tricked into going to Yinyang, and you are afraid that the commander will get angry and take your head off in the future, so you fell ill.
right!right!exactly!Mr. Snub Nose lay on the couch and patted his knees and said: Unexpectedly, this old guy grew up eating glass. Just reward him with a few more consultation fees.
The old doctor Qi was very serious, frowning and guessing every stroke, and prescribed a prescription for timidity, quenching polydipsia, nourishing Yuanyang, and calming the soul, and sent it with ginseng root as a medicine primer , Before leaving, he took care of Xiao Chrysanthemum, asked the patient to rest quietly, get rid of chores, clear up his thoughts, temporarily abstain from intercourse, and so on.
As soon as the old doctor Qi left, Master Snub Nose took Xiao Juhua and said, "I can barely do the first three things, and the latter is the same. Hey, it's just my own medicine!"Since ancient times, heroes have always been saddened by beauty!
The self-added medicine Yiner, the self-added medicine Yiner, these words suddenly touched Xiao Juhua's brain, and when she was going to dispense the medicine in a rickshaw, she decided on a matter, which was the first thing that Snout took. In a patch of medicine, in addition to ginseng, seven crotons that have been ground into fine powder are added.
After taking this decoction, Mr. Snub Nose felt refreshed, and the disease was all down to the lower body. He had diarrhea for a while, and diarrhea for a while. He was too busy to lift his trousers, and finally stopped the diarrhea. All the fat dripped off with the water.Even so, Mr. Snub Nose still has nothing to do with the four majors. Thinking of the commander-in-chief's order to break through Yanshi within a time limit, he scratched his head anxiously and worried. Thinking of Yin Yang who was cheated away, he still gritted his teeth and produced smoke from his seven orifices, and finally digested it all in that spring scene Endless bed.
Old doctor Qi came to change the medicine, and used lotus stems as medicine primers, and the little chrysanthemum added a little piece of arsenic the size of a small fingernail to the medicine. Mr. Slack Nose didn’t do much to eat it, he just spit out half of the spittoon It's just a blood clot.
Someone came to report that the brigade of the brigade commander, the mustache, had blocked the militiamen in the great lake and could not get ahead. There was only one estuary guard who was negligent and asked them to break through a group of people.That group of people was small, but they were very fierce, not only wounding more than a dozen defenders, but also wounded a company commander.
Heard about this group of people, yes
That guy was still waiting to report, and Xiao Juhua interrupted him with a wave of his hand.
Do you still wink? !Didn't you see the teacher was so sick?Still bothering him with these trivial matters? !The little chrysanthemum made a fuss and said: You retreat to the outer compartment first, and tell me later if you have something to say.
Yes, yes, the man bowed and left.
Little Chrysanthemum followed to the outer compartment and asked the man, "Speak, speak softly."How about that group of people?
The brigade commander asked me to report, and the man said: The group of people was led by Guan Ba, and he said that the division commander wanted to send troops to attack Yanshi, so he had to do it as soon as possible. If Guan Ba returns to Yanshi, he will be like an iron bucket Add a hoop, and it will be even more difficult to break it.
Guan Ba? !Little Chrysanthemum rolled her eyes, an uncontrollable joy surged in her heart, but she still tried her best to suppress it, not to let it show, and said lightly: "You report to the brigade commander as soon as you go back, just say teacher All know.
After sending the man away, Xiao Juhua went to Hedetang to grab the third batch of medicine, and this time it was time to infiltrate the croton powder again.Mr. Flat Nose stopped vomiting blood and started to have diarrhea again, but he complained, blaming the spring for his troubles.
After breaking through the defense line set up by the mustache brigade commander, there were still four people left by Guan Baye.This drew a deep and painful trench in his life experience, forcing him to hold his head in his hands and sit in the wilderness of the night to think hard; in troubled times, anyone who wants to be a person must embrace This kind of pain has to go through this kind of pain and continue to move forward.Although there may be greater pain waiting for the living in the chaotic future, the living must pick up more conceivable pain from the fallen corpse and carry it on their shoulders.
When he left the ground of the civilian army, Guan Baye's heart was already heavy enough; in the battle of Wujiawafang, although he won the four judges, it was difficult and miserable; It is a miracle that a dozen or so men resisted nearly a thousand bandits, and they were not wiped out. How can it be said that half of the casualties were avoided?But, looking back and thinking about a group of brothers pushing salt trucks and sweating blood, who should be murdered and killed? !Are you crying?Tears have long since boiled away the raging anger.Those men who broke into the rivers and lakes from the countryside where they could not live and work in peace, who would have thought that they would take risks and use the blood of others to name themselves?Just as they prayed for good weather when holding the plow and standing the rake in the past, they only wanted to survive, but a huge demonic black hand pushed these men who wanted to survive into the valley of death.
Can you protect Guandong Mountain with your blood alone?I can only give the name of the deceased to the old man Peng, and beg him to secretly send someone to take care of the family of the deceased. The sad thing is that those brothers who died, some still have old mothers with white hair, and some still leave a family behind. Even if the old man Peng can take care of the wives and children who stare at the sky, who can comfort those broken hearts? !The land is desolate, the fields are barren, people are still alive when they go out, but there is only bad news when they go back.
When I led my legs, I once slapped my chest and promised that I would live a day in Guandong Mountain, and I would never let you be implicated. Now these brothers are buried in the wilderness by the big lake. It is not my fault, but also Guandong Mountain: It's him who offends the eight evils!I could hear those screams of grief and resentment.In fact, it is only the fate that is connected and inseparable in the whole!This fate is like a dark cloud, always pressing on the heads of people who want to be human. No one is a hero, no one is a hero. When fate comes, life and death are all chosen by others. Just close your eyes, brothers, these five Those who are alive will try their best to eradicate such injustice!
Even if I comforted myself repeatedly, I still can't forget the tragic scene behind me; the fire burned the white dry forest surrounded by the Wu family's tile house into a piece of black charcoal, and the people trapped on the tile ridge recognized eight people from among the countless corpses. Lei Yipao, who was shot in the chest, belly, and arms, died; Zeng Changhe, who was shot in the back of the head and rolled from the tiles into the pile of corpses; At the same time, Hu Dayan, whose forehead was split by a bandit with a single knife, has a blurred face and blood cakes all over his body. Ni Jinyang, who can be recognized only by the cinnabar mole on half of his face, is the one who has drunk booze, laughed, and cursed the Beiyang government on long distances. The faces of the people in the heart, all fell in a nightmarish night.The militiamen removed the window lattices and door leaves of the tile-roofed houses and moved them together, taking turns to carry them to Nanxing Village. Shi Er and the big dog were two, stamping their feet cursingly and howling along the way.
All of this is now a thing of the past.
Before dark, I led Xiang Lao San, Shorty Shi Er, Da Gou Xiong, Wang Dagui and the other two brothers to find the ferry and seize the boat, forcefully break through the newly established defense line, and set off another evil fire in the confused evening rain. With the fierce fire of Maris' quick bullets, the two brothers who gave up their lives were taken away.Now, one of their blood-stained corpses was carried by Big Bear and Shorty Shi Er in turn, and the other was carried across the saddle of a white horse and a piece of jade, which became another nightmare.
Let's go, Ba Ye.Xiang Lao San said in a hoarse voice: "It's time to touch the old place of Wu's Wafang."If we don't rush through the night, I'm afraid that after dawn, the defense army will dispatch to search for people.
The night rain falls without rest, and there is no starry night so dark that people are afraid. The whole wilderness is like an ancient tomb, filled with empty sorrow, entwining people's hearts. He became silent for an exception, and stopped joking and cursing.
Let's bury them first, Brother Xiang.Guan Baye's voice was full of sobs, and one could tell that he was crying.Who said that when a man has tears, he doesn't shed them lightly, it's because he hasn't reached the place where he is sad. Such a man made of cast iron has experienced so many lives and deaths in half his life?How much blood and tears?The old Liuhe gang was wiped out, the remaining brothers were separated, and he was sent to prison in North Xuzhou. He never shed tears. He was not without tears, but he was always boiled dry by raging anger.But tonight, he stuck his fingers between his forehead and twisted, tears pouring down like rain.
He didn't just weep for the dead, but pitied all the people who were crushed under the tragic fate of the whole. In the east, west, south and north, at this moment, who knows how many kind people have been killed?How many simple lives have been ridiculed?The newly formed Liuhe Gang is an example. The sixteen brothers pushed down the salt truck along the way, and the backs of everyone’s lives were painted with the same gray color, just like the dusk color after the setting sun disappears in the cold winter. Gradually dimmed, only a few familiar faces remained, and it was difficult to recall the setting sun from the scene.Even if several people have three heads and six arms, how many evil fires can they survive? !
A few people didn't say anything, and everyone wanted to say something comforting, but they couldn't speak.Xiang Laosan fumbled for a place, found a tool to dig a hole and dig the soil, and Wang Dagui also carried the corpse on the back of the white horse.
This side also has to be dug, and the big bear said in a muffled voice: "The pit must be dug deep, so as not to offend the tengu stars and let the wild dogs trample them. In spring, the earth's air rises, and the smell of corpses is heavy. It would be better not to pile up the soil thicker." no.
Forget it, you can dig over there, Wang Dagui said: Let the two of them lean against each other so that ghosts won't be boring, okay?
Hi, what is this place?The second dwarf Shi Er sighed nonchalantly: I am afraid that it will be difficult to recognize their graves in the future.Who can live to the peace time?
I said, buddies, I have a few insignificant words in Guandongshan, and I want to tell them clearly tonight.Guan Baye jumped up and said: I am pulling legs in the place of production, and I want to take care of you brothers, living and dead, and let me lead these legs.Who would have thought that I, Guan Bawu, could not reach this field. Although I transported the salt to the field, I have harmed many brothers. I was implicated in vain, I really can't bear it, let's break up when these two brothers are buried.Even if I am a sinner, please stop worrying about my life and death!
scattered? !You said we just broke up?Shorty Shi Er jumped up and shouted, "Eighth Lord, we will die in the same pit with you, and we will stay together until we die!"
We can't leave, Ba Ye.Xiang Laosan stopped, and said slowly: Brothers were buried in the field, and the bones were not cold. If we don't avenge the dead and settle the grievances for the dead, if we personally decapitate the fourth judge Zhu, is that still considered human?
I don't know why Ba Ye would say such a thing.The big bear said: You have never been like this, there must be a ghost at work tonight.Think about it again, none of us are greedy for life and afraid of death. As the saying goes, one chopstick is easy to break, but the other is firm.If you want to break into the dragon pool and explore the tiger's den, you need some helpers, don't you?
Wang Dagui didn't say a word, but suddenly wept with his face in his hands.
Walking towards the depths of the night, the wind turned fierce, and the rain was like a net of ice that covered the sky and covered the earth, netting the bitter cold in early spring; everyone was talking, and Guan Baye listened silently. After a period of loneliness, he Then he said: "You all have families and houses, and you have concerns. Of course, I can't force a few to live and a few to die. I don't know how Yanshi will end. The crisis is still to come. I have half my life in Guandong Mountain." Wandering, life and death are like light smoke, but you should all live until peace.I said, it's better to break up. With you by my side, I can't do things lightly.
You plan to deal with Judge Zhu Si alone, Ba Ye.Shorty Shi Er said: Is there such a cheap thing in the world?If you want to be cut and killed, I, Shier Shorty, should cut and kill you. If you are in danger, I will stand up and block the gun for you.
Guan Baye hesitated for a long time dumbly, shook his head with a wry smile, and said: Good brother, I can’t explain how I feel at the moment. For some reason, I suddenly thought of not forcing Judge Zhu Si to be killed. I want to talk to him alone. He can repent a little bit and help Yanshi to resist the onslaught of the Jiangfang Army, that's all!People, they have to make a living, and allow him to retreat.
No way!Baye.The big bear said: It is clear, Judge Zhu Si is definitely not the kind of person who can put down the butcher knife and become a Buddha immediately. He wants to drive us all to death, so he will listen to your words? !You become a Buddha, and you go to save him alive. His two thief eyes only look at your golden heart and silver gall. If you go to him alone, it will be a waste of your life.
Hey, Guan Baye sighed deeply: But I always feel that it is better to sacrifice one's life to save a person than to risk one's life to kill a person.If I stand up and let him kill, maybe I can save him.If the four judges stretched out their hands to save Yanshi and relieved the danger of the people, these seven or eight brothers might not care about the personal enmity of the tragic death It's kind of zen.
No matter what Ba Ye thinks about you, tell the third child: We have to follow you, our idea has been made up a long time ago!
A dead body was stuffed into the newly dug hole, and Wang Dagui began to dig the soil.This is the way of life and death in troubled times.Two brothers drinking bombs were buried in the dark, and several people braved the night and cold rain to grope the road again, walking like ghosts, except for the occasional short snorting sound of a white horse and a piece of jade, there was no sound anymore.A group of people walked forward, it was too dark to see the shadow of the road, the ground was soft and not muddy, they stepped on the invisible spring with their feet.
平靜而傷感的思緒，一直在關八爺心裏縈迴著，他必得從其中找出個決定來；思緒在遊動，彷彿未來的日子也如同眼前的暗夜，摸不著一絲光亮。
江防軍北調的消息傳至大湖澤，不由領民軍的彭老漢不替鹽市未來的命運暗捏一把汗，小鬍子一旅人沿河布防後，硬把南北呼應之勢給切斷了。依目前情勢來看，民軍並不是闖不開防線，但不計死傷闖過去，準也陷進江防軍事先布妥的陷阱，真要解得鹽市的危局，祗有兩條路可走，一是設法解決掉朱四判官那幫人，使他們不再跟北洋軍勾結，拖鹽市的後腿；一是自己北赴萬家樓、柴家堡那一帶，說動北地的大族大戶，結夥拉出民槍來，和鹽市捲在一起共抗江防軍的大舉攻撲。
祗要能苦苦撐持過這一場火，相信北地半邊天都會形成野火燎原的態勢，到那時，就算他孫傳芳再調大軍北上，也壓不住火勢的了。真能憑自己這腔熱血這番心意，把這兩宗事辦妥，我關八死也該瞑目了。人，終竟是血肉之身，力能有限，為解公憤，就難以顧得私仇，查訪毒陷羅老大的萬家樓內奸，打聽愛姑下落，為小餛飩踩著陰險的毛六，這些事祗有暫時收拾起來放在一邊，看機緣再說了。
Baye.石二矮子的叫聲打斷了他的思緒：雨又像大了些，大襖全濕透了，寒氣攻心，四肢麻木；這樣不辨東西黑摸下去，準會迷路的。
總得巴著個村舍，弄盆柴火烤烤才好。能摸回小陸家溝就好了。大狗熊說：這樣摸下去，鐵打的金剛也熬受不了。
關八爺的聲音在黑裏飄來：我何嘗不想著一堆旺火，一餐熱燙的飯食，一張暖暖的草鋪來著？ !但則咱們如今是在鬼門關口兒上，若想早些活著回到鹽市，必得要晝伏夜行不可。朱四判官如今好像百足之蟲，死而未僵，雖說在鄔家渡口受了點兒挫折，但他手下至少還有著七八百人槍，再加上防軍遊騎，這塊地上寸步都關乎生死。咱們來時還有十七桿槍，如今三停去了兩停，萬一被他們踩住，那就很難活得出了
八爺說的對，向老三凍得話音抖索著：咱們勢必要死撐著連夜趕路不可，來時推著鹽車快不得，回程空著兩手，不幾夜就巴得著鹽市啦！
他們寂寂的走下去，沒有停留。
人，處身在危難之中，往往連一餐熱飯，一盆旺火，一方草鋪，都和自己相隔得很遠很遠
在江防軍軟困中的鹽市，仍然安詳的屹立著，沒有什麼能困得住春天的綠意；大王廟的空場子前，高大的銀杏樹在春雨洗濯中迸裂了苞芽，吐放出一簇簇透明的麗亮的新葉，荷花塘周近的垂楊也都抽垂了鵝黃帶綠的新條，各種叢生的灌木，初蘇的野草，裝點著一野的春色，解凍的運鹽河孕一河飽飽的春水，悠悠漾漾的鼓湧奔流
鹽市的街道上，仍然喧嘩如昔，交易如常，並無一絲驚恐的跡象；江防軍所謂軟困鹽市，也祗是在隔河拉起一面哨網而已；事實上，整個縣城的米糧雜物，大部份全靠北地運來，而鹽市正是北地貨物流入縣城的咽喉，若是鹽市也來它一個反困，受驚受恐的倒該是縣城了。
祗要江防軍不籠絡土匪貼咱們脊背，鹽市就能挺得住。朱四判官是一帖爛膏藥。人們都這樣談說著，也都這樣憂慮著。
但自鄔家渡口那場拚鬥之後，朱四判官像是銷聲匿跡了；有人說他遠退至萬家樓北的四十里荒蕩去了，有人說仍有一些散股盤踞在鄭家大窪，沒有人確知朱四判官本人匿在那裏。這正是關八爺竭耗心神要找出來的。那夜悄悄的帶著四個弟兄回鹽市，就一直沒在街頭漏過臉；窩心腿方勝來拜望他，提起剮殺毛六的事。
我說八爺，我盼望這著棋沒走岔步兒，方勝說：除掉那夜在場的幾個人，沒有外人知道我已經把那惡賊交給小餛飩活剮掉。我對外放話，祗是說姓冒的把六千大洋騙到鹽市來了，您知道，那筆錢原是朱四判官該得的，這就叫做活釣魚，那六千大洋是魚餌。
您幹得好，關八爺說：朱四判官雖不至於怎樣動火，但叫他平白把這六千大洋送給鹽市，祗怕他也沒有這個雅量。
我這是存心引他上釣，方勝說：我看透了朱四判官那傢伙的心，他眼裏祗有你關八爺，並沒把鹽市放在眼下。也許他會錯當您還沒回來，帶著一小股人潛進鹽市來謀奪那筆錢，這就是我求您不要露面的原因，您一露面，他就
關八爺苦笑著，感慨的說：方爺，您把我看得這麼重法兒了，朱四判官若是怕我，他會纏著我，傷害了六合幫八個兄弟？您若能引他進鹽市，我倒想單獨會一會他，我要盡力去度化這個惡匪。
您說度化？ !我的八爺！方勝訝然了。
關八爺閉上眼，點點頭，緩緩的應了個嗯字。
而方勝卻搖起頭來。
這未免太心慈，太過份了，八爺。他說：八爺，我這人也正一付直心腸，銜不住心底的話，一時急起來就衝口而出。我不配批斷八爺您的不是，您該曉得，咱們師徒幾個全都崇敬您。我方勝做事，黑白分明，對於這幫奸惡的傢伙，一向是毫不留情，尤獨像朱四判官這種惡匪，該捉住就殺，千萬留不得他；我不知您怎會想到度化？
您覺得錢九如何？關八爺反問說：當初咱們若是殺錢九，不也就殺了？ !
這個這個
一想到關八爺釋放匪首錢九的事，窩心腿方勝就感動得滿眼盈淚，透過薄薄的晶瑩的淚光去看關八爺那張臉，方勝就覺得一別數月，豪氣干雲的關八爺似乎有了很多變化，他那張紅塗塗的有稜有角的臉，經過長途風雪和一場接一場生死相銜間不容髮的搏殺，更顯得蒼老而憔悴，六合幫大部份弟兄的慘死，使他昂昂眉宇間流露出一份戚容和不可言宣的哀傷的黯影，那些神情混合起來，給人一種深沉的撞擊，他不能懂得對方內心蘊含有多麼深，他究竟想怎樣？How To?但他那樣的不計後果開釋錢九確是常人做不出的豪舉，如今錢九早已不是當初的錢九，關八爺那一舉，使他脫胎換骨變成一個新人
朱四判官雖凶雖惡，但他性情直而不奸，粗而不詐，關八爺沉吟說：我再三思量過，一個人為匪作歹也並非天生的；固然他逞凶施暴，害了六合幫的八位兄弟，但若能度化得了他，使他不跟北洋軍勾結，保住鹽市，我想我寧願力勸向老三他們，忘卻私仇
八爺，您這番苦心，我方勝算是佩服到頂了，祗怕想說服朱四判官，實在很難。方勝說：我這就得把誘擒四判官的法子說給您聽聽，當然無須您親自出面，祗要您暗裏拿主意就成了您知道鹽市上人跟北地風俗一樣，每年都有幾次廟會
哦，關八爺說：您是想藉行廟會，把朱四判官誘進鹽市來？
方勝點點頭說：正是這個意思。
嘿嘿嘿我說方爺，在外間的石二矮子一路笑進來說：您這主意想對了，那朱四判官專愛玩這套把戲，上回在萬家樓，他可不也是藉萬家各族行賽會的時刻闖進人窩的麼？您祗要一行廟會，四判官準到。
矮鬼你可甭幸災樂禍抱那歪心眼兒，大狗熊跟過來罵說：四判官真趁著廟會闖進人窩來，可沒什麼熱鬧好給你瞧的！八爺他清楚，上回在萬家樓，若不是咱們拚命出手，差點兒連鍋砸掉，我說方爺，這主意行不得，萬一他帶一撥土匪混進來，再來一個暗打明，那可夠瞧的。
你們先甭打岔，讓咱們聽聽方爺怎麼個打算？向老三正經地說：咱們是上一回當，學一回乖，這回當然得把算盤撥準，不會再吃那種虧了。
依我的打算，咱們決不致吃虧，方勝說：眼下就快到三月十九，鹽市有個太陽會，再過去，四月初一，鹽市西的天齊廟還有個天齊會。這都是極隆重的廟會。咱們在起會前，先得把一撥人槍放在河堆上阻住江防軍，另把一撥人夾在廟會的扮會人群裏，再把各處扮會人全都戴上一種暗號，朱四判官那撥人，定也扮成一堂會混進來，到那時，見他們沒戴暗號，咱們就每三個人不動聲色的軟貼他一個，不容他有亮槍的機會就把他們貼倒，八爺您說，這主意可行得？
嗯，嗯關八爺思量著說：不錯，方爺，咱們若能事先把耳線、眼線、出會的方式全都細心計算好，拉下一面天羅地網來，那祗怕朱四判官不來罷了！不過，當著幾個兄弟的面，我得有句話說在前頭，萬一朱四判官進鹽市，這人得交給我關八一個人對付，幾位千萬不能先報私仇！等我辦完這宗事，我得單獨去一趟萬家樓，去說服他們拉起槍隊來替鹽市撐腰，鹽市若能得到他們伸出援手，江防軍也就不足畏了！
誰敢不聽您的吩咐來著，八爺。石二矮子紅著眼圈兒，無可奈何的攤開兩手說：但您總得想想咱們的心意，雷一炮他們的屍骨沒寒，咱們一心全是血餅兒，您總得讓咱們多殺幾個土匪解解憤，不能叫咱們袖著兩手。
嗨，關八爺長嘆一聲說：向老哥，你就帶著他們三個去幫方爺的忙，聽方爺安排去罷！
眼看著窩心腿方勝帶著四個弟兄遠去了，關八爺兩眼不禁有些一時找不出因由的潮濕，把一腔豪情義氣化落在舉目無盡的曠野蒼生的頭上，不由人不生出一分哀感。
自鳴鐘的金色擺錘滴滴答答的晃動著，時辰淌過去，它淌過去一分一寸都滴落有斑斑血跡，往昔的日子總是不堪回首的了，浪跡在海一般廣大的血淚江湖上，看過多少不平與冤抑，見過多少絕望的掙扎與痛傷，石二矮子這直性人說的不錯，總不能袖手！也正因這樣，自己便也陷身在一片血海裏，有了輪轉不休的恩仇。卸不了脫不掉的恩仇像把鎖，將人與人鎖結成一串連環。
即使不作意氣之爭，也得用鮮血來塗染歲月，塗得人眼前和身後一片殷紅，救世不成，到頭來也許變成害世了。自己總參不透這些，祗覺得應該多度化，少殺戮；這回若遇上朱四判官，寧可犧牲自己去換回他一點人性裏的原有的仁心。而這日子眼看著就要來了萬一我關八死在朱四判官手裏，羅老大，秦老爹，雷一炮以及屈死的兄弟們，你們不要怨我關八沒能為你們伸報冤仇，撫孤慰寡，鹽市上近萬人的命運，更重過你們已成定局的慘遇，我祗好先這樣默禱著了。
一張張起廟會的帖子不但貼遍了鹽市，也貼遍了鹽市以北，隔著運鹽河的各處鄉野，這些帖子張到那兒，那兒就起了喧嘩的搖動，人們不能不懷著驚奇、憂心、關切和輕恐，紛紛議論著這回事。
不錯，在往年，鹽市上規模盛大的太陽會和天齊會起時會，鹽市以北幾十里的各村各鎮都要拉出玩會的班子，鑼鼓喧天的趕去迎神，出會那天，幾十個會班子麇聚東郊曠野上，順序經過幾里長的大街，到福昌棧后土崗的鬼神壇去焚香拜神。但在今年情勢不同，誰都料著江防軍即將大舉攻撲，都錯以為處在風聲鶴唳中的鹽市一定沒有那份心腸起會，誰知起會帖子竟然一張一張的貼出來了，難怪人們驚異之餘，議論紛紛了。
也除得關八爺有這種膽子，竟敢在江防軍跟土匪的牙縫裏打滾，有人說：假如江防軍跟土匪趁著起廟會的時刻夾攻鹽市，那怎麼得了？
誰都曉得，關八爺根本不在鹽市，有人抬槓說：他要是真在鹽市，也許就不會主張鹽市起會了。
敬神總是好的，神佛總會默佑著鹽市的吧。
就這樣，各鄉鎮的會班子還是鳴鑼聚眾，紛紛練起會來，同時派出會首去鹽市抽籤（排定出會行列的前後順序。），各處整天都聽得見練會的鑼鼓聲。
離出會的日期愈來愈近了
鹽市的東郊設起一座座綿延數里的香棚來，每座香棚前都設著迎神的長案，古瓷香爐裏晝夜不息的燃著長香，懸掛在棚架上的香燭紙馬、保命符，幸福符、各類經文善本，在長香騰起的煙篆中飄動著，轉暖的柔風和春三月的豔陽，使大氣中滿漾著穆穆的氣氛。而鹽市上領頭會的會班子，也早在勤練著了。
瞧罷，怕也祗有湯六刮湯爺有這樣的神力，能練得多年沒人拿得動的金錢傘！
這種讚歎一點兒也不誇張，這一把七十四斤重的金錢大傘確有許多年沒人耍得了，實在說，一般沒有點兒武功根底的漢子，即使生得粗壯紮實，也難拿得穩這把巨傘；這把傘的傘柄是酒盞粗細的生鐵鑄成的，幾十支傘骨全是姆指粗細的百煉鋼條，傘面是由幾千隻川銅的大銅錢綴成的，撐開後，無數閃閃燦燦的金錢疊著金錢，映日生輝，光芒耀眼，尤當湯六刮精赤著肩膊，扭動著青筋盤錯肉球滾凸的臂膀耍旋巨傘時，在陽光之下，每隻經過擦拭的金錢全都回耀著懾人的金色光彩。
耍傘的人若祗是雙手舉著傘，在賽會的行列前端開道，並不很難，若想單手拿著傘柄，運動自如，前後飛翻，耍出各種花樣來，那可就難上加難了。
湯六刮真是身手不凡，他精赤著膊，腰間繫著黃絛，渾身肌肉滾凸著，輕鬆寫意的單手舉傘，隨著喧天的鑼鼓敲打出來的急驟節拍踩著花步，反覆旋移著傘柄，使傘面飛也似的旋舞起來，但見無數金錢咬拍著金錢，使叮叮的聲響從金光閃燦中迸射出來，引起陣陣的采聲。
嘿，廟裏今天就放長頭夫人了！
快把孩子叫回家，見著這晦氣鬼會生災的！
依照往俗，捉拿倒楣鬼長頭夫人，是廟會節目裏最精采的好戲；傳說長頭夫人是天界的晦氣星（彗星，又稱掃帚星，民間習以為不祥。），她常扮為披髮的女子，下界來撒大瘟，使民間年成荒旱，顆粒無收，而且被困於瘟疫；說這個由長頭夫人化身的女子，總愛在春天下凡，興風作浪，所以人們就根據傳聞扮演這個節目，希望藉著神的力量把她捉住押送回天界去。
通常是在會期前三天，就要選出一個最機警、最有急智的漢子，戴上假髮，裝扮成長頭夫人，放逐到野處去；長頭夫人的扮像完全根據著古老的傳說，又可怖又慘淒，頭上亂髮披垂，飄飄蕩蕩的遮住臉面，那張常為亂髮所蔽的鬼臉著實驚人，塗著一層厚厚的白粉，畫上一道掃帚眉，一些帶黑圈的豬婆眼，血盆大嘴裏，拖出一隻紅紅的假舌頭，一直垂至胸窩；她身上穿著一件寬大的白孝服，肩上披著一方粗麻布，手裏拖著一根紙紮的亂穗蓬蓬的哭喪棒，頸間還繫一串紙錢串成的喪環，望在人眼裏，有一種陰風慘慘的感覺。
長頭夫人放出去，一共有三天的日子，這三天，她可以任意選地方躲藏；鄉野的人們會規戒孩子，這期間不能出門，據說誰若看見這個在曠野穿行的長頭夫人，誰家就主霉運，不是生大瘟就得鬧眼病。不過，長頭夫人放出去一晝夜之後，扮演捉拿她的八個神將，加上城隍土地，陰司裏的黑白無常，牛頭馬面，耍馬叉的鬼使，就得費盡心機，判斷她可能隱匿的地方，帶著繩索、板子、鍊子和枷鎖，提著廟會用的馬叉、刀、槍、分頭去捉拿她了。
今年的這個長頭夫人被神將們追逐著，從大廟門口飛奔出來，直朝沿河的碼頭奔去，她的面孔被長髮遮住，誰也猜不出扮演者是誰？祗覺得她的身裁有些滑稽可笑；因為往年扮演長頭夫人的漢子，大都還用高瘦的人，而今年卻破例選了個矮冬瓜，又矮又胖，走起路來擺呀擺的像一隻跛了腿的鴨子，也許替他化妝的人覺得他氣派不夠，份外替他糊了一項三尺高的尖頂圓筒帽子，帽後畫著鬼頭，帽前寫著長頭夫人四個大字。
這個扮演長頭夫人的傢伙正是石二矮子。
石二矮子不會轉彎抹角動腦筋，一干兄弟們的慘死，使他怒火沖天；原想俟機捨命搏殺匪首朱四判官，替關八爺分憂，也替死去的兄弟報仇的，誰知關八爺突然又改了主意，硬要對朱四判官大施慈悲，他說話像板上釘釘，誰也搖不動他，既殺不得朱四判官，祗好殺幾個小號土匪洩憤了；扮長頭夫人，正好先過河去探聽探聽土匪的動靜，在這場盛大的殺機重重的廟會裏，總要搶著露一露身手才好。
臨行前，關八爺和窩心腿方勝分別指點過他，運鹽以北一帶的地形地勢，村落散布的情況，各處要道和荒涼的墳場所在；扮演長頭夫人是假，打探消息是真，沿河碼頭邊，早有一隻方頭渡船在日夜守候著，聽他的暗號行事，俾便隨時接應他渡河了。
過了河，他在荒曠無人的麥田裏踽踽獨行著，一面打量四野的形勢，他寬大的孝服中間，使幾束草繩兒胡亂的繫紮著，胸口揣帶者乾糧，水鱉和麥餅，脅下還挾著一壺偷灌來的老酒。他一向在大狗熊面前誇稱他的膽子大，不怕趕夜路，不怕鬼火和攔路撲人的鬼旋風。大狗熊卻存心嚇他說：瞧吧，矮鬼，你他娘扮假鬼，夜晚孤伶伶的宿在荒墳頭上，亂葬坑裏，不定會他娘的引出真鬼來跟你敘敘交情
石二矮子放眼望出去，滿眼是起浪的麥田，綠海般的鋪展到天邊去，有些早種的孔麥和大麥，都已經垂穗兒了，有些小麥剛吐芒，望上去白汪汪的，路上不見人蹤，祗有黑羽白頸的烏鴉，蹲在荒墳頭上撲搧著翅膀，哇呀哇的，鬼嚎一般的叫著，那聲音又怪異，又隱含著不祥的兆示。我的乖乖，石二矮子心裏話：鹽市北的野地竟這等荒法兒，墳頭多過人頭，白天也許不覺著怎樣，夜晚一個人露宿，真他媽的嚇死人。
大狗熊的一句玩笑話，竟像酵粉似的在人心裏發起酵來，使石二矮子禁不住要探手到脅間去摸酒，一邊喃喃的跟酒壺說：你他媽就是我的南無大慈大悲救苦救難的觀世音菩薩，夜晚老子猛喝它半壺酒，醉得死死的像他媽一灘泥，就真有鬼，老子也不怕了！
說著，他舐舐舌頭，嚥了一口口水，自打那回因酒受罰之後，有很久都酒不沾唇了，滿肚子酒蟲都餓扁了它的娘了！一想到老酒的滋味，心裏就不打一處發癢，恨不得馬上就取出壺來狠喝它一陣，繼而又一想：不成！假如一離鹽市，馬上就喝醉了酒，一定會很快被那些神將捉住，送回大廟去。
按廟會的老例子，捉住了的長頭夫人，得要被上上鎖，囚在一隻四尺高、三尺見方的木籠子裏，站著嫌不夠高，坐著嫌不夠寬，而且頸上還得套上一面廿四斤重的紅漆枷板，那豈不是活受洋罪？誰願去扮那種馬猴去？ !再說，酒能誤事，非到緊要關頭，還是不喝為妙。
石二矮子揀荒走，風把他齊胸的假髮吹得飄飄的，在腦後一絲一綹的飛舞著，他頂上的高帽兒晃晃盪蕩，一聳一聳的，把野田裏偷谷的鳥蟲都嚇飛了，一路上也遇上幾個看田的人，遠遠見著他，驚叫一聲：長頭夫人來了就都拔腿飛奔掉了。
遠遠的村落上有人在練會，鑼鼓聲隱約可聞。
石二矮子走了大半天，估量著離開鹽市斜向西北角，至少走下十來里路程，即使明晨那些神將和鬼卒都分頭出動來捉自己，也不見得被他們輕易捉住了，這才定下心來放慢腳步，一面走，一面想找個地方歇息。
眼前橫著一條清淺的、林木夾岸的流溪，溪兩岸散生著叢叢灌木林莽，高雖不甚高，卻也能擋得住人頭；灌木叢南邊，有一塊狹長的油菜田，油菜花開得金糊糊的一片；油菜田再過去是一座墳場，大得白天也有些鬼氣；離墳場不遠，小荒路像一條淡色的蚯蚓順溪蜿蜒著，路口有座由一隻缺口破瓦缸蓋成的小土地廟，廟後翹起一隻尾巴似的紅漆小旗杆，旗杆上還有一盞久經風吹雨打，紙面已經破爛不堪的小燈籠。
嘿，小廟裝不得大菩薩，石二矮子自言自語的說：待老子先過去跟土地爺叩三個恭恭敬敬的響頭，今夜就他媽睡在朽木棺材裏，小鬼瞧著土地爺的面子，也不該為難我姓石的了。說著，就搖搖晃晃的走過去，趴在破瓦缸的缺口前面朝裏面張望。
瓦缸頂上也有個破窟窿，一塊金石子似的陽光斜射進來，照亮了缸裏的頹圮景象，那個土地爺祗有五寸高，一身衣袍積滿塵土，早就破爛了，翹著幾