Chapter 22 Chapter 22.white horse
Rainy weather.
Low and thick black clouds cover the sky above Wanjialou day and night, from the top to the bottom of the sky, there is not a single crack to be found.The slightly chilly damp wind was so soft that it couldn't move the rain, and there was a strong, musty smell in the air.People who have lived in the north for a long time can smell some autumn that is coming quietly from this musty, damp and cold smell.
This kind of autumn, this kind of faint sad charm can only be captured by people who are in adversity in loneliness, and the blind Guan Baye is just such a character, a strong and strong hero who was framed.
He lived in Wanjialou, and was moved from the inner house of Gu Ye to the outer house. In a deserted and dilapidated courtyard, near the stables, there were two old houses, which were tidied up as his new residence.When he was first framed by brother Wan Zhenquan, people were indeed shocked, and they cast a lot of anger and sighs on him like surging waves, but the flames outside the sky and the great changes that were about to happen drew people's attention even more.
As the days flowed by, the waves of sympathy and concern also surged away, leaving only some ripples.Gu Ye comforted him face to face more than once, and vowed to arrest the fugitive suspects for him, but Wan Zhenquan's brother has disappeared without a trace, the world is so vast, and the current situation is in turmoil, arresting people with official words is like finding a needle in a haystack Not to mention the private arrest in Wanjialou; Guan Baye didn't know that the arrest that Gu Ye said was just a lie to cover up, he only thought it was the fate he deserved, he didn't Thinking of whom to take revenge on in this matter.Who can take revenge?But seeing the greedy human desire, the whole world is talking.
Gu Ye told him not to worry about the outside world anymore, and to rest in peace in the abandoned garden of the outer house. For a person like him who regards the world as his home, being alive and having his eyes cut off is more tragic than death. After this experience Afterwards, Guan Baye, although he was not poor at the end of the day, he also had the desolation of falling leaves in autumn.
The abandoned garden was quite spacious, with dozens of old trees that protrude from the wind, and the garden was full of knee-length wormwood, and in the stable on one side, there were mules and horses for Master Gu's own use; The house where Ba Ye lived was originally the flower hall left by the second house when he was robbed many years ago. After building a new house, the flower hall on the original site was abandoned and was once converted into a grain warehouse; After a long time, the house has shown an old-fashioned appearance, and it no longer has the style of the past.
Guan Baye, who lost his eyes, doesn't feel this, his world is dark and dull.But he is still a strong man, he is silently adapting to this world.In this abandoned garden, he often meditates alone, everything outside is isolated from him, and there is no new disturbance to disturb his mind.
The rain is falling, falling, falling, how many memories of the past, some fragmented black heart plans emerge from the sound of the rain, and flow past him. He really wants to inquire about the scene of Yanshi , but he hasn’t seen Master Gu for a long time. Every day, only a deaf old man brings him food. That person is like a piece of wood. Tell him about the current situation; about the increasing number of refugees in the four fields, and about the general rumors that Sun Chuanfang has fled to Shandong, and that the division commander Snub Nose on the Huai River took care of the mess in the name of the commander-in-chief. Wantonly collect the defeated soldiers who retreated southward
In this kind of situation, caring, anxiety, reminiscence, and lamentation seem superfluous. The half of my life is like a fire, burning red and bright, and now it has been covered with Ashes.What about concern, anxiety, reminiscence, and lamentation?But he was always unwilling in his heart. This unwillingness inspired his inner wild power. He was still willing to use this immortal body to do his best for the world!
At least, in Wanjialou, the first thing I have to do is to find out the real culprit who betrayed the old Liuhe Gang, colluded with Judge Zhu Si to kill Bao Ye, and secretly eliminated Ye Ye. I swear to get rid of this treacherous person.
The rain is always falling, falling, falling
Thinking of the treacherous evil that never showed his true colors, Guan Baye felt that the whole world was so cold and damp; he knew that even if he had the ability to reach the sky, after losing his eyes, he would not be able to use it for a while!Since the opponent's method is so vicious, he can't get rid of it alone. For this, he must learn to adapt to this dark world. He must learn to listen to the sound with his ears and smell with his nose to replace the original The eyes make up for this incompleteness.
However, he knows that this is not something that he can get used to in a day's work. He must have great endurance, and he can't cultivate it slowly.
Few people came to the abandoned garden, except for the deaf old man who brought him food, and the man who raised the horse, who came several times a day, the rest was silent, and only the rain could be heard. The sound of the sound, the sound of the wind, and the occasional sound of the horse's neighing, snorting, hooving, shaking and chewing.He sat cross-legged on that couch, let go of all distracting thoughts for a while, quieted the turbulent thoughts in his heart, and used his ear power in unison to learn to distinguish objects by listening to their types, shapes, distances and distances. Size and so on, use it as a preliminary step for him to get used to this dark world.
Although Guan Baye did not specialize in martial arts like the old master Dai and his apprentices, he had also practiced self-defense and had a solid foundation in martial arts. After this period of recuperation, the gunshot wounds and eye sockets on his body His Xinchuang has been fully healed. Except for the loss of his eyes and his inability to see things, his body is still in good shape, and his skills and strength are still as vigorous and strong as usual, without any change. Therefore, he uses his two ears to listen and distinguish things, progressed very rapidly.
At the beginning, he was really not used to it, because when he listened to the sounds outside and all the subtle movements, he often had some wandering thoughts and feelings, which could not help but drift over, distracting his mind and disturbing him. This made him deeply realize how difficult it is for a person to adapt to a new living environment at the beginning.He knew that if he was not willing to consider himself disabled and end up in Wanjialou, he would have to overcome all difficulties and use the method of Buddhist meditation to exercise his hearing.
Gradually, he was able to control distracting thoughts and entered a state of ecstasy. As soon as his heart became clear, his ears became sharper. Even the slightest sound would become extremely clear in a person's empty heart.First he heard the sound of rain.He feels that raindrops have no sound in the sky, and the so-called rain sound is produced by the rain rays hitting objects. Although it is called the rain sound, there are actually thousands of different sounds.
The sound of rain came from a distance, sweeping across the roof tiles in the vestibule, and there was a subtle rustle. From the strength and weakness of that subtle sound, one could judge the strength of the wind blowing the rain.He heard the raindrops taking advantage of the wind hitting the leaves beside the courtyard wall, and there was another rustling with different rhythms, high or low, near or far, as if there were countless little elves dancing on the leaves.He heard the raindrops beating against the muffled water beside the channel, making many foamy sounds; the sound of eaves dripping on the stepping stones, and some sad and endless singing, repeating over and over again.
He listened intently to the sound of the rain, and even described the appearance of this abandoned garden from the sound of the rain; where is the high wall?Where is the garden tree?Where is the stable?Where is the channel?Those ink-colored images appeared in his heart, just as clear as seeing them.In the dark world, there is no distinction between day and night, and time is like a wounded caterpillar, wriggling extremely slowly. Occasionally, when he heard a horse neighing in the stable, he carefully distinguished those different neighing sounds, and thus distinguished The different personalities of the horses, and the emotions expressed in their neighing; he felt that the only way to pass the dark and long time in this way was to cultivate his peaceful patience.
Every day, the deaf old man who delivered meals would come to the abandoned garden on time, Guan Baye could recognize his features from the sound of his footsteps on the passage; Not small, but when he landed, his left foot was always light and the right foot heavy, and the lightness and heavyness were very clear; comparing his footsteps with those of the man who raised the horse, there was a significant difference between the two. The man who raised the horse He must be a short-bodied man, his footsteps are thin, quick and heavy, and he walks with a thud, like a treadmill.
Do you say that life is like a year?This is not always the case for Guan Baye, since he has made up his mind to try his best to do one thing well, loneliness can't eat away at his will, but instead it is used by him.
In order to test what he heard and discerned, he groped his way up to seek answers one by one; and with the help of a crutch in his hand, he walked in the cold rain into the wide and waste garden with weeds and shrubs. With the tip of his stick and footsteps, he tried to step on passages and decayed grass, and measured the heights and pits on the ground. He walked along the courtyard wall, touched every ancient garden tree, and judged from the roughness and texture of the trunk skin. What kind of tree is it?Then, he revealed his judgment by chatting with the man who raised the horse, and asked the real answer from the other party's mouth to prove his own judgment.
He has to start from these very subtle places so that he can get used to the dark life without eyes. He often warns himself like this: Guan Ba!Guanba!Longyou was played by shrimps in shallow water, and tigers were bullied by dogs in Pingyang. Isn't this the case? !Now that my feet are stuck in the mud, my ambition and my dream of flying to the sky are empty. I can only treat myself as a prisoner and settle down to penetrate the darkness in front of me. There is no other way. that's it.
He is a person full of life experience, losing his eyes does not affect his judgment on things.For example, judging the ancient trees in the garden, when he carefully touches the trunk of any tree, he can immediately judge whether the tree is mulberry or elm, pagoda tree or willow.Because he knew that the skin of the mulberry tree is not thick or thin, and the grains are all running horizontally. The texture is dense and fine, and it has a special smell; but the elm tree is different; It is said that the elm tree soars to the sky. The cortex of the elm tree is rough, cracked into Yao-shaped longitudinal lines, and the leather surface is easy to tear off, but its inner bark is dry and soft, which is composed of countless velvet fibers; In addition to the peculiar smell, its skin is fine and seldom cracked, and there are countless small granular bumps on the skin surface, as if touching bitter pear bumps.Although willow is a kind of soft and charming tree, the bark of willow is generally very rough. It is commonly called mangy old willow, which refers to its cortex. Willow not only has rough cortex, but also has cracks like turtle's back, which is different from elm.
He judged the trees in the garden in such a way that he had the deep meaning of personifying the trees. Since he lost his eyes, he had to examine himself deeply. Because he was full of loyalty and pride, he usually failed to check everything carefully, and inevitably made many mistakes. Otherwise, how could those people in the salt market look away first when they were eager for rescue, and it would be trivial to lose their eyes.The desire to lose those brothers really made me feel deeply in my heart, and I will feel guilty for the rest of my life.
For this reason, he had to pack up the heroic spirit that came from his life, and turned to submerge and nourish the spirit, and worked hard to understand the nature of things, observe people's hearts, think carefully about everything, draw inferences from one instance, and not hear it, not show it in it. Due to the limitation of the environment, he can only start by identifying the garden logs and the animals in the stables. Although these are subtle, they can temper his mind and endurance.
He recognized the trees in the garden so finely, and he was even more connoisseur of the horses.
In the stable on the east side of the abandoned garden, there are a total of eight or nine horses and four or five strong walking mules. In order to prevent the animals from biting and kicking each other, each animal has its own feeding trough. Arrange the crossbars into wooden fences to block them; Guan Baye often walks slowly under the eaves in front of the stables with his stick in the early morning and dusk, listening to the snorting and neighing of the animals, and leisurely following the horsemen Talk about homely things, of course, mostly about horses.
Guan Baye's steed white horse, a piece of jade, is also tied here. Counting from south to north, the third stable is where the piece of jade rests. It will paw its front hooves anxiously, twist its body from side to side and tighten the rein, as if it can't wait for a moment, and eagerly runs to the owner.In order to calm it down, Guan Baye resisted a burst of sore melancholy, walked over and stroked it, from forehead to back.
What a magical animal often murmurs to itself like this, and often swallows its true heart back. A good horse like a white horse and a piece of jade should be ridden by a real hero so that it can travel across mountains and rivers , Roaring on the battlefield, but it chose the wrong master, the more affectionately it loves the old master, the more it feels guilty and unbearable, and letting Qianliju die, isn't it a kind of unbearable tragedy? !
A piece of jade is really a good horse, Baye.The horse breeder interrupted and said, "It's just that his temper is too violent, and it's really hard to serve him."
But all good horses are difficult to control. Guan Baye said: You can’t control a good horse according to the way you treat ordinary horses. You must be moved with emotion so that it can feel at ease when it sees you. A piece of jade is a very psychic animal. .
To tell the truth, Ba Ye said, I have been taking care of horses for several years, but I still don't know the nature of horses, let alone know horses. The man who raised the horses said: But a horse like a piece of jade should be recognized by anyone. It is an amazing animal, its body is much taller than Guye's black horse, its front and rear arms are full of knotted and protruding muscles, its body is covered with dense white hair, shiny like a paintbrush, since it entered the shed , except for feeding, it does not let anyone touch it.
Hey, Guan Baye let out a long breath, and said with great emotion: It is difficult to know a horse, but it is even more difficult to know a person.Knowing a horse is like knowing a person, not only by looking at the appearance, but also at the bones, character, movement, and stamina. When you look at a piece of jade, you only look at its surface carelessly.
It is said that someone outside the mouth not only knows horses, but also understands horse language.The horse-breeding man moved over a wooden stool, begged Guan Baye to sit down, and asked, "Baye Guan, you are a man with a lot of experience, have you met him before?"
The wind picked up a few palm-shaped diseased leaves, and they fell to Guan Baye's feet in the icy rain. One of them circled and landed on his forehead.Guan Baye stretched out his hand to pinch the early withered leaf with raindrops, and twisted it slowly. The fallen leaf brought him not only the cold, but also a sense of loneliness and depression in autumn.The autumn of life.
Among the horse dealers outside the mouth, there are indeed many experts in horse knowledge. When they look at a static horse, they can see the horse's bones through the appearance.While stroking the fallen leaf, he spoke calmly: "However, it would be too mysterious to say who can really understand horse language."Maybe some people have lived with horses for a long time, and can guess the meaning of the horses from the various actions of the horses, as well as the long and short snorts and neighing. Neighing, is it just horse language?
As he spoke slowly, the autumn wind swayed the hem of his long gown, making a slight slap.He raised his face slightly, as if he was listening to something, with an unnatural smile on his face, narrowing his eye holes without eyeballs.
The man who raised the horses held a small cigarette pipe in his mouth, and squatted on the ground beside the shed with his arms around his knees. He wore a wide-brimmed bamboo cloak on his head and a coir raincoat embroidered with dried sorghum leaves. hedgehog.He was puffing on the smoke, listening intently, and even forgot that Baye Guan was a famous figure, but felt that he was unexpectedly peaceful.He is just a blind man.
You should have heard of Ma Xiao?Guan Baye said.
The man who raised the horse shook his head.
Ma Xiao?Ha ha, I have never heard of Ma Xiao, Ba Ye.
In Kanto, on the endless snow field.Guan Baye said.His tone became deeper and more slowly, and the black painting was unfolding in his heart. Those days of exile in the Kanto region were already a smoke obsession, and it was unbearable to look back.Who to talk to?Who can understand the sadness?I’m just talking to myself, yes, in the Kanto, on the boundless snow field, those meadows surrounded by mountains are the best pastures.When spring comes, the ice and snow gradually dissipate, and countless blue grass sprouts grow on the wet soil between the pieces of remnant snow. Tens of thousands of horses, even the shepherds can hardly calculate the exact number.
The majestic Jiamusi horse, the tall and strong Meng horse, the beautiful and docile Hailar horse, and many famous stallions in the frontier area are together, making people dizzying.When I first went there, I was employed as a horse herder on Dianzi, and learned a lot of new life knowledge in the icy and snowy fields.At least, those days made me understand horses.
Mo Tu changed, and lived in the vast and sparsely populated Kanto for five full years. Although he was desperate, he did not have so many unbearable worries. How happy and simple it is to live with the horses!There are no such entangled grievances and grievances in the world, these endless billowing smoke and dust.Backtracking once touched the long dusty days, I didn't bother to resort to words anymore, I just let my thoughts wander far and wide in the void, leading to the boundless.
The man who raised the horse didn't know what the eighth master was thinking, he opened his mouth to speak, and he was stunned for a while while talking.He didn't dare to make a sound to disturb the other party, but just looked at him full of curiosity, blowing his leaf smoke one after another.
Thoughts are a string of gossamer threads that are about to be disconnected, rather than being tied, it is better to say that they are floating, but they still linger on the vast grass and fields of Kanto.Although the ink color of the images in my heart is already very thick, I can still see the rushing, jumping, and neighing horses in the haze. They are gnawing grass, listening to the wind, rolling sand, and scratching , and even, I can vaguely recall the names of some special and beautiful horses.
In terms of galloping speed and agility, the Jiamusi horses are the best. Those animals that have grown up rolling in the ice and snow sea since childhood, each of them has angular wildness, and the natural environment makes them grow up Mercedes-Benz is not afraid of severe cold.Judging from the shape of the horses, the Jiamusi horses seem to be a little thinner. Their heads are high, their ears are pointed, they are thin and flexible, their convex faces are narrow and their foreheads are long, but their body parts are well-proportioned and their front and back arms are bulging. The strong muscles protruding into balls seem to burst out from the thin skin with vertical and horizontal veins; their four legs are straight and solid, and the four hooves are not as broad as those of Montmartre, but the angle of fall is steep. At first glance, you know that it is a horse that is good at galloping.
If you talk about general riding, which emphasizes stability and comfort, Hailar horses are considered the best; Hailar horses are strong enough, but their strength is hidden, and it is not obvious at first glance; I have ridden a famous horse. Xuexue is a white mare of Hailar breed. That horse is really a good match for a white horse. It has a pair of big gentle eyes that can read people's thoughts. With a trimmed mane as smooth as snow, it is a typical Hyrule stallion. In terms of body shape, it is the most uniform and beautiful horse. It combines majesty and wildness with gentleness. It can be seen and felt in the hoof raising, galloping, and all movements. Some people even boast that when the Hylar horse walks on flat ground, the bowl can be placed on the horse's back. We can infer its short waist and flat back, and its balanced and well-proportioned walking posture.
Mengma is famous for its tallness, strength and high endurance. Mengma is rough and wild, and their beauty lies in that kind of wild shape. They are not afraid of the ruggedness of the mountain roads, and are more suitable for grasslands and deserts. The grassy fields and rough gravel areas on the edge were originally their homeland.The deep and wide bust, square arms, solid and thick front and rear legs, short and solid knots, raised old armor, wide buttocks, and dense fur are all the characteristics of Mengma. And their four hooves are bigger than the mouth of the sea bowl. No wonder everyone says that Mengma's hooves are the most powerful.
The man who raised the horse squatted on the spot and finished smoking a bag of cigarettes. He saw Guan Baye sitting on the bench, clasping the head of his cane with both hands, still dazed. He turned over the small cigarette bag and knocked the ash on the ground in front of him. Removed the ashes, put on the cigarette pipe and blew on it, put the small cigarette pouch back on the waist, and asked: What are you thinking about?
Perhaps this question was too light, and before the other party could be brought back from contemplation, the man who raised the horse scratched his head and added another sentence: Why don't you speak?Baye
ah!ah!Only then did Guan Baye listen, and said with a smile: What was I talking about just now? !Really, when I think of horses, I forget the words that have come to my lips!
You were talking about Ma Xiao just now, you said you were in Kanto
Well, Ma Xiao, that's right.Guan Baye picked up the fallen leaf from his pocket again, and twirled it between his fingers: the hushed sound we usually listen to is just the neighing of a horse, not the howling of a horse. The horse's speech, then, the horse's whistling should be the horse's song.
Can horses sing?Baye?This is the first time I've heard of it.The man who raised the horse was a little excited, and took out the small cigarette pipe stem that had just been pinned to his waist, and hurriedly filled another bag of cigarettes.This is an old temper that he can't get rid of. Whenever he listens to someone talking about something new, he must have a cigarette in his mouth, as if this is really enjoyable.
As I said, psychic animals are like humans. Humans have speech and songs, but why can’t horses? !Guan Baye said: People are like this in happy moments, carnival moments, moments of love with lovers, sweet and leisurely moments, of course they can sing all kinds of operas and vulgar songs, and when they remember their enemies, they are alone Wandering, the moment of leaving home, the moment of drinking alone in loneliness and sorrow, the moment of going to death with generosity, you will sing loudly, pouring out your inner feelings and stagnation, and it is just like this
I'm a little confused, Ba Ye.The horse breeder said: Of course, Huaishang is not a place where horses are produced, but in the counties of Beidi, counting all the big clans and households, even Wanjialou has the most horses.I took care of them in the stables in the West Garden, but it has been more than a year. It seems that I have never heard a horse howling. Could it be that among the hundreds of horses, none of them can sing?
Guan Baye smiled and shook his head lightly.
It's not that they don't know how to sing, but here they are chained, strangled, abused by ordinary hands, without good training, and without care from riders. This is not the time for them to scream, nor is it the place for them to scream .Usually outside the mouth, in Kanto, in the horse ditch, on the fresh green meadow, on the days when the sky is full of yellow clouds, the wind is howling and the roaring, and on the quiet night when the wind is light and the moon is bright, it is easiest to hear the howling of horses, because most of them have no The horse in the collar still carries the wildness of the mountains and forests.When they fall into the hands of horse dealers in groups, they are sold to the pass, saddled and equipped with pedals. Whether they are used as walking horses or shaft horses, there will be an endless long road waiting for them in their lifetime. Touching them, beating them, cursing them, being prodded and used by others, I'm afraid it's too late to groan, how can I have the mood to scream? !
good.The man who raised the horse chewed the other party's words carefully and said: Everything you said makes sense, Ba Ye.But I don't know what kind of sound that horse howling sound is?
The howling sound of a horse is completely different from the neighing sound of a horse. Guan Baye said: It is a chirping sound from the throat and nostrils.It's unbelievable for people who haven't lived outside the mouth.
The man who raised the horse shrank his neck.
I said, Ba Ye, it’s very rare for a native horse like me, a frog in a well, to travel far in this life. Maybe I’m lucky, and I can hear horses screaming even here. For example, your Ba Ye will be able to ride again one day. When I walk around with a piece of jade, I believe it will whistle.
Guan Baye listened, and stayed motionless for a while; Yuanyin's thoughts disappeared, the spring dream on the grasslands of Guandong, and the horses in the dream had also gone away, and they could no longer see their running images, nor hear them The rattling, rhythmic sound of hooves here is just an abandoned garden soaked in the cold autumn rain, the sound of cold and wet rain is everywhere, the wind seems to be a little bit stronger, and some falling leaves are spinning around him I don't know where his face fell into the darkness.Maybe it's getting dark soon?In the midst of grief and distress, what else can we talk to the man who feeds the horse?
I may never get a chance to ride it again!Guan Baye sighed and said: If there is a good chance for a white horse and a piece of jade, maybe you can meet a great hero who can calm the world in a fit of anger, a real hero, but the world is boundless, who would dare to predict it? !
That's what I said, but I always try my best to hide a little bit of my true heart from others.
That is vengeance against rape.I can forgive the murderer who cut off my eyes, but I can't forgive the villain hiding in the dark.who is he?where is he?It is the only question I have been thinking about, and I believe that as long as the body is still there, I will be able to find it out eventually.However, I have thought about it again and again. When the traitor lurking in Wanjialou is not eliminated, I am still in a dangerous situation. Two-eyed people can predict.Now I am like a white horse and a piece of jade, with lofty aspirations, but a fateful fate. The horse breeder said it well, maybe one day, although I can't be a hero who can calm the world in a fit of anger, I still want to be a hero. I have to settle the grievances and enmities of this half of my life. In this kind of chaotic situation where the law of the king is not good and the world is surging, right and wrong can only be judged by my own conscience.
With his ability to distinguish objects by listening to sounds, within a few days, he has already made clear the topography of the abandoned garden. Take a skillful walk to the stable, listen to the movement of the horses, and identify which animal it is.In the dead of night, he always sits cross-legged instead of sleeping, or walks around the room, practicing the fists and kicks he learned earlier by himself.
Early autumn insects sang rustlingly in the cracks of the wall, and the sound of rain seemed to never stop. Such a night is really a deep dark well. As long as the thoughts are moved a little, all kinds of worries outside will come from all directions. Come on; Master Zhen from Shahekou has never returned to Wanjialou, Miss Hanying’s condition is unknown, and even Aigu from Wanliangpu, who is close at hand, has not passed the news. Where are the living old brothers in Liuhe gang? ?I lost my eyes forever, so I can't live in this abandoned garden forever? !
I have to go out for a walk!He said so to himself.
He knew that in the northwest corner of the abandoned garden, between an old elm tree and a low-branched mulberry tree, there was a small gate, but he didn't know which street was facing the small gate?Perhaps the man who kept the horses knew that if the rain fell less, he could easily go out through the little door, take a short walk, and then feel his way back.
The next day, he found the man who raised the horses in the stable, and chatted casually for a while as usual, during the chat, he inadvertently mentioned the small door.
I don't know where it goes?He said: I have been stuck here for a long time, and I feel too deserted. I really want to go out for a walk.
over there?Over there is Dongheng Street, not far from Wanliangpu.The man who raised the horse said: But the door is locked, and if Eighth Master wants to go out for a walk, he should explain to the deaf old man first, and ask him to go to Gu Ye to get the key.Otherwise, you should find someone to guide you, I'm afraid it will be inconvenient for you to find the way alone
Guan Baye frowned.It's not that I'm suspicious, I always feel that the man who raises the horse is a clumsy person. Although he usually speaks slowly, he seems a little clumsy, but he doesn't speak like this.
In fact Gu Ye didn't have to lock that small door.He said.
The lock on the small door had already been locked.The man who raised the horse said: "The body of the lock has been weathered by wind and rain. I'm afraid it's rusted."When I locked it at the beginning, I was afraid that the horse would run loose and cause trouble.
Even if it is locked, Guan Baye still casually said: The key should also be left to you.I heard that you have a bunch of keys on the pipe rod, look for it, and see if you have the No. 2 ram horn brass lock that locks the small door.Brass locks don't rust as easily as iron locks, do they?
You really seem to have eyes, how do you know that there is a key on the shaft of my pipe?How do you know that the No. 2 brass lock is used on the small door? !The man raising the horse took a step back and said in surprise.
Guan Baye didn't answer, just smiled faintly.
The key to the brass lock is really not with me, Ba Ye.
Forget it, Guan Baye still didn't pay attention: I'll talk about it when I see Gu Ye.At this hour, Gu Ye didn't know why he was so busy?I haven't seen him for some time.
Gu Ye? !The man who raised the horse said: He is busy going to the four townships to see the autumn crops, and I prepared the animals for him.I'm afraid it will be some time before I can come back.I am afraid that those hungry refugees will snatch the autumn crops.
Guan Baye knew he was telling the truth, because he heard Gu Ye's dark horse was not in the stable.He had heard sporadically about the situation of the refugees in the four townships, and he was quite dissatisfied with Wanjialou's current actions. If it were Mr. Wan, he would definitely not adopt such methods as Gu Ye. Generally, the gun team is withdrawn to deal with those hungry people.As far as Gu Ye's violent and domineering temperament is concerned, he is not surprised when he does this, but what is surprised is that he treats himself with too much hospitality, which is the opposite of his usual personality.
He has always been proud and arrogant, and he doesn't pay attention to anyone with a foreign surname. In his early years, he often went to Wanjialou, and he only associated with brothers Baoye and Zhenye. Afterwards, he warmed up uncharacteristically. Not only did he promise to apprehend the murderer, but he also took himself into the house, received medical treatment, and made generous offerings. But he tried his best to keep himself under house arrest in the name of recuperation. Why didn't he ask others to bring food for him, but why did he choose that deaf old man? !From the words and attitude of the horse breeder, it can be seen that he has been confessed. What is his intention?
The more he secretly suspected, the more silent Guan Baye was on the surface.In any case, he can't embarrass the servants like the horse breeder, he has to wait until he sees Master Gu.
After losing both eyes, Guan Baye's mind became more meticulous. Starting from this doubt in his heart, he gradually assumed, and gradually deduced, the more he deduced, the more suspicious he became.There are many families in the ten thousand buildings, the head of the house has been dealing with family affairs for many years, and the second house has been suppressed for a long time. It is inevitable that there are many incomprehensible resentments among people of foreign surnames;If Gu Ye is the traitor, before he plots against Bao Ye Ye Ye, he must get rid of the old Liuhe gang who has always speculated with Chang Fang, but this is just speculation, there is no evidence, before finding sufficient criminal evidence, he will Can't sit on the ground, forcefully put these charges on Guye's head, Guan Dongshan will definitely not lie to anyone, he can only wait, he has to search for real evidence.
After receiving the report from the accountant at Shahekou, Young Master Gu once sent someone to search Wanliangpu, but he didn't find such an old man Jin and a young woman coming to stay.
Grandpa Zhen went to Yanshi, and Aunt Hanying died of hemoptysis, which could have relieved Guye of a serious illness; but the news from the accountant said: Before Wan Xiaoxi'er died, she had already revealed her trump card. , so that the Shahekou side, including many refugees, all know the real cause of brother Baoye's death.Regardless of whether Aunt Hanying sent someone to report to the clan, it will be difficult to hide this matter anymore. If a word of wind leaks into Guan Ba's ears, it will be even more difficult to deal with!
Just because Gu Ye changed his mind so much, the accountant who specially came to ask for credit was invited into the basement where Wang Dagui was imprisoned.
Gu Ye, you can't treat me like this. I've come here to inform you about this kind of confidant, you shouldn't keep me.Said the accountant.
But Gu Ye lowered his face and said with a sneer: You listened to Wan Xiaoxier's nonsense and thought that I was the murderer who assassinated Baoye and Yeye, so you messed it up.The families in Wanjialou are harmonious for generations, no villains are allowed to provoke and cause trouble!
you?you
I'm going to put you, a villain, here, and hand it over to Lord Zhen to be punished in the future.Gu Ye said solemnly.
But on the other hand, he was almost terrified.Since the matter was in Wan Xiaoxi'er's hands, he had to prevent the news from spreading to Wanjialou, and at the same time, take action as soon as possible to settle Guan Ba who lost both eyes.
He had considered that it was the moment when Guan Baye was famous before his eyes were cut off, but after his eyes were cut off and he was trapped in the abandoned garden, people's attention had already moved away from him; It has been generally discussed that Xian thinks that he treats Guan Baye so courteously, which is really a way of repaying virtue with kindness.Now it's very easy to get rid of Guanba, all you need is to secretly mix poison in your diet!Even if he tries his best to protect his long house and seventh house, he will not be suspicious of himself.Even if there are some rumors and suspicions, I still have plausible arguments.If I intend to harm him, why should I treat him so attentively? !Who doesn't know Guan Baye's fierce temper?Maybe after his eyes were cut, he was too angry, worried about going to Yanshi, and didn't want to be trapped in Wanjialou, so he couldn't think about it for a while, so he committed suicide by drinking poison? !
As long as there is no conclusive evidence, no one can accuse themselves of crimes!The big deal is that after Guan Ba's death, I will spend an extra sum of money to arrange his funeral and burial in a decent way!祗要這樣拔掉關八這頭病虎，依自己如今的勢力，對付各房族的人可說是遊刃有餘，萬小喜兒已死，空言無證，外姓人裏，又有幾個是保爺弟兄的死黨，那麼熱心出面去追本窮源？ !幾個月一拖下去，祗怕一場風波轉眼就會煙消雲散了。
但在關八沒除前，阻塞外間消息是最要緊的，自己必得要暗中把老二房的槍隊，像撒網般的四面撒開。查察一切進入萬家樓的陌生臉孔和可疑人物，同時要把重點放在萬梁鋪裏。
萬梁鋪的老賬房程青雲，和守寡的愛姑，在牯爺的眼裏，一直是視為關八爺的死黨，由這回聽得的消息中，更證實了他的猜想，如果他們不跟關八聲氣相通，菡英姑奶奶臨終前差人投書，為何要託囑他們交付給萬小娘？ !這消息逼使牯爺發了狠，要在毒害關八之前，就先把他們除掉，使關八身上，不再附有半根羽毛。
萬梁鋪的那把火就是這樣燒起來的
恰巧遇上刮大風的夜晚，無名的怪火就焚燒了萬梁鋪。沒有人知道火是怎樣燒起來的，火起來時正值深夜，人們都在睡夢當中，等到有人響鑼喊火，把人們從夢中喚醒，披了衣，趿了鞋，推門出屋時，萬梁鋪業已燒成一片火海，亮一片燭天的紅光了。
萬家樓的人被幾場大火燒破了膽子，一見燭天的紅光，就手足無措的混亂起來，風勢是那樣急法兒，大部份年輕力壯的槍隊上的人，又都奉了牯爺的差遣，到四鄉保護秋稼去了，火勢到了不可收拾的辰光，牯爺才趕到了火場，喊叫著聚集老二房的槍隊，到宗祠的廂房去推水龍，水龍推到火場，發現其中一架斷了搖軸，無法壓水，祗有一架勉強派上用場。
萬梁鋪前後都是瓦房，瓦房起火後，炸瓦劈拍亂飛，使人無法靠近施救；許多端盆的、拎桶的、根本無能為力，想靠唯一的一架手搖的老式水龍去撲救已經成形的大火，那簡直近乎夢想。
救人，救人要緊！牯爺那樣暴喊著。
事實上，他比誰都明白，陷身在火窟裏的愛姑、繼子振邦、程青雲以及幾個店夥是再也活不成的了！因為萬梁鋪的前後門的搭扣兒，都被人從外面扣死了的，即使如今有人冒著煙火和炸瓦擊破腦袋的危險，使巨木撞開門戶，陷在火窟裏的人，怕也已燒得不成人形了。
大火燒到天色破曉，直到萬梁鋪變成一片瓦礫時才熄下去，沒有人能在焦黑的炭塊中發現反扣著搭扣兒的陰謀；人們祗看見滿身是灰土、糊斑和血跡的牯爺，看見他跑脫了鞋、赤著腳，親自在壓水龍，聽見他啞啞的呼吼，呼吼著闢火巷，斷火路，嚷叫著救人！
就這樣，他用這把火燒去關八爺身上兩片羽毛。並且，經由他自己的口，把這消息帶給了關八爺。他到廢園裏去看視關八爺時，話是對方先問起的。
牯爺，昨夜我聽著屋後響鑼喊火，火是燒著哪兒了？ !
說來真是慘，八爺。牯爺用他變啞的嗓子說：萬粱鋪竟在半夜之間，被燒光了
萬梁鋪！you say? !關東山渾身起了明顯的震動：是萬梁鋪從他木木的喃喃中，可以看出他受驚的程度。
牯爺瞪視著對面那張臉，他抓得住那張臉上的任何變化，當他聽見關八爺像一匹傷獸般的發出哀嗥時，一縷歹毒的笑意掠過他的唇邊。
我為了下鄉辦事，有幾天不在鎮上。他說：昨晚才回來，就遇上這種事。等到鑼聲把人敲醒，火勢已成，潑救也潑救不及了！
人怎樣？ !
牯爺沒答腔，卻用一聲長嘆代替了答覆。過半晌才廢然的說：人燒得不像人了！我業已撥出存材，著萬才棺鋪去趕打棺材。
關八爺後退一步，跌坐在床沿上。
祗怪風勢大，火勢猛，灌救又沒能及時。牯爺說：萬梁鋪裏的人，連一個也沒能活出來。
愛姑愛姑，關八爺叫出聲來：你不該有這種遭遇的。
我說八爺，這世上難以逆料的事兒，也實在太多了！牯爺說：我剛剛接到沙河口來的消息，說咱們家的菡英姑奶奶，也咯血病故了！她那麼年輕輕的一個人，誰也想不到會這樣早死？ !珍爺又去了鹽市，舉喪落葬的事，又落在我身上，在萬家樓，論輩份，論責任，再怎麼說，我也摔不脫這付擔子。自從業爺死後，我理族事以來，不斷的舉喪，嗨，這祗能說萬氏族中該遭不幸罷！
沒等關八爺再說什麼，牯爺就以有事待理辭出了，但他道出的這兩宗消息，卻在關八爺的心裏久久翻騰著。
生命是一道激流，它必得那樣的淌下去，無論遭逢到怎樣的困苦和悲傷，這消息說明了什麼呢？無數曾跟自己共同活過的人臉，像一片片帶著雨珠的落葉般的，離枝飄墜下來，落進身後惡毒毒的黑暗，雷一炮、曾常和、魏小眼、胡大侃、倪金揚那些生龍活虎似的弟兄，病死關東的獄卒秦老爹，如今又加上菡英姑娘，愛姑和程青雲，死是一座充滿血污的大海，所有的人生都流歸那裏去了！
自己是什麼呢？祗是一片在秋日風中抖索著的葉子，孤伶伶的獨掛在枝頭，不知哪一天，一陣風緊，便也將茫茫的飄墜下去，歸入泥濘，化成任人踐踏的泥土。看光景，打探那個隱藏著的奸人，非得加緊進行不可。
可在牯爺那方面，既已用這把無名火焚掉萬粱鋪，順順當當的拔除了關八爺身上的兩根羽毛，他的念頭，就直接落到關八爺的身上來了。
這當口，一宗意料不到的變化，卻打斷了他毒殺關八爺的念頭。
原來在沿河一帶小鬍子旅的防線上，自從大狗熊說降了楊宇成連長，使那條防線中段開了個缺口以來，大湖澤裏，彭老漢率領的民軍，就不斷的滲入河北來，日夜夾擊，蠶食著那道單薄的封鎖線，不到幾天功夫，就有四五個連，經楊宇成從中搭線，一一歸降。小鬍子一瞅情勢緊迫，祗好回縣城告急，正好塌鼻子師長準備攻破鹽市，全軍北撤，就著小鬍子旅從西線撤回縣城，待命進擊。
這樣一來，西線上藩籬盡撤，大湖澤裏的民軍紛紛北渡，使北地各處鄉野，都入了民軍的掌握。獲得長江南岸北伐大軍接濟的民軍聲勢是浩大的，他們的實際勢力業已包括了荒湖蕩中的萬家樓，而彭老漢派來的專差，也就在萬粱鋪火後的當天傍晚，來到牯爺的宅子裏。
民軍裏的消息就有這麼靈通，那專差逕指出萬家樓不該得錢賣路，放脫了孫傳芳那個北洋禍首，不該以護稼為名，逼使四處流民無以為依。那專差更明白的指出，北伐大軍渡江北擊已是指顧間的事，塌鼻子師長集結在淮上的人槍，已成為釜底遊魂，萬家樓是這一角的重要集鎮，必須要及早表明態度，不能藉自保為名，跟北洋軍暗通消息，如果各地鄉鎮，有不聽民軍號令，抗拒民軍所頒法令的，民軍就得查明原因，懲處為首的人。
萬家樓自保倒是真的，那是有不得已的苦衷。牯爺說：至於得錢賣路，暗通北洋，那全是連影兒也沒有的事，假如閣下要證據，我想為您引見一個人！他能夠證實萬家樓的態度，何況咱們的珍爺正領著人困守在鹽市上呢！
who?那專差說：誰能證實萬家樓跟北洋的江防軍沒有往來？
關東山八爺。這時候，牯爺不得不把關八爺給抬了出來：八爺如今還在宅子裏養傷，是否要我陪您去見見他？您想想看，咱們敢在北洋的地面上留住他們懸賞緝拿的關八爺，萬家樓怎會跟北洋軍有勾搭，單就收容要犯這頂帽子，咱們就吃不了啦！
關八爺真的還在萬家樓？ !
可不是還住在兄弟的老宅子裏。
我馬上得去拜見八爺。那專差恭敬的站起身說：就煩您引見罷
對於外間時局的變動，關八爺是茫無所知的，當然更料不到民軍裏的專差會來看視他；牯爺引著那人到廢圍裏來時，細雨仍沒停歇，西邊的天壁雲層較淡，還繞著一線似有還無的晚霞，關八爺正冒著細雨，踏著方磚鋪砌成的園中的通道，在緩緩的踱步，樹影之下，他的背影顯得昂藏壯偉，他寬大的袍角牽著風，仍然具有往昔一樣的、颯颯的英姿。
兩人剛進園門，關八爺就在傾聽著腳步的聲音了。
來的是牯爺麼？他仍然背立著，揚聲招呼說：還有另一位是誰？
是的，牯爺搶前幾步說：這位是大湖澤民軍派來的專差，特地來拜見八爺。
彭爺這次差我來萬家樓，沒想到八爺您在這兒，那位專差說：剛剛牯爺提及您，就立即趕過來還是上次您下大湖澤時見的面，轉眼都快一年了。
關八爺在驚詫和喜悅中，緩緩的轉過臉，點點頭說：是的，是的，彭爺他還好嗎？你怎能穿過封鎖到此地來的？
Huh!那人一抬頭，不由驚叫說：八爺，您的眼？ !God!What's going on here? !
有人趁我槍傷未愈暗害了我，不過事情業已過去了。
本房族有個敗類，暗中坑害了八爺。牯爺在一邊接口說：他夥同他的族弟，兩人合剮了八爺的兩眼，潛逃無蹤，族裏如今還在追緝著。
甭提這事了，關八爺嘆喟說：我急於要聽聽民軍那邊的消息。能否告訴我那邊的情形？
大狗熊到了彭爺那邊，那人說：鹽市跟民軍業已有了聯繫，小鬍子旅拉起的那道封鎖線前幾天撤回縣城，整個西線暢通無阻，全成了民軍的天下。先頭兩大隊人，業已過了河，屯在林家大莊、小陸家溝那一帶，彭爺他不日也會過河來的。
好，關八爺的雙眉舞動起來：塌鼻子撤回小鬍子那旅人，就表示他力謀攻破鹽市後，趁機北遁，這是他唯一的機會，民軍來得正是時候，萬一不及赴援，也可在沙窩子裏圍擊他們。
大貴兄沒來見過八爺麼？那人又說：據大狗熊跟彭爺說，當時鹽市上方德先方爺差他去大湖澤時，同時也差了王大貴兄來見八爺的。我們全以為八爺您早已去了鹽市了呢！
王大貴？ !關八爺搖頭說：我從沒見著他，也沒見著鹽市差來的任何人。他轉朝牯爺問說：牯爺，您可聽說有王人貴這麼個人要來見我麼？他是我領腿子時，在六合幫裏跟我走道兒的一個弟兄。
沒見著。Baye.牯爺沉著的應說：我從沒見著鹽市上來的人。假如有人來找八爺，我當會立即引見的，也許那是誤傳，鹽市離腳下，比大湖澤近得多，要真有人北上，不至稽延這麼多日子。
誤傳不至於。那人說：也許大貴兄，他他在半途上出了什麼岔兒了？ !
關八爺沒說話，暗暗的皺了皺眉毛。六合幫裏的那一夥弟兄，每人的性格都是自己熟知的，論及辦事的穩沉幹練，王大貴遠在大狗熊之上，如今大狗熊既能平安到達民軍防地，王大貴是不該在半途上遇著岔事的？但世上事難以逆料的很多，像自己遭人剮去兩眼，萬梁鋪平空被大火焚毀，王大貴失蹤，都是這樣的突然，怎麼會有這許多不幸的事串連著落在自己頭上，繞著自己身邊的呢？ !難道真是有霉運嗎？still?
牯爺在宅裏設宴款待那位專差，關八爺在座，那人當場轉達了彭老漢的意思，要求萬家樓應允幾宗要事，第一，向民軍納稅，第二，開放柵門，收容四鄉流民並盡力保護這些流民，不讓他們受北洋敗兵的殘虐，第三，所有槍隊上的自衛槍枝要列冊送呈民軍司令部備案。
這三點，臨機應變的牯爺都一口答允了，並且說：您回去時，請轉告彭爺，凡民軍提出的，我們悉行照辦，八爺他在這兒，就是個活證人，不過，萬一北洋軍踹開鹽市，撲打過來，不是一地民槍所能禦得了的，那時刻
那您請放心，民軍自會悉力保護的。那專差說：據彭爺估計，塌鼻子即使能攻破鹽市，他也是餘力無多，難逃在沙窩子被殲的命運了！
您回去也請轉告彭爺，關八爺舉盞說：就說我關東山除了問候他跟民軍裏所有的弟兄之外，祗求他破除萬難，先解鹽市的危局，若鹽市之圍得解，我這瞎了兩眼的人，死也瞑目了。
我定遵照八爺您的意思，轉達彭爺。那專差說：也許過不了幾時，彭爺他就會北上來見八爺的。
專差走後的當天夜晚，關八爺整夜失眠了。小鬍子旅拉成的封鎖線撤除，使困守在大湖澤裏的民軍源源北上，進一步的和鹽市相呼應，這正是自己久久渴盼的喜訊，他為這喜訊欣悅著，忘卻了很多的悲苦。
是的，從滿清王朝到北洋各系軍閥，將近兩百七十多年漫長的歲月，這荒落落大塊土地一直是陰濕霉暗的，無數裹在黑夜裏的人心，沒見過一線陽光，多少含淚的盼望，咬牙的苦忍，滴血的煎熬？多少呻吟？多少啼號？多少哀嘆？像條條巨大的黑鐵鎖鍊般的拖動在人們靈魂深處，化成叮噹的巨響，但到了今天，漫長的黑夜眼看已將流盡了，任何一個飽受北洋軍荼毒的人，都將馨香祝禱，迎接這個日子。一個真正破曉的日子，有著全民的熱望。愈是活著忍受悲苦最多的人，這日子對他更有意義，自己雖然瞎了兩眼，但在摹想中仍想像得出那種光亮。
可憂的不是黎明前最後一剎黑暗，人們既能熬過如斯漫長的黑夜，就有勇氣撕破這層黑幕，長期的壓迫和長期的煎熬中產生的勇氣，使他們不再畏懼流血和死亡，在北軍環列中的鹽市就是一個顯例。可憂的卻是北伐大軍中的將軍們，誰有鐵肩來承擔全民殷殷的熱望？這熱望浮自血的大海和淚的汪洋，實有著無比的重量。
夜來的風雨在瓦簷前，在樹葉間細細的泣訴著，彷彿是渾身抖索的弱質少婦，俯伏在刑具羅列的大堂上泣訴著冤情，在民間，這熱望中就含孕著萬千無聲無語的泣訴，從久遠的血跡斑斑的歷史訴起，一直訴至未來，無數綰結的聲音將如雷霆，南來北上的北伐軍為我們帶來了什麼？關八爺轉側著，思想著，以他有限的瞭解，他還不能代擬出一幅完整的黎明畫圖。
他這樣儘管為民間設想著，卻不知道另一個失眠者牯爺，正把念頭整夜迴繞在他的身上。
牯爺既然力求使萬家樓在亂局中自保，就必得觀風望色，看行情的漲落，如今民軍的行情看漲，北洋軍的行情看落了，自己就得見風轉舵，把萬家樓跟民軍牽在一道兒，不過難也就難在這裏，為求獲得民軍的信任，迫使自己不得不抬出關八來，又明知民軍司令彭老漢，跟關八原是老六合幫的同夥，多年患難之交，也又都是當年設網時，從網縫中漏掉的兩條小魚，也不過幾年的功夫，這兩條小魚都已金鱗閃爍，有化龍之勢了。
民軍的勢力遠伸到蘆葦蕩裏來，關八就不再孤單了，這一回，自己苦心織就的羅網若不把他網住，那，可真是後患無窮，如今逼於形勢，祗好利用他的聲名，先跟民軍打上交道，然後再抽機會下手，關八一天不離開萬家樓，自己就有把握暗地裏了結他。
可是在民軍地面上，自己卻無法硬扣住他，要是他心血來潮，要離此他去呢？他這樣轉側著，思想著，窗外的風雨聲，又都化成纏繞著的憂惶了。
既不能立即下手毒殺關八，那就得從堵塞消息方面下功夫了。說來也夠惱人的，早些時跑了一個熟知自己行徑的大板牙，自己暗裏差人出去追查他，沒見他的蹤跡；萬樹那蠢物敗事，放掉了一個萬小喜兒，在沙河口拆穿了自己的底牌。秘密好像水銀，盛放在一隻毫無縫隙的瓶子裏，決不能有一絲漏洞，一旦瓶子有了裂縫，讓它走漏出去，任你有什麼方法，也收不回它了。但牯爺在無可奈何的境況中，仍圖堵塞這個漏洞，他把注意力全集中在那個懷有菡英姑奶奶信件之人的身上。
一個老頭兒、一個不知名的少婦，他曾一再查察過，在萬家樓各處，並沒發現有這樣的兩個人，除非來此通風報訊的帳房撒謊，要不然，這兩個人會插翅飛上天去不成？ !依照民軍方面的囑咐，明天就得開柵門，放任四野流民自由的在萬家樓出入了，到那時，人海滔滔，再到哪兒去訪查這兩個人去？
頭遍雞聲，在黑裏隔雨啼喚著
他想到沙河口的那個帳房，他如今還押在這兒，也許利用他，能辨識出那兩個人來但，剛泛起的一絲寬慰，轉眼就被另一宗愁緒淹沒了！菡英姑奶奶年紀雖輕，但卻是族裏的尊長，她的死訊雖經自己壓著，沒通告族人，但沙河口離萬家樓如此之近，這喪訊是瞞不過的，在沙河口的那些人，想來很多都聽過萬小喜兒的話，知道保爺兄弟的死因，菡英姑奶奶這一舉喪，一落葬，消息一定會遍傳闔族不可
煤燈暗暗的照著帳頂，照著樑頭，牯爺勒著雙拳，瞪視著那些巨木橫樑，每一支沉重的樑木，都變成一個恐怖的念頭，排列著，交疊著，洶洶然朝自己額上壓來，他逃不脫這種魘境。他不敢再想下去，偏偏有一種力量，逼使他伸著頭，送進恐懼的繩圈。逐漸地，那些樑木彷彿在眼裏輕輕旋轉起來，都變成一些扭歪的鬼臉，瞪視著他，等他再眨眼時，鬼臉沒有了，卻變成磨盤大的一張人臉，那正是關八。
二遍雞聲在黑裏啼喚著，雨夜真有幾分鬼氣。
幼年時曾玩過壘沙成塔的遊戲；新雨之後，和保爺業爺同在圩崗上撥弄沙土，賽著壘塔，看誰壘得最高；雨後的沙土是潮濕的，很容易壘起來，當時自己爭強好勝，總想壘得最高，一層又一層的壘上去，越壘越謹慎，越壘越小心，高上去，更高上去，再高上去，眼看就要贏了，忽然間，它轟然一聲，從根崩塌下來，自己急忙伸手去扶，濕沙觸手皆碎，是再也扶不住的了！
自己曾為這事哭過，恨過，哭的是自己苦心經營的，一剎間歸為烏有，恨的是自己太貪心，不該高了更想高！為什麼當自己謀奪族中權位時，竟不曾憶起這個久遠時日中發生過的事情來？卻要等到事情不可收拾時才想起它？ !
自己處心積慮的要從長房手裏，爭得族主的權位，這些年來，正像在壘著沙塔，借官兵的手，盡殲老六合幫；勾結朱四判官，借刀殺人除掉了保爺；踩探業爺獨行的路徑，暗中下手，縛鐵沉屍；差遣萬樹追殺萬小喜兒，刻意剷除異己；唆使萬振全等人力圖污蔑關八的名聲，挑撥起族中公憤；張布眼線，密緝在逃的大板牙；張冠李戴，屈殺了六合幫的王大貴；暗中縱火，焚斃了萬小娘和程青雲，更放脫萬振全，剮去關八的兩眼，一層壘著一層，一層高過一層，一直到今夜反覆省思，才發覺它已經搖搖欲墜，瀕臨崩塌了。
說懸崖勒馬、回頭是岸麼？ !那全是空的，除非當初不作這些安排，如今祗有等著，等著這座沙塔崩潰時，另行設法脫身，或者先謀得退身之路，再不顧一切的除掉關八這個死敵。
沒有時間讓自己把這事重作全盤收拾，天已經放亮了。
天已經放亮了，四十里蘆葦蕩子再不是萬家一族的天下，而是民軍的治下了。情勢轉換得非常快速，就在民軍開到之初，祗一夜功夫，曠野上到處都張有民軍安民的榜示，貼有打倒軍閥的標語；河邊的橋柱上，路口土地祠的牆壁上，無人居住的荒村圮牆上，各處大樹的樹身上，都可以看到這令人鼓舞的消息
曠野上的螺角聲隨風遠走，此起彼落，隱約可聞，民軍裹藍巾的馬隊，也開始在各條荒路上奔馳，揚弄起片片蹄塵，各處橋樑，渡口，高崗，叉路等扼要之處，也可見民軍套藍臂套的步卒在列崗守望，這些改變，使流落在荒野上的人們安心了，這些改變，使他們敢從隱匿處走出來，使冷寂的荒野上充滿生機。許多由渴望和臆想中產生的消息，像生了翅膀一般的在難民群的嘴唇間飛舞著。
北伐大軍業已渡江了。
塌鼻子已經病得不能下床了
人心所向，足可使這些不實的消息變成準確的預言，人們樂於聽信這種立可實現的預言。萬家樓的四面柵門開放了，當一小隊民軍的哨馬馳過南北大街時，當街的住戶們都欣喜若狂的燃放了成串的鞭炮，這是經年混亂中，萬家樓第一道被喜悅的氣氛籠罩著。
和這種喜悅的氣氛相比相映，愛姑和程青雲的葬禮就更為冷落了，幾口柩材冒雨抬出南門，草草安葬在紅草坡上，沒有喪樂，沒有哀歌，也沒有送葬的行列；人們似乎已沒有心情關心這些，他們祗關心著眼前這一場巨大的、變化著的風雲。幾座新墳，朝朝沐風櫛雨，墳裏埋下的冤骨和冤情，也都被轉急的秋風吹散了。
沙河口那邊又有人來報菡英姑奶奶的喪訊，牯爺以局勢緊迫為由，跟老七房商議，決定停靈滿七，暫厝沙河口吉地，待戰亂過後，珍爺回來時再作區處。牯爺這樣處斷了菡英姑奶奶的喪事，明知對堵塞消息來說是極為愚拙的方法，但他不得不這樣，使流言儘慢的接近關八爺的耳朵，同時他亟力籠絡民軍，力使萬家樓槍隊的勢力振作起來，欲以掌握在手裏的權勢和實力，威壓族人，暫時保全自己，一方面暗中預備銀洋、車輛和心腹，準備在罪案已被公開揭露時，槍殺關八後，隨同北洋的江防軍一道兒北遁到山東去。
在這段日子裏，萬家樓在表面上是平靜的，甚至重現了往昔的繁華；似乎沒有任何不利於牯爺的流言在坊間市上傳佈，萬家樓和民軍方面，相處得也極為融洽，而且牯爺還受了民軍的委任，搖身一變，成為萬家樓首任暫設的鎮長。四鄉的流民在萬家樓安棚立戶的為數眾多，市面上各行各業，交易空前繁盛，每逢著集市的日子，大街小巷，熙熙攘攘的滿是人流。萬家樓在短短的日子裏，已經變成民軍收容流民的後方重地了。
偶爾，人們也會看見瞎了兩眼的關八爺，由牯爺親自陪侍著，扶著拐杖出現在街頭，恬淡的微笑著，傾聽牯爺為他講說集市的情形，誰都能看得出，他們是和睦的相處著。如今，人們不再關心著別的，唯一關心的是集結在淮上的這股北洋殘兵，到底會在何時攻取鹽市了？ !塌鼻子師長真是名符其實的百足之蟲，死而不僵，集結在淮上的江防軍，雖然形勢轉為孤單，而它的槍枝，人數和實力，還遠非民軍、鹽市保衛團和若干零星民槍所能比擬的，它一天不朝北撤，淮上的亂局就不會澄清。
牯爺在這