Chapter 378: Master reflects on the water, panic in the water!

The Flower Banquet was nearing its end, and the railings on both sides of the water control were crowded with people, bustling, looking forward to the direction of the Flower Banquet.

There were not many positions left for everyone, and it was crowded at this time.

A woman wearing a ru skirt stood in the crowd, her expression a bit disappointed, sighing softly.

Thinking in her heart, having walked all this way, she didn't even see that person; it seems it was truly no fate.

Standing beside her was a simple and honest man, scratching his head, looking far away at the four-square stage on the water control arch bridge.

Pity, the distance was truly too far!

The man could only vaguely see the light and shadow on the stage, hearing the faint music, but his mind had already involuntarily fantasized about the flower queen's appearance, laughing foolishly.

This couple was the stall owner selling wontons and mutton soup at the Nai Bridge head.

Today, Madam Xu Xu Xiyue of the General Sima family bought all the mutton soup in their stall, so the couple discussed coming to see the excitement of the Flower Banquet.

Who knew!

This scene of a sea of people was even more crowded than a big market, pushing and shoving, almost unable to move an inch.

The woman still missed the middle-aged man who ate mutton soup at the stall—the Demon Master Xu Xu Jiangxian.

She had originally thought that if she could meet him again at the Flower Banquet, it would be considered fulfilling a wish.

However, having come for half a day.

Only then did she discover that passing the arch bridge gate required spending thousands of taels of silver, and the two of them would be two thousand taels, which was truly daunting.

Helpless, the couple had to wait here, looking from afar with many Above Bianjing commoners.

Although the woman was unwilling in her heart, there was nothing she could do, so she had to sigh secretly.

It seems the blessings cultivated in the previous life were not enough, and the regret in the woman's heart deepened a few points.

The simple and honest man smiled and comforted:

"Wife, even if we can't see the flower queen above, looking at this water control scenery is good."

The woman snorted coldly, her tone carrying a hint of dissatisfaction: "What's good about a river? It's better to go home and sell mutton soup."

Just as she was speaking, the crowd pushed and shoved, and the woman suddenly felt something unusual behind her.

She turned her head suddenly and cursed angrily: "Who the hell dares to touch your old mother's butt!"

The originally noisy crowd fell silent, and everyone cast curious gazes.

A woman who was middle-aged but still had some beauty was blushing to her neck.

The simple and honest man also hurriedly turned his head to look, only to see an old gentleman with gray hair appearing behind, full of panic, raising his hands to show his innocence.

The old man looked to be seventy or eighty years old, wearing Confucian robes, his face full of poverty, his expression extremely innocent.

"Tsk~"

Seeing this, everyone didn't care, turning their heads away.

Although the woman saw the old man, she still wouldn't let it go, thinking that being so close, besides this "old indecent" one, who else could be rubbing and touching behind her back, and finally even touching her buttock and rubbing it.

She was about to explode, but the simple and honest man pulled her sleeve and whispered: "Wife, it shouldn't be this old gentleman."

"The old gentleman is so old, how could he do such a thing?"

The simple and honest man secretly thought, at the old gentleman's age, even if he had the heart of a thief, he didn't have the body for it.

The woman glared at the man, and although she was unwilling, she turned her face away and ignored him.

Her heart rippled, thinking if it were that guest who ate mutton soup at the stall, it would be fine.

Let alone touching, even for that matter, she would definitely open her legs automatically.

Thinking of this, the woman blushed inexplicably, hurriedly lowering her head to cover it up.

The simple and honest man cast an apologetic look at the old gentleman.

That poor scholar-dressed old man hurriedly waved his hands, indicating it was fine, his face still carrying a hint of innocence and embarrassment.

Just then!

Painted boats sailed slowly from both sides of the water control, docking at the shore.

These painted boats were prepared for those who wanted to cross the bridge or play in the gallery, and they could take one more look at the Flower Banquet on the water control, which was considered close.

However, even so, they couldn't see everything clearly.

To truly see the grand occasion of the Flower Banquet clearly, one had to pass through the arch gate on the arch bridge.

However, even the price of these painted boats was not cheap, a full seventy or eighty taels of silver.

The woman cursed secretly in her heart, this was simply robbing money!

The commoners on the shore were not fools either; the original price was only five or six taels, but now it had increased several times.

This grand event of the Flower Banquet was not set for the commoners of Above Bianjing, but specifically for the nine great surnames and some dignitaries.

Most of the business in Above Bianjing was controlled by the nine great surnames, and ordinary commoners could only beg for some work from their fingers.

Seventy or eighty taels of silver was not a small amount for them, so how could they be willing to spend it easily.

Moreover, the Flower Banquet was about to end.

The woman's face was hesitant, thinking in her heart: if she took a painted boat over, would there be a chance to see that middle-aged man again? If she could see him again, this silver would be... worth it.

The simple and honest man hugged his arms, looking coldly at the few people boarding the painted boat, secretly thinking, spending so much silver just to see the excitement, it's truly money burning.

Just then, the old man behind suddenly shouted: "There is another one here!"

Upon hearing this, the simple and honest man couldn't help but be strange: this poor and destitute old scholar, actually has silver to board a painted boat?

"Let's go too!"

The woman suddenly made up her mind.

"Ah?"

The simple and honest man was stunned, a bit hesitant, "Wife, this is not necessary, the price is too expensive, why spend this unjust money?"

The woman ignored his persuasion and walked straight toward the painted boat.

Seeing this, the simple and honest man had no choice but to follow.

There were only the three of them on this painted boat, and the boatman saw there were few people, so he suggested moving them to a small boat.

The simple and honest man was originally impatient, but upon hearing the boatman say the price could be halved, he immediately changed to a smiling expression, nodding repeatedly.

The boatman of the small boat was a thick-set man, looking forty or fifty years old, his arm muscles bulging, obviously an old hand who had been making a living on the water for years.

He skillfully propped up the boat pole, and the small boat slowly sailed away from the shore, drifting down the river.

There were only three people on the boat, a couple, and the old gentleman who was holding the boat side tightly sideways.

Seeing this scene, the simple and honest man couldn't help but laugh.

"Old gentleman, don't worry, this water is very quiet. This section of the water control at Xifeng Tower has a gentle flow and no hidden reefs, it's very stable."

However, the old gentleman still held the boat side tightly.

Just then!

A wave suddenly surged in the river, rushing over.

The torrent made the small boat sway slightly, and water splashed onto several people.

The boatman exclaimed: "What a big wave!"

"This wave is strange; I haven't seen such movement on weekdays."

The simple and honest man stared at the water surface, his brows twitching slightly.

He had just seen a behemoth quietly swim past in the water, its body huge, hidden in the depths of the river bottom, so long and so thick!

He felt a bit uneasy in his heart, but couldn't say what it was.

"Is this... a flood dragon in the river?"

The simple and honest man remembered some Above Bianjing storytelling books, saying there were flood dragons walking in the river.

Could it be that the Dragon King also came to see the flower queen.

The old scholar looked down at the water surface, the water reflecting his aged face.

The waves in the river rolled, a torrent rushed through the water control like a panic, setting off waves more than a foot high, slapping the embankments on both sides.

Waves splashed, water mist filled the air, causing commoners on both sides to stop and watch, discussing endlessly.

"Is there something in the lake?"

Even many people at the Flower Banquet raised their necks one after another, looking toward the direction of the water control, trying to see the movement of the surging waves clearly.

The music on the stage weakened, and everyone's attention was attracted by this sudden anomaly.

The water reflected the old man's aged face.

The old man smiled slightly, shook his head, and whispered.

"What are you afraid of!"

PS: There was originally another section, but I couldn't finish writing it today!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 379 =====