12dz Chapter 358 Welcoming
Chapter 358 Welcoming
According to Mr. Cai and Liang Jingcheng, since the beginning of winter last year, the weather in Shengjing and surrounding provinces seems to be a little abnormal compared with previous years.
The weather in Shengjing was already very hot at the end of May this year. After the Dragon Boat Festival, the sun was shining brightly in Shengjing every day. Although the wheat production in Shengjing and some surrounding prefectures decreased, it was still harvested and stored in the granary.
But the following summer planting was very difficult because the land was too dry. In previous years, after the wheat harvest, people around Shengjing would plant sweet potatoes and corn, crops that were suitable for summer growth and had good yields. But this year the weather was really dry and people were hoping that God would send timely rain.
Taking advantage of the cooler weather in the morning, Lu Tingfeng and Zhong Yunfeng drove two horse-drawn carriages respectively and set out from Shigu Lane early the next morning. They went out of the north city gate and headed straight towards Mangshan Mountain in the north of Shengjing.
Because Lu Tingfeng had been to Mangshan and was familiar with the road conditions, the carriage carrying Liang Jingcheng, Mr. Cai and Xing Wang went in front, while Ye Changyan and his parents followed closely behind in the carriage driven by Zhong Yunfeng.
"Shengjing City is indeed the capital of the country. The official roads around it are wide and flat. Compared with the official roads from our home to the county town, this carriage does not feel bumpy at all."
Ye Xiao was sitting in the carriage. He was actually a little nervous about this trip, so he found a topic to distract himself.
"Dad, this mountain is in the far suburbs of Shengjing City, and the journey is not short. Now we are on this vast plain, so the terrain is flat and open. The carriage will not feel bumpy when it is on such an official road. When the carriage leaves the plain and enters the hilly mountainous area, the road condition will not be so good."
Along the way, Ye Xiaozheng and his wife looked out the car window excitedly. It was a rare sight to see the scenery that was completely different from that in Wanshou County.
The carriage headed north, crossed the plains and entered the hills. At noon, the group found a shady area in a mountain valley to rest.
Ye Changyan and Zhong Yunfeng helped Ye Xiaozheng get off the carriage, and Liang Jingcheng and Xing Wang also helped Mr. Cai get off another carriage.
Just when Ye Changyan and Liang Jingcheng took out the dry food and water from the car, they saw Mr. Cai and Ye Xiaozheng staring at the river not far away, as if they were talking about something.
"The weather in Shengjing this year is really abnormal. It hasn't rained for almost half a year. The Fuqiu River in front of us is a relatively famous river in this area, but now the riverbed is exposed and the river water is almost dry."
Hearing Mr. Cai's sigh, Ye Xiaozheng, a countryman who had never worked in the fields, knew a thing or two about the things happening in the fields. On the way here, the wheat in the fields had been harvested. A few wheat straws were still left in the fields, but most of them were only wheat stubble. He rarely saw anyone working in the fields, and even less saw other crops being planted in the fields.
"I came all the way from Yuzhou Prefecture. The closer I got to Shengjing City, the more severe the drought became, especially in the prefectures surrounding Shengjing City. They were all barren."
"Yes, if the drought continues, this year's summer planting will be delayed."
Ye Changyan and Liang Jingcheng came over with dry food and water, and just happened to hear Mr. Cai's sigh. They could clearly feel that Mr. Cai was in a low mood.
The arrival of Ye Changyan and Liang Jingcheng interrupted Mr. Cai's melancholy. The two of them distributed the food in their hands to everyone with a smile.
In fact, Ye Changyan has been having an inexplicable premonition in his heart these days. He always feels that a greater natural disaster will occur in the near future. It is said that locust plagues are prone to occur after droughts. If a locust plague really breaks out, the locusts will pass through the area and no grass will grow. However, the wheat in Shengjing City and surrounding prefectures has been harvested, and other crops have not yet been planted. There is nothing to be destroyed by the locusts.
Due to the arrival of Ye Xiaozheng and Lian, Ye Changyan has been busy accompanying his parents these days and has not thought about it too much. However, seeing the exposed riverbed in front of him and the river water that is about to dry up, coupled with Mr. Cai's sigh just now, Ye Changyan felt that the inexplicable premonition in his heart seemed to become stronger.
Ye Changyan couldn't figure out what kind of disaster would happen, so he simply stopped thinking about it. The group had a simple meal in this cool mountain valley and continued on their way.
After about another hour's journey, we finally arrived at the foot of Mangshan Mountain.
Everyone got off the carriage and saw the towering mountains in front of them. Under the scorching summer sun, the mountains were not as dry and barren as they had been along the way. Instead, they were lush and green, with the tops shrouded in clouds and mist, as if they had arrived in another world.
Just as everyone was lamenting the disorder of time and space, a group of people dressed in the uniforms of Yujing Palace disciples walked towards Ye Changyan and the others.
"Master!"
When everyone heard Xing Wang shouting loudly, they turned around and saw Xing Wang running towards the group of Yujing Palace disciples. Ye Changyan recognized at a glance that the person leading the group of Yujing Palace disciples was Xing Wang's master Cangqin.
Cangqin touched Xingwang's head with a doting look on his face, and then the group quickly came to Ye Changyan and others.
"Uncle Master! Grand Uncle Master~!"
Cangqin and the disciples behind him bowed respectfully to Ye Changyan, which shocked Mr. Cai and Ye Xiaozheng and his wife.
Ye Changyan hurriedly stepped forward to help Cangqin up and asked with a puzzled look on his face.
"Cangqin, why are you here?"
Cangqin smiled, bowed to Mr. Cai and Ye Xiaozheng and his wife who were beside Ye Changyan, and then spoke.
"Master Qingyang said that the pills he gave me that day were enough to last me three months. Considering the journey to and from Yuzhou, I think the pills should have been used up by now. So we went to the foot of the mountain every afternoon to inspect. It happened to be my turn to lead this group of disciples down the mountain for inspection today, and I happened to meet Master Qingyang."
Upon hearing this, Ye Changyan nodded and introduced both parties. Then Ye Changyan smiled and spoke to Ye Xiaozheng and his wife.
"The last time Chang Yan and I came to Mangshan, it was Taoist Cangqin who rescued me from the snow."
Ye Xiaozheng and Lian were about to go forward to thank Cangqin, but they saw Cangqin and others respectfully bowing to Mr. Cai and Ye Xiaozheng and his wife.
"My dear seniors, we are here to welcome you. The Palace Master thought that the mountain road was difficult to travel, so he asked us to prepare a sedan chair."
As he spoke, several disciples came forward carrying a sedan chair.
Ye Xiaozheng and Lian were both a little embarrassed and politely declined. Seeing Ye Changyan nodded, Ye Xiaozheng and his wife and Mr. Cai sat on the sedan chair.
Seeing that several elders had got on the sedan chair, Cangqin ordered several disciples to lift the sedan chair, left one disciple here to watch the carriage, and the rest of the group began to walk up the mountain road.