一条一丈多宽,清凌凌的溪水自西向东从小镇前奔流着,这正是蓝溪镇得名的由来,而这座倚溪水而建的小镇,若是放到中原地区那完全就是一座小小的村落而已,因为满镇人口加一起,也不到六十户,两百来人.

In the depths of this valley that is almost isolated from the outside world, the town is naturally in short supply of various living and production items, and only the wood on the mountain is enough. However, the few strong labor here also makes it impossible for them to build decent buildings like other towns. The houses made of many grass and trees can barely live in. Only in the middle of the town is a tall building with two floors. It is the residence of the respected old man in the town. He means half a town mayor.

李凌一行四人此刻就在这间还算宽敞的厅堂内席地坐着,面前则是须发皆白,面容干瘦的山老汉,以及他两个儿子山米,山药,以及孙子山石头,而在门外,则聚集了不少镇子上的居民,他们一个个都用惊异的目光打量着这些从山外而来的外乡人,既有好奇,也有着一点点的畏惧.

李凌几个一面喝着白水,一面也时不时地观察着外间那些居民,这里的人无论男女,看着都是黑黑瘦瘦的样子,显然是日子艰苦所致,但依然有着山中居民特有的淳朴,一见他们看来,有闪躲目光的,也有笑呵呵打着招呼的.

“所以……你们是从山外来的商人,想要到黔州各地做些生意?”山老汉在沉默了一阵后,便用有些生硬的官话缓缓说道.他所以能做为本镇最有威信的老人,不光是因为年纪大,更在于见识多,当初也是在外头闯荡过两年,学会了官话的人.

李凌他们之前报给他们的身份便是商人,因为在他看来,官员的身份一者说着有些麻烦,因为对这些穷乡僻壤的百姓来说,什么户部主事那都是极其陌生的概念,二者也是担心吓到他们,毕竟官府在这等边辟之地可未必有多好的名声啊.

“不错老人家,我们是打算先在黔州这边看看情况,若是能把买卖做起来,那自然是最好不过了.就不知这儿离着县城,还有府城有多少路,过去可困难吗?”

"Well, it's far away. If you want to leave, it will take ten days to say. There are many mountains on the road, there are wolves and tigers, so it's not easy to walk." The old man from the mountain looked at them and said.

When Li Ling and his wife heard this, they frowned. Qianzhou is too vast and sparsely populated. A town here is ten days away from their county town?

这时,年纪最小的山石头也开了口:“几位,我阿爷说的没错,我们这儿往西走要十天,才能真正到五溪口,那里就是县城了.至于府城,可更远,需要再走半个月,翻过好多山呢.”

他的官话倒是比自己爷爷要强上一些,也不知是从哪儿学来的,却让李凌他们为之一喜:“看来要去县城确实不容易啊,我们又是外乡人,人生地不熟的,若是能找个向导就好了.兄弟,你可愿意领咱们去县城吗,我愿意出十两银子雇你走这一趟.”

十两银子放在洛阳自然算不得什么,可在黔州这儿,显然不是一个小数字了,说不定一般镇民一年下来都没能攒出这么多银子来.可山石头的反应却出乎他们的意料,只见他轻轻摇头:“我还有事呢,这次实在不能陪你们过去了.而且银子在我们这儿也没用处……”

"Hmm?" The four of them were stunned at the same time. They really didn't expect that there would be such a saying. Is there any useless money in the world?

山老汉笑呵呵地摸着自己颔下的几根胡须,帮着孙子解释道:“我们这里确实是不用银子的么,就是铜钱也很少,想要什么东西,自己做么,要么拿东西和人换么……”

好嘛,这下李凌算是明白了过来,这儿实在太过落后,商品经济都没发展起来,所以许多人都只是自给自足,最多来个以物换物,银子自然就没什么用处了.

Seeing this, Yang Chen suddenly smiled: "What if we pay you something, such as the whole wolf skin."

These words immediately made the old man Shan’s grandson lit up: “Do you have wolf skin?”

杨晨点头,李莫云则赶紧从自己随身的包裹里取出了其中一张狼皮来,放到了几人面前的矮桌上.他们这一路而来,杀狼之后不光取肉,也剥了皮,尤其是今晨林子里,更是在埋葬死去小熊猫的工夫把那四五只狼的皮都给剥了下来,其中还有那只有些特殊的狼群首领的灰白色狼皮.

而他们这一亮出狼皮,立刻就引得外间那些镇民的一阵惊叹,窸窸窣窣的讨论声顿时而起,奈何他们说的都是这儿的土话,李凌四人却是一字都不懂.不过也看得出来,对于这些狼皮,这里的人还是颇为心动的.

Shan Shitou's eyes also swept back and forth on the wolf skin, and finally said tentatively: "I... can I take a closer look?"

"Of course." Li Ling smiled and made a gesture of asking for advice. It would be great if the other person could like it, so he would be confident to convince the other party.

这时,山老汉却把目光落到了李莫云手边并未绑回的包裹上,那儿透出了另一张狼皮的一角,只见他仔细盯了一阵后,突然开口:“那个,能看看那张吗?”

李莫云有些不解,但还是依照他的意思把那张露出一角的狼皮取了出来,这才发现它是那只被熊猫撕成两半的狼群头领的,所以这狼皮就分做两片,还有着明显的破损处.一边交过去,他口里也解释了一句:“这是因故破损的,想来价钱应该比不了整张的……”

可对方却根本没在意他的解释,一把夺过狼皮仔细端详一阵,然后张口就惊叫出声:“坎蜡古……”此语一出,本来就已经有些异样的镇民们彻底悚动了,有些人压根顾不上什么尊卑客人,当即抢进厅堂,扑到山老汉跟前,也去仔细看起那张狼皮来.

And the sammi and yam, who had not spoken, stood up together, looked surprised, and said in a daze: "Kanhuangu..."

他们这一举动却让李凌几人都为之一惊,杨家兄弟赶紧起身挡在李凌身前,李莫云更是身子一弓,随时准备出手.倒是李凌,还算镇定,很快就瞧出这些人的激动更多是欢喜,便尝试着问道:“老人家,这皮有什么说道吗?”

"You met this wolf on the mountain ahead, and then you killed it?" The old man in the mountain's voice became harder this time, and he was trembling. His hands holding the fur were shaking, and his mood was obviously extremely aroused.

Li Ling hesitated for a moment and wanted to say that the wolf was not actually killed by them, but at the end he nodded: "That's right, this is a leader. The situation was critical at that time. My brothers didn't care about hurting the fur, so they cut it in half with one knife."

"Kanhuangu, Sidaka Kanhuangu..." The old man whispered again. The others were completely excited and immediately knelt down and started to scream, but Li Ling and the others were stunned. Finally, he could only shout loudly: "Old man, we really don't understand what you are saying!"

"This is the most terrifying wolf king on Heiling Mountain. Kanhuagu means the wolf king you talk about." The old man was still excited. "He has been here for five or six years. He is the most fierce and cunning. We dare not enter the depths of the forest, making our lives more and more sad. There are more than a dozen good hunters in our town, all of whom were bitten to death by the wolf cubs under his command. Unexpectedly, it died in your hands today. You are my distinguished guests of Lanxi Town. Thank you!"

After explaining, the old man Shan had already turned over and knelt down at Li Ling and the others, and shouted a few more local dialects. Although Li Ling couldn't understand, he quickly understood that this should be a greeting everyone to thank him and others, because soon, all the people around him fell to the ground, shouting local dialects, and bowed to them.

"This... this is not something you can do!" Li Ling saw this and rushed forward to support him, "Get up quickly, we can't stand such a great gift."

At this time, Li Moyun and the Yang brothers also helped everyone around them, but dozens of people knelt down and bowed, making them unable to get through for the moment.

The old man was forced to help him up by Li Ling, and his expression of excitement continued to diminish: "Thank you, you have really saved our entire town this time. If we can't get rid of this evil wolf, our town will not be able to pay taxes, and then we will be arrested by Master Long to be a coolie."

Shan Shitou, who was also helped up, looked at Li Ling and others with admiration: "Brothers, I tell you the truth. I originally planned to go to Heiling Mountain with a few companions in the past two days to find it, so I didn't want to take you to the county town. Now, we can all feel at ease. I promise to take you to the county town. If you want to go to the capital town, that's OK."

When Li Ling heard this, he felt happy: "That's good, let's set off tomorrow, how about it?"

Just when Shan Shi Tou was about to agree, the old man in the mountains interrupted with a smile: "That won't be true. You are our benefactors. Our Lanxi Town must treat you well before you can let you go. In the past two days, you will have a good rest here, eat and drink enough, and we will prepare enough dry food for you, and then set off on the road!"
Chapter completed!