On both sides, the green hills rise into the clouds, and the dense forest is lush. From time to time, there are tired birds returning to their nests, the sky gradually closes in with a fish-belly white, and half of it is smeared with starry night. The fine water vapor absorbs the heat of the sunlight, suddenly cools down, and splashes on the skin, refreshing to the bone.

  On a high and prominent rock, a spotted fawn suddenly jumped out, with big eyes as black as ink, its ears twitching from time to time, wondering if it was listening to the river singing songs like her. However, its mother soon appeared, bending down her elegant neck, gently nudging the little deer. The fawn followed behind its mother and leaped into the thicket.

  Among the ups and downs of the waves, the cry of a monkey suddenly came, whether calling out to its companions or frolicking after dinner, one sound after another, as if grasping the tree vines to play on the swing, from far to near.

  She listened intently, feeling that nature was magical and interesting. Perhaps what she envied most was the freedom and ease of being in those green hills.

  The gibbons' cries echo across the strait, unceasing; a light skiff has already passed beyond the myriad mountains.

  Li Bai's poems, make one's heart surge with emotion, and his bold feelings are boundless. However, in this already distorted historical current, there is no Li Bai. At least, she has never seen his works in any poetry book, nor has anyone ever mentioned the name Li Bai to her. She had never been enthusiastic about meeting famous people under the prosperous Tang Dynasty, but Li Bai was an exception. She wanted to see how the poet could write such magnificent poems while being drunk and making the listeners also feel intoxicated. Unfortunately, she came nearly a hundred years too late, otherwise, maybe she would have gone searching for Li Bai.

  "What a wonderful poem, the cries of the monkeys on both shores never cease, and the light boat has already passed through the mountains of ten thousand layers. What a great poem! A great poem that I've never heard before!" Clap clap clap, someone approached Mozi from behind with their palms slapping the wind.

  She inadvertently recited Li Bai's poem, and Mozi was very annoyed. Last time, under duress, she stole a poem from you after being forced to, but didn't have the idea of using other people's poems again, fearing that these others might still appear in the chaotic timestream. Even if it were Li Bai, who knows, maybe he would be born a hundred years later. Therefore, modern shipbuilding technology and knowledge can be applied, but Tang poetry and Song lyrics are used with great embarrassment. She could only remember a few poems, and since she remembered them, they were all masterpieces that had been passed down for thousands of years. If she spoke them out loud, would those poets who should have been famous for these works just fade away? She wasn't worried about changing history, but was worried about erasing personal existence.

  "I didn't expect the young man to be not only quick-witted but also so talented, I am deeply impressed. Are these two sentences worthy of being a superior couplet? It's rare for someone to generously praise a servant, and no one does it better than Zhong An."

  Mei Zi turned around to see that Zhong An was still standing next to Bai Yu's second son, thinking to herself, this is great, now there are two witnesses, she can't deny it even if she wants to.

  "Sir, you're joking. I don't have any talent or learning, and the few characters I recognize were learned from following my master doing business, not from studying books. These two sentences I heard a scholar recite, when our boats crossed paths on the river, and at the time I thought they fit the situation so well that I remembered them. As for what you said about the first stanza, I didn't hear it." It's better to tell this lie without blushing than to brazenly claim it as my own.

  "Scholar?" Zhong An asked seriously, "To be able to recite such poetic lines, he must have extraordinary talent. I wonder when you met him, and what does this person look like?"

  He's asking so many details, is he going to put up a missing person notice or something? Mo Zi secretly cursed his luck, thinking that ancient scholars indeed had a kind of obsessive pursuit for seeking out the reclusive and elusive. So she couldn't help but continue his train of thought, "It was years ago... just a fleeting glance, I don't remember what he looked like anymore."

  "It could be a scholar rushing to take the exam." Zhong An's thoughts not only didn't get cut off, but instead became clearer, and he said to Bai Yu, who was quietly standing beside him, "This year's imperial examination has some promising candidates, perhaps there will be a rare talent in sight."

  Bai Yu's mouth suddenly curved into a strange smile, his eyes staring straight at Mo Zi's pair of eyes, seeing that she was a bit evasive, the smile deepened. "If I had to say, it's not necessarily so. But two sentences of poetry, fleeting as a flash of lightning can also exist. Or perhaps, that person also heard it from somewhere else."

  "That's what I mean." Mozi thought it was a lucky staircase and hurriedly followed down several more steps, "Besides, I heard Mr. say something about the imperial examination, could you be officials? Otherwise, how could a scholar who can recite poetry make you so happy?"

  "Huh?" Zhong An didn't expect Mozi's eyes to be so sharp, and he dryly laughed twice, waving his hand in denial. "If we were officials, why would we be on this boat?"

  This man is not foolish, Mo Zi smiled and changed the subject, "It's almost nightfall, outside the wind is strong and the waves are high, it's better for you two to go into the cabin."

  "Little brother, isn't this boat going to Pingjiang?" Zhong An came out and actually had something to ask.

  "On the Pingjiang River, it is now the naval forces of Da Zhou and Nan De that are strictly inspecting passing boats, so the Yongfu boat naturally cannot pass. We have already passed through the Xiannü Gorge and entered the outer river of Yunzhou, turning into the Luózi River and entering the Jingyu Sandbar. The river surface there is narrow and rapid, with hidden reefs everywhere, known as a treacherous waterway that cannot be navigated by boat. Moreover, the Jingyu Sandbar has sparse population and few soldiers on guard, making it our only possible place to disembark."

  "Is it called the Heavenly Ford of the Absolute Water? Can our small boat get through?" The Heavenly Ford of the Absolute Water was famous throughout the land. It was the closest and most reassuring place between the borders of Great Zhou and Southern De. Like a deep, bottomless gorge, you could see the other side but forever be unable to cross the chasm.

  "It's up to our luck then." Mozi said halfway.

  "Isn't it just a matter of luck, rather than your actual abilities?" Zhong An thought that this carefree and humorous boatman should be quite confident.

  "It's not just about the task at hand, but also about luck. If we didn't have the guts to risk our lives, would we dare to smuggle goods? Although there are no evil spirits on the Surging Fish Sandbar, there are indeed many bleached bones, and to this day, no one has been buried. On this trip, if heaven doesn't protect us, we'll all just die together. However, with a few more of you, the road to the underworld will be a bit more lively." Mozi glanced at Zhong An's slightly changed expression and continued, "Don't think that just because we're on the Yongfu ship, we'll really have good fortune? I'm not trying to scare you, but it's necessary to have some sense of trepidation. This is a life-or-death business, no one takes it as a joke."

  "If you want help, just ask." Bai Yu's face didn't show any fear.

  Actually, Zhang An's expression wasn't fear, but rather underestimating the danger of smuggling goods, thinking that taking a shortcut would be fine.

  "That's no courtesy. If the heavens don't favor us, each and every one of you will have to lend a hand to keep the boat afloat. We're all in this together now, one boat one fate, no grudges or judgments, as long as we can survive. No matter whether you're officials or wealthy, once on board, you'll have to listen to me. Otherwise, you'll become wandering ghosts and spirits, don't blame me." Mozi wasn't threatening, but warning; the greatest fear of boatmen is outsiders giving orders.

  "Captain, night has fallen, there are stars, scattered clouds, wind is northerly, force three." The stinky fish reports from the lookout tower.

  "Hoist the three masts, change course to Luojiang River, full speed ahead. Take advantage of the wind to sail a bit further, and enter the shoals after nightfall tomorrow." Mozi ignored the two people behind him, walked over to the mast, and helped Feixia raise the sails.