Chapter 559, Baby.

The so-called fishing villages do not have a single piece of land.

Almost all of them, perched on the boat.

Deng Da knows the situation of this boat-dwelling people as well as he does now.

So to this Xia Xuan said, “They are on land, not an inch of land, by the native people of the township rejected, if there is a conflict, the government must be biased in favor of the local gentry, therefore, the vast majority of the time, they are perched on the ship, and if they want to go ashore, it is often here …….”

His words paused here, before he lifted his hand to point ahead to some crumbling haylofts.

This is then said: “This place is a local squire owned, take out, but not leased, only allowed boat-dwelling people ashore to sell fish, of course, they can sell fish here, borrowed the land of the squire, in fact, the fish, after all, is cheap to be bought by the squire, and they need firewood, rice, oil, salt, vinegar and tea, but the squire is a high-priced sale to them, so one in and one out, don’t look at them to catch fish! In this way, not to mention that they fish for a living, but in fact, their hardship is ten times more than the people in the interior.”

When Xia Xuan looked closely, he saw many people in rags, carrying heavy fish traps on their backs, rocking the boat to the shore.

They were all barefooted, and none of them was without a yellowish face, the complexion of which gave a feeling of discomfort from having grown up in the boat all day long.

Often the women still poked their heads out of the canopies in the boats and looked curiously at what was happening on land. While the men carried their fish traps ashore, several children, almost starved to the bone and unable to distinguish between boy and girl, staggered after them.

Even from afar, some of the boat, at this time even rose curls of smoke, they even made a fire on the boat, of course, the boat can cook things are limited, roughly just barely cooked.

Deng Da smiled faintly and said, “These boat-dwelling people, it is most troublesome to send letters to them, so I have no choice but to number their boats, and every three or five days, someone will disembark, and at that time, I will give the letters to them, and entrust them to deliver them.”

Surprise was evident in Xia Xuan’s eyes as he said in astonishment, “Someone delivers letters here as well?”

Dunda, however, shook his head, “Not yet, they hardly have any relatives inland.”

Xia Xuan was even more puzzled and said, “Why is this?”

Deng Da then said, “Marriage and funerals, but whose family dares to marry the daughter of a boat-dweller, and whose daughter dares to marry the son of a boat-dweller?”

Xia Xuan frowned, her head dropping slightly as she looked thoughtful.

In fact, he initially heard the fresh, only as this is interesting, but slowly and carefully recalled, the face of the excitement, will be slightly down, and then really see a child rolling in the mud, was carrying a fish basket of men with bare feet kicking and screaming, but can not help but have an indescribable sense of suffocation.

Xia Xuan couldn’t help but say suspiciously, “Since there is no letter …… then …… we still have to come here every day?”

“Of course I’m coming here.” Deng Da said, “Didn’t I tell you that someone had ordered a copy of the diary? As long as there is still one person ordering, we have to come, the rules of the Postal Division, don’t you understand? People can’t stand without trust, the Postal Division can’t count on a moment’s gain or loss.”

Xia Xuan only felt even more strange, he couldn’t expect a boat-dwelling citizen to subscribe to the Di Di newspaper.

In his opinion, this diary, and such a person, is really not the same.

I’m afraid that when other people see this, they’ll have to make fun of it, or when Xia Xuan returns to the capital one day, she’ll tell her friends about this place, and they’ll have to laugh their asses off.

As soon as the duo entered the almost ridiculously simple fish market, there were actually quite a few men with fish traps on their backs who greeted Deng Da.

Their accents, they were so odd that Xia Xuan could barely understand them.

But some people saw that it was Deng Da who had come, and there were even men yelling something, and in a short time, they saw a man hurriedly running towards here.

This man’s complexion is dark, also in rags, long but strong body, perhaps this is the reason, the strong man hit the fish can not help but a little more, can slightly have a little surplus. But looking up and down, he also does not have the slightest relationship with the readers.

He grinned at Dundar, revealing pitch-black teeth, and when he opened his mouth, Xia Xuan smelled an indescribably fishy odor.

“Sir, you come miles, the newspaper …… is also sent?” This han looked at Deng Da with respect.

Dundar smiled at him, and with that, actually removed a distinctive package from the mailbag the mule and horse were carrying.

This is a parcel, at least the outside covered with a layer of tarpaulin, this Dunda will tarpaulin unveiled, inside is a light newspaper.

Xia Xuan looked at the side of the dumbfounded, in fact, the di newspaper with paper is getting shoddy, but the price of tarpaulin is not low, with tarpaulin to wrap the newspaper, quite a bit of wasteful feeling.

Deng Da shoved this to this man, and said on one side, “Wu Er, the last edition of the newspaper, can you read it?”

This person called Wu Er, immediately put away the smile, actually solemnly took out a tarpaulin from his bosom, this tarpaulin was already dirty, immediately, he unveiled three layers inside and three layers outside, inside a newspaper that had been a bit damp, only then was revealed in Xia Xuan’s eyes.

Xia Xuan then realized that the paper of this newspaper was already shoddy, and people living on the ship, sea breeze and humidity, I am afraid that in less than a day or two, this newspaper will become a paste, therefore, it must be wrapped with oil paper, sealed, in order to be preserved for a longer period of time.

Xia Xuan glanced at Deng Da, he knew in his heart that this tarpaulin and oil paper, must have been bought by Deng Da himself, it was considered to be a reverse money.

However, Xia Xuan thought that a mere piece of greaseproof paper might be no more than half a vice of tea money to a stagecoachman, and that he would have done the same in his own place, rightly so.

This Wu Er took the last edition of the newspaper, and then squatted down, looking for a piece of broken stone, with that hand full of fish, grasping the stone bar, then familiarly wrote down seven or eight words, the side said, “Sir, these words, I do not read very well, and I do not know what it means.”

He can quickly write the words, obviously in the boat, has long been these words do not know how many times to write down, just he can write according to the cat, but only can not understand the meaning of the words, and now encountered a rare opportunity, naturally, take the opportunity to ask Deng Da for advice.

Dunda smiled, not a trace of impatience visible on his face, and immediately began to explain.

In fact, the explanation took no more than a moment.

And this Wu Er, as if he was afraid that he could not remember, repeatedly recited in his mouth, “That is the battle-axe, which is the meaning of the weapon and the ceremonial weapon. This is Tong, both reaching and blending …… Mr. What does blending …… mean?”

Deng Da then patiently said again, “This first came from Zhu Xi’s Answer to Jiang Shukuan, the original text is: Lift one and three times; hear one and know ten; it is the deepness of the scholar’s efforts; the familiarity of the poor reasoning; and then be able to integrate; to the point of being able to do so. Its original meaning is just like you, being able to read and write well, and eventually to realize this font to the point of being well versed.”

Wu Er heard, busy nodding, then whispered and muttered read: “Zhu Xi, poor reasoning, cite one and three counter, integrated …… this through and the meaning of traffic, but also the meaning of arrival …… I know, Mr., do not dare to delay! Your thing, I go back and memorize a few times, this on the edition of the newspaper, it should be able to see a eight or nine.”

Deng Da did not forget to exhort: “Memorize the time, do not die, many times, will be their own to memorize the main points, combined with the context of this Di Di newspaper, you recognize the commonly used words have been quite a lot of times, many times, through the reading of the most important, sometimes swallowed in one lump may not be a bad thing.”

Wu Er nodded his head very seriously, “Sir, I have taken note of it, sir, you have to catch the next trip, so I won t lose time, I have a few fish here …….”

Saying this, he took two fat fish hanging from a straw rope and shoved them into Deng Da’s hands.

Deng Da shook his head to refuse, but Wu Er was unforgiving.

Deng Da is not that kind of nagging people, know not to accept Wu Er this fish, I’m afraid that this man in the future even more embarrassed to ask him for advice, and finally simply accept, and said: “The next time to come, I’m afraid to August 19th.”

“I remember ……,” Wu Er nodded busily.

Deng Da then packed his mail bag, said goodbye to Wu Er, and led his mule and horse to the next place.

On this journey, Xia Xuan was keeping her head down.

Deng Da glanced at him, but calmly said, “If you take over here in the future, make a note of these boat-dwelling people.”

Xia Xuan finally looked up, startled, “I’ll take over later?”

Deng Da nodded and said, “This is of course, we don’t have a lot of manpower in the post, these days, I’ll take you to familiarize yourself with the situation, but after a month or two, we’ll have to divide an area for you, don’t be afraid, there’s nothing really difficult.”

Xia Xuan hesitantly said, “I’m afraid I can’t do a good job ……”

Dunda laughed and said, “I was like that at first, but slowly, I got used to it.”

Xia Xuan’s face at this time is full of incomprehension, said, “Those boat-dwelling people ……”

“Hmm?”

“Those boat dwellers …… they can’t even eat, why do they need to study?”

When Deng Da heard this, he smiled slightly, and then said seriously, “There is a kind of people in this world who naturally thirst for reading and writing, and when they are born, they are much more advanced than ordinary people, just …… there is nothing to be done about it, and they don’t have a single chance to do so, but as long as there is a slight chance, they will be willing to exclude all the difficulties, the thirst for knowledge.”

Xaxuan let out a long breath.

Deng Da continued: “On the contrary, many people of the bookish family, home countless collections of books, the clan school is full of husbands and wives, but they are not to learn, the world is really teaching people difficult to say.”

Xia Xuan’s face instantly became a bit odd and said, “The Chief Official ……cough ……”

Dundar said, “What’s wrong, any discomfort?”

“No.” Xia Xuan said, “When you said that the person who refused to learn from the school, it seemed like you were talking about me.”

Deng Da laughed, said, “In fact, it is said that you and my generation, people all the things, then will not be able to avoid abandoning as if it were nothing, but I do not know that these things, for other people, how precious.”

Xia Xuan said, “But that Wu Er read the book, is it useful?”

Dunda thought for a moment and said, “Do you know why boat-dwellers have been boat-dwellers for generations?”

Xia Xuan said, “I read that they are pariahs ……”

Deng Da laughed and said, “The person who wrote this book, may be a lifetime, has not seen a boat-dwelling people, a lifetime has not tasted how boat-dwelling people spend their days, favoring …… but can wield the brush and ink, a big speech.”

Xia Xuan raised an eyebrow, “But …… the government is not also ……”

Deng Da said: “That’s because they are ignorant, they have no foothold on land, and because of their ignorance, they are regarded as outcasts, not to mention that the government and the people of their hometowns and villages look down on them, and even they themselves, because of the constant presence at sea, and they don’t know why they are experiencing these sufferings, so they also become numb to it, and at this time… . what is the use of asking him to study?”

After a pause, he went on to say, “But I tell you, you and I reading may be useless, anyway, read and do not read, although may not be brocade, but also have the capital and property, but Wu Er such a person …… Fang is in addition to reading, in this world and then there is no basis, there is no place to stand, then you tell me, the Wu Er reading has no use?”

When Xia Xuan heard this, he seemed to be enlightened all of a sudden, and he immediately looked ashamed and said, “I’ll hold the mule and horse, and you, Changmin Deng, take a break.”

They had traveled through a dozen villages in one day’s work.

Deng Da even took out a table and showed it to Xia Xuan, and it turned out that here, almost all the villages, markets, and townships, big and small, in the entire Tannan were almost labeled.

And different labeling, and there are different, large villages or markets, need to do three days a delivery. If it is a small village, or remote villages, it can be delivered once every seven days.

As for boat dwellers like this …… may be delivered semi-monthly.

The most amazing is an extremely remote place, in an isolated island, but also need to be sent once a month.

The different villages and bazaars, again, need to be staggered and the routes marked, to make sure that they can be delivered daily by the shortest possible route.

Letters and parcels, naturally, have to be sorted early.

Xia Xuan at this time, but is extremely serious look, roughly understand the daily work of this stagecoach, he could not help but say, “I understand, to do this …… but also not easy, if you can not be on the Pingtan up and down to understand thoroughly, I’m afraid that nothing can be done.”

Deng Da immediately nodded his head and said, “This is natural, not only that, people send things to go, but also to get acquainted with people. You have to know that you travel the countryside, and the townspeople, after all, exclude outsiders …… If you can not get their care, it is very difficult to shuttle as freely as I do.”

Xia Xuan frowned up, “But how to get acquainted with them?”

“This is easy ……” Deng Da smiled, said: “As long as the work at hand, everyone will naturally be familiar with you. This letter delivery conveyance, they are extremely favorable things, there will always be people who have a family outside, or have a daughter married far away, or even a woman married to the township native. As long as people still have thoughts, what we are doing, for them, is equivalent to make them enjoy the family love, to get rid of a lot of thoughts, they will respect you, as you as their own family, even if you are in the villages, randomly walking the streets, they are willing to be attentive to the hospitality, and will never suspect that you are doing something wrong.”

Xia Xuan was busy taking notes, he felt that what Deng Da had said was too simple, yet he felt as if it was not simple at all.

Deng Da suddenly said at this time: “The truth is not to hide from you, I once upon a time, and not without encountering the outlaws.”

“Ah …… this ……” Xaxuan’s eyes widened in shock.

Deng Da is lightly said:” is three bandits, at first robbed me, I also fear in my heart, just short of urinating pants DANG it, but who ever thought, the other side know I am a stagecoach, but also only said …… is to send a letter, do not dare to force to stay, I give them to leave a dozen Wen to buy the road money, and then left. ”

Xia Xuan couldn’t help but sigh, “I didn’t expect to be a righteous bandit.”

Deng Da, however, said indifferently, ”But whenever one is a bandit, what is the difference between a righteous bandit and a vicious bandit? If they met someone else, nine times out of ten, they would have to kill and plunder. Only they also know that the post station has lost someone, it is necessary to search around, and then they will have to make a big search for them.”

“This secondly, these bandits, the reason why they can be rampant, since because some people hide or do not report to them, if I died in their hands for no reason, this matter spread to ten miles and eight villages, they will be necessary to be hated, if there are a lot of people to report their traces, they also have nothing to hide.”

Hearing this, Xia Xuan nodded his head busily, and he abruptly felt that this trip today was more than what he had learned in his entire life.

From the boat-dwelling people, to the bandits, and then to the old woman on behalf of the reading letter, this face, a living, but different people, there is a kind of indescribable teach him to remember, as if engraved into his bones.

He muttered, “That boat-dweller who reads the diyi newspaper is called Wu Er, and the one who has a son who is out and often passes on letters is called Zhou Liu’s; as well as the rikishi he met in Banana Frontier, who had to drag them to a casual meal is called ……”

Deng Da looked at Xia Xuan and couldn’t help but smile brightly as he said, “There’s no need to memorize it, after a few trips, you’ll have it memorized. Tomorrow we have to go to another place ……”

Xia Xuan nodded.

Back to the stagecoach, this time back earlier, this stagecoach, empty, only the door son there to catch a chicken, puffing and puffing, holding up a kitchen knife to kill.

Deng Da sent the two fish to teach the door to slaughter and stew for dinner tonight.

On one side, he began to reorganize his mailbag.

Xia Xuan had nowhere to go, so he had to go over to help, but a mail bag, suddenly …… fell out of a thick book to, Xia Xuan subconsciously bent down, to pick up.

Who knows, this pick up, casually turn over, but see the inside, is actually a dense record.

Name ……

No. ……

The village where …… is located

Family members at home ……

Age of head of household ……

Feature ……

Place of origin ……

Xia Xuan froze, lowered his head to look, this book, densely packed, are written with a slender charcoal pen, at that moment, Xia Xuan said, “Deng Changli, what is this ……”

Deng Da saw, busy this book took over, carefully held, said: “Oops …… this is a treasure, is our postal division of the top priority, this can be related to this year’s performance evaluation of excellence …… ”

He carefully wiped the dust, then said: “These, for the time being, and you can not say, later, you go to see the new regulations of the statute will know, according to my opinion, the post minister his old man should not let you run out with me today, should be in the public room to send and receive official documents, familiar with our postal department of the statute, and then come out to move around on the appropriate.”

He said, tucking the book carefully back into the mailbag again, a look of relief on his face.