More than ten people came to the stage one after another. The stories were either long or short, or they were invited down by Mr. Jiang just after the beginning.
From sunset to new moon, the atmosphere in the venue was always warm.
Finally, no one took the initiative to take the stage. Mr. Jiang clasped his fists as usual and asked if there was any story. After the words fell, an old voice said, "I have."
The voice came from behind, the crowd dispersed, and an old man with white beard and hair walked in, probably in his eighties.
Looking at his clothes, although they are not gorgeous, they are still silk clothes with jade hanging around his waist. It is by no means like a person who sells stories for a mere three pennies.
Mr. Jiang got up and saluted, "Thank you, old man, for coming to support me." It was obvious that the old man didn't want to make money, so he had to accept this favor.
As he said that, he greeted people again and brought a chair. The old man was old and it was too laborious to stand up on a futon.
The old man was not polite, he just sat down on the chair, stroked his silver beard, and said, "Mr. Jiang's reputation, I have heard of it a long time ago. I have read Mr. Jiang's book. It is eye-catching and widely spread. , has the merit of enlightening the world. The story I want to tell today does not require Mr. Jiang’s money, but I ask Mr. Jiang to record it in your next book and spread it to the world. This old man will be very grateful.” He said, Make a fistful salute.
Mr. Jiang hurriedly returned the gift and said, "Thank you, old man, for your love. It's just that when Jiang writes a book, he selects the material very rigorously. I forgive Jiang for not being able to promise the old man's request. I can only say that if the story is really good , Jiang will record it himself."
The old man nodded and began to tell the story, "In the sixteenth year of Chun'an, Zhang Sheng and Liu Sheng are the sons of Yun'an County. They went to Tokyo to participate in the rural examination. When they passed the cold mountain, it was raining heavily, the sky was getting dark, and the road was far away and slippery. , I had to stay overnight in the mountain temple. When I walked to the temple gate, I heard a few howling wolves. After a while, a white rabbit jumped out of the forest. , attracting Zhang Sheng, Liu Sheng, to imitate others..."
At this point, Mr. Jiang interrupted, "I want the old man to know that I only accept unwritten stories here. I don't know if this story is imagined by the old man, or is it based on the words of the predecessors?"
"This is not a story, but a real person."
When the old man said this, everyone was shocked.
There are monks in the world, and the world knows that there are spirits and monsters, but for ordinary people, after all, they are too lofty, and they have never seen monks in their lives.
Mr. Jiang nodded, and the old man continued.
The story had only just begun, so Xu Yi probably guessed what the route was.
When he was in Xujia Village in the past, when he made a living by telling books, he didn't organize too many such stories. He believed what the old man said was true, but he guessed that the follow-up routine was nothing more than a scholar meeting a fox fairy, and the fox fairy repaying his favor. The two fell in love with each other and wrote a beautiful hymn of love between monsters.
If such a story, even if it is true, he would be tired of hearing it.
If it wasn't because he was worried that leaving at this moment would mess up the venue and disturb others, he would have left.
Sure enough, the development of the following story was exactly as he expected. Zhang Sheng was courageous, held a sword to scare off the greedy wolf, and rescued the jade rabbit. Liu Sheng wrapped the wound of the jade rabbit. Early the next morning, Yutu disappeared, and Zhang and Liu Ersheng entered the Tokyo city to take the exam, but they both failed the exam.
Three years later, Zhang and Liu Ersheng took the exam again, but at the foot of this cold mountain, they met a beautiful and graceful girl in white, called Xiu Niang.
As expected, Xiuniang was the Jade Rabbit. After three years, she had achieved success in her cultivation and came to meet her two benefactors.
Xiuniang has a beautiful appearance and a natural temperament. Zhang and Liu Ersheng are both deeply in love with each other.
After Xiuniang admitted that she belonged to the demon clan, Liu Sheng was terrified and dared not mention his love for her anymore. Zhang Sheng won Xiuniang's sincerity by not sticking to the worldly etiquette.
Until the night of Xiuniang and Zhang Cheng's wedding, Liu Sheng, the only congratulator and the officiant, looked at Xiuniang in red makeup, feeling like a sea of regrets in his heart, and was drunk at night.
Afterwards, Liu Sheng traveled far and returned after 30 years, only to learn that Zhang Sheng and Xiu Niang had reconciled ten years ago. Zhang Sheng had remarried and had children. Both sons became monks.
Poor that Xiuniang, she is getting old, mourning and dying.
But that Zhang Sheng married again and again, and he had seven sons and eight daughters, and his family was full of wealth.
The whole story was extremely long, and it took nearly two hours to tell, and there were so many details in it that it was beyond imagination.
The friendship between Zhang Sheng, Liu Sheng, and Xiu Niang is also reflected in these countless details.
It's just that the sea has changed, and it has been so long, and finally ended in this way, everyone can't help but sigh.
At the end of the story, the old man burst into tears, as if the sky was unfair.
There were a lot of people crying in the audience, the strange love between man and monster was soul-stirring, but it ended in such a way, which really made everyone sigh.
Even Xu Yi was substituted in, because of his affair with Xia Zimo, he developed a gnawing hatred for that student.
"Good things in the world are not firm, but colorful clouds are easy to scatter and glass is brittle."
After finishing the recording, Mr. Jiang patted the case and said, "What is the saddest love in life, and what is the most unforgettable love in the world. I think that at the beginning of the relationship, the vows of eternal love between Zhang Sheng and Xiu Niang were all fake, but they are no match for the ruthless years." People's hearts are changeable, it's a pity." After finishing speaking, he got up and saluted the old man, and said, "The old man just said, this is not a story, but a real story, and he also mentioned Tokyo City, which was established in the sixteenth year of Chun'an. Today is three years in Tai'an, eighty-two years ago, could it be an old event that happened in this Tokyo city, I don't know if Zhang Sheng, Liu Sheng are still alive, where is Xiu Niang?"
The story just now was really thrilling. At this time, it was getting late into the night, but no one left.
Wiping the tears from his face, the old man said solemnly, "I am Liu Sheng in that story, and Zhang Sheng is..."
Before the old man could finish his sentence, he stopped drinking, "Uncle Liu Shi, keep your word!"
After the sound of drinking finished, there was the sound of rolling hooves, and under the lights, a middle-aged man in black robes was seen, riding a horse that was as red as a charcoal fire, rushing out from the entrance of the alley.
Seeing that he was approaching, he didn't slow down, and immediately scared the crowd away.
The middle-aged man in the black robe shouted coldly, "A group of lowly people who don't want to work all day long and gossip about their tongues. They are not idle. It seems that there are still fewer guards in Shuijing Lane. I think you will be idle. Get out!"
Everyone didn't know the middle-aged man in the black robe. Judging by his attire and demeanor, he knew that he was a nobleman who could not be offended. He was used to being bullied and bullied.
After all, it was just listening to a story, and there was no need to offend the noble person who couldn't afford to be offended.
In an instant, everyone dispersed, leaving only Mr. Jiang, Liu Sheng, and Xu Yili in the field.