Mo Chen smiled.
What the younger sister said is right, and what the younger brother said is also right.
Is virtue important or skill important
Probably everyone who practices Taoism has had this question.
Maybe some people have no doubts and immediately choose the answer in their hearts.
Some people think that the purpose of cultivating the Tao is to have the ability to penetrate the heavens and the earth.
Some people think that virtue is the most important thing, and cultivating the Tao is cultivating the mind.
More people are hesitant, contradictory, and difficult to choose between the two.
Just like the dispute between the younger brothers and younger sisters.
In fact, after they have experienced a lot, they will understand that sometimes many things are often not chosen by you, but there is often an irresistible force behind you pushing you forward. No matter how much you think about in advance, the decision you make at that time may not necessarily be the choice in advance.
Linglong has an impatient temper. If she is asked to weigh the pros and cons and argue with others, she will definitely not be able to do it. For her, it is easiest to draw a sword and fight to judge right or wrong based on the outcome.
Junior brother Jiang is a loyal person, and before doing anything, he must first think about whether it is right or not, and whether he should do it. The temperament and temperament of these two people can be diametrically opposed.
But it is clear that the two of them were adopted by the master at about the same time, and they also grew up with the same food and the same education.
Who would have thought that temperament would be so different
"Okay, go back and change your clothes, and I will take you to see the City Lord's Mansion later."
The word "City Lord's Mansion" shocked the little country bumpkins, and they all ran to change their clothes, ignoring arguments.
Xiaodong also changed into a thick robe, washed his face again, and cleaned himself up energetically and neatly.
Mo Chen looked at his outfit and nodded in satisfaction, then took out a hat and put it on his head.
The hat fits just right, soft and warm. Once the tethers on both sides were tightened, even the ears were protected.
Of course, the City Lord's Mansion cannot enter and leave at will, they can only take a look at it from a distance.
Linglong was rather disappointed.
"Is that the City Lord's Mansion?"
It doesn't look very grand and gorgeous.
That is to say, it is built in the middle of the mountain, and the location seems to be high above.
"Song City Lord is not a luxury person. In the past few decades, Beifu City has been very peaceful. Song City Lord has never used power to oppress others, and he has never sought more benefits for himself."
So now Mo Chen feels pity for Beifu City.
If City Lord Song is more selfish and thinks for himself, the old injury will not recur at this time.
Li Fulin and Song City Lord are old acquaintances, the relationship can't be said to be very close, it can be regarded as the friendship between gentlemen. There was a correspondence between the two of them, and City Lord Song had already decided to step down and go for a walk far away before his life was over. He said in the letter that he has been bound by the status of city lord for so many years, and he has not been able to do what he wanted to do, and he has never gone where he wanted to go.
In fact, he is the lord of the city, no one can control him what he wants to do.
But he himself always felt that to be the lord of the city, he had to be worthy of Beifu City.
Others saw that the city lord's mansion was already sunset, and felt that the city lord Song was on the verge of collapse, like a bereaved dog. Mo Chen was full of respect for this senior who had only met once.
Many people in Master and his generation were like this. Others think they are too pedantic, too incompetent, willing to be mediocre and lack of ambition.
But the character and virtue of these men are truly to be admired.
There are fewer and fewer such people now.
I don't know why, the days are getting more and more peaceful, but people's hearts are getting more and more scattered. Every time Li Fulin said it, he was very emotional. Whenever something happens, I think about what benefits I can get from it, and whenever I think about preserving myself, a dead fellow Daoist will not die a poor daoist.
Xiaodong tugged on his sleeve, and asked softly, "Brother, do the previous city lords of City Lord Song also live here?"
"Yes, the first city lord of Beifu City lived there."
Looking down from the position of the City Lord's Mansion, most of the Beifu City should be in sight.
Mo Chen took them around half of the city. When it was getting dark, the lights in the city were lit up, the wind was getting colder and colder, the fog was thicker and the frost was heavier, Xiaodong tightened his collar and sniffed.
It seems to have a fragrance.
He was not the only one who heard it, Jiang Fan also stood still and looked around.
"What's the smell? It smells so good."
Others said, "Like broth."
"Beef soup?"
"Are you guys too hungry? Why didn't I hear it?"
This fragrance is blown by the wind, and it seems to disappear from time to time.
Mo Chen pointed forward: "There is a shop in front, it should be where broth is being boiled."
Mo Chen led his younger brothers and sisters over. The shop was not big, and there was only one door open, and tall people had to lower their heads to enter.
The shop was clean, with wooden tables and benches. A thin middle-aged man wearing an apron came over and asked, "Who are the guest officers?"
Jiang Fan sniffed it vigorously again, and the aroma in the shop became stronger, almost making his mouth water.
"One bowl of soup per person, what else do you sell here?"
"And bread."
"Then let's have another serving of soup cakes."
Xiaodong also sat down on the bench. It was warm in the store, and he was sweating in his thick hat.
Mo Chen said, "Take off the hat first."
The broth was served in large coarse porcelain bowls, one bowl for each person. The soup has just been served, and it is steaming hot. It is sprinkled with green onion and coriander, and sliced beef in sauce. The first four bowls were of course given to Mo Chen, Linglong, Jiang Fan and Xiaodong first. Although they are out of the door, everyone still abides by the rules of the sect.
"This bowl is really big..." Xiaodong gestured with his hand.
It almost caught up with the small basin he used to wash his face and hands.
Jiang Fan smiled and handed him the spoon: "Quick, eat while it's hot."
The broth is thick and thick, and when you drink it hot, you will feel warm all of a sudden.
Jiang Fan swallowed the soup cake in his mouth: "Eldest brother, have you been here before?"
Mo Chen nodded.
There were so many of them, the shopkeeper gave them two more side dishes. It is the wild vegetables dug from the mountains outside the city, chopped, washed, pickled, put in jars, served in two dishes.
The pickles are crunchy, salty and slightly sour, but not unpalatable. A group of people who met at the same door ate cakes and soup, and Hulu was so lively.
Linglong scooped up the sliced meat from her own bowl and put it in Zhai Wenhui's bowl next to her.
She moved so fast that no one else saw her.
Zhai Wenhui turned to look at her and smiled.
Linglong made him look embarrassed, and urged him: "Eat it while it's hot, or it's cold."
Zhai Wenhui responded, but while drinking the soup, he couldn't help turning his head to look at her.
Jiang Fan didn't see Linglong giving Zhai Wenhui the beef, but saw the elder brother handing over the beef in his own bowl to the younger junior brother.
This scene made Jiang Fan a little startled.
For some reason, he suddenly remembered many years ago, when he was still young and his mouth was hungry. The elder brother always saves the delicious food for them. A sugar dime and a meat bun were broken in half, he and Linglong each had half.
But now he is not a child, the junior brother is the youngest, and it is right for the master and senior brother to take care of him more.
He understood all the reasons, but felt...a little bit lost.
Sometimes people grow up faster than imagined, and in the blink of an eye, they can no longer act like a child.
"It would be great if I could bring a copy to Master."
But the road is a bit far away, and hot soup is not easy to bring.
Mo Chen said: "Soup is not easy to take with you. Cut the sauced meat into a few catties and bring it home. Master can use this to serve with wine."
The shopkeeper cut up the meat and wrapped it up as ordered, and Mo Chen even gave Xiaodong some extra money: "The wine is sold next door, go get some wine."
Xiaodong used to do wine errands before, and it was for his uncle at that time. Master usually drinks self-brewed wine on the mountain, but Xiaodong doesn't know which wine is suitable for Master.
"Tell the store owner to ask for the strongest wine."
When I came in just now, I only paid attention to the broth, but I didn’t notice that there was a wine shop next to it. The lantern hanging in front of the door had a plump, round and thick character written on it. As soon as I entered the door, I could smell a strong aroma of wine. The eyes of the smoked people narrowed, and they felt that if they took two more breaths, they would be drunk.
"Boss, get some wine."
The counter of the wine shop was very high, and an old man with gray beard and hair looked up at him and asked, "Which one is it?"
"If you want the strongest, hit five catties."
The old man stood up, took a five-jin jar, lifted the lid of the wine jar, and put the wine into the jar with a wine ladle.
Xiaodong bought wine for his uncle before, so he knew the trick here, some stores would mix the wine with water and sell it, the wine he bought smelled like alcohol, but tasted bland when he drank it. He habitually stared at the man's movement of scooping up the wine.
One click, another click.
The man's movements were unhurried, and he seemed to be proficient and smooth. He scooped up the wine and filled the jar without spilling a single drop.
Xiaodong unconsciously saw God. After the old man sealed the lid of the jar and tied the rope and handed it over, he suddenly came to his senses and took out the money to pay the bill.
Why did you just stand there and stare blankly
Xiaodong himself didn't understand either.
The man took the money and sat back in his original seat.
Xiaodong walked to the door with the wine in hand, and couldn't help but glance back.
Under the dim light, the man squinted his eyes as if he had fallen asleep.
Mo Chen and the others brought wine and meat back, Li Fulin was really happy seeing this.
"I bought it in the east of the city?"
Xiaodong asked, "How does Master know?"
"Hey, the shops there are all time-honored, and the craftsmanship has been passed down from father to son." Li Fulin opened the oil-paper bag, and just squeezed a piece of meat into his mouth: "Well, that's the taste. I like eating this since I was a child." The sauce meat of the family."
Xiaodong poured the wine quickly: "Master, taste this wine again."
Li Fulin picked up the bowl and took a sip: "I haven't had any wine."
"It was sold next to the broth shop."
"It should be newly opened." Li Fulin tasted it again: "The taste is not bad, it is much worse than my brew, but it is much better than ordinary village brew."
When Li Fulin ate the meat, he drank the wine. He drank the wine before he finished the meat.
Linglong said from the side: "We went to see the City Lord's Mansion today."
Li Fulin's eyes were clear, and he didn't look drunk: "Oh? Why do you want to go there?" (To be continued)