The ancients said: "The scented bag is secretly untied, and the silk belt is lightly separated."
In the Ming Dynasty, sachets were often associated with private property. Sachets were often made delicately and were loved by young men and women. They were often used as private property or gifts or tokens of trust. In the 74th chapter of A Dream of Red Mansions, a silly girl picked up a "Ten Brocade Spring Sachets", which then caused a search of the Grand View Garden. During the search, a bundle was found in the box of Wang Shanbao's granddaughter Siqi, which contained a heart-shaped Ruyi and a sticker with a single word. The sticker said: "I am sending you a sachet to express my feelings." What is mentioned here is probably the affairs between men and women that cannot be told to outsiders.
This kind of sachet will be used as evidence of private granting. If the matter gets out of hand, it will be difficult to wash it clean even if you jump into the Yellow River.
So, looking at the sachet stuffed through the crack in the door, Zhu Ping'an bent down with a wry smile to pick it up, then opened the door and put the sachet back on the windowsill next door.
After returning to the room again, Zhu Ping'an closed the door and blocked the gap in the door tightly with the futon in the room.
As if playing hide-and-seek, not long after Zhu Ping'an returned to the room, there was rustling at the door again. However, because the door was sealed tightly, the other party was unable to stuff the sachet in this time.
It's finally quiet.
Zhu Ping'an used the lamp to record what he had seen and heard over the past few days, then took out a book and began to read silently.
The temple walls are thin and not soundproof.
After a while, there was another noise from the next room. The wall was knocked a few times, and after a while, there was an exaggerated sound of playing in the water and taking a bath... ...
Zhu Ping'an remained unmoved and continued reading his book until he became so sleepy that he could hardly control himself. Then he turned off the oil lamp and fell into a deep sleep.
Early the next morning, Zhu Ping'an got up early, packed up, and went down the mountain to continue his journey.
When the girl from the Wang family next door got up, dressed up, and knocked on Zhu Ping'an's door, inviting him to have breakfast with her, she found that Zhu Ping'an had already left the room.
"This nerd!"
Looking at the empty room, the girl's face darkened with anger. The scholars she had met before always peeped at her, but this nerd was different. He looked like a standard nerd who would not look at anything inappropriate wherever he went. Is he still a man if he is so unromantic? Or is that nerd still ignorant of the relationship between men and women
It’s all Dad’s fault. He had to do it himself!
The girl from the Wang family stamped her feet in shame and annoyance, twisted her waist and went back to her room. But, Daddy will definitely blame me for not being as good as my sister!
After descending Longquan Mountain, Zhu Pingan rode northwards on horseback, sleeping in the open air. After days of traveling, he became darker and thinner, but also stronger. If he didn't wear the student's uniform, few people would associate Zhu Pingan with a scholar. From the outside, he looked like a simple farmer.
The clothes I wore had become plain and inconspicuous after being washed several times.
I believe that at this time, there will no longer be a place as popular with girls as Longquan Ancient Temple.
The year is over with the sound of firecrackers, and the spring breeze brings warmth to Tusu;
On New Year's Day, every household replaces the old charms with new ones.
Today is New Year's Eve. The twinkling stars and the moon adorning the dark night appear exceptionally bright and moving.
Zhu Ping'an sat at a desk by the window in an inn in the ancient city of Chengwu County, looking at the bright night sky outside the window, listening to the endless firecrackers and the cheers of naughty children outside, and couldn't help missing his family far away in Xiahe Village.
Although I am missing this year, my sister-in-law is here. My parents should be very happy too.
I started writing and grinding ink, and another night passed.
On the second day, the first day of the Lunar New Year, Zhu Ping'an continued on his journey, and saw a vast expanse of northern scenery along the way. However, after walking for two days, he encountered a number of ragged refugees on the road, carrying their wives and children, looking hungry. At first, they came in twos and threes, and later in groups of three or five.
"The county town is under lockdown. We can only try our luck in other counties."
"Damn you, damn dog official! The grain in the granary is infested with worms, but you won't even give us food to eat."
"Damn it..."
Zhu Ping'an could hear refugees cursing county officials from time to time while walking on the road. He asked an old man and learned the outline of the matter: the Yellow River, which used to have a greatly reduced flow in winter, did not reduce much this year for some reason. Moreover, the floating ice on the Yellow River blocked the upper reaches of the river, forming a barrier lake. The dam could not withstand the flood and it overflowed. Juye and Jiaxiang were the worst hit. They had never suffered from floods in winter before, and the residents and officials did not take precautions. They were caught off guard and suffered even more.
The victims of the disaster in Juye went north to the county town to seek food and shelter, but the county officials closed the city gates and set up roadblocks to prevent the victims from entering Juye. In desperation, the victims had to go south again to find a way to survive. They peeled off the bark of trees along the way to eat. The number of victims was so large that it was impossible to see the end of the crowd.
Fortunately, the Yellow River had just flooded a few days ago, and Zhu Ping'an met only the first part of the victims. The prestigious elders and village chiefs among this group of victims were able to control the victims, and the victims were still orderly.
Despite this, there were still many people who looked at Zhu Ping'an, who was riding a horse and carrying a package, with a wolf-like green gaze.
After Zhu Ping'an distributed most of the dried meat and dry food he carried with him to the leading elder and the village chief among the villagers, he decisively turned his horse around, whipped his horse and rode south ahead of the victims, then turned east for a few days, bypassed the disaster area far away, and continued north.
A gentleman does not stand on a dangerous wall, and he will not tolerate womanizing at this time.
But in the days that followed, scenes of hungry people gnawing on tree bark and pulling out grass roots replayed before my eyes. The hungry people at the front still had tree bark and grass roots to eat, but what about the hungry people behind
When a country prospers, the people suffer; when a country perishes, the people suffer.
Only by seeing this scene with your own eyes can you understand the poet's feelings at the time.
We kept heading north, and the melancholy gradually dissipated after several days. After more than a month of travel, we passed through Qufu, Tai'an, Jinan, Cangzhou, and arrived in Tianjin.
If the capital is the foot of the emperor, then Tianjin is just one step away. In the past, Yan Wang Zhu Di crossed the Grand Canal here to fight for the throne. After Zhu Di became emperor, in order to commemorate the "Jingnan Campaign" launched from here, he renamed this place Tianjin on November 21, the second year of Yongle, which means the ferry where the emperor passed.
Tianjin Wei was a military organization, but at that time it was a mixture of military and civilians. However, because it was close to the capital, it was also prosperous.
After Zhu Ping'an entered Tianjin, he went to the post station, but returned disappointed.
This is the emperor's foothills, and the post station is busy. Officials from the capital and officials from the provinces who came to the capital to report on their work have already filled the post station. The post station really looks down on Zhu Ping'an, a mere juren.
"It's ridiculous that a mere juren wants to live in a post station." An official who came to the capital to report on his work from the local area ridiculed Zhu Ping'an.
The officials at the post station also looked at him sideways.
Is it necessary
Zhu Ping'an led the horse back to the post station, smiled and shook his head, then got on the horse and went to find an inn to stay. (To be continued.)