Passing Mingde Gate, the snow extended along the rows of roofs. The orange cat jumped over the eaves and climbed up the branches, overlooking the bustling streets below.
The first heavy snow of winter has stopped, and the atmosphere of the New Year is approaching. People who have been busy for a year put aside their fatigue and take their wives and children to the streets during their free time, choosing New Year's goods from the festive stalls on the street, or buying a pound or two of meat and some pieces of cloth, and putting them on the back of a donkey beside them. The children riding on the donkey look at the candied haws passing by with envy.
On the bustling street, people were crowded around the stalls, choosing and choosing. There were also vendors shouting loudly to attract more customers.
"Look, look, the tofu I just ordered is white and tender, and it doesn't break when you poke it!"
"Writing couplets... five cents a pair."
"Give me a pair, one that's full of spring!"
"Daddy... look over there, there's a monkey show."
…
The clanging sound of copper bells mingled with the noisy long street.
Coming from Mingde Gate to Tongshanfang, among the pedestrians and vendors, a young scholar in clean robes squeezed through the crowd, leading his old donkey, looking around.
The bookshelf creaked and swayed on the heaving donkey's back, with folded scrolls on it. He looked like a poor scholar selling calligraphy and paintings. Under his simple clothes, the thumb-sized scabbard on his waist looked particularly small and exquisite. Some people even asked the scholar if he was willing to sell it.
Not far from the scholar was a Taoist priest with a mustache on his upper lip and a short beard on his chin. He exhaled lazily a breath of hot air, and when he saw what was going on over there, he quickly flashed over and stood on tiptoe to look inside.
Lu Liangsheng led his old donkey over and looked inside through the gaps between the people coming in and out. An old man was beating a gong and calling on a monkey to bow to the crowd. Then it jumped onto a wooden stick standing on the ground, yelled and chattered loudly, took the small gun thrown by the old man and waved it, causing the people watching the show to applaud.
"I'll bring Master back to see the excitement, but I don't know if he can wake up."
After winter came, Toad Taoist wrapped himself in a quilt and curled up in bed, unwilling to get up. He was traveling for two months and was unwilling to get out of bed. He slept soundly. If you didn't know what was going on, you would have thought something had happened.
As for the First Emperor, he has never come out since that time. Lu Liangsheng thought it was a good thing as it was almost the solar term and he didn't have to worry about it.
"Old Sun, let's go."
Thinking about it, the scholar snapped his fingers at Sun Yingxian who was still watching the monkey show over there, and said, "Go back and wash up first, change your clothes, and then come out in the evening to visit the night market."
Over there, Sun Yingxian caught up with brisk steps and walked beside the old donkey.
"I say, what are we working so hard for? We have to sleep in the open and not even have a good meal. You have to treat us tonight and let Old Pig cook."
"Okay, I'll treat you, as long as you can eat."
Lu Liangsheng smiled. He had only come back twice in the past two months, and the rest of the time he was basically in the wilderness. Occasionally he would meet someone living in the mountains and have a hot meal or two. As for why the Taoist asked him about such hardship, the scholar didn't know how to answer. He just looked at the bustling street in silence, watching every life that passed by him. He thought, there was no need to answer.
Having acquired the power of Taoism, one must do something to live up to the power of this world and all living beings.
After passing through several busy alleys and just returning to the Hibiscus Pond, several fast horses came from the mountain gate. When they saw the scholar, the Taoist priest, and the old donkey, they let out a "whoosh", slowed down their speed and jumped off. It was Yuwen Chengdu, who had received the emperor's order. He came quickly with the sound of armor rubbing against each other, clasped his hands, and half-knelt on one knee.
"Your Excellency, I am looking for you."
Lu Liangsheng and the Taoist exchanged a glance, asked the other person to go back, and raised his hand, "Get up, why did you come to Wanshou Temple to look for me?"
After going out with Imperial Master Lu once, Yuwen Chengdu felt that he was close to the Imperial Master, so he stood up respectfully, walked to the side, and said with a smile: "I don't know, Imperial Master, it was His Majesty who asked me to come here, and I don't know what it is, just to let you know that if the Imperial Master comes back, please come to the palace."
As he spoke, he looked around, moved closer, and added in a low voice: "When I came out, I ordered the cavalry to go out in all directions. I heard that the eunuch next to His Majesty said that His Majesty seemed to be angry."
"Angry?"
Lu Liangsheng frowned. The year was coming to an end, and with the great victory in the autumn, the emperor should not be angry. But now he ordered the riders to leave the imperial city instead of going through the Menxia and Zhongshu ministries. It seemed that the problem was quite serious.
Could it be... for the Duke of Yue
Thinking of what Yang Guang said drunkenly after the banquet that day, Lu Liangsheng's eyes fixed, and he quickly looked at Yuwen Chengdu opposite him and gave instructions.
"You go back first, and don't tell anyone that the master is back. I will deal with some things before I go to the palace to see the emperor."
"I will know."
Yuwen Chengdu was so happy to be able to keep the secret for the imperial teacher that he smiled widely. He bowed, then mounted his horse and called upon several cavalrymen under his command to gallop towards the long street in the distance.
Watching the group of knights leave, Lu Liangsheng pulled the old donkey back to Wanshou Temple, washed up, combed his slightly messy hair, changed into a new robe, looked at his still sleeping master, covered him with bedding, then said hello to Hong Lian and the others and went out alone.
The long street was crowded and noisy. The scholar cast a spell to block his eyes, walked past the low roofs, followed the familiar streets, and in a blink of an eye he passed several streets and arrived in front of the Duke's Mansion. Without asking anyone to notify him, he walked straight in along the wall. The servants and maids passing by seemed not to see him. They were busy posting festive couplets and paper-cuts. The mansion was filled with joy.
There were four scholars sitting in a pavilion they passed by with sad faces. Lu Liangsheng looked at them and wanted to laugh for no reason, but he had something else to do, so he decided not to stay here.
…
In the study room where charcoal fire was burning, Yang Su was writing on a blank book with ink.
The room was warm, and when the rustling sound of writing began, the old man stopped writing with his brush. Hearing footsteps and a familiar aura, he raised his face and looked at the open window opposite with a smile. The empty air suddenly twisted, revealing a figure in a green shirt and a white robe.
"Haha... The New Year is coming soon, why don't you take a trip back to Mount Qixia during your free time, Brother Lu?"
The old man walked out of the desk, took the boiling teapot from the stove, poured a cup of tea, and put it on the small table next to him. A vague figure passed through the thick wall and slowly solidified. Smelling the fragrance of tea, Lu Liangsheng bowed and said, "I'm afraid I can't celebrate the New Year. There are still many children in the temple who need to be taken care of. I will spend less time with my parents this year."
As he said this, he stretched out his hand and invited Yang Su to sit down with him.
"I heard outside that Duke Yue was idle all day, so I came to take a look."
"hehe!"
The old man listened to the scholar's teasing, stroked his gray beard, and chuckled, "It seems that Fellow Daoist Lu knows everything. There is quite a big commotion outside."
"Duke Yue is not worried?"
"What are you worried about?" Yang Su smiled even more and pointed his finger in the direction of the imperial city: "Are you worried about Your Majesty?" He laughed again, "I am only worried that Your Majesty will be tied up, lack the courage to make decisions, and lack the majesty to rule the world!"
Amid the laughter, the whole room seemed silent.
Lu Liangsheng just smiled and didn't say anything. He was silent for a long time, put down the teacup in his hand, looked at the old man opposite with complicated eyes, and the smile on his face was gone.
"Duke Yue, do you really not regret it? You don't care about the lives of your children and grandchildren?"
Sparks popped out of the stove. The old man looked at the teacup in his hand that was emitting steam. He sat there thinking for a while, and a smile appeared on his face again.
“No regrets.”