The spring rain in Tai'an City has just started, and the whole capital seems to be refreshed and clean all of a sudden. No matter how noisy the temples are, that's the business of the officials. The common people should eat and sleep. , but there are also some idlers, but these people who are degraded as stubborn and playful masters are also divided into three or six grades. Those who are capable of playing courtesans are the first class, and those who play famous horses and ancient treasures are the second. Wait, it's even worse to play walnuts in hand pans, and at worst, you have to get a few fish and insects to support the scene. But a young man in Xieyan Street, a humble alley in the southwest corner of the capital, is completely out of the ordinary, but since he lives in an alley where small people live together in Shengdou, it is strange that he can afford good things. Accept your fate, don't you? This young man, like the people in the capital with the surname Zhang all over the street, has been named a top surname in Liyang, but he has not been able to make great achievements. He is not seen doing serious business all day long. Pigeon whistle wandering around, but can't even afford a decent pigeon. In Tai'an City, even if you have a swollen face, you have to pay attention to poverty. Even poor people who don't pay attention to anything will look down on them. Zhang Border He is such a libertine who can be looked down upon by everyone. In the eyes of the neighbors, this guy is fortunate to have some blessings that he has cultivated in some lifetime, and he can marry a good-looking wife. Zhang Bianguan has never been content. I don’t want to stay at home and sleep well with my wife. I only know how to run outside every day, leave early and return late, and go out empty-handed and return home empty-handed. Day after day, after a long time, even the kind-hearted old neighbors are gradually too lazy to pay attention , Not long ago, the man surnamed Zhang seemed to be beaten by someone, his nose was bruised and his face was swollen badly, and the swelling has only subsided in the past few days. he.
The weather is getting hotter, and the clothes are getting cooler and cooler. Zhang Bianguan is away from home for longer and longer. After all, the capital is so big, how can there be fewer young women on the street? As the day was approaching dusk, Zhang Bianguan wandered back not far from Xieyan Street, and heard the flickering and melodious pigeon chirping above his head. He raised his head habitually, the corners of his mouth curled up, and there was an old pigeon bell wrapped with green silk on his wrist. Caress and play all the year round. He just stared blankly at the sky. For so many years, he has been laughed at as a low-level person who can't eat leftovers and step on dog shit. No one knows what he is thinking, and no one is interested anyway. Those who know his temperament roughly know that this useless coward should still want to play, but he dare not play those high-end wind and snow places with rich people, and in the end he can only look at dead things that don't cost money , the colorful attic mortise and tenon joints, the gray and unknown alleys, the Chongwu Gate for soldiers, the Chaoyang Gate for food, the Dingshan Gate for wine, and the one on the Drum Tower that has squatted for a few years since it was a few years away from Yang Jianchao. Shi Qilin. The crowing of pigeons wandering in the sky started and ended, Zhang Bianguan reluctantly looked away, thinking that it was still early, before going home, after thinking about it, he ran to the only lock that was available on Xieyan Street Squatting beside the Dragon Well, this ancient well has been dry. There is a judge made of yellow mud bricks beside the mouth of the well. It is rumored in the market that Liyang used fire to suppress the water in the world. He sits with his belly exposed and smiles with his mouth open. Every Mid-Autumn Festival, the common people will add firewood to him, and green smoke from the flames will burst out of the clay judge's mouth and nose.
Zhang Bianguan squatted at the foot of the clay sculpture by the well as always, and occasionally raised his cuff to wipe the corners of his mouth. Some time ago, he was beaten up by a group of people, probably because he mistakenly thought that Zhang Bianguan's father was about to lose power at last, and it was time to teach him a lesson. I'm a bastard who is embarrassing to the family in the capital, but punching and kicking is enough to satisfy my appetite. The next day I found out that the sky of the Liyang court was still the same, and the boy's father was even more ruthless. A large group of people were cleaned up so much that they cried and cried, so the beater who relied on these few groups of people to eat and drink, immediately hid, and didn't have the guts to apologize to Zhang Bianguan, and then trembled for most of the time Xun, didn't wait for the slightest bit of revenge, so they both breathed a sigh of relief, gathered together, and laughed at the surname Zhang as a big waste, for nothing. Daqi enjoys happiness, he deserves to be treated like a piece of rotten shit that would stain his shoes if stepped on.
The only advantage of Zhang Bianguan is that he wanders thousands of miles away on errands. When he suddenly found a young man with an elegant demeanor beside him, he glanced at him and didn't speak. After waiting for a long time, he finally asked with a smile, "You really didn't come to beat me up?" ?”
The scholar who looked like a scholar shook his head with a smile, "How dare you beat Mr. Shoufu's son? Besides, if you really fight, I am not your opponent. Why bother to humiliate yourself. Even if you don't fight back, let me beat and scold you. I was taken as a fool for amused by you."
Zhang Bianguan snorted, "So you're a sensible person? You're not from the capital, are you? People who have your vision, locals from the capital, they wouldn't come to see me at all."
The scholar asked, "Do you admit that you are a smart person?"
Zhang Bianguan sneered, and laughed at himself, "I'm considered a smart person? Then what is my father?"
The scholar nodded and said, "That's right."
Zhang Bianguan lay on the wellhead, looking at the dark and bottomless wellhead, and ignored this unknown scholar who knew the truth and was boring.
The scholar sat by the mouth of the well, and said calmly: "I know you like to watch the intrigues in the palace and attic, because they will only complement each other, which is much more lovely than the mutual harm between people. I also know that you are leaving the Zhang Mansion. When I set up my own family, I planted a peach tree at home. People in Tai'an City all like to have trees in their yards. Pomegranates with many children and blessings, jujube trees with early sons, persimmon trees and toon trees are also common, but they are not seen. Peach trees, because the homonym of the word for peach is 'flee', it is unlucky. Tai'an City is the root of Liyang. The tree moved and died. Where can the people of Liyang escape without Tai'an City? You Zhang Bianguan is not stupid, it is planted for your father Yes, but your father, our Lord Shoufu of Liyang turned a blind eye, and if he doesn't run away, you, as a son, will naturally have to stay in Tai'an City to eat and die, hoping to die in the future. It would be even better to have a drink on Qingming."
Zhang Bianguan said flatly, and continued to look at the mouth of the well.
The scholar smiled and said, "You must have guessed that I am the Sun Yin who came from Beiliang to seek an official position with Tan Tan Weng."
Zhang Bianguan turned his head, "Sun Yin, right? Then tell me, that stone unicorn on the drum tower has been silently staring at the world for hundreds of years, what is it waiting for?"
Now Sun Yin has entered the Zhongshu Province calmly and calmly, and successfully got close to the towering tree Tantan Weng. Although he is a loose official the size of a sesame seed, since he has entered the eyes of Mr. Huan, isn't it just around the corner? The few sensible people naturally understood this long ago, and the vast majority of confused people may not remain confused forever. Sun Yin looked directly at the blue-eyed young boy, shook his head and said, "How do I know what a stone unicorn is waiting for? Anyway, it's not waiting for the raging wind to blow up, blowing up the wolf smoke, and in the end, people will be devastated. Is it fun to exchange people in dragon robes?"
Zhang Bianguan smiled and stroked his bearded chin, "It's not fun."
Zhang Bianguan sat side by side with Sun Yin, shook his neck, exhaled and inhaled again, then smiled, raised his wrist, showed Sun Yin the simple pigeon bell, and said: "I used to collect I bought a pigeon as a gift from someone else. It was a first-class pigeon, black and purple, and the price was not much different from the falcon owned by King Xu Fengnian of Beiliang. Third-rank officer, father found me and didn't scold me. You should know that my father is such a person. Cursing someone is flattering you. Except for Mr. Huan, he has hardly scolded anyone in his life. He just asked me, this pigeon It’s Dad’s current worth. What are you Zhang Bianguan? Are you worth this price? Are you stupid, or are you really stupid? I was fourteen years old, and I returned the pigeon in a fit of anger. That person, in front of me, smiled Said that he was not in the habit of taking back gifts, and then strangled the pigeon to death with his hands. Well, he is His Royal Highness, Zhao Zhuan. From that day on, I vowed not to hang out with these people again. I would rather run to listen to Xiaomen I don’t want to listen to the creaking sound of door openings, and I don’t want to hear their flattery. I would rather look at those dead things that no one cares about, than those rich and powerful children who can sell them for gold and silver. As time goes by, So no one likes to take me to play, and I am happy to be alone."
Speaking of his father Zhang Julu, Zhang Bianguan couldn't help but fell into deep thought.
He still remembered that his grandparents especially liked to lie on wicker chairs under the shade of the trees and help their grandchildren shake their hands after his father had graduated from the Hanlin Academy and moved from his hometown to the city early. The fan shakes and shakes, once and again, summer after summer, shaking and shaking, only grandma is left, and after that, it is gone. Their father didn't keep his filial piety, and the court was even more impatient than the civil servant who was his son, so he directly issued an order to win back his feelings. The children of them didn't notice anything strange on their father's face. Zhang Bianguan clearly remembered that time In the beginning, Tai'an City was full of rumors and rumors, saying that their father didn't care about being a man in order to become an official. It's just that as the father's official hat got bigger and bigger, the voice became smaller and smaller until no one mentioned it at all. He has been doing nothing for so many years in Zhang Bianguan, and he left home later than his eldest brother and second brother, but he sees family affairs more clearly than his two elder brothers. Since when did the Zhang family's family affairs become the same as the affairs of the world in the capital? Zhang Bianguan looked lonely, resting his head on the mouth of the well, looking up at the gray sky in the twilight. When he was a child, there was a Lion Bridge not far from his house. Once the family rarely went out to play, and his father asked them to count the number of people on the bridge. There are a few lions carved in stone. The eldest brother is the most like his father. He is serious about everything he does and counts them rigorously. The second brother is a nerd. Zhang Gaoxia was only less than two years older, so the brother and sister are also the closest. While his parents were on their way home, he took his sister to play on the frozen river under the bridge. The elder brother was still counting in a daze, Zhang Bianguan went straight to the all-knowing Uncle Huan Wen Huan to ask for the answer, but the elder brother and the second elder brother returned in the middle of the night, and saw his younger brother kneeling on the ground. After that, Zhang Bianguan, who had suffered a lot, knew that those little cleverness were not really clever. But afterwards, his mother secretly brought him a bowl of hot rice. When his father saw him, he was not angry. He just touched his head and said something that he didn't understand until many years later, "You are much smarter than your two brothers, but Since you and your father have the surname Zhang, this is not a good thing."
Zhang Bianguan sniffed lightly, and covered his face with a sleeve.
Just as Sun Yin was about to speak, he shut his mouth when he heard a series of undisguised footsteps.
I saw a tall slender woman with a sword coming slowly. Hearing the familiar footsteps, Zhang Bianguan hastily wiped his face in a daze, with a bright smile on his face, and said, "A rare guest, Mrs. Zhang, why don't you show kindness and send some small pieces of money?"
Zhang Gaoxia stared and said: "In the Jianghu, people pay attention to the emergency and not the poor. Do you think I will give you a bag of money for a poor man? I have your last name!"
Zhang Bianguan rolled his eyes and said, "We have the same surname."
The corners of Zhang Gaoxia's mouth curled up, and he said "So", and then threw out a heavy bag of silver. Zhang Bianguan was not surprised, took the silver, and said with a big smile: "This heroine is really a bodhisattva! I can find a Ruyi husband who is talented in Yushu Linfeng, who is talented and powerful, and who will love his wife! Before that, let’s discuss something, Mr. Xia, why don’t you accept me and drag me home? , Just take care of the food, meat is the best, and wine is as good as it gets... "
Zhang Gaoxia didn't want to make jokes with this third brother, and glanced coldly at Sun Yin, a small miscellaneous official of Zhongshu Province whom she knew very well.
Sun Yin stood up alone, leaving Zhang Bianguan sitting alone, looking at Mrs. Shoufu's beloved daughter Zhang Gaoxia, ignoring her cold eyes that could tear people's souls out, and asked: "Miss Zhang, Sun has something to say. , I don’t know whether to speak properly or not.”
Zhang Gaoxia said coldly: "Then you shut up."
Zhang Bianguan got up slowly, tossed the silver bag, gloated, crossed the river and demolished the bridge and said: "Sun Yin, Sun Yin, Yao Jijiu described you as a talented person who won three yuan in succession. It's a pity that my sister never likes scholars who play with words and ink. You Just don't expect her to look at you differently. If you have to say the truth, it's your thing that you are good, and what I like is what I like. But if you really don't change your mind and want to marry my sister, I don't care, but you have to hit her first, you have to be pleasing to her eyes, and you have to be the son-in-law hand-picked and approved by my father. Where can you find such a rare young handsome man? It doesn't count."
Sun Yin was a little helpless and said: "What do I like a woman who has long been attached to?"
Zhang Gaoxia sneered and said, "Sun Yin, you know a lot."
Sun Yin didn't take it seriously, and said calmly: "Anyway, I am destined to speak half a sentence with Master Shoufu in this life. If I can talk to Lord Shoufu's son, I will make up for my regret. As for you, Zhang Gaoxia and Zhang Nvxia, It's just a surprise. Don't worry, I like the person you like, but I won't rob you."
Zhang Gaoxia sneered: "Do you like men?"
Sun Yin smiled, "Like is like liking, but it's not the kind of woman who likes men. Appreciating a person from the bottom of my heart is considered liking. For example, it's like I like Mr. Shoufu very much. I couldn't write 'An Deguang There are tens of thousands of houses in the mansion, and the world's poor and poor are all happy." Such an excellent poem, but he has achieved this unprecedented feat down-to-earth. Six yamen, a total of 4,000 houses. There are more and more descendants, this is no different from the sword of the predecessor Li Chungang who opened the gate of heaven in the rivers and lakes and opened mountains for the younger generation."
Sun Yin turned and left, and said leisurely: "I take it for granted that others will like something, so I give it to the other party, as if this is giving, but never ask the other party if they want it or not. This kind of person, No matter how hard I try, it’s just a kind of self-righteousness. I’m open-minded and have a clear conscience, but I’m actually still selfish. Whether it’s talking about love between men and women, or talking about the relationship between brothers, you can go for it. Because you are kind to people, It’s not easy, but it’s not too difficult, but it’s very difficult to put yourself in the shoes of others and respect others. The ancients used the term “confidant” to describe close friends, so how to count as a “confidant” is a matter of great learning. Sun Yin is a fool I don't know what the world will be like in the next thousand years, but we can see through the world we live in. There are many muddleheaded people, but there are still some people who don't value profits, names, good swords and posthumous titles , don't pay attention to the kindness of friends, don't pay attention to death, don't pay attention to the inheritance of incense and fire, and don't pay attention to the country and country of one person... "
Zhang Gaoxia frowned, and asked: "What is this guy talking nonsense? He is scolding our father. He fulfilled the word "loyalty" on his own, but he is only sorry for Uncle Huan? But he seems to be boasting again later. Ah, isn't that a contradiction?"
Zhang Bianguan said casually: "I'm afraid he is also confused. People are too smart, and they like to fight against themselves, tossing and turning, empty-handed."
Zhang Gaoxia stared and said: "I don't know what nonsense Sun Yin is talking about. I can still hear you scolding our father!"
Zhang Bianguan untied the pigeon bell, threw it into Suolongjing casually, made a cynical grimace, and said with a smile: "Father is too lazy to scold me, so I will scold him secretly, and you won't complain, what am I afraid of?"
Zhang Gaoxia's tone was a bit heavy, and he asked, "You really don't follow your father's wishes and go to Liaodong to join the army?"
Zhang Bianguan shook his head lightly, "As a son, since I can't help you much, I have to send it off to my father. Having a baby is nothing but taking care of the old age and sending it to the end. My son must try his best to do one of them."
Zhang Gaoxia sat on the mouth of the well.
Zhang Bianguan looked surprised and said, "You won't cry when I tell you this kind of thing?"
Zhang Gaoxia said flatly, "I'm not that kind of woman."
Zhang Bianguan hummed, "Actually, none of us are as father as you."
Zhang Bianguan seemed to remember something, and said: "You are about to leave Beijing to travel around the world. Listen to my brother's words, where father said he would not let you go, but in fact it is the place that I most want you to go to in my heart."
Zhang Gaoxia lowered his head, "Stop talking, I'm going to cry if I talk about it."
Zhang Bianguan stretched out his palms and patted his cheeks hard, "Damn it, you're a woman who hasn't cried yet, and your elder brother is a man, and you can't bear it anymore. There is a man who has a saying, and it really is true." It's absolutely true! My brother has never heard a more reasonable sentence than this in his life, and Zhang Shengren has to be willing to bow down after hearing it!"
Zhang Gaoxia raised his head.
Zhang Bianguan blinked, "He said that a man who bleeds but does not shed tears is considered a fart hero, but women in the world bleed but do not shed tears every month!"
Zhang Gaoxia took a deep breath, and then took another deep breath, and then calmed down the mood of wanting to kill.
Zhang Bianguan said softly: "You go, the world is in chaos, and when the time comes, it will definitely be a scene of heroes, heroes and bears swarming their heads. Don't miss it, just show our father a few more glances."
Zhang Gaoxia didn't agree, nor refused.
It's just that on this day, Tai'an City will never see the sword-wielding woman Zhang again.
Zhang Bianguan was the same as usual, walking back to Xieyan Street in the dark, there was a dim yellow light in the yard, waiting for him to go home. Even though the not-so-beautiful stupid daughter-in-law was annoyed by his drinking of flowers and wine, she still waited like this, day after day, and she probably felt that there was no hope in this life, let alone an end.
Other women, not to mention marrying the Zhang family, the only one in the entire Liyang Dynasty who has no semicolon, even if they marry the children of third- and fourth-rank officials, it will be a glorious scene, not only for herself. , her future children will also be able to live comfortably for the rest of their lives, and when they grow up, if they want fresh clothes, they can make fresh clothes, if they want to help the country, they can help the world, and if they want to do nothing, they can do nothing.
Zhang Bianguan was about to open the courtyard door carelessly like before, yelling for his wife to serve him with good wine and meat, but suddenly squatted down for no reason, then he heard pedestrian footsteps, got up quickly and pushed the door to go home.
As always, the woman kept silent, serving warm and suitable meals, eating with small chopsticks, and occasionally looking at them, the man with one leg on the bench, who only cared about himself, never wanted to say a word to her The man who spoke is her husband.
But I never saw how she put her resentment and grievance on that pretty face.
Zhang Bianguan always likes to say that the reason why she has such a good temper is because she is afraid of his family background, a dead camel is bigger than a horse, Zhang Bianguan is no longer promising, and he is also Zhang Julu's son, can she carelessly serve him? It's just that every time he mentioned this point, Zhang Bianguan always had to give himself a big mouth, saying that flowers, birds, fish and insects only use the two stupid words of serving. Then she secretly smiled until Zhang Bianguan glared at her, then she turned her head away, but the faint smile on the corner of her mouth didn't disappear.
In the middle of the night, Zhang Bianguan sobbed quietly after she was asleep.
"I'm afraid that I like you, and even more afraid that you like me, that's why I'm like this."
"Why don't I want an obedient and sensible child, my son and daughter are very good."
"But I am the son of Zhang Julu. The more I do, the more mistakes I make. If I tell you the truth, are you running away? But where can you run away? If you don't run away, you can live better than you are now." Is it easier? No matter how stupid you are, you will wake up when you die with me, but I would rather you hate me at that time. I just want you to blame me for not being up to date and promising, Not in charge of the family. Daughter-in-law, I will treat it as if I owe you in this life. If there is a next life, I will definitely pay you back... "
Zhang Bianguan's face was full of tears, after he wiped it off carelessly, he gradually fell into a drowsy sleep.
The gentle woman who slept with her back against the wall facing him and remained motionless all night, opened her eyes slowly when she heard her husband's snoring. Her eyes were still gentle. Just like the day when she got off the sedan chair, the moment when he raised the red hijab.
In the early morning of the next day, Zhang Bianguan ate breakfast heartlessly again, and strode out to leave home.
After Zhang Bianguan went out, he walked on Xieyan Street, looked northwest, and said softly, "Gaoxia, you must go to Beiliang. Only there will be chaos for a while, not for a lifetime."
Today's youngest son of Lord Shoufu is still the son of the most ridiculed family in Tai'an City and even in the world.
But what about the woman
The woman was quietly doing one trivial housework after another. When she had nothing to do, she would sit on the threshold of the inner courtyard and look towards the courtyard door, waiting for him to come home.