It is normal for the capital of Dachu to have many tall gates and meandering alleys, but if someone knows that Tangtang has lived in an alley since he was a second-rank military general, I am afraid that there will be strong-willed officials who want to impeach this person for harming the majesty of the court Xie Xizhen, who came from a poor background, is this person. If it weren't for the status of Cao Changqing's disciple, it would be a fantasy for Xie Xizhen to serve as the leader of a party with a poor concubine. Facts have also proved that ability has nothing to do with family status. Absolutely, if it weren't for Lu Shengxiang's leading attack and Chen Zhibao's sudden birth, Xie Xizhen's undefeated record would continue. She suffered a huge loss at the hands of Xie Xizhen, who "hasn't even grown hair".
The sun is warm after winter, and there is a young man with short green and short beard around his lips, sitting on the steps of the door and basking in the sun. He has been born and raised in this street for generations. Because of his thinness, he has had a The nickname of Xie Zhugan, even if he left the small street to go to study, and after he came back, he wrestled with Zhao Dazhuang who lived on the street with arms almost as thick as his calves, but the neighbors, regardless of their seniority, still like to call him Xie Zhugan. It cannot be changed. Everyone only knew that this young man from the old Xie family had a son in his later years. He didn't seem to have achieved much in school, but it was true that he had no worries about food and clothing. It was a pity that the child hadn't been home all year round, so he hadn't been able to marry him until now. The daughter-in-law continued the incense to Lao Xie's family, so Lao Xie, who sells wine for a living, was not very happy, especially every time he heard that other children became clerks in the yamen or passed the exam as a scholar, he always couldn't make up the words, so he held back and said A few beautiful words, no one really listened to them seriously. If it wasn’t for the son’s husband who came to accompany him to have a drink with Lao Xie once, the gentleman said that his kid was good at reading, and he promised that he would be good in the future. Jiu Laoxie had already grabbed the bastard by the ear and asked him to sell wine with him to make money. The family has saved up some moderate wealth, and doesn't care about the child helping to earn more money. It's just a child of a poor family, and it's not afraid of a bad family background. After all, the poor have the same background as the poor, right? But if you compare your heart with your heart, whose daughter is willing to marry a man who is floating all day long without the soles of his feet? People from small families and small households are not afraid of poverty. They are not in a chaotic world. If they are willing to sweat, they will probably be able to drag their families to eat with them. The old matchmaker Liu on the next street also stabbed old man Xie with words, and said with a smile that she didn't dare to push her good girl into the fire pit, which made old man Xie sullen when he thought about it now, and occasionally let go of his stomach to drink. There is no taste.
A group of rascals passed by the old Xie's house. They were all the same age as Xie Zhugan grew up with. One of them stopped and smiled at the guy basking in the sun: "Zhugan, let's go, brother will take you there." Go to the gambling house to earn dozens of taels of silver, and keep you as a bachelor when you enter the door, and a daughter-in-law when you leave the door! Bamboo pole, you haven’t tasted meat until now, have you?”
Xie Zhugan raised a middle finger at them and scolded with a smile, "Get out!"
They wanted to save face and suffer for Xie Zhuganzi's death, but they were not angry, they just walked away with smiles and cursing. Although those young people hang out, they never bully the neighbors and only go to harm other places. After all, every household on the street has elders who watched their naked buttocks grow up. The wine stolen from his father, even though the stingy old Xie blocked the door and scolded him for a long time afterwards, they just hid at home with their legs crossed and their ears scratched, cursing and cursing, and then uncovered it. Besides, Xie Zhuganzi has been known as a bad boy since he was a child. Who was the first one who had the courage to really climb the wall to spy on the widow of Ma's family taking a bath? It's not him, Xie Xijun! And who threw stones into the hut of the most juicy girl of the same age on the street? At that time, he and she were both only thirteen or fourteen years old. The girl was so scared that she didn't dare to come out of the hut for a long time. When her parents found her, she finally dared to cry. It was so shocking to watch, that Xie Zhugan, who was lame, had not spoken a word to her for more than ten years. He happened to meet her in an alley , both of them wanted to walk against the wall. It's a pity that she doesn't know why she hasn't married until today. From being a beautiful girl with yellow flowers, she has become an age when other women's children can buy wine for her father. He threw his daughter out as a splashing water. Anyone with a discerning eye knows that she is waiting for someone. And her parents, who used to have eyes on their foreheads, have secretly met with the liquor seller Lao Xie in recent years. It's not that the old Xie has no ideas, but it's just that he doesn't see his son a few times throughout the year, and returns home only a few times. , also came and went in a hurry, so I procrastinated and procrastinated, until this time my son rarely stayed at home. Seeing his posture, he would not leave in a hurry. Such a son!
The Xie family’s children, who are floating outside all the year round, sit on the steps. Whenever neighbors pass by the door, they will definitely smile and say hello. At that time, it will be easy to drink and drink, so that Xie Iron Rooster will be willing to pluck others, and this life will definitely be the day when you, Xie's boy, get married. Xie Xizhen also said with a bitter face that I want to have a daughter-in-law, but I don't know where the daughter-in-law is. At this time, no one deliberately glanced at the old lady of the Liu family. Xie Xizhen, who has been clever since childhood, wants to Start playing dumb.
Xie Xizhen just sat on the steps leisurely, but couldn't help turning his head to look at the Spring Festival couplets on both sides of the gate. I begged for it from the kid from the Song family who passed the Tongsheng examination. The Song family took away more than ten catties of wine from their own wine shop for nothing this year. Xie Xizhen sighed, thinking that before leaving home this time, regardless of other things, he must make seven or eight Spring Festival couplets and dozens of Spring characters, and he must not let his parents suffer like this again. Most of the men here don’t read much. When they were young, they looked better than whose daughter-in-law and whose female celebrity were better. The daughter-in-law is more filial.
Xie Xizhen rubbed her cheeks hard.
It's not that he doesn't want his father and mother's own son to be no worse than other people's children, and even more promising. Knowing that one battle after another, that his son has a great future, and that he and his son are safe and sound, Xie Xizhen knew that his parents would definitely choose the latter. He didn't want his parents to be worried all the time, rather they would complain that he was not married yet, why they were not willing to live a down-to-earth life, and talked to him about the sons of other family's peers who went to private schools to write Spring Festival couplets. Originally, when Xie Xizhen came home this time, he was going to grit his teeth and tell them the truth, but this time when he looked at his parents who seemed to have aged overnight, and the one who sat down with a stern face Xie Xizhen, the father who drank with her, was at a loss for words again. He was afraid that if he really died in battle one day, his parents would immediately know that he was dead instead of traveling far away to study.
Today, the old Xietou, who was closed for wine shop and not doing business, walked out of the courtyard, saw his son who was not doing business, snorted coldly, and left with his hands behind his back. Xie Xizhen's mother walked out of the door and said with a soft smile, "Don't worry about him. Actually, he went to buy meat. Your father didn't say anything, but he secretly took a lot of broken silver from the money pot under the bed. I just pretended not to see it. .”
Xie Xizhen grinned, his father's bad temper, as a son, he has long been used to it.
The woman laughed again and said, "I have liked that girl from the Liu family since I was a child, but at that time the Liu family didn't like our family. Now that the girl is older, I'm only worried. Mom will tell you what's on her mind. You are the mother's son, but if you are not like this, you are really not worthy of other girls."
Xie Xizhen raised her head and said with a playful smile, "Mother, am I really your own?"
The woman made a gesture to hit her, "Slick tongue, no wonder you can't find a wife! If your father hears this, let's see if he doesn't beat you to death!"
Xie Xizhen bent his arm, "When I was a child, my father drove me around the yard every day, but now my father can't beat me."
The woman lightly gave the unwary son a chestnut, "Boy, don't be angry with your father. Before you were young, mother protected you every time. From now on, mother will definitely favor your father."
Xie Xizhen made a grimace, "Got it!"
The woman said earnestly: "The girl from the Liu family is not young, but she looks really handsome. There is no girl who is prettier than her in a few streets around here. You really have no idea? Mother, I want to tell you the truth." In other words, I heard that there is a senior official who wants to take her in as a child, but her parents have not come to our house once since autumn this year."
Xie Xizhen finally couldn't laugh anymore.
The woman didn't make things difficult for her son, "You are not young, mother believes that you know the importance of the situation best, don't rush you, just figure it out. After all, parents only have a son like you, and they always think of you .”
Xie Xizhen hummed, and when her mother walked back to the yard, she became dazed again, unconsciously looking in that direction again and again.
A young man trotting all the way into the alley laughed loudly: "Thank you bamboo pole, what are you looking at?"
The boy's name is Lu Sichu. This is the second time he has visited "Old Xie's House". Last time he carried a sword, but the neighbors and Xie Xi's parents regarded him as a child who couldn't figure it out, and almost caused the boy to suffer internal injuries. , I learned smart this time. Not only did I not carry the sword, but I also made up for the meeting gift I owed last time. I carried chickens and ducks in both hands. Regarding the question of what gift should be given as a meeting gift, those Lu Lu who were full and had nothing to do behind the boy Parents, we have devoted a whole morning to discussing this! Some people said that they would send high-quality tribute wine, but they were quickly scolded for being insane. Xie's family sells wine, so why are you smashing the scene and slapping your face? Some people said that sending silk, tea, porcelain, etc., was refuted, saying that it was not sincere at all to send some things that are not useful. I don't think it's appropriate, I guess Xie Xizhen's parents are not willing to put it out for others to sit on, the Lu family's showing off like this is not worth it. In the end, it was Lu Tiandan, the only surviving master of swordsmanship in Da Chu, and Mr. Lu made the final decision with a big wave of his hand. He asked Lu Sichu to carry two chickens and ducks, and they would be slaughtered for the same day! The juniors of the Lu family were all in admiration, Jiang is indeed old and spicy! So the young man took a carriage all the way from the other side of the rich and powerful capital to this side. His mother's two chickens and ducks must have been full, and they shit when they were in the carriage, so they parked the carriage well enough. Two miles away, the young man got off the car, carrying a chicken in one hand and a duck in the other, and rushed all the way, the ground was really full of chicken feathers and duck feathers.
Xie Xizhen said angrily, "Look at your uncle."
Standing in front of Xie Xizhen, the young man raised the chicken in his hand, "Here is the master!"
Seeing that Xie Zhuzhu was about to kick someone, the young man hurried into the yard and yelled: "Auntie, where are the chickens and ducks? Can we kill them and put them in the pot at noon? I have something to do in the afternoon, I'm afraid I won't be able to eat..."
Xie Xizhen at the gate couldn't help but rolled his eyes, he really didn't treat himself as an outsider, and he didn't give gifts like this.
While his mother was chatting enthusiastically with Lu Sichu in the courtyard, Xie Xizhen frowned.
At the end of the alley, two young men walked side by side.
Because of their arrival, several neighbors who were walking towards each other were so exaggerated that they not only stopped, but also wanted to hide inside the wall.
Some old people sitting on small bamboo stools and chairs basking in the sun also fell silent suddenly.
One is Pei Sui, the future head of the Pei family, one of the top ten wealthy families in the Spring and Autumn Period. Xie Xizhen and him are classmates and friends. At that time, it was the seamless cooperation between Xie Xizhen and Pei Sui that captured Yang Shenxing and Jizhou pawns. Da Chu won the first big victory.
But there was another person, Xie Xizhen, who didn't like it.
Song Maolin, the eldest grandson of the Song Clan.
With him, Xie Xizhen, a young man known as the "Shuangbi of Chu" and "Jade Tree Linfeng", should be said to be exiled immortals.
But it's strange that Xie Xizhen can accept Kou Jianghuai's conceited arrogance, but he doesn't like Song Maolin's impeccable gentleness, kindness, courtesy and frugality.
The young Lu Sichu also didn't like this "beautiful and clean" gentleman. The reason couldn't be simpler. The young man didn't like this guy who liked the emperor's sister, and he didn't like that this guy wanted to "marry" the emperor's sister. In the words of a young man, he would rather retreat ten thousand steps and tens of thousands of steps, and would rather the emperor's sister marry the young vassal king whom he had never met before, rather than the emperor's sister whom he met in Bailudong a long time ago, with this sanctimonious Song Maolin got involved. The young man's thinking has always been exactly the same as that of the elders of Lu's parents, straight to the point, he just thinks that this kind of guy who may never openly fart in his life must be a hypocrite! Xie Xizhen, who seldom hated a single person, took it very seriously.
So Xie Xizhen stood up, smiled and walked towards his friend Pei Sui and the son of the Song family who came here, and when he grabbed Pei Sui's arm, he twisted it calmly. He quietly endured the pain and laughed along with him.
Xie Xizhen said involuntarily: "Let's go, I'll take you to find a shop to drink. Don't worry, my shop is not open today, and I don't have the habit of killing people. But it's hard to say when I won't open the pot..."
Xie Xizhen led them to choose a relatively clean restaurant. Of course, in Song Maolin's eyes, they must all be the same.
After more than half an hour, they parted happily. Xie Xizhen and Pei Sui sent Song Maolin to the carriage and watched them go.
The two walked back to the alley, and Pei Sui joked, "It's hard for you to talk nonsense to people for half an hour."
Xie Xizhen said indifferently: "The wasted saliva was made up from the drinks. The fly in the ointment is that you paid the bill, not him, Mr. Song."
Pei Sui smiled and said, "Why would Mr. Song carry that yellow and white thing with him? But if he has no money to pay the bill, Mr. Song will definitely not be stingy to take off the thousand gold jade pendant around his waist for wine money."
Xie Xicun smiled and said: "That's another good talk."
Pei Sui put her arms around Xie Xizhen's shoulders, and said shamelessly: "It's okay, anyway, my friendship with the Song family only ends here, so you should just drink with me for half an hour."
It is nothing short of a miracle that Xie Xizhen, who was born in a poor family, can become good friends with the Pei family's children who are so different from each other. You must know that Da Chu, who has a strict family background, has always been a low-ranking person in the crown family. He regards the children of Han Su as humble as servants, ashamed to be in the company, and never sits at the same table. At that time, Xie Pei and Xie Pei became classmates, and they did not know each other's identities. Pei Sui's mantra was that I like to be brothers with people who treat money like dung. I am willing to pick dung every day. Xie Xizhen guessed that this guy had a good background, but when Pei Sui finally revealed his family background, Xie Xizhen was still a little shocked. The Pei family in Kunyang, since the Dafeng Dynasty, has been a real wealthy family who "only married nine surnames and did not enter the emperor's family". It was also at that time that Xie Xizhen regarded Pei Sui as a friend, not because he was What is unattainable but willing to be a disciple of the Pei family who is willing to get along with each other, but is willing to frankly tell Xie Xizhen the true identity of Pei Sui, a poor family who was still unknown at that time.
Their husband, Cao Changqing, was the one who used to drink cross-legged with Xie Xizhen's father.
Cao Changqing told them these two students with very different identities very early on: the truth in the world is the truth, it is not unreasonable because of the small number of people, and it is not unreasonable because of the large number of people. Don't bully people because they are poor, and don't flatter them because they are valuable. Don't think that all people are good because they are poor, and don't think that all people are evil because they are valuable. Knowing the truth leads to courtesy, and courtesy comes from the fear of collapse, so the world is peaceful and everyone is happy. This is the way of Confucianism.
Pei Sui said softly: "Song Maolin's thoughts are not complicated. Now someone in the court is suggesting that Wu Chongxuan defected to southern Xinjiang, and we take the opportunity to form an alliance with King Yanchi. The implication is nothing more than trying to persuade Zhao Bing to let his son Zhao Zhu 'marry' Of course, Song Maolin can't sit still for my great Chu Jiang family."
Xie Xizhen sneered and said: "If you have the ability to work hard on your own, relying on small abacus to calculate and calculate, can you calculate a country? It's not a thing!"
Pei Sui laughed and said, "You didn't scold me too, did you?"
Xie Xizhen turned her head and smiled, "Why don't you let me think about it?"
Pei Sui said helplessly: "It's too late to make a bad friend by mistake!"
Xie Xizhen said angrily: "Then hurry up and catch up with the eldest son of the Song family, it's not too late."
Pei Sui laughed and said, "Forget it, I feel uncomfortable all over, I'm an outlier who accidentally came from a wealthy family, I can't pee in the same pot as them."
Xie Xizhen said expressionlessly, "Is it because I can't drink a urinal?"
Pei Sui's face turned pale, and he said bitterly, "Xie Xizhen, can you stop being so disgusting?"
Xie Xizhen said sternly, "It's difficult!"
Pei Sui sighed heavily. Having known each other for so many years, Pei Sui knew how to deal with this guy who likes to make serious jokes. He had to use self-defilement to make himself invincible. Pei Tiaodung's good brother!"
Xie Xizhen smiled and said, "Pei picks the dung, remember to wash your hands before you come to my house for dinner."
Pei Sui took a deep breath, "OK!"
Before entering the alley, Xie Xizhen suddenly said inexplicably: "Pei Sui, let me ask you, if there is something I really want to do, but I am afraid that I will regret it, what should I do?"
Pei Sui said bluntly: "Afraid of regret if you do it? This is nonsense. If you don't do it, you will definitely regret it. Since you do it, you may regret it. Why don't you do it? Xie Xizhen, Xie Xizhen, you Is your brain caught by the door panel?"
Pei Sui, who managed to get back a victory, was a little complacent.
Xie Xizhen, who walked forward with his head bowed, said softly, "Yes."
Pei Sui asked curiously: "Is there anything in the world that you, Xie Xizhen, are hesitating about?"
Pei Sui suddenly said in horror: "You kid, don't you want to go to Tai'an City to become an official? Be careful, I will inform you!"
Xie Xizhen yelled angrily: "Pei picks shit! The surname is Pei! Looking for shit is not enough, and you want to die?!"
Then Xie Xizhen noticed that this guy kept smiling and looked forward.
Then, Xie Xizhen found a stunned woman standing at the door of a house not far away, as if frightened by his vulgar words, she was helpless and pitiful.
Xie Xiqian swallowed.
Pei Sui's eyes were so vicious, he could see the clue right away, that's called gloating. How can an ordinary woman make Xie Xizhen lose her composure like this
How many men in the world can escape the most powerful murderous flying sword in the world, the "childhood sweetheart"
After all, Pei Sui didn't have the nerve to add insult to injury, and was about to leave first, when he suddenly found that his cuffs were clenched tightly.
Xie Xizhen said in a low voice: "Don't go yet, help me strengthen my courage."
Pei Sui almost burst out laughing.
Even the guy who said that "Big Chu only needs three Xie Xizhens to restore the country" needs someone to help him not show his cowardice
Pei Sui wished he could bow down to that unknown woman on the spot.
Even if his brother debated the situation with his husband, he would never feel guilty in the slightest.
The woman hesitated for a moment, and only took a quick glance at Xie Xizhen, then lowered her gaze, and was about to step up the steps quickly.
Xie Xizhen hesitated to speak.
Pei Sui elbowed the coward next to him hard.
Xie Xizhen finally trembled: "Liu Dongmei!"
Pei Sui was secretly amused, that woman's name is really... mediocre.
Xie Xizhen didn't speak too loudly, but the woman stopped, but she didn't turn around on the steps.
Xie Xizhen rubbed his cheeks habitually, and finally mustered up the courage to say, "My name is Xie Xizhen!"
Pei Sui was speechless and looked up at the sky.
Aren't you fucking nonsense, neighbors, do they still think your name is Xie Dongzhen
But the next words made Pei Sui look at him with admiration.
Xie Xizhen scratched her head and grinned, "I want to marry you as my daughter-in-law! I don't even like other women! I only like you!"
Pei Sui couldn't help stretching out her thumb, and ended up kicking Xie Xizhen.
The woman didn't turn around or make a sound, but her shoulders trembled slightly.
Xie Xizhen raised her voice with great difficulty and lowered it, "Back then... I was wrong to throw stones at your house, but... I had a reason. At that time, I thought you fell in love with Song Zhengqing, who only knew how to read books. I can't help but…”
Pei Sui looked up at the sky again.
He had some doubts that the reason why Xie Xizhen didn't want to see Song Maolin was because of his surname Song
Pei Sui felt helpless for Song Maolin for no reason.
This is a sad misunderstanding.
Xie Xizhen paused for a moment, and said loudly: "Now I am more promising than Song Zhengqing, who just passed the Tongsheng exam, really!"
Xie Xizhen stretched out a fist, smashed it on his chest, and said in a deep voice: "I, Xie Xizhen, have the same name and surname as that 'Xie Xizhen' you should have heard of, it's just me! That Xie Zhugan'er, the idiot from the Xie family who has liked you for many years! Now he is General Dachu Zhenbei, from a second-rank military general!"
Not far away, those old men and women who were sitting on stools and chairs watching the excitement fell to the ground almost at the same time.
Pei Sui suddenly narrowed his eyes quietly, with a playful look on his face.
As a son of a wealthy family, I have seen too many bad things by my ears and eyes.
There are all kinds of friendship in the world, no matter what kind of friendship between gentlemen is as light as water, friendship between villains is as sweet as honey, or husband and wife are like birds in the forest, father and son are soldiers in battle, whether monarchs and ministers are compatible, family friendship is like fine wine.
Few of them can stand the test of time. Is it really drinkable if a bowl of clear water is kept for ten or eight days? It's just a jar of good wine, if it's not sealed tightly with mud, let alone ten or eight years, it won't taste right when it's taken out next year.
Pei Sui was suddenly a little worried, because he found that no matter whether this girl who grew up in a poor alley, whether she agreed or not, it probably didn't feel right.
Not agreeing, Xie Xizhen passed her by.
Agreeing, how much sincerity is aimed at Xie Xizhen, not the name of General Zhenbei
Pei Sui felt that Xie Xizhen shouldn't have said those last few words.
But it doesn't seem right to say nothing.
Pei Sui is not blind. She knows that a woman who is about the same age as Xie Xizhen must have suffered a lot if she is still unmarried at this time, and the gossip is enough.
Xie Xizhen must have wanted to let her know that all these years of grievances were not in vain.
Pei Sui sighed softly, it would be great if his brother could wait for her to nod before he came to reveal the truth.
But Pei Sui was surprised to find that the extremely smart classmate brother, the most proud student of the "Mr. Da Chu's most proud" has no such worries at all. Even at this time, he has no regrets, as if he firmly believes in something.
The woman finally turned around, wiping away her tears before turning around.
She said something to Xie Xizhen.
After hearing these words, Pei Sui bowed to the woman solemnly, and said very willingly: "Pei Sui from Kunyang, see my sister-in-law!"
Because the woman with a vulgar name said something that Pei Sui felt was the least vulgar.
It was also these words that later led Xie Xizhen, who was loyal to Da Chu, to quietly enter Beiliang under his anonymity.
Her words were simple and decisive.
"Xie Xizhen, I used to be very afraid that I would not be able to wait for you, but from now on, I am not afraid of not being able to wait for you, because I am not afraid of being the widow of the Xie family."