Jufeng Town in the south of Liyang Gyeonggi is a hub of the longitudinal canal. It was originally just a remote village that no one cares about, but it has become a large-scale prosperous town in just 20 years. town.
A Confucian scholar in green shirt entered Jufeng Town with a small bag on his back, and he was not conspicuous in the town full of fish and dragons. Now there is a saying in Jufeng Town: those who return to the north are all cowards, and those who go south are golden nobles. Because horseshoes are often heard near Jufeng Town recently, and large cavalry troops continue to rush south to help Guangling Road. It is said that the overall situation is about to be settled. The most exaggerated thing is that a certain veteran who is one of the Guan Ding Haishen needles on the two Liao borders, let his eldest grandson get a solid official status as a full-time captain on the Liaodong border, and he was in a hurry. He kicked his grandson out of the frontier army and threw him to the Guanglingdao battlefield. It is said that he changed his body and became the military staff of the Nanzheng coach Lu Shengxiang. Naturally, he has a bright future.
The Confucian scholar did not find an inn to rest, but went straight to the famous book market in Jufeng Town. There are bookstores and bookstores on both sides of a 300-step street. Although the history of Jufeng Town is full, it is only twenty In the coming year, many shops dared to display the brand name of a century-old brand, but most of the book buyers laughed it off and didn't bother to care about it. Confucian scholars did not choose those bookstores with gold-lettered signboards, but stepped into a small, narrow and dark bookstore in the second half of the street. When compiling books, there are no rare and rare copies for sale, and there is absolutely no such thing as a tome that cannot be engraved by the imperial court. Whether or not you can get into the fan-printed version is purely a matter of personal preference.
Seeing this Confucian scholar stepping over the threshold, the middle-aged shopkeeper who was entertaining a group of young customers was all smiles. He quickly put down the business at hand and stepped forward to greet him. I don’t buy many books, but for more than ten years, I will patronize it almost every two years. The most important thing is that I have a good conversation with his father, so that his father who rarely drinks alcohol will always make an exception during his lifetime. He took the Confucian scholar to sit down and have a drink, saying that it was a drink, and he could drink two catties of wine while drinking.
The Confucian scholar smiled and asked Brother Chu, last time he was talking about the colorful version of "Grass and Insects Singing Under the Lamp" that he couldn't find, and I brought him it. The middle-aged shopkeeper said frankly Mr. Cao, my father passed away last year. The Confucian scholar was stunned for a moment, a little sentimental, but he still took out the book from his luggage. The middle-aged man smiled and said he left and left. My father was seventy-one when he left. Before he left, the old man would often laugh and talk about life Seventy has been rare since ancient times, and it is earned in this life. Mr. Cao, my father has no illness or disaster, and he left after sleeping. As sons, we don't need to worry too much. But before my father left, he often talked about my husband, saying that if he could have a drink with him before he died, then his life would be considered complete. The Confucian scholar surnamed Cao apologized and said that he had the opportunity to come here last year, but he was in a hurry and felt inconvenient. If he had known this, he should have come no matter what. You take this book, and when you go back to offer a toast to Old Brother Chu's grave, just burn it.
The middle-aged shopkeeper joked with a smile, Mr. Cao, then I won’t give you any money.
The Confucian scholar hurriedly smiled and waved his hands. He has drank so much wine in vain for so many years, so he has the nerve to ask you for money. By the way, if I remember correctly, the child Yuqiao from your family should also have the crown ceremony, right
The middle-aged man seemed to get angry whenever he mentioned that bastard, so he had no choice but to say goodbye to that bastard, Mr. Cao, you don’t know, our family is not a family of poetry and books, nor can it be called a scholarly family, but it’s good every day. People who deal with sages, aren't they? Who would have thought that the boy would not listen to persuasion as he grew older, and with his thin bamboo pole figure, he was going to join the army. Not long ago, he ran to the county town with a few good friends of the same age in the town and said that there was a back door to open it. If you are lucky, you can go to the south to fight directly. In the end, he came back sullen. I asked him and didn’t say anything. He just got up and ran to the side of the canal every day when the cock crowed. If you want me to say, this kid is young, no Knowing that there is nothing in the world is more comfortable and comfortable than living a peaceful life. Mr. Cao, that kid is getting old, and it doesn’t work for me to talk about being a father, but he has listened to you since he was a child. If the husband is not in a hurry to leave, I will go to him. The husband must help talk about him. If you can Twist his tendon back, and I will give him a set of "Winter Snow and Luoping Collection" by the Chongwen Museum of Western Chu Dynasty. It is a good thing that my father is not willing to take away. He told me to keep it as a family heirloom. Passed down from generation to generation.
Before the Confucian scholar surnamed Cao could say anything, the middle-aged shopkeeper didn't even care about the business, and ran to the street to look for his son who grew older and became more worrying.
Five or six young male and female customers in the small shop chatted boredly, and there was a heated discussion at the moment. Naturally, the one-sided Guangling War began first, and they all thought it was time to draw a conclusion. These rich and noble children with a capital accent are indeed worthy of being people who live at the feet of the emperor, and their words are swaying. Although their voices are not loud, they can be heard very loudly by others. After commenting on the military exploits and abilities of the leading generals of the imperial court, the civil and military ministers of Xichu were given a pass, and Cao Changqing, the real backbone of the restoration of the Western Chu, was soon mentioned. As a result, the two sides had opposing opinions. One side said that Cao Changqing was just a martial artist His cultivation base and Go attainments are outstanding, but his ability to truly use the country as a chessboard is not enough. The other party retorted that Cao Changqing is a clever woman who can't cook without rice, and that losing in Western Chu would not have the right time, place and people, and it was definitely not that the high official was weak in chess. The dispute could not be resolved, both sides were close friends and could never fight, so in the end, inexplicably, the topic was shifted to the former empress of Western Chu Dynasty. The two young women were a little sympathetic when they talked about her. Forget it, after the fall of Western Chu, there were rumors in the old capital that it was that woman who ruined the luck of Great Chu, otherwise, based on the original fate of Western Chu, there should be one hundred and sixty years of Guozuo to survive. Soon another young man smiled and said, why is the saying "ten sheep and nine incompletes" popular in the world today, isn't it because the empress of Xichu is a sheep
Not far away, the Confucian scholar in blue with white temples, was silent.
A young son who kept playing with a small bronze seal laughed softly and said, "Not to mention that Cao Changqing's reputation is hard to live up to, the King of Beiliang really made a foolish move. The court has clearly relaxed Guangling's water transportation. He even led ten thousand cavalry troops south to Guangling Road, under the banner of Jing Nan to quell the rebellion, but no one knew that he was actually going to rescue some remnants of Western Chu. They control the Northwest Gate in their hands, and they claim to have 300,000 cavalry. My father calculated with others in the Ministry of War, and estimated that there should be about 120,000 to 30,000 cavalry. Sigh, we are really aggrieved, if there is no North Mang, the Xu family in Beiliang should have handed over their military power a long time ago."
The Confucian scholar put down a yellowed ancient book and said with a smile, "Otherwise, I would be afraid of the word 'if' when talking about worldly affairs."
Those people have actually seen this scholar in green shirts for a long time, he has a good demeanor, although he doesn't look like an official, most of the people in Liyang are more polite to scholars, and most of the hermits in the world have such a high-standard and outstanding appearance, These well-known young people came from the official families of the capital, so naturally they would not turn a bad face towards them.
The Confucian scholar smiled and asked: "I have always been curious, why did the young Northwest feudal lord fight to the death at the border, can you explain it to me?"
A young man with crooked looks said in a loud voice: "Isn't he Xu Fengnian the master of martial arts? Since he died, no one would kill him. Why didn't he lead the Beiliang cavalry to fight? If he lost, it was nothing more than Just run away, and if you win, you will be famous through the ages. If it were me, I would fight Beimang the same way, and beat Beimang to death!"
The Confucian scholar asked again: "Then why didn't he join forces with Beimang, the 300,000 Beiliang frontier army, and Beimang's million-strong army, and go south to the Central Plains together. Compared with defeating Beimang, is the chance of winning better?"
The young man was stunned for a moment, and said confidently: "It must be that the surname Xu did not dare to seek skins from tigers. The barbarians in Beimang are bloodthirsty by nature. In addition, they must take the Beiliang cavalry as the vanguard. When the Central Plains are finally conquered, there will be no more left in Beiliang." With tens of thousands of horses, isn't that old woman in Beimang going to cross the river and demolish the bridge with one hand
In the end, not only did the person surnamed Xu not take advantage of it, but his head was cut off. The person surnamed Xu is not a fool, how could he do such a loss-making business? What do you think sir? "
The Confucian scholar nodded and smiled, "That makes sense."
Then, as if thinking of something, the Confucian scholar waved his hands and said, "I can't afford to be a gentleman, and I have never been an official in Liyang. My surname is Cao. You may as well call me Lao Cao."
The handsome young man playing with the bronze seal asked tentatively: "Listen to the accent, Mr. Cao... Oh no, Lao Cao, are you from Guangling Road?"
The Confucian scholar nodded, and laughed at himself, "That's why I'm not an official."
Everyone was relieved, and naturally felt that this person was unable to be a high-ranking official in the Liyang court because of his background as a Taoist in Guangling. He probably had some knowledge and literati integrity, and he was unwilling to be a minor official in the Liyang court. I simply became a poor scholar who traveled all the year round.
The Confucian scholar who was full of travel and dust first glanced south suddenly, and then seemed to have the intention of leaving, turned his head and said gently to the group of young men and women: "Originally, I also have an 'if' to tell everyone, just But if there is something to do, I need to go ahead, I'm afraid I won't be able to wait for the owner of this shop, so please tell me."
A woman, Jiao Didi, tried to persuade her to stay: "I said 'if' and it's not too late to leave."
The Confucian scholar, whose temples were frost-white but with a unique style, shook his head with a smile and said, "There is something that cannot be delayed."
After finishing speaking, the Confucian scholar walked out of the bookstore and walked out of the town along the small street.
All the way north, he deliberately restrained his breath, so he didn't walk fast, because he wanted to meet some old friends and old friends like Jufeng Town Bookstore, and he was afraid that they would be affected by Chiyu after his death.
The world is afraid of what if, and the world is afraid of what happens.
So his "if" is destined to be unknown to the world.
If in his official position, he personally led the army to go north for the restoration of the Western Chu Kingdom, and at the same time Gu Jiantang's Liyang and Liao frontier troops went south to Tai'an City, and Wang Sui resisted Beimang's horseshoe and took the opportunity to go south, Xu Fengnian's 300,000 Beiliang Because of a woman surnamed Jiang, the iron cavalry chose to stand still. And with Chen Zhibao leading the Shu army to sit on Guangling Road, it only needs to involve the two armies of Wu Chongxuan and Xu Gong, and there is no need to deliberately intercept the Southern Xinjiang army under the command of Yan Chi Wang Zhao Bing to help Tai'an City, because it is too late.
So is the world still surnamed Zhao
He doesn't think so.
Cao Changqing doesn't think so!
After the man walked out of Jufeng Town slowly, he took off his bag and took out two chess boxes.
Let me, Cao Changqing, play a final game of chess for you.