Qin Chu Yuhuang

Jiang Jitang used osmanthus to drive away the lake water, and returned with a boat full of water chestnuts.Tian Luli was carving jade in the room, and there was not much Jieyu sand brought back from Yingdu. He had to finish carving the jade bibi sent by Feng Jun as soon as possible, so that he could leave some money after purchasing the materials.

Jiang Jitang pushed open the door of the zi, steaming water chestnut and porridge on the ji.He walked into the room with the food table, and put a plate of water chestnut, a rice bowl and a bean soup by the window.Before Jiang Jitang served the dishes, Tian Luli got up and walked to the window. He looked at Jiang Jitang's callused hands due to years of hard work, and couldn't help but think of how fair and slender those hands were when he was young.

Tian Luli moved some water chestnuts and soup to his side, and then pushed the whole food table in front of Jiang Jitang.

"Ziheng?" Jiang Jitang was taken aback, and quickly pushed the food table over, "I've already eaten."

"Zi Nan, I don't know you yet," Tian Luli looked at him helplessly, "I've been managing jade for the past few days, and you've been plowing the fields, fishing and picking water chestnuts. You should use more food, I don't care. "

Seeing that Jiang Jitang couldn't beat him, he had no choice but to take over the food case.Tian Luli looked at him wanting to gobble it up but secretly suppressing it, knowing that he definitely didn't leave much food for himself.

After escaping from Yingdu, the two returned to the countryside of Dongting County by boat. When Tian Luli returned to his hometown last time, he was still feeling the desolation of his hometown. Unexpectedly, this time he saw only overgrown grass and birds and beasts.

Years of wars have completely destroyed the countryside of Southern Chu, and the fertile wilderness is now barren.The flames of war raged, and the two had to temporarily avoid living in the mountains. Unexpectedly, they never had the opportunity to leave the mountains after this trip.

Jiang Jitang silently undertook almost all the labor. He said that he was reluctant to let the hands of a generation of jade masters be scarred, even though Jiang Jitang was already unrivaled in Yingdu.Some princes and lords heard that the two had fled to the countryside, and often sent people with uncut jade to ask them to carve.But Jiang Jitang always let Tian Luli take care of Yu with peace of mind, and took care of the ups and downs outside with his own strength.

A few days later, Tian Luli finished the work, and he went to the city with the jade to present it to Feng Jun, and went to buy some utensils along the way.

At dusk, Jiang Jitang was sitting in front of the door, looking north along the flowing water, sometimes happy and sometimes sad.Suddenly, a cypress boat pierced through the sunset in the middle of the river and came back at the junction of the water and the sky. Jiang Jitang stood up joyfully and stared at him from a distance. The man also smiled and boarded the bow to wave to him.

"Ziheng!" Jiang Jitang couldn't hide his joy, and walked forward quickly.Tian Luli took out a wooden box from the boat and handed it to Jiang Jitang, and went ashore with a few bags.He turned his head and smiled and said to Jiang Jitang: "I was lucky enough to be rewarded by the emperor this time, and I was able to buy some tools, and I still have money to buy rice."

Jiang Jitang opened the wooden box and was stunned.Inside the wooden box is a complete set of jade treatment tools and a few pieces of high-quality uncut jade.Tian Luli stood behind him and said with a smile: "Zi Nan, why am I willing to let the most outstanding beauties in Yingdu be busy with farming and waste time in vain?"

Hearing this, Jiang Jitang took a deep look at Tian Luli, with mixed feelings.

The mountains were quiet for years, and at first there were two people who entrusted them to manage the jade. As the capital moved eastward, they were gradually forgotten by the nobles.The two farmed side by side, and traveled in the mountains and rivers in their free time, and they didn't feel that there was a gap between them.

Tian Luli looks at the green mountains every day, and feels that the Qin Palace, Yingdu, and Yunmengze he visited when he was a teenager in his memory are like a big dream. After waking up from the dream, he is still a farmer working in the countryside of Dongting County in Southern Chu. In the declining fields, he worked hard all his life like his ancestors did.

Only when he sees Jiang Jitang next to him can he be sure that those beautiful memories are not just a dream.He was nostalgic for Jiang Jitang's company, but he felt guilty because Jiang Jitang couldn't return to his hometown.He had solemnly held that piece of jade and gave it to Jiang Jitang, but Jiang Jitang still pushed the jade back into his hand as gently as the night he fled Yingdu.As a last resort, Tian Luli had no choice but to take the leftover materials from Qin Ying's assembly that he carried with him as a gift, and Jiang Jitang happily accepted it.

When there was no uncut jade, Tian Luli often went to Jiangzhong Mountain to pick up some smooth stones as raw materials for processing and chatting for self-entertainment. Jiang Jitang saw it and felt depressed.He also often inquired about the situation outside, but only got news that the state of Chu was becoming more and more turbulent.He carefully told Tian Luli the news, but unexpectedly Tian Luli showed a bitter smile, and after a long time, tears fell down the line.

Seemingly unable to survive the long night, Tian Luli went to bed early.Jiang Jitang often went to the courtyard at night to light a lamp to carve jade, so that the piece of raw jade gradually took on the shape of a jade huang.

Under the starry sky, he recalled the idea when he carved that piece of jade and Tian Luli's agile and smooth carving.He continued to appreciate Tian Luli's teachings, and tried to carve that person's gorgeous and treacherous, soaring dragon pattern on the jade huang.Every cut he made was so heavy and serious, as if he wanted to firmly engrave the man's face in his heart.

The four seasons rotate, and when the autumn wind covers the maple forests in colorful red along the rolling contours of the mountains, Tian Luli takes Jiang Jitang to pick herbs and fruits in the mountains.Tian Luli leaned over, tied Zhe Qiulan around his waist, and then held three beautiful gifts to Jiang Jitang beside him.He walked slowly along the mountain path, looked back at the autumn mountains shrouded in clouds and mist, and suddenly chanted in a long voice: "It's sad that autumn is the air! The bleak grass and trees are shaking and decaying. If you are traveling far away, you can climb the mountain." Come to the water and send the general back."

Jiang Jitang was taken aback, and turned his head to look at Tian Luli, but only saw Tian Luli's ancient and calm eyes.

In the 23rd year, King Qingxiang received more than [-] soldiers from the east, and returned to the west to take fifteen cities beside the Bajiang River that Qin had taken as a county, which was far away from Qin.

When Tian Luli received the good news, he couldn't help being overjoyed. He lingered in the small room for a long time, full of thoughts.But considering Jiang Jitang's feelings, he suppressed his ecstatic expression again.

When Jiang Jitang pushed open the door, he only saw Tian Luli's back standing in front of the north facing window with his hands behind his back.Tian Luli didn't turn around, and said solemnly and with some longing: "I knew that Chu's 800-year foundation would not be completely destroyed overnight. Zinan, we will definitely see the day when peace really comes!"

Jiang Jitang was not as happy as Tian Luli. He grew up in Qin since he was a child, and he has a deep understanding of the bravery of Qin soldiers and the common hatred of the whole country.But seeing that Tian Luli was so happy, and thinking that most of his playmates in his childhood were encouraged by the military merit system and would never return to his hometown, he just stepped forward to stand side by side with Tian Luli, and said, "That's natural. "

In the 27th year, he returned to Qin Ping and entered the prince as a hostage to Qin.

The spring day in the southern country is warm and windy, Tian Luli dragged Jiang Jitang to admire the flowers all over the mountains under the morning glow.From time to time, he picked fragrant herbs and put them in the sachet that he carried with him, gradually filling his bosom with a strange fragrance.The stream is gurgling, and the new willows along the bank caress the blue waves. Tian Luli caresses the willow branches between his fingers for a long time before breaking them and holding them in his hands.He and Jiang Jitang traveled downstream and gradually arrived at Nanpu, which is open and flat by the river.Xiaguang smudged the spring water into a bright red, and he held the sachet with his back to the river and made a salute, and handed the sachet to Jiang Jitang. "I'm ashamed of picking Qiong Zhi, and Jing Qiong is rice. Zinan, this fragrant and clean grass is matched with the beautiful jade you carved, so it can be regarded as eating Qiong Qi."

Jiang Jitang smiled and took the sachet and tied it around his waist.Tian Luli seemed to hesitate for a while, then walked forward holding a willow branch.Jiang Jitang was startled, and suddenly thought of Qu Zi's verse——Ji fights and travels eastward, and sends beauty away to Nanpu.

"Ziheng?"

"It's been so many years, it's rare that Qin and Chu stopped fighting again." Tian Luli lowered his head and seemed to smile, "Zi Nan, we are no longer young. When you said you would come to Chu to learn art, Chu learned from Hanyang Zhuji, Craftsmanship is the best in the world. But Qin State has also been recruiting wise men from all over the world. It is better for you to return to Qin State to discuss with all the craftsmen than to live in the mountains with me. Traveling thousands of miles is exhausting. Birds fly back to their hometown, and foxes die. It is human nature to return to the roots. I can't take it away. I will give you new willows to talk about the sorrow of parting."

Jiang Jitang held the willow stick and looked across the misty river. He suddenly stepped forward to hold Tian Luli's hand, put the willow branch back into Tian Luli's hand, and said, "The willow, stay here. The outstanding people in Southern Chu will die here. Very good."

Tian Luli raised his head, with tears still remaining in the corners of his eyes.Jiang Jitang gently wiped away his tears, and solemnly pinned the willow branch to Tian Luli's waist.

The gurgling stream of the mountain sent away decades of time, and the two of them were getting old before they knew it.Even in his later years, Tian Luli is still groomed and graceful.He often strokes the piece of jade carved by the two together, recalling the happy time when Qin and Chu were friends.The grass is withered, and the wind and snow are coming.When Jiang Jitang pushed the door through the heavy snow and entered, Tian Luli was lying on the fireside mat, holding the jade huang on his chest with both hands. Seeing him, Tian Luli suddenly smiled and said softly: "Zi Nan, I might never I can't see the day of peace. The only thing I am grateful for is that I have you by my side in this life, which is enough."

A cypress coffin was hurriedly buried in the heavy snow. Jiang Jitang leaned against the grave and held the jade huang carved with the leftover materials from Qin Ying's assembly that Tian Luli had given him many years ago. He closed his eyes and whispered softly: "Ziheng , Yuhuang can dispel evil spirits, with its protection, you must not be bullied when you are down below, otherwise, I will feel very distressed."

On the day when Jiang Jitang finally failed to see peace, he entrusted someone to send the piece of jade back to Chen Cang, and buried it next to his parents' grave as a clothes tomb.That day, the pines and cypresses were green, and after the coffin was buried, the dense green shade covered the soil, leaving only mottled light and shadows.