Guanqingzhai

"Knock the chess piece, drop the lantern, who will break it? Who will guard it, the game will be known to the world."

An old man squatted under the eaves of the street, his body was broken and unkempt, and there was a chessboard in front of him, but there were no chess pieces. It's going to be windy and rainy.

A passer-by asked, "It's so late, old man? Are you still setting up a stall?"

The old man didn't seem to have heard his words, but kept repeating: "To whom, to whom..."

Others persuaded: "Forget it, it looks like a lunatic, don't worry about it."

"Hey, old man, you keep this bag of biscuits and take it to satisfy your hunger when you are hungry. You also take this umbrella with you. It will rain in just a moment, so you should go back early."

The old man was still knocking on the ground. Suddenly, the young man who gave the umbrella and cakes accidentally stepped into his empty chessboard when he got up. The old man suddenly stopped knocking. The passers-by couldn't help stepping back, and the old man said hoarsely, "Boy...you're in the game!"

Seeing him like this, two young passers-by were so frightened that they couldn't keep their wits about them, and they had to move forward three steps at a time.

The old man raised his head and looked at the sky, it was so dark that he couldn't see his surroundings clearly, nor could he see the chessboard in front of him clearly.He suddenly laughed loudly, the laughter fell with the torrential rain, gradually the laughter became subtle, and was finally covered by the heavy rain...

*********

The boats and boats are full of singing and dancing, and the wine and lanterns are filled with prosperity.

"Red Jesus hands, yellow vine wine, spring-colored palace walls full of willows..."

The audience waited for the sound of the swipe, but it didn't fall for a long time. Hu Yue put down the cup in his hand, raised his eyes and asked, "Why did Miss Hongqiao stop?"

Hongqiao put away the pipa, she frowned slightly and said, "Because Mr. Hu didn't listen carefully to my servant's playing the piano."

Hu Yue said: "How come..."

Hongqiao pouted, but turned her beautiful eyes and said with a smile: "Master Chu hasn't come for a long time, has Mr. Hu been lonely?"

Hu Yue gave a dry laugh, then picked up the wine glass again and pointed at Hongqiao, "Hongqiao, Hongqiao, you've made me think that I have nothing to do. A few days ago..."

Hongqiao interrupted Hu Yue, and said with a smile: "Master, I'm used to tapping my fingers when listening to music, especially when my family sings emotionally, but today you are only focused on drinking. Although I am listening to the music, I am thinking of Anything else?"

After being told by her, Hu Yue could only glance out of the boat window in embarrassment, Hongqiao followed his gaze and looked out of the window, Hongqiao shook her head helplessly, the passion in her eyes turned into a look of helplessness, she changed the subject Said: "Obviously it is already June, but why is it not hot at all?"

Hu Yue looked at the sky and said: "It stands to reason now that it has entered a small heat. Indeed, it is time to warm the wind."

Hongqiao said: "But don't talk about the warm wind, the wind here now makes people's bones cold when it blows. This is not the jacket I put down in winter, and I dare not put it away now. It seems that the weather has always been so cloudy this year. It's heavy, it's really uncomfortable."

Hu Yue knocked on the sleeping companion next to her and said, "You have to ask Taoist Xuanming, what's going on today."

Xuan Mingzi woke up immediately after being pushed by Hu Yue. He touched his face and asked, "Let's go? Okay, continue to drink there?"

Hu Yue said: "It seems that you really don't want to listen to the music."

Hongqiao gave Xuan Mingzi a blank look, and Xuan Mingzi quickly said: "What kind of nonsense is this, why don't I like to listen to it, it's because I like to listen to it, that's why I sink into it, and I'm fascinated by it, I travel to Yingtai Wonderland without knowing it Where it belongs. This sound is only because it exists in the sky, and it is rare to hear it for a while in the world."

Hongqiao could only blink at Xuan Mingzi's words, and after a while she rarely showed shyness, covered half of her face with a fan and said, "Hehe, the Daoist praised you."

Hu Yue knocked on the table and said: "Okay, then you can continue to explain to us why the weather has become so strange."

Xuan Mingzi patted his legs and looked at the sky outside and said: "Solutions, the way of heaven, cannot be done by human beings. The way of heaven does nothing, and it has its own conclusions. If you ask me about the way of heaven as a mortal, isn't that nonsense?"

Hu Yue said: "The way of heaven has its own way, and the solar terms of the four seasons have their own way, but now it is a small heat, and the warm wind is blowing, and the crickets are singing. Now look, I guess you haven't taken off your cotton coat yet."

Xuan Mingzi turned his eyes, and he said: "Joke, I am a cultivator, and the cold and heat have long since passed away, but...you mean that the day is late, not the number of days, but man-made?"

Hu Yue leaned back and muttered, "Maybe it's not artificial. But there are more and more strange things recently. I think something is going to happen."

Xuan Mingzi poured a jug of wine into the cup, Hong Qiao waved the round fan in his hand, and quietly sat beside the two of them, Xuan Mingzi lowered his voice and said, "Old fox, did you hear something?"

Hu Yue said: "Although I don't know the reason, I have heard a rumor that is somewhat related to this matter."

When Hongqiao heard that there was a secret text to listen to, she hurriedly urged: "Master, tell us quickly, what kind of rumor is it?"

Hu Yue half-closed her eyes and said, "I heard that the late emperor had a plum concubine. Although she had no heirs, she lived in the palace for a long time, and her status was different from that of ordinary concubines. The late emperor called her the number one chess player in the world."

Xuan Ming was stunned for a moment, and he said: "To be praised so much by the late emperor, that is a remarkable woman."

Hu Yue said: "That's exactly the case, and the most admirable thing this Concubine Mei did was to 'remonstrate'. It was during the reign of the late Emperor. Bei Di invaded, but the late Emperor had just subsided because of the war in southern Xinjiang. The three armies of Lord Jingguo were too late to turn around, but if the late emperor personally marched, the capital would be empty, and the weather at that time had become as weird as it is now. When the late emperor hesitated, this Concubine Mei solved the late emperor's difficulties with a game of chess. Taking advantage of the gap , Adjusting 300% of the troops, so the formation of doubts, so that Beidi does not know the reality, after the winter, the enemy will not be able to attack, but at this time our army will have a winter and a spring, when we fight again, it is already the right time, place and people, but we are sure to win , and this strange woman who can discern the weather was called the number one female wisdom in the world within [-] years by the late emperor."

Xuan Mingzi said, "Then what do you think she has to do with the weather?"

Hu Yue said: "I remember the death of the first emperor. It seems that a similar situation has occurred in the sky. Someone came forward to advise, saying that we must pay attention to floods. He also proposed the matter of digging canals. One of the three most important things for the emperor to enthroned It is to dig water transport, and in the next three years, as long as it rains, there will be floods, but with water transport, food can be exchanged between the north and the south, and the floods have also been relieved by the opening of water transport. , the way of admonishment is still through the chess game. Two crucial problems have been solved in the two chess games. This is a very interesting thing. What happened to the game? Or the credit for the chess game itself is no longer known.”

Xuan Mingzi said: "Could it be that you think the chess game of the two remonstrances is the same?"

Hu Yue said: "I don't know, but it is said that no one has seen this Concubine Mei anymore. There are even rumors that she has passed away for many years."

Xuan Mingzi said: "But if she is really dead, she must at least have a posthumous title, but now there is no news at all."

Hu Yue said: "Yes, the blame is that this Concubine Mei, who knows the time and destiny, seems to have no such person anymore, and she doesn't know life and death. However, there are rumors in the palace that there is no such person, which means that she is not real. Existence. The allusion of "Mei Fei Yi Jian" is also like the legendary novel, which has become intangible."

Xuan Mingzi asked: "Then how do you know about this? Could it be that you heard it from 'him'?"

Hu Yue curled her lips and said, "Do you think everyone misses you the same?"

Hu Yue said: "I heard from those old maids that they have seen her, she is an extremely beautiful person."

Xuan Mingzi said: "This is the point, Hu Yue always cares about beautiful women."

Hu Yue coughed, and said, "I'm not curious about her, but about the chess game."

Hongqiao smiled and said, "I have a way to know the details."

The two looked at Hongqiao who was smiling very proudly, and Hu Yue let out a sigh, and Hongqiao said: "I know a musician, he used to be a member of the teaching workshop, and now he plays for the palace. The most important thing is that he is now The celebrity around the Queen Mother, so..."

Hu Yue said, "You want to introduce us to meet him?"

Hongqiao shook her head triumphantly and said, "Hehe, it's more than that, I can let you see the current queen mother!"

Hu Yue and Xuan Mingzi looked at each other, and said in unison: "That's unnecessary."

Hongqiao was stunned for a moment, she didn't expect these two commoner Qianshou to have the opportunity to meet the current Empress Dowager, and it was as if she wanted them to go to hell."Why?" she asked.

Hu Yue glanced at Xuan Mingzi and said, "We are just grassroots, we just don't have this kind of merit."

Xuan Mingzi hurriedly echoed: "Yes, yes, it is better not to watch it after watching Zheshou."

Hongqiao said: "It's rare to have a chance, but that's all. After this Shangchun meeting, if I meet Master Li, I will ask him."

The two nodded in agreement, and then each smiled.I will not mention this matter any more.

After they left the boat and the two were walking on the road, Xuan Mingzi spoke first: "Is it because you don't want to see the royal family because they can't know your identity?"

Hu Yue looked at Xuan Mingzi with her hands behind her back and said, "Is it because you don't see the royal family because you can't let them know your past identity?"

The two looked at each other and smiled again, Hu Yue said: "But this matter does have something to do with Tianshi."

Xuan Mingzi raised his eyebrows and said, "That's why 'he' didn't show up? Sure enough, it was because of him."

Hu Yue didn't answer, Xuan Mingzi said, "If that's the case, why don't you lend a hand?"

Hu Yue looked at Xuan Mingzi inexplicably and said: "Do you think I have the ability to help? I have not been able to see through his ability so far. Don't you wonder what kind of person he is?"

It was rare for Xuan Mingzi to remain silent, and he said, "Old fox, how did you know such a number one person?"

Hu Yue waved his fan and said, "The title deed of Guanqingzhai belongs to him. Strictly speaking, he belongs to my landlord."

Xuan Mingzi hummed and asked, "And then?"

Hu Yue said: "That's it. He is the landlord and I am the tenant. The wine is equally good. He saw that I brewed 'Danxiang' wine, and then we became acquainted."

Xuan Mingzi scratched his hair when he heard this, and said, "Didn't you ask him about his origin? You can borrow the Azure Dragon Ruler if you have nothing to do, and you can use the Soul Condensation Orb as a bet? Seeing Shi Lingzi like this for a hundred years? The rare fetish can be someone who doesn't even frown. Don't you think that even if you say that he is a relative of the emperor, you can't be fooled? Aren't you the most alert on weekdays? How come you can't deal with Uncle Chu at all? Heartless?"

Hu Yue glanced at him and said, "He didn't ask me where I came from, and he hasn't harmed me so far. Why do I have to go out of my way to dig out other people's background? And there is..."

Xuan Mingzi stared at Hu Yue coldly, Hu Yue looked at him and couldn't continue talking, he asked, "Why are you looking at me like this?"

Xuan Mingzi said lightly, "You're in love with him."

Hu Yue's expression faltered, but he burst out laughing immediately, and said, "What did you say?"

Xuan Mingzi still looked at him, and he said, "You are in love with Chu Jue."

Hu Yue smiled wryly and said, "If I could be emotional to people, I wouldn't be Hu Yue..."

Xuan Mingzi sneered and said: "Whether you are emotional or not is your business, and if you just talk about this matter, if you don't intervene, you won't talk about it. You are considered a celebrity in that teaching workshop. Don't you know that Hong is so angry?" Does she know that Master Li who got into the position by flattering the Queen Mother? Hey, isn't the old fox just trying to find out through other people's hands? And the key point is, do you suspect that this matter is related to me, so you delay Come, test me?"

Hu Yue smiled and did not deny it, he said: "Brother Can Mei only guessed one, but not the other."

Xuan Mingzi pulled his face and asked, "Is there any other reason?"

Hu Yue smiled and said, "Didn't I already tell you the reason? I want to know what kind of chess game it is."

Xuan Mingzi patted his clothes, glanced at him and said, "Humph, I don't know what kind of medicine is sold in the gourd. It's rare that you are willing to work hard for others. Let me tell you one thing. It is said that people often see people setting Chess game."

Hu Yue opened the fan and looked at Xuan Mingzi. Xuan Mingzi folded his arms and continued: "The chess setters only appear at night, but they don't appear during the day. It's just that there are always stones on the ground." Chess game."

Hu Yue smiled and said: "It's so elegant..."

Xuan Mingzi twisted his mouth and said: "Fengya? The evil sect is right. It is said that all those who tried to break the chess game died inexplicably. The most terrifying thing is that as long as someone steps into this chess circle, they will die too. People Now I hide away when I see someone playing chess or there is a circle on the ground, and I dare not even walk over to see a vague shadow on the ground. I am afraid that I will die in such an inexplicable way.”

Hu Yue knocked on her fan and said thoughtfully: "Can Mei, do you think we can encounter this when we are wandering around now?"

Xuan Mingzi shook his head and said: "This matter has nothing to do with me. I am different from you. I am only interested in the art of spells. I am not sensitive to this kind of death. You should find another A drinking buddy, he is much more capable than me, and he has never refused you."

After speaking, he waved his hand and walked in the other direction.

Hu Yue walked on the stone road, thinking of the previous things, he couldn't help laughing, and then he laughed so hard that even he himself felt desolate. Hu Yue supported the wall, and he said softly: "People like me can also be emotional. ?”

Just as Hu Yue was rushing back to Guanqingzhai, a figure walked out of the passageway of Longmen in the Old City View. The man heard footsteps behind him, but he didn't turn his head.

Someone came to light an oil lamp, under the faint light, there was a pair of extremely beautiful eyes, but neither of them spoke, they just looked out of the city gate quietly, as if they were waiting for someone.

I don't know how long the two stood there, one of them moved and started to walk back.

A young woman's voice came from the dark passage: "The time is coming soon? This matter must be done quickly, and I hope you will help me..."

The other person didn't answer, the woman sighed, and only said two words: Forget it, it's God's will.

The woman finally said: "Why did you help me?"

The man stopped, let out a chuckle, and left.

The woman extinguished the oil lamp in too much haste, so she couldn't see the look in her eyes clearly.