All your life is gentle

Zi Shi pushed aside the long grass at the entrance of the cave, staring blankly at the fire in the north.

The entire city of Tongcheng is covered with golden red, and the black sky in the distance seems to have turned into molten cast iron, erupting volcanoes, molten iron magma rolling in, trying to swallow the world.Whether it is the sunset or the morning glow in my memory, there is no scenery that can compare to the magnificence of this moment.

Good fortune is sometimes poor, but manpower is always infinite.My own father set fire to the house***, which was already very spectacular.It turns out that setting fire to the city can produce this effect.

Tongcheng Tongcheng, today the city lives up to its name.

Who set this fire?Across the fire, a drum noise could be faintly heard.Are they fighting again?its not right.During the siege that day, General Lin sent people out of the city several times to ask for help, but they never returned.After so many days, who would come here to fight Xi Rong?Listening to this movement, there are still many people.If we really want to fight again, who knows what the situation will be?It's better to be still than to move, so stay on the mountain for a few more days.

After thinking about it, he stood up: "Xiaoquan, Xiaohuan, let's go out for a while."

Both children were petrified by the fire in front of them.Zi Shi patted them, and then he came to his senses.

Li Quan looked at it for a while, then turned his head, the flames reflected on his face, and his expression was confused: "Brother, Tongcheng... is it just gone?"

Li Huan curled his lips, tears pattering, but he didn't dare to cry loudly: "Brother - can we never go back again?"

Destiny forces people to grow up.But in one day, the two children seem to have grown up a lot.On the contrary, I sometimes seem to become naive and fragile.

"The sky is sitting on the ground, and the world is our home. Why not? Xiaoquan and Xiaohuan, from today on, home will be where we are."

Since it is necessary to hide for some days, it is necessary to reserve more rations.The dry rations that the three of them got by stealing the sheep before could probably last for a day or two without eating.Zi Shi thought of the bayberry and loquat on the way up the mountain, although they were not ripe, they might as well use them to satisfy their hunger.

With the light of the fire soaring into the sky, the three brothers and sisters quickly came to the fruit forest.They took off their coats and spread them on the ground. Zi Shi and Li Quan went up to the tree to pick them, and Li Quan was still picking them up.

"Collect more, we will try to come out as little as possible in the next few days."

"Brother, do you remember, the year before last—" Li Quan broke off a branch, which was full of fruits, and threw it to Li Huan.

"Xiaoquan, don't pick it like that. It's too obvious, and it will be obvious at a glance."

Li Huan chuckled softly: "By the way, that's what my elder brother said at that time."

Zi Shi thought about it for a moment.Well, I still have impressions.This piece of fruit forest is the property of Yunhua Temple on the mountain. Last summer, Li Fang secretly brought his younger siblings to play.The loquat bayberry happened to be ripe, and the three of them ate and picked wildly, and were chased out of the two miles by the monks in the temple.The servant who came to find someone paid enough silver and accompanied him with all smiles before he could get away.

After a few days, his mother and aunt insisted that he accompany him up the mountain to offer incense.Carefully covering it up for a long time, he bumped into the monk who caught the thief last time.Elder Abbot Gui Yuan heard about it, called him over, looked him up and down, smiled and said: "I heard that Li Ge's eldest son, Mr. Li Mian, has a literary talent, and he is indeed a good-looking talent."

Li Fang was very disturbed, he didn't know how the old monk in front of him would clean himself up.Because of the mischief last time, he was fined by his father to copy ten volumes of "Poetry and Lihui Yao" after returning home, and he was forced to formally worship Mr. Wang Yuanzhi, the most stern and upright old master in the world, as his teacher.If it wasn't for the hard work these days, how could he not resist the temptation to venture into this Yunhua Temple?

"The master praises it, but the boy dare not take it."

"It's better like this. The old man has published a couplet. Mr. Li is right. You can eat the fruits of Yunhua Temple as you like."

The young man was full of curiosity, and immediately said loudly: "Please show me, Master."

The old monk thought for a moment: "Listen well: play the pipa under the loquat tree, the sound of the pipa stops and the loquat falls."

This couplet is related to the situation at hand, and uses homonyms, the same side, and thimbles, which is really tricky.

The arrogance in Li Fang's heart went down by eight points, and he lowered his head in thought.There was the sound of bells, chimes and wooden fishes in my ears. I remembered that Qixi Festival was approaching. When I entered the temple, I saw many young women who came to ask for marriage. Even my sisters Cuiqiao and Hongyu knelt down and worshiped for a long time.

After giving a salute, he said: "You have the right to give it a try. If it is inappropriate, please advise the master. My second line is: look at the marriage in the karma mirror, and the karma will move the marriage."

After listening to this couplet, Elder Guiyuan laughed loudly and said, "What a "fate and fate brings about marriage"! Mr. Li is young, and the word "fate and fate", do you know it, or do you understand it? It's not very neat, but the mind is so It's hard for you to be smart." Twirling his beard, "I mean what I say, and I will send a letter to Mr. Li Ge when I turn back, saying that Mr. Li was invited by Yunhua Temple to eat those fruits. If Mr. Li likes it, pick some and take it home go."

He also explained: "Before the picking was not allowed, it was not because the temple was stingy. Yunhua Temple does not do things, and does not charge for incense, oil and oil. This fruit forest is a source of food and clothing. Most people know that no one will pick it."

However, this son of mine doesn't know--Li Fang blushed after all, and sincerely apologized.

Elder Gui Yuan laughed: "It's okay, it's okay. I also wish Mr. Li a good marriage."

Thinking of this, Zi Shi felt a little emotional.

A good marriage... don't mention it.It's a pity that Elder Guiyuan promised himself to eat this excellent variety of loquat bayberry, but he never came again because of his intense school work.

At that time, it was just heard that Xirong had captured Yanyang, the emperor fled to Shuzhou, and the northern state capital was organizing troops to serve the king.Although father and master are busy all day long, Tongcheng is still singing and dancing.Who would have thought... In just two years, such a big Jinxia has completely become meat on the chopping board, ready to be slaughtered.

Without this war, my father planned to send me to Beijing this year to take part in the autumn exam.

In March of the previous year, 14-year-old Li Fang took the lead in the Tongchengchun examination.After worshiping under the name of Mrs. Wang, the master took a photo of the paper-filled exercises on the table, and said with a straight face: "You are arrogant, frivolous, and unbearable!" But he said to Li Yancheng behind his back: "A good talent is beautiful. Quality, must be carefully crafted. Sizhe, this kid is better than you in the past. In the autumn test next year, your old Li family will be ready to welcome the second champion."

These words were relayed to Li Fang quietly by his mother.

Zi Shi secretly sighed.Back then Li Mian still had lofty aspirations, but today Li Zishi only wants to live.Then again, whether it is Li Fang or Li Zishi, no matter in which time and space they are, they are all geniuses who take exams.

Li Huan suddenly asked: "Brother, do you think the monks of Yunhua Temple are still there?"

"I heard that they broke up a few months ago, and Elder Guiyuan is also missing."

Gather the fruits together, pack one large, two small and three burdens, and prepare to return.Two loquats rolled away, Li Quan was not reconciled, and ran to grope in the grass.A hand poked out from deep in the weeds, touched his foot, but remained motionless again.

"Ah!" Li Quan screamed, covered his mouth immediately, stared at the dark grass in the grass, lowered his voice, trembling: "Brother... come quickly..."

"It's a person." He was lying on the ground with an arrow stuck in his back.Zi Shi knelt down and poked him, "I'm afraid he's already dead."

Unexpectedly, the man suddenly raised his head, his eyes gleamed faintly in the dark night: "Help me!..." After uttering two words, he lowered his head, and there was no more sound.

Zi Shi poked again.Stand up: "Let's go." Turn around and start walking, lifting the biggest burden with both hands.

"Aren't we going to save him?" Li Quan followed up and asked.

"He's been hit by an arrow, and he probably won't be able to save him," he said as he walked.

"But... if we don't save him, he will really die." Li Huan was carrying a small burden, hunched over his waist, and was struggling a bit.

"If you die, you will die."

In the past two days, tens of thousands of dead people have passed by, and I am tired of aesthetics.Zi Shi quickened his pace.The burden can't be carried on the back, it's really hard to carry it.

"Brother... wait..."

The three returned to the cave.Zi let go of the burden, sat on the ground panting.Just thinking about how to preserve these fruits for a longer time, two serious little faces appeared in front of him.

The two children said in unison: "Brother."

Twins are just that fun.Zi Shi still remembered how strange and wonderful he felt when his father brought them back ten years ago.The two little people have just learned to speak, but they often say the same sentence by coincidence, and they have almost identical round faces.These two siblings were the most interesting toys in my childhood.Growing up slowly, boys and girls don't look as much alike as they did when they were young, it's a pity...

"Big brother!"

"Huh? What's the matter?"

"That man, he asked us for help." Although Li Huan's voice was soft, his expression was firm.

"It's not a gentleman's action to see death and refuse to save him." After studying for several years, Li Quan can read essays, and his face is full of holiness.

"He was only dying with his last breath, and his efforts were probably in vain." Zi Shi was unmoved.

"He should have escaped from the city like us..." Li Huan's eyes were red.

""Smoky willows and painted bridges, wind curtains and emerald curtains, there are 10 families. "—Brother, how many people are left in Tongcheng now?" Li Quan asked softly.

Good boy, the verses taught last month will be learned and used so quickly.The scene of teaching Li Quan to recite poems at that time naturally appeared in his mind.Suddenly he was stunned: the awkwardness between Li Fang and Li Zishi disappeared completely at some point.

Gathering his mind, he looked at the two of them and said, "It's fine if we can't be saved. If we do, it will be a burden and a mouth. We can't protect ourselves. We might leave people behind halfway. Why don't we?" save."

"But...Brother, how can you ignore death?" Li Huan continued, "I don't eat much..."

These two children are so chivalrous and courageous.Li Yancheng and Li Gelao's outlook on life and values ​​education is simply too successful.

Zi Shi turned the dagger out, put it in his pocket, and walked out of the cave.

"What are you going to do, brother?"

Viciously: "Go and see if that person is dead. If not, I will make up for it, so as not to embarrass me and prevent him from revealing our whereabouts."

"Ah!?" The two little people jumped up and followed.

The outside of the cave seemed brighter than before.The fire in the city only increased but did not decrease.Tongcheng has an area of ​​more than [-] mu, with dense houses and streets, and almost all buildings are of brick and wood structure. This fire can't be stopped until it burns out. God knows how many days and nights it will burn.

Passing by a rock, Zi Shi stopped and walked to the back: "Pull up all these ferns."

"What's the use of pulling this out?"

"Since you rescued someone, you can't let him die. Don't forget, this herb is a good medicine to stop bleeding."

Li Quanli also cheered softly: "Brother likes to scare people."

After returning to the fruit forest soon, the man was still lying on the spot.Zi Shi cut off a section of the exposed arrow tail - if it accidentally touches somewhere, the arrow body will be completely finished if it is sent into the meat.Cut off the hem of his clothes and tore them apart, tightly wrapped them back and forth a few times, so as not to drip blood all the way down, let alone die soon, and possibly cause trouble.The conductor Li Quan and Li Huan each lifted one foot and moved his head.

"Don't let go. Listen to my password, one, two, three—up!"

Before Fu Sheng opened his eyes, he heard a girl's delicate and soft voice: "Brother—so sour—" Breathing in, one can imagine a wrinkled face.

"Unripe, of course it is sour. However, red bayberry is a good thing. It is said in "Heshi Caomu Jing" that this substance can "wash the stomach, and the five internal organs, and eliminate troubles and filth." Eating more is harmless, but the more you eat, the more you eat. Hungry, teach you to cleave your teeth—haha—oh, it’s so sour...hiss—how so sour..." It was a young boy's voice, clear and pure, but it seemed to be trembling with sourness.

"Brother, you said it yourself, don't spit!"

"If you don't spit, you don't spit! I swallow, I swallow!" Gritting my teeth, "Quick, give me a sip of water, quick, quick!"

A boy said: "Brother, you gave him all the water." The voice was crisp and clear.

"I'll go get some." He seemed to be taking something to go out, and said as he walked, "You two, move the loquat to the entrance of the cave and spread it out. You can't put the bayberry, eat it first."

Fu Sheng turned his face and saw two children squatting, spreading some hay on the ground, and carefully arranging a pile of green fruits neatly.

Dizzy, but still awake.The arrow wound on his back was very painful, and there was a faint coolness, as if he had been drugged.The two boys were too busy with what they were doing to notice that he was awake.

"They saved me...the Xia people..." Fu Sheng thought, trying to shed more blood, stripped off Xia people's clothes and put them on again, it was really wise.

After a while, the boy who fetched water came back, holding a cracked earthen pot with a chip in his hand, he slid in sideways, just in time to meet Fu Sheng's raised gaze.

White and clean, thin and thin - it was such a frail person who saved him.

Zizi let go of the clay pot, walked up to Fu Sheng, and smiled: "Are you awake? It's just right, let's change the medicine." You might as well be kinder, since you have already extended your hand anyway, so you can make the other party grateful.

This young man has delicate features, like a girl—no, I'm afraid most of the girls in Xirong are not as good as him.I can't tell how big it is, Thirteen?fourteen?Walking lightly, too thin... Fu Sheng was quite disappointed with the image of the savior, so he didn't bother to answer.

The wounded in front of him stared blankly.Excessive blood loss, that's normal.

Zi Shi ignored him and called Li Huan back to help.He took a few ferns and smashed them on the stone, tore off a piece of white cloth—there was no bandage to cover the wound, so Zi Shi had to donate his barely clean underclothes.Fold the white cloth on top of each other, spread the phoenix grass pulp evenly on it, put it aside for later use, and stretch out his hand to uncover Fu Sheng's clothes.

Only then did Fu Sheng realize that he was bare-chested and his clothes were only loosely covering his back.With gentle and dexterous hands, he unwrapped the wounded cloth, changed the medicine, and tied it up again.When fingers touch the skin occasionally, it feels cool and moist to the touch, which is very comfortable.

"The bleeding has stopped. Your physique is really good. You woke up within a day." Zi Shi sat cross-legged in front of Fu Sheng, looked down at him, and introduced himself: "I'm Li Zi Shi." Pointing to Li Quan and Li Huan, "My younger brother, Li Zizhou. My younger sister, Li Zigui."

Li Yancheng and Li Ge are always public figures in Tongcheng, and the name of Miss Li's son is known to everyone in the city.The father of the three of them decided on the characters early in the morning, and they will not be used until they are adults, and outsiders will have no way of knowing.In this extraordinary period, it is better to do less than to do more.When saving people, Zi Shi had already agreed with his younger siblings, and from now on he will be named after him.

Fu Sheng grinned, stretched out his hand to Zishi on his stomach, and said three words: "Gu Changsheng."

Zi Shi distributed a small pile of red bayberry to each person, and divided the last piece of cake into four equally.Zizhou and Zigui each took one piece and handed one to Gu Changsheng who sat up leaning against the cave wall.Picking up his own piece, he tore off the other side, tearing it in half.

Half of it was given to Zizhou.

"Brother, I don't want it. You eat it yourself."

"You're growing up. Big brother is already an adult. Eat more and eat less."

"Then...give it to Zigui."

"Zigui's appetite is smaller than yours."

The girl nodded at the side: "I don't like cakes either, so I'd like to eat more bayberry."

Zi Zhou still didn't answer.

"If you don't eat and you don't have the strength to work, who will help me? If you get hungry and sick, do you still expect me to carry you? You are much heavier than Zigui."

The boy was persuaded.

The other half handed it to Gu Changsheng: "You are wounded and enjoy special treatment."

Changsheng didn't answer: "I'm older than you, so I don't need special care."

The ages of the four people have been sequenced: Changsheng is seventeen, Zishi is sixteen, Zizhou and Zigui are twelve.

The most surprising thing was Changsheng, a child of the same age as Xirong, who was at least half a head taller than them, not to mention much stronger.He kept asking: "Li Zishi, are you really 16 years old? The two of them, are they really 12 years old?" Zi Shi was almost furious when asked.

The ones who were more surprised were Zizhou and Zigui: "Brother Gu, are you really only seventeen? You're so tall—" Zigui thought, and he's so handsome!But when we met for the first time, it would be rude to say such a thing, and it would appear uneducated.

Only Zi Shi is safe.This kid speaks standard Mandarin, tall and strong, a typical northerner.I remember that in that world, young people had good nutrition, and it was common for teenagers to grow to 1.8 meters and 1.9 meters.The height is not worthy of curiosity, but how he came to Tongcheng needs to be discussed.

Zi Shi squeezed the bread and squinted at him: "Young Master Gu, you are quite big, and you must be strong. If you don't heal your wounds quickly and be self-reliant, don't you want us three weaklings to venture out every day to collect rations?" Hmph With a cry, "Look tall, but not brain!" Only then did he let out a bad breath.

Changsheng choked and took the cake in a daze.In terms of sharp teeth, ten Gu Changshengs are no match for Li Zishi.

The three people on the opposite side had already started eating, their postures were polite and correct, and they occasionally exchanged a few words in a low voice.Looking at them, they didn't look like they were sitting on rocks in a cave, eating cold and hard bread, and eating bayberry, but they seemed to be participating in a luxurious feast, drinking fine nectar and eating delicious food.

Changsheng suddenly thought of his mother, who seemed to look the same when eating.That extremely natural demeanor is a habit developed over the years.The three brothers and sisters must have come from a wealthy and scholarly family.

He took a bite of the cake and reached out to pick up a bayberry.Round pink beads, very cute.Just as he was about to stuff it into his mouth, he heard Zi Shi say, "I'll eat this later."

Looking at him puzzled.

"Eat the cake first. The red bayberry is too sour. After eating it, your teeth may not even be able to chew the tofu."

Putting it down half-believingly, he began to nibble on the noodles.

Zi Shi chatted with him while eating: "Have you ever eaten red bayberry? Are you from the north?"

"Well, I'm from the capital."

"The capital? Didn't it fall the year before last?"

"Yes. Most of them fled to Shuzhou with the emperor. Because our family has business in the south of the Yangtze River, we... hid in Tibet all the way, and went around several times. We only arrived in Tongcheng last month."

"Outsiders who do business in Tongcheng, spring is almost gone. Why do you run here instead?"

"My ancestors are locals, only our family went to the north. I grew up in the capital, and this is the first time I came back...Who knew that the soldiers from the West came so quickly..."

Changsheng looked sad: "I learned a little kung fu before I escaped from the city, but my family..."

He wasn't good at acting like this, but now he thinks of his mother's early death, his embarrassing status, and now being framed by his elder brother, his father's intentions are unclear, he has gone through hardships, escaped from death, and is alone in the enemy's territory. Although the world is big, he doesn't know what to do next Standing in the body - unexpectedly, sadness comes from it, and when the nose is sour, tears are about to fall.

Zi Shi came over and patted him on the shoulder: "Luanli people are not as good as Taiping dogs, and they earn money before they die."

Changsheng said sincerely: "Thank you for saving your life."

Zi Shi sighed: "It's just people who have fallen in the end of the world." He asked again: "You come from the north, you should know that Tongcheng can't be defended. Business people are no different than local residents. There are many ways. Why don't you go?"

"According to the adults in the family, it seems that they are going to leave. I don't know what's delayed... I don't know about it either."

On the other side, Zi Zhou just finished eating the bread, and said crisply: "I see, it must be that your family didn't give the navy enough bribes, so you didn't get the boat."