All your life is gentle

June is over and the weather is still hot.

The hot summer in the south made Changsheng feel very uncomfortable. Every day at noon, after teaching the two young apprentices their homework, he would fight again and practice a set of sword skills. He would stand naked by the well in the yard and pour two buckets of water from his head .

The day was rushing happily, and a beautiful figure flashed by outside the low wall.After a while, Ximei, the 15-year-old daughter of the landlord's family, stood on the threshold holding the pot, stretched out two green fingers to clasp the firewood door, and said with a sweet smile: "Brother Gu, my mother asked me to give it to Brother Li. Order lotus leaf porridge."

When he reported his family name to the landlord, the elder brother of the Gu family and the elder brother of the Li family were cousins. They also took the two younger brothers and sisters of the Li family with them, fleeing from the east and going to the west to visit relatives.Brother Li's family is ill, and he will find a quiet place to raise him for a while.

Changsheng put on his shirt, nodded, and Ximei came in with a smile.Seeing that she was about to go into the house, she stretched out her hand to stop her: "I haven't gotten up yet, give it to me." Before she could answer, she took the pot and went in, leaving the girl alone in the yard.

The four of them had three meals a day, and they worked together at the landlord's house, and borrowed a stove to cook medicine.Ever since Changsheng asked the landlord Hu Sanniang where to buy the Four Treasures of the Study, and knew that they were children of scholars, Sanniang begged them to write letters to their brothers who were making a living in other places.The letter was dictated by Sanniang and written by Zizhou.Zi Shi leaned against the head of the bed, let him read it, and mercilessly deleted a few lines of Pian Si Li Liu and a few allusions.San Niang said: "After all, he is a learned brother, and he is clear and understandable. Usually, if you ask the private school teacher in the town to write, most of them don't understand. My brother has to find someone to explain it."

After that, every now and then, someone would come to ask for a letter from home, and bring some fruit and vegetable snacks by the way.Hu Sanniang took extra care of Zi Shi, often sending her daughter soup and porridge.

Changsheng brought porridge in, and Zishi was drinking medicine.

It is a custom in Chu that there are all meals in the morning and evening, and you can feel free at noon.He is also addicted to spicy food, often a few plates of bright red side dishes are put on the table early in the morning.Changsheng enjoyed eating so much that Zizhou Zigui stuck out his tongue for two days and got used to it.Only Zi Shi would rather eat plain rice.Later, Sanniang noticed and always gave him extra meals.

Changsheng looked at the porridge in his hand, it was light green, with the fragrance of lotus leaves, and knew that he must like it.Hatred in my heart: Li Zishi seems to be casual, but in fact he is extremely picky and coquettish—this kind of person actually came out to escape, and there is really someone who is willing to serve him... It's really unreasonable.When I looked up and saw him holding the medicine bowl, remembering that I had hardly eaten anything in the morning, I couldn't help but sullen: "Drink the medicine on an empty stomach again."

"What's in your hand?" Sniffing, eyes lit up, "The smell of lotus leaves!" After Changsheng poured out a bowl of porridge, Zi Shi took it, but didn't rush to drink it. Then sighed: ""Cherish the pearl and jasper lamp, fold and dance the immortal train. "Sanniang is actually an elegant person."

"A beautiful woman washes her bare hands, and the bottom of her sleeves is fragrant." Although Chang Sheng didn't like this "Cai Lian Ci", he had read it, and he continued the next sentence.Thinking of Ximei's sticky smile, which was comparable to this lotus leaf porridge, I somehow added, "The porridge cooker is certainly an elegant person, but the porridge delivery person is even more lovely."

Listening to him teasing himself, Zi Shi laughed and said, ""I have a poetic spirit in my belly", Mr. Gu has become more refined recently."

"How can you compare with Mr. Li's demeanor? I have a beautiful woman who is overwhelmed and comes to the door with hospitality."

Why are these words sour?Zi Shi blinked his eyes: "I'm afraid Mr. Gu misunderstood. The so-called ulterior motives don't lie in drinking. Although I don't mind my reputation in vain, but some people let down the beauty's heart... Zigui, tell you Brother Changsheng, Ximei is here with us." Let's see who's here."

"Sister Xi occasionally comes to the house. Although she talks to us, her eyes always follow Brother Changsheng. When we are practicing in the yard, she always passes by the wall once or twice..."

Changsheng's face turned red.Is there such a thing?Why didn't I pay attention?Thinking about it carefully, it seems to be so...

"So it turns out that the person I'm looking for is Gu Shaoxia who is both civil and military." Zi Shi frowned deliberately, "Zi Zhou Zigui, your eldest brother is very frustrated. Come and have a drink with me." Pour a bowl of porridge for the two of them.

The two little ones carried it over with a smile, and sat aside to drink.

He poured another bowl and pushed it in front of Changsheng.

"The people who fled were originally duckweeds floating in the water and fluff in the wind. This girl's thoughts are all on her mind, and I'm afraid she will go to waste."

Teenagers are the most emotional.Going into exile in troubled times, and getting married by chance, will definitely end up in the end, which will only add to the sadness.Although Gu Changsheng is steady and mature, the word "love" has nothing to do with temperament.Zi Shi thought about it, but decided to speak up to wake him up.

"Try it. The lotus leaf porridge clears heat and cools off the heat. It has a special flavor." It really is an honest child, so I am embarrassed.That's the end of the joke.

Changsheng turned to look at him.Because of illness, I haven't seen the sun for several days.It was originally tanned a lot, but it turned white again, like a porcelain figure.I wanted to explain something, but suddenly forgot to explain.

"It's really delicious, I won't lie to you." The man opposite showed a little naive air.

The mood suddenly improved.Changsheng no longer mentioned the trivial matters before, and drank the porridge seriously.A faint ray of fragrance diffused into the internal organs, and it really had a unique flavor.After taking two sips, he raised his head, just released the bowl, and smiled at each other.

No one spoke.Chang Sheng only felt the fragrance of the lotus leaf permeating the room, vaguely there, but it followed like a shadow, everywhere.

This poor child went to the battlefield at the age of 14, led the soldiers to rape and plunder, and saw the naked male desire too early, only felt disgusting and ugly, and had no liking for him.How did he know that there is still bone-destroying love and sex in the world, sneaking into the night with the wind, moistening things silently, enough to kill people invisible.

In the afternoon, Changsheng went to the street to buy some daily necessities.Just about to turn around, the street suddenly became noisy.It turned out that a lot of people poured in from the northern town, mixed with a lot of vehicles and livestock, and blocked the road all at once.

These people carried their wives and young children, dragged their families with their mouths, and piled up luggage.Men, women, young and old, all of them were anxious and tired.After entering the town, they all seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, looking for a place to rest.Children cry for their father and mother, adults seek their sons and daughters, and the animals pant and neigh, all of which are about to overthrow the town of Xiaoxianxia.

After the hustle and bustle for more than half an hour, almost all the carriages and mule carts entered the only inn in the town. The rest of the pedestrians continued to walk, and some just sat down and rested by the side of the road. The road was finally cleared.

Residents of this town watched the bustle for a long time, and heard that these people just stayed overnight and continued southward tomorrow, and most of them went into the house.Only those who are easy to inquire, chat endlessly with passers-by on the side of the road.

A few bought ten cakes from Shaobing Liu's stall, stood and sat on the spot, and chatted with the stall owner while eating.

"You guys came from Deqiu County? Isn't that going to the Lianjiang River?"

"That's right, I walked more than 200 miles in three days." An old man said.

Changsheng hid under the eaves and listened to them.

"The black barbarian is calling?" Shaobing Liu asked nervously.

A middle-aged man said: "The first Xibing soldiers only sealed off a section of the river in Yuping, and some upstream can still beg for food. Who knows that they suddenly went up the river a few days ago, burning and killing all the way on the north and south banks, and ran a little slower. die."

"The second child of Zhang Butcher's family in our county belongs to the Baisha gang. If he hadn't rushed back overnight to deliver the letter, we people would still be alive!" The old man's voice was still the same, "We only walked less than [-] miles, and the county is on the verge of death." There was a big fire, and those who were slow and reluctant to part with their belongings all died in it."

"Thinking that the black barbarian was chasing after him, everyone hurried on their way desperately—but they didn't catch up."

"Sixth Uncle, didn't you listen to Zhang Erge? They just clean up the two sides of the strait, and they don't care about the far places. Otherwise, with our two legs, we can't run faster than the four-legged black barbarian cavalry." Speaking this time It's a lad.

"So you won't be here for a while?" Shaobing Liu asked again.

"Probably... I heard that the black savages robbed countless gold and silver treasures in the east. They thought it would be troublesome to drive horses and horses. They wanted to use large ships to transport them to Changyang by water. Fearing that something would go wrong, they simply killed and burned both sides of the strait."

"When will the black barbarian be able to operate the boat?"

"Hmph, it is said that a naval general surrendered..."

The one who surrendered was Bai Qi, the right Zhonglang general of the Donghai Navy.

Fu Yang hesitated for two days as the commander of the Eastern Expedition Army, and after listening to Mo Siyu's vivid description of how prosperous the southeast coast was, he finally decided to go to the southeast front in person to write a magnificent new chapter for the unification of the Xirong Empire.

Take down Yuancheng and capture a large number of beauties.Just about to give the reward to the soldiers below, one of them stood out in a charming manner and said that she was the seventh wife of General Bai of the East Sea Division, or the mother of the two young masters of General Bai, who had been separated in the chaos, and begged the king to be extra merciful and help her find her two children.

Mo Siyu immediately persuaded the king to recruit Bai Qi.

General Bai was indeed a loving, righteous and good man. When he received the token from the envoy of the King of Xirong—three bellybands for adults and children, he surrendered with the two thousand sailors who were willing to follow him, and accepted the first position of Xirong. The honorable post of Commander-in-Chief of the Navy.

The new official took office with three fires.General Bai's first idea to his new master was to control Neihe by "pulling out the city and clearing the country".The so-called "pull out the city and clear the wilderness" means that within a hundred miles of both sides of the river, it will be razed to the ground without leaving any human habitation.In this way, when the ship is driving on the river, if there is a slight movement on both sides, it can be detected immediately, and the enemy can be eliminated from a long distance with bows and arrows as soon as possible.

The benefits of gaining absolute control over the inland river are countless: after the waterway from Changyang to Jiangnan is opened up, grain, grass and property can be transported on a large scale, which is convenient and fast, which greatly facilitates the conquest of the southern region and Shuzhou.At the same time, the hidden dangers of Jiangnan resistance forces using their water advantages to operate secretly have been eliminated to a large extent.What's more, with the complete loss of water access, it will be much more difficult for personnel and materials to enter Shuzhou to support Xijing.

These inside information refugees naturally don't know, coming and going are just hearsay.Changsheng stood there for a long time, and there was nothing new to say, so he moved his legs and wandered aimlessly on the street.

After wandering around the world for more than two months, he almost forgot his original identity.Suddenly being reminded, I broke out in a cold sweat.Hearing these Xia people talk about the merits of their father and brother, their emotions are really complicated.

Ever since he was sensible, he has witnessed how his father tried his best to conquer the country, and finally stepped into the Central Plains, marching towards the great goal of establishing the Xirong Empire.I was originally a participant in the whole incident, but suddenly became a bystander. I deliberately forgot it for a few days, and once I remembered it again, the loss in my heart was so strong.

but……

Before I knew it, my views and ideas on many things had changed.In other words, many things that I had no views and ideas before gradually gained views and ideas.

Jin Xia was just a painting on the wall in the past.Hearing many stories from my mother is nothing more than turning the pictures on the wall into pictures in my mind.Now, not only have I walked into this painting, but I have also become a person in the painting, lingering here forever.It seems not difficult to turn around and step out, but it is inevitable to hesitate to turn around and burn it.

Gu Changsheng didn't know how to explain such delicate feelings to Fu Sheng, the second prince of Xirong who had regained his sense of identity.When he looked up, he had already reached the entrance of the small courtyard he rented.It was almost dark, and since he hadn't come back, the chai gate was still open.Walking two steps inside, I heard Zi Shi telling stories to his younger siblings.

Since the condition has improved, after dinner every day, it is a fixed time to "digest food and talk about ancient food".

"...The scholar woke up in shock. He was still in the original temple, and the murals on the wall were still the same. He told his companions that he had just entered the painting and married the beauty in the painting. No one believed it. He himself was also confused, thinking that he might have just dozed off and had a dream. Before leaving, he couldn't help but look back, and saw that the beauty in the painting was originally wearing a girl's braid, but now it turned into a young woman's bun. , The innocent and lively smile has also turned into a lovesick and sad expression."

After a while, Zigui asked, "And then?"

"No then, that's it."

"Isn't it later, um - he walked out of the temple gate, turned back, and found that the temple had turned into a pile of rocks and weeds - shouldn't it be like this?" Zi Zhou's voice.

Changsheng grinned silently.Li Zi explained that the weather was too hot, and he talked about fox ghosts and flower demons every night to cool off the heat.Although the plot is ever-changing, the ending is always the same.The two children who were born on the other hand listened with gusto, and when they caught up with a new one, they were actually reluctant to let it go.I thought, today's story is not scary.

He said lazily: "If you want to think that way, it's fine."

The girl still refused to give up: "Brother, will the scholar return to the painting after seeing the beauty's change?"

"how could I know."

"Brother——" the girl became displeased. Seeing that the elder brother was too lazy to talk to her, she fantasized happily, "I think he must be reluctant to go back to the painting to find that beauty..."

Zi Shi was inadvertently touched by the story, a little melancholy, and said absently: "You want him to go back, of course you can. The question is, how will he go back? What should he do when he goes back? Telling stories, what are you doing? Really? child……"

——how to go back?What about going back?

Li Zishi's two sentences seemed to be a way to fix one's body.Changsheng kept repeating in his head, forgetting to lift his leg.

Because of the heat, the doors and windows were open.Zi Shi watched him enter the courtyard with an inexplicably lost expression, he didn't come in for a long time, and he had muttered once.At this moment, his attention was completely attracted by him, leaving aside the melancholy in his heart, he waited for Gu Changsheng with great interest.

Here, Xiang Zigui still didn't give up: "But, big brother, I don't want to tell stories like this——I don't know my head, I don't understand clearly, it makes people feel uncomfortable."

Zi Shi waved his hand, indicating that it was over.Picking up the inkstone on the table and tapping a few times, he raised his voice and said to the man outside: "Why is Gu Shaoxia lingering and not entering?"

Changsheng was summoned by him, and he woke up from his dream with a snap of his fingers.Raising his head suddenly, he saw the dancing flame core of the oil lamp on the table in the room, and a plain white face was facing him in the light, which was very clear.I saw two slender and moist eyebrows like the tail feathers of a blue magpie gently stretched out, a pair of eyes that flowed like black crystals under the water slightly closed, and a smile appeared on the lips, like a stone flower that was just blooming under the moonlight... I fell into a deeper feeling immediately. in doubt.

How to go back?How about going back?

These two questions suddenly became infinitely mysterious and profound.

"... I saved dinner for you, should I just eat it like this or warm it up?"

I didn't listen to the first few sentences at all.Finally caught a tail, hurriedly said: "No need to heat it up, just eat like this."

It wasn't until the meal was almost finished that Chang Sheng slowly came out of the trance, not understanding why he had such an indistinguishable feeling of truth and falsehood.What's even more incomprehensible is that the feeling makes people flustered and addicted, and I can't help but want to take it out in the bottom of my heart, and the more I think about it, the more confused I am, let it go, and turn to think about problems that are easy to understand.

How to go back, so what to go back, let alone.What is certain is that as long as you haven't figured it out, it's not time to go back.

Zi Shi sat across from Chang Sheng, with a stack of raw paper in his hand, it was Zi Zhou and Zi Gui's scripture copying homework for today.

Even when he was the most ill, the two children's civil and military studies never fell behind.Practice in the morning every day, and in the afternoon, Zizhou takes Zigui to review what he has learned before.Later, when my health improved, I increased my lectures and copying of scriptures.Later, the entertainment program of "digesting food and talking about ancient times" was added at night.

On the day Changsheng was sent to buy the Four Treasures of the Study, he once asked Zishi what books he wanted to buy.The twins laughed together and said: "Brother Changsheng, there's no need." Zigui added mischievously: "You might as well ask the owner of the book store what books are missing, and ask the elder brother to copy them and sell them to him."

Is it so exaggerated?

Zi Shi smiled lightly: "Probably talk about the classics and history, and I have memorized them since I was a child. I don't need the books, so I buy a few more stacks of raw-edged paper." His expression, coupled with his sickly pale complexion and lack of confidence in his voice, gave birth to The powerful persuasive power makes people feel unfathomable in an instant.

Originally, Chang Sheng listened to mostly the chapters he had read, and did nothing else beside him.Within two days, I found out that he was talking about the scriptures and history completely together, discussing history with the scriptures, and interpreting the scriptures with the help of history.Not to mention the two children, even I found it very interesting, and I couldn't help but prick up my ears to listen.

After hearing this, I was shocked to realize that the same piece of sage's words, interpreted by Li Zi, has a different world.In the past, my own books were read for nothing, and suddenly I understood what the predecessors called "integration and mastery".

The disciples of Buddhism taught the brothers and sisters to seek refinement and not be greedy for too much. They only talked about one article a day, but they studied in depth, quoted from many sources, and explained in many ways.He is also accustomed to inspiring and inducing, and often deliberately intensifies contradictions without giving a final theory.Sometimes while talking, the three brothers and sisters would quarrel.Zi Zhou, in particular, was often made sad, angry, sad and miserable by his brother, and his mind was in a mess.Sometimes Changsheng couldn't bear to look at him from the sidelines, so he couldn't help but speak out to help.

Because of his special identity and growth environment, he has a deep temperament, and he lives in the city, but he doesn't like flashy and treacherous plots and tricks very much.In this regard, Zi Zhou's upright temper is quite similar.Zi Zhou argues with his eldest brother, anxious to overwhelm the other party logically and rationally, often neglecting the other and exposing loopholes.Changsheng went straight to the point, regardless of the rest, stood firm and indomitable.Although it may not be able to convince the other party, the other party often finds him helpless.

Every time at this time, Zi Shi would think: This Gu Changsheng is also a piece of jade in the rough, the talent of a general.

The original scriptures copied by Zizhou and Zigui were all written by Zishi himself, a "Wen's True Regular Script", in order for them to lay a solid foundation.The font is clear, round and correct, the muscles and bones are sparse and straight, generous and elegant.Changsheng also wanted to practice, so Zi Shi asked him to write an article, read it, and said: "Although it is a bit unfamiliar between mentions and turns, it has its own style and is very interesting. It will be better if you write more often. There is no need to post."

Zi Shi flipped through the homework in his hands, saw that Chang Sheng was only eating with his head down, and his appearance was a bit unusual, he asked, "Why did you come back so late today? There was a lot of noise in the street before, what happened?"

Changsheng put down his chopsticks: "A lot of refugees have come from the north. It is said... Xirong army is cleaning up both sides of the river." He told the news from the town one by one. Will surrender these things.

Zi Shi stood up, was stunned for a while, and sat down again.Looking at Changsheng, he resolutely said: "Let's leave early tomorrow morning - if these news are true, Dongnan is probably almost finished. With the help of the navy, Lianjiang will be completely charged, and Chuzhou will not be safe sooner or later..." Suddenly He exclaimed softly, "Ah! That's terrible! In this way, it will be really difficult to cross the river and enter Shuzhou. What should I do now... You have been making a sad face when you come back, are you worried about this? ?”

What else can Changsheng say?Of course he nodded cooperatively.

Zi Zhou Zigui had already surrounded him.Hearing the seriousness of the situation, seeing the solemn expressions of the two elder brothers, they sat obediently and did not speak.

After a long time, Zi Shi seemed to have made up his mind, and said slowly, "Gu Changsheng."

It was a solemn cry.Changsheng looked at him a little strangely.

"Tomorrow morning, you can go by yourself." Zi Shi paused, "I will draw a map for you. With your ability, if you don't get dragged down, you probably won't be caught by the Xibing soldiers. If you're lucky, you might be able to Waiting for an opportunity to cross the river and enter Shu from Fenglan Pass..."

"Li Zishi!" Changsheng stood up abruptly, an inexplicable anger welled up in his chest, he had nowhere to vent, and he didn't know what to do.

"Gu Changsheng, you don't have to feel embarrassed. It should be us who are embarrassed. At the beginning, I saved you just by the way. I have been taking care of you in so many ways for such a long time. It is really benevolent. I am not selfless in persuading you to leave now. It's not that I don't want to drag you down. , but should not drag you down..."

Zi Shi's tone was flat and his posture was leisurely, as if he was talking about the nice weather today and what to eat tomorrow morning.

"In troubled times, you can only blame the sky, not others. Why do you have to tie yourself up to die? It's always good if someone can survive..."

Changsheng looked down at him.Thin and gentle, talented.So beautiful, so smart, so weak, and so strong.One thought was extremely clear in his mind: If he left, this person would definitely die in the flames of war.

"Li Zishi, look at me." He reached out and grabbed his shoulder, "Let's go together. It has nothing to do with whether you save me or not. I like crowded people. I like Zizhou and Zigui—I don't want them to accompany me." Waiting for the stubborn and stupid big brother to die."

Zi Shi looked up at him for a while, then smiled, "It's up to you." Then he asked, "Aren't you out shopping, where are the things?"

"Ah, I forgot it at the door of old man Wang's shop..."