Chongzhen Sunset Song

?one

On this day, Chongzhen and Xizhao wandered around until the night fell and the night market was gone before returning to the inn.In the early morning of the next day, just after dawn, the two of them got up to wash up, make some soft clothes, and started the journey of the last day.

"Can I take a detour from the west when I return to Beijing today?" Chongzhen ordered the driver as soon as he got on the bus, "I want to go to Liu Niang's Mansion in Xishan."

"Let's go as the officials say!" The coachman was very straightforward, and responded with his thick voice, flicking the whip, and the horse ran away obediently.

"My lord, where are you going?" Although before going to bed last night, Chongzhen had told Xizhao that he wanted to go to Xishan today, but why he went was not clearly stated.

"You will know when you arrive." Chongzhen smiled slightly, wondering if he was afraid of the coachman outside the curtain, but still did not answer directly.Xizhao didn't ask any more questions, chatted with Chongzhen for a while, looked at the scenery outside the window for a while, ate a few yuan of snacks, and fell asleep in a daze before he knew it.I don't know how long I slept, but suddenly I felt the carriage stop, and there was a rustling movement around me.He opened his sleepy eyes, only to realize that Chongzhen got up and was about to get off the car.

"My lord?" Xi Zhao woke up immediately and hurriedly got up and said.

"Since you're awake, let's go together."

"Yes."

Xizhao rubbed his eyes, and followed Chongzhen out of the car, only to realize that they had arrived near a village.The village is built on a short hill, and to the west of the village is a large open land.Noon has passed, and the sun has already set to the west. According to the time, this place should not be far from the capital.

"Just wait here, we'll be back in about half an hour." After explaining to the coachman, Chongzhen walked towards the village with his hands behind his back.Xizhao followed in a few steps, and when he woke up, the cool breeze was blowing on his face, and he felt refreshed.The two walked for a while, passed through the village, and a temple-like courtyard appeared in front of them.

"My lord, this is...?" Xi Zhao intuitively felt that the building looked familiar, and she must have seen it somewhere, but she couldn't tell where it was.

"This is the tomb of Concubine Zhuang."

"Concubine Zhuang...? Is this Concubine Zhuang...?"

"It's my adoptive mother."

Chongzhen replied lightly, and walked straight to the gate.The guard at the gate was stunned when he saw Chongzhen, and hurriedly knelt and kowtowed respectfully; Chongzhen pushed the door and entered the courtyard, and the yard sweepers and flower cutters inside also bowed down one after another, saying "Long live my emperor", obviously all of them knew Get the purpose of the emperor.A stone road in the center of the courtyard leads directly to the Xiangdian. On both sides of the road, every few steps, a well-pruned boxwood is planted. On both sides of the courtyard, there are several green red pines, which make this small cemetery look deep and simple. , although it is far from the style of the Fengyang Imperial Mausoleum, the vegetation in the courtyard and the shape of the hall are somewhat similar to the Imperial Mausoleum.Xizhao followed the emperor into the hall of enjoyment, and saw a portrait of a woman hanging on the wall in the middle.Under the portrait, there is a gold-painted mahogany tablet that reads "The seat of Concubine Gongyi Zhuang of Guangmiao". In front of the tablet is a three-legged brass censer with some incense ash in it.Xizhao took three incense sticks from the incense table, lit them on the incense candles, and gave them to Chongzhen with both hands.Chongzhen flicked his skirt, knelt down on both knees, took the incense and bowed three times, and then respectfully inserted the incense stick into the incense burner.

"My son and minister are not filial. I will visit my mother and concubine for a long time. I will apologize to my mother and concubine today." Chongzhen bowed deeply, paused for a moment, and then said, "Over the years, there have been troubles both inside and outside the Ming Dynasty, and the country is in trouble. Disaster, my son's heart is heartbroken, I only feel that I have failed my mother and concubine's ardent expectations, and I am ashamed of my mother's concubine's careful teaching to my son. This time, my son sincerely repents and begs my mother and concubine to forgive me."

With that said, Chongzhen bowed again, lying low on the ground, unable to get up for a long time.Just when he finally raised his head, a gust of breeze entered the room, slightly lifting the portrait of Concubine Zhuang, and then the wind stopped, and the mahogany scroll lightly knocked against the wall, making two clear clicks.Chongzhen raised his head violently, his eyes lit up:

"Is it the concubine mother?"

After all the questions, there was no movement in the portrait.

Chongzhen waited for a while, and then asked earnestly: "Is the mother and concubine forgiving the minister, or is she admonishing the minister?"

No matter how Chongzhen asked, the wind stopped and the painting was quiet in Xiangdian, and Concubine Zhuang seemed to be motionless, and there was no further response.Chongzhen sighed softly, his eyes gradually darkened, and his tone became lower.

"Over these years, my son-in-law has missed my mother and concubine every day. I don't know if my mother and concubine ever missed my son-in-law? I only hate that you left too early. Before I saw my son-in-law ascend the throne in person, heaven and man will be separated forever, and it will be difficult to see each other again. The years are long, and if I wait for my son to go to that world, I don't know what year and month I will have to wait. I only hope that after nightfall, the mother and concubine can come to see my son in my dream, and talk to my son as I did many years ago. Chatting, even scolding, my son is willing to listen."

Chongzhen's sincere words moved Xizhao beside him very much. When he recalled his dead mother, his eyes were sore and swollen, and he was on the verge of tears.Once upon a time, I also prayed like this, but every time the past came into my dreams, it was always difficult to get rid of the terrifying shadow of that day; the soft words of my mother in the dream still couldn't escape the nightmare ending in the end.The emperor can still look forward to meeting Concubine Zhuang in his dream, but even in his dream, he can't go back to the time when he was kind, filial and carefree.Xi Zhao secretly sighed for a long while, seeing Chongzhen stand up, and bowed in front of the spiritual throne for the last time: "I will take my leave now, and my mother and concubine are over there, so please take care of yourself." Xizhao left Xiangdian together.

two

When she came out of Concubine Zhuang's tomb, the red sun was setting in the west, and it was a bit more colorful than before.Chongzhen, who is usually reticent, tells Xizhao how he and Concubine Zhuang depended on each other when he was a child, and he is uncharacteristically talkative.The story of the deep love between mother and child is sometimes warm and sometimes bleak, and Xi Zhao can't help but sigh from the bottom of her heart. "My biological mother passed away early, so I didn't leave much memory. Although my concubine is not my biological mother, she is close to my biological mother. The nine years of nurturing grace are truly unforgettable in my life." Chongzhen paused, and his smile faded , and sighed again, "If it wasn't for being in the palace and being bullied by the Wei Party, the concubine mother would not have died prematurely. If there is an afterlife, and the concubine mother is destined to be an ordinary mother and son, she must be filial , take good care of her to make up for the regrets and debts in this life.”

The two talked and chatted, and walked out of the village unknowingly, and came to the open land to the west.Without the shelter of the private houses, the eyes suddenly brighten up.It was September, autumn was strong, the ginkgo in the mountains was as bright as gold, and the maple leaves were as red as fire. The two phases were intertwined and scattered.The sun slowly sinks to the west, and a golden sunset glows in the sky, which gradually blends with the beautiful scenery of the mountains. In a trance, it is impossible to tell whether this piece of brilliant gold is dyed by the setting sun or whether it is dyed by the autumn colors.The two of them were intoxicated by the beautiful scenery in front of them for a while, and the lively conversation just now came to an abrupt end, and neither of them made a sound.After a long time, I heard Chongzhen's voice softly, and what I recited in my mouth was the lyrics from a long time ago:

The sun is slanting towards the west, the mountains are beautiful, the clouds are dyed with red ointment, and the colorful trees are wrapped in golden gauze.

The prosperity is just right, but it is the evening sun.

……

After two sentences, he stopped reading.At the beginning of Xizhao thought that the emperor had forgotten, and wanted to continue to recite, but before he could say the words, he understood Chongzhen's intention not to recite any more in an instant——

When the twilight is over, the moon is cold and the wind is clear, and the heights are even more desolate.

Unwilling to have an early sunset, there is no way to return to the sky, and the long night is long and the road is dim.

Action is futile, and stopping is also futile.

——With such a beautiful day, who would have the heart to ruin the scenery?So Xizhao swallowed her saliva, swallowed the last sentence, and changed her mouth to say:

"It's been so long, it's rare that adults still remember this lyrics."

"Well, I suddenly remembered it just now." Chongzhen smiled and said, "You hear this word, but it is right in front of the beautiful scenery in front of you?"

"I'm afraid the scene is more beautiful than the words." Xi Zhao also smiled, but she was unwilling to associate this rare beauty with the desolate second half of the lyrics.

Chongzhen took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly, looked at the sky from a distance, and said quietly: "If there is an afterlife, I hope that I can live a peaceful life in such a picturesque and beautiful scenery, without having to pay attention to national disputes, and not to be judged by others." Bound by the foundation of the ancestors, getting married and having children, men farming and women weaving, free and easy, think about it, that will definitely be a life like a fairy."

"Oh? My lord...want to be a farmer?"

"Why, can't you?" Chongzhen turned his head and asked.

"Hmm..." Xizhao looked carefully at Chongzhen's face, pondered for a moment, and smiled, "It's not impossible, it's just that the adult has a jade-like golden appearance, and I really can't imagine the appearance of the thick and black farmer after reincarnation." Xizhao mischievous With a smile, he said again, "I don't want to be born again in this official's house, and endure the ups and downs of life like this. Since the adults want to be farmers, can I allow the villains to build a house near the adults' house as neighbors, sooner or later?" Yes, come to serve you again for the rest of your life?"

"What kind of decent is this?" Chongzhen's heart moved, but on the surface he pretended to be angry and said, "I am already a farmer, how can I ask someone to serve me?" Seeing Xizhao, he was about to apologize, and he quickly continued to speak, cutting off Xizhao's words "You just need to be my neighbor, plowing and working together in the daytime, drinking and laughing together in the evening, sweating in the fields when you are busy, and playing in the water and mountains in your free time. What about servants?"

"Thank you for your kindness, my lord." Xi Zhao hurriedly bowed and bowed, with a warm feeling flowing in her chest.The two talked to each other in the setting sun, thinking wildly and unspeakably happily, until the sun went down, and they left reluctantly.The coachman had been waiting anxiously for a long time. Seeing the two of them coming back, he jumped out of the car and waved to them.Xizhao followed Chongzhen, and subconsciously, looked back at the mountain village not far away.The twilight is gradually sinking, and the red and golden yellow are slowly dimming as the sun fades, and they will disappear into a gray mist.As Xi Zhao walked towards the carriage, a sense of loss suddenly surged in his heart, and he felt that something was slipping away from him, step by step, drifting away in pieces, after this, maybe he would never be able to find it again in his whole life .