Chapter 001: Family Affairs, National Affairs, World Affairs

Tai’an City, the first clearing of spring rains, the whole capital as if all of a sudden on the fresh and clean a lot of temple again, that is also the official masters of the matter, the people should eat eat sleep, most of the people always have to live honestly in the morning and evening, but there are some idle, but these were relegated to the naughty frame to play with the Lord of the goods are divided into three, six, nine, etc., the ability to play with the flower girl is the first, play the horse play the ancient treasure is the second, poorer should also go to play bracelet plate walnut, the least always have to get a few fish and insects to support the scene. Is the second class, the poorer should also be to play with the hand bracelet plate walnut, the least always have to get a few fish and insects to support the scene. Can be located in the southwest corner of the capital of the ugly alley slanting eyes on the street of a young man, it is completely out of the ordinary, but since living in a small people living in the alley, play up good objects that is called a strange thing, did not cast a good fetus, we have to be resigned to fate is not it? This young man with a street full of people in the capital surnamed Zhang the same, stalled a Liyang top of the list of big names, but can not have a big success, all day long do not see him do the right thing, in addition to borrowing money from people to drink wine, only with pigeon whistles blindly wandering, but even a decent pigeon can not afford to raise, which rests on the city of Tai’an, it is called the swollen face to go to the poor to talk about, and even what do not pay attention to poor people to be looked down upon, Zhang Bian Guan is so who can look down on, and the poor people can look down on. Can look down on the prodigal son, in the eyes of neighbors, this guy is fortunate to have a little bit left I do not know which life to repair the blessing, but also to marry a good-looking daughter-in-law, Zhang Bianguan also never know contentment, still refuse to stay at home with the daughter-in-law rolled duvet, only know that every day to the outside world to run, morning and evening, empty-handed out of the empty hand to return home, so muddled one day is a day, a long time, even if the good-hearted old neighborhood are also Gradually, even if the kind-hearted old neighborhood are lazy, not long ago, surnamed Zhang seems to have been beaten, bruised and swollen face, only a few days before the swelling went down, still cheeky and serious, greeted people with a smile, uncle and aunt attentively shouted, regardless of whether other people are not to take care of him.

The weather is getting hotter and hotter, wearing more and more cool, Zhang Bian Guan time away from home is also getting longer and longer, after all, the capital is so big, the street can be less beautiful women? This day near dusk, Zhang Bian Guan wandered back to the slanting eyes of the street not far away, heard the head of that suddenly urgent and leisurely melodious pigeon song, habitually raised his head, the corner of the mouth hooked up, on his wrist there is a green silk twisted with the old pigeon bells, rubbing and playing with it all the time. He just stared blankly at the sky with narrowed eyes. No one knew what he was thinking, and no one was interested in him anyway, as he had been laughed at for years as the last of the leftovers who couldn’t eat leftovers or step on dog shit. Those who know his temperament well only know that this useless coward should still want to play, but he dares not accompany the rich to play with those upscale places of wind and snow, and in the end, he can only look at those dead things that don’t need to spend money, colorful attic mortise and tenon joints, grey and unknown alleys and lanes, Chongwu Gate for soldiers, Chaoyang Gate for food, Tingshan Gate for wine, and the stone unicorn on the Drum Tower, which has been squatting for a few years since the founding of the dynasty a few years away from Yang. Wandering in the sky above the pigeon song has a start and end, Zhang Bian Guan reluctant to take back the line of sight, feeling that the day is still early, not to go home, thought about it, ran to the slanting eyes of the street near the street the only to get out of the lock of the Dragon Well squatting on the side of the ancient well has been dried up, the mouth of the well on the side of the yellow mud bricks made of the Judge, the city wells rumors say that it is away from the sun to fire to press the world’s water, the clay sculpture sitting posture will be equal to the height of the person, bare chest and belly and Sitting, open-mouthed and smiling, every mid-autumn, the people have to add firewood for him to add fire, the fire smoke from the clay judge’s mouth and nose out of a brain.

Zhang Bian Guan, as always, squatting in the well at the foot of the clay sculpture, occasionally raised his cuffs to wipe the corners of his mouth, some time ago he gave a group of people to beat up, probably mistakenly Zhang Bian Guan’s old man is finally going to be out of power, it’s time to teach this to the capital of the world’s sons of the son of a bitch in disgrace, but punching and kicking only to have enough, the next day, the day to discover that the sky is still the same as the sky of the court of Liyang, did not change, the kid’s old man is the first time ever a hair hard! The boy’s father is an unprecedented hard, several large groups of people are packed to cry parents, then rely on these several groups of people to eat and drink the beaters, immediately hide, did not have the courage to go with Zhang Bianguan said an apology, and then trembling for a full half a decade, but also did not wait for a bit of retaliation, which only coincided with the sigh of relief, get together, more and more ridiculed surnamed Zhang is a big waste of money, for nothing, have a they are burning incense and worshiping the Buddha can not come to ask for the old man, do not know to pull the The only thing Zhang Bian Guan has going for him is that he is a good fighter, but he is not a good fighter, he is a good fighter.

Zhang Bian Guan’s only strength is to desert and wander around, and when he suddenly realized that there was a young man with an elegant demeanor beside him, he glanced at him and didn’t say anything, and after waiting for half a day, he finally asked with a smile, “You really didn’t come to beat me up to get rid of my anger ah?”

The scholar-like reader smiled and shook his head, “How dare you beat the son of the chief minister, and then really fight, I am not your opponent, why make a fool of yourself. Even if you don’t fight back and let me beat and scold you, it’s nothing more than being treated like an amused fool.”

Zhang Bian Guan eeped, “So you’re an understanding person? You’re not from the capital, are you? Those who have your kind of vision, the natives of the capital, they simply won’t come to see me.”

The reader asked, “You admit that you are a wise man?”

Zhang Bian Guan snorted and laughed, mocking himself, “I’m considered a smart person? Then what should my father be?”

The reader nodded, “That’s right too.”

Zhang Bian Guan lying on the mouth of the well, looking at the dark and deep well, no longer pay attention to this unknown reader who is not interesting if he understands things.

The reader sat against the mouth of the well and said blandly, “I know that you like to see the hookups in the palace attic because they only complement each other and are much more relatable and lovely than the mutual woes between people. I also know that when you left the Zhang family to set up their own house, planted a peach tree in the house, Tai’an city people, like to have trees in the yard, pomegranates, pomegranates, early birth of noble son of jujube tree, persimmon tree Tsubaki tree is also common, only not see the peach tree, because the word “Peach” harmonized with the ‘escape’, inauspicious, Tai’an city is the root of the Liyang, the tree moved to death, the people of the Liyang Without Tai’an City, how can they escape? You Zhang Bian Guan is not stupid, is planted to your father, but your father, our Liyang’s chief minister adults turn a blind eye, he does not escape, you do this son, naturally can only continue to stay in the city of Tai’an waiting for death, hoping that the future at least can be sent to the end of the day, can be in the Qingming on the wine, that’s better.”

Zhang Bian Guan gave a flat oh sound and continued to look at the well.

The reader smiled, “You must have guessed that I am the Sun Yin who came from Northern Liang to beg for an official position with Tantan Weng.”

Zhang Bian Guan turned his head, “Sun Yin, right? Then tell me, that stone qilin on the drum tower has been silently gazing at the world for hundreds of years, what exactly is it waiting for?”

Sun Yin has now entered the Central Secretariat Province without moving or making waves, and has successfully climbed the tree of Tantan Weng. Although he is a sesame-sized official, since he has caught Master Huan’s eye, isn’t a career in the world just around the corner? The few people who understand naturally realized this point a long time ago, and the vast majority of confused people may not be confused all the time. Sun Yin and this blue-eyed young son straight into the eyes, shook his head and said, “How do I know a stone Qilin is waiting for what, anyway, not waiting for that Fuyao gale to rise, blowing up the smoke of the wolves, and in the end the living souls are in a terrible mess, if you say that only to change the person who wears the dragon robe to change around, fun?”

Zhang Banguan laughed and stroked his bearded chin, “It is not fun.”

Zhang Banguan sat side by side with Sun Yin, shook his neck, exhaled, and inhaled again, before he hemmed and hawed, raised his wrist, showed Sun Yin the plain pigeon bell, and said, “I used to receive a pigeon gifted by someone else, a first-rate superb product, purple in black, not much more expensive than that falcon of Beiliang King Xu Fengyin. At that time my father has not yet become the first minister, only a third grade official, father found me, did not scold me, you should be clear that my father so personal, scolding that is to lift you up, in addition to Huan old man, he almost never scolded anyone in his life. He asked me, this pigeon is the father’s value, you Zhang Bian Guan what is worth this price? Are you stupid, or are you really stupid? I was fourteen years old, and in a fit of anger, I returned the pigeon to the man, who, in front of me, smiled and said that he was not in the habit of taking back gifts, and then strangled the pigeon with his hand, well, he was the current Crown Prince, Zhao Zhuan. From that day on, I swore never to hang out with these people again. I’d rather run around listening to the squeaky doors of small houses than listen to them flatter each other, and I’d rather look at dead things that no one cares about than look at the sons of powerful people who sell their farts as gold and silver. Over time, no one likes to take me for a ride, and I’m happy to be left alone.”

Speaking of his father, Zhang Julu, Zhang Banguan couldn’t help but fall into deep thought.

He also remembers his grandparents in their own father from the Hanlin Academy after the standout, early from the old family moved to the city, in the summer season, the two old men will especially like to lie in the shade of the rattan chairs, to help the knee grandchildren shaking fan shaking ah shaking, one time to repeat, a summer again and again, shaking shaking, there is only grandma left, and then later, are no more. Their father, also did not keep filial piety, the court than that when the son of the civil official is also impatient, directly under the decree to take away the feelings of the restoration, their gang of children, but also from the father’s face to find what is different, Zhang Bian Guan clearly remember that time of the city of Tai’an, at first it was full of gossip, said their father in order to become an official can not afford to be a human being. Only with the father’s official hat more and more big, such a voice more and more small, until completely no one mentioned. He Zhang Bian Guan so many years of inactivity, compared to his elder brother and second brother also left home late, but than the two older brothers to see the family affairs see more clearly some. Zhang family’s family affairs, from when onwards is equivalent to the capital affairs of the world affairs? Zhang Bian Guan look forlorn, the back of the head resting on the well, looking up at the twilight in the gray sky, when I was a child, not far from the house outside the lion bridge, a rare family outing, dad let them go to count the bridge in the end there are a few stone lions, big brother is the most like dad, do what is serious, counting a board, the second brother is a nerd, anyway, from childhood to the big dad said what to do, big brother do what he learned to do! What, he Zhang Bian Guan age than his sister Zhang Gaoxia only less than two years older, so the two siblings are also the most pro, while his parents hit the road back to the house, he took his sister directly to the bridge to go under the frozen river to play to play, play tired, to see the big brother and two older brother is still there in the stupid count, Zhang Bian Guan directly ran to the omniscient Huan Wen Huan Bo Bo there to ask for an answer, the results of the big brother and two older brother to go back to the middle of the night, he saw him kneeling in the ground, the younger brother. On the ground. After that, Zhang Bian Guan, who has suffered a lot, knows that those small smarts, not what really smart. However, afterward, his mother secretly brought him a bowl of hot rice, and when his father bumped into him, he didn’t get angry, but just touched his head and said something that he only understood many years later, “You’re too much smarter than your two older brothers, but since you’ve taken your father’s last name, Zhang, this is not a good thing.”

Zhang Bian Guan gently sniffled and took one sleeve to cover his face.

Sun Yin was about to speak when he heard a series of undisguised footsteps and shut his mouth.

A tall woman wearing a sword was seen arriving. Hearing the footsteps that were more than familiar, Zhang Bian Guan hurriedly and confusedly wiped his face casually, smiled brightly, and let out a yow, “Rare guest ah, great warrior Zhang, want to be kind and send my little one some crumbs of silver?”

Zhang Gaoxia glared: “The jianghu preaching a rescue not to save the poor, you think I will you this poor man a bag of silver money? I’ll take your surname!”

Zhang Bian Guan said with blank eyes, “We have the same surname.”

The corner of Zhang Gaoxia’s mouth curled up, said “so ah”, and then threw out a heavy bag of silver, Zhang Banguan was not surprised, took the silver, and laughed heartily, “This lady warrior is really a Bodhisattva’s heart! In the future, you can certainly find a jade tree style and talent, plus the power of the world more will love the daughter-in-law of the man of your choice! Before that, I would like to discuss a matter with you, Mr. Warrior, why don’t you take me in and drag me home, just take care of the food, meat is the best, and wine would be too good to be true. ……”

Zhang Gaoxia did not go to gag with this third brother, and coldly glanced at the miscellaneous small official of the Central Book Province, Sun Yin, whom she knew well.

Sun Yin stood up alone, leaving Zhang Bian Guan sitting alone, and looked at Zhang Gaoxia, the favorite daughter of the chief minister, ignoring her cold eyes that could cut off a person’s soul, and asked, “Miss Zhang, Sun Mou has a sentence, I don’t know if I should speak or not.”

Zhang Gaoxia said in a cold voice, “Then shut up.”

Zhang Bian Guan slowly got up, tossing the silver bag, with a gloating face, crossing the river to say, “Sun Yin ah Sun Yin, Priest Yao described you as a great talent who has won the third prize in a row, but unfortunately, this sister of mine has always disliked the scholarly people who danced in the literature and ink, so don’t have the luxury of hoping that she’ll look at you differently. If you have to say axiom, that is you are great is your thing, I like is my favorite thing, but if you really die hard, want to marry my sister over the door, I am no matter, but you have to beat her first, but also be her look at the eye, and then have to be my father hand-picked son-in-law recognized, such a phoenix feather of young handsome, where to find go, you this oneself to send to the door, surely does not count. ”

Sun Yin said slightly helplessly: “What do I like a woman whose heart has long been in the right place?”

Zhang Gaoxia sneered, “Sun Yin, you do know quite a lot.”

Sun Yin was unimpressed and calmly said, “I was destined to speak half a word to the Chief Minister in my life anyway, and being able to speak to the Chief Minister’s son would be considered making up for my regrets. As for you, Mistress Zhang Gaoxia Zhang, it was just an unexpected pleasure. Don’t worry, the person you like, I also like, yet I won’t snatch it from you.”

Zhang Gaoxia sneered, “You like men?”

Sun Yin laughed, “Liking is liking, but not the kind where a woman likes a man, appreciating someone from the heart’s eye is also considered liking. To make an analogy, just like I like that the chief minister didn’t write such a great poem as ‘secure a wide building ten million rooms, sheltering the world’s poor people all happy’, but he did this feat that no one has ever done before on the ground. Six ministries of government offices, a total of four thousand houses, in the future, the sons of the great valves and clans are getting fewer and fewer, and more and more children and grandchildren of the cold and common people, this is not different from the predecessor Li Chun Gang’s sword in the jianghu opening the gate of heaven, opening up the mountain for the future generation.”

Sun Yin turned away and said leisurely, “Taking it for granted that he thinks others will like something, he gives the other person something, as if this is giving, but never asks if the other person wants it, willing to accept it or not. This kind of person, and then pouring out his heart and lungs, but also a kind of self-righteousness, self-expansiveness and generosity of the heart, in fact, or selfishness. Is talking about love between men and women or, is talking about brotherly relations, can go to the set. Because of the good people, not easy, but not too difficult, but really can put themselves in the shoes of others to respect, it is very difficult. The ancients used the expression confidant to describe a close friend, so how to be considered a ‘confidant’ is a big question. Sun Yin is a stupid person, I do not know the future of a thousand years is how a world, but we are in this world, still see through, a lot of jerks, but there are still some people do not attach importance to profit, do not attach importance to name, do not attach importance to a good sword do not attach importance posthumous, do not attach importance to the good intentions of friends, do not attach importance to death, do not attach importance to a family of a family name of the flame of the inheritance, and even do not attach importance to a person of the countryside and rivers and mountains … …”

Zhang Gaoxia wrinkled his long and narrow eyebrows and asked, “What is this guy babbling about, is he scolding our father for being loyal and righteous, but he is only sorry for Uncle Huan? But the latter seems to be praising ah, this is not self-contradictory?”

Zhang Bian Guan said carelessly, “I’m afraid he himself is confused, people are too smart, they like to work against themselves, flip-flopping, empty-handed.”

Zhang Gaoxia glared, “What is Sun Yin babbling about, I don’t know, you are scolding our father, I can still hear it!”

Zhang Bian Guan took off the pigeon bell and casually threw it into the Dragon Well, made a cynical face and laughed, “Dad is too lazy to scold me, so I’ll scold him in secret, you won’t report him, what am I afraid of?”

Zhang Gaoxia’s tone became a few points heavier and asked, “Are you really not going to follow father’s wishes and join the army in Liaodong?”

Zhang Bian Guan gently shook his head, “As a son, since I can’t do much to help, I have to send my father off. Having a son is only about two things, I as a son have to try my best to fulfill one of them.”

Zhang Gaoxia sat on the wellhead.

Zhang Bian Guan said with a surprised look, “You don’t cry even when I tell you such things?”

Zhang Gaoxia said flatly, “I am not that kind of woman.”

Zhang Bian Guan hmmmed, “Actually, none of us are as good as you are like father.”

Zhang Bian Guan seemed to remember something and said, “You will soon leave the capital to travel the rivers and lakes, listen to my brother’s words, where dad says he won’t let you go is actually where he wants you to go the most in his heart.”

Zhang Gaoxia lowered his head, “Don’t say it, if you say it again, I will really cry.”

Zhang Bian Guan stretched out his palms and slapped his cheeks fiercely, “Damn it, you, a woman, haven’t cried yet, but my brother, a big old man, can’t carry it first. There is a person, a saying that is really true! In my entire life, brother has never heard anything that makes more sense than these words, and even Sage Zhang would have to bow down when he hears them!”

Zhang Gaoxia raised his head.

Zhang Bian Guan blinked, “He said that a great man who bleeds without shedding tears is a f*cking hero, and that all women in the world bleed without shedding tears every month!”

Zhang Gaoxia took a deep breath and another deep breath, which calmed down the mood of wanting to kill someone.

Zhang Bian Guan softly said, “You go, the world is in turmoil, when the time comes, it will surely be a landscape where heroes and lords and dogs and bears emerge in droves, don’t miss it, just take it as a way to give our father a few more glimpses.”

Zhang Gaoxia did not agree, nor did he refuse.

It was just that on this day, Tai’an City would no longer see the sword-wearing Zhang warrior.

Zhang Bian Guan was no different than usual, walking back to Slanted Eyes Street in the night, the courtyard flooded with dim lights, waiting for him to come home. The not-so-pretty daughter-in-law, even if she was annoyed by his drinking, still waited like this, day after day, probably she would feel that there was no hope in her life and even less of an end to it.

Other women, not to mention married to the Zhang family, such as the entire Liyang Dynasty, the only one in the high family, even if married to the son of three or four officials, that is also the scenery, not only her own clothes and food, her future children will also be able to live a lifetime of clothing and food, and later grow up, want to be freshly dressed in angry horses, want to be a country to help the world, want to be a country to help the world, want to be a bum to be a bum.

Zhang Bian Guan was about to push open the door of the courtyard as in the past as a big grin, shouting to their daughter-in-law good wine and meat to serve, for no reason to crouch down violently, and then heard the pedestrian footsteps, and hastily got up, pushed the door to return home.

The woman, as always, silent, served warm and suitable meal, small chopsticks clip vegetables to eat, and occasionally glance, that one foot on the bench, just focus on their own devouring man, never want to talk to her more than a word of the man, is her husband.

But also never see how she put the grievances and grievances on that clear face.

Zhang Bian Guan always like to say that the reason why she is so good-tempered, is afraid of his family history, the thin dead camel than the big horse, he Zhang Bian Guan and then no good, but also Zhang Julu’s son, she can not be careful to serve? Just every time I say this, Zhang Bian Guan always give himself a big mouth, said birds, fish and insects only use to serve these two bastard words. Then she snickered, until Zhang Bian Guan glared at her, she only skimmed her head, just the corners of the mouth that faint smile does not see clear reduction is.

Late this night, Zhang Bian Guan quietly whimpered after she fell asleep.

“I was afraid of liking you myself, and even more afraid of you liking me, that’s why I was like this.”

“How could I not want an obedient and understanding child, a son and daughter are all very good.”

“But I am Zhang Julu’s son, the more I do, the more wrong I am. If I tell you the truth, you are fleeing? But where can you flee to? If you don’t run away, can you live an easier life than the present? If you’re stupid enough to die with me, you’ll come to your senses, but I’d rather you hate me at that point. I just want you to be confused and complain that I’m not good enough to be in charge of the family. Daughter in law, this life as I owe you, if there really is a next life, I will definitely return you ……”

Zhang Bian Guan face full of tears, after wiping clean, gradually drowsy sleep.

The gentle woman who slept with her back to him facing the wall, and didn’t move at all throughout the night, until she heard her husband’s snoring, which slowly opened her eyes, her eyes, gentle as ever. As she walked off the sedan chair that day, he lifted the red head that moment.

Early the next morning, Zhang Banguan and heartless like eating breakfast, stride out to leave home.

After Zhang Banguan went out, he walked on the slanting street, looked to the northwest, and softly said: ”Gao Xia, you must go to Northern Liang ah. Only there will it be chaos in a moment, not a lifetime.”

Today’s youngest son of Lord Prime Minister was still the same son of the most mockable family in Tai’an City and even in the heavens.

But what about the woman?

The woman quietly did one trivial chore after another, and when she didn’t have anything on her hands, she sat diagonally on the threshold of the inner courtyard, looking out the door, waiting for him to come home.