Qiantang County is not big, especially for the idlers who hang out in wine shops and teahouses every day. The layout here is too small, so as long as there is the slightest disturbance, people will inevitably chatter.
How plump the Wang family's aunt is, how graceful the Liu family's girl is, how a prostitute's family has a new baby, or how the owner of a certain silk shop is afraid of his wife. These messy things are enough for people to talk about.
But in the past few days, a news has spread throughout Qiantang, saying that Xuchang wants to do a good deed.
Doing good deeds? The sun is really rising in the west.
When everyone heard that it was Xuchang, they couldn't help but ask everyone when they met: "Which Xuchang is it? Is it the Xuchang from Zhoudu?"
Anyone who knows the basics can't help but scold: "Zhoudu is hundreds of thousands of miles away from Qiantang, how could it be him? He is the leader of Xuchangxu in our Qiantang County government office."
"Yeah, it's possible that Team Leader Xu has hair loss or some kind of demonic disease. He couldn't have gone crazy."
"This..." The person who was asked was not easy to explain, and said perfunctorily: "It must be the same. Who is Team Leader Xu? How can a person who plucks his hair out do good deeds? To tell you the truth, the Xu family
Not only the old ones are like this, but the young ones are not good either. I heard that the little one selling medicine even killed people. Hey, don't spread these words randomly. Just listen to what is said by hearsay."
All kinds of rumors became so rampant that even people in my hometown knew about it. Early the next morning, a cousin from the clan who was doing small business in the county came to the door and said he was here to visit his uncle.
He said that if his uncle was unwell, there was a doctor in Dongxiang who was best at treating epilepsy.
If this sentence is translated in slang, it means: Uncle, if you have a brain disease, please get it treated immediately, so as not to embarrass our old Xu family.
Xuchang was so angry that his nose was crooked, so he took out an iron ruler and drove the nephew out. The nephew also knew that Xuchang had a hot temper, so he ran away with his head in his arms.
"What's wrong with these shameless things? If I do good deeds, I, Team Leader Xu, can't do good deeds? Qian'er, do you think it's true? There's an old saying, what's the sparrow, what's the sparrow, what's the sparrow?"
Xu Qian had a sullen face and did not dare to laugh. He looked like he was mourning for his heir and said, "Dad, it's the sparrow that knows the ambition of the swan."
Xu Chang glanced at Xu Qian approvingly, nodded and said: "Yes, that's it. How can these sparrows know what I am thinking? They say I am crazy. In my opinion, they are crazy."
.”
Xu Qian gave a thumbs up and said, "Dad is really good. We don't make sparrows, we make swans."
The father and son complimented each other, and Xu Chang felt relieved, and then sneered: "Tomorrow we will open the eyes of these indifferent things, don't be idle, read your book, your idea is
Yes, but of course dad will take care of these things, and your main job is studying."
In any case, Xu Chang and Xu Qian became popular, and soon there was news that on September 15th, the charity hall of Xu family and his son would be opened.
Under the spotlight, on the early morning of September 15th, Xu Chang and his son put on new clothes. Xu Qian also specially found a pair of paper fans and wore a Confucian shirt, which looked like a young master.
Many good people had gathered at the door of Xu's house. When everyone saw the door of Xu's house opened, and then Xu Chang and his son came out, they felt like they had been given blood. The reason why everyone was so excited was because they were too curious. Like Xu Chang
How can a person with such virtue do good deeds? There must be something fishy and weird in it.
"It's out, it's out, tsk tsk... It's true that it has grown hair. Look, even the clothes are different. Look, they hired two sedan chairs. They are low-class people. Are you afraid of breaking the rules by riding in the sedan chair?"
Everyone was talking a lot and watched as Xu Chang and Xu Qian got into the sedan. Then the sedan rose up and staggered towards the outside of the city.
The good people walked and stopped to catch up. Anyway, these people were idle, but they were calm and relaxed. They talked and wanted to find out what happened.
Qiantang is a large county and is located in a strategic area in the south of the Yangtze River. Although it is prosperous inside the city walls, it is still extremely lively along the outside of the city. There are also markets for miles around. This is called Qinghefang. After crossing the bridge in the distance, there is a
Everyone recognized the majestic building at a glance as the Zhang family in Qinghe, the largest wealthy family in Qiantang County. Although the new house was not built in the inner city, it was not because we could not afford the land in the inner city, but because the inner city was cramped after all, and in the
This lively Qinghefang, a huge building that cost thousands of taels of silver and took three years to build, has now become one of the landmark buildings in Qiantang County.
The sedan stopped unexpectedly in front of this house, and the busybodies stopped quickly, confused.
How did you do good deeds to the Zhang family? Does the Zhang family still need you to help?
It should be noted that there is a market in front of this house, and there are some abandoned storefronts opposite it. The largest building among them is an inn. However, since a mansion was built opposite the inn, it has greatly affected the business. Now the store has closed.
, and no one came to ask.
But today, it seems that some repairs have been done, but everyone is still confused as to what exactly they will do.
It was here that the Xu family father and son got off the sedan chair and entered the inn. Immediately afterwards, several shopkeepers came out and everyone hung up a plaque above the door. On the plaque, there were four words: "People who accumulate good deeds"
, but it was signed by Huang Rende.
Who is Huang Rende? Many people were stunned at first, and then some well-informed people slapped their thighs and said: "This is the master of our county, Mr. Huang Rende. Unexpectedly, it turns out that Mr. Huang actually mentioned it to them in his own hand.
It seems that the father and son named Xu really want to do good deeds. But I don’t know what kind of good deed they are doing. Is it to give out porridge? It doesn’t look like it, it doesn’t look like it. There is no stove at the door, and there is no smell of porridge. It’s really
I don’t know what the name is.”
Master Huang's inscription naturally caused a sensation. In the eyes of later generations, a master is just a follower of an official, what kind of important and core figure is he? But in this era, it is completely different. A master is the official's staff officer, and also the official's confidant.
It is an official's personal cotton-padded jacket. Even though there are county magistrates, chief registrars, and academic officials in the county, in fact, compared with the unemployed master, they may not be more effective in what they say. To a certain extent, every word and deed of the master represents
The thoughts and actions of a county official are often consistent with those of the top leaders in the county.
Since Mr. Huang has an inscription, it also represents the meaning of Qiantang’s parents, who are the current county magistrates. This man named Xu hung the inscription of Mr. Huang in a prominent position on the door. The many meanings in it are enough to make people think deeply.
At this time, the guys set out firecrackers, and Xu Qian personally held a stick of incense and went to set it off. After the firecrackers sounded, Xu Chang came out, bowed to the crowd of onlookers, and said loudly: "Qiantang is a land of plenty.
It is also a place where the literary style flourishes. Even we, ordinary commoners, are deeply influenced by saints and sages. Doing good deeds and accumulating virtue has always been Xu’s long-cherished wish. Today, Xu is extremely grateful that you can come and support me.”
What he said was quite decent, and he finally received some sparse applause.
After Xu Chang finished speaking, Xu Qian took another step forward, shook his head and said: "I, Xu Qian, have always been taught by my father's words and deeds. I have always had good thoughts in my heart. I hope to do more good deeds, report to the country, and help the weak. Qiantang land
In this important place, there are many passing merchants, but I often hear that some merchants, passers-by in my Qiantang, often hear bad news that they died in a foreign land. I only pity them that they were running away for their families, so they died.
, and there is nowhere to bury him for the time being, which is pitiful..."
Everyone nodded, and they thought it was reasonable. There were many foreigners passing by Qiantang, and people often fell ill suddenly and died in Qiantang, and their hometowns were thousands of miles away. By the time they came home to collect the bodies, it was already too late.
This kind of thing happens all the time and everyone has heard of it.
Xu Qian sighed, and then said: "That's why my father and son bought this house to build it into a righteousness village, specifically for the coffins of merchants and tourists who died in foreign lands. Today it is my Xu family righteousness village.
On the opening day, everyone...hey...hey...everyone, please come closer and don't hide."
Xu Qian's words were very touching at first, but who knew that when many people heard the word Yizhuang, they immediately backed away, as if they were afraid of getting into some bad luck.