"When Ji and Sun loved me, it was because of my illness. When Meng and Sun hated me, it was like medicine and stone. A beautiful disease is not as good as a bad stone." Zuo Zhuan Xianggong in the 23rd year
"Kang Bo! Are you taking medicine or alcohol?" Hou Zhe rarely persuaded someone to drink. He called the other person's cousin affectionately and said, "Hurry up! Drink big!"
Wang Chang sat at the table with a frown on his face, holding a wine bowl in his hand. He hesitated for a moment, then raised his neck and drank it all.
"This is decent." Hou Zhe poured another bowl of wine for Wang Chang. Before he could say anything, his wife and daughter each brought the roasted meat and sauce sauce in earthenware fou from the hall, as well as a small bowl with some food in it.
With condiments such as minced garlic and chopped green onions.
Wang Chang couldn't help but swallow a few times as he looked at the roasted meat that turned dark red and exuded bursts of aroma.
"This is freshly grilled dog meat. Hou Lang went to the East Market to buy a big dog early in the morning. You have to eat it while it's hot. If it's not enough, there will be more in the kitchen. Don't be polite." The wife put the grilled meat on the table and laughed.
After saying that, he took his daughter down.
Wang Chang knew that Hou Zhe's family was poor, with an old mother, a wife and a daughter, and a salary of only three hundred shi a year. Now that food prices had risen, life was already tight, but he bought a dog specially for him.
His eyes were sore and he said movedly: "How could this happen? I deserve it."
"I still remember that when I was twelve years old, my father-in-law died in the battle in Meiyang County." Hou Zhe suddenly talked about the past: "Food was very expensive at that time. The supervisor said that my father-in-law died and he could not get the salary for that year.
I am only willing to give you a small and no less compensation. My hometown in Xihe County was also robbed by the Qiang people. In the end, my family had nothing, so you took me to steal dogs to eat."
"I know, that's my dog." Wang Chang took a piece of dog meat and ate it, then said: "My ancestor was reluctant to kill him, and I didn't dare to ask for it, so he killed the dog with you and pretended to be a dog."
It looked like it had been stolen. But in the end you were kind enough to bring the dog meat to the door again and admit your mistake. This is the first time I have seen such a pedantic person like you."
Hou Zhe showed a look of recollection on his face and said: "I happily took the meat back that day and wanted to eat it with my mother. Our family had not eaten meat for a long time. But my mother taught me a lesson and said
No matter what, my family can still be chosen as a good family in Yulin. After doing such a disgraceful thing to our family, how can we return to Yulin in the future? How can we regain our family name? So I took the dog meat to your house and volunteered.
I will work as a handyman in your house for a year to atone for my sins, just because I don’t want to disappoint my mother and my deceased husband.”
Wang Chang was stunned, stretched out his hand and patted Hou Zhe's shoulder, but stopped talking.
"Since then I have understood that if it is not mine, I will never take it. And I can't take any chances just because I have an idea that no one knows." Hou Zhe suddenly stared at Wang Chang and said seriously: "You
I have grown up together since childhood, and I have been deeply supported by your ancestors, so I should take care of you. People will always make mistakes in this life, but if you know how to correct them, there is no greater good!"
Both "Xianjun" and "Zunxianjun" refer to Wang Chang's father who passed away long time ago. His father admired Hou Zhe's integrity very much and specially established relationships with him, so he entered Yulin as an orphan.
Wang Chang looked at Hou Zhe deeply, took a big sip of the wine in his hand, suddenly waved his hand and said, "You don't understand!"
"I don't understand?" Hou Zhe said in a low voice: "Based on Gai Zhonglang's appreciation for you, even if you didn't take the lead in attacking Aoguan and subduing Liu Xiongming last time, you will still receive a generous reward.
.Why compete with Xu Huang for credit?"
"Why is a thief who has been a Yellow Turban and rebelled in Hedong pretending to be in front of me? What kind of thing is he? Even if he is a good soldier, he is still a low-ranking military commander! I am the son of a good family, and I am descended from father to son.
Huben Zhonglang, who has been loyal to the country for generations, and has a salary of six hundred shi! How can he be inferior to him? Why should he be allowed to win the first place!" Wang Chang threw the wine bowl on the table.
He recalled Xu Huang's indifferent attitude towards him during that march, and couldn't help but said bitterly: "If he hadn't suddenly gotten lucky this time, why would I be here!"
"What are you talking about?" When talking about this kind of right and wrong, Hou Zhe's face suddenly became very serious, and his tone was also very tough: "You still don't feel that you are wrong until now? If it wasn't you"
Wang Chang rushed to speak: "Isn't it just that I gave him Xu Huang a head start? Now that I have returned it to him, what else do you want from me? Why do they now say that I have never fought in Lantian or risked my life? Like?
I seem to be taking credit for other people's work just by talking while sleeping on the couch. Why do all the things I deserve become undeserved just because of this incident? You said it yourself, I am not worthy of the credit in this matter.
Is there anything wrong?"
"What's wrong?" Hou Zhe's wife asked timidly from the door.
"Nothing." Hou Zhe smiled at his wife and said, "Go and warm some wine."
After persuading his wife to leave, Hou Zhe looked back at Wang Chang. Because he had taken the lead, all his previous achievements were questioned. In this regard, Wang Chang was indeed aggrieved, but he also deserved it.
But he didn't know what his current mood was. Did he sympathize with his plight? Or did he despise his unrepentance? According to his character, he should have scolded Wang Chang at this time, but what he said
When he reached his mouth, he still sighed heavily: "You know you can change it, but don't make the same mistake next time."
"Where can there be a next time?" Wang Chang lowered his voice and said in frustration: "Now General Gai has not only lost face because of this, but also lost the opportunity to lead the army. In the battle of Hedong, I don't know how many people in the Northern Army were awarded titles and promotions.
, even Zhang Fan, who couldn't even catch a mad cow, became a military commander because of this. These should be what our southern army deserves. Now it's all because of me, nothing is left. This teaches me how to build a general in the future.
When your subordinates are on duty, how can you meet those people?"
"Zhang Fan captured the wanted criminal Qing Niujiao and is Zhang Yueqi's brother, so the reward is naturally more generous." Hou Zhe took a deep breath, suppressed the inexplicable emotions in his heart, and said: "You are still in Huben after all, no matter what
Neither the country nor General Gai have revealed this matter clearly, let alone punished you. No matter what the intention is, they have given you a dignity, which you should cherish."
Neither the emperor nor the generals made it clear, but there were many people among the generals who were jealous of Geshun, and rumors spread throughout the army. Geshun was embarrassed, and even there were rumors that the Confederate Army was about to attack Baibo.
It also failed. Not to mention Hu Ben, even Yu Lin, who had a stake in it, was angry with Wang Chang because of this.
Wang Chang seemed to be in great glory every day, and he had hundreds of men under his command, but in fact, none of them obeyed him. Every time he went back, he drank to drown his sorrows, and his body and mind became more and more depressed.
He drank several large bowls of wine and suddenly glanced at the already cold roasted dog meat on the table. This young man, who had never cried even when he was despised by the entire army, suddenly had red eyes, banged the table and cried bitterly: "What does this make me do?"
Meet the late king!"
Hou Zhe said in a deep voice: "If you are really ashamed to meet our ancestors, you should know how to repent."
"Repent? How else can I repent? Do you want me to kowtow to Xu Huang and confess my sin? This is impossible!" Wang Chang waved his hand and said forcefully.
"You should first change your slick temper and your self-proclaimed superiority." Hou Zhe looked at Wang Chang with a hatred of iron and steel, and said earnestly: "Look at the current Southern Army, Yu
Fortunately for Lin, after all, the Liang family is better at riding and shooting than the Han family disciples who are usually recruited, and what about the tiger tigers? How many of the six thousand tiger tigers were descended from father to son? The world has changed!"