The double eaves are connected as zithers, and the market is like a chessboard.
Yang Zhaoxi led Xiao Zhan all the way north, out of Nanshi, and straight into Daodefang.
There are poor households all over the place, with old houses connected together. Smoke rises from every house, but there is not much smell of meat. Households that are slightly rich can only spend a few coins to pick up the leftover dead fish sold in the fish market next to the water.
Go back and put the two tails in the pot to make soup, which can barely be regarded as meat and fish.
The two of them walked around and around in the square, and saw few people wearing silk. Xiao Zhan seemed to be full of thoughts. After entering Daodefang, there was no smile on his face. And this nonsense
The Han Dynasty lived in a mixed and scattered layout of Daodefang, but it seemed that he was very familiar with it. Even if Yang was wandering around and lost his way, he could point out the hidden things and make things clear.
It wasn't until the two of them came to a firewood gate and were about to knock on the door that Xiao Zhan said with deep meaning in his eyes: "What did Young Master Yang mean by bringing me here?"
Yang Chaoxi didn't know why, so he opened his mouth and said: "I was entrusted by others to do good deeds. Why did Xiao Daxia ask this?"
Seeing that his eyes were clear and calm, Xiao Zhan knew that he was definitely not deceiving him. Then he pointed to a small dilapidated courtyard not far away and said, "That's where my mother and I used to live. Later, one time, I gambled.
I lost a lot and couldn't repay, so the thugs from the gambling house tied me up and chopped off my hands and feet to pay off the debt. When my mother found out, she went to the gambling house with the house deed, knelt down and begged, and finally
Redeemed me from the gambling den."
Yang Zhaoxi didn't know that Xiao Zhan had such a past, so she wondered: "If the gambling house gets the deed, it will be sold to others at a low price so that it can be exchanged for money. How can it be so ruined?"
Xiao Zhan raised his eyebrows, but smiled and said: "My mother and I have no place to live, so we move from time to time. Whenever there are cheap old houses for rent in Baiyufang City, Luoyang City, my mother and I will move there.
, I moved around seven or eight cities in a few years. Later, when life was hard, I worked in the kitchen of Longxingguan as a handyman to earn some money to supplement the family income. By chance, I became a Taoist priest and learned some martial arts.
Later, in the winter of the year when I watched the moon and discussed Taoism in Taiwei Palace, my mother fell ill and needed to seek medical advice and take care of her at all times. I just came out of Longxing Temple and, relying on my skills in fists and feet, went to Luxinfang Wuhou
I became a bad guard. Guess what was the first big thing I did after becoming a bad guard?"
Yang Zhaoxi tilted her head and thought for a while, then asked tentatively: "Did you solve some major case?"
"Haha! The dynasty is prosperous and the two cities are prosperous. How can there be so many big cases to solve!"
Xiao Zhan said with some pride, "I acted as a bad guard, so I invited the brothers from the same team to watch the night for a drink. Then I ran to the gambling house and smashed all the utensils to pieces! The shopkeeper of the gambling house naturally knew it.
When he got me, he kowtowed and begged for mercy, just like when my mother redeemed me.
You will definitely think that I must have been extremely proud of having my great revenge avenged. In fact, it was not the case. I looked at the shopkeeper who was begging for mercy, and my heart was really boring. Suddenly I felt that I was just a villain who got his way!"
Yang Zhaoxi smiled and said, "I never expected that the great hero Yuntianxiao, who was so righteous, was once a libertine in the market."
Xiao Zhan smiled casually: "What's the point! When Liu Bang, the emperor of Han Dynasty, was young, wasn't he also Liu San, a rogue in Zhongyang, Pei County? Later, the shopkeeper found the buyer, took the yard back, and returned the property deed to him.
I. I thought my mother would be happy when she saw it, but I didn’t know where she got so much strength. She found a pole at home and beat me up severely. My behavior was different from those evil people who bullied the weak and feared the strong.
What's the difference? So that old house has been deserted, and my mother refused to move back to the old house no matter what, not even repairing or cleaning it."
Only then did Yang Zhaoxi realize. He cupped his fists and saluted, saying, "Today, the path was abrupt, and it inadvertently brought back so many old memories of Daxia Xiao."
Xiao Zhan waved his hand and said: "It's okay, it's just a coincidence. But I don't know what Yang Shaoxia's mysterious journey has been and what the good deeds he has done are?"
Yang Chaoxi then told him briefly about the bet between Long Zaitian and Liu Xiaomu to help the poor, but only concealed their names and identities. The house he visited today was the old beggar Long Zaixi.
Tian wants to help the poor.
After Xiao Zhan heard this, he was also amazed, and immediately smiled and said: "I know the origin of this poor family even if you don't tell me. There is an old widower who is nearly sixty years old living in this courtyard. Everyone who is familiar with him calls him "
Wang So, yes or no?"
Yang Chaoxi also nodded and said with a smile: "It is this person. The old man who asked me to come here just sent corn, oil, salt, vinegar and other things to the old man Wang the day before yesterday, which solved his urgent need. The old man Wang also
He was an honest man, and he couldn't beat him with three sticks on weekdays. On that day, he thanked him profusely, cried bitterly, cupped his hands and kowtowed. Today, he came here with a robe made of rough cloth.
, I want to change his original body."
Xiao Zhan asked him clearly about his purpose, and his doubts were immediately solved. So he also had some thoughts of waiting and watching. He took a step forward, knocked on the door and asked, "Is Mr. Wang at home?"
Behind Chaimen, in a house made of broken bricks and tiles, old wood and old beams, a violent coughing sound suddenly sounded. After a few breaths, the coughing gradually stopped, and an old man with a swarthy complexion and frosty white hair on his temples leaned on a
A stick of firewood came over to open the door. In front of me was a young man holding a baggage, followed by a young man. The wrinkles on his face suddenly wrinkled, and he smiled from ear to ear: "Are you, Brother Long's nephew? Come on, please.
Come... I don’t have much to eat or drink, so I just boiled some hot water and will bring it to you!"
Yang Chaoxi was about to refuse, but Xiao Zhan stopped him, cupped his hands and said with a smile: "Then I'm here to help you!"
Wang Sou's eyes were dim and he took a closer look at Xiao Zhan. He felt that he was somewhat kind, but he couldn't remember where he had seen him before. He shook his head and led the two of them into a small courtyard surrounded by red clay rubble. There was a place in the courtyard.
There is an open-air mud stove, a pile of messy firewood, and a palm-sized vegetable field. The green seedlings in the vegetable field are weak and sparse and have not yet grown into a mature plant.
Wang Sou entered the house alone and quickly took out two dusty coarse porcelain bowls. He opened the iron wok on the clay stove and scooped out two bowls of slightly turbid hot water. He handed them to the two of them, rubbed their hands and said
: "Brother Long is such a good man! Seeing that the little old man was about to die after being hungry for a few days, he brought him food. Now he asked you to bring him clothes. He is really more effective than Guanyin Bodhisattva!
"
Yang Chaoxi held the coarse porcelain bowl in one hand and stuffed the bundle into him with the other and said, "Brother Long, I told you to change it and try it on. If the size doesn't fit, take it back and ask someone to cut it."
Wang Sou was so happy that he took the baggage and said with a smile: "It will definitely fit, it will definitely fit! I will change it now."
After saying that, he didn’t want any sticks anymore. He hugged the bag and hurriedly got into the house. After half a cup of tea, he ran out in high spirits and said with a smile: “It’s such a good thing. As soon as I put it on, even my cough felt better!”
"
Yang Zhaoxi took a sip of hot water, and the thick earthy smell entered her throat. She coughed several times before laughing and said: "How can this be such a miracle! Brother Long also said that in two days when he is not busy anymore, he will
Find a doctor to come over and get rid of all the old illnesses on your body, so that you can live longer. Now that he has recognized you as his adopted brother, he should share the blessings and share the hardships in the future. If there are still any difficulties,
Dad, you might as well tell me! My nephew will definitely bring the words to you."
When Old Man Wang heard what he said, his eyes shone brightly. At first he was a little hesitant, but later he became confident: "Young man has lived in vain for most of his life. Only this year has he been lucky enough to be able to reach the level of Brother Long."
Relatives... You two have seen what the situation is like here! The door does not look like a door, the room does not look like a house, and even the courtyard wall is not decent. They were all built with red clay rubble when the little old man was still strong...
Now that I have become a brother with Brother Long, I shouldn’t lose his face. If I can find a few masons to clean it up, I will thank God!"
Yang Chaoxi listened patiently, although he felt something was wrong, but Long Zaitian had explained in advance that since he was helping the poor, he should do his best and not hesitate. After thinking about it, he replied: "This matter is not difficult, I believe Mr. Long
Once I know about it, I will send someone to take care of it in the next two days."
After hearing this, Wang Sou narrowed his eyes into two thin slits, thanked him again, and then said cautiously: "Although the little old man often eats one meal without finishing another, he still has a few familiar neighbors. I heard that
I've had a good fortune these days! Everyone is clamoring to congratulate me. But the little old man is penniless and can't afford food and drinks... If the young hero has a lot of money, can you spare some money? Tell the little old man to be generous too.
'one time……"
Xiao Zhan frowned upon hearing this, but this matter had nothing to do with him, so he couldn't blame him. So he found an excuse, left Chaimen first, and waited nearby.
Yang Chaoxi saw the pleading words in Wang Sou's words, his eyes were full of bitterness, and his heart softened. He took out two pieces of silver from his arms and stuffed them into his hands: "My nephew came out in a hurry, so I only brought these. I hope it's not too little."
!”
Wang Sou wanted to refuse but said: "Too much, too much... half a drop of money is enough... The young man is grateful for the young hero's charity, so he will chant sutras day and night, praying that the young hero will live a long life and have many children and grandchildren...
…”
Yang Chaoxi could still talk and laugh at first, but after hearing this, she got goosebumps all over her body. She quickly stopped Wang Sou from talking and said she would come visit him again in a few days before leaving in a hurry.
Xiao Zhan stood under a willow tree not far away, watching Yang Zhaoxi approaching, with a strange expression on his face and said with a smile: "Is this kind of relief for the poor the intention of you, Young Master Yang, or the arrangement of that 'Brother Long'?
"
Yang Zhaoxi smiled bitterly and said, "That's what Brother Long meant. The trail is just for running errands and passing on news."
Xiao Zhan pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said with a smile: "I'm afraid Brother Long is going to lose this bet. They say, 'poor people must be hateful.' This old man, who has been living in poverty for several years, suddenly becomes innocent."
Getting a lot of sweetness may not be a good thing. Let’s see!”
Yang Chaoxi deeply believed it, but had nothing to say.
The two of them walked leisurely, and after a few breaths, they arrived at the old house that Xiao Zhan mentioned just now. They saw wormwood everywhere and everything was desolate.
Because it has not been taken care of for a long time, the heights are uneven everywhere, and there is a mixture of dry and prosperous trees. There is no path for entry and exit. The eaves tiles of the collapsed corner of the hall are covered with dense grass that looks up to the sky. From a distance, it looks like a low-rise building.
Low ridge.
Xiao Zhan stood among the wormwood and had mixed feelings for a moment. He only murmured: "I, Xiao Zhan, am back..."
The street is wide and shaded by cherry trees.
The afternoon sun was dazzling, and the traffic and horses were noisy. An oil-walled car with colorful tassels rumbled past. After a few breaths, it rushed to Jishanfang and went straight into Taiwei Palace.
Wang Jin was still sitting in the ginkgo courtyard, holding a scroll of Buddhist scriptures in his hands. He was leaning on the branches to protect himself from the cold, smelling the fragrance of tea beside him, which was quite mysterious and quiet like meditating under the tree. Two plump maids were hanging down from a distance.
Standing with his head upright, if not summoned, he is like a clay puppet, with the smile on his face neither growing nor diminishing.
Everything is silent here, only the sound of leaves is heard.
Suddenly, Wang Jin raised his eyes, stared outside the courtyard, and said calmly: "Here we come."
The two maids turned around and moved into the room. They quickly brought out two high-backed chairs and placed them in front of Wang Jin.
Among them is the tea table, which is fully equipped with tea utensils. On the gold-plated copper stove is a silver urn, with water in the urn, broken beads, and breathable tea. Several Yue porcelain tea bowls are arranged on bamboo and wooden trays, with green glaze and lotus flowers.
The petal relief pattern is pleasing to the eye after just one glance.
As he finished speaking, he heard a "ding-ding-tapping" sound, from far to near, straight into the courtyard.
The person who came was wearing mail and a hood, with a shining silver breastplate hanging on his chest. There were horizontal knives, fish charms and other objects tied to the belt around his waist. The black leather Liuhe boots made a sound when kicked, but he was a majestic figure.
A majestic general!
When the general saw Wang Jin, he clasped his fists and bowed: "Father! Yin Xiaojing from Henan is asking to see you, saying that he has something urgent to discuss with you. I thought he must be here because Hu merchants are on strike."
Wang Jin's face slightly condensed and he said in a deep voice: "Wang Che, please invite him in to talk!"
After a while, Xiao Jing, dressed in a light purple robe, walked quickly through the doorway, cupped her hands from a distance and said: