In the twelfth year of Tongtai, Yong's army invaded Wuyue at Donghaihai camp, and Zhe was marching with him. On February 12, Yong's army entered Jiaxing. Zhe sneaked into Jiaxing to sacrifice his mother and meet the Jing family. He cleared up all the past grudges, but no one knew about it.
——"History of Chu in the Southern Dynasties Biography of Jiang Suiyun"
Jiaxing Yanyu Tower was originally a famous building in the southeast, and it attracted the most scholars and tourists. Especially in the early spring of February, the green willows are like smoke, the clear waves are rippling, and the shadows of fishing boats and sails are coming and going. It is the most pleasant scenery. Unfortunately, although it is now a place to enjoy the scenery
At this time, everyone in the building was frowning. As early as a few days ago, there had been rumors that Yong's army had captured Dinghai, but this news did not cause them to be overly frightened. The land of Wu and Yue rarely encountered wars.
, in their minds, the Yong Army would soon be repelled by the Yuhang Water Camp. However, the evolution of things caught them off guard. Almost in an instant, the Yong Army's offensive in full swing had swept across the land of Wuyue. The Yong Army had already
Pinghu and Haining were captured. According to the news from the two places, Yong's army did not massacre. They just detained the local soldiers and civilians in the city and prevented them from moving freely. Although they did not understand the intentions of Yong's army, the soldiers and civilians of Jiaxing were somewhat relieved because of this.
, Yong's army only relied on surprise to attack Yue County. Once the Southern Chu army counterattacked, Yong's army would be forced to retreat to the sea. As long as Yong's army did not kill people, it would not be a big deal if they lost some money and food.
All the people in the building are young children from major aristocratic families in Jiaxing, as well as well-known poor scholars in Jiaxing. Now the vanguard of the Yong army has arrived on the outskirts of Jiaxing. These young people do not want to be trapped at home, so they all gathered in Yanyu Tower, hoping to learn the latest news.
Due to the war situation, only these young people who still have the courage to fight have the courage to gather at this time. One of these young people has a somewhat different look. He is a young man of a weak age, wearing a green uniform, handsome appearance, and a deep demeanor.
He was sitting in front of the window overlooking the scenery of South Lake, seemingly isolated from everyone on purpose. Everyone in the building also avoided him intentionally or unintentionally, but they all secretly paid attention to his expression with their eyes. This young man's name is Jing Xin, and he is a Jing family member.
The eldest grandson, the son of Jing Changqing.
Different from the trend of criticizing Jiang Zhe in various places, the aristocratic families in Jiaxing are intertwined. For the sake of the Jing family's face, most people remain silent, and deep down, these aristocratic families secretly envy the Jing family's descendants for having someone like Jiang Zhe.
In the eyes of these aristocratic families, the glory of the family is the most important. Although they inevitably regard Dayong's warriors as barbarians and think that they are not as elegant as the southerners' poetry, the power of Dayong still makes them feel lingering fear.
Therefore, even if it is to leave a way out, the Jiaxing family has never dared to ignore the Jing family. This is one of the reasons why Shang Weijun wanted to eradicate the Jing family, but could not proceed smoothly. Of course, the Jing family was not completely unaffected.
, because of the face of the court, the Jiaxing family will still be cold to the Jing family on the surface. As the heir of the Jing family, Jing Xin naturally has a deep understanding of this situation. If Dayong goes to war with other countries, the young people in Yanyu Tower will
During debates, they would often surround him. If Dayong was fighting against Nanchu, everyone would isolate him intentionally or unintentionally. Of course, they would not turn a blind eye to him, and would even pay more attention to his judgments. Over time, Jing became
Xin was used to this kind of treatment, so today he deliberately kept a certain distance from everyone.
Looking at the lake outside the window, Jing Xixin was not as calm as he appeared. He had never seen his cousin Jiang Zhe and had no impression of him. However, he had some understanding of Jiang Zhe's father, Jiang Hanqiu. In the past,
When Jiang Hanqiu left Jiaxing, he took all his manuscripts with him, but in Jing's study, he left several notebooks containing his reading experience. Since Jing Xin learned about Jiang Zhe, he specially
Go look at those notebooks. Although Jiang Hanqiu is unknown, his notes can be said to be all-encompassing and extremely insightful. Every time Jing Xin reads them, he gains something new and can’t help but sigh. With such a father, no wonder Jiang
Philosophy can move the world.
Regarding Jiang Zhe, there are two tendencies within the Jing family. Those who simply went to Dayong like Jing Shun and Jing, and those who relied on Jiang Zhe to rebuild their family business, and those who were resentful and unjust like Jing Changqing and regarded him as a traitor and traitor.
Jing Xinxin understood that over the years, his grandfather had gradually favored his second uncle, and even the clan was dissatisfied with his father. He wanted his second uncle to take over as the head of the family, but it was just to prevent his second uncle from doing business in Dayong and making it inconvenient for publicity. In Jing,
In the eyes of faith, he naturally disapproved of his father's stubbornness and lack of family affection, but he would not be willing to rely on Jiang Zhe to surrender to Dayong. Why should the Jing family rely on outsiders to gain a foothold? This was what he was thinking.
At this time, a young man ran up the stairs and shouted: "Oh no, the Jiaxing garrison did not dare to go out of the city to meet the enemy. They have broken up and fled. Yong's army has entered the city and is enforcing martial law along the way. Residents are not allowed to walk on the streets. In a few moments,
, we are about to arrive at Yanyu Tower."
These young people were in an uproar, and fear arose in their hearts. Although there was no news of the massacre of the city by Yong's army, it was not easy to feel that these people were fighting for the sword and I was fighting for the flesh. A heroic young man said angrily: "It's all Shang Weijun, that guy.
He only knows how to plunder and amass the civil and military positions in Wuyue. These are the capital for his promotion of titles and selling out. The virtuous people will serve as subordinates, while the mediocre people will be in good positions. Otherwise, how could they be led directly into the interior of Wuyue by Yong's army?" All the young men heard this.
They cheered in unison. Usually, it hindered Shang Weijun's power in governing. Even if he was dissatisfied, he could only discuss a few words in private. Today, the young man reprimanded him in public, and Jiaxing encountered another incident. Everyone felt at ease. But even so,
It was of no use, and everyone couldn't help but sigh sadly. A short and fat young man looked at Jing Xin, and seeing his calm expression, he couldn't help but sarcastically said: "Brother Jing can sleep peacefully, even if the Yong army massacres Jiaxing, it will not embarrass the Jing family. Your Majesty."
In the midst of the war and chaos, we were still able to return from Huaidong safely, let alone now?"
Jing Xin was a deep-minded person, so he couldn't help but get furious when he heard this. Jing Changqing was in danger in Chuzhou. Fortunately, someone came to his rescue secretly and sent Jing Changqing's family back to Jiaxing. If Jing Xin had not stayed in his hometown to serve his grandfather, he would have suffered the same fate.
The disaster. The person who sent him off showed no sign at all, and came and went without a trace, but after thinking about it, he knew that the person who could rescue Jing Changqing during the war in Huaidong must not be an ordinary person. The Jing family did not want to make this matter public at first, but unexpectedly it happened
The people in charge of the government strictly ordered Jing Changqing to be held accountable, and Jing Changqing was imprisoned for questioning, and even a beheading document was issued. However, at this time, news came that Yong's army had conquered Dinghai. No matter how bold the Jiaxing officials were, they would not dare to attack him here.
At that time, Jing Changqing was executed, but instead he hid the documents and let Jing Changqing be released on bail. Although no one else knew about this matter, it was known to all the major families in Jiaxing. This matter was not only a secret of the Jing family, but also a taboo in Jing's faith. This dwarf
As soon as the fat young man said it, he felt that he had made a mistake, but when he saw Jing Xin's gloomy face, he felt that he was right and showed a rebellious expression.
At this time, another calm young man said: "The matter has come to an end. Jiaxing has been captured by Yong's army. Let's go home separately so that we can share the joys and sorrows with our families." When these young people heard this, they also knew that they had no power to reverse the situation.
, so they left one by one while Yanyu Tower was still under martial law.
Jing Xin, however, stood upstairs in silence with his head bowed, his expression cold. Thinking of his father's humiliation in Chuzhou, it was very difficult to escape along the way. However, in the eyes of the children of the Jiaxing family, it was just pretentious. He really hated it, and suddenly his heart
An idea came to his mind. If he joined the army and drove Yong's army out of Wuyue, no one would accuse the Jing family of collaborating with the enemy. As soon as this idea came up, it was like a fire starting a prairie fire, and it was out of control. At this time, there was a sound from downstairs.
With the sound of chaos, he walked to another window and looked down. The streets were full of panicked people. The Yong army was pouring in from all directions like a blue-black iron stream. Under their strong coercion, these people
The civilians of Nanchu who were unable to protect themselves closed their homes and returned home, and the entire Jiaxing city gradually fell under the control of Yong's army.
Jing Xin was about to turn around and go downstairs, taking the opportunity to go home. Before he could go down the stairs, he saw a few sergeants in black walking solemnly guarding a young man in green walking up the stairs. Jing Xin was shocked, but before he could react, a
The sergeant had already pushed him aside, pressed the hilt of the knife and asked: "Who are you, and why are you still lingering in Yanyu Tower at this time?" The sergeant had a murderous look, and it was obvious that Jing Xin would kill him if he answered inappropriately.
kill.
Jing Xin said angrily: "Wan Sheng was originally here to enjoy the lake view. When your army entered the city, there was no time to dodge. If you and others want to harm you, Wan Sheng has nothing to say."
The sergeant smiled and said, "You are a very domineering scholar." After saying this, he turned around and asked, "Master Huo, do you want to imprison him?"
The young man in green clothes came forward and said with a smile: "It's rude of us. Yanyu Tower is a resort that everyone can come here to enjoy, so it's not strange for me to be here. I'm Huo Cong, may I ask your surname?"
Dai Ming, I see that your brother has extraordinary bearing. He is still hanging around outside at this time. He must be a talented young man in Jiaxing."
Jing Xin looked at it intently. This young man in green clothes was only sixteen or seventeen years old. His appearance was ordinary and not outstanding, but his expression was indifferent. And those black-clothed sergeants could tell at a glance that they were not ordinary sergeants. Although Jing Xin was very interested in military matters.
I don’t know much about it, but I also know that black is the most precious color of Yong Army uniforms. Those who can wear black clothes and black armor must be Yong Army warriors. This young man can command these black sergeants at such an age, so he must be an important figure in Yong Army.
Although he knew that this man was a powerful enemy of Nan Chu, Jing Xin couldn't feel the slightest feeling of disgust and hatred when he saw his pleasant appearance. There was a kind of graceful and indifferent demeanor between his eyebrows, and he didn't dare to see him again.
Indifferently, he bowed and saluted and said: "Jing Xin, who was born late, dare not be called a hero."
The young man in green changed his expression when he heard this, and said with a smile: "It turns out that he is a talented scholar from the Jing family in Jiaxing. I heard that Brother Jing had already won the imperial examination when he was fourteen years old. If he hadn't been studying behind closed doors in recent years and not seeking fame, he would have been on the gold list.
, he has become a pillar of Nanchu."
Listening to his tone, Jing Xin didn't seem to pay attention to his identity as a Jing family, and his heart felt relieved. However, hearing his compliment, he felt a chill. Since the two countries are fighting, the talents of the enemy country are not for themselves.
Yes, even if he kills him quickly, even though the young man speaks a few words, it may be the verdict that determines his life or death. But when facing this situation, he can only smile and say: "Master Huo is so young, but he is obviously deeply affected by it."
The warriors of the noble army are respected, and their status must be important. Only such a person can be called a pillar. Jing has no intention of fame. He only studies and drinks on weekdays, and browses the scenery of Nanhu Lake in his free time. He has no ambitions. How can he be called
If you are considered a pillar, Mr. Huo is the one who praises you so much."
The young man in green smiled faintly when he heard this and said: "Brother Jing has given you too much praise. I am just a follower of Ji and have no merit. Today I have a chance meeting with Mr. Jing. Huo wants to invite him to have a few drinks together. I don't know.
What do you think?"
Jing Xin smiled bitterly, glanced at the sergeants standing with their swords in hand, and said, "How dare you disobey your orders."
The young man in Tsing Yi invited Jing Xin to the table, and the waiter in the building, under the supervision of the Yong Army sergeant, carefully served the food and wine. Jing Xin was initially uneasy, but after a few glasses of wine, he saw that the young man in Tsing Yi did not mention the relationship between Jing and Jiang Zhe.
, and did not intend to recruit him, he calmed down in his heart. Although he could not help but feel a little self-deprecating, it seemed that his talents and learning were not yet eye-catching, but he was already expressing himself freely in his words and deeds. The young man in Tsing Yi said that he came to Jiaxing for the first time, so he asked Jing Jing
The letter asked about the famous places in Jiaxing.
Jing Xin was already slightly drunk and pointed to the lake in front of the building: "Jiaxing South Lake is known as the most beautiful scenery in the southeast. This is Qihu Lake. The southwest of Jiaxing is famous as Xiuchuan. There is Yuanyang Lake connected with this lake. The two lakes are connected.
It is called Nanhu Lake. Qihu Lake is a gathering place for many streams. It stops and meanders to take in its situation. It is really famous for its beauty. There is a long embankment in the middle of Yuanyang Lake. There is a stone bridge on the embankment called Wulong Bridge. The bridge is east of it.
The lake is called East Lake, and the west of the bridge is West Lake. The ancients once wrote a poem that "the waters of the east and west lakes are comparable to those of mandarin ducks. The mandarin ducks in the lake have long brocade wings" (Note 1), which describes the beautiful scenery of Yuanyang Lake. West Lake is also called Li Lake.
, it was nicknamed Li Lake, and later generations attached it to it and called it Fan Li Lake. Fan Shaobo Temple was built beside the lake to worship virtuous people. In the south of Fanli City, wild peach blossoms fall in Chunwu. Yangchi lotus root is planted in the lake.
It doesn’t even look like Xi Shi’s arms.’ (Note 2), this poem is about chanting the beautiful scenery of West Lake, and Xi Shi’s arms are the name of the lotus root of West Lake.”
Huo Cong was fascinated by what he heard and looked around with a smile. He saw Jing Xin in a high-spirited and elegant manner. Thinking of this person's identity, he thought to himself that he was worthy of being a member of the husband's family. He raised a toast and said, "Brother Jing is indeed very talented. I remember a few of them too."
The words and sentences of the first person describe the beautiful scenery of Yanyu Tower. I wonder if Brother Jing has heard of it?" After saying this, he calmly chanted: "In front of the drizzle, the water chestnut flowers bloom across the broken apple blossoms. The guests leaning on the tower are tired, and the rain is far away.
The smoke was far away. The flat-bottomed boats were light, and the fishermen sang slowly outside the willows. The wind blew away, and the mandarin ducks flew everywhere, but no one saw them." (Note 3)
After reciting this poem, Jing Xin's thoughts were racing, his brows were furrowed, and he remained silent. He had seen a banner with these words in his grandfather's study, and it was signed by a layman from Qingyuan. The layman from Qingyuan was Jiang Zhe's father.
Han Qiu's alias, this poem is not widely circulated. At least Jing Xin has never seen Jiaxing and others know it, but this young man recited it. Is there any connection between this man and Jiang Zhe? Suspicions arose in his heart, and his expression gradually changed.
, the young man in green asked him three questions, but he could not answer a single sentence. The atmosphere upstairs in Yanyu suddenly became awkward.
At this time, a middle-aged general walked up the stairs, clasped his fists at the young man in green and said, "Counsellor Huo, Jiaxing has everything under control. Please join the army and give the order."
The young man in green clothes stood up and said: "General Fang, there is no need to be polite. Huo Cong is just temporarily holding a false position."
But the middle-aged general looked respectful and said: "The Marquis has an order. This time, we must obey the counselor's order. Counselor Huo, please do as you please."
The young man in green clothes smiled slightly and said: "Now that Huo is so good at it, please General Fang to invite all the heads of the Jiaxing family, celebrities and sages to come to Yanyu Tower."
This middle-aged general is none other than Fang Yuanxin, one of the best generals in the East China Sea. He is good at fighting. He would not obey the orders of a young man who was still young. However, since Huo Cong arrived in Dinghai, he was ordered to sort out the documents and books left behind by Ding Haijun Mountain.
These documents were all secrets related to Ding Haijun Mountain. Later, Huo Cong knew the terrain and military situation along the coast of Ding Hai and Wuyue very well. Even the Marquis of Jing Hai relied on him. The East China Sea Navy established a large camp in Ding Hai.
Even though he perfected it based on the drawings, he knew exactly where to build strongholds and where to set up outposts. In the end, Marquis Jinghai granted him the position of counselor, but no one objected. What's more, he was from Chu County.
As a disciple of Hou, he was worthy of being the brother of Jinghai Hou, so these generals did not dare to look down upon him. This time Jiang Haitao could not stop Jiang Zhe from coming to Jiaxing, so he specifically put Huo Cong in charge of plundering Yuejun, and asked Fang Yuanxin to
The reason for uniting the army is for Jiang Zhe's safety, otherwise even though Huo Cong is outstanding, Jiang Haitao would not let a young man take charge of this matter.
Jing Xin's expression changed drastically when he heard this. Although he guessed that this young man's identity was important, he never thought that the life and death of Jiaxing's soldiers and civilians were under the control of this person. He wanted to say goodbye, but before he could say anything, the young man in green had already smiled and said
"Huo Cong admires Brother Jing for his talent. He also asks Brother Jing to stay a little longer. Firstly, he can introduce me to the talented people in Jiaxing. Secondly, I also want to spend more time with Brother Jing." Looking up, he saw the man in Qingyi.
The young man looked calm and had no intention of bullying. Even if he was dissatisfied, he could not express his dissatisfaction. How could Nanchu survive for a long time if Dayong was so talented? Jing Xin sighed, he couldn't help himself, what could he do?
On the bank of Yuanyang Lake, there is a plum grove. In the plum grove, there is a square area of several feet. Among the sparse shadows of plum blossoms, there is a tomb. In front of the tomb is a bluestone tombstone. The writing on it has been very blurred and covered by moss.
, it is difficult to see the words clearly. However, although the tombstone is broken, the tomb seems to be taken care of by someone. The grass on the tomb is green, and there are fragrant flowers for worship. There are even footprints on the ground. It is obvious that someone often wanders here. Compared with the long grass outside the plum forest.
, it’s really weird.
It was almost noon, and the silence here was shattered by the sound of people. A man wearing a green cloak and a Xinyang bamboo hat was slowly walking towards Meilin. Behind him, a young man in green clothes with a snow-like face was walking slowly, and the two of them were walking slowly.
Behind him on the left and right, there were some black-clothed sergeants closely guarding him. Besides Merlin, there were some black-clothed sergeants who had already surrounded Merlin. The green grass outside the forest had been destroyed to pieces. The man frowned when he saw this.
Wrinkling lightly, he couldn't help but feel glad that in order not to disturb the peace of the deceased, he had issued an order in advance not to allow these warriors to enter Merlin.
Before reaching the plum forest, the young man in green clothes walked into the forest. Although he didn't pay much attention to his steps, the grass was intact wherever he passed, which showed that he had great lightness skills. After a while, the young man in green clothes came out of the forest and said: "Young Master, you can go in and pay your respects.
Madam." The man sighed softly, and gently took off his green cloak and the bamboo hat that covered his face, revealing his beautiful hair, red face, and white clothes. He walked towards the plum forest, and the young man in green took the hand of a samurai.
He bought incense candles, paper money, and then entered the forest. Those black-clothed guards were cautiously paying attention to their surroundings. Dayong Prince Consort and Chu County Marquis Jiangzhe came here to pay homage to their deceased mother. Even if Jiaxing had fallen into the hands of the Yong Army, they could not be careless. If they were secretly
Wouldn't it be extremely troublesome to have spies from Nanchu keep an eye on his whereabouts?
I looked at the plum forest that vaguely appeared in my dream, and remembered the scene of leaving my mother's tomb that day. I couldn't help but shed tears on the loess. I prostrated in front of the tomb, bowed my head and knelt down, and the tears fell silently. If my mother hadn't died, how could my father and uncle have any quarrel?
, so I left my hometown and wandered south of the Yangtze River. If it weren't for the fatigue of the journey, how could my father have relapsed? How could he have been so heartbroken because he regretted the death of his mother that he could not heal, leaving me alone in the world? My father died of a broken heart.
, I have been wandering for half my life, all because of the death of my mother. Thinking about this, how can I not be heartbroken.
I don’t know how long I cried, but cold Qi invaded the back of my neck. I shivered all over, and then I woke up. I knew in my heart that it was Xiao Shunzi who saw that I was too sad, so he used Qi to wake me up to prevent me from being too sad. I looked
Xiao Shunzi, who was kneeling behind me, glanced at me with a hint of warmth in his eyes. Then he took the paper money and incense candle in his hand and burned it in front of my mother's tomb. His eyes flashed and he saw the stone tablet covered with moss. He felt a pain in his heart and stretched out his hand.
After removing the moss, the elegant and elegant handwriting on the stele was revealed. The inscription on the stele was "The Tomb of the Jing Family in Jiangmen" and the inscription was "Crying in the Cold Autumn".
Seeing his father's Mo Bao on the stele, the hostility in his heart gradually dissipated. Vigorous footsteps were heard in his ears, from far to near. Xiao Shunzi walked out of the plum forest. After a while, he turned back and said, "It's the old master of the Jing family who is here.
, was stopped by Commander Huyan, do you want to see him?" I hesitated for a moment and said, "Please ask uncle to come in."
Not long after, an old man in rich clothes walked in with a stick. This man was over seventy years old, with white beard and hair, an old face, and a cold expression. However, seeing his figure, you knew that he was still light and healthy. He walked into the plum forest.
, without even looking at me, walked directly to the tomb, looked at the tomb, and said after a long time: "Zhe'er, you have been away from Jiaxing for many years. This should be the first time you come back to pay homage to your mother."
I sighed and finally bowed down and said, "My uncle is as healthy as ever. I'd like to see my nephew Jiang Zhe."
The old man did not come forward to help him, but said calmly: "Your accent still has the aftertaste of Jiaxing. I think you have never forgotten your hometown, but why do you need to do this false courtesy? You should know how much I hate your father and son. Your mother and I
My biological mother died young, my stepmother was a bad person, and my father was obsessed with his official career, which made my brother and sister suffer a lot of loneliness at home. If it weren’t for my younger sister who always comforted me, I would have left home long ago and would never have had the chance to inherit the position of head of the family. You
My mother has a bad son, and I don’t want her to marry a heartless official, so I personally choose a son-in-law for her. Your father has no intention of an official career and is talented, so I took a fancy to him and persuaded my father to betroth my little sister to him."
I stood up and listened to his words silently. His tone was excited. It was obvious that these thoughts had been buried for many years and no one could tell them. They just told me this time. I don't know these past events very well. I heard my uncle talk about them today,
Naturally, I listened attentively. When I heard this, I interjected: "When my father was still alive, he once said that he and his mother became a couple in the past, and Uncle Domeng brokered the deal."
The old man snorted coldly: "At least he still has some conscience. Well, after my little sister and your father got married, they treated each other with equal respect and treated each other as guests. But not long after, she became pregnant with you. At that time, she often fainted, so I summoned the good husband.
The doctor diagnosed and treated her, but the doctor said that your mother was born with a congenital deficiency and that if she gave birth, her life would be in danger. It would not be too late to use drugs to abort the fetus at that time. I then advised your parents to agree. If your father is worried about having no heirs, at most
I gave him a few concubines. Unexpectedly, your father refused to agree. As a result, after giving birth to you, my little sister almost died. The next few years were spent in bed. If not for this, how could she have survived when the plague broke out?
She was affected and died. It was your father and son who killed her. You can come back today to pay homage, but if you want to send Jiang Hanqiu's coffin back for burial together, it will be impossible unless I die."
Hearing this, my vague memories of the past gradually came back. I remembered that when I was young, I often saw my father and mother singing among the flowers and playing the harp and zither, but my mother was always so pale and weak. I thought of the vague words my father had revealed in the past.
, couldn't help but shed tears, and cried: "Don't you understand, uncle, that this decision is mother's wish, and father just doesn't want to go against mother's painstaking efforts."
The old man trembled and looked at Jiang Zhe's face. The image of his deceased sister floated in his heart, and he realized that his nephew's appearance was quite similar to that of his deceased sister. The younger sister was also in tears that day, begging him to stay.
Fetus, after a long time, he sighed: "You are right. If my little sister hadn't insisted, how could I have given in? It's just that the pain of losing my sister was hard to calm down, so I had to vent my anger on you and my son." When he said this, it seemed as if he would give in.
It was as if his pillar of hatred had collapsed over the years. His expression was a bit more decadent, and his body seemed to be much weaker.
I also feel very bitter in my heart. Although my uncle caused my father and son to wander far away, he did it out of his deep love for my mother's brother and sister. There are many traces in the plum forest. Apparently my uncle often came to worship my mother, but he deliberately made my father stand alone.
The stone tablet under him was covered by moss, but it was because his resentment towards his father never diminished. After I won the first prize, the Jing family wanted to reconcile with me, but in the end they just let it go. Although it was not my intention,
But it was mostly because of my uncle's opposition, which was why my uncle vented his anger on me. But, in the final analysis, it was also because he couldn't forget his mother, so why should I go against him. Thinking of this, I stepped forward and bowed deeply.
He said: "Uncle, after my father left Jiaxing, he also missed his mother and became ill. Because he didn't want to make his father sad, I didn't dare to ask more about my mother's affairs. Now that my uncle is here, why don't he tell his nephew about her?
My dear demeanor will also give Zhe more memories to reminisce about the past."
When the old man heard this, he couldn't help but smile and said: "Your mother, Miss Mei Niang, loved plum blossoms the most in her life. When she was young, if the plum blossoms were in bud, she would stay up all night, waiting for them to bloom. Occasionally, plum blossoms would bloom early.
, she was determined to go to enjoy the plum blossoms, even if the ice and snow had not gone away, she did not care. Once when she was ill, she heard that the plum blossoms were beginning to bloom in the garden, so she ignored the dissuasion of her maid, put on her clothes, went into the garden, and walked in the snow to pick plum blossoms.
As a result, she caught wind and cold, became seriously ill, and was in a coma for days. After she married your father, she often sang with your father on the zither. She even composed a zither song called "Plum Blossoms Fall", which fully described the proud appearance of plum blossoms in Tsinghua University.
Do you still have an impression?"
I thought about it for a moment, remembered it, and sang softly: "There are many trees in the courtyard, but most of them are plum blossoms. I ask you why it is so unique? I thought that flowers can be grown in the frost, and fruits can be grown in the dew. The swaying spring breeze makes the spring sun beautiful,
The thought of you is scattered and chased by the cold wind, with only frost flowers and no frost quality. (Note 4) "
The old man closed his eyes and listened, then said after finishing the song: "That year Jiaxing suffered from the plague. Your mother was already weak and unfortunately fell ill. When she was about to die, she told me and your father that although she didn't want to leave, she had no choice but to do it.
I can't resist destiny. Although you are young, your father will take care of you, so there will be no hindrance. But you can't look at the plum blossoms and flying snow again, but you still regret it. Therefore, after your mother died, I chose this plum forest to be buried.
She makes the fragrance of plum blossoms sparse and shadows, and always accompanies her soul."
I recalled that when my mother passed away, I was still young, and because of the rampant plague, I was sent to live elsewhere. I was not able to see my mother for the last time. I couldn't help crying and said, "Uncle, there is no need to hurt my mother."
Sadly, my mother was cared for by her uncle when she was young, and after she got married, she and her father had a deep love for each other. Although it was unfortunate that she died young, my mother must have felt peaceful and happy at that time. Just because her uncle and father loved her so much, she would have died even if she had died.
I won’t feel that this life is vain.”
I don't know when, the sun has set in the west, the sunset glow reflects into the plum forest, the mist dyed with light red floats, and accompanied by the faint fragrance of plum blossoms, the plum forest is like a fairyland fairyland, and there are people sleeping in the tomb.
We are two close relatives. There was silence in the plum forest, and there was an aura of peace and tranquility in the air, which made both of us reluctant to speak. The old man seemed to be lost in memories, with a look of tender nostalgia on his eyebrows.
After a long time, the afterglow of the setting sun gradually dimmed, and the old man woke up and said calmly: "When you come here this time, how are you going to treat the Jiaxing family, and how are you going to treat the Jing family?"
I sighed softly, and finally got back to business. Compared with the survival of the family, my uncle also understood the importance of hatred, not to mention that we are close relatives after all. I raised my head and smiled and said: "Why did your uncle say this?
Zhe just took advantage of the opportunity of our army's capture of Jiaxing to come and pay homage to his mother. As for military matters, it is inconvenient for me to interfere."
The old man's eyes flashed with cold light, and he said: "With your status as the Duke of Chu, how could you easily come to Jiaxing? Even if you are not afraid of danger, Emperor Dayong may not be at ease. And if you are just to pay homage to your deceased mother, why bother sending people?"
I secretly sent a message to the Jing family. I think this time you want to end your relationship with the Jing family. If I don't come today, I'm afraid the Jing family will also disappear. A few days ago, the imperial court issued an official document and sentenced Chang Qing to death.
You must already know?"
I looked around and said: "I do know about this matter. This is the last chance. After Yong's army retreats, no one can protect the Jing family. Doesn't my uncle care about the safety of his people? What's more, Wuyue will be the battlefield in the future, and the Jing family
It’s hard to live safely in Jiaxing.”
The old man sighed: "It's hard to leave my homeland, but I also know that I have no choice. Chang Qing is already disheartened after this incident. It is not difficult to convince him."
I have already expected this. A war between the two countries is imminent. I don't want to leave my weakness in Nanchu. Since I can't completely forget the Jing family, I can only force them to belong to Dayong. I bowed to my uncle gently and said: "
My uncle is so sensible, and Zhe is very impressed. Tomorrow the Yong army will purge Jiaxing, and all young men and women, scholars and craftsmen will be kidnapped. I have entrusted the responsible general to the general who will take care of the Jing family until the time is right.
, uncle can go with the ship to Dayong to live in peace."
The old man's body trembled slightly, and he said after a long time: "What a cruel method, to seize the money and food of Wuyue's population, to weaken the enemy and benefit yourself. Although it is a piracy method, it is extremely effective. Even if I don't agree to submit, you will have the Jing family captured."
Taken captive to Dinghai, right?"
Seeing that my uncle could see through my thoughts, I admired him in my heart, but I couldn't say anything. I just bowed deeply. The old man sighed softly and walked out. I felt sad in my heart and turned my back, not wanting to see him.
Despite his old figure, his vigorous voice floated in the wind: "Zhe'er, there is no need to be embarrassed. You have been extremely kind to the Jing family. Thank you for your support and assistance to Chang Qing and Shun Qing."
Hearing this, I felt relieved and let go of my heavy heart. The Jing family's affairs were finally settled, and I could leave with peace of mind. I bowed and bowed to my mother's tomb again, lingered for a long time, and finally said goodbye.
This time I tried my best to persuade Jiang Haitao to allow me to go to Jiaxing in person. In addition to wanting to pay homage to my mother, the most important thing was to reconcile with the Jing family. After all, the Jing family in Jiaxing is my mother's clan and has been born in heaven.
There is a possibility of fighting for it. This time I proposed a plan to plot against Wu and Yue, and robbed the common people of the aristocratic families to fill Dinghai, in order to weaken Nanchu. However, I did not intend to actually harm the people of Wu and Yue. It was not in line with my temperament, and I would never do anything unprofitable.
Secondly, it will damage the glory of Dayong. Thirdly, after the Jiangnan is unified in the future, the land of Wuyue will inevitably refuse to surrender for a long time. Therefore, the best way is to select some people from the captive Wuyue people and manage them through them.
Prisoners, in this way, being strict on the outside and lenient on the inside, and with the gentle and tolerant folk customs of the people of Wu and Yue, will not cause difficulties in Dayong's rule. Such candidates cannot be chosen easily, and they need to have the ability to manage internal affairs, so the Jiaxing family
It became my choice. No one has selfish motives, and I will not be an exception. But I only told Haitao half of the reason that day. I came to Jiaxing for other reasons. I just hope that he will not beat his chest after getting retribution.
Bar?
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Note 1: Song Zhang Yaotong's "Hundred Odes of Jiahe"
Note 2: "Ten Songs of Harmony with Yuanyang Lake" by Jicong of Qing Dynasty
Note 3: Feng Dengfu of the Qing Dynasty's "Red Lips - Autumn in the Misty Rain Tower"
Note 4: "Plum Blossoms Fall" by Bao Zhao of Song Dynasty in the Southern Dynasties