Delong

Chapter 142: A Journey Through the Sea of ​​Bitterness (9)

Ma Rui died, and people's hearts fluttered, because no matter how much they concealed it, everyone knew what the so-called rebellion between the Guanlongmen clan was all about...there were too many examples.

At the same time, the body of the Eldest Princess is still in the palace.

It can only be said that for a moment, everyone was shocked by the saint's indifference.

As if aware of something, or perhaps to avoid some kind of embarrassment, the sage once again decreed that the western inspection team be roughly divided into two parts. A small group of Yu Changji, who stayed behind, guarded the coffin of the eldest princess, waiting for Zhang Shizhao to come to Renshou Palace to take charge of the burial of the eldest princess.

Shang Xia was already trembling at this time, so he had to leave hastily.

However, according to Zhang Xing's observation, that is, the schedule is rushed, and those who stay will be cut across the board, otherwise there will be obvious bribery incidents - because many people have expressed strong envy for those who can stay .

After a few days of walking, Su Wei and others from Daxing had just joined up, and there was a gossip behind them, saying that Ma Hong, the son-in-law of the sage and the only grandson of the eldest princess, suddenly died of a serious illness.

After being slightly reduced, the still huge western patrol team seemed to be continuing to evade these news, and seemed to be deliberately avoiding Guanzhong, the hometown where the sage and the eldest princess grew up together. They just ignored it and hurried east all the way. He arrived in Pujin on the next day, and then he was ready to cross the river regardless of the exhaustion of the soldiers and palace people.

At this time, there was an obvious wave of bribery within the western tour team. Everyone wanted to desert, everyone wanted to leave the team, and everyone wanted to return to Luoyang... This is of course understandable, but it is also absurd.

The reason why it is called absurd is that when the sage was going to Shoujiang City in high spirits before, although everyone was shocked, fearful, and worried about Dongdu's family, in fact, few people dared to desert, and the team was orderly.

What about Fenyang Palace?

Fenyang Palace is located in the north of Taiyuan. Counting the distance, it is about a thousand miles away from the Eastern Capital. It is less than half the distance from the Eastern Capital to the Surrendered City. Moreover, it is a royal palace. It has always had sacrificial, military, and political traditions. When the late emperor was still there, he often went to inspect... More importantly, when he came out, everyone knew that the time limit was half a year, and when the two projects in the Eastern Capital were repaired at the end of this year, everyone went back to celebrate the new year, but now it is still far away from the new year. There are more than three months.

Therefore, the current situation is that the west tour team has to go to a "familiar place" that is half the distance from the original destination within the original time limit, which actually caused panic and made everyone want to desert.

It can only be said that I really don't know what everyone is afraid of.

At this time, the prime minister or other officials should have come forward to reconcile Yin and Yang, and connect the upper and lower levels, but at this time there were indeed Su Wei and Sima Changying, two ministers, and two ministers, Duan Wei and Wei Chi, accompanying him.

However, after the political turmoil in the first half of this year, what can these few people do?

In the end, it was the Prime Minister Su Wei who came forward and put forward his advice in a particularly tactful way-this gentleman means that it is of course no problem to go to Hedong, but since you have come to Hedong, do you want to meet the locals? Grandmaster Zhang Bofeng?Take a stroll in Zhang Bofeng's academy, discuss knowledge, discuss the strategy of governing the country, and by the way recruit some talents in the academy?
After all, Master Zhang Bofeng's knowledge is recognized as excellent, and he has been teaching and teaching people wholeheartedly these years, faintly showing the attitude of a great teacher of Wei.

In this regard, Maoren Shengren's reply is very direct and simple:
First of all, he didn't go to see Zhang Bofeng, and he didn't invite Master Zhang to see him. The team went directly north to Fenshui, and went upstream to Taiyuan;
Secondly, Wei Chi, Shangshu of the Ministry of Punishments, supervised the inspection team on the west, and counted the officers and soldiers of all armies and departments at Pujindu.

This saint is very clever.

The western tour team was trembling, but no one dared to gamble again. Almost all members crossed the river before the arrival of September, arrived in Hedong, and then continued on to Taiyuan, the next stop.

And at this time, even Zhang Xing, who had been pretending to be sick, didn't dare to pretend anymore, but he didn't dare to suddenly return to the front of the imperial court... One is that there are still lingering fears about the previous incident, and the other is that the pretending to be sick is too stretched. After returning home, it was too obvious to be alive and kicking, and it was typical to be caught... Fortunately, Niu He Niu Dugong gave him a face, took care of him a little, and arranged a quiet mission for him, and took a team of Jinwu Guards to give gifts to Grandmaster Zhang.

After all, whether it is in terms of threat, friendship with the court, or involvement with the court, Zhang Bofeng, the great master, is very harmless... Relatively speaking, the Western Tour When the team went west, they passed Taibai Peak once, but there was no greeting, which seemed meaningful.

In fact, after entering Hedong, the overall protection of the team has dropped significantly. This is a subtle dialectical relationship between the enemy and the friend.

It can only be said that when it comes to the great master, even if someone keeps silent, you can't really pretend that the other party doesn't exist.

Of course, Zhang Xing is willing to take this job, and there is also a reason why this great master surnamed Zhang himself is recognized as the worst level-the master of the academy, even the master who has hacked people, must be better than some leader, and his level should be higher Second time.

This can be seen from the fact that the other party once guessed wrongly about his identity.

The western patrol team headed north, followed the Fenshui River all the way up, while Zhang Xing went east to Sushui, and went up against the Sushui... a team of Jinwu Guards, two or three father-in-laws, and a few boxes of gifts, galloped on horseback , even if they deliberately slowed down, they arrived at Wenxi, where Zhang's ancestral court was located, in only four or five days.

Qin Bao didn't come, Xiao Zhou came with him, so he was talking too much.

"It's really strange." Xiao Zhou looked at the academy on the mountain and spoke strangely.

"What's so strange?" Zhang Xing asked back speechlessly.

"The Zhang family's ancestral home is in the north of Wenxi County. There is a sacred tree planted by the ancestor's son Zhen when he migrated from Hongshan. It was before Heidi and Baidi. It has been two to three thousand years. It is said that the canopy is like a cloud, Master Zhang didn’t build a Shenshu Academy under his hometown tree in the north, why did he build a Nanpo Academy here?” Xiao Zhou said something.

"Then go ask." Zhang Xing thought for a while, and could only smile accordingly.

How could he possibly know?

Everyone immediately left the main road and climbed towards the south slope. The academy on the mountain heard that the envoy of the saint had arrived, how dare they neglect it?The bell rang for a while, and immediately hundreds of people dressed as students, led by some unidentified elders, came to welcome them.

It can only be said that at any time, students are the best tool people to add some appearance.

However, isn't there a great master on it?In addition, Zhang Xing had no enmity with the Zhang family, and he didn't intend to judge anyone. This trip was just to hide and quiet, so naturally he wouldn't pretend to be a tiger.So, after a little pandering, I went straight up the mountain and entered the academy, and at the same time actively asked the other party to dismiss the students, keeping everything simple.

The people who came to greet him naturally had no reason to object.

Soon, the students dispersed, and a group of imperial envoys were led by another elderly person, and they were greeted directly in a simple two-story pavilion built on the mountain behind the academy, and then the rest stayed outside, while Zhang Xing Entering with a gift in hand, he immediately saw the great master himself.

As soon as they met, Zhang Xing knew why everyone felt that this grand master who was a master of both civil and military skills, pen and martial arts, and the No. 1 sect in the world complemented each other behind him was the least threat to the imperial court, and he was probably the one with the lowest actual cultivation level One... because I am too old.

His beard and hair are all white, he is obviously old, and he has been injured, even with the bonus of a great master, he has indeed reached the limit of a mortal.It is conceivable that if he can't become a god and become a dragon and transcend the common world, then this Zhang's master may really become the first great master to be removed from the name in recent years.

And how difficult is it to become a Jackie Chan? !
How many years has it been without a ready example?How did Sima Erlong get his nickname?

"Report to the saint for me, and just say that the old man is grateful for his concern. I haven't seen him in more than ten years. It's rare that he still has this kind of heart." Feel free to speak. "The gift is accepted by the old man, I wish him a smooth trip."

Zhang Xing quickly agreed, and solemnly saluted again.

So far, this time out, even if the task is completed.

That's right, that's the end... No one questioned Old Master Zhang's disrespect, and no one disliked Old Master Zhang's lack of words, because the other party was a great master.

Even if the old one is dying, he is still a great master.

If there is anything in this world that obviously restricts the existence of saints in terms of power and legal principles, it is these great masters, otherwise Cao Zhongcheng would not be able to stand tall.

I'm afraid this is also the reason why the saint is unwilling to come to see the great master, and even always likes to walk around.

Turning back to the front, after Zhang Xing saluted, he looked at the elderly man who led him up the mountain and came to see Zhang Bofeng. The meaning was obvious... He wanted this person to make arrangements, and we should walk or disperse... Immortal Return to the gods, return to the saints, we mortals still return to the mortal world to enjoy the comfort of drinking and eating meat.

The older man who only knew his surname Zhang before he had time to ask for his name immediately understood, and then turned around: "My lord uncle...do you have any orders, or explanations, or inquiries?"

Zhang Bofeng bowed his head in silence for a moment, then looked at Zhang Xing again: "You called yourself Zhang Xing just now, and you wore a black ribbon. Are you the Zhang Xing I know who came back from Luolongtan and came to Jing'an Terrace? It seems that you really made a mistake. gone."

"Speaking of this matter, it is naturally a misunderstanding... I myself am a peasant boy from the Demon Guards of the Northland." Zhang Xing immediately replied with a salute. "But by coincidence, I haven't thanked Old Master Zhang for his instructions to inspector Zhang, so that I escaped unharmed."

"What's going on?" Zhang Bofeng asked curiously.

Zhang Xing then recounted the incident when Cao Lin tried to adopt him as a foster son that day, but Zhang Changgong happened to come forward to intercede.

"This is your own ability. Chang Gong's pleading cannot be said to be good or bad. I also heard your name by chance at the time. They compared you with Shizhao. In addition, there is indeed such a descendant of the Zhang family in Erzhengdong. There is no trace of Yizhong, so I can't help guessing." Zhang Bofeng said casually. "Unfortunately, thinking about it this way, that person is gone."

Zhang Xing remained silent.

Old Master Zhang immediately realized the problem, and immediately came to laugh: "When I am old, I always can't talk... It's not that it's a pity that you are alive and he is gone, but it's just a pity that he is gone... After all, who of you can live and who can die, It's not relevant..."

Zhang Xing also laughed: "Who says it's not? How many famous masters, great generals, powerful people of noble species, once defeated, they all turn into mud and sand, and they die together without a place to die. It's true that the whole world is worthless... I can survive It’s really a blessing.”

Old Master Zhang was inexplicably startled, and then sighed for a moment: "That's right, under God's will, everyone is worthless, whether it's a great master or a famous nobleman, what's the difference under God's will? You, a farmer's son, may not be more important Blessed."

Zhang Xing only wanted to touch the other party's emotions, and immediately kept silent.

But the old master Zhang came back to his senses, and continued to speak slowly: "Since you are from Jing'antai, there is one thing that you have to say...but it's embarrassing to say, I just mentioned it, and I will let Shijing talk to you later." You said it... it's Liu Wenzhou's business."

Only then did Zhang Xing know that that person was Zhang Shijing.

And Zhang Shijing nodded immediately.

"Besides that." Zhang Bofeng continued. "Since you came here with a light car, you only need to catch up with the saints and his party in the north facing Fen. You might as well stay for a few more days, and then I will ask Shijing to prepare and return to my life with you as a thank you."

Zhang Xing was startled, and immediately nodded knowingly, this is to ask for an official for this nephew named Zhang Shijing, a great master asks for an official, and a sage has to give face.

Sure enough, Zhang Shijing was shocked when he heard the words, and then fell to the ground and kowtowed.

"It doesn't have to be like this." Zhang Bofeng waved to his nephew. "You have an old relationship with the British Duke Bai Hengqiu. Since he used him a lot, you have become increasingly impatient with loneliness. It's not bad for me to find a saint to sell this face... If that's the case, why force you? It's just what I gave you back then. After some calculations, it is true that you will be able to enter the prime of life after the age of 60... You may have to wait another two years before you find an opportunity, so go and prepare to sit on the cold stool for a few years."

Zhang Shijing just kowtowed, and Zhang Xing went to see this person in surprise.

"I made the messenger laugh." Zhang Bofeng ignored his nephew, but was obviously impatient, and only spoke to Zhang Xinglai. "Few of my nephews and students can endure loneliness, and they can't help becoming officials in three to five years... The envoy has the same surname as me, and I will trouble you to lead him a way later... that's good Now, do you have any questions about practice and learning, I will try my best to answer them, and you don’t have to ask me about being an official, I don’t even understand it myself.”

Zhang Xing looked away from Bai Hengqiu's old friend, looked at Zhang Bofeng, hesitant to speak, hesitantly, hesitantly...Obviously, he has countless questions to ask, but some questions are too sensitive, it is better not to ask, but Other questions are better to ask other people than to ask this great master.

So, in the end, the imperial envoy Zhang finally asked a very different question:
"Dare to ask Master, I know that if you want to become a supreme master, you need to obey the will of heaven and have merits and virtues. The so-called supreme master who has no morals, what about the great master? If you want to become a great master, do you also need to have meritorious deeds in the world People? What the hell is a tower?"

"Let's put it this way." Zhang Bofeng thought for a while and answered calmly. "If you want to become a grand master, you don't have to have meritorious deeds. But if you want to go up from the grand master, whether it is to become a god or become a dragon, you must have certain meritorious deeds. As for the tower, if you want to become a grand master, you need more What you want is to stand out, become a sign of God's will, and lead the world... But this kind of thing is difficult to verify, so you need to build a tower, and use the tower as a measure... Do you understand?"

Zhang Xing suddenly realized that besides personal cultivation, the most important thing for masters and great masters is to become the benchmark of the times, and then promote the progress of history, and the erected tower is a concrete manifestation of becoming the benchmark of the times.

No wonder the emperor is so easy to become a great master, and an outstanding political leader is so easy to become a dragon, because they are naturally benchmarks and representatives of the times.

Of course, this kind of way of explaining and thinking forcibly using the thinking of the previous life is definitely wrong. Instead of doing this, it is better to return to the self. A tower is a tower, whether it is a tower of rule, a tower of academics, or a tower of religion. Once the abstract tower is completed, the actual tower will be formed naturally.

As for the concepts behind the pagoda, they should not be passive things. Isn't Cheng Dan just to visualize external things?
This is a process in which a person seeks his own "Tao" by borrowing the true energy of heaven and earth—first he becomes an alchemy inside, then builds a pagoda in the world, and finally connects with the Tao in the sky.

Having thought to this point, Zhang Xing nodded, and stopped asking more about this matter, but couldn't help asking another question: "Then dare to ask Master, what exactly is the vitality of heaven and earth?"

Zhang Bofeng was obviously taken aback: "You understand? About the tower?"

Zhang Xing nodded: "I should understand."

Zhang Bofeng was silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head: "Then I have nothing to teach you... If I knew the essence of heaven and earth vitality, I wouldn't be teaching here anymore."

This is a big truth.

"However, the vitality of heaven and earth is the most unreasonable thing in the world." Zhang Bofeng thought for a while, and tried to give some explanation. "It doesn't even make sense about cause and effect... When your cultivation level rises, you will understand."

Zhang Xing nodded again, showing no sign of disappointment at all, and didn't ask any more questions. He was already very satisfied if he could get an answer to a question.

And this caused Zhang Bofeng to take a serious look at the other party.

But it was just a look, and immediately, the old master who was dancing with a spear nodded, and then raised his sleeves... Obviously, he was tired.

Zhang Shijing bowed his head at the side and quickly got up, gestured to Zhang Xing, inviting him to leave.

Zhang Xing didn't miss it either, and turned around directly.

When I came outside, I didn't leave the academy, but joined other people waiting outside, came to a side courtyard of the academy, and settled down... Next, Zhang Shijing was neither rude nor overly enthusiastic.

Of course, he is an old friend of Mr. Bai, who is from the Zhang family, and someone who is predicted by the great master's fortune-telling to be prosperous in a few years, is cautious in front of the great master, not in front of a mere black ribbon.

However, even so, the other party also sincerely explained what Zhang Bofeng wanted him to tell.

"A grandmaster... stole something... and ran away?" Zhang Xing was dumbfounded. "Could it be that there will be a master on the black list?"

"This person is called Liu Wenzhou." Zhang Shijing sighed. "Although he is extremely smart and talented, but his background is too low, he has been impatient and cynical from the very beginning, so he has cultivated the foundation of evil intentions..."

Zhang Xing had no expression on his face, and was speechless in his heart. The other party was from a family... no, the attitude of an old man from a family was abominable.

"After congealing alchemy, I didn't want to be an official. I just stayed in the academy and studied some crooked ways while teaching. Early on, relying on my uncle's favor, I begged my uncle to sacrifice some things for him. At that time, I liked to run around... …Afterwards, I went to Taiyuan, and no one knew when he was promoted to Grandmaster, nor what he did.” Naturally, Zhang Shijing didn’t know the other boy’s slander, and just continued to tell. "As a result... a few months ago, he came to the academy and asked his uncle about some things. For some reason, he directly quarreled, and finally took away some of his uncle's things. The uncle thought about the relationship between teachers and students, so he didn't do anything cruel, and let him escape. I didn’t know until later that he went back to Taiyuan to clean up, and he didn’t know where he went, so he was really alert.”

"What?" Zhang Xing asked seriously. "Something like Fulong Seal?"

"No." Zhang Shijing shrugged, a little bored. "It's just some rumors from Hei Di's time. For example, the Red Emperor Empress and Li Snake dyed the red mountain. The Heidi Lord has three chapters and so on... You are from the Northern Wilderness... from the Northern Lands, so you should know this."

Zhang Xing's heart moved slightly, but he asked cautiously: "Is there any important relationship with these? Are you really going to use these to incriminate a grandmaster? Do you still need to notify Jing'an Taiwan?"

"I don't think it matters either." Zhang Shijing was a little impatient. "But my uncle said, I'm afraid that Liu Wenzhou is a person with a very high mind, who has endured for many years, and has great plans, so he will directly go after the gods and real dragons... Let me tell you, if he really wants to go after the gods and real dragons, let him go. He went to fight, and it happened to be quiet after he died... In short, since you are here, you should report to the imperial court by the way."

Zhang Xing nodded, his expression as usual: "I see, I will write a document to my Cheng and Shao Cheng in my family, and let them distinguish the matter."

"That's what it means." The other party nodded and turned around.

And Zhang Xing was also about to take a break here, but just as he turned his head and caught a glimpse of the curious Xiao Zhou, he suddenly came to his senses and turned around and asked: "By the way, Mr. Zhang...why did Master not build an academy at the sacred tree, but came here instead?" ?”

Zhang Shijing looked back, frowned slightly, but still said bluntly: "Because of divination... Uncle asked for divination for this matter back then, and I don't know who he asked for. The result he got was that he wanted to 'far away Zhang Lita', so it's useful." There is a glimmer of life for the certificate, so I came to Nanpo."

Zhang Xing nodded and said nothing more, Zhang Shijing finally left.

However, after the people left, a group of imperial envoys rested in the guest room, and Xiao Zhou suddenly became mean again: "Brother Zhang San, do you think Master Zhang still has a chance of survival?"

Zhang Xing was dumbfounded, wishing he could slap the other party twice—what are you talking about in other people's academy?
This is the academy of the great master!
If someone really becomes a Jackie Chan or God, this thing is his body shell!
However, Zhang Xing soon realized something, and he was actually very curious. Is that old Mr. Zhang really too old for him, or is the tiger taking a nap temporarily?
Moreover, after the other party clarified his doubts, he actually had some guesses in his mind.

So, after Zhang Sanlang thought about it for a while, he turned around and smiled: "Why don't you ask... look at how many children of the Zhang family, how many children with different surnames, how many descendants of famous families, and how many descendants of ordinary people in the academy, you can know Old Master Zhang. Is there any chance of getting a seat?"

Xiao Zhou was slightly taken aback, and immediately nodded in response.

And in the evening, the son gave the answer: "I went to ask, more than 600 students, more than 200 surnamed Zhang, more than 300 are from famous families, and more than 100 are from poor families and common people..."

Zhang Xing didn't know whether to sneer or show pity in his heart, but his expression remained the same: "So, it really is a bit 'far away'... Mr. Zhang's fate can't be said to be a matter of care."

Xiao Zhou hesitated for a while: "Is that so?"

Zhang Xing nodded heavily, and said earnestly: "There is no distinction between teaching and learning. Why is there no luck for a teacher for a while?"

At the back of Nanpo Academy, Zhang Bofeng, the great master who was writing something, suddenly felt something, thought about it carefully, but found nothing, as if he had missed some secret again, and finally could only sigh softly, looking at the sky in a daze.

PS: Good night everyone.

(End of this chapter)