But the bright moon shines on the ditch

Chapter 83
In mid-April of the 13th year of Wanqing's reign, the princes of various vassals, the Thirteenth Festival envoys and envoys from various countries were preparing to set out to congratulate the emperor on his longevity. Kyoto also officially ushered in the warmth of spring after a period of warm and cold weather.

Taking off their complicated and heavy coats and layers of skirts, the women began to wear red and green, and attended flower banquets, while the men went for horseback riding, climbing high and looking into the distance. Everything ushered in new vitality. Xu Zhiliu finally made up his mind. Accepted Abbot Guangpu's disguise.

It's just that his face has been destroyed, and Xu Zhiliu has also died in that vigorous struggle. It is impossible to completely restore the face to the original. If there are portraits to compare, it can be restored to a fifty-sixth appearance.

However, Xu Zhiliu refused.

"The former Xu Zhiliu is dead. Abbot, please feel free to paint a new look for me."

These days, he has been practicing meditation with the monks in the monastery every day. He has almost never missed the morning and evening classes.Abbot Guangpu didn't give much advice, and Wu Fangyuan, the book editor, relayed the matter.

When someone entrusts you to be loyal, this favor must be returned to Wu Fangyuan, so naturally you have to tell him.It happened that Wu Fangyuan had recently confronted An Qian, and was ruthlessly read by the eunuchs. He was ordered by the emperor to reflect on himself and not go to court for the time being. Feeling depressed, he ran to the mountain to complain to Abbot Guangpu.

Abbot Guangpu was forced to listen to all the bad things going on in the world of mortals all afternoon. He couldn't stand it anymore, so he took Xu Zhiliu to suffer the pain together in the evening.Xu Zhiliu listened to Wu Fangyuan's talk about how An Qian deceived the emperor's heart, and how he raised domestic dogs and strengthened the eunuchs. Suddenly, he felt blessed and looked at Abbot Guangpu who was napping next to him.

Wu Fangyuan knew nothing and was still complaining to himself: "In the previous dynasty, it was not uncommon for eunuchs to have exclusive power and arbitrarily overstep the government's affairs? They instigated the emperor to attack cabinet ministers, stop using them when he said it, and retaliate when he said it was necessary. Okay. When I was young, I was as close as a brother to you, wishing I could wear a pair of trousers. When things get bad, let alone giving you a chance to return home for retirement, I will kill you and throw your body in the wilderness on the road, without even a tomb! What a coincidence that there are so many people, They rushed in desperately, how could they know that drinking poison to quench their thirst and cutting out flesh to treat sores would lead to a good outcome!"

"As the saying goes, if a husband wants to do something well, he must predict what will happen, and not be afraid, but slowly plan for it. If you don't take advantage of the situation to move forward, I'm afraid there will be no chance to make a decision and then take action."

Wu Fangyuan did not expect that Xu Zhiliu would suddenly answer. He looked startled and shook his head slowly: "Then let me ask you, what does it mean to make a decision and then act? When you rely on power to make a plan, can you be sure that it will succeed? Or should you say that you have thought it through clearly? Every step below?”

Without waiting for Xu Zhiliu's reply, Wu Fangyuan added: "When a person is in this world, even if he does things perfectly, there will always be some oversights. Isn't it a choice to wait for the opportunity to act while dormant in the grass? Why do we have to go there? Only by going to the center of power can we gain anything?"

"What your Excellency said is absolutely true. There are small gains, small gains, and big gains. Depending on the location, the path you can decide is also very different."

"Oh? So you still believe that becoming a vassal of the powerful can help you plan more?"

Xu Zhiliu thought for a while and answered cautiously: "I would like to ask, sir, in your opinion, those people who did not end well, in the process of relying on the eunuchs to fight for power, did they follow their true intentions or achieve some long-cherished wishes? Maybe, even just a little bit. What’s the gain?”

Wu Fangyuan talked a lot today, obviously feeling sad for a certain former comrade.Maybe that person ended up with no bones left as he said.He regretted it and hated this choice.However, as Xu Zhiliu said, although the man died, he may not have accomplished anything.

Sometimes, process is also important.

Xu Zhiliu didn't know who Wu Fangyuan was grieving for or who he hated. He just compared his feelings and thought of the times when he was forced to bow to Quan Jie. Even if he only received infamy in the end, he had no regrets.

At least, he saved his family and achieved some of his ambitions as much as possible.Thinking of the Baicai New Deal, which is still in effect today, he felt sincerely relieved and happy.

Wu Fangyuan was silent.

For a long time, he and Xu Zhiliu left Abbot Guangpu's monastery and walked side by side on the quiet path in the dead of night.On a moonlit night, the faint fragrance hits you, making you feel relaxed and happy.

Wu Fangyuan first asked tentatively: "Having been resting in the mountains for many days, has your injury improved?"

"Thank you for your concern, sir. It's nothing serious."

"Did the abbot tell you when he would disguise himself?"

Xu Zhiliu smiled faintly: "The abbot saw that my debt was hard to get rid of, so he seemed to want to help me find the face I once had."

Wu Fangyuan paused: "You agree?"

Seeing that he looked a little nervous and alert, probably because he was worried that he would drag down the Wu Yin brothers and sisters, Xu Zhiliu shook his head and objected.Wu Fangyuan breathed a sigh of relief and asked again, "What are your plans now?"

"What do adults think?"

The two stopped in front of a cliff in Puji Temple. There was a pine and cypress hanging on the edge of the cliff. Half of its body was in the air, and half of its body was split in two by lightning. To the naked eye, it looked like a person's barren life - even if the ground was full of sickness. , but also to survive tenaciously.

Wu Fangyuan and Xu Zhiliu looked at each other again. The two of them didn't hide anything, and seemed to have some kind of tacit understanding.

“Wouldn’t it be good to live the rest of your life incognito?”

"Perhaps this is your Lord's choice, but it may not be your Lord's friend's choice."

Wu Fangyuan sighed: "Everyone in the world laughs at me for being reckless and upright, and never being considerate. Sometimes I really can't figure out how tired I am of living like you."

"Sir and your friends all live for the same goal, but they choose different ways. It would be false to say they are not tired, but who is not tired?"

Wu Fangyuan was silent again.After a while, he asked: "Did you say that on purpose? Did you want to arouse my pity or unwillingness?"

"If you don't have mercy and unwillingness, no matter how much I say, I can't lead you to follow the same path."

Wu Fangyuan shook his head and looked into the distance, as if he remembered something.He wanted to express his feelings, but stopped when he was about to speak. He wanted to speak several times, but hesitated again and again, and finally said: "An Qian controls the government, cholera affects people's livelihood, and must be eradicated."

Not only for his friends, but also for himself, Wu Fangyuan really felt too much unwillingness. At the same time, he also sympathized with Xu Zhiliu's situation. If such a smart and courageous young man only spent the rest of his life in the wilderness from now on, what would happen to him? The regret of sharing the hero's end.

The most important thing is that in the current state of the country, what does personal honor, disgrace, life and death matter?
He is not afraid of the worst outcome, but he is afraid that on that day, the eunuchs will still dominate the government and the public, covering the sky with one hand. Even if they turn into bones, the innocent souls may not be willing to die.

"I got news a few days ago that the representative of the imperial kiln factory is on the way to Beijing and will arrive soon. I heard that he has completed the oath of ten rare treasures in the world. Your Majesty is also looking forward to this year's tribute porcelain. I think the eunuch may take advantage of it. This is a big deal. Since you and I are on the same journey, and both regard the eunuchs as enemies of blood, then I will help you again."

Wu Fangyuan's voice deepened, and his eyes became sharp in an instant, showing a bit of the power of a high-ranking official.He asked Xu Zhiliu, "Since you brought me here, you must have made up your mind. Tell me, what do you want me to do?"

As far as the current dynasty is concerned, the Ministry of Personnel is in charge of personnel affairs and is the most powerful department among the six central ministries. Wu Fangyuan, as the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, has real power.The Literary Selection Department of the Ministry of Personnel is responsible for the personnel transfer of civil servants. If you want to be promoted, you will be promoted, and if you want to be demoted, you will be demoted. This is one of the recognized fat jobs.

Now the doctor in the literary selection department is Wu Fangyuan's disciple.

Xu Zhiliu said: "I want a new identity, one that can allow me to return to Jingdezhen."

/
Soon after, a group of nearly a hundred people, including officials from the Yamen of the Third Division of Jiangxi Province and officials from the Royal Kiln Factory in Jingdezhen, drove into the bustling streets of the capital with more than a hundred horse-drawn carriages.Even though in recent days, there has been an endless stream of envoys congratulating the emperor on his long life, it is still rare to see an array as large as Jingdezhen. From a distance, the procession is almost endless.

The common people rushed to tell each other and blocked both sides of the street, just to see how eye-catching the firearms produced in Jiangyou Giant Town, known as the porcelain capital.On the carriage in the middle of the team, there are dozens of large vases that are taller than a person, with different shapes and complete patterns. Looking at them like this, you can see how complicated and difficult the firing process is.

The one in the middle is not unusual at all - a large square vase with blue glaze and gold background and consecrated pastel with flower and bird patterns. It is said that it was the beloved treasure of a certain emperor in the previous dynasty and was given to the concubine who was favored in the harem. Therefore, it attracted a lot of attention. Several concubines became jealous and even had bloodshed.Although the omen is ominous, the beauty of the square vase is so rare that it is worth the smile of the noble man who burned it again.

Of course, a treasure that was truly intended to be presented to the emperor as a birthday gift would have to be made with additional processing and extra details even if there was no suitable box. First, it was for convenience and safety in transportation, and second, it served to keep it secret.How can a royal person be looked down upon by others?Therefore, what can be exposed for the common people to appreciate are mostly fine works from past dynasties. Not only are their craftsmanship complex and exquisite, but they also need to meet certain political needs.It not only achieves high grade without losing the dignity and dignity of royal porcelain, but also demonstrates the ingenuity of Jingdezhen craftsmen and porcelain art.

In this way, traveling thousands of miles to get here is not in vain.

Liang Peiqiu and his party were at the back of the road. By the time they appeared, the enthusiasm of the people had already subsided a lot. At first glance, their voices were hoarse and they stopped waving their handkerchiefs. They only blinked and looked at the folk pottery workers from the right side of the river. What is it like? Is it different from the people in Kyoto?

Taking a closer look, I was so disappointed.

Ordinary people with two eyes and one mouth, wearing ordinary clothes and dressing up, and speaking ordinary native dialect with maybe a slight accent, are no different from them, which makes it even more boring.

Before all the folk kiln teams had passed by, the crowd gradually dispersed.

Wang Yunxian muttered in a low voice: "They are a bunch of country guys who have never seen the world. They were shouting so enthusiastically just now. I don't know, they thought they had never seen anything new. Just those bottles and cans, aren't they everywhere?"

Liang Peiqiu knew why he was angry, so she covered her lips and smiled softly, reminding him: "I haven't gone far yet, be careful of causing verbal trouble."

Wang Yunxian immediately shut up and did not dare to speak out.

He came this time because he was completely worried about Liang Peiqiu traveling alone.This was her first time traveling far away. It was so far away that she had to be on the road for two months. Not only did she have to meet the emperor, but she also had to get along with the dog eunuch day and night. Just thinking about it made his hair stand on end. He had to follow her life and death.

Helpless, Liang Peiqiu had to give him a suitable identity among the entourage.

At present, he is dressed as a middle-aged servant, with two beards similar to Xu Zhong's eight-pointed beard on his lips, a beard on the sideburns, a cloth scarf on his head, a short cloth shirt, a long pole across his shoulders, and several small wooden boxes on his shoulders. , with his back arched like a cooked shrimp, and at first glance, he looks like an old man. No one would associate him with the romantic and unruly Mr. Wang.

At first, Liang Peiqiu didn't dare to put him next to her. After several encounters, An Jiujiu didn't even look at him, and her hanging heart gradually dropped.Don't dare to be careless just like this. If An Jiu had not entered the city today, An Jiu would have walked with the officials early, and Wang Yunxian would have fallen on the team's butt.

By that time, not to mention the onlookers dispersed, probably not many people in the entire street would regard him as a foreigner.

In fact, he is not much different from some old farmers selling fruits and vegetables on the street.

Liang Peiqiu also found it funny when she saw it.

The advantage of the crowd dispersing was that it was easier for her to look around and see Kyoto's markets, wine shops and tea shops.When we walked to the central area, there were more shops visible to the naked eye, as well as many more traders and customers. The deep alleys and stone bridges spread out in front of us, creating a lively scene comparable to the Riverside Scene during the Qingming Festival. .

At this time, the various hawking sounds in my ears also became richer.

Hawthorn cake, ai wowo, fried mutton, chess noodles, crispy noodles, roast duck... I have been on the road for more than two months. Now it is early summer, the fruits are ripe, and the air is filled with the sweet aroma of various spices and cumin noodles. , seductively sniffing deeply, the nose wings are expanding, the mouth is full of saliva, and the mouth is incessant.

Not to mention Wang Yunxian, even Liang Peiqiu couldn't help but look at various restaurants.

Wang Yunxian pointed to a place for her to look at: "Look there, Jiangshui Tower, it's the Jiangshui Tower in the capital!"

Liang Peiqiu slightly stared: "There is also a Jiangshui Tower in the capital?"

"I heard the boss say it before, and I thought he was bragging, but I didn't expect it to be true! That guy's business is really all over the world."

"Now do you know you are looking down on others? Master has long said that there are people outside the mountains, and he tells you to be more humble, but you don't listen." Liang Peiqiu took the opportunity to teach him, "When you walk around in the future, remember not to look down on anyone."

"I know, it's long-winded." Wang Yunxian scratched his beard and lifted the burden on his shoulders.

Liang Peiqiu was afraid that his delicate skin and tender flesh would be injured due to fatigue, so she asked quietly: "Are you okay? How about I ask someone else to pick it?"

"Then what's the use of me, an old man accompanying me? Aren't others looking weird?" Wang Yunxian blinked at her, "What? Are you feeling sorry for me?"

Liang Peiqiu immediately withdrew her sympathy: "Can you be more serious?"

"Am I not serious enough?" Wang Yunxian smiled brightly, "I am too serious, otherwise..."

Before he finished speaking, his eyes paused.

Liang Peiqiu then looked over.

At this moment, they have arrived in front of Jiangshui Tower, which is the boundary of Kyoto. Every inch of land is precious. Jiangshui Tower occupies the core area of ​​the main street. The decoration is naturally not bad, with pavilions and cornices, carved beams and painted buildings; jade banquets, gold bottles and silver canopies... just in front of the door. As you walk by, you can smell an intoxicating aroma.

Between the beaded curtains and emerald green curtains, uniformly dressed servants were shouting at the waiters while serving delicacies to the guests.They walked through the palace in an orderly manner, wearing jingling rings and making loud noises.

Meanwhile, in the private room on the second floor of Jiangshui Building, a window was wide open.

There are two people sitting by the window, a man and a woman. The woman has a long head and beautiful eyebrows, and the man has a face like a crown jade, and is elegant and profound.The two look well matched and have the same temperament.

It should be Duo Biren, right?

At this time, the four of them looked at each other through the window. First, the woman smiled at them.Liang Peiqiu felt that the woman looked familiar, as if she had seen her somewhere before, but she couldn't remember it for a while.While she was racking her brains to recall, she unexpectedly caught the eye of the man next door.

The next second, she was shaken to the spot.

Wang Yunxian glanced at her casually, but he had long since recovered. Seeing Liang Peiqiu stunned, he pushed her and whispered: "Why did you stop? They are looking at you from both sides."

Liang Peiqiu came to her senses immediately.

When I looked up again, there was no one at the window.

Wang Yunxian asked her: "What's wrong with you?"

"I just...just now..." She was eager to say something, but she didn't know how to say it. In the end, she just shook her head, "It's nothing."

Maybe she saw it wrong?
Brother Liu is no longer here.

How could there be eyes and expressions like his in this world?So cold, as cold as ice, and so quiet, as quiet as an abyss.

(End of this chapter)