Landlord of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 212

After sitting for a long time, Xiaohong brought over Qiaoguo to eat, and the topic gradually turned to articles and poems.In the beginning, Zhang Linye and Yang Cheng kept talking, but in the end, they could only listen to Xu Qing and Shangguanyi coming and going to confirm each other.

The two were bored, secretly took the plate of Qiaoguo, ran out to talk to Xiaohong, and had fun outside.

While chatting, Shangguanyi suddenly remembered something, and said with a smile, "Coincidentally, there will be a literary fair in West Lake tomorrow. Brother Xu, as a leading figure in the literary world, might as well go and have a look?"

Xu Qing's face was slightly red, and he was the only master of copywriting.

So Xu Qing said: "Shangguan, I only know some poems, not any articles?"

Shangguanyi couldn't help but sneered, and replied: "You think Yuhang and Cangzhou are thousands of miles away, so I can't read what you wrote? Hmph, your "Book of Encouraging Farmers" is a masterpiece, and I have already memorized it by heart."

"Ah? How did you get this kind of thing?" Xu Qing thought of the persuasion book, but it was pasted on the bulletin board in Cangzhou City, and he didn't put it everywhere. b.

Shangguanyi did not answer where to find the book, but said: "Your "Book of Encouraging Farmers" is different from other articles. It is very concise. Natural, frank, and thought-provoking, this is a good article.

"One day, the words in the "Book of Persuasion to Farmers" were ordinary. I read them to the farmers, and no one understood them. It is so literary and practical, why is Brother Xu so modest?"

Xu Qing was silent, Shangguanyi said again:

"It's a pity that today's literati don't understand the beauty of these articles. They only know how to worship the ancients blindly. Those articles seem to be staggering like old people. What's the point? What kind of literary talent?"

Shangguanyi continued to speak without stopping:

"The literary meeting mentioned just now was organized by a group of ignorant people. I have been invited to give papers and poems several times, but I have refused. If Brother Xu is free, come with me and see how I am. Slap these people in the face."

Speaking of the Wenhui, since Xu Qing came to the Tang Dynasty, he has seen a lot, either it is a place where many young literary and artistic youth cheated to eat and drink, or some young people moaned and groaned without illness, mourning the spring and autumn.Anyway, it's very boring, the most important thing is that you can't eat the food on the table, otherwise it will be considered indecent, and you can only brag and fart together.

Those so-called literary clubs are mostly organized by boring people, and they flatter each other, flatter each other's bad feet, and use it to make a name for themselves.Or else, the guise used by local officials to win over local scholars.

Therefore, Xu Qing is not interested in this kind of literary meeting at all, but Shangguanyi said so, so it's hard to justify it.I laughed a few times, what good reason can I find to refuse?
Seeing Xu Qing like this, Shangguanyi smiled and said: "Brother Xu doesn't know something. Today's article doesn't need to be too long. In the past, Wang Youjun went to Lanting to repair the temple. He wrote a single article and became famous through the ages."

Xu Qingdao: "So that's the way it is. The preface to Lanting is the preface and postscript. It's within the category of short essays. Will this essay be a competition essay?"

Shangguanyi smiled and said: "It can be said that the essay test is limited to one chido, and I happen to have a manuscript, which is written according to the writing style of my elder brother."

The imperial edicts of the Han Dynasty were all written on a one-foot-by-inch book board, and one foot and one slip, so short articles were also called chido articles.This is what Shangguanyi said about the chidot.

Short articles can be called chidots, and as for Xu Qing's essays, they are shorter than chidots.

The word sketch originally comes from Buddhism, which refers to the abridged version of Buddhist scriptures.The small piece refers to the big piece, and the big piece refers to the complete Buddhist scriptures.Later, essays became a term specifically referring to short articles, such as travel notes, diaries, prefaces and postscripts, etc. can be regarded as a type of essays.

When it comes to poetry in the Wenhui, Xu Qing alone can defeat the invincible opponents of the Tang Dynasty, but when it comes to articles, there is nothing to look at based on Xu Qing's stinky handwriting.

After hearing this, Xu Qing said: "This essay is neither suitable for reasoning, nor easy to narrate preaching. It is just a small skill and a small way. Ming Dao Zongjing is the great cause of governing the country. Shangguan, don't give up the great cause just for fun."

What Xu Qing said was grandiose, and the great cause of managing the country was all for the purpose of rejecting Shangguanyi.Indeed, among orthodox literati, intellectual talent is still in the four or six parallel prose, and other things, no matter how well written, are all small ways.

But Xu Qing forgot that under his influence, Shangguanyi had long been a person who did not follow the rules.After hearing Xu Qing's argument, Shangguanyi couldn't help saying: "Brother Xu, this statement is wrong. Mr. Wuliu and Ziyan are both catchy, and every word and sentence is full of lips and teeth. .These articles are all small tricks? Xiaodao?"

Xu Qing also nodded and said: "Shangguan, what you said is also reasonable. Moss flowers are as small as rice grains, and they bloom like peonies."

"So, brother Xu agreed to go with me?" Shangguanyi asked proudly.

"Oh, well, let me go this time..." Xu Qing spread his hands, expressing his surrender: "Anyway, I don't know how to write, and I will only eat banquets, so don't blame me for hurting your face."

Shangguanyi knew that Xu Qing could do what he said, so he said, "Brother Xu, don't underestimate yourself. This time, all the famous talents from Suzhou and Hangzhou will come and go. It was an eye-opener."

"All right, all right, I'll listen to you..."

Xu Qing's voice was undecided, and there was a "splash" of water outside, and then someone said: "Someone boiled the water, someone boiled the water!"

Boiling water is a way of saying in the south about committing suicide by drowning.

Shangguanyi got up immediately and said to Xu Qing, "Go out and have a look!"

As soon as the door was opened, Xiaohong and Zhang Linye came and said that the owner of the boat jumped into the river just now, and Yang Cheng had already jumped to save him.Seeing each other is fate, Yang Cheng and the others were also poor people before, and he can understand the embarrassment and despair of the old boatman.

When Xu Qing and the others stood beside the boat, Yang Cheng had already dragged them to the shore.The water in this lake was freezing to the bone, and the boat owner was still tied with a big stone, but Yang Chengye dragged him to the shore with one hand and rowed with the other.

Xu Qing and others hurriedly took the woolen blanket and went down to wrap Yang Cheng up.Fortunately, he was rescued in time, and the boatman was still conscious, but a lot of water was poured into his nasal cavity.

After vomiting for a long time, the boatman sat on the ground, stroked his snow-white beard expressionlessly, wailed loudly, and sang aloud:

Lived in this ancient ferry for the first 60 years.

No matter the ground or the sky!

Eat with conscience and make money with strength!
Rich people don't love, poor people don't pity!
At this time, the sun shot over at a low angle, reflecting on the boundless water of the West Lake, the dilapidated old ferry boat lay motionless under the withered poplar.

The old boatman sat on the ground, his clothes wet and motionless, as if he was not cold at all.

Xu Qing was also helpless, sighed, and asked Zhang Linye to cover him with clothes.They pulled it to a sheltered place on the shore and lit a fire.

The fire was burning brightly, making everyone's faces flushed.

Saving people is nothing but respect for life.

"Hey, old man, where is your son?" Xu Qing asked.

"I, I have a son." The old boatman looked up at Xu Qing: "Did you know? My son, he is much older than you! Are you afraid you don't know him? Outsiders... At that time, we The father and son are driving this boat together. I have adopted a daughter-in-law for him..."

"What about them?" Xu Qing asked again, thinking that since he had a son, how could the old man be left on the ferry by the lake like this.

"They? That year, there were bandits in the lake, and many people died. Some people accused my son of being a bandit. Alas, how dare he be a bandit? But the government wanted to arrest him to take the blame, but my son refused. Go, punch in the face! I, I won't, kick in the stomach! Young man, have you ever encountered these things that turn black and white?"

Xu Qing looked at Shangguanyi, and Shangguanyi waved his hand, indicating that he didn't know about it.It seems that it happened a long time ago, maybe it was at the end of Sui Dynasty.

"Young man! I waited for the sky to open my eyes. You see, I waited for a year, I waited for two years, and three years... My daughter-in-law remarried to a butcher with a yellow beard, and my grandson grew up. But, They won't give me their grandson!" They said, "When you have money, we will definitely send your grandson back to you."

"So, young man, for my grandson and future generations, I must be rich!
"In winter, when it freezes and snows, I have to cross the lake; in summer, when there is strong wind and rain, I have to cross the lake...

"When the year is famine, donations are heavy, there are many bandits in the lake, and few people cross the lake, but I still have to change. I live in a boat and eat in the boat..."

"The son is gone, the daughter-in-law is gone, and the grandson will come back," the old boatman suddenly became excited: "Now, now, the boat is gone!"

The old boatman spoke, and everyone listened. Every word the old boatman said turned into a heavy fist on Xu Qing's heart.

Getting married and starting a career are the pursuits of ordinary people in life. However, the old boatman has been torn apart by reality.Even if he gave up his life to work, he couldn't save a little bit.

"Where's your money?" Yang Cheng asked suddenly: "You have to save some money for ferrying for several years. If the boat leaks, you don't even have the money to make up the boat?"

"That's right, it's not that the boat is all gone, so it can be used after repairing it."

"I have to send food to the prisoner every month, winter quilts, commission from the prisoner, all of which cost money. I am old, and customers don't want to take my boat..."

After everyone heard this, they sighed again, Xiaohong tugged on Guanyi's sleeve and said, "My lord, do you want to hire him on our boat?"

Shangguanyi shook her head and looked at Xu Qing, meaning that you are far more capable than me.

"Okay, old man, I will arrange for you..."

"No, no, I'm a ferryman, I don't owe favors, I don't sell favors."

"Old man, listen to me. I am an official of the imperial court, and I should plead for the people's life," Xu Qing said, "I will investigate your son's matter. As for you, go to Qiantang City first, and I will arrange a visit for you." It's an errand. Just wait."

"What? You, you, you are an official?!"

Seeing the boatman knelt down to pay his respects, his expression was the same as that of devout pilgrims in the temple.In Xu Qing's heart, he once again felt the responsibility of being an official, even though he didn't want to be an official.

Helping the old boatman up, he made an appointment with Shangguanyi to go to the Wenhui, returned to Qiantang, and arranged the old boatman on his own boat as an auxiliary helmsman.

(End of this chapter)