Alternative Telling of Dream of Red Mansions: Cherishing Spring

Chapter 44
Zhang Youshi smiled slightly, and stared at Brother Si.His eyes jumped suddenly, the mist in his eyes dissipated, and the gray pupils suddenly shone brightly, so bright that it made one's heart tremble.He said: "I do know a story, I wonder if fourth master is interested in listening to it?" Seeing that he was turning around and telling the story again, the fourth elder brother thought it was strange but did not interrupt, and said with a smile: "Go ahead."

"It's a matter of the previous dynasty." Zhang Youshi said leisurely, "The Yellow River was also flooded that year, so the superior sent a prince to inspect it. Go back to the capital and everything will be fine, but unexpectedly one night the dam collapsed, the water washed away the houses and flooded the whole city, the disaster was imminent, and the officials fled one after another, who cares about the master and the master. The mansion is empty, only the prince who doesn't know water is left, and he is about to be destroyed if he climbs on the roof."

The fourth elder brother heard what he said honestly, while thinking about the prince being besieged by the flood, he couldn't help getting into the situation, and asked: "What's the use of these devoid of conscience! What happened to the prince?"

"It's also a road that never ends. Fortunately, the servant brought by the prince from the capital was loyal and alert. He pulled out a large tank from the backyard of the mansion, let the prince sit in it, and floated in the water along the edge of the tank. Drifting down. After leaving the city, I saw the wreckage of the boats on which the officials were sitting. It turned out that these people were swallowed by the waves of the Yellow River. The two masters and servants drifted in the water for many days. Fortunately, the flood flooded and everything was lost. Floating in the water, when they were hungry, they fished something in the water to eat, but they did not die of starvation. After two days of this, the two of them exhausted their strength, thinking that they would surely die. But when they woke up, they were already on the shore. It turned out that they were rescued by a family on the bank of the Yellow River..."

The fourth elder brother listened more and more tremblingly, knowing that what he was talking about was an anecdote of the current Holy Majesty when he was young. The prince was rescued by a family of Le nationality, and immediately fell in love with the daughter of the people. After the water receded, the prince returned to Beijing and prepared to pick up the girl with a camera Enter Beijing.Unexpectedly, the woman was burned alive by the tribe because she violated the family rules and did not keep her chastity.This matter is the most hated and most regrettable thing in the emperor's life, and it has never been mentioned by anyone.He only vaguely heard about it, but unexpectedly Zhang Youshi said it so clearly.Although this story is not a top secret of the royal family, it cannot be announced grandly, so he quickly raised his hand and interrupted: "No more!" Seeing that he knew who he was talking about, Zhang Youshi stopped talking. He turned his face and said: "The current sage is also an infatuated person, and he has also suffered from love, so he may not be able to understand Ziying's suffering. Everything needs to be handled by the fourth master. This is also in line with your benevolent nature."

One sentence hit the fourth elder brother's heart. He knew that although the emperor himself was not slack in his administration, what he valued most about himself was the word "nature and kindness", and he hoped that he would be a benevolent and wise king in the future.This analysis of deboning and peeling meat made the fourth elder brother secretly write a word of convincing.Although he secretly convinced Zhang Youshi to be scheming and calculating, he couldn't help thinking: "This person is so familiar with the emperor's mind, how can he control it in the future? I have known him for many years, and sometimes I feel that I don't understand him more and more. He carefully advises him. But he did not seek any fame, he has always been a sixth-rank enshrined, and even he declined to find him a court official in the imperial hospital. I don’t know what he wants? This person knows many secrets about himself. Once..." The fourth elder brother frowned slightly Frowning, he quickly dispelled his doubts, remembering that they met by chance in Jiangnan, they were friends in common clothes, and the scholar died as a confidant, so I should not worry about Zhang Youshi's loyalty, but whether he will use it or not in the future will make people think hard.

Seeing him meditating, Zhang Youshi didn't bother him, and after a while he got up and said goodbye, "I should go back." The fourth elder brother came back to his senses and said, "Xuechen, I'll see you off."

"Sir, stop." Zhang Youshi bowed and gave way, "Courtesy cannot be broken." No matter how long we met, he always maintained the necessary respect.The fourth elder brother smiled brightly, but did not insist, and said: "Ask Yongcheng to send you out."

Coming out of Prince Yi's mansion, the originally clear sky suddenly became cloudy, and soon it began to drizzle. Zhang Youshi went to the palace to pay a job. According to the schedule, he didn't have to stay in the Tai Hospital today, so he returned home.Originally, the fourth elder brother asked someone to wait for him, but Zhang Youshi was clean by nature and didn't like to bother others, so he asked the bearers to leave, and walked home with an oil coat and a paper umbrella.

It was already autumn.Yellow leaves are everywhere in the capital, and thousands of trees are sparse.Zhang Youshi was walking on the road, looking up at the sky, the sky was gray and dark, like a person who has been ill for a long time and has been unable to cheer up.Small merchants and peddlers doing business on the side of the road closed their stalls and went home one after another, cursing the weather in a low voice, as busy as bugs flying low in the grass.Pedestrians on the road are getting thinner, and the leaves are pulled from the trees by the wind, dangling and floating into the puddles on the ground, whirling helplessly.

Looking at the straight and deserted street, Zhang Youshi's gray eyes showed deep sadness again.The in-depth meeting with the fourth master revealed his long-sealed memories: Decades ago, because of Keqing's marriage, he became depressed and became ill.Once the string of the imperial examination is broken, it will be difficult to continue.He also used to feel resentful because of the difficulty of developing his ambitions. Later, he became a family all over the world, and he gradually detached himself by hanging the pot to help the world.For a gentleman, fame and fame can only be obtained directly, not in the melody.After seeing more joys and sorrows in the world, I realized that the title of the gold list is often the beginning of another tragedy. A man's ambition and intentions do not need to be reflected through fame at all, and he also knows that he is not an official material. Not lower than the height of the temple.

But in the end he waded into the biggest muddy water in the world, soaking in this life-threatening matter, in order to repay the kindness of his knowledge, and also to see that the fourth elder brother is a person worthy of help, the future generation of Mingjun, People all over the world can count on him to live a peaceful life.It was precisely because he had the idea of ​​"big hermit", that he hid himself in the Imperial Hospital and secretly advised the fourth elder brother. Even Feng Ziying didn't know the tricks of this level.But since ancient times, there is a saying: "When the birds are gone, the good bow will be hidden, the cunning rabbit will die, and the lackeys will cook." Although he is not famous for his fame, the past is still there, and he has to guard against it.Recently he was in the imperial hospital, and he also knew that the emperor's health was getting worse day by day. In the last two months there has been a resolution.He is also riding a tiger now, unable to escape, Zhang Youshi is thinking about these complicated things, his heart is slightly swollen with annoyance, and his brows are furrowed even tighter.After taking a long breath, he realized that he had already passed the Di'anmen Gate, and when he was about to turn home, someone came in a carriage from afar. He avoided splashing water on his body, so he hid under the gate next to him. avoid.The car was coming in a hurry, and even the wind and rain brought it with a gust of wind. Zhang Youshi caught a glimpse of two people sitting in the car. Yun Zhi, looked familiar, but couldn't remember it for a while.

Afraid of being seen by Lai Yier, he hurriedly covered his face with an umbrella and waited for the car to pass by before walking out onto the street.Because he was thinking about Xichun's illness, he didn't think too much about what he saw just now, but hurried home.

But there were two people sitting in the car that shouldn't be together - Lai Yi'er and You Shi.Lai Yier set a long-term goal, and finally caught the big fish Youshi after three to five months.It is said that you may not be able to hook up with you if you want to hook up in the deep house, but today is different from the past, and Youshi has never been favored. As he got older and his family background was poor, life became more and more difficult.She asked the servant girl and mother-in-law to come out to pawn, seeing that the hands were getting better every time, she was suspicious and surprised, and was afraid that the servants would fall for them, so she found a chance to come out and have a look.What Lai Yier wanted was for her to show up.In his view, although the You family has little power, they have been in charge of the Ningguo Mansion for many years after all, and they still know the details of the Jia Mansion.The so-called "a skinny camel is bigger than a horse", not to mention that she can pour out so many items, and she is not an easy person.

Thinking of You Shi, who has been lonely for a long time, when he sees a man, he is like dry wood on fire.Lai Yier, who can stand up to the good-looking Lai Yier, was eager to coax him, and after three or two rounds, he surrendered and surrendered, and devoted all his attention to Lai Yier. Jia Zhen, who is as cold as ice, knows the cold and the hot, and she is more than a thousand times better.At that time Ruhua was pregnant, Lai Yier was too happy to go home, got mixed up with You Shi, and now it was the time when they were like glue.

Zhang Youshi went to see Xichun as soon as he entered the house, but he still fell asleep.He cut her pulse, and the pulse condition was very bad. The left foot was slippery and floating, and the main thought was in a trance, as if in a boat; the left was stagnant and sinking, the main body was weak, and the diet was poor; , Nightmare is dangerous, these are always the reasons why she worries too much.

Zhang Youshi thought about how to give her medicine, and he kept busy until late at night without closing his eyes. He was also in his forties, and finally couldn't stand it anymore, so he fell asleep on the chair next to Xichun, and someone covered him in a daze. , he asked vaguely, "Has the rain stopped?"

"It stopped after a while yesterday."

When Zhang Youshi heard that the voice was wrong, he quickly opened his eyes, only to see Xichun standing in front of him with a pale face, looking at him thoughtfully.Zhang Youshi was embarrassed for no reason, and quickly turned his face to look outside. The sun was bright outside, and he was surprised that he slept until the next afternoon.

"With such a weak body, why did you get up?" He frowned and said, "Where's the little boy?" He stretched out his hand to help her, but he restrained himself.He didn't dare to show too close to Xichun.

Xichun turned around and sat across from him, raised her face slightly, and said calmly: "I didn't see him when I woke up, I think something happened. I had a lot of dreams, and it seemed like I couldn't remember anything when I woke up, so I wanted to ask you .” She looked at him blankly, as if she had woken up for a long time, or just woke up.

Zhang Youshi stretched his eyebrows unexpectedly, and said: "What you forget is always the thing you don't want to remember, the thing you want to be remembered, even after a long time, you will never forget it. Why do you have to think hard about what to forget? what?"

"I think so too. Our memory has a capacity. We are born to remember to let go of everything when we die, and to move forward without carrying the old body." Xichun said with a faint smile, "I remember Keqing, I remember my grandmother, and I forget a lot. Troublesome things, my memory seems to have been spent after I was fifteen or sixteen years old. Afterwards, there are only vague shadows left, and I can’t think clearly.”

His heart skipped a beat, he forced a smile and said, "This is not a bad thing."

"You seem to know a lot about me." Xichun tilted her head to look at him and smiled innocently.

Zhang Youshi was at a loss for words for a moment, and after a while he came to his senses: "More is not too much, and less is not too little." He was afraid that Xichun would ask any more questions, so he got up and said, "Are you hungry? I'll ask Uncle Yu to make it for you." something to go."

"Okay, I want... Fragrant ice cream and cheese." Xichun looked at him and nodded eagerly, thought for a while, and said affirmatively.

Zhang Youshi was confused by her sweet and soft tone, he turned his head and looked at her bright smile absentmindedly, he saw Xichun in the moon white shirt looking at him.The crimson figure in memory came over, slowly curled up on the chair, like a docile cat.

"Be good, wait here for a while." His eyes, which had not been smiling for a long time, suddenly became plump like heavy rain, and he hurriedly ran out, his heart joyful like a teenager.

They lived peacefully like this, and the days began to look like this long autumn, trivial and fascinating.Xichun has an inexplicable trust in this man, maybe it is the sense of vicissitudes and stability in him that awakens her desire for fatherly love, and she is unexpectedly obedient and attached to him.Zhang Youshi took good care of Xichun because of his feelings for Keqing, but it seems that it is not that simple. Sometimes he simply forgets Keqing and protects Xichun by his side. He teaches her to look thin and golden, and teaches her to read medical books , taking care of her body properly, asking her carefully what she loves and what she hates, and never perfunctory to her.He has enough kindness and ability to treat this unexpected woman kindly, treating her like a jewel.

The sun gradually shone into his dark study room for a long time, and wiped away the shade on his desk.When Xichun bowed his head to practice calligraphy in front of him, he lowered his head and smelled the fragrance of roses in her hair. He remembered that year when he painted for Keqing in the garden, roses bloomed like a sea beside him.

He realized that Xichun was the support of her soul.She died with resentment and love, and implanted this seed into Xichun's body, and it grew secretly and vigorously. The influence she left behind was so far-reaching that it changed Xichun's life, turning an innocent girl into a man full of worries. woman.

Xichun was still practicing calligraphy with a concerned expression.Zhang Youshi took a sip of tea and stood aside quietly watching her.Like a bolt of lightning, Xichun shattered his obsession with the past. When he was waiting for his lonely feelings, it was like drying the feelings and preventing them from rotting.But in this way, he made himself closed and cold, so inhumane.Now he is very full in his heart, Xichun is the result of karma that finally took shape, and came to him.Now that he has relaxed, he understands that the entanglement with Keqing's loneliness can come to an end now - a person who has waited for a long time without expecting, even if he does not ask for anything in return, once it is rewarded, it will be a pleasant surprise.

He was thinking about it, Xichun put down the pen and looked away, and asked: "Do you think I write well?"

What Xichun wrote was a bamboo poem by Emperor Guan: Xie Dong Junyi, Danqing has an independent name.Don't dislike the solitary leaves, they will not wither for a long time.

"It's a lot of progress!" He nodded and smiled in praise, and picked up the ice fungus dew on the small table and said to her, "Let's take a rest."

She took it with a smile: "You always praise me like this."

No one knew how satisfied and touched he was.His cold heart was moistened.All the happiness of his life seemed to pour on him at that moment.Could never be more, never be that satisfied again.

At this time, Yu Bo came to the front court to report: Someone from the Feng family has come to invite him.Zhang Youshi was shocked when he heard the words, and after thinking about it, it should not be Xichun who revealed Xingzang, so he hurriedly said to Xichun: "You stay here, I'll go out and have a look." After finishing speaking, he walked out, and saw the intention when he arrived at the front My son was waiting there, with an anxious look on his face.Seeing him, he rushed up and said, "Mr. is here!" Zhang Youshi was stunned when he saw him, remembering how he met him on the street a month ago, his heart moved, and he saluted, "Mr. Come in person?"

Lai Yi'er's expression was very different from usual.The funerals in the past month have been arranged wantonly by Feng's family, and they are so busy that they can't even take care of the affairs of their own shop and Zhuangzi. Fortunately, there is a Youshi who helps to take care of it.At this time, he hadn't closed his eyes for two nights, his eyes were still bloodshot, and his yellow face was extremely anxious: "It's not because of the masters in the family, even the old man and the old lady have fallen now, Therefore, I invite you, the life-saving immortal."

Rescuing people is like fighting a fire. Zhang Youshi didn't care to ask more questions, and hurriedly said: "Wait a minute, I will go to the back to get the medicine box and leave. Let's talk about anything on the way." Come to Yi'er impatient, rushed to the front and said: "Waiting for you today Forget about your little boy, I will go in with my husband, and I will get anything heavy." Zhang Youshi didn't have time to stop him, seeing him go into the backyard, only secretly hoped that he would not run into Xichun, and hurriedly withdrew and went in.

Lai Yi'er didn't meet Xi Chun directly, Zhang Youshi took the things, he carried the medicine box and left without delay.

Feng Ziying disappeared, just a few days ago.Zhang Youshi was so shocked by the news that he couldn't recover for a long time.Looking at the old man lying on the bed, he couldn't help feeling pity and sympathy: he hadn't seen him for more than a month, and the person in front of him was haggard, with gray beard and hair, skinny, as if he had aged a lot.

Feng Tang, a battle-tested veteran, finally couldn't stand it any longer.He was exhausted.After he was "ill", the sixth elder brother sent Jia Zhen to visit him twice; the emperor also sent someone to "see the disease", but it was Chen Yejun from the fourth elder brother who came.Every time a person comes, instead of making him safe, it brings him new uneasiness.For everything that happened in the court, he had to break it apart, put it together, crush it, and pinch it again to weigh it.He felt like he was driving a small boat alone in the vast sky and water. No matter how careful he was, he couldn't prevent accidents. Maybe when a huge wave came down, there would be a catastrophe.When Feng Ziying suddenly shook his hands and walked away, he really couldn't hold on anymore.

Zhang Youshi checked his pulse, he seemed to be suffering from apoplexy, took medicine, and withdrew silently, he knew that telling him to meditate and recuperate at this time was undoubtedly nonsense.As long as Feng Ziying does not come back, he will continue to worry, but once he comes back, new worries will start again.Zhang Youshi turned to the back to see Feng's mother.Although Feng's mother is also sick, compared to Feng's father's worry, it is much lighter.She was wiping away tears when Zhang Youshi entered, and said to Ziyun, Feng Ziying's housekeeper, "Why don't you take a liking to him? What do you think about this meeting?"

Ziyun didn't dare to talk back, and she was also hurt in her heart, fearing that she would cry too much and there would be no more tears, so she just stood beside her dumbfounded and didn't speak.Zhang Youshi coughed and stepped through the door.When Feng's mother saw him, her eyes lit up, as if she had received a savior, she struggled to meet him and asked eagerly: "Sir, Ziying is on good terms with you, can you see him? If you see him, tell me it's my fault." , I shouldn't have sent Xichun out of the house." She broke down in tears as she spoke.

Zhang Youshi saw Feng's mother trembling and terrified, and met her pleading eyes, and couldn't help but feel compassion again.This old lady who is usually shrewd and dignified is so humble today, it is obvious that she is in chaos.It is true that people say that mother and child love each other deeply, but how can children's affection for their parents be compared to the affection that parents have for their children?Parents' kindness is hard to repay. Although he can understand Feng Ziying's infatuation, seeing Feng's father and mother are so frightened for him, he still can't help but blame him for acting rashly.

He comforted him and said, "Don't worry, if I find him, I will tell him to come back to see you." Feng's mother still shed tears, and Zhang Youshi and Ziyun coaxed and persuaded her to sit down and get a pulse.

(End of this chapter)