"The ambition to achieve hegemony is a matter of success or failure, but it will only turn out to be nothing. A man who has traveled through the world with his sword will inevitably become a good bow in the Tibetan Pavilion. If you want to ask how that man with extraordinary military skills managed to retire in the annals of history, I would like to ask you to tell me. Next time.”
Southwest of Qiling, between the markets, an old man wiped the crumbs of tea cakes from his lips and beard. He still did not forget to bow to the dozens of listeners around him and said cheerfully, "Next time, you don't need to listen to the book." For a small amount of money, this green radish cake is delicious, but it is still a bit too sweet for an old man like me. Fortunately, I don’t have many good teeth in my mouth, otherwise I would not dare to taste this cake. Otherwise, if I am talking sonorously, It's very unlucky to have two molars spit out for no reason."
Several listeners dressed as literati around them were all amused by the old man's rather tacky joke. They put away their folding fans and returned the favor to the old city lord who was very fond of storytelling. Joking is joking, and storytelling is storytelling. Of course, the lord of a city in the desert city must treat each other with courtesy. This is a rule that has not changed for many years.
The old man nodded and was about to leave, but he heard a child crying behind the crowd. He quickly separated from the crowd and walked forward tremblingly. He saw that the crying child was an acquaintance. The child of shopkeeper Li on West Street called him Xiaoliuxi.
Whenever the old man started telling stories at the table, the child, who was very clever just by looking at him, left his playmates and his business of fighting grass and picking insects, climbed up on the wooden chair of the tea stall, and listened attentively to the words. An old city lord told a story, and he was so fascinated by it that he often forgot his schoolwork. He was picked up by the very bad-tempered shopkeeper Li who knew him well and dragged him back home.
"Xiao Liuxi, who bullied you? The old city lord will make the decision for you." I don't know which young man among the crowd made a fuss, and said this as a joke, but it made Xiao Liuxi, who was wearing a few pigtails, cry. It's two points bigger, and there are even hints of lying down and rolling around.
"Xiao Liuxi, don't cry, tell me what's going on?" It wasn't until the old man spoke slowly that the child barely suppressed his sadness and said with sobs, "I just brought a piece of preserved fruit from home. I was thinking about it. You took two bites while you were telling the story, but who knew that after one bite, there would be a tooth stuck to the preserved fruit. The city lord said that teeth only fall out when you are old, so I won’t be able to live for a few days."
Everyone was stunned and laughed.
Only the old man just patted Xiao Liuxi's head gently and said gently, "When a person is born, he is very similar to when he grows old. They both come and go in ignorance. However, it is actually a good thing for you to lose your baby teeth." , I think it won’t be long before you can be on your own like an adult in your family.”
"Grandpa City Lord, what are the benefits of growing up?" After all, he was at a curious age. Xiao Liuxi stopped crying temporarily and raised his head to look at the old man.
"The good thing is, you don't have to do homework." The old man is worthy of being a city lord who has lived for many years. He can capture the thoughts of children in the palm of his hand without spending any trouble.
"It's a good relationship. Playing outside all day long is more interesting than holding a book all day long." The child laughed through tears and stood up, not forgetting to pat the dirt all over his body and grinning.
It's just that he just lost a molar, so his smile looks a lot more funny.
Even the old man couldn't help but laugh. He touched the child's round head and said warmly, "The lower molar was lost this time. If you want this tooth to grow back as soon as possible, you need to throw the tooth to a high place. This will make the tooth fall out. Your teeth are all straight. Counting the time, shopkeeper Li estimates that he is busy at the moment, so I will take you there."
"Everyone, it's getting late. Come back tomorrow to listen to the book. If anyone has a good memory, please write down for me what the book says this time. I'm getting older in the past few years and my memory is getting worse. I'm sorry to bother you."
The old man took the child's hand and said goodbye to the people around him.
Throwing the tooth on a high house, the child was very happy and pestered the old man for a long time. Then he patted his head and said that it was getting late and if he didn't go home, he would be beaten again, so he said goodbye to the old man. He ran towards home in three steps and two steps.
The old man looked at the lights on West Street and smiled.
The long streets are brightly lit, and children may be late to return home.
He, Nie Changfeng, is indeed old.
When the old man stopped and walked all the way to the city lord's palace, the city was already full of lights like daylight. Although it was already autumn for many days, many girls were still wearing gauze and walking on the long street with fans. There were groups of three or five, discussing whether the batch of newly knitted skirts from Cuiluo Clothing House in the east of the city would fit.
There were several scholars on the main street, doing the Flying Flower Order. One of them couldn't say a word for a long time. He was so anxious that he picked up the wine bottle on the side and took two sips. Then he poured out the following while he was about 70% drunk. After saying that, he lay down. He couldn't afford the table and slept soundly like mud.
The old man stepped into the city lord's mansion with a smile.
The snowy whiskers have turned black, the lips and teeth have regenerated, and the originally stooped back has become as straight as a pine tree.
"Master." Shen Jie had been waiting in the room for a long time. When he saw Nie Changfeng returning, he stood up and saluted, but he almost lost his balance and kicked down the table.
Nie Changfeng didn't need to ask in detail. Shen Keshu, who had become a reading maniac, must have entered the realm of madness again. He didn't sleep a wink all day and night. However, what he was reading this time was not the classics of sages, but the book that he was too old to stop. Old yellowing books.
Nie Changfeng nodded, casually found a futon and sat down, and after a long time he said, "Have you read the biography of Zhuo Yan that I'm talking about today?"
The young man shook his head, looking haggard, but his energy was not bad. He said bluntly, "I have only read the first half in the library. As for the second half, it seems that I can't find it in the desert city. Many people in later generations called this book an unofficial history, and they seemed not to agree that what was stated in this book was the truth."
"In the Immortal Mansion, there are soldiers and immortals who are invincible when they go out. They help Emperor Qi annex the three kingdoms and sweep most of the territory of Dongyu. Now Zihao, Xia Song and even half of the Yuan Dynasty are included in the territory, and their reputation is unparalleled." Nie Changfeng Nodding, he silently recited a passage from an ancient book. It contained only a few words, but its weight was extremely heavy.
"Most literati are familiar with official history, but the official history does not explain the fate of this Zhuo Yan Bingxian, which has become a knot in the minds of later generations of historians and literati. The only thing left for reference by the world is that It was originally said to be an unofficial biography of Zhuo Yan, but no one has found the second volume."
Nie Changfeng sighed, "Who would have thought that what is written in this book is actually true, that such a magical warrior would be said to be rebellious and be nailed alive by tens of thousands of arrows? Died on the royal road of the palace."
Shen Jie was horrified.
Just because in the official history, after the country's territory was settled, there was no more word Zhuo Yan, and at that time, Emperor Qi had not yet died.
Except for the emperor's instructions, who dares to set up an ambush in the royal road.
"As a general, there is no one like him in the world. But the path to becoming an official was not clear to this soldier even until his death."
Nie Changfeng looked at the increasingly wider gap in the sky and whispered.
"The world is about to be in chaos, my disciple, you must take charge of it as soon as possible."
On Shidou River, Bai Zhengji watched more than ten riders descending the mountain safely, and slowly exhaled a filthy breath.
This Young Master Zhang is much more pleasing to the eye than I am.
Fortunately, I didn't do anything.
"There will always be a day when the world will be in chaos. At that time, I, the general, will see your shadow, Zhang Weilu, on the third floor of the court hall."
The general murmured.
The sea is changing, and it is difficult to find peace everywhere.
