Two more years passed in the blink of an eye since I asked Jing Shi to teach me at the Deyinzi School. Li Diao and Jing Shi are both twelve, and the Li family has added another child, this time a baby girl named Li Xiaodi.
Li He was originally suppressed by his brother and sister-in-law, who refused to start a family and divide the property. He got married later than others, and when he got his daughter, he was already nearly forty years old. Although his strength is still strong, his face can't hide a bit of vicissitudes of life, but seeing the cuteness of the third child, Yuxue, with her eyebrows turned up like Webster's, she has been in high spirits for days, and her brows are filled with joy. When Li Xiaodi was full moon, he specially asked Li Diao to call Jing Shi from the school, go fishing and catching shrimps in the mountains, and set up a table of wine and food to congratulate him.
In the evening, Li Diao, Li Tan and Jing Shi returned together. Li He looked at it from a distance at the door and saw that Jing Shi was still holding a bamboo basket in his hand, which was full of books. He was angry and funny at the same time. When he was in front of him, he glared and said with raised eyebrows: "Young man, you came to congratulate my daughter on her full moon. Instead of taking any gift money, you brought back some tattered books. Is it because you think that my daughter is not attractive to you? She can't even get the words "bird".
Jing Shi said: "No." He went to the bottom of the basket and took out a small white flower hairpin. He handed it to Li He and said, "This is a congratulatory gift."
Li He knew that he was living under someone else's roof, and his daily expenses depended on copying books and sweeping the courtyard to subsidize him. He didn't expect him to bring gifts seriously, so he couldn't help being surprised. After taking a closer look, I realized that the hairpin was not made of jade beads, but was made of crushed river shells polished as smooth as petals, drilled and wrapped with silk, then wound around a wooden handle to form a plum blossom shape. Although the structure of the object is very simple, it also requires a lot of thought and skill. Li He looked at it and couldn't help but wonder: "You have been busy studying all day long, how can you still be so exquisite? A daughter's little thing is exquisite. Could it be that some girl was sent to the school and asked you to see her dress up?"
Jing Shi said: "No. I've seen a few before and imitated them." But he refused to mention where he saw them. Li He knew that he was originally from the Lehua Kingdom in southern Xinjiang, so he assumed it was a local custom and did not inquire about the details. He just handed the hairpin to Wei Shi and kept it for Li Xiaodi to use in the future. But thinking that Jing Shi was usually quiet and taciturn, but at the key point he was understanding and caring, after all, he was caring about his own family, and he felt happy in his heart. When he got to the table, he poured some wine, pushed it in front of Jing Shi and said, "Boy, please try this thing."
Jing Shi lowered his head and refused, saying, "I don't drink."
Li He said: "This is not strong liquor. My eldest brother can drink half a bowl at the age of ten, and you are still a half-grown baby now. In a few years, we will be able to get married, so why can't you drink a sip?" Lips, frowning and saying: "Bitter."
Li He laughed loudly: "Children are talking nonsense. This wine is brewed at the right time, so why is it so bitter?" He was about to pour more jingshi, but fortunately Wei Shi looked at him sideways and stopped.
After eating, Jing Shi followed Li Diao and went into the back room to see Li Xiaodi. He saw that it was a round meat dumpling wrapped in swaddling clothes, which had not grown much. But Li Diao looked at it and said, "She looks more like A Niang."
Jing Shi responded and asked: "Why is it called Xiaodi?"
When Li Diao heard this, he scratched his head and said, "My dad likes to mention this the most, so I haven't told you about it." Then he told the story of how the Li family and his wife got to know each other.
Jing Shi was speechless after hearing this, and there was something vaguely different on his face. After a long time, he said, "It turns out that Madam is from the mountains."
While the two were talking, Wei Shi came to the door. When he heard Li Diao talking about old things, he immediately looked embarrassed. He coughed twice and said, "Ajing, come out with me."
Jing Shi was a man of few words and rarely interacted with others, and he never exchanged a few words with Webster. Today I was suddenly summoned. I don't know why, so I had to answer and go to the backyard with Webster to talk. As he walked into the courtyard, the moonlight was melting and the ground was covered with frost. Jing Shi used the moonlight to look at Wei Shi and saw that although he had given birth to three children and was nearly forty years old, he still had beautiful features, as if he were thirty. The young woman who has not yet arrived.
While he was meditating, Webster came to him and sat down and said, "Ajing, you have been studying with me, Diao'er, for several years. Although you don't come here often, it's like I have an extra child. Now you are ten years old." Second, I think that in ancient times, King Bin Zhao followed his father to beg for Li, but he was only the same age as you. Although you, Diao'er and Tan'er were classmates, they were actually very different. The two of them were nothing more than country sparrows. I wish you peace and prosperity. , to comfort the hearts of my husband and wife. But you are a talented person, and I don’t expect you to be buried in the countryside. I came to find you now to ask you what your plans are in the future."
Jing Shi responded: "I haven't figured it out yet, please give me some advice, madam."
Wei Shi smiled and said: "I have given you food and clothing for many years, how come you still call me such a strange country wild woman? You are not afraid of being embarrassed when you call me madam. Since you call Erlang uncle, you might as well call me aunt." I think that since you are a literary talent, you can submit your name for the preliminary examination of the county high school next year. If you are selected, there will be a re-examination in the city. If you are within ten, you can study in a private school. In the future, you will naturally enter the imperial palace. This is The method of science and technology is originally the way for the children in the city. If it were anyone else, I would not think so. But I know that you are extraordinary after all. If you take the exam, you will probably pass it. In recent years, my family has been doing well and has a little surplus. You are on your way. The funds can come from my house, so there is no need to worry about much."
Jing Shi listened to her words and thought silently for a moment, then shook his head and said, "This is not the ambition."
Webster was not alarmed and said: "If you want to be reclusive and don't want to drift with the world, then you can stay in the school and become a bachelor, and you will be worthy of anyone." After a pause, Fang smiled again and said : "Actually, I have been playing the flute since I was born, and I have a thought in my mind. If you intend to enter an official career, since you stay in the countryside, you might as well mention it."
Jing Shi didn't know what she was referring to, so he looked at each other suspiciously, but he heard Wei Shi say: "You have no relatives or friends in this town, and you are not a person who likes to walk around. After counting, you can't even make friends with my family. Now I Now that you have Xiaodi, I would like to introduce her to you, and when you grow up, you will have a family, and you will have someone you can trust."
As soon as these words came out, Jing Shi was also shocked. He glanced at him and said, "That's inappropriate."
Wei Shi said: "I'm just talking about an idea today, and I don't want to make an appointment. After all, you and Xiaodi are still young, and there is no chance that you will marry her. If you have another agreement with her in the future, please tell this matter. That’s all.”
Jing Shi still shook his head and said: "I won't stay here either. I have been here for four years and have read all the books in the county. I heard that there are Dachuan San and Lingshan Shiliu in the east, and they all have mysteries. I want to leave my hometown in the future. , visit the place in person to test it."
Wei Shi didn't expect his ambition to be like this, so he was stunned. After a long time, he said: "If you are good at landscapes, you might as well become an official in the dynasty and have a chance to swim." Jing Shi still shook his head, but did not answer the question. Wei Shi was also helpless, but he thought that Jing Shi was young and had a long time to come, so he didn't want to persuade him in a hurry, so he said: "It's late today. You and Diao'er can rest in the same room."
Jing Shi started to move in response to the sound, and when he was about to leave, he looked back in delirium, as if he had unfinished words. When Wei Shi saw it, he said, "If Jing wants to ask anything, just tell me."
Jing Shi said: "I heard that my aunt was once a native of the mountains. Since she practiced Taoism, why did she return to secular life?"
Wei Shi was startled for a moment, then he laughed and said: "I have poor bones, and I met a man from the pond, and it has been difficult to calm down since then. Ah Jing, you have seen a great monk, and thought that practicing Taoism is a benefit. . In fact, the years of hardship in the mountains are not as good as the days in your school. Even if you gain the blue eyes of an immortal, you will always be less enlightened and more unable to survive. If you can acquire Taoism and practice Qi to transform into gods, you will be a true immortal. I forget my feelings and my nature, so I can't look down on the earthly mind. But I have only been practicing Qi for a few days, so I am not worthy of being called a person in the mountains."
After hearing this, Jing Shi stood quietly, nodded his head and said: "It turns out that God and man have no intention, I understand." Although the expression on his face was the same as before, there was a hint of anger in his eyes. He bowed to Wei Shi and entered the room. Take a break.
Wei Shi felt that his reaction was surprising, and before he could step forward to ask, he heard a soft sound on the wall, turned around and saw a big cat with shiny hair, and its body was completely black, with not a single hair in sight. I don’t know which family raised it. Now he was sitting on the wall, looking coldly at where Jing Shi had gone. At that time, there was a rumor among the people that black cats could travel to the underworld. When Webster saw it, he felt it was ominous. Just as he was about to drive it away, the black cat turned over, fell outside the courtyard, and ran towards the mountains to the east.
