There is a green jujube tree growing in a dilapidated courtyard in the west of the city, which is as high as the eaves. The jujube has just grown a little red and has not yet attracted greedy birds to peck at it.
Pan Ru rubbed the smeared ink ball on his body a few times. He only had good clothes. He had to wear them to meet people tomorrow. There was no water in the courtyard. He moistened the ink ball with a few drops of saliva with his fingers and rubbed it vigorously. After scrubbing the old saponins on the saponaria tree in front of the door, the ink stains only became slightly lighter, and the traces can still be seen.
Pan Ruxu shook his head and sighed, waiting to make plans until he got home.
He walked past several corpses in the courtyard. He was not interested in uncovering the scarves on the corpses' faces. The people were already dead, so it was good to keep some secrets.
The ink on the pen in his hand had dried up. Pan Ruxu raised his head and stared at the green dates on the eaves. The few saliva washed his clothes. The crisp green dates on the tree above his head could quench his thirst and squeeze out some juice to smooth the tip of his pen.
Tap your toes lightly and jump up to the eaves.
The jujube tree was as high as the eaves, so I simply squatted on the eaves, picked a branch with many jujubes and pulled it to my hand, picked a handful of green dates and carried it in my lapel, threw away the branch, and then climbed up to the top of the tree to get some jujubes. , the dates taste crisp and sweet, not bitter.
The treetops were a little far away from the eaves. Pan Ru didn't want to take risks, so he picked the dates he could reach and filled his palms with them. There was no clean well water to wash the dates. I looked down at my still clean chest. This dress was stained with ink and had to be washed. There was no need to wash the loose soil on these dates. I wiped the green dates on my chest. He bit off half a piece.
The jujubes are crisp, fresh and sweet, making your mouth wet. Throw the remaining half into your mouth, chew the juice and swallow it into your belly. Squeeze the sweetness from the jujube pits and spit out the jujube pits in an arc. It fell into the weeds as tall as a person in the yard.
In a few years, it may grow into a jujube tree to quench the thirst of thirsty passers-by.
Pan Ru was thinking about it, then he wiped a green date on his chest and threw it whole into his mouth, slowly chewing the taste.
The butcher with an open chest and a beard on his face landed on the eaves, a cold light flashing from the butcher knife in his hand.
The butcher took a look at the corpses in the courtyard. Although they all performed their own duties and did not recognize each other, they all belonged to the Gui Nong Villa and silently recited a blissful afterlife. Then he suppressed his sadness, turned to look at Pan Ruxu, grinned with yellow teeth, and said: "Isn't this a scholar? I haven't seen him for a few days. He has made great achievements and actually returned to Chang'an."
Pan Ruru spit out the jujube core, without raising her head, she stretched out a finger to point out the jujubes in her arms, picked out a jujube that pleased her eyes, and threw it into her mouth. The astringency of the green dates has not faded away, and the juice is quite juicy, but not sweet, and the aftertaste is a bit astringent.
When he was young, he always had enough to eat, so he developed the habit of not wasting any food. Pan Ruxu chewed the green dates carefully, recalling the hard days he lived in the past. It was not until he spit out the date core that he said leisurely, "How much is that in Chang'an?" It is a place where scholars are obsessed with life. Such a scholar naturally yearns to win the first prize in the future, be proud of himself, and see the prosperity of Chang'an."
The butcher didn't show any formality. He stood on the ridge of the roof and scraped the thick hair on the back of his hands with a butcher's knife. "Xiucai, from our neighborhood, although you are not rich and have never bought meat from my house, your tofu is... , my prodigal mother-in-law will come to visit me every day, and everyone will help you everywhere. Chang'an is a good place, but we have to go there in a clean way, and we can't get the slightest bit of fishy stench, which will harm our hearts."
Eating too many dates will hurt your teeth, just clear your throat and it will be fine. The remaining green dates are opened like this and thrown into the arms.
He stood up and looked at the butcher on the opposite eaves.
The butcher's name is Zheng Yidao. He is the only butcher in the west of the city. He has excellent pig-killing skills. He is a man with a ferocious face and a pure heart. An honest butcher turned into a butcher who jumped over the wall and killed people. This was something Pan Ruhu could not have imagined.
Zheng Yidao mentioned the sister-in-law of the Zheng family. She was a woman with a heart like a Bodhisattva. She always smiled when she met everyone. If any neighborhood in the neighborhood couldn't afford meat, the sister-in-law of the Zheng family would take advantage of Zheng Yidao to kill the pig and leave the heart and intestines behind. , washed clean without any odor, and given to the neighbors to satisfy their cravings.
Pan Rushu's parents died early when he was young, and he grew up eating food from hundreds of families. Every time he passed by the Zheng family, the Zheng family's sister-in-law called him into the house, served him a full bowl of rice, and gave him a fist-sized piece of stewed meat.
With awe for the sister-in-law of the Zheng family, Pan Ruxu bowed deeply to Zheng Yidao, "I am so stupid that I don't know the meaning of Brother Zheng's words."
Zheng Yidao dug his nostrils with his nails, dug out a piece of dirt, balled it into a ball on his hand, and flicked it on the eaves. He then used his finger to dig out earwax, "The news from Zhuangzi is that the girl from Chang'an you took in is bad." A good thing from our master.”
The woman from Chang'an whom Zheng Yidao mentioned should be Lin Qiuwan.
The only people in the world who claim to be Zhuangzi are Gui Nong Villa, and Pan Rusu has heard about it a little bit over the years of selling information in Tianxialou.
Pan Ruxu wiped a finger on his lips, dipped his saliva into it and wetted the forked brush in his hand. A drop of ink hung down from the tip of the pen, which was very precious. "I did save a woman, but it belonged to Lin Zhenjiang, the chief escort of the Sihai Escort Bureau." My daughter, Lin Qiuwan, is not the woman from Chang'an as mentioned by Brother Zheng. I'm afraid your information about Gui Nong Villa is wrong."
Zheng Yidao finished picking out his ears, blew them clean in one breath, touched the stubble of his beard, and said in an elder's voice: "Xiucai, I'm not laughing at you. You have been a bachelor for many years and have never had any contact with women. I am a veteran. Not all women in this world are as heartless as my mother-in-law. The more beautiful this woman is, the more she will lie and deceive others. She said that she is the daughter of Lin Zhenjiang, the chief bodyguard of the Sihai Bodyguard Bureau. Just believe it. If she says that she She is a princess, do you have to kowtow nine times and carry her to Chang'an to find her bride?"
Lin Qiuwan's identity was not confirmed by Pan Ru, but her eyes were not deceptive.
Pan Ruxu's eyes were firm, "I believe what she says."
Zheng Yidao stopped chatting about home affairs, stood up, and summoned his murderous intention, "We have different ways and we don't want to conspire with each other. Then don't blame me for being ruthless. You don't have any children. From now on, during the new year and festivals, I will let my family My mother-in-law will burn the fattest pig's head for you on your grave."
A beggar holding a broken bowl landed on the eaves in the south of the city. His legs were muddy and he had half a scallion pancake in his mouth. He was extremely slovenly.
"Brother Zheng, is this the boy? He's quite fair. If you use your hands later, be sure not to scratch the clothes. I can take them off for the winter."
The beggar's body was smelly of mud. Zheng Yidao, who didn't care about cleanliness, frowned, covered his nose and said in disgust: "Hong Buding, you can wash yourself in the river when you have time. You are still begging in the south of the city because of your stinky smell. Don't be afraid." If you offend the officials there, they'll let some dogs bite you until you're half dead."
Hong Buding finished chewing the scallion pancake in his hand, let out a long-lost burp, and wiped the oil stains on his body. There were dark fingerprints on his tattered clothes, "I am a beggar. I should be used as a bed by heaven and earth. No one cares for me." It’s not like you sleeping with your mother-in-law in your arms at night. I heard in the south of the city that you didn’t wash your feet and your sister-in-law kicked you out of bed several times.”
Hong Buding laughed wantonly and took a breath of wind, almost spitting out the cake in his throat, and swallowed it back with forceful pressure of sour water.
An ox knocked open the wooden door that had been decorated, and an old man walked into the courtyard carrying a hoe and riding the ox.
Hong Buding exclaimed, "You're here too. It's not far from outside the city."
When the old man pulled the cow's ear, the cow stopped in the yard and chewed the weeds on the ground.
The old man has been farming all year round, his complexion is sunburned, his burlap clothes are washed white, and the patches on his shoulders and cuffs are neatly stitched. He is a diligent and thrifty man. His eyes fell on Pan Ruxu. The old man respected scholars the most in his life and said doubtfully: "That's right. Is this person?"
Hong Buding rubbed the dirt on his neck, picked up a louse at the end of his neck and threw it into his mouth. Although the louse was small, it was still a piece of meat. "Zheng Yidao came first, you should ask him."
The old man turned to look at Zheng Yidao and asked, "Yidao, it's him."
Zheng Yidao was not afraid of anything, but he bowed in front of the old man. The old man was the acting owner of Guinong Villa in Suzhou. He cupped his fists and bowed, "Mr. Gu, it's him, but the girl from Chang'an escaped."
The old man riding the ox was named Gu, and he had a single name for the city. He was a former general who protected the country. Although he had been disarmed and returned to his fields, his majesty was still there.
Old Man Gu loves Cai Cai very much, but feels a little regretful.
He was born in the military, and although he had the strength to go into battle and kill the enemy, for the people's livelihood to be peaceful and the country to continue, he had to be a scholar who was well-read in poetry and rich in economics. Now it has to be turned into a handful of loess and soaked into coarse fertilizer in the farmers' fields. It is a pity.
Old Man Gu sighed and said in a deep voice, "Is Qu Xiefeng here? I don't want to take action today?"
Hong Buping knew that Old Man Gu was cherishing his talents, so he looked towards the north of the city and replied in a nonchalant manner: "That guy Lao Qu was not late every time. He probably had no money for tea and was detained by the store. "
Old Man Gu snorted coldly, raised his hand and looked at Pan Ruxu again, and said loudly: "My dear, what's your name? Have you passed the exam?"
Pan Rusu linked arms and bowed, showing the etiquette of a Confucian scholar, "Pan Rusu, a junior, has a dull talent, but there are still talented people around him."
Old Man Gu patted the cow's back, "It's a good seedling. If you keep it for a few more years, it will grow into a pillar of the country. What a pity!"
On the north wall, Qu Xiefeng, who was carrying the piano, popped up. When he saw old man Gu riding the bull, his face suddenly became serious and he said cautiously: "When did you come?"
Old Man Gu gave him a cold look, "Next time you have tea, remember to prepare enough tea money. Don't keep people waiting. If this were on the battlefield, I would have sacrificed you with a flag."
Qu Xiefeng smiled and said, "It won't be too late next time."
Zheng Yidao, who had been silent for a long time, sweated on his palms and clenched the butcher knife tightly. Having been killing pigs for many years, his heart has become cold and cold, but Pan Ruxu has watched him grow up, and he can't help but feel cruel. He gritted his teeth and said: "Mr. Gu, since everyone is here, it's time to take action."
Old Man Gu looked at Pan Ruxu again and nodded silently.
The ox under him had finished gnawing the weeds in front of him and mooed. Old Man Gu patted the cow's back, and the cow moved a few steps to eat in another place where weeds were fresh and tender.
Old Man Gu lowered his eyelids. The weeds in the courtyard will grow again next year, but Suzhou City is missing a diligent scholar.
Zheng Yidao stomped hard and flew towards Pan Ruxu alone. I kept confusing myself in my heart, thinking that killing someone was as easy as killing a pig, just one cut through the heart without leaving any pain.
Hong Buding propped up the bamboo pole and jumped towards Pan Ruxu, blocking his retreat. The bamboo pole swept away two of his leg sockets.
Qu Xiefeng took the guqin from his shoulder, sat on the wall, and played a piece of mournful music that was only played at funerals. The cold wind disturbed Pan Ruxu's mind.
Old Man Gu jumped off the cow's back, dug a hole with a hoe in the clearing where the cow had gnawed, buried the corpses of the Guinong Villa in the hole, and patted the cow's back gently to let the cow step down the pit. There are no inscriptions and obituaries for those who have passed away in Guinong Villa. They guard the pure land at their feet with their bodies, turning it into new fertilizer in the coming year, nourishing the jujube tree in the courtyard, so that the branches are covered with green fruits every year and remain green forever.
