After Ma Zhi said goodbye to Dut, the leader of the Adian tribe, he was so anxious that he galloped southward along the Adian River alone.
Ma Zhi, who was riding on the horse, frowned and had a stern look on his face, thinking about something while riding.
Ma Zhi thought to himself, in terms of background, I can be considered a member of a noble family, but I have not been tainted by the dandy style of a child of a noble family. On the contrary, I am diligent, thrifty, low-key and restrained. I have been studying the books of saints and sages since I was a child. Not to mention that I am a great scholar and a master of Confucianism. I am ambitious, well-informed, knowledgeable, sensible, courteous and trustworthy. Fortunately, now, since my ancestors left their hometown and became a naturalized foreign country, I have lost the platform to show my ambitions. I only have a lot of knowledge and passion, but I have to live under the fence of the Liao people and swallow my breath all day long. It's really unpleasant. Speaking of being an official, he became a fourth-grade middle-ranking official. However, the Guanglu Qing who waited on him was really degrading to his elegance. What kind of person am I, Ma Zhi? ! He was actually reduced to serving the Khitan nobles.
Ma Zhi was still thinking in his heart that if one day he could really return to his long-lost hometown in the Southern Dynasties and be reused, he would definitely use his life's skills and outstanding talents to accomplish his great cause. Establish an immortal feat, dedicate yourself to the prosperity of the motherland of the Southern Dynasty, even if you die, you will not hesitate, and you can truly honor your ancestors, unlike now, serving the Khitan and letting future generations poke your back!
"Alas!" Because his talent could not be put to use, Ma Zhi on the horse sighed: "It's bitter!". In Ma Zhi's heart, he was watching the rise of the Jurchens and the decline of the Khitan, but he was unable to do anything about it. How pitiful he was!
At this moment, Ma Zhi felt like a duckweed floating on the water, floating helplessly with the ups and downs of the water, without any independent power.
While Ma Zhi was thinking about something, the horse he was riding suddenly perked up, raised its head, shook its mane, and neighed loudly. As the mount moves, the neighing sound of horses and the sound of horse hooves can be heard in the distance.
Ma Zhi also got excited. He straightened up on his horse and looked up. He saw under the blue sky and white clouds, the vast prairie with rolling grass waves. In the distance, along the Aden River, there were about a hundred horses. Horses, roaring and galloping, with long manes flying, are galloping in.
Ma Zhi was inspired by it.
As the horses approached, Ma Zhi saw that behind the horses, there were several men on horseback, driving the horses towards them; one of them was a man riding a maroon horse, wearing a white robe and a red scarf, and carrying a He held an iron gun, held up a riding crop in his hand, and shouted "Ouch, Ouch".
The bay-red horse that the man was riding raised its proud head high and shook its graceful mane. Its four hooves left the earth, galloping and roaring, as if a rainbow had been drawn on the green grassland.
The man is wearing a white robe with a red ribbon on his head. He leans forward and becomes one with the horse. They provide each other with power and gallop freely. He is obviously a master among the riders and a good man in controlling the horse.
Blue sky and white clouds, surging rivers, vast grasslands, and galloping horses form a magnificent picture. Ma Zhi was affected by the scene in front of him, as if the man galloping on the horse was himself, and he was the master of this group of horses. He was leading the way with ease and ease, commanding thousands of troops and horses, galloping wantonly on the vast prairie.
Ma Zhi suddenly thought that life is short, how comfortable it would be if he could run freely as he pleased!
Ma Zhi was affected by the scene in front of him and couldn't help but shout loudly: "Brilliant! Mighty! A true hero!"
The man on horseback in the distance had already seen the lonely Ma Zhi. Ma Zhi, walking alone on the prairie, looked so small and helpless.
The man beat the horse and looked at Ma Zhi galloping towards him. As they got closer, the man could tell from Ma Zhi's dress and appearance that this lonely, helpless man in the prairie was neither a Jurchen nor a Khitan, but rather a bit different. Like the Han people from the Central Plains.
The man on the horse felt a sense of intimacy in his heart.
The man shouted loudly to the horse and galloped towards Ma Zhi. He heard Ma Zhi's admiration of "Strong! Mighty! A true hero!" When the man heard the sound, he was shocked and suddenly pulled the horse's reins. The bay-red horse was spreading its hooves and galloping wildly. Suddenly, the reins were pulled, and it flew into the air. Then its front hooves scratched the air, its hind hooves touched the ground, and it let out a long neighing sound that resounded through the sky.
Shino:
The green grass is vast and the horse is galloping, and the white robe and red scarf reflect the sun.
The rider's elegance is world-class, and his majestic appearance is like a sculpture standing before his eyes.
The majestic appearance of the man on horseback made Ma Zhi admire him greatly. Ma Zhi hurriedly turned over and dismounted, stood on the ground, clasped his hands in fists, and bent down to bow to the galloping man.
When the horse's front hooves hit the ground, the man jumped off the horse and landed gracefully on the ground. He clasped his fists in his hands and gave Ma Zhi a gift in return.
Ma Zhi said loudly: "What a great man! What a blessing to meet you today!"
The man also clasped his fists and replied: "We are all brothers in the four seas! The green mountains are evergreen, the green waters are everlasting, and it is a blessing to meet old friends in a foreign country!"
Ma Zhi and the man walked a few steps closely, stretched out their hands, and held each other's hands, feeling as if they had met at a late date.
Ma Zhi said: "This good man, please forgive me for not being able to recognize who you are."
The man said: "It's not just that we know each other, but we are actually compatriots from the Han family. I miss you and I. When we meet in a foreign land, we feel more cordial and unusual. This feeling is far better than knowing each other."
Ma Zhi laughed when he heard this and said loudly: "That's true!"
The man turned his head, waved to the other men, and shouted loudly: "Guys! Gather the horses and rest on the spot!"
Several men then gathered the horses together, jumped off their horses, and rested on the spot.
Ma Zhi also pulled the man to sit down on the spot and started doing his homework.
Ma Zhi asked: "Dare you ask me the name of this good man?"
The man replied: "My surname is Jia, my given name is Ren, and my courtesy name is Shizhong. I currently live in the southern suburbs of Youzhou. In addition to farming fields, I mainly enjoy selling horses."
Ma Zhixu asked: "Are your ancestors from the Jia family in Jinyang?"
The man replied: "That's right!"
Ma Zhi clasped his hands and complimented: "I admire you for a long time! I admire you for a long time!"
Jia Shizhong also clasped his fists and replied: "I don't dare to take it! I don't dare to take it!" After giving in, Jia Shizhong looked at Ma Zhi and asked: "May I ask the name of this good man?"
Ma Zhi said: "My surname is Ma, my first name is Zhi, and my given name is Zhiyuan. I am also from Youzhou, and now I am the assistant to the governor of Ningbian Prefecture in the imperial court!"
Jia Shizhong was overjoyed when he heard this and hurriedly said: "If a good man is named Ma, he is naturally the Ma family of a famous family in Youzhou! I have admired him for a long time! I have admired him for a long time!"
Ma Zhi also hurriedly returned the gift.
Jia Shizhong was overjoyed, and then his face fell again. He sighed and said resentfully: "To be honest with you guys, I think we, the old people of the Central Plains, all became him for no reason because of the cession of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun by Shi Jingtang of the later Jin Dynasty." The Khitan people are very unhappy; now that a good man has entered the Khitan official career, he should remember his homeland in the south."
When Ma Zhi heard this, he was very moved and said emotionally: "Brother Jia Ren said exactly what he said. Our ancestor Zhiyuan has been a Khitan citizen for four or five generations because of Shi Jingtang's cession of Youyan. Now, although I have entered the Khitan official career , I often miss my homeland in the Central Plains. Nowadays, the Jurchens are rising in the Northeast, and the Khitan government is gradually declining. It is still difficult to determine what will happen in the future. To be honest, Brother Jia said that based on the current situation, I also want to return to my hometown; however, , Now that I have a Khitan official position, I have many inconveniences and I am very hesitant."
Jia Shizhong said: "You and I are both from Yanjiao, and we are destined to meet the Jurchen tribe. If Brother Ma doesn't mind, I would like to sworn brothers with you. What do you think, good man?"
Ma Zhi was overjoyed when he heard this and hurriedly said: "Brother Jia Ren has such a friendship that Zhiyuan can never ask for. I am willing to marry my brothers and live a happy life together."
Jia Shizhong was grateful and asked Ma Zhi: "May I ask how old a hero is?"
Ma Zhi replied: "I am a tiger, and I am thirty-six this year, which is the right time."
When Jia Shizhong heard this, he turned over and bowed, and said: "What a coincidence! Shizhong is also a tiger, and his younger brother happens to be in the same year. This year is the 24th, which is also the year. The older brother is sitting upright, and he is bowed by his younger brother. .”
Ma Zhi hurriedly supported Jia Shizhong and said, "It is a great joy that you and I, brothers, are married to each other. We should worship heaven and earth together."
Jia Shizhong said: "Exactly!"
After saying that, Jia Shizhong waved to some men not far away and shouted: "Long Si! Come here, you guys!"
Seeing Jia Shizhong waving and shouting to let him pass, the men all trotted over and asked Jia Shizhong, "Young Master, what's wrong with you calling me?"
Jia Shizhong turned to Ma Zhi and said: "Brother, these are all customers of our village. Now let them be witnesses that you and I are sworn brothers of the opposite sex."
When Long Si and other men heard that Jia Shizhong wanted to sworn brothers with Ma Zhi, they all clasped their fists, bowed to Ma Zhi, and said, "Young men, I pay my respects to our husband."
Ma Zhi also hurriedly returned the courtesy with Long Si and other men, saying: "It's too much of a disturbance and it's disrespectful."
Jia Shizhong looked around, seeing vast grasslands, wind and clouds, and the vastness of the sky.
Jia Shizhong said: "Brother, you and I are brothers with different surnames. We are helpless in the wild without even a stick of incense, but what should we do?"
Ma Zhi also looked around, then turned to Jia Shizhong and said: "Brothers' sworn sworn relationship lies in the sincerity of love, not in a formal way. I think back then, how spectacular it was to have sworn brotherhood in Wagang. However, when Xiongxin went to die, all the brothers stayed away. .Brothers of the Jia family, as long as you and I are of the same mind, heaven and earth can bear witness. Come, come, let us worship heaven and earth together and worship the witnesses."
Hearing this, Jia Shizhong turned to several men and said, "Bring me some wine!"
Several Chinese characters turned around and ran to a few horses not far away. They took off the robes on the horses' backs, took out two bowls and a jug of wine, and ran over.
Ma Zhi then took Jia Shizhong's hand, knelt on the grass, kowtowed three times to the sky and three times to the earth, and then knelt down to Long Si and other men.
When Long Si and others saw the young village master and Ma Zhi kneeling before them, they were frightened and hurriedly knelt down on the ground, saying, "No way! No way! What kind of people can withstand the abuse of the young village master and my husband?" Bye?! Where’s the discount guy’s fodder!”
Ma Zhi and Jia Shizhong did not answer, so they kowtowed with their heads. Those few reluctantly accepted the three kowtows from Ma Zhi and Jia Shizhong.
