After kowtowing, Ma Zhi said: "I, Ma Zhi!" Jia Shizhong said: "I, Jia Shizhong!" Then, the two said together: "On the eighth day of August, the sixth year of Shoukang, Daliao, we became brothers with different surnames, although they are not relatives. We are flesh and blood, but we are closer than flesh and blood. From now on, we will share blessings and share hardships. We do not wish to be born in the same year and the same month, but we wish to die in the same year and the same month. As evidenced by the yellow sky and thick soil, if we violate this, we will not die well!"
After the oath, Ma Zhi took out a knife from his waist and cut his index finger; Jia Shizhong took the knife from Ma Zhi and also cut his index finger.
Their index fingers were dripping with blood.
Long Si quickly brought the filled bowl of wine to the two of them, and they dripped the blood flowing from their index fingers into the bowl.
The blood dripped into the wine, scattered into flower shapes, and then spread, turning the bowl red.
Ma Zhi took the wine bowl from Long Si's hand, raised his head and took a sip, then handed it to Jia Shizhong.
Jia Shizhong took the wine bowl handed by Ma Zhi, raised his head, drank all the blood wine in the bowl, and threw the wine bowl to the ground.
Ma Zhi and Jia Shizhong laughed loudly and then clasped their hands.
Ma Zhi said: "Dear brother, from now on, I am willing to accompany you at all times, share wealth and honor, and go through hardships together."
Jia Shizhong said: "I am willing to follow my brother to the ends of the world and never leave him until death."
After the sworn vows, Ma Zhi and Jia Shizhong bowed to each other again.
Jia Shizhong turned to the other men and said, "Long Si, make a pot and light a fire, cook meat and drink wine. My eldest brother and I will have a good celebration."
Ma Zhi hurriedly said: "My dear brother, there is no need to trouble. Now that I have arrived at my elder brother's place, he should fulfill his duty as a landlord. My dear brother, please take a few villagers and drive the horses to follow me to Ningbian Prefecture to take a rest." For a while, the two of us will have a good time together."
Hearing this, Jia Shizhong said: "My brother is a Khitan official and is still under the control of a superior officer; as my brother, I am a private businessman, engaged in the horse trading business, traveling between Khitan and the Southern Kingdom. My brother also knows that horses are strategic materials. I followed my elder brother to his post. If my elder brother was an official, he would be inconvenienced. Therefore, I thought that my elder brother would sleep with me in the open air on the grassland, using the sky as a quilt and the ground as a bed. It would be a good idea to gather with him in the wilderness. carefree!"
When Ma Zhi heard this, he thought the same thing. Although he and Xiao Wuna had a harmonious relationship and relied on each other, he was a relative of the emperor after all and had many things to worry about. I brought Shizhong's sworn brother into the government office. He saw that Shizhong's sworn brother was a horse dealer. People, if you really want to be weirded out, both sides are not good-looking, why not just rest for a night on the grassland with Shizhong's sworn brother, and talk about the love between brothers.
Thinking of this, Ma Zhi said cheerfully: "Since Brother Xian said so, Brother Xian, let's spend the night on the grassland today and talk about our friendship."
Jia Shizhong shouted: "Okay!" and then arranged to camp.
Long Si and others immediately set up a tent, set up a pot on the grass, fetched water from the river, poured it into the pot, lit a fire under the pot, took off the horse's saddlebags, and took out the dead bodies inside. Cut the good mutton into pieces with a knife, throw it into the pot, and cook the meat.
Long Si and others were busy here, while Jia Shizhong and Ma Zhi were walking and talking along the Adian River.
Jia Shizhong asked Ma Zhi: "Why is my brother here alone? Where did he come from?"
Ma Zhi said: "My dear brother, I don't know something. My elder brother originally held the position of Guangluqing in the Khitan court. However, Guangluqing was the errand boy in the court who was responsible for catering, gatherings, and welcoming and sending off chores. If he was in his hometown in the Southern Dynasties, he would serve the princes. He was just a noble, but seeing him serve the Khitan barbarians every day really made my brother feel unhappy. It happened that his mentor, Xiao Jishi, saw love and asked him to transfer his brother to serve in Ningbian Prefecture, so he came here. This time, my brother was appointed by Xiao Jishi. On my order, I went to the Jurchen A Dian tribe to sow discord with the Wanyan tribe. I just returned from the A Dian tribe and met my virtuous brother who was selling horses here."
After Jia Shizhong heard this, he asked Ma Zhi: "My brother was ordered to drive a wedge between the Adian tribe and the Wanyan tribe. What is the effect?"
Ma Zhi shook his head and said: "The effect is not good." After a pause, Ma Zhi continued: "Brother, according to my observation, within five years, there will be a battle between the Jurchens and the Khitan. By then, who will win and who will lose, it is not yet clear. It’s easy to say; if at that time, the Southern Dynasty takes advantage of the situation to attack the Khitan and recapture the territory of Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures, there shouldn’t be much of a problem.”
Hearing this, Jia Shizhong said: "Since my eldest brother is interested in the Southern Dynasty, why not resign his official position and return to Youzhou, so that when the Southern Dynasty's army recovers the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, he can contribute to his motherland."
Ma Zhi said: "To be honest, my dear brother, I have had this idea for a long time. However, the governor of Ningjiang Prefecture, Xiao, treated me well and specially transferred me from the imperial court to Jiangning Prefecture as an assistant. He treated me very highly. Now I have not made any achievements." Li, I really can't bear to leave him. Dear brother, in my opinion, you should go back to Youzhou first. When the time is right, my brother will resign from his post and take up his official post, move his family south, and meet his brothers in Youzhou."
Hearing this, Jia Shizhong turned to look at Ma Zhi and said: "What my brother said makes me even more anxious. I don't know when the time will be right? In my opinion, it's better to resign from the Khitan official position and follow my brother now." I’m going back to my hometown.”
Ma Zhi said: "My dear brother, don't be anxious. Even if you have to serve the Southern Dynasty's motherland in the future, you should have some real information so that you can make suggestions for the Southern Dynasty's motherland. My dear brother, I have seen the situation clearly. Within five years, there will be a battle between the Jurchens and the Khitan. Now Regarding the situation, my brother should carefully understand the situation of the Jurchens, so that in the future, he can provide it to the Southern Dynasties for the motherland to make decisions. Dear brother, please listen to your words. It may take three years at most or one year at least. My brother will definitely resign and move south. Until then, we will gather together in Youzhou and share the happiness of family."
Jia Shizhong said: "This is the best! If this is the case, when my brother goes back this time, he will immediately buy a house and property for him, and wait for him to return to Youzhou."
Hearing this, Ma Zhi said, "Thank you, dear brother. To be honest, dear brother, buying a house for my brother means that no matter how much silver is spent, my brother will allocate it to my dear brother. It's just a matter of purchasing land, which is not necessary."
Jia Shizhong said: "Brother said that, he is out of touch. I don't have to worry about money matters, trivial matters. I just want to ask my brother, why don't you buy land?"
Ma Zhi replied: "Brother, I tell you the truth. In the future, when my brother moves south, he really wants to return to the court of his hometown in the Southern Dynasties and do something for the court. Therefore, it is okay to buy a house in Youzhou so that he can retire in the future. There is no need to buy property when you return home, my brother is not going back to manage the property."
Jia Shizhong saw this and replied: "I will obey my brother's instructions for my younger brother's sake."
Ma Zhi continued: "In the future, my brother will go to the Southern Dynasty court. If my brother is willing, he can go to Bianliang with his brother and serve as an official."
When Jia Shizhong heard what Ma Zhi said, he laughed and replied: "With my brother's talent, it is not an issue for him to serve as an official in the Southern Dynasty. My younger brother has always liked to travel around the world, so he went to the Bianjing court with his brother to become an official." I think it’s better for me to forget about the part-time job. In the future, I will follow my brother when he moves south, and it’s best for him to continue his horse-trading business.”
Ma Zhijian said that he no longer forced Jia Shizhong, but just asked: "Oh, by the way, brother, I still don't know if my virtuous brother has a family?"
Jia Shizhong smiled when he heard this and said: "I'm ashamed to say it. Brother, I am still single. No matter where I go, it is convenient to come and go. My parents at home are very noisy. They want me to start a family and start a business. I just like to roam around. I love selling food the most. Ma, because of this, my parents are very angry."
Ma Zhi advised Jia Shizhong: "If this is the case, my brother will also ask Xiandi to make some noise. Brother also thinks that Xiandi, you should start a family. As the saying goes, men should get married when they are old, and women should get married when they are old. How can it be achieved? Too young to start a family? This time, my dear brother, go back and be more careful. If you find someone suitable, you can marry him and have a boy and a half girl so that you can continue your family relationship."
Jia Shizhong nodded when he heard this and said: "I have taken note of my brother's words. If there is a suitable girl, I will marry her."
Ma Zhi also said: "This is the best."
The two of them walked around for more than an hour, and then returned to where the tent was set up. Long Si and others had cooked the mutton. Seeing Jia Shizhong and Ma Zhi coming back, they said happily: "Young village owner, Ma Xianggong, the mutton is ready." It’s cooked and waiting for you to eat!”
Jia Shizhong said happily: "Hurry up and serve it! My brother is already hungry, so let's get together. Have a good meal of mutton."
Immediately, Long Si brought a large pot of mutton.
Jia Zhizhong asked Ma Zhi to sit on the grass in the upper position. He sat on the ground next to him and asked Ma Zhi to eat meat.
Ma Zhi called to Long Si and others: "Brothers, come, come, let's eat together."
Seeing this, Jia Zhizhong also called to Long Si and others: "Since my brother invites you to eat together, come over and eat together."
When Long Si and others saw this, they hurriedly bowed their waists and returned the salute, saying: "How despicable are we, dare to sit on the ground with Mr. Ma and the young master of the village?"
Ma Zhi said: "It doesn't matter. How can there be so much care in the wilderness?! Come here and eat together."
So Long Si and several other men also sat over, reached into the basin, grabbed some meat, put it in their mouths, and started to chew.
Seeing this, Ma Zhi smiled and said: "That's right! The world is so big, it is prepared for heroes. It's so fast to eat big chunks of meat and drink from big bowls!"
Jia Shizhong shouted: "Yes! Come on, come on, eat big pieces of meat and drink from big bowls. Tonight, we and my brother will get drunk together!"
Long Si and others picked up the wine bowls, drank in honor of Ma Zhi and Jia Zhizhong, and said: "To the young owner of the village and Mr. Ma! Let's get drunk tonight!"
