As the night progressed, the oil lamp was moved into the house.
Song You sat in front of the desk and lowered his head to write. The calico cat lay on the window edge and put his face close to the middle of the window, looking at the sky outside through the narrow gap.
While watching, he talked to the Taoist priest behind him without looking back.
"Why did you explode that during the Chinese New Year?"
"Fireworks?"
"Yes."
"nice."
"right."
"It's very simple."
"Is the New Year only celebrated once a year?"
"Of course."
"It would be nice to have it twice."
"How did Sanhua Empress celebrate the New Year in the past?"
"Live in the temple."
"How's it going?"
"I've been in the temple."
Song You didn't feel annoyed or helpless, and just continued to write, shaking the pen string. At the same time, he patiently continued to ask without raising his head: "What's different from usual?"
"Eat a lot of meat and catch a lot of mice."
"Are you going to catch them during the New Year too?"
"Yes."
"Hard."
"A little bit."
Song You couldn't help but look up at her.
The little cat's eyes were wide open and round, focusing on the crack. The fireworks outside the window were very sparse, but they made her reluctant to blink.
He is an honest poor cat.
But this is how it is these days. Even in peaceful times, the brilliance of fireworks only belongs to a few people.
New Year's Eve only belongs to a few people.
If you don’t believe it, listen carefully——
In the late night of the stormy night, when everyone has dispersed, people are selling glutinous rice dumplings by the lights.
…
The second year of Mingde is the first day of the Lunar New Year.
After eating glutinous rice balls, Song You walked along the street and came to Beiwazi and Yunshuo shed.
Perhaps it was because it was the first day of the Lunar New Year. Even though Song You came early, the Yun Shuo Pavilion was almost full. This time, for ordinary money, he could only sit in ordinary seats.
As usual, I ordered a pot of tea and sat down to enjoy it slowly.
I only heard Mr. Zhang cough twice and then started again.
“Happy New Year to you, gentlemen.
"As mentioned before, Chen Ziyi's unexpected troops surrounded Ayanqi's lair. Saibei had no choice but to send people to ask for peace, cede territory and pay compensation, and surrender to me. This battle ended with my Dayan victory! In this battle, except for Marshal Ma If you employ people wisely, who is the biggest contributor? Chen Ziyi is responsible for it!"
Song You sat with a cup of tea and listened quietly.
Today is the last episode of the Battle of Lanshui.
Just right, there is a beginning and an end.
It only lasts for two-quarters of an hour, but it can't last an entire afternoon.
"The story of General Chen Ziyi will stop here for the time being. The general is still guarding the north, scaring the people in Saibei from going south to herd horses. His legend continues! Tomorrow we will tell the story of ghosts and ghosts, and the little boy will charge a fee regardless of rain or shine. It’s expensive, you can make enough money to support your family, you guys feel comfortable with it and hope you will continue to support me!”
This story is finished.
Mr. Zhang picked up the tea bowl and took a sip of tea slowly. Then he looked at the guests in the audience and said, "There is still some time in the afternoon, so I will tell you some casual stories. If you have anything you want to hear, , or if you haven’t heard it before and want to hear it again, you can also tell it. As long as everyone is willing to listen, I will tell it.”
Someone immediately shouted from below, saying they wanted to hear about Master Guanghong of Tai'an Temple last fall.
As soon as the voice came out, there was a chorus of agreement.
"good!
"Then I will tell you all what I know. If there is anything wrong, please correct me.
"Ahem!"
The old gentleman cleared his throat and started talking again.
I just heard the old man talking about the escaped thief, and even starting from the experience of the escaped thief before he committed the robbery. Finally, he talked about Master Guanghong, about his encounter with a young man in the temple, and about his experience with Buddha. In front of him, he repented and spontaneously ignited, and when it came to Luo Captou solving the case, Yi was shocked.
Song You was drinking tea below and still listening quietly.
Even though he is an important participant in Master Guanghong's case, what he knows is really not as detailed as the old gentleman. In addition, the old gentleman is very skillful, has exquisite word choice, wonderful sentence structure, and full of emotion. When it comes to the escaped thief, When talking about the stolen things and the rare treasures found in Tai'an Temple, he opened his mouth to speak clearly. When talking about Master Guanghong's repentance and begging for mercy, his tone was very vivid. When talking about the yamen arresters coming out, even the sound of footsteps You also need to use ventriloquism to simulate it to create a sense of tension. The whole process is as if you have written a draft and practiced it before, it is smooth and wonderful.
This gentleman is really very capable.
Song You listened to him for half a year, and every time he talked, he would speak for a long time. However, he enunciated clearly from beginning to end, was full of energy, and had a loud voice. Even if it was noisy below, he could hear clearly what he said.
These days you can't do anything fake, you have to rely on real skills.
After Master Guanghong talked about it, everyone below was deeply attracted by the wonderful Taoist teachings and miraculous stories, and began to ask questions.
Someone asked who the young man was.
Some people ask where they can learn Taoism.
Someone asked where there are immortals.
The old gentleman was good at this and knew a lot. He answered every question according to what he knew. He gradually went further and further, telling more and more mysterious and magical stories and legends.
It is said that the Yunding Fairy Mountain in Pingzhou is shrouded in clouds and mist all day long. The bottom of the mountain cannot be seen, and the top of the mountain cannot be seen. A mountain has four seasons. Some people have seen gods on the top of the mountain.
It is said that there is a place in the north of Yuezhou that is full of green tung trees. Each tree is thousands of years old and towers into the clouds. If you go there during the summer solstice and winter solstice, you may see phoenixes flying in and combing their feathers on the green tung trees.
It is also said that there is an insurmountable high mountain in the southernmost part of Yunzhou. There is a paradise through the high mountain, and some people have seen a real dragon there.
Let’s talk about the strange things in the rivers and lakes, the Chinese masters in the court, the fairy wild gods in the north, the witchcraft and poison in the south, the world of monsters in the mountains, the hall of ghosts under the feet, the illusory city that often haunts, and the flames have been burning for thousands of years. The unextinguished Dihuo Village, the mystery and fantasy of this world, has already been revealed on that podium, between a cup of tea.
Song You's interest is getting stronger and stronger.
When the show finally ended, the old gentleman's mouth was dry. He drank water from his tea cup, but did not leave. Instead, he watched the guests leave. He did not lose any of the traditional artist's rules.
Song You sat for a while before stepping forward to salute.
"Ouch!"
The old gentleman did not hesitate because of his youth, and quickly returned the bow, bowing a little deeper than him.
"The guest officer is a frequent visitor!"
"Yes." Song You nodded and said, "Since I came to Yidu half a year ago, I have come to listen to Mr. Zhang's lectures every day, and I have rarely been absent."
"Thank you for your kindness, guest officer."
"It's Mr. Zhang who said it well."
"Sir, this is..."
"I am a native of Lingquan County, Zhuo County. I traveled down the mountain and passed through Yidu. I stayed here for half a year. Now that spring has begun and the weather is getting warmer, it is time to leave." Song You looked in front of him again. The old gentleman bowed and said, "I came here to say goodbye to Mr. Zhang."
"Don't dare, don't dare..."
The old gentleman quickly bowed down, and then handed him over: "I wish you a smooth journey, sir."
"Thank you Mr. Zhang."
"Don't dare, don't dare..."
"I just don't know how true or false what Mr. Zhang said before about the Yunding Fairy Mountain and the place where phoenixes and dragons soar?" Song You said for a moment, "This trip will not last for a few years. If you are on the way, Song wants to go Look where Mr. Zhang said and look for the fairy trail."
"I see."
"I wonder if Mr. Zhang can let me know conveniently."
"Haha! What's the inconvenience?"
"Please also ask Mr. Zhang to speak."
"There is a rumor that Yunding Fairy Mountain is in Pingzhou. It has been passed down for hundreds of years. Many people say that they have seen immortals there. In fact, ah, I am just kidding. I have only heard about it and have not really seen it. As for those people Whether what he said is true or false, how much true and how false, I dare not lie." Mr. Zhang smiled ashamedly, "But for hundreds of years, celebrities and elegant people often went to Yunding Fairy Mountain to visit the fairyland, or they yearned for it. Taoist hermits either seek immortality or eternal life, or they seek to be free and easy, but sir, how many of them become immortals, how many of them live forever, and how many of them are free and easy?"
"Thank you."
Song You nodded.
Mr. Zhang had only heard about it, but based on his decades of life experience and worldly knowledge, he didn't believe it. He just couldn't say it directly.
"As for the Qingtong Fengming Mountain in the north of Yuezhou, it was recorded in Shanshui Notes by Cheng Anbo of the previous dynasty. Later, people often claimed that they had seen it, but I had never seen it."
"I see."
Mr. Zhang thinks this credibility is higher.
"And to the south of Yunzhou, passing through Qiyun Mountain, is the paradise that the old man said. There is a real dragon standing here, always lingering in the clouds, puffing out smoke." Mr. Zhang paused, "This is the paradise of the old man. My father saw it with his own eyes when he was young, and told it from his own mouth to the old man, but things have changed, and I don’t know what it will be like now.”
"seen it myself……"
Song You was a little surprised for a moment.
There are dragons in the world, ever-changing.
In fact, it is not that dragons are ever-changing, but that all things have attained the Tao and become refined, and some are called dragons.
For example, when someone goes deep into the mountains and sees a big python growing horns and swallowing clouds and spitting mist, he is frightened and shaken, so he calls it a dragon. Someone was boating on the water and saw a dark shadow on the bottom of the water, making waves at every turn. He thought it was a dragon. There are even some animals in the water that are called dragons because of their ferocious nature. Some people even keep snakes in wells to observe the water quality. Over time, they see that the snakes are quite spiritual and they praise them as dragons.
Fulong Guan said that the real dragon has long since disappeared.
If there is a real dragon, I must go and see it.
"Ha ha."
Mr. Zhang looked up at him and couldn't help but laugh twice: "Sir, if you are interested, please sit down here and let me explain in detail."
"Trouble Mr. Zhang."
Song You ordered two more pots of tea.
The two of them found a nearby seat and sat down, talking like long-time friends until late into the night.
Mr. Zhang talked about many interesting points in succession, more detailed than when he was on stage. If he understood it clearly, he explained to him clearly how to get there and how to find it. If he didn't understand something clearly, he also tried his best to tell everything he knew, so that Song You could decide whether to go or not, and if he decided to go, how to explore on his own.
It was late at night that the two said goodbye and left each other.
I saw Mr. Zhang standing at the entrance of the alley. With the light of the lantern, I could see the stars in the sky. He stared at Song You's figure leaving in the rain, but there was doubt in his eyes.
"Yin Yang Mountain Fulong Temple..."
I seem to have heard of this name.
But I probably only heard about it when I was young.
