After Chen Chong reported it, Zheng Xuan's appointment was quickly conveyed. After all, he was a "spiritual god" famous all over the world. Even though Zheng Xuan was very polite to Chen Chong, Chen Chong earned it himself. In today's literary world, to become a master of a sect, in addition to being knowledgeable and sophisticated, one must also have a fighting spirit that is better than mine.
Among today's Confucian scholars, most of them were defeated by Zheng Xuan's subordinates. Among them, He Xiu was the most famous. When Zheng Xuan rose to prominence, He Xiu was already famous all over the world and was known as the "Sea of Learning." How could he have bumped into Zheng Xuan? His debating skills were not as good as those of Zheng Xuan. Zheng Xuan was far away, Zheng Xuan was eloquent, and he eliminated the contradictions in He Xiu with one wave, and He Xiu returned in defeat, fulfilling Zheng Xuan's reputation as the "God of Scripture". Zheng Xuan served as the doctor's sacrificial wine this time, and naturally no one dared to object.
Chen Chong made all arrangements for the Imperial Academy and sent a letter home to his clan in Yingchuan, reporting his appointment and arrangements to Chen Ji and Chen Kui to reassure them. He also wrote that he would also pay monthly bills in Xihe. I sent a letter from home. The situation in Xihe is now uncertain, and Uncle Chen Ji will not return to Dongdu. In a few days, Cai Yan will be arranged to return to Yingchuan to live. I hope that my family will take care of him.
Traveling far away also requires money. Being a prefect makes money faster but spends it faster. Chen Chong knows that in this line of work, he must be a living Bodhisattva who cares about money. Fortunately, he does not have no reserves. Chen Chong then led Wei Yan to the Taixue Paper Workshop to get money. He had been running this paper workshop for more than six years. The quality of paper was undoubtedly the best in Luoyang. In the past two years, his business had grown bigger and bigger, and he could accumulate dozens of gold every year. Cakes, plus Chen Chong usually eats and drinks from the imperial court anyway, so he doesn't have any expenses, and the profits are always kept in the paper mill. This time he actually brought out one hundred red gold cakes.
The red gold cakes were neatly arranged into a small mound and piled on the case box. Wei Yan was dizzy when he saw so much money for the first time. He turned around in a daze and said, "Mr. Chen, take these to Xihe." Is that so?" Chen Chong had already found two bags, divided the money into two piles, and said with a smile while pretending, "Chang Wen, with this money, it's hard to say whether I can use it in the first half of the year in Xihe?"
Wei Yan wondered: "Xihe is only a small county, and I heard that there are few officials in the government. How can Mr. Chen use the expenses?" Chen Chong packed the bag, carried one bag on his back, handed one bag to Wei Yan, and sighed: "Disaster relief , appeasement, and persuading farmers, none of them cost money, Wen Chang, when I take office, you will know what it means to spend money like running water."
Wei Yan was silent. He borrowed the baggage and carried it on his shoulders. The heavy weight of the gold cake made him feel a little dazed, but he felt that the weight on his shoulders was very light.
The two people walked out of the paper mill carrying their baggage. The workers in the paper mill greeted Chen Chong along the way, and Chen Chong returned the greetings one by one and encouraged them to work harder. Suddenly a light rain began to fall, the rain was like cream, the pebbles were moist, and the bamboo forest was rustling. Chen Chong suddenly remembered Su Dongpo's poem. This situation was so pleasant. He didn't know when or what month he would see us again. On a whim, he sang loudly:
"Don't listen to the sound of beating leaves in the forest, why not whistling and walking slowly. The bamboo stick and mango shoes are lighter than the horse,
Who is afraid!
A coop of mist and rain will lead a lifetime~~~
The cool spring breeze wakes me up from my drunkenness,
slightly cold,
The top of the mountain is shining slantingly but welcomes each other,
Looking back at the bleak place,
Go back!
There will be neither wind nor rain~~~”
The words are good, the people are good, and the mountains are good. After singing the song, Chen Chong felt very happy, but unexpectedly he bumped into several young people, all of whom were students who often listened to his lectures.
It turned out that he came to ask to accompany Chen Chong like Xu Shu.
Chen Chong has been giving lectures in the past few years and has achieved remarkable results. Before he took office, the emperor was dissatisfied with the custom of Taixue and founded Hongdu School in Hongdumen. He selected scholars with poems and parallel poems and gave them preferential treatment. Many people became princes and became prime ministers, which led to the decline of Taixue for a time and Confucian scholars rushed to enroll. Hongdu Menxue. However, since Chen Chong came to take charge of Taixue, he first refuted the modern classics school and invited Zheng Xuan, Song Zhong and other ancient classics scholars to come to Taixue to give lectures. He just snatched the limelight from His Majesty and regained Taixue. It can be said that Chen Chong's fans in Taixue today are not tens of thousands, but thousands.
The leader among these students was Yu Fan, a student from Kuaiji, and Yu Zhongxiang. He saluted Chen Chong and said, "I heard that Mr. Fan wanted to help the country to fight the chaos, and Fan admired him endlessly. He only came to the capital from afar, just to learn from Mr. Xiao. Now Mr. If I can't go with you when I'm far away, and I have no place to stay in the capital, why not go back to my hometown to study and hope that my husband will be successful."
This young man was only three or four years younger than Chen Chong, but his expression was so sincere. Chen Chong smiled and gave him a hug, sighing: "Zhongxiang, not only studying is learning, doing things is also learning. As the eldest son of Yu Shijun, you, I can't let you have any chance, so you should go home first and see what I do in Xihe, Teacher. If you have any questions, you can write to me at any time."
Yu Fan looked gloomy. He had obviously expected this answer. The following young men, like him, were also high-ranking officials in the imperial court, so they probably could not travel far away with Chen Chong. However, he immediately forced himself to say: "As nobles, Yu Fan Unexpectedly, there are such shortcomings. I really envy Yuan Zhi and the others! Although I can't go with my husband, there is one person who I hope you will take more care of." Then he pulled out a young man from behind.
Chen Chong looked at him in surprise, and couldn't help but turn pale with shock. This young man was half unfamiliar and half familiar to him, but he could recognize it at a glance. He was Fu Qian, the son of Fu Xie. Fu Xie previously served as a councilor in the capital and often interacted with Chen Chong. A year ago, he was transferred to Liangzhou to serve as the prefect of Hanyang County. However, he was burdened by Geng Bi's incompetence and died heroically in the chaos. The imperial court ordered that Fu Xie be posthumously named. "Zhuangjie Hou". After more than a year apart, Fu Qian has grown a lot taller, but he has also experienced a lot of vicissitudes.
Chen Chong put down his baggage, knelt down and asked softly: "Bie Cheng, when did you arrive? When I heard about your father's death, I thought I would never see you again."
Fu Qian's eyes turned red when he heard this. He didn't know if he thought of Fu Xie again. He choked and said: "Before my father fought to the death, Gan persuaded my father to resign and flee, but my father and Qian said, 'You can't live in a world of chaos. I have a great ambition, but I want to avoid the difficulties when I am earning a salary? What will I do? I will die like this." So he entrusted Qian to the chief clerk Yang Hui, saying that chief clerk Yang was his Cheng Ying, and his uncle was his uncle. , I must come to you, the words still ring in my ears, but my father is no longer alive."
Chen Chong was speechless for a while, and sighed for a long time: "How magnificent, Nan Rong is worthy of being the successor of Fu Jiezi. Nan Rong has entrusted you to me, how dare I not do my best to care for you like my own son." Then he said to Yu Fan and others: "When the teacher quells the bandits in Xihe, we must also stabilize the people's livelihood. Until then, it will not be too late for you to come again." Yu Fan and others agreed one after another.
Chen Chong asked where Yang Hui was, and Fu Qian replied that Yang Hui thought he had little virtue and did not dare to meet Chen Chong, so he waited outside the Imperial Academy. Chen Chong hurriedly went to the gate of Taixue and connected Yang Hui to the house. When all the aftermath was resolved, it was already almost the end of the year when the moon dew was left behind.
Chen Chong arranged five carriages for this trip, one carrying sundries, one carrying books, one carrying money, one carrying weapons, and one specially carrying Cai Yan back to Yingchuan. The remaining students all rode away on horseback, which was Chen Chong's usual style.
Xu Shu looked up at the night and couldn't help but ask Chen Chong: "Sir, you are going to the frontier, why don't you let your classmates come to see you off?"
Chen Chong said with a smile: "Yuanzhi, all of you are here to see me off. It's like my grandson is being buried. It's as if I will never come back once I leave." He also looked up at the night sky full of twinkling stars and murmured. He murmured: "What's more, the stars in the sky are shining at this time, and I believe that one of them is Aweng looking at me in the sky. This is enough."
Cai Yan was sitting in the window, looking at him half-covered from time to time. Chen Chong looked back, smiled, and said loudly: "A Yan, when I take office, I will write to you every month!"
So the motorcade set off, and Chen Chong passed through Kaiyang Gate again, parted ways with his wife, and turned to the west. Passing outside Guangyang Gate, walking through layers of houses, and walking three miles away, I suddenly saw a high tower, more than ten feet high. Under the high tower were temples and temples. There were three high gates in the front of the temple, and the lights were brightly lit in front of them. Dozens of people holding torches were quietly looking at Chen Chong and his party.
Chen Chong rode forward and saw at a glance all his old friends.
The leader was shaved and issued a monk's ordination. His appearance was no different from ordinary people, with a high nose and brown eyes. He was Kang Ju, an eminent monk from Tianzhu who was traveling eastward. He clasped his hands together and saluted Chen Chong: "Almsgiver Chen is traveling far away. This young monk has no respect for him. Only Cai Cai The completed translation of "Questions about Hell" was given to the donor, and I hope the donor will correct it."
Then a Xiaoqiu presented the scriptures to him. Chen Chong took the scriptures and returned the greeting: "Master is a foreign expert, but he came here specially to see you off. Even though Chen Chong is a secular person, he is very grateful."
Kang Ju recited: "Almsgiver Chen's mind is inherently pure, and his Buddha nature is inherently present. From the perspective of this young monk, it is not impossible for him to achieve great enlightenment, cut off cause and effect, and gain great freedom."
"There is no such thing as a pure mind." Chen Chong sighed: "The body is a bodhi tree, and the heart is a mirror stand. Wipe it frequently to avoid dust. What Chong can achieve is only at this level."
Kang Ju smiled and said: "Donor Chen can achieve this level, Bishamon Heaven must be above and bless the benefactor."
Chen Chong said "Oh" and couldn't help but laugh: "Will Bishamon, the heaven above, also protect the demon of freedom?"
Kang Ju smiled and said nothing. Then Chen Chong greeted Zheng Xuan again and said, "Brother Zheng, it's so late for me to bother you to come and see you off. Chong can't feel at ease."
Zheng Xuan stroked his beard and shook his head, calling the three young men forward, and then said: "Brother Chen thinks highly of me. I just don't want Brother Chen to be more beautiful than before. It's a pity that this body is decaying and it is difficult to achieve anything. Fortunately, I There are still a few disciples who can help you solve your problems, I hope Brother Chen will not refuse."
Chen Chong looked at them one by one, but they were Xu Ci from Nanyang, Liu Yan from Lu, and Sun Qian from Beihai. Although they were disciples of Zheng Xuan, they often came to listen to Chen Chong's lectures. When they met, they saluted and said, "Sir."
Chen Chong encouraged them: "Since you are the successors of the Sutra God and can enter the Chong curtain, Chong is naturally very happy. I also hope that when traveling north, don't fall into the name of the master."
Finally, there were Zhong Yao, Cao Cao, Xun Yu and other Yuzhou township party members. They bid farewell to Chen Chong one by one. Cao Cao fell at the end and suddenly gave Chen Chong a hug. Then he whispered: "Ting Jian, why did you come back for so long and don't go?" Get together with me? But resent me because of the original thing?"
Chen Chong and Cao Cao looked at each other solemnly. Seeing the true feelings in his eyes, he could only sigh: "Meng De, although you are my friend, you are also the friend of the original. This time I went against the original, I must have you among them. I'm in a dilemma, so I just don't want to make you miserable."
Cao Cao was speechless for a moment, then he took off his sword and gave it to Chen Chong, saying: "Ting Jian's journey is very difficult and dangerous. This is my treasured sword Qinghong. I wish you a safe journey, and we will gather and laugh together when you return."
Chen Chong pulled out the sword blade. The sword was as bright as frost and the sword energy was bright. He nodded and said with a smile: "Mengde, take care of yourself. We will see you again."
Then Chen Chong galloped up and left the White Horse Temple far behind him. Looking back at Qiyun Pagoda, the moon shadow lengthened, and the fire was still there.
Turning back to the road ahead, Chen Chong's eyes suddenly opened up. Different from the east and south of Luoyang City, under the rolling mountains in the distance and in the vast wilderness, there were only wildfires jumping. They were the bonfires of the Liangzhou refugees at night. Echoing the stars in the sky.
Wei Yan followed behind on a Bingzhou horse, Xu Shu, Shi Tao, Meng Jian and others also followed behind, full of ambition. Xu Ci, Sun Qian and Liu Yan sat on the shaft of the carriage, excitedly looking at the thousands of mountains and rivers. In the cluttered carriage, I didn’t know when I fell asleep. There is the fragrance of earth everywhere, and there are wisps of mournful sounds coming from nowhere.
