Mid-August is the most pleasant time of the year in Chang'an. The heat of the dog days has completely dissipated, and the autumn wind gently caressed every scar on the earth, as if there was magic power given by the gods, making the leaves fall willingly, spreading a layer of golden silk and satin on the fertile fields of Sanfu. The flocks of people were flying on it, making a crisp sound of "呲呲".
Seeing this, the farmers also felt peaceful. Their wish was nothing more than this. When the weather was good, they would work at sunrise and rest at sunset until the autumn of their lives came, with their children and grandchildren in their homes and their barns full of wheat. Then they would sit quietly on their couches Lying down, waiting for the moment when the fallen leaves return to their roots.
It's just that wars and disasters often disturb people's dreams and make people panic. In life, there are always things that are not what you want, and there is no way around it.
But luckily it's finally over.
The news of Yuan Shao's conferment of head has spread throughout Guanzhong, and his head will also be spread among the counties. Even though there was news of the Yanzhou Mu rebellion later, people had no worries about going north to Hebei. First, there are so many such things that everyone has been numbed by hearing them. Second, they are thousands of miles apart and it is really difficult to affect the customs. What people could see were the mighty armies mobilized from the east and west rivers and other places. This excited the people. Looking at the endless team, they all sighed: "This is probably the last battle to pacify the world." Thinking this way, many people feel regretful that they cannot witness it with their own eyes.
But these have nothing to do with Dong Bai, and she doesn't care about them at all.
Unknowingly, she had lived with Cai Yong for six years and was already a twenty-three-year-old woman. As spring passed and autumn came, her figure became graceful, her face became more beautiful, and her temperament became more deserted. I don't know if it was because she often studied with Cai Yong, but the nobility in her body gradually faded away, and instead she became more refreshing, and her eyes became hazy, as if they were filled with mist. Even though she lives in a veil all day long, when passers-by glance at her, they feel as if she has been soaked in water. Therefore, it is not difficult to guess that she is an extremely outstanding beauty. So rumors gradually spread in the south of Chang'an City that there was a stunning beauty in Cai Gong's Pavilion, which was so beautiful that it was the most beautiful one in the city.
This has brought some popularity to Cai Yong's family. Officials from the court, such as Yang Zhen and Shen Tupan, came to visit Cai's mansion and said they wanted to arrange marriages for their children and grandchildren and form a marriage alliance with the Cai family. Cai Yong was very embarrassed. He had already regarded Dong Bai as his daughter, but he knew that her identity was sensitive, so he asked Dong Bai about his attitude. Dong Bai replied: "I am the daughter of the Dong family. Many people in the court see me. If I get married, I am afraid that others will find out and I will bring disaster to you."
Cai Yong got the words and turned down the engagement. However, he knew in his heart that the adopted daughter's reason was just to avoid being in Chang'an today. Even if she returned to her real name, no one would dare to say anything. After all, I have my son-in-law to protect me, so what can others say? I am afraid that only she herself knows what the girl is thinking.
Of course Dong Bai knew. Since then, she went out less and less time, and stayed in the yard all day, either reading, working as a heroine, or planting flowers in the yard. Especially when it comes to planting flowers. In the courtyard of Cai's house, she planted plum trees in the corners, osmanthus trees in front of the courtyard, peonies between the fences, and even the walls of the courtyard were covered with morning glories. . As a result, Cai Mansion is full of flowers in all seasons, no matter spring, summer, autumn or winter, so people around it also call Cai Mansion "Liu Fang Garden".
Recently, the hibiscus she planted in her backyard has bloomed. The flower seeds were planted last year, and there are seven alive this year. I thought it was still under cultivation and would not bloom this year. Unexpectedly, in August, several white or red flower buds sprouted from the branches. This made her very happy, so she called Cai Yong to watch them together. Cai Yong looked at the hibiscus flowers for a while, then looked at Dong Bai for a while, then stroked his beard and said with a smile: "Such a beautiful flower, Ting Jian should come and enjoy it together." Dong Bai lowered his head and said. Well, when I returned to the room and looked at myself in the mirror, I realized that the roots of my ears were completely red.
But she was quickly disappointed, not because Chen Chong didn't come. Chen Chong was always punctual. After sending Cang Tou to deliver the message, Chen Chong arrived at two quarters the next day. But he didn't come alone. He was accompanied by his eldest son Chen Shi.
When Chen rushed in, he caught Dong Bai's eyes. He smiled apologetically for the intrusion, then took Chen Shizhuan on his back into his arms and said to her: "The boy was clamoring to come, but when he got halfway, he unexpectedly He’s sleepy again, I’ll find a place for him to sleep for a while.”
At the moment she saw him, Dong Bai felt as if something was broken, so that she didn't know what to say and was trembling all over. After a while, she calmed down, but Chen Chong and Cai Yong were already dining and talking together. Unable to say anything, and feeling depressed, she quickly returned to the room and stared in the mirror in a daze.
Being in a daze is like drifting on a calm lake. Your thoughts fluctuate with the ripples for a long time, but they never waver. The undercurrent under the lake is even more obscure. She said to herself: What am I expecting? That's how it is. But when she said this, she heard the sound of two people talking outside the house, and she couldn't help but stand up and follow them quietly.
Chen Chong and Cai Yong entered the backyard and stopped in front of the hibiscus bushes in the courtyard, while Dong Bai stopped in the corridor, where they could just hear the conversation between Weng and his son-in-law.
There are only about twenty hibiscus flowers in bloom in the courtyard, but they are very conspicuous among the rustling yellow leaves, and they emit a unique sweet and bitter fragrance. But Chen Chong did not look at the blooming flower. Instead, he stroked a white bud and said to Cai Yong: "I really didn't expect Meng De to go to Hebei. I sent Bian Rang to Guandong to decentralize power. I knew There will be some gaps, but unexpectedly it has reached the point of meeting each other at war."
It turned out that the news was about Cao Cao's betrayal. Dong Bai heard Cai Yong say: "Ting Jian does not need to blame himself. How many people can take it lightly before the desire for profit? A wise man like the Duke of Zhou must also fear rumors, isn't it because Does everyone envy power?”
Hearing this, Dong Bai saw Chen Chong showing a vaguely sad face, as if he had hit on the pain in his heart, and heard him sigh and said: "It is true. There are many things in the past and present that have to be done by authority. Zhuang Zhou's dissolute behavior, also It’s nothing more than knowing that things cannot be done, so doing things that please oneself, taking things easy and singing songs.”
Cai Yong was surprised. After all, Chen Chong always treated people with a positive face, and it was rare for him to say such negative words. He had to continue to comfort him: "Cao Cao is cunning, but he can't achieve great things. He doesn't keep his plans secret, and there are many people in Yanzhou." There were loyal ministers, but within a few days, the news reached the court. And Yuan Chang also wrote a letter saying that he had captured Sheguo, which showed that people in Hebei were also uneasy. Xuande left the border this time, taking advantage of the court's righteousness, and had an army of 300,000. , we will surely win, so what is there to worry about?”
Chen Chong forced a smile and replied, "Maybe."
By this time, Dong Bai heard that the two of them were silent for a while, and they had nothing to say. But she thought about Chen Chong's words just now, and compared the person in front of her with her memory for no reason. She thought: He is still the same as before.
Still thinking, she suddenly heard Cai Yong ask: "What do you think of Ah Bai?"
Dong Bai was stunned for a moment when he saw Chen Chong and didn't reply.
Cai Yong also reached out and held a pink hibiscus, and said leisurely:
"There is a girl riding with me, her face is as beautiful as Shun's. The general is soaring and flying, wearing jade and Qiongju. She is beautiful, Meng Jiang, Xunmei and both.
There is a female companion, who looks like Shunying. The generals will soar and fly, and the generals will wear jade. Meng Jiang is beautiful and his virtues are unforgettable. "
This is a poem in "The Book of Songs: Zheng Feng". The main idea is that a young man was able to ride with a girl by chance. He saw that the girl's face was as beautiful as the Shunhua flower, so he traveled with the girl again. A fellow traveler felt that this girl's face was as charming as Shun Yinghua's, so he couldn't forget her. Shunhua and Shunying in the poem are the aliases of hibiscus.
Cai Yong paused and said to Chen Chong: "Abai planted this hibiscus bush in the courtyard and hinted that I would invite you to come and enjoy the flowers. I already understand what he means."
Dong Bai's cheeks were filled with tears. She didn't expect that her adoptive father could see her thoughts so clearly, and she felt anxious for a moment. But what she cared more about was how Chen Chong answered, so she suppressed her uneasiness and waited quietly in the corner.
Chen Chong was silent for a while and then said hesitantly: "Although the hibiscus blooms for a long time, for a flower, it only blooms in the morning and falls in the evening, and it is only one day of beauty. I actually know that Miss Bai has delayed me so far, and my love is deep. I feel so guilty because of my heavy righteousness..." He hesitated a little and said, "It's just that A-Yan and I are still in love as before, and I would be even more uneasy if I betrayed him. What's more..."
He finally said: "After all, I am still sixteen years older than her."
Speaking of this, Chen Chong heard a crisp sound, and turned around at the same time as Cai Yong, only to see the beautiful figure in the corner flashing away. The two couldn't help but smile bitterly, and they both knew she heard her.
Seeing each other speechless, Chen Chong had no choice but to talk to Cai Yong about the current situation. Liu Bei had decided to go on an expedition, and the day after tomorrow was the day of the expedition. As a veteran of the three dynasties, Chen Chong hoped that Cai Yong could write an essay for this trip. Cai Yong himself Nothing is allowed.
When the two walked back to the front hall, they found Dong Bai sitting in the hall. The girl held a silver bell and teased Chen Shi. Chen Shi was already seven years old, and he was at the age of curiosity. He was very happy when he saw that the bell was exquisitely made and had a pattern of floating clouds and dragons about the size of his thumb. He fiddled with it in his hand and refused to put it down, so Dong Bai gave the bell to him. he.
Chen Chong knew that this was a relic left by Dong Zhuo and did not want to accept it. But seeing Dong Bai's engraved eyes, he didn't know how to refuse, so he had to thank his eldest son and said that he would give a return gift in the future, so he would give some books to Dong Yao, who was currently studying.
Yawen Library
Soon it was time to say goodbye, and Chen Chong and Cai Yong said goodbye at the door of the house.
Cai Yong saw that he was a very popular minister, but he kept walking alone. He couldn't help but feel a little worried, and said to him: "There are many villains in the world. You must be careful. You should have more guards around you."
Chen Chong wanted to refuse, but when he thought about Cao Cao and knew that Taishan was right, he nodded and said yes.
When he turned to leave, he caught another look, which quickly disappeared.
