In the first month of spring in 218 AD, which was the fourth year of Long'an, the Jihan court ordered the mobilization of supplies from various states and counties. Most of the grain and fodder were transported to the Suiyang area, and the governors of each county determined the list of corvées in the townships and counties. Officials and blacksmiths from Guanxi and Bingzhou had also gathered in Hedong, Pingyang and other places early to start forging iron day and night to build military strategists. Starting from Longshang in the west, Zhangwu in the east, Yuyang in the north, and Xiangyang in the south, the entire country is preparing for the autumn war.
Chen Chong had already finished arranging his eldest daughter's marriage at this time, so he was free when he was busy with state affairs. Although he was very uncomfortable, Chen Chong did not inquire or interfere in the country's political affairs. Instead, he opened a small vegetable patch behind the house. Apart from reading and writing, he would either play with some melons and radish in the vegetable patch or invite a few old people to come. Fishing outside the city gradually became a bit enjoyable. It's just that when I calm down in the middle of the night, I still feel a bit self-deprecating: When I was young, I always said that I cared about everything about my family, the country, and the world. But now, the government and the opposition hope that I will do nothing, which has to be said to be a kind of irony. 33
However, the son-in-law He Yan criticized this a lot.
He was adopted by Cao Cao since he was born, but was looked down upon by Cao Hong, Cao Pi and others in the Eastern Dynasty. Therefore, he studied hard and wanted to revive the He family business. Hard work paid off, He Yan found a new way to expound the scriptures from Lao and Zhuang, and became a master of his own. He unexpectedly found a shortcut to talk about mysteries. However, when the Eastern Dynasty was destroyed, he could only start over in Luoyang. Now that he has climbed the high branches of the Chen family in Yingchuan, He Yan thought that things had turned around and he had entered the dragon gate, and he was very excited for a moment. Unexpectedly, after waiting for more than half a year, Chen Chong had no intention of guiding him, which made He Yan disappointed and gave him a feeling of bad luck.
The eldest daughter Ah Suo felt a little anxious when she saw this, so she mentioned it to Chen Chong twice in a vague way. Chen Chong lamented in his heart that women were not allowed to stay in college, but he pretended to be deaf and dumb. He did not want to break his principles because of this. Unexpectedly, this angered his daughter. In the past few days, she neither returned home nor took care of the housework. Instead, she made sarcastic remarks to herself. Chen Chong felt deeply helpless for this.
The second daughter, Ayun, wanted to reconcile the two of them, so she asked Chen Chong privately: "Father, aren't you just asking for a job for your brother-in-law? You know so many people, and my brother-in-law is talented. Just say a few words and it will be done." What are you so embarrassed about?"
Chen Chong replied with a smile: "If my father was the kind of person who seeks official positions and strives for fame and wealth, he would have sent your eldest sister to the palace to be the queen. How could he let her marry your brother-in-law?"
Ayun said: "I know that my father is not that kind of person. He is doing it for the sake of my eldest sister, but a brother-in-law is a brother-in-law! Of course my father should be fair to outsiders, but he should also take care of the family first in everything. After all, Now that my brother-in-law is well, naturally my eldest sister will be well too!"
These words were so bloody that Chen Chong choked up and didn't know how to refute him. Should he talk to his daughter about being selfless? In fact, she has reached the age of understanding early, but she just thinks in her heart that this is a lie. In the end, Chen Chong could only smile and said: "How can a husband and wife care about everything? If your brother-in-law treats your eldest sister badly because of this, then I am wrong. Look at your mother, When did you ask for an official position for your uncle?"
Dong Yao also got married and started a business in the past few years. He married a girl from a small family, and then bought a piece of land in Gucheng as a horse farm. He sold horses back and forth between Longyou and Luoyang, and the business was quite prosperous. Chen Chong was quite satisfied when he saw that he was self-reliant.
Unexpectedly, Ah Yun added, "That's because my uncle knew that he had a bad background. He also told his mother in private that if his surname was Chen, he would ask his father for a Luoyang Order for fun!"
Chen Chong was speechless and could only say: "It's just a joke among adults. Don't take it seriously." But when his daughter left and he was alone, feeling the cold air around him, he felt particularly lonely and alone. .
Chen Chong thought to himself, why didn't he feel this way a few years ago? He quickly got the answer: probably because he was busy with official duties every day and had no time to think about these things. Even if there is leisure, it is just a moment of relaxation. A person thinking about himself for a long time is indeed like walking on a single-plank bridge, which empties the person's spirit. As he thought this, he suddenly understood, as never before, that for thousands of years, there had been endless sorrow.
Dong Bai saw that his mental state was not right, so he reprimanded A Suo in private, and then took Chen Chong to Yishui for an outing to relax. It's just that most of the people who are outing around Luoyang are young men and women in their prime. Chen Chong and Dong Bai are walking among them. The man has gray hair on his temples, while the woman still has her charm. In addition, she is escorted by guards, which makes her look quite eye-catching. Frequently attracting passers-by's glances and whispers, it's obviously not a good thing.
This made Dong Bai quite unhappy, but he couldn't get angry. When Chen Chong saw this, he joked: "When Xuande was still here, I said that you were not worthy of me at all. I said that it was actually me who was climbing up to you, but he still didn't believe it. Now it seems that it is indeed true." So." Dong Bai replied angrily: "If you and I are to be a good match, I'm afraid we have to wait another ten years."
Chen Chong laughed, he simply got on the horse, took Dong Bai into his arms, then pulled the reins and spurred the horse, galloping against the wind on the galloping road, passing through the flowers and the flying birds, and went straight to the top of Longmen Mountain. On the top of the mountain made of white rocks, there was a gentle breeze, drifting clouds above the head, and calm waters under the feet. Chen Chong felt sad for such a beautiful scene. He said to his wife in his arms: "When I was young, I also thought I have lived in beautiful clothes, angry horses, fine wine and beautiful women, but I soon forgot this thought. I don’t want to fulfill this wish in my old age, thank you, A Bai." Dong Bai leaned his ear against his chest and put his arms around Chen Chong waist, and said softly: "You will forget things that others will never forget, and you will remember things that others will remember. You just like to be different, don't you? Like Qu Yuan, everyone in the world is intoxicated with me. Wake up alone, the whole world is turbid and I alone am clear.”
Chen Chong was silent for a while and replied: "No, I have understood very early that although everyone is different, they are all the same stubbornness, and there is no distinction between dirty and pure. I just always have a dream, and there is a dream in my dream." In a world without pain, I have seen too many joys and sorrows, and too many people died because of me. Every time I think of this, I dare not forget it for a moment."
Listening to his powerful heartbeat, Dong Bai stretched out her slender hand and rubbed away the wrinkles between her husband's eyebrows. She said: "There are things that cannot be done in heaven and earth, Ting Jian, people's hearts are declining, and the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers cannot flow back. This it's not your fault."
"But right and wrong are in people's hearts, and they won't change." Chen Chong watched the Yishui flow slowly. He turned his horse's head again and followed the current eastward. In this season, carp can be seen jumping out of the water against the current from time to time. , jumped over the gray stone ridges, and there were also a few carps, but they couldn't jump over them and could only circle in place repeatedly. This made Chen Chong a little sad, maybe he had indeed reached the age where he wasted his time in circling.
In the evening, when he and Dong Bai returned home, they unexpectedly found two more horses parked at the door. One of them was a bloody horse sent from the Western Regions. He recognized it as Yunchang's horse and hurriedly walked home. Within a few steps, he saw Guan Yu was riding. In the backyard, he held Chen Xiu around his neck and was playing with a wooden sword in his hand, showing off his swordsmanship. Following him was his eldest son Guan Ping, who was sitting at attention on one side. When he saw Chen Chong coming back, he stood up and said hello to him.
For some reason, when he saw Guan Yu and his magnanimous expression, Chen Chong's chest seemed to be illuminated by fire, and his sadness immediately dissipated. He stepped forward and patted Yun Chang's arm, and asked cheerfully: "What? Yun Chang, aren't you supposed to be in the military camp?" Are you busy with military affairs? You are free today and can you come to visit me?"
Guan Yu took Chen Xiu off his neck and placed him carefully on the ground. Then he said to Chen Chong: "The Southern Expedition is a national event. How can I not ask you, the prime minister?"
After saying that, the two of them smiled in unison. When Chen Chong became an official, he actually did not discuss it with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. Later, both of them were involved in delegating power. Chen Chong has always felt guilty. But Guan Yu had no grudges about it, and kept in contact with Chen Chong as usual. Now, Chen Chong was very happy that Guan Yu was re-activated. He looked at Guan Yu's tall figure and said: "You are still so burly, I guess no one will ask you , can you still eat?"
"You are still very thin." Guan Yu replied. After the two returned to the house together, he glanced at the poems and books on Chen Chong's bookshelf and sighed: "It's a pity that your Majesty has no intention of using you, otherwise you would be more suitable to lead the army than me."
Chen Chong said with a smile: "It's not surprising that Gong Lin wants to be independent. You are the one who will suffer the consequences for leading the army this time!" He poured a pot of tea for Guan Yu and asked again: "I'm afraid you are here today. Are you here to say goodbye? When are you going to the east?"
"I can't hide anything from you." Guan Yu smiled and said sadly: "I will go to Suiyang to inventory the supplies the day after tomorrow. I will start marching probably around the Mid-Autumn Festival."
Chen Chong asked again: "Who did Gong Lin assign to you as your deputies? They can't all be newcomers, right?"
Guan Yu counted on his fingers and replied: "Except for Zilong who serves as my deputy and Han Sheng who serves as your majesty's bodyguard, you also know the others who are under my command, namely Guo Boji, Du Bohou, Jia Liangdao, and Liao Yuanjian. I can use the four of them easily. Zhou Buyi, Sima Yi, Huang Quan, Wu Ban, and Yang Fu are some of your acquaintances, but they are all whom I didn’t know before. Now His Majesty also said that he would let them lead alone. An army.”
"What? Don't you have the confidence to win?" Chen Chong asked him.
"A mere Soochow dog, what's there to be afraid of?" Guan Yu replied with a smile, brushing his beard, and then continued: "It's just that time flies by, and you and I have also reached the age where we can lament that things have changed."
The two of them sat in the study reminiscing about the past, and then lit up the lamp to discuss the strategy of the Southern Expedition. It was as if they had returned to their youth. Before they knew it, it was already late at night. Dong Bai quietly looked outside the door for a moment, and saw his husband with a smile on his lips, covering his face quietly. Close the door curtain.
Some people died, but not completely...
