In the seventeenth year of Hongzhi's reign, I happened to be seventeen years old and already a tall boy. My grandfather said that I can’t be considered an adult until I turn eighteen. The implication is that it’s time for me to marry a wife and have children. My two sisters have already been married, and my two brothers-in-law are both scholars, and they talk a lot about things. I don’t like studying by nature, so whenever they come to my house, I always hide away, but my two nephews, who are lovely, Very often, the yard was full of people calling for uncle and pestering me to play. Unfortunately, both brothers-in-law were elected and then went to work as officials in other places.
My grandson-in-law is an official in the Ming Dynasty, and my grandfather's status in the village has been improved again. The previous county magistrate has been promoted to the prefect, and he is even more favorable to my family. He specially asked the county to send people to widen the loess road in front of my house, and give it to us. Home repairs the house. Grandfather did not agree, saying that he was a common man and building roads would make it easier for the villagers to walk. He would not object, but he would never do it if he built a house for himself. After the prefect learned about it, he sent someone to invite his grandfather to him, and he didn't send him back until the third day.
After returning home, my grandfather was as calm as ever and said nothing about the meeting. Later, I learned that there was a father-in-law in the palace who wanted to see my grandfather. When Xing Wen went to the magistrate, he did not dare to neglect him. He was very diligent in building houses and roads. Although the father-in-law did not come due to something else, the prefect still took his grandfather over and entertained him warmly.
Suddenly one day, an elderly man with white beard and hair came to my house. He was accompanied by two book boys and rode a horse to my house. When the grandfather saw him, he was rarely excited, almost overjoyed. The elder was also extremely excited. The two hugged each other, looked at each other, and entered the hall arm in arm. Then, my grandfather asked his father and others to come to see him in turn. It turned out to be his old friend Sun Gong, who called himself Yanbo Guest and lived on a small island overseas in Zhejiang. Because I missed my grandfather, he came all the way to my house.
Both of us were in their sixties, so it was inevitable that they would be in mourning for a long time when they met. My father and others went down to arrange the family dinner, while I stayed with my grandfather to serve him. From their words, I learned that they were good friends, and it wasn’t just the two of them, there seemed to be four of them. Grandfather asked questions one by one, and grandson answered them one by one. Grandfather couldn't help but sigh, saying: "It's fate, it's been twenty years since I came here with my family, and I miss you all the time, and I also miss the mountains and rivers of my hometown. It's a pity that I My health is not good and I can no longer travel long distances, unlike Brother Sun, who has a strong body and can travel without worries."
Sun Gong laughed and said, "Brother Zhang prefers peace and quiet to noisy life. The road is bumpy and full of pedestrians. If you see it, you will definitely be upset, so don't go back!"
Grandfather chuckled and said, "Brother Sun knows me well! Jiangnan is great and has infinite scenery. It's a pity that I won't be able to return in my lifetime!"
Sun Gongdao: "Life is like floating catkins. Wherever it floats, it is home. Hey, isn't it the same everywhere in the Ming Dynasty now?"
The two looked at each other and laughed, and the grandfather said: "Brother Sun has traveled all over the world for a long time, and he has kept the local customs and customs in his heart. He has never asked about worldly affairs. How can he sigh today?"
Sun Gong sighed and said: "Although I claim to be an outsider, after traveling for a long time, I can see that people's livelihood is difficult. Although the emperor today is known as a wise king, the people he appoints may not be good ministers, especially those father-in-laws. It is a bold act that dazzles the world."
It turned out that Emperor Hongzhi trusted the eunuchs in his later years and went out to the capital to do business from time to time. And these eunuchs often used the name of the emperor to exert their power in the local area, making the place miserable and making the people miserable.
After hearing this, my grandfather smiled lightly and said: "The Zhu family emperor has always been mean and ungrateful, and he doesn't trust everyone. As a result, he has no choice but to trust the eunuchs. Since ancient times, eunuchs have exclusive power, and the court must be corrupt."
Sun Gong laughed loudly, pointed at his grandfather and said: "Brother Zhang, your knot is still unsolved! The so-called important affairs of the court have nothing to do with us anymore. However, I know about your aid to Mahu. You have done a great thing!" Seeing me, he said, "Look, your grandson has grown so big! Are you still worried that he will not be a pillar in the future?"
As he said that, he waved to me. I hurried over and gave another polite salute. Grandpa Sun took my hand, looked it up and down, turned his head and said to his grandfather: "You and I can be said to have successors. Life is just like this, why bother?" Do you take everything seriously?"
After hearing this, my grandfather smiled and said: "Well, you Yanbo Ke, you first said that the people's life was hard, and then turned around and advised me not to think too much. You are just a slippery man! As for me, I really don't want my children to suffer. I want to be an official, but I have two grandsons-in-law who are officials. Hey, life is unpredictable, and sometimes I have no choice!"
Sun Gong laughed and said: "Among the six of us brothers, you are the one who has the most thoughts. Although I started the conversation, I can think openly. But you are not always concerned about the country and the people. Let everything take its course! Hey, forget it. , let’s not mention this matter today, I came to visit you, no wonder I miss you, and have good wine!”
My grandfather burst into laughter and said, "You are a drunkard and don't care about drinking. Haha, don't worry, there will be good wine tonight!"
The dinner was naturally very lively. The two elders drank wine with us and talked endlessly about the wonders of the world. That night, my grandfather seemed to have changed into a different person. He gradually became drunk and talked about many things in the past. I generally know that when he was young, he lost his parents early and lived alone in the south. Fortunately, he knew some medical skills, and at the same time, he had some friends to help the village, and his life was pretty good. Unexpectedly, when he was thirty years old, an enemy Come to the door. He didn't want to take up the grudge anymore, so he led his family to move away to this place overnight.
Sun Gong said that the enemy was not his grandfather's opponent. With his grandfather's skills, he could easily get rid of the enemy, but his grandfather did not do that, so he has always been wondering why his grandfather moved away. Grandpa said that he has been practicing medicine for many years and is used to seeing life and death. Parting, not wanting to be enemies with others, simply leave there. It is said that it is better to dissolve enemies than to end them.
I listened to my grandfather's words with some doubts. First, my family seemed to be very wealthy, but Grandpa Sun said that friends would help me. I believed this, after all, there were many outsiders coming to my home. Second, I felt that my grandfather was a low-key person. My father, uncle, and others are all humble in front of outsiders, but the implication of Sun Gong’s words is that my grandfather was very strong when he was young, which is very different from his humility today. But from Sun Gong, what I see is extremely recognized praise!
The dinner went on for a long time, and we juniors were sent back to sleep. When we woke up the next day, the sun was rising very high. We came out with our hair fluffy and rubbing our eyes, but we saw our grandfather talking to our father in the courtyard. And that Mr. Sun left my house early in the morning.
Then, my grandfather told us that in a few days, we would be able to go out to practice medicine, and the place we would go to was Jiangnan. We couldn't help but get excited. Children's nature naturally yearns for the vastness outside. What's more, Grandpa Sun talked about the wonderful places in many places last night. After listening to it, we couldn't help but yearn for it.
Before leaving, my grandfather specially called my father into the house and talked for a long time. After my father came out, he was almost the same as my grandfather. He didn't say much, except that we would stay outside for a long time.
And I thought it was an ordinary trip. In the bright spring breeze, I said goodbye to my mother. There was a lot of nostalgia in my mother's eyes, even a little moist. My grandfather was still standing under the high eaves of the door, looking at the group of us. Set off. But I longed for the vast world outside, but I didn't know that when I returned home a few months later, my life had become a different scene.
Since I was sixteen years old, I have gone out to work as a traveling doctor with my father, and it often took me a long time to come home. At that time, when I returned home, I could always eat vinegar fish made by my grandfather. Every year my grandfather asks us to go to one place, and that is Suzhou. Although we often don't understand why we go all the way there but not many patients are treated. Maybe the famous doctors Xue Kai and Xue Ji are there, and my father visits them anyway, but the place where they live is the home of an uncle named Zhou. Uncle Zhou's home is next to the vast Taihu Lake. As juniors, we don't have to visit famous doctors, but Uncle Zhou always arranges for people to take us to Taihu Lake. The scenery there still makes us linger. Those days were very happy days, without the hassle of seeing a doctor, and I felt very relaxed, and there were always people coming to visit us. My father would always be serious and even solemn at that time. I have always been greedy for street snacks and didn't pay much attention to the words and deeds of adults, but I still vaguely remembered some people's faces.
These people are very familiar to my father. They are even very kind to me and always give me interesting things. I once asked my father, and he said with a straight face that I don't need to know. But I got interested and thought about my own family affairs. It is said that my family has a foreign surname. They came here many years ago. Although our surname is Zhang, we have few villagers to interact with. I gradually began to feel puzzled as to what was going on in my family. I tried to ask my uncle, but he didn’t know. He just said that my grandfather had always forbidden inquiring into family matters and warned me not to ask too many questions. It would become clear in the future. I didn't know what was going on, but I didn't think too much about it. I guessed that they were treating me well because of my father's sake.
I grew up carefree and my family treated me well. But every time I go out, I feel how big the world is and how beautiful life is. But when I returned to my hometown, it was so dull. I thought my happiness was when I went out. Until one day, I realized how important home is!
This trip was not long, we only stayed in Suzhou for more than half a month. Even without our knowledge, our father suddenly told us to return. We brothers felt strange, but our uncles packed their bags obediently, and we had no reason to be disobedient. We talked privately. Some people said that my father met someone last night, talked for a long time, and then changed his itinerary. Who could this person be? I was full of questions, but I didn’t dare to ask.
