His father leaned back on the bamboo chair, looked up at the sun shining through the leaves, and then sighed: "We are the last family. I heard that the emperor is in Hangzhou. It may be safer to go there, and there are officers and soldiers to rely on."
At this time, his mother poked her head in and saw that her son had not been scolded, so she walked out relievedly: "Master, I have given you the instructions. We will take care of things all night today and we can set off tomorrow."
"Where's the ancestral hall?"
"Go right away, I want to take the little dragonfly."
His mother said, "Master, you see, what Zi Gushen said is indeed true. He said he would come back safely, and he came back safely, and even the days were exactly the same."
"Female people are just superstitious..."
"What kind of woman is this?"
After not seeing each other for so many years, his mother dared to contradict her father, "You were worried that your son wouldn't come back, so why didn't you ask me to ask Zi Gushen? What of the big and small things he said didn't work?"
"Mother, mother," he said hurriedly, "Who is Zigu Shen?"
His mother quickly put her finger to her lips and whispered: "Don't be rude."
He was startled for a moment, realizing that he had changed a lot in the seven years since he left home, and some things were no longer familiar to him.
"We are going to the ancestral hall later to remove the spiritual tablets of our ancestors. You must not be arrogant with your words."
He nodded obediently.
"Also, Mom wants to ask you, where is Ah Shuang?"
He was suddenly startled and glanced to the side guiltily. His eyes came into contact with a few ants carrying dead insects, and he turned back: "A Shuang?"
Seeing his strange reaction, his mother said in surprise: "Why are you okay and like a human being?
Didn’t you run away with Ah Shuang?
It's been seven years since I left, and I don't blame you anymore, but what about Ah Shuang?
Have you given birth to a child? "
Finally, he figured it out.
His face was gloomy, and he couldn't help showing sadness: "It's my fault... Ah Shuang was not in good health. When we arrived in Kaifeng, a year later she had dystocia and passed away..."
"That child..."
"Didn't stay."
The two elders sighed.
Ah Shuang is his childhood playmate, the daughter of an old couple living at the end of the town.
To be precise, she is an adopted daughter.
The old couple had no children and had raised them since childhood.
In the Jianghuai area, girls are a good investment. If they are raised, they can help their parents earn money.
Looking at the days that passed, Ah Shuang became more and more beautiful and began to exude the flavor of a little woman. In his eyes, she was no longer just a playmate, and wonderful feelings slowly surrounded the two of them.
They no longer laugh and play, but like to find a place where there is no one, get close to them, and whisper in a low voice.
The adults gradually became aware of it.
"Sooner or later something will happen."
I don’t know whether it’s because they have evil intentions or because they are well versed in human feelings, but the adults are so worried.
"Either, separate them, or send them to Zuodui."
"If something disgraceful happens one day, it will embarrass everyone."
These words were like disturbing mosquitoes and flies, swirling around his mother's ears all day long.
Seeing that the two of them were getting closer day by day, the second son would sneak out every day if he had something to do, and then come back sneakily, always with a smile on his lips, which made people more and more worried.
"The child can also get engaged, so why not make an appointment first to reassure him."
My mother persuaded my father like this.
“No,” my father objected from the beginning. “Firstly, it’s wrong that he doesn’t belong to the right family. Secondly, I want him to go to Beijing to take the imperial examination. How could he lose his head at such a young age?
no! "
Speaking of being well-matched, in fact they are just a small wealthy family who started out as sharecroppers, while Ah Shuang's adoptive parents are from a poor family who make a hard living by weaving and selling cakes.
In fact, the difference is not big, but in the eyes of Xiaofu's father, he is as disgusting as sand in his eyes.
"My son is not allowed to see Ah Shuang again, so he can make up his mind to study."
Father ordered so.
If the light thing doesn't work, let's use the dark thing.
He sneaks out every night and doesn't come back until daybreak.
The whispers at night are even more full of temptation.
He and Ah Shuang warmed each other in the night air. Sometimes Ah Shuang would nestle against his chest and count his heartbeat. The two of them were silent and could spend the whole night.
When they felt the air getting colder, they hugged tighter.
When he put his hands around Ah Shuang's slender waist, he found that his emotions became excited and heat filled his lower abdomen. He noticed that Ah Shuang's breathing also became rapid, and his eyes looked rippling with water.
Under curiosity and panic, under the protection of the night...
Under the exploration of warm wet lips and palms, on the stone floor stained with night dew...
Amidst the light of the campfire and the intoxicating chirping of insects all around...
"I want you to know, as a mother, how many people have been harmed by your elopement with Ah Shuang."
His mother's eyes were sharp and sad.
He knelt down again and listened to his mother's teachings.
I haven’t heard any teachings in seven years, and I feel an inexplicable longing in my heart.
The father under the shade of the tree moved his body: "Axiang..."
As if to dissuade his mother.
"I have to say," his mother intercepted, "Mom can see that you have grown up over the years and have understood things. I am not scolding you, I just hope you can see the cause and effect clearly."
"Please teach me a lesson, mother," he said obediently.
"You never came home that day. Your father was very angry. He sent people to look for you but couldn't find you, so he went to Ah Shuang's house in person, intending to make it clear..." He swallowed secretly, worried that he was about to leave his mother. The words that come out of your mouth.
"I didn't expect your father to see A-Shuang's father and mother hanging on the bed," his mother said and glanced at him. "There was also a letter on the table. It was written by Ah-Shuang to his father and mother, and they left without saying goodbye."
He dropped his head lower.
The father shook his head and sighed, burying his whole body into the bamboo chair.
"Your father went to report to the official, saying that A Shuang's parents were dead. It would have been better if he didn't report. But once he reported to the official, he would suffer... There are several relatives in our family who have always been jealous of our family's money, and they didn't want to think that it was you. Dad earned it with his own hands. They are greedy and want a piece of the pie. If we don't agree, they will hold a grudge. Now they have a chance."
His heart tightened and he pressed his head to the ground: "It's the child's fault..."
"They insisted that it was your father who committed the murder. They also testified that they saw your father threatening Ah Shuang's parents, and that they used a rope to commit the murder, etc."
"Haier knows, it's the third and fourth uncles, right?" He raised his head angrily.
"They are all dead," his mother frowned, looking at her son's devilishly angry face, "Your father was beaten severely by the officials and almost died. We gave the county magistrate some silver to save your father. Life."
"How did they die?" he asked in shock.
"The government said that the two of them had ulterior motives and obviously wanted to seize property. If they said they saw your father murder someone with their own eyes, why didn't they report it to the official? Instead, it was your father who reported it to the official?
So he was dragged down to the hall to receive the cane, and he was beaten to death after only a few blows. "
"But dad..."
"Your father survived the disaster, but he was lame."
Only then did he notice that his father had not stood up and had not exerted any strength in his lower body. It turned out that he had been beaten long ago!
He crawled over on his knees, hugged his father's legs, and choked with sobs: "Dad... the child is unfilial..."
The father also had a sad face and stroked his son's hair lovingly: "It will be good to come back, it will be good to come back."
His mother caressed his shoulder: "It's not too early, let's go to pay homage to our ancestors, wrap up the memorial tablets, and hit the road tomorrow."
He stopped crying, but his body was still shaking: "I don't want to go to the ancestral hall..." His father asked blankly: "Why?"
"I...I feel ashamed of my ancestors." His mother nodded and said, "You can correct your mistakes and do good. Your ancestors will forgive you. You can go ahead and ask Zigu God if you were safe along the way."
"Why is there the Zigu God in the ancestral hall?"
"Mom has already told me, don't talk nonsense!"
His mother waved her hands angrily, "The Zigu God in our ancestral hall taught us to bribe the government to save your father. She also answered every question. Not only did she know where you were? Are you alive or dead? She also knew that you were going home for a reunion today. ."
After saying that, she looked at her son dissatisfied: "So if it weren't for Zigu God, we would have left and fled long ago, and he even saved your life!
So be careful what you say later. "
※※※
Zigu God has been recorded as early as the Northern and Southern Dynasties.
She is the God of the toilet. It is customary to welcome the God of the toilet on the 15th night of the first lunar month, and pray to Zigu to send Luan in dirty places such as toilets and livestock pens to ask for good or bad luck in the year.
By the Song Dynasty, Zigu God became more and more popular, and it was no longer limited to the toilet or the first month.
She became Fuluan's important target, and as long as the unidentified goddess was invited, she would probably be called Zigu.
Su Shi's "Tianzhuan Ji" records the Zigu God in the Jianghuai area, and Shen Kuo's "Mengxi Bi Tan" also records the Zigu God.
