Jeongnamsan Mountain, Gyeonggi Province.
It was April, and the mountains were already green and lush.
In an inconspicuous earth cave halfway up the mountain, Zhang Tieniu, the father of the Zhang family, knelt in front of a clay statue of Bodhisattva and kowtowed repeatedly, muttering something in his mouth.
"Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, who saves the suffering, please help Ediwa to get through this..."
On the earthen kang not far from him, a teenage boy had his eyes closed, apparently in a drowsy state.
This child is Zhang Tieniu's only son Zhang Chao.
The Zhang family has made a living by hunting for generations. Although their life is not rich, they can barely get by.
Zhang Tieniu's mother-in-law died in childbirth when she gave birth to Zhang Chao, who was raised by Zhang Tieniu. .
Seeing that the only seedling of the old Zhang family was about to die, Zhang Tieniu's heart was broken.
He never imagined that he would encounter a venomous snake during an ordinary hunting trip. The boy was bitten by a venomous snake on his ankle and never woke up.
Zhang Tieniu invited a barefoot doctor from the mountains to see him, but he actually asked him to prepare for his funeral in advance.
Zhang Tie Niu was so angry that he wanted to beat the coward immediately to relieve his anger.
Just when Zhang Tieniu was feeling guilty and blaming himself, Zhang Chao suddenly moved on the earthen bed.
Um?
Zhang Tieniu thought he had seen it wrong, but then Zhang straightened up and sat up suddenly.
"Baby, you're awake!"
Zhang Tieniu sat down on the earthen bed, and his tense nerves could finally relax for a moment.
Seeing Zhang Chao dumbfounded, Zhang Tieniu thought to himself that this kid must be stupid, and said with a straight face: "I'm a coward, don't scare me, or else be careful with your butt!"
"Big, I have a question, I don't know if I should talk about it..."
Seeing that his son finally spoke, Zhang Tieniu was delighted at first and then scolded him with a straight face: "You coward, think about it before you say anything. Don't say anything you shouldn't say."
Zhang Chao swallowed and said, "How much rice do we still have? Is it enough to eat?"
Zhang Tieniu thought his son was going to ask something, but when he saw that he was worried about food, his face softened and he said, "You are such a melon. When did you lose your food? Don't worry, I will make you a bowl of rice cereal in a while." Eat steamed buns, you eat more."
In the Great Zhou Dynasty, the livelihood of hunters was still relatively tight. Although Mr. Zhang was good at hunting, the prey he caught was barely enough to exchange for some necessary food and salt. People in Guanzhong like to eat noodles, but for the Zhang family, it is impossible to eat noodles every time. They often have to eat whole grains with wild vegetables.
In order to improve his life, Zhang Chao thought he could go to the village and write letters to the villagers to earn some extra money.
However, when Zhang Chao told Father Zhang this suggestion, it aroused the old man's suspicion.
"What are you talking about, you idiot? Writing letters for others? You just studied with Wu Xiucai for a few days, and your tail is about to reach the sky?"
Zhang Chao only felt that he had been insulted and explained helplessly: "Da, let me tell you something, don't be angry. I have been secretly studying with the gentleman in the village and practiced calligraphy. Although I can't compare with him, I still can't do it." It’s barely enough to watch.”
"But you're a coward and you don't have any money. How can you study with your husband?"
Zhang Chao had already prepared for Father Zhang's question. He squinted his eyes and said with a smile, "Didn't you notice that our family hunted some roe deer and hares? I gave them to Mr. Zhang."
"You prodigal son, you are so angry!"
After hearing this, Father Zhang suddenly realized, he picked up a rolling pin and whipped it towards Zhang Chao's ditch.
Zhang Chao quickly jumped away from the rat and ran away.
"Listen to my explanation. I want to have multiple options for the future. I can't spend my whole life hunting in the mountains with you, right?"
"You are such a coward. You actually think you are too big. Your wings are too stiff. Don't run away. I'm going to teach you a lesson today!"
Father Zhang was unmoved, waving a rolling pin and vowing to straighten out the family tradition.
There was only such a big place in the cave, so Zhang Chao ran away through the door when he saw that he couldn't dodge. Father Zhang followed him without hesitation.
I beat my son as a matter of course, but this boy dared to run away, which is really annoying!
However, it was said that the father and son ran from the house to the outside and chased for more than a hundred steps, both of them were sweating profusely and panting.
The two of them sat on the big bluestone at the entrance of the kiln with a tacit understanding. Father Zhang, who has always been strong, put down the rolling pin in his hand and sighed: "You are a coward, do you really think it is embarrassing to go hunting with you?"
Zhang Chao quickly explained: "Oh, that's not what I mean. I just feel that you can't live in this mountain for the rest of your life. The outside world is very exciting, and I want to go out and see it."
"Um?"
Father Zhang felt that what his son said seemed to make sense.
"But letters in this village are all written by gentlemen. Your calligraphy is learned from him, so you can't compare to him. Why do people ask you to write letters for them?"
Father Zhang still expressed his doubts.
"Well, sir, you may not always have time. Besides, can you ask for a lower price?"
Father Zhang tugged at the beard on his chin and thought for a moment, then finally nodded.
"Hey, I have one more request..."
Seeing Zhang Chao's ups and downs, his eyes were as wide as cow bells.
"you say!"
"I heard that the barbarians from the north came from the grasslands and wanted to attack Chang'an City. Recently, the armies of various states and counties in Gyeonggi Province are moving closer to Chang'an. But the court seems to feel that the number of troops is still not enough, so it is recruiting troops in a large area. My son has been hunting with you. , I have developed a good shooting skill. My son wants to give it a try. It is said that when recruiting soldiers, they will be given two taels of silver a month as military pay."
Good guy, Father Zhang was shocked when he heard this.
It turned out that Zhang Chao not only secretly learned to write from a private school teacher in the village, but also considered joining the army.
If Father Zhang could bear it by writing letters for other families in the village, there was no way he could accept his son's wish to join the army.
"You're thinking shit."
Father Zhang spit out thick phlegm and almost spit it on Zhang Chao's feet.
Zhang Chao subconsciously jumped back in fright.
"Um, the old Zhang family is a single generation of three generations. I spent countless efforts to marry your mother and give birth to you. Now you tell me that you want to join the army? And you want to pay two taels of silver a month as military pay? Is that money easy to make? You can You know that you are exchanging your life for money. As it is said in the play, one general's achievements lead to thousands of bones drying up, yes, that's the sentence. You have to be a stepping stone for others."
Father Zhang's chest rose and fell rapidly in anger, like a sheepskin raft.
Zhang Chao also lost his temper and said: "In short, joining the army has a better future than staying in the mountains and hunting all the time."
"you!"
Father Zhang was so angry that stars appeared in his eyes.
"Well, if you say you're not allowed to go, you're not allowed to go. Is it me, or is it you, you brat? Okay, you don't have to write letters for the village to make money. You just stay at home honestly these days!"
...
...
The reason why Zhang Chao was attracted to join the army was because the conditions offered by Zhou to recruit soldiers were so good.
With two taels of silver a month as military pay and food, everyone would want to give it a try.
In fact, there are many young men like Zhang Chao in the villages near Chang'an who plan to take this opportunity to make great achievements.
All this was seen by the head of the Academy.
"Third brother, tell me, what do you think of the Zhou imperial court's move to recruit soldiers?"
In the bamboo tower, the mountain chief overlooking all living beings was talking eloquently.
The third disciple Long Qingquan who was waiting on the side thought for a moment and said in a deep voice: "Reporting to the mountain chief, in my humble opinion, this is drinking poison to quench thirst."
"Go on."
The mountain leader seemed to appreciate his disciple's judgment and nodded with a smile.
"The core of the Zhou Dynasty's military system is the government army system. The reason why it became the current state of divided feudal towns is because of the recruitment of soldiers."
Long Qingquan hated this move and said bitterly: "Once the recruitment of troops was established, everyone could recruit troops, especially in border towns. With Jiedushi having the power to recruit troops, other powers also increased, so that He became the local emperor."
"The Emperor of the Zhou Dynasty also wanted to drink a cup of wine to release his military power, but the effect was not good. In the end, it was barely effective, but it was not a long-term solution. This time, the northern barbarians went south in large numbers. Chief of the mountain, do you think there is any degree of restraint? Did the envoys stop it? Although these Jiedu envoys are all at the border and should act as a barrier, they are all timid because they are calculating their gains and losses. Those recruits are private soldiers they keep in their hands. If there is any damage, they will be very distressed."
After taking a breath, Long Qingquan sighed: "Recruiting soldiers is not like government soldiers, government soldiers have a sense of honor in their hearts. Recruiting soldiers are like mothers if they have breasts, and they will recognize whoever gives them money. This is also the authority of the imperial court. An important reason for its disappearance.”
Of course, Long Qingquan admitted that the disappearance of the imperial authority was only one aspect and had a lot to do with Emperor Xianlong not being the son of man himself.
If Emperor Xianlong could set an example, the authority of the Zhou court should still be preserved.
"But once the recruitment system was launched, it was no longer possible for the government soldiers to continue. The government soldiers system is now in name only. Look at the temporary recruitment of the government troops in Guanzhong. They are no different from ordinary farmers. Count on it. Do these guys who usually farm and dig in the land raise their hoes and dung forks to fight against the enemy?"
Long Qingquan said so much in one breath. The mountain leader listened carefully and felt very pleased.
I didn't expect that his third disciple had such a strong thinking ability and thought so deeply.
It seemed that he looked down upon him on weekdays.
"You are right. Once the recruitment system was launched, it was difficult for the imperial army to continue. In order to suppress the rise of military governors, the imperial court had to seal another military governor. In order to disperse the harm caused by recruiting soldiers, it had to establish another military governor in another place. Then recruit soldiers. And so on, endlessly."
Once the mountain's golden mouth is opened, it is as continuous as a torrential river.
"So recruiting troops is eroding the national destiny of the Great Zhou Dynasty, but the Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty didn't know it at all. He thought it was a feat created by him."
The mountain chief shook his head and said: "The imperial court was waiting for Weishi to take action, and the emperor was waiting for Weishi to enter the scene, but in fact they did not realize the nature of the problem at all. It was Weishi who took action this time and blocked the enemy's fierce attack for them again. How about it? The imperial court is rotten from the foundation. There are private soldiers everywhere and people who are just looking for profit. The upper beam is not straight and the lower beam is crooked. "
Long Qingquan was extremely excited when he saw the mountain chief comment like this.
"Yes, Emperor Xianlong is a mean, ungrateful, and unkind dog emperor."
He clenched his fists and said resolutely: "Oh, my junior brother is indeed right. However, my junior brother is still an official in the court and has to listen to the orders of this dog emperor. It is really frustrating. Chief, you Why don’t you persuade your junior brother to leave the court?”
Long Qingquan was somewhat puzzled.
Since the mountain leader sees things so clearly, why not just point out a clear path for the junior brother?
With the academy's background and the mountain chief's strength, couldn't he still protect Zhao Xun?
Even if Eunuch Zheng Jie, the most powerful member of the Zhou royal family, takes action, he is no match for the mountain leader.
"The opportunity has not come yet."
The mountain chief didn't say anything more, but simply uttered four words, which looked like an immortal and extremely free and unrestrained.
Long Qingquan was stunned when he heard this.
The opportunity has not come yet? What opportunity has not come?
What does the mountain chief mean?
"Your junior brother is the Wenqu star from the sky who comes down to earth and can only be encountered once in a hundred years. Has my master told you about this?"
The mountain leader stroked his beard and said with a smile: "But do you know that if this Wenquxing wants to exude its full charm and display its full abilities, it needs to be suppressed by the world."
Well...
Long Qingquan seemed to understand.
What the mountain leader means is that the reason why he hopes his junior brother is still working for the court is to make him feel the harshness of the world and be suppressed by the secular world?
In order to stimulate the potential hidden in the body of the younger brother, so that he can fully realize his talent as a Wenquxing?
Although Long Qingquan didn't really understand it, it sounded very reasonable.
"Well...this little junior brother doesn't know, does he?"
"Of course he doesn't know."
Shan Changyun said calmly: "But this is exactly his opportunity, and it is a journey he must take. Otherwise, why do you think Yuan Tiangang, an old man with a strong nose, didn't persuade him to leave the Zhou Dynasty and stay away from his official career? He is a collection of He adopted Zhao Xun as his adopted son. When it comes to observing fortune-telling, their Taoism is unique."
Hiss, Long Qingquan took a deep breath when he heard this.
What the mountain chief means is that Yuan Tiangang, the supervisor of Qintian Prison, the Great Zhou Imperial Master, is not optimistic about the Great Zhou Dynasty in his heart?
"If this is the case, wouldn't it mean that the Zhou Dynasty is getting old?"
“If the old doesn’t go, the new won’t come.”
The mountain chief Youyou said: "When the Great Zhou Dynasty is destroyed, a new dynasty will rise again. This is a cycle."
The mountain chief revealed the reason why Haoran Academy did not intervene in the power struggles of past dynasties.
Because in the eyes of scholars, no matter which dynasty they changed or which family became emperor, their lives would not change much.
Because they are still reading books from sages.
"When Meng Sheng first established the great formation in Chang'an City, there was actually only one talisman formation in Waiguo City. Later, the two great formations were imposed on the basis of the emperor's order by practitioners. Therefore, there will be many nodules and loopholes in the great formation. .”
Immediately afterwards, the mountain chief made another conclusion that shocked Long Qingquan.
"So as long as a top cultivator enters Chang'an City, he will definitely kill the emperor. The reason why Wei Wuji failed twice was not because of the talisman formation or Zheng Jie, but because he was standing here as a teacher, because he was not able to I like outsiders to show off in front of me."
...
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