Gu Zhengchen sat in the courtyard, looking at the gray night sky in trance, a copper coin flipping between his fingers.
It is certain that my father was killed!
In addition to Wang Fugui, there must be other accomplices.
There are not many people who can make changes to the roster. The former county magistrate Huang Qian is now the chief registrar, county magistrate, dianshi, and scribe of the county government!
No matter who it is, I will avenge this!
The copper coin was tightly clamped between his fingers. Gu Zhengchen stood up and said to Gu Cheng, who was walking over: "Get up early tomorrow and follow me into the city to do business."
"Okay, Master."
Gu Cheng obeyed.
Gu Zhengchen looked back at his mother's house. The candles had been extinguished and it was full of darkness.
It would be better not to tell her about her father for the time being. Once the truth is found out, her father's bones can be collected and buried.
Early the next morning, Gu Zhengchen greeted his mother and took Xue Cheng out.
County town, small pond.
Gu Zhengchen stood on the shore, staring at the calm pond.
"Gu Juren."
Wang Youcheng walked over with a white paper fan in his hand, swaying, and said in a strange tone: "I heard that a skeleton was found in the pond last night. It seems to be your father. Gee, that's really unfortunate. But I'm very curious. It's just a skeleton. You must be your father, don't mistake him for him, that would be unfilial."
Gu Zhengchen turned sideways, looked at Wang Youcheng with a pair of cold eyes, and said slowly: "Wang Xiucai, I see your eyes are sunken and the circles are dark. You didn't sleep last night. Why, are you afraid of ghosts seeking your life?"
Wang Youcheng's face changed slightly and he said angrily: "What am I afraid of! Gu Zhengchen, you hurt my ankle and made me sit for half a month..."
"Next time, it won't be a matter of sitting for half a month!" Gu Zhengchen turned to look at the pond and silently added in his heart: "I will let you lie in the coffin!"
Ignoring Wang Youcheng and entering the alleyway, Gu Zhengchen looked at the rabbit on the wall and told Gu Cheng: "Get a pen and ink."
Gu Cheng quickly agreed and asked someone to borrow pen and ink.
Gu Zhengchen came here last night and wiped off the official hat on the rabbit's head, leaving only the rabbit.
If you don't wipe it off, you might be in serious trouble.
You must know that in the last twenty years of the Yuan Dynasty, there was a chaotic war. The propaganda advertised was "the birth of King Ming" and "the birth of Maitreya".
Zhu Yuanzhang started out in the Red Scarf Army. His initial identity was also a White Lotus Sect and a Ming Sect, and he initially worked under King Xiao Ming. But later, Lao Zhu betrayed the White Lotus Sect and the Ming Sect, and gave the leader of the Ming Sect to sink into the river, and he became the Lord of the Ming Dynasty.
In the first year of Hongwu, Lao Zhu issued an edict prohibiting all evil cults. The main evil cults here are Bailian Society, Daming Sect, Maitreya Sect, Baiyun Sect, etc.
Lao Zhu's meaning is obvious: Ming Dynasty does not allow role-playing, pretending to be a wizard and writing spells, nor does it allow casual associations, nor does it allow the dissemination of bad works.
This rabbit wears an official hat, saying that all officials are rabbits. If Lao Zhu finds out about this, it will definitely not be the end of the world if he doesn't give the whole family to the butchers.
A small matter should not make a big deal out of it.
Gu Cheng found a pen and ink. Gu Zhengchen took the pen, dipped it in the ink, thought for a moment, then picked up the pen and wrote on the wall:
When I want to be sad and hear ghosts cry, I cry and jackals laugh.
tears for the dead hero, pull out sword to fight.
Gu Cheng looked at this poem, which was not outstanding but had extraordinary momentum, and secretly marveled.
The villain is still laughing.
The tear-wiping sword is unsheathed!
Gu Zhengchen put his hands behind his back and left the alleyway after Gu Cheng returned the pen and ink.
Street market.
Gu Zhengchen looked around, stopped to look around when he came across a folding fan stall, and took a closer look when he saw calligraphy and paintings for sale.
"Master, where are we going?"
Gu Cheng followed Gu Zhengchen around for an hour, and finally couldn't help but ask.
Gu Zhengchen walked to the end of the street but couldn't find what he was looking for. He turned sideways and looked into the alley to the side. He saw a boy in ragged clothes resting against the wall. There was a backpack at his feet, with some calligraphy, paintings and calligraphy inserted in the basket. Folding fan.
When the boy of thirteen or fourteen saw someone coming, he quickly said: "Brother, buy a folding fan to cool off the heat. It's not expensive, only five cents for calligraphy and painting, and fifteen cents for calligraphy and painting."
Gu Zhengchen bent down, took out a piece of calligraphy and painting from his backpack, unfolded it and looked at it. The painting was an eagle. The outline of the painting was very similar to that of a rabbit. He asked: "Are there any calligraphy and painting or folding fans of rabbits?" ?”
"have."
The boy rummaged around quickly, opened several calligraphy and paintings, found them, and handed them to Gu Zhengchen.
Gu Zhengchen unfolded it and took a look. Although the rabbit in the painting was different from the rabbit on the wall, the brushwork was basically the same, and even the expression was similar. It was most likely painted by the same person.
"My brother likes rabbits very much. I want to find someone to draw some rabbits. Can you tell me where I should go?"
Gu Zhengchen asked Gu Cheng to take out twenty coins.
The boy accepted the money and said happily: "There is a scholar named Deng Quan in Wenchang Temple in the south of the city..."
"Deng Quan?"
Gu Zhengchen stared.
After leaving the city and heading south, Gu Zhengchen and Gu Cheng walked towards Wenchang Temple three miles away.
Wenchang Temple is dedicated to the Emperor Wenchang, who is the god respected by ancient folk and Taoists in charge of the fame, fortune and status of scholars.
But before the Song Dynasty, Wenchang was only one of the twenty-eight constellations in Sanyuan. It was mostly symbolic and not a personal deity.
Wenchang was granted the title of emperor, which should have happened during the reign of Yuan Renzong.
In the third year of Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang issued an edict:
"The temples in the world that have done nothing for the people and should not offer sacrifices are called obscene temples. There are officials who cannot offer sacrifices."
In other words, the worship of gods that are not included in the official sacrificial canon of the imperial court are all obscene temples, such as Wenchang Temple, Zhenwu Temple, and Guanwang Temple. These are all obscene temples. Many orthodox Confucians define Wenchang God belief as " Obscene sacrifice".
Let’s just say it’s an obscene temple. Anyway, there’s nothing inappropriate about Wenchang Temple, so people should believe it.
However, the Wenchang Temple in Teng County was a little deserted at this time.
There is no other way. The imperial court has suspended the imperial examinations and there is no one to take the exams. Who will come to you? Look, Lao Zhu forced Emperor Wenchang to lose his job...
Looking for someone to look for him, Gu Zhengchen met Deng Quan in his forties in a wing room.
Deng Quan was painting and thought he was a Taoist from Wenchang Temple. When he looked up and saw a stranger, he couldn't help but become wary.
Gu Zhengchen asked Gu Cheng to wait outside the door, walked over with the scroll in hand, crossed his legs in front of the low table, and slowly unfolded the scroll: "Is this painting made by you?"
A trace of uneasiness appeared on Deng Quan's face: "Who are you?"
"Gu Zhengchen."
"Are you Gu Yan's son, Gu Juren?"
Gu Zhengchen looked deeply at Deng Quan and said solemnly: "You really know the inside story, sir, please tell me."
Deng Quan shook his head: "I didn't see anything, and I don't know the inside story."
Gu Zhengchen stared: "I dare to leave a painting to complain, but I dare not speak out. Are you afraid of people from the county government, or are you afraid of people from the Wang family?"
Deng Quan lowered his head and gritted his teeth and said, "How do you prove that you are Gu Zhengchen!"
Prove that I am who I am?
Gu Zhengchen had some doubts about whether this guy flew here from a certain bank, a certain institute, or a certain office in later generations.
"This is proof enough."
Gu Zhengchen reached for the red rope around his neck and took out a black wooden sign from his chest. The wooden sign was two inches long and had the words "Gu Zhengchen" engraved on the front.
In the era of war and chaos, wives and children could be separated at any time, so his father Gu Yan made wooden signs for his family to avoid having no tokens of recognition after being separated for many years.
Although he later settled down, the wooden sign was not lost.
This is a keepsake, a rare relic from my father.
Can't lose it, can't lose it.
