Heaven and earth move together in the human world, and there are people writing stories in the human world.
The first time Zhang Xun visited Mo Sheng was on the fourth day after he entered the city. This day was the 19th day of the first lunar month. There were still a few scattered Lantern Festival lanterns hanging in the semi-dark night, far away from the silver platform in the sky. According to legend, love is reflected in Qingshi Street, which is quite elegant.
Although a storm is coming to Suiyang City, the people still don't know the inside story. They only know that the whole city is noisy with people and craftsmen coming and going. In addition, due to the celebration of the Lantern Festival, it is more urgent and lively than usual. Zhang Xun has been in the city for four days. He is busy with various things every day. Today during the day, he went to check on the resettlement of the people in the inner city. He asked his concubine to prepare a lot of breakfast. He ate it hard and brought some dry food and water. , put on his armor, and made an appointment with Prefect Xu to go to the inner city to check on the situation of the people in the city. He was busy until evening before walking back through the snow. As for Mo Sheng, Xu Yuan specifically mentioned it to Zhang Xun on the evening of the second day. Zhang Xun was familiar with poetry and books and knew a little about Mohist theory. He became cautious when he heard that there was a Mohist claiming to help defend the city. , the two talked for a long time and decided that Zhang Xun would make the trip in person.
Returning to the barracks, Zhang Xun ate the dinner prepared by his concubine, and then ordered his concubine to make a few special dishes. After eating and drinking, he specially washed and tidied up. According to the address he asked during the day, he carried a three-layer lacquerware tableware. He packed the box, packed the side dishes, picked up a jug of wine, lit a gauze lantern for night watch, and walked toward Mo Sheng's residence alone. Back then, Emperor Zhaolie paid three visits to the thatched cottage and invited Marquis Wu to come out of the mountain to share the world. He is going to visit the wise man in the snow tonight, hoping to gain something.
It snowed a few days ago, and Suiyang City was wrapped in a layer of cotton. Xu Yuan ordered people to sweep the snow from the main road to the corners on both sides. The people followed suit and swept the entrances of all lanes clean. The slender crescent moon emits a cool shimmer, reflecting on the white ice and snow, making it look even more deserted.
Mo Sheng's residence was easy to find and highly identifiable. Zhang Xun could see it from a distance. Because no matter how bad your eyesight is, you will always be attracted by the low and dilapidated thatched hut in a high-walled compound. Yes, Mo Sheng lived in a thatched hut with drafts on all sides. Snow passed through half of the collapsed roof and covered half of the ground. The other half without snow was Mo Sheng's living room.
A broken table, a broken stool, a basket of broken books, a broken sword, a broken piece of armor, a broken urn, a pile of broken quilts, and a broken manger covered with thick hay. This is Mo Sheng's house. , clear at a glance.
An old but exquisite official oil lamp is lit on the broken table. After all, a broken house is easy to find, and a broken table is easy to match. But the small objects that are really useful are in the Xu family, which has been extravagant for hundreds of years. I want to find them. It still took a lot of effort to make tea bowls and lamps that match the shabby character of the thatched cottage. Mo Sheng was not that particular. After moving in, he picked out a few necessities and asked the sergeant to take the rest back to the Xu family. At this time, Mo Sheng was sitting on a broken stool reading. There was a thread-bound blue book on the broken table. He was holding a long, thin black foreign object in his right hand. He listened to the footsteps coming from outside and raised his head. He looked in the direction he came from.
Zhang Xun knew about the Mohist school. After all, the debate between Confucianism and Mohism was an unavoidable topic. Although he himself did not know much about some of the rules of the Mohist school, he had heard a little bit about it. Coupled with Xu Yuan's warning when he came, he was very familiar with the Mohist school. Mo Sheng, who abides by his ancestral precepts, still respects him quite a lot.
Mo Zhai, the ancestor of the Mohist family, was a great saint. He was certainly not one of the "Top Ten Richest Men in the World" who lived in vain. But the saints were also dissatisfied. Although Mozi was knowledgeable, angry, and respected by all, some of his demands were a bit bizarre and incomprehensible to scholars from other schools. Some of them secretly called this a kind of Quirks, saying that their painters are pretentious and eye-catching.
"Wear brown fur as clothing, wear trampoline as clothing, work nonstop day and night, and suffer the most from yourself!"
This was the requirement of the Mohist family for its disciples. Although Mozi himself was born into a noble family, he cared about the hard work of the common people. After completing his studies, he mostly worked among the lower-class poor peasants and the handicraft industry. In addition, extravagance and extravagance was prevalent in the upper class society at that time.
The superior behaves like a superior, while the inferior behaves like a subordinate.
Mozi felt that people should not work hard all their lives for the luxury of the aristocratic class, or even be ruthlessly exploited for dozens of lives. Therefore, he put forward the idea of frugality. They Mozi regarded their own poverty as a code of conduct. , mostly use sheepskin and coarse cloth to make clothes, and use wooden shoes and straw sandals as clothing. As for the shelter, it can be "protected from wind and cold on the side, rain and snow on the top, and men and women can be separated in the middle". Sleeping in a manger has become a kind of Subtle rules, he hopes to influence those "masters" through this behavior, reduce unnecessary waste, and increase the wealth of the country and the people through day and night operations. However, the original intention was good, but the effect was very little. After all, people who are used to eating flesh and blood cannot swallow the chaff. After all, not everyone's code of conduct has the style of a gentleman and a national scholar.
Zhang Xun started to have a headache when he saw Mo Sheng sitting in a dilapidated house, wearing the "gown clothes" of his Confucian sect, which "gentlemen do not wear gauze". The clothes they wear are actually so tit-for-tat.
After the snow, Suiyang City was bone-chillingly cold. Zhang Xun was a scholar. When he was studying, he only knew that traveling in the rain and snow was a kind of emotion. But now, he understands that traveling in the rain and snow is really a kind of emotion. He was wearing a thick cotton coat and bright armor on the outside. Although he was a scholar, his years of swordsmanship had tempered him into a long spear. Although it was thin, it was as powerful as a rainbow and was impervious to wind and cold.
Mo Sheng guessed that the person who came was none other than County Magistrate Zhang Xunzhang, who had been in a lot of trouble recently. He put down the carbon strips in his hand, stood up, stretched his frozen legs and feet, and walked out of the courtyard. .
Inside and outside the half-collapsed courtyard gate was Mo Sheng in ragged clothes, and outside was Zhang Xun in bright clothes and an angry horse. Zhang Xun looked at this mysterious Mo Sheng. Although this man was not well-dressed, he had a handsome face, a heavy complexion, and dark and strong eyebrows, like two mountain ridges, standing on his angular face. He was tall and had a broad chest. The right shoulder is slightly higher than the left. At first glance, it can be seen that there are physical abnormalities caused by drawing a bow and sword all the time. Although he is alone on a snowy night, his body is full of energy and is slowly gaining momentum.
Mo Sheng also looked at the famous Zhang Xun. He was over fifty years old, more than seven feet long, not very generous. He was holding a gauze lantern in his left hand and a food box in his right hand. He had a sword on his waist and was wearing armor. He had a good appearance and long hair. He must have a beautiful beard, 30% murderous aura, and 70% elegant aura. Although he has reached the age of destiny, his eyes are shining and the eye sockets are deep and slightly swollen. Although Mo Sheng is not proficient in the art of physiognomy, judging from his appearance, , you will know that this person is extraordinary and not a layman.
The two of them stood facing each other, both secretly praising each other's appearance, and couldn't help but feel more cautious. Zhang Xun put down the things in his hands, and Mo Sheng straightened his clothes. Their eyes met, and at the same time they bowed their hands and bowed to the ground. One of them called "Mr. Zhang." ", one called "Mr. Mo", his tone was gentle and pious. After the ceremony, Mo Sheng stepped forward to exchange greetings. Although he knew the purpose of Zhang Xun's trip and the dispute between Confucianism and Mohism, they were both guarding the city at this time and were still familiar with normal interpersonal interactions. Mo Sheng had long since stopped After many years of experience, he is no longer a slobber who only knows how to write and write.
Mo Sheng welcomed Zhang Xun to his thatched hut. Zhang Xun looked around and saw that this was no longer a simple residence that could be described as simple. Although he was stubborn and deficient in redefining the "conventions" advertised by the Mo family, it was commendable.
The embarrassing situation soon came. Mo Sheng's bedroom only had a table and a stool. He used it by himself on weekdays. Most of the people who came to visit didn't stay long. They were all pampered and pampered big shots. They came to Mo Sheng like this. In a place where people get things done, they naturally don’t want to endure any hardships. After all, who would be willing to suffer from the cold for no reason? Staying in a charcoal-fired greenhouse in this cold winter is not beautiful, not to mention the ice cellar that is transparent on all sides, so cold. The cold wind is real and unbearable.
In the current situation, Zhang Xun came with a food box. Mo Sheng could tell at a glance that Zhang Xun was ready for a long conversation. Although it wouldn't last all night, it would certainly not be too short. He only had this stool It seemed to be stretched thin, and it became an embarrassing situation as to who should sit down.
Zhang Xun is a transparent person. He saw through Mo Sheng's embarrassment and was not particular about it. He lifted the food box to the table, took off the sword from his waist, gathered the hay on the ground into a pile, and sat on the ground. Mo Sheng was stunned by Zhang Xun's actions. He didn't expect that this Zhang Xun was no ordinary Confucian scholar. He had no official style. Whether sincere or not, he could resolve the embarrassment between the two of them through talking and laughing, and inadvertently brought them closer to each other. He is a rare and wonderful person.
Mo Sheng followed Zhang Xun's example and also sat on the floor. However, the broken table was a bit too high compared to the two people sitting on the floor. Sitting on the ground, his head was as high as the table. It seemed that the two of them were destined to be unable to compete at the table tonight. Talked. Zhang Xun was very casual, and Mo Sheng was no longer particular. Guests did as they pleased, and the guests were all so bohemian. It was really unjustifiable for him to be so coy and pretentious. By chance, the two of them were like those hermits and masters in the late Han Dynasty and early Jin Dynasty. They used the sky as their roof and the earth as their bed, drank and drank together, and talked for a long time, which was very free and easy.
It's just that Zhang Xun felt a little headache looking at the side dishes and wine he had specially brought. There are a total of six snacks and side dishes in the food box, all of which are suitable for slow tasting with wine. They are served on white porcelain plates and are colorful and attractive. It's just that the conditions on Mo Sheng's side are limited. The table is out of reach. It's a pity that it is placed on the ground like this now. It's a waste of such a good thing and a waste of the hard work of a concubine. No matter how thoughtful he is, he can't do it. Thinking that Mo Sheng's house didn't even have a stool for guests to sit on. Mo Sheng looked at these exquisite side dishes and then at his table. Suddenly his heart moved and he confessed his crime to Zhang Xun and asked Zhang Xun to wait for a while.
Mo Sheng stood up, put away the lamp and books on the broken table, grabbed the table legs with both hands, lifted the table and walked a little further into the courtyard. Zhang Xun was still observing Mo Sheng's actions when he saw Mo Sheng secretly taking a breath of Qi, holding the table in his left hand to the ground in front of his chest, spreading his right hand, his fingers together like a knife, raising his arm, and turning his wrist in a half circle , and then slashed towards the table leg.
Before long, the four arm-thick table legs were chopped off by Mo Sheng with his fleshy palm under Zhang Xun's watch. The cut surface was smooth, like a kitchen knife cutting tofu. Mo Sheng's right palm was like a real magic weapon. One is a meat palm and the other is an elm table leg. This is incredible. The four table legs were cut off in two or three strokes. An old but sturdy hardwood square table was half shorter in an instant. The height was just right. Mo Sheng had already carried the broken table back to the inner room, and Zhang Xun was still stunned.
Zhang Xun is a scholar. Although those who can study are usually from well-off families, after all, those who can read may not necessarily be able to practice martial arts. Those who can afford a master to learn how to box and kick must be quite good. A prosperous family means more than just four words: poor, educated and rich. Although Zhang Xun's ancestral home is the Zhang family in Hedong, and he has some property, his father was persecuted and his family fled to Dengzhou. Seventy-eight years of his property was lost. After he was born, he only had some money and food, and no worries about his livelihood. , but if you want to ask a martial artist to teach you martial arts, firstly, you don’t have the capital, and secondly, the time is short, and the power of the sect in the area is not clear, so you have no such plan. Zhang Xun himself also likes to read military books every day. After his homework, he practices some ordinary boxing techniques according to the boxing manuals in the book. His superficial skills are not suitable for the stage, and he just wants to strengthen his body and show his true nature as a man.
Mo Sheng is different from Zhang Xun because he is a direct descendant of the Mo family. He has read many good books since he was a child and has a good teacher in martial arts. The Mohists studied a wide range of subjects, including astronomy and geography, astrology and numerology, organs and weapons, fists and feet, weapons, internal energy breathing, medical elixirs and so on. Mo Sheng has been yearning for those Mohist knights walking around the world since he was a child. Firstly, he thinks they are very cool in hoeing the strong and supporting the weak and doing chivalry and justice. Secondly, he also hopes to achieve success in his studies so that he can see the colorful world outside. Although he had no worries about food and clothing while hiding in the house, he was still somewhat constrained. Since childhood, Mo Sheng's wish was to study hard, practice martial arts hard, grow up early, travel around the world, and promote the Mohist family. It was only when I reached middle age and spent half my life that I realized how ridiculous my childhood wish to grow up was.
Mo Sheng's kung fu was excellent, at least Zhang Xun thought so. He could split hard wood with his hands and survive in a cold room without getting hurt. Zhang Xun could never do these things. Among the generals he knew, no matter Nan Ji Yun or Lei Wanchun, although he didn't know which one of them was more capable, it didn't stop him from respecting these people. We should respect the strengths of others and our weaknesses.
Mo Sheng returned to the inner room, placed the table in front of Zhang Xun, took up the oil lamp and arranged it, picked up the side dishes on the floor, and arranged them neatly. Zhang Xun understood Mo Sheng's intention, laughed, and praised sincerely: "Mr. Mo is so handsome and has such an exquisite mind!" After saying that, he reached out and took out a wine bottle with a fat belly and a long neck from the bottom of the food box. , two silver wine bottles with three legs at the bottom, cylindrical shape, straight arms with lids, deep belly, animal bits and ring ears, they look very valuable. Mo Sheng dealt with things politely, and the two of them put these things away while talking politely. Zhang Xun expected that Mo Sheng didn't even have extra stools here, let alone a charcoal stove for warming wine. , Let’s raise a glass and drink together later, there are some flaws.
The wine Zhang Xun brought was the best sake. It was crystal clear and had no green color. You could tell it was a treasure at a glance. Men in the Tang Dynasty are generally divided into two types, those who love drinking and those who love drinking very much. From kings and dignitaries to ordinary people, they will take a sip as long as they have the conditions. People are divided into noble and inferior, and wine also gives birth to noble and inferior because of the people who drink it.
Mo Sheng is good at wine and has drunk a lot of wine. After decades of turmoil, he drank the hard-to-find Western Region wine as a royal tribute, sipped the amber wine and pomegranate wine that moved people's hearts just because of its color, tasted the clear and transparent sake that cost a thousand dollars, and got drunk on the rich squire's own home. When brewing and selling rice wine, he also drank yellow fermented fermented rice wine and green fermented fermented rice wine that had a rough, low-tasting taste and green fermented fermented rice wine. As for the worse old fermented fermented rice wine, he also drank it. All the civil servants, military officers, literati and poets in the Tang Dynasty were not bad at drinking. Li Longji, the co-leader of the world, Yang Yuhuan who lost his beauty in the Sixth Palace, Zhang Wenwen who was admired by tens of thousands of people, Wang Zhongsi who was the best in the world in martial arts, Li Linfu who was a sweet talker and a swordsman, and Pei Min, the sage of swordsmanship, all preferred the thing in the cup. Whether it is the arrogant Li Taibai, the depressed Du Zimei, or the beloved Wang Wei, these poetry writers who represent the scholars of the Tang Dynasty are addicted to alcohol. If you are not good at writing poems and books, you can do more You can read and write a lot, but if you can't drink well, then you may really be a bad person.
As a scholar, Zhang Xun naturally wants to drink. What's more, he is coming to visit Mo Sheng tonight. The best communication between men is drinking. Two people who have never met each other can often exchange their lives for just one glass of wine. Friendship, of course, this kind of unreasonable emotion is really inexplicable to women. The wine Zhang Xun brought was a high-grade sake that many people were afraid of. Judging from the appearance, it was worth tens of thousands of dollars. With Zhang Xun's family background, it is natural that he cannot afford such expensive wine. In addition, these are troubled times, and it is even harder to find expensive but unmarketable wine. Xu Yuan also thought carefully about this wine. He knew that Mo Sheng was good to drink, so he specially bought it from home. They were picked out from the private collection so that Zhang Xun could lend them wine as gifts and ease the possible conflict with Mo Sheng. After all, if you don't look at Confucianism and look at Liquor, the situation will not be too embarrassing.
The wine has been put into the bottle, but it cannot be heated, so it is a little unsatisfactory. Zhang Xun is still chatting briefly with Mo Sheng about household matters, from shallow to deep, slowly permeating, and a master has to think carefully about his moves. Zhang Xun didn't mean to deliberately go around and not express his intention. After all, the two met for the first time, and the depth of each other's background was not transparent. The defense of the city was of great importance, so there was no chance of being careless. Mo Sheng was also cautious. Although Zhang Xun was well-known, and intelligence showed that he could resist the rebel army of more than 40,000 people with a few thousand troops for several months, and he could achieve many gains, but after all, it was only intelligence collected by his subordinates, and he had no personal experience. At the scene, many people in the Tang Dynasty officialdom lied about the military situation and whitewashed themselves. It is better to be cautious and do good, know yourself and the enemy.
After three rounds of wine, the aroma was overflowing, and Zhang Xunlue's stiff body became more active under the soothing effects of the wine. Mo Sheng is a Qi practitioner and is not afraid of the wind and cold. The side dishes on the plate are delicious and the wine in the cup is moist. The two of them are also people with great ambitions. Their conversation is extraordinary, they respect each other, and they talk happily.
"I heard that when Lord Zhang was guarding Yongqiu, he was full of wisdom and tricks. He matched up the false and the true. He defeated the Linghu Chao before and after. He defeated the opponent's more than 40,000 people with only a few thousand men. This time Suiyang needs help from the Lord. , I think it’s foolproof, but Mo Sheng’s trip is probably unnecessary and superfluous!”
Mo Sheng finally couldn't sit still and shot the first arrow in the fight between the two. Zhang Xun put down the silver cup in his hand, suppressed his smile, looked at Mo Sheng who was sitting across from him, stood up slowly, bowed his hands, and bowed his head towards Mo Sheng:
"Please help me, sir!"
Mo Sheng was shocked. He originally just said a tentative sentence, but he didn't expect that Zhang Xun's reaction was so big that he actually gave him a big salute. He quickly stood up, turned sideways to avoid this unbearable gift, and also bowed his hands, returning the gift while shouting:
"Master Zhang is harming me!"
The two pushed and shoved for a long time before they sat down again with serious expressions. Both Zhang Xun and Mo Sheng knew that it was time to get to the point. The confrontation between the two tonight had officially begun.
Scattered snowflakes began to fall from the sky, one by one, slowly covering the way they came. The two people sitting opposite each other slowly opened their armors, revealing their sincerity.
The wind is desolate at the end of the year, and the snow is falling all day long.
