In the winter of the third year of Xiping in the Eastern Han Dynasty, outside Pingcheng, an important town in the northern part of Bingzhou, the north wind howled.
Pingcheng has been an important transportation hub in Yanmen County since the Qin Dynasty. The northeast, northwest and southwest are surrounded by mountains, with muddy water in the middle, which is now the trunk and tributary of the Yuhe River, forming some convenient transportation between the north and the south. of natural valleys and passes.
A group of knights on white horses surrounded a young man in the open space outside the city. Opposite them, a middle-aged man wearing a green ribbon with a silver seal around his waist was reluctantly saying goodbye to the young man.
The middle-aged man has decades of carriages ready to go behind him.
"Has Mr. Fu really thought about it?"
The young man named Zhang Fan sighed. The middle-aged man in front of him showed his identity both from his clothes and the ribbon on his waist.
Dou Tong, the prefect of Yanmen, or soon to be his predecessor, who was still wearing the green ribbon, gave a wry smile. He inhaled the cold wind blowing from the grassland to the north, which was a bit harsh and a bit stinging.
"My dear nephew, there is no need to persuade me anymore, I have already decided!"
Dou Tong pulled the big cloak on his body and sighed: "Actually, I was planning to leave for Xianbei a few years ago, but I just thought about it for a long time. Since the defeat of the general's eunuch execution, I have trouble sleeping and eating day and night. , but a few days ago I heard that Cao Jie and Wang Fu in the DPRK seemed to be attacking the party members again, so I finally decided to avoid disaster."
Zhang Fan was speechless. Since the failure of General Dou Wu and Taifu Chen Fan's attempt to kill the eunuch group, Dou Wu's relatives, guests, and in-laws have all been killed, and his family members have been exiled to the distant Bijing County of Rinan County. Even Queen Mother Dou was placed under house arrest in Yuntai.
As for why Dou Tong, who is the governor of Yanmen County, is safe and sound so far, it should be because the location of Yanmen County is too important. Considering the frequent plundering of Xianbei southward, and the focus of Cao Jie, Wang Fu and others has always been on such Zhang Jian, Tian Lin and other important party members.
Zhang Fan wholeheartedly agrees with Dou Tong's concerns. As far as he knows, in about two or three years, the persecution of the party members by the current Holy Emperor, our Ling Emperor, will only increase, and the party members themselves will not wait. He said that those who belong to the five ethnic groups or have a close relationship with the party members will not be let go.
"If the general could succeed back then, how could he be like what he is today!"
Dou Tong was so upset that he suddenly wailed. The family members and servants in the motorcade behind him were filled with sadness when they heard this, and some even burst into tears.
The north wind was already cold, but now it was mixed with the cries of women and children. Hearing this, Zhang Fan became agitated for a moment, stepped forward suddenly, and shouted in a deep voice.
"Master Fu! Among the ancient gentlemen, how could anyone achieve great things by crying and complaining?"
Dou Tong was startled by Zhang Fan's loud shout, and the crying of his family behind him suddenly stopped.
"Your Majesty, the general was defeated in the military and the eunuch was eunuch. Even though he was saddened by the world, wasn't it because of his indecisiveness and hesitation, and finally the secret of the matter was leaked! Such a scholar acted forward and backward, and in the end he was Isn't it natural for the eunuch to fight back and die?"
Dou Tong was dumbfounded by these two rhetorical questions. Zhang Fan was actually resenting Dou Wu and others back then!
At this time, Dou Tong could no longer blame others, but he just felt embarrassed. Suddenly he remembered something and couldn't help but smile. He greeted the family behind him, and a small square object was brought to him on a tray.
I saw Dou Tong picking up the object. Zhang Fan also saw the object clearly at this time. It turned out to be a Gangmao!
Gangmao is an ornament worn on the body to ward off evil spirits. It is long and square in shape, with holes for threading ropes. There are words engraved on all sides, mostly to exorcise ghosts and frighten epidemics.
This item was popular in the Han Dynasty, and was worn by everyone from emperors to princes to scholars. Therefore, there were also class divisions. For example, the Duke and the Lieutenant were made of white jade, and those from 2,000 to 400 stones were made of black rhinoceros. system.
Zhang Fan watched Dou Tong pick up the object and walk towards him, but he had already guessed his next move.
Sure enough, Dou Tong actually took his Black Rhinoceros Gangmao and put it on Zhang Fan himself!
Zhang Fan was frightened and stunned, but after Dou Tong's instructions, he did not stop him.
After putting it on, Dou Tong arranged Zhang Fan's clothes very intimately, as if he was treating Zhang Fan as his own son and nephew.
"My dear nephew, oh, please allow me to call you Afan today! We, the scholars, are really ashamed to say that we are not as free and bold as you! Afan, you really deserve to be like your ancestor Nie Yi. You are so courageous! Your Zhang family in Mayi has been dormant in Yanmen County for nearly forty years. Now that you have become a Qilin, I think you may not be able to revive your family tradition in the future!"
Dou Tong said with emotion, and suddenly took Zhang Fan's hand.
In the Han Dynasty, holding someone's hand was an extremely intimate gesture, and Dou Tong was actually a little uncomfortable with it. But on today's parting occasion, the action of holding someone's hand was quite appropriate. Speaking of which, the young man in front of him liked this action of holding someone's hand when they met. The most common action!
Everyone in Yanmen County doesn't know that Zhang Shaojun, Zhang Shaojun of the Zhang family in Mayi, who has been very famous since childhood, is also known as Zhang Fan. Whenever he meets people, he likes to grab their hands and greet them.
Zhang Fan's hands were grabbed by Dou Tong, and he looked a little weird. In the past, it was Zhang Shaojun who grabbed other people's hands, so how come it's the other way around today?
"Ah Fan, although you are only serving as a minor official in the county as a military officer, deputy historian, and military officer, you have not yet been crowned. I heard that you will soon go to Luoyang to study with a teacher. This is also an excellent way out. In the future, scholars will not look down upon you just because you are a warrior in Bian County!"
Dou Tong said sincerely, Zhang Fan was listening with a serious face at this time, but Dou Tong's next words were shocking.
"This is my farewell gift to you today. Although it is a bit shabby, it is also my expectation for your future! Ah Fan, your future will definitely not be just what these two thousand stones can give you! Just like you I still remember what Guo Linzong from Taiyuan County said when he met you when I was a boy."
After a pause, Dou Tong raised his head and thought for a moment, looked up at the sky, and slowly said the sentence that Bingzhou today, or in a larger world, the entire Han Empire may have heard.
"Guo Linzong said that day that you were, 'If the world is peaceful, you will be the pillar of the country; if the world is unstable, you will be the hero of the world!' From this point of view, then Afan, you will definitely become a prince and become a prime minister in the future!"
Dou Yi burst out laughing after finishing each word. Zhang Fan was speechless, with a serious look on his face. He wanted to speak but was choked in his heart.
Let’s not talk about how the famous Taiyuan scholar Guo Linzong evaluated him when he was a boy. Just saying that Dou Tong thought that he would be a minister in the future. Zhang Fan only felt a huge sense of urgency sweeping over him. With the howling north wind, who could have imagined that in just a few years, this big man would cause chaos in the world!
However, at this moment, the problem that has troubled Zhang Fan for more than ten years was put aside for the time being. At this time of separation, Zhang Fan and Dou Tong had a question that was difficult for both of them to talk about.
At this moment, a knight on a white horse suddenly came from a distance. The man was strong and skilled at bow and horse.
"Xu~"
"Young Master, there are hundreds of Xianbei dogs riding in the mountain col ahead!"
Cheng Lian reined in his horse and immediately reported loudly to Zhang Fan and others.
As soon as these words came out, everyone's expressions changed rapidly. Except for Zhang Fan and Dou Tong, who seemed to have expected it and just looked at each other, the knights behind Zhang Fan were all dressed up solemnly, while Dou Tong's family members were panicked. Incessantly.
Seeing that there was no change on Zhang Fan's face, Dou Tong shook his head and smiled bitterly, but then he looked at the knight on the ground who had just replied.
"I remember, you are Cheng Lian Cheng Zi Zhang, right? You seem to be A Fan's personal companion? With such superb martial arts, why not join the army?"
When Cheng Lian heard Dou Tong's question, he looked startled and replied respectfully: "Reporting to the prince, I am a son of a Han family in the frontier fortress. I should not be treated harshly by the prince! Even if he has some martial arts, he just wants to be able to protect him." It’s all about my young master.”
When Dou Tong heard this, he also smiled softly, nodded and recalled: "Afan, I remember that there were many knights like Cheng Lian around you in the past? How come he is the only one today?"
"The Lord Fu is talking about Wei Yue and Cao Xing?"
"Well, what about Lu Fengxian?"
"Oh, they are busy with other things."
Zhang Fan replied casually, he could certainly see what Dou Tong meant, the Lord Dou in front of him was thinking of loving talents again!
In the past, in private, Dou Tong would talk about the Cheng Lian Chengzi Zhang next to Zhang Fan from time to time, the superb martial arts of Wei Yue, Wei Zijing, and Lu Bu and Lu Fengxian who later came from Wuyuan, which made Dou Tong even more delighted, but it was a pity that Zhang Fan kept pretending to be stupid, leaving Mr. Dou Fu unable to do anything.
"Afan, let's say goodbye then! Thank you very much for Zhang's many belongings."
Dou Tong pulled the cloak on his body, finally no longer lingering, got on his horse and turned around to leave.
Zhang Fan got on his horse and nodded, quietly watching the long team of Dou's family heading towards the hundreds of Xianbei cavalry who rode earlier.
Dou Tong, who had already walked some distance, rode on his horse, but not long after, he heard Zhang Fan's long voice behind him:
"The spring dawns on the top of the Independence Mountain, and the soldiers are saddened by the hardships of the conquest.
The barbarians of Xianbei were distraught, and the sons of the Han family were hesitant.
Mr. Dou has endured the dust and dirt, but he has never forgotten his identity.
If you have great ambitions, you can ask questions, but if you have a difficult road ahead, you will regret it.
The morning light still reflects on the banks of the Han River. Where is the dream of my hometown now?
The ambition of the Han family has not been lost, and the blood of our ancestors flows through the ages.
May you stick to your chivalrous heart and serve the people and the mountains and plains. "
Dou Tong's expression changed greatly as he was riding. At this moment, the horse Dou Tong was riding on suddenly slipped and fell. At this moment, the road on the ground was too slippery or something happened, and the family members around him were so shocked that they rushed to help him. But Dou Tong covered his face with his sleeves and robe, and did not care about the cloak that fell to the ground. He heard a leisurely voice beside his ears, but he only urged "go, go, go, go" in a panic.
Cheng Lian looked at the embarrassment of Dou Tongyi's family members not far away. He didn't know what was going on. He just listened to Shaojun's long voice next to him. On the one hand, he felt more and more in awe. On the other hand, he just felt that this Dou Fujun was in his heart. Why is it like running away?
"Taizu became famous when he was young. At that time, Dou Tong, the governor of Yanmen, thought that Taizu's previous weapons were not limited, so he returned to Damao to pay tribute to Taizu in the future. In order to avoid Dou Wu's troubles, Dou Tong fled to Xianbei and became a member of the tribe. Your Excellency." - "Book of Later Jin" Volume 1 "The Chronicles of Gaozu"
