"We don't know what's going on lately. When we close our eyes, it's all in the past!"
The old man took a sip of wine, took a piece of chopsticks and put it in his mouth and chewed it slowly.
"One day, our little Qian'er will run barefoot all over the mountains and plains, catching loaches on rivers and birds on trees, and following behind his brother, he will dig mouse nests and collect grain."
"After a while, I was working as a monk in a temple. I washed, rinsed, rinsed, and wiped the Buddha statues every day. I could scold and give instructions to any senior brother who came over."
"Oh, the dream was so messy. When I woke up, my head was buzzing and hurting. The people and scenes in the dream were all messed up. We have forgotten many of the people for decades, but the dream was so real."
"There are many things that we have forgotten, but they keep popping up."
"The wild cherry trees in the back mountain, the sweet-scented osmanthus in the temple..."
The old man was talking nonchalantly, and Zhu Yunxi was listening silently.
It's not that people like to reminisce when they get old, but those memories will come out from deep in their hearts when they get old, reminding people of the road they have traveled in this life, the people they have met, the words they have said, and the things they have done.
You will replay the good, bad, and confused things of human nature again, and tell people that you have both success and regrets in your life, that you have been sorry for others, and that you have behaved unforgivably.
"Hey!" The old man took a sip of wine, stretched out his big hand and poured the last bit of the warm wine flask into the cup, and then looked at the slightly rippling liquid inside.
"Grandson!"
"My grandson is here!"
A smile appeared on the old man's face, "You tell me, are we... damn fast?"
Zhu Yunxi was startled and immediately shook his head and said, "Grandpa Huang, what are you talking about? You have a strong body..."
"No need to say nice things!" The old man waved his hand and said with a smile, "I heard the old man say that if a person is about to blow out the lamp and pull out the wax, his mind will be filled with things from the past all day long!"
"Actually, we are just happy, and there is nothing strange about it. Life is rare in the past seventy years, and we never thought that we could live this long. We all have wealth and power in the world, and even if we die and meet the Lord of Hell, we will not be afraid!
"
"At such an old age, it's not easy to still be able to walk and run, not have to be waited on by someone to pee or poop at the bedside, and to be able to drink and eat meat."
"We are not afraid of death. Aren't we just kicking our legs and closing our eyes?"
"But we don't know what's going on in our hearts. We just feel so damn uncomfortable. It's like..." At this point, the old man frowned and thought, "It's like there's something we haven't figured out or done yet.
?”
In total, this year is the winter of Hongwu's 30th year, and the old man's death was in May of Hongwu's 31st year.
So do the math....
Don’t dare to count! Don’t dare to count!
There was obviously no tone fluctuation in the old man's words, but when Zhu Yunxi heard them, he felt so sad and sad in his heart.
He is the emperor now and has the greatest power in the world. With a single order, he can deprive countless people of their lives. But when it comes to the real life, old age, illness and death, he is so powerless and pale.
"Don't think blindly!" Zhu Yunxi served the old man a bowl of soup and said with a smile, "Didn't you always say that before? Try to live for another ten years and watch Liu Jin start a family, marry a wife and have children."
"Just think about it, by then, when it's time to eat, you will be surrounded by several generations of people. This one will pour you wine, and that one will serve you food. Those who are busy in the kitchen will be your granddaughter-in-law and great-granddaughter-in-law.
Hold another little one..."
"Hehe, that's beautiful!" The old man squinted and smiled, then looked at the six pounds, "Just think about it, life used to be slow and now time is fast. These days, they won't be waiting for us, and we can't catch up.
"
After saying that, the old man raised his hand to raise his glass and drank half of the glass of wine in one go.
Then he opened his mouth wide and bit into the duck leg in the bowl.
His movements were very slow, but he chewed hard.
Zhu Yunxi's heart ached with pain. He was silent for a moment and said softly, "Grandpa Huang, your birthday is coming soon!"
"Well!" The old man agreed vaguely, "If you don't tell us, we will forget about it."
"My grandson has long asked the people at Qintian Prison to calculate the date. This year is a leap tenth month, so your birthday is later than in previous years!" Zhu Yunxi said with a smile.
The old man raised his head and said, "Your mother-in-law said that the year we were born was also a leap month." As he spoke, he smiled and said, "The aunt in Zhuangzi said that people born in a leap month are blessed and promising!"
"My grandson has arranged your birthday this year!" Zhu Yunxi didn't want to tell the old man this in advance, but now he felt that if he let the old man know earlier and give him something to look forward to, he might be more happy.
"No matter how much you organize it, it's just a birthday. Hey, it doesn't matter if you can't live it up, don't spend a bunch of money in vain." The old man put down the bowl, "I know you are filial, but filial piety is not the main thing."
"A bowl of soup while alive is better than ten thousand sticks of incense in front of the grave. Just like us, we built the most magnificent grave in the world for your grandpa and grandma, but what's the use? They haven't even had a good life for a long time!"
Then he sighed again, "A son's birthday is a mother's day of hardship. Everyone in the world says that men are good and they can carry on the family line and provide for them in old age. Who knows that when a man grows up, he forgets his parents."
"Speak of filial piety and practice it, and do it well on the surface. People in front of others only seek to gain fame, but they don't care about the dead grass growing on their graves."
"In the sixth year of Hongwu, Li Shanchang and Wu Liang were ordered to build Fengyang Zhongdu. At that time, all the ministers were opposed to it, but we were stubborn and insisted on building Zhongdu as beautiful as Yingtian Mansion."
"It's a waste of people's and material resources, but in the end, we can only understand it when we are now at this age. What's the use? No matter how beautiful the city is, it's just a decoration. It's not so much built for our parents and brothers as it is for us.
For the sake of face, we repaired it ourselves."
"It's us who made it for living people to see!"
Having said this, the old man reached out to touch the wine bottle again, only to find that it was empty.
"Where's the wine?" The old man turned around and asked.
Pu Bucheng lowered his head, "Old man, you have arrived today..."
"You old guy!" the old man scolded, "It's your turn to take care of us when we drink some wine? Go, take it!"
Pu Bucheng did not dare to move, and looked at Zhu Yunxi for help.
"What? We haven't closed our eyes yet, and you're fawning over the new master?" the old man scolded, "Believe it or not, now..."
"Go get some more!" Zhu Yunxi said, comforting the old man and smiling, "Grandpa Huang, you can't drink the last cup!"
"How many more days can we drink? Why don't you say you are filial and don't let us enjoy ourselves as long as we are alive?" the old man scolded.
At this time, Liujin suddenly held up a dumpling and brought it to the old man's mouth, "Old Ancestor, the dumplings are getting cold after you eat them!"
"Our dear grandson is still of the same mind as us!" The old man smiled and ate it.
"Ancestor, the bachelor who taught his grandson to study said that Fengyang Zhongdu is our hometown!" Liu Jin tilted his head and said, "He also said that when the grandson reaches thirteen years old, he will walk to Zhongdu.
Worship the imperial mausoleum."
"Well, don't forget your roots!" The old man nodded, "When your grandfather and uncle were young, they all walked back home wearing hemp shoes."
"Ancestor, will you go back with your grandson?" Liu Jin asked.
The old man suddenly paused and didn't know how to answer.
"Grandpa Huang!" Zhu Yunxi was moved when he saw the old man's appearance, "How about your grandson accompany you back to your hometown in Fengyang to visit?"
He said, laughing, "It's good to go back and see where you lived before, and tell your grandchildren about the hardships back then. Then go to the imperial mausoleum and put incense sticks, remove weeds and add soil!"
"Then..." the old man hesitated, "Isn't it right? When we go out, thousands of people will eat and drink. How much will it cost?" As he said that, he lowered his head and said,
"Fengyang is a poor place, and I'm afraid the people will be blamed for it in the end."
This chapter has been completed!