At the end of a busy day, the supervisor left the school office and ordered Zhang Bi to leave the office and go home.
The Jiang Zuo School Office is mainly in charge of the carpenters, the construction carpenters of the palaces, and the carpenters of fine furniture, etc. It is an office that some people look down upon.
However, although the official position is low, there are many things to do. He deals with carpenters all day long, and there are many official construction tasks everywhere.
It's the Lantern Festival soon, and you can feel the increasingly intense Lantern Festival atmosphere in Chang'an City.
There are many new street lights on the streets.
The gates of every square are decorated with various lanterns, not to mention the noble houses in the square, every family has a colorful building in front of the door that matches their status.
Someone is drawing lines with white ash on the cross street in Fangzhong.
Zhang Bi greeted the commanding commander, "Zhang Lizheng, what are you doing?"
"The Yongzhou Yamen's new order is to prepare for the Lantern Festival. Each stall has designated some stalls on the cross streets within the stall. Those who want to set up stalls will have to sell in the designated spots to avoid being late.
Adding chaos."
Looking at the painted white squares, Zhang Bi felt pretty good. After working as a supervisor for several years, dealing with craftsmen, builders, etc. all day long, he could immediately imagine the street vendors during the Lantern Festival.
From being mobile to being a fixed hawker in a grid on the street.
It can really alleviate some congestion and confusion.
By this time, people had already started to register the painted stalls, and even started selling them in advance.
"Flower lanterns, all kinds of lanterns, beautiful lanterns, the Lantern Festival is coming soon, everyone buy one."
Looking at the various small lanterns sold by the vendors, Zhang Bi couldn't help but get closer and choose for a while. Finally, he picked a few small animal lanterns. He also bargained with the vendors for a while, and finally paid the money and took it home with satisfaction.
I believe that the children at home will be very happy when they see these lanterns.
When he turned from Cross Street to Little Cross Street, and finally turned into a remote alley, he saw many people standing in front of the firewood gate of his small bamboo-fenced courtyard.
Zhang Bi was stunned for a moment.
He stopped and looked at those people carefully, and found that these should be the guards of nobles.
What are these people doing around their door?
I have heard before that every year during the New Year and Yuan Dynasty, there would always be some dandy and evildoers taking the opportunity to do evil. Things like molesting women and robbing women often happened.
Thinking that his wife and concubines are pretty and their eldest daughter has already started to grow up, it can’t be that way?
When he thought of this, Zhang Bi became anxious.
He quickly strode home.
The guards stopped him.
"What are you doing in broad daylight?" Zhang Bi asked. Although he had been a carpenter in Chang'an for several years and learned a lot of craftsmanship, he was also a warrior in Wagang.
With a loud roar, the shocked guards couldn't help but look at him in surprise. He looked humble, but he actually had such a loud voice.
"Brother!"
At this time, a voice suddenly came from the courtyard, then the Chaimen opened and Li Daliang ran out.
He stopped at the door and stared at Zhang Bi.
His eyes became more and more delighted.
"Brother, it is indeed you."
Li Daliang pounced on Zhang Bi.
Zhang Bi also recognized Li Daliang.
The two old men ran towards each other and hugged each other fiercely.
Li Daliang shed tears of excitement.
"Brother, I have been looking for you for several years, and you have been in Chang'an, but why didn't you tell me?"
Zhang Bi was also very excited.
"Ever since Wei Gong died, I have no shame. If I hadn't been concerned about my wife and children in Chang'an, I would have gone with Wei Gong."
"You were in Beijing, you should have told me earlier." Li Daliang patted Zhang Bi's arm.
"Shameless." Zhang Bi said, "In fact, I have been paying attention to you secretly over the years. I have watched you rise all the way and have a smooth career. I am happy for you. I have also heard about the good deeds you have done over the years..."
Wu Huaiyu, Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, and Li Junxian also came out of the courtyard.
"Mr. Li, why don't we talk at home."
There was so much commotion here that the neighbors came out to watch, and maybe someone even ran to report it.
"Yes, come and sit at home."
Zhang Bi welcomed people into his home. There were several simple thatched houses in the courtyard.
Rough pottery, only boiled water, not even coarse tea cakes.
Li Daliang looked at his family and sighed, "Has your life been bad these past few years?"
"Fortunately, I have been serving as a prisoner. The world has been in turmoil these years, but I still have a salary to support my family. I don't have to worry about food and clothing."
Zhang Bi was a good person. He was a small official with little authority and wealth, but he could support his family. However, like Li Daliang, he also took in many orphans left by war and famine. He had five children of his own, and then adopted seven more.
indivual,
There are so many children, big and small, and just feeding so many mouths is actually quite laborious.
He also often helps his neighbors. He often helps out when there are urgent illnesses and no money for medicine, or when orphans and widowers have no food and no food.
Qin Qiong smiled and said to Cheng Yaojin and Li Junxian, "Look, they two brothers have the same character."
Li Daliang expressed that he would give his family wealth to Zhang Bi.
Zhang Bi laughed and said, "I heard that you are a famous prodigal man in the court. You have squandered all the rewards of gold, silver, slaves, silk, cattle and horses within three to five days. You
My family is no better than me."
"Hahaha."
The brothers hugged each other and laughed.
After laughing, I couldn't help crying.
Li Daliang sighed, "Brother, you were also a fierce general in Wagang back then. How can you be relegated to the position of a carpenter now? It's too unworthy of your talent. I will report to your majesty now and ask your majesty to hire you according to your talents and give you another official position."
"
Qin Qiongcheng, Li Junxian and others all nodded.
I think back then, Zhang Bi was the personal guard officer beside Li Mi, and Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin and others went to Wagang one after another, and later became the commanders of the hussars in Li Mi's elite tent. They were also familiar with Zhang Bi, and knew that Zhang Bi was also
Really good at riding and shooting.
It is said that when Zhang Bi followed Li Mi and defected to the Tang Dynasty, Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin and others were forced to surrender to Wang Shichong. It was much later that they abandoned Zheng and defected to the Tang Dynasty.
After Zhang Bi arrived in Chang'an, he was awarded the post of a fourth-grade Zhonglang General. Unfortunately, he failed to follow Li Mi eastward and was injured and captured. He was imprisoned for a long time. Later, it was found out that the emperor specially pardoned him and demoted him to a general.
The prisoner ranks from the ninth rank to the minor official.
It has since been completely forgotten.
This is because Zhang Bi did not seek connections. Otherwise, even if Li Daliang has been serving in the local area for a long time, his old acquaintances like Qin Qiong are still in the capital. If he took the initiative to borrow Qin Qiong's connections to join the King of Qin Li Shimin, not to mention what he would do to lead the army, at least
You can also find a deputy commander of the army, a captain or something like that.
You must know that Zhang Bi's position in Wagang was higher than that of Li Junxian, Niu Jinda and others.
Now Li Junxian is the governor of Lanzhou, and Niu Jinda is also Zuowei's pro-general.
Not to mention Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, one was the Minister of the Ministry of War to pay homage to the prime minister, and the other was the general governor of Luzhou.
There are many other Wagang generals who are actually doing well.
Li Daliang wanted to recommend Zhang Bi, and Qin Qiong also said that he would report to Emperor Chen in person.
But Zhang Bi said that it was good now. When Li Mi died in front of him and was shot by random arrows, it actually had a great impact on him.
Li Mi claimed to be Zhang Bi's benefactor. He once saved his life and treated him well. Unfortunately, he died in front of him. Although he tried his best to block several arrows for him, he failed to protect him in the end.
.
This matter bothered him.
"Brother, what is past is past," Li Daliang patted Zhang Bi's arm, still hoping that he could look forward.
Wu Huaiyu looked at the poverty of Zhang Bi's family, especially his dozen children, and moved Zhang Bi with just one sentence.
"Uncle Zhang, there are so many children in your family. They don't have enough to wear or have enough to eat, let alone learning literature, martial arts, riding and shooting. We can't delay them."
Zhang Bi looked at his wives and concubines who had been following him all these years, and saw the hope in their eyes. Then he looked at the group of children. Most of them had patches on their clothes. Even during the New Year, they were still wearing thin clothes.
.
These years have barely provided them with food and clothing, but as Wu Huaiyu said, there are indeed no good conditions for studying literature, martial arts, etc., and I owe the children a lot.
"Uncle Zhang, you have a lot of skills. Now that the country is employing people, it can't be wasted, right?"
Huaiyu said that Zhang Bi's children should go to a school affiliated with the Wu family in the south of the city to study. All fees would be waived for studying there, and a closed boarding system would be implemented. Food, accommodation, and even clothes, paper, and pens would be provided.
Of course, that is the family school of the Wu family, and is only available to the children of the Wu family in Bingzhou and some close relatives of the Wu family. Under normal circumstances, you have to pay for the additional education.
Wu Huaiyu paid this money for Zhang Bi.
Li Daliang said gratefully, "The Wu family school is quite famous in Chang'an now. The discipline is strict, the teachers are very knowledgeable, and the school spirit is rigorous. It is a good place to study."
Li Daliang also hoped that Zhang Bi and the others would move to his home.
Qin Qiong said, "Brother Li's house is not big, so why not go to my house in the south of the city? It is a house of seven or eight acres and has all the furniture and furnishings."
That day, three princes, two county princes, and a county man had a simple meal at Zhang Bi's house. It was really a simple meal. There was no last-minute preparation, and there was only some sorghum and millet at home.
Because of the large population, Zhang Bi would take most of the Lumi to the grain store and replace it with sorghum and other miscellaneous grains. Although sorghum is easier to maintain production under flood and drought conditions, and the yield is okay, it is really unpalatable and generally
They are all used as feed for livestock, and only in times of famine are they eaten as food.
The food in Zhang Bi's family consists of millet, sorghum, soybeans and other grains, which are then boiled in a large pot of water. Huaiyu even saw bran in the porridge, and then he ordered boiled white radish, a little bit of oil, and added
Add some salt and it's dinner.
It is hard to imagine that the dinner of an eighth-rank official's family is like this. There are no servants or maids to wait on them. There are nearly 20 people in the family and a dozen children, all eating very simple meals.
Zhang Bi's wife originally wanted to cook another pot of rice and even kill two old hens at home for cooking, but Qin Qiong, Li Daliang and the others refused and ate the already prepared meal.
Zhang Bi's family left a deep impression on Huaiyu.
At court the next day, he, Qin Qiong, and Li Daliang specially requested to meet the emperor, told the emperor about Zhang Bi, and recommended him.
Li Daliang even asked the emperor: "I have some merit today, it is all because of Zhang Bi. I request your majesty to transfer all my honors and titles to Zhang Bi, and grant Zhang Bi a suitable official position."
.”
"Your Majesty, when Zhang Bi returned to the Tang Dynasty, the imperial court awarded him the position of Zhonglang General. Zhang Bi was very brave, capable of riding and shooting..."
After hearing this, Li Shimin couldn't help but sigh, "Zhang Bi is loyal to his old master Li Mi. He is indeed a loyal and upright minister. It is also very rare to be able to live in poverty and loneliness in these years. I should reuse such a talent."
The emperor issued an order to confer the title of Prince Zhang Bi, Zuowei, as a lieutenant general in the Yi Mansion, with a rank of fourth rank. He was also commended for his loyalty and uprightness, and was given 200 pieces of silk and two horses.
