It was still a rainy day. Song Youben was sitting on the first floor making tea and reading a book to kill time. He looked at the maid who walked in and saluted him and asked helplessly.
"My wife said that your husband must have realized that Miss Jiang was not a human being that night. It was just that he was kind-hearted or had some scruples, so he didn't take action." The maid bowed again and said, "I came here specially to ask you to take action and return the capital to Changjing."
A peace.”
"I didn't say that."
"Please sir, take action."
"Please come back."
"How much money do you want sir? My wife can satisfy you."
"Please ask Gao Ming."
"In recent days, my wife has been neglecting food and food, and has become thinner and thinner day by day. Sir, here is a shop sign that exorcises evil spirits, subdues demons, and eliminates worries. Could it be that he just watched Miss Jiang cause trouble for my wife that night?"
"I have misunderstood. I only focus on exorcising evil spirits and subduing demons. Catching rats and removing worries is my cat's skill. The worries it removes are only rat worries." Song You looked at the entangled maid and shook his head secretly. He was so worried about her in his heart.
I was not happy after being disturbed for so many times, and there was really no other way. After thinking about it, I had to say, "But there is indeed a way to relieve Madam's worries."
"What method? Please give me some advice, sir!"
"I heard that there is a little ghost in the North. He is two feet tall and has an ugly face. He is called the ugly-faced ghost. He loves to hurt people by nature. Catch the ugly-faced ghost and take his heart and liver, supplemented by one tael of nine-leaf heavy building and two taels of cicada pupa during the winter solstice.
, fried in the next year's snow can relieve this pain."
"Sir, please don't try to frustrate me with things you can't do." The maid said, "Although this servant is stupid, you still know that there is a seven-leaf flower in Chonglou, how can cicadas come in the winter solstice, and how can snow last year? Not to mention us.
Where can I find the little ghost from the North?"
"A single step will tell you a lot."
Song You said respectfully.
No wonder she can be a confidant's maid.
"But what you don't know at first glance is that the summer dry is like a nine-leaf tower. During the winter solstice, you can still see cicadas by digging three feet into the ground. It snows at midnight on New Year's Eve and it has been a year since it fell." The Taoist said to her, "When it is the hottest time in the north,
At the time when yin and yang meet, those who are destined to carry a mirror and walk at night can see ugly-faced ghosts."
"This is how to break Wanjiang's demonic method?"
"It can make people less jealous."
"..."
The maid immediately pursed her lips and fell silent. After a while, she bowed and bowed, said goodbye, and then went out and returned to the carriage.
The rain pattered the tarpaulin, and there was a thumping sound.
"well……"
Song You shook his head and sighed, picked up the tea again, raised the book in his hand, glanced at the ink marks on the book, and then looked at the rain outside.
Is it time for the rain to stop?
This time of year is suitable for sleeping.
"thorough!"
The coachman shouted outside the door, and the carriage gradually left.
…
The rain has stopped and the weather is dry.
Amidst the sound of rumbling, the carriage came slowly.
The broad Changjing city wall slowly appeared in front of us.
The driver was a round-faced servant, and a young warrior on horseback with a sword was walking beside the carriage. Suddenly the curtain was lifted, revealing the face of a frail middle-aged scholar.
The servant immediately turned around and reported: "Master, we have arrived in Changjing."
"finally reached……"
Cui Nanxi squinted his eyes and looked at the city wall in front of him, feeling filled with emotion.
I was demoted from the capital a few years ago. Although I was unjust, I was disheartened for a while. I just wanted to resign and focus on the mountains and rivers. Who knew that I would encounter such a wonderful thing later - walking with the immortals, sleeping on the top of a mountain,
He slept for a whole year in the human world. Before leaving, he was given elixir as a gift. After that, no matter how cold the weather was, he never got sick.
Fortunately, my wife and children are back home and everything is fine.
I heard that when my mother heard the bad news, she was so angry that she cried for several nights and suffered a serious illness. However, she survived. On the contrary, when she learned that she was alive again, she was surprised and fell ill again.
Anyway, I finally returned to Beijing.
Although the Ministry of Civil Affairs has not arranged any official position for him, and although he also knows why the emperor called him back, he is still full of confidence, and it seems that he has returned to his original high-spiritedness.
"Ahem..."
There was a coughing sound from behind.
Cui Nanxi quickly put down the curtain and turned around to take care of her.
It was a tiring journey all the way. After taking the elixir, I have been in good health with no problems. It was much easier than when I traveled from Changjing to Pingzhou. However, my wife was weak and suffered a lot.
The carriage slowly went downhill and passed through the scroll.
Arrive at the city gate and enter the city smoothly.
The public affairs in Changjing were tense, and many officials had to rent houses to live. However, Cui Nanxi was recalled by the emperor himself, so he naturally had a place to settle down.
The friends he had met in Changjing had already received his letters. When he arrived at his residence, several friends had come to greet him. These people were probably Cui Nanxi's biggest gains during his years in Changjing. They were all pure people.
The acquaintance of gentlemen and literary friends did not break off because of his demotion, nor did they become estranged because they had not seen each other for several years.
"Haha Brother Cui!"
"Brother Cui is finally back!"
Someone was walking towards him from a distance.
Cui Nanxi also got out of the car immediately, holding his hands up repeatedly with a sigh on his face: "Brother Zhao, Brother Zheng, Brother Liu, we haven't seen each other for a long time. It's rare that you still remember me."
"Where are you talking?" said an official. "Brother Cui, hurry up and pack up. I'll collect the money and book a table of food and drinks at Yunchun Tower. Let's have a good drink today so that we can cleanse Brother Cui. We just happen to want to hear it too."
After hearing Brother Cui’s experience of meeting immortals in Pingzhou, haha, the whole Changjing capital is very curious about it.”
"Ran! Go quickly!"
"Brother Cui, hurry up! Do you want help?"
"..."
Cui Nanxi was filled with emotion again.
After putting down his luggage and settling his wife, he rode in a government carriage and asked Hong Xiu's servants to rush back to the inn. Cui Nanxi went to Yunchun Tower for a banquet.
There are many literati in Changjing who yearn for immortality, especially those talented nobles. To them, yearning for immortality is as elegant as drinking tea and listening to the piano, not to mention spending a night on the mountain for a year.
The wonderful thing seemed to be more immortal than immortality, flying into the sky and escaping from the earth. These old friends were all curious about his experience on Yunding Mountain in Pingzhou, and they felt as if they were scratching their heads.
Cui Nanxi talked while eating and drinking.
When everyone heard this, they were all envious.
"Brother Cui has had this experience. I don't know how many literati he would envy in Changjing. This trip and this life are not wasted..."
"Poor that immortal in poetry, he has never had such an experience as Brother Cui in his life!"
"Brother Cui is also knowledgeable and knowledgeable, so he can meet the immortal. If it had been anyone else, he might not have been so lucky. No matter what, if he can be favored by the immortal, Brother Cui's trip is destined to be extraordinary."
"It makes sense..."
Several people said something to each other.
After Cui Nanxi heard this, he shook his head:
"You guys should not try to discredit Cui. Cui is self-aware. This time he met an immortal, was nourished by the immortal's energy, and received guidance and gifts from the immortal. It's just that Cui is more lucky. On the contrary, Cui is vulgar.
, It’s really ridiculous and shameful to be face to face with an immortal and not recognize him.”
"Brother Cui once said that the immortal transformed into a mortal and wandered around the world. Do you think the immortal will come to Changjing?"
"Do you think everyone has Brother Cui's destiny?"
"Ha ha……"
Several people raised their glasses and exchanged glasses.
Cui Nanxi talked about the scenery of Pingzhou, the tribute pears that were so cheap that they could not be sold even if they rotted in the fields, and the Jingdao crabs that were so fresh every autumn. Only the princes and nobles in Changjing could eat them, but in Pingzhou
The lakeside of Zhou Jingdao is just food for the poor people. The starlight is reflected in the water, and the mountain has four seasons. He also talked about the poverty in Shizu County and the hardships of the people, and how he regretted that Yundingshan and his party did not do more before.
The common people do something. After they come down from Yunding Mountain, and the officials resume their posts, how will they do things...
Several friends also talked about some things about Changjing.
He said that demons and ghosts were so rampant that they attacked court officials, which made Cui Nanxi shocked and angry. He said that the master of the Chenghuang Temple finally started to take charge of the affairs, and he was quite diligent and caught a lot of demons and ghosts, which also made Cui Nanxi praise him. He also said that he finally found out that he was causing trouble in Changjing.
What happened was a bamboo demon that had been dormant for many years. The imperial master made a divination call and the imperial court eradicated all the Xiangfei bamboos in the city before getting rid of the bamboo demon. Cui Nanxi was also amazed when he heard this.
"It's a pity that there are so many bamboos in Changjing. I'm afraid it won't grow again until next year. But since the bamboo demon has been lurking in Changjing for many years, the person behind it must have been planning it for a long time."
"Who says it isn't?"
Everyone agreed.
After a banquet, we ate and drank while reminiscing about old times. We also invited musicians to play. After almost two hours of eating, from noon to afternoon, we helped each other and returned to Cui Nanxi's residence.
But they saw a carriage parked at the door, waiting for a eunuch, staring at them coldly.
"!"
Several people woke up for a moment.
Although all of them were people who could not be demoted even if they could not become high-ranking officials in Changjing. They had such good reputations that they neither needed to please nor fear the eunuchs. But seeing him waiting here, it reminded me that Cui Nanxi was recalled by His Majesty himself.
Changjing roughly knew the purpose of his visit. He was afraid of delaying his friend's future, so he did not dare to neglect him. He quickly stood up straight and bowed his hands in salute:
"I wonder what's the matter, sir?"
"Mr. Cui is very busy. He went out to socialize just after returning to Beijing. I'm afraid he didn't even get a seat on the bench?"
"I haven't seen my friend for several years, please forgive me."
"Your Majesty heard that Cui Gong returned to the capital and summoned Cui Gong to the palace for talks. Our family has been waiting here for a long time." The eunuch glanced at Cui Nanxi and said, "Cui Gong just drank wine, changed his clothes, and freshened up. But don't let your majesty and the country
Master has waited too long."
"yes……"
Cui Nanxi quickly stepped into the threshold, tripping a bit, and several people quickly followed him in.
"Brother Cui is indeed extraordinary. He just entered Changjing and was summoned to the palace to face the saint. I'm afraid he will have to be reused."
"Brother Zhao, stop teasing me."
Cui Nanxi just shook his head, knowing it well.
Immortal immortality is not only the pursuit of these people, but also the pursuit of the emperor. However, no matter how great the people who practice Taoism in the world are, even if they are as masters as the national master, they are still far away from immortality and immortality. A night on the mountain and a year on the mountain are even more ordinary.
This is an immortal masterpiece that is unimaginable to ordinary people. His Majesty must have heard these rumors before calling him back to the capital.
After changing and washing, he followed the eunuch into the palace.
Cui Nanxi also had something in mind——
The news that he met an immortal on Yunding Mountain must have spread to Changjing. No matter whether it was the saint in the palace or the imperial master who heard about it, he would definitely call him back to the capital to find out whether it was true or not. So after he returned from Yunding Mountain, he did not immediately tell the story.
He wanted to write a letter to the imperial court and take the lead in compiling a canon describing everything in the world using his knowledge throughout his life. Instead, he waited for this day and asked in person, which would naturally be more convincing.
When we arrived at Miyagiguchi, we got off the bus and walked.
Passing through half of the palace, we arrived at the Qingming Palace.
The Qingming Hall is usually where the emperor meets with ministers alone, which also shows that this summons was not that formal.
Everything is as expected.
After the announcement, Cui Nanxi entered the Qingming Hall and saw Emperor Dayan wearing black and gold robes, half sitting on a couch, and eating fruit. The national preceptor beside him was wearing ordinary Taoist robes, standing aside, and there was also a burly figure.
The tall man didn't know what they were talking about before. Seeing him come in, the three of them all looked at him.
Cui Nanxi saluted quickly: "I have seen your majesty and the national master."
"No gift."
The emperor raised his hand, looked at him and asked, "Why does Cui Qing smell of alcohol?"
"Weichen has been away from Beijing for several years. He has been separated from several friends for a long time. They missed each other. They sent letters to Weichen at the inn on the road. When they arrived, they were already waiting for Weichen. They held a banquet for Weichen to welcome him. I don't know, Your Majesty.
When summoned, Wei Chen went to have a few drinks and asked for forgiveness."
"Haha, what's the harm? Cui Qing has been away from Beijing for so long, and yet she can still maintain such a deep friendship with her friends. It's really commendable."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Pingzhou and his party have suffered a lot from Cui Qing."
"Back to Your Majesty, I am going to Pingzhou. Although the mountains are high and the road is long, I will gain a lot and I will not feel bitter."
"Oh? What did Cui Qing gain?"
"A land and water support a person. During this trip, Wei Chen not only saw the mountains and rivers of Pingzhou, but also met the people of Pingzhou." Cui Nanxi answered honestly, "Shizu County is very poor and the people are suffering. Wei Chen saw the people while
Life is not easy, but we can also see the character of perseverance and longing for beauty in them. It is these characters that have created the prosperity of Dayan. However, Weichen also gradually realized that it is not only the prosperous Chang
The people in the capital are my subjects of Dayan, and the people in remote places are still my subjects of Dayan. If you want Dayan to reach a higher level, you must take care of every inch of land and every citizen.
That’s it.”
"Okay! Well said!"
The emperor sat up after hearing this and glanced at the imperial advisor beside him: "It seems that it was right to let Cui Qing make this trip."
The Imperial Master took a deep breath, a little helpless, but still agreed: "Master Cui is already knowledgeable and talented. Your Majesty is very wise to let Master Cui go to Pingzhou. The gains from this trip will definitely benefit Master Cui.
In Dayan, it will benefit all people."
How could Cui Nanxi not know that the emperor would not care about a petty official like him? He had offended the prime minister and was demoted. Whether this trip was a blessing or a disaster was not the emperor's decision.
But after hearing this, I had no choice but to hand it over:
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for cultivating..."
"No need to be polite." The emperor said, "I also heard that Cui Qing once traveled to Yunding Mountain in Pingzhou, met an immortal, slept all night, and when he came down the mountain, he realized that a year had passed. I wonder if it is true or false?"
"Of course it is true."
"Cui Qing, can you tell me the details one by one?"