In the afternoon of April 11th, Xie Daoyun, who was wearing a turban and a jacket, brought two followers to the Gu Mansion to visit Chen Caozhi. They brought a rather heavy brocade box and placed it on the desk. Xie Daoyun did not say what was in the box.
First, he showed a volume of the manuscript and handed it to Chen Caozhi, saying: "Zizhong, there may be some mistakes in my memory. Can you take a look and see if there are any mistakes?"
Chen Caozhi opened it and saw that it was a record of the debate he had with Xie Daoyun at the Xiangji Temple of Waguan Temple the day before yesterday. It had about 6,000 words. After reading it carefully, there was nothing missing. He praised: "Brother Yingtai really has a photographic memory."
Yes, I should lose the argument that day."
Xie Daoyun stared into Chen Caozhi's eyes and said slowly: "Zizhong explained the 'reverse movement of Tao' very well in "Laozi's New Meanings". Was the result of the debate the day before yesterday guided by your cleverness, or was it just natural?"
"
Chen Caozhi smiled and said: "Brother Yingtai, is he someone who is led by the nose?"
Chen Caozhi's words were quite vulgar, and Xie Daoyun was not embarrassed after hearing this, and said: "The two originally contradictory theories ended up with the same goal -" Suddenly his expression froze, and he remembered something, and turned his head to look out the window.
Outside the window is a wisteria with winding stems and sparse flowers and leaves. The lavender flowers are in clusters, like purple butterflies, and the vines are drooping and swaying.
Chen Caozhi looked at Xie Daoyun's sideways back. The thin undershirt had layers of pleats, showing Xie Daoyun's thin waist. The back of her neck was white and her earlobes were crystal clear. How could anyone think she was a man?
Chen Caozhi motioned to Xiao Chan who was waiting on the side to go out first, and then asked: "Brother Yingtai, has Huan Da Sima ever sent an envoy to recruit you to join the Xifu?"
Xie Daoyun slowly turned around, with flowing lines on his waist, and his powdered cheeks seemed a little strange, and said: "Not yet." After a pause, he said: "If Sima Huan refuses to recruit, then I have to go to Wucheng
Well, my third uncle has sent me a letter, not allowing me to stay in Jiankang."
Chen Cao said: "I have read Brother Yingtai's "Three Strategies for ZTE", which is very insightful. What is rare is that Brother Yingtai is both a master of Confucianism and metaphysics, and also has insight into the world's conditions and people's livelihood, especially the strategy of soil destruction.
, Sima Huan, a man of great practical ability, must recruit Brother Yingtai to join the Western Prefecture."
Xie Daoyun smiled: "If Zizhong said that, I can rest assured." He stood up and said, "Goodbye. I only hope to go to the West Mansion with Zizhong."
"Wait a minute." Chen Caozhi pointed to the brocade box on his desk and asked, "Brother Yingtai, what is this?"
Xie Daoyun smiled and said, "You'll know after you open it and take a look."
Chen Caozhi opened the brocade box. Inside the box was a square white silk package. He tapped the package lightly with his knuckles. It was as hard as stone. He shook his head and asked with a smile: "Where's the stuff?"
"Shishuo Xinyu" records that the Jin Taiwei Wang Yan and Wang Yifu were elegant and far-sighted, and often resented his wife for being greedy and fond of money. Wang Yifu did not speak the word "money", and his wife wanted to test it, so she ordered her maid to wrap money around the bed.
One after another, Wang Yifu got up in the morning and saw that money was blocking his way out. He called his maid and said, "Give me a Duwu." A Duwu means something that blocks the road. From then on, Aduwu became another name for money.
Xie Daoyun smiled and said: "Yuan Zicai, the millions Zhuge lost to me are worth ten pounds of gold. I will give it to you."
Chen Caozhi frowned slightly and said: "How can I feel at ease when I receive such a generous gift from Brother Yingtai for no reason? I dare not accept it without saying anything."
Xie Daoyun asked: "Forty acres of land by the Qinhuai River is worth two million yuan. Why did Zi Zhong accept it happily?"
Chen Caozhi laughed and said, "How do you know I'm happy?"
Xie Daoyun said: "Of course! You can accept Jiang Sixuan's generous gift, why can't you accept my gift?"
Chen Caozhi was speechless because he asked: "If you didn't say it was 600,000 yuan, why do you have one million?"
Xie Daoyun said: "If I don't marry a girl from the Xie family, six hundred thousand dollars is too cheap, so it will naturally go up." After saying that, he cupped his hands and said, "Stop talking more, talking too much will be vulgar, it's true."
It’s blocked.”
Chen Caozhi sent Xie Daoyun back to the small courtyard. Xiaochan was staring at the yellow box of gold in a daze. Seeing Chen Caozhi coming back, she asked in surprise: "Little Langjun, is this a gift from Zhu Langjun?"
Chen Caozhi nodded and said, "Yes."
Xiaochan asked: "Why did Mr. Zhu give such a generous gift?"
As early as three years ago, Xiaochan had doubts about the relationship between Zhu Langjun and Cao Zhixiao Langjun. She always felt that the way Zhu Langjun looked at Cao Zhixiao Langjun was strange. Usually Zhu Langjun would hide it.
But that night when the young man was playing music for his old mistress, Mr. Zhu was also listening. He was fascinated by the music and stared at the young man infatuatedly. This was not like the look between friends -
Xiao Chan did not expect that Zhu Yingtai would be a woman. After all, it was unimaginable for Xiao Chan to dress up as a man and go out to study. Xiao Chan only thought that Zhu Yingtai was the one who had cut off her sleeves, and the young man did not like to apply powder and incense.
He was the only one who favored Zhu Langjun, which made Xiaochan quite uncomfortable.
Chen Caozhi was sensitive and attentive, and when he saw Xiaochan's confusion and shame, he immediately smiled and said: "Sister Xiaochan, don't make random guesses, I am the one who grew up under your watch."
Xiaochan's white oval face suddenly turned red, and she defended: "I didn't make random guesses, I - I -"
Chen Caozhi did not explain much and said: "Sister Xiaochan will keep the gold and build a house on the bank of the Qinhuai River in the future. Then she will bring my sister-in-law, Zongzhi and Run'er to reunite."
Xiaochan solemnly agreed, and the uncomfortable feeling in her heart disappeared, although Xiaolangjun did not explain anything to her.
In the evening of that day, Gu Kaizhi, Liu Shangzhi, Xu Miao and his wife were all eating leek leaf shuiyin cake together in the small courtyard where Chen Shang and Chen Caozhi's brothers lived. The leek leaf shuiyin cake is longevity noodles, because April 11th is Chen Cao's birthday.
On the 30th birthday of widow Ding Youwei and the 10th birthday of niece Runer, the more people who eat leek leaf water cakes, the more blessings and longevity they will have——
At this time, the government official came to report that Qian Tang and Ding Chunqiu asked to see him. Gu Kaizhi said happily: "The Spring and Autumn Period is also here." He went to greet him with Chen Caozhi, Liu Shangzhi and Xu Miao.
Ding Chunqiu came from Yangzhou to attend Gu Kaizhi's wedding. Ding Chunqiu was originally a non-rank casual official under Wang Shao, the internal historian of Yangzhou, but has been promoted to a ninth-rank official.
Ding Chunqiu was very happy to meet Gu Kaizhi, Chen Caozhi, Xu Miao, Liu Shangzhi and others. After more than a year of official experience, Ding Chunqiu became much more stable. When he saw everyone eating leek leaf water cakes, he remembered this
It was Cong's sister Ding Youwei's birthday, so he said: "Zizhong, after I attend Changkang's wedding, I have to go back to Qiantang. It's half business and half private. If you have any letters or things you want me to take back, prepare them."
Chen Cao said: "A month and a half ago, my third brother and I asked Quan Changshi to bring a family letter back. The people sent by the clan to Beijing have almost left. I will write another letter and pass it to my sister-in-law from Chunqiu."
Gu Kaizhi didn't know about Xie Daoyun's donation and said: "Zizhong, I have informed my father about your building a house. I will donate 300,000 yuan and borrow 700,000 yuan. You can use it at any time."
Chen Caozhi received a million yuan gift from Daoyun. Considering Xie Daoyun's status, he did not mention it to Gu Kaizhi, Liu Shangzhi and others. Otherwise, if the news spread and Xie Wan found out, Xie Daoyun would be very embarrassed.
Chen Cao said: "Next month, my clan should send some money and silk to Jiankang. With the help of Changkang, we can start building a house by then. I have an idea. If I have time these two days, please draw it.
Let’s take a look, how much money and materials would be needed to build such a house?”
In his previous life, Chen Cao traveled to gardens all over the country. Only an emperor could build a grand garden like the Chengde Summer Resort and the Summer Palace in Beijing. He did not have that ambition. However, Suzhou gardens were exquisite and small, and it seemed possible to build them, such as the Humble Administrator's Garden, the Lingering Garden, and the Retreat Garden.
Exquisite gardens like Si Yuan appeared in Jiankang City during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. It should have led the trend and made the architectural art of the Eastern Jin Dynasty take a big step forward. However, considering that the country is not peaceful and the clan is not rich, it is better to be simpler.
Okay, we can build it step by step and in batches. Just like he has worked hard over the years to rise from a humble family to a noble family, from Qian Tang to Jiankang. After he enters the Xifu, the general trend of the world should also change, right?
…
On the evening of April 13th, Grand Sima Xie Xuan returned to Jiankang from Gushu. Two civil servants and eight military officers followed him. Instead of returning to Wuyi Lane first, they came to Gu Mansion to see Chen Caozhi.
Xie Xuan frowned slightly, as if he had something on his mind. He exchanged a few words with Gu Kaizhi, Xu Miao, and Ding Chunqiu, and then said, "Excuse me, I have something important to discuss with Zizhong."
Gu Kaizhi and others knew that Chen Caozhi was about to go to Xifu. Xie Xuan must have wanted to discuss the matter with Chen Caozhi. He must have officially recruited Chen Caozhi on behalf of Huan Wen, so he avoided it.
Chen Caozhi and Xie Xuan were the only two people left in the room. Xie Xuan took out the document signed by Huan Wen and gave it to Chen Caozhi, saying: "Zizhong, Duke Huanjun has officially appointed you as a governor of the West Prefecture. I am returning to Jiankang this time to attend the meeting."
Changkang Wedding, I also come here specifically to urge you to go to Gushu, and set off with me on the 18th."
Chen Caozhi smiled and said, "How dare you disobey orders."
Xie Xuan took a deep breath and said slowly: "Sima Huan has recruited two officials at the same time this time. Who is the other one, Zizhong?"
When Chen Caozhi heard Xie Xuan's question, he didn't understand anything, so he asked, "Could it be Shangyu Zhu Yingtai?"
The last ray of the setting sun has faded, and the room is getting dim, but Xie Xuan's eyes are bright and shining, and his voice is low and full of anger, saying: "It seems that Zizhong knows about this, my sister told you personally.
?"
Chen Caozhi didn't say much, and just responded: "Yes."
Xie Xuan suppressed his anger and asked, "Why not dissuade him?"
Chen Cao said: "I didn't know it beforehand, so it's useless to stop it afterwards."
Xie Xuandao: "My sister presented "Three Strategies for Zhongxing". After reading it, Sima Huan sighed that he was a genius. He must recruit Yu Zhuyingtai and join the Western Palace. I don't know why my sister acted like this. How could she, a woman, enter the military palace?
?This is too ridiculous. Once it fails, won’t it become the laughing stock of the world?”
Chen Cao said: "Youdu hasn't seen your sister since you came back this time. There are some things I can't tell you clearly. You'd better go back and see your sister first."
Xie Xuan nodded, bowed deeply to Chen Caozhi, and said, "My heart is burning, don't be rude." He turned around and strode away.
