In the early morning in Meiling, the shadows of the trees are slanting and the faint fragrance floats.
This is a small mountain ridge on the north bank of Songjiang River. The mountain is gentle and the highest point is less than 30 feet. The reason why it is called Meiling is because the mountain is full of plum trees, green plums, white plums, red plums... It is already mid-February.
In the late weather, most of the plum blossoms have fallen. Only the three-leaf plum blossoms are still in full bloom. The fallen flowers are all over the ground, and they are broken into pieces.
Chen Caozhi liked to climb mountains the most, especially the mountains with lush flowers and trees. When he saw them, he always wanted to climb through the flowers and trees to reach the top. So early that morning, he and Ran Sheng, accompanied by an executive arranged by the steward of the Lu family, climbed the mountain.
When we reached the heights of Meiling, we looked around at Pingchou wilderness, where farming was in full swing. From time to time, cranes and storks soared into the sky from among the reeds in the swamps beside the river, making high-pitched calls.
Chen Caozhi couldn't help but said leisurely: "You can hear the chirping of cranes in Huating every day."
The officer of the Lu Mansion behind him said, "Look, Mr. Chen, Miss Wei Rui has also come up the mountain."
Chen Caozhi stood on a high place and looked down. Halfway up the mountain, among the sparse plum trees, Lu Weirui, with towering hair and a light blue shirt, was climbing up the stairs. He occasionally raised his head and met Chen Caozhi's eyes, smiling sweetly.
He made a gesture of saluting from afar, without stopping, and in a blink of an eye he disappeared under the flower tree.
Lu Weirui brought his maid a short hoe and a hairpin to the ridge. Chen Caozhi saluted and said: "Ms. Weirui, the lotus petal spring orchids were sent to Xiaoxiyuan early in the morning. Have you seen me?"
Lu Weirui lowered her eyelashes slightly: "I see you, thank you very much Mr. Chen."
Chen Cao said: "In the future, when traveling to and from Wu County, I will definitely pass through Huating. Even if there are no flowers to save, it's good to hear the cranes chirping."
Lu Weirui blushed and ordered her hairpin and short hoe to find if there were any blooming clover near the top of the mountain. Seeing that Ran Sheng and the servant were also more than ten steps away, she whispered: "Chen Langjun is making fun of you."
me?"
Chen Caozhi looked at a crane flying up into the clouds and said, "How could it be? I feel very happy."
Lu Weirui's face turned red again, and she said softly: "I thought Chen Langjun was going to pass through Huating, so he came here first. That lotus petal Chunlan has been sick for several days and has yellow spots -" At this point, she couldn't help laughing.
After speaking out, he glanced at Chen Cao and said: "Because I have already threatened to leave, and the servants are waiting at the ferry every day. When I don't see you coming for the fourteenth day, I will know that you have not taken this road, but He
Pet Chunlan cannot be left untreated, so I sent someone to the county to invite you here——"
Ran Sheng and the servants of the villa came over. Chen Caozhi and Lu Weirui remained silent. They looked at the rising sun, the colorful plum trees and the spring breeze. They felt relaxed and happy. Although the two of them stood silently, they felt deep in their hearts.
But love grows like spring grass——
A short hoe not far away said in a sharp voice: "Madam, madam, a clover here is in bloom."
Lu Weirui moved her steps and suddenly felt very timid. She did not dare to look into Chen Caozhi's eyes and said, "Mr. Chen, do you want to go see the plum blossoms?"
Chen Caozhi responded and followed Lu Weirui. He saw that she was holding her skirt in both hands, wearing pink stockings and green shoes. Her waist was twisted, her feet were rising and falling, and she was walking very lightly. Chen Caozhi liked to see the way Lu Weirui walked.
, lively, beautiful, like a flying butterfly.
Under the three-leaf plum tree full of purple flowers, Lu Weirui said: "Chen Langjun, there were not so many plum trees in this Meiling originally. After my ancestor Shihenggong was killed, my great-aunt Dai came here to express her grief.
Forty-three plum trees were planted in Lingshou, because Shihenggong was forty-three years old when he was killed, so forty-four were planted the following year, and the number increased year by year, until this year ninety-nine will be planted."
Chen Cao said: "The world only knows that Lu Pingyuan loves cranes, but they don't know that Lu Pingyuan also loves plum blossoms. Plum trees have four virtues: they are prime when they are born, they bloom vigorously, they bear fruit for profit, and they mature into chastity. Only Lu Pingyuan is noble and pure. Just like this
The elegant and elegant plum blossoms are admired by the world."
"Plum blossoms have four virtues, that's so well said!"
A woman's voice suddenly sounded from behind Chen Caozhi. Although Chen Caozhi was surprised, he remained calm on the surface. He turned around calmly and saw that it was Lu Weirui's stepmother Zhang whom he had seen from a distance yesterday. He immediately bowed deeply: "
My young man, Chen Caozhi, pays homage to Mrs. Lu." After saluting, Feng Shen calmly dispersed and stood aside quietly.
Lu Weirui came forward and saluted: "Weirui has met Aunt Zhang - Aunt Zhang. This Chen Langjun is the Chen Caozhi that Teacher An Dao told you about. He is here to save Hepetal Chunlan."
Mrs. Zhang looked at Chen Caozhi and said with a smile: "Is it Chen Langjun who painted ink orchids?"
Chen Caozhi bowed and said: "Yes."
Mrs. Zhang said: "Zhang Andao is my elder brother, and he admires you very much."
Chen Cao said: "I feel ashamed to deserve Mr. Meng Andao's praise."
Lu Weirui said to Chen Cao: "Chen Langjun, my Aunt Zhang is also very good at flower and bird painting. If you have any difficulties in painting, you can come and ask Aunt Zhang for advice."
Mrs. Zhang smiled and said, "How dare you? Chen Langjun is Mr. Wei Xie's disciple, and my brother Zhang Mo doesn't dare to be his master."
Chen Cao said: "I have only been studying painting from Master Wei for two months. Master Wei has now returned to Shouyang. I have just started learning painting. I have many difficulties and no one can teach me. If Mrs. Lu does not give up, I will come to ask for advice from time to time."
."
Lu Weirui said: "Aunt Zhang, Mrs. Wei taught Wang Xizhi calligraphy in the past. Both master and apprentice were respected by the world, which is a good story. Why not Aunt Zhang accept Chen Langjun as her disciple?"
Mrs. Zhang shook her head and said with a smile: "No, how can I recruit a disciple? My brother will laugh at me if he finds out."
Lu Weirui said: "Mr. An Dao knew that I had learned Mr. Wei Xie's writing style, so he didn't blame me. He even praised me."
Zhang just refused.
Chen Cao said: "Mrs. Lu, I painted a lotus-petal spring orchid last night, and I would like to ask for your advice."
Mrs. Zhang did not refuse at this time, and said: "I don't dare to give you advice, but it doesn't hurt to take a look."
Immediately they went down the mountain together. Chen Caozhi went to his residence to pick up the Chunlan painting and went to Xiaoxi Garden to ask Mrs. Lu Su Wenwan for advice. Mrs. Lu Su Wenwan was very surprised by Chen Caozhi's unique painting style and watched it for a long time——
Mrs. Lu came from the famous Zhang family. She was well educated and good at calligraphy and painting. When talking about calligraphy and painting, she always had a lot to say. Moreover, Chen Cao was handsome and elegant. Although he was from a poor family, Mrs. Lu was very fond of Chen Cao.
There is nothing wrong with the impression of it. When Chen Caozhi said goodbye, Mrs. Lu also invited him to come to Huating to paint when he had time. The scenery of Lu's villa is beautiful, and there are many flowers in the small garden, so you can paint them.
Chen Caozhi thanked Mrs. Lu and left Huating in Lu's carriage. On the way, he thought about Lu Weirui's bright and affectionate eyes, which he really cherished so much, and thought to himself: "Lu Weirui has her infatuation, but she also has her scheming -
—Is Lu Weirui working hard with me?"
…
It was already past midnight on February 17 when Chen Caozhi returned to Wu County. When he walked to the bank of Xiaojing Lake, he saw people walking in front of Xu's Thatched Cottage on the other side. He said to Ran Sheng beside him: "Dr. Xu and Xianmin are here.
"
Before reaching the thatched cottage, Liu Shangzhi appeared out of nowhere and said loudly: "Zizhong, you are finally back, hurry up, the immortal people are in danger this time!"
Then he saw Ding Chunqiu and shouted: "Zi Chong is here, Zi Chong is here, come on, come on, the immortal people can't resist it anymore."
Chen Caozhi was taken aback, lifted up the train of his robe, and strode over, asking, "What's wrong with the immortal people? What's wrong with them?"
Liu Shangzhi laughed again, took Chen Caozhi's hand and walked to the thatched cottage on the left, while whispering: "The immortals are not sick, they are asking questions but were asked by others. The two new arrivals
The students are said to be brothers, the elder brother Zhu Yingtai and the younger brother Zhu Yingting. The two brothers are only sixteen or seventeen years old, but they are both Confucianism and Mysticism and are very knowledgeable. The one named Zhu Yingtai is particularly powerful and eloquent.
Li, I have never heard of it. The immortal people are already overwhelmed and tired of dealing with it. Chunqiu and I were listening outside the door. Zhu Yingtai's argument was so mysterious that the two of us didn't dare to go in. When we went in, we could only be refuted by him in a few words.
I am speechless, only you, Zi Zhong, may be able to defeat him, otherwise our Xu School will lose all face."
When Chen Cao heard the word "Zhu Yingtai", he was very surprised. Is there really Zhu Yingtai? The Zhu Yingtai who disguised herself as a man and went to study abroad? The Zhu Yingtai who fell in love with Liang Shanbo and turned into a butterfly? He seemed to remember Liang Zhu.
The legend first came from the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Could it be that this poignant love story will take place in the Xu Cottage? But why does Zhu Yingtai have a younger brother, Zhu Yingting? This is inconsistent with the legend——
Then he thought: "Maybe it's the same name. Zhu Yingtai's name is not uncommon. As long as it's not unusual for someone with the surname Zhu to accidentally get the name, it depends on whether this Zhu Yingtai is a man disguised as a woman? If so, he is a man disguised as a woman.
, then we have to wait until Liang Shanbo appears. There are still people named Liang in the Xu Academy..."
Liu Shangzhi saw Chen Caozhi frowning and thinking, so he pushed Chen Caozhi: "Why, Zi Zhong, are you afraid of that Zhu Yingtai?"
Chen Cao smiled and asked, "Isn't Dr. Xu here?"
Liu Shangzhi said: "Dr. Xu came to Wu County yesterday. He went to visit Governor Lu early this morning. Then these two brothers came. As usual, the immortal people asked questions. The two brothers thought that Dr. Xu would not come forward.
But for the immortal people to come forward to ask questions was to look down on them, so they proposed to argue with each other. The immortal people were so angry that they agreed. Who would have thought that Zhu Yingtai was so good at arguing - Zi Zhong, this time it depends on you.
"
But I heard a clear voice coming from the thatched cottage on the left, like the dawn breeze in the mountains, like ice striking each other, and the meaning of the words was like the rushing of a river, eloquent and eloquent:
"--However, the Tao is hidden and traceless, simple and nameless, and cannot be obtained but the law; Wuji, it is still the law of heaven and earth, but the heaven and earth are vast and vast, and I don't know where to teach it; Wuji, the law of heaven and earth is what we often see and hear.
Chapter 8 says 'The best is like water', Chapter 15 says 'The vastness is like a valley', Chapter 32 says 'Like a valley in a river or sea', Chapter 41 says 'The best is like a valley', all of them are called this, otherwise it is not.
, how can we say 'when I succeed in my work, people will call me natural'?"
Xu Miao barely held on for a quarter of an hour. At this time, he could no longer keep up with the ideas of the Zhu brothers, especially Zhu Yingtai, and his face turned red. However, the young man's self-esteem made him unwilling to admit defeat, and he thought hard about what he had learned in his life.
, but often as soon as the words come out of his mouth, he is defeated by Zhu Yingtai's sharper words, leaving him speechless. It is like a drowning person struggling desperately to get out of the water to take a breath, but as soon as he pokes his head out, he is hit by a bamboo pole.
