The horse traveled slowly around the lake for several miles, and Zhao Dangshi and Su Gaozhao talked happily first, and unconsciously opened a long distance from everyone. Walking through a small stone arch bridge in the snow, the sound of the piano in my ears is fluttering, and it is also frustrating and melodious. Zhao and Su followed the sound along the path into a bamboo forest, the snow on the bluestone paved path has been swept away, and there are low hedges on both sides, the winding path is quiet, the more you go inside, the clearer the sound of the piano.

Zhao Dangshi said with a smile: "I don't know where the Qing people live in seclusion here. ”

Su Gaozhao said: "The contemptible people here have visited several times, and the name is 'Shengyuan', which is the hidden house of the Caoyi Taoist. ”

"Straw-clothed Taoist?"

"Caoyi Taoist surname Wang Mingwei, the word Xiuwei, although it is a female stream, Gong poetry, and good Danqing, more chivalrous, famous in the southeast."

"It's a woman."

"Haha, women don't let shave their eyebrows. Wang Caoyi's name is full of Jiangzuo, showing off the fairy class, not special poetry is outstanding, and his conduct is also first-rate. It is as clean as a blue lotus, and the pavilion is dusty. If it is said that Bian Yujing, Li Xiangjun and others are as bright as peonies, then Wang Caoyi is as beautiful as a lotus, and Yu Xuanji and Zhu Shuzhen are like. ”

Zhao Dangshi clapped his hands and said: "Such a romantic character is really worth seeing." ”

Su Gaozhao said: "Although Wang Caoyi is cold and slight, he is a thin horse boat prostitute, but he has a good relationship with the southeast scholars with his talent, Qian Muzhai, Zhang Yuanchang, Chen Zhongol, etc. are all close friends under his curtain, and often make peace with poetry. "Qian Muzhai is Qian Qianyi, Zhang Yuanchang is Zhang Dafu, and Chen Zhongol is Chen Jiru, all of whom are famous literati and elegant guests among the three Wu, Wang Weineng can interact with these people, which shows that he is really talented and learned. Fu said, "She was ransomed by Mao Zhisheng in her early years and returned to her as a concubine. Serving a husband with Yang Wan, living in the same room, embracing each other, and having the righteousness of Jinlan. After leaving home, cloth robe and bamboo cane, traveled through Jiangchu, traced the river and climbed the mountain, climbed the building to win, and then went to Hangzhou, that is, he called himself a Taoist in grass clothes, sent love to the landscape, converted to Buddhism, and lived in seclusion for nearly 20 years. "Mao Zhisheng is Mao Yuanyi, both civil and military, is said to be "young in the West Wu, famous in the north." Under the curtain called scholars, on the horse will be in the army", but the career is bumpy, once as the deputy chief soldier, supervising the Juehua Island sailors, and then was tired by the affairs of Liaodong, sent to Zhangpu, and now his nationality is not back to the anger of the year.

"Living alone for 20 years, there are inherent best friends, but after all, I am a woman, and I can't help but feel sad and lonely."

"Lord Zhao is really windy and snowy, and he understands the customs of men and women. Wang Caoyi has both talent and appearance, and there are not a few confidants in the boudoir. abandoned Mao Zhisheng and hid in the West Lake, and then had a relationship with Tan Youxia. ”

"Tan Youxia?"

"Yes, he is a native of Huguang Jingling, and his real name is Yuanchun. During the Apocalypse, he was the first in the township test, and he was rich and rich, and he co-selected "Poetry Return" with Zhongyu in Tongli, which became famous for a while. Because of his repeated participation in the imperial examinations, he often traveled in Nanjing, Suzhou and Hangzhou, and had a close relationship with the people in the Restoration Society, and Mao Zhisheng was also friendly with him. Jiumu Wang Caoyi came to visit Hangzhou and fell in love at first sight. Alas, 'Knowing that good dreams are useless, I still want to be the person in your dreams', even contemptible people often hear the poems of the two of them, and the two are affectionate and enviable. ”

"What a couple, the result is like this, and it is a good situation."

Su Gaozhao shook his head when he heard this: "No." ”

"Are there any variables?"

"Tan Youxia is a person with ups and downs, but he is keen on fame and fame, and he is bent on entering the ranks. Unfortunately, due to bad luck, he fell one after another, and wasted his years for more than ten years. Even if he still won the move, he was no longer confused, and his frustration over the years more or less caused his life to be a little extreme and perverse. From the contemptible point of view, for him, the fame is mixed, and the blessings and misfortunes are difficult to say. ”

"If people are paranoid, they can't be suppressed when they do things, sometimes they say perseverance, sometimes they say moths to the fire, there are pros and cons."

"The middle lift was a happy event, but unexpectedly, his mother and best friend Zhong Yi passed away one after another, as if he was a stick in the head, a joy and a sorrow reversed, and suddenly fell down a thousand-story building. Tan Youxia was stimulated by this, and indulged in exam articles all day long, almost crazy, even if he was weak and weak, he still insisted on entering Beijing to take the exam at the age of knowing the destiny of heaven. Alas, after a long journey, he inevitably fell ill and died on the way. ”

"He's dead?" Zhao Dangshi said in surprise.

"Yes, the white things that were done last year are also fateful?" Su Gaozhao sighed, "'I don't know how good the year is, and the swallow is also hasty', these two sentences were written by him before he died, and they are disheartened and lazy to read, like the miserable struggle of dying." ”

The two led the horses out of the bamboo forest, and the sound of the piano had stopped. I saw a grass house with an independent cocoon, surrounded by a bamboo tree, which was the place where Wang Caoyi lived.

"Wang Caoyi has been in harmony with Xu Gongshi in the past two years, and I heard that it was Qian Muzhai who pulled the thread. The two of them are together, I don't know if Gong Xu is here today? Su Gaozhao said.

Xu Gongshi is Xu Yuqing, Zhao Dangshi has heard of him, knowing that the Donglin Party is in the company of Qian Qianyi and others, and is a famous official of the Chongzhen Dynasty, when Wei Zhongxian was in power, he was called "loyal and virtuous and rebellious", "if it is not eliminated early, it will be troubled in the future", and then impeached Zhang Fengyi, Wen Tiren, Wang Yingxiong and other cabinets in power, known for his outspokenness and daring to admonish, and the late Yang Lian, Zuo Guangdou and others were called the vanguard of the Donglin Party. A few years ago, he was also impeached, dismissed and returned to his hometown, becoming an idle cloud and a wild crane.

Walking to the grass house, there is a woman holding a broom to sweep the water under the eaves, small and exquisite, with a beautiful face. In the small pavilion beside her, there was a Jiaowei piano, and she thought that she was stroking the piano just now. Zhao Dangshi thought it was Wang Wei, and said with his ear: "This is Wang Caoyi?" How young! ”

Su Gaozhao replied in a low voice: "This is not Wang Caoyi, although Wang Caoyi is well maintained, he is half old after all, a few years older than me." I have never seen this old woman. ”

The girl greeted her and said, "Are the two guests here to look for Mr. Straw?" ”

Su Gaozhao replied: "Yes, I don't know if it is convenient for Mr.?" ”

The girl said: "It's convenient, please rest in the house first, sir, she sent Xu Gong out to visit friends not long ago, and she will come back after a while." With that, he helped the two of them take the horses aside and tie them up, and then invited them into the Caolu teahouse and made a cup of hot tea each.

There are no chairs and stools in the tea room, only one side of the plan, and a few round couches. Kneeling on the couch, the tea was steaming in front of him, Zhao Dangshi took a sip, but he felt a refreshing breath coming to his nose, and he was refreshed. The girl smiled and said: "This tea is taken from Longjing, that is, 'Longjing tea', which is clear and eternal, and it is a masterpiece in the southeast." Mr. Caoyi often says that rain and snow days are the best match with tea, and the words of 'cooking in the bamboo to clear the sleep thoughts, and sipping poetry and Zen before the wind' are like things around you, interesting and spiritual. ”

Zhao Dangshi nodded and tasted tea again, and then talked with the girl for a few words, and found that she was well-behaved and talked extraordinary, and she didn't seem to be an ordinary maid. Just as he was about to inquire, Su Gaozhao picked up a few ochre manuscript papers on the case, and read the words on it lightly: "The weeping Yang courtyard embroidered the curtain to the east, and the remnants of the Ying Pavilion have not met." Arriving at the Xiling Cold Food Road, the peach blossoms are full of beauty...... "as soon as she looks up," this is Mr. Caoyi's latest poem? ”

Zhao Dangshi stretched out his head to take a look, found that there were small characters in the margins, and pointed and read: "Wu Yin year B ugly moon ugly, look at the West Lake scenery inscription poem." There are also four cursive characters under it, "Jiaxing Yinglian." ”

When Su Gaozhao saw this, he suddenly realized: "It turns out that the girl is Hedongjun, disrespectful and disrespectful." ”

As soon as he heard "Hedongjun", Zhao Dangshi also came back to his senses and also saluted. Hedong Jun is a first-class prostitute between Suzhou and Hangzhou. Liu Ru's real name is Yang Ai, since it has been changed to Liu Yin, the word is like this, the number is Yinglian, also known as Hedong Jun, Lu Wujun, "Knowing books and good poetry, dividing the topic step rhyme, pouring and carving; Make things harmonious, and the old house is not as good as "wisdom, and there are many strange people. Similar to Wang Wei, Liu Ru also has no shortage of scholars and nobles, and Songjiang celebrities such as Li Zhiwen, Song Zhengyu, and Chen Zilong have all been her guests.

At the moment, the three of them discussed, and Zhao Dangshi learned that Liu Ru had just come to Hangzhou, and it seemed that he had been hurt by Chen Zilong's feelings and resolutely went south from Songjiang, but it was inconvenient to ask more about the specific content. Recently, he lived in the mansion provided by Wang Ranming, a businessman in Dahui, and often came to Wang Wei to walk around on weekdays. Between coming and going, Zhao Dangshi only felt that this Liu Ru was quick to respond, empathetic, and poems and songs were at his fingertips, free to retract and release, and quite profound. Getting along with her is like a spring breeze, and the fun is constant, and it is very pleasant.

After talking about poetry and poetry for a while, Liu Ru proposed to play chess, but Zhao Dangshi thought that Hua Qing and others were still behind, and Wang Wei had not shown up for a long time, so it was inconvenient to stay for a long time, so he immediately refused to leave. Liu Ru did not keep it, and asked the two of them to go back to the back room later, took out two scrolls of paintings, and said: "This is the little girl's past to splash ink, simple and sparse, difficult to get to the elegant, if the two do not dislike it, you can each take a scroll and bring it back." It is also good to put it on the stove between the firewood on weekdays to ward off evil spirits. ”

Zhao Dangshilang said with a smile: "Miss Liu said that she laughed, it is an honor to be able to get Miss Mobao." It just so happened that the study room was newly built, and the four walls were left blank, just to hang the painting on it and add luster to it. ”

Liu Ru's cheeks flushed with a light red and said, "Zhao Lang is too famous." The little charm between the eyebrows actually made Zhao Dangshi's heart move.

Su Gaozhao took a painting with great interest and unfolded it on the case, but saw a buffalo rolling in the painting, and the painting was called "Cow Play".

Liu Ru said with a smile: "The cow is the main wealth, and placing the sacred cow in the position of the feng shui wealth star can prosper and turn away the evil, and pray for good fortune." Su got this picture, and hoped that the business would be prosperous and prosperous in the future. ”

Su Gaozhao smiled from ear to ear, quickly put the painting away, sandwiched it under his armpit, and asked Zhao Dangshi: "Lord Zhao, look at yours." ”

Zhao Dangshi opened another painting scroll according to his words, and the scroll slowly opened, but it was like a bird flying in the sky, like a fish swimming in the water, the name of the painting was implicit, not referring to things, but the name of "Map of the Sky".

Liu Ru interpreted: "The bird above has white feathers and white tails, and it is a bird; The fish below has wide wings and a thick back, and it is a Kunpeng. The bird flutters its wings and soars for nine days; Kunpeng dives into the sea, crisscrossing the current. Honghu is the spirit of the sky, Kunpeng is the respect of the sea, and Zhao Lang is radiant, which is extraordinary. With this picture, I only hope that the future will be bright and not shackled by heaven and earth. ”

The preface is not enough, only the last sentence "not shackled by heaven and earth" is like a sledgehammer, hitting Zhao Dangshi's heart and shocking his body. He thought to himself: "These two paintings were taken by Miss Liu at random, and let me and Lao Su choose at will." Lao Su chose first, and the buffalo was very matched. I am in this picture, the god bird and the fish, is it not the will of heaven in the dark? ”

Seeing Zhao Dangshi's eyes, Liu Ru covered his mouth and smiled: "What? Zhao Lang doesn't like it? ”

Zhao Dangshi hurriedly said: "I like it, I like it tightly." Thank you Miss Liu for giving this picture! He added, "If you have the opportunity, invite the girl to come to Xiangyang to play, and Zhao will sweep the couch to welcome her." ”

Liu Ru's cheeks flushed, and she pursed her lips and nodded.

Before leaving, Zhao Dangshi suddenly got up and said, "Miss Liu, there is something to ask for abruptly." ”

Liu Ru responded: "What's the matter? ”

Zhao Dangshi pointed to the manuscript papers on the case and said: "Miss Liu is brilliantly written, and her writing is like a god, and Zhao still can't bear to let go of it after reading it repeatedly." I hope to take these manuscript papers and carry them with me, so that I can always remember the friendship of today's meeting. ”

Liu Ru Ying said with a smile: "A few pieces of manuscript paper, I am flattered to be able to win Zhao Lang's love." As he spoke, he walked over and picked up the manuscript paper and folded it properly, turned around, his onion fingers were lightly relaxed, and he stuffed them into Zhao Dangshi's placket with his own hands, and did not forget to help tidy the placket.

Zhao Dangshi was ashamed and said: "I am ashamed to take the girl's love." ”

Liu said: "The manuscript paper has been stuffed into Zhao Lang's heart, and the shame in his heart can be filled." ”

Zhao Dangshi was stunned, feeling that the atmosphere was a little delicate, and turned his eyes to look at Su Gaozhao, Su Gaozhao coughed lightly and said: "Miss Liu's poem is in her mind, Lord Zhao's poem is in her chest, and I sigh when Cai Lan gives peony, and it will be a good story to spread it." ”

Liu Ru listened, hurriedly put his hand behind him, and laughed coquettishly.

Saying goodbye to Liu Ru and leaving Shengyuan, the two led the horses back to the lake, and the carriage and the crowd of Huaqing happened to come slowly not far away. After the two met, Su Gaozhao was a little puzzled, and asked his companion: "You and I are only hundreds of steps apart, why do you walk so slowly?" ”

The companion replied: "Su Ye doesn't know, just pass through the Qu Courtyard, and there are fast horses in the trading house chasing after him to announce the matter." We talked for a long time, so it was delayed. ”

"What's the matter with the comptoir?"

The companion said: "It is said in the business house that Zheng Ye will arrive in Hangzhou tomorrow, set up a banquet in Yingjiang Tower outside Yongchang Gate, and invite Su Ye and Zhao Ye and others to go together. As he spoke, he took out two exquisite invitations from his arms and handed them to Zhao Dangshi and Su Gaozhao respectively.