What happened in the capital, Fang Zhongyong didn't know. Even if I knew, I was afraid that I would only reply with an "oh". Because for him, the top priority is to use the little time he has to study to hone his knowledge. After all, if the exam is held, the rest of the time will be spent on the road and in the exam room. If you can't win this year, you won't be able to catch up with the rite test of the Jiaxu Branch next year (the first year of Jingyu), so you will have to wait until four years later to participate in the first year of Baoyuan (1038).

And time is like the relationship between husband and wife, which fades and disappears unconsciously. In the blink of an eye, it was the fifth day of the fourth month, and Fang Zhongyong had to set off to Fuzhou to participate in the state exam.

Although the distance to Fuzhou is less than 200 miles in a straight line, where did the high-speed and national highways come from in ancient times for you to walk in a straight line, you can only go to the Fuhe River and take a boat to the northwest to Linchuan County (Fuzhou attached to Guodi). If you want to arrive before the April 20 state test, you don't have enough time to start on the fifth day of April. Fang Zhongyong originally wanted to go with a few classmates, but they politely refused for various reasons.

Could it be that this is "the wood is beautiful in the forest, and the wind will destroy it"?

Fang Zhongyong is not hypocritical, didn't anyone send him when he went to school in his previous life? Didn't you see yourself being trafficked? said goodbye to the two gentlemen, packed his bags, and was about to go on his own road, but was stopped by the county uncle. Uncle Cheng said that this is a long way to go, and it is very inconvenient if there is no one to take care of it. He was sorry that his uncle couldn't see Zhong Yong go out alone, so he borrowed a carriage with Zhong Yongxian's nephew (including a driver) and a loyal old servant, and returned it to Yunyun after meeting with Panlong in Fuzhou.

I thought darkly, eighty percent of the students' dislike was the handiwork of the county lord. This gentleman has won the true meaning of "sending charcoal in the snow"! But although this move is despicable, it is extremely beneficial to Fang Zhongyong. Fang Zhong never knew the road, it was really inconvenient to ask for directions while walking, and it would not be worth it if he took a fork in the road and delayed the exam. And although it is a peaceful and prosperous era today, who dares to guarantee that there will not be a "hero" such as homeless bandits?

Fang Zhongyong sincerely thanked the county uncle for his arrangement, and then got into the carriage and set off. After some small talk, I knew that the old servant was the son of the county Cheng family, and the old lady was named Zhang Zhong, and he said that he was very familiar with the geography of mountains and rivers and the sophistication of people. The coachman is a taciturn person, who only says that his name is Li San, and he looks cool.

Along the way, I climbed several mountains and crossed several rivers, but I didn't see any demons and monsters. It's also a smooth ride.

When he arrived near Daxian Ridge, according to Fang Zhongyong's original intention, he was going to turn northwest to Huwan Ancient Town, but Uncle Zhong had a disagreement. Talking to Uncle Zhong about his itinerary, Uncle Zhong smiled: "Presumably the son hasn't been to Linchuan, right?" We don't need to go to Nahu Bay to change boats, that's the way merchants transport goods. Childe only needs to go through Daxian Ridge to Shushan Temple, and his own ferry will ferry us across the river. After crossing the river, it is the thoroughfare road to Linchuan. Fang Zhongyong hurriedly expressed his gratitude, this "knowledge of mountains and rivers" is much more useful than "knowledge of feng shui". If you arrive in Fuzhou in a hurry, the exam status will inevitably be affected. Uncle Zhang has been a great help (seeing that others are useful, he will be called Uncle instead, and we despise him together!) ）。 It's just that the coachman Li San poured a small glass of cold water: "That Daxian Ridge is not easy to walk!" "What's so bad about walking? Even if there is a thief, you can't deal with it with your skills? Uncle Zhong didn't care. Fang Zhongyong was secretly surprised, this is a driver and bodyguard, but unfortunately it is not a woman.

It turns out that the old driver's words still have to be listened to, and Daxian Ridge is indeed not easy to walk.

The hill that is not high is actually a strange rock, and the forest is deep, no wonder the Red Army fought a battle of encirclement and annihilation here during the anti-encirclement and suppression. Fang Zhongyong didn't want to be surrounded and annihilated by a group of "heroes", so he urged Li San to hurry through the valley.

As he was walking, he suddenly saw a teenager jump out of the woods on the side of the road. The young man was armed with a sharpened wooden stick and a bamboo bow on his back. The trees on both sides trembled, as if many people were in ambush. The young man was about to open his mouth to speak, and Fang Zhongyong saw the "Green Forest Hero" for the first time in his two lifetimes, and his naughty heart was great: "You want to say, I opened this mountain, and I planted this tree." If you want to cross this road, leave the money to buy the road. If you dare to say no words, you don't care if you kill or bury it. The young robber blushed a little: "Hugh is nonsense." Whoever says that he is going to harm your life, just leave some money and dry food. If not, my brothers will want you to go in with a red knife and come out with a white knife. With that, the trees on both sides shook in unison. It's just that this little robber's professionalism is not enough, and even the terminology is wrong. The old servant Zhang Zhong also saw that the name was coming, and he said with a smile: "Your name! You're called! You're just screaming your throat, but I'm afraid that no one will pay attention to you. "Uh, that's evil!

That Li San had already taken advantage of the moment to speak, went around behind the young man, and suddenly drew the knife, and the knife fell in his hand. Fang Zhongyong shouted "Keep people under the knife" It was too late, and he saw that the knife was slashed at the young man's neck. The boy screamed and fell. Fang Zhong couldn't help but be angry: "It's just a naughty boy, why hurt him?" Li Sanyi smiled and said, "Don't worry, childe! I just smashed him with the back of a knife to stun him, and he's still alive! ”

Just as he was about to praise Li San for a few words, a heart-rending cry came from the woods next to him, "My hard-working son!" ”。 An old woman with a withered face ran to the young man's side. While crying bitterly, he angrily reprimanded several people: "My son is essentially good, and he was forced to make this decision out of desperation." There has never been a bad word against you, why are you so cruel and cruel to my child? Fang Zhongyong felt that there was a serious problem with this lady's view of right and wrong, what does it mean to "never speak ill of each other", your son is going to rob! Should we obediently hand over all the money and food, and then say "you have worked hard"? Is there still a royal law? Although this old woman was able to speak so methodically in a hurry, I am afraid that she was not from an ordinary family, and Fang Zhongyong did not intend to succumb to her crooked reasoning. Fang Zhongyong said: "It's ridiculous that you have committed this bandit act, but you still say that we are ruthless. Today, under the rule of the Son of Heaven, all the old are supported and the young are dependent. Why don't you find a way to make a living, is it possible that there are still people who don't let you live? Besides, Ling Lang is fine. You see, he's awake. But the boy had already woken up, but the bruise on his neck would not fade for a while.

The young man said, "Mother, why did you come out?" These people are not good people, don't let them harm you! What about my sister? The old woman screamed again and ran into the woods. Not long after, a little girl about four or five years old with pink makeup came out. When the old woman saw that the young man was still glaring at a few people, she scolded: "Silly son! If this son is not a good person, you have already fallen to the ground. Don't be so ignorant! The old woman bowed and bowed: "Old woman Meng, I have seen Gongzi." ”

Montess? Could it be that he is a descendant of Shu? Fang Zhongyong's gossip fire burned brightly: "But the Yizhou Meng family? Meng Shi said: "I have nothing to do with that Meng Chang, don't guess the son." ”

According to him, they are originally from Henan. To escape the war between the Northern and Southern Dynasties, his family moved to Hongzhou. Later, his family fell into the middle of the road, and his husband disagreed with the clansmen, so he went to Jinxi to make a living. The husband died some time ago, and the orphans and widows had no food and clothing, so they collided with a few people.

For these words, Fang Zhongyong felt that except for the fact that the surname was true (the ancients would never change the surname easily), everything else was nonsense. In the woods on both sides, there are suspicious formations, coupled with the appearance of being well-educated, it must be the remnants of the Shu Kingdom. Of course, the Kingdom of Shu has been destroyed for nearly seventy years, and it doesn't matter if it is a direct descendant of Meng Chang. Except for the royal spies, I'm afraid no one will have any interest in them, as for hiding in Tibet to drive themselves to a dead end?

You must know that the life of "Peach Blossom Spring" is by no means so easy. Even if you can solve the problem of eating and dressing, what about salt? What about medicine? How do you reproduce offspring? The end must not have been a good ending. Just like this one, he claims to be thirty-seven, but no matter how you look at it, he looks like seventy-three. What else can be the cause of a withered face, in addition to severe malnutrition?

But how to arrange them? Don't look at the woman who seems to be talking upside down, but in fact she has the right idea, what she doesn't like won't work. Leaving him to fend for himself is not in line with Fang Zhongyong's habits of being a man. He thought carefully for a moment and asked, "I wonder what Mrs. Meng plans to do in the future?" Meng: "What can I do?" The old man is terminally ill, and he only takes pity on my two children......" He covered his face with his sleeves and began to cry as he spoke.

Fang Zhongyong was still young in the end, and he couldn't see others embarrassed, so he explained his thoughts and thoughts: "This Great Immortal Ridge is not a place to live for a long time. The county lord of this county is my uncle, and I can write a letter to you and ask him to add the household registration for you. There are also some thatched huts on Hakuba Mountain, which can also be used for you to stay temporarily. I also have a relationship with Master Yuanjue, the abbot of the White Horse Temple, and I can also repair books with him and ask him to rent some fields for you to cultivate and make a living. I don't know what Mrs. Meng thinks? ”

Then Li San tugged at Fang Zhongyong's sleeve and said, "Childe, please speak here." After getting a little farther away, Li San said solemnly: "Gongzi Gaoyi, I admire it." But the origin of this mother and son is strange, and they must not be burned. Fang Zhongyong said nonchalantly: "What can be weird? At most, they are the descendants of Meng Chang of Shu Kingdom. And that woman has been sick for a long time, if she doesn't take care of her for a year or two, she will die, can she watch her two children wander into the wilderness? I'll ask the county lord to keep an eye on it secretly, and it'll be fine. Third brother, but don't worry. ”

Meng Shi saw that the two of them turned around after speaking, so he said to the young man: "Rui'er, you take your sister to pick some mushrooms and come back, because your mother is a little hungry." Young Meng Rui took the little girl who picked mushrooms to pick mushrooms. Meng Shi bowed deeply and said: "The little scheming of the woman's Taoist family made the son smile." Childe probably knows where I came from, right? Fang Zhongyong nodded and said nothing. The woman continued, "I'm afraid that the son is thinking badly. The ancestor was only a general under Na Meng Chang, and he was given a surname because of his military exploits, not the royal family of Nashu. Only because of the repeated defeat of Wang Quanbin, the general of the Song court, Meng Chang was afraid of Wang Quanbin's revenge when he surrendered, so he fled with the whole clan. After being chased and killed repeatedly, only my father-in-law was left. There is a lack of food and clothing in the mountains, and my in-laws have died one after another a few years ago. When his husband went out hunting, he was also injured by wild beasts and died. Only my mother and son are here, living hard.

The old woman wanted to spend her life in the mountains, but she never thought that she was seriously ill and knew that her life would not be long. When my husband was alive, he only told my child that his ancestral home was Henan, and the old woman was also tight-lipped about it. I also hope that the son can hide one or two on his behalf. As for the son's arrangement, the old woman thought it was very proper. Childe's kindness, the grass title ring in the next life will be repaid. ”

Fang Zhongyong immediately wrote a letter, explaining the reason, and gave Meng two copper coins for the purpose of settling down. After everything was arranged, Fang Zhongyong said to Na Meng: "Although you are a woman, you are quite scheming. and thy words are full of inaccuracies. He waved his hand to stop Meng Shi's explanation: "It doesn't matter who you are, what matters is what kind of life you want your child to live, and I will also arrange for someone to pay attention to it secretly." If you have any bad intentions, you will be in a dilemma between life and death for your mother and son. I hope you are doing it yourself. ”