The sky is dark and cloudy, at the end of the unitary hour, the sky is completely dark, and the lanterns shine on the bluestone pavement, which is faint and blue, and the courtyard is deep.

About 100 steps from the earthen wall gate to the main hall of Xie Mansion, Chen Caozhi followed the steward of Xie Mansion to the hall, and heard the music of the silk and bamboo orchestra coming ethereally, as if the fragrance of flowers in the dark night lingered in the air, like the fragrance of the incense stump tree, and like the fragrance of roses——

Xie Anju Dongshan, good planting incense pile tree, Xie Daoyun is only in love with roses, the roses of Shangyu Dongshan are delicate and then withered, three years ago in late May, Chen Caozhi went to Dongshan to ask Master Zhi Du to treat his mother's illness, and saw the big silk of roses on the side of the wooden building of Xie's villa, pink and pink, competing to open, at that time Chen Caozhi stood under the rose and waited for Xie Shidian to be included in the report of the building——

Xie An has a good music rhythm, lived in Dongshan for ten years, sang endlessly, and should be recalled to Beijing today, and also returned with more than a dozen prostitutes, and his wife Liu Tang was not as strong as in the early years, and would no longer pull the curtain to prevent Xie An from watching female music, saying "afraid of hurting Shengde".

The hall of Xie Mansion is overlapped, high and grand, separated by Zhang Wei, the whole hall can accommodate hundreds of guests, and today, there is only one guest of Chen Caozhi, and there is only one host, that is, Xie An, Xie Wan is not present, and the rest of Xie Lang and Xie Shao are not present.

Xie An sat on a square couch, wearing a middle couch, a shirt, a hand-cranked pamperto fan, half-chested, with a duck head spoon and a feather bud in front of the case, and a Ruan Qin on the side.

Xie An picked up a bamboo stick, gently flicked it on the ruan qin, and with a "zheng" sound, the sound of the silk and bamboo orchestra behind the curtain stopped, and for a while, the spacious hall was exceptionally quiet.

Xie An invited Chen Caozhi to take a seat, and said indifferently: "Please come today, just talk about the music, three years ago, I didn't have the opportunity to hear the clear music of Cao, tonight I can fulfill my long-cherished wish, please play a song for me." ”

Chen Caozhi said: "This Xie An is really unpredictable, if he wants to talk to me about the rhythm, he doesn't seem to be concerned about whether Xie Daoyun is out of office or not, or Xie An has already made a decision, whether Xie Daoyun is out of office or not?" ”

Chen Caozhi bowed down and said: "An Shigong is proficient in music and rhythm, the juniors want to ask for advice, and the juniors play a song first, and it is very fortunate to listen to it without humiliation." As he spoke, he motioned to Huang Xiaotong, who was sitting behind him, to hand over the wooden box, take out the Keting flute, breathe and concentrate, and played a song "Spring River Flower Moonlight Night".

"Spring River Flower Moonlit Night" is the famous poem of Zhang Ruoxu of the Tang Dynasty, the praiser called it "the lonely piece of the whole Tang Dynasty", Wen Yiduo praised it as "the poem in the poem", and was later adapted into a string piece, the tune is beautiful and elegant, the rhythm is smooth and full of changes, the artistic conception is far-reaching, the music is long, Chen Caozhi plays it with a hole flute, and the highly expressive, tactful and melodious music will be Xie An on the couch and Xie Daoyun in the curtain room in a moment into a clear, empty, fresh and natural realm, as if the bright moon is hanging high, the river is slightly surging, and the fragrance of flowers and moonlight makes people intoxicated——

"The tide of the spring river is even with the sea, and the bright moon on the sea is born together...... Jiangtian is colorless and dustless, and the lonely moon wheel in the bright sky. Who first saw the moon on the riverside? When did Jiang Yue shine at the beginning of the year? Life is infinite from generation to generation, and Jiang Yue is only similar every year. I don't know who Jiang Yue treats, but I see the Yangtze River sending water...... Who's going to be in the boat tonight? Where is Acacia Moon Tower? …… At this time, we don't hear each other, and we are willing to shine on you month by month...... I don't know how many people will return to the moon, and the falling moon will shake the river trees......"

The beautiful poems passed through Chen Cao's heart, and a string of musical notes flowed out from the finger sounds, Chen Caozhi was immersed in it, playing with all his heart, vividly showing a beautiful and far-reaching artistic conception.

Xie Daoyun behind the curtain was fascinated, and his slender jade fingers couldn't help but pluck and press on his legs, as if he was in harmony with the banana leaf piano, and said in his heart: "I have to hear this song, although I die, what a pity!" ”

The sound of the cave flute is gone, the high and open hall is silent, the moonlit night, the fragrance of flowers, the faint river tide, the sentimental and beautiful thoughts do not seem to be far away, the Xie Mansion Hall at this time is very different from the previous moment, this is a very wonderful feeling.

Xie An couldn't help sighing: "The universe is infinite, my life is fleeting, bel canto is wonderful, sincere and touching, Xi Zhongni heard Shao, and knew the virtue of Yu Shun; Ji Za listens to the strings, knows the wind of the country, and listens to the elegant performance of today, which is to know the preciousness of life, and the mind, recognition, and taste of the exercise, are fully displayed in this song. ”

Xie An took Ruanqin, broke it with a bamboo stick, and played a song with Zheng Zheng, singing his old poem: "Phase and Xinjia Festival, lead the same clothes." Thin clouds and sunny scenery, light sailing with breeze wings. Mellow Tao Dan Mansion, Wu Ruo Xi Tang. Ten thousand things are mixed up, and An Fujue Peng is dead. ”

Suddenly, there was silence.

After a long time, Xie An said: "I heard it tonight, and I don't dare to re-invite it if it is even more wonderful, and I look forward to another day." ”

Chen Chen Caozhi walked to say goodbye, but listened to Xie Andao: "Born in this world, his life is worrying, if he wants to go far and wide, then the door is trusted, for the portal, I am determined to let Zhu Yingtai come out, tomorrow I let Zhu Yingtai come to visit Cao Zhi's various servants, and enter the West Mansion at the end of the month." ”

Xie Daoyun in the small room behind the curtain listened to the words of the third uncle Xie An, and there were not too many surprises, she was very surprised that she was so calm, she was going to enter the West Mansion, so prepare well.

Xie Daoyun heard that the third uncle sent Chen Caozhi out, she sat still, and after a while, the third uncle's clogs were crisp, and he returned to the hall and called: "Ah Yuan——"

Xie Daoyun knew that the third uncle had something to command, so he answered, came out of the curtain, and knelt in front of the couch to wait for teaching.

Xie An asked: "Ah Yuan knows what song Chen Caozhi played?" ”

Xie Daoyun said: "I don't know, it should be its new song." ”

Xie An was silent for a long time and asked, "A-Yuan plans not to marry for the rest of his life?" ”

Xie Daoyun hesitated for a moment and said, "My niece is not filial, which makes my uncle worried. ”

Xie An said: "You go to Xifu to practice for a year, and then come to be my assistant." ”

Xie Daoyun responded: "Yes." ”

Xie An said again: "Duke Huan's intentions are unpredictable, Chen Cao's intentions are difficult to understand, you are my Xie family's son, don't go the wrong way, serving the court is the right way, that Chen Caozhi is really Wang Zuo's talent, and very elegant and charming, you and Ah Ji are friends with him, you should encourage each other and contribute to the country." ”

……

The next morning, Xie Daoyun groomed, scarf and shirt, came to visit Chen Caozhi in Gu's mansion, Gu Kaizhi welcomed her into the house, and went to the small courtyard to see Chen Caozhi together, Gu Kaizhi complained that he was rejected twice, Xie Daoyun apologized: "I really don't know that Changkang is visiting, if it weren't for Xi Shilang and Zizhong, I can't go out yet." ”

Gu Kaizhi asked, why?

Xie Daoyun said: "Since I was a child, my body has been weak, and I am afraid that I will not be able to bear the burden of the case, so the elders of the Xie family do not allow me to go out." ”

Gu Kaiyi looked Xie Daoyun up and down as he walked, and said: "Brother Yingtai is admittedly thin, but his spirit is very good, when he arrives in Xifu, he will ride and swim with Zizhong every day, and his body will naturally become stronger, Zizhong knows how to eat and maintain health, in case of illness, he can still treat you, haha, I will also ask to enter Xifu next year." ”

Xie Daoyun only said yes, and when he saw Chen Caozhi, he said deeply: "Thank you Zizhong." ”

Chen Caozhi smiled and returned the salute: "If I don't help Brother Yingtai, I am uneasy, and I can't help Brother Yingtai, and my heart is also uneasy." ”

Xie Daoyun knew what Chen Cao was doing, and said, "This is my own decision, why should Zizhong care." ”

Chen Caozhi is transcribing "The Theory of Boils", has copied a volume, immediately took this book, and Xie Daoyun went to see Xi, Xi entered Taicheng and did not return, Xi's apartment is not far from the land property given to Chen Caozhi by Jiang Sixuan, Chen Caozhi heard the third brother Chen Shang said that the construction of the house has begun there, so he wants to see how it goes? Xie Daoyun also went to see it together.

According to Chen Caozhi's design drawing, Chen's mansion is divided into four large blocks in the southeast and northwest, due to limited financial resources, the East Garden was built first, the East Garden is Chen Caozhi's pattern according to the retreat garden of Tongli Town, Suzhou, slightly simplified and drawn, and the layout is more sparse, Chen Shang has asked the pawn to make a budget for the East Garden, it is estimated that it will take about 380 percent to build the East Garden, and Jing Nu sent 500,000 yuan and five catties of gold last time, a total of one million dollars, and Xie Daoyun's million money, Gu Kaizhi even sent and borrowed a total of one million dollars, As well as the three hundred horses of silk given by the Empress Dowager Chu last time and the five hundred horses of silk that Huan Wen rewarded, one horse of silk is worth six hundred yuan, and eight hundred horses of silk are nearly 500,000 yuan, so it is almost the same to build the East Garden.

When Chen Caozhi and Xie Daoyun went to Qinhuai to see, they saw that the craftsman was digging a ditch to divert water, introducing the water of the Qinhuai River, forming a two-acre pond in the garden, and then building pavilions and pavilions around the small lake, which is a typical architectural style of the retreat garden, there is another one called the water garden in the retreat garden, the architectural layout of the retreat garden is the most exquisite and compact of the famous gardens that Chen Caozhi has traveled, of course, Chen's East Garden is large enough to build a large foundation, the building should be higher and more open, Xie Daoyun listened to Chen Caozhi to guide her, it is appropriate to build a pavilion here, a pavilion should be built there, and there is a waterfront Xuan, Jiuqu cloisters and so on, even how to build these pavilions and pavilions, whether they are civil or all-wood structures, are all exquisite, and I can't help but wonder: "Zizhong, where did you learn these?" I don't think it's surprising that you are proficient in Confucian calligraphy and painting, but you are also proficient in the construction of pavilions and gardens, which makes me very surprised. ”

Chen Caozhi smiled and said: "It's a dream, the immortal pavilion you see in your dream is like this. ”

Xie Daoyun shook the pu kui fan lightly, looked at Chen Caozhi, and said: "You are really a mysterious person, sometimes I think, Zizhong, where did you come from?" ”

Chen Caozhi was taken aback, his face remained silent, and he responded: "From where you came." ”

Xie Daoyun said: "You came from the sky, you are an immortal." After that, he turned around and looked at the sparkling Qinhuai River in the sun, and continued: "The tunes you play are all fairy music, which makes me feel sad that I have nowhere to go." ”

In the scorching sun of June, the clear waves passed, Chen Caozhi had an indescribable touch, not because Xie Daoyun praised him so much, but because Xie Daoyun touched the most sensitive part of his soul in his two lives-

Nowhere else to go? Strange terminology, incomprehensible?

From where we come from and where we go, we have no choice but one way.