Zhuang Zhengde drank.

I drank a lot of wine, drank until I staggered, and drank until I couldn't go straight.

Wine is an object that can make people forget their sorrows, sorrows, and all their troubles; But it is still the object of wine, and after drinking, it will also magnify people's mood in the last moment infinitely.

Zhuang Zhengde was tired, he felt very tired, not the kind of physical exhaustion. It's the kind of spiritual exhaustion that is defeated by life for a man who is about to stand up.

Since the age of nineteen, Zhuang Zhengde failed the examination for five consecutive years, and then took his father's savings for many years, and went to Taizhou Mansion to open a restaurant with a friend. Once a person starts from nothing, from poor to rich, if it is not the income of hard work, it will inevitably make people forget themselves.

In Zhuang Zhengde's view, this money is also a little too easy to make, compared to his father Zhuang Yun, who was the county magistrate in Qinhuang County, he has surpassed his father in the eyes of others, and his heart has slowly become a little fluttery, feeling that he is about to become the second Qiao Zhiyong in Shanxi.

In the next two years, Zhuang Zhengde spent money like running water, lingering in Fireworks Willow Lane night and night, and gradually the business was no longer taken care of. Later, he learned from the legend of Jin Shang Qiao Zhiyong to get involved in futures trade, stomped his feet ruthlessly to redeem the restaurant, and borrowed money everywhere to devote himself to it.

As the saying goes, the higher you stand, the more painful it hurts.

For a person who has no business acumen, being completely ignorant of things is tantamount to digging one's own grave. The good luck of opening a restaurant to make money did not continue in Zhuang Zhengde, and the futures trade only lasted three or four months.

In the past four years, Zhuang Zhengde has grown from nothing, from nothing, and from nothing to nothing. Let this man taste the bitterness and joy of the world. In desperation, he could only return to Qinhuang County to seek the protection of the county magistrate.

Zhuang Yun has always been very spoiled by this old man, as long as it is not a matter of murder and arson, there is not much accountability, even if this time his son lost all his money and was in debt, after returning home, he just knelt in front of the hall and gave a few lukewarm lectures, and at the same time hoped that Zhuang Zhengde would collect the heart floating in the clouds, and be able to find a woman to marry and have children in a down-to-earth manner, and spend the rest of his life in Qinhuang County.

Zhuang Zhengde looked at the old father and choked a little. After four years of being away, my father was already full of gray hair, and he didn't have the same look as before, both physically and mentally. The old father Zhuang Yun is more than seventy, how long can he accompany Zhuang Zhengde in the future? I went out to drink and eat meat, and I never worried about my father at home.

Since he came back and saw his father Zhuang Yun, Zhuang Zhengde felt that his heart was pierced. Since his mother died of a serious illness when he was fifteen years old, Zhuang Yun has no continuation, and he has raised his son with hard work, not seeking glory and wealth, but only seeking peace and security to spend his life, but Zhuang Zhengde did not do it, did not get ahead, and left a miserable and miserable relative.

As soon as he thought of these, Zhuang Zhengde felt aggrieved, fearful, angry, and entangled, Zhuang Zhengde just wanted to get drunk, and when he was drunk, he would forget everything, and when he was drunk, he would bury all his emotions.

Some people can get up when they fall, and some people just want to lie on their stomachs when they fall.

Zhuang Zhengde belongs to the latter, a twenty-eight-year-old man in the Qing Dynasty has no skills, and can only live under the aura of his father, which makes Zhuang Zhengde feel embarrassed. If it weren't for the greed for life and fear of death, thinking about stealing a living, he would have plunged into the Yellow River and drifted with the waves.

Zhuang Zhengde staggered for a long time, confused and didn't know where he went, but he just felt that the sun was warm and the grass was green.

I don't know how many hours later, in a daze, Zhuang Zhengde heard a banging sound, not loud, but very noisy. Rubbing his eyes and shaking his dizzy head, Zhuang Zhengde sat up, a little distracted. Looking in the direction of the sound, I saw that someone was playing chess on a stone table on the side of the mountain.

Zhuang Zhengde was a little strange, turned his head to look at the surrounding environment, and found that he had unconsciously come to Qipan Mountain, ten miles away from Qinhuang County, and there was something strange about this wilderness, in addition to people coming here to herd sheep, there were people playing chess here.

After getting up, Zhuang Zhengde staggered towards the direction of the stone table, only to see an old and a young puppy lying next to the stone table.

The little pug brother was a little vigilant and snorted at Zhuang Zhengde, and the little boy at the stone table looked up at this drunk man with some annoyance, what a big smell of wine!

The little boy wore a short braid with shiny oil, and yellow ears of wheat inserted in it, looking vigorous; The old man was dressed plainly, his cyan robe stretched out, he put down the chess pieces in his hand and hugged his fist at Zhuang Zhengde, who came over: "Disturb the little friend, the old man took the little grandson out for an outing, rested here for a while, and taught the little grandson to play chess." ”

Zhuang Zhengde was a little embarrassed in a word, he just wanted to see who was playing chess in this wilderness, but he didn't want to disturb people to learn chess, and waved his hand stiffly: "It's not in the way, it's not in the way, I'm also overdrunk, and I don't know where to go and fall asleep, I didn't let the wolves and dogs on this mountain eat it, even if it's okay, I have to thank you for waking me up." ”

When the little pug heard that the dog was going to eat people, he snorted angrily, and because the little master was also having a bad seizure, he had to turn around in place to show his anger.

Zhuang Zhengde was a little surprised, this little pug's IQ is quite high, and he can still understand. The old man smiled slightly: "Young man, it's better to drink less, there are no absolutes, there is no end to people, as long as the heart is wide, there is no bridge in this world that cannot be crossed." ”

As soon as the little boy heard that this grandfather began to nag again, he secretly stomped his feet: "Old man Bai, you will persuade people when you meet them, and you are not afraid that people will bother you." I'm afraid you forgot to persuade people to be chased and beaten last time, right? ”

When the old man surnamed Bai heard this, he laughed. hugged his fist at Zhuang Zhengde again, which made Zhuang Zhengde embarrassed, "Boy Zhuang Zhengde thank you for the enlightenment of Old Man Bai, but I have a lot of worries, and I just want to get drunk." When this white old man heard the name Zhuang Zhengde, he was a little stunned, "Could it be that you are the son of Zhuang Yun, the commander of Qinhuang County?" ”

Zhuang Zhengde carefully looked at Master Bai for a long time, but he couldn't recognize whether he had seen it or not.

Master Bai saw that Zhuang Zhengde was confused, and guessed a rough idea, "It's not strange that Xiaozhuang doesn't know me, I hugged you when you were naked when you were a child, I am your father's best friend, I have been teaching in the travel party, and I have rarely come back over the years." ”

Zhuang Zhengde was a little embarrassed, "It turned out to be Mr. Bai, disrespectful and disrespectful, I heard that my father usually always talks about you, and he didn't have the right number all of a sudden." ”

Old Man Bai smiled at Zhuang Zhengde, making Zhuang Zhengde feel like a spring breeze, and he couldn't say the kind of feeling. "Xiaozhuang, it's not too early, we should go back. Go back and tell your father, I have been in Qinhuang County recently, and I live in the land temple in the east of the county. You can take the time to sit down and catch up on the old days. I haven't seen your dad in more than ten years. ”

Zhuang Zhengde looked up at the sunset, this meal has been an afternoon unconsciously, and it is time to go home, the old man Zhuang of the province is worried. "Mr. Bai, that kid will go first, and I'll tell my father when I go back. You should also go back early, it will not be early. Zhuang Zhengde immediately clenched his fists and said goodbye to the old and young pug. Go down the mountain.

Back in the backyard of the county government, Zhuang Zhengde looked around and did not find the old county order, so he hurried up to wash his face and go to the wine. Just because he made friends when he opened Xinyue Restaurant, he would be respectful at every table, and he drank a good amount of wine.

About half an hour later, the old county commander Zhuang Yun returned to the backyard of the county government with a couple, and saw Zhuang Zhengde sitting in the courtyard in a daze, the old county commander hurriedly called Zhuang Zhengde, "Zhengde, this is your distant cousin Xie Cong, this is his wife Dong Li." The two of them came to stay with us for a few days and do some personal business. ”

Zhuang Zhengde got up and said, "My cousin is good, my cousin is good." Zhuang Zhengde was surprised by the sudden arrival of his cousin. He only knew that his mother had fled from the Northeast to Qinhuang County, and he didn't know anything about his mother's relatives. At the same time, I am a little curious, what kind of private matter would go so far?

After meeting, the family had dinner. Zhuang Yun and Xie Cong were drinking tea and chatting on the side, while Dong Li was wandering around the courtyard, looking at everything here and there, it felt like something new.

Zhuang Zhengde sat on the stone bench in the courtyard and looked at his cousin-in-law who was very curious about everything, Zhuang Zhengde was a little restrained, wanted to chat with his cousin-in-law, but didn't know what to say.

Cousin-in-law Dong Li turned around and looked at the front and back of the county government, which was a little boring. Seeing Zhuang Zhengde sitting alone in the courtyard staring at her, he walked over and sat aside.

"Little fat brother, what are you looking at here, do I have flowers on my face?" When Zhuang Zhengde heard this accent, he suddenly remembered the Northeast women he met in the flower and wine venue in Taizhou Mansion, all of whom were as beautiful as flowers, had cheerful personalities, could drink and play, and suddenly lost his mind for a while. But after a while, I realized that something was wrong, and hurriedly got up and said, "My cousin laughed, I just felt curious, because I had never heard my mother mention her relatives. ”

Dong Li grinned for a long time, "Little fat brother, you are so funny, what can we pretend to be." But I've been looking at you for a long time, and I found that your face is not a little bloody (sai), you look like you're ruined, your eyes are out of focus, and you're restless. What's going on? Which girl is cheating money? ”

When Zhuang Zhengde heard this, he was a little panicked in his heart. Although it has been famous in Taizhou Mansion in recent years, it has always been a place of government, separated by Qinhuang County. It is impossible for anyone to know, otherwise he would have to spit out a mouthful of old blood from the old county order.

Zhuang Zhengde couldn't figure out the origin of this cousin and sister-in-law for a while, how could he be like some charlatan?