The snow was falling heavier and heavier, flying all over the sky, blurring the boundary between dawn and darkness, making it impossible to tell whether it was the snow or the morning light on the fifteenth day of the lunar month, the snow was falling non-stop, the ground and the roof were covered, and by the time the snow on the ground was about an inch thick, the sky was already bright.

Zeng Yu's family and Zheng Shi, Zhang Guangwei, Lao Dao Tongchen, Taoist Yu Xuan and his party returned to the house outside the north gate when it was already an undeclared friend in the afternoon of the same day, in fact, there was already a thief fleeing to Shangrao City when the day was bright and there was no threat to the news came, but the people still did not dare to go out of the city, for fear of encountering scattered thieves and bandits to be victimized, small chaos to avoid the city, big chaos to avoid the wild, until noon Qi sent people back to report that the vigilance of Shangrao City could be lifted, Shangrao City opened the northwest two gates, allowing people to enter and exit, The officers and soldiers of the Qianhu Office of Guangxin Prefecture continued to patrol around the city and arrest suspicious people.

Zeng Yu got the news in more detail, last night's battle, more than 1,000 bandits were killed, wounded and captured and as many as 6,000 people fell into the wind, and an unknown number of bandits fled separately, most of these fleeing bandits are newly joined Jiangxi locals, originally wanted to follow Wu Ping to rob the rich to eat and drink spicy, but unexpectedly suffered a big defeat under the city of Shangrao, these people relied on the familiar terrain, they fled to various paths, the prefect Lin Guangzu has ordered Hengfeng, Lead Mountain, Yiyang counties to strengthen patrols at various intersections and passes, In each town, there are bandits who have returned to their hometowns from thieves, and they must be taken and handed over to the local government.

These bandits who fled for their lives are not to worry, the key now is that the bandit leader Wu Ping has not yet been captured, Wu Ping led more than three or four hundred bandits to break through desperately, and fled along the north bank of Lingxi to the direction of Yushan, Qi Zongbing led a light cavalry to pursue, and did not stop killing Wu Ping——

Zeng Yu knows the shape of the mountains and rivers in Shangrao and Yongfeng well, Lingxi and Fengxi converge into the Xinjiang River in the east of Shangrao City, on the north bank of Lingxi and Fengxi, the terrain is relatively gentle, although there are mountains but not deep Mao, Wu Ping wants to get rid of the pursuit of officers and soldiers, crossing the Xinjiang River or Fengxi River into the vast mountains of Yongfeng County is indeed the best choice, but the key is that the boats along the river have already been collected on the south bank, this month weather, the bandits want to swim across the river even if they are not frozen and barely get on the other bank, in the end, it is difficult to escape death, Because there are also officers and soldiers patrolling along the river on the other side, the bandits have died so far, and Wu Ping can't escape-

In the morning, Zeng Yu and Zheng Shi met Professor Zhang in Minglun Hall when they learned that the Guangxin Mansion scientific examination was on the sixteenth day of the lunar month, that is, tomorrow, and it was not rescheduled, and the five counties under the jurisdiction of the Guangxin Mansion had been written by Lord Huang, and the students who missed the examination date due to the rebellion of the thief Wu Ping could go to Nanchang Mansion in February next year to make up the examination, Huang Tixue now lives in the examination shed on the edge of the Fuxue Palace, and the examination shed has become a temporary Xuedao Yamen, isolated inside and outside, to prevent fraud-

Out of the gate of the Fuxue Palace, Zheng Shi shook his head and smiled: "Where can I get the test tomorrow, this way I am scared, two wars, eight shares will not be successful." ”

Zeng Yu said with a smile: "Unless you give up next year's township examination, otherwise you will still take the exam tomorrow, which is better than rushing to Nanchang in early spring and February next year. ”

Zhang Guangwei rode her fiery red horse on the snowy streets, and there was fine snow falling in the air, she was in a good mood, and when she heard what Zeng Yu and Zheng Shi said, she pouted and said dissatisfiedly: "It's not easy to escape from death, and I think about fame and wealth again, how can I see through it?" ”

Zeng Yu was dirty and tattered, but his mood was excellent, he traveled thousands of miles, met a thief on the way, got out safely, his family was unharmed, it was really easy and comfortable, he couldn't see through Zhang Guangwei's sarcasm, and suddenly remembered a song "Hillside Goat", and suddenly became interested, and said with a smile: "Miss Guangwei, I'll sing you a song of love——"

Zhang Guangwei smiled "ha": "You can also sing love, good, good, sing to listen." ”

Niuniu clapped her hands in the carriage and laughed: "Brother sings tunes, brother sings tunes." ”

Ah Tong and Ah Wei sisters shouted and coaxed even more.

Taoism is also called fishing drum play, there is a Tang Dynasty, it is a Taoist song sung when the Taoist priests preach and recruit people, it is nothing more than the promotion of immortals, persuasion and cultivation of virtue, etc., there is also a legendary romance about the emperor and the general, which is particularly popular in Jiangxi

Zeng Yu walked with the carriage, put one hand on the carriage, and sang a cappella to the beat:

"I am busy all day long just to be hungry, so I have to have food and clothes.

Put Aya Luo on her body, and look up and think the house is low.

Built a tall building and a building, and there was a lack of beautiful wives in front of the bed.

The wives and concubines are all married, and there is no horse to ride in front of the door.

Buy the money to buy the high-headed horse, and follow the horse before and after.

The family recruited dozens of them, and they were bullied because they were rich and powerless.

Yiquan reached the county position, and said that the official was small and low.

As soon as he climbed to the old position, he thought about ascending the throne every day.

One day, he sat in the south and wanted the gods to play chess.

Dongbin played chess with him, and asked where the ladder was.

The ladder to heaven was not done, and the king of Hades dealt cards to urge him.

If it weren't for this person's big limit, it would be too low to go up the ladder. ”

After singing a song, Zeng Yu smiled and asked: "Miss Guangwei, how about my song that is really not enough?" ”

Zhang Guangwei looked at Zeng Yu in a daze, with a shocked face, and suddenly jumped off the horse and solemnly bowed to Zeng Yu, saying, "Congratulations, congratulations, congratulations to Zeng Xiucai-"

The two sisters, Ah Tong and Ah Wei, didn't understand what their uncle was singing, so they hurriedly asked: "Little fairy girl, little fairy girl, why do you congratulate my carp uncle?" ”

Zhang Guangwei said solemnly: "Zeng Xiucai is definitely enlightened, after this catastrophe, once enlightened, it really makes nature envious." ”

Tongchen Lao Dao, who took the rope because of a fall and injured his foot, echoed: "Zeng Xiu is the immortal official of the heavenly realm who has gone down to the mortal experience, and it is a matter of time before he returns to the truth." ”

Zhang Guang said with great joy: "Senior nephew Tongchen also said so, then it is absolutely wrong, where would Senior Brother Yuangang look at the wrong person." ”

Zheng Shi and Yu Xuandao, who were walking behind, looked at each other, thinking to themselves Zeng Jiuli Is this going to soar in the daytime, and the enlightenment song has been sung-

Zeng Yu laughed, shook his head while laughing, and said, "I didn't understand, I still have to walk down-to-earth." As he spoke, he stomped his feet, leaving two deep footprints on the snow.

Zhang Guangwei, who has always liked to break the casserole and ask to the end, no longer asks anything, and does not ride a horse anymore, walking on the snow beside Zeng Yu, looking at Zeng Yu from time to time, his eyes are different.

Zhang Guangwei looked at Zeng Yu, Zeng Yu's mother Zhou looked at Zhang Guangwei from the car window, Zhang Guangwei's small hat and robe, no different from ordinary Taoist clothes, but the eyebrows are clear and beautiful, the complexion is more like white jade, the hand holding the brown and black reins is extremely exquisite, as if the ice and snow are finely carved, this young and beautiful female Taoist identity is even more unusual, although young, the seniority is extremely high, it is the aunt of Zhang Tianshi of Longhu Mountain, it really makes Zeng Yu's mother puzzled: Zhang Guangwei's status is noble, how can he be so good to Yu'er, and rushed to report the news overnight, Zhang Guangwei is a young girl

- Zeng Yu's mother was abducted and sold at the age of four, Zeng Yu's grandfather bought it and has been living in the countryside of Ishida, although the small town of Ishida is small, there are many rich squires, so the folk customs are quite Taoist, etiquette, righteousness and shame are very exquisite, for women, in addition to the poverty of the family must go out to work, it is easy to be laughed at when she shows her face, Zeng Yu's mother is not so old-fashioned and pedantic, she is just curious, curious about how this noble girl of the real people's mansion can be so good to her son Zeng Yu, if Zhang Guangwei is a man, it can be said to be out of friendship, what kind of love is this now?

Many years of humble life have allowed great-mother Zhou to develop a peaceful and cautious character, and her son can make up the exam to become a showman, and her current wish is to marry a pure white girl for her son, no need to be rich, no need to be very beautiful, as long as she is dignified, gentle temperament, and healthy physique, she didn't dare to let her son get married to a wealthy nobleman, but this little fairy girl Zhang Guangwei seems to be really fascinated by Yu'er, leading the horse and following Yu'er, her eyes are simply hanging on Yu'er, I can't take my eyes off it.

Great-mother Zhou was a little worried and a little proud, leaning on the car window and watching the back of her son and Zhang Guangwei, she didn't care about her son's singing, she only cared about her son's marriage, her son will be twenty-one years old after the New Year, and it will make people laugh if she doesn't set the family affair -

Bustling inside and outside the north gate, many people living in the suburbs shouldered the old and the young out of the city, Zeng Yu met his friend Wu Chunze, Wu Chunze was pleasantly surprised: "When did the virtuous brother come back, I also went to the house yesterday morning to greet Lingtang - ah, I came back on the fourth watch, didn't you meet the bandits?" ”

Zeng Yu left Shangrao in August to go to Fenyi when he asked Wu Chunze to take care of the family, Wu Chunze is very kind, every morning will go to the Lingxi Zeng Mansion to Zeng Yu's mother to say hello, and ask what needs help, although Zeng Yu's mother has never had anything to bother him, but he still comes to the door every day to ask, live up to the instructions of friends, yesterday morning Wu Chunze went to Zeng Mansion when Zhang Guangwei and Yu Xuandao people have not arrived, so I don't know that Zeng Yu encountered a thief adventure, in the afternoon the bandit police came, Wu Chunze hurriedly ran to Zeng's house again to prepare to let Zeng Yu's mother and sister go into the city with his Wu family to avoid thieves, but he only saw the old servant Lao Shan, Lao Shan said that Grandma Zeng and they had been sent by Lin Fuzun to enter the city and settle down, Wu Chunze was relieved, thinking that Zeng Jiuli was really not an ordinary school student, and the prefect of the four grades of the dignified government had to send someone to take special care of him-

Zeng Yu and Wu Chunze exchanged a few words, and then invited Wu Chunze to his house to talk, at this time the north gate was too chaotic, and it was inconvenient to stand by the road for a long talk, Wu Chunze said: "It's good that the virtuous brother returns safely, I won't bother today, and we will get together for a drink tomorrow after the scientific expedition - did the virtuous brother and the Zheng brother go to the mansion to sign up?" ”

Zeng Yu said: "I have just asked Professor Zhang to sign up on behalf of me in the Fuxue Palace. ”

Wu Chunze was about to say goodbye, when he suddenly remembered something again, and said to Zeng Yu: "The day before yesterday, I summoned Jiang Yuanrui, Xu Zetong, and Zhu Feng, of course these three knew that Huang Tixue was going to investigate the case of fraud in the hospital test, and they all asked their families to report that they were sick in bed and couldn't see the grandmaster——"

Speaking of this, Wu Chunze, Zeng Yu, and Zheng Shi laughed in unison, Wu Chunze shook his head and sighed again: "Of course, this kind of thing can't be relied on, if you don't come to Huang Tixue to study under the pretext of illness, you will still publicize the merits of Jiang Yuanrui and the three of them, and you will never be able to participate in the imperial examination again, and this is only a punishment for learning the Tao, according to the judge, there will be a follow-up punishment, it is estimated that it is to be an official or a soldier." ”

Although Jiang Yuanrui's fate was more miserable, Zeng Yu would not feel pity, this kind of person is self-inflicted, if the fraud in the imperial examination is not severely punished, it is unfair to the students in the world.

After saying goodbye to Wu Chunze, Zeng Yu and his entourage returned to the house outside the north gate, Lao Shan and Laifu were happy, Laifu was diligent, and swept the snow in front of the gate to Yu Jingjing.

It's already the end of the afternoon, great-mother Zhou and Zeng Ruolan cook together, since Zeng Yu went to Fenyi, Zeng Ruolan for great-mother Zhou to find an honest and reliable cook and washerwoman, now Zeng house population is small, there are not many housework, the cook and washerwoman do not feel how hard it is, and the salary given by great-mother Zhou is more kind, and kind, the cook surnamed Yu is happy to be a helper in Zeng's house, yesterday morning because she had to avoid the bandits, she went back to her house-

The New Year's Festival is approaching, the house has prepared some New Year's goods, bacon, salted fish, chickens and ducks are still raised in the back garden, and cabbage and radish are planted, so there are guests who do not want to buy meat and vegetables temporarily, Shangrao City is still chaotic, and it is not easy to buy vegetables.

Zeng Yu and Zheng Shi took a hot bath, Zheng Shi was so sleepy that he couldn't do it, Zeng Yu arranged a guest room for Zheng Shi to rest, his own spirit was fine, the eight sections of the brocade guidance technique and the cultivation of the vitality method in the suit were successful, the night before in the Hengfeng Seven Stars Guanyi sat in the middle of the night, yesterday was carried by thieves to rush nearly a hundred miles, the night was even more chaotic, the four watches went to Shangrao, sat quietly in the house Yuyingzhai for half an hour, and now I don't feel how tired I am, after bathing, I personally cook tea, use a lacquer plate to bring it out to the front hall, Zhu Dedong accompanies guests in the hall, But Yu sat silently, with the old Taoist looking inward, Yu Xuan, who was standing on the side, was also looking at his nose and nose, Zhu Dedong was very embarrassed, and when he saw Zeng Yu coming out, he quickly got up and said: "Jiu Li, you can talk to the two Taoist masters, I'll go and see if Aunt Zeng needs help." So saying, he hurried away.

Zeng Yu didn't see Zhang Guangwei, and hurriedly asked, "Where is Miss Guangwei?" ”

Tongchen Lao Dao said with a smile: "Miss Guangwei took pity on Lao Dao's injured foot, and went to the back garden with Ling Mei to enjoy the snow." ”

Zeng Yu was stunned for a moment, not knowing what he meant, Yu Xuan explained with a smile: "The little fairy aunt is of high seniority, the little fairy aunt is here, and the uncle of Tongchen can only stand, so the little fairy aunt will go to the back garden." ”

Not to mention Zhang Guangwei's noble status, just in terms of the inheritance of the Zhengyi Sect, Zhang Guangwei is a generation older than Tongchen Lao Dao, two generations older than Yu Xuan, Zhang Guangwei is here, Tongchen Lao Dao and Yu Xuan have the qualifications to sit steadily, they can only stand on the side, now, Zhang Guangwei is not here, Tongchen Lao Dao can sit and recuperate his injured feet, only Yu Xuan is standing-

Lao Dao Tongchen said: "Poor Dao asked Yu Xuan to sit and talk, but he insisted on standing. ”

Yu Xuan Daoist hurriedly said: "No, no, just stand on the trail." ”

Tongchen Lao Dao nodded and said with a smile: "Yu Xuan understands the rules now, but he was quite stubborn when he was young, his master Dong Zhen was very strict with his disciples, and Yu Xuan was often punished and beaten when he was young. ”

Yu Xuan bowed his head and laughed, but secretly rolled his eyes.

Zeng Yu smiled slightly, put the lacquer plate on the coffee table, and diverted the topic: "This is the Jianning purple bamboo shoot tea given to me by Mr. Yan Er, it is said to be a tribute, Master Tongchen and Brother Yuxuan Dao will taste it, see how the tea art is?" ”

Tongchen Lao Dao asked about the things since he left the Seven Stars Temple while sipping tea, and learned that the Seven Stars Temple had set the thieves on fire, and he was so shocked that the tea cup in his hand fell to the ground and shattered.

Zeng Yu hurriedly relieved: "At that time, I saw a fire in the Taoist temple at the foot of the mountain, and the thieves were in a hurry, and they would not set fire to every hall

Tongchen Lao Dao was stunned for a long time, and sighed: "Alas, I don't know how many palaces can survive the catastrophe" turned to Yu Xuan and said: "We will leave for home early tomorrow morning, Miss Guangwei left Shangqing without authorization, and the whole Dazhen Mansion must be very anxious." ”

Zeng Yu didn't know what Zhang Guangwei, Niuniu, and Ah Tong were doing in the back garden, so he got up and said, "I'll go and invite Miss Guangwei to come for tea." ”

Before I walked to the back garden, I heard the chirping of a little girl's cry, as if a lot of lovely birds gathered together to chirp, Zeng Yu stood on the porch and looked at the back garden, and saw a flat snow in the garden, the snow was stepped on like a rock, the sunset shone obliquely, this piece of snow reflected the brilliance of the mirror, Zhang Guangwei stood in the center of the mirror and leaned over and didn't know what he was busy with, Niuniu in bloated winter clothes and Ah Tong and A Wei sisters were running happily back and forth, shouting, "Little fairy aunt little fairy girl, can this branch be used?" ”

The three little girls had white gas in their mouths, running around in the winter sun without feeling the cold of ice and snow, and a few birds were scattered around the garden to watch the excitement.

Zeng Yu took a closer look, but Niu Niu and the others picked up the dead branches in the garden and handed them to Zhang Guangwei, Zhang Guangwei picked and picked the dead branches, and broke them, and then embedded them in the snow-

Zeng Yu looked at it for a while, and then he saw that Zhang Guangwei was going to make a congenital gossip diagram on the snow, and the two opposite Qiankun Kanli four trigrams had been embedded with black branches, and the "" arc of the yin and yang fish in the center of the gossip map was outlined a little roughly, which could not show the artistic conception of the yin and yang fish rotating.

"Brother, brother—"

Niuniu saw Zeng Yu and ran over, patting the snow dust on her hands, and her little face was full of smiles

Zeng Yu picked up his sister, turned in the air, gently put it on the ground, and said: "Qianqian asked her father to bring you the seven little monkeys made of purple sand, which can be used as whistles, don't you often play with those little monkeys together in Yingtan last time." ”

Niuniu was overjoyed and asked in a loud voice: "Where, where?" ”

Two sisters, Ah Tong and Ah Wei, also ran over and asked, "Where is the little monkey, where is it?" ”

Zeng Yu said: "It's still in her father's bag, ouch, the bumps along the way won't be broken."

Niuniu hurriedly said: "Then hurry up and take a look." ”

Zeng Yu said with a smile: "Daddy Qianqian is sleeping, can we turn over his box while he is sleeping?" ”

The youngest Ah Wei asked ignorantly: "Why can't you turn over his box, Uncle Carp?" ”

Ah Tong answered her sister's question: "Rummaging through other people's boxes is being a thief." ”

Ah Wei was puzzled: "But this is in our own home, how can we be thieves?" ”

Sister Ah Tong was reasonable but couldn't argue, so she said angrily: "I won't tell you, and you won't understand it." ”

Seven-year-old Niuniu said in an orderly manner: "When Qianqian's father wakes up, we will ask, don't be in a hurry now, if the purple sand monkey is crushed, it will be too late to be anxious." ”

Six-year-old Ah Wei asked, "Why is it too late to rush now?" ”

Ah Tong, who is one year older than Niuniu, pouted and said, "I said it, Ah Wei doesn't understand anything, so he likes to ask nonsense." ”

Ah Wei pursed his lips, unhappy.

Zeng Yu smiled and looked at the three little girls talking, it was really interesting, and then he said: "You go to find Laifu, let Laifu go to the box of Qianqian's father to find the purple sand monkey." ”

Ah Tong and Ah Wei ran into the corridor with a scream, but Niuniu turned around and asked Zhang Guangwei: "Little fairy girl, do you still want to pick up dead branches?" ”

Zhang Guangwei smiled slightly: "No need, you go, I'll ask your brother to help me." ”

Niuniu ran to chase after Ah Tong and Ah Wei.

Zeng Yu walked slowly to Zhang Guangwei's side, looked at the innate gossip diagram on the snow, and said with a smile: "Miss Guangwei is so interested, come, I'll paddle this yin and yang fish again." "Set up a branch more than two feet long, outline the arc of the "" again, smooth out the previous arc, and go to the stone fence to hold a handful of soil, evenly sprinkle it on the arc side of the yin and yang fish, and then use your feet to smooth the slush, so that the yin and yang fish are white on one side and gray and black on the other, and at first glance it looks like a congenital gossip diagram-

When Zeng Yu was doing this, Zhang Guangwei stood by and watched, and when he saw Zeng Yu's yin and yang fish delicately outlined, he nodded and said, "Oh, I forgot that you can draw." ”

Zeng Yu picked up the dead branches on the ground and folded them into usable pieces one by one, and completed the remaining four hexagrams of Zhenxun and Gen, straightened up and clapped his hands, and said with a smile: "It's done, you can feather and ascend to immortal." But seeing that Zhang Guangwei was not amused, he stared at him with a lot of aura in his eyes.

"What is Miss Guangwei staring at me like this, do you really think that I am going to become an immortal?" Zeng Yu asked with a smile.

The corners of Zhang Guangwei's lips hooked, and he said with a smile: "It's still early, you think it's so easy to become an immortal, I'll tell you a story about my grandfather——"

Zhang Guangwei's ancestor is the first generation of Heavenly Master Zhang Daoling, Zeng Yu said: "Okay, Miss Guangwei, please speak."

Zhang Guangwei slowly circled around the innate gossip diagram on the snow, and told a story: "My ancestor master" was enlightened in Longhu Mountain, and was awarded the "Zhengyi League Prestige Secret Record" by Taishang Laojun in Heming Mountain in Xishu. Do you know who my grandfather is?

Zeng Yu hurriedly said: "I don't know, Miss Guangwei continued." ”

Zhang Guangwei said: "This person is Zhao Sheng, one of the two disciples who accompanied my ancestor to ascend in Heming Mountain, and the other is Wang Chang, at that time, my ancestor master tried to test whether Zhao Sheng's Dao heart was strong, to see if Zhao Sheng cut off the seven feelings, which seven feelings?" Joy, anger, sorrow, fear, love, evil, desire - in the words of the novelist, it is 'seven tests of Zhao Sheng, respectively, the first try, insulting and not going; The second try, the beauty is not tempted-"

Zhang Guangwei kept staring at Zeng Yu when telling the story, observing the words and feelings, and seeing that Zeng Yu raised his eyebrows when he said "the second time he tried to be beautiful", he seemed to be touched in his heart, so he asked: "Why, Zeng Xiucai has already understood that he is not moved by beauty?" ”

At the beginning of the month, I fell down, my head was bleeding, and I had a few stitches, but my brain was not broken, and I couldn't use it as a reason to break off January.