Tang Yuancheng blushed and said, "Xiaodi's fate is similar to that of bandits; not long ago I was captured by desert bandits … Um, let's talk about those desert bandits. Although they were very prosperous for a period of time, they brought disaster everywhere, even the government could not do anything to them. But every day they live is like a day of profit. I don't know how long it will be before they lose their heads. No matter how awe-inspiring they are in front of other people, in all likelihood in their hearts they have never been happy even for a single day. How many people can understand this kind of suffering? Fortunately, after the Qing troops entered the Pass, their leader Dage was able to see the big picture and accepted the advice to surrender. Under Cao Daren's guidance, he was incorporated into the army. Even if his salary was not high, in any case it was a legitimate livelihood. Henceforth he could live a dignified life. I think for them, how is this different from walking toward a new life? Right, you are a Wulin man, you ought to know better than me about the variables of the world situation. "
"Pfft!" Chu Menglin could not help laughing. "Actually," he said, "I am also a bandit. The reason I drove away those troublesome people was because I did not want to share the money with them. Do you believe me?"
Tang Yuancheng's countenance turned pale; immediately he retreated several steps. Chu Menglin angrily said, "Why don't you think about it? How can there be such a brainless bandit? Knowing full well that you are penniless, why would he be willing to sacrifice his hard-earned capital to save you? Humph, you are deliberately calling me stupid. I saved you, unexpectedly you want to repay kindness with enmity? " He wanted to wait for Tang Yuancheng to say 'I don't believe you', so that he could still accuse him of being 'crafty by nature, you don't even believe the words of your savior'. But Tang Yuancheng thought for a moment, and then said, "I was suspicious and misunderstood, please don't blame me, Dage. Xiaodi will take my leave first. I wonder where Dage is going next? "
Chu Menglin was laughing heartily; hearing Tang Yuancheng's question, he suddenly felt a strong sense of desolation, as if everybody else had a place to go, while he was the only one left, alone and without anyone to depend on, wandering the Jianghu. Reluctantly suppressing the bitterness in his heart, he said, "Of course I am going with you, I will take care of you along the way. Alas, it's all your fault for being so stupid and weak. That's why people say 'a useless scholar'. You've really thrown away the face of us scholars. "
Tang Yuancheng laughed dryly several times. Chu Menglin pretended to speak earnestly and earnestly, "Kind people will be bullied, kind horses will be ridden. How about this, I see you are quite handsome …" Tang Yuancheng hastily said, "Dage is also very handsome."
Chu Menglin was displeased to hear his perfunctory words. He said, "I don't need you to praise me. Even if I'm an ugly freak … Bah, how am I ugly? In short, even if my appearance is not pleasing to the eye, I can still be your Shifu. But my first condition for accepting a disciple is to find a good-looking one. "Tang Yuancheng said," I don't want to learn martial art, and I can't take you as my Shifu. The Sage rules the world, first the scholarly virtues, then the martial art. Even if your martial art skill is superior and you use your martial art to oppress others, on the surface other people are obedient to you, but behind your back they are cursing you. That's meaningless. "
Chu Menglin said in his heart, "When you took the old thief Kongtong as your Shifu, you were both attentive and inflexible; why don't you want to take me as your Shifu? Could it be that I am uglier than that old thief? "It was all her own wishful thinking, as if taking a Shifu as a disciple depended entirely on one's appearance. Crossly he said, "Then when you become a high-ranking official, with heavy power in your hands, won't other people say that you use your power to oppress others? On the surface they are obedient to you, but behind your back they are cursing you. Don't tell me it's meaningless?"
Tang Yuancheng was startled. He hesitated, "That … that makes sense. Why don't … I don't want to be an official, I want to find a place with beautiful scenery to live out my old age in seclusion, detached from the world, free from everything." Chu Menglin said, "Your Granny lived frugally, she lived frugally to raise you. If you can't be the Zhuangyuan like she wants you to be, you will fail to live up to her expectations, then you will be the number one unfilial son in the world. The hundred virtues put 'filial piety' first, and then they understand propriety, justice, honesty and shame. If you don't sweep a house, how can you sweep the world? "
"That … that makes sense," Tang Yuancheng said, "Then I am in a dilemma … I have an idea, I want to be a poet, using the brush as a sword, I want to sing about the injustices in the world for the people, to warn the people, to warn the later generations."
Chu Menglin said, "What's so good about being a poet? Those poets who left their names in the history books were all easily demoted, all year round they were depressed and moved to another place, all their lives they lived in depression. "Tang Yuancheng said," I don't think so, it's because the treacherous court officials are in power, the officialdom is dark and gloomy. His Majesty personally courted the virtuous, so that a group of loyal and good people had lofty aspirations in their hearts, but they had no way to serve their country. After they were demoted, they devoted their love to the mountains and rivers, dispelling their sorrow. They wrote poems to express their feelings, hoping to be put in an important position. Among them, there are many famous lines that have existed since the beginning of time, that's why they became famous poets of their generation. "
Chu Menglin said, "According to what you said, although loyal and good people can leave their name for hundreds of generations, during their lifetime they will be ostracized, depressed but not successful, and most of them will be framed and will not have a good end. Treacherous court officials are different, they only need to speak some slanderous words in front of the Emperor, to seek their own benefit, and then there will be hundreds of officials scrambling to curry favor with them, they will taste honor and glory everywhere. The most important thing is that during their lifetime they will enjoy a happy life, but after their death they will be ignorant and unaware, and will be criticized by others. In any case, they won't be able to hear it. "
Tang Yuancheng said, "As a court official, we ought to be loyal and dutiful, to accomplish the Emperor's affairs in the world, to win our reputation in life and in death, but …" Speaking to this point, he stopped talking, because he realized that the poem he was quoting was in conflict with his own point of view, so it was difficult for him to make a statement. Chu Menglin laughed complacently and said, "Go on, why don't you continue?"
Tang Yuancheng sighed and said, "Our political views are different, I can't persuade you by force, but your point of view … is too extreme … No, in short, it's wrong. You can tell me in private, but when we are on the examination paper, you must not write it like that." Chu Menglin laughed and said, "Then tell me, how should I answer?"
Tang Yuancheng thought, "Regarding this issue, I have not figured it out. If I casually tell her, won't I be misleading her? If because of this careless mistake Dage's name falls on Mount Sun, then it will be my fault. "Thereupon he said," Let me spend some time to think about it, I will definitely give you an answer before the examination. " Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, he said, "Xiaodi is really muddle-headed, after talking for half a day, I still don't know Dage's honored name."
Chu Menglin said, "I … Zaixia is called Chu Yu." "Good, good name," Tang Yuancheng said, "Yu. Your image is big, I have long heard of it. Xiaodi's name is Tang Yuancheng. "Chu Menglin said in his heart," You want to talk to me about Jianghu etiquette? You are a bookworm who doesn't pay attention to the outside world, you might not even have heard of the Sacrifice Shadow Cult's great name. You are just a fictional character, yet you have the ability to look up to me. Humph, you are just trying to brush me off. " Let's stop chatting, we are on our way. "
For the rest of the long journey, Chu Menglin secretly lamented that he had chosen the wrong companion, so much so that he wanted to cry but had no tears. This Tang Yuancheng was a bookworm, his mouth was full of the Four Books and Five Classics. Every time Chu Menglin wanted to make fun of him, it was all because his character was simple and honest, he did not hear any malicious insinuations or taunts; on the contrary, he always replied respectfully and with a straight face. As a result, Chu Menglin did not have the pleasure of quarreling with him, often he would be angered half to death.
In addition to that, Tang Yuancheng did not spend just a little bit of effort on her 'unorthodox political views'. Every day he racked his brain, and whenever he had some new insight, he would cite the classics and classics to educate her, determined that she would 'walk on the right path'. At first Chu Menglin would argue with him, but later on she could not stand the incessant 'sages and saints' that came out of his mouth. Most likely she did not understand, but she did not want to reveal her own ignorance. Without any better option, she would just mumble 'en, en, ah, ah' and pretend to agree with Tang Yuancheng's point of view. Only after repeating his words one by one would she be satisfied. Every time she was exhausted.
Walking on the street, whenever she wanted to tease the passersby, Tang Yuancheng would always persuade her with kind words, but his attitude was very firm. Every day she was bored to the point where she could not bear it anymore, she almost went crazy.
The first night they stayed at an inn, the innkeeper asked, "How many rooms do the two guests want?" "One," Tang Yuancheng replied. Chu Menglin was shocked, her face blushed. "What are you talking about?" She asked angrily, "How can one room be enough?" Tang Yuancheng said, "It's enough, the two of us don't need much space. Besides, Xiao Di's mastery of the Confucian Way is still incomplete, I was just about to ask Dage for advice. Money is not a windfall from the sky, no matter when or where, if we can save it, we must save it. Otherwise, it will be no different from committing a serious crime. "
Chu Menglin thought, "He did not know that I am a woman, that's why he dares to act rashly." Her heart was slightly relieved, she did not have any reason to refuse, she had no choice but to compromise for the time being. The two of them went upstairs to the 'Celestial Room'. The room was clean and tidy. Chu Menglin asked again, "This … how come there is only one bed?" Tang Yuancheng said, "In one room, how many beds does Dage want?"
Chu Menglin was ashamed and anxious at the same time. "That won't do!" She said, "I will sleep on the bed, you … you will sleep on the floor! Let me tell you, when I sleep, I make a lot of noise, sometimes I will turn over, I am afraid I will kick you. " Tang Yuancheng laughed and said, "It's all right. Actually, Xiao Di's sleeping habits are not that good either, sometimes in my dreams I will recite books loudly. At first I was worried I might disturb Dage, but this time we won't disturb each other."
Chu Menglin said, "That won't do either! I … I am a swordsman who roams the four seas, I am used to using the sky as my cover and the earth as my hut. If someone is lying next to me, I will feel uncomfortable all over, I won't be able to sleep well. "
Tang Yuancheng hastily tried to smooth things over. "Dage, don't be angry," he said, "Xiao Di will sleep on the floor." Then he pulled several layers of blankets and spread them on the floor. Chu Menglin felt that his overreaction was ridiculous; he thought, "Really, once bitten by a snake, ten years shy of a rope. This bookworm is so honest, his mind is full of Confucius and Mencius. Forget about not knowing my identity, even if I change into a woman's clothes and approach him, he will be so embarrassed that his face will turn deep red and he will retreat three feet away … Hey, why should I approach him? "
Tang Yuancheng suddenly heard her spit on the floor; he thought he had done something wrong again, so he hastily stopped what he was doing and looked up at her in a daze. Chu Menglin was embarrassed; he coughed and tried to cover it up by saying, "The foul air in the chest must be expelled from the body in time. If it is stagnant, it will cause the 'zhen qi' to flow in reverse and the blood flow will not be smooth. This is the biggest taboo for practitioners of internal energy. "Tang Yuancheng did not fully understand, but his eyes were still fixed on her face. Chu Menglin felt his hair stand on end under his stare. "What are you looking at? Have you never seen a man before? "he asked, and then he retorted.
After traveling for several more days, they finally arrived at the capital. There was still some time before the Palace Examination would begin. Tang Yuancheng again tried to persuade him to 'review the old and learn the new'. Chu Menglin was at his wit's end. "I did not bring those heavy ancient books," he said, "But I have money, so I don't need to worry about anything. Let me take you to the market to find them." "Thank you very much, Dage," Tang Yuancheng happily said.
He was indeed worthy of the 'bookworm' title Chu Menglin bestowed upon him. As soon as they arrived at the market, the soles of his feet were rooted to the ground and he could not take another step forward. Chu Menglin was happy and at ease. After they agreed on a meeting place, he went alone to a rouge and face powder stall. Although they were on the run, a girl's natural instinct to dress up had not changed one bit. The two daughters of rich families on the side saw his handsome appearance and busily stroked their hair coquettishly, making all kinds of seductive gestures, trying to attract his attention. These women had been confined to their boudoirs for many years, they had never shown their faces in public. Today they finally had the chance to travel together, it was indeed a rare opportunity.
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