Sword of Coming

On the way back north.

Chen Pingan stopped his horse at the top of an unknown mountain, because he planned to find a nearby Xianjia ferry and take the ferry back to Dali Longquan County. He took advantage of this last opportunity when the sun was shining brightly to post those photos he had taken for a long time. The bamboo slips that have not been unearthed include bamboo pieces from the descendants of Qingshen Mountain in Qidun Mountain, as well as ordinary green bamboo in the mountains and purple bamboo from the island in Shujian Lake.

The nearby mountains are undulating, but there is an ancient tea-horse road for traders in the mountains. After entering the mountains, there are vaguely some merchants on their way, hurriedly going back and forth.

Chen Ping'an deliberately chose a forked path and walked several miles along the ridge before arriving at the top of the mountain to dry his bamboo slips.

After digging out all the bamboo slips, Chen Pingan squatted aside, lost in thought.

The thought of being in so much debt makes my head hurt.

Chen Ping'an took a sip of wine, kept comforting himself, and returned to Longquan County. Under Wei Bo's operation, he was now a big landowner. He could show some magnanimity and a few foreign debts were nothing.

Chen Pingan rubbed his cheek and felt that this was the truth. Money is something external to the body, and a gentleman should use it wisely... Chen Pingan slapped himself on the cheek. He really thought he was a good boy, didn't he?

Then Chen Pingan turned around and looked. An old Confucian scholar whom he had met halfway was standing in the distance, panting. When he saw him, he seemed to be afraid of meeting a madman and was about to turn around and go down the mountain.

At that time, Chen Pingan rode past the old Confucian scholar and the scholar. Judging from the steps and breathing, they were ordinary people. Of course, if the other party was an expert and had a deep hiding, Chen Pingan would not intentionally explore it.

The young scholar carrying the burden did not come with the old Confucian scholar. Perhaps the old Confucian scholar wanted to climb up alone to write a poem. After expressing his feelings, he would immediately return and continue on his way.

Of course, it could also be that he was a hidden great monk who, under the guise of a Confucian scholar, treated Chen Pingan as a fat sheep and wanted to come here to kill people and steal goods?

Chen Ping'an doesn't care.

The old Confucian scholar seemed to have gone through a battle between heaven and man in his heart, but still made up his mind. He came to Chen Ping'an about ten steps away, bent down and looked at the bamboo slips. After looking for a moment, he felt relieved, turned around and asked with a smile: "Young man , traveling alone to study?"

Chen Pingan thought for a while, nodded and smiled: "That's right, I want to walk more."

"Well, not bad, not bad. I traveled thousands of miles and read thousands of books. Nowadays, it is becoming more and more labor-saving for young people to buy books and study, and the more they can bear the hardship."

The old Confucian scholar nodded first, and then asked: "Do you mind if I move around and take a look at these precious bamboo slips of yours?"

Chen Pingan smiled and said: "Old sir, just watch."

Soon Chen Pingan regretted it. The old man not only looked at the bamboo slips, flipped through them, but also liked to ask questions. There were many questions. Where did this sentence come from? Sometimes Chen Pingan mentioned the name of the book. The old man became even more interested in talking to the owner of the sentence, and asked Chen Pingan if he knew the intellectual foundation and purpose of that person's book. Chen Pingan answered with some difficulty. The old Confucian scholar's words were not very polite. There were some things that Chen Pingan was not familiar with, but the old man was very familiar with them. Regarding Xin's knowledge, the latter wanted to teach Chen Pingan a lesson for his half-knowledge, so Chen Pingan could only nod frequently and accept the old man's comments humbly.

The old Confucian scholar was really not afraid of trouble. The young scholar shouted twice from a distance, but the old man refused. Finally, the scholar simply put down his burden and sat there sighing alone.

After more than an hour, the old man finally finished reading the bamboo slips and asking questions.

The old man suddenly smiled and asked: "Young man, I particularly like twenty-four of the bamboo slips. Can you give them to me as a gift?"

Chen Pingan shook his head decisively, "No."

I'm not familiar with you, this old gentleman.

Chen Ping'an has just made up his mind to stop being a philanthropic boy in the near future.

The old man became a little anxious and said, "How come you are so petty after reading so many books and teachings? Scholars all over the world belong to the same family, so sending a few bamboo slips is nothing."

Chen Ping'an said with a smile: "Unfortunately, the old gentleman is a knowledgeable scholar. I am not yet considered a scholar. Besides, it is also a principle in the book that you should not do to others what you don't want others to do to you. Don't force others to do anything to you, otherwise. But that’s not very good.”

The old man pointed at Chen Pingan, "Good boy, just read some fallacies in your reading. That's all. Since you are pressuring me with such a big principle as 'Don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you', I can only hold my nose and say I comforted myself by saying, 'A gentleman does not take away what others like'."

Chen Pingan smiled and said nothing.

The old man obviously didn't want to give up. Seeing that Chen Ping'an was not at all honest, he had no choice but to ask shamelessly, "You really don't want to give it to me? If twenty-four bamboo slips are too many, just fold them in half and you can get twelve."

Chen Pingan said helplessly: "Old sir, I really can't give it away. These bamboo slips and the contents on them are of great significance to me. I want to take them home and treasure them. Each bamboo slip represents the state of mind of one moment and place." , every time I take it out to bask in the sun, it’s a time of reflection.”

The old man said angrily: "That means you are a rote reader. You have really absorbed the principles. Why do you need to read the bamboo slips?"

Chen Ping'an was amused. Damn it, you, this old gentleman, have one reason after another. In the final analysis, don't you want to take twenty-four bamboo slips for nothing and put them in your pocket? Chen Pingan had discovered a long time ago that most of the forty-five bamboo slips that the old man couldn't put down were green bamboo from Qingshen Mountain and purple bamboo from the Immortal Family on Zizhu Island. Once Chen Pingan nodded in agreement, the old man took it away directly. If you really like the text on the bamboo slips that are surrounded by spiritual energy, that's fine. But if you are a monk with a little bit of discernment and covet the spiritual bamboos themselves, will Chen Ping'an still want to turn his back on them and snatch the bamboo slips back?

Seeing that Chen Pingan was very determined, the old man had no choice but to give up, muttering and complaining.

Chen Ping'an started to pack away the bamboo slips, and his face felt distressed when he saw the old gentleman seeming to have pieces of silver slipping away from his hands.

Chen Ping'an couldn't bear to see it. There was no need to negotiate twenty-four bamboo slips, not even twelve. Otherwise, he would just give away six bamboo slips. Do you think so? Otherwise, the old man spent more than an hour here, and Chen Ping'an would be a little tired. I think this old man would not be much better. Even if he is coveting those bamboo slips and his heart is not tired, he is already very old and has to squat for a long time nagging. It takes half a day and is tiring. Furthermore, the old gentleman is full of knowledge, and when he talks, he must be serious and can't be fake. He is just a little obsessed with money, but in this regard, he is in the same camp as himself.

The old man had done everything he could, and quickly "kindly" dissuaded Chen Pingan: "Young man, the sun is so bright, don't be in a hurry to put it away, take advantage of the good weather and let it dry in the sun, the bamboo slips will be afraid of being eaten by insects and water... If you are worried that if you take action when the sun sets, it will be too late to clean up, I am here, I can help, you are so sorry for these bamboo slips and so many beautiful words!"

Chen Ping'an was somewhat convinced. He stopped his movements and asked with a smile: "Old sir, can I ask a somewhat offensive question?"

The old man shook his head and asked tentatively: "Then don't ask, right? It's good for us scholars to save face."

Chen Pingan asked: "Does the old gentleman still want to give away a few bamboo slips?"

The old gentleman said resolutely: "Just ask!"

Chen Pingan wiped his face, feeling that he had fallen into a trap.

The old man secretly took out a green bamboo slip lying on the ground next to him and murmured: "The accumulation of soil forms a mountain, and the wind and rain stir up the wind and rain. It's so well said... It's just that the writing is a little bad, weak and lifeless, and it's not easy to see. Why don’t I cherish my broom so much as giving it away and carving it again..."

Chen Pingan said helplessly: "Old sir, I have good ears and can hear."

The old gentleman looked stunned, "I didn't say anything, how could you hear me? Young man, are you a god on the mountain, can you hear my heart?"

Chen Pingan looked at the old gentleman's expression and eyes.

Thieves sincerity.

Chen Pingan was a little surprised. Could it be that he was just an old Confucian scholar passing by.

But this is not surprising. Confucian academy monks are indeed few in number in this area compared to Shu Jian Hu Ye Xiu and Shan Immortal Master.

And being able to do so for more than an hour without revealing any clues is probably something that even a gentleman from the academy cannot do. Chen Ping'an doesn't think that the saint from Guanhu Academy has this free time to joke with him.

The old gentleman said with regret: "It doesn't matter whether people are warm or cold. I will hate myself if I don't touch the book."

Chen Pingan pretended not to hear.

The old gentleman said angrily: "Young man, where is the aura of your ear before?!"

Chen Pingan thought for a while, then raised his head and glanced at the sky, "Old sir, I admit defeat. You can go pick out the bamboo slips yourself. I have to hurry on my way, but if you remember which slip you picked, you don't have to tell me. I Afraid of regretting it."

The old Confucian asked: "Twenty-four branches?"

Chen Pingan nodded, "It can be less, but not more."

The old Confucian scholar hummed, and Lao Huai said happily: "That's right, young people, you should be more generous. It's long overdue. Money can't buy time. Look, how much time we have wasted here. Isn’t it more valuable than a few bamboo slips?”

Chen Pingan nodded and said: "Yes, yes, the old gentleman is right."

Except for the bamboo slip in his hand, the old man began to stand up and went around to select the other bamboo slips he liked, deliberately dilly-dallying.

Chen Pingan suddenly coughed.

The old gentleman pretended to be deaf.

Chen Pingan could only smile bitterly and said: "Old sir, including the bamboo slips in your hand, there are almost thirty. Since you are a scholar, can you be more trustworthy?"

The old man suddenly realized it and put the last bamboo slip in his sleeve. The old man was standing a little far away from Chen Pingan. He said a few polite words and left.

When we arrived at the book boy, the old Confucian scholar quickly urged: "Let's go, let's go quickly!"

One old and one young, the soles of their feet were greased and they ran very fast.

Chen Ping'an was now pretty sure that he had really met an "expert".

Chen Pingan smiled, silently put away all the remaining bamboo slips alone, then led the horse down the mountain top, came to the ancient tea horse road, and continued riding slowly. He never met the old gentleman again. I believe that this time My son is hiding somewhere and having fun.

Chen Pingan took a nap on horseback.

Unaware.

An old gentleman was holding his horse for him.

The old gentleman smiled and asked: "Chen Ping'an, it is a good thing for a person to build bridges across rivers and pave roads across mountains and rivers in his own heart. So is it possible for future generations to walk along the bridge and pass them? Difficulties in life?"

Chen Ping'an still didn't know it, but he spoke slowly from the bottom of his heart: "Old sir, I'm just an accounting clerk, not a teacher. I never dare to think like this."

After that, one question and one answer.

"Have you ever admitted defeat in this heart-searching game?"

"Of course I lost."

"So disappointed?"

"I'm a little disappointed with myself, I didn't do well enough, but I'm just not that disappointed with the world."

"That's it."

After that there was more "small talk".

The old gentleman's words were a little off topic, and he went as far as he thought.

"Chen Pingan" on horseback listened.

"Taoist theory, especially what the Taoist ancestors said, oh, only when the people's wisdom is not yet enlightened, or when the people's wisdom is greatly enlightened, can the two most extreme world ways of the former and the latter be implemented, and only then can we hope to truly become the main line of all learning in the world. So Taoism, knowledge It is high, and the Taoism of the Taoist ancestors must be unreasonably high, but it is a pity that the threshold is too high."

Chen Pingan was speechless.

That's right to say...

Forget it, just think of it as the truth that this old master figured out by himself. It's not a bad thing to listen, don't talk back, don't say anything you don't mean.

Chen Ping'an doesn't want to quarrel with others.

He really didn't have the energy for the time being.

If you have eaten the four cheap and good-quality meat buns from Lutong City, you might want to give them a try.

"The backs of the sages travel further and further away. As a descendant, if you just follow them and take a look from a distance, how will you, Chen Ping'an, feel?"

"I just feel that if I really have the opportunity to walk on the same road with them in the future, even if I just look at the backs of these gentlemen from a distance, I should feel... honored."

"good!"

The old gentleman loosened the reins of his horse, and the young book boy carrying the burden in the distance behind him was covered in glaze, illusive and uncertain.

Chen Ping'an on horseback continued to ride slowly in his "dream", traveling further and further along the Ancient Tea-Horse Road.

The old gentleman stopped on the road, his figure still ethereal, like clouds and smoke.

When Chen Ping'an shuddered on the horse, he suddenly realized that it was late at night. One person and one rider had already walked out of the mountain and came to a river.