Chapter 11 wake night
After crying for a long time and expressing his inner grief to the fullest, in order to make up for the lifelong regret of not being able to die for his teacher, Huang Zongxi decided to stay overnight in front of his teacher's spirit.This request is naturally reasonable, so the family members of Liu's family made some arrangements and left their eldest grandson Liu Maolin, Huang Zongxi's future son-in-law, as companions, and then separated one after another, each rushing to work on urgent matters.
Now, the short twilight is finally over.Liu Bian came over to have dinner with his in-laws, and took Liu Maolin to meet some urgent matters.In the mourning hall, only Huang Zongxi was left alone.
However, this was exactly what he hoped, because after experiencing the shock and grief just now, he really needed to sit quietly alone for a while, so that he could think carefully about the meaning of this matter.
It's just that it's not easy to really get into thinking. Right now, his spirit is both excited and tired.Therefore, when he stared blankly at the tablet of the teacher, what first jumped into his mind were only some fragments of his past life.For a while, he remembered how when his father was persecuted to death by the eunuchs and he was still a seventeen-year-old boy, how Liu Zongzhou took him into his family at the risk of being implicated, and became his protector from then on; In the later years, how the teacher gave him careful guidance in his studies with a special preference, so that he quickly emerged among many classmates and became an important successor of the Jishan School.Then he remembered that it was in this mansion that the news of the fall of Beijing and the death of Emperor Chongzhen had just come out, and the teacher was also in great pain, and it was he himself who persuaded the teacher with great righteousness to cheer him up; next, he I also remembered that time, in the Buddhist temple in Danyang, because he learned that there was an assassin coming to assassinate, in order to protect the teacher, he had racked his brains, experienced how much tension and panic, and how inappropriate the teacher was once. He also talked about Yangming's philosophy of mind.It turned out to be strange, that gang of assassins didn't show up... Finally, he suddenly thought of Qian Qianyi.In terms of friendship and studies, Qian Qianyi was originally a teacher of Huang Zongxi, but it was not until dinner just now that Huang Zongxi learned from Liu Bi that the reason why the Qing army marched so quickly this time was because Nanjing had a heavily fortified city. , In the end, he surrendered without a fight!Among the ministers who planned to surrender the city at that time, Qian Qianyi was the leader.It is said that this man has now shaved his hair and changed his uniform, and is openly running and serving under the command of Duduo, the "captive chieftain". "Hmph, I never thought that Qian Muzhai would do such a self-defeating scandal through the ages! Thanks to him being a veteran of Donglin, there is no way to shame people to death! Undoubtedly, he has always been the first one against the eunuchs all these years." At both ends, the will is not firm, so it can be said that the clues have been revealed; but he never imagined that in the end, he would not go far, but would like to learn from Hong Chengchou and Wu Sangui, and become the thief who betrayed his ancestors and betrayed his country for glory! Completely misunderstood him, misunderstood him!" Thinking that the situation may not be impossible, but just because a foolish emperor like Emperor Hongguang was wrongly installed, the honest gentleman in the court is not only helpless, but also suffers blows , repelled or even killed, and let the power of life and death of the country be controlled by traitors like Ma Shiying and Ruan Dacheng, or fall into the hands of traitors like Qian Qianyi. Cleaning up and bringing all the people, including myself, with their lives, properties, careers, and even ideals, were innocently dragged to the end. Huang Zongxi felt so wronged, painful, and resentful that he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. Gotta rattle.
"Father-in-law, father-in-law!" Repeated whispers came from his ears, Huang Zongxi raised his head abruptly, gathered himself together, and then saw clearly that Liu Maolin had come to his side.
"Father-in-law, my family has ordered my son-in-law to come and accompany my father-in-law to guard the spirit, please allow me!" Liu Maolin saluted and said respectfully.
"Well, did your father send you here?"
"My lord, my son-in-law originally intended to do so. I just reported to know the strictness of the family, and I have already received the strict consent of the family."
Huang Zongxi made a gesture: "Well, then, sit down!"
Liu Maolin did not sit down immediately, he first thanked his father-in-law, then bent down, moved the futon on the ground to the lower position, and then sat down, but immediately arched his hands again, his childish round eyes focused on Looking at his father-in-law, he showed a respectful expression.
This Liu Maolin is only fourteen years old this year. Because he has inherited the family precepts since he was a child and is the only son and grandson in the family, he has already tempered his behavior and speech to abide by the norms, and he looks like a mature young man.When Huang Zongxi met him for the first time, he felt secretly amused by this impression, but on the surface, he only socialized with him in a serious manner.Later, after interacting with each other a lot, I gradually got used to it and didn't feel anything anymore.However, at this moment, facing the respectful and polite attitude of his son-in-law, Huang Zongxi suddenly felt a strong touch.
"Yes, if this is the case, even if the Tartars are allowed to invade China, then even if people of their generation can still remember the customs of their ancestors and the teachings of saints, in the next generation or several generations, I'm afraid it's not just hair and clothes. , even eating, speaking, literacy, and even living in and out of daily life, weddings and funerals, will all become like Tartars! In this way, my Chixian Shenzhou, with its infinite countryside and prosperous cities, will be reduced to a hut from now on. A barren land where horses are herded; the billions of people of my Han family are all going to turn into beasts who drink blood and don’t know what benevolence, righteousness and ethics are! Living like this, is it any different from being dead? Ah, what is it like being dead? Different!"
Thinking of this, Huang Zongxi realized that even just now, he still hated the previous political structure of supremacy of the monarchy, and was always hesitant about whether to join the current uprising. The Chinese civilization that he regarded as his life was completely destroyed. In fact, he had no other choice but to fight hard.It made him suffer again—a pain of having to throw himself into something when he could see no chance of success.For a moment, he felt desperate and bewildered. Although he noticed that Huang An sneaked in and was talking to Liu Maolin, he couldn't hear anything...
However, he finally came back to his senses, and heard Huang An's anxious voice saying: "...but there are too few soldiers, so I'm afraid we won't be able to defeat the Tartars!"
"Why are there too few soldiers?" Huang Zongxi asked, turning his face away.
"Oh, sir——" Huang An quickly replied, "A lot of soldiers and horses have come from outside the south gate. They say they came from Shangyu to welcome Lord Lu. I also heard that soldiers from Yuyao and Ningbo are coming soon!"
Huang Zongxi was slightly taken aback: "I just came from Yuyao yesterday, why is Yuyao's soldiers arriving soon?" He thought, but then he remembered: Sun Jiaji once said that another uprising leader, Xiong Rulin, had arrived a few days ago Taizhou went to meet King Lu.Then it seems that after he left, Sun Jiaji received the news and set off immediately.
"Well, what about 'can't beat the Tartars'?" he asked again, frowning.
"This, this, the villain also heard from outsiders that there are only ten ships and eight ships of soldiers, too few, I'm afraid..."
After a pause, seeing that Huang Zongxi hadn't said a word, he became more courageous and began to point fingers and say, "Hey, those soldiers in Shangyu are in a mess. They run all over the pier as soon as they get off the boat, quarreling, fighting, and shouting at the bosses. They don't even listen. The villain sees that they don't even have uniforms, and their weapons are in tatters. Oh, what kind of soldiers are they! How can they fight against the Tartars?"
What Huang An said may be the truth.To fight against the Qing army, it is indeed not enough to rely on the temporary recruitment of Xiangyong, so Sun Jiaji and the others have already sent people to contact Fang Guoan and Wang Zhiren, two general officers of the Ming Dynasty who are stationed nearby, to join them, and they have heard that they have agreed. At that time, the strength of the rebel army will be greatly enhanced.However, Huang An's contemptuous and contemptuous tone when talking about Xiangyong hurt Huang Zongxi.
"Nonsense!" He squinted his eyes and scolded angrily, "Why are they not considered soldiers? They came to greet Lord Lu, and they didn't come to fight. What are they doing with so many soldiers! When it comes to uniforms, knives and guns, it's just a matter of time." It’s not enough, what’s so ridiculous? Tell you, this tartar is determined to fight! If you can’t beat him, you have to fight! Get out! Get out of here! Get out!”
Huang An came in hastily just now, originally to report to his master, and he was fully expecting to get the master's approval, he never dreamed that this flattery would be slapped on the horse's leg.He was so frightened by the cessation of drinking that his whole body trembled, and his face immediately turned pale.When he stopped drinking for the second time, he turned around "suddenly", jumped across the threshold like a rabbit, and disappeared into the dark night of the courtyard in a blink of an eye.
Huang Zongxi was still angry, he gritted his teeth, frowned, and remained silent.It wasn't until Liu Maolin persuaded him again and again that he gradually calmed down.
"It's not that the old man loves to get angry," he explained resentfully, "it's just that this dog is spoiled, so he is so bold and presumptuous, and speaks without words. How amazing it is without admonishment!"
"My lord is right," Liu Maolin quickly echoed, "The sage has said: only women and villains are difficult to raise! This method of control should be a combination of grace and power."
After a pause, seeing that Huang Zongxi had nothing else to say, he asked cautiously: "It's almost time for the second watch, my lord has been tired all day, how about just leaning on this pillar and taking a nap for a while?"
Huang Zongxi shook his head and said, "I won't sleep tonight, you should sleep well first."
"My son-in-law doesn't plan to sleep tonight, so I'll just stay with you." Liu Maolin said immediately.
However, this situation of Weng and son-in-law facing each other in silence only lasted for half an hour. Gradually, Liu Maolin, who was sitting opposite, sank his head again and again, and his body began to sway and he couldn't sit still.Finally, he leaned against the pillar and snored softly.
Huang Zongxi still didn't feel sleepy.Sometimes he looked at the teacher's tablet on the head table, and sometimes at the ever-burning lamp under the coffin, perhaps because he had finally made up his mind, and now he slowly felt that even if he continued to follow the extremely corrupt government structure of the past, It is difficult to make a difference, but since you have decided to invest in the uprising, you must try to urge those in power to abandon the old and seek the new.So, in the future imperial court, maybe it is better to be able to serve as an official?Because as Sun Jiaji said: If there is no official position, there are many things that cannot be participated in. "However, I have repeatedly stated that I want to follow Li Mi's example and serve the country as a commoner. Then, how can I change my words? Besides, if it is spread out, it will make people laugh!" Thinking about it, Huang Zongxi couldn't help regretting , I feel that I have committed the old problem of impulsiveness again.Undoubtedly, there is still a possibility of redemption, that is, Sun Jiaji insists on the previous proposal and brings it up again.But because I had spoken too harshly at the time, maybe the other party felt that it was not good and I could force it, so I just let it go... Thinking so restlessly, Huang Zongxi gradually felt a kind of chill coming from nowhere.At first, he tried his best to resist.But that coldness became more and more bitter, almost piercing.Huang Zongxi felt that he couldn't bear it anymore, and planned to stand up, but unexpectedly found that his whole body seemed to be restrained, and he couldn't move at all. "Oh, what's the matter?" he thought.Just about to try harder, at this moment, all the candles in the mourning hall suddenly became dim, only the ever-burning lamp placed under the coffin was still shining brightly.At the same time, many strange shadows appeared around the bright light, like people and ghosts, running there fast, getting faster and bigger, filling the whole place in a blink of an eye. The mourning hall, and let out a shrill, deafening scream!
"Ah, could it be that I met a ghost tonight?" Huang Zongxi thought, trying to open his eyes wide to see clearly.However, no matter how hard he tried, the hideous image in front of him just flickered, as if deliberately playing tricks on him.At the same time, the cold air on his body wrapped him tighter and tighter, and kept pushing towards his throat.He struggled again and again, but to no avail.Gradually, he felt short of breath and became a little confused. "No...can't! I can't just go like this..." he thought desperately and intermittently.Just when he was about to lose consciousness, suddenly, a white light flashed, and all the previous sights and feelings disappeared.A dignified old man with white beard and hair stood in front of him.Huang Zongxi took a breath, and took a look, and found that it was his teacher Liu Zongzhou. "Ah, isn't the teacher encoffined? Why..." He didn't have time to think about it, he knelt down on his knees, and said with sobs: "The disciple is a step late, I don't think the teacher has already passed away! Tonight, the teacher appeared and rescued me, which shows that I will die With love, it is difficult for the disciple to repay his eternal life! Now the sea is raging, the communal house is in ruins, and the affairs of the world still need the teacher's recovery and full support to be able to help. If the gods have a lesson, the disciple vows to use this tiny body redemption!"
When he said these few words, he was excited and his whole body trembled, it really came from the ultimate nature.But Liu Zongzhou didn't speak, just shook his head sadly.Shaking and shaking, somehow, his face changed.Huang Zongxi took a closer look and found that the person standing in front of him was not Liu Zongzhou, but Qian Qianyi, a tall and thin man with a gray beard!Huang Zongxi was in doubt, when Qian Qianyi suddenly raised his head and laughed strangely.What's even more strange is that with the laughter, the scarf on his head began to fall off one by one like pieces of paper, followed by the hair on his forehead, and then the Taoist robe on his body, which also broke and fell off one after another. Together with the fragments of the kerchief, they whirled like snowflakes, shot and scattered in all directions.Huang Zongxi looked at the strange scene in front of him in astonishment, and suddenly realized that the ball of "snowflakes" was spinning faster and faster, and Qian Qianyi's body was getting smaller and smaller, and he was about to disappear into the white light.He jumped up involuntarily, intending to chase after him, but accidentally stumbled and fell straight down. He yelled "ahhh", turned over and sat up suddenly, and opened his eyes, only to find that he was still sitting on the ground. On the futon, the pair of white candles on the altar had been burned to a small extent, and the white curtains on the four walls were shaking slightly in the morning breeze.Through the courtyard that was still as dark as ink, the sound of drumming was coming from the alley outside the gate. "Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom" rang five times in total.
"Oh, maybe I've had a dream?" he thought, remembering the scene vividly. "Well, what's the matter? Shadows, ghosts, breathlessness—a portent of what? Besides, the one who saved me was clearly the teacher, how did he become the hateful Qian Muzhai?" Just as he was so suspiciously dazed, suddenly, he heard the sound of a cloud board, followed by the sound of the door opening, voices of people, footsteps, and someone walked in all the way.
Huang Zongxi turned his head - just for a short moment, the hazy dawn had begun to appear, and he vaguely recognized that the doorman led in, it was a messenger wearing a corrugated hat. "Why did the tolerance come to the door so early in the morning?" Huang Zongxi became more and more puzzled, almost confused whether he was still in a dream.But he saw that Chengchai walked into the mourning hall all the way, saluted him, and said, "Mr. Huang, Master Sun of Yuyao has arrived in Shaoxing, and all the masters who came to the alliance have arrived. Master Sun ordered the villain to ask you to come to Shaoxing immediately." Hurry up to the government office to discuss the matter of welcoming the supervisor!"
At first, Huang Zongxi was still confused between dreams and reality, but finally he woke up suddenly, "Would you like me to discuss with the government office?" And worry, suddenly relaxed and dissipated.He suddenly became excited, jumped up from the futon, and said energetically: "Okay, please go to Grandpa Sun, I will go right away!"