Chapter 53 Chapter Fifty-Three

The stars move several times in autumn.Counting from the capture of Chengdu by Wang Jian, four years passed in a flash.Four years is enough to keep a city away from the haze of war and show its thriving vitality.In four years, the granaries in Chengdu gradually filled up. Although the lives of the common people were far from the extravagance of the officials, they were enough to satisfy people compared to before.More people are willing to work diligently on their own land.Chengdu, with its unique geographical environment, mild climate and abundant rain, has created ten thousand mu of grain fields here.The industrious Xichuan people no longer regard filling their stomachs as their ultimate pursuit.Because Wang Jian followed Zhang Lin's advice, he strongly encouraged the people to plant tea and mulberry trees.On the one hand, the tea farmers around Xichuan, led by Yazhou, became active, and the tea production has increased year by year, and has returned to the level of the prosperous Kaiyuan in just a few years.Wang Jian brought the sale of tea into the unified management of the government. Although some tea farmers and tea merchants who had hoped to get rich lost their financial resources, they ensured the prosperity of the entire tea industry in Xichuan.Sichuan tea has been well-known in China since ancient times. Every year, Wang Jian regularly pays tribute to the emperor in Chang'an.On the other hand, from the planting of mulberry trees, the breeding of silkworms to the production of Shu brocade, the clear Jinjiang water rinses out the unique essence of silk in the world. Shu brocade, together with Sichuan tea, is continuously transported to the Yangtze River along the busy loading of the Wanli Bridge. In the middle and lower reaches, what is exchanged is the special products of the south of the Yangtze River and the silver of Baihuahua.

Two orioles sing green willows, and a group of egrets go up to the blue sky. The window contains the snow for thousands of years in Xiling, and the gate is anchored by a boat thousands of miles away in Dongwu. Standing at the head of Wanli Bridge, the old and hale and hearty Feng Juan somehow remembered Du Fu's quatrain. For the past two years, he has lived an isolated life in Mochi, thinking that the half-acre vegetable garden can not only support him, but also exchange the extra melons and fruits for some spare cash.Until one day, Shutong told him that the prices of vegetables on the street market were already so low that they could be bought casually, and the varieties were far beyond the half-acre vegetable field in Mochi.The stubborn old man walked out of the ink pond that he regarded as a paradise in a panic.

Changed, the street market in Chengdu has really changed.Although these years of self-sufficiency have been comfortable, Feng Juan never imagined that this famine and war-torn city would glow with such vitality in a short period of time.Yes, once upon a time he was tired of war.He sighed to himself that most of his body was buried in the loess. Xichuan has seen and heard all kinds of powerful people and warriors over the years, but there is one rule that has not changed since ancient times-that is, the people are still struggling in suffering with.Even in those days when Emperor Xizong was fortunate to Shu, Chengdu was prosperous, but the hearts of the politicians were not always focused on people's livelihood.He originally thought that the chaos of war could destroy all living beings. He lamented that he was born at an untimely time, with nowhere to display his enthusiasm and talents, and he just died in this hometown of the sages of Western Shu.However, as time passed day by day, he also gradually discovered some changes that puzzled him.With the price of rice falling day by day, people no longer worry about eating, but are busy and running around for a better life.When he suddenly came to Wanli Bridge, which he should be familiar with, he was dazzled by the bustling here.He couldn't believe that the prosperity that seemed to be in the prosperous age of Kaiyuan actually appeared in such a corner of such a declining empire.Almost instinctively, he recited this poem in such a bustling environment, "Two orioles sing in the green willows, and a group of egrets go up to the sky." Orioles, egrets, and Xiling Snow Mountain are all scenes he has been familiar with for many years Now, as long as you open the firewood gate in the shabby room of Mochi and stay at home, you can look up at the fresh world and taste the old thoughts of sages.Only "this gate is mooring the boat of Dongwu Wanli" has troubled his thoughts for many years. Why would the poet use such a sentence to end the picture scroll of indifference to the world.For many years, some dilapidated small boats have been moored at the head of the Wanli Bridge. Since he came to Xichuan, he never believed that such small boats could drift down the river with the water of the Minjiang River to Soochow, which entered the sea.However, today he saw it, not only the returning merchant ships and the departing cargo ships, but also the happy smiles on the faces of boatmen, porters and merchants.He fully understood: the long-cherished wish of that old man named Zhang Lin had really come true in the past few years.However, how could such a long-cherished wish be realized by his wishful thinking, he must have met the Ming Lord.He felt the concern for the suffering of the people's livelihood revealed in the poems of the late sage Du Fu, and he even guessed that behind this fresh, elegant and extraordinary quatrains, there might really be a kind of expectation for the people's peace and happiness.

"Menbo Soochow Wanli Ship..." He couldn't help chanting this sentence over and over again. "That's right, Wanli Bridge is so prosperous that even the reincarnated poet would smile happily." A voice came from behind Feng Juan.He turned his head vigilantly, and saw a man who looked like a scholar in his forties.This person has small eyes, but he is very energetic. He is wearing a tight attire and looks very energetic.Feng Juan didn't know this person, but it was obvious that the words this person just took had clearly figured out his thoughts!The person who can figure out his thoughts from a line of poetry is absolutely extraordinary.Based on his decades of experience, Feng Juan keenly felt that the middle-aged man in front of him did not dare to talk about the past and the present, but at least he was full of knowledge.

"The poet sage can't see today. If he knows what Tang Dynasty is like now, he will be disappointed..." "But if he knows that the people in Chengdu who have lived in Chengdu for many years are now living and working in peace and contentment, rich and happy, he will not have any regrets of 'encompassing thousands of mansions'. What do you think, Governor Feng?" Feng Juan was surprised, He didn't expect that this person could not only guess what was in his heart, but also knew him. "I have resigned from government and worked in agriculture for many years, how did you know me, a poor old man?"

"Who in Xichuan doesn't know the talented Feng Xinzhi from a famous family?" "Then who is that step, can you tell me?" "It's the same with Zhou Xiang in Xiayingchuan." "You are Mr. Boya who assisted Wang Guangtu?" "No, that's right." Feng Juan looked Zhou Xiang up and down again, and then said respectfully, "I've looked up to you for a long time! Old man, I've lived in the old house for a long time, and today I went out to meet a nobleman. It's really a pleasure to meet you!" "If the governor doesn't go out for a long time, he won't trust my lord. He is afraid that he is just like Chen and Tian. If so, the governor's ambition will be difficult to expand. Not only that, but at that time, seeing the people displaced and the boats ruined, the heartache will be extremely painful. Ah!" Feng Juan's face immediately turned red when the words touched Feng Juan's heart.Zhou Xiang hurriedly apologized: "Oh, this junior is rude..."

"Where is the rudeness, it is the old man. I am rude. Wang Situ is a hero in the world. Not only did he win all the battles, but he also knew how to use people well and cared about people's livelihood. He went to Mochi twice to see me, but I You don't know how to praise!" "The governor puts the world's common people first, and now is the time for you to show your ambition!" "Hey! Alright. If that's the case, please introduce me, and I'll make an apology to Master Situ in person." Spring and April. The mountains of Lizhou are gradually coming to life. Even though the lying snow can still be vaguely seen among the high mountains in the distance, the singing of birds and monkeys flying over the mountains clearly tells people that the footsteps of spring have already stepped here. landscape.

On this narrow plank road, a group of well-dressed people and horses are slowly advancing. The two horses at the head of the procession, each carrying their master, walked side by side. "Master Wei, there is a city pass ahead, I think it's better to rest first, these soldiers are also tired." The person who spoke was Li Xun, who rushed all the way from Huazhou to Xishu with the emperor's edict in his arms.And the old man who followed him was Wei Zhuang Wei Duanji who had just passed the Jinshi exam three years ago. "Okay." Wei Zhuang replied dully, he seemed preoccupied along the way.He didn't understand why after stepping into the official career he had pursued all his life, he couldn't be aroused by the slightest joy. Impossible mission.The changes in the world in the past two years, although not earth-shattering, are enough to make the emperor worry.Xichuan Jiedushi Wang Jian finally met Gu Yanhui of Dongchuan in the second year of Qianning (895 AD) after taking Pengzhou.In fact, everyone from the emperor to the feudal lords had already expected that the war between the two Sichuans would be inevitable.The two rivers and the south of the mountain have natural geographical barriers, which have been isolated from the Central Plains since ancient times. What's more, one mountain cannot accommodate two tigers, especially in troubled times.Therefore, there was a legend very early on that "the world is in chaos and Shu is not chaotic, and the world is not chaotic before Shu is chaotic".Two years ago, the emperor ordered the eunuch Yuan Yijian to go to Zizhou to reconcile the two Sichuans, but he returned without success.Now that the Son of Heaven could not protect himself, he still sent him and Li Xun to do this kind of futile work of proclaiming and persuading peace--thinking of this, he felt a little resentful, but more of it was a kind of helplessness and sadness.

The two horses walked to the edge of the city pass, only to find that it was a small abandoned city pass. The walls on three sides had long disappeared, and only half of the city gate on the west side stood alone. Standing on the edge of the dilapidated city, Wei Zhuang looked at the road: Obviously, this section of stone road was repaired by later generations.It can be seen that this city gate standing on the top of the hill used to be the only way to enter Shu, and it may have been destroyed by war one year and became what it is today.Therefore, later generations built another road around the foot of the mountain on the edge of the Chengguan.The small town on the top of the mountain was also abandoned, and only a few mountain people still lived here.

Wei Zhuang got off his horse and walked to the closed door.The city gate is built so low that you can reach the top of the cave with your hands when you stand on tiptoe.Wei Zhuang reached out to touch the moss-covered square bricks, and when he turned around, he saw a Taoist priest sitting leaning against the foot of the wall.This Taoist priest seemed to be nearly half a hundred years old. Although the Taoist robe on his body was covered with dust, his face was very kind. His dark face seemed to be piled up with vicissitudes that did not match his age. The accompanying group of soldiers scattered at the foot of the dilapidated city wall, looking for places to rest and drink water. Wei Zhuang sat beside the Taoist priest and chatted with him:

"Daoist, which fairy mountain is it to become a monk?" The Taoist half-closed his eyes and said lazily: "How dare, how dare. The people who live on the mountain are immortals! I am not an immortal, and I travel all over the world. Now, I live in this abandoned city." Wei Zhuang felt that this Taoist man was a bit funny, so he patted the green bricks of the city wall casually: "Master Taoist, what is the name of this pass and when was it built?" The Taoist shook his head, and said with a strong Jiangnan accent, "It is cultivated in ancient times." When he opened his mouth, a strong smell of tea root immediately filled the air.Wei Zhuang saw that the Taoist's teeth were very white. "This place was guarded by Zhang Huanhou, the former three generals...but it was many, many years ago..." Wei Zhuang nodded.It is undeniable that there are many relics of the Shu Han in this area, and many thick cypress trees were seen along the way, which are said to have been planted by Zhang Fei.Unexpectedly, the memory of the Taoist in front of him still has stories from several dynasties before. Wei Zhuang said with a smile: "You are not simple, Daoist. In ancient times, Zhang Yide guarded the closed door, but now it is you..." Then, he said with emotion, "Ah, the past and the past have been filled with smoke and clouds, and the past has flowed away in vain. ..." The Taoist laughed, took Wei Zhuang's topic, and recited a poem: As the Taoist chanted, Wei Zhuang's eyes had already burst into a look of astonishment.It never occurred to him that this unremarkable Taoist would actually write such a well-organized one-seven order of confrontation.These seven orders were later called Pagoda Poems.At first, it was derived from a "Poem" by Bai Juyi, and later Yuan Zhen and Zhang Jue echoed it.However, being able to recite such a shocking pagoda poem in one breath is a testament to this person's skills. The Taoist didn't pay attention to Wei Zhuang's surprise, and said again: "The past and the present are a dream, the vicissitudes of the sea. In the past, this place was guarded by one man, but now it has become an empty city that listens to the ancient wood of the Mourning Bird. But then again, thanks to this The place is ruined, and the military merchants who come and go are walking around the foot of the mountain. He was born on the mountain and did not block the road. Speaking of fighting, Wei Zhuang's heart became tense again. Thinking of the fierce fight between Wang Jian and Gu Yanhui, he asked the Taoist: "Dare to ask, who do you think will win and lose in the two Sichuan battles?" The Taoist replied casually: "The victory or defeat of the war depends on the hearts of the people. Don't you see that the powerful people in the two rivers are attached to Xichuan, how can Duke Gu of Dongchuan be the opponent of Wang Situ?" Wei Zhuang weighed this sentence for a while, and felt that it was unnecessary for him to reconcile the two rivers. The Taoist seemed to see Wei Zhuang's thoughts, and said with a smile: "Your Excellency, if you go to Liangchuan to watch the battle, you will definitely gain something. Wang Situ's tent is full of fierce generals! Don't say anything else, just say that Wang Zongkan, the governor of Yazhou, has captured it before. Pengzhou is the most stubborn in Xichuan. When it snowed here last year, he led troops to Lizhou. I heard that Li Jiyong, the governor of Lizhou, was extremely tough. Whoever wanted to fight Wang Zongkan would end up dead... ..." The Taoist said, showing his white teeth again, as if he was not talking about the current war between Sichuan and Sichuan, but telling Wei Zhuang a story about the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms hundreds of years ago. Hearing the Taoist's words, Wei Zhuang laughed in his heart. He couldn't connect this mountain forest man with the eloquent poet just now.He was pondering a few lines of confrontation in the pagoda poem in his mind, recalling the emperor's ups and downs in the past two years, and thinking of his regret of being old and ineffective, there were crystal tears in the corners of his eyes.Perhaps, he was crying for himself, or perhaps, he was crying for the emperor of the Tang Dynasty. Unknowingly, his thoughts gradually returned to two years ago: It was the spring of the second year after Weizhuang High School became a Jinshi, Li Maozhen, Wang Xingyu, and Han Jian led troops to Beijing, threatened the emperor, and killed the prime minister Wei Zhaodu.After hearing the news, Li Keyong, the Jiedu envoy of Hedong, personally led the Han soldiers to the south in a large scale. In the name of Li Maozhen and other three people raising troops to commit crimes and kill ministers, they raised troops to fight against rebellion.Wei Zhuang fled hurriedly with the emperor and his party, and was not able to return to Beijing until Li Keyong quelled the rebellion in August.This time, what was left to the emperor Li Ye was the looted and dilapidated city of Chang'an. Perhaps, the emperor's desperate plan to cut down the vassal was just a dream in the end.And this dream will last forever, and the future of the Tang Dynasty will also be dominated by princes like the Eastern Zhou Dynasty.Even so, the emperor was still unwilling to succumb to this.He always reminded himself that the blood of Gao Zu and Taizong's royal family flowed on his body.Li Tang Jiangshan has declined, but the humiliation cannot lose his dignity as the emperor.After returning to Beijing, he decided to rebuild an army directly subordinate to him outside the Left and Right Shence Army. This time, he recruited tens of thousands of people. However, just as Li Ye was preparing to realize his plan step by step, Li Maozhen once again revealed his arrogant true self.He knew that sooner or later the emperor's military expansion would be aimed at him, because he was too close to Chang'an.Therefore, Li Maozhen took advantage of Li Ke's return to the Three Jin Dynasty with his soldiers, and simply found an excuse to force the capital. Li Ye ordered Tongwang, Yanwang, and Qinwang of the royal family to lead troops to resist, and at the same time sent envoys to Hedong to ask Li Keyong for help.However, at this time, Li Keyongzheng and Zhu Quanzhong were in an inextricable fight, and the newly formed Forbidden Army and Li Maozhen's Fengxiang soldiers were completely defeated as soon as they fought. In July of the third year of Qianning (896 A.D.), Li Ye had no choice but to lead his courtiers and family members to flee Chang'an again.