Chapter 66 Chapter 66

Chu Hong laughed: "Seeing the Buddha's nature is not called a living being, but not seeing the Buddha's nature is called a living being. Boya, Qiongzhou is a long way away, pack your bags earlier..." Zhou Xiang was so grateful that he couldn't say a word. He knelt down in front of the stone steps, feeling a sense of coolness in his heart, and all the doubts that had plagued him for forty years disappeared.That kind of feeling made him suddenly mutter involuntarily: "I only hope that the Tathagata will mourn the poor road, develop a wonderful mind, and open my eyes." When he got up, he found that Master Chu Hong had disappeared, leaving only the king of heaven. The empty courtyard in front of the hall, accompanied by the faint sounds of wooden fish beating and Buddhist scriptures reciting in the distance, is even more indescribably solemn and quiet.

Three days passed in a flash.Because of the way, Zhou Xiang went to Qiongzhou to take up his post with Zong Yao and his party.Walking out of Shiqiaomen, looking back at the vicissitudes of the ancient city of Chengdu, looking at the eternally flowing Jinjiang River, Zhou Xiang couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.Although reluctant, after all, he is about to start a new life. Wei Zhuang, Zhou Dequan, Wang Zongkan and Zhang Ge came outside the city to see them off. Zong Yao drank three cups of wine, cupped his hands and said: "Thank you for seeing me off. Zong Yao's going here will appease the people and guard the border for the king."

Zong Kan grabbed the brother of the opposite sex who had formed a deep friendship on the battlefield: "There is no old friend in Yangguan in the West! The people's livelihood over there is withered and the population is barren. Brother, take care of yourself in Qiongzhou!" Zong Yao couldn't help but hugged Zong Kan tightly: "Brother is an official in Chengdu, so be careful in everything. If you encounter major issues, you can go to my father-in-law to discuss, or you can write to me!" Zhou Xiang bid farewell to Wei Zhuang: "Thank you Mr. Wei for sending you off!"

Wei Zhuang's face was ruddy, obviously he was not in the sad mood like Zong Kan.He glanced back at the Chengdu city behind him, pretending to sigh and said to Zhou Xiang: "I thought I could work with you, but I didn't want you to go to a distant place to avoid peace. Sigh! Saying goodbye to you today is also saying goodbye to me." "Oh? Where is Lord Wei going?" "I was sent by the king yesterday to pay tribute to the court." It turned out that Wei Zhuangbei went to Chang'an to repair Zhu Wen.In a fierce battle before, they captured the Shannan states, but they failed to catch up with Zhu Wen.The westward advance of Zhu Wen's army quickly made Li Maozhen unable to fight, so he had to hand over the emperor.Now, Zhu Wen seems to be coercing the emperor to order the princes. Going to the court to pay tribute is naturally a negotiation with Zhu Wen about the conditions for the ownership of the three rivers.Zhou Xiang knew very well in his heart that the demise of the Tang Dynasty only took a few years.Although he had clearly seen all this twenty years ago, as a minister of the Tang Dynasty, he still couldn't help feeling sad when he recalled the glory of the Tang Dynasty.

Wei Zhuang took out a fold of rice paper from his bosom, and handed it to Zhou Xiang: "Master Feng was coming too, but unfortunately he caught cold, so he asked me to bring this letter." Perhaps, among the group of people, Zhou Xiang knew Feng Juan best.This old man is eccentric by nature, and he can easily offend people with his words.He is also a famous talent all over the world, but it is impossible for him to become friends with Wei Zhuang.In such an occasion, he would naturally not come. Zhou Xiang opened the letter paper, and a line of willow script was strong and strong, just like Feng Juan's character of not being bent, saying it was a couplet in Wang Wei's "Farewell" poem: "But don't ask again, when the white clouds are endless." Suddenly, that kind The feeling of belonging and recognition came from Zhou Xiang's whole body.Only Feng Juan understood him!

Far away from the city of Chengdu, there is a plain of Yimapingchuan.After walking for half a day, you can see the mountains in the distance. Zong Yao waited and watched for a while, and said to himself: "The end of the mountain should be Qiongzhou, I don't know how wild the people there are." Seeing that Zong Yao didn't know much about Qiongzhou, Zhou Xiang introduced, "Actually, Qiongzhou is not as remote as the general thought. On the contrary, it was a prosperous city thousands of years ago." Seeing that Zong Yao didn't believe it, he explained Dao: "In the pre-Qin period, there were only three counties in Western Shu that had city walls built, namely Piyi, Chengdu, and Linqiong. Piyi and Chengdu were successively the capitals of the enlightened dynasty of ancient Shu, and King Huiwen of Qin conquered Bashu. The construction of the county seat in Linqiong shows that it is a military fortress!"

"It is true to say that it is a military fortress. I think Tubo and Nanzhao razed it to the ground several times. It is really a place where military strategists must fight! There are seven counties in Linqiong!" "I don't think the general should be so vigilant. Guarding the border is naturally the primary duty. It's just that things change with time. Seeking harmonious coexistence with the barbarians and exchanging needs is what you should do, Lord Inspector." "Oh? Master wants me to go there to negotiate peace with the barbarians?" "Hahaha," Zhou Xiang laughed after hearing what Zong Yao said, "Subduing others without fighting is the best policy since ancient times! Just imagine, if the barbarians can have less to use and old to enjoy, live and work in peace and contentment, be rich and healthy, who will Are you willing to fight? The general should remember that after the great king captured Qiongzhou during the Dashun period, he let Zhang Gong stay there to govern the prefecture and counties. Zhang Gong is worthy of being a famous and capable minister! The people of the ethnic group gather here, and there is no trace of disputes. In my opinion, the real governor of a state is not able to lead troops to pacify counties and counties, nor is it to build walls to defend an inch of land, but to tear down walls and make the Quartet willing to come to court!" What Zhou Xiang said, Zong Yao had never heard of it, and he was almost fascinated by it.

"As small as a state or county, as large as a kingdom, winning the world is not about gaining half an inch of territory, but about winning the hearts of the people! Mencius once said that the right time is not as good as the right place, and the right place is not as good as the harmony of people. Even if the city is solid, the soldiers are numerous, and the soldiers are strong Profit does not win the hearts of the people, and it is difficult to win. It is said that a gentleman will win if he does not fight! This is the truth. The general recalled that the king pacified Sanchuan and attacked countless cities. Which one was the easiest to win in Xichuan, Dongchuan, and Shannan?"

"Of course it is Xichuan! Xichuan was surrounded by generals along the way, and many cities won without a fight. Even the huge city of Chengdu was also offered by Chen Jingxuan. Although the battles in Dongchuan went smoothly, the casualties were not small. I did not go to the front line in the conquest of Shannan. , but I also know the tragedy." "That's right! At the beginning, Chen and Tian had no way, and caused chaos in Xishu. The attack on Xichuan was in accordance with the will of God and the will of the people! This is what the people want, to win without fighting."

Zong Yao seemed to understand a little bit, and said to herself: "It seems that when I go to Qiongzhou, I should first stabilize people's hearts!" "Actually, as early as the pre-Qin period, Linqiong was the place where the people of Qiong, Yi, Ruo, Dian and other ethnic groups gathered for business transactions with the people of Shu. Qiongzhou was not as remote and backward as the general imagined. There Not only is the transportation convenient, but it also has unique mineral resources. As far as I know, as early as the Han Dynasty, Qiongzhou had the earliest fire well in history, and today's Huojing County is named after it!"

Along the way, Zhou Xiang introduced the customs and customs of various places, and the journey was not exhausting.When Zhou Xiang saw He Linlan who was dressed in a manly outfit beside Zong Yao, he couldn't help telling a love legend through the ages: "General, madam, Linqiong has produced a strange woman in history!" Lin Lan said: "But that Miss Zhuo who is both talented and beautiful?" "Exactly. This Miss Zhuo is the daughter of Zhuo Wangsun, a wealthy merchant in Linqiong, and is regarded by her father as the apple of his eye. She looks like a fairy, is proficient in music, and is famous for thousands of miles. After she lost her husband, celebrities from Western Shu flocked here just to listen. A sound of Miss Zhuo's qin strings. It's a pity that Miss Zhuo's eyes were picky and she couldn't find anyone. One day, a poor scholar came to Wangsun's mansion, and the scholar played the piano and immediately fascinated the young lady. Two They ran away at night and came to Chengdu. Because the scholar's family was poor, the two opened a restaurant in the downtown area and started a comfortable husband and wife. Chengdu has been a tolerant city since ancient times. Not only did the people there not ridicule them, but also Their stories are well-told..." "This is our love story in Xichuan that has been passed down for thousands of years. My father told me about it when I was a child. How do you know that Mr. Xichuan is not from Xichuan?" Zong Yao said with a smile: "Mr. Boya is well versed in the past and the present. Is there anything you don't know?" "The general is too famous. So, Mrs. Wang must know the ending of the story?" "I know. Later, Zhuo Wangsun was afraid that her daughter would lose face as a rich man by selling wine, so he acquiesced to this son-in-law and distributed the property to her daughter. From then on, Miss Zhuo and his wife lived a happy life... Na Zhuo The lady’s name is Wen Jun, and that poor scholar is Sima Xiangru, who is famous all over the world!” "Oh! So it is like this!" Zong Yao said, "I remember that when I visited Wenweng Shishi in the south of Chengdu, I saw a hanging portrait of Sima Xiangru there. It is said that there are many talented people in Sichuan, I only know' Wen Weng introduced his teachings, and Xiangru was his teacher', but he didn't know that there was such a good story through the ages." Zhou Xiang said: "The general and his wife also had a marriage in troubled times. It happened to be in Linqiong. It is a coincidence. If I remember correctly, there should be traces of Wenjun's wine shop. It is said that there is a well called Wenjun. Junjing, the well water is sweet, and the brewed wine is fragrant..." Zhou Xiang recited Xiangru's famous song "Phoenix Seeking the Phoenix" freely and freely: It's early spring again, and it's warm and cold again.After Zong Yao came to Linqiong, she took office immediately.Although Zhou Xiang invited himself to be the county magistrate of Linqiong, he spent most of his time accompanying Zong Yao to learn about the folk customs and customs here. On this day, suddenly a person came to see Zong Yao.Zong Yao saw that this person was in his late thirties and short in stature, so he was a local at first sight.This person claimed to be a catcher under Zhang Qianyu, the county magistrate of Daojiang County, and was ordered to come here to present Zong Yao with a good horse. When he heard that the well-known Zhang Qianyu sent someone to visit, Zong Yao was very happy, hosted a banquet in honor of the visitor, and ordered someone to bring the horse presented by Zhang County Magistrate to her. Zong Yao, who was born as a military general, has seen countless horses, but when he saw this horse, he couldn't help being stunned: the so-called good horse in front of him was not tall, but his head was small, and he couldn't see the mixed hair on his body. What's so special about it.But when he thought that County Magistrate Zhang sent someone to send a horse here regardless of the long distance, he must have his own intentions.He turned around and looked at Zhou Xiang with a distressed expression on his face. Zhou Xiang had already guessed Zong Yao's embarrassment.But although Zhou Xiang is proficient in poetry, geography, military literature and war strategy, he has nothing to do with this good horse.The clever Zhou Xiang suddenly smiled and said to Zong Yao: "Inspector Wang, Mrs. Zun mentioned yesterday that she lacks a horse under her crotch. Could you let Mrs. Zong come and have a look at this piece of horses sent by your lord?" Can a horse suit your heart?" When Zong Yao heard this, she was overjoyed.One must know that his father-in-law, He Yiyang, was a well-known mabole in Xichuan, and his first wife, He Linlan, who practiced martial arts since childhood, must have been influenced by her father, and she must be a hundred times better than himself in this respect.It is not known whether the horse sent by Zhang Qianyu is a BMW.If it was just an ordinary horse, I might be laughed at if I decided to pass it on as my own mount, but if it was my wife's mount, there would be nothing wrong with it.If this horse is really a thousand miles of sweat and blood in this world, then Lin Lan will definitely recognize a good horse with discerning eyes.Thinking of this, he had to admire Zhou Xiang's ingenious words, which not only reminded himself, but also spoke without any flaws. Not long after, He Linlan came to the school grounds.The governor's wife in front of her was in her early thirties, with pale eyebrows, white teeth and red lips, and a hollow flying phoenix in a double bun.Looking at his clothes, the hem of the folded collar is decorated with a row of cotton fringe, a leather belt around the waist makes his figure very graceful, and the high leather boots cover the slightly wide trousers.This appearance makes people wonder whether they have met the young lady who is waiting for a baby, but seeing her half-hued attire makes one firmly believe that this lady will not give up when she straddles a horse and holds a gun. Zhou Xiang briefly explained the reason.Lin Lan took a closer look and recognized that it was a common Tubo horse breed that accompanied the Kham people.Her father once told her that this kind of horse was born on the plateau and is not tall, but it is slightly better than the horses in the Central Plains in terms of physical strength and endurance.She went closer and took a closer look, and found that this little horse had solid hooves, surprisingly strong limbs, especially the wide waist and rump, it was undoubtedly a rare horse that could travel thousands of miles a day. So, she turned around and smiled and came to the police officer who guides the river, and said happily: "I really thank Mr. Zhang for giving me this thousand-mile horse." The policeman was very surprised, thinking that even Wang Cishi's wife is such a heroine among women, let alone the famous Xichuan Wang Cishi in the seven battles. "Madam has the eyes to recognize a good horse, and I am very convinced. My master selected this horse from hundreds of thousands of good horses to give to the new governor. Firstly, it is a celebration of the governor's appointment; secondly, this horse The BMW is tough by nature, and no one under Dao Jiang's rule can tame it, so it is handed over to the governor to find someone who can tame the horse." Before Zong Yao could answer, Lin Lan said bluntly, "I'm still interested in horse training, so please ask Lord Governor to give this horse to my wife!" Zong Yao said with a smile: "Madam, you can take it with you if you like, but you must be careful to train it." Lin Lan trotted to the front of the horse in two or three steps, lightly tapped her left leg, and jumped onto the horse's back with a sideways dive.This fierce horse has never been tamed and never felt ridden.Suddenly feeling a heavy burden on his back, he couldn't help but let out a neigh, and started to run around the school field with all four hooves.Since there was neither a saddle nor a rein, Lin Lan grabbed the mane with one hand and beat the horse's head with the other. Immediately, the fierce horse arched its back in place, trying to shake off the female general who wanted to control her . When Zong Yao saw how fierce this steed was, she hurriedly called out: "Come on, step up and protect Madam!" Several servants rushed forward in a panic, but the horse knocked back and forth like crazy. Several people finally threw Lin Lan heavily to the ground.A group of people hurried forward, Zong Yao helped his wife up distressedly, and asked her about her injuries with concern.Lin Lan gritted her teeth and stood up. Although she was a little timid, she still said to the policeman beside her with a serious face: "The BMW that Mr. Zhang sent is really hot, I like it very much. Please report back, sir, just say seven Within days, He Linlan will definitely tame this horse!" Time is like notes plucked on the strings. When you suddenly feel its existence, it can only linger in the air but cannot be touched.When Zong Yao gradually got used to the climate and life in Qiongzhou, she heard a report from her subordinates saying that Zhang Qianyu, who was guiding Jiang, had arrived unexpectedly.