Chapter 29 Section 1: The Hexagram of the Red-clothed Wizard

The spring grass was green again, and two fast horses flew out from the east gate of Luoyang, heading straight for the thatched hut in the wilderness outside Su Zhuang. Rhubarb, who was snoring and basking in the sun on the ancient well platform, stood up "swish", looked up for a moment, and immediately rushed to the front of the thatched cottage and screamed "bark bark".In the hut, Su Qin was pondering over the picture, comparing it to a sheepskin book next to it from time to time.This big picture was drawn by the teacher from the Taishi Ling Laodan of the Zhou Dynasty. The original title is "A Picture of Eighteen Hundred Princes".The difference is that the teacher made detailed annotations on this picture, indicating the time when each vassal state was first sealed off, the successive monarchs and the time of their demise.The teacher's annotations are made into a separate volume, and when combined with the big picture, it is tantamount to a most concise history of the rise and fall of the world's princes.The cold spring was still there, and the ground was very damp. Su Qin put his hands in the sleeves of his cotton jacket and circled around the big sheepskin picture, stamping his feet from time to time.Suddenly hearing rhubarb barking wildly, Su Qin was shocked!He found it strange that rhubarb never called when it was in danger, but when it called, it must be someone it knew.Father will not come, even if rhubarb came, he would not call it so.So who could it be?Su Qin thought about it, just as he opened the door, Rhubarb rushed up the ridge in front of the door.Putting up a pergola to shade him from a distance, Su Qin vaguely saw two fast horses galloping on the green wasteland, like two hazy clouds floating slowly over—his eyesight has been greatly weakened, and he couldn't see clearly whether the knight's clothes were black or not. It's red.Suddenly, Su Qin's heart beat, could it be Zhang Yi?impossible!If Zhang Yi is successful, how can he wait until today to find him? "Second brother—!" The clear voice quickly approached with the rapid sound of horseshoes, and the rhubarb had already greeted him with a "barking bark", causing a burst of rustling horses.Ah, it's Su Dai Su Li!Su Qin's heart felt hot for a while, and his eyes suddenly became moist.Not seeing each other for three years, the two younger brothers have grown up and are already handsome boys. "Second brother..." In the blink of an eye, the horse arrived in front of the house, and the two young men in red rolled off the saddle, but they were stunned.Is their second brother in front of them?Is it the handsome and unrestrained celebrity Su Qin who was once famous all over the world?With long disheveled gray hair and a messy long beard, behind him is a dilapidated thatched hut, and in front of him is endless grass. He is standing there blankly, wearing a ragged and worn cotton robe, with hazy eyes, dark and thin, just like a man. Famine refugees! "Second brother—!" With a cry, Su Dai Su Li fell to his knees and hugged Su Qin at the same time.

They came here full of joy and passion, but they were deeply shocked by the sight in front of them!In the imagination of the young brothers, the thatched hut of famous scholars is a poetic illusion, a half-immortal life that only the worldly masters can taste.The two brothers weaved countless times to tell the story of the second brother's seclusion - the grass grows in spring and the warbler flies, holding a roll of outing chanting, how many girls in spring will attract the attention of you?In summer, the shaded ancient wells, barefoot day sleep and night reading, how pleasant and free and easy it should be?In the autumn wind, there is a grassy cottage with a bright moon, and the Milky Way is shining brightly. Standing in the long night, looking up at the mystery of God, what kind of magical artistic conception should it be?In winter, the sky is all white, or you read with a light fur coat on your stove, or think while stepping on the snow in the wilderness, what kind of noble and pure feelings should it be?The two brothers made a promise that one day, like the second brother, they would do some hard work in seclusion and taste the realm of being a master.Because of this imagination, the two brothers have always abided by their father's instructions and will not disturb the second brother's Qingxiu within three years.Now, the second brother actually got such a appearance, this pair of brothers who can be said to be rich and well-clothed seems to have been hit by a blow, how can they not be shocked?

"Reborn, is it in the skin?" Although Su Qin only smiled lightly, it was full and clear. "Second brother, you have suffered." Su Dai stood up and lowered his head to hold Su Qin's hand, still looking unbearable. "Second brother, don't you think it's bitter?" After all, Su Li was young, so he was very surprised by Su Qin Anshi's smile.Seeing the compassionate look of the two younger brothers, Su Qin couldn't help but hugged the shoulders of the two of them, and laughed comfortably and brightly, without any bleakness and sadness. Su Dai and Su Li finally broke his face and smiled: "Second brother, we have good news for you!" Su Li couldn't help showing his truth first. "Third and fourth brothers, just sit here and talk, the room is cool."

"Second brother, eat something first, and listen while you eat." Su Li took a leather bag from the saddle and opened it: "Father specially bought a Fengze elk from an old hunter. Second sister-in-law... Su Li suddenly stopped, and said: "Second sister-in-law insists on doing it herself..." Su Dai sighed: "Second brother, second sister-in-law is also pitiful...don't hate her." Su Qin couldn't help laughing and shaking his head: "Dreams are dreams, if Su Qin still holds grudges, isn't this a waste of this grassy cottage in the wilderness? Come, let me cry!" Then he spread out the lotus leaves, tore open a piece of bright red venison, and started to chew : "Third brother, tell me, I'm listening."

"Second brother, I came back from Daliang, and fourth brother came back from Luoyang. We all know the big things. The world is in chaos now, let me tell you from the beginning." Su Dai took a breath, and started talking one by one. The major offensive and defensive events in the world in the past few years have been full of vibrancy. At the end of the speech, there was an exclamation: "Hey, it's a random word, and only the tiger, wolf and Qin State took advantage of it!" Su Li blushed: "Heroes come out of troubled times, second brother, We think it's time for you to come out of the mountain again! Second brother, you..." Su Qin listened carefully and earnestly, without interjecting a question, and kept calmly meditating, but there was no surprise or excitement that the brothers expected.Seeing the puzzled looks of the two younger brothers, he wiped his hands casually on the ragged skirt with cotton wool exposed, and smiled slightly: "It seems that it's faster than I expected. I have to think about it, you two come back tomorrow." Su Dai Suli looked at each other and left disconsolately.

Looking at the backs of his two younger brothers riding away on horseback, Su Qin felt a strange feeling - he was so calm, but he felt so relaxed that he was about to fly, and he was so full that he wanted to shout out!Unconsciously, he walked into the vast wild grass, walked faster and faster, and finally stumbled and ran, lost in the boundless green grass waves, laughing up to the sky, and dancing "Ahhhh!" with. "God's will, God's will—" An old voice rang leisurely in my ear. "Who? Who's talking?" Su Qin swayed panting, and saw a red figure swaying in the vast green reed grass. Standing still, the red robe and bamboo crown, exuding white snow, were as clear as heaven! "Senior, I'm being polite." Su Qin bowed respectfully. He knew that this kind of old man could only be a noble and mysterious royal wizard. "It's a great honor to meet Xionggui." Mingming stood facing him, but the old voice was so far away. "Xionggui? Are you talking about me?" Su Qin looked down at himself, and couldn't help laughing up to the sky: "The world is so big, there are so many wonders!" ?”

"There is no constant in the sky, and I will work hard to join the world, and I don't believe in falsehood." The old man smiled slightly and said: "King Wu defeated Zhou, and the Taigong stopped divination by stepping on the tortoise shell. If you don't believe it, you can count it. If you don't believe it, you can count it in your heart. However, the way of heaven is so faint, how can the word 'do it' be able to do it?" Tolerance? If there is proof, isn’t it true that there is no deception?” Su Qin bowed his hands solemnly: "I am willing to be taught."

"Come and see," the old man waved his sleeves, turned away, and pointed to the peculiar green and yellow grass that was standing behind him, "this is a thousand-year-old yarrow that the old man found today. Divination, you can get a glimpse of the secrets of the universe, how lucky is it, sir?" Su Qin was secretly surprised.Like most famous scholars in the world, although he is not specialized, he is quite dabbled in.The teacher was originally a master of intensive research, but he never divination for his students. He just told them as much as possible about the theory of "Yi" and the rumors of "Yi" family rules, so that they can learn widely.The teacher said: Millennium yarrow is a sacred item in the "Yi" family, and its efficacy is greater than that of the thousand-year-old tortoise shell in the tortoise divination period.Whenever you find a thousand-year-old yarrow, you must do divination for the first person you meet and suppress it, otherwise you can't break the grass.It seems that the great wizard in red in front of him wants to divination for himself, and it is not a whim. It is the rules of the "Yi" family, so why not accept it calmly?With this in mind, he bowed silently again.The old man nodded, a slender wooden sword leisurely emerged from his wide sleeves, bowed deeply to the green and pale yellow yarrow, stood still, and swung the wooden sword lightly.But hearing a slight crisp sound, a grass branch more than three feet long stood up straight in the air, and the grass blades flew back to the roots of the yarrow in an instant, and a green and yellow shining grass stem fell horizontally on the ground. On the wooden sword!The old man sat down on the ground, the wooden sword suddenly disappeared, and the yarrow was already flat on his hands.

"Tai Chi." The old man said softly, and the yarrow stem miraculously broke off a short section and landed on the surface of the robe between the old man's legs. "Liangyi, the sun and the moon, the four seasons, the five elements, December, and the twenty-four qi." As the old man chanted, the yarrow stems quickly fell off one by one, neatly arranged on the surface of the red robe into one, 2, 4, 5, 12, 24 a total of seven units. Su Qin was surprised!He knew that yarrow divination requires fifty grass stalks, and the number of "fifty" is composed of seven units recited by the old man; one is taken out and never used, which means "Tai Chi" that the world is chaotic and unopened; The forty-nine roots such as "Liangyi" and so on are the real numbers used for divination.He was amazed, how could yarrow be so divine that it could fly off the blades of grass?Can you disconnect in response?In this way, it is also possible that "under the thousand-year-old yarrow, there must be a tortoise"?While thinking about it, the old man had finished divination, and said with a leisurely smile, "Ding Gua." Su Qin said silently.He understood the meaning of "Ding Gua", but found it incredible!

"Mr. is familiar with the principles of "Yi", so there is no need for old people to dismantle them carefully." The old man smiled lightly: "It's just that the subtlety of this tripod hexagram lies in the 'Nine Threes'. Although the Nine Threes are upright, they are separated from the 'Six Fives'. ; However, the '93' is right, but if you stick to it, you will eventually meet the '65'. Mr. Yu can explain it, so there is no need for old people to talk too much." "Thank you, master." Su Qin bowed deeply. "Sir, go yourself. This old man still has to keep upright for the yarrow."

Su Qin didn't say much, and went silently.He walked very slowly, and the hexagram image of "Ding Gua" actually lingered in his heart.Among the sixty-four hexagrams in "Book of Changes", the Ding hexagram is connected with the Ge hexagram, forming a hexagram image connected by cause and effect.The hexagram of leather is to remove the old and bring forth the new - "leather", which is the process of making animal skin into leather, and the new skin produced by removing the old animal skin is "leather".The hexagram image of the Ding hexagram is updated by combining all kinds of things-the tripod is a cooking vessel, and the process of cooking and combining all kinds of things to make delicious food is "Ding".The combination of all things in the tripod is difficult, raw, hard, dry, wet, salty, and fishy, ​​all must be synthesized in the tripod, and new things can be achieved through "fire"; the upper hexagram of the tripod is "fire", and the lower hexagram is "fire". "Wood", wood into the fire is the tripod of cooking.From the theory of hexagrams, the general idea of ​​Ding hexagrams is to explain the great way for talented people to create new ones - the combination of hardness and softness, perseverance, can combine all things to create new ones!The great shaman said "the subtleties of the Ding hexagram" lies in the truth that "although the Ding hexagram is auspicious, it is difficult".This hexagram is for divination for oneself. The so-called "Nine Three" line is the position of "talent" in the tripod hexagram; and the "Six Five" line is the position of "Jun". "It's a line apart, and they can't meet immediately; but because "Nine Three" is the position of upright talent, after "getting angry", they can finally combine all things, and meet at the "Sixth Five-Year Plan"... Thinking about it, Su Qin couldn't help laughing "puchi" - this gossip in "Book of Changes" is really strange, each hexagram uses a very common, simple and eternal "thing" to make the hexagram image, but It's incredible to be able to properly disassemble the most complicated and complicated phenomena in the world!Let’s just talk about the tripod hexagram just now, but the process of "cooking rice" is used to describe the integration of the chaos in the world, but it is so wonderful!It seems simple, but when you think about it carefully, it is unbelievably complicated. "Great Fuxi! Great King Wen!" Su Qin couldn't help muttering with emotion. Although the Great Wizard's tripod hexagram was an encouraging "secret", Su Qin quickly put it behind him.Like all the famous people in the world at that time, he never pinned his destiny on this kind of mysterious wandering prophecy.The reason is simple, he understands the basic flaw of all divine predictions - vague assertions can explain everything that follows: you win, it makes sense; you lose, it makes sense; you believe it, it makes sense ; If you don't believe it, it still makes sense. Regarding "God", Su Qin admired the words of the two people very much.One is Xun Kuang, a well-known scholar in Jixia, who said: "The way of heaven is permanent, it does not exist for Jie, and it does not perish for Zhou." The other is old Mencius, who said: "Heaven listens to the people, and heaven sees itself. The hearts of the people It is the heart of heaven.” After all, what is heaven?It is the hearts of the world.Doing things in accordance with people's hearts is the way of the world.To walk the great way of the world, you should take the great way as the foundation, do what you should do, and don't do what you should not do. What is good or bad?If everyone in the world decides their fate based on good or bad, how can they be generous and benevolent to sacrifice their lives for righteousness?Where did Wu Qi and Shang Yang come from, a group of loyal ministers and martyrs who "have no second thoughts, do the public good and disregard selfishness"?Although I, Su Qin, came out of the mountain, although I also did it for meritorious deeds, but what I did was in line with the Dao, so why should I care about good and bad?He never forgot to ponder the situation of the world while practicing hard in thatched hut. Every time he got an idea, he would disassemble and combine the interests and interests of various countries in various ways.Gradually, he formed a clear judgment: the kingdoms of Shandong will surely fall into the chaos of plotting and attacking each other, Qin will surely go east, and break through the Warring States of the Central Plains one by one!Facing this coming world chaos, what kind of strategy should he plan to deal with?If there is no long-term strategy, even if you get a high-ranking official and a generous salary, you will be nothing more than a walking corpse with a car and four horses. How can Su Qin live like this?Over the past three years, Su Qin has thought repeatedly and interpreted in many ways, and finally formed a set of clear ideas and a set of thorough and feasible general strategies. The arrival of Su Dai and Su Li made Su Qin suddenly realize that the opportunity has finally come! He originally predicted that this chaos would take at least five years to brew.Unexpectedly, within three years, the world has been in chaos.What he was waiting for was this troubled world!The world is not chaotic, the countries are not in danger of subjugation, the long-term strategy to turn the tide is nothing more than a rhetoric, and he, Su Qin, is also just a madman.Qin Guo insisted on seeking hegemony, but the time did not come, so it was useless to say it.The world must be integrated, but if there is no chaos in which everyone is in danger, it is useless to talk about it.This is the mystery of "the sage is punctual, and the unworthy is punctual". Peep through the opportunity and come out in due time!This is the state of great conspiracy that Su Qin has infiltrated for three years. After returning to the thatched cottage, Su Qin began to pack up and prepare.In fact, all the daily necessities in the thatched cottage are crude things that no family needs to cherish, and there is no need to tidy up and account for them.There is only one thing Su Qin has to prepare - to draw that picture in a place where it will never be lost.He had been planning and preparing for this matter for a long time, but it was not an easy task to actually do it.From noon to dawn, it took eight or nine full hours before Su Qin straightened up and collapsed on the straw couch. At noon, with the sound of horseshoes, Su Dai and Su Li came on time. Su Qin took the hands of the two younger brothers: "Third and fourth brothers, I have to go." "When?" Su Li asked urgently. "Ask again? Of course it's tonight." Su Dai has obviously matured a lot. Su Qin nodded, as if he couldn't think of any words of advice. Facing two extremely intelligent younger brothers, any words seemed superfluous.Seeing that the two younger brothers seemed to be waiting for him to speak, Su Qin finally said: "Study well, the Su family may depend on you two." "That's wrong." Su Li is old-fashioned this time: "Second brother is number one in the world, how can he be a hero?" Su Qin laughed loudly: "Okay! Fourth brother has ambition. Second brother will be number one in the world once! " Su Dai said solemnly: "Second brother, we will wait for you at the intersection in the evening." "Don't worry, everything will be ready." Su Li said generously, more excited than when he was on the road.Su Qin bowed his hands solemnly: "Thank you, third and fourth brothers." "Second brother, why are you acting so mischievous? Is this like a brother?" Su Li blushed and became anxious.Su Dai lowered his head silently and did not speak.Su Qin sighed for a long time, and then smiled slightly: "No wonder the third and fourth brothers. Since returning from hardship, I have understood a truth for my brother: one must stand on one's own feet, and one should not take any external help for granted, including the relationship of flesh and blood. Sister-in-law I don’t cook, and my wife doesn’t get off the plane. It’s because I travel with my family’s wealth, which is of no benefit to my family. Su’s family is a businessman, and it’s up to me to think about it. How can I ask for it with empty righteousness? The third brother and the fourth brother are willing to help I did my best, and I should be grateful for my brother." Su Li was so shocked that he couldn't speak, he just stared blankly at his brother with gray beard and messy hair, as if he didn't know him all of a sudden.Su Dai sighed softly: "Second brother, there is still love in the world. Since you were alone in the thatched hut, my sister-in-law was afraid of being scolded by her elder brother, and never dared to mention you. She was so listless. What about the second sister-in-law? Every winter, she would go to this barren field to stand for several nights, but she never dared to go near the hut..." The three brothers were silent for a while, and Su Qin said with a smile: "Third and fourth brothers, I don't care too much. I will come back anyway." "Family members may be amiable, but success or failure is not common?" Su Qin replied seriously. But Su Li laughed "puchi" first, and made a mischievous face at Su Qin, and the three brothers couldn't help laughing out loud. At dusk, Su Qin bowed deeply to the thatched cottage, and raised the oil lamp to face the long thatched grass hanging from the roof.In an instant, flames rose up, and the whole hut was submerged in raging flames!Su Qin burst into laughter, picked up a green cloth burden, took the green sandalwood stick, and strode away without looking back.The strange thing is that Rhubarb never yelled, but followed Su Qin silently.At the intersection of the official road, Su Dai and Su Li were waiting in a single-horse carriage.Seeing Su Qin's figure in the moonlight, Su Dai came up to meet him, took Su Qin's burden and wooden stick, and put them neatly into the camera obscura: "Second brother, I brought a hundred gold in this camera obscura. The clothes are not ready yet. Meet the big market and buy it." Su Qin nodded and didn't speak, but squatted down and hugged Rhubarb's neck, and didn't look up for a long time.Rhubarb stretched out its long tongue, licking Su Qin's cheeks continuously, and let out a low whining sound from his throat... Finally, Su Qin stood up, patted Su Dai Su Li's shoulder, took the whip and rein and jumped onto the horse The car, with a sound of "crack!", rattled away. "Wow! Bark!" Da Huang cried out, his voice was hoarse than ever before. Approaching the outside of the village, Su Qin couldn't help but glanced at the familiar woods, but stopped the carriages and horses in surprise—a white figure stood faintly at the crossing of the small woods under the moonlight!In an instant, Su Qin was stunned. He seemed to realize something, and stood in the car in a daze, not knowing what to do.Slowly, the white figure walked to the front of the cart step by step, put a burden in the road, knelt down silently, kowtowed three times, got up suddenly, and ran away like flying... Su Qin was dumbfounded!He clearly heard the heavy panting and whimpering in the woods, but he couldn't move like he was nailed to a car.After a long time, Su Qin regained his composure and jumped out of the cart, picked up the burden in the road, and under the moonlight, the four bright red characters on the burden skin were impressively visible - cold, warm, cool!With a move in my heart, I stretched out my hand to caress it, and it was wet and slippery, but it was written in big letters in blood!With a bang, Su Qin felt his blood rushing up, and sat down on the ground slumped.After a while, Su Qin stood up slowly, put the burden into the carriage, bowed deeply to the woods, turned around and jumped into the carriage.The white figure came out of the woods and stood at the crossing for a long time.The sound of rattling cars gradually faded away, but a faint singing sounded from the edge of the woods——