Chapter 50 Section 6 The Ascetic Manor in the Chencang River Valley

On the official road in the west of Qin State, a group of knights galloped on horseback, and the leader was Che Ying. According to Wei Yang's speculation, the Mohists must divide their troops to attack the monarch.Qin Xiaogong only brought three guards with him on this western tour. How could he deal with the sudden attack of the Mohist swordsmen?Wei Yang was so anxious that he ordered Che Ying to take a hundred elite armored knights to the West Qin Dynasty to protect the monarch.Che Ying galloped all the way, chasing after Duyou, Feiqiu, Meixian, Guoxian, and Yongcheng, but still failed to catch up with Qin Xiaogong.The order of Yongcheng said that the monarch traveled all the way west and stayed in Guo County for only one night. He set off westward before dawn, without saying where he was going.Knowing Qin Xiaogong's disposition, Che Ying speculated that he would definitely go to Longxi for inspection, so she rushed towards Chen Cang without stopping.

Chen Cang was originally the name of a mountain.It is guarded at the Sanchakou in Guanzhong, Longxi and Hanshui areas.The ancients said that the Yellow Emperor once established his capital here, and it was called Chen at that time.Later, Huangdi and Yandi moved eastward after the Battle of Banquan. After thousands of years of vicissitudes, this place returned to the vast wilderness.The Weishui River comes to the east, crosses the Chencang Mountain and enters the narrow and long neck of the Weishui Plain.If the Hanshui area wants to go north, it must first cross the Dasan Mountains, and then cross the Chencang Mountains before entering the Weishui Plain.From the Weishui Plain, no matter whether you are going to Longxi or Hanshui, Chencang Mountain is the throat that you must pass through.During the Western Zhou Dynasty, Chencang Mountain and Dasanling were important passes guarding Bashu and western Rongdi.At that time, Sanguan was only built in Dasanling to guard Dasanling and Chencangshan together.It is said that Lao Tzu was going out of Guanxi to enter the quicksand, and Guan Ling Yin Xiqiang asked him to write a book, so he wrote the immortal poem.That pass is Sanguan.After King Ping of Zhou moved east to Luoyang and Qin State became the master of the Weishui Plain, since most of the Han River Basin belonged to the land of Chu State, the Sanguan Pass of Dasanling was still an important pass.Longxi was originally the old foundation of the Qin people, so Chencang Mountain, guarding the neck of Longxi and the Weishui Plain, has never established a pass, but only a post station.Usually, business trips are spent at the Chencang post station to nourish the spirit, and then either go west to Longxi, or go south to Sanguan and enter Chu and Shu.

Che Ying predicted that between Yongcheng and Chencang, he could probably catch up with the monarch.He ordered the exhausted horses to slow down, and he led thirty fast horse riders to chase after them with all their strength.Approaching Chencang Mountain, you can see from a distance that there are three riders on the ancient road between the two mountains. "Your Majesty, slow down!" Che Ying shouted. The mountain wind howled head-on, and it was impossible for those who walked forward to hear the shouting behind them, and they still walked towards the valley. At this moment, a sharp eagle blew, and a group of black figures jumped down from the hills on both sides of the bank, attacking the three riders in the valley!Che Ying roared: "Arrow team rush to kill! Quick!" With a shrill horn sound, thirty armored knights rode towards the valley like a hurricane, using Che Ying as an arrow.

The three riders forward were Qin Xiaogong Ying Quliang and his two guards.Entering Chencang Mountain, he was looking up at the steep mountains on both sides, when he suddenly heard the strange cry of the mountain eagle, his heart tightened, and the long sword from his waist was drawn out.Almost at the same time as the sword was drawn, the figures on the hills on both sides flew down in the black and white, and Huo Huo Jianguang came towards him with a rope net between them.Qin Xiaogong joined the army as a young man, and has been battle-tested for a long time. He is a famous general in the Qin army who is both wise and brave. With a glance, he knows that the powerful enemy has blocked the front, back, and upper three roads. The biggest danger is the sword strike and rope net above his head.In the flash of lightning, he adopted the usual resistance method used by cavalry on the battlefield. His body fell down, and he slid under the horse vigilantly sticking to the horse's belly.The two guards behind him have already jumped up from their horses, and their two shiny broad daggers met the sword-light rope net in the air.Only two muffled hums were heard, blood spattered, and the two guards fell to the ground like stone slabs!At this moment, Qin Xiaogong has already quickly clung to the right side of the war horse, and the extraordinary Tongyun colt, neighing and jumping, has already clung to the mountain in the north.Qin Xiaogong flew and jumped behind a boulder, while Tong Yunju stood in front of the boulder, neighing and stomping on the black and white figure rushing up with his iron hooves.Even so, the formidable enemy flying in the air didn't seem to notice at all, two flexible rope hooks flew out, "Ka!" grabbed the two horseshoes and pulled violently, and the Chifeng horse suddenly fell to the ground .Almost at the same time, more than a dozen black and white figures jumped over the horses like eagles and surrounded the rocks, shouting in unison: "Capture the tyrant Ying Quliang alive!"

At the juncture of life and death, Qin Xiaogong's blood boiled, he let out a roar, flew forward and stabbed, a black and white man was pierced through the chest, and fell to the ground dead.When drawing the sword, he squatted down and avoided the figure rushing from behind his head, then turned around sharply, and the long sword drew an arc in front of him, but the powerful enemy flew back and shouted together: "Ying Quliang abandoned the sword and received it!" Bind you, spare me!" Qin Xiaogong hissed loudly, "Old Qin, you will die without surrender!" He jumped off the boulder, swung his long sword, and rushed straight into the circle of strong enemies.

At this moment, there was a stormy sound of horseshoes at Taniguchi, and Che Ying led thirty armored knights to arrive! A loud shout from high above: "Get out!" The black and white figure suddenly disappeared into the dense forest of mountains and rocks without a trace. "Your Majesty—!" Che Yingfei dismounted from his horse, and jumped in front of Qin Xiaogong, "Does Your Majesty have a sword wound?" "No." Qin Xiaogong still looked at the mountains and forests, his brows were tightly knit together. "Your Majesty, please don't stay in a dangerous place, go back to the station immediately and make a decision." Che Ying's expression was still tense.

"Okay, let's go back to the post station and make a fuss." Qin Xiaogong looked back at the bodies of the two guards, and ordered: "Take it back to the post station and hand it over to the county magistrate of Guo for a proper burial, bestow a rank of nobility, and exempt the family members from labor and tax for three years. "Che Ying agreed, and ordered the guard's body to be carried on the horse, and quickly protected Qin Xiaogong back to Chen Cang Station. Although Chencang Station is not big, it is built like a small castle because it is located in a fortress, which is very strong.More than one hundred houses are built in a ladder shape against the mountain, and the parapet walls and gates are all made of huge stones. Residents live in peacetime and soldiers are stationed in wartime, which actually plays the role of pass inspection.Yizhan Cheng is more than fifty years old and a veteran. Although he is a minor official, he still wears a worn-out armor and a broad dagger around his waist. He salutes Qin Xiaogong arrogantly. Duke Xiao said with a smile, "Shan Shitou, I've rested with you all night." "Yes! Chen warehouse officials obey!" Shan Shitou led the way heroically, "Your Majesty, please follow me to the Shangzheng Mansion!"

The Shangzheng House is the row of main houses at the highest point, with a wide view, and a small courtyard surrounded by short stone walls.Duke Xiao stays.Che Ying arranged concealed soldiers on the top of the hill and inside and outside the small courtyard, and arranged for the rest of the knights to eat and feed their horses in rotation, in case of a sudden attack.Everything was settled, Che Ying came to see Qin Xiaogong. "Che Ying, how did you come here?" Xiao Gong was still thinking about today's weird attack. "Report to Your Majesty, the Mo family attempted to assassinate Zuo Shuzhang in Liyang, Zuo Shuzhang sent me to protect him day and night."

"Assassination?" Qin Xiaogong's face changed slightly, "How do you know it's the Mohist?" Che Ying recounted Jingnan's disappearance and Wei Yang's deduction, and Qin Xiaogong sneered, "It seems that the Mo family has launched a murderous plan to eradicate me and Zuo Shuzhang as tyrants and cruel officials. Che Ying, what do you think should be done? " "Your Majesty, Mohist swordsmen are impossible to defend against. The only way is to wipe out its roots to prevent future troubles!" Qin Xiaogong shook his head and smiled and said: "No. The Mohist school is famous all over the world. It is righteous to punish violence and love to save the world. It has been the banner of justice in the world for nearly a hundred years. The Qin State sent troops to destroy the Mohist School, not to mention whether it will succeed. It will anger the world and bring shame on itself."

Che Ying came to her senses, "Your Majesty forgives me for my lack of thoughtfulness. This is not feasible. Your Majesty should return to Liyang as soon as possible, and increase elite guards to prevent the Mohists from attacking again." Qin Xiaogong walked slowly and said: "This matter is really difficult. The Mo family obviously misunderstood the reform of the Qin State. The Mo family has always been persevering, and will never give up because of a single failure. When soldiers come, there will be casualties on both sides. Old hatred and new hatred are repeatedly entangled, and the reform situation may be repeated, which may cause overall turmoil... For the current plan, there is only one way to go."

"Dare to ask your majesty what plan?" "I went to the Mo family in person to clarify the misunderstanding, draw the bottom line, and stabilize the overall situation." "Your Majesty, don't do it!" Che Ying said urgently: "The Mohists were going to capture your Majesty, who is the foundation of the country, how can you throw yourself into the trap? Please write a letter to your Majesty, and I will serve as a special envoy to the Mohist Sect. Be sure to clarify the misunderstanding! " Qin Xiaogong shook his head, "I can only go there in person, no one can replace me." "Your Majesty—!" Che Ying cried out, kowtowing on the ground, "Nevertheless, Qin cannot live without His Majesty. Let me go, even if I am crushed to pieces, Che Ying will not disgrace your life!" Qin Xiaogong helped Che Ying up, and sighed with emotion, "Che Ying, you are loyal and courageous, how can I not believe it? However, the Mohists have always regarded themselves as gods and judges, but they only use the old Mozi's theory as the criterion of life and death, and never listen to outsiders' excuses. , Anyone serving as a special envoy will backfire. You have a more important mission, go back to Liyang to protect Zuo Shuzhang." "I can't go back to Liyang. Even if I'm convicted, I have to go with King Ding!" "Che Ying, you and I are from the old Qin. This land has been soaked with the blood of our ancestors. If it can make the Qin State strong, no one would be sorry to give up their lives. Now that the Qin State is reforming its laws and striving to become stronger, it has survived a desperate situation. It's a critical moment. Now, where is Qin's life? Where is Qin's soul? You should know. Qin can't live without Zuo Shuzhang, and can't live without reforms! If sacrifices are needed, we should wait for the old Qin's children first. Jingnan is missing, and Zuo Shuzhang is in even more danger. Who can say that Jingnan is not a Mohist scout? Zuo Shuzhang is the hope of Qin's new life. You must return to Liyang, and you must protect Zuo Shuzhang safe and sound!" Qin Xiaogong was deeply passionate , there is no room for maneuver. "Your Majesty, it's just that you went to the Mo family alone, how can I be at ease?" "Che Ying," Qin Xiaogong smiled relaxedly, "Although the Mo family is arrogant and domineering, they are reasonable after all. Judging from today's battle, they did not fight to the death. They must kill me, but they seem to want to kill me." Capture me... I will go to the Mo family, although it is dangerous, but if I handle it properly, I will not be killed immediately. You can go back to Liyang without worry." Che Ying lowered her head silently, and big tears fell to her feet like broken threads. The next morning, the rare sunny weather.At the fork in the road outside Chencangyi Station, Qin Xiaogong broke up with Che Ying and led two new guards to the southwest mountains.Qin Xiaogong's plan is to cross the Dasan Mountains and enter the Shennong Mountains from the Han River.Although he didn't know the exact location of the Mohist General Court, he was no stranger to Shennong Mountain, which is a continuous mountain range bordering Qin and Chu. He had followed his father-in-law to inspect the fortress three times, and walked through the hinterland of Shennong Mountain three times.At that time, the stories of the Mo family made him feel mysterious, and for this reason, he also developed respect for the vast mountains. To get to Dasanling, you have to go out of the Chencangshan Trail.This is an ancient mountain road that winds on the mountainside. Although it is full of autumn colors, the hills on both sides are also greenish in the pale yellow. The small stream beside the road flows to the Wei River, and the valley is quiet.Qin Xiaogong walked between the two guards, one in front and one behind, constantly observing the surrounding mountains. Suddenly, a clear female folk song came from the mountainside, echoing in the valley.Qin Xiaogong couldn't help but stop and listen. The singing seemed to come from outside the sky, and it was ethereal and whirling in the empty valley, which was soul-stirring: Xiao Gong listened intently, but was slightly taken aback. He set up an arbor with his hands and looked as far as the mountains and plains, but he didn't find a single person.He felt that the voice seemed to have been heard there before, but he couldn't remember it.Suddenly, his heart moved, and he let out a roar and sang: The mountain is quiet and silent, and there is an ethereal sigh from the mountainside, but there is no clear singing anymore. A feeling of loss suddenly flooded Qin Xiaogong's heart.He looked around in a daze, but there was no sound in the green hills, so he couldn't help sighing slightly, and continued walking along the mountain road.Suddenly, there was a short scream, and there was a strange noise from the mountainside! Two guards jumped up and covered Qin Xiaogong behind a big rock, and quickly unsheathed their long swords.At this moment, I saw the earth and rocks rolling down the mountain.Qin Xiaogong looked up at the blind corner of the boulder, and saw a figure rolling down in the dust and mist caused by the stones and clods. It was obvious that someone had stumbled and fell.The hillside is steep, and the decline of the vegetation is unstoppable, and the figure is rolling down!With sharp eyes and quick body, Qin Xiaogong jumped up from the boulder, rushed up the hillside, and hugged the figure rolling on the steep slope.The two guards immediately rushed up the hillside, hugged Qin Xiaogong from behind and stood firm. Going down the mountain path, Qin Xiaogong put the man on the boulder, and a guard wiped the dust and blood on the injured face.Xiaogong looked at the mountain, thinking about the singing just now, and his mind was lost. "Your Majesty, it's a woman!" The guard exclaimed in surprise. Xiaogong turned around to look, and couldn't help being speechless in shock—the wounded man in front of him showed a beautiful pale face, long hair was disheveled, it wasn't mysterious but who?She was wearing a coarse cloth that was divided into black and white from the middle, and there was a pocket sword stuck in the cloth boots and leggings - Xiao Gong saw it at a glance, it was the protective sword he gave to Xuan Qi! The guard said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, it's the female killer of the Mohist family, be careful!" Then he stood in front of Qin Xiaogong, and said to another guard: "Protect Your Majesty, I will deal with this." Xiaogong suddenly woke up, waved his hands solemnly and said: "Stay back. I know her." He said and leaned down, "Water!" He took the water bag passed by the guard, wrapped Xuan Qi in his right arm, and slowly fed her water. The woman opened her eyes, gasping for breath, "Just now, who is singing?" "Sister Xuanqi, it's me. Look at me." Xuan Qi's body trembled slightly, he stared intently, let out an "ah" in surprise, and fainted suddenly. Duke Xiao was in a hurry, he gently shook Xuan Qi and called out: "Sister Xuan Qi, sister Xuan Qi, wake up..." Two lines of tears welled up on Xuan Qi's pale face, "No, don't see you. You, hurry back to Liyang." Xiao Gong suppressed his sorrow and excitement, leaned Xuan Qi's body on the rock, put Xuan Qi's body upright, and said with a calm smile: "Sister Xuan Qi, open your eyes and look at me. After three years of separation, the landscape has not changed." Xuan Qi opened his eyes, and said coldly: "There is nothing immovable in this world. You go back to Liyang quickly, there is no need to say more." Qin Xiaogong smiled faintly, "I'm not going back to Liyang. I'm going to Shennong Mountain to find the Mohist Academy." "You, what are you talking about?" Xuan Qi suddenly changed color, red tide flooded his pale face. "I'm going to the Mohist General Academy." Xiaogong paused every word. In an instant, Xuan Qi returned to calm and indifferent, "Ying Quliang, there are mountains beyond mountains, I advise you to go back to Liyang." "If you don't climb a mountain, you won't get a thoroughfare. Even if you stumble, you have no regrets." "Ying Quliang, major events in the world, don't argue with words." "Arguing without tongues is not enough to tell right from wrong." "A difficult life is not enough to fill the ditch. A brave man can cultivate mountains and rivers." "Scholars have unbearable humiliation, but the state has unavoidable difficulties." Xuan Qi was silent.Suddenly, she hugged Xiaogong and cried bitterly, her body trembling like fallen leaves in the autumn wind.Xiaogong patted her on the shoulder lightly, straightened her long messy hair, "Little sister, you never shed tears. Come, tell me, what are you doing now? Where are you going?" "Perhaps, one day you will know." Xuan Qi wiped away tears. "Little sister, I want to know right now, I don't know how many times I have been to Wuxuanzhuang." Xiaogong became anxious. Xuan Qi's bright eyes flickered, "Where? Would you like to go with me alone?" "Okay, let's go." Qin Xiaogong stood up after speaking, and told the two guards: "You two go back to Chencang Station and wait for me." Then he came to help Xuanqi. "Your Majesty, don't do it!" The two guards said eagerly, "She is from the Mo family...if there is any fraud..." "Don't talk nonsense. Do you know who she is?" Qin Xiao justly reprimanded the guards. Xuan Qi smiled and said: "You two are relieved. The Mohist school eliminates evil and strictly prohibits cheating and murder. Your monarch will be fine." The two guards handed over their orders helplessly, and watched as Qin Xiaogong helped Xuan Qi walk towards the path on the mountainside. At the top of the mountain, Xuan Qi pointed to the valley, "Look, there is my home." Xiao Gong obeyed Xuan Qi's expectations, but saw a small river flowing between the two mountains, and a small valley beside the river.The autumn scenery is refreshing, the grass is yellow and the leaves are falling, a thatched hut stands alone in the desert, and the fences and bamboo walls around the hut are indistinct.On the grassy beach not far away, there is a red horse grazing leisurely, and sometimes it makes a long hiss, and the mountains and valleys respond. "Xuan Qi, you are truly an expert." Xuan Qi didn't smile, "Let's go, go down and have a look. You don't need to help, you didn't hurt yourself." The two descended the mountain along a narrow path that had been stepped on for many years, Xuan Qi walked forward silently, Xiaogong followed silently, and the two of them were speechless all the way.When I reached the bottom of the valley, I saw that the harvested stubble beside the path had withered and yellowed, but the vegetable fields beside it were green and lush.Duke Xiao asked with a smile, "Is this okra or radish?" Xuan Qi teased, "I don't work hard, and I don't know the five grains. Can you remember what you said?" Duke Xiao smiled and stopped talking.When he was about to reach the hut, he saw a mulberry tree that was already green and its leaves were golden. There was a big wooden basin under the tree, and there was a rustling sound in the basin.Duke Xiao was surprised and said with a smile: "The frost has passed, can we still raise silkworms?" Xuan Qi turned his head and smiled and said, "This is a cold silkworm. How do you know?" Duke Xiao sighed, and saw that the earthen wall in front of the hut was neatly hung. With a shovel, a shovel, a hoe, a wood, a flail, and other agricultural tools.The land in front of the hut was smooth and flat, with a stack of grain and grass neatly stacked beside it.Xiaogong knew that this must be a threshing ground. With a sound of "squeak", Xuan Qi pushed open the small door of the hut, "Please, my lord." Xiaogong smiled and walked into the hut.The hut is bright and bright, but there are almost no furnishings.There is a bamboo couch by the east wall, and a broad dagger with a black and red leather sheath hangs on the couch post.On a small wooden table beside the couch, there is an ordinary wooden comb.In front of the couch is a crude wooden table with unpainted color and several stacks of bamboo slips on it.These things occupy only a small corner.In the middle is a stone table with a guqin covered by a piece of white cloth.Without the necessary bronze mirror for my daughter's house, and without colorful clothes, the whole house was empty and deserted. Xiaogong paid attention all the way, entered the room to look at it, and his eyes were already moist.Xuan Qi didn't seem to notice it, and poured out a wooden bowl of clear water from the clay pot, "Drink the running water in the river." Xiaogong took the wooden bowl and gulped it down.Xuan Qi sat on the bamboo couch, but looked at Xiaogong and said nothing. "Little sister, where is elder father?" Duke Xiao's voice trembled. "Grandpa travels all over the world, and I don't know where he is at the moment." "Little sister, after a sudden farewell, it's just like this, and the world's relationship is also indifferent." Xiaogong sighed. "You, did you use Wei Yang to reform Zuo Shu?" Xuan Qi asked suddenly. Duke Xiao was surprised, but happy, "Yes, you know?" "Should we execute seven hundred and thirty-six people at once in the Caotan of the Wei River?" "Yes. You also know?" "Did you kill the famous scholar Zhao Kang? Did you destroy hundreds of thousands of houses? Did you plan to burn the folk "Poetry"? You said, didn't you?" Duke Xiao nodded, the smile had faded from his face, "Xuan Qi, these are the facts, but they are not the taste you mentioned, nor is it the tyranny that the Mohist mentioned." Xuan Qi's lips were blue and purple, and his teeth were clenched tightly, but suddenly burst into tears, and wept on the small stage, "Ying Quliang, why did you do that? Why? Is it true that the reform must be like that..." Duke Xiao went to the bamboo couch and supported Xuan Qi's shoulders, "Little sister, don't be sad, we have to talk about many things slowly. If you trust me, Ying Quliang, give me a chance to speak, okay?" Xuan Qi turned around, hugged Xiao Gong suddenly, and sobbed incessantly.Xiaogong felt sore in his heart, and big tears rolled down on Xuanqi's black hair.Xuan Qi noticed it, looked up at the honest and painful face, and stopped crying.She stretched out her hand to wipe away the tears for Xiaogong, gently and meticulously, with compassion in her bright eyes.Xiaogong's heart was surging, he grabbed her hands suddenly, and put his face on her small warm palms, suppressing the crying, but tears poured down like a fountain, and his whole body trembled.Xuan Qi hugged Duke Xiao's head tightly to his chest, and said softly: "Cry if you want, don't be afraid if you have me by your side. I will tell you everything, even if they kill me..." When it was getting late, the two finally calmed down.Xuan Qi recounted in detail how the Mo family wanted to attack Qin and the reasons why he was punished, "The teacher reprimanded me for being confused and unbearable, and punished me to stay here for three years to reflect on myself, and at the same time to investigate whether Qin has changed its course. I will go up the mountain today. Gathering herbs, I heard someone singing and the voice seemed very familiar. I accidentally stepped on the air and rolled down. Who would have thought it was you." Xiaogong also talked about the reform of the Qin State, the assassination of Wei Yang, and the attack on himself. Waiting for something, he sighed, "What I'm most worried about is Wei Yang. Qin cannot live without Wei Yang, and cannot live without reforms." "Don't worry. The disciples of the Mohists were accidentally attacked in Liyang, and the Guiguzi sect probably wanted to obstruct it. Seeing that winter is approaching, the teacher has ordered Deng Lingzi to withdraw from the mountains and enter Liyang in the spring. As for you, a tyrant, I have suffered a blow." If you fail, you are expected to go to Longxi, and you are preparing for the second capture. Are you afraid?" Xiaogong laughed heartily, "Capture? I'm about to send it to my door. Old Mozi also underestimated Ying Quliang." Xuan Qi smiled and said, "Are you really not afraid of accidents in the Mo family?" Xiaogong said solemnly, "The Mohists will die for the belief of the school. Ying Quliang shoulders the righteous way of a country, how can he avoid risks and live in peace?" Xuan Qi lightly kissed Duke Xiao on the face, "I knew from the beginning that you are a stubborn Qin Chuan!" Qin Xiaogong laughed loudly, "What about you? Aren't you also a Mohist stubborn girl?" But he pronounced "Niu" as "Niu", which made Xuan Qi, who speaks gentle Mandarin, couldn't help laughing. Qiuyue had already gone to Dongshan Mountain, and Xuan Qi made wild vegetable cakes and rice porridge in the hut.It was the first time in Xiaogong's life that he watched a woman cook so closely, seeing Xuan Qi wearing a coarse cloth apron and looking bright and natural, he couldn't help feeling warm in his heart, and secretly lamented the joy and ease of living in seclusion in the countryside, but he had no chance.In a short while, green wild vegetable noodle cakes and golden rice porridge were placed on the wooden table. Mr. Xiao had a great appetite, and he smacked and snorted loudly after eating and drinking.Xuan Qi laughed happily, "My lord, can you slow down? You are greedy!" He wiped the sweat from his forehead with a face towel, and Xiaogong said loudly: "One more bowl!" Husband.Xuan Qi patted him on the head, "What are you shouting for? You are like a villager." Xiaogong said with emotion: "How about a villager, an old wife with three rooms... What's going on down here?" Xuan Qi giggled and bent over and squatted On the ground, there were crystal tears in his eyes, and he was out of breath, "Winter is coming, the kang is coming, spring is coming..." But he stopped talking and turned to serve porridge. "Hey, how is spring coming?" Xuan Qi sighed leisurely, "Chun Lai is crying." Xiao Gong said with a smile: "this word is not good, why are you crying in spring?" "Warm sun, hungry heartbroken. Don't you cry?" Xiaogong suddenly sighed: "Yes, yes, no wonder Confucius didn't compile it into the "Poetry"." Xuan Qi teased: "How is the village man?" Duke Xiao sighed silently. After dinner, the bright moon has reached the sky.Xuan Qi led Duke Xiao for a walk in the valley.Duke Xiao suddenly asked: "Little sister, how do you make a living here alone? Can you support yourself?" Obviously, this question has always been on his mind. Xuan Qi smiled and said: "It is stupid to be a king. Let me tell you, every Mohist child has a small independent garden outside the main courtyard. These small gardens must be cultivated by themselves, and one of them is a student who is studying abroad. The second is the foundation of the General Institute's activities in various countries. This small river valley garden was cultivated intermittently by me over the past three years. Look, this is my grain field, ten acres small, enough to eat. Here is the vegetable The field, about one mu, is enough. There are also inexhaustible medicinal materials and wild vegetables on the mountain." "What about clothes, farm tools, and other necessary utensils?" "Change. Take the things I don't use and go to the market to change." "What do you give in exchange? The house is empty and there are things you can't use?" Xuan Qi smiled, "My lord, you really have to study hard. Look, these are two mulberry trees, the small one is a female mulberry, and the tall one is called a Zhe mulberry. Do you remember what Mencius said?" Duke Xiao suddenly smiled and said: "Ah, Mencius said, for a house with five acres, there are mulberry trees, and fifty people can wear silk." "That's it." "That being said, what can these two mulberry trees do? I still don't understand." Xuan Qi giggled, "You're just asking me." He broke his fingers and said, "Listen well. Three-year mulberry branches can be used to make old sticks, and it costs three yuan each. Ten-year mulberry branches can be used to make riding whips. Twenty yuan for one piece. Fifteen-year-old dry branches can be used as bow material, two or three hundred yuan for a bow. One hundred yuan for a pair of wooden clogs. Ten yuan for a sword handle. Twenty-year-old mulberry can be used How much is a good car made of good materials, a car worth? Do you know?" Duke Xiao was surprised and said, "A car costs about ten thousand dollars." "Yes. The mulberry tree can also be used as a good saddle. The mulberry can be eaten and sold. My mulberry plant is a treasure. The mulberry bark is a medicinal material and also a dye. It can dye yellow silk. Hey mulberry leaves Silkworms, whose silk is extremely thin and tough, can be used to make good strings, with a clear and resounding sound, which is far better than ordinary silk. All these and so on, can't they be exchanged for ordinary daily necessities? That female mulberry is more precious, not for you I said it." Xuan Qi said it in one breath, it was as crisp and bright as pearls and jade. Duke Xiao couldn't help sighing, "I only know that the mulberry in the public office is planted by the empress of the country in the spring and March, and it can be used for silk clothes. I didn't know that the mulberry tree has so many uses, how stupid it is!" Xuan Qi laughed loudly, "Stupid stupid! Stupid brother!" He took Xiao Gong's hands, "Do you want to hear me play the piano?" "Okay, I just want to listen to the strings made of Zhe silk." Xuan Qi happily took out the guqin, placed it on a bluestone beside the haystack, respectfully lit a stick of incense and put it in the censer in front of the qin, sat upright, plucked the strings lightly, and there was a burst of clear and deep jingle sounds. Swinging in the valley, elegant and distant.Xuan Qi looked at the round autumn moon and chanted softly: The sound of the zither stopped abruptly, but the ethereal reverberation reverberated in the valley for a long time, Xiaogong couldn't help but listened dumbfounded.