Luoyang Spring

Just as Sima Zhao and his party were waiting anxiously outside the gate of the Taixue, Ruan Ji's home a few miles away was as peaceful and peaceful as ever.

Ruan Ji has served as an infantry lieutenant for several years. During his tenure, he left behind world affairs and indulged in drinking is the norm.The situation in Luoyang has changed dramatically in the past few decades, and he has long been disappointed with the government, hoping that someone will find a reason to depose him-but Sima Zhao has no intention of letting him go.

Ruan Ji's home is near the infantry battalion five or six miles west of the General's Mansion.In the spring, the country organizes its troops and revitalizes its brigade. Standing here, you can vaguely hear the sound of soldiers practicing.The house at home is spacious and simply furnished, with many relics from the former infantry captain.There are several different armor weapons displayed in the courtyard, but they are all covered with dust, as if they have not been used for a long time.

There is an inconspicuous house on the left side of the gate, where Ruan Ji usually reads and rests his mind.Across a lonely window, he could be seen leaning on a few desks, reading a book intently.He has a clear face, high cheekbones are clearly visible, his hair is tied casually and hangs behind his back, his lonely expression is incompatible with this slightly ostentatious residence, like an ancient tree that has been forcibly moved from the mountains to the palace.

Ruan Ji's official position changed from day to day, and the captain of the infantry has been the longest in his life-although this is not what he is interested in.

Before that, he was a subordinate of Sima Zhao's shogunate, facing the general and his colleagues in the mansion all day, he was very tormented——

Some people offered flattering gestures, while others looked suspiciously.Some people hold the principles of etiquette and laws in their hands, but secretly do things against their hearts and morals; some people completely ignore the rules and regulations, and only know that those who go against me will perish and those who follow me will prosper.

There are only two kinds of people here, power-obsessed lunatics and hypocrites.In fact, he himself is also very hypocritical. For example, writing a persuasion essay for Sima Zhao is an act against his will-but he still knows shame after all.

Living in the General's Mansion is the destruction of human nature - Ruan Ji thought so, out of disgust or fear.So he asked for the post of captain of the infantry on the grounds that there was good wine in the infantry kitchen camp. Firstly, he wanted to get rid of the golden cicada from Sima Zhao's side, and secondly, he preserved a thin sympathy for each other.Everyone knows that Mr. Ruan likes to drink, so Sima Zhao has no need to doubt it.

He also admired people in officialdom—especially his good friend Shan Tao—but that was all a dream when he was young and innocent.

Now what he really yearns for is immortals and gentlemen.

It's just that he will still go to the high platform of the school field and look down on the soldiers' drill with a little longing eyes.Faces covered with sweat and mud, so kind, yet so far away... Yes, he is already standing on a high place, too far away from that piece of land.A little bit drunk, he suddenly had a subtle thought: If he jumped bravely, would he be able to turn into a free white crane, step on the floating clouds, and ride the wind away?

Fortunately, the surrounding scenery can hardly affect Ruan Ji's state of mind.As long as he is accompanied by piano, chess, poetry and books, and accompanied by three or two relatives, even if he listens to the sound of soldiers practicing all day long, he can still read the most mysterious and ethereal truths.

"Lu sinks into the vulgar, hides from the world at the Golden Horse Gate. The heart is a pure land, and you can cultivate your body in the palace." Why stick to Linquan Wild Path?

While Ruan Ji was concentrating on reading, a handsome little girl came over quietly, knocked on the door twice, and poked half of her face in.

Ruan Ji didn't look up, but said in a low voice, "Xiao Huai, come in."

The girl named Xiaohuai came in and jumped onto the couch in twos and threes, lying on the table and staring at Ruan Ji as he wrote on the bamboo slips.She didn't say anything, and Ruan Ji didn't ask, the two of them just faced each other silently.

After about half a cup of tea, Xiaohuai saw that he had no intention of stopping writing, so he simply said, "Father, Xiaohuai wants to ask you a few things."

Ruan Ji still stared at the book, "Which ones?"

"First thing, go to bed early at night, don't stay up late reading."

Ruan Ji froze for a moment, then raised his head to meet her gaze.

Xiaohuai continued to order in an orderly manner, "The second thing is to eat on time and drink less."

"Is there any more?" Ruan Ji looked at the little girl and listened silently.

"The third thing," Xiaohuai blinked her eyes and thought for a moment, then moved forward to hold his skeletal hand, "Father, please be happy?"

Ruan Ji smiled.He was very pleased to see his daughter was sensible.

He bowed his head and thought for a while, then reluctantly agreed: "Okay, it's all up to you."

Xiaohuai breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that his father was like a difficult child.Since she was a child, she has always been a worry-loving person, and she is far more shrewd than her own father when it comes to simple and routine life issues.

A few days ago, my father was forced to draw up a form to persuade Sima Zhao to become the Duke of Jin.Afterwards, he didn't say a word to his family, but suddenly became more reticent than before, just hiding in the room and reading all day long.In the morning Zheng Chong called him to go to the General's Mansion to persuade him to come in, but he even shied away because of his illness.

There is no way to get rid of the anger in his heart. This kind of suppressed silence is more terrifying than an outburst.Xiaohuai knew that her father was in poor health, and saw that he was depressed every day and worried about discussing with her mother. This is how today's three chapters of the agreement came about.

While the father and daughter were talking, a young man in his thirties walked in suddenly.Seeing Xiao Huai holding Ruan Ji's hand, the man teased heartlessly: "Tsk tsk tsk, the girl is caring, and she will also warm father's hands."

Xiaohuai curled her lips at him: "Come here again to fight the autumn wind! Ruan Zhongrong, you are not ashamed."

The person who came was Ruan Ji's nephew, Ruan Xian, who was currently working in the palace.He lived not far from Ruan Ji, so he walked around whenever he had time.

"Is today going well?" Ruan Ji asked him to sit down without greeting.

"Successful." Ruan Xian followed Xiao Huai to find an open space to sit casually, "Why is there only the girl here, where is your boy?"

"He's studying at an academy."

"Oh," Ruan Xian nodded, putting an arm on Xiao Huai's shoulder rather dishonestly, "I'm still curious about this—the teaching in Taixue is all scriptures, rites and music, isn't that the most annoying thing for my uncle?"

"Having said that—didn't I learn it there?" Ruan Ji said indifferently, "Besides, the troubled times are coming to an end now, and it would be good for him to learn some principles of managing affairs."

Ruan Xian sneered, "Really? I see that kid, he just wants to imitate you as a celebrity."

Ruan Ji looked serious, "Did you learn from celebrities? If you don't have that qualification, why don't you do something valuable."

Ruan Xian shook his head while sighing, he was very familiar with his uncle's temperament - on the surface he was free and unrestrained, but he always managed his family members honestly.Ruan Ji resolutely opposed him when he joined the bamboo forest earlier, and it was Ji Kang Shantao and others who persuaded him to keep Ruan Xian.

He turned his gaze to Xiaohuai, "What's the girl busy with lately? Music, chess, calligraphy and painting? Needlework and housework? Caregiver and childcare?"

Before he finished speaking, Xiao Huai stabbed him hard in the chest with his elbow.

"It's so serious, what kind of husband and son?"

Ruan Ji was amused by the two, "Zhong Rong, don't make fun of her."

"You're wrong. You are so strict with your son, but you treat your daughter as a Tai Sui. You are used to her temper!" Ruan Xian exaggeratedly clutched his chest, "I'm nagging, the girl has already reached the age of marriage, so she should still be married." Make a plan quickly. With such a fierce temper, be careful that you won’t be able to marry by then... ah—”

Xiaohuai wrapped his wrist around his wrist with one hand, and twisted his wrist backwards with a little force.Ruan Xian yelled in pain, and it took him a long time to break free from her clutches.

"I said, don't make fun of her." Ruan Ji suppressed a smile, "Xiao Huai, enough is enough."

In fact, what Ruan Xian said was not unreasonable.Girls from other families became wives at the age of fifteen or sixteen, while Xiaohuai was still around her father when she was nearly twenty.A few years ago, Sima Zhao asked someone to be a matchmaker, hoping to match Xiaohuai to his eldest son Sima Yan.The family didn't have much opinion at first, but Ruan Ji was the only one who firmly opposed it, saying that the members of Sima's family were unreliable, and that he had been drunk for two months without seeing customers, and that he had used up the matchmaker.

Ruan Xian had no choice but to take Xiaohuai, thinking about what kind of work this girl usually does, her strength is not inferior to her own.He rubbed his wrists, scolded "Little Tai Sui" while talking about serious matters with Ruan Ji.

"Today Zheng Chong took people to the General's Mansion to persuade him to come in." Speaking of this, Ruan Xian suddenly became serious and lowered his voice, "I heard that you wrote that article?"

Ruan Ji was stunned suddenly, and the feeling of shame that had just subsided came back again.He didn't answer, but turned his face and looked out the window, as if he was trying to avoid something.

Xiao Huai quickly winked at Ruan Xian, and Ruan Xian also realized that he had said something wrong, and immediately persuaded him: "Uncle, I can't blame you for this matter. Everyone has heard about Zheng Chong's going to Xiaoni's place to find you, and I understand you I don't want to write either."

"Have you heard what others have said?" Ruan Ji still looked out of the window.

Ruan Xian put on an honest look: "They also praised you for your good writing, nothing else."

Ruan Ji laughed at himself.No matter how beautiful the rhetoric is, if you use it to sing praises to the shameless treacherous ministers in the world, you can only write filthy words.Originally, he claimed to have a pure personality. Although he could not draw a clear line with the Sima family, he never joined forces with others.But now...he doesn't know how far he can be wronged - he can even do this kind of thing, if the general pushes him one step further, why can't he do it for him?

Seeing that his uncle was silent, Ruan Xian shook his hand, "Okay, even if you don't write, someone will. Uncle, you don't have to blame yourself."

Ruan Ji quietly stared at a newly plucked grass outside the window, pondered for a long time, and then went back to his desk to pick up his pen.

"Ah."

Xiao Huai felt that Ruan Xian was too noisy and made his father depressed, so he began to wink and give orders to chase away guests: "Cousin, you come here for free, you have to do some work to show it? Hurry up and help mother cook!"

Ruan Xian felt impolite, made a face at Xiao Huai, got up and walked a few steps towards the door, then turned around suddenly: "By the way, Sima Zhao didn't agree to the matter of Feng Gong."

After Ruan Ji heard this, the tip of his pen froze suddenly.

"Let him go."

Ruan Xian smiled and went out.

Ruan Ji flipped through the bamboo slips in a daze, and suddenly thought of something: "I'm going to visit Uncle Ji on the mountain today, why don't you come with me?"

Xiao Huai was concentrating on grinding the inkstone, and was a little surprised when she heard this, "Today?"

"Ah."

"What day is it today, do you want to travel so far?"

Ruan Ji smiled, "It's not a day, I just want to talk to someone."

Xiaohuai couldn't help recalling.Earlier, when Ji Kang was framed and executed, it was the decision of Sima Zhao, Zhong Hui and others.As Sima Zhao's diner, Ruan Ji felt guilty for not helping his friend.

After Ji Kang was killed, the government and the countryside were afraid of Sima's power, and almost no one dared to set up spiritual sacrifices for him.Ruan Ji is an official, so setting up a spirit at home is even more inconvenient.There is a temple on Shouyang Mountain, [-] miles away from Luoyang City, dedicated to Boyi and Shuqi, gentlemen of Guzhu.Although the temple is a bit dilapidated, it is surrounded by lush forests and bamboos, and it is quiet and secluded. It is somewhat similar to Ji Kang's former residence in Shanyang.Ruan Ji visited here many times when he was young, liked the scenery here, and saw that there were two gentlemen guarding him, Boyi and Shuqi, so he set up a spirit for Ji Kang here in private.After the tablet was set up, he felt that it would be too lonely to settle his friend in this remote mountain. He blamed himself deeply for a long time in private, and was persuaded by his daughter several times.

After hearing what he said, Xiaohuai nodded.Father often said that Ji Shuye could understand his mind, and she also knew that Ji □qian was different from his father, so going to worship at this time may be the greatest comfort to his father's heart.

"Okay, then let me comb your hair for you."

She ran out in two or three steps, took out a comb, and smoothed out her father's straggly hair skillfully.She has a fiery temper, and she doesn't know the severity of her hands and feet.Ruan Ji's scalp ached from being pulled several times, but he just let her play with it, and only said lightly: "It doesn't need to be too formal, just a little tidy."

Xiaohuai agreed, and lifted her father's hair, only to find that a few streaks of gray had been added to it.

Father is getting old - she sighed inwardly with some vicissitudes.Birth, old age, sickness and death are inevitable processes, but she still extravagantly hopes that her father will always be with her.Thinking that her father loves her the most on weekdays, she couldn't help sore her eyes and shed tears quietly.

Fortunately, my father couldn't see her, otherwise, with his temperament, he would have hugged her and wept together.

She slowed down the movements of her hands, and her fingers shuttled gently through her father's hair, thinking that it was a treasure in the world.

Suddenly there was a series of hurried footsteps outside the door, and Ruan Xian broke in again.

Xiaohuai was taken aback, and quickly wiped away her tears, with an expression of seeing a ghost.

Ruan Xian didn't pay attention to her movements, and spoke quickly, "Are you going to see Shu Ye today?"

The father and daughter exchanged glances, thinking that he had overheard the conversation just now.

"Well, I didn't tell you, because I thought you still have something to do—if you are free, you can come with us." Ruan Ji explained.

Ruan Xian pursed his lips, but did not show the joy of being invited.

"It's best not to go yet—there is news from outside that Shouyang Mountain is on fire."