Peter's Enemy

By the West Lake, under the willows, a blind artist is setting up a stall selling paintings.The literati and poets who swim here often take a few away when they see the landscape in the white and ink of his paintings.This blind painter has been selling paintings here for nearly ten years, and every time there is a transaction with a customer, he will fan a folding fan in front of the visitor.But for decades, he has not waited for a person who knows the goods.

On this day, he heard the crackling sound of someone holding a saber.

"Oh, it's a swordsman"

"I'm just here to play and play. May I ask if you noticed that there is a boy around seventeen here? His voice is thinner and softer than mine."

"I didn't notice, but there are quite a lot of guys in their early twenties like you." The blind painter opened his folding fan again, facing the visitor.

"May I ask, you did this fan painting yourself."

"Exactly, why, Your Excellency knows the goods"

"You are loyal"

"Loyalty."

"You touch this saber."

The blind painter put down his folding fan, and fumbled for the saber that was handed him with both hands.

"Let's touch the hilt of the sword."

"Ah!" The blind painter exclaimed.

"This, this, who is your Excellency the First Lord?"

"It's inconvenient to speak here, can I borrow a step from your house?"

"well."

Someone came to help pack up the paintings, holding the bundle that wrapped the paintings in his left hand and the saber in his right hand, and followed behind the blind painter with small steps.

The blind painter led the way step by step with a stick in his hand.

"Just put things on the table." This is a small wooden table, which is roughly made. Apart from a wooden table, there is only one wooden bed in the whole house.There is a pile of rice paper, pens, inkstones and inkstones on the wooden bed.

"You know this sword"

"Youlongjian." The crutch raised and poked the ground hard.

"It is indeed the Dragon Sword. Who do you know this sword?"

"I am the court painter of the former court, Yu Jinwei. I was fortunate enough to see the imperial pen and folding fan given to the historian by Ren Gong that day, so I copied this one. I make a living by selling paintings by the West Lake, just to meet people who are destined to meet each other. However, the former lord How could your sword be in your hand?"

"The former master fought against Di Ren in Sishui and was defeated back to the camp. Before he died, he gave this sword to me and asked me to rescue the young master."

"Young master! You mean the young master is still alive"

"Shang, I came out this time to look for him. The young master left, leaving only a paper letter, saying, I will come out to avenge my country."

"My young master wants to revive the Fan Dynasty. Now the world seems to be clear and clear, but it is actually turbulent in secret. Officials are intriguing, corruption is flowing with money, and most civil positions are bought with money. Officials are reckless and have no political achievements. Di Ren Shangwu, for all these years, he has recruited people, trained soldiers, and divided himself into three camps in the country, holding three-army confrontations every year. You say that training soldiers is not used to resist foreign enemies, but to fight internally for show. This kind of court has nothing to say."

"It seems that the time has come. The ups and downs are a good time for Fan Dynasty to revive."

"The people of Di had a violent temperament. When they first established the dynasty, they dealt with the old officials of the Fan people in the court. For those old officials who spoke righteous words and refused to submit, they were dismissed from their official positions and demoted to common people, and their descendants were not allowed to serve as ordinary people. Officials. Twelve leading officials were called rebellious ministers, and their names were engraved on the stone tablet on the Confucian Mountain to warn the world."

"If these twelve officials are still here, they should be willing to help the young master revive the Fan dynasty."

"That's exactly what I mean. There are twelve people on the chaotic stele, one is me, one is dead, and I buried it with my own hands. There is another one, who can't be touched by the imperial court now, that is General Xiling, Hou Xiaoxian .He guards the corner of Xiling alone, and dares to resist the court head-on. You can go and join him, and then find a way out."

"I don't think it's enough to rely on him alone, otherwise he would have overthrown the country of Di long ago. I still have to look for the remaining ones and look for the young master along the way. Without the young master, everything is empty talk."

"That's right. Finding the young master is the top priority. When do you want to leave?"

"Immediately. Now thank you Senior Yu."

"I'm disabled, so I can't help you anymore. However, in my lifetime, I can still know the news that the young master is alive. I think I can go see my old friends after I die. If Fan Chao can be revived in the future, you will be the great benefactor of my court people. May I know your first and last name?"

"Don't dare to do it. Zhongli Muchuan in the next day is just a reward for the kindness of the former lord."

Obtaining the location of the stele of rebellious ministers from Yu Jinwei, a blind painter, Zhongli Muchuan went to Mount Miu without stopping.He couldn't wait for a moment, his heart was in pain like being torn apart, he knew that Fan Qing was suffering somewhere in this world at the moment, but he was powerless, unable to protect him, and could not represent him He has suffered.He told himself that he must find Fan Qing as soon as possible.

Zhongli Muchuan hadn't reached Mount Miu yet, so he couldn't find his way.He then entered a post station and ordered two white flour steamed buns and a pot of tea.

"Shop er, let me ask, do you know where the Confused Mountain is?"

"Why did you go to Miu Mountain?"

"Oh, to find relatives, passing through Mount Confusion."

"Mt. Confusion, there are many ghosts there. They are the places where the bones of some officials from the previous dynasty gather."

"I heard that there is a monument to rebellious ministers there."

"The stele of rebellious ministers is actually a tombstone. There are 12 people's names on it, and the bones of eight of them were thrown there."

"How do you know that those bones are those on the stele of the rebellious officials?"

"Let me tell you, don't talk nonsense. I used to have a young eunuch who was an eunuch in the palace. At that time, the people of the court sent them to throw the corpse. My little Faxiao vomited for two days after returning from throwing the corpse. , Those corpses are not good after death, not a whole body. So, it is better for you not to go. Where are you going, how about I show you a side road?"

"No, you just need to tell me how to get to Mount Miu."

"Miaoshan, just follow the road ahead and go east for three hundred miles."

"Okay, thank you."

"I really don't need to show you the way"

"It's really not necessary, thank you." Zhongli Muchuan drank the tea in the bowl, paid the silver for the last bite of white flour steamed buns, and then rode on his horse and galloped eastward along the avenue.

After Zhongli Muchuan left, the two waiters at the inn burst out laughing.

"You fooled another one."

"I'm not fooling, it's all true, okay?"

"I don't care if you're real or not, as long as you earn money, you're serious. You really have a brain."

"That's right, I made Miu Mountain so weird, so they wanted to go up the mountain even more. When they arrived, it was getting late, and if they got scared, they couldn't turn back and come to my place to stay. You said, the accommodation fee is It’s not easy to catch.”

"You clever ghost."

When Zhongli Muchuan found the mountain, he passed through a narrow road and saw the stele of rebellious ministers.The stele of rebellious ministers stands tall on the side of the mountain road, and there are piles of mud next to it, which looks like a tomb.

He first walked to the mud pile, the mud was full of pits and hollows, but he couldn't see anything. After more than ten years, the bones might not exist anymore, or they might just be buried in the mud pile.However, the whole world has changed dynasties, who wants to care about these dead former officials.

Zhongli Muchuan stood in front of the mud pile for a while, then turned and went to the monument of rebellious ministers.Sure enough, there were twelve names engraved on the stele of the rebellious ministers.

The Twelve Rebellious Ministers and Rebels are engraved on this monument to warn the world

Year of the First Year of King Di Fang

Hou Xiaoxian Xiling Mountain City

Fang Jingsheng Hudi Mizhou

Yu Jinwei is in Mizhou

Ding Guangzhi permanently landed in Liuzhou

Gu Heng Shudi Bazhou

Pretending to pray for the land of Sichuan

Ke Jingnian Wudi Jinzhou

Qinzhou of Fan Yi Lianchuan

Liedocai Sichuan Province

Yangzhou, Wuyaochuan

Yangzhou, Yehong Mountains and Rivers

Fukang Pingchuan District Yangzhou

"Although these people are no longer here, if you go to their hometown to look for them, maybe you can meet their descendants. Those people will definitely be willing to follow Qing'er to revive the Fan Dynasty."

Zhongli Muchuan touched his waist subconsciously with both hands, but he didn't bring anything to record.His mouth bulged, and he exhaled helplessly, "Oh, this is a rhythm that needs to be memorized again."

The setting sun has already begun to fall from the horizon, and once it is submerged by the mountain peaks, there will be no light. This is a time-limited recitation activity.

Zhongli Muchuan is a child who grew up in a village at the junction of Fan Kingdom and Di Kingdom. He has never studied since he was a child, only practiced martial arts.His first literacy was taught by Fan Rengong and Fancheng himself.The scene of him studying military art with Fancheng in the camp flashed through his mind. "You are not allowed to be lazy, there is nothing to eat if you are lazy." Then he thought about the situation when he and Fan Qing read military books together in the cave, "It would be great if Qing'er was here, he has the ability to never forget, so I don't need it." I’ve memorized it here.” In an instant, he came back to his senses, and Fan Qing was still waiting for him.He read the words on the stone tablet line by line, "Hou Xiaoxian, Xiling Mountain City. Fang Jingsheng lived in Mizhou..." After memorizing it for a while, he closed his eyes and thought about it, "Ding Guang..." "What's wrong with Ding Guang? "Oh." He lightly clenched his fist and knocked himself on the head.

"Ding Guangzhi, Ding Guangzhi, Yongdi Liuzhou..."

"Making prayers, pretending to be praying..."

It took four rounds of back and forth to memorize it completely.It was already dark, but fortunately the starlight in the mountains was very good, so he got on his horse and said, "Go back to Xiaoer's place for a night's stay, and ask for directions by the way."

The post was still lighted, and he tied the horses to the posts under the shed.

"Hey, hey, wake up, I won the bet, and I will give you two taels of silver obediently!"

It turned out that the two were idle and bored to gamble.The one who made up the story said that Mu Chuan would come back, and the other bet that he would not come when it was getting late.The two of them supported themselves with two taels of silver, and neither of them would close the door of the inn.

"Guest officer, you are here. We are waiting for you, and we have not closed the door. We are guarding here."

"I'm really sorry to bother you. This is money. Stay overnight, and then prepare some paper and pens to send to my room."

"okay."

After Zhongli Muchuan got the pen and paper, he immediately wrote down the twelve names he had memorized on the paper, but some words were really difficult to write, and it took him a long time to figure out what it looked like.After finishing writing, press it with an inkstone and put it on the table to dry.

Just as he was about to rest, he heard the sound of Qi Qi crying from the cubicle.He listened for a moment, "What a sad person again."

He walked to the compartment door and knocked a few times.

The person in the compartment had wet eyes and opened the door, "What's the matter, is there something wrong?"

"Oh, I live next door, did you just cry?"

"Sorry, did I disturb you? I will pay attention." The man was about to close the door.

"That's not what I meant. If you have any troubles, maybe I can help you share your worries?"

"Why don't you come in for a few drinks"

"Fine. But I don't drink."

"Your Excellency, your surname" and the two of them sat at the round table.

"Zhongli Muchuan."

"It's not like my surname. I'm Gu Caijin."

"Brother Caijin, why were you crying just now?"

Gu Caijin leaned back and drank a glass of wine, "Your Majesty, alas, remembering that the official road was blocked, and half my life was poor and hopeless, it is inevitable that I was sentimental about wine for a while."

"The official road is closed, why is this"

"You are Di"

"No."

"Brother, don't be surprised. I don't dare to complain in front of the Di people. My ancestor was an old minister of the former court, Gu Huan. Because he offended the current court, none of his descendants can be an official. Today, I passed by Mount Confusion and worshiped my ancestors. Seeing the stele of rebellious ministers, I feel even more hopeless in this life."

"Brother Tai is the descendant of Gu Huan"

"Yes." Gu Caijin had a sad face, and took another drink.

"If there is a chance to revive the Fan Dynasty, you are willing to help."

"You must not say such words indiscriminately." Gu Caijin looked panic-stricken, "Who the hell are you?"

"Brother Caijin, don't panic. I'm going to tell you the news that Fan Qing, the son of Lord Ren, is still alive. Are you willing to follow him to revive the Fan Dynasty?"

"Ah, the young master is a loyal minister of the Fan Dynasty as long as my ancestors, how can I not be loyal?" Gu Caijin knelt down in front of Zhongli Muchuan.

"Get up, get up. Don't kneel to me."

"But where is the young master now?"

"The young master has left, and I'm coming out to look for him."

"Oh, the world is in chaos now, how can the young master go away alone?"

"I made him angry, that's why he left so decisively." Zhongli Muchuan thought in his heart.

Seeing that he didn't answer for a long time, Gu Caijin said, "I still know that impostor young master, why don't we go back to Sichuan to find him, and together we will find the young master."

"That's good too. There are more people and the news is better."

Gu Caijin and Mao Qilan's descendant, Mao Pintian, are fellow villagers in Sichuan.And because of their similar backgrounds, they often hang out together.

After a short journey, the two of them came to Qizhou in Shu.Shu is a mountainous area, and common crops are not willing to grow here, and each family prefers to grow sweet potatoes rather than grains.Entering Qicheng, there are very few people to see, and the whole city smells of sweet potatoes.

“It's Sweet Potato Flavor”

"At lunch time, every family is cooking sweet potatoes. The soil here is not good, so we can only grow sweet potatoes. The imperial court doesn't care about us, and outsiders call this place Sweet Potato City."

"It's not enough to eat sweet potatoes all year round."

"Occasionally, I will exchange some rice noodles with Lindi, and every household will keep the rice noodles for the Chinese New Year before steaming them."

"Actually, you may be able to sell sweet potatoes to other places where sweet potatoes are scarce. In exchange for money, you can naturally buy rice and noodles."

"The land of Shu is a mountainous land, and it's not easy to get in and out, so people in the city are actually very seldom willing to go out. People from outside are also reluctant to come in."

"That's right, I walked all the way, and I couldn't even ride a horse in."

The two chatted all the way to Mr. Mao's house.

"Pin Tian, ​​I brought one person with me today."

"This is"

"Go into the back room and talk."

The sweet potato smell in Maopintian's home is also very strong. Apart from the wooden bed, tables and chairs, the home furnishings are only a box.

"Pintian, this is Zhongli Muchuan. He said that the young master is still alive. If we follow the young master, we will have a great time in the future."

"Yes, the young master is still alive. Back then, I went to the palace to rescue him and kept him outside. He hadn't set foot in China for ten years. Now, he has left by himself and wants to restore his country, so I would like to ask you two to help me Find the young master."

"This, this is really great news. I will do my best. In this case, you have the right to wait here first. Brother Gu and I will go to the old squire in the city. He is well-informed and may know something. .”

After speaking, Mao Pintian pulled Gu Caijin to rush out.Gu Caijin didn't react, and was dragged to a corner outside the house with a puzzled expression.

"Pintian, what kind of old squire is there, where do you want to take me?"

"Caijin, are you stupid? You believe him when he says that the young master is still alive. What's more, the imperial court is so powerful now that even if we really follow the young master, we will be seeking our own death."

"Ah, is it that serious?"

"If you defy the imperial court, you don't even think about the fate of our two families."

Gu Caijin panicked, and pulled the sleeve of Mao Pintian, "Pintian, what should I do! Ah!"

"Don't panic, I have a solution, we will go to the government to expose this kid, and report the news that the young master is still alive to the court, the court will show grace, maybe it will lift our ban and give us an official position. "

"This, this is not good, isn't it that we have become treacherous villains?"

"It's a big disaster, what's the use of talking about it, let's go!"

Inside the door, Zhongli Muchuan stood there.He originally wanted to ask about the news with the past, after all, the two of them didn't know Fan Qing's face and voice, so it was useless to ask.Unexpectedly, I just heard that the two of them were planning this play.

Zhongli Muchuan sighed secretly, "People's hearts are like a belly." He didn't expect that the offspring of loyal ministers would be so untrustworthy, who can predict what will happen afterward.If the corpse was dumped at the bottom of the two springs in the Confucian Mountain, what should they think?

After confirming with his own eyes that the two had gone far away, Zhongli Muchuan took Jianyan to the original road and left the city.He was walking carefully and fast on the narrow mountain road outside the city, and his heart ached again. He supported himself with one hand on the mountain wall, "Qing'er, why do you miss me? Feeling so painful, did something really happen to you?”

After thinking about it, he felt that he could no longer act rashly, otherwise he would only delay the time to find Fan Qing.He had to go to Xiling immediately to join Hou Xiaoxian, and with his influence, he should be able to find Fan Qing sooner.