Chapter 254: At the feet of the emperor
The ancients said: "The sachet is hidden, and the belt is lightly divided."
In feudal society, in the Ming Dynasty, the sachet was a private item in the daughter's house. Generally speaking, only sisters sew purses and sachets for their husbands, or wives sew purses and sachets for their husbands. These are all members of the family. If an older girl suddenly sews a purse for that boy, it would be an affair, and she would be despised and looked down upon by people. It would be fine if the two of them got married, but it would be a shame if they couldn't get married. Even if the situation is serious, you may be pointed at and scolded. If it is more serious, in a closed place, you may even have a pig cage immersed in it.
So, looking at the sachet that was stuffed into the crack of the door, Zhu Ping'an smiled bitterly and bent down to pick it up, then opened the door and put the sachet back on the window sill next door.
After returning to the room again, Zhu Ping'an closed the door and tightly plugged the crack in the door with the futon in the room to prevent the girl next door from throwing the purse in again.
As if playing hide-and-seek, not long after Zhu Ping'an returned to the room, the door became rusty again. However, because the crack in the door was tightly stuffed, the other party was unable to stuff the sachet in again this time.
It was finally quiet.
Zhu Ping'an used the light to record what he saw over the past few days at his desk, then took out a book and read it silently.
The temple walls are thin and not soundproof.
After a while, there was another sound from the next room. The wall was tapped a few times. After a while, there was an exaggerated sound of playing in the water and taking a bath
Zhu Ping'an was unmoved and continued to read his book until he became so sleepy that he could not control himself. Then he put out the oil lamp and fell asleep.
In the early morning of the second day, Zhu Pingan got up early. After packing up, we went down the mountain and continued on our way.
Wait until the daughter of the Wang family next door got up and freshened up. When he knocked on Zhu Pingan's door and invited Zhu Pingan to have breakfast with him, he found that Zhu Pingan had already gone and the room was empty.
“This nerd!”
Looking at the empty room, the Wang girl’s face turned dark with anger. The scholars she met before always peeked at her, but this nerd was better. Wherever he goes, he always looks like a standard nerd who doesn't look at anything inappropriate. Doesn't this mean he's not a man? ! Or is it that that little idiot doesn't know anything about men and women?
It's all dad's fault. You have to do it yourself!
The girl from the Wang family stamped her foot in shame and annoyance, twisted her waist and returned to her room. However, dad will definitely blame himself for not being as good as his sister!
After descending from Longquan Mountain, Zhu Ping'an rode all the way north, sleeping in the open air. After traveling for days, his whole body became much darker and thinner, but he also became much stronger. If you don't wear a student uniform. It is estimated that few people associate Zhu Pingan with scholars. Judging from his appearance alone, he looks like a standard simple farmer.
After being starched several times, the clothes I wore became plain and inconspicuous.
Believe it at this time. There will never be another place as favored by girls as the Longquan Ancient Temple.
The sound of firecrackers marks the end of the year, and the spring breeze brings warmth to Tusu;
Thousands of households are always replacing old talismans with new peaches.
Today is New Year's Eve, and tomorrow is New Year. The last night of the year is extremely precious. Every household has hung lanterns, and it is bright outside. Family members will sit together, looking at the night sky and looking forward to the New Year.
Zhu Pingan was sitting at a desk by the window of an inn in the ancient city of Chengwu County, looking at the bright night sky outside the window. Listening to the endless firecrackers and the cheering sounds of children outside, I can't help but miss my family far away in Xiahe Village.
Although I will be missing during the Chinese New Year this year, my parents will be happy to have my sister-in-law.
It’s another night to write and study ink.
On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Zhu Ping'an continued on his way, enjoying the northern scenery along the way. However, after walking for two days, he met many ragged refugees on the road, carrying their wives and hugging each other. Zi, with a hungry look on his face, appeared in twos and threes at first, then in groups of three and five.
“The county is closed, so we can only try our luck in other counties.”
“Damn dog official, the grain in the granary is infested with moths, and he won’t let us eat it. ”
“Kill with a Thousand Swords.”
Zhu Ping'an could hear the voices of refugees cursing the county magistrates from time to time while walking on the road. He asked an old man and learned the outline of the matter: The Yellow River's water flow had greatly reduced in winter in the past. For some reason, the water volume did not decrease much this year, and the Yellow River ice floes The upstream river channel was blocked, forming a barrier lake. The dam could not bear it and overflowed. The Juye and Jiaxiang areas were the most severely affected. There had never been severe disasters in winter in the past. Residents and officials did not take precautions. They were caught off guard and suffered even more severe disasters.
The people affected by the disaster in Juye went north to the county town to seek food and shelter, but the county officials closed the city gates and set up roadblocks to prevent the victims from entering Juye. In desperation, the victims had no choice but to go south to find a way to survive. Along the way, the bark of the trees was peeled off to satisfy their hunger. There were so many victims that it was impossible to see them all.
Fortunately, it had just been a few days since the Yellow River flooded, and Zhu Ping'an encountered only the first group of victims. The prestigious elders and village leaders among the victims could still control them. The disaster victims are still in good order.
Despite this, many people still looked at Zhu Pingan, who was riding a horse and carrying a package, with a green light like a wolf.
After Zhu Ping'an gave more than half of the dried meat and dry food he carried to the leading elders and village leaders among the villagers, he decisively turned his horse's head and headed south with his whip raised. In front of the victims, then turn east for a few days, far away from the disaster area, and then continue north.
A gentleman does not build a dangerous wall, and he cannot tolerate the kindness of a woman at this time.
Only in the next few days, scenes of hungry people chewing bark and pulling out grass roots replayed before their eyes. The hungry people in the front still had bark and grass roots to eat, but what about the hungry people behind?
When prosperity occurs, the people suffer; when it dies, the people suffer.
Only by witnessing this scene with your own eyes can you understand the poet's emotion at that time.
Always heading north along the way. After a few days, the melancholy gradually dissipated. It took more than a month to pass through Qufu, Tai'an, Jinan, Cangzhou, and finally arrived at Tianjin Wei.
If the capital is at the feet of the emperor, Tianjinwei is just one step away. It was here that King Zhu Di of Yan crossed the Grand Canal and went south to fight for the throne. After Zhu Di became emperor, in order to commemorate the "Battle of Jingnan", the place was renamed Tianjin on November 21, the second year of Yongle, which means the ferry where the emperor passed.
Tianjin Wei is a military establishment, but at this time there is a mixture of military and civilians here. However, because it guards the throat of the capital, there is a large flow of goods and people, and it is considered prosperous.
After Zhu Pingan entered Tianjin, he went to the inn, but came back disappointed.
This is the foot of the emperor, and the post station is busy. Officials coming out of the capital and officials from other places going to the capital to report on their duties have already filled the inn. The inn really looks down upon Zhu Ping'an, a small official.
"It's ridiculous that a small person wants to live in a post station." An official who went to the capital from the local area to report on his work ridiculed Zhu Ping'an.
The officials at the inn also looked sideways.
Isn’t it necessary?
Zhu Pingan led the horse and looked back at the inn, smiled and shook his head, then got on his horse and went to find an inn to stay. (End of this chapter)