Sheng Tang: What is Liu Jianjun going to do today?

Chapter 1 A Strange Tune
Winter of the second year of Yongchun.

Bazhou, Huacheng County, Liujiazhuang.

Li Xian stood straight in the courtyard. In front of him was a crooked jujube tree that had been planted for who knows how long. The crooked neck of the jujube tree was almost two people tall and as thick as an adult's arm, enough to hang a lasso.

So Li Xian died.

This took him a lot of effort, and even his carefully maintained scholar's robe was torn, making him feel that his death might not be so dignified.

However, compared to the torment I've suffered these past few days, wearing a few tattered clothes is already quite decent.

He had already sent his wife and children to the West Market to buy mint leaves. The manure that Qiu Shenji had his servants splash in the yard would not dissipate its stench without water soaked with mint leaves to wash it away.

Of course, this was just an excuse for him to send his wife and children away.

The real reason was that he was planning to hang himself and didn't want his wife and children to see it.

Qiu Shenji's behavior has become increasingly outrageous lately. At first, he simply sent people to beat drums and gongs around his yard at night to disturb people's sleep.

After discovering that those methods were insufficient to break a person's spirit, he became increasingly despicable.

For example: splashing excrement in one's own yard, leaving dead rats and snakes at the doorway, dumping leftover medicine from tuberculosis patients on one's usual route, and so on...

They even had people use slingshots to shoot at their own windows.

So much so that when the embroiderer bathed at night, Li Xian had to stand in front of the window to block her view, otherwise someone might see her.

Yes.

These things all sound like minor matters.

But what if these little things happen every day, every hour, every moment?

These people, day and night, rain or shine, find all sorts of ways to annoy him!
The stark contrast between Li Xian's former life as the Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace and his current humiliation made him feel ashamed and indignant to the point of wanting to die several times!
Yes.

Li Xian is the crown prince.

Or perhaps he was once the crown prince.

As Emperor Gaozong's most favored son, Li Xian had no idea how he was demoted to a commoner and exiled to Bazhou. He only knew that he inexplicably hid weapons and armor, inexplicably rebelled, and then inexplicably ended up here.

Now, the position of Crown Prince has been inherited by Li Zhe... no, it should now be called Li Xian.

Li Xian saw no hope of turning things around, and Qiu Shenji's humiliation intensified. He could think of no other way out except for a dignified death.

Looking at the small stool at his feet and then at the lasso in front of him, Li Xian knew that as long as he stuck his head into the lasso and kicked the stool away, it would all be over.

So he did it.

He stuck his head inside, and the rough hemp rope dig into his chin, rubbing against his beard with a strange, itchy sensation.

Li Xian originally intended to commit suicide with a piece of silk or white silk, but none of his family members were good at farming, and all the things they brought with them when they left Chang'an had been pawned for food. This hemp rope was the only thing they had that could be used.

"This must be what death feels like?"

Thinking this to himself, Li Xian was about to kick away the small stool under his feet when suddenly, a strange singing voice made him stop.

What tune is this?

Li Xian was certain that he had never heard such a tune before. Neither the decadent music of the Jiaofangsi, nor the lamentations of the common people, nor the elegant music of the Taichangsi could compare to this cheerful tune.

"Forget it, I'm already planning to die anyway, why should I care about any particular tune?"

The jujube tree was five steps away from the gate of the courtyard. Although he had been demoted to a commoner, Li Xian was still much richer than ordinary people. His courtyard alone occupied almost an acre of land.

Therefore, Li Xian couldn't make out the lyrics of the song, but he felt the voice sounded somewhat familiar, and he should know the singer. However, the familiarity was limited, and his relationship with the singer was probably only that of an acquaintance.

But for some reason, the sound got closer and closer, as if the singer was approaching their own yard.

Li Xian didn't want to waste any more energy thinking about it. He had been in Liujiazhuang for half a year and had almost never interacted with the villagers. Apart from Qiu Shenji, no one would bother him.

This person probably just happened to be passing by.

With a powerful kick, the bench was sent flying several feet away, and a feeling of suffocation instantly surged into Li Xian's heart.

At that moment, he also heard clearly what the people outside were singing.

They threw mud at me, so I used the mud to plant lotus flowers.

They threw stones at me, so I used those stones to build a little house.

Oh, oh, I won't dodge...

Li Xian was certain that he had never heard such vulgar lyrics before. They were like the slang of farmers in the fields, unfit for formal occasions. Yet, it was precisely these simple words that struck him like a heavy blow.

"If only... I had the magnanimity of a lyricist..."

The faces of the embroiderer and her children flashed through Li Xian's mind. Li Xian suddenly felt a little regretful. If he died, there would be no one to take care of the embroiderer and her children. How would Qiu Shenji oppress them?
But the rope was too strong, and the suffocating feeling on his neck became more and more intense. Li Xian didn't even have the strength to hold onto the rope anymore.

ended……

The thought finally came to Li Xian's mind, but then he heard the singing stop abruptly, followed by a sickle enlarged in front of him.

Li Xian recognized the sickle; it was the kind of sickle that farmers used to cut the tender buds of the Chinese toon tree.

Many Chinese toon trees were planted in Liujiazhuang. The trees were very tall, and ordinary sickles could not reach them, so the villagers would tie a bamboo pole to the handle of their sickles.

In years of famine, the tender shoots of the Chinese toon tree were the life-saving food for the people of Liujiazhuang. The taste was somewhat bitter, and Li Xian could not get used to it. But at this moment, he felt as if he had been cut off like a Chinese toon tree shoot.

A large amount of fresh air rushed into his throat. Li Xian had never felt that the air could be so sweet. He greedily swallowed the air until the feeling of suffocation completely dissipated, and only then did he have time to look at his savior.

He was a boy of about fifteen or sixteen, who looked about the same age as his eldest son. He had the dark skin typical of farmers, and his eyes were large and intelligent, unlike the simple and honest farmers.

Although his hemp clothes were patched and mended, they were so neat that there wasn't a single wrinkle. He carried a bamboo basket that was half his height on his back, and in his hand he held the sickle that had saved his life.

Li Xian didn't know the boy's name, only that his parents had died and he was the eldest son in his family. The villagers called him Dalang, or perhaps his childhood name was Gou'er.

Li Xian remembered that the young man was the first person to visit him after he was demoted to this courtyard. However, Li Xian was disheartened at the time and after driving him away a few times, he never visited again.

Who would have thought that he would be the one to save me today?

Li Xian felt he should say something to thank him, so he spoke, his voice still a little hoarse: "Doggy..."

But the young man suddenly interrupted, "Don't you dare call me 'Dog'! I have a name!"

Li Xian was taken aback for a moment, then smiled gently: "So what's your name?"

This was his signature smile, which he often wore when he was the crown prince.

"My name is Liu Jianjun!"

That's what the boy said.

……

(End of this chapter)