Chang'an ancient meaning

On Xue Chongjian's birthday, he specially asked his mother to take him and Li Chengqi up the mountain to cool off.After returning to Beijing, Princess Taiping has been busy with court affairs and has no time to accompany her son. Seeing that this couple has followed the rules carefully since returning to Beijing, her heart softens.Before she left, she told Cui Shi, Xiao Zhizhong and others that she only left for two days, and if there was something wrong in the court, she would immediately report to her on a flying horse.

Princess Taiping's Zhongnan Mountain Villa was favored by Emperor Xiandi during the Shenlong period, and was regarded by the world as a grand event for chasing Emperor Wudi Pingyang.When Taiping went up the mountain this time, he saw that the couplets on both sides of the entrance of the villa were still poems written by Emperor Zhongzong himself in the imperial script of Song Zhiwen: "Writing moves from the north to the sky, and the wine is given to Nanshan as a birthday cup."She silently stared at the handwriting for a moment, then said to Li Chengqi: "When he gave Song Zhiwen to death, you didn't say anything?" It’s not what Sanlang said, it’s what it is. It’s a pity that Song Zhiwen is such an astonishingly talented person, but he is not tolerated by the world. He is already dead, that’s all, let people withdraw and put it away, so as not to provoke people’s tongues.”

There used to be singing, dancing and musical performances in the villa, which were prepared during the Shenlong period to welcome the late emperor. In this dynasty, the emperor is not good at women, and has been disturbed by the government, so it is difficult to leave the palace.These musicians stayed in the villa to rehearse, this time to present their husband's birthday, and the princess came in person, so he had to cheer up and deliberately greet him.Singing and dancing are lined up in the water pavilion. Princess Taiping, Li Chengqi and Xue Chongjian are sitting in the painting boat to watch. The flowing water and singing voices sing together, and the falling flowers and dancing sleeves dance together. The colorful dancing shirts and singing fans of Chongguang look across thousands of lotus flowers. It only makes people feel in a trance to the fairyland of the Queen Mother of the West Heaven.

Princess Taiping didn't have to be restrained to follow her son-in-law, and lay on her side at will on a cool bed, with the maid gently fanning her back.Xue Chongjian kept filling the wine cup in her hand.It was rare for her to put aside trivial matters, and when she arrived at this pleasing place, her mood gradually became brighter. She stroked Xue Chongjian's neck while half drunk, and said with a light smile: "The trees in the clouds are full of colors and flowers, and the springs in the bamboo are full of sounds. No wonder those old Taoists I want to come here." Xue Chongjian said with a smile: "Mother likes it, then we will live here and go back when it cools down." Taiping pursed his lips and smiled: "If we stay for a summer, we don't know what the world looks like. " Xue Chongjian's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly went to see his mother, seeing her blushing face, looking at the water pavilion with dim drunken eyes, it seemed that she didn't have any deep meaning, so she hurriedly collected her mind, and poured another glass of wine for her mother.

A maid was rowing a boat to bring freshly picked lotus pods. When she stepped forward, she lightly touched Xue Chongjian twice with her elbow. Xue Chongjian understood and said with a smile, "I'll get off the boat and be back in a moment." , smiled and said: "I just had wine, slow down, don't fall into the water."

Taiping looked at his son's back from a distance, and said to Li Chengqi, "Do you know why Sanlang must kill Song Zhiwen?" Li Chengqi said, "Sanlang and Wang Tongjiao are good friends, so I don't resent him for his innocent death." Taiping sighed lightly and shook his head, saying: "If that's the case, he was killed during the palace change. The reason why Qiu Hou settled the score is because you pleaded with him, and Song Zhiwen asked someone to plead with me. In terms of crimes, he is not guilty of death. He was purely blamed by you and me Tired." Li Chengqi hurriedly said: "Aunt, you misunderstood, Sanlang didn't..."

Taiping looked at him with a smile, his eyes were gentle, and said: "You don't have to rush to excuse him, I just thought of it suddenly today, and I feel a little regretful. Even Tai Shigong wrote about Boyi Shuqi, and he was also confused by the impermanence of heaven, loyal and talented people , often cannot be preserved. Greedy husbands seek wealth, martyrs seek fame, boasters have the right to die, and common people are born. Tell me, what kind of person am I, and what kind of person are you and Hua Nu?" Li Chengqi said: "Chengqi is incompetent , doomed to be burdened by this identity for the rest of my life. What Hua Nu asked for was only the word "sincerity". As for the aunt—" He looked at Taiping without saying a word, and Taiping smiled: "No one knows the gossip between us two, you don't have to. Taboo." Li Chengqi bowed his head and said: "The cloud follows the dragon, the wind follows the tiger, the sage does it and sees everything. With my aunt's achievements and talents, she is enough to be a sage." Taiping smiled and said: "The sage and the bandit Zhi are just a thought. After all, neither of us can force the other, and Auntie can only let you do what you want and do what you want." Li Chengqi said in shame, "It's my nephew who failed my aunt." Taiping sighed: "It's not like It's not a good thing, toughness is easy to break, with your temperament, no matter how difficult it is, you can always tolerate it, and Hua Nu will have someone to rely on in the future." Li Chengqi's heart was pounding wildly, and he said, "Why did my aunt say that?" Taiping laughed and said, "" It's nothing, it's just that people in our family have always been unpredictable, and destiny cannot be gambled."

Xue Chongjian sat in the boat and swung to the shore. He went back to the room, and sure enough, the guards stationed came in and said: "Your Majesty, Yushi Macha is at the foot of the mountain asking to see the princess." All of them were his own soldiers transferred from Nanya, and he ordered them not to let anyone go up the mountain.He frowned and said: "What can he say?" The guard said: "He said that His Majesty suddenly ordered a draft edict this morning to pass on the crown prince, and now Cui Shi, Dou Huaizhen and Xiao Zhizhong are admonishing His Majesty, trying their best to delay, Please return to the palace quickly to turn the heart of heaven." Xue Chongjian clenched his fists and said: "Just say that the princess has not seen any outsiders, so let him go back." The guard said: "The official was sweating profusely from running, making a lot of noise at the foot of the mountain " Xue Chongjian snorted coldly and said: "He dared to behave wildly, so he tied up his mouth and threw him into the river! If someone comes again, you don't have to send someone back to me, just take care of it."

He returned to the painting boat, and saw that the singing and dancing in the water pavilion had stopped, Taiping and Li Chengqi were talking casually, and the maid took out the bitter core of the lotus seeds and put them in a small jasper cup.Xue Chongjian laughed and said, "Why don't you sing anymore?" Taiping said with a smile, "I'm a little tired, and I've got a headache from being quarreled with by them. Let Feng Nu play a song for us. I haven't heard him play the piano for a long time." Li Chengqi laughed and said, "Aunt What do you want to hear?" Tai Ping said with a smile: "Your father is good at playing bad music, how much have you learned?" Li Chengqi said: "Barely able to play."

The maid arranged the qin, and Li Chengqi sat down and tuned the strings. The deep sound of the qin was like icy water in the cold sky, which suddenly made people feel relieved from the heat.Taiping listened quietly for a while, then suddenly said in a low voice: "One day in the mountains, thousands of years in the world." Xue Chongjian said anxiously: "What did Mom say?" Taiping smiled and said: "It's nothing, I'll tell the story in this song." She took He picked up a lotus seed and fed it into Xue Chongjian's mouth. The newly ripened lotus seed was extremely tender and crisp. Xue Chongjian took a mouthful of sweetness, looked at Li Chengqi's concentration on playing the piano, and looked down at his mother with a gentle smile. , Gently floating the gauze shirt on the mother's body.He suddenly remembered what Li Chengqi said a long time ago, the best thing for them is the pool of water in front of them.The world at the foot of the mountain has been turned upside down, and he suddenly became cruel, hoping that this is the fairy mountain Wang Zhi traveled to. After today is over, they will be hundreds of years old when they go down the mountain again. Although they will lose many relatives, as long as these two If he was alone, he wouldn't be so afraid.

They stayed on the mountain at night. Princess Taiping had already drank wine, and she felt sleepy after taking a bath, so she took a rest early.Xue Chongjian sat on the side of the couch and fanned her. Taiping smiled tiredly and said, "Go, I know you haven't played enough." She smiled and said, "Isn't it lighting incense?" Xue Chongjian laughed and said, "The mosquitoes in this mountain are not as delicate as those in the city. If you don't eat this kind of thing, I was bitten just now." Taiping suddenly opened his eyes and smiled. Said: "Did you cause trouble?" Xue Chongjian shrank his shoulders and said: "Why did Grandma say that?" Taiping smiled and said: "Why are you so courteous?"

Xue Chongjian was aggrieved and said: "Isn't the flower slave always filial?" Taiping smiled and said: "It's rare for me to worry about it." Gently twisted his face, and scolded with a smile: "What are you talking about, you crawled out of my stomach, and I will hate you?" Xue Chongjian slowly lay sideways beside Taiping, and whispered: "I really want to see you again." Go back to grandma's womb and let you raise me again." Taiping smiled and said, "You are at ease, but I don't have that kind of strength anymore." She sighed softly and said, "Grandma hopes that you will soon It’s okay, I’m going to bed, you go.” Xue Chongjian twisted her body and said, “No, I’m going to sleep with my mother tonight. My mother hasn’t taken me to bed for a long time.” He patted his buttocks and scolded with a smile: "I don't care how old you are anymore, I'm not ashamed to say that." Xue Chongjian hugged Taiping's arm and said, "You are also my mother's son, unless my mother doesn't love me anymore. After going down the mountain, my mother will be very busy again..." When he said this, he couldn't help but feel a little timid, and his voice trembled slightly: "Just for one night."

Taiping was disturbed by him, but he really fell in love with him, and said with a smile: "Forget it, you can sleep here." Taiping replied to him in a daze, and Xue Chongjian suddenly whispered in her ear: "Who cares about Hua Nu?" Doesn’t my mother hate me for any trouble?” Taiping’s mind was heavy with drowsiness, and he said “huh” casually, and Xue Chongjian sighed reassuringly like a drowning man grabbing a life-saving reed , holding Taiping's arms tightly, slid down, and put his face into his mother's arms.

In the middle of the night, Xue Chongjian was awakened several times by nightmares. With his eyes open, he stared at the faint light of the aromatherapy on the table, and smelled the refreshing fragrance of phoenix marrow from his mother's body in his nose.Maybe it was because he was thirsty after drinking, maybe he was worried, and he also hated himself why he didn't even cherish this extremely rare tenderness, but he got out of bed after all.The two people he cares about are always not in the same place, his body and mind are torn apart by this stretched mind, exhausted and painful.

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Xue Chongjian was wearing a white jacket, and stepped out of her mother's bedroom with light steps. At the end of the month, a thin crescent moon was as hazy as a girl's frowning brows, and the shimmer was so cold that it was almost indistinguishable.The light flowing from the hall is divided into thin silver threads by bamboo foil curtains, like a very thin layer of silver blanket laid on the ground.Xue Chongjian's bare feet stepped on the wet weeds, and he shivered slightly. He was a little afraid of even this ray of light, and walked into the dense shade of trees, groping forward step by step in the silent mountain village. .

He is not familiar with such a path and such darkness. He knows what he is looking for, but he does not know how to get there.In the villa, there is no sound of shifting that repeats day after day in Chang'an City, and there is no fiery trees and silver flowers with three steps, one candle and five steps, one lamp.The towering ancient trees and the dense shade of the forest, and the sound of gurgling water coming from nowhere made the silence even more out of the world. He seemed to have fallen into a certain nightmare, or had foreseen a certain prophecy in advance.Dancing shirts and singing fans, playing butterflies and singing warblers, Qiluo banquet, and the world of candles all disappeared into the thick night, the smiling moon disappeared, and he was left alone in the dark mountain forest.

Li Chengqi walked outside the courtyard for a long time, the moonlight was covered by dark clouds, he couldn't tell what time it was, he could only guess from the chirping chirps that made him more and more annoying, that he had been waiting here for a long time.It was hot in July, although it was still sweltering during the day, but at night it felt cool, like dew fell on his neck, he raised his sleepy and numb head, and suddenly saw a white shadow, like sleepwalking Staggering and walking towards here slowly.

Li Chengqi was taken aback, and hurried forward. Xue Chongjian was wearing a white ramie silk jacket, standing barefoot on the dewy grass, seeing that he had just stopped in his tracks, and his eyes were as cold as this one hidden behind the clouds. moonlight.The loose long hair like a black waterfall and the gloomy calm in his eyes made Li Chengqi more desperate than when he was waiting. He called out tremblingly: "Huanu..." Xue Chongjian looked at him with some doubts, and murmured Said: "Mother is asleep, I'm lost...why don't you sleep?" Li Chengqi felt ashamed, and whispered: "I can't sleep, I don't know if you will come." Xue Chongjian seemed to wake up from sleepwalking , Suddenly remembered something, smiled and said: "Yes, I don't have time to talk to you during the day, and I haven't told you about the serious business, your father has already given up, Cui Shi and others can't do it alone, and tomorrow morning I can tell the world, your merits It's complete."

Li Chengqi was so distressed that his whole body was cold. He stepped forward to hug Xue Chongjian, but found that Hua Nu's body was colder than his. He choked up and said, "I'm sorry, Hua Nu, I'm sorry, it's my cousin who is sorry for you and your aunt..." Xue Chongjian Trying to break free from him, his eyes finally flashed with resentment, he gritted his teeth and said, "Aren't you tired after a day's play! Save your energy and go tell the new emperor, 'Jun's kindness is mighty' tomorrow." !" Li Chengqi was pushed back a step by him, this rude refusal made both of them stunned, Xue Chongjian slowly retreated, sat down on a rock, wrapped his arms around his knees, and shrunk his shoulders Said softly: "Cousin, I'm afraid." Li Chengqi stepped forward and hugged him, Xue Chongjian didn't break free this time, but said to himself: "Aunt will not want me at dawn, I'm afraid." Li Chengqi Thinking of all the possibilities after his aunt learned the truth tomorrow, he just wanted to drag Hua Nu to escape down the mountain in fear, but he could only pat Hua Nu on the shoulder in vain, and comforted him in a low voice: "No, aunt is the last I hurt you, I won't."

But he has no confidence after all. What kind of emotion in this world can withstand the destruction of swords, guns, swords and halberds, and the shock of water and fire?Since he was born, what he has seen in his eyes is the scattered nightmares taunting his family time and time again. Now he can only pray, pray that the lie of "Heaven has no relatives, always be with good people" can be realized once.Hua Nu has been treating others with a pure heart all his life, if he really has the way of heaven, he shouldn't take away what is left of him.

Zhi Zhi in the grass puffed his cheeks curiously, watching this pair of people shivering and huddled together like children afraid of the cold.It sings on its own, singing that the crickets are in the hall, the years are too old, and now I am not happy, the sun and the moon are gone;It doesn't understand the joys and sorrows of the world, but it looks on coldly, the time they can't get again.

On the second day, Taiping didn't wake up until it was a quarter past, and saw Xue Chongjian lying on the bedside looking at her smiling, and the fragrance of mumu flowers wafted from outside the curtain.She turned over comfortably, pinched Xue Chongjian's nose and said with a smile: "When did you get up? I don't know?" Prepare fragrant soup and snacks." Taiping stood up and smiled, "You are so pitiful, you go and ask them to come in and freshen up for me."

Xue Chongjian lifted up the whole small dressing case sitting on the opposite couch, carried it over and put it on the bed, and then came over with a golden basin, knelt down beside the bed and laughed, "I'll help Grandma wash up." Taiping said with a smile: "Ah Mother has no time to play with you today, and I will go down the mountain after dinner, and it will be dark if I delay my return." She called out loudly: "Come here!" The maid who was waiting outside hurried in and took the bag from Xue Chongjian's hand. basin.Xue Chongjian stood up and remained silent for a moment and said, "I'll take my mother down the mountain." Taiping said in surprise, "Why are you in a hurry? Didn't you beg for nothing to ask your uncle for a few days off?" Xue Chongjian laughed and said, "I don't worry Aunt." Taiping laughed and said, "Go and see if the sun is coming out from the west, and there are days when you don't trust me." Xue Chongjian sat by the bed and said in a low voice, "Don't you believe me, Aunt?" Sighing, she said softly, "I believe, my flower slave has grown up." She put a handkerchief around her chest, leaned over to touch the water in the golden basin, and the sparkling water was like a mirror, shining on her. With her youth no longer without makeup, she was a little absent-minded, sighed slightly, and stretched out her hand to smash the picture.

Taiping, Li Chengqi and Xue Chongjian drove down Zhongnan Mountain, and entered Mingde Gate in the inner city from Yanping Gate. Cui Shi flashed out from the gatehouses on both sides, came to the side of the car and bowed. Dressed in official uniform, hot and sweating profusely.Taiping smiled and said, "Chenglan? What are you doing here?" Cui Shi wiped his sweat-covered eyes hard, and said with a sneer, "I'll wait and see here. If the princess really doesn't come back, I'll throw my hair on the way." Enter the mountain." Taiping slightly frowned and said, "What do you mean? Did something happen?"

Cui Shi said unhappily: "This morning, Your Majesty has moved down the imperial edict, and next month Gengzi will pass on to the crown prince. Doesn't the princess not know?" Cui Shi said: "Your Majesty issued an edict yesterday, and the crown prince made a firm resignation. We cannot recommend it. His Majesty sent servants nine times a day to urge the disciples to go down. I sent people up the mountain to report to the princess many times, but they were stopped by the guards, saying that the princess was missing. Foreign guests. At night, the palace gate is about to release the key. His Majesty threatened that if the subordinates refused to draft an edict, he would depose all the prime ministers and draw up an imperial edict. The four of us could not help, so we had to watch Liu You beg for an edict. This morning, the edict has been drafted. Mingfa, the overall situation has been decided. Princess, I want to know, but will His Majesty put the princess under house arrest on the mountain?"

Taiping's red lips moved slightly, but she couldn't speak, she suddenly felt that the surrounding air was as hot as a red-hot iron, making her breathless.Her voice was dry, and she struggled to say a few words: "No." Cui Shi stamped her feet and said, "Then why is it so coincidental! Your Majesty has always consulted the princess in advance, why did you act arbitrarily this time?" Taiping Yanhong's nails were firmly clasped Through the car window, she turned her head and looked back, and saw Xue Chongjian and Li Chengqi sitting on the horse, looking at her with embarrassment and anxiety, her eyes suddenly went dark, she gritted her teeth and clenched her fist, tried to get out of the car, and shouted: "Come on, prepare the horse!" Xue Chongjian hurriedly jumped off the horse, and said with a smile, "What is Grandmother going to do..." Taiping gave him a deep gouging look, and said, "I want to go to the palace, you and King Song will go home Wait for me." Xue Chongjian's palm was wet with sweat while holding the horsewhip, and for a moment he almost hesitated, whether to kneel down to his mother under the gate of the city where everyone was watching, and confess his sins.But he was timid at last, lacking confidence: "I'll accompany Aunt..." Taiping said coldly: "No need, take back all the people who accompanied us up the mountain this time—no one is allowed to leave."

The attendant led the horse, and Taiping got on the horse. Cui Shi said, "Does the princess want to go to the palace to face the saint?" Taking a deep breath, he bowed again and said: "I wait for incompetence, and I hope the princess can turn things around." Taiping snorted coldly, flicked his horsewhip hard, regardless of the pedestrians in front of him, he rode away, scared The servants sent by the princess rushed to catch up with Qingdao, and the passers-by screamed and retreated.

Li Chengqi got off his horse, and his footsteps were a little flimsy. He walked slowly to Xue Chongjian, and heard Xue Chongjian whisper: "Cousin, let's run away." Li Chengqi didn't know how to answer, but held Xue Chongjian's hand desperately.

They fidgeted restlessly in Princess Taiping's mansion and waited until it was dark, only to hear footsteps in the front hall, it seemed that hundreds of people broke into the mansion.Their spirits, which were almost paralyzed in fear, were shaken again, and they stood up with support, and went to the door to greet them.The first to break into the mansion was a group of well-armored soldiers. Xue Chongjian saw that their clothes were embroidered with tigers, and recognized them as Wanqi's Yulin Army.He was stunned for a moment, and those feather forests were already standing on both sides of the hall. At this time, Princess Taiping walked in quickly accompanied by a burly general, but it was Chang Yuankai, the general of the imperial army.Taiping's eyes were slightly swollen, as if he had cried, but his expression was cold and calm, Xue Chongjian couldn't help trembling, and forced a smile: "Mum, these people are..."

Taiping ignored him: "General Chang, the Nanya soldiers who followed me up the mountain this time are all in the mansion at the moment, I trouble you to bring them back to the imperial army for interrogation, but anyone who obstructs officials from going up the mountain will be accused of concealing military plans." Chang Yuankai He bowed and replied in a loud voice: "Yes!" He waved to Habayashi beside him and said, "Tie up all the guards who accompanied the princess up the mountain!" The scolding and scolding sounded together, and it was as chaotic as a pot of porridge boiling.

Taiping coldly inspected the servant girl around him again, and said to Sun's servant: "Take these people to the side courtyard and lock them together with yourself. I will interrogate them slowly at night." Leading the servants and maidservants in the hall to file out.

Taiping said: "General Chang, the guards in my mansion have to be interrogated and selected one by one. In the past few days, we will have to work for the general." Chang Yuankai bowed and said: "It is my great fortune to be able to protect the princess!" General, let's go and arrange it, leave a few people for me, and I will clean up the scourge between the elbows and armpits." Chang Yuankai agreed, bowed deeply to Taiping, turned and went out, his leather boots stomping on the ground aggressively.

Taiping watched Chang Yuankai go out, the eight feathers in the hall stood still like stone statues, the death-like silence in the hall shocked Xue Chongjian more than the noise outside the courtyard, he tried hard to swallow his saliva, and took a step towards Taiping , whispered: "Mom." He didn't dare to look up, he only knew that his mother was looking at him, and suddenly a heavy slap hit him on the face, causing a blur of dizziness before his eyes, but he was here Feeling a little pleasure in the dizziness, if the mother is willing to hit him, she won't let him go, right?