Snake Tale

Shen Yuzhu, who had always been behind closed doors to thank guests, was uncharacteristically, and began to run around the doors of the nobles and dignitaries, and frequently became the guest of honor at the feasts of the rich and powerful.He listened consciously and quietly influenced those dignitaries who could influence the situation.As the saying goes, "use it, lose it, lose it", Shen Yuzhu was very unskilled in the tricks of emptiness and obedience that he had spent 20 years on.Fortunately, he is very good at learning, and he is not timid because of his own ulterior motives-although he still thinks that the seemingly polite communication between the powerful is just fooling each other without saying anything.

Originally, he could have escaped unscathed—their plan was very proper, and the migration was nearing completion, but everything went off track on a day without warning.

He happened to visit a young Shangqing that day.In his experience, this kind of dude is very noisy, but simple-minded, it is not difficult to deal with it.

The blue-eyed nobleman enthusiastically filled a cup of tea for him, sent someone to fetch a copybook, and said with a smile: "Luo is good at calligraphy and painting, but it's a pity that he inherited the title when he was young, and he has been entangled in mundane affairs all the time, so he has no time to settle down and think about it. Dao. Occasionally, I wrote a copybook. I cherish it with my broom. I am eager to ask famous experts to comment, but I am afraid that it will be laughed at by the generous family. Today, it is fortunate that Mr. Shen held up the fairy toe and came to our house. I can't help showing my ugliness. I hope that Mr. Shen will not be offended."

Nine of the ten sentences are empty words, and the remaining one is completely arty.

"Shen, a wild man from the mountains, is really ashamed to be able to be favored by Mr. Luo. Mr. Luo is in a high position as a public servant. He has a lot of clothes and food, and he manages a lot of things every day. He can still maintain this quiet and leisurely elegance. It is especially commendable. "

It's not that Shen Yuzhu doesn't know how to talk about scenes, but it takes a lot of energy to restrain his sarcastic instinct.

It was August weather at that time, after reading the "copybook" handed by Luo Yi, Shen Yuzhu only felt a layer of cold sweat running down his spine.

"In ancient times, the world was in disarray, and there was no way to unite it. It was based on miscellaneous learning. The words were all the way of the past to harm the present. They pretended to be false in order to confuse the truth. Private learning was a system of mutual understanding and illegal teaching. Upon hearing the order, everyone discussed with their own private learning. In other words, if you enter, you will have a wrong heart, and if you go out, you will talk about it. If you are not the master, you will be famous, and if you have different interests, you will lead the crowd to create slander. If you can't help it, the dominant force will fall to the top, and the party will become the bottom. I invite all literary poets Those who write a hundred languages ​​will be burned away. They will be ordered to go away after thirty days, and the tattoos will be Chengdan. Those who don’t go will be books on medicine, divination and tree planting. If you want to learn, use officials as teachers.”

Every word and every sentence hides murderous intent.

Shen Yuzhu secretly investigated the "mastermind behind the scenes" Duanmuyong said for many days, but found nothing, but he didn't expect that today he would be so single-handed, and recklessly broke into this dragon's pool and tiger's lair.

Luo Yi watched the tea leaves bobbing up and down involuntarily in the water, calmly smiled and said, "I don't know if these crude words and sentences are worthy of being presented to the monarch?"

"The writing style is clear and strong, and the diction is beautiful. It's a good "Book Burning Order"." Shen Yuzhu handed back the combined volume.After taking a sip of the cold tea on the table, he calmly asked, "Can Shen be straight to the point?"

"Please."

"This article alone may not be enough to incite the Marquis of Jin to make a decision to risk the world's disgrace."

"Sir, don't worry. It may not be too polite to treat Mr. Shen with only a word of mouth." Luo Yi smiled humbly and poured another cup of tea for him:

"Mr. Shen is a naturalist. You must have heard of the legend of Duke Huan of Qi and the 'Deputy Snake'?"

Shen Yuzhu didn't expect that Luo Yi would suddenly have such an irrelevant question, so he couldn't help being dazed.But Luo Yi said to himself: "It is said that when Duke Huan of Qi was still a young master, one day he was hunting in Daze, he suddenly bumped into a strange red-headed and purple-bodied double-headed snake, standing in front of the chariot shaft, watching it closely. Duke Huan was frightened and fell from his horse. After returning to the palace, he fell ill. He searched all over the world for famous doctors, but none of them could cure him. Fortunately, a sage was in Huanli, Qi State. The appearance of the strange snake is exactly the same as what Duke Huan of Qi saw. The sage advised Duke Huan of Qi not to panic. It turns out that the strange snake is actually a fetish named Wei Snake, and it is actually the son of Thunder God. Anyone who sees him , can almost dominate the world."

Luo Yi shrugged his shoulders: "After knowing that the two-headed snake was a good omen, Duke Huan of Qi suddenly became enlightened, and his serious ailments healed without any medicine. Later, with the help of this sage, he ascended to the throne. , Created a brilliant hegemony—oh, yes," Luo Yi said with a smile, "I heard that this sage has a close relationship with Qingyan Mansion?"

Shen Yuzhu said lightly: "Master Luo, why bother to ask so much? ——The 'sage' you speak of is the teacher of your family, and also... the head of Qingyan Mansion."

Luo Yi laughed lowly, "Mr. Shen, there is such a coincidence in the world. Master Ling is the only person in the world who can tell the origin of the snake. Since he left Qi State and came to Qingyan Mountain in Jin State a few years ago , Duke Huan of Qi passed away, and the hegemony of the Qi State plummeted. On the contrary, the national power of the Jin State has grown stronger and stronger. It really cannot but be suspicious that Ling Shi and even the Qingyan Mansion actually possess the kind of...power that can influence the world?"

Shen Yuzhu frowned: "How can a country's hegemony be associated with monsters in the wilderness? It's ridiculous that Master Luo is so far-fetched!"

"Mr. Shen, you really don't understand the minds of the world. Compared with the undeniable facts, the world prefers speculative legends. What's more, behind this legend, there is such a treasure that makes the blood of careerists go crazy." Luo Yi is sure of winning. , the smiling face became more and more beautiful, "Let's take a gamble? ——It just so happens that I also have information on the private transfer of arms and weapons by some criminals."

Shen Yuzhu was startled, watching Luo Yi use the calm tone of Gu Huazhi, and counted his and Duanmu Yong's movements these days one by one.

Everyone is innocent, but pregnant is guilty.If the news that Qingyan Mansion has a "commissioned snake" is made public, and then exaggerated with ulterior motives, even if the Marquis of Jin does not act, there will naturally be other ambitious people.From then on, there will be no peace in Qingyan Mansion, and I am afraid that even the disciples who are already out of office will be in danger.The relocation of bulk weapons and machinery has always been taboo by those in power, and is often seen as a signal of communicating with internal and external enemies and intending to rebel.No matter which one, Qingyan Mansion will become the target of public criticism and face annihilation.

——Luo Yi's move is so thoughtful and vicious.

Shen Yuzhu drooped his eyes and drank the tea in one gulp, feeling more and more worried about the safety of his fellow disciples.

"What is Mr. Shen thinking?" Luo Yi asked knowingly.Shen Yuzhu's calmness is a kind of diluting humility, far inferior to Luo Yi's usual meticulous disguise of inconsistency.Luo Yi saw through him and felt it was very easy.

"I'm thinking, what kind of benefits can Mr. Luo gain by doing this? You clearly know the truth, but what is the purpose of revealing the truth to me? I'm still thinking, maybe Shen can afford to change this decision?"

Shen Yuzhu was very peaceful and sincere.It's just that this peace and sincerity irritated Luo Yi for some reason. "Of course you can," Luo Yi said with a half-smile, "In fact, the fate of Qingyan Mansion depends entirely on your thoughts."

Shen Yuzhu looked up at him with special concentration.Luo Yi thought gloomyly, well, this is the first time he has looked at me directly since entering the door.

"May I ask Mr. Shen, what is the greatest shame in this world?"

This is really a nonsensical question.Shen Yuzhu felt a little annoyed, squinted his eyes and replied: "Shen believes that honor and disgrace are related to one heart. There is no sense of 'shame' in deeds worthy of the sky and worthy of others."

Luo Yi smiled, the corners of his lips curved strangely and mockingly: "Mr. Shen...you are so naive and self-righteous."

"My lord Luo has a strategy in his belly, and Shen feels ashamed." Conversing with a deep person in the city is really the most tiring thing in the world.Shen Yuzhu only felt that his head was getting more and more dizzy, and he began to speak less submissively, "As for self-righteousness--who in this world is not self-righteous?-Dare to ask Lord Luo, do you think the world is so self-righteous? What is the greatest shame?"

Luo Yi replied coldly: "I thought that in this world, there is nothing more sad than poverty, and nothing more shameful than being humble."

Shen Yuzhu was startled by the overlapping images of Luo Yi in his sight.He stood up abruptly and turned over the teacups on the table.

"In the tea—?!"

He was dizzy and staggered a few steps to hold onto the floor lamp stand.The pain of the flames made him struggle to stay awake.Luo Yi's method surprised him greatly, and he deeply regretted his carelessness.You must know that if a public minister wants to kill a Bai Ding, it is actually very easy to cover it up.

He just felt dizzy and hot, and his head was getting heavier and heavier.In his blurred vision, he saw Luo Yi approaching him without haste, and took away the long floor lamp he relied on for support.

"You see, this is what the powerful can do to the lowly." He held his burned hand and whispered slowly in his ear—the last words Shen Yuzhu heard before he lost consciousness:

"You don't know what shame is? I'll teach you."

*"If you are in a lowly position and don't think about it, this bird and deer look at meat, but you can force your ears. Therefore, there is nothing worse than being humble, and nothing is more sad than being poor. If you stay in a lowly position and a difficult place for a long time, you must It is not the sentiment of a scholar to hate profit in the world and entrust oneself to inaction." ("Historical Records Li Silie Biography No. 20") It means: People are in a humble position and do not want to change, just like captive animals, they can only open their mouths Waiting for food, but there is only a human face, and two legs can walk upright.Therefore, humbleness is the greatest shame in life, and poverty is the greatest sorrow in life.Being in a lowly position and poor situation for a long time, but ridiculing wealth and honor, loathing wealth and profit, and relying on self-inaction to comfort and relieve oneself is nothing but incompetence, and it is definitely not the feeling that a person with lofty ideals should have.