Snake Tale

The sun moves westward, and the boat moves eastward.Shen Yuzhu who was sitting on the side of the stern made some calculations in his heart, it was already the third day that he was trapped in this boat.

The breeze comes slowly, and the floating light jumps into gold.The little girl in white was sitting high on the mast, creaking and playing an out-of-key "Caiwei".People who should come don't come, people who should go don't leave, Shen Yuzhu stared at the school of fish following the boat all the way in a daze, feeling very depressed in his heart.

There was an "uproar" at the bottom of the boat, and a girl in red jumped onto the deck very lightly and nimbly like a carp leaping over a dragon gate.A glistening drop of water rolled down her goose-fat smooth skin, her forearm was lowered, and her left hand was cut off at the wrist, holding a hairpin with a cold light, holding a lively big fish.She raised her head angrily and shouted at the girl in white: "It's so ugly! Damn you, be careful, I'll break your flute!"

Jing Cicada turned a deaf ear and was absorbed in her shocking music.The girl in red put her hips on her hips, swearing and circling the towering mast twice, before finally giving up her plan to go up and argue with her.She threw the fish to the back of the cabin, only then did she see Shen Yuzhu who was slowly flicking the water droplets off his sleeves.

She smiled, leaned over to untie her blouse, twisted it as if no one was there, and said with a smile: "Mr. Shen, did Madam not call you today?"

Shen Yuzhu now knows that this girl is called "Drunken Fish" - as the name suggests, she has shallow dimples and makes people drunk when they see her.He laughed and said: "It's still early? You hour is still a quarter away." Then he asked: "Is it still the girl Huizhu who picks you up today?"

Drunken Fish's plump cheeks showed dimples, and he raised his face and giggled endlessly.Shen Yuzhu blinked and waited.He understands that girls at this age regard smiles as rouge, and they have to put them on their faces for nothing, so there is no need to seriously pursue any deep meaning—but Zuiyu's smile is well-founded, and it is aimed at him. The girl in black clothes who came behind said with a smile: "Sister Huazhu, look! If you can't say a few words, I will provoke you!"

The painted spider snorted imperceptibly, and stood up slowly.She has a pair of blue eyes, thin sunburns on her snow-white cheeks, she has a long and straight skeleton with regret, and she has not had time to cover it with exquisite undulating fat. At first glance, she looks like a woman A lackluster teenager.Regarding Shen Yuzhu's extra attention, although she was secretly complacent, she still did not forget to put on an awe-inspiring look at all times, without even looking at him, she said in a cold voice: "Young master, madam is here to invite you."

Shen Yuzhu responded obediently, got up and followed her.There were two or three slender and plain girls chatting and laughing, carrying a big basket to the stern of the boat.The sweet and greasy powder fragrance of girls wafted in the air.Staying in this place, it is easy for people to forget that they are trapped in the prison of Chu.But although Shen Yuzhu has a generous nature, he is a person who is difficult to indulge and forget himself, especially when he just glanced at the basket carried by the girl - the lid was not covered, and a man's hand was resting heavily on the edge of the basket.

"Who's that?" he asked.

The painted spider said coldly: "The last one is 'Shen Yuzhu'."

Behind him he heard the sound of something heavy being thrown into the water.He finally understood why the school of fish followed the boat all the way and refused to disperse.

He followed the spider to a gorgeous cabin, and heard a woman's soft and elegant voice from the room:

"Master Shen is here? Please come in."

Now that the painted spider had sent the man there, she turned around and left without saying a word.Shen Yuzhu had no choice but to walk in by himself, and answered.This room is more spacious and refined than the cabin he temporarily lived in.The interior is separated by silk tents, and there are no bright lights around, only gilt palace lanterns burning phosphorous lights, the light and shadow flickering, seeming illusory, like being in a crystal dragon palace.

The hostess sat behind the tent, and asked with a smile, "The painted spider ran away quietly again? This unruly girl! Mr. Shen, please help me, pass over the candlestick at hand, okay?"

Shen Yuzhu picked up the candlestick and walked over, and put the candlestick on the table in front of the tent.The thick blue lamp oil is smoke-free and dust-free, and there is a faint musk in the nose.He had also seen this kind of lamp oil in the mysterious and weird Snake Altar.The long lamp that illuminates it can last for decades without burning out. The lamp oil is certainly not extraordinary, but the woman who can use this lamp oil at will is even more extraordinary.

Shen Yuzhu sat in front of a few tables separated by a curtain, watching the woman with her head drooping, as if she was sewing a brocade garment.Such a noble and arrogant woman should listen to the sound of slender hands tearing the silk and crushing the coral wishfully. How could she damage her eyesight under the dim light just to embroider a dress?

He was contemplating, when the madam asked: "Three days ago, I had a hand-to-hand game with the young master, let's just have fun. I thought the young master was also enjoying it, but why did I see the young master getting depressed day after day?"

Shen Yuzhu sighed: "It's delicious."

Madam laughed softly: "This is the first time I've heard that eating too well can make people unhappy?"

Shen Yuzhu said: "The fish behind the boat are eating too well, of course the people who are eaten are not happy - those who are waiting to be eaten are naturally not very happy."

Madam said softly: "Mr. Shen, why worry? You won't say what you shouldn't say, you won't do what you shouldn't do, and naturally you won't be curious about things you shouldn't be curious about - a smart and obedient Good boy, how could anyone be willing to let you feed the fish?"

Shen Yuzhu said lightly: "Thanks to Madam's love! However, it may not be true to say that I have no curiosity at all. It's just that Shen has a little understanding of his situation."

"Oh, could it be that the young master already knows my origin?"

Shen Yuzhu said: "The majestic and magnificent structure of this Wangzhou boat is a unique creation of the water town of Zeguo. Today's shipping and trading power is not in Wu, but in Qi. But the oak wood structure that can be seen everywhere here is by no means located in Nanxiang. The country of Wu can produce a lot. Therefore, it is very likely that my wife is from Qi."

Madam smiled and said, "I see. It's really shallow when you say it like that."

"Actually, you don't intend to hide this at all." Shen Yuzhu said, "You even allow the maid to still call you 'Madam'—"

Although the word "Mrs." has gradually become a respectful name for married women, it is easy to guess its original meaning after a little association: "'The concubine of the emperor is called the empress, the common people are called wives, and the princes are called madam.'You Your gestures and demeanor convey the message: You are a noble and well-bred woman in the Qi Kingdom. In this way, no matter how stupid and stupid I am, I can easily guess your identity..."

Shen Yuzhu leaned forward, staring at the black silhouette of the woman projected on the tent:

"Isn't it? Mrs. Zishuo?"

The light wire "snapped" lightly, revealing a little red heart.There was no waves in the still water in the tent, the woman turned her wrist to pull away the long thread, bit it off between her bright red lips, and then said with a smile: "Is there only one 'Madam' in Qi State?"

"Are you implying 'Mrs. No Salt' Zhong Lichun? However, now that the Prime Minister of Qi, Cui Zhu, presses him every day, and Wu Kui is on the verge of dying in a sick bed, it would be too unreasonable for Zhong Lichun to leave Linzi at this time and go boating on the five lakes. But if it is the empress dowager of Qi who is a widow in the deep palace, as long as she covers it well, even if she hides from people for a few days, it will not arouse suspicion from others. To slander Zhong Lichun's reputation, it can be said to be 'killing two birds with one stone'!"

The madam sighed softly: "I heard that Mr. Shen and Zhong Lichun are from the same family. Presumably there are differences in closeness. It is inevitable to treat one more favorably than another, right?"However, the gentle and mournful, almost self-pitying softness in the voice makes it difficult for people to continue to question him aggressively.

Shen Yuzhu paused for a moment, but expressed his attitude calmly but firmly: "That's right. Therefore, if you expect Shen to do something that hurts your fellow disciples, I'd better ask Madam to stop talking."

Madam said again: "Nevertheless, I dare to ask your son for advice: there are dozens of officials in Qingyan Mansion, and more than a hundred scholars, all over the Qi, Chu, Qin, Jin, Wu and Yue countries. ?”

Shen Yuzhu said: "Ma'am, what you said is wrong. A group of gentlemen is not a party, and they are harmonious but different. For the 'Tao' that they hold in their hearts, it is very common for the disciples of Qingyan Mansion to compete and refuse to give in to each other. It's neither attacking, slandering, nor fighting in the same room."

Mrs. Zishuo followed closely, and said: "Then we disagree with each other's political views, even if there are conflicts, it is definitely not 'harming the same family', right?"

Shen Yuzhu was captured by the other party's words, and he didn't know how to answer for a moment, but his wife smiled and said: "In this case, why don't you use what you have learned, make contributions and make achievements, so as to show the reputation of Qingyan Mansion?"

Shen Yuzhu shook his head and smiled: "Madam has a brilliant tongue, Shen is sincerely convinced. But Madam, do you know what is the 'Tao' held in Shen's heart?"

"Appreciate further details."

"Shen is a blunt talent with no ambitions. Unfortunately, he lives in a chaotic world. His lifelong wish is to 'hold the truth and keep his life alive'. In my opinion, high-ranking officials and generous salaries are nothing more than a bondage to one's heart; Essence of soup is nothing but food for rotten intestines; extravagant white teeth are nothing but an axe for cutting sex, I never know what wealth and glory add to me? ——I must be such a perverted and ignorant of current affairs, my wife is determined to be difficult Do you agree?"

The lady smiled and said: "On the contrary. My son, I like your philosophic view very much. If people in the world are half as contented and happy as you, how can there be today's troubled times. The Tao Te Ching says that governing the country with righteousness, using odds with soldiers, and using inaction Take the world. I think the young master is in such a state of mind that he has the air of aspiring to win the world."

Shen Yuzhu's hair stood on end, he wanted to stop talking, he could only let out a long sigh.

"Why are you sighing, son?"

"I'm thinking about the surging river, is it enough for me to wash my ears?"

The madam couldn't help laughing, and said: "My son is sensible and understands the current affairs, so he won't follow the example of a fool like Xu You, who insists on resigning from the world and refuses to accept it, right?"

"Fools? I think that people who take care of things outside of themselves are even more foolish and ridiculous. My wife doesn't see that Tang, Zhou and Wu are rich all over the world. They spend a lot of time on clothes and food, and manage a lot of things every day. They can't be chic all day. The king is a model for the world, and his every move is in front of the world. , eat a few bowls of rice, and get lucky with a few concubines, all of which were carefully noted and registered by the historian, tsk tsk, how is it different from running naked? If you have a good heart, you can only hide it, and you can't show the slightest selfishness , otherwise it will either become an excuse for a courtier to do what he likes, or an excuse for a loyal minister to admonish each other with death. Life is like this, what is the fun at all? So hardworking to the point of death, the so-called "competent people are hidden in mere trees; Aren’t the rich and the lowly all the same loess? Even if there is a great reputation that shines through the ages, it’s just a lonely thing after death. After death, I don’t know anything, and I can’t enjoy anything.”

"Ma'am," Shen Yuzhu leaned forward and said with a smile, "From this point of view, if I accept Madam's 'world', I am an incomparably stupid person, right?"

The madam refused to budge an inch, and said with a smile: "Young master only sees one of them, but not the other. He treats the world like a poisonous scorpion and a tiger, and avoids them for fear of not being able to catch them. How narrow-minded is he?"

"Oh? Dare I ask what it is that I haven't seen?"

The lady said: "Didn't you see that on this barn, there is a soldier at five steps, a sentry at ten steps, and the sword armor is clearly visible, son, don't you think they are just for display? There is an old saying, "Heaven and Fu take, You should be blamed', since you value your own life so much, you should make the choice that is most conducive to preserving it. If you are stubborn and lead to unpredictable consequences, isn't it true that love is enough to harm you? You don't want to be buried in a mere tree or a mere land, but you want to be buried in this vast ocean?"

She was sure of winning, and said with a smile: "As the saying goes, 'A man is not guilty, but a woman is guilty'. You may not realize how big a variable you are! How can I let you go to Zhong Lichun? Therefore, even if You insist on avoiding and repeatedly evading, but I still want to ask this question—"

"My lord—" Madam's voice is earnest, soft and gentle, like a good mother who is asking how the new soup tastes:

"If I give the world to you, what will you do?"

Shen Yuzhu was speechless and tightly pursed her lips.The madam laughed behind the tent and said, "Why doesn't your son talk anymore?"

He said: "Madam lures him with profit, understands it with reason, threatens him with a knife and saws a cauldron, Shen Yuzhu dares to be angry and dare not speak."

He paused, and asked rather unwillingly: "However, there is still one thing Shen doesn't know—why did you have to find me?"

"Oh, you!" Madam raised her sleeves to cover her lips, and couldn't help but laugh: "You heard the girls call me Madam, but didn't you hear them call you Young Master?"

Shen Yuzhu was slightly startled, and suddenly remembered that, like the word "madame", "son" has gradually evolved into a respectful term for young men - but in the original meaning of this word, it means the prince's own son.