Everyone loves Huo Qubing

Just as my thoughts were running wild like a wild horse, the carriage stopped suddenly, and I flew out without sitting still.I finally understand why the princess doesn't like this coachman!

By the way, the teacher I want to worship is the most knowledgeable Confucian master in Hedong County. He teaches in the school of Pingyang Mansion. Common people are not qualified to worship him as a teacher, so I trouble the eldest princess to send me here in person.Listening to Cao Xiang's description, Mr. Chang is very strict and fierce, and if he doesn't follow his wishes, he will be beaten in the palm of his hand. Based on a small panic in my heart, I decided to follow the princess by her skirt.

Mr. Chang walked down from the high hall and exchanged polite greetings with the princess. The old man was smiling, and he was not as vicious as Cao Xiang said. I couldn't help but want to tug at his goatee, but unfortunately I couldn't reach it.

"Qubing, don't be rude to your master." The eldest princess patted my outstretched hand away.

"It's not a problem," Master Chang said cheerfully, twirling his beard proudly, "I think the young man also liked to pull the old man's beard back then."

As soon as these words came out, the Eldest Princess' complexion turned black and blue.I hurriedly cupped my hands and greeted Master: "Hello, Master!"

"Okay, okay," the master nodded with a beard, and asked me, "What's your name, nephew?"

"I call Qubing."

"My child, I told you just now that you should add the honorific 'return to Master's words' when answering questions." The princess nodded my forehead, then turned to Master Chang and said, "Yes, this is from Mrs. Wei next to Your Majesty. Nephew, surnamed Huo, full name Huo Qubing."

Huo Qubing?Are you talking about me?I looked up at the princess in confusion—isn't my father's surname gone?

But since the princess answered the master in this way, she must have a reason.I bowed my hands to Master and said respectfully: "Returning to Master, my student Huo Qubing has met Master."

"At first, I was worried that my nephew was young, but when I saw him today, my nephew Fang Juexian is quite spiritual, and he will definitely become a dragon and phoenix in the future." The master stroked his beard, and seemed very satisfied with me, "My nephew is the relative of Mrs. Wei. I will be accepted as an apprentice today."

The princess has a pair of willow-leaf eyebrows curved: "Qubing, kneel down quickly. After the three prostrations, Master Chang will be your master. In the future, you will teach the rituals, music and books. You must work hard and live up to Master's wishes. "

***

I'm getting annoyed recently.

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I learn the ways of Confucius and Mencius with my brothers and sisters at the Pingyang Mansion. On the second and fourth day, I practice horseback riding and archery with Cao Shizi. I am too young, and I basically only have to watch the archery, and help clean up the venue by the way.On Saturday, I had a day to rest and take a bath, so I took people to the house to Jiewa, and the days of being a son and a brother were so chic and happy.According to my personal experience, the knowledgeable Master Chang is indeed not a vicious teacher, he can even be said to be amiable, and his palms don’t hurt very much. Why do other students cry like ghosts every time they are slapped?

Cicadas are screaming tirelessly on the branches, and occasionally a little hot wind seems to be a gift from God.Master Chang was shaking his head in class, while the students below were distracted.

I feel irritable, not because my master forced me to read those books, nor because I was too hard at school, but because of a series of things that happened recently.

After the news that the second uncle was almost killed was sent back to Pingyang Mansion, public opinion was in an uproar.One morning when Cao Xiang came to the school, her eyes were red. It turned out that during breakfast that day, the eldest princess had a fierce quarrel with Pingyanghou. Cao Shi walked away, and the princess broke several dishes.Cao Xiang revealed that his parents have often quarreled recently, Cao Shi's health has not been very good, and now it is even worse.But the eldest princess doesn't seem to care much about her husband's condition. In the past year, when she got a chance, she went back to the princess mansion in the capital for a short stay. She only felt sorry for Cao Shizi, who lived in fear every day.

The princess brought back a piece of good news from the capital: my aunt is pregnant, that is to say, I am going to have a cousin.His Majesty's whole family is very happy, and generously gave our Wei family a lot of rewards. According to my uncle, it is estimated to exceed one thousand gold.

The good show is yet to come.

His Majesty personally granted the marriage between the aunt and Gongsun He.Gongsun's family is an aristocratic family with military merits. Gongsun He used to be a servant of the prince, but now he is a servant of the prince and ranks among the Jiuqing.This person is not only distinguished, but also quick in action. He sent a matchmaker to go through a formality, and the dowry gifts sent to Pingyang Mansion were piled up like a hill. He was not stingy. It was the first time in my life that I saw my aunt blushing.This marriage became a good story in Pingyang Mansion.

I am still annoyed by getting rich overnight.

None of the things mentioned above were of any importance, but one thing disturbed me.Although Chen Zhang was a commoner tenant, his birth was not simple. After checking the household registration, his ancestor was Chen Ping, the founding hero.So His Majesty was overjoyed and promoted him to Taiyuan prefect, with a rank of a thousand stones, a new house, a marriage, and a betrothal gift from the emperor.

I stared blankly at a spider web on the beam.The Wei family ascended to heaven overnight, and there were many happy events, but the most unhappy one was me, a little furry boy.

Chen Zhang is going to be my stepfather, will he treat my mother well?

——Probably, my mother seems to like him very much.

Will Old Woman Chen still bully her mother?

——Probably not, people only bully when they use power.

Auntie is going to have her own child, will she forget about me soon?

——Probably, no way...

Full of uncertainty about the future, I fell asleep lying on the desk amidst the students singing loudly.

***

It is the season of sunflowers blooming again.At the front of the welcoming team, the man in red riding on a tall horse with high spirits is Chen Zhang, the new county magistrate.What is different from what he remembers is that two years ago he was a countryman with a sad face, thinking that his whole life could only be busy in the fields, entangled with trivial matters.Today, a great blessing descended from heaven, became a parent official, and flourished overnight, and his spirit was unrecognizable.The master said, Zhilan cultivates fragrance, and a gentleman cultivates virtue. I don't want to be ashamed of having money and an official like Chen Zhang.Although now I have my own small treasury, I am still unswervingly determined to be a hero.

The mother was wearing a bright red wedding dress and a bright red hijab, and was assisted to walk slowly onto the sedan chair.I got into the car, and my mother secretly lifted the hipa, and our eyes met.I will never forget the smile and tears of happiness that bloomed on my mother's face at this time, which I have never seen before.

The prefect marries his wife, the sound of firecrackers, the sound of gongs and drums, the singing and dancing to promote peace, the three teachings and nine streams, and the face is glorious.The mother has been welcomed into the bridal chamber, waiting for her own happiness, the stepfather is constantly entertaining the guests who come to toast, and the only uncle who can talk to me, seeing the good wine, got drunk, the smell of alcohol made me unable to eat .I am a superfluous person in the Chen family. The relatives of the Chen family hate my surname Huo but not Chen, and wish that I would be left in Pingyang Mansion and not show up.

I sat down against the courtyard wall, and behind me was the world of adults, the hustle and bustle and the smell of alcohol did not belong to me.At the banquet, no one would notice if a child slipped away.

A few people not far away, dressed like disaster victims fleeing famine, were begging for food at the door.

I consciously moved outside.

"who?"

Two heads protruded from the shadows.Seeing their ferocious looks, I felt bad and was cut off by them just as I was about to run away.I put on a fighting posture on guard, but unexpectedly, after seeing my face clearly, the big man in the lead showed a joyful expression.

"Are you - Qubing?"

"Who are you?" This person actually knows me!

"I'm Zhao Puonu, don't you remember?" The big man pointed at his partner, "He's a fool."

"So it's you!" The people in my memory finally overlapped with the two faces in front of me. I couldn't restrain my joy, and punched each of them on the shoulder.

Zhao Puonu's brows and eyes had already parted, and a handsome boy with thick eyebrows and big eyes could be vaguely seen.The tall man has also changed a lot. Compared with the first time I saw him, the bridge of the nose is higher and the eye sockets are deeper.

"I don't know how high you are, you look less and less like a Han Chinese." I joked.

"Nonsense, I'm half a Hun." Xiao Gao was used to asking such questions to his new partners.

"Sneaky, what are you doing hiding here?" I asked curiously.

Zhao Ponu pointed to the two candles in the corner and a few dishes in the moonlight: "Look, these are all things we just came here to eat. We have long heard that the new county magistrate is holding a big banquet here today, so we pretend Sneak in as a kid from someone else's house and eat a running water mat."

I took a closer look, and sure enough, it was the ceramic dishes and bowls that were used in the banquet just now.

Gao Bushi handed me a spoon: "Have you eaten before Qubing, how about we share it with you."

"I thought you were offering sacrifices here." I looked at the plates of porridge and cold rice from the flowing water banquet, and shook my head, "The banquet was set by my stepfather, why don't you follow me in and get some delicious food from the banquet, these Clear soup lacks water, so don’t eat it.”

"Your stepfather? Your Excellency the Prefect?" The two gestured, their mouths from ear to ear in surprise.

"That's right." I nodded.

"It's worth getting to know you, little brother, what are we waiting for, let's go." After speaking, the two of them each lifted a package on their shoulders.

Seeing that they were actually carrying burdens, I couldn't help being curious: "The ones who come out to eat and eat with their wealth?"

Zhao Puonu shook his head: "Our family insisted that we carry light luggage with us, ready to run away at any time, and the two of us sneaked out to play."

"Run?" I don't understand.

"Qubing, you don't know that you live in the south. This year, the north is hot and dry, and the harvest is not good. The Huns plundered Yanmen, and everywhere they went, there were corpses everywhere, and no one lived there anymore."

Gao Bushi heard Zhao Ponu say "Huns", and shrugged his shoulders.And I shivered - Yanmen is in the north of Taiyuan, which happened to be the place where my second uncle used to herd sheep.If the Xiongnu invaded there and massacred the city, it would mean that my second uncle Zheng Jina's family would have also suffered such an unreasonable disaster.Pingyang Mansion has not received any news about them, and they may have been killed.

Seeing my frightened expression, Zhao Puonu patted me on the shoulder: "Taiyuan is stationed in the army, there should be nothing wrong, you see, the prefect is still eating and drinking to marry his wife—"

Gao Bushi stomped hard on Zhao Ponu's instep.

"I'm sorry Qubing, I didn't mean to say that." Zhao Ponu scratched his head embarrassedly.

"Come with me," I waved my hand to show that I didn't mind, "If you don't follow me, the chicken legs will be eaten."

I disagree with Zhao Ponu's statement.Taiyuan has a garrison, and Yanmen also has a garrison.This year's harvest is not good, since the Xiongnu can plunder Yanmen, next time the harvest is even worse, they can come to plunder Taiyuan.

***

It was noon the next day when I saw my mother again.When I came to visit my parents, my mother and stepfather hadn't stayed at the bed yet. It was almost lunch time when they finished washing and left the bridal chamber together.The old woman of the Chen family, that is, my step-grandmother, sat on the honorable seat, with my mother, uncle, and me on the right.On the left is Chen Zhang - and a child.

Chen Zhang and his mother are there, you and I, flirting with each other.The child and I stared wide-eyed.There were so many people yesterday that I don't remember seeing this kid.

"Who are you?" I kicked his stool.

"Who are you?" He kicked me back.

"Come on, let me introduce you to you as a father." Chen Zhang signaled us not to fight, "Huo Qubing, you are the older brother; Chen Xuan, you are the younger brother. You are brothers from today onwards, you should respect each other and love each other."

I pointed at Chen Xuan: "I don't want to be in love with him!" After speaking, I kicked his stool over.

Chen Xuan grinned and cried loudly: "I don't want a stepmother! Wow——"

Lunch ended hastily amidst all kinds of panic among the adults and the bombardment of "Quilling, don't be naughty".

***

My uncle was on his way back to Pingyang Mansion, and I secretly hid under his car seat until I got out of Taiyuan County before I got out, which scared my uncle a lot.

"Qubing, who told you to run away!" The uncle hastily ordered the carriage to turn around on the spot.

"I don't want to go back." I said dejectedly.Alas, if I knew it earlier, I would hold on for a while, and come out after walking a little further.

My uncle flicked it between my forehead.

"You have to go back."

"No. It's not my home."

"But Second Aunt has already married into the Chen family, so why is Qu Bing willing to leave your mother?"

"There's nothing I can do if I don't want to. I don't like it there. They treat me badly." I pouted.Since getting married, the center of gravity of my mother's life has been seriously shifted to Chen Zhang. The remaining part is used to coax the crying stepson Chen Xuan, and the last part is used to teach me and coerce me to accept my stepfather and stepbrother honestly.

In the past, I was a spoiled child of the Wei family, but now that I am in the Chen family, I am more like a transparent person in the eyes of my mother, an illegitimate child who hinders her from integrating into the Chen family.If my existence would cause my mother to be scorned and ridiculed by the relatives of the Chen family, then I should not choose the Chen family as my shelter.

My uncle was silent for a while, then asked me: "Then what can you do when you go back to Pingyang Mansion?"

"Go back to school and continue studying, and be a useful person." I thought for a while and said, "In short, I don't want to stay in the Chen family."

"Alright, then you can go back with me." My uncle finally agreed with me.

This is my first time away from home.It’s not like leaving without saying goodbye. Before leaving, I left a letter to my mother and stepfather, in which I bid farewell to them.I don't think my handwriting is particularly crooked, they should be able to read it.My departure may be a good thing for them.In this life, I have witnessed my mother's happiness with my own eyes, so let me watch from afar as their lovers finally get married.

***

The autumn wind blew away the strong smell of traditional Chinese medicine in the Pingyang mansion. The doctor came in and out every day, and the servants looked ugly. It seemed that Pingyang Marquis Cao Shi was ill again.The housekeeper said that the eldest princess has brought the eldest son back to the princess mansion to live.

With some naan bread in my arms, I sat on the threshold sullenly.Cao Xiang was not there, so naturally Master Chang and the master of riding and archery were not there, so my whole-hearted pursuit of learning was in vain.

"I've come back, why are you still unhappy?" My uncle took a pancake from my arms.

I shivered, the autumn wind was a little cold.

"Pingyang Mansion was so lively half a year ago, but now it's all gone. I'm not used to it being so deserted."

"I do have an idea." The uncle's mouth was filled with naan bread, "I heard that my brothers have bought a new mansion in the capital, why don't you come and join them with me."

"Really?" I saw my uncle's eyes full of expectation.

The uncle nodded: "Your uncle, I have wanted to go to the capital for a long time."

"Wait for me, I'm going to pack my bags." I trotted all the way back to my room.