[R18] The stars are brilliant, so lucky even (The stars are brilliant, the moon rises over the sea) – Chapter 39 of “The Stars Are Brilliant, Even Lucky (The Stars Are Brilliant·The Moon Rising Over the Sea)” [English]

Chapter 39

The flames soared into the sky, spitting out billowing thick black smoke, dyeing the sky a faint bloody gray. There were deep ditches and dense forests all around, and the sound of killings shook the sky. In front were the guards and generals of the Cheng Mansion, struggling to stop the waves of “thieves” coming forward.

In fact, Shaoshang didn’t know if they were bandits or defeated generals who came from somewhere, because their blood-stained robes and armor looked like they were woven.

At this time, a thief on the ground who was not dead made a faint moaning sound. She looked at it and recognized that the man was waving a big sword and screaming at the women just a moment ago. She turned to a guard and said: “There is another one here.” The guard took the order and came over with the knife and stabbed it a few times. With a low scream and a little splash of blood, another life was lost.Ami tofu.

Half a year ago, Shao Shang was still a young woman with a slightly fanciful painting style but a normal outlook on life. She would bark out a few meaningless sounds when she encountered a cockroach or a mouse. But now she doesn’t even frown when she looks at the broken limbs and corpses all over the ground.

She lowered her head and looked at herself. She saw that the dark, thick brocade men’s casual clothes with embellished edges were changed by Sang just a few days ago. She was supposed to wear them to watch the Cuju competition, but now they were stained with blood.Sweat flowed down the back of her neck to her back, sticking the originally soft linen underwear to her body, making her feel wet and cold. The so-called extreme joy brings sorrow, which was exactly what she was feeling right now.

That day, after driving away Mr. Lou, who had made a false confession, the motorcade headed eastward. The scenery along the way was beautiful, and the weather was clear and snowless for several days.

Before leaving Sili, Shaoshang’s stick injury was almost healed.She was a little confused. The fight caused a slight fracture in her arm, which was not as painful as the cane torture this time. She had been raised for half a semester at that time, so why did she feel better this time in only six or seven days?

Could it be that the quality of this body is good?Then why she had been making pig heads for so long, but they all used the same medicine.After thinking for several days, Shaoshang finally came to the conclusion that the quality of this body is mainly reflected in the muscles and bones, not the skin.

To put it more vividly, if she encounters domestic violence, she may be disfigured, but she may also participate in a self-defense fighting class and become a master and fight back, and then bite back, “Uncle JC, look at my face, isn’t it clear enough?” – Hey, why can she use her bad brains so smoothly?

In addition, she also discovered that she has a musical talent.

Shao Shang was quite nervous when he took over the transverse flute, because back then she was known as “hacksaw pulling anus” in the musical instrument elective course. Unexpectedly, after a few days of Sang’s teaching, her fingers seemed to understand it on their own, and she played a simple “bamboo branch tune” sweetly and lively. From this point of view, Cheng Taigong’s genes were not wasted. In the future, sheWhen you get rich and have free time, you can do things like mountains and rivers to improve your cultural level, so as not to be regarded as illiterate all day long.

After confirming that she had a good foundation, Sang began to teach her how to breathe in and out, making sure that the breath was even and long.In order to achieve this goal, Sang confidently asked Shaoshang to ride horses, walk, and maintain adequate sleep and diet every day.Sometimes he was so tired that he could fall asleep no matter whether he was camping in the wild or riding a bumpy carriage.Sang was quite surprised by the girl’s obedience. She thought it would take a lot of effort to point out where to hit.

On this day, Mrs. Sang said to her husband at night: “Do you think we should find some clever children and send them to Qian Zhen to learn skills? Maybe we will need them in the future.” The so-called hard and soft approach must be used to shock the hard, so that the soft can have an effect.

Cheng Zhi immediately understood what his wife meant. His eyes drifted to the two tents containing Cheng Wei and his twin sons. After a while, he said: “…I mean, can we think more about the good things? Maybe our children don’t need it?”

Sang didn’t speak and looked at her husband quietly.Cheng Zhi rubbed his nose and said, “But talents are rare. In order to prevent such unique skills from being lost, we might as well send a few over…ahem, go over and learn some skills and gain experience, ahem…” But we can learn from past experiences. When the fight begins, he will definitely not play dirty!

Nine-year-old Cheng Wei suddenly sneezed. Shao Shang, who was lying next to her, quickly tucked her in and muttered: “If you read at night again, I will definitely tell my aunt!”

“You don’t want me to read in the car.” Cheng Wei muttered.

Shaoshang said: “The car is bumpy, you are wandering around reading, and you still need your eyes.”

“Then I go to Aguang Ayuan’s car to sleep during the day, so I don’t have to sleep when I camp at night and can study.”

Shao Shang said with a straight face: “People live and breathe according to the sun, and they rest when the sun rises and sets. If you reverse the day and night like this, you will damage your body. Be careful not to grow taller in the future!” She is now able to explain the principle of the biological clock in such a sophisticated manner. It is really gratifying.

Cheng Wei was still struggling: “The book says that there is a tribe in Western Shu who live on the bright sand in the valley, and they can only collect it at night. The lifespan of this tribe is not short. Besides, I won’t keep the day and night reversed. I can change it when I get to the county.”

“If you don’t give up, believe it or not, your aunt will burn your books?” Shao Shang was too lazy to instruct him and directly threatened him.

Cheng Wei was shocked and said: “Burning books is the work of the Qin Dynasty!”

“When the First Emperor invited Han Fei, he was very open-minded at the beginning. What happened to Han Wang and his grandson later?” You know, there is only a report card between enlightened parents and the violent Qin Dynasty. Intellectuals are naive!

“Then…then I’ll go back to the county and study…”

——That’s right!Little girl Cheng Wei is the legendary otaku god who “loves to learn rather than loves to learn”.Just as Shaoshang inherited Cheng Taigong’s sense of music, Cheng Wei also inherited Sang Taigong’s habit of never leaving home without letting go of his scrolls.When he was in the capital Chengfu, Shaoshang hardly saw his cousin; in Bailu Mountain, no one could see Taigong Sang except in the school and study room.

Heredity is so amazing, Amen.

What’s even more amazing is Cheng Zhi and his wife. It can be said that they are a match made in heaven. One is passionate about elegance and the other is keen on arty style. They turn a trip to work into a trip to visit friends and recognize relatives.

When encountering famous mountains, rivers or wild scenery, Mr. Sang would inevitably come forward to admire them and occasionally write poems. Cheng Zhi would want to make the scene grand and invite three or five nearby scholars and scholars and their families to have a picnic banquet that everyone praised.

Following the Sang family, Shaoshang learned another kind of “ostentation”.It is not a simple and crude gold, silver, and jewelry call for slaves and maids, fighting chickens and lackeys like the Wan family, but “romantic” and “romantic”.The waves are flowing like clouds and flowing water, and they are endless.There is no romance in Shaoshang’s bones, but he likes such gatherings very much.

The Confucian scholars at this time were not like the Confucian disciples of later generations. Most of them had long swords hanging on their waists, were knowledgeable, and could perform a sword dance when they were drunk.The content of the conversation was not about the nine ways to write the word “fennel”, but about the success and failure of national policies, the rise and fall of previous dynasties, tears of joy when happy, and curses when disdainful.

Although the picnic was simple and the dishes were nothing more than hot soup with dried fruits and meat grilled, Shao Shang listened and watched, but he felt that his vision was broad and his mind was clear. At this time, people’s hatred and love were as clear and pure as the sky.

By the time the convoy entered Chenliu County in Yanzhou, Shaoshang was not only able to perform half of the great father’s legacy with Cheng Zhi and his wife, but he was also two inches taller and had a considerable harvest on both front and back slopes.And because I have been doing art for a few days, my whole temperament has been greatly improved, and my originally good appearance has finally been put to use.

Chen Liujuncheng was a classmate and friend of Sang’s brother Sang Yu, and he stayed with Chengzhi and his wife as guests. His wife was known for her ability to protect matchmakers, so she wanted to protect the young businessman immediately.Mr. Sang showed off his unique skills and said with a smile, “My nephew is still young”, but his eyes sparkled and said, “If you have a good candidate, bring it to the table quickly. What are you talking about?”

If Cheng Zhi had to take office before the end of February, the convoy would have hurriedly left Chenliu after a short rest, otherwise Mrs. Jun Cheng would have hosted a banquet for the young businessman to meet those young talents.

In such a joyful way, everyone in the Cheng family ate hot pot and sang songs, and finally arrived in Dongjun.

Then, the day came when the painting style suddenly changed – before arriving at Renhua County, passing through Qingxian County, Cheng Zhifei had to take a detour to visit his senior brother who was the county magistrate in Qingxian County.

Mrs. Sang chuckled and complained: “You brothers are serving as officials next to each other. In the past few years, we have met every three days. Why can’t you wait?” She said this, but she did not stop her husband.

“When I first came to Bailu Mountain, I was a country boy. I really didn’t know anything except a few words, but my senior brother came from a famous family, but he didn’t mind. He not only taught me knowledge, but also taught me how to be a considerate person. He really was both a teacher and a friend!”

Cheng Zhi’s face was full of nostalgia, and Sang continued to tease: “That’s because Brother Gongsun saw that you were so beautiful, but you were so stupid. He couldn’t bear to be surprised, so he took care of you more.”

Shaoshang secretly helped her translate it into vernacular: Senior Brother Gongsun is a face-controller.

The administrative area of ​​”counties” at this time was much larger than that of later generations, especially Qing County and Hua County, both of which were medium and large counties with more than 10,000 households.Before entering the county town, Cheng Zhi also managed to find a third elder from a neighboring village to keep him company. The young businessman, dressed in men’s clothing, rode with him, which was enough to complete the amount of exercise for today.

The three old men were surnamed Li, and the villagers called them Taigong Li. He was like a smiling Maitreya Buddha and said: “Quin Zi recently sent a letter saying that he will be able to start teaching in two years. If Master Cheng hadn’t taken care of him at the beginning, with Quan Zi’s stupid talent, at what age would he have enlightened.”

Cheng Zhi smiled and said, “I hope that junior brother will come back a few years later. The Chen family in Henan has always been famous. Mrs. Chen has several daughters. She just recently took her to the mountains to accompany her parents. If junior brother studies for a few more years, he may be able to find a bride for his father-in-law!”

Taigong Li was so happy that his gray beard almost shook into the shape of a heart: “If this can happen, it will be a great blessing for our family!”

Shao Shang couldn’t help but interject: “That’s even more due to my uncle’s advice. He even married the daughter of the Lord of Bailu Mountain!”

Everyone laughed loudly, and Mrs. Sang couldn’t stop laughing in the car. She picked up an orange, lifted up the car curtain and threw it at Shao Shang. Shao Shang pretended to be hit, and kept saying “ouch”, and the laughter around him became even louder.

The group of people chatted, laughed, and strolled.Seeing the city gate in the distance, Cheng Zhi’s expression suddenly changed: “No, the situation in the city is not right.”

Taigong Li also stretched his neck to look, with a solemn look on his face: “That’s not right!”

Cheng Zhi is a frequent visitor to Qing County. In previous years, at this time, the city gate would be crowded with an endless stream of caravans, farmers carrying burdens to sell their harvests, hunters tanning animal skins for valuation, and scattered foreigners coming to find relatives and paths. But now the city gate is closed. Not only are there no people in front of the gate, there are no guards!

Sang lifted up the car curtain and stuck her head out. Seeing the expression on her husband’s face, she said in a trembling voice, “…You, you want to go to the city…?”

Cheng Zhi looked solemn: “Senior brother, I’m afraid something is wrong, I have to go take a look.”

Sang was unwilling in her heart, but she also knew that her husband couldn’t sit back and watch, so she could only say: “Then I will go with you.”

Cheng Zhi shook his head and said: “If there is nothing in the city, it is okay for you to come in; but if there is something, it is not as convenient as coming with a few Qingqi people. I will take a group of guards and leave, and the other generals and soldiers will stay to guard you.”

Shao Shang was a little surprised. She usually thought that her third uncle was joking and good-tempered, obeying his wife in every possible way, and being resentful towards his brother. However, when a big event suddenly happened, he suddenly seemed to be a different person, acting neatly and neatly without delay.

Cheng Zhi raised his head and said to Li Taigong, “Old man, I want to entrust my wife and children…”

Li Taigong cupped his hands and said, “No need to say anything, Mr. Cheng. Please lead the convoy to my hometown. There are ravines and strong soldiers fighting there, which is enough to withstand unexpected events. Moreover, my hometown is backed by dense forests and mountains, and there are shelters everywhere.”

At this time, peace was not long around, and many people in the world had particularly deep memories of the troubled times not long ago, and they were accustomed to defending against enemies and thieves.

Cheng Zhi nodded and said to his wife, “Don’t be afraid, I’ll be right back.”

Sang nodded with tears in her eyes, stretched out her hand to grab her husband’s broad sleeves, and squeezed hard until her knuckles turned white before letting go.

After the couple said goodbye, Cheng Zhi led seven or eight guards and whipped away. Li Taigong quickly urged the convoy to turn around and go to He Township. However, Shao Shang kept looking at the gate of Qing County. Seeing Cheng Zhi and the others knocking on the door for a long time and saying a few words through the door, the gate was slightly opened to let people in.It wasn’t until the city gate was closed again that Shao Shang turned back to chase his own convoy. While riding his horse, he felt something was wrong in his heart, as if he shouldn’t leave his uncle.

When catching up with the motorcade, Shao Shang heard Taigong Li talking to Sang in the car.

“Madam, don’t worry. Your Majesty’s escort has just passed by. In front of you is King Jinwu, and behind you are the guards and Yu Linhu Ben. We have only been away from Qingxian for a few days. Who dares to do this!”

Sang whispered: “I feel relieved after hearing what my father-in-law said.”

Shao Shang suddenly said: “Aunt, we might as well send someone to ask the prefect of Chenliu County for some reinforcements. Even if the trip is in vain, at worst we can give the soldiers a heavy reward.”

Mr. Sang, whose face was filled with gloom, smiled when he heard this and said, “Oh, you are so rich. My daughter-in-law has made a fortune.”

Li Taigong also smiled and said: “Even if the young master asks for reinforcements, Huaxian County is less than two days’ journey away, but Chen Liu has to ride lightly for three days. Why not send people to Huaxian County?”

“Before I left, my father asked someone to bring me a box full of money to give me pocket money. I can give it to you as a reward.” Shaoshang said, “Hua County, why don’t you send two of them to me, just to be prepared?”

Seeing her solemn expression, Mrs. Sang knew that her niece was alert and wise, so she immediately sent people to two places to seek help.

After walking for a while, everyone suddenly felt that the ground was shaking, and there was a sound of ferocious horse hooves trampling on the ground from far to near. Panic quickly climbed onto everyone’s face, followed by waves of rough and high-pitched hoots, and then twenty or thirty horsemen wielding swords appeared from the other side of the horizon and rushed towards them.

The guard led by the Cheng family reacted the fastest and immediately shouted: “Set up a formation! Protect the master’s house!”