During the Chongzhen period of the late Ming Dynasty, there was a family of three on Qiaonan Town, at the foot of the Qinling Mountains, south of Weicheng, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
The male owner is named Liu Mingliang and his wife is named Zhao Yemei. The couple has a son named Liu Shuanlao.
Although the family is relatively poor, the couple can still live with their hard-working hands. In order to make their son promising in the future, the couple tightened their belts and frugally gave their son Liu Shuanlao some money to study in the family.
Liu Shuanlao is very smart. The teacher happily told Liu Mingliang many times that Guizi is calm and can never forget everything he sees. The articles he writes are quite spiritual, and he can become grand in the future when he is cultivated.
Later, Liu Shuanlao participated in the college examination and was successfully admitted to the scholar.
But the government in the late Ming Dynasty became increasingly corrupt from top to bottom, and the various harsh donations and miscellaneous taxes squeezed the people out of breath. Next, if you want to participate in the provincial examination, you have to spend a lot of money to build up your relationship. Otherwise, no matter how well you write the article, it is difficult to achieve success without spending money to make money.
At the right time, farmers from all over the country participated in the peasant uprising headed by Li Zicheng in northern Shaanxi.
There are songs everywhere "wishing the King of Chuang and welcoming the King of Chuang. If the King of Chuang comes, it will not accept the favor" spreading.
Liu Mingliang also hopes that Li Zicheng, the King of Chuang, can overthrow the court and realize a good day of "equal land and exemption of taxes" as soon as possible.
In fact, the King of Breaking Li Zicheng was not far from them at that time, and was behind them in the depths of Qinling Mountains in Shangnan County.
In the autumn of that year, Liu Mingliang entered the mountain to dig medicine. Unexpectedly, the officers and soldiers of the Ming Dynasty and Li Zicheng's uprising army met on the narrow road on the hillside where he was digging medicine, and then opened it.
The officers and soldiers surrounded Li Zicheng's few people. Liu Mingliang, who was familiar with the mountain road, took risks without hesitation and led the way for Li Zicheng's peasant army to escape from the siege of the officers and soldiers.
However, he was shot by the officers and soldiers. The peasant army wanted to take him to transfer, but he was worried that his wife and children at home, so he simply bandaged the wound and struggled to say goodbye to the peasant army and go home. He didn't expect that the arrow he shot was poisonous.
After returning home, the arrow wound was cured for a long time and the wound became worse and worse. In order to cure his illness, his wife and children not only sold land and cattle, but also owed a large amount of foreign debt, but still did not keep Liu Mingliang's life.
Then, Zhao Yemei, who had no land and plowing oxen, thought of becoming a servant in the family of Liu clan leader Liu Shuanlao to continue studying with the meager income earned by others, hoping that his son Liu Shuanlao will be able to pass the exam one day.
Speaking of which, Liu Clan Chief's eldest wife is also the elder sister of Liu Shuanlao's mother Zhao Yemei. Both sisters were married to Qiaonan Village from Huayuan Village, 3 kilometers away.
But my sister married the patriarch of a wealthy family, while my sister married Liu Mingliang, who lived a life of digging herbs for a living.
The reason why the Liu clan leader in Qiaonan Village became rich later was because he was an official of a household office of the Ming Dynasty officers and soldiers, with more than 100 officers and soldiers under his command, which was equivalent to a company commander in the current army. When he and his men suppressed Li Zicheng's peasant uprising army, they killed many Li Zicheng's people and were loved by Emperor Chongzhen, and rewarded him with a large sum of gold and silver.
The two sisters meet every year and festival. Although they also walk around, they are no longer as intimate as they did when they were at their parents' home.
Fortunately, Qiaonan Village is a big village with more than 600 households and living in a relatively scattered manner. Everyone is usually busy with their own affairs, and there are not many opportunities to meet, which saves a lot of embarrassment.
The sensitive Liu Shuanlao could feel that his uncle and aunt's family were not very considerate of his family since childhood, so Liu Shuanlao rarely went to his aunt's house.
For this reason, when the mother mentioned that her aunt was a servant to support him in school. Liu Shuanlao, who was 16 years old, refused. He said to his mother:
"Mom, in this situation, let's not talk about my studies for now. I am 16 years old. The ancients often said that when men get rid of father and son when they are 14 years old, don't go to my aunt's house to be a servant. Let your son go to Weibei to find a wealthy family while taking time to read some books..."
Zhao Yemei couldn't help but blush when she heard his son's words. I thought to myself, my son is older and sensible, so it is time to let his son go out and make a breakthrough.
On that day, Liu Shuanlao carried a few pieces of changing clothes and quilts on his back, and also recited a few books. He left home with tears in his eyes.
Liu Shuanlao came to the city of Weicheng. Although he was young, he was tall and majestic and beautiful. He was soon attracted by a housekeeper who was in charge of hiring people in a wealthy family. After discussing with Liu Shuanlao's conditions for carrying a long-term worker, the housekeeper obtained Liu Shuanlao's consent and asked Liu Shuanlao and several other men to get on a carriage to pull people.
Three carriages pulled them to the home of a man named Zhang, a household in Guandi Town, Weibei, which was vast and sparsely populated. This Yuanwai, whose surname is Zhang, is a real wealthy family. The wealthy family on the plateau cannot compare with what Zhang Yuanwai has.
Zhang Yuanwai's family has 1,000 acres of fertile land, with cattle, horses and servants in groups. The courtyard is very large. Zhang Yuanwai has more than a dozen concubines, one younger and more beautiful than the other. Some people have been working in the Zhang family for several years, and it is difficult to see Zhang Yuanwai himself.
And this Guandi Town is located at the junction of the three counties. Although it is managed by Weicheng on the administrative division of , the county magistrate never comes to Guandi Town. The reason is that the name Guandi Town is unlucky. Whoever cares about whoever will do it will do it and will not be promoted again.
Therefore, Guandi Town became a hot mountain dike in the Ming Dynasty, and Wugongya was willing to take over, which made Guandi Town a paradise with "high mountains and far away emperors".
Zhang Yuanwai, who was born and raised, took advantage of this to establish an independent kingdom with his own decisions and live a luxurious life comparable to Emperor Chongzhen.
It is said that Zhang Yuanwai rarely eats grains and grains, but eats milk through a cloth door curtain, so he is so white and fat.
In your spare time, Zhang Yuanwai will bring 8 bodyguards, carry bows and arrows on his back, ride a tall horse and go out from the back door of Zhuang Mansion to hunt in the vast Weibei Plain.
Although Zhang Yuanwai has many beautiful wives and concubines, these beautiful wives and concubines do not live in the same courtyard. They live in different places and are far apart from each other. Zhang Yuanwai has the final say with the wife and concubine at night.
So some of Zhang Yuanwai's wives and concubines who were older than him would usually try to please Mrs. Li, the eldest wife who cursed Liu Yuanwai.
But there are also people who don’t buy the account of the eldest wife Lien, and the eldest wife Lien is not a good lamp. She will not give her any good fruits to her concubines who don’t buy her, and will let her stay alone in the empty room all year round.
After Liu Shuanlao arrived at Zhang Yuanwai's house, the housekeeper in charge of personnel arrangements saw that Liu Shuanlao was handsome and a gentle scholar, so he arranged for Liu Shuanlao and a man in his 40s named Guo Yongli to drive a carriage, each pulling a large wooden barrel, and to pull water into a special well on the grass beach about ten kilometers away outside the mansion.
three times a day, and the last time I couldn't get back to Zhang Yuanwai's mansion, so the two lived in a house not far from the water well to rest.
Before dawn the next day, I came back from the carriage, so as not to bother Zhang Yuanwai and the ladies of all ages to wash their faces and rinse their mouths.
The special thing about this well is that the well and the water that Concubine Yang in Huaqing Pond in Lishan was in the same line. Taking a bath with the water from this well can not only cure various skin diseases, but also make women's skin become whiter and more delicate.
The four wooden buckets of water from Zhang Yuanwai’s mansion are brought back every day, which are water for Zhang Yuanwai and his wives to take a bath at night.
Return to Zhang Yuanwai's house halfway, Liu Shuanlao and Guo Yongli would have dinner at the Changgong Canteen, and return to the water well room to make a fire and cook.
There is no one around this well, and it looks empty at first glance. It is very quiet at night and is very suitable for reading and studying.
Episode 0 It was dusk that day, the two of them had dinner, rested for a while, and then squeezed two large wooden buckets of water with their hands, Guo Yongli went back to his room to rest.
Guo Yongli had just not been able to walk for a long time. The sky that had been gloomy for many days began to rain. The rainwater on the rafters fell on the steps made of bluestone, making a continuous and monotonous dripping sound.
Liu Shuanlao, as usual, closed the doors and windows, lit an oil lamp, and crawled on the table to start reading.
The night is getting deeper.
At this time, someone was knocking on the door. Liu Shuanlao thought it was Guo Yongli who couldn't sleep, so he came to chat with him again. He sighed and opened the door reluctantly. Unexpectedly, standing at the door was a very beautiful and charming woman with graceful figure, wearing plain makeup.
emitted a faint and unique body fragrance from the woman, and a basket covered with white cloth was slung on one of the woman's arms.
Liu Shuanlao was stunned for a moment and did not invite the woman into the door. Instead, he asked: "Girl, what's wrong with you in the middle of the night?"
The woman's big watery eyes looked at Liu Shuanlao and fluttered a few times, and slapped Liu Shuanlao and said:
"I'm sorry to disturb my husband. I'm from Wutian Village in front, named Wu Yajuan. I usually steamed buns with my mother at home and went to the market to sell. Today, I met a relative who I haven't seen for many years at the market. I talked for a while and it was a mistake. Hurry up and went home. The rain was heavy and foggy. I got lost as I walked. Suddenly I saw the lights on my husband's house and came in to avoid the rain for a while. I wonder if my husband could give me some convenience? "
" Ah!" Liu Shuanlao took a step back and said hurriedly: "So that's the case. Anyone who goes out will have difficulties. It's not a problem. Girls, please come in quickly." The woman said thank you, and then entered the house with a cold wind and closed the door. Liu Shuanlao's heart was "bang bang bang". At midnight, the lonely man and widow were in the same room together. How inconvenience is, people know. I don’t know what kind of gossip will cause, but I can’t drive this lonely and poor woman out. It’s windy and rainy outside at this time. What should I do?
At this time, the woman said: “My husband, I’m very cold. I want to cover my quilt with your quilt to resist the wind and cold, otherwise I will get sick from the cold. Can you?”
“Okay,” Liu Shuanlao said hurriedly: “You cover, you cover, I’ll show up and borrow it from my colleague for a night. After I go out, you close the door and turn off the lights. Have a good rest, tomorrow is not dawn, I will take you home with a carriage..."
The woman blinked her charming eyes a few times and said:
"Forget it, don't disturb your colleague. If you suddenly stay, your colleague will definitely feel strange. You will definitely ask you the reason for staying. If you talk about the reason, he will make him guess randomly. It's not good. Stay behind, I am not afraid of a weak woman. You are so afraid. Turn off the light and rest..."
The woman said, "Push" and blew out the light.
After that, every few days, Wu Yajuan would come to Liu Shuanlao's room at midnight, but Guo Yongli, as Liu Shuanlao's colleague, was unaware of it.
A flash, at the end of the year, Liu Shuanlao received his wages and took Wu Yajuan home, but he did not expect that he and Wu Yajuan would be stopped by the patriarch and a few young young people and refused to let him enter the village. The patriarch called Liu Shuanlao aside and said quietly:
″Tie tie! Although you call me uncle, if you take a woman from another place into the village, you have to do things according to the clan rules of our village. You first let her live alone in the temple outside the village for a few days. If she dares to live alone in the temple for a few days, it proves that she is fine, otherwise she is just an unclean thing..."
patriarch believes that some evil and unclean things will be afraid of seeing the gods in the temple, so they dare not live in the temple.
When Liu Shuanlao led Wu Yajuan home from Weibei to pass by Weicheng that day, the two of them bought some delicious food and drinks for their mother at a shop on the street of Weicheng. They didn't expect that they would be caught in a carriage and went to Weicheng to buy New Year's goods.
But Liu Shuanlao and Wu Yajuan did not see the clan leader.
The clan leader once learned some magic from Huashan, and could see some facial features, but the clan leader's magic is half a bucket of water, and he is not good at seeing facial features.
He always felt something was wrong with the beautiful woman walking with his wife's nephew Liu Shuanlao, but he couldn't explain clearly why the body was wrong.
He quietly followed behind the two of them for a while and found that there was only one figure on the ground. He was shocked and hurriedly called the carriage to return to the village early, and found several young people with strong yang energy. When he was at the entrance of the village, he stopped Liu Shuanlao, who was going to take Wu Yajuan home, and refused to let him go home.
Liu Shuanlao had no choice but to take Wu Yajuan to live in a cave on the hillside outside the village first. Fortunately, he had a quilt on his back this time.
The patriarch found someone to find him, called Liu Shuanlao to a distance, and quietly told Liu Shuanlao why he did not allow Liu Shuanlao to take Wu Yajuan into the village.
When Liu Shuanlao heard this, he didn't believe what the patriarch said. The patriarch said, "I am your uncle. Why am I lying to you? If you don't believe me, you can immediately ride my big red horse to Wutian Village in Weibei to find someone to ask if Wu Yajuan is a human or a ghost. I can arrange a young man to ask with you. If Wu Yajuan is really Wu Yajuan in Wutian Village in Weibei, I will not only let you two enter the village, but also pay the money to hold a grand wedding for you. Go, my horse is running fast..."
Seeing that the patriarch said this, Liu Shuanlao was not easy to refuse, so he rode a young man in the village, each riding a fast horse, and rushed to Wutian Village in Weibei. After inquiring, Liu Shuanlao was so scared that his legs were weak.
It turns out that there was indeed a beautiful woman named Wu Yajuan in the village. Her father was also a scholar, but because of a drunken word, he was caught and beheaded by the government and beheaded.
In order to avenge his father, his daughter Wu Yajuan joined Li Zicheng's uprising army and followed Li Zicheng to fight north and south. She later died in the mountains of southern Shaanxi, three years ago.
Liu Shuanlao understood that Wu Yajuan, who had lived with him for several months, turned out to be a ghost. Humans and ghosts had different paths. She pestered him for such a thing. He cherished the day and had no grudges with her, and had no grudges in the near future! He wants to understand...
After riding a horse back home, Liu Shuanlao found that the cave where he and Wu Yajuan lived was surrounded by several Taoist priests holding peach wood sword . There was a yellow picture above the cave. The leader Liu saw him and said:
″She can't escape. We are now waiting for you to come back to confirm her true identity, and then we start to destroy her..."
Liu Shuanlao said: "Uncle, don't worry, I will go into the cave and ask her a few words, and you will let the Taoist priests do it to destroy her."
and the leader nodded and agreed.
Liu Shuanlao entered the cave and said to Wu Yajuan, "I already know your true situation. You are approaching me because I want to kill our Liu Clan Chief
I can understand your feelings of avenging your father for yourself. My father was also killed by the officers and soldiers. I wish I could kill them, but their life span has not expired. If you want to fight hard, you can't be reincarnated. All this is God's will. You go, it will be too late if you don't leave...
Liu Shuanlao finished speaking and opened a window behind the cave that only he knew had been hidden for a long time. A ray of light shone in from outside...
Wu Yajuan turned into a wisp of blue smoke and floated away from the window...
Wu Yajuan heard this and turned into a wisp of blue smoke and floated away from the window...
