Chapter 283: The waves washed away

The little paper boat drifted away into the distance.

That tiny ripple shines only for a moment when it falls.

There are many paper boats, but compared with the vast river, they still seem insignificant.

Gu Dan and Gong Shangguo stayed here that day and participated in the entire Yuzhou festival.

In the evening, a large bonfire burned by the river, lighting up the sky red.

Many people sang and danced here, and some wealthy families took out money to buy food, and everyone who saw it could get a share.

According to local people, this is to let the ancestors see the good life they are living now, so as to comfort their spirits in heaven.

Gu Dan not only saw people from the Xia Dynasty here, but also people from Daqing, Daqi and other countries. Their clothing was of course different from the style of the Xia Dynasty and was easy to identify.

Those people also blended in, seemingly completely unaware of the sad story behind it.

Time has washed away many things.

In today's era, the hatred between the people of several countries is far less fierce than when the Xia Dynasty was founded. The increasingly prosperous business is one of the evidences.

For many people, a festival is just a festival.

The next day, Gu Dan and Gong Shangguo continued riding their donkeys and wandering around Yuzhou.

When Gong Shang came to a large palace, he was stopped by the guards at the door.

"Stop now!"

The guard, dressed in tight clothes, was tall and strong, and his eyes were like copper bells when he stared.

"Um?"

Gong Shangguo, who was riding on the donkey, was not afraid at all, "Why?"

"The temple here is under repair and is temporarily closed to the public. If you want to visit, please wait until the repair is completed."

The guard looked rough, but respectful.

The reason is naturally that Gong Shangguo's hair and beard are all white, and one can tell at a glance that he is a centenarian.

Thanks to Confucianism, respecting the elderly and loving the young is almost a tradition in the Xia Dynasty. Elderly people don't even have to perform formalities when they meet the emperor.

"Repair?"

Gong Shang glanced to the side and saw a cart carrying a stone slab passing through the small door. "Is it not possible for me to just go in and take a look?"

"It says above that it is not open to the public right now."

The guard said.

"I am not an outsider."

Gong Shangguo was a little persistent.

Gu Dan could probably figure out that this was probably Gong Shangguo’s former home.

He ran from the imperial capital to Yuzhou because he wanted to come and take a look.

"Brother, please be flexible."

Gu Dan took out a few taels of silver and was about to hand it over.

"What are you doing?!"

The guard was startled and immediately took several steps back. "I have no grudge against you, why do you want to harm me?"

Just looking at the terrified expression on his burly face, it seemed that he was not lying.

"ha."

Gong Shangguo laughed instead and said, "I have some relationship with the owner of this place. Now that I am old, I want to revisit this place. If you are worried that we may cause trouble, you may follow us. You can see how weak we are. There is no way we can be your opponent.

If they find that we have bad intentions, they can just arrest us. What do you think?"

The guard's eyes were like copper bells, scanning Gong Shangguo and Gu Dan. Seeing Gong Shangguo's sincere expression, he thought for a moment and said, "It's not impossible to go in and take a look, but you are not an honest junior. If you dare to do such bribery again, you will be severely punished!"

Junior Gu Dan's mouth twitched. The move that had always worked in Dayue was now ineffective.

But isn’t this a good thing?

The two men tied the donkey under a tree not far from the door and walked into the temple together. The burly man followed them, and his eyes were mostly on Gu Dan.

"It seems that this trick doesn't work very well now."

Gu Dan shrugged slightly.

"When a country is prosperous, its people are strong; when its people are strong, they know how to behave."

Gong Shangguo also had a little more smile on his face. Seeing Gu Dan being humiliated was a rare happy thing during the journey.

The guard did not lie to them, the mansion was indeed under renovation.

The attic in the distance has faded in color. Craftsmen are busy going up and down, carrying various woods and stones. One can still vaguely see the prosperity of this place in the past.

"This is a garden. At the end is a pasture where you can go hunting on horseback."

Gong Shangguo pointed to the front and introduced the situation here in detail.

But that was a long time ago. Yuzhou at that time was far less prosperous than it is now. Although it was not as sparsely populated as it is now, it was not much different.

In addition, his father did not understand what frugality meant. Even when he arrived in Yuzhou, he still loved to enjoy himself. Their lifestyle in this regard was really the same.

"The courtyard over there is used to house beauties. He is very fertile, and I have many brothers and sisters. In fact, our relationship is not bad, but the adults don't like us."

Gong Shangguo spoke calmly.

It is common for a prince who is destined to have no chance of becoming emperor to be extremely enthusiastic about sowing the seeds of his bloodline.

"Although Emperor Zongming was cruel to his subordinates, he did not mistreat his own descendants."

Gu Dan was a little surprised.

The Second Prince was demoted to the frontier, but he could still live such a superior life in Yuzhou, which was indeed beyond his expectations.

"Maybe it's because he's incompetent that even Emperor Zong Ming doesn't bother to suspect him?"

Gong Shangguo did not give his biological father any face. He really looked down on that man. He even regarded his own bloodline as a shame. He had never been close to a woman in his life.

This place is very old, and many places have reached the point where they have to be repaired. The two finally found a small pavilion. Gong Shangguo sat on a stone bench and said, "This is his pavilion for recruiting talents. He will bring all the 'talents' he can recruit here to show off."

For ordinary people, people come here to enjoy the scenery, but for Gong Shangguo, this place is full of stories.

Even if those stories are not pleasant to hear, they are true.

After saying this, Gong Shangguo stopped talking.

Those eyes, which had already become dim, looked at everything around them.

Some places are strange, some places are familiar.

It's all over.

As the sky gradually darkened, Gong Shangguo stood up first and said, "Let's go."

"Where are you going?"

Gu Dan asked.

"Go back, there's really nothing to see here."

Gong Shangguo said casually.

"Okay, please come in, sir."

Gu Dan showed a mischievous smile on his face and came to lead the way for Gong Shangguo.

"snort."

Gong Shangguo exhaled a stream of air from his nose, glared at Gu Dan, and was too lazy to argue with him.

When walking out of the mansion gate, Gu Dan stopped while Gong Shangguo was leading the donkey.

The guard following behind them asked as if they were facing a great enemy: "What else do you want?"

"Have you read the 'Shennong Herbal Classic' issued by the imperial court a few years ago?"

Gu Dan did not answer, but asked instead.

"Isn't that a medical book? Why should I read a medical book?"

The guards couldn't understand what he meant.

Of course he knew about that medical book. Nowadays, medical clinics were opening up in various places, and all of them used "Shennong's Herbal Classic" as their treasure. Xun Ke, the prime minister of the Xia Dynasty, also highly praised it, so it was impossible not to have heard of it.

"Let's take a look, maybe we'll gain something."

Gu Dan smiled and turned away.

The guard followed them for a long time but did not disturb them. He was a considerate person. Since they were unwilling to take the money, Gu Dan would not let him work in vain.

However, whether he gains anything or not depends on how attentive he is.

Everyone has his own fate.

Watching the two strange-looking people riding away on their donkeys, the guard scratched his head and looked at his large palm-leaf fan-like hands, "Let me read a medical book? Treating people with an embroidery needle?"

Having said that, I couldn't help but feel a little curious.

After all, the other party is far superior to ordinary people in terms of appearance and demeanor.

If he hadn't been startled when the silver was handed to him at the beginning, he would have really thought that a banished immortal had descended from heaven.

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Not everyone can be so accommodating.

Gu Dan and Gong Shang Guo started their return journey.

Although Gong Shangguo did not say it, Gu Dan could still see that the trip to Yuzhou fulfilled some of his wishes, and the aura he had gained from being in officialdom for a long time began to fade away.

When you are old, looking back at the place where you lived when you were young will probably make you more open-minded.

In the 48th year of the Xia Dynasty, two people came to Yuzhou riding on donkeys.

"This time, let's go to the source river and take a look?"

The last time I passed through Yuzhou, I didn’t go to the other side of Yuan River. Gong Shangguo had never been there in his entire life.

"good."

Gu Dan nodded as if it was okay.

"The current governor of Yuzhou is Cang."

Gong Shangguo was actually a little more interested, stroking his gray beard, "This little guy you raised is also extraordinary! He has hundreds of wives and concubines. When I was still in office, I received documents impeaching Cang almost every day, saying that he was promiscuous or something like that."

".I'm really unfamiliar with you."

Gu Dan's face was calm and his heart was as still as water.

Cang? Who is it?

I really don’t know you!

“Hahahahahaha!”

Gong Shangguo laughed so hard that he was out of breath.

If we must find some bad deeds against Gu Dan, it seems that his biggest bad deed is that he raised such a guy.

How could a bastard like Cang appear when we have such a good role model like him?

Just marry her. Men should get married when they are old enough and women should get married when they are old enough. There is nothing wrong with it.

Even Xun Ke and Xiaoying were brought together by Gu Dan.

But Cang had married so many women that even Wang Mang had to feel inferior to him.

Fortunately, there is indeed no blood connection, otherwise Gu Dan would not be able to wash himself clean even if he jumped into the Yuan River.

“You.”

After laughing, Gong Shangguo shook his head again and stared at Gu Dan's young face that was enough to drive people crazy with jealousy. "When we go to Buzhou Mountain, we'll look for young female masters. Ordinary women are indeed hard to please you."

Beauty fades easily, and good times pass away easily.

If a true hero appeared in the world, even beautiful women would find it difficult to leave him.

An ordinary woman really can't stay with him for a long time.

Judging from Gu Dan's almost constant appearance today, he can probably live for a very long time. After all, he is a great master, and there is no one like him. It is natural for mortals to look up to him.

"You have nothing to do? Why are you talking about this?"

Gu Dan raised his eyebrows slightly, "Could it be that you are in love?"

"It sprouted into the soil."

Gong Shangguo curled his lips, and the two of them argued all the way to the source of the river.

The banks of the Yuan River are unexpectedly lively today.

People on both sides were beating gongs and drums, and some were competing in paddling boats on the river surface.

If you ask anyone, you will find out that they are commemorating a person.

Moqiu.

The most holy teacher of the Xia Dynasty and the first great figure of the Mohist school.

The Mohists advocated frugality, so they did not throw anything into the Yuan River. This grand festival was just a celebration.

What's the significance? It's similar to the situation in Yuzhou, except that it's on a larger scale, with more people and is more lively.

Many people were not dressed in fancy clothes. On the contrary, they wore coarse linen clothes and the shabbiest straw sandals, and asked people everywhere if they needed help. After asking, they found out that they would be voluntary "Mohists" for seven days.

This is more than just a formal expression of gratitude; they are experiencing the pain that their ancestors once went through.

When Gong Shang came here, a 'Mozhe' immediately took out his small stool for him to sit down and rest.

Gong Shangguo sat down without refusing and looked around.

On the banks of the Yuan River, the Mohists dressed in short brown clothes actually accounted for a full 30% of the total number, which was already extremely remarkable! If the Mohist School really had so many people, the prosperity of the Xia Dynasty would have been several steps higher.

However, it is still easy to distinguish between the real Mohists and these temporary Mohists.

Because the skin of the Mohists looks very dark.

Under the wind and sun, even warriors could not endure the hardship. They were all like old farmers in the countryside, looking miserable and unable to pretend.

Anyway, this is pretty good.

Gong Shangguo found a shady spot by the Yuan River and sat on a small stool, his eyes half open and half closed, as he said in a trance, "When was the last time we drank with Brother Mo?"

Gu Dan had a good memory and recalled it immediately, "The thirty-seventh year of the reign of Emperor Zongming, late spring."

"The thirty-seventh year of Emperor Zongming."

Mentioning this year again now, it seemed to have become a very distant past, and Gong Shangguo looked a little dazed.

Gu Dan chanted: "The mountains and rivers separate our two hearts, what is the point of wanting to hold the stars and rivers. With a bloody sword in hand, but unable to kill the traitor, I sigh that the heroes are separated by life and death and in danger."

This time, Gong Shangguo thought about it.

He pulled himself together, his face showing the ambition he had when he was young, and he continued loudly, oblivious to the people around him: "I ask the heavens with great indignation! I ask the heavens, when will I return from the thousands of miles of crossing the mountains and rivers? I ask the heavens, when will the waning moon be reunited? I ask the heavens, when will I be able to wield the three-foot sword again!"

When the people around heard the sound, they all looked over.

Gu Dan turned a blind eye and continued, "Kill all the traitors and the temple will be at peace, and your ambitions will be relaxed. The thief leader was offered to Longquan, but why is the emperor so sad and resentful? Oh my God, are you also afraid of the traitors and can't say anything?"

The two said in unison: "The wind and snow broke the tiles of the house and the sky was dangerous. Why do you have to show off your majesty over the people? It is difficult to bury the hero's grievances. Where can you go to avoid the wind and cold when you are so lonely and angry?"

"Okay, okay!"

Gong Shangguo laughed loudly. He leaned against the big tree behind him, his eyes a little blurry. "Brother Gu, I'm a little sleepy."

Gu Dan didn't say anything.

Gong Shangguo leaned against the tree stump and slowly closed his eyes.

"What happened?"

Attracted by their voices, many Mohists gathered around. As they gradually fell into a deep sleep, Gong Shangguo was awakened for a moment by the noise from the outside world.

In a daze, he saw a large number of Mohists approaching him, with no end in sight.

How wonderful! Gong Shangguo showed a satisfied smile on his face.

He fell asleep.

(End of this chapter)