Chapter 13 Farewell
Shen Shan has traveled a lot and is quite knowledgeable, but when Gong Mengbi asked him, "Mr. Shen, what do you think of the world today?" he didn't know how to answer.
He just thought about it and said, "The world is difficult."
"The sky is in turmoil, the rivers and seas are murky. Since I started my trade, I have been exploited by bandits everywhere, both large and small, and there has never been a break."
"There are refugees everywhere, and there are dead everywhere."
Chen Shan spoke to the point and did not dare to discuss state affairs.
But he is a businessman and has a keen sense of smell.
A few years ago, Mr. Wang said that he wanted to reform the law, the system, and the taxes, but now Mr. Wang’s tomb has become deserted.
Another chieftain in the southwest rebelled, killed the King of Jiannan and proclaimed himself king.
The emperor's withdrawal of military power had not yet leaked, and General Yuan Fasheng of Jingbei fled the capital overnight, leading his troops to occupy the thirteen northwestern counties and challenge the imperial court. Although he had not yet become king, it was only a matter of time before he became king.
The current peace in the world is like the rotting roots of a tree. On the surface, it seems prosperous, but in reality, the pus and blood within cannot be seen because the skin has not been penetrated.
Even in Wuning County and Dongyang Commandery, many people do not know the current emperor and only know the King of Wu.
Chen Shan didn't dare to say anything, and Gong Mengbi wouldn't force him to say anything.
Seeing that Chen Shan understood, Gong Mengbi stood up and pointed at the tiny creatures under the bright moon, saying, "Heaven and earth are like a furnace, and all living things are being refined. In this world, the Shen family can still be content with a small fortune, but if a storm comes, I am afraid that our small boat will easily capsize and it will be difficult to find peace."
Gong Mengbi looked at Chen Shan meaningfully, and Chen Shan was shocked.
Shen Shan quickly bowed down and said, "Please tell me, Fox Fairy."
Gong Mengbi helped him up, but refused to say anything. He just pointed to the sky and shook his head.
Shen Shan was terrified and paced back and forth for a long time before he came up with a clever plan: "My Shen family is just a small wealthy merchant family, and we are just a small player in Wuning County. A small boat is easy to capsize, so how can a big ship withstand the wind and rain?"
Gong Mengbi glanced at Chen Shan approvingly and said, "Then it depends on how capable you are and how big a ship you can build."
Gong Mengbi didn't say it explicitly, but brought up another matter: "Before, when Xu Banxian read your fortune, he said that the Shen family had two noble destinies. Although he was just bluffing you, he didn't intend to expose the secret."
"Whether it's Shen Qiao or Chen Yan, they are both precious lives. You should educate them well, but don't keep them around.
"For your noble destiny to grow, you must experience tribulations. Now the storm is gathering, and whether it's a dragon or a snake, they will all come out to stir up the storm. Your boat is still small, not enough to carry them through the storm. You can only let them fight their way across. Otherwise, the boat will only capsize."
Chen Shan was both happy and worried. He was happy because he hoped his son would become a successful person, but he was worried about the dangers in the future. "Although your life is good, I am more worried about their safety."
Gong Mengbi said, "So we have to act in two ways. On the one hand, we send them out to learn skills, and then we can cross the river ourselves. On the other hand, we can build a big boat to protect the whole family and shelter them from the wind and rain."
Chen Shan prostrated himself on the ground and said: "It is difficult to build a large ship. Please give me some guidance, fox fairy."
Gong Mengbi said: "It's not worth mentioning. It's nothing more than wealth and power. If you want to do business, do big business. If you want to be an official, become a high-ranking official."
Shen Shanwei's heart was beating like a drum, his brain felt a little congested, and it was a little hard to breathe. He took a deep breath and sighed, "It's hard to be a businessman nowadays, and it's even harder to be an official."
Gong Mengbi: "Business is all about buying and selling. Buy low, sell high, and exchange what you have for what you don't have. On the last day of every month, you can burn incense and pray to me, and I will listen to you where the business opportunities are. Once you have money, you can find a way to donate money to become an official."
A fire gradually burned in Chen Shan's heart. With the help of the fox fairy, he would naturally be successful.
He suddenly knelt down in front of Gong Mengbi, bowed his head and said: "I wish to worship the fox fairy for generations and build a temple and shrine for the fox fairy."
"It is necessary to build a temple, but not for me, but for the Goddess of Mount Tai. The Goddess of Mount Tai is my benefactor. You need to worship her diligently, and there will be a response." Gong Mengbi said.
Shen Shan raised his hand and swore: "The Goddess of Mount Tai is extremely compassionate, so of course she will be the main deity worshipped, but the fox fairy is the benefactor of the Shen family, so she must be invited to share in the sacrifice."
Gong Mengbi laughed. Although he had no intention of participating in the sacrifice, Chen Shan's words satisfied him. But even though he was satisfied, he still wanted to give him a warning: "You can decide for yourself. But let me be frank: accumulating wealth through business and doing good deeds are the foundation of your foundation. Neither is indispensable. Otherwise, the more prosperous your Yang wealth is, the more you will lose your Yin wealth, and you will surely suffer the consequences."
Shen Shan quickly responded, "I will do more good deeds in the future and will not lose my integrity for the sake of money."
"Okay." Gong Mengbi waved his hand, and a flock of sparrows fluttered over and landed on the eaves of the pavilion. "From now on, apart from your poultry, you must not catch or harm birds. If you see birds begging for food, you must provide them with food promptly."
Chen Shan looked at the group of sparrows, only to see that the sparrows were also looking at him with their heads tilted, looking very smart.
Shen Shan was surprised and said, "I will follow your instructions."
Just as Chen Shan was about to continue asking, he suddenly heard a rooster crow.
Gong Mengbi listened attentively, laughed, and said, "It's time. I'll be leaving first."
Chen Shan only saw the bright moonlight, and in an instant his eyes were filled with white.
When I opened my eyes again, it was already dawn.
Mrs. Shen saw him in a daze and asked, "What's wrong with you?"
Shen Shan hid the strange dream from last night in his heart and said, "It's nothing, just a dream."
Mrs. Shen shook her head, and the two of them washed up and went out, and saw a group of sparrows flying in from somewhere, standing on the eaves and chirping.
When Shen Shan and Madam Shen approached, she was not afraid of them. She even landed on Shen Shan's finger and looked at him with her head tilted.
Mrs. Shen was surprised and said, “These little things are not afraid of people.”
"Maybe they are hungry," Shen Shan ordered people to bring some millet and sprinkle it on the ground, letting the sparrows peck at it.
Soon, the full sparrow flew away to who knows where.
It was almost time for dinner but the two children were nowhere to be seen. Chen Shan knew without a doubt that they must have gone to the east courtyard to greet the emperor.
But before he could even sit down, he saw Shen Qiao running towards him in a panic, saying, "Oh no! Dad, the door to the east courtyard is open."
Shen Shan was shocked, but recalled his dream last night, and yet he felt it was expected.
He followed Shen Qiao to the east courtyard and saw that the old wooden door was wide open, revealing the mugwort and sedge hidden inside.
The sedge was so dense that there was nowhere to stand, and the mugwort was taller than a person.
A small path appeared among the sedges, which was exactly the place where Chenshan walked last night.
“It’s not a dream.” Shen Shan sighed.
Shen Qiao was almost crying and asked anxiously, "What happened? Did the fox fairy leave our home?"
Chen Shan touched his head and said, "I dreamed of a fox fairy last night. He was favored by the Goddess of Mount Tai and has already achieved enlightenment and become an immortal. If you miss him, please pray in front of the tablet more often. He will bless us."
Shen Qiao looked at the deserted garden, his heart filled with sadness. Although they had only met once, Gong Mengbi had left a deep impression on the two children.
Deep down, Shen Qiao and Shen Yan both regarded the fox fairy as a very close person.
This farewell was a bit hasty. For the Shen family, it was still a bit unfinished, but for Gong Mengbi, it was already too much.
After Gong Mengbi left, the East Garden of the Shen Mansion remained in its original state. It was not because it could not be used, but because it was Gong Mengbi's old residence, a humble yet fragrant place.
It is also their wish that the fox fairy will come back one day and live here again.
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