Snow-white pear blossoms float on the tea, birds sing softly in the woods, and the sound of springs gurgles by my ears.
It would be very beautiful to drink a pot of pear blossom tea in such a place, watch the sunset and listen to the sounds of nature.
But now Fu Xiaoguan's heart is not so beautiful.
He originally thought that as an outsider, he didn't take this identity too seriously.
But the old lady in front of him asked a similar question because of her own identity.
This matter really made him feel distressed.
He took a sip of the pear blossom tea. It tasted bland and lacked the subtle fragrance of pear blossoms.
"Madam, people are different. You can't compare me with your son's illegitimate child. I don't have much ambition. To be honest, at this time last year, I was still a foolish teenager. Although I've become more mature since then, my biggest dream was to be a small landowner by the river - worry-free food and clothing, with a confidante by my side, able to sleep until I wake naturally, and count silver until my hands cramp. How comfortable is that? Why would I want to be a miserable emperor?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Nangong Dongxue burst out laughing, covering her mouth with her hands.
But the old woman opened her eyes wide, and it seemed that she could not believe that there was someone in this world who did not want to be the emperor.
"That's the emperor!"
"So what? Same three meals a day, same bed to sleep in... Old man, life is short, just a few decades away. I just want to live it well for myself. What about you? Children and grandchildren will have their own blessings, so don't worry too much. See through the worldly world, the world is vast, don't be greedy for fame, don't be greedy for profit. Only then can you find freedom of mind."
Nangong Piaoxue's hand that was pouring tea suddenly stopped, and the old lady's eyes suddenly lit up.
See through the world and the world will be vast. Don’t be greedy for fame or profit. Only in this way can you feel at ease!
This kid is only seventeen years old. Could it be that he has already seen through this world?
Then I thought about the couplet he made today... Could it be that he is really proficient in Buddhism?
The old woman's mind was in flux. After ten breaths, she asked again, "But people often don't live for themselves. For example, I hope this family can be passed down smoothly. After all, there are many people in this family who depend on it for survival. If it falls, they will probably end up on the streets. Buddha said that compassion is the most important thing. As a human being, we naturally need a compassionate heart. The same goes for you. You have extraordinary talent, but with your current status, you might be able to save the people of a county or prefecture. If you truly become emperor, wouldn't you be able to save the entire world?"
"Besides...saving the common people is such a great merit. How can I live in peace and ignore the suffering of the people?"
Fu Xiaoguan smiled bitterly in his heart. This old woman actually has a compassionate heart. But are the people in this world really worthy of your compassion?
"Old man, everyone has their own aspirations. Look at my frail shoulders. How can I bear the suffering of the people of this world? I admire your idea very much, but I really have no ambition. I just want to be an idle small landlord."
"What do you think of my family affairs?"
"Since your eldest grandson is still young, if he is well nurtured, I think he will be able to inherit the family business."
"What if it fails to be cultivated?"
"Don't you have a granddaughter?"
The old woman frowned, "There's no reason to pass it on to your granddaughter."
"If the elderly are worried about their granddaughter marrying out, it wouldn't hurt to have a son-in-law."
Nangong Dongxue looked at Fu Xiaoguan again and thought, if you knew her identity, would you still dare to say such words?
The old woman picked up the teacup, opened the lid, blew on it twice, and suddenly looked up and asked, "You said you just wanted to be a small landlord, but why did you become an official in the court? Isn't your words inconsistent with your actions?"
Fu Xiaoguan smiled helplessly, "You always don't understand, I never wanted to be an official. I was forced to do it!"
The old woman's eyes lit up again. She didn't ask about the topic again. She took a sip of tea and asked, "Are you used to living in Guanyun City?"
"Habits. I'm like a weed. No matter where I'm thrown, I can adapt quickly."
"Oh... Guanyun City has many different views from Jinling. Now that I'm here, I'll go see them when I have time."
"Well, after the literary conference is over, there's still some time until the Queen Mother's birthday. I plan to take advantage of this time to go and take a look."
"Then I'll go first. After hearing what you said, I feel relieved. I have some ideas. I need to think about them carefully. If we are destined to meet again, we will meet again!"
Fu Xiaoguan stood up, bowed respectfully to the old woman, and said sincerely, "The Buddha said that life is full of eight sufferings: the suffering of birth, the suffering of aging, the suffering of sickness, the suffering of death, the suffering of resentment and hatred, the suffering of separation from loved ones, the suffering of not getting what one desires, and the suffering of the five aggregates. Only by emptying one's body and mind can one escape suffering, and all disasters turn to dust, and only then can one achieve freedom. Everything has its destiny, so don't overthink it. Life will always be unpleasant, but the sun will still rise."
The old woman stood up and looked at Fu Xiaoguan with a kind smile, "You, boy, are really good at comforting people. If I had a grandson like you, I think I would live a few more years."
Nangong Dongxue was shocked, but Fu Xiaoguan touched his nose and smiled, "If I had a grandmother like you, I could eat and drink for free, but to be honest, this pear blossom tea doesn't taste very good."
The old woman was delighted and smiled. "I do have some good tea. Maybe you can drink it in the future. I'm leaving now!"
She leaned on the dragon-headed cane and walked out of the pavilion. The setting sun was just right, and her clean face seemed to be coated with a layer of golden light.
…
…
As the sun set, a line of more than ten carriages left Hanling Temple and headed towards Guanyun City.
In the luxurious carriage pulled by six horses, the old nanny who had previously had a conversation with Fu Xiaoguan was sitting upright.
Opposite her was the girl named Nangong Dongxue - she was the granddaughter of the Left Prime Minister Nangong Yiyu, and she came here to accompany the old lady to relax.
"Xue'er, what do you think of Fu Xiaoguan?"
Nangong Piaoxue was stunned, "This...Xue'er is not easy to answer."
"According to your true feelings, how could I blame you?"
"Is he...really His Majesty's son?"
The old queen smiled without comment.
"He's truly a very capable man, whether it's poetry or prose. After reading the intelligence Grandpa Zhou from the Tianji Pavilion gave you, I'm going to be honest with you, Queen Dowager, Xue'er finds it hard to believe. Both the wine he brews and the new gadgets he's invented are very commercially valuable. Especially that red cannon, it could even rewrite the future of combat. And since he dared to speak frankly about the shortcomings of the Yu Dynasty, I think this means he has a deep understanding. It's just... it's just that he seems to have no desires, which is a bit tricky."
"No problem."
"But if he really, truly takes over the Eastern Palace, trouble will probably arise in the court."
The old queen smiled calmly, "Could it be more violent than the bloody night at Shili Pinghu?"
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