The First Great Ancestor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 207 Northern Zhu and Southern Xu Chu discuss the Tao

"Master Chu seems to be good at cooking?"

Xu Xuan looked at the handsome young man in front of him, and it was difficult to connect him with the fat and greasy cook in his impression.

Zhu Xiu said modestly: "It's not proficient, but I know a little bit. It's not a problem to make a living and support yourself."

Xu Xuan asked curiously: "Master Chu studied hard and passed down his family, where did he learn his cooking skills?"

Zhu Xiu sighed and said sadly: "My father died young and my mother was ill for a long time. In order to treat my mother's illness, the family's savings over the years have been exhausted, and the few acres of thin farmland left by our ancestors have also been sold. My generation has passed down the family line, and we have been in such a state of decline. When I was born late, I often felt guilty. I was really ashamed of having failed my father’s early teachings!
In order to make a living, for many years, I worked in wine shops and tea shops in counties and villages, doing odd jobs and helping in the kitchen. Occasionally, I would also help in the kitchens of wealthy families, earning some small money to support my daily expenses.

In the evening, he went home to serve his mother and review the classics.These cooking skills are just the experience accumulated over the years."

Xu Xuan was moved with emotion, "Chu Shaolang worked hard to take care of his mother, and he never forgot to study hard. He is a filial piety and a great virtuous man, which is admirable!"

"Mr. Xu has given too much praise. It is only the responsibility of the Son of Man."

Zhu Xiugong held up his hand, and his humble look attracted Xu Xuan's eyes full of admiration.

There was no obvious flaw in Zhu Xiu's words, and Xu Xuan was already convinced about his origins.

"Master Chu is from Jingzhou, and he aspires to get into Jingzhou Academy. He must know a lot about the Zhangyi Army?" Xu Xuan asked casually, pretending to be casual.

Zhu Xiu smiled and said: "Wansheng has lived in Anding County for several years, so he is quite familiar with the local area. If Mr. Xu has any questions, just ask."

Xu Xuan considered it and said, "Does Mr. Chu know the internal situation of the Zhangyi Army?"

Zhu Xiu looked at him: "What aspect did Mr. Xu ask?"

Xu Xuan looked around cautiously, and lowered his voice: "I heard that since the turmoil in the county last year and Shi Jieshuai was accidentally injured, the power of the Zhangyi Army has changed hands. Shi Jieshuai asked a young secretary under his command to act as Jiedu envoy According to the authority, it is rumored that this man was under twenty years old. After taking power, the soldiers and people of Jingzhou respectfully called him Young Envoy?"

Zhu Xiu said with a smile: "Mr. Xu just came here not long ago, and the news is quite good. Wansheng also knows a little about this matter. The young envoy Jun is Shi Jieshuai's confidant. In the 12th year of Tianfu, the Khitan Lord Yelv Deguang invaded Hebei and Hedong in a large scale. Shi Jieshuai led The Zhangyi army traveled thousands of miles to rush for reinforcements, and met the young envoy in Cangzhou, Hebei.

The two hit it off and became friends forever. After that, the young ambassador bid farewell to the Tianxiong Army and followed Marshal Shi Jie to Jingzhou. "

"That's so." Xu Xuan understood clearly, "The Tianxiong Army is very famous, and its station in Yedu is the most powerful city in the world and the barrier of Hebei. However, this person gave up the Tianxiong Army with a brighter future and resolutely followed Commander Shi Jie to come It is extremely difficult for Jingzhou to make such a decision!

Thinking about it, he and Shi Jieshuai must have a deep friendship, and they are both free and easy people who regard wealth and glory as nothing. They agreed to devote themselves to the frontier and serve the country by guarding the border. It is really admirable and respectable! "

Speaking of emotion, Xu Xuan raised the teacup as wine, and drank it down with his neck raised.

Zhu Xiu curled his lips. This guy actually imagined a story about a generous righteous man going to the border to serve his country.

If it weren't for worrying about being killed by Liu Chengyou, the ghost would want to leave Tianxiong Army!
If he hadn't been tied up with a hemp rope by an old bastard named Lao Shi outside Yedu City, who would have thought of coming to Jingzhou!

More than two years ago, he was tied up with hemp rope by Lao Shi, stuffed into a carriage, and bumped all the way across the Yellow River into Guanzhong, and finally arrived at the desolate northwest frontier. Looking back on the desperate and sad mood that Zhu Xiu felt at the time, My teeth were itching in annoyance.

Xu Xuan twisted his beard and said: "But the name of Young Envoy is only in name and in reality. Without the actual position granted by the imperial court, it is still somewhat unfair."

Zhu Xiu smiled and said, "Mr. Xu doesn't know something. The young envoy made great contributions in the battle against the rebellion in Guanzhong. The imperial court rewarded him based on his merits. He has been awarded the official position of Commander of the March of the Yi Army and concurrently of the Governor of Jing."

"Oh?" Xu Xuan was surprised, "To suddenly promote a young man to a high position, the Kaifeng court is really courageous!"

Immediately, he thought of something and asked hurriedly: "I heard that the imperial court will send a deputy envoy to Jiedu. The reward from the young envoy should also come, right?"

"According to rumors on the grapevine, this is indeed the case."

Xu Xuan twisted his beard and pondered for a moment, shook his head and said, "The Zhangyi Army is facing internal trouble!"

Zhu Xiu secretly rolled his eyes. This guy was quite a man. He could see the problem with Zhang Yijun at a glance.

However, how could ordinary people detect this kind of thing? Zhu Xiu immediately stared at him with a shocked and strange look: "Why did Mr. Xu say this?"

Xu Xuan laughed dryly and said with a guilty conscience: "Xu just said casually that Mr. Chu should not take it to heart. The deputy envoys sent by the imperial court were always considered outsiders compared to the Zhangyi Army. Looking at the disasters in the feudal towns in the late Tang Dynasty, the imperial court They competed with Jiedushi for power and were suspicious of each other. All officials sent by the imperial court were responsible for supervising the army, which was deeply tabooed by the feudal town."

Zhu Xiu cupped his hands and said, "Mr. Xu is really knowledgeable. No wonder the article has appeared on the front page of Jingzhou Life tabloid twice."

Xu Xuan smiled, "Master Chu also likes to read newspapers?"

Zhu Xiudao: "I must buy every issue and focus on the front-page articles. I have read Mr. Xu's two masterpieces, Late Life, carefully."

Xu Xuan was very happy and said a few polite words.

When he was in Jiangnan, his poems and articles were also highly sought after. Whenever his latest masterpiece appeared, it would arouse heated discussion.

Xu Xuan is used to this, and his mentality is stable.

However, Xu Xuan often feels anxious about the articles submitted to the newspaper in each issue. He is worried about being rejected. He is ecstatic after being accepted, but after publishing, he is worried about provoking criticism, disputes, and even abuse from extremists.

Being praised face to face by a junior can also inspire Xu Xuan and make him happy from the bottom of his heart.

Xu Xuan smiled to himself. After arriving in Anding County, his mentality became unbalanced, and he didn't know why.

"Does Mr. Chu know the name of Mr. Siyou?"

"Of course I know that this person is famous for writing vernacular articles. His words are simple and sometimes even vulgar, but he is easy to understand, so he has a warm response among ordinary people and has a wide audience."

Xu Xuan smiled and said: "What does Mr. Chu think of his article?"

Zhu Xixiangxiang said: "In terms of literary talent, it is not as good as Mr. Xu Wanyi, but it is clear and well-organized, and it is well-founded. It is not a random fabrication, and it has some merits."

Xu Xuan couldn't help but laugh and said: "With this person's writing style, if he had not been connected to the Jiedu government, or if he was an official in the Changyi Army, he would never have the chance to appear on the front page."

Zhu Xiu blinked: "Mr. Xu thinks writing is important?"

Xu Xuan affirmed: "That's natural! For example, during the Han Dynasty, the literary world advocated inheriting the ancient style, taking the Five Classics as the ancestor, and the words of the sages as the criterion, emphasizing the inheritance of teachers and the rules of chapters and sentences.

During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, celebrities despised etiquette and were wild and unrestrained, pursuing the freedom to display their individuality. They were so-called fresh and refined, romantic and self-admiring!
During the powerful Tang Dynasty, the writing style was bold and unrestrained, not sticking to trivial details, not following ancient systems, and drawing on the strengths of others. There were both masterpieces of the palace school with gorgeous words, and representatives of the magnificent frontier army school.

Although poems and songs do not necessarily have to be beautiful and gorgeous, the choice of words and sentences cannot be so straightforward and superficial.

Looking at ancient and modern times, how can such an article be called an article? "

Zhu Xiu sipped her tea and said slowly: "Sir, how do you know that in the future opera articles and script novels will not all be written in vernacular?" Xu Xuan was stunned, shook his head and said: "Who can predict the future. It's just that someone thinks , Vernacular writing can hardly reach the level of elegance."

"Mr. Wansheng, may I ask you, Mr. Siyou's previous article about encouraging people in Jingzhou to change mulberry hemp to grass cotton. Who is the group referred to?"

"Of course they are the people of Jingzhou, or to be precise, the vast number of farmers in Jingzhou."

"Mr. Wansheng asks again, since the article is written for peasant households, so that the peasant households can understand it, understand the meaning of the article, and understand the support policies of the Jiedu Mansion. Shouldn't the article be more straightforward and easy to understand?"

"This" Xu Xuan was stunned and speechless.

Zhu Xiugong cupped his hands and said: "Wansheng does not think that Mr. Siyou's articles are better than his, but he also does not agree that Mr. always judges an article based on its writing style. Wansheng believes that the article should be based on the audience and writing of the article. purpose and content of expression.

Since it is to promote the policies of the Jiedu government and explain the benefits of planting straw cotton to the majority of Jingzhou farmers, it is natural that the more understandable and understandable the better.Only in this way will people spread the word of mouth and let more and more people know about it. "

Xu Xuan stroked his beard and thought for a while: "What you said makes sense. Is it too hasty to just replace mulberry and flax with grass and cotton? Mr. Siyou's article said that cotton is easier to spin into clothes than linen and is more comfortable to wear. Does comfort and warmth make sense?”

Zhu Xiu smiled and said, "What does Mr. Xu know about Cao Mian?"

Xu Xuan thought about it and said: "It is recorded in "Yupian" of the Southern Dynasties that "氰", the name of wood, is the same as cotton, called kapok, also known as 'Jibei'. It was first discovered in Qiongzhou. This thing is not produced in the Central Plains, but passed down from Tianzhu. Someone once saw someone planting this plant in the south. It is extremely easy to wither and turn yellow in the middle stage of planting, and white spots will appear on the branches, and then the roots will rot soon.

Just imagine, if Jingzhou grows cotton grass on a large scale, if it is not cultivated properly and causes large areas to wither, wouldn't farmers lose their harvest? "

Zhu Xiu praised: “Mr.

Although the plants grown by these two types of cotton species look like grass cotton after survival, they are actually very different. "

"I would like to hear the details." Xu Xuan became interested and sat upright.

Zhu Xiu took a sip of tea and explained: "The cotton seeds introduced from Qiongzhou to Lingnan, Jingchu and other places by sea have short plants, dry cotton yarn after maturity, and very little yield. They are indeed not suitable for cultivation in the Jiangnan climate and can only be grown slowly. Slow cultivation, improving cotton seeds and planting techniques, is a delicate job, and the process is slow and cannot be rushed.

The cotton species introduced from the Western Regions, often referred to as cotton grass, have a short growth cycle, are resistant to high temperatures, drought and salt-alkali, and are highly resistant to pests and diseases. In fact, they are very suitable for planting in the Western Regions and Longxi.

After the cotton plants passed through the Jingshui River, the air was too humid and the soil moisture content increased, which actually reduced the resistance of the cotton seeds and made them extremely fragile. Just like what Mr. Xu saw in the south, the cotton plants would become weak after half of their growth. White spots appear, turn yellow and wither, the roots and stems rot, and finally die in large areas. "

Xu Xuan was surprised. It turns out that a small cotton plant has so many tricks in it?
The climate, temperature, humidity, and soil made Xu Xuan's head spin. He didn't fully understand it, but after careful consideration, it made sense.

Zhu Xiu continued to talk:

"Actually, it is not impossible to grow cotton in the south. In the Zhenxiong Jiedu Prefecture of Nanzhao State, where Ailao barbarians gather, there are cotton species that can adapt to the climate of Lingnan.

"Book of the Later Han Dynasty" describes the Ailao Yi: "The land is fertile and beautiful, suitable for grains and sericulture. They can dye and embroider, fold silk and silk, and use orchid and dry fine cloth to weave articles like damask and brocade." 'Silk fabrics and orchid muslin are cotton textiles.

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sent troops to destroy the Dian Kingdom and brought cotton seeds and textile technology to Shu County.Just because the silk and linen industries in Shu County are developed and the skills are advanced, cotton spinning is not paid enough attention to, so it is not widely spread. However, one kind of Shu cloth - white folded cloth is a cotton textile.

Later, Prince Bowang emptied the Western Regions and saw the white cloth in Daxia (Afghanistan). In fact, it was trafficked by traders from Shu County along the ancient Yunnan Road to Tianzhu, and then resold to Daxia.

The reason why cotton textiles were not popular was because they did not attract enough attention from the rulers.In addition, the picking and weaving techniques were backward, and the quality and output were not as good as those of silk and linen, so it fell into disuse over time.

If cotton seeds can be found in Nanzhao and brought back to Lingnan, it should be easy to successfully cultivate them.Mr. Xu might as well give it a try when he returns to Jiangnan in the future.If cotton seeds are promoted, it will definitely benefit the country and the people. "

Xu Xuan was fascinated by what he heard, and subconsciously said: "When Xu went back, he spoke to the emperor and sent envoys to Nanzhao to ask for cotton seeds."

Zhu Xiu twitched her brows, with a half-smile.

Xu Xuan was startled, came to his senses, blushed and defended: "Xu means yes."

Zhu Xiu drank tea with a calm expression, and seemed not to have heard what Xu Xuan just said.

Xu Xuan pretended to be calm and held his hands in admiration: "Master Chu is very knowledgeable! Xu Xuan vaguely remembered the original words in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty, but he never thought of delving into it. I don't know which classic book Master Chu read these records from. ? Can I borrow some insights from Xu?"

Zhu Xiu sighed in his heart, of course he learned it from CNKI papers.

I vaguely remember that there was a female classmate with long flowing hair, and her defense topic was the research on the intangible cultural heritage of dyeing and weaving in the Jiangnan region.

In order to get close to the beautiful woman, the young and inexperienced he abandoned his subject, traveled all over the city's bookstores and libraries, and spent more than a dozen nights collecting and sorting out materials for her.

In the end, the female classmate thought the subject was too difficult, and the deputy director of the department, a bald old professor, had a shortage of candidates for his project, so he extended an olive branch to the female classmate, so she happily joined.

What's more, before graduation, the female classmate fell in love with the senior brother of the same research group.
In the end, he silently endured everything alone.

"Damn bald man!~"

To this day, Zhu Xiu is still angry when thinking about this incident and can't help but curse.

Xu Xuan looked at him in shock and touched the top of his head.

"Mr. Xu, don't get me wrong. I didn't scold you, I just thought of some unpleasant past experiences." Zhu Xiu smiled awkwardly and bowed.

"What about the relevant classics?" Xu Xuan asked cautiously.

"Oh, a few unique copies were accidentally destroyed when moving. I'm really sorry." Zhu Xiu said perfunctorily.

"Hey, it's such a pity." Xu Xuan was very sorry.

Zhu Xiu cleared his throat and concluded: "So, Wan Sheng thought that since the Jiedu government was going to vigorously promote the cultivation of straw cotton in Jingzhou, he must know the relevant situation and would never target the people without doing anything.

When farmers and merchants see the value of cotton spinning, they will spontaneously promote its cultivation.It's a pity that the Western Region has been lost, and the most natural large-scale cotton growing area is now in the hands of the Uighurs."

Xu Xuan also felt sorry for it. Just as he was about to say something, Zhu Xiu stood up suddenly, cupped his hands and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Xu, that's all we'll talk about today. See you another day."

After that, Zhu Xiu trotted out of the lobby. Xu Xuan hurriedly shouted to remind: "Master Chu, you still have to go to the back kitchen to help!"

Zhu Xiu ignored him, waved his hand and ran out of the residence. Yan Ping waved to him at the gate, as if something was urgent.

Xu Xuan sat alone and thought for a while, then got up and went upstairs to his room.

A conversation with Chu Xun made his literary thoughts active again, and many topics began to take shape.

(End of this chapter)