Chapter 18: Jiang Taigong Fishing
"Boy, this is your turn, right?"
After walking out of the shop for a long time, Zhu Hao was thinking about something when Mr. Lu in front of him suddenly stopped.
Zhu Hao met Mr. Lu's scrutinizing gaze and pretended to be confused: "What do you mean, Mr. Lu?"
Mr. Lu said, "Do you think I can't see it? In fact, you know more than just a few characters. You should have learned the Thousand Character Classic, right? Is there an expert guiding you behind the scenes, but your mother doesn't know?"
Naked temptation!
Zhu Hao came to his senses and realized that the old man had no good intentions in accepting him as his disciple yesterday. He put on a carefree look and said, "I have a good family background, but that doesn't mean I have the opportunity to study. What do you mean by a master guiding me behind the scenes... I have no idea what you are talking about. Oh, right? Aren't you fishing? Where are the fishing rods and bait?"
"Jiang Taigong fishing..."
Mr. Lu stopped talking right after he started talking and kept shaking his head.
Zhu Hao laughed loudly: "Jiang Taigong fishes without a fishing rod? Or without bait? Don't take advantage of my young age and use some non-existent allusions to deceive people."
Mr. Lu sighed leisurely: "Jiang Taigong fishes and those who are willing to take the bait will be caught. You don't even know this. It seems that you really haven't been exposed to too profound knowledge."
Are you trying to provoke me?
Well, you succeeded.
Zhu Hao nodded seriously, "I have never been enlightened, how can I have such profound knowledge? Mr. Lu, aren't you going to teach me? Are you going to teach Jiang Taigong how to fish? What kind of fish are you fishing for? Are you going to fish in the river in front of Prince Xing's mansion?"
Mr. Lu originally looked relaxed, but when he heard this series of questions, his smile froze instantly.
"Don't misunderstand me, Mr. Lu. I was just talking. There happens to be a river near the palace..." Zhu Hao tried to explain himself.
Mr. Lu's expression turned cautious.
He had been on guard against Zhu Hao before. Just as he let go of his worries, his nerves tensed up again, fearing that Zhu Hao could really understand what he meant.
"Is there a river near Prince Xing's Palace? If so, let's go there and try. Buy fishing rods from the market. I'll pay for them. You get one and I get one. We can go fishing together, master and disciple."
Mr. Lu was very generous and gave Zhu Hao a fishing rod as soon as he asked.
These days, it is not easy to buy a complete set of fishing gear at the market. After asking around for a long time at the flower and bird market, Zhu Hao finally bought a fishhook from an old blacksmith. Then he found two dead bamboos lying on the ground in the bamboo forest by the river and made a simple fishing rod. Since he couldn't buy fishing line, he used ordinary silk thread instead.
After a busy day, I arrived at the river and realized that I had forgotten to buy bait.
Zhu Hao shook his head and sighed, "I didn't believe it at first, but now it seems like Jiang Taigong is fishing. It just depends on whether there are any stupid fish willing to take the bait!"
…
…
It is said to be the beginning of learning.
As a result, it became a fishing trip for two people, old and young.
Mr. Lu was in a good mood. He threw the fishing hook into the river, sat down cross-legged, closed his eyes, shook his head leisurely, and hummed an unknown tune.
Zhu Hao sat down and frowned, worried that his plan to sell rabbits would not be able to proceed.
"You can't catch any fish with an empty hook like this... Well, I'd better go dig up some earthworms to use as bait. If Mr. Lu doesn't want to do it, I'll do it."
As he spoke, Zhu Hao rolled up his sleeves and pretended to dig earthworms with his bare hands.
Mr. Lu glanced at Zhu Hao and said, "That's not necessary. Fishing is all about your state of mind. There's no point in being anxious. Whether or not you use bait is not the key to fishing success."
Zhu Hao put his fishing rod aside and said with a bit of sarcasm, "You want to be like Jiang Taigong and fish for the Xingwang Mansion? Why don't you just go fishing inside the gate? There is a man-made river there... Isn't it more pleasant to fish on the Jinshui Bridge than here?"
The layouts of the royal palaces are similar. Basically, a gate is built in front of the main gate, and an artificial river is dug behind the gate. There are three bridges on the river. It is not like the real Jinshui River, but it is just for good luck. It is equivalent to a smaller version of the imperial palace.
Mr. Lu smiled and said, "I said you know more than ordinary children. You even know about Jinshui River. It seems that someone really taught you secretly. Wait, someone will come later."
Is anyone coming?
Zhu Hao was surprised.
Going to the stream beside Prince Xing's Mansion to fish was his sudden suggestion. The old man did not send anyone to inform others. Could it be that someone really took the bait?
…
…
Waited for a long time.
After the Chen hour, and two quarters after the Si hour, the person Mr. Lu was waiting for finally arrived. He came out from the side door of Prince Xing's Mansion, wearing a scholar's shirt, like a teacher's attire.
What Zhu Hao didn't expect was that this person was actually accompanied by a child of seven or eight years old, who was about the same age as himself.
Zhu Hao was full of surprise.
I was planning to try my luck by selling the rabbit, but I never thought that because of this old man of unknown origin, I would skip the step of waiting for the rabbit?
Is this a case of a blind cat catching a dead mouse?
"Brother is here indeed."
The visitor was about the same age as Mr. Lu, but he did not address Mr. Lu by his last name or first name. Originally, Zhu Hao hoped to find out about Mr. Lu's background from the instructor in the palace.
Who knew that the other party was worldly-wise and saw through everything without saying it out loud.
Mr. Lu stood up, brushed the dirt off his butt, and greeted him with a smile: "Gongyan, how are you?"
The other person was very emotional, and his eyes didn't look like he was looking at a friend, but more like...
Found a treasure! ?
"I am guilty of neglecting you, brother. I am guilty! If I knew you were coming to Anlu, I would have made a bed for you... Why don't we have a drink together at my house and exchange our thoughts on calligraphy and painting?"
This "public statement" is very enthusiastic.
Zhu Hao was so enthusiastic that he felt that this person had ulterior motives and couldn't help but feel sorry for Mr. Lu.
You don't want to be cheated of your treasures when you first arrive.
But then I thought, this old man has fallen to the miserable state of being drunk and sleeping on the streets in a foreign country, what good things is there in him that is worth being remembered?
Mr. Lu smiled and said, "No need. I have visited many old friends in Anlu the past few days. Maybe I will leave Huguang in a few days."
Gong Yan said: "You come to my hometown, if you can't even fulfill the basic courtesy of host and guest, won't you be branded as a neglectful guest? Why don't you find a place and let me host you..."
The two of them had a lively conversation.
Zhu Hao was also looking at the child at this time. He saw that he was wearing a bright brocade robe, a golden crown on his head, with red lips and white teeth, and a face as handsome as jade. What a handsome young man. He really wanted to know if this boy was Zhu Houcong, the Prince of Xiaoxing?
Apparently...
I have no idea. No one knows whether it is true or not. I can’t just ask directly.
But seeing as the other party didn't even bring a servant with him, the possibility that it was Zhu Houcong was very low. Would Prince Xing be so confident in letting his son come out with a teacher in the mansion?
The young man opened his big black eyes, his gaze as deep as water, and it was obvious that he was not an ordinary person. When he found that Zhu Hao was looking at him, he glared at Zhu Hao fiercely, as if issuing a warning.
"Brother, where are you staying?"
Gongyan is very concerned about Mr. Lu's affairs.
Mr. Lu replied, "I live in the Tianxiang Inn in the east of the city. I met a kid who is quite talented. I want to take him as my disciple."
The topic was finally moved away from the stage , and Zhu Hao finally had some sense of presence.
Gong Yan glanced at Zhu Hao and asked in surprise, "Brother, are you going to accept a disciple? This boy has a handsome appearance and looks like he will definitely be something extraordinary in the future."
Fuck you!
Can't you tell me his last name? Or just say his name? Brothers, you know him, but I don't. He knows that I am a descendant of a royal family of Jinyiwei, but he still wants to accept me as his disciple. Although it is just a title, he has ulterior motives. Is this a conspiracy against me?
"Brother, there is something I want to talk to you about alone. May I have the time to chat with you?"
Gong Yan might really be afraid of leaking some secrets, so he actually pulled Mr. Lu aside to talk.
Mr. Lu looked at Zhu Hao and nodded slightly, then the two of them walked towards a tea stall not far away.
…
…
“Are you fishing?”
After Mr. Lu and the guy with the courtesy name Gongyan left temporarily, the boy felt a little bored. After looking around and finding nothing interesting, he took the initiative to ask Zhu Hao.
The voice is childish.
Zhu Hao acted like a fishing expert, deliberately arousing the other party's curiosity: "Of course, there is a fishing rod and a fish hook, do I need to explain it?"
The young man curled his lips in disdain: "Although there is a fishing rod and a fish hook, but no bait, how can you fish?"
Zhu Hao said: "Have you heard of Jiang Taigong fishing? Jiang Taigong fishes for those who are willing to take the bait. Fishing is all about the state of mind. There is no use in being anxious. Bait is not the key to successful fishing."
This statement is basically a paraphrase of Mr. Lu's pretentious remarks just now.
"Tsk, are you still fishing like Jiang Taigong? I've never seen anyone catch fish from this river... How can there be fish in such shallow water?"
The boy spoke with disdain, but his eyes rolled around, as if he was very concerned about whether there were really fish in this artificial canal.
This is exactly the playful nature that children should have.
Just when Zhu Hao was about to say something, someone approached this side. It was not Mr. Lu and Gong Yan, but a guard from Prince Xing's Palace. He was tall and burly, and very intimidating.
"Sir, why are you here? There are all kinds of people here, go home early."
"It's okay. Instructor Sui and I are out for a walk. It's okay. You can go back now."
The tone of his voice was that of the young master of Prince Xing's Mansion.
The guard looked at Zhu Hao with a vigilant look. Seeing this, "Gong Yan" in the distance hurriedly brought Mr. Lu back, saluted the guard first, and then pulled him aside to talk.
It seems that this person likes to gossip about others behind their backs and never in front of others.
After Mr. Lu came back, he looked at the boy with the golden crown with a smile, and the boy also stared at Mr. Lu with curiosity.
After a while, the young man shook his head in disappointment and said, "I heard from the teacher that you are very talented, especially in poetry and painting, which can be said to be the best in the world, but looking at your appearance, you seem ordinary."
The best poetry and painting of the time?
Zhu Hao's heart skipped a beat.
The child is outspoken and not as cunning as the old man. After a long time, he only said "brother" without revealing any identity information.
There are many people in this world who are good at poetry and painting, but if we talk about the real number one in the world...that person is definitely Tang Bohu.
That is an evaluation from later generations, which can be said to be a posthumous honor for Mr. Tang. If it were today, even if he were famous, he could not be called "the best in the world."
Zhu Hao couldn't help but turn his gaze to Mr. Lu again.
Fragments of memories emerged in my mind...
Mr. Lu claimed that he was going to Jiangxi and could only stay in Anlu for a while. But in history, didn't Tang Yin go to Jiangxi in the ninth year of Zhengde and join the army of Prince Ning, and then pretended to be crazy and escaped the following year?
Mr. Lu smiled and said, "Your teacher is overpraising me. I am just an ordinary person. As you said, I am indeed ordinary."
Zhu Hao felt that the old man was not modest. If he was really Tang Yin, or a famous calligrapher and painter of the time, how could he fall into such a miserable state of being drunk and sleeping in a foreign land without knowing the way home? And he happened to be met by my mother? Do you think I would believe such a coincidence? Besides, Zhu Hao did not find any records of Tang Yin's visit to Huguang from his previous life's memory.
Logically speaking, for a person like Tang Yin who has left his name in history, even if he was down and out, it would be easy for him to leave a reputation wherever he went, be recorded in local annals or county annals, and pass down a good story... It is impossible for him to come to Anlu, a place where the dragon hides in the dark, and not cause any waves!
Not long after, Gong Yan came back after sending away the guards from the palace.
"Brother, let me suggest this. When I return, I will contact the local scholars in Anlu and choose a place to hold a banquet to welcome you and show my hospitality... First, I will tell my friends where you are staying so that they can visit me."
Originally, Zhu Hao thought that Mr. Lu could not be a celebrity.
But looking at Gongyan's cautious attitude, he indeed regards Mr. Lu as a famous figure of the time.
Mr. Lu had no intention of dealing with the hypocritical courtesy of the Vanity Fair, and shook his head and said, "Today's meeting is just a coincidence, so it's not appropriate to make a fuss. As for the banquet... I won't go. If you are interested, I will be waiting for you at the inn. Just prepare your painting and ink when you come."
