Chapter 12 of Volume 1: Snow in Hangzhou, Changes in Yangzhou

  Some people say that winters in the south are not cold, but it's only relatively speaking. The damp and chilly climate makes Tang Guanpian, who originally lived in a northern city, feel quite uncomfortable.

  Before long, winter has arrived, a winter destined to have many things happen.

  Chen Yunsheng took his poetry to the capital, it's unknown whether he traveled by water or land. Apparently, since Tang Kuan's talent was discovered by Tang Weixi a few days ago, even the idea of inviting Mr. Chen was thrown out of mind.

  The happiest one was Tang Guan's mother. Tang Guan clearly remembered that devastating day, which had already passed for a whole month.

  On this day, in Tang's study, as usual, two children were "playing house". Tang Guan played the role of the master, and the student was naturally Lin Yuhui.

  "Xun'er, do you know what 'yǎo yǎo shū nǚ, jūn zǐ hào jiù' means?"

  "I don't understand, but I've heard my father recite it." Lin Yuxin blinked her black gem-like eyes with a somewhat admiring gaze at Tang Guan. It turned out that in the past few days, in this game that Tang Guan called role-playing, she found that Tang Guan really understood a lot.

  "Great, how old were you when you learned to read?"

  "Five years old..."

  "Do you know how to read these few characters?" After saying that, Tang Guan picked up his pen and wrote on the paper: "Malergobi".

  This kind of posthumous simplified national scolding, Lin Yuxun had never seen before, and immediately shook his small head lightly, then tentatively said: "Is it a place name?"

  "This sentence is classical Chinese, representing the meaning of 'please be well', 'good fortune' and 'you're good'."

  "Hello?"

  "Yes, that's right, legend has it that when ancient people met each other, they would say 'Malergobi, hello'"

  Tang Guan's face was full of seriousness and solemnity, as if he had something important to say, and he was imparting his thoughts to Lin Yu Xun with an air of complete harmony.

  "Good riddle, no wonder it's changed now." Lin Yuxun actually took it seriously and even drew a few strokes with her small hand.

  Tang Guan put down his pen and couldn't help but look out the door. The Tang Mansion had high walls and a large courtyard, and he had never ventured outside since arriving here. For a moment, he actually felt the urge to go out.

  "Xun'er, is it fun outside?" she couldn't help but whisper to Lin Yuxun beside her.

  Lin Yuxun also stopped upon hearing this and remembered what his mother had said about Tang Guan being an idiot before.

  "My mother says fools can't go out and play, they will get lost"

  Tang Guan stumbled upon hearing this and asked: "Do you think I'm stupid?"

  Lin Yuxun looked at Tang Guan and shook her head slightly. Although she had heard her mother say so, after a few days of getting along with each other, she didn't think that Tang Guan was a fool, but instead felt that he always had something to say amidst his laughter and scolding.

  "Let's go out and have some fun."

  "No way, my mom said..."

  She hadn't finished speaking when Tang Guan interrupted her: "Alright, alright, your mother is always right"

  Lin Yuxun was taken aback by his sudden interruption, and upon hearing his displeased and coarse tone, her eyes instantly reddened as if she had been bullied.

  Tang Guan was startled and said: "You're not going to cry again, are you?"

  "I don't want to cry..." Lin Yuxin had indeed inherited her mother's strong personality, and upon hearing this, she even opened her mouth to retort.

  Tang Guan smiled and looked at the remaining weeds in the yard, suddenly had an idea, went out of the yard to pull down a few, then returned to the house.

  "If you don't go out, I'll make something fun for you." With that, he started making it. In his previous life, Tang Guan was poor as a child and relied on his grandfather to survive. All sorts of toys were unattainable for him, so this talent for inventing and creating was quite impressive.

  "Little Lord, what is this?" Lin Yuxin curiously gazed at the weeds that were constantly taking shape in Tang Guan's hand and asked.

  "Just look at it" Tang Guan's movements were extremely fast, and soon a grasshopper appeared before their eyes. Lin Yuheng clapped his hands excitedly and stretched out his small hand to grab it.

  Ke Tang Guan suddenly withdrew his hand, and the grasshopper disappeared instantly. Lin Yu Xun's eyes widened as he exclaimed: "Where is it? Show me!"

  "You call me brother, I'll show you"

  Lin Yuxun stopped in her tracks upon hearing the words, Lin's mother had warned her a thousand times not to get close to Tang Guan, and even their forms of address were strictly regulated, now she couldn't help but hesitate.

  "I...I won't look anymore..." Lin Yuxun became sullen again and withdrew her small hand.

  Tang Guan slightly shook his head, took out the grasshopper from his sleeve and handed it to Lin Yuhong. Lin Yuhong was overjoyed again and accepted it with a smile, reluctant to let go.

  "Real kids are so simple." Looking at Lin Yuxin's excitement over an inanimate object, Tang Guan couldn't help but sigh inwardly. He felt that he was still living too strenuously, despite having the identity of a traverser and talents that others could only look up to. However, when it came to his future prospects, he had some trepidation.

  This is an era of cold weapons, and also an era of rapid cultural development. The ancients were not foolish, they just didn't have the convenience of later generations in their daily lives, but he never thought that he could easily conquer an era.

  Just as the two of them were lost in their own thoughts, a maid rushed in hastily, "Young Master... Young Miss... Madame Lin has fainted!"

  The grasshopper fell silently to the ground, accompanied by Lin Yuxun's rapid sprinting, Tang Guan picked up the grasshopper and tucked it into his bosom, following closely behind.

  "Mother!"

  Lin Yuxun pushed open the door, and in this room where she had been living for dozens of days, there were now several more people. The Tang couple was already standing at Lin's mother's bedside, but it was unclear when they had arrived.

  An elderly doctor furrowed his brow as he gazed at Lin's mother, who was as weak as a strand of silk. Without even needing to take her pulse, he shook his head and said, "Tang Gongzi, this lady..."

  "Mother!" Lin Yuxun suddenly threw herself onto Mrs. Lin's body, which was lying with its eyes tightly closed, but she didn't feel the familiar response, and tears poured down her face like rain.

  Mrs. Tang saw this and wanted to go forward and open Lin Yuhong's arms, but was stopped by Tang Weixi.

  "Thanks for your trouble, it's not worth the respect." Tang Weixi handed over the medical expenses to the doctor. The doctor glanced at Lin Yuhuan who was crying and shook his head slightly.

  "Tang Yuanwai, Madame is still on her deathbed, you all have something to say, this old man will take his leave"

  "Take leave"

  Tang Weixi saw the doctor off with a gloomy face, and Tang Guan arrived just in time. As soon as he entered the door, he heard Lin Yuhong's sobbing sound.

  "Dad"

  "Hmm?" Tang Weixi waved his hand to signal silence, and this Lin madam finally had to leave. Tang Weixi was not a wicked person who spoke the truth, although he had some schemes, but they were not deep-seated, and he was always kind to others, otherwise he wouldn't have so many friends.

  This is also why he is not suitable for an official career, but instead returns home to do business. Tang Guan frowned and looked at Lin Yuheng, who was smiling at the grasshopper just a moment ago, but now looked miserable.

  "Mother..."

  There's a saying that when a rabbit dies, the fox grieves. When parents see their children crying out for their mother, they can't help but feel uneasy in their hearts. Everyone has to die; it's just a matter of sooner or later.

  It was unclear whether it was Lin Yu Xun's crying that had an effect or the returning light, but under the gaze of the three people, Lin Mother actually opened her eyes and looked at her daughter who was crying on top of her, slowly stretching out her hand to stroke her gently.

  Feeling a gentle touch, Lin Yuxun quickly lifted her head and looked at her mother with a rosy complexion, as if she had fallen into an illusion.

  "Xun'er..." Lin's mother didn't cry, nor did she have tears. Her husband was taken away, and she still didn't cry or shed tears. She took her daughter to flee to Tang Weixi, and still didn't cry or shed tears.

  "Mother... are you okay?" Lin Yuxun didn't understand what it meant by "returning light and reflection", but he knew his mother had woken up.

  "Xun'er, Mom is okay now, promise Mom you won't cry again, okay?"

  "Mother... I promise you... Xun Er will never cry again." Lin Yu Xun wiped away her tears and nodded in agreement, just as she always did when Mother taught her, and she would remember it firmly.

  Madam Tang couldn't help but shed tears at this, while Tang Wei Xi and Tang Guan also wore solemn expressions.

  Lin's mother comforted her daughter while saying to Tang Weixi: "Tang officer, I have a few more words to say to you, please lean in closer"

  "Please speak, madam." Tang Weixi leaned in close as Lin's mother whispered a few words in his ear. However, Tang Weixi's face suddenly changed color and he immediately said: "Madam, please rest assured."

  Mrs. Lin rushed to Tang Guan with a faint smile, and only then did she move her daughter from her bosom, stretching out her hand to gently stroke her daughter's face inch by inch.

  "Promise me, never cry again!"

  "Mother, I promise you, I promise you." Lin Yuxin nodded like a little chick pecking at grain, but suddenly found that her mother had slowly closed her eyes again, and the hand on her face also slowly fell.

  "Mother!"

  "Xun'er!" Tang Guan ignored Tang Wei's attempt to stop him, and rushed forward to pull open Lin Yuxun, but she bit his hand hard, causing him to involuntarily loosen his grip due to the pain.

  It was strange that Lin Yuxun rushed to his mother's side again, but he didn't cry. He just lay there like that. Tang Guan saw this scene and felt a inexplicable pang in her heart.

  November in Hangzhou is not a deep winter, but it snowed, which is rare, just like this year's winter is also rare.

  "Waiter, bring a pot of wine."

  "Good"

  In a small wine shop in Yangzhou, several generous young men came, among whom two sat facing each other, drinking together. One was extraordinary in demeanor and wore luxurious clothes, while the other was dressed as a scholar, but with an air of pride and arrogance between his eyebrows.

  "It's really cold this year"

  "Governor Li said, 'Yangzhou may be cold again, but it's still not as cold as Chang'an.'"

  "Haha, Brother Guāng is still so interesting"

  After finishing speaking, the two people fell silent. What's strange is that all the other guests present didn't utter a word from start to finish, only the waiter occasionally shuttled back and forth, pouring wine and tea.

  "What a coincidence, Brother! Two people like us who have fallen on hard times can actually meet here."

  "You are in your prime and have a noble surname, how can you be said to have fallen?"

  "Huh? National surname? Are you referring to Li or Wu?"

  The sound of "hiss" suddenly came from the scabbard, and a burly man under the table actually hid a knife. This person called Li Shijun's voice fell, and he subconsciously pulled it out.

  "Bang!" Li Shijun slammed his wine cup down, and the surrounding area fell silent again. However, Guan Guang seemed completely unbothered, gazing out the window.

  "The Marquis is about to ascend to the throne." After a long while, the scholar finally spoke up in a low voice.

  "Tourist brother got drunk, now is Zhongzong year, not Eastern Han"

  "Lend me your precious sword for a moment, sir."

  Li Shijun's eyelid twitched upon hearing this, and he lightly nodded towards the robust man in the adjacent seat.

  A sharp knife was stuck straight into the table.

  "Li Shijun, it's hard for a scholar like me to pull out this sword. Please, sir, would you be so kind as to help?"

  "Good! Since you have a keen interest, I'll gladly oblige!" With that, Li Shijun didn't hesitate to pull out the knife and hand it over to the scholar.

  The scholar took the knife and rolled up his sleeves, making a cut on his arm, and blood gushed out. He then cut off a piece of his robe.

  Using clothes as paper and blood as ink, he actually started writing on it.

  The Memorial to Heaven and Earth in the Case of Li Jingye

  (“Infectious Finger Seeking Recommendation Letter”, Infectious Finger also wants to write a bloody book like Robin Wang)