My father is Jiajing

Chapter 119: Common People's Expectations

The urgent battle report from Datong six hundred miles away is actually a secret that cannot be hidden.

Even if ordinary people do not know the specific content of the battle report, the tense atmosphere brought about by the 600-mile rush will still attract their attention.

"Do you know? Last night there was an express train for six hundred miles to the capital, and he was shouting and screaming all the way."

In the early morning, the common people who heard the urgent war report arriving in Beijing from six hundred miles away gathered at a breakfast spot and talked about the "international events" they knew about.

"No, I just heard a few muffled thunders last night. This damn weather is really hot. Besides, the urgent military report happens every year. I guess it's just a lot of thunder but little rain. I'm used to it. As long as it doesn't affect the lives of ordinary people like us, it's fine."

One of them picked up a bowl of soy milk and took a sip. He couldn't help but complain about the weather and talked about his own cognitive concepts.

"Haha, it's not easy for a deaf person like you to hear thunder."

Another person on the side started teasing his friend next to him.

"Oh, I don't know what happened. I guess it's another Tatar invasion."

An "old scholar" wearing a Confucian robe that had been washed so much that it turned white could not help but utter such a sigh.

The things that intellectuals care about are different from those of ordinary people, but that's all.

Just like this old scholar who insisted on wearing a Confucian robe, in fact he didn't even have the title of a student. I don't know whether the admission line of the capital during the Ming Dynasty was too high, or the ancient imperial examination was too fair and impartial, and didn't even give face to the "Beijing Master", so that this guy wasted decades and still remained a commoner, and could only wear a Confucian robe to comfort himself.

If this happened five hundred years later, as long as this "old scholar" was serious about learning, given his household registration, he would not be able to get into a top-tier university, but would still be able to get into an ordinary university. Unfortunately, this was the Ming Dynasty, and there was no special care for local people just because of their geographical location.

"Old scholar, don't worry about these things. If there is any problem, it will be the officials who worry about it. We should just live our own lives in peace. I don't know why Shunyi is recruiting again. A distant cousin of mine in Shunyi is working there now. He earns two or three taels of silver every month and has days off. He is really enviable!"

The young man who was called the deaf man, wearing a very appropriate shorts, took another sip of soy milk and a bite of fried cake, and told the story of his lucky distant cousin with envy.

"I've heard your cousin's stories so many times that my ears are almost callused. I've always heard you bragging that he could recommend you to Shunyi, but you've never been to Shunyi. You just work as a servant and odd job with us every day."

A friend at the side couldn't help but expose the shortcomings of his old friend. The few of them ate breakfast while chatting about trivial matters. Although they mentioned the 600-mile express journey last night, what they cared about most was their current life and expectations, and they didn't really focus on the so-called national affairs.

Prince Yu's Mansion.

Zhu Zaigui naturally heard the lightning and thunder last night, but as a young man without much mental or life pressure, Zhu Zaigui had a very good sleep quality. Although there were a few loud thunderclaps, they did not disturb Zhu Zaigui's sleep.

Early the next morning, Zhu Zaigui got up before sunrise as usual. Taking advantage of the gray morning light and the guidance of the morning star, he practiced the "Xiantian Gong" fitness method in his own courtyard. He did not stop until the sun broke through the clouds, cast the first ray of sunshine, and reflected the first ray of so-called "purple air" born when the sun and the moon cycled. Only then did he stop and let out a long breath of the turbid air that had accumulated in his chest all night.

As for the so-called purple air, Taoists believe that it is the first life force of the sun and moon cycle between heaven and earth. However, Zhu Zaigui, who has a certain scientific literacy, knows very well that the so-called purple air is just the moment when the sun rises. The sunlight shines on the clouds, which produces a little optical effect, causing the original white sunlight to change a little bit. It is nothing great. However, cultural things are a kind of artistic experience. Since culture has endowed this shallow and short-lived purple light with such cultural heritage, Zhu Zaigui will naturally not show off his knowledge reserves and tell people that "the purple air coming from the east is just the light refraction effect".

After all, culture also needs to be classy and mysterious. There are countless civilizations in the world, which one does not have its own creation myth and way of self-cultivation?
Therefore, even though Zhu Zaigui knew that the Purple Air Coming from the East was just an ordinary natural phenomenon, he spiritually elevated this natural phenomenon to the level of cultural enjoyment.

Otherwise, wouldn't life be too boring?

"Prepare some water. I need to take a bath and change my clothes."

When summer came, Zhu Zaigui bathed more frequently. Otherwise, after a round of activities, he would be covered in sweat, which was really uncomfortable.

Fortunately, Zhu Zaigui traveled through time to a pampered royal family. Even when the weather was hot, Zhu Zaigui could enjoy the summer heat that ordinary people could not.

An ice jar filled with ice cubes was used to cool the house he lived in 24 hours a day. At the same time, there were also hardworking eunuchs who took turns to turn a small wooden human-powered fan in the room. It was truly corrupt.

But there is nothing we can do, this is life. Some people are born to be superior to others, while others are born to be worked like slaves.

And those who are destined to work like oxen and horses, if they are unfortunate enough to read a few books and gain some knowledge, but cannot change their own fate, their torment will naturally become double. Not only will their bodies be like oxen and horses, but their hearts will not be free either.

Of course, if you can recognize your own value and status and accept your fate in the process of working like a slave, you may feel a certain degree of psychological relief, but it is only to a certain extent. It does not mean that you can see through and let go of all the suffering.

You have to know that even a great sage like Confucius had a temper. Therefore, once a person has an understanding that transcends his status, even if he tries hard to reconcile with himself later in life, it is nothing more than a long-term self-hypnosis and psychological compromise.

People who have compromised to a certain level can also be called gentlemen, hermits, sages, or saints based on their understanding of everything in the world.

It can be said that this difficult, struggling, letting go, and liberation process unintentionally constitutes the world and the various aspects of life.

So sometimes, Zhu Zaigui would be so bored that he would think about his life, his ideals, and what kind of person he wanted to be like these people.

However, compared with those who have experienced hardships in life, Zhu Zaigui's thinking is still relatively lucky. At least he can really have the fantasy of having no worries about food and clothing. Those who can't even control their own food and clothing and their own destiny have to experience their own hardships in life while struggling for self-comfort. The process must also be difficult and painful.

Of course, if you succeed, you can also achieve success and become a great sage for a time or forever.

Therefore, the rules of this world are still a little fair, but unfortunately not everyone can achieve the price of this fairness. Therefore, most people live their lives according to instinct. Only a few people can see the existence of this fairness, but it is extremely difficult to obtain it.

Therefore, looking throughout the east, west, south, north and center, over the past five thousand years, there are only a handful of people who can be called sages or saints.

(End of this chapter)