Pay Attention to the Changes in Shangdu
（13）
Song Li and Hu Sheng's three carriages left. They walked in the morning light, taking away the hope of the Martial King, leaving behind worry and frustration. King Wu raised his head and looked at the eastern horizon. There were several thick and large clouds reflecting the sunlight from behind the horizon. One half of the clouds showed brilliant colors, while the other half looked like a wide white-gray border. However, the multicolored light was slowly expanding. Looking at this change, the Martial King felt that his body was infected with this expanding vitality, and his spirit was lifted.
"Father." A childish voice came from behind, followed by the sound of running footsteps." Father, shall we go to the fields today? They and I have already finished the work on the seedling field yesterday.”
"Go, let's go to another place today. Are you ready?" King Wu turned around and hugged a little boy who was about five or six years old." Let's go eat first. We'll go to the field after we're done eating." Don't forget to tell mother. We'll have lunch in the fields, ah!”
"Alright, I'll be the same as Father." "Lunch in the fields," the boy said happily. I want to eat smoked venison."
"I still have to bring rice balls and crumbs." King Wu added," Quickly go and tell Mother to make preparations.”
Although it was still spring, the atmosphere of early summer was gradually approaching. The direct sunlight made her body heat up. King Wu was pulling weeds in a field. He used a stone shovel to shovel the weeds and loosen the surface of the soil at the same time. From time to time, he used his hands to pull out the weeds beside the roots of the crops. In the morning, a large area had already been cleared. At a glance, the field of seedlings that had been plucked and turned over was refreshing and gratifying, and the green seedlings stretched out. As the Martial King worked, he had to turn around to look at his son's movements.
At first, the child was very happy and worked hard, humming a song that no one could understand. When it was almost noon, the child was slowly discouraged by hunger, thirst, and fatigue. Her little face was flushed red, and beads of sweat appeared on it. She wiped the sweat away with her hand, and the wet patch on her forehead was also stained with mud. Her little red face immediately turned into a small spotted face, red with gray, and she showed a funny expression as she giggled.
Seeing Song's expression, Wu Zhenzhen smiled and said with concern,""My son, come here quickly. I'll help you wipe your sweat.”
When he heard it, he shouted and ran over.
King Wu took out a linen towel and gently wiped Song's face.""Don't use your muddy hands to wipe your face. Here, wipe it with your sleeve.”As he spoke, he made a demonstration. "Did you see it clearly? Remember that."
Song looked at him and pouted." Father, I'm hungry."”He raised his head and looked pleadingly at the Martial King.
King Wu looked at the sun above his head and said,""Alright, let's go eat under that big tree.”Martial King pointed to the roadside not far from here and said.
Song put down the small stone shovel in his hand and ran toward the main road at the foot of the hill. King Wu picked up Song's stone shovel and followed him down the hill.
"My son, you eat." King Wu passed Song a piece of venison that he had roasted in the morning, then picked up a crumpled cake and started eating.
Song chewed and swallowed the venison, the corners of his mouth filled with grease, and his face stretched out with a childish smile. When he saw his father eating the cake, he put down the venison in his hand and said,"I also want to eat the cake." He reached out and grabbed the cake.
King Wu broke off a piece and recited it.
Song took it and stuffed it into his mouth. In a moment, he grabbed it tightly. His mouth was small and big. A small piece of rice ball was squeezed and fell to the ground. He took a look and continued to bite the cake in his hand.
The Martial King silently picked up the pieces of debris on the ground and blew on them. He brushed off the mud on them and threw them into his mouth before continuing to eat.
King Wu muttered to himself as he ate," This year might be another bumper harvest year. The weather is so suitable and the crops are growing so well. I'm really happy.”
"I'm not happy." After hearing his father's words, she pouted and said indignantly,"Look, the sun is burning my back. I'm very tired. If only I could hide the sun.”He naively imagined. Suddenly, as if he had thought of something, he asked,"I heard Uncle Zhou tell the story of Houyi shooting down the sun. Why did Houyi keep this sun?”
"We can't do without the sun."
"Then keep half of it. It won't be so hot.”
"Children don't understand reason. How can we keep half of the sun?”
"Then…" "Then…why is there half a moon?"”
"Erm…" King Wu was stunned for a moment. The naive and curious thoughts of a child and the seemingly young question really made it difficult for an adult to answer. He paused for a moment before saying,"The sun is different from the moon. The moon only comes out at night. The sun can only come out in broad daylight."
"Then don't bother with the sun in broad daylight.”
King Wu smiled." Without the sun, the earth would change. There would be no day. If the crops couldn't grow, what would people eat? How could they survive?”King Wu guided them and said," Only when there are geniuses can there be land. Only when there is land can there be crops and people. People worked hard to survive. The sun was scorching, and labor was really tiring. This could only mean that the food in their mouths was not easy to obtain. Every grain was exchanged for with sweat.”He paused for a moment and patted Song's head." Remember, the people feed on the sky, and the country is based on agriculture. Only by working hard and living frugally could they become rich and make the people rich and the country strong.”The Martial King changed his tone and said in a serious tone,""You are a prince today. In the future, you will inherit the throne and govern the country. Now, he had to train hard and develop the habit of being hardworking and not afraid of hardship. There was a reward for hard work, just like the food for making cakes. It was the harvest of a year of hard work.”
"Father, I will remember your words and work hard.”
"As part of the Wang Clan, we must set an example and be strict with ourselves. We must not be afraid of hardship and fatigue. This is the most basic requirement for governing a country well.”King Wu continued," You have to study hard and increase your knowledge before you can govern the country well. You will understand these principles when you grow up.”He touched Song's back and neck." The sun is tanned. You will know my father's painstaking efforts in the future.”He handed over a small piece of cake.
"Hello!" A car stopped in the middle of the road. A person in the car greeted the Martial King under the tree,""It's a Martial King. Why are there only you and your son?”As he spoke, he looked around before getting out of the car and walking over.
King Wu looked at Chong Su and said happily,""They're all in the mountain valley over there. They'll only come over in the afternoon.”King Wu pointed down the mountain." Master Farmer, why are you in such a hurry?"”
"Situ told me to quickly go to my village to take a look. The seedlings there have all turned yellow. No one knows the reason, but I happened to pass by.”The farmer answered. He took two mouthfuls of water from the bowl of water handed over by King Wu. When he put down the bowl, he saw that Song was about to drink water and hurriedly said,"I brought milk and water. Hey, bring me my pot.”He called the coachman. The coachman ran over with a pot and poured a bowl for her. The farmer said,"Prince, you're so young, but you're already working in the fields. It's really not easy."”
"Father taught me to work hard and endure hardships. I have to master the knowledge of farming in order to have a future. I want to be such a person in the future.”Song forced himself to finish the milk and wiped his mouth."Thank you, Master Farmer."
"How sensible. It's Zhou Country's honor to have such a descendant.”The farmer praised.
Song smiled proudly.
"Children shouldn't be praised. Otherwise, their tails will be stuck in the sky.”King Wu smiled." Don't speak too highly of him. It's better to discipline him more strictly." Master Farmer, you have to spend more effort to teach him in the future and let him know how to farm.”
"I will. You can come and teach me anytime. The Martial King was so busy that he couldn't forget to educate the next generation. In my opinion, the spring plowing is over and the farming is light and idle. From tomorrow onwards, let me take care of him. King Wu, please rest assured and focus on managing the country.”The farmer happily requested to take on this task, saying,""My master often taught us that we must be good at self-growth and also good at teaching others to spread knowledge. We must spread knowledge and let the people of the country implement it. Only then can the country prosper.”
"It's really a strict teacher that produces outstanding disciples. Thanks to your teacher's help, our Zhou Country was able to become a rich agricultural country as soon as possible. Father often praised your master when he was alive.”King Wu said to Chong Su and sighed with emotion.
Chong Su inherited his master's position and also became a farmer in Zhou Country. His master was an old farmer hired by King Wen when he went to the West Mountain. King Wu and Chong Su recalled the achievements of their predecessors and chatted happily.
Nong Shi and the others drank enough milk and got up to leave, saying,"The crops on Martial King's land are growing very well. If all the fields in the world could be like this, then the granaries would not be enough. I'll go to my village first, then go to Anji. There's a canal being built there, so I won't be able to go far. If I have time, I'll come back here in the evening.”"King Wu, you didn't come by carriage?" he asked.”
"No, I walked."
"Ah, Duyi is at least five miles away from here. That prince is too young.”The farmer was surprised." Wait for me to pick you up when you go back."”
"No need. They will be here soon. We'll take their car back in the afternoon.”King Wu hurriedly declined.
"Royal Father said that this can train my leg strength.”Song interjected.
"Martial King, with a wise ruler like you and a clever prince like Song, why should we worry about our Zhou Country not being strong?”
After noon, the sun began to move westward. The Martial King brought Song Gan with him again.
Zhou Gongdan brought a group of servants over. The crops in front of the mountain and behind the mountain had been cleared of grass. The seedlings stood upright under the sun, revealing the lush green.
Then, King Wu brought everyone to the dry fields at the highest point to water the crops. The water came from a small stream in the valley. Each of them was toiling up and down with a large jar of water, ready to finish the task before sunset, and then move to another plot of land the next day.
The Martial King followed behind Song and looked after him.
Chanting also carried water from a small earthen jar, holding the ledges on either side with both hands, and trotted along in small, cheerful steps behind the procession of servants, bouncing and shaking, so that water often splashed and spilled onto the ground.
" Hohi, hohi," everyone shouted in unison as they carried the water up the hill. There were traces of water on the road. When he stepped on it, the surface of the road became very slippery, and the soles of his feet often brought up lumps of wet mud.
When Song was climbing a small steep slope, his toes slipped and his small hand loosened. The pottery jar that he did not hold tightly rolled toward the slope behind him. Finally, when it rolled to the flat ground, it hit a stone and exploded.
When King Wu saw Song's body tilt, he quickly freed a hand to support him and reminded him,""Be careful." However, it was too late. He only managed to grab hold of Song, but the earthen jar had already rolled away.
When Song saw that the earthen jar was broken, he opened his eyes in shock. He looked at the broken earthen jar and then looked up at King Wu. He was flustered.
"If it's broken, then don't want it. He had to be careful next time. You should rest today. Don't carry water. We'll come back to pick you up later." King Wu pointed at a flat ground by the roadside at the foot of the hill and said,""Wait there for a moment. I'll send this jar of water up and down.”The Martial King kicked the wet steep slope with the tip of his foot, creating a small step. Then, he stepped on it and continued climbing.
Song hesitated for a moment before climbing up as well. Without the burden on his hands, he could easily hold it steady when he got up.
The Martial King looked back and did not say anything. He quietly chased after the people in front of him.
There was only a small piece of land left. Today, he could go home before sunset. King Wu looked at the scene of everyone happily carrying water up and down the mountain, then looked at the setting sun in the west, and a smile appeared on his face. He brought Song down the hill. In the Zhou Country, starting from King Wen, the king set an example and led his family to participate in arduous production labor. All the people in the country followed suit. In this way, from the king to the servants, everyone was working hard and doing their part. They were very enthusiastic and excited. This tradition was inherited by the Martial King. He asked the next generation to follow suit. As a prince, King Wu felt that the responsibility of nurturing him was even greater. Whenever he was engaged in production or hunting, he would often bring chanting with him to inspire and teach him everything. A seven-year-old child couldn't carry much water, but King Wu still asked Song to join the ranks of carrying water. The purpose was to let Song get some practice. Song accidentally threw away the terrine, afraid that his father would blame him, and his heart was always uneasy. King Wu saw this and did not blame Song. After a day of hard work, Song was also very tired. As King Wu walked, he encouraged them,""If you want to train your muscles and bones, you have to be strong and endure hardships…”
At this moment, a carriage came rushing up from the road at the foot of the hill. The sound of hooves was like a heart-wrenching sound. It became louder and faster until it reached the foot of the hill. This attracted the attention of the Martial King. King Wu stopped talking and looked in the direction of the voice. He saw the car suddenly stop. The car didn't stop steadily, and Zhao Gongshuang jumped down. As he ran up the mountain, he shouted anxiously,"Big brother, hurry, the merchant envoy is here. Hurry, hurry back." He panted as he shouted," Big Brother, the Shang envoy is here. He's still ten miles away from the capital. He's only about five miles away now." Go back quickly. I've already sent someone to inform Uncle Guan and Uncle Cai. Your place is the furthest. I came all the way here. Hurry, let's go."
Zhou Gongdan also saw Zhao Gongshuang rushing up the hill. He guessed that there might be something urgent and rushed to King Wu's side. When he heard what Duke Zhao said, he said,""Big brother, I really didn't expect to come so quickly. It was estimated that it would take another two days. Big brother, hurry up and go back." The Duke of Zhou turned around and told his servants to prepare horses and chariots. When everyone heard this, they quickly ran away to prepare.
"It's too late, big brother." Zhao Gongshuang quickly interjected to remind the King Wu who was thinking,""Big Brother, there's a ready-made car. Hurry up and get in. If you wait any longer, you might be a step late.”He urged King Wu to leave while shouting at Duke Dan of Zhou,""Fourth Brother, you should come with us. Hurry up.”
"I'm leaving." King Wu recited the incantation and ran down the mountain.
Zhou Gongdan quickly instructed the servants beside him," Pack up and hurry back. We'll be leaving first." As he spoke, the Duke of Zhou also ran down the hill and caught up to the Martial King.
The few of them ran down the mountain at a hurried pace. As soon as Zhao Gongshuang squeezed to the driver's seat, he urged,"Hurry up, I'm afraid it's too late. It's more important to delay things. Hurry up." He ordered the coachman to start regardless of whether the person who climbed into the car was seated or not. The four horses started galloping. The wheels of the carriage bounced up and swayed on the uneven road, causing the carriage to tremble violently.
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