When June, the inner room steam, fortunate to live in the Canglang Pavilion, Irene residence west of the wall.

Banqiao within a Xuan River, the name is "I take", take the "Qing Si Maundy, turbid Si Maundy feet" meaning also. In front of the eaves of an old tree, thick shade over the window, people are green, across the river swimmers to and fro.

This is also the place where my father, Mr. Caofeng, held his curtains and feasted with his guests.

Requesting my mother to bring Yun to spend the summer here. Because of the summer strike embroidery, all day long with the Yu classroom book discussing ancient times, tasting the moon to assess the flowers only. I'm not a good drinker, but I'm a strong drinker, so I'll teach you how to shoot a cover. I'm not sure how much I'm going to be able to do this, but I'm sure I'll be able to make it work.

Then in June, indoor heat like steam. Fortunately, living in the Canglang Pavilion Irene residence next door to the West House.

Banqiao inside a room in front of the water, called "I take", named after the meaning of "clear Maundy, turbid Maundy". In front of the eaves there is an old tree, the shade of which covers the windows and shades people's faces into green, and there is a constant flow of visitors from the other side of the river.

This was the place where my father, Lord Cropwood, feasted behind closed doors.

After consulting my mother, I brought Yun here to spend the summer. I stopped embroidering because of the heat, and spent the day with me, discussing ancient times and the moon and flowers. Yun is not good at drinking wine, barely able to drink three cups, I will teach her the ancient shooting order to help. I think the joy of the world will not be more than this scene, right?

Yuniang on Poetry

One day, Yun asked, "All kinds of ancient literature, Zong what is?"

Yu said: "State policy", "South China" to take its spirit of fast, Kuang Heng, Liu Xiang to take its elegant and healthy, Shi Qian, Ban Gu to take its broad, Changli to take its muddy, Liuzhou to take its craggy, Luling to take its dang, three Su to take its defense, if he is Jia, Dong Cai, Yu, Xu fusion, Lu Zhi Zuozhi, to take the capital can not be fully cited in the person's wisdom and comprehension of the ear."

The Yun said: "the whole of the ancient knowledge of high gas male, women learn that it is difficult to get into, only one of the poem, I have a little understanding of the ear."

Yu said: "Tang Poetry to take the scholar, and the poem of the Sons of the craftsman will push Li, Du, Qing love Zong who?"

Yunfa said: "Du poetry is refined and pure, Li poetry is unrestrained. Instead of learning Du's strict, why not learn Li's lively."

Yu said: "Gongbu for the poets of the great, scholars more Zong, the Secretary only take Li, why?"

Yun said: "The meter is strict, the words of the old when, Cheng Du is unique. But Lee's poem is like the Gushue fairy, there is a kind of interest in the flowers and water, it is lovely. It is not that Du is inferior to Li, but the concubine's private heart is shallow, love Li heart deep."

Yu laughed and said: "I did not expect Chen Shuzhen is Li Qinglian confidant."

Yun smiled and said, "I still have an enlightened teacher, Mr. Bailotian, when I feel in my heart, I have not been slightly released."

Yu said: "What is also?"

Yun said: "He is not the "Pipa Xing"?"

Yu laughed and said, "Different! Li Taibai is a confidant, Bai Le Tian is an enlightened teacher, the word 'three white', the son-in-law of the Secretary, the Secretary and the word 'white' how it is destined?"

The Yun laughed and said, "White word has a destiny, the future fear of white word even ear." Wu Yin called the other word for the word white.

They laughed with each other.

Yu said, "If you know poetry, you should also know the abandonment of fugue."

Yun Ri: "Chu Rhetoric" as the ancestor of the fugue, concubine shallow understanding. On the Han and Jin people in the tone of high language refining, seems to realize that Xiangru is the most."

Yu said in a play: "the day of Wenjun from Changqing, or not in the piano and in this?"

Repeatedly, they laughed and left.

One day, Yun asked me, "Which one of the various ancient texts should I learn from?"

I replied: "The Strategies of the Warring States, the South China Scriptures for its lightness and wit, Kuang Heng, Liu Xiang for its elegance and robustness, Sima Qian, Ban Gu for its grandeur and broadness, Han Yu for its richness, Liu Zongyuan for its craggy, Ouyang Xiu for its tumble, the three Su for the eloquence of the other, such as JIA Yi, DONG Zhongshu's strategy, YU Xin, Xuling's ekphrastic article, Lu Zhi's argumentation, it is difficult to learn from the place. The other things, such as Jia Yi, Dong Zhongshu, Yu Xin, Xu Ling, Lu Zhi's essay on the discussion, it is difficult to learn from the place in detail, all lies in their own wisdom and comprehension."

The Yun said: "The ancients of the article is all in the knowledge of the high and wonderful, the planning of the magnificent. I am afraid it is difficult for a woman to learn it. Only the matter of writing poetry, I still have a little bit of understanding."

I said, "In the Tang Dynasty, poetry was used to discover talents. And the patriarchs who wrote poems were inevitably first Li Bai and Du Fu. Which one do you like to study?"

Rue argued, "Du Fu's poetry is refined and pure, while Li Bai's poetry is dashing and unrestrained. Instead of learning from Du Fu's moroseness, why don't you learn from Li Bai's liveliness?"

I said, "Du Gongbu is the master of poetry, and most people who study poetry follow his example. Yet you take Li Bai alone, why?"

Rue replied, "The strict meter and the old meaning of words are of course what Du Fu is good at. But Li Bai's poems are like defying the nymphs on Gushu Mountain, with a kind of elegance of falling flowers and flowing water, which makes people's hearts adore them. It's not that Du Fu is inferior to Li Bai, but it's just that my inner teacher of Du Fu's mind is shallow, and I love Li Bai's mind is deep."

I smiled and said, "I really did not expect Chen Shuzhen or Li Qinglian's confidant."

Yun smiled and replied, "I also have an enlightened teacher, Mr. Bai Le Tian. From time to time, I feel it in my heart and never dare to forget it."

I asked, "What does that mean?"

Rue replied, "Wasn't he the one who wrote Pipa Xing?"

I laughed, "That's amazing! Li Taibai was your confidant, Zi Le Tian was your enlightened teacher, and I happen to be the character San Zi, your husband. What an affinity you have with the word 'Bai'!"

Yun laughed: "and 'white' word has a destiny, in the future I am afraid that the word white even ah." In the Wu language, the misspelled word is pronounced as white.

The two laughed out loud in unison.

I said, "Since you know so much about poetry, you also know the advantages and disadvantages of fugue take, right?"

Rue said, "The Chu Rhetoric is the source of Fu, and it is quite difficult for me to understand it with my shallow knowledge. In terms of the Han and Jin people alone, those with high and ancient style and refined language seem to think that Sima Xiangru is the best."

I joked, "When Zhuo Wenjun eloped with Sima Xiangru, perhaps it was not because of his qin skills but because of his writing?"

The two laughed together again.

Respect for each other

Yu is straightforward and uninhibited. Yun is a corrupt scholar, and is very formal and courteous.

Occasionally for the cloak and sleeves, will even say: "offended"; or hand towel awarded fan, will get up to receive. Yu began to get tired of it, said: "Secretary wants to tie me up with the gift? The language said: 'gift more will be deceitful'."

Rue two cheeks red, said: "respectful and polite, why say fraud?"

Yu said: "Respect in the heart, not in the text."

The Yun said: "the closest relatives such as parents, can be within the respect in the heart and outside the wantonly wild?

Yu said: "The previous statement of the ear."

The Yun said: "the world of antagonism from the play, do not be wrong after the concubine, people Yu death!

Yu was pulled into the arms, soothing, began to solve the face for a smile. Since then, "I dare not", "offended" even become auxiliary words carry on.

Hong case phase Zhuang twenty-three years, the longer the years and the more intimate love. Within the family, or the dark room, narrow encounters, we must shake hands and ask: "Where to go?" Private heart, such as the fear of bystanders to see. In fact, the peer and sit, at first avoiding people, for a long time is not to think.

Rue or sit with someone to talk about, see Yu to, will stand up and move its body, Yu and on and Yan. The first time I saw this was when I was a student at the University of California, Berkeley, and the second time I was a student at the University of California, Berkeley, and the third time I was a student there.

Only blame the elderly couple look at each other as enemies, I do not know why? Or said: "not as such, how to get old together!"

Is this true?

I am a straightforward person, and I am not afraid of small formalities. Yun, on the other hand, seems to be a pedantic Confucian who is too formal and polite.

On occasion, when I put on a coat and straighten her sleeves, she would say, "I am sorry, I am sorry". At first I disliked her for this and said, "Are you trying to bind me with

etiquette? As the saying goes: 'Many gifts lead to deception'."

Rue face annoyed reddened, said, "Respectful and ritualistic, why instead call it false?"

I returned, "Respect is in the heart, not in these false forms."

Rue said, "There is no one closer to you than your parents, can you be respectful in your heart and behave in a wanton manner?"

I said, "I was joking about what I said earlier."

Rue said, "All kinds of antagonisms in this world are due to jokes. Don't accuse me again, or you will die of depression."

I then took her in my arms and soothed her for a long time before she smiled. Since then, "I dare not" and "offended" have become auxiliary words.

Our couple, like the ancient Liang Hong and Meng Guang, respected each other and loved each other, lived together for twenty-three years, and the longer the time the deeper the emotion. Within the family, or meeting in the inner room, or a chance encounter on the path, must shake hands and ask: "Where to go?" The two of them were careful, as if they were afraid of being seen by others. In fact, the two of us were sitting together, initially avoiding others, but over time it did not bother us.

Rue sometimes sat with others and chatted with them, and when she saw me coming, she would get up and move sideways so that I could sit alongside her. We never thought about why we were doing this, we were a little ashamed at first, but after that it became a natural thing to do.

I was surprised to learn that some older couples are like enemies to each other, and I don't know why. Some say, "If not, how can they grow old together?"

Is there really any truth to this statement?

~~Unfinished business~~