During Chenghua period of Ming Dynasty, there was a calligrapher named Xiao Xian near Shanhaiguan. He was good at calligraphy when he was a teenager. Because of his good handwriting, the locals also carved his handwriting on the stone tablet! Although Xiaoxian's calligraphy is very famous, his family is very poor, so he still lives a carefree life.
One year, the emperor issued a letter to open a subject examination. The news reached Xiaoxian's ears, and he also wanted to go to Beijing to catch the exam, but he was too poor to even have a penny or two. Borrow from others. The poor have no money, and the rich refuse to borrow money. Xiaoxian is really embarrassed. As the saying goes, "the poor help the poor and the rich help the rich." There is a lonely old woman nearby. She has no children. Everyone calls her "lonely old man". When she heard that the little fairy was in trouble, she took out a piece of Gu Yan from home, sold it for twelve taels of silver and gave it to the little fairy. Xiaoxian is very grateful to the lonely old man. He said, "Although Xiaoxian is poor, I can't ask you for money easily. It is said that the emperor will hang a horizontal plaque of "the first pass in the world" on the arrow tower at the east gate of Shanhaiguan. I have written the words now, and when the emperor gives the imperial edict, it will be good for you to give them to the adults in the town. " Xiaoxian said, waving his pen. The lonely old man saw that Xiaoxian had written four words "the first pass in the world", but he was still one word short of "one", so he said, "You only wrote four out of five words. How can this work? " Hearing this, Xiaoxian smiled and said:
"The old man's house, please rest assured, you give these four characters to the town general's adult. If he asks you, you can say that the word "one" was blown away by a gust of wind when it was hanging. The word' one' is easy to write, and adults can write another one for dysentery patients! If the word "one" can't be written, he will have to play the book to the emperor, and the emperor will definitely order someone to write it. Then you can come to me again. " Say that finish, packed my luggage, took money, and went to Beijing to catch the exam.
Shortly after Xiao Xian's departure, the emperor really issued an imperial edict, posted a royal list, gathered famous people in the world, and wrote a "first-class" horizontal plaque. After hearing this, the lonely old man went to see the adults in General Shanhaiguan Town with the four characters "the first pass in the world". The town general was very happy to see these powerful figures, but when he looked closely, one word was missing and he said, "What the emperor wants is the word' the first level in the world'. Why do you only have four? "
The lonely old man replied, "The person who wrote the plaque originally wrote the words" the first pass in the world ",but I didn't expect the word" one "to be blown away by the wind when drying. My Lord, this word' one' is not difficult to write, please make it up! " Think about it, master. Isn't it easy to write a "one"? So he waved and said to the lonely old man, "There is nothing you need here. Go back! "
The lonely old man thought: no way, he hasn't given me a silver reward yet! So he said, "My Lord, where can I get this money?"
"What reward silver! You left out the word "one". If the emperor knows and blames it, will it kill you? Get out of here. " Zong Zhenjun wanted to keep the silver reward for himself, so he drove the lonely old man away.
The town general rode to Beijing overnight and personally dedicated the words "the first pass in the world" to the emperor. The emperor saw it and praised it. But one word is missing. The emperor asked the sheriff, "Where is the word' one'?" Ordinary towns play back what lonely old people say. The emperor said, "then, you can recruit people to write the word' one'."
General Town received the imperial edict, which attracted many celebrities who could write well. But these celebrities make great efforts to write and write, and the word "one" is long or short or thick or thin, which is not worthy of the word "the first level in the world". When the town general was in a hurry, a counselor gave him an idea and said, "Adults can play books for the emperor. As long as the emperor is willing to give a big reward, it is not difficult to write the word' one'. " The town general listened to the counselor's words and played the emperor on the same day. After reading the script, the emperor wrote another imperial edict: "Whoever can find the person who writes the word" the first pass in the world "and adds the word" one "will be rewarded with gold 120 and silver 1000; There are two levels of officials, and those who have no officials are rewarded by officials. "
Seeing the emperor's generous reward, the whole town was ecstatic. However, where can I find someone who writes "The First Pass in the World"? The counselor also advised him to send the lonely old man to the yamen of Jiangjun Town overnight, giving her half a month to find a writer and adding the word "one": If she can't find a writer, she will go to hell to pay. The lonely old man heard the words of the town general and knew that the emperor had issued another imperial decree. She remembered what Xiaoxian said when she left, and she agreed. The lonely old man went home, packed his package, and went to Beijing to find Xiaoxian with crutches.
The lonely old man came to Beijing through hardships. Finally found Xiaoxian's home. Xiaoxian heard that the lonely old man was coming and asked the servant to invite him into the study. When the widowed old man explained his purpose, Xiaoxian said, "Ok, your old man should rest for a few days. I have my own arrangements. "
The lonely old man rested for three days in Fu Xiao, eating delicious food and covered with a brocade quilt. Xiaoxian chats with lonely old people every day, but doesn't mention writing the word "one". On this day, the lonely old man asked Xiaoxian, "Little Xianggong, when will you write the word' one' for me?" Xiaoxian said, "Please help me polish the ink."
As he spoke, he pointed to a small jar in the corner of the study and said, "You pour the ink in, and I'll write when it's full."
From that day on, the lonely old man sat in the study every day grinding ink, grinding and grinding for seven days and seven nights, and then filled a jar with ink. Early this morning, Hyo-hyun asked his servant to bring a long table more than twenty feet long, covered with Xuanzhou jade paper half a foot thick and one foot and five feet long. Everything is ready, Xiao Xian said to the lonely old man:
"Can't write now, have to eat lunch to write. However, I have to ask your old man for help. " "As long as I can do it," said the lonely old man, "just say it." Xiaoxian said, "I have to ask your old man to cook me a rice noodle soup with white beans and radish, just like when he wrote the word' the first pass in the world'." You can only write the word' one' when you are full. " The lonely old man agreed. At noon that day, she really cooked a bowl of white bean dry rice radish vermicelli soup for Xiaoxian. Xiaoxian ate a sumptuous meal before he was ready to write the word "one".
Xiaoxian's writing method is very special. He doesn't need a pen or a hand. He untied his hair, tied it with a rope, and stood upside down like a rope brush. At this time, he suddenly lowered his head, put the "rope brush" on his head in the Mo Dou, stirred it hard, dipped it in thick ink, then slammed his head and threw his hair away, with a beep, and the thick ink was impartial. It was thrown on the paved rice paper, followed by a setback, a drag, and a word "one". This is a fantastic brushwork and very powerful. At this time, I looked at Xiaoxian again and saw him sweating and exhausted. He had a rest before he rolled up the jade rice paper with the word "one" written on it and handed it to the lonely old man with both hands. Xiaoxian said, "This word' one' is enough for your old man to eat and wear all his life." The lonely old man sighed and said, "Alas, how much money can I get with the adults in Shanhaiguan City!" " "After listening to Gu Lao, Xiaoxian said," Let's pretend. I'll take your old man to see the emperor tomorrow and present the word' one'. "The little xian attached to lonely old ear, and so on and so forth. What he said. The next day, Xiao Xian led the widowed old man to see the emperor. The lonely old man presented the word "one" and the emperor was very happy to see it. He immediately ordered the skillful craftsman to carve words on the plaque. The emperor gave the widowed old man 120 gold and 1200 silver and asked her what kind of official she could be. The lonely old man said, "I am a lonely old woman." I can't be an official. This word was written by the Ministry of Military Science for Xiao Xian. He is a truly talented person. The emperor should give him a promotion. " The emperor listened to the lonely old man's words and immediately asked Xiaoxian to work in Fujian. Seeing that the emperor had sealed the little fairy, the lonely old man knelt down and kowtowed and said, "The emperor is merciful, but my old woman dare not ask for this silver reward." The emperor asked, "Why is this? The lonely old man said, "The first time I offered the word" the first pass in the world ",I didn't get a silver reward, and the town owner kicked me out of the yamen. I went back to Shanhaiguan with so many rewards this time. Why didn't you kill my head? The emperor was surprised: "Is there such a thing?" "The little xian quickly knelt down and said," General Shanhaiguan Town should be punished for deceiving others. "The emperor really dismissed General Shanhaiguan from his post on the imperial edict, and the old man returned to Shanhaiguan with a silver reward.
Since then, the banner of "the first pass in the world" has been hung high on the arrow tower at the east gate of Shanhaiguan.