Zhao Kuangyin, the founding emperor of the Song Dynasty, when he was still a general, used a green dragon stick to fight all over the world. Legend has it that such a hero was once forced to roll on the spot because of a penny.
The thing is like this: Once, Zhao Kuangyin led the army to fight, but he was defeated because he was outnumbered. He broke out of the siege on a single horse and ran for a while, only to feel hungry and thirsty, and his stomach growled. I want to get something to eat, but I don't live near the village in front of me, and I don't rely on shops in the back. There was no other way, so I had no choice but to drag the green dragon stick and ride forward listlessly on the horse.
He walked, walked, walked for a long time, but still saw no one. Zhao Kuangyin thought to himself: My good fellow, are we going to starve to death today? Just when his eyes were dazed and he was about to fall off the horse, a black spot suddenly appeared in front of him. Looking closely, it looked like a shed. So he cheered up and patted his horse to go. The black spot was getting closer and closer, and it was really good. It was a shed for watching melons, and in front of the shed was a green watermelon field. The big watermelons all over the floor made him drool immediately. He got off his horse, held the green dragon stick, and came to the side of the melon shed, when he was about to ask for melons, he touched his pocket, but there was not even a penny. How to do it? Keep going, I'm afraid I can't support it anymore; explain that I don't have money, and I feel that I have lost my identity. He turned around and walked over the melon field, but he didn't think of any good way. After stopping for a while, he thought of a goddamn solution: go to the melon shed and just let the melons be eaten. After eating, if the melon seller asks for a high price, he will scare him and ride away. After making up his mind, he entered the melon shed in three steps and two steps. I saw an old melon watcher with a white beard and a kind face sitting under the melon shed. Zhao Kuangyin said in a rough voice: "Old man, bring melons to eat!" The melon-watching old man hurriedly stood up and said with a smile: "Mr. Jun, please sit down. I will pick melons for you." Watermelon, hugged it in front of Zhao Kuangyin, and said: "Master Jun , please eat!"
Although Zhao Kuangyin was very hungry and thirsty, he wished he could eat the watermelon in one bite, but he was afraid that the melon sellers would look down on him, so he puffed up his belly and said, "I don't eat your food for nothing, why don't you call me a name?" Hearing what he said, it passed the scale. After saying that, he cut it open with a knife, and handed it to Zhao Kuangyin. Zhao Kuangyin started to eat voraciously. The old man squatted beside him and didn't answer, smoking a pipe while watching Zhao Kuangyin eating melons.
After a while, Zhao Kuangyin ate up a big watermelon weighing ten catties. He wiped his mouth with his hand and said to the old man in a low voice, "How much is this watermelon worth per catty?" Talk about a fair price, but also say that he is expensive, intends to blackmail people, scares a few words, and then walks away. The old melon seller saw his intentions and said with a smile: "Master Jun, my own melons are never free for passers-by to eat melons when they are thirsty."
"Nonsense! You underestimate people on purpose. Could it be that I can't afford your melon money?" Zhao Kuangyin patted his pocket deliberately as he spoke.
"If the military master is really sorry, then let others pay for melons, ten catties for one penny."
The old man spoke slowly.
This moment stumped Zhao Kuangyin. People don't want money, but I insist on giving it; the price is extremely cheap, but what should I do? He unconsciously touched his pocket again, but there was still no money. At this time, Zhao Kuangyin blushed, and sweat dripped from his temples. The old melon seller is neither humble nor overbearing, waiting for the money. Zhao Kuangyin relented, stepped forward and begged, "Old man, I forgot to bring the money, what work do you have for me to do, can you give me some money?"
The old melon seller glanced at him contemptuously, and said, "Young man, as soon as you come, I can see that you are hungry and thirsty, and you have no money. But you are putting on airs and speaking rudely. If you really want to repent, please You can roll in the ground and pay for melon money."
Zhao Kuangyin had no choice but to roll on the ground, and got on the horse with a red neck and a flushed face. Along the way, he couldn't stop sighing: "Hey, what a penny is killing a hero!"