Chapter One Thousand and Sixty-One

In the study, after a bookcase that was a few points wider than a single bed, the fourth master was wearing the half-new regular clothes, looking at Erfu who was slowly approaching with an uncertain expression, slowly showing a light smile, patting the vacant position on his side, and whispering to her to sit down, and then asked slowly: "Have you slept well?"

"Your old gentleman will leave with a shake of his hand, and the concubine will run over to excuse herself!" said Erph with a smirk.

"Nonsense, where is the old gentleman?" the fourth master raised his hand and pinched Erfu's delicate cheek, and asked rhetorically.

"I'm too lazy to pay attention to you. Erfu turned her head arrogantly, dodged the fourth master's strange hand, and said softly.

After speaking, she trotted over the food box that Su Peisheng had placed at the door, and moved the food box to the bookcase like a treasure, casually pushed the mountain of newspapers to the side, opened the closed lid of the box, and put the snacks and hot porridge warm with hot water in front of her, urging the fourth master to eat quickly.

"Xiaoshengzi's eight-treasure porridge, as well as your favorite multigrain cakes and all kinds of small snacks, eat them quickly!"

A bowl of dark purple and translucent rice porridge was held by Erfu's little hand as white as jade, and was gently handed to the fourth master.

"Have you eaten it?" the fourth master took the porridge bowl, picked up the spoon on the side of the plate, scooped it gently, and asked casually.

Erfu rolled her eyes angrily, dragged the official hat chair placed by the window on the side of the bookcase, and pulled the wet handkerchief on the side of the table and wiped her hands, then sat down, and put a bowl of porridge for herself, and took a small sip of the porridge that was still a little hot in her mouth, and after a long while, she replied like a coquettish: " I don't have the energy to get up early, I haven't eaten all day, and I was bullied by your pet concubines in the backyard so much that I can't make up for sleep, and I finally just fell asleep and somehow annoyed by you, haven't you been tossing until now to eat a mouthful of hot food!"

"What's going on?" the fourth master asked with a raised eyebrow as he bit the coarse grain cake.

"What else is going on, what can be hidden from your fourth master's eyes and ears in this backyard, if the concubine says it by herself, then the concubine will not become a wicked person who complains behind her back, or you go and ask Chen Fu them later, but it's not a big deal, it's just a small trick of some disgusting people, so you really can't stare at these small things about sesame mung beans."

Okay, don't talk about these unhappy things, let's eat!" Erfu looked at the fourth master's action as if she was about to put down the dishes and chopsticks to ask Chen Fu to ask, she sandwiched a piece of red bean cake made into a petal-shaped shape, gently put it in the porcelain plate in front of the fourth master, and smiled and said.

"Then you should eat more. Seeing that Erfu did not show a look of shame or unhappiness, the fourth master nodded, and at the same time sandwiched a piece of egg yolk cake for Erfu.

The two of you just put a piece of snack on me, and I'll give you a chopstick and a cool side dish for dinner.

Before Erfu and the fourth master returned to the backyard, the well-informed women in the backyard overturned the sea of vinegar after being frustrated in sending warmth, especially Lu Gege, who raised the little fifth elder brother by her side, she even contacted the other concubines up and down.

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Xiao Wuzi struggled to carry two wooden barrels filled with hot water, and slowly walked up the stairs like a snail, but as soon as he stepped up the last staircase, he saw the two guest officers who had just checked in were sitting at the round table one left and one right, looking at him stunned, and couldn't help but speed up his pace a little shyly, and simply trotted all the way to Lynch.

"The guest officer is in a hurry, the little one will go and get cold water for you. Xiao Wuzi put the two wooden barrels at his feet, wiped the sweat on his forehead, and said with a smile.

Erbao received Lynch's small hint, got up with a smile, came to the side of the little guy Xiao Wuzi, handed a handkerchief to Xiao Wuzi, and then leaned over and carried the two buckets of hot water, and walked to the small clean room behind the screen as he spoke: "Don't worry, why don't you let people help you." ”

"Alas, there are three guys running in this inn, except for the small one who is the flat-headed common man in Xiaowangzhuang in front of him, one is our shopkeeper's brother-in-law, and the other is a distant relative of our Tongzhou prefect......" Xiao Wuzi nodded at Lynch, who was sitting at the table and posed, and hurriedly caught up with Erbao, while taking a bucket of hot water and carrying it, he said as if complaining.

"That's really hard for you, no wonder when I accompanied our lord's house just now, I saw that you were the only one out to solicit customers. Erbao continued his disguise as an honest and honest person, and poured hot water into the bathtub like Xiao Wuzi, while showing a warm smile to Xiao Wuzi and softly comforting.

"Whew...... As long as you are paid, you can work without effort.

Besides, our shopkeeper is not bad, not only does he have food and lodging, but he also gives two taels of silver a month, and sometimes he can also receive rewards from guests, which is better than farming and eating in the sky at home!" Xiao Wuzi poured another bucket of water into the bathtub, and said with a smile while fiddling with the direction of the screen.

Erbao nodded understandingly, showing a wry smile as if empathy, and said in a low voice: "Don't talk about it! Although it seems to be more comfortable to farm at home, it is not easy to watch the sky and eat in the end."

It's not bad to come out and find an errand to help make up for the family. ”

After speaking, Erbao followed Xiao Wuzi out and said to Lynch, and then followed Xiao Wuzi downstairs to fetch water, so as not to keep Xiao Wuzi busy alone, and by the way, he could also talk to Xiao Wuzi and ask Xiao Yixuan which room that kid lived in, so that he and Lynch could keep an eye on it.

I have to say that Erbao put in a little effort, so he successfully found out which room Xiao Yixuan lived in from Xiao Wuzi's mouth, and asked Xiao Yixuan to enter the guest room, just hurriedly wiped the rain and left the inn with the oil-paper umbrella provided to him by the innkeeper, as if he was in a hurry.

"Fortunately, we live at the top of the stairs, so we can see when Xiao Yixuan will come back as long as we are vigilant. Lynch gave Xiao Wuzi a dozen coppers, sent away Xiao Wuzi, who was smiling, and whispered to Erbao.

After speaking, he showed a shallow smile, turned his head and walked to the inner room to wash.

......

Just when Erbao and Lynch returned to the room and washed up, Xiao Yixuan also found the traces of Ning Jinghui and his party in an inconspicuous alley, and smoothly connected with Ning Jinghui.

It turned out that Ning Jinghui planned to take a boat back to Shaoxing directly today.

But this sudden drizzle made it impossible for the big ship provided by the Eighth Master Mansion to leave the port, so they would rest in Tongzhou Mansion for the night, and set off again tomorrow, and there would be an opportunity for Xiao Yixuan to make incense, otherwise I am afraid that when Xiao Yixuan chased after him, he could only see the scene of Ning Jinghui and his party boarding the ship directly from the dock.

And Ning Jinghui and his party, who were carrying Ning Lao's coffin, naturally couldn't stay at the inn.

Finally, with the help of the steward arranged by the eighth master, he found this small courtyard rented to merchants to store goods near the wharf, and when Xiao Yixuan came, Ning Jinghui and his party had just settled down.

"Master's matter, what the hell is going on. Because of the problem of identity, Xiao Yixuan couldn't stay here for too long, and he was close to Ning Jinghui, so he didn't make any more detours, and as soon as he entered the room and sat down, he asked urgently.

Ning Jinghui also knew that Xiao Yixuan's feelings for his father Ning Lao were no less than him, so he didn't ask him why he was here with a stupid question, and said with a wry smile: "The eighth master said that it was the one in Prince Yong's mansion who did it, but I don't look like it, and I heard the little eunuchs in the mansion talk in private, but I was a little suspicious of the two staff members in the Eighth Master's mansion, so I planned to send my father's coffin back to Shaoxing to settle down, and then go back to the eighth master's mansion to find out the truth." ”

Regarding the fact that he was going to find his father's murderer in person, Ning Jinghui did not hide it from Xiao Yixuan, and he really needed Xiao Yixuan's help.

After all, he has always been a scholar who studies behind closed doors, although he is full of four books and five classics, but he doesn't know anything about being a staff member, and the only one who can guide him is Xiao Yixuan, who follows his father on the staff journey.

"Then you don't plan to participate in the imperial examination again?

Master's greatest wish in this life is to be able to see Brother Ning, the title of your gold list!" Xiao Yixuan's face changed when he heard this, and he said in a deep voice.

"Useless is a scholar.

Even if I can successfully get into the Jinshi after three years, but with the power of the Eighth Master's Mansion, how can I, a newcomer who has just entered the career, find out the cause of my father's death, and as my father's son, I can't let my father go so confused. "Shinong Gonggong, although Ning Jinghui doesn't like to read very much, but he is not willing to let go of the dignity of a scholar and become a staff member, but when he thinks of his father's death, he can't do it casually and follow the Yangguan Road arranged for him by his father.

When Xiao Yixuan heard this, he nodded very heavily, then sighed, and said with a bitter face: "Since Brother Ning has made up his mind, then I won't say more."

It's just that if you want to become a staff member in the Eighth Master's Mansion, you still need a suitable opportunity, otherwise it will inevitably arouse suspicion, and you also need to study the books and files left by the master, just with your careful thinking, you will definitely not be a competent staff member. ”

"Well, I've thought about all of this, and as for the opportunity, I'm afraid I still need your help. Ning Jinghui is not stupid, he also knows that what Xiao Yixuan said is for his own good, and it is also to remind him that the road ahead is difficult, but since he has already made up his mind, he will not change it at will.

No matter how big the price is, he will find the real murderer who killed his father.

Of course, before that, he not only had to enrich the knowledge he needed to master as a staff member, but also settled down the family, so as not to show any sloppiness in the future, not only failed to avenge his father's revenge, but also affected these relatives in the family.

The two talked for a while, Xiao Yixuan looked at the gradually darkening sky outside the window, and reluctantly said goodbye, "This time you go back, I will help you keep an eye on the movements in the capital, if I can successfully complete the master's instructions, when you come back, I can also provide some help."

In order to make it easier for us to communicate in the future, we need to set some codes. Saying that, Xiao Yixuan chose the most common 'Analects' as the code for the two to communicate, and also set a safety word, once anyone encounters unpredictable difficulties, they can report to the other party through a simple sentence.

The words were also said in one go, and after speaking, he lowered his head in a little annoyance, for fear that he would be rejected by Ning Jinghui, which would ruin the atmosphere between the two.

"Actually, it's not a big deal, but I always think about my father's previous teachings, and I blame myself for being too selfish, and I don't have a good feeling in my heart. Ning Jinghui's heart softened, although he wanted to say everything in his heart, but when he thought of what he would face in the future, he still forcibly suppressed the words that came to his mouth, and reached out to grab Wang's middle hurry

As he spoke, Er Bao looked down at the loose middle coat on his body, wondering if he should go back to change his clothes, lest Xiao Yixuan go out again after a while, and he had to go back to change his clothes, delaying the time and losing someone again.

"It's been a long time, I guess he's already seen someone. Lynch pursed his lips disappreciatively, pointed to the teahouse that had been put on the board opposite, turned his head and said to Erbao.

While the two were talking, Xiao Yixuan had already walked to the door of the "guest house" with an umbrella, and after a while, there was a creaking sound on the stairs, and it seemed that this person did not stop downstairs and went upstairs directly.

"Guest, wait a while, the little one will bring you what you want. Just as Lynch and Erbao were hesitating whether to go out and set up words with Xiao Yixuan, Xiao Wuzi's somewhat familiar voice sounded from downstairs.

"Let's just wait, it's time to go down for dinner. Lynch pointed out the door, pursed his lips and smiled, and whispered.

After saying that, he went straight into the inner room and got dressed, and planned to go down to eat.

Erbao also took advantage of this gap to go back to the room to change clothes, and when he passed by the corridor, he also walked with Xiao Wuzi who came up with a food box, "You are ......"

"When I heard the lord's house call me, I passed in a hurry, and I didn't even bother to put on my clothes. Erbao pulled the gray shirt he was wearing and said with a smile.

"The guest officer is in a hurry, so I'll go first. Xiao Wuzi was about to say something, but he saw Xiao Yixuan probing from the room, waved his hand hurriedly, smiled and carried the food box in his hand, and walked around the side of Erbao as he spoke.

Erbao happened to have his back to the end of the corridor, heard the sound of the door behind him, and then contacted Xiao Wuzi's expression, he also thought that Xiao Yixuan was urging him, and nodded with a smile, half sideways, and returned to his own room, without letting Xiao Yixuan, who might still be standing in the corridor, see his face.

After a few moments, footsteps sounded in the hallway again.

Erbao, who was half-clothed, opened the door again, "That one didn't blame you, it's all because I pulled you to talk in the corridor, which delayed your errand." ”