Qin Bai's two old friends, one surnamed Mao and the other surnamed Pan, are both children of the scholarly family in Huzhou City, and they are now in their fifties, but fortunately they are still alive. Although the pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info said that one of the two is a prisoner and the other is a lifter, neither of them has ever been an official, and they only live at home, but they also marry wives and have children, children and grandchildren, and live a rich life, and there is nothing unsatisfactory.

Qin Bai ordered someone to come to the door and handed over the post, and both of them felt unbelievable. They had little contact with Jingzhong, and when they got older, they didn't care much about the news of the DPRK, so they didn't know that the younger brother of Cheng'en Hou Qin Song had returned to the dynasty and had sealed Yongjiahou. But they still remember Qin Bai's name. I thought that this friend from my youth was already gone, but I didn't expect that there would be a day when we met again, and they were all pleasantly surprised.

Since it is the reunion of old friends, there is no need to wait for Qin Bai to visit them one by one at home. Mao Pan and the two met immediately, and according to the address left by the family member sent by Qin Bai to send the worship post, they came directly to Qin Bai to find him.

After more than 30 years of absence, the old friends reunited, and the once green young man has become a gray-haired old man, and the three of them are happy, but they can't help but feel emotional. Qin Bai invited his wife Niu and granddaughter Qin Hanzhen to come out to meet with his old friends, and then led the two friends to the study, sat down for tea, and talked in detail about their experiences over the years.

Master Pan is a straightforward and anxious temper, as soon as he gets older, he has not changed it, and as soon as he sat down, he directly asked: "Since you are safe and sound, why did we go to Beijing to find your brother to inquire about your news that year, and your brother would say that you died in the northwest? We remember that he has always been at odds with you, and we are afraid that he deliberately deceived us, so we went to your hometown in Jiangning to inquire about your people, only to know that your whereabouts are unknown, and you have never returned to Beijing with your brother, but we have not heard that you have encountered any changes. For so many years, Brother Mao and I have always remembered you. It's just that I can't see each other again in this life, and I didn't expect that when I get old, there will be a day when we will meet again!"

Qin Baigan laughed, but it was not good to say that his brother Qin Song was not in front of outsiders, so he could only say vaguely: "When my brother returned to Beijing, it coincided with my father-in-law's illness and death. My father-in-law only has the only daughter of Humble Jing under his knees, and as a half-son, I have never returned to Beijing with my brother since I was in charge of the future. Later, by mistake, they were separated. The year before last, the dog went to Beijing for some reason, and when he met his family, his brother sent someone to the northwest to take our family back. I never thought that I would ever see my two brothers again. In the past, my Qin family was in trouble, and my relatives and friends avoided it. The two brothers still remember their relationship with me, and went to Beijing to inquire about my news, and I will remember this affection for the rest of my life. ”

Pan Mao and the others blushed when they heard this, and Master Mao raised his sleeves to hide his face and said: "Don't say that, we are all going to die of shame! Although I am worried about you, I can't do anything, and I can't help you with anything. After your family is rehabilitated, we will go to Beijing to look for you, which is already an afterthought. What other words do you have to say about affection?" Master Pan also nodded again and again, his face full of shame.

Qin Bai smiled slightly: "Don't say such things." If you had not really cared for me, why would you have traveled all the way to Beijing to inquire about me? I also know that when my late mother returned to her hometown in Jiangning with her wives and children, you secretly sent money to receive help. At that time, our Qin family was in a difficult time, and relatives and friends were still standing up, you just had a friendship with me, and you even took the risk to help your first mother. Isn't that right?"

Pan Mao and the two looked at each other in surprise. To be honest, the two of them almost forgot about this kind of thing, but they didn't expect Qin Bai to know about it!

Master Mao asked curiously: "Shuqing (Qin Baibiao), how did you know about this? We didn't know that Ling Tang had returned to his hometown with his women and children, but he happened to be visiting relatives in Jinling, and he happened to hear about it, so he ran to meet him, and he didn't dare to let outsiders know, so he only made up a few taels of broken silver that he had brought on his body, and became a jasper fan pendant, and wrapped money with a handkerchief, and then ordered the clerk to send it over." We didn't even have a name. ”

Qin Bai said with a smile: "Have you forgotten? At that time, my mother lived in the house on Qinzhuang, which was the ancestral house of the clan. The whole Qinzhuang is from the Qin clan, how can no one see you when you come? In the early years, I intersected with you, and I once took you back to the clan to play, not to mention that you came to the village later to inquire about my whereabouts, so naturally some people remember your appearance. Although you did not leave your name, your mother knew the origin of the bag of broken silver. If she hadn't known that you were my friend, she would never have accepted the money from an unknown source. ”

After speaking, he sighed again: "It's a pity that not many people in the clan knew about this back then, and there was an elder who had experienced it firsthand, and when you went to the clan to inquire about me, you also met with him." But his old man's parents were sick and weak, and he rarely saw outsiders. When I returned to Jiangning for more than a year, I only saw him in a hurry, and I never sat down to talk in detail. It was during the Mid-Autumn Festival this year, a big banquet was held in the clan, and the elder had improved his health and came to participate in the feast...... Otherwise, I will probably never know what my two brothers have done for me in my life!"

Pan Mao and the others waved their hands ashamedly: "Don't say that, it's just a gesture." We could have done more, but we never dared to reach out, but we are just cowards, how can we deserve your gratitude? If you say such a thing again, we will be ashamed and retreat. ”

Qin Bai smiled and didn't mention it again, but in his heart, he was really grateful to these two old friends. He didn't feel that they were timid and afraid, when the Qin family was in trouble, how many people did not stand by and persuade their relatives and friends? Even many of the clansmen avoided the six rooms, and there were even many people who fell into the well, such as the Ma family and the Xue family! Pan Mao and the others were not close friends with him, but they were still willing to help Mrs. Ye's wife, who lived in poverty, was already a rare friendship for him. After the Qin family was rehabilitated, they only cared about his own safety and did not take the opportunity to climb to seek benefits. This is the kind of friend who really deserves to be friends.

Qin Bai and Pan Mao talked about the past, talked about their experiences after parting, and talked about some trivial matters about their children and grandchildren at home. Although we have been separated for many years, we are still living comfortably and prosperously, and we have not encountered any major difficulties, which is really a blessing.

Pan Mao and the others knew that Qin Bai was now the uncle of the country, and he was named a marquis, and he was knowledgeable, and he had taught a few jinshi and people. They also have their own children and grandchildren studying, and they intend to fight for a future, and they also have many questions in their schoolwork and want to ask the Master for advice, but they only talk about the experience of the two of them who have been friends for 30 years, and talk about which famous calligrapher and painter they have befriended in Huzhou on weekdays, or which antique calligraphy and painting are good, and they have no intention of asking Qin Bai to guide their children and grandchildren in their homework. Obviously, Qin Bai asked his wife and granddaughter to come to meet them, which is what they mean by wanting to be good for the family, but they didn't mention that they asked their wives and children to come to see Qin Bai, maybe they were avoiding suspicion, right? They were very happy that their young friends were safe and sound, and they enjoyed wealth and prosperity, but they didn't intend to touch this light. Children and grandchildren want a future, and they will earn it. The older generation has friendships, but this is not a reason for them to be lazy.

After Pan Mao and the others left after they were full of wine and food, Niu said to Qin Bai: "Master, these two friends have the appearance of really good friends. Did they have a good relationship with you in the past? I haven't heard you talk about it in years. ”

Qin Bai sighed: "I have cut off contact with the Qin family since they were in trouble, how can I know these things later? At that time, I saw too many relatives and friends standing up, and my in-laws were abandoned, and I didn't have any hope for the friends I knew in Jiangnan at all. I knew that they were such sincere gentlemen, and I should have come back as soon as possible to thank them!"

Qin Hanzhen smiled beside him: "It's not too late." Although my grandfather will return to the capital next spring, friends don't have to get together often to be considered friends. When the children and grandchildren of the two families go to Beijing to take the entrance examination, our family can also take care of their daily life. In the past, we saw a lot of villains with a desire for profit, but today it is rare to see a gentleman, so how can we not be more close and close? With such friends, even the children and grandchildren of the family can benefit!"

Qin Bai smiled and nodded: "That's right." ”

The next day, he solemnly went to visit Pan Mao's two old friends again, and gave him rich gifts, and when the local officials and gentry in Huzhou came to visit him, they specifically mentioned the kindness of Pan Mao and his wife. With his actions, these two old friends were originally famous children in Huzhou, and they will be more and more respected in the future. With the friendship of Uncle Guo, who in Huzhou dares to underestimate the two of them?

Qin Hanzhen's family and the Huang family's sister-in-law stayed in Huzhou for a few days, went to see several places of interest such as Taihu Lake, bought a lot of good paper and pencils, as well as Huzhou's special silk, bamboo fans, tea, lilies, ginkgo and other things, and tasted the snow lotus root, chestnut, and eel silk produced in Taihu Lake and so on. Qin Bai also met several masters of poetry, calligraphy and painting in Huzhou, enriching his collection. Zhao Mo found two new sources for his tea business. The Qin and Huang families were finally satisfied, and set off again before the change of weather, leaving Huzhou in a carriage and heading in the direction of Jinling.

On the day they returned to Jiangning, it was snowing heavily, covering the roads with a thick layer of white, and they could barely even see the fields.

Huang Jincheng got the letter early, and rode to the intersection of the official road with his own soldiers to greet him, and when he saw his wife and sister who had been separated for a long time, he immediately smiled. When he got closer, he found that his sister's complexion was much better than when they were separated, her eyes were bright, and she had a smile on her face, and he was even happier in her heart. It can be seen that the effect of going out for a walk this time is excellent. His sister finally stopped being sad and troubled by the bastard of the Zhang family.

Huang Jincheng stepped forward to greet Qin Bai, solemnly thanked him for taking care of his wife and sister, and told him good news by the way: "Wu Jinshi is going to Jinling to come to Renfu in the near future, right? However, next year, the official may be vacant, as long as Wu Jinshi performs well, the position of the official will be his. The promoter of the seventh grade is worthy of the status of a second-class jinshi, isn't it?"