There are three bedrooms in the backyard, the master of the Xiang family lives in the main room in the middle, one of the east and west wings enshrines a golden Buddha statue, and the other room is the relics of the lady, the wing room is locked all year round, only when the Qingming cold food or the lord misses the lady, he goes to sit in the wing, looks at the belongings of the deceased wife, and chatters with himself about some recent happy events and troubles.

Xiang An didn't care about asking for peace, stretched out his hand to open the sandalwood door carved with peony flowers, the old man of the Xiang family loved poetry all his life, and did not like those rough warriors, most of the elegant things planted in the garden were plum orchids, bamboo chrysanthemums, etc., and they were extremely respected for the elegant things with the famous seals, so they have been cultivating the young master Tiancheng Qinqi calligraphy and painting over the years.

But the young master of Tiancheng does not like it, he has to practice martial arts, because of this matter, the obedient young master of Tiancheng since he was a child is the first to go against the master, between the coming and going of the old man can not resist the young master, he spent a lot of money in Tianmen Pass to invite a martial arts master, the surname of the martial arts master Tan Jianghu was born in the martial arts since childhood, and later went to the battlefield in order to protect the family and defend the country, it is said that Master Tan killed more than ten people in the north of the tiger and wolf, although he is a martial artist but is extremely kind, until last year, Master Tan did not leave Xiangfu, these years the master gave the gold and silver did not take, only took some scattered silver and said goodbye, according to Master Tan said that the young master of Tiancheng has excellent martial arts qualifications, and it seems that he has reached the level of what rivers and lakes, It's either the eighth order or the seventh order, and I can't remember the specific matters clearly, and I don't have time to think about it.

Entering the main room, Xiang An saw that the old man was lying on the bed panting, his breathing was extremely heavy, and the medicine sent earlier was still placed on the sandalwood square table carved with the unicorn beast, and he looked terminally ill.

Seeing that the old man was sickly, Xiang Anxin said very bitterly: "Master, Chen Gongzi and Liu Gongzi came to visit, saying that there is the whereabouts of the little master." ”

The old man of the Xiang family, who was originally dying in the sickbed, felt a little energetic when he heard this, his breath was weak, and his voice was hoarse, and he asked, "Is there any news?"

"Yes, the two sons said that there is news. Xiang An repeated his previous words.

"Quick, help me up, and ask the two of them to wait for tea in the main hall. The corners of the Xiang family's mouth, who had not been in the water for four or five days, trembled, and his pale and thin face became a little popular.

-

The little doorman Xiang Quan led the two all the way, and told the two of them to tell the housekeeper to tell the things, bypassing the rockery veranda in the front yard to the main hall, the little doorman bowed to the ground to the two, and said in a mournful voice: "My housekeeper told again and again, please remember that my master has been getting worse and dying in recent days, and I am afraid that the gods will not be able to save it in a few days." ”

Liu Yuanshan, who was full of solemnity, nodded, along the way, Chen Changge learned about the recent situation of the old man of the Xiang family, his heart sank, the old man was already an old man, and there were no relatives in the world except Tiancheng.

The main hall of Xiangfu is also full of books and Confucianism, the wide main hall is full of sandalwood furniture, the two single seats on the table of eight immortals are placed on the front of the blue and white entwined branch lotus dark eight treasure pattern flower goblet, the hall is carved in the crane of the three-legged wrong Jin Boshan furnace, the main hall of Xiangfu Chen Changge Liu Yuanshan is not the first time to come, Xiang Tiancheng introduced it when he came before, this incense burner came from the hand of the former dynasty master Yao Tongxin, this furnace is heavy copper casting, the furnace overlaps Boshan can be called a thousand kinds of trees, haunts ten thousand mountains, the crane on the mountain is lifelike, the next carved crane potential, the head of the half lotus, is one of the favorite objects of the old man of the Xiang family, on weekdays, you must wipe the incense with your own hands, even the day Chengdu can not touch, Now this wrong Jinbo Mountain furnace has been taken care of for some days, and the furnace wall is covered with a thin layer of dust, which shows how worried the old man of the Xiang family is.

As soon as the two of them sat down, Chen Changge said worriedly: "How can you hide it? You can't deceive you for a while, if you say that Tiancheng writes a letter to you and me, what if the old man wants to read the letter?"

Liu Yuanshan said with a sad face: "What can I do? I heard Xiang An say that the old man is now so angry that he is dying, what if he really dies of illness? ”

"I'm just afraid that when the old man learns the truth, he won't be able to stand it even more. After Chen Changge finished speaking, he sighed, and before the two finished discussing, the housekeeper Xiang An helped the master of the Xiang family to the main hall, the two got up to salute, the big housekeeper gave the two sons an inquiring look with a slightly sideways face, and Liu Yuanshan, who had a sad face, bowed his head slightly, and Xiang An breathed a sigh of relief.

The old man of the Xiang family sat down in the Taishi chair with difficulty under Xiang An's support, and said in a weak tone: "The child sits." ”

I haven't seen the old man of the Xiang family, who was originally in good spirits and old, lost weight, his eyes were deep-set, his face was pale, and his breathing was extremely weak, the old man of the Xiang family sighed and asked, "Is there any news of Tiancheng?"

Chen Changge, who had originally made up his mind, couldn't bear it when he saw the old man who was snorting, and he didn't know how to speak.

Xiang An, who was standing beside the old man, looked at Chen Changge's hesitant face, and the heart that had fallen was raised again, and the tone in the main hall was stagnant for a while, and the man in white did not speak for two or three breaths.

Liu Yuanshan, who was sitting on the side, saw Chen Changge's hesitant expression, stretched out his hand and pressed Chen Changge, stood up and bowed and saluted: "Tiancheng sent back a letter, saying that it was safe at Tianmen Pass, because of literacy and martial arts, he led a military advisor to guard, and he didn't go to the battlefield on weekdays, just protect the safety of the military division, and said that he didn't have the face to write to you, let us come over and tell you, so that you can rest assured." ”

Seeing this, Chen Changge bent down and added: "Indeed, Tiancheng is extremely guilty. ”

The old man of the Xiang family breathed a long sigh of relief, and his originally cloudy face stretched slightly: "The letter?"

Chen Changge said lightly: "The letter is at home, but today the master ordered us to go to Anzhou to do business, I'm afraid I can't send the letter to you, we will be back in a few days, and I will send it to you when the time comes, do you think it's okay?"

"Oh, okay, since Master Ji Rong is in a hurry, I can't hide it, I have been seriously ill recently, Tiancheng, this child has been spoiled by me since he was a child, and he acted unscrupulously, and now he is relieved to know his whereabouts, eh. "The old man of the Xiang family, who was suspicious of the letter, persuaded himself to believe it after all, what if he didn't believe it?

"Old man, take care of your body, you can rest, we won't bother. Chen Changge was like a thorn in his back on the side, for fear that the master of the Xiang family would find a flaw and retire.

The old man of the Xiang family bowed his head and said: "I am physically inconvenient, Xiang An will send two virtuous nephews for me." ”

Xiang An Shili took the two out of the main hall, the old man of the Xiang family watched the three of them leave, his eyes were complicated, he had been a philistine businessman in this market all his life, such clumsy words could still be distinguished, but now, what if he didn't believe it?

-

After leaving the main hall, he arrived at the rockery in the courtyard, Chen Changge stood under the verandah and couldn't help asking, "Housekeeper, did you say that the old man believed it?"

The chief housekeeper Xiang An has been in Xiang Mansion for a lifetime, and he is very accurate about the old man's temper and character, and sighed slightly: "At most, I believe three points, and the remaining seven points should still not be believed, unless the master can see the letter with his own eyes and see the young master's handwriting, it can be regarded as curing the heart disease." ”

Liu Yuanshan frowned and shook his head: "It's not easy to imitate handwriting. ”

Chen Changge breathed a long sigh of relief, stopped in his heart, and said to Xiang An with a fist: "I'm afraid it will be more difficult to end if it drags on now, tomorrow I will go to Tianmen Pass with Yuanshan, we are better people who practice martial arts than the house slaves in the house, if we just watch the old man die of depression, what face do we have to see friends again, and I also bother the housekeeper to stabilize the old man." ”

Liu Yuanshan's face changed when he heard this, his face was full of complicated expressions, and his lips and tongue squirmed and he didn't speak.

Xiang An was about to kneel down when he heard that his eyes were red and his robe was flushed, and he choked up and said: "The righteousness of the son, accept Xiang An's worship, if you can save the old master Xiang An, I am willing to be a cow and a horse to repay the great kindness of the son." ”

Chen Changge stretched out his hand to stop the loyal housekeeper who was more than half a hundred years old, and said softly: "There is no need to be like this, make a good hand, you can do as much as you can." ”

Xiang An took out a few hundred taels of silver tickets from his arms, and handed them to the two of them with both hands: "The two sons are traveling far away, and these silver coins are entangled." ”

Liu Yuanshan, who was originally full of complicated faces, looked at the silver ticket in the butler's hand and subconsciously swallowed his saliva, his eyes were shining, and he was just about to say something, but Chen Changge stretched out his hand and pressed Xiang An's wrist, and chuckled: "Isn't the housekeeper insulting my two brothers like this?"

Xiang An couldn't help but feel that it was inappropriate, and took back the silver ticket and said: "It's the old slave who is reckless, the two sons don't have to be entangled, but they can't travel thousands of miles, wait for me to pick two horses with sharp feet, so that the sons can go and come back quickly." ”

Liu Yuanshan looked at the silver ticket that Xiang An carried back into his arms, licked his lips and did not speak, and there was no brilliance in his eyes.

-

Chen Changge and Liu Yuanshan led two horses out of Xiangfu, and Liu Yuanshan, who looked embarrassed, finally spoke: "Changge, there can be a war at the gate that day." ”

"If we watch the old man get sick and die, how can we have the face to say that we have a good deal with the sky? If you are embarrassed, I will be fine if I go by myself. Saying that, Chen Changge took the lead out of the gate of Xiangfu.

"It's not a matter of whether you can't go, eh, you wait for me. Liu Yuanshan's face turned red and he chased the horse out.

"Long song. Liu Yuanshan caught up with Chen Changge as he spoke, and Liu Yuanshan, who had just left the mansion, grabbed Chen Changge's sleeve, and looked at the three men riding horses not far away.

Chen Changge looked at Liu Yuanshan's eyes, between the three horsemen riding horses and slowing down, led by a young man dressed up for scholars, in his early twenties, wearing a light cyan brocade suit, with a mutton fat jade ring hanging on his waist, a cloth crown on his head, a dark complexion, and unruly eyes, the two men behind him were about to stand up, extremely burly, with dark skin, one with one eye, and the other with an inch-long scar on his right cheek。

Chen Changge also felt that something was wrong with the three of them, and whispered: "These three people are not right. ”

Liu Yuanshan's eyes were sharp, and he said slowly: "People from the north." ”