==002==

Coming out of the main courtyard of the Guogong Mansion, walking through the verandah to the east, bypassing the rockery, passing through a peony bush and walking about 100 meters, leaning on a medium courtyard half-hidden in the ginkgo forest next to the lotus pond is Xiaoliang's destination. This small courtyard is quiet and cool, fragrant, every time she comes back here, she has to sigh that the big lady is good at picking a place.

In the past, the eldest granddaughter of the Guogong Mansion lived in the main courtyard of the central axis, that is, she moved to Zhuxinyuan since last year, and Xiao Liang was afraid that the people in Beijing would chew their tongues, saying that their husband and wife treated a helpless little orphan girl harshly, so they simply locked the main courtyard and did not let their daughter Erniangzi live in it.

The uncle made great contributions because of his meritorious service in escorting the palace during his lifetime, but unfortunately the prince of the East Palace failed to force the palace and died in the chaos of the army. The world said that if the abolished prince was still there, he would definitely choose the daughter of Ji Taifu, who had a life-saving grace for him, as the crown princess.

Perhaps, Xiao Liang didn't feel how sad it was for her niece to lose the position of crown princess, on the contrary, she secretly had a trace of joy, and the other Liang family in the house was much more high-profile than her - Mrs. Tai almost set off a cannon to celebrate, as a continuation of the string, she was not happy to see that the children and grandchildren of the original match were stronger than her own descendants, not to mention that one of the Zhenguo brothers was in the sky and one was underground, and when it came to the younger generation, the eldest lady was better than the second lady more than a star and a half.

Two teenage girls at the gate of Zhuxinyuan saw Xiao Liang's blessing and saluted, one went to the courtyard to report, and the other smiled and explained that the eldest lady was practicing calligraphy and eating.

Xiao Liang's eyes moved, regretting that he didn't bring his daughter over when he came, and let him take a look at the eldest lady's style. Thinking of the daily life of the second lady, she couldn't help but help but be anxious.

"Come over at noon, you're tired, come in, go into the house and rest for a while. A cardamom girl flashed out after a few green bamboos, thirteen or fourteen years old, medium in size, not fat or thin, just moderate, wearing a light blue floral skirt, eyebrows and eyes smiling, making people feel indescribably comfortable, it was Ji Yao, the owner of this yard.

Ji Yao stretched out his hand to help Xiao Liang into the house, the main house of the small five rooms is the living room, the east and west are the bedroom and the study, separated by the beam Bogu frame, the side of the bedroom is hung with a light mugwort veil, several furnishings are fine but not luxurious, everywhere reveals the owner's thoughts.

Xiao Liang went straight to the west study, picked up the pen and ink on the desk in front of the screen window and took a closer look, and praised it: "The eldest lady's calligraphy is exquisite, better than before, I really should let your sister come over and take a look, so that she doesn't learn well and only fights with the little girls." ”

"I studied Cao Quanbei Lishu, the second sister since childhood love Mrs. Wei's hairpin flower Xiaokai, the art industry has specialization, each has strengths, if you let write regular script, I am not as good as the second sister. Ji Yao pursed her lips and smiled, a small magnolia bead hairpin on her bun trembled slightly, quiet and peaceful, it was difficult to guess what she had experienced from her appearance alone.

The elder brother died young, the mother died in childbirth, and took the younger brother in her womb by the way, the father died of poisoned arrows to protect the abolished prince, and the grandfather's family was also implicated in the abolition of the prince and was punished.

How can her heart not be hurt by the death of her loved ones!

Because of this, Xiao Liang always has a pity for this niece, she took Ji Yao's hand and sat on the bamboo couch in front of the window, and said straight to the point: "Look at me in a daze, or your uncle reminded me to remember, in a few days it will be your father's taboo, this year is a mess outside, and the saint is not happy, it is not good to do things at home, why don't we go to Wan'an Temple outside the city, live there for a few days, burn incense and worship the Buddha, everything can be complete and save trouble, do you say okay?"

Ji Yao lowered her eyes, nodded and said, "Thank you aunt for bothering, according to my niece, there are many things in the house, and it is inconvenient for you to follow out of the city, just let me take the third sister to go." ”

said that everyone went together is a face-saving word, Ji Yao did not refuse, and when the time came, Xiao Liang's family would have to find an excuse not to go, but the niece brought it up first, and the words were good, and she felt slightly more comfortable.

"Speaking of the third lady, I think of another thing. Xiao Liang said the second thing in one go, "Now Luoyang rice is expensive, the previous month's expenses were only enough for ten days, I have resigned from your second sister's teaching Mr. Xi, but Qiu Niang just invited the third lady to teach Xi, and the person has not yet entered the house, and when it comes to the matter, I refuse." I'm not afraid of what the slaves and maids say, but what I'm afraid of is that the third lady has an idea in her heart, and she looks forward to her niece turning around and explaining a few words. After the difficult days in front of me, I personally went out to invite the best gentleman for Sanniang. ”

It happened that the little girls brought tea, Ji Yao personally held the tea and handed it to Xiao Liang's hand, and still smiled: "My teachers and students shouted that they wanted to quit the museum and return to their hometowns, and they took the opportunity to fulfill their aunts. Auntie, don't be careful, the third sister is not a careful person, I don't need to say more, she can also understand the difficulties at home. ”

That's right...... Xiao Liang secretly praised a wonderful sound, it was much easier to talk to a smart person, and it didn't take much effort to finish what should be done, she got up to say goodbye, and on the way back, she was still reminiscing about Ji Yao's faint smile.

According to the eyes of the world, the eldest lady of the Ji family is indeed very beautiful, her eyebrows are like curved daisies, her apricot eyes are like Honghong, her skin is like coagulation, her nose is small, and her lips are red without dotting.

It's a pity that this child's life is too bad!

Xiao Liang sighed, could it be said that he had responded to the statement of being famous?

*****

Seeing her aunt leave, Ji Yao's expression relaxed, the smile on her face froze, and she looked back at the girls in the room who wanted to talk and stopped, but she didn't see it, she knew what everyone wanted to say.

In previous years, when the father was jealous of life and death, the Zhenguo Mansion would do a ** thing, hundreds of monks recited the scriptures day and night, the prince came to cherish the nostalgia, and the grandfather and uncle would also write a letter in person.

But now, the crown prince has become a sinner, his head is separated and thrown in a mass grave, the Son of Heaven strictly orders no one to collect the body of the eldest son, and his grandfather, who is the first person in Shangshu Province, is hammered to death in public, and blood is splattered on the spot, several uncles and aunts, and cousins......

Ji Yao burned incense with her hands clean, planning to copy another paragraph of the Lotus Sutra, and just picked up the pen and ink, a little girl in the courtyard said with joy: "Girl, Aunt Nan is here." ”

"Please!" Ji Yao smiled sincerely, and then put down the pen in her hand, and there was an extra middle-aged woman in the room, wiping her tears with a big scarf.

"Their conscience let the dog eat, and let you live in this kind of place, a shabby house, where did all the good things of your mother go?" Aunt Nan almost cried, she was the dowry of Ji Yao's biological mother, and she went out of the house to marry the little steward in the early years, and helped Ji Yao manage several granges.

Ji Yao's maternal ancestor is the first minister of the Song family, a family of poets and scholars for generations, and the little ladies who have not been out of the cabinet in the family are extremely noble, and Ji Yao's biological mother brought hundreds of oxcarts of dowry when she got married. Aunt Nan looked up, there was nothing in this house that was her old master's thing, so how could she not be sad and cry again and again.

Ji Yao was indifferent, the gold, silver and jade were all dead things, and she was more sentimental about the tragedy of her relatives than throwing away a few dead things. She handed Aunt Nan a piece of her own brocade handkerchief, and asked softly, "Auntie, do you have news when you come back?"

Aunt Nan hurriedly wiped away her tears when she heard this, looked around the house left and right, and saw that everyone else was avoiding going out, she took out something from her arms and whispered in her ear: "I don't know who it is, I got up this morning and put it outside the windowsill, or pumpkin with sharp eyes, shouting that there is a treasure on the windowsill, and the thief boy likes it so much." Girl, you see, you must remember this thing. ”

The inch-long straw boat is still woven with wheat straw in the middle, which is small and exquisite. There seemed to be a crystal object in the gap of the straw, Ji Yao shook it lightly, and a few white crystals fell into her hand, she picked it up and tasted it, salty.

Straw boat weaving is the craft of the old man, but what about salt?

Ji Yao put the wheat straw boat on the couch, focused her eyes on the square inch, and asked softly, "I really haven't seen anyone?"

Aunt Nan nodded, "If it is really Song Shiyilang, he will not be able to enter Luoyang City, but with his ability, the wall of the small courtyard in the countryside must come and go freely." ”

A drop of crystal rolled down from the corner of Ji Yao's eyes, when her grandfather's family was executed, except for the eleventh cousin who was studying abroad, all the other men, women and children were spared, and hundreds of men of the Song family were blood-stained on the long street, and most of the female dependents who did not enter the workshop were also unbearable. Earlier, some people said that the cousin died outside, and some people said that the cousin must have suffered misfortune when he went to sea to take refuge in a strong wind and waves, but Zhang Bang, who arrested the fugitive at the city gate, has been paying for it, and she is sure that her cousin is not dead.

"Girl, don't cry, the heavenly family is so short-sighted, mistaking loyal ministers for traitors, and one day retribution will come. If you boil it up again, there will be a day when you will come out. "Aunt Nan only knows a few big characters, but she is convinced of karma.

Ji Yao didn't look over, turned around again with a smile on her face, and patted the back of Aunt Nan's hand, "Auntie, go back quickly, don't make everyone suspicious." And," she smiled, with a forced look, "don't let the pumpkin slip out, remember." ”

Aunt Nan patted her chest and promised, "Don't worry, the pumpkin monkey spirit monkey spirit is the only one who coaxes people, but no one else coaxes him." I also came to deliver umami to the house, so others will not be suspicious. ”

Aunt Nan said a few things outside, saying that the Seven Roads rebels were losing and retreating, that General Zhong sang triumphant songs all the way, and that many new rebels had emerged from various places: those who played dart games, robbed houses, and sold smuggled salt......

"I always heard that the DPRK and China have won a big victory, how many miles has General Zhong retreated from the enemy?" Ji Yao interjected.

Aunt Nan shook her head blankly, she collected the news as an interesting story to tell the girl, if she really wanted to ask one, two, three, she didn't know!

Ji Yao smiled and shook her head to indicate that it didn't matter if she didn't know.

She was very reluctant to leave, turned around in three steps, looked uneasy, and repeatedly advised: "Girl, relax, you have to take care more." ”

Ji Yao felt a little sour in her heart, and stood under the corridor with a straw boat in her palm for a long time. In late spring, she still felt the chill on her back.