In the bleak afternoon, the withered yellow leaves swirled and fell from the trees, and the backyard was quiet.

Tan Wanqing lay on the hot kang with a full stomach, and somehow fell asleep.

In the dream, she was very cold.

Just as the biting stream of being driven into the filthy and smelly mud of the first place, there was a hot pain in the back, mixed with a vague malicious laughter, and it was so breathless.

She desperately moved her feet, didn't dare to stop, endured the pain and splashed tears, and secretly told herself that there was still a chance, she couldn't fall here, she couldn't, she couldn't......

When she woke up from her dream with a pang, the sweat and her underwear were soaked together, and the fine sweat on her forehead calmed down her breathing for a long time before she got up.

In the morning, it was still a blue sky with a bright wind and moon, but at this time it was full of haze, and in just one noon, his face changed, just like Tan Wanqing's mood at this time.

Such a bad dream, is it also telling sù that she is worried in her heart, not so much that she can't bear the mental oppression, but that she has nothing to do with this body.

Not to mention a hundredfold return, just one whip is already the limit.

Ruizhu hadn't come back yet, Tan Wanqing cheered up, took out a few clothes from the old South Pavilion, and wrapped them casually.

Then he got up and went down to the field, and went to the courtyard.

It seemed that she walked around the winding stone road at will, but her eyes carefully swept over the surrounding blue brick walls, until she walked to the outer corner of the kitchen where the firewood was put and looked for a while, then returned to the bedroom, thought about it, got up and found a few pieces of Ruizhu to buy, and prepared to make her dresses of fine cotton, cut them into strips with scissors, and tied them together.

When Ruizhu came back, Tan Wanqing was sitting on the stool, frowning slightly.

When he saw her come back, he asked softly, "Got it?" ”

Ruizhu walked all the way fast, a little out of breath, holding something and nodding again and again, then put the burden on the table, reached out and opened it quickly, and opened the old clothes used to obstruct the eyes, revealing the four golden small gold ingots inside.

On the way, according to the young lady's instructions, she had exchanged forty taels of silver for four taels of gold, and all the remaining silver had been exchanged for broken silver and copper coins, so that they could be easily accessed on the road.

Tan Wanqing nodded when she saw it, calmly took out two unembroidered purses from her sleeves, divided the broken silver into them, and waited for Ruizhu to breathe a sigh of relief, and then asked softly: "Can you find someone out of the city?" ”

"Yes, young lady, I found it, but it was not a grain cart, it was a carriage and horse carrying cloth." Rui Zhu also hurriedly sat down, grabbed a copper coin and whispered.

"Fabric?"

"Yes." Rui Zhu whispered: "I inquired about the shopkeeper, he was friendly with the silk merchant Qu family in the city, he said that a few days ago, the Qu family thanked Lord for his blessing, and helped transport a horse of material into the city, leaving some cloth shops distributed to the city, and there were a few cars left, and he planned to transport it to Lincheng through the guò ferry. ”

Hearing Lord Xie's three words, Tan Wanqing's instinctive hand paused, and looked at Ruizhu: "There are soldiers on the transportation road?" ”

"Miss rest assured, I inquired clearly, no, when the cloth into the city was just Lord Xie's favor, what kind of people are the Qu family, how can I let the adults help every time, I heard that this time I hired someone to escort, I have entrusted the shopkeeper to find the accompanying steward, the steward is very talkative, I only said to go to relatives, I am afraid that it is not safe on the road, I want to hitchhike, and stuffed two taels of silver, he didn't ask us identities, so he agreed...... "The promise is so refreshing, is it not a trap?"

But Ruizhu thought too much, for the steward, letting the two women hitchhike can earn three taels of silver, but the good thing that fell from the sky is really nothing.

After living here for so long, the Qu family has heard of it to some extent, and it is also a wealthy family, with a name and a surname, so she has no doubts.

only said: "Does Shopkeeper Xu know? ”

"Shopkeeper Xu thought that the young lady was going to buy cloth, but he didn't know ......"

Hearing this, Tan Wanqing relieved her heart, gently tightened the mouth of the bag full of silver coins, and put it on the table.

"When do you leave tomorrow?"

Rui Zhu was still nervous and still uneven, sitting there trembling uncontrollably, but it was Lisuo who replied, "The steward said, tomorrow to catch the ferry port early boat, the fourth watch will set off, let's go to the Gujie entrance earlier." ”

"You can trust that steward?"

"Shopkeeper Xu also said that he has been in the Qu family for more than 20 years, and he is very fond of the master, and he is used to being a man, but the slave maid thinks that this person is oily and smooth, and he is very greedy and cheap."

"If he is serious and not greedy, we will not be able to catch the Qu family's trip out of the city." Tan Wanqing didn't care.

Rui Zhu thought of something, and said with some worry: "Miss, I'm just afraid that when I get to the city gate, what if I can't get out of the city gate?" A few days ago, the city gate also checked the household registration strictly...... "There are also many oxen and carriages that have been overturned, how can they hide the two big living people."

"I can only hit my luck, the four city gates, only the west city gate is the carriage, horses, grain and goods, and the fourth is so early, maybe the check is not so strict, and there is still a chance to get out of the city." Tan Wanqing also sighed.

The sky quickly darkened, usually at this time, the kitchen was already lit on fire, steaming to cook, but today, the two people in the bedroom didn't have any thoughts, at this time, they were full of thoughts, how could they be in the mood to eat, Tan Wanqing had to lift her spirit, urging Rui Zhu to say: "It's good to make a fire, don't let people see the clues." ”

Ruizhu got up and went to the kitchen, lit the fire on the side, cut the noodles, and almost shed tears, put down the noodles, wiped away the tears, and took the noodles to the bedroom, the eyes were still red.

Tan Wanqing pretended not to see it and picked up the chopsticks, but she only moved two mouthfuls and put them down, she couldn't swallow it, that's how she felt.

Ruizhu is not herself, she has never been out of Tanfu, once she walks out of that wall, the qiē outside is strange to her, this way back and forth, the wandering life is the most hurtful.

But who is qualified to say that she walked out, and she was equally at a loss and knew nothing.

The sky outside was getting darker and darker, and the room was already blurry and could not see the human figures, and the two of them had been sitting at the table for a long time, and then they remembered to light the candles, and the fire flickered on the candlestick, which was the only warm light in the darkness.

I don't know how long I sat there, Rui Zhu remembered something, and then took out the jacket from the cabinet, "The north wind is blowing this afternoon, which means that there is wind and snow, Miss should wear thicker, don't freeze, Miss is the least frost-tolerant reads;." Fortunately, she had been prepared, and when it was cold a few days ago, she took the thick jacket she wore in winter.

At that time, there was no money, but the cloth was only a foot of coarse cotton, thinking of the past when the Tanfu was in winter, there were hundreds of different patterns of brilliance, slippery satin sent to the house with the ladies to choose, the warm velvet fox fur is also turned over the pattern of the system, compared with it, it seems that the things in the hand are more shabby.

The sky fell to the ground, this is what it tastes like, she put it on Tan Wanqing with red eyes.

Tan Wanqing turned sideways, gently opened the window a little crack, it was dark outside, and what she heard in her ears was the sound of the wind calling outside, which seemed to be bigger than in the afternoon, this wind and snow, but it made her refreshed, and said God help me.

Only then did Ruizhu also put on the thick jacket, and then took four small ingots of gold, two for each person, and hid them in the jacket, and then blew out the candlelight, and the two sat next to each other in the dark.

When they left the city on the fourth watch, they had to leave the house on the third watch early, and they would never dare to close their eyes for fear of falling asleep.

Tan Wan spoke softly, speaking slowly, telling Sù Ruizhu the idea of how to get out of the house, if it was a silent night in the past, it was inevitable to leave some movement, but tonight it was a strong wind howl, but it could cover people's eyes.

In the afternoon, when I looked at the house, I also took a closer look, there were people living on the left side of the house, and the right side was facing the wall.

Especially on such a snowy night, when their lights go out, I'm afraid they should also find a place to rest from the wind and snow.

It's just two women, even if it's a secret sentinel, they shouldn't all stare at it all night with the spirit of detecting the enemy.

Tan Wanqing relaxed a little, and she talked to Ruizhu one by one.

When I heard Ruizhu say that the academy opened in Wei'an City earned a lot of money from those rich merchants in the east of the city, some people followed the example of Jingshi, and also set up a women's private school, which was all used by female masters, specializing in teaching some women three from the four virtues, piano, chess, calligraphy, painting, embroidery and other skills, even a few young ladies of the music family have entered the school, Xu shopkeeper and the private school Xiucai is quite familiar, and also mentioned to him, whether there is a woman who is good at painting, Xu shopkeeper asked me, asked Miss if she is so interested, ridiculous, only three taels of silver a month, Miss A painting will be sold for twenty-five taels……”

Tan Wanqing just smiled, teaching three or five little girls to draw is a little interested, it has nothing to do with silver, but it is a pastime, but now that she is leaving, what is the use of mentioning these again.

The night is getting deeper and deeper, in the past, Tan Wanqing had already fallen asleep, but tonight she had to hold her eyelids and listen to Rui Zhu talking in the dark, and I don't know when, I mentioned Master Xie.

“…… Miss, then Lord Xie I still think he is so angry, today I know, he has a miserable background, I heard that his father died when he didn't join the army, leaving orphans and widows, all of whom are raised by him alone, and a younger brother who was born stupid. ”

"Brother?" The eyes that were about to squint suddenly opened, and Tan Wanqing looked at Ruizhu in shock in the dark.

"Yes, I heard that he was only five years old, his mother died of illness in the first two years, and he and his younger brother were left, you said how stupid his brother was, he couldn't speak at the age of five, and the doctor said that he didn't keep the fetus when he heard that he was in ...... body."

Brother? Five years old.

The rest of Tan Wanqing didn't hear it, thinking of the whip five years ago, her heart was shocked, and she didn't come to her senses for a long time.

Ruizhu talked to herself alone for a long time, and when she said that she was crying at the back, she said in a choked tone: "Miss, I, are we really leaving?" ”

The third watch had arrived, and Tan Wanqing heard the rustling sound of snowflakes hitting the window outside the window, she bit her lip and said, "If you want to go, you must go!" Don't stay for a moment. ”

The wind in the winter night was unscrupulous, pouring straight into the placket of the clothes, blowing the hearts of the people cold.

On such a night, the windows of each house were tightly closed, and without a single light, Ruizhu hurriedly wrapped a few pieces of rice cakes and cakes in the kitchen with a handkerchief and stuffed them into the baggage, and then followed the young lady into the side wall next to the kitchen where dry firewood was placed.

Fortunately, the wall is not built high, otherwise it would not be possible to reach the top even if you step on a stool.

The cold wall was close to the palm of her hand, and it was biting cold, Tan Wanqing put the tied cloth rope over the wall, and then stepped on the stool, with the help of Ruizhu, turned over the wall, Ruizhu pulled the cloth rope of the wall hard, and let the young lady slide down the rope on the other side.

As soon as she landed, she let out a breath of mist and looked around, and at this time it was the time when she was snoring and falling asleep, and there was no figure in the back wall, and because of the wind, even the livestock hid in the nest and did not make a sound.

She hurriedly fastened the cloth rope in her hand tightly to a crooked locust tree behind the house, and then tugged at the rope.

Ruizhu on the other side stepped on the stool as Miss said, tied the rope in front of him, and then stepped on it with one foot, climbed the wall with his strength, and jumped to the ground with the help of the young lady below the wall.

Rui Zhu rubbed his ankles, but he couldn't hide his excitement, since he was out of the house, the master and servant didn't dare to delay any longer, threw the rope into the wall, and walked quickly along the path to the intersection where the Qufu carriage passed.

The cold wind blew through the streets, and the cold was that even the beggars were nowhere to be seen, but in the corner of the street, there were people anxiously holding their burdens, constantly stamping their feet and looking around.

This was a long time, until the bathhouse across the street opened the door, and the sound of the guy's splashing water came, and the whole body was cold, and the anxious Tan Wan Qingruizhu finally heard the sound of horses' hooves in the distance.

Wait close, by a little light, vaguely see the appearance of the car, the car body is quite long, with a shed, the fabric is not the same as others, the road is wet and dyed can not be sold but not good, all built sheds.

The people who drove the carriage in front saw two people standing in the corner of the street, and wondered what they were doing here in the middle of the night.

"Hurry up, hurry up, be quiet, hey, it's cold, I thought the two girls couldn't come, yes, since they came, I sent the Buddha to the west, this last car of cotton cloth I let people deliberately fill eight points, pour out some place, the girl was aggrieved, go in and squat, wait out of the city gate, meet a suitable place, and then quietly let the two of you down. However, let's say it first, I looked at the two girls pitifully, and then I agreed to take a little ride, it's a matter of hiding from people, don't stab me out, otherwise don't blame me for not admitting it......"

When Tan Wanqing heard this, she looked at each other, nodded happily and agreed, since this person could take them out of the city secretly, he must be very familiar with the garrison soldiers, and the two naturally couldn't ask for it.

In the steward lifted a piece of cloth, revealing a small gap, Tan Wanqing and Ruizhu only paused, then lowered their heads, shrank their bodies and drilled in, the steward put the cloth down, patted his hands, walked around the car, sat on it, and said impatiently to the guy who was driving the car: "Hurry up, it's almost dawn!" ”

In the cold wind of the night, a group of carriages pulling cloth marched towards the west city gate.