Qin Zheng looked at the red figure that flew away and disappeared into the door in amazement, stood stunned for a long time, raised his hand to touch the lip flap that still seemed to have a faint fragrance, smiled for a moment, turned his eyes to the window with dim light, and turned to leave.

On the second day, Qiu Chenmao woke up habitually, and the girls came in to wait, only to realize that Afu Aman had gotten up, and followed him to the dock to watch the loading.

Looking at the sky outside the house before it was bright, Qiu Chen shook his head, went into the clean room to wash and bathe, changed into a set of teeth-white middle clothes and pants, and combed her hair by the girl's mother-in-law...... Fortunately, there is no need to wear a high bun today, and there is no need to wear the crown of hair that crushes people, so she is also very satisfied with wearing so many golden hairpins and hairpins.

People, as expected, can't get used to it.

It's still a big red jacket skirt - she hasn't visited the church yet, and she is considered a bride on the way to get married at this time, so naturally she can't wear other colors. Fortunately, there is no need to wear a hijab again.

The pier is just outside the restaurant, just across the street.

Qiu Chen cleaned up neatly, and Qin Zheng also turned back with Afu Aman.

Before he visited the church, Qin Zheng couldn't come to see Qiu Chen openly at this time, it was morning, and the guards and greetings had already gathered, so he couldn't be too eye-catching.

Breakfast is simple but not settled, with four side dishes of duck paws, stuffed duck tongue, cucumber with oil and goose eggs with red hearts. The four staple dishes are fish balls and tofu, shrimp roe wontons, silver fish noodles and salt-and-pepper whitebait. There are also two kinds of noodles, goose fat chicken shredded roll and mille-feuille cake.

After eating with the two children, Qiu Chen turned his eyes and asked Chen, "Who made the dinner this morning?" ”

Chen said with a smile: "Mrs. Zhilu Dao has a light taste, and she is a cook specially sent by the Hou Ye from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, surnamed Yu!" ”

Qiu Chen had a smile on his face, nodded and said, "The craftsmanship is really good, especially the mille-feuille cake and shrimp roe wontons." Give him a silver purse! ”

This time when he entered Beijing, Chen helped Qiu Chen prepare a number of red envelopes for rewarding people. In order to distinguish, the gold thread embroidered purse is a small silver ingot of five taels; The silver silk embroidered lotus is packed with two taels of silver bills; There is also a big red envelope, which contains a tael of silver bills. Of course, there are also two dollars of small red envelopes and two hundred dollars of skewers, which are used to reward the rough girl's mother-in-law.

Dayu came up and kowtowed and thanked him. Qiu Chen and the two children packed up, put on a cherry red cloak, Chen took a hat over, Qiu Chen put it on, and the group set off, left the inn, crossed the street, boarded the boat on the dock and set off.

The welcoming procession consisted of two tall official ships and five or six medium-sized cabin ships forming a flotilla, which went north along the river and headed all the way to the capital.

Qin Zheng and Tang Wenyong naturally lived on the first big ship, and Qiu Chen lived on the second ship.

Soon after boarding the ship, Afu Aman was taken to the first ship, and Qiu Chen was bored on the second ship, so he took a book to read, and practiced calligraphy patiently.

This is not in Liu Jia'ao at this time, although the people who are serving around her are all brought out from Liu Jia'ao, there are still many people outside the cabin, she can no longer indulge in indulgence, she is free and casual.

Fortunately, Qiu Chen's temperament is not too lively, and he has long been accustomed to a quiet place by studying and learning all the way in modern times.

Along the way, Qiu Chen read a copy of "Qi Min's Technique" several times, and even some remote and difficult places made her think through them. The more she looked, the more she felt that the wisdom of the ancients should not be underestimated, if these advanced farming techniques could be spread and promoted, would agriculture be modernized thousands of years ahead of schedule?

In addition to learning and pondering "Qi Min's Technique", Qiu Chen also pondered about future communications. It turned out that she had limited contact with the outside world, and she didn't need to worry about the letters exchanged with Qin Zheng and Tang Wenyong, and the other letters were mostly carried by the caravans of Yun Jichen and Liao Wenqing......

Now that she has left Liu Jiaao, her family's workshop and Zhuangzi must have a lot of practical work that she needs to take care of, and if it is inconvenient to exchange letters, many affairs are likely to be delayed.

In any case, you have to establish your own way of sending letters. However, this kind of thing cannot be rushed, and it has to be arranged slowly.

Along the way, the shipwright changed shifts, resting people did not stop the ship, even to buy food supplies, but only a little stop for a while, sent people to get off the ship to purchase and immediately continue to hurry, so all the way to the rush, on the evening of the seventh day, the ship finally came to the Tongzhou wharf in the south of the capital.

When I arrived at Tongzhou Wharf, I arrived at the capital.

Before the ship docked, the noise outside the ship was gradually heard. Qiu Chen saw through the propped up window, and saw hundreds of ships and thousands of sails gathered together, there were several storey high official ships, there were also large, flat and wide cargo ships, and small sampans like leaves shuttling back and forth among the dense large ships, transporting people and goods, and some of them were hawkers loaded with goods and food to sell in the middle of the big ships, greetings, shouting, and the sound of boatmen shouting trumpets gathered into a hustle and bustle, even Qiu Chen, who came from modern times, had never seen such a lively and unbearable scene.

There was news from the front that it was late today, so I temporarily stayed in Tongzhou Courtyard for one night, and entered the city early the next morning.

Qiu Chen responded, called Chen and Zhao Jiu, and sent them to the mansion in the city to settle down one step in advance.

Today happens to be March 15, Ming'er entered Beijing on March 16, and there are still three days before the wedding day of March 19, so she still packs up her house and lives there. This house is a congratulatory gift from Yun Jichen, and the location is still in the inner city, which saves her a lot of trouble.

Chen and Zhao Jiu received the order, picked up the girl's mother-in-law, got off the boat and rode to the capital. There are still more than 100 miles from here to the capital, and you can't rush to the city when the city gate is closed by car.

These things were arranged, Qiu Chen also put his mind at ease, and turned back to relax and enjoy the boats coming and going on the dock and the busy scene.

"March 3rd, Shepherd's Cabbage Sailing Pill ......" someone held the boat and shouted all the way over.

Qiu Chen looked at the middle-aged woman holding the boat suspiciously, shepherd's cabbage is a seasonal vegetable in spring, but at this time, the three-and-a-half-year-old shepherd's cabbage should have already flown moss and flowered and fruited, so the old and hard grass purser can still be eaten?

Chengying happened to be waiting beside him, looking at Qiu Chen with a surprised face, he reported in a low voice: "Madam, this boat lady is not selling shepherd's cabbage, but shepherd's cabbage eggs." It is an egg boiled with shepherd's cabbage, which can open the spring season and dispel illness. ”

Hearing Chengying say this, Qiu Chen remembered a legend, saying that Hua Tuo went out to collect medicine in the spring and encountered rain, and it happened that an old man who was sheltering from the rain had a headache and was not cured, Hua Tuo picked a handful of shepherd's cabbage on the spot, handed it to the old man, and asked him to cook it with eggs. Since then, there has gradually been a custom of boiling eggs with shepherd's cabbage.

As he spoke, Qiu Chen was interested, so he ordered Chengying to call the boat lady over.

When she first arrived, although she lived in the capital for nearly 20 years in modern times, the capital of that era and the capital here can be said to have no reference.

But after a cup of tea, the boat lady was taken to Qiu Chen's boat. Looking at the soft carpet in the spacious cabin, the shipwreck was very apprehensive and a little afraid, and when she entered the hatch, she didn't dare to go any further, so she bowed nervously and stood at the door, not even daring to raise her eyes.

Seeing her like this, Qiu Chen was not reluctant, took a few steps forward, and asked four or five steps away: "I just heard that you are selling shepherd's cabbage eggs, this is a good thing in season, can you bring it?" ”

The boat lady was secretly happy in her heart, and hurriedly responded: "Back to grandma, bring it, bring it, it's at the door!" ”

Qiu Chen looked back at Chengying, and Chengying said in a low voice: "Her eggs are served in a pot, and there is nothing to do, the little girl is serving them outside the cabin, so I will send them to my wife." ”

Qiu Chen nodded, turned around and did it on the nearest chair, beckoning Chengying to move a footstool for the boat lady. The boat lady was flattered, and bent her knees again and again to thank her, and then sat on the footstool nervously, nervously preparing to meet Qiu Chen's question.

Qiu Chen motioned to Qingxing to send a plate of mille-feuille cake over: "Send a bowl of tea to this sister-in-law." ”

The boat lady stood up, waved her hand again and again, and said, "Don't dare, don't dare, I'm not hungry......" Having said that, her eyes couldn't help but fall on the golden yellow and sweet mille-feuille cake held in Qing Xing's hand.

Qiu Chen raised his hand with a smile and said: "Sister-in-law, don't be afraid, I am also from a Zhuang family, you hold the boat out to sell things, I'm afraid that you are too busy to take care of eating and drinking, I want all your eggs, take advantage of their efforts, you eat and drink a little pad." When I first arrived in the capital, everything I saw was very interesting, if you don't think you like it, just talk to me! ”

When the boat lady heard Qiu Chen say this, her attitude was extremely gentle, so she sat down half apprehensively and half hesitantly.

"Try our mille-feuille cake, which is made with honey and preserved fruits, and see if the taste can match your shepherd's cabbage eggs!" Qingxing picked up a piece of mille-feuille cake and handed it to the boat lady.

The boatlady took a piece of mille-feuille cake that was only the size of two fingers, and sighed rarely: "Mrs. is a nobleman, and the thing she eats is called exquisite, where can we compare with such crude food." ”

Qiu Chen glared at Qingxing and said with a smile: "My girl is a rapper, but her heart is not bad. You eat cakes and drink tea, and we talk slowly. ”

The boat lady agreed, carefully pinching the mille-feuille cake with one hand, and then eating a piece of mille-feuille cake in small bites with the other hand below. smashed his mouth and praised it repeatedly: "It's so sweet and soft, you don't need to chew it until you eat it, and your tongue turns into honey as soon as you sip it." ”

Several girls in the cabin laughed silently, and Qiu Chen also smiled and said, "If you like it, eat more, but some small snacks are not worth anything." ”

Seeing that the boat lady ate another piece of cake and drank two sips of tea, Qingxing held the teapot and added it to her. Only then did Qiu Chen ask: "The shepherd's cabbage eggs sold by the eldest sister-in-law are also a seasonal thing, when there is no shepherd's cabbage, what does the eldest sister-in-law do for a living?" ”

"Back to my wife's words, my ancestors are on this Tongzhou wharf to make a living, shepherd's cabbage and eggs are the food of spring, after these few days, there are fresh cherries and fruits to sell, this way can go to the autumn, and when the weather is cold, there is nothing to sell, the river will also reach the day of freezing, we will find some odd jobs in the surrounding area, and we can also make a living."

From the frozen sale of shepherd's cabbage and eggs, to the melons, fruits, peaches and plums in summer and autumn, even if this boat lady is a hawker on the dock, she is just a food and clothing in the wind and rain. Seeing that this boat lady has a weathered face, she is only wearing cheesecloth clothes, and she wears a black old silver bracelet on her wrist all over her body, and I don't know which life it has been handed down.

In this way, it is better than those who work the docks, at least this boat lady has a small boat, and a little capital to do business...... It's not easy to make a living!

Qiu Chen sighed secretly, the smile on his face remained unchanged, and said gently: "Listening to what my sister-in-law said, how are you doing?" After talking for a long time, I still don't know what to call my sister-in-law! ”

"Mrs. Lao asked, my maiden name is Pei, my mother-in-law's surname is Liu, and everyone on the dock calls me Mrs. Liu...... Life is okay, my eldest son is also fourteen years old this year, and he has been sent to the champion building on the dock for apprenticeship, and when he learns first-hand cooking, life will be better in the future. ”

"Learning a craft is serious, and with a craft, you don't have to worry about not being able to eat wherever you go." Qiu Chen nodded, responded with a smile, and saw that the boatlady's face stretched out to show some joy, and asked, "You have seen a lot of people coming and going on this dock, but what is new to hear?" ”

Mrs. Liu also stabilized her mind at this time and gradually calmed down. Seeing that this noble man is appreciating tea and cakes, and speaking very kindly, he must be a kind-hearted person...... Such a nobleman, if she serves well, she will reward a little bit casually, and she will earn it by selling shepherd's cabbage and eggs for a month......

Thinking in her heart, Mrs. Liu searched for the new and interesting things she had heard over the years, and said with a smile: "Mrs. said to hear interesting things, I really heard such a thing, but the mother-in-law is rude, if there is anything to deal with, Mrs. will take care of it." ”

Qiu Chen smiled and said, "Just say it, it's okay!" ”

Mrs. Liu nodded and said with a smile: "People can't say that Suzhou and Hangzhou don't know the world's wealth, and they don't know the high rank if they don't go to the capital." Since my wife is new to the capital, I will tell my wife about one of the things I heard a few days ago about the highest gate......

The highest rank? The highest family in the world is not the royal family, could it be that a mother-in-law who sells snacks on the dock dares to laugh at the affairs of the royal family?

Qiu Chen was puzzled in his heart, but there was a hint of interest on his face.

When the mother-in-law saw Qiu Chen like this, she felt that she had chosen the right one, and what these rich people who had just arrived in the capital were most interested in was the things in the high palace walls.

“…… Speaking of which, this matter is close to the highest door, and my mother-in-law should not talk about it, but seeing that my wife is kind and kind, it will not spread out, my mother-in-law is here to talk about it, wife, you should listen to it as a joke. Mrs. Liu once again cleared up her connection, looked at Qiu Chen with a smile, and then continued, "This is talking about the two sons left by the first, when the first one was alive, he had a good reputation, and it is said that he is the most gentle and charitable person, but good people don't live long, they went at a young age, and the two sons are now adults." It's just that neither of these two sons has the good character of following that one. I only heard that the third master was mean and loved women; Last year, it was said that he made a big mistake and was banned from leaving Beijing, but he was at peace and didn't hear anything about it. This time, it's about the uncle who has always had a good reputation...... Originally, Jingli was most afraid of the winter and spring seasons, not for anything else, just because these two seasons love to commit pox gods, and once they commit pox, many children can't hide...... Since last year, first in the inner city and then in the outer city, there is a method of planting pox introduced by the medical center, and the price is also fair, a child only needs to plant once, but it is a hundred dollars. ”

Qiu Chen nodded: "This is a good thing!" ”

Tang Wenyong seems to have taken paid pox, and the price of a hundred yuan pox is really not expensive, and I am afraid it is less than one-tenth of the cost. It's just that with this part of the remuneration, it will make people feel more at ease. Sometimes that's the case, people always feel that 'cheap money is not good'!

Mrs. Liu also echoed: "It's indeed a good thing, but who knew that Lu Dao was this kind of life-saving thing, but the uncle bit him to death and harmed people's lives, so he was stunned and stopped...... This one is stopped, the year is about to enter the wax moon, and the pox god Niangniang is committed again, and the children are beaten again, and many people in and outside the city are crying...... The pox god mother, and then look at the children who have had pox, all of them are fine, and none of them have pox...... No, many people took their children to the original pox clinics to ask for pox, and the clinics didn't dare to offend the uncle...... After the last, this matter was stabbed, that uncle, following his brother's grounding last year, he was also grounded. But it wasn't in the capital, but was sent to Xiling to the pioneer guard, saying that it made him think about it......"

Qiu Chen had already read about this matter in the newspaper before, but he still showed surprise on his face, and then asked, "What about that kind of pox?" Can it be recovered? ”

"Well, it's restored, after the first ...... I gave it back. The people who were still muttering about the unreliability of the pox, after this incident, they all took their children to get pox. Originally, after the New Year, the pox god had to make a big fuss, but this year it was quietly dispersed, and our area broke three children a year ago, but it didn't lose one after the New Year...... Amitabha, the second master has accumulated great virtue this time! ”

"Oh? Second master? Is it the second master of the third master's family that the sister-in-law said just now? Qiu Chen pretended not to know and asked.

Mrs. Liu's face was bright with a smile, and she nodded again and again: "Yes, yes, it's the second master of their family." It's just that this second master and those two are not the same mother, and they are separated from their mothers...... This one really does things for the people. I heard that Nanzhili was hit by a disaster and epidemic the year before last, and the second master also went there to help the suffering......"

Mrs. Liu relaxed and chattered. It's just that, in addition to the pox thing, it is to praise the merits of the 'second master'......

Qiu Chen's heart gradually sank when he heard this, now Emperor Jingshun has just turned fifty, and he has not heard of any physical problems, it seems that there is nothing wrong with living for another ten or eight years, and now, Yang Jingyong has such a big reputation...... This is not a good thing, you must know Lu Dao, the emperor's insecure profession is the most suspicious, if he knows Yang Jingyong's good reputation...... No, this matter must be a reminder to Yang Jingyong.

Moreover, this Mrs. Liu, a woman who sells food at the dock, can say it in such detail, but it's not quite right, who released these news? According to this statement, it is not like the two sons of the former queen!

After talking back to Mrs. Liu, and asking about the customs of the people in the market, Qiu Chen asked people to take five taels of silver to Mrs. Liu, and Mrs. Liu thanked her for her kindness before withdrawing from the city.

In the evening, Afu Aman didn't come back until the end of the day, and Qiu Chen watched the two children sleep, so he packed up and settled.

Nothing was said all night.

Early the next morning, Qiu Chen was woken up by the hustle and bustle outside the ship, got up and freshened up a little and had a simple breakfast, then abandoned the boat and boarded the car, and went straight to the capital.

The official road leading to the capital from Tongzhou Wharf is busy, and the cars come and go, although Qiu Chen's convoy is heavily guarded, and there are guards in front of the road, but the speed of travel is still not fast, and the road is in Liangxiang to make a point, and in the afternoon, the group only entered the capital.

The tall and majestic city wall is taller, thicker and more majestic than Zhengding Mansion. The guards under the city gate tower are also more energetic than the soldiers in the county seat.

Qiu Chen picked up the curtain and looked at it for a while, and then lost interest. The curiosity about the ancient buildings of the ancients on the street is long gone after three years of ancient life. In her eyes, the capital is just more people and more vehicles, and it is no different. After all, the prosperity of the street market in this era is still incomparable with modern times, without the initial freshness and curiosity, there is not much interest, not to mention, walking into this city, it also means that she is about to start a new life test!

Before, Qiu Chen had already sent a message to Qin Zheng, and he had no objection to her plan to live in his own house.

After all, there are still a few days before the wedding day, and at this time, not to mention the Liang Guogong Mansion, it is the Jingbei Hou Mansion, and Qiu Chen is not convenient to move in.

The car entered the outer city gate, passed through several lively streets, and entered the inner city after half an hour, and the outside of the car was much quieter. Qiu Chen lifted the curtain of the car and looked out, and saw that there were many fewer stalls and vendors on the street, although there were shops on both sides of the street, but the obvious size and decoration of the storefronts were much higher than those in the outer city. Qiu Chen suddenly realized, it seems that the inner city at this time is the so-called high-end community, with a small population, good conditions, and many luxury brand stores!

After walking for another half an hour, the car went around the alley several times from robbery to the alley, and finally stopped at the head of the house.

Qiu Chen lifted the curtain again to see that he had gone, and saw that he had come to an alley that only allowed two cars to be wrong, the golden pillar gate that opened to the south, the drums and birds in front of the door, the brick carvings on the lintel were exquisite and complicated, the two vermilion doors were open, and Chen and Zhao Jiu had already brought their families to the door.

The car was dismantled into a sedan chair again, carried by four healthy servants to the second door, and replaced by four strong mothers-in-law to carry it, all the way into the second door, then stopped and dropped the sedan chair, Chen personally came up for Qiu Chen to open the sedan curtain, the sedan body tilted, Qiu Chen got off the sedan chair, raised his eyes to see the courtyard he was in, and saw that the houses around were neat, although they were clean and decorated, but obviously revealed a sense of heaviness brought by time precipitation. Not to mention some lush and flourishing flowers and trees in the surroundings, which makes this inconspicuous house on the outside have a lot of aftertaste.

Chen saw Qiu Chen standing beside the sedan chair and looked around, so he introduced with a smile: "This mansion is really a good house that can not be obtained, it was originally the mansion of the founding Duke of Weiguo, and later the Duke of Weiguo won the title, this mansion was not sold, and was purchased by the Ministry of Rites at that time. After the Ministry of Rites Shangshu Zhishi returned to his hometown, this house was run over by two more families, the last one, last year was dismissed and returned to his hometown, this house flowed on the market again, I didn't expect to be ...... by the second son of Yun"

"I didn't expect there to be such a big history...... Yun Er is afraid that he has put a lot of effort into this house, but now he is cheaper for me! Qiu Chen raised his eyebrows slightly and said happily.

Chen couldn't hold back and hid his face and nodded with a smile: "This means that the blessed don't have to rob!" ”

As he spoke, Afu Aman also came in from behind, Qiu Chen stretched out his hand and took the two children, and walked all the way inside.

Chen Shi introduced next to him: "...... This house was originally the establishment of the Guogong Mansion, and the regulations were naturally much wider and brighter than the ordinary eunuchs, that is, the gate was originally a Guangliang gate, and the officials who accepted it later were afraid that the regulations were not enough, and they were criticized, so it was changed to the Golden Pillar Gate...... The front courtyard is five into five open rooms, with a side room and a verandah, and there is a cross-courtyard in the east and west, all of which are three-entry courtyards; …… The best thing about this house is that the garden is built well, although it is not the first one in the capital, it can be counted, a lake is still drawn from the Beihai, directly to the moat and the Tongzhou River, and it is all living water in and out. In addition, there is a rare spring in the courtyard called Shuyu Spring, which is said to be not weaker than the spring water of Yuquan Mountain......"

Qiu Chen took the two children all the way inside, listening to Chen's introduction all the way. It's just that, after running all the way, there are a few mothers at this time, and even the most energetic Aman is listless, and he doesn't appreciate the interest of visiting the garden at all. Only walked into the two, and it was placed in the first main courtyard in the backyard.

After a good night's rest, early the next morning, Qiu Chen woke up in a quiet, blinked his eyes, and looked at the tent with a madder-colored embroidered passion flower pattern on the top of his head for a while, before he realized that he had entered Beijing, and was in the capital at this time, located in the house of Baishiqiao in the inner city of Jiandemen.

Shaking his head, Qiu Chen got up and sat up, Qingxing heard the voice and came over to hang up the tent, and asked with a smile, "Did Mrs. sleep well last night?" …… The little young master and the little lady are full of spirits, and I got up early this morning, and I am practicing boxing with Master Li and Master Yong in the East Cross Courtyard at this time! ”

Qiu Chen laughed, "After all, it's a child, and when you are tired and sleep, you will be alive again." It's not like me, with old arms and legs, who sleep and feel like I'm dangling on the boat! ”

Qingxing looked at Qiu Chen with a smile and said, "Look at what Mrs. said, where are you old!" ”

Qiu Chen shook his head with a smile, and did not continue to talk about this topic, but just got up and went into the clean room to wash.

The rest here inside and outside is very good, and the only thing that makes Qiu Chen dissatisfied is the clean room. Without the fine porcelain basin she is used to, and without the convenient water supply system, the supply of face water and bath water has been restored.

I had the intention to take a break here, but when I thought that she would probably not be able to live here for a long time after getting married in two days, I took a break from this thought for the time being.

Or wait for Afu Aman to grow up...... When the time comes, Ah Fu must open a house alone when he marries!