said that after Song Ke left, the Lin family came in a few days and took Aunt Song and Song Tanchai to live in the house. Pandan breathed a sigh of relief. Aunt Song is dull, ignores her, and she is not very comfortable with her, Song Tanchai is a little intimate with her, but she is a person who loves to think a lot, Xianglan has to be careful when she talks to her, and she feels tired and panicked when she laughs in one place. Now that the two of them are gone, Xianglan will relax and only take care of housework, read and practice calligraphy in the study, occasionally spread out the paper and pen to draw a picture, and talk and laugh with Yuexi to pass the time.

Chen Wanquan and his wife finally bought the courtyard in the south of the city, because the remaining silver had to be kept for the New Year, so the yard was hastily repaired and cleaned up, no new furniture was added, the Chen family had few things, and on an auspicious day, two donkey carts moved things over.

Xianglan went home that day to take a look, and saw a small square courtyard, one bright and two dark, the house was not big, but it was clean and tidy, like a decent small family. Xue's set up the east chamber as a pandan boudoir, in which the embroidered bed brocade quilt, the soft curtain sprinkled with flowers, the dressing mirror table, the bookcase in front of the window, the pen and ink, and the landscape calligraphy and painting on the wall, it is a decent lady's bedroom.

Xianglan touched the east and west, only to feel that all the wealthy boudoirs she had seen were not as warm and lovely as this small one. She pushed open the window and saw a jujube tree and a long grape trellis in the yard, and Xue Shi still muttered to herself: "I also said that I would raise a few chickens in the yard, but your father didn't say that he would dirty the place and not let him raise it." ”

Xianglan said: "Go back and get a dog, and you can also take care of the home." ”

Xue said: "Ming'er will get one." Xi Zizi said: "When I took out the silver, I only felt pain in my flesh, but I really lived in, but I felt that the money was worth it." The first time I lived in my own house, your father woke up laughing from his dreams last night. These days, I am full of joy, and I am thinking about collecting some more antiques and selling them. ”

Xianglan took out five taels of silver and stuffed it to Xue's and said: "These five taels will be used to buy some pots and pans, you and my father should also make two new bedding, and the cups for drinking tea in our house have also fallen off porcelain, and they have been used for more than ten years, so it is time to replace them with new ones." ”

Xue Shi also refused: "It's almost the New Year, you keep the silver and buy a fresh dress......"

Xianglan said: "I still have it, my mother will use it." When you move to a new home, how can you not stock up on something? Besides, it's the New Year, you should also be new, and now that you and my father have left the country, you shouldn't be underestimated,"

Xue felt justified, so he accepted the silver. The mother and daughter talked privately together.

Not long after, Xia Yun brought gifts to congratulate the Chen family on their new anniversary, Chen Wanquan smiled and went to the house attentively.

Xianglan peeked from the window, and saw Xia Yun wearing a new blue satin straight embellished, with a belt of the same color wrapped around her waist, and her coarse cloth clothes were removed.

Xue Shi hurriedly said: "Xiao Xia Xianggong also won the lift, and he took the one hundred and twenty-nine exams, and now he is a lifting master!" ”

Xianglan was stunned, a few days ago, she circled around Song Ke in the town, changing her ways of eating and drinking, and running the house. Who is Xia Yun, she had already thrown her to the back of her neck, and she forgot that he also wanted to take the township test. Then he said: "One hundred and twenty-nine, but the ranking is behind." ”

Xue said: "You say that everyone is Uncle Song, he is the leader in the first exam, Xiao Xia Xianggong is already very remarkable, and the adults in the yamen have come to congratulate him, saying that he likes the talent of Xiao Xia Xianggong and wants to call him to the county to promote and cultivate." Now the Xia family is different, and they are about to change their court. Saying that, he sighed again, "Xiao Xia Xianggong also has some ambitions, and Lord Dianshi took a fancy to him, so he resigned and wanted to enter Beijing to take the exam." Maybe if you hit the bullet at a young age, who knows what kind of creation you can make in the future. ”

Xianglan said in her heart: "Now the government is not clear, the eighth prince is a dim, only knows skillful skills, the eunuch party is in power in the court, and there are slanderers to gain power, if it is not for the great opportunity, how can the children of the poor family have a bright future." Even if Xia Yun is admitted to the Jinshi, if she has no money and connections, it will be difficult to find an official position, not to mention that it is easy to take the Jinshi exam. He shook his head slightly.

For a while, the Xue family went to entertain the guests, and Xianglan cleaned up in the house, folded the clothes in the cage one by one, and took oiled paper to paste the wall.

Xia Yun came here to show off. Originally, Chen Wanquan was always indifferent to Xia Yun because of the poverty of the Xia family, but now that Xia Yun has become a lifter, Chen Wanquan is very enthusiastic, and he has been smiling all the time. Xia Yun felt comfortable in her heart, although she looked down on Chen Wanquan in her heart, she had a smile on her face and greeted Chen Wanquan. He wanted to see Xianglan, who thought that Xianglan had never come out, he couldn't help but be disappointed, he wanted to ask but couldn't ask, so he just sat down and left.

Xue said: "Xiao Xia Xianggong is out now, if he wants to be interested, he is also worthy of Xianglan." ”

Chen Wanquan glared at Xue Shi and said, "What nonsense! Can he have Uncle Song again? Uncle Song is in love with our pandan, you don't have to say anything about it. ”

Xue sighed again and said, "Uncle Song is out of the ordinary, is it possible to marry our Xianglan as the leading lady?" It's better to worry about being with Xiao Xia. ”

Chen Wanquan sneered and said, "What if Xiao Xia Xianggong becomes a lifter? The family is as poor as something, and Xianglan will suffer if she wants to marry her. Uncle Song is an official eunuch, and his family background is solid. What's more, it was the Song family who saved Xianglan and let us get out of the country, and now I am still leading an errand in the Song Mansion, and our family has to be grateful to Dade! ”

Xue stopped talking.

Nothing happened for a while. Xianglan stayed at home for two days and then returned to the Song Mansion, and two months later received a stack of letters from Song Kehou, saying that he had arrived in the capital, and he wrote some interesting stories and customs along the way, and told her to take care of her health.

It's a cold winter, and the weather is cold. Xianglan looked out the window, only to see that the sky was gloomy, as if it was about to snow, and the cold wind came in through the window, and she quickly "snapped" to lock the window firmly.

The vermilion gate of the Lin Mansion slowly opened with a "snap" - Lin Jinlou has returned home!

Lin Jinlou wore a fur coat and walked in from the door, and the little guys had already rushed to report the news, shouting: "Uncle is back!" Uncle is back! ”

Three days ago, the Lin family received a holy decree that Lin Jinlou had made meritorious contributions to suppressing bandits, promoted the four products to command the affairs, awarded General Mingwei, and gave a white horse and one hundred taels of gold. This news shocked the Lin family, the old lady Lin Zhaoxiang ordered to put incense on the case, and asked the holy decree to open the ancestral hall to worship the ancestors, and the officials from near and far heard the wind and moved, and came to the door to congratulate them.

Everyone thought that Lin Jinlou would be able to return home in another year and a half, but they didn't expect to come back suddenly today, and they couldn't help but be surprised, and the whole house was busy.

Lin Jinlou was not in a hurry, handed the horsewhip to Jixiang and walked inside. Ji Xiang obediently asked, "Uncle do you want to go back to the Zhichun Pavilion to freshen up first, change your clothes and see your elders again?" ”

Lin Jinlou said lightly: "No need. "Go straight to kowtow to Mrs. Lin and Mrs. Lin. Lin Zhaoxiang has always been satisfied with the eldest grandson, although this child is unruly and ridiculous outside, but he knows everything in his heart, and he has earned a four-grade general in only half a year, and in a few years, the Lin family can use some connections to go to the military department as a high-ranking official of two or three grades.

Mrs. Lin had a loving face on her face, feeling sorry for her eldest grandson, and secretly wondering that her eldest grandson's concubine was dead, and there was no one around her who knew how to hurt the heat, and there were two girls around her who were good, not to mention their pretty appearances, but also to know what they wanted, and she turned around and sent her grandson's room to see if Zhao dared to say the word "no". took Lin Jinlou's hand and asked long and short questions, and wiped a handful of tears as he spoke.

At this time, there was a sound of footsteps at the door, and Lin Changzheng and the Qin family came. Mrs. Lin smiled with red eyes and said: "It's all my father's thoughts, look, I can't wait for my son to come to the door to ask for peace, and I'll be there." ”

Lin Jinlou immediately kowtowed to his father. Lin Changzheng saw that his son was becoming more and more majestic and calm. I can't help but be relieved. Qin's heart was sour when she saw the wind and frost between Lin Jinlou's eyebrows, and tears welled up, as soon as she cried, the old lady Lin also shed tears, and everyone persuaded her for a long time before she got better.

After catching up with the old days, Lin Zhaoxiang called Lin Changzheng and Lin Jinlou's father and son to the back room, Lin Jinlou sat down on the rocking chair with him, and served the hookah with his own hands. Lin Zhaoxiang took two puffs and asked, "Is the battle over?" Coming back so soon, what is the secret in it? ”

Lin Jinlou sneered: "What's the secret? The army is in ruins, a group of wine bags and rice bags, and it is a hell of a thing if you don't pee your pants on the battlefield, the army is full of old, weak, sick and disabled, there are almost no people available, and the military pay is empty. I had to fight a few battles with my own horses. Although the bandits are fierce, they have not yet become a big climate, but there are traitors who betray the country and seek glory collude with the Japanese and attack from both floods and droughts. I ordered fifty of them to be slain in public, and they were skinned and hung on the mast and the gates, so that they could be deterred. Seeing that the bandits were about to subside, those spirits jumped out one after another, instigating the saint to send his own people to come over to rob the merit, and they were afraid that I would turn my face, so they were promoted to get rich and plug my mouth. ”

Lin Changzheng said: "But it's not appropriate for you to go home like this without permission, in the end you want to enter the Beijing Saint." ”

Lin Jinlou said: "How can the emperor have the kung fu to see me?" The people in the court were not happy to let me go back, and when I poked there, how could they put credit on their faces? I have reported to the Holy Lord, saying that my injuries have recurred during the war, and that I will first go home to recuperate, and then go to Beijing to meet the Holy Lord. ”

Lin Zhaoxiang pointed his finger on the armrest of the rocking chair and said: "Lou'er is measured, the current situation in Beijing is chaotic, and even the eunuchs are at odds with each other, so it is better to observe for a while." He said to Lin Changzheng again: "You too, seeing that the filial piety period is about to expire, I will go back and seek a release for you, leave the capital first, and hide for two years...... Ahem...... How many prominent families have been wiped out, but our family has been up and down, and it is just to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages. ”

Lin Changzheng's father and son nodded and were taught.

Lin Zhaoxiang sighed and said to Lin Jinlou: "Although your second uncle is also in the army, his family knows very well, he is a mediocre person, and he is ambitious, if he asks you, you must not help him." ”

Lin Jinlou nodded in response. RS