Zhong Ziyuan's mood also calmed down, she leaned on Mrs. Zhong's lap, and said curiously: "Mother, tell me about Sister Fang'er!" ”

Mrs. Zhong brushed a few strands of green silk hanging down her cheeks behind her ears, and then said gently, "What do you want to know about her?" ”

Zhong Ziyuan blinked her eyes and thought for a while, and said, "For example, how did she come to our house, and how did her relatives die?" I look at her white and beautiful, she shouldn't be the daughter of a poor family! ”

Mrs. Zhong touched her head with a smile and said, "You kid, why did you remember to ask these questions today, it was all many years ago." ”

"Say! Say it! The daughter wanted to hear "Mrs. Zhong has always been coquettish with Zhong Ziyuan, so she thought about it and said: "Fang'er used to be considered a wealthy family"

In fact, Fang'er's story is very simple, and it is somewhat similar to Chunni. Her family runs a silk village in a small county town by the canal, and her life is quite prosperous. Unexpectedly, the torrential rain for more than half a month that summer caused the water level of the canal to rise sharply, and finally the river embankment burst and the flood instantly washed away everything in this small county.

At that time, Fang'er and her family escaped the impact of the flood because of the high ground in their home. However, more than half of the people in the small county town did not escape, and when the flood waters receded, they left behind a ruin and scattered corpses. After the catastrophe, there will be a plague, but unfortunately the survivors did not have this awareness, and in the ensuing days of exposure, the corpses that had not had time to be buried rotted and stinked, and finally became the source of the plague.

No one drowned in the flood. In the end, most of them died in the outbreak of the plague. The government was afraid that the plague would spread, and even sent troops to seal off the entire county, and only allowed to enter and not leave.

Then it was very old-fashioned, Zhong Jinchuan and several other doctors in Chang'an City. Under the leadership of Tai Hospital, a large number of medicinal herbs were brought into the epidemic area, and Fang'er's family was lucky to escape the abuse of the plague this time, leaving her as an orphan girl struggling in the world. was discovered by Zhong Jinchuan when she was most desperate, so she escaped and followed him into Zhong's house.

After listening to Mrs. Zhong's words, Zhong Ziyuan's heart was sullen all the time, and she didn't say anything for a while. In fact, she also guessed that Fang'er's life story must be a tragic story. But what if you know it now? No matter how pitiful she is, it is impossible for her mother to give her father to her, at most she will give her more silver taels when she leaves, so that she can not worry about food and clothing. It's just a matter of living in peace! Thinking of this, Zhong Ziyuan sighed softly.

Just when her thoughts were turning a thousand times, Mrs. Zhong quietly pushed her and said kindly: "You just misunderstood your father." Isn't it time to apologize? Don't make trouble under this big festival, your heart is not happy. ”

Misunderstanding? Zhong Ziyuan didn't think so, at the previous glance, she clearly saw that the emotion in her father's eyes was obviously a man's to a woman's, although it was not burning, but there was pity and pity. If a woman has the love and mercy of a man, she can live a peaceful life.

But the father is the father after all, and he can't push it out, but he still has to pull it back. Zhong Ziyuan patted his head and immediately jumped up. "I'll take a look!" Then he didn't forget to say to Qingdai, Cardamom explained: "You two are here with Madame." ”

The courtyard was quiet at the moment. The red lanterns under the eaves shine on the pink camellia blooming beside the steps, and the pink flowers add a bit of brightness and beauty. Zhong Ziyuan naughtily approached and smelled the crisp fragrance of flowers, then pulled the honey-colored silver silk dark flower feather gauze cloak on his shoulder, and jumped down the steps.

Not surprisingly, Zhong Jinchuan hid in the study alone. Zhong Ziyuan stood at the door and looked at him carefully, although he was in his forties, wrinkles crept up the corners of his eyes, and he still had a three-inch green beard on his chin. But his eyebrows are clear, because his well-maintained black hair does not have a trace of gray hair. He wore a dark green iris pattern straight jacket, and the neckline was decorated with a circle of dark fox skin. He has a faint smell of wine on his body, and he is elegant and elegant, revealing a bit of nobility and stability, no wonder Fang'er is so addicted.

At this moment, Zhong Jinchuan was standing in front of the bookcase, and there were several pieces of cut red paper on the desk in front of him. He bent down slightly, holding a wolf pen dipped in ink in his hand, and was writing something seriously. His fingers were slender, fair, and his bones were distinct, and his fingertips were like Zhong Ziyuan, with a thin layer of calluses, but they were still as tall as jade bamboo.

Hearing the sound of the door opening, Zhong Jinchuan was still not distracted, and after a mellow and beautiful spring character meandered out under his pen, he straightened his waist, put down the wolf pen in his hand, looked up at Zhong Ziyuan and smiled: "Stinky girl, aren't you angry?" ”

Zhong Ziyuan quietly stuck out the tip of his tongue and said confidently: "I'm not so stingy!" She slowly paced to the bookcase, stretched her neck to look carefully, and muttered, "Peace is happiness, and harmony is spring." She couldn't help but sigh: "It turns out that my father is hiding here and working hard to write Spring Festival couplets, but this Spring Festival couplets are too superficial!" ”

Zhong Jinchuan glanced at her, pinched the red paper, carefully dried the ink on it, and said, "Although it is superficial, it is a reasonable word." ”

The corners of Zhong Ziyuan's mouth twitched, and he said curtly: "It turns out that I am not stingy, but my father is stingy, and he is still angry about the things in the warm pavilion?" ”

Zhong Jinchuan raised his eyes and saw that she had a pair of eyes as bright as stars, looking at him for a moment. He couldn't help but shake his head helplessly, and said with a smile: "Quirky girl." ”

Zhong Ziyuan grinned, took his arm, and shook it: "Since my father is not angry, let's go to the pavilion together to accompany my mother to celebrate the New Year!" ”

Zhong Jinchuan smiled, stroked the green beard and said, "After we paste the Spring Festival couplets, we will go to the warm pavilion to accompany your mother to celebrate the New Year." ”

"Great!" Zhong Ziyuan agreed with a crisp smile.

By the time Zhong Ziyuan and Zhong Jinchuan pasted the newly written Spring Festival couplets and returned to the warm pavilion, it was already the third watch, the banquet in the warm pavilion had been removed, and a table of pastries, fruits and tea was re-arranged.

When it comes to the fifth watch, it will be a new year. A few girls kowtowed respectfully, and they also got the New Year's money sent by Mrs. Zhong. Everyone was smiling. Only Fang'er hid in the room and didn't come out under the pretext of going to sleep, and her share was finally received by Qingdai instead of her.

The next morning, the picture was opened. Brother Liu and Fu Bo put a few firecrackers first. "Crackling" after the sound of firecrackers. Broken red all over the ground, bright as clouds and brocade, it is really a "full house".

After keeping watch all night, Mrs. Zhong was extremely tired, and after a little washing, she planned to go back to her room to sleep. Zhong Ziyuan also ran in, she took off the hairpin ring bun on her head and draped her long hair. Crawl to the bed with both hands and feet: "Mother, I want to sleep with you!" ”

"Like a monkey, haven't you grown up yet?" Mrs. Chung said that. But he still smiled and lifted the corner of the quilt, letting Zhong Ziyuan get in like a loach, and then wrapped it tightly in his arms with the quilt.

Zhong Ziyuan hasn't slept under the same bed with her mother for a long time, and she misses it very much. She buried herself in Madame Zhong's arms and took a deep breath. Smell the nice smell of magnolia flowers. She couldn't help but show a hint of intoxication on her face.

Mrs. Zhong gently patted Zhong Ziyuan's back, her bright eyes gradually became deep, and she suddenly asked, "Ziyuan, do you remember your eldest brother?" ”

Zhong Ziyuan's heart jumped, and her eyes that were slightly squinted because of the sleepiness opened instantly, and she nodded and said, "Remember." ”

That's right, Zhong Ziyuan also has a big brother who is seven years older than her, and he can memorize the whole book at the age of five. At the age of seven, he can identify hundreds of herbs, and at the age of ten, he can diagnose people's pulses and prescribe prescriptions. He is simply the pride of the Zhong family.

Zhong Ziyuan even suspected that he was a time-traveler like himself, with the memories of his previous life, so he would be so precocious. It's a pity that before she can confirm it, the eldest brother was killed by an extremely ordinary wind chill when he was twelve years old.

Zhong Ziyuan was only five years old at the time, and although he was mentally mature, he was still a childish child with a sheep's horn bun on the outside. She could only watch that her eldest brother had an ordinary wind chill at the beginning, but he didn't recuperate well because he was young, and the wind chill gradually developed into pneumonia, and then severe pneumonia.

In this day and age, severe pneumonia is almost a terminal illness. Even if the eldest brother has the aura of a little prodigy, he still can't escape the hideous minions of death, he has been in a high fever, and in the end he is still dying.

Mrs. Zhong was bedridden due to excessive grief for a time, and almost wanted to go with him. It was Zhong Ziyuan, who was only five years old at the time, who called her mother every day with a medicine bowl beside her bed, and called her back. But since then, the Zhong family has never dared to mention the deceased eldest brother in front of their mother.

Now that Mrs. Zhong raised it herself, Zhong Ziyuan's eyelids jumped, and she had a bad premonition in her heart. Sure enough, Mrs. Zhong stroked her black hair and murmured: "If your eldest brother is still here, it should be thirty out of twenty this year, which is enough to support the lintel of our Zhong family, even if you marry into the Zhenguo Palace Mansion in the future, you will be able to have someone to support you, and you will not be underestimated." Or if you have a sister, you can move around each other and discuss anything. ”

Zhong Ziyuan hurriedly coquettishly said: "What did mother say? You're not like my father, can you support me? ”

Mrs. Zhong smiled bitterly: "Father, mother is already old, I don't know what will happen tomorrow today, how can I stay with you for a long time?" Originally, we didn't make a marriage contract for you early, but we wanted to recruit a son-in-law to come to the door, so that we could keep you in front of you and not be bullied. Who knew that you had fallen into the eyes of General Wu Xian, how could this Zhenguo Mansion be so easy to enter? Even if General Wu Xian insisted, if you get married, if you don't have the help of your mother's family, I'm afraid that life will be difficult. ”

Zhong Ziyuan blinked and said puzzledly, "Mother, what do you want to say?" ”

Mrs. Zhong pondered and said slowly: "Mother thinks, you should have younger brothers and sisters. In this way, the Zhong family will not fall, and you will always have the support of your mother's family. ”

Zhong Ziyuan's eyes lit up, and she said in surprise: "Mother, do you want to give birth to younger brothers and sisters for me?" ”

Mrs. Zhong smiled bitterly: "It's nonsense again!" At such an old age, where can a mother be born. After a pause, she said with difficulty: "I want to take a concubine for your father, I am optimistic about everyone, it is Fang'er." Fang'er almost grew up in front of my eyes, and she didn't say anything about her temperament, appearance, or conduct. Plus, she'd been studying for a few days before, and she was talking to your father. She is also close to you, and if there is a man and a woman in the future, it will also be a foil for you."

"Mother is laughing!" Zhong Ziyuan abruptly interrupted Mrs. Zhong's words, and she said unceremoniously: "Even if I can marry into the Zhenguo Mansion, Sister Fang'er made a concubine for her father, and she gave birth to a child as she wished." But after the New Year, I will be seventeen, and she will give birth to a child at least a year later. I don't know if it's a man or a woman, even if her firstborn is a son, it will be at least twenty years before he grows up and can support the lintel of the Zhong family, and by then I will be nearly forty years old.

And this kid has to have the amazing talent of his eldest brother, otherwise even if he reaches twenty, he can only be afraid when facing the huge Zhenguo Mansion, how can he support me? Mother, I really don't need you to be wronged for such illusory things! ”

Mrs. Zhong smiled indifferently, and she said angrily: "Silly child, how can a mother be wronged? Look at those men who have a few pieces of silver in their hands, who is not a group of wives and concubines, a pile of children, and they still have to eat, drink and be merry in the place of Fengyue all day long? That is, your father, who has guarded me alone for so many years, my mother is really content. ”

After a pause, she continued: "Besides, no matter how old the married daughter is, if she doesn't have a mother's family, she is equivalent to a rootless duckweed. Therefore, even if it is a mother's family who is not a top student, it is good. ”

Zhong Ziyuan also knows the atmosphere here, it is really a matter of course for men to take concubines and prostitutes, and it can be said that he is an outlier in the eyes of others like his father.

But she has been educated in monogamy for so long in her previous life, and she really can't accept this general social atmosphere. What's more, Zhong Jinchuan herself did not reveal that she wanted to take a concubine, so she still tried her best to persuade Mrs. Zhong to dispel this idea.

Mrs. Zhong didn't wait for her to speak, and continued: "What's more, I can't be so selfish and let the Zhong family be cut off in my hands like this. ”

Zhong Ziyuan was stunned for a moment, completely speechless. She knew a long time ago that Zhong Jinchuan and his wife wanted to recruit a door-to-door son-in-law for her, and the child born in this way was still surnamed Zhong, and it was barely considered to be out of incense.

But she has now made a lifelong agreement with Guo Chenghe. She didn't think that the future heir to the Zhenguo Mansion would let her child take her mother's surname Zhong. Even if he was willing, the rest of the people in the Zhenguo Mansion would not be willing. In this way, the Zhong family's incense can be regarded as completely broken.

Zhong Ziyuan can't afford this crime, Mrs. Zhong can't afford it, and even Zhong Jinchuan can't afford it. (To be continued.) )