In a two-storey attic, a heavy curtain separates the east-facing half of the room, complete with bookshelves, desks, tables and chairs.

A young child with red lips and white teeth sat cross-legged on the Luohan bed, trying to sit up straight, with a small square table in front of him, a stack of white paper on the table, and the child's chubby little hand clenched the pen in his hand, and was concentrating on practicing writing.

The serious appearance made people laugh, but from time to time he looked up and peeked at the woman who was lying lazily on the side opposite, and said in a milky voice: "Mother, Granny Xu is waiting for you." ”

Granny Xu is the mother-in-law who just came over to talk back.

"I know, you practice calligraphy honestly, and your mother will come when she goes." The woman lazily got up and fell, lifted the corner of the curtain, and went downstairs.

"Mother Xu, you go to the front yard and find an excuse to bring Fang Fang to the flower hall to see me." In early summer, when the weather is getting hotter, the woman's voice comes through the light veil on her face, and the blue gauze skirt as thin as cicada's wings goes from shallow to deep.

That Xu's mother responded, and called another mother-in-law halfway, went to the front yard together, and said to Tian: "Sister-in-law Tian, a few days ago, the silk village sent summer clothes to my aunt and grandmother, and my aunt and grandmother were in a good mood and sent us away, do you want to pick up a few horses to go back and make a few new clothes for the family?" ”

And this kind of good thing? When Tian heard this, he stood up, rubbed his hands and thanked him with a smile, and said, "Thank you sister-in-law, then I'm embarrassed, Erni, you are waiting for your aunt and grandmother here." ”

The woman smiled. led Tian Shi to the back to pick up the materials, Xu Po stepped forward and said to the bored Fang Fang: "Second girl, our aunt and grandmother didn't come over so soon, if you are in a panic, why don't you go to the flower hall with your mother and me to eat some bud rice cakes, it's newly made, it's hot." ”

"Okay, then thank you Mom." Fang Fang responded obediently, after a serious illness. The whole person has changed his temperament. It's not as tricky as it used to be.

When she arrived at the flower hall, Mother Xu really brought a plate of budding rice cakes, Fang Fang thanked her with a smile and ate a few bites. Then he saw a woman with a veil on her face turn out from behind the screen.

"Grandma." Mother Xu took the lead in blessing her body.

Fang Fang saw it. Hurriedly put down the bud rice cake in his hand. followed the blessing of the body, and also shouted: "Hello auntie." ”

The woman nodded, walked over and sat down. Pointing to the chair next to him, Fang Fang sat down, and said, "I just want to go to the front hall to find you, but I don't want to see you here, so I won't go to the front hall, I know the meaning of your mother's purpose today, I just want to ask you, if your fiancé wins Xiucai this year, will he come to the door to withdraw from his family?" ”

Fang Fang thought for a while, shook his head vigorously and vetoed, and said, "No, Brother Liu has already said that he will come to propose marriage when he wins the show...... This year, it was because Uncle Liu was sick before the exam, and Brother Liu was distracted, so he didn't do well in the exam. ”

"Listening to the meaning of your words, it doesn't look like you're in love with the Ma family in the town, but how can you agree to go with your mother?"

"I ...... My mother said, wait for him for three more years, I will be about to be twenty, if he still fails the exam, it will be equivalent to wasting three years waiting for him in vain, and then he will be older, I am afraid that I can't find a good family, it is better to ...... "It's better to marry the Ma family in the town now, anyway, the Ma family doesn't have to worry about eating and drinking, and it's much better than the Liu family, Tian told her so."

The woman on the opposite side sighed softly under the veil, and said: "I'd rather demolish ten bridges than destroy a marriage, so let's do it, I'll give you two options, one is to marry to the Liu family, I will give you a dowry, although you can't make you rich, but food and clothing are not a problem, the other is that I let people come forward to push the marriage of the Liu family for you, marry to the Ma family, you go back and ponder by yourself, when you think about it, when to come and sue me." ”

Originally, I expected that Fang Fang would go back and make a decision after discussing with the Tian family, but unexpectedly, she stood up directly and said firmly: "Auntie, don't think about it, I can give you an answer now, I like the eldest brother of the Liu family, and I also want to marry the Liu family, no matter whether he can get fame or not, I am willing to marry him!" ”

As she spoke, the girl, who was usually a little shy when she saw someone, held her head high, and said it with a sonorous and powerful voice, with an unquestionable determination, but at the next moment after expressing her heart, she lowered her head and spoke much lower.

"But since the matchmaker came to mention the Ma family, my mother has an idea about the Ma family, and wants to push away the Liu family's family affairs, and I know how hard it has been for my mother to support a family alone in recent years, but I don't know the people of the Ma family, and I don't know whether it is good or bad, the matchmaker's mouth is all good, but I don't believe that the Ma family is really as good as that, but I have to marry me a country girl."

She is loyal to her heart, but she also feels sorry for her mother's hard work, and no one knows what will happen in the future, but judging from the current situation of the Liu family, the Ma family is indeed more suitable than the Liu family, and her mother is also for her good, she can't say 'no' to her mother who is heartbroken for the whole family.

The woman she called 'Grandma' on the other side was slightly stunned, raised her eyes and looked at her steadily, and said after half a ring: "Okay, you are a refreshing person, since you have made up your mind, I will go back to your mother for you." After a pause, he added: "You don't have to worry about the dowry, since you have received the voice of your aunt, your aunt will make the decision for you." ”

"Thank you, Grandma!" Fang Fang said excitedly, looking at her aunt opposite with gratitude in her eyes, unable to hide the joy in her heart. She didn't read anything, and Tian didn't teach her any big truths, as long as she could reduce her mother's burden and marry her sweetheart, she was not embarrassed.

After the matter was settled, a mother-in-law immediately went to tell the Tian family about it, the Tian family disliked the Liu family, it was because the Liu family was poor, and they didn't have anything good to give Fang Fang a dowry, so they moved the idea of marrying Fang Fang to the town, and now since the 'aunt' of the Fang family is willing to give Fang Fang a dowry, then she has nothing to say.

By the time the mother and daughter left, the housekeeper had already taken care of the dowry given to Fang Fang and filled a carriage, which was enough for the family's lifetime expenses. Tian's mother and daughter were stunned, and they couldn't believe it until they returned home, but they didn't come back to their senses.

Fang Geng, who arrived later, heard about this and said with a smile: "Big girl, you shouldn't be too good to them." ”

"In the end, sisters, now that they have repented, try to help as much as they can." The woman in blue smiled disapprerovingly, beckoned Fang Geng to sit down, poured a cup of tea and handed it over. "Uncle Geng. Come and try this year's new tea. ”

Fang Geng was not in a hurry to sit down, but happily took out a burden from behind him, "Big girl, Young Master Pei has sent a letter from Beijing." ”

"Really?" Fang Yan didn't have much of a surprise. Naturally, reach out and take it. The envelope was opened. Take out the letterhead inside and read it.

Fang Geng was even more excited than Fang Yan, and without waiting for her to finish reading, he asked, "Big girl." What did Young Master Pei's letter say? But what about the temple exam? ”

Fang Pei went to Beijing to take the exam this time, and also passed the day of the release of the list, this time the family letter, it must be about the imperial examination, whether it is the title of the gold list, or the name of Sun Shan, the result is in this letter, although there is the blessing of the regent, but in the end, there is still to have real talent and real learning, Fang Geng is more excited than anyone else.

"Hmm." Fang Yan nodded, the corners of his lips under the veil were naturally hooked, his eyebrows and eyes were crooked, and he said with a smile: "I won the first place." ”

When Fang Geng heard this, he was so excited that he burst into tears, and immediately stood up and bowed three times facing the south, thanking the old lady for his blessing.

Fang Yan shook his head with a smile, then looked down at the content of the letter, and when he saw the end, he couldn't help but stand up, and said to Geng in a trembling voice: "Uncle Geng, do you know where Pei's Champion Mansion is built?" ”

Fang Geng listened and hurriedly asked, "Where is it?" ”

"In the old house ......of the Fang family in the past," Fang Yan couldn't hide the excitement in his heart, his eyes were full of tears, and he choked up: "It's in our previous home...... The regent bothered, deliberately bought the land, and built a mansion a long time ago, and this time he took the opportunity to take it out to make the champion mansion for Ah Pei, which is really heartfelt. ”

The relationship between the Fang family and the regent is just to take what they need, the Fang family's business in Jiangnan seeks protection, and the regent needs financial resources to operate, the two families take what they need, and they have never even met.

Fang Pei is Fang Fei's younger brother, and the fourth prince of the year also knew it, and he should take special care of him, but he didn't expect him to be so attentive, and he actually bought the base of the Fang family's old mansion and renovated it, and now gave it to Fang Pei as the champion mansion, which can be regarded as returning to the original owner.

Fang Geng cried again, nodded again and again, not knowing what to say.

"Uncle Geng, Ah Pei asked us if we should go to Beijing? Take the spiritual seat of Daddy and Grandfather. Fang Fei finished reading the letter and tentatively asked Fang Geng's opinion.

Fang Fei died five years ago, and now it is Fang Yan who is alive, Fang Pei has no sister, even if he goes to the capital, he can only go secretly.

"You have to go, big girl, I will be very pleased that my lord knows under the spring." Fang Geng raised his hands in approval, it was his lifelong wish to bring the spiritual thrones of the two generations of the Fang family back to the old mansion in the capital to worship, and now that the time came, he didn't want to wait for a moment.

"Uncle Geng, go to Beijing to find Ah Pei by yourself, I won't go." Fang Yan sighed and sat back silently.

Fang Geng can justifiably go to Beijing to find Fang Pei, she can't, Fang Pei's current status, the capital doesn't know how many pairs of eyes are staring at him, unless it is a last resort, she doesn't want to bring the slightest threat to Fang Pei, she would rather live incognito for the rest of her life.

Fang Geng knew what she was worried about, but this was helpless, and he didn't want her to be lost, so he thought about diverting the topic, and suddenly remembered that the person who sent the letter had also sent a burden, so he hurriedly took it out, put it on the table, and said, "By the way, big girl, Young Master Pei also asked someone to send this brocade box to you." ”

Fang Yan raised his head, untied the burden of holding the brocade box in confusion, and gently opened the brocade box, only to see a dagger lying quietly in the box, and the gems inlaid on the hilt of the sword were in the beam, refracting a faint ghostly light.

Fang Yan picked up the dagger, looked at it again and again, frowned and said: "This dagger was given to me by Fang Luo for self-defense, but then it should have fallen in the shop, I haven't found it for a long time, it turned out to be in A Pei's place." ”

Fang Geng took it and looked at it, and said suspiciously: "No, big girl, I personally packed up the things that Young Master Pei went to Beijing for him, and I didn't see this thing with him." As he was talking, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he pointed to the envelope that Fang Yanshi had just put down, and said, "Big girl, isn't there another letter in there?" ”

After he said this, Fang Yan realized that there was still a piece of letterhead in the envelope that had not been pulled out, so he picked up the envelope, took out the letterhead inside, and opened it, but only the two lines of words 'No Restored Beauty Figure, Empty Blade Radiance' were written on it, the handwriting was strong and powerful, and it was not Fang Pei's handwriting at first glance.

"Uncle Geng, look at this handwriting, is it a little familiar?" Fang Fei suddenly raised his eyes and looked at Fang Geng.

Fang Geng fixed his eyes, nodded, and said, "It really looks like Fang Luo's handwriting...... Fang Luo has been a small shopkeeper for the Fang family for half a year, and his handwriting can be seen by Fang Geng at a glance.

didn't write the head, even on the payment, only a few words were written on the return of the object to the original owner, Fang Yan stared at the dagger and the letterhead in his hand, bit his lip and looked at it again, frowned and said, "Could it be that Fang Luo took the dagger back in the first place?" So what does he mean now? ”

The person who is alive now is Fang Yan, but he asked people to send the dagger back, and he also said that the thing was returned to the original owner, which can only mean one thing, which means that he knows Fang Yan's identity.

Fang Geng thought for a while and said his thoughts: "Big girl, it may be that Young Master Pei has leaked his mouth, the regent knows that you are still alive, and now he will give the Fang family's old mansion to Young Master Pei, and invite you to Beijing, it may be that the regent has already arranged the affairs of the capital, big girl, you don't have to worry about your safety after going to Beijing." ”

Compared with herself, Fang Yan probably wanted to go back to the capital even more, but she had to estimate Fang Pei's safety, and she didn't even dare to go back to the old mansion.

Fang Yan was a little moved, but he still didn't dare to agree lightly, biting his lip and wanting to speak.

Seeing her hesitation, Fang Geng struck while the iron was hot, and continued: "Big girl, the situation in the court is different now, the regent and the queen mother are in the same dynasty, and they are equally divided, with the regent in one day, Young Master Pei will not be in danger, let's go to Beijing quietly, send the spirit of the lord and the old lady home, and then come back secretly, without alarming anyone." ”

Fang Yan let out a long breath, as if he had made up his mind, and said: "Having said that, I don't have to worry about Xiaochuan, I have grown so big, I have never left him ......" (to be continued......)