Zhao Xiang sat on the ground and wept silently, already frightened in his heart.

She never expected that the three ancestors and grandsons of Jiannan Houfu would really leave her alone, and they didn't even have a word of entrustment! Since they were so ruthless to her, why did they settle the marriage of the Lin family for her after receiving her letter? If they still miss her a little bit of old affection, for the sake of her being the blood of the old county prince, they should take care of her more, why do they refuse to take her away knowing that the Jiang family treats her badly?

Even if they say a word to the Jiang family, asking the Jiang family to treat her well, it is good. Without a word, it's like she doesn't exist as a person, so how can she stay in the Jiang family in the future?!

Zhao Xiang cried there until he saw a figure appear behind him.

It was Jiang Zhongqiu, the second son of Uncle Jiang's grandson, who had always been kind to her. She knew in her heart that this was because she was young and beautiful, and she was gentle and careless. But Mrs. Jiang didn't have a good impression of her, and she was bent on destroying her Qingyun Road, she was never willing to find herself such a mother-in-law, so she didn't look down on Jiang Zhongqiu. But in all fairness, he was really nice to her.

At this moment, Jiang Zhongqiu's eyes looking at Zhao Xiang were also full of pity: "Cousin Xiang, don't be sad. It doesn't matter if they don't care about you, you still have our family. It's cold in winter, it's windy on the docks, so let's hurry home. You sit on the snow and watch out for a while to catch a cold. ”

Zhao Xiang slowly put away his tears, thought for a while, and choked up and said, "Second cousin, thank you for your concern." Now I have no other relatives, and the only one I can rely on is my second cousin. ”

Jiang Zhongqiu's cheeks turned red, bowed his head and said shyly: "Don't worry, cousin Xiang, I will protect you and not let you be wronged." ”

Zhao Xiang shed a few tears and weakly stretched out his hand in front of him, wanting him to help him up. Jiang Zhongqiu was trembling with excitement, and was about to stretch out his hand, but he couldn't catch up and saw not far away. The mother, Mrs. Jiang, helped the girl get out of the sedan chair and walked over with a black face. In the end, he was still afraid of his mother's lesson, and he also knew that according to the number of etiquette, he should not help his cousin a boudoir girl. Hurriedly withdrew his hand to the side, bowing his head and saying nothing.

Mrs. Jiang walked quickly with the girl, and she saw the interaction between her son and Zhao Xiang in her eyes, and couldn't help but sneer. The eye knife flew straight to Zhao Xiang's face: "Why didn't my niece go with your relatives?" Didn't you say that the duchess felt sorry for you? She didn't even have a word of care left! I borrowed someone else's name to play a prestige in my house for two days, and now the cowhide has been blown up, how can you still have the face to see people?! ”

Zhao Xiang bit his lip and didn't answer, his face flushed. She knew that this time she miscalculated, and her aunt would never spare her. But it doesn't matter, as long as she tightens Jiang Zhongqiu's jaw, she is not afraid that Jiang Zhongqiu's mother will have her. Which mother can beat her own son? Although Jiang Zhongqiu doesn't seem to be promising, she can't take care of it much now. She had to let herself stay in the Jiang family first, and then plan for the future. If you really can't have a child, you can marry Jiang Zhongqiu.

Where can she hide from Mrs. Jiang in this calculation? Mrs. Jiang sneered a few times, and then said to her son, "Why are you still confused by her now?" How did she stay at home these two days? Why don't you know to wake up?! You always complain that your mother shouldn't have promised her to the son of the Lin family, why don't you want to think about it, isn't it for you and your brother, mother?! ”

The Jiang family was implicated in the rebellion of King Ying and went home, but the dismissal was a punishment, and after returning home, there was no crime on his body, so his sons could not be regarded as offenders. After the Jiang family returned to their hometown, the momentum was not as good as before. I thought about letting my two sons go down for the imperial examination so that they could make a comeback. However, in order to participate in the imperial examination, you must first obtain the qualification for the scientific examination. This matter is in charge of the ceremonial room in the yamen. The current prefect of Jining, Fang Chongshan, is a very cautious person. Because there were people in his family who had a relationship with the rebel king, he was extra avoidant, for fear of committing a taboo. With him in charge, in Jining, all those who are suspected of rebellion do not think that their children can be qualified for the imperial examination. Like the Jiang family, there is also a murderous felon daughter. Don't count on it. The Jiang family could only hit the head of the ceremonial officer, and that was the head of the Lin family.

What the Jiang family thought was nothing more than hundreds of children in a mansion, and they were all taking exams in each county below, so it was impossible for Fang Chongshan to ask them one by one. The head of the Nalin family has clansmen and in-laws working in the ceremonial rooms of the lower counties, and with him taking care of him, the two sons of the Jiang family can easily deceive the prefect of Fang and participate in the children's examination. When they are admitted to Xiucai and have fame, it will be difficult for Fang Chongshan to take care of them anymore. Wait for Fang Chongshan to leave after his term of office, and the rest of the things will be easier to do. And the Lin family has money and power, but the only thing they are worried about is their seriously ill son. Uncle Jiang married his niece, and the two sides became cheap in-laws, and it was convenient to intercede.

Now this plan is naturally a failure, the family has not been formed, and there is still some revenge. If even the Lin family wants to set up obstacles in the Jiang family's brothers' scientific examination qualifications, they will be able to ask for their gender.

Mrs. Jiang's explanation, Jiang Zhongqiu finally understood the painstaking efforts of his parents. For a while, the fear of his uncertain future overcame the pity for Zhao Xiang, and he asked his mother helplessly: "What should the son do?" ”

Mrs. Jiang sighed: "What can I do?" Let's study hard at home for two more years. When things fade, it's naturally easy to say. She lowered her head and wiped her tears, then pointed at Zhao Xiang and said: "I also understand what you think about this girl, but you have to think about it, her life experience is now known all over Jining Mansion, and no one believes that she is the daughter of an official family surnamed Niu, but she came here after her parents died." If you want to mix with her, let alone scientific research in the future, I am afraid that there will be no place for relatives and friends. If you really have a heart for her, and you would rather disobey your parents than protect her, I will only treat you as a son, you will leave our Jiang family's land together and fend for yourself. Without her, maybe your brother's future still has some hope, your sister has become an old girl, and maybe there will be a day when she can get married. ”

Jiang Zhongqiu cried: "What did my mother say? When you say this, you have made your son ashamed of himself. ”

Mrs. Jiang choked up and said, "In this way, you are still willing to be filial to your parents?" In that case, you should go home. I promise you that I will not marry her off at will—and no one will dare to marry her now. I don't give her a short time to eat and drink, and I don't beat her and scold her, so can you just throw it away? Study hard, and in the future, your mother will choose a virtuous wife for you. ”

Jiang Zhongqiu said with tears on his face: "Mother misunderstood, my son has no other intentions for Cousin Xiang, it's just a concern between brother and sister." She has a worry-free life, and her son is naturally relieved. After speaking, he said to Zhao Xiang: "Cousin Xiang, just stay in our house with peace of mind, we won't leave you alone." ”

Zhao Xiang watched Jiang Zhongqiu crying in amazement, and at the same time listened to his mother's instructions and went home. She looked at Mrs. Jiang in a daze, and didn't understand why the person she had been able to handle all along suddenly didn't work?

Mrs. Jiang sneered and wiped away the tears on her face, and glanced at her disdainfully: "Are you embarrassed to take out that little trick to be embarrassing?" Get me up. Now in Jining Mansion, I'm afraid that even the peddlers and pawns won't marry you. Since you don't want to marry, I won't force you. There are also widows who keep festivals in the clan, live in a small courtyard, eat tea and light rice, and chant sutras and Buddha every day, which is the most quiet. I'll send you to that house when I get back, and you will be honest with me, so that I can still have enough to eat and clean clothes to wear. If you are not honest, something happens again, or you are flying at my sons and nephews, you will get out of the Jiang family for me! Don't tell anyone that you are related to our Jiang family. If you dare to ruin the reputation of the Jiang family, I will personally discount your leg and throw it into the ravine to feed the wolves, and see if your dear great-grandmother and Uncle Hou will make decisions for you! ”

She threw her sleeves away, leaving Zhao Xiang alone kneeling on the spot with a white face, and after a while, she got up with difficulty, bent her waist and shoulders, bowed her head and followed the Jiang family's sedan chair back.

Zhao Xiang finally chose to compromise.

Zhao Xiu didn't know that after his family left Jining, such an incident happened on the dock. Since she left Jining Mansion with the fleet, she has lived a peaceful life on board again.

This time, she reflected on herself, and every day she had to find time to practice calligraphy and painting more. Because of the cold weather, the ink and paint could not melt, so she simply used her homemade charcoal pen to sketch. Both sides of the canal are snow-white, and only black and white are left between the heavens and the earth, with the occasional addition of some deep and shallow ochre. She concentrated on painting snow scenes, drawing all the scenery along the way, and then drawing another detailed sketch based on these sketches when the weather warmed up in the future.

When she was practicing, Zhang often came to watch, and sometimes gave a few words. Zhao Wei will also come to take a look, but he is not proficient in calligraphy and painting, but he just appreciates and comments one or two. The strange thing is that Gao Zhen not only comes often, but also has to look at each painting carefully, guess where the painting is one by one, and like to add something to the painting himself, sometimes it is a stone, sometimes it is a personal shadow. But the strange thing is that he added those few strokes, which were not ugly, but more vibrant. Zhao Xiu thought he was making trouble at first, but then he didn't mention it, but he only felt that he seemed to have some skills in painting, so he asked for advice from time to time.

Don't look at Gao Zhen as if he doesn't think so, he doesn't like to talk about these elegant things, in fact, he does know a lot. Even if he didn't understand it at the time, he just had to pretend to "test you", go downstairs under the pretext, ask his father for advice secretly, and then go upstairs to show off. Zhao Xiu didn't know, and thought that he was hiding it deeply, so he often asked him about things he didn't understand. The opportunity for the two to get in touch has increased much more than before.

Zhao Wei was vaguely aware of it, and he was very jealous in his heart, and he intended to expose Gao Zhen's true face. Helplessly, he has the title of deputy envoy, who is serious about official business, and every time he passes through the town, he needs to contact local officials, and the king of Guangping always sends him out with Zeng Shilang to run errands, so that he has the opportunity to experience more experience. It was good for him, and he knew it in his heart, so he had to endure it. When the fleet set off again, he wanted to have a good talk with Gao Zhen, and King Biaoguangping signaled him to get along with Zeng Shilang and the others more, get acquainted with each other, and it would be convenient to work together in the future.

Zhao Wei was so helpless that he could only watch his sister go to Gao Zhen every day to ask for teaching. And Zhao Xiu didn't notice anything, and only wondered in his heart: "Why is my brother busy again today?" Does he have so much business to do? (To be continued.) )