On the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, the flavor snack shop in Kangxi Town and the Guji Bun Shop in Jinyang City opened for business. On the afternoon of the ninth day of the first lunar month, ten dusty men arrived at Kangxi Town with five empty cars to find the ancient mansion.

It turned out that Zhou Boyan's caravan came back from the south, they first settled in Jinyang City, and then divided ten people, and sent five empty cars, ready to go around to the ancient mansion of Kangxi Town, pulled sauerkraut back to Jinyang City, and then set off for the capital after all the staff converged.

The 125 barrels of sauerkraut given to Zhou Boyan have long been frozen, and they can be loaded and left at any time.

Gu Qiang saw that these people had worked hard all the way and asked them if they wanted to stay overnight, but he heard them say that they had to travel overnight and could not delay time. It turned out that it was the urgency of the capital, and the sauerkraut that I went to last time was already sold out, and some people booked the sauerkraut at a high price, just waiting for the goods to arrive.

Gu Qiang was proud when he heard this, because the sauerkraut was made up by his young lady, and the more popular it is, the more it shows that his young lady is a smart and capable woman. He hurriedly ordered the kitchen to cook, and wanted the ten people to eat a hot meal before leaving. The ten men were delighted, thanked them repeatedly, and stared at the loading.

At this time, Zhou Boyan asked Gu Shishi to pass the word, saying that he would leave with the caravan and cook the meal for him and the guards.

Qing Shu got the news and called Qing Yang to speak.

Not long after, Qingyang went to find Zhou Boyan, "Brother Yan, my sister asked me to ask you, do you still want sauerkraut over there?" ”

Since he threatened Zhou Boyan with tea that day, Qing Shu has never appeared in his sight again, and has stayed in the inner courtyard all day, not even coming to the front hall or side hall of the reception. He wasn't sure if Gu Qingshu was deliberately avoiding him, or if she didn't want to go ahead. "What did your sister say?"

Qingyang conveyed her sister's words very seriously, "My sister said that if Brother Yan really wants it, you can give fifty barrels to Brother Yan from the hundred barrels that are ready to be sent to Yipinlou, and one bucket will count you as eleven taels of silver." ”

Zhou Boyan smiled and said: "Sue your sister, ten taels of silver a bucket, I want a hundred buckets." ”

Qingyang, who had been cultivated by Qing Shu and had the potential to be a little bit of a fan of money, immediately muttered and calculated the accounts, and quickly came to the conclusion, "Brother Yan, my sister won't give it to you, and she will earn a hundred taels of silver less." ”

Zhou Boyan thought it was funny, "It's okay, you just have to tell your sister what I mean." ”

Qingyang nodded and went to find Qingshu. Soon, he ran back again, "Brother Yan, my sister said, let you add another eighty taels, otherwise you don't have to talk." "Meaning to agree to give a hundred barrels.

Zhou Boyan said unhurriedly: "I can only add ten taels, go and ask her if she agrees." ”

Qingyang ran to Qingshu's side again like a hard-working little bee, and when he came back, his face was blushing and puffing, "Sister said, eleven taels and one bucket, love, love or not." After changing his words, he smiled at Zhou Boyan embarrassedly.

Zhou Boyan imagined Gu Qing's relaxed teeth and claws, and the smile on his face became deeper and deeper.

Gu Shishi, who was packing up his son's baggage, scratched his head, with a puzzled expression, "Childe, are you boring?" ”

Zhou Boyan glanced at Gu Shi, "Where do you see that Childe and I'm bored?" ”

Gu Shishi muttered, "You're not bored, why are you messing with Miss Gu?" Every time Miss Gu jumps up angrily, you seem to be very happy. The last time he was in the snow, he was really impressed and he still doesn't forget it.

Zhou Boyan swept over with a cold eye, and Gu Shishi immediately closed his mouth and continued to collect things.

After entertaining the guests, Qingyang stood at the door of the mansion with a newly-acquired trumpet bow and arrow, and was unwilling to turn around and go in until he could no longer see the figure of Brother Yan, and arrived in Qingshu's house.

"Sister, look, Brother Yan gave it." Qingyang raised the trumpet bow and arrow in his hand, and showed it to his sister for the first time.

Qing Shu touched his slightly icy little face, "Do you like it?" ”

"I like it."

"Only bows, no arrows?"

"Yes, the ingots went to the house for me. Sister, I want to learn archery. ”

"Okay, I'll let the housekeeper teach you tomorrow morning."

"Uncle Butler knows how to use a gun, a knife, and an arrow?"

"Just ask, the housekeeper won't, there are others."

"I'll ask." Qingyang ran out in a hurry, and when he left the house, he thought of one more thing, ran into the house again, took out a few pieces of paper from his sleeve and put them in Qingshu's hand, "Sister, Brother Yan bought a silver ticket for sauerkraut." Then without waiting for Qing Shu to confirm, he ran out again.

Qing Shu shook his head and smiled, looking at the silver tickets in his hand, two of five hundred taels, one of one hundred taels, a total of one thousand and one hundred taels. She locked the ticket and took out the ledger to write it down.

In the blink of an eye, winter is going to spring, the snow is slowly melting, the time sequence is close to March, and there will be eight or nine days to the Qingming Festival. Gu Qiang began to prepare for the tomb sweeping on the Qingming Festival early, while Qingshu personally guarded Qingyang, who was infected with wind and cold.

The medicine was fried, and the small fish came in. Qingshu took it, tried the temperature of the medicine, and felt that it was not hot, so he handed it to Qingyang.

Qingyang, who was lying in the quilt in his shirt, sat up, took the medicine bowl, and drank it in one gulp with a wrinkled face.

Qingshu took the medicine bowl, Xiaoyu handed over the mouthwash, Qingyang rinsed his mouth, and opened his mouth like a chick waiting for the mother bird to feed.

Qing Shu thought it was funny, but he also took the sugar he had prepared in advance and put it in his mouth.

Qingyang happily leaned over and leaned on Qingshu.

Qing Shu hurriedly pulled the quilt, wrapped the coquettish brother with the quilt, and counted it with a smile, "See if you dare to run out to play when you sweat in the future?" ”

Qingyang shook his little head, his voice was a little rustling, "Don't dare, I'll get typhoid fever and be uncomfortable." ”

When the sugar in his mouth was gone, Qingshu asked him to rinse his mouth again, and then urged him to lie down and sleep. For people with typhoid fever, sleep helps to recover.

After a while, Qingyang, who was lying down, began to be confused.

At this time, Xiaojuan ran in, "Miss, Miss, haha...... It's out, it's out, it's green, it's growing......"

With such a noise, Qingyang's confusion immediately disappeared.

Qing Shu was slightly annoyed, "Unruly girl, you will be shocked all day long like this, and you will be hungry." ”

Xiaojuan's babbling stopped abruptly, and she shrunk her neck, "But Miss, there is good news." ”

Qing Shu glared, "Do you dare to talk back?" ”

Xiao Juan immediately silenced.

Qingshu pressed down Qingyang, who had already sat up, "Sleep, don't get up." ”

Qingyang said "oh" and lay down obediently.

Qing Shu looked at Xiao Juan with an expression of doing something wrong angrily, "Say, what made you anxious like that?" Even the sick young master dared to make noise. ”

Xiaojuan thought of that happy event, and her eyes immediately lit up, "Miss, Zhuangzi came up with a letter, saying that the wheat has grown and green buds have sprouted." ”

Qingyang got up suddenly, "Really, the wheat that my sister planted last year has grown?" ”

Xiao Juan nodded heavily, "Yes, young master." The slave didn't dare to tell a lie, it was Steward Wu who came to deliver the news in person. Steward Wu was in front at this moment, rubbing his hands and reporting to the steward, and his face was smiling like this. As she spoke, Xiao Juan wrinkled her face with her hand.

Qingyang was so excited that he pulled Qingshu's clothes, "Sister, sister, let's go and see the wheat." ”

Qing Shu smiled and tapped his head, "Hurry up and lie down and sleep, you can't go anywhere before your illness is healed." Seeing what else he was going to say, he added: "My sister is not going anywhere either." When Xiaoyang was well, my sister went to see it with Xiaoyang. ”

Qingyang was satisfied, and happily rolled on the kang a few times before he was willing to cooperate with Qingshu to lie down. He closed his eyes tightly, wishing that he would fall asleep immediately, hoping that he would be cured when he woke up.

Besides, in front of him, Wu Guan Shile, who had always had a wooden face, couldn't find the north, and kept saying that the wheat in the field not only did not freeze to death after a winter, but grew a few days earlier than the grass, etc.

Gu Qiang was also happy, he thought he had heard it wrong at first, but then Steward Wu said it over and over again, so he believed it.

When Steward Wu spoke, he kept writing the length of the wheat seedlings on the head, and said that they would go to the wheat field every few days to have a look, but when they went this morning, they saw that there was a faint green under the dead grass and broken corn stalks exposed after the snow melted, so they were curious to pull open the dead grass and broken stalks, and they saw the wheat seedlings hidden underneath. At first, a few people couldn't believe their eyes, so they ran back to Zhuangzi and shouted at everyone to go over, and then everyone confirmed it with their own eyes, and then they believed in the fact that the wheat seedlings had grown, so they hurriedly came to deliver the letter.

Qingshu was also happy, but she said that when her brother was well and went to see her brother together, she also suppressed her excitement and asked Steward Wu to go back, and explained that Steward Wu could not publicize this matter, and let them carefully observe Mai Miao's situation every day.

Two days later, Qingyang's typhoid fever finally recovered, and he was anxious to go to Zhuangzi in the morning, and he didn't even want to eat breakfast (because of illness, his morning exercise was temporarily canceled).

Qing Shu didn't allow it, stared at him and ate, and let him listen to Lu Fuzi's lesson for half an hour, and then set off for Zhuangzi. Because the maids in the house were also curious, and Mr. Lu also joined in the fun, two carriages were prepared for this trip. Mr. Lu and Qingyang sat in a car, and Qingshu took Xiaoyu, Ding Jiamei and Gu Linglan in a car.

The current lily of the valley girl is no longer the scarred and inrecognizable Gu Erniu who is as thin as the wind blows. Ten days of decoction, with wounds, frostbite ointment, and chicken soup tonic, a full meal, and every five days to eat white flour steamed buns or bean paste buns, not only the bruises on the body are healed, but also the face and body have flesh, and the whole person is refreshed. Her face is almost the same, although it is not very beautiful, but it is not ugly, and her little face is very white. However, a broken cut on the forehead will definitely leave a scar, and a whiplash wound on the back will definitely leave a scar.

Xiaojuan didn't follow today, because Qingshu said that she was not stable enough, so she was punished to stay in the house and think about it.

Ding Jiamei was able to leave the house because Gu Qiang found someone suitable to serve Gu Ye's family in place of Ding Jiamei, and Ding Jiamei was arranged to return to her original job, responsible for sprinkling and cleaning the front hall, side hall, and serving tea and pouring water when guests came.

Now serving the Gu Ye clan is a thirty-eight-year-old woman named Guan Pozi. Guan Pozi and the man were the servants of the official family, and later the master was convicted and the house was raided by the imperial court, Guan Pozi and a maid and a woman became official slaves, and Guan Pozi's man and son were killed before the master was raided.

Guan Pozi was already silent, and after the death of the man and his son, he didn't like to talk. Because of her temperament, and because she was not a delicate little girl, she stayed in the place where the officials and slaves were held for more than a year, doing rough work of washing and sewing all day long, and no one bought her at all.

Gu Qiang fell in love with Guan Pozi's temperament, and opened his mouth to buy it, but the official immediately pushed Guan Pozi and a ten-year-old thin boy Guan Mutou out, saying that they would take away six taels of silver.

It turns out that there is another reason why no one buys Guan Pozi. That is, if you want to buy Guan Pozi, you have to buy Guan Mutou, the son of Guan Pozi's brother. It stands to reason that someone like Guan Pozi who made such a request would have been beaten to death. But a small boss in charge of the official slave owed Guan Pozi's dead brother a favor, and this little boss greeted the officials and messengers, and would take care of Guan Pozi and Guan Mutou somewhat.

Gu Qiang thought about it for a while, and felt that this ten-year-old boy was already able to work, and it was not a loss to buy two people for six taels of silver, so he handed over the silver, and after passing the relevant documents, he brought the person back to the ancient mansion in Kangxi Town.

When they arrived at the wheat field, everyone got off the carriage one by one. Steward Wu and the others were already waiting on the ground.

Only two days have passed, and the wheat seedlings have already drilled out a layer of dead grass and broken straw, which can be seen clearly without pulling them apart. Compared with the surroundings, it can only be described as a pleasing green.

Mr. Lu squatted on the ground, pulled away a little broken straw with his hand, measured the length of the wheat seedlings with his fingers, and stroked his beard, and was amazed.

Qing Shu took the maids to look at the distance of two feet away from Mr. Lu, carefully pulled away some of the covered dry grass and looked at it, and then knew it in his heart. It was not very successful, although the winter wheat was planted, but the yield per mu was owed. She replied to the withered grass and waited, clapped her hands and stood up, and motioned for Steward Wu to step forward.

Steward Wu stepped forward and stood still more than a dozen steps away from Qingshu, "What does Miss command?" ”

Qing Shu, "Is what grows now not dense as the one that grew before winter?" ”

Steward Wu: "That's true. ”

Qing Shu looked at the ten acres of wheat seedlings, "That means that the harvest will be affected." ”

Steward Wu: "Don't worry, Miss, I have observed that there are still wheat seedlings that have not broken the ground." In a few days, the wheat field will be a different scene. ”

Qing Shu snorted and didn't speak. When he turned his head, he saw Mr. Lu taking Qingyang to find something on the side of the road, "Is it something dropped or what, go over and take a look." ”

Steward Wu immediately walked over to investigate the situation, and soon came back, "Miss, Mr. Lu is taking the young master to find the wild vegetables and weeds growing on the side of the road, and wants to compare them with the wheat seedlings." However, they only found three or two that had just broken ground, and because they were all too small, they were still looking for them. ”

Qing Shu smiled, "Let them be!" Come here when you are fine, and don't let the cattle herder come near our fields and bring harm to the good wheat. ”

Steward Wu agreed, and said that the first thing people in Zhuangzi do when they get up in the morning is to go around here, and then every half an hour everyone who is okay will come over to take a look, which is very attentive.

Qing Shu was very satisfied with this, "You have a snack, if this wheat is planted and the harvest is good, we will plant it after the autumn harvest, and we will plant a large area." ”

Mai Miao has also seen it, and the other crops have not yet been planted, so there is nothing to do, so Qingshu took someone back home, and it was already lunch time. After lunch, Qingyang hurriedly ran to his study, let Yuan Bao grind the ink, and began to write letters. He was going to write to his brother that the wheat in the house had grown better than the grass on the roadside.

On the second day, it is a set every Friday. The weather was fine and suitable for going out.

Chen and Ah Qin walked in front, Gu Zheda took the burden and followed, and the three of them went to the town to catch the market. They first sold some coarse rice and dried vegetables, then tore two pieces of coarse cloth, and then went to the place designated by the government to sell salt and weighed two catties of salt, and finally went to the butcher's shop to cut two catties of fat meat.

Coincidentally, Ding Jiabao happened to have two baskets full of things to pick up. When he met someone he knew, Ding Jiabao put down his burden and greeted Chen.

Chen saw that his burden was very heavy, so he asked his son to help carry it. Ding Jiabao hurriedly said no, but Chen said that he was outside and asked his son to help share some of the burden.

Gu Zhe took out the things in his basket and gave them to Ah Qin to take, and divided half of the pig's head and pig internal organs in Ding Jiabao's basket into his back basket and picked them up, and asked Ding Jiabao where he wanted to send them.

Ding Jiabao couldn't shirk any longer, picked up half of the burden and led the way in front, let Gu Zheda follow, and soon arrived at the back door of the flavor snack shop, knocked on the door and two people picked things in.

Gu Yuanhe was coming to the back, and when he saw Gu Zheda helping to move the pig's head and other things, he stepped forward with a smile and patted Gu Zheda on the back, "Come to the market?" ”

Gu Zhe grinned, "I came to catch the market, I happened to meet Brother Ding and wanted to help him, but he didn't let me, so I grabbed it myself and helped him pick it, haha......"

Gu Yuanhe pulled him to the front, "Let's go, go to the front and take a look." By the way, just yourself? Didn't your little four argue with you? ”

Gu Zhe laughed and said: "That kid will quarrel with anyone as long as he enters the town, and then my father will glare, and he will be honest." Not to mention, I really didn't come alone today, my mother and Ah Qin also came. ”

As soon as he heard Ah Qin's name, Gu Yuanhe's face flashed uncomfortably.

Gu Zhe saw it, stabbed him, lowered his voice and asked, "Hey, you kid told the truth to your brother, did you like Ah Qin?" Don't be embarrassed, give a quick word, save Ah Qin and wait. ”

Gu Yuanhe's face immediately changed, and he looked left and right, "What are you talking about?" What if people hear me? "Fortunately, it was not time to meet the guests.

Gu Zheda also felt that what he said was not the place, so he stopped his mouth and smacked his tongue as he looked at the decoration of the shop, "This place is different from other food shops." ”

The six compartments were all separated by thick planks more than one person high, and the doors of the cubicles were hung with curtains. Guests sit in and put the curtain down to form a separate space where people outside can't see the people inside. Then, there are twelve neatly arranged tables, each with four square stools. There is a big stove near the east wall of the shop, and there is a round iron bucket where the stove smokes, and the iron bucket is more than one person high, and there is an elbow, and then the iron bucket is horizontal, extending to the west wall, and it is submerged in the west wall. The chopping wood in the stove was slowly burning, and the heat emitted by the tin bucket baked the whole shop warmly.

Gu Yuanhe saw him staring at the stove with a good eye, and said, "This can warm the house." Now that the weather is warmer, it is enough to burn less firewood every day to get rid of the cold. Winter plays the biggest role, guests like to eat here, one is the food we eat here is authentic, and the other is warm. ”

Gu Zhe looked at it for a long time, "This is a good thing." After a few more small talks, he said he was leaving.

Gu Yuanhe went to the kitchen and asked Chen Huzi to cut two catties of marinated pig's head meat, wrap it in oiled paper, and give it to Gu Zheda.

Gu Zheda smelled the smell of meat and pushed it not to.

Gu Yuanhe grabbed him, "The one who gave my uncle the wine is not for you." ”

Gu Zheda still didn't want it, and while hurrying out, he deliberately teased him, "If you say it's for Ah Qin, I'll definitely take it." ”

Gu Yuanhe felt a headache, and saw Gu Zhe leave with an empty burden.

Ding Jiabao was about to leave, and snatched the oil paper bag from Gu Yuanhe's hand, "Stupid, you just say yes, see what else he can say?" ”

Gu Yuanhe really didn't know what to say.

Ding Jiabao went out the back door, caught up with Gu Zheda, and threw the oiled paper bag into Gu Zheda's empty basket.

Gu Zheda felt helpless, "Hey, Brother Ding, how can you ......?"

Without waiting for him to finish, Ding Jiabao grinned, "Yuanhe gave Miss Aqin's father a drink, and it wasn't for you." ”

Gu Yuanhe was writing down the two catties of pig's head meat sent out to his account, when he suddenly had an itchy nose and sneezed loudly.

Gu Zheda, who was thrown away by Ding Jiabao, returned to the vicinity of the pork stall alone, found Chen and Ah Qin, and stuffed the oil paper package to Ah Qin.

Ah Qin was stunned, "Brother, what did you buy?" It smells so good. ”

Gu Zhe grinned, "Hehe...... Brother Yuanhe gave your father wine. ”

Ah Qin thought she had heard it wrong, and her face was stunned.

Chen patted his son on the back, "Stinky boy, don't tease your sister." But soon I felt that it was not like that, "Hey, you don't have any on you, where did you get the copper plate to buy things?" ”

Gu Zheda said helplessly: "Mother, didn't my son say it?" This is the meat given by Brother Yuanhe, saying that it is for his uncle and father. ”

The atmospheric girl Aqin blushed and turned around, "Go back, go back!" Ignore my brother anymore. ”

Chen was very happy and said to his son, "I can't make fun of your sister. Then while following Ah Qin, let his son hurry up.

Ding Jiabao returned to the house, scratched his head and thought for a long time, ran to the kitchen, and saw that Lily of the Valley and Xu Sanniang were there, so he rubbed the old man for a long time and said to Xu Sanniang, "When I just sent meat to the shop, I met Miss Aqin and her brother. "And then it was gone.

Xu Sanniang listened very carefully, "You are really not happy to speak, let's get to the point." "Because there is a lily of the valley girl, and Ah Qin has also been to the house, now the people in the house are no strangers to Ah Qin.

Lily of the valley also waited with wide eyes for Ding Jiabao to continue. At first, she was very afraid of Ding Jiabao's face, but slowly, she got used to it, and felt that Ding Jiabao was a good person, so she was not afraid anymore, and she dared to look directly at his face and talk to him.

Ding Jiabao pondered for a while before saying, "Yuanhe took something for Miss Aqin's brother, but he was embarrassed, so he didn't ask for it." I took it, chased it and sent it, saying that it was for Miss Aqin, and they wanted it. He felt he had made it clear enough, and turned to leave.

Actually, what he expressed is not clear at all, which is completely misleading.

Xu Sanniang was stunned, suddenly lost the work in her hand, and ran to report the matter to Qingshu with an excited face.