The night was dark, and the insects chirped. Hou Dagui galloped through the streets and alleys, and stopped at the main gate of a large mansion in Zezhou City. Several soldiers stepped forward to lead the horse with torches, Hou Dagui jumped off the horse neatly, threw the horsewhip to Meng Aocao, the sentry officer of the Feijie Left Battalion in front of him, and asked, "Are you inside?" ”

"Yes, I have the order of the Korean commander, and I will take strict care of it." Meng Aocao bowed back.

"Where's Old Han?"

"Han Tong said that he can't deal with such a thing, and the stakes are very high, and he has to hand it over to the general manager." Meng Aocao said, "There are still a lot of remnants of the bandits inside and outside the city, and the Han system is working with Ma, Zhou and other commanders to clean it up at this time. ”

"yes, I see." Hou Dagui nodded, "You continue to guard here, and don't let anyone in." ”

Meng Ao and Cao Zhengli agreed. Hou Dagui stood in front of the door and straightened his collar, took a deep breath, and then entered the door steadily.

This house was originally the private residence of a merchant giant in the city, and the layout of the verandah pavilion was exquisite, exquisite and beautiful. In order to alleviate the military problem of the border army, the Ming Dynasty implemented the "Open China Law", allowing merchants to transport rice, tea, beans, wheat and other grains and even strategic materials such as iron, horses, and silk needed by the border army to the border fortress, and then the merchants could obtain salt from the government and go to the designated salt field to sell salt. This move not only exempted the imperial court from the loss of grain and grass transported thousands of miles, but also greatly promoted the prosperity of a group of merchants. Shanxi near the border, near the water building first to get the month, businessmen benefit from this, after a hundred years of accumulation, there are many rich, so that "Pingyang, Ze, Lu, the rich businessmen are the best in the world, not hundreds of thousands are not rich", Zezhou has a lot of origins. It's just that first there were Shun troops chasing stolen goods and helping salaries, and then there were bandits entrenched and looted, and the owner of this house disappeared long ago, leaving only an empty house. Although there are stars and lanterns between the corridors to add a little smoke, people can still feel a strong sense of loneliness when they walk in it.

The courtyards and houses along the way were all dark and uninhabited, and Hou Dagui's footsteps did not stop, going straight to the backyard. But at first it was a small courtyard, the grass and trees were jagged, swaying with the wind, and the environment was very quiet. There are a few more lanterns in the courtyard, and the scenery is slightly hazy.

Hou Dagui glanced at random, but saw that there was a pavilion in the middle of the court, and there seemed to be a person sitting in it. Two steps closer, the figure in the gazebo moved, and sure enough, someone moved.

"Slave and maid to meet the Steward." The voice is graceful, and it is a woman.

Hou Dagui nodded secretly and slowed down. As soon as she approached the entrance of the pavilion, the woman knelt on the ground early.

"Get up." Hou Dagui said, and sat down in the pavilion.

The woman stood up as she said, and Hou Dagui was shocked at a glance. But seeing that although he was wearing an ordinary pale red Luo skirt, his moth eyebrows, phoenix eyes, and starry eyes turned slightly, and he was stunning.

"Y-What's your name?" Hou Dagui was in a mess, and his voice couldn't help but tremble.

Needless to say, the most beautiful woman he has ever seen in his life is Hua Qing, the wife of Zhao Dangshi, and the second is around the waves. But with the dignified Huaqing, even if he sighs for beauty, he often has a sense of alienation that can be seen from a distance and cannot be blasphemed, and he never has half of his evil thoughts; With the enchantment of the flowing waves, he only has flesh and skin on the contrary, and he is tasteless except for a moment of pleasure. However, the woman in front of him was exactly in between, and under Duanli was the charm that could not be concealed, which made him both dry and dare not blaspheme easily.

"The slave's surname is Chen, and the single name is a Yuan character, and the small characters are round. The manager can call me round. ”

"Yuanyuan......" Hou Dagui smiled, seeing that she was only about twenty years old, with a petite body, and a small red flower on her delicate temples, with this name, adding cuteness.

Chen Yuanyuan was very well-behaved, Hou Dagui was sitting, and she stood on Hou Dagui's left hand side in a proper manner. At this time, he found that Hou Dagui was staring at his little red flower, so he said: "I heard that the chief manager was coming, and I was afraid that I would lose my courtesy, so I hurriedly picked a flower outside this court to decorate it and add some vitality. ”

Hou Dagui looked at her carefully when he heard this, and sure enough, he saw that her eyes were like a streamer, but Meiyu was slightly tired and haggard, as if it was caused by hard work, and remembered some things that Yang Zhaofeng had communicated with him in advance on the way, so he asked: "Are you from Beijing?" ”

Chen Yuanyuan replied: "Yes." Beijing thieves were in turmoil, and Yuan Yuan escaped death with his servants, all the way here. ”

"Someone told me that you really eloped with your servants and fled to Bailu Mountain in the east of Zezhou, where you encountered bandits and were coerced."

"The manager is discerning." Chen Yuanyuan lowered his eyes and said, "The thief wants to kill people in Beijing, and the servant has been a slave for a long time, so he took the opportunity to save his life and persecuted, and the slave and maid agreed to him in order to survive." ”

"There are thousands of miles from Beijing to Zezhou, and it's not easy for you to hold on for so long as a weak woman."

"Don't dare to deceive the manager, when the slave escaped from Beijing, she took some valuable jewelry with her, and bought a carriage in Zhuozhou to travel, otherwise she wouldn't be able to get here."

"You are from Jiangnan, do you want to go back to Jiangnan?"

"Originally, I heard that there seemed to be a rebellion in Nanjing, so I didn't dare to do it, and it happened that the servant's hometown was in Sichuan, and he said to the slave that Sichuan Chengping, and the slave and maid turned around and followed him westward."

"It's pitiful to drift and drift with the flow." Hou Dagui sighed.

Chen Yuanyuan said sadly: "The slave's parents died early, and they have been affiliated with the pear orchard since they were children, so they are used to such days. ”

"Oh, what's customary?" Hou Dagui somehow cared about Chen Yuanyuan's past for no reason.

Chen Yuanyuan laughed astringently: "It's all a matter of chicken and dogs, and you can't be in charge of Golden Ears." ”

"It's okay, it's still early tonight, speak slowly."

When Chen Yuanyuan heard him say this, how dare he be disobedient, so he said: "The slave maid appeared on stage when she was more than ten years old, and later won the appreciation of Wujiang Zou Lang, and lived in the drama at home, but was expelled by her family. Later, Jiangyin Gonglang ransomed the slave and maid as concubines, but he was not tolerated by the eldest lady and returned to his hometown Taohuawu. A few years ago, there was a Lang Jun surnamed Mao, who was friendly with the slave and maid, and made an oath. At that time, his cousin Tian Hong came to Jiangnan to collect girls to enter the palace and serve the emperor, and the slaves and maids were selected for him, so he had to give up his presumptuous entry into Beijing. But since entering the palace, he has not seen the emperor, and he was transferred to the mansion of Zhou Kui, the national abbot, to live temporarily. It was accidentally seen by Wu Ye, the general manager of Liaodong, and was immediately ransomed into the Wu Mansion to become a concubine, and the general manager of the future probably knew about it. She recalled the past, and her eyes turned red halfway through speaking, and at the end her voice was choked and she wanted to cry.

"Reselling is easy to buy, just like goods, it's really pitiful." Hou Dagui listened, thinking of his lonely situation in his early years, and for a while he felt sympathy.

"I'm ashamed to say so many frustrating words." Chen Yuanyuan suddenly put away his tears and smiled, and turned to Hou Dagui Yingying Yifu, "The slave maid is fortunate to see the manager, and he should not complain about his grievances, but fortunately there are some small skills, if the chief manager does not dislike it, let the slave and maid sing a song and dance here as an apology." ”

Hou Dagui was very surprised, nodded and said, "It's easy to say, it's easy to say!" ”

At that moment, Chen Yuanyuanlian moved lightly, and danced in the corner of the pavilion, and the clear and graceful singing voice followed. Hou Dagui looked at the twisted waist and listened to the voice like a silver bell, although he was prescribed, he felt the pleasure that he had never felt in his life, and he was fascinated.

Soon after the song and dance stopped, Chen Yuanyuan, who was drenched in sweat, bowed at Hou Dagui's feet and said, "Is the manager still satisfied?" ”

Hou Dagui was still unsatisfied, and sighed and said: "I live in the bitter cold land of the northwest, if I didn't meet you, how would I know that there is such a joy in this world." The southeast flower world is worthy of its name. ”

Chen Yuanyuan won the praise, and he was so happy, and said with a smile: "The manager should like it, keep the slaves and maids by his side, and enjoy it whenever he wants." ”

Hou Dagui heard her say this, and his face suddenly changed. Chen Yuanyuan thought that he had said the wrong thing, and was worried about himself, looking at Hou Dagui cautiously, but he heard him say: "You reminded me, you haven't said anything serious yet, you should get up first." ”

Chen Yuanyuan nodded and hurriedly got up.

"I know, you are Wu Sangui's concubine." Hou Dagui looked away, "The Wu family was killed in Beijing, but Wu Sangui didn't die, and he defeated the thieves and recaptured Beijing, I can send you back." ”

After hearing this, Chen Yuanyuan suddenly knelt down and wept: "The slave doesn't want to go back." ”

Hou Dagui was stunned and said, "Why don't you want to go back?" ”

"When the slave goes to Beijing, it is a last resort. I was fortunate to be contained by Wu Ye, and I was grateful. But he has been in the army for a long time, and it is rare to find home, and the slave and maid have never seen him a few times, and there is no half point if he talks about feelings. And up and down the Wu family, with the slave maid being a southerner and from a humble background, has repeatedly taken each other lightly, and the slave and maid can be said to be living like a year in the Wu family. Chen Yuanyuan whimpered, tears raining down.

Hou Dagui nodded secretly. This Chen Yuanyuan has been a servant since he was a child, he is unrestrained, and he is still in his youth, far from the age of stability, and he can't bear to spend his years in that high wall and deep courtyard. For example, the lord Zhao Dangshi, who is raised at home, is also a person who would rather wander in the rivers and lakes than pay Shaohua lightly.

"If you don't go back to Wu Sangui, where else can you go? The servant who took you out is found to be dead, and Sichuan can't go. Hou Dagui shook his head and said.

"Slaves and maids wish they could stay with the steward, serve with them, and relieve the steward's troubles and have fun on weekdays." Chen Yuanyuan said earnestly with red eyes.

"I'm marching and fighting, it's not child's play, you're a weak woman, can you stand it?"

"I can stand it, I can stand it!" Chen Yuanyuan seemed to see a ray of light, and agreed repeatedly, "If the slave and maid cry out for half a bitterness, the manager will expel him again, and there will be no complaints." ”

"In my place, it's not just dancing and singing, there's only a lot more to do." Hou Dagui knows that although a famous singer like Chen Yuanyuan is adrift, there is always no shortage of money owners, and he is also used to being pampered on weekdays, and it is okay to laugh and relieve fatigue, but other chores may not be good.

However, Chen Yuanyuan's heart was very firm, and he responded: "Don't worry, the slave and maid learn things quickly, what do you want the slave and maid to do, the slave and maid will learn in a while, and the manager will definitely be satisfied." ”

Hou Dagui looked at her determined appearance and thought secretly: "Although the lord said that he wanted to win over Wu Sangui, but now Wu Sangui's situation is unknown, it may not be appropriate for me to return her to Wu Sangui, and it is better to leave her first." Thinking of this, Yu Guang swept to Chen Yuanyuan's cowardly figure, and thought, "I still don't have a family, I finally have a winding wave, but I robbed it for Zuo Mengeng's muddy boy, this Chen Yuanyuan's talent is still above the winding wave, not much worse than the county lord of Huaqing, I accepted her, what regrets in this life?" ”

Chen Yuanyuan seemed to see Hou Dagui's intentions, and stepped forward with teary eyes, approaching Hou Dagui and looking at him earnestly.

Hou Dagui only smelled the fragrance, and most of his heart melted, bent down to help her up, and sighed: "It's okay." Shanxi is currently in turmoil, and Beizhili is also in turmoil, so you can stay in our army first, and then make plans when the situation is stable. ”

Chen Yuanyuan burst into tears and said with a smile: "The slave and maid thank the chief for his kindness!" ”

Hou Dagui nodded, then stood up, Chen Yuanyuan raised his head and said in surprise: "The chief manager wants to leave?" ”

"Yes." Hou Dagui's expression was solemn, "The matter is decided, I'll go first." I'll send someone to settle down here. ”

Chen Yuanyuan bit his lower lip lightly and said tentatively: "It's so late, it's not tonight......"

"There is something in the army, and there is no delay." Hou Dagui suddenly changed his person, put aside a sentence, and walked away, "In any case, you can directly find someone to go to the Chinese military to find me." ”

"Yes......" Chen Yuanyuan's eyes were slightly stunned, kneeling in place and watching Hou Dagui go away.

Leaving the courtyard, the light around me faded. Hou Dagui walked quickly, and the wind was blowing in his ears. Everything just now was like a dream to him, and at the moment when the good dream was about to come true, he couldn't help but feel a chill.

"It's not the time yet." Hou Dagui secretly reminded himself, "Mr. Yan said that a gentleman does not take the favor of others. I'm not a gentleman, but I don't take advantage of others. Even if Chen Yuanyuan is really taken away one day, it must be taken openly! ”

When he thought like this, he suddenly felt relieved, and his steps were brisk in an instant.

The cicadas are chilling, and the night in the gazebo is deep.