In the fourth year of the first peace, Luoyang had already been burned to ruins by Dong Zhuo, Chang'an's two "strong men" Li Dao and Guo Yan began to fight, fighting all day long, and the billet was completely destroyed because Xuzhou was invaded by Cao Cao, and Jianye was still a small and barren place before it was built, so the most prosperous city in China at that time was considered Xiangyang. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

The area of Xiangyang in Jingzhou belonged to the territory of Chu during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, so some people also called it Jingchu. Later, Qin unified the world and divided the counties into Nanyang County to the north of Hanshui and Nanjun to the south of Hanshui. After the establishment of the Han Dynasty, the division of administrative regions generally followed the setting of the Qin Dynasty. Xiangyang City is located on the south bank of the Han River, of course, it belongs to Nanjun, and it is opposite Fancheng.

Xiangyang City became the capital of Jingzhou, which was in the hands of Liu Biao. Originally, the state assassin was to be stationed in Wuling Hanshou, but due to Zhang Xian's dissatisfaction in the south, he often had the idea of replacing Liu Biao and Liu Biao's own desire for the Central Plains, so he was moved to Xiangyang, which was considered a strategic point.

The Han River, which flows through the north of Xiangyang City, flows south into the Yangtze River. The place where the Han River flows into the Yangtze River is Hankou. In the vicinity of Yangyang, there is a river that flows into the Han River, which is the White River, which flows southward. The source of the White River is in Laojun Mountain, and it is not far from another Yishui that also originates from Laojun Mountain. Yishui is a river that flows northward, eventually flowing into the Yellow River. Yishui and Luoshui are called Yiluo, connecting Luoyang, the center of the Central Plains. The upper reaches of the Han River go straight to the south of the Qinling Mountains and go up to Hanzhong.

Relying on these surrounding rivers, Xiangyang has become a key point connecting the Central Plains (around Luoyang), Guanzhong (around Chang'an) and along the Yangtze River, which can be called the heart of China. At present, due to the **** of the Central Plains, many people have come here to take refuge. Because the northern heroes are busy competing for hegemony in the Central Plains, Guanzhong, and Kanto, no one cares about this important place. Therefore, Liu Biao can be regarded as a really good territory.

Zhuge Xuan and his entourage were greeted by Liu Biao's envoy in Yiyang, and led by Yi to enter Xiangyang through Pingshi, Huyang, and Caiyang. Because Caiyang is located in the northeast of Xiangyang, they entered the city through the north gate of Xiangyang.

The suburb of the northeastern part of Xiangyang City is called Da, and because the Han River often floods, this area is not directly by the river, but is slightly isolated, and you can see this existence like a city wall from a distance. This embankment is not only on the Xiangyang side, but also on the other side of the Xiangyang River.

I don't know when the generation around this embankment has become a fireworks area. The streets leading to Xiangyang are not only lined with brothels, but also interspersed with shops of Hanshui water carriers. Since Fancheng on the other side of the river built a wharf to facilitate the docking of ships, there were not so many ships going to Xiangyang. However, because Xiangyang is a large city with a large population, the goods unloaded from the other side are often scattered and transported to Xiangyang for sale.

Li Sheng and others felt the prosperity of Xiangyang before they entered Xiangyang. Seeing the bustling crowd on Dadi Street, most of them have two-storey restaurants, and there are always customers coming in and out of the shops, so that Li Sheng and others, who have never seen a big city, can't help but widen their eyes, and they are all curious about everything here.

"What a lively place." Li Sheng, who was sitting in the carriage, saw everything outside through the raised curtains, and he couldn't help but admire. He originally thought that only in modern society could he see that kind of crowded noise, but he didn't want to have a similar scene in Xiangyang now. He had long understood that Xiangyang was the most prosperous city now, but before he really saw that prosperity, he couldn't sketch that prosperous scenery no matter how Xiao thought about it.

Suddenly, a tall building on the side of the road caught his eye. It is a building with red walls and gray tiles, a five-storey main building rising from the foundation, and a four-storey annex on each side, which is the tallest and most majestic building along the way. On the wide portal hangs a plaque with gold characters on a black background, and a big red flower made of silk cloth is pinned to it, which happens to make a footnote to the three words "Honghua Building" on the plaque.

"Father-in-law, where is that?" Li Sheng asked Zhuge Xuan compared to the Red Flower Building. The carriage they rode in was quite large, enough to fit six adults. Therefore, Li Sheng, Zhuge Xuan, Zhuge Liang, Zhuge Jun, Song De, Da Niu, and Xiao Rui sat together. One adult and six children, even though there are seven people, it still seems spacious.

"There?" Zhuge Xuan followed Li Sheng's finger and saw the sign of Honghualou, and the expression on his face suddenly became strange: "You won't be interested there, will you?" It would be about the same in two or three years, but now you're too young. Zhuge Xuan said earnestly: "Now you should still study and study, maybe put your heart on that." ”

"What?" Li Shengyun heard it in a fog, and he looked at Zhuge Xuan suspiciously.

"Hmmm! You don't know? Seeing Li Sheng's puzzled expression that didn't look like a fake, Zhuge Xuan felt a little strange, he paused slightly and then explained: "That's the Qinglou, the largest Qinglou on Dadi Street. It is said to be the Cai family's property. ”

"Oh!" Li Sheng nodded slightly when he heard this, but stopped talking. He fell silent and rode into Xiangyang City in this car.

The five-zhang high walls of Xiangyang City distinguish the two worlds inside and outside the city. If the world outside the city is its own unrestrained noise, then the world in the city is orderly and lively. The north-south avenue of Xiangyang City, about six zhang wide, leads straight from the north gate to the mansion of Liu Biao, the governor of the state. On both sides of the wide streets, there are scattered small stalls and vendors shouting and shouting. Pedestrians walked freely and steadily on the left and right sides of the avenue, leaving an open space of about four feet for carriages entering and leaving the city gates.

As soon as he entered the city gate, Zhuge Xuan got out of the car and changed horses. It's still early today, and as Liu Biao's subordinate, he naturally has to follow the Yi nationality to report to his lord first. He summoned his butler, Gan Hai, and another soldier of Liu Biaojun, and instructed them to bring the children in the car safely back to their homes.

"By the way, there are some things that I bother you to explain to my wife yourself. Although I wrote back to inform me at the beginning, how could a few pieces of paper explain things clearly. So, please take care of it. Zhuge Xuan patted the butler Gan Hai's shoulder and asked him.

The so-called some things refer to: accepting Li Sheng as a righteous son and other man-made things. For these things, Zhuge Xuan decided on an ad hoc basis, and he did not discuss it with his wife in advance. Fearing that his wife would not be satisfied with this arrangement, he entrusted his housekeeper to explain it to her.

Zhuge Xuan's mansion in Xiangyang City is located in the south of the Prefecture Governor's Mansion. Not directly against the avenue, but against another parallel to the avenue until up. If the entire Xiangyang City is regarded as a chessboard, then Zhuge Xuan's official residence is located on the partial star of this chessboard, and it can be regarded as having a very prominent position.

The carriage finally stopped. The housekeeper Gan Hai first asked everyone to wait in the car, and he quickly ran into the mansion to report to the second lady inside.

Li Sheng felt bored and gently lifted the curtain to look out, but found that the mansion was big, but it looked very simple, and there was not much luxury.

This is where I will live in the future. I can't see how many people are in this mansion from afar, just looking at this atmospheric appearance, Li Sheng's heart is a little drummed. He knew who he was now. As the adopted son of the Zhuge family and the grandson of Li Ying, he is indeed a child of the family, but can he be a good person? Thinking that in the future, I am afraid that I will have to associate with those children of the family who have the same status and status, Li Sheng's head is quite painful.

Just as I was thinking about it, I heard a "squeak" sound. Li Sheng looked out through the raised curtain, but saw that the gate of the "Zhuge Mansion" was open in the middle, and many people walked out, standing on both sides, quite respectfully giving up a middle-aged woman. This must be Zhuge Xuan's wife, who is now his stepmother. Li Sheng saw that Gan Hai, who had brought his people over, was standing behind the woman with his hands over, silently highlighting the status of the woman.

"Do you want to go on like this?" Putting down the curtain of the car looking outside, Li Sheng asked Zhuge Liang in a low voice. Although it has been more than half a year since he returned to ancient times, and he has also learned the etiquette of this era, it is only the rules of the common people's family, and he does not understand such etiquette at all. According to modern rules, he should immediately go down to greet his stepmother. But now it was ancient times, and he didn't know what to do, so he had to ask the people around him.

"Of course, my aunt is our elder, and of course I have to go down to see her, and I can't wait for her to say anything." Zhuge Liang gave Li Sheng a natural answer.

This answer made Li Sheng feel a little relieved. After all, it's not much different from modern habits.

I decided to get out of the car right away. According to the relationship between the master and the servant, Song De, Zhou Daniu, and Zhou Xiaorui went down first, and then it was Zhuge Liang and Li Sheng's turn - the two of them were considered sons, and Song De and they were considered family generals, and they had to take care of everything for their sons first. Although Li Sheng himself doesn't like this very much, this is the first time he has met with an elder he is not familiar with, and he has to take care of some etiquette no matter what. He didn't want to give his stepmother a bad impression, after all, it was related to his future life in Jingzhou.

Li Sheng and Zhuge Liang both jumped out of the car directly, and they did not step on the back of the little guy on the side and landed. Although this seems a bit frivolous, they still don't want to let them do it directly. Everyone has something to insist on in their hearts, even if sometimes they have to be forced to go against the general trend, but in some places where they can still hold on, they still insist.

"You're Sheng'er! My grandson once said that you are very smart, but when I see it today, it is indeed the same. Zhuge Xuan's wife smiled and said to Li Sheng's jaw: "Stay in peace." Like my grandson, I was looking forward to having a son. "She met Zhuge Liang first, and then met Li Sheng. When she saw Li Sheng's handsome appearance and pure and natural temperament, she felt a little happy in her heart, and she determined Li Sheng's identity and status in the Zhuge family with this statement.

"Yes, stepmother." Li Sheng also saluted a little stiffly. For such a kind person with a solemn temperament, he is still a little unaccustomed, and he can't let go of it for a while.

Regarding the awkwardness of children, Zhuge Xuan's wife saw it in her eyes, and her heart was slightly sentimental. However, when I thought that it was the first time I met this righteous son, it was normal for the other party to be unfamiliar with me, so I skipped it when I got it. She asked the people in the house to welcome everyone into the hall, and began to chatter lively. Whether it is to Li Sheng, who met for the first time, or to Zhuge Liang, Zhuge Yan, Zhuge Ling and others who have not been seen for a long time, she has many questions to ask.

chatting in the hall, the girls quickly mingled with Mrs. Zhuge Xuan, and they didn't listen to what they said. Zhuge Liang and Li Sheng stared at each other in a daze: "Oh my God, why do they have so much to say." ”

Looking at the bustle over there, these two guys, who are not too big or small, are restless. Naturally, they couldn't leave without scruples like Zhuge Jun, who was only a young man, but in such a place that made people feel out of place, they could only sit helplessly with a stiff smile on their faces.

Fortunately, Zhuge Xuan's wife quickly noticed this. She raised her eyes to look at Li Sheng and Zhuge Liang, who were sitting there full of boredom, and said slightly apologetically: "I'm really sorry for ignoring you two little guys." Looking at you like this, I'm a little tired when I think about it. Since you can't stay here, let's go back and rest first. Everything will wait for the master to come back. ”

"Good!" Li Sheng and Zhuge Liang were relieved when they heard this, stood up and bowed their hands to Zhuge Xuan's wife, and followed the subordinate who was in charge of leading the way out of the hall.

Because there was Zhuge Xuan's letter for a long time, everything in the house had been taken care of, and the room and everything had been allocated. I thought that when Zhuge Xuan received such a large mansion from Liu Biao, he thought he was too big, but he didn't want to receive so many people now.

Zhuge Liang and Li Sheng's house leaned against the east side of the entire house, and they were separated by a flower bed, and together with Zhuge Jun's house opposite, they belonged to a small courtyard. To the west of this courtyard is the main house of Zhuge Xuan and his wife, and the other courtyard further west of the main house is used for several young ladies to live. The generals of the family were arranged to live at the back of the three courtyards, that is, by the back door.

Because they were indeed a little tired, Li Sheng and Zhuge Liang did not meet to continue to talk later, but greeted each other and returned to the bedroom. In Li Sheng's mind at the moment, there is nothing more attractive than a wooden couch.

Pushing the door into the house, Li Sheng wanted to pounce on the couch and sleep beautifully, but he didn't expect that there were other people in this room. I saw that the man was facing away from him, petite but graceful, wearing a grass-green dress, and his long hair hung down in a simple ponytail style, although it was simple, it also gave people a refreshing feeling. Li Sheng recognized her from this back, and he didn't feel a little weird: "Little kite, the bell is still in the front hall, what are you doing here?" ”

Hearing this, the little kite turned around and saw Li Sheng, smiled unconsciously, patted the prepared futon, and said crisply: "Childe, the couch is ready, please take a rest." ”

"Hmm." Li Sheng responded, opened his eyes wide and said, "Then I will do it myself, why bother you?" You'd better take care of the bell. ”

"However, Miss Bell asked me to take care of my son! He said that Childe is alone, and there will be many important things to do after the morning, and there will always be things that are not thoughtful, so I asked me to help Childe sort out some details. Little Kite explained with a smile. When there were no outsiders around, she became lively and bold. She had already known Li Sheng for a long time, and she understood that Li Sheng didn't value this private humility very much.

"It's just ......," Li Sheng opened his mouth, unable to refute for a while. He felt that he was not used to being served by such a beautiful woman, but thinking about his previous affairs and the things he would face in the future, he also had to admit that what the little kite said was very correct: "I am indeed a person who does not pay attention to details, and I am also very irritable to deal with details." If I am asked to deal with this quilt and clothes every day, it will be really annoying and annoying. It's also good to have someone to help take care of yourself, but it's better not to be such a beautiful cutie, otherwise it will make my heart flutter, and it's easy to ignore it. "But how can you refuse it? Looking at the little kite's happy smiling face, he was stuck there.

"Don't just do it. Miss Bell said that she had Sister Lei'er taking care of her. The young lady of the Zhuge family also has their own maids, and even Zhuge Liang and Zhuge Jun have maids in the room, but you are the only one left, which is really unreasonable. Looking at Li Sheng's still a little hesitant, Xiao Kite smiled and opened his mouth again: "The key is that I am the only one who is familiar with you and has nothing to do with the current maids, who else will they let me come if they don't let me come." ”

"It's the same." Li Sheng nodded, and finally agreed to let the little kite stay.

On the bed, covered with a blanket, and was about to fall asleep, Li Sheng remembered something again, and he loudly told the little kite who was about to go out: "Call me in an hour." "He didn't want to get dizzy from sleep. And after estimating the current time, if it was another hour, I was afraid that it would be evening, and it was time to prepare for dinner, and he didn't want to starve his belly.

Whether he had slept enough for an hour, Li Sheng didn't understand. He only knew that when he was woken up by the soft little hands of the little kite, the sky outside the window had gradually turned red. Dusk has come.

"Childe, let's put on new clothes quickly. The master came back and said, tonight, Lord Liu Biao is going to pick up the wind and wash the dust for the master and his party, and you, Young Master Liang, and Young Master Jun are going to go together. The little kite shook off a piece of clothes woven of Shu brocade and said. Maybe it's because the time is a little rushed, the little girl said a little impatiently.

"That's right." Li Sheng nodded and let Xiao Kite help him get dressed. For he knew that it would take two quarters of an hour to dress in his own unskillful manner. And at this moment, time seems to be running out, or the little kite would not be so anxious.

"Maybe my father-in-law wants to formally introduce himself and Zhuge Liang to the families in Jingzhou at tonight's banquet." While dressing, Li Sheng guessed about the purpose of the banquet he was about to attend.

Walking to the front hall, not only Zhuge Liang had already been waiting there in a moon-white Confucian robe, but even the two eldest ladies of the Zhuge family, Zhuge Yan and Zhuge Ling, were also waiting there in their new clothes, as if they were also preparing to attend Lord Liu Biao's banquet.

"It's weird, isn't it just me and Ah Liang?" For the dress of the two beautiful ladies, Li Sheng is quite strange. Although he had already guessed a rough idea, he still wanted to confirm it.

"Why do you feel bad? Are we really worried about going? Hearing Li Sheng's question, Zhuge Yan just smiled quietly, but Zhuge Ling stood up a little violently, stepped in front of Li Sheng in a few steps, and almost pointed to her nose and asked. She looked very unladylike, but no one in the family had a problem with that. As far as Zhuge Xuan and her wife are concerned, they have long been accustomed to the various "misconduct" behaviors of their niece Ling. As long as she doesn't go too far, it's up to her.

"Worried about what?" Li Sheng's eyes widened, full of curious questions.

"I'm worried that you've been abducted by the young lady of that family. You and Ah Liang are the pillars of our Zhuge family. It's a pity if it just disappears. Zhuge Ling said, deliberately putting on a suffocating expression, which made everyone in the room laugh.

"Am I that likable? If this is said to be Ah Liang, it is almost the same. Li Sheng touched his forehead and nose in embarrassment and said, "What's going on?" As far as I know, there are usually no family members attending banquets. He looked at his stepfather.

"I heard that the eldest lady of the Cai family will attend this banquet. The lord was afraid that she would be lonely, so let us be courtiers. Bring your children with you. Zhuge Xuan smiled bitterly and replied, "If it is very likely, she will become our master mother." ”

This has been said very clearly, Liu Biao seems to like the second lady of the Cai family very much, and as soon as he heard that she was also going to attend such a banquet, he asked his courtiers to bring their respective female relatives to accompany her to talk and relieve her boredom. This can be regarded as a smile of Bojia.

The second lady of the Cai family becoming the new housemother of Jingzhou is not as likely as Zhuge Xuan said, but for sure. Not to mention that she herself is a little fascinated by Liu Biao, the lord, with the Cai family behind her as one of the few wealthy families in Jingzhou, Liu Biao has to marry her in order to further consolidate his position in Jingzhou.

"I see." Li Sheng understood everything, and he didn't say anything anymore. After all, chasing a girl with the means he said he could use was normal in Li Sheng's opinion.

"So...... I have a request. Li Sheng thought for a while, and suddenly said to Zhuge Xuan.

"What request?" Zhuge Xuan asked him in surprise.

"Let's go to this banquet too. Then I want to bring Jundi and Zhong'er with me. It's too pitiful to leave the two of them at home. Li Sheng said calmly and calmly.

"Take them to a banquet like this? They're not old enough! It's too small! Zhuge Xuan frowned, he looked at Li Sheng's puzzled appearance, he didn't feel a pause, and after a while, he finally made up his mind to explain: "Because of the addition of Miss Cai, so many female relatives have come out from many places, which has changed the nature of this banquet. On the surface, it was to wash the dust for me, but in fact, this banquet actually became a blind date feast. You see, most of the daughters of these people are raised in the boudoir, and they don't usually see any young heroes. But as soon as this banquet comes, the young sons and daughters of the wealthy family can see each other, and naturally there will be a happy situation. If the two are happy with each other, and the door is right, then the person who comes to the door is not the same. ”

"That's right. Then I'm going to take the bell even more. After Li Sheng understood, he said even more firmly.

"Why?" Zhuge Xuan thought it was strange.

"Father-in-law, do you remember what I told you about my aunt?" Li Sheng blinked his eyes and said calmly: "My aunt has a great kindness to me. Although she was speechless at the time of her death, I understood what she meant in her eyes, and she was going to entrust her to me. So right now, to some extent, Zhong'er is already my fiancée. In the face of such a thing, I can't leave her alone. ”

Li Sheng's conclusive call made Zhuge Xuan speechless. He looked at Zhuge Liang, who seemed to be snickering on the side, and suddenly became a little annoyed: "Ah Liang, what are you laughing at?" ”

"I didn't ...... It's nothing. Zhuge Liang secretly glanced at Li Sheng but hurriedly shook his head and denied it, he was afraid that his uncle would trouble him, so he said: "If I have to choose, then I don't want to be much shorter than me." Otherwise, one high and one low will look very incongruous. ”

"You ......" Zhuge Xuan glared at Zhuge Liang's tall figure angrily, "You're not making me embarrassed!" You're only fourteen years old, and you're about the same height as me, and you're not afraid of having an eight-foot body if you grow up. If you still want to find a woman who is not much shorter than you, isn't it more difficult than climbing to the sky! How can a woman today be close to eight feet tall? ”

Zhuge Xuan felt that his head hurt a little: "Why don't these two children think about the family." Our Zhuge family is still a famous family in Yangdu, but in Jingzhou, the foundation is unstable. If you want to survive here for a long time, you can't have a good relationship with the local famous people in Jingzhou. And the fastest way to build a good relationship is to get married. It's rare to have such a good opportunity, but I don't cherish it. Alas......" Zhuge Xuan couldn't help but sigh.

But there is no way to do it, since the two male protagonists said so, Zhuge Xuan had no choice but to give up. After all, Li Sheng and Zhuge Liang are both men, and they will eventually become independent people, and as an elder, it is really difficult for him to put pressure on them in these aspects.

"Let it be." Seeing his uncle's sad face, Zhuge Liang said with a slight unbearability. He had been studying the scriptures of Futu recently, and he was going to come up with a common saying from it, like the one he had just done.

As soon as these words came out, it could be regarded as giving Zhuge Xuan a step down. I saw him nod slightly, but he didn't say anything to Zhuge Liang and Li Sheng, but just ordered his subordinates: "Go and invite Miss Zhong'er and Young Master Jun, we are leaving." ”

When he said this, everyone in the hall laughed. They knew that Zhuge Xuan, the elder, had already explained with his actual actions that he had agreed to Li Sheng's request.