Shang's back garden, red plum and white plum are difficult to distinguish, are a tree of ice and snow, the cold wind of the cold head muscles and bones is soaked in the fragrance of plum, in the afternoon, Shang Ran and the little maid Yunjin bowed on the snow in the back garden, Shang Xiangran did not wear a thick cold fur, only wore a single jacket of moire silk cloth, below is a blue and white satin skirt, wearing a gold silk bun, no fat powder, clear and beautiful, both hands lightly lift the skirt, both feet crutches, tiptoes, ride, kick, the ball rises and falls, as if there is a wire tied to her feet in general, suddenly, the foot slipped, then sat on the snow, smiling unabated, Without waiting for the little maid Yunjin to help, she got up by herself, how good it would be not to bind her feet - the little maid Yunjin was brushing the snow on her skirt for Shang Tanran, and the servant woman Zhou's mother walked in from outside the back garden gate and shouted: "Miss, miss, there is another white canopy boat with five Ming tiles, and it has not stopped." ”

Since entering the wax moon, Shang Ran has been counting the return boats, and when he heard this, he smiled and said, "Mother Zhou, don't wait there, it's cold." ”

The servants and maidservants of the Shang family knew the thoughts of the eldest lady, and they all diligently inquired about the news, and reported to the eldest lady from time to time - Shang Xiangran went to the flower hall, and the little maid Yunjin followed behind her with the ball and muttered: "It's thirteen today, why hasn't Zhang Gongzi come back." Seeing that Miss Tanran's buttocks were still stained with snow, she stretched out her hand to caress it, but Miss turned around and glared at her - Shang Tanran stood under the long window of the flower hall, and there was a wisteria outside the window, and now of course the branches and leaves are withered, and can only be used in the wind and snow on the Internet, Shang Tanran was a little confused, recently she heard some rumors about Zhang Yuan, saying that Zhang Yuan drank flower wine in Jinling Huangji, and there were rumors in Shanyin, saying that Wang Siren was in love with Zhang Yuan, and Zhang Yuan would not marry, compared with Wang Yingzi, Jinling's drinking of flower wine was really nothing- Shang Ran had seen Wang Siren's two daughters on the shore of Jianhu Lake on March 3 a few years ago, she and the Wang sisters also said a few words, at that time Wang Yingzi was still young, lively and smart, frank and gratifying, since then they have not intersected, only heard that Wang Siren had praised his daughter Bagu Wen Xiu is like exploring the bag to take things, Shang Xianran only heard that Hou Zhihan of Shanyin County had been a matchmaker for Zhang Yuan, to make a match for Zhang Yuan and Wang Yingzi, and Zhang Yuan happened to come here to show her affection, the difference was only half a day - Shang Xianran thought: " If Zhang Lang came to Huiji but was called halfway by Hou County, Wang Siren has a teacher-student friendship with him, Wang Yingzi is smart and talented, Zhang Lang should agree to this family business, and it is a good story for a student to marry a teacher's daughter, but what am I? ”

Thinking like this, Shang Ran couldn't help but be a little upset, and thought: "At that time, I only met Zhang Lang twice, once on the island in the middle of the lake in Taoyuan, and once outside the gate of Confucianism in Shanyin, at that time I fell in love with Zhang Yuan, I should just want to see him in my heart, and then Zhang Lang came to White Horse Mountain to study and spend the summer, grinding his ears and temples, and loving each other, which is unforgettable, and the death of it, even if Wang Yingzi has a good impression of Zhang Lang, there should be no deep affection for me, I have been engaged to Zhang Lang for almost two years, Last time, my uncle went to San'in to visit Zhang Lang's father, who is my future Uncle Weng, and he had agreed on a date for his personal welcome, and it would be April 12 next year, so Zhang Lang should not know about it——"

"Miss-Miss-"

A maidservant hurriedly came to the flower hall and said happily: "Miss, Zhang Gongzi is back, and the second master is talking to Zhang Gongzi." ”

Shang Ran said "ah", woke up from his contemplation, turned around from the window, and suddenly looked radiant, thinking: "Zhang Lang is here, it should be the white canopy boat just now-" hurriedly went to the study, opened the frozen inkstone, and picked up the pen to write——...... Shang Zhoude heard Zhang Yuan say that Qi Biaojia stood outside the door wall in order to wait for the servants to prepare a gift box, laughed, and hurriedly went to invite the thirteen-year-old Qi Biaojia in, and had a greeting, Qi Biaojia because of his young age, only verbally had a marriage contract with Shang Jinglan, and was not really engaged, Qi Biaojia was ready to enter Beijing after the township examination next year, regardless of whether he was in the middle or not, his father Qi Chengjia was currently in the Wupin Military Department, Qi Biaojia entered the Beijing Provincial Father, and then officially engaged to Shang Jinglan - usually, Zhang Yuan would audit the Shang Mansion, and Shang Zhoude would agree to Zhang Yuan and his little sister to meet each other. Today, he didn't open this mouth for a long time, Zhang Yuan opened his mouth shyly, and Shang Zhoude smiled and said: "Jiezi, I have agreed with Ling Zun on the marriage date between you and Tan Ran in October, that is, on April 12 next year, Wuzi said, a good time, Shaoxing people's rules, after the date of welcoming is set, men and women will not be able to see each other for the time being, otherwise it will be unlucky." ”

Qi Biaojia hurriedly said hello to Zhang Yuan, Zhang Yuan was stunned, his father had a big package, and as soon as he came back, he set his wedding date, and his mother Lu must have been in a hurry to marry Tang Ran into the door, and now that his father is back, there is someone who can come forward, so he set the date of welcoming - Zhang Yuan thinks about it, it is just right to get married in April next year, and the township test in August next year, if he wins, he will immediately set off for Beijing, and he will definitely not be so leisurely as he is now after entering Beijing, Although there is a teenager who raised his son after high school to leave his hometown and return to his hometown to get married, he obviously can't do this, from Yanjing back to Shanyin to get married, and then enter Beijing as a candidate, almost half a year, this is still considering that everything is going well, can the township test, will try to succeed, if there is an accident in a certain link, then he has to plan more ways, without the identity of a jinshi, the weight of the speech will be greatly reduced, time is not waiting, Nurhachi will not postpone the period of its founding, the seven hates are aggressive - Zhang Yuan said: " Then would it be good to ask the second brother to allow me to say a few words to Ran through the curtain? ”

Shang Zhoude this time but carefully abide by the rules, politely persuaded each other, refused to let Zhang Yuan and Ran see each other, speaking through the curtain is tantamount to covering his ears and stealing the bell, Shang Zhoude smiled: "Don't worry, it's the thirteenth month of the month today, and the year is over, and it's April in a blink of an eye. ”

Shang Zhoude said this, Zhang Yuan had no choice but to give up, Shang Zhoude wanted to keep him and Qi Biaojia for dinner, both of them politely, Shang Zhoude knew that the two were in a hurry to go home, and they didn't stay, drank a cup of tea, and sent the two out, but saw the little maid Yunjin trotting out, handed an envelope to Zhang Yuan and said: "Uncle, this is a letter from the young lady to you." Yun Jin used to call Zhang Yuan Zhang Gongzi, but now he has changed his name to Uncle - Zhang Yuan was overjoyed, took the letter and said with a smile: "Yun Jin, take a good look at me, and describe me to your young lady later." As he spoke, he looked energetic.

The little maid Yun Jin grinned, and sure enough, she looked Zhang Yuan up and down, and suddenly saw Wu Ling next to Zhang Yuan, Wu Ling was smiling at her, Yun Jin was surprised: "Hey, Xiao Wu, how did you become shorter!" ”

Wu Ling has a lot of affection for Yun Jin, and has been looking forward to coming back to see Yun Jin, and is smiling all over his face, but when he heard Yun Jin's words, he suddenly made a sad face and muttered: "No matter how you can't get shorter." ”

Yun Jin is fourteen years old, Wu Ling is sixteen years old, last summer in White Horse Mountain, Yun Jin was obviously shorter than Wu Ling, now Yun Jin is taller than Wu Ling, looking at Yun Jin who has a slender body, Wu Ling is about to cry - Yun Jin looked at Zhang Yuan, then looked at Wu Ling, and said: "It's my uncle who has grown taller, Xiao Wu has not grown, so it seems that Xiao Wu has become shorter." ”

Since Zhang Yuan's eye disease first recovered in the summer of the previous year, it has been more than two years, and Wuling has not grown much taller - seeing that Wuling is extremely frustrated, Zhang Yuan comforted: "Some people grow in front, some grow behind, Yunjin, you look, one day Xiao Wu will suddenly jump high, scaring you." ”

Yun Jin let out an "oh" and laughed.

Wuling is also happy, what the young master said will not be wrong - Shang Zhoude asked people to send Zhang Yuan and Qi Biaojia back to Shanyin, Zhang Yuan read Shang Ran's letter on the boat, the handwriting was slightly sloppy, obviously written in a hurry, and the words revealed the joy of Zhang Yuan's safe return, but like many letters, it is often the last few words at the end of the letter that are the most important, Shang Ran said to Zhang Yuan about the rumors about Wang Yingzi in Shanyin in the past few months, hoping that Zhang Yuan can have a good plan to deal with it, and not hurt Miss Yingzi - Zhang Yuan put away the letter, his eyebrows frowned slightly, Standing on the bow of the ship looking at the snow-capped Dongda Pond on both sides, a small wharf slowly retreated to the back of the ship, from this wharf ashore, more than 100 steps to the front of Mr. Wang Siren's house, Mr. Wang entered Beijing in April this year to elect officials, I don't know what position to be awarded?

And thought: "She is very smart, she said that she wants me to deal with the rumors, don't let the infant sister be hurt, isn't this talking about herself - well, I will come to visit Teacher Wang's house tomorrow, I should come to the house in a reasonable way, I should not avoid suspicion and fear, compared with the catastrophe thirty years later, other things in this world are really nothing, others do not have this sense of crisis, but I know, this is not to say that I should look down on emotional conflicts in this context, but to cherish and have the courage to face my true emotions...... ”

The boat twisted and turned, turning from Dongda Pond to Shanyin River, and anchored on the side of the Bashi Bridge, Zhang Yuan just walked on the bow of the boat, and heard someone on the shore say happily: "Jie Zi Xian Brother——"

"Young Master—Young Master—"

"Brother Xiaowu—"

When Zhang Yuan looked up, it was Zong Yishan and the big stone and small stone brothers, who immediately jumped ashore, held Zong Yishan's hand, and asked, "Brother Zong, are Ling Zun and Ling Tang still used to living in Shanyin?" While touching Brother Shi's head, Zong Yishan smiled and said, "Very good." ”

Qi Biaojia took two servants to say goodbye to Zhang Yuan at the bridge, Zhang Yuan and Zong Yishan returned to Dongzhang, and saw that their own courtyard was broken and rebuilt after returning to Zhongxiucai from the previous time, and it was a lot more magnificent, and there was the atmosphere of the eunuch's house, Huang Zunsu sat and talked with Zhang Yuan's father Zhang Ruiyang in the main hall of Zhang Yuan's house, Ni Yuanlu followed Zhang Dai and Zhang Cao to Xizhang, and saw Zhang Yuan come back, Shi Shuang, Cuihua and his wife came to see the ceremony, although the snow pressed the eaves, the festive atmosphere of the New Year at home was strong, the master was back, the young master was back, and the house was full of joy

(To be continued)