She looked at her husband and listened to his conversation with the Colonel, and although they were far away from her, her keen hearing could still hear them clearly.

"Do you think the Qianguo people will launch a surprise attack on our fleet?" Major General Lisby asked.

"I can feel that their drill is preparing for this." Colonel Vieway replied affirmatively, though he probably felt that his words would be mistaken by Major Admiral Lisby, so he added, "Of course, it is only preparation." ”

"But you have also heard that the Qianguo Army actually assisted the Black Flag Army bandits in attacking and capturing the city of Hanoi, and carried out a brutal massacre in the city." Major General Lisby said again.

"Yes, but the latest news I have heard is that another Qianguo army declared that the Qianguo army and the Black Flag Army that attacked and occupied Hanoi were rebels, and they fought a fierce battle with them in Hanoi City, completely defeating the army that caused the massacre of the city." "The Black Flag Army, as an armed force, no longer exists. ”

"Yes, I heard that this army is very small in number, but it is very well equipped, and the combat effectiveness of the soldiers is also extremely strong, and it is able to defeat the rebels with more than 30,000 people with less than 2,000 troops." Major General Lisby said in a deep voice, "However, it was this army that defeated the Tokyo Expeditionary Force and killed Lieutenant Colonel Duseni and more than 200 Algerian soldiers. ”

"I have also heard of this conflict, which, according to Major Chevariere, was provoked by the madman Dusenny. He probably thought that this elite Qianguo army was a vulnerable Vietnamese army, and thought that he could easily take back the city of Hanoi from the Qianguo people, and he paid a fatal price for it. Colonel Vieway sighed. General Miller will also pay a terrible price for this mistake. ”

"Oh?" Listening to Colonel Vieway's words, not only Major General Lisby was taken aback, but Mrs. Lisby's heart also hung in the air.

Mrs. Risby had known about the arrest of Director Ho Lo Ho and the dismissal of General Bo Slip, the former commander of the Tokyo Expeditionary Force, and the attack on Hue was initiated by Ho Lo Ho and carried out by her husband Lisby. Now that Vietnam's "troika", Ho Lo Ho and Bo Slip, have been taken down, Mrs. Lisby is most worried. It was the "last driver" of the "troika", and her husband, Major General Lisby, was also mistaken by Ho Luo and Bo Slip.

"What price will General Miller pay?" Major General Lisby asked.

"Like General Bohua, pack up and return home to report on work." Colonel Vieway replied.

"How did you hear this?" Major General Lisby asked again.

"I know it from Colonel Flono." Colonel Vieway replied.

Hearing Colonel Vieway say that the news was from Colonel Frunor, the captain of the cruiser "Volda", Lisby was stunned again.

"You may not know it, but Colonel Frouno is a good friend of our esteemed Imperial Prime Minister, Mr. Jouferi." Colonel Viewei explained with a smile. "He's got some gossip. It shouldn't be surprising. ”

"Did Colonel Frono say what my end would be?" Major General Lisby smiled bitterly, "Mr. Ho Lo Ho's secret plan to attack Hue was implemented and succeeded by me. ”

"Hehe, I think you'll be fine." Colonel Vieway gave a sinister smile, "You know, Colonel Frono is your subordinate. He is also very concerned about you, and he has specifically asked His Excellency the Prime Minister about you. But I didn't hear anything from His Excellency the Prime Minister. ”

Hearing this, Mrs. Luxby's hanging heart finally relaxed.

She had always believed that her husband had some of the best men.

"General Miller's order to return to China to report on his work has not yet been issued, and the order he recently received is to prepare for war, of course, not for the attack of the Qianguo people, but to prevent a tragedy like Hanoi in Hue City." Colonel Vieway said again.

"In that case, we should be prepared." Rear Admiral Lisby looked at the hazy sea in the distance, and under the mist, the shadows of the Qianguo warships became blurred, "We can't let tragedy happen to us." ”

"Yes, the fleet of the Qianguo people is a great threat to us, and although so far they have behaved very friendly, the maneuvers of their torpedo boats have given a very bad signal." "Our warships are about the same strength as theirs," said Colonel Vieway, "but they have torpedo boats, and we only have rod mineboats, and if they do launch a lightning strike, it will be very disadvantageous for us." ”

"We need to have a plan in place to deal with it." Lisby looked at the gloomy sky, and his mood became a little gloomy again.

"I think we should send a telegram to General Guba, explaining to him the situation here, and telling him that when he leaves for Vietnam, he will bring another fleet like the envoy of the Qianguo." Colonel Vieway saw Richby's concern, smiled and suggested, "It would be great if this fleet could include one ironclad ship and a few torpedo boats." ”

Major General Lisby understood, and his eyes were full of excitement for a while.

With the arrival of his old superior, General Guba, he will no longer have any worries.

"French warships are moving?" Lin Yiqing looked at the chart on the table and frowned.

"Yes." Zhang Cheng nodded, waved his hand again, and an officer stepped forward and placed the slender small pieces of wood representing the warship with the name of the ship written on it on the chart, "This is the current anchorage situation of our ship and the French ship." ”

"The French don't have torpedo boats, but they put the gunboats in front, apparently to protect against our torpedo boats." Lin Yiqing looked at the chart carefully and said.

"That's exactly what your lord said." Zhang Cheng nodded.

"If this drama continues like this, it will be a bit excessive." Lin Yiqing smiled, he didn't expect that the French would be so sensitive and react so quickly.

Hearing that, Lin Yiqing had no intention of fighting hard with the French Navy. Zhang Cheng couldn't help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

Now he understands that everything Lin Yiqing did was to increase the chips in his hands. In order to fight for more interests at the negotiating table.

Lin Yiqing was thinking about it when a ninja walked in and presented a telegram to him.

"My lord, Fajing Paris, Minister Hong is in an emergency."

Lin Yiqing opened the telegram and looked at it, and there were only a few numbers on the telegram: "The French government sent a lonely ship with a large iron armor in it, named 'Admiral Dubelay'." 11,000 tons, 4 cannons of 34 centimeters, the latest type of ship. There are also a number of ships carrying mineboats, so be cautious. ”

After reading the telegram, Lin Yiqing smiled slightly and handed the telegram to Zhang Cheng.

I saw that the telegram said that Guba brought a large ironclad ship of 10,000 tons. Zhang Cheng's complexion changed greatly.

For the current Harbour Master. This "Admiral Dubele" is simply invincible.

"It's okay, it's better for this boat to come, just so that our athletes can show their abilities." Lin Yiqing smiled and comforted Zhang Chengdao, "This ironclad ship is moving slowly, we just have time to arrange it calmly." ”

"What are you going to do?" Seeing that Lin Yiqing was calm and calm, Zhang Cheng knew that he might have a way, so he felt a little settled in his heart, and immediately asked.

"This time. It's not all your sailor's business, it's up to me to arrange it. Lin Yiqing said. His eyes were on the positions of the two warships on the chart on the table.

Pan Qingxian gently picked up the ivory hairpin, this hairpin is quite old, the color has become red, and the pear blossom painted on it has also been darkened, which is not as good as the hair of other rich ladies.

This hairpin was the only reward she received in the palace.

"Miss, the new slave who has been recruited, please meet me." The voice of the domestic servant Lao Huangtou interrupted Pan Qingxian's memories. She hurriedly put away the ivory hairpin and called, "Let her in." ”

A young girl walked in with her head bowed and her hands hanging down in front of her clothes. The old yellow head said: "She said that her name is Qiuping, she is from Songcun fifteen miles away, she is fifteen years old this year, and because her family is poor, she came out to find an errand." ”

Pan Qingxian stepped forward, looked at Qiu Ping's timid appearance, and said with a smile: "Don't be afraid, our family is full of good people, and since you enter the house, you will be treated as your own family." ”

In fact, the huge courtyard of Pan's Mansion at this time was already empty, and the servants and slaves ran away for ten or nine. Pan Qingxian's father, Pan Qinglian, had been promoted to the head of the Secret Academy, but he was an honest official, and he had no wealth, although his family had hundreds of acres of land, in recent years, there have been many wars and thieves, tenant farmers have been scattered, and the fields have either been occupied by local wicked people, or they have long been famine. The Pan family is a scholarly family, and they only know how to read the books of sages, how can they understand the way to survive in troubled times. Now that the silver has been exhausted, even Mrs. Pan's dowry and jewelry have been sold, the servants who had brought them from the family saw that the family was in decline, and most of them were scattered, so they had to recruit one or two more poor children with cheap wages.

Qiu Ping entered Pan's house, and took on the work of three people, three meals a day, laundry and cleaning. Although Pan's Mansion is large, many courtyards have been locked, and the flowers and trees have not been pruned, and the fallen leaves are everywhere, which is full of depression. Qiu Ping saw it sadly, so she tried her best to clean it up from morning to night, but even if she was busy until late at night, she couldn't regain the old scenery of the mansion with her own strength.

Sometimes Miss Pan Qingxian also does some cleaning and sprinkling work herself, but Qiu Ping is very reluctant to go, and always grabs it to do it. Pan Qingxian smiled at her, but there was always difficulty in her eyes that could not be hidden. Sometimes at night, Qiu Ping saw the young lady standing alone in the patio, silently staring at the cold moon outside the eaves, chanting poems, full of sad and nostalgic words. Qiu Ping felt uncomfortable, and secretly said to the housekeeper Lao Huangtou: Isn't it time for Miss to find a mother-in-law?

The old yellow head always glared at her and said, "Mother-in-law? Do you know who the young lady is going to marry? Saying it scares you to death, Miss was originally a companion in the palace, and she wanted to be an emperor...... No, the queen, in the future the king shall use eight lifts...... No, sixteen, no, sixty-four carried a sedan chair to greet it. ”

"But isn't it now that two emperors have collapsed in one year (Emperor Yude has already poisoned the royal family), and I heard that the current king is closed again?"

"Humph! Ignorant foolish woman, this Da Nan royal family has its own blessing, and there will be a day when the rivers and mountains will be reorganized, and then they will come to marry, and our family will be the Guozhang Mansion. And behold, all the thieves who took possession of our fields and defiled the walls of our houses shall come to their knees and beg for mercy. ”

If only that day were...... Qiu Ping also fell into the same longing as the old yellow head. At that time, wasn't I also a maid of the country's family? Listen to people. This kind of big mansion is surrounded by smaller girls, and they also take a carriage and sedan chair when they go out. It's bigger than a county official.

Qiu Ping couldn't help laughing when she thought about it, but when she saw a round of cold moonlight, her worries returned to her heart...... If this king doesn't come for a day, won't he let the young lady marry for a day? Do you only look at the cold moon and clouds every day until your hair is gray?

The king's greeting brigade did not come, but there were still people who came to pick up the walls of Pan's Mansion every day to steal tiles and bricks, and the old yellow head ran panting with a stick and scolded. He was thrown by the ruffians, but there was nothing he could do. Qiu Ping was very worried that if one day the old yellow head was tired. Who else is there to protect the Pan family?

Pan Qingxian sometimes made a few calligraphy and paintings, and asked Qiu Ping to sell them on the street. but he refused to sign his name. Qiu Ping knew that the young lady and the old man were thin-skinned, and refused to let people know that the head of the secret academy wanted to sell paintings for a living, if she let the master know that the young lady took her own calligraphy and paintings to sell. Maybe you will have to be reprimanded by family law. said that he had lost the face of his family. Although the family is about to lose meat, the most important thing is to face such a large family.

Qiu Ping went to the street to sell paintings for several days in a row, but in troubled times, there was only crazy grabbing rice and noodles, how could anyone have the heart to buy paintings? On this day, the sky was overcast, the wind sent cold, rolled up dust and sand, and pedestrians on the street hurried by with their sleeves covered their faces. Qiu Ping stood for another day, and no one cared. She sighed in her heart. It's a pity that Miss draws so well, with a good hand, how can anyone in the world know it?

When he was melancholy, a hand reached out and gently lifted the corner of the frame. A clear voice said: "It's really a good painting, but it can be of the highest quality, but I don't want to sell it on the street like this." ”

As soon as Qiu Ping looked at the person, she found that the other party was a delicate-looking scribe with a few followers by her side.

"Do you want to buy a painting, sir? Our young lady's painting is very good......"

The visitor didn't seem to hear her, and he was fascinated by the painting: "It's a pity, this stroke is a little lighter, and the layout is too tight, and the cyan here is messy...... Rather in a hurry? ”

"This ...... I don't understand......" Qiu Ping was embarrassed and said in a snort.

The scribe smiled, "That's it." He put down the paintings in his hand, smiled and asked, "Dare to ask this girl, how much do these paintings cost?" ”

Qiu Ping said the price of each painting, and the scribe saw that the price was not expensive, so he did not make a counteroffer, but paid the full price and bought all the paintings.

Qiu Ping was very happy and was about to thank her, but she saw the scribe looking at the inscription on the painting, and suddenly said: "In fact, your young lady's calligraphy skills are far above this painting. ”

Where does Qiu Ping know what calligraphy, she just thinks that Miss Pan Qingxian's usual writing is just right, and then she heard this stranger praise Miss's calligraphy is better than painting, so she nodded vigorously, and thought that she would go back and tell Miss what the stranger said, maybe Miss wrote calligraphy next time to sell, and sell it for more money.

She was thinking about it, but the scribe took out a silver dollar and gave it to her.

"In this way, I would like to entrust your young lady to write a picture for me, the content of which is mainly for men and women to express their heartfelt feelings." The scribe said, "I'll come here in three days to get it, what do you think?" ”

Qiu Ping was overjoyed, immediately took the silver dollar, and agreed one after another. The scribe smiled at her and nodded, and turned away.

Seeing the figure of the scribe disappear, Qiu Ping returned to Pan's Mansion happily, handed over the proceeds from today's sale of paintings and the silver dollar to Pan Qingxian, and told the story of the scribe who bought the painting on her calligraphy and painting and ordered a word.

After listening to Qiu Ping's story, Pan Qingxian's brows furrowed slightly.

She didn't expect her paintings to sell for much money, but she didn't expect all of them to sell, and although they sold for money, she wasn't sure if the person who bought them really liked her paintings or had some other intentions.

After all, in this troubled world, there are a lot of disciples.

But judging from the person's evaluation that her calligraphy is above painting, this person is still very discerning. It's just that he wants to write a painting by himself with the content of men and women expressing their heartfelt feelings, but he is inevitably suspected of molesting.

Pan Qingxian thought about it for a while, and felt that it was not a big deal, since Qiu Ping had already received money from others, then she would write a picture for him.

That night, Qiu Ping walked through the mansion and saw Pan Qingxian standing in the courtyard, holding an ivory hairpin in her hand, looking at the moonlight, as if praying for something. By her side, there are bookcases and pen and ink, and her gaze is like water waves flowing to the sky, pulsing and moving.

Qiu Ping was very curious, what was she thinking in her heart? Is she still dreaming of that queen?

"I would give me an ivory hairpin, who would give me long hair? Wash away the lead, from now on, the end of the twilight? Pan Qingxian sighed softly, picked up the pen, and began to write on the paper.

She originally wanted to write her own sentence of the hairpin poem on it, but then after thinking about it, she felt that it was too much to meet the other party's requirements, and it was finally written on paper with "Baitou Yin":

"Sad and miserable, you don't need to cry when you marry, you want to be a person with one heart, and the white head is not separated. What is the bamboo pole, how can the fish migrate, the man is heavy, why use the money knife? ”

At this time, Pan Qingxian would not have thought that the painting she wrote would become her lifelong trust.

After the handwriting was written, Pan Qingxian read it for a while and felt very satisfied, so she carefully rolled it up and handed it to Qiu Ping, asking her to take it to the buyer as scheduled.

Early in the morning of this day, Qiu Ping went out to the painting market with Pan Qingxian's words, Pan Qingxian was sitting and reading in the house, and then suddenly heard the servant come to report, saying that the honorable room said that the adult came to visit his father Pan Qinglian. (To be continued.) )