Xiangyin County Zhangshu Town Xunshan Village, formerly known as Liujiachong. The mountains here are winding, the countryside is verdant, the beauty of the green mountains in the east, the aura of the Xiangjiang River in the west, the mountains are not too high, the water is not too deep, and the mountains and rivers are all in a quiet place.

Now it is late autumn, the cold autumn breeze blows in the morning, the rice fragrant crab roe in the rice field, in the misty fog, the farmers go down to the ground early, busy to start harvesting the rice fragrant grass, far and near are the cheerful autumn harvest farming scene,.

On the ridge between Qianmo, more than a dozen men and women wearing hats led horses and ox carts. The people were dressed plainly, like ordinary peasant men and women, but their horses and ox carts were loaded with many things, neither like those fleeing the famine nor like merchants, so that the peasants who harvested straightened up one after another.

The road was a country dirt road, but it was only a few feet wide, and the sides were full of green and yellow cowgrass and purslane. I saw several women in the ranks walking out, squatting down with a smile, and constantly collecting purslane. The young stems and leaves of purslane can be used as vegetables, and have the purpose of clearing heat and dampness, detoxifying and reducing swelling.

Several women had baskets on their backs, and in a short time they had already picked purslane, when a beautiful girl turned her head and shouted, "Sisters, hurry up, there are enough wild vegetables to eat." ”

This woman is beautiful and sweet, as soon as she hears it, she has a Liuyang accent, and many rural farmers in the farmland on both sides of the dirt road are a little stunned when they hear the reputation, and they all think that this girl is really beautiful, why does the woman on the other side of Liuyang appear in Liujiachong, is it the newly married little daughter-in-law? Looking at these people driving in a big car, it looks like they are sending relatives, but why don't they see them wearing red colors?

"Uncle, let me ask, how to get to this Liuzhuang?" After the girl shouted, she squatted on the edge of the ridge and asked an old farmer in the field.

The old peasant was slightly stunned, cracked his mouth and laughed, his short coat was open, his body was thin and black, and his big hands were jagged, pointing to the northeast side of the dirt road and said: "That is Liuzhuang, girl, do you want to visit Mr. Zuo like this?" It's not a coincidence, Mr. Zuo went out. ”

The old farmer spoke in a Hunan native accent and spoke quickly, and the girl blinked and smiled: "We are not here to find Mr. Zuo, we are here to visit relatives." With that, he rushed forward with the women who were picking wild vegetables, and there were their warblers laughing all the way. All the farmers understood that it was Mr. Zuo's rich father-in-law's family.

The Liuzhuang of the left family, the mountain is facing the field, sitting in the west and facing the east, on the mountain in the northeast of the rice field, a large piece of tea trees is luxuriant, and a bamboo forest on the mountain behind the west of the house is lush and vigorous in the fog and smoke, just like a paradise.

A group of people drove the ox cart and led the horses to the front of the Liuzhuang courtyard, only to see that there is a big pond here, the pond is surrounded by green willows, there is a maple tree and oak tree that four people are surrounded by four people in the north and south of the pond, the crown is verdant, the courtyard wall of Zhuangzi is hidden behind it, it is an antique Hunan garden.

On both sides of the gate of Liuzhuang Courtyard is written the door couplet of "Jagged Willow, Fengfu Farm". The word "Liuzhuang" inscribed on the plaque on the door, the pen is full of strength, and it is Zuo Zongtang's handwritten inscription at a glance.

Everyone walked, more than ten children in the village followed to see the excitement, and they were also waiting for maybe these people would send some food, but where relatives came to the village, there would always be some snacks to eat and distribute to the children in the village. Sure enough, the beautiful girl and several women took some peanuts and nuts and distributed them to the children, causing them to laugh.

A man wearing a hat stepped forward and knocked on the door of the courtyard, and after a while, the door creaked open, and an old servant poked his head out, but he did not expect that there were so many people outside the door, and he was slightly surprised. The man clenched his fists and saluted: "Old man, we are from the Zhou family in Xiangtan, and we came to see Miss on the order of the old lady." ”…,

The old servant sighed, and a smile appeared on his wrinkled face: "It turns out that the in-laws are here, come, come, come into the courtyard quickly." Although Zuo Zongtang and his wife moved back to their hometown in Xiangyin, the Zhou family still sent someone to send some things over every New Year's holiday, and the two families were not cut off.

Entering the courtyard gate, there was a large area of the grain drying field in front of him, and the old servant shouted: "Xiangtan's in-laws are here!" "In the courtyard of the round gate of the partition wall on the south side of the threshing floor, a few servants came to help them lead the horses and pull the cattle, and tied the cattle to the stables next to the threshing floor.

The old servant stepped forward and smiled: "I don't know which steward is leading the in-laws this time?" ”

The beautiful girl stepped forward and said with a smile: "Old man, this time it is our Steward Chen who is taking the lead. ”

I saw a man unload his saddle and come forward, hugging his fists with a smile on his face and saying: "Old man, Chen Zhiming was originally begging for a living in Dafeng Rice in Liling, but he only followed Master Zhou this year, and was ordered to see Miss." ”

This Chen Zhiming spoke with a Liling accent, and the old servant said with a sigh: "The old man Zhou Ren'an is a tenant farmer of the Zuo family, Mr. Raise the old man, let the old man help take care of Zhuangzi, and we will be closer and closer in the future." ”

Chen Zhiming smiled and took off the hat and said, "Brother Zhou is polite, let's be close." I saw a braid on his head, and the old servant realized that it was no wonder that these men did not have braids, but they were on the head.

Zhou Ren'an stretched out his hand and said, "Let's serve tea and talk inside, I'll go and ask my wife to come out to meet, how about the rest of the brothers and women go to the side hall to rest?" ”

Chen Zhiming smiled and saluted: "I will listen to Brother Zhou's orders." ”

When Zhou Ren'an ordered someone to lead Chen Zhiming's companion to the side hall to rest, he led Chen Zhiming and others into the courtyard, saying that it was strange, this Chen Zhiming was followed by four women and two men, Zhou Ren'an was a little puzzled, how could there be so many women following when he went out in a hurry? But I thought it might be Chen Zhiming's family, so I didn't think about it.

Entering the courtyard, only to see the shadow of twelve plum trees floating in the flower bed, the south side of the courtyard is a Kui top attic, the name of the book is "Pu Cun Pavilion". That week, Ren'an introduced the house to a rough idea, the house in the courtyard is divided into two entrances, the north side is the barn, the miscellaneous house, the south side is the front hall, the wing room, the Confucius Hall, that is, the children's school, the back is composed of two courtyards, the whole house brick wall swallow tile, with a typical late Qing Dynasty residential style.

Everyone followed Zhou Ren'an to the south front hall to serve tea, and Chen Zhizhi ordered a beautiful woman who followed him to sit, and everyone else stood behind the two. Seeing that Zhou Ren'an was a little puzzled, Chen Zhiming smiled and said, "This lady is a distant cousin of the old lady, and she is going to Xiangtan with us." Zhou Ren'an sighed, accompanied everyone to serve tea, and had his own small servants to enter the house.

After a while, I saw a woman in her thirties come out, this woman wore a light green coat, saddle-shaped collar to cover her cheeks and protect her face, the right side of the placket was decorated with a button, two false sleeves, horseshoe sleeves covered hands, inlaid with verdant green flowers embroidered in Hunan Province, and a green dress with a light red skirt, which was very gentle and generous. Her quiet and elegant face was full of graceful smiles, and when she walked to the front hall, everyone was amazed in their hearts, what a virtuous mother.

Zhou Ren'an got up and saluted, Chen Zhiming and others also got up and saluted, and after introducing everyone to everyone, this woman was Zuo Zongtang's wife, Zhou Yiduan, the eldest lady of the Zhou family in Xiangtan.

I saw Zhou Yiduan smile slightly, and waved his hand and said, "Let's sit down and talk." After everyone sat down, Zhou Yiduan asked softly, "Are Daddy and Grandma okay?" Is everyone in the family well? Recently, the long hair has been fierce, and there is no nuisance at home. ”

Chen Zhiming hugged his fists and replied: "The old lady and his wife are fine, everyone in the family is fine, the long hair has not passed through Xiangtan, but there are many officers and soldiers stationed in Xiangtan, and the donation of silver money is more." ”…,

Zhou Yi snorted and said: "It's like this, no matter how much you donate, it's indispensable for our family." Is there a letter from home? ”

Chen Zhiming shook his head and said: "This time, the old lady didn't send a letter from home, but just brought a message, saying that Changsha was captured by Changmao, and I heard Deng Shaoliang and Deng Xietai of the Xiangtan official army say that Changmao will invade Xiangyin in the north in the near future, and the old lady specially ordered the villain to bring someone to pick up the young lady and go back to Xiangtan for some time. ”

Zhou Yiduan frowned slightly: "Now that the master is not in the mansion, let's wait for the master to come back for such a big matter." ”

Chen Zhiming hugged his fists and said: "The old lady got the news of my uncle and let the villain come to pick up the young lady." ”

Zhou Yiduan was worried about Zuo Zongtang's safety, and asked urgently: "Where is the master now?" ”

Chen Zhiming replied: "Recently, Zhu Changlin, the boss of the former Changsha Zhu Qian, sent a letter to the old lady, and the uncle is in Changsha City, but because Changmao occupies the provincial capital, the uncle can't get away for the time being. ”

Zhou Yiduan hurriedly stood up and said, "How is this good?" ”

Chen Zhiming comforted: "Miss is relieved, Zhu Changlin and my uncle are friends, Boss Zhu has now donated a batch of money and food to Changmaona, and Changmao is so long that he has not embarrassed Boss Zhu, and his uncle is also fine." In the letter brought by Boss Zhu, he said that he was trying to find a way to send his uncle to Xiangtan, and Changmao wanted to continue to commit crimes in the north, and the road from the provincial road to the north was cut off, so he could only send his uncle to Xiangtan, so the old lady sent a villain to pick up the young lady and reunite with her uncle in Xiangtan. ”

Zhou Yiduan frowned and pondered for a moment, then raised his head and said, "There is a truth in your words, since Changmao has cut off the road to the north, how did you come here?" Are you hairy manipular?! ”

Chen Zhiming seemed to have expected that Zhou Yiduan would ask this, and said calmly: "It's not a secret, the villain walked the rivers and lakes in his early years, and had some friendship with the brothers of the Xiangzhong Heaven and Earth Society, and now the long hair is giving the heaven and earth some face, so the villain can come over, and the old lady Zhou also fancy the villain has this ability, so he entrusted the villain to pick up the young lady, if the young lady doesn't believe it, the villain will go back to his life, anyway, the villain's running fee will not be less." ”

Chen Zhiming's true and false words made Zhou Yi believe it a little, and Zhou Ren'an persuaded on the side: "Mastermother, this Chen brother's native pronunciation in central Hunan, I heard that the long hair is all Guangxi Yankees, and they will never speak our words in Xiangzhong, and you see, they all have braids, and I heard that the long hair is going to be cut with braids." ”

Zhou Yiduan shook his head and said, "Braids can be faked." ”

Chen Zhiming stood up with a slight smile and said: "Since Miss doesn't want to go back to Xiangtan, then let's leave, the old lady ordered, I'm afraid that the official army and the long-haired will cross the border, Miss has no silver money and rice grain here, and she can't send these soldiers away, so she ordered us to send some silver money and rice grain, and the villain will go back after delivering the rice grain." ”

Zhou Ren'an hurriedly said: "Master, if the long-haired or the official army really comes, they must ask for rice and grain, you see how thoughtful the old lady is, the rice and grain are ready." At this time, the army is in chaos, and the master is not at home, if the evil guest comes to the door and it is not easy to clean up, the housewife and the Chen brothers should go south to avoid it temporarily. This old farmer was so simple that he only thought about how to keep his mother safe, so he tried his best to persuade Zhou Yiduan to go south to avoid the army for the time being.

Zhou Yiduan was also a little moved, one was worried about Zuo Zongtang's safety, and the other also wanted to see his parents, so he muttered for a moment and said: "In this case, wait for me to clean up and take Xiaowei and Xiaokuan to set off together tomorrow." "Zuo Zongtang got a son late, and although the eldest son Zuo Xiaowei is only six years old at the moment, he has already set up a relationship with Tao Shu's granddaughter.

Seeing Zhou Yiduan's promise, Chen Zhiming said with a happy face: "Okay, the villain will rest on the village for one night and leave tomorrow." ”

While he was talking, a companion of Chen Zhiming outside the hall walked in quickly, walked up to the beautiful woman sitting next to Chen Zhiming and whispered a few words in his ear, and the beautiful woman frowned slightly.

Zhou Yiduan was puzzled in his heart, and was about to ask the origin of this beautiful woman, when the little maid outside the hall ran in and said: "Madam, there are more than ten officials and soldiers from outside the village, and the leader said that he is Zhang Liangji, the new governor of Hunan, who has come to visit the master. ”