The next day, the main gate of King Ping's Mansion was opened, and the old prince and princess Zhao stood outside the door with their sons and daughters-in-law to greet their sons-in-law and grandsons in person. Next to the old lady stood a young girl in a light yellow skirt who looked like the lord of Changxing.

The Ling father and son dismounted and knelt on the ground. Ling Yuanzhi choked up and said, "My father-in-law and mother-in-law are on top, and my son-in-law is ashamed, not only can I not fulfill my filial piety by my side, but I also work hard for the second elder to raise my little daughter for me." ”

Zhao Wangye personally helped his son-in-law up: "Zhi'er, the family doesn't talk to each other." A Ning is also our own granddaughter. Besides, having Ah Ning on her knees also makes us feel a lot less lonely. ”

The old lady also helped her grandson at this time. Look up and down, left and right. Then the old princess burst into tears. This child is pitiful, he has no mother at a young age. At the age of ten, he went to the border with his father. The conditions over there are no better than those in the capital. The old princess took her grandson's hand: "Child, I'm sorry for you!"

Ling Yuanhang wiped his grandmother's tears: Grandmother, don't be bitter. He clenched his fist again: "You see that I am strong!"

The old lady nodded with tears in her eyes: "Yes, Hang'er is strong!" and then pulled the girl beside her: "Ah Ning, come and meet your father and brother." ”

The girl next to her was already in tears, kneeling on the ground, crying silently: "Daddy, brother." ”

Ling Yuanzhi squatted down and hugged his daughter: Ah Ning, daddy can't stand you!" "It's been ten years, and when I left home, my youngest daughter was only four years old, and now she is a beautiful girl. I have been missing my love for my daughter for ten years. Ling Yuanzhi burst into tears. The people next to him couldn't help but cry when they listened.

The old prince and his two sons came to persuade each other.

After calming down, Ling Yuanzhi took his son to meet the two uncles and couples. Agree with each other. Ling Yuanzhi followed the old couple to the main hall. Ah Ning pulled her brother to speak.

Old Prince Zhao is the cousin of the current emperor. He admired Ling Yuanzhi's practice of handing over military power and retreating bravely. This son-in-law is really a dragon among people, he knows how to advance and retreat, and he is not greedy for power. In this way, the prosperity of the family can be protected for a long time. It's a pity that his daughter Fubo died early. The daughter and son-in-law have a good relationship, and when the daughter is there, the son-in-law has never had other women in his eyes, and there is no concubine in the house. Every time the daughter goes back to her parents' house, the old couple can see that the daughter is living a very happy life, and they are more satisfied with the son-in-law.

Look at the two children left by her daughter, one is delicate and lovely, and the other is handsome and heroic. It's all so cute. They have all reached the age of talking about marriage again. Thinking about his in-laws, the old man, the old man, sighed. said to his son-in-law: "Zhi'er, when you come back this time and hand over the military power, you will stay in the capital for a long time, and there should be someone in charge of this family." Hang'er and Ning'er's marriage has to be handled by someone in the house. After so many years, Changxing won't blame you. ”

Ling Yuanzhi was silent for a while, and said, "Father-in-law, mother-in-law, I also wanted to tell you about this, besides, I have a reluctant request." I hope that the second elder will call the shots for his son-in-law. ”

The old prince said: "Zhi'er, say it, as long as your mother-in-law and I can help you, we will not refuse." ”

"This time I brought back a woman from the border pass, named He Linlang, and I arranged her in the Zhuangzi in the suburbs. This woman's brother is a general in our army. She has no other relatives other than this brother. So she has always been in the army and has also killed the enemy. She grew up at the border and was very chivalrous. should be more suitable than those women in the family to be Hang'er Ning'er's stepmother. ”

Ling Yuanzhi hesitated for a moment: "It's just that her status is too low." ”

The old couple looked at each other for a moment, and the old princess said, "Zhi'er, you can bring her tomorrow." I recognized her as my goddaughter, and I married her from the palace. ”

Ling Yuanzhi got up gratefully and bowed to his father-in-law and parents-in-law: "Thank you, father-in-law and mother-in-law." ”

The old prince smiled: "Zhi'er, get up, just as we have more daughters." ”

Ling Yuanhang said again: "In addition, this time I want to take A Ning away. Please also ask for the permission of the second elder. The prince of the county said after thanking the two old men.

The old lady hurriedly said, "Zhi'er, Ah Ning, don't take it yet." Wait until you're done with your business, will you?"

The old lady is really reluctant, Ah Ning is a girl who knows how to advance and retreat, and she is very sensible. I have been by my side for so many years, watching it every day, this is suddenly leaving, how can the old lady be willing. It is a day to be able to stay by her side, and in addition, the old lady is really worried that the two big men will not be able to take care of their precious granddaughter. As far as the old Wu family's in-laws, the old lady is really not at ease!

"Okay, then listen to my mother-in-law, I'll take He Linlang back first tomorrow. Ling Yuanzhi replied.

The old prince asked again: "Which girl is Hang'er ordering?" ”

"It's the concubine of the third line of the Mighty Marquis Mansion. Ling Yuanzhi said.

The old lady frowned: "Is the status lower, how can it be a concubine." ”

Ling Yuanzhi said: "A few years ago, Hang'er came back. After paying homage to his grandfather and mother in Luochuan, he wanted to go back to Beijing to see Ah Ning, but he didn't expect to be attacked on the way. None of his guards survived, and he was wounded. At that time, the mighty Marquis Guan was returning to Beijing with his little daughter who grew up in the border pass, and happened to meet and saved Hang'er. ”

The old couple suddenly realized, and the old prince Zhao said: "I see, this girl turned out to be known to Hang'er."

"Yes, Hang'er didn't want your second elder to worry at that time, so he pretended to be a guard and stayed in the Hou Mansion to recuperate. Ling Yuanzhi said.

"Yes, thanks to Hou Ye Guan back then. "The old prince Zhao remembered the scene of the year, that year his grandson told him about the attack, and the old prince also sent someone to investigate, and later heard that the group of people was exterminated by the government. This matter was put down.

The old marquis clenched his fists: "Hang'er was only thirteen years old that year, where did the enemy come from, who could do such a poisonous thing to a teenager." I've had someone check it too. Later, that group of people was exterminated by the government, so it couldn't have happened to be robbed by bandits, right?"

"No, bandits wouldn't be so ruthless in robbing money, I heard Yuanhang say that the goal of this group of people is to kill him. And I heard from Yuanhang that there were still soldiers in that group. Afterwards, I also thought about whether Yuanhang offended someone in the army, and I also checked in the army, but found nothing. Ling Yuanzhi said.

Ling Yuanzhi said again: "Later Yuanhui said that these people are bandits on Luoling Mountain. He who came down to rob the riches. After the accident of the voyage, it was Yuanhui who led the officers and soldiers to exterminate them. But I don't believe it's a coincidence. ”

The old couple looked at each other again, remembering the suspicion in their hearts, but neither of them said anything more.

"Let's talk about Hang'er's family affairs. The old lady changed the subject.

Hang'er herself said that the little girl was good-looking and had a good personality. Ling Yuanzhi continued. "Hang'er hid the news when he returned to Beijing at that time, and the family of Guan Houye didn't know about it, so they only thought it was a guard in the army. Those guards who followed Hou Ye were all given gag orders by Hou Ye. And an eight-year-old girl can do it for so many years without showing her mouth, this child is really good. ”

Outside, Ah Ning took her brother's hand and walked to where she lived, Ah Ning did not have her own yard here, since she was sent when she was four years old, she lived in her grandmother's east wing. For so many years, her grandmother has always taken her with her and raised her carefully. Although she doesn't have parents by her side, she is really a girl who was raised in the palm of her parents' family. So her personality can't help but be a little coquettish.

At this time, her little mouth was chattering endlessly: "Brother, I heard that the Hu people are all like bears, tall and fierce. Is that so. ”

Ling Yuanhang told her: "The Hu people are just taller and stronger than the Han people. The others make no difference. ”

"I heard that the bearded girls also have a tiger's back and a bear's waist, which is not good-looking at all. Ah Ning asked again.

Ling Yuanhang patiently replied to his sister: "There are also beautiful women among the Hu people. Some are more beautiful than the Han Chinese. The eyes of the Hu people are blue. It's also beautiful. ”

The brother and sister chatted as they walked. Ling Yuanhang took out the gift he gave to his sister, every year on Ah Ning's birthday, Ling Yuanhui and his son sat together to eat, they took out the birthday gift they prepared for Ah Ning, and the father and son missed this little girl who had lost her mother's love and father's love since she was a child. These gifts are all received here by Ling Yuanhang. He will take it out and give it to his sister. In recent years, the two have prepared a variety of gifts, including foreign bracelets and anklets strung with fishbones, as well as delicate headdresses and jade pendants. There are small combs made of ivory and so on. Ah Ning liked to pick up this and look at it, and then picked it up to see, and saw that his father and brother were very careful to prepare gifts for themselves, Ah Ning's nose was sour, and she wanted to cry again. complained to his brother with tears: "My brother is really, he provoked people to cry again." ”

Ling Yuanhang hurriedly coaxed his sister: "I blame my brother, it's my brother who is not good, and my brother should be beaten." ”

Ah Ning puffed and laughed with tears in her eyes.

When Ling Yuanhang saw that his sister was well, he took out a cute woodcarved rabbit and gave it to Ah Ning like a trick.

Ah Ning liked it immediately, and she shouted: "What a cute little rabbit, give it to me." "I snatched it from my brother's hand at once.

In order to tease her, Ling Yuanhang took out one for a while, and the little rabbit was different every time, Ah Ning asked her brother likely: "Is there more, is there more?" Brother, did you carve it?"

"This is engraved by the third uncle, and he specially engraved it for you. You, fourteen this year, the third uncle carved fourteen for you and played with them. Ling Yuanhang told his sister.

Ah Ning said movingly: "The third uncle has never seen me, and he still wants to give me such a fun gift." How can I thank Uncle San. ”

Ling Yuanhang said: "The third uncle is a very good uncle, you just need to remember his goodness." As for thanks, I'll talk about it when I have the chance. ”

"Brother, where is my future sister-in-law? Have you seen it?"

Ling Yuanhang looked at his sister amusedly. It seems that my grandmother really spoils her little sister. Otherwise, his temperament would not be so lively.

Ling Yuanhang told his sister: "She is very good-looking, as smart and cute as A Ning." ”

Then, Ling Yuanhang told his sister that his father was going to continue the string. Let's see my sister's reaction after saying that. Ah Ning blinked: "Which family's daughter is my father going to marry, has Ah Ning heard of it?"

Ling Yuanhang saw that his sister didn't have an unwilling expression, so he said, "Ah Ning wants to marry us another mother?"

A Ning replied: "Ah Ning doesn't care, Daddy has been suffering alone for so many years, as long as the stepmother can take care of Daddy." ”

Ling Yuanhang touched his sister's head dotingly, and said, "Ah Ning, don't worry, my stepmother is a very good person, and she will be good to Ah Ning." Then Ling Yuanhang told his sister about He Linlang.

Ah Ning took her brother to see the more than 100 paper cranes she had folded over the years. A Ning's boudoir is full of delicately folded paper flower paper cranes, and these paper cranes are full of Ah Ning's thoughts. Ling Yuanhang's eyes were a little warm, she touched her sister's little head lovingly, and her heart was full of emotion and regret for her sister.