Wen then took his daughter Xie Mulin to meet Mrs. Xie, the mother-in-law of the third room.

Before leaving the boat in the second room, they met Xie Xianzhi, Xie Jinzhi and other four brothers who rushed to hear the news, and walked together. It was windy and cold on the deck and on the dock, and they didn't have time to say anything, and waited until they got on the boat where Mrs. Xie and her granddaughter were sitting, and then they began to sit down and talk about what happened.

Mrs. Xie was still resentful, full of grievances in her heart, and wanted to count her daughter-in-law, reproaching her for not coming to see her immediately, but going to see the Song family in the second room first. Although the Wen family has been in the name of the second daughter-in-law for many years, since Cao Shuqing betrayed her husband and left, Mrs. Xie has already decided that the Wen family is her only remaining daughter-in-law, and she is the mother-in-law who is serious. If Wen puts Song in front of her in etiquette, it will be unfilial! It's a violation of etiquette!

She doesn't care about the rules and etiquette of the clan, she is the real elder of this family, she is Xie Pu's mother, and the rules of the family should naturally be decided by her!

She didn't dare to promote this idea in front of the clan and the peer members of the family, as well as the Song family, which did not prevent her from playing the prestige of her mother-in-law in front of the Wen family, who had always been soft and weak.

However, Mrs. Xie only had time to put on a resentful face, so she couldn't interject to question Wen at all. Wen took a group of children on the boat, and only then did she announce her decision to enter Beiping City by water, which attracted everyone to ask about all kinds of details around her. Everyone was very surprised to hear that they didn't have to travel dozens of miles in a carriage to drink the northwest wind. Xie Xianzhi and Xie Jinzhi, two serious and famous scholars, were taught by the predecessors of Shilin, and they also began to think about how much benefit the resumption of the Tonghui River could bring to the local people's livelihood and economy.

By the time Wen explained the situation clearly, Old Lady Xie had a wooden face and no strength to scold.

She asked Wen's listlessly: "If you have to take a boat from here to Beiping, how long do you have to sit?" ”

Wen Shi hurriedly said: "My daughter-in-law has already sent someone to ask the people of Yan Wangfu, I think I will be able to set off in a while." If you don't encounter any heavy snowstorms on the road, you can get there before dark if the journey goes smoothly. She paused, and added, "The old lady can rest assured, this Tonghui River was dredged by the master himself, the river is spacious, there is not much sediment accumulation, the water flow is gentle, and there are few boats walking on the river at the moment, we will be able to get there soon!" ”

Old Mrs. Xie snorted coldly: "Don't coax people!" Looking down at what he was wearing, he couldn't help but feel aggrieved, "What can I do now?" The stoves on the ship are all extinguished, and the luggage and everything are packed up, so let's just wear a full set of winter clothes and sit in this hall for a long time until the ship enters Beiping City?! You said it went well, you could get there before dark, but what if it didn't? You didn't follow us all the way from the south, and you don't know what it's like to take a boat in this winter! It is said that there is a royal ship leading the way, and it can go faster than other ships, but this god is blowing the north wind! This way against the wind, how can the boat get up fast? If we can't get to Beiping City before dark, do we still have to spend the night in the wilderness?! ”

Xie Xianzhi coughed lightly, and reminded Mrs. Xie with some embarrassment: "The old lady is too worried, don't we follow the boat of Yanwangfu?" The soldiers guarding the city gate in Beiping City refused to let people into the city indiscriminately, but they could still stop Yan Wangye outside the city? Let's just follow along, and we won't let your old man suffer! ”

Wen also smiled dryly and said, "Yes, you old man can rest assured." If it is really because the north wind is too strong, we can't advance to the city after dark, and the prince doesn't plan to continue his journey, so it doesn't hurt to find a place to stop everywhere. The old man presided over the dredging of the Tonghui River, and both sides of the river were combed, and there were no rogues and mountain bandits. There are two homeless camps, but now they are all well arranged, and the homeless people in them live and work in peace and contentment, very well-behaved, and there are officials to inspect them. There are also several villages and towns along the road that can provide accommodation and food. Under the rule of King Yan, it has always been peaceful, and merchants from all over the world came to Beiping, and they were all satisfied, and they praised each other. Your old man has lived in Peking for a long time, and you will know it! ”

Old Mrs. Xie glanced at her, and was about to speak, when she heard a somewhat familiar voice report outside the hall: "Madam, Yan Wangfu replied, saying that the boat will leave in a quarter of an hour, so that our ship is ready, keep up at any time, and don't delay time." ”

Wen Shi hurriedly responded: "Then you hurry up and tell the boat boss, let them rest assured, we will add another money, and there will be a big reward." ”

The man answered. Xie Mulin caught a glimpse of the smiling appearance of the green banana next to him, and then remembered, it seemed to be Zhao Fengnian next to Xie Pu, right? It turned out that Wen brought him to Tongzhou today.

Old Lady Xie glared at Wen with a straight face: "What is this called?" I haven't spoken yet, you have made the decision first, do you still have me as a mother-in-law in your eyes?! ”

The smile on Wen's face suddenly froze there, and he was a little at a loss. She has been away from this mother-in-law for more than two years, and she has been an official wife in her husband's office, and she is used to being the master of the house, and gradually regained the prestige of marrying Xie Pu as the county magistrate's wife at the beginning of the year. Zhao Fengnian came to ask her for instructions as usual, and she subconsciously ordered her to go back, forgetting that there was still a mother-in-law in front of her. Thinking of Mrs. Xie's meanness in the past, she couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

Xie Mulin couldn't see it, and interjected: "Old lady, could it be that your old man still wants to spend one night in Tongzhou and enter Beiping City again tomorrow?" You have to think clearly, the Tonghui River has only been reopened for a few days, and the ordinary government, civilian, and commercial ships are afraid that they are not qualified to pass, if you don't follow the boat of Yanwangfu, we can only go ashore from Dongbianmen Wharf at most. It's still far away from Daddy's official residence, I'm afraid I don't have to pass through most of Beiping City. Are you sure you can really stand it? Or would you rather travel overland in a carriage? After the wind and snow stop, will the road be easy to walk?

"If you still insist on not listening to my mother's arrangement, it's okay, we also have a strong servant and a strong woman at home who are willing to work hard, dial dozens more, reward a thick red envelope, bring more heating equipment, and let them accompany you in the car." Let's forget it, our younger brothers and sisters are all young and frail, and our grandmother and aunt in the second room are here, we can't leave our elders alone, right? Presumably Daddy knew about it, and he wouldn't blame it. ”

Old Lady Xie was once again defeated by Xie Mulin's blow, except for shouting in her mouth: "Wait to see your old son, see how I sue you!" Look at how you clean you up! He could only blow the wind hair from the cloak and stare at him.

Wen whispered to Xie Mulin with some uneasiness: "Don't talk to the old lady like this. Even if the old lady really didn't want to take the boat to hurry, it didn't matter. I set up a small village in Tongzhou, the house has been cleaned up, it is still warm, the big deal is to send the old lady to settle in a carriage first, and wait until the weather is better, and then it is not too late to enter the city. ”

Xie Mulin smiled and patted her hand: "It's okay." "Mrs. Xie went all the way north, and she shouted all the way about how to play prestige after arriving in Beiping, but after experiencing all kinds of blows, no junior in the family was willing to support her, and now she is stupid again, even if she has Xie Pu, a son who is willing to do his filial piety, after entering Beiping City, it will not work. Mrs. Xie doesn't take care of herself, and Xie Pu is not so blind that black and white are reversed.

Xie Mulin clapped his hands and motioned to all the brothers and sisters: "Let's rebuild the stove first, take out the stove, tea set and snacks, and everyone will sit in this hall and hurry, by the way, talk about the experience of the past few years." Chatting, time passed quickly. When we get home in the evening, we can reunite with my father's family! ”