Xie Jiajiao was originally a wasteland, close to the east of Huyin County, and the county seat is separated by a water, connected by a bridge. To the south is a large area of bamboo-covered mountain woodland, which looks a bit like a triangular peninsula jutting out from the bottom of the woodland to the river.

Take a boat to Xie Jiajiao, the boat does not have to enter the city, turn the waterway at the wharf outside the city, turn south, and you don't have to go far to get there. Zhushan Academy is diagonally opposite, separated from Xie Jiajiao and the county seat by a river, and is connected by a bridge. In addition, there are many ferries nearby, and there are also small boats specially opened by the Xie family to do this kind of river-crossing business, but there are no transportation difficulties.

Xie Mulin climbed the stairs to go ashore at the wharf in Xie Jia Kok, only to feel that the embankment along the wharf was high and wide, completely made of large stone squares, very stable, and it could be seen that it was also very new. The embankment is wide enough for horses, and from the embankment you have to walk up a dozen or twenty steps to reach the street. Such a dam should have a good flood control effect, right? The Xie clan also attracted a lesson, so they specially built their own new clan land.

Xie Mulin was condescending on the wharf, and when he looked around, he found that a large number of buildings in front of him were neat and tidy, quite new, all of them were whitewashed walls and tiles, the road was wide and straight, trees and flowers were planted on the side of the road, and all the people walking on the road were neatly dressed, even if they were slave-like men and women, they were polite to each other, and they immediately had a good impression of this land.

Wen took his daughter's hand and introduced to her with a smile: "This is Xie Jiajiao, and the houses of each house are newly built. Before the new house was built, some of the clansmen stayed at the homes of relatives and friends, some rented houses in the county town, and some built a grass hut on the ground of the new house. It took three or five years to build all the houses. Because it is the land where the clan house is the main one, and the craftsmen invited by the Hejia family, the house built is very neat. People walk on the road and look at the past, and they also feel spiritual. There are no foreign surnames in this area now, all of them are surnamed Xie, so the girls in the clan are less evasive, and it is okay to go out for a walk occasionally. ”

Xie Mulin was a little surprised when he heard this: "Really? What are the places in that land besides the dwellings of the families? "Can she go out shopping alone once in a while?

However, Wen's answer disappointed her.

What street to visit? Xie Jiajiao is the place where the Xie family lives, and it is so close to the county seat and the wharf commercial street, just cross the bridge, where can I open another store?

Near the riverbank, there are ancestral halls, clan studies, opera gardens attached to the ancestral hall, and private houses of each house.

Further back, there is a nunnery for the monks of the clan or the women who have made mistakes, a weaving and embroidery workshop for the poor women of the clan to make a living, and a vegetable garden and orchard under the name of the clan for the poor clansmen.

Further back, in a more remote place, next to the mountain woodland, are the brick kilns and bamboo charcoal kilns opened by the clansmen. There is also a small wharf over there, so you don't have to transport your goods to the official wharf to the north, and you can ship directly by water.

In the whole of Xie Jia Kok, except for a small tea stall next to the grass pavilion below the wharf for people to wait for boats, which can provide hot tea and one or two pastries with very simple preparations, there is no other place to consume. If Xie Mulin wants to go shopping, where can he go there?

However, Wen is very satisfied with this environment: "It is quiet and safe, and the children in the family are released to run around, and the adults are also relieved." You only need to ask someone to follow, don't let them get too close to the water, and there are clansmen to help take care of it, and there are people watching the bridge, and there is no fear that someone will come in and abduct the child. I live here, and I feel more at ease than I feel at ease in Xiejiawan. ”

Xie Mulin thought about the mountains and forests in the south and smiled: "Yes, this pier alone is a hundred times safer than the small pier in Xiejiawan." Mother, why don't we take some money out and repair the small dock over there? Every time I get on and off the boat, I always worry that the dock will collapse at any moment. ”

Wen Shi thought for a while, and said, "This also makes sense. It's just that the dock is publicly owned by the clan, and it's not our own family that has the final say, so I'll go back and talk to your aunt about it. ”

While speaking, a strange middle-aged woman came to meet her, with a round face and a short and fat figure, and smiled warmly at Wen's family: "Are you back?" This is your daughter, right? Born so handsome! ”

Wen politely saluted the other party, and motioned for Xie Mulin to come forward to salute: "This is your Aunt Liu, who is in the seventh room." ”

Who's that?

He had a bunch of names of the Xie clan in his mind, but before he had time to say to Xie Mulin, who was on the top number, he quickly put on a smiling face and stepped forward to salute, still in a daze.

Aunt Liu looked very kind, took Xie Mulin's hand and praised and praised, and said, "I have time to play with your sister Fang." Our brother Su and Brother Ning are studying with your brothers, and they are also very compatible. ”

Wen agreed for his daughter, said goodbye to the other party, and then pulled his daughter to continue walking.

Xie Mulin secretly wiped his sweat: "Who the hell ......is this?"

Wen smiled: "You will recognize it in the future." Although the seventh room is far away from our third room, the relationship is very good. The old lady did business before his death, and he also entrusted the old lady of the seventh room to help take care of the workshop. ”

That's the clansman who was cheated by Mrs. Xie? It's hard to see that the aunt was so kind to them...... Does this prove that the hostile attitude of the Xie clan towards Old Lady Xie will not affect the Wen family's mother and son? However, considering that Xie Pu has been persistently maintaining friendship with his clan after discovering the truth, he also participated in funding the construction of the new clan land...... It is estimated that Mrs. Xie has stabilized her hatred alone, as long as Xie Pu's children don't die, they won't be affected by the pond fish, right?

Xie Mulin felt that his mood was much lighter.

Xie Mulin and his mother Wen walked generously on the road, followed by the next man carrying the luggage. After a while, Wanqin led several male and female servants to greet her, smiling and saluting Wen and Xie Mulin: "The wife and the second girl have arrived?" How hard is the journey? Is the old lady feeling better? As he spoke, he motioned for the person behind him to come forward and help with the luggage.

Wen continued to walk all the way, talking to her all the way: "The journey went smoothly, the old lady's condition is quite stable, and everything is fine in the old mansion." How are you at home? I didn't come back yesterday, have the children's daily life and food been arranged? ”

Wanqin reported the details to her, and she made it clear what she ate for lunch and dinner yesterday.

Xie Mulin caught a glimpse of Wanqin's complexion, and only felt that she seemed to be more energetic than a few days ago. Is it because after the long trip, settled down, and ensured food and rest, the whole person's complexion has improved?

Also, Wanqin is free to take people out of the house, does this mean that she doesn't have to be grounded in the inner house anymore? Although Xie Jiajiao is a semi-closed community, the Wen family is still quite lenient with her......

Not long after they walked, they arrived at the new three-room house. The three-room house is adjacent to the house of the two-room and the Zongfang, it is a three-way five-entry Jiangnan mansion with a garden, and the five-entry house of the two-bedroom is only separated by an alley, and the place separated by a road in front is the back door of the Zongfang mansion, and the southeast is the two-entry courtyard of the clan. Further east, there is the ancestral hall and the opera garden. The buildings are very close to each other, and it is very convenient to visit the door.

Xie Mulin stood in front of his new house, observing the new and magnificent door, and suddenly heard a squeak, Xie Yingfen poked her little head out of the crack in the door and looked out, and when she saw her, she suddenly showed a bright smile: "Second sister, you have finally arrived home!" ”