The next day, Huan Ling really got up early in the morning, and Zeng Qionglin and the two of them hurriedly went out, rode fast horses to Xuanwu Lake, borrowed a small boat from the fishermen, and went to the lake to pick lotus seeds.

The two are men in the end, picking lotus seeds, not to mention whether they have done it or not, whether they are familiar with it or not, and even whether they can pick it is a problem, but one has to go to the lake in order to be able to make an appointment with his sweetheart to go stargazing at night, and the other is for his master to make an appointment with his sweetheart to go stargazing at night.

The two of them went down to the lake from the foot of the Zhoushan Mountain, took a boat to the north direction not far away, and saw a green place on the east side of the shore, and hurriedly rowed the pass, and saw the clumps of lotus canopy, which was really happy.

When they were about to go out, the house slave learned that the two were going to Xuanwu Lake to pick lotus seeds, so they specially took two pairs of scissors from the kitchen and told them that the scissors were fast and easy to use.

I thought that the two of them knew how to pick lotus seeds, so they gave them scissors, the original intention was to ask them to take scissors to cut the lotus pod back, and then start peeling the lotus seeds after they came back.

Although this method is also quite effective, but in the final analysis, it is really only "quite" effective, early in the morning to the lake, to the sun three poles, there are only so many lotus seeds in the basket, really pitiful.

Zeng Qionglin lowered his head for a long time, his neck couldn't help but ache, he raised his head and said, "This lotus seed is really difficult to pick, and the nails of the humble are about to be bald." ”

When Huan Ling heard this, he also let go of the lotus canopy he was holding in his arms, and simply leaned back, and lay on the boat.

"Deyin really has a problem for me......" Huan Ling was melancholy, if he couldn't pick enough lotus seeds for Xie Zheng to eat, how could he go back......

Zeng Qionglin couldn't help laughing and said, "Otherwise, it's called a test?" As he spoke, he glanced sideways at Huan Ling, and turned his gaze to see the two scissors that he had thrown at the stern of the boat when he was just getting on the boat.

He then asked: "County Marquis, why did the uncle in the back kitchen take two pairs of scissors and tell us to bring them when we just went out?" ”

Huan Ling also glanced sideways, and then turned his gaze back, and only said: "I think I know that lotus seeds are not easy to pick, so I asked us to dig with scissors." ”

When Zeng Qionglin heard this, he immediately sat up and said, "If you want to dig, wouldn't it be more convenient to use a dagger?" As he spoke, he pulled out the dagger from his waist, and then pulled out a lotus canopy, and dug a few of them excitedly, and found that it was much easier to dig with a knife.

Suddenly, a fisherman man over sixty years old rowed a boat, just stopped on the side of the small boat of Huan Ling and Zeng Qionglin, the two boats stood side by side, the fisherman old man stood on the boat, one hand supported the oars, the other hand crossed the waist, lowered his head to look at Huan Ling's face.

Huan Ling was also looking up at the sky, when the fisherman came over, and he also saw it, "Uncle, I'm not done here, I'm afraid I'll borrow your boat for a while." ”

"Don't worry," the fisherman smiled with a simple smile, he looked at the few lotus seeds in the basket, and asked with a smile: "Are you picking lotus seeds?" ”

Huan Ling responded, and then sat up with the plank of the boat, and the fisherman's old man turned his eyes, and saw Zeng Qionglin sitting there digging lotus seeds with a dagger, and immediately cried and laughed, and said: "Hey, little brother, this lotus seed is not dug up like you!" ”

As soon as the two heard that the lotus seeds were not dug up, they suddenly came to their senses, pricked up their ears and sat there listening, Zeng Qionglin held a dagger, looked at each other with Huanling, and then innocently asked the fisherman: "That...... Do you want to pick it by hand? ”

The fisherman's old man couldn't help laughing when he heard this, pointed to the two scissors at the stern of the boat, and said, "How can you pick lotus seeds with your hands?" It's peeled! Don't you have scissors, take the scissors and cut off the lotus pod, take it home, and use the knife to cut it on it, and break it with both hands, so that the lotus seeds can be peeled out? ”

As soon as the two heard this, they suddenly realized, so they looked at each other again, it turned out that the uncle in the back kitchen gave them two scissors, which was such a usage, and the fisherman uncle saw that their master and servant were still stunned, so he simply walked to their boat, picked up a pair of scissors and began to pick up the lotus canopy, the action was skillful and sophisticated, and in the blink of an eye, he had picked three or four branches, and threw them in the basket, Huan Ling hurriedly stood up and thanked him: "Thank you for your advice, but this lotus canopy, or let us cut it ourselves, so I won't bother you." ”

Seeing Huan Ling stand up, Zeng Qionglin also hurriedly got up, and after Huan Ling said, the fisherman uncle cut a few lotus canopies for them and threw them in the basket, then put the scissors down, and then saw the lotus canopy next to him that was about to rot, and exclaimed: "Eh, you really picked it by hand?" ”

The two laughed silently, and the old man looked at them, and when he saw that their fingers were red, he said with concern: "Does this hand hurt if it hurts?" ”

Huan Ling was so ashamed of his stupidity that he was embarrassed, and he didn't answer, but Zeng Qionglin replied hesitantly: "It's still ...... Ok......"

The fisherman's old man couldn't help laughing out loud and said, "Look at the two of you, you're not ugly, but this head is so stupid, you don't need scissors, you have to pick it with your hands." ”

Saying that, the old man squatted down again, picked up the scissors and swiped horizontally and vertically on the lotus canopy, and sure enough, the lotus seeds were easily peeled off with both hands, and he said: "As soon as I saw the two of you on the boat with scissors, I knew that you must be coming to pick lotus seeds, but you have not returned to the lake for so long, I am afraid that you are also trapped here, so I hurried over to see, how do I know that you two are picking lotus seeds like this." ”

"Will it be?" The old man erected the four-petaled hollowed lotus canopy, looked at Huan Ling standing in front of him, Huan Ling shook his head again and again, and smiled embarrassedly: "Yes, thank you uncle." ”

The fisherman was about to stand up, Huan Ling hurriedly took a handle to help, and after standing up, he returned the scissors in his hand to Huan Ling, and Huan Ling then took a handle to help him get on his boat, the old man looked at the sky and said: "The sun is shining, you two, you two will go back quickly when you have enough, it's hot." ”

"Eh, old man go slowly," Huan Ling bowed his hand, looked at the direction of the south, watched the fisherman old man row away, and then looked at a few lotus canopies in the basket, thinking about it and couldn't help laughing, he turned to look at Zeng Qionglin, and said: "Fool, you actually asked me what the scissors are for." ”

Zeng Qionglin couldn't refute it, but he wanted to bring Huan Ling with him, so he said: "The county marquis also said that he would dig with scissors." ”

Huan Ling smiled so much that he didn't care about answering him, and continued to cut the lotus canopy, Zeng Qionglin also picked up the scissors, and when he was about to cut it, he suddenly saw a pleasure boat from north to south, approaching them, Zeng Qionglin immediately became vigilant, poked Huan Ling's shoulder with his elbow, and said in a low voice: "County Marquis, a ship is coming." ”

Hearing this, Huan Ling also looked sideways, and sure enough, he saw a pleasure boat slowly approaching, but stopped about five zhang away from their boat, Huan Ling put down the scissors in his hand, and was ready to twist his arm so that the short sword hidden in his sleeve slipped out.

"Hou Hao Yaxing of Yongxiu County, early in the morning, he was not at home with the county lord of Hengyang, but came to Xuanwu Lake to pick lotus flowers."

It was Xiao Daocheng's second daughter, Princess Huainan Xiao Huijin, who spoke.

Huan Ling also stood up, bowed to Xiao Huijin, and said, "Xiaguan Huan Boyu, I have seen Princess Huainan. ”

"The county marquis of Yongxiu doesn't have to be polite," Xiao Huijin looked sideways at the accompanying female Shi Sun Shaoyue, and said: "The palace has prepared melons and fruits and wine on the ship, and the county marquis wants to get on the boat for a taste?" ”

"The princess warmly invited, which made the lower official feel honored, but the lower official is still entangled in important matters, I'm afraid it will be rude," Huan Ling's answer was not inappropriate, and his words were also respectful, and the master and servant on the cruise ship were not annoyed, but the granddaughter Shi said a joke and said: "What is the important thing for the county marquis, is it also important to pick lotus flowers?" ”

After his granddaughter Shi Cai said it, Xiao Huijin felt that it was inappropriate, and gently reprimanded: "Shaoyue, don't be rude!" ”

Huan Ling smiled and said bluntly: "Don't hide it from the princess, it is indeed an important matter for the lower officials to pick lotus flowers." ”

"Oh?" Xiao Huijin smiled knowingly and said: "The one who can make the Marquis of Yongxiu County so condescending and noble, in this world, there must be only the Lord of Hengyang." ”

Huan Ling smiled and didn't answer, he thought it was a tacit acquiescence, Xiao Huijin was naturally interested, so he said: "It's okay, the county marquis and Bo Hongyan smiled, and the palace won't disturb you Yaxing." ”

Xiao Huijin said, then turned around and walked into the cabin, Huan Ling saluted, looked at the boat and left, only then did he turn around, but saw that the basket was already full, so he said to Zeng Qionglin: "Let's go too." ”

The cruise ship is from north to south, and it is also the direction of returning to Jiankang City, Huanling's boat follows behind, Zeng Qionglin rows the boat, and always maintains a distance of five zhang from the front.

Xiao Huijin sat by the window of the cabin, looking at the mountains outside the window, but her eyes were blank, she was clearly pondering something, and she suddenly said to her granddaughter Shi: "Shaoyue, open the rear hatch window." ”

Granddaughter Shi Wenyan, so she walked to the rear hatch door, and opened the window on the door, Xiao Huijin leaned out, looked out the window, and saw Huan Ling's boat also following behind, and the entourage was supporting the boat, and Huan Ling, who was sitting on the boat at this time, was concentrating on peeling lotus seeds.

Xiao Huijin was a little distracted, and it took a long time to turn her face away, and her granddaughter Shi also lowered the window, and then walked behind her and stood.

"I am afraid that the only one who can condescend to his confidante is the Marquis of Yongxiu County," Xiao Huijin said this, and suddenly sighed lightly: "Wang Lang will never be as good as him......"

Granddaughter Shi stood behind her, silent for a long time, and suddenly said: "Princess, if you really can't get by, why should you wronged yourself, it's better to ......"

Without waiting for his granddaughter Shi to say the words, Xiao Huijin suddenly interrupted and reprimanded: "Don't mention this matter again, how can I be like my sister who doesn't abide by women's morals!" ”

Granddaughter Shi was reprimanded by her, hurriedly closed her mouth, lowered her head and muttered: "The princess forgives her sins, the slave and maid talk too much......"

Princess Huainan three years ago has married Wang Xuan, who was born in Langya Wang's family, and it is rumored that the princess and the horse have always been at odds, and the princess has summoned the horse to the princess's mansion the number of times in the past three years, I am afraid that it is only a handful.

Not long after, the boat suddenly stopped, and it was also at the foot of Zhoushan Mountain, and it had already docked, and the granddaughter Shi glanced outside, and said to Xiao Huijin: "Princess, we have arrived." ”

Granddaughter Shi helped Xiao Huijin to stand up, a master and a servant walked to the shore, the shore is low-lying and uneven, the carriage and horses are not good here, the two walked west, about 100 steps later, to the intersection of a small road stopped, thought that there would be an ox cart waiting here, but only saw two horses tied to the stake, the two looked in the direction of the south, Xiao Huijin asked: "Why don't you see the ox cart to pick up?" ”

Granddaughter Shi explained: "The slave and maid clearly told them that when the princess came ashore, she told them to wait here a moment earlier, and now it is almost a quarter of time, and this gang of troops is really getting more and more lazy!" ”

Xiao Huijin was unhappy in her heart, but she was not happy and angry, so she never complained, but the sun was shining all over the body, she looked up at the sky, and then hurriedly lowered her head again, raised her hand to cover the sun, granddaughter Shi saw it, and also hurriedly walked over, raised two hands on Xiao Huijin's forehead, covering the sun for her.

Suddenly, at the foot of the mountain not far away, there were bursts of shouting and scolding, mixed with the sound of women and children crying and begging for mercy.

Next to him was a young woman and a young boy of about four or five years old, both kneeling on the ground, like a man's wife and children, the woman kept trying to rush over and hug the strong man's leg and beg for mercy, crying, "Please, don't fight anymore...... We ...... We'll just hand it over...... Don't fight anymore......"

The child cried and wiped his tears from time to time, but the dozen or so strong men seemed to have never heard what the woman said, and it could be described as a fight to the death for the man.

Xiao Huijin saw that the man was beaten and his mouth and nose were bleeding, and he was covered with bruises, and he couldn't stand it for a while, so he immediately moved and wanted to walk over to stop it, but was stopped by his granddaughter Shi, and only heard his granddaughter Shi say: "Princess, those people look so fierce, can't you go over." ”

"What are you afraid of, I'm a princess, and I'm afraid that a few people won't be successful?"

The dozen or so strong men were wearing exactly the same clothes, and they looked like the house slaves of the rich and noble, so these people became the Diao people in Xiao Huijin's mouth.

But if it's really just an ordinary house slave, how can it be so strong?

Granddaughter Shi was still in front of Xiao Huijin and said, "Can ...... But Diao Min is always Diao Min, if you hurt the princess, how can it be good! ”

When Xiao Huijin heard this, she hesitated for a while, yes, what if those Diao people hurt her......

When he was hesitating, he suddenly stopped there, and one of the strong men asked the leader: "Big brother, I'm afraid this person is going to die......

"What are you afraid of! We came to collect taxes on the orders of Du Zhishangshu, and this person refused to pay taxes and killed him for breaking the law? ”

Xiao Huijin was stunned, looked at the group of strong men from afar, and thought about it in his heart, it turned out that those people were actually Du Zhi Shangshu Lu Ji's subordinates, Du Zhi Shangshu was in charge of the world's taxation is good, and the small officials who can be taxed all have official uniforms distributed by the household department, how could they wear such domestic slave clothes to collect them? These people are clearly not from the household department!

Suddenly, the man said in a slur manner, "We ...... If we have paid the tax, it will be according to the degree system...... Our family has three acres and three points of land, and we only need to pay one stone, but you ...... But you want me to pay two stones......"

"The Taka system? Lao Tzu will show you what the Dutian system is," the leader took out an account book from his arms, turned one of the pages, asked the man to take a closer look, and said: "See, the Dutian system written by Duzhi Shangshu himself, six buckets per mu, your Jiao Wenbin's house, three acres and three points of land, should be handed over twenty buckets in total, that is, two stones." ”

"Yes...... But the system of land cultivation promulgated by the Ministry of Households is clearly three buckets per mu......"

Before the man could finish speaking, the leader interrupted again and scolded: "Dare to quibble!" You guys, beat him to death! Beat them until they are handed over! ”

"Stop fighting...... Please, don't fight anymore...... We deliver! We must ...... hand" the woman wept heartbreakingly.

Hearing this, Xiao Huijin knew that this group of people was Lu Ji's lackeys, who came to fish and flesh the people for him!

"Stop!" Xiao Huijin held back the fire in her belly, and immediately pushed away her granddaughter Shi, and walked over quickly, her granddaughter Shi was shocked, and called in a low voice: "Princess!" ”

As he spoke, he hurriedly chased after him.

At that time, the dozen or so strong men had also stopped, and they all looked back at Xiao Huijin, but they saw that it was a young and beautiful woman, and suddenly became lustful, you look at me and I look at you, laughing more obscenely than the other, and even the leader walked directly towards Xiao Huijin, squinted her eyes and looked at her from head to toe, and then showed a lewd smile, and said: "Yo, where did you come from, the beautiful lady who looks so good that people want to sleep." ”

When the words fell, the group of strong men behind him laughed lewdly, and he had already walked up to Xiao Huijin, Xiao Huijin was about to ask him about the field system, but he didn't want him to stretch out his hand at this time, wanting to do wrong, Xiao Huijin was shocked, and retreated again and again, and his granddaughter Shi also rushed forward, protected her, and reprimanded: "Presumptuous!" ”

"Yo he, there's a fierce girl, that's right, serve my brother and me together at night," the leader said, and opened his arms with the intention of hugging his granddaughter Shi, who was hiding back, and didn't forget to look back at Xiao Huijin, and then scolded with the leader: "You Diao people, it's so presumptuous!" Don't you know who my master is? ”

"Who? Are you a princess? The Crown Princess? Which princess is it? This person didn't take Xiao Huijin and the others seriously at all, seeing that they were plainly dressed and had no followers, he decided that the two were just ordinary housewives and maids, so they were naturally not afraid.

When the words fell, everyone behind him burst into laughter, and the leader immediately raised his arm and waved it from back to front, signaling everyone to come forward, and said: "Come on, bring these two beautiful girls back to me, brother, I want candles in the cave room tonight!" ”

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