That night, I, Achu, Xin Yi, and Sun Zhongjing bid farewell to Fu Lao at the gate of Dingyan City.

After saying a few words of "take care" and "be safe", Mr. Fu handed me a bulging wallet with a few osmanthus flowers embroidered on it, which is my favorite flower.

I opened my wallet and counted them, and the gold, silver, and scattered copper plates added up to thousands of taels, "Master, this is too much, we can't ask for it!" ”

"This is not my money, it is the honorarium of the British public thank you for treating the soldiers, fifty gold per person, you can save a little." The master said, "This is taken from the private treasury of the British public, and no one is running around with a large amount of money during the war, so I can barely have a mind." If it is the grace of the heavenly family, it may be more abundant, but since you have decided that you do not want to be involved in the affairs of the court, it is better to avoid the trouble. ”

"Master's words are reasonable." I saluted again and said, "I beg Master to thank the British Duke for us." ”

"Don't worry, when your medical hall opens, Master will find an opportunity to go to the party."

Until the figures of the four of them completely disappeared into the night, Fu Lao glanced at the shadows of the bushes on the side of the road, "Since you are reluctant, why don't you keep her again?" ”

"Ran'er didn't say it wrong." Gu Chenyi walked out of the shadows, he was a little more cold in the moonlight, and there seemed to be a layer of frost between his eyebrows, but his eyes never left the direction where the four of them left.

"My father and brother and I have been running around for many years, and it is the duty of a soldier to defend my family and country. There are even more open knives and hidden arrows in the court, and we must also carry them down for the sake of the Gu family. ”

"But even if we can protect the safety of our families, our mothers, sisters and sisters-in-law have been afraid of us for so many years. Gu Chenyi talked about this, and his eyes were filled with tears.

"Ran'er is transparent and intelligent, and he is an unrestrained character, how could I not know? It's really hard to get her to follow me. Gu Chenyi closed his eyes, but the two lines of tears still couldn't stop falling, and there was infinite sadness in his voice, "It's because I'm too selfish, and I want her to stay by my side for personal reasons." ”

"But every word she said to me, she told me that we were not possible." The smile on Gu Chenyi's face was heartbreaking, "Ran'er has her heart's desire, I can't stop her." ”

A look of disappointment flashed across Fu Lao's face, but it quickly disappeared, and he turned to leave, leaving Gu Chenyi standing alone.

When he walked past Gu Chenyi, Fu Lao patted him on the shoulder, "I'll go get some sobering medicine, before I came to send the apprentice, I saw the Ye family sitting alone downstairs of the inn where they lived before drinking, this point should also be drunk." ”

Of course, Fu Sinan has nothing to say about the choice of his apprentice, although this Gu family kid looks distressed when he looks like he has lost his soul, but this kind of thing still has to be decided by himself.

I just don't know if the little girl will regret it, thinking about it, Fu Lao also sighed.

On August 11, 150 years of the Chinese calendar, the northern army of Gujia Town, which had been fighting against Beirong for nearly half a year at the three passes in the north of the town, was ordered by the emperor to set off to return to Beijing. Due to the peace of the war, the imperial court sent Ye Ziqi to ask himself to stay in Dingyancheng to deal with follow-up matters.

Although we had set out a night earlier than them, the four of us chose a different route, considering the speed of the march and the fact that we could not act as obstacles on the march. After all, there is no rush when we go, and this road is not deserted, so for us, except for the mountain road, there is nothing wrong with getting tired of climbing.

After walking for seven or eight days, when we realized that we had walked to the familiar Bailong Mountain, everyone's hearts swelled with excitement to return to the garden.

When we get home, the first thing we do is catch up on sleep. Sun Zhongjing's home was not in Shuangqi Town, and it happened that there was a bedroom in Xinyi's pharmacy, so he temporarily borrowed it there.

I slept for three days and three nights. Until the fourth day, when I got up to look for food, I was still in a state of wandering.

After meeting with the village chief, Xiang's sister-in-law, and Chen Wushi and his wife, I began to think about the distribution of the "honorarium" brought back from Dingyan City.

The money I got was fifty taels of gold, and I spent one tael on the way, and the remaining forty-nine taels. The exchange ratio of Huaguo Qian Zhuang is that one tael of gold is equal to ten taels of silver, and one tael of silver is equal to a consistent copper coin, that is, one thousand Wen.

I finally had the money to renovate my house and yard, and the renovation of houses in the countryside was not expensive, so I replaced the straw roof of the adobe house with a brick roof and a kitchen and bedroom, living room, and added an attic for my medicinal materials.

Many of the furniture in the room has fallen into disrepair, and if you touch it a little, it will make a "creaking" noise, and you can smell the smell of wood mold when you get closer. In the end, I made a lot of money, invited a master bamboo craftsman to make new tables, chairs, benches and beds from the bamboo behind the house, split all the old ones into firewood, and made some small bamboo utensils according to the master's instructions, and now the home is completely new.

It is better to eat without meat than to live without bamboo, and this saying is also suitable for the situation here.

In order to toss a house, it cost thirty taels of silver inside and out. During the day, I hired a master to build a house to make furniture, and I took the opportunity to repair the medicine garden, and went to the town to buy more chickens, ducks, geese, and cubs, and sent them to Wushi Chen's house together with the prepared medicine to nourish qi and blood.

In order to decorate the smoky miasma at home, I also stayed at Martial Master Chen's house in the past few days, and hid in the quilt with Achu at night to read the book, which was full and pleasant.

Chen Wushi's family used the money brought back by Achu to expand the yard, and built a new cowshed for the family's cultivated cattle, and also opened a small ranch. The couple were overjoyed to see me and Achu return safely, and agreed to the request to add companions to my foster chickens, and raised two lambs for me in the pasture. Every time I look at them, I look at the little snow ball in my arms, and I feel a sense of happiness that my heart is about to melt.

After the new house was completed and the furniture was put in place, I invited the village chief to sit in my house as the first one.

The village chief stroked his gray beard and smiled, "Okay!" Good! This house is beautiful enough, and our little seven is now out of breath. ”

I held the hot tea diligently, "Village Chief, don't say that, without the help of the villagers who have not disliked me for more than ten years, I would not be where I am today." ”

"Hahaha, don't put gold on our old guys' faces." The village chief took a sip of tea and played with the bamboo cup in his hand, "But, Xiao Qi, there are two things I have to tell you, don't think my old man is too talkative." ”

"How so?" I smiled and said, "Please tell me." ”

"First, although your father didn't find the corpse and only erected a clothed mound, but after all, it is a place behind him, you were young and sad before, and you have never been to see him. But now that you're old and have some savings, it's time to find a day to put your father's grave in order. ”

Is the original owner's father...... After coming to this world, the only information I received about this person was that he disappeared and died because of hunting more than ten years ago, and his impression was really weak.

Of course, I don't know how unsophisticated this original owner is, and he has never been to the grave when his father is gone. And since I borrowed her body from the crossing, this "father" still has to take care of it.

I smiled and said, "I was negligent, thank you for the reminder." ”

"Okay, but don't be in a hurry, wait for me to find a good day for you to break ground, and pay for two people to come." The village chief said, "This is another matter, when your family moved here, there was no housewarming ceremony, and now your house has been renovated inside and out, so you have to invite everyone to come to He Yihe to ask for a lottery." ”

"I was thinking about this, but I was young and didn't know anything, and I didn't understand the rules, so I rashly went to ask the elders for fear of neglect."

"We countrymen, how can there be so many rules." The village chief smiled heartily and said, "I have asked Sister-in-law Xiang and Wushi Chen's family to help you sew new sheets and bedding, you can set up two tables of tables in this courtyard, and prepare more melon seeds, peanuts and sugar cubes, guests, I am an old man to help you invite!" ”

I was overjoyed and thanked the village chief again and again.

This kind of thing is not big or small, it is not small at first, it is very simple to think about it, but as soon as I start to prepare, the cumbersome chores and details begin to stir people dizzy, and it is really more difficult for me to remember acupuncture points and herbs than when I was studying medicine.

On the day of the feast, I got up after the rooster crowed, first cleaned the inside and outside of the house, and then set up tables and chairs for the banquet in the courtyard.

Just as he was about to wipe the tables, chairs and benches with clean water, Achu came to the door with the cook.

"Whew, this is Master Wang, who cooks." Achu wiped the sweat from his forehead, "Bingran, is there anything else you can help with?" ”

"I don't need it for the time being, I've set up the tables, chairs and snacks for entertaining guests."

"Since everything else is fine, girl, you are ready to welcome guests to the door." Master Wang is a fat man with a loud voice, so that he evokes his own apprentice like a bell, "Ashin! Go and wash the dishes, chopsticks and plates, and don't miss the food when the time comes! ”

"With so many dishes and chopsticks, I'm afraid that the little brother can't be busy alone, let's do a favor." I saw that the plate in the hand of the apprentice named Ashin was almost above his head, and I couldn't help but feel nervous for him.

"No, you don't." Ashin left without raising his head, in a tone.

"This kid! Eight poles can't make a sound. "Master Wang is very dissatisfied with the attitude of his apprentice" has been here for more than ten days, he can't say three words a day, and he always looks like he owes money to the guests. ”

"The little brother is just a little introverted, so it's a peace of mind to talk less." I smiled and handed the red envelope to Master Wang, "It's not interesting at all, and there is not much money, so the master takes the wine and drinks." ”

Master Wang took it, showed a satisfied smile, and took the red envelope in his arms after a few polite words.

Ah Chu, who went to deliver red envelopes to my apprentice Ah Xin, came over with an embarrassed look and whispered to me, "Bingran, that apprentice named Ah Xin is indeed a little boring, I squatted beside him and talked for a long time, but he only replied one sentence." ”

"What?"

"No need." Achu learned a cold expression, and said with annoyance, "Moreover, this Master Wang didn't know my father, so I went to invite him, I saw him at that time, I don't know if it's my delusion." ”

"I always felt as if he had some opinions about me, as if I had offended him."

"No, have you seen him before?" I said, "Maybe it's just that this person is indifferent and doesn't like to deal with people, don't worry about it." ”

This little episode was quickly put behind us. The guests came one after another to congratulate me, and I was busy entertaining the guests and recording the gift money, and before I knew it, it was time for the banquet to open.

I put the village chief on the throne and invited everyone to take their seats. The village chief understood, and after all the villagers were seated, he raised his glass, "Today is the day when Shen Bingran's new house is completed, say goodbye to the old and welcome the new, good luck!" ”

The guests all toasted and congratulated, and the village chief smiled and said, "Xiao Qi is the villagers in our township who grew up, and now there is a chance to be the glory of our Chenjia Village, let Xiao Qi say a few words to you." ”

I poured three glasses of wine, saluted the full house first, and said, "Bingran thanks to all the villagers for not giving up, taking care of me for many years, and remembering five things." Today, the new house is completed, and two tables of thin wine are hereby prepared to thank the villagers for coming to the humble house to congratulate, and please smile. ”

Xin Yi and Sun Zhongjing, who were sitting at the banquet, took the lead in applauding, and the atmosphere was also high for a while. The village chief stroked his beard and smiled, "Okay, let's start the banquet after scattering the auspicious things!" ”

The rules of the area around Shuangqi Town, but every time a new house is completed or housewarmed, it is necessary for people to climb on the roof and throw copper coins, sugar cubes, longan or longevity fruits and other things downward, which is called "auspicious things", the amount depends on the situation in the owner's home, but there must be something after all.

The work of the saki is usually carried out by the male head of the family, and in the case of large families, there will be subordinates to do the work for them. And there is neither a subordinate nor a male host in my family, so Achu volunteered to stand up, "I'll come, I've been practicing martial arts since I was a child, and I'm used to climbing high and low!" ”

Everyone knows Achu's skills and the situation of my family, and the village chief took into account that I am a non-cabinet person after all when drawing up the guest list, and the only young and middle-aged men present are Sun Zhongjing, Erhu, the son of the village chief, and Ah Xin, the apprentice who came with Master Wang. Therefore, the village chief didn't think much about it, so he handed over the wooden pallet containing auspicious things to Achu, "Chu girl, be careful when you climb the roof!" ”

"Okay, thank you, village chief!" Achu took it with a grin, turned to the back of the house, and quickly went up to the roof with the help of a ladder.

Achu was wearing her favorite maroon shirt and verbena-colored dress, and her black hair was tied up by a hairband that was also maroon. At this time, she stood slim on the roof, her skirt fluttering, her black hair fluttering, and her smiling face became more bright in the sun.