In the poorly furnished tea shop, it is crowded with people and is lively and noisy.

At a table in the middle, two young men dressed as scholars were foaming at the mouth and talking:

"There was a war before, there was conscription later, and this year there are more servitude taxes, poll taxes, and seigniorage taxes, how can the people recuperate!"

"Back then, 'that one' cut taxes every year, but now the imperial treasury is empty, and it is not necessary to increase taxes and treat the people harshly."

"Hey, when 'that one' was still there, there was the king of Zhenbei in the north, forcing Beiyan not to dare to violate the border, and there was the Dingguo General's Mansion in the south to guard Nan'an Pass, and the south was afraid of it like a tiger, which is like now, there are endless wars and chaos for many years."

"It's a pity!"

The two of you said everything to me, and they were full of emotion.

Luo Qifang glanced at the two scholars quietly from the corner of his eye, and slowly drank tea.

The man in Tsing Yi beside him lowered his voice and reminded: "The scholar is angry and has the world in mind...... However, it is too much to rely on only one passion. The man in Tsing Yi was of medium stature, his appearance was unremarkable, and he was inconspicuous in the crowd.

Luo Qifang nodded thoughtfully, and couldn't help but remember in his mind that he was also trying to avenge Ding Wenchang, the son of Zhongzhou who died in vain, so he would cause so many things later.

However, even if he is asked to choose again now, he will not regret it.

If he knew that Ding Wenchang died so unjustly, but he stood by and watched, then what is the difference between him and Changqing, who forced Ding Wenchang to death?!

It's just that he will definitely be more thoughtful and cautious in his actions now, and he won't let himself fall to the current situation!

Luo Qifang closed his eyes, and his originally undulating eyes regained his calm, and asked, "What else does the master command?" ”

The man in green clothes quickly glanced around, and said in a low voice: "The master asked you to go to Qianzhou Zhiluo City?" ”

Luo Qifang raised his brows slightly, Qianzhou is now the focus of attention in the court, nothing more than two things, one is the war with Nanhuai, and the other is ......

"But for the sake of 'salt introduction'?" Luo Qifang asked slowly.

The man in Tsing Yi showed appreciation on his face, and said: "The master said, 'salt introduction' is a big matter, and after the caravan exchanges for salt introduction, it will go to the salt field in Qianzhou to support salt, and this salt can only be sold in the four southern states...... In all aspects, every step can not be wrong, you need to know the city to co-ordinate, and you are also the most suitable. ”

Luo Qifang's thin lips were pursed, thoughtful. He knew that he was indeed the most suitable, as the county horse of Jiuhua, he was also the emperor's own person, and it was more suitable for him to be arranged in Qianzhou than others.

But—

Luo Qifang raised his eyes to look at the man in green clothes, and a streamer flashed in his eyes.

The biggest problem is how to make the emperor think of him quietly!

The man in Tsing Yi seemed to know what Luo Qifang was thinking, and said secretly: "Young Master Luo, you can do it with confidence, the master has his own strategy in the court." ”

The tea customers in the tea shop came and went, talking and laughing, and they didn't care when Luo Qifang and the others came or left......

On the same day, the household department took action and released the investment list of "salt introduction", and the news spread all over the capital in less than half a day, stirring up a thousand waves with one stone.

"Salt" represents huge profits, but nowadays salt money is mostly in the hands of the noble ministers of the court, and many salt merchants cannot ask for it, or can only exchange it for a lot of money.

This is a great opportunity!

In less than an hour, several salt merchants in the capital went to the household department to learn the details of this investment list, and learned that as long as they sent military rations to Qianzhou, they could exchange for military rations, and those salt merchants were shocked.

While most of the salt merchants were still waiting, one of the salt merchants took the lead and agreed with the household department that the first batch of military rations, totaling 5,000 stones, would be sent to Qianzhou within three days in exchange for salt.

On the sixth day of the first month of October, Feng Yan explained the general situation to the emperor in the imperial study, and proposed that someone needed to control the dispatch in Zhiluo City in Qianzhou.

“…… It's just that the nephew is worried about the civil and military affairs of the Manchu Dynasty, and no one dares to take this errand. Feng Yan said lazily, of course he knew that no matter what candidate he proposed, the emperor would definitely not agree, so he simply didn't mention it.

In the imperial study, there are only the emperor and Feng Yan's uncle and nephew at this moment.

The emperor after the imperial case frowned and looked at Feng Yan, his eyes were as deep as an abyss, and there was silence all around, only the sound of the small waiter pouring tea echoed in the air, which made the imperial study even quieter.

"......" The emperor was almost speechless, and his eyebrows frowned slightly.

Now in this court, I am afraid that the most thankless errand is probably the reform of the "salt introduction system", willing to take the initiative to invite people to Qianzhou, the emperor is not at ease, I am afraid that Feng Yan deliberately arranged; As for those who were reluctant, the emperor did not dare to arbitrarily assign this errand to such a person who might be deliberately passive and neglectful.

This is a real problem.

Feng Yan looked at the emperor casually, and his mind had already run away: Hey, he hadn't seen Zhen Zhen for more than half a month, why hadn't he been able to hunt in the autumn yet!

Seeing that the emperor had not spoken, Feng Yan simply said deliberately: "Uncle Emperor, why don't you transfer your nephew to go over and run in person?" ”

When the emperor heard this, he suddenly became nervous, and felt that Feng Yan was advancing by retreating, and wanted to use this to go to the southern border, for fear that he had a plan...... No, absolutely not.

The emperor immediately retorted: "It's not proper, Ah Yan, you still have to stay in Beijing to preside over the overall situation." ”

Between the words, the little waiter came over with another cup of hot tea, and the hot tea with chrysanthemum lingered around.

The emperor looked at the golden chrysanthemum blooming comfortably in the orange-yellow tea soup, the chrysanthemum is also known as Jiuhua, and Jiuhua's pretty face appeared in front of the emperor.

Jiuhua had already approached him several times and begged him to arrange an errand for Jun Ma Luoqifang.

The emperor's eyes flashed, and he slowly picked up the steaming cup of chrysanthemum tea, made a decision in his heart, and casually sent Feng Yan away: "Ah Yan, you go back, I have my own plans." ”

Feng Yan retired, and the emperor made a decree in the afternoon of the same day, appointing the county Ma Luoqifang as a member of the household department, sent to Zhiluocheng in Qianzhou, to assist in the exchange of salt and other matters, and left Beijing within three days.

Luo Qifang's appointment was undoubtedly the clearest and most powerful statement of the emperor, and for a while, those noble courtiers who thought that this salt introduction could not make any waves couldn't help but be shaken. Once the reform of the salt introduction system is successful, then the salt money in their hands will undoubtedly become waste paper, and there is an uproar in Beijing again, and many salt merchants who are about to move have been warned and dare not act rashly.

However, the huge profits are moving, even so, there are still some salt merchants who are "not afraid of death" to go to the household department, and the second and third batches of military rations are also being prepared in an orderly manner, and nothing goes wrong.

Duanmu Xian, as the head of the household, naturally saw all these in his eyes, and was full of praise for this, and kept chanting in Duanmu Fei's ear, listening to Duanmu Fei's heart was very entangled, on the one hand, she was quite curious about the progress of "salt introduction", and on the other hand, she felt that it was easy to palpitate when she heard too much about the word "Feng Yan".

But......

Feng Yan is really Feng Yan, he does things safely, and he really has a set of subduing people's hearts!

When he came out of Duanmuxian, Duanmufei couldn't help but sigh faintly at the blue sky, and naturally thought of himself and Li Tingyu in his heart.

Duanmu Fei only mourned for a few breaths, and then emptied his brain as if he didn't know anything.

"Girl, the carriage is ready." Bi Cicada was already waiting at the entrance of the courtyard, and when she saw Duanmu Fei coming out, she immediately greeted her.

Duanmu Fei answered, and went in the direction of Yimen, she was going to visit Mrs. Chu in the Xuanguo Mansion today.

On the day of Chongyang, Mrs. Chu asked her to go to the Guogong Mansion to talk to her, so Duanmu Fei was as good as a stream, and she would go to the Guogong Mansion about every ten days.

The subordinates of the Guogong Mansion are now very familiar with this Duanmu Fourth Girl, and they directly led her to the Liuhe Hall.

Mrs. Chu's eldest maid, Du Juan, came out to greet her in person, and said respectfully and affectionately: "Fourth girl Duanmu, Mrs. Tai still has some things, and I also invite the girl to sit in the left room." ”

Duanmu smiled and responded, "Then bother my sister to give me a cup of good Biluochun," she blinked, as if to say, she is very good, just give her a cup of tea.

The cuckoo's face couldn't help but smile, and he reached out to make a plea.

The two of them went in the direction of the left side one after the other, and when they passed the banquet room, Duanmufei's steps couldn't help but slow down, and they vaguely heard a familiar female voice calling slightly excitedly on the other side of the door curtain: "Grandmother......"

Duanmufei did not stop and continued to follow the cuckoo forward.

On the other side of the curtain, Chu Qingyu was kneeling on the bluestone slab floor that was as bright as a mirror, and the cold and hard ground made her knees cold and painful, but she seemed to be unconscious.

“…… Doesn't my grandmother believe me? Chu Qingyu looked up at Mrs. Chu at the top, her gentle and beautiful little face, her dark eyes were shining brightly, and they were extremely bright.

Mrs. Chu was still as elegant and graceful as usual, sipping tea with a calm expression, and a trace of surprise flashed in her deep eyes.

A few days ago, Chu Qingyu came to Liuhetang to ask to see her, saying that she had a dream in which Guanyin Bodhisattva told her something that would happen in the future.

At that time, Mrs. Chu scoffed when she heard it, but she didn't expect that the two things Chu Qingyu said were fulfilled one by one, first the day before yesterday, a room in the Chu clan came to the Guogong Mansion to report the good news that the family had a pair of dragon and phoenix fetuses; Then yesterday evening, Master Chu Wu broke his leg while playing polo with someone outside, and was carried back to the house, although it was not a big deal, but it is estimated that he will have to raise himself in bed for a month or two.

Seeing that Mrs. Chu didn't speak, Chu Qing said in a straight tone: "Grandmother, granddaughter also knows that this matter is very mysterious, and granddaughter didn't believe it at first, but then she confirmed several things in a row, so she had to believe it...... That's why the granddaughter came to tell her grandmother. ”

Chu Qingyu looked at Mrs. Chu with a sincere face, and her pupils brightened, "Grandmother, although I don't know why the Bodhisattva chose her granddaughter, but her granddaughter is a girl from the Chu family, and she wants to do her best for the family because of this strange fate." ”

While Chu Qingyu spoke, his heart was pounding with nervousness. Whether she can turn the situation back is a trick here.

Since she dissolved the marriage contract with the family, the family seems to treat her as an abandoned child, and her mother, Mrs. Chu, has become more and more alienated from her, and she is not allowed to go to banquets or anything on weekdays...... She gradually felt the crisis, and was afraid that her family would really give up on her, so she thought about it again and again, and felt that she had to let the Chu family see her price, so she thought of the "Prophetic Dream".

In fact, she originally wanted to tell the biggest "secret", but she was afraid that it would be too much, and it would be self-defeating, so she only picked two things that were not big or small.

She is confident, and now her grandmother will definitely see her value.

As long as she is there, with her "prediction" ability, she will definitely be able to make the Chu family seek good fortune and avoid evil, and go to the next level.

At that time, she will surpass Chu Qingci and be valued by everyone in the Guogong Mansion...... Chu Qingci is already dead, how can a dead person compare to her!

Chu Qingyu straightened her waist and waited with bated breath for Mrs. Chu's reaction.

Mrs. Chu silently put down the teacup in her hand, and rubbed it slightly on the relief of the white porcelain teacup, as if she was pondering.

In the banquet room, there was silence for a while, only the sound of swaying branches outside the window, the sound of birds fluttering fans, and the shouting of the mother-in-law came from time to time, but the surroundings became more and more quiet.

There were wisps of sandalwood in the corner, floating in the air, mixed with the faint fragrance of tea, for some reason, Chu Qingyu felt that the air was a little dull.

"I see."

After a while, Mrs. Chu finally spoke, but she only gave such a simple four words.

Chu Qingyu waited for another moment, thinking that Mrs. Chu would say anything more, but she didn't expect that what she was waiting for was another silence.

Chu Qingyu clenched his fists, weighed it in his heart, and said again: "Grandmother, my granddaughter has something to ask for, and I asked my grandmother to let my granddaughter go to the autumn hunt...... In his granddaughter's dream, the Bodhisattva said that something very important would happen in this autumn hunt, which was closely related to the future of the Chu family. I...... But I can't say it now, beg my grandmother to let me go. ”

"Grandmother ......"

"Let me think about it, you can go down." Mrs. Chu sent Chu Qingyu away lightly, and her calm demeanor and tone made Chu Qingyu really unable to see the clues.

Chu Qingyu looked at Mrs. Chu and stopped talking, and wanted to say a few more words, but she knew her grandmother's temperament, and she was always thoughtful and said nothing.

Since my grandmother said it, she will definitely think it through.

"Grandmother, the granddaughter will retire first." Chu Qingyu stood up, endured the pain on his knees, saluted dignified and elegant, and then turned around and walked in the direction of the door curtain.

There was a sharp glint in her eyes.

She must go to this autumn hunt, in her memory, the eldest princess of Anping will be buried in the Xiyuan Hunting Palace, if she can save Anping, she will definitely be able to win Feng Yan's gratitude, and then let Feng Yan trust her step by step, Feng Yan will know that she is the only woman worthy of standing by his side!

Chu Qingyu straightened his slender waist and retreated calmly.

Mrs. Chu looked at the place where Chu Qingyu knelt in a daze, the corners of her mouth pursed together thoughtfully, and a fallen leaf suddenly drifted into the banquet room with the wind, and fell slowly and slowly, circle after circle......

At this time, Mama Yu came in with a little maid who opened the curtain one after the other, and curtsied and said, "Mrs. Tai, the fourth girl of Duanmu is here." ”

Mrs. Chu perked up, raised her eyes to look at the little maid, and her mood was immediately better, and there was a little smile in her eyes, which made her expression soften, and said, "Quickly bring the fourth girl of Duanmu in." ”

The air in the room became much lighter with Mrs. Chu's light smile.

The little maid immediately went out to receive people, and Mrs. Chu looked at Mama Yu and said jokingly: "Amei, when I see Scarlet, it's really like seeing Sister Ci, but this little girl is much more lively than Sister Ci......"

As she spoke, Mrs. Chu's tone carried a hint of emotion and longing.

As she spoke, Duanmufei followed the little maid in just now, and just heard the second half of the sentence, she couldn't help but be stunned, and her eyes were slightly trance-like.

In the past, Chu Qingci was the eldest daughter of the Chu family, the eldest sister, and she had to lead by example everywhere in order to become an example for her younger siblings and the pride of her grandparents.

And now, she is Duanmu Fei.

Duanmu Fei has the eldest sister petted, and she is already proficient in these things such as piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, etc., Duanmu Jun has always indulged her, she only needs to be happy every day, and for more than a year, the small life has become more and more lazy and wanton.

It's a good day, and she's very satisfied.

Duanmu bent her petal-like mouth, smiled very cutely, and stepped forward to salute Mrs. Chu.

Then, she presented a Buddhist scripture with both hands and said with a smile: "Mrs. Chu, this is the Buddhist scripture I copied. ”

Mrs. Chu was stunned, and took the Buddhist scripture with a moving face, and Mama Yu also looked at Duanmu Fei with some surprise.

Nine days ago, when Duanmu Fei came to visit Mrs. Chu, he noticed that Mrs. Chu's right wrist was a little unfavorable, so he asked.

At that time, Mama Yu thought that Duanmufei might be able to help persuade Mrs. Chu, so she deliberately persuaded Mrs. Chu not to copy Buddhist scriptures since her wrist was uncomfortable. Duanmu Fei immediately offered to help Mrs. Chu copy the Buddhist scriptures.

I didn't expect her to actually copy it, and it was copied so quickly.

Duanmu smiled and said, "Mrs. Chu, it's just in time for the Dharma Patriarch's Christmas on the fifth day of the tenth month. ”

Mrs. Chu slowly opened the Buddhist scripture copied by Duanmu, and raised her eyebrows in surprise.

The faint ink fragrance on the rice paper that has been bound into a book is rushing to the face, and the hairpin flower on the paper is round and beautiful, whether it is the structure of the pen or the font, it is indescribable delicate and peaceful, elegant and graceful.

I can't practice this handwriting without ten years of hard work.

"Scarlet, you have a good handwriting." Mrs. Chu couldn't help but praise, looking at Duanmufei's eyes becoming softer and softer, she didn't expect Duanmufei to not only be good at piano and chess, but also good at writing, and good words need to be practiced, which shows that this little girl can endure her temperament.

Mrs. Chu sighed secretly in her heart: The eldest princess of Anping has a good eye, and she has really picked up a treasure.

Mama Yu was also a little surprised when she heard it, Mrs. Chu wrote well, and it was not easy to get her to praise her with a "good". Several sons and girls in this country's mansion have just passed away from the eldest girl who has been praised by Mrs. Chu.

After receiving the praise from his grandmother, Duanmu smiled like a crescent moon, and deliberately said in a playful tone: "Then the next time you want to copy the Buddhist scriptures, remember to find me." ”

She was overjoyed: in the past, on Buddhist festivals such as Buddha's Birthday and Yulan Festival, she would help her grandmother copy Buddhist scriptures. Grandmother would praise her as she did now.

Mrs. Chu was amused by her, and said repeatedly: "Okay, okay, I'll look for you next time." However, if you don't come and be rude, I'll give you some notes, and you have to accept them. ”

Duanmu Fei immediately showed a look of "How do you know that I want a copybook", which made Mrs. Chu's laughter even louder......

Her hearty laughter was faintly heard outside the house, and the slaves and maids who served outside were secretly surprised.

In the courtyard, the autumn breeze is blowing, revealing a coolness, but the house is like a bright spring.

October gradually entered the middle of the month, the weather became colder and colder, and on October 12, the royal driver set off for the Xiyuan Hunting Palace.

In this autumn hunt, Duanmu Fei brought the two foals with him in addition to the frost, and with the addition of Duanmu, the Duanmu family's team has grown a lot stronger than last year.

Although it's not the first time I've gone to autumn hunting, Duanmu Fei is still very interested in being able to go out with his sister.

After driving out of the West City Gate with the royal car, she rode on the frost and followed the convoy with Duanmu Jun unhurriedly. When the horse's hooves were flying, Duanmufei's mood flew like a bird spreading its wings, quite a kind of heroism of riding a horse and whistling the west wind.

The two foals followed closely behind Frost and ran on their legs, and it was difficult to go out for a while, and the foals were very cheerful, and their curious eyes looked around from time to time.

Suddenly, the night let out a joyful neigh, and ran to a red horse, and circled the red horse and the man on the horse for most of the circle, as if to say hello.

Compared with the joy of the dark night, the immediate Jun Ran is like an abandoned resentful woman, pitiful.

"Fourth girl Duanmu, you're too uninteresting." Jun Ran looked at Duanmu Fei sadly, and his handsome facial features wrinkled together.

She?! Duanmu was dumbfounded, and pointed at himself stupidly. She didn't do anything!

Duanmu Fei's innocent little face suddenly stimulated Jun Ran, and Jun Ran asked out loud: "Why is my dark night here with you?" Jun Ran's expression looked more and more resentful, and he almost cried.

Originally, Jun Ran and Feng Yan made an appointment to take the dark night back to King Jian's mansion in late September, counting the days and looking forward to it, dreaming about the foal, but Feng Yan told him in a righteous way that leaving the mare too early was not good for the foal, and he was stunned to move the time to after the foal was one year old, and Jun Ran really believed it, but he saw his family's black night and Feipian appear next to Duanmu Fei.

Duanmu Fei's little face was even more innocent, "Wuye came to my house to play with Feipian ......" She thought that Feng Yan must have told Jun Ran.

"No...... I'll go ask that guy Ah Yan. "Jun Ran doesn't know what's going on, it's clear that this guy Feng Yan has blinded himself and used his own dark night to please Duanmu Fei, a little girl.

This account can't just be settled!

As he spoke, Jun Ran clamped his legs around the horse's belly, and shuttled through the crowd and horses flexibly and agilely, and soon his figure disappeared into the crowd......

Duanmu Fei looked at Jun Ran's departing back with an inexplicable face, and then looked at the well-behaved Wuye on the side, as if to say, your future master is really a weirdo!

Wu Ye didn't know if he understood it, and his mouth made a docile and cheerful "bang" sound.

Feipian took advantage of the dark night to cover its face with the horse's tail, and then ran away happily, the black hair of the two lively foals shone like black brocade in the sun, and the four long legs were as vigorous as fawns, and many people around them were also people who knew horses, and they couldn't help but be attracted by them, and secretly said that they were good horses.

When Jun Ran rode his horse back, there was a green lotus-colored figure beside him, and of course he and Feipian recognized Ben Xiao, and immediately coquettishly came to Feng Yan and Ben Xiao's side, and for a while there was a trend of stars and moons.

Poor Junran's eyes were really happy and tangled when he looked at the dark night.

"Fourth girl Duanmu, these days, it's troublesome for the girl to take care of my family's dark night." When Jun Ran looked at Duanmu Fei, he turned his face like a book and put on a smiling face, shaking the folding fan, and said with a smile, "After all, the foal is only eight months old, and he has just left his mother, and he is still with his sister, so it is more conducive to his growth to adapt to the outside environment first......"

He said it nicely, but he wanted to cry in his heart, his dark night, he had to be sent under someone's house for more than three months before he could take him home.

Hey, Dark Night, Dad is sorry for you, who made your father's fists not as hard as others!

Jun Ran glanced at Feng Yan without tears, and suddenly rode forward, leaving the Duanmu Scarlet sisters with a lonely and desolate back.