After snuggling and greeting, Guo Xiaoxiao put on a white gauze hat and went back.

About three or five days later, Jiang Zhiyuan took Jiang Feng and other people to Suzhou secretly. In order to fight the group of thieves in Desolate Mountain, they were caught off guard, so they didn't make a big fanfare. Sea Rose covered half of her face with a handkerchief, crying to see Jiang Zhiyuan off.

Jiang Zhiyuan said a few goodbyes to her, and at this moment, the two of them looked like husband and wife. People say "one day husband and wife for one hundred days", and the two have always had some affection after being together for a long time. Jiang Zhiyuan also knew that Sea Rose cared about him, so he dealt with it.

Guo Xiaoxiao couldn't go because of his identity, so he waited at home.

Guo Xiaoxiao originally thought that such a torturous and peaceful day would not last long, but not long after Jiang Zhiyuan left, bad news came from the border pass - the southeast coast of the Japanese invaded our Ming border.

In just three days, the Japanese have already reached Wuxi. Qin Miao, the special governor of Beijing, inspected Yangzhou to appease the people. However, when the people of Yangzhou heard that the hussar general had taken the lead in the northwest frontier and would not be able to reach Yangzhou for a while, they were in chaos and were sincerely afraid.

All the shops in the city closed within a day, and the local rich people in Yangzhou all fled with their money. People's hearts are turbulent, and Guo Xiaoxiao is also afraid.

Steward Zhang saw that the situation was critical, so he took the servants to ask Guo Xiaoxiao's opinion.

Guo Xiaoxiao was so anxious that he couldn't sleep and eat, but he still tried his best to appease the subordinates of Guo's mansion: "Jingzhong has already made a statement that the hussar general has returned to the Central Plains, and I believe that he will arrive soon." ”

Datang said: "But Miss, we don't know when the Japanese will come, the hussar general is so far in the northwest, let's ...... It's better to run away as soon as possible. ”

Guo Xiaoxiao said: "Zijinfang has taken root in Yangzhou, but it means that Guofu has also taken root in Yangzhou." ”

Xiaozhu said: "Miss, I heard that all the rich people in the city have stopped their shops and fled with gold and silver, so let's stay in Qingshan without worrying about running out of firewood." ”

Guo Xiaoxiao said: "However, Zijinfang has only been in Yangzhou for a long time, and even the business has not improved, so I am afraid that it will be difficult to make a comeback." ”

Xiaozhu said: "Life is the most important, eldest lady!" If we wait until the Japanese invade, we won't be able to escape. ”

Guo Xiaoxiao said again: "What does Steward Zhang think? ”

Steward Zhang bent over and said: "Guo Fu was originally moved from Shudi, if you want to leave, the old slave thinks that it is most appropriate to move back to Shudi." ”

Guo Xiaoxiao worried: "There are so many domestic servants and embroidery girls, it is too eye-catching, and there is a huge family property......"

Mrs. Guo was also seated, equally anxious: "Xiaoxiao." ”

"What do you think?"

"There are too many people, and it is really difficult to move, so it is better to divide into two groups. As for the gold and silver, we can bring what we can, and if we can't bring it, we will find a way to keep it, and after we have subdued the Japanese invaders, we will come back. ”

Guo Xiaoxiao was looking down and thinking about it, only to see Nan Yue running into the hall, and as soon as he entered the door, he shouted: "Oh no, the government has issued an announcement, saying that the Ming army guarding the coast is no more than a Japanese enemy, and the border pass has been broken!" ”

"Ahh Guo Xiaoxiao stood up, panicked.

Datang said: "Miss, please make a decision." ”

Guo Xiaoxiao walked back and forth, turned his head suddenly, and said, "How long will it take for them to arrive in Yangzhou?" ”

Nan Yue said: "It is estimated that there are still a few hours left, the Ming army is moving to the interior, and the government has asked the people of Yangzhou to evacuate quickly. ”

The situation was critical, and Guo Xiaoxiao had to decide: "Datang, you take some people to prepare carriages and food." Nan Yue, you quickly go to Zijin Fang to inform all the embroidered girls to meet in Guo's mansion. The others, go and pack their things at once, and assemble in the hall in two quarters of an hour, without delay! ”

"Yes." Everyone went out at once.

Only Guo Xiaoxiao, Steward Zhang and Mrs. Guo are left. Guo Xiaoxiao whispered to Steward Zhang: "How many silver taels are there in the house?" ”

Steward Zhang lowered his voice and said: "There are about 20,000 taels of silver in the treasury, and the rest are silver tickets, and it is estimated that there are 70,000 or 80,000 taels. ”

"That'...... So what do we do? Guo Xiaoxiao never had to worry about tea, rice, oil and salt, and he didn't know how to take away these properties for a while.

"In the current turmoil, there is no guarantee for the various banks, but we have the most silver bills, and it stands to reason that we should exchange them for silver in order to keep them forever. But the silver taels are too heavy, not to mention that the silver tickets in your hand are replaced by silver taels and taken away, even the 20,000 taels in the treasury can't bring a few catties......"

"My mother just said that if you can't bring it, you will find a way to save it." Guo Xiaoxiao turned to look at Mrs. Guo, "Mother must have a way." ”

Mrs. Guo hesitated for a while and said: "Over the ages, the country has been in turmoil, and the people have migrated, whether it is a businessman or an official family, they have all thought of a way to survive. Among them, those who are thrown into the lake are the most buried in the earth. But later, when the dynasty changed, someone dug three feet into the ground and found something, and the method of preserving the silver taels became known to everyone. ”

"Is there really nothing we can do?" Guo Xiaoxiao frowned, "Is the family business that my father worked so hard to maintain, and the foundation laid by my grandfather's long-lasting sleep, just in vain?" ”

Both the Zhang family and Mrs. Guo were very sad, because this was indeed a very tricky matter. I can't take away so much silver, and I don't even know where to hide it.

Steward Zhang said: "The old slave has a word, I wonder if the eldest lady is willing to listen to it?" ”

"Steward Zhang, please speak."

"Although it is no secret that the method of keeping the silver is kept, I don't know how long the Japanese will hover in Yangzhou. At that time, there will be chaos, and few people will dig three feet into the ground to find silver taels, and only after the pattern is stable will they go over the old things. ”

"What do you mean?"

"Let's bury all the silver taels under the pear tree in the backyard first, if the Japanese retreat, it will be the blessing of the ancestors, and we will return to Yangzhou to start Dongshan again." If it is unfortunately stolen by others, it should be ruined and avoided. As long as we keep the deed of Guo's house, there is a glimmer of hope. ”

Just when Guo Xiaoxiao hesitated, Mrs. Guo said: "What Steward Zhang said is not unreasonable. Our Daming coastal defense has always been rigorous, but today is just a momentary negligence, and those Japanese robbers can't afford to make any big waves. Besides, money is something outside the body, and if we lose our lives because of our possessions, we will lose more than we gain. ”

How could Guo Xiaoxiao not be these truths, just thinking of her dead father, she felt that the burden on her body was very heavy, and the whole house was counting on her alone. Mrs. Guo is not a person who can manage the house, and now Guo Xiaoxiao has become everyone's support. She's really messed up in her heart.

"Miss, there is no time for any more hesitation." Steward Zhang urged.

Guo Xiaoxiao said categorically: "Bring a few reliable family members, let's go to the warehouse to move things." ”

Steward Zhang is a reliable uncle, who has been in Guo's mansion since he was a child, and he is also Guo Xiaoxiao's most trusted servant. Steward Zhang took five or six family members to dig three feet into the ground and put down five or six alleys and bury them one by one.

Guo Xiaoxiao was worried that it would be too late, so he buried the soil together, and then buried it with weeds. Although the traces of the buried soil were still very heavy, the 20,000 silver was finally put down. At this moment, Guo Xiaoxiao only asked his ancestors to bless the hussar general to come and raise his hand as soon as possible.

Datang came to report that the carriages, horses and food had been prepared, and Nan Yue had already brought Yarong and the embroidered girls to the Guo Mansion Hall. Guo Xiaoxiao lifted the hem of his skirt and rushed to the hall, instructing Datang to count the number of people. The servants of the Guo Mansion plus the embroidery girls of Zijinfang have at least hundreds of people.

Datang counted twice and said, "Miss, there are still a few old mothers who wash clothes in the laundry room." ”

Guo Xiaoxiao slapped his forehead: "Go and find it." ”

A maid in the crowd whispered: "The eldest lady doesn't need to look for it, Gu's mother said that she had no food to eat with the eldest lady, and she had already run away from the back door." ”

"Ran away?" Guo Xiaoxiao exclaimed, "It's okay, just run away." ”

Immediately afterwards, the servants and embroidery girls began to make small and fragmented discussions, gossiping, and they couldn't tell who was who.

"I don't think there's really anything to eat, right?"

"Who knows, the old man is dead, the lady doesn't care about the family, and the eldest lady is so young......"

"With so much property in the Guo family, the eldest lady only has a few carriages, and there must not be much silver taels."

"Huh? Wouldn't that be without our share? ”

"Then let's run quickly, what are you doing with this powerless lady?"

"Alas, we have been in the Guo family for so long, although the eldest lady doesn't take care of things much, but Steward Zhang still takes good care of us. Even Steward Zhang didn't leave, so presumably eating was not a problem. ”

"Steward Zhang is an old man in the house, can we compare with Steward Zhang? The eldest lady treats Steward Zhang as a relative, but she doesn't take us seriously. ”

"Who's to say it isn't. If you want me to say, let's run. ”

"Now that so many people are here, won't they be discovered? Our deed of sale is still in the hands of Steward Zhang. ”

"Alas, it's important to run for your life! When the time comes, who will remember the deed of sale? ”

"That's right."

"Let's follow the team first, and then look for a chance to slip away."

……

"Enough!" Guo Xiaoxiao smashed the teacup in his hand to the ground, and was furious, "Mother Gu's things outside the house, do you want to learn from them?" ”

The servants and embroidery girls kept their mouths shut.

"Gu's mother likes to chew her tongue on weekdays, and she loves to fish for oil and water, I have long seen them unpleasant. If it weren't for their age, I would have sent them out of the house. Now that they have fled without anyone reporting it, do you also want to be unfaithful and unrighteous? ”

Gu's mother was the domestic servant who married with Duan's family, and after Duan's death, Master Guo arranged for Gu's mother and the three of them to take care of logistics, as long as they were responsible for laundry and chopping firewood. But they are all errands that call people, and you don't need to do it yourself.

Guo Xiaoxiao knew that Master Guo was worried about the Duan family so he did this, so he didn't say anything. It's just that Gu's mother loves to gossip, and the news of Jiang Zhiyuan and Sea Rose getting married came out of their mouths.

Coupled with the fact that the maids in the house were idle, this matter was spread more and more powerfully. Guo Xiaoxiao didn't have a day when his ears were quiet.