Duan Ning asked: "As soon as I returned to Beijing that day, I heard that you had returned to Fengtian, thinking that since you didn't even have time to see me, you naturally wanted to go home to be a filial son." I never thought that after only a few months, you actually left the house and wandered around, what is the reason? You'll have to talk about it. ”

Tongying touched her head embarrassedly and said, "It was me who was wrong that day, don't be angry." I was thinking that I would go back to Beijing in half a year at most, and it would be okay to see you again, where did I think that so many things would happen later? ”

He paused, and a wry smile appeared on his face: "As for leaving home, this is a long story. You also know that since the death of my mother, my Ama married my stepmother again, plus the concubines in the side room before and after, a large group of women in the family gave birth to a large group of children, not to mention the noise, and love to pinch each other. I was really annoyed when I saw my brother going to Beijing on an errand, so I simply followed. But then I had a conversation with him, and I realized that I had neglected him too much, and I was really unfilial, so I went back to Mukden with him. ”

He glanced at Duan Ning and continued: "I'm not afraid of your jokes when I say it, I left home again, but it was to avoid peach blossoms, and it was rotten peach blossoms." ”

Duan Ning was stunned for a moment, and somewhat understood: "It's the Lingxue cousin you said, right?" "What kind of cousin is she?" Tong Ying pouted, "It's just my stepmother's niece." My stepmother, as you know, is not a safe master, my eldest brother's concubine already has two people arranged by her, and she is not satisfied, not only wants to install someone in my room, but even wants to persuade me Ama to give me Ling Xue to be the main room. ”

He snorted coldly and continued: "It's not that I don't know how to lift, it's not that I know Ling Xue's girl for a day or two, and she looks like a good girl on the surface." In fact, I have a bad stomach, and the maids around me have all suffered her secret losses. Of course I refused. But I, Amma, thought that I just disliked Ling Xue's family background and was not prominent enough, so I asked her to take her as a concubine. But this kind of woman is a wife or a concubine. It's just going to make the house restless, how can I agree? ”

Duan Ning agreed: "You are right, marry a wife and marry a virtuous." Men are doing great things outside, and if there is no reliable person in the family, it will definitely be held back. Tongying was very happy to hear this. Patting Duanning on the shoulder, he said, "I knew you had the same thoughts as me." To be honest, I have already thought about it, the wife I want to marry in the future is second to my appearance and family background, and the most important thing is to be able to communicate with my heart, at least to be able to understand me, otherwise it will not be boring for a lifetime? As long as there is such a wife, what other concubines will have sex. I don't need it at all, so as not to be jealous every day and pinch you to death. So what's the day? ”

Duan Ning nodded and smiled: "Sure enough, the hero sees the same thing." That's what I thought, too. My parents have been loving for so many years. I was very envious of my son, and I hoped that I could be with the woman I loved for a lifetime. Sometimes I coldly watched the wives and concubines of several uncles and cousins fighting each other. I reminded myself to take warnings. I don't want to be like the lobby brother, my own flesh and blood are lost by the people in the house. ”

Tong Ying smiled, and then found a clue in his words, and approached him with bad intentions: "You just said the woman you love?" So, you have someone? Duan Ning pushed him: "Go, don't think nonsense, where am I anyone?" Tong Ying didn't believe it: "If there is really no one, you won't say that, you will only say that you hope you can have such a wife." I've told you everything at home, and it's so uninteresting that you're still hiding such an important thing from me! ”

Duan Ning was a little embarrassed: "Okay, okay, I admit it, there is such a person, but the eight characters haven't been skimmed yet, and when it's done, I'll tell you who it is, how about it?" Tong Ying reluctantly accepted: "Okay then." ”

In order to prevent Tongying from continuing to whirl around on this issue, Duan Ning opened the topic: "You just said that your Ama wants you to marry that Ling Xue as a concubine, but you don't want to, just tell him directly, does he still force you to leave home?" What is the reason for this? ”

Tong Ying sighed: "Actually, Ling Xue's matter was nothing, but I revealed that I only wanted to marry a wife and didn't want to take a concubine, Ama said that I didn't conform to the rules, so I quarreled He has been away for a long time, and he doesn't know how his wife and concubine get along at home, and he thought that those women were really so virtuous." My mother is not happy until she dies for this kind of thing; My little brothers and sisters are inexplicably gone; And myself, I'm still a sister-in-law, when I was a child, I had three disasters, always this illness and that injury, and then I changed the people waiting around me, and I never had an accident. Only I, Amma, would believe that it was because the zodiac signs of the people who were originally waiting for me were in conflict with me. After reading this, do I dare to repeat the mistakes of the past? It's a pity that I don't understand. ”

Duan Ning said: "Just tell him well, he has loved you since he was a child, and he will never turn his face with you for such a trivial matter." ”

Tong Ying smiled bitterly: "Actually, I have long been estranged from Amma. Since he married his stepmother and had two younger brothers, he has slowly faded to me. Otherwise, I wouldn't have lived in Beijing with my eldest brother for a long time, so I would be a fellow mother with my eldest brother, better than those brothers who are separated by a layer. ”

Duan Ning was silent for a while and said, "In that case, why don't you go back to Beijing?" ran to Mongolia to Tongying's expression became even more sour: "My eldest brother and I ...... We were originally very good, but since the eldest brother had a sister-in-law and other concubines, I don't know if I heard someone's instigation, and misunderstood that I intended to compete with him for the position of the prince, and I became estranged from me. He is the eldest son, and he has military merits, and the position of the son is nine out of ten, and I never thought of fighting with him for this. He didn't understand, I was only worried that he really did something, but he was cheapening others. ”

Duan Ning sighed and said, "I didn't know that you had so many troubles, so you really claimed to be your friend in vain." Don't worry, if anything goes wrong in the future, just tell me, I won't say a word. As long as I'm here for a day, I'll entertain you for a day, how about it? ”

Tong Ying smiled: "Thank you, in fact, although I am depressed, I will not be depressed because of this." When I left Mukden City that day, I happened to meet a few Mongolian friends, so I simply followed them back to the grassland. The people there are simple and straightforward. There was no intrigue, and I was very happy. If it hadn't happened to my family, I would have liked to stay longer. ”

Duan Ning said: "Something happened to your family. Even your title has suffered, though I don't know why. But I also know that not one or two paintings can make up for it, and the more I say, your family's ideas are a little confused. ”

Tong Ying nodded and lowered her voice: "It's true that they don't see the same thing as me on many things. I've always felt. Our family is the king of iron hats, and has made many military achievements, as long as we do things in peace, we can ensure prosperity and wealth for at least one or two hundred years. It's just that I, Ama and my eldest brother, are not satisfied, and always want to rely on them more, so as not to lose the prince as easily as the second uncle. Some time ago, my eldest brother hooked up with the people on the prince's side, and then I, Amma, actually had the idea of wanting me to marry the granddaughter of a certain army general, otherwise how could I say so happily that I would let Naling Xue be my concubine? This is all taboo for the emperor, and they did it clearly. Now it's just a small punishment and a big commandment, which is already very good. ”

Duan Ning pondered for a moment, the corners of his mouth twitching. said: "Now that you have made this great achievement, you shouldn't have to worry that Prince Jian will arrange your marriage at will, right?" ”

Tong Ying read the full text of the usurper legend and smiled: "Sure enough, he is worthy of being an old man!" I came up with the idea on my way back. Because the original information is the work of others. That's why I took the risk of walking around a few more times and adding a few more things. Now I can be regarded as earning face in front of the emperor! I don't ask for anything else, I don't want a title or anything, as long as the emperor allows me to have a free marriage and career, I have nothing to worry about. ”

Duan Ning gritted his teeth a little: "Stinky boy, you have a good time shopping by yourself, and it is in vain that our friends are worried about you so much." Now that you don't go to Beijing, but rely on my house to eat and drink, you can't help but avoid your brother and want to take this credit alone

Tong Ying knew that he was deliberately joking, so as to dilute Fang Cai's sad atmosphere, so she also cooperated to put her arms around his shoulders and said with a smile: "Good brother, you are really the roundworm in my stomach, you know this." Don't worry, you also have a share in this credit, what's the benefit, buddy won't miss you. ”

The two laughed and laughed, and Duan Ning said with a straight face: "Although it is a joke, I also want to remind you that you hide this from your brother, but I am afraid that he will be estranged from you in the future."

Tong Ying slowly restrained the smile on her face and said, "Why don't I know? But he is now confused, if he is allowed to get these things, I don't know what he will do, if he provokes the emperor's disgust, I am afraid that it will be worse. Besides, I don't want him to know that I was plotted against when I entered the customs, and he will never let go of this opportunity to hit the big brother. No matter what he does, it is impossible to really beat the eldest son of the emperor, but he will get into trouble. I don't plan to make this matter public, the credit or anything, as long as the emperor knows it in his heart. When the emperor sends troops in the future, my brother Ama can go to the war, and the right way to get military merits is not more stable? ”

Duan Ning nodded, and said, "It's best that you are willing to think like this." In fact, I won't tell you anything, I, Amma, asked me to help you, and I also have the intention of getting clean. But I'm just here to help you, so you just need to know for yourself that I'm there to help, and you don't have to tell you. ”

Tongying was a little moved, and said "good brother", and the two punched each other under the moon. I started the second day after I changed the dividing line between time and place, and the speed of intelligence collation work was significantly accelerated. Tong Ying focuses on drawing maps silently and marking them according to her memory; And Duanning copied the contents of the silk album on the paper one by one with hairpins.

These silk albums include the information of the major generals under Geerdan, the background and relationship between the major civil ministers, the preparation of military rations, weapons, gunpowder, military clothing, camp tents and other logistics materials, and the materials of the Moxi ministries that have been friends with Geerdan. It can be seen that the spies sent by the imperial court to the local area have spent a lot of effort, and although there are heavy casualties, this information will play a non-negligible role in future wars.

There are many places in the silk album stained with blood, and some of the handwriting is still very sloppy, although it is roughly divided into tribal areas to write, but there is still some confusion, the further you go, the more serious the confusion, the last few pages are even hastily written some fragmentary sentences, probably as soon as you find out and write down, there is no time to sort out.

Seeing this, Duan Ning first copied down these words with paper. After asking Tongying, he first divided it according to the tribal area, and then summarized it according to the classification. Enough space was left on the edge of the paper to note the complex relationships between the tribes. So. Many things are clear at a glance.

After Tong Ying saw it, she couldn't help but marvel at how organized he was, Duan Ning smiled: "Come less, don't you know how our family rose?" Thousands of documents have been cooked, what are these silk books? Tong Ying smiled dumbly.

Tongying's job is a bit troublesome. It's okay for him to draw a map by himself, after all, it's a place he's been to, and he can remember it as long as he recalls it, but the map drawn by others is what he saw half a year ago, and it's really hard to think about it now. He could only sketch a rough picture on ordinary paper first, and then recall the marks on the map little by little. Fortunately, although he is not a memorable person, he has excellent ability to remember pictures. So gradually, I also remembered those maps. When the sketch was finished, he drew it in detail with heavy silk.

There is a lot of material in the storeroom of the annex. However, there were not many silks suitable for drawing maps, and they quickly ran out. You have to go to a nearby town to buy it.

Zhang Bao and Tong are busy with the autumn harvest. By the way, taking advantage of the fact that the weather is not too cold, I rushed to a variety of vegetables and beans; Xiao Liu was busy taking care of the two boys; Each steward has its own function. Arguably. There were no more reliable and free people in the family, so Shuning volunteered to go to the town to buy silk cloth and pen and ink for her brothers.

The girls had already cheered, but Shuning reiterated again and again that she could only take one person with her. After guessing boxing, two wins in three sets, frangipani was a big hit, Holly won, and went back to the room with a smirk to prepare to take the money out of the house.

But when she went out and passed by the second courtyard, Shuning was struggling - Xianning, a little child, suddenly ran out of the classroom, hugged her sister's legs, and pleaded with tears: "Good sister, dear sister, you can take me with you, your poor brother hasn't gone out to play for several days." My brother was nowhere to be seen, and Ama didn't allow me and my brother to go to the garden to play, and Mr. Yang also added homework. I'm miserable, good sister, you take me with you, I promise obediently, just look at the street outside, I'll be satisfied. ”

Don't you think I didn't see you pinching your thighs, thinking that these few crocodile tears could soften my heart? If I really take you out, as soon as I see the street, I'm afraid that in the blink of an eye, you will be gone, and I don't think I'll be fooled!

Shuning squinted her eyes and didn't let go. She guessed that this must be Xianning's recent development of a bitter meat trick in order to coax the easy-to-soft-hearted Xiao Liu. Sure enough, as soon as Xiao Liu heard Xianning's pleading, he immediately relented and helped to intercede with Shuning.

Shuning gave face to Xiao Liu, and promised to bring Xianning back the snacks and gadgets he liked, but it was a fantasy to take him out, and said: "If you are not well-behaved, you are not serious in class, or you are lazy when doing homework, then, even if I bring good things back, you don't want to get them." I'd love to give it to the servants and the children!" ”

When Xianning heard this, he opened his mouth wide, and immediately covered it with his hands, blinking with his big eyes, turned around and ran back to the classroom, picked up the book and pretended to be serious. Mr. Yang glanced at him, ignored it, and continued to explain the words and phrases in the book to Xiaobao.

Shuning couldn't help but feel funny, and explained some things about Xiao Liu's in detail, and then went out.

The town is about five or six miles away from the courtyard, although it is not big, but there are many shops, people come and go, very lively. Shuning first went to the stationery store to buy pen and ink, only to know that the store also sold heavy silk. Luckily, she brought Holly, who was familiar with study supplies, and quickly picked out what she needed.

Seeing that it was still early, Shuning put everything in the carriage, asked the coachman to rest at a nearby tea stall, and took Holly and a servant to the streets.

She had just bought a few snacks and toys for Xiao Xianning, and was walking to a small stall to accompany Holly to choose the hairpin with her head, when she suddenly saw a group of people blow into the pharmacy next to her like a gust of wind, knocking the two vendors who were setting up a stall in front of the store to the ground.

It was a group of Mongols, all with knives on their shoulders and fierce expressions on their faces. The man at the head, dressed in a blue robe, asked the shopkeeper of the pharmacy in a strange tone: "Has a young man with an injured arm ever come to see the doctor?" ”