"Brother Chen, where is the emperor going?" Qi Su Niang walked in the flow of people by the Qinhuai River with two small packages, took a deep breath of moist air, and asked with a smile on her face.

Chen Yan held a heavy clay mold in his right hand, and a rattan box containing a water-shaped diagram in his left hand, and said with a smile: "The emperor has a lot of things, in addition to river workers, he also has to sacrifice Dayu, see famous Confucianism, and inspect Yangzhou, Suzhou, Hangzhou and other places along the river." In less than May, I am afraid that I will not be able to return to the capital from Jiangning. ”

Qi Su Niang thought for a while and said, "The eldest brother was served, and the emperor personally picked up the queen mother on the boat?" looks like the emperor doesn't look very similar. ”

Chen Yan smiled slightly and said softly: "The emperor's biological mother has passed away a long time ago. ”

Qi Su Niang was stunned for a moment and nodded slightly: "The emperor is very filial to the Queen Mother. After thinking about it again, "The Queen Mother also loves the emperor very much." Chen Yan laughed, put the clay mold in his right hand under his left arm, reached out to lift the package on Qi Su Niang's left hand, and strode towards the small courtyard with her.

Chen Yan was a little tired this month, and Kangxi returned early, so he recuperated in the small courtyard for five days before preparing to leave for Gaoyou. Qi Su Niang originally wanted to go back to worship Chen Niangzi, but she thought that Kangxi would not like the two of them to stay together, which would inevitably hinder Chen Yan's future, so she decided to stay in the small courtyard in Jiangning. Seeing that Chen Yan was about to leave, he took care of his luggage for him.

Chen is very good at arithmetic, and he is famous for his talents, and he is also a famous scholar in Gaoyou. When I first came to Jiangning, I was preparing for the exam, and at the same time, I was introduced by Mei Wending, making a water shape map in the river official office, or serving as a western seat in the house of a wealthy eunuch, but there were also some inputs, and from time to time I asked someone to transfer it to Mrs. Chen. This time, Kangxi saw that his family was poor, so he gave him some property, and several eldest brothers and Zhang Pengxi also gave gifts, and when they were counted together, there were five hundred taels.

As early as when Chen Yan was on the ship, he handed over all the silver to Qi Su Niang to take care of. Qi Su Niang calculated carefully in her heart, and the price of rice at that time was one tael of silver and one stone, and one stone was about sixty kilograms. Chen Yan has been awarded the master of the Jiupin River, and the annual salary is only thirty-three taels of silver and thirty-three buckets of rice, which is equivalent to fifteen years of "salary".

Qi Su Niang came to this world to be poor, and when she saw so much wealth for the first time, she didn't dare to use it more. She carefully calculated, Jiangning and Gaoyou Prefecture, Yangzhou Prefecture, are both in Jiangsu Province, the road is not far, take eighty taels to Chen Yan, one is used as a road to wrap, the second is that Chen Niangzi's grave is mostly to be repaired one or two, and the third is that the old houses and fields of the Chen and Qi families cannot be wasted, in fact, fifty taels is enough, but people are outside, money is guts, and it can't be short.

She went to the street to spend 5,000 yuan to buy all kinds of tea cakes and pastries that are easy to bring and not easy to spoil in Jiangning, such as cloud cakes, jujube cakes, fried rice, chestnuts from the north, orange cakes, round eyes, plum beans, and sugar from the south. She did it herself, divided the food into nearly 100 portions, wrapped them tightly with kraft paper and straw rope, and made a big burden. Let Chen Yan go to the old Chen and Qi families, and make a salute to the four villagers surnamed Gaoyou when they fled the disaster. Wang Dawhip's family is naturally a double child. Chen Yan didn't ask much, only took the list of gifts and put them in his arms.

Fortunately, it is only April and May, which is lukewarm and suitable for travel. Chen Yan led the horse at Mei Wending, and when he was about to get on the horse, Qi Su Niang hurried and said: "The double yellow duck eggs produced by the hemp duck over there in Gaoyou are rare elsewhere, how much do you remember to bring back a few dozen catties, although this is not rare in Buddy, Lord Zhang, and Mr., it is also a gift we should fulfill." ”

Chen Yan smiled and nodded, but said worriedly: "Because of the fatigue of going back and forth, I won't let you go, but you are here alone - after the death of my wife, my husband has not remarried, but it is inconvenient to send you over there......"

Qi Su Niang pursed her lips and smiled: "Don't worry, when you leave, I will close the door every day, so naturally I am not afraid." Seeing Chen Yan get on the horse and leave, he closed the courtyard door, but he didn't expect Fang to walk to the door, and heard a sound of horses' hooves and folded back, Chen Yan shouted outside the door: "Su Niang, Su Niang-"

Qi Su Niang hurriedly went over and opened the door, and said, "Brother Chen, but you forgot something?" ”

Chen Yan turned over and dismounted, stood in front of the door and looked at Qi Su Niang for a long time, sighed, and said softly: "You are tall, you may not look like an eleven-year-old child, if you are bored, it is good to go to the alley to see the river view during the day, but there are always abductors in the city, and it is late to watch, don't go out." ”

Qi Su Niang was stunned for a moment, bit her lip and nodded in response, Chen Yan reached out and cut her forehead, got on the horse and left. Qi Su Niang looked at Chen Yan's distant back, and couldn't help but reach out and touch the forehead hair that was straightened by him, the hair seemed to still have Chen Yan's hand warm, and the corners of her lips couldn't help but smile faintly. However, the ancient iron-clapped horseshoe stepped on the ancient granite road, making a heavy and heavy sound, and the Daiwa on the eaves of the ancient courtyard trembled gently with this sound, and Qi Su Niang's smile disappeared into the shadow of the eaves.

Qi Su Niang didn't feel anything on weekdays, but after staying on the Kangxi boat for a month, she felt that even the air in this small courtyard was easy and free. When Chen Yan went, although he was a little worried, he was secretly happy that no one was in front of him. As long as she doesn't leave this courtyard, the rules she learned in this world can be left behind. In addition to going to the street every few days to buy some melons and vegetables, she slept until three poles a day, making up for the hard work she had endured for a year. I didn't expect that if I really worked hard, I was a little dizzy, but fortunately I didn't get sick, I was hungry twice, and I lay down for two days, and I got better.

Qi Su Niang stayed more refreshed and went out. She just thought, although she has the strength, is willing to endure hardships, and is not afraid of farming, but in the end, the hard work of the farmer is not a long-term solution, it is okay when she is young, how is it good when she is old? Although Chen Yan is good now, he is not a person in the first life, he is now away from the imperial front, and he will go to Yongdinghe as an official in a short time, and his life is beginning to settle down, and she doesn't have to worry about him. If she is not there, it will never be a problem for him to find a beautiful and virtuous little family with a good character and official position as a wife, and it will be a trivial matter to accept a few concubines when he is promoted to a higher level in the future. Qi Su Niang sighed slightly, Jiangning is a prosperous place for characters, and there are many shops by the Qinhuai River, so she has to go out and have a look, and find a way out for herself.

At this time, after four and a half months, the scenery on the Qinhuai River gradually improved, and the boats on the Yangtze River all got off the buildings, pressed the bright awning on all sides, and propped themselves into the city.

On the cruise ship on the Qinhuai River, a small table of yellow rosewood is placed in the center, and there is a kiln teapot and a very fine Jingde porcelain cup on the table, which is well cooked before the rain. The guests prepared tea trays and fruit plates, and enjoyed the scenery while eating tea. I was on a boat ride, and I simmered tea and sat on the bow of the boat and ate it slowly.

Qi Su Niang looked at such a leisurely scene, couldn't help but rest her thoughts, slowed down, and walked along the riverbank, the riverside was bustling, and from time to time someone passed by her, the willows on both sides of the bank had sprouts, and the willows were blowing on the face and body with the wind, which was mostly pleasant.

Unconsciously, it was getting late, Qi Su Niang was hesitating whether to go back, but saw that there were more people by the Qinhuai River, and there were two bright angle lights hanging on the awning boat coming and going, reflecting the brightness of the river up and down, and there were tourists who lit the water mouse flower, a chrysanthemum in the river, the water mouse jumped on the water, put it like a pear blossom, it was very good-looking, and caused children to laugh, even adult men and women were also laughing.

Qi Su Niang hadn't seen such a lively and peaceful scene for a long time, and she was reluctant to move. Although there were no women from official families among the men and women who could play again, there were also serious women from poor families, so they walked by the river for a while. In a blink of an eye, I heard the sheng song singing, and many painting boats swam out in the river houses on both sides, and the delicate sound of warblers in the painting boats continued to be in my ears.

Qi Su Niang was stunned, she also knew that prostitution was forbidden in the imperial court, and guessed that it was a private prostitute, so she turned around and walked back. Still halfway through, I suddenly heard someone laughing in front of me: "Look at this signboard - Shen Yuezhi, a woman from Piling, Seiko embroidery, writing poems and painting fans, in the handkerchief lane of the palace, Gu recognizes the Shen signboard of Biling." ”

"It's just a sister who opens a private door, but she hangs a signboard, isn't it ridiculous?" Some of the companions laughed and shouted to see the excitement.

Qi Su Niang waited for those people to go, walked to the mouth of the handkerchief alley and looked at the signboard carefully, only to see that the handwriting was beautiful and straight, although it was a little immature, but it was quite stylish, not much inferior to Chen Niangzi. She hesitated for a moment, then followed them far behind. After walking for a while, in front of a low house, I heard a loud noise, and it was actually those prodigal children who thought that Shen was a secret prostitute, and they were entangled and scolded by her.

Qi Su Niang heard that the woman's tongue was convenient, plain and white, and she scolded refreshingly, but she didn't spit out a mixed word, and couldn't help laughing. She quietly approached a few steps, and saw that the woman was really good, fifteen or sixteen years old, with two black thick braids, starry broken forehead hair, wearing a royal blue gauze dress, although she was poor, there was an awe-inspiring air on her face.

Qi Su Niang stared blankly, and suddenly heard someone in the corner not far away laughing in a low voice: "The land south of the Yangtze River is really handsome, this woman is rare, I am afraid that there are some reasons, so I have to make a living here." ”

Qi Su Niang was startled, she heard the voice of the third elder brother, slowly retracted into the corner of the alley, turned around and retreated carefully, and heard the voice of the fifth elder brother coming from behind her: "...... She is a lone woman, and if she has some money, she will close her door or not. But they have to open the door to make a living. Although it is for the prosperity of this place, it can attract more business to spend the day, but it is on the bank of the Qinhuai River, it is difficult to avoid suspicion, and it is difficult to call it a good family. If this is the case, what if people come to the door every day to look for trouble? She is so ignorant of taboos, and her temperament is too negative and aggressive, and she is a little paranoid......"

For more than ten days of continuous rain shrouded Jiangning City, Qi Su Niang stayed at home, and even the Qingming Boat Club on the Qinhuai River had no intention of looking. Every day, I just sat in the house, wrote down the engineering calculations and drawings I had learned in my previous life on paper, memorized them repeatedly, and then soaked them in a basin of water and poured them into the collection ditch in the courtyard.

“…… She's a lone woman, and if she has some money, she'll close her door or ......."

Qi Su Niang stood under the eaves, thinking about the words of the fifth elder brother, and thinking carefully about the Shen woman. Although she felt that the fifth elder brother's words were reasonable, she was too harsh on the Shen woman. I think that the woman is different from her, she grew up in this life, and she can have the courage to open the door alone to make a living, and it is not easy to make a living. Although it is as the fifth elder brother said, it is inevitable that there are some inconsiderate things. But to do something contrary to the world, always with a little blood. If you have to think about it everywhere and figure it out, I'm afraid that the idea is gone, where can you really act? Is there ever a perfect way to go wrong?

When she escaped from the boat, although she had prepared food, clothing, fire and coal in advance, and had her sights on the villages on the shore, she was able to go ashore because people were not able to calculate the sky, and she almost lost her life. is the fourteenth elder brother, he is a prince, once he wants to do what he likes, he also has to risk disobeying the will of the emperor's father. In comparison, this Shen woman is extremely rare. It's just that this woman goes on like this, and she suffers, but I don't know what will happen in the future, whether she can get a good result, as the saying goes, "a penny is hard to beat a hero", not to mention that she is just a lone woman......

Qi Su Niang thought of this, watched strings of raindrops falling from under the eaves, and the rainwater smashed into the collection ditch, converging into a thin stream, and washed out the clumps of paper paste from the small hole in the water under the courtyard wall, and sighed softly, "It'......s something useless after all."

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, which woke Qi Su Niang from her contemplation, she held up the oil umbrella, opened the door and looked, but it was the little eunuch Wei Zhu who had seen Kangxi on the imperial boat, "Miss Qi, our family is ordered by the Queen Mother to pass you into the Jiangning Weaving Mansion to see Your Majesty." ”

－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－

Note 1: The above scenery of the Qinhuai River in the Qing Dynasty and the prototype of Shen Yuezhi are borrowed from "The History of Confucianism"