Lu Miao wanted to stand quietly on the side of the road and lowered his eyebrows and lowered his eyelashes to recite the scriptures silently, and suddenly heard this sound of "Zeng Yu is polite", he couldn't help but tremble, and raised his head suddenly, although Zeng Yu in front of him was dusty, he was still heroic, and his gentle smile was very infectious, especially those eyes, which made people feel sincere and credible-

Lu Miaoxiang lost his mind instantly, and then his face was like frost, and he turned his back to Zeng Yu and the others, chanting Buddha more than once, and it was clear that he didn't want to ignore Zeng Yu.

Sixi also recognized this beautiful nun, and when he saw the young master come forward to salute, he hurriedly sang a fat song: "Aunt Lu is blessed with Jin'an, and the little Sixi is polite." ”

Lu Miaoxiang is a kind and polite woman, although she has a grudge against Zeng Yu, but the scholar Sixi has not offended her, and immediately turned around to chant the Buddha, nodded to Sixi, and turned around.

Zeng Yu and Sixi Master and Servant arrived at Jichang Garden in the afternoon, and sent some Tuyi from Guangxin Mansion to Yan Shaoqing's mother Cao, and Cao told him that he had informed Lu Miaoxiang of his marriage, so Zeng Yu was mentally prepared, and said at the moment: "Is Aunt Lu going to Yuqingtang to pick up Miss Yingzi, Xiaosheng is going to visit Mr. Fang Tang." ”

The slanting sun is shining, the evening breeze is blowing, Lu Miaoxiang's wide robe is slightly flickering, her slender and delicate body looks weak, and her neck exposed on the black round neck is white and long, and she still doesn't look back, but just said lightly: "Zeng Gongzi, let's go our separate ways." "Standing there and not moving, it means letting Zeng Yu and them go first.

Yan Shaoqing's henchmen Yan Jian and Fan Huyuan followed Zeng Yu from Jichang Garden to Jieqiao, seeing that Zeng Yu was embarrassed, the two were inevitably embarrassed, Yan Jian said: "Mr. Zeng, let's go first." ”

Zeng Yu also knew that he couldn't explain anything to Lu Miaoxiang at this time, so he had to say: "Aunt Lu, then I will go to the village first, this time when I came to Fenyi and passed by Jinxi Qingtian Village, I specially went to the village to visit a few Lu clan people, and also brought some Jinxi native products, and I will send them to Aunt Lu later." After that, he led the horse slowly and walked slowly, and his heart was quite unpleasant.

Walking across the stone bridge at the entrance of the village, the afterglow of the sunset is blocked by those towering ancient camphors in the village, the twilight flies down like jackdaws spreading its wings, and there are constantly villagers greeting Zeng Yuzuo, and some villagers also follow Zeng Yu to carefully inquire about Zeng Yu's encounter with thieves last year, and they are amazed.

When I came to the Yan clan Xueyuqing Hall, the school had been dispersed, and the students heard that Mr. Zeng was coming, so they all gathered under the camphor tree outside the gate and waited.

Yan Shaoqing, who was sixteen years old, was a little reserved, although he was very happy, but he did not crowd in front of Zeng Yu like other Yan children, he and his cousin Yan Shifang stood on the steps in front of the hall, looking at Mr. Zeng surrounded by groups with a smile.

Yan Shifang finally spoke: "Okay, okay, don't pester Mr. Zeng anymore, you all go to your own house." ”

The students and villagers dispersed slightly, Zeng Yu and Yan Shifang, Yan Shaoqing's uncle and nephew greeted each other, Yan Shifang ordered the servants to hurry back to Ruizhutang to prepare two more dishes at home, and he wanted to have a long conversation with Zeng Yu.

Zeng Yu looked left and right, didn't see the baby, so he followed Yan Shifang to Ruizhutang, walked through the big camphor tree, he noticed that Yan Shifang's young daughter Yan Wan'er looked back while walking, and then turned his head to look, and saw a girl's delicate face exposed by the gate of Yuqingtang, which flickered and disappeared like a glimpse.

That is Ying Zi, seeing Zeng Yu coming, and good and not hurt by the bandits, the demeanor is still better than in the past, Ying Zi is very happy, she did not resent Zeng Yu because Zeng Yu has been married, but she saw the other students around Zeng Yu laughing and laughing, but she can no longer see each other as before, this is sad.

Seeing that Zeng Yu left with Mr. Fang Tang, Ying Zi slowly stepped back to the back door of Yuqing Hall, where his aunt Lu Miaoxiang was already waiting, and Ying Zi said, "Mother, Mr. Zeng is back." ”

Lu Miaoxiang nodded, helped Ying Zi hold the bookcase, turned around and walked back, and said in a flat tone: "Mr. Zeng is here to meet Shaoqing, and he will go to Nanchang in the near future, so he should not come in the future." ”

The girl said "oh", followed her aunt Lu Miaoxiang out of the village, not far from the maple treetops were still stained with the afterglow of the sunset, showing a faint red, these two extremely beautiful women slowly walked into the maple forest.

……

Zeng Yu and Yan Shifang had dinner in the dining room of Ruizhutang, Yan Shaoqing was also here, the uncle and nephew had to ask Zeng Yu about the experience of returning to his hometown and encountering a thief a year ago, Zeng Yu roughly said, Yan Shifang praised Zeng Yu for being resourceful, and Yan Shaoqing admired Mr. Zeng Yu Zeng;

Speaking of Zeng Yu's marriage, Yan Shaoqing said regretfully: "My father means that Mr. Zeng will be admitted to the Jinshi next year, so he can marry Xiaozi's sister——"

"Don't talk about that." Yan Shifang interrupted Yan Shaoqing's words, Zeng Yudu is already engaged, what good is it to talk about this.

Zeng Yu said: "Miss Yingzi is beautiful and demure, it is true that she is a rare good woman, but she has taught her poetry and books for a few days, and she was still young when she first saw her, so she has no admiration, but she has the warmth of her brother and sister, just like I and Shaoqing Gongzi are so close, and in the lower door of the first cold, Yan Shilang allowed me to take the Jinshi examination to marry Miss Yingzi, which is tantamount to letting me take Mount Tai over the Beihai, the imperial examination is difficult, how many people who are full of knowledge and wisdom are trapped in the field house and difficult to achieve, who am I, I want to try the township test, will try Lianjie!" "Yan Shifang, Yan Shaoqing's uncle and nephew, how did they know that what he really loved Jiuli was actually Lu Miaoxiang.

Listening to Zeng Yu talk about the difficulty of the imperial examination, Yan Shifang was deeply touched, he didn't even have the qualification to participate in the township examination, the years went by, and he couldn't help sighing: "Yes, yes, it is difficult to seek fame in the imperial examination, and it is difficult to go to the sky." ”

Yan Shaoqing really wanted to be Zeng Yu's brother-in-law, and said: "Although my father said that Mr. Zeng was required to be admitted to the Jinshi, as long as Mr. Zeng could be promoted in the township examination this year, and then my uncle and my mother would say good things, there would still be great hope for the marriage - of course, now there is no need to say this, the students salute Mr. Zeng with a cup and wish Mr. Zeng the high school entrance examination in this township." ”

Since Yan Shaoting went to Nanjing, the intrigue of Zhanshantang is gone, Yan Shaoqing, who has been suppressed by Yan Shaoting for a long time, is in a cheerful mood, and his expression and words are much more lively, and he is no longer the gloomy young man with a gloomy expression when Zeng Yu first met.

Speaking of going to Nanchang, Yan Shaoqing said: "Everything is ready, only the east wind is owed, and Mr. Zeng can leave at any time as soon as he arrives." ”

Yan Shifang said: "Zeng Sheng has traveled a long distance from Xinzhou to here, and the journey is tired, of course, it is not too late to recuperate for a few days before going to Nanchang. ”

This night Zeng Yu rested in the mountain hall, half a month to travel is really hard, take a bath and talk with Yan Shaoqing for a while and then go to rest, according to the routine of the eight brocade kimono in the vitality method, undressed and fall asleep when all is silent, this quaint village is also surrounded by the thick night and fell asleep, Zeng Yu is not sleepy, looking at the window leaking a few rays of moonlight, get up and push open the window door, the stars are faint, half a bright moon has been slanted westward, imagine that the moonlight in the Maple Bay should be very quiet, Lu Miaoxiang and the baby Zi don't know if they have fallen asleep, It's so deserted to live away from the village.

Zeng Yu held his head in his hands and pillowed, thinking about Lu Miaoxiang's indifference to him at dusk, his heart was full of mixed feelings, he really wanted to run to the Fenglin Cottage to see Lu Miaoxiang at this time, but what did he explain, he felt that he had not done anything wrong, the infant was still young, and it was not that he could marry if he wanted to, because Yan Shifan obviously looked down on him, and he would be admitted to the Jinshi next year, which was a pipe dream, of course, there were dreams that came true, but it was really a little slim, and his mother was anxious about his marriage, In the Ming Dynasty, a twenty-one-year-old man has not yet married or begotten married, which is really wrong.

He is not wrong, of course Lu Miaoxiang and Ying Zi are not wrong, who is wrong? It's the evil old society that's wrong.

In the dark, Zeng Yu smiled, adjusted his mind, and slowly fell asleep.

Early the next morning, Zeng Yu got up and washed, practiced Baduan Jin in the courtyard, and played a few ancestral hand-me-downs, at this time Yan Shaoqing also got up, and when Zeng Yu finished practicing, he asked, "What did Mr. Zeng practice?" ”

Zeng Yu said: "My great-grandfather has always been a feng shui geography gentleman who walks the rivers and lakes to beg for a living. ”

Yan Shaoqing said: "Then please ask Mr. Zeng to teach me too." ”

Zeng Yu said with a smile: "What are you doing when you learn this, Mr. Fang Tang and Ling Tang will complain that I am misleading, and if you practice diligently, it will be good if you can strengthen your body." ”

Yan Shaoqing said happily: "I was about to tell Mr. Zeng, since Mr. Zeng taught me the Baduan Jin Channeling Technique, there was no growth in the first few months, but one night after the New Year, I suddenly realized that I felt energetic recently, and my diet has increased a lot, and my mother said that my complexion is better than before, and my height has grown." ”

Zeng Yuxin said: "Is this really the credit of Baduanjin, you are sixteen years old in the new year, and it is normal for you to have an increase in food, strong blood, and a long stature." He nodded and said, "Very good, this must be persistent." As he spoke, he looked up at the sky, and said: "Shaoqing Gongzi will accompany me to Maple Bay, I met with the Lu clan when I passed through Qingtian this time, and the Lu clan asked me to bring some Jinxi native products to Lu Niangzi and Miss Yingzi, and there are some things I have to explain to them." ”

Yan Shaoqing's expression also became solemn, and he nodded: "I'll accompany Mr. Zeng, will I go now?" ”

Zeng Yu said: "Well, go now." "Instructed Sixi to bring those Jinxi Tuyi, including yellow gardenias, lotus silk candy, Magu dates, Qingming tea, and a set of tea sets from Baishe kiln.

Yan Shaoqing called his henchman Yan Jian to go with him, and the four of them left Jieqiao Village and went to Maple Bay.

The morning sun has not yet risen, the sky is clear, the spring breeze is swaying, the rape flowers on the field are bright and brilliant, the clear Jiexi water is gurgling into Maple Bay, the four people are in the stream, passing the Yan's abandoned ancestral hall, the front is a single-plank bridge, the baby is still early, the baby has not yet been combed, the long black hair is scattered between the waist and hips, the action of lifting the water is graceful, the wonderful thing is that there are two butterflies flying around her, the baby is not busy carrying water back to the house, and the lips are blowing the butterfly that flies in front of her, The butterfly was blown to the ground, and when it was about to fall to the surface of the water, it flew up again.

The smiling infant looked up and saw the sudden Zeng Yu four, and couldn't help but be surprised, the wooden barrel that had been filled with water slipped from his hand and rolled into the stream, Yan Jian hurriedly took off his shoes, pulled up his trousers, stepped into the stream to scoop up the wooden barrel, and walked on the opposite bank, Zeng Yu, Yan Shaoqing and Sixi also came from the single-plank bridge at this time.

The baby gesture saluted Zeng Yu and Yan Shaoqing, her pretty face was crimson, and she was a little panicked, feeling that her unwashed appearance made Zeng Yu and them embarrassed to see it, and they almost cried.

Zeng Yu hurriedly said: "Miss Yingzi, you can carry the water back first, let's wait here for a while." ”

The infant agreed, and in a panic carried half a bucket of water back to the wooden house.

Yan Shaoqing said to Zeng Yu: "Mr. Zeng, Yan Jian and I are walking by the stream, so we won't go to the wooden house to see Aunt Lu and Xiaozi." As he spoke, he beckoned Yan Jian to cross the single-plank bridge with him and stroll in the direction of the Yan Clan's Ancestral Hall.

Zeng Yu's master and servant waited on the side of the single-plank bridge, and after less than a moment, the infant posture came quickly, the girl had combed her long hair into a double mustache, no fat powder, clear water hibiscus, looked shy, and said respectfully: "Mr. Zeng, my mother invites you to go - where is the son of Shaoqing?" ”

Zeng Yu said: "Shaoqing is walking on the other side of the stream. ”

The baby's voice said "oh", "Mr. Zeng come with me." "It's as if Zeng Yu is going to this maple forest hut for the first time.

Sixi followed behind the young master with a large basket of Jinxi native products, he now understood the relationship between the young master and the beautiful girl in front of him, and said in his heart: "The young master is already engaged to Miss Zhang's family in Longhu Mountain, and I can't marry you as a wife, alas, it's a pity, I'm afraid that you will not be a concubine." ”

When I came to the wooden house, I saw Lu Miaoxiang standing under the eaves, not wearing a cloth hat, her black hair stubble faintly glowing with blue light, her bald head was very beautiful, her expression was not resentful or angry, and she was a little indifferent.

In the small hall of the wooden house, Lu Miao wanted to invite Zeng Yu to sit down and cook tea, but he didn't say much, just asked, "Has my uncle come back from Raozhou?" Are the rest of the tribe okay? "Lu Miaoxiang's uncle went to Raozhou in the early autumn of last year, and Lu Yuanwai's second son was appointed as the general judge of Raozhou.

Zeng Yu said: "There is nothing else to do in the Qingtian Lu clan, Uncle Ling is still in Raozhou, but I heard that he has the disease of wind paralysis and is unable to move." ”

For the uncle who pushed her sister into the fire pit, Lu Miaoxiang had no family thoughts, and when she learned that her uncle was paralyzed, she only said "um", without much sympathy, and said lightly: "Zeng Gongzi, please go back, thank you Mr. Zeng for bringing the news of his hometown and my people, thank you." With that, he saluted and sent off the guest.

Zeng Yu sat still and said, "I promised Lu Niangzi that I never forgot it." ”

Lu Miaoxiang originally looked indifferent, her tone was calm and soothing, and she didn't show any anger, but Zeng Yu's words were like dry firewood, which made her feel like a raging fire, the two good-looking willow eyebrows were raised obliquely, her eyes were as clear as autumn water, and her voice was low: "Since you have lived up to my family's small posture, why do you still mention the promises you once made!" ”

Zeng Yu said: "I will fulfill my promise. ”

Lu Miaoxiang's slightly pale and delicate face suddenly turned red, and she forcibly suppressed her anger and said, "What does Zeng Gongzi mean by this?" ”

Zeng Yu said: "What did I promise Lu Niangzi on the bank of Jiexi that night, does Lu Niangzi still remember clearly?" ”