Smoke huā Yangzhou, ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign countries do not know how many literati and ink writers have attracted special taste. Although it is a long time ago from the era of poetry and wine, but at the end of this rainy and rainy March, boating on the Slender West Lake, there is a silky light rain floating in the air, the beauty on the painting boat is concentrating on tuning the strings, not far from the lake, through the light gauze like the rain curtain, you can faintly see other painting boats, the shadow is as if there is a dancing girl is dancing, the music is passed over the rain, it is even more distant and pleasant.

If it weren't for something in his heart, Chen Lan might have indulged in this artistic conception. However, holding a Lu'an melon slice in her hand, the tip of her nose could still smell the tranquility of lily incense, and the corner of her eye could glimpse the two glazed huā lamps on the top, but her eyes were always only staring at Mrs. Liang in front of her. Sure enough, this one is obviously not used to meeting and talking about things in the most common painting boat on this Slender West Lake, especially the sound of silk and bamboo one after another, and after a dry greeting, she immediately took out a letter from her sleeve.

"This is,"

Chen Lan's face was surprised, and Mrs. Liang's outstretched hand was also slightly unstable, and her face showed a deep embarrassment: "Just yesterday, a box was sent in from outside, saying that it was sent from the capital. Because Yuan'er is now learning etiquette in the palace, the people below naturally dare not slack off, so the old man called the old lady to open the box with me......"

Mrs. Liang was stuck, and it took a long time for her to stand up, leaning forward and stuffing the letter into Chen Lan's hand without saying anything, and then sat down, her eyes only looking at the ground below, and her mind was still a little confused. Fortunately, when I opened the box yesterday, there was only one Hauni except for the old lady and the old man, otherwise it would be seen somewhere. That thing was sent from the capital, and it was indeed a letter from a daughter, which clearly reminded them to abide by their duties, "Don't be confused by those relatives and friends..."

Who is Lin Taikan, she and the old lady didn't react for a while, but the old man immediately ordered Hongni to guard outside, and then hurriedly read the letter, and then when he handed it to her and the old lady, he actually sighed subtly.

"It's Yuan'er's future husband...... Unexpectedly, the offspring I saw back then "turned out to be him......

At this moment, looking at the familiar handwriting of her husband on the letter, she squeezed the thin piece of paper tightly, and the emotion that had been pent up for many days in her heart was "difficult to get out for a long time." When she finished reading, unconsciously, her originally clenched left fist did not relax, but slammed the armrest.

The sudden sound of the bang suddenly woke up Mrs. Liang in a trance, she hurriedly raised her head, and saw Chen Lan biting her lip, "I can't tell whether it is anger or annoyance on my face", she naturally remembered the rumors of the past few days, "She and the old lady are also very worried, those relatives and friends who used to flock to it, but now they don't even have anyone to come to comfort them." As a result, she always had some sympathy for Chen Lan" immediately coughed dryly.

"Madame, don't worry too much, men are like this, they only remember to do big things, and women can only take care of the housework for them, so that they can rest assured" ............

Chen Lan glanced at Mrs. Liang, then carefully folded the letter into the envelope, and put it in his arms with a precious place, and then said with a smile: "This is the letter they left before leaving, but because of the habits of His Royal Highness, it was delivered to us half a month late, and there is no new news now." What Mrs. Liang said just now is that at this moment, we can only wait patiently, take care of the housework, and let them feel at ease. ”

Mrs. Liang's smile froze on her face suddenly, and she subconsciously said, "Mrs. Yang, you mean to say" "Do you mean, it's not easy to say that their safety is going to be right now?" However, the letter sent by His Royal Highness King Jing swore that he was very sure of this trip, so that my lord could take this opportunity to see the faces of some relatives and friends, and he also gave him two treasures......"

However, as she spoke, her voice grew softer. Also, the prince did not mention where he was going, what was the purpose, why did she feel that this storm would dissipate immediately based on these few words? If His Royal Highness King Jing really has three longs and two shorts............ The people of Yuan'er have already learned etiquette in the words, and the family has also received the royal ceremony!

The marriage has been ironclad, Amitabha, King Jing must not have anything in case!

Chen Lan saw that Mrs. Liang's face was not good, thinking that she also found Mr. Bi in the Liang family that day, Mrs. Liang's words were often used by Mrs. Neizhai to persuade herself, she secretly regretted that she should not have pierced King Jing's good news and not bad news, and she couldn't help but feel a few words of relief: "Mrs. Liang doesn't have to worry too much, besides, His Royal Highness King Jing has always been a blessed person." Misfortune and blessing depend, thinking that since they have done it, there is always a corresponding plan. I would like to thank you for sending the letter and arranging such a place. ”

"It should be, it should be, as for this painting boat, it was also mentioned in the letter by His Royal Highness King Jing, saying that this place is safe...... Besides, it's really not safe to let people deliver letters at this time, so I might as well go myself. ”

As soon as Mrs. Liang spoke, she secretly regretted that she had been exposed. The wind hurriedly prevaricated, and saw that Chen Lan didn't seem to care, so he breathed a sigh of relief. Now that the things that should be said have been said, although she is still worried about King Jing, she has to comfort herself with Chen Lan's sentence of a blessed person, and gradually her heart is settled. Chen Lan is the same, although he still doesn't know Yang Jinzhou's safety, but the handwritten letter is hidden close to him, and after thinking about it and showing it to the Jiang family after he goes back, he will definitely make her mother-in-law feel at ease, and the corners of her mouth are not upturned.

As a result, the slanting wind and drizzle outside, the silk bamboo orchestra, and even the other painting boats seen through the bamboo curtain in the hazy smoke and rain also seem to give people a sense of tranquility and soothing. The painting boat slowly moved forward with the current of the lake, and it was almost imperceptible to any shaking, and the two people sitting opposite each other at the small square table with a difference of nearly twice the age did not speak, until there was a shout from the opposite side, Chen Lan suddenly turned around, "Looking through the bamboo curtain, I found that there was a small boat in the diagonal that was sailing towards this side." The man with the small oars rose and fell, stirring up a large area of water for a while, and the momentum was extremely fast.

In the face of this situation" and heard a few shouts from the painting boat here, she naturally frowned, but then she saw a person coming out of the cabin: "Is the county lord of Haining on the boat?" ”

What came out today were Aunt Liu and Changdi Hongluo, while Aunt Yun and Hongying Yun'er stayed in Wanquan Villa in case Jiang's illness recurred, or if there was something going on outside. Therefore, at this time, the boat came over, and the person who got out shouted directly, and Aunt Liu, who was standing on the edge of the railing on the second floor, was in a dark heart, and hurriedly leaned against the railing to look down. found that the person who came was wearing a brocade robe, "carrying an embroidered spring knife on her waist, wearing a scarf of loyalty on her head, and carrying a long strip wrapped in blue cloth on her back.

What is the important matter of Jinyiwei, you need to go straight to this Slender West Lake?

Puzzled, she still glanced at Xiao Wu, who led a few family members today, and immediately said to the boat: "On the boat is my wife and Mrs. Liang, dare to ask if the master is ......."

"The lowly brocade guards bring knives and hundreds of households to Qian Neng, and they are ordered to ask to see!"

The boat approached with the sound, and "Xu Yu set up another springboard." The hundred households easily jumped on the bow of the painting boat with only one foot, "and then tidied up their half-dry clothes" Seeing a well-dressed mother coming downstairs, he arched his hand again: "The humble post came from Beijing, because it was eight hundred miles in an emergency, and I didn't dare to delay a little" So I found that there was no one in Wanquan Villa, so I rushed over. If there is anything abrupt, "I hope forgiveness of sins." ”

"It's really hard for 100 households." Hearing this, Aunt Liu's attitude became polite again, and she saluted with a smile, "Madame is upstairs, I don't know what ...... you are here."

"It's the handwritten edict of the eldest princess of Anguo." After saying this, Qian Neng took off a silver medal from his waist and handed it to Aunt Tenon, "This is a talisman under it." ”

Aunt Liu took a look at it, and knew that this was indeed Jinyiwei, so she hurriedly reported it. And this painting boat is transparent, and the second floor of Shicai's words can already be heard clearly, Mrs. Liang hurriedly stood up, and said softly to Chen Lan: "Since this is the case, then I will avoid it first." ”

Chen Lan looked at this posture at first, and heard that this person reported his surname, and thought that the Son of Heaven had brought something, but he was a little puzzled by the fact that he had chased him straight to the thin westward journey like this. At this time, since Mrs. Liang was willing to retreat, she naturally thanked her, and then took the hat handed over by Changdi, got up and went downstairs.

The money could hear the movement upstairs and immediately lowered his head. Sure enough, not long after, there was an unhurried sound of descending the stairs. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the richly embroidered robes and skirts, and he immediately untied the long strip of things he was carrying, and knelt down on one knee and held his hands high.

"The lowly brocade guard brought a knife and a hundred households to meet the county lord of Haining, and brought the edict of the princess of Anguo."

Chen Lan caught a glimpse of several boatmen of this painting boat hiding not far away to probe their brains, and when they saw this brocade guard Baihu so solemnly, he couldn't help but feel a little big, but he had to step forward to take it in person.

When she started, she only felt that this long thing had a lot of weight, and it was not just a letter, so she felt even more strange in her heart. It's not easy to talk about such things, so she had to let Aunt Liu take it first, and then she asked how many words the money could have, but the person who came was tight-lipped, except for the order to go on this trip to deliver the letter, the rest couldn't ask anything.

Since he couldn't ask, Chen Lan didn't bother to do that, said a few words politely, thanked him again, and watched him get on the boat and leave at a speed almost as fast as when he came. It was only when the shadows of the ship and the figures almost all disappeared into the smoke and rain that she suddenly remembered something.

Although the weather is bad today, there are several painting boats on the lake, how can anyone easily find her painting boat? If she really shouted and asked questions like she did when she came over just now, I am afraid that the other boats on the lake will know that she is on the Slender West Lake! Thinking of this, the corners of her mouth couldn't help twitching slightly, knowing that the brocade guard Baihu was definitely not just facial paralysis.

With such a thing, Chen Lan and Mrs. Liang made an appointment to go to the house again when they were free, and immediately let the painting boat sail back. When she came down from the backyard dock of Wanquan Villa, she immediately went straight to Yushengzhai West House. Seeing that Jiang was half-seated, and was about to be served by Zhuang's mother to take medicine, she hurriedly stepped forward and took the medicine bowl from Zhuang's mother's hand, and sat at the head of the bed.

"Why did you come back? It's rare for Mrs. Liang to invite, you should also go out for a walk. ”

"There is a time to relax, but now there is no such leisure and elegance." Chen Lan smiled, carefully served the Jiang family After drinking the bowl of medicine, she put the medicine bowl on the small tea tray on the side, and then showed a smile at her mother-in-law, "However, if you want to go out today, you have a first-class good news, mother, you see, this is Shuquan's letter!" ”

Jiang Shi was stunned when he heard this, and saw Chen Lan take out a letter from his arms and stuff it into his hand, "Her breathing became short, and she even felt that one hand was extremely heavy. Since Yang Jinzhou returned to Beijing, and then got married again, the strength of gritting her teeth and working hard in the past has been relaxed, and now in the face of such heavy pressure, she is no longer calm when she was alone in the humble room before. Grasping the letter tightly, she took a deep breath and pulled out the letterhead, unfolded it, and read it all word by word, before she leaned back, and the weight of the weight even made the bed creak.

"It's okay......"

With a long sigh of relief, she withdrew her hand suddenly, and she didn't notice that Chen Lan quickly took the letter back. When Chen Lan jokingly said something about what he had seen and heard on the lake today, "and mentioned the messenger who appeared in front of him like riding the wind and waves", Jiang also laughed unconsciously: "It turned out to be such a big posture...... Haven't you seen what the eldest princess sent you? Hey, don't just care about me as a patient, hurry up and take a look, if it's something good, "Bring it over and let me see it!" ”

Chen Lan naturally agreed with a smile. When I went to the east room, I saw that Aunt Liu had already put the long bag on the big desk. She stepped forward to untie it, "I saw that it was a long brocade box, and when I opened it, I saw a long sword lying inside, and the leather scabbard was in the middle, which was decorated with treasure phoenix, inlaid with gold and jade, all in all, the habits of the eldest princess of Anguo were very different from those of Ri. Inexplicably, she saw that there was still a letter in the wooden box, and hurriedly took it out and opened it.

"Ah Lan, everything is fine in the capital, Mrs. Yangning Hou is in good health, and Xiao Si has always been clever and clever, don't read it. This letter goes, one of them takes away my sword back then, because it was given by my father, so it is inlaid with gold and jade, and it is rarely used in the high pavilion on weekdays, and I want to come to you with no other use. Second, Xiao Si once said that the golden eunuch of the wine vinegar noodle factory said to him that there are many medicinal Ah hibiscus ointments in the palace, this medicine comes from overseas, and you are in Jiangnan. Third, the Duchess of Weiguo is happy to have a noble son, I have not moved yet, and Mrs. Ji of King Zhou has also been diagnosed with pregnancy. At this moment, only * you can make your wishes come true. ”

Seeing this, Chen Lan felt a lot of emotion in her heart, but the four words of A Hibiscus Paste gave her a not so good premonition, and she even had the urge to immediately write a reply. However, when she took away the two pieces of paper that she had already finished reading and moved to the last two, her expression couldn't help but change suddenly.

"The emperor said that he was sick and avoided the court, ignoring the impeachment criticism of the court, but it has been intensifying recently. Jingshi is like this, Jiangnan can be imagined, and we must cherish and be cautious. The posthumous works of the Duke of Chu that were previously sent have been sent to the emperor Shikou, but the text is indisputable. What a pity! The emperor once said that if the prince of Chu wants to do a good job, he must first sharpen his tools, which is a wise saying. However, Chu Guogong was too radical in politics, which led to this ending, which is suffocating. King Jing's trip is a secret order, intended to plan for the future, and I hope that Uncle Quan's assistance can be successful. Those of Jinling Academy, do not move lightly, remember to advise King Jing and Shuquan, and slowly draw it. P.S. The messenger of the letter is able to send money to hundreds of households, and he has been entrusted by me to enter Yangzhou City, which is to publicize it, and those who are good at scheming will think that the things they carry are from the palace, and they should be able to help you. ”

Looking at the familiar inscription, Chen Lan only felt warm in his heart, and he didn't feel that he had read it again from beginning to end, and only felt that the words of concern were deeply rooted in his mind, so he put the letter back in the envelope. However, when she took out the sword, she saw that there was a bag under her head, and when she reached out to take it, the weight of the weight immediately startled her. When I opened it, I saw that there were countless golden things inside, and there was a note stuffed inside. When she came out and saw those words clearly, she was even more stunned.

"Guess with Erjian to win, and give you a chat for pocket use!"

Such a bag of golden melon seeds, just for pocket use? Chen Lan naturally knew a lot about the temperament of the eldest princess of Anguo, and knew that she was worried that she was in Jiangnan and had some inconvenient occasions to use silver tickets, so she brought such a bag of umbrella melon seeds, she took a deep breath, put the letter away for a while, and closed her eyes to stick this bag on her chest. I don't know how long it took before she opened her eyes, and said to Aunt Liu, who came in with her: "This thing sent by my mother is not trivial, you go and let Hongying come in." ”

Aunt Tenon only saw clearly that there was an unusually richly decorated sword in this box, and was guessing the origin of the things and what the eldest princess of An Guo wrote on the letter. When Hongying entered the door, Chen Lan had already closed the box, and wrapped it firmly with the blue silk before, and then held it to Hongying.

"Madam, this is ......"

"This is something that my mother specially sent from the capital. I was supposed to carry it with me, but it was a bit bulky, so I had to leave it to you to take care of. From today onwards, you can't let it leave you an inch, and you don't have to worry about anything else, just follow me all the time" understand? ”

Hongying is such a smart person, glanced at the long strip of baggage, and then looked at Chen Lan's solemn face, and immediately took a step back and knelt down on one knee: "Madame, don't worry, people are in things, and this truth can be saved by slaves and maids!" ”

"Good!" Chen Lan personally tied the things on Hongying's back, and seeing that she looked effortless, she reached out and pinched Hongying's sturdy arms again, "When can I be as strong as you, then I don't have to worry!" ”

"Madame, why are you worried? Isn't there Mr. Bi? Hongying naturally spit out a sentence, seeing that Chen Lan's expression suddenly became a little gloomy, she suddenly regretted her words, "Busy with this" and said with a smile, "From today on, I will never leave Mrs. ”

Chen Lan was amused by her: "Little clever ghost, how do you know that this is a sword?" Also, sword maid sword maid, this doesn't sound like a good thing, if you really call it that, it will be scolding you! ”

"Ahh Hongying suddenly realized, but for the previous question, she moved her shoulders slyly, and easily reached out to put her hand on the burden, "This shape and weight, and your serious appearance, how can it be something else?" Don't worry, my mouth is tight, and I will never reveal half a word! Speaking of which...... I'll have to bring both guns with me......"

"Okay, okay, don't think I'll let you carry this heavy Jixi!"

Chen Lan saw Hongying tilting her head and thinking about it, as if she really planned to cling to her signature Hongying double guns in and out of the attendant, she had to interrupt the little girl's fantasy, and then pulled her back to the West House. Regarding the things that Hongying was carrying, she just smiled at the Jiang family lightly and said that it was a sword sent by the eldest princess of Anguo, and what was written in the letter was just a random selection of some and said, only the big bag of golden melon seeds, but she sat at the head of the bed with a smile and poured it out, and counted them one by one in front of the Jiang family.

Jiang only thought that Chen Lan was childish, so he reached out and gently checked one grain, and immediately smiled: "One is four to six dollars, I heard that the silver on the ground in Jiangnan is cheap and expensive, and sometimes fifteen taels can't be exchanged for one or two gold, these are at least worth seven or eight hundred taels of silver, and the middle family may not have so many family funds, and the eldest princess actually gave it to you for pocket use, which shows how much it hurts you." ”

At this moment, when the people next to him saw the bed full of gold, they naturally laughed and said something funny. was making a fuss, Aunt Yun came into the house from outside, and when she saw the laughter and laughter in the room, she was busy asking the girl behind, and when she learned what was going on, she came forward. After echoing a few words, she said, "Old lady, madam, Pingjiang Bofu sent someone to say that he came to visit the old lady's illness. ”

Seeing that Zhuang's mother retreated with a few girls in a wise way, she said: "I said that the old lady was sick and the lady was busy, so they didn't insist on seeing people, but only left the gifts, and said that Uncle Pingjiang and his wife have not returned to Huai'an now, they are still in the Nanjing Courtyard, and several young masters and young ladies are also there." He also brought a sentence from Ping Jiangbo, saying that he was invited to the ancestral hall of the Jiang family, and it was said that the old patriarch Jiang had something to do with staying in Wanquan Villa, so he sent someone to ask......"

"Ask? I'm afraid this is not just a question, but also a request! ”

Chen Lan's happy smile just now disappeared all of a sudden, only when she got the letter from her stepmother Zengwu, she had some thoughts, and at this time she couldn't help but look sideways at Jiang and said: "Mother, we have stayed in this Wanquan Villa for a long time, although Uncle Quan has not come back yet, but he and the two Jiang generals should always go to Nanjing to take office, how about we take a boat to Nanjing tomorrow?" When you get there, you will have the property of the Hou Mansion, and you don't have to borrow someone else's house, so you just took advantage of this to go to the Jiang family's ancestral hall meeting.

Jiang only hesitated, then nodded emphatically: "Okay, according to you."