The subordinates sent out by Xu Taishou to investigate Zi'er's family soon returned, but the news they brought back was completely contrary to what they had been told before-that year there was a drought, the whole village had no harvest, and most of Zi'er's family starved to death, leaving only Zi'er's grandmother, Zi'er's father and a four or five-year-old girl.

Who knew that the house leak happened to rain overnight, and in less than a year, Zi'er's father accidentally slipped off the cliff when he went into the mountains to hunt, and his life was saved, but he couldn't stand up again.

A few months later, on a dark and windy night, Zi'er's grandmother was seen going out in the middle of the night, and asked that she couldn't sleep and walk, and after that, she never came back.

However, for more than a year, Zi'er's father fainted on the edge of the ridge for a night before being found and sent back, so far he was seriously ill and had repeated high fevers, but after more than half a month, this person was finally gone.

The remaining little girl said that her father couldn't sleep at night a few days ago, worried that something would happen to her sister who was far away in the imperial capital. It turned out that Zi'er hadn't received news for a long time, and Zi'er's father asked the villagers who went to the imperial capital to bring a message, but who knew that it was a person who went to the empty house and couldn't find it. Zi'er's father got the news, and he couldn't sleep well worriedly, and fell on the ridge in a trance.

So far, there is only one little girl less than ten years old left in the family, who was led home by a butcher in the village with a red cover not long ago.

As for Zi'er, when it comes to it, everyone in the village shakes their heads, and they have no conscience. In the first year of his absence, he often sent money back, and it is impossible to say more or less, but at least there was, but then there was no news.

The news was transmitted back to Taihe County, and everyone was silent.

If this is the case, then Zi'er has been frugal all these years and is not even willing to buy a little better rouge gouache, and those silver ...... And where did it go?

Xu is that the book was inadvertently flipped by Shi Huan that day, so that Xu Taishou felt that this eldest lady should also have some right to know, and he came to the news early in the morning, and brought Gu Ci by the way.

But the atmosphere is somewhat unserious.

For example, "Ah, hey, my Taifu, you just let me have a son, or you just let me do it in one game!" Speaking of which, I'm also the one who won the Taifu, Bei'er has face, doesn't he? "- This is Xu Taishou, who regrets a chess game from time to time, that is a routine operation.

"You have face, I lose face." - This is Taifu, who is ruthless at all, and he is quick and accurate in chess.

Lying in the soft floor under the porch and eating melon seeds and basking in the sun, it was Shi Huan.

found a small bench to peel melon seeds on the side, it was a piece of feather. It's only been a few days, and Pian Yu has already obtained the true inheritance of the new master, and the melon seeds she peeled, one by one, lined up neatly in a small white porcelain plate......

And Gu Ci was casually and slowly watering the various chrysanthemums in the old lady's courtyard - in order not to be pulled over to play chess with Xu Taishou, he snatched the work from Uncle Lin.

It doesn't seem like a serious atmosphere.

But the few dialogues that were interspersed during the period were extremely serious, such as, "Gu Ci, you say...... Where did all that money go? Isn't that girl raising a little scholar......" - this is Xu Taishou, after speaking, he secretly wanted to get back his deserved.

didn't think about it, and was slapped by the Taifu, "What do you think is a storyteller, there are a lot of stories like this in the teahouse, the fireworks woman sells herself to earn money to support the poor scholars, and the scholars return to their hometowns to marry the princess......"

Shi Huan looked at the full melon seed kernel in the middle of the statement, and suddenly thought of something, and muttered, "It's not...... No way......"

Gu Ci didn't hear clearly, and looked back, "Huh? ”

Shi Huan slowly put down the melon seed kernel in his hand, and in the neat rows of melon seed kernels, this one seemed a little abrupt. Kata Yu reached out and straightened it.

Shi Huan sat up straight, his eyes fell on the plate of melon seeds, and asked, "Has anyone asked Zi'er if she has changed her residence in the past few years?" Did the people who went to Zi'er's hometown find the villager who passed the word at the beginning? ”

There was a bit of imperceptible solemnity in his voice.

I don't know why, Shi Huan always minded what he saw that day, in the whole wardrobe, except for such a messy dress, the others were neatly folded, not even a trace of extra folds, the whole room was clean and clean, it can be seen that the girl's temperament should be very tidy, how did she rub up Bian Yizhen's heavy family letter, but it was put in the only messy clothes...... What's more, if even a letter from home is precious, how can it be abandoned to an elderly grandmother, a disabled father, or a young sister?

Shi Huan had a vague guess about the truth, but he was a little reluctant to touch it because of the vaguely visible truth like frost and snow in winter.

The people present were all smart people, she asked like this, and naturally she knew what she suspected, Xu Taishou, who was shouting and regretting the chess, sighed and let go of the chess piece that she wanted to draw back, "The surname is Shen, and he is the only talent who has gone out in the village, and he has not returned to his hometown much in the past two years, and the villagers are not very familiar with him." It's been checked, and it seems that it will take at least a few days before the news comes back. ”

"That kid Xie Jiang is very familiar with the painting, and he has been running there every day for the past two days, let him inquire." Gu Ci watered the last few pots of green chrysanthemums, "If we go in person, no matter how much the other party cooperates, we will always be restrained, and there are some things that can be said but not said, so it is not easy to say." ”

Seeing that he had finished watering, Uncle Lin stepped forward to take the kettle in his hand and said with a smile, "Trouble Gu Gongzi." The old man always dislikes us old things, and has followed him all his life, but he hasn't learned how to take care of these treasures...... Especially these pots of green chrysanthemums, they don't let the old slave touch them. ”

"It's okay, I'll come and see if I'm free after that."

"You can't do it...... How can I bother you......"

There was still a greeting here, and Xu Taishou was already itching his hands, waving his hand and shouting, "Gu Ci, don't be crooked, come and play a few games of chess with me!" ”

When the words fell, Taifu had already gotten up.

Gu Ci suddenly reached out and touched his elbow, "Hey, this body is bone...... Just water a few pots of chrysanthemums, how can you be tired like this...... I'll rest for a while......" he said, walking towards the other soft collapse beside Shi Huan under the porch, rubbing his elbow as he went, shaking his head and sighing.

Xu Taishou: ...... I believe in your wickedness.

Lord Taishou saw that Taifu was about to leave when he got up, and was about to hold on to another plate, when he saw that Taifu suddenly seemed to be dozens of years younger, quickly got up and walked out, and shouted at the butler who was still far away from here, "What's wrong?" What happened? ”

The voice is loud and eager.

The steward was stunned and frightened as he walked slowly, and stood in place thinking...... It's not a big deal, is it......