As the sun set, Ning Xiaochuan finally returned to the house safely.

As for what happened to Gao Yuan and Gao Ling after he left, Ning Xiaochuan was not interested at all.

Now he is thinking about Zhu Youjun's coming-of-age ceremony in a few days, and after the coming-of-age ceremony, Zhu Youjun will enter the barracks, and it will be difficult to meet again when the time comes.

After a simple sum with Song Jing, it can be determined that his life will not be easy in the future.

It is necessary to guard against Gao Ling's retaliation and be wary of Gao Yuan's solicitation, it can be said that if you don't pay attention to it, you will be involved in the East Palace dispute, which is not a small challenge for Ning Xiaochuan.

However, to his surprise, the next few days were very quiet, and the imaginary troubles did not come, which gave Ning Xiaochuan some time to breathe.

On this day, the wind and the sun were beautiful, and Ning Xiaochuan deliberately went to Zhufu with a large bag of things.

When I came to the door of the Zhu Mansion, I was a little surprised when I looked at the Zhu Mansion where the door was closed in front of me and there was no trace of liveliness.

Although Zhu Youtang is famous for his honesty, there is no movement at all in such a big event as his son's coming-of-age ceremony, which is a little unreasonable.

Ning Xiaochuan asked Su Su to knock on the door of the Zhu Mansion suspiciously, and soon the subordinates of the Zhu Mansion walked out, and when they saw that it was Ning Xiaochuan, they hurriedly invited him to enter the mansion.

Among the many officials in Yindu, Zhu Youtang's mansion is the most simple, and when you walk into the hall, there is a "Snowy Night Rush Examination Map" hanging in the hall.

Compared to the ordinary ceramic utensils on the wooden table, this picture is already very valuable.

After a while, Zhu Youtang walked out of the back hall, Zhu Youjiao's beard was already a little gray, but his eyes were like torches, and the whole person didn't look angry and arrogant, giving people a sense of rigor and integrity.

"Uncle Zhu, little nephew Ning Xiaochuan is polite." Ning Xiaochuan got up and bowed.

Unlike the attitude of other people in Yin Capital towards Ning Xiaochuan, Zhu Youtang did not object to Zhu Youjun and Ning Xiaochuan's relationship, and he had no prejudice against Ning Xiaochuan, even if he knew that Ning Xiaochuan was known as the first gentleman in Yin Capital.

This also made Ning Xiaochuan have special respect for this soldier squire.

"Young Master Ning doesn't have to be polite, you should come to my house today for Jun'er." Zhu Youtang said with a long sigh.

Ning Xiaochuan nodded, yes, it's so strange, I've been here for so long, and Zhu Youjun hasn't come out to see him, if this is normal, as soon as he enters the door, Zhu Youjun will run over.

Zhu Youtang waved his hand, and the housekeeper behind him bowed and retreated, "Jun'er went to the military department three days ago to sign up for the army, and now it is estimated that he is already on his way to the military camp at this time." ”

"Huh?"

Ning Xiaochuan looked at Zhu Youtang in astonishment, "No, uncle, didn't Da Hei go to join the army after the coming-of-age ceremony?" Why did you go three days ago, and besides, you didn't say a word to me. ”

Zhu Youtang sighed, when it came to this son, he was also mixed.

"Jun'er is worried that a few of you are coming, his will will be shaken, Jun'er values feelings, brothers, and can't bear to be separated from you, this time I have made a lot of determination to join the army, even I, as a father, can't believe that this is his own decision."

Zhu Youjun joined the army like this, and left without saying hello.

Ning Xiaochuan suddenly felt empty in his heart, "Uncle, it was indeed his own decision to join the army, but he just wanted you to look up to it." ”

"This silly boy."

Zhu Youtang didn't know the purpose of Zhu Youjun's doing, hoping that his son would become a dragon is every father's hope for his son, and as a father, he naturally hopes that Zhu Youjun can become a talent.

He was strict with Zhu Youjun and strictly restrained him on weekdays, no matter how good Zhu Youjun was, he didn't praise it, and he didn't even smile at him once.

"Uncle, in fact, Da Hei also hopes that you can praise him, he is really good, don't look at the day and day, hehe, he has no heart and lungs, but he is more sensitive than any of us.

The reason why he values feelings is because he lacks this kind of care, so he is afraid of losing, and these care is what Zhu Fu does not have. Ning Xiaochuan got up and said.

Zhu Youtang looked at Ning Xiaochuan and couldn't help but shake his head, "The old man always hoped that Jun'er could become a talent and break out of the world, but when Jun'er left home and really went outside to fight, I was a little reluctant to be a father, and after Jun'er left, the whole family seemed a lot more deserted......"

Ning Xiaochuan looked at Zhu Youtang, tears appeared in the corners of his eyes, and he knew in his heart that Zhu Youtang was really reluctant to let Zhu Youjun go.

"Master, this is the young master's letter."

After a while, the housekeeper walked in, and Zhu Youtang quickly wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes and handed a letter to Ning Xiaochuan.

"This is a letter that Jun'er left for a few of you before leaving, let the old man pass it on to you, since you are here today, the old man will hand it over to you."

"Thank you, uncle."

Ning Xiaochuan took the letter, looked at Zhu Youtang's lonely expression, and couldn't help but bow down, "Uncle, don't worry too much, pay attention to your body, when Da Hei returns to Beijing again, you will definitely be proud of him." ”

Zhu Youtang nodded, Ning Xiaochuan bowed his hand, looking at Ning Xiaochuan's back, Zhu Youtang sighed.

Zhu Youtang has always hoped that Zhu You can achieve something, and over the years, Zhu Youjun has been forced by him to learn a lot of things, but there is no result.

In the end, he finally went to the Imperial Military Mansion, studied for two years and dropped out with Ning Xiaochuan, and asked the reason, it was because Ning Xiaochuan was not there, and he didn't want to learn, and Zhu Youtang almost broke Zhu Youjun's leg for this reason.

In fact, what Zhu Youjun wants is very simple, he just hopes that his father can look down on him, he is not a wasted person who has achieved nothing, and he can also fight his own world with his own hands.

It wasn't until Zhu Youjun left that Zhu Youtang realized that he had been wrong for so many years, and he hoped that Zhu Youjun could live his life in peace rather than getting ahead.

If Zhu Youjun can really come back and appear in front of him, he will definitely smile and say to him, Jun'er, you are the pride of your father.

……

Jumbo Zhai.

Ning Xiaochuan drank the sullen wine one by one, and Wei Zhengchun and Hu Shangyi next to him were silent after reading the letter.

After a long time, Wei Zhengchun slowly spoke, "What do you call this, Da Hei went to join the army, Wu Sanbei and our yin and yang are separated, and in less than a month, there are only three of us left of five people." ”

Ning Xiaochuan didn't tell them the truth about Wu Zishi's death, in his opinion, Wu Zizhi died dead, rather than letting the brothers hold a grudge, it was better for them to keep the good brother Wu Sanbei who poured three cups in their memory.

"But...... Seriously, I admire Da Hei, his father is a squire in the military department, so he went to be a big soldier without hesitation, how can the children of ordinary officials have this courage and courage, I admire it. Hu Shangyi said with emotion.

This courage is indeed admirable, Ning Xiaochuan looked at Hu Shangyi, who had been yawning, and couldn't help asking, "Shangyi, what's the matter with you?" I haven't seen you for so long, and I yawn and keep yawning when I see each other, what are you doing these days? Trap you like this dog. ”

Wei Zhengchun also nodded beside him, "Yes, seeing that your face is so bad, you shouldn't have had a good rest for a long time." ”

Hu Shangyi drank a glass of wine and shook her head helplessly, "Brothers, I don't know, I'm almost tired to death in the past half a month, helping my father check the account books in the granary, I have to stay up late every night, can this look be good?" ”

Ning Xiaochuan frowned, "This is the time for spring ploughing, not the summer harvest, is the agricultural department so busy?" ”

"Before the Wu family's accident, the Hubu Shangshu and the Military Shangshu came to our house with a holy decree and asked my father to urgently raise three million stone of grain to be transferred to Sichuan and Shu.

It is said that the Miaojiang tribe is restless, and there are constant conflicts in various parts of Shuzhou, and the king of Anxi is ready to transfer troops to encircle and suppress, and needs military rations, and my father did not dare to be careless when he heard that he wanted to quell the chaos, so he pulled me to start raising, three million stone grain is not a small amount, and the grain was not prepared until yesterday. Hu Shangyi said helplessly.

"It's also to blame your father for being too dead-eyed, there are so many people under his hands, there is no need to do everything himself." Wei Zhengchun shook his head and said.

Hu Shangyi took a sip of wine, and he was very helpless, "I think so too, but my father thinks that the issue of military rations is related to the victory or defeat of the war, the people's livelihood and national fortunes, and he can't be sloppy, so he has to pull me to calculate it himself, hey." ”

"Is there going to be a war in Shuzhou? It's strange, my fourth brother is in Shuzhou, why didn't he say it in the letter to his family. ”

Ning Xiaochuan said strangely, this peace of mind is a big deal, and if such a big thing happens, it is impossible for his fourth brother not to mention it.

"I don't know, maybe I was afraid that your father and mother would worry, so I didn't say it." Hu Shangyi thought for a while and said, this may be the only appropriate answer.

Having said that, he still feels strange, on weekdays, his fourth brother will write to them about the big and small things in Shuzhou, so that the family can rest assured that he is safe in Shuzhou.

Among the eighteen states of Dafeng, the most unstable is the three states of Sichuan and Shu, which are far away from Zhongzhou, blocked by the Hengling Mountains, and the transportation is inconvenient, and Yindu's control over them is very weak.

In addition, the people of these three states are mainly Miao people, and their sense of identity with the Central Plains culture is very low, and the Miao and Han conflicts are continuous, otherwise the king of Anxi would not spend a lot of money to hire Ning Xiaochuan's fourth brother to go to Shuzhou to educate the Miao people.

"Okay, we won't discuss these state affairs, our purpose today is to practice for Dahei, come, let's drink one together first." Wei Zhengchun got up and raised his glass and said.

Ning Xiaochuan and Hu Shangyi raised their glasses at the same time and got up, leaving these miscellaneous things behind, "Do!" ”

"This cup is a big black." Ning Xiaochuan lowered his stomach and put a glass of wine on the empty seat next door.

Remembering that when they met for the first time, Zhu Youjun leaned against the corner alone and shed tears, and wiped his face with snot, Ning Xiaochuan couldn't help but smile.

They were both five years old that year, Zhu Youtang had not yet reached his current official position, and he was honest and honest in running his family, so Zhu Youjun's clothes were always sewn and mended, and they were in tatters, so those rich children often bullied him, saying that he was a big black charcoal.

Zhu Youjun was wronged outside, and when he got home, he didn't say anything, he would only cry alone in a corner where no one was, until he met Ning Xiaochuan, Ning Xiaochuan handed him a sugar gourd that day, and said with a smile, don't cry, this sugar gourd is for you, it's sweet.

Later, Zhu Youjun told him that Ning Xiaochuan was the first person to take the initiative to make friends with him.

At that time, he looked at Ning Xiaochuan's cute pink face, and then saw that he was as black as a briquette, and the inferiority complex in his heart came up suddenly.

But later, Ning Xiaochuan told Zhu Youjun with his actions that he really wanted to make friends with him, and from then on, Zhu Youjun swore that he would recognize this friend in his life.

No matter what Ning Xiaochuan wants to do, he will fully support it, even if Ning Xiaochuan is now a gentleman, he will never say anything.

In fact, what Zhu Youjun didn't know was that he himself was Ning Xiaochuan's first friend.

"This cup is three cups to Wu." Ning Xiaochuan poured another glass of wine and poured it on the ground, this wine was for Wu Sanbei, and it was for Wu Sanbei who helped them beat the children of wealthy businessmen in Jiangnan together when they met for the first time and invited them to drink, but he poured three glasses himself.

Now that Wu Zizhi is dead, Wu Sanbei has also followed.

"Drink."

The three of them drank happily, perhaps even Ning Xiaochuan himself did not expect that this would be the last time the three of them drank together.