In April, Bianjing City is still shrouded in the vitality of spring, inside and outside the city, full of young boys and girls who travel to the green, located in the western suburbs of Bianjing on the grass next to the Jinming Pond, similar to polo hammer pills and other gatherings have basically not stopped.

Today is this one, tomorrow is that family, and the young boys and girls take advantage of the polo hammering ball party to choose those who can make their hearts of the opposite sex.

Although the lintel of the Sheng family is not high, there is a big girl who married into the Zhongqin Mansion, the old lady Sheng is the daughter of the Marquis of Yongyi, and Wang Ruofu's father is an old lady who enjoys the Taimiao.

But since April, after the accident, the Sheng family began to close the door, except for a few in-laws, there were even many fewer ordinary greetings and send-offs.

Don't talk about others, it's Changbai, there was such an accident in the family, and his mother actually did the act of putting printing money outside, like Changbai, an upright person, and a little unacceptable for a while.

Especially when Changbai learned from his father that the person who took his mother to put the printing money was actually his aunt and sister, who was the same mother as his mother, Changbai's three views were more and more shocked.

Changbai grew up, most of the time at home to study hard, rarely go out to socialize, naturally there are no friends, the only two friends, one is Wang Chong in Quanzhou, thousands of miles away in the southeast, and the other is now negative Qi moved out of the Hou Mansion and lives in Sweet Water Lane Gu Er.

The joy of the top two in high school was washed away a lot by this sudden news, and Changbai could only come to Sweet Water Lane to find Gu Er to drink and talk about his worries.

The peach blossoms in Gu's second courtyard are blooming brilliantly, and Sister Rong and Brother Chang are playing happily under the peach blossom tree with the female envoy.

The spring breeze blows, and many petals fall with the wind, covering the courtyard.

The two people on both sides of the long case in the pavilion have their own worries.

"I heard that my uncle fell in love with the daughter of the Hai family for Zecheng?" Gu Er didn't want to mention those annoying things, so he simply talked about Changbai's good deeds.

"Father does intend to marry the Hai family!" Cheung Pak Road.

"The Hai family is a clear stream family, generations of hairpins, to this generation, a three-Hanlin, world-renowned, very strict family education, the Hai family girl is well-known virtuous and virtuous! Blessed are you! Gu Er said with a smile, but there was a little envy in his words.

Changbai's eyes have always been bright, listening to Gu Er's tone, thinking about Gu Er's current situation, he vaguely guessed Gu Er's plan.

"The eldest husband can bend and stretch, Zhong Huai might as well be soft with Gu Hou, let Gu Hou choose a virtuous lady for Zhong Huai, and settle Sister Rong and Brother Chang as soon as possible!"

Gu Er sighed: "That's exactly what I planned, it's just my father······ Ay! ”

Gu Er said helplessly: "Now that I have a bad reputation and have offended the official family, everyone in Tokyo City is beautiful, which one doesn't regard me as a flood beast, and which one is willing to marry his daughter to me!" ”

Changbai said: "Those who are clear are self-purifying, and those who are turbid are self-turbid, so why should Zhong Huai be vain!" Who are you, everyone who has eyes knows that those people are the same people, can Zhong Huai look down on them? ”

Gu Er smiled and said, "You still understand me!" As he spoke, he looked at the children playing under the tree, and his eyes showed a little doting; Looks like it's time for me to find a family affair for myself! ”

"Zhong Huai has a favorite girl?" Changbai asked with some curiosity.

Gu Er said with a smile: "The first son has sent a letter, saying that now he is in Quanzhou to set up a ship department and train the counties and townships to prevent Haikou and want to ask me to help!" ”

"Xiang Yong? Cowards? Changbai frowned.

Gu Erdao: "You don't know, I encourage the people to do business and trade, the profit of going to sea trade is extremely high, countless businessmen and people, rushing to go, but it is precisely because of the high profit that many pirates have been breeded, plundering the caravans of the past, in order to make huge profits, the Xinghua army in the north of Quanzhou, in the past, was established to guard against the pirates, and now Zihou was ordered to set up a ship division in Quanzhou, so it is natural to organize troops to guard against the raids and plundering of the pirates. ”

"I see!" Changbai nodded and said: "I heard that Quanzhou has changed greatly in recent years, the wealth has doubled year after year, and the people's lives are getting richer and richer, so it is difficult to guarantee that they will not be targeted by the pirates." ”

Having said this, Changbai suddenly turned his head to look at Gu Er: "Zhong Huai intends to go to Quanzhou to help Zihou?" ”

Gu Er said helplessly: "Now that my road to the imperial examination has been broken, if I want to enter the office, I can only go into battle and fight for my life!" ”

Changbai said: "But Quanzhou is remote, and Zihou is only practicing Xiangyong, not even the Xiang Army!" If Zhong Huai really intends to fight, it is better to go to the Gu family's army. ”

As everyone knows, the forbidden army is the elite, the box army is all raised by the stepmother, and as for the village bravery, they are just some rabble who can't even get on the table.

Gu Er said: "If you are peaceful today, there has been no war on the border for a long time, although the forbidden army is elite, but if there is no war, if you want to be promoted, you can only work hard in the army, and now I have such a reputation, among the Tokyo forbidden army, there are nobles everywhere, it is better to go to Quanzhou to follow Zihou to fight pirates, and you can also fight some military exploits." ”

"And if I can train a group of villagers bravely not to lose to the forbidden army and make war exploits, wouldn't it be even more capable of me."

Changbai nodded and said, "Zhong Huai plans to start a family first, and then leave Beijing to rush to Quanzhou?" ”

"Not bad!" Gu Erdao: "Sister Rong and Brother Chang are still young, so it's not good to follow me around!" Let's settle them all first! ”

Changbai understood what Gu Er meant, he wanted to marry a virtuous and tolerant lady first, and then settle Zhu Manniang and a pair of children, so that Sister Rong and Brother Chang could recognize their ancestors and return to their ancestors, so that he had no worries, so that he could go to Quanzhou.

Changbai said: "I'm afraid this matter is not so easy, if you just raise the outer room and it's okay to say, but with Sister Rong and Brother Chang, I'm afraid this family matter will not be easy to handle." ”

"Hey!" Gu Er said helplessly: "I also know that this matter is not easy to do, but I can't let Manniang, Sister Rong, and Brother Chang live here without a name, right?" ”

Changbai said: "Now that you have achieved nothing, the road to the imperial examination has been broken again, and you have fallen out with your family, if you want to find a good family, I'm afraid it's not so easy." ”

"Even if it is really said to be a family affair, the girl can tolerate Manniang and Sister Rong's brother Chang'er, but the parents of the girl may not be able tolerate, Zhong Huai is also a father, Zhong Huai might as well think about it, the parents of the girl will sit back and watch your outer room and a pair of children enter the door?

Zhonghuai Houfu was born, it seems that there is an example of going to the mother and leaving the child, is there still less to see? ”

Gu Er's heart sank when he heard this, and he immediately figured out the joints, whether Sister Rong and Brother Chang were children of the outer room, and Zhu Manniang was still from a lowly background, and she had sold and sang in the garden, so she didn't say that it was someone else, even if it was her father, Gu Er was sure that he would definitely not allow Manniang to get started.

Thinking about it, Gu Er's brows furrowed, he looked at Changbai, and sincerely asked for advice: "What is the best plan for Zecheng?" ”

Changbai said: "If you really want to go to Quanzhou, it is better to go over earlier, with your ability, if you can make meritorious deeds as soon as possible, you can also be much more obedient, and if you have a meritorious career, it is to face Gu Hou, Zhonghuai's waist pole is straighter!" ”

Gu Er was a little moved when he heard this, but he was a little hesitant: "Sister Ke Rong and Brother Chang ······"

Changbai said: "Could it be that Zhong Huai can't say that he can't get married, so he won't go to Quanzhou for a day, and he just keeps dragging it out?" Zhong Huai can wait, Sister Rong and Brother Chang'er are getting older day by day, can they also wait? And Manniang! A woman's good years are just a few years! ”

"This ·····" Gu Er didn't know that it was difficult for him to kiss, but he couldn't bear to look at a pair of children who were nameless and undivided.

Changbai continued to add oil and said: "When Zhong Huai is famous, he will have his own wife and son at that time, are you still afraid that the Gu family will not open the middle door, and welcome Zhong Huai and Sister Rong into the ancestral hall and enter them into the Gu family tree?" At that time, all the previous rumors were naturally self-defeating. ”

Gu Erting's eyes lit up, and he suddenly slapped his thigh: "Yes, why didn't I think of it!" ”

Gu Er suddenly came back to his senses, looked at Changbai, and asked, "Why do I think, Zecheng doesn't look like he came to me for a drink today, but like a lobbyist invited by Zihou!" ”

The corners of Changbai's mouth raised slightly, and he said, "Zhong Huai received Zihou's letter, and I naturally received it too!" ”

Gu Er was stunned for a moment when he heard this, then shook his head with a smile, looked at the southeast from afar, and said, "Prince Hou, Prince Hou, you are really a roundworm in my stomach, count me to death!" ”

Changbai said: "Zhong Huai is so talented and full of strategy, but now he is wasting his time in Tokyo, isn't it a pity!" ”

Gu Er shook his head self-deprecatingly: "Yes, now that I stay in Tokyo, what use can I do except waste time." ”

"For example, morning dew, it is bitter to go to the day!" Changbai shook his head and said, after talking to Gu Er for a long time, the boredom in Changbai's heart has gone a lot.

Gu Er looked at Changbai, and then at a pair of children under the peach blossom tree, and his eyes gradually became firm.

Gu Er has always been a resolute and resolute character, and now that he has made a decision, he will naturally not hesitate to procrastinate, and immediately let Mama Chang and Zhu Manniang pack their luggage and prepare to go to Quanzhou.

It was night, Zhu Manniang was wearing an apron, ironing the freshly washed clothes for Gu Er in front of the table, Gu Er was holding a book, watching, seeing that Manniang was busy, she couldn't help but care: "Tomorrow we are all leaving, you better rest early, don't be too tired!" ”

Zhu Manniang smiled and said, "It's almost ready!" If Jiro is tired, go to sleep first! ”

Manniang turned her back to Gu Er, Gu Er naturally couldn't see the look on Manniang's face, but when she cared about herself, her heart couldn't help but warm.

"I'm not sleepy yet!" Gu Erdao.

Zhu Manniang was busy for a while before asking: "I heard that the prince is now running a good business in Quanzhou, and he has a good relationship with Erlang, Erlang gave up the prosperity of Tokyo to join him, and he will definitely be reused, right?" ”

Gu Erdao: "Zihou specially wrote a letter to invite me to Quanzhou, it must be a place that can be useful to me!" ”

"Quanzhou is remote, far from being as prosperous as Tokyo, and from Tokyo to Quanzhou, thousands of miles apart, the road is far away, Sister Rong and Brother Chang are still young, this way, the concubines are worried that their bodies can't stand the bumps along the way."

Gu Er was stunned for a moment, closed the book, looked at Zhu Manniang, and said: "At the beginning, we rushed all the way to Tokyo, the distance is far away, not much closer than going to Quanzhou, it should be fine!" ”

Zhu Manniang hurriedly explained: "Seeing that Sister Rong is getting older, if she goes to Quanzhou, Erlang is busy with things outside, and the concubine is illiterate, I don't know how to teach Sister Rong and Brother Chang, Brother Chang is still young now, and there is no need to think about it for the time being, but Sister Rong has now reached the age of enlightenment, and Erlang should also consider it for Sister Rong." ”

Gu Erdao: "Didn't Manniang forget Sister Qian and Brother Xu in Zihou's family? Brother Xu'er is the same age as Sister Rong, now Brother Xu is in Quanzhou with Zihou, Zihou will not let Brother Xu'er ignore his studies, let's go to Quanzhou, send Sister Rong to study and write with Brother Xu, Sister Rong can still have a companion! ”

"Having said that, does Erlang plan to stay in Quanzhou for the rest of his life?" Zhu Manniang asked.

"Naturally, I won't stay in Quanzhou for a lifetime!" Gu Erdao.

"Although Erlang has fallen out with Hou Ye now, but Erlang is the concubine of Hou Mansion in the end, and now that the old Hou Ye is getting older, I don't know when Erlang will be able to return to Tokyo this time, it is better to leave Sister Rong in Tokyo and send it to Hou Mansion, so that Sister Rong can replace Erlang to fulfill her filial piety under the knees of the old Hou Ye and Mrs. Hou, which can be regarded as a filial piety of Erlang."

Hearing Zhu Manniang say this, Gu Er didn't think much about it, he felt quite reasonable, and after pondering for a while, he nodded, and said, "What you said also makes sense!" ”

Wang Chong's words in the past still have some effect, although the relationship between Gu Er and Gu Hou is still bad, Gu Er has never been able to let go of Gu Hou's blind favoritism, but it is not like in the original plot, he is against Gu Hou everywhere, and he talks back to each other.

But Gu Er still had concerns in his heart after all: "It's just that Sister Rong is still young, and my eldest brother treats me like an enemy, and I don't worry about putting Sister Rong alone in the Hou Mansion." ”

Zhu Manniang refused to give up, and still persuaded her: "Sister Rong is the daughter of Erlang, the bloodline of the Gu family, and the granddaughter of the old marquis. ”

"This ·······" Gu Er was indeed a little tempted: "I'll think about it again!" ”

This night, Gu Er couldn't sleep all night with his arms on his pillow, thought about it all night, stayed until early the next morning, came to Sister Rong'er who was washing, hugged Sister Rong, and asked, "Is it okay for Daddy to ask Sister Rong?" ”

"What does Daddy want to ask?" Sister Rong asked crisply.

Gu Er looked at Sister Rong and asked, "Daddy is going to go on a long trip, I don't know when I will be able to come back, is it okay for Daddy to send Sister Rong to live with her grandfather and grandmother for a few years?" ”

As soon as Gu Er's words came out, Sister Rong'er's little face drooped, looking aggrieved and about to cry: "Daddy, don't you want Sister Rong?" ”

There were already tears rolling in the big black and white eyes.

"How could Daddy not want Sister Rong!" Gu Er immediately began to comfort his daughter: "It's just that the place where Daddy is going this time is too far!" ”

"What about my brother? Did my younger brother also go to my grandfather and grandmother with Sister Rong? ”

Sister Rong'er's words made Gu Er stunned, and suddenly woke up, if one of her children was brought with her and the other was sent to the Hou Mansion, wouldn't she be treated differently?

In the future, will Sister Rong think that she is partial, and dislike her as a daughter, so she threw her in the Hou Mansion?

Thinking of this joint, Gu Er immediately felt distracted, his mistake must not be repeated in his daughter, but in an instant, Gu Er made up his mind.

"Daddy is joking with Sister Rong, Sister Rong is so well-behaved and cute, how can Daddy be willing to leave Sister Rong!" Gu Er immediately said: "Daddy can take Sister Rong out together?" ”

Sister Rong immediately put her arms around Gu Er's neck, and a bright smile like a sunflower appeared on her little face.

It's just that Gu Er didn't see it, under the eaves outside, Zhu Manniang's face had become very ugly, her ten fingers were tightly clenched into fists, and her sharp nails were sinking into the flesh, almost piercing the flesh and oozing blood.

But when she heard the footsteps getting closer and closer in the house, Zhu Manniang quickly took a few deep breaths, quickly adjusted her mood, and squeezed out a smile on her face that couldn't be seen reluctantly.

"Erlang, it's not early, let's go have breakfast first!"

When Gu Er saw Zhu Manniang, his expression was unnatural for a moment, and then he responded with a smile: "Okay!" ”

Seeing Zhu Manniang serving porridge to herself next to her, Gu Er told Zhu Manniang about her decision to take Sister Rong and Brother Chang to Quanzhou together, Zhu Manniang still had a smile on her face, and handed the porridge to Gu Er: "The slave family is just suggesting, Erlang has made a decision, and the slave family will naturally obey!" ”

Gu Er was also relieved to see Manniang's reaction, and originally thought that he would have to bother to explain, but he didn't want Manniang to be so sensible, and Gu Er was also happy to be idle.

At the end of the hour, Gu Er took Zhu Manniang, a pair of children and stones, and under the send-off of Changbai and Chang Mama, they boarded the big boat that had already been contacted at the Bianhe Wharf.

Gu Er and his entourage rushed to Quanzhou, and it was already a month and a half later.

Wang Chong ordered someone to prepare the mansion early, and he personally went out of the city to greet him, and set up a banquet in Taibai Building to catch the wind and wash the dust for Gu Er.

The two of them haven't seen each other for a few months, so naturally they have a lot to say, Gu Er is becoming more and more curious about the situation in Quanzhou today, and there is wine and food on the side, this meal accidentally got on the head, time passed minute by minute, and when Gu Er returned to the residence arranged by Wang Chong with a drunken spirit, it was already past the decision.

Zhu Manniang had already put a pair of children to sleep, and when she heard Gu Er's return, she hurriedly got up to serve.

Looking at the smile on Gu Er's face that had not faded, Zhu Manniang, who was wiping Gu Er's body, couldn't help but say: "The friendship between Erlang and Wang Tongju is really deep. ”

Gu Er, who was drunk and hazy, was closing his eyes at the moment, enjoying Zhu Manniang's service, naturally he didn't notice Zhu Manniang's expression, and only replied with a smile: "That's natural, although I don't have much time to get together with Zihou, we are like-minded and like-minded, and we are rare confidants." ”

"Since he is a confidant, he will definitely not treat Erlang badly, I don't know what errand Wang Tong sentenced to Erlang?" Zhu Manniang asked.

Gu Erdao: "I have just arrived, no merit and no achievements, how to be promoted, Zihou asked me to go to the army to be a marquis first, and then make other arrangements after I adapt to the life in the army." ”

"Marquis Yu?" Although Manniang is only from a humble background, she is also somewhat knowledgeable, but she is not too familiar with the rank of an officer in the army, but she also knows what Yu Hou is.

Manniang asked a little unwillingly: "Is it the Marquis of Junyu?" ”

Gu Er smiled and said, "It's just the most ordinary Yu Hou!" ”

"Erlang's cousin-in-law, he even passed the test, why did he only give Yu Hou an errand?" Zhu Manniang asked puzzledly, even more unwilling in her heart.

Gu Er explained: "It's just a temporary errand, and after I get acquainted with the situation in the army, Zihou will make other arrangements." ”

At this time, Gu Er had already opened his eyes, looked at Zhu Manniang, and said in a gentle tone: "Manniang, don't worry, I said that I would definitely make a contribution and give you and Sister Rong and Brother Chang an explanation." ”

Zhu Manniang smiled softly, looked at Gu Er with affection, looked deeply moved, and said, "I believe in Erlang!" ”

Gu Er also had a smile on his face, and reached out to hug Zhu Manniang's slender waist, the tip of his nose lingered with the aroma of fat powder, coupled with the stimulation of alcohol, Gu Er only felt a heat rise in his lower abdomen, and the two rolled straight to the couch.

In the early morning of the next day, when Zhu Manniang woke up, Gu Er's figure was already gone, and Zhu Manniang hurriedly called the female envoy to ask Gu Er's whereabouts.

"The second master went to the barracks early in the morning, and he won't be able to come back until the evening, the kitchen has prepared hot water and breakfast, and the slave maid will wait for the lady to change clothes and wash up!" Even the female envoy also knew that Zhu Manniang was just Gu Er's concubine room, not a wife, so Zhu Manniang was only called a lady, not a big lady.

Zhu Manniang nodded, and asked the female envoy to wait for her to wash and change her clothes, during which she couldn't help asking, "You all used to serve in the general judgment house?" ”

The envoy replied with a smile: "The lady misunderstood, a few of us are nearby people, and we were recruited by Mrs. Li in the Tongju Mansion, and we only signed the deed for three years. ”

"You are all natives of Quanzhou?" Zhu Manniang looked at the little envoy who was only fifteen or sixteen years old in front of her and asked.

The envoy replied: "Only a few of us are small and the two mothers-in-law in the front yard are, and the Yu lady in the kitchen is from Yangzhou, I heard that she is still a fellow villager with the general judgment!" ”

Zhu Manniang nodded, and continued to talk to the envoy, wanting to extract some useful information from the envoy's mouth.

However, a few female envoys are just fifteen or sixteen-year-old girls, where do they know anything about the army, the only thing they know is that a few months ago, Zhizhou ordered the transfer of counties and townships to Jinjiang for unified training, and the rest are unknown.

Zhu Manniang saw that she couldn't find out any news from the mouths of several little female envoys, and she was eager to know Gu Er's current situation in Quanzhou and her future prospects, so she had other thoughts in her heart.

After breakfast, Zhu Manniang found an excuse, saying that when she came back to Quanzhou for the first time, she hadn't carefully seen what Quanzhou was like, so she asked the female envoys to lead their mother and son out of the house, and asked Zhu Manniang to inquire about the news she wanted to know.

But after inquiring and inquiring, the news that Zhu Manniang heard had nothing to do with the new army, and everyone was talking about training the village warriors to prepare for the Haikou.

Zhu Manniang has never seen the world again, and she also knows that the official who leads the local township is called the county lieutenant, and the key is that the position of the county lieutenant in Jinjiang County is not vacant.

But thinking of the identity of Gu Erhou's concubine, although the facts are already clear from Zhu Manniang's opinion, there is still a trace of expectation in his heart.

(End of chapter)