At the fifth watch, there was still a black hole in the four places, but the Dingguo Mansion was full of lights. Old Lady Qin walked out of the inner room with the support of the Fang family and the Shen family, and slowly sat down on the main seat in the hall.

The six rooms in the house have been standing for a long time, and the black and dark are crowded, but there is no noise at all, and there is an occasional cough, which also suppresses the movement very low. Old Lady Qin smiled, and when she looked up, she first saw her eldest son, Song Jin, the Marquis of Dingguo, who was wearing a scarlet robe, and Song Yan, his grandson Song Yan, who was wearing a green robe behind him. The young man has not yet reached the weak crown, but his size has caught up with his father, and he stands in the shadow of the lights and stands like a crane.

Old Lady Qin's gaze fixed for a moment on the tumbled patch embroidered with a heron on his chest, and her face was slightly gloomy. This kid, who is not doing anything with the governor of the fourth grade of the Chinese army's governor's mansion, has to go to the criminal department to receive the principal of the sixth grade, and he knew that he was admitted to the Jinshi for this, and he should have been tied up and locked up a few months ago. After leaving the Governor's Mansion and entering the Sixth Division, his father will be his father in the future, and it will be difficult to manage him in everything...... However, this is still the official department who has been appointed by the saint, and he is determined to be distracted from this big family.

"Old lady, you have tea." The second lady Fang bent down to serve the tea, and the old lady Qin took it, and listened to the juniors below greet them one by one, and then waited for them to take their seats.

Putting down the tea, the old lady Qin beckoned to Song Yan, Song Yan stepped forward respectfully, and sat down on the brocade brought by the maidservant girl after saluting. Every move has a charter, and even the strength and amplitude of the robe when sitting down are properly controlled, and the old lady Qin nodded with satisfaction.

She took his hand and patted it in her palm, looking at his brows under the lamp. The young man's appearance mostly followed his father's, with straight eyebrows, a straight nose and thin lips, and no matter where he was, he was always the most conspicuous one in the crowd. But unlike Song Jin's talkativeness, he is always used to being silent, and his eyes are slightly constricted when he is silent, and his temperament is less fierce and rough than a military attaché, and a little more polite. Especially at this moment, he is wearing a green robe with horns on his body, and he looks well-behaved and clean, which makes it difficult to recall the past when he was fourteen years old and won the martial arts championship in one fell swoop.

Old Lady Qin sighed again when she thought of this, her eyes were full of sorrow, and she said bitterly: "Ah Mo, today is the first time you have entered the Criminal Department on an errand, it is no better than the Governor's Mansion where your father and several uncles are located, the Commander's Envoy and the Soldiers and Horses Division, there is really something, no one can stand in front of you to protect you!" Think about all these years, you have grown up under my knees, what you like and what you fear, I know better than yourself. Those civil servants play intrigues, if you don't get involved, once you enter the game, with your temperament that you can't bear to step on the birds that fall to your feet, which one can you play? ”

Song Yan nodded, but did not speak.

Old Madam Qin pursed her lips, and her tone was much harder: "You don't think there is anything now, just do a few errands!" ”

Song Jin, who was sitting at the bottom left, glanced at the sky outside and said with a smile: "Mother, it's also a good thing to let him go through the experience." ”

The people in the other rooms followed suit, and the third lady, Shen, jokingly told her to be relieved.

Song Yan still didn't speak, his eyelashes fluttered when he blinked, and he looked as well-behaved as when he was a child. The old lady Qin asked the Fang family about the time, and when she learned that it was already five o'clock, she ordered the rooms to disperse, and asked the Shen family to arrange cloth dishes, and pulled Song Jin and Song Yan to eat with her.

It stands to reason that in fact, there are only a few sons and grandsons in the Manchu Mansion who need to rush to the noon gate every day to participate in the court meeting, and everyone does not have to get up early, but the old lady Qin has her own set of methods for governing the family, saying that as long as the family is not separated, unless it is too young or sick, no matter which room it is, you have to get up and say goodbye, this is a family rule that has been passed down for decades, and it must not be disobeyed. The rules of etiquette and religion in the Dingguo Mansion are strict, and the old lady Qin has a good way of governing the family, and no one in the six rooms of Manchu has complained over the years.

"Don't just pick what you eat. Come, and eat this salt shortbread. Mrs. Qin personally put a piece into Song Yan's bowl, Song Yan glanced at it and obediently ate it one bite at a time. The corners of Old Lady Qin's lips lifted slightly, she knew that he had never liked this salty and dry food, but as long as she spoke, he didn't disagree.

There was no more words at the table, and when Song Yan rinsed his mouth, Mrs. Qin persuaded him a few more words, telling him that if he was not used to the errand of the Criminal Department, he didn't have to wait, and directly wrote an excerpt and handed it to ask for his resignation and return to the Governor's Mansion.

Song Yan only showed a faint smile on his face before getting up and leaving, and said, "Ah Mo knows", and walked out of Bixia Pavilion before Song Jin.

Old Lady Qin looked at his back that gradually disappeared into the faint daylight, and sighed, as if talking to herself: "...... He is getting bolder and more temperamental. Our Song family has made meritorious deeds for generations, how can he climb up with both martial arts and imperial examinations! ”

"Mother doesn't have to worry, I have already said hello to Meng Bohan, the waiter of the Criminal Department, and Ah Mo is the head of the Huguang Qing Officials Department of the Criminal Department this time, so I don't want to see some blood." Song Jin got up and straightened the cuffs of his placket and chuckled, "When he hits the south wall, he will naturally know how to turn back." ”

Thinking of Song Yan's trouble, Mrs. Qin's brows relaxed: "Don't scare him too hard." Okay, you should go quickly, don't stay with others at night after your errand, and go home early. ”

"Okay, son, remember."

In the middle of summer, the grass and trees along the road are drenched with dew. Song Yan got into the carriage, leaned against the window and closed his eyes gently. Feng Ce, who was following the carriage, waited for the carriage to drive out of Yong'an Lane before he whispered: "Lord Shizi, the people in Zhuangzi came back this morning, saying that Mrs. Hou's condition has improved a lot and she is willing to take medicine. ”

Song Yan opened his eyes and said "um".

"I'm afraid that the old lady and the Hou Ye will notice something...... After all these years, they still see you so closely, and as soon as the news that you are going to be transferred to the Criminal Department comes out, there are several more faces in our hospital. But what excuse do you have to send it back? ”

"Kill it. Clean up. ”

After a long time, Feng Ce asked with some hesitation: "Then if you are asked......

"Since it is born of the eye, it will inevitably plot evil, and if you kill, you will kill."

"Yes."

Feng Ce turned around and beckoned a guard to give orders, and suddenly there was a sound of blowing and drumming in front of him, and as soon as the groom pulled the reins, the carriage came to a sharp stop at the intersection.

The horseman turned around and said, "Lord Shizi, there is a funeral team in Chongbeifang, and the road is blocked." This road is the closest to the Forbidden City, and if you turn left through the West Street, you have to go around at least ......."

"What nonsense, avoid it first, and then leave when people are over." Feng Ce said as he went up and pulled the reins, leading the carriage into a secluded place in the West Street and Alley.

The groom wanted to say that the master had encountered a white incident when he went to the criminal department on duty the first day, and it was quite auspicious, and he was promoted when he saw the coffin, but when he saw Feng Ce's black-faced and fierce appearance, he didn't dare to say much, and immediately swallowed his words back.

Song Yan took the folding fan and picked up the curtain, and watched the grand and solemn funeral procession pass through in silence, the yellow and white paper money flew one after another, the black coffin walked behind the coffin, and the people wearing linen and filial piety cried endlessly, but their voices were suppressed by the sound of suona.

The funeral procession walked away for a while, and the high-pitched and suppressed sound of blowing was still in my ears.

Just as he was about to order someone to turn the head of the car again, there was a distant sound of selling flowers in the morning fog at the other end of the West Street and Alley: "Sell-pomegranate flowers, delicate and gorgeous pomegranate flowers-"

Song Yan looked over and saw the clusters of fiery pomegranate flowers trembling in the blue-white mist, getting closer and closer, with the smoke and water vapor rising from the pot stove and steamer on the side of the street, the mixed laughter of pedestrians, and the shouting of vendors, all rushing towards him, and the street in front of the car sprinkled with paper money seemed to be two worlds.

The sound of selling flowers stopped, and the pomegranate flower stopped in front of a stall, and out of the stall came a girl holding a vase with a thin mouth. She was wrapped in a smoky blue dress, her black hair was loosely pulled up, and she had a smile on her face, holding the pomegranate flower and saying something to the flower farmer. The white sky of the fish's belly poured out a little bit of light, illuminating this crowded alley brightly.

The flower farmer picked up the burden again and left, Song Yan's eyes still stopped at the pomegranate flowers in the girl's hair, and a warm feeling seemed to swell in her heart.

There was a stumbling whisper in my ears—

"See? Buying flowers every day, who knows where she gets so much spare money. ”

"People's business is good, selling a tofu brain, you can earn more than you get up early in the morning to rub steamed buns, roll dough and sell a few kinds of food!"

"Hey, come on! Brother Ru'er's family sells real white-flour steamed buns, but we don't know whether she's selling white-faced skin or white-flowered body. ”

This was followed by an undisguised sneer.

Feng Ce reminded: "Master, we can pass." ”

Song Yan looked at the girl who had put down the vase, spoonful after spoonful of tofu brain, she was hidden behind the swirling smoke, and she was a little unrelievable. Song Yan lowered the curtain, but heard a few women who were nesting in the breakfast shop talking again.

"I said Grandma Zeng, you can save some effort to joke with us, your brother An'er has been running to Liu Niangzi for the past two months!"

"Yes, I sent a piece of pig's hind hoof yesterday, right? He told me that it was sold out, and he turned his head to the tiren's shop, and he was diligent. ”

Zeng's face was ugly, she slapped her thighs with both hands and stood up, gritted her teeth and said: "I said that I can't get the account right, I am crazy and seduce the man to seduce my grandson, see how I clean her up!" ”

The bloated old woman walked towards that side in a hurry, Song Yan frowned, and stopped Feng Ce, who was about to give the order to turn the carriage.

Feng Ce followed his gaze in surprise and looked at Liu's water tofu shop not far away, and saw the old woman sitting down in front of the stall, ordering a bowl of tofu brain, and shouting as if she was splashing after knocking over the bowl, insisting that she was deliberately burned by Liu Niangzi.

The guests on the stall all got up with bowls and watched the excitement, and Song Yan couldn't see the look of the girl with the hairpin.

Liu Zheng saw Zeng's grandmother patting her thighs and crying in front of everyone, without leaving anyone a word to explain, and simply didn't explain, and after glancing at Xiaohu of Cai's noodle restaurant next door, she stood aside and watched her cry with the crowd. This is not the first time that someone has come to her stall to make trouble, not to mention the two or three months since she moved to the capital, that is, when she was in Suzhou Mansion in the past, she and her grandmother have not met much, and she knows in her heart what this kind of person is most afraid of.

Grandma Zeng's mother howled for half an hour, no one handed saliva to drink, not even a persuasion, so angry that fire could erupt from her throat and eyes. Taking advantage of the opportunity for her to swallow her saliva, Liu Zheng said with a smile: "Mother-in-law, you cried wronged, and I was wronged." The bowl was resting on the table with me in good shape, and you knocked it over yourself, and you can complain about it, but it doesn't make any sense to complain about me. I can't tell you anything in a thousand words, why don't you go with me to see the official, how about it? ”

"You, you burned my wife, and you dare to ask me to go to the official?! Neighbors, you are judging! ”

Grandma Zeng cried like a mourner, and finally attracted the sister-in-law Chen, who had gossiped with her before, to help speak: "Liu Niangzi, I didn't say it, you are also considerate and considerate of her old man, when she is old, how can you say that she is as sharp as you?" You have an old man in your own family, aren't you afraid that she will be humiliated like this outside? ”

Sister-in-law Chen is the Chen family's breakfast shop at the door, and before Liu Zheng and Grandma moved here, they had the best business in the West Street and Alley. is different from Zeng's mother-in-law's disgusting reputation, Sister-in-law Chen has always been very popular, and she can say a few words to anyone.

Liu Zheng still smiled: "I only mentioned going to see the official, and my sister-in-law hurriedly charged the old man with bullying, which is really unbearable." Could it be that in the eyes of my sister-in-law, are the officials all fools who only catch the old man and bully? ”

"Who said the official master was confused, I mean you-" Sister-in-law Chen was shocked to realize that she was surrounded by her words, how dare the Son of Heaven say that the officials are not? She immediately changed her words, "No matter what, people are in your stall, and you just watch your fifty or sixty-year-old woman lying on the ground crying?" It's a shame that someone's grandson sent you pig's trotters and lamb legs to you, and no matter how heartless people are, they can't do anything to embarrass someone's grandmother for a bowl of tofu brain, right? ”

Thinking of the things that Zeng An gave out, Zeng Po suddenly felt that she had really been wronged, and she whimpered, and the eyes of the crowd looking at Liu Zheng were a little more subtle.

A sixteen or seventeen-year-old weak woman, with only an elderly and sick grandmother by her side, rented the best shop on this street a few months ago, not to mention, and sold tofu all day long, smiling at any man, who knows which tofu is sold?

One by one, they openly and secretly condemned the Liu Zheng.

Feng Ce sneered: "Idlers in the market are like this, they don't have the ability to distinguish right from wrong. Master Shizi, let's go. ”

"You've seen it all? Did others burn her, or did she burn herself? ”

"Master, my subordinates can see it clearly, she hasn't been burned at all! Instead, it broke other people's good bowls. ”

Song Yan nodded: "Then you can't watch innocent people suffer." ”

Feng Ce didn't expect the prince to take care of this matter, but he didn't say much, and immediately walked towards the crowd after nodding his head, intending to help solve the case.

At this time, a child took a step ahead of him and pulled a tall young man to squeeze over, and when he saw the person coming, Zeng's wife cried even louder, but it made Liu Zheng's voice cold: "Zeng An, I have bought meat from you several times, have you missed the money you have ever been given?" ”

Zeng An's swarthy face turned red, he raised his hand and pulled hard, and dragged up the Zeng Po who was lying on the ground and refused to get up, first reprimanded her, "You are not ashamed enough", and then smiled and apologized to Liu Zheng: "No, I hope that you Liu Niangzi can be so polite and accept my wishes." ”

Liu Zheng looked at the gray-faced great-grandmother with a smile and didn't dare to argue: "How can I afford this." Brother Zeng, you have to be busy with business, and my guests here are also waiting for breakfast, so I won't leave you and your mother-in-law to drink tea, don't be scalded by the tea on the table that is stable on the table. ”

Zeng An was even more embarrassed, glared at Zeng's mother-in-law, who was honest like a quail in front of him, and pulled her away.

Seeing that this stubble was about to be exposed so indifferently, Sister-in-law Chen unwillingly wanted to add to the fire: "Zeng Dalang, your grandmother has been wronged, why are you still helping outsiders to speak?" ”

"yes, yes! The elbow is turned outward! ”

Zeng An didn't reply: "Shut your mouths, long-tongued woman!" ”

Sister-in-law Chen choked and stomped her feet angrily: "Donkey lamb who doesn't know the hearts of good people!" ”

Then he glanced at Liu Zheng, who was cleaning up the dishes and continuing to greet the guests, and muttered and scolded: "The fox spirit who doesn't know the inspection!" ”

Feng Ce saw that he had nothing to do, so he went to the stall to find a random place to sit down, ready to order two bowls of tofu brain to taste, but heard Liu Zheng say to everyone: "Today's is sold out, everyone come back tomorrow." ”

Liu Zheng smiled apologetically at Feng Ce. Feng Ce's heart moved, and he couldn't help but smile and nod at her.

Most of the stalls are residents living nearby, mostly men, seeing Liu Zheng cleaning up table by table, their eyes are drooling, staring at her thin white wrist and laughing: "Why do you sell so much every time?" Is it enough for you to rent this shop? Grandpas have money, and eating a few more bowls also makes it. ”

"Don't say that a bowl of things for two pennies is like buying gold, what kind of fat man!" Xiaohu snatched the empty bowl from the man's hand and skillfully stacked it for Liu Zheng.

"Little Tiger! Come back! Sister-in-law Cai next door gritted her teeth and scolded in a low voice, Xiaohu turned around and grimaced, and continued to help.

Seeing that Liu Zheng didn't say anything, there was a guy sitting on the stall who looked fierce and vicious, and the rest of the people felt bored and left with a few pennies.

Liu Zheng took the bowl in Xiaohu's hand, put them in hot water one by one, turned around and took out a pack of sesame peanut candy and put it in his purse, Xiaohu drooled and refused again and again: "Don't, don't, I've grown up, I don't like sugar!" ”

"It's all made by my grandmother and brought back to eat with my sister. Sister, thank you for doing me a great favor today, I will go to the laundry in a while, and I have to bother you to help take care of the shop, and grandma is sleeping upstairs. ”

Xiaohu reluctantly accepted the candy, patted his chest and promised: "I will definitely give you a good look!" Who's going to mess with me, who's going to hit whom! Rest assured! ”

Liu Zheng carried a bucket upstairs and took dirty clothes, brought a honey locust to pound clothes and pestle, locked the door and went to the Qingxi River two streets behind.

Feng Ce had already returned to the intersection and told Song Yan what Fang Cai had seen and heard. Song Yan always looked silently into the alley through the car window, and suddenly saw the girl in green clothes and green skirts carrying things in this direction, and the pomegranate flowers in her hair were as bright as a drop of cinnabar in the inkstone that had not yet been fully brightened.

The moment his eyes were about to meet, he quietly withdrew his gaze and gently lowered the curtain until the sound of her shallow footsteps approached and faded away. Feng Ce asked what was wrong, but Song Yan only raised his hand to let him transfer the car away.

There was a sudden sound of a rolling carriage behind him, and Liu Zheng glanced sideways, only to find that a luxurious carriage with blue curtains and silk had stopped in this corner at some point. Next to the carriage was followed by the military master who was very difficult to mess with.

She immediately stopped and avoided the roadside, the carriage passed by, the breeze rolled up the corner of the curtain, and the low gaze of the willow kite flashed a red ear in the car for a moment.