"Old lady, you can't help it. Aren't you shortening my life? Lin Qi, Xiao Yu, please support the old lady and wait for me to bow down!" Xiao Chen knelt down and knelt down in an upright manner. Got three heads.
"Oh, Mr. Xiao, please get up quickly. How can I tolerate you so hard!" The old lady was pulled by Xiao Yu and could not return the favor. She just urged Xiao Chen to get up.
"This junior has a close relationship with Mr. Lin Dongyang. Isn't it the proper etiquette to kneel down and worship the old lady?" Xiao Chen stood up with a smile, came over and helped the old lady into the house personally, "It's too cold outside, and it won't be good for the old lady if she gets caught in the wind." ."
But I saw that the space in the house was also extremely small. There was not even a decent bed. There was only an earthen kang with some coarse quilts folded on it. It seemed that this was where the seven or eight female relatives lived. They probably had to take turns sleeping at night. , otherwise I wouldn’t be able to sleep at all.
In addition, there was only one table, a few broken chairs, and only one window had a broken lattice, and the paper of various colors was covered in black.
But there was light coming through the wall, and there was an audible whine. Because it had just rained, and there were still traces of accumulated water on the ground, the roof was probably leaking.
Since the old lady and her family members live there, I'm afraid it's the best of the three rooms. I wonder what kind of dilapidation the other two are in?
Xiao Chen looked around and was speechless.
"Master Xiao, there is no tea at home, just boiled water..." Lin Qi felt quite embarrassed.
"No need." Xiao Chen waved his hand and said sadly, "I just came back, and I really didn't know it was so difficult at home."
"Haha, Mr. Xiao, don't feel sorry for us." The old lady smiled, "As much wealth as you have enjoyed, you should have to suffer a lot of misery. This is just the reincarnation of the world and the warmth and coldness of the world. Our family was in such a situation back then. ...I’m not afraid of Mr. Xiao’s jokes. I feel more at ease now that I’ve been living here.”
"The old lady is very clear-minded, and the younger generation admires her very much." Xiao Chenxin said that this old lady is quite a sensible person.
"When my son Dongyang was at home, he often talked about your many deeds, Mr. Xiao. I just listened to books, but I didn't believe that there was such an extraordinary young hero in the world. When I saw him today, I realized that he really existed!" The old lady said The way of complimenting others is also different.
"Old lady, I'm serious. I'm not young now, and I don't dare to say that I'm a hero. Those are just jokes made by Lord Dongyang. The old lady can just listen to books." Xiao Chen said with a smile.
"There are no outstanding figures like you, Mr. Xiao, in the book, with legendary experiences... Qi'er, Mr. Xiao is very busy. Let's not waste his time by chatting. The letter your father left when he left can be submitted. Show it to your Excellency." The old lady said and looked at Lin Qi.
"Master Xiao, when my father was leaving, he handed me a handwritten letter. He said that Master Xiao will definitely come. If he doesn't come in person, he will definitely send his confidants..." Lin Qi took out a letter from his arms and held it with both hands. superior.
Xiao Chen took the letter and saw that it was dirty. He touched it and found that his hands were covered with dust.
"Oh, I was in a hurry just now to get the letter and didn't even wipe it... This letter from my father must be extremely important. My nephew was afraid that it would be inconvenient for others to see it, so he didn't dare to carry it with him. He always hid it under the stove, thinking what if If something unexpected happens, just set it on fire." Lin Qi explained while taking a towel and handing it to Xiao Chen.
"Young Master is right to be more cautious." Xiao Chen nodded in approval, wiped his hands, opened the letter, and read through ten lines at a glance. There was nothing else. He just asked Xiao Chen to help take care of Gaotang's mother and family. He just spoke sincerely. Very sad.
Even if it is in your arms, there is no need for the old lady and Lin Qi to read this letter.
"I came here this time, firstly to visit the old lady, and secondly to repay an old debt to Mr. Dongyang. When I passed by Jiangdong and I was short on money, I asked Mr. Dongyang to borrow 20,000 taels of silver. I was so busy with trivial matters that I didn't have time to pay him back... Lin Qi, you can take out the IOU that I wrote down, and we can settle the account first," Xiao Chen said.
"Ah?" Lin Qi was stunned, "My nephew didn't know about this, and he didn't have any IOU... Even if there was any, they were all confiscated when the house was ransacked, and my father never mentioned it to my nephew."
"Master Dongyang may have forgotten it when he was in a hurry." Xiao Chen took out two 10,000 taels of silver notes and put them on the table. "It's okay if I lose the IOU. I'll just burn it if I find it in the future."
"Master Xiao, I have always been taken care of, and this little nephew doesn't dare to accept it!" Lin Qi quickly declined.
"Repaying debts is a matter of course. Although Mr. Dongyang and I are brothers, brothers must also settle accounts, right?" Xiao Chen said with a smile, "Just accept the money, I have something else to say."
"Yes." Lin Qi stopped refusing and silently put away the banknotes, lowered his head, and his tears fell to the ground with a loud sound.
"Lin Qi, how old are you this year? Do you have any fame?" Xiao Chen asked Wen Yan as he gestured for him to sit down.
"Replying to Mr. Xiao, my nephew is seventeen years old this year. He was born dull. He just passed the scholar examination last year." Lin Qi said.
"Well, I remember that Mr. Dongyang was born in the military. Lin Qi, have you read any military books?" Xiao Chen asked again.
"I have read some, but it's just on paper." Lin Qi said, "But I also took care of some city defense affairs with my father, which was just chores like logistics and supplies."
"Well, that's great. I may be going on an expedition in the near future. It's not easy for you to take any more honors now. Why don't you just follow me out and be a helper?" Xiao Chen said.
"Um..." Lin Qi hesitated, "My nephew is a son of a prisoner. I'm afraid it won't be convenient for him to serve you."
"Haha, I'm not afraid, what are you afraid of? Son of Dongyang, don't be so childish!" Xiao Chen said with a smile, "Old lady, what do you think? Are you willing to let Sun go out with me and suffer the consequences?"
"Qi'er, why don't you kneel down and thank Mr. Xiao!" the old lady said sternly.
"Thank you, Mr. Xiao!" Lin Qi knelt down without hesitation.
"It's really not possible to live here. The house is about to collapse, and there is air leakage everywhere. How can we survive the winter? I have ordered people to find a house behind the Royal Street. Although it is not very big, the few people in our family are I can barely live there, and I have asked them to prepare all the furniture and other items. Could you please show me, the old lady, that we can move in tonight?"
"My son has friends like this, what else can I say? Just listen to your nephew." The old lady is not only a sensible person, but also a cheerful person.
The title of Xiao Chen was also changed from "sir" to "nephew".
Outside, Xiao Yu had already asked Mr. Scar to hire several large mule carts and seven or eight cars, which were prepared for the female family members.
In the end, the big mule cart was not used at all, because Lin Qi and the others had nothing to offer. After packing, they only had a few packages...
Xiao Chen asked Mr. Scar and his gang and several Xuanyiwei brothers to escort the old lady and the others, but left Lin Qi behind and took him straight to the Jinyiwei Zhao Prison.
