It seems like a huge discount, but people don't buy it. Tian Liangkong had no strength and was helpless. Fortunately, Hou Qing recently visited various places in Nanhai County to carry out "rural health training" work. The two of them were together, which was a joy in the midst of suffering.
"Sister Qing, it would be great if this scholar could become a teacher..."
"You stupid goose! Do you know who he is?" Hou Qingxiao asked.
"who?"
"He is Kuang Lu! Kuang Lu!" Hou Qing said, "a famous gentleman in Guangzhou! He came to be our teacher, and that's why the sun rises from the west!"
"A wealthy gentleman? I don't think he looks like him. He is very easy-going. He even writes Spring Festival couplets for everyone and is the first to donate."
"Who said the Jin gentry is just a green-faced gentry?" Hou Qing said, "Kuang Lu is not an ordinary Jin gentry, and the Senate also attaches great importance to him - after you go back, you have to write a report to the city government and tell them that Kuang Lu is back. "
"Is he some kind of reactionary person?"
"Well, it's hard to say that he is reactionary. In short, he is an important figure." Hou Qing actually couldn't tell where Kuang Lu was important. She had only seen the list of Jin gentry that the Government Affairs Council had sent out, and Kuang Lu's name was on it. .
"Then you have to write it quickly. But how do you know?"
"Don't you ever look at documents?"
"Documents?" Tian Liang scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed. "I'm not very good at reading. It looks troublesome."
"How did you become a captain?" Hou Qing sighed helplessly, "Company commander also has a lot of paperwork to do."
"There is a lieutenant in the company who graduated from the military academy. He did all these things..."
"You did a good job of turning away the shopkeeper."
"Oh, so why don't you come to be the principal..." Tian Liang was dejected.
"Even if you are the principal, you have to be careful. If you can't even understand the documents, how will you do anything in the future?" Hou Qing was a little anxious, "In this way, I will help you study the documents when I have time in the evening. And by the way, You know a few more words."
Kuang Lu's master and servant left Dali and headed south. A few days later, we arrived outside Guangzhou. This was the time when the Little Glacier was raging. Even though we were in Lingnan, the weather when the cold wave struck was as cold and desolate as in the north. The trees that used to be lush and green this year look dry and withered. The ground is covered with yellow leaves nearby, and the grass in the distance is covered with grass.
Looking towards my hometown, I see a scene of depression and chilling. Let's think about the fact that the country is now in chaos, the people are in dire straits, and the imperial court is in chaos... I have fulfilled my ambition to serve the country in vain and failed to relieve the king of your worries. Instead, I had to live in a foreign country for several years because I was fighting for a moment...
I couldn't help but feel sad, and my eyes were slightly wet. Seeing that the city wall was revealed, the Guangzhou that I thought about day and night was right in front of me.
But what kind of Guangzhou is this? It is no longer the Guangzhou Prefecture of the Ming Dynasty, but the "Guangzhou Special City" of the Kun thief. Seeing each other again at this time is really a special feeling in my heart.
Above the city tower, the flag of the thief was flying, and the infantry patrolled with guns. Below the city tower, there were guards in black jackets, watching the people's vehicles going in and out of the city gate, and stopping and inspecting them from time to time.
That's about it for people who have subjugated their country.
"Uncle, it's getting late, let's go into the city quickly." Kuang Yan reminded.
"let's go."
Kuang Lu was in a bitter mood, so she paid some money, sent away Wei's rented mules and porters, and walked into the city from Dabei disciples with his servants.
His home is located in Xianlin Lane next to the Five Immortals Temple in Guangzhou. This day happens to be the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month in the lunar calendar, and it is the day when every family bid farewell to the stove. The weather was good throughout 1636, and the Senate carried out large-scale construction projects in Guangzhou and other places, making a lot of infrastructure and industrial investments. Therefore, the market in Guangzhou was quite prosperous. There was a prosperous scene on the street.
Cizao is one of the most important days in the twelfth lunar month. The streets are very lively with people coming and going.
The "New Life Movement" launched in 1635 also led to large-scale demolition and construction in the city. The city appearance of Guangzhou has changed greatly compared with when Kuang Lu left.
Along the way, Kuang Lu felt mixed emotions when she saw such changes. Suddenly, Kuang Yan next to him shouted: "Isn't the second master over there?"
When I looked up, I saw a handsome young man rushing towards me on a two-wheeled rickshaw. He jumped out of the car before he arrived, walked a few steps in front of me, knelt down on the ground, hugged Kuang Lu and started crying. Kuang Lu also cried loudly. Although passers-by didn't know why, they also lamented it - living in troubled times, we see too many separations between life and death, and the feeling of family reunions is even more unusual.
"Eryu, why are you doing this? In public. It's unbecoming." Although Kuang Lu scolded, she couldn't suppress the smile on her face.
Eryu cried and said: "Knowing that my brother was in trouble, we brothers have been thinking about him every day. My uncle misses him so much that he always asks us, wondering when you will come back. Over the past few years, only a few letters have been written. Brother, you are so cruel..."
"Speak as you say, how can you be like a little girl!" Kuang Lu held back her tears and said, "I miss my father and your brothers all the time outside, but it is inconvenient to write letters, and I am wandering, and it is difficult to find someone to entrust letters to... In these years, I have relied on my brothers to take care of the family..."
"Brother, don't say any more. My uncle, sister-in-law and nephew are all waiting." Eryu wiped away her tears and said, "Please come home quickly with me."
After that, they called the rickshaw behind them to come over, bundled their luggage and belongings on the car, and the two brothers returned home on foot with their servants.
Along the way, Eryu couldn't restrain her joy and talked about many things at home. In the past few years, Kuang Lu was not at home. In addition to relying on the rented rice in the countryside, several old relatives and friends also provided help from time to time. Although life is not rich, it is not embarrassing. This made Kuang Lu, who had been wandering around, feel a lot better.
Soon he came to the door. The Kuang family's mansion was built after his grandfather passed the imperial examination, and now it is dilapidated. The Jinshi flagpole in front of the door has disappeared and only a few flagpole stones remain. Because his father was only a junior student and failed to win the imperial examination or become a Jinshi, the family was inevitably in decline.
When he lived here in the past, he came in and out and never felt anything. When a wanderer comes back after many years, he cannot help but feel sad when he sees his old home again.
But it really makes him sad that his mother lives here. Before he could think about it carefully, the child on the door had already seen him and rushed into the courtyard in panic, shouting: "Here he comes, he comes, the uncle is back."
Kuang Lu raised her feet to enter the door, turned around the screen wall, and saw her old father, who was already gray-haired, being helped out by his two nephews.
Thinking that he was so self-willed and contrary to the county magistrate that he had to leave his father, wife and children behind and go away for several years. He failed to fulfill his duties as a son of man and failed to fulfill his duties as a husband and father. Instead, he made them worry about him. , couldn't help but feel guilty, he took three steps at a time to get in front of his father, knelt down and cried bitterly.
Although he had received the news that his son was coming back, when his son came and cried bitterly, Kuang Sihao realized that the son he was thinking about was already in front of him. He was speechless for a moment, and could only touch his son tremblingly. Tears flowed endlessly. Everyone couldn't help but whimper when they saw this scene. For a moment, no one spoke in the hall, only a small whimper could be heard.
After a long time, Zizhuang looked at his father with tears in his eyes and said, "My son is unfilial, my son is guilty, and my son deserves death." As he spoke, he kept kowtowing, making a sound.
Father Kuang supported his son, but he could not utter a word even though he had thousands of words. After a while, he said: "Just come back! I don't care, I'm just hurting your wife and children! Go and have a look!"
Everyone helped Kuang's father and then Kuang Lu, and advised him not to cry, saying that this was a happy event and he should not be too sad because his body was in serious condition. Everyone comforted them for a long time before their emotions calmed down. At this time, someone led him to the back hall to meet his wife and children.
Husband and wife have not seen each other for many years, and when they see each other it is indispensable to talk to each other after a long separation. It's just that the son is not familiar with this father who has been away from home for many years and is a little afraid.
This day is the day to say farewell to the stove. Originally, relatives and friends were worshiping the stove at their own homes. Because they heard that Kuang Lu was coming back, everyone came over to celebrate. For a time, the whole room was filled with laughter and laughter.
Even the neighbors came out to watch. Several families had always been on good terms with the Kuang family in the past, and when they heard that he was back, they brought gifts to congratulate him. Kuang Lu hurriedly went out to pay homage to her neighbors. While he was busy, he suddenly saw several servants from a distance carrying two loads of gifts. He recognized the leader, named Zhang He, who was the servant of his friend Zhang Muzhi.
Zhang He saw Kuang Lu from a distance, abandoned the servant carrying the burden, trotted to him, knelt down and said, "Good morning, Uncle Kuang! My master heard that he was coming home, so he specially prepared some local products to eat, and sealed another two hundred taels. I gave the money to the uncle to wash away his dust. My master said: I will be at my knees these days to celebrate and fulfill my filial piety. I won’t come here to disturb you today. After the New Year, my master will bring a sticker to pay homage to me."
After hearing this, Kuang Lu smiled and said, "Thank you for your kindness, sir. I've accepted everything. I'll go back and report to your master. I'll go to the house to say thank you after I've sorted out the family affairs." She immediately ordered Eryu to reward the money. Send them back.
After finishing the busy work in this room, I returned to the main hall to reminisce about the old days with all my relatives and friends. Some people reported that there were old stories about the past everywhere. I heard that he had returned home and came to give gifts. Even the deceased Liang Yuanzhu's family sent gifts. For a time, the front door of Chen's house was bustling with people. Eryu was busy, supervising the servants to count the gifts, and at the same time giving rewards to the servants and porters who gave the gifts. The dull atmosphere of many days ago was gone in front of the originally deserted Kuang residence.
Kuang Lu came back from her neighbor's house, and suddenly a few more boys came over with gifts. The first one was not like other people who came to the house. As soon as he arrived at the door, he loudly called and posted, and just stood aside and watched. Seeing Kuang Lu passing by, she immediately stepped forward, said hello, and said in a low voice: "My master Chen Zizhuang. I know that the uncle is back today, and I sent a special young man to send you a gift to congratulate you. There is also an invitation here." After that, He thrust the gift list and invitation into Kuang Yan's hand, put down the gift, and left quietly.
(End of chapter)
