After she finished reading, Sect Master Zhou also read it again. The surrounding windows were wide open, candlelight was bright, and there were two or three cavalrymen outside the door. The open and bright space completely dispelled the slight guard in Xiao Luolan's heart.
After listening, Xiao Luolan corrected a few pronunciations.
After reading two or three books, Zhou Xu said that this was the end of tonight's study. Before Xiao Luolan left, he thought of his daughter waiting for her in the room out of boredom, and hesitated in her steps.
Zhou Xu asked with concern: "Mrs. Xiao, is there anything else?"
"Can I borrow some books?" Xiao Luolan was a little embarrassed.
Zhou Xu simply loved Mrs. Xiao's shy look and said straightforwardly: "You can take whichever book you like on the table. You're welcome. You can change it after you finish reading."
Xiao Luolan said gratefully: "Thank you, Sect Leader Zhou."
In order to express his closeness, Zhou Xu said: "Mrs. Xiao, my name is Zhou Xu. I am searching for the Xu in the vast world. I am searching alone for the distant Shao. The word is Chongguang. Mrs. Xiao can call me Chongguang or Zhou Langjun, both of them." Can."
Xu Lang is better, Zhou Xu thought with regret.
"Then thank you, Mr. Zhou." Xiao Luolan saw Sect Master Zhou reporting his name and reciprocating the courtesy, so he also said his own name: "My name is Xiao Luolan." She suddenly remembered that her father named her when she was a child. After the birth of my daughter, I also took one, but I didn’t use it for many years.
"Zi Qianying."
"Yingzhe, Zhuji is indeed a good match for Mrs. Xiao."
Seeing that the books were heavy, Zhou Xu looked around outside the door and found that Lei Hu had been replaced by a knight. He ordered Lei Bao to carry the books and send Mrs. Xiao back to the room, waving to indicate that the remaining knights did not need to guard outside the room. .
After the two of them left.
Zhou Xu was bored and flipping through a travel diary. A Lei family entered the room silently, with his head lowered and his face hidden in the shadows. He recounted in a low voice what happened before Lei Hu Lei Bao, and then quietly of retreat.
Zhou Xu smiled, and used his rough hands to extinguish the fire core, and the strong and profound outline disappeared in the darkness.
Chapter 15
Early next morning.
"Ah, I'm so sleepy." Xiao Qingxue got out of the bed, straightened up in a daze, and yawned. She was so sleepy that her eyes were full of water stains. She looked at the bedside, her mother. I'm already up and all my clothes are on.
"My dear, get up quickly. We have important things to do today." Xiao Luolan put her daughter's clothes on the bedside and put the books next to her pillow on the bed on the table.
Xiao Qingxue rubbed her eyes vigorously and took a look at the sky. It was already bright. Last night, she and her mother read more than half of the books they borrowed. They were all poems, travel notes and short stories about the southeast, northwest and northwest. They got to know each other. Da Chu was famous for his poems, songs, scenic spots and famous people from aristocratic families. Of course, she also knew that she had made a small and harmless mistake.
For example, she should call her mother A-niang or empress. In serious situations, it is okay to call her mother.
It sounds very much like a dynasty in Xiao Qingxue's memory, but this is Dachu, and in this era, papermaking has been very developed. The book my mother sent last night was a blue-covered thread-bound book, which means This means that the printing technology has become very mature and has begun to enter thousands of households. The aristocratic families gradually no longer have a monopoly on knowledge, and these paper and printing technologies begin to impact their status.
The imperial examination system established by the imperial court further shook the foundation of the family.
New rich people from poor families are rising rapidly. They are eager to take down the aristocratic family's position in the court, like vultures eyeing the fat.
Xiao Qingxue didn't need to think about it to know how fiercely the old and new factions would confront each other in the court.
She learned all these from books, and the rest was surmised by herself based on the history she was familiar with.
The signs of troubled times are already obvious.
In a country where party disputes within the court are constant, disasters occur, and refugees are everywhere, it is easy for local forces to gradually escape the control of the central court. Thinking of this, Xiao Qingxue thought of the great benefactor who saved them, Clan Master Zhou, or rather Zhou Jiedushi, Zhou Youzhou, whatever they can be called.
Xiao Qingxue was half happy and half sad.
Fortunately, in the coming troubled times, they knew Sect Leader Zhou and even had an intersection, so they could at least get some protection.
The worry is naturally that if the Zhou clan leader is really a powerful military envoy who respects his own troops and does not listen to the instructions of the central government, then the Zhou clan leader will undoubtedly be a thorn in the side of the court and a thorn in the flesh. Such a person who does not have the name of a vassal king has The imperial court will definitely appoint the central army to punish or check and balance the princes and kings. It is not known how powerful this Zhou clan master is.
Xiao Qingxue lost a few strands of her hair. In the final analysis, there was still too little information, but if she inquired too much, it could easily turn into spying on military intelligence.
If you don't want to do this kind of thing, then don't do it.
Can you have both your cake and eat it too? At least, they are still receiving help from Sect Master Zhou. Moreover, if it is really a troubled time, there is no safest place. Under the influence of the torrent of history, everyone has no control over their fate.
Last night, while Fang Yun was asleep, she quietly analyzed their current situation with her mother to prepare her mentally. However, she herself did not sleep well at night, and she felt listless when she woke up in the morning.
Xiao Luolan saw that her daughter was crying from sleepiness and looked cute and pitiful. She couldn't help but kiss her and apply plaster on her forehead before dressing her daughter.
Xiao Qingxue yawned again and looked up to find that her mother's eyes were a little blue. It seemed that her mother had not slept well last night and she regretted telling her about those ancient times in troubled times.
"Mom, I put on my shoes myself." Xiao Qingxue bent down and put on her shoes, just when Fang Yun came over with water.
After washing up, Xiao Qingxue was no longer sleepy at all.
Having Fang Yun really helped them a lot.
Just like hair curling.
Fang Yun was skillful with her hands and had tied up their hair in a short time and made it beautiful. Xiao Qingxue touched her hanging temples, which were decorated with two pearl flower-shaped hair accessories. If she had done it herself , it will definitely take a long time, and it’s not pretty. There is still a little bruise on the forehead, and it will probably be gone in half a month at most.
Fang Yun gathered the luxurious and colorful clothes of the masters into the box. As a personal maid, she always got up early. At dawn, she put the bedding on the floor into the closet, then packed herself up, and the rest The time is spent cleaning and drying the masters' shoes first. The work is not heavy at all and is much better than at Li's house.
And because she was the noble lady's personal maid, the Jiedushi Lord's servants were also very polite to her. No matter what she did, they would help her. When fetching water in the morning, they would let her use warm water first. Even the court food is the same as what they eat, including meat soup and Hu pancakes. Fang Yun has never eaten such delicious food. When she was in the Li Mansion, the food for their servants was a bowl of meager noodle soup and A small piece of steamed cake.
So Fang Yun secretly guessed that the relationship between her new master and the Jiedushi Master must be very good. Even her new maid and the Jiedushi Master's retinue were taking care of her.
Since the masters did not indicate that they wanted to go out, Fang Yun brought the masters' breakfast to the room. Waiting for the master to finish the breakfast, Fang Yun was about to put away the trays, bowls and spoons when he heard the new master, Mrs. Xiao's soft words. Call her softly.
"Fangyun."
Fang Yun lowered his head and folded his hands: "Master, do you have any orders?"
Xiao Luolan saw that the middle of the little girl's forehead was still green, so she also applied some ointment to her forehead. This ointment was given by the medicine boy at the inn. It was very easy to use. The bruise on her daughter's forehead was much better.
Fang Yun smelled the fragrance, her face turned red for some reason, and she didn't dare to look up at her new master.
Mrs. Xiao is really gentle.
"Fang Yun, do you know where I can exchange money?" Xiao Luolan put away the small medicine jar and prepared to pawn some things in exchange for some money. Without money in her hands, it was inconvenient to go anywhere, not to mention, she had to Give monthly money to the little girl.
"Yes, there is a cabinet shop in the county." Fang Yun replied.
Xiao Luolan said: "Take us there. We are going to Langge in Youzhou, so we need to buy a carriage. You know better. Please remind us what we need to buy on the way."
Fang Yun bowed again and said, "Yes, Master."
When going out, Xiao Luolan didn't see the familiar Lei Hu among the crowd of riders.
When Lei Bao saw Mrs. Xiao coming out with Mrs. Xiao and her personal maid, he looked around them, as if he was looking for someone, so he took the initiative to step forward and asked: "Mrs. Xiao, are you looking for Lei Hu?" ?"
"May I ask where he went?" Xiao Luolan was only familiar with Lei Hu among this group of riders.
Lei Bao said: "I am Lei Hu's cousin, my name is Lei Bao. Lei Hu accidentally fell down last night and is recovering from his injuries. Does Mrs. Xiao have something important?"
"Lei Langjun, we want to go out, can we escort you?" Xiao Luolan had to trouble Lei Hu's cousin.
"No problem." Lei Bao walked over and first asked one of Lei's cavalry to go back and tell the sect leader that Madam Xiao and the others were out, and then led two cavalrymen to follow Madam Xiao from far away to act as bodyguards.
With three tall and powerful knights armed with swords, Xiao Qingxue suddenly felt full of security.
As soon as they went out, a little beggar hiding in the corner turned around and ran to a yamen servant. The yamen servant asked the little beggar to continue to look at them, while he quickly ran to the county government office to tell the county magistrate.
Before Lord Jiedushi left Cang County, Dou Yaoming's heart was still in his throat, so he asked the Yamen to watch the inn and tell him immediately if there was any movement.
Xiao Qingxue followed her mother and looked at it curiously. A wide and solid dirt road stretched into the distance. There were few tall buildings on both sides of the road. The inn they stayed in was the tallest in the neighborhood and had the best appearance. The inn There are several restaurants and restaurants nearby, all with black-gray roofs and earthy-yellow walls. Among the passers-by, most of the women wear skirts with tight-fitting narrow sleeves. The sleeves are no longer than the wrist. The skirt is also narrow and the color is monotonous. Indigo, blue-black and linen colors, wearing hemp shoes.
The men either wore buns or hairpins on their heads, some wore long robes, and some wore linen shorts and linen trousers. There were several children running and playing with paper kites on the street.
There are people on both sides of the road shouting and selling things.
Xiao Luolan went out for the first time in this era and observed with her daughter, but because she had no money in hand, she just took a look.
Little did they know that while the two were quietly looking at each other, people on the street were also curiously looking at the noble man who suddenly appeared on the street.
Especially today, when the sun is scorching, the nobles' skin is so white that it seems to be glowing. They are wearing brightly colored dresses. When they walk by, even the wind is fragrant, and their appearance is indescribably good-looking, as if written in a book. Like a fairy.
Xiao Luolan quickly noticed something was wrong, and her face turned red as she had never received so much attention.
Xiao Qingxue held her mother's hand. Knowing that her mother was gentle and shy, she asked Fang Yun, "Fang Yun, how long will it take for the counter visit to arrive?"
"Come on, it's on the corner of the street." Fang Yun pointed ahead.
After entering the cabinet, Xiao Luolan took out a prepared jade bracelet and placed it on the cabinet. Xiao Qingxue looked down at her toes and said nothing.
Xiao Luolan touched her daughter's head.
After all, the jewelry on their heads was not their own, and she had thought about it. In ancient times, the price of carriages was certainly not cheap, and she would need to buy a lot of things later. The money she exchanged for this time must be more, so she took out the jade bracelet. .
When the shopkeeper saw the noble person coming, he was startled for a moment, then quickly smiled: "Madam, what do you need to pawn?"
Xiao Luolan pushed the bracelet in front of the shopkeeper: "This bracelet."
The shopkeeper picked up a brocade handkerchief and carefully picked up the bracelet and looked at it. He saw that it was emerald green in color, with perfect curvature and no flaws, like a clear and deep pool. After looking at it for a long time, he asked: "Then do you want to live or die?" What about dead bets? The price of live bets is lower, and the dead bets are priced higher.”
Xiao Luolan: "Just die."
When the shopkeeper saw the guard with a knife behind the noble man, he stroked his sparse beard repeatedly and thought for a long time before saying: "I'll give you a price. The price is twenty-five taels of silver." This was already the highest bottom line in his mind. .
It should be quite a lot. Xiao Luolan thought that Lei Hu only spent twenty taels of silver on Fang Yun. Now this bracelet can be sold for twenty-five taels. Comparing it, it seems to be okay.
Xiao Luolan: "Then let's take this price. Please give me some more copper coins."
The shopkeeper put away the jade bracelet, then took twenty-four taels of silver horns, seven hundred coins and nobles, and put them in two money bags respectively.
The shopkeeper said: "Let me tell you, in today's world, one tael of silver can only be exchanged for six to seven hundred cents. In the past, one tael of silver and one thousand cents were only available in the time of peace. I will give you the purse. You don’t need to buy it.”
Xiao Luolan: "Thank you, shopkeeper." With the money in her hand, she felt relieved. She waved Fang Yun over: "Fang Yun, I'll give you the monthly payment."
Fang Yun was at a loss: "Master, slave, I haven't been waiting for you for a few days..."
"It doesn't matter, just take it and see what you need to buy." Xiao Luolan knew that the little girl had no money to treat her parents, and was about to follow them to Youzhou. How could she not need money.
Fang Yun's eyes were red, and she bowed deeply: "Thank you, Master."
Xiao Luolan gave the monthly money to Fang Yun, and then put the silver horn in the sachet that her daughter carried. Each of the two money bags contained two hundred coins, and handed one of them to her daughter.
Xiao Qingxue put away the sachet and took the money bag.
Xiao Luolan compensated for her daughter's recent disappointment and said with a smile, "It's your pocket money."
Xiao Qingxue was immediately happy.
Xiao Luolan looked at her with a smile, her eyes as gentle as water.
Zhou Xu stood outside the door, looked at it for a while, turned to Zhao Qingshan and asked in a low voice: "What poems describe the beautiful water in Jiangnan?"
Zhao Qingshan was surprised: "Master, why do you ask this?"
