"It turns out that an elder in the family is sick." Zhou Xu put down his wine glass and said with empathy: "I have also experienced this kind of thing. When Taiyang comes, I will go to visit Li Taishou in person. People can't be immersed in grief. You have to look forward.”
Yang Dong's face twitched and he didn't dare to answer.
As a county chief, the prefect should meet with the Jiedushi Master out of emotion and reason. However, this Li Bozhi was sent by the imperial court, and it was well known that he did not deal with their Jiedushi Master.
Xiao Luolan in the compartment did not eavesdrop on purpose, but the space was only that big, with only a bead curtain separating the middle. In addition, Sect Master Zhou and Captain Yang did not deliberately lower their voices, so she listened anyway. perhaps.
After all the maids went out, Fang Yun took the initiative to walk to the table to check.
Xiao Qingxue and her mother bit their ears and whispered: "Now that Sect Leader Zhou has been assassinated, it's okay if the prefect doesn't come. He didn't even send a trusted servant. This is not normal."
Xiao Luolan guessed: "Are you saying that the relationship between Sect Leader Zhou and the prefect is not good?"
"I guess eight/nine times out of ten, yes." Xiao Qingxue took her mother's hand and went to eat. She saw several plates of cakes on the desk, and Fang Yun had already made tea.
Xiao Luolan knelt down on the cushions, looking dazed and couldn't help but think too much.
"Mom, eat some cake." Xiao Qingxue picked up a piece of glutinous rice cake and fed it to her mother.
Xiao Luolan ate two pieces and took a sip of tea.
Xiao Qingxue took Fang Yun to eat together. The food was lively because there were so many people. Her ears were perked up to listen to what was going on outside.
"Captain Yang, my injury has not healed yet, so I won't drink too much."
Yang Dong remembered what Lei's cavalry said about the Jiedushi Lord being attacked and injured, and said, "Then, please put the wine away."
Yang Dong stood in the front room of the carriage, wiped his face, and ordered the maidservant to take care of Lord Jiedushi. He got out of the carriage with a red clay stove and a pot of hot wine. When the wind blew, he realized that his back It's all sweat.
After Captain Yang left, Zhao Qingshan opened the bead curtain with a folding fan and said with a smile: "Mrs. Xiao, Miss Xiao, come out, there is delicious food outside."
"What's delicious?" Xiao Qingxue expressed doubts about the delicacies mentioned by the ancients.
"You'll find out when you get out."
Xiao Luolan and her daughter walked outside.
Zhou Xu smiled and said, "There are cherries and sugar-steamed cheese. Mrs. Xiao, Miss Xiao, come over and try it."
cherry? Xiao Qingxue's eyes lit up.
Xiao Luolan looked at her daughter's greedy look and felt pity in her heart. She walked over with her daughter. There were two cushions on the left side of the long table. After sitting down, she saw the cherries on the table at a glance.
The juicy cherries are placed one by one in the glass bowl, exuding a crystal clear color through the glass bowl.
Next to it is a plate of sugar-steamed cheese, exuding a rich milk aroma.
There were four people at the table, each with a small portion in front of him.
"Cherry is known as the first fruit in early spring. Now is the late season and tastes the sweetest." Zhao Qingshan sat at the end of the long table, picked up a cherry and dipped it in sugar and steamed cheese to eat.
"Auntie, you eat too." Xiao Qingxue ate one and then fed a cherry to her mother.
Xiao Luolan was fed one by surprise. The cherry pulp was sour and sweet, but more sweet than sour, and the aroma was very rich.
"Mrs. Xiao, I wonder if you are free in the evening."
Xiao Luolan swallowed the cherry meat: "Yes."
Zhou Xu said with a smile in his eyes: "Can you please help me practice Chang'an dialect?"
After hearing this, Xiao Luolan suddenly remembered that she still had this important matter. She had forgotten it these past few days. She was instantly ashamed: "Sect Master Zhou, I'm sorry, I've forgotten it these past few days."
"It doesn't matter." Zhou Xu said he didn't care.
Xiao Luolan remembered this matter early.
After sitting for a while, Zhou Xu and Zhao Qingshan got up and went to another carriage. It was always inappropriate for them to linger for a long time in a place with many female relatives.
Xiao Qingxue opened the window and discovered that there were several smaller carriages behind their carriage. That's right, since so many servants and maids came with the army, they must have a place to eat and live.
In the evening, Xiao Luolan only looked for the vehicles behind and saw the carriage of Clan Master Zhou. Lei Bao was standing in the front room of the carriage, holding the reins in his hand, acting as the driver.
Because it was raining, it got dark very quickly in the evening.
When Xiao Luolan entered, Sect Master Zhou's carriage was already lit with lights.
Two carriages were traveling together. Xiao Qingxue could see the brightly lit outer room of Clan Master Zhou's carriage at a glance. She took a few glances. Her mother and Clan Master Zhou were sitting across the table. There were both riders and servants outside the carriage. The windows were wide open. I didn't notice anything strange for a while, so I observed the cavalry who arrived in the afternoon.
Xiao Luolan sat in front of the desk and looked at the small plate of cherries on the desk with some surprise.
"Captain Yang sent them in the afternoon. They said they were the last few." Zhou Xu said with a smile: "Cherry quenches thirst and stimulates fluid production. I don't like sweetness, but Mrs. Xiao needs it when she reads poetry."
Zhou Xu observed that when eating cherries in the morning, Mrs. Xiao evened out several for Miss Xiao, so she didn't eat much, but Mrs. Xiao must have loved them.
Xiao Luolan was holding a travel diary in her hand. After listening to Sect Master Zhou's words, she felt like she was greedy and her face turned slightly red.
She read for a while and saw that the cherries were as red as gems under the light, so bright red that she picked one up and put it in her mouth, and then the ends of her eyes unconsciously curved.
Cherries are really delicious.
Zhou Xu drank tea, covering his dark vision.
Mrs. Xiao had a cherry on her lips.
The juice of the cherry dyed the color of her lips, and her whole body looked like a ripe cherry, beautiful and plump, which moved people's hearts.
Chapter 21
"Is this Taiyang County City?"
Xiao Qingxue looked out of the window and saw that the city gate was about ten meters high. The city wall was made of bluestone bricks and rammed earth. It looked strong and majestic. There were soldiers in armor patrolling back and forth on the city wall, holding long swords.
The three simple characters of Taiyang City come into view.
Under the city gate, only two of the three gates were open. They were walking through the middle gate. Yang Dong was riding a horse, the infantry was clearing the way in front, and the cavalry guards were on the left and right sides of the carriage. The group entered the main city of Princess Taiyang. .
Xiao Luolan was also watching with her daughter. After entering the city gate, her vision suddenly opened up. She could see that the streets in Taiyang County were very wide. There were many shops on both sides of the streets. Restaurants and inns could be seen everywhere, and people were coming and going. , bustling and lively.
Moreover, Xiao Qingxue was pleasantly surprised to find that the streets in the main city of Taiyang County were paved with large bluestone bricks. Although the large bluestone bricks were not neat, they looked very clean. There were shading trees planted on both sides of the road. There are weeping elm trees and willows, and the sound of hawkers can be heard all the time.
"Mommy, it's so lively here." Xiao Qingxue said to her mother. Fang Yun also stared at it. It was her first time to see such a prosperous city.
"Mrs. Xiao, Miss Xiao, our Taiyang County is one of the main cities in Youzhou. Because it is connected to the Xunjiang River, there are many docks, and water transportation is developed, so it is richer than other places in Youzhou." A maidservant Seeing that the nobleman was very interested in Taiyang County, he took the initiative and said: "Our Taiyang County has produced many Jinshis in the past few years. I heard that they have now become officials in Chang'an City."
"It's morning now, and this area is the East Market. If the time is advanced one or two hours, Mrs. Xiao and Miss Xiao can see the morning market in the East Market. They sell all kinds of Korean food, fish fillet soup, and fresh meat. Wontons, flax cakes, and steamed cakes with fillings are all the favorite foods of Taiyang County people."
Xiao Qingxue's eyes lit up when she heard this.
The maid added at the right time: "In the West Market, there are mostly silk and satin shops and clothing stores, as well as some gold and silver shops, rouge and pollen shops, and bookstores and pen and ink shops."
"Nanshi is the residence of the wealthy merchants Hu Shang and some smaller aristocratic families." The maid only said a general word about Nanshi. As for Beishi, she didn't mention a word.
After the maid left, Xiao Qingxue looked at her mother: "Aniang, tell me if the prefect and others live in Beishi."
"That should be it." Xiao Luolan hugged her daughter, asked her to look outside, and pointed: "Qingxue, look, there is a foreigner there."
Xiao Qingxue looked in the direction of her mother's finger and saw a man with deep eyes, a high nose, brown eyes and long curly hair wearing an apron selling wine on the street. There was quite a queue.
Fang Yun finally waited for her chance to speak: "Master, he is called a barbarian in our Youzhou area."
"It's a barbarian."
Xiao Luolan looked at it for a while and found that there were many women on the street wearing men's robes and shopping with some domestic slaves. Some women wore curtains and hats and were riding horses. They were more dressed than the women in Cang County. , she saw that her daughter was silent, but her eyes were flashing. She looked enviously at those robes that were easy to move around and guessed what she was thinking.
After excluding the expenses of hiring horses and buying things in Cang County, she still had twenty taels left on hand. She would buy one for her daughter when she had the opportunity to see if men's robes were expensive.
Xiao Luolan wrote this down.
The carriage walked slowly on the bricks of the green mountain. Because the surrounding riders were solemn and powerful, many pedestrians stayed far away from the team, but there were not many people in the dark. From this carriage, enter the Taiyang Commandery area and then come back Arriving at Taiyang County, there were waves of people observing secretly.
It can be said that the assassination of Youzhou Jiedushi on the official road of Cangxian County has caused huge waves in Youzhou. Taiyang County Captain Yang greeted him with a mighty armor of infantry and cavalry.
The aristocratic families with a keen sense of smell and the officials of Taiyang County sent out their servants and spies to inquire around. Families with in-law relationships exchanged information for no other reason. In addition to the assassination, the Taiyang County governor did not respond to the news. Jiedushi did not show any attitude towards the assassination, and only said that he was waiting for the disease.
Especially the supporters of the prefecture faction were almost going crazy! Posts asking for an audience were sent to the prefect's mansion like snowflakes, but they were like cattle in the quagmire without any reply.
Many people have learned from Duwei Yang's march that some of the Taiyang County sergeants within the Duwei's jurisdiction have already settled in the main city of Bei City. Bei City is where Taiyang County officials and those who have ranked in the Taiyang County platoon are located. Residence of aristocratic family.
Although the prefect is in charge of the people and the captain is in charge of the army, and the two are almost at the same level, Taiyang County is managed by the prefect after all, and the captain usually trains sergeants in the area outside the city. Now that Captain Yang is doing this, is he seizing power? suspicion.
Many people in the city of Taiyang County were in panic, especially the officials and nobles of Bei City. In almost a quarter of an hour, they would send their servants to see where Lord Jiedushi had arrived.
Just when they thought the black carriage was going to the North City, the carriage was heading towards the South City.
Nan City is a mixture of wealthy businessmen and landlords and some small aristocratic families in the middle and lower positions of Taiyang. Although their background is not as good as that of some high-ranking families, because they are rich, the houses are well decorated, with deep houses and large courtyards, and square quilts. Separated by the wall, every household is arranged at a distance from each other. The bluestone slabs are smoother than the main road, and the carriage can hardly feel the bumps when driving on it.
"This Taiyang County is quite big." Xiao Qingxue kept looking at the outside world with interest while chatting with her mother. The carriage has been walking for a long time, hasn't it arrived at the prefect's mansion yet?
Xiao Luolan suddenly saw Sect Leader Zhou coming on horseback and stopping by their window.
"Mrs. Xiao, we are going to Nanshi in Taiyang County."
Zhou Xu sat on the horse and informed Mrs. Xiao, his figure strong and tall in the sunlight.
"Aren't you going to the prefect?" Xiao Luolan asked doubtfully.
Zhou Xu smiled: "It's been a tiring journey, let's settle down first."
Xiao Luolan recalled it carefully, and it seemed that Sect Master Zhou had never given an exact time to say when he would go to the Prefect's Mansion. He only said that he would go to the Prefect's Mansion, but he did not say when.
Xiao Luolan couldn't help but look at Sect Master Zhou twice.
Zhou Xu touched his face and asked doubtfully: "Why is Mrs. Xiao looking at me?"
Xiao Luolan's eyelashes twitched, and her eyelashes were as long as butterfly wings: "No, it's nothing."
This time it was Zhou Xu who looked at Mrs. Xiao a few more times.
The black carriage turned a corner and gradually moved away from the hustle and bustle of the street.
Not long after the carriage drove, we saw a large number of houses. Inside the outer walls, we could vaguely see buildings with heavy eaves and white walls and red doors.
Some people have sensed the direction of Taiyang County in advance. The master of the family has already ordered the servants not to cause trouble in recent days. However, for despicable businessmen like Hu Shanghao, the rules are loose and the information is not well-informed. Several big merchants have done something good. He actually opened the door and looked at Captain Yang's family car in Youzhou, and followed him as if he was passing by.
Yang Dong is the Commander-in-Chief of Taiyang County and is in charge of the military power of Taiyang County. Businessmen like them usually have a lot of trouble trying to meet him. Now they suddenly see Captain Yang’s family car appearing in Nanshi. How can they not be surprised? .
Several of them had seen Captain Yang and saw him standing behind a man with a respectful expression. They had a vague premonition of something and did not dare to step forward.
Seeing the carriage going further and further inside, Luo Jinhu's heart jumped rapidly. As a wealthy businessman with a little reputation, his mind started spinning almost instantly. He had already paid enough protection fees to the government in recent months. However, the family's children's play did not result in any deaths, and they quickly established a deep friendship with his neighbor Dou Haitao, knowing it well.
In order to catch up with Dou Haitao, Luo Jinhu spent a lot of money.
