"When we have money, we can buy a house and live as before."
Xiao Luolan stared at her daughter blankly and found that she seemed to have grown up than before. She felt disappointed and happy at the same time.
Xiao Qingxue shook her mother's hand: "Don't be tense all day long. Relax a little. Anyway, Sect Master Zhou's favor will not be paid back for a while. That's it. We are not gods. This is how the world develops."
Xiao Luolan was amused by her daughter's showboating. She straightened her daughter's hair and her eyes were a little moist.
When my daughter was first born, she was a small ball. When she grew up, she started to toddle, and then started babbling. Gradually, she grew faster and faster. It seemed that in the blink of an eye, the little pink dumpling became a baby. Turned into a slim girl.
Seeing her mother smile, Xiao Qingxue also laughed: "Okay, let's continue practicing calligraphy."
The cicadas chirped endlessly in the afternoon, and sunlight leaked from everywhere on the bamboo tower, reflecting in the walls.
Xiao Luolan was practicing calligraphy with a calligraphy brush in her right hand, and gently patted her daughter's back with one hand.
When Xiao Qingxue was tired from writing, she rested her head on her mother's lap, and was patted by her mother until she fell asleep.
Mom's hands are so gentle and smell good.
She loves her mother so much.
When Zhou Xu went up to the bamboo building, he saw through the window that Mrs. Xiao's beloved daughter was taking a nap on Mrs. Xiao's lap again.
He glanced at the sky and realized that just after midnight, when the sun was shining, he went down to the bamboo house again. When he came up for the second time, he brought a thin blanket with colorful colors in his hand.
Xiao Luolan saw Sect Master Zhou pushing open the door and covering the calligraphy he had practiced with a book.
Zhou Xu silently gestured with the blanket.
Xiao Luolan took the blanket, covered her daughter with it, and gratefully said thank you to Sect Master Zhou.
Seeing that Mrs. Xiao's daughter was there, Zhou Xu didn't want to stay too long. After giving him a blanket, he went downstairs.
When he returned to the study, Zhou Xu sat on a high chair, holding a piece of paper and just looked at it. After looking at it for a long time, he smiled and said: "Five months ago, Gao Yuanheng, the governor of Hexi Province, died of illness, and his son Gao Zhi became the emperor on his own. Later, Gao Zhi presented the memorial to the Holy One several times, and the Holy One left the memorial to be sent out."
Zhao Qingshan shook his folding fan and said: "The Gao family has held the position of Hexi Jiedushi for two generations, and Gao Zhi will sit on it for the third generation. Your Majesty is afraid that the land of Hexi Prefecture will become the ancestral property of the Gao family. Naturally, It won’t be approved.”
Zhou Xu blew on the thin piece of paper and let it sway: "Yes, the Holy Emperor does not want the Gao family to serve as Jiedushi anymore. He wants to appoint another Jiedushi to take back the military power without bloodshed."
"But how can there be such a good thing in the world? When you are needed, you will fight hard, and when you are not needed, you will be thrown away. Gao Yuanheng is in charge of Hexi, and I am in charge of Youzhou. Seriously, we are still neighbors. "
"Gao Yuanheng is the chess piece arranged by His Majesty to suppress and monitor me in Hexi. We have fought against the Turks together before, and we have also fought against each other."
"But once Gao Yuanheng dies, the Holy Father will no longer restore his son's independence."
Zhao Qingshan sat opposite his lord, looking at the news coming from the direction of Chang'an, and said with a smile: "Now the Holy One agrees?"
Zhou Xu put the paper on the candle and burned it. His narrow eyes were like hawks, with a fierce and indifferent coldness: "It's almost over. Now we just need another outspoken imperial censor to speak to the court." The rebellious influence caused by the change of the Chongzhou Jiedushi, and the fact that I took Lei's Qingqi to He Shuo in Hexi the month before last should be enough."
"Now some conservative officials in the imperial court are worried that the emperor's decision to leave his hair for memorial will arouse Gao Zhi's dissatisfaction, which will make Gao Zhi fall to our side."
Zhou Xu grinned, with a bloodthirsty smile: "But they didn't expect that Gao Zhi was different from him. Before Gao Yuanheng died of illness, Gao Zhi was going crazy with anxiety. He had already sent a secret message begging me to help him. To secure the position of Hexi Jiedushi, at the expense of secretly ceding several counties in Hexi."
Zhao Qingshan was silent.
Governor Li's loss of control this time was within his and his lord's expectations.
Because Li Taishou had petitioned the Holy One several times to send new Jiedushi to take over Hexi, Hexi would be in serious trouble if Hexi did not change its Jiedushi!
In the next few days, Xiao Luolan came to this bamboo house almost every day. The environment was quiet and no one disturbed her. She could make up for her shortcomings. After Xiao Qingxue's menstrual cramps stopped, she was very greedy for the boats in the small lake. , and finally couldn't help but drag Fang Yun along to rock the boat.
Lei Shan paddled a small wooden boat and followed behind them, just in case something unexpected happened.
Mrs. Dou came with her maid to chat with Mrs. Xiao.
"Mrs. Xiao, a friend of mine has a landscape garden near Hongfa Temple. She invited me to be a guest there. I would like to invite you to go with me. I wonder if you have time, Mrs. Xiao?"
Seeing Mrs. Dou's polite words, Xiao Luolan thought of Mrs. Dou's help to them since entering the Dou Mansion, so she replied: "Yes."
Mrs. Dou suddenly became happy.
"Can I take my daughter with me?" Xiao Luolan glanced at her daughter who was boating on the lake.
Mrs. Dou's smile grew wider: "Of course." Finally, she asked tentatively: "This friend of mine is the wife of a businessman, would you mind?" If Mrs. Xiao minded, then Mrs. Dou planned to reject Luo Jinhu.
Xiao Luolan was stunned for a moment, and then realized that the status of merchants in ancient times seemed to be quite low.
She shook her head: "I don't mind."
She runs a small cake shop in modern times and is considered a businessman. She specializes in selling things to others, so how can she look down on others.
"Mrs. Xiao, you are so good." Mrs. Dou felt that she didn't know what to say. She wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. Ever since other aristocratic families knew that her husband was friends with Luo Jinhu, they had always ridiculed them openly and secretly. I don't know. Madam Dou was angry many times, but Madam Xiao, who came from Chang'an, never put on airs or beat or scold her servants when getting along with her. She was gentle and gentle when she spoke to anyone, and she was very kind to them. Respect, the slaves and maids of Dou Mansion secretly like this mother and daughter.
This is a real lady raised by a noble family, Mrs. Dou thought.
When Xiao Qingxue learned that they were going out, she happily changed her clothes.
Getting on the carriage from the gate, Xiao Luolan and Xiao Qingxue sat in the same carriage, Fang Yun was also with them as their personal maid, and Mrs. Dou and her maid Qiao Xin sat in the same carriage.
Of course, Dou Haitao would report to Master Jiedushi that Mrs. Xiao and his wife went out to play together.
Zhou Xu still had something to do. Judge Xu Feige sent a letter to him in Cang County and told him some clues he had found. After hearing Dou Haitao's words, he asked Lei Shan and two Lei's cavalry to escort Mrs. Xiao.
Xiao Qingxue opened the bamboo curtain and looked at the street. Maybe it was because the sun was too hot. There were not many people on the street and it didn't look too lively.
The carriage wheel traveled on the car for some distance.
Yang Dong happened to meet Mrs. Dou and the others while riding a horse. He saw Mrs. Xiao next to Mrs. Xiao at a glance.
Mrs. Xiao was sitting in the car, her face half-hidden in the bamboo curtain, only her white chin and full red lips were exposed.
"Brother Yang, is she Mrs. Xiao?" a young man riding with Yang Dong asked loudly.
Yang Dong came back to his senses and didn't want to talk more, so he just hummed.
Unexpectedly, the young man wearing a green round-collared robe without the crotch took advantage of the fact that they were walking together and took his reins to rush forward a few steps, just as Mrs. Xiao's vehicle ran into each other.
Xiao Qingxue looked at Captain Yang, whom she had not seen for a long time, and said hello: "Captain Yang."
Yang Dong glared at the young man fiercely, and then said to Miss Xiao, "Miss Xiao, what a coincidence."
When Xiao Luolan heard Captain Yang's voice, she thought it would be nice to be rude, so she also said hello: "Captain Yang, good afternoon."
The young man looked at the plump woman with fair skin behind the bamboo curtain and stayed for a few breaths. Then he raised a smile and said, "Are you Mrs. Xiao?"
Xiao Luolan looked at the young man who was about seventeen or eighteen years old riding on the horse. She was very sure that she had never seen him. She hesitated for a while before replying: "What can I do for you?"
The young man smiled, and just as he was about to get closer, a sharp arrow whizzed from a distance, with a sharp tail sound that pierced the air. The arrowhead of the steel arrow pierced the bluestone slab hard, cracking countless pieces of gravel.
The young man's body was already sitting more upright than before, and he even leaned backwards, barely able to avoid the sharp arrow that only wanted to shoot into his heart.
Xiao Luolan was startled by the sudden change and pulled her daughter to hide in his arms without thinking.
On the quiet bluestone road.
Zhou Xu rode a horse and threw the bow and arrow he took out from Leishan back into the saddle bag.
The clatter of horse hooves made the young man look pale, and cold sweat fell unconsciously on his forehead. He had no doubt that if he had been slower just now, he would have been a dead man at this moment.
Zhou Xu rode forward and said with a smile, "Mrs. Xiao, it's okay."
Xiao Luolan raised her head and looked at Sect Leader Zhou, her hairpin swaying on her temples, her eyes frightened, and the color of the snow fluctuating.
"He's just a scoundrel who offended you."
"You don't have to worry."
Yang Dong noticed that when Master Jieduzhi said this, there was no smile in his eyes.
Chapter 27
Zhou Xu pulled the reins and rode up to the young man in front of him. His tall and burly body fell like a shadow on the young man. He squinted in the silence and asked, "We haven't seen each other for several years. How come Sanlang Li has become such a handsome man?" It's so rude, don't you think it's a bit too frivolous to chat casually with a woman you just met?"
Li Hanzhang looked at Youzhou Jiedu Envoy. This man was wearing clean and tidy robes, but he seemed to smell the extremely strong smell of blood coming from his body. The dangerous smell lingered, making the horse under his crotch tremble. The horse's hooves were tapping uneasily, like a drumbeat.
Li Hanzhang tightened the reins hard to calm the horse, and then smiled at Youzhou Jiedushi Gongquan and said, "You are a shameless boy. Please forgive me, Mrs. Xiao."
Xiao Luolan suppressed the panic in her heart and thought of the name of the young man named Li by Sect Leader Zhou, and that he was with Captain Yang. She had only heard of one man named Li in Taiyang County. Could he be the son of Governor Li? ? Probably so.
The son of a prefect...
Everyone saw the woman in the carriage lowering the bamboo curtain, and then a voice said "It's okay".
Xiao Qingxue saw her mother's nervous expression and calm tone of reply, and gave her a thumbs up. Xiao Luolan lightly tapped her daughter's forehead.
She looked outside the car. In fact, she didn't know why Sect Leader Zhou suddenly shot an arrow just now. The young man just came over and asked a question. Maybe it was because of the hostile relationship between their camps?
Through the bamboo curtain, Xiao Luolan could still see the white wings of the arrow tail still moving lightly.
"I pay my respects to Zhou Youzhou." Li Hanzhang bowed his hands again.
Zhou Xudao: "I have always heard that Li Jiasanlang is known as a child prodigy. He is very intelligent and agile. He even passed the imperial examination in Chang'an last year and passed the imperial examination. He is really young and promising. With such a bright future, he should work hard to make progress."
"I have listened to your teachings." Li Hanzhang bowed his head and bowed again.
There was the sound of horse hooves in the distance, and Li Bozhi rode a horse and came quickly with dozens of soldiers. On a hot day, his back was covered with sweat, and he shouted: "Sanlang."
Li Hanzhang turned around and responded: "Father."
When Li Bozhi saw that Sanlang was safe and sound, he slapped him hard on the back and glared at him reproachfully. Knowing that there was a conflict between Sanlang and Jiedushi, he was frightened. Li Bozhi saw that the arrow on the ground was only one step away from Sanlang's horse. , his big hands tightly tightened the reins, his teeth chattered, and he said angrily: "Zhou Youzhou, I don't know what mistake Sanlang made, to let you shoot arrows at him in the street."
Yang Dong on the side was already sweating anxiously. After all, he was also involved in the calculation. He thought about it and said to Li Bozhi: "Li Taishou, this matter is my fault. I happened to meet your Sanlang while riding together. Mrs. Xiao, Sanlang..."
Before Yang Dong finished speaking, he felt a weight on his shoulders. He lowered his head and saw a black soft scale whip resting on his shoulder. Yang Dong lowered his head and stopped talking.
Zhou Xu walked to Prefect Li's horse with a black whip. Li Hanzhang suddenly became alert, his body tensed, and he stared at Youzhou Jiedushi. However, Li Bozhi was not afraid at all. Instead, he sneered. If Zhou Xu When he really killed a Taiyang County Sheriff appointed by the imperial court on the street, he felt that he had fulfilled his wish. If his death could awaken the anger of the current emperor and the group of old-fashioned Confucian scholars against Zhou Xu, then his death What a pity!
Li Bozhi was not afraid.
But Zhou Xu just took the arrow over without looking away.
Lei Shan followed the sect leader.
Zhou Xu threw the destroyed steel arrow back on the saddle and said to Li Bozhi.
"Prefect Li, I believe that one day you will voluntarily resign as the governor of Taiyang County."
Li Bozhi replied without thinking: "Impossible! Zhou Xu, you are wishful thinking!"
Zhou Xu rode straight past, followed by Lei Shi and two carriages.
Yang Dong still needed to attend to official duties, so he spoke to Lord Jiedushi before leaving.
