"He is a very well-known corrupt official. He is about to be appointed as the new governor of Taiyang County. Logically speaking, he should have handed over to the arrogant Grandmaster Li long ago."
"The documents from the imperial court have been handed down, but luckily for him, the first thing he did when he arrived in Youzhou was that he didn't even stop at Taiyang County. He went straight upstream and brought a boatload of gold, silver and jewelry to honor his father."
"Hearing that my father was at war, he kept visiting the house shamelessly. The eldest brother also received him. Every time he was a guest, he treated him like a boy giving away gifts."
"Mom will definitely be impressed by him when she sees him in the future." Xiao Qingxue was weak. To be honest, this was the first time she saw someone with flattery written on his face. He was so shameless.
Xiao Luolan noticed that her daughter was a little sleepy and patted her back gently: "Are you tired? Go to the bed behind and sleep."
"Mom, sleep with me." Xiao Qingxue leaned against her mother, smelling the good smell of her mother, with a sticky attachment in her voice.
Xiao Luolan watched her daughter fall asleep and lifted the corner of the quilt.
Seeing that her daughter's face was red from sleep, she closed her eyes and fell into sleep. In her sleep, her eyebrows were stretched and her lips were smiling.
Chapter 107
The next day.
The 600 private troops led by Jiang Dashou, who belonged to the little master, gradually separated from the large army and slowly followed the Xuanjia Iron Cavalry and Red Flame Qingqiu. By the evening, the marching speed in front had obviously slowed down, and the huge army From a distance, it looks like a black line winding in the snow.
Jiang Dasheng squinted his eyes and looked into the distance. In fact, he could only see the black mass of human heads and horses, but the black armored cavalry in the front was easy to recognize, and the large banner with the word "you" hanging high in the clouds was more conspicuous than the red flame cavalry behind. .
The Xuanjia Camp at the front was like a sharp knife, cutting through the cold wind outside the Great Wall.
Jiang Da put away his slight envy and turned to look at Lu Siyuan, the second husband of the Lu family's mansion, who was surrounding his young master.
This is a Guangwu captain who always has a smile on his face and is also a sociable person.
"Jiang Da, come here." Xiao Qingxue greeted her centurion with a smile.
Jiang Da scratched his head. The young master's side was filled with big shots whose official positions were higher than his own. He probably thought that they could eat, drink and have fun with them regardless of their status, just like they did at Nanshan Manor.
This is against the rules.
Jiang Da originally wanted to refuse, but then he thought it was wrong. He looked at today's food and seemed to know why the little master called him.
Today’s dinner was proposed by Colonel Lu Siyuan. He cleared a leeward space and cooked some grilled meats. They were all mutton. Horses are important strategic materials and should not be moved unless absolutely necessary. People in Youzhou often eat sheep in winter. It's cold in winter, and the mutton slaughtered in advance is frozen like lumps. Just wash it and you can make a pot of mutton soup.
It would be great if we didn’t say that the war was won! As long as we win, those who fight with the general now eat meat and drink soup, which is much better than before. Only when people are full and fed with meat can they defeat those Turks who live on horseback all year round. , the prairie people are taller than them, stronger than them, and more ferocious than them!
Jiang laughed and walked over. After all, he was on the little master's side. The little master called him. If he didn't go over, it would damage the little master's face. Although the little master didn't care, he was the person below, so he naturally wanted to Think more comprehensively.
He is a veteran, not an idiot.
Jiang Dasheng stepped forward, cupped his hands and clasped his fists in a neither humble nor overbearing manner, and said with a smile: "Little master, what do you call me for?"
As expected, the little master was even happier when he saw him coming. He pointed to the grill in the other direction and said: "Jiang Da, I remember that your barbecue skills are very good. Just grill the lamb chops. When you are done, I’ll send it to Grandma.”
Jiang Daying confirmed his guess and solemnly replied: "Wei!"
Xiao Qingxue put her hands behind her back and was very satisfied with Jiang Da. She walked around the iron frames again. Zheng Yuxin secretly glanced at the mistress's wife from behind the carriage. He Jin, who had been knocking on the wooden fish, suddenly said: "Don't go. Joining in the fun.”
As they get closer to Langge, their influence becomes less and less obvious. By the time they get to Langge, unless there is an accident, they don't see each other very often.
After all, the mistress and mistress are not the same as them, and they must remember their identities.
Zheng Yuxin sat on the wooden board with his head hanging down.
When Dongxue passed by her, he handed her a handful of freshly grilled mutton skewers: "My dear lady, these are for you."
Zheng Yuxin held the mutton skewers and was a little confused.
Dongxue explained: "The little lady heard that you often send wild fruits to the mistress on the way. She was very happy. This is thank you."
Zheng Yuxin held the mutton skewers and felt it was very hot. After Dongxue left, she gave some of the mutton skewers to He Jin. She then secretly glanced at the young lady who was grilling the mutton skewers. Her eyes met the one being held by the mistress. In the palm of my hand, the young lady whose identity is Jinzhiyuye touched her.
Xiao Qingxue was stunned for a moment, then smiled brightly.
Zheng Yuxin quickly retracted her head, and she touched He Jin: "Young lady wears a lotus crown on her head."
She pinched the Taoist robe on He Jin: "I remember that the lotus crown is worn by Taoists."
He Jin nodded. As a bald monk, he felt comfortable wearing Taoist robes: "Only senior Taoist masters can wear the lotus crown."
"Is the little lady really deceived by some old Taoist priests? This is not good." Zheng Yuxin took a bite of mutton skewers and said worriedly: "I don't know if the old Taoist priest has a Taoist certificate. Is he serious? Taoist people.”
"The young lady is the daughter of the mistress of Youzhou. Most people don't have the guts to bully her. If you are worried, just go back to Langge and see the old Taoist priest." He Jin said, taking another bite of mutton skewers. , said a line about Amitabha: "Food and wine pass through the intestines, but remain in the heart of the Buddha."
Zheng Yuxin blushed: "Who is worried? I just think that if we find out clearly, the mistress will be less worried."
He Jin shook his head: "Donor Zheng, is this your trouble or the mistress's trouble?"
He looked at the other carriage in front of him, and Zheng Yuxin also looked at it. The mistress was looking at the little lady grilling mutton skewers not far away, her eyes were gentle as water, and she was smiling.
Zheng Yuxin was suddenly at a loss for words, as if she had disturbed herself. It was the first time that she could not speak to He Jin, and she was so angry that she turned her back to him.
Xiao Luolan got off the carriage after the pears were roasted.
Seeing that his daughter was standing next to Lu Siyuan, grilling mutton skewers and her forehead was hot, he said: "It's almost enough, I won't be able to eat any more."
"It'll be ready soon. I'll send some to cousin Ling Zhi later and divide it up and it's almost done." Xiao Qingxue's cheeks were red: "Mommy, the meat roasted by Jiang Da is delicious. You will definitely do it later. If you want to try it, I often eat his roasted meat at Nanshan Manor, it’s delicious.”
Xiao Luolan stepped forward and grilled a few skewers: "Okay, I also grilled some pears. I'll get angry after eating too much mutton. You can eat some later."
"I know." Xiao Qingxue nodded obediently. Her mother made cakes for her to eat yesterday, and she will make some delicious food for her mother today.
After they finished speaking, Lu Siyuan smiled and said: "Aunt, my barbecue skills are not bad. Shen Zhi often said that I can be a chef when I get old. You can also try my barbecue."
Xiao Luolan replied to the enthusiastic Lu Siyuan: "I will." Then asked Dongxue to give him a roasted pear.
She didn't bake many, just four or five in total.
Lu Siyuan took it over in surprise and seemed to be sincere: "Nephew, thank you for your aunt's concern."
Wait until after eating.
Xiao Qingxue rolled on the bed comfortably. She touched her full belly and felt that she was so content being by her mother's side that she didn't want to do anything else. Alas, she was so depraved. She was obviously very ambitious before she came here.
Mother and daughter enjoy a cozy moment in bed.
Xiao Luolan glanced at her daughter and rubbed her belly gently: "I told you to eat less, but you didn't listen. I asked Dongxue to make a bowl of radish and hawthorn water for digestion. You can drink it later. bowl."
Xiao Qingxue had a bitter look on her face, "This doesn't sound good at all."
"Mom." Xiao Qingxue moved to her mother's side: "I feel that Lu Siyuan is paying attention to you."
Xiao Luolan touched her daughter's hair: "Most people have some agenda for being nice to you. Maybe he also wants to get something from me."
"I guess I want to start with you, um, to set up a bridge between Madam Yu and the eldest brother." Xiao Qingxue guessed casually. After a while, she whispered again: "Don't look at the eldest brother letting go this time. Lu Siyuan led the Red Flame Cavalry, and actually there was a lieutenant in the Red Flame Cavalry. He was from the eldest brother, but not from the Lu family. I only found out this after observing for a long time."
Xiao Luolan couldn't help but overthink after hearing this. The Lu family was Shen Zhi's maternal family. The Lu family naturally wanted to get closer to Shen Zhi, but Shen Zhi didn't seem to have this idea.
If there were no actual in-laws, would the Lu family be dissatisfied with Shen Zhi?
What exactly was Shen Zhi thinking? Xiao Luolan felt there was an opportunity to ask Sect Leader Zhou.
"I always feel like the eldest brother's place is like a palace battle drama." Xiao Qingxue chatted with her mother, and the words she had kept in her heart came out in a murmur: "My father won a great victory, and I know that my father worked for me in Langge." There is one more heavy armored cavalry that will scare the enemy."
"The Lu family can't sit still. From what I told them, what they want is for my brother to marry someone from their family. It's best to have another legitimate son to stabilize his position. This way, if my father becomes the emperor in the future, they won't Is she the next emperor’s maternal wife?”
"Mom, think about it, how can they not be moved?"
Xiao Luolan sighed: "War can't be that easy. They think too far." She thought of the cold weather and the cold night when Clan Leader Zhou crossed the river. He was no longer a young man and was still fighting.
Dongxue entered the tent.
Xiao Qingxue drank a bowl of strange-tasting radish and hawthorn sweet water, and chatted with her mother for a while before falling asleep.
Five days later.
Xiao Luolan finally saw Langge's shadow.
Zhou Shenzhi led some people from the Zhou family to greet him twenty miles away. In the snowy sky, the Xuanjia Camp in the distance became more and more obvious, with the sound of horse hooves.
On the black carriage, the Zhanfeng Duo jingled.
Xiao Luolan opened the warm curtain and saw at a glance the Zhou family members standing in the wind and snow and Shen Zhi standing in front.
Zhou Shenzhi was wearing a black cloak, and there was already a thin layer of snow on his hair. When he saw his mother, he took a step forward. Just as he was about to say hello, someone suddenly came out from behind him.
The person who came was wearing a fire-fox fur coat to keep out the cold. He looked about thirty years old, had golden boots on his feet, and a warm jade tie around his waist. He was very wealthy, and his slender eyes easily reminded people of a fox, especially when he smiled at this moment. It exudes a breath that is often immersed in the world.
I saw the man walking in front of the black carriage, bending down with an extremely low posture.
"Lian Shiqing, a humble minister, pays homage to the wife of the great general who marched north to Zhuguo." He raised his head and said with a smile, "It's freezing in the winter, so the general's wife can step on the back of the humble minister to get out of the carriage."
Xiao Luolan looked at the bent waist of the new Taiyang County Sheriff, feeling a little horrified in her heart. This kind of person either has great ambitions or has extremely low self-esteem, both of which are not easy to deal with.
She retracted her outstretched foot.
The embroidered shoes are hidden under the crane's cloak.
Chapter 108 (revision)
"No need, Lord Lian, you'd better get up." Xiao Luolan heard that his voice was somewhat obscured by the wind and snow.
"That's right, Lord Lian, you'd better get up quickly. The Ministry of Civil Affairs has appointed you as the pillar of Chu. His grades have been all first-class for three years. In the three examinations, Lord Shangshu will only select those who have retreated from the dark side and promoted those to the bright side. Who in the world would not respect a humble minister like Chujun who was transferred to the post of Taiyang County Sheriff, and an upright official like Mr. Lian who has a clean and airy style?" Lu Siyuan smiled and walked from behind his cousin to Lian Shiqing's side, wanting to bring him to his side. The new Taiyang County Sheriff, who had not been in Taiyang County for a day, helped him up with a kind smile.
Xiao Qingxue, who originally wanted to speak, couldn't help but laugh out loud when she heard Lu Siyuan's overt and implicit words of praise and stick. She usually didn't realize that Lu Siyuan was so eloquent. The sarcastic effect was incredible! What a nice talk.
Xiao Luolan carefully observed Lian Shiqing's face and found that he still had a natural look on his face. His heart sank, and he felt that this person was even more troublesome.
Lu Siyuan's words were almost naked, which made Master Lian, who was famous for his corruption, lose his face.
Zhou Shenzhi also stepped forward, helped Lian Shiqing up, lowered his head and said with a smile: "My father has always respected the virtuous and corporal, and my mother is even more kind and generous. Lord Lian does not need to pay this courtesy."
Lian Shiqing stood up and said with a smile: "The general is the highest official in Youzhou, and I will take office under his rule. I respect and love the general from the bottom of my heart, and the same goes for the general's wife."
"What's more, regardless of her own safety, the general's wife went to the battle line in person to fight against foreign enemies with the general. This move really makes me, a scholar, ashamed and ashamed to see others. At the same time, I have more respect and admiration in my heart. I wonder in the world, if someone like the general's wife is like this How many people are so righteous and virtuous?"
"It's just a matter of bowing to Seoul. I, Mr. Lian, did it willingly." Lian Shiqing waved his sleeves, and he actually had a cool and righteous attitude.
Xiao Luolan waved, Fang Yun walked out from the crowd behind, put the wooden ladder on the carriage, Xiao Luolan took her daughter out of the carriage, and said to Lian Shiqing, who flattered her as soon as they met. : "I am just an ordinary woman, and I do not deserve the high reputation of Lord Lian. The soldiers defended our family against the enemy at the border and narrowly escaped death on the battlefield. They are the people in the world who deserve the most praise."
Lian Shiqing immediately responded: "What the General's wife said is so profound and inspiring that Youzhou is so lucky to have you."
Xiao Luolan finally understood what her daughter meant when she said that this person was good at flattery. He could always praise her with anything he said.
