Xiao Luolan said with a smile: "It's very good. I wonder what the difference is between the Shitai Bi here and the Longtai Bi in Hanshan Temple." She had read about the Longtai Bi in Hanshan Temple before in her travel notes. Since the Han family wanted to be friends with her, , Xiao Luolan also found a topic to chat with her.
The two quickly became familiar with each other.
At dusk, Xiao Luolan said goodbye to Han with a smile.
"Auntie, I'm here to pick you up." Xiao Qingxue was riding a horse, wearing a round-collared robe, with a jade hairpin in her hair, followed by Zhou Liu's people. Wherever Zhou Liu was there, there was always a huge crowd. group.
Xiao Luolan sat in the carriage and could finally relax and take a sip of tea. To be honest, she was really not good at socializing. When she heard her daughter's voice, Xiao Luolan opened the curtains and looked at her daughter.
Just as Xiao Qingxue was about to speak, Zhou Shiliu rode an old and skinny donkey and squeezed into the middle from behind.
On the 16th, a young man with a golden crown on his head, colorful spring clothes, and a handsome face had to ride an old and skinny donkey. It really didn't match him, but he didn't realize it and felt that he had the air of a celebrity.
"Auntie, I brought you something good." Zhou Shiliu said with a smile as if he was offering a treasure.
Xiao Luolan secretly increased her vigilance, not because she was afraid of Zhou Shiliu, but because Shiliu always went to the Three Treasures Hall for no reason. He always showed great respect to her and never came up to her without any reason.
The donkey he rode on Saturday was too low, so he had to hold it by the window of the carriage with a bright smile on his face.
Xiao Qingxue's angry voice came: "Auntie, don't you know what my cousin did today?"
Xiao Luolan sighed and asked their carriage to go more secluded.
"What's wrong?" Xiao Luolan asked Shiliu to go down first and looked at her daughter, feeling as if she was dealing with a child playing house.
"I bought two pots of flowers for my aunt." Zhou Shiliu said, asking Xiao Qinghe to step forward. Xiao Qinghe looked helpless and held the two flower pots in his arms.
Xiao Luolan loved flowers, and she could tell at a glance that this was a peony.
One of the pots is a mixture of two colors. At first glance, Yingluo is covered in jewelry, which is delicate and strange.
The other pot looks like it is covered with white snow, and its petals are stacked up and eye-catching.
"Auntie, this is Luoyang Brocade, and this is the White Snow Pagoda." Zhou Shiliu said with a smile: "It looks good."
Of course, it's beautiful to look at. Xiao Luolan has seen peonies before, but this is the first time she has seen white and two-color peonies with her own eyes.
"Give it to aunt." Zhou Shiliu said.
Give her such a rare and precious peony? Xiao Luolan looked at the attentive Zhou Shiliu and asked, "Why did you suddenly give me flowers?"
"Haha." Zhou Shiliu laughed dryly.
Xiao Qingxue ran to my mother-in-law and complained: "My mother-in-law, my sixteenth cousin is out of his mind. Just these two pots of flowers cost two thousand taels."
"Cousin Qingxue, you don't understand. This is Luoyang's famous peony." Zhou Shiliu explained: "There will be a peony festival in Luoyang next month. Good peonies are hard to find."
So expensive? Xiao Luolan knew that the flowers were not cheap, but they were still beyond her imagination.
"I think the peonies are pretty and I can't give them to my aunt," Zhou Shiliu said.
"You just heard people say that Luoyang is lively and fun, and you want to go to Luoyang." Xiao Qingxue revealed it unceremoniously. She snorted, "Why do you want to send flowers to grandma? She just wants to show grandma in front of daddy on the 16th." Speak well and ask his father to let him go to Luoyang.
"Why do you want to go? Luoyang has the best peonies in the world. May and June are the seasons when peonies bloom." Zhou Shiliu said plausibly: "Who doesn't want to go to Luoyang? Don't you want to go?"
Xiao Qingxue was at a loss for words. Of course she wanted to go, but she had to take the overall situation into consideration.
Xiao Luolan looked at so many people outside and was too embarrassed to ask Zhou Liu to return the flowers: "It's getting late, so don't go out to play. Go back first."
Xiao Luolan returned to the small building. She looked at the two pots of peonies in full bloom and felt a little worried. What should she do with these flowers? Is it difficult to keep it? Can it be sustained? Thinking of its price, Xiao Luolan still felt a little heartbroken. It was too expensive.
Under the afterglow of the setting sun, the peonies were as gorgeous as thick colors. Xiao Luolan was mesmerized as she looked at them.
"I heard that Shiliu bought peonies?" Zhou Xu went to see his wife as soon as he came back and had already learned what happened from He Jin.
"Yes." Xiao Luolan came back to his senses.
Zhou Xu lowered his head and took a look. Even a person who didn't understand flowers thought the two peonies were quite beautiful. He picked the flowers and put them in his wife's hair.
Xiao Luolan's eyes widened and she couldn't stop it. She didn't expect that Sect Leader Zhou would pick it off right away.
The white peony flowers are as white as snow and as lush as jade. They bloom on the lady's temples, like spring waves of flowers all over the city.
"nice."
Zhou Xu narrowed his eyes and smiled.
Chapter 202
Xiao Luolan took a breath and looked at the flowerpot in disbelief. The largest white snow tower had been picked, and only two half-open and half-contained buds were left hidden among the dark green branches and leaves, like a large handful of snow-covered flowers. With the Snow White Tower gone, these one thousand taels of potted plants were even less valuable in Xiao Luolan's eyes.
"Why did you pick it off?" Xiao Luolan complained softly: "This cost a lot of money. Sixteen bought it for a thousand taels."
It's such a waste. Xiao Luolan will never spend so much money to buy peonies, even if she likes them.
Zhou Xu was still staring at the white snow tower at the temples of his wife, and reached out to adjust the position of the flower. This white snow tower bloomed really well, with large petals as white as snow, and the setting sun shone on it, glowing softly with golden stamen pollen. , the petals are stacked in layers, and the ends of the petals are smudged with light pink, which is both elegant and beautiful, delicate and tender.
"It's still too expensive, and I don't know if I can return it." Xiao Luolan felt that the flowers were hot to touch, and she also felt that Zhou Liu's lavishness was a waste.
Zhou Xu sat on the chair and admired his wife: "You might as well kill Shiliu if you ask him to give up the flower. Sixteen is a young man with a serious heart and loves to compare. He never wants to lose face in front of others."
"Tell the second brother when we return and let him teach himself a lesson. We don't worry about it."
Zhou Xu took the lady's hand and asked her to sit directly on his lap. He chuckled and said, "But I think these thousand dollars are well spent. Only peonies in this world can bring out the beauty of the lady."
The more Zhou Xu looked at it, the more satisfied he became.
Xiao Luolan hesitated to speak: "Sixteen said before in Langge that he wanted to go to Luoyang, and he probably still wants to go. He sent me such expensive flowers this time, so what about him going to Luoyang..."
If there was peace in the world, Xiao Luolan actually wanted to take her daughter around, but there was a Duke of Wei in Jiangnan who had no dealings with Sect Master Zhou, so Xiao Luolan couldn't help but be careful.
"Just keep it if he gives it to you. It's just the younger man's wish. As for going to Luoyang." Zhou Xu thought for a while and said, "Luoyang Mountain is surrounded by water. Badu, Luo River, Yellow River, and Changyi are intertwined. Water transportation is extremely convenient. The passways of the mountains and rivers are heavily guarded, and the terrain is easy to defend but difficult to attack. This place has been controlled by Wei Yanshan for many years."
Zhou Xu touched the stubble of his beard and sneered: "I don't even stay in my hometown anymore. I live in Luoyang and occupy the land of Longxing. I have lost all the money and food in the south of the Yangtze River. The court said that I am a traitor and rebellious minister, but there is no one who opposes me." Wei Yanshan yelled and cursed, and everyone was really deaf, blind, and mute. "
Seeing Sect Leader Zhou sneer again and again, Xiao Luolan felt that she could smell a bit of dissatisfaction.
"What kind of person is Wei Yanshan?" Xiao Luolan asked curiously.
"He is a cunning man and should not be underestimated." Zhou Xu said seriously: "Madam, you must not judge people by their appearance. Most of them are handsome young masters on the outside but poisonous snakes on the inside."
This was the first time Xiao Luolan heard Sect Leader Zhou cursing behind his back, and after a while he nodded.
"If you want to go to Luoyang on the 16th, just say that Wei Yanshan is in Luoyang and see if he is still confused?" Zhou Xu said.
"If you say so, even if Shiliu makes trouble, I don't dare to let him go. Wei Yanshan feels very powerful. Shiliu is no match for him." How could Xiao Luolan let Zhou Shiliu be in danger? If he really gets dizzy, she will have someone take him back to Langge.
"Your husband is not bad either." Zhou Xu held his wife's waist and lowered his head and said to her.
Xiao Luolan was startled for a moment, then looked at Sect Master Zhou's serious look, bent his eyes and said with a smile: "I know."
"That little brat from the Wei family has died in my hands, and he will definitely not let it go. I will discuss with Lu Cong tonight to see if we can let Li Xun lead 30,000 troops directly across Daizhou and stationed in Luzhou." Zhou Xu hugged his wife's waist tightly, kissed the side of her snow-white neck, and whispered: "Luzhou is located in the important area of Jianghuai River, and it is very fast to enter the south of the Yangtze River."
evening.
On the 16th, when she learned that she couldn't go to Luoyang, she was so disappointed that she couldn't even eat. Xiao Qingxue snickered on the sidelines.
Xiao Luolan went to Dr. Li after the meal and asked her if she had any prescriptions for miasma. Li Fan learned of the mistress's intention and said, "There is a way to relieve the heat poison, but the poisons of Lingnan miasma are not the same. Spring is called miasma, summer is called yellow plum miasma, June and July are called new miasmas, August and September are called yellow grass miasma, and native people are especially poisonous."
Li Fan wrote the prescription on the case: "This is Jiedu Xiaomi Powder, which has the effect of antipyretic poison and insecticide. However, if the miasma is severe, the effect of the prescription may not be satisfactory."
Xiao Luolan picked up the prescription and looked at it, feeling a little worried about Lingnan and his party. The miasma there should be related to the hot weather in Lingnan, the high degree of decay of animal and plant corpses that easily breed toxic gases, and the large number of mosquitoes that were raging, carrying the mosquitoes with them. The virus will be infected once it is bitten. People who are new to the virus are easily acclimatized, have no antibodies in their bodies, and lack local experience.
"Mias can also be driven away by burning realgar and atractylodes, especially realgar, which can be smoked and burned to get rid of miasma." Li Fan said: "Or regular consumption of coix seed can also ward off miasma."
"Local people will wear realgar mugwort sachets or use Gebu to make anti-mosquito curtains."
"Thank you Fan Niang for informing me, I will accept this prescription." Xiao Luolan thanked Li Fan, realizing once again how difficult the trip to Lingnan was.
Returning to his study room, Xiao Luolan put the prescription on the table while sewing her daughter's palace ribbon. When she had something to do, she seemed to be able to concentrate better.
First of all, you must not drink the raw water in Lingnan. No matter how clean and clear the water is, no matter whether you are acclimatized or not, you must drink boiled water when you go there. Oranges seem to be abundant in Lingnan, and oranges are rich in vitamins and are good for the human body. Okay, you should be able to eat more.
Boiling water, oranges, pomegranates, vegetable porridge…
Xiao Luolan put down the cloth and wrote these few sentences on the paper. Then she tried hard to recall whether she had ever seen any local methods of killing mosquitoes. The counties in Lingnan are mostly scattered around rivers, and the waterways are dense, so there is no doubt about mosquitoes. There are many, and mosquitoes will lay their larvae in the water.
There are no pesticides here, and the salt, vinegar, and sugar used in daily life are too expensive. Xiao Luolan denied these things at first, and then suddenly remembered that she once used fresh peach leaves to repel cockroaches. Peach leaves seemed to be able to do the same. Kills mosquito larvae.
No, it should be peach leaf juice. Xiao Luolan recalled it carefully and finally determined that it was peach leaf juice that could be poured into the water to kill mosquitoes. As for the annoying mosquitoes, there are lotus flowers in Lingnan that can repel mosquitoes...
I will discuss it with my daughter tomorrow to see if she has any good ideas. Xiao Luolan put down the pen and started making the pale pink palace ribbon again.
In the spring season, the little lady also looks good in pink and willow green colors.
Zhou Xu came back with a faint smell of alcohol, but his eyes were not drunk at all. After the alcohol dissipated by the window, he looked at his wife under the candlelight. The white snow tower was still in full bloom after a day, but it was dyed yellow by the candlelight. , the woman under the lamp looks more and more gentle and elegant.
He walked over and picked up the paper written by his wife and read it. As he read it, he thought about Lu Cong. Lu Cong had a full navy in his hand. Since it was close to Chaohu Lake, it was not surprising to have a navy in hand. Although Youzhou also had waterways, But most of them are still cavalry and infantry. After all, the Turks did not fight by boat when they fought with them in the early years.
The Chaohu Navy who chose to help him was also interested in him. Li Xun led the veteran. When he arrived in Luzhou, he could observe the navy's combat methods and practice his skills if there were floods in the surrounding area.
Remembering that he wanted 30,000 Xuanjia troops to be stationed in Luzhou, a look of hesitation flashed across Lu Cong's face, and Zhou Xu's mind also changed. With Chaohu, he could actually train himself as a navy master.
Zhou Xu lowered his head and smelled the white snow tower, the aroma was astonishing.
"You said there is no rush." Zhou Xu picked up the prescription and read it again: "Madam, you not only found the prescription for Lingnan, but also wrote down the precautions for Lingnan in detail. Uninformed people thought you I’m going to Lingnan in person.”
Xiao Luolan felt that Sect Master Zhou had misunderstood her: "I'm not in a hurry."
She picked up the thread with a needle, and her voice was always soft and soothing: "You also said that the miasma in Lingnan is very dangerous, and it was me who proposed the expedition to Lingnan. Of course I have to be responsible for them."
Zhou Xu sat down and took a sip of tea: "Madam has such a heart, and they will repay her with their hearts and minds."
"Just work hard." Xiao Luolan thought of the harsh environment in Lingnan, and always felt that her preparations were not enough: "The biggest risk on the way to Lingnan is that they bear it themselves. We have prepared countermeasures in advance. When they arrive in Lingnan It can also be safer.”
Zhou Xu looked at his wife who was out of tune with this world, and did not say that sometimes the words he gave were orders.
Some orders are strictly enforced. If there is such a thing as Champa Rice, those people must be brought back even if they die.
Zhou Xu was intoxicated by the fragrance of peonies, and echoed with a smile on his face: "That's what Madam said."
Chapter 203
"It's raining again."
Seeing the change in the sky outside, Dongxue murmured, took the two pots of peonies on the window sill into the house, and then closed the window. Within a few breaths, there was the whine of the strong wind, and heavy rain followed. The rain pattered in the courtyard outside the window.
Xiao Luolan used a needle to pick the candlelight to make the room brighter. The weather was bad today, so she had to give up the lake tour she had agreed with Han yesterday, but Xiao Luolan quite liked this rainy day without being disturbed. , listening to the sound of rain, my heart seems to be peaceful.
