Lian Dalang and his disciple Mo Wanxia also paid their respects.
Xiao Qingxue was amused, and the silver bell-like laughter rang out. She thought of Mr. Lian, who was always eloquent. Not to mention, Mr. Lian was very kind when she saw him.
Xiao Luolan had already walked down the steps. Knowing that Lian's father had poor eyesight, he walked up to Lian's father, held him up, and said warmly: "Your second son has been appointed as the governor of Youzhou. He is a minister of the prince and is also someone I know well." , since you have come all the way with your family members, you can stay here with peace of mind."
"Thank you, Princess." Father Lian immediately bowed again, his words full of gratitude, and secretly pulled the eldest son's sleeve.
Lian Dalang came to his senses after a while, and bowed to the princess: "Thank you very much for your kindness, princess, for taking me in."
Xiao Luolan asked with concern: "What happened to your family?"
Lian Dalang glanced at the graceful and noble princess, feeling a little embarrassed and ashamed. Seriously speaking, his family had defected to Youzhou, because he was still a small county magistrate under Fengzhou at the time, so he was considered an official. The matter was done in a disgraceful way. I was afraid that the princess would look down on them, so I wanted to explain it carefully, saying: "The imperial court issued an order to Fengzhou to conquer You. Fengzhou Mu had gone to Jinling seven or eight days ago to discuss the matter. His second brother's disciple Mo Wanxia Mo Sir, I think it will be very bad for our family to stay in Fengzhou, and it is not appropriate for me to continue my position as county magistrate..."
Father Lian nodded in agreement and interjected: "It doesn't matter if you don't want to be an official. Fengzhou Mu told Dalang a few years ago that he would be promoted. As a result, there has been no movement for several years, and the number of gifts has increased. Duo, Dalang, the county magistrate, is getting more and more aggrieved, how can our Lian family tolerate his cruelty!"
"Ahem!" Mo Wanxia suddenly coughed violently, and her good-looking face turned red from coughing. Lian Dalang and Lian's father were worried, and they kept asking if they were sick.
Xiao Luolan watched from the side and couldn't help but laugh in her heart.
Mo Wanxia reluctantly stopped coughing, and bowed to the princess: "Mo Wanxia, a guest of the Lian family, pays homage to the princess. The princess is so beautiful. My eldest husband has always admired the prince in his heart. When he heard about the Thirteen Prefectures' Conquest of You, he felt deeply that it was unfair. "In anger, he gave up his official position and wanted to follow the Ming Dynasty. Princess Wanwang recommended him."
Xiao Luolan listened to the two arguments and said with a smile: "So that's it. Since Dalang Lian is the eldest brother of Prefect Lian, he must be a talented person as well."
Lian Dalang blushed in embarrassment when he was praised by the princess. He even said that he had little talent and virtue, and he was deeply impressed by the fact that the prince and princess temporarily took us in.
"Mr. Lian, how about you and Mr. Lian and your clan have a long journey, settle down in Jiangdu Palace tonight and have a good rest." Xiao Luolan felt that Lian Dalang was really not like Lian Shiqing's elder brother, honest. It's too much.
Everyone in the Lian family thanked them again, and Mo Wanxia returned the favor.
After everyone in the Lian family was settled, Xiao Luolan asked Dr. Li to check on the two elders of the Lian family. She observed that the two old men were really in poor health. When Lian's father spoke, his breath was light and his eyes were slightly distracted. Take care of your body as soon as possible.
In the main hall.
Xiao Luolan held a memorandum in her hand, Xiao Qingxue continued to eat a plate of iced lychees, and looked at Fa You's memorandum with her mother. It is said that this memorandum was written by Duan Shoucheng, the Prime Minister of Chang'an, and quoted from classics, and it was eloquent for hundreds of years. The word has now reached them.
Xiao Qingxue looked at it and suddenly laughed.
Xiao Luolan was looking at it seriously, but her thoughts were disrupted. She looked at her daughter who was laughing so happily, and nodded her forehead affectionately: "Is it so funny?"
"It's funny." Xiao Qingxue looked at the appeal: "Fortunately, the Lian family came here after the appeal was issued. If they had come before the appeal was issued, once their incident came out, there would be one more piece of evidence against Dad, and his reputation would be even worse. ”
"The Lian family betrayed the leader and defected as a whole family. This is already a very serious matter. In this era, the Lian family will be criticized verbally and writtenly for these things they did. Therefore, if they come before the proclamation is finalized, they will be punished in the proclamation. They must have a place, and as dad is the final culprit, there will be more evidence."
"For example, colluding with ministers from other states and plotting evil intentions." Xiao Qingxue counted on her fingers: "There are also housing shameless people like the Lian family. Just thinking about these crimes can add a lot of money to the petition. "
"Aniang, look at it, even General Jin and Cui Langjun are on the list." Xiao Qingxue ate lychees, snuggled next to her, and said curiously: "I don't know if there are us? Aniang, you Read it to me."
Xiao Luolan moved the message to her daughter and read it to her softly: "In the whole world, is it the king's land? On the shore of the land, is it the king's ministers? Today, there are traitors and ministers who are causing trouble and killing all living beings. Youzhou Shepherd Zhou Xu, his grandfather Langge also annexed landowners and blatantly recruited exiled thugs on the pretext of resisting foreigners. He has been causing trouble in the countryside for decades, hurting and abusing the people, and gathering in the mountains and forests..."
"This is the first time I tell you about my father's identity." Xiao Qingxue knew it by heart, and at the same time, she clasped her hands in her heart to ask her father and grandfather not to blame her and A'niang. They had no intention of watching his father's and grandfather's jokes.
Xiao Luolan continued to read. The following mainly wrote about the evil done by the Zhou clan leader's army. For example, the small border countries used to be vassals of the Great Chu. When the Great Chu was strong, they were rewarded with many treasures, and some small countries such as Xin When a king ascends to the throne, he must inform Da Chu. Although a small country is small, some of its leaders are recognized by Da Chu as kings and are also the heads of a country. The Zhou clan leader is lawless and often makes the country difficult to make money during wars. The wealth of small countries has been emptied by greed. What's worse, many of the leaders of a country have been secretly hanging their heads and despising the laws of the court.
Then she gave some examples of ministers who were persecuted by the Zhou clan leader. Xiao Luolan read and paused because she read about Zhang Xuanyi. Zhang Xuanyi, who once talked about "Guangling San" in front of her, was also on the list. The letter said He was proud and unyielding. When he was beheaded, the people all over the city were deeply resentful and resentful. They regretted that Guangling San would never die again.
Wasn't that Zhang Xuanyi sent back? Xiao Luolan was a little confused, so he continued reading, and there were still a few charges against Zhou Zongzong. They were just being on the border, and there were many aliens in the Youzhou border army. Zhou Zongzong had evil intentions, and he openly raised troops to occupy Shouzhou, and Guangling. .
The whole article was full of accusations. Xiao Luolan continued to read and found that the last two words mentioned about her were certainly not good words. The main idea was that she was a bit damaged in the reputation of the Xiao family, and she was quite a beautiful woman. Thief metaphor.
Xiao Qingxue was unhappy after hearing this, and she pursed her lips and snorted twice.
Xiao Luolan put away the message, smiled and pinched the back of her daughter's soft hand: "Okay, I'm done reading."
"It's getting late, go to bed quickly."
Xiao Qingxue yawned and went back to the house. Amu and Shiliu were taken to the army by her father. She had been bored to death for the past two days.
Xiao Luolan also returned to the back hall. After washing up, he read a book on the bed for a while. After reading for a while, he couldn't help but take out the letter and read it again. He heard that Wei Guogong intended to send an envoy to redeem people. Zhou The sect leader is now busy mobilizing troops and generals. Seeing that the storm is coming, Xiao Luolan is used to going out early and coming back late all day long.
A sudden gust of wind blew through the half-open window, and the candlelight in the room swayed violently. Raindrops splashed on the window. Xiao Luolan stood up and closed the window. It was rainy in the south of the Yangtze River, and she was used to the torrential rain from time to time.
After a dreamless night, when Xiao Luolan woke up the next day, he found Sect Master Zhou holding his letter in his hand and reading it.
"When did you come back?" Xiao Luolan felt that her sleep seemed to be getting heavier and heavier, so she stood up.
"In the second half of the night." Zhou Xu lowered his head and smelled the scent of his wife, half-hugging her to watch with her.
"I've already seen it." Xiao Luolan felt sleepy, feeling the cool air in the morning, and finally woke up completely.
"Mr. Duan really doesn't deserve to be a son of a man." Zhou Xu cursed angrily after reading it.
"You are in a hostile relationship. If Prime Minister Duan has the opportunity to slander you, he will naturally exaggerate. There is no need to take this statement to heart." Xiao Luolan saw that Zhou Sect Master was angry and said with relief.
"Madam is right." Zhou Xu nodded and fully accepted Madam's advice.
After the lady went to wash up, she picked up the note that she had thrown on the ground. After reading it, she was still furious.
What the hell did Duan Laogou write? Why is he not worthy of his wife? !
Chapter 233
The top floor of the Evernight Building.
Xiao Luolan looked at the mighty Guangling River in the distance, flowing day and night through the lush green hills. The wind in the river was blowing away, blowing away the cool summer air that had finally gathered last night. The sun was getting higher, and the heat was coming again. , stayed outside for a while, and my forehead was covered with sweat.
Xiao Luolan looked at it for a while and then returned to the shade of the house. Lian had already settled down in Guangling and had chosen a place to live. It was Huang Tingjing, the famous Huang family manor in Guangling. Lian bought it for more than twice the market price. It, Huang Tingjing has now been officially renamed Lian Mansion.
Xiao Luolan knew clearly in her heart that the money would eventually end up with Clan Master Zhou. After all, the confiscated mansions in Guangling now belonged to Clan Master Zhou. The transfer of the Lian family's ownership from Commander Wu was just a superficial process.
The Lian family was very fast. They found a house on the first day they arrived in Guangling, moved from Jiangdu Palace to their new home on the second day, and sent an invitation to Xiao Luolan on the third day.
Today was the wedding day for her new family, so Lian Dalang invited her to a banquet at Evernight Tower. Her daughter also came with her, and she also brought a few new friends, all of whom were young men from Duke Xiao's side. There were many people. Join in the fun.
Along the way through the hall and corridor, there were more than a dozen Confucian scholars admiring the scenery in the corridor. As soon as they saw her coming, everyone who was chatting and laughing immediately stood up with their hands in awe. Among them, many scholars who were not yet young and young were extremely reserved and polite towards her. Xiao Luolan was a little helpless, so she smiled softly at them as if she had seen them before.
"Xun Mou pays homage to the princess." A Confucian scholar with elegant clothes and a square scarf came out and bowed casually. As he bowed, several people behind him also bowed in greeting.
Xiao Luolan felt that this person looked familiar, and after taking a closer look, she remembered that this person was one of the two promising people brought here by Duke Xiao's friend Shen County Magistrate. Lu Jiashan and Lu Langjun who came with him went to pick up his teacher. There is no news about the longevity layman. Xiao Luolan is worried, worried that if the war breaks out, Di Gong and the others will not be able to escape, but they are far away in Chuzhou, and she is beyond her reach and cannot take care of them.
"It's Mr. Xun Lang." Xiao Luolan looked at the scholars again and said with a smile: "The banquet is about to begin. Please follow me in quickly."
"only."
Everyone looked away and bowed their heads. When the princess passed by, two middle-aged Confucian scholars from poor families raised their heads and glanced at the princess's back. They were both disciples of Duke Xiao, so they had a natural affinity with the princess. Moreover, since Zhou Youzhou conquered Guangling, everyone had Aristocratic families of all sizes are in jail, and a large number of official positions are vacant. Now is a great opportunity to show off their ambitions. It is a rare opportunity, so people like them naturally want to seize it.
Two of them were recommended by Duke Xiao, and one of them was about to serve as Guangling's Ten Thousand Household Order, Yizheng Order. After the death of Wang Sheng, the former Yizheng Town Envoy, the local Yizheng Order was intimidated by General Yi Fanyi, the newly appointed five-town pacification envoy. I have to resign in order to return home.
The governor of Wu County readily agreed, so the position of county magistrate of a wealthy family in Yizheng was vacant, and finally it fell to this middle-aged scholar who had spent half his life in poverty.
Another person was recommended as a scholar of classics and took charge of the academic affairs of a state.
The middle-aged Confucian scholar said: "The princess is the granddaughter of the teacher, and we are the disciples of the teacher. Soon I will leave for Yizheng, and my true brother will also visit the counties. In my humble opinion, I should also thank the princess when I leave." Fancai is the only way to live up to the princess’s cultivation.”
Another middle-aged literati thought for a while and said: "Brother Bolong said it is absolutely true." Several people present exchanged praises. They are all disciples of Mr. Xiao, and the mistress of Youzhou is the daughter of the Xiao family. They should be in the same place. .
The people who were talking fell behind and walked slowly, and then they talked about the host of today's banquet, Mrs. Lian.
One of the young students frowned and said softly: "The Lian family has only been in Guangling for two or three days, and they have attracted so much attention. They have betrayed the emperor many times, and the princess has been friends with them. As time goes by, their reputation may be affected. What can you do? view?"
Xun Yan smiled and said: "You are all disciples of Mr. Xiao, and I am also from Qinghe County. We have the same hometown friendship with the princess. How can it be compared to the Lian family? They only relied on flattery to get the princess. There is no need to worry, brothers."
"Brother Xun, what you said is inappropriate." One of them retorted: "The princess is kind and friendly, and she takes good care of us. Since we are favored by the princess, how can we see that the princess is in trouble and not stop her?"
"Is it unknown whether he was deceived by the Lian family?"
"That's how it should be."
"I heard that the princess used to stay away from the world and did not care about worldly affairs. Erlang of the Lian family was the governor of Taiyang County and was also a subordinate of the princess. The princess has always treated her well. Seeing the Lian family doing this to seek pity, how could the princess not brush her hair? Two, but this is not the fault of the princess, it is human nature."
When everyone talked about it, they realized that the Lian family's betrayal of their leader was what they were angry about. In their opinion, this was too much. No wonder these people had this worry.
"Everyone, please stop talking too much. The Lian family invited us to the banquet, so we shouldn't gossip behind others. This is not what a gentleman should do." Someone tried to dissuade us, not wanting to cause more trouble.
"It's not because of the evil intentions of us, but because there are two ways of betraying the Lord, so we have to guard against it." The young student said worriedly.
This really makes sense. Xun Yan looked at the young student and said with a smile: "The hemp is growing in the hemp, and it is straight without support. The white sand is in the nirvana, and it is black with it. How can the princess have a noble nature that Lian can influence?" "Brothers, if you are worried, it would be better if you don't let Lian's beauty stand out in front of you."
As soon as this statement came out, it received a lot of approval.
After they left, Hongzhu slowly walked out of the two of them.
The eldest son of the Lian family looked very unhappy, and the hands in his long sleeves were squeezed tightly. The two elders in the family were in poor health, so he was hosting today's banquet. He was thinking that these people were disciples of the Xiao family, and could also be regarded as disciples of the princess. Wanting to make a good relationship, he invited them. Unexpectedly, before the princess said anything, these Confucian scholars who relied on the princess to gain power began to attack their home.
Lian Dalang was angry and ashamed for a while, because he felt that what they said was reasonable, and the betrayal of the master was true. If he was a member of their group, he would also have the same worries.
That's why he didn't jump up and argue with them.
"Mr. Mo, I should have stayed in Fengzhou that day." Lian Dalang said dejectedly: "It would be fine if my father, mother and clan members came here. I shouldn't have come."
"What you said is wrong. If you stay, how can the two elders in the family leave so cruelly? If you stay any longer, I'm afraid the whole family will be wiped out." Mo Wanxia shook her head and said, "I am Erlang's disciple, and I am trusted by him. He only You have given me two tasks. The second task can wait for an opportunity, but the first one must be completed. Only by giving my life to ensure that you reach Guangling safely can I fulfill Erlang's first entrustment."
The elder son of the Lian family is still confused: "I have caused the family to suffer and brought shame to the Lian family."
In fact, the reputation of the second brother as a corrupt official is not a serious matter in the eyes of the aristocratic family. It's just that most of the aristocratic families are noble and disdain Aduwu. The second brother has a bad reputation. When Qingliu gathers, he just doesn't bring the Lian family with him. So what's the point? What can be done?
But what he did now was to really hurt the Lian family. He led his clan members to flee to the enemy camp without even saying hello. This kind of betrayal of the leader will be despised by everyone in the world. Lian Dalang felt more and more angry. The heavier.
Mo Wanxia said: "Why does Da Lang need to be burdened by a foreign name? Look at Zhou Youzhou. His criticism of him has spread all over the world, and he is about to be surrounded and suppressed by thirteen states. Have you ever seen Zhou Youzhou lamenting in frustration? The Lian family has already turned to Youzhou. The disciples of Zhou should also learn from Zhou Youzhou’s spirit of treating the world as nothing.”
After being told this, the elder of the Lian family finally felt a little better. He cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Mr. Mo, for your explanation. I'm confused."
"Da Lang can figure it out by himself." Mo Wanxia also breathed a sigh of relief. He was really afraid that Da Lang would get into trouble, which would not help matters.
"Then let's go to the banquet hall quickly." Lian Dalang was not stupid. He knew that the most important person in their family was the princess, so treating the princess was the top priority.
"Wait a moment, Dalang. I have something important to say." Mo Wanxia caught up with Dalang Lian and said.
"Mr. Mo, please speak." Lian Dalang said.
"Erlang still entrusts me with a matter, but Dalang needs to do it himself." Mo Wanxia said.
"What's the matter?"
Mo Wanxia looked around, pulled Lian Dalang to a deserted place, and said softly: "Erlang hopes that Dalang can get the position of Guangling Salt and Iron Transfer Envoy."
Lian Dalang was shocked: "How can I be able to hold such an important position just after arriving here? Moreover, I heard that Wang Zhi is a disciple of Zhou Youzhou, how can I compete for it?"
Mo Wanxia said: "Wang Zhi used to be a member of Wei Gong and must not be reused. His position is temporary and he will retire sooner or later. The Lian family moved here. Most of the previous properties in Fengzhou were sold off. If there is no open source, , over time I may run out of money, so the salt and iron transfer makes this position very important, it is the foundation for the Lian family to turn over, and Dalang must try his best to fight for it."
Lian Dalang walked around with sweat on his head.
"In case this position is intercepted by Xiao Gong's disciples." Mo Wanxia said seriously: "There is no hope for the Lian family to stand up."
