When Hang Qing arrived, the door was open, and there was no woman guarding the door. The whole yard was quiet, except for the noisy chirping of cicadas in a tree, which made people irritated for no reason.
After entering the door, two girls, one red and one green, were standing in the corridor directing the little girl to stick to the cicadas with bamboo poles.
The man in red had a bad temper and pinned a handkerchief to his lapel: "You're clumsy. It's been a long time and I've only managed to stick to a dozen of you. I'm afraid that when the county master wakes up later, you're all still working hard?"
While talking, he personally took the bamboo pole and stood on the high table, looking at Kingfisher with fright: "Come down quickly, you are not being stubborn. You can't reach these bamboo poles. It is only right to borrow a ladder from outside." "
Feng Xiao snorted and stood on tiptoe while replying: "I would rather fall down than borrow a ladder and be angry with those women. A group of dogs look down on people and weigh their weight. They put small dishes and ask for them." If it wasn’t grandma’s order, there would be a big fuss.”
As she spoke, she glanced down and saw a dozen people standing at the door, hurriedly getting off the couch. She was angry outside, but she was still angry and asked, "You didn't say a word when you came here, and there wasn't even a sound of footsteps. How can you be a thief?"
The little girls assigned here had heard Hang Qing's lecture before. They stopped immediately, put down the bamboo poles in their hands, and all bowed their hands and saluted: "Miss Hang Qing!"
Jade Bird glared at Feng Xiao, signaled her to shut up, and went up to her with a smile: "I heard that Grandma Yu was ill yesterday, and a girl in charge has arrived in the house. She must be my sister. Please take a seat in the room."
Kingfisher invited the man into the house, served tea and snacks, and asked, "I wonder if my sister is here, what's the matter?"
Hang Qing looked at it secretly, and saw that the room was full of embroidered curtains, golden music scores, and jade seal tablets. It was full of pearls and riches. But among the piles of gold and jade, there was a plain bamboo curtain hanging behind it. The setting sun reflected the golden light, and there was a fresh fragrance of bamboo.
Hang Qing said: "Your Majesty ordered me to send a batch of jade articles to Madam. I wonder if Madam is here?"
Kingfisher looked inside. At this time, his county master was still asleep, and he had no intention of calling his master to get up. He said: "My master just called me back this morning. I had a headache for a long time and just fell asleep after taking medicine."
Hang Qing lowered his eyes, smiled, and said, "This is a big deal. Madam is not well. Why didn't you invite the doctor?"
Jing Qin said: "I'm much better after taking the always prepared pills. The master gave special instructions, saying that my sister must have had a bad night yesterday, so I'm not allowed to disturb her." This is really Jing Qin's nonsense, Lin Rong Come back and fall asleep, why have you ever ordered me like this?
Hang Qing recited a Buddhist saying: "It's my lady who sympathizes with me." At the same time, he asked the girl Xiaoyao'er to come into the house with the brocade box. He asked Jingqin to read the notes, handed them over one by one, and then led the people back. Zhi Geyuan.
Kingfisher and Fengxiao did not grow up with Cui Shiniang in the inner courtyard. One was a second-class girl next to the eldest princess, and the other served in the study outside. When they saw the jade in the brocade box, they only knew that it was of little value. Fei couldn't see anything else, so she quietly opened the bead curtain and went inside.
I saw Nanny Qu sitting on the footrest beside the county master's bed, holding a book in her hand, fanning Lin Rong, and taking a nap while shaking her head.
Feng Xiao and Jing Qin looked at each other, smiled, and hurriedly left.
It was already a quarter past three when Lin Rong woke up. There were lights on inside and outside the yard, but he still didn't want to get up and lay in bed in a daze. The window was open, and the white ape was hiding in the cracks of the bricks in the corridor. Seeing that Lin Rong ignored her, he reached out and hung up the crabapple tree without interest.
After a while, I heard Feng Xiao laughing outside: "I just brought something over at noon. During dinner, the little guy in the kitchen hurriedly brought fresh venison. It's funny even to say it, haha." "
"It's hot at this time, and the county master is afraid of dryness, so this venison will be stewed in soup."
Lin Rong heard the words "fresh venison" and hurriedly sat up and opened the curtain: "Don't make soup, roast it."
Feng Xiao and Jing Qin came in with a smile, helped Lin Rong wash up, and joked: "I thought the county master was going to sleep all day today. The venison has been cooked long ago, and the charcoal stove has been set up. When the county lord wakes up, he will bake on the iron grill."
When Lin Rong came out, she saw that iron stoves, iron forks, and iron wire coverings had indeed been prepared on the porch. Because she got the news about Qianya Guest from the Zhou Changli, her tight strings finally relaxed a little and she faded away. I started to work on the jade bracelet on my lower wrist myself. Roast until the venison is sizzling and oily, then sprinkle with cumin, pepper, and salt.
After eating four or five pieces, I felt greasy, so I put it down. After all, this body is weak and dare not force it. The remaining venison was roasted and shared among the girls. There was still a piece of meat about four or five kilograms left, and they were about to take it away. When they saw the white ape hanging from a branch with one hand, he reached out to scoop it up and then walked away. .
Feng Xiao put her hands on her hips and scolded: "You know how to enjoy this beast, but you don't care whether it's worthy or not?" The others burst into laughter.
After entering the inner room, Lin Rong felt too hot and went to sit in the small pavilion near the water to enjoy the coolness. Aunt Qu then brought the brocade box over, opened it one by one, and asked Lin Rong to take a look.
"Today at noon, Miss Hangqing, who is beside you, brought something over. It is a batch of jade articles from Master Minggang."
Lin Rong exclaimed, remembering that when she was at the mansion of the governor and princess in Jiang, there was a twelve-panel jade screen carved by Master Minggang, which was most cherished by the eldest princess. During banquets and important events, relatives and friends of the clan would watch it.
She opened the brocade box and saw a jade cup as big as a palm. The body of the cup was covered with orchids and there were three round carved lions on the lid. There is also a citrine plum blossom flower arrangement with two carved white plum branches, occasionally revealing the stamens. In addition to these two jades, there are also several pieces of silk, satin, colored silk, and vassal cloth, several pieces of gold foil, and twenty rectangular sachets of goose yellow plain satin.
I don’t think anything else matters. I’ve seen a lot of gold foil, colored silk and the like at the Jiangzhou Princess Mansion. But these two jade articles, Lin Rong thought were very exquisite. Aunt Qu said: “This citrine plum blossom flower arrangement is from the past. The dowry gift given by Emperor Taizong when he married his wife in 1988 was missing after the Luoyang Rebellion. The eldest princess used to ask for a lot of money, but she couldn't get it for many years, which is a pity. Unexpectedly, she ended up living in Yongdi. "
Lin Rong murmured: "Is this so?"
Aunt Qu continued to advise: "How can the county master be rude when the king rewards you with such a precious jade? You should go and express your gratitude."
Lin Rong didn't respond and didn't hear. He picked up the sachet and said, "Mommy, look, this sachet is well embroidered." He opened it again and saw that it contained rugosa, angelica, citron and other things: "Give it to the girls."
Aunt Qu sighed and had no choice but to follow Lin Rong's words: "The stitches on this sachet don't look like they were made by someone on the needlework. I'm afraid they were embroidered by someone close to you. There is nothing else around you." Chong, that girl from Hangqing is the only one who is respected even by the hundreds of households in charge of guarding the mansion. I am just watching today..."
Lin Rong sighed, was silent, and finally said it out: "Mammy was originally someone close to the eldest princess. I came to Yongdi with me. I think the eldest princess also had instructions. On weekdays, everyone understands it tacitly. Here, It can be regarded as mutual dependence. It’s just that I am extremely reluctant to do what she wants me to do. Auntie’s advice makes it difficult for me. "
After hearing the words, Aunt Qu immediately knelt down and shed tears: "This old slave will never dare to accept the words of the county master. The old slave has no children. When he came to Yongdi with the county master, he only had the county master as his master. Old slave I am just worried about the future of the county master..."
With such an elderly person kneeling in front of him, Lin Rong could not remain indifferent. He could only harden his heart and say, "Mommy, I don't dare to be your master."
Aunt Qu wiped her tears and said, "I won't say anything anymore, I won't say anything anymore."
…
Lu Shen came back from outside early on the third day. As soon as he entered the door and walked along the path, he saw a school captain wearing armor and kneeling at the foot of the steps. When he saw him coming back, he immediately made a bang and made a hole in the yellow ground: "I misbehaved on the marked day and my words offended my wife. Please punish me, my lord."
This man's lips were chapped, his face was chapped, and his bun was covered with dew. Lu Shen frowned and asked, "How many days have you been kneeling?"
Hang Qing came up to him, took the riding whip from Lu Shen's hand, and replied: "As soon as the Lord left, Captain Zhao came. He has been kneeling for three days. I sent someone to report to Duke De, and he said , this is the master’s family matter, and there is no reason for ministers to make the decision.”
Lu Shen snorted, took a few steps up the steps, and looked back: "Go back and get a hundred military sticks yourself. You were the first to win this battle in Xuanzhou, and now I have to give you a reduced rank."
Such a punishment was not a heavy one. Even though he had practiced martial arts since he was a child and had strong muscles and bones, he had to stay in bed for more than half a month to recuperate after being hit by a hundred army sticks. The captain was not worried but overjoyed. A heavy stone fell from his heart, and he thanked him immediately: "Thank you for your kindness, Lord."
Lu Shen saw that he was so angry and asked coldly: "Do you know why I punish you?"
The captain suddenly raised his head, his eyes full of doubts: "Lord?"
Chapter 16
Zhao Menghuai, a native of Leping, Jiangbei, was granted the title of Marquis of Xingyang for his meritorious service, and was given a salary of two thousand dan and a world certificate. He was born in a poor family, but because of his bravery, he was promoted to Taizu's side. When Taizu conquered Xuanzhou, Meng Huai was the vanguard in front of the tent. He was brave and brave when facing the enemy, and he was successful in all directions and broke through the east gate. At that time, Empress Mu of the Ming Dynasty was traveling, and Meng Huai saw her from a distance. He didn't know her identity at the time, and was shocked by her appearance. He sighed: "This is how a real man should marry a wife!"
"Yongshi·Biography·Volume 21"
Lu Shen shook his head. Although this man was brave, he was reckless. He could only be a fierce general who charged into battle, but he could not be a general who led an army alone. He said: "Although your words were frivolous that day, you had no intention of teasing and teasing, and you did not know Cui's identity. Anyone who does not know is not guilty. Although I run the army strictly, I will not offend the soldiers for this."
The captain raised his head. If it wasn't because of this, then why did the master punish himself?
Lu Shen continued: "Xuanzhou is newly conquered, soldiers are being collected, new soldiers are practicing martial arts, everything is complicated, and it is the time to recruit people. You are a lieutenant in the Central Military Academy. You are not serving in the army, but you are kneeling here. Why?"
Seeing that Lu Shen didn't take what happened that day to heart, the captain felt extremely ashamed when he thought that he had neglected his duties because of this. He also thought about how great a gift it was for his master not to stick to his origin and to remove himself from the poor men. Tears welled up in his eyes for a moment: "My lord, I'm so kind to you, but I can't repay you."
Lu Shen hummed and waved his robe: "Go and receive your punishment!"
Lu Shen was so happy that she entered the house. After taking a bath, she wrote on the large desk by the window. This is a habit he has developed since he was a child. If he has no military duties, he will write a big character every day to calm his mind. Since taking over the Lu family, there has been no interruption for five or six years.
Hang Qing came in with tea and stood at the table and replied: "The master ordered a batch of Master Minggang's jades to be given to Madam that day. I secretly thought that the ladies and girls in the house would also like them, so I kept the jade hairpins, bracelets and the like. I can't say anything valuable or rare, just take what you like. I sent the lady a set of jade cups and a citrine flower arrangement. I also added some gold foil, cloth, and twelve seasonal sachets. I don't know what to do. inappropriate?"
Lu Shen kept writing and only said a faint hum without saying anything else.
Hang Qing stood there, staring at the wisps of green smoke floating out of the bronze clay Rui Nao under the window. Seeing that Lu Shen didn't say anything to ask her to go out, he continued: "The two mothers are getting better. The doctor said, always It was because he was not accustomed to the local environment and he was old that he became ill. My wife sent a letter and told the two nuns to go back to Yongzhou to take care of her. "
Lu Shen listened, and after a while, he put down his pen, took a sip of tea, and said, "You have always taken care of yourself. You can arrange these yourself."
Hang Qing said hello, and then reported back: "In the past few days, my wife has been staying behind closed doors, and no one has been seen. Only yesterday I sent someone to say that I wanted to go to the Taoist temple on the mountain to have a peaceful ceremony. The master is not here, I want to There are many people outside and there are many things to do, so I don’t dare to make the decision.”
After hearing this, Lu Shen's face darkened slightly. He glanced at a copy of "Lu's Family Instructions" on the desk. He knocked on the table and said, "Take it to Mrs. Cui and ask her to copy it ten times a day and send it to you."
Hang Qing said yes, came out with the book in his hands, and sent two little girls, longan and lotus seeds, to Lin Rong.
The two girls walked around, covering most of the garden, and then took the book to Lin Rong's yard.
Lin Rongzheng had taken a bath and sat in front of the window to watch Fengxiao playing the strings. He saw the girl picking out a few strands of silk thread and moving her hands quickly. After a while, she made a plum blossom string and hung it on the fragrant pendant. Above: "Master, take a look, are they okay? The pine flowers look good with willow yellow, peach red, and sapphire green. It's a pity that the colors of these silk threads are not very correct. They can't be used after one water treatment."
While talking, he complained: "This new girl from Hangqing is so powerful that we girls are not even allowed to go out for free. Whatever needs to be done and what things need to be taken, she will appoint people to do it. The former master called I went to the Taoist temple to buy some sesame oil money, but she dismissed it, saying that people from outside should take care of the errands outside, and a girl like me would only serve in the inner courtyard."
Feng Xiao talked for a long time, but when Lin Rong didn't answer, he turned around and saw her holding her chin in a daze: "Master, in my opinion, this girl Hang Qing is not an ordinary girl who waits for others."
Lin Rong was worried about how to find a way to go to the Taoist temple to inquire about Qianya Guest. He just gave a faint hum and heard someone coming outside the fan, asking: "Who is here?"
Kingfisher walked around the screen, holding a book in his hand: "Zhigeyuan sent the little girl, saying that the Lord ordered the county master to copy the "Lu Family Instructions" ten times a day, and pick it up at this time tomorrow."
Lin Rong took it over and saw that the family motto contained more than ten pages, which counted to several thousand words. He copied it ten times a day. He was afraid that he wouldn't be able to finish it until midnight: "Ten times a day? How many days will it take to copy it?"
Kingfisher shook his head: "I didn't say it. I didn't say why." Lu Shen was a strict man, but no one dared to falsely pass on his orders.
Lin Rong choked, not knowing where he offended Lu Shen. On the other hand, Nanny Qu looked delighted and hurriedly asked the girls to prepare pen and ink: "The county owner is the daughter-in-law of the Lu family. Naturally, she must know the Lu family's family motto. This is what it means to treat the county owner as one of your own."
Lin Rong was speechless and asked everyone to force him to copy until the fifth watch. He couldn't bear it anymore, threw away the pen and fell asleep on the bed.
Aunt Qu is illiterate. Jing Qin is holding a stack of rice paper and is worried. Lin Rong’s handwriting becomes more and more scrawled towards the back: “Mommy, I’m afraid it’s not very neat. The county owner fell off the cliff and injured his hand. He can’t use his wrist. Even if I have more strength, my writing is no longer what it used to be. Can I write such words for a job?"
When the rooster crowed the next day, Nanny Qu kept talking about Lin Rong until noon, when two little girls came back to Geyuan with a thick stack of rice paper.
For several days like this, Lin Rong not only couldn't find a chance to go out, but instead asked Ju to copy books in the yard every day. On the fourth day, no matter what Granny Qu said, Lin Rong refused to write, and kept asking Jing Qin and several other girls to do it for her. After fooling around like this for a while, there was no news from Zhigeyuan, so Lin Rong could not help but be lazy.
On this day, due to the hot weather for several days, everyone in the hospital was gradually suffering from the heat. Lin Rong was preparing some heat-relieving medicine in the shade of the back porch. Feng Xiao squatted aside: "Master, can lotus stems and japonica rice be used as medicine?"
Aunt Qu came in in a hurry: "Jingqin, Fengxiao, hurry up and wash up for the county master to change into the big clothes for the guests. Someone just came from Zhige Courtyard and said that the old lady from Yongzhou Prefecture was going to Xuzhou and passed by Xuanzhou. The king ordered the county lord to go and pay homage."
Lin Rong asked: "Is she the old lady who lives in the Taoist temple?"
Aunt Qu pressed Lin Rong in front of the mirror and took out the dowry and other things: "No, who else dares to call me 'old lady'?" At the same time, she continued to ask: "The county master will be here for a while. Be respectful and courteous, this old lady is famous for her bad temper, so it's absolutely hard to offend her."
This old lady is Lu Shen's great-aunt. She married the Wang family of Xuzhou when she was seventeen. After her husband died, she returned to the Lu family of Yongzhou with tens of thousands of troops under her command. She was quite brave and good at riding and shooting. After Lu Shen's grandfather died suddenly, he took charge of the Lu family for more than ten years and was highly respected in the Lu family.
Lin Rong rolled his eyes. He lived in a Taoist temple forever, a Taoist temple?
After finishing dressing up, there were already several young servants waiting by the pool to punt a boat. Lin Rong asked, "Want to take a boat?"
The leader knelt down and said, "Madam, my old lady is most afraid of heat. She lives in Tao Ran Juli on the other side of Qushui."
Lin Rong nodded, got on the boat, and crossed the winding river. He saw that there were cypress and catalpa trees along the way. They looked ancient, with pavilions like canopies and dense shade covering the ground. They must have been managed for decades. The servant woman held the pole for thirty or fifty years, then abandoned the boat and went ashore. After passing the boat and walking around the screen wall in front of her, she saw a large peony flower garden. At the end of the flower garden was the January Cave Gate.
There were all female soldiers in red clothes and armors in the corridor at the door. As soon as they entered, they heard a woman inside laughing loudly: "Although I am old, I can still shoot a three-stone bow and ride the most powerful red-maned horse. But it’s only a hundred miles, so what kind of fatigue is that?”
A servant woman went in to report, and after a while someone came to lead Lin Rong in.
Lin Rong walked in slowly, nodded slightly, and did not dare to look around. All he could see was the large copper foot stove under the carved lacquer chair, and he knelt down and bowed: "My granddaughter-in-law, Mrs. Cui, pays homage to my great-aunt."
The old lady was leaning on the couch. When she saw Mrs. Cui, she was coming in all shapes and sizes. Her skirt was floating slightly as she moved. When she was giving a big gift, the ring around her waist occasionally made a ringing sound. Although she was not very steady, her back was straight. Be extremely upright, without the slightest hint of timidity. She was a leader in the army when she was young. She had a fierce and bold personality. She was the one who was most annoyed by the rules of the boudoir. She felt a little more satisfied and waved: "Come here and give me a good look at this old woman."
Lin Rong raised his head and saw an old woman in her seventies with silver hair sitting on the Arhat couch opposite her. She was wearing a green crepe silk five-bat trousers and a jasper-inlaid forehead wisp on her head. She had a kind expression and a He looked like an old man, except for a long black and brown winding scar on his face from behind his ears to the corner of his mouth, which looked particularly terrifying.
Lu Shen was sitting at the bottom. Because he was accompanying his elders, his face had a warmer color. He saw that Cui was wearing a cloud brocade in the color of Yang Fei, with peonies embroidered in large gold-printed colors on the skirt, and a purple-gold gauze. The vest was as clear as smoke, and she was always elegant and gorgeous, but her expression was calm and she didn't laugh. If it weren't for the peach blossom makeup on her forehead, there wouldn't be any trace of the bride's twinkling look.
Seeing that he was there, Lin Rong could only salute: "I have met the king personally."
Somehow, Lu Shen suddenly remembered the "Lu Family Instructions" she had copied in the past few days, showed a sarcastic smile, and said with a cold face: "No need to be polite."
Lin Rong slowly stepped forward, walked to the old lady Gu, and asked her to take her hand and look at him carefully: "Very good, he is a neat and good boy. It's hard for you to come from Jiangzhou and travel so far away."
Then he asked: "Is your grandmother still strong? When I was young, I studied in the thatched cottage in your garden for three years, but she took care of me a lot."
Lin Rong didn't know the origin and replied vaguely: "Grandma is still healthy. In her free time, she talks happily with the younger members of the family. When she gets bored, she leads people to walk around in the garden, or listens to a play, which just kills the time. ”
The old lady then laughed: "Your grandmother doesn't care much anymore. She just enjoys her old age and makes fun and jokes with the younger generations. As the saying goes, you are not deaf or dumb and you are not a rich man. You are so lucky. However, I am not like this. Blessing.”
