Dou Mien, rise Miqiu!
The Zheng family gave Ji Keji too much and praised Ji Keji too highly.
Ji Keji himself was too young, and suddenly experienced so many surprises that his heart wandered.
On the first day that Zhao Qingyun traveled with Ji Keji, he discovered that something was wrong with him.
This man is very dangerous.
Already stepped on the edge of the cliff.
If we can wake up in time, there may be hope.
But if you continue to get carried away, you will miss the mark!
Zhao Qingyun does not want to contact such people yet.
It’s not that he has a bad character, it’s that he’s not sober enough and smart enough!
Zhao Qingyun is no longer the innocent boy he once was, and his world is not black and white, right or wrong.
Good or bad character is not important.
The key is to be smart!
"Let's go!"
Zhao Qingyun jumped on his carriage and said to the driver, "Go to Pingkangfang!"
There are a total of 108 squares in the capital. Pingkangfang is a famous "red light district", but the Imperial College is also in this square.
Therefore, many scholars or candidates rushing for exams will come to Pingkangfang.
Zhao Qingyun is a person who takes one step and sees the next.
Now that I have decided to come to the capital to participate in the Spring Festival, I will make preparations in advance.
More than a month ago, he asked his cousin Zhao Qingyang to come to the capital first.
Investigate the east and west cities to find suitable housing.
There is a family member of his mentor Mr. Tang in Beijing, and Zhao Qingyang is not unfamiliar with them either.
Zhao Qingyang is very capable, and he has gained experience in Heyin County over the past few years.
After arriving in the capital, with the help of the Tang family, he bought a suitable courtyard and shop in less than half a month.
The house is located in Pingkangfang, a courtyard with three entrances.
"yes!"
The coachman agreed, raised his whip, and threw a loud crack in the air, and the carriage started moving quickly.
Pingkangfang.
"Auntie, what are you looking at outside?"
The speaker was a young man in his twenties. He was wearing a robe, with a fair face and a bookish air.
His accent has a hint of hometown flavor, and you can tell at a glance that he is a scholar who came to Beijing to take the exam.
His mother-in-law is an old woman in her fifties, with gray hair and fine wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and mouth.
The corners of the old woman's lips couldn't help but droop downwards, and she looked a bit stern and not easy to get close to.
"The neighbor next door should be here! Someone came to clean up early in the morning."
The old woman was sitting outside the door of her rented courtyard, looking like she was working while watching what was going on next door.
"Is it the courtyard on the east side? I heard that a man from out of town also bought it."
This scholar is not a "noble" person. Hearing his mother's words, he also showed his enthusiasm for gossip.
"Yes! I asked clearly a long time ago. I heard that this family also has a son who was raised by a widowed mother."
When the old woman mentioned "widow mother", her serious expression seemed to soften.
"A woman who has not remarried, raised her son as both a father and a mother, and even allowed him to pass the examination must be an excellent person!"
The old woman seemed to be praising the new neighbor next door, but there was a hint of pride in her eyebrows.
Anyone who knows her even slightly knows that she is also boasting.
The old woman does have something to be proud of, because she is a widowed mother.
She became a widow at a young age and supported the whole family by herself.
Not only did he raise his four children, but he also provided for his son to study.
The son was also promising and passed the imperial examination at the age of twenty-five.
Juren, in their hometown, a proper first share.
Now that her son has come to Beijing for the Spring Festival, the old woman has sold all her belongings and brought her daughter-in-law, grandson, etc. to accompany him.
She believed that her son would definitely pass the Jinshi examination and then stay in the capital as an official!
It's just that "living in the capital is not easy." The old woman sold her belongings, and her son received "filial piety" and a subsidy from the daughter-in-law's family.
Putting all these factors together, I can't afford to buy a house, so I can only rent it.
However, it is not easy to rent a neat little courtyard in Pingkangfang.
The old woman is very proud. This family cannot survive without her!
Later, the house on the east side changed neighbors.
The old woman ran to inquire about it, and after asking, she found out that she was also a widowed mother who came to Beijing with her son to take the exam.
Hey, this is "the same kind".
While the old woman was happy, she also had some thoughts of comparison.
So, when she heard the noise today and saw the busy activities of several people coming in and out, the old woman knew that it was probably a new neighbor who had arrived.
She hurriedly changed into the clothes newly made after her son was diagnosed with the disease, combed her hair neatly, then took a sewing basket and sat down outside the gate pretending to be so.
"That family's son should not be as young as my Erlang."
The old woman didn't know how difficult the imperial examination was until her son took the imperial examination.
Many people are in their forties or fifties and are still just children.
My son passed the national examination at the age of 20 and was definitely the youngest in their county.
Moreover, the new neighbor's house is not rented, but bought.
If you were too young, you probably wouldn't be able to earn such a large sum of money.
Maybe, there is help from the Yue family here.
Just like their family, in order to allow their son to continue studying, they gritted their teeth and married the daughter of a wealthy businessman in the county.
Now it seems that it is a bit inappropriate.
A dark and inexplicable light flashed in the old woman's slightly sharp eyes.
However, it is still important to watch the excitement today.
She must make the "old sister" next door who is also a widowed mother envious.
"Yes! Just like A Niang!"
This young man respects his widowed mother very much, so for him to say "just like grandma" is already a great compliment.
The mother and son were talking and laughing when they heard a crunching sound.
This is the sound of a carriage!
"coming!"
The old woman's energy perked up, and her slightly slumped waist straightened up instantly.
Not long after, two or three carriages drove in slowly.
The mother and son were a little surprised. They knew that this family might have some wealth, but they still didn't expect that their battle was so big.
There are several carriages. Even if they are hired, it will cost a lot of money.
Call!
With a long groan from the driver, the carriage stopped steadily.
Squeak!
The car door opened, and a handsome boy of seventeen or eighteen years old jumped out.
"Is this Juren's son? He looks really outstanding!"
Both the old woman and the young man had a flash of surprise in their eyes.
Everyone has a love for beauty.
The old woman winked at her son.
The young man nodded. After all, they were neighbors and there would inevitably be contact in the future.
When a neighbor comes, he should go say hello and see if there is anything he can do to help.
However, the young man still did not leave immediately. He was waiting for the Juren who was his "peer".
However, no!
As soon as the beautiful boy got out of the car, two little girls started to jump out.
Then, an incredibly beautiful and fragile woman was helped out of the car.
"You should marry a virtuous wife. She is beautiful, but her body is so weak. Why do you want to marry her?"
"Fortunately, I can still give birth to a son, otherwise, this husband's family will surely die!"
The old woman glanced at Gu Qingcheng, her heart full of disapproval.
She has become a mother-in-law after being a daughter-in-law for many years, and her mentality has long been distorted.
When I see such a weak, delicate and timid woman, I instinctively dislike her.
However, the eyebrows between Gu Qingcheng and Zhao Qingyun are very similar. Anyone who sees them will know that they are mother and son.
The old woman speculated from this that Gu Qingcheng could still give birth to a son, which would finally be of some use!
"Huh? What about Juren?"
"Yes, and where is his widowed mother?"
Why are there only so few people?
The carriage at the back contained mostly luggage.
Just when the two were confused, Zhao Qingyun caught a glimpse of the mother and son out of the corner of his eye.
There was a warm smile on his extremely handsome face, but the smile was very stylized and did not extend to his eyes at all.
"My surname is Zhao and my given name is Qingyun. I was a candidate for imperial examination in the year of Yiwei. Is your surname a noble neighbor? Is this also the candidate who came to Beijing?"
Zhao Qingyun was very polite, but his words made the mother and son who were watching the fun both opened their mouths.
This young man, who is not as good as a weakling, is actually, actually, a judge?
And Yiwei Year was three years ago.
How old was he at that time, and he won the exam? !
The young man reacted faster than the old woman. He suddenly woke up and returned the greeting, "I, Zhao Zhi, was selected for the imperial examination in the year of 1898."
The two families are related by fate, both have the surname Zhao.
It's just that Zhao Zhi was the candidate for this year's exam, one subject behind Zhao Qingyun.
"Brother Zhao, this must be your mother-in-law. How are you, Auntie!"
Zhao Qingyun continued to greet his neighbors with a warm smile.
"A-A-A!"
The old lady of the Zhao family had a mouth that could make her daughter-in-law cry, but she was stammering at the moment.
She suddenly looked at Gu Qingcheng, who was walking towards Pingpingtingting, and asked, "She, she is -"
Zhao Qingyun turned sideways, got out of the way, stretched out his hand to support his mother, and then introduced with a smile: "My mother, Mrs. Gu, suffered a lot because she helped me study. Please forgive me if I am rude in the future!"
Mrs. Zhao stared straight at Gu Qingcheng, who was younger than her daughter-in-law, and didn't know what to say for a moment.
Is this also a widowed mother?
After working so hard to bring up a son, he also gave up a noble man?
But, why was it completely different from what she imagined?
He also "suffered a terrible time".
Mrs. Zhao didn't believe a word of it.
Her old eyes were the most vicious, and Gu's ten fingers were as white and delicate as green onions in spring.
There are no calluses or roughness, and at first glance, he looks like a pampered nobleman.
My daughter-in-law is still a young lady from a wealthy businessman. She has been married to my family for more than ten years, and she also has calluses on her hands.
"...Old, old, can I call you sister?"
Gu Qingcheng started to show off her acting skills again.
She seemed not to see the complexity in Mrs. Zhao's eyes, and said heartbreaking words deliberately and innocently.
Logically speaking, the two sons are both civil servants and can be considered peers.
Gu Qingcheng politely called Mrs. Zhao "sister", which was no problem at all.
But, these two people really don't look like they are of the same generation. Even if they are two generations, they both feel a little wronged by Gu Qingcheng.
She is so young and beautiful, yet she calls a mean old woman in her fifties and sixties "sister".
Mrs. Zhao herself was a little embarrassed to agree.
"Pfft!"
The neighbor on the other side heard the commotion and quietly came out to watch the fun, and happened to see this scene.
Haha, it’s so interesting. The old widow who always thinks highly of herself is sometimes choked to the point of being speechless!
PS: First update in the morning, please vote for me!
(End of chapter)
