So, when Caishun came back the next day, he brought two boxes and cages. One contained the pen and ink that the young master used to use, books, and articles he had written. In the other box, there were the young master's clothes and toiletries.
This is not like staying in a battle for only a few days.
Like Zhou Zixu, Lin Sanzhu arranged for his second son-in-law to live in a small courtyard on the mountain. Although he and his daughter have already decided to get married, there are still some rules that should be followed, so as to avoid gossip from others.
Because so many villagers came to ask for Spring Festival couplets, the originally agreed three days had to be added by one day.
On the night of the fourth day, Lin Yuanqiu simply moved to the mountain. In the next few days, Uncle Lang and the three of them discussed knowledge together and read articles together, which was a rare pleasure.
It wasn't until the 29th of the twelfth lunar month that Zhou Zixu and Wang Wenchang hurried back. When they left, neither of them took back a change of clothes. This was because they had made an appointment to meet at their father-in-law's house again on New Year's Eve.
The picture of the courtyard house had been framed, with a six-foot core with a scroll head and a scroll tail. It looked very spectacular. Old Lintou hung it in his room. So on this night of staying up late, the whole family had a lot of fantasies about the new house in the capital.
As before, Mrs. Wu distributed red paper packets to her daughter-in-law and granddaughter-in-law one by one, containing each house's pocket money for the coming year.
Life at home is getting better year by year, and the pocket money given by Wu has naturally increased. The daughter-in-law has seven taels each, and the granddaughter-in-law has four taels each. Compared with last year, each room has one tael more.
Although Lin Yuanqiu is already nineteen after the New Year, as long as he has not started a family, the new year's money is indispensable, not to mention that it is not as good as a weak crown.
Therefore, including several cousins, Lin Yuanqiu received a total of eight red envelopes.
Then he, the little uncle, gave them to several nieces and nephews. Before returning from the capital, Lin Yuanqiu went to the silver house to exchange for a handful of small silver peanuts and small silver Ruyi. At this time, it was appropriate to give each child as lucky money.
After more than half a month of getting along with each other, the children had grown up with one uncle and two uncles, and they only had to go around Lin Yuanqiu every day. At this time, after receiving the beautiful New Year's money from their uncle, each one's mouth felt like it was covered with honey. It’s nice to call me uncle.
Naturally, Lin Yuanqiu did not forget the New Year's money given to the two younger sisters. After celebrating the New Year's Eve and everyone went back to their rooms, Lin Yuanqiu took out the red envelope from his pocket and handed it to the two of them.
"Thank you, brother!" the two sisters said in unison.
Chunyan touched the red paper, and it seemed to be the shapes of the silver peanuts and silver ruyi she had just seen, but the red paper seemed a little thick, so she couldn't help but ask, "Brother, what is in the red envelope?" "
Lin Yuanqiu smiled and said, "We'll find out if we go back to the room and take a look."
Upon hearing this, Chunyan and Chuncao became even more curious. After saying goodbye to their brother tomorrow, the two sisters went to the room and opened the red paper bag.
Then Chunyan and Chuncao discovered that in the red envelope, in addition to two silver peanuts and two silver coins, there was also a piece of paper folded. When they unfolded the paper, they discovered that it was actually a banknote, and in the middle of the banknote was printed the words "with a voucher" Take fifty taels of silver." Eight words.
Therefore, my brother directly gave each of them a fifty-tael banknote as lucky money.
Chunyan and Chuncao both had wet eyes. They understood that their brother was saving dowries for them in disguise, just like the previous set of jewelry, which could not be bought without a hundred taels of silver.
Chunyan and Chuncao knew that the reason why their brother did this was so that they could have their own confidence and backbone after marrying into their husband's family.
Although Xiaohong and Xiaoju were illiterate, they could guess from the expressions on their young ladies' faces that the amount on the banknote must be quite large. Thinking about the gold head and face, the young master had to say that he was very interested in the third and fourth ladies. The lady is so nice.
Thinking of this, the two couldn't help but touch the red envelope in their sleeves. It was given to them by the young master during the New Year's Eve dinner. Inside was a piece of broken silver. In addition to what the young master gave them, the old lady and the third wife also gave them red envelopes this morning.
The two sisters often think that their life is much better now than in their previous master's house. Apart from other things, at least the old lady and the other ladies never punish people at every turn.
Looking at the young master's family, they are all harmonious, so their family has found a good master.
…
On the first day of the new year, Lin Yuanqiu followed Lin Sanzhu to the clan leader and elders to pay New Year greetings.
We haven't seen each other for two years. The hair of several elders is a little grayer, but they are all in good spirits.
In their words, that is to take good care of your body and live to see the day when you pass the imperial examination in the distant autumn.
The clan leader has not changed much. After seeing Lin Yuanqiu coming over, the smile on the clan leader's face never stopped.
This made Lin Sanzhu straighten his back a lot.
…
The second day of the Lunar New Year is the day when the daughter returns to her parents' home to pay New Year's greetings.
Among the four granddaughter-in-laws, except Ding Ju who did not go out because her parents' home was far away, the other three took their husbands and children back to their parents' home early in the morning.
Zhou's three sisters-in-law were busy in the kitchen, while Wu was counting her fingers on the side. Today Dani and Erni will definitely return to their parents' home, as will Chunmei and Chunxiu, plus several uncles and grandchildren. , granddaughter, and by the way, there are also great-grandsons and great-granddaughters, so at least four tables need to be set up for this lunch meal.
Dani and Erni came back from the front and back. The sisters' faces looked rounder than last year. After they no longer had to pay grain taxes on their fields, the lives of the two sisters improved year by year. Now they are ten years old. Years passed, and the two of them were able to save some money.
For parents, knowing that their children are living a good life is more comforting than anything else. Seeing the smiles on their two girls' faces, Mrs. Wu also became beaming with joy.
…
Zhou Zixu and Wang Wenchang came to pay New Year greetings on the third day of the Lunar New Year.
Then on the night of the third day of the Lunar New Year, the two brothers-in-law and their uncle lived in the small courtyard on the mountain again, and the three of them continued to live a life of writing essays and poems.
This year is a year of competition, and Wang Wenchang will definitely participate in the provincial examination in August. Therefore, in the past few days, Lin Yuanqiu and Zhou Zixu shared a lot of intellectual insights with him. In the provincial examination, writing is the key. Lin Yuanqiu gave Wang Wenchang the assessment booklet he used when he was preparing for the provincial examination. It said These are all the policy arguments that I summarized by myself, and it can be considered that I have no secrets from this brother-in-law.
Uncle Lang and the three of them stayed on the mountain for more than ten days. When they came down from the mountain, it was already the twelfth day of the first lunar month. In a few days, Lin Yuanqiu and Zhou Zixu would leave for Beijing.
Wu helped pack her grandson's luggage every time, and this time was no exception. In addition to a few newly made clothes, Mrs. Wu also packed more than 20 kilograms of persimmons, which she prepared for her grandson to send some to the teacher.
Lin Sanzhu and Lin Yuanfeng were going to go there with Lin Yuanqiu. The wing room in the east cross courtyard was about to be rebuilt, so someone had to keep an eye on it to feel at ease.
Wanqing was a little excited when she learned that her father was going to the capital.
Lin Yuanfeng had always cherished this girl, so he agreed when he thought that Qing'er was already eight years old and didn't need to be carried or carried, so she wouldn't annoy anyone when she was taken out.
This made the other children in the family envious.
Seeing this, Wanqing patted the small purse hanging around her waist and said with a smile, "Sister, I will buy you a lot of fun things!"
…
On the day he returned to Beijing, Lin Yuanqiu got up early. Having a carriage at home makes traveling much more convenient.
Old Lintou and Wu continued to urge them to take good care of themselves when going out, and Lin Yuanqiu nodded in agreement.
Ms. Feng began to cry quietly, thinking that it would take a long time for her son to come back. She hadn't even left home yet, so she began to look forward to the day when she would return home.
"Mom, my son will definitely work harder." Lin Yuanqiu said softly to Feng.
Mrs. Feng knew what her son meant. She meant that he would work hard to pass the Jinshi exam, so that he would not have to study away from home all year round and worry his mother.
So she couldn't let her son study desperately in order to pass the Jinshi exam.
Thinking of this, Mrs. Feng quickly wiped away her tears, "Mom, you are not in a hurry. You are not in a hurry. Yuanqiu, I have no other requirements. I only hope that you will take good care of yourself and be well outside."
"Son, I understand. Mom, you should also take care of your health at home and don't stay up late doing embroidery work."
Feng nodded, she didn't stay up late, otherwise she would hurt her eyes, and she wouldn't be able to take care of her grandchildren in the future.
After meeting Zhou Zixu in the town, the group got on the carriage to Fucheng, and then headed north along the waterway.
What made Lin Yuanqiu happy was that Wanqing didn't feel any discomfort on the boat. Until the official ship docked at Tongzhou Pier, the little girl didn't feel dizzy or uncomfortable except that she was a little bored after staying on the ship for a long time.
Lin Yuanqiu did not find another inn to sleep in, but took his father and cousin directly to the new house.
The masons had already repaired the second and third courtyards years ago, and were currently overhauling the back room of the last courtyard.
Seeing the huge house, Lin Sanzhu and Lin Yuanfeng walked back and forth many times in the yard. The high walls, gray tiles, pavilions and verandas, the surprise in their eyes was self-evident. But Wanqing, after seeing the swing hanging under the sycamore tree, didn't want to leave.
"Uncle, our yard is really beautiful. Qing'er really likes it."
This is what the little girl said several times today.
Lin Yuanqiu asked Zhang Gui to buy bedding and then settled his father and cousin in the renovated second courtyard.
It is indeed much easier to have helpers. After leaving the matter of repairing the courtyard house to his father and his cousin, Lin Yuanqiu never worried about it again.
…
The day of Xiu Mu soon arrived, and he thought that his father and cousin should be at Mo Linxuan at the moment, so after coming out of the Imperial College, Lin Yuanqiu took Zhou Zixu to his shop.
Just when he was approaching the shop, Lin Yuanqiu discovered something was wrong. There were so many people surrounding the door of his shop.
Did something happen?
Zhou Zixu also saw it and was worried that something had happened.
So the two of them walked forward quickly.
As a result, before reaching the door of the shop, Zhang Gui's wife, Lu, rushed out from the crowd, "My lord, the young lady is missing!"
Little lady?
Lin Yuanqiu was stunned for a moment before he realized that the young lady was talking about Wanqing.
But why did Wanqing disappear?
Lin Yuanqiu said anxiously, "Tell me quickly what's going on?"
Lu didn't dare to delay and quickly made the matter clear.
Because the kitchen in the house was re-installed, Lin Sanzhu and Lin Yuanfeng came to the store to eat in the past two days.
After Wanqing had lunch today, she still stood in front of the store as she did yesterday, watching the people coming and going. It was normal for children to like to watch the excitement, as long as they didn't run around, so Lin Yuanfeng didn't take it seriously, thinking about her daughter's future. He will also wait for me at the door obediently like yesterday.
But after a while, Zhang Gui found that the young lady standing at the door was missing. He hurriedly ran to the door to look for her, but found no one, so he ran into the inner hall to call the master and the eldest son.
Lu continued: "Sir, the shopkeeper Xu who was selling lanterns just now said that he saw a man holding a little girl and running toward the intersection. After hearing this, the master and the eldest son hurriedly chased after her."
At this time, Mrs. Lu was so frightened that her face turned pale. The young lady had been lost under Zhang Gui's nose. If something really happened today, the young master might not be able to spare their family.
Lin Yuanqiu couldn't care about this at this moment. What he thought at this moment was that he must be more familiar with the city's terrain than his father and cousin, so he had to hurry up and chase the talent, otherwise he would be transported by human traffickers. If you leave the city, you will be looking for a needle in a haystack.
"Zixu, go and report to the official!"
Before he finished speaking, Lin Yuanqiu ran towards the intersection.
…
Chapter 135 Beating the Kidnapper
Hefu Street is located in the south of Beijing and is a very old street.
Most of the shops here are engaged in the business of cloth and ready-made clothes, and there are also a few embroidery workshops open. The remaining ones include those selling pastries, groceries, tea and powder, which can be considered a variety.
Zhong Yurou came to Hefu Street today for the ready-made clothing store open at the corner of the street.
When the family went to Jingzhou, the Zhou family gave several of their dowry shops to Uncle Zhong to take care of. Uncle Zhong is the husband of Zhou's wet nurse, and the whole family is Zhou's companion, so it is reassuring to leave the shop to him.
Facts have proved that this is indeed the case, and the profits of these shops have been pretty good in recent years.
It's just that Uncle Zhong is old, so after Zhou returned to Beijing this time, he handed several shops back to his master.
Ms. Zhou thought that her dowry would be divided among several children sooner or later, so she might as well take advantage of this time to simply distribute the shop so that her two daughters-in-law and her own daughter could take over management earlier.
