The sky is clear and clear, as if washed by water. The air in early spring is cool and refreshing, and there seems to be a faint smell of the sea brought from the east. Perhaps this is just an illusion, but the wind is indeed refreshing. So Fang Jie was a little bit regretful that he didn't get to see it when he got to the sea.
However, it is not possible to go to the sea in the early spring. The sea is too cold, and even people who live by the sea will not take risks. Once cramps in the water, it will be fatal.
The window of the carriage was lifted up, and the scenery outside the window was unobstructed.
"How far is it to Shengfangting Ancient Town?"
Mo Ningzhi asked.
Fang Jie calculated the distance and replied: "At this speed, we will be able to reach Shengfang Pavilion by tomorrow night at the latest."
"oh."
Mo Ningzhi let out an oh, and seemed a little disappointed.
"What's wrong?"
Fang asked.
Mo Ningzhi raised her head and glanced at him, Fang Jie was very confused by the taste in her eyes, this was a look that Mo Ningzhi had never seen before, it seemed very familiar, but Fang Jie just couldn't remember how familiar it was. When they were in Chang'an City, Mo Ningzhi looked at him with charming eyes, and when they met later, Mo Ningzhi looked at him with cold eyes. This kind of look appeared in her eyes for the first time, if Fang Xie was smart enough about men and women, he would have understood it, but he has always been a little confused about this kind of thing.
"nothing."
Mo Ningzhi took a breath, and then regained her composure: "I was just thinking, now that no one around you is here, only you and I are alone together, with such a good opportunity, should I kill you or not? Killing you is a matter of course I don't want to kill you... I can't think of a reason yet."
Fang Jie was taken aback, then smiled embarrassingly: "Then think about it slowly, it's better not to think about it for the rest of your life."
"What did you say?"
Mo Ningzhi's eyes suddenly lit up, but Fang Jie still didn't feel the change in her emotions.
"Let you think about it slowly."
He said.
"later."
Mo Ningzhi said.
"Want to live forever?"
Fang Jie recalled his own words and said.
For some reason, Mo Ningzhi's face suddenly turned red, and she turned her head away from Fang Jie. Although Fang Xie could clearly see the change in expression at this moment, he didn't know exactly what she was thinking. So Fang Xie couldn't help but sighed in his heart, saying that a woman's mind is indeed the most difficult thing to guess in the world.
He is now a well-known figure in the Sui Dynasty, and almost all the intrigues in this world can no longer be hidden from him. He has changed from a young man walking down the mountain to a prince standing halfway up the mountain. He can easily see through the schemes of all his opponents, but he can't see through a woman's intentions.
"I'm tired."
Mo Ningzhi said three words lightly, then closed her eyes and leaned against the carriage to rest. Fang Xie was silent for a while, stretched out his hand to lower the curtain of the carriage, then pulled the brocade quilt over her body and gently covered her body. Fang Xie knew that she did not fall asleep so quickly, but she did not open her eyes from the beginning to the end.
Fang Jie rubbed his nose, turned around and sat reading a book.
Mo Ningzhi carefully pulled the brocade quilt upwards to cover her face, under the corners, a peach blossom quietly floated on that celestial-looking face, and the corner of her mouth secretly outlined a slightly shy smile . If Fang Xie saw her expression at this time, maybe he would understand her thoughts, but she was also proud, so even if she felt a little satisfied in her heart, she didn't want to reveal it.
These two people are so tired.
…
…
The speed of the team's march was not very fast. The scouts in front had already arranged accommodation in a small village called Yao'an. The entire backyard is rented out. Although they only stayed for one night, because the money was enough, the family was very hospitable, busy helping the people from the Xiao Riding School to clean the back yard.
"My lord, the clothes on you don't look like those of the local government. Where are you from?"
After making a small fortune in business, he returned to the village and bought a large piece of land for the elderly. The owner of the house is a man in his fifties. The traces of hardships, this struggle, are left on the man's face like a chisel, and the older he is, the more obvious it is.
"Central Plains."
Baihu from Xiaoqi School, the leader of the team, answered two words indifferently, without saying anything. Seeing that the other party was unwilling to reveal anything, the old man simply stopped asking. He's been in business before, so he knows how scary it can be to be curious.
"There are still a few new quilts in the house. If you don't dislike them, I will take them over."
He tentatively asked a question.
"No need."
The hundred households shook their heads: "Everything is our own, don't bother you to worry about it. If there is nothing else, you can go back and rest. We will clean the yard by ourselves."
The old man nodded quickly, turned around and left quickly.
"Old man, who are those people?"
The old woman, who was much less courageous, dragged him over and asked in a low voice: "Just for the money, you dare to bring them in. Who knows who are the people who live in? What if it's some thieves! "
"You still don't believe my eyesight?"
The old man smiled proudly: "I was a person who did a big business back then, and I was the most accurate at seeing people. These people have a cold air on them, and you can tell they are from Junwuli at a glance. And they are nothing An ordinary army must be a heroic soldier who has experienced many battles. The brocade clothes they wear look a bit like the styles of the guards in Chang'an City, but they have been seen before, and they are already blurred... So don't worry, absolutely It will not be a robber, but a person from the Gongmen. If we are lucky, we entertain a big man, and the future of our son will be assured."
He sighed and said, "I started a business because I had no other options. Although I became rich later, I was still looked down upon when I returned to the village. So what if my family is rich? Can I let my son run away too?" Life? Although the Sui Dynasty is in chaos now, Dongjiang is still peaceful. Our son is smart and sensible. When the big man comes later, you let him go around the backyard. If he pleases you, he may be lucky."
"As much as you think."
The old woman hurriedly turned her head and glanced at her son who was sitting in the yard studying: "Dingbei, come here and listen to your father explain something to you!"
It seemed that the sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy agreed happily, and his eyes were full of bright smiles when facing his parents. Although the boy was not outstanding in appearance, he was better than a clean one. Clean face, clean eyes, clean smile.
The old man called his son over and confessed in a low voice for a long time. The old woman sat on the side and picked up her needlework, looking at her only son who was born in middle age, her eyes were full of kindness.
"I asked you to study in a private school, and you said that Mr. Private School was too rigid. I asked you to study in a county school, and you said that the professors in the county school were too blunt."
The old man seemed to be dissatisfied with his tone, which was not his intention. The love in his eyes had already betrayed his heart.
"If you don't have a status, you can't take part in the township examination, so it's too difficult to get a job. I wanted to spend all my savings and go to the county town to donate an official to you, but you also know how many people are richer than our family They are all staring at those vacant seats, the county magistrate looks at the money and not the people, if our family can take it out and not have as many as others, you won’t be able to get in either."
The young man smiled and said, "Father, don't worry, I have my own plans."
"What are you going to do?"
the old man asked.
"Eastern Xinjiang is peaceful now, but the Central Plains are in chaos."
Speaking of this, the young man's eyes gradually brightened: "Even if you are in the top of the township examination, you just have a dishonorable status. If you have that status, if you fail to pass the exam, you can't even plant the land, why don't you starve to death? So I I don't want to go to the county school, and I don't want to go to the township examination. I've made up my mind... Sooner or later, the Mu family will send troops to the Central Plains, and I will sign up to join the army after a while. Conscription will require a lot of secretaries and other clerks, and I am confident that I can be selected."
He raised his head and looked at the eagle soaring in the sky: "Although I don't know martial arts and can't practice, I want to be a great general, just like Li Xiao, a Confucian general during the reign of Emperor Taizong of the Sui Dynasty, who created immortal achievements." !"
"You child, you've been thinking wildly all day long!"
The old man glared at him: "Join the army? Narrowly escaped death! Let me tell you, even if the Mu Mansion conscripts you, you will not be allowed to go. If you really can't, you should pack up my old business and go into business. When I was in business, I have a good personal relationship with the shopkeeper of Huotong Tianxia in Dengping City, Central Plains, and I will take you to join him when the time comes, at least in Hutong Tianxia, there will be no worries for the rest of my life, which is far more real than your future Confucianism!"
"Father, you can't be so short-sighted."
The young man retorted in a low voice.
"Am I short-sighted?"
The old man raised his hand to hit him, but in the end he still couldn't bear it: "I tell you, your father has seen the world before, so what's the use of your studies? Have you ever seen an official as big as the Marquis? When I was in Dengping City, I’ve seen San Jinhou, who works in the world! That’s a world-famous big shot, and now I can still remember his appearance.”
"Marquis is not an official position, but a title..."
The young man said something in a low voice, then smiled and avoided his father's second slap.
"There's nothing wrong with doing business."
The old woman sitting on the side smiled and said: "If your father didn't know how to do business, our family's life would be as good as it is now? Although people say that scholars, farmers, businessmen and merchants have the most humble status, we have a lot of meat Eat and have new clothes every year, isn’t that enough?”
"How dare I say good business?"
The old man said: "Sanjin Hou, who is traveling all over the world, is that... Sanjin Hou?"
His words stopped suddenly, and his mouth opened so wide that he could easily stuff an egg into it. His eyes looked out the door, and the expression on his face was incredible.
Outside the door, a little donkey reluctantly stopped, and a middle-aged man in commoner clothes jumped off the donkey's back, cupped his fists at the old man and said kindly, "This old man, I'm really tired passing by here, can I borrow one night? I can pay you money."
The old man rubbed his eyes vigorously, and murmured: "It really looks like...but it's definitely not. How could San Jinhou appear at my door riding a broken donkey? I still remember his old man's ostentation..."
…
…
village entrance
A farmer stopped pushing a wheelbarrow, and a young woman with handsome features was sitting in the car. The farmer raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, pointed to the village and said, "Madam, why don't we go tonight?" Live here?"
The young woman gave the farmer a winking look, and said a little shyly, "You are the head of the family, so you can make up your own mind. It's good to take a break, you ungrateful guy, I was tossing around in the woods before." It’s uncomfortable, and now my legs are still sore and weak.”
The farmer smiled proudly, and said in a low voice, "We're just as strong as we are!"
The young woman gave him a blank look, with spring water in her eyes.
It seems that this couple is very ordinary, as if the husband sent his wife back to her natal home. This wheelbarrow is also the most common, every household in the village has it.
"Huh."
The farmer suddenly saw a man riding a donkey enter the village from the other side of the village, and couldn't help smiling: "We can only live outside the village tonight. Fortunately, we have brought some thick clothes. When Master Hou enters the village, we will Keep watch outside, and take care of everything inside and outside.”
The young woman hummed, and her face gradually became serious.
"Looks like it won't be easy to deal with, Lord Hou is here too..."
She was silent for a while and then shook her head: "Old man, tell me, what is the most proud thing in your life?"
"Married you!"
The old-fashioned farmer nodded vigorously: "So, no matter how difficult things are to deal with tonight, I will die before you. Don't be afraid, I will fall at your feet, and you will not fall if you fall again." It hurts."
"Idiot, do you still know it hurts when you're dead?"
"Then I won't allow you to fall!"
The young woman smiled with bright eyes: "Old-fashioned, do you know what is the most proud thing in my life?"
"What?"
"marry you!"