The Chen family’s residence was closest to the back mountain and was the first family in the town to move away.
Minister Chen Tingjian, along with several guards and the head of the village, led the people and left his three sons responsible for the safety of their families.
Chen Jingzong still did not wear a straw raincoat, but only a wide and large straw raincoat hat.
Huayang lay on his back, her face hidden under the straw hat. There was chaos and war all around her, but she had the most free time because Chen Jingzong was carrying her.
Sun was supported by two maids and walked in front. Her sons wanted to come and take care of their mother, but she drove them away.
Huayang was of noble status, and it was reasonable for her and Chen Jingzong to follow Sun. However, Huayang rejected her mother-in-law's proposal and whispered in Chen Jingzong's ear: "Let's go last."
Chen Jingzong: "Why?"
He wanted to get her into the shed as quickly as possible and then go down the mountain to help other people.
The sound of rain was the best shield, so that only he could hear Huayang's explanation: "If you carry me like this, my manners must be indecent, and I don't want my brothers to see it."
Chen Jingzong held her knee with his hand and subconsciously moved it upwards.
Although such a particularity was inappropriate, thinking of his cousin Chen Jizong's restless eyes, Chen Jingzong immediately carried Huayang on his back and walked to the end of the team. In front of him were Chen Tingshi and his wife from the East Courtyard, and Chen Jizong's family of three.
"Old Four, why did you retreat?"
The rain was heavy, Chen Tingshi wiped his face and tried to open his eyes wide to see his nephew behind him.
Chen Jingzong: "That's it, let's go."
Chen Tingshi was unable to persuade him, so he had to support his wife Qi and walk forward.
Chen Jingzong was responsible for walking, while Huayang concentrated on observing the family in the East Courtyard, especially the Qi family.
For this move, except for Siyi Hall, the other courtyards of the Chen family packed up two or three boxes and carried them up the mountain first by the servants.
Qi was the head mistress of the East Courtyard. She had a small bag covered with oilcloth on her shoulders. As Qi walked on the muddy road with difficulty, the bag swayed and the things inside moved around, and soon a hard edge appeared. In other words, Qi's bag contained not only clothes, but also a rectangular object.
Huayang guessed that it was the account book that Qi kept privately.
Some people will hide important things in a secret place, while others will only feel at ease if they keep them with them at all times.
Both methods of hiding make sense, it all depends on the character of the owner of the secret.
Knowing where the account book was, Huayang had a plan.
"Let's walk faster, the rain is getting heavier." Huayang patted Chen Jingzong's shoulder again.
Chen Jingzong turned his head, his handsome face already wet from the rain: "Aren't you afraid of being seen?"
Hua Yang looked around and said, "I've observed that everyone is walking for fear of falling, and no one looks around."
Fearing that he would get entangled in his words, Huayang shook his head impatiently: "Hurry up, I want to pick a good place in the shed."
What else can Chen Jingzong say
He quickened his pace and in a blink of an eye he left the East Courtyard family behind.
In front is Fucuitang.
Luo Yuyan was pregnant, and Chen Xiaozong was worried about her, so he asked the maids to look after the two sons, and he personally held Luo Yuyan's arm. However, the scholar was very good at studying, but not very agile. The muddy ground was slippery on rainy days, and Chen Xiaozong accidentally stumbled. It was Luo Yuyan who was quick to grab her husband with both hands, saving Chen Xiaozong from falling.
Watching Chen Xiaozong stand up again in embarrassment, a smile flashed across Huayang's eyes.
"Third brother, are you okay?"
Chen Jingzong, who usually looked down on his brothers, actually slowed down his pace and asked with concern.
Chen Xiaozong and Luo Yuyan both looked up.
Luo Yuyan looked directly at Huayang and saw that Huayang's black hair was all covered by the hood of his oil coat, dry and fresh. In such a severe rainy day, the princess's fair and tender face was still as safe and sound as a peony kept in a greenhouse, while she, a pregnant woman who should have been the most carefully cared for, had to step over one mud puddle after another. Her mood suddenly became complicated.
Chen Xiaozong was looking at his fourth brother. He saw that the fourth brother didn't even wear a straw raincoat in order to carry the princess on his back. His clothes were soaked, like a drowned chicken in a farmer's house. Some sympathy appeared in his eyes.
Marrying a princess is a blessing, but look at the fourth brother. In order to serve the princess attentively, he catches insects during the day and mice at night, and even has to work like a slave for the princess on rainy days. How pitiful!
"It's okay, you guys go first, be careful not to drop the princess."
Chen Xiaozong glanced at Huayang and said respectfully.
Huayang reciprocated: "Third brother, you must also take good care of your third sister-in-law..."
However, before she could finish her words, Chen Jingzong strode forward like a wild horse that suddenly broke out in force.
Huayang: …
On the Guanhe Hall side, the top scholar Chen Bochong was walking in front with his daughter Wanyi, and Yu Xiu was following closely behind with Dalang.
Seeing Huayang and his wife coming, Chen Bozong and his family moved away to make way for them.
Wanyi smiled and winked at Huayang.
"Safety is the most important thing. Don't leave too hastily." Chen Bozong worriedly advised his fourth brother.
Chen Jingzong didn't even look at him and continued walking forward.
Wanyi shook her father's hand and asked playfully, "Dad, if we weren't here, would you also carry mom up the mountain?"
Yu Xiu blushed and looked at her husband secretly.
Chen Bozong looked serious and taught his daughter: "Children should not make fun of their parents."
Wanyi closed her mouth in dismay.
Yu Xiu also lowered her eyes and walked with her head down.
.
There are more than a dozen shelters on the mountain, and the Chen family occupies one of them, which is also the highest one.
The shed was only as big as two main rooms, with two connected coarse cloth curtains hung in the middle, and a stone was tied to the two corners under the curtains to prevent the curtains from fluttering in the wind.
The outer side of the curtain is for men to rest, and the side facing the top of the mountain is for women.
There were three long wooden benches in the shed. The masters and servants simply tidied up the boxes and cages and then sat down to rest.
Huayang took off her oilskin coat. Although her shoes were only slightly wet on the surface, Chaoyun still helped her change into another pair.
In comparison, the others looked much more embarrassed, especially Luo Yuyan, who could not catch a cold. Surrounded by the maids, she even changed her pants. Her figures were intertwined, and her white and smooth calves were faintly visible. Even though there were only women here, Luo Yuyan's face turned red with embarrassment.
Huayang shifted his gaze and glanced at Qi's figure unintentionally.
After all, Qi was born in the town, so she was not so particular. She just changed her shoes and replaced the oil paper on the bag that had been soaked by the rain with a new one.
Qi knew that she was conspicuous with a bundle on her back. Rather than let others secretly suspect whether she had put some treasure in it, Qi deliberately opened a corner of the bundle, revealing a half-worn red dress inside, and explained to Sun: "Look, sister-in-law, this is the wedding dress that my grandmother sewed for me when I got married. She was good at sewing, and she would happily embroider wedding dresses for every girl in our family when she got married..."
As she spoke, Qi wiped her eyes. It was obvious that the grandmother had passed away long ago.
Sun never thought that the wedding dress was just a cover for Qi to hide other things. She walked over and patted Qi on the shoulder: "At least the old lady left you a souvenir, don't cry."
Sun moved to check on her daughter-in-law Luo Yuyan.
Luo Yuyan was really crying. It was not easy for her. She had to travel soon after she became pregnant, and then there was a flood in the late stage of pregnancy. She climbed half of the mountain in the rain with great difficulty.
"Mom, you guys rest here for a while, we'll go down the mountain to pick up dad."
Chen Bochong's stern voice could be heard from behind the curtain.
Sun: "Go ahead, go ahead. Don't just think about your father. Be careful on the road too. Don't fall."
"yes."
Not long after, the three brothers appeared on the path down the mountain.
Huayang looked toward the mountains in the distance.
There are clouds of water vapor hovering among the rolling green hills, like a fairyland. This is a wonder that has never been seen in the capital.
The heavy rain washed the branches and leaves and poured onto the ground, and all kinds of sounds mixed together. However, she was surprisingly calm even though she was under the simple shed.
It was almost evening when Chen's father and son and the last wave of evacuated people successfully arrived at the mountain.
The curtains concealed the figures of the men, and only deliberately suppressed voices could be heard. It was basically Chen Tingjian, Chen Bozong, and Chen Xiaozong who were talking, and Chen Jingzong did not make any movement.
After a while, the servant of the Chen family came over and brought hot rice porridge and a stack of hot vegetable cakes from the porridge shed downstairs.
The maids went around and brought the ones for the female relatives over.
Since there was not much luggage at Siyitang, Chaoyue brought special bowls and chopsticks for the princess. By pouring the boiling porridge over and looking at it cleanly, she was able to control herself from thinking about the process of cooking the big pot of porridge.
Huayang only ate half a bowl of porridge, barely enough to fill his stomach.
When it got dark, Huayang sat in a chair and took a nap like everyone else. When he was really sleepy, he leaned against Chaoyun and took a nap.
In fact, Huayang wanted Chen Jingzong to come and accompany her. He was so strong that she could sleep leaning on him for a whole night without worrying about whether he would be tired.
This night was extremely difficult. When the sky finally got a little brighter, Huayang, like everyone else, walked slowly around in the small shed to exercise his body.
The heavy rain continued. Looking towards the town in the distance, I saw patches of yellow water rolling along the streets, and many people's yards were flooded.
The maid brought over two buckets of warm water, which was for the masters to wash their faces.
Everyone stared at the two buckets, and Sun naturally told Chaoyun and Chaoyue: "Serve the princess first."
The two girls responded without hesitation and wet the towels in their hands respectively. One helped Huayang wipe his face and the other helped her wipe her hands.
Even so, there are various inconveniences in the shed.
After having a reluctant breakfast, Huayang continued to enjoy the rainy scene in the mountains.
Zhen Er went out for a while and came back, asking in a neither loud nor soft voice: "Princess, the prince consort wants to go to the top of the mountain to take a look, and asked if you want to go with him."
Huayang was stunned for a moment, then he remembered.
In her previous life, Chen Jingzong had also invited her. At that time, Huayang hated this situation so much that she had no mood to go to see the top of some broken mountain.
Now, Huayang looked at his mother-in-law.
Sun smiled and said, "It's good to go get some fresh air."
Chaoyun and Chaoyue immediately helped Huayang put on the dried oil coat, and then wrapped Huayang's shoes with two pieces of oil paper.
After everything was ready, Chen Jingzong held up a big umbrella and walked around to the women.
It was not convenient for Huayang to walk on the oil paper, so the maids helped her move carefully in front of Chen Jingzong.
Luo Yuyan raised the corners of her lips slightly. She wanted to see how Huayang could "walk" to the top of the mountain in this state.
As soon as the thought came to his mind, Chen Jingzong bent down, held the umbrella in his left hand, and picked Huayang up with his right hand. He did it with such ease, as if he was holding a child!
Huayang subconsciously put his arms around Chen Jingzong's neck and rested his head on his shoulder, facing the mountain view.
Chen Jingzong glanced at his mother and strode away.
After leaving the shed, the two figures quickly disappeared among the layers of trees.
"Where are you going?" Huayang couldn't help asking when he saw him walking cautiously.
Chen Jingzong: "I'll find a place for you to relieve yourself."
Huayang: …
Although she guessed that Chen Jingzong had no interest in literature, she did not expect that he would take the trouble to make this trip for such a reason.
Near the Chen family's big shed, there were two small sheds built one above the other for the men and women to use for the restroom.
In order not to go there, Huayang endured a lot of pain. He could only eat less and always drink water.
Chen Jingzong just kept walking with his head down. When he encountered a difficult place, he would put Huayang down and support her. They walked and stopped like this, and the two were already far away from the shed.
Finally, Chen Jingzong stopped under an old tree that was so thick that two people could hug it together, and said to Huayang, "Let's do it here. I'll stand over there. Call me when you're done."
Huayang: …
Chen Jingzong looked at her and added, "Do you want some paper?" As he spoke, he reached into his arms.
Huayang turned his face away: "No need."
Chen Jingzong then walked away with an umbrella, standing about ten steps away with his back to her.
Huayang went around behind a tree, made sure that Chen Jingzong couldn't see her, and lowered her head to adjust her oil coat and skirt.
Fortunately, the rain was heavy, making the leaves rustle.
"alright."
A cold voice came over, Chen Jingzong turned around, and saw the princess standing under the emerald green old tree. Her bulky oil-padded clothes concealed her figure, leaving only her pale little face, which was breathtakingly beautiful in the rain.
Other women might have been shy and embarrassed, but the noble princess was only a little angry, silently blaming her husband for damaging her dignity.
Chen Jingzong smiled and walked towards her.
Huayang was afraid that he would mock him, so he said first: "Last night, the old lady appeared in my dream again."
(End of this chapter)