The winter in Heshuo is cold and long, with white snow everywhere. People who stay in such a monotonous environment for a long time will inevitably feel bored, lonely and boring.
However, because of the arrival of a person in the winter of that year, the whole Heshuo was dyed with a layer of bright pink peach blossom color. The people of the three towns shook off their gloomy faces and were all beaming with joy. Whether it was a teahouse, a hotel or a Hu Bing stall, as long as acquaintances met, the first sentence would definitely be: "Hey, have you heard of that little deer boy..."
Xiao Lulang and General Xiao rode in the same carriage to visit the market.
Xiao Lu Lang and General Xiao went outside the city to break ice and catch fish, and came back riding on the same horse.
Xiao Lu Lang and General Xiao bought a Hu Bing at Hu Mazi Hu Bing Shop, and they shared the meal one bite at a time. Xiao Lu Lang even licked the sesame seeds on the corner of General Xiao's mouth when no one was paying attention. Unfortunately, it was all seen by the fourth aunt of Ge Pijiang's wife.
General Xiao took Xiao Lu Lang to Qingyun Tower to gamble. He watched with a smile as Xiao Lu Lang lost all his money, and then won it all back in one go.
General Xiao spent a huge sum of money to buy the black fox fur coat that was hidden in the bottom of the closet of the fur merchant Yuan Laowu, and wore it on Xiao Lu Lang's coat that very day and showed it off in the market.
…
Almost every day, General Xiao and Xiao Lu Lang could provide the people of Wei Bo with new topics to talk about.
But no one could tell exactly where Xiao Lu Lang came from. Some said he was a lieutenant general in the Northwest Wing Army, who escaped from the army after committing a crime. Some said he was a bandit leader from Jiangnan, because he had fair skin and a face as white as jade, and only the climate and soil of Jiangnan could support such a pretty boy. Still others said he was a prince of a small country in the Western Regions outside the Great Wall, who fled to Heshuo to seek refuge with General Xiao because of a dispute over the throne.
However, no one seemed to have given it serious thought as to how the deserted general of the Yi Wing Army, the Jiangnan pirates, and the prince of the Western Regions could capture Heyang City with three or four hundred soldiers and horses like a descendant from the sky, kill the bandit leader, and bring five thousand rebels to Heshuo to join General Xiao.
In short, the surroundings were shrouded in a mist. Everyone only knew that his surname was Lu, that he was more handsome than Sima Duan and Master Cheng, and more handsome than the twins under General Xiao who were known as "black and white, pretty and extraordinary". He was so handsome that General Xiao made him live in the Jiedushi Mansion after only meeting him once. Since then, the two have been together and inseparable.
It is said that within three days of Xiao Lulang's arrival in Wei Bo, General Xiao dismissed half of the male dancers and actors in the mansion, and sent those who did not want to make a living on their own to live in the manor.
To the common people of the three towns, this great achievement is even more astonishing and seems beyond human power.
Therefore, many people believe that this little deer boy is not a human being at all, but a mountain monster that has transformed into a human form, either a deer monster or a fox monster.
The days are short in winter. Not long after noon, the sun has already begun to set.
Last night there was a heavy snowfall which did not stop until morning. The accumulated snow was trampled into water by the passing vehicles and pedestrians, and the road was extremely muddy. However, the people of Wei Bo were not at all bothered by this small obstacle. They still waded through the muddy water and walked around unswervingly, because there was only one month left before the New Year, and it was time for every household to prepare New Year's goods and make new clothes.
"Have you heard? General Xiao took Xiao Lulang to Qingyun Temple yesterday..."
"The Guanyin of Qingyun Temple is the most effective. Could it be that General Xiao is going there to pray for a child?"
"Why are you asking for a son when you haven't even gotten married yet..."
"I think General Xiao is just in high spirits. He might get bored after a few days. That pretty boy only has a pretty face. What's the use of him... Ouch!"
The person who spoke was a burly man with a purple face, a beard, and a neck as thick as his face. He looked like a trainee.
He was halfway through his words when a piece of pickled cabbage flew out from somewhere and hit him in the face, causing laughter from all around.
The man wiped his face angrily and was about to explode, but he found that the culprit was a skinny old lady with a thin, wrinkled face that drooped, making her look even longer. Her eyes were as sharp and stern as an eagle's, making people feel that she should not be provoked.
The man's arrogance was much lowered: "Why did the old man hit me?"
The old lady pouted and said, "If you commit bad words, you will go to hell where your tongue will be pulled out. I am here to save you. Amitabha."
This old lady was dressed like a servant, leaning on a red sandalwood cane, and spoke beautifully and elegantly. It was obvious that she was not an ordinary old lady.
The man was even shorter: "Since you are so old, I won't bother with you..."
The old lady glared at him, then walked towards a shop selling preserved meat with the help of her crutches and a small bamboo basket.
The man muttered in a low voice: "What did I say wrong? That pretty boy surnamed Lu is not worthy of our general..."
The old lady had one leg across the door of the shop. She stopped when she heard the words, turned around and walked angrily to the man, squeezing her cane tightly, veins popping out on her forehead, as if she was ready to hit him with the cane at any time: "If I don't deserve it, how can you be worthy of it? You are a bear who only knows how to talk behind people's backs. You can beat a hundred people by yourself!"
Someone recognized her and whispered, "This old lady seems to be the lady in Little Deer Boy..."
The man felt unlucky, because Xiao Lulang had General Xiao's support behind him, and if he offended him, he would be offending General Xiao. If the old lady really wanted to beat him with her cane, he would have to bear it.
But with so many eyes watching, he couldn't admit defeat, so he had to bite the bullet and said, "Of course I can't do it. To be worthy of our general, I must be a hero like the King of Qi who has fought on the battlefield..."
Although Huan Xuan had been an emperor, perhaps because his reign was too short, people in Wei Bo still unconsciously called him the King of Qi - the prince-general who was a skilled military commander and was said to be on par with General Xiao.
The old lady was stunned for a moment, then snorted coldly, put down her cane and murmured, "This bear still has good vision."
At this moment, a round-faced girl in a pink cotton gown came running over in a hurry: "Mammy, why are you here? I was trying to pick out some fancy things, and in the blink of an eye you disappeared."
Immediately, someone greeted him, "Miss Chun Tiao, how is the business in the shop today?"
Chun Tiao smiled and said, "Thanks to Uncle Li, it's OK."
Another person said, "When will the lip balm Chang'an have new stock? You must leave me an extra box!"
Chun Tiao said, "I'll keep it for you, Aunt Wu. Don't worry, just go to my shop and get it later."
She greeted people with a smile and put her arm around Grandma Gao's.
Grandma Gao said, "There are so many things to do in the shop during the New Year. Just go about your business. This market is not even half the size of the West Market in Chang'an. Are you still worried that I, an old woman, will get lost?"
Chun Tiao pursed her lips and smiled. The old nanny always compared Wei Bo with Chang'an, saying that Wei Bo was not as beautiful as Chang'an, not as prosperous as Chang'an, and the clothes and carriages of the pedestrians were not as fresh and clean as those in Chang'an... She knew that the old man was homesick.
"Xiao Shun is in the store, so I came out for some free time," she said.
Grandma Gao's eyes moved slightly: "That Xiaoshun, is he the boy with a broken eyebrow? He looks familiar..."
Chun Tiao said, "It was you. You used to work as a shop assistant in Chang'an's cosmetics shop in the West Market. Later, I found out that you were my wife's man. I was really shocked!"
Grandma Gao pursed her lips, wanting to say something but stopping herself: "That boy looks quite smart, but he doesn't look very down-to-earth..."
Chun Tiao laughed and said, "Mammy, you and I are just partners in opening a shop."
Grandma Gao secretly breathed a sigh of relief and asked tentatively, "Then what do you think of the pony beside our young master?"
Chun Tiao said, "Ma Zhongshun? He's pretty good."
Grandma Gao said, "Don't look at him laughing all the time. He was raised by me. He is a kind-hearted and honest person... When you helped him sew shoes and socks in the barracks, he was reluctant to throw them away even when they were worn out..."
Chun Tiao said, "Mammy, I know what you mean."
Grandma Gao asked, "What are your plans?"
Chun Tiao smiled and said, "My current plan is to open more shops and make more money. I am not in a hurry to become rich right now. Thank you for your kindness, Madam."
Grandma Gao said, "It doesn't necessarily mean that you can't open a shop after you become rich. It won't delay anything."
Chun Tiao smiled and said, "After the New Year, we plan to open a branch in Chengde. By then, we will be running around Wei Bo, Chengde, and Youzhou and won't be able to take care of this place, which will delay others."
Grandma Gao muttered, "It's important to open a shop, but it's not a big deal if it doesn't work out..."
Chun Tiao said, "It's rare to find something I can do and do well. Now my mind is completely focused on doing business."
When she was in Youzhou, she followed the little brothers to learn how to do business and manage accounts. Sui Sui found that she was hardworking and quick in learning, so he lent her some money to join the partnership. Later, the shop in Youzhou was sold and made some money. She paid back Sui Sui's money and had half left, which was just enough capital to open a shop in Wei Bo. Now she has three shops in Wei Bo alone, and she will open another one in Chengde after the new year.
Chun Tiao said: "As long as you have your own ability, it doesn't matter what you do. Just like Nanny, isn't that good enough?"
Grandma Gao said, "Madam, you have no ability except serving others."
Chun Tiao held her arm tightly and said, "Madam, when she was in Chang'an, she managed the entire courtyard by herself and kept us little servants obedient. Isn't this a skill?"
She paused and said seriously, "Besides, at such a young age, Mammy has come all the way to live in a strange place. This is not something that everyone can do."
Grandma Gao blushed: "This little girl is getting more and more talkative. She has made a useless old woman like me sound so mean."
Chun Tiao said: "I'm serious, Mammy is the most amazing old lady."
The people chatted and laughed until they came to the carriage. Nanny Gao said, "You have so much to do in your shop, go get busy."
Chun Tiao gave a few words of instruction to the coachman, said goodbye to Nanny Gao, and waited until the carriage drove out of the market before turning around and walking towards the powder shop.
Grandma Gao sat in the carriage, lifted the curtain and looked out. Wei Bo was smaller than Chang'an, and naturally could not compare with Chang'an's grandeur and prosperity, but the pedestrians and carriages were just as bustling, with expressions of satisfaction and joy or anxiety on their faces.
The old nanny thought of Chun Tiao's cheerful look and sighed softly. Everyone seemed different here, Chun Tiao, Xiao Shun, Gao Mai, and even herself... The one who changed the most was naturally her little Langjun. From a noble prince to a "little deer man" of unknown origin, it was like falling from heaven to earth, but the smile on his face was much more than when he was in Chang'an.
Is this change good or bad? Grandma Gao couldn't tell for a while.
After thinking for a while, the driver pulled the reins of the horse and turned to ask, "Madam, are we going to the governor's mansion or back to Tongyifang?"
Huan Xuan took Nanny Gao's thoughts into consideration and bought a house in Tongyifang, which was across the street from the Jiedushi Mansion. He still let her take care of it, although he was either in the military camp or in the Jiedushi Mansion most of the time.
Grandma Gao originally planned to go talk to General Xiao - the two of them had no intention of getting married, and every time she mentioned it, the young master would just coax her and give her a perfunctory response. She knew it was impossible to expect anything, so she thought of asking General Xiao indirectly.
But for some reason she hesitated again. The waiter thought she was old and hard of hearing and didn't hear, so he raised his voice: "Mammy—"
Grandma Gao shouted in a hoarse voice: "I heard it, I heard it. I am not deaf yet! Let's go back to Tongyifang."
She leaned against the carriage and murmured to herself: "Just let them live happily. Why should an old woman like me get in the way? Just follow them!"