Picturesque Rivers and Mountains in the Red Chamber

Chapter 10 1.10 Did the palace judge tell you how long it will take for you to return?

Volume One

1.10 The palace judge didn’t say how long it would take for you to return.

The continuous blizzard weather has basically had a negative impact on the people and the court in all aspects, but no matter what, life has to go on. On November [-]th, which was only three days after the snow stopped, it was originally more than two feet thick. The snow has been "trodden down" by groups of people and businessmen who are busy with their daily lives. The small shops have finally started doing business again, but it is just a little worse than before the snow.

"Master, today's guests are not even half of the usual ones." Looking up at the sun, at most it was almost Shen Shi (less than three o'clock in the afternoon). After seeing the last guest away, Qingwen saw that no one came around anymore. After cleaning up, I couldn't help but go back to the courtyard and complain to Zhou Yang who was squatting with a stone roller.

"It's normal. I've had no income for nearly ten days in a row. It's good for an average family to still have something to eat. It's not uncommon to be almost without food. How many people are willing to go into a store to eat before working? Just come here The guests are either very hungry and need to cushion their stomachs before going into the city, or they are only willing to replenish their food at will. I'm afraid they didn't sell any meat dishes today, right?" Putting down the stone roller and letting out a long sigh of relief, Zhou Yang said helplessly, "Fortunately, You don’t have to worry about your uncle’s family anymore.”

"Yeah!" Qingwen's tone suddenly dropped a lot, "I heard that uncle gave the Lai family money, and my cousin has already entered the kitchen of the Rongguo Mansion's outer courtyard and signed a ten-year contract of living. He said that he can bring some meat back home from time to time, and everyone in Shilipu is very envious."

"What, you still feel uncomfortable?" Seeing her cute and lonely look, Zhou Yang couldn't help but give her a slap on the head, "Or maybe you feel aggrieved after following me, young master?"

"How dare you, slave?" Qingwen shook her head stubbornly to drive away someone's strange hands, but her tone did not sound like she was willing to do so, "In a good daughter's family, who is willing to really be a slave? I just followed the young master, my slave."

"What if it's my aunt?" Zhou Yang couldn't help teasing seeing her childish face but deliberately speaking old-fashioned, like a little adult, "Young master, I'm not bad, right? I don't know what Miss Wu thinks."

"Huh, whoever is willing, Master Zhou can go find that one." Qingwen pushed him away shyly and ran back to the kitchen, "I also want to see if the fire in the pot is too high and whether I need more water." Close the stove door a little."

Looking at the cute little man who ran directly into the store, Zhou Yang couldn't help laughing. It wasn't that he really decided to be a gentleman, but he just couldn't help seeing Qingwen's always "not afraid of anything" attitude. He wanted to bully her, and he was also sure that even if she really wanted to do something, Qingwen would only say a few tough words, but she would not really refuse.

The definition of "adulthood" in ancient times is far beyond the understanding of modern people in most cases. Even in those aristocratic families, most women in the family met and got engaged at the age of twelve or thirteen, and got married at the age of fifteen. Many times they are even younger. For example, Kang Mazi, the "Eternal Emperor" in real history, married the 13-year-old first queen Hesheli when he was 12 years old.

In this era when the average age is hard to say that you are not over forty, and you dare to call yourself an "old man or old woman" after thirty, no one can afford to "adult" because many people can't even say whether they will live to it. For example, Jia Zhu, who was only two years older than Li Wan, disappeared; another example is the Queen Hesheli just mentioned, who died just after turning twenty.

I’m talking about the aristocrats, and the ordinary people are even more exaggerated. In the case of people in their 30s who look like they are over sixty years old, and maybe a cold will kill the whole family, many girls look right, very Arrangements were made to get married when she was two or three years old. Although Qingwen is only fourteen years old now, if she marries according to her actual age, it is not a gentleman's problem in this era.

Of course, after all, although copper is also a metal to many alchemists, Zhou Yang, a modern man, certainly does not have such gentlemanly thoughts. That would require chemical castration, or simply physical castration.

"Young master, there is a carriage passing by," I was thinking about something, but I heard Qingwen's strange voice, "It seems to belong to that grandma a few days ago, and the driver is that Deaf man, he has already bypassed the intersection just now and is running towards the yard."

"Huh?" Noticing Qingwen's "You are an animal" expression, Zhou Yang angrily went up and twisted her cheeks and shook her gently a few times, "Little girl, you'd better understand the superiority and inferiority of superiors and subordinates. Otherwise, be careful, young master, I will spank you until you bloom."

"Young master—" I didn't want Qingwen to hide this time, but said worriedly, "After all, he is a nobleman of Rongguo Mansion. If the young master is really a servant, he can serve him. If things get out, I'm afraid it will be very troublesome." ""Damn girl!" Zhou Yang smiled and gave her a pat on the head, but did not continue to explain. The relationship between him and Li Wan is actually not that simple, although he still hasn't fully understood the truth about this grandma of the Rongguo Mansion. Purpose, but the two sides are completely consistent on one thing, that is, they both need to succeed in martial arts, and this is enough.

Regardless of the thoughts of the master and servant, the carriage that had entered the yard stopped for a while, but no one got off. Naturally, the person sitting inside was Suyun. Even after a bumpy journey, she still could not calm down. When I got down, my mind was filled with what Li Wan emphasized repeatedly when he explained the matter last night.

"Suyun, you and I grew up together, we are called masters and servants, but our relationship is the same as that of sisters. You and Suyue are different. Back then, she was an aunt who had passed the bright road and put her face in her husband's room. Even if she doesn't have any relationship now, My children are with me, but I can only do the same as me, and stick to this for the rest of my life, not daring to make any mistakes.

But you are different. You are still my maid. This time I have wronged you, but it is also your opportunity. I will arrange the matter with Zhou Zhuangshi when necessary. You only need to go there when the time comes. I reported leave to the government for you this time. You can come back anytime you want. Even if something happens to Zhou Zhuangshi, I will give you my body contract and just treat it as a release. "

"What's wrong?" Zhou Yang waited for a while but there was no response. He opened the door and found the lovely maid sitting there with a blush on her face. She didn't know where her spirit was. She didn't even know when someone opened the car door. He smiled. He waved his right hand in front of her, "Come back to your senses, the old cat took it away!"

"Ah—" Suyun, who was distracted, was taken aback. When he saw Zhou Yang, he even tried to stand up, but the result was that his head was in close contact with the roof of the car, "Ouch!"

"Idiot, you can't be more careful." Looking at Su Yun who was rubbing her head in pain, Zhou Yang couldn't help but laugh. He reached out and grabbed her wrist to help her get out of the carriage, "You're such an adult and you don't know how to take care of yourself. .”

"You're not Master Zhou yet." Su Yun let Zhou Yang help him out of the car with an aggrieved look on his face, and then pointed to many things in the car and said, "Grandma asked me to bring these here, saying that they can all be used, and there are The horse behind the cart is not a good horse. Grandma arranged for someone to find it from the Li family. It is actually a horse that pulls the cart. If you are riding it for practice, there is no need to worry.

Grandma also asked me to give you this baggage. It contains 50 taels of silver, as well as some four treasures of the study and books for use. Grandma specially told me that the two copybooks in it should be seen by Master Zhou himself. These things are not light. The slave and grandma spent a lot of effort to put it on. Now they can only trouble Master Zhou. After the slave delivered the things, she followed Uncle Sun - ah! "

"Damn girl, how can I let you go now that you're here?" He took a quick look to confirm that "Uncle Sun" was always sitting in the "driver's seat" with his sight in a blind spot. Zhou Yang picked her up and lowered his head. A long kiss, "Don't think I can't see what your grandma means. Since you're here, you belong to me just like these 'things'. Did the palace judge tell you how long it will take for you to go back?"

Just because you can't guess Li Wan's thoughts doesn't mean you can't figure out her methods. Everything in the carriage is welfare, isn't this girl the same?What's more, it's already halfway through the afternoon, and this girl just arrived "just in time". She has to use it anyway, so it's better to just do it. Whether it's a favor debt or an emotional debt owed today, I can pay it back in the future when I have the ability.

"Grandma - I didn't say it." Su Yun's cheeks turned red, but she still gave the answer honestly. The most important thing was that she was completely confused by the explosive "means" just now. If it weren't for Zhou Yang's hug, she might even collapse on the ground. , "Just let Master Zhou take me back."

"Okay, I got it." Zhou Yang nodded, and emptied the carriage, including a small bag that should be Suyun's salute, and then directly picked up the piece in the carriage. "Go home." The wooden sign swayed towards the handlebar. Uncle Sun nodded without saying a word, turned the horse's head and went out.

"Master Zhou." Su Yun's voice was trembling a little, "I'll pack your things right now. I'll be with Sister Qingwen in the next few days."

"Okay, give it to me." He grabbed the gift bag that Su Yun had just picked up, and Zhou Yang didn't forget to pull the maid with him, "In the next few days, Qingwen will stay in her own room. As for you, Naturally, it's 'personal' service, understand?"

Suyun's cheeks suddenly turned red. She lowered her head and looked at the ground without even daring to raise her head. She couldn't say a word.

(End of this chapter)