embroidery

In the middle of the night, Tao Cheng went back to Tao Mansion alone.

He changed his clothes and didn't dare to throw the crumpled ones casually. If his mother saw it, or if Tao Che saw it and told his mother, he would have to ask troublesome questions again and again.

Tao Cheng put the clothes into the cloth bag, threw himself on the bed, and was in a daze for a while.

Tonight...Tao Cheng pursed his lips and smiled, tonight, tonight is really hard to describe, with endless aftertaste.

What was Qingmo like before?She is well-behaved and doesn't talk much. Even if she stays with him and Tao Che, she is still very far away. If Tao Che leaves, he will come to her side bit by bit and say something cute and sweet. Unknowing words make people happy.

Tao Cheng closed his eyes, with a smile still on the corner of his mouth, looking at this slick and yelling person tonight, tsk, he really deserves to be beaten.

The next day, the sky was fine.

Tao Cheng took a nap and woke up an hour later than usual. When he opened the door, he saw Tao Che dancing his sword in the courtyard.

Stretching and approaching, he was very energetic and refreshed, and said casually, "The right leg needs to be pushed down another five centimeters."

Tao Che turned around and drew out his sword, aiming straight at Tao Cheng's face. He was easily dodged, and could not follow another move. The tip of the sword retracted half a point and then attacked his chest and abdomen. Tao Cheng raised his knees to catch Tao Cheng. Stopped, the sword body was bounced up, Tao Cheng's figure moved, and it was close to Tao Che's eyes, and his hand wrapped half a circle around the wrist holding the sword, and pushed again, and the sword fell into his hand.

Tao Che took two or three steps back before steadying himself, patted the hem of his clothes, and said, "Brother, you seem to be in a good mood today?"

Tao Cheng threw the sword back to him, "No, I just slept well."

"I fell asleep last night, and I didn't see you back." Tao Che followed Tao Cheng, and walked to the main courtyard together, "But which friend are you going to see?"

Tao Cheng smiled, "Well, an old friend from the past."

"So that's the case, there should be a lot to say." Tao Che said and bumped Tao Cheng with his elbow, "Qixi is coming, last year you hid in the temple to listen to the monks ringing the bell, bro, are you going this year?"

The Qixi Festival is only three days away, but Tao Cheng asked, "I was not here last year, how did you live in the mansion?"

"How can we live? It's the same as before, with the two of us as lovers, and the mother who promised to break through the threshold of the relatives. At night, lanterns are put on the streets and alleys, and everyone in the house rewards some taels of silver. Play by yourself."

Tao Cheng thought for a while, and came up with an idea, "I'd better go and listen to what the abbot has to say, it's better than studying for ten years."

Tao Che flattened his lips, "Why don't you just listen to your father's words, and you will make a lot of money."

This is why the two have different ambitions. Tao Cheng has no interest in doing business. Although every few days he will be taken to listen to Mr. Tao's personal experience, but he just listens to the stories of hard work and struggle. Boring and uninteresting.

In the main courtyard, Mr. Tao was finishing his tea and preparing to go out. Second Grandma Qiao gave some instructions with a smile on her face. Seeing her two sons coming together, she greeted her, "Your father is going to discuss the orchard today. Would you like to listen along with me?"

Tao Che said without hesitation, "Yes. A few days ago, our Changzhou orchard was flooded due to continuous heavy rain. I was wondering how to deal with it, and how my father would deal with it."

Qiao Qing was quite relieved, and said to Master Tao, "It seems that your hard work in preaching is not in vain." Then she asked Tao Cheng, "Where's Cheng'er?"

"That's all for me, I have important things to do today." Tao Cheng said, "I promised the private school's master that I will help teach two classes today."

Master Tao waved his hand, "Then you go. Everyone has his own ambitions, so you don't have to force yourself."

Tao Che excitedly went out with Master Tao, leaving Qiao Qing and Tao Cheng relatively silent, and the atmosphere was tense for a while.

Second Grandma Qiao caressed her six-month pregnant belly, slowly walked back to the chair, and when Tao Cheng was about to say goodbye, she said, "Sit down."

Tao Cheng obeyed, poured a cup of tea and handed it to Qiao Qing, filled the cup himself, and sipped absent-mindedly.

Qiao Qing sighed leisurely, always speaking in a soft voice, "I don't want to go into business, I don't want to go into politics, what do you want in the future?"

"As long as Tao Che is willing, there is no need to worry about no one inheriting the family business."

"Mother is asking you and worrying about you." Qiao Qing frowned slightly, "Why do you answer like this."

Tao Cheng dangling the tea cup, not knowing what he was thinking with his downcast eyes, he smiled suddenly, "Wandering, wandering the streets, caves under bridges, mountain temples, there is always a place to stay."

Qiao Qing was stunned after hearing this, and Tao Cheng asked, "Is this answer very playful and cute?"

"Nonsense." Qiao Qing was slightly annoyed, with a heartbroken expression of hating iron but not steel, "Do you know that mother actually values ​​you more?"

Tao Cheng put down his teacup and got up serious, "Then please mother respect Tao Che more, otherwise I will be full of disappointment."

Qiao Qing threw the teacup on the table angrily, "You're getting more and more mischievous! When you were young, even when you were fifteen or sixteen years old, you were an obedient, worry-free and good boy. What step did you miss that made you so decadent! "

Tao Cheng also didn't want to make his mother angry, so he quoted Master Tao's words to comfort him, "Everyone has his own ambition, so don't force it."

Grandma Qiao stroked her heart and took a deep breath, "Forget it, you are also twenty, and your age is just right. After the three-day Qiqiao Festival, you are not allowed to run around anymore, and I will find you a marriage."

Seeing that Tao Cheng didn't say a word, Qiao Qing continued, "Officials and merchants are in the same boat. Our Tao family is a merchant. You'd better marry an official's daughter."

Coming out of the main courtyard, Tao Cheng stopped a maid, and was about to ask, but after thinking about it, he said "Nothing" and let the person go, holding back his anger, he walked towards the side courtyard.

marriage?She didn't want to go into business or politics, and she couldn't do what she wanted, so she used him by marrying him. Tao Cheng smiled wryly and mocked, and he didn't know who told him on this day last year not to urge him. He just goes to meet the sweetheart he likes.

A man's mouth, a deceitful ghost.Why not women?It may be even worse for women, at least for his mother.

The courtyard was a little far away, and it took about half a stick of incense to arrive. The scene in the courtyard was not much different from what he remembered. Tao Cheng looked around as he entered, and stopped when he walked to the room where Qingmo was. Seeing one person, but hearing a little crying.

Tao Cheng searched for the sound and approached, standing at the door, saw Aunt Zhou covering her face and crying.

This Aunt Zhou is the oldest nanny in the Tao Mansion. She is nearly fifty years old. Tao Cheng remembers seeing Qingmo for the first time, and Second Grandma Qiao introduced, "This is Aunt Zhou's nephew, who has been with my aunt since childhood. grow up."

At that time, Tao Cheng was just five years old, and asked his mother in a childish voice, "Why do you follow your aunt, does Brother Qingmo have no parents?"

Qingmo grabbed Aunt Zhou's hand and hid behind her back, staring at the three people in front of her with a pair of round black eyes.

Second Grandma Qiao squatted down, holding little Tao Cheng in one arm, and little Tao Che in the other, and said softly, "Don't call him brother, you are the young masters of the Tao family, he is just a servant, stay away from him." , he killed his own mother, and he has no father, so he is an unlucky child."

Little Tao Che panicked and hid in Second Grandma Qiao's arms, "Then I don't want to study and practice calligraphy with him! I don't want to be unlucky!"

Grandma Qiao rubbed the heads of the two of them comfortingly, stood up, and looked at Qingmo with a pair of cold eyes, "You must know that you are grateful to Dade, the master let you be taught together with the young masters for the first time, so that you can learn about dignity and humility. Young Master, stay far away."

Aunt Zhou hurriedly said "yes", "Second Mistress, don't worry, the little one will warn the little nephew, and won't let him cause trouble."

That was the first time and the only time he called Qingmo as "brother". Tao Cheng chuckled in his heart, wanted to open his mouth, but knocked on the door instead.

Aunt Zhou was startled, stood up quickly, and was stunned when she saw the person coming, "Eldest, young master!"

Tao Cheng said "Yes", "Aunt Zhou."

"Young master, you haven't been here for a few years," Aunt Zhou wiped away her tears indiscriminately, and welcomed Tao Cheng into the room, "Do you have anything to tell the old slave?"

"I thought you were out busy too." Tao Cheng stopped the maid just to ask if Aunt Zhou was in the side courtyard, and worried that the maid would tell Second Grandma Qiao that it would be troublesome, so he said, "Why are you so sad? "

Aunt Zhou was about to cry again, "Qingmo was sent by the second grandma to work in the bayberry garden in Taizhou. He left yesterday and didn't even have time to say hello... After all, he grew up by my side, so he couldn't help but feel reluctant."

Tao Cheng remained calm, and only asked, "My mother said it? Did you send Qingmo to Taizhou?"

Aunt Zhou nodded, and then pointed to the baggage beside her, "Also ordered me to go back to the orchard in Changzhou. I heard that it was flooded and needed manpower. Didn't I stay there with Qingmo for nearly ten years? Somewhat familiar."

Tao Cheng sneered in his heart, his mother was really a female ghost, she opened her mouth with Wu Nong's soft words, how many truths did she tell?

"Qingmo will be fine, you can rest assured." Tao Cheng also lied without blinking, telling the ultimate purpose of the trip, "I happen to be going to Taizhou in a few days, so you can pack some Qingmo When the things come out, I will bring them to him together."