[Caiyun Kingdom] The beginning of people

When Kui Huangyi and I were confronting each other in silence, Guan Feixiang and Zhong Jietong suddenly heard loud shouts not far away.

"Three sisters!"

Kui Huangyi turned around and strode away, the hem of his clothes made a "ho" sound as he turned around.

I stood up and blessed my body in the direction he left.

"Three sisters!"

I walked in the opposite direction to Kui Huangyi, and met the two righteous brothers who ran towards me.

"Third Sister!" Zhong Jietong still held the old mother of the brothel with one hand, "Did you be tricked by a traitor? You tell Brother Wei, and Brother Wei will definitely seek justice for you! Under the blue sky and broad daylight, there is someone Dare to force you to be a prostitute..." He eloquently said.

I looked at Feixiang──Second brother, what did you tell the eldest brother?Feixiang spread his hands innocently at me, and I covered my forehead.Also, when Zhong Jietong's scholar temper comes up, he can't listen to other people's words.

"You damn kid!" The old mother was so angry that the powder on her face fell off, she reached out and grabbed Zhong Jietong with her nails.

A bloodstain was scratched on Zhong Jietong's fair face, and he said at ease: "Don't think that you will be afraid of you if you use the strong! Give me an explanation and let my third sister go! How dare you destroy my third sister?" Your boudoir reputation, I will definitely seek justice!"

I saw that Zhong Jietong was wearing a bunt outfit that is rarely seen on him today. He dared not fight back when his old mother hit her.

Fei Xiang covered his face, indicating that he had no eyes to see.

I was stunned and stunned, then hugged my stomach and laughed.

A few days later, our three brothers and sisters went to a small restaurant for lunch together, and I laughed out from time to time looking at Zhong Jietong.Knowing that he had made an own goal, he was quite embarrassed at the beginning, but he became sullen after being laughed at by Feixiang and me.

"Okay, my sister won't be with you anymore, okay?" I tugged at Jietong's sleeve.

"I am not angry."

Fei Xiang, who was sitting on the other side, gave me a wink, then turned away and went to drink, pretending that it had nothing to do with him.

I sighed, "Brother, it's my fault, don't be angry."

"...I'm not angry." He turned his face away.

I got up and walked in front of him, facing him, and said with restrained expression: "Thank you." Thank you for trying to save me sincerely when he misunderstood that I had thrown myself into a brothel that day.

Jietong blinked, his cheeks turned red, and he avoided my eyes in a panic, "No, no, I didn't do anything for my brother..."

Both Feixiang and I snickered from an angle that Jietong couldn't see.

Jietong is so nice and down-to-earth.

Hahahaha.

"Miss Zelan?" A son of Yuanwailang's family called me from behind, "I didn't expect to see you in this kind of place, you are indeed a good drinker." We were at the banquet a few days ago know.

I greeted him with a smile.

He said, "That's right, the censor will return to Beijing on the [-]th, will Miss Zelan send it off?"

"No, I'm going back to Longqing County that day to serve my father. I think your presence will be enough to make the farewell scene beautiful."

"Hahahaha, I don't know if it's beautiful or not, but I think Lord Yushi finally had a good time. I heard that on the first day of the new year, the No.1 prostitute from Lingxiao Pavilion in Haiming spent the night with him. Stayed in the pavilion for three days in a row. I don’t think Mrs. Kui will read our Yuanyou City book again after returning to Beijing, right?” He shuddered, “This time the state shepherd Song Chongfu’s case, the dead must be Go more."

"Yes." I agreed with a smile.

On the early morning of the fifteenth day, I took the Zhang family back to my hometown in Longqing County, and took advantage of the gap after the new year to perform my filial piety at my father's knees.

"Miss," Yan Tian, ​​who was sitting in the carriage, handed me a veil, "The road is windy, and you are riding a horse again, why don't you wrap it around?"

"Hmm." I responded with a smile.

Zhangfu's convoy was ready to go. I rode my horse back and forth several times, and finally came to the front of the convoy.I turned my head and stared in the direction of Guiyang, the capital city.

After a while, I turned my head and waved my whip, "Drive!"

In February of this year, the imperial court held an imperial examination. Zhong Jietong went to take the exam, and Guan Feixiang also went to experience it.The rankings were released in March, but Zhong Jietong still lost his name to Sun Shan and returned to Heizhou.Since he failed the rankings, Zhong Shusheng was naturally in a bad mood. Guan Feixiang jumped up and down every day in different ways to encourage Zhong Jietong, but Zhong Jietong just smiled sadly, turned around and went to apply for a job in the study , intending to give up the imperial examination in the future.

When I came to Zhoudu Yuanyou City to do business again this day, Guan Feixiang followed Zhong Jietong along with me, monitoring Zhong Jietong's job hunting journey.

"Second brother," hiding behind the pillar, I glanced forward at Zhong Jietong and then turned my head to look at Guan Feixiang.Being so persistent is really not like Guan Feixiang's behavior, "Actually, it's fine if you really don't pass the exam. It's not bad to stay in Heizhou. After a while, the eldest brother will cheer up. He is not someone who collapses so easily." If you ask me, sometimes Zhong Shusheng's willpower is really astonishing and terrifying.

"I know what you want to say, but, third sister," Guan Feixiang held on to the pillar with one hand, holding a straw in his mouth, "I really think it would be a pity if this country lost an official like Big Brother. With the talent of the big brother, there is no reason why he can't pass the exam, he can't just give up like this."

I sigh.I also admire Zhong Jietong's talent and learning, but there is really nothing to say about the exam luck, not to mention whether the so-called general examination in Beijing is really fair and just is unknown, and Zhong Jietong may not pass the exam. "Eldest brother has lost four subjects in a row, you have to be considerate of his feelings," I advised, "Second brother, give him some time to slow down?"

Guan Feixiang folded his arms, looking a little depressed, I reached out and patted his shoulder.

After persuading him to give up following Zhong Jietong, I sat down with him at the deep wine stall in the alley. After three rounds of drinking, I asked softly: "Second brother, is there something else on your mind?" I feel that Guan Feixiang has mood is too bad.

"I knew I couldn't hide it from you." Guan Feixiang took a sip of his wine and smiled deliberately, "The old man at home sent a letter asking me to go back."

It has been quite some time since Guan Feixiang ran away from home, "My family is also worried about you."

Guan Feixiang squinted at me, "Don't talk to me about these scenes."

"Really?" I looked back at him. "Really, I mean you really should go back."

"After all, you just don't like me being an official..."

I raised my hand to stop him, and said with a smile, "Don't blame me for the moment. Second brother, let me ask you, if the family grounds you, are you capable of escaping?"

"Of course." He raised his arm with a dragon tattoo, "the old man can't stop my nine-patterned dragon pipe from flying."

"Then why are you afraid to go back?" I tilted my head, "Go back and explain clearly what you want to take the imperial examination, and if it doesn't work, just escape."

"Escape?"

I nodded, "Didn't the second brother have already made up his mind to become an official? If it is really unthinkable, he should escape. But before that, I think the second brother should discuss it with his family first. It's not easy for us to drag each other out, and the second brother has to understand their feelings."

Guan Feixiang rubbed his chin and thought for a while, then clapped his hands, and laughed loudly: "You're right, I should go back and have a showdown with the old man and make it clear, I'm so great, I'll come out again!" He clapped vigorously My shoulder, "I didn't expect that Third Sister would encourage me to run away from home!"

I raised my hand and rubbed the painful shoulder from his slap, and smiled wryly.My original intention was to persuade him to go home, but I didn't specifically encourage him to run away from home. Where did he listen?Will I be hunted down by his family in the future for instigating the only son of the extreme family to run away?I sighed, "Yes, I had nowhere to go when I escaped, and you are welcome at my home." No, Guan Feixiang's severance of his home is obviously his own problem, not my instigation, absolutely not.

"I really didn't expect that," Guan Feixiang pulled on a big smile, showing all his white teeth, "Third sister not only didn't stop me, but also helped me. I thought you hated officials deeply, but you didn't Opposing me would never be encouragement."

I rolled up the sleeve of my right hand with my left hand, stood up and poured a glass of wine for Feixiang and myself, "First, I don't hate officials deeply, every profession has its own good and bad. Second," I sat down , raised his glass to Feixiang, and said with a smile: "Since it is the second brother's decision, the third sister will fully support it." Everyone has his own ambitions, as long as he is happy, "But running away from home is a bad idea after all, and the second brother should go back first Make it clear that it is better to enter the exam in a dignified way." I think I should mention the importance of going home again.

"That's right," Fei Xiang patted the table, his brows brightened, "I have to be upright!"

"..." Where did Guan Feixiang focus on listening?Forget it, just remember to go home.I bowed my head and laughed.

"Shopkeeper!" Fei Xiang waved his hands, "Don't let the small pot on the floor, bring the whole bottle! I'm going to drink with my third sister today!"

Drinking will hurt you, okay?I hurriedly shouted: "Don't be too busy at the shop, just bring the best alley deep into a pot." Seeing that Feixiang was dissatisfied, I explained with a smile: "Alley deep needs a small cup, a small cup of ground product to taste. It’s delicious. Drinking here with my second brother, we must be in the best alley, right?”

"Hahahaha!" Feixiang laughed loudly, "Third sister can also taste wine? After drinking this stall, the second brother will take you to ride a horse for a drink, and when you come back, you can continue to drink at Minglingxiao Pavilion in Shanghai."

I smiled wryly.I didn't learn wine and horses voluntarily, it's just that I had to learn because of the frequent social interactions.Feixiang looked at me twice, then rubbed the top of my head understandingly.

"It doesn't matter if you learn it, but if you don't know how to drink or horses, it's a pity in life."

I laughed out loud, "Yes, the second brother is right." I toasted again.It was the idiot Guan Feixiang who said he wanted to take me to the brothel for a drink.But when I looked at Guan Feixiang's brightened eyes, I felt that sometimes thicker lines are a blessing.

But it's not good to be as thick as Zhong Shusheng.

One day, I went to Zhong Jietong's house with a bunch of supplements.A few days ago, he spoke out on the street for other people's affairs, and was beaten into a pig's head.I smiled wryly while helping him apply hot eggs.Fortunately, Guan Feixiang is still worried about him, isn't this person still very energetic?

Zhong Jietong was still talking loudly about how abominable a certain liar is, "... such behavior is really abominable! Gentlemen love money and get it in a proper way, how can they lie to others? The world is going downhill!"

"Between the market," I turned around and put the eggs down, "this is also a common thing."

"Common things don't mean it is correct!" Zhong Jietong's eyes widened, and his cheeks were blushed again because of anger, "The honest one is self-contained; and the way is self-directed. Personal cultivation of virtue, The key lies in oneself, not in external constraints; the uprightness of the right way lies in one's own direction, not in external standards. Zhangzhang." Zhong Jietong put his index finger and middle finger together, pointing to the bright spring scenery outside the window, "The righteous way does not change because of the eyes of the world. What is wrong is wrong. Even if everyone is accustomed to it, it is still wrong!"

For a while, I also agreed with Guan Feixiang's words - it would be a pity if Caiyun Kingdom lost officials like Zhong Jietong.I wanted to ask Zhang's family to support him to continue taking the imperial examination, but I didn't say it after all.I was afraid of hurting his self-esteem, and I also felt that it would be better for such a pure and good person like him to be a commoner.I packed my things with my back to him, Zhong Jietong said his anger again, and gradually, his voice disappeared.I turned around and saw his expression calm down, pursing his lips and looking out the window.

"Brother?" I called out.

"Zhangzhang, I have already obtained a teaching position at Baibaozhai, and I will take up the position next month."

Although I sensed that Zhong Jietong was in a bad mood at this time, I just responded softly: "That's great, Baibaozhai is also a well-known study studio, so the treatment must be good, so I don't have to worry my aunt anymore living."

"Yeah, mother can finally relax." He smiled as if relieved, with a trace of bitterness remaining on his lips, "I was unfilial and made mother suffer."

I opened my mouth, but finally shut it and sat beside him.

"The monthly money is ten taels of silver. If you are more frugal on weekdays, I can ask my mother to change to a larger residence in two years. Zhangzhang, do you think the courtyard with three entrances is better? Or is the courtyard better?" Zhong Jietong talked about his plans for the future, and his expression gradually relaxed.

The future is still very bright.I smiled and responded to his words one by one.

"Brother, you are amazing, really." Finally, I said this.Zhong Jietong's article is really well written, even Lin Mu and Li Wenxian, the two senior officials who taught me how to play chess, nodded their approval.

Zhong Jietong looked at me and turned away suddenly.

I could see his eyes were a little red.I didn't say anything, just said goodbye quietly and left.

Back at Zhang's mansion in Yuanyou City, the maid Yan Tian waited for me to change my clothes and go to sleep.

"Miss."

"What?"

Yan Tian closed her eyes and mouth with her hands, making a grimace.I burst out laughing.

"What's wrong?"

Yan Tian put down her hands and said with a blank expression: "Miss is like a bitter melon, I want you to laugh. Miss, I am indeed a successful laugher."

I laughed again.this girl.I stretched out my hand and patted the back of her hand, "It's okay, I just feel a little bit worthless for my elder brother." I sighed, "You said that Zhang's family sponsored him to take the exam again, okay?"

"What does this have to do with me and Miss?" Yan Tian put my hand back on the bed with a cold face, "This is the uncle's own decision, and the lady supports it. Aren't you the best at watching with cold eyes?"

"...I'm not as cold-blooded as you said." The Zhang family has always been a great philanthropist.I stared dumbfoundedly at this girl who always put me down, and reached out to pat her on the head.

"I didn't say Miss is a bad person." Yan Tian stuffed my fidgeting hand back, "It's just that it's rare for you to express your opinion directly. Miss Guan Erye is different, and Uncle Zhong is also different."

"I have been with them for a long time," I looked at the exquisite embroidery on the top of the bed, "I feel more and more that there are many different people and things in this country." Is my view of Caiyun Kingdom too one-sided?

At the beginning of April, Guan Feixiang set off to go back to the butler at the junction of black and white states.Before leaving, the three of us went to play and farewell for him.

"Ah~" When it was getting late, Guan Feixiang scratched the back of his head with one hand, "No, it's not fun without wine!" Without waiting for Zhong Jietong to chatter, he ran away to buy wine.

Zhong Jietong and I strolled the market at dusk, waiting for Guan Feixiang to come back.Zhong Jietong held a hairpin for a long time, and I saw that the style of the hairpin was for an old woman, so I knew he wanted to buy it for his mother, but he had no money.I patted the back of Zhong Jietong's hand, took the hairpin, and asked the shopkeeper for the price.

"Zhangzhang!" Zhong Jietong's face became hot.

I put the hairpin I bought into his hand, and said with a smile: "If I can't do even a little thing, why do I look for money every day? My dear brother, you will let my sister be somewhat useful, okay?" ?” I smiled and patted the back of his hand to reassure him not to worry.

He pursed his lips and said nothing.When we were far away from the store, he suddenly yelled: "Zhang Zhang!"

I was startled, "...is it?"

"May I propose marriage to you?" He took a deep breath and yelled in a voice that nearly deafened me: "Xiaosheng likes you!"

For a moment, I looked at Zhong Jietong's clean and pure face, and my heart beat a little faster.

However, the timing of the proposal was terrible.I blinked, then turned away and covered my face with my hands.If he behaves like this, I will think that he married me to buy hairpins for his mother... this idiot.

Among the crowd of onlookers, I clearly heard Guan Feixiang's earth-shattering laughter.

I looked at Zhong Jietong's face which was so red that it was almost bleeding, and finally couldn't help laughing, covering his mouth and laughing.

In May, Zhong Jietong and I got engaged, and the Zhang family sponsored him to take the imperial examination again; and Guan Feixiang, who had run away from home for a long time, was finally grounded by the housekeeper, but he did not give up his dream of becoming an official, and he still studied hard at home, And agreed with the family to take the test once.If he fails once, he will settle down to be the butler's heir.Zhong Jietong also went to study with him from time to time, and the two were also teachers, friends, and brothers. The relationship between the hero and the scholar was so good that others would think that they had the habit of Longyang.

As for me, under the guidance of my father, I took over the Zhang family business steadily, and I still go to play chess with the two elders, Lin Mu and Li Wenxian, in my free time.

If I hadn’t received a letter from someone from Beijing to order me every once in a while, I’m afraid there wouldn’t even be a trace of the state shepherd case that killed more than 100 people. left in the lives of the people.

The author has something to say: the next volume starts tomorrow.