Xiao Qiao enters the farm gate

The brief conversation between Qiao Mo and Lin Zheng ended in silence.

Qiao Mo understood Lin Zheng's thinking, and also understood his approach. Putting himself in his shoes, if it were him, he would probably do the same thing.A man must have a career to be confident, even if his family doesn't care, outsiders' eyes are much more complicated.Humans are social animals, how can we really not care about the eyes of the outside world.

It's just that from Lin Zheng's hesitation to speak, Qiao Mo guessed that his decision this time was a bit big.

Just imagine, there are only two ways for the ancients to get ahead, one is literature or the other is martial arts. After all, although a businessman is rich, his status is low.Lin Zhengben was born in the countryside, and he didn't learn a few words, so he couldn't do well in literature.As far as Congwu is concerned, although he has learned a lot of skills, he is still reluctant to participate in martial arts. In martial arts, he must have studied the art of war and know how to arrange troops. Otherwise, what good future can there be?

However, if you want to join the military these days, you don't know how to take the imperial examination, and you can directly enter the military camp and get an official with military merits.

Qiao Mo seldom cares about major government affairs, but he also knows that the country is peaceful and the people are safe, and there is no war on the frontier.Originally, he thought that Lin Zheng was planning to go to the battlefield, but thinking about it this way didn't look like it, which made him puzzled.The reason why Qiao Mo didn't ask was because he saw that Lin Zheng was worried and didn't really make up his mind, probably... because he couldn't rest assured that he was alone at home.

He didn't urge to ask, and let Lin Zheng think carefully. No matter what decision Lin Zheng made in the end, he would support it.

Just after noon, Qi Yun arrived in a carriage.

As an elder, Qi Yun went to stay at the house of her nephew whom she had found so hard to find, how could she do it empty-handed.There were two carts behind the carriage, which were full of cloth, silk, decoration utensils, medicinal materials, food, books, pens and ink, etc.

After Qiao Mo explained a few words to Li Liang and the others, he got into the carriage, and Lin Zheng followed behind in his own car.

Seeing the carriage leave, Li Liang and the three were still a little distracted.

uncle?The three of them could hear clearly just now, and they could see even more clearly, the noble gentleman dressed like that is actually Uncle Qiao Geer?I did hear that Brother Qiao had found his relatives before, and I thought he was a businessman with a small family business, but now it seems that he is obviously not.

At this time in the carriage, Qi Yun wanted to chat more with his nephew.

Because of a secret investigation, Qi Yun knew that Qiao Mo could read and write, so he gradually talked about poetry, books and articles from what he had seen and heard in the county.Although Qiao Mo is literate and has the memory of the original owner, after all, it is not something that really belongs to him, how can those poems be integrated.He wasn't embarrassed at all, he took the initiative to change the topic after a few words based on what he had learned in his previous life, and asked in detail who was in the Qi family.

Qi Yun noticed that he didn't want to talk about poetry and books, but he didn't think much about it. After all, he was not raised by his family since he was a child. If a person has to worry about his livelihood and future, how can he have so much leisure time.

So Qi Yun talked to him about the members of the Qi family.

Qiao Mo felt emotional when he heard that, a big family like the Qi family is really flourishing and has many heirs.Fortunately, there are not so many direct descendants in the family, because the head of the family has always only married one husband, and there is no support.For example, the old lady of the Qi family only married the grandma, and got two children from the original owner, Ah Mo, and Qi Yun; another example, Qi Yun, also only married one person, and got three boys, the eldest was seventeen, and the next two were fourteen. and ten years old.

Qi Yun smiled and said: "Our Qi family has a lot of boys, and brothers are very rare. Back then, your grandma was the most favored at home. If you can wait for you, the old man also likes it too. Who let the uncle's family only have three boys. This time the eldest is getting married , I added another boy, and the old man is still urging to get a little brother quickly." The smile paused slightly, and then said: "When I came here, I only said that I had your clues, but I didn't dare to say that I would die, for fear of disappointing the old man again. back."

"We will visit grandpa next year." Qiao Mo also felt heavy in his heart.

The feeling of looking for relatives is naturally very uncomfortable. When they are happy to finally find their relatives, no one knows that the real relatives are no longer in this world.Qiao Mo used to think that the original owner was an orphan, and the original owner passed away due to a high fever. He didn't feel guilty, but now facing the original owner's relatives, he couldn't help but feel guilty and guilty.

Fortunately, he doesn't like to dig into dead ends, it's an established fact, and now he is Qiao Mo here.He has a good impression of Qiao Mo, the Qi family who insists on looking for relatives. All he can do is to maintain this family relationship and show some filial piety in front of the old man of the Qi family.

"Although the old man is getting old, he is still in good health, so don't worry. If you really want to go to the capital to stay for a longer period of time and talk to the old man, he will naturally be happy." Qi Yun felt relieved and refused to let him His heart is too heavy.

Qiao Mo knew the other party's intentions, so he collected his emotions, and was about to ask the other party's intentions for keeping Zhao Lang, when the carriage stopped.

Qiao Mo frowned slightly, reckoning that he should be walking on the way at this moment, the road must be broken, right?

"What happened?" Qi Yun asked outside the car.

Soon Zhao Lang replied from outside the car: "Go back to Master, I met someone from Shanglin Village."

Qiao Mo's ears are good, because he didn't pay attention to what he was talking to Qi Yun before, now the carriage stopped, and he could hear the movement outside, so he understood what happened.It turned out that a few people from Shanglin Village went to the county seat, but they found Lin Fu at the city gate. At this time, Lin Fu was leaning against the wall in a sloppy body, his leg was broken by someone, and he hadn't eaten for two or three days.

Although Lin Zheng was Lin Fu's eldest brother, Lin Zheng didn't have the slightest brotherly affection for Lin Fu, so he just watched with cold eyes and didn't intend to extend his hand.

At this moment, Lin Fu was lying on the scooter and screaming, and the people in the same village had to take him back to the village even though they were not happy, because Lin Fu immediately hugged his legs when he saw them, and couldn't even shake him off.It was not because of anything else that blocked the road at the moment, but Lin Fu was greedy for meat, and took away the stewed beef bought by a villager when he was not prepared.

Zhao Lang put a stern face on his face, and without saying anything, made a few villagers feel angry, including Lin Fu, who didn't dare to make trouble anymore, obediently let the cart to the side of the road, and waited for the carriage to pass first.

Waiting for the carriage to pass by, Qi Yun also saw something on Qiao Mo's face.

"know?"

"The one on the cart whose leg was broken is called Lin Fu, and he is Ah Zheng's younger brother." Qiao Mo didn't hide it, but he wondered how Lin Fu got to this point in his heart. Could it be in a gambling shop? was beaten?

Qi Yun knew Lin Fu's name as soon as he heard it, and neither of them mentioned this episode again.

Such a group of people entering the village naturally attracted the attention of the whole village.The villagers who were acquainted couldn't help raising their voices to ask Lin Zheng, but Lin Zheng didn't hide it, and replied that it was Qiao Mo's uncle who came to visit his nephew.

Surprised, the villagers also remembered that not long ago someone came to the village and said that they were relatives of Qiao Mo's family.

The carriage passed through the road in the village and went west until it stopped in front of a large house.

Qi Yun got out of the car, looked at the brand-new courtyard in front of him, and the lush green mountains not far away, and heard the crowing and barking of chickens and dogs in the village, and felt peaceful in his heart for a moment.There is such a benefit between the countryside and the people. Without the complicated power of the government and government, people will be a little lighter.

Qiao Mo chose the wing room on the east side for this uncle to live in. Except for the bedding, pillows and other things laid out, everything else was brought by Qi Yun.The originally empty room changed in an instant after a simple arrangement. The bed was covered with brand new bedding, blue gauze curtains, the table was covered with dark floral tablecloths, the tray contained a complete set of Tsinghua tea sets, and there was a desk table in front of the window. The books brought by Qi Yun and the whole set of the Four Treasures of the Study were placed, and there were also plum vases and two poems and paintings hung.

When Qi Yun came, he brought only two guards, Zhao Lang and Wang Cheng, and the three drivers who drove the carriage were all servants of friends.Originally, my friend was worried that it would be inconvenient for him to have no one to serve him, and he wanted to serve a few people. He thought he was going back to his nephew's house and was in the country again, so he declined.

These big men, including Qi Yun, are not the ones who can clean up the house, so Qiao Mo does all the decoration of the house.Qiao Mo was also a big man in his previous life. Although he could clean up the house, it is not easy to meet the requirements of people like Qi Yun.Fortunately, he didn't get entangled. According to the style of the house in the costume dramas he had seen, he could do whatever was pleasing to the eye and comfortable.

In the end, Qi Yun looked at the house and praised a few words, but he didn't know whether it was sincere or polite.

The three coachmen didn't stay long after delivering the things, and went back after catching the empty car. As for Zhao Lang and Wang Chengcheng, they were arranged next to Qi Yun's house.There were originally two houses on the east side, the larger one lived in Uncle Qi Yun, and the smaller one lived in Zhao Lang and Wang Cheng.

Qi Yun brought a lot of things, and most of them were given to the nephew's family, including some decorations and other things.Qi Yun was also careful. Considering that the things in the countryside are different from those in the cities, things are not expensive, so she immediately took them out and asked them to put them on.Qiao Mo wasn't pretentious either, as he put his things in the study, he suddenly felt that the room was more elegant.

After waiting for the work to finish, Lin Zheng took a watermelon from the cellar, cut it open and took it out to quench the thirst of several people.

Qiao Mo ate a piece and asked Lin Zheng to sit with the others while he went to clean up the vegetables and meat he had bought.Although it was still early, but when my uncle came back as a guest, the first meal had to be bigger, and he had to think about what dishes to prepare.Furthermore, he also wanted to leave some room for his uncle and Lin Zheng to get along and talk more. After all, their identities were different now, and their attitudes had to change.

In the East Wing, Qi Yun saw that Lin Zheng was still a bit restrained sitting there, so he smiled and said, "It's just a coincidence, who would have thought that you and I would have such a fate. Fortunately, you insisted on coming back, if you stayed Without you, Brother Cheng doesn't know where he is now."

Speaking of being able to find his nephew, it was really a coincidence.

Although I have been searching all these years, there is always no news.The last time I sent Manager Zhou to work here, because I remembered that Lin Zheng's hometown was here, in order to prevent a group of foreigners from being too conspicuous, I made up an excuse to search for relatives, but unexpectedly found out that Lin Zheng's newly married husband was suspected to have been missing for many years What about my nephew?Recalling this incident, Qi Yun couldn't help but feel a little grateful, but also a little scared.

"It's all my blessing." Lin Zheng relaxed slightly when he saw that the former master was so amiable.

It's not that he thinks that Qi Yun's power is just human nature, who wants his brother to marry someone who has no ability and status?What's more, this person is Zeng Jin's servant, he would be ashamed to say it, and anyone would laugh at him.

When Qi Yun first got the news, why was he willing in his heart?

Although I have never met this nephew, but I have a lot of love and compassion, and I always feel that my nephew has been wronged.It's not that Lin Zheng is bad, even if he thinks he's not clichéd, he still has the thought that Lin Zheng is not good enough for his nephew, and he has thought about letting the two reconcile and then find a better home for his nephew.However, he didn't act domineeringly. After all, it was related to his nephew's life, so he had to ask himself.After we met, after two or three words, I completely extinguished my previous idea.

From Qiao Mo's words and deeds, he already understood that the other party was a person with great ideas and ideas. Since Lin Zheng was chosen, he would not change easily.

Perhaps this is the destiny destined by the heavens, Lin Zheng had saved his life once.

Qi Yun suddenly asked: "Listen to Zhao Lang, do you want to go with him?"

Lin Zheng didn't answer, but just raised his head and looked out the window, his brows raised slightly, as if worried.

Qi Yun naturally saw that he was worried about Qiao Mo, and that he really wanted to go, so he said, "Do you know the real purpose of this time?"

Lin Zheng looked at him squarely and nodded: "I know."

Reunited with Zhao Lang last night after a long absence, the two chatted about each other's current situation, Zhao Lang said that his father had arranged a marriage for him and asked him to get married.Zhao Lang and Lin Zheng were the same age, and they should have gotten married early, but his father was away in business all the year round, and he himself didn't want to be bound by his family early, so he delayed until now.

Speaking of his father, Zhao Chang, he was actually considered Lin Zheng's art teacher, but he didn't pay homage to his teacher.Zhao Chang was originally a follower of the old man of the Qi family. He left the Qi family after Qi Yun took over as the head of the family. He formed a caravan by himself and traveled abroad all the year round.

Back then when Lin Zheng left Shanglin Village, he didn't enter Qi's family right away, but wandered outside.Because of his young age and lack of skills, it was difficult to find a job. He accidentally met the caravan led by Zhao Chang and needed a handyman, so he joined the caravan.Later, he got Zhao Chang's blue eyes, taught him kung fu skills, followed him for a year or two on the business road, and finally entered Qi's family on Zhao Chang's recommendation.

Lin Zheng once heard from Zhao Chang that the Zhao family's ancestral home was in Jincheng, which was the northernmost place in this dynasty.Zhao Chang's caravan was mainly engaged in the business of cross-border markets, and even relying on the Qi family and their martial arts skills, they went deep into the Northland many times and did a few big business.

Originally, when Zhao Lang said that Lin Zheng was not suspicious, but when he didn't intend to mention the capital, he couldn't help but say a few words about the affairs of the court.Zhao Lang talked for a few words, and said that it is not easy for the master to be the Minister of the Household Department. Every day, people follow him to ask for money. This time he came here and hid in peace. Mr. Hao is a difficult one.

For some reason, Lin Zheng felt a little strange.

Mr. Hao should refer to Hao Zhi, the servant of the Ministry of War. After all, how many years he has stayed in the Qi family, he knows the names of the most famous adults in the court.It was after hearing that Hao Zhi asked the Ministry of Accounts for money, but also allowed Qi Yun to hide in peace. It can be seen that what he wanted was not a small amount, otherwise it would not make the Ministry of Accounting difficult.Right now is not the time to pay for soldiers, and besides, I have never seen the master worry about paying for soldiers before, so...preparing for war?

This is not his random guess.

When he was in Qi's house, he was in charge of driving for the master, and he could occasionally hear him talking to others in the car, and he mentioned the north a few times.Second, he followed Zhao Chang's caravan back then, and after a long time, he also realized that Zhao Chang didn't seem to be simply running a business, and Zhao Chang came from the Qi family after all.Three, Zhao Lang said that he went back to his ancestral home to get married. The Zhao family is just a small family. As early as Zhao Lang’s grandfather’s generation, he came to the capital to make a living. Go back to her ancestral home to marry, and her ancestral home is on the northern border.

At that time, I thought that there might be a change in the border, and I couldn't help but ask Zhao Lang if he could go with him.

Zhao Lang has been with him for a few years, seeing him ask such a question, he knew that he had guessed somewhat of his intention to go back to his ancestral home.Considering that Lin Zheng's skills were taught by his father himself, and he has been to the Northland more than once, he is more familiar with the situation there than himself, so if it is really interesting, it would be appropriate.It's just that it's dangerous to go here, and he needs to think carefully. Besides, the master needs to nod his head.

Seeing Qi Yun ask now, he didn't hide anything, even Lin Zheng couldn't make up his mind.

If he really wanted to go, he might not be able to come back for half a year at the shortest time, or a year or two at the longest. How could Qiao Mo do it alone at home with no one to take care of him.But if you don't go... If you miss this time, I'm afraid it will be difficult to have such an opportunity in the future.

Qi Yun also hesitated, and had the same concerns.

Selfishly speaking, Qi Yun didn't want Lin Zheng to go out this trip, even if it wasn't for the battlefield, it would be extremely dangerous.But from the perspective of an official, Lin Zheng is very suitable, even more suitable than the group of people he selected before.Firstly, it has the ability to protect itself, secondly, it is familiar with the Northland, and thirdly, it has experience in running a business. It is justifiable to return to the old business, and it can minimize the risk of exposure as much as possible.

Of course, there was another most important reason, Lin Zheng had a very keen intuition.Just like this time, Zhao Lang only said a few words, others would think so much, but Lin Zheng guessed it.Moreover, Lin Zheng's temperament is calm and resolute, he is extremely patient, and he is not a person who is impatient and utilitarian, which is very important for this trip.

Although the border seems to be calm now, in fact, there have been changes in the Northland since last year. This year, the envoys of the Northland have been refusing to pay tribute with excuses again and again.Worried that Beidi might be caught off guard because of some secret plots, the emperor decided to send someone to sneak into Beidi to find out the situation.Under the appearance of peace, in order to prevent the Northland from going against it and sending troops, the requirement of this trip is that if you don't succeed, you will be benevolent.In other words, once the Northland detects it, those who go there will inevitably fall into its hands, and there is only one dead end.

"Now that you are a family man, you have to think twice before doing anything. This is a very important matter, so you have to think it over carefully. Besides, you need to make it clear to Brother Cheng that he agrees." Although Qi Yun I feel that Lin Zheng is suitable, and I am quite moved, but when I think of my nephew who was finally found...

Lin Zheng came out of the east wing, went into the kitchen, and silently helped Qiao Mo.

Qiao Mo sensed his chaotic emotions, so he didn't ask any questions, just waiting for him to speak.

"Ah Mo..." Lin Zheng took a deep breath, and said what was on his mind, including the time and risks of the trip.

Although Qiao Mo was prepared, he was still very surprised.He didn't think he was the kind of person who would love his children, but when he heard this, all he felt was worry.Qiao Mo is still busy with the matter at hand, and has not expressed his opinion on this matter for a long time.

The dinner was well prepared, maybe there were no gourmet delicacies, but it was also delicious home-cooked side dishes, and it could be regarded as a good time for both guests and hosts.

After the meal, Zhao Lang and Wang Cheng helped Qi Yun to wash up, while Lin Zheng took down the broken table and went to the kitchen to wash the dishes.

Qiao Mo followed him in and sat at the table. Seeing him busy for a while, he suddenly said, "Ah Zheng, you can go." When Lin Zheng looked up in surprise, Qiao Mo smiled and said, "I know you are worried about me. , but you don't have to worry, I can take care of myself, and no one can bully me. Besides, I have my uncle to take care of me. When you go, I only have one request, no matter how long it takes, you must come back, Come back alive!"