Clam Pearl

In Gu Zhao's house, few officials came to visit. First of all, he seldom made friends, and his Gu family didn't need to form cliques to form a solid political alliance.Secondly, Gu Zhao has a bad reputation with the outside world, he lives a very lonely life, and is a bit arrogant, so anyone with backbone doesn't like to come.

Li Zhai is currently in control of the commander-in-chief of the five armies, so outsiders call him the commander-in-chief. As for the Gu family, they completely ignore his rank and call him the general from top to bottom.Li Zhai was very proud, he felt that he didn't need to care about others, at least now he was on the same level as Gu Yan, he felt that this was jealousy.Since others are jealous, he must be generous!

It's just a battle of spirits, a battle of spirits between a group of reckless men!

Now that Li Zhai entered the Pingzhou County Government, he suddenly became jealous too.Without him, Gu Yan's mansion has nothing to do with luxury, but extraordinary things can be seen everywhere.In the past, I often listened to humanism, and there was a sense of succession and transformation in writing, but now I just took a look at Gu's mansion and felt that this mansion also has the artistic conception of succession and transformation, and it has a different majesty from other houses.

From the moment you enter the door, the gate of the Gu family is like a grand opening with seven steps and four pillars. The gate of the Gu family is different from the complexity of other houses. There are a bunch of servants standing all day long waiting to answer. His family only lives in Gu Zhao and his wife. There were two people in Fu Ji, so there were only two disciples left at the door.His family is benevolent, and the servants don't have to stand in the cold wind. There is a small door on the right side of the gate, and the doormen hide from the cold wind inside. Usually, the Gu family does not entertain guests or people come to the door, so these daily People just sit around a fire and chat for hours.

When Li Zhai was handing over the post, a well-dressed old man about 30 years old came out of the small door. He took a look at the post and did not dare to neglect it. The sound spread farther and farther, thinking that there is a convenient mechanism inside, when the rope is pulled, the inner door bell rings.

Li Qi was curious, so he went in for a visit, and after reading it, he told his brother that he would have to make one when he went back.Li Zhai just smiled, but didn't go in to look.

Soon, more than a dozen people came out from there. The leader, Li Zhai, had heard his name before. He was a mute, and his name was Bi Liangli. He was Gu Zhao's nanny.

When Bi Liangli came over, he first saluted Li Zhai, and pointed to the warm sedan chair behind him. Li Zhai waved his hand and said grandly, "I was born in the army, so I'm tired! You just lead the way."

Everyone knew that Gu Zhao suffered from a foot problem, so he couldn't come out of the mansion to welcome guests.

Bi Liangli smiled and hurriedly led the way. The courtyard the Gu family entered was a simple mansion. In the middle of the courtyard was a rectangular flower pond. In winter, the pond was already frozen. The only rare thing was the lotus pond. The straight bridge and railings are carved out of rare white marble.

Gu Zhao’s mansion is not a square yard, but a yard that turns left. On the right is a thin stream of curved water. The front is connected with three yards. This is called the main yard, but his family is sparsely populated, so these houses are all After it was built, it was always empty, and the door was not opened during the holidays. There was only a team of 15 servants cleaning from morning to evening.

Turning left, there is a long row of brick walls. The walls are large-scale landscape patterns carved with high-quality green bricks. If you stop and look carefully, you can see it.On it is the famous Yueban Lake mountain view in Daliang. This brick carving took three years and more than 4000 pieces of blue bricks with different patterns were used to carve. The brick wall is about 200 meters long, and there is one every 50 meters. The flower-shaped door, the door is also a certain scene of Banyue Lake, such as the full moon and empty mountain, the door is round.

"Gu Lao Qi's house is really exquisite!" Li Qi couldn't help but sighed.

Li Zhai saw that he was silent, but thought a lot in his heart.After ascending to the throne today, he rewarded many gardens for the meritorious officials. His family's mansion was also rewarded later. The area is very large. It has been raised for eight years now, and everyone who went there said it was good.Every year, some scenery and some new buildings are added to his mansion.Most of his income went to the repair of the mansion.

A home is not something that can be lived comfortably after it is built. It needs daily maintenance and intensive maintenance every year.Now that Gu Zhao's garden can't be raised without a million pennies, where does Gu Laoqi's money come from?Corruption?Impossible, everyone in Daliang now knows that there is an account room in the Qianding Division, as long as the level is high enough there, you can do the account reconciliation as you please, Gu Laoqi has always been open and honest in his work.

When Li Zhai thought about it, he slowed down and watched slowly. They entered an exquisite courtyard through a screen door. Calligraphy engraved with famous elegant poems.

There are only five houses in the middle of this courtyard. Judging by the appearance of the door, there are no people living here, and the door is still closed.The door leaves and window sills of the house are all carved with exquisite orchid grass patterns, and there are no ordinary people's carvings of Fu Lu Shou, bats and five blessings.

There is a half-height rockery on one side of the yard. On the hill is an octagonal wooden pavilion with a stacked roof. A series of copper bells are hung on the corners of the pavilion, making a Zen-like sound in the wind.Pass through the courtyard, and then walk slowly along the curved corridor on the right. Once you pass the wall, it suddenly becomes clear that there is an artificial lake outside. There are several roads paved with white jade stones scattered on the artificial lake. All kinds of exquisite and unique buildings.

There are independent pavilions on the lake, there are connected pavilions on the shore, and there are exquisite pavilions where you can see the water law by pushing the window against the rockery. This is just a corner of Gu Gongfu.Li Qi kept clicking tuts as he watched. In fact, only Gu Zhao understands the construction method of the southern style courtyard, and Gu Zhao likes it.

Under the leadership of Bi Liangli, Li Zhai and Li Qi walked through the corridor, walked across the small bridge over the frozen artificial lake, and came to a courtyard in a blink of an eye. There were two large characters "Meiquan" written on the outside of this courtyard, As soon as you enter the courtyard, you will discard the simplicity and simplicity of the outer room, leaving only a garden of ingenious mirror images.

There is water in this yard, it is actually a glimpse of running water. In the cold winter, it is gurgling and steaming from the right side of the stone carving of the half boat, and rushes into the yard. Now it is still snowing, but The yard can't keep it, it's full of dampness, and the eaves are also dripping like summer water.At the place where the water dripped, the brick surface did not know what method was used, but it was able to knock out all kinds of crisp sounds.

In this small yard, there are unknown trees that are still green in winter, and a broken brick road paved with red mountain stones leads all the way to a few plum branches in the corner of the house.Now, it's not yet the month, but I don't think the plum blossoms in this garden have already bloomed.

The garden is deep and quiet, making people feel at ease. A few words can remind people at a time, which are misty, trembling, ignorant, chaotic, far away, quiet, long-lasting, relaxed and comfortable.

In this artistic conception, I didn't expect the sound of some wooden beads to crackle, but when I listened carefully, it was the sound of abacus beads.

Li Zhai asked Bi Liangli: "Master Gu, are you still working at home?"

Bi Liang showed a sad face on his face, and he really sighed. He spread his hands, and regrettably came up with a Western-style helplessness. The root cause of this action came from Gu Zhao. Now the whole family knows it. There are many infected places, and it has already reached Daliang frontier.

Li Zhai smiled, and thought about Gu Zhao's family resources in his mind. It is said that the richest person in the Gu family is Gu Laoqi, who only owns a North-South goods company.But this north-south goods store is open all over the country, and now as long as there are counties and towns, there must be this grocery store.His goods store has an advantage, there is no toll when going out, which saves a lot of money!I used to listen to it and thought it was just a grocery store, but now it seems that it is not necessarily so. This Gu Laoqi is really too rich.You see what others play, others can't think of it.

Bi Liangli came to the main hall and lifted the curtain high with his own hands. Gu Zhao's voice came from inside: "But General Li is here. Please forgive Gu Zhao for being inconvenient and unable to welcome him. Please forgive me."

Li Zhai laughed when he heard this: "Gu and Li have been close friends for generations, Lao Qi should not count this empty ceremony with his brother, it's too empty, I don't like it!" After finishing speaking, he walked into the room.

Gu Zhao was sitting on the kang, and now he simply tidied himself up. At least his hair is visible.

"Sit down, general!" Gu Zhao, Li Zhai and Li Qi greeted each other, and made a gesture of invitation.

Li Zhai smiled, sat on the armchair beside him, and looked around.Soon, the curtain in the room was opened again, and four or five little girls in bright green clothes, holding snacks, dried fruits, and tea, entered the room silently, put the things away, and then walked out backwards.During the period, no one looked at the guests with their eyes, and their attitude was respectful and not rude, as if they were adjusted by a big family.

Gu Zhao and his subordinates were not in the same room. Now that he saw a guest, he ordered: "Brother Nai, please go and invite the gentlemen down to have tea and relax. Let's work overtime at night. You have been busy all morning, and you will work overtime at noon today." A bowl of mutton soup to drive them away from the cold."

Bi Liangli nodded, and turned around to go to the side room. After a while, there was no life there, but no one went out from the yard, presumably there was a passage for walking there.

Gu Zhao accompanied him for a few sips of tea, chatted a few gossips, asked about the affairs of the army in the city, and thanked Li Zhai for his kindness in delivering the medicine, so he turned to the main topic and said: "I don't know, general, come to my place today, Can there be other things”

Li Zhai nodded, put down the teacup and said with a smile: "My brother is a smart man, I'm afraid you have already guessed my reason for coming."

Gu Zhao nodded and said: "Well, there are a lot of visitors. General Li thinks it's for the marriage between the women and the retired veterans. I don't want to hide it from the general. Now this is a matter of more wins and less porridge, and it needs to be done gradually. .

You see, the women of the right age dispatched from all over the country will arrive in the next year, and now I am also in a hurry. After all, it is not enough to allocate. Your fifth army, my family from the eldest brother to the sixth brother, who is not in charge?I was so anxious that my teeth hurt. "

Li Zhai didn't answer, just listened with a smile while holding a teacup.

Gu Zhao continued: "Yesterday, the secretary of the tooth shop gave me an idea, saying that nowadays country girls can buy them with only five pennies. In the past, I hated buying and selling people the most! I can't take care of it anymore, because I have a surplus of ten per household here, so I gritted my teeth, and now Gu Lao Qi has done such wicked things..."

Li Zhai suddenly interrupted Gu Zhao's complaints, and said with a smile: "Master Gu misunderstood, from my point of view, breakfast and breakfast are eaten together sooner or later. I am dissatisfied with my brother, I am not here today to grab this pot of dumplings. The other thing, I have this matter in my family, and I'm afraid your family also has it."

Gu Zhao looked puzzled, and asked, "But I don't know? What's the matter?"

Li Zhai sighed and said, "I am dissatisfied with my brother. Before Tiancheng, I obeyed orders. I shouldn't worry about big things. But since the last year of Tianshou, I have soldiers under my tent. Every year there are disabled and downcast soldiers. It came out of bleeding from the hob following me, Li Zhai, and now that limb is completely rich and landed, my lord is merciful, and now my daughter-in-law has thought of it! Li Zhai is grateful for the grace of God, and dare not ask for more, but my brother...

This man lacking arms and legs, he is also a man, isn't he?You also want to start a family, right?I want to live a long life, my sons and grandchildren are all over the place, my brother... I am here today, not for the sake of others, the old brothers of Yu Si are my compatriots in Li Zhai's previous life, and in this life we ​​have the opportunity to live and die together!Yu Gong is all the heroes of Daliang, we can't let the hearts of the soldiers be cold! "

After Li Zhai finished speaking, he stood up, fully dressed and saluted Gu Zhao deeply together with his younger brother: "I also hope that Mr. Gu will give these soldiers a way to survive and make them a complete human being! The world..."

Gu Zhao was flustered, and hurriedly struggled to get off the ground to help him. Li Zhai didn't make things difficult for him. He got up by himself, pressed Gu Zhao and thoughtfully helped him cover the brocade quilt, and took a look at his steamed feet wrapped in white cloth, hey!The swelling is really big!

The host and guest sat down again, and Gu Zhao was in a dilemma. It was not easy for an old soldier to find a wife, but now the disabled still want it, which is really difficult.Gu Zhao thought for a long time before sighing: "To tell you the truth, Gu Zhao really doesn't know what to say. As I said before, I hate the most in my life. Now you say How to solve this big problem?"

Gu Zhao patted his legs, sighed a few times, and finally sighed helplessly: "You see, I think so, the women of the poor people also have to look after soldiers, and they marry only if they want to, we can't do it hard. It is a matter of apportionment, otherwise good things will become enemies, is this the reason?"

Li Zhai nodded and said, "That's right."

Gu Zhao sighed: "Don't say you don't dare to force it out, you just forced it to marry you back. Let's not hide it from you, how much ability do we men have now? Those who lack arms and legs, those who are blind and rotten, hurry up tomorrow It's been a long time, and I'm afraid they won't be able to support them! The world is getting bigger, as long as there is that seducer, who can bear it? When something happens, is it possible? Can't they chase their escaped wives from all over the world?"

Li Qi couldn't bear it, and when he heard the words, he felt displeased, so he stood up and said loudly: "If the caretaker says so! Then the poor man who has sweated and sweated for Daliang can't marry a wife now?"

"Brother, don't be rude! Master Gu is telling the truth, why are you so reckless, what did I say when you came here?" Li Zhai scolded, then turned to Gu Zhao with a smile on his face and said, "Don't blame him, he He's a rough man with a straight gut, he thinks of what is what, and he has no bad intentions."

Gu Zhao waved his hands and smiled, "It's all right, my brother, who is not like this! The New Year's Eve, because of the hanging of the lantern, the family was rotten. Others may not understand, but I do understand. Talk loudly and bicker." Kindness! Right? General Li, please sit down, I have an idea in my mind, I will talk to you today, and you can also help me to look into it to see if it is appropriate?"

Li Zhai glared at Li Qi, and Li Qi could only sit down patiently.

Gu Zhao had a plan in his heart, but he just thought about it before, but now that Li Zhai begged at the door, he couldn't slap him in the face.Therefore, after he saw that Li Qi had stabilized, he opened his mouth and said: "A few days ago, my elder brother was also worried. The soldiers of your family have only been disabled in recent years. There are two Zhuangzi in my Gu family who are all like this. Beat me From my father's generation, I don't know how many have been raised, our family in charge of soldiers has had rules since ancient times, so we can't let the brothers live, can't we?"

Li Zhai nodded and said, "Yes...every family is the same, and there are about two hundred people in my house."

Gu Zhaodao: "Raising soldiers is not a one-time thing. Now I have some income under the Ding Division, but the stall is too big, and the staff is inevitably insufficient. I also worry about this matter a lot. Every time I think about it, I can't sleep at night. .”

Li Zhai immediately scolded his mother in his heart. With the Qianding Division, the Ministry of Officials repeatedly wanted to send people in. Almost every year, officials were selected and sent, but Gu Zhao refused every year.Now Mr. Xiahou, who is in charge of the official department, is still a family friend with the Gu family, and he can't send anyone in. Gu Zhao recognizes the knife and pen officials from the knife and pen department, and he doesn't use any officials with official backgrounds.The Holy Majesty couldn't do anything about it, but the Grand Master didn't say anything.

No matter what Li Zhai thought, Gu Zhao just counted his fingers and chattered: "In recent years, the road of Aomin Xiu has become wider and wider. Seeing that it will be connected to Ganzhou, hey, now Our girders also have pipelines."

Li Zhai smiled and said: "Mr. Gu has a long-term vision and is looking for a way of life for the people. The roads in the 36 counties are now extending in all directions, and Mr. Gu has benefited all the people! I didn't believe it in the past. Who would have thought that this road will be completed in just a few years. , In the past, it took a month and a half to get to Beijing from the post station to deliver the urgent report, but now it takes about [-] days. There is a big difference between whether there is a way or not."

Gu Zhao smiled: "General Li, don't praise me either, you still have IOUs in the aisle of the Ministry of War!"

Li Zhai's face turned red immediately: "Isn't that... an official matter?"

Gu Zhao laughed: "I don't chase after your account, your account book is connected to my old brothers, I will not come to anyone! Forget it, I don't think about it, now, this Tao has been cultivated , but there are no soldiers at the new post station in fifty miles, General Li wonders if you have any soldiers who can work?"

Li Zhai was stunned for a moment, then raised his head and asked Gu Zhao, "What do you mean? Oh, there are many, one-armed, one-eyed, and broken-legged. These are all clear-headed and not stupid, but they just can't do heavy work. "

Gu Zhao flicked the clapper on the bed and said: "We dare not squeeze other people's business at the government-run inn. People who have been unhealthy since ancient times can't surprise the nobles. In my opinion, all the bullshit nobles are a bunch of unreasonable people. Silly haha."

Li Qi nodded again and again, agreeing very much, and his brother kicked him from below.

Gu Zhao continued: "Finding wives for disabled soldiers, I don't do this kind of matchmaking here, who doesn't want to be a good householder. Whether it's apportioned or bought, this is absolutely impossible. Comparing my heart to my heart, I have a daughter and I want to find a good son-in-law, don’t I? The two generals know that there is a toll post station fifty miles away in my Qianding Division. Although the stations are simple and still under construction, they are almost the same.

Do the math, a post station has one station owner, two stewards, two clerks, one stable clerk, one kitchen cook, and the handyman who pays for the roadside accountant. Twelve to 20 people. "

Li Zhai nodded, as if he understood something, he couldn't help but look at Gu Zhao with twinkling eyes. This Gu Lao Qi of the Gu family is the number one capable minister in Daliang. These words are indeed not praised by the elder Fu Bai. .

Gu Zhao smiled sincerely at Li Zhai and said, "General Li, it is better to teach people how to fish than to give them fish. There are water sources and fields behind the newly opened inn. Why don't we assign those disabled soldiers to that side?" The healthy ones can be thrown out, but the incomplete ones should be kept by the country for a lifetime! It would be unbenevolent to throw them out and let them fend for themselves, right? If you don’t give them to a petty official, let them be in charge! There is an income every month. Second, the entrusted farmland is behind his post station, so it can be regarded as having a family and a business, so the marriage is destined, how about letting them get married independently?"

This is great, there is no better way than this.It can be said that Gu Zhao took great pains to think so long-term for these poor disabled soldiers.Li Zhai and Li Qi felt admiration, but they didn't mention their gratitude, they just said that they were too embarrassed to leave a meal as it was approaching noon, so they went away with the good news.

Gu Zhaoyue waited for them to leave the yard, and then said to behind him, "Li Zhai is a nice guy."

Ah Run smiled lowly, turned slowly from the back of the room and said: "He is not bad, is he a general...he is really not good, he is not as good as your third brother or your fifth brother in terms of military affairs, but If you talk about his heart, he is the softest one. I just like his kind heart. Back then, there were many people in the Prince's Mansion with me, but in the end I only had a dozen or so people." Ah Run said this Sometimes, it is inevitable to look proud, just like Gu Zhao praised Fu Ji, Gu Maochang and the others.

During his eight years as an emperor, Ah Run's whole personality has changed. Now everyone dare not look up at his beautiful face, but can only kneel under his majesty.An emperor is admired only because of his achievements, not because of his status, especially for an emperor with tough political methods.After eight years of torment, Ah Run finally emptied Hu Ji and overthrew the last dregs left by Emperor Tianshou. All of this was done very cleanly, clearly and well-founded.No one can say the strange things that other cunning rabbits and lackeys cook.

Gu Zhao's biggest influence on Zhao Chunrun is that no matter what he does, the first thing is to be open-minded.

Gu Zhao raised his head and smiled, stretched out his hand to touch Ah Run's cheek and sighed: "It's so cold! Are you not wearing enough to suppress the wind? I think the snow is getting smaller and smaller. If it stops tomorrow, it will be even colder. How much do you need to add?" A piece of clothing, hey! I can't control you this winter."

Ah Run smiled contentedly and didn't answer his words. He just lowered his head and kissed him greedily. He stretched out his hand wrapped in brocade quilt and picked him up. He turned from the right side and sat in the warm sedan chair in the backyard. They were carried again. Go back to your own yard.

Gu Zhao was extremely satisfied when he returned to his own house. He couldn't live there now. He has an old man's heart and loves his home the most.

A Run put Gu Zhao on the bed, changed the medicine powder for him again with his own hands, and wrapped the wound. Seeing Gu Zhao's feet were cracked, he couldn't help but want to lose his temper again. Gu Zhao smiled and patted his arm to comfort him: "Such a big one Xue, it’s inconvenient for the old monk to come. I’m an old ailment, and I’ve gotten used to it for a long time. Now that I’m using all the good medicines, you don’t have to worry about it. Let me ask you, are there any houses in the suburbs that collapsed? "

Ah Run nodded: "Some, it's none of your business, you just have to take a good rest. In the past few years, the earth temples near the villages and towns have been strengthened, and now there are people from the Jimin Institute to investigate. It will take a few days for the snow to stop. If there is a result, this is my business, you worry about it."

Gu Zhao smiled and ignored him. He just leaned on the bed, held up his two injured feet and sighed: "In previous years, one was frozen, but this year is strange...Two at a time, this time it's as you want." I can't go anywhere..."

The two of them were sitting together kissing me and I was talking about family matters, but Sun Xi outside the door suddenly said in a low voice: "Master, I just got some news, and I don't know whether I should say it or not."

Gu Zhao smiled: "Hurry up and get out, there's nothing you shouldn't say, you old bastard has learned how to play tricks."

Sun Xi came in from the outside, stood at the door with a smile on his face and said, "No, it's not a big deal, it's a small one, I'm afraid I'll find out in the future, I blame the young one for not telling me in advance..."

Gu Zhao was disgusted and waved his hand: "Hurry up and say it!"

"Yes!" Sun Xi said awkwardly, not flattering her well.

"Master, I heard from that side that our Young Master Fu is going to marry Master Bai Xuelu from the Ministry of Criminal Justice. It is said that the old lady of our family is a great matchmaker, and he is talking about Master Bai's grandniece."

Gu Zhao was surprised and asked, "You mean my sister-in-law?"

Sun Xi nodded and said, "Yes, it's our old lady."

Gu Zhao looked at A Run, A Run was also puzzled, but he said: "Fu Ji is not young anymore. He has been busy for a few years and has delayed his children. Now it is time for him to marry a daughter-in-law and start a family. But... ... I was in a daze and heard them say that Bai Xuelu's mother gave birth to him? Why is there a grandniece now?"

Gu Zhao chuckled lightly: "You've grown up, you know how many mothers gave birth to?"

Ah Run took Mrs. Tang, who was brought over by the eunuch, into the quilt and smiled, "That's the ones I pay more attention to, and others don't bother to know."

Sun Xi smiled and said: "Master Bai's old father used to have six wives and concubines. Is this Miss Bai? She is 21 this year. She is unlucky. In the past few years, there has been a death in the family, and she has been keeping her filial piety! Yes... her grandfather is a concubine..."

Gu Zhao was unwilling when he heard it, so he said: "This is absolutely impossible! I don't have many disciples, and I have grown up like a baby! I don't even look down on the descendants of my second-rank family members. I despise pampering, and I am afraid I have wronged my child. How can you tell my family this? This girl has been suppressed at home. I am afraid that she will be extreme and tell my apprentice about marriage. Why don't you mention it to me? You go! Tell my nanny to go to that house Invite my brother here, just say I'm looking for him..."

Ah Run laughed, shaking his head again and again, how old is Gu Zhaocai, and the only one who doesn't move is my child, my baby?I don't know how the melon seeds grow in his head, but there are some strange ideas and thoughts inside. He thinks that Gu Maochang is his child, Gu Maobing is his child, Fu Ji is his child, and even Gu Maode is his child. ……Why!