Clam Pearl

In other words, the turbulence in Beijing seems to have not reached Gu Zhao's ears. In the past two days, Gu Zhao and others went up the river by boat. Perhaps because of the weather, the wind and waves were quite strong, and the old man couldn't get up.

Having used a weapon, it is inevitable that he suffered some hardships in the early years. After some hidden illnesses, after the wind and waves, the ship bumped a few times, Gu Yan's old waist could no longer bear it.Fortunately, this journey is not long, and in Gu Zhao's view, it is even more like a turtle's speed. After two days and two nights of torture, at least he got off the boat, and Mr. Gu was carried off. Gu Maodao, who had been waiting for nearly a month, was quite frightened.

Because Gu Shan is the general guarding the pass, he is not allowed to leave his post without an order, even Gu Maodao, who is a family member, can only bring the officials under the Northern Xinjiang Kunyi Pass here to wait for the order.

Gu Maodao, Gu Shan's eldest son is over [-] this year, and he is currently carrying a busybody to pretend to be a facade. There is a Chao Yilang who has never been on duty for a day, and he is considered a sixth-rank.Not only him, but Gu Maodao's two half-brothers, Gu Maodu and Gu Maoqiao, were only idlers of the sixth or seventh rank. Their father, Gu Shan, had always been a cautious person.

Gu Yan was not feeling well, so those who disembarked and picked up people were in a hurry, and the ostentation that had been prepared in advance was useless. It was too late to exchange pleasantries. It was getting late now, and Gu Zhao was worried. The old brother, therefore, followed all the way to the official station, arranged for the old brother to wipe his body, massage, take medicine, and after eating a small bowl of dry food and falling asleep, he ordered someone to call Gu Maodao into his room for questioning.

Today Gu Maodao was wearing a green official robe with a silver belt tied around his waist, and the cap on his head was a little crooked. Because of the cold rain here a few days ago, the water accumulated for many days, and the ferry here was muddy. Therefore, the hem of his official robe and the boots are full of embarrassment, and he has long lost his dignity.

Gu Zhao stared at him, and this man looked more and more like his old man, with a long face, thin eyebrows, big lips, and his speech and behavior were imitated everywhere. It's a pity that he didn't have the look that came from the battlefield. Domineering, it looks somewhat awkward no matter what.

Gu Maodao entered the house and was about to salute his little uncle. It has been so many years since he bid farewell to the ancestral hall at home!In his heart, he really wanted to be close, but for some reason, when he looked at his little uncle, he felt inexplicably afraid.I just feel that after not seeing him for many years, the little uncle has become more and more official.

Now Gu Zhao is wearing a lambskin waistcoat and is sitting on the kang washing his feet. He is wearing moon-white trousers. When he was washing his elder brother's feet just now, he also took off his robe and official hat. Kind of thing, that is a waste thing that has never been taken seriously.

Seeing Gu Maodao enter the room, Gu Zhao also just smiled, he half propped up his body with his hands, leaning lazily all over, the water in the copper basin was stirred up by his thin white feet , this season, Gu Zhao's feet are big on one side, that's really a miracle.

Seeing that Gu Maodao was silent, Gu Zhao opened his mouth first, and said with a bit of pride in his voice: "I'd rather take the land with water, no matter how cold it is, as long as there is water, I'll be fine!" Gu Zhao said When finished, he lifted his feet out of the basin to show his nephew a look, and then put them back again.

Seeing his nephew saluting to him, he quickly stopped him and said with a very friendly smile: "Don't wait, don't play with me. You are like this with your own uncle, and there are no outsiders. Come here, hurry up!" Take off his suit, go to Maobing to find a clean one and put it on for him, carefully, go get your fourth master a basin of hot water, and also scald his feet to loosen them."

After finishing speaking, Gu Zhao thought of something, and asked again: "Have you eaten?"

Gu Maodao replied: "I ate some when I was in the dark, and now I am not hungry, so I saw that my little uncle didn't eat much."

Gu Zhao smiled: "Leave me alone, take care of yourself."

Gu Maodao felt that his two feet were almost frozen and lost consciousness. Seeing what the little uncle said, he hurriedly said: "No, no, please trouble the little uncle. My nephew brought his own. As for the clothes, today I also follow a few local governors, so it’s not cheap.”

Those waiting below naturally hurried up, trying to take off Gu Maodao's robe, cap, and official boots that had been stuck to his feet for a long time.Gu Maodao looked around, but waved his hands and asked someone to lift a screen to block it, otherwise it would be inappropriate.

Gu Zhao looked at him and scolded with a smile: "You've done it, let's do it, don't follow your old man's official style, I'm your uncle! I'm not someone else!"

Gu Maodao smiled. He looked at his white, tender, youthful uncle, thought for a while, and finally hid on the side of the canopy bed, and asked the servants to change the homely robes for him, and tidy them up. After undressing, he helped his belt, kneeled on the ground very solemnly, made an empty bow, and saluted his little uncle: "It was rainy, snowy and cold in the day, and my nephew couldn't be filial in front of me. I feel deeply sorry every day I think about it. I see little uncle Ankang today, nephew..."

"Ankang! Ankang! Get up quickly!" Gu Zhao hid for a while, impatient to hear this, so he asked someone to quickly get the elm bump up.

The three children of his second elder brother, he had learned about them a long time ago, they were all top-grade nerds of the same color, without the slightest martial spirit in the family, and they were usually the most respectful of etiquette.

Gu Maodao stood up, smiled at the little uncle and said, "Don't be surprised, little uncle, if the father knows that the nephew is rude, he will definitely be beaten up when he goes back, and it's nothing to beat him, but now the nephew is also a father. ...Let the juniors see that after all...that, it's not very good."

Gu Zhao sighed helplessly, grabbed one side of the soft pillow, padded it on the back of his waist, and asked him: "I know him, so don't explain this, I've always been irritable, so I always tell them that the family People are family members, so forget about these customary etiquette... I want to ask you, how are your father and mother? I haven't seen you for a few years, and I miss you very much."

Gu Maodao sat down, and before sitting down, he pulled his seat to the west of the east wall.Hearing Gu Zhao's question, Gu Maodao hurriedly stood up and turned back. It doesn't matter if he turns back. He put his hands on both sides of the official uniform obediently, bent slightly, and lowered his head...

Gu Zhao looked up to the sky and rolled his eyes, with a hint of anger when he finished, just like Pixel Ri did to Gu Maobing and the others, as soon as he stretched out his hand, he pulled a soft pillow in his hand and threw it over, cursing: "Your father likes these, that's He! He likes to frame himself in the circle drawn by those unlucky scholar-bureaucrats, that's his business! I can almost get it here, if you do this, just go out! You don't have to come to see me in the future!"

Although Gu Maodao is only a sixth rank, his father is also a general guarding the customs, the number one marquis in northern Xinjiang. Although he is over 40 years old, he is also the number one old yamen in northern Xinjiang. first.This time the pillow hit Gu Maodao, his soul was blown away, he was almost on his knees, but he didn't dare to kneel, so he could only stand there not knowing what to do.

Just in embarrassment, the door of the house suddenly opened, and Gu Maobing came in with a smile, fisted as soon as he entered the door, and said with an exaggerated smile: "Good fourth brother, forgive me! Excuse me, I just ended up in the back, and I didn't care I have to see you, I haven't seen you for many years! The second uncle is in good health, the aunt is good, and the brothers in the family are well..."

After entering the room, Gu Maobing walked up to Gu Maodao while laughing, and after a half-gift, he pulled him to sit down, and said very affectionately: "Fourth brother, my younger brother brought two high-quality horses this time. Good war horses, and there are a lot of Bade tea bricks from Xijiang, yo?" Gu Maobing was surprised when he saw Gu Maodao's constipated face: "How do you say this, the fourth brother's face is because he was accidentally horsed pouted?"

Gu Maodao didn't know whether to laugh or to laugh. He quietly looked at the little uncle's face and found that he was quite gentle. Then he explained embarrassingly: "It's nothing, just bumped into the little uncle accidentally."

"Hey!" Gu Maobing smiled: "That's what I was thinking, fourth brother doesn't know, our little uncle!" He turned to look at Gu Zhao, and after winking his eyes, he turned back and explained: "Our little uncle doesn't know. Pay attention to this, usually the most irritable about these things, if the fourth brother wants to be filial, he should find more food and drink, find a few big opera troupes, play some lively music, and sing some fresh music so that he will be happy..."

Gu Zhao interjected coolly: "That's what you like, right?"

With Gu Maobing's interruption, the room became warmer. It's just that Gu Maodao was envious in his heart, but he adjusted himself a bit. He thought, he had heard them say that his little uncle was a moody overlord in the capital. Maybe there are many elders in my hometown, so I can't live under pressure. Now that my uncle is sick, he is the only one who is older.This little uncle, I haven't seen him for a few years, his temper has gone up, and if he doesn't like it, he will fly off the pillow.

After all, he doesn't stay by Gu Zhao's side all the time, and now that he's an adult and a family man, he naturally has different thoughts, which is normal.

The three uncles and nephews talked about family affairs, and Gu Zhao also asked about the current situation of Gu Shan's family.Now the second elder brother's family is also a big family. There are two legitimate sons and three concubine sons in Gu Maodao's family. He didn't mention the girls. Coincidentally, just in time for the wedding.

After some narration, both sides mentioned familiar people to get closer. They were originally a family, but Gu Zhao had a rough personality in his bones. But Gu Huaizi came to call for someone, and only said that the old man woke up and asked Gu Zhao to go.Elderly people are like this. They feel less and are still alert, especially when they are in the place where they are born.

Gu Zhao thought for a while, then sent Gu Mao with a smile and said, "Fourth nephew, it's getting late, you should go and rest too. Your uncle is a bit unwell. I will go to his room to make a bed on the floor tonight. I am tired recently. Tomorrow Take a good rest, and you don’t have to rush the people you bring, people here are used to it, if you want to ask anything, you can ask Mao Bing..."

After giving such orders, Gu Zhao stood up, grabbed the pillow he was used to on the bed and hugged him, carefully lifted Gu Zhao's bedding behind him, rolled up a few volumes and assigned them to each other, and then followed them out.

When it came to the entrance of the building, it happened that the actor named Qiao Nuer was holding a wooden tray.There were a few empty bowls on the wooden plate, and he walked out wearing an unsuitable green cloth-covered coat robe. Now this man’s face is no longer powdery, his bright robes are gone, and his clothes are all in shambles. Come according to the family.He looks like this, but it's a pity that he is holding a plate, but he insists on walking in standard lotus steps, and the fingers holding the wooden plate are also curled up like orchids.Just sticking to the wall, floating and moving, walking in front of Gu Zhao, he gave a blessing, but then felt something was wrong, so he hurriedly bowed down to salute.After the ceremony, Xu Shicai didn't know where he had been wronged. He looked at Gu Zhao without saying a word, but bit his lower lip, staring at Gu Zhao with resentment in his eyes.

Gu Zhao shuddered, blinked his eyes, turned his head and said to Gu Maobing while walking, "Whoever provoked him, it's like I owe him two hangs every day."

Gu Maobing said with a smile: "Why do you care about him? This person is usually praised. Now that he is popular, he has a little temper. But little uncle, what are you doing with him?"

Gu Zhao did not answer this question, yes, what to do with him, some things are still inconvenient to say.

Gu Yan actually woke up from the pain when he turned over. If people of later generations look at it, they probably have a common idea. This problem is called hyperosteogeny, and it is taboo to take a boat with this problem.Gu Zhao knew it in his heart, so he has been rubbing his waist for the past two days to relieve his fatigue.

In fact, since Gu Zhao was born, he has never been so close to his elder brother.Come to think of it, it's right to come out, eat, live together, and talk about family affairs with the old brother, the relationship between the two brothers is getting closer.

Gu Yan lay on the bed without moving, and when he heard the doorbell, he smiled and said without turning his head: "Hey, people hate it when they are old. If you eat enough and drink enough every day, you don't care about blessings and trouble people! Old people don't die. That said, me, the older I get, the more annoying I get."

Gu Zhao smiled, and waved his hands to ask someone to carry a wooden couch to the old brother's bed. After seeing that they had packed it, he took off his overalls, sat sideways beside the old brother, rolled up his sleeves and helped the old brother massage, while rubbing He said with a smile: "Brother, this is childish, who dares to dislike you! You have an imperial decree in your sleeve."

Gu Yan stuffed his head into the pillow, humming with the rhythm of his head up and down: "I'm getting older and more useless, brother..."

"kindness?"

"Tell me, did the Holy Majesty see something to give me this grace?"

Gu Zhao's hand stopped: "Brother also worked hard all his life, but that person... is much more merciful than the late emperor..."

"Mercy?!" Gu Yan wanted to turn around and refute, but he accidentally moved his waist, hurriedly ouched, and lay down obediently again. After waiting for a long time, he said: "In this world, compassion is useless..." He suppressed his voice and said: "Furthermore! Dragon Lord is merciful, it is not a good thing.

Gu Zhao reached out to pick up the kettle from the charcoal basin on one side, threw a hot towel, and helped the elder brother apply it. After the application, he showed a hint of sarcasm and said: "Some people are decisive in killing. At that time, Tongtian Dao can't There is a long row of people scrubbing the floor and washing the street. If it weren't for that incident later, we wouldn't be able to keep it all together, and our family would have to work in shifts.

At the beginning... within a month, every three to five days, I had to change a batch of street cleaners. It was a decision to kill, and I was a bit tempered, but... there were still people who starved to death, frozen to death, and sold them for sale. Women can go to Dongfang City at the west city gate.Can people be the same as people?Today has the benefits of today, you, wait for the years to wait and watch slowly, besides, my brother is not the emperor, this world is not under your control, so you are so inclined! "

Gu Yan was naturally dissatisfied, he turned his head and snorted and said, "Brother, this is not right, how many people died in our family because of this world, this world will be better, even if I die, it would be tough to go down and talk to Father no……"

Gu Zhao is the most irritated old brother, now he said something dead or something, so he was annoyed when he heard it. He stretched out his hand and grabbed the cold towel, and directly slapped the hot towel in his hand on the old brother's back. Strangely said: "What's the point of death? You're far away from death with your rotten problem. If you're dead all day long, don't mention this in the future. I don't like to hear it."

"Oh, it's hot! It's hot!" Gu Yan pulled the hot towel aside with his backhand, and Gu Zhao used his hand to help him pull it a few times.

"If you don't say it, don't say it. Why are you in a hurry." Gu Yan was wronged, and hurriedly changed the topic and asked about Gu Shan's family. Gu Zhao then casually talked about Gu Jinyao's marriage: "... How old is this girl? Who was born? Who did you marry? I didn’t ask in detail, brother, I didn’t even know there was such a person before, maybe the second brother..." Gu Zhao curled his lips.

"That man! He has eight accountants living in his heart all day long, and he always wants others to envy him and praise him. Hehe, the second child is the first in our family. Face-loving, he just wants to bring double happiness to his family, and impress the people in his jurisdiction. He is so poor, look how good his family is! Marry a daughter again, and accept the imperial decree. According to the imperial decree, let's come and see Gu Lao Er showing his prestige, our family..." Gu Yan laughed a little before he said: "Our family is just like him, Xiaoqian, as long as there are guests at home, he appoints to be busy. , I love to ask people with literary names about this and that, and they try to overwhelm me everywhere. Fortunately, our father annoys him the most..." At this point, Gu Yan turned his head and said with a hint of complacency: "We Father only cares about people like me... Well, people like you are also rare."

Gu Zhao pursed his lips and smiled, and helped his brother pull off the hem of his clothes, covered the quilt, and tidied up while listening to his old brother chattering about the past.

"...At the beginning, because of his virtue, the second child was often beaten. The buffalo leather whip was broken a few times, but he didn't change it. He loved to read. Because of this, our father almost strangled him back then, to put it bluntly. ...he loves names..."

After finishing his work, Gu Zhao uncovered the quilt, lifted Mrs. Tang inside and put it aside, got into the bed and lay down. After Tang was finished, he held his head with one hand, looked sideways at brother and asked, "How can I I heard from them that the second brother is very brave in battle, and that he is always victorious when he is young."

Gu Yan paused, and after a long time, he smiled with a hint of inexplicable emotion: "Our father, that is so cruel, even my own biological ones are willing to throw their own children to the front of the battle, and die in battle... Our This is how the whole family came here..." At this point, Gu Yan thought of something, so he looked at Gu Zhao very cherishingly and said, "Our Xiaoqi was born well. Once he was born, the world was calm. Among so many brothers in our family, you are the most Fate is good, the old man's temper has been tempered, and our family's family situation has also improved. We can get whatever we want, human life, it has been written a long time ago, and envy cannot be envied."

Hearing this, Gu Zhao just lowered his head and laughed in a low voice: "I am a mascot for feelings."

"What?"

"It's nothing, bro continue."

"Xiao Qi."

"Ok?"

"Are you still worried?" Gu Yan asked with a smile.

Gu Zhao was stunned for a moment, then nodded with a smile: "Well, it's a little bit. When I got off the boat, I received the letter written by Fu Jigang from Qian Dingsi...Brother, I actually understand, just like Brother Ruo before. It is often said that in fact, being a human being is for others to see, just like the second brother, it is said that people live for others to see, not because of that face. We can’t laugh at anyone, who doesn’t want to live A face that is looked up at by others. My brother used to say that it is difficult to be an official. There are no parents, no children, and no sisters and brothers who care about it. No one wants the children at home to live well. I mean, if you don't have any selfish intentions, it's really abnormal. There's only one thing, this relocation is related to the fate of the country. There must be a race, there must be someone alive, right? We tricked everyone out of their hometown, yes, my little brother felt that those people were just tricked out..."

Gu Zhao smiled wryly for a moment, and then continued: "Everyone has old roots, just like me, Ruo brother, Ruo Fu Ji, we all leave our hometowns, but how far we go, those things in our hometown, those roots don't matter. Dare to forget. What are those Dingmin people? Their hometown is gone, and they managed to set up a family business in Shangjing, but they haven’t stabilized yet. We coaxed and lied and threw them all to Juehu County... Li Yongji He used to be considered a successful man. I still think about it. Originally, there were only a few people in his hands. After staying there for a few years, he went to various prefectures to see, listen, and learn. I have saved up, and I still want to use his more...but I really didn't expect..."

"Didn't expect anything? It's him! If it's not Li Yongji, then someone needs to come out and show off the top guy." Gu Yan said with a smile: "I know how many kinds of people there are in this world, and they are the scariest."

Puzzled, Gu Zhao raised his face to look at his brother.

Gu Yan climbed into a comfortable posture, and then said: "There are several kinds of people in this world, brother, you must remember, one is born rich, this kind of person, hum! Everything is taken for granted, and others treat him Sure, he thinks it should be. This is not the scariest thing, but the most terrible thing is the half-way rich. This kind of half-way rich, there is a comparison. Naturally, he feels that others owe him. Maybe it was the foundation of the past. They are shabby, they want face everywhere, and naturally they have to put on airs, come and go, this way of being a man is naturally a villain, and he... is not authentic."

Knowing that elder brother was persuading himself, Gu Zhao nodded. After thinking for a long time, he could only sigh in a low voice, and his blood could only be turned into a thousand emotions.

Gu Yan didn't know where he was thinking. After a long time, he suddenly lowered his voice, and said with an indescribable sadness: "Actually, those who were born rich and those who became rich halfway are no match for those who lost their wealth. Brother, you know, our third child... ...I mean, that kid Maofeng died at the hands of someone who lost his wealth?"

Gu Zhao was stunned for a moment.