ordinary people's house

Xiao Yunlang went back after buying rice noodles, and met Zuo's sister-in-law at the alley, Zuo's sister-in-law smiled and said, "Brother Xiao is really hardworking."

Xiao Yunlang wiped the sweat from his forehead, and only smiled. The tens of catties of rice were heavy, and he was really tired after walking all the way back, so he didn't say much.

Mrs. Zuo took a few steps closer, said with a smile in her eyes: "Let me tell you, you told me a few days ago that it was done."

Xiao Yunlang was a little surprised, and said after a while: "Really."

"That's still wrong. Your sister-in-law and your eldest brother still know a few people. Although your house is well built, it's just a little far away. It's not a big family. They want to find a quiet place for their son to study, but the price... ..."

Xiao Yunlang sighed lightly: "It's pretty good to be able to sell it."

Sister-in-law Zuo said, "However, 200 taels is indispensable."

Xiao Yunlang nodded and said with a smile: "Sister-in-law, I'll go back first. In the evening, I'll make a pot of wine and go to your house to talk about it in detail."

"Hey." Mrs. Zuo replied crisply, "Come here, I'll ask them to cook more dishes."

Xiao Yunlang walked back to their small yard, washed the vegetables, and prepared to make lunch. He rolled up his sleeves and fetched water from the well, calculating what 200 taels of silver could do.

It was already deep winter at this time, and the well water was icy cold. Xiao Yunlang was chopping Chinese cabbage, and stopped for a while, too cold to rub his hands. When he brought the vegetables and rice to the table, no one in the room came out.

Xiao Yunlang was also used to it, so he wiped his hands and knocked on the door to enter.

For a moment, the smell of alcohol came straight to his face, Xiao Yunlang frowned, walked to the bed, looked at the man who hadn't recovered from the hangover, after a long time, pushed him, and said: "Sir, dinner is ready. "

The man didn't respond, Xiao Yunlang raised his voice, and said, "Master, it's time to eat—" The man suddenly stretched out his hand and waved it impatiently, Xiao Yunlang was caught off guard, and was pushed to the ground, hitting his head on the cabinet, making a "bang" sound sound.

Xiao Yunlang closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, but he didn't cry out. After a while, he stood up and went out silently.

The man lying on the bed opened his eyes the moment he closed the door.

In the evening, Xiao Yunlang went to Mrs. Zuo's house next door. He bought wine and bought two catties of cooked beef. Before leaving, he made Lin Yulan a bowl of beef noodles. Lin Yulan sat silently at the table and didn't ask him what he was doing.

The eldest brother of the Zuo family is the owner of a local dental firm. He handles all the people in the carriages, horses and houses. These two are shrewd but not philistine. They also take good care of the Lin family. This is why Xiao Yunlang trusts his house to them. reason.

The three entered the table, Brother Zuo said: "200 taels is really a pity. Although the house is in the suburbs of Beijing, the inside is rare and exquisite, but it is not convenient after all."

Xiao Yunlang gave him a lamp and asked, "Which family has taken a fancy to the house?"

Sister-in-law Zuo said: "It's a side branch of Li Shangshu's mansion, and now Li Shangshu of the Ministry of Punishment calls him his uncle, Mr. Li..."

Xiao Yunlang's hands trembled, and his brows frowned. The Zuo family couple were the best at observing words and expressions, so they couldn't help but glance at each other. Big Brother Zuo asked, "Brother Xiao is not old with the Li family?"

Xiao Yunlang hesitated for a while and said, "It's a bit inconvenient with the Li family."

The words were euphemistic, but the meaning was clear. Brother Zuo took a sip of wine and didn't say anything. Aunt Zuo said: "That's unfortunate..."

Xiao Yunlang thought about where the family needs to spend money recently, and said, "Brother, I'm really sorry for your trouble, if there are other suitable buyers, the price is also okay..."

After the meal, Xiao Yunlang went back and saw Lin Yulan sitting in the courtyard lost in thought, he couldn't help asking, "It's so cold, what are you doing sitting here?"

Lin Yulan asked, "What did you do?"

Xiao Yunlang stood there for a while, did not answer, and went into the house on his own.

When the Lin family was confiscated, only the dowry in Xiao Yunlang's name was left behind. The Xiao family in Jinjiang Bofu's family were loyal supporters of the crown prince, and Xiao Yunlang also had an old relationship with the former crown prince and the current emperor.When Xiao Yunlang was the third son of the Lin family, he was not a budget-conscious person, and his expenses were quite extravagant. Later, when something happened to the Hou family, he first attended the funeral for the old Hou, his wife and uncle of the Lin family, and also paid for the second uncle's family and the rest of the uncle who were sent to the frontier. Taking care of the family and spending a lot of money, Xiao Yunlang only has two small houses and dozens of acres of land outside the city left in his hands. The husband and wife have nothing to do with production. They have been groping for a living in the past six months, and now they are spending money. At that time, Xiao Yunlang had no choice but to sell his house in the suburbs of Beijing.

Xiao Yunlang lay on the bed after washing, his eyes were sour. When he got married, his mother felt that the Lin family had a complicated population, and she was afraid that the youngest son would be wronged. The house in the suburbs of Beijing was remote and quiet.

One year after Xiao Yunlang married, his mother died of illness. The present Mrs. Jinjiang is Xiao Yunlang's concubine's aunt.Xiao Yunlang's father, Xiao Su, was stern and unsmiling, but he was very careful with his children. After Xiao Yunlang's mother died, he didn't have much intention of continuing. It's just that it's a big uncle's house. It's not good that there is no mistress to socialize with. His mother-in-law, that is, Xiao Yunlang's grandmother, came forward to arrange for him to marry his current wife.Xiao Yunlang's two elder brothers are military officers just like his father. The eldest brother Xiao Mulang and the second brother Xiao Dulang are both unmarried. Lin Yulan and Li Guijia would rather live a hard life than be supported by his two elder brothers.

Lin Yulan is the old son of Jingchuan Hou. His eldest brother is ten years older than him. The eldest son is willing to raise the younger son.Lin Yuqing secretly supported the second prince, but Lin Yulan didn't know about it. At that time, the young couple spent their days leisurely and elegantly reading, writing, watching pictures and playing the piano.

When Xiao Yunlang was about to fall asleep in a daze, he felt a sinking beside him, and Lin Yulan also lay down, Xiao Yunlang opened his eyes, and this time he smelled of alcohol, permeating the tent. After a while, Lin Yulan said: "You want to sell that house in the suburbs of Beijing?"

"……Um."

Lin Yulan didn't speak any more.

Xiao Yunlang said calmly: "The [-]th day of the twelfth lunar month is my father's birthday, so I can't go there empty-handed. When the crop is harvested in the Zhuangzi next year, it will only be a few dozen taels of silver."

Lin Yulan looked at the top of the tent, everything was getting dark in the night, Xiao Yunlang's breathing gradually became steady, and he fell asleep slowly.

The house Xiao Yunlang and Lin Yulan are currently living in is in the most prosperous city outside the capital city, separated by a road called Qingyun Road. There are many shops on both sides of Qingyun Road, but because it is too noisy, they are not liked by the nobles. , most of the people who gather here are businessmen and well-to-do petty officials, and most of the people who live here are servants. Their neighbor Zuo's family has three or four little maids, and several of them ask the waiters to serve them.

There was no buyer for the house for the time being, so Xiao Yunlang felt a little worried, but there was nothing he could do about it. The sun came out at noon, and he sat on a small twig to wash his clothes. While rubbing a few underwear in the water, he thought about what else he could do. The way to get money, they can't just sit back and eat, and it's not a good idea to cut expenses all the time. If he does some small business, he doesn't know much about accounts, and he can't bother Brother Zuo and his wife with everything...

Xiao Yunlang was in a daze and didn't hear the footsteps until the water basin was dragged out. Lin Yulan lifted the hem of the clothes and tucked them into the belt and squatted down, dipped her hands in the water, and silently washed the clothes.

Xiao Yunlang looked at him, stood up slowly, and went to the kitchen to cook.

In the past, the Jingchuan Marquis Mansion had all kinds of fruits and vegetables stored in winter, but now their resources can no longer lead a life of what they want. Xiao Yunlang also spent a lot of money storing Chinese cabbage and radishes in the half cellar. He thought With the beginning of spring next year, it is better to reclaim a few vegetable plots in the yard and plant some spring leeks and cucumbers.

When Xiao Yunlang brought out the pork bone and radish soup, Lin Yulan was drying clothes. Pork bones were cheap, and cost a few cents a catty, but Xiao Yunlang didn't know how to choose, and he couldn't save himself from competing with big-waisted women. He bought it every time. Not good meat, he has learned to cook in the past six months, and he has practiced his skills. The pork bone and radish soup has a strong aroma. Sitting together, Lin Yulan looked up and saw Xiao Yunlang's forehead was blue, and he opened his mouth. , but did not speak.

That night, Big Brother Zuo knocked on the door suddenly, Xiao Yunlang went out, Big Brother Zuo looked a little sad, and said sadly: "Brother Xiao, I think your house must be sold."

"What's going on here?"

Brother Zuo said: "That day, some housekeepers from the Li family came to talk to me, and I said I would not sell it. Who would have thought that the housekeeper came again today, saying that Master Li liked the quietness of the house and did not need to refurbish the furniture. It’s fine before the price,” Big Brother Zuo sighed, “Although the words sound nice, you can see that they look down on us businessmen with their high-spirited looks, and they even mentioned Li Shangshu in their words.”

Xiao Yunlang frowned and said, "What should we do?"

Big Brother Zuo said: "Master Li relies on Li Shangshu, and now Li Shangshu is very popular. This Master Li is very senior. I see that if we insist on not selling it, we will suffer."

Xiao Yunlang gritted his teeth, "I can't sell the house to them."

"People have power and power..."

Xiao Yunlang suddenly let out a long sigh of relief, "Brother Zuo, I'll go to my house tomorrow to help clear it up, let's see and talk."

"...Then, your house..."

Xiao Yunlang said: "It can be regarded as knowing a few people."

"That's good, that's good..." Brother Zuo didn't really believe it. The young couple of the Lin family were struggling, and they were not like the family with powerful relatives. It's just that he himself was just a commoner, and he really couldn't offend the Li family. people.

Xiao Yunlang stayed up all night. He always thought of the days when the late emperor passed away. The father-in-law and mother-in-law, who had long since neglected their affairs, seemed to have predicted the future of the Jingchuan Hou Mansion, and committed suicide together to die for the late emperor. Following the first emperor to make great contributions, he hoped that the new emperor would let the Marquis's house go for the sake of their old husband and wife, but when the new emperor ascended the throne, it was time to establish his prestige, and the eldest son of the Lin family wanted to make friends with the prince. It was a great fortune to exterminate the three clans. After the death of the elder brother, the elder sister-in-law couldn't bear it anymore and committed suicide, leaving a pair of children and the second family in exile.

The Li family, the Li family... The Li family, like the Xiao family, are people who stand firmly behind the new emperor. The Xiao family follows martial arts, and the Li family follows literature. After the new emperor ascended the throne, the Li family put in a lot of effort , The collapse of the Lin family also has the shadow of their daily criticism.

Before Xiao Yunlang got up the next day, he heard someone knocking on the door loudly, Lin Yulan went out frowning, Xiao Yunlang suddenly felt tense and shouted: "Don't open the door!"

Lin Yulan turned around, Xiao Yunlang hesitated for a while, and said, "I'll go out."

The author has something to say:

The husband and wife who farm the fields, the people in the market, the ordinary life... that's how it is in the world.