The husband's son-in-law

At this time, Wang Jian could no longer be called a steward. Everyone in Zhaozhou called Boss Wang, and even went to the two counties. Some people called him a big merchant, which shows that Wang Jian has experienced and capable in the past few years.

"I'm in charge when I'm in front of the boss." Wang Jian smiled childishly, which is rare to see.

The same is true for Li Zhouzhou. He saw Wang Jian as a junior raised by himself, with a smile on his face and a bit of kindness in his eyes, and said: "I have read your letters in the past few years, and everything in the letters has been agreed. Now look at you and me." I believe it."

There may be ups and downs, setbacks and difficulties, but Wang Jian can overcome them. At this time, his face is the same as before, his eyes are clear, and his temperament is confident and introverted. Those who did not hit Wang Jian were all helped by Wang Jian.

"Yes, everything is fine, it's no big deal." Wang Jian smiled openly and said frankly, "Boss, don't worry about me."

"I'm here to pick you up. I came here on horseback when I first heard the news. I sent someone to pass the news to Brother Lin and Brother Yu. They must have heard the news of your return in Zhaozhou City by now."

Li Zhouzhou nodded, and then remembered that Li Jinyi was still there. He chatted with Wang Jian happily for a long time, and forgot about Mr. Li. At this time, he introduced: "Wang Jian, this is Mr. Li Jinyi from the Ministry of Maritime Commerce."

"Shang Wang Jian of Zhaozhou has met Mr. Li." Wang Jian bowed to him with a straight face when he heard that.

Li Jinyi has not been to Zhaozhou yet, but he has seen different styles of the capital several times, and he can think about why the young master Li Zhaoxi in Gu Ge's hometown is so different. Zhaozhou has a good atmosphere.

"Boss Wang is so polite." Li Jinyi said politely.

Wang Jian smiled and was not very polite. He just said: "Master Li has worked hard all the way, and he will arrive in Zhaozhou in about half a day. This year's coconuts just come down. You can taste our Zhaozhou flavor."

"Coconut chicken." Li Zhouzhou thought about it and missed it, and explained to Li Jinyi: "When my husband was working in Zhaozhou, he loved this dish. The taste is light and the chicken is tender."

Now Li Jinyi was also curious and said that he had to give it a try.

No more talking along the way, it was too late on the way, and there was an inn not far from the road, Wang Jian knocked on the door familiarly, asked for a room, and then hurriedly washed with hot water and took a short break for a few hours.

"This inn didn't exist before." Li Zhouzhou sighed.

Wang Jian said: "There are a lot of businessmen going back and forth from Zhaozhou to Jiting, and some people have opened inns. Sometimes the city gates are not opened when you drive at night. It's better to rest here for an hour, and then go on the road after dark. The door is open, no time is wasted, and you can take a nap and rest, and have the energy to talk directly."

"Not only Zhaozhou Tongjiting, but also several other lines. There is a post station on the Minzhang side."

Because rubber belongs to the government and the public, whether it is food, weapons, flint, etc., it is transported to Rongzhou on this wagon wheel, because it is fast.

It was indeed convenient for Li Zhouzhou to nod, it was better than arriving early and waiting outside the city gate to open the city gate.

Wang Jian will seize the time.

After resting for less than two hours, Wang Jian knocked on the door. Li Zhouzhou slept with his clothes on. He had a light sleep. After hearing the knock on the door, he tidied up and had breakfast, two rice balls made with meat.

"It's been a long time since I ate this, but Fubao loves this at home." Li Zhouzhou said while holding a rice ball wrapped in big leaves.

Wang Jian smiled and said, "Has the boss Fu Bao grown up?"

"Long, almost as tall as you."

"It's good to grow taller."

In the chatting room, everyone arrived and got on the horse. There were not so many procrastinating formalities. From getting up to getting on the horse, Li Jinyi looked at these merchant teams.

Such a team is managed by a brother.

Li Jinyi finally understood why Master Gu and Boss Li would recommend a brother to be a big merchant on a merchant ship.

After a rest, continue on the road. It was still dark in the morning, and it was cool against the wind. When we arrived outside the city gate of Zhaozhou, the sun was rising on the other side of the sky, a piece of orange, and the city gate slowly opened.

The time is just right.

It's Zhaozhou again.

Li Zhouzhou looked at the gate of Zhaozhou City, and his eyes were full of nostalgia. After he rode his horse and entered, some people in the city came out to welcome them, and some merchants took the lead, calling Boss Li, do you want to have breakfast? Boss, you are back, holding gifts of food and drink in your hands.

Seeing this, Li Jinyi's eyes turned red for some reason, he was very moved.

The people of Zhaozhou welcomed Boss Li in such a simple way. It can be seen that when Gu Ge and Boss Li were in Zhaozhou, they must have done a lot of good things for the people of Zhaozhou, which made the people so grateful for the welcome.

Now that he is in an official position, he hopes that one day he will also be sincerely loved by the people.

The plaque of Loei Mansion is still the same.

The door of the mansion opened, Brother Lin and Brother Yu, including Li Xia and Li Chun, all arrived, Brother Lin was holding the hand of his son Yuan Bao, Yuan Bao was six years old this year, Brother Yu was holding the other, and Hou Tong hugged him next to him. got one.

Li Zhouzhou got off his horse, and the eyes of all the people waiting were red.

"Why are everyone's eyes red?" Li Zhouzhou got off his horse and looked at the crowd. Everyone has changed, but not much. There are signs of aging on their appearance, but the temperament in their eyes is more complete. One look shows that life has passed be comfortable.

"Is it Yuanbao? Grandpa, look, it's been a long time." Li Zhouzhou touched Yuanbao's head, "When I came, your uncle missed you, told me that he saw you, and he will definitely kiss him you."

Yuan Bao was originally a little skeptical, but when he heard it now, his smiling face was embarrassed, and he obediently called him Grandpa.

"Yuan Bao kisses Grandpa." Li Zhouzhou knelt down to tease the child.

Yuan Bao kissed Grandpa on the cheek, and Li Zhouzhou smiled and said, "Good Yuan Bao." Then he looked at Brother Yu and Hou Tong, "This is a succession of happy events. I heard about it in the letter. Let me take a look at the child."

Brother Yu couldn't conceive for a long time before, but later he had an older boy, and after two years, he became pregnant again. The eldest is four years old this year, and the one in his arms is only one and a half years old, a younger sister.

Li Zhou fell in love with him at the first sight. This little girl looks like Brother Yu, with delicate features, and the eldest looks like Hou Tong. She is handsome.

Li Chun and Li Xia next to him brought their children. Li Chun brought Li Xia's children. Li Xia adopted two younger brothers.

Li Zhouzhou helped him up, "I don't kowtow anymore, I know you are good children, I know what you want." He said to Li Xia Lichun seriously: "You two don't kowtow, I'll come back to see that you are doing well."

Reminiscing at the door, their eyes were red, Li Xia was choked up and weeping, his eldest son handed a handkerchief to his father to wipe his tears, and the youngest son also coaxed his father, all of them were obedient and filial.

"Okay, daddy won't cry anymore, daddy is happy." Li Xia wiped away tears and smiled.

Li Zhouzhou was also happy for Li Xia, and asked Li Chun, Li Chun knew what the boss meant, with a cheerful smile in his eyes, and said: "The sixteen children in the poorhouse, big and small, are all my children."

The poorhouse is Li Chun's home, and those children who are abandoned are Li Chun's children.

Others get married, start a business, marry and have children, here in Li Chun she has her own persistence and happiness.

Li Zhouzhou nodded and said yes, "It's a good thing to have a prosperous family. I will give your children red envelopes later."

"Then I will thank the boss for the children." Li Chun was happy and did not refuse.

After entering the mansion and sitting down, I didn't chat much about family affairs. Brother Lin invited Brother Yu to go to his yard. The child got up early and would be sleepy, so go to his place to sleep for a while.Li Chunli Xia knew that the boss had business to do when he came back, so he didn't dare to delay, so he went back first.

The entire main courtyard was what Li Zhouzhou was when he left, and what he was when he came back.

Brother Lin has been living in the yard when he got married.

At this moment in the main hall, Li Zhouzhou, Wang Jian and Li Jinyi were sitting together talking about the purpose of coming back this time, Wang Jian listened intently, his eyes became brighter and brighter, and then firmly said solemnly: "Boss, Master Li, I am willing to go. "

"It's still an old saying, don't rush to make a decision, think carefully."

Wang Jian thought of something, and finally did not say it again, but nodded and said: "Boss, I will think about it carefully."

"Yeah." Li Zhouzhou looked at Wang Jian more after hearing this.

After talking about business in the morning, everyone sat together again at lunchtime.Li Zhouzhou knew that Li Jinyi was afraid of restraint, so he let Mr. Li do what he wanted. Li Jinyi smiled and said, "I heard about Zhaozhou when I was in Jiting. Now that I am in Zhaozhou, I want to go to the street to have a look."

Wang Jian sent Mr. Li out of the yard.

Meals were served in the main hall, Brother Lin and Brother Yu arrived with their children, and they sat down to eat together, now let's talk about the daily routine in detail.

My wife was ill last winter, and teacher Sun Mu took her back to Chuzhou and has been recovering from her illness.

Li Zhouzhou asked: "Is the situation serious? Has Xiaotian seen it?"

"It was originally a cold, but it brought back old illnesses. Dr. Xiaotian said that it can only be taken care of slowly." Wang Jian said.

Sun Mingyuan passed away early. The couple experienced the pain of bereavement, each of them was depressed for a long time, and then slowly let it go. On the surface, they were fine, but they had been suffering for a long time, and they were getting older, and they were really sick all of a sudden.

No one wrote to them about such a big event.

"Master Sun won't let us talk about it," Brother Lin said.

Li Zhouzhou remembered it in his heart, and wanted to go to Chuzhou when he went back to visit his teacher and wife in person.

After a meal, there was a lot of excitement for a long time, and the separation in the past few years was not unfamiliar.Meng Jianyun was still the same, when he became a general, he would come back every few months, or Wang Jian would go to Rongzhou on business and send Brother Lin and his son to live together for a few days.

There is a general's mansion in Rongzhou.

Hou Tong and Yu Geer have nothing to say, the young couple has been mixing oil for so many years, the child has a child, and sometimes the child is noisy, Yu Geer's temper can't stand it, who knows that Hou Tong is not impatient at all, After coaxing the child and still coaxing Brother Yu, Brother Yu couldn't stand it anymore.

Husband and wife love each other.

Now the eldest son is playing well with Yuan Bao, and the two families are walking close together.

After eating, the children couldn't sit still, and they would be tired and sleepy after playing. The servants took them down to sleep for a while, and there were only adults left in the room. Hou Tong said he went to see the children.

"Wang Jian, are you hiding something from me?" Li Zhouzhou asked suddenly.

Brother Lin and Brother Yu were startled at first, it can be seen that father/cousin was smiling when he spoke, so he was not serious and angry, and immediately thought of something, they all looked at Wang Jian.

Wang Jian: ...

Wang Jian couldn't pretend to be calm, his ears were a little red, and finally said: "Not necessarily." After he finished this sentence, he became firmer, "Boss, I want to go to sea, and I don't want to do anything else."

That is really there.

Although Li Zhouzhou was curious, but Wang Jian made such a choice—going first in the sea, nodded, and just said: "No matter what, it's better to have a clear heart, and it would be better to have both."

"It's impossible to have both." Wang Jian knew it was impossible, so he didn't want to, and changed the subject to chat about Beijing.

Seeing Wang Jian like this, Li Zhouzhou had no choice but to not mention it.

Later, I found out from Brother Lin why Wang Jian said that it was impossible to have both. It turned out that the other party was a young general or an old acquaintance. After Yi was defeated and became two counties, Wang Hu was sent to garrison there. Wang Jian went to the two counties to do business and was targeted by the local old clan.

It is said that there is not much affection, and there is no horoscope.

Brother Dan Lin said: "...My elder brother and I have been together for so long, and we can still distinguish between those who don't care about ordinary friends and those who have a heart."

But Wang Jian is firm in his ambitions for business and himself. Even if he has a little friendship in his heart, if there is a choice, he will definitely choose the former.On the other hand, due to the influence of the original family, Wang Jian was a concubine. His father married wives and took concubines when he had a little money, and even lingered in the place of fireworks outside. His mother was also favored and loved, but Once the fresh air is over, you have to guard a yard alone.

Wang Jian was afraid because he didn't believe in getting married, even if there were examples of happiness around him, but Wang Jian thought that he was not so lucky to meet such a person, and he had ambitions and didn't want to Trapped in the back house.

Later, I was moved when I met him, and I was afraid to take this step.

Wang Hu is now a military general of the sixth rank, a small general with an official rank, how can he wait for him to come back from overseas?The return date is uncertain. Wang Jian is 28 this year. When he comes back——

That's it.

After Li Zhouzhou finished listening, he said to Wang Jian: "This trip to sea is approved by the Holy Majesty, and there will be official people. If you are interested, I will ask General Wang—"

"No boss, I only had some friendship with him, but now it's nothing more." Wang Jian said frankly, "Don't bother me."

When Li Zhouzhou heard about it, he had no choice but to give up.Maybe Wang Jian really doesn't have that deep affection for Wang Hu, it's all because he thinks too much.

After deciding to go to sea as a big businessman, the next step is to practice and prepare, and the time is set for departure next autumn.

In August, Li Jinyi returned to Liangzhe by boat with Zhaozhou merchants, and Li Zhouzhou traveled by land to Chuzhou.At this time, the cement road has almost been repaired, and it is convenient to go there.

When I arrived at Sun's house in Chuzhou, I visited the teacher's wife. The teacher's wife looked sick, and the teacher was much thinner.

The husband and wife were pleasantly surprised to see Li Zhouzhou's arrival, and there were smiles on their faces. Hearing the plan of the Maritime Ministry of Commerce, Sun Mu sighed: "I am old, and I don't know what is on the other side of the sea. It's a good thing that you are young and courageous." He was not sure about what he said.

"Msanggong said it was good." Li Zhouzhou said.

Bai Yin nodded, "It's good, when will you be back?"

Li Zhouzhou said he didn't know, maybe a year or more.Bai Yin heard the words and said, "I only hope to see this day..."

"Master, don't say these words, your body will recover slowly."

"It's rare for ordinary people to see all kinds of things in Zhaozhou in old age. You don't have to worry about Zhou Zhou, everyone is mortal." Bai Yin said.

Sun Mu's face was also relieved.

Seeing this, Li Zhouzhou only hoped that the fleet that went out to sea could return safely as soon as possible, and that teachers and wives could see the good news.

In September, Li Zhouzhou went to the Zhejiang and Zhejiang Maritime Trade Department.

Hearing the belated news, on Fengzhou side, the Holy One is always invincible, the territory of Dali has been drawn around to the country of Hui, and it has grown a lot, while in Rongzhou, Meng saw that Yun was unstoppable, and Fan Kingdom surrendered several times to discuss peace. The chief minister of Beijing gave the order, and the empress stamped it.

Discord, fight.

Most of the officials in the court were dissatisfied. After all, they fought for several years, and there was no mention of the emperor's personal conquest in Fengzhou. Wouldn't the combination of the Fan kingdoms ruin this great situation again?

Everyone wants to be safe and not to fight. Naturally, some officials use this incident to attack Mr. Gu Ge and the empress. In all dynasties, how can there be an empress who interferes in politics?Still a brother to be a queen.

Gu Zhao was subdued by means of two or three tricks—on the surface.Some people spread in private that there were so many complaints, that Gu Ge's old skills were too tough, and that the queen would ruin Dali's foundation sooner or later.

Because Li Zhouzhou had not been in Beijing for several months, Gu Zhao was also a bit cold and hard. He should be caught in the face of these public opinions, and those who should be demoted were transferred outside, so the whole reputation trend changed.

In the past, Mr. Gu Ge was benevolent, loving, sympathetic to the people, fair, etc., but now when he mentions Mr. Gu Ge, he has replaced it with something less positive, like killing and killing—although Gu Zhao didn’t order to kill him. officer.There are also ruthless, cruel, and power-holding.

It's almost enough to say that Gu Zhao is a treacherous and sycophantic minister.

Faced with this situation, Gu Zhao did not change his face, and said: "The power struggle in Beijing is naturally caused by intrigues and turmoil. The evaluation of me at this time will be different in a few years, and it will be different in a hundred years. There are different opinions. , As long as I am in this position, I am not ashamed of my heart, I am not ashamed of the people of Dali, and I am not ashamed of my sage and empress.”

In Yong Shuang Hall, Rong Ye opened the family letter.

The letter was sent back by Li Wubing, and it began with: Haha Dali Foundation?These old things really think that you and I care about this, I can't wait for Dali to change his face...

Then talk about the other side.

After reading the letter, Rong Ye originally wanted to burn it. The above remarks are not good for Fourteen's reputation. If it spreads in the future——

But does Fourteen care?Does he care?

At that time, they all went, why should they care about the comments of later generations?

This letter was still put away and put in the bookcase at home.

Until the end of the year, the weather turned cold, and Li Zhouzhou, who had been on a business trip for more than half a year, was finally going back to Beijing.In the past few days, the cold-faced and stern old Gu Ge always had a smile on his face at work, and his expression was quite amiable, scaring the cabinet staff so that they dared not make any mistakes.

... always feel more terrible.

Everyone is afraid when Mr. Gu Ge is serious and serious at work, and even more afraid when he laughs.

As everyone knows, Gu Ge is always really happy because his family Zhou Zhou is coming back.