Troubled times: Start practicing spiritual practice by taking care of your sister-in-law

"who?"

"Zhaodi, it's me, Dai Ling."

"Uncle Ling? Why are you here?"

It was Dai Tu's wife Huang who opened the door, but she only opened the door a crack and did not invite Dai Ling in.

After all, her husband was not at home, so she and her son were the only ones at home. Even if Dai Ling was her husband's clan elder, it would not be appropriate to let him come into the house late at night.

"Zhao Di, has Dai Tu come back?" Dai Ling also understood, so he stood outside the door and started chatting with Mr. Huang.

Mrs. Song shook her head, and then sighed and said: "My husband went to Huaizhou to take the exam in mid-January, and he hasn't returned yet. There is no letter back for so long, which makes me really worried."

"You haven't come back yet? But the provincial examinations in the four prefectures have already passed, and the results have been released a long time ago. The general examination will be in March next year." Dai Ling said.

"That is to say, I heard that there was still a war in Huaizhou before. Many people died and the roads were blocked. It's almost the Chinese New Year and I haven't come back yet. If my husband is out of town, how can we, the two of us, survive?" As she spoke, Huang also wiped away tears. She had not heard from her husband for such a long time, how could she not be worried.

Suddenly, Mrs. Huang thought of something: "Uncle Ling, why did you suddenly ask about your husband? My aunt said before that you went to Qingzhou. Did you hear something about your husband on the way back?"

"This" Dai Ling thought about it for a while and said, "Zhao Di, this is a long story. Come to my uncle's house. Your aunt is also here. It's convenient for us to talk slowly."

"Uncle, please wait a moment, I'll talk to Feng'er," Huang said.

Dai Ling nodded.

Dai Ling's family.

In the living room, the lights were dim.

Dai Ling's wife Wang was also nearby, pouring a cup of tea for Huang.

The people at the bottom are not so particular. If a guest comes, they just pour a bowl of water and that's it.

That is to say, Dai Ling is a foot trader and his family is relatively wealthy.

"Uncle Ling, has something happened to my husband?" Huang said a little uneasily. She was not in the mood to drink the tea that Wang poured for her, holding it in both hands.

She knew that this uncle was a man who would go to the Three Treasures Palace for everything.

Now that he had just arrived home and had come looking for him at night, how could he not let her think too much.

"Zhao Di, you have tea." Dai Ling sat down opposite Huang and said immediately: "When I was doing business in Qingzhou this time, I saw a man in Pingting County who looked like Dai Tu, even the mole on his face. It's the same, but when I asked him, he told me that he didn't know me and said that he was from Cangzhou. "

"I'm afraid you really made a mistake. I heard from the master in the village that candidates from the south can only go to Huaizhou and Linzhou to take the exam, while only candidates from the north can go to Qingzhou and Yuzhou to take the exam.

Tu Geer is from Yanzhou and belongs to the south. He failed to take the exam in Qingzhou. " Wang said.

"You women have long hair and short knowledge. Do you know what it means to have policies from above and countermeasures from below?"

Dai Ling, who travels all over the country, is naturally more knowledgeable than someone like Wang who stays at home all day long. People from the south can only take the exam in the south, and people from the north can only take the exam in the north. There are too many loopholes that can be exploited. .

Wang didn't understand.

Dai Ling explained: "The world is so chaotic now, especially with so many people fleeing in the north. Household registrations in many counties have been lost. It is difficult to find relevant certificates. It is even more difficult to verify the yamen in the four states."

Wang still doesn’t understand.

Huang said from the side: "Auntie, what your uncle means is that even if you fabricate an identity for yourself out of thin air, it will be difficult for the government offices in the four states to verify the authenticity of this identity."

Huang's family background is low, but her natal family is not poor. Her father does some small business in the county and is a businessman among scholars, farmers, and merchants.

The fact that Dai Tu could afford to study and the expenses incurred on the way to take the exam were all provided by Huang's father.

Mrs. Wang understood something now, and immediately asked doubtfully: "In this case, why doesn't Brother Tu recognize you?"

Wang looked at Dai Ling.

Dai Ling pondered for a while, and then said: "There cannot be two people who look exactly the same in this world. I am now sure that the Mr. Guo I met in Qingzhou is Dai Tu."

"Mr. Guo?" Wang was stunned.

"It's the identity Tu Geer fabricated in Qingzhou. He was also the top candidate in the Qingzhou Township Examination. The reason why he didn't recognize me was probably because he was worried that I would expose his true identity. After all, there was someone else next to him at the time." After saying that, he came to his senses. Dai Ling wanted to give himself a few slaps. He should have thought of it at that time.

If he goes to find Dai Tu alone, he will definitely recognize him.

"First place in the Qingzhou Township Examination?" Huang was shocked.

"Does No. 1 mean first place?" Wang said.

Huang nodded.

Mrs. Wang grabbed Mr. Huang's hand and said excitedly: "Zhao Di, Brother Tu has made his mark. Now you and Xiaofeng can be the wife and young master of the county."

The notice issued by the four prefectures that "you can become an official if you pass the exam" has been talked about by the people.

But Huang was not very happy. She looked at Dai Ling and said: "Since my husband has faked his identity and is still the first in the Qingzhou Provincial Examination, then it will be difficult for Feng'er and I to recognize him. If If we expose his identity, then I will be the sinner of the Dai family. "

Mr. Huang became worried.

On the one hand, she also wanted to be the wife of the county magistrate.

On the other hand, she was afraid that when she got to know each other, her husband's identity would be exposed. If the yamen came to investigate, it would really harm her husband.

As soon as these words came out, the living room suddenly became quiet.

After Dai Ling thought about it, his eyes lit up and he said, "I have a way."

"What's the solution?" Wang said.

"Move and make the fake become real." The more Dai Ling talked, the more he thought this approach was feasible. He said to the two of them: "When I was in Qingzhou, I heard from the waiter of Fuze Restaurant that the counties in the north were encouraging the people who had fled to return, not only giving them land, but also tax exemption and re-registering their household registration.

As long as we move to Cangzhou and register as Cangzhou's household registration, then we can recognize Dai Tu openly."

"Ah? Move to Cangzhou? How far is it?" Wang said.

"I haven't been there, and I don't know for the time being, but I guess it will take several months to get there." Dai Ling said.

"Are we going too?" Wang rubbed her hands.

"Of course. When Tuge'er becomes an official in the north, he will definitely need someone to help him deal with some trivial matters in life. I am his uncle and you are his aunt, which is perfect."

Dai Ling did not say these words. As the saying goes, if one person succeeds, all his family members will benefit. If Dai Tu becomes an official, he, as his uncle, will definitely benefit from it. Maybe he can even raise the reputation of his family. He must get closer.

Thinking of this, Dai Ling's tone became more intimate, and he said to Huang: "Zhao Di, when we arrive in Cangzhou, remember to let Xiaofeng change his surname to Guo, so as not to be exposed."

"Uncle Ling, is it really okay for us to do this?" Huang hesitated.

"Zhao Di, don't you want to be the wife of the county magistrate? Then your father can also benefit from it, and Xiaofeng can also marry a good family in the future. Why not?"

Speaking of this, Dai Ling began to admonish: "Zhao Di, don't tell others about this. Go back and discuss it with your father, and move there as soon as possible. Maybe you can see Tu Ge'er pass the examination."

The next morning, Huang Zhao Di hurried to her father's house and told her father about it.

When Huang's father knew about it, he was so happy that he said several times, "I know Tu Ge'er has a promising future."

"Move, let's move now, I will go to Dai Ling's house first and have a good talk with him." Huang's father decided to move without any consideration.

You know, although Huang's father has a little money, he lives a rather depressed life. He is not a big businessman, but a small businessman.

Every now and then, some strong men come to his house to ask for money.

If he goes to the government, the officials in the yamen will take the opportunity to blackmail him.

Now that he has a son-in-law who is an official as a backer, he can't wait to fly over there.

…

Qingzhou, Pingting County.

Dai Tu has already moved to Zhang's house.

Of course, this was not proposed by Dai Tu, but by Zhang He. Dai Tu refused twice in a row and agreed only the third time.

And the reason why Zhang He let "Guo Xian" live in his house was to better observe him.

In the past two months, Zhang He was very satisfied with "Guo Xian".

Not only was his conversation elegant, but his behavior was also generous.

During the time he lived in Zhang's house, he always kept the distance between men and women.

Not only did he not live together before marriage, he didn't even hold hands or hug each other.

He was also very polite and courteous to others, without the high-handedness of the first place in the provincial examination.

Zhang He's subordinates were very envious and praised him for finding a good son-in-law.

And Zhang He's daughter Zhang Zhu was also very satisfied with her fiancé.

In her eyes, her fiancé is not only elegant in conversation, but also humorous.

He also wrote poems for her.

The gifts he gave her were also very satisfying.

As if he knew what she wanted.

In the Zhang family's study.

"My dear son-in-law, there has just been a victory report from the front. Duke Anguo has won another great victory and captured Chongzhou. In my opinion, Duke Anguo should continue to march south to fight. If so, he may not be able to come back before the imperial examination."

Zhang He has already called "Guo Xian" his dear son-in-law. He had promised him that he would invite Duke Anguo to preside over the wedding ceremony for the two of them after the imperial examination next year. Now it seems that he is afraid of breaking his promise.

"But don't worry, dear son-in-law. If it doesn't work after the imperial examination, then we can get married a few months later. I will definitely invite Duke Anguo to preside over the wedding ceremony for you and Zhu'er." Zhang He promised.

"Big things are important. I will listen to my father-in-law." Dai Tu said.

"Hey, you can listen to me on some things, but not on everything. I'm a rough man. As a man, you still have to have your own opinions." Zhang He patted Dai Tu on the shoulder.

Dai Tu was sensible and didn't respond.

"Work hard, and give me more strength in the next year's examination. Now that Duke Anguo has taken Chongzhou, most of the world is in the hands of Duke Anguo. There are rumors that Duke Anguo will definitely become the emperor in the future, and if you can become the first Jinshi in the imperial examination held by Duke Anguo, you will definitely have a bright future.

Maybe I will have to rely on you a lot in the future."

"My father-in-law, you are too kind. This fate has not even started yet."

...

Linzhou, Xiangyang.

Duke Anguo's Mansion.

The sunset dyed the western sky red, and the cold wind was blowing.

Most of the girls in the mansion have changed into jackets and skirts.

In the hall in the backyard.

There are two braziers in the center of the hall.

Ning Wan was wearing a green cheongsam with a very short slit, which only opened at the calf, and black stockings on her feet.

She had a jacket draped over her shoulders, covering her upper arms and leaving only her lower arms exposed.

She had a plump figure, but also looked slim, very sexy.

Her face was slightly red, and she smiled and said to Wu Mi and the others: "This outfit I'm wearing is selling like hot cakes at Yimeiyisi.

And what Qing Wu said was absolutely right. Those very revealing clothes were also sought after by brothels. Just a little bit of fabric, which cost five taels of silver, was all sold out. "

"Sister, this body is so sexy." Xiao Yunxi said, walking in small steps to Ning Yuan, walked around the soft-bodied beauty a few times, then touched her again, and said with a smile: "Husband, come back. If you see it, you won’t be able to put it down.”

Ning Wan's gorgeous cheeks reflected in the firelight in the hall were as red as clouds, bright and moving, and she said softly: "My sister is the most beautiful woman in Jiangnan. If she were to wear it, she would definitely be much prettier than me."

While the two women were talking, Xia Zhiqing walked in and walked towards Wu Mi who was at the head: "Sister Mi, Sister An, the supervisory guard just came to report that your husband had another great victory in the front and captured Chongzhou. The king fled without a fight. Now people are saying that my husband is the son of destiny."

With that said, he gave the letter to Wu Mi.

When Chen Mo drove King Huai to Chongzhou, there were rumors that Chen Mo was the son of destiny.

But recently, as Chen Mo's territory has expanded, more and more people have spread this rumor and believed it.

After Wu Mi read it, he said: "This is not a good thing for my husband. It will only attract more jealousy. It seems that General Shao should be asked to send more troops and strengthen patrols outside the house.

I also have to write a letter back to my family and ask them to send some experts over. "

As the saying goes, if the trees are beautiful in the forest, the wind will destroy them.

Xia Zhiqing nodded and said: "By the way, Sister Mi, didn't Yanzhou send a letter before saying that Mr. Yang of Shu Mansion would send his daughter to Xiangyang? Counting the time, she should be on the way now. Should we send someone there? Take it?"

Hearing this, Wu Mi pondered for a moment and said: "No need for now, wait until we have the confirmation. But we can clean up the room first."

…

Late December.

New Year's Eve.

King Chong arrived in Luonan and was received by Lu Sheng personally.

After the reception banquet, King Chong found Lu Sheng alone and said, "Xiang Lu, what are your plans now? Now that Chen Mo has captured Chongzhou, the next step is the land of Hexi, and the next step is Luonan.

And the nobles of the noble families in Hexi will definitely not go against Chen Mo. When Chen Jun arrives, he can only surrender. If you just sit back and watch his power expand step by step, even if you can find a way, the chance of a comeback will be slim. . "

Lu Sheng didn't say much, but gave King Chong a pamphlet.

"What's this?"

"Lingran Xuan Gong, a secret method that temporarily enhances strength. My lord, hurry up and practice it." Lu Sheng said.

"That's all?" King Chong asked with a frown.