Chapter 70 Good things are coming in the spring

Gu Youan's birthday was on the ninth day of the first lunar month. On that day, Prince Qi sent someone to invite his father-in-law, mother-in-law and their family to the palace for a banquet. The family had a great time all day, and the Gu family returned home in the evening.

By the way, Axuan, the troublesome child who had only been here for two or three days, was taken home.

Being pulled into the carriage, Ah Xuan was unhappy: "My brother-in-law is so annoying. Every time I talk to my sister for a while, he wants to kick us out. He sits with my sister without saying a word, but he insists on occupying the seat. Now he wants to kick me out!"

Mrs. Du quickly covered her mouth and said, "My little ancestor, who can say such words?"

A Xuan's eyes widened with anger, but she couldn't speak.

The Gu family's carriage slowly left Prince Qi's mansion and turned onto the street.

Duan suppressed her laughter, put her arm around Axuan's shoulders and advised, "Although you're close to An'an, your brother-in-law and your sister are husband and wife. Be good and don't make trouble with your brother-in-law, or you'll make things difficult for your sister."

Mrs. Du scolded, "Did you understand what your sister-in-law said?"

A Xuan nodded reluctantly.

Mrs. Du finally let go of her hand and lowered her voice to say a few more words to her, "If this happened in another family, they would have understood it themselves without being taught. But you, on the other hand, are telling others about it. What would happen if others heard it?"

Mrs. Duan then advised her mother-in-law, "We're not the kind of family that's willing to give in to others' pressure. We can't survive without understanding others' expressions. Our Ah Xuan is lively and lovely. It won't matter if she becomes an official a few years later. After all, our family can protect her."

"She has to grow up eventually. Who can protect her forever?"

A Xuan said confidently: "I have my sister, my eldest brother and his wife, and in the future, my nephews and nieces."

Mrs. Du pretended to hit her: "As an aunt, are you still counting on your unborn nephews and nieces to look after you?"

A Xuan hid in her sister-in-law's arms and hummed.

Duan smiled and said, "Okay, when the nephews and nieces are born, our Axuan will take good care of them and tell them to listen to you and look after you."

A Xuan looked at her mother proudly.

Mrs. Du said to Mrs. Duan, "As her sister-in-law, you should stop indulging her and take charge of her."

In other families, a daughter-in-law would be frightened and sweat coldly if her mother-in-law scolded her like this. However, this was the Gu family. Duan had already figured out her mother-in-law's temper. She smiled and said, "It's time to take care of it. Let's take it slow. Ah Xuan is not a bad child."

"well!"

In the palace, Prince Qi didn't know that Axuan was scolded by his mother-in-law. After the annoying little girl left, Prince Qi felt much more comfortable in his own room.

Look, if you want to lie on An An's lap, just lie on An An's lap. Don't worry about the little girl seeing you and causing trouble.

Gu Youan touched his stubbled chin and rubbed it slowly.

"Zhou Qi."

"Um?"

"If we have a daughter like Axuan in the future, you..." Gu Youan said with a smile, "I'm afraid you won't be able to be a father like this."

Our Prince Qi didn't reflect on why it didn't work out. He just lazily said, "First, I was her father, then she was born. If we have children in the future, you must put me before the child."

Gu Youan didn't respond.

He raised his head slightly to look at her: "Did you hear it?"

Seeing how concerned he was, Gu Youan couldn't hide his smile and decided to appease him first: "You are the head of the family, so of course I will listen to you."

Prince Qi was immediately satisfied and lay down comfortably again.

Gu Youan looked out the window and said, "This winter has been very windy and snowy. The thaw will probably be delayed this spring."

"If it's any later, it will only be early May, which won't affect spring plowing."

"Um."

Prince Qi turned over and put the man under his shoulder, smiling, "Spring is a good season. We don't have much time to rest in winter, so we should cherish it."

Gu Youan was just about to tell him he was talking nonsense, as the spring thaw was still several months away, but before she could even open her mouth, he kissed her speechlessly.

In the evening, when it was getting dark, it started snowing again in Songjiang City. People who were having fun in restaurants and teahouses dispersed and ran home.

The sky was completely dark and the streets of Songjiang City were silent, so quiet that one could almost hear the sound of snow falling.

In the dark night, a row of brightly colored lanterns under the eaves swayed in the cold wind, warm and bright.

After the ninth day of the first lunar month, it didn't snow for several days. In a blink of an eye, it was the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Relatives and friends gathered together for a lively occasion, and the new year was almost over.

On the 16th day of the first lunar month, Manager Han tried to deliver a letter to Princess Qi. He delivered the letter in the morning, and at noon a servant from Prince Qi's mansion came to his house and told him that the princess would be free the next morning and asked him to go.

"I see. Thanks for the trip."

Shopkeeper Han casually grabbed two handfuls of brand new copper coins he had exchanged for the New Year as a reward. The servant did not refuse and left with a smile.

The Han family's housekeeper personally escorted the person out the door, while the neighbors nearby were watching the fun.

"Butler Zhang, do you have guests?"

Butler Zhang said with a smile, "It's not a visitor, it's a servant from Prince Qi's palace who's here to tell my master to come to the palace tomorrow morning. The princess wants to see my master."

"Oh, it's still the first month of the year and the princess has already asked your master to go?"

"Exactly."

"I heard that those high-ranking officials were not summoned by the prince or princess before and after the New Year. Master Han still values ​​them."

Butler Zhang laughed and said, "We dare not say that. The princess must have something to tell my master when she calls him over. He is not as important as those adults."

The few families in the alley who were watching the excitement at their doorsteps were all envious. It seemed that Old Han was really valued by the princess.

Butler Zhang greeted someone at the door, and when he came in and asked the doorman to close the door, he saw his wife standing there.

"I pay my respects to the Madam."

Mrs. Han smiled and waved her hand, then left contentedly.

Housekeeper Zhang glanced at the old man who was in charge of the door, and the old man said, "Madam has been standing at the door for a while, listening to you talking to the neighbors, she looks very happy."

As soon as Butler Zhang thought about it, he knew what was going on. He laughed and went back to work.

Gu Youan knew that Manager Han wanted to ask about the caravan, so when she asked someone to notify Manager Han, she also asked someone to call Gao Jin over, and the two of them handed over the work in front of her.

After the caravan was handed over, Manager Han and Gao Jin went back. Manager Han patted Gao Jin on the shoulder and said, "Brother Gao, when you soar to the sky in the future, don't forget me, your brother."

Gao Jin just smiled and didn't say much. He went back and practiced martial arts day after day without stopping.

This is a good opportunity that I can’t ask for, and I can’t let the princess down.

Like Gao Jin, there are many people in Ping An Escort Agency, especially the women led by Guo Su, who are more ruthless than men when it comes to training.

Guo Su and her companions have been practicing martial arts since childhood. They are no worse than the men in the escort agency. However, due to their status as women, merchants think they are not strong enough and most of them will not choose them to escort. Who wouldn't be angry about this?

Now, Princess Qi has promised in person that as long as they succeed in selecting officials, she will give them a chance. Who can still sit still?

Master Guo has been very busy these days. Whenever he has time, he goes to the martial arts hall in front to take a walk and give some guidance to his adopted daughters.

In addition to giving instructions, Master Guo sometimes also gives advice.

"Guo Su, too much is as bad as too little. If you damage your body, you will have nothing left."

"Godfather, we know."

"You go and rest, we know what's going on."

"Yes, yes, you can go and have a rest, or go for a walk outside."

Master Guo was not annoyed by his adopted daughters' disdain. Instead, he turned to the side yard to look at his adopted sons. As soon as they entered, he frowned and scolded them: "Look at you, you don't even have the strength to throw a punch. Did you eat all that food and feed it to the dogs?"

"I think Susu can knock you down with just one punch."

"Humph, practice hard. If anyone slacks off, I'll beat his ass to pieces."

"Yuanchun, you better keep an eye on these brats."

After scolding, Master Guo calmed down and walked away with his hands behind his back, leaving behind a group of adopted sons who were either aggrieved or confused.

"Godfather, this is..."

"Well, practice now, and don't let your adoptive father catch you. Otherwise, even if you don't get beaten, you will get scolded."

"That's different. My adoptive father's heart has long been inclined towards Guo Su and the others."

Guo Yuanchun came out and said with a smile, "Alright, stop nagging me. Dad is doing this for your own good."

A man beside him, his arms bulging with muscles, lifted the stone lock above his head and dropped it with a thud, sending up a thin layer of dust on the ground. He wiped his sweat and said, "Boss, since the princess is willing to accept Guo Su and the others, how about we also join her?"

"Are they all going to seek refuge? Are we closing our escort agency?"

"Let's not open it. We only earn enough money to eat and wear clothes as escorts. It will definitely be more profitable to join the princess."

"That's right. Look at Gao Jin and the others. When the princess first bought them, they were as skinny as beggars on the street. Now, they are tall and strong, well-fed and well-dressed, and have more money in their pockets than us."

Really, the more I talk about it, the more envious I become.

A disciple nearby encouraged him, "Captain Escort, with your abilities, you'll definitely be selected as a military officer. Then, you can serve the princess as a first-class guard. That's a high-ranking military officer. It's a great opportunity to become an official right away. Isn't that great?"

Guo Yuanchun laughed and said, "All of you, I asked you to be selected as military officers and join the army, but you refused. So what are you doing now?"

"To be honest, the reason we didn't go is because we don't have anyone above us. If we go to the battlefield and the military merits we've fought for are taken away by others, wouldn't that be a huge loss?"

"Manager Gu and I have known each other for many years. He is one of us and can be trusted."

This was almost everyone's inner thought. Guo Yuanchun glanced at them and said, "Are you all willing? Think about it. If you are really elected, you will be under someone's supervision and won't be able to live as freely as you do now."

Everyone in the room looked at each other, and almost everyone nodded.

"It's up to me whether I go or not, but if all my brothers go, then I'll go too."

"Boss, please ask my foster father to go and ask the princess first. If it's okay, we'll go."

"Okay, since you all have this idea, I'll go ask Dad what he thinks."

Guo Yuanchun went to his father and told Master Guo what his brothers had said. Master Guo was not surprised at all. He smiled and said, "I knew those guys envied Guo Su and the others."

"Dad, what do you think about this? If the capable brothers are chosen, the rest of us might not be able to escort anymore. We have so many children to support in our escort agency. This business..."

Master Guo asked his son, "Do you want to go?"

Guo Yuanchun is still young after all, and now that he has the opportunity to move up, he is still willing to do so, but what he just said is exactly what he is worried about.

Master Guo saw what his son meant. He knocked on the table and said, "We are of low rank and have limited vision. I'll ask your uncle Gu. He may have some good ideas."

Asking Gu Wen is actually asking the princess what she thinks.

Guo Yuanchun nodded and said, "Okay."

Master Guo used to be Gu Wenqing's martial arts master, and Gu Youan also learned a lot from Master Guo. Master Guo has a deep friendship with the Gu family. Since Master Guo came to the house in person, Gu Wen naturally had to give him a warm welcome.

Master Guo: "I brought this up today mainly to find a way out for the younger generation, not to cling to the princess. The capable will rise, the inferior will fall. Princess, just follow the rules."

Having known each other for so many years, Gu Wen naturally knew Master Guo's character and the difficulties faced by Ping An Escort Agency. He said, "An An does need trustworthy personnel. An An mentioned it to me once before, but I was afraid you wouldn't agree, so I didn't mention it to you."

It was known earlier that many people in Ping'an Escort Agency loved their freedom and were unwilling to choose officials. An An was the princess, and if she took the initiative to propose incorporating Ping'an Escort Agency, it would seem like she was using her power to coerce others.

"I didn't expect that the princess had this idea a long time ago. The princess is a thoughtful person." Master Guo sighed.

Gu Wen smiled and said, "Now that you are willing, I will help you pass on a message?"

"Thank you, Brother Gu."

"Brother Guo, you're welcome."

Gu Youan was naturally happy that Master Guo had come to surrender with the Ping'an Escort Agency. She had wanted to go to the Ping'an Escort Agency in person, but Zhou Qi, who had been particularly clingy these days, wouldn't let her go out.

Gu Youan had no choice but to ask Liu Zhong to go to Ping'an Escort Agency.

"Go tell Master Guo that regardless of gender, they can go ahead and choose an official position. If they are chosen, they will naturally have a bright future."

"Don't worry if you're not selected. This year I plan to open a medicine store on West Street. All the capable guys and girls in the escort agency will go to work there. I'll definitely get their monthly salary."

Gu Youan had thought of a way out for those who were not selected by the Ping'an Escort Agency. Liu Zhong went to the Ping'an Escort Agency in person, and everyone in the agency was very happy.

The next day, the escort flag at the entrance of Ping'an Escort Agency was taken down.

Master Guo stood at the door, his hands behind his back, looking at the empty pole and sighing. Ping An Escort Agency was gone.

Several veteran escorts around Master Guo's age also stood there sighing. One with gray hair said, "Back then, we only raised the escort flag to make a living. Now that the kids are doing better, it doesn't really matter whether we open the escort agency or not."

Having said that, I still feel a little uncomfortable.

Ping An Escort Agency is a name earned by these old guys with their fists and feet.

Life always moves forward. When a few elderly people entered the door, they heard a group of young people in the yard jumping up and down like monkeys, very happy.

Master Guo smiled and said, "Forget it, forget it."

After thinking about it, the words became, okay, okay.

At first, no one noticed that the Ping'an Escort Agency's flag had been taken down. It was not until the end of April, after the thaw, that people discovered it when the merchant caravans in Songjiang City went to buy medicinal herbs and looked for familiar escort agencies to escort their goods.

"Captain Guo, why did your escort flag get taken down?"

I hadn't been to the city all winter. Just now, the owner of a small caravan from Dongyuan County came to ask about this year's escort fees. As he walked in, he smiled and said, "Could it be that your family made a lot of money last year, and you want to take a year off from escorting?"

"Not answering anymore?"

"What?"

Guo Yuanchun said with a smile, "You've made a wasted trip. We are closing down the Ping An Escort Agency and will not accept escorts from now on."

"Hey, what are you brothers going to do in the future? Are you going to be a trader like us?"

Guo Yuanchun shook his head. "That's not true. We have so many people in our escort agency to support. How can we afford to buy goods and go on business?"

"So what are you doing?"

"My brothers and I are planning to participate in the election next month. If we succeed, it will be a way to survive."

The shopkeeper was no fool and immediately said enviously, "Congratulations! Following Shopkeeper Han, your Ping An Escort Agency is also going to be prosperous."

At this time, Shopkeeper Han came over with his servant and said loudly, "Boss Guo, we've been very busy these past few days and our pharmacy is short of staff. Please find a few more skilled people to come over and help out. Everyone who goes will be paid, and those who don't work will be paid on a daily basis."

Guo Yuanchun nodded, and immediately went to the yard to pick up a few children aged twelve or thirteen and asked them to go to the pharmacy.

When Guo Yuanchun went to call for help, the shopkeeper who had just arrived started talking to Shopkeeper Han: "Shopkeeper Han, which pharmacy are you talking about? I remember the Han family's pharmacy was closed down, wasn't it?"

"I am the princess's person now, so the pharmacy I run naturally belongs to the princess." Manager Han glanced at the man and his words were really unpleasant to the ear.

"Hahaha, I just came from the county and don't know the details. Please don't be offended, Manager Han."

Manager Han didn't mind this man, and took a few young men called by Guo Yuanchun to the pharmacy.

The shopkeeper also hurriedly followed. He wanted to see what the princess's pharmacy was like and whether it could compare with the original Han family pharmacy.

It wasn't just this shopkeeper who wanted to visit the princess's pharmacy. Many shopkeepers who came to the city in the past few days had visited Gu's pharmacy.

The Gu's pharmacy is two rooms larger than the original Han's pharmacy. All kinds of medicinal materials are neatly arranged according to categories. The lobby is crowded with people coming and going to sell and buy medicine. The business is booming.

Shopkeeper Han was still outside the street. People who saw him greeted him immediately, squeezed past many people to get in front of him, and stuffed a list of medicinal herbs into his hands.

"Manager Han, we have a long-standing friendship. Please take a look at my order first."

"Hey, do you understand the rules? Why are you pushing so hard? Go line up at the back."

"It's my turn, it's my turn, everyone make way!"

Shopkeeper Han's face was as bright as a flower, and he really enjoyed being surrounded by people. Alas, ever since his father passed away, there had been division of the family and all kinds of commotion, and he, Old Han, had been squeezed out to the point that he had almost no place to stay.

Now, everything is back.

The ice in Songjiang City thawed, and people who had been hiding in their houses for a whole winter began to go out and walk around. Zhou Qi and Gu Youan went up Beishan together to sweep the tomb and burn incense for Queen Meng.

After lighting the incense and candles, Gu Youan burned paper money while saying, "We were supposed to come to visit the graves during the Qingming Festival, but the weather hadn't thawed yet, so we couldn't go up the mountain even if we wanted to. I hope you won't blame us."

Zhou Qi smiled and said, "That's fine. Every year I go up the mountain to visit my mother's grave at this time. She's used to it and won't be surprised."

Gu Youan rolled his eyes at him. She was just a new daughter-in-law trying to make small talk with her mother-in-law, why did you interrupt?

Zhou Qi kept silent. After the couple swept the tomb together, they went to Tianyi Temple to worship the gods.

"Your master, Taoist Li, is not here?"

Li Xuanyue shook his head: "After you came last winter, my master went on a long journey and his return date is uncertain."

Li Xuanyue's clear and bright eyes kept looking at Gu Youan, and Gu Youan inexplicably felt that he had something to say to her.

"What advice do you have, Taoist Master Xiao Li?"

"Your face seems different."

"What's different?" Zhou Qi asked Li Xuanyue, turning to look at An An. Her face was rosy and shiny, and she looked very good. What's different?

Li Xuanyue couldn't explain it either, because he didn't understand it. His master had taught him not to speak of things he didn't understand, lest he commit sins by speaking ill of them.

It wasn't a bad mouth. After being repeatedly questioned, Li Xuanyue just said, "It should be a good thing."

Gu Youan took Zhou Qi's hand and said with a smile: "If it's a good thing, there's no need to ask. The good thing hasn't come yet, so let's just wait."

Zhou Qi said nothing, only looking at Li Xuanyue. Li Xuanyue nodded affirmatively: "It's a good thing, Princess is right. Wait a minute, maybe I will see it clearly in a few days."

"Okay, I'll come up the mountain again when I have some free time. I'll ask Taoist Xiao Li to help me take a look."

The eight-year-old child immediately laughed.

After paying their respects to the gods, the couple had a vegetarian meal at the temple as usual before leaving the mountain. On the way down, Zhou Qi said, "Tomorrow I'm going to the Northeast Army, and I'll leave all the family affairs to you."

"Well, go ahead. Take care of yourself outside. I'll take care of Prince Qi's mansion inside and outside."

"Just now, if Li Xuanyue says anything else, you must write to me."

Some things are better to believe than not to believe. In Zhou Qi's mind, the Taoists of Tianyi Temple still have some inexplicable abilities.

"I know."

Zhou Qi is leaving tomorrow, so he specially invited the Gu family to a banquet at the palace tonight. Not for anything else, but just hoping that his father-in-law and mother-in-law can take better care of An An when he is away.

Zhou Qi could think so carefully, he must have her in his heart. Gu Youan was deeply moved, and her reaction to being moved was that the couple was tossed in the water that night and cried for water three times.

At dawn in the morning, Zhou Qi was about to leave. He put on his clothes and went back to see her again. When his hand touched her face, she was obviously sleeping soundly, but she subconsciously avoided it, muttering to herself, "Enough, enough, I've been drained."

Zhou Qi laughed for a while, then he led his men on horseback and left Songjiang City.

After Prince Qi left, the merchant caravans in Songjiang City were almost ready and estimated to be able to set off in a few days.

On the eighth day of May, Uncle Du and Du Qing brought the Du family to Songjiang City.

The Du family all knew that Gu Youan had become a princess, so they did not go to Prince Qi's Mansion, but went to the Gu family in Minren Lane first. The Gu family sent someone to Prince Qi's Mansion to report, and only then did Gu Youan know about it.

"Liu Zhong, tell someone to prepare a welcoming banquet. This princess will entertain guests at noon."

"Yes, I'll go right away."

"Hey, wait."

Liu Zhong stopped again and waited for the princess's instructions.

Gu Youan said lazily, "I've been impatient to eat greasy food these days. Put more light-flavored dishes in front of me at noon, and don't put heavy fish and meat in front of me."

"Yes, I've made note of it."

Liu Zhong left. Gu Youan put the book on the table, turned around and lay down on the Arhat couch under the window. A gentle spring breeze blew in through the window, and he fell asleep in a moment.

Afraid that her master would catch a cold, Xiaoyue quietly took a blanket and covered the princess with it before leaving.

Xiaoyue went out and asked Xiaoju: "I remember that the master had a good appetite a few days ago. He ate a fish by himself, and the next day he ordered pheasant soup pot and roast duck. Why did he lose his appetite in the past two days?"

Xiaoju didn't know either. She asked, "Did you eat too much the past few days? That's why you've only been eating light meals these past two days?"

Xiaoyue had a feeling that something was wrong, but she couldn't tell what was wrong.

Zheng Er's wife asked hurriedly, "The master changed his clothes a few days ago last month. Has he changed his clothes in the past two days?"

Xiaoyue and Xiaoju both shook their heads.

Xiaoyue said, "The princess's date is not very accurate. She may be a few days late or early." "That's strange."

Zheng Er's wife had originally wondered if the princess was pregnant, but she didn't dare to speak nonsense. She simply said, "Take good care of her these past few days. If her period doesn't come in a few days, call a doctor."

"That's all we can do for now."

Gu Youan slept deeply and didn't wake up until noon. Now the guests had arrived, and Xiaoju hurried into the room to wake the princess up.

When Gu Youan woke up, her head felt dizzy and she didn't feel well. She touched her forehead and found no fever, so it wasn't a symptom of a cold.

When Xiaoju saw the princess touching her forehead, she also touched it and then touched her own forehead.

Xiaoyue brought water for washing her face and asked, "How is it?"

"The princess is fine."

Gu Youan sat in front of the mirror to put on makeup, her face was pale and rosy. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled, she was indeed feeling very well.