Hearing the shout, the woman wiped her tears, walked quickly to the back kitchen door, picked up the large wooden basin full of bowls and dishes, came to the well, and quickly picked up the bucket to fetch water to wash the dishes.
The woman who was scraping fish with a knife nearby saw that her eyes were red and she didn't say anything, so she asked hurriedly, "Qiao Niang, what's wrong? Did someone give you trouble again?"
The woman called Qiao Niang sniffed and said nothing.
The woman who was scraping the fish was about to stand up with the knife in her hand: "I'm going to scrape off a layer of his skin!"
"Sister-in-law of the Qi family..." Qiao Niang raised her hand and pressed the arm of the woman opposite her, saying angrily, "Stop teasing me."
Of course the woman would not really take the knife to scratch anyone; the two of them were just chatting and joking around, trying to have fun despite the misery.
Qiao Niang then spoke and talked about what had just happened.
The fish-killing woman cursed a few times, but finally sighed: "...But how can it be so difficult to make a living by your own ability?"
"Yes, it's really difficult." Qiao Niang lowered her head while washing dishes, and said, "It's difficult to go out, and it's also difficult to stay at home... Ever since Nannan's father died, I've been a widow with a daughter, and I've received a lot of bad words at home. It's difficult anyway, but I'd rather go out and have a hard time, at least I can get money!"
When she said the last sentence, Qiao Niang smiled bitterly but relievedly: "The day before yesterday, I got my monthly allowance, so I went to the butcher's shop and bought half a pound of leg meat. I also cut a new skirt for Nannan. Nannan was so happy that she even held me in her arms when she went to sleep."
She washed the dishes quickly and cleanly. When she talked about her daughter, the bitterness disappeared: "Sister-in-law Qi, it's good to have money to spend. It's good to be able to support the family with money."
Before this, when she was bringing her daughter with her, everyone around her advised her to find someone to remarry. The matchmaker introduced her to several families, but regardless of whether she liked them or not, the other parties were not happy for her to bring her daughter with her, and they were picky in their words. She didn't know how many times she cried while holding her daughter because of this.
But now it's better. She can go out to work and earn a living for herself and her daughter with her own hands. She doesn't have to consider the troublesome matter of remarrying for the time being!
"I'm relieved if you think this way." The woman scraping fish said, "We'll just do our job here. No matter what anyone says, we won't go home! If we go home in shame and tears, that would be exactly what those people want!"
At the end of the conversation, the woman raised her chin and pointed in the direction of the front hall.
"Yes." Qiao Niang nodded: "The shopkeeper is not blind. He opened a business to make money... Whoever works carefully and diligently, whoever cheats secretly for fear of being outdone, will naturally have a clear idea in his mind after a long time. If we work hard, no one can squeeze us out."
Moreover, the fact that they were able to come out to work was achieved after Governor Chang had thought of many ways. The reason why various places were willing to employ female workers was because the government gave them corresponding benefits.
They didn't understand the complicated tricks, but Qiao Niang knew that, to put it simply, Governor Chang had spent money on them. Many of them were born to be called "money-losing goods", but this time, they could not let Governor Chang lose money no matter what.
In this case, they have to work even harder. They can't let Governor Chang's efforts go to waste, and they can't let people use their incompetence to laugh at Governor Chang for doing useless work.
They are not like Chang Shi. Everyone says that Chang Shi is a natural-born general. The things that Chang Shi does are something they can never learn in their eight lifetimes. Although they envy and look up to him, they also know that there is only one Chang Shi, and not everyone can become one.
But there is only one governor like this, but he cares about them and wants to pull countless ordinary people like them to stand up together. This intention is even more precious.
So, they have to strive for excellence.
And doing odd jobs in restaurants is not the hardest job for them. I heard that it is harder for women who learn a craft or become craftsmen. Many trades do not allow women to enter, and they are excluded and bullied, and I don't know how much ridicule and cold stares they have to endure.
At the end, the Qi family's wife smiled and said, "Everything starts off like an uphill climb, but it will get better in the end!"
"Yes, when women workers were first hired, the old women at the village entrance would spit louder than anyone else, saying things like 'only shameless people would go out to hang out', 'you don't know what you'll be tricked into doing', 'you can't read a word, be careful you'll be tricked', 'young girls who go out to show their faces all day and don't stay at home, it's hard to talk about marriage'... In short, they never said anything good."
When Qiao Niang said this, she curled her lips and smiled: "But two days ago, one of them came to ask me if our shop is still hiring female workers. She wanted to send her eldest granddaughter to work with us."
There are many people doing this, and seeing that others are making money, won't they be anxious? What is face? If it is really that important in front of the clattering copper coins, there won't be so many people who would rather sell their children to make money.
"So I always think that as long as we hold on, maybe things will get better and better..." Qiao Niang piled up the clean dishes, "If one year is not enough, then two years, if two years are not enough, then ten years... Maybe when the girls grow up, they will feel that it is not shameful to be able to earn a living with their own hands."
"That's right!" The Qi family's wife raised her hand and wiped the sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand, grinning and saying, "Yesterday, I heard a group of scholars who came to dinner say that a gentleman's value...is to be independent? Let's be a gentleman for once!"
"How come you've become a gentleman..." Qiao Niang smiled and picked off a piece of fish scale from Qi's wife's forehead.
The summer sunlight flickered, shining on the pile of scraped fish scales. Amidst the colorful light, the fish scales seemed to have become luxurious jewels.
…
The long-browed man with a long box on his back has arrived outside the governor's mansion.
Hearing the man's intention, the officer standing guard outside shook his head at him and pointed in a direction: "...Go over there, go over there."
The man bowed again and said with a smile, "Sir, I want to see the governor. Please inform him."
"There are so many people who want to see the Governor, but how can anyone see our Governor?" The officer waved his hands again to drive them away.
"But isn't the governor recruiting talents now?" the man asked.
"We are recruiting talents!" Another official pointed to the side door and said, "So we ask you to go over there and line up. Those who are interested will be registered. If you pass the assessment, you can be assigned a job according to your expertise!"
The man turned around and saw the long line. He hesitated for a moment, worried, and said, "I still want to see the governor."
The official was a little annoyed: "...How come you don't understand what people say? I told you to go over there and register! There are at least a hundred people like you every day. If the governor comes to see them all in person, then our governor will have nothing to do!"
"There are only about a hundred people like me?" The man smiled confidently, "Then I guess we can't compare."
The two officers looked at each other and couldn't help but sneer.
"...Your Excellency's audacity is beyond their reach!"
"Since you don't have an invitation, just go over there and register honestly. Don't bother here!"
One of the officers saw two carriages approaching and thought that the governor had returned. He quickly took out his scabbard and pushed the man away: "Go, go! Stop blocking the road!"
The man went down the stone steps and stepped aside. Seeing the officer's expression, he turned around and looked at him thoughtfully.
As the carriage stopped, Luo Guanlin stepped out and met the man's inquiring gaze.
After a moment of hesitation, Luo Guanlin quickly walked forward to the long-browed man and asked in surprise: "...Brother, how come you are here so soon?"
Why did he come directly to the governor's mansion? Didn't he say in his letter that we would meet at a restaurant outside?
The man he called his brother was also startled and narrowed his eyes slightly: "Your Excellency is...?"
Luo Guanlin thought that the mask on his face prevented the two from recognizing each other. When he was about to continue speaking, he saw the man's expression brighten up, and he walked straight past him and walked quickly behind him.
Chang Suining, who also got off the carriage, was walking towards here.
As the official saluted, the long-browed man already knew her identity. His eyes lit up, and he bowed his head and clasped his fists in salute: "I am Tang Xing, and I have long heard of your great name, Governor Chang!"
Chang Suining asked in surprise: "Is Tang Xing... Tang Xiu Kun?"
The long-browed man was greatly surprised: "Governor Chang has heard of me?"
His fame has spread to Jiangdu?
Chang Suining smiled and looked at Luo Guanlin who was walking behind him, and nodded, "I've heard of it."
At this time, Wang Yue had also got off the carriage, and Chang Suining then invited the man with long eyebrows to go to his house to talk.
The long-browed man was overjoyed and subconsciously looked back at his horse.
Chang Suining signaled the officer to help him lead the horse.
The man with long eyebrows thanked him and followed Chang Suining into the governor's mansion.
Along the way, seeing the long-browed man walking in front and talking to Chang Suining, Wang Yue asked Luo Guanlin in a low voice: "Who is this person..."
Luo Guanlin: "He is Tang Xing whom I have mentioned to you many times..."
Wang Yue immediately asked, "That prodigal son from Mount Wutai...was he also tricked by you?"
So, he wasn't the only one who was deceived? Luo Guanlin: "..."
Although this was the fact, it didn't look like that at the moment, which made him a little confused.
Seeing that Tang Xing did not recognize him, Luo Guanlin did not rush to talk to Tang Xing. There were many people on the road, so it was not a good time to talk.
After Chang Suining invited the people into the side hall, Luo Guanlin took off his mask and showed it to him.
Tang Xing was very surprised: "Brother Luo? Why are you here?! Didn't the rumor say that you have already..."
"Fortunately, Governor Chang saved me and I survived the disaster."
Tang Xing was both surprised and delighted. He stepped forward to hold Luo Guanlin's shoulders and patted him hard. Finally, he said with emotion: "I didn't expect to see my old friend here again... I am so lucky!"
"So, my dear brother, you have never received my letter——"
After Luo Guanlin asked, he saw that Tang Xing looked puzzled, and he immediately had a clear answer. That is, it is impossible for a letter to travel from Jiangdu to Mount Wutai so quickly, so he was so surprised to see Tang Xing appear outside the governor's mansion just now.
"I have been away from home traveling since last year, and I haven't been back to Mount Wutai for more than a year!" Tang Xing said with a smile: "It is fate that I can meet Brother Luo here today!"
So, Luo Guanlin introduced Tang Xing to Chang Suining again.
Finally, Tang Xing said, "I have heard of the great name of Governor Chang for a long time. I have come all the way to Jiangdu just to see your majestic demeanor!"
Seeing his old friend in such a worthless state, Luo Guanlin felt very complicated.
Tang Xing, whose courtesy name was Xiukun, was from Mount Wutai in Daizhou, and was one of the three good friends he wrote to.
Before writing the letter, he told Chang Suining that although Tang Xing was the only one among the three who was both civil and military, he was a man of unstable character, had no fixed place to live, and was very dissolute. He was the most difficult one to convince among the three.
But the one he called "the most difficult to convince" turned out to be the least valuable one, and came to him on her own initiative without him having to deceive her.
Chang Suining is in a very good mood, as today can be said to be a double happiness.
Soon, Wang Changshi sent someone to look for her and said that there was an urgent matter that needed her attention. Chang Suining asked Luo Guanlin to entertain the guests on her behalf first, and instructed Xier to ask the kitchen to prepare wine and food for the evening banquet.
After Chang Suining left, Luo Guanlin asked, "...Don't worry, why did you suddenly come to Jiangdu?"
"Didn't I just say that I came here to see the real face of Governor Chang because I admire his great name!" Tang Xing's eyes were full of admiration: "... Killing the bandit Xu in 73 days, how satisfying!"
Luo Guanlin fell silent. So, you don't care about his feelings, life or death at all?
But he also knew Tang Xing's character very well. He was free and unrestrained and never liked to be bound by worldly things. When making friends, he would seek common ground while reserving differences and would not let his friends change his original ideas.
This kind of people have their own set of views on right and wrong. The ordinary worldly sense of good and bad, right and wrong cannot be applied to them.
Luo Guanlin once served as the county magistrate in Mount Wutai. It was at that time that he met the young Tang Xing. At first, he and Tang Xing had an intersection because of his lone bandit suppression. Although the two were ten years apart in age, Tang Xing had much broader horizons than other teenagers of the same age. After a few visits, the two became good friends.
But later Tang Xing told him that the purpose of suppressing the bandits was not to eliminate harm to the people, but because he ran away from home out of anger with his parents without taking a penny, so he came up with the idea of going to the bandit's lair to earn some money.
Tang Xing had many other stories of being a "wanderer", for example, when he was twelve years old, his family was going to send him to the best academy in Daizhou. However, on the way to become an apprentice, he gave his tuition to an orphan girl who was selling herself on the roadside to bury her father, and then he wandered away on his own.
He is the son of a wealthy local family and has many brothers, but he is the most unique one and the one his parents most want to throw away.
The reason why he was named Tang Xing was because he was born sleepy and never cried or made a fuss, which made people worry. So they not only named him "Xing", but also gave him the character "Xiu Kun"... This is also the thing that Tang's parents regret the most - the bad thing was this name! When Tang Xing grew up, he was much more naughty than ordinary children, and he was restless all day long, just like his name.
He has often been missing since he was young and loves traveling and new things.
At this moment, what did Luo Guanlin not understand? The other party was probably attracted by Chang Suining's "novelty" - in recent years, is there anyone more novel than her in the world? His letter was really unnecessary.
Although Tang Xing pursues his own way, he is not completely indifferent to his friends' feelings. He did not forget to comfort Luo Guanlin at this moment: "Brother Luo, who hasn't taken a few detours in life? Only those who dare to think and act like you can say that their life is not in vain!"
He did not deny Luo Guanlin's following Xu Zhengye in the uprising, nor did he think that friends should be completely consistent. After all, he had traveled all over the world and had too many friends. In his view, people are different, and their views and ambitions are different, which requires understanding and mutual respect.
What Luo Guanlin pursued was "a wise ruler and wise ministers".
What he pursues are strange people and strange things.
That night, Chang Suining hosted a banquet for Wang Yue and Tang Xing.
After the banquet, Tang Xing, who had drunk some wine, opened the long box he carried with him.
Yao Ran looked at the strange man who spoke in an unruly manner and was out of place in this governor's mansion, and the long sword in his hand, and heard him say, "I have heard for a long time that Governor Chang is an outstanding martial artist. I wonder if I could ask the governor to teach me a thing or two today?"
Chang Suining agreed, and before leaving the hall, he borrowed the sword from Qihu.
Tang Xing, who was following behind, noticed her casually borrowing the sword and raised his eyebrows unconsciously, finding it even more amusing.
Yao Ran followed him out. This man was tall and strong but also unruly. She was afraid that he might really hurt the governor.
Fortunately, facts proved that she was worrying too much. After seeing that the two people with huge differences in size had exchanged more than ten moves in the courtyard, her master had already gained the upper hand, and Yao Ran showed a relaxed smile.
Yes, fencing is what her master is good at. In other words, except for head-on strength competitions like wrestling, her master is not afraid of any fighting method that involves weapons.
With a "ding" sound, the sword in Tang Xing's hand fell to the ground, and the outcome was decided.
Chang Suining took two steps forward, picked up Tang Xing's sword with the sword in his hand, caught it with his other hand, held the hilt horizontally, and handed it back to Tang Xing.
Tang Xing, who was standing quietly, seemed to have just woken up from a dream. He held the cold sword in both hands, his eyes sparkling and his heart surging with excitement.
The next morning, Wang Yue, who had barely slept the entire night, got up and found Luo Guanlin, and asked, "...Where is that prodigal son of Mount Wutai?"
Since they both came here to choose a master, he wanted to talk to the other party and communicate with each other.
But Luo Guanlin said, "Let's go."
"Leaving now?" Wang Yue panicked, feeling abandoned by his fellow men. He lowered his voice and asked, "Why did you leave? Did you climb over the wall at night when you saw the situation was not right?"
Luo Guanlin glanced at him and said, "I will follow the governor to the army."
Wang Yue: “?”
This is the way to go.
Isn't it... that these people make decisions so hastily? Don't they take any time to think? ...
At the same moment, Meng Lie, who was far away in the capital, had just come out of Dayun Temple.
He had lived in Dayun Temple for half a month, and by the time he left, he had already made a decision in his mind.
But after returning to Dengtai Tower, a letter from Jiangdu suddenly disrupted his decision.
I updated almost 5,000 words today! It's a small extra update, good night!
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