In mid-May, the vegetation on the border was lush and green, and the weather was getting hotter.
Marquis Jingyang was disappointed with his eldest son's failure to live up to his expectations, so he taught his second son strictly. As a result, Guo Honglei got used to getting up early and studying hard since he was a child. When he was exiled at the age of seventeen, he could not lie down after waking up.
It was just daybreak, and the bedroom was dim with the doors and windows closed. Suddenly, the curtains rustled softly. Guo Honglei got off the bed, opened his chest, fastened his undershirt in a few seconds, and grabbed the outer robe hanging on the rack in a few steps and wrapped himself up, looking full of energy and spirit.
"Hmm," a drowsy murmur came from inside the tent, "It's just dawn, why don't you sleep a little longer?"
"No, from now on, I must assist the government in apprehending the fugitives. Otherwise, Lord Ji will not allow the Tuning Guard to recruit soldiers in the city."
The sound of washing up could be heard from outside. Jiang Yushu was sleepy and tossed and turned, but she couldn't wake up. She closed her eyes and murmured with emotion, "Exchange, reward."
"Yes, it's the reward. The vast majority of the constables in the various government offices in Yongzhou have never stained their swords with blood and lack training. When they encounter desperate criminals, not only will they lose their fighting spirit, but even their momentum is weak. No wonder Brother Pei has a headache."
Jiang Yushu leaned sideways, hugging her pillow, feeling extremely tired. She mumbled, "We're short of manpower, and there's no choice. Almost all the detectives are new. They need at least a year or two of experience to develop their courage. When hunting down desperate criminals, you must be extra careful and don't underestimate the enemy."
"Don't worry, be cautious."
Jiang Yushu rubbed her eyes. "During the entire Yongzhou period, when it was captured, countless prisoners took the opportunity to escape. It's impossible to catch them all."
"Prefect Ji has been conducting interrogations for days and personally obtained confessions. He will arrest as many as he can to serve as a warning to others. As for those who have fled to the ends of the earth under different names, most of them can only be let go." Guo Honglei answered loudly.
After a while, he finished washing up, poured a cup of warm tea and drank it all, then returned to the inner room, opened the curtain and saw the messy bedding. The delicate body wrapped in the thin blanket was exquisite, revealing her delicate and smooth shoulders, and her jade-white chest was covered with red marks.
Guo Honglei's eyes were deep, his breath was held, and he leaned forward involuntarily, kissed her, pulled off the thin blanket while caressing her, and caressed her intimately.
"Hey, stop it, stop it." Jiang Yushu pulled the quilt back with all her strength. She was really afraid of his physical strength and energy. She curled up as if begging for mercy and kept moving sideways in the bed.
"If you're tired and sleepy last night, just sleep a little longer."
"It's all your fault, it's so troublesome"
They rubbed their ears together, whispered to each other, sometimes angry and sometimes laughing, and the bedding and curtains rustled.
After a long time, Guo Honglei stood up with a smile, took her hand, and asked in a low voice, "Are you still going to sleep?"
"No, I should get up too." Jiang Yushu sat up, smoothed her hair, and was completely awake. She threw off the quilt and got out of bed, saying with high spirits, "I still have to talk to Lord Pan today."
"Five million jin is impossible anyway."
"I've calculated carefully, and I can lend Yongzhou at most three million kilograms of grain seeds." Jiang Yushu washed and combed her hair, and quickly changed into clothes for going out.
Guo Honglei was neatly dressed in military uniform, handsome and tall, exuding a heroic spirit. The couple went to breakfast together. After breakfast, Jiang Yushu escorted him out the second gate and warned him worriedly, "Those fugitives who escaped prison and dared to sneak back to Yongzhou to cause chaos are extremely vicious and will probably use any despicable and insidious means. You must be careful and don't underestimate the enemy."
"Know"
"Dry food, water, wound medicine, etc. are all in this bag." Jiang Yushu turned her head and Zou Gui handed her the things.
Guo Honglei's personal guards hurried forward to take it, "You just go about your business, I might not be back until the day after tomorrow." After saying that, he stepped out of the door and turned to look at her.
Jiang Yushu waved her hand and said, "Well, take care."
Guo Honglei smiled, nodded, and strode away with his personal soldiers, assisting the government, escorting the prisoners captured a few days ago, and going out to search for their accomplices.
"Well, let's go too. Lord Wei has already gone to look for Lord Pan. Since Magistrate Ji is not here today, it should be easier to negotiate." Cuimei guessed.
Jiang Yushu shook her head, walked quickly towards the meeting room, and sighed, "Silly girl, do you think Lord Pan is still the magistrate of Heqin County? He is now the governor of Yongzhou. His meaning is the same as that of Ji Zhifu."
"Well, that's true." Cuimei stuck out her tongue.
Jiang Yushu cheered up, "It's almost June, we must reach an agreement as soon as possible. Once we have an agreement, we will return to Xicang and discuss it with Ambassador Liang to avoid delaying the summer planting."
The two sides worked hard from early morning to evening, and after much deliberation, they finally drafted two regulations, one for storing grain and the other for borrowing grain.
As the sun sets, officials of all ranks leave the front hall one after another, some go home, and some return to the back court.
Following the long, narrow shadows that slanted westward, the group walked towards their residence. As they walked, Jiang Yushu stopped at the gate of a small courtyard and said, "I'm going to see my cousin."
"Let's go together." It was hot, and Wei Xu was already fanning himself with a folding fan as he led the way across the threshold. "I want to visit Master Pei, too."
Several people stepped into the neat and quiet courtyard one after another. The maids came to greet them. Jiang Yushu found that the window facing the courtyard was wide open, and the sound of talking and laughing could be heard.
"No regrets after making a move." Mother Ji shook her head. "Xiao Mo, don't be like this. Be careful. Master Pei won't play chess with you next time."
The ten-year-old boy quickly withdrew his hand and explained sheepishly, "I didn't mean to regret my move. I was just thinking about it."
"Once the chess piece falls, you can't touch it." Ji's mother taught.
"Yes." Ji Zhimo nodded, "I'll remember it."
After more than ten days of recuperation, Pei Wenfeng's injuries hadn't healed, but his energy and spirit were gradually returning. At this moment, he was half-lying, half-sitting, leaning against a cushion, with a table on the bed, playing chess with the youngest son of the upper branch. He praised him, "It's quite impressive that he can achieve such chess skills at such a young age."
"Mr. Pei, you are too kind to praise my son." Ji's mother said modestly.
Pei Wenfeng smiled and said, "You are too polite. Just call me Wenfeng."
"Okay, okay." Ji's mother changed the subject and said, "Thank you for your hard work. Wenfeng, you should take your medicine soon. Xiaomo, let's go back after this game and come visit again tomorrow."
"Yes." Ji Zhimo was concentrating on the chessboard. Pei Wenfeng kept giving in, but he still lost. He stood up and bowed, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, sir."
Pei Wenfeng, feeling bored while recovering from his injuries, didn't mind the well-mannered boy. He leaned against the cushions and replied gently, "We were just sparring. Thank you both for visiting us so often. Otherwise, I'd be stuck out all day and really get bored."
"As long as you don't mind Xiao Mo's mischief, you can live with us in the back court. We are very happy to chat with you to relieve your boredom." Ji's mother smiled, tilted her head and waved her hand, and the maid standing beside her came forward to pack up the chess equipment.
Just as Ji's mother was about to say goodbye, she heard the servant announce that "Mrs. Guo and Lord Wei are here to visit."
During his recovery, he was so bored that he couldn't help but reminisce about the past. Thinking back on the past, he became even more melancholy and worried. Now, when Pei Wenfeng heard "Mrs. Guo," his heart felt blocked. He said calmly, "Please come in quickly."
"yes."
After a while, Jiang Yushu and her group of five or six people walked in. Suddenly, there were more than a dozen people in the room, and it was very lively.
Jiang Yushu stopped and saluted without surprise, "Madam Ji, we vaguely heard them playing chess outside."
"Madam." Wei Xu bowed.
"Hey, you're here. No need to be polite. Come and sit down."
After both sides exchanged greetings, Ji's mother waved and Jiang Yushu sat next to her and said kindly, "We were playing chess just now, but unfortunately, we've already finished. I'll definitely wait for you another day so I can see your chess skills."
Jiang Yushu quickly waved her hands, "I dare not, I ...
"Why be so modest? You are the only female official in the court now. You must be proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting."
Jiang Yushu said awkwardly, "I can't even say I'm proficient in it. Frankly speaking, if I claim to be making a fool of myself, then I'm really making a fool of myself. If someone laughs, that would be terrible."
"Hahahaha" everyone couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Pei Wenfeng also smiled, but the smile only appeared on his face and did not penetrate into his eyes.
Jiang Yushu amused herself and asked with concern, "Cousin, how do you feel today? Is the pain better?"
"You look much better than last time," Wei Xu continued.
Pei Wenfeng replied casually, "Thanks to the medicine my cousin gave me, the ginger paste really works wonders on the wound. The pain is gradually subsiding."
"It's not advisable to take any tonics now. After a while, after consulting the doctor, you must make sure to take some good supplements." Ji's mother was very kind to her benefactor. Every day during her visit, she would ask about his health and remind him, "Eat more during your recovery, even if you have no appetite. I recently asked someone to hire a chef who can cook Jiangnan cuisine, but it's hard to find one in Yongzhou City. I'm looking for one now, and I'll cook some home-cooked dishes for you."
Pei Wenfeng came back to his senses. "Thank you very much. I'm sorry for your trouble. Speaking of which, I haven't tasted hometown food for a long time."
Ji's mother was old, and old people often appreciated gentle and steady young men, not to mention young talents, and even more so a wounded benefactor. She immediately comforted him, "In fact, we have found a few, but we are just selecting them. You just wait patiently for a day or two, and the chef will come to the house soon."
Pei Wenfeng thanked him again, and everyone chatted and laughed harmoniously, the whole place was in great harmony.
After scrubbing at night
Pei Wenfeng was still half-lying, half-leaning, with a few martial arts legend books spread out on the kang table, which his cousin had sent the servant to give him to relieve his boredom. He flipped open one and unexpectedly found a note in the blank space.
“It’s full of loopholes.”
“It doesn’t make sense.”
"There is no such thing as flying over eaves and walking on walls."
“It’s so bizarre.”
Observe the handwriting and pen strokes, they are upright and vigorous, with force penetrating through the back of the paper.
One day, during their free time, Jiang Yushu was reading a storybook to relieve her boredom, while Guo Honglei was writing a letter home. The two of them first engaged in a verbal debate, then in physical play. He snatched the storybook away, briefly flipping through the pages, shaking his head, and making casual comments. Jiang Yushu rushed to grab the book and pen, causing ink to splatter everywhere.
"Snap"
Pei Wenfeng closed the storybook and slammed it down with an expressionless face.
"Hiss" When he dropped the notebook, he accidentally pulled the wound, and he gasped in pain.
The next moment, the maid knocked on the door, "Sir"
Pei Wenfeng asked calmly, "What's the matter?"
"Madam Ji has sent her maid to bring some cakes and a bowl of Qi-tonifying and blood-replenishing soup." Two women, holding food boxes, respectfully informed, "Madam Ji has instructed you to take your medicine three times a day. You shouldn't go hungry overnight. You should eat something."
“Try it.”
The superior's wife was very enthusiastic in returning the favor and sent food every day. Pei Wenfeng was used to it and was indeed a little hungry, so he nodded.
The two maids took away the storybook and quickly arranged the food: a bowl of soup and two kinds of snacks, namely osmanthus cake and honey cake, which were both colorful, fragrant and delicious.
The maid handed over a wet towel. Pei Wenfeng wiped his hands, drank his soup, and looked at the pastries. He said casually, "The pastries are different every day, and the taste is authentic. It's really hard for the Ji family's chef."
"And most of them are the flavors of your hometown. Your cooking skills are really good." The three people didn't know that most of the pastries sent were made by Ji Yingyue.
After drinking the soup, Pei Wenfeng tasted a piece each and said as usual, "Give some to Cai Chun and the others, and you can eat the rest."
"Thank you, sir." The maid bowed, packed up the food box neatly, and took it to the next yard to eat with the Pei family servant.
Soon, Pei Wenfeng was the only one left in the room.
He sighed and didn't want to read the book with Guo Honglei's annotations. That would not relieve his boredom, but would only make things more frustrating.
In fact, Jiang Yushu often asked Cuimei to send food, also Jiangnan style, but she was too busy to cook. When Pei Wenfeng asked about it, he felt very uncomfortable and couldn't help but wonder, when Guo Honglei was injured, you also "didn't have time to cook"?
In reality, Jiang Yushu's cooking skills were mediocre, and she rarely cooked. Even when her husband was injured, she simply served him ready-made meals. After all, Nanny Pan, Xiaotao, and Cuimei were all better cooks than she was.
In the quiet night, Pei Wenfeng stared at the ink patterns embroidered on the tent for a long time, his mind blank.
A few days later, at the gate of Yongzhou City
On the eve of their departure, the group went out of the city to survey the farmland.
After a long day of traveling, they arrived outside the city gate in the evening. Zou Gui reined in his horse, glanced around, and shouted, "Many people say it will take at least two quarters of an hour to enter the city. Madam, I will go and ask."
Across the curtain, Jiang Yushu raised her voice and replied, "No need. We're not in a hurry anyway. Don't disrupt the order."
"Yes." Zou Gui leaned against the carriage and chatted casually with the officer in charge of escorting him.
Jiang Yushu leaned back in her chair, lowered her eyes, and silently considered when she would return to Xicang.
Cuimei yawned and closed her eyes to rest.
The carriage stopped and moved from time to time, and it took half an hour before it was allowed to enter the city.
Yongzhou was becoming increasingly bustling, with crowds of people and numerous shops. After a while, they reached a straight and spacious street. Zou Gui waved his whip and shouted, "Go!"
The carriage gradually accelerated. When passing through an intersection, there was a sudden "bang" sound. Zou Gui hurriedly pulled the reins and gasped.
"Ah!" Cuimei, who was taking a nap, fell forward, her forehead was red and swollen, and she screamed in pain.
Jiang Yushu was unable to rescue him and asked in surprise, "What happened?"
Outside the car, Zou Gui jumped out and squatted beside the wheel to take a closer look. He reached out and pushed the unconscious old man with a bloody head. His face was pale and he was panic-stricken when he answered, "Ma'am, it's terrible. It seems like someone has been killed."
"Oh my god, someone's been killed!"
"There were a lot of people on the street, and he was driving too fast."
"I'm afraid he's in a hurry to reincarnate."
"Whose carriage is this?"
The incident happened suddenly. In an instant, pedestrians rushed to watch, three layers inside and three layers outside, talking about it, and surrounded the carriage tightly.
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