Chapter 49: The true identity is all dignity gone, leaving only gentleness.
Things have come to this point, Guizhier sighed softly.
"Hey, this is what my husband left behind before he joined the army," Gui Zhi'er said with a look of longing, aggrieved, "I don't know where he is now."
Whenever someone needs to take the blame, Guizhier can't help but remember that he is still a married man.
It's not certain whether my husband is alive or dead, so it would be impolite to ask again.
Xie Yuan was stunned. She was still graceful in her lake blue robe, but her expression was frozen.
While Gui Zhi'er elaborated on her interest in the first spring tea, Liu Qianjin was also strolling around Bailuzhou Island.
The Chuhuai River winds its way from east to west, and the lake islands, river bay shoals, and port docks along the way are all bustling and prosperous.
This is the most famous den of brothel in the Central Plains, second only to Hangzhou and Beijing in Jiangnan.
Regardless of anything else, the mist-shrouded cold water, the gorgeous and luxurious scenery, and the riverside houses on both sides are enough to fascinate people.
"Everyone, please come upstairs. Fish and dragons will dance, and dance into the horse's belly. Tonight we will have the best Indian magic!"
Accompanied by the singing girl's oriole-like voice to attract customers, the auspicious fish floating in the air suddenly turned into a long winding dragon.
"Whoa." The mechanism folded, and the long dragon soared into the clouds, lighting up the night sky.
Liu Qianjin held her breath, deeply shocked by the fantastic performance she had never seen before.
Regardless of their size, all the tile houses on the island are decorated with carved railings and painted thresholds, and adorned with pearl curtains and latticed windows.
Under the illumination of red lanterns, the streets are bustling with people and traffic.
"Why don't I talk to Miss Gui and let me stay in Chu Huai for a while longer." Miss Liu pondered secretly.
Rather than going to the capital with Guizhier to open a shop, she was more fascinated by the unique brothels and the wonderful and novel performances.
Liu Qianjin twisted her fingers around the ends of her hair. "I didn't expect to actually leave Yaoyue Tower and still feel a bit nostalgic," she chuckled.
Perhaps by tearing up the indenture, the shameful past was forgotten.
Forget the tears you shed when you are hungry, forget the hardships of practicing bending your waist, kicking your legs and training your voice, and forget the humiliation you suffered when you were molested.
The instinct of self-preservation made it so that only good memories remained in her mind.
Several flowers bloom, each showing its own beauty.
The sudden rumble of spring thunder awakened the dormant insects, and scholars from the northern borders were busy attending literary societies in the hope of making a name for themselves.
At the same time, Guizhier went to Bailuzhou more and more frequently.
On the other hand, the secret letter delivered urgently by the spy finally arrived at the central city of Zhenbei.
It was raining and snowing in the remote exile area at the moment. Ice chips hit the spring bamboo shoots that were trying to emerge, and also brought tearing pain to the faces of passers-by outside.
The government office, with its main color being pale gray, still cannot do without charcoal fire.
The flames leaped and made a slight crackling sound.
The man took off his rain-stained ermine coat and handed it to the butler who followed him closely. He suppressed a cough, and his old injuries in his waist and abdomen ached slightly.
The weather in early spring changes suddenly, and the cold wind comes unexpectedly.
The prefect stroked the pendant around his waist and felt a little relieved.
"Have Mr. Liu's family members been settled?" His voice was hoarse and his forehead was a little hot.
"Master, don't worry." The head steward bowed slightly and said in a gentle voice, "Under the pretext of bringing the family to the northern border for a reunion, I have taken care of the madam and children who stayed in the capital."
The man nodded and said no more.
The cold wind made his thoughts seem shrouded in a fog, hazy and confused. After the New Year, he was busy with official duties, especially the difficult problem of tax reform.
It's hard to have the leisure time to consider trivial matters.
Mr. Liu's family is just a trivial matter that is harmless.
The man recalled that the new prefect was just like the one described on the pass, with a round face without a beard, small eyes, and a very friendly appearance.
Perhaps his small eyes, like those of an eagle, were very easy to focus light, so on the Chu Huai passenger ship, he aimed at the person he shouldn't have looked at at a glance.
A despised and demoted official, while in exile, discovered a shocking secret that might allow him to be reinstated, and naturally he was unwilling to give it up.
"Liu Shanyuan wanted to inform on the traitor, and he deserves to die." The housekeeper served hot tea to warm up his master.
"Although you took office in his place under a false name, leaving your family in the capital was still a hidden danger. Now you can finally rest assured." There was a fierce tone behind the words.
The man stared at the bodhi tree ornament on the beech wood desk without commenting.
The map unfolded on the desk has not been folded yet. If you look closely, you can find that although the much-despised Zhenbei Prefecture has a sparse population, it occupies nearly a quarter of Daliang's land area.
Officials avoided it because of the bitter cold and backwardness.
The court is now dominated by corrupt officials, and there are external threats on the border and internal disputes between the government and the people. It is completely different from the Yongjing period when the people lived in peace and contention.
If the northern border is rich in resources and has a united people, it may be possible to compete with the superior country with just a small piece of land.
"Have you figured out how to dismantle the clay greenhouse in Miss Gui's backyard?" The man withdrew his thoughts and focused on the practical issues.
He still remembers having a bowl of edamame and loofah soup in the cold winter.
"We have sent skilled craftsmen to make dozens of replicas, and we are just waiting for the results to be compared." The butler replied respectfully.
Suddenly he remembered the secret letter handed over by the spy and hurriedly summoned him.
The camel-clothed attendant who had traveled thousands of miles bowed and saluted, holding up the letter humbly.
The man opened the envelope with his bare hands, and his expression turned from serious to gentle.
He read it over and over again, as if trying to see the face of someone in the distance through the thin paper.
"What did the last crossed-out sentence say?" His tone remained unchanged, but the butler could tell there was a hidden joy in his voice.
"The young lady avoided us when she wrote the letter," the camel-clothed attendant added. "I venture to guess that she was concerned about what the master said."
The man's white fingertips pinched the letter tightly, pressing it until it turned a little red.
He raised his lips slightly, and in an instant his smile faded away, returning to his calm demeanor, as if he had never smiled before.
The dignity is gone, leaving only tenderness.
The butler closed his eyes helplessly beside him.
"Maybe she is scolding you for blocking her way to Beijing." She thought so in her heart, but she was afraid of her master's authority and dared not say a word.
Sure enough, a woman's charm comes from a man's imagination.
"In addition, the young lady also asked us to take letters to many people." The camel-clothed attendant stated respectfully, and then listed the names of the recipients one by one.
The man did not refute, but when he heard that General Luan was among them, he uttered two words concisely: "Throw it away!"
His eyes were like a cold pond, and his voice was icy.
When the housekeeper heard this, his face was a mixture of sadness and humor.
It seems that the master really cares about the fact that those soldiers in Linghe County secretly call the young general "Madam".
But he still did not forget his duty and reminded: "Master, I am still worried. If we allow Miss Gui to enter the capital, will it be..."
"She's so smart, she'll guess my identity sooner or later." The man chuckled, "Since we're in Chu Huai, let the boat gang leave some loopholes for her."
Let's see whether she will be terrified or pretend to be deaf and dumb after learning the truth.
The man put down the letter with interest.
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