Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-fifth First Meeting Outsiders
Lin Wanwan was sitting in the cabin, warming the charcoal pot, and continued to chew on her books for subjects one and four. It was impossible to say that she was not nervous at all about the mother-in-law she was about to meet. After all, she was a fake.
But the more this happens, the more she needs to learn to divert her attention. Time cannot be wasted on useless negative emotions. There is nothing to panic about when soldiers come to block water and earth to cover up, just let nature take its course.
At dawn, the ship sailed into the inland river from the East China Sea and docked at the dock. The draft of this port is far inferior to that of Nangang in Luan County, but the prosperity is almost the same. Even though it is not yet dawn, the dock is already full of fishing fires.
The water is full of boats of all sizes, and many fishermen make boats their home. The southern end of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is Hangzhou, where waterways extend in all directions, and boats from all walks of life come and go all night long, making it very lively.
In the fourth year of Wude in the Tang Dynasty, Hangzhou was established, and Qiantang, Fuyang, and Yuhang counties were established. In the fourth year of Zhenguan, Qiantang was divided and Yanguan County was established.
At this time, Hangzhou was still an era when two cities coexisted. Qiantang County to the east of the West Lake was an old city that inherited the Wei and Jin Dynasties, while the prefecture of Hangzhou was built in the Sui Dynasty west of Liupu and based on Fenghuang Mountain. The main purpose of the new city was to follow the Sui Dynasty.
It is used for military defense and has not as many residents as the old city.
The two cities are administratively superior and subordinate, but geographically they are completely independent and not connected to each other. Each has its own city wall. Unlike most towns in the Tang Dynasty, they are divided into an outer city and an inner city.
The inner city is surrounded by the outer city.
Lin Wanwan's mother-in-law's residence is in Qiantang County. At this time, she should still be trapped in the city and unable to leave. All major towns in the Tang Dynasty have implemented curfews.
Not long after the ship docked, the sun rose, the bells and drums in the city announced, the city gates opened, and there was an endless stream of people coming and going.
After Lin Wanwan enjoyed the sunrise scene, she hugged Little Qingyu, who was still sleeping in a daze, and abandoned the ship to land. Little Qingyu's little head rested on her shoulder, still closing her eyes and refusing to wake up.
Lin Wanwan covered Xiao Qingyu with a mink fur cloak bought at a Tang Dynasty clothing store. Although it was cold winter, it would not freeze her at all.
The carriage sent by the Xiao Mansion to greet Lin Wanwan arrived quickly. Lin Mengbo and others helped the group of Xiao servants carry Lin Wanwan's salutes onto the carriage, and then returned directly to the ship.
"Wan Niang, we are going back now and will pick you up at the end of the month." Lin Mengbo said standing outside the carriage where Lin Wanwan and Xiao Qingyu were.
"Okay, thank you for your hard work, cousins. Are you going to set sail and go back now? Don't you want to spend a day here?"
Lin Mengbo shook his head and said: "There are many things to do during the Chinese New Year, so I can't afford to delay them."
After getting on the carriage and entering the city a short time later, Xiao Qingyu gradually woke up in her arms. She blinked at Lin Wanwan with her big eyes open for a while, then broke away, opened the carriage curtain, and looked out curiously.
"Mother, have we arrived at Qiantang?"
"Yes, Xiao Yu'er is not happy. Does she like to go out and play?"
"I like it. Mom, there are so many people here, more than our tribe."
"That's natural. This is a big city."
The mother and daughter talked quietly in the carriage and looked at the bustling market.
After walking for nearly an hour, the group of people entered a splendid inner house, which was more lively than the main street - after all, shops were not allowed to open on the main street of the Tang Dynasty.
The inside of the square was more lively, with many snack bars and mobile vendors. When the carriage passed a mobile Hu cake stall, the aroma of Hu cakes came straight into the carriage.
Lin Wanwan called to Kunlun, who was driving the car, to stop, and the group of people following behind him also stopped in a hurry. With so many people, the freshly baked golden and shiny sesame Hu cakes at the Hu cake stall were all round.
As the carriage continued to move forward, Xiao Qingyu and Lin Wanwan each ate a biscuit and ate happily.
The servants of the Xiao family who greeted them looked at each other in disbelief at the sesame cakes they were given. They had never seen a woman like this who would directly stop her horse and buy snacks from a mobile vendor outside, and they couldn't help but secretly laugh at her.
After all, he comes from the countryside, and his behavior is undisciplined and unruly.
Lin Wanwan, who relied on herself for everything, was not Lin Daiyu who had just entered the Jia family. She was unwilling to take one more step or say one more word for fear of being laughed at. She just wanted to do whatever she wanted and was too lazy to care about other people's opinions.
If she wants to strictly study the aristocratic rules of the Tang Dynasty, then the Tang Dynasty will no longer be her paradise, and she might as well mix in modern times.
By the time the mother and daughter finished eating the Hu cakes and wiped their hands with paper towels, the Xiao Mansion was almost there.
I dismounted and entered the side door, where a few more old ladies came to greet me.
"Hey, Mrs. Lin and the little lady have worked hard all the way here. Come on in the sedan and follow me to the lotus courtyard. The old lady has been waiting for you."
Lin Wanwan nodded, and was about to carry Xiao Qingyu onto the sedan. But Xiao Qingyu suddenly arrived in a strange place, but she did not want to sit in the sedan separately from her.
There was no other way, so Lin Wanwan had no choice but to say: "My little Yu'er recognizes her life, so she won't sit in the sedan. We will just walk over."
The old mama hurriedly smiled and said: "I can't help it, I can't help it. If Mrs. Lin doesn't mind the crowding, she can carry the little lady in her arms and ride in the same sedan together. Don't worry, they are very strong and can carry her."
Lin Wanwan was allowed to do as she pleased with the host. Since this was the arrangement, she would just follow the rules.
The Xiao Mansion is not big, at least much smaller than the Suzhou gardens that Lin Wanwan saw in later generations. After getting on the sedan chair, we walked through the screen wall and then crossed a wooden bridge to the main courtyard where Xiao's mother lived.
Lin Wanwan got off the sedan with Xiao Qingyu in her arms. Several maids in jade skirts who were waiting on the steps of the main room came up to them with smiles and welcomed them into the room.
An old lady with silver hair and kind eyes had already been waiting on the hanging bed, surrounded by women on both sides. Lin Wanwan folded her hands on her abdomen, bent her back slightly, bent her knees slightly, performed a blessing ceremony, and said: "Wanwan.
Wanmei Grandma Ann."
Xiao Qingyu bowed politely, but did not call anyone. Instead, she pulled the hem of Lin Wanwan's skirt and looked at everyone in the hall without saying a word.
Mother Xiao emotionally reached out to Lin Wanwan and said with tears in her eyes: "Okay, okay, good child, come here quickly and show me to grandma."
Lin Wanwan stepped forward with some embarrassment, and was pulled by the old lady to sit down beside the bed. She touched her face and sighed: "Your mother and father have a hard life, and their whereabouts are unknown. I thought they had no children, but what the hell..."
I'm so sorry that I left you behind, it really hurts me."
Everyone nearby heard the words and hurriedly tried to persuade them. Lin Wanwan and Xiao Qingyu opened their identical big eyes, with awkward yet polite smiles on their faces, and let them look at each other.
After expressing their emotions for a long time, everyone calmed down again. Mother Xiao began to ask about Lin Wanwan's current situation, and she sighed again when she learned that she had lived in seclusion in the mountains with an old fairy since she was a child.