On this afternoon, the area around the Tongxian port was covered with snow, except for the undulating water on the canal, which was beyond sight. The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal does not freeze all year round, and even in winter, ships are constantly coming and going. Tongxian County is the center of the Grand Canal.
At the northernmost end, the natural port is particularly large. Ships of all sizes are loading and unloading goods, and the river is bustling with people. The snow has stopped and people are busy.
Stopped at the port is a very brand-new cruise ship that is more than two feet long and about one foot wide. It has cabins and is made of precious mahogany, with carved peonies, embossed landscapes, auspicious clouds and other craftsmanship. It is very exquisite and gorgeous.
At first glance, you can tell that it is a boat used by wealthy young men for traveling. There are many boats that come and go on the canal that are larger than this boat, but in terms of beauty, it is indeed one of the best.
Wen Xi is wearing the men's clothing that Mei'er made overnight. She is wearing a sky blue robe with a stand-up collar and straight body. Because it was made in a hurry, she only embroidered simple cloud patterns, with a white fox fur collar around her neck and a tie at the waist.
Wearing jade pendants, sachets and other items. She wore a lynx fur cloak outside, which was very warm. On her head, she wore a melon skin hat with a circle of ink fox fur. She stuffed all her hair into it. Because there was too much warm hair, she could only
I ruthlessly cut off more than half of it, and now I feel very distressed when I think about it! Wen Xi also specially used charcoal as raw material and evenly applied it on her face to make her skin look much darker. She also deliberately drew thicker eyebrows into sword eyebrows. Look at it.
As expected, he looks much more handsome when he goes up, and his facial features are outlined with a bit more strength. Instead of the softness, he looks like a good-looking young man!
Qinglan still dressed in women's clothes, pretending to be husband and wife with Wen Xi, holding Yulu Dai in her arms.
Du He stuffed all the packages, large and small, into the compartment inside the boat. He said: "I specially prepared a few extra quilts. Although it is warm in the south, it is cold along the river, so I need to keep warm. There are also some changes of clothes.
, to eat, there are charcoal and charcoal stoves on the boat, which can be used when hot. There is also some wine to ward off the cold."
Wen Xi nodded and said in a rough male voice: "You go back and live a good life in the future."
Meier bit her lip, with tears in her eyes: "Take care of yourself along the way!"
In a place where people come and go, Wen Xi, as a "man", cannot have any intimate behavior with Mei'er. She only nodded and said: "Don't worry, there is Qinglan here!"
Du He looked at the boatman standing on Chuantou Mountain and couldn't help but wonder: "Where did Lao Guan and Xiao Guan go?"
The boatman, who was called "Laoguan" and looked relatively strong in his forties or fifties, came forward and cupped his hands with a guilty look on his face: "Shopkeeper Du is really sorry. My son said he wanted to buy it for his mother.
Replenish your body with bird's nest, and you'll be back soon!"
Du He hurriedly looked at Wen Xi. Wen Xi smiled and said: "It's rare for a filial son to be filial. It won't be long before you go back. Qinglan and I will wait in the boat. The wind is a bit strong on the river bank. Don't freeze your wife."
."
Lao Guan also said: "Don't worry, Shopkeeper Du, the drug store is not far away. My son will definitely be back in half an hour at most!"
Du He pulled Mei Er, who was reluctant to leave, and said "take care" to Wen Xi, and then the couple left.
Although the wind on the river was not as strong as the previous few days, the winter wind was still biting. Wenxi said to Qinglan: "Let's go. Get on the boat first. Lao Guan, you can also get in the boat and wait."
Lao Guan smiled and said: "Young Master Wen and his wife, please go in. Everything is very clean inside! I'm waiting for my son here!" He pointed to the thick cotton-padded jacket on his body and said, "The new cotton-padded jacket my son bought for me.
It’s warm!”
This Lao Guan especially loves to talk about his son. It is not easy for the father and son to work as boatmen together. This time Du He specially hired the experienced and kind father and son Guan, who travels between the north and south of the Grand Canal all the time.
Very familiar with the waterway.
Wen Xi saw that his face was rosy. Everyone in this industry knew how to keep themselves warm, but his hands were very rough and chapped, so she said, "Qing Lan, give Lao Guan a box of hand oil."
Qinglan responded. It was originally prepared for Wenxi. She was afraid that her white hands would get chapped in the winter, so she prepared several boxes. Lao Guan took the hand oil handed over by Qinglan and thanked her very much. He told Wenxi and his wife
He is a good person, and he even said that he would use it together when his son comes back!
Wen Xi and Qing Lan supported each other and stepped onto the boat. A familiar voice came from behind: "Brother, please wait a moment!"
Looking back, I saw a scholar in a blue robe with a robe hanging on his body, running over panting. He looked to be in his thirties and had a tall figure. Because of his thin clothes, his face and hands were red from the cold. He hurriedly handed over his hand.
He said: "I would like to ask my brother, is it possible to go to Qufu smoothly? Can I catch a smooth sailing?"
Qinglan hurriedly covered her mouth, looked at the scholar in front of her in surprise, and looked at Wen Xi with panic. The person who came was none other than Kong Shangren, but wasn't he summoned to the capital by Kangxi and became a doctor of the Imperial College?
How do you have time to go back to your hometown?
Wen Xi's face was quite calm. Although Kong Shangren was also a member of the welcoming party when he passed by the Confucius Temple on his southern tour last year, Wen Xi was wearing a royal robe at that time. He was kneeling below, even if he was exempted from the ceremony.
Feel free to raise your head and look directly at the emperor's concubines! So there is no sign of warmth or familiarity at all.
Wen Xi returned the courtesy and said, "I don't know what to call this gentleman?"
When asked about his name, Kong Shangren couldn't help but look a bit proud and said: "My surname is Kong, from Qufu, and the 64th descendant of Confucius."
Wen Xi immediately showed a look of surprise: "Could it be that you are Mr. Kong, the doctor of the Imperial College? I heard from my friends that he gave wonderful lectures in the Imperial College, and they were always overcrowded! It's a pity that I couldn't attend them. It's a pity!"
Kong Shangren smiled happily on his face: "You're welcome! It's all thanks to the great grace of the Holy One!" As he said this, with excitement on his face, he bowed his hands respectfully towards the Forbidden City.
The corner of Wen Xi's mouth twitched, a seventh-grade official bribed you?!
Kong Shangren asked again: "My brother seems to be a scholar, right? I don't know what to call him. Does he have any fame?"
Wen Xi said: "In the west of Xia Wen, a person from Tong County in the southeast, northwest and northwest is still just a scholar. He has taken two provincial examinations and failed in both because he was not good at studying." The provincial examination is an examination based on the province.
They are all talented people, and those who pass the exam will be promoted.
When Wen Xi said that he had failed the exam, Kong Shangren was a little bit sad. He said with emotion: "Kong also failed in many exams after getting the title of scholar. It's embarrassing to say that he sold his land and donated it to a tribute student! Fortunately!
The emperor will not give up on his victory, so Kong will repay him like a dog and a horse, hoping that everyone will have no teeth!" After saying that, he bowed his hands devoutly towards the palace where Kangxi was.
The gentle face twitched, he was still a die-hard member of Kangxi! He hurriedly smiled and said: "The wind is strong on the shore, Mr. Kong, please come in! I was about to go south to study, and happened to pass by the border of Qufu."
"Thank you, thank you! I wonder how much Brother Wen spent on shipping? I should bear half of it!" Kong Shangren said hurriedly.
Wen Xi smiled and said: "There is no shipping money. It is our own ship! There is a learned man like Mr. to help stabilize the ship, but no one else can ask for it!"
Kong Shangren chuckled and said: "You're welcome, you're welcome! With a like-minded person like my little brother, I don't have to worry about being lonely along the way!"
After that, they entered the cabin together. There were three rooms in the cabin. The one near the deck was the resting place of Laoguan Xiaoguan, which was relatively small. The other two rooms were beautifully decorated rooms, both equipped with tables, chairs, beds, and everything else.
There is no shortage, just like a house on the water.
Qinglan felt blessed and said, "Then I'll prepare some food and wine for Mr. Kong and Mr. Kong."
Wen Xi introduced: "This is the Jian Nei Gu clan."
Kong Shangren handed over his hand as a return gift: "Thank you, brothers and sisters!"
In the wing room, there is an entrance screen decorated with a red Jinshi rank at the door, which acts as a partition. This is to avoid bumping into the people inside if people from outside break in. There is a mahogany bat-patterned Eight Immortals table inside for dining.
and four chairs. There is also a four-leaf screen with plum blossoms, orchids, bamboos and chrysanthemums with poems inside. It is faintly visible that there is a bed. The enamel three-legged incense burner has been lit, curling up like mist, which is of the best quality.
The fragrance of agarwood not only tastes elegant, but also has the effect of eliminating dampness and cold.
Kong Shangren looked at all the decorations in the ship, and he knew at a glance that they were not something that could be found in a merchant's home. He then said, "Brother Wen must be a descendant of an official, right?"
Wen Xi had already prepared her identity and family background, and she casually replied: "My father just communicated with the Ministry of Industry. He is not qualified to enter the Imperial College to monitor the teacher's lectures." Only the children of officials of the third grade or above are eligible to be admitted to the Imperial College.
Those who were admitted together were no more than a sixth-grade official.
Kong Shangren was surprised and said with a bit of envy: "Bi Zhi style is a good position for promotion! It is difficult for ordinary people to get it. I guess Brother Wen must have a good family background, right?"
Come on, is a sixth-grade pen post style still very popular? But that’s right, Kong Shangren was only a seventh-grade man, and the pen post style is even more sesame and mung bean, at least he is older than him!
Wen Xi said humbly: "It's just a Han military flag, and it's somewhat related to the Tong Jia family by marriage!"
"That's it!" Kong Shangren nodded, with a hint of envy. In this era, having connections is a matter of skill!
While talking, Qinglan had already brought over the charcoal stove and hot dishes, put the plum blossom wine on the charcoal stove and simmered it, and said: "Bi'er just woke up, I went down first." Qinglan said.
Lived in the wing next door.
Wen Xi nodded, "I understand." When you wake up, you will definitely be hungry, and Wen Xi, the fake father, will go over to breastfeed later!
"Bi'er?" Kong Shangren said with a smile, "Ai Bi'er is so cute, she really deserves this name!"
After all, she is the daughter of Kangxi. Wen Xi is not going to change her name. She directly translates it into Chinese and removes the word "bird"! Bi'er, Xiaojiabiyu, doesn't sound like a very good name, and it also looks a bit like a maid's name! But it will be
Just use it.
Wen Xi picked up the plum blossom wine on the charcoal stove, poured a glass for Kong Shangren and said, "During the national mourning period, it is not appropriate to drink alcohol, but just one pot is enough to ward off the cold." Wen Xi didn't care about Xiaozhuang either.
It's just that she has a bad drinking capacity and will drink three glasses of wine. It would be bad if she made some kind of joke!
Smelling the overflowing aroma of wine, Kong Shangren couldn't help but feel his throat rolling. He hurriedly drank a glass and said with great joy: "Good wine!" Then he laughed and said: "Yes, national mourning is not appropriate, it is an expedient measure!"
Wen Xi gave him another glass and sighed: "This year has been really eventful!"
Kong Shangren couldn't help but sigh: "The emperor is pure filial piety, and he has been overly sad for several times. I was ordered to go to the palace to see him a few days ago. I saw that the emperor had lost a lot of weight, and his right hand was wrapped with a thick layer of gauze. I don't know why he was injured.
Already."
"Injured?" Wen Xi was startled, with a bit of confusion, "How could someone be injured in the palace garden? Is there anyone who dares to commit an assassination?"
"No," Kong Shangren said after drinking another drink, "I seem to have heard that he was accidentally burned somehow."
Wen Xi couldn't help but remain silent. The fire in Qian Palace? When she sat on Xue Qing's back and flew away, she did see Kangxi still standing in front of the ruins of the palace in the distance. Did he rush into the fire? Did he burn himself? Kangxi always
Putting his own safety first, such a big fire, such a dangerous situation??? Kangxi was never an impulsive person!
Kong Shangren sighed, put down the wine cup, and sighed: "The burn is the next best thing. I followed Mr. Nalan to the audience. The emperor was bedridden and looked extremely haggard. I heard that he had not eaten water or rice for several days! Your Majesty, really
He is a man of great filial piety!" Xiaozhuang happened to be dead, so anyone would think that Kangxi's haggard appearance was because he was sad for his grandmother's death, right?
Wen Xi made a sound, poured herself a glass, and drank by herself. Plum blossoms cooking wine was originally a pleasure, but for a while, the atmosphere became a little stiff. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome.
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ps: Once she was transformed into a second generation, she was the legitimate daughter of a high family, but she was living in a farmhouse with her young brother. - "The Evil Daughter of a Rich Family"