Part of the orchard is isolated from the outside and is reserved by Lin Zhu. Therefore, even if outsiders come to play, it will not affect them.
General Chang took his people to hunt first, and Heidouer also went with him.
Ever since Hei Dou'er went to the pasture, Fu Dou'er has been unhappy and has always been clamoring to take him back. It was difficult for Fu Dou'er to adapt to being away from his childhood playmate for too long.
So I took this opportunity to call Heidouer back.
"Your Heidou'er is so good." Lin Yuewei looked at the scene of Fu Dou'er and Hei Dou'er playing with envy. Moreover, he heard Feng Rongxuan and Haizi talking about how capable Hei Dou'er was and how many times he had caught prey. So he continued
My heart is moved.
But this time, he really couldn't fulfill his wish. It doesn't matter if he has a pet dog, but there are many female relatives in the Lin Mansion. Dogs like Heidou'er, which is half a man tall, are not even female relatives, even men.
They were all a little frightened when they saw it. So Lin Qinglan shook her head at Lin Yuewei with a very solemn expression.
Seemingly unable to achieve his goal, Lin Yuewei had no choice but to discuss with Fu Dou'er and let him play with Hei Dou'er for a while.
Since Hei Dou'er was going hunting, Hei Dou'er also had a mission, so Fu Dou'er and Lin Yuewei watched reluctantly as he followed General Chang and others towards the woods.
"Okay, when Black Bean comes back later, why don't you just play with it again?" Lin Zhu took a handkerchief and wiped the faces of the two sweaty boys. He also asked someone to prepare some fruits for them.
, and by the way promised Fu Dou'er that he would not send Hei Dou'er to the pasture again.
Then they happily sat around on the prepared mat and started eating.
"Xiao Qi is much happier here with my sister." Lin Qinglan said with emotion.
"He's a kid. It's just a novelty for him. If he keeps playing like this for a long time, he will definitely get bored." Lin Zhu explained with a smile.
Although she was speaking out of emotion, Lin Qinglan didn't mean anything else, but Lin Zhu's explanation also made her more fond of her. She could see the attitude of her family members, and sometimes the sisters would talk about Lin Zhu, but they still weren't so close.
Observing her from a distance, it was direct.
And Lin Qinglan could also see it. Lin Zhu respected General Chang and others, but had no intention of trying to please them. He cared about and filial piety to them like a true junior. What surprised her even more was that not only General Chang and Mr. Zhang
The doctor lives leisurely here in Linzhu. Even Mr. Du, who has always been said to be difficult to get along with by people in the capital, is also here, and the relationship is very harmonious.
On the other hand, it also shows that Lin Zhu's character is actually very approachable and sincere. Otherwise, these three are all mature people, how could they get along so well with a country girl.
"Miss Lin, eat some fruits. They are grown in the orchard and taste very good." Lin Zhu brought her a plate of cut apples.
"Thank you." Lin Qinglan took the plate. Although they didn't have to sit on the floor like Fu Dou'er and the others, the table was already full of things, so they could only eat with the plate in hand.
Lin Qinglan had never seen anything like this before, and was a little curious and at a loss. However, seeing Zhang Manyun eating very contentedly, she put down her reserve and, like her, used a small fork to pick up the fruit and ate it.
I didn't expect that eating and wandering in the garden would be quite interesting. The weather was very good, the sky was clear and the clouds were clear, neither cold nor hot. Although the leaves of the fruit trees were already a little withered, Lin Qinglan had never seen such an image before, so she still
Very interesting.
"Miss Xiaozhu, why did those people cut off the good trees?" Lin Qinglan looked curiously at the people who were pruning the branches of the fruit trees not far away.
"Oh, there are too many branches. If there are too many fruits next year, the fruits will not grow big." Lin Zhu explained plainly.
"Oh," Lin Qinglan nodded. She often saw the gardener in the house pruning flowers and trees, and the purpose was similar. However, she felt that Lin Zhu still knew this, which was really surprising. She had always thought that although Lin Zhu owned the farm,
Most of them should be managed by the stewards below, without her having to intervene. Unexpectedly, she was no worse than an experienced farmer.
"Haha, Miss Lin Er must be surprised too." Zhang Manyun walked to her side and said with a smile, "I was also surprised when I saw Sister Xiaozhu for the first time. Such a small person, although she can't do anything by herself, can
When directing others to work, just open your mouth and do it in a logical manner."
Lin Qinglan looked at Zhang Manyun and smiled, "Ms. Zhang won't be so reserved. Just call me by my name."
"Uh, okay." Zhang Manyun nodded, "Then let's not be so polite."
With this consensus, it became much easier to talk, and Lin Zhu also had a sister as usual.
Lin Zhu directed his subordinates to prepare the things that would be used after General Chang and others brought in the prey. He also sent fruits and tea to old doctor Zhang and old man Du who were playing chess, and then got out and met Zhang Manyun.
Lin Qinglan walked around casually in the garden.
At this time, there were still some unfinished picking of wolfberry in the wolfberry garden, so Lin Zhu asked the two of them if they were interested in taking a look. The fresh wolfberry had a unique taste when eaten.
The two of them had never had such an experience, so of course they readily agreed. Since they were out having fun, it would be good to relax a little.
So the three of them all took exquisite small baskets, followed by a few people, and walked towards the wolfberry garden.
Lin Zhu is very affectionate towards the wolfberry garden. After all, for a long time, he and Fu Douer have been able to support themselves and Fu Douer by relying on the wolfberry harvest. Although the wolfberry garden in Linjia Village was later sold to Wu Jinpeng, Lin Zhu still felt a little regretful.
So when we planned the orchard here, we rebuilt the wolfberry garden.
The small red fruits were very attractive. Lin Zhu gently picked off the small red fruits one by one and put them in the basket. He also told Lin and Zhang to be careful and not to hang up their clothes.
The two people who were a little excited simply ignored the exquisite clothes on their bodies. With the help of the maid, they kept picking the wolfberries from the branches and put them in their own baskets. And at Zhang Manyun's suggestion, the three
People also started competing to see who could pick more.
Except for Lin Zhu, the other two young ladies who have lived in purdah for a long time, who have ever done this kind of work? Even the maids around them don't have this kind of physical skills.
After about a stick of incense, Lin Qinglan and Zhang Manyun became a little tired. They looked at the maids beside them. There seemed to be sweat on their heads and their hair was a little messy. They must not be much better.
Lin Zhu also felt that it was almost done and suggested picking wolfberry for fun, so he told the two of them to rest and prepared to go back.
Now that I've had my fun, I don't care who picked more and who picked less.
Wolfberry is a good thing. Not to mention that Zhang Manyun’s family comes from a family of imperial doctors, so they naturally know the wonderful uses of wolfberry. Even the female relatives of the Lin family often eat wolfberry.
Seeing that Lin Qinglan seemed to like wolfberries very much. She also tasted a few when she picked them just now. "If sister Qinglan likes them, I will have them wrap some more dried wolfberries for you later."
Lin Qinglan was very happy after hearing this. She also found that Lin Zhu didn't attach much importance to some external things. Take Zhang Manyun as an example. It was rare for her to be polite to Lin Zhu, although she knew that the two were very close.
, but as far as Lin Qinglan’s tutor is concerned, it is impossible to speak easily.
So Lin Zhu's words made her very happy. "Thank you, sister Xiaozhu."
Seeing that Lin Qinglan did not shirk and show her desire and want to be chased, Lin Zhu felt that she was indeed someone she could be friends with, so she nodded with a smile.
From beginning to end, Lin Zhu's conditions for making friends were very simple. He didn't care whether the other person had money or status, as long as he didn't measure his worth with external things and was sincere.
After returning to the apple orchard, Lin Zhu asked someone to wash the medlars they had picked. Before the hunters came back, they arranged things first. If there were pheasants or the like among the prey they brought back,
Then make a pot of thick chicken soup to nourish everyone.
With so many people like Lin Zhu and others busy here, there was naturally a lot of movement, and they also attracted the attention of some outsiders. However, because there was a fence between them and they were far away, few people came close to them.
But there are very few, which does not mean that there are none. In the past, those who came to play knew the rules and stayed far away from the owner's garden, or they just said hello and went about their own business.
But today is very special. Either by coincidence or not, Fang Ziqi and Lei Meng came here for hunting and fun today.
Lei Meng was accompanied by several domestic servants, all of whom were strong and powerful. Because it was in the wild and it was not convenient to take care of maids, he only brought some male servants.
Although their garden is about fifty or sixty meters away from the bamboo forest, and it is blocked by the fruit trees, it is actually difficult to see the people here clearly.
But just because you can't see it doesn't mean you can't hear it. The girl's voice is a bit shrill, and she's having fun, letting go of all her unnecessary reserve. So the laughter spreads far.
"Whose garden is over there?" Lei Meng heard the voice and was a little moved. They had just arrived and were ready to settle down before going hunting. After asking the gardener to help clean up, he became a little curious.
inquire about.
However, the servants who look after the garden are all from Lin Zhu, so naturally they will not reveal the information about the owner. They only say that ordinary people cannot go there.
But this made Lei Meng, a dandy young master, even more interested. The people who looked after the garden seemed to be the kind of people who didn't want to take in anything. They accepted their reward without missing anything, but didn't reveal any information.
This made Lei Meng very angry. He wanted to teach him a lesson, but was stopped by Fang Ziqi. He asked Fang's father's subordinate and found out that it was okay to come here to play. The owner was very welcoming and would not raise the price. But
If trouble occurs, the consequences will be tragic.
Originally, Fang Ziqi didn't believe him. Lei Meng was also very famous in the capital, and no one was willing to risk offending the Lei family and embarrass him.
But when the man said that this place had a background from General Chang's Mansion, he shrank back. Even the Lei family didn't want to offend the Chang family, and even Fang Ziqi, who was a young master from the minister's family, didn't dare.
Therefore, he tried his best to persuade Lei Meng to attract his attention by hunting.
Although Lei Meng was a playboy, he was not a fool. When Fang Ziqi hesitated, he knew that the master here must have some background, so he went hunting first as he said.
On the way, he asked Fang Ziqi about it. When he heard that this was the territory of General Chang's mansion, he was a little timid. If nothing else, as long as the children of the Lei family who had fought on the battlefield, they all respected General Chang.
I admire him so much, and if he offends the Chang family, Lei Meng will definitely not get any good results.
Lei Meng did not practice martial arts like his two brothers to strengthen his body, so his skills were not very good. Every time he went hunting with them, he came back empty-handed. But Fang Ziqi was different. This kid didn't know how to hold a bow and arrow at all, so Lei Meng thought that after him
You can also regain some confidence in yourself.
So the two of them took a few strong bodyguards and rode horses, heading towards the woods from the exit of the orchard.
There are no ferocious beasts in the woods in this area, at most there are foxes, roe deer, hares, pheasants and the like. And autumn is the time when these animals get fatter and stronger.
So as long as you are not particularly unlucky, you can usually gain something. However, people like General Chang and Chang Yi are experienced in the battlefield, and their archery skills are naturally very outstanding. They harvested a pheasant not long after entering the woods.
Three hares.
Not long after, Hei Dou'er also caught a pheasant. He ran back and put it next to Chang Shi. Others wanted to move, but it wouldn't let him. He stared fiercely at the person who wanted the pheasant.
General Chang asked curiously, "What's going on? This dog doesn't usually protect its food."
"Go back to the general, I guess I want to take it back to Miss Zhu." Chang Shi is just guessing. But it is also true that every time Hei Dou'er catches prey from the woods, he will deliver it to Lin Zhu. Lin Zhu Cuisine
Afterwards, half of the prey will be eaten by it.
"Haha, this dog is too narrow-minded, are we still greedy for its prey?!" Chang Yi laughed after hearing this.
Everyone was not angry with Heidouer for protecting his food. Instead, they thought he was a rare good dog, smart and brave.
After resting for a while, we headed into the woods. Inside the woods, although the trees were denser and there were more and more vines, there were also more prey, but the difficulty of catching them had increased.
This aroused General Chang's interest even more. If Chang Yi and others had not persuaded him, he would not have been willing to go back within three or four hours.
Just a few people have hunted enough prey, including ten hares, five pheasants and a roe deer, as well as Heidouer, three pheasants and a hare. They were put aside. Besides, it was already getting late, so it was time to go back.
.
Although he felt that it was not enough fun, after all, General Chang was getting older and he felt a little tired after being out for two hours, so he agreed to go back.
On the way back, I saw a few people hunting in the distance, but they seemed to be chasing something and didn't seem to notice General Chang and others.
General Chang and others didn't care. After all, the orchard belonged to the family, not the woods. Others were free to hunt here.
"I'm back." General Chang looked triumphant. The first ones to run up to them were the boys Fu Dou'er and Lin Yuewei. They had been eagerly looking forward to the return of the hunting team.
When he saw a few prey on horses, a few villains kept shouting and saying how awesome they were. General Chang was overjoyed. It felt good to be admired by others.
Lin Zhu also ordered people to bring clean water for General Chang and others to wash away the dust on their bodies. There is also a house nearby where you can change clothes. After washing, General Chang and others also went in and changed into clean clothes.
Lei Meng and others on the other side were not so lucky. They didn't know how to hunt, and they didn't listen to the guards. They gave random orders and scared away their prey. Fortunately, they finally harvested a hare.
, it can also be regarded as a consolation prize.
Returning to the orchard dejectedly, Lei Meng was very depressed, but most of the time it was because of him that he lost his prey, so it was not easy to vent his anger on others.
After working for a long time, I was also hungry, but one hare was not enough to eat. It seemed that I had to find more food from nearby.
"Master, there was a group of people who seemed to have shot a lot just now. We can buy some from them." The guard saw General Chang and others at that time, but because Lei Meng was chasing a rabbit that was scared away by him, he didn't.
remind him.
"Then buy some and bring it back." Lei Meng was a little helpless at this time. After all, hunting is still a laborious job, and he was a bit too pampered. "Let's see if they have wine there, and buy some."
After receiving the approval, the guard tidied up, took some money, and wanted to go find the people he had just seen. He felt they should not be far away.
Not long after, I heard the word "prey" in the distant sound, and knew that it must be the group of people I had seen. Then I followed the direction of the sound and walked towards the garden where Lin Zhu and others were.
"Excuse me." Guard 1, who was spotted by Chang Shi, bowed his hand to him.
"Who are you looking for?" Chang Shi heard the steward say today that there are several people playing here not far away. He guessed that he might be one of them.
"I just saw a few of you who seem to have killed a lot of prey. I'm here to ask if you can sell us a few?" The guards are not the kind of indifferent people. Although they can't see the whole crowd, there are about 20 people who can visually inspect it.
There were many people, so he spoke very politely. "If you have wine, can you sell me some too."
Chang Shi looked at him and said, "Wait a minute, I'll go ask." He probably came to play and was not prepared.
Since Lin Zhu has developed a business here, those who come are guests. Within a reasonable range, some requirements can be met.
Chang Shi told General Chang and others about the intention of the visitor, and agreed. Although there were many people here, they also brought a lot of food from home, plus there was a big roe deer weighing more than 100 kilograms.
, so there is plenty of food to eat. There is no harm in selling some to outsiders.
As for the wine, the visitor was a guest. Besides, General Chang and others also guessed that he was one of the few people they saw on the way back just now. He must have returned empty-handed. It would be better to sell them some wine.
They went back happily.
The guard was very surprised when he saw what Chang Shi brought. Not only were there slaughtered prey, but also some fruits and vegetables, pickled meats, etc., and more importantly, there was also a jar of wine. Although it was not
I knew what kind of wine it was, but from the faint aroma of the wine, it was not difficult to guess that it must be good wine.
Chang Shi willingly accepted twenty taels of silver. Although Guard One thought it was a bit expensive, it was good to find these, so he didn't say much and went back with the things. Of course, before leaving, he also thanked him profusely.
(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my biggest motivation.)