224, Return to Qin Province, General Village (for full order)
"Mr. Bai, you're welcome..."
When Mrs. Leng saw Bai Gui's polite appearance, she quickly stood up from her seat.
She was momentarily panicked and at a loss.
But she quickly calmed down and thanked her: "Thank you very much, Mr. Bai, for being a neighbor. We, Leng Zhai, are also grateful. These are some snacks I made specially. Please accept them, Mr. Bai, for your consideration."
Bai Gui then noticed that there was a three-layer lacquered wood food box placed on the small coffee table next to the table and chairs in the living room.
"Thank you very much, Mrs. Leng."
He thanked him.
As a courtesy, you must accept some of the snacks Mrs. Leng gave you. Otherwise, if you are just showing kindness, your neighbors will think you have other intentions.
Besides, some of the snacks made are not worth much, so it’s no big deal to accept them.
"Lao Li, go and clear the snacks in the food box."
Bai Gui ordered.
This lacquered wood food box was a bit worn and looked old, but it was still a valuable possession. He generally understood Leng Zhai. He came from a scholarly family and was not a wealthy family. He would probably not be willing to part with a food box.
What Mrs. Leng sent was only snacks, not food boxes.
Soon, Lao Li came in carrying a food box and some silk materials wrapped in coarse cloth.
This was specifically ordered by Bai Gui.
"Mrs. Leng, you are here to bring snacks. I have to make a gesture as well. This is some silk material that someone gave me a few days ago. I think it is too gorgeous. There are no women at home, so this silk material is wasted. For me,
Selling this silk material is a loss of status."
"So, Mrs. Leng, please don't refuse these silk materials."
Bai Gui took a sip of tea, put down the tea cup, took the silk material from Lao Li, handed it over, and said with a smile.
He doesn't plan to have much contact with Leng Zhai, as long as he maintains a lukewarm neighborly relationship.
This time he gave the silk material as a gift. If he had known his thoughts and understood etiquette, he would not have gone out of his way to say thank you next time, because the return gift was quite expensive, and the silk material would have cost several silver dollars...
When he accepts gifts, he knows the etiquette.
And in return for expensive gifts, I don’t intend to interact with you more.
As for the silk material, I selected some from Bai Xiuzhu's return gift to his family.
This was used to make clothes for his stepmother and sister.
He can just make up for it when he returns to Qin Province.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Bai."
Mrs. Leng sighed secretly. She had already talked about this. If she didn't accept the gift, she would be a little embarrassed.
In fact, she also heard from her daughter that the newly moved owner of Bai Zhai was a famous writer and literati with quite a reputation. So after seeing Bai Zhai give some deer meat as a gift, she planned to take the opportunity to strike up a friendship.
Otherwise, as a woman, even if she is old, she would not be able to come and say thank you.
Now it seems that Bai Zhai does not want to have too much contact with them, otherwise he will not give generous gifts, but choose matching gifts as a return gift.
Mrs. Leng said a few words and said goodbye.
As a junior, Bai Gui sent her out of Bai Zhai, but when she just went out, she met Leng Qingqiu wandering at the door.
Leng Qingqiu is waiting for Mrs. Bai.
"Mr. Bai."
Leng Qingqiu put on her clothes and saluted, very politely.
"Um."
Bai Gui nodded slightly and glanced at Leng Qingqiu, who looked very surprised.
Wearing a cyan dress, a West Lake water-colored veil was draped around her neck that was as white and shiny as porcelain. It was fluttering in the breeze. Her snow-white face was decorated with red lips, and she was charming and had sparse black bangs.
Hidden between his eyebrows, his eyes were slightly cold.
It is exactly in response to the name Leng Qingqiu.
However, this kind of coldness in his eyes is natural and not intentional.
But Bai Gui was used to seeing beauties, and had reached the state of "not recognizing the beauty of his wife." He paused briefly, then turned around and walked back.
"Wait a minute, Mr. Bai."
"Did you also introduce Mr. Cheng to Beiman Girls' School?"
Leng Qingqiu asked.
"Mr. Cheng? She's Sister Huichang, right? By the way, I introduced her to the high school section of Beiman Girls' School."
"What, what's the matter?"
Bai Gui turned his head and was surprised.
It was not easy to conceal his identity. He said that day that he was either Bai Meihe or that he was deliberately telling Leng Qingqiu not to come and disturb him. It was not that he did not know what it meant to hide one's ears and steal the bell.
At this moment, Leng Qingqiu knew his identity, so there was nothing surprising.
Leng Qingqiu's beautiful eyes narrowed and she said: "Mr. Cheng is responsible for teaching our high school department. When she came, she brought your letter of recommendation. Many people in Beiman Girls' School knew that Mr. Cheng was introduced by you..."
"Well, what next."
Bai Gui frowned and stared at Leng Qingqiu.
The implication is: Could it be that you told me to stop because you were talking about these nonsense?
"Then, then..."
Leng Qingqiu choked. She didn't know why she insisted on calling Bai Gui. She just revealed her thoughts inadvertently, but when she stopped, she didn't know where to start. She could only say nonsense that seemed related but unrelated.
"I'm sorry, Miss Leng, if there's nothing else to say... I'm going to leave."
Bai Guidao.
"I……"
Leng Qingqiu was stunned for a moment, and before he could react, he saw the door of Bai Mansion was closed tightly.
She obviously didn't quarrel with Mr. Bai Gui.
Why, Bai Gui, the gentleman who taught her, saw her so indifferent.
"Let's go, Lao Li said. Mr. Bai is already engaged."
Mrs. Leng, as a person who has been there, saw Leng Qingqiu's expression, and she didn't know that Leng Qingqiu had some feelings for Bai Gui. This seemed to be a very unreasonable thing. They had only met a few times, but Bai Gui's conversation, moral character, and wealth
, his fame and appearance are far beyond those of his peers. It is normal for Leng Qingqiu to have feelings for someone like Bai Gui.
"He...he's engaged?"
"Mr. Bai...Mr. Bai is engaged?"
Leng Qingqiu muttered a few words to himself.
It suddenly dawned on me.
Why does Bai Gui avoid her like a snake and a scorpion?
It turns out there was an engagement.
"Let's go, mother, I understand."
Leng Qingqiu nodded, smiled reluctantly at Mrs. Leng, took Mrs. Leng's arm and walked towards Leng's house.
Walking very slowly step by step.
…
A few days passed.
Bai Gui declined Jin Mansion's banquet, packed his bags, and prepared to set off with the caravan that had recently returned to Qin Province.
Inside the caravan there was business from the Wu family.
In Qin Province's large-scale transactions and cross-shareholdings, it is rare to see business that does not involve the Wu House.
The Wu Mansion was in charge of Zhou Ying, and the young master Wu Huaixian had an old relationship with him. They were both township party members. Bai Gui had a clear origin, a clean fortune, and was a celebrity, so the caravan gladly accepted Bai Gui and bought two more carriages.
One pulls goods and one carries people.
Although Bai Gui was proficient in equestrian skills, the journey took too long. The caravan was moving slowly, and it would take at least half a month to reach Qin Province. The journey was bumpy, and riding a carriage was more comfortable than simply riding a horse, so he accepted the offer without rejecting it.
Outside Yanjing City.
Not many people saw Bai Gui off. Although he said that he would leave Yanjing in the near future, he did not tell others the specific date for fear of causing trouble.
"It's okay for you to be in Yanjing these days, but when you return to Qin Province, you can't mess around with others."
"I know your temperament..."
Bai Xiuzhu and Bai Gui hugged each other. After they separated, they said a few thoughtful words and then gave instructions.
"Don't worry, I already have you, how can I still have room for others in my heart."
Bai Gui raised his eyebrows and said without changing his expression.
"snort."
Bai Xiuzhu snorted softly, but there was a smile on her face.
After saying goodbye.
Bai Gui got on his horse and set off with the caravan.
The caravans of these days may sound like caravans, but in fact, the force of the caravans cannot be underestimated. They do not dare to trade across provinces without a few brushes. Some of the caravan guards carry firecrackers, and there are hundreds of people.
Along the way, we bumped into several groups of bandits, but these bandits were insignificant. The caravan guards fired a few shots, killing a few of the guys who were new-born calves and were not afraid of tigers, and the others dispersed in a hurry.
When Bai Gui saw this, he didn't dare to come forward.
He practices martial arts to strengthen his body, not to fight bravely.
"If you are good at swimming, you will be drowned; if you are good at riding, you will be drowned; if you are good at riding, you will be in trouble; if you are good at it, you will be in trouble." - "Huainanzi·Yuan Dao Xun"
It may not be a big deal to take action once, but if you think so about everything, there will always be an unlucky day. If you can, just endure it and never force yourself to stand out.
In this way, they arrived in Qin Province without any danger. The caravan did not suffer any major damage and only injured a few guards.
It is already early October as we approach Qin Province.
One night, at dawn or dusk, it started to snow, with heavy snowfall, and everywhere was covered with white, whether it was mountains or ravines, the colors changed.
The north wind is bleak.
In rainy and snowy days, the roads are slippery, making it difficult for caravans to travel.
"This is Weibei now. There are not many big households in Weibei that can accommodate us. I heard that the Guo Ju family in Jiangjunzhai has fertile land. All of it is his family's land when they go down Jiangjun Slope. There is no end to the plains..."
"We have to wait for the wind and snow to stop before we can continue our journey to the provincial capital."
The caravan steward shrank his head in the cold, walked to a carriage in the center of the caravan, opened the thick curtain, and discussed with the people inside.
"Xiangong Bai, what do you think?"
he asked.
Although Bai Gui doesn't care about the caravan's affairs, his status is here, and some important decisions must be inquired in advance.
Not mentioning Bai Gui's own identity, his relationship with the Wu Mansion alone deserves his caution.
"General's Village?"
Bai Gui was startled. He lived near the provincial capital and was well-informed about some information, including Jiangjun Village. He had heard about it at Wang Ji's Food Shop in Bailu Town and had a general impression of it.
The caravan steward planned to temporarily stay at Guo Ju's home in Jiangjun Village, which was reasonable.
There are nearly 150 people in the caravan, and it is not a small amount just to eat and drink every day, and it is not enough to just eat dry food, so when settling down, we must first choose a powerful and big family, otherwise we will not even be able to collect their rations.
As for Guo Juren of Jiangjunzhai, he was a powerful and powerful family in Weibei. He was also a member of the Juren family. Although it was just a military examination, his status and reputation in the nearby villages were undeniable.
"Okay, let's not miss this time. We will go to Jiangjunzhai later and you and I will come out to deal with Guo Juren."
Bai Gui said.
"As Mr. Bai said, I would like to thank Mr. Bai on behalf of my brothers."
The caravan steward smiled.
Although Bai Gui seems to be doing nothing in the caravan, his status is extremely useful. Once he arrives at the pass, he will give some thin noodles to the officials who are trying to get the card, and it is easier to deal with people like them.
too much.
When the caravan came to Guo Juren's home and asked for reception, it was impossible for Guo Juren to receive him in vain, but for Bai Gui, who had an identity in the past, the reception fee would be much less.
Most of the caravan members were locals from Qin Province, and they knew the nearby terrain very clearly. Even though it was covered in heavy snow and it was difficult to distinguish the geography, it didn't take long to find Jiangjunzhai and walk to the door of Guo Caidong's house.
A five-story house.
It is unique in the entire Jiangjun Village.
The tile-roofed houses are all brand new, the entrance is paved with bluestone slabs, and there are two drum-holding stones on the side of the door.
Knock on the door.
"You are?"
The side door opened, and a middle-aged man who looked like a long-term worker walked out. He looked at the crowd of people in front of him, carrying goods, and he probably had some guesses in his mind, "Is it a traveling caravan? That's right. The road is blocked by heavy snow now. You are not good.
Walk."
"Yes, we came here intending to stay overnight in your residence. Could you please take the trouble to inform the owner,"
The caravan steward stepped forward, took out three or four single-cornered silver coins from his sleeves, and patted the middle-aged worker's hand with a smile on his face.
"Okay, I'll notify the master right away."
A hint of joy flashed in Chang Gong's eyes, he nodded, and ran into the back room with fast steps.
From time to time, an old man with gray hair and over sixty years old, full of energy and vitality, walked out. He was dressed similar to most wealthy people in the countryside, with a long-sleeved satin shirt, a white cotton jacket, and a black melon skin hat.
"I, Bai Gui, also named Meihe, am also from Qin Province. I would like to stay in your residence. I wonder if Guo Juren will agree?"
Bai Gui then stood up and bowed his hands.
"Bai Meihe..."
Guo Juren was surprised for a while, then thought about it and said: "You are Mr. Bai from Sanyuan in junior high school a few years ago, right? Didn't I hear that you went to Japan to study abroad? Why..., oh, by the way,
It’s about the same time, so it’s normal for you to come back.”
"Please come in, please come in."
"Please also ask Mr. Bai to come to the house to discuss in detail..."
He turned sideways and made an invitation, with a smile on his face.
"Yes, Guo Juren is polite."
Bai Gui nodded, not paying much attention.
News in the countryside was poor, so Guo Juren only knew that he was a Juren, and that he had gone to Japan to study abroad, which was already very good. After all, Guo Juren was a martial artist, not a scholar, and he was not in the circle, so it was normal for him not to know some things.
"Come, see the ceremony, prepare tea, and host a banquet."
After entering the house, Guo Juren arrived at the door of the living room and shouted to the servants accompanying him.
It stands to reason that although a scholar has a high reputation and is a guest everywhere, but in front of him, he is still a bit mean. But Bai Gui has studied in Japan and is a scholar, so his status is different.
I was sent abroad to study by the government, and when I came back to China, I was a big-name person.
He can't afford it.
"Guo Juren is so polite."
Bai Gui nodded. He was invited by Guo Juren to take a seat. There were only two seats facing the south, one on the left and one on the right. He sat on the left, but he did not refuse. He lifted up the hem of his gown and took his seat.
Generally speaking, living rooms face north and south.
The position facing south is the most prestigious.
"King Xiang, Xiang Bo sits to the east, Yafu sits to the south, Yafu is Fan Zengye, Pei Gong sits to the north, Zhang Liang serves to the west." - "Hongmen Banquet"