On the eighth day of July, the day after the Qiqiao Festival, a light rain fell in the mountains of Kuaiji County. Although the rain was not heavy, it continued continuously. This was the first rain that the people of Kuaiji had seen this year. The people in the city were very happy.
There were also those who wept with joy. The thin-waisted drums were beating and Wu songs were singing. They were worshiping the River God and the Well God. Zhu Yingtai, who joined the army in Xifu, left Shanyin under the continuous drizzle, amidst the thin-waisted drums and the misty songs of worship to the gods.
Daishu, the internal historian of Kuaiji, led officials at both county and county levels, as well as elders of local wealthy families, to see Zhu Canjun off. Zhu Canjun, who fell ill from working hard to fight drought in Kuaiji, did not take any of the customary "welcome money" and used it all to relieve the victims.
, when leaving, he also reminded Dai Neishi to pay attention to flood prevention. Severe droughts are often followed by floods. Misfortunes never come alone——
The iron-wrapped wooden wheels of the bullock cart rolled over the mud that was slightly soft from the rain. It was not as bumpy as the hard soil in the past. Put down the curtain of the cart and temporarily block the world outside the carriage. I wish that joining the army would turn me into Mrs. Xie. She
She was sitting on her knees in the carriage, with her back straight and her posture elegant. The maid advised her to sit against the soft cushions for a while because of the wind so as not to get tired. She said: "I'm used to sitting like this, but it's actually not comfortable to lean on it like that.
More tiring.”
Yinfeng said softly: "My wife is so strong, she is always stretched and holding on - she is very ill this time. When she returns to Jiankang, she will ask a famous doctor to treat her and nurse her back to health."
Liu Xu said: "I hope my wife will return to Jiankang. Chen Langjun has also returned from Chang'an. Chen Langjun can cure my wife's illness."
Xie Daoyun said with a smile: "A few coughs are nothing serious. I have to wait for Chen Zizhong to treat me. I'm just a little tired. I think Chen Zizhong's medical skills are average. He just got a few folk remedies from Mr. Zhikawa. This practice requires experience."
, Chen Zizhong has never treated anyone - don't talk about Mrs. Lu, that, that doesn't count."
Xie Daoyun stopped Liuxu from arguing and changed the subject: "This rare drought that lasted for ten months should be over, but wheat, millet and rice in the farmland cannot be grown at once, and the famine will intensify.
Moreover, winter is coming soon——"
Liu Xu said: "Madam, you should take good care of yourself. You have done your best in Kuaiji. Even Mr. Chen can't do better than Madam here."
When Xie Daoyun heard what Liu Xu said, her heart moved. She often thought in her heart, if Zi Zhong were here, what would he do? What countermeasures would he have?
Xie Daoyun couldn't help but chuckle and thought to himself: "Zizhong and I are thousands of miles apart, and I still want to compete with him. It's really funny."
Because there was an aunt in Xie's Manor in Dongshan who celebrated her fiftieth birthday on the 12th of this month, Xie Daoyun and Xie Shao, so they went back to Dongshan to stay for a few days. After the Bon Festival, they set off for Jiankang. When passing through the counties of Shanyin,
Without alarming the local officials, he left Kuaiji territory all the way and arrived in Qiantang on July 21. Then he went to Chenjiabao to visit Chen Caozhi's widowed sister-in-law Ding Youwei and his lovely niece Run'er.
Chen Xian, the patriarch of the Chen family, signaled to Chen Caozhi last year that he wanted to betroth his young daughter to her, Zhu Yingtai. It’s funny to think about it. Isn’t it that Chen Xian, the patriarch of the Chen clan, would be unhappy because of her rejection? There’s nothing he can do about it, hehe
——
Xie's private soldiers, with more than ten followers and several oxcarts, Xie Daoyun and Xie Shao went all the way to Chenjiabao. Xie Daoyun soon felt that the atmosphere was different. Some of the Chen's tenants he met along the way looked gloomy.
Originally, Chen's tenants were quite optimistic and joyful in their work and daily life because their masters were kind-hearted. Why do they look so worried now?
Xie Daoyun thought to himself: "Is it because of the drought that has made life difficult? But along the way, it seems that the rice in Chen's Manor is growing well. Chen's Manor has begun trial planting of second-crop rice, and the rice harvest will double. This drought, Qiantang was affected by the disaster and
It’s not serious, and because Chen’s Manor has water from Mingsheng Lake, the damage is even less severe.”
Xie Daoyun and his entourage came to the square dock in Chenjiawu. They had to pay a visit to Chen Xian, the leader of the Chen clan first, but they saw that Chen Xian was just ordering his servants to pack their luggage and load the goods, as if they were going to travel far. When they saw Xie Daoyun, the old patriarch Chen Xian
Suddenly she shed two lines of old tears, and Xie Daoyun was surprised and said: "Clan Chief Chen, why is this, why are you sad?"
Chen Xian said with a worried look on his face: "Master Zhu, don't you know that Cao Zhi went to Chang'an as an envoy, but when he came back he was kidnapped by the white slaves of Xianbei, and we don't know whether he is alive or dead! My son Chen Shang brought an urgent message from Jiankang, and I was very worried.
I am planning to go to Jiankang to find out what is going on and see if I can beg the government to try to rescue him!"
Xie Daoyun saw that the gray-haired old patriarch Chen Xian, who was over sixty years old, was going to Jiankang regardless of his old age and frailty. He quickly comforted him and said: "Clan Chief Chen, don't be impatient. Zi Zhong is auspicious and everything will be fine. If you can,
If so, please ask the old patriarch to show me Brother Chen Shang’s family letters.”
Chen Xian knew that Zhu Yingtai was a close friend of Sixteenth Nephew, and was a very talented and resourceful person. Last year, He Zhu and Lu Chu tried to frame the Chen family, and it was Zhu Yingtai who helped resolve the crisis. Zhu Yingtai and Sixteenth
The nephew is a colleague, and there might be a way to rescue the sixteenth nephew. Chen Xian quickly took out the letter sent home by Chen Shang three days ago and showed it to Xie Daoyun——
Chen Caozhi's secret letter to Huan Wen naturally stated the purpose of his trip to Yecheng, but the matter was top secret. Except for a few senior staff in the Xifu and Xi Chao, Huan Wen was not willing to disclose it to anyone else, so Jiankang's
Chen Shang didn't know what happened. He only knew that his sixteenth brother was kidnapped by the Xianbei people outside Luoyang City. In the letter, Chen Shang also talked about the Lu girl being forced into the palace, although many people opposed it.
, but Miss Lu’s situation is also very difficult——
Xie Daoyun read Chen Shang's letter and said: "Clan Chief Chen, when Zizhong left home at the beginning of the year, he didn't know that he was going to be an envoy to the North, so there were some things that he didn't report to the old patriarch. When Zizhong went to Di Qin as an envoy, I kept sending him
When I arrived in Shouzhou, I had some understanding of the purpose of Zizhong's mission. Zizhong was definitely not kidnapped by the Xianbei people. He wanted to meet Murong Ke and his brothers Murong Chui. Zizhong had already planned it, and he would definitely be able to
Come back safely, the old patriarch doesn't have to rush to Jiankang, maybe wait another month, and another letter will come from Jiankang saying that Zizhen has returned."
After listening to Xie Daoyun's words, Chen Xian turned from worry to joy, but he still didn't dare to believe it. After all, his sixteenth nephew still had no news at all, so he asked: "Where is Mr. Zhu going this time?"
Xie Daoyun then said with a smile: "This junior is about to return to Jiankang. Old patriarch, don't worry. Zi Zhong and I are brothers. If something happens to Zi Zhong, I will never sit idly by and do nothing. I will plead with King Langya and Huan Da Sima to ask Yan State for return."
Zi Zhong.”
Chen Xian felt relieved and agreed not to go to Jiankang for the time being. He also said, "Cao Zhi's widowed sister-in-law Youwei is also worried about Cao Zhi. This time she plans to take Run'er with her to Jiankang. I wish you the best."
He said, Youwei and her daughter don’t need to go either.”
Xie Daoyun said: "Then I will go see Ding's sister-in-law again and let her feel relieved for the time being."
Thirty-one-year-old Ding Youwei is as beautiful as ever, with a slightly sad look on her face. When she sees Xie Daoyun and listens to Xie Daoyun's resolute words that Cao Zhi will come back safely, Ding Youwei also feels relieved. She also firmly believes that Xiaolang will not die.
Being kidnapped by the Xianbei people like this——
During the conversation, Ding Youwei saw Xie Daoyun coughing slightly from time to time and said, "Is Mr. Zhu in good health? I see that you are much thinner than you were a few months ago."
Xie Daoyun smiled and said: "It's okay. I'm slightly sick. Thank you for your concern, sister-in-law."
Ding Youwei said: "I wish you, Mr. Lang, to take care of your health. You are my most valued friend."
Xie Daoyun knew that Ding Youwei had known that she was a girl, so he felt a little embarrassed when Ding Youwei said this, as if Ding Youwei had seen through the secrets in his heart that he did not want others to know.
For all the reasons in the palace, she and Zizhong will surely get married. Xie Daoyun said these as if she was proving something to herself——
Ding Youwei smiled at the corner of his mouth, staring at this talented lady from the Xie family, and sighed in his heart for this infatuated woman.
At this time, Run'er came upstairs, looking at Xie Daoyun with a pair of sharp eyes, without saying anything, her eyes were extremely complicated——
Xie Daoyun had just met Run'er. Run'er greeted her happily and asked Zhu Langjun why he had lost weight. Xie Daoyun liked Run'er very much. This crystal clear girl has started to grow up. She has already grown up at the age of eleven.
Standing tall and graceful, she may be taller than her mother in the future. The beauty of Run'er's complexion is amazing, and the beauty of porcelain and jade cannot be compared. And her eyes are particularly smart and lively, making people forget their worries at first sight——
Xie Daoyun smiled and asked: "Run'er, what's the matter?"
Run'er moved her delicate lips but said nothing. She walked to her mother and whispered a few words. While speaking, her big beautiful eyes kept looking at Xie Daoyun.
Xie Daoyun was a little confused, but when he saw Ding Youwei's face changing slightly, he obviously heard Run'er say something very important, so he asked: "Sister-in-law, what's the matter? Jiankang has written again?"
Ding Youwei was a little flustered and said, "No, it's nothing. Zhu Langjun, please sit down and I'll come back when I go." She told Run'er to accompany Zhu Langjun, so she lightly lifted the hem of her skirt and hurried away.
Xie Daoyun was a little strange. Looking at Ding Youwei's surprised expression, it was not a small matter, and Run'er looked at her like that. It seemed to be related to her. Xie Daoyun couldn't think of anything that could happen? He smiled and asked Run'er who was sitting in front of her.
: "Run'er, what's going on? Can you tell me?"
Run'er kept looking at Xie Daoyun, and after a while he nodded, and said in a soft voice: "Run'er, just tell Mr. Zhu Langjun, since this matter can't be kept secret, and Mr. Zhu Langjun should know earlier."
Hearing Run'er speak like a young adult, Xie Daoyun's heart tightened for some reason. He seemed to have realized something and forced a smile: "Run'er, you said -"
Run'er stared at Xie Daoyun with her shining eyes and said, "Mr. Zhu, you are actually a woman, the wife of the Xie family, Yong Xu and Xie Daoyun, right?"
Xie Daoyun's originally pale and thin face lost all color in an instant. She said to herself in her heart: "Oh, this day has finally come. I don't want to be friends with you again."