In the light of several lanterns, the fine snow danced like butterflies. Huang Xiaotong couldn't wait to unfold two silk paintings for Chen Caozhi to see. One was two cute little babies in Yuxue lying on the brocade couch like two little frogs, with both hands
He held on hard and raised his little head. The two babies had lips painted in red, eyes like paint, and their eyes were lively and cute, just like twins——
Another picture shows two babies wearing red bellybands sitting opposite each other, leaning forward, holding their little hands, turning their heads and laughing, with lively expressions——
Huang Xiaotong said: "Miss Run'er specially told me to ask the young man to guess which of the two paintings was painted by Miss Run'er? Which one was painted by Mistress Xie? Also, there are two babies on the painting.
Which one is the young man born to Mr. Lu? Which one is the young lady born to Mrs. Xiao Chan?"
The joy in Chen Caozhi's heart was like boiling water, surging and leaping. But now that he knew that Wei Rui, Xiaochan, mother and son were both safe, the heart he had been worrying about finally felt as stable as a stone on the ground. Seeing that the snow was falling harder, he was afraid that the silk painting would get wet.
, then he put away the letter and the two paintings, and said: "Look at it carefully later - Xiao Tong, you and the other five have worked hard. I have a generous reward. You go to have a meal first, and then come to my study to reply."
Chen Caozhi returned to Bingjingtai residence, sat down in the study, took the family letter and read it carefully. He learned that Lu Weirui gave birth on May 29th, and Xiaochan was three days late. Lu Weirui's baby boy, whose nickname is Bozhen, is Wei Rui
I chose the name to commemorate the love between her and Chen Caozhi under the camellias behind Zhenqing Taoist Temple. I originally wanted to call her Zhenqing, but because the word "Qing" violated the name taboo of Chen Cao's elder brother Chen Qingzhi, and because it was Chen Caozhi
The eldest son was named Bo Zhen, and the formal name and surname were left to Chen Cao; Xiao Chan’s daughter was named Chen Fangyu by Xie Daoyun——
Chen Caozhi read a stack of family letters word by word, laughing while reading. His third brother Chen Shang also had a son. Chen Tan, the youngest son of his fourth uncle Chen Xian, had married Ding Huilan, a girl from Ding Yi, in May. Chen Mo was
Dai Shu, the internal historian of Kuaiji, recommended him to be the eighth-grade county magistrate——
Only Xie Daoyun's letter was a bit sad. Her fourth uncle Xie Wan had died of illness in early March. She returned to Qiantang only after attending his fourth uncle's funeral. She also saw that Lu Weirui and Xiaochan had given birth to children. It was very lively, and the two babies were reunited.
Very cute, Xie Daoyun is inevitably a little disappointed, and he knows that Chen Caozhi is going to stay in Jizhou, and he doesn't know when they will meet again——
Chen Caozhi once mentioned in a letter at home to the elders of the clan and the two wives Lu and Xie that he wanted to take Princess Murong Qinchen of Xianbei as his concubine, but now reading the reply, Lu Weirui and Xie Daoyun both expressed doubts about Chen Caozhi's taking a concubine.
Without mentioning a word, his sister-in-law Ding Youwei did say a few words in the letter, asking the young man to take care of himself and not indulge in women. Chen Xian, the old patriarch, considered the overall situation and thought that since Huan Da Sima agreed that his sixteenth nephew should accept Princess Xianbei as his wife.
Concubine, it was naturally out of consideration for governing Jizhou that I told my sixteen nephews to treat Murong Qinchen kindly and not to dislike Murong Qinchen because she was a foreigner——
Murong Qinchen followed Chen Cao into the study. She heard Huang Xiaotong talking about Chen Cao's happy son and daughter. Now looking at Chen Cao's smiling face when he read the letter, she felt a little prickly in her heart. She had been with him for the past few months.
Chen Caozhi was in love with me, flying and living together. She had forgotten that Chen Caozhi had two wives and a concubine in the distant Jiangdong. Only tonight did she realize that Chen Caozhi did not belong to her alone; she was just one of Chen Caozhi's
Just a concubine——
Murong Qinchen was a little sad and sat aside without saying a word.
Chen Caozhi finished reading the family letter and was about to take a closer look at the two silk paintings. When he looked up and saw Murong Qinchen sitting lonely in the light and shadow, he called out: "Qinqin——"
Murong Qinchen suddenly became happy. She was not a scheming woman, and Chen Caozhi gave her an unprecedented feeling of love. Therefore, although the country was ruined and the family was separated, her heart was not too hurt. She approached and asked:
"Husband, did your two ladies write letters? Did they talk about me?"
Murong Qinchen did not know Chinese characters, but only knew Xianbei characters. Compared with Chinese characters, Xianbei characters were much simpler and were only used for simple notes. Many Xianbei songs that Murong Qinchen could sing had tunes but no lyrics.
Sing according to your mood——
Chen Caozhi smiled and said: "My sister-in-law reminded me not to indulge in women's sex——"
Murong Qinchen blushed. She had tasted love for the first time. She and Chen Caozhi had been inseparable these days, staying up all night. Did this make her husband indulge in female lust?
Chen Caozhi said again: "My fourth uncle asked me to treat you well and not to dislike you -"
Murong Qinchen's tender lips pursed and pursed, and asked: "Why do you say you dislike me?"
Chen Caozhi smiled and said: "My fourth uncle has never seen Xianbei people, and he thinks they are unsightly because of their red hair and green eyes, so he asked me to be patient."
Murong Qinchen laughed so hard that her branches trembled with laughter. She was extremely confident in her appearance, and it was clear from Chen Caozhi's love for her how beautiful she was. He smiled and said: "Fourth uncle is so kind. I will give him gifts in the future."
He's an old man." He then asked, "What do your husband's two wives think of me?"
Chen Caozhi said truthfully: "She didn't mention you in their letters."
Murong Qinchen's beautiful and picturesque eyebrows frowned. He felt slighted and felt very unhappy. He said, "I will never go to Jiangdong——"
Chen Cao said: "But I have to go back eventually. Will Qinqin be separated from me then?"
Murong Qinchen looked at Chen Caozhi and said, "If you protect me, I will go back with you." Murong Qinchen was worried about being humiliated and despised by the two ladies.
Chen Cao said: "Don't worry too much. Wei Rui and Dao Yun are knowledgeable about etiquette and will not deliberately belittle you. But you should also know the general etiquette and don't be petty. If you have a conflict with her,
, I will not support you, you have to remember this, and of course, when you return to Jiangdong, I will not arrange for you to live with her two, so as not to make you uncomfortable."
Murong Qinchen remained silent, feeling aggrieved. In Chen Caozhi's heart, Lu and Xie's two daughters were obviously above her.
Chen Caozhi took a closer look at the painting, and he recognized that the painting of Bo Zhen and Fang Yu lying on the couch should be by Run'er. Run'er learned his brushwork from him, using iron lines and center strokes.
The brushwork is round and vigorous, the outline is vivid, and the coloring has a small freehand rendering. Run'er is thirteen years old this year, and this painting has improved a lot compared to before——
Xie Daoyun studied under Dai Kui of Tanxi. Dai Kui was not only good at painting, but also good at sculpture. He applied sculpture techniques to painting, with continuous lines, precise and charming, and he was very particular about light and shadow, making his paintings quite three-dimensional.
, Xie Daoyun inherited Dai Kui's painting style, and the two babies sitting opposite each other and holding hands are realistic and lifelike——
At this time, Huang Xiaotong asked for an audience in the corridor. Chen Caozhi called him in. When Huang Xiaotong came in, he asked: "General, can you identify which painting was painted by Miss Run'er?" Huang Xiaotong restored the title of Chen Caozhi in the army.
Chen Caozhi smiled and pointed to the picture of two babies lying on their stomachs and said, "That's it."
Huang Xiaotong exclaimed: "The general's eyesight is amazing. He can tell it at a glance - so which of the babies in this painting is Mr. Bo Zhen? Which one is Mr. Fang Yu?"
Chen Caozhi hesitated a little, then looked at the two paintings carefully. Both Run'er and Dao Yun's paintings were lifelike and lifelike. Although the babies in the paintings looked both white, fat and cute at first glance, if you look closely, your facial features are still very different. Run'er
The baby lying on the left in that painting is the one sitting on the left in Dao Yun's painting. There is a vague shadow of Lu Weirui between the baby's brows. The eyes are particularly similar, and the nose should be like Chen Caozhi's. This baby is of course Chen Bozhen——
Since Chen Boxhen has been identified, the other one is naturally Chen Fangyu. However, Chen Boxhen in the two paintings has similar appearance. However, the other baby lying next to Chen Boxhen and sitting opposite has different appearances in the two paintings. Of course, this is also true.
Only someone as careful as Chen Caozhi who understands the principles of painting can tell the difference——
Chen Caozhi instructed: "This is my son Bo Zhen, but why is Xiao Fangyu so different in the two paintings? The one lying on the right side of this painting should be Fangyu." Xiaofangyu's face is round,
She is quite similar to her mother Xiaochan.
Huang Xiaotong laughed: "The general is really aware of everything. He can't hide anything from the general. There are three people in these two paintings. In addition to Mr. Bozhen and the young lady Fangyu, general, guess who the other one is, she is also a young lady.
?”
Chen Caozhi had a flash of inspiration and laughed and said: "I know, this is Gu Changkang's daughter, and she is my younger brother's wife. He will hold his hand and grow old together with him, haha."
Huang Xiaotong also laughed and said: "The young lady of the Gu family is forty days older than Mr. Bo Zhen. She came to Chenjiawu with her mother in mid-October. Mrs. Lu Shangshu of the Ministry of Civil Affairs was also in Chenjiawu. It was really lively and festive.
ah."
Chen Caozhi asked happily: "What is the name of the little lady of the Gu family?"
Huang Xiaotong replied: "My maiden name is Gu Weiqing."
…
The gold hidden in the Yongshou Palace was unearthed. It was more than 50,000 kilograms, and should be more than 60,000 kilograms. Chen Cao ordered his confidants to seal up the gold and bring it back to Chenjiawu when he returned to Jiangdong.
As winter turned to spring, the ice and snow melted, and the vegetation in the Taihang Mountains to the west became increasingly green and lush. It was already the fourth month of Mengxia, and Chen Caozhi had been appointed governor of Jizhou for nearly four months. Although the imperial edict had not yet been issued, since he was recommended by Huan Wen, Shangshu
Even Taiwan will not reject it——
In Yecheng, Chen Caozhi vigorously rectified the administration of officials, strictly enforced rewards and punishments, eliminated redundant and inferior people, and promoted talents. He not only relied on the Cui, Lu, Zheng, and Wang clans, but also valued talented people from poor families, and strived to make the best use of their talents.
, the official said he was in charge; Chen Caozhi changed the original Imperial College of Yan State in Yecheng into a state school, and schools in counties and counties should be established as soon as possible.
He also went to school and received education, vigorously promoted Confucianism; selected famous and talented people from among the Xianbei Hus as officials, and harmonious relations between Hu and Han; he also built water conservancy projects, taught farming and mulberry farming, and encouraged people to reclaim wasteland.
Before conducting a major inspection——
On the tenth day of April, news came from Wen County that the imperial court ordered Gao Song, the attendant, and Shi Xieyan, the governor of the department, as imperial envoys to come to Hebei to confer the imperial edict and seal ribbon on Chen Caozhi, Tian Luo, Huan Shiqian and others -
Chen Caozhi was overjoyed. He finally arrived at the Jiangdong imperial envoy. He ordered the governor Shi Cuicheng and the state Sima Suqi to lead the crowd to Fangtou to greet them. On the 16th, it was reported that the imperial envoy had arrived at the south bank of Zhangshui River. Chen Caozhi led the prefecture and county officials.
Hundreds of officials and military officers came out of the city to greet them. Gao Song, the servant, had a good relationship with Chen Cao, not to mention Xie Yan, but the person behind Xie Yan surprised Chen Cao -