Daming: From the end of Hongwu

Xu Jingchang nodded, and then he asked unwillingly: "Apart from these two methods, sir, isn't there any way to get the best of both worlds?"

"If you give up, you will get something, and if you get something, you have to give up. You should have understood this truth a long time ago, why bother to ask?" Xi Yuan said calmly, then pointed to the chessboard and said: "Okay, the matter is almost done. , play chess well."

……

In the next few days, Xu Jingchang was thinking about these things. After careful consideration, Xu Jingchang finally decided to use Xi Yuanqing's bad strategy. He really couldn't do selfishness and harm Zhen Wu.

But making a decision is a decision, but he had to hide and retreat from his bright future, which made him feel a little unwilling. For the first time, he felt that he was not as open-minded as he imagined, so he had to hold back every day. Digest these emotions on your own irritable self at home.

But I don't know if it was because he was always thinking about these things during the day, or what, but on a certain day he unexpectedly dreamed of Xiao Liu.

In the dream, Xiao Liu smiled so much that his eyes almost disappeared, but in his dream, it was as bright as the sun. This made him feel the beauty of Xiao Liu different from other women in the world for the first time. At that moment, he really felt that all the women in the world The girls were all compared by Xiao Liu's smile.

His heartstrings suddenly fluctuated slightly.

After he woke up, Xu Jingchang sent someone to find out all about Xiao Liu's deeds by mistake.

He didn't know why, but he instinctively wanted to know more about Xiao Liu.

But some things, once started, don't know how to end.

Especially when you like someone, it is often just a slight flash of a picture or a thought at first, and then under the erosion of day and night, it unknowingly becomes a raging sea wave, sweeping the whole body and mind clean.

Xu Jingchang even began to inquire about Xiao Liu's whereabouts out of nowhere, pretending to meet him by chance.

He just glanced at Xiao Liu from a distance, and he felt infinitely satisfied in his heart.

When Xu Jingchang woke up from his surprising behavior, he suddenly realized that he seemed to have an unrequited love for that magical beast.

This…

It's impossible for them, he needs to give up, give up on Xiao Liu, and also give up the right to take advantage of Zhen Wu's momentum.

For a while, Xu Jingchang became more painful.

Under such circumstances, a thousand households in the army suddenly asked Xu Jingchang for something, and wanted to fill the position of Baihu, a son of robe Ze who died in battle.

This matter is not difficult for Xu Jingchang.

But firstly, this person's identity was a bit sensitive, and secondly, when Xu Jingchang was in pain, he was agitated for a while and yelled directly in front of that person.

However, the man was too stunned to see that Xu Jingchang was in a bad mood, so he knelt down and begged Xu Jingchang for help. In the end, Xu Jingchang got anxious, and in a rage, Xu Jingchang directly asked someone to beat the man out.

The man suffered a lot from the beating, and when he left Duke Dingguo's mansion, his face was bruised.

He sighed, and looked at the son of Pao Ze who had been waiting for him in front of Dingguo's mansion, feeling even more sad in his heart, he shook his head at the son of Pao Ze in disappointment.

This man is called Qin Ang, and his son is called Qiu Ling.

Looking at the bruises on Qin Ang's face, Qiu Ling naturally understood that Qin Ang didn't get well in front of Ding Guogong, and said with a guilty face: "Uncle Qin, it's all my fault, if it wasn't for my fault, you wouldn't have suffered this. Sin."

Qin Ang waved his hand and said, "What are you talking about? Your father and I are like brothers. I don't care about your affairs. It's just... hey..."

Qin Ang sighed and said: "You also understand that your father and I followed Wei Guogong before, and your father died in battle when he blocked His Majesty's army after His Majesty and the others entered the city, so our identities It's a bit embarrassing, especially now that Wei Guogong himself is hard to protect, you and I... hey, Uncle Qin has nothing to do, even if you can attack hundreds of households logically, even if I can guarantee you to pass the examination, there will be no vacancies in the army for you."

"I understand all of this. Uncle Lao Qin has taken care of it." Qiu Ling said.

Qin Ang led Qiu Ling towards the house, and chattered with Qiu Ling: "In the past year, all possible paths have been gone, and today I have the cheek to beg Duke Ding, but now you have also seen , it is probably impossible for you to attack a hundred households, or else think of a way to see if you can settle for the next best thing, find a general flag and do it first, it is better than you go to find income everywhere, after all, your family's situation, Both your parents are dead, and your two younger sisters are still young, so you always have to be the backbone of your family."

"Okay." Qin Ang nodded and said, "Everything is up to Uncle Qin."

Qin Ang sighed and said: "To be honest, if it's not really helpless, I really don't want to be like this. There is a huge difference between the general banner and the hundred households. This step is the most difficult. If you retreat, you don't know that you will come up in the year of the monkey." Well, hey, this is a position that your father and I earned after a narrow escape. It always hurts to give up like this. Moreover, in your situation, even if you have me to take care of you, you may not be allowed to enter the army. Father is implicated, God knows what suffering will be suffered."

"I know, but Uncle Qin doesn't have to worry, isn't it just some suffering, even if it's for the two younger sisters in the family, I won't be afraid." Qiu Ling smiled at Qin Ang with relief, but his eyes were full of determination , he knew that Qin Ang's life in the army was not easy, and he couldn't always count on Qin Ang when he entered the army, but just like what he said, even for the sake of his sister at home, there are some things that must be endured.

The two talked to each other, and finally when they got stuck, the two said goodbye and walked towards their respective homes.

But just when Qiu Ling walked near the house, he saw green smoke billowing in the direction of the house from a distance. When he took a closer look, his face changed drastically. It wasn't someone else's house that was on fire, it was his house. The legs ran wildly towards the home.

At this time, several steeds came from the street, the leader of which was a young woman with a jade belt tied to her forehead and a ponytail tied behind her head. The jade belt fluttered as she rode on the horse, and the ponytail swayed. It also has a heroic posture.

This person is Xiaoliu of the Zhen family who came back from a trip to Mount Miao'er.

Xiao Liu rode closer and saw the bustle and bustle not far away, and stopped the horse with a crisp sound, her exquisite eyes rolled twice, and a smile appeared on her face before she spoke. Playful smile.

It's still early, who wants to go back.

Xiao Liu took a quick look, and there happened to be a restaurant nearby, she turned her head to a entourage who stopped with her and said, "Ah Qian, go and find out, it's that hero who dared to set such a fire in this area, this Don't you have to burn the left and right?"

A-Qian instinctively wanted to persuade Xiao Liu to go home, but before he could speak, he saw that Xiao Liu was already heading towards the restaurant, and in a blink of an eye, he arrived in front of the restaurant, dismounted gracefully, and threw the rope to the people behind, Then I ran up to the second floor to watch the fun.

He had no choice but to inquire about things.

After he had inquired clearly, when he returned to the restaurant, Xiao Liu had already picked the best seat, and he was climbing on the guardrail with his buckskin boots upturned, looking vigorous.

Ah Qian told Xiao Liu the details.

Xiao Liu was very disappointed after hearing this: "Ah, I thought it was some Jiangyang bandit who made a big deal, and I also said that I needed an assistant to help the officials. You see, I'm good at martial arts, who can imagine it? The little girl burned it."

A Qian nodded and said: "It can't be helped, but it was a little girl who burned it. I heard that the little girl wanted to start a fire to cook, and accidentally set the whole kitchen on fire. In the end, it got out of control and involved two or three families. There are no small losses.”

kitchen?

Xiao Liu was slightly taken aback when he heard this.

She pointed to the alley below the restaurant, where three figures, one big, two small, asked, "Did his house start the fire?"

A Qian looked along, and not far away, a man was pulling two little girls from one side to the other, and was busy giving Qian to the neighbors on the left and right, as if making promises again and again, A Qian nodded and said: "Yes, it is The fire in his house should have been accidentally started by the little girl on the left."

After finishing speaking, A-Qian looked at Xiao Liu, but for some reason, Xiao Liu didn't seem to hear what he was saying, but stared at the three figures below in a daze.

The three people were let go by the left and right neighbors after some reassurance.

But in the end, when the three returned to their home, facing the messy home, the two little girls burst into tears again, and the crying even reached Xiao Liu's ears.

Xiao Liu's expression moved slightly, as if she could feel the panic and fear in the little girl's crying.

However, the man who seemed to be the little girl's brother didn't seem to blame them, instead he knelt down and patiently wiped away the tears of the little girls.

The man looked gentle, and his tone was soft as if he was coaxing.

As Xiao Liu looked at it, his eyes gradually became moist.

The little girl, the kitchen, the fire, how is this scene so familiar? It seemed that the fifth sister was crying like this back then, and the elder brother seemed to be coaxing the fifth sister so patiently.

Unexpectedly, the things that were almost forgotten, unexpectedly surfaced again today.

……

Chapter 363 - No, no, I don't.

Some memories that had been forgotten suddenly surged up again, which was the most heartbreaking.

It is like a little flame on the cotton wool, spreading rapidly, involving a large area of ​​the past in a blink of an eye, making those scenes that were already somewhat blurred become clear and transparent again, as if Xiao Liu was once again in the same era as before.

Those were the childhood days in Beetail Alley, the little girl who always liked to hug her elder brother's thighs and do somersaults around him, those were the days when the seven siblings were noisily wandering around their mother.

When did it start to be different?

It seems that after the second sister got married, those days are gone forever.

Aqian, including the other servant girls, seemed to have never seen Xiao Liu so thoughtful and sad. They were a little surprised for a while, and couldn't help but also began to be curious about the three brothers and sisters not far away.

At this moment, in the home of the three brothers and sisters, the three had already bowed their heads to clean up, but at this moment, the official came to the door again.

The two young sisters hid behind the elder brother in fear. The elder brother smiled and comforted him, and then he took the initiative to meet the official. Seeing that the official's expression was a bit unkind, he worried that the official's bad words would startle the two younger sisters, so he hurriedly pulled him away. The official sent to talk outside.

Coincidentally, several people came to the restaurant where Xiao Liu was.

Their conversation also fell into the ears of Xiao Liu who was listening attentively.

The official probably knew this man named Qiu Ling, and they intended to be accommodating, but the fire started by Qiu Ling's sister spread too much, and also burned many public facilities, even if they reduced the compensation again and again, Qiu Ling still couldn't get it. come out.

Qiu Ling, who had just pretended to be strong in front of his sister, couldn't hold back when he was carrying his sister on his back. He begged the official poor and cried with a suppressed voice.

For the difficult Qiu Ling family, this fire is tantamount to cutting off their hope.

But Qiu Ling is an older brother.

I hope that even if it is cut off, he will find a way to continue it.

The officer sighed and said: "We also understand the situation of your house. To put it bluntly, if some things in my house are burned, considering the situation of your house, it's a big deal for us to think we are unlucky, but in this yamen What do we say about the matter, even the indemnity that was reduced to you just now was discussed by our brothers and one of them helped you pay a little, otherwise, why would the Yamen talk to you about this, don't make us too embarrassing , our brothers are not rich, everyone has wives and children, a small amount of money is kind to help you, but let us share it all, we can't bear it."

Qiu Ling seemed to want to release all the recent pressure, tears rolling down from his tears, he wiped his tears vigorously, biting and begging: "I know everyone is in trouble, but please help me again, please, this time first Fill it all up for me, I really can't afford the money now, but these days I'm looking for someone to fill the vacancy of the General Banner, if the vacancy is filled, I will definitely return the money to you as soon as possible after one month, and everyone Don't worry, even if I can't make up for the vacancy, you all know that my ancestral house is mostly burned, but the location is good and the place is big. If I make a move, someone will take over. If I can't make up for the vacancy, At worst, if I sell the ancestral house, I will return the money to you.”

Several officials are a little tangled.

Rescue the emergency, not the poor.

In the case of Qiu Ling's family, if there is another accident, the money is not the same as a meat bun beating a dog.

And Xiaoliu upstairs, when she heard Qiu Ling talking about seeking the general flag, she clenched her hand holding the guardrail a little bit. She looked at Qiu Ling below, and her eyes turned red inexplicably.

At this moment, Qiu Ling, who was begging for official errands, seemed to have turned into Zhen Wu.

She clenched her hands tighter and tighter, and her eyes became more and more red.

she thought.

Back then, after her father passed away, did the eldest brother beg others outside?Is the eldest brother like the man in front of him, carrying all the wind and rain on his shoulders, helping the younger sisters to block the harassment?

It certainly is.

Xiao Liu suddenly thought affirmatively that in the past, whenever the eldest brother locked himself in the room, his mother asked her to accompany the eldest brother.

When she was a child, she didn't understand, she only knew how to crawl around on her eldest brother.

And the elder brother didn't say anything, he just kneaded her cheek in frustration.

She also thought, is her face so funny?

But thinking about it now, isn't the disappointment on the elder brother's face just the exhaustion from the wind and rain?

Xiao Liu suddenly stretched out her hand and spread it in front of the servant girl. She said briefly and firmly, "Take the money."

The servant girl took out a few pieces of silver from her bosom.

Xiao Liu glared directly at the servant girl angrily, then got up to do it herself, took out a ten tael ingot of silver from the servant girl's arms, and shouted at Qiu Ling below: "There is no need to sell the ancestral house."

After finishing speaking, she flipped the silver twice, and then threw it out.

The official was surprised and reached out to catch the silver.

Immediately afterwards, they heard Xiao Liu continue to say: "I paid the money for him, as for the extra money, you can find him."

Xiao Liu stretched out his slender fingers and pointed at Qiu Ling who was stunned, then turned around and stopped watching the excitement, but Xiao Liu who turned around and sat down was still in a bad mood, with an angry face on his face, as if he was about to All the people who had bullied Zhen Wu in the imagination had to be shot to death in order to eliminate this depressed mood.

A Qian and the others looked at Xiao Liu worriedly, making eye contact with each other, discussing who would step forward to persuade Xiao Liu.

In the end, the servant girl was recommended by several people, but before the servant girl could speak, Xiao Liu's unhappy voice rang out: "None of you should speak, I want to stay quietly for a while."

amount.

Several followers and servant girls were all dumbfounded.

How did they know that Xiao Liu was thinking that Zhen Wu might have suffered a lot of grievances before, and he was dying of grief for his elder brother.

I don't know how long it took, but when Xiao Liu's mood hadn't recovered, Qiu Ling came over with the deed of the ancestral house.

Qiu Ling handed the deed to Xiao Liu.

Xiao Liu held up the deed in surprise and doubt: "Is this a pledge for lending you money?"

Qiu Ling nodded.

Xiao Liu threw the deed to Qiu Ling backhandedly, and she curled her lips and said, "No need, I didn't expect you to pay it back, I just helped you because there was someone who might have been as helpless as you at one time, and he might have hoped that someone would pay you back." I can help him share one or two, I have no other ideas other than that, you don't have to."

Qiu Ling wanted to say something, but Xiao Liu interrupted him immediately after he spoke. Xiao Liu stood up and looked at the scenery outside, sighed and said, "You don't know, I hate when I was young, and I'm still annoyed that I'm still a daughter , helping me has a special meaning to me, so you don't have to pay back the money."

After finishing speaking, Xiao Liu raised his head and walked outside, reappearing his unrestrained temperament in the past.

Seeing Xiao Liu's demeanor, Qiu Ling was taken aback for a moment, but still shouted to Xiao Liu: "Wait a minute, girl, this matter may not be worth mentioning to the girl, but the girl has really helped me a lot. How can I treat it as normal, I will keep this kindness in my heart, and the money will definitely be returned to the girl, so please leave me an address, once I collect enough money, I will deliver it to the door as soon as possible."

After Xiao Liu heard it, he didn't look back, but waved his hand in refusal.

Qiu Ling sighed. He watched Xiao Liu slowly disappear from the stairs. After thinking for a while, he came to the guardrail and shouted again to Xiao Liu who walked outside: "Since you don't want to leave your address, then One month later, I entrusted the money to the shopkeeper here, and hoped that the girl would send someone to pick it up."

Although he is poor, he has perseverance.

Xiao Liu paused.

She curled her lips and muttered: "I didn't expect to be a person who admits death, so, if this is the case, let's help."

As the sun was setting, Xiao Liu took the rope from A-Qian, got on the horse, and asked A-Qian, "I remember this area is all military households, who is in charge of this place?"

Ah Qian frowned and thought.