then Li Sao

After King Yue and his party arrived in Yuezhou via Huizhou, they did not go straight to Tongfang, the main city, but detoured from the periphery to the other side of Yuezhou, a small city named Gouliang.

Gouliang is located near the checkpoint of Yuezhou, and further west is the border town bordering Xizhao. This is the only way for Dacheng to trade with Xizhao, and it is also the concentration place for various caravans to settle down and purge.

The guards did not raise any objections to Zhou Tang's itinerary, but they were all extremely nervous.After all, their duty is to protect the safety of King Yue and send him to Tongfang safely.Such a detour will undoubtedly increase the pressure on them.The King of Yue also asked them to act in a low-key manner, take off their coats of royal guards, and pretend to be passing caravans, euphemistically called "private visits in micro-services, and understanding of people's sentiments."

Of course, the personal attendant, Rue Xiang, knew that the master had made such a complicated situation, just wanting to spend a few more days with the young master, and accompany him back to his hometown to visit his relatives.

in the carriage.

Luo Ping held a book in his hand and read it quietly.

Zhou Tang sat on the side boredly, looking at him from time to time, muttering to himself, "Why are there so many books I can't finish reading?" It seemed that he had something to say, but he didn't dare to disturb him.Luo Ping found out, but he just pretended not to know, deliberately trying to annoy him.

After finally waiting for the little master to finish reading the book, Zhou Tang hurried over and asked questions seriously.

"Little master, tell me honestly, is your family very poor?"

"What?" Luo Ping put down the book, but didn't react for a moment.

Zhou Tang held his arm to prevent him from picking up other books: "Listen to me, did your old father work hard every day to make money for the family so that you could study at ease? Did your old mother Burning lamps and weaving cloth to raise money for you to go to Beijing to take the exam? Don’t worry, although you have been dismissed by your father and have no salary to support your family, I will help you take care of them. Once you enter the house, you don’t have to be embarrassed at all.”

Luo Ping blinked, thinking that Zhou Tang was going to his house begging for nothing, did he have such a plan.He didn't refuse, and said with a smile: "That's really... Thank you, Your Highness."

Gouliang's street market is much more prosperous than Zhou Tang imagined.

There are many vendors on both sides of the road, and the restaurant and inn business is booming. Many merchants even started their business on the spot, dragging their boxes to sell their goods on the street, and they are not afraid of being disturbed and looted. The whole town looks lively and peaceful.

The costumes of the people here are very different from those in Mocheng, and few people wear wide-sleeved gowns.Women's clothes are mostly wrapped with light gauze, which is elegant and flexible, while men's lapels, cuffs and waists have complicated patterns, which are elegant and majestic.

As soon as Rue Xiang entered the city, she was attracted by these beautiful clothes, and she couldn't even pull them away in front of the clothing store.Zhou Tang really had no choice but to allow her an hour to buy clothes and jewelry, and then he and his wife sat in the teahouse to have a rest.

Zhou Tang asked the doubts in his heart: "Little master, didn't you say that bandits are rampant in Yuezhou? But there is no trace of bandits here."

Luo Ping poured tea for the two of them, took a sip of the tea from his hometown, and slowly explained: "Because this is close to the border town, although the border town is called a city, it is actually a barracks where the generals of Dacheng are stationed at the checkpoint. He acted rashly under the eyes of officers and soldiers."

"So that's the case. Fortunately, it seems that your hometown is still very peaceful, young master." Zhou Tang continued to ask, "Then where are the most rampant bandits?"

"In the southeast of Yuezhou. There are many mountains and forests, and it is also the throat of caravans. It is easy to block the road and rob, and it is easier to hide and defend. After you take office, the most difficult thing to deal with is that area."

The two talked about the customs of Yuezhou, and before they knew it, they drank a pot of tea.

At this moment, Rue Xiang finally came back, her hands full of things.

She raised her left hand and said, "Dian, oh no, young master, go back and try on these clothes. Do as the Romans do. I bought them according to your figure. You must look good in them!"

Then he raised his right hand and said: "Brother Luo, you are from here, and you are the one among us who can wear the charm of this place the best. Now, I bought you a set, you must wear it for me to see." ah."

Luo Ping nodded: "Miss I'm in trouble."

Zhou Tang frowned: "Wait a minute, what do you call him? Brother Luo?"

Upon hearing this, Rue Xiang immediately cast a look at Luo Ping for help.

Luo Ping accepted her request for help: "I asked her to call me like that. Miss Yunxiang still wants to call me Sir. I can't bear it. It's more kind and convenient to call Big Brother, and it's more convenient to go out."

Zhou Tang curled his lips: "Whatever you want." He turned around and went down the teahouse.

When he could no longer hear, Yunxiang let out a burst of laughter: "Brother Luo, the young master is only so obedient in front of you."

Luo Ping shook his head: "Even if I said some words, he might not listen to them."

"How could it be?" Rue Xiang didn't believe it.

Luo Ping smiled and didn't say much, and also went downstairs.

----

Passing through a plum grove, they came to a simple and elegant house.

Although it is not as exquisite as the carved beams and painted buildings, it can be seen that the owner here is relatively wealthy, very particular about style, and looks like a scholarly family.

Luo Ping said: "This is my hometown."

Zhou Tang was stunned for a while, then jumped up angrily: "Little master! You deceived my feelings! Your family is not poor at all!"

Luo Ping said flatly: "How do you say that? When did I tell you that my family is very poor?"

"The other day I said..."

"If you think so wishfully, it's hard for me to refuse, isn't it? What's more, there are such filial students, and I'm quite gratified as a teacher."

"..." Zhou Tang pursed his lips and stopped talking.

He felt ashamed.

He prepared a bunch of food and a lot of banknotes, fully intending to treat Luoping's family well, but now he has no chance to show it.

It's not that he really hopes that the little master's family is so poor that he can't get rid of it. He just feels that he has received too much from the little master, and wants to take this opportunity to repay the little master for his teaching.Now that this opportunity has been shattered, he is really depressed.

Luo Ping was amused by his appearance, and patted him on the back reassuringly: "If you have this kind of heart, I will be very content. Let's go, go to my house for a while."

Zhou Tang entered the courtyard with a feeling of being angry with him, and he had a meal as soon as he stepped in.

Different from the lush and green plum trees outside, the plum trees in this yard have just entered their blooming period and are in full bloom.The flowers are layer upon layer of bright red, not like the nephrite fragrance of Mocheng plum blossoms. The plum trees here seem to burn the whole life, so strong that people can't take their eyes off it.

But it wasn't the plum blossoms that surprised Zhou Tang, but the graceful girl under the plum blossom tree.

The girl shuttled among the plum blossoms with a waist basket on her shoulders, bending down from time to time to pick up fallen flowers.

She was wearing a cool and ordinary women's dress, without much pretense, only the veil on her wrist fluttered slightly with the movement of picking flowers, but she looked more beautiful than the flowers on the tree, especially when she turned around When he looked at them, his face was full of surprise, his bright eyes gleamed, and the guards who followed were dumbfounded.

This woman's face was almost comparable to that of the Eldest Princess, and she walked around with a bit of grace and agility like dancing, she could really be called an alluring beauty.

The beauty's eyes fell on Luo Ping, and she suddenly smiled: "Brother Ping! You are back!"

She dropped her waist basket and lifted her skirt and ran, carrying the fragrance of plum blossoms all over her body.Luo Ping wiped the sweat off her cheeks with a smile: "There are so many guests, you don't want to dress up properly."

"What's the matter, Brother Ping, didn't you say it? Mi'er is the most beautiful even if she doesn't dress up." She said it delicately, holding Luo Ping's arm very affectionately.

Zhou Tang's eyebrows jumped, and he snorted softly: "Little master, is the Luohuang you mentioned before, this woman?"

Luo Ping was slightly taken aback, pondering over this sentence before reacting.He didn't expect Zhou Tang to remember an unintentional remark a few years ago: "...No, it's not her."

Zhou Tang's eyebrows twitched again: "Why, is there another one? Hmph, little pervert!"

Luo Ping couldn't laugh or cry, he didn't know how to explain.

At this time, the people in the house heard the excitement outside, and they all came out.

It was a middle-aged couple, Luo Ping stepped forward to salute: "Father, mother, are you in good health?"

The couple were very happy to see him: "Okay, okay."

The girl hurriedly picked up the waist basket she had just thrown away, handed it to the man, and said, "Daddy, is this enough? Can we make plum blossom wine? There are guests at home, and we may have to open a few jars."

The wine jar was opened, and the room was full of plum fragrance.

The wine was sweet and refreshing, and Zhou Tang couldn't help but drink a few more glasses, but Luo Ping stopped him, saying that the wine had a lot of stamina, so he asked him to drink less, so he obediently didn't drink any more.

Luo Ping's father praised: "Young master is really educated. Ping'er is very lucky to have such a smart and reasonable student."

In one sentence, Zhou Tang was praised so beautifully.

Luo Ping took over the quarrel, and lied without pause: "Yes, after dismissing from office, thanks to the young master for taking me in, otherwise I'm afraid I will sleep on the street."

"Little master is very knowledgeable and has taught me a lot. I really don't know what to do without him..." Zhou Tang continued to behave.

Ever since he knew that the girl was Luo Ping's younger sister, he felt much better.

The two brothers and sisters look nothing alike, so it's no wonder he's thinking crookedly.But after seeing their parents, they can understand: Luo Ping looks like his father, Luo Mi looks like his mother, that's all.

Luo Ping's family is not as poor as Zhou Tang imagined, and Luo Ping's parents are not as vicissitudes as he imagined.From the conversation, he learned that Luo Ping's father was a merchant and had a caravan to replace Xizhao and Dacheng's goods, and Luo Ping's mother, that beautiful and gentle woman, was actually a native of Xizhao.

"So little master, are you half a Xizhao person?"

"Yes, but I have never been to Xizhao, and my mother rarely mentioned Xizhao."

"Oh, that's it, it's a pity, I still want you to teach me Xizhao language."

"Sorry, my knowledge of Xizhao is limited to what is stated in the book, and I don't know anything else."

"It's okay, I'm just curious."

Zhou Tang spoke indifferently, not noticing that Luo Ping's explanation was a bit blunt and redundant.

They rested overnight in this mansion.

At night, Zhou Tang tossed and turned, unable to sleep.Probably because he ate and slept with the young master all the way, now he feels uncomfortable without the young master.

Kong stared at the bed curtain for a while, but still hugged the pillow, and decided to sleep with the young master.

Not wanting the guards at the door to see him in such a detrimental manner, Zhou Tang chose to turn over the window.Mao stooped and sneaked under the window of the young master from behind, and was about to knock on the window when he suddenly heard the voice of the young master talking to someone.

It seemed to be a very common conversation, but he couldn't help but eavesdropped on a few words, and found it strange how those words sounded.

Especially the young master's tone was so resolute, there was even a trace of sadness in the resoluteness.