After dressing as a widow

The young woman moved quickly, scooped up the porridge in a large bowl that was two sizes larger than Lin Zhen's bowl, and then brought a small bowl of pickles to the house.

Lin Zhen took Gu Lin to sit at the table, "Let's eat. After eating, you, Wang Qin, and Yuwen will go to Huaishan Academy to have a look. Chen Xing and I will go to the dentist to look at the house."

He rented it from a shop in Fucheng where he was doing business before, and the original rent was only paid until the end of the twelfth lunar month last year, and the time has passed.

Moreover, Lin Zhen didn't plan to do business in Fucheng this time. If Gu Lin successfully passed the provincial examination, they would go to the capital right after. If they didn't, they would have to make another plan.

Gu Lin held a bowl two sizes larger than Lin Zhen's, a piece of pickled vegetables and a few mouthfuls of porridge. He ate quickly and gracefully. He nodded: "Okay."

Suddenly, he put a piece of pickled vegetables into Lin Zhen's bowl: "Uncle Lin, try it, it's delicious."

The pickles were made of radish, and they didn't look very good. Lin Zhen paused with the chopsticks in his hand, and ate the pickles with the porridge.

The light white porridge suddenly had a taste because of the pickles. Lin Zhen ate it as soon as he ate it. The pickles were filled with cornel powder and other seasonings. It was crispy, spicy and fragrant.

While Gu Lin watched him eat the pickles he picked up, his ears were stained red.

Everyone woke up at about the same time, and after they finished their breakfast, the others also got up one after another. Lin Zhen followed what he told Gu Lin before, and took Chen Xing to the dental shop to find someone to look at the house.

It has only been half a year since I left Fucheng last year, and the traces of the vagrant army's raging in the city can be seen faintly. Some familiar houses have disappeared, or traces of the burning island have been left behind, and some familiar shops and faces have not been seen. .

Lin Zhen has been doing business in Fucheng for five years, and is very familiar with Fucheng, so he found Fang Yazi, who specializes in matchmaking and viewing houses in the dental shop, with ease.

Fang Yazi was also very kind when he saw him, and said with fists in his arms, "Boss Lin, long time no see."

The two looked at each other with emotion.

Lin Zhen cupped his fists in return: "Long time no see, how you've been doing lately."

"Okay," Fang Yazi said, "you can eat, drink, sleep, and live another 20 years."

"What kind of shop does Boss Lin want to find this time, or on Sitong Street?"

Lin Zhen waved his hand: "I'm not doing business this time, I'm just accompanying my child to take the provincial examination, and after the local examination, I will make other plans."

The news that the rural examination, which had to be canceled last year, will be reopened has spread in Fucheng. Even though there are still more than two months before the rural examination, there are many students who come from all directions.

Gu Lin is well-known in Sitong Street. He is a first-class scholar, and he is the top student in Class A of Huaishan Academy.

Fang Yazi smiled and said: "With Gu Xiucai's knowledge, I should have a lot of confidence. I will congratulate Boss Lin and Gu Xiucai in advance."

"There are three thousand classics and righteousness, how can I know what kind of test papers will be produced, as long as he can hold his own, he can pass any test." Lin Zhen didn't dare to say in advance that Gu Lin's success in the provincial test is guaranteed. The person who rolls is very cold, that is the worry.

He said to Fang Yazi: "I'm only looking for a house this time, a house with two bedrooms, a room that can be used for reading and writing, plus a living room for entertaining guests, and a kitchen room. The other house can be small Some, enough for one person to live in.”

Fang Yazi has been doing this business in Fucheng for decades, after listening to Lin Zhenzhen's request, he searched for suitable houses in his head: "Since Boss Lin is only renting to live, it is easy to find, there are several houses on Changning Street. I'll take Boss Lin to have a look."

"Let's go." Lin Zhen nodded, and followed Fang Yazi with Chen Xing.

Changning Street is behind Sitong Street, and its location is slightly away from Sitong Street, so it is not as prosperous as Sitong Street, and there are fewer businesses, only some selling food.

Lin Zhen looked at Sitong Street not far away, and suddenly remembered the family that the rough shop gave him, and asked Fang Yazi: "Is Mrs. Wu who is renting a house okay?"

Fang Yazi sighed: "Madam Wu is gone, she was killed by the refugee army, her grandson is still young, and now he is living on the rent of the shop."

"..."

Lin Zhen felt a little depressed.

He rented Mrs. Wu's shop for a few years, and knew that it was a kind old lady. Her son and daughter-in-law died unfortunately while doing business outside, and she raised her little grandson alone.

After finally waiting for the grandson to grow up a bit, he was seeing each other, but encountered a natural and man-made disaster.

Fang Yazi couldn't help counting some names, they were all businessmen on Sitong Street, some from Fucheng, and some from other places who came here to make a living, all of them are gone.

Fang Yazi took the key and opened the door of a yard: "This yard is in a good location, not to mention close to Huaishan Academy, and the neighbors are all well-mannered families. Boss Lin will see if it suits him."

This courtyard is not big, it is a simplified version of the courtyard where Wang Qin lives now. Facing the gate of the courtyard is a main hall with side rooms on the left and right sides. Some.

The ground of the yard is muddy, but it is well rammed, and as long as it is not particularly heavy rain, there will be no splashes of mud.

Lin Zhen went around a few rooms in person, and saw a small room behind the wing on the left. Opening the window, you can see another street, and the light is good.

He looked at the tiles above his head and the corners of several rooms. The tiles didn't need to be repaired a lot, and the corners weren't too moldy. It could be seen that the rented house often asked someone to repair it.

Lin Zhen didn't expect that he was lucky enough to see the first house he liked, he said to Fang Yazi: "This house is not bad, how is the rent calculated?"

He likes such a straightforward renter, and said: "The house is rented for three months, and the monthly rent is [-] to [-] yuan. Before leaving, the owner will come to inspect the house. If the furniture and the house are damaged, they will have to pay for it."

The rent of thirty, twenty or forty cash a month is not cheap, but firstly, the yard is big, and secondly, it is close to the academy. It is possible to find a better one, but it will not be cheap.

Lin Zhen nodded and made sure: "Then I will rent for three months first. Do you have another house? Is there any suitable one nearby?"

Fang Yazi knew that the young man who followed Lin Zhen would also rent a house, and Lin Zhen also asked for it before, not spacious enough for one person to live in.

Fang Yazi said: "Yes, it's not far from the house Boss Lin is fancying. I'll take you there right now."

Soon, the three of them arrived at the place Fang Yazi had mentioned. The house was indeed relatively small, with only one single room and a stove room also built outside, which looked a bit cramped.

But in such a location, it is very good to have such a room.

Moreover, due to the narrowness of the house, the rent is not expensive, which is more than half of what Lin Zhen rented, one tael a month.

Originally, Chen Xing still thought it was too expensive, and wanted to rent to a farther place to save some rent, but Lin Zhen persuaded him a few words, and they could take care of each other if they lived close together, and it was convenient for them to communicate on weekdays.

In the end, the two houses were rented out, and a three-month lease was signed.

And after renting a house, Lin Zhen took Chen Xing to buy bedding, tableware, and daily necessities. He was fairly familiar with Fucheng, and he could always find cheap and easy-to-use necessities in some humble shops, saving a lot of money. .

It wasn't until the afternoon that Lin Zhen, who had finally packed up the rented house, returned to Wang Qin's place with Chen Xing.

As soon as the two entered, they found that the atmosphere in the room was not right. Gu Lin, Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen, who went to Huaishan Academy, sat in the room for an unknown how long.

Lin Zhen had already heard from Fang Yazi that Dongcheng District and the two streets adjacent to Dongcheng District were almost reduced to ashes, and Huaishan Academy was not spared.

He didn't force them to cheer up, but he just turned around and said to the anxious but helpless servant: "Go and prepare dinner, it's not too early now."

The three of them studied at Huai Shan Academy for a few years and knew many faces, like Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen, and made many friends. We all study together and go outing together on weekdays, and we all have feelings for each other.

And Gu Lin has a cold temper, and few people know him well, but several wives treat him well, treating him like a nephew.

After a boring dinner, everyone went back to the house to rest. Lin Zhen and Gu Lin went out together. Suddenly, Gu Lin said: "Master Yan was killed on the day the refugee army broke the city, and Master Xing, Master Ma, Master Liu."

After the refugee army broke through the city that day, they went straight to the bustling Dongcheng District, setting fire to and killing people, committing all kinds of crimes. Most of these masters lived in Dongcheng District, and only [-]% of them survived.

Gu Lin continued: "I have been to all these masters' houses, except for Master Yan's house, there are still some people left in his master's house."

Lin Zhen was stunned: "Master Yan..."

Gu Lin: "Master Yan's family has been killed, and no one survived."

Among the masters, Master Yan is the strictest, but he also has the strongest love for Gu Lin. Lin Zhen and Gu Lin went to Master Yan's house to celebrate Master Yan's birthday.

Mrs. Yan's wife can also read a few words. She is a gentle, gentle and gentle woman. She has three sons and a daughter with Mrs. Yan. There are seven or eight grandchildren under her. The youngest grandson was only one year old at that time. He is a little older and still walks unsteadily, but when he smiles, his fleshy face becomes chubby, very cute.

But now, it's gone.

Lin Zhen felt that Gu Lin was depressed.

It's not that he doesn't understand feelings, he's just very sensitive, even if there is a trace of impurity in other people's feelings for him, he can still detect it and immediately isolate them.

Lin Zhen was beside him, looking at the moon that was already high in the sky, and stretched out his hand to stroke his head: "Gu Lin, you have endured hardships, from the bottom to the present, you understand better than others the people, officials, The relationship and bond between the imperial court, so I think that in the future, you will be a good official who lives in the temple and can also worry about the people."

"It's like the disaster of Fucheng, is it really inevitable?"

"It's just that they sit on the high platform and don't know the life and death, suffering and sorrow of the people below."

Gu Lin looked at the crescent moon that was not yet full moon with him, felt his hand caressing his head gently, and let out a "hmm" in his throat.