Porridge and side dishes [farming]

Chapter 141 Still middle-aged

Background: continued from the previous chapter

Three days after their marriage, Li Ji and Er Gouzi sat under a tree in the arranged yard, drinking tea and playing chess.A fate destined by God.Zhang Xue, who had been sold away for 15 years, was found back.Sisters Zhang Xue and Zhang Ying have been separated for 15 years. Before they separated, they were still children. Now their appearance has changed, and they can only use scattered memories to continue the sisterhood that has been broken for many years.

Li Ji and Er Gouzi also talked to Zhang Xue. They are not familiar with each other, and they are raised in the yard on weekdays.Little Tudou and Yingzi are newlyweds, Yaner has just been married for three days.Yingzi likes the friendship between sisters, and has been with Zhang Xue for the past two days.

Fortunately, the husband and wife get along freely, and later got along quite a lot in this mansion, and they are not in a hurry to have intimacy these few days.

"General." Li Ji pushed the horse out, and half of the triumphant smile on his face had bloomed.

Er Gouzi looked at the chess game and put down the chess pieces.The chess playing skills of the two are almost the same, and they can win or lose.Just looking at the numbers, Li Ji has the upper hand.

"I lost."

The two packed up the chess pieces and rearranged them. Li Ji kept talking: "You must say that this Xue girl has suffered all these years. Back then, I saw her being dragged by his father to the city to sell, and nothing happened. Thinking of that bastard who sold her to a brothel."

Ordinarily, if you sell yourself as a slave, you can be free after a few years of life contract. For Zhang Xue's age, you can sell it for three or four taels of silver.If it is a death contract, from now on you will be a member of the master's family and die as a ghost of the master's family, then the matter will be doubled, seven or eight taels of silver.

These are all fallen into slavery and served as slaves and handmaids.And buying a brothel is a low status.Basically the place of origin of the cheap stream that can't be taken off.If the slave status is a commodity for sale, the low status is something that can be recruited with some money, and then pat the ass and leave without touching anyone.

A brothel is a pit of fire, but the price can be doubled on a death contract. A handsome 12-year-old girl can buy as much as 15 taels of silver.

It was for these 15 taels that Zhang Baihu pushed his own daughter into the pit of fire that would never turn over.

"It's a good thing to get it back now." After such a long time, Er Gouzi also has an idea about this kind of thing.

Li Ji sighed and said: "It's also because she has a heart, she can make the theater troupe leader fancy her and buy her as a girl. Even though opera singers are also lowly, it's better than coming out of the brothel. I just don't know what Zhang Xue wants in the future. There are us With father here, she can definitely have a clean household registration, and she can find ways to erase the past. If she wants to live in peace in the future, it would be good for us to take him back and let her settle down. I'm afraid..."

"what?"

"I'm afraid that she will take a fancy to this Duke Anguo's mansion and want to take root here." Li Ji leaned back and was not in a hurry to play chess.Looking at two birds flying in the bamboo forest outside the yard, "It is credible to say that she is really inseparable from the Yingzi sisters. But if she stays, she really doesn't think about the things in the house." Prosperity and wealth? She has been in the brothel for a long time, and has been in the theater troupe for many years. Have you ever seen the three schools and nine streams? She and Yingzi walked completely different paths."

Poor is pitiful, if it wasn't for something in the pool, not to mention Li Ji, even Shen Tianzhan would not be able to tolerate him.

Er Gouzi peeled lychees for Li Ji: "Are you afraid that she is too ambitious?"

"It's not impossible. Imagine that four of the children we left behind were imprisoned."

Those eight kidnappers were wiped out back then, and now they are still working on the mountain to atone for their crimes.And those dozen or so children are grown up now.Li Ji's speculation back then was not superfluous.Four of the children were really on the wrong path.

The two are purely jealous that others have a more complete body, and they were influenced by those kidnappers when they were young, so they have a lot of robbing to get more thoughts.

Fortunately, he was found out by the person who lived with him, and he was imprisoned for the first three years, but he hasn't come out yet, and he doesn't know what it will be like.The remaining two were guilty of serious crimes. The one who was jealous was Li Ji, who was bribed by a certain adult in the capital to use the reading and reading skills Li Ji arranged to teach them to spread all the news about Li Ji to the capital.

If it weren't for Shen Tianzhan's hands and eyes to intercept some of the tips, Li Ji probably wouldn't know that he and Er Gouzi were being watched by people from Beijing.

It's right to think about it, Shen Tianzhan can be said to be under one person in Beijing now, and it's normal to encounter some people who are resentful and dissatisfied with using methods.

Now those two people are directly exiled.Thankfully, the few remaining kids have been doing well.It is a pity that the imperial examination stipulates that people with disabilities cannot participate in the scientific examination, so they have no chance of the scientific examination.Reading and writing are good.Most of them went to the store under Li Ji's name to help, and two people went to study medical books.Because of my own injury, I hope to find a way to help children who have also encountered the same situation.

"There are good ones and bad ones. It's the same everywhere. The precautions may belong to the bad guys, but the precautions can't really be regarded as the bad guys." Er Gouzi brought the freshly peeled lychees to Li Ji's lips.Li Ji opened his mouth and ate the litchi.

"That's a good point." After eating a few lychees, Li Ji seemed to be really fascinated by this fruit.It's a pity that this fruit only grows in the south, and when it is ripe, it is sent to the capital quickly, and at least half of it is broken and thrown away.This thing is basically only affordable by the royal family, and it is rare among the people and the price is extremely high.

There are a few baskets in the An Guogong's mansion, or the emperor has a few baskets, and he will send some to anyone who thinks of his favourites.Li Ji likes to eat, but he doesn't have much to eat.

After all, the two of them didn't put their minds on Zhang Xue.They weren't very close people.Although she is Yingzi's biological sister, Yingzi's surname is now Li, not Zhang.Li Ying is the only daughter under the name of Li Jin and Er Ying.

The reason for being close to Yingzi is because Yingzi is from the Li family.Zhang Xuezi didn't meet Li Ji much.It won't affect the closeness of their sisters, but it doesn't mean that they will get close to Zhang Xue because of Li Ying.

Taking advantage of the long vacation given by the emperor, Shen Tianzhan brought his two sons all over the capital to visit many places.Both of them are vulgar people, and they don't understand the poetic and picturesque charm of Feng Huaxueyue, so they basically focus on food, supplemented by scenery.

Li Ji found out that when he went out to play these days, he often encountered "chance encounters".It was supposed to be a trip to the lake to see the beautiful scenery rippling in the lake, but a boat floated on the surface of the lake, through which stood a white-faced boy who was reciting a poem sourly.Looking at it, she has a feminine aura. Although she is not necessarily feminine, she looks weaker than ordinary men.

If it happened once or twice, Li Ji wouldn't take it to heart. He just went out five times, and every time there was a similar "coincidence". Surprised laugh.If it wasn't for a servant who stopped him in time, Daoming didn't like to be disturbed, and he might have been entangled.

This time I came back to eat in a famous restaurant in the capital. As soon as I went upstairs, I ran into a young boy who thought he was a butter. He looked at a handsome man with exquisite features and a good appearance.The dress is not exquisite, but it is just right.Seeing the two bowing down in embarrassment, just as they were about to speak, Shen Tianzhan had already spoken first.

Shen Tianzhan was speaking to Li Ji, but the words were for him: "Did you see that? Every time the scientific examination, many students fail the rankings. The reason is that those who claim to be very talented and who only read two books Conceited and self-satisfied, wandering around the Fireworks Restaurant and refusing to leave. I only think that I am so talented that I don’t need to study anymore, but I don’t know that there is no limit to learning, and if you don’t advance, you will retreat.”

Li Ji looked at the scholar and nodded.

There are people in their thirties, and Li Ji doesn't have the energy to really stir up trouble for his own man.After bumping into each other for several days in a row, the idiot also figured out that it was aimed at Er Gouzi.When I came to the capital before, I met all kinds of beauties.On the day of Xiaotuo's wedding, the relationship between the two became clear, and now they are sending men here again.

The two dogs on the left and right are not the kind of playful people, why should Li Ji be angry because of this kind of lack.

Shen Tianzhan himself spoke sarcastically, who could refute it?The scholar's face was red when he was told, and he raised his eyes to look at Er Gouzi, but Er Gouzi didn't look away from Li Ji.

After entering the private room, Li Ji didn't pay attention to the fact that his good mood was disturbed after all: "It's really good to say it's weird. It's been more than ten years, and the two dogs are 35. If you are 15 years old It's understandable to use this kind of goodwill, knowing that we have been together for so many years, but still make trouble."

Shen Tianzhan knew Li Ji's temper, so he was narrow-minded.

"You guys won't stay long in the capital. When you go back, you won't be able to see your eyes and your heart will be pure. Don't say it's you. I, an old man, have met a bunch of girls by chance. Lovers don't care about their ages, and those who take concubines There are also a lot of people there. They arrange ten times, and if you fail to attract them once, it is equivalent to falling into their trap. They are not in a hurry to destroy you. Maybe they want to form an alliance with you but can't find a way. This beauty is a matchmaker , is the simplest and most common method." It is rare for Shen Tianzhan to talk to Li Ji about this kind of chaos in the officialdom in Beijing.

This official promotion has a special and common bond.That is beauty.They will spend a lot of money to find a confidante, and try their best to have all kinds of encounters with the officials they want to please.If the two are successful, the one who wants to curry favor will present the beauty to the one who is suitable.

At that time, the beauty will be favored, and the fawning will benefit.If there is any dissatisfaction at the top, the beauty can also send the news as soon as possible.When he was in the county, the county magistrate had thought about letting Zhao Ruyue take on the role of a beauty.

On the contrary, the boss will arrange the beauties to sleep next to the people below when he has something to do.One is to grab the hearts of the people below, and the other is to monitor.Such a beauty is a blessing, but also a pity.Because it is someone sent from above, the wife of the main house has to be courteous.If the people below want to please their immediate superiors, they will also dote on her.

But at the same time, all kinds of precautions will be taken. If the boss has the slightest accident, the beauty's end will be miserable.

"I understand what you say. It's just that these two dogs don't inherit your title now. It stands to reason that they should rely on Little Tudou. Although the two dogs have a title, they have no real power and no children. Why go here Work hard."

"You won't move now." Shen Tianzhan tasted the tea and said, "Little Tudou is newly married, and it's time to officially get tired of it. Why don't you wait three to five years for the freshness to pass. Er Gouzi has been married for more than ten years Yes. If you are a fool, this is the most annoying time, and naturally it is a better target. Although he will not have real power in the future, he is my only son. Er Gouzi is still me, it is the same."

After understanding this, Li Ji didn't speak.Shen Tianzhan was afraid that he would think too much, so he began to talk about his own experience:

"When I first established my foothold in the capital, I was still in the front court. I was climbing up with all my heart, and someone at the top wanted to hang me with a beautiful woman, and someone at the bottom wanted to curry favor with me. At that time, I had seen everything. .Male and female, immature and intellectual. The youngest is a child, but when I was officially promoted, my status was not high. The parents who raised me had a narrow vision and could only see what was in front of me. They also helped outsiders to manage people in the house for me. I don't agree, they just said that they took in a goddaughter to amuse themselves, but they actually found opportunities for that girl on weekdays. When it was serious, they would directly lock the door in my room. Just to let me stay. "

The parents were all thinking about the group of blood-sucking insects in the clan, and they even claimed to be good to Shen Tianzhan, helping outsiders to fill Shen Tianzhan with people.

It was another embarrassing position in the officialdom.It would not be an exaggeration to say that Shen Tianzhan was besieged on all sides.

After so many years, it was the first time I heard Shen Tianzhan say this: "How did you solve it later?"

"This kind of thing is not difficult. My parents used the word filial piety to suppress me, so I lived in the office on the grounds that I was busy with business. Heaven and earth, relatives and teachers, working for the sage, my parents can't be called unfilial. I won't go home No matter how many women they recruited, they couldn't see me, so it was useless. I was not close to beauty. On the contrary, I was seen by the emperor at that time, who promoted me all the way, and made me a success. It's a pity that the emperor became seriously ill and the treacherous officials came to power I couldn't compete with their ties, so I went to the original county to be a county magistrate. This has always been the case, in fact, from the very beginning, God has followed my wishes."

Shen Tianzhan said that the clouds are calm and the wind is light, but now I feel very sad just by imagining it.

Li Ji looked at Er Gouzi, and then at Shen Tianzhan.As he got older, Li Ji actually had a lot of ideas that he couldn't understand before.For example, after all these years, why didn't Shen Tianzhan find a partner?Even if you know the cold and the hot, it's good to have a heart-to-heart talk.

Li Ji also respects Li Yan and the relationship between the two of them.Just watching Shen Tianzhan grow old day by day, without a companion by his side, always feels sad.It's just that Li Jixiang didn't know how to say this sentence.For so many years, Shen Tianzhan has come here alone.As long as he thinks, let him keep the love for Li Yan in his heart until the day he dies.

"Where there is gain, there must be loss." Li Ji said this evaluation, suddenly excited, and said, "Father, have you ever thought that you are in this situation again now? You are alone, so you have to The emperor loves it. But what if the emperor uses it again, what should you do? To put it bluntly, if the emperor is the same as the previous emperor, what should you do?"

There are no outsiders here, so Li Ji dared to say something disrespectful.

"You can think of it, but you can't think of it as a father?" Shen Tianzhan smiled meaningfully, and turned to say, "Having said this, you should take it easy. If you eat delicious food, eat as much as you can, don't take it personally. Yes. If you bear the burden in his position, how can you live a good life and enjoy these things, you have to bear the disadvantages brought by him."

After continuing to have fun, Li Ji was not afraid to walk side by side with Er Gouzi in crowded places.When encountering someone with ulterior motives, the two of them don't care.Those who came to the door were stopped by family guards, and those who attracted attention from a distance could just ignore them.

In fact, if oil and salt do not enter here, it can be passed to the eyes of the new emperor.It stands to reason that it is reasonable for officials to marry wives and take concubines. Those generals who came with him also had dozens of concubines in their homes.But the new emperor just likes to watch Shen Tianzhan's family stick together.

Even if the new emperor himself is a harem three thousand, he also likes such a person when he sees them.Because a person who can be so loyal in the family must also be loyal to the emperor.Such people need to rest assured.If Er Gouzi really fell in love with someone who wanted to enjoy the blessings of Qi people, I'm afraid it would leave a knot in Xinhuang's heart instead.

I have been traveling a lot recently, and the capital is hotter than my home.A few days later, Li Ji felt very dizzy.

Shen Tianci felt something was wrong at first, so he called the government doctor to give Li Ji a good look.

"Is fourth master's anger rising recently? Especially when you wake up in the morning, you will always have abnormal irritability?"

Li Ji nodded: "Don't tell me I didn't pay attention. In recent years, I've been very angry when I wake up. It's also thanks to Er Gouzi that I let me. I also know that it's not the time to lose my temper in the morning, or I can't suppress it."

"To put it simply, you are deficient in both qi and blood. It was a problem left over from years of hard work at that time. It's not a big deal. The younger one prescribed a tonic prescription for fourth master. You insist on drinking it for two months, and you will often drink it later. It will be fine if you eat some warming and tonic medicinal food. If you ignore it, it will indeed affect your body. As long as you pay more attention, it will be fine."

Li Ji is willing to say that it is because of his age, after all, there are many people in the village who are over [-] and good at temper.Hearing this, it turned out that there was something wrong with his body.Li Ji didn't eat well when he was a child, and he ate too much.What is there to eat, how can I control whether I can support people?

Now that I have enjoyed the blessings for more than ten years, I have found what I left behind in the early years.

"Then it's time to work." Li Ji also heaved a sigh of relief.It's not a serious illness.Although the decoction tastes bitter, drinking it is good for the body, no matter how much Li Ji drinks it, he can still drink it.

As long as nothing happens, you can live a few more years.He also wants to grow old with Er Gouzi forever.

I gave Er Gouzi the pulse again, actually there are some minor problems, but the effect is not big.He also prescribed medicine and used some precious herbs.At that time, catch more, and the two of them will take them back and insist on drinking.

At that time, two bowls of medicine were boiled, and Shen Tianzhan watched the two of them drink it.

"I usually see you two alive and kicking, but this visit almost killed me. Don't think that you are fine if you two go back. Ask the doctor to show you that you are getting bigger and bigger, so you can't be sloppy at all."

If you were afraid of old age and sickness, Shen Tianzhan was more afraid than them.Now one is afraid of old age, and the other is that white-haired people will give away black-haired people.I left by myself, fearing that my children and grandchildren would be troubled if no one took care of them.The children and grandchildren go first, and they are digging their hearts.

Everyone has this kind of time, no matter how much you think about it, it will only add to your heart.

After drinking the bitter soup, Er Gouzi's face was more wrinkled than Li Ji's.But once I heard that this thing is good for the body, I can live and learn for a few more years, and I can drink it easily.

After staying for a few days, Li Ji and Er Gouzi should go home.The county magistrate prepared a lot of things for the two of them and sent them home.One carriage was in the front and back, and the rest followed, twelve carriages in a row.Li Ji took it easy and said that he would send home things back when he was free.

When leaving, Shen Tianzhan took his grandson and daughter-in-law to see him off at the door, and Zhang Xue followed.At this moment, Zhang Xue has changed into girl's clothes, the fabric of the clothes is good, Zhang Xue has been in the troupe for many years, learned a lot of figure, standing there looks good.

Li Ji and Zhang Xue asked if they wanted to go back to their hometown together, but Zhang Xue only said that she couldn't bear to part with her sister and would stay longer.Li Ji saw that Zhang Xue's eyebrows were not pure, so he didn't say anything, he just exchanged glances with Shen Tianzhan, and then went home with Li Ji.

It has nothing to do with Li Ji now what Zhang Xue is planning.Although Yingzi is emotional, she is not foolish enough to let others take advantage of her.

At the beginning when Xiaotuo was promising, Yingzi would also be Xiaotuo's official wife. In the past, Zhang Baihu resisted not coming to the door, but later he couldn't help finding Li Ji with the cheek, saying that he missed his daughter and wanted a family of four to visit the capital together. .By the way, let him help find a job for his brother so that he won't be able to marry a wife in the village.

There are two sons and two daughters in Zhang Baihu's family. Both daughters have been sold, and they live with their two sons.In the early years, relying on the money from selling her daughter, she had quite a fortune, and she loved her two sons very much.It's a pity that because of being too pampered, the eldest is lazy and the second is lazy and slippery.

In addition, people from ten miles and eight villages have heard that his family looked down on their daughters and sold them, and they are unwilling to marry the girls to be treated harshly.Looking back, nowadays there are more boys than girls, and some girls are picked by their in-laws. Seeing that the first children in the village are all married, the boss of Zhang Baihu's family is all in their thirties and has not married once.

Before Shen Tianzhan came to Beijing to become a high-ranking official, Zhang Baihu refused to put down his face and never said anything about Yingzi.Now, because his son doesn't have a daughter-in-law, he is afraid of dying, so he can only come to the door with a cheeky face.

At that time, Yingzi refused simply, only saying that his surname was Li, not Zhang, and sent him off in person.

Studying is not for nothing, and after spending several years with Shen Tianzhan in Beijing, she is no longer the conscientious little girl she was back then.

Later, in the rumors that Yingzi was not qualified to be a concubine for Xiaotuo, her biological parents also had a share of the credit.Now that Yingzi is married, she has no biological parents at all. It can be seen that Yingzi is also quick to cut the mess in this regard.

This is true of the parents, let alone the elder sister who was sold a few years ago.If Zhang Xue's mind is clean, what happens to the sisters is their business. If they really have dubious ideas, Yingzi can solve them by herself.

"I'm going home. I've been homesick for the past two days, and I can't bear to go here." Li Ji opened the window, and the wind blowing in could cost him two dollars.

"Both are good, one is home and the other is family." Er Gouzi summed it up perfectly.

Li Ji nodded and looked at Er Gouzi's neck. There was nothing on it. The jade pendant that had been hanging around Er Gouzi's neck for 35 years now belonged to Little Tudou, and Li Ji couldn't bear it for Er Gouzi.

"Tomorrow, let's buy a piece of jade and make a jade pendant. Make a pair, one for each of us."

"Yeah." After a pause, Er Gouzi grabbed Li Ji's hand and put it around his neck: "You are the same as the jade pendant. It is very important. But the jade pendant can be given to others, but you will never be able to."

The jade pendant was worn around his neck, but Li Ji pretended it in his heart.

The author has something to say: I was so stupid to cry yesterday that I thought there were three days left in this month, but in fact there are still four days... So today I will pick up yesterday's.Tomorrow I will write about old age, the day after tomorrow I will write about the end of life, and then I will write about the various characters in the story~ First let’s talk about Zhang Xue’s and Su Shuang, and then I will write about Shen Tianzhan and Li Yan~