After the Spring Banquet on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, everyone was anxiously thinking that something big would happen, but the days passed by like water.
Song Muchuan was building ships and building tall buildings on flat ground, but there would be no obvious results in just a few days. The Qi people searched the city day after day, but still knew nothing about King Ling'an and Xie Zhu.
In Wangxuewu, the parents are still short-lived.
Xie Sui'an stayed behind closed doors all day long, using the excuse of recuperating in his room, taking away all the vitality in the house.
Xie Queshan also relaxed and ended Lu Jinxiu's confinement, allowing her to accompany her daughter.
Mrs. Gantang was in charge of the family's affairs, as if she wanted to stay in Wangxuewu forever. Someone finally found it strange and asked when she would return to her husband's house - or when would Pingnan Hou come to Lidu Mansion?
Only then did Mrs. Gantang say something earth-shattering: "I have made peace with Marquis Pingnan."
Everyone was shocked, even the madam was so anxious that she pointed at her face and cursed: "Why didn't you say anything about such a big thing?!"
After all, she felt a little guilty. Mrs. Gantang said, "You didn't even ask me."
It turned out that when Yu's city was destroyed, Pingnanhou surrendered without a fight and even offered his wife to the leader of the Qi army as a token of goodwill. That night, Mrs. Gantang left a divorce note, stole the talisman of Marquis Pingnan, and went to the military camp that night.
The lights in the military camp that night were bright, as bright as day. The soldiers were all panic-stricken, not knowing where their way out would be after tonight. The tall figure first walked through the torch and stood in front of the troops. The black cloak took off its hood, revealing a woman's plain face.
She held up the talisman and shouted to everyone: "Those who are unwilling to surrender, take your weapons and follow me."
In this way, a woman who lived deep in the back house stepped out of the house for the first time. She took the tiger charm and led an army of hundreds of people over the mountains and rivers and returned to Lidu Mansion.
Of course, Mrs. Gantang naturally suppressed this part of the facts and only said that she was different from Pingnan Hou Dao and did not conspire with each other.
In the end, the old lady just sighed deeply. Now that the war has been fought like this, there really is nothing to talk about about women's virtue and dignity. Being alive is the greatest luck. Now that the granddaughter is back, she has brought her great-grandchildren back with her. This is a family relationship.
After experiencing so many things in succession, the old lady's mentality suddenly became calmer, and even looking at Xie Queshan was no longer so annoying.
Now the only concern in her heart is Xie Zhu.
Xie Sui'an lay on her grandma's knees, covering her eyes that were swollen from crying with a thick layer of rouge and gouache, and comforted her: "Uncle San will be safe."
Under the sun, the old lady stared blankly at the white flowers on Xie Sui'an's temples, but in the end she didn't ask.
Just like that, the day of the Lantern Festival arrived peacefully.
During this time, Nan Yi was either learning to read account books or reading and writing, and he and Xie Queshan were getting along well. She was probably used to being on tenterhooks. A few days after Ansheng's birthday, she always felt too calm and something was wrong. Did Bingzhusi just hide Xie Zhu and King Ling'an without doing anything? Mrs. Gantang won’t go to Hu Kneeling Mountain to meet Yu Cheng’s army? Does Qi Ren know...if he knew, why didn't he search for it?
These questions often lingered in her mind, but there was no conclusion. During the rest of the time when you are not worried, you should eat and drink, sleep enough, and recharge your batteries.
On the first Lantern Festival, Xie Sui'an suddenly went out on an excuse to relax.
Before that, Nan Yi had not seen her for several days. Xie Sui'an no longer looked strange, but the walls had ears. Xixia was not the place to talk. She only left a mysterious word to Nan Yi.
"During the lantern festival in the evening, a boat with lanterns and paintings on the river will leave Lidu Mansion. At three o'clock in the morning, the boat will be docked at Yonggui Bridge to pick up passengers. You can find a way to bring Sister Qiu and Aunt Three to the ferry on the bridge. Someone will pick you up."
Nan Yi's heart skipped a beat, thinking that it was finally here - Bing Zhusi was supposed to be sending Xie Zhu out of Lidu Mansion.
Then, she felt inexplicably relieved. She knew that there was finally something that could cheer up Xiaoliu.
——
This painting boat is the property of Guilaitang.
The painting boat was prepared for Wanyan Jun and those Qi people. On the night of the Yuan Dynasty, the boat will cross the Quling River. The guests on the boat will have a rest after watching the fireworks. When they wake up the next day, the boat will go to the Yangtze River and return to Lidu Prefecture in the afternoon.
The Yangtze River was a natural chasm for the Qi people, but they were already preparing for a water war. Wanyan Jun was very obsessed with this, so he proposed to borrow a boat for a cruise to take in the scenery of the Yangtze River first.
Such luxurious boats were rare even in the former Bianjing city. As far as the eye can see, there are all rare treasures, but they are not glittering or clichéd objects.
This painting boat is Zhang Yuehui's proud work, and every decoration reflects his taste.
There is a huge screen on the ship, inlaid with colorful transparent glass. It is said that this is a craft imported from the West. The stream of light outside the window hits the glass, reflecting dazzling little spots.
At this moment, the boat has not yet started loading passengers, so it is empty. Zhang Yuehui sat behind the glass screen and played the harp. The colorful lights and shadows were flowing on his body, and the sound of the harp was distant and sad. He seemed to be a lonely soul isolated from the world, with gods and ghosts not close to him.
Away from the crowd of people singing and dancing, when he is alone, his face always looks a bit lonely.
When he heard footsteps approaching, he didn't look up in a hurry. He strummed the strings faster and faster, and in time with the footsteps of the visitor, he pushed the song to a climax.
Then he pressed his palm to suppress the trembling of the strings, and the music stopped abruptly at the climax. He is such a person who does not pay attention to rules and regulations.
He raised his eyes lightly and saw that Chang Yan was here.
"My boss, Xie Liu came to see me. They will arrange for Xie Zhu and King Ling'an to leave today."
Zhang Yuehui's brows furrowed slightly.
"What is the mission given to you?"
"Send Xie Zhu on this painted boat." When something urgent happened, Chang Yan found an opportunity to come and report in a hurry. She spoke faster and faster, revealing a bit of anxiety, "Bingzhusi actually infiltrated into our Return Hall and took the painted boat. The attendants on board were all replaced by their own people. At three o'clock in the morning, passengers were boarded at Yonggui Bridge Ferry for the first time. , King Ling'an boarded the boat from there. They planned to use the painted boat to enter the Yangtze River under Qi Ren's nose."
The index finger was lightly twisted and slowly played on the string, and a few untuned syllables flowed out. Zhang Yue returned to deep thought, and Chang Yan did not dare to interrupt him.
After a while, he said: "Go back, do whatever Xie Xiaoliu tells you to do, and don't show any flaws."
Chang Yan was horrified: "My boss, won't you notify Qi Ren to arrest him?"
There was still laziness in his eyes: "The big fish is behind, what's the point of catching Xie Zhu alone? Let Bingzhusi people toss about it first. When they have laid out the situation and Qiren becomes anxious, we can sit down and raise the price. ah."
"……yes."
"Well...instruct the people below not to check too strictly when guests are admitted to Yonggui Bridge for the first time. Also, remove all the valuable things from the boat and replace them with fake ones. In case of severe beatings and smashing We will lose the treasure on the ship."
"yes."
Although she was used to her boss's style, Chang Yan still felt a little speechless. The enemies have put their knives into your quilt, but you still think about not cutting the brocade on the quilt.
But there is a magical thing about the boss. He never makes a mistake when he plans something.
At least not yet.
"Today, when we go to the Lantern Festival, the boat will be left to Bingzhusi to sing, so I have no choice but to go to the lantern festival to join in the fun."
Zhang Yuehui took out a New Year painting doll's mask from nowhere. The mask seemed a bit old, and the workmanship was not expensive. It was not in line with his usual taste. He will buckle it on his face, which is called an amiable and happy face.
Shi Shiran fluttered his sleeves and left.
——
Today, as luck would have it, Sister Qiu and Third Aunt went to the Empress Temple in the west of the city to burn incense early in the morning.
Xie Sui'an had a lot of things to deal with outside and did not notify them in advance. They were also afraid that if they knew something in advance, if they showed something strange, were sneaky, or were wearing something, they might not be able to leave if someone noticed.
But since this task was the only thing Xie Sui'an entrusted to him, Nan Yi had to send people to the boat.
Before dusk, the streets were already lively. The rule of the Qi people in Lidu Prefecture is indeed a combination of firmness and softness. In order to prevent the shipbuilding industry that has just started to develop from being hindered, the kindness to the people cannot be stopped, so this year's Shangyuan Lantern Festival has not been banned.
Not only was there no ban, but in order to show the peaceful and prosperous age under the Qi people's rule, it was even more luxurious. For a long time, Lidu Mansion has not been so lively.
Stretching lanterns have been hung on the avenue. The flow of people was so great that the government banned carriages and horses on the main road. If you want to go to the Empress Temple, you can only walk.
No matter how prosperous and charming the lively street is, it can't attract Nan Yi's idea at this moment. She burrows forward like a loach, only wanting to find Sister Qiu and her group as soon as possible. But when passing by a mask stall, Nan Yi paused.
She saw herself in a hurry in the bronze mirror hanging on the stall.
It's a little too sneaky.
So I bought a fox mask and put it on my face, hiding all the expressions. It was impossible for anyone to recognize her, so she rushed forward unscrupulously.
Suddenly he bumped into someone.
Looking up in panic, he saw a man wearing a New Year doll mask.
The man was very tall, and the mask was really festive, giving people the illusion that the face behind the mask was equally kind.
This mask looked familiar, but she couldn't remember where she had seen it before.
Nan Yi was in a hurry and had no time to think about it, so Nan Yi quickly held up his hands and apologized. The crowd around her was so loud that her voice was drowned out.
Zhang Yuehui didn't hear what she said clearly, thinking that it was just a polite apology, so he didn't pay much attention to it. But the woman seemed to be in a hurry and left in a hurry without waiting for his answer.
He subconsciously looked back and saw that there was already a huge sea of people.
