The arrest warrant issued urgently by the government office had a man drawn on it.

The man was quite handsome, with a long beard, and his eyes were obscured by his long eyebrows.

This portrait has a rather spooky flavor. Tan Ting frowned and read the official document that said this person was a pirate who came ashore to explore the terrain. It is extremely dangerous. Anyone who sees this person should report it to the government immediately. If the clue is true, you will get a reward of one hundred taels of silver.

One hundred taels?

What kind of bandit is worth a hundred taels of silver for just a few clues?

Tan Ting raised his eyebrows.

Apparently Zhou Zhixian didn't know the specific situation and just followed Shangfeng's instructions.

Upon seeing this, Tan Ting planned to go to Ningnan Mansion Office in the next two days.

The world is becoming more and more uneven, and life is not easy for people. If we encounter another unstable year, not only making achievements, but also settling down and settling down will be a luxury.

After Tan Ting left the county government office, he arranged for Zhengji to send a message to the clan, asking the clan to pay attention to bandits and robbers, and to gather as many people as possible when traveling, and to carry swords and guns for self-defense, and not to be careless.

The eldest son of a clan naturally has to worry about the affairs of everyone in the clan.

Zhengji responded repeatedly, but he remembered something.

"Uncle, Madam is not in the house right now and has gone out."

Tan Ting was surprised. She just came back today, why did she go out?

"Where did you go? How many people did you bring with you?"

Zhengji told everything he knew. When he mentioned that his wife did not bring many guards, he saw that the uncle's face became a little worried.

Tan Ting had just learned that there were important bandits wandering around here, and later he heard that his wife had gone to the farm.

He immediately called Zhengji and sent some more people over, but on second thought he said no.

"I'll go there myself."

After saying that, he returned to the house.

But when I arrived at the mansion, I saw all the cars and horses in the mansion. After asking again, I found out that the lady and the girl had returned.

After hearing this, Tan Ting was relieved and went straight back to the main courtyard.

Not wanting the main courtyard to be quiet and Xiang Yi not being there, Tan Ting found the little girl who was playing with pebbles in the shelter and asked about it. Only then did he know that something happened in the warehouse and invited her over.

Tan Ting didn't see anyone and returned to the room.

There was a hint of soothing fragrance in the room. She was not sitting under the window doing needlework, but Tan Ting looked over and found an extra wooden box under the window.

He had never seen this wooden box before. He walked up to it and opened it to take a look. Tan Ting was stunned for a moment.

It turned out to be a medicine box for daily use. There were several commonly used medicines in it, and a few bottles were singled out and put aside.

Tan Ting took a closer look and found that they were all plasters used to treat trauma.

The scent of soothing incense lingers on the tip of the nose.

The wound on Tan Ting's arm did not hurt, but itched, as if someone was brushing it with a soft feather.

The fragrance of the medicine emanated from the box. Tan Ting's eyes couldn't help softening as he looked at the ointments that had been put aside.

...

Xiang Yi had just returned from the warehouse when he heard that Tan Tingyi was back.

She remembered the medicine temporarily placed under the window and hurried to the main room. As soon as she opened the door, she saw the man sitting in her usual seat under the window. He was holding a book in one hand and was reading it silently.

Beside the book was the box of ointment she took out before.

When he saw her looking over, he looked over like she usually did and said softly.

"I'm back."

The soothing fragrance and medicinal fragrance swirled in the room.

Xiang Yi didn't dare to speak for a while.

On the one hand, she didn't expect that he would suddenly take the initiative to speak today. Although it was an ordinary sentence, the situation was indescribably strange.

But more importantly, the ointment was at hand.

Xiang Yi gave a low response and walked over uncomfortably. He was about to take away the medicine box on the coffee table and pour him a cup of tea when he suddenly spoke.

"I'm much better."

Xiang Yi paused as he stretched out his hand to hold the medicine box.

Tan Ting didn't look at her when he said those words. The corners of his mouth were slightly raised, and he kept flipping through the book with his head half lowered. When he saw that she was silent for a while, he cleared his throat gently.

Her hand paused on the box and opened it again.

"Even so, I'd better change the medicine for the uncle."

She said, and neatly picked out the ointment he wanted to use.

The feathers on Tan Tingluo's heart began to flutter slowly again, making it extremely itchy.

The corners of his mouth raised higher, he cleared his throat again, and said something warmly.

"Excuse me, madam."

Xiang Yi said, "No need to bother." She just had some sweat on the tip of her nose.

The next day, the sky cleared completely, and the bright sunlight illuminated the plum blossoms blooming in the courtyard.

People from various branches of the Tan family came to the Zong family one after another to say hello and New Year.

The entire Tan family clan house was bustling during the day, but became quieter at night. Zhao family called all her children to Qiuzhao Garden for dinner.

After experiencing the dilemma of Xiang Yi suddenly returning to her parents' home a few days ago, leaving the whole family with no one to take care of her, Mrs. Zhao became more and more satisfied with this clan daughter-in-law.

Seeing that she was a little tired, he quickly left her alone, fearing that if she fell ill from exhaustion, he would be in trouble.

Xiang Yi rested and sat next to Tan Ting.

Tan Ting also noticed that her face looked tired. When he saw her sitting down, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief and silently made a note to promote a few more managers to help her share some of the burden.

After running around and working hard for several days, Xiang Yi was indeed tired, but what worried her most was not the daily chores, but her sworn brother Gu Yansheng who lived in the farm.

Qiao Yun came to tell her the notice posted at the county government office the same day she saw it.

Although there is a long beard and eyebrows covering the portrait, and the eldest brother has long removed those from his face, it is inevitable that he is an outsider who suddenly came to Qinghan, which will inevitably make people suspicious.

The eldest brother was seriously injured and I don’t know how he is doing.

Just as she was thinking, Zhao asked Tan Rong.

"Did Rong'er deliver medicine to the tiger-fighting hero on Zhuangzi today?"

Naturally, this matter could not be hidden from everyone, and Xiang Yi was not prepared to hide it, but when it was suddenly mentioned, Xiang Yi couldn't help but tensed up.

No one found anything about her, only Tan Rong said she had given medicine.

"Mr. Sheng was injured for the farmer in our farm. He was injured for me. Naturally, he had to deliver medicine, and he couldn't deliver cheap medicine."

Xiang Yi hadn't figured out how to deliver the medicine quietly, but Tan Rong took care of it. She solved it.

But when she mentioned it, people who didn't know about it couldn't help but ask.

"What does a tiger-fighting hero look like?" Yang Zhen was curious.

Tan Jian also said, "I really killed the tiger, where is the tiger?"

Xiang Yi raised his eyebrows when he saw the Tan family uncle.

Unlike Yang Zhen and Tan Jian, he was either excited or confused. The man's eyes were a little more focused.

"Where did this person come from? When did this happen?"

He asked with a serious look. There was a moment of silence in the hall, and Tan Jian immediately thought of another thing.

"It's not some bandit who sneaked in in disguise, right?"

These words frightened Mrs. Zhao, and the spoon in her hand clattered against the edge of the bowl.

Xiang Yi's heart sank, but before she could speak, Tan Rong became anxious.

"How could it be? My mother and my eldest and second brothers were too nervous. Mr. Sheng was invited to the farm just because he drove away the tiger for us. He really behaves like a scholar, and he even has a tattooed boy by his side. , what kind of bandit could it be?!"

She hurriedly defended, but everyone's doubts were not completely alleviated.

Tan Rong hurriedly called Xiang Yi, "Sister-in-law has also met. Let's talk about it. Don't let Mr. Sheng's reputation get lost."

When she said this, everyone looked over like Xiang Yi.

Xiang Yi listened and stood up unhurriedly to give Zhao a spoonful of eight-treasure porridge.

As she moved around, the tense atmosphere in the hall relaxed a lot.

Zhao also asked her.

"Have you met that person too? What's his behavior like? Do you abide by the rules?"

Xiang Yi smiled.

"Mr. Sheng is indeed a scholar, gentle and polite. Because he was suddenly injured, he stayed at the Tan family. He was afraid that it would harm the girl's reputation, so he specially asked the girl to join the person in charge of the family."

She said, slowly taking a deep breath, and said One sentence.

"If he is a bandit wanted by the government and it's too late to cover up his whereabouts, why would he take the initiative to mention it?"

After saying this, Tan Rong said, "Exactly!"

Zhao trusted Xiang Yi, otherwise he wouldn't have entrusted her with everything. He breathed a sigh of relief and took a sip of porridge water.

"That's true."

Tan Jian also felt that the bandit did not dare to act like this, so he gave Yang Zhen a piece of rock sugar elbow with chopsticks.

Yang Zhen put the rock sugar elbow into her mouth nonchalantly, and at the salty and delicious taste, she rolled her eyes with satisfaction and said something.

"These days, 80% of those who dare to hunt tigers are heroes. There is really no need to be suspicious of others."

Everyone was no longer doubtful.

Only Tan Ting remained silent. He put down his chopsticks and remained silent without knowing what he was thinking.

It didn't matter to anyone else, he was alone...

Xiang Yi had no choice but to speak and asked him softly.

"What else are you worried about, uncle?"

she asked, silently waiting for Tan Ting's answer, and prepared words to respond to his questions.

He was the eldest son of the family and was much more alert than others. Xiang Yi had not planned to let Gu Yansheng stay in the Tan family for too long, but if Tan Ting found out after only two or three days...

She was secretly worried, but Tan Ting raised his head and looked at her.

"Now that you've seen me, I don't have anything to worry about."

The implication was to reassure her.

Xiang Yi was startled, this was something she didn't expect.

She didn't say anything more, sat back next to Tan Ting, and silently served him some dishes.

When he saw her, his condensed eyes softened, and with a faint smile on his lips, he also picked up some vegetables, one chopstick at a time, and quietly put them into her bowl.

The two of them were going back and forth, but they didn't think anything of it, but Ms. Zhao looked at them and smiled quietly.

It would be great if Xiang Yi could get pregnant while Ting Geer was at home...

The story of the tiger-killing hero was revealed, and the Tan clan family continued to have dinner peacefully. .

Gu Yansheng's temporary stay in the Tan family has finally passed the "clear path". Xiang Yiben was thinking about secretly taking care of his adopted brother, and didn't want her to worry about everything. Tan Rong was more active than anyone else, sending ointments and clothes.

Moreover, Mrs. Zhao was only focused on choosing a son from an aristocratic family as her husband and didn't care.

Xiang Yi breathed a sigh of relief, but when he opened the closet one day, he almost thought he had gone to the wrong room.

In the wardrobe in the main room, men's clothes were packed down at some point. In the upper compartments, each compartment was filled with many winter coats of different styles, materials and colors.

She stood in front of the cabinet for a moment, and Qiao Yun walked over, took a look, and let out a sigh.

"When did this happen? Madam is finally willing to make clothes for herself?"

Xiang Yi shook his head.

The clothes were not made by her.

The wind at the door moved, the curtain was lifted open, and the man walked in slowly.

Tan Ting couldn't help but sigh inwardly when he saw her standing by the closet, looking a little dazed, but not touching the clothes in the closet.

"You always have to wear some new clothes during the Chinese New Year, so I asked someone to make a few for myself."

The Tan family clan also had clothes for the four seasons in the past. Later, the family became more and more prosperous, and all the female relatives in the inner courtyard were from everyone. There was no shortage of clothes, and everyone took their own good materials and let the needlework tailor them according to the popular styles.

In this way, the clothes for the four seasons are all made of decent materials and styles. Even if they are made, the ladies will not wear them. They are directly worn by the servants and are too much for the servants. It is even more wasteful to store them at the bottom of the box.

One year when the harvest was not good and the family wanted to increase revenue and reduce expenditure, the clan wife at that time set an example and simply discarded the four-season clothes in the sewing room.

Nowadays, the clothes for each room in the Zong family are either made by people in the courtyard, or the materials are provided by needlework.

If you put it like this on others, there won't be any problems.

But Xiang Yi is different.

She was as clean as the newly fallen snow, and she refused to touch the Tan family's things easily, so Tan Ting had no choice but to do it herself.

He explained so plausibly, the implication being that both of them needed new clothes for the New Year.

But Xiang Yi took another look at the cabinet and saw that the new clothes he had made for her were already more than all his winter clothes.

Xiang Yi was at a loss for a few breaths.

But the man had already walked away and went to the bookshelf to read a book.

Seeing that she didn't refuse, Qiao Yun happily stepped forward and picked out a lilac-colored double-breasted long coat with a thin red ruffle for her.

"Madam, wearing this will make her look better. Let me choose another horse-faced skirt for madam..."

Qiao Yun rambled on about something, but Xiang Yi didn't hear it clearly. She was still standing where she was just now, and couldn't help but He looked at the man in front of the bookshelf.

The man is tall, tall and well-proportioned, with broad shoulders and slender arms when viewed from behind.

At this moment, he lightly raised his hand, took down a book from the top shelf, patted the thin dust on the book, turned his feet halfway, and his angular profile looked a little warmer in the faint morning light coming in from the window. .

Xiang Yi couldn't help but think of what her elder brother asked her that day at the farm.

"Yizhen, the eldest son of the Tan family, how are you treating me?"

If she had had a little more time at that time, she might have been able to give the answer immediately, but today...

Xiang Yi withdrew his gaze and glanced at the wardrobe again. He lowered his eyes silently.

This shouldn't be like this between them.

Xiang Yi is not someone who doesn't know how to reciprocate kindness.

The next day, Yang Zhen somehow remembered that she wanted to make a suit of clothes for Tan Jian, but the instructions given by Aunt Lu beside her were too complicated, which frightened Yang Zhen.

Yang Zhen couldn't bear to do it, but she agreed to Tan Jian again. Remembering the way Tan Jian's eyes lit up when he heard this, she couldn't bear to say no to him. Instead, she got angry and lost her temper with Tan Jian.

Tan Jian didn't know where he was wrong. Finally, his eldest brother was in a good mood these past two days. Instead of scolding her, his wife was angry from nowhere.

He felt aggrieved.

Yang Zhen saw that this was not an option, and felt that she had to go to her sister-in-law for any uncertain matters, so she came to the main room.

Naturally, Xiang Yi was not as demanding as his grandma. Seeing that she was not good at pattern making, sewing, or embroidery, he simply asked her to help her with needlework, and she participated in every process. With a little more help with the needlework, she was finally done.

I don't think Tan Jian would dislike it.

After hearing this, Yang Zhen called him a good idea and praised Xiang Yi repeatedly.

"Without my sister-in-law, I wouldn't be here!"

Xiang Yi pursed his lips and smiled. Seeing her running away, he secretly thought of something.

Maybe she should make a set of clothes for Mr. Tan, at least as a sign of her acceptance of his clothes.

...

In the evening, Xiang Yi told him what he wanted.

Tan Ting didn't say anything after listening for a long time.

Xiang Yi thought that he had requirements for needlework and was worried about his skills, so he couldn't help but give up.

"If you are not used to it, then let the sewing room come..."

"No." He was interrupted before he finished speaking.

Xiang Yi looked over.

Under the shadow of the lamp, the man's usually resolute face exuded a gentleness like the hazy moonlight.

The eyes under his thick eyebrows flickered, looking right at her.

Xiang Yi was not used to such gazes and turned his face away.

Only then did he speak again.

"Don't be too tired."

Under his gaze, Xiang Yi dared to raise his lowered eyes, and whispered, "I'm not tired," and then found an excuse and left the room temporarily. .

The winter night wind is as refreshing as ice water.

Xiang Yi rubbed his arms slowly and crossed his arms, looking at the clear crescent moon hanging on the horizon.

She thought it would be better to finish this year as soon as possible.

When the Tan family uncle returns to the capital, everything will probably return to normal.

As for what will happen next, she doesn't dare to think deeply.

Tan Ting hurriedly went to the Fifth Old Master's villa again a year ago, and finally met the Fifth Old Master this time.

The fifth old man was in good health and in good spirits. When he saw Tan Ting and Tan Jian coming in person, he smiled and asked someone to make tea for the two brothers to drink from the mountain snow water he collected a few days ago.

Compared to the third old man who was highly respected, the fifth old man was more easy-going and asked the two brothers how they were doing.

Tan Jian is naturally studying and writing seriously to prepare for the provincial examination next autumn.

Tan Ting did not say anything about his academic performance, but only talked about current affairs with the fifth old man.

First, he talked about the situation in the capital, and then mentioned the things between the aristocratic clan and the common clan, and what happened to their group in Liuyang Village.

He was as calm as the fifth old man, and he couldn't help but frown and smooth his beard.

The old man sighed, "I still remember that when I was young, I traveled all over the world. If I settled in a common people's home, and they heard that I came from a famous family, they would be envious, but they would also be friendly and ask me to teach them some methods of studying and knowing etiquette. If If your family is better off and you can send your children to school, you may be able to become a family with inheritance in the future. "

It used to be like this. No matter how miserable or poor the people were, as long as their background was good, they could change one person, one family, or even one clan through the imperial examination. fate.

I don’t know since when, fewer and fewer people from the common people passed the imperial examination. Children trained by aristocratic families have been immersed in poetry and etiquette since childhood, so they naturally have innate advantages, but the opportunity for advancement is left to the common people. Much less than a year.

Especially in recent years.

The common people have no chance of advancement and are being exploited by all the aristocratic families below. How can they remain resentful?

If this continues, it may cause something that shakes the court.

By then, who can be safe and sound?

Tan Ting couldn't help but think of his wife at home when the fifth old man sighed.

Once the two clans come to the point of war, her situation will only be the most difficult.

He couldn't help but say, "Aristocratic families and common people are not like this. If they really meet with swords and guns, the foreign tribes from the northwest will definitely take the opportunity to go south, and there will only be another bloody storm in the government and the opposition."

The fifth old man was silent for a while.

"Although there is no big storm at the moment, your worries are not unreasonable."

The fifth old man slowly looked at Tan Ting.

"The Tan family in Qingkan has always been kind to their neighbors, and they don't want to end up in a situation where they are hostile to the people around them. However, this is not a matter of the Tan family. If you can think of this, you can see that after these years of experience outside, you have a quarrel in your heart. "

He said and laughed.

"In this case, you should think about this matter carefully. Maybe the Tan family will rise up in your hands in the next sixty years."

These words were said casually, but Tan Jian, who was quiet and obedient beside him, felt his blood boiling all over him. .

He blinked and looked at the old man and then at his elder brother.

The eldest brother was as calm as ever, he only held hands with the fifth old man and said one word.

"Yes."

It's the New Year's Day like this.

Everything in the Tan family was stable, and Xiang Yi didn't even worry about Gu Yansheng, who was living in the farm.

Tan Rong was very interested in him for some reason, and Tan Rong prepared everything for him.

She accidentally helped Xiang Yi, but Xiang Yi saved trouble. Hearing that everything was fine with his sworn brother in Zhuangzi, he didn't bother him anymore and didn't tell Xiang Yu and the others for the time being.

It's New Year's Eve in a blink of an eye.

After three years of marriage, Tan Ting celebrated the New Year at home for the first time.

In the morning, he put on a dark red brocade robe with chinchilla fur. He noticed that his wife saw that he was wearing a color he didn't usually wear, so she also picked a rouge color embroidered with white plum collar and snow rabbit fur. Long coat.

Her neck is fair and slender, and the white fluffy snow rabbit fur on the red collar is wrapped around her neck, making her look more playful.

Tan Ting had never seen her dressed like this before, and he quietly looked at her several times throughout the day.

Xiang Yi didn't notice it. He first asked the Tan clan to send many dumplings to the neighbors to eat, and then distributed the Spring Festival couplets written by Tan Ting and his clan to the people in the city. After doing some trivial matters, he was married off by the first year. , Yang Zhen, who was not on an envoy because of his high energy, called over to play leaf cards.

Xiang Yi didn't play much, but Yang Zhen was in high spirits. She also became more interested, and accidentally played cards until the New Year's Eve dinner.

Unfortunately, servants usually have their own rules for doing things, so Xiang Yi didn't worry too much. She just waited for the New Year's Eve dinner in Qiuzhaoyuan in the evening. It was late, and she started to yawn.

I'm used to going to bed early and getting up early on weekdays, but today I have to stay up late, which is a bit unbearable.

In previous years, Xiang Yi would usually ask Qiao Yun to watch for her for a while while he would sleep quietly for a few hours.

But this year the uncle is at home.

Xiang Yi sat under the window and did some sewing, but he couldn't raise his eyelids.

Tan Ting was writing big characters in front of the desk, and saw that his wife was still making strong tea and continuing to cook with him, and said helplessly.

"You go to sleep first, I'll keep you company."

As soon as he spoke, Xiang Yi woke up halfway.

"This is not appropriate," she said, "I'd better sleep with my uncle."

After she said this, Tan Ting stopped writing and looked at her for a long time.

She was always polite and courteous to him.

Tan Ting subconsciously fell silent, but then she thought, if she stopped talking, she would really be able to abide by the rules and endure it.

He sighed.

"I'm not sleepy, you can go to sleep."

After he finished speaking, seeing that she was still hesitating, he had to say one more sentence.

"Why do we need so many rules between you and me?"

After the man said this, Xiang Yi bowed his head and stopped talking.

Both of them stopped talking, and the room became quiet again.

There were sporadic firecrackers set off by children outside, crackling together with the candlelight in the room.

Xiang Yi only held on for a while, then his eyelids started to twitch again, and he almost touched the flower window.

She looked up and noticed the man in front of the desk, who looked helpless but didn't know how to speak.

Xiang Yi was also very helpless, fearing that he would make a fool of himself again, so he had to get up, say goodbye to him, and go back to the inner room to sleep.

After she said this, she noticed that his expression softened.

Xiang Yi no longer had the energy to study further, so he closed his eyes and fell asleep until dawn.

But on this first day of the new year, as soon as she woke up, she heard rapid footsteps outside.

Zhengji's voice came out, and the man who didn't know whether he hadn't slept or woke up early called him into the room.

"What's the matter?"

"Back to the uncle, Mr. Chen Wu from the Chen family in Fengling came to visit."

The man paused, "You said there is Chen Fu from Qianhu of Jinyiwei? Why is he here on New Year's Day?"

Zhengji said. Chen Wuye also knew that the New Year's Day was against the rules.

"But Mr. Chen Wu, please forgive me. Jin Yiwei wants to capture an important person. This person has disappeared in our Ningnan Mansion. Mr. Chen Wu should come here to ask for his help."

After all, in Ningnan, the government The yamen and the county yamen are all inferior to the Tan family of Qingkan.