The sycamore tree in Sanseungtang has been planted again. At this time of year, the sycamore leaves are green and yellow, and the leaves that were originally soaked in a layer of green wax are plated with gold edges. They look good, but somewhat depressed.

Manager Jiang couldn't help but sigh.

In the past, there were many kinds of trees planted in Sanshengtang, such as ringo trees, pomegranate trees, persimmon trees, white pear trees and two jujube trees. Those fruit trees were planted by the old man for Madam Hou, who loved to eat the fruit she grew herself. of fruit.

It's a pity that after the master moved into Sanshengtang, he replaced the trees that had been planted for many years with sycamore trees.

People tend to be nostalgic when they get old, and Manager Jiang somewhat misses Sanseitang, which was so fruitful in autumn.

While he was thinking about it over here, the old servant at the door had already led Shen Yizhen and Rong Shu inside excitedly.

The old servants in Shen Garden were very loyal to Shen Huai, and even though Shen Zhi was now the head of the family, they still regarded Shen Yizhen as the eldest lady of the Shen family.

In Xiangyun Pavilion, Shen Zhi had just finished taking medicine when someone came to report that Mrs. Hou was back.

Shen Zhi was stunned for a long time before he quickly walked out.

"Zhenniang?" He looked at Shen Yizhen and asked in surprise: "Why didn't you send someone to tell my brother in advance?"

Shen Yizhen said lightly: "Shenyuan is my home, is it possible that I don't even have a way home?" Do you understand?"

She is always very ambitious, and she did the same thing when she brought Zhao Zhao back to Yangzhou from Shangjing. She arrived at the ferry without saying a word, and she didn't ask anyone to send a message in advance.

Shen Zhi said with a smile: "Although Yangzhou won the battle, there are still rogue bandits and refugees making trouble in the city. Aren't you afraid that something will happen to you on the road?"

After that, he said that he would take care of Shen Yizhen and ordered Jiang to manage it. He went to the big kitchen to deliver the message and talked about many of Shen Yizhen's favorite dishes since she was a child.

After Manager Jiang retired, he accompanied Shen Yizhen to Yilanzhu and asked in a warm voice, "Are you tired along the way?"

Shen Yizhen glanced at Shen Zhi.

He looked very haggard and looked sick, but he treated her as always, just like when he was a child, putting her first in everything.

Shen Yizhen liked Shen Zhi, and she was sad when she first heard that he had a sweetheart.

All things were over, and she died long before they broke off their oral engagement.

When the Shen family was in crisis, his father originally wanted to give him a fortune and send him back to the Tan family, but he refused. He said that it was included in the Shen family tree and he would be a member of the Shen family until his death.

Such a sincere face deceived both her father and her.

Of course, maybe what Shen Zhi said at that time was indeed true, and he was indeed willing to live and die with the Shen family.

People change, and sticking to your heart is never easy.

At night, a few people ate in a pavilion by the lake.

Shen Zhi mentioned Zhang’s mother.

"I hired a doctor with excellent medical skills from Shu, and he will arrive in Yangzhou in the near future. Tomorrow I will send someone to bring Mother Zhang to Shenyuan. Mother Zhang has a deep relationship with Zhaozhao, and taking care of Zhaozhao for more than ten years can be regarded as a blessing. After all the hard work, bringing her back to Shen Yuan to take care of her is not in vain. "

Zhang's mother is now in Dr. Mou's hospital.

Shen Yizhen concealed the coldness in her eyes and said with a smile: "Doctor Mou is the most famous doctor in Yangzhou. It's hard to find a doctor with a lot of money. Now it's not easy to ask him to treat Zhang's mother. Why bother to ask someone else?" Is the doctor here?"

Shen Zhi heard the coldness in her voice and said hurriedly: "Dr. Mou is old and has stopped treating patients for a long time. Brother is also afraid that he will not have the energy to take care of Mother Zhang."

Shen Yizhen is still waiting. After Zhang's mother woke up, she was interrogated. How could she hand Zhang's mother into Shen Zhi's hands?

Hearing this, he said: "Doctor Mou has a good relationship with my father and will definitely try his best to cure Mother Zhang. Mother Zhang is Rong Shu's nanny, and I am also in charge of her body. I am more concerned about her well-being than my brother. Brother, don't worry."

Shen Zhi knew that if he said anything more at this time, it would be abnormal.

He wanted to take Mother Zhang back to Shenyuan for treatment, but he was afraid that the princess would blame him for not doing things well, and he wanted to give the princess an explanation. No matter what, Dr. Mou is indeed very skilled in medicine, and Mrs. Zhang is safer at Mou's Medical Clinic than at Shen Yuan.

"Well, I received a very rare Cistanche deserticola in Fujian this time. I will send someone to give it to Dr. Mou tomorrow."

This move cannot be described as careless.

Most of the doctors in this world who have better medical skills are more or less obsessed with rare medicinal materials. If you give him such a Cistanche deserticola, even Doctor Mou, who has a lonely temper, will not be able to smile from ear to ear just thinking about it.

"Brother is very fond of Mother Zhang." Shen Yizhen said with a smile: "Mother Zhang is Zhaozhao's wet nurse. I thank you for Zhaozhao for caring so much about her. Only brother knew about the pirate attack on Yangzhou earlier than me, but he If I didn't come back to Yangzhou immediately to protect Zhaozhao, and if I left her alone in Shenyuan, I wouldn't be afraid that something might happen to her!"

Shen Yizhen was far away in Shangjing, and when he received the news, the waterway was closed, so he had to go overland.

And Shen Zhi was still on his way to Fujian at that time. If he wanted to, he could get back to Yangzhou in less than half a month as long as he asked the boatman to turn the ship around.

But he didn't. He continued to Fujian and returned to Yangzhou only two days earlier than her.

When Shen Yizhen said this, her voice was as cold as an ice cube, and her expression could not hide her disappointment.

As soon as she said these words, not only Shen Zhi, but even Rong Shu was startled.

When the accident happened in Yangzhou, she never placed her hope on Shen Zhi, so Rong Shu didn't care whether he came back or not.

On the day Shen Zhi returned to Yangzhou, knowing that she was almost kidnapped by pirates, he could only comfort her with a few gentle words, which was even worse than the cold greetings he had to his mother-in-law today when he endured the discomfort.

Rong Shu had to admit that in the past, she had some admiration for Shen Zhi. She would always subconsciously remember his good qualities and never complained about him.

Thinking about it now, during those years when she was in Yangzhou, Shen Zhi often left her alone in Shen Garden, and would only come back from business trips. Only when he was free at home would he tell her about what he had seen outside, and spend a day or two with her to pick flowers. Playing in the snow.

Rong Shu had received so little family affection since she was a child, so little that as long as others were kind to her, she could keep it in her heart for a long time. What she always remembers is the happy time that Shen Zhi spent with her for one or two days, rather than those very long lonely times alone in Shen Garden.

After Aniang said this today, Rong Shufang suddenly realized that her uncle was never as good to her as she thought. To be honest, Shen Zhi didn't even treat her as well as Zhang's mother, let alone Uncle Shiyi, Aunt Guo and Grandma.

"Zhenniang is right. It's my uncle who didn't do a good job. No wonder Zhenniang blames me." Shen Zhi was stunned for a moment and immediately poured himself a glass of wine. He smiled gently and said, "Uncle, I will punish myself with one drink. This will happen again." Regarding the matter, my uncle will definitely come back to protect Zhaozhao without stopping."

Rong Shu raised his eyes, his clear and clean eyes were calm.

She looked at Shen Zhi's pale and slightly uncomfortable face, smiled faintly, and didn't answer.

Autumn is as cool as water, and the fragrance of magnolia flowers fills the air.

The table full of delicacies was removed almost intact by the maid, and Rong Shu held Shen Yizhen's hand and walked slowly on the bluestone road.

The roof tiles soaked in the moonlight are floating with frosty white light, which is the unique gentleness of shadows on autumn nights.

Ever since Shen Yizhen arrived, strangely, Rong Shu felt that the knife hanging above his head seemed to have disappeared, and the anxious urgency in his heart seemed to be cured by the soft night.

After turning off the lights, Rong Shu took her mother and huddled on the couch and whispered.

"Aren't you afraid that Zhao Zhao is wrong?" Rong Shu put his head on Shen Yizhen's shoulder and said softly: "About uncle and Cheng'an Marquis Mansion, what if Zhao Zhao is wrong?"

"I am wrong too. I don’t want your uncle to be the head of the Shen family anymore.” Shen Yizhen said: “Yangzhou was attacked by pirates. If he had kept the Shen family’s motto in mind, he should have returned to Yangzhou immediately and defended the city with countless Yangzhou people. As long as the salt guide is in hand, he can go to Fujian to get salt at any time. Either he has an ulterior motive as you said, or he is greedy and has long forgotten his original promise as a member of the Shen family.

"As for the Marquis of Cheng'an, not to mention, when the news of the siege in Yangzhou reached Shangjing, only your eldest brother and your second sister sent people to Mingluyuan to ask," Shen Yizhen said in a calm tone . : "Your father and your grandmother didn't even know that you were in Yangzhou. When my mother set out for Yangzhou, she had not yet received the letter of safety from your uncle Shiyi. I was thinking all the way, if you What should I do if something unexpected happens?"

Rong Shu's eyes became wet.

"Since my Zhaozhao doesn't like the Marquis of Cheng'an Mansion or Shangjing, let's leave. After all, I'm tired of staying in Shangjing." Shen Yizhen said with a smile: "That girl Nijing has already transferred the horse ranch for you. After the purchase has been completed, Uncle Chen's nephew has brought people over to pick out land to buy horse seedlings. Maybe we can go to Datong next spring."

Rong Shu said "yes" and said with a tearful smile, "Okay. At that time, the grass was plentiful and the horses were fat. I don't know how comfortable it was."

The autumn wind whistled gently past the window, and the voices inside the window gradually became lower.

On September 16th, a passenger ship engraved with the Shen family logo was quietly moored at the ferry.

The river wind roared loudly, making Rong Shu's eyes turn red.

Seeing her like this, Shen Yizhen laughed at her and said, "It will take at least three months for my mother to go back to Beijing. Go in quickly and don't let others wait too long."

This is what Shen Yizhen meant by "other people" Gu Changjin, Chang Ji and Hengping.

They disguised themselves as handymen on the passenger ship and followed Rong Shu back on the passenger ship.

As for the reason for abandoning the official ship and choosing the passenger ship, Rong Shu only heard Shen Yizhen mention it yesterday.

Eunuch Liu Yuan, Madam Pan, and Xueliang Pan encountered an ambush by a group of men in black on their way back to Beijing, and they were all slightly or seriously injured. If it weren't for the guards of the Warrior Battalion on the official ship, who were desperately protecting them, this group of people would probably have lost their lives.

Those men in black were all dead men. After being caught, they bit the poison sac hidden between their teeth and committed suicide.

Therefore, it would be dangerous for Gu Changjin to take an official ship back to the capital. It would be better to hide in the passenger ship and return to the capital just like when he came.

Rong Shu also knew that he couldn't waste time, so he lifted up his skirt and entered the cabin with three steps.

There was a man standing on the deck. He was wearing pea green coarse cloth clothes and a straw hat on his head. The brim of the straw hat was extremely wide, and the shadow cast by it blocked his eyebrows and made it difficult for people to see his face clearly.

It should be said that most of the men who run boats on the river are ordinary people from poor backgrounds. They have been exposed to wind and rain all year round. Their skin is mostly dark, and they are used to hunched backs and drooped necks.

But the man in front of him had cold white skin, a tall and straight stature, and a temperament like pine and bamboo. No matter how rough his clothes were, he could not conceal his aura like the breeze and the bright moon.

This was the first time Rong Shu saw Gu Changjin dressed up like this, and she couldn't help but look at him twice, hesitating to speak.

As if aware of her gaze, Gu Changjin raised his straw hat, revealing a pair of eyes as cold as a cold pool from the brim of the hat, "What's the matter?"

Rong Shu thought for a moment and said, "Da... you'd better come to the cabin to wait on me. Come on." After saying that, he turned around and stepped onto the wooden ladder and entered the cabin.

Gu Changjin looked at the frost-colored skirt of her dress that disappeared on the wooden ladder, and stepped up to follow her.

After entering the cabin, Rong Shu said casually: "My lord, it's better not to go outside."

This passenger ship is the best passenger ship of the Shen family. There are more than ten guest cabins alone, and there is also a spacious dining cabin in the middle, which contains three There is a long rosewood table with a number of official chairs on both sides of the table, which can accommodate dozens of people dining here at one go.

At this moment, they were the only two people in the huge dining room. Gu Changjin sat down on the chair next to Rong Shu and said, "Am I pretending to be different?"

Rong Shu nodded and said honestly: "I'm not very similar. ."

The boat hull behind her was open, and the river breeze blew from the outside, gently brushing her black forehead.

Gu Changjin paused for a moment under her red eyes and said, "I heard that Mrs. Hou went to the Shen family's ancestral house yesterday?"

"Well, I went to inquire about some things with some ancestors." Rong Shu shook her head and said white. She fanned a clover flower fan with green embroidery on the bottom and said with a smile: "It is not easy to take the Shen family back from uncle's hands. Auntie still needs some time to plan. Fortunately, many stewards and shopkeepers of the Shen family are Grandfather's people, Uncle Shiyi, Aunt Guo, and Zhuiyun are here. Auntie is not fighting alone."

Gu Changjin looked at her slightly shining eyes and nodded: "I will leave it for Zhuiyun. If necessary, he will take my letter to General Liang for help."

Rong Shu waved his fan hand for a moment, looked at him, and then said sincerely: "Thank you, sir."

As soon as he finished speaking, the ship came. The body shook slightly suddenly.

The ship sets sail.

There was a burst of lively footsteps and voices from the boat corridor outside.

Luo Yan came in with a large handful of dogwoods, followed by Chang Ji, who was carrying two bamboo boxes in his hands.

"Girl, this is what Mr. Guan asked me to bring to the cabin. He said that when sailing in September, dogwoods must be hung on the door of each cabin to ensure safety."

Chang Ji took over the words with a smile: "Not only must we hang dogwoods, we must hang them today. You must continue to eat Double Ninth Festival cakes to avoid water evil. "

People who go to sea are very particular, so Rong Shu followed the local customs, took the dogwood from Luo Yan's hand, and hung it in his cabin.

This dogwood was just picked from the mountain today. The bunch of bright red oval fruits are still dotted with water beads. Rong Shu looked at the bright red fruit hanging on his arm and couldn't help but think of the Double Ninth Festival seven days ago.

The Double Ninth Festival is a New Year's Eve in Dayin. Last night, my mother-in-law asked her if she had ever celebrated the Double Ninth Festival.

Rong Shu should have it, and it does exist.

This year's Double Ninth Festival, she spent it with Gu Changjin on Pingnan Street.

Of course, it wasn't just Gu Changjin, Luo Yan, Zhui Yun, Chang Ji and Heng Ping were all there.

Because of Zhang's mother, Rong Shu had no intention of celebrating the festival. Only Changji and Shiiyun were used to meeting upcoming events, so they prepared chrysanthemum wine, Double Ninth Festival cakes and dogwood bags two days in advance.

When people in Dayin celebrate the Double Ninth Festival, they must climb high and bid farewell to youth. After that, they must pick dogwood, drink chrysanthemum wine, and eat Double Ninth cake. (1)

Rong Shu’s remaining poison is clear, so he has no energy to climb high and resign from his youth. On September 9th, I wanted to say goodbye to Gu Changjin and go back to Shen Garden.

Unexpectedly, as soon as the door opened early in the morning, there was a wooden stool stretched up to the calf and belly outside the door.

Gu Changjin stood outside the door and said to her: "Step up."

She looked at him stupidly, not knowing what he meant.

Perhaps her puzzled look was a bit funny. The man lowered his eyes slightly, smiled and said, "You can climb high at home. If you step on this wooden bench, you will be safe this year."

"Today is... ...Everyone wants to climb high?" she wondered.

"Yes." Gu Changjin said: "Hengping and Miss Luoyan stepped on the tree this morning, and Zhuiyun and Chang Ji stepped on the eaves."

The tree and the eaves...

Rong Shu chose to step on the wooden bench.

The little lady obediently lifted up her skirt, carefully stepped on the footstool Gu Changjin placed outside the door, and asked, "How long will it take to climb up?"

"Half a cup of tea."

Rong Shu didn't want to talk to Gu. Chang Jin stared at him for half a cup of tea. He was about to let him go and mind his own business when he suddenly heard him say again: "Zhuiyun and Chang Ji have also prepared chrysanthemum wine and Double Ninth Cake. You and Miss Luoyan are not going to do it." What if we go back to Shen Yuan tomorrow?"

Rong Shu stared blankly, how did he guess that she wanted to go back to Shen Yuan today?

As if he guessed what she was going to say, Gu Changjin added lightly: "The remaining poison on Luoyan's body has just been cleared away, so it's best to stay for one more day to avoid any accidents."

Rong Shu pondered for a moment, then said: "Then I and I Sister Luoyan will stay here for one more day, thank you."

She said this in a very polite tone, and Gu Changjin didn't care and just looked up at her.

The young lady was slightly taller than him by virtue of this wooden stool. She stood on the footstool with her skirt raised and looked very good. Half of her black hair was pulled into a pony bun and the other half was hanging on her shoulders, blowing gently in the wind.

As soon as the time for half a cup of tea was up, Gu Changjin stepped forward and slowly inserted a bunch of dew-stained dogwood fruits into her bun. The bright red dogwood fruit was like the finest red agate, hanging gently on her temples.

There is a beautiful person, clear and graceful. (2)

Sunlight slanted in from the corridor, and fine dust floated in the light.

Gu Changjin looked at her and said to her in a low voice: "Rong Shu, put in the dogwood, and you will be safe this year and in the future."