Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Cousin

Chapter 8

The weather gradually became colder, and it was November in a blink of an eye. Jiang Yu also received a letter from the capital. There were two boxes of new clothes, as well as fabrics, a set of Dongzhu headgear and silver bills for revenue. When Cuiping opened the boxes, she felt that her eyes were full of gold and said, "Second Miss, who sent this?"

Jiang Yu opened the letter and saw a beautiful handwriting, obviously from a woman's hand. The signature was Li Zhang. She knew that this was Li Qiu's mother Zhang, and the things were obviously sent by Li Qiu, but she was afraid of causing trouble, so she used her mother's name.

Speaking of it, she had only met Li Qiu once, and it was actually just a recipe. She could have asked someone to send it directly. I think he, a merchant, would not dare to bully the Zhou Wangfu.

But at that time, Jiang Yu had selfish thoughts and wanted to leave a way out, so she met him specially.

What surprised Jiang Yu was that Li Qiu was not like a businessman, shrewd on the outside, but gentle and refined like a scholar, with clear eyes, which made her decide to open a shop with him. Sure

enough, her vision was not wrong. Li Qiu not only did not take advantage of her misfortune, but also asked people to send many things.

Cuiping looked at a few clothes, all of which were outer clothes such as outerwear. They were of ordinary sizes and were not picky about people. Unlike underwear, one more point would be too loose, and one less point would be too tight.

Therefore, many embroidery workshops like to accept such orders. After all, they are not picky about people and are good for gifts.

Cuiping looked at the beautiful gold and silver lines on it and couldn't help saying, "Second Miss, these embroidery are not made in a day or two. It takes at least several months of work. Obviously, they were ordered in advance."

And why did Li Qiu order these?

Jiang Yu understood it all at once. Maybe Li Qiu also thought that she would follow him to Beijing.

"Put it away."

Cuiping was afraid that Jiang Yu would be unhappy, so she nodded immediately and said, "I understand."

Du's voice came from outside, and Jiang Yu pushed the door open. Du smiled and said, "Ayu, you are really extraordinary." A little maid was waiting behind Du, holding a food box in her hand, "Guess what's in it?"

Du's smile infected Jiang Yu, and she also laughed and asked, "What is it?"

"It's exactly those cakes from Li's. This morning, Manager Zhao from your uncle's family came to me and said that Li's is willing to supply us and first asked someone to bring a batch of cakes over." Mrs. Du said with a beaming face, obviously very happy, "Mother just tried a few bites, no wonder it was chosen as a tribute, the taste seems to be better after the recipe was changed."

Jiang Yu took a few bites, nodded with satisfaction and said, "The previous one was too sweet. This is very good. It's sweet but not greasy, and has a sweet and refreshing taste."

Mrs. Du said, "Yes, mother can't explain it, it's just this feeling."

Several people laughed, and there was laughter in the yard. Even the cold seemed to be blown away a lot. Mrs. Du asked someone to bring the cakes After wrapping them, she sent one portion to her eldest daughter Jiang Jin, and packed another portion to send to her mother's home. Then, as if she thought of something, she looked at Jiang Yu and hesitated for a long time before saying, "Ayu, you've been back for quite some time. It's time to go and pay your respects to your eldest uncle."

Jiang Yu glanced at Mrs. Du, and Mrs. Du remembered what Jiang Yu said when she just returned home. She explained nervously, "Your eldest uncle actually misses you very much, but he, an elder, can't come to see you, right? Your eldest aunt is busy with your third cousin's wedding, so she naturally has no time." In fact,

Jiang Yu also wanted to see her eldest uncle and cousin. She didn't know how they were doing in the past few years. She still remembered that when she was a child, she often went back to live in her eldest uncle's house.

"I'll go."

Jiang Yu packed her bag and asked her mother what she wanted to take with her. But her mother threw out many boxes and boxes. It was obvious that she had prepared them. She said, "Since you are going, stay for a few more days. Don't rush back."

Jiang Yu laughed and said, "Mom, I know."

Although Mrs. Du said this, she really waited for Jiang Yu to get on the carriage. She kept looking at her with tears in her eyes. She was reluctant to leave until the carriage disappeared from her sight.

Jiang Yu's uncle Du Ping lived in Lichuan, next to Lin'an. It was not far away. It took an afternoon to get there by carriage.

It hadn't snowed yet, but it was damp and cold. Jiang Yu held the heater in her hand and barely endured it. It was already evening when she arrived in Lichuan.

The Du family was a big family in Lichuan. Jiang Yu saw the gatehouse from a distance. It was very obvious. But when he approached, the gatekeeper saw Jiang Yu's carriage and didn't recognize him for a moment. He said, "You are..."

Just then someone came out from the side door and said to the old woman beside him unhappily, "Didn't I tell you to buy ham from Jinhua? Why did you change to another store? This won't do. Hurry up and return the things."

The old woman was miserable and begged, "Madam, you see, it's getting dark. If you want to change, you have to wait until tomorrow."

"Don't rely on the fact that you are the old lady's person. I dare not touch you. I said today is today. There is no time to waste. Go now."

The old woman begged for a long time, but she couldn't persuade the woman. She had to dejectedly ask two servants to carry the ham and go out.

The woman finished her hair and found that there seemed to be a guest at the door. She looked closely and found that it was Jiang Yu. She was a little unbelievable and rubbed her eyes. "Ayu?"

Jiang Yu walked over and bowed in front of the woman.

It turned out that the person was Du Ping's wife, Zhou. She was of medium height and slim figure. She was wearing a half-worn lake green plain silk jacket with a sable fur cloak on the outside. She looked warm and cozy. At this moment, her face was full of disbelief. She held Jiang Yu's hand and looked at her for a long time. Finally, she said, "You really are such a jerk."

"Go in quickly." Zhou shouted to the people beside her, "Go and tell the master that Ayu is here. By the way, go outside and call the eldest young master over."

It was the first time that Jiang Yu saw Zhou lose her temper. She was obviously very angry. But on second thought, the ham was obviously a dowry, and a daughter's dowry represents her face. A mother who loves her daughter will definitely not want to fool her with something bad.

The two walked in, Jiang Yu's hand was tightly held by Zhou, she said apologetically, "I received a letter from your mother a long time ago, saying that you are back, I wanted to go see you, but your sister's wedding date has just been set, I am too busy here to leave, you won't blame your aunt, right?" Then she began to order the maid next to her, "Ayu likes to eat squirrel mandarin fish, ask the kitchen to prepare it."

The maid said with some embarrassment, "But it's so late, there are no mandarin fish."

Zhou said, "Aren't there a few in the fish tank?"

"But aren't they prepared for the third lady..."

"Mandarin fish is not a rare thing, just buy some after you finish eating." Zhou said straightforwardly.

Jiang Yu wanted Zhou not to spend too much, but she knew Zhou's personality, she has always been very capable and self-willed, she must do what she said, since she said it, she will not change it, so she swallowed her words back.

When she arrived at the main courtyard, she saw a middle-aged man standing under a tree with his hands behind his back, looking at her from afar. It was her uncle Du Ping. She was stunned for a moment, and when she walked over, she saw the outline of her uncle.

Du Ping had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and was very handsome. He wore a stone-blue robe and a peacock feather lotus robe on the outside. The lanterns hanging under the eaves cast Du Ping's long shadow.

"I'm here." Du Ping was calm and measured. He looked at Jiang Yu for a long time and said only this sentence, which was warmer than the spring breeze in March. Jiang Yu suddenly remembered that when she was a child, her second cousin bullied her and put her in an abandoned house where no one lived. She couldn't find the way back and was afraid, so she could only stay inside. When it was getting dark, Du Ping brought a group of people holding torches to find her.

Du Ping was very tall. He picked Jiang Yu up in an instant and let her sit on his shoulders. Looking from a distance, Jiang Yu seemed to feel that she was standing at the highest point. The houses, mountains and rivers in the distance suddenly came into view, and she stopped crying.

Du Ping smiled at this time. As for the fact that he beat his second cousin severely after returning home and made him lie in bed for half a month, that was another matter.

"Uncle." Jiang Yu called her uncle, and indeed saw pity in Du Ping's eyes.

When they got to the house, a maid came to make tea, and Du Ping asked, "When did you leave? Why didn't you tell me? When your aunt said you were coming, she was really shocked. Your mother is really, she was impatient when she was a child, and she hasn't changed now. How could she just come out like that? If you had told me earlier, I would have asked your eldest cousin to pick you up."

Jiang Yu said, "It's only half a day's journey, so it's not necessary for your eldest cousin to come." Then he looked outside and asked, "Uncle, where is my cousin?"

"He was just in the mansion, and I don't know where he ran off to. Your aunt has asked someone to call him, and he should be back soon." Du Ping was so disappointed with his eldest son before, and he was completely out of temper.

Among the children of the Du family, Du Haoyu was originally the most intelligent, but he turned out to be a rebellious person. I don't know who he took after, and what was in his head, which always made people uneasy.

Jiang Yu and Du Haoyu are six years apart in age. When Du Haoyu left home, Jiang Yu was only ten years old. Because Jiang Yu was too young, the two families did not make an engagement. Who knew that Du Haoyu would disappear without a trace after she left?

Later, Princess Zhou took a fancy to Jiang Yu and married her to the palace.

So Jiang Yu had not seen her cousin for almost ten years. It would be a lie to say that she didn't miss him. After all, the two grew up together. Her cousin really doted on her. Of course, more importantly, Jiang Yu liked her cousin's talent. He was extremely intelligent and could remember almost all the books he had read. He also had his own opinions. When Jiang Yu went to listen to the teacher's lectures when she was young, she felt drowsy, but when her cousin gave the lectures, they were very interesting.

Jiang Yu actually thought that she would marry her cousin and live a harmonious life together, but who could have known that her cousin would suddenly disappear.

"These are the pastries my mother asked me to bring." Jiang Yu knew that the Du family had no shortage of these things. After all, these pastries were brought by the Du family's steward. But her own intentions were another matter. She picked out a few pieces of material from the material sent by Li Qiu and said, "This is for my aunt, and this one is for my cousin."

"My mother asked me to bring these boxes. They are for sewing shoes and socks for my grandfather."

Mrs. Du was a filial son. She sewed all the shoes and socks for the old man in the family, and she never stopped. Du Ping was used to it, but his aunt Zhou seemed very happy and said, "Your mother is so busy that she doesn't have time to make shoes and socks for the old man. Your mother is really a timely relief."

In fact, everyone knew that this was just Zhou's excuse. The main reason was that Zhou's needlework was not good, and old man Du was picky, so Zhou was very grateful.

As they were talking, there was a sound of hurried footsteps outside. The door was suddenly pushed open, and then a slightly deep male voice came, "Cousin Ayu is here?"

Jiang Yu stood up again and saw a tall and thin man standing at the door. He seemed to be dressed casually, a short brown coat of rough linen, and his hair was tied up with a wooden hairpin, loose, with many broken hair hanging down, but the whole person was lazy with an inexplicable sharpness, which made people unable to underestimate him.

Du Haoyu was born beautiful and a rare handsome man.

"Cousin!" Jiang Yu said to Du Haoyu with a smile.

The two looked at each other and couldn't help laughing. This smile eased the embarrassment of not seeing each other for ten years, as if they were back to their childhood.

"Ayu is so big now."

Du Ping couldn't help but frowning when he saw Du Haoyu's outfit, obviously thinking it was too shabby. But before he could say anything, he saw Zhou shouting, "I asked you to come to meet the guests, what are you wearing? Hurry up and get ready. I asked the kitchen to make the squirrel fish that Jiang Yu likes to eat in the evening. Don't you like it too? Don't miss it."

Du Haoyu shrugged and said, "Mom, you are biased too. Last time I just took a fish from the fish tank to grill it, and you chased me from the front door to the back door, and you said it was for your sister's banquet. Now that your sister Ayu is here, you asked the kitchen to cook it directly?"

Zhou was so angry that her face turned blue and white. If Jiang Yu hadn't been there, she would have chased her with a feather duster.

At the dinner table in the evening, there was indeed squirrel mandarin fish. The fish was plump, fresh and crispy, and very delicious. Jiang Yu saw Du Haoyu sitting next to her, waiting for the fish to be served, so she picked up a large piece of fish meat. She thought he was going to eat it himself, but he picked out the fish bones and put it on her plate, saying nonchalantly, "Eat more."

Jiang Yu couldn't help laughing. Du Haoyu was like this, always looking careless and lazy, but in fact he was meticulous and took everything into consideration.

Zhou looked at Jiang Yu's elegant behavior, every move was pleasing to the eye, not hurried or slow, and she was happy in her heart. In fact, she had always liked Jiang Yu in her heart. When she looked at her eldest son, although he was still lazy and seemed to be indifferent to everything, he was very considerate to Jiang Yu. He actually picked out fish bones for someone else for the first time?

Married before, so be it. Zhou felt that her son... Thank God someone could control him, she didn't ask for anything else.

After dinner, the maid brought tea. It was autumn, the time to eat autumn pears. The maid had already peeled the pears, but because pears were not divided, everyone had a whole pear in front of them. Jiang Yu was a little greasy, and after eating one pear, she felt that it was not enough. Then she saw Du Haoyu quietly pushed his autumn pear in front of her.

Jiang Yu smiled at him, her eyebrows curved, very bright, which made Du Haoyu stunned.

It rained again in the evening. Du Haoyu sent Jiang Yu back to the house. Because of the rain, the road was very slippery. The two walked slowly with umbrellas. It was very quiet around, the wind was rustling, and Du Haoyu's voice was particularly clear.

"I climbed to the top of the mountain by myself. It happened to rain that night like it did today. I was alone, my clothes were all wet, and I was freezing, so I found a cave. It was quite warm inside. I leaned against the wall and felt a little soft. I didn't think too much about it at the time. After all, I was sleepy, tired and very cold, so I fell asleep all of a sudden."

Jiang Yu was fascinated by what she heard and said, "Cousin, aren't you afraid?"

Du Haoyu said, "You don't know, I've reached my limit. Even if someone had taken a knife to kill me at that time, I would not have the power to resist. I would have thought that dying like this would be a relief."

Jiang Yu suddenly fell silent. She still remembered that year, it rained heavily in summer. She went to the warehouse but was trapped inside because the beams suddenly collapsed. The palace had been in disrepair for many years and many houses were no longer in good condition. She didn't notice it at the time, but fortunately for her, she was lucky. She was trapped where the beams were pressed down, forming a gap. Although she was not injured, she was trapped in a small space and could not move.

At that time, I was thirsty, tired and confused. Later on, my memory was a little fuzzy. Princess Zhou and the Second Master were in the countryside, but Lin Bozhi went hunting and said he would be back in three days.

In a daze, Jiang Yu suddenly felt someone hugging her. She opened her eyes and saw Lin Bozhi. She still remembered the look in Lin Bozhi's eyes at that time, so gentle and surprised, as if she was his beloved.

The servant said, "It was fine, but the prince insisted on coming back."

Jiang Yu saw that Lin Bozhi's hands were covered with mud, and some places were even broken. She felt so painful that she couldn't help crying and leaned in his arms, soft.

"Ayu?"

Jiang Yu came back to her senses and saw that the two had walked to the door of the room. The rain had stopped, revealing the moon. The moonlight was scattered around, reflecting Du Haoyu's face.

Du Haoyu had changed his clothes. He was wearing a moon-white straight gown, and a stone-blue calamus-patterned brocade cloak on the outside. His hairpin was also changed to a Kunlun jade one. The night wind blew his hair in disarray. With his somewhat careless attitude, he looked handsome and very free and easy.

Jiang Yu found that Du Haoyu and Lin Bozhi were completely different people. Du Haoyu seemed to care little about everything, but he actually saw everything.

Just like at this moment, there was a strange light in Du Haoyu's eyes, which seemed to penetrate Jiang Yu's heart and even saw Jiang Yu's distracted thoughts.

Jiang Yu was a little afraid to look directly into the eyes of her eldest cousin, so she turned her face away and asked, "So what happened next?"

Du Haoyu smiled and continued, "Later, when I woke up, I found that I had slept with a tiger for a whole night."

Although Jiang Yu knew that this matter was unusual, he was still very surprised, and asked, "Cousin, what happened next?"

Du Haoyu said, "When I woke up, I saw that the tiger seemed to be waiting to wake up. It probably regarded me as a delicacy delivered to its door. But I was already awake at that time, so how could I let it go? I took out the dagger hidden in my boots and stabbed the tiger's eyes."

Jiang Yu was shocked and asked, "What happened next?"

"After a narrow escape, I finally killed the tiger. Look at this?" Du Haoyu took out a tiger fang and said, "I pulled it out from it. I'm giving it to you."

"Give it to me?"

"My cousin is sorry for leaving without saying a word. Are you angry with me?"

Jiang Yu shook her head. Although she was a little angry at that time, she was still too young. She just thought that no one would play with her. She said, "Not really. I know my cousin must have something to do."

"Ayu, cousin won't leave in the future." Du Haoyu said and handed the canine tooth to Jiang Yu's hand, then smiled and nodded her forehead and said, "Go to bed early."

Jiang Yu watched Du Haoyu jump out of the wall of the corridor neatly and disappeared in an instant. She remembered that Du Haoyu had also learned martial arts and seemed to be extraordinary.

After returning to the room, she washed up and went to bed. She took out the canine tooth and looked at it. The canine tooth had been polished. The root of the tooth was polished round and there was a cut on it, which was obviously used for threading.

"Second Miss, is this a canine tooth?"

Cuiping looked at it in amazement, "Is the eldest cousin really so powerful that he actually killed a tiger?"

Jiang Yu also found it very strange and said, "Go to bed."

Lying in bed at night, Jiang Yu thought of Du Haoyu's eyes before he left, as if everything was going smoothly... Her mother was willing, and her father did not object. Looking at her aunt's demeanor, she was still the same to her, and even asked her cousin to send her back to her room. Even if they were cousins, they should avoid suspicion.

As for her eldest uncle, he has always doted on her and obviously agreed secretly.

Is that it?

In fact, if Du Haoyu hadn't suddenly run away, she should have married here a long time ago, right?

But there seemed to be a voice in her heart. Jiang Yu remembered the Shang Gong Bureau she talked to her father about after she came back that day. Although she was not allowed to marry for life, it seemed to be a different world there.

But if she really entered the Shang Gong Bureau, it seemed inevitable that she would meet Lin Bozhi. After all, he was going to be canonized as the crown prince, and even worse... When she ascended to that position in the future, she would have to bow down to him.

Jiang Yu looked at the moon outside the window, feeling a little confused for a moment, but perhaps because she was too tired, she finally fell asleep.