Lu Xu had already discussed with Yan Junqi before taking Lu Zhou out, but he still had to pass Yuan Manniang's test.
He asked Lu Zhou to follow him to Beijing at the dinner table. It happened that Yuan Manniang was busy in the shop that day and did not come home to finish the meal.
When Yuan Maniang and Yan Mu came back from their work, Lu Xu went to discuss it with her alone.
We'll discuss it after all the notifications have been made, but he still feels a little guilty.
After hearing this, Yuan Manniang's eyes widened in astonishment.
But the questions she asked made Lu Xu confused.
Yuan Manniang asked: "Is it convenient for you to take Zhou'er?"
"Lu Zhou is down-to-earth and studious. Logically, he should be able to take the exam easily. He keeps failing the exam. I think it may be a psychological problem. As the saying goes, it is better to travel thousands of miles than to read thousands of books. He is always bored and can't do it even if he studies in the academy. , why not come with me for a walk... eh? Is it convenient?" Lu Xu's rambling stopped abruptly.
He looked at Yuan Manniang in confusion, not having turned around from the words he had been brewing all night, "It's convenient, what's the inconvenience? He's already fifteen, and he's not Ruirui."
I know how to eat, how to dress, how to know the cold and warmth, and how to work.
Lu Zhou in their family has been able to do things since he was a child. When Lu Rui was as old as Lu Rui, he knew how to help his parents with housework.
Lu Xu thought that if he took Lu Zhou out, Lu Zhou might still take care of his brother. What inconvenience could this cause?
He looked at Yuan Manniang, and Yuan Manniang looked at him.
He wanted to speak but stopped, unable to speak.
Mother and son looked at each other for a long time. Yuan Manniang blinked her eyes, but she couldn't understand.
She had no choice but to ask Lu Xu to close the door.
Lu Xu was confused, closed the door, and sat down obediently in front of Yuan Manniang.
Yuan Manniang held on to her handkerchief for a long time, made a lot of mental efforts, was ruthless, risked her life, and asked: "How can you three live outside?"
Lu Xu: "...ah?"
How to live?
If there is an inn, you can stay in an inn, but if there is no inn, you can find a place to stay in a village.
Hasn't he always been like this?
Lu Xu was confused. After a while, he seemed to understand.
He looked at Yuan Maniang in shock, and Yuan Maniang covered her face.
Lu Xu blushed so hard that he couldn't sit still, "No, uh, we haven't... Mother, you, you, how do you know uh..."
Lu Xu couldn't speak any more.
Yuan Manniang didn't look at him and covered her face with a handkerchief, "On the day Jun Qi passed the exam, didn't you kiss him... cough..."
Lu Xu's face was red, like a student in puppy love who was caught by the teacher. He subconsciously defended himself, "We just kissed that one time!"
Only once was she seen by Yuan Manniang.
Yuan Manniang was also surprised and said smoothly: "Just once?"
The mother and son were speechless and choked, so embarrassed that no one knew what to say.
Lu Xu had thorns on his butt, twisting it left and right, and stammered, "Did you find out about it that day?"
Yuan Manniang: "Your Aunt Yan and I have already had a guess..."
After all, Lu Xu couldn't hide who he was good to. Every time he came back from an outing, he would go to the academy to pick up someone. If he met anything rare and interesting, Lu Rui and Lu Zhou could not live without Yan Junqi. He would pick up vegetables for Yan Junqi rather than give Lu The sharp and twelfth lunar months are very attentive.
Every time he came back, he would make sure to take a day for the two of them to play alone. Lu Rui cried and acted and didn't follow him a few times.
Lu Le and several other children who came to live in his house moved to the front yard, and Lu Xu also lived with Yan Junqi...
Yuan Manniang muttered, "Otherwise, your third aunt would have already arranged matchmaking for Xiaohui, and I wouldn't have urged you."
Lu Xu: "..."
He said nonchalantly: "Then...then...then you don't object?"
Yuan Manniang was helpless, "Will you listen if we object?"
Lu Xu was silent.
Yuan Manniang sighed: "If you like girls, of course my mother will be happy."
She used to even think about where to build new houses for Lu Xu, Lu Zhou, and Lu Rui to find wives.
"But if you don't like it, can you still force me to marry you?" Yuan Manniang's voice was soft, and she was a little confused and doubtful, "I promised your father to take good care of you, but I don't know Is it right or wrong to do this, but I always feel that life is too unpredictable, and the people we laugh with today may never see each other again tomorrow."
Yuan Manniang touched his head and pushed the strands of hair behind his ears that had fallen out after a long day of running. She could vaguely see the shadow of Lu Ji who died young on Lu Xu's face.
"Since both of you are willing, let's do it. Happy days go too fast, and unhappy days go too slow. If you can be happy, be happier."
As for how she and Yan's mother had tossed and turned and couldn't sleep at night after they figured out what happened to them, and how she sat in a daze in front of Lu Ji's grave, she didn't tell him.
This child of hers has a big heart, and sometimes she can be quite petty, so she should just let him run forward happily.
"Before I met your father, I had seen wealthy families spend money to buy boys to take home as waiters..."
Lu Xu interrupted her and said solemnly: "I don't treat Jun Qi like that!"
Yuan Manniang smiled and said, "Of course I know that. Men here are not allowed to get married. I heard that it is possible in some places. No matter whether you can salute or not, you must know that you have passed the eldest relationship. Since you are together, you can You should treat Jun Qi well. He is younger than you and has a stubborn temperament. If you two quarrel and have conflicts, you should give in to him more."
Lu Xu said shyly: "We don't bicker, quarrel, and have no conflicts."
Yuan Manniang smiled.
She listened to Xin's words several times without even quarreling!
However, Lu Xu has a cheerful and elegant personality. After quarreling, he can shamelessly act coquettishly and give things to coax others. Not to mention Yan Junqi who is reasonable, even Lu Rui who is unreasonable can coax three or five of them.
Yuan Manniang: "You guys bring Zhou'er..."
Lu Xu: "We live in two rooms!"
Yuan Manniang: "..."
She didn't really care about who lived alone in a room, "It's okay for Zhou'er to go out with you for a walk."
Only when you see a lot can you learn a lot. These children in their family have changed a lot in the past few years.
If it weren't for the girl's inconvenience to go out, she would have wanted to take the twelfth moon around.
"Go ahead, bring more money and relax."
Lu Xu said goodbye to Yuan Maniang, bowed out respectfully, turned around and ran back quickly, rushed into his room, closed the door, and pushed Yan Junqi back who was about to go out to refuel the lamp.
“It’s a big deal, the secret is exposed!!”
Yan Junqi was confused and quickly moved the oil lamp further away, "What's the secret?"
Lu Xu: "My mother knows! Your mother knows too!"
Yan Junqi reacted much faster than him. Before Lu Xu finished speaking, he already understood it in seconds.
Yan Junqi put down the oil lamp and said calmly: "I know, I talked with my mother."
Lu Xu was dumbfounded: "Ah? When?"
Yan Junqi: "More than two years ago."
Lu Xu: "..."
Fortunately, he thought it was well hidden!
No wonder when he came back from the north for a while, he always felt that Yan's mother looked at him strangely. It turned out that he was not guilty of being a thief.
Yan Junqi: "My mother also said that if one day we regret it, no one can blame anyone."
Lu Xu's eyes welled up when she heard this. The next day when she saw Yan's mother, she couldn't even lift her head.
It turned out that he was avoiding people because he was shy, and Yuan Manniang took the initiative to find him within two days.
They had packed their luggage, Yan Junqi's paperwork had been approved, and the yamen had even paid him his travel expenses to take the exam. It was time for them to set off.
It is farther from Guanyang to the capital than from Guanyang to the northern border.
It's late autumn now, and they have to spend the winter on the road. If everything goes well, they can reach the capital before late winter. If they are unlucky and catch up with heavy snow, they might have to spend the New Year on the road.
Yuan Manniang and Yan Mu had never heard of the place they were going to pass along the way. With tears in their eyes, they prepared winter clothes, sewed quilts, and brought dry food for them.
I wanted to bring them everything, but I was afraid that it would be too much for them to carry.
They added, subtracted, put in and out, took out and put in again, over and over again.
"There is no shortage of food and drinks at home, so why do we have to take the official exam?" Yan's mother stuffed cotton shoes into the bag, but the bag was too full, and she tore the bag as she stuffed it, making her collapse. burst into tears.
Yuan Manniang comforted her, "Xu'er said that although the road to the capital is far, there are many people and cities along the way. It is easier and safer than going to the north."
Yan's mother wiped her eyes, but the tears couldn't stop. She changed the baggage again, took out the things and put them in new ones, "I'm afraid that he has no future, and I'm afraid that he has too much promise. I don't know whether I should look forward to it or not." He passed the exam."
For others, high school and being an official are just things that bring glory to one's family.
But her family and her hometown were long gone, her relatives were scattered, and her husband was gone too. They were the only three people left, an orphan and a widowed mother, to depend on each other. All she hoped for was that her two children would be safe and sound.
What is the use of lintels and no lintels?
If the ancestors can really show their power, they will bless her two children to be healthy until they grow old.
Yan's mother wiped the tears from her face and sewed the banknote into Yan Junqi's belt.
The county magistrate asked Lu Xu to exchange it for a large ship dealer in the south. This bank had a good reputation and also had a shop in the capital. They could go to the shop to redeem the money with the banknotes without having to bring it themselves.
Lu Xu also asked someone to exchange some gold, which was not much in total, just to keep it light and convenient.
He was afraid that when he arrived in Beijing, he would have to spend less money to bring with him. It would be unsafe and too heavy to bring all the money.
Lu Xu thought for a moment, sewed the small gold nuggets into the soles of his shoes, and hid them all in the baggage.
Lu Qing originally wanted to send them off, but now that Lu Xuan has gone south, he needs to lead the team to the north.
Lu Xu: "We will take the official road all the way, only the main road, not the night road. There is nothing unsafe, so there is no need to send him away."
The closer to the capital, the more candidates will be taking the exams, and local governments will also pay attention to the safety of scholars rushing to take exams. The round trip might take more than half a year, so there was no need for Lu Qing to accompany them.
In the end, they decided to just go with Lu Xu, Yan Junqi, and Lu Zhou. They would take a boat where a boat was available and rent a car where a car could be rented.
After several years of development, Daqi's livestock has also slowed down, and mules, cows, and donkeys are no longer as rare as in previous years.
Especially in Longxing, Shuozhou has had a new county governor in the past two years, and he gets along well with the Xiaoqi Army and the Northern Border Army. He also contacted the barbarians through Li Xiu, introduced cattle, sheep, mules and horses from the northern border to Shuozhou, and encouraged the people to raise livestock.
Shuozhou's cattle, sheep, mules, horses and donkeys were also transported to Longxing and counties further south through trade routes.
The sheep in Shuozhou are not as good as those in the north, but they are still meat. Every year, the people can make some money by raising cattle and sheep.
Nowadays, on the trade road from Guanyang to the north, all the decent inns and restaurants sell mutton, mutton soup and mutton skewers, stewed, boiled, grilled, you can eat whatever you want.
Lu Xu wanted to rent a car along the way, which was no longer as difficult as before.
Two days before departure, Yuan Manniang called Lu Xu to the living room alone, closed the door again, and the two of them had a mysterious and secret conversation.
Lu Xu was a little scared and asked tremblingly, "Mom, what's the matter with you?"
Yuan Manniang was still wringing her handkerchiefs nervously, and she did a lot of mental work before she asked the unspeakable words, "Xu'er, have you seen the erotic palace?"
Lu Xu:? ? ? ! ! !
Lu Xu's face suddenly turned red.
No! He hasn't seen it!
Yuan Manniang said with embarrassment: "Logically speaking, it is your father who is telling you these things. Isn't this... isn't this because your father is not here..."
Yuan Manniang's voice became smaller and smaller, "There's nothing to be embarrassed about. You are already so old. Han Lu and Xiao Xia have seen it."
Lu Xu:? ? ? ? ? ?
The author has something to say:
Man Niang (grabbing her handkerchief): It’s so hard to be a stepmother...
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