There was a snowfall in the first month, and in February, it has been sunny all day. The snow melted in a few days, and the weather gradually became warmer. The winter jasmine flowers in and around the capital were blooming in clusters left and right, and they were blooming very lively.

——The spring of the twenty-fourth year of Tianchen came belatedly after a heavy snowfall.

As the spring breeze blew through everything and revived everything, candidates from all over the country who came to Beijing to take the exam also crowded into the capital in twos and threes, waiting for the triennial exam in the bustling bustle. It was also spring, and there were only a few students who came early.

We formed a company and invited them to go out for a spring outing near the suburbs of Beijing. They would recite poems and show off their literary skills. If they could meet an adult by chance, or if they were lucky, they would be able to see them in person, that would be the best thing.

There was also a bit more life in Chong'an Hou's mansion. Lin Wan stood in Yimei Courtyard and stretched her neck to look at the blooming spring flowers in the remaining ice water, and her mood became lighter. The food from the south has been transported to Pingcheng.

, we will arrive in the capital in three days.

"Girl, my wife is looking for me. She said she would go to Cishou Temple in the afternoon to offer incense. I asked her if everything is ready." Qiu Zi took out the cloak and put it on Lin Wan while talking. "The mother-in-law who was the concierge just now

When the girl came to report, Shopkeeper Zhao sent someone to deliver a letter, and took the opportunity to apologize to the girl, saying that Shopkeeper Zhao injured his leg a few days ago and can't walk." After that, he handed the letter in his sleeve to Lin Wan.

Lin Wan smiled and pushed aside the winter jasmine flowers on the ground. The petals shook and the water droplets fell down. However, the flowers were still blooming in full bloom. Lin Wan felt happy when she saw them. She patted her frozen hands and stood.

He got up and took the letter and told Qiuzi: "Go back to your mother. The matter of burning incense has already been prepared."

Qiu Zi responded with a "Oh", Lin Wan looked at the blue sky with a smile, then slowly turned his head and arms, and then opened the letter and glanced at it briefly as he walked. The content was as expected.

, it’s just that the grain collection has failed, and I’m asking for forgiveness.

After entering the house, Ms. Liu smiled and wanted to pull Lin Wan away. As soon as she touched her hand, her face darkened and she scolded: "You went to stand in the wind again? Your hands are so cold!"

Lin Wan wrapped her arms around Ms. Liu's arms and explained with a smile: "It's a nice day outside. I saw the flowers were blooming beautifully, so I took a second look. Don't be upset, mother."

"You!" Ms. Liu shook her head helplessly, pinched the tip of Lin Wan's nose, sighed softly, and said with a worried look: "Your grandma is still not in good spirits. Let's go over after we light up the incense.

have a look."

Lin Wan was naturally happy and nodded quickly, holding Ms. Liu's hand and advising: "Don't worry, mother, grandma has always been in good health. This time she just got caught in the wind. It will be fine when the weather gets warmer." Even so.

As she said this, she was also worried in her heart. Grandma is sixty-six years old, which is considered a long life in this era. Hey... thinking of this, Lin Wan's good mood was gradually covered by sadness.

Mother and daughter had lunch together, and Mrs. Liu ordered her servants to saddle up the horses and prepare the cart. Before noon, she took Lin Wan to Cishou Temple.

Just as the mother and daughter were about to leave, the Yuan family's carriage arrived at the door. Lin Wan and Mrs. Liu hurriedly met Lin Lan, and the carriage staggered away.

Lin Lan watched in ecstasy as the Lin family's carriage drove further and further away. She sighed in her heart, she was still as comfortable as a girl.

"Why are you here?" Mrs. Feng dismissed the girl and looked at Lin Lan with a frown. "Has everything in the house been sorted out?"

Lin Lan's face was thin, but her energy was better than during the Chinese New Year, and her eyes were a little brighter. She pulled Mrs. Feng to persuade her: "Don't worry, mother, everything is fine. I am also going out today to avoid suspicion, so as not to smear it on my mother-in-law's face.

"

"What's going on?" Mrs. Feng held Lin Lan's fingers tightly and asked with a serious face. Although she got Lin Lan's letter and knew that the affair was settled, she heard her daughter say to hide out.

If you want to avoid suspicion, your heart will be raised. She is a member of the Yuan family, what should she avoid?

A sarcastic smile flashed across Lin Lan's face, and she pulled Mrs. Feng to sit down, and then she spoke in detail. "Last time, I listened to my mother, and with the help of Aunt Zhao, I made that girl miss a few words."

Come back." At this point, the sarcasm in Lin Wan's eyes became even more intense, and there was a sense of desolation deep in the sarcasm. "Originally, I wanted to protect her, but later he noticed something and realized something was wrong.

I asked Aunt Zhao to help me secretly. I followed the investigation and the fourth brother was brought out! The girl has been sent to Zhuangzi. My mother-in-law has not been in a good mood these days, and my father-in-law does not know what to do now.

I heard a rumor that there was a commotion in the yard, so I simply hid away and it was quiet."

Mrs. Feng was stunned for a while, then she sneered while stroking her chest. After laughing a few times, she turned to Lin Wan and said sternly: "Just pretend you don't know anything about this matter! What will happen to you in the future? After this matter.

, your mother-in-law doesn’t dare to blame you anymore. From now on, you should be tougher. Don’t worry about Da Lang, he goes wherever he likes. It’s the right thing to take good care of the inner courtyard! You can always take care of him in the future.

If you have a step-heir, you don’t have to look at other people’s faces to live your life!”

Lin Lan pursed her lips tightly and nodded, feeling sad but relieved at the same time. She had spent all these years digging her heart out for him, and what good had she gained? She might as well be a spoiled bastard! That's fine...

Outside the Chong'an Marquis' Mansion, an old beggar in tattered clothes and a dirty smell walked around the door, squinting his eyes and looking at the door, until a boy's head popped out from inside, and the old beggar chuckled.

He got up from the ground and followed him silently.

In the evening, the old beggar wandered into a small alley, and when he turned around, he almost bumped into a burly man. The old beggar was startled, glanced at the two people standing under the shadow of the lamp, and collapsed on his feet.

People on the ground kept kowtowing and saying hello: "I've seen you, sir, I've seen you!"

"Have you done what I asked you to do?" The burly man kicked the old beggar with his foot, a trace of contempt flashed in his eyes, and he asked with a frown.

"In reply to the master... I followed the master's instructions and followed the boy for a day... The boy first went to Lanyue Building, then went to Huitong Bank, and then, finally... went to a hotel on Chengyuan Street

The courtyard is the courtyard that the master asked to keep an eye on..." The old beggar spoke intermittently, but he explained the matter clearly.

After hearing this, the man looked at the people around him, threw a silver dime on the ground, and walked away.

"Zhao Youqian is really a member of the Lin family... No, he is considered a member of the Feng family now, haha." Out of the alley, the thin-faced man smiled softly at the burly man.

The man frowned and thought for a while, then said sullenly: "We can keep an eye on this matter, but why do we have to find a beggar?"

"We can't figure out what the master is thinking. Anyway, this old beggar will be useful. At least, he can help the Feng family."

At this moment, in what the thin man said was the Feng family compound, the two heads of the family were sitting together, discussing things with smiles.

"It seems that Zhao Youqian is somewhat sincere. We have recovered nearly three thousand shi of grain. The eldest prince even praised us and asked us to suppress it secretly first." Mr. Feng stroked his beard, with a flash in his eyes.

A trace of greed. The Feng family has long expressed their loyalty to the eldest prince, and now with some merit, the marquis can be promoted back in the future!

Mr. Feng also had a proud look on his face. Just when he was about to say a few words of pride, the butler outside the door hurriedly came in to report: "Master, Mr. Second, the spy we sent to follow Zhao Youqian has come back and said that there is someone here today."

The boy from Chong'an Marquis Mansion went to find Zhao Youqian. There is one more thing..." The housekeeper paused, swallowed and said with a trembling voice, "The spy also said that there is an old beggar wandering outside Zhao Youqian's yard today.

After a while, he paid attention, and later realized that the old beggar seemed to be working for a certain noble person. Now I came here to ask the two gentlemen to show me."

Mr. Feng jumped up from his chair and looked at Mr. Feng with an unclear expression.

"Get out!" The housekeeper obeyed the order and hurriedly stepped back with his head lowered.

Second Master Feng rubbed his head and thought for a long time, then hesitantly said: "Is it because the eldest prince doesn't believe us?"

"Maybe!" Mr. Feng frowned more and more, and finally breathed out, and made a decision with a slap on the table: "No matter who it is, we are determined to follow the eldest prince! As long as this matter is settled, we

You can register with the eldest prince, and there will be many benefits in the future!"

Mr. Feng Er nodded in agreement.

At the other end of the capital, separated from Chengyuan Street by more than half, in the Yao family courtyard, two young men supported Yao Yuzhang and limped two steps in the courtyard.

Yao Yuzhang threw the boys away angrily and hit the two boys on the backs with his cane a few times. Then he got some anger and sat down at the stone table, weighing a piece of glutinous rice cake and looking at it.

Eyes turned, he threw the crutch over and hit the boy with a "slap" sound, and said angrily: "You dog slave! How dare you bring something like this to me?" After that, he threw the pastry and the plate on the ground.

"Why don't you go and change it for me?"

The two boys reluctantly got up from the ground, their bodies trembling and not daring to breathe, and ran out of the courtyard trembling.

Yao Yuzhang snorted coldly, and out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of the green branches passing by outside the yard, and shouted: "Come here!" Unexpectedly, the green branches quickened their pace and walked forward with their heads lowered. Yao Yuzhang was so angry that he started to yell.

The tea bowl in hand was thrown over, and the green branch was smashed with a "Oops" sound. The box in hand fell down with a sound, and several packets of spices rolled out.

"You bitch! Are you deaf? I told you to get out here!"

Luzhi gingerly picked up the spices scattered on the ground with red eyes, moved a few steps into the yard, and in Yao Yuzhang's increasingly cold eyes, said in a tearful tone: "Master, why are you calling me?"

Yao Yuzhang had a violent energy all over his body, and was about to get angry when he caught a glimpse of the spice box in Lu Zhi's hand, and a sneer flashed in his eyes. He suppressed the anger in his chest, his face softened slightly, and he ordered Lu Zhi: "

You go to the kitchen and bring me some sweet-scented osmanthus cake!"

Luzhi took the box and was about to leave. Yao Yuzhang's face darkened and he shouted: "Put the things down! Are you still afraid that I will take your things?"

Luzhi hesitated for a moment, thought about it, bit her lower lip and glanced at Yao Yuzhang, placed the spice box on the edge of the table, and then hurried to the kitchen.

Yao Yuzhang stared at the door with dark eyes for a moment, then sneered, took the box over, took a look at it, and closed it again, a look of sternness flashed across his face. If he was not having a good time, no one would be able to have a good time! (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my biggest motivation.)
Chapter completed!