Chapter 395: Offering Incense

The words on the stone tablet were flying in circles, ethereal and clear. After looking at it for a long time, Eleven Niang realized that what she had engraved was half of the Heart Sutra.

Is this your first time at the stele tower? Suddenly a man asked from behind her.

Not hearing any movement from Mama Song and others, Eleven Niang was suddenly startled, turned around suddenly, and took three or four steps back.

It was scary, scary to death. She looked at Xu Lingyi, who was wearing a sapphire blue and dark purple moiré pattern, and took a long breath. Why did the Marquis walk like a cat? She looked around again, but the boy was gone.

Song's mother and Amber stood far away by the bamboo forest.

Maybe I saw that the person coming was Xu Lingyi, so I didn’t say anything.

When did Mr. Hou come?

Xu Lingyi looked at her frightened look and was quite puzzled. He said curiously: There is no one else in this temple.

Eleven Niang said angrily: Just because there was no one else around, how could a man's voice not suddenly make people shocked?

Xu Lingyi smiled apologetically.

Liu Tongzhilin kept saying goodbye, so that he was a little later than scheduled. He hurried over and saw Eleven Niang standing in front of the stele tower from a distance, looking at the words on the stele, and occasionally stretched out her fingers to make two gestures.

Seeing the serious look on Eleven Niang's face, he simply motioned to Mama Song and others not to disturb her, and walked over quietly.

It was an autumn afternoon, and the sunlight shone on her. The water jade inlaid on her comb was flashing with dazzling broken light. Her face was like white jade, her eyebrows were like distant dark blue, and her eyes were full of brilliance, as if they could absorb the beauty.

It was so soul-like that he couldn't help but stop and stare.

She was seen wearing a white embroidered terry-colored blouse and a plain Xiang skirt. She tilted her head and looked at the words on the stone tablet. She frowned for a while, raised her face for a while, and murmured something in her mouth.

There is no end of ignorance and the end of old age and death. She looks very cute. She is standing aside waiting for her. Who knows that she has finished reading half of the Heart Sutra and started to read it from the beginning again, as if she had never seen it before. She couldn't help but ask,

But I never wanted to scare her.

And the eleventh mother thought that Xu Lingyi had a visitor and made an appointment with her to meet in such a remote place. She also sent Mother Song and others to stand far away, and got straight to the point: What's the point of Mr. Hou looking for a concubine?

Important things.

Xu Lingyi's expression froze slightly as he listened, and then he said after a moment: "It's nothing special."

He spoke slower than usual, with a bit of hesitation in his tone, which seemed very solemn. Eleven Niang looked solemn and listened with bated breath.

Aren't you very close to the Mrs. Gan family? Xu Lingyi said slowly, I heard people say that Uncle Zhongqin and the Gong family in Bantang want to do a shipping business together.

The Gong family and the Wen family were at odds with each other. The eleventh mother of the Gong family in Bantang, one of the four major merchants, was slightly startled when Xu Lingyi's increasingly clear voice came to her ears.

At that time, the Gong family tried their best to marry their daughter to the Jiang family in Jian'an. They originally expected to have a big tree to enjoy the shade. Who would have thought that the two generations of the Jiang family had not produced a Jinshi, and they lived in Fujian and were suppressed by the Jing'an Hou family.

He no longer had the same momentum as before. He slowly turned around and walked down the steps.

Eleven Niang quickly followed.

The Gong family couldn't blatantly change their ways. Life had been difficult these past few years. As soon as they heard that the Jiang family and the Gan family were related by marriage, they tried every means to get in touch with the Gan family.

While talking, Xu Lingyi casually turned into a bamboo forest path.

Shipping business is highly profitable, but also risky, and there are many tips. It’s not like the Gong family started out in this business. You’d better take the time to remind Mrs. Gan that Uncle Zhongqin still needs to be cautious about some things.

Good.

There are tall and dense bamboo forests on both sides. The bamboo trunks are mixed in thickness, some are like the mouth of a bowl, and some are like pen holders. They are crowded and crowded, with branches and leaves stretching out, and full of life.

Eleven Niangs had no intention of watching.

Xu Lingyi is not the kind of person who listens to wind and rain, and he has long lost the enthusiasm of young people to draw swords against each other when they disagree. He solemnly made an appointment to come to such a place to say such words, although

The tone seemed a bit understated, as if things were already a bit sinister.

She listened carefully.

Now the Gong family is eager to make friends with the Gan family, and they also want to use the name of Uncle Zhongqin's house to let Uncle Zhongqin not worry about failing to do business with the Gong family. They can just offer to buy shares without paying out the principal. They would rather have less dividends.

, and don’t invest huge sums of money to avoid breaking your muscles and bones.

The yamen is open. If you have money or no money, don't come in. Although the Gan family is a high-ranking official, a lawsuit over the division of property has greatly damaged their vitality, and they are far less glamorous than they appear. Loyalty and Qinboli make them stupid and make wrong judgments.

It's entirely possible. If something goes wrong because of this, I'm afraid it will never recover.

Mrs. Gan is still young, and she still relies on Uncle Zhongqin to provide for her until the end of her life.

Eleven Niang couldn't help but become a little anxious: I will go to Gan's house tomorrow, just in time to deliver the Mid-Autumn Festival gift prepared for Mrs. Gan. Thinking of the relationship between Uncle Zhongqin and Mrs. Gan, she said helplessly that she didn't know Zhongqin.

Will Qin Bo listen to Mrs. Gan’s advice?

You can’t say this is what Xu Lingyi said, right?

After all, this is a family matter of the Gan family, and Uncle Zhongqin is the new uncle. It is the time to establish his authority. It's good to think it through. If he couldn't figure it out, I'm afraid he would blame Xu Lingyi for being too lenient, or even

Because of his rebellious mentality, he decided to invest huge sums of money to complete this business with the Gong family. Let’s show it to you, Marquis Yongping.

She asked Xu Lingyi: Who else knows about this matter?

Not many people should know. The two of them were walking slowly on the forest path. I also knew it accidentally.

The Ou family is in Fujian, and Xu Lingyi has always paid close attention to the activities of the Ou family. Eleven Niang said in deep thought: Did you know about it from the Jiang family?

Xu Lingyi nodded.

Eleven Niang discussed with him: Is it possible that Mrs. Gan Tai’s brother knows?

Mrs. Gan’s brother is also Uncle Zhongqin’s uncle, so it’s only natural that he pays attention to the Gan family’s affairs.

Xu Lingyi said: You don't have to do this for me. Mrs. Gan should be able to handle it.

After all, Mrs. Gan had been the uncle's wife for so many years. Even if she had no idea at the moment, she still had her brother from her mother's family to discuss it with. She always thought of her lonely appearance in her blue robe and plain skirt, and felt that she was wandering and helpless.

It was me who was worrying too much. After figuring it out, Eleven Niang breathed a sigh of relief.

Xu Lingyi frowned slightly when he heard the words and said nothing.

The green bamboos around are colorful and whirling.

The two walked in silence for a while.

Eleven Niang thought that Mrs. Tai and others were still in the wing, but she didn't know where the road was leading to. She couldn't help but hesitate in her steps. However, she heard Xu Lingyi ask her: The way I looked at you just now, it seemed like it was your first time to visit the monument.

Then, without waiting for Eleven Niang's reply, he added, "Someone recommended this stele as the best in cursive writing. It was also praised for its strange rocks running into the autumn stream, and the cold vines hanging ancient pines, which made the literati come to the Huguo Temple.

Take a look. What do you think?

I have never learned cursive writing, so I don’t understand much about this. Eleven Niang said with a smile, but the writing is flowing and flowing, and there is a sense of sinew in the writing. It is indeed a rare masterpiece. After speaking, she paused and said:

However, writing the Heart Sutra in cursive always feels a bit strange.

Xu Lingyi chuckled upon hearing this.

Therefore, when this stone tablet was unearthed, there were rumors that it was a shocking move done by Huguo Temple to please the public.

This happens all the time

Eleven Niang smiled.

Xu Lingyi asked her: Whose letter did you write to in a very unrestrained manner?

At that time, Eleven Niang only practiced calligraphy as a specialty. Later, she became quite interested in writing and persisted all the way. In the eyes of people who really understand calligraphy, only the casual and unrestrained style is desirable.

First came Ouyang Xun, she said with a smile, then came Liu Gongquan. My favorite was Wang Xizhi, Wang Xianzhi and his son.

Xu Lingyi was slightly surprised: Why didn't you come to Yan Zhenqing?

The eleventh mother is ashamed.

The calligraphy is divided into large, medium and small. The face and body are steady in writing, and the bones are open. After learning his calligraphy, you can make it bigger. Anyone who can write big characters has read his calligraphy. At that time, she felt that she might not be able to use it, so she only touched on it briefly.

Some people did not go to Linmo seriously.

She could only say vaguely: I think the small regular script looks good.

There are many women who are not good at writing large characters, so they specialize in small characters.

Thoughts flashed through Xu Lingyi's mind, and she smiled slightly as she thought of Eleven Niang's seemingly ordinary but unique clothes and utensils.

It’s not that she can’t write well, it’s just that she doesn’t like writing.

I first studied with Yan Zhenqing, who couldn't help but follow him, and then studied with Chu Suiliang, Zhong Yao, Zhao Ziang, and Mi Fu. I liked Zhu Suiliang the most.

No wonder I think Mr. Hou’s calligraphy is strong and soft at the same time, and his posture is graceful. Eleven Niang said with a smile, it seems that Mr. Hou is very good at cursive writing.

Not bad, Xu Lingyi said modestly, I was naughty when I was a child and often skipped school. My father sent me to Mr. Deng and asked him to tell me some things about copying and writing, and then I gradually calmed down. I also followed Mr. Deng to gradually learn calligraphy.

Got some clues.

Mr. Deng, Eleven Niang asked, Mr. Deng Jingzhi?

Xu Lingyi nodded.

In this way, the Marquis and the Emperor are still teachers. Eleven Niang is very interested in it, so she has known Lord Shun Wang Zhou since she was a child.

Well, Xu Lingyi said with a smile, we are about the same age. Wang Shun was originally at Mr. Deng's place, and Princess Shizheng was sent to me by Princess Fucheng after she saw that I had improved greatly in reading and writing. I was not sensible at that time. The three of us made trouble together every day.

Sometimes when Mr. Deng caught him, he would be punished by kneeling down. One time, the maid next to Queen Wu went to deliver something to the Crown Prince and saw the three of us kneeling in the middle of the yard under the bright sun. After returning home, she somehow told Queen Wu,

Empress Wu asked the palace maid to secretly give each of us a pair of cotton knee pants. She talked about the past, with a hint of sadness in her joy.
To be continued...