In the summer of the 21st year of Daoguang's reign (1841), people in Nanxun town were panicked. The first batch of people who had fled from eastern Zhejiang to seek refuge with relatives and friends brought bad news, saying that Dinghai had fallen. Ten days later, another group of refugees came, and everyone
I learned that Zhenhai had also been captured by the British army. Yuqian, the governor of Liangjiang, died in the line of duty, and several generals of the army also died heroically. Therefore, the number of people fleeing the town has increased unabated in the past few days.
Early that morning, Liu Yong woke up from his shop. He packed up his bedding, removed the door panels, and then took a towel and prepared to go to the river to wash up. When he opened the door, he saw a country father and daughter standing at the corner of the door.
, the middle-aged father looked honest and courteous, the girl was about fifteen or sixteen years old, in her prime, elegant and elegant, with an aura of lightness. She had long black braids one behind the other, with a pink bow on the top of her braids.
The tip slides between the snow-white fingers; the skin is like gelatin, and the snow-white is pink, as if it can squeeze out water. A pair of red lips, smiling like a beauty. It is indescribable and gentle. The eyes are like a pool of clear water, looking forward to it.
Even though he was born into a farm family, his youthful aura cannot be concealed.
Seeing Liu Yong opening the store door, the middle-aged man hurriedly came to greet him.
The middle-aged man bowed and said: Brother, please tell me, Madam, that we are here to visit Madam. I wonder if Madam has gotten up?
Liu Yong looked at the father and daughter who looked exhausted. When he heard that they were looking for the proprietress, he quickly said: Come in! Come in! Please wait a moment.
The father and daughter entered the house and sat down in the hall.
Not long after, the door to the back room opened, and Mrs. Tan came out. She saw the women in the shop and hurriedly walked out.
The middle-aged man pulled his daughter to stand up and said with a silly smile: "Her godmother Anfu, sorry to bother you."
The landlady said: Hey, we are all our own people, why should we be polite? Is that gust of wind blowing you here? Then she took the little girl’s hand and said with a smile: Oh, I was at your house at that time, and my daughter was still in her infancy, more than ten years old.
We haven’t seen each other for years, and she has become a big girl. Before my poor child could sit on the flower bridge, my mother left. As she said this, her eyes were a little moist, and then she said: Anyway, my godmother is here.
From now on, the godmother will be responsible for the dowry, hehe.
The lady's words made the little girl blush.
Mrs. Tan asked again: Does her daughter have a scientific name?
The man bowed and replied: "Her godmother, when my daughter was five years old, the teacher in the village named her Yuhui."
Mrs. Tan nodded: Shen Yuhui, this name sounds like the name of a lady, good.
The middle-aged man nodded frequently, and then said: Yu Hui, her godmother, will trouble you to train her! Country children are ignorant of the world, so you can say what you need to say and scold you if you need to.
Mrs. Tan said: Brother Shen, don't worry. Fourteen years ago, the cloth seller and I passed by your village. It happened that the river was blocked by heavy snow. Fortunately, you and your sister-in-law took us in for a few days, which made Yu Hui and I become mothers.
Girl fate! A few days ago, I received a letter from you, saying that Yu Hui'er would come to my place to help me. I couldn't ask for more. I don't have a daughter, only a few naughty boys. Now that Yu Hui is here and has a son and a daughter, why not do it?
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The middle-aged man quickly pushed Yu Hui and said, "Hurry up and salute your godmother!"
Yu Hui hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed to his wife.
The landlady picked up Yu Hui and said with a smile: I think Yu Hui is good-looking and smart. She may be lucky in the future! From now on, the godmother will make the decision when choosing her husband's family, haha.
The man humbly said: "Then it's all up to you and her godfather to take care of her!"
After lunch, Yu Hui's father went back.
It turns out that some of the housework was done by Liu Yong. Since Yu Hui came, Liu Yong has become much more relaxed and has more time to work on the shop. He is proficient in business matters. In the blink of an eye, half a year has passed and Liu Yong has been waiting for guests and receiving goods.
Not like an apprentice, but like a deacon in his own right.
Although it was hard work, Liu Yong lived a comfortable life. Yu Hui became familiar with him and was no longer so reserved. She often came to talk to Liu Yong, and Liu Yong taught her to write in his free time. Yu Hui was smart and learned.
Soon. When Yu Hui was washing clothes, she always secretly washed Liu Yong's clothes. Liu Yong felt bad and told her several times, but she still did the same. Yu Hui gradually no longer missed home, and she had a smile on her face.
more and more.
One day, Yu Hui was very surprised to see Liu Yong, but then she became sad: My father is here and is talking to my godfather and godmother.
Liu Yong asked strangely: Why don't you go in, so why are you standing here feeling bored?
Yu Hui pouted and said: I don’t know where my father found a fortune teller to tell me a fortune, saying that I must get married this year, otherwise my father will be killed.
Liu Yong felt strange and asked: Oh, is there such a thing? Then your father and your godfather and godmother are discussing your marriage? Have you found someone yet?
Yu Hui said: My father said he didn't understand this and wanted to entrust my marriage to my godfather and godmother, saying that I must be married before the end of the year.
After getting along for a while, Liu Yong really had a good impression of Yu Hui. When he heard that Yu Hui was getting married, he was very upset.
Liu Yong thought that he was still an apprentice and his family was not well-off, and he didn't know what Yu Hui's thoughts were, so he asked: What do you think in your heart?
Yu Hui said decisively: Brother Liu Yong, will you marry me?
Liu Yong was surprised and happy, and asked: Are you really willing? Are you kidding?
Yu Hui said anxiously: Who are you kidding me? I am serious. You should quickly find someone to propose marriage! It is better to do it sooner rather than later.
Liu Yong asked worriedly: I am still an apprentice and my family is poor. You don’t mind?
Yu Hui said seriously: What do apprentices have to fear? One day they will be able to become full masters. I value your character. If your family is poor, even if there is a stove on the pedal, I am willing to do so. We all have two hands, why are we afraid that we will not be able to survive?
Liu Yong was moved and said: Sister Yu Hui, just wait!
Liu Yong hurried home and told his parents about marrying Yu Hui.
As soon as Liu Yong entered the door, he said straight to the point: Dad, mother, please quickly find a matchmaker to propose marriage at "Tan Dechang Silk House".
Liu Yong's parents were confused when they heard this: Who are you proposing to marry? The boss only has a son, where did the daughter come from?
Liu Yong said: I want to marry Boss Tan’s goddaughter Shen Yuhui!
Liu Yong's father said: It's that girl from the countryside!
Liu Yong thought his father was dissatisfied, so he stubbornly retorted: What's wrong with the country people? In what way is Yu Hui inferior to the girls in the town?
Liu Yongniang quickly smoothed things over: I think Yu Hui is a pretty good girl, but you are both still young. Wouldn’t it be better to wait until you reach the age of majority to propose marriage? I don’t know if she is willing to marry into my family?
Liu Yong said anxiously: "Time waits for no one. Yu Hui's father wants her to get married this year. My family will not marry such a girl. I will have someone here to prevent others from taking advantage of her. By then it will be too late."
The mother asked strangely: Why is it so urgent?
Liu Yong explained: Yuhui’s father asked someone to tell his fortune, and he said that if she didn’t get married this year, she would definitely suffer from her father’s death!
Liu Huanzhang thought for a moment and said: Since he can control his father, how can he not control his wife's family? No, I have to match your horoscopes before I can propose marriage.
Mother agreed: What your father said makes sense, don't be so reckless.
Liu Yong begged: Please ask the two elders for your son, please ask the matchmaker to propose marriage tomorrow, and it will not be too late to get married!
The mother was soft-hearted, so she compromised and said: Marriage is a major matter, and it will never be a trivial matter. I will go to invite Matchmaker Wang tomorrow, but I have spoken first. If you two don't get along, it is God's will and it is not up to us. I only have you as my son, so you must not be careless.
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Seeing that his parents were resolute, Liu Yong had no choice but to compromise first and said, "It's all up to my mother-in-law to make the decision."
Early the next morning, Liu Yong's mother asked matchmaker Wang in the town to arrange a marriage with Dechang Silk.
Matchmaker Wang suddenly came to visit, and it was quite unexpected to talk about the boss and his wife. Yesterday, they were thinking of finding a husband for Yu Hui, so how come the matchmaker came to visit today? This is too much of a coincidence.
Matchmaker Wang smiled with a smile on her face and said congratulations: Congratulations to the boss, and congratulations to the madam! I am entrusted by the Liu family, and I am here to propose to your wife, Miss Yuhui.
Boss Tan was just thinking about who was attracted to Yu Hui. Mrs. Tan was the first to ask: "Aunt Wang, who is the Liu family?"
Matchmaker Wang smiled and said: "You are all familiar with this man. He is Liu Yong, the son of Liu Huanzhang, the coppersmith shop under the Tai'an Bridge. He is now employed in your house."
When I heard about Boss Tan, I felt eighty-nine points in my mind.
Mrs. Tan said: This kid Liu Yong is smart and diligent, and we know him well. I think it’s good. But I don’t know if this girl Yu Hui is willing.
Boss Tan said: "Have you ever thought about why we just discussed Yu Hui's marriage yesterday, and today, the Liu family came to propose marriage? Is there such a coincidence? Maybe they had already discussed it, and we were still kept in the dark.
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Boss Tan went on to say: When you marry, you should first look at your character, and I am also optimistic about Liu Yong.
Mrs. Tan said: Well, let me go and ask Yu Hui'er how she feels.
So Mrs. Tan asked her maid to call Yu Hui into her room.
As soon as Yu Hui entered the door, she asked: Why did the godmother call her daughter over?
Mrs. Tan motioned Yu Hui to sit down, and then said with a smile: "Today the Liu family has asked Matchmaker Wang to propose marriage. Do you know?"
Yu Hui couldn't help but feel happy, but she pretended to be calm and said: Godmother, I really don't know.
Mrs. Tan said deliberately: "You really don't know?"
Yu Hui shook her head shyly: I really don’t know.
Mrs. Tan let out a sigh of relief: That's good, your godfather has helped you push him, this Liu Yong is an apprentice, you will inevitably suffer when you get married, your godfather and godmother will find a good family for you!
Hearing this, Yu Hui ignored her reserve and said anxiously: Godmother, why is the apprentice so bad? Which deacon and shopkeeper is not an apprentice?
When Mrs. Tan came over, she understood immediately and said seriously: "Yu Hui, tell the truth to your godmother, but do you like Liu Yong?"
Seeing that he couldn't hide it, Yu Hui nodded shyly.
Mrs. Tan sighed: Your godfather and I both think Liu Yong is a good kid. Not only is he good-looking, he is also smart and studious, and he will become a great person in the future.
Yu Hui bowed and saluted: Thank you godfather and godmother for making me happy.
Mrs. Tan stood up: Forget it, just prepare the embroidery, and I will report it to your godfather right now. Your mother is no longer here, so you don’t have to worry about the dowry, your godmother has prepared it for you. Once you get married, this is still your home.
Send Matchmaker Wang to Liu's house tomorrow to answer the question.
Yu Hui burst into tears with gratitude, bowed and said: "My godfather and godmother love Yu Hui so much. My godfather and godmother are Yu Hui's reborn parents. Yu Hui will definitely honor you and your elders in the rest of my life."
With the consent of Boss Tan and his wife, Liu Yongniang took Yuhui's Gengmei invitation to go to Zhou Xiazi's house to get married. Unexpectedly, it was a blessing. Zhou Xiuzi concluded that Liu Yong and Shen Yuhui were related, and the Liu family would be rich and powerful in the future.