One person guards the lonely city, invincible in the world

Chapter 61 One Family, One Woman

Wheels creaked, and a carriage drove into Xuandefang.

"Here, 150 feet further on, it's your ancestral house."

The empress opened the curtain and pointed to the end of the square street. Because of the bright sky, all the houses were very quiet.

She was wearing a red gauze dress, like a waterfall of green silk, only held by a jasper hairpin, revealing a delicate pink neck, looking elegant and clean.

"En." Gu Changan nodded, and suddenly said:

"Chang'an peonies are blooming, the best among flowers, and I can finally feast my eyes on them."

The corners of Li Wan's lips raised slightly, and he said gently:

"The spring breeze of willows, peonies and swallows are the most beautiful seasons of the year."

Thinking of how he looked around when he first entered the city, and how the ghost was silent in the sword box that winter, did the silence at that time and the joy now mean a new life?

The carriage was parked in an alley with bluestone pavement. The alley was narrow and cold all the year round, and the walls were covered with moss.

"Since I don't want to be disturbed, I won't live in your house. How about here? My private property."

The empress pointed to a two-story house covered with fish scales and tiles, with a large clump of plantains in the corner.

In fact, she was very contradictory. As the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, he should tell the Central Plains that Gu Changan had returned home.

But she also likes being unknown very much, as if only in this way he is not a national hero, and belongs to her alone.

"Then I'll have a soft meal."

Gu Chang'an jumped out of the carriage with his sword box in his arms, and looked at the small house in front of him. The brick joints between the courtyard wall and the ground were clear and straight, well arranged, and there was a pleasing beauty to the eye.

"You know I'll support you, why don't you help me?" The Empress snorted.

Gu Changan turned to look at her, but the woman did not blink.

"Please." He walked back and held out his right arm.

Li Wan rested his five fingers on his cold wrist, and got off the carriage with a reserved expression.

"I live in the east room, but you are in the west room." She walked into the yard without any explanation, already acting like a hostess.

A dog barked from the yard next door, followed by barks everywhere in the deep alley, barking non-stop like firecrackers.

The early-rising woman whispered, how come someone lived in the idle house next door, she should interrogate the details, don't be a thief who steals chickens and dogs.

They put a bench in the corner and stood on it to observe.

"I didn't bring any belongings."

"Two sword boxes, hey, they are heroes of the rivers and lakes."

"The posture of walking is very noble, it must be a friendly neighbor."

Living at the foot of the imperial city is still a little short-sighted. The women put down their guard, and after a while, they went home and walked into the house with a few eggs and a bundle of spring bamboo shoots and cabbage.

The woman with a big shoulder and round waist was full of enthusiasm, and looked at the two of them at a close distance while making a loud voice, "You are new here, so please greet me if you have something to do in the future, you are welcome."

Gu Chang'an also changed his appearance, even his white hair was dyed black by Li Wan, and now he looked like a very mediocre young man.

"My surname is Gu." At a loss, he took the eggs and vegetables stuffed by the woman.

"Who is this?" The chubby woman looked at Li Wan.

Li Wan smiled lightly, deliberately not speaking.

Gu Changan hesitated for a moment, then introduced:
"My wife."

Li Wan raised Dai's eyebrows lightly.

"A man of talent and a woman's good looks are made in heaven and earth, and they will give birth to a precious son..." The women boasted a few words, and then left with excuses.

Li Wan glanced sideways, but couldn't hide his bright and restrained eyes, and said lightly, "Who is your wife?"

The man smiled without saying a word, sitting on a small bench in the courtyard, Li Wan took off a layer of skin film from his face, and the breeze blew over his delicate and glamorous face, brushing a few strands of hair.

Gu Changan looked at the noble and elegant empress, and joked:

"Ten fingers don't touch the spring water, and you have been pampered for a long time. Can you cook?"

At the end add a sentence:
"Anyway, I won't."

Li Wan stood in a daze, a habit she had developed in reviewing government affairs, she subconsciously bit her fingertips with her white teeth, and stared at Gu Chang'an like this.

The two were speechless.

"Just once to get used to you." The empress lost her battle, took the basket of eggs and spring bamboo shoots, and walked to the kitchen with small steps.

Gu Changan smiled, listening to the cocks crowing and dogs barking next door, this was the life he had dreamed of since he was a child.

After a while, there was a sound of a kitchen knife chopping a cutting board from the kitchen.

Gu Changan frowned and said, "Eggs, spring bamboo shoots, which one needs a kitchen knife?"

"Cut the bamboo shoots." There was a hint of irritability in the crisp voice.

"Line together, just a few knives horizontally and vertically."

"Don't make noise, why don't you come?"

Gu Changan immediately shut up.

After tossing for an hour and a half, Li Wan put two dishes in front of him, "Use it slowly!"

Gu Changan looked at the burnt eggs and the bamboo shoots, and then looked up at the furious empress.

"Where's the meal?"

"Where is the rice?" Li Wan said angrily, and handed him a pair of chopsticks.

Gu Changan picked up an egg with a chopstick, but he didn't move his mouth for a long time, and said vaguely:

"I would rather drink the wind and sand."

"What did you say?" Li Wan narrowed his eyes.

"I said it smells pretty good." Gu Changan put it in his mouth and swallowed it in one gulp. If you don't chew it, the taste will be gone.

Li Wan nodded in satisfaction, sat on the bench as well, took a piece of bamboo shoots to taste, then quickly changed the subject:
"Let's eat and drink all the way, I only have a gold ingot left in my sachet, Chang'an is expensive, we can't sit and eat."

"So?" Gu Changan asked.

"You have to support your family." Li Wan said naturally.

"What can I do?" Gu Chang'an was confused, and suddenly remembered how many times Carpenter Qin had taught him when defending the city. He said with certainty:
"Wood carving!"

Li Wan's eyes turned brightly, and soon he had an idea to make money:
"It's not as good as jade carving. Let's rent a shop, specializing in women's business, jewelry and the like. Women in Chang'an make the best money."

Just do what she said, she pulled up the man and was about to go out.

"Face!" Gu Changan reminded.

"Oh," Li Wan turned and went back to the room to get the human skin mask.

"Remember to bring money."

"Don't be long-winded." Li Wan said and stopped, returned to stand on tiptoe, and kissed him gently on the cheek.

The movement is as calm as water, and the soft "boo" sound seems to hold back endless power.

After tidying up for a while, the two walked out of the house holding hands. The folk customs of the Tang Dynasty have always been open, and it is not uncommon for couples to hold hands and hug on the street, so there is no need to worry about causing criticism.

"Young Master Gu, Mrs. Gu, go out."

The news that the empty house has moved to a new neighbor spreads all over the alley early in the morning, and the neighbors greet each other with a smile.

Gu Changan responded one by one, the people in the alley walked lightly, the sunlight shone through the high wall, they were full of food and drink, and a few people sat around the alley talking and laughing happily.

An old yellow dog ran out from behind, looking at the two of them, barking wildly.

"How about we also raise a housekeeper?" Li Wan whispered in his ear.

Gu Changan thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "For fear of trouble, forget it."

Li Wan didn't take it seriously, the two of them strolled to a nearby street, she snapped her fingers and said:
"Rent a store, contact jade merchants, buy a cage of hens, five bags of rice, two skewers of last year's bacon..."

"There are still cakes, give back to the neighbors." Gu Changan added.

"Yes!" Li Wan almost forgot about this.

"Is there enough money?"

"It should be about the same. Huajue Lane is relatively remote. If you are not in a prosperous area, renting a shop is very cheap."

"How you put it so clearly." Gu Changan was amazed.

As if wanting to show off in front of him, Li Wan took Gu Changan to the grain shop, and asked the shopkeeper casually:

"Old man, how are you today?"

The shopkeeper took a look at the couple, gave a thumbs up and praised: "Good emperor!"

Gu Chang'an laughed, at the feet of the Son of Heaven, which commoner would dare to speak ill?
"Where is it good?" Li Wan insisted.

"Li Tang is the best benevolent monarch, he attaches great importance to transforming the people with virtue, and has given a lot of favors to the common people. Even if the Central Plains is wiped out by the barbarians tomorrow, everyone will know that it is not the fault of today."

The shopkeeper said it sincerely, without any falsification.

Some things are hard to say, but in the hearts of the people in Chang'an, His Majesty is not like an emperor at all. He has no grand plans, does not think about how to recover the old land of the six kingdoms, and only focuses on the people's livelihood policy. It is difficult for such an emperor to be ranked in the history books, but precisely He is the saint most admired by the common people.

"It's clear." Gu Changan nodded with a smile, and saw Li Wan's reserved face, with an imperceptible arrogance in his eyes.

"Leave five bags of rice for us." He explained to the shopkeeper, and continued shopping with the empress on his arm.

At dusk, the two were in a spacious and bright shop, with three pieces of jade on the table.

After walking for a day, the empress rested her feet on Gu Changan's thigh wearily, and the latter concentrated on polishing a palm-sized jadeite.

"There is not a single copper plate in the house now. If you can't carve, we will drink the northwest wind."

"Don't disturb me." Gu Chang'an simply pushed away her troubled feet as the fragrance lingered in his nostrils.

The fingers are like sword energy, and they were flattened on the edge of the emerald, and a pair of earrings were made in just half an hour.

"Purely handmade." He handed the earring to Li Wan.

Li Wan caressed it carefully, his eyes sparkled brightly, the workmanship was far from superb, it was considered the roughest in a jewelry store, but holding it could calm one's mind and get rid of impetuousness.

"I can only go so far." Gu Changan said.

Li Wan was a little reluctant to sell it for a while, after all, it was the first pair of jewelry, she raised her head to look directly at Gu Changan, her charming eyelashes gently fluttering.

"For you." Gu Changan said seriously.

Li Wan smiled, pursed his lips, and hugged him not to let go.

……

When the days settle down, it will be midsummer in a blink of an eye, and the business of the store is tepid. After all, the styles are not eye-catching, and women with high vision are too lazy to touch them.

It was raining heavily in the evening, Gu Changan walked into the store holding an umbrella, with a smile on his face.

"Here, a fresh river carp, we'll make soup later." Li Wan was holding a three-pound carp in his hand, seeing his smile unabated, he couldn't help asking, "What's so funny?"

"A chess player in a teahouse." Gu Changan joked.

"What's the matter? Share it with me." Li Wan closed the store door and hid in the oil-paper umbrella. She was plump and tall, and an umbrella couldn't cover the two of them.

Gu Changan moved a little inward, and explained with a smile:

"Du Mu, playing chess with me has been defeated repeatedly, and I lost a total of 30 taels of silver to me. He refused to pay the bill, so he paid a teapot to make up for it."

"Du Mu, who is known as Little Du Fu in the world? What's so funny?" Li Wan rolled his eyes.

Gu Changan shook his head and remained silent.

The appearance of the great poets in history playing tricks is funny no matter how you think about it.

"go home."

Walking all the way to Huajue Lane, Gu Changan's shoulder sleeves were wet by raindrops.

"It's raining, why don't you carry me away." Li Wan looked up at him.

"Why didn't you carry me?" Gu Changan asked back.

"Huh?" Li Wan didn't blink.

"Come up." Gu Changan had no choice but to bow down. Her cooking skills change with her emotions. Although she has been practicing recipes intensively recently, occasionally when there is resentment, the dishes are difficult to eat.

Li Wan's red lips curled up mischievously, and he jumped on Gu Changan's back like an octopus, holding an umbrella in one hand and a carp in the other.

Two soft round jugs filled with water fell heavily on his back. Gu Changan held his round and plump thighs and said as he walked:
"You are fat."

"Really?" Li Wan didn't care at all, she was extremely confident in her appearance and figure.

The rain pattered on the oil-paper umbrella, gathered into water lines, and slid down the edge of the umbrella.

"By the way, there is a regular customer who wants to buy a fuser." The empress looked a little unnatural.

"What?" Gu Changan was puzzled.

The empress put her mouth next to his ear, hesitated for a moment, and whispered:

"Jiao...Mr. Jiao."

"What?" Gu Changan turned his head to look at her, his beautiful cheeks were close at hand, but a trace of embarrassment gradually emerged.

"You keep pretending to be confused!" Li Wan bit his earlobe lightly, "I didn't know it before, but now I've been shopping in teahouses all day long, and I can hear calluses."

"Resolutely not." Gu Changan refused.

"I also declined her at first, but she is a regular customer. If there is a quarrel because of this, we will lose more than we gain."

"Besides, she only pays 80 taels when she opens her mouth, which is how much the two of us earn after paying the rent a month."

Li Wan persuaded him eloquently.

"How old is it?" Gu Changan compromised.

"What?" This time the empress was confused, and after thinking for a long time, she kicked him with her foot and scolded:
"how could I know?"

Water accumulated in the alley, and mud was hidden in the loose stone slabs. When Gu Changan accidentally stepped on the crooked stone slab, a stream of mud splashed with a "serge", staining the hem of his robe.

"No wonder I want to carry you." Gu Changan said angrily, and stepped on it twice in succession, making his robe dirty.

Li Wan laughed with dimples, buried his head on his back and laughed loudly, and the neighbors who were resting under the eaves suddenly showed envious eyes.

This couple has a good reputation in Huajue Lane, they are kind and generous, and they have never caused any trouble, but Mr. Gu is a little afraid of guilt.

Of course, everyone guesses that the origin of the couple is not simple.

For example, Mrs. Gu, not to mention the noble temperament that is different from ordinary people, occasionally reveals a kind of commanding majesty. Although she is well restrained, the neighbors are also keenly aware of it.

As for Mr. Gu, he is even more unique. He rarely talks and often smiles, but he always feels that he has a lot of stories. When you talk to him, if you see the clear eyes inadvertently, you will feel a kind of sadness.

Weird...

But these do not hinder the goodwill of the neighbors and the couple, hoping that they will live in Huajue Lane forever.

After returning home and putting the carp in a basin, Li Wan fetched a bucket of water from the well and carried it into the east room.

She motioned Gu Changan to lift his feet up, and Gu Changan lifted his feet very cooperatively, Li Wan knelt down and pulled off his shoes and socks pretending to be disgusted.

"It's raining in the lobby. The rubble should be broken somewhere. When the rain stops, you can climb up and have a look."

Li Wan lowered his head while talking, while washing his ankle seriously.

Gu Chang'an looked at the exquisite and beautiful woman, and looked around his comfortable house, and suddenly felt extremely happy.

"Yeah good," he said.

……

PS: Writing something daily is not a delay, it is very necessary, ask for a few monthly tickets, and stay up late tonight to code!
(End of this chapter)