Jinghong Tower

Chapter 419 Daily life
The next day, the names of these twenty-something people were published in the evening paper. Interestingly, among these twenty-something people, only four were given their real names. The others begged the newly-minted scholar who was interviewing them to change their names after learning that they would be in the newspaper.

For example, Wang Dani changed her name to Wang Xueying, Liu Ermei changed her name to Liu Jingyi, and Cui Jie'er changed her name to Cui Xiaomian.

From then on, these young girls had new names and new identities. On the first day they entered the academy, they received two new sets of clothes and brand new bedding. They were taken to introduce themselves to the new dormitory and then went to the cafeteria with their bowls in their hands to get food. It was not until the first bite of food entered their mouths that they finally came to their senses. From now on, they would live and learn skills here, and when they left here, they would be able to support themselves with their own hands.

Starting from the first twenty or so girls, changing their names when going to school became an unwritten rule in the Women's College. In this era, only a few people could read and write. For poor families, if they gave birth to a boy, they might ask the village teacher to help them choose a decent name. But if they gave birth to a girl, they probably wouldn't bother with that. Just a casual name to distinguish her from other sisters would be enough. Some families were even too lazy to give them such casual names. When a girl signed up, she was asked about her name. The girl whispered, "I don't have a name. From childhood to adulthood, my family has called me a money-loser."

Later, the girl called "Money-Losing Good" changed her name to Shen Tianai.

However, after these twenty-something women appeared in the newspapers, more and more women were willing to sign the contract. By the time registration closed, there were a total of sixty-eight students in the first term of the Women's College.

Li Jinxiu breathed a sigh of relief: "Okay, I've accomplished my mission and retired. From now on, I will just enjoy my retirement. Don't come to me again about this women's college."

Xiu Gu rolled her eyes and said, "It doesn't matter if you don't care or not. I will go back to Jinling in two days."

Jiangnan is her territory. She feels uncomfortable in the capital, especially when facing Li Jinxiu. She has the urge to kill her every day.

Du Hui: "But I'm already retired."

Unfortunately, no one paid attention to her. She was the youngest among the three, and even a generation younger than them.

Du Hui was the first president of the Women's College, and she also opened a women's medical department in the college. Different from the medical department of the Military Medical Department, the women's medical department of the Women's College was dedicated to training female doctors for the public. In that era, female doctors were very rare, and most of them were female relatives in the doctors' families. Even women from wealthy families would often avoid seeing doctors because there were no female doctors, thus delaying their treatment, and many of them suffered from gynecological diseases.

Du Hui's two apprentices, He Qingkong and He Nuanyang, reported to the Women's College after retiring from the battlefield. They and another military doctor, Liu, became teachers of the female medical department.

The military doctor's name is Liu Meirong. She was one of the first batch of military doctors recruited by He Ran in Qingcang Mountain. She used to be a midwife and later studied medicine with Doctor Cui and Doctor Qi. As more military doctors came, she specialized in Qianjin medicine. After many years, she has achieved some success.

In the blink of an eye, it was already the twelfth lunar month. Water froze into ice in the capital city, and the Cao Gang had entered its annual ship-resting period. However, Zong Qi was not idle. Less than a month after his engagement, he went to Zhenjiang, where he bought a shipyard. The Cao Gang originally had five shipyards, but this one was different because it was jointly run by the Cao Gang and the Ministry of Works.

Also going with Zong Qi was Dong Jinzhen from the Ministry of Industry.

Even so, the news of Dong Jinzhen's arrival in Zhenjiang was still spread.

Three days later, He Jiangqi led her men to intercept a small boat and captured all three people on the boat. Another group of people captured a pigeon and found a note on the pigeon's leg, which read: Dong Jinzhen has arrived in Zhenjiang.

Dong Jinzhen is now a figure comparable to a national treasure. The Thunder Cannon she created is famous all over the world and makes many people tremble in fear. Usually in the capital, Dong Jinzhen is followed by secret guards when she goes out. This time when she came to Zhenjiang, He Ran directly sent a hundred people from the Eagle Team to protect her.

Dong Jinzhen has always lived a reclusive life, and not many people have actually seen her.

Under severe torture, the three men admitted that they were spies sent by the Later Zhou court in Fuzhou. The reason they knew the visitor was Dong Jinzhen was because one of them was from the Dong family in Jiangnan. Although he had never met Dong Jinzhen himself, he had met Dong Jinzhen's aunt, and Dong Jinzhen was four or five points similar to his aunt, so he judged that the big shot who came to the shipyard was Dong Jinzhen.

Dong Jinzhen actually made many novel things, but people know her because of the Benlei Cannon.

Therefore, when she appears in the shipyard, people will naturally associate the Benlei Cannon with shipbuilding.

This member of the Dong family felt that he had discovered a big secret, and immediately sent the information to Fuzhou. Unexpectedly, he was discovered by the Eagle Team as soon as he took action, and the information was intercepted.

After this episode, Dong Jinzhen's whereabouts in Zhenjiang became even more secretive. She lived and ate in the shipyard. The craftsmen in the shipyard did not know her real name. She used the alias He Chunyan, wore a straw hat and a cloth skirt, and every day she either fiddled with ship models or worked with the craftsmen. She stayed there for a whole year.

Zong Qi returned to the capital before the New Year. This was the first Spring Festival after his engagement to Lu Chang. He went to the Lu family to give New Year gifts as usual and unexpectedly met Lu Zhen who had not been seen for a long time.

Because of his cousin Cai Yinlan, Lu Zhen went to Zhending after staying at home for a few days the last time he returned to the capital. Later, Fu Yansheng went to Yulin, and he was assigned the task of suppressing bandits in Datong. That group of bandits had been wiped out long ago, but he didn't want to come back. He went hunting and training with Jiang Tao every day until He Ran called them back to the capital, and then he came back reluctantly.

But when he returned home, he learned that Cai Yinlan had not left yet. Lu Zhen planned to wait until after the New Year, then he would find He Ran and ask He Ran to send him to Jiangnan, yes, far away from the capital.

Seeing Lu Zhen’s terrifying expression, Cai Yinlan was very sad, and Madam Hou also felt aggrieved.

It’s not that she didn’t want to send Cai Yinlan away. She regretted it the last time Lu Zhen went to Zhending.

But it is easier to invite a god than to send him away. Just as she said she wanted to send Cai Yinlan away, Cai Yinlan fell ill. After she recovered from the illness, she lost a lot of weight. The girl was healthy and lively when she came, and she couldn't let her go in such a sick state. The marquis's wife had no choice but to let her live in the mansion to recuperate. However, she did not take good care of her body. She had a minor illness every three days and a serious illness every five days. In short, this cousin turned herself into a sick beauty.

Li Jinxiu watched coldly, she didn't care. Anyway, all of Cai Yinlan's expenses in the mansion were paid from the Marquis's wife's private account, and she didn't have to spend any public money to support her. Li Jinxiu wanted to see her eldest daughter-in-law reaping the fruits of her own labor.

Mrs. Hou is now annoyed when she sees Cai Yinlan. She is almost annoyed to death, but she can't just kick her out. If she does that, her relatives from her mother's side will drown her with spit.

On the day Zong Qi came, he saw Cai Yinlan at the family dinner. Zong Qi was stunned. Who is this person? Why does she look like his sister?

However, Cai Yinlan was at the same table with other female relatives, so Zong Qi was not in a position to ask. After the banquet, he quietly asked Lu Chang, "Who is the girl in the aqua blue jacket?"

Lu Chang looked at him with a half-smile: "Master Zong, what do you mean?"

Zong Qi: "I really don't have any other intentions. I just think she looks a bit like Mr. He, so I asked you about it."

Zong Qi did not tell Lu Chang about his true relationship with He Ran. After all, it was too unbelievable to say, but Zong Qi was the godson of the Lao family, and He Ran was the granddaughter of the Lao family. So, Zong Qi was He Ran's cousin.

Lu Chang was originally joking with Zong Qi. After hearing what Zong Qi said, he smiled and said, "You also think that she is somewhat similar to He Da Dangjia, right? I think so too, but it's only limited to the facial features. Her temperament and demeanor are completely different. She is far inferior to Da Dangjia."

Zong Qi wanted to say, my sister is of course unique and unparalleled in the world.

Lu Chang knew about her aunt's troubles. Besides, this matter was no secret in the Marquis of Wu'an's Mansion. She told Zong Qi the whole story from beginning to end.

Zong Qi
"You said that Marquis Wu'an and Mr. He were engaged?" His sister never told him.

Lu Chang blinked his eyes and said, "It doesn't count. At that time, Mr. He was just born. My aunt promised this marriage to thank Mrs. Lao for saving her life. She just said it casually and later even forgot about it. Besides, my grandmother didn't agree, so no one mentioned it again."

She said it very easily, but Zong Qi was full of doubts. Not counted? Will your brother go to join the Ran Army?

It doesn't count? Will your aunt find a girl who looks a bit like my sister to live in your house?

Zong Qi had something on his mind, so after leaving Wu'an Marquis Mansion, he went to Laomofang Hutong to find He Ran.

"You and Lu Zhen were engaged?"

He Ran didn't expect that on New Year's Day, her brother didn't give her any New Year's money, but came to ask this.

"It's not me who has the engagement, it's the original owner of this body."

Zong Qi: "Aren't they all the same?"

He Ran: "I am different from you. I have known who I am since I was born, but you are still dreaming about it. We are different."

Zong Qi looked at her and asked, "If you like Lu Zhen, this marriage is actually not bad and can be considered a deal."

He Ran was amused by his serious look: "Brother, you are not urging me to get married because you are engaged. Don't worry, I will have children even if I don't get married."

Zong Qi: "I just think Lu Zhen is good in every aspect and is a good match for you."

He Ran suddenly remembered something. Oh, she seemed to have never told her brother that she had one more life than him.

"Brother, don't get excited. I'm going to tell you something. You have to be mentally prepared. Don't jump up or faint after hearing it."

Zong Qi: Do you have any misunderstanding about me?

He Ran called out the window, "Xiao Ba."

Xiao Ba flew in immediately and landed on He Ran's shoulder: "Your little baby is here!"

He Ran asked, "Tell your uncle how old you are this year."

Xiao Ba: "Today is fifty-eight, tomorrow is fifty-nine."

Xiaoba can only count to ten. Xiaoli just taught him this morning, and he is learning it right away.

He Ran said to Zong Qi: "Believe it or not, I asked the old hen to help hatch Xiao Ba. When I first saw it, it was still an egg."

Zong Qi looked at the man and the bird in front of him in surprise and disbelief.

"You've been here a long time ago?"

He Ran nodded: "I am He Ran, or He Jinghong. Now you know why it is impossible for Lu Zhen and I to be together. To be honest, in my eyes, he is my adopted grandson."

At this point, He Ran smiled maliciously: "Hehe, I almost forgot that Lu Zhen is your brother-in-law."

Zong Qi: I took 10,000 points of damage!

The next day, He Ran went to the military camp. This had been her habit for many years. Every year she would go to the military camp and celebrate the New Year with the soldiers. But this year, Zong Qi brought Lu Chang along as well.

In his previous life, his dream since childhood was to become a soldier. Later, he not only became a soldier, but also became a military leader. Unfortunately, he died at a young age. In this life, he was born in a merchant family, but in his heart, his favorite place is still the military camp.

Lu Chang was curious. The Lu family had always had someone leading the troops, but she grew up in the capital city and this was her first time to actually be in a military camp.

When He Ran came back from the military camp, she received two letters. One was from the northwest, saying that He Zongqun assisted He Shuting and finally got the military power. Now several generals in the Meng family army have sworn an oath to serve He Shuting's youngest son Wu Guochang as their leader.

Wu Guochang was also renamed the Prince of Chang'an, which means that the King of Chang'an who was deposed by He Ran is now back.

Fortunately, He Shuting was self-aware and knew that she was not yet fully grown, so she did not dare to let her son become king directly. Now the infant Wu Guochang is the Prince of Chang'an, and she is still the Princess of Chang'an.

The Meng family army also officially changed its flag, replacing the flag with the word "Meng" on it with the flag with the word "Wu".

Just last month, Xiao Wenyuan captured a county under the jurisdiction of Longxi. The Wu family army immediately launched a counterattack, not only regaining the lost territory but also killing five hundred Longnan soldiers. The first battle was a victory and the Wu family army gained prestige.

When Xiao Wenyuan learned about this, he did not continue the fight, but instead sent an envoy to arrange a marriage between his youngest daughter and Wu Guochang.

When this letter was sent out, He Shuting, He Zongqun and He Jiang were still discussing the matter and had not yet concluded.

He Ran smiled after reading the letter.

Xiao Wenyuan wants to arrange another marriage. He has tasted the sweetness of marriage.

He has two daughters, of course, they are only the legitimate ones, and he doesn't know how many illegitimate ones he has.

At the beginning, Empress Dowager Man wanted to arrange a marriage between the young emperor and Xiao Wenyuan's second daughter, as the two were seven years apart in age. However, Xiao Wenyuan felt that his second daughter was too young and the marriage would not work, so he let his eighteen-year-old eldest daughter, who had been engaged twice, marry the five-year-old young emperor and become the queen.

He Ran remembered that Xiao Wenyuan's second daughter was twelve years old at that time, and now she is thirteen, but Wu Guochang is not even one year old!
The other letter was written by Zhou Cangyue.

He Ran looked at the date. The letter was sent half a month ago, and the first sentence in Zhou Cangyue's letter was "Happy New Year".

Obviously, this was sent out according to the date so that it could be delivered to her during the Spring Festival.