Linglong

Chapter 116

Mrs. Qiao was very excited today. After Zhou Wang went to change clothes, he smiled and looked at Qiao Siqi, not knowing how to praise him, "You are promising, Siqi, as a father, I really didn't expect you to be so promising. "He said these few words over and over again, and he was overjoyed.

Qiao Siqi wanted to make an excuse, but didn't know how to do so, which was very embarrassing.

Qiao Zhixian asked in a low voice, "Father, why don't you tell your grandfather the truth?" Qiao Siqi shook his head, "No. One is that this matter has not been implemented, so it is too early to tell it now; the other is that your grandfather is old, and you can feel both sorrow and joy." It's not suitable." Qiao Zhixian was right after thinking about it, and respectfully agreed, "Yes, Dad."

Fortunately, the king of Zhou came back soon, and patiently greeted Mrs. Qiao and Mrs. Yu about their daily life, when they got up, when they went to bed, how delicious their meals were, etc., in great detail. Mrs. Qiao was flattered and said with a smile : "The old man is taken care of by his children and grandchildren in his daily life. They are considerate and considerate. The grandchildren, grandchildren, daughters-in-law and granddaughters are all very filial and good children. They often laugh and chat with the old man, and they are not lonely."

To Mrs. Qiao, King Zhou was a noble person who fell from the sky inexplicably. He was always a little perplexed and at a loss when facing King Zhou. Really, this birthday peach was made by my old granddaughter, it is beautiful and delicious, and I like people."

King Zhou followed his gestures and saw Xian Weng and half of a peach, which was pink and very attractive.

"The old man's house is full of children and grandchildren, and he has both good fortune and longevity. This king will also come to enjoy your good fortune and longevity." He couldn't help but said.

Grandpa Qiao was overjoyed, and took a small silver knife to cut off a piece of birthday peach and put it on a plate, "Your Highness, please, please!"

The longevity peaches were specially made by Linglong for her grandfather. They are very soft and sweet, which suits the old man's taste.

The king of Zhou ate one piece, still not satisfied, so he ate another piece.

If it weren't for Qiao Siqi, Song Yong, and the guards crowding the room together, he probably would have been able to make persistent efforts and continue eating.

Mrs. Qiao enthusiastically invited him to drink birthday wine, "This is sweet-scented osmanthus wine, very fragrant." King Zhou thanked him for taking it, touched his lips, and put it down.

The King of Zhou complimented Mr. Yu very much, "Mr. Yu, you are a scholar, and the Institute of Inscriptions will depend on you in the future." Although Mrs. Yu is indifferent, he spent most of his life on inscriptions Yes, I couldn't help feeling elated when I heard King Zhou's solemn entrustment.

The guards presented Mrs. Qiao with birthday presents, including a picture of immortals and longevity written by the king of Zhou, five or six feet tall, peerless red coral, white jade immortals, etc.Grandpa Qiao saw all the exquisite things put in front of him, feeling dizzy, as if in a dream.

He didn't recall it until King Zhou left under the crowd's shouts and hugs.

"Dear family, Si Qi is so promising." He looked at the empty room, and then looked at the red coral and white jade statues in front of him, and said in disbelief.

Old Master Yu laughed, "My in-laws, my nephew is successful in the imperial examinations, and he can be an official, so of course he will be promising."

Mrs. Qiao stretched out her hand carefully to touch the statue of Bai Yuxian, and smiled contentedly.

For an old man in his dying years, it is really gratifying that his only son is so promising.

Mrs. Qiao's 77th birthday banquet was full of relatives and friends, and it was very lively. Even His Royal Highness Zhou Wang came to celebrate his birthday in person, which made it even more grand and festive, and became a good talk for a while.

"After the birthday banquet, tell the two aunts not to leave in a hurry." Mrs. Qiao called Tong'er to order.

Tong'er agreed and sent the message.

"Father, am I being too greedy?" Mrs. Qiao asked apologetically when she remembered that her little daughter's father-in-law was still here after giving orders to Tong'er.

"Greedy." Old Master Yu smiled, "But who is not greedy as a father? Isn't it human nature to want a daughter to stay at her mother's house for a while longer?"

The two old men played a game of chess leisurely, and after the birthday banquet, Old Man Yu left.

Old Mrs. Qiao ordered Qiao Zhixian to send Mrs. Yu off. Qiao Zhixian was very obedient and sent Mrs. Yu to the gate of Yu's house before returning to Qiao's Lane.

After seeing off the guests, the Qiao family set up a few more tables at Mrs. Qiao's place. They didn't order meat or wine, only vegetarian wine, fresh fruit, light dishes, etc. Everyone chatted and laughed with Mrs. Qiao, and it was very lively.

"Today is the happiest day I've been in all these years." Mrs. Qiao was trembling with excitement. He raised his glass to drink, but accidentally spilled it on the lapel of his clothes.

"Grandfather, please be happy, you can drink by yourself, you don't need to let your clothes drink with you." Linglong approached, took the wine glass in his hand, and said with a smile.

Everyone was overjoyed, and laughed one after another: "The day of great joy, let the whole world celebrate together, let the clothes have a drink too!"

Amidst the laughter, Song Yong felt itchy in his heart, and asked Qiao Sirou quietly, "Ma'am, I really can't figure out what happened today after much deliberation. His Royal Highness King Zhou usually rarely shows up. Why did you suddenly come to celebrate your birthday today?"

Qiao Sirou gave him a blank look, but ignored him.

Song Yong, at best, is mediocre, at worst, he is dull. In Heqinghou's mansion, who among the others don't know the inside story?He was just dull, just unaware.

Seeing his wife's indifference, Song Yong smiled embarrassingly, and didn't dare to provoke Qiao Sirou again.

"My niece, your birthday peaches are so good that even His Royal Highness Zhou likes them very much." He went to the desk and took a small silver knife to cut a piece of birthday peaches and ate them while talking with Linglong. .

While talking to Linglong, she peeked at Qiao Sirou and observed his wife's expression.

Ever since Qiao Sirou left Heqinghou's mansion in a fit of anger, he was ignored.He also became more confident and guilty in front of Qiao Sirou day by day.

"Has King Zhou been here?" Uncle Yu only knew that King Zhou had been to Qiao's house at this moment, and his brows were furrowed.

Linglong's scalp was numb, she bowed her head and kowtowed melon seeds, but she just kowtowed them and put the clean melon seeds into a small dish for Mrs. Qiao, "Grandfather, eat melon seeds. Eating melon seeds is good." Mrs. Qiao smiled, "My granddaughter You're so good." He praised him, and sure enough he happily ate the melon seeds.

Seeing Uncle Yu's uneasy expression, Mrs. Qiao stretched out her hand to pull him, and pouted towards the hallway.

Uncle Yu understood, and walked out with Qiao Shi under the pretext of washing his hands.

"Eleventh Lang, don't be angry, Long'er has been following me and never left." Qiao said softly.

Uncle Yu's face was sullen, "Tao, when I think of this brat with ulterior motives, I get annoyed."

Qiao naturally followed his words, "So what if he is a prince? We just don't like him."

"A fly is buzzing around a delicate flower, and I can't slap the fly to death. I'm so anxious and angry." Uncle Yu said sullenly.

Qiao Shi comforted him softly, and went back with him.

After Mrs. Qiao and Uncle Yu had gone far away, Mrs. Qiao slowly walked out from behind the railing, his eyes painful and confused.

I thought that Atao and Shishilang were angry, so I followed them out quietly, but I didn't expect to hear this...

King Zhou came to the Qiao family because of Linglong, not because of Siqi, not because Siqi is promising...

"Where's dad?" Mrs. Qiao asked strangely when she didn't see Mrs. Qiao after she went back.

Linglong and Qiao Zhijun quarreled and told her, "The old man is tired of sitting and wants to go out for a walk, and we are not allowed to follow him."

"Old people are very similar to children sometimes." Qiao said with a sweet smile.

Uncle Yu had a bad feeling in his heart, helped Qiao to sit down, and hurriedly said, "A Tao, sit down, I'll go out and see what dad is doing." Qiao smiled lightly, "Okay. But, his old man If you like to wander outside, don't force it." Uncle Yu agreed indiscriminately, turned around and walked out of the house in two or three steps.

When I arrived at the door of the house, I saw Mrs. Qiao walking tremblingly, his face was pale and his eyes were dull. How could there be any sense of joy just now?

Uncle Yu took two quick steps, reached out to support him, and called out in a low voice, "Father-in-law!"

Mrs. Qiao stared at Uncle Yu blankly, and Uncle Yu also looked at him with heartache, his eyes met with unspeakable misery.

"Shishilang, do you know why I betrothed Atao to you back then?" Mrs. Qiao asked softly with an old smile on his face.

Uncle Yu's eyes were sour, and he said in a low voice, "Because... because I won't be an official."

There are of course many reasons why Xu married a daughter.The family background is clean, the talents are outstanding, the love is heavy, and the character is handsome, but no matter how many advantages there are, if they want to pass the imperial examination and become an official, the Qiao family will not marry their daughter.

"A Tao was born different from other children." Mrs. Qiao murmured, "She was born with many disasters. A mad Taoist said that if she wants to keep her safe in her life, she needs to get out of the house. Or let her see no strangers for the rest of her life. But, how could I be willing? Eleven Lang, I married her to you in the hope that she will live in peace. Your family does not work as an official, does not do business, and has little socializing, ah Tao doesn't have to show his face, don't have to dance with long sleeves..."

"Father-in-law." Uncle Yu felt sad and held him tight.

Mrs. Qiao looked up at Uncle Yu, smiled slightly, "Shishi Lang, go and call my son and daughter over, I have something to say to them."

He pushed Uncle Yu away and staggered towards the west wing under the shade of flowers and willows.

"Yes, father-in-law." Uncle Yu watched him walk away blankly, and then agreed in a low voice.

Uncle Yu went back and called Qiao Siqi, Qiao Sirou, and Qiao Sitao to the West Wing.

Linglong, Qiao Zhijun and the others felt strange, but seeing Uncle Yu's serious face, they didn't dare to ask.

In the West Wing, Mrs. Qiao looked at Qiao Siqi, Qiao Sirou, Qiao Sitao, Uncle Yu and the others with a smile, and suddenly her throat felt sweet, and she spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Father!" Qiao Siqi was shocked, and stepped forward to hug him with a look of panic.

"Father!" Qiao Sirou and Qiao Sitao shed tears in shock, while taking out a handkerchief and hurriedly wiping the blood for him, while crying, asking Uncle Yu to call the doctor quickly, "Eleventh Lang, hurry up."

Uncle Yu was about to go out, but Mrs. Qiao raised his hand feebly, "Eleventh Lang, don't go."

He is usually a very kind old man, but now his face is pale and his voice is tired, but he has an unusual majesty. Uncle Yu and others feel sad, but they dare not disobey him.

"Father, what's the matter with you?" Qiao Siqi stretched out his sleeve to wipe the remaining blood from the corner of his mouth for him, and asked choked up.

Old Master Qiao smiled, "Silly boy, is there anyone who can live forever? Dad has passed his 77th birthday this year, isn't he satisfied?"

What he said was plain, Qiao Siqi and others heard it, but there was a huge wave in their hearts, and they were terrified.

"Don't talk nonsense." Qiao blamed, "You look very good, even if you can't live to be 180 years old, you can live to be [-] years old! Father, you must not count your words!"

"That's right, you mustn't count your words." Qiao Sirou, such a strong woman, wiped her tears helplessly at this moment.

Mrs. Qiao looked at the two daughters lovingly, his eyes were full of nostalgia and reluctance, "You can't bear to part with father, and father can't bear to part with you, but people are mortal, and father is not a god, so he can't escape it. 77 years old , the house is full of children and grandchildren, and the father is content, contented."

He talked too much and had already exhausted a lot of energy. He leaned tiredly on the back of the chair and closed his eyes to rest, his face was extremely old.

Qiao Siqi suddenly thought of the words "the end is approaching", and felt great pain in his heart. He knelt down on the ground slowly, buried his head in front of his father's knee, and wept bitterly.

Qiao Sirou and Qiao Sitao also knelt down with their elder brother, looking helpless.

Uncle Yu silently knelt behind his wife and put his arms around her waist.

"Son, after daddy's gone, you can stay with Ding You and stay with daddy in Qiao's Village for three years." Mrs. Qiao breathed a sigh of relief and opened her eyes, "You are just when you are proud, daddy is going at this time, you I want Ding You to hurt you, and my father will feel sorry..."

When the father of an official dies, he must return to his ancestral home to observe filial piety for 27 months. This is called Ding You.

Ding You will definitely leave his post, and it will be three years later when he returns, so it's hard to say what the situation in the court will be like.For an official who is proud of his official career, Ding You is a terrible thing.

"Father, what are you talking about?" Qiao Siqi cried out in grief.

Mrs. Qiao patted him comfortingly, and looked at Qiao Sirou, "Ah Rou, dad always feels sorry for you, he shouldn't have chosen the Song family's marriage for you back then..."

Qiao Sirou burst into tears.

His father is old and lacking in energy. He seems to be completely indifferent to matters outside the home, but he actually knows that his daughter has suffered a lot of grievances when she married into the Heqinghou Mansion...

"What's wrong with this marriage?" Qiao Sirou cried and laughed at the same time, "The Song family is noble, with a high family background and extremely rich. I live in the Song family with rich clothes and fine food, and all my travels are in the capital Lady, what's wrong? Song Yong is not a bad person, although he is confused and irresponsible, he is still very obedient if he is coaxed, Changqing and Changchun are young and promising...Father, I have a good life in the Song family... ..."

Old Mrs. Qiao looked softly, "Arou, you have two good sons, Changqing and Changchun, and you will enjoy the blessings in the future. You have been sensible since you were a child, no matter what you encounter, you will not complain, and you will think of your own way. Arou, Dad loves you You, but, father knows that you will live a good life."

Qiao Sirou nodded with tears in her eyes.

Mrs. Qiao's gaze finally fell on her little daughter, "A Tao, you are different from your older brothers and sisters, you were born different..."

"Well, I was born weak..." Qiao Shi fell on her father's lap, crying very sadly.

Mrs. Qiao caressed her hair, with a dreamy smile on her face, "You and your mother look very similar, but your temperament is half different... She is not as delicate as you... Speaking of temperament, Xiao Linglong is even more similar to her." picture……"

Qiao Shi was sobbing that she almost couldn't breathe, Uncle Yu stretched out his hand to caress her back, his eyes full of pity.

The brilliance in Mrs. Qiao's eyes gradually faded, and it became more and more difficult to speak, "A Tao, are you...will you go back to live with father for three years? Qiao... Qiao's Village is... just two rivers away from Yu's Village... ..."

His request was a bit abrupt.

A son is not the same as a married daughter.It is human nature to require sons to observe three years of filial piety, but it is not customary to require married daughters to also observe three years of filial piety.

Qiao Shi didn't think about anything at all, so she said with tears streaming down her face, "Yes, Atao is with you. Father, Atao is willing to stay with you forever."

Mrs. Qiao took a deep breath and looked at Uncle Yu.

Uncle Yu nodded firmly.

A gratified smile flashed across Mrs. Qiao's face, and she slowly leaned her head back on the back of the chair.

He didn't go there immediately, but lay on the bed in a daze for two days.Qiao Siqi invited several doctors she knew well to see, but none of the doctors would prescribe a prescription.

During these two days, he would occasionally wake up and drink some ginseng soup.

His grandchildren, grandchildren, and grandchildren are all guarding him. He is unconscious most of the time. If he wakes up, any grandchildren in front of him will hold the child's hand and smile lovingly.

He was speechless.

One gloomy afternoon, the drowsy Mrs. Qiao slowly opened his eyes.

Linglong stood by the bed, saw her grandfather opened her eyes, and called out to him happily.

"Grandfather, drink some ginseng soup." Linglong held a small porcelain bowl and wanted to feed him something to drink.

The old man Qiao smiled, and raised his hand with difficulty. Linglong hurriedly put the small porcelain bowl aside, and asked him attentively, "Grandfather, what do you want?"

Grandpa Qiao opened her mouth with great effort, as if she was speaking, Linglong quickly bent down and put her ear to his mouth, "Grandfather, I'm listening, I'm listening."

Mrs. Qiao said two words in a labored and ambiguous way, but Linglong strained her ears and couldn't hear them clearly, "Grandfather, what are you talking about? Forget... worry...?"

Mrs. Joe didn't make another sound.

Linglong suddenly felt a chill on her back, and slowly raised her head.

There was a faint smile on the corner of Old Master Qiao's mouth, and he was no longer breathing.

Qiao Siqi Dingyou returned to his hometown to guard the system, and Uncle Yu and Qiao Shi also brought Linglong back to Yu's Village.

Yu's Village and Qiao's Village are not far away, and Qiao's family can often go back to pay homage to their deceased father.

The old lady Yu was very dissatisfied, "Our family used to live in Yujia Village back then. Ever since Shishilang married Qiao, he moved to the city because Qiao often asked for medical treatment. We have to move back for her!"

Although living in the city is expensive, it is much more convenient than living in the village, and she does not want to move back.However, the eldest son could not live with her, and he could not tolerate it either.

Old Mrs. Yu told her, "Did the Yu family suffer when they moved to the city? When we moved here, we could still afford this house and this garden. Now, can we still afford it?" The old lady Yu took a deep breath, "Moving to the city seems to be the right move now, but Shi Shilang is going to move back to Yujia Village with Qiao and Linglong. We can't see our son or granddaughter for many years. How is it going?" thing?"

"Eleventh Lang loves his wife deeply, and you didn't just find out today." Mrs. Yu said coolly.

Old Madam Yu was so choked by him that she couldn't speak.

To the old lady Yu's relief, her two grandsons, Deng Chang and Yu Yan, still go to Xishan Academy to study as usual. They have four days off a month, two days in the city to accompany their grandparents, and two days back to Yujia Village to visit their parents.

"Finally my grandson still has a conscience." Mrs. Yu was very satisfied with this.

Guan Shi was very dissatisfied.

Men from the Yu family have always been bad at making money, and the Guan family has long since had no one. Since Uncle Yu, Qiao Shi, and Linglong moved back to their hometown, the social circle of Guan Shi, Jing Jia, and Jing Xi has returned to its original state.

Jing Xi can be regarded as capable, and she gets along very well with the Fourth Miss Hu Shaofen and the Fifth Miss Hu Shaolian of the Zhenyuan Houfu. If the two Miss Hu have something good to do, they will never forget Jing Xi.It's a pity that Hu Shaofen and Hu Shaolian have both reached the age of marriage, one married back to the capital, and the other married a slave Gandusi far away, so they can only communicate with Jingxi by letter.

Mrs. Su of the Hou Mansion of He Mansion originally admired Jing Xi very much, but since Linglong left, she seemed to lose her interest all of a sudden, and rarely invited Jing Xi to the banquets of the Marquis Mansion of He Qing.The same is true for Mrs. Wang and Mrs. Chang of Chongshanhou's Mansion. Since Mrs. Qiao's funeral, they have had very little contact with the Yu family.

"With Linglong leaving, there is no one to send invitations to Xiaojia and Xiaoxi." Guan's face was sallow with anxiety.

(End of this chapter)