C39

Just as his mind was wandering, the door opened and the tall Uncle Biao stood out. Seeing that it was the Xiaowan, his slightly nervous eyebrows softened as he said: "Silly child, what are you standing here for?"

When the Aunt Zhang heard the commotion, he did not get angry, but laughed: "Evening, what did you hear?"

Xiaowan quickly waved her hand, but she quickly lost her courage and said, "I did hear a bit, Aunt … Where are you going? I don't want you to go. "

"I'm not going anywhere." Aunt Zhang rubbed her head, "Even if it's for your sake, Aunt won't leave."

Uncle Biao walked quietly to the kitchen. Aunt Zhang looked at his man, then asked Xiaowan: "Have you eaten lunch well, Sir?"

The Xiaowan nodded her head: "They are all full. Only the Lord Tang can't sit still and doesn't taste good. He seems to be especially afraid of those two."

The Aunt Zhang laughed, and finally revealed her indifference to all kinds of weird things, and said to the Xiaowan: "We'll just serve him then."

Her husband might have white hair, but he had an extremely extraordinary aura. He was not like the other men in the village who at his age, had become bad old men, and was even more spirited than the Lord Tang.

"Dinner will be ready soon. Ladies and gentlemen, would you like to wash up or eat first?" Aunt Zhang watched silently from the side. She only saw the Madam give a gentle smile and replied, "Wash your face first."

Xiaowan and Ershan hurriedly went to carry out their bath tools, while Lord Tang did not need them to do so. After repeatedly saying that they would take care of those two, a pot of hot water was delivered to them and only after closing the door and treating them to guests did they heave a sigh of relief.

She wanted to ask the guests to remember to lock the door, but Lord Tang was guarding the stairs like a door god, she did not need to worry at all, and even pointed at Xiaowan, indicating that she could go down, so the Xiaowan quickly ran away.

Ling Chaofeng changed into his regular clothes and looked at Xiaowan who was busy moving around, but before they could speak properly today, he dragged them to the foot of the stairs and said: "Don't be busy, take your time, you are just like a headless fly who is moving around, it makes one's heart flustered."

In the beginning she did not know how to treat guests, while Ling Chaofeng always scolded her head and face, she could only tremble, but now it was different, even when Ling Chaofeng's tone was not strong, the Xiaowan still dared to talk back, and said unwillingly: "I have been busy for an entire day, you can walk around outside."

Seeing that her husband had slightly raised her face, Xiaowan was even more unafraid. "I didn't do anything wrong, why are you being so fierce towards me?"

Ling Chaofeng had already thought that if he let this little thing's guts out, he would not be able to take it back in the future. However, he had never planned for night to be afraid of him, it was just a joke, so he took advantage of no one to secretly kiss his, "I haven't seen you for a long time, I missed you."

The Xiaowan was at a loss for words. With a red face, she said, "Your esteemed guest is here, stop messing around. "Moreover …" Her expression suddenly turned serious, "The guests this time won't be easy to deal with. I want to protect my aunt."

Ling Chaofeng frowned slightly. It seemed that Xiaowan knew something.

But in reality, there were no conflicts, nor was there any trouble. The two of them went downstairs after washing up. Their appetite was in high spirits and the aroma of the dishes on the table was alluring. Unfortunately, before he could even touch the chopsticks, he saw the Lord Tang holding silver needles stabbing and stabbing into the food, causing the Madam to say angrily: "Are you even letting me eat?"

Lord Tang was sweating profusely. "Madam, please have a meal."

After serving dinner, the guests all went back to their own rooms to rest. Xiaowan gave them tea and went to the back door to wash the dishes.

"Tonight, that soft and sticky thing is really delicious. Uncle Biao put quite a bit more in my bowl." Xiaowan wanted to find some topic to break the silence, "Aunt, what is that thing?"

"Horseshoe tendons." Aunt Zhang replied indifferently, "If you like it, I'll make it for you another day."

Xiaowan pursed her lips and asked softly: "Aunt, did you come here twelve years ago?"

Aunt Zhang nodded her head: "Old Madem, it was your mother-in-law who saved us, Ershan was only six years old then. Normally, when he said six years old, she would be able to explain the family's identity clearly, but when he asked, he did not know, so Old Madem searched for a long time but still could not find his family. After greeting the yamen, she left him in the shop."

Xiaowan said in a soft voice, "Aunt, if we go further in, you and Uncle Biao are …"

However, a gentle voice suddenly came from the back door as he smiled and said, "So you were here."

They turned around at the same time, only to see a lady, even more noble than the Lord Tang, leisurely walking over. She wasn't wearing a particularly gorgeous dress, it was just something ordinary people would wear, and even so, he had a noble aura about his, this kind of temperament seemed to be born in his bones.

"Madam, what do you want?" Xiaowan stood up to receive him.

"It's nothing. I can't sleep right now, so I want to chat with someone." "You guys are washing the dishes. I'll help."

"No, no." Xiaowan stopped her, "Madam, if you wash the dishes, I will die of anxiety."

Everyone knew that he was nervous. Xiaowan's words made the lady laugh, but she turned towards the Aunt Zhang and said: "I thought that Xiaowan was your daughter at the beginning, she was so beautiful, so cute, and so likeable."

Aunt Zhang stood up and coldly sneered: "How could I have such good fortune like you, I have both children."

Xiaowan felt that the atmosphere was getting better and better, the two of you are truly going through the past, her presence here was probably too much of an eyesore, her heart was thumping hard, and she said: "Aunt, I will take the clean bowl in first."

The lady stepped aside and smiled: "Xiaowan, I will give you a job, help me block the Lord Tang, don't ask him to follow me, okay?"

Xiaowan nodded her head vigorously: "Madam, I understand, I definitely won't let him come."

Watching young lady run away, Aunt Zhang was worried and reminded him, "Later, go slowly, you better be careful not to fall."

"You love her." "However, this kind of child will hurt anyone who sees him."

The Aunt Zhang sat down to continue washing the dishes, and the clanging of the porcelain was heard. She said: "Before, no one had pain, her mother died early, and was abused at home by her stepmother. If you had seen more than a month earlier, all you would have seen would be a pitiful worm whose voice would tremble. "

"He's been reborn just a month ago." The Madam sat at the seat of the Xiaowan, next to him she said, "It's been twenty years since we last met, and you have changed completely. If you weren't so beautiful, I'm afraid I wouldn't have recognized you."

The lanterns illuminated the area, making it so that everyone could clearly see each other's faces.

At a similar age, the Madam's skin was exquisite, there were barely any wrinkles on her body, and the Aunt Zhang had already caught wind and frost. She was dressed in simple clothes, with a flowered kerchief tied around her head and an apron tied around her waist. Her hands were red from soaking in the cold water of the well.

She rolled up her sleeves and put her hand in the water. The cold feeling made her smile and said, "Before I married the Emperor, I worked for Grandmother at home. There were not many people at home, and eating was simple as well. Naturally, I didn't wash so many bowls and chopsticks."

Aunt Zhang's expression was cold. "Is he the emperor or the emperor now? Should I call you empress or empress?"

Inside the store, Lord Tang had indeed come to chase after the empress, and Xiaowan had obstructed his way, but how could Lord Tang be willing to agree? In the end, Ling Chaofeng still came out, and finally managed to persuade him.

The Xiaowan moved a chair to sit at the back door. No one was allowed to disturb the two of you right now, but how could she know that the man who was resting on the second floor was the grand Emperor of Daqi Nation, and the person who was chatting with the Aunt Zhang outside was the legendary Queen Qiu.

At that time, the Qi Nation was still the State of Zhao, and at the time, the current emperor Xiang Ye was still just a city guarding the borders. The people of Zhao did not have a peaceful life, and for the sake of the common people's survival, she led her troops to create a rebellion, annihilating the Zhao Dynasty, changing the name of the nation's Daqi, and changing the year's number.

For the past three years, Emperor Tianjing had lived a peaceful life in the inner city and expanded the territory abroad, allowing the Daqi to be rid of the sickly state of the State of Zhao and become a tyrant of the Central Plains. In the past two years, the Emperor had led the Empire, and the news of his victorious return had spread throughout the entire continent before the marriage of the Xiaowan. However, not long after the marriage of the Xiaowan, the Emperor had announced his abdication.

An emperor who abdicated the throne when he was still alive was a rare sight in history, and even rarer was his empress.

Even Xiaowan, a countryside girl, knew of the legend of the legendary Empress Qiu. The daughter of a sinner, however, had the ability to make the Emperor disperse the entire six palaces for her. The women in the village often fantasized about what kind of Heavenly Immortal Goddess their esteemed empress was. They couldn't imagine a man willingly abandoning women who could rightfully claim their lives and remaining alone for the rest of his life.

Beside the well by the back door, two beautiful women were calmly conversing. Empress Qiu said, "Although the Liang Empire was destroyed, the emperor retained his imperial family and conferred the title of vassal. If you want to return, he can arrange it for you."

Aunt Zhang lowered her head to wash the dishes and said disdainfully, "Are you going back to be a prisoner? You came here specifically to humiliate me? "

Empress Qiu continued, "After you disappeared from the place you were placed under house arrest, the emperor did look for you for a while, but later on he decided to follow you wherever you went. Whether you live or die, it is your own choice. We have already destroyed your first half life, we cannot ruin your second half. Meeting each other like this today is the greatest surprise of this trip. "

Aunt Zhang raised her eyes and looked at her, laughing desolately: "Do I still have half a shadow of the past in me? Even if I return to the Liang Empire, will anyone still be able to recognize me? It's been more than twenty years, and all my angles have been worn away. I don't even remember now, that I was once the princess of the Liang Kingdom, that I was once his imperial concubine. "

Queen Qiu smiled and said, "He's already white-haired and an old man. Do you still love him?"

The Aunt Zhang scoffed, "Why don't you ask me if I really loved him back then? But when I was doing odd jobs here, and the Manager Ling entertained court officials from time to time, I had thought that I would probably be recognized one day or perhaps I would even meet you guys. I didn't expect that you guys would really come. "

At this moment, the Xiaowan would never have thought that there was such a noble and complicated identity behind the person who treated her like her own mother's aunt and looked at her as if she were no different from an ordinary woman.

The Aunt Zhang's surname was not Zhang, but Zhang, and was known as Da Biao. He was one of the guards that was in charge of watching over the crippled Imperial Consort Liang. There was no need to describe the desolation and helplessness, but because of his gentleness and kindness, he had actually developed feelings for the Liang clan. Finally, on a dark and windy night, he brought her away from the place where they were placed under house arrest.

That year, as if it was Susu and the Auntie Chen, they hid around for a while and one day, they realized that no one was chasing after them. However, many years later, they were still in different places until they met Ling Chaofeng's mother in the Baisha Town.

Twenty years ago, the State of Liang was still an ally of the Daqi. Aunt Zhang was an unfavoured concubine sent to reconcile with her and supervise the internal affairs of the Daqi.

The Emperor wanted to get rid of this spy, so he joined forces with the Empress to force her to go crazy from jealousy, causing chaos in the palace and even endangering the life of the Prince. In this way, not only would he be able to put pressure on Liang Guo, he would also have a way to make her disappear.

At that time, the Aunt Zhang thought that she had been defeated by the empress and was out of the door, infatuated with her love for the emperor and her desire to change her fate, struggling at a place under house arrest.

But before long, she was tired and despairing. She finally understood that her relationship with the Emperor was just a fleeting dream. She was only a sacrifice in the politics of the country, a discarded chess piece.

However, the Aunt Zhang didn't think that it was worth it. This impressive empress was someone who couldn't tolerate any woman snatching men from her. From the moment she became the empress, everything was destined to happen.

Naturally, all of these were things of the past, the Aunt Zhang disdained to bring it up, and would not care about it anymore.

After following Uncle Biao, although he had suffered a lot in the open, a man never complained, and did his best to let her live a good life. He even learned how to cook, and knew that she was once born into a rich family, his fingers never touched the Yang Spring Water, and did not want her to worry about food and drinks.

After a series of fates, they finally settled at the Ling Xiao Inn and Aunt Zhang became a normal woman who could take charge of her family and live her life.

At this moment, Empress Qiu was washing the dishes in her hands as she smiled, "You must have experienced a lot in the past few years. Actually, I'm rather envious of you. After he agreed to abdicate, he brought me to travel around the world, but in the end he decided to wait for the new ruler to ascend the throne. He promised to not leave until next spring, but I couldn't wait any longer.

Aunt Zhang said: "In the past few years, Lord Tang comes over every year for the Double Sun Festival. Ling Chaofeng has some connections with the officials of the capital, but we do not ask about the things inside, and only work to entertain the guests. Although I do not have the qualifications to say it to you, but, it would be best if we did not meet again in this life, and you all should know your limits as well. The Baisha Town is peaceful and quiet, and you all should not cause any big ruckus because of you all, and cause me trouble, and also harm the citizens of this place. "

Queen Qiu smiled. "Since we know you're here, we'll never come back. But this inn is really mystical. I just feel that fate has its limits."

Aunt Zhang's expression had finally calmed down, and she laughed: "You actually dare to eat the food we make, aren't you afraid that I'll poison you to death?"

Queen Qiu smiled. "You haven't seen Lord Tang, so you've been stabbing us with silver needles for a long time. To be honest, we really want to travel around the world. It's not that easy. We'll do as we want."

After the dishes were washed, Aunt Zhang quickly picked up the wooden basin. Queen Qiu shook the water off her hands and wiped it on her skirt.

When the two of them came back, they saw Xiaowan holding onto a bench and blocking the back door. Her back was taut and she was doing her best to guard the door.

Aunt Zhang and Empress said, "This child is very likeable, right? Back then, we could not protect ourselves and did not dare to give birth to children to suffer with us. When I saw her, I just liked her, like I was my own daughter. "

Empress Qiu said, "This is fate. I like her too." He continued, "We will leave the day after tomorrow. The palace is waiting for the new Queen of the Sovereign's Selection, if there's anything, we can go to the capital to look for the Lord Tang. Anything will do, as long as you say it."

Aunt Zhang snorted and laughed: "I'm already in trouble, why aren't you looking forward to me? In this life, don't ever meet me again, I still hate you to the bones."

But when he finished speaking, he raised his smiling face and said to the young lady that was blocking his way: "Evening, we are done with the shower."

Xiaowan turned around and moved the bench away. She received the wooden basin and quickly headed to the kitchen.

Aunt Zhang and Empress Qiu walked into the hall. They saw the emperor standing with his hands behind his back. Aunt Zhang bowed slightly towards him. In her eyes, he was no longer the handsome man, he was old, and even though he looked a hundred times stronger than his peers, he was still old.

Xiaowan put down the tableware and returned. Seeing that the Madam had gone upstairs, he hugged her and smiled: "Evening, let's go take a bath."

"Yes." Xiaowan followed her aunt and left, but she couldn't help but turn back to look at the second floor. The old master had picked up his wife, and the two of them were talking and laughing.

This was how Hubby doted on her. Uncle Biao viewed his wife in this way too.

After washing up, the fragrant people quietly went back to the third floor. Ling Chaofeng had just finished calculating the accounts and seeing that she had returned, he asked: "Are you all resting downstairs?"

"They're all asleep, the store is closed." Xiaowan came over to help pack up the ink, and muttered, "Aunt is fine, I can rest easy, but she was unwilling to tell me what happened. She told me not to ask, she won't leave, and will stay with us for the rest of her life. "Husband, although I'm rather happy, I seem to be confused again."

She came closer to Ling Chaofeng and asked: "Do you know who the customer downstairs is? Do they have enmity with my aunt? "

Ling Chaofeng shook his head: "I don't know, it's late, I shouldn't have asked, I'm the same as you."

Xiaowan puffed up her cheeks. "Alright." However, she quickly comforted herself, "It's okay, I didn't know before, but it's also good. The most important thing is that we are together and happy."