With the gentle breeze of spring and summer social interaction, Chen Yichen's face soon left only two shallow tears.

He and Zeng Aniu had to go to the Yangtze River to take a boat first, then go down the Yangtze River to Zhenjiang Prefecture and join the Grand Canal in the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal. Then go north along the canal and you can go straight to the capital.

Relatively speaking, in ancient times, it was much more convenient to take this direct water route than to go around by land.

Because it was too early, the Yangtze River was still filled with thick mist, and I could only vaguely see many small boats docked on the pier.

Zeng Aniu pointed to one of them and said, "Brother Chen, did you see that bird's boat? It's the boatman I'm looking for. It has a hard shelter from the wind and rain, a paddle and sail to speed up, so it will definitely not delay the time."

The bird boat is a kind of ancient inland river boat. Its name is based on the meaning of sparrows that are small and complete with all organs. Compared with the common black-sailed boats in water towns in the south of the Yangtze River, the bird boat is slightly larger and more comfortable to ride.

Another more important point is that the bird boat is equipped with sails, which can get rid of the simple human force of shaking the boat, and the speed is much faster than that of the black-sailed boat.

A Niu also knew that Chen Yichen's time to go to Beijing for the exam was urgent, and this was the most suitable civilian boat that could be found in a hurry.

"fine."

Chen Yichen nodded. He didn't have much research on ancient ships, but after Zeng Aniu explained this, it seemed like he was good.

In addition, he also realized that why A Niu changed his name again? This time it was Brother Chen?

"Aniu, I found that you have become quite versatile recently. How did Brother Chen come about? You are obviously older than me."

Hearing Chen Yichen's question, A Niu's face showed a simple smile: "Hehe, my mother said that scholars cannot call him by his name. Mr. Shen, you don't want to call me. After thinking about it, you can only call Brother Chen."

"That's because I can't just call him a name after I have the words. I haven't called the word "table yet."

"Then when will you start the word "?"

"I……"

Suddenly, Chen Yichen felt that Zeng Aniu's name was really not wrong, and he had the illusion that he was playing the piano.

"Forget it, you can call it whatever you want."

No longer cared about these details with A Niu, Chen Yichen continued to move forward, and just as he reached the dock, a carriage roared.

“Well…”

The coachman pulled the reins hard, and as the man chanted and neighed, the carriage stopped in front of Chen Yichen urgently.

Before the carriage could be completely stopped, the curtain on the carriage had been lifted, and several young girls jumped out of the car.

"Qingtong, are you here?"

After seeing who the visitor was clearly, Chen Yichen's tone was very surprised. He never thought that the visitor would be Chen Qingtong.

Compared to Chen Yichen's surprise, Chen Qingtong got off the carriage and grabbed his sleeve firmly, and asked in a more swallowing tone: "Brother Yichen, why don't you tell me why you left? Will you never see you again?"

Hearing this, Chen Yichen couldn't help laughing. What was this little girl thinking about? She just went to the capital to take the exam, making her feel like she was separated from life and death.

Besides, even if you want to inform me, you can't enter the Taining Marquis Mansion.

"How could it be? I'm just going to the capital to take the exam."

Chen Yichen did not say that it was a letter from the Duke. Before the situation was settled, the fewer people knew about it, the better.

"Don't Yingtian also has a Jiangnan Tribunal Academy in the provincial examination? Why did he run so far to the capital?"

"Because I haven't determined whether to take the exam in a row, if I'm not prepared enough, I might go to the Imperial College to study in the Imperial College."

"Brother Yichen, you want to leave and tell me, I thought I wouldn't see you anymore."

Chen Qingtong learned by chance from Li Tingxiu that Chen Yichen was going to the capital.

With Li Tingxiu's personality, she naturally would not say it in detail. In addition, Chen Qingtong was also anxious. When she heard that she went to the capital, she hurried to the dock. She thought Chen Yichen would never return.

"Don't worry, Yingtian is my home, and my mother is still here."

Chen Yichen wanted to smile and pat Chen Qingtong on his head to comfort him, but when he raised his hand halfway, he remembered the defenses between men and women in this era, so he could only let go.

It was confirmed that Chen Yichen was just going to Beijing to take the exam, but Chen Qingtong finally let go of her heart.

At the same time, a young woman behind her stood up, saluted sideways and said, "Young Master Chen, I'm very disturbing when I first met."

"What is this lady?"

Chen Yichen only knew a maid named Xueer about the people around Chen Qingtong, and he didn't know anything else.

"The little girl is Guo Yongxin, the daughter of Cheng'an Hou. She happened to be with her sister Qingtong today. She learned that Mr. Chen was about to travel far away, so she came to see her farewell together."

The daughter of Cheng'an Hou?

Chen Yichen had no impression of Cheng'an Hou. At the time of watching the flowers, the honorary relatives sat in the house, while the ladies of the noble family were separated by gauze. He had never seen Guo Yongxin's appearance.

It seems that this should be Chen Qingtong’s best friend, and he happened to come together.

"Miss Guo, lucky to be."

"Since I met it, there was an item on the little girl who was entrusted by someone, so I handed it over to Mr. Yu Chen."

Let’s talk, Guo Yongxin handed over a brocade box from the maid behind her.

Chen Yichen took the brocade box in confusion, opened it and saw that there was a memorial and a sachet inside.

"Miss Guo, is this?"

"This is entrusted by Liu Wan'er to pass it to Mr. Yu. She is inconvenient to travel now and cannot hand it to the master himself. I hope Mr. Chen will forgive me."

Liu Wan'er?

One is the daughter of Cheng'an Hou, and the other is currently an official prostitute. How did the two of them get connected?

Perhaps seeing Chen Yichen's confusion, Guo Yongxin explained: "The little girl met Wan'er since she was a child. Her father was resigned from the title because of crimes, and all the civil and military officials in the court were avoided. Only Liu Hanlin wrote a memorial and said bluntly that he saved his father from the fire and water."

"The little girl dares to forget this kind of kindness. Now that the Liu family is in trouble, the little girl has limited ability, so she can only do her little power."

Hearing this, Chen Yichen suddenly realized that Cheng Anhou and Liu Qiu had such a story.

But then again, this outspoken way of acting is quite in line with Liu Qiu's personality.

"Okay, then I'll accept it."

Chen Yichen did not refuse. He always remembered that he had made a promise on the night of the Winter Solstice Poetry Festival.

If one day one can really win the world, I will definitely be the leader of justice and return Liu Qiu's innocence!

"Wan'er has indeed read it right. I wish Mr. Chen smooth sailing here."

"Thank you."

Chen Qingtong listened to Chen Yichen and Guo Yongxin's words, and she had already learned about Liu Wan'er's affairs after the flower viewing party that day.

However, the moment Shen Yichen opened the brocade box, Chen Qingtong caught a glimpse of the sachet inside. The sachet that was given to men by an ancient woman was already out of the ordinary category of thanks. It was hard to say that it had no other meaning.

Thinking of this, Chen Qingtong was anxious and didn't know what to send Chen Yichen to commemorate him.

So he simply took off the double-stranded hairpins on his head, then divided them into two, handed half of them to Chen Yichen and said, "Brother Yichen, I'm in a hurry and didn't prepare any farewell gifts. Just keep this hairpin, and seeing the hairpin is like seeing someone."

After saying this, Chen Qingtong's cheeks flushed, and she didn't dare to look directly at Chen Yichen's gaze.

After taking the half of the hairpin, Chen Yichen looked a little surprised, because he was now very well-read and understood what this practice meant in ancient times.

A hairpin is not only a kind of ornament, but also a manifestation of love. When a lover or a couple parted, a woman would divide the hairpin on her head into two, give half to each other, and keep half to her, and meet again in the future.

The "Baochai parted, peach leaves cross, and smoke and willows are dark in Nanpu" in Xin Qiji's poem "Zhu Yingtai near late spring" is a expression of this kind of separation.

In the past, Chen Yichen and Chen Qingtong had a relationship between childhood sweethearts and ignorant ambiguous relationship. Now Chen Qingtong's actions, with the tactfulness of ancient women, undoubtedly directly express their feelings.

"Okay, I'll keep it in my arms and wait for Baochai to join us."

Chen Yichen is not the kind of person who likes to play ambiguous relationship. Since Chen Qingtong has expressed his feelings, he is still indifferent and doesn't look like a man.

Seeing Chen Yichen accepting and saying Baochaihe like that, Chen Qingtong understood that the other party was expressing his feelings.

This kind of favorable feeling of going in both directions made her a little overjoyed, but due to the constraints of etiquette and law, she could not do anything more at this moment.

He could only nod and said affectionately: "Brother Yichen, I'll wait for you to return."

"Um."

Chen Yichen nodded with a smile, then clasped his fists and saluted to the others: "See you guys."

After saying that, he took A Niu to the bird's boat, and disappeared into the fog with the sound of the paddles slapping the water surface.

"Miss, stop looking, Mr. Chen has gone far away."

Seeing Chen Qingtong still reluctantly looking at the direction of the ship leaving, the maid Xueer joked at her.

"Where did I see it? I'm enjoying the river view."

On the other hand, Guo Yongxin also bowed sideways and said, "Sister Qingtong, thank you for today."

"Sister Yongxin, you have to be polite. I am also very angry about Liu Hanlin's affairs. I hope that one day the Liu family will be injustice."

"I hope so, go back."

Guo Yongxin showed a bitter smile on her face. It was more difficult for Liu Qiu to recover from his position than to restore his title at the time.

No minister of honor and relative dared to offend Wang Zhen, and the entire Ming Dynasty, Chen Yichen dared to make a promise with his passion for justice.

But in a sense, the pressure on Chen Yichen was too great, and this was not something he should have to bear.

On the vast river surface, Chen Yichen stood at the bow of the boat, staring at the riverside from afar, holding the half-hairpin in his hand.

I didn't break the window paper, and I didn't feel much in my heart. Once I broke through the boundary between men and women, I would inevitably have more concern.

After looking at the price for half a day, Chen Yichen put his hairpin in his arms and picked up the brocade box that Liu Wan'er asked someone to hand it over to him.

Chen Yichen opened the brocade box and wanted to see the contents on the memorial, but found that the sachet pocket was not tied tightly, revealing one end of the note.

With a curiosity, Chen Yichen took the sachet into his hand and untied the bound red rope. There was indeed a note inside.

But in addition to the notes, Chen Yichen also saw a strand of black hair in the sachet.

Black hair? Emotion?

Seeing this thing, Chen Yichen was stunned. He never expected that he would encounter two feelings within a day.
Chapter completed!