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It was already the depth of winter, and the weather was getting colder, but there were not many waves on the sea. Li Yuanqing and his party had a smooth trip, and arrived at Dagu Port two days later.

Li Yuanqing is now in the garrison position of the Guangning Army. He is considered a mid-level officer of the Ming Dynasty and a person of some status.

Yang Xiaochuan was directly ordered to go to the local government office to register, and the road guide was changed. The group of people did not stop and headed straight for the capital.

It is already the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, and the Chinese New Year is coming soon. There are not many people on the official road. In the villages and towns on the roadside, the people have pasted up new couplets, hung up red lanterns, and there are also small houses of wealthy families.

The children set off fireworks and firecrackers, and the atmosphere of the New Year became more and more intense, which was quite a peaceful and peaceful scene.

Originally, Li Yuanqing wanted to buy some horses or mules at the market. After all, people's pace is limited. The trip to Xuanfu is nearly a thousand miles away, and having livestock can speed up the journey a lot.

Unfortunately, as the New Year approaches, the price of livestock in various markets has increased dramatically. Not to mention horses, mules cost more than a dozen, which is simply staggering.

This year there will be constant natural disasters. Although the people will not be unable to eat, the negative impact brought by Xiao Glacier has become more and more profound. If there is another defeat in Guangning...

Li Yuanqing didn't want to think any more, so he had everyone speed up their pace. They were all young and strong men, and this trip was regarded as military training.

In the evening of New Year's Eve, Li Yuanqing and his party rushed to the capital.

There were nearly twenty people in the team, and no one had ever been to the capital before. At this time, everyone was stunned when they looked at the majestic city walls of the capital.

"Brother, this, is this the capital? It's exactly the same as what I imagined in my dream. No, it's even bigger than in my dream." Shunzi was like Grandma Liu entering the Grand View Garden for the first time, with her mouth wide open.

eyes.

The rest of the people were not much better.

The capital, at the feet of the emperor, is a sacred place for all the people of the Ming Dynasty.

Even Li Yuanqing was filled with thoughts when he looked at the towering city walls of the capital.

This is the Ming Dynasty, the core of the entire Chinese nation.

Such a majestic city, which can be said to be a miracle in the world, how could such a magnificent river and mountains be allowed to fall into the hands of foreign barbarians?

"Haha. This is your first time here, and today is New Year's Eve. Let's go into the city. I'll treat you tonight. I'll have enough food and wine." Li Yuanqing laughed and entered the gate of the capital first.

Everyone behind him couldn't help but be overjoyed and hurriedly filed in.

The few Beijing soldiers guarding the gate couldn't help but sneered as they looked at the backs of Li Yuanqing and his party, "Where did these rustic border troops come from? They still want to go to a big restaurant? Humph. It's not even worth a meal if they are sold."

"Hehe. That's right. Mr. Li, today is New Year's Eve, so we won't be in a bad mood because of a few poor beggars. There will be a changing of the guard soon. Where are we brothers going to eat tonight?"

Although Li Yuanqing and others took more than ten steps, they still heard what they said.

Shunzi couldn't help but became furious and whispered: "Brother, these are bastards. I'm going to teach them a lesson."

But Li Yuanqing grabbed Shunzi and said sternly: "What kind of place is this? Are you allowed to do whatever you want? Come on, let's go to a big restaurant to drink and eat meat."

Even though Shunzi was unhappy, she didn't dare to go against Li Yuanqing's wishes and hurriedly followed Li Yuanqing.

However, they said they were looking for a big restaurant, but the capital city was really too big. Li Yuanqing and his party entered the city through the south gate. As soon as they entered the city for more than a mile, they were completely dazzled.

Even Li Yuanqing, who has hundreds of years of experience, is a little dazzled. The capital is really too prosperous. Today is New Year's Eve, and the streets are crowded with people, making it even more lively.

Everyone was not familiar with the terrain and did not dare to go further in for fear of getting lost, so they found the largest restaurant on the roadside and filed in.

On New Year's Eve, this meal was the New Year's Eve dinner. Even in the capital, Li Yuanqing was not stingy. He ordered all the big fish and meat, more than twenty dishes, and specially ordered the cook to cook two more pig hind legs.

, Shunzi, these great young men, almost ate their tongues into their stomachs, and everyone was very happy.

However, as soon as he paid the bill, Li Yuanqing was a little speechless. This meal actually cost nearly 0 taels of silver. At this price, if it were in Guangning City, he could have such a banquet seven or eight times.

Behind this prosperous New Year, how should ordinary people live?

But because of Li Yuanqing's identity at this time, these issues were definitely not something he could worry about. After eating, the group found a small inn to stay and then fell asleep.

Early in the morning on the first day of the second year of Tianqi, Li Yuanqing and his party left the capital and headed northwest to Xuanfu Town.

After leaving the capital, heading northwest, the topography has undergone some changes.

But the most striking thing is the farmland on both sides of the official road.

From Dagukou to the capital, there is abundant water. Even if the weather is bad, the crops in the farmland are growing well. But after passing the capital and reaching Huailai, there is a huge difference between heaven and earth.

The farmland was covered with thick snow. Li Yuanqing went to several farmlands on the roadside to check. The wheat seedlings in many fields had just grown and were probably not even high enough. Even though he did not know much about agriculture,

Compared with the land south of the capital, Li Yuanqing could guess that this year's harvest here would not be much better.

On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, Li Yuanqing and his party finally arrived in Zhangjiakou.

At this time, Zhangjiakou was far from comparable in scale to that of later generations. It was a town very close to the Acropolis of Xuanfu. Because of its strategic location, it was valued by Shanxi merchants and gradually developed over the years.

At this time, Zhang Yunniang and Liu Chunhua temporarily lived here.

Although there was no way to contact Zhang Yunniang and the others, Zhangjiakou was not big, so after asking Yang Xiaochuan to inquire for a while, Li Yuanqing found the door.

Although Yang Xiaochuan has small arms and legs and is quite thin and does not look like a soldier, he is smart and familiar with people, so he is the most suitable person to do such mundane tasks.

This is a small house with two entrances. There are fresh couplets posted on the door. Shunzi knocked on the door for a while, and soon, a familiar little figure came out and opened the door, "Who is it?"

When she saw Li Yuanqing, she couldn't help but cover her little mouth. After a moment, she hurriedly ran into the house and said, "Madam, Madam, it's me, it's me who's back."

Looking at Xiao He's delicate figure, Li Yuanqing couldn't help but smile, "Little girl, slow down. Don't fall."

We haven't seen each other for a few days, maybe because she has eaten well during these days, this little girl's figure seems to be a lot rounder, more open, and more and more lithe.

After a while, Zhang Yunniang, Liu Chunhua, Yatou, Xiaohe, and Xiaolian came out together.

"elder brother-----"

Zhang Yunniang screamed hard, and tears could not stop rolling in her eyes. If she had not taken the occasion and identity into account, she would have thrown herself into Li Yuanqing's arms immediately.

Li Yuanqing strode forward, smiled and held Zhang Yunniang's little hand, "Yunniang, thank you for your hard work these days."

All Zhang Yunniang's longings were instantly released at this moment. After a moment, she wiped away her tears and suddenly whispered to Li Yuanqing: "Brother, you go sit in the room first and let Sister-in-law Chunhua arrange these brothers. Let's

There are still guests here.”

"Guest?" Li Yuanqing couldn't help but raise his eyebrows, his expression already showing a bit of displeasure.

This small house is full of his female relatives. Who would come here during the Chinese New Year?

But after a moment, a familiar figure, Shi Shiran, walked out of the house. She said softly, "Is Master Li back? The slave family is causing trouble."

Looking at her familiar pretty face, Li Yuanqing's expression instantly relaxed, revealing an indescribable relaxed and joyful smile, "Madam, you are here too. It's cold outside, go and sit in the back room."

It turned out to be a young lady from the Qu family.

How smart is the Miss Qu family? Naturally, she understood the indescribable eagerness in Li Yuanqing's eyes. Her pretty face turned red and she said to the maid Ou'er next to her: "Ou'er, help me to the house."

"Yes." Ou'er helped Miss Qu's family to the back room, and Li Yuanqing and Zhang Yuniang also walked in.

Zhang Yunniang personally made hot tea for Li Yuanqing, and they exchanged pleasantries, and the unfamiliarity of parting gradually disappeared.

Miss Qu's family smiled and said: "Some time ago, I heard that Master Li followed Mao Junmen to capture Zhenjiang City, which was really exciting. But then, the Tatars counterattacked Zhenjiang, and there was no news about Mao Junmen or Master Li.

, Sister Yunniang is really worried. Mr. Li, can you tell me what happened these days?"

Zhang Yunniang also pricked up her ears.

Li Yuanqing couldn't help but smile, "Madam, Yun Niang, this matter is a long story."

With that said, Li Yuanqing recounted what happened after the Zhenjiang Guard Battle to the two of them. Of course, it was only a very summary process and all the details were ignored.

Miss Qu couldn't help but frown when she heard this. She thought for a long time and then said: "Mao Junmen is indeed far-sighted and a man of great skill is bold. By retreating to the islands in the Liaohai Sea, it seems that he has lost the initiative in the Liaodong lands, but Jianjian

If you are not good at water warfare, as long as given time, Mao's army will surely make a comeback."

Li Yuanqing couldn't help but be a little impressed by the young lady from the Qu family. He didn't expect that this little girl was not only good at business, but also had a vision far beyond ordinary people in the military field.

But after thinking about it carefully, Li Yuanqing felt relieved. Even if the young lady of the Qu family was a concubine, she was still of the Qu family's blood. With the energy of the Qu family, how could the education level of the children in the family be bad?

This was also the biggest and most fatal key point between the common people and the gentry and nobles in the feudal era.

The gentry and nobles often have the best rights to receive education, while ordinary people have many restrictions if they want to learn knowledge.

Losing the equal right to education will widen the gap between the two classes and never be bridged.

The few of them chatted for a while, and the young lady from the Qu family hesitated and wanted to leave.

At this time, Zhang Yunniang said hurriedly: "Sister Minqiu, Yunniang couldn't help you before, but now my brother is back. He must have a way to help you. Shall we tell him what happened?"

Miss Qu's pretty face couldn't help but blush, "What? Sister Yun Niang, this is my sister's family matter. Master Li, although Master Li is capable, how can he help the slave family..."

How can the simple Zhang Yuniang be a match for Miss Qu's family? She said hurriedly: "Brother, that's it. The eldest son of the Qu's family is Sister Minqiu's eldest brother, and he wants Sister Minqiu to remarry."

"Remarry?" Li Yuanqing said, his eyes narrowed slightly and he looked at Miss Qu's family.

Miss Qu's pretty face turned even redder. She was a widowed person, so how could she say such words?

Originally, the acquaintance with Zhang Yuniang was, on the one hand, to keep in touch with Li Yuanqing and to leave a line. On the other hand, as the acquaintance time increased, Miss Qu's family also fell in love with the simple Zhang Yuniang and regarded her as her

My own sisters.

Today, her elder brother sent people to bother her again. As a last resort, she had to come to Zhang Yunniang's place to take refuge. Unexpectedly, Li Yuanqing came back at this time.

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Chapter completed!