The engineer had just put breakfast on the table and was weighing the porridge and water to drink when shopkeeper Chen hurriedly opened the door and came in.
"Brother Zi'ang, morning!" Shopkeeper Chen hugged his fist.
This made Master Cheng dumbfounded. He quickly put down his job and returned the favor before laughing and saying, "A god came to my door today?! What are you doing? You all came to block my door one by one."
Shopkeeper Chen didn't care to be polite to Master Cheng and asked directly, "Brother Zi'ang, did Xiangmaozi come here just now?"
Master Engineer nodded, "I've been here and asked for leave for her and her brother. They said they won't come to school if they have something to do these two days."
Shopkeeper Chen thought for a moment, "Then do you think there's anything wrong with her?"
Because shopkeeper Chen asked seriously, Master Cheng thought about it for a moment and realized that there was something wrong with this thought.
Xiangmaozi, a little girl, has always respected her teachers very much. Even if she was in a hurry to ask for leave, she would still peek through the crack in the door. Moreover, her expression today seemed to be a bit forced to smile.
Engineer hesitated for a moment before saying, "When you said that, I felt that this child seemed a little sad today, more like something happened to his family. But he didn't say anything just now."
Shopkeeper Chen asked again, "Then did she say where she was going?"
Master Cheng said, "She said she was going to Fucheng."
Fucheng? !
Is there anything important going on in Fucheng these two days, or are there any relatives of the Xiangmaozi family walking around there?
Shopkeeper Chen quickly ruled out the latter. In the past two months, Mrs. Xin has been helping shopkeeper Chen with part-time workers to support her family. As a group of people have become familiar with each other, it is inevitable that the family's shortcomings will be brought up and talked about.
Mrs. Xin thanked Shopkeeper Chen more than once, and also said that she had no relatives in the city. If it weren't for Shopkeeper Chen's help and shelter, the whole family would not know what to do.
Therefore, shopkeeper Chen knew very clearly that Xiangmaozi's family had no relatives in Fucheng.
So what are they doing in Fucheng as a family?
These days, there is only one major event in Fucheng - the Ascension Order.
For example, even an ignorant woman like Mrs. Xiang Song knew the origin of the Immortal Order. A person like Shopkeeper Chen, who was well-informed, naturally knew early on that starting from June 15th in Fucheng, immortals would preside over the Immortal Order Ceremony. , three days in total.
Thinking back to the time when Xiangmaozi had a destiny to save Huangshi Town, shopkeeper Chen felt that he had caught something.
Shopkeeper Chen has no children and only guards a Sixian Tower. In addition, his ancestors warned him to keep the Shengxian Order secret, so he has no idea about the Shengxian Order.
If Xiangmao Zi has this destiny and wants to take this path, although he is not optimistic about it, he will not be jealous or obstructive.
However, shopkeeper Chen didn't understand why Xiangmaozi looked sad at farewell.
That little appearance forced a smile, but it looked like he had never seen him again.
Shopkeeper Chen still felt something was wrong, so he said goodbye to Master Cheng and planned to visit Xiangmaozi's house.
Xiang Maozi's family lived in the guard house at the end of the town.
Shopkeeper Chen pushed the door open and entered the courtyard, and saw that both doors were locked.
It looks like a family planning to travel far away.
The yard has been neatly tidied, and the walls have been newly repaired and carefully painted with chalk soil. It looks brand new, with an aura of grandeur and high-spirited living.
There are two rooms, one large and one small, and the large doors and windows are all closed properly.
Only the upper window of the smaller room was pushed open, and there were two small black footprints on the window sill.
Shopkeeper Chen's eyes were slightly focused, just staring at the small black footprints, half as big as small, thin shoe prints. Who else could it be besides Lemongrass?
He looked at the two locked doors again.
Shopkeeper Chen walked quickly to the hut, peered through the crack in the door and looked inside.
A small bed, neatly made up. A set of brand new summer shirts were neatly folded and placed on the pillow. Shopkeeper Chen recognized that this was Mrs. Xin's handiwork because she didn't have big scissors when cutting clothes, so she still used the tabletop of Sixianlou. He asked Mrs. Song what the borrowed clothes looked like and the scissors. It was said that I was making summer clothes for my two children.
At that time, everyone praised her for being good to her children. This happened just two days ago, and shopkeeper Chen still remembers it.
Turning his eyes again, he saw several large white steamed buns, a jar of water, and a large bowl of pickled vegetables on the table. There is a small chamber pot under the table.
Seeing this, the experienced shopkeeper Chen still didn't understand anything. This is a family that took away the fairy fate of lemongrass and gave it to her little brother to try.
Speaking of which, this kind of thing is commonplace and not unusual.
Shopkeeper Chen has lived to this age and has seen and heard a lot. Because of the immortal fate, it is not uncommon for fathers and sons to fight each other, and brothers to fight against each other.
Wanting to understand the cause and effect, shopkeeper Chen naturally understood the unwillingness and determination under Xiangmaozi's smile.
He slapped his thigh: What a silly girl.
He hurried back to Sixian Building, without saying anything else, he took two fifty-two silver ingots from the cabinet, told Chunyu, and then drove out of town.
Shopkeeper Chen's idea is very simple. Xin Dalang's family is quite conscientious. They just stole Xiangmaozi's fairy fate and locked her in a small room with food and water. It was obvious that they didn't want to harm her name.
But she rushed after him so recklessly that there was no further argument.
Even if Xin Dalang's family didn't have any evil intentions, there was no guarantee that the people watching around would have any thoughts. Their family doesn't have much foundation, so it's possible for them to be taken advantage of by someone.
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The sun has already risen three poles now.
Shopkeeper Chen drove the carriage all the way.
Finally, on the road leading to Fucheng after leaving the town, I saw a thin figure walking away with his head lowered and his hands empty.
Seeing that he had caught up with Lemongrass, shopkeeper Chen let go of his worries and slowed down in a state of laughter and laughter.
Xu followed her for a short distance.
When Xiangmaozi heard the sound of a carriage behind him, he didn't look back. He just leaned closer to the roadside, obviously to make room for someone to pass the car.
Shopkeeper Chen drove the carriage slowly and greeted, "Little girl, where are you going? How about I give you a ride on the way?"
Xiangmaozi thought he had encountered a bad guy, but he was thinking about where to run. The result sounded familiar later on, and she turned around in surprise, "Shopkeeper! Why is it you?"
Shopkeeper Chen chuckled, "Fortunately, it's me. If it were a bad guy, I would lift you into the car and you would still be dreaming, and you would be sold."
Xiangmaozi shook his head, "I'm so black and have no meat, who would kidnap me?"
The shopkeeper obviously saw her stiffening just now and looking around. She was obviously frightened, but she was still speaking arrogantly at this moment.
Shopkeeper Chen didn't argue with her. He just tapped the right side of the carriage with his whip and said, "Come up here and give you a ride."
Xiangmaozi was overjoyed and quickly climbed onto the carriage smoothly and sat firmly. Then I remembered to ask, "Shopkeeper, where are you planning to go this early in the morning?"
Shopkeeper Chen replied in a deep voice, "Fucheng."
Xiangmaozi cheered happily, "Oh, what a coincidence, I'm going to Fucheng too! Now we can go together. So what are you doing in Fucheng?"
Shopkeeper Chen squinted at her and said, "Go to Fucheng to watch the excitement. In two days there will be the Immortal Ascension Conference. This kind of excitement cannot be matched in hundreds of years."
After hearing what Shopkeeper Chen said, Xiang Maozi's anxious expression suddenly dimmed, her shoulders drooped, and her neck drooped.
Shopkeeper Chen didn't let her go. He asked, "Xiangmaozi, you are rushing to Fucheng alone so early in the morning. What are you doing?"
Xiangmaozi said dullly, "I, I, I also came to watch the fun."
Shopkeeper Chen sneered, "What excitement are you watching at such a young age that you don't need to learn anymore?"
Xiangmaozi lowered his head for a while and then said, "As you said, this is a lively event that only happens once in hundreds of years. It's worth asking for leave to see it."
Hearing that she was still arguing, Shopkeeper Chen snorted, "What a pity. If you hadn't met me, with your broken arms and thin legs, you would only be able to catch up at dawn."
Lemongrass has nothing to say about this. She pouted and said nothing.
The two of them drove on the road in silence for a while, with the only sound of horse hooves tapping on the road under the shade of trees.
It took a long time for Xiangmaozi to say, "Shopkeeper, I lied to you."
Shopkeeper Chen just responded, "Oh?!"
Xiangmaozi said, "Actually, I didn't go to Fucheng to watch the excitement."
The shopkeeper said in his heart, I know you are not willing to make a big fuss.
But he didn't expect Xiangmaozi to say something that surprised him again, "I went to Fucheng to find a job."
The shopkeeper looked at Xiangmaozi in surprise, "Just you?"
Xiangmaozi thought for a while and said, "I also know that there are not many people as good as you, the shopkeeper, in this world. But I am different now. I already know thousands of words, and I can recite children's voices. I can recite the Chronicles of the Continent and the first three books of Yinzhou's biographies; I also learned the abacus from you, how to greet guests from Brother Chunyu, how to kill and dissect fish from Sister Song, and how to carve up fish from Chef Wang. How to knead dough, how to bake pancakes..."
Xiangmaozi muttered a lot, to the effect that she now knew a lot of skills and how capable she was.
"Although I am small and dark, I am very strong. I can now carry two full buckets of water. I thought, since I can do so many things, I will always find something to do in Fucheng."
Shopkeeper Chen felt a little sad when he heard her muttered calculations. People say that children from poor families become masters early, but in fact, there are many children from poor families who don't know how to do things.
People who are as capable and smart as Xiangmaozi are probably because they have been trained a lot.
Thinking of this, Shopkeeper Chen softened his voice, "Wouldn't it be better for you to live with your parents? At such a young age, I live in Fucheng, a place where people eat people without spitting out their bones. Lemongrass, listen to your uncle Chen. , the more people and wealth there is, the less likely it is that cannibalism will be seen as scum."
Xiangmaozi firmly remembered shopkeeper Chen's teachings.
She has always believed that Shopkeeper Chen is the most knowledgeable and powerful person among all the people she knows so far, so she always remembers Shopkeeper Chen's words.
After thinking about it, Xiangmaozi confessed to Shopkeeper Chen, "The shopkeeper, my mother, is actually not my biological mother."
Shopkeeper Chen raised his eyebrows. This was the first time he heard about it.
Outside, Mrs. Xin did not mention that Xiangmaozi was not her biological child. Instead, she made a lot of noise about how good she was to Xiangmaozi. She was always cursing and beating Xiang Mao Zi in the place where she was carrying people. Occasionally someone saw her, and everyone thought it was a mother scolding her child. It must be because the child was naughty and disobedient. So no one has ever doubted this.
Shopkeeper Chen is experienced in the world. When Xiangmaozi said this, all the last doubts in his mind disappeared, "Then Xin Mao is your stepmother's biological child?"
Lemongrass nodded.
The shopkeeper advised her, "I know you must have a huge grievance. I won't talk nonsense about being open-minded. But to be honest, after all, that family has raised you so much, and you have suffered so much outside. , more than at home."
Xiangmaozi shook his head vigorously, "That family, I am really redundant. They took away an extremely precious thing from me, and I don't intend to take it anymore. I just regard it as repaying the kindness of raising me for so many years. But that family, I can't stay any longer. I know it will be harder outside, but..."
Xiang Maozi did not continue. She was silent for a long time before wiping her face. "Isn't it said that if you move trees, you will die, but if you move people, they will live. I have to go out and try."
Lemongrass has a stubborn temper, and once she decides something, it is difficult to change it.
The shopkeeper is slowly trying to persuade him to make peace.
So he asked again, "Why do you want to go to Fucheng to visit first?"
Xiangmaozi said, "I just want to see what the so-called Road to Immortality looks like?"
Shopkeeper Chen's eyes showed a look of pity, "My child, have you ever thought that if you don't have the Ascension Order, you might not even be able to get close?"
Xiangmaozi was startled for a moment, and then said after a long time, "That's right. It doesn't matter, I'll give up after just one look."
Shopkeeper Chen has completely understood Xiangmaozi's thoughts. This girl is saying goodbye to the past in this way. He also felt this way when he was expelled from his family and came to Huangshi Town.
So shopkeeper Chen can understand the little lemongrass.
Looking at this thin and tough female doll, he seemed to see his young self wandering around with his luggage on his back.
"Drive!" Shopkeeper Chen flicked his whip hard, and the carriage started running quickly.
Just let me take you on this journey. No matter what, when the thoughts in a person's heart are completed, the heart will no longer be anxious and can move forward calmly.
Chen Zhangui urged the carriage to rumble forward.
This walk is a whole day's journey.
At noon, shopkeeper Chen found a familiar old shop and had a bowl of noodles.
Lemongrass has not had a sip of water since morning. Seeing such a big bowl of snow-white Yangchun noodles, she ate without raising her head and even drank the bottom of the bowl!
Shopkeeper Chen rested in the old store for a long time, mainly to let Ma Haosheng rest. Lemongrass was able to curl up on the bench and sleep for a while.
In the afternoon, the carriage rumbled forward again.
When we were approaching Fucheng, there were suddenly more people. We could no longer run on the road, and we could only move slowly because of the congestion. Along the way, more and more people came to watch the excitement, and there were also people who came to participate in the selection, and there were also people who carried the burden of doing business...
Lemongrass turned around like a rattle to watch the excitement.
She had never seen so many people in her life.
The road is congested and the journey is slow.
Moving step by step, by the time it was night, we were still about five or six miles away from Fucheng, but it was already completely dark.
So everyone lit lanterns or raised torches one after another.
Shopkeeper Chen also dug out a lantern from under the seat in the carriage, lit it and hung it on the carriage.
From a distance, it looks like a radiant river, directly connected to a distance beyond the reach of the eye. It's the same as receiving it in the Tianhe.
Somehow, Xiangmaozi remembered a passage that her husband had asked her to recite: The light is overflowing, just like the falling Milky Way. Holding a lamp and lighting a candle connects the moon, palace, and stars.
At this time, it was already June 15th, and a big, round full moon hung in the sky, lighting up half of the sky, as if it was daytime at noon!