Chapter 1106 Farewell to Sheng Mansion, Marquis Zhongjing Returns
Under Zhou Chen's guidance, Xiao Minglan made great progress, but because she was too young and had limited strength, her throwing was not very accurate.
On the contrary, Hualan, who had been following Zhou Chen, made great progress after learning the techniques taught by Zhou Chen, and her shots became more and more accurate, which made her very happy.
Women in this era mature relatively early, and Hua Lan has been taught as a lady since she was a child. But after all, she is only twelve years old. In later generations, she is still a child, so she naturally has the nature of a child.
Although she had only been with Zhou Chen for a few days, Hua Lan had a good impression of this third brother. No matter what he said or did, he always took care of her. He also told her a lot about Tokyo, and even I can tell a lot of very nice stories.
Hua Lan has been raised in a boudoir. She has never met such a young man who needs good looks, good knowledge, and a good temper. As time goes by, there will naturally be a tendency for young people to admire her.
Minglan returned to her residence and saw her mother working as a female celebrity, and ran over happily.
"Auntie."
"I'm home."
Wei Xiaoniang touched her daughter's little head with a loving look on her face.
Minglan looked happy: "Mom, I just threw pot with my third brother. Third brother is so good and his throws are very accurate. He also taught me how to throw."
"Third brother?"
Wei Xiaoniang's expression was startled, and she immediately understood that Minglan was not talking about Sheng Changfeng, but the third young master of the Tokyo Marquis Mansion who came to Sheng Mansion to stay temporarily a few days ago.
"Ming'er, third brother is a noble man. Don't bother others if you have nothing to do in the future. Do you understand?"
"Why, the third brother is a very nice person. He also taught me how to throw pot and gave me cakes to eat. It's really nice. I like him very much."
Wei Xiaoniang gently stroked Xiao Minglan's forehead: "Because we and him..."
She wanted to say that the identity gap between them and Zhou Chen was too big, but looking at her daughter's shining eyes, she still couldn't bear to say it.
"It's okay. If you like, you can play with him, but don't bother him."
"Okay, Aniang, I understand."
Xiao Minglan laughed happily. She was still a child with a simple mind. She just felt that the third brother was very good to her. She liked to play hut with the third brother.
In the next few days, Zhou Chen would take some time to teach Minglan how to throw a pot every day. Little Minglan was really cute with pink and jade carvings.
After staying in Sheng Mansion for almost ten days, it was the end of October. Zhou Chen promised his mother to go back before the end of the year. Although it was still far away from Yuan Day, he was not prepared to stay any longer. After all, Sheng Mansion was not his home. He had stayed long enough.
Zhou Chen explained his intention to leave, and Mrs. Sheng was very reluctant to leave, but she also knew that Zhou Chen could not stay forever, so she controlled her emotions.
After leaving here, the old lady, Sheng Hong and Mrs. Wang all came out in person to say goodbye to Zhou Chen.
During this period, apart from Mrs. Sheng, Sheng Hualan and Sheng Minglan spent the most time with Zhou Chen. Naturally, they also came to see Zhou Chen off.
Sheng Hualan, in particular, had a look of reluctance on her face and her eyes were a little red.
Ten days of getting along with her left a deep impression on Sheng Hualan, and she was really reluctant to leave him suddenly.
Minglan's idea was much simpler. With her third brother gone, there would be no one to play hut with her in the future.
Zhou Chen didn't feel too sad because he had long been used to separation, not to mention he knew there would be opportunities to meet again in the future.
"Grandma, I will still come to see you when I have time in the future. When my uncle is transferred to Tokyo, we can see you anytime we want."
Mrs. Sheng grabbed Zhou Chen's hands and patted them hard: "Good boy, be careful on the way back. Remember to give your mother the things I brought you."
"I see."
Zhou Chen said goodbye to Sheng Hong and Mrs. Wang, then said goodbye to Hua Lan and Minglan, then boarded the carriage and left slowly.
Sheng Hong looked at Zhou Chen with a smile on his face. He had only met Zhou Chen a few times in the past few days, but there was no emotion at all. When they parted, they were naturally free and easy.
But what Zhou Chen just said made him very happy. Zhou Chen said that he could be transferred to Tokyo as an official. This was the goal he had been striving for.
After Zhou Chen left, Sheng Mansion, which had been bustling for a few days, slowly returned to calm.
At night, Sheng Hong went to Lin Qige again. Although Wang Ruofu was very angry, her eldest daughter Hualan was with her tonight, so she was in a much better mood.
Seeing that his eldest daughter was not in good spirits, Wang Ruofu asked with a smile: "Are you still thinking about Brother Chen?"
Hua Lan's face turned red: "It's nothing, mother, don't talk nonsense."
"You are my daughter, the flesh that fell from my body. I don't know about others, how can I not know about you? Even from my mother's point of view, Brother Chen from Marquis Zhongjing's Mansion is really an outstanding child."
Wang Ruofu was telling the truth. She really thought Zhou Chen was very good, and she really wanted Hua Lan to have such a husband.
But Sheng Hong wouldn't let her take care of it, so there was nothing she could do.
Hua Lan nodded and said, "Brother Zhou Zhou is indeed very good. Even my grandmother likes him very much and says he will have a bright future."
"Did the old lady say that too? Did she say anything else?"
"Grandma said a lot, and my daughter can see that grandma really likes the third brother."
She grew up next to the old lady and knew very well what kind of person the old lady was. This was the first time that she saw her grandmother liking a younger boy so much. Even her younger brother Changbai, her grandmother did not do this.
"Old lady, she, alas."
Wang Ruofu wanted to say something, but looked at her daughter and finally didn't say it. She was afraid that if she said it, it would make her daughter more uncomfortable.
If anyone in the Sheng family was happiest when Zhou Chen left, it must be Lin Sushuang, because during the days when Zhou Chen was here, Sheng Hong spent the night at Wang Ruofu's place. As soon as Zhou Chen left, Sheng Hong went to her How could she be unhappy there and want to set off firecrackers?
After sitting on the boat, Zhou Chen took out what Sheng Minglan gave him. It was a pair of kneepads, which were similar to the ones given to Gu Tingye in the TV series. Without even thinking about it, he knew that they were made by Miss Wei. Looking at the embroidery on them, you could tell that they were made with care. of.
The old lady also gave him a lot of things, some of which were valuable, but he didn't want them. But the old lady gave them to him, so he had no choice but to accept them.
Although they had only been together for ten days, he could feel that the old lady really treated him well and regarded him as a relative.
Thinking about it, this grandmother is really pitiful. In fact, no one in the huge Sheng family is related to her by blood, and her natal family, who is related by blood, has not contacted her for many years.
Zhou Chen was the first 'mother's family' she had met in so many years, and her mood was incomprehensible to ordinary people.
Sheng Hualan also prepared a gift for Zhou Chen, which was a precious calligraphy and painting.
Before leaving, he also went to see Li Xueguo and said goodbye in person.
This trip to Yangzhou can be considered a worthwhile trip.
The journey was uneventful when we arrived, but when we returned, something unexpected happened.
On the third day on the waterway, their ship encountered water bandits.
"Sir, there are water bandits."
The ten guards Zhou Chen brought out this time were all skilled in martial arts, so they did not panic when they encountered the water bandits. On the contrary, Shui Quan, who had been following Zhou Chen, was slightly panicked.
Zhou Chen was very calm when he heard that there were water bandits. As long as there were not hundreds or even thousands of water bandits, he was not particularly afraid.
"how many people."
"I can't see clearly. There are probably around twenty or thirty."
The guard commander Wang Heng reported that he was once a personal soldier of Zhongjing Hou Zhou Yexiong. He was very skilled in martial arts and had been on the battlefield, so he looked calm when facing water bandits.
Zhou Chen nodded and asked, "Are there any archers?"
"I haven't noticed yet, but they have already approached. Master, do you want to take action directly?"
"killed."
Zhou Chen didn't hesitate at all. He didn't care whether these water bandits were forced to become thieves or for some other reason. If they dared to attack his ship, there was no need to discuss it.
"yes."
Wang Heng immediately accepted the order and left. Zhou Chen did not intend to sit in the cabin and wait, but took the long sword he had worn before and walked out.
"Sir, you can't go out, it's too dangerous outside." Shui Quan chased after him eagerly.
"Shui Quan, you don't have to come out."
"No, sir..."
Zhou Chen ignored him and walked straight out, walked to the board of the ship, and then saw a dilapidated ship very close at hand. He could clearly see water bandits holding weapons standing on the ship.
"kill!"
This group of water bandits were more decisive than Zhou Chen and others. They didn't say a word of nonsense at all, and they came up with murderous intent.
In addition to Zhou Chen's bodyguards, all the boatmen who were wearing the suit also took up arms. Although they were all running boats, they were also closely related to the Cao Gang, and they all knew that it was useless to beg for mercy when encountering water bandits. Only by taking up arms and resisting can you have a chance to survive.
There were nearly twenty people on the boat, plus Zhou Chen's guards, and the difference in number was not too big.
"kill!"
When the two sides come into contact, it is a killing move.
Zhou Chen watched the fighting on the boat, holding a sharp sword. When he saw someone in danger, he immediately stepped forward to provide support.
Although he has not yet developed his internal strength in this world, he has reached an extremely high level in terms of physical fitness and martial arts moves.
Now that he has a weapon, even one person can kill all these water bandits, let alone so many of his subordinates.
Before even a stick of incense had time, these water bandits were already killed.
He obviously came to rob money, but unexpectedly he was killed instead.
Zhou Chen called Wang Heng over: "Tell the boatman that all the property on the water bandits' boat belongs to them. Once this place is cleaned up, we can set off quickly."
Wang Heng replied with great respect: "Yes, Young Master."
Zhou Chen had seen the decisive and skillful killing just now. He had been in the Hou Mansion for many years, and this was the first time he had seen the Third Young Master with such ability.
Warriors like them admire people who are stronger than them the most, and Zhou Chen, the Third Young Master, is like a strong man with high martial arts skills.
Although he was attacked by water bandits, it only delayed Zhou Chen for half a day.
After walking on the waterway, we took a carriage again, and after several days, we finally returned to Bianjing City.
Returning to the Zhongjing Marquis Mansion, Zhou Chen took a bath and changed clothes, and then went to his mother Zhou Xu's house to say hello. He also had dinner with Zhou Xu.
During dinner, Zhou Chen briefly told what happened in Yangzhou.
After hearing this, Mrs. Zhou Xu was very surprised: "Aunt? I did meet her several times when I was young. At that time, my aunt was a celebrity among the noble girls in Tokyo. She was heroic and heroic, and she was not inferior to men. However, she later fell out with the Marquis Mansion. Yes, I heard your grandfather mention it several times before, but I didn’t expect that she is actually in Yangzhou."
It all happened decades ago. If Zhou Chen hadn't mentioned it, she wouldn't have suddenly thought of her aunt whom she hadn't seen for many years.
"Mom, although my grandma is the grandma of the Sheng family, I can see that she still misses her relatives very much. However, she also has a stubborn temper and has never been willing to contact the Yongyi Hou Mansion."
"Alas, your grandfather and the others are gone now. I had no contact with my aunt before, and I will never contact you again."
Mrs. Zhou Xu sighed, feeling sad for the aunt she had not seen for many years.
Zhou Chen said: "I estimate that Uncle Sheng is very likely to go to Tokyo as an official in the future, and then my mother can go and meet her old man."
Zhou Xu said: "I hope there will be such a day."
Before dinner was finished, Zhou Tong came with his wife Cui. At the same time, Zhou Chen also learned the good news that his sister-in-law Cui was pregnant.
After returning to Tokyo, Zhou Chen was asked by Zhou Tong not to go out at will, and to concentrate on reading and reviewing at home to prepare for the Spring Examination in a few months.
Zhou Chen had already visited Bianjing before, so he calmed down and reviewed at home.
He is not that eager for spring next year. There should be no problem with the top three, but the ranking is hard to say. As for the top three, number one, second and third overall, he doesn't have high expectations.
This thing is just like the college entrance examination. Even if you are given a chance to be reborn, the possibility of becoming the top scorer in the college entrance examination is very slim.
Seeing that the first day of the lunar month was approaching, which was the Spring Festival, a big event suddenly happened in the Hou Mansion. Zhou Yexiong, the Marquis of Zhongjing who was guarding the border, came back. However, he was not sent back by the court, but returned injured.
Zhou Chen saw Zhou Yexiong, the father of this world, actually on the bed.
According to what Zhou Yexiong's soldiers said, Zhou Yexiong was very unlucky when he was fighting with the Xixia Army at the border. He was shot by a stray arrow and injured his abdomen.
When he saw it, the wound on his abdomen had been bandaged, and Zhou Yexiong's condition seemed to be okay.
Yuan Day was approaching, and as a result, something like this happened. Naturally, most of the celebrations in the Zhongjing Hou Mansion were reduced, and everyone in the Hou Mansion did not dare to celebrate any more.
The night Zhou Yexiong came back, he called Zhou Tong over, and the next day, he called Zhou Chen over.
This was also the first time Zhou Chen met Zhou Yexiong alone.
"I heard from Dalang that you are very good. You passed the exam to understand the Yuan Dynasty and contributed to the success of our Hou family. As a father, I am very happy."
Zhou Yexiong's name sounds very majestic, but in fact he is not a rough guy, he is not tall, and his appearance is not fierce. His skin is darker, but his eyes look fierce and intimidating.
This is a fierce and tough man. This is the impression Zhou Yexiong gave Zhou Chen.