151-160

Chapter 151

Even if Gu Lin did not have the title of scholar, the county magistrate would not pursue such a trivial matter as whether he knelt down to him or not.

The days when he fled from the town were the most uncomfortable days in his life. He had to use the sky as a blanket and the ground as a mat, eat poorly and sleep poorly, and he had to worry about the refugee army that appeared out of nowhere. The county magistrate could not sleep all night.

When the refugee army appeared just now, the county magistrate's heart sank. His whole life flashed through his mind, and he was completely limp.

Who would have thought that Gu Lin would appear with his men in a sudden turn of events.

"Come here, come here, no need to be polite." The county magistrate patted the seat next to him affectionately and asked Gu Lin to come over.

Gu Lin did not go over, but just said: "Sir, the refugee army has been completely wiped out by the officers and soldiers from the imperial court. Anyuan Town is out of danger. You can go back to Anyuan Town to take charge of the situation."

"Imperial officers and soldiers?" The county magistrate did not react for a while. When they fled into the mountains, they did not see any imperial officers and soldiers. Anyuan Town could only use three or four hundred people from three guards. He was mentally prepared for Anyuan Town to be occupied by the refugee army and for him to go north to the capital.

Gu Lin continued, "It was the commander-in-chief from Kyoto, who led the troops from the provincial capital to pursue the refugee army. Our subordinates followed the order issued by Inspector Lu to notify all villages and towns that the imperial officers and soldiers were going to wipe out the refugee army, and to search more places in the mountains to find the people in the town."

Gu Lin mentioned several times that the imperial officers and soldiers were going to wipe out the refugee army. The county magistrate was not stupid. He noticed something and said to Gu Lin, "Come with me."

"The rest of you wait here. Don't come closer without my order."

"Yes." The county servants who were brought with him said in unison, and those yamen runners who retreated with him also obeyed his orders.

The county magistrate took Gu Lin to a deserted place near the foot of the mountain and asked, "What happened? When did the imperial soldiers come?"

Gu Lin answered honestly, "Three days ago, my subordinates and others returned to the town after suppressing the refugee army. In the afternoon, the commander-in-chief arrived with his men."

"So he came to pick fruit!" If the county magistrate didn't understand, he would have served in office for nothing all these years. It was clearly this commander-in-chief who came to steal the credit and took the credit of the three guards in Anyuan Town.

"Do you remember his name?" the county magistrate asked.

Gu Lin said, "Song, Bing."

The county magistrate showed a trace of surprise on his face, and then he said, "I didn't expect it to be him."

"On the second day after the commander-in-chief came, he called the only person who could take charge, Lu Xunjian, and ordered us to come to the village to inform the news and send the task. On the second day, he left Anyuan Town and returned to Beijing to report." Gu Lin stood beside the county magistrate and told him everything that happened that day and the next day. During the period, he also mentioned that the commander-in-chief asked the county magistrate where he was, and Lu Xunjian said that the county magistrate led the people to retreat together.

Whether he retreated with the people, and what happened before, Gu Lin didn't say a word. The county

magistrate looked at Gu Lin with satisfaction. When he was forced to stay, he thought that this kid was inflexible and annoying, but now he liked him more and more.

He instantly thought that Anyuan Town had not had any unrest so far, and so many refugee troops had been wiped out. What an important opportunity it was for him.

If he worked hard, he would leave Anyuan Town and be promoted to other wealthy places.

As for Song Bing.

The county magistrate sneered. This was just right. The Song family and their family had been mortal enemies for decades. As long as he wrote the report, the relatives in Kyoto would naturally help him.

The most important thing now was to return to the county government as soon as possible to take charge of the overall situation and let everyone know that he, the county magistrate, was still there and had done

so many things. An irrepressible smile appeared on the sallow face of the county magistrate. He looked at Gu Lin lovingly: "We will set off for Anyuan Town immediately. Don't worry, even if Song Bing is the commander-in-chief, there are many people watching him."

"Sir, since we met you here, there should be other people around. I will send a few people to send you and these people back, and I will continue the search with the rest of the people."

The county magistrate frowned slightly. He had witnessed Gu Lin's archery and martial arts. He cared about his life very much and naturally wanted to bring Gu Lin with him. If he met the refugee army again, he would not have to worry.

But after thinking about it, he sighed: "Go, it's a good thing to find more people. Life outside is really not a good life for human beings, not even one ten-thousandth of it in the town."

"Yes." Gu Lin was pulled by the county magistrate to talk for a while, and then turned back to find Wang Qin, Huang Yuwen, and Zhang Tie.

The news that the refugee army had been completely wiped out quickly spread among the more than 200 people. Everyone couldn't help laughing loudly and immediately packed up and prepared to follow the county magistrate back to the town.

That was their home, where they had lived for many years and their hometown that they couldn't give up. If they hadn't really had no choice, they wouldn't have left it.

Now that they can go back, no one is unhappy.

As soon as Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen came down, they looked for their parents in the crowd. The Wang family and the Huang family were among the richest families in the town. Even if they fled in a hurry, there should be a lot of people, and the probability of following the county magistrate is very high.

After all, they have dealt with the county magistrate a lot, at least they are acquaintances.

Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen looked at everyone eagerly, trying to find a familiar face in them, but there was no one.

The two of them eagerly pulled over people who looked like their family members, and then repeatedly said sorry, I recognized the wrong person.

Suddenly, just when Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen were about to look at all these people, a voice called them: "Qin'er! Qin'er, is it really you?! And Yuwen!"

Wang Qin, who had looked at many faces and pulled many people's shoulders, heard the voice from the side and trembled all over. He looked at the place where the voice came from, and tears flowed down: "Mom..."

Wang Qin ran over quickly and threw himself on his haggard mother: "Mom, I am worried about you to death. I think about you every day."

Mrs. Wang is a bright woman with an oval face. She gave birth to two sons and three daughters. Wang Qin is her youngest son and has been spoiled since he was a child.

Since the drought, her heart has almost fallen on Wang Qin, who is far away in the capital. She also thought that a big place like the capital should not have any problems, so she reported good news but not bad news in the letter to Wang Qin, asking him to stay in the capital and hoping that he will be fine there. But

she was still worried in her heart, and it was almost a disease.

She hugged Wang Qin tightly: "Why are you here? Didn't mother tell you and Yuwen to stay in the city and not come back in the letter?"

Wang Qin didn't want to talk about what he encountered when he came out of the city at this moment. He just hugged Mrs. Wang tightly.

Mr. Wang, Wang's brother and sister-in-law, and the two unmarried daughters who were with Mrs. Wang all looked at Wang Qin and were very happy.

Huang Yuwen had already seen his parents and sister.

The Huang family had few descendants. In his generation, he was the only boy with two older sisters and five younger sisters. What

Huang Yuwen heard most since he was a child was that he was the pillar of the Huang family. He had to stand up and support his sisters and sisters, so that they would not be bullied by their in-laws.

So Huang Yuwen was pressed on a stool to listen to the teacher reading at the age of three, and was taken to Master Xu to learn to read at the age of six.

Fortunately, he was smart and passed the exam from a student to a scholar. Although he was not as good as the evil Gu Lin, his father and mother were satisfied.

What they hoped was that he could pass the exam and become a seventh-rank official, so that the Huang family could change their status.

Huang Yuwen's mother was the granddaughter of a poor fifth-rank Tongzhi. She had learned some poetry and books since she was a child. She was gentle and dignified, and her round face looked a bit like Huang Yuwen.

Seeing Huang Yuwen appear in front of her, Huang's mother thought that she missed her son too much and had hallucinations. She turned around and asked her husband: "I seem to see Yuwen again, it's really..."

"Mother," Huang Yuwen, who had not acted like a spoiled child in front of her since he went to study with Master Xu, hugged her and rubbed his face on her shoulder, "Mother, it's Yuwen, Yuwen is back."

Huang Yuwen has always been soft and cute, with a round face and fair skin. In the past few years, he went to the capital city to study and only came back once or twice a year. In Mrs. Huang's eyes, he was like a small bamboo in spring, changing every year. In the blink of an eye, the child who was only up to his chest was taller than her.

Huang's mother suddenly cried and patted his back gently: "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back. Mother regrets asking you to go to such a far place as the prefectural city. It doesn't matter if my son lives a mediocre life, as long as he is safe."

...

Gu Lin went to Zhang Tie and asked Zhang Tie to take four people to escort the county magistrate and the two hundred people back. He took the rest of the people to continue searching around.

Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen, who had already reminisced with their families, had red eyes and noses. They walked up to Gu Lin: "Gu Lin, the two of us will go with you."

Gu Lin looked at their parents over there and said: "You and your uncle and aunt go back to the town, and I will take the rest of the people."

Wang Qin put his arm around Gu Lin's shoulders: "It's a beginning and an end. Yuwen and I came out with you just to search for people from the town in the mountains. Although we are very happy to find our parents, how can we leave before the work is done?"

"Don't you think so, Yuwen?"

"Yeah." Huang Yuwen blinked his big eyes, as obedient as a rabbit.

If the meat is raised back, it will be more like it.

Huang Yuwen said, "Wang Qin and I have already talked to them, and they also think this is a good idea."

Seeing the two of them like this, Gu Lin nodded, "Okay, wait until Zhang Tie and his men leave, and then we'll leave."

More than two hundred people is not a lot, but the refugees all brought large and small bags. Originally, they planned to rest here for a while, and put down their things. Some people even spread out their pots and pans, preparing to start a fire and cook. It would take some time to pack up.

But now they can go back to the town, and everyone is happily packing up their things, a happy scene.

Chapter 152

Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen's parents were relieved to learn that they would not go back with them and would follow Gu Lin to search for the people in the mountains.

The children had grown up and knew how to do things.

Before leaving, the two families took some dry food to Gu Lin, Wang Qin, Huang Yuwen, and the people of the tenth small flag. The Wang family and the Huang family were the most prosperous families in the town. Although they suffered from drought, they did not have no food at all. Their lives were hard, but much better than those of ordinary people.

As soon as they left, Gu Lin took Wang Qin, Huang Yuwen, and the remaining people of the tenth small flag to search the surrounding area.

When everyone escaped, they followed their familiar neighbors on the road. There were seven or eight hundred people, and at least two or three hundred people. This saved Gu Lin and his team a lot of time, and they found three or four thousand people in two days.

According to the description of these people in the town, there was no one else if they went deeper.

So Gu Lin took Wang Qin, Huang Yuwen, the people of the tenth small period, and the last group of people in the town who were found back together. Knowing that they could return home, the people were overjoyed.

They were also familiar with Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen, and kept asking about the annihilation of the refugee army.

Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen pointed at Gu Lin and said, "He was the one who personally participated in the annihilation of the refugee army. We two don't know. If you want to know what happened, you might as well ask him."

The people looked at the huge broadsword and bow and arrow on Gu Lin's back, and then looked at his solemn expression, and looked away. Forget it, this guy doesn't look easy to mess with.

Three days later, Gu Lin returned to the town with this group of people. At this time, Anyuan Town was no longer as dead silent as the day they left. The people who were found by them and by the people of other small flags returned to their homes.

The sounds of adults doing things, the sounds of children running, and the men and women carrying baskets to the hills and rivers to dig grass roots, old and young, seemed to have lifted up the city all of a sudden, surging with vitality.

The people like Gu Lin slowly shed tears and wiped their eyes.

During the days they fled to the mountains, they thought about Anyuan Town all the time. Returning here was something they had dreamed of countless times.

"Thank you, Captain Gu and the soldiers of the 10th Small Flag. We are going home."

"When there is a chance, we will invite Captain Gu and the soldiers to drink!"

"..."

On the way back from the mountains, these people had already learned about what happened in the past few days from Zhang Tie and others of the 10th Small Flag, and also knew about Gu Lin's ability.

Not only were they grateful to Gu Lin and others, but also to the people of other small flags.

Looking at the people who waved and talked to them, Gu Lin saluted with his fists and left with Wang Qin, Huang Yuwen and others of the 10th Small Flag.

Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen missed their parents at home, and said to Gu Lin at the next intersection: "Let's go back and reunite with our parents first, and then come to you to reminisce in two days."

After that, the two couldn't wait to run home.

Gu Lin took the people of the 10th Small Flag to the county government to report to Inspector Lu.

As soon as he entered the county government office, the old housekeeper who hadn't seen the county magistrate for a few days saw him and looked happier than seeing his own grandson: "Gu Xiucai is finally back, the lord has been waiting for you, come with me."

"The lord is looking for me?"

"Yes, I have been waiting for you for two days," the old housekeeper suddenly became very talkative, "After we separated from you that day, it took us a day to get out of the mountains. In the past two days, more and more people have returned to the town, and the lord knew that you must have found other people in the mountains."

"How is it, it's going well."

"Thanks to the lord, everything is fine."

"That's good, that's good, but with you here, there will be no accidents." The old housekeeper walked a step behind Gu Lin, showed him the way, and took him to the lobby in the backyard of the county government office.

This is where the county magistrate lives, which is completely different from the place where he goes to court to do business. Behind it, the women of the county magistrate's family live.

The county magistrate, who was wearing a scholar's robe and whose complexion had not yet recovered, was looking at something. He looked up and saw Gu Lin, who came with the old housekeeper, and waved to him: "Gu Lin is back, come on, come and see how this report is written?"

Next to him stood the county magistrate's legal advisor, the county magistrate, and the chief clerk. The three of them followed him to the deep mountains behind Anyuan Town and came back together.

Gu Lin had a good memory and remembered clearly that the legal advisor deliberately led Lin Zhen into a trap and favored Cai Jinzhu in the court. When he saw the legal advisor, he raised his eyebrows.

When the chief clerk heard the name Gu Lin, he also remembered some old things. Many years ago, in a student examination, the legal advisor Wan Cai, who had always been at odds with him, suddenly came to him to find a test paper of a student named Gu Lin.

At that time, because I didn't want Wancai's family to have another student, I put Gu Lin's paper in the discarded pile of failed papers. But I don't know why the county magistrate had an impression of that student and asked about it when he didn't see Gu Lin's paper in the papers that passed the initial review.

As a result, I had to look up Gu Lin's paper again and was criticized by the county magistrate.

I didn't expect that the little boy that day would become the biggest contributor to the suppression of the refugee army. Just hearing those things from the mouths of the people of the tenth flag, you can imagine how exciting it was.

With such a merit reported, this boy named Gu Lin might have to take the position of an inspector.

The chief clerk was choked in his heart. How could such a good talent be Wancai's relative!

God is really blind.

And Master Wancai has been feeling uneasy since he knew that Gu Lin was the son of the owner of Zhenyouwei Snack Restaurant in the town, who he had accepted money from Cai Jinzhu and wanted to kill but failed.

Seeing Gu Lin at this moment, he took two steps back slightly, praying that Gu Lin would not notice him.

Gu Lin's eyes swept over him and took the report from Xie Ling's hand. He saw that the report described the disaster that Anyuan Town had suffered during the drought. Although the people's fields were not completely harvested, only one in ten survived. There were also thieves who took the opportunity to cause chaos and harassed the villagers everywhere. Fortunately,

the inspectors of the three guards kept running around day and night, and they suppressed the bad signs and kept Anyuan Town generally peaceful.

Then, the two thousand refugee soldiers invaded, and the soldiers of the three guards fought against the enemy. As the county magistrate of Anyuan Town, he led the people to retreat under the repeated persuasion of the three inspectors...

It must be said that the county magistrate is worthy of being a scholar who passed the imperial examination. His writing is fluent and his words are simple. He wrote about the three inspectors persuading him to lead the people to retreat in a touching way. At the same time, he also wrote about the battle between the four hundred soldiers of Anyuan Town and the two thousand refugee soldiers in a way that made people feel heartbroken.

Gu Lin also saw his own name in it. Although it was just a simple sentence, "Gu Lin, a student from Anyuan Town, offered advice to the inspector of Lu..." But for a small person like Gu Lin, the county magistrate had already treated him particularly well.

Otherwise, if such a credit was attributed to the county magistrate himself, no one would dare to object.

In the final analysis, Gu Lin was just a scholar, and the county magistrate was an official. How could his arm twist his thigh?

Gu Lin handed the report back to the county magistrate: "I dare not make any irresponsible comments on your report."

"I don't know how brave you are, but you dared to stop me and put your official uniform on me. Now I dare not make any irresponsible comments." The county magistrate looked as if he didn't think he didn't know your true face. He smiled and sat back in his chair with the report.

The expression on Gu Lin's face did not change: "I was offended that day. Your Excellency did not remember my offense. It shows that you are broad-minded."

"No more, no more. I will just pretend that you didn't do what happened that day." At this moment, the county magistrate looked at the report in his hand, and he was so grateful to Gu Lin and Inspector Lu that he couldn't wait.

If they hadn't stopped him and he had listened to the advice of Gu Lin and Inspector Lu, Anyuan Town would have been occupied by the refugee army. Even if he had saved his life, his career as an official would have ended there, and he might even be punished by his superiors.

It would not be like now, maybe he could even get a promotion with this merit.

The county magistrate looked at Gu Lin and said, "When I found your test paper that day, I didn't expect you to have such a talent. Have you been studying all these years?"

When he talked about what happened that year, the county magistrate thought of the chief clerk who almost lost Gu Lin's test paper, and felt that he, the chief clerk, was unreliable. If he hadn't asked a question at that time, Gu Lin's talent would have been buried.

The chief clerk had something on his mind, and a layer of cold sweat broke out on his back. When the county magistrate looked at him, he stood up with weak legs and said, "I was blind and lost Gu Xiucai's test paper. I apologize to Gu Xiucai and Master Wan."

The county magistrate was not surprised that Gu Lin apologized, but how could Wan Cai be involved?

These two people have been at odds for a long time. The county magistrate knew everything in his heart, but he just wanted to suppress them and didn't want to care.

But what does Wan Cai have to do with this?

Gu Lin raised his eyebrows and looked at Wan Cai.

Wan Cai's heart skipped a beat and he scolded the chief clerk to death. He didn't succeed at that time, and by mistake, the chief clerk took the blame for him.

If Gu Lin hadn't suddenly appeared as the leader of the tenth flag and won the favor of the county magistrate, he would have forgotten about it.

The chief clerk thought that the county magistrate had already asked Wan Cai about the matter in the past two days, and was anxious to let the county magistrate give him a chance to reform, so he hurriedly said: "I was a villain back then. When I heard the master asking about Gu Xiucai's test paper, I was distracted and put Gu Xiucai's test paper aside and put it in the pile of test papers that failed the initial examination. I hereby apologize to Gu Xiucai."

Gu Lin looked at the chief clerk: "Master, did you ask about my test paper?"

"Yes, I think you are also concerned about Gu Xiucai, and you can't help but want to know whether Gu Xiucai has passed the initial examination as soon as possible."

"Why does the master care about me?"

"?" The chief clerk looked at Gu Lin with a puzzled look, "Aren't Gu Xiucai and the master a relative?"

Chapter 153

"I have never had a relative like you, Master."

The Chief Clerk was struck by lightning. His mind suddenly flashed back to the scene when Wan Cai came to him after the Tongsheng Examination.

He kept talking about the Tongsheng Examination papers, and he turned to Gu Lin's papers with a clear purpose, so he thought Gu Lin was his relative at that time and wanted to help Gu Lin through the backdoor.

But now it seems that many things are unreasonable. For example, he had seen Gu Lin's papers, and they were the best answers among the papers he had seen. Later, the county magistrate also gave him the first place in the Tongsheng Examination.

With such a good result, Wan Cai didn't need to take the risk of being suspected by himself to get the papers.

Moreover, the two have worked together for many years. Even if he doesn't know 100% of Wan Cai's personality, he still knows 70% of it. If the old man had such a promising junior, he would have dragged him to show off in front of him. The Chief Clerk

has thought about it in the past few years, but the matter has passed, and he was scolded by the county magistrate for this matter. He doesn't want the county magistrate to recall this matter again, so he put it behind his mind.

But today he finally understood that Wancai didn't want to give Gu Lin a backdoor, but wanted to steal the test papers that Gu Lin sent. As for what he stole, the chief clerk didn't know, but it was definitely not a good thing.

He immediately told the story. Anyway, they were all punished, why should he be punished alone!

If we have to die, we will die together!

"Plop," Master Wancai knelt on the ground, shouting that he was wronged, "Sir, Gu Xiucai, I have never had such thoughts. I just went to him to chat and drink tea after reviewing the test papers. I didn't know that he would push such an outrageous thing on me. Please be careful."

Gu Lin looked at him kneeling on the ground and said lightly: "I am not a relative of you, but I trouble you to take me to heart. I am flattered."

The county magistrate, who had no favoritism and treated Master Wancai and the chief clerk equally, instantly focused on Wancai because Gu Lin mentioned Wancai.

Because of his background, the people below did not dare to fool him too much, but it did not mean that the county magistrate liked to be fooled.

Especially for such a big event as the imperial examination, if something goes wrong, the county magistrate will bear the brunt.

He waved his hand and shouted: "Come here, drag Wancai out and beat him with 20 boards, drive him out of the county government, and never hire him again."

The yamen runners waiting outside immediately came in, pulled Wancai's hands behind his back, and dragged him to the yard.

Wancai cried and shouted that he had never done such a thing, but the county magistrate disliked his noise and asked the yamen runners to cover his mouth. Soon, the dull sound of the board falling on people rang out, no more, no less than 20 times.

Knowing that he had done something unnecessary in the past, the chief clerk was terrified, afraid that he would follow in Wancai's footsteps.

The county magistrate did have this idea, but seeing that Gu Lin did not express anything to the chief clerk, he had to deal with many things without a legal advisor, so he said to the chief clerk: "If you do not do your job well in the future, Wancai will be a lesson for you. You will be fined one year's salary to serve as a warning to others."

"Thank you, county magistrate." Compared with Wancai, the chief clerk only fined one year's salary, and he kowtowed several times.

He also understood that Gu Lin only targeted Wancai and did not investigate himself, so he bowed to Gu Lin.

Unexpectedly, the incident of the past would be brought up. The county magistrate said to Gu Lin: "In ancient and modern times, many people did not fail in big things, but failed in some inconspicuous places. You should be more careful in the future. This official plans to ask you for a position of patrol inspector. What do you think?"

The county magistrate was very optimistic about Gu Lin. He was good at martial arts and strategy. At his current age, he would have the opportunity to be promoted as a patrol inspector in the future.

It was also a real benefit that he, a seventh-rank official, could get for Gu Lin. He could not reach a higher position.

Gu Lin bowed to the county magistrate: "Thank you for your support, but I have made plans. After this matter is over, I will wait for the provincial examination in three years."

"You want to take the exam?" The county magistrate couldn't help but look at Gu Lin.

Gu Lin said: "Yes."

The county magistrate then remembered to ask Gu Lin about his studies: "Where have you studied in the past few years? How confident are you about the provincial examination?"

Gu Lin said: "I studied at Huaishan Academy in the city." As for how confident he was, Gu Lin didn't say.

The county magistrate looked up to him when he heard about Huaishan Academy. Although he was a child of aristocratic family and had never lacked famous teachers since childhood, he had heard of the name of Huaishan Academy. It was as famous as Chenxia Academy in Bingzhou, but one academy only accepted gentry, while the other academy accepted everyone. As a

result, the students of the two academies formed two factions after entering the officialdom, and they were not used to each other.

No, it was not just a fight between academies, but a fight between poor families and gentry.

The county magistrate was a scholar who was sent out to study abroad and was not qualified to enter the top officialdom of the Dayu Dynasty. However, these children of aristocratic families had seen the so-called century-old aristocrats and the rising stars who were in high spirits being crushed into dust in the blink of an eye.

Thunder, lightning, rain and dew are all grace from the emperor. When the emperor gives an order, the minister must die.

The county magistrate looked at Gu Lin and said, "Since you have no intention of serving as a patrol inspector, I will not give you any more. The rest will remain the same. If there is a reward from above, I will send someone to send it to your home."

"Thank you, sir." Gu Lin bid farewell to the county magistrate and came out of the hall. The matter here was considered to be over. Now he just had to go to Patrol Inspector Lu and return the position of the leader of the 10th flag to Patrol Inspector Lu, and he could return to Liyu Village.

Gu Lin had already thought about it and went to find Patrol Inspector Lu, but was told that Patrol Inspector Lu was not there. When he asked where he went, even his personal soldiers didn't know.

Gu Lin had to go back to the courtyard where the 10th flag lived first.

The townspeople came back one after another. Some of them were the owners of the courtyards where they lived. When the townspeople learned that the soldiers from the garrison lived there, they enthusiastically let them continue to live there, and they squeezed in with their neighbors first.

When Gu Lin went in, Nie Yong, the leader of the seventh flag, was chewing a piece of jerky made of unknown meat, and a middle-aged man carrying a basket was walking out with a smile on his face.

"Gu Lin, have one." Nie Yong threw one over, and Gu Lin grabbed it and put it in his mouth without looking at it.

Nie Yong looked at him: "You went to the county government office just now. Why didn't the county magistrate invite you to dinner?"

"No." Gu Lin sat on the stone bench next to him. Even though he was chewing jerky, he had a literary aura that Nie Yong and the others didn't have.

No matter how many times he looked at him, Nie Yong wanted to touch him from head to toe. What on earth does this man look like? A scholar, he can actually use such a heavy sword, and his archery is so good. He is not at all like the literati they met before, who are weak and look like they will fall down at the slightest breeze.

He looked at Gu Lin and said, "You don't even eat the good food in the county government, but come back to eat our big pot meal. Tsk tsk, if Zhang Tie knew, he would definitely complain to me about you, the leader Gu."

"You've only been here for a short time, and you've made the 10th flag cry."

"Well, why don't you stay here with us? It's great for a group of brothers to play together every day." Nie Yong had long forgotten that his daughter was only two or three years younger than Gu Lin. With Gu Lin's ability, let alone treating him as a brother, even if he was... Bah, bah

, bah.

Nie Yong almost thought of that word, but stopped quickly.

Gu Lin chewed a mouthful of dried meat, his Adam's apple moving up and down, and swallowed it.

He looked at Nie Yong: "If I stay here, I won't have the day to marry him with a grand ceremony."

Nie Yong's eyes widened. He knew what Gu Lin was talking about. He had seen the person Gu Lin liked, the beautiful boy who was also Gu Lin's nominal stepfather.

He had thought to Gu Lin that if the two insisted on being together, it was not impossible to leave this place and go to a place where no one knew their identities. As long as they were not discovered by their old friends, they could live their lives like ordinary couples.

But Gu Lin's words now were not like this. He wanted to marry his...

tell the people around him and the world that he was his husband, the one who would sleep with him and give birth to children for him.

This, this is not a joke? !

"Impossible, Gu Lin, this is absolutely impossible. You are risking the world's disapproval. No one will allow it."

Gu Lin's emotionless eyebrows showed his expression of never stopping to draw the bow and swing the sword for hundreds of days and nights, and never missing a single day: "I will blindfold them, cover their mouths, and tie their hands and feet."

Although he looked so calm, Nie Yong saw madness and rebellion in his eyes.

In the more than half a month of fighting with the refugee army, he actually realized that this young man was not as self-sustaining and calm as he appeared.

He pressed himself into this emotionless and handsome body, but in fact, he was a madman inside, a madman who was indoctrinated with morality and etiquette.

Especially in front of his stepfather, he hid it very well.

Nie Yong took a bite of the dried meat, and said after a while: "Okay, I'll wait for your wedding day."

"Yeah." Gu Lin was moved by the word "wedding" and curled his thin lips.

At night, Inspector Lu still didn't come back, so Gu Lin slept in the same room with Zhang Tie and others as before.

He still slept in the seat by the window, and the wind blowing in from outside blew away the various smells in the room that were comparable to poison.

Suddenly, the window coffin was illuminated by a bright light, and before the people in the room could react, a thunder exploded in the air, shaking the entire Anyuan Town.

Gu Lin's eyes moved, and he got up with the quilt in his arms.

Zhang Tie and the others, who were originally half asleep, screamed and climbed out of bed, rushing to the yard and looking up at the sky.

All they could hear was thunder that seemed to poke a hole in the sky, and lightning flashed like silver snakes.

Gu Lin came out with his clothes rustling in the wind. He reached out and grabbed them, looking up at the sky. The next moment, bean-sized raindrops fell down, stirring up dust on the tiles, trees, and the ground.

"Wow!!!"

"Hahahahahahaha, it's raining! It's raining!"

"God, you have opened your eyes!"

"Woo woo woo woo, it's finally raining."

Chapter 154

All the townspeople walked out of their homes, running around in the heavy rain to tell each other about their joy, not caring about their clothes and hair getting wet.

Gu Lin's face was also wet by the rain, he wiped his face, it was a pity that he didn't go back to Liyu Village, Uncle Lin must be very happy now, maybe he even hummed his strange little tunes.

Zhang Tie and his friends were already holding hands and dancing like a god, singing a local song in Anyuan Town with a rough voice.

Gradually, the townspeople also sang this song, and some people took basins, bowls, and anything that could be knocked to the same tune.

The rain was very heavy, like someone was pouring a bucket on it, it took several hours before it turned into a light rain, and then the light rain never stopped.

When Gu Lin woke up the next morning, he felt a bone-chilling cold. It was the end of autumn and the winter, and the temperature dropped a lot after just one night.

He put on his clothes, packed up his knife and bow and arrows, and told Zhang Tie that he was going to find Inspector Lu.

Who knew that just as he walked out of the door, Lu Xunjian, who had not been seen the whole day, came in from the yard wearing a bamboo hat. He took off his bamboo hat and walked over: "I heard from the people downstairs that you were looking for me."

Gu Lin nodded, and he led Lu Xunjian to the room next to the bedroom, where there was a table: "I told you before, now it's time."

"I was thinking about it, but you don't have to leave so quickly. The county magistrate is holding a banquet in the county government tonight, and he has called me, Zuo Xunjian, and the leaders of the general flags and small flags downstairs. You will definitely be there."

"Also, I have prepared a big gift for you. I will give it to you in the evening." Lu Xunjian's two thick black eyebrows jumped, just like two caterpillars twisting there.

Gu Lin thought about it and agreed.

That night, the county government was brightly lit, and the general flag leaders who had taken a bath, shaved their beards, and dressed in clean clothes went to the county government in twos and threes.

The county magistrate did not treat his soldiers badly. He ordered them to prepare things and send them one by one, without missing a single person.

Gu Lin went with Nie Yong. As soon as they arrived at the gate of the county government office, they heard pleasant piano and singing, as well as the smell of wine and meat that they had hardly smelled since the drought.

In Anyuan Town today, only the county government office could produce these things.

Nie Yong liked to drink a little on weekdays. As soon as he smelled the wine, he couldn't wait to call Gu Lin inside: "This wine tastes pure, the best rice wine, not adulterated at all!"

"Hurry up, let's find a good seat and drink it to our heart's content!"

Gu Lin had never drunk wine before. Uncle Lin told him that he was in the period of growth, and drinking would not make him taller, but a dwarf.

So when someone invited him to drink in the academy, he never went.

The two walked quickly into the lobby in the backyard, and saw that there were more than a dozen tables in the originally spacious lobby, with two plates of meat dishes, several plates of side dishes, and wine jugs and glasses filled with wine on the tables.

In the middle, there was a beautiful girl in a red dress playing the piano. She had a pair of clear almond eyes, willow eyebrows and cherry lips. She was able to survive the drought so well, as if the drought had not befallen her.

The county magistrate sat at the top, followed by Inspector Lu, Inspector Zuo, then the general flag and the team leader.

Inspector Lu had already told Gu Lin this morning that Inspector Wang died in the mountains. His body was retrieved later and has been taken back by his family for burial.

There were also two or three fewer general flags below, and the number of team leaders was large, and the number of people was also reduced. There were only a dozen left out of the original more than thirty.

Gu Lin and Nie Yong sat at the back on the left. As soon as he sat down, Nie Yong couldn't wait to pour himself a full glass of wine and drank it all in a gulp: "Ah, good wine, good wine, it's been a long time since I appeased my wine bug, I must drink enough today."

Suddenly, he brought the wine pot in front of Gu Lin: "Do you want a taste?"

"No," Gu Lin looked at the servant who was serving at the table but was deprived of the opportunity to pour wine by Nie Yong: "Pour me a glass of water." The one

serving their table was a little maid from the county magistrate's mansion, who looked to be about fourteen or fifteen years old, with a pretty face. She was not a beauty, but not ugly either. If she were outside, she would be the type that many people would come to propose marriage to.

The little maid didn't expect that among a bunch of rough soldiers, there would be a gentle and handsome boy like Gu Lin. Her face was slightly red: "Yes, I'll get it for you right away."

Nie Yong chuckled: "You actually drank water?"

Gu Lin sat upright on the chair: "Drinking won't make you taller."

"?" Nie Yong's head was full of question marks, "Who told you that drinking won't make you taller?" "

My uncle Lin."

Okay, no need to continue asking.

Nie Yong gulped down another glass. He knew that this moral and polite little lunatic listened to his uncle Lin's words as if they were golden rules. Don't say that drinking won't make you taller, just...

Suddenly, Nie Yong wanted to be rude again. He moved closer to Gu Lin and said: "From now on, I will listen to your uncle Lin in everything, but there is one sentence I can't listen to."

Gu Lin turned his head and looked at him.

Nie Yong cleared his throat and whispered: "When my brother says no, he wants it, and when he says yes, he wants more." Then he added at the end when he said this.

Gu Lin's ears turned red, and he pulled the stool away from him. Just then, the maid brought the water up. He picked up the cup and tilted his head back to drink almost all of it in one gulp.

Nie Yong laughed beside him. Hey, only now did Gu Lin look like a young man, a young man who studied hard every day and only knew that there were beautiful women and golden houses in books.

Soon, the banquet officially began. The county magistrate took the lead in raising the wine glass to toast those who died in the battle with the refugee army and those present. Then he said a few words and waved his sleeves to let everyone have fun.

The girl who played the piano in the middle retreated at some point, changed into a gorgeous water blue dress, led a group of beautiful women to sway their enchanting waists, and her lotus-like face attracted the hearts of the people present.

Many people's eyes have been taken away by them, and the wine in their mouths is no longer fragrant.

In addition to Nie Yong, who was eating the appetizers and pouring wine into his mouth like water, there was also Gu Lin who only drank water.

Suddenly, Inspector Lu, who was sitting next to the county magistrate, came to the table where Gu Lin and Nie Yong were sitting, and sat down on the stool, "How is it? Is the wine good? Is the meat delicious?"

Gu Lin's face was indifferent: "Yeah." Nie

Yong was gnawing on a piece of meat bone and nodded repeatedly: "Not bad, not bad, they are all delicious, Inspector, you should try it too."

"There are many on our table. I specially gave it to Gu Lin as a gift. Here, I found it after searching several places. You must take it well."

"What gift?" Nie Yong looked at the neatly wrapped stack of things and leaned his head over.

Inspector Lu pushed his head over: "It's useless for you, a grown man, to take it. It was specially brought for Gu Lin. Why are you joining in the fun?"

Gu Lin took the neatly wrapped package, which was actually a little heavy and square.

He had touched books for so many years, and he knew there were books inside as soon as he took it. He thanked Inspector Lu: "Thank you, Inspector."

Nowadays, the town is in a mess everywhere, and it is not easy to find intact books.

Inspector Lu waved his hand and patted his forearm: "Why thank you? It was all agreed before. I'll go first."

"Oh, by the way," Inspector Lu, who had walked a few steps, suddenly turned around and raised his eyebrows, "Remember to watch carefully. This is how we men make a living."

"Yes."

It was already late when the banquet ended. Nie Yong, who had finished the whole table of wine by himself, was not drunk at all. He walked out of the county government office shoulder to shoulder with Gu Lin.

When they returned to the yard, Nie Yong suddenly grabbed Gu Lin and said, "You haven't told Zhang Tie and the others that you are leaving tomorrow, right? They think highly of you now. If they knew you were leaving tomorrow, they would definitely catch you and make a scene."

The feelings between people are formed through getting along. Although Gu Lin has a cold temper, he has saved them so many times in the past few days. Zhang Tie and the others have long regarded Gu Lin as a brother and a member of the Tenth Small Flag.

But Gu Lin doesn't belong here.

Gu Lin stood at the gate of the yard: "I don't plan to tell them."

"Are you going to leave like this?"

"Yeah." Gu Lin knew his temper. There was a clear line between him before the age of eight and him after the age of eight. Before the age of eight, Gu Shuanzi would play with many people and bring a group of people with him wherever he went. After the age of eight, Gu Shuanzi and Gu Lin didn't like anyone to get close to them.

Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen are his friends, and Zhang Tie and Nie Yong are also his friends.

But he prefers to be alone, and he likes to be alone with Lin Zhen.

He is not used to other people's tears and nostalgia, and he only wants to be seen by Lin Zhen alone.

Nie Yong was speechless for a moment, and then laughed: "It's really something you can do."

"Okay, I'll tell them tomorrow, but I don't know if they will chase you to the village and beat you up."

Gu Lin nodded, and said to Nie Yong: "I'll go in for a while and be back soon."

As he said that, he took the gift given by Lu Xunjian and walked to the yard where he lived with Zhang Tie and others. He first put the book in his hand on the bed, then picked up the huge broad knife seized from the tall bandit leader, and returned to Nie Yong's side.

"This knife is for you." Gu Lin handed the huge broad knife to Nie Yong. This broad knife was almost as long as one and a half arms, and the blade was wider than the palm of an adult male. It was made of solid materials and well forged. In Gu Lin's hand, he accompanied him from the road to the capital to now.

The number of people who died under this broadsword is at least five or six hundred, not to mention seven or eight hundred. Just looking at it like this, a chill comes out.

Nie Yong looked at the knife, but did not reach out his hand: "This is your weapon, take it with you for self-defense."

Gu Lin said: "I practiced sword, this knife is too heavy and not flexible."

Nie Yong held his forehead, and thought, "Did you kill so many refugees with an unsuitable weapon? "

He took the knife, and the heavy blade pressed his wrist down. My goodness, it seems that I can only put it at home and read it in the future, and it can't be used.

Seeing him take the knife, Gu Lin took a step back, clasped his fists and saluted, went back to the yard to pick up the bow and arrow he brought from the city, as well as the book given by Inspector Lu, and left in the night.

Nie Yong just looked at his figure until he merged into the night.

I wish you get what you want.

Nie Yong said silently in his heart.

Later, the knife was placed in the Nie family. It became the knife used by the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Gu Shilang, then the knife used by Gu Shoufu, and then the knife used by Dingjun Hou.

However, Nie Yong never told anyone.

Chapter 155

Everyone in Carp Village got up, whether old or adult, they all did the same thing as children, jumping and dancing in the rain until they were soaked and could not find a dry spot on their bodies.

Anyway, the mountain is now full of dead branches and leaves, so there is no shortage of firewood.

Lin Zhen sat by the fire pit and roasted his hair, looking at the ginger soup he had just cooked when he came in: "It's finally raining. At this rate, we can start the spring planting next year."

"We have to pile up the fertilizer at home too. If we delay, there will not be enough time and the seedlings will be burned."

"Yes, it's time to compost. We can sift the soil after the rain stops for two days. We have more than 20 acres of land now, and we need a lot of compost."

The moment the thunder sounded, the Lin family rushed outside. Everyone ran in to roast the fire after being soaked through. The fire pit was full of people.

Fortunately, when the house was renovated, a stove that could hold two large pots was built, and a fire pit that was half a foot longer than the average fire pit, otherwise there would be no room to sit now.

After being wetted, Lin Zhen's hair looked more curly than when it was dry, fluffy and smooth.

He stood up and stirred the almost cooked ginger soup with a spoon, saying, "Bring out the bowls, everyone drink a bowl and have a good sleep." The whole piece of ginger was only pounded with a kitchen knife, and sugar and water were added, which smelled spicy.

The children rushed to the cupboard to get bowls, and Lin Zhen scooped half a bowl for each of them: "Blow it to cool it down before drinking, don't burn yourself."

"I know, uncle." Lin Zhuzi, Lin Shitou, Lin Huaixiang, Lin Chunxiang and others obediently took their bowls back to their stools and blew on the boiling ginger soup in the bowl.

Then he served Lin Adie, Lin Fu, Lin Da Ge, Lin Er Ge, Lin Dasao, Lin Ersao and others, and finally Lin Xiaoyao and himself.

The ginger soup was just the right amount of sweetness, spicy and flavorful. After drinking a bowl of it, I felt smooth from the soles of my feet to the top of my head. My body, which was still a little cold after being soaked by the rain, instantly became warm.

Everyone in the room had satisfied smiles on their faces. From time to time, they looked back at the rain outside the door that had not turned off the lights, and listened to the crackling sound of the rain. This heavy rain came at a great time, calming the panicked people.

It's good to rain.

As long as there is a way to survive, everyone will live well.

After drinking the ginger soup, everyone went to bed. Lin Jiadong's house had been repaired by the villagers. Except that the wall looked different from the original color, nothing had changed.

So Lin Zhen went back to his room. He lay on the bed, covered with a quilt, listening to the sound of rain outside, and didn't know when he fell asleep.

This was the deepest sleep Lin Zhen had had in recent months. Every cell in his body exuded relaxation and comfort, and he was full of energy.

He stretched himself, happily threw off the quilt and got out of bed. He thought he got up quite late, but when he went out, he saw Lin's father and the others who also looked like they had just gotten up.

Perhaps it was not just the Lin family, all the villagers in Liyu Village got up late today.

The rain that had fallen overnight had turned into a drizzle, and the dry air was moist, as if a handful of water could be squeezed out of it.

The family took a chair and sat under the eaves, chatting and talking. When it was time to cook and eat, they pulled out most of the cabbage and radish seedlings that Lin Zhen had planted in the wooden barrel and basin, and had a delicious meal.

In the middle of the night, when Lin Zhen was half asleep, he heard someone getting up. He turned over, thinking that he had misheard. The next second, he heard Brother Lin say, "Shuanzi, why are you back so late?"

Lin Zhen suddenly woke up, turned over, rubbed his eyes, grabbed a piece of clothing and put it on, and walked out. As soon as he stepped out of the door, he bumped into Brother Lin and Gu Lin who were walking into the yard.

"Brother Zhen, Shuanzi is back."

Lin Zhen stood under the eaves, looking at Gu Lin who was wearing a bamboo hat and a straw raincoat, and pursed his lips: "Brother, you go to bed, I'm here with him."

"Well, you should go to bed early too, it's late at night." The rooster was about to crow for the first time, and Brother Lin was very sleepy. Since Lin Zhen was taking care of Gu Lin, he went back to the house to sleep with peace of mind.

Lin Zhen pulled his clothes and walked into the house: "Come in, why don't you wait until tomorrow? It's dark everywhere at night, no..."

He wanted to say it was unsafe, but when he thought about the fact that the refugee army had been wiped out, it would be a waste of time for ordinary people to plot against Gu Lin, so he couldn't help but want to laugh.

The only light in the yard and the house was the oil lamp that Brother Lin handed to Lin Zhen. It was a warm ball, and the range of light was not large, shrouding his figure.

After the banquet, they set off

. Gu Lin, who had walked for three hours before returning, looked at his back, took off his hat and raincoat, and hung them on the wooden nails on the wall. Lin Zhen squatted by the fire pit and blew the fire starter, preparing to make a fire for Gu Lin. The weather was getting colder and colder, and his clothes were thin. He came back in the rain, so he must be frozen all over.

Who would have thought that the fire starter might have been damp or something, and it didn't burn after blowing several times. When

Lin Zhen was about to get up to find another tinderbox, Gu Lin was already squatting beside him with a tinderbox.

He flicked it a few times to get the flame to the fir branch. The fir branch was flammable, and flames burst out all of a sudden. Gu Lin added more firewood on it.

They used to be at this distance often. Before he said those words, he had wiped Lin Zhen's feet and applied medicine. At that time, Lin Zhen didn't think it was a big deal.

He even felt relieved that the little guy had finally grown up and knew how to care for others.

It's not like now, which makes him feel uneasy.

Standing up and in the light of the oil lamp, Lin Zhen asked Gu Lin: "Should I cook you a bowl of noodles or heat up a bowl of rice?"

"Rice." "

Okay." There was still rice and vegetables for tonight. Not wanting to disturb the family, Lin Zhen added water to the pot and put the rice and vegetables on the bamboo grate. After the water boiled for a while, the rice and vegetables on top would be almost hot.

After putting away the rice and dishes, Lin Zhen did not leave. Instead, he sat next to Gu Lin: "Gu Lin, there is something I have thought about and I feel I need to discuss it with you."

"You are not my biological child, and I have no regrets about keeping you by my side and raising you. You are well-educated and capable. You are a good son that many people would love to have."

"If you hadn't said those words to me... it would be great for us to be family members for life."

Unfortunately, Gu Lin had no intention of covering it up at all, and even refused to give in, making it impossible for him to ignore it.

Lin Zhen looked at Gu Lin and said, "I will tell my family tomorrow and just regard the marriage between me and your father as settled. From now on, I will no longer bear the title of Gu family's husband. Getting married and having children will have nothing to do with the Gu family, and I will not be your father anymore."

"You have never been my father. You are my uncle Lin." In the dim light, Gu Lin looked at him and said word by word.

Gu Lin thought about it many times that day, and even thought about severing the relationship with Lin Zhen himself, but at this moment he couldn't help but be confused.

He didn't have enough ability to keep Uncle Lin by his side. Without this relationship, Lin Zhen didn't need to care about him in everything. They were just like ordinary neighbors in the village, each with their own ties.

Gu Lin looked at Lin Zhen, with his hands on his knees: "Uncle Lin, do you want me to go to the capital city by myself, and you can go around the world like you said before?" "

..." Lin Zhen touched his nose guiltily because he was partly touched by what he was thinking.

He said, "Not so soon, wait until you pass the provincial and academy exams." It was the most critical time for Gu Lin to take the imperial examination, and Lin Zhen couldn't let it go so easily. At least he had to wait until he was stable.

In addition, now everyone called him Shuanzi Daddy, and Gu Lin said those words to him and did those things. He always felt that he was a little...

It's better to get rid of the title of Gu Dafulang. Anyway, Gu Da has been dead for so many years, and in the eyes of others, he has been a widow for so many years, it's almost time.

When he spoke, Gu Lin looked at him like this, as if she was not as tall as him before, and always followed him when he did things.

Lin Zhen couldn't help but soften his voice and said, "We all knew in the prefecture that businessmen could not take the imperial examinations to become officials. You and I don't have that relationship anymore, and we can do our own things better." His confused

mind gradually returned. Gu Lin looked at Lin Zhen who was soft-hearted to him again and again, and nodded: "Okay."

Lin Zhen thought he would have to say it a few more times before he agreed, but he didn't expect him to be so straightforward, which made Lin Zhen a little unresponsive.

His eyes widened slightly as he looked at Gu Lin.

Gu Lin suddenly leaned over and hugged him to his legs. Their skin, which had been heated by the fire, was stuck together by a thin layer of cloth.

Lin Zhen struggled in a panic: "Let me go!"

"Uncle Lin, you are no longer my father's husband. It's okay for me to admire my uncle."

"Fuck you!" Lin Zhen, who rarely swore, had sparks in his head. It turned out that he just remembered this after saying so much. It was so irritating that he was about to explode.

He pushed Gu Lin's shoulders desperately and fluttered his legs to get off his legs.

What kind of posture was this? He actually sat sideways on Gu Lin's legs!

Suddenly, Lin Zhen's lips trembled, and he looked at Gu Lin in disbelief: "You...you..."

Gu Lin looked at him: "Uncle Lin, I feel uncomfortable."

You don't feel uncomfortable, I feel uncomfortable, okay!

For the first time, Lin Zhen felt this crazy. He felt that his decision to say these words to Gu Lin tonight seemed to be wrong. It seemed that he had taken off the tight curse on the kid's forehead with his own hands.

Lin Zhen was frozen and motionless, his teeth were almost broken.

When Gu Lin eased his strength a little, he jumped out as if his feet were equipped with springs, and closed the door with a "bang".

Gu Lin sat on the stool for a long time before standing up, taking out the food that had been heated up long ago from the pot that was almost dry, and put it on the stove.

Suddenly, Gu Lin looked at the door on the left. The door that was originally tightly closed was pushed open a crack, and Lin Xiaoyao was standing behind the crack, looking at him, and he didn't know how long he stood there.

Chapter 156

Gu Lin nodded to Lin Xiaoyao and picked up the bowl to eat.

Lin Xiaoyao clenched his hands tightly at his side. He remembered the strange feeling he had when he saw Gu Lin wiping his third brother's feet, and hated himself for not telling his third brother earlier.

Looking at the way the two looked just now, although the third brother didn't have that kind of emotion for this kid, he couldn't give up his years of feelings for him.

"If you do this, think about whether you... Uncle Lin still has yourself?" In order to guard against other people in the Lin family, Lin Xiaoyao lowered his voice so low that it couldn't be heard without careful listening.

Gu Lin ate the food that Lin Zhen heated for him and hummed: "I've thought about it."

Lin Xiaoyao: "When did it start?"

Gu Lin paused with his chopsticks in his hand: "I don't know, I just suddenly realized that I don't want him to be my father."

Gu Lin really didn't know. His feelings for Lin Zhen were very pure at the beginning. Lin Zhen was like a light that suddenly shone on him. He was afraid that this light was short-lived, did not belong to him, and was imagined by himself.

But Lin Zhen held his hand all the time, telling him with his actions again and again, Gu Shuanzi, you are safe, you are worthy of my treatment.

So unknowingly, this emotion changed.

Lin Xiaoyao did not go over. He saw Gu Lin's expression, which was even more infatuated with Zhong Yan. He couldn't even save himself, so how could he persuade others.

He just said: "Brothers in this world have to face more unfair eyes than boys, especially your Uncle Lin. No matter what happens in the future, you can't put him in an embarrassing situation."

"Gu Lin, your Uncle Lin really loves you." So even if he doesn't like you now and doesn't have that kind of emotion for you, he doesn't want to hurt your heart.

Gu Lin nodded solemnly: "Yeah."

People outside don't know, but they know it best. Lin Zhen is a very gentle and kind person. He has his own right and wrong, and his own calmness and self-control.

Just talking about the things he did for Gu Lin in the past, he didn't want Gu Da's house, didn't want Gu Da's money, and even gave Gu Lin the money to deposit in the bank. Later, he brought him back from Ma's and Zhou Tao's house, sent him to school, and treated him like his own son.

No one dared to say a word to him.

The news of Gu Lin's return was not only happy for Lin's father and father, but also spread in Liyu Village through the mouths of several uncles who came to visit the Lin family.

Everyone knew that Gu Lin, who led soldiers to fight the refugee army and was very capable, was back. While the joy of the rain had not yet passed, they came to see what such a promising boy looked like, and whether he looked like the door god posted during the New Year, with a leopard head and tiger eyes, and strong and powerful.

Who would have thought that he was a gentle and handsome boy who didn't look like he could hold a knife.

But Uncle Ji and Aunt Ma had seen Gu Lin covered in wounds, and being respectfully called the leader by the soldiers. Uncle Ji said to the neighbor next door: "Lin Zhen's Shuanzi is very capable, you haven't seen it. The knife he used is so long and big, and many soldiers are as obedient as lambs in front of him."

"Is he really that capable?" The person asking the question was full of doubt.

"I saw it with my own eyes, how could it be false?" Even if you searched the whole town, you can't find a young man like Gu Shuanzi.

Aunt Ma was also with Ma Min. After half a month of care, the child, who was originally not very energetic, has regained his cleverness. His eyes are big and black, and they follow the adults' voices.

Aunt Ma teased her grandson and said to Lin Zhen next to her: "I think you can be a grandmother in two years."

"..." It would be great if he could be a grandfather.

Whenever Gu Lin appeared in front of him these days, Lin Zhen felt confused. He replied to Aunt Ma, "I just raised him, how can I be his mother?"

Aunt Ma didn't expect him to say this, "You are more than qualified to be his child's mother, or will Shuanzi, the child, disown you when he becomes capable!"

"No," Lin Zhen repeated what he had said to Lin's father and the others, "The child has grown up, and I have been guarding Gu Da for so many years. From now on, I will not be the husband of the Gu family, so his child naturally won't call me mother."

Aunt Ma was surprised for a moment, and then laughed, "So that's the case."

"In fact, everyone in our village says that you are still young, and you can definitely find a good one if you want. While you are still in good health, give birth to two children of your own. With your ability, you will definitely live a prosperous life." "How

about it, have you taken a fancy to a man? Tell me and let your aunt see you." Aunt Ma wanted to adopt Lin Zhen as her own child early on, but in the end she was embarrassed to say it out loud because she was afraid of troubling Lin Zhen and worrying about the lonely old couple.

But she always treated Lin Zhen as her own child, and was a little anxious about Lin Zhen's lifelong event.

Lin Zhen was still young, only in his twenties, and had a long life ahead of him. Even if Gu Shuanzi was capable, he would marry and have children in the future, and have his own family, and it was inevitable that there would be times when he could not take care of her.

It was still better to have someone by your side, and someone would ask about you when you were cold or hot.

Lin Zhen did not expect that Aunt Ma, like his father and others, also thought about finding a third husband.

He hurriedly said, "Aunt, aunt, I don't have a man I like, and I don't plan to get married."

"Then you and Shuanzi..." This was unnecessary. Seeing that Gu Shuanzi was about to become capable, Lin Zhen raised him and it was the time for him to enjoy his life. It would not be worth it to cut off the relationship at this time.

Lin Zhen said, "Let's put it one way. His surname is Gu and my surname is Lin. It's the same if he calls me Uncle Lin in the future."

Gu Lin did not go out often after coming to Liyu Village. Later, he followed Lin Zhen to the town and the prefectural capital. The villagers were not very familiar with him, and they had never heard him call Lin Zhen Uncle Lin.

Everyone assumed that Lin Zhen was his father and he was Lin Zhen's stepson.

So when Aunt Ma suddenly heard Lin Zhen say that Gu Shuanzi would call him Uncle Lin from now on, she felt that everything was strange.

It was almost time for dinner, and the people who came to see Gu Shuanzi, a promising boy, quickly dispersed. Lin Zhen was planning to go to the kitchen to work with Lin Xiaoyao, Lin Dasao and Lin Ersao. When he turned around, he found Lin Adie standing behind him. He was so scared that he almost fell on his chair.

"Dad, why are you walking without making any sound?"

Lin Adie didn't say anything, just looked at him, and then left.

Lin Zhen patted his forehead. It came again and again. Ever since he told them that he and Gu Shuanzi no longer had this stepfather and stepson relationship, the whole family looked at him with eyes that said, "Are you kidding? Did we hear it right?"

After confirming with Lin Zhen several times that he was really not kidding, they were all stunned.

Even if Lin Zhen told them that Gu Lin still lived here and didn't let Gu Lin go back to Datianzi Village, Lin Adie and the others couldn't react.

The grandson I had called for so many years was gone just like that !

Lin Zhen pinched his brows, looked at Lin's father who was walking towards Gu Lin with a concerned look on his face, and gritted his teeth. The little bastard, it was as if I had abandoned him, who could he tell about what happened inside. After dinner, while the weather was good outside and it was not raining, Lin's father and father prepared to go to the field to sift the soil to make compost, while Lin Huaixiang, Lin Chunxiang and Lin Xingxiang cooked at home. Lin Zhen picked up the hoe that had been idle in the house for more than half a year. Gu Lin appeared beside him at some point and also picked up a hoe. In such a small place, Lin Zhen clearly felt that Gu Lin's body temperature was almost transmitted to him, and he could not help but take a step back.

"Pah!" Father Lin suddenly slapped him on the arm, "Do you have a thorn in your body? Shuanzi can't even rely on you."

Lin Zhen: (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻

Father Lin was just standing up for Gu Lin. He had been his son for so many years, but suddenly he kicked him out. Although he used to call him Uncle Lin at home, how could it be the same when he explained it to outsiders? Father Lin

felt sorry for Gu Shuanzi, but he didn't understand why his promising and obedient brother did this. He was not happy in many ways.

But he was measured in his attack. Although the sound was loud, it didn't hurt at all.

Lin Zhen wiped his arm and looked at the culprit.

The culprit, the poor little kid who was kicked out of the house. Gu Shuanzi curled his lips and took the hoe on his shoulder into his own hands: "Uncle Lin, why don't you cook at home? We are in the field."

Father Lin, who had just slapped him, looked at Lin Zhen, who was the same as before, and said: "Shuanzi is right, you can cook at home with Huaixiang and the others, and call us when the meal is ready."

"It's okay, Dad. I'd better go out for a walk. I'm bored at home all day." Lin Zhen picked up a dustpan filled with soil again and called Lin Xiaoyao to go with him. "Xiaoyao, let's go."

Xiaoyao was the only one in the family who understood the twists and turns. He felt sorry for his third brother, but was afraid that others would notice something, so he could only remain silent.

He grabbed Lin Zhen's arm and looked at the arm where Lin Zhen was slapped by Lin's father. There was obviously no mark on it, but he still couldn't help asking, "Does it hurt? How could Dad have the heart to hit him so loudly?"

"It's okay. It's lighter than a mosquito bite. Let's go ahead and not wait for them. It'll make my head hurt if they look at me."

"Yeah." Lin Xiaoyao made sure he was fine, and he and he walked out of the yard first with a hoe on his shoulder.

After a few days of rain, the soil in the field that was almost dusty finally had some stickiness, and such soil had to be turned over quickly to prevent it from forming lumps. Once it was exposed to the sun, it would become dry and hard, and it would be difficult to loosen it again.

Lin Zhen and Lin Xiaoyao saw villagers turning the soil and sifting the soil everywhere. Everyone had a smile on their faces, and even the sweat that flowed out seemed sweet.

When everyone saw Lin Zhen and Lin Xiaoyao, they straightened up and greeted them enthusiastically: "Brother Zhen and Brother Xiaoyao are going to the field too. Oh, by the way, your family hasn't sifted the soil for compost this year. Are you going to do this job?"

"Yes, hurry up and pile up the compost while the weather is good. If it gets colder, it will snow, and then we won't be able to pile it up." Lin Zhen responded to the sister-in-law who greeted him, with curved eyebrows and a smile on his lips, which made anyone who saw him feel good.

Chapter 157

Lin Zhen nodded: "My fields are next to the river. I don't know if they have been flooded. If they have been flooded, it will be troublesome."

The eldest sister-in-law smiled and said: "It has only flooded the lower half. The upper half is fine. It will not hinder the sifting of soil."

"Thank you, sister-in-law. Sister-in-law, please turn the soil slowly. I will go to your house to chat with you when I am free." Lin Zhen was holding a dustpan and chatting with the eldest sister-in-law.

The eldest sister-in-law liked Lin Zhen, a promising brother, and said happily: "Okay, if you can come, I will cook you some bacon. I made it last year. I didn't want to put it in the pot a few days ago."

Lin's father, Lin's father, and Gu Lin came out soon. They saw Lin Zhen talking to the sister-in-law in the village on the roadside from a distance. He looked like a fish put into a pond. He was very happy, and people couldn't help but feel relaxed when they saw him.

Lin Xiaoyao saw Lin's father, Gu Lin and the others behind him, and called Lin Zhen: "Third brother, father and the others are out, let's go."

Lin Zhen looked back and nodded repeatedly: "Yes, let's go."

There are quite a few people in the Lin family now. In addition to Lin Chunxiang, Lin Huaixiang, Lin Xingxiang and the two youngest children who are only five or six years old who cook at home, there are eleven people who can work outside, walking in a long row on the ridge of the field.

The rain that lasted for several days soaked the fields. The water level of the river next to the field almost rose to the same level as the river bank, and the slightly turbid water was flowing rapidly.

It will take four or five days for the water level to return to normal levels, and the mud in the water will slowly settle.

Lin Zhen stepped on the somewhat soft field and put the dustpan in his hand to his feet: "Father, it is enough to sift three or four baskets of soil from this field."

"Not enough, we need to sift more than thirty baskets." Lin's father did not take anything. The elder and second brothers behind him carried a tall long bench and a bamboo sieve.

Lin's father pointed to the fields on the left and right: "Our family bought several plots of land two years ago, and we need to sift more than thirty baskets."

"Go and shake the sieve with Xiaoyao, and let your elder and second brothers, elder and second sisters-in-law, and us dig and carry the soil."

There are several steps to sift the soil. First, someone has to loosen the soil and put it in the dustpan, then lift the dustpan full of soil onto the bamboo sieve supported by the long bench, and then someone shakes the sieve, and the finer soil will fall naturally, and the large pieces and even stones will be separated to one side.

Such fine soil is conducive to the fermentation of manure and the germination and growth of seeds during subsequent sowing. It will not press the tender sprouts like large pieces of soil and stones, causing the tender sprouts to be unable to emerge for a long time.

Someone also needs to shovel the sieved soil to the side to prevent the pile from being too high and blocking the soil above from leaking down.

It is a tiring job, but the Lin family, who have already tasted the benefits of composting, are full of energy.

Lin really didn't expect that the Lin family had bought so many fields in just a few years. When he thought of more than 30 baskets of soil, sweat broke out on his forehead.

He was very self-aware and obediently asked the youngest to set up the sieve, while Lin's father rolled up his sleeves and shoveled the sieved fine soil.

Soon, the first dustpan of soil was lifted up. It was Lin's second sister-in-law Zhao Xiu. He worked all year round, and his rolled-up sleeves revealed his slightly dark skin and strong arm lines.

Lin Zhen and Lin Xiaoyao felt the sieve sink, and quickly shook it to sift the fine soil down. Behind them were Brother Lin, Brother Lin, Zhuzi, and Shitou. If they were slow, the people behind them would have to wait with dustpans.

"Swish, swish."

Layers of fine soil fell down, and dustpans of soil were lifted up, without stopping for a moment.

They were doing manual work, but their wrists and arms were sore. Brother Lin, Brother Lin, and Gu Lin, who had to dig and lift soil, had taken off their shirts without knowing when, and worked with their bare chests. Fine beads of sweat soaked their entire upper bodies with a layer of water.

Father Lin, who specialized in digging soil, looked at the big guys who had been busy for almost an hour and a half, and said, "Take a break and drink some water."

Lin Zhen, who hadn't worked for many years, almost fell on the sieve. He used the slightly cleaner back of his hand to wipe the hair off his face: "This job is not easy either, but fortunately Xiaoyao has strong hands."

Compared with the other people in the Lin family, he truly realized how weak his body was. He had no strength, no endurance, and no explosive power. The most suitable thing for him was probably to lie down.

He took the bamboo cup that Lin Xiaoyao brought over and took a big sip: "Huh--"

Lin Xiaoyao put a hoe on the ground, sat on the hoe handle, and patted the side: "Sit here."

Lin Zhen was really a little tired, so he sat on the hoe handle next to him. The soil that had just been rained on was soft. The weight of the two people pressed down and the hoe handle was directly pressed into the soil.

Originally, I didn't want my pants to get dirty, so I used the hoe handle. The two people separated by the hoe felt the cold soil under their buttocks, and they looked at each other and couldn't help laughing.

The soil sifting business was in full swing. Lin Zhen insisted for three days and could not go any longer. He took Lin Huaixiang and the other children to cook and drink, and showed off all his skills. He was determined to feed the Lin family members until they were fat and white.

In the blink of an eye, the first snow of the year fell.

In the first two days, there were only sporadic fine snow, which could not be seen without careful observation. On the third night, it suddenly became heavier, and then it became heavier and heavier. In just one night, it was knee-deep.

As the saying goes, auspicious snow indicates a good harvest. I don't know how many people felt relieved after watching this snow.

Despite the hardships, they finally received the mercy of God, and next year will definitely be a good harvest year.

The end of December, the 28th.

The Lin family got up early in the morning. Lin Zhen, Lin Xiaoyao and Lin Dasao quickly poured out the remaining half bag of millet that Gu Lin got from the county magistrate, as well as the dried red dates found in the cupboard.

Today is the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month. Every household has to make rice candy. No matter what it is made of, it is a food full of the flavor of the New Year, and many children will come to eat rice candy. The family

whose rice candy is eaten by children the most will be the most prosperous in the coming year.

For this good intention, every household tries their best.

The burden of making rice candy in the Lin family falls on Lin Zhen. His cooking skills are recognized as the best in the Lin family, and such a big thing must be entrusted to him.

In addition to the busy stove, the yard is also busy. Father Lin is tearing off the couplets that have been weathered by the wind and rain for a year, and said to Gu Lin: "Shuanzi, you write a few pairs casually, and we will replace the new one with a new one."

The Lin family has the pen, ink, paper and inkstone that Gu Lin used before. Gu Lin turned back to get things in the house without saying a word. Lin Shitou was very smart to set up a table for him in the main room.

Gu Lin ground the ink and wrote the seven-character couplet on the red hair paper.

Father Lin and his friends said they couldn't tell whether the calligraphy was good or bad, but it looked very lively. They smiled and said, "Excellent, excellent. Two more. Let's put them on all the doors."

Lin Zhen, who happened to be outside pouring out the water used to wash the red dates, looked at the down-to-earth couplet in Lin's father's hand and laughed so hard that he almost dropped the red dates in the basin on the ground.

He went into the house and told Lin Xiaoyao about the couplet, and Lin Xiaoyao couldn't help but say, "Really, Gu Lin really wrote such a..."

"Such a rustic couplet." Lin Zhen added the second half of the sentence. Who would believe the calligraphy of the first class of the A class of Huaishan Academy?

The two of them picked up the sand and stones in the millet while laughing, and asked the eldest and second brothers Lin to take it out to grind off the husks, and then put the washed rice and red dates into the pot and stir-fry them slowly. When the rice popped, they added sugar.

The sweet taste couldn't be contained at once. The two youngest in the family were already guarding the stove: "Uncle, uncle, I want rice candy."

Lin Zhen liked these children, and could not resist their babyish voices and big round eyes. He took the small wooden bowl they used and put a small ball of rice in it for each of them: "It's hot, uncle will put it on the table for you, wait for it to cool down before eating, okay?"

"Okay." The two little ones nodded obediently, sat on the small stool with their hands supporting their heads, and watched eagerly.

Soon, Lin Zhen, who was sweating profusely around the stove, asked Lin Xiaoyao to turn off the fire: "The rice candy is ready, just keep it on a low fire to ensure that it doesn't get cold, and serve it to everyone to taste first." "

Okay." Lin Xiaoyao turned off the fire quickly, washed his hands, wiped the chopping board clean, sprinkled some flour on it, and placed a square mold.

Lin Zhen poured the fried rice candy into the mold, pressed it tightly with a wooden board, and cut it into long strips after it cooled down.

Lin Xiaoyao, Lin Dasao and Lin Ersao shouted to the men and boys who were busy in the yard: "It's time to eat rice candy!"

Lin's father put the couplet in his hand on the table next to him, and said to Gu Lin with great satisfaction: "Shuanzi, go and try the rice candy made by your uncle Lin."

In the capital city, Lin Zhen makes rice candy every year. The children of many shop owners on the street come to eat it. It is the busiest shop on Sitong Street.

Gu Lin never misses it every year, but he can never eat enough.

He nodded and put down his pen: "Okay."

All the young and old in the room ran to the stove and picked up their own piece of rice candy. The taste was crispy and sweet, and a bite could warm the heart. Everyone's face was full of satisfaction and smiles.

The children who came to eat the rice candy had already smelled the smell and said auspicious words when they entered the yard: "Congratulations on your wealth."

"Good luck in the coming year."

"May the new year be smooth and safe."

Lin Zhen and Lin Xiaoyao smiled and gave them a piece each: "Be careful not to burn yourself. If you don't have enough, there are more."

In terms of food storage, the Lin family is definitely the family with the most in the village. With Lin Zhen's good cooking skills, the rice candy he made is delicious.

Seven or eight children couldn't help smelling the sweet smell, blowing and drinking, "It's delicious, Uncle Lin's rice candy is the best."

"I want a little more."

"I want a little more too."

"..."

Lin Zhen naturally gave them more.

Suddenly, when both adults and children were eating rice candy and didn't want to raise their heads, an uncle from the village ran in: "Lin Da, someone is looking for you. It's a master sitting in a carriage!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the person who was one step behind him came out, followed by servants carrying many things.

Others didn't know, but Lin Zhen and Gu Lin recognized him, the old housekeeper in the county government.

Chapter 158

The old housekeeper walked in with a smile on his face and said from a distance: "Happy New Year, Brother Lin and Scholar Gu. I am here to wish you a happy New Year on behalf of my master with gifts."

Except for Lin Zhen and Gu Lin, the other members of the Lin family wandered around the village every day and didn't know him. When they heard that he was bringing gifts from the county magistrate, their legs and feet went weak. They just looked at the two of them, hoping that they would make a decision.

But Lin Zhen had only met the county magistrate and the housekeeper once and were not familiar with each other. How could he ask the old housekeeper to come to his house in person with the county magistrate's gifts? He looked at Gu Lin and whispered to Lin Xiaoyao to boil some water.

Gu Lin stepped forward a few steps and bowed: "Your Excellency is polite. Please come in, housekeeper."

"The road to your house is still a bit narrow. The carriage can't get in. If you don't bring enough people, you can't get the things in." The old housekeeper had a good impression of Gu Lin and felt that Gu Lin would have a lot of luck in the future. He didn't look down on him because Gu Lin was just a scholar at the moment.

As he followed Gu Lin into the Lin family's courtyard, he asked the servants behind him to bring in all the things. Three boxes painted with flowers and carved with patterns were neatly placed on the table.

Gu Lin sat on a chair next to the old housekeeper, his eyes swept over the boxes: "I appreciate your kindness, but I will take these things back."

The old housekeeper said with a happy face: "Most of them were taken down by the higher-ups, and your high-ups didn't give much."

"We only got the news yesterday after your report was submitted. Not only were the soldiers of the three guards rewarded, but you, our high-ups, will also go to Yizhou to take up your post after the New Year."

The old housekeeper pointed to the three boxes: "Because you said you would not work in the guard, the higher-ups rewarded you with a lot of things. The remaining box is your high-ups' New Year gift." The

county magistrate had been in Anyuan Town for more than 20 years without being promoted. Who knew how upset and depressed he was? He never thought that he would get such a huge benefit without doing anything this time. He was very generous to the soldiers of the three guards and Gu Lin and others, and rewarded them all with things.

Gu Lin looked at the box the old housekeeper pointed at and didn't ask him to take it back.

The old housekeeper leaned close to his ear and whispered, "The adults remember that your promotion to Tongzhi of Yizhou is inseparable from the contributions of the inspectors and you."

The county magistrate was a seventh-rank official, and being promoted to Tongzhi of Yizhou was a jump up several levels.

And Yizhou was close to Kyoto, it was an extremely good place, no wonder he couldn't wait for years, and sent the old housekeeper to send New Year gifts to Gu Lin and others, to relieve the joy in his heart.

Suddenly, the housekeeper said to Gu Lin affectionately: "My Lord is concerned about your studies, so I asked someone to find out. The provincial examination, which was not held last year and was scheduled to be held three years later, will be held again in August next year because the emperor is grateful for the kindness of heaven and sent down the rain to save the people from the disaster."

"But this news is just a rumor and has not been made public. You can prepare first, don't be too nervous."

Lin Zhen, who brought water to the two of them, couldn't help but be happy to hear the news. It would be great if the provincial examination was held next year.

Gu Lin was also surprised. He had originally planned to return to Huaishan Academy to study for a year or so, and then go around to study and gain knowledge.

But it would be best if the provincial examination could be held. He could prepare for the college examination after taking the provincial examination.

"Thank you, my Lord, and thank you, housekeeper." Gu Lin saluted with a solemn face.

The old housekeeper waved his hand, picked up the cup and took a sip of boiled water: "I will accept your thanks on your behalf, but you don't need to thank me. If it weren't for you and the soldiers of the garrison, I would have died long ago."

"I have to go to other places, so I'll leave first. I wish Mr. Gu will pass the provincial examination smoothly." After saying that, the old housekeeper, who was busy going to other general flags, stood up.

Lin Zhen thought it was not easy for him to run so far to bring news and New Year gifts to Gu Lin, so he quickly wrapped the cut half of the rice candy in oil paper and asked Gu Lin to give it to him.

The old housekeeper saw that it was from Gu Lin, and he took it happily, and hurried away with the servants who were carrying the boxes.

When he left, the Lin family, who had never dealt with people like the old housekeeper, breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at the three boxes, they couldn't help but wonder what was in them.

Tiedan, whose hand was not even as big as an adult's palm, slipped over at some point and patted the box: "Cousin Shuanzi, what's in here? Are there any rice candies?"

"Tiedan, come here quickly." Brother Lin quickly pulled Tiedan over. This was something given to Shuanzi by a senior official. How could they touch it?

Moreover, their family had already lived a good life thanks to Lin Zhen, and they must not touch Shuanzi's things again.

Although Lin Zhen and Gu Shuanzi had cleared the relationship of stepfather and stepson a few days ago, Gu Shuanzi now lived in the Lin family as a relative. But

in Brother Lin's eyes, the two were still one, and they could not let Lin Zhen and Gu Shuanzi feel cold. Although relatives are relatives, they should also have a sense of propriety.

Lin Zhen saw this scene and did not say anything. The things belonged to Gu Lin, and it was Gu Lin's business how to deal with them.

There were three wooden boxes in total, carved with flowers and painted, which looked different from those used at home. Gu Lin opened the one that Tiedan patted, and saw a box full of white pearls. Although the box was not big, there were hundreds of pearls.

"Hiss——" Father Lin and the others had never seen this thing before. They just thought it was round and beautiful, and it was packed in such a nice box, so it must be a valuable item.

Gu Lin took a look and opened the second box. This time, there were several small boxes inside, which contained jade pendants, bracelets, hairpins for men and other items.

The third one, Gu Lin and Lin Zhen guessed, was the annual gift from the county magistrate. It was a fine inkstone, a brush, a piece of ink carved with pine and cypress, and ten heavy ingots of silver.

Compared with the above rewards, the county magistrate's was more in line with Gu Lin's identity as a scholar, and it was much more down-to-earth. Who doesn't like heavy silver?

It's just that the reward was a bit too much. It was a bit unreasonable for a small person like him to get a box of pearls and those things.

The two of them naturally didn't know that the county magistrate's family had contributed to it. In the eyes of those people, these things were not even the tip of the iceberg.

Gu Lin picked up the ink with a special and light fragrance and said to Lin Zhen: "Uncle Lin, please put these things away."

Lin Zhen refused: "These are your things——"

Gu Lin said: "When did Uncle Lin and I become so distant? I am still young and I don't feel comfortable holding these things."

Lin Zhen almost couldn't help but reach out and kick him a few times because of this young age. Although he is young, he is quite courageous.

But seeing the expressions of Lin's father and Lin's father who agreed, Lin Zhen could only nod: "I am just keeping them for you temporarily, you can take them anytime."

"Okay." Gu Lin put the three boxes together, carried them and followed Lin Zhen to take them to his room to store them.

The two people's rooms are next to each other, but there is a wall in the middle. It was the first time for Gu Lin to enter his room. He saw that there was another bed in the same position as his bed. A milky white quilt was placed on the neatly arranged bed surface, and the beige bed curtains were rolled up on both sides, quietly hanging at the four corners of the bed.

Next to the bed was a dressing table that Lin's father had specially made at Carpenter Ma, as well as a cabinet for clothes and bedding, shelves for things, and a long table by the window.

Although Lin Zhen was not as clean as he was, almost to the point of taking three baths a day, the room was also clean and tidy.

Lin Zhen asked Gu Lin to put the box on the table, opened the cabinet, turned around and looked at Gu Lin: "Whether you go to the capital or other places, you will need money in your hands. Tell me when you need it, or you can come and get it yourself. You know where the things are."

The weather was cold, so Lin Zhen wore more clothes. The thick cotton robe wrapped his body, and no curves could be seen.

But after hugging him several times, Gu Lin knew how slender and well-proportioned the person in front of him was.

Gu Lin stood by the table and said, "Where do you plan to do business after I take the provincial and imperial examinations?"

"I haven't decided yet, but I will definitely find a more prosperous place." The provincial examination will not start until August, and the imperial examination will be after the provincial examination. There is still more than a year, which is enough time for Lin Zhen to think

about it. He put the two boxes containing pearls and jade pendants and hairpins together with his own banknotes, and then took out the silver ingots sent by the county magistrate, and handed the remaining inkstone, ink, and pen to Gu Lin: "Since the county magistrate asked people to inquire about the news of the provincial examination, you should concentrate on reviewing after the New Year, and don't think about other things."

When saying this, Lin Zhen was mostly responding to the messy thoughts in his head.

Gu Lin looked at him with dark eyes, and suddenly bent down and touched his lips: "From childhood to adulthood, I have always listened to Zhenzhen's words."

Lin Zhen didn't react at all, and just watched his emotionless and handsome face enlarge and enlarge again, and his lips were touched by something warm.

Lin Zhen suddenly covered his lips: "Gu Shuanzi!"

Lin's father suddenly came from the main hall: "What's wrong, what's wrong with Shuanzi?"

Lin Zhen's lips were tightly pursed under his palm. Gu Lin, who was standing in front of him, turned around and looked at Lin's father: "It's okay, mom, I was a little anxious when I put the things in, and Uncle Lin was afraid that the things inside would be damaged." Lin

's father was relieved when he heard it, and said to Gu Lin: "Your things are precious, it's best to be careful."

Gu Lin nodded: "I know, mom."

He turned to Lin Zhen and said: "Uncle Lin, I'll go out first."

Lin Zhen stared at him, and his pair of childish eyes became bigger and rounder now, like a cat with its fur blown up, and its sharp claws were about to scratch Gu Lin in the next moment.

Lin Zhen looked at Gu Lin's back as he left, rubbing his lips fiercely, with one sentence playing in his head.

Gu Lin is not even fifteen years old this year, which is the age of a junior high school graduate in modern times, and he was kissed by a junior high school student!

What the hell!

Lin Zhen slammed the cabinet shut, patted his face, and walked around the room until the weird feeling on his lips almost disappeared, then he walked out with a mess in his heart.

Chapter 159

"Brother, what's wrong with your mouth?" Lin Zhen had just walked out of the house when Lin Xiaoyao suddenly looked at his lips and asked.

Lin Zhen subconsciously covered his mouth, but realized that his intense reaction was too strange. He was just trying to find a less outrageous reason when Lin Xiaoyao said, "Is the rice candy too hot?"

Lin Zhen nodded quickly, "Yeah, it's a little hot."

"I have peppermint cream in my room. I'll use it to rub it on you. I bought it when I burned my hands before, and it works very well." Lin Xiaoyao looked at his third brother's lips. His lips, which were already a layer of light red, were now even redder, and were more conspicuous against his skin, which was a little whiter than ordinary people.

Lin Zhen was already annoyed that he rubbed too hard just now, and facing Lin Xiaoyao who knew nothing, he was even more embarrassed.

His eyes were a little vague: "It's okay, there's no need for peppermint cream, it will be fine after a while."

"But..." Lin Xiaoyao was still a little worried, and he looked very red.

Lin Zhen held his hand and said, "Let's go and fry the meatballs and crispy meat. Tomorrow is the 29th day of

the twelfth lunar month. There are still many things to do. It will be too late by then." On the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, every household cleaned the front and back yards.

On the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month, amid the crackling sound of firecrackers, the Lin family sat at a table made of two tables put together to eat the New Year's Eve dinner.

There were not many dishes on the table, but the portions were sufficient. Although not as much as the whole year of last year, it was better than the New Year five or six years ago when they had to tighten their belts and go hungry.

Lin's father and father sat in the upper seats, and on both sides sat the eldest brother Lin, the second brother Lin, the eldest sister-in-law Lin, the second sister-in-law Lin, then Lin Zhen and the youngest Lin, and below them were Gu Lin, Lin Zhuzi, Lin Shitou, and Lin Huaixiang.

In other words, in the village, boys and girls can eat at the table, while in the town, only men and boys can sit at the table, and women and boys, no matter how old they are, cannot sit at the table.

In this regard, Lin's father said that if they were not allowed to sit at the table after working, wouldn't that mean they would have to plow the fields with oxen and kill the oxen for meat?

No matter what other families do, the Lin family doesn't like that.

Lin's father put down the drinking water made by Lin Zhen, which was lighter in taste and suitable for adults to drink, and said, "Another year has passed, and our Lin family is reunited and sitting together again. No matter whether you are old or young, I hope you will be healthy and smooth in the future. Hello, your father and I are all fine."

Lin's father worked hard all his life, but he didn't do anything spectacular. He was just like other men in the village, marrying boys, having children, and raising them.

The only thing that people would talk about more was that Lin Zhen's grandmother was still alive, and when Lin's father was in trouble, she protected him and moved out with him.

Big Brother Lin was the eldest in the family. He was the first to stand up and kowtow to Lin's father and Lin's father: "Father, happy New Year."

"Happy New Year." Lin's father and Lin's father looked at Big Brother Lin with satisfaction. Their eldest son had been sensible since he was young, filial to them, and caring for his brothers. In the blink of an eye, he would be a grandfather in two years. Big Brother Lin, who was

slightly taller than Big Brother Lin, but still had a youthful look in his thirties, with bright eyes, also knelt beside Big Brother Lin: "Father, happy New Year."

The couple didn't take good care of the second child. There was the eldest brother above him and Lin Zhen, a cute brother below him. Sometimes they would unconsciously ignore him. Fortunately,

he was a carefree person. When he was a teenager, he suddenly told them that he wanted to get married and wanted to marry the boy from the Zhao family. Lin's father and Lin's father were stunned.

At that time, all the family assets had just been used to marry Big Brother Lin, and there was really no money to be squeezed out. Lin's father asked him if he could wait for two years.

Lin Er said, "I have agreed with him that we will not hold a wedding banquet, but only invite them to come for a meal. He does not want any betrothal gifts."

Then Lin Adie and Lin's father met Zhao Xiu, a tall and big brother, who was almost the same as Lin Er, who was already outstanding. As long as he did not say it, no one would have thought that such a handsome young man was actually a brother.

It was also because when he came in, Lin Adie and Lin's father felt that they owed him. They had never quarreled with him for so many years and treated him as their own child.

The couple was also the least worrying for Lin Adie and Lin's father. Sometimes they had to avoid that clingy energy.

Lin Zhen and Lin Xiaoyao also knelt in front of Lin Adie and Lin's father to wish them a happy new year, and then Gu Lin, Lin Zhuzi, Lin Shitou, Lin Huaixiang, Lin Chunxiang, Lin Xingxiang and others.

Lin's father and Lin Adie smiled more deeply with the increasingly deep wrinkles at the corners of their eyes, and sat on the chairs to give them New Year's money wrapped in red paper.

After dinner, the family hurriedly collected and washed the dishes, and then sat around the fire pit to stay up until the New Year.

To avoid being bored, the eldest sister-in-law of Lin fried melon seeds, and the second sister-in-law of Lin went to the cellar to pick up a basket of sweet potatoes and threw them into the charcoal fire in the fire pit.

While everyone was chatting animatedly, Lin Zhen quietly went to get the silver and pulled Lin's father into his room.

"What's wrong? Is there anything you want to tell me?" Lin's father was in a very good mood today, and the smile on his face never faded.

Lin Zhen pressed him on a chair in the room and handed him a purse: "Dad, Happy New Year, this is the New Year's money for you and your father, you keep it."

When Lin's father heard this, he put his hands behind his back: "Why do I need you for New Year's money? This is not popular in our family. Besides, your money was blown by the wind? Keep it well for yourself."

As he said that, he was about to stand up and walk out.

Lin Zhen quickly held him back: "Father, listen to me."

"I have been away from home for so many years. First, you have been worried about me all the time. Second, I can't be by your side to take care of you. This is all I can give you."

"You and father are fine. You don't have to worry about anything if you have money on you."

"Besides, Shuanzi and I may have to go to the capital again soon after the Chinese New Year. If he is lucky and passes the provincial examination, he will have to go to Kyoto to take the imperial examination. It will take one or two years to go back and forth."

"I will feel at ease if you take the money."

Lin Zhen knew that the eldest and second brothers Lin were both honest people. The two brothers would never treat Lin's father and father badly. If they knew that he gave them money, they would definitely stop him in every possible way.

So he deliberately avoided them and pulled Lin's father aside.

Father Lin was pulled by him, looking up at his most beloved and concerned child: "You, you, you made me feel sorry for you before, and you still make me feel sorry for you now. If you leave for one or two years, I..."

Father Lin did not continue. He knew that his brother had more right ideas than anyone else, and he could do things better than ordinary men.

He took the silver, touched Lin Zhen's face, and said earnestly: "Brother Zhen, I have said many things that should be said in the past few years. No matter what, I still hope that you will have your own destination. You will be 26 next year, and 30 in a few years, just like your eldest brother and second brother. When you come back next time, I am afraid you will even be a grandfather. Isn't that great?" As

he got older, Father Lin would say it once every time Lin Zhen came back, but he just said it, and he didn't really go to see Lin Zhen.

After all, Lin Zhen's ability and appearance were famous in the surrounding area, and there was no shortage of people who wanted to marry him.

Lin Zhen nodded as he did in previous years: "Okay, I'll keep an eye out and see if there's a suitable one."

Father Lin added: "And Shuanzi."

Speaking of Gu Lin, Father Lin sighed: "Shuanzi lost his parents when he was young and was brought up by you. He respects you the most. I don't know why you suddenly broke off relations with him and made him live awkwardly at home, but that child is very sharp-minded. You have to be careful not to hurt his feelings."

"..." As soon as he mentioned Gu Lin, Lin Zhen felt a stinging pain on the front of his head, and his lips, which had finally stopped hurting, began to feel it again.

He quickly stopped talking: "I know, Dad, I'll give New Year's money to Zhuzi and Shitou first."

He rushed out of the house, came to the fire pit, and waved to the youngest Tiedan: "Tiedan, come to uncle."

Tiedan is the youngest in Lin's eldest sister's family, only one year younger than the youngest in Lin's second sister's family. He has the appearance of Lin's eldest brother. He ran to Lin Zhen and raised his head: "Uncle, eat melon seeds."

He held a few peeled melon seeds in his hand, which were plump and big. Lin Zhen put them into his mouth without hesitation and replaced them with New Year's money wrapped in red paper in his hand: "Tiedan will grow tall this year and be as strong as a little tiger."

Tiedan, who had just received New Year's money from Lin's father and others, had bright eyes and showed his teeth with two missing teeth when holding the New Year's money: "Thank you, uncle!"

Then came the youngest in Lin's second brother's family, Lin Huaixiang and Lin Chunxiang, as well as Lin Zhuzi and Lin Shitou, and finally Gu Lin.

Everyone is the same.

Every year when he comes back, he gives New Year's money to the younger ones. Brother Lin and Brother Lin are no longer surprised. They just take out the red envelopes they have prepared long ago and give them to Gu Lin.

"Shuanzi, come here, uncle's red envelope."

"Uncle's is here."

Gu Lin took the red envelope obediently, "Thank you uncle, thank you uncle."

Throughout the year, he is the one who receives the most red envelopes.

Lin Zhen looked at the full red envelopes in his hands and heard him call Brother Lin and Brother Lin uncle and uncle. It was so weird.

He suddenly felt a little hot, so he dug a cooked sweet potato out of the fire pit and sat down in the yard with a small stool.

While he was peeling the sweet potato, Lin Xiaoyao also sat next to him with a small stool, "Third brother, give me half."

Lin Zhen broke off half of the sweet potato without saying a word and stuffed it into his hand. When he just came out of Lin Adie's place, he saw Lin Xiaoyao go in. He thought about it and knew why Lin Xiaoyao went to find Lin Adie.

Just as Lin Xiaoyao had decided before, he would go out after the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, go to the city first, buy goods in the city, wait for the merchants, and follow the merchants to Luzhou in the west.

Luzhou is not far from the city, and there are many waterways there, so it is easier to come back. It is the first place where Lin Xiaoyao will try the water. If it goes well, he will go to other places.

The roasted sweet potatoes are extremely sweet. Lin Zhen took a bite and said, "Have you agreed with my father?"

Chapter 160

"It's settled."

Lin Zhen swallowed the sweet potato in his mouth and looked at the dark mountains in the distance: "Father will definitely not allow you to go." There

are two brothers in the family. One wants to go to the capital and Kyoto and will not come back for a year or two, and the other wants to go to business with merchants. Both of them make Father Lin worry. He will never agree.

Lin Zhen is fine. He has been working outside for many years.

Lin Xiaoyao has been following him for the past few years and has never been alone. In comparison, Father Lin is more worried about Lin Xiaoyao.

Lin Xiaoyao threw the peeled skin into the wooden barrel beside him for garbage, and said, "There is only half a month left. I will keep asking for it. Dad will agree."

Lin Zhen nodded, "Our father can't stand the nagging. He is soft-hearted and values ​​us little ones. He can't stand it for seven or eight days, let alone half a month."

"But Xiaoyao, I still say the same thing. You must take care of yourself outside. You can earn money again if you lose it, but don't take risks with yourself."

"I know." Lin Xiaoyao finished eating half of the sweet potato and clapped his hands. He suddenly picked up Lin Zhen horizontally, just like when the two of them just started selling spicy hot pot and he didn't want to marry Li Jiu according to his family's wishes. He called Lin Zhen out in confusion and said that he wanted to learn the Thousand Character Classic and wanted to do business with Lin Zhen.

At that time, he also picked up Lin Zhen horizontally and threw him up.

"What are you doing? What are you doing? Put me down!" Lin Zhen was suddenly held so high that he subconsciously hugged his neck.

Except for him, all the other members of the Lin family are tall. In the past two years, Lin Xiaoyao has also grown taller than him. He is also naturally strong, so hugging him is like hugging him and playing with him.

Lin Xiaoyao smiled brightly, "Third brother, you are still the same as before, fragrant and soft."

"Hey!" The 25-year-old man really couldn't stand this adjective, fragrant and soft, as if he was a cotton candy.

Lin Xiaoyao looked down at him: "Third brother, you have to be well."

Lin Zhen looked back at him: "You too."

After the Chinese New Year, it was customary to visit relatives to pay New Year's greetings.

Lin Dasao's parents moved out of the mountains last year and lived in a small village not far from Liyu Village. The place was found by Lin Dasao himself, so they no longer had to go back for several years as before.

So this year, Lin Dasao and Lin Ersao were the same, carrying New Year gifts and going there before dawn.

Lin Adie also wanted to go to Xiaogang Village to pay New Year's greetings to Guo Amo, and Lin's father and Lin Xiaoyao would accompany him.

Only Lin Zhen, the big idler, slept until they left and didn't get up until lunch time, yawning and getting up to go to the kitchen to find food.

On the fifth and sixth days of the first lunar month, it was the time to pay New Year's greetings to other relatives. Since Lin's father didn't have many relatives, this task was exempted. The family enjoyed the leisurely life before spring plowing.

On this day, Lin Zhen was huddled in front of Lin's father and Lin's sister-in-law, watching them mixing paste to make insoles. Suddenly, he heard someone calling him outside the yard. He walked out and found that it was Wang Qin, Huang Yuwen and Zhong Yan.

Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen were dressed very festively, wearing red clothes of different shades. Zhong Yan also wore a new set of clothes, which was rare. The three of them were holding New Year's gifts in their hands.

Seeing him come out, Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen waved first: "Uncle Lin, Happy New Year."

Zhong Yan nodded.

Lin Zhen walked over quickly, opened the gate and let them in. "It's snowing today, why are you here?"

"Have a hot drink, I just made it, it's just right for you." After the New Year, it started snowing again, the snow was small and not big, although it was not a problem to go out, but it was still a bit cold.

Zhong Yan, Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen saw Father Lin and Sister Lin making insoles by the fire pit, and greeted them one after another.

Three good-looking and polite teenagers, everyone likes them. Father Lin put down his work and stood up to pour them hot drinks. Lin Zhen stopped him: "I can do it. They are all good friends of Gu Lin. There is no need to be so polite."

Wang Qin smiled with his big white teeth: "Ah, we can drink by ourselves. I originally wanted to take you to the town to play, but the road is a bit slippery. I will pick you up in the spring."

Wang Qin went home and told his parents everything about his journey. If it weren't for Gu Lin, they couldn't leave the city. If it weren't for Lin Zhen's care on the road, he and his two servants would not have enough food to last for two or three days. If it weren't for Lin Xiaoyao's desperate search, they would have starved to death on the way back to Anyuan Town.

The Lin family saved his life.

Wang Qin will remember this kindness all his life. Today

he came, and his parents personally selected the New Year gift. If they didn't feel that it was too abrupt to come to the door, they would also like to thank the people of the Lin family and sit down and chat.

Father Lin smiled and said, "You are too polite. I will go get you some melon seeds and rice candy for the New Year."

"Thank you, mom."

Sister Lin felt that it was not good for her to be sandwiched between the young people and disturb their conversation, so she took the bamboo basket with needles and thread and went back to the house.

Lin Zhen took the New Year gifts from their hands and put them on the table, saying, "Shuanzi is reading a book. I will ask him to come and chat with you for a while."

"It just so happens that he has something to tell you."

After the New Year, Gu Lin immersed himself in books. He got up before dawn every day, first drew the bow a thousand times, then swung the sword for a thousand words, then washed up, had breakfast, and read books.

The self-discipline of the Lin family was dumbfounded, and they told Lin Zhen several times not to let the children get tired.

Lin Zhen explained again and again, saying that he was like this in the capital city and had his own plans, so that they gave up the idea that Lin Zhen, as an uncle, was too strict.

Arriving outside Gu Lin's house, Lin Zhen knocked on the door: "Gu Lin, Zhong Yan, Wang Qin, Huang Yuwen and others are here to pay New Year's greetings. Come out and play with them for a while."

Soon, there was a sound in the house, and the door was opened from the inside.

Gu Lin, who was standing in the door, was wearing a gray cotton robe, and his long hair was tied with a hairband. It was black, straight and long. If it was let down, it would reach his thighs.

He hummed, followed Lin Zhen, and walked to the fire pit.

The three of them saw him bowing,

and the long robe on his body was full of style. Gu Lin, who was wearing a loose cotton robe, had a serious face, bowed in return, and sat next to Lin Zhen.

Among the four scholars present, Zhong Yan was a juren, Gu Lin and Huang Yuwen were scholars, and Wang Qin was still a tongsheng, but Zhong Yan and Gu Lin looked completely different.

Zhong Yan was thin, and the whole person was like a lush green bamboo.

Gu Lin is taller than Zhong Yan, and his emotionless eyes look very inhuman. He is not like the plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum that scholars often compare themselves to. He is more like a double-edged sword with no handle from beginning to end.

Cold and sharp.

Huang Yuwen has always been very outgoing. While warming himself by the fire, he asked Gu Lin: "I just heard Uncle Lin say that you are reviewing your studies? Last year's provincial examination has passed, and the latest one will be three years later. I thought you would wait until you go to Huaishan Academy to continue studying."

Wang Qin said distressedly: "If I review my studies so early, I will definitely forget it. I don't know if the provincial examination for the scholars this year can be held as scheduled."

Gu Lin said: "At the end of December, the housekeeper beside the county magistrate came and said that the county magistrate sent someone to inquire about some news. The provincial examination will be reopened in August this year."

"So what Uncle Lin said you wanted to tell us just now is this?!" Huang Yuwen was very surprised.

He and Gu Lin are both scholars, and the reopening of the provincial examination is particularly important to them.

For Zhong Yan, it meant that if Gu Lin and Huang Yuwen successfully became juren, the three of them could take part in the college entrance examination next year at the same time.

Gu Lin nodded: "Yes."

"Then I have to review my studies as soon as possible!" As he spoke, Huang Yuwen became anxious uncontrollably. He knew that his talent and learning were not as good as Gu Lin's, and his chances of passing the provincial examination were not high, but he couldn't bear to disappoint his parents at home. His cute face that was raised to be round wrinkled into a bun.

Wang Qin had just passed the examination for a tongsheng, but was not yet a xiucai, so he didn't need to rush for the provincial examination. If he had to take the examination, he would first take the prefectural examination to become a xiucai.

He casually said, "Why don't you come and stay at Uncle Lin's house for a few days, and if you encounter something you don't understand,

you can ask Gu Lin to explain it to you. It will definitely be more useful than you studying alone at home." His words made Huang Yuwen interested, and he looked at Gu Lin. He knew that with Gu Lin's talent, there would be no problem for him to guide him, but Gu Lin also had to take the provincial examination, and it would be a waste of his time...

Gu Lin nodded: "Okay."

Huang Yuwen looked at Gu Lin in surprise, "That's great, thank you, Brother Gu!"

Wang Qin, who had just said it casually, didn't expect Gu Lin to agree so quickly, and he was also moved. He moved a small stool to Gu Lin's side: "Then... can you add me in? My parents were all scared when I came back from the city this time, and they don't chase me to study and practice calligraphy every day."

"Especially my mother, she gets a headache when she sees the pens, ink, paper and inkstone in my room. She said she would find me a virtuous wife, let me stay at home as a young master, and give birth to two little grandsons for them to play with. I can't even find a chance to read."

If it were the Wang Qin in the past, he would definitely not be vague about playing. What's the point of studying hard.

But Gu Lin, Huang Yuwen and Zhong Yan around him were all good at studying, so he had some ideas in his mind.

He couldn't just wander around everywhere when everyone had their own things to do. I'm afraid no one would believe him if he said he was Gu Lin's friend.

Several people wanted to laugh after hearing this. Lin Zhen touched the head of the child who was immersed in the honey pot: "Then how are you going to tell your parents? Don't let them find a girl for you and take you back to get married in a flash."

Huang Yuwen, who had played with Wang Qin since he was wearing open-crotch pants, nodded and said, "I think Aunt Wang and Uncle Wang are capable of doing this. Wang Qin, we will go to give gifts then."

Gu Lin said lightly, "Okay."

Wang Qin held his head: "Why are you guys also making trouble?"

His eyes suddenly lit up, and he said to Huang Yuwen, "When you call a carriage to go back later, tell the driver that we are playing at Uncle Lin's house. I will review my lessons here first."

Huang Yuwen looked at him: "Then what about when we go to the provincial capital to take the exam?"

"Let's hide it for a while. When I pass the exam and come back, maybe my mother and others will change their minds. After all, they are the parents of a scholar!"