Men, listen, grab the top of the mountain and stand in the center position

The world is now in turmoil, plagued by internal and external troubles. The weaker the imperial court, the more severe the external threats. The Northwest Army's reputation for bravery is known abroad, but behind it lies a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood. Every time the fighting stops, there are always mothers, wives, and children who can't wait for their families to return. They would rather desert than have no news and no remains left.

Along the way, there were more people looking around on the street, some with families, some alone, some dressed in silk and satin, some in rags, looking around curiously, and from time to time showing an expression of confusion or sudden enlightenment about everything in Yaocheng. Some of the brave ones began to ask for directions to cloth shops, restaurants with southern flavors, and inquire about the customs of Yaocheng.

Yaocheng is located in a highland with a dry climate. Wangshu noticed along the way that many of these outsiders had blocked noses and headaches as if they had lost their souls.

The abacus at the Xiangyun Inn clattered with beads. "...Seven up, two down, five up, one down...Nine down, one up, one down..." the innkeeper muttered to himself, flipping through the ledger with one hand and counting with the other, pausing occasionally to circle and mark with a brush. Some struggled to survive amidst national crisis, while others made fortunes from this change.

It was the coolest time of the day when I knocked on my aunt's door, carrying cakes. The streets were bustling with people, the inns were bustling with people, the distant city was bustling and crowded, and the family members' eyes filled with tears when they met.

"Brother-in-law, sister, it's been thirteen years since we last met! We've traveled so far, thousands of miles apart. God bless you, who could have thought we'd see each other again! This must be Wangshu, what a graceful young lady! She's so pretty! Girls from the south are even more charming and graceful than those from the north, like those in landscape paintings!" Auntie pinched Wangshu's hand and praised her fervently. She looked from side to side, exclaiming in admiration, "Wangshu looks so adorable, so fair and clean, I feel pity for her. Good girl, when I see her, I wish I could give her my own heart and hold it in my hands."

Ji's father and mother immediately reciprocated the favor by praising the Li family's twin boy and girl, Li Shangde and Li Wanting, and the two sides also exchanged gifts for the children.

Unlike the twins who sat solemnly, Wangshu leaned back in the chair and observed the family of three. His aunt looked very similar to his mother, but his aunt was taller than his mother. One of the children sat upright with his back straight, sitting on the third of the stool, smiling without showing his teeth, like the legendary model of a well-educated child at a young age.

The twins, a boy and a girl, are just fifteen this year. They look very similar, the boy is handsome and the girl is pretty, both fair and quiet, with round faces. The afterglow of the setting sun shines through the gauze window, and you can still see a thin layer of fine hair on their faces, making them look a little childish.

"...the soldiers and bandits are numerous and powerful, committing all sorts of atrocities, such as burning, killing, and looting. They've taken over the mountains outside Hangzhou County and are now known as kings. They'd come into the city from time to time to wreak havoc. It's a pity that many young ladies have been abducted in broad daylight. Those whose families can afford large sums of money can redeem them, but those who can't afford them are taken by these bandits...The head of the household, seeing the situation was about to get worse, hired a escort from the north to take the three of us to Yaocheng first. He also thought that since my brother-in-law has worked in the general's camp for many years and my sister has a skill, we wouldn't be blinded when we first arrived. Seeing you is finally reassuring!"

My aunt wiped her face with a handkerchief, sighed, and continued, "An inn is not a place to stay for long. I'm so anxious and restless that I can't sleep all night. I'm looking forward to seeing my sister and brother-in-law so that I can have the nerve to ask you for your advice and settle down quickly."

After hearing the tearful, thousand-word essay, Ji's father and mother grumbled, "I dare you not!" They then eloquently replied with an 800-word essay. "You've come from afar, and as family, we shouldn't be so different. It's no exaggeration to say you're here to offer guidance and assistance. My husband and I have been scraping by with our little daughter for so many years, but Yaocheng is a stable place. Having lived here for so many years, we're quite familiar with it. If your sister wants to settle down here, we'll do our best to help. Maybe we can become neighbors in the future, making it even more convenient for us to visit each other... There are a lot of houses for sale or rent in Second Lane lately. We know several buyers and sellers. If your sister needs help, we can make introductions."

Ji's mother wiped away the tears from her eyes.

The aunt's eyes flickered as she glanced at her children, unable to help but feel worried. "Buying a property is indeed urgent, but as a woman, I still have to write to the head of the household to ask about such a major matter. However, my children are staying in this inn with me now. Although they are obedient and well-behaved, I can't help but worry about them being bumped into by the crowds... Sigh, to be honest with you, my brother-in-law and sister, being a parent is truly heartbreaking. Yaocheng is peaceful, but the people I see on the streets are so bold and reckless that I can't let them go!"

She was worried that her parents would open the door to welcome her. Wangshu held her head up and watched her parents and aunt exchange witty remarks in boredom. As long as she stayed there, her parents would not let anyone in. Firstly, they wanted the home to be quiet and warm as before and did not want to be disturbed. No one had done them a favor, so there was no need to feel the burden of repaying the favor. The family could live happily behind closed doors. Secondly, she had finally become the only daughter loved by her parents and was doted on by them. She must be the only one in the world and wanted to enjoy herself to the fullest, not even a minute less.

She is still a baby, and it is not too much to pamper her.

"...These middlemen are trustworthy. My eldest and second brothers are on their way. They didn't arrive earlier than you did, so you should plan ahead if you're interested. The house prices will have to go up even more by the time they arrive." Father Ji recounted the information he had gathered over the past few days. "I haven't seen my mother and my brother and his wife in over ten years. I never thought that everything would work out so well."

Seeing that Ji's father and mother kept talking about the matchmaker and real estate, my aunt had no choice but to go along with it. She asked for the matchmaker's home address, inquired about the real estate situation, and chatted about some family matters.

The final farewell was particularly polite. Ji's mother invited the three aunts to have a simple meal at home when they were free. The other party just pretended to thank them profusely, and the warmth they had when they first met was gone.

Madam Ji felt a little sad and couldn't help wiping her eyes on the way. "Actually, they are just staying here for a while. Alas, my family has cleaned up the east wing and it will be fine..."

The east wing is Madam Ji's workshop. The room is full of silk fabrics, hanging patterns, samples, large and small canvases, looms, and small couches for temporary rest... It sounds easy, but it is impossible to move a workshop that has been in operation for more than ten years. It will take a few days to do it.

"Mother, they must have brought servants with them on their trip. They came all this way here, yet they're still so glamorous and energetic, and their rooms are in perfect order. The white jade hairpin on my cousin's hair and the large, round pearls on her embroidered shoes look very expensive. They're so rich, why don't they rent a house and move in with the whole family? We're already broke, yet we still sympathize with other wealthy families..."

Wangshu shook the gift he had received: a hollow silver hairpin with two small silver lotus pods dangling from it. "We haven't seen each other for thirteen years. This gift is too perfunctory!" Ji's mother was honest. She had given him a gold-inlaid jade bracelet and jade pendant from the garrison, which she herself was reluctant to wear. She had given Li Wanting a bracelet and Li Shangde a jade pendant, but she only took this silver hairpin...

Ji's mother then took out the hollow silver hairpin that her daughter shook out, and was hesitant for a moment. She took out the gold and jade bracelet and jade pendant from Shushu's dressing box.

"We don't have much money, but we feel a lot of gratitude and guilt..."

………Mother Ji felt sad for a moment, then suddenly lost her temper. Father Ji hurried to comfort his wife, "Madam, Shushu is right. The authorities are the most confused. Your sister and her family must have a large group of servants and people to take care of them. They are all dressed in exquisite clothes. The ladies and young masters of the official family have always behaved in the same way. Our temple is too small to accommodate such a big Buddha! More than ten years ago, they were an official family in Hangzhou County. Hangzhou County has been a wealthy place for hundreds of years. It is known as the saying that a clean county magistrate can earn 100,000 silver coins in three years. Even a little bit of money they missed would be enough for our family of three to eat and drink for several years."

Wangshu gave his father a thumbs-up in his heart, his face looked pitiful but he was also expressing his feelings: "Alas, speaking of it, our family is the poorest among the relatives on both sides. The eldest uncle and the second uncle have real estate, land, ancestral property and shops, and several aunts have married into the families of officials or wealthy businessmen. Every family has sons and daughters, money, food and reputation. Only my family gave birth to a sickly child like me, and was forced to survive thousands of miles away from home. Now we can barely make ends meet, and our pockets are always empty. If you want to blame someone, blame your daughter for not doing well. It cost my parents a lot of money, and my family can't make ends meet... wuwu..."

A 500-word sad article full of self-pity was also written on the spot.

Hearing this, Ji's father and mother's eyes turned red, and they hurriedly comforted their daughter, "Okay, my dear daughter, don't cry. It doesn't matter if Daddy (Mom) gave birth to only you! You will be well soon, and you will be tall in the future."

Wangshu has been very emotional recently, and once she started crying, she couldn't stop. Mother Ji was so distressed that she was very upset and couldn't help sobbing out loud: "Don't cry, my dear, I am really heartbroken. I said the wrong thing. It's my fault. I don't blame you at all..."

Father Ji hurriedly rented a sedan chair on the street and let the mother and daughter sit in it. He trotted along, not forgetting to help his daughter comfort her from the sedan chair, "Daddy still has some private money hidden. I'll give it to my good daughter when I get back..."