Golden Branch

After watching Yang Rui leave, Wang Heng and Lou Yu left the dock.

The servants brought their horses over.

Lou Yu's horse was a top-quality Dayuan horse, with brown-red fur, shiny and smooth, and the sound of its hooves clattering, it looked unruly.

Wang Heng's horse was also a Dayuan horse, a gift from Lou Yu.

The snow-white mare was much more docile than Lou Yu's red horse.

Wang Heng is not very tall and is a bit fat. She jogs all year round and is quite flexible, but she cannot easily step into the stirrups and mount a horse.

It was a guard who came to the horse, knelt on one knee and stretched out an arm.

Wang Heng held the guard's arm, stepped on his knees, and slowly climbed up.

Seeing Wang Heng sitting safely on the horse, Lou Yu took his own horse and jumped onto it easily.

“…” Lou Yu still didn’t speak.

Wang Heng nodded, "Brother, let's go!"

As soon as Wang Heng finished speaking, the guards and servants of the two families mounted their horses.

The two men tightened the reins, tapped the stirrups lightly with their feet, and the horses under their crotch rushed out.

Two figures rushed out, followed closely by guards and servants.

Da da da!

The pounding of horses' hooves stirred up a layer of yellow soil on the official road.

The cavalry went away, the loess fell, and large ships were sailing on the river not far away.

"...Is this Yizhou? It seems to have completely changed!"

A large ship docked at the pier, and the boatman set up the planks and connected them to the pier.

Several women in shabby clothes supported each other and walked on the shaking deck.

By the time we reached the pier, our feet felt much steadier.

It is no longer the kind of floating feeling on the water, but the stability and peace of mind of being down-to-earth.

At this time, the female members of the family were able to look around.

The pier was newly built, two or three meters wide, and could accommodate two carriages passing side by side.

Sturdy wooden boards extend from the river surface to the embankment.

The pier on the embankment is also newly built.

There are gates, storage yards, officials responsible for inspection and management, as well as boatmen and laborers coming and going busily.

There are many ships coming in and out of the dock, some are passenger ships carrying passengers, and some are cargo ships full of goods.

People come and go, it's very lively.

There are rows of shops along the river bank.

Some are warehouses, some are restaurants, wine shops, and grocery stores.

There are also peddlers carrying loads on their shoulders, or old women carrying baskets. They are the people living nearby, who rely on the water for their livelihood and do small businesses such as selling needlework, flowers and water.

When selling goods, peddlers, old women, etc. would also shout, which was intertwined with the shouts of officials on the dock, the yells of boatmen, etc.

...What a scene of peace and prosperity in this prosperous and peaceful world.

Lu Jialan looked at the scene, which already seemed like a world away, and it felt even more unfamiliar to her.

The night when I once sat on the luxurious pleasure boat on the Yi River, being flattered and fawned over by young men and women, seemed like a thing of the past life.

In fact, it was only four years.

And these four years seemed like her entire life.

Lu Jialan clenched his fists, and his palms were no longer smooth and tender, but covered with calluses.

There are scars on the back of the hands, arms, and many invisible places.

Only she herself knows what she has been through in the past four years.

Exiled to Lingnan, the government's punishment was just four light words.

For those who have experienced it, it is like the eighteen levels of purgatory.

It took them nearly half a year to walk the 4,000-mile distance from Yizhou to Lingnan.

When they first set out, the Northern Territory had not even taken over the entire Lingnan.

The North is still in a stalemate with the South, encroaching bit by bit.

Only Yongzhou, where the Lu family was exiled, temporarily has troops from the northern border.

According to Lu Jialan, the person who sentenced the Lu family to exile in Yongzhou must have a grudge against the Lu family.

In the area that had just been occupied, the governor and other local officials were probably generals who also led troops. The entire government office had not yet returned to normal order, but the Lu family was exiled there first.

Perhaps, in the eyes of those people, the old, weak, women and children of the Lu family could not survive the 4,000-mile exile.

The so-called exile to Yongzhou was just a casual remark.

"...You never thought we'd make it to Yongzhou alive!"

When Lu Jialan thought of this, he couldn't help but grit his teeth.

They did make it to exile alive, but with heavy casualties.

When they left Yizhou, there were seventy or eighty people in the Lu family, but when they arrived in Yongzhou, there were less than twenty people left.

My mother had not walked two hundred miles when she caught a cold and passed away.

My mother sold several concubines and begged the officials to get her a donkey cart for transportation.

Lu Jialan and the other children were spared from death from exhaustion.

There are also my aunt and cousins... Along the way, for a bite of food and a bowl of medicine, there is no longer any so-called dignity and pride of the aristocratic family.

Of course, it was not only the women who suffered, but also the men and young gentlemen.

They are also dead, injured, and sick.

Some even couldn't bear the pain and humiliation and chose to commit suicide.

Having endured from summer to winter, the Lu family must be thankful that they were exiled to Lingnan, where there was no harsh winter.

Even in winter, they will not freeze to death because of thin clothes.

However, arriving at the place of exile does not mean the end of suffering, but the beginning of a new round of suffering.

They were exiles, not free commoners.

Men had to do hard labor in Zhechoufu and government offices.

If there is a war, they will be the best cannon fodder.

When there was no war, the government paved roads, built bridges, repaired cities, etc., and the refugees had to do the hard labor.

Although women do not need to do these things, they still have to earn money and do housework.

Lu Jialan, who had never done housework before, had to be helped even when he was getting dressed and washing. However, in Yongzhou, he learned how to make fire and wash clothes. He even washed clothes and did chores for "noble people" in order to earn a few copper coins.

Hands that are soaked in water all year round will become white and wrinkled.

I also got calluses from the work.

I’m thankful again that there is no winter here, otherwise my hands would get frostbite, festering and ulcerating when I wash clothes in winter!

But, without winter, it is still painful.

The summer is hot, snakes, insects, rats and ants are rampant, there are deadly miasma, viruses, and the sun is scorching.

Lu Galan has to work every day and stay in the wild.

There is no canopy, no fence, no hood, and you can only bask in the sun.

The skin became dark, rough, and even sunburned.

In addition to the physical pain, there is also a psychological impact.

Exiles are not considered human beings, they are only slightly better than slaves.

Oh no, in a sense, even worse than a slave.

At least slaves have the protection of their masters and will not be easily bullied.

It’s different for exiles; they will be bullied, humiliated... and even abused.

It would be fine if he was tortured by the nobles, but there were also the common people that Lu Galan once looked down upon, and even the savages!

Lu Jialan couldn't stand it anymore, and finally, in the third year of her exile, when she was just fourteen years old, she relied on her relatively outstanding appearance and her former noble status to become the captain of the local Zhechoufu.

The man was in his twenties, his first wife had died, and he was a minor officer under Princess Jincheng.

After following Princess Jinyang's female army to capture Yongzhou, he was arranged by his superiors to stay in Yongzhou, set up the Zhechoufu, and serve as the Guoyi Duwei.

When the Lu family arrived, Yongzhou Zhechou Mansion had just been established and the man had just taken office.

Later, the women's army continued to advance, expanding southward and eastward, and Zhechoufu also got back on track.

He stayed in Yongzhou, recruited soldiers and horses, stabilized the local area, assisted the governor's office in resuming farming and trade, and continued to transport troops, horses and food to the front line.

After Lu Jialan married the captain, the Lu family finally got out of trouble.

Lu Jialan once again lived a life with servants serving him and no worries about food and clothing.

But she was not satisfied. After all, she was once a girl from a noble family. If she had not been exiled, she would have married a man of equal status, or even married into a wealthy family or the royal family.

She would have a truly rich and luxurious life, and would be able to play polo, enjoy flowers, go for a walk, dance and drink in a prosperous place like Chang'an.

Instead of living in this uncivilized and barbaric land, following a crude warrior who was born a peasant slave, leading a hard life where you can't even afford a piece of decent silk!

Finally, Lu Galan finally waited for the saint to grant amnesty to the world.

They were pardoned and allowed to return to their place of origin.

The Lu family's origin is Pingcheng, the former capital of the northern border.

However, the direct branch of the Lu family has already migrated to Chang'an, and some of their members hold high positions.

In this way, Lu Jialan and his family can return to Chang'an.

Oh no, that's not right!

This family does not include women like Lu Jialan who have to "marry" in order to survive.

She is already married, and that woman belongs to another family, not the daughter of the Lu family.

The Lu family's return to Beijing has nothing to do with them!

Lu Jialan: ...No! I don't want to stay in Lingnan! I want to go to Chang'an!

Lu Jialan is also a ruthless person. She used the Lu family's reputation in the capital to negotiate with her husband.

In addition to threats, she also promised some benefits, and only then did she reluctantly divorce her husband.

After receiving the divorce letter, Lu Jialan packed up his belongings without any reluctance and followed the Lu family on the journey north.

On the way, the Lu family received a letter from a clan member saying that their cousin Lu Huaijin had been reinstated and was going to Qi to serve as an official.

Qi land?

Yizhou!

It was the beginning of Lu Galan’s nightmare, but she also had too many obsessions.

such as--

"Wang Heng! Wang Jiuniang! I heard that your father not only escaped punishment for the Yi River Incident, but was even promoted?"

Although they were in the same pleasure boat, Wang Heng was the one who was plotted against. However, she was safe and sound and even became the daughter of a more noble governor!

He himself had to endure so much suffering.

The girl is only fifteen or sixteen years old, but she has a heart that has experienced many vicissitudes of life and is full of scars.

Lu Jialan was already jealous of Wang Heng, and with this grudge between them, she became even more jealous.

She wanted to go to Qi and Yizhou, she wanted to see if Wang Heng could still be so happy and comfortable today!

……

After seeing Yang Rui off, Wang Lin was still busy.

Wang Heng's life was not affected.

I go to the academy on weekdays, and go to Lou's Fort every few days to study with Mr. Shen.

In his spare time, he would taste delicious food and chat about gossip with Wang Mian.

only--

As Wang Mian is about to reach the age of 15, her marriage is officially put on the agenda.

And she and Zhou Jiming had a tacit understanding.

Although the two families did not formally propose marriage or exchange engagement letters, they both tacitly agreed for their two children to get along with each other.

Wang Heng: ...My eldest daughter is "in love", and I am no longer the most important person to her.

Wang Heng felt a little lost.

She was not selfish and believed that Wang Mian could only revolve around her.

But, we've been together since childhood, better than sisters, and suddenly, just...

It’s not that Wang Mian has completely distanced himself from her, but that the time they spend together has decreased.

People also had to bring food to Zhou Jiming or embroider purses for him.

Wang Heng: ...Zhou Jiming is becoming more and more annoying.

Always monopolizing Amian!

For example, one day, Wang Heng received some exotic fruits that Lou Yu had specially sent from Lingnan. She wanted to find Wang Mian to share them with her, but she couldn't find anyone.

"Where's Amian?"

Wang Heng didn't see her little friend, and her smile froze instantly.

"Reporting to Jiu Niang, Miss Wang and Young Master Zhou have gone to Wanshou Temple!"

"Wanshou Temple?"

Wang Heng was slightly startled. Isn't this the Wang family's ancestral temple?

It is near Wang’s Fort.

It is said that it was the ancestral home of the Wang family of Langya. It was burned down during the war and rebuilt after Wang Lin’s ancestors “returned”.

Today, some of the inscriptions left by the Wang family are still preserved in Wanshou Temple, and are highly praised by many literati and calligraphers.

With the return of the Wang family of Langya, the ownership of Wanshou Temple became controversial.

Wang Lin and Wang Yan once had a dispute over this.

Wang Heng felt a little uncomfortable with this place and rarely set foot there over the years.

As Wang Heng's friend, Wang Mian naturally knew Wang Heng's likes and taboos, so she rarely went to Wanshou Temple.

"...Amian went to Wanshou Temple, it must be for Zhou Jiming!"

Zhou Jiming was going to the capital to take the imperial examination, so he had to read books and practice calligraphy.

Wang's calligraphy is the best in the world.

The inscriptions collected in Wanshou Temple are the best copies.

Well, okay, even if those inscriptions are not the original ones, it is good to be able to experience the talent of Wang Youjun in Wanshou Temple.

Wang Mian really has good intentions for Zhou Jiming.

Wang Heng felt a little sour.

If Hedong was not still some distance away from Wanshou Temple, Wang Heng would have wanted to chase after him.

"Forget it. If Amian can really marry Zhou Jiming, it will be a happy event."

Although Wang Heng feels that Zhou Jiming is not worthy of Amian, this is Amian's lifelong event, as long as she likes him and is satisfied with him!

Wang Heng could only offer her blessings and help her when she needed it.

If the eldest daughter-in-law is not at home, then look for the "second daughter-in-law".

"Where's Thirteenth Lady?"

Wang Heng asked Bai Zhi again.

Bai Zhi bowed and reported, "Nineth Lady, Thirteenth Lady has gone out for something."

Wang Heng: ...OK!

My best friend isn't here either.

As expected, we have grown up and have our own things to do. It is not easy to get together like we did when we were kids.

Wang Heng sighed to herself.

Suddenly, another little maidservant, Baiji, came running over.

She excitedly came to Wang Heng's side, bowed hastily, and said excitedly: "Nineth Lady, Thirteenth Lady is back!"

Wang Heng raised her eyebrows: And then?

Zheng Shisan's return is not news, unless—

"Nineth Lady, you don't know that Thirteenth Lady didn't come back on her own. She was sent back by a young man!"

Baiji winked at Wang Heng while speaking, looking as if he was about to yell at her: "Jiu Niang, there's a melon! Go watch it!"

Wang Heng's eyes really lit up. Everyone had grown up. Amian had a "fiancé" and Shisan Niang also had an admirer!