Chastity Layman

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the Lantern Festival.

This year's Shangyuan Festival in Chang'an was a bit deserted. Although the Northern Expedition was victorious and the Turks were destroyed in World War I, the six-way Northern Expeditionary Army hardly fought any tough battles, and achieved great achievements with extremely low casualties.

But the joy of the Northern Expedition could not wash away hunger, nor could it conceal the fear of smallpox epidemic in Beijing.

Even Pingkangfang, the most prosperous city that never sleeps in the Tang Dynasty, is now a little less noisy. The imperial court has issued a decree to ban Tugu in Beijing and impose a curfew.

People are not allowed to slaughter livestock without permission, not to make wine without permission, and even not allowed to sell alcohol for drinking.

In a place like Pingkangfang, even alcohol is not allowed, so of course the excitement is much less. The restaurants and restaurants have ushered in the worst season. Many shops have temporarily closed their doors. They can’t sell wine and lose a lot of business. Chang’an is short of food, and wine and food can’t be bought without food tickets. Naturally, they can’t do business. .

In the northwest corner of Pingkang Square, the Duke of Wei's Mansion occupies a corner of the square, and the gate is tightly guarded.

Qin Lang was not in the capital, and Mistress Yu Xiao and Mistress Yu Xuanji, who were in charge of the house, also acted cautiously and refused guests to visit.

So this Spring Festival, even though many of Qin Lang's relatives and old friends, even former disciples wanted to visit, the housekeeper just received the name stickers at the door, wrote down the names and gifts, and saw off the guests.

Qin Lang returned to Chang'an on this Shangyuan Festival, and drove all the way. On the first day of the first lunar month, he set off at Taiping City Wharf in Wu'an Prefecture. He was delayed at Zhennanguan and Jinlongdong for a few days. The rest of the time, Qin Lang was on his way non-stop. .

Alternating land and water along the way, after arriving in Changsha, drive directly to Xiangyang, then pass Shangluowuguan, enter Lantian and pass Bashang to Chang'an, without detouring Yangzhou Luoyang, take the most comfortable Yangtze River Canal waterway.

Although the journey was hard, they finally entered the city at dusk on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month when the city was closed.

The two hundred pro-army stayed at the Changlepo villa, and Qin Lang brought a few people into the city.

Wearing a white robe, he looked like a scholar from other places who came to Chang'an nearby to watch the excitement. The Zuo Jinwu guard who guarded the gate even reminded him.

"There are no lanterns to look at in Chang'an, Shangyuan this year."

Qin Lang smiled at the somewhat burly soldier, but he didn't recognize himself, but the sky was dark, he was wearing a white shirt, and he was much darker, and he didn't bring guards of honor, so it was normal that he couldn't be recognized.

After a smile, enter Chang'an City.

Returning to the heart is like an arrow, and I don't have the mind to wander around.

But after entering the city, I found that this year's Lantern Festival was really not worth seeing. As the soldier said, because of the famine, smallpox, and some bad rumors, the court canceled the Lantern Festival, not only did it cost nothing Lighting up Chang'an will also prohibit merchants from holding lanterns this year.

It was supposed to be the three-day Shangyuan Festival where King Wu couldn't help but this year there was a curfew instead.

As soon as it gets dark, all cities and workshops close their doors.

Even Pingkangfang, the most lively no-night workshop, was required to implement a curfew inside the workshop.

It was dusk.

There were few pedestrians on Chang'an Street, and everyone hurried back, fearing that the gate would be closed if they went back late, and then they would be taken back to the Zhangyuan by the patrolling Jinwu Guards to be punished.

There are no lanterns.

There are no stallholders.

There are also no crowds of shoulder-to-shoulder crowds watching the lanterns and visiting the night market.

Nong Cunxin, who was following behind Qin Lang, was very disappointed. This Chang'an city is huge, but why is it so deserted?

"This year is a bit special." Qin Lang had no choice but to tell him that.

All the way to the gate of Pingkangfang, the gate has been closed.

The big drum on the Sixth Street Drum Tower is still beating.

Fang Ding blocked the way.

Qin Lang's personal soldiers stepped forward, "Duke Wei is here!"

The soldiers in front of the square gate were startled, looked up, and found that the Duke of Wei, whom he had not seen for a long time, had returned, so he rushed to see him.

"Everyone has worked hard." Qin Lang said to them.

After saying hello to Fangzheng and others who came over, Qin Lang entered the workshop, eager to meet his family and see his son, so he was not in the mood to chat here so much.

It was extremely lively on weekdays, and even the crowded Pingkangfang street was empty and the shops were closed. Only Fang Ding and bad guys are patrolling.

Seeing that it was Qin Lang who came back, he personally delivered it to the gate of Duke Wei's mansion.

The gate of Duke Wei's mansion was closed tightly, and the soldiers stepped forward to applaud the horse.

The small door opened, and the steward probed, "My family, Alang, is not in Beijing. There are only female relatives at home, so it is not convenient to receive. It is getting late now, and there is a curfew in the workshop. If there is something to do, please come back tomorrow."

"Is it Uncle Chang? A Lang is back, open the door quickly."

Uncle Chang, who was in charge, ran out in three steps as if it were two steps. Although he was an elderly person, these few steps were as fast as the wind. He rushed out, wiped his eyes, and the person standing in front of him was definitely Qin Lang.

"Ah Lang, my family just received a letter from you a few days ago saying that you are going back to Beijing, why did you come back so soon?"

"Hurry up." Qin Lang smiled.

Chang Shi quickly ran back, "Little bastards, are your ears deaf? A Lang is back, open the door quickly!"

The Patriarch left Beijing for half a year before returning, Uncle Chang hurriedly asked the servant to open the middle door to welcome his arrival, and ordered to notify everyone in the courtyard.

"There's no need to mobilize people like this." Qin Lang smiled, but after rushing all the way back, he was very happy to see such a welcome from his family.

The gate had just opened, and before those who came had stepped inside, everyone in the mansion had heard the news and rushed over.

All the people in the house, young and old, regardless of master and servant, ran to greet him.

Everyone was very happy to see Qin Lang and came up to say hello.

The side cooks, coachmen and coachmen also ran to greet San Lang.

Yu Xiao and Yu Xuanji led all the concubines and servants out of the house, they came in such a hurry that they didn't even have time to fix their makeup.

It was hard work all the way, but when I saw this family, I suddenly felt not tired at all.

"Son! Come here!"

Qin Lang noticed that there was a little guy standing behind Yuxiao, with a thick head and a thick head, with a palm-sized hair on his forehead, and the rest was cleanly shaved. The kid was wearing a brocade jacket, and looked at Qin Lang curiously.

I haven't seen him for more than half a year. This kid can not only stand up, but also walk. He is already over a year old.

Yuxiao pushed him, "Jun'er, grandpa is back, hurry up and give grandpa a hug."

On the contrary, the little guy hugged Yuxiao's leg and refused to move.

Qin Lang smiled and stepped forward to hug this guy. This guy was about to cry, and his mouth started to grin.

"Your father misses you so much, but you still feel disgusted and want to cry?"

Qin Lang lifted the guy up with a smile, and then threw it directly into the sky. After throwing it a few times, the guy giggled.

Yu Xiao looked at it frightened, but Qin Lang threw the child up and down like a sandbag.

And Qin Jun, the boy, the more he throws it away, the happier he is. He has long forgotten what he was about to cry just now, and he can't stop laughing.

"Good boy, you have a lot of guts, and your body is also strong. You will be a general in the future!"

"Ah Lang, don't frighten the child, and be careful not to fall." Yu Xiao was like an old hen guarding its cubs, she was uncomfortable next to her.

"Hahaha, it's okay, just throwing it away will help the child develop."

After all, Qin Lang raised children in the past. He said that the first child was raised by books and the second was raised by pigs. When the baby was first born, being a novice dad was really hard. Yes, as soon as I don't move a bit, I just think about it.

When the child grows up, the dad can be regarded as a teacher.

So for Qin Jun's son, Qin Lang has a lot of experience in raising children. The child should not be too pampered, not too delicate and hygienic, otherwise it will be difficult to improve the immunity.

After playing for a while, this kid really became familiar with Qin Lang, and seemed to remember that Qin Lang was his father.

"Come down quickly, mother hug, grandpa just came back, so tired."

But this kid is hanging on Qin Lang's body like a monkey, how can he come down.

To Qin Lang, a fat boy weighing more than twenty kilograms was nothing. He liked the bold appearance of this boy, who pulled his nose here, his beard there, and accidentally pricked his eyes.

"Call Grandpa!"

Qin Lang asked him to call, but he refused, so he could only call him Grandpa, Grandpa. After he called dozens of words, son, Grandpa, the kid finally spoke. The first few sentences were not clear, but the rest was very smooth up.

Hey, if you want your son to be called daddy, you have to call him daddy with tens of hundreds of sentences first, this kid is not bad, after all, he is so old.

Into the living room.

Qin Lang took out a brocade bag for Qin Jun, which was filled with precious stones.

There are rubies, emeralds, sapphires, topaz, etc. They are colorful, and they are all huge. Each gem is like an egg, transparent and crystal clear, and has different shapes.

These are all gemstones he obtained in Lingnan, and each piece is extremely rare. Now Qin Lang gave it to his son. More than a dozen large gems were like a handful of stones, and they were not carefully packaged and protected. Qin Jun just let Qin Jun beat there.

Yu Xiaoyu Xuanji and the others, who were familiar with the goods, were terrified when they saw it, because they spoiled good things too much.

"There are a lot of these things in Lingnan, let the children play with them if they like." Qin Lang laughed.

Yu Xuanji's eyes sparkled, "Is Lingnan really full of gems?"

"That's right, it's everywhere, as worthless as stones. The barbarians used the hundreds of catties of jade raw stones as dining tables, and used the big gemstones as table legs. The barbarians and women in Lingnan all wore gold. Wearing silver. In one tribe, women wear silver ornaments all over their bodies. In another tribe, women start wearing collars when they are young, adding layers every year. Circles are all made of gold..."

Qin Lang bragged to the women, splashing his saliva, making a group of women's eyes shine. Gemstones, jade, gold, silver, these things are always so attractive to them.

"Sanlang must be coaxing us, how is that possible." Yu Xiao laughed.

"What are you doing to coax you, I came back in a hurry this time, so I didn't bring much stuff with me, but I brought it back with me. I randomly picked a bag of gems for my son, and I prepared a lot of gold, silver and jade for you. Everyone has a share."

More than one hundred taels of bull's head gold, several catties of dog's head gold, these are the most crude and primitive, but they are also the things that can blind women and make them scream with excitement.