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It was already late winter and the weather became colder, but the wind and waves on the sea were not heavy. Li Yuanqing and his party had a smooth journey. Two days later, they arrived at Dagu Port.

Li Yuanqing is now a garrison in Guangning Army, and is considered an intermediate officer in the Ming Dynasty, and is also a person with some identities.

He directly ordered Yang Xiaochuan to go to the local government office to file the registration and replaced the road guide. The group did not stop and headed straight to the capital.

It is already the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, and the New Year is about to be celebrated. There are not many people on the official road. In the villages and towns on the road, the people have posted new couplets and hung red lanterns. There are also children from wealthy families setting off fireworks and firecrackers. The New Year atmosphere is getting stronger and stronger, and there is a peaceful and peaceful prosperous scene.

Originally, Li Yuanqing wanted to go to the market to buy a few horses or mules. After all, people's steps were limited. This time, it was nearly a thousand miles away to Xuanfu, and having animals could speed up a lot of speed.

Unfortunately, as the New Year's Day approaches, the prices of livestock in various markets are extremely high. Not to mention horses, mules cost more than a dozen or two, which is simply shocking.

This year, there will be constant natural disasters. Although the people will not be unable to eat, the bad effects brought by the Xiao Binghe are becoming more and more profound. If Guangning is defeated again...

Li Yuanqing didn't want to think about it anymore, so he had to speed up everyone's pace. Everyone was a young and strong man, so this trip was treated as a training for soldiers.

On the evening of New Year's Eve, Li Yuanqing and his group arrived at the capital.

The team was nearly twenty people, and no one had ever come to the capital before. At this time, everyone was shocked to see the towering city walls of the capital.

"Brother, is this the capital? It's true that it's the same as what I thought in my dream. No, it's even bigger than in my dream." Shunzi was like Liu Laolao's first time entering the Grand View Garden, with her mouth wide open and her eyes wide.

The rest of the people were not much better.

The capital city, under the feet of the emperor, is a sacred place for all the people of the Ming Dynasty.

Even Li Yuanqing was thinking about the towering city walls of the capital.

This is the core of the Ming Dynasty and the entire Chinese nation.

Such a mighty city can be said to be a miracle of the world. How can such a magnificent river and mountains fall into the hands of barbarians outside the world?

"Haha. It's the first time everyone has come. Today is New Year's Eve. Let's go into the city. I'll treat you tonight, and I'll have enough wine and meat." Li Yuanqing laughed and took the lead in entering the gate of the capital.

Everyone behind him was overjoyed and rushed in.

Several Beijing soldiers guarding the gate looked at the backs of Li Yuanqing and his group and couldn't help but sneer, "Where did the local border soldiers come from? Do you still want to go to a big restaurant? Humph. It's not worth a meal if you sell them."

"Hehe. That's it, that's it. Mr. Li, today's New Year's Eve, we won't be frustrated for a few poor beggars. We're going to change the duty soon. What brothers, where can we eat tonight?"

Although Li Yuanqing and his friends took more than a dozen steps, they still heard their words.

Shunzi couldn't help but be furious and whispered: "Brother, these dogs are messing around. I'll teach them a lesson."

Li Yuanqing grabbed Shunzi and said sternly: "What is this place? You can do whatever you want? Let's go to the big restaurant to drink and eat meat."

Even though Shunzi was unhappy, he did not dare to go against Li Yuanqing's wishes and hurriedly followed Li Yuanqing.

However, they said they were going to find a big restaurant, but the capital was too big. Li Yuanqing and his group entered the city from the south gate. As soon as they walked into more than a mile in the city, they were completely confused.

Even Li Yuanqing, who had hundreds of years of experience, was a little confused. The capital was really too prosperous. Today is New Year's Eve again, with crowds of people on the streets, and it was even more lively.

Everyone was not familiar with the terrain and was afraid of getting lost, so they didn't dare to walk in. So they found the largest restaurant on the side of the road and entered one after another.

On New Year's Eve, this meal was the New Year's Eve dinner. Even in the capital, Li Yuanqing was not stingy. He ordered big fish and meat, more than twenty dishes, and specially ordered the chef to cook two more pig hind legs. The young men such as Shunzi almost ate their tongues into their stomachs. Everyone was very happy.

However, as soon as the bill was settled, Li Yuanqing was speechless. He actually ate nearly 0 taels of silver for this meal. If he was in Guangning City, he could have such a banquet seven or eight times.

Behind this prosperous New Year, how should the people live?

But at this time, Li Yuanqing's identity and these problems must not be something he could worry about. After dinner, the group found a small inn and went to bed.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year of the second year of Tianqi, early in the morning, Li Yuanqing and his group left the capital and headed northwest to Xuanfu Town.

After leaving the capital, I walked northwest all the way, and the terrain and landforms had some changes.

But the most obvious one is the farmland on both sides of the official road.

From Dagukou to the capital, there is abundant water source. Even though the weather is bad, the crops in the farmland are growing well. However, after passing the capital and in Huailai, there is a difference between heaven and earth.

The farmland was covered with thick snow. Li Yuanqing went to several farmlands on the roadside to check. Many wheat in the fields had just grown seedlings, afraid that they were not nearly as high as before. Even though he didn't know about agriculture, compared with the land in the south of the capital, Li Yuanqing could guess that this year, the harvest here would definitely not be much better.

On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, Li Yuanqing and his group finally arrived in Zhangjiakou.

At this time, Zhangjiakou was far from comparable in scale to later generations. It was a town very close to Xuanfu Acropolis. Because of its critical geographical location, it was valued by Shanxi merchants and it only gradually developed over the years.

At this time, Zhang Yunniang and Liu Chunhua lived here temporarily.

Although there was no way to contact Zhang Yunniang and the others, Zhangjiakou was not big. After asking Yang Xiaochuan to inquire for a while, Li Yuanqing found the door.

Although Yang Xiaochuan had small arms and legs, he was quite thin and did not look like a soldier, but he was clever and familiar with human feelings. It was most appropriate to do such worldly trivial matters.

This is a small house with two entrances, with fresh couplets posted at the door. Shunzi knocked on the door for a while, and soon, a familiar little figure came out and opened the door, "Who is it?"

When she saw Li Yuanqing, her little mouth couldn't help but cover her little mouth. After a moment, she hurriedly ran into the house, "Madam, it's my master, it's my master, it's my master."

Looking at Xiaohe's delicate figure, Li Yuanqing couldn't help but smile, "Little girl, slow down. Don't fall."

I haven't seen each other for a few days. Perhaps because I've eaten well these days, the little girl's body seems to have become much rounder, and she has opened her a little, and she has become more and more mellow.

After a moment, Zhang Yunniang, Liu Chunhua, girl, Xiaohe, and Xiaolian came out together.

"elder brother-----"

Zhang Yunniang screamed hard, tears rolling in her eyes. If she hadn't taken into consideration the occasion and identity, she would have rushed into Li Yuanqing's arms immediately.

Li Yuanqing strode forward and held Zhang Yunniang's little hand with a smile, "Yunniang, thank you for your hard work in these days."

All Zhang Yunniang's longing was instantly released at this moment. After a moment, she wiped her tears hard and suddenly said to Li Yuanqing in a low voice: "Brother, you go to the house first and ask Sister Chunhua to arrange these brothers, we still have guests here."

"Guest?" Li Yuanqing couldn't help but raise his eyebrows, and his expression was already a little unhappy.

This little house is full of his female family. Who will come here for the New Year?

But after a moment, a familiar figure walked out of the room, and she gently said, "Is Mr. Li back? I'm upset."

When he saw her familiar pretty face, Li Yuanqing's expression was instantly relieved, and he showed an indescribable relaxed and pleasant smile, "Madam, you are here too. It's cold outside, go to the inner room to sit."

It was actually Miss Qu family.

How smart is the Miss Qu family? Naturally, she understood the indescribable enthusiasm in Li Yuanqing's eyes. Her pretty face turned slightly red. She said to the maid next to her, "Ou'er, help me to the house."

"Yes." Ou'er helped the Miss Qu family to the inner room, and Li Yuanqing and Zhang Yunniang walked in.

Zhang Yunniang personally made hot tea for Li Yuanqing. After greetings, the strangeness of parting gradually disappeared.

The Miss Qu family smiled and said, "A few days ago, it was really exciting to hear that Mr. Li followed Mao Junmen to capture Zhenjiang City. But then, the Tartars counterattacked Zhenjiang again, and there was no news about Mao Junmen and Mr. Li. Sister Yun Niang was really worried. Mr. Li, can you tell me what happened in these days?"

Zhang Yunniang also raised her ears.

Li Yuanqing couldn't help but smile, "Madam, Yunniang, this matter is a long story."

As he said that, Li Yuanqing described the incident after the Zhenjiang Guards to the two. Of course, it was just a very general process and ignored all the details.

When the Miss Qu family heard this, she couldn't help but feel beautiful. She thought for a long time before she said: "The Mao Army is indeed far-sighted and has great skills and courage. When she retreated to the Liaohai Islands, she seemed to have lost the initiative in the Liaodong areas, but Jiannu was not good at water wars. As long as she took time, the Mao Army would make a comeback."

Li Yuanqing couldn't help but look at the Qu family with some admiration. Unexpectedly, this little girl not only knows how to do business, but also has a vision far beyond ordinary people in terms of military affairs.

But after careful consideration, Li Yuanqing also felt relieved. Even if the Miss Qu family was born in a illegitimate family, she was still a bloodline of the Qu family. With the energy of the Qu family and the education level of the children in the clan, how could she be poor?

This is also the biggest and most deadly key point between the people, the gentry and the nobles in the feudal era.

The gentry and nobles often have the best right to receive education, while the common people have many restrictions if they want to learn knowledge.

Losing equal right to education means that the gap between the two classes will be wider and will never be compensated.

After chatting for a while, the Miss Qu family was so embarrassed that she wanted to say goodbye.

At this time, Zhang Yunniang hurriedly said, "Sister Minqiu, Yunniang couldn't help you before, but now my brother is back. He must have a way to help you. Let's tell him the matter?"

The Miss Qu family's pretty face turned red, "This? Sister Yun Niang, this is my sister's family matter. Mr. Li, although Mr. Li is capable, how can he help me..."

Why is the simple Zhang Yunniang the opponent of Miss Qu? She said anxiously: "Brother, that's it. The old man from the Qu family is the eldest brother of Sister Minqiu, and she wants Sister Minqiu to remarry."

"Remarry?" Li Yuanqing said, his eyes narrowed slightly and looked at Miss Qu's family.

Miss Qu's pretty face turned even redder. She was originally a widow, so how could she say such words?

Originally, the intercourse with Zhang Yunniang was to continue to maintain contact with Li Yuanqing, which was considered as leaving a thread. On the other hand, as time of acquaintance increased, Miss Qu's family also fell in love with the simple Zhang Yunniang and regarded her as her sister.

Today, her elder brother sent someone to annoy her again. As a last resort, she had to come to Zhang Yunniang to take shelter, but unexpectedly, Li Yuanqing actually came back at this time.

*************************************************************************** (To be continued)
Chapter completed!