Fight the Giants

  Mid-Autumn Festival, the day of family reunion, is also Mu Yan's birthday, and the Duke of Qian's Mansion is extremely lively on this day.

   Although Madam Geng ignored foreign affairs for many years and only chanted scriptures in the Buddhist hall, she also came out to have a family banquet with everyone on this day. Mrs. Yan Tai and her son Mu Xin's family stayed in the ancestral house in the old capital. Now there are Cheng, the Duke's wife, and Zhang, the prince's wife, in the mansion.

  In recent years, the Cheng family has only cared about his grandchildren, entrusting all matters in the house to the eldest son and his wife.

Huo Xi took Mu Wang and Mu Jie's wives to cook together, and usually took three girls, Mu Ying, Mu Wan, and Mu Xiu, to talk about how they took care of the government affairs and the female workers and celebrities. .

  Before the Zhongqiu family banquet, everyone celebrated Mu Yan's birthday first, and the juniors all gave birthday gifts.

  Shouxing Gong Mu Yan's face softened a bit today. Usually with a paralyzed face, even his own son is afraid of him, let alone Mu Kun Mu Ju and other nephews and nieces.

  Seeing Erbo with a smile on his face today, they all moved forward with presents, "I wish Erbo have today every year and today every year!"

   "I wish Erbo all the best and be happy!"

   "Okay, Second Uncle, thank you, you have a heart." Looking at the obedient nephews and nieces, Mu Yan smiled.

  The younger son was even more obsessed with him today, and a big smile appeared on Mu Yan's face.

  The full moon hung high, and the family had a lively mid-autumn family banquet. The children played around for a while, and couldn't bear the sleepiness, so they were led back to the house by their parents.

  After Huo Xi and Mu Yan sent Mu Zhen and Mu Zhen's children back to their respective yards, the husband and wife turned around and went back to their room.

  Just entering the courtyard gate, Mu Yan put his arms around her waist and took her to the roof.

  Huo Xi let out a sound, still in shock, holding him in his arms to barely stand still, and gave him a hard look, not daring to look down.

  The corners of Mu Yan's mouth slightly raised, "Didn't you have a lot of courage before?"

   "When was it before, when is it now!" How many children have you had, can you compare with when you were young?

  Mu Yan was pinched severely by her, endured the pain and did not dare to argue, and helped her to sit down on the roof. The husband and wife leaned together, looked at the large and small courtyards in the mansion, and looked at the bright and bright full moon in the night sky. They felt that the moonlight was alluring, and the autumn colors were cool and pleasant.

  Thinking of every mid-autumn that we have spent together these years, I feel that time flies. I can't help feeling a little bit emotional.

   In a blink of an eye, Xiao Yuer is about to say kiss.

  It seems that at the end of the 18th year of Yongkang and the beginning of the 19th year of Yongkang, those days of panic and confusion are still ahead.

  At that time, Emperor Yongkang ordered to move the capital, and the Mu family would follow the prince to the north. The husband and wife had just returned to Beijing from Yunnan, and they were busy disposing of various properties without touching their feet, arranging staff everywhere, and managing everything, and they were extremely busy.

  After arriving in Beijing at the beginning of autumn and winter, the whole family felt a little uncomfortable, and Xiao Yuer even fell ill.

   Many family members of officials lived in the south of the Yangtze River for a long time, and they went to the north in autumn and winter. Most of them were not used to it. The hospital was overcrowded.

  With the influx of a large number of people, the capital has a huge demand for various materials, causing prices to soar. Because of the lack of food, there was also a shortage of poultry meat in the capital, and the meat had to be transported from the south of the Yangtze River by canal.

Fortunately, Huo Xi had expected it a long time ago, and deployed in the north early, using his own fleet to transport a large amount of supplies from the south of the Yangtze River to Beijing, and Huo Erhuai drove the boat to the river every day to catch fish, and the family had no shortage of river fish and meat.

  At that time, Huo Xi used Kuncheng North-South Merchant to order a large amount of beef and mutton from outside the customs, and rushed to Beijing. Guangfengshui took advantage of this opportunity to open many branch shops along the canal one after another, earning a lot of money for several years.

  When the capital was just moved, the country's financial resources were exhausted due to the construction of Beijing City.

  Fourteen years of construction of the capital resulted in "intensive and complicated engineering, extensive scheduling, redundant officials eating away, and consuming state reserves." The court urgently needs to restore the economy to reassure the people.

  In those few years, the imperial court promulgated various measures to benefit agriculture and business. Guangfengshui also took advantage of this shareholder wind to open the north and south goods stores along the canal, and the four seas bank also opened shops all over the north and south.

  In recent years, Guangfengshui's business has grown greatly. The North and South goods dealers are in the open, and the money houses in the four seas are in the dark. After three emperors, there are countless pairs of eyes watching them all the time. Fortunately, there is an inscription of Emperor Yongkang in Guangfengshui. Although people are watching, the business is still stable.

  The business is doing well and earning a lot of money, which is considered to have fulfilled Huo Xi's ambition when he was young, to become a great merchant in the south of the Yangtze River.

  The family has plenty of money these years, but they dare not waste money. Mu Yan, the protégé of a high-ranking official in Xinjiang, always reminds himself and his family to keep a low profile, be cautious in words and deeds outside, and the few children are also sensible and obedient...

  Huo Xi was thinking, when he saw Mu Yan stretching out a hand toward her, "What?" Turning to look at him in doubt.

   "Where's my gift?" Mu Yan was a little dissatisfied.

  Huo Xi couldn't help laughing, "You still want a gift? How old are you?"

  Mu Yan raised his eyebrows, "I still give you gifts every year. Is there any omission in the festival? Besides, I have given gifts to my son and daughter, how can you miss it!"

  Under Mu Yan's gaze, Huo Xi silently took out a hairpin with black jade bamboo knots from his bosom and handed it to him. How could she miss his birthday gift.

   "I designed it, and sent it to our jade store to be carved by a craftsman. Does it look good?"

  Mu Yan looked at the ink jade bamboo hairpin handed to her with gentle eyes. He nodded slightly, "It looks good." He tilted his head.

  After Huo Xi gave him the hairpin, he asked Huo Xi by the moonlight, "Does it look good?"

  Huo Xi nodded, "It's pretty, and it really suits you."

  Mu Yan looked at her quietly, leaned over, and gave her a long kiss...

  After being married for so many years, he still can't get enough of her, and he can't get enough of her. Not enough in this life, not enough in the next life, not enough in the next life.

  Huo Xi leaned against his arms to pant, touched his white and smooth chin, and smiled.

  Everyone in the capital said that the commander of Jinyiwei made Mu Shizi scary, even if he was later transferred to the left army as the governor of the left army, everyone still avoided him as much as possible. But all the ladies and ladies in the capital envied Huo Xi and wanted a husband like Mu Yan.

   There is only the original wife in the backyard, and she is devoted and loyal to her.

  And as always, handsome and calm, indifferent. Huo Xi touched his smooth jaw and smiled.

  Just because she said that she didn't like him growing a beard. Mu Yan has never grown a beard in these years. He was almost forty, with a white face and no beard, and he looked younger and younger. Except for the brother-in-law who followed suit, there was no third person in the capital.

  Hoo Xi dragged her to apply this skin care cream and that skin care cream all these years, making her look younger, and colleagues of the same age were ashamed to stand with him.

  Even though his cold face makes people dare not look directly at him, there are not many people who pass by on the street and secretly look at him.

   "No one says you are different now?" It is very common for a man to have a beard nowadays. He has no hair on his face, and he can't do things well. With a beard, he looks mature and stable. But Mu Yan didn't like it, just because his wife didn't like it.

   It seems that he is like an alternative, and he is often teased by people, saying that he is afraid of guilt.

   Mu Yan lowered his head and grabbed her hand and pecked, "I don't care what others say." He only cared about what his heart said.

  Huo Xi was sweet in her heart, leaning in his arms, talking to him about family matters...

   "Father-in-law told me about Qin'er's marriage two days ago. He said that there was a woman in the Wang family who was about the same age as Qi'er, who was sensible and generous. He wanted to tell Qin'er what he meant, but I didn't agree."

  Huo Xi sat up straight in his arms, "From the Wang family?" His brows were frowned, "I'm afraid it wasn't grandma who said something to father?"

  When they entered Beijing, the Wang family also followed. For decades, the two families have been bound together and supported each other.

   Fortunately, there have been no troubles in the Wang family. With the help of the British Duke these years, some children of the Wang family have held important positions in the court.

  It's not that Huo Xi dislikes the Wang family's daughter for not being good enough for his own son, after all, he should raise his head to marry a daughter and lower his head to marry a daughter-in-law. She only chooses her daughter-in-law based on her character and ability, and then whether her son likes her or not. She doesn't pay much attention to her status.

  But that is the family of my grandmother Wang.

  Huo Xi thought of the past, and felt a little nervous. Now that she and Huo Nian have come to the capital, they probably won't return to Jiangnan in the future, but mother stays alone in the ancestral grave in Jiangnan, and it's difficult for their siblings to worship at all seasons.

Mu Yan knew what was going on in her heart, and comforted her: "Don't worry. I didn't respond to my husband. I just told my father-in-law that Qi'er is our eldest son, and the wife we ​​marry will be the clan's wife in the future. We will choose carefully. And he is still young. , we still want to wait two more years to see.”

  Huo Xi breathed a sigh of relief, "Father didn't say anything?"

Mu Yan shook his head, "Father-in-law has loved Qi'er since he was a child. He has taught him riding and archery skills and military strategy all these years. His love for Qi'er is no less than ours. Maybe it's because of my grandmother's persuasion, so he just said it when he saw me." Just a mouthful. Before leaving, he also told me to be cautious about Qi'er's marriage, and let us look at a few more houses."

  Huo Xi felt relieved.

   "Grandma still thinks about the Wang family all these years, and has asked you to take care of me several times. Fortunately, my father knows my knots, and has blocked many things for you and me these years."

  Huo Xi was also thinking about the Zhang family's concubines and cousins, and she could only count on her to marry well and live the happiest life. Think about the aunt who became the emperor's concubine in the palace, and Bi Yao, who became the concubine's respected concubine less than a year ago...

  Huo Xi has taken good care of her natal siblings all these years.

  As long as you can do what you can and take care of it, you will never refuse. But when it comes to their children's marriage, they don't want to compromise.

   Still, her adoptive parents didn't worry about her at home. Can't help but sighed.

  Because Huo An wanted to follow him and Huo Nian back then, Huo's father and mother had no choice but to abandon Jiangnan and follow him to the north.

  In the first two years, Huo Erhuai and Yang were very uncomfortable with the climate and food in the north, and talked about the beauty of Jiangnan. But for the sake of their son and to see Huo Xi and Huo Nian often, the couple persevered.

   Fortunately, everything is worth it. Huo An has been very competitive these years. After passing the Juren exam, he didn't take the exam again. He joined the army with Huo Nian. Now he is only in his early twenties, and he has a sixth-rank military post.

  The year before last, they were married under their own arrangement. His wife gave birth to a son at the end of last year, which made Huo Erhuai and Yang Shi very happy.

  The Huo family has been digging food in the fields for several lifetimes, but they have never been an official. Once Huo An was awarded an official position, Huo Erhuai excitedly ran back to the south of the Yangtze River to pay homage to his ancestors.

Huo Xi smiled, and said to Mu Yan: "When Ying'er's marriage is finished, you can accompany me back to Huo's house. I haven't seen my parents for a few days. I heard that my aunt was ill a few days ago. , I don’t have time to go back and visit.”

  Yang Fu didn't follow her to Beijing back then, but stayed in Jiangnan to help her manage business matters.

   It wasn't until Qin Changzhi passed away a few years ago that Yang Fu and his wife finished their filial piety and brought their family and Qin Huaimin's family to Beijing.

  The Qin family was convicted in the past, and the three generations could not take the imperial examination, but the generation of Qin Huaimin's son can do it. So we went to Beijing together.

   There are also three generations of the grandfather’s family who cannot take scientific examinations, but the generation of cousins ​​and their sons can also do scientific examinations. After the death of his grandparents two years ago, Huo Xi went back to attend the funeral and told his uncles to let them go to Beijing, but the uncles only said that they were used to living in Jiangnan and refused to go to Beijing.

   Only said that if the descendants go to Beijing to seek a future in the future, please Huo Xi to take care of them.

  Huo Xi responded one by one.

  In these years, the second uncle and cousin Li Ji went out to sea with the fleet almost every year, and they never got tired of it. Most of the affairs of the fleet were entrusted to the second uncle, which made Huo Xi worry a lot these years.

  The husband and wife sat on the ridge of the roof looking up at the bright moon, telling about the changes in personnel over the years.

  The night is as cold as water, but with the person I love the most, I feel warmer.

   "Let me tell you a story," Huo Xi suddenly turned around and said.

  Mu Yan pulled the cloak on his wife and hummed softly. No matter what she had to say, he was willing to listen.

  Huo Xi leaned on him, and said eloquently... "I once had a dream, dreaming that I had a dystocia on the day of my first childbirth, and the child was not left behind..."

   Mu Yan frowned, and followed her tightly with the hand holding her, but did not interrupt.

"Later, after I left, you continued in a few years. But the one who continued did not leave you a son and a half daughter, and left early. Afterwards, you never married again, and only married when you were old. A concubine surnamed Mei was taken in. Later, the Mei family finally gave birth to a son for you, but it is a pity that the child is only ten months old, and you are gone...you are only fifty-four years old."

  Huo Xi's tone was far away, his eyes seemed to reach another time and space through the night, without any focal length.

  Mu Yan pursed her lips tightly, half hugging Huo Xi, the hand on her shoulder became tighter and tighter, and then loosened again, it was just a dream.

   "What happened next?" After a long while, he said calmly.

   "Later... Then your son was too young, so the title was taken by Mu Lin. It's a pity that Mu Lin left before he lived past thirty, and the title fell into the hands of Mu Lin's younger brother..."

   "Later, your family has never been back to Yunnan. Your son has never had a son and a half daughter, so you adopted Sanfang's grandnephew as an adopted son, and the title has been inherited by Sanfang..."

   After Huo Xi finished speaking, she turned to look at him, and Mu Yan also looked at her quietly, neither husband nor wife spoke.

   After a while, Mu Yan rested her head on Huo Xi's forehead.

   "Fortunately, I have you. Fortunately, you are always by my side." Otherwise, in my whole life, what hope do I have for living.

   "If you were gone, and the child was gone, I wouldn't stay alone, and I would follow you to your world."

  Huo Xi broke away from him, looked at him quietly, "Go to my world?"

  Mu Yan nodded, "Yes, go to your world. Wherever you are, I will be there. Life after life, we will never be separated."

"never separate?"

   "Never separate!" Mu Yan's eyes were determined, determined and serious.

   "Okay." Then never separate. Huo Xi looked at him and smiled.

   There should be two more chapters left~