From a son-in-law to a favorite of the empress

Chapter 687

"So pretty!"

Sweet voice, sweet smile, Xiaoying tilted her head, looked at the girl by the window, and chuckled: "Sister Xi is so pretty!"

Guan Caixi turned around and smiled, saying: "You, I have heard this sentence many times, Xiaoying, there is no need to say it every day."

"But it is beautiful."

Xiaoying quickly walked to her side, couldn't help but touch Guan Caixi's hand, and said: "And the skin is good, it matches the clothes very well."

Guan Caixi smiled, but didn't speak.

Because she knew in her heart that the style of Bai Miao's clothes was not as complicated as Hua Miao's, but it was simple and elegant, full of charm, and it could be said to be quite beautiful. She just got the advantage of the clothes.

"What are we going to do today?"

She couldn't help asking.

Xiaoying said: "Chopping wood, carrying water, herding cattle, all have to be done, Sister Xi, you go to herd cattle, I'll chop wood and carry water."

Guan Caixi hurriedly said: "How can I always let you do the hard work, you go to herd cattle, the cattle like you more, I'll carry water and chop wood."

Xiaoying thought for a while, then said: "But I have time, I chop wood and carry water very quickly!"

"It's not like I haven't done it before, you go quickly, the brother next door will help me."

Xiaoying covered her belly and laughed: "He is interested in you, Sister Xi, be careful, don't be deceived into being a daughter-in-law!"

Guan Caixi was speechless, but soon laughed again.

The brother next door is only twelve years old... but he doesn't hide his love for the beautiful sister.

The folk customs here are simple, and ordinary people have only good thoughts in their hearts. Helping each other is a common thing.

As for those childhood loves, it's just human nature.

Guan Caixi sighed, she found that she had changed a lot.

If she met a child of twelve or thirteen years old and said she loved him, she would only sneer and think that it was shameful for the other person to be so young.

But now, she no longer regarded herself as a superior person. After she regarded herself as an ordinary person, she found that these were just human nature and something that everyone would have.

She was not disgusted. She was just constantly experiencing the life here. Even if it was very hard, it made her feel more fulfilled.

"Sister Xi, I'm leaving!"

Xiaoying waved her hand and walked downstairs slowly.

She suddenly stopped again, turned around, and said, "Sister, you won't write to big brother again without telling me, right?"

Guan Caixi was slightly startled. She did write many letters, but she only sent one or two.

Today she was touched and wanted to write again, just as a diary, but she didn't expect to be exposed by Xiaoying.

Does she often read my letters secretly?

Thinking of this, Guan Caixi was startled and hurriedly said: "Xiaoying, have you read the letter I wrote? Don't lie."

Xiaoying said: "No, sister, you forgot, I can't read."

Ah? Xiaoying can't read?

Guan Caixi smiled bitterly and shook her head, but she didn't feel like writing a letter, so she went out with the stick.

The terrain of the village is very complicated, because it relies on the water bank and the building, and is located at the foot of the canyon.

The scenery here is so beautiful, especially when the weather is good, the sun shines down, reflecting the water, and it is shining everywhere.

"Xi girl, are you going to fetch water!"

An aunt greeted her and scolded her.

Guan Caixi has no surname here, only a given name, just Caixi.

The neighbors all know that she is Xiaoying's recognized sister. Although she is a Han Chinese, she is very nice and beautiful.

"Yes, where are you going, Auntie?"

Guan Caixi responded with a smile. When she first came here, she thought she would not be able to communicate with the language, but later she found that everyone here could speak Chinese.

"Looking for something to eat in the mountains!"

The aunt carried a backpack, a sickle, and a headdress. She was a little thin, but her face was full of smiles.

Guan Caixi smiled, but she was a little depressed.

Looking for food in the mountains means that the family is almost out of money. Those indescribable green grasses are called wild vegetables by them. They taste bitter and astringent when cooked, but they can really fill the stomach.

Poverty is the biggest feature here.

"Hey, little girl, don't fill the bucket too full. Filling half a bucket is enough to make you tired."

The aunt said: "If you really can't do it, ask your uncle to help you pick it. I'm afraid you have never done this job before."

In fact, most of the neighbors can see that Caixi is from a good family and should be a girl from an aristocratic family.

"No, I'll do it myself."

Guan Caixi said, and then added: "Come to my house for dinner tonight, Auntie."

"How can you come every day? You still can't live."

The voice was far away, but it echoed in Guan Caixi's heart.

She stood there for a long time, looking at the skyThe sun in the sky murmured, "Zhou Yuan, I wonder if you received my letter. Will you come here to take a look?"

...

Xiong Kuohai pointed at the map and said solemnly, "There are many villages in Shuixi. Most of them are built on the mountains and live by the water. Due to the humid climate and many mosquitoes, they are often stilted houses, which are high off the ground and dry."

"The terrain inside is complex and tortuous. Only the locals know those small roads. This map was drawn by our people after many years of exploration. It is not easy."

"The people in the village have not communicated with the outside world for a long time. If they don't come out, others will be recognized directly when they go in. They are very hostile to outsiders, especially Han people. They will be driven away at the least and beaten and thrown out at the worst."

At this point, he said in a deep voice: "If we want to go in, we must have a legitimate and tenable reason, and we must get their consent."

Wang Ang's eyes lit up and said: "We pretend to be Mr. Zhou's servants, Miss Cai Ni is Mr. Zhou's maid, and we go in to arrange a blind date for Mr. Zhou, isn't that it."

Xiong Kuohai said: "Then we will probably be surrounded by hundreds of villagers, and then they will beat us with hoes... You Han people still want to go in and find a wife? This is equivalent to provoking them."

Zhou Yuan waved his hand and said: "Don't talk nonsense, you are my servants, Cai Ni is my wife, we enter the village to find relatives."

"Find relatives?"

The three of them were stunned and looked at Zhou Yuan.

Zhou Yuan smiled and said, "Let's say that Cai Ni is a Miao, and left the village when she was young, and then was separated from her family because she was robbed by bandits."

"Now she has been wandering around for more than ten years and has come back to find her biological parents."

Cai Ni covered her mouth and laughed, "Sir, you are really good at making up stories, but this reason seems to be okay. If you make up a Miao identity for me, the other party will not be too hostile, at least they will not beat us."

Zhou Yuan said, "It's not okay to go in blindly. We have to find their village leader, explain the reason first, and then give some benefits. The village leader will lead us, so that we can completely integrate into the village."

Wang Ang praised, "What a good idea! ! Give them some money and they will make concessions. ”

Zhou Yuan looked at the two and said in a deep voice: “Remember, the purpose of our entry is to find out the conflicts and relationships between the Miao tribes, what they rely on to survive, where the future is, what to do, and how to guide them.”

“We must try our best to gain their trust and even their respect, so as to lay a solid foundation for our subsequent actions.”

“At the same time…”

Zhou Yuan narrowed his eyes and said in a deep voice: “Inquire about the whereabouts of Xiaoying and Guan Caixi. They are also in the village of Shuixi. Although it is not clear which village they are, it is impossible to find them. In any case, joining them is a crucial step. "

"They have been here for so long, they will definitely provide us with more intelligence. Some intelligence cannot be obtained in a short time, so it all depends on them."

Xiong Kuohai smiled bitterly and said, "Of course, after all, His Majesty specifically found me and asked me to take this unruly girl back, and I was worried about it."

Zhou Yuan looked around and said, "Go to the city to change clothes and disguise yourself. Our identity is Yunzhou merchants."

"In addition, I will say that once we enter the village, we will be isolated."

"I know that both of you are skilled people, But I want to make it clear in advance that you must hold back and not resort to violence when you encounter any difficulties, any provocations, or any conflicts. "

Xiong Kuohai said: "Don't worry, I will listen to Lord Zhou."

Zhou Yuan said: "From now on, you will call me Young Master and Cai Ni Young Madam. I will call you Old Xiong and Old Wang."

Cai Ni likes this kind of role-playing very much and asked excitedly: "Then what should I call you Young Master?"

Zhou Yuan pinched her little face and smiled: "My good wife, of course you have to call me Husband."

"Ah! I will be embarrassed!"

Cai Ni blushed and happily took Zhou Yuan's hand.

Wang Ang and Xiong Kuohai looked at each other, shook their heads and sighed helplessly.

On this way, they ate countless dog food. Thinking about it, they might have to eat more later, and they felt helpless.

And Zhou Yuan looked forward, which was the direction of the other side of the river.

The sun was shining, there were lush green trees, flowers blooming everywhere, and it seemed that there was a faint singing coming from there.

After more than half a year, how are Xiaoying and Caixi doing?

He was looking forward to meeting them again, and this mission was destined to be completely different from the previous ones.

"Go into the city in disguise! Rent a boat to cross the river!"

His voice was full of excitement and confidence.