Fragrance Returned

Ding Zhuang and his son were extremely excited. They didn't expect that the emperor would send so many high officials to visit "Baotie". It was like smoke was rising from the ancestral graves.

If it is appreciated, not only will "Baotie" be famous throughout Dali, but Ding Zhao may actually get an official position, and he will become an official.

The father and son discussed for a long time and decided to send Ding Xiang to live with the Zhang family in Liuwa Village for a few days.

The portraits of the emperor and empress of the Li Dynasty would be invited to the Ancestral Temple. Who knows if any of the people who came had seen the portrait of the virtuous empress.

Lilac looks a bit like Queen Xiande, and she has a strange fragrance, so she is afraid of being discovered by interested people.

Ding Zhuang sent him to his grandfather's house to study peacefully on the grounds that he was busy with important things at home and was afraid that Ding Liren would be distracted. Ding Xiang hasn't been to her grandpa's house for a long time, so she went to play. They both went, and Ding Li came to follow.

Ding Zhuang never paid much attention to Ding Lilai's studies. No matter how hard he worked, he couldn't pass the examination as a scholar, so he went with him.

Everyone in the Ding family was busy, so they paid Mr. Hong to send their three children to grandpa's house.

Mr. Hong took a bunch of money and said with a naive smile, "Jianzi is sixteen years old, it's time for him to talk about his wife. But that kid is very ambitious and always wants to find a beautiful wife. He has a problem with his legs, and my family is poor. , I couldn’t find a beautiful girl outside the mountains, so I was wondering if I could find one in the mountains. It happened to happen to your family, so I took him into the mountains to have a look."

Brother Hong’s real name is Hong Jian.

Ding Zhao laughed and said, "The girls in the mountains are smart and diligent. Brother Hong might really be able to find a lovely wife."

Ding Xiang went to ask Tao Weng for leave again.

Tao Weng's eyebrows were so furrowed that they could kill mosquitoes. "I am good at work but idle at play. How can I think about playing every day?"

Ding Xiang pouted and said, "I don't think about playing every day, I only think about it occasionally."

After saying that, he pulled Tao Weng's sleeve and shook it.

Tao Weng's youngest grandson was older than Ding Xiang. Seeing her like this, he couldn't bear to scold her any more.

The old lady couldn't bear it anymore, "The little girl is so cute and soft, and she doesn't want to take the first prize exam, why should she be restrained every day? She rarely wants to go out to visit relatives, so let her go."

Early in the morning on the first day of March, the three Ding Xiang brothers, Ling'er, and Feifei, accompanied by Hong Da's father and son, went to Nanfu Mountain.

Ding Xiang was too delicate to walk a long way, and it was hard for a man to carry such a big girl, so she took a mule with her.

The mule came with two big baskets, one Ding Xiang was sitting with Feifei in his arms, and the other Ding Liren and Ding Lilai were sitting alternately. He also brought three packages, two were gifts for the Zhang family, and one was clothes for the three brothers and sisters.

Brother Hong led the mule and walked in front, while Brother Hong, Ding Liren and Ling'er walked behind.

As soon as we entered the mountains, we were hit by a cool feeling and a strong smell of vegetation.

The scenery in March in Yangchun is beautiful. The mountains are full of verdant green, mixed with various mountain flowers. The morning mist still permeates the forest. A dozen birds fly over and hover above Lilac's head. The spring water flows gurglingly. It is really beautiful. .

Feifei also likes the mountains. He jumps into the air, scaring the birds and making them run away in panic.

Because the Ding family often went into the mountains to obtain rare crystalline soil, they spent money to organize villagers to repair some of the steepest sections of Nanfu Mountain and use stone steps to cover them. Nowadays, climbing this mountain is much easier.

A small stone bridge was also built across the Baishui River, which not only facilitated the family, but also the hunters and herb collectors.

Ding Zhao named those two mountains "Huangshi Mountain". A small courtyard was also built on the mountain, and two wooden houses were built. Those who went there to fetch soil or make inspections would also have a place to rest.

All this cost more than two hundred taels of silver, and the villagers in the mountains were grateful for the kindness of the Ding family.

Arriving at the top of the mountain at noon, Dingxiang saw Jitou Peak again, which she had not seen for a year and a half.

Seeing that the little master kept looking at his home, Feifei pecked at Dingxiang's trouser leg and pulled it in that direction.

"Cuckoo."

It means, go and be a guest at my house.

Ding Xiang sighed, she thought too. She glanced at Feifei and dared to tease her, but grandpa almost stewed you.

A few people sat on the rocks to eat snacks and drink water. Feifei caught a hare to eat.

More than an hour later, the group arrived at Liuwa Village.

The Zhang family had already received news that they were coming. Zhang Hui took his younger brother Zhang Jinzhu to wait at the entrance of the village after lunch.

Seeing Dingxiang and the others, they jumped excitedly and shouted, "Cousin Xiang, cousin Ren, come cousin..."

Zhang Hui ran home to report the news, and Ding Jinzhu stumbled over to hug Ding Liren's leg.

The little guy is most familiar with Ding Liren.

Ding Liren smiled and picked him up.

Zhang Hui is already four years old, and Zhang Jinzhu is about to turn three. The two little guys are like their sister-in-law Liu, very beautiful, and they are the top noodle dishes of the Zhang family.

When they arrived at Zhang's house, Zhang Laozhang took Liu and Zhang Qian out to greet them.

Zhang Laozhang is hunched over and leaning on a crutch. He looks like an old man in his seventies or eighties. In fact, he is only fifty-seven this year.

Ancient people had short lifespans, and this age is considered longevity. Thinking about grandpa again, grandpa is also fifty-four years old this year. Ding Xiang glanced at Ji Toufeng again and complained that her grandfather didn't leave any life-saving ginseng. .

Even if you leave one piece, that's fine.

Ding Xiang pulled Zhang Laozhang's sleeve and said, "Grandpa, we brought you ginseng and tonics. Eat more good ones, take good care of your body, and live to be a hundred years old."

Zhang Laozhang smiled with a smile on his face, "My son-in-law, Zhi Niang, grandson, and granddaughter are all filial, and they often bring tonics for the old man. Even though my legs and feet are weak, I can eat and sleep. I can't say if I'm a hundred years old, maybe I can still do it. Live for a few years.”

In the year that Zhang Xiaobao got married, the Zhang family's house was renovated. The tile-roofed house with mud walls was the only tile-roofed house in several villages in the mountains. Transporting the tiles from outside the mountains was done on the backs of animals and people, which cost a lot of money.

There are two houses at the front and back, each with eight rooms at the front and back. In front is where Zhang Dabao's family and Zhang Laozhang live, which is called the big house. The latter building was occupied by Zhang Erbao's family and was called the second room.

After Zhang Laozhang died and the family separated, they built a wall between the two houses and they became two families.

The three side buildings in the middle are the kitchen, woodshed, toilet and pigsty.

Except for Zhang Xiaobao who went out to run a business and Zhang Jinshi who was an apprentice in a medical clinic, everyone else was at home.

Their rooms are ready. Ding Xiang and Ling'er share a room, and the Ding brothers share a room at Zhang Xiaobao's house. The Hong family's father and son's room is in Zhang Dabao's house.

Dingxiang's small room is very clean and refreshing. It is Zhang Hui's house. Mrs. Liu not only took out the unused bedding and spread it, she also took the only vase in the house and put some wild lilies in it.

After putting things away, the three brothers and sisters came to the yard to chat with the old man again.

Mrs. Liu poured tea for them and took Zhang Qian to the kitchen to get busy.

Mrs. Yu and Mrs. Liu alternated their work, one did housework at home and the other went to the fields to do farm work, changing every two days. When Zhang Qian grew up, she was afraid of getting tanned, so she only weaved and did housework at home.

It's busy farming now, so Uncle Zhang, Yu and Zhang Jinshan don't go home until evening.

Mrs. Yu was severely punished by Zhang Laozhang and Uncle Zhang on the first day, telling her that if she ever flirted with Ding Xiang again, she would go back to her parents' home. Seeing that the Ding family brought many gifts such as fine cloth, meat, brown sugar, wine, etc., Yu was also happy.