Mountains and rivers are waiting for you to return

Chapter 19
Outside the window, there are lush ancient trees with layers of green branches and leaves swaying in the wind.

The storyteller on the stage under the teahouse slammed the table and said, "In the battle of Chishan, General Guo Min died tragically. The Wu clan actually colluded with Xiao Bin and intended to seize the throne. They learned of General Guo Min's step-by-step plan and set a trap in advance..."

The sound is clear and melodious, and the sense of immersion is so strong.

In the afternoon, Pei Nai walked into the teahouse, went up to the second floor, found a seat by the window and sat down. He had just ordered tea when the Pei Family Army's play happened to begin on the stage on the first floor.

In fact, she should have thought of it as soon as she entered the door. The storyteller was talking about heroes from all dynasties. When talking about heroes, how could her father and uncle not be mentioned?
But the tea had already been ordered, so it wouldn’t be a waste, so Pei Nai just listened.

The storyteller told the story very well, but there was one incident in the past that inexplicably brought back her memories, an incident that she had not experienced, but which she had heard from her father.

The wife of the general who defends the country accompanied the army all year round. When the great doctor took her pulse and concluded that she was pregnant, the army was already on the march.

The journey back home was long. Although there were people to take care of her on the way, in order to avoid injuring the fetus from running around, the general's wife decided to follow the army to a closer garrison.

So Pei Nai was born in the military camp.

One day not long after, the great general Pei Hao called the military advisor Guo Min to the main tent and said with some distress: "I am not good at studying. Can you help me think of a name for my daughter?"

General Guo Min thought for a moment and said, "It is said that daughters resemble their fathers. You must not pass on your impatient character to your daughter. Let's just name her 'Nai'. It seems a bit rude to put it on a daughter's name, but you can use the homophonic 'Nai'."

Pei Hao thought for a moment, but came to no conclusion: "How should I write it?"

Guo Min picked up the brush, pushed the inkstone flat, opened the rice paper, dipped some ink and wrote it on the paper.

There was only one word "Nai" on it, with a phoenix floating and a phoenix resting.

"Pei Nai, good, good, good. It's really good." Pei Hao clapped his hands and laughed.

This is how Pei Nai's name was decided.

Although she still couldn't change her impatient temper after all these years, at least she knew that this name contained her father and uncle's deep expectations.

She had already poured half a cup of tea, but she couldn't stop herself from drinking, so she drank tea instead of wine.

Pei Nai smiled bitterly. The past, oh the past, you really wear me out.

"There is another heroine in the story of Shang San Shan, that is the famous Madam Yingwu. She is the daughter of Pei Hao and the only successor of the Zhubei Spear of Shang San Shan." The storyteller downstairs clapped his hands and said.

Pei Nai pricked up her ears, wanting to hear from the storyteller whether there were any gossips about the battle where she died ten years ago. By the way, she also wanted to hear how people praised her.

"We will hold a special lecture on the 28th of this month at Qingfeng Pavilion in the west of the city, specifically telling the story of her legendary experience. Please come and support us. It costs one tael of silver per seat. You can pay the deposit in advance now. We will reserve seats for the VIPs who have made reservations."

Someone at the next table had already discussed it with his companions, took out his wallet, stood up and went downstairs to pay.

Pei Nai looked at these people with a dark face, feeling a little depressed. Now she had to pay extra money to listen to her story from other people?

The more Pei Nai thought about it, the angrier he became, and he couldn't help but snort.

After drinking enough tea, Pei Nai put down the cup, stood up and went downstairs.

Pei Nai used to come to this teahouse often and was familiar with the owner and the owner's wife. Unfortunately, that was in the past. Now Pei Nai is a stranger to them.

"Boss, check out." Pei Nai walked to the counter.

The boss, who was fiddling with the abacus, looked up and smiled at the customer: "Okay, eighty cents."

Pei Nai took out some change from his purse and tapped it on the table, "Don't give me the change."

The boss's teahouse is in a good location and has a booming business. He wasn't surprised by the small amount of money, but he was happy: "Well, if you have a good drink, come back next time."

Pei Nai smiled back and was about to turn around and leave when a yellow-mouthed child appeared out of nowhere, hugged her legs with two small hands, and said incomplete words, just grinning foolishly: "Hehe, beautiful lady."

Pei Nai was stunned.

"Yan'er, don't call me that. This is an unmarried lady, you can't call her Madam." The boss was anxious, put down his abacus and walked around the counter to pull his son away. Bending his slender waist, Pei Nai gently hooked the child's tender face with his index finger, "Be good, call me again."

The little boy grinned, "Hey, ma'am."

The teahouse owner's child can already call people. If everything had gone well, she and Gu Jinheng should have had a child, and it would probably be this big now.

He took out some coins and stuffed them into the child's hand, "You're so good. Use this to buy some candy." Pei Nai couldn't help but see this cuteness, so she raised her hand again and pinched his face.

The boss walked behind the child and said to Pei Nai with an apologetic look: "I'm sorry, sir. The child is ignorant and called people by the wrong names. Please don't take it seriously."

Pei Nai waved his hand: "Nothing."

Then he smiled at the child again, turned and left the teahouse.

Outside the teahouse's courtyard is a shady forest, and you have to walk a winding path to reach the main road.

The teahouse is located on the Bagua Commercial Street, where there are a total of eight building complexes, with many shops built in three rows, forming a circle in the middle. Some are separated by paths, while others are connected in a whole row, to distinguish different building complexes. This is a large Bagua diagram made of buildings.

To the north is Kun, to the south is Qian, to the west is Kan, and to the east is Li. In the center is an undulating hillside with pavilions and towers intersecting each other, and there are also many complex shops and courtyards. The roads are winding and people often get lost.

Because the two symbols are not drawn in it, the original and infinite Tai Chi is interpreted only through the hexagram shapes of the buildings in the eight directions.

This is how the street got its name.

The commercial street has a strong historical atmosphere, and has existed since the early days of the founding of this dynasty. However, a hundred years have not left any traces on the buildings. After generations of repairs, only the moss on the steps and the ancient pines standing on the hillside can show the traces of time.

At this moment, Pei Nai was between the undulating hillsides in the center.

After walking a few steps, he heard the footsteps of two people coming in front. The two people walked very hurriedly. By the time Pei Nai saw the people coming from the gaps between the trees, it was too late.

"Miss! Why did you go out without saying a word again? We have been looking for you so hard!"

Pei Nai slapped his forehead, he was discovered again.

Beiju and Qingzhu, the maids that Madam Ju had assigned to her, had come close in a flash, looking flustered. "Tang the Magistrate couldn't find you just now and got angry. He said that you were running around all day and didn't look like a girl waiting to get married. You're almost of marriageable age, and no one will want you if you continue like this!"

"Is it so exaggerated?" Pei Nai was surprised, but she was already familiar with Tang's father and knew that he was a conservative, stubborn and rigid old man.

"Miss, please come back with us quickly, otherwise we won't be able to explain."

Pei Nai felt scared when she thought of the "structure" of the Ju Mansion: Ju Yan, who went out early and came back late and was rarely seen, Ju Liancheng, who was narrow-minded and world-weary and displeased with her, the confused and warm-hearted Madam Ju, and Tang Mingzhi, a father who was stubborn, law-abiding and conservative.

She shook her head violently: "If I go back with you, I won't be able to explain myself."

　【Ju Yan/Character Story Card】（1/2）

　　In the year that Ju Yan passed the imperial examination, someone reported to the emperor that his wife was mentally ill. As he was often controversial, he was not granted an official position.

　　He was originally a retainer of Guanglu Dafu. His lord at the time asked him to divorce his wife in order to protect his career, but his wife suffered from amnesia and could not survive without him. He was unwilling to do so and was abandoned by his lord.

　　He and his wife and children who were temporarily staying at the mansion had their bags thrown away and were driven out.

　　At that time, Ju Liancheng had just learned to walk. Because he was smart, he could already speak a lot of words. He asked him in a soft voice: "Dad, where are you going?"

　　Ju Yan had previously used his savings to build relationships, and the money he had at the time was not enough to take his wife and children to stay in a hotel. He was planning to sacrifice his dignity and ask his peers for some money, but he was stopped on the road.

　　The man was extremely handsome. Although he was a man, he had an extremely beautiful appearance.

　　Ju Yan had never thought that such a stunning person was actually a mute. The man jumped off his horse and used sign language. The attendant beside him translated for him and said, "I am Gu Jinheng, the second son of Marquis Duan Ding. I have read all your articles. You have great ambitions and great ideas. They should not be buried. Are you willing to help me find a job?"

　　From then on, Gu Jinheng became the master of his life.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)