Chapter Two, the Eighteenth Year of the Kaihuang Era (Part Two)

Li Jianguo saw this, and the old man's brow immediately furrowed.

In the time it took him to be taken aback, the old man had already picked up the longevity lock

Is this the child, Shi'an?

Moreover, Hongyi is approaching his first birthday, and in the future, he will need someone to attend to him

The white tiger skin is warm and very comfortable

Ah?

It means that virtue and reputation should be valued in a person of integrity

Zheng Renji nodded repeatedly, indicating his agreement

Later, when Zheng Dashi mentioned terms such as 'Jin Wang' and 'Jiangdu', Li Jianguo couldn't help but gasp in surprise.

Li Jianguo thought to himself: Is this perhaps my own name

My goodness, could this be the Sui and Tang dynasties? Have I actually been reborn at the transition between the Sui and Tang?

The plump old man spoke, glancing at Li Jianguo, his eyes filled with affection

The child's clothing is not ordinary, unlike that of a poor family

The current sage is a person of strong opinions and has always harbored animosity towards the gentry of Guandong. The patriarch, despite having contributed to the rise of the dynasty, ultimately finds himself in a position of caution, treading carefully as if on thin ice. In the past, the Zheng family had the glory of the seven branches, but now only the third branch and my sixth branch remain, compelling me to exercise even more caution. This time, the eldest son of Duke Tang, Jiancheng, has arranged a marriage with the third branch, which has alleviated the sage's hostility towards our Zheng family, yet we must still remain vigilant.

The old man spoke as he handed the longevity lock to Renji, and then explained to Shihe about the *Tu* *Shu*: "The phrase 'Qingyun Xiangfeng' is relatively easy to interpret, as it signifies a good omen and can be understood as his family praying for his well-being; however, the phrase 'Yanyang Xingju' originates from the 'Book of Rites: The Heir of King Wen'.

I remember the complete sentence should be: "Those who speak in the suburbs must select the virtuous and talented; some are promoted for their virtue, some for their achievements, and some for their words."

Shian's expression changed dramatically

Before his rebirth, he was quite interested in history

As early as when Zheng Dashu mentioned 'Duke of Tang' and 'Jiancheng', he vaguely thought of certain matters

And when he connected the terms "Duke of Tang," "Jiancheng," "Prince of Jin," "Jiangdu," and a series of others, the doubts in his heart suddenly became clear: If this is the Sui and Tang dynasties, then the Duke of Tang must be Li Yuan

If it were only his attire, that would be one thing, at most proving that he comes from a wealthy family. But this longevity lock...

It seems that Renji truly respects Shian

The old man picked up Li Jianguo and examined him from head to toe

The elder spoke up to ask Xu Ma to put down Li Jianguo, and then gestured for her to leave.

The walls of the carriage are adorned with tapestries, and a white tiger skin is spread across the interior. Compared to Xu Ma's cart, the decorations in this carriage are evidently much more luxurious. The plump old man and the man in his thirties are both inside the carriage, and at the center, alongside a * picture * book, sits an elderly man dressed in a fur robe. He has gray hair styled in a bun, a square scarf tied around his head, a thin face, and a long beard tucked into a beard pouch.

Father, what is the matter

Father, the steward's words do hold some truth. Steward Zheng has now passed fifty, and he has no offspring. Having a child is always a good thing. Moreover, if we bring the child home and simply say that the old steward bought him in Luoyang, who would know the difference

In this case, once we arrive at Sishuiguan, Renji, you should send someone to inquire if there are any families who have lost a child. If we cannot find anyone, then this child will be entrusted to Shian for upbringing. In the future, Hongyi will have his own people to serve him, which will put my mind at ease

Yan Qing

Evidently, while Li Jianguo was just nursing, the chubby old man mentioned some matters

Previously, he was suffering from hunger and cold, but now that his stomach is full, lying on this white tiger skin, Li Jianguo felt a wave of fatigue

Li Jianguo has indeed heard people say that ancient people placed great importance on beards. There is a saying that the body, hair, and skin are received from one's parents, and having a beautiful beard is not easy to come by. In the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," Guan Yu is depicted with a beard pouch to protect his beard

The old servant believes that if this child is returned to his original place, his life would likely be in danger. In this desolate wilderness, even if he does not freeze or starve to death, he is still at risk of being eaten by wild beasts... The old servant feels that regardless of the troubles caused by this child's parents, abandoning him in the wilderness must surely lead to a dire fate. Given this situation, why not adopt him? It could also be considered a virtuous deed. If you, my lord, agree, Shian truly wishes to keep him, and in the future, there will be someone to take care of him.

The old man did not answer immediately; instead, after a moment of contemplation, he said to the fat old man: "Shian, do you wish to adopt him?"

Renji said: "Does the father mean to return the child to his original place?"

Otherwise, why is it that when I hold the child, he stops crying and even smiles at me?

Shi An was deeply moved to the point of tears, kneeling before Zheng Dashu, "Master, your kindness is so profound that I, as a humble servant, am willing to dedicate my life and efforts for the Zheng family"

Perhaps he would be taken away, or perhaps he would be abandoned in the wilderness once again. His heart was still very conflicted; which choice was ultimately better? Of course, the power of choice was not in his hands, but in the hands of the old man before him. Regardless of the decision the old man made, he would have no room to resist. Thus, he steeled himself and listened attentively

Prince Jin = Emperor Yang of Sui

In the splendid carriage at the center of the convoy, there is a small stove

Moreover, the current situation appears unstable. After Prince Jin returned from Jiangdu, the sage has grown increasingly dissatisfied with the Crown Prince.

Jiancheng Li

Looking at his exquisitely delicate appearance, I felt a certain fondness in my heart, yet my face revealed a hint of hesitation

When there is mhetushu.com, the notion of fate is indeed quite interesting. When Shi An discovered Li Jianguo, Li Jianguo neither cried nor made a fuss, primarily because crying and fussing require effort. Since the objective had been achieved, there was no need to continue crying or making a fuss.

One sentence first extinguishes your hopes, while another makes you endlessly grateful; this is a form of manipulation

He was just about to speak when the old man smiled and waved his hand, "Shi'an, you have served the Zheng family for five generations and have long become a part of it. It was for my sake that you severed your bloodline back then; this sentiment, I, Zheng Dashu, will always remember in my heart.

How could I not understand this sentiment of compassion? It is just that the Zheng family today is not what it was in the past

Shian cast a grateful glance at Renji, nodded slightly, and a hint of anticipation appeared on his fair face

At this moment, if we become embroiled in it, we cannot guarantee that we will not suffer collateral damage

The old steward has served the Zheng family for five generations, and now we have the sixth generation. It would indeed be a beautiful story to share, wouldn't you agree

On the back of the longevity lock, there is a pattern of a mythical beast, with a line of small seal script on each side: "Yan Yang Xing Ju, Qing Yun Xiang Feng"

As he spoke, he placed Li Jianguo in front of him, opened the clothing on his body, and retrieved a longevity lock made of white marble from the small quilt that wrapped Li Jianguo. Li Jianguo always felt something was pressing against him, which was quite uncomfortable. However, he did not expect that it would be this longevity lock, only the size of his palm, as depicted in the *illustration*, and he was momentarily taken aback.

Without even discussing the quality of the longevity lock, the exquisite qilin pattern on it alone reveals that it is the work of a skilled craftsman

The old man remained silent, while Renji nodded gently beside him

At this moment, Li Jianguo's mind was in a state of utter confusion.

At this point, the old man paused and said, "Among these two lines of text, the characters 'Yan' and 'Qing' stand out the most, which I believe are the names of this child. How could an ordinary family come up with such names? If it were a wealthy family, giving such names would clearly indicate high expectations; how could they easily abandon him in the wilderness? Therefore, I conclude that there must be some calamity in his family."

The old man pondered for a moment and finally made up his mind

Yet in the eyes of the world, it has transformed into a kind of fate

Both Shi An and Ren Ji were taken aback, "Sir, what do you mean by this?"

The meaning of Zheng Dashi is quite simple: go to Sishuiguan to search again, so that no one will doubt Li Jianguo's background anymore. After all, Li Jianguo is now just an infant; what could he possibly remember? This not only brings Shi'an on board but also resolves the issue

However, he cannot fall asleep, for he knows that this is a critical moment.

The background of this child is likely not simple... If it were not for a calamity in the family, they would certainly not have been abandoned in the wilderness

The front features a qilin, accompanied by four ancient seal characters: "Great Wild Qilin Child"