After the whole family was swept away, I lay down flat

Chapter 876 Reunion
After being apart for nearly a year, Haijiao and Haichang'an have both undergone considerable changes.

Haijiao looks more mature now, and his whole temperament has changed greatly. He is no longer the slightly jumpy young man in Chang'an, but a calm and steady new military officer.

He had asked for leave today to attend to some personal matters, so of course he would not come in his official uniform. But even though he was wearing old homely clothes made in Chang'an, he still gave people a subtle sense of strangeness.

Holding her grandson whom she had not seen for a long time, Ma couldn't help but keep saying, "You have really grown up... You are no longer a child... Grandma can hardly recognize you..."

Haijiao smiled good-naturedly, hugged his grandmother and said, "Grandma, I haven't really changed at all. If you look closely, how can you not recognize me?"

As he spoke, he also greeted his sister who was following behind his grandmother: "Little sister, you have grown taller, and your facial features have matured. You are really a big girl now!"

Haitang smiled and said, "Brother, you may not realize it yourself, but you look quite different now than before you left home last year. I guess it's because you've gained a lot of experience since you came to Beijing and became an official. You've become much more stable. If I wasn't familiar with your appearance, we wouldn't have recognized you when we saw you coming over just now!"

Hai Jiao smiled: "Really? That's a good thing. I've grown up, not a child anymore." He turned around and looked in the direction of his second uncle Hai Chang'an, "But I think my second uncle has changed more. You can recognize him at a glance, but you think I'm different from before. Isn't that too strange?"

Hai Chang'an's appearance hasn't changed much, and his temperament is almost the same as when he was in Chang'an, except that there is a smile on his face now. He has been smiling since he met his family.

If there is any difference between him now and when he left home, it is that he has a mustache on his lips, which makes him look older and more mature than before. However, his family members who are familiar with him will definitely recognize him as long as they see his sparkling peach blossom eyes.

As soon as Little Shitou saw his father, he immediately jumped out of the car and rushed towards Hai Chang'an, hugging his father and being affectionate. Hai Chang'an was also very happy to see his son, who had grown stronger after not seeing him for a year. He turned around and saw his wife, Hu, who had not been seen for a long time, and his eyes softened a lot. There were people coming and going at the city gate. Ma and Haitang did not get out of the car. Hu was too embarrassed to jump out of the car to hold her husband's hand. She could only lift the curtain and look at him straight in the eyes. Thinking of the nearly one year of separation, her eyes immediately turned red, and she opened her mouth and choked with sobs and could not speak.

Hai Changan reached out and held his wife's hand, whispering, "Thank you for your hard work this year."

Mrs. Hu shook her head. Although she still couldn't speak, a smile appeared on her face again.

She was also curious about her husband's beard, but before she could ask, her son Xiao Shitou couldn't help but speak. Hai Chang'an smiled and replied, "I look too young and immature when serving in the imperial court. I'm afraid people will look down on me, so I just grew a beard and ate more to be stronger, so no one dared to mess with me."

Mrs. Hu immediately remembered that when her husband was in the border town, he was handsome and attracted many young ladies. The women in the border town were easy to deal with, but the noble ladies in the capital were not easy to deal with. Her husband's beard would make him look older, hide his handsome face, and save him trouble. She immediately understood and said no more, just let her husband get in the car. It was still a long way to her house, and she wanted to talk to her husband as soon as possible and reminisce about the separation. She couldn't wait to get home.

Hai Chang'an first paid his respects to his parents, and then went to meet his cousin Xie Wenzai and the two elders Cao and Lu.

He told Xie Wenzai: "Tao Ge Lao sent someone to tell you that as soon as you arrive in the capital, you must send him a letter, and he will host a banquet for you." He also said to Cao Gengyun, "Uncle Cao's eldest son is also waiting at the city gate. He brought his son and drove a carriage to take you home for a reunion." Cao Gengyun was very surprised. Although he listened to the advice of his old friends and wrote letters to his old friends in the capital, asking them to tell their families, he did not expect that his children and grandchildren would actually show up and stop him at the city gate.

He originally thought that he would have to settle down with the Hai family before he could meet his family.

Cao Gengyun was a little confused for a moment, and subconsciously looked at Xie Wenzai and Lu Bainian. The latter smiled and said to him, "This is a good thing. The children have come to the city to pick you up, which shows that they are willing to repent. You should give them a chance and go back with them. After all these years of separation, even if you don't miss your son, don't you miss your grandson? Besides, you know the address of the Hai family's house. If you are not happy staying at home, you can just come back to find us. Are you still afraid that we will not welcome you?"

Cao Gengyun thought about it and became interested.

Xie Wenzai simply called his servant Wang Xiaoqing over and ordered him to follow Cao Gengyun back to Cao's house. After all, Cao Gengyun had been away from home for a long time, and it would be difficult to do without someone around to follow his orders. Although Wang Xiaoqing was Xie Wenzai's servant, the three old men often shared servants, so Cao Gengyun was very familiar with him.

The only problem was that Cao Gengyun's luggage was packed together with Xie and Lu's, and now they were mixed in several carriages, and there was no way to separate them at the city gate. Cao Gengyun planned to take only a few pieces of luggage and Wang Xiaoqing, and go home with his children and grandchildren first. If there was no problem, he would send someone to the Hai family to pick up the luggage. If his children and grandchildren did not really want to take him to reunite, he would go back to the Hai family directly, and he would not have to move things.

Hai Chang'an waved and called the eldest son and grandson of the Cao family over. Both father and son were very reserved and politely greeted Hai Xiya, Xie Wenzai, Lu Bainian and others. They also apologized to Cao Gengyun in a gentle voice, saying that the family had made preparations and everyone was looking forward to his return home.

Cao Gengyun didn't quite believe it, but seeing the admiring expression on his grandson's face, he softened his heart. He decided to give his son a chance, so he said goodbye to his old friends, took a few simple bags, and the servant that Xie Wenzai had lent him, and walked with his children and grandchildren towards their own carriage.

After seeing Cao Gengyun off, it was getting late, so Hai Changan suggested that everyone go home first and talk later, and everyone agreed.

At this time, Wang Defa brought Qiu Baisheng to see Hai Xiya and Xie Wenzai: "Master, cousin, the masters of the imperial guards said that they would send the coffins of Master Jin's family to the temple that was pre-determined, and they would not go into the city with us. What should we do?"

Hai Xiya and Xie Wenzai looked at each other and ordered them: "You follow them. You know the address of their home, and when they are settled there, one of you stay there to guard it, and the other one goes back home to report." Since Jin Jiashu entrusted the matter to them, it was impossible for them to just give up and leave all the coffins of the Jin family to the imperial guards to deal with.

Wang Defa and Qiu Baisheng took the order and left. The few imperial guards who stayed behind to escort the luggage and coffins saluted Hai Xiya and Xie Wenzai from afar, then led a large group of people and turned to go in another direction.

The leader of the caravan that was traveling with the Hai family to Beijing also came over to say goodbye to the Hai family and headed to their own destination.

After parting with the two groups, the Hai family members returned to their carriages. Hai Jiao got on his grandparents' carriage, while Hai Chang'an got on his wife and children's carriage. The convoy quickly entered the city and drove towards the new address of the Hai family's house.