Seeing Xie Kai bow to the ground, Fan hurriedly shouted to help him up, motioned Xie Kai to sit down on the chair to the east, and said with a smile while ordering the maid to serve tea: "I just reported it, and I thought they were mistaken." The day before yesterday, the old man said that Brother Kai'er, how did he expect to come home today? But it was a great joy that fell from the sky. Then he asked the old lady of Jinling City how he was doing, and then asked his mother how he was, and said to Xie Kai with a smile: "The old man went to the county school today, for the monthly poetry meeting, so he is not at home." But I came back in the afternoon. ”

Xie Kai said: "This is not my nephew, I don't often greet my uncle and aunt on weekdays, and I haven't sent a letter from my servants to inquire this time." In a hurry, it came temporarily. was rude, and it disturbed the peace of my uncle and aunt, and I was very uneasy. ”

Fan said with a smile: "They are all relatives of the family, you are willing to come to the house to sit, we only have joy, where can we say that it is disturbed?" Then he called Pan Hua to the inner courtyard, and instructed him to quickly clean up the guest room in the east wing of the back porch and live with Xie Kai, and said: "The house is next to the garden, and it is close to the study." For a while, your uncle and nephew are the cheapest to talk. Xie Kai thanked him hurriedly.

The two of them chatted for a while, and then a servant woman came up and said that lunch had been prepared, and asked where it was. Fan's life was placed in the flower hall on the side, and he glanced at Xie Kai again, and said with a smile: "Brother Kai'er is not an outsider, so I asked the third girl to come here too, so that I can meet my cousin." ”

Pan Hua's family responded and personally brought two daughters-in-law to go, and after a while, a girl came over. Eyebrows are trimmed and handsome, cherry mouth peach cheeks, but at the age of eight or nine, his appearance is already good-Xie Kai knew that it was Gu Chong's daughter, his cousin, and his maiden name was Gu Ying, so he hurriedly got up. Over there, Fan Shi had already stepped forward with a smile, personally took his daughter's hand, and brought it over to meet Xie Kai.

Although Gu Ying is young, she is a high-ranking family in the end, and her blood relatives are in the same vein, and her demeanor is very stable and generous. stepped forward to greet Xie Kai and then stood behind Fan. Fan smiled at Xie Kai and said, "Since you are a close relative, don't be formal, eat at the same table with me." Even if your uncle is not at home, you should have a good time with my mother. Xie Kai responded. Fan instructed people to re-lay the tables and chairs in the flower hall, remove the hollow partition, merge the two seats into one table, and have a waiting daughter-in-law to set up the meal again. As soon as the matter was over, Fan Fang took Gu Ying and beckoned Xie Kai to go to the flower hall with him.

Xie Kai took a seat, sat down with his hands, and looked at the dining table with his eyes, only to see that all kinds of dishes were ordinary, but the number of dishes was more than usual, and there was a bad bamboo shoot bud that he loved every day, so he pressed it in front of him. Xie Kai knew that this was mostly added on purpose, so he couldn't help but show joy, and hurriedly raised his head to look at Fan's above, and saw that the corners of her mouth also had a hint of a smile, and she was nodding slightly to herself, and said, "Nephew, don't be polite." The first didn't know that you were coming, and they didn't fix anything good. Just vaguely past. Wait for your uncle's house to come in the evening, and then I will really drink with you. ”

Xie Kai listened, got up and thanked him. The three of them had a meal at the same table. On the table, the rule of "eating without saying anything" was observed, and after silently using it, there was a waiting maid and daughter-in-law holding a gargle handkerchief. After the three of them washed, waited for a while, and ate the tea that nourished their stomachs, Gu Ying confessed to her mother and cousin and returned to the room.

Fan took Xie Kai out of the flower hall and returned to the main house, and then called the chief manager Pan Hua to come in again - first asked about the cleaning of the guest room, and then asked about the preparation of various daily things in the room, knowing that everything was in order, and then asked Pan Hua the name and surname of the little guy who was specially called by Xie Kai, and repeatedly instructed that he should not only be honest and obedient, but also have some insight and familiarity with the customs of Changzhou. Pan Huadu replied, and asked the two boys to come in from the waiting corridor immediately and show Fan with his own eyes. Fan was relieved at this time, and told Xie Kai a few more words, telling him to be as relieved as when he was at home, and then asked Pan Hua to lead him to the house that he cleaned up and went to change clothes and wash the dust to rest.

Xie Kaifang went here, Fan Shi had a smile on his face, sat on the chair, and just held the cup silently. The surrounding maids and servants all bowed their heads and lowered their hands, and they couldn't make a sound. When he was young, Pan Hua came back to his life, saying that the young master was very proud of the guest house and was not dissatisfied. Fan only nodded, lowered his eyes, and still didn't make an interface. That Pan Hua observed the words and looked at the feelings, and he had already counted them in his heart, so he stepped forward and said: "It is a great joy for the young master to come home, and I must report it to the master immediately." ”

Fan raised his head at this time, and said with a smile: "What you reminded is that you should report it to the master immediately." While calling the boy who was waiting on the outer steps of the second gate to come in, he ordered: "Go to the county to find your master immediately, and say that the nephew and young master of the Xie family in Jinling City are here, please come back and see you immediately." The little guy went as he was told.

Fan Shifang turned his head to Pan Hua and said: "You also know that in the whole family, only this young master is the lifeblood of the old lady, and he is also the grandson of the Xie family, and he has the status of a golden noble. Now that he has come, he will be taken care of by a good life. Although the population of our house is small, we must also warn our servants and serve carefully. ”

Pan Hua hurriedly bowed down and said, "The old slave must restrain the family, and must not slack off and bump into the young master." ”

Fan nodded when he heard this, and said, "Not only the little maids, but also the maids and maids in the inner courtyard, should also be doubly careful." As he spoke, he turned his head and instructed Pan Hua's family, and said sternly: "You and I are strict, and whoever is sloppy and frivolous will be kicked out immediately; everyone must keep their own hearts and responsibilities, even if they are in their own homes, they are not allowed to take a single step." If there is even the slightest mistake, I will only ask you. ”

When the Pan Hua family heard this, although they were a little surprised, their faces only flashed, and they were too busy to respond, and reported the names and surnames of their daughters-in-law and sons-in-law who had been in various places in the house for the past few days. At the end, he said: "These are the old people in the family, and they are the most loyal and proper in doing things, and they have not made a single mistake." ”

Fan Shi listened to her report on the duties of the personnel, nodded from time to time while listening, and finally smiled after listening: "I also know that they are in order-sure that it is your old husband and wife who are reassuring, this is the person made by our master." ”

Seeing the housewife say this, Pan Hua and his wife were immediately flattered, and the two of them hurriedly stepped forward to bow down together, and kowtowed twice before getting up. Pan Hua then exited the house. Pan Hua's self-serving Fan ate another cup of tea, and the two casually discussed housework, and Fan said: "I don't know if the master has to believe it at this moment? The nephew suddenly came was really a big surprise, and I am afraid that as soon as the master heard about it, he should go home immediately." ”

Pan Hua's family hurriedly said: "What Mrs. said is true. At this time, the old man was busy rushing home. ”

Fan sighed again and said, "That's it, I'm afraid it will disturb the wine outside him." ”

Pan Huajia said with a smile: "The old man is narrow, and the wife is often worried about this." Looking at it this way, it's a good thing. ”

Fan laughed at this time, and asked someone to be sent to the door to see, and ordered: "When the master arrives home, report it immediately." Pan Hua's family volunteered and went to the second gate in person.

However, he said that in Changzhou County School here, Gu Chongyuan was talking about poetry and Taoism with a group of literary friends and bachelors, drinking and playing, and suddenly got a report from his family, and hurriedly got up to say goodbye to everyone, only saying: "There are people from Jinling's family here." Everyone at this side knew that he was the most filial, and they didn't stop him, but only asked him to act freely. Gu Chong immediately came out of the county school. got into the car and urged the start, so he called the boy on the edge of the car to enter the carriage and asked, "The young master of the Xie family is from Nanjing, who has been with him all the way?"

That kid Yuan'er was originally serving on the second gate, and he didn't usually go out much, but he was very clever, so the Fan family sent him. Seeing Gu Chong asking, he hurriedly responded: "If you go back to the master, the young master of the Xie family arrived a day ago." It was his own door, and he never saw anyone from the Nanjing family follow. ”

Gu Chong was stunned when he heard this, a strange look appeared on his face, and after a while, he smiled and said, "He came alone? He waved his hand to let Na Yuan'er still return to the edge of the car, and sat on the back wall in the carriage, closing his eyes and silently distracted.

After a while, Gu Chongche arrived at Zaokefang's house. Everyone waited for him to get out of the car, and Gu Chong walked to the main hall. Mrs. Fan had already come out of the main room, and the husband and wife greeted each other and entered the hall together. Fan personally served Gu Chong except for his clothes, asked the maid to bring tea, and handed it to him with his own hands, and sent everyone to serve outside the house, and then he spoke—but he didn't say Xie Kai, but only asked how the poetry would be.

Gu Chong said: "Poetry will be nothing more than that. It's all because Yang Zhituo can't get sick, and it's not interesting. Just look at the two fu written by his nephews, but they all have a little bit of his intentions, and the words are passable. ”

Fan said with a smile: "The master has a high vision, if he can say it, then the text is excellent." I heard that those children usually have to be guided by Uncle Zhang, or they don't know if they get one or two because of this. It's just that Uncle Zhang's uncle is sick today? It will be his birthday in a few days, and he is not taboo. ”

Gu Chong said with a smile: "What kind of character do you think Zhang Wangzhang Yangzhi is, you can taboo these? Because you don't want to move, you don't know how many times you have been lazy." But when you talk about his birthday, his precious son may have arrived home in the next day or two, and he refused to go out for this, which he also did. ”

Fan hurriedly asked: "The son of the uncle of the Zhang family, isn't it the little son who was raised in the middle of the school the year before last, and is now studying in Nanjing Mingyang Academy?"

Gu Chong said: "Who else is there besides him? His father and son have not seen each other for three years, so there must be something important to say." ”

Fan smiled: "The master didn't pay attention to what he said. If anything, it will be a moment and a half? I have never heard of Lao Tzu sitting at home waiting for his son. ”

Gu Chong only shook his head: "You don't know." Yang's father and son are different from the ordinary. As he spoke, he took a sip of hot tea, then put down the cup and asked, "The nephew of the Xie family arrived this morning, and how is the house planned?"

Fan also straightened his colors and replied, "I arrived before noon." I told him to clean up the empty wing room on the east side of the back porch and stay with him. There was a rough girl in that house, and now she sent another one who could serve her life, that is, Pearl, and then transferred Mother Xu, who was looking at the garden, to take care of the rough work in that room with him. There are also two little servants, both of whom are twelve years old, and if they go out, they will definitely follow Pan Yun'er -- Yun Xiaozi is the son of the chief steward, and he has been through Nanjing several times, and he can be regarded as having seen some of the world, so he ordered him. It's just that the nephew is not as good as an ordinary child, but in the end, it is not a unit. Therefore, I have to ask the master to show me what is appropriate. ”

Gu Chong thought for a moment and said, "That's good." After all, Changzhou is not as good as Nanjing, and the nephew does not love to hug him. ”

Fan sighed: "In the end, I was sluggish." ”

Gu Chong said with a smile: "It's just that the junior boy comes to live at home for a few days, and the etiquette is taken care of, so you don't have to worry too much." While asking the next person: "Can you go and ask the young master?" ”。