After a while, someone came back and forth, saying, "Young Master Xie Jiabiao came to greet the master." "It's Shun'er, the little guy of the Fan faction and Xie Kai. Gu Chong called in.

That Xie Kai was led to the room earlier to freshen up, and then took advantage of the opportunity to change into the clothes of Gu Chong when he was young, and at this moment he was wearing a round-necked yellow inlaid blue pattern jacquard python satin cotton robe, a three-inlaid white jade belt of the same color around his waist, a red velvet crown with golden tassels spread his wings on his head, and a pair of low-layer bow green and white satin boots under his feet - it was the instrument that was lofty and graceful. When he came in, he bowed to Gu Chong, and said, "My nephew asks my uncle for peace." Uncle and aunt are in good health. ”

Gu Chong and Fan couldn't help but laugh at each other when they saw what he was wearing. Gu Chong said: "Look at this body, isn't it better than what I am wearing?"

Fan covered his mouth and smiled: "It's the master's clothes that are good, and they can best set off people." What's more, the nephew is such a character. ”

Gu Chong laughed, and then asked Xie Kai to get up quickly and let him sit again. Xie Kai slipped to the east side of the room and sat down on the first seat of the four chairs. The maid in the house brought tea to him. Seeing Xie Kai sitting still and eating two more sips of tea, Gu Chong asked him how his parents and grandparents were okay in Jinling City, and asked how the Gu family was okay.

Xie Kai smiled on his face, Gu Chong asked, he replied, his mouth was calm and meticulous, and his demeanor was impeccable, but his real heart was melancholy: because he expected Gu Chong to finish these ordinary greetings, he had to ask him where he came from this trip, but he had a bad reason to speak, and he had to make up some words. But he has always been close to his mother, Mrs. Gu, how could he not know that this third uncle Gu Chong is shrewd and meticulous? Therefore, although his face was calm, a string was tightened in his stomach, just waiting for Gu Chong to ask the most important place.

He was worried here, he didn't want Gu Chong to ask around, picked up the teacup and ate two bites, and after a short rest, the conversation turned around and asked him about the situation in Mingyang Academy: first ask Mr. Huang, Cheng, Zhou and other gentlemen about their health, and then ask them about their recent studies, which books to read, what new remarks they have, and finally ask him about his reading this year, whether he has traveled elsewhere, and what proud articles he has made. When Xie Kai heard this, his heart suddenly settled, and he answered seriously one by one, and finally said: "The teachers and classmates in the academy are all good. Although the nephew is stupid and not enlightened, he also feels that he has grown more or less over time, and even with his grandfather and maternal grandfather, he can gradually open his mouth and take his mouth. My father often taught him a lesson at home, saying that if it wasn't for his uncle's protection, his nephew would not have been able to enter the academy, and he would have been able to get a lot of classmates and friends under Mr. Cheng and Zhou. This is always the credit of the uncle, and the great grace of the child. ”

Gu Chong said with a smile: "What does the family say about kindness or not. To say that when you entered the academy to study, it was said that I recommended you to Mr. Cheng, but in fact, it was just a letter. Mr. Cheng is willing to accept you as a beginner, because you are talented and temperamental, and you can be shaped, but how can I be my strength? ”

Xie Kai replied: "It's really not that my nephew is humble, it's really that the sages in the academy gather, and there are many people with outstanding talents, so it's not an exaggeration to say that the hidden dragon and the crouching tiger are hidden." The sage said, 'If you learn alone and have no friends, you are lonely and unheard.' Since the nephew entered Mr. Cheng's door, he got along with the teachers and classmates in the academy day and night, and only then did he know that this knowledge is deep and the world is big. The nephew just thinks about not making rotten wood. ”

When Gu Chong heard this, he couldn't help but shake his head and said with a smile: "You kid!" pointed at Xiang Fan and smiled: "You listen to him - I said that he is humble, he is good, and he is thin!"

Fan said with a smile: "Master said this, should my nephew be happy with the self-proclaimed self-praising master? If you want me to say, it's almost time to save this trouble. ”

Gu Chong scolded with a smile: "Let's talk about naughty words again." How can there be such a rudeness? Fortunately, it is in front of the nephew. Otherwise, dare to laugh at your disrespect. Fan smiled and didn't answer, but casually poured the teacup and handed it to him.

Gu Chong took the cup, smacked it and put it down, and then said to Xie Kai again: "Just now you said 'If you learn alone and have no friends, you will be lonely and unheard', this is true. When used on you, it is also the right thing to do. Needless to say, the gentlemen in the academy, Zhishi Fubi, contemporary Confucianism, knowledge, experience, and insight are all things that your young people can't catch up with in a few lifetimes. Just your classmates in the academy are also very good, and they are about the same age, if they can work hard together, discuss current affairs, and be helpful in learning, they will pay attention to the common origin and echo of the same breath in the future. Besides, although you can be regarded as sensible and polite, after all, you usually respond to every call at home, and no one disobeys you, so you must sharpen your temperament outside and suffer some setbacks - this is also the reason why I must go to the academy that day, and live there permanently. ”

Xie Kai listened to him and stood up. At this moment, he bowed and said: "Why doesn't my nephew know the meaning of my uncle's fulfillment? It is true that many of the students in the college are good, and they have similar temperaments, and there are many people who have done a lot of poetry and calligraphy, and they can teach at any time without hiding their personal interests, which really benefits my nephew a lot. ”

Gu Chong nodded: "That's great." In fact, learning is not enough, but if a person can get one or two good friends, good friends, and bad friends, his life will not be in vain. ”

Xie Kai said: "My nephew doesn't dare to say how this life is, but I did meet a rare friend among my classmates. Learning to discuss, not to mention the tacit understanding, they get along very harmoniously on weekdays. ”

Gu Chong smiled: "I also heard your mother mention that you have a few good classmates, and your feelings are different from ordinary people." It's just that I didn't specifically ask. Although I have been in Changzhou for the past few years, I have to go to Jinling City several times a year to get together with Cheng Yezhi, Zhou Kuangming, and Huang Yanxi. Or maybe you've heard of a name!"

Xie Kai said: "Uncle said this, most of them know him. Speaking of the best thing with me in the academy, it is the chapter back - the chapter of the article, the return of Yan Hui, is the disciple taught by Mr. Huang Yanxi himself. Although he is four years younger than me, he is calm and thoughtful, intelligent and hardworking, and well-informed. The most remarkable thing is that he was promoted at the age of fifteen, and he can still calm down and concentrate on books, without being arrogant or impatient, which is really rare. Several gentlemen are always full of praise for him every time he mentions him, but have you heard Mr. Huang say it?"

Gu Chong heard this, and said with a smile: "It turned out to be Zhang Huaiying." Don't say that Huang Yanxi has mentioned this, I can really hear the cocoon in my ears! This Huang madman, since he was a disciple, felt that the mantle had been settled, and from then on, every time he met it, he would boast about it, and sincerely bullied us who were greedy and idle and did not teach and sit in the library. But this child's knowledge is indeed outstanding, and he shows his skills in a few words, so it's no wonder that Huang Yanxi is proud. Kai'er has a good eye since she was a child, and she sees people well. Now that I can be a good friend with him, it can be seen that there is no retreat in the academy. ”

Xie Kai couldn't help but be shocked when he heard Gu Chong call out the words of the chapter back to the table. Hearing him to the end, he talked to himself again, and said with a smile: "It is also Mr. Cheng who is good friends with Mr. Huang, and the most common discussion in the academy is to discuss learning." The nephew follows the teacher, so he can often listen to the gentlemen's lectures, and often attend classes in one place. In the month of last year, Mr. Li was sick, because he did not have his family by his side, so I waited with Huaiying and Huaiying in the courtyard next to Bao'en Temple for most of the month, eating and living together, so I became closer. Speaking of this, he looked up at Gu Chong and smiled: "This Zhang Huaiying is really worthy of being a 'good friend', 'good friend', and 'good friend', not to mention a lot of help in the article homework in the past few years, not to mention, the first two years of going out to study was all thanks to his care, otherwise the few little people I brought with me were only strong at home, and they didn't know how to advance or retreat outside." ”

Gu Chong couldn't help laughing: "You are a few years older than him, you are taken care of by him, and you can still say it." He also said, "Also, when he was fifteen years old, he went to Nanjing alone, and he is not comparable to the man who never leaves home." ”

Xie Kai said: "Uncle said yes. In the past, my father also taught me that the children of ordinary doors should know more difficult than those in the court of the powerful, and they can only be more and more solid and motivated from the time of study; However, there are many classmates from poor backgrounds in the academy, but they are not as good as Zhang Huaiying's words and demeanor. I think it is also the upbringing of his family, although the previous generations have not been able to advance from the imperial examination, in the end, they are scholars, and they have never fallen behind the character of scholars. ”

Gu Chong and Fan sat on the top and listened to Xie Kai speak, they both smiled and nodded at first, but they were stunned when they heard the back. It's just that he is old and steady, and he has seen and seen a lot of things, so he forced it, but he couldn't help but look back and forth. I don't want Xie Kai to finish speaking, and said to himself: "If it weren't for this, my nephew wouldn't be so good with Zhang Hui, and he wouldn't be curious about his family." This time I knew the birthday of the elders in his family, so I had the heart to come to Changzhou with me, firstly, to meet Hexi, and secondly, to formally thank him for taking care of him in the academy in the past few years. I only set a schedule on an impromptu basis, and when I left, I was in a hurry, and I forgot some of the things I had prepared at home. Fortunately, I remembered that the birthday of the uncle of the Zhang family was still six or seven days later, so I immediately sent a letter, and the family picked it up, and most of them were still in time. is on the road, and you have to rely on your uncle, and you have to worry about your uncle. Speaking of this, he couldn't help but bow his head, and his face was full of confusion.

After Gu Chong and Fan Shi finished listening to him, Gu Chong carefully identified the color of his expression, and finally sighed, grabbed the tea in hand, and ate most of it in one go, before he put down the cup and became distracted. Fan's heart jumped, but then he stood up, took the pot from the maid's hand, and filled it for him. He whispered, "Master." ”

Gu Chong woke up and found that Xie Kai was also waiting for him to speak. After thinking about it, he said to Xie Kai: "If you want to go to someone's door to meet and celebrate your birthday, it is the right thing to prepare a gift." At this time, I sent someone to Nanjing to get it, but it was just a matter of one sentence, and what was the trouble. If you don't go, I'll prepare one for you. It's just that what did you prepare in the first place? Do you know who his family is?"