The Qingteng Xuan on the west side of Yao's Mansion is the courtyard used by Yao Hongyi to study. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

White whitewashed walls, eight-figure doors open. Between the purple bamboos, you can see an elegant two-story building, which is by no means comparable to the study of ordinary people.

From time to time there were cheers in the courtyard, but more often, there were quarrels.

Mrs. Yuan was pacing back and forth outside the courtyard, her face full of anxiety, anxiety, and sighing.

The servant of the stove room, Ah An, happened to come with a basket of pastries, and when he saw Yuan, he bowed his head respectfully and said hello: "The little one has seen Madame." ”

Yuan Shi thought about his thoughts, and responded angrily, and suddenly saw the pastries in his basket, and his already frowning brows locked deeper: "Is it the pastries that the master ordered you to prepare?"

Ah An was stunned, nodded and shook his head.

"What do you mean? yes or no?"

Yuan Shi gave him a blank look and said impatiently.

Ah An is a person who has worked in the stove room, and has never served the lord and wife, so he replied timidly: "Yes, it was Steward Yang who ordered the little one to bring pastries." ”

"What time is it, and you still send pastries? Yang Xingwang is not light or heavy!" Yuan pursed his lips and ordered Ah An dissatisfiedly: "Go, call him over." ”

"Yes, yes!" Ah An nodded again and again, but he didn't take two steps, turned back again, pointed to the basket in his hand, and asked at a loss: "Madam, is this...... ...... this pastry?"

"What kind of pastry do you care? Call Yang Xingwang first!"

Yuan's order was urgent, and Ah An conveyed in a panic and panic, and the housekeeper Yang Xingwang thought that something big had happened, so he led Ah An at a trot, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and asked with a pale face: "Madam, what happened?"

"The pastries that the master ordered you to prepare?" asked Yuan Shi in a cold tone.

"Yes. Mrs. Hui's words were ordered by the master about half an hour ago. ”

The basket of pastries was still in Ah An's hands, and Yang Xingwang took a closer look at the pastries—osmanthus cakes, golden cakes, and freshly steamed shrimp buns and fried mutton dumplings. He was inexplicable by Yuan's anger: "Madam, but is there something wrong with these pastries?"

"What time is it?" Yuan Shi was even more annoyed in his heart: "Where did anyone come to visit after noon?

Yang Xingwang suddenly realized that his wife was anxious about this matter.

According to the customs of this dynasty, a few days at the end of the lunar month, most of the women who have married abroad will accompany their husbands and find a time to visit their parents' homes.

Since the day before yesterday, the Yuan family has been busy selecting New Year's gifts for his mother's family. Last night, she also chose a set of newly made clothes for Yao Hongyi, and repeatedly told her to pay attention to the details.

Early this morning, only two minutes after the hour, Yao Hongyi's three colleagues came in high spirits. Then, together with Yao Hongyi, these four people didn't know what to talk about, and they didn't want to come out until the moment in Qingteng Xuan.

If it was someone from the household department, she would have ordered Yang Xingwang to see off the guests. However, among the three people, one is the governor of the government, the other is the palace servant, and the official position is the head of the household department, and the other is Ouyang Xiu, a scholar of Hanlin who is astonishing in literature. No matter which one it is, Yao Hongyi can't afford to be guilty.

Yuan had no choice but to murmur in pieces: "The officials have sealed their pens and seals, is it going to be a war, or is there a natural disaster? Is there anything that can't be talked about after the New Year......

In ancient times, the official family also had to celebrate the New Year, generally on the 26th day of the lunar month, "seal the pen" and "seal the seal", and the six departments of the three provinces would also "not do things" with interest, and then deal with some daily government affairs after the New Year. At the ceremony on the first day of the first lunar month, the official family re-"opened the pen" and "opened the seal".

Yao Hongyi is usually gentle and tolerant, but Yuan has always had a fiery temper. Yang Xingwang had always preferred to offend the lord rather than the wife, so he asked Yuan, "Do you want the little one to go in and remind the master?"

"Are you stupid?" Yuan glanced at him: "Ask these mothers-in-law and mother-in-law in front of the master's colleagues, and teach him how to save face?"

"That ......" Yang Xingwang stood in place with his head down, silently waiting for the order.

Yuan Haosheng thought for a while, and ordered: "Yang Xingwang, you send the pastries in first, and by the way, ask the master......" She carefully considered her words: "Just ask: Madame said that it is almost noon now, and several adults have not eaten so far, and a few pastries may not be enough, do you want to prepare the staple food?

Yuan's maiden home is next to Ji Changshun in the north of the city, and such an inquiry not only retains the face of the master, but also reminds him without a trace. Yang Xingwang bowed his head in understanding, and he was even more convinced by the meticulous and thoughtful housewife in front of him.

……

Around the study of Qingteng Xuan, there are many rosewood bookcases, and there are many books.

In the middle, there is a long case of Zhang Yizi. On weekdays, there is only a Taishi chair in front of the window, but at this time, chairs are placed around the long case, and Liu Xin, Wen Yanbo, Ouyang Xiu and Yao Hongyi are sitting on the four sides of the long case.

On the bookcase, the newly written notes are stacked like mounds, and the draft budget plan drafted by Wen Yanbo and others has long been buried somewhere.

Ouyang Xiu rummaged for a while before finding it on the bottom floor, he frowned in contemplation, and sighed almost inaudibly—after several hours of discussion, the budget plan was far from their draft.

"Can't you reduce the budget of the military department a little?" Ouyang Xiu patiently asked Yao Hongyi: "Whether it is to build a free Mengxue Museum or expand Taixue, it is a move that is meritorious in the present and beneficial in the future." ”

Yao Hongyi didn't think about it, and said categorically: "The budget of the Ministry of War can't be reduced. ”

Liu Xin asked him: "Since three years ago, the use of the military department has been increasing year by year, and the amount is so high that it is the highest among the six departments, how can it not be reduced?"

"The increase in the use of the military department was instructed by the officials. Yao Hongyi let out a long sigh and replied helplessly.

Liu Xin was silent when he heard this, he stretched out his index finger and tapped lightly on the tabletop, thoughtful.

The officials deliberately increased the use of the military department, and the purpose was self-evident.

Wen Yanbo and Ouyang Xiu also looked solemn.

"The use of the military department is very implicated," Yao Hongyi picked up the teacup, took a sip of tea, and suggested: "Why don't you invite Peng Cheng too, let's ...... Think about it in the long run?"

Wen Yanbo pursed his lips, and he was extremely reluctant in his heart. He originally wanted to bypass the military department in order to divert more expenses to the people's livelihood.

But at this moment, I have to discuss it with Peng Cheng.

While he was groaning, he suddenly heard a knock on the door.

Yang Xingwang called outside the door: "Master, the little one is here to deliver pastries." ”

Yao Hongyi instructed Yang Xingwang to enter, and said to Liu Xin and them: "It's so decided, take a rest first, have a snack, and discuss slowly when Master Peng comes." ”

The three nodded their heads one after another. For now, that's all it takes.

Yang Xingwang placed the pastries on the remaining empty seat on the bookcase, relayed Yuan's words to Yao Hongyi respectfully and word for word, and asked: "Master, Mrs. said that it is almost noon now, and several adults have not eaten so far, and a few pastries may not be enough, do you want to prepare the staple food?

Yao Hongyi was stunned when he heard the sound outside the strings.

"Okay, good!" Wen Yanbo took a bite of the raw fried mutton dumplings and replied to Yang Xing's words: "Speaking of which, I'm really a little hungry, so it's just right to have a bowl of Ji Changshun's bamboo shoots and noodles." He even praised Yao Hongyi: "Yigong, Ling Zheng is really thoughtful!"

Liu Xin coughed and threw a color at Wen Yanbo.

Yaofu has its own cooks, and for lunch, why should you go to Jichangshun, which is far away in the north of the city, to buy it?

Mrs. Yao must have said something to Yao Hongyi privately.

So he asked softly, "Yigong, the three of us came here rashly today, but it disrupted your original arrangement?"

……