Zhao Xiu thought for a while and asked, "Why does my brother have such an idea?" Is it because my grandmother mentioned it? ”

Zhao Wei sighed: "First, because my grandmother mentioned it, and secondly, because our Zhao family has not been like this for a long time." There are few clansmen in the capital, and I am not the only one who has been lifted, and I am only the sixth in the township test. They rejoiced in me, in fact, it was just a congratulation and a meal together. If it is in my hometown, I think the entire Fengxian County will be lively. As you know, our Zhao family has been in decline since the death of our grandfather. Although we do our best to enhance the family's reputation, there is a limit to it. When I returned to my hometown, the people of my clan would be happy for me, and even the reputation of the whole clan in my hometown would be better. But I'm too far away, it's far better for me to go back and worship my ancestors in person, and help Sanfang to spread the reputation of clan studies by the way. In the future, our Zhao family will also be able to have a few more reading seeds, and their reputation in the countryside will be higher, which is also a good thing for the children of the clan. ”

That's true. Zhao Xiu has been helping to consult the family affairs for a long time, and he also has a lot of feelings for the current family. At the beginning, in order to rush to send the emperor and Gao Zhen to Beijing, their brothers and sisters left in a hurry. Later, although I heard Zhang, Zhao Qixuan and his family mention the situation in their hometown, the details were still discounted. Zhao Xiu can only guess that after Zhao Wei gets back the ancestral title, the status of the Zhao family in Fengxian should be improved, and the clan has been cultivating young children in the clan to study the imperial examination, and I don't know how to do this subject, but in the past two years, there should be a few talented children. If Zhao Wei, the person who was admitted to the Yakui examination, could personally return to his hometown to worship his ancestors, it would undoubtedly be a great encouragement to the children of the clan who were studying. By the way, you can also knock on the forces of all aspects of your hometown. Remind them that the Zhao family still has a promising Hou Ye, don't think about bullying people.

Think of it this way. Zhao Wei really needs to go back to his hometown. If it is a different reader, it is also a great joy to raise people in the exam. If there are not many famous people in the clan, the clan elders will also build a sacrifice to their ancestors; changed to the family of the eunuch who was passed down from generation to generation, and probably waited until the person concerned was admitted to the Jinshi before making sacrifices. But either way, it is a common custom to return to your hometown to worship your ancestors after gaining fame. It's not strange that Zhao Wei wants to do it. It's just that Zhao Xiu thinks about it more-

"Could the emperor have already made arrangements for you?" She asked Zhao Wei, "If he has decided what he wants you to do, let's go back to our hometown to worship our ancestors." It will take at least half a year to come and go. The capital is more than 2,000 miles away from Fengxian, and it takes at least a month to take a boat, if you take into account the old age of your grandmother. If the boat goes a little slower, it may take longer. The trouble is still secondary, I am afraid that it will delay the emperor's business. That wouldn't do you any good, would it? ”

Zhao Wei said calmly: "I thought about it in advance, at my age. Even if the results of the imperial examination are better. It's just a teenager. The emperor may have some arrangements for me, but most of them are just for me to go through the training, and it is impossible for me to really hold real power. Since it is an idle job, it is not a big deal for me to take a three-month leave and return to my hometown to worship my ancestors and visit relatives. If my sister is not at ease, I will enter the palace tomorrow to see the emperor and ask the emperor what he means before making a decision. How is it? ”

Zhao Xiu saw that he was thoughtful, so he no longer dissuaded him. Speaking of which, it's golden autumn and September now. The weather is getting colder day by day, and if you can go back to Jiangnan for the winter, it is naturally better than staying in the capital. Although Fengxian is far less prosperous than the capital, at least there are not so many complicated people and things. Besides, it's nice to be able to travel.

Zhao Xiu quickly accepted his brother's suggestion, and said with a smile: "Okay, if there is no problem on the emperor's side, I also approve of my brother returning to his hometown to worship his ancestors." Grandmother would be glad to find out. I'll go back with my grandmother, and if you have enough time on the road, you'll have to have some fun. ”

Zhao Wei smiled and touched his sister's head, when she said this, what was originally just a whim seemed to have become an excellent plan, and he began to think about how to turn this plan into reality.

On the second day, Zhao Xiu went to the Guangping palace with the Boxing ceremony. Because the post was handed in advance, King Guangping and Gao Zhen were at home.

King Quang Binh had just finished his midday nap and was in good spirits. He sat under the porch of the courtyard that had been specially renovated for the stage, leaning on a long couch covered with thin cotton cushions, with a cushion of moderate softness and hardness behind him, and fragrant tea on the small table at hand. A thin bamboo curtain hangs down on the edge of the corridor, slightly blocking the autumn breeze blowing outside. In the courtyard, there are chrysanthemums along the corridor, the fragrance is faint, and it is transmitted into the corridor through the thin cracks of the bamboo curtain. On the stage not far away, two musicians sit opposite each other, one plays the flute and the other strokes the piano, the music is leisurely, the breeze is blowing, accompanied by bursts of floral fragrance.

As soon as Zhao Xiu entered the courtyard, he saw this scene and couldn't help but sigh, King Guangping is really good at enjoying it!

Gao Zhen sat on the chair opposite King Guangping, unhurriedly flipping through an anthology in his hand, looked up and saw Zhao Xiu coming, his face immediately smiled, put down the book and stood up: "Sister Zhao." ”

Zhao Xiu smiled at him, first saluted the king of Guangping, and then said his intention. King Guangping smiled: "Your family is so polite, they are all so familiar, why do you have to give generous gifts every holiday?" According to me, I don't lack those things, and you grandparents don't need to be so polite. If you really want to give it, give me a calligraphy or painting, or make me a snack, I'll be happy. ”

Zhao Xiu smiled and said: "Etiquette cannot be abolished. If you refuse to accept the gift from our family, my grandmother will be upset. If you like the dim sum I make, I'll cook it for you. I brought a few newly made flower cakes today, and I don't know if the prince likes it or not. ”

King Guangping smiled: "There are always new tricks in your dim sum, and I must like it." ”

Gao Zhen ordered someone to take the food box specially for flower cakes in the festival gifts brought by Zhao Xiu. It was a copper-tired red nine-child box, which was divided into nine small boxes, and each small box contained a piece of refined flower cake, all of which were different in style and taste. Several of them are translucent in the shape of a cake, dyed with flowers and fruits, dyed in a variety of beautiful and bright colors, and then decorated with other ingredients. One of the most stunning is a flower-shaped golden translucent pastry. Through the cake, you can see that the flower cake is made of chrysanthemum petals in the middle of the flower cake, and the stamen is made of red beans in the middle. At first glance, it looks like a flower blooming in the middle of a pastry.

This flower cake is a masterpiece recently researched by the chef who is responsible for making dim sum in Jiannan Hou Mansion, and after countless experiments, I don't know how many materials have been wasted, and I have succeeded in making a few of them. Although Zhao Xiu feels that the ornamental significance of this dim sum is greater than the edible significance, he still thinks it is very exquisite. She once asked the cook how the cake was made. The cook was tight-lipped. In any case, she refused to reveal it, saying that it was her secret recipe and that she was going to take it to the coffin. Except for his own son, no one sued. Zhao Xiu had no choice but to give up.

Gao Zhen was also surprised by the delicacy of the flower cake, and hurriedly described it in detail for King Guangping.

King Guangping couldn't see, but his sense of smell was very good. After listening to what Gao Zhen said, he also sighed. It's a pity that I can't see it in person. However, when he got closer to smell the flower cakes, he could still accurately guess the taste of each cake: "This is a chrysanthemum cake, right?" I also smelled the red beans. This must be osmanthus cake, but with a little more honey. This cake seems to have the taste of Longjing tea, could it be that it is oozing the fragrance of tea? There's something interesting about this one...... "he picked it up and took a bite," he said, "Hmm...... It is the taste of water chestnut, which has both the softness of the cake and the crispness of water chestnut, and the taste is not too sweet. It's very refreshing. ”

Zhao Xiu listened all the way and admired all the way: "The prince is really amazing." You guessed each one correctly! ”

King Guangping smiled and said: "Although I can't see it, I can hear Zhen'er's description and touch it with my own hands, and I also know that these flower cakes are very exquisite." Silly boy, why do you bother to do this? For me, as long as things taste good, I can't see what the outside looks like. ”

Zhao Xiu said disapprovingly: "If you can't see it, you can hear it, won't the prince tell you?" You can also hold it in your hand and eat it in your mouth. Anyway, if our family wants to give you these flower cakes, we can't be sloppy. What is given to you must of course be the best. ”

King Guangping smiled, stretched out his hand and touched Zhao Xiu's head accurately: "Good boy, I will accept your affection." And he said, "Lend me your cook for a few days." Chongyang I want to take Zhen'er into the palace again, the festival is ready, but the flower cakes are the same every year, and it will be boring after a long time. These flower cakes in your house are excellent, I want the Queen Mother to taste them too, is that okay? ”

Zhao Xiu readily agreed: "What's this?" If it weren't for the cook's refusal to teach, it wouldn't hurt to tell you the recipe. My cook would have gone crazy with joy if she knew that what she had made had a chance for the Queen Mother to taste. ”

King Guangping laughed and touched Zhao Xiu's head again: "Good boy." He instructed Gao Zhen: "Go and take a few samples of our Chongyang flower cake and let your sister Zhao taste it." Recently, a new chef has been added to the palace, which is given by the emperor, and he makes a good snack, I don't know which of his skills is better than the chef of the Jiannan Hou Mansion? ”

Of course, the chef level of Yuci is very high, and although the Chongyang flower cake made is basically a traditional taste, it has been done to the extreme in terms of appearance and taste, so that people have nothing to find fault with. Zhao Xiu praised a few words, King Guangping just smiled, and Gao Zhen didn't comment. Zhao Xiu sensed that something was wrong and quickly shut up.

After having refreshments with King Guangping, King Guangping is going to continue listening to tunes again. Recently, he has added a new hobby, which is to have people read various poems and articles to the musicians while they are playing. The one who came to serve him today was a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl, who was born beautifully, and her voice was even more gentle and intoxicating. What is rare is that this girl is not only beautiful and has a good voice, but also reads poetry and books. She recited poems and articles for King Guangping, and she read them just right, which not only made people hear the words clearly, but also had an appropriate tone and frustration, and would never make people drowsy. Zhao Xiu felt that this girl must have received special training.

Gao Zhen whispered to her: "This is also given by the palace." ”

Zhao Xiu understood in seconds.

King Guangping had pastime activities and service personnel, and Gao Zhen just vacated. He whispered hello to King Guangping, who closed his eyes and waved his hand, and let him leave with Zhao Xiu.

Gao Zhen was just talking to Zhao Xiu in a decent way at first, and led her to the direction of the main courtyard. Halfway through, he suddenly grabbed Zhao Xiu's hand.

Zhao Xiu was taken aback: "What are you doing?" Then he blushed and tried to break away, and looked back at the people who followed him, only to be stunned to find that they were all gone.

Gao Zhen firmly held Zhao Xiu's hand, and smiled slightly: "Don't look for it, they all went where they should go, and there are only the two of us here." (To be continued......)