Stepping into the courtyard, the house is simple and looks quaint in style. The green bricks and yellow wood don't look luxurious, but the bonsai everywhere is not priceless. A single bonsai plant is a rarity, and the stone placed in the center of the garden is even more precious. The natural crack resembles a longevity character, and it is said that there are only three pieces in the world. One piece was included in the Imperial Palace, and the other was in a wealthy merchant in Soochow. The last piece is in this Kunling Villa, which has been standing here for more than 20 years.

The origin is extremely good, and the first birthday gift given to the old gentleman after His Majesty ascended the throne. Everyone in the beam knows the existence of this strange stone, and what seems to be a boulder is actually a rare jade in the world. In particular, the lines on it are even more strange, and the strange stones in the palace are just shaped like a beam. However, this longevity character is more precious, and the strange stones of the wealthy merchants of Eastern Wu are even inferior.

The most scarce in the villa today is the crowd of people, all of whom are dignitaries and wealthy Confucian merchants. Almost the entire Taiping City nobles were crowded in the small villa, and there were even big people who came from thousands of miles to celebrate their birthdays. There were young and old people who talked to each other, and everyone was dressed in fine clothes. Some people's eyes lit up, and many people showed sadness. There are also many middle-aged people who hide in the corner and watch everything quietly, and Prime Minister Wang An has never had such a scene like this.

Following Shuangshang into the courtyard, the young man in white was shocked. Everyone here is a wealthy nobleman who is rarely seen, and there is no shortage of important ministers in the court. Thinking about being able to enter this Kunling Mountain Villa to drink a glass of wine is the dream of many literati. Walking in the courtyard can be said to be an opportunity at every step, and there are talents in drama novels that are favored by big shots. In this small villa, everyone seems to be a rumored figure.

Walking into the main hall, an old man kept entertaining guests, and he looked to be in his fifties. No matter how old or young, they will come forward to greet them, and the younger ones will bow heavily. Xiao Wu looked at the old man and asked, "Which young master is Mr. Zhou?" ”

Zhang Bai looked at the old man and said, "It shouldn't be, it is said that Mr. Zhou is more than seventy years old." Which one looks to be only about fifty years old, it shouldn't be Mr. Zhou. ”

The blue-shirted young man has been by his side and said: "Which is the second rank of the Shangshu Zheng of the Ministry of Rites and Rites, Zhou Yingxiang, the eldest son of Mr. Zhou Wen is also the head of the Zhou family today. ”

The three teenagers were in a remote corner, seemingly unattended in the garden. Even the smiling servants didn't care, as if they didn't exist. Xiao Wu looked nervous, for fear of offending a seemingly inconspicuous but big man. Zhang Bai was calm and calm, and watched everyone in the courtyard carefully. I have studied articles since I was a child and read the books of ancient sages. Parents expect that he, Zhang Bai, can sit on one side of the official, a county official has been able to pass the glorious lintel, and the Zhang family is not only a wealthy businessman.

The blue-shirted boy who was constantly introduced was smiling all the time, without Xiao Wu's nervousness or Zhang Bai's restraint, and he never cared about other people's eyes. Many people here don't know each other, and those who know don't care about this young man, because no one cares who Zhang Wen is.

The young man with the silver crown on his head strode forward, and his status was not low at the age of less than twenty. He slapped Zhang Wenzheng on the shoulder with a smile and said, "When will Xiaowenzheng teach my brother to play the real chess game." ”

The young man bowed his hand and said, "Young Master Yang, as long as Mr. is willing, he can do it at any time." ”

A folding fan opened the cover to block the two teenagers behind the fan, and I don't know what to say. The boy's face turned red, and the young man in fancy clothes laughed and walked away. Zhang Bai asked curiously, "I don't know who this son is." ”

The young man covered his hot cheeks and said, "You said Yang Gongzi, he is the son of the Yang family in Tianshui." He is also one of the four sons of Taiping City, and is close friends with Liu Gongzi and Lin Gongzi. ”

I have always heard about the four sons of Taiping, and Zhang Bai is curious about the four sons of Taiping. The young man seemed to like the Four Princes of Taiping very much, and couldn't help asking: "What kind of person is the Four Princes of Taiping, it seems that Brother Zhang admires it very much." ”

He rubbed his cheeks vigorously and suddenly looked proud, and his eyes were blazing: "The four princes of Taiping are famous, as long as they are in the various gambling houses and restaurants in Taiping City, the major gangs and vendors are either happy or afraid when they talk about the four princes of Taiping, but they are majestic." ”

was about to ask Zhang Wenzheng again and then said: "Liu Zhixing, Yang Chen, Lin Zhong are the most famous. Among them, Liu Gongzi specializes in playing gangsters, Yang Gongzi has been in the gambling house all the year round, and Lin Gongzi likes to drink in the restaurant, and he is even more involved in people. I remember once in the Qinglou, the three sons did not go out for a month because the Oiran beat the second son of the household Shangshu, as long as they heard the name of the four princes of Taiping, they hid far away. ”

Zhang Bai thought that Gongzi was a nickname from the bottom of his heart, but it turned out to be such a fourth son, and he felt a little ridiculous in his heart. It's just that the young man just said three people, and as for the fourth son, he asked, "Who is the fourth son?" ”

"I don't know, they all call me Little Boy."

Under the plaque with the words "heart is like stopping water", Zhou Yingxiang, the secretary of the ministry, walked over. There are many children of wealthy families in the courtyard, and there are also many inconspicuous little people, who are also rich businessmen and old masters. "Today is the old man's birthday, and many colleagues in Taiping City feel honored to put down the big things in their hands and come here, and there are even juniors who have come from thousands of miles away. Everyone can still remember the old man's birthday, which made the small Kunling Villa shine......"

Standing outside the lobby door, he watched the big beams enter one by one, and finally entered in the company of a young man. The people who were originally noisy in the courtyard stopped speaking after entering the lobby. After more than 100 people entered the table one after another, they slowly walked out behind the screen in a big red robe and crutches, supported by two young women. Everyone looked at the old man and got up, and shouted with both hands: "I wish Master Zhou good fortune like the East China Sea, and longevity than Nanshan." ”

The old man looked at the juniors with a smile on his face, and said in a voice of vicissitudes: "Take a seat!" ”

A group of maids entered with melons, fruits and desserts, and the old man sat down smoothly and looked old. Picking up a glass of turbid wine, he slowly moved in all directions, and said: "You juniors have a heart, and you can still remember your birthday after quitting the court for more than ten years at such an old age." ”

The man in his fifties picked up his glass and said, "The ancients had a saying that one day is a teacher and a father is lifelong. As a student, you should remember the teacher's birthday, remember that the teacher's first lesson is filial piety, and the student never dares to forget. ”

In the subtlety, many old people raised their glasses to congratulate, and the young man in Chinese clothes sitting alone in the middle smiled at the corner of his mouth. The blue-shirted young man was curious about what Yang Gongzi was laughing at, and Zhang Bai Xiaowu, who was standing behind Shuangsheng together, felt even more inexplicable. I only heard the sloppy old man say: "This Qin Sheng is really embarrassed to say that the first lesson of Zhou Wen's old thing is filial piety." As everyone knows, in the early years, he just took up the ministry of service and drove his wife out of the house. Now it's ridiculous to talk about filial piety, it's ridiculous. He shook his head with his glass.

Zhang Bai asked with some curiosity: "How could the Ministry of Labor drive the old lady out of the house." ”

The young man in Chinese clothes looked at the young man in white and had a little meaning, and some people were not small. He dared to ask such a question on such an occasion, what kind of person is he Yang Cheng, he likes such a bold person. Otherwise, how could there be the title of the fourth son in Kyoto, and said with a smile: "Of course, because there is a fierce wife in the family, I dislike the old lady is not clean, and I am verbose." ”

Turning his head to Shuangshang, he said, "I really can't imagine that the old man Shuang also likes these interesting stories." ”

took a glass of wine and said with a smile: "How can I have time to inquire about these scandals, it's not that Liu Zhixing's kid is talking nonsense after drinking, so that the old man can drink a few more glasses." ”

Zhang Bai, who was standing behind him, looked at the old man sitting on the main seat, and never thought that he would walk into this manor one day. I didn't expect to meet the literary master, a generation of Confucian Mr. Zhou Wen. The old man with a withered face looks like an extremely beautiful person in the eyes of the young man, and all this comes from Liu Zhixing, who is on the same side. Now I am more and more curious about who Liu Zhixing is, who can be accepted as a student by Mr. Zhou Wen, and has a good time with the bachelor of Hanlin Academy.

The man, who was no longer in his thirties, dressed in plain clothes, stood up from the last seat and walked out of his seat. Holding a wine glass and facing everyone, this is an unfamiliar face. Here are all dignitaries, only the down-and-out man came drunk. Staggering to the center, the entire lobby was silent.

Puff sat on the ground and said: "It's all a group of self-righteous people, and they don't feel empty when they say these hypocrisy." Those who are dying are still congratulated, and the right respecter is not ashamed. It's not that you have climbed a little higher for your position, and no one who is old and immortal can not even save his own son, and it is ridiculous to think that he can help you. This year is more lively than the New Year, it is better to go home early and give birth to a child with a concubine at this time, and it is better to go to Feiyan Tower than to watch the old immortal. ”

Zhou Yingxiang, who was sitting on the top seat, kept gritting his teeth, slapped the table heavily and said, "Someone will bring this unfilial son down." ”

The two servants immediately ran in and picked up the man and hurried out, and the old man lost the enthusiasm he had just had. With his eyes closed, he slowly opened his eyes and watched his grandson being dragged along. Didn't say a word from beginning to end, in the quiet lobby. Yang Chen shook his head and said, "It's a pity, the famous genius of Taiping City will become like this." ”

Zhang Bai looked at Zhang Wenzheng, and the young man explained: "Which one is the eldest son of Zhou Laosheng's second son, and he is also the favorite junior back then. was found to be on death row because of the corruption case that year, and was beheaded. When I was a child, I dreamed of becoming a great talent like Zhou Heng when I grew up, but now I don't know how many people have disappointed. ”

Listening to Zhang Wenzheng's words, Zhang Bai became more and more determined to study with his teacher. Life is such an opportunity, and it is even more convinced that so many nobles can call Master Zhou. Especially what Zhou Heng said just now, as long as he can worship the old man, half of his feet have already stepped into the officialdom. With one hand in his arms, he held the letter tightly, which was not really very important.

took out the letter and strode out, Zhang Wenzheng immediately shouted: "Brother Zhang, don't act recklessly. ”

Zhang Bai's behavior made Yang Chen feel strange, and he always thought that he was a new student under Shuangshang. He took the student's hand and said, "Everyone has their own path, and a teenager should have the courage of a teenager." ”

Under the eyes of everyone, Zhang Bai was not timid at all in holding the letter, and every step was extremely steady. Everyone is afraid to say more, they don't have much seniority here. The elderly, many of the students in high positions, just gave big gifts, but did not appear. There is only the eldest son Zhou Yingxiang, and the most curious person is the old man sitting on the main seat.

looked at the strange teenager, just like himself back then. It's just that I don't know whose child it is, and asked, "What's the matter with the little brother." ”

Zhang Bai said: "Student Zhang Bai came to study and asked Mr. Zhou for advice. ”

Everyone was curious when they heard the name, but the young man only looked at the old man sitting above, and the teacher of most people was sitting. I only heard the old man say with a smile: "The old man is so old, he has long stopped accepting students." After the little brothers are all famous, there are also many people in the literary world, and they have to choose the old man who has a breath left. ”

Without saying a word, he knelt down and said: "Xiaosheng has read Mr.'s "Pingzhang Essentials" since he was a child, and from that day on, he wanted to become a literary master like Mr. There is only Mr. qualified to be called Wenzong, when Confucius was an expert with 3,000 disciples, and he taught and educated people all his life with the name of seventy-two scholars, and he was a famous teacher who was difficult to live in. I beg that you can accept the students and be able to accompany you. ”

The old man touched his beard and said with a smile: "Although there are many students, the old man is not as good as the patriarch Kong Sheng. You kid is interesting, go down, read the sages well, it's the same everywhere. ”

Zhang Bai handed out the letter and said: "I met Brother Liu Zhixing in my hometown, and only by writing a letter of recommendation did Xiaosheng have the courage to meet Mr. This is a letter of recommendation, and I only hope that my husband can listen to the teachings as a scholar. ”

Hearing Liu Zhixing's name, many people are unfamiliar, and many people close to the villa are curious. Since Zhou Heng was decadent, the old man took the most fancy to which lively teenager. However, the young man did not follow the text, but rushed to the frontier with his sword, and after that, the old man had no intention of accepting students.

After taking the letter and looking at the contents on it, the old man smiled knowingly, it was the first time since his birthday that he was so happy. Especially the last sentence: "The student gives a big gift, and the teacher should not blame." ”

Still happy, an uninvited guest came slowly, wearing a purple and gold python robe and a seven-bead crown. Everyone got up, and the old man was so happy that he got up.

Many people knelt down one after another, and only Yang Chen was still sitting there. The old man said: "I didn't know that King Qi was coming, so I couldn't welcome him from afar. ”

A man in his thirties stepped forward and said, "Master Zhou has tormented the students. ”