Chapter 260: The West Lake Extravaganza

"I wonder how he's doing now?" Bai Jinyu said softly, when the two left Beijing, Chu Zhen's appointment had not yet come down, Bai Jinyu naturally did not know about his appointment to Qiantang, hearing Bai Jinyu's soft voice, Su Yuexiang was silent, fortunately, at this moment, the sedan chair also swayed and stopped.

"Mrs. Su, it's time for Lesi." A handmaid whispered beside the sedan curtain.

In the beautiful and elegant teaching workshop, a group of pretty female warblers and warblers gathered together, delicately and softly discussing what had just happened with Aunt Mei.

"Auntie, the requirements of that magistrate are too high, what movements are neat and orderly, and even the size of our moving steps must be consistent, isn't this difficult for a strong man." A charming girl said coquettishly, as the person leading the dance, she was not less guilty of Chu Qian, and she was naturally unconvinced.

"That's it, I didn't take advantage of Sister Cui'er just now, so I deliberately looked for our flaws to vent my anger." A certain Qingli girl chuckled and said, making the girl who had just demonstrated the tea ceremony for Chu Zhen and the others shy.

"Okay, don't talk nonsense, in fact, what Chu Zhixian said just now is not wrong." Aunt Mei stretched out her hand to stop the girls' discussions, her eyebrows furrowed slightly, she shook her head and sighed: "Your dancing skills are indeed a little lacking. ”

"Auntie, the magistrate is gone, so you don't have to flatter him." A certain girl muttered cute cherry lips and said coquettishly: "Anyway, he can't hear it, why are you working in vain, you really want to please him and send Cui'er to serve." Before the words were finished, the girl immediately noticed Yinling's crisp laughter, twisted her waist slightly, and gasped in her mouth: "Cui'er, don't scratch, I know it's wrong, I don't dare anymore, but to be honest, that county commander is handsome and delicate, personable, and young and promising, and you don't suffer with him." ”

"Yu'er's words seem to make a lot of sense."

"In my opinion, Yu'er's intention is not to let Cui'er go, but she thinks for herself."

Seeing the two girls playing, the nearby girls also stepped forward to make fun, the sound of laughter and frolic echoed in the room, endlessly, Aunt Mei smiled at the corners of her mouth and watched the girls playing, she was also from a music background, she naturally knew the bitter and helpless mood in it, and naturally had no intention of stopping.

After a while, Aunt Mei clapped her hands and said with a smile: "Little girls, you've played enough, it's time to listen to me." ”

"Don't make a fuss, listen to what the eldest lady has to say." Several girls who were quite convincing said one after another, and after a while, the girls gradually quieted down and gathered around, ready to listen to Aunt Mei's instructions.

"You guys, all you hear on weekdays are some words of praise, but now you can't hear anyone picking on them." Aunt Mei smiled and said: "What the county magistrate said is all on the point, and the shortcomings of your skills are obvious." ”

"Auntie, why do you say that, do your best to help outsiders."

"We are all your apprentices, people say that we are not good at dancing, aren't we talking about you around the corner." The girls were suddenly unhappy, and they all started to talk coquettishly, but when they saw Aunt Mei's solemn face, they were silent again.

"Auntie, are we really that bad?" Seeing that Aunt Mei's face was slightly softened, a girl couldn't help but ask.

"Not really." Aunt Mei smiled and said: "You have to know where the county magistrate came from, he is in Bianjing, and he is from Jinshi, he must be used to seeing court skills, and his vision is naturally higher than that of ordinary places. ”

"Having said that, but he was born as a Jinshi, and some of the dignitaries and nobles in Hangzhou have been in Beijing, and when we dance on weekdays, I don't see any complaints from them." A girl said.

"Therefore, you should be more grateful, if it is not sincere, people will point out your shortcomings and make you wary." Aunt Mei smiled: "It's also my fault, I'm used to you, and I'm not very strict, so that you don't want to repent even if you know you're wrong." ”

"No, my aunt usually says that she is not strict." Someone at the bottom said secretly, some people muttered in their hearts, naturally some people heard Aunt Mei's words in their hearts, and when they were reflecting on their dancing skills, they saw a girl hurrying over and said: "Auntie, someone outside is looking for you, saying that it is your old friend." ”

"Old friends? Who is it. Aunt Mei asked casually.

"It's from Bianjing, one surnamed Su and the other surnamed Bai." The girl said.

"Su, Bai, could it be them." frowned and thought about it, and after a while, Aunt Mei's eyebrows were light, her face flashed with surprise, and she didn't care about reprimanding again, and hurriedly walked out.

Came to the door, saw two beautiful and moving figures, Aunt Mei hesitated, separated for a long time, the faces of the two were rare shadows of the year, but I don't know if it was the two people I thought, the two of them, one was a teenage girl, the other was an eight or nine-year-old girl, and now they meet, she doesn't dare to confirm at will.

Aunt Mei wasn't sure, but her appearance hadn't changed much, but Su Yuexiang and Bai Jinyu recognized her at a glance, and hurriedly stepped forward to salute, and said with a smile: "Aunt Mei, master." ”

Hearing the familiar voice, Aunt Mei was sure of it, and a bright smile appeared on her charming face, and she stepped forward to support the two, with a little excitement, and said in a trembling voice: "It's really you two girls." He looked at the two of them carefully, and looked very excited.

Unconsciously, twilight is approaching, in a certain house in Shen Yuan, Shen Liao is picking up a pen to paint carefully, but there is an inexplicable irritability in his heart, and he can't calm down, until he hears the servant's report that Shen Yao has returned from the banquet, and immediately put the brush aside and hurriedly looks for her.

In the delicate and elegant attic, after drinking a few cups of pure wine, Shen Yao seemed to be a little drunk, a beautiful face was flushed with redness, thin curved willow eyebrows, a pair of wonderful eyes were covered with a layer of mist, leaning lightly on the embroidered couch in an elegant posture, the roundness on the chest seemed to be about to break out of the clothes, and the whole body exuded a mature and moving charm, which looked more and more glamorous.

"Big lady, the second son asks to see you." The sound of small footsteps passed, and the delicate figure of the bottle walked over, and she couldn't help but feel her heart pounding when she saw this situation.

"Alas, I don't know who is talking too much, letting him know about the Xu family." Shen Yao smiled lightly, and a pair of blurry and hazy eyes instantly regained their clarity, looking forward to the brilliance, and it seemed to have a bright water.

"The second son also cares about you." Bottle whispered.

Shen Yao smiled, stood up from the couch gently, walked to the tea table and sat down, lifted the still steaming tea soup and took a slight sip, tasted it carefully for a while, felt that the wine was lighter, and slightly groomed her hand, and then said: "I didn't want to hide it from him, bottle, please let him in." ”

The bottle went as ordered, and after a while, Shen Liao hurriedly walked in, bowed his hand, and said with a hint of anger in his tone: "Sister, where is the surname Xu?" ”

"Hey, Ruida, what are you doing here?" Shen Yao smiled and said: "Aren't you usually the most disgusted with hospitality, never caring about family affairs, could it be that you have figured it out, changed your temperament, and want to take on the responsibility of the Shen family's men." ”

Hearing this, Shen Liao's momentum seemed to be weakened by three points, but he immediately perked up and said in a hard voice: "Sister, let's talk about this later, let's talk about the surname Xu first." ”

"What surname Xu, it's so ugly, it's also a family member." Shen Yao's soft lips bloomed with a smile: "Ruida, as a gentle gentleman, you can't be so rude." ”

"What in-laws, sister, don't talk nonsense." Shen Liao's face was slightly gloomy, and he snorted: "Our Shen family has nothing to do with the surname Xu. ”

This is obviously deceiving herself, Shen Yao shook her head slightly, and said softly: "Ruida,." ”

"Sister, you don't have to say it." Shen Liao said in a sullen voice: "The surname Xu is not a good person, let me meet him, if I don't beat him, it will be difficult to understand the hatred in my heart." ”

"Ruida, don't be rude, you are not a gentleman's words and deeds." Shen Yao chuckled and said: "Besides, the surname Xu in the world is not only one family, I remember that there is a cousin in the south of the city whose surname is Xu, and it is good to treat you, do you still want to be with them." ”

"I'm not joking." Shen Liao's handsome face swept over the look of depression.

"Of course I do." Smiling slightly, Shen Yao said softly: "Ruida, since the matter has passed, why do you have to worry about it, besides, over the years, thanks to the help of others, the Shen family is where it is today, although it is not a great kindness, but this affection must be given to others." ”

"I'd rather not have their help." After a pause, Shen Liao said, "Sister, you shouldn't have rejected the divorce letter in the first place. ”

Shen Yao smiled faintly and didn't say anything, a paper deed, it was easy to dissolve, but after weighing the pros and cons, it was more affordable to maintain this relationship.

"Sister, now that the eldest brother has become a role model, Jiang Ning has been sentenced, needless to say about his future future, and there is no need to be polite to the Xu family." Shen Liao said: "It's not as good." ”

"Why don't you do it?" Shen Yao smiled at the corner of her lips.

"Take this opportunity to let the person surnamed Xu write a divorce deed." Shen Liao said, his expression seemed to be a little expectant.

"And then?" Shen Yao asked.

"Naturally, find a good family." Shen Liao's voice was low, and he said with a solemn face: "Sister, you have already paid so much for the Shen family, and you should think about yourself." ”

Shen Yao's gorgeous face seemed to be slightly touched, and then her lips outlined a beautiful arc, skillfully concealing her mood, and Qingyin said softly: "Ruida, whether I stay at home, you are tired of it, so you are in a hurry to drive me away, if you really have this heart, you might as well say it bluntly." ”

"Sister, you know I didn't mean that." Shen Liao said helplessly.

With a chuckle, Shen Yao said leisurely: "That's not what it means, what does it mean, in my opinion, that's what you think in your heart." ”

Rubbing his forehead, Shen Liao sighed: "Sister, don't go around in circles anymore, you should understand what I mean." ”

It's no wonder that Shen Liao is anxious, in ancient times, men got married at the age of twenty or thirty, although it was a little late, but it was not unusual, but a woman was unmarried in her twenties, even if she didn't care about it, others were worried about her.

"Got it." Shen Yaoxiu raised her eyebrows slightly, and brushed her flowing hair with her slender hand.

"Then listen to me, let the surnamed Xu return the marriage certificate, as the son of the Xu family, he should have this right." Shen Liao said.

Shen Yao's eyes were shining, and she said lightly: "What if you return the marriage certificate." ”

"It can't be any better." In response, a smile appeared on Shen Liao Qingjun's face: "It's just that this news has spread, and the threshold of the family will probably be broken by the people who come to ask for relatives the next day." ”

"The threshold is already old, and naturally it can't stand stepping on." Shen Yao responded with a chuckle.

"Didn't you just get a new one some time ago, why is this old?" Shen Liao said.

"When Wentong went home, he asked the people who came to visit to trample on the old ones." Shen Yao said with a smile.

After saying a few words of laughter, Shen Liao took the opportunity to say: "Sister, the number of people in Hangzhou City who admire you is overwhelming, do you still want them to continue to be disappointed." ”

Hearing this, Shen Yao was noncommittal on the surface, after all, she was also a woman, and when she heard this praise, she still had a hint of joy in her heart.

"Cui Dalang in the east of the city,." Shen Liao pinched his fingers and counted, and said to himself: "Although these people are not great talents, they are also famous and promising celebrities in Hangzhou City, and they are worthy of their sister, by the way, there is also Zhang Yuanshan of Renhe County, well, Li Mingda, the lieutenant of Qiantang County, is also a sister." ”

After listening to a few words, Shen Yao's charming face couldn't help but flush slightly, glanced at Shen Liao with disgust, and said with a smile: "Ruida, when are you the same as the bottle, you care about such trivial matters, if you have time, it is only right to read a few more sage scriptures." ”

"The scriptures of the sages are naturally read, but as a younger brother, how can I be indifferent to my sister's lifelong events." Shen Liao said with a straight face.

"Okay, I have my own plan for this, so you don't care." Shen Yao smiled slightly, and said softly: "In a few days, it will be the West Lake Festival, I heard that there will be a talent examination for the middle school students in the school, you can prepare properly, don't make a fool of yourself in front of the parents and villagers in the city." ”

In July, the climate is sultry, the sun in the sky is like fire, illuminating the earth, if you are under the sun, you don't move at all and the sweat is already hot and sweaty, and the sweat is evaporated instantly, so the cycle is unbearable, the rich and noble, naturally sit in the shade of the lush trees in the house to enjoy the cool, drink the cold sour plum soup, lotus seed soup and other meals, ordinary people, without this condition, also wear felt hats, hold a fan, the wind blows hot, give themselves cool.

The displaced people who took refuge from the drought outside the city were naturally not so lucky, the old and young women and children were better and could escape the heat in the grass huts, while the young and middle-aged people had to brave the scorching sun in order to support their families, and they were busy in and out of the city, and they were found in various warehouses, official offices, city walls, post stations, and houses in the city.

Although they don't understand what it means to work for relief, and even if they don't work, the government will regularly distribute rice and grain, but they will naturally have an account in their hearts, and the day when the relief grain is distributed, it is better to rely on oneself than to rely on heaven and earth, and it is better to have a job and receive wages to live, which is better than anything else.

In the blink of an eye, July 7 is coming, no matter how serious the disaster is, it can not affect the traditional habits of the world, the Qixi Festival is still to be passed, and the drought situation in Hangzhou and the surrounding counties and towns is not obvious, so into July, the figure of merchants and hawkers immediately shuttles through the streets and alleys of the city.

A dazzling array of seasonal goods appeared in various shop stalls, and sewing ornaments were immediately sought after by septuagenarian women and young girls.

Qixi Festival, Qiqiao Festival, when this festival has no evidence, but from the ancient literature to know that it originated in the Han Dynasty, also known as the Daughter's Day, the Girl's Day, is the legend of the day when the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl meet on the Magpie Bridge across the Tianhe, the Qixi Festival in the folk activities are mainly Qiaoqiao, the so-called Qiaoqiao, is to beg the Weaver Girl for a pair of skillful hands, the most common way is to thread the needle to the moon, if through the needle, it is called Qiao.

Of course, the activities of each traditional festival, after a long period of evolution, more or less slightly changed, such a lively day, is actually a women's festival, men are naturally unwilling, but also join in the excitement, and in the legend, July 7, is the birthday of Kui Xing, Kui Xing Lord Wen, want to seek fame and fame of the reader naturally reverence, so be sure to worship on this day, pray for the blessing of their luck and prosperity.

has been admitted to the Jinshi, awarded an official position, and become a person in the officialdom, if it weren't for the fact that Fan Zhongyan was going to preside over the ceremony of passing on the examinee's children on the day of Qixi Festival, Chu Zhen might not even be too lazy to pretend to worship, but now he had to be reminded by Liu Renzhi to order the officials to prepare all kinds of sacrifices.

On the shore of the West Lake, the willows are still around, the lake surface is calm and waveless, but it is not quiet, but there is some hustle and bustle, nearly 100 boats of all sizes are cruising nearby, under the dispatch of the boatmen, slowly put together, dozens of people are holding ropes, planks, hammers, nails, hands and feet are busy quickly.

"My lord, according to this progress, it will be completed in more than half a day." A craftsman said.

"Well, there is still plenty of time, don't be in a hurry, be careful, check carefully, and don't make the slightest mistake." Chu Zhen nodded and said, the elegant folding fan in his hand was slightly flicked, feeling a little cool, he has often been running around these days, although he has not suffered hardships, but under the scorching sun, his original white face as jade has a bit of a bronze color, which makes him feel a little happy in his heart, and he is glad that he is finally no longer a little white face.

This kind of thing that requires professional and technical skills Chu Zhi knew that he was not good at it, and he did not command indiscriminately, so he looked at the scene for a while, told a few words, and then turned around and left, although the official affairs of the Yali were temporarily represented by Liu Renzhi, but the matter of issuing seals could not be done by others, and he also had to go out of the city to inspect the situation of the displaced people, so he had no free time to spend here.

On July 7th, early in the morning, in the middle of summer, the sky was always brighter early, the sun was not yet visible, the sky was already daylight, and there was already the sound of iron signs beating in the alley, and the monks from the monastery shouted along the door "Pudu sentient beings save the suffering Buddhas and Bodhisattvas" and other Buddhist language, and tore open the noise door to report the current hour.

However, there are people who are earlier than them, there is no curfew in the Song Dynasty, the market in the alleys and alleys, until the quiet behind the four drums, and there are merchants in the five drums who take advantage of the morning market, just lie down for a moment and get up and open the door to do business, as if they are about to make an appointment, and in an instant, the streets and alleys are lively again, and many pedestrians do not know where they came out, and they quickly spread all corners of the city.

And the literati and gentry in the city, the officials and the common people will not forget what day it is, when the red sun shines from the east to a trace of the corner, it has been washed, sorted out, ready to go, the heart is calm, seeing that the hour has not come, they take out the books and read leisurely, the heart is anxious, simply did not even eat breakfast, and went directly out to the West Lake.

At two o'clock in the morning, the edge of the West Lake was crowded with onlookers, some hawkers didn't even do business, put away the stalls and came over to see the excitement, it can be seen that the Wu people heard the trouble and lied, and looked around, it was all a black and oppressive head, not to mention tens of thousands of people, if it wasn't that the place was too narrow, some people couldn't squeeze in, I'm afraid it would be more dense here.

Seeing this situation, Ding Xingzhou and others, who contributed money to fund this grand event, were full of excited smiles and excitement in their hearts, it seems that today is the day when they raise their eyebrows, and they all feel that the money and food they have paid in recent times have not been in vain, after all, compared to their own family property, these are just small amounts, just like the young county official said, spending small money and doing big things is worth it.

In addition to being excited, it is inevitable that I am a little nervous in my heart, after all, this kind of grand event, if it is done well, it is naturally praised, on the contrary, if it can't enter the eyes of everyone, then the scolding will become a film, wouldn't it be accompanied by Mrs. and broken soldiers.

With a hint of apprehension in his arms, Ding Xingzhou opened his mouth and said, "Lord Chu, Fan Gong should also arrive." ”

Under the escort of the layers of officials, Chu Zhen looked at the surrounding situation with great interest, in Bianliang City, he had seen a lot of lively scenes, he was naturally not shocked in his heart, and what should have been done has been done, Chu Zhen has a clear conscience to ask himself, and there is no experience at all, if there is really any negligence, it is inevitable, Chu Zhen must not feel guilty because of this.

"There's no hurry." Sensing Ding Xingzhou's nervousness, Chu Zhen smiled and said: "The big guy, he always appears last, otherwise how can he be worthy of his identity." ”

The humor of a thousand years, Ding Xingzhou naturally didn't understand, and felt a little weird in his heart, but he still laughed and said: "That's, that's." ”

At this moment, the sound of gongs and drums sounded from the buzzing crowd, this is a common means used by the officials when opening the way, Chu Zhen has not enjoyed this kind of treatment recently, naturally he is very familiar with it, and immediately heard the sound and looked at it, only to see a moment of effort, in more than a dozen armed officials from the dense crowd, forced to open up a spacious passage, followed by a few official sedan chairs.

The sedan chair stopped slowly, and with the support of the entourage, the Hangzhou Prefecture and the two passing road officials at all levels appeared one after another, and the crowd suddenly resounded with neat cheers, of course, this is for Fan Zhongyan, no one else has anything to do, and other people also know this, and they all stood behind Fan Gong with interest, and enjoyed this honor with a smile.

Fan Zhongyan smiled lightly, arched his hand to the four directions, and the cheering voice became more intense, fortunately, the star-chasing behavior in this era is not as fanatical as that of later generations, otherwise with only a dozen officials, he will definitely be overwhelmed by this surging crowd, and I am afraid that even the scum will not leave a star.