Li Xianzhi wrote a famous post for Li Ruyi to send, looking forward to it left and right, Li Ruyi came back and entered the door to report: "The little one went to He's mansion and sent a post, but was returned by an old housekeeper, saying that Master He was not in the house when he patrolled the border." The little one was afraid that he would lie and prevaricate, so he asked his neighbor to inquire, but he was indeed not there. ”

When Li Xianzhi heard this, he couldn't help but feel a little lost, and replied: "I know." You keep an eye on him, and when he gets home, I'll report to me. Li Ruyi responded: "Write it down." "I put the name card on the bookcase, closed the door and went out.

A few days later, He Renlong returned home, and Li Ruyi inquired about the news and came to report.

Li Xianzhi was overjoyed, and posted again, and agreed to visit him the next day and let Li Ruyi send it. Li Ruyi took the post and was about to leave, Li Xianzhi called him to stop, took out three or five taels of silver from his purse and gave it to him: "You can take this silver and take care of the housekeeper and doorman of Hefu, and keep the rest for yourself." ”

Li Ruyi took the silver and went happily. When he arrived at Hefu, he gave Menzi about five coins of silver and asked him to report it. When Menzi got the money, he went in with joy and reported it. After a while, the old manager came out the day before yesterday. Li Ruyi stepped forward with a smile, handed over the post, and stuffed one or two pieces of silver into his hand.

The old manager put the post and the silver in his sleeve, turned around and closed the door and went inside. Li Ruyi waited outside the gate, and after a long time, the old manager opened the door again, and said in a dumb voice: "My lord read the post and agreed." ”

Li Ruyi bowed and thanked him three times and returned home to report. Li Xianzhi heard that He Renlong agreed with him, and ordered the preparation of gifts, which were nothing more than pigs, sheep, silk, silk and the like. Early the next morning, after breakfast, Li Xianzhi took a horse, and his subordinates carried gifts and went to Hefu.

Fang arrived at the door of He's mansion and saw that He Renlong was waiting in front of the door, Li Xianzhi hurriedly got off the horse and saluted him. After the ceremony, He Renlong said first: "The day before yesterday, Brother Dingyu sent a letter, praising Li Gongzi's heroism in both civil and military affairs. Now Li Gongzi deigned to come, and the humble house was shining. Saying that, let Li Xianzhi in.

Li Xianzhi thanked him, entered the mansion with He Renlong, and ordered the gifts to be moved into the mansion. He Renlong saw these many gift boxes and said, "Li Gongzi is here, how can you send these many things, how dare Renlong accept them?" ”

Li Xianzhi said: "A few small things are not enough to worry about, leave them for He to guard and reward people." ”

As he spoke, he entered the inner hall and sat down, and he ordered the little guy to watch the tea. In a few moments, a few servants served tea and a few plates of fruit and snacks. He Renlong let Li Xianzhi drink tea, and ordered the kitchen to prepare a banquet of wine and food.

Looking at He Renlong's courteous appearance, Li Xianzhi thought to himself: "It is really useful to raise people's fame, no wonder so many scholars have to come back with a meritorious name after squeezing their heads." ”

Just thinking about it, He Renlong persuaded him to eat tea again. The two of them ate tea and gossiped a little, but before they knew it was almost noon. Someone from the back kitchen reported that the wine and rice were ready. He Renlong then got up and invited the guests to take their seats.

Just as he was about to enter the flower hall where the banquet was set up, He Renlong suddenly groaned again, as if he had something to say. Before he could say anything, the housekeeper came in and reported: "Hui Ye is here." ”

He Renlong laughed and said, "Fang thought about sending someone to invite, but I didn't want the virtuous brother to arrive." Then he said to Li Xian: "Li Gongzi doesn't know, my brother Huixian is famous, the words are obscure, I am a student, I have changed my pen from Rong, to a military position, and I am the same as the garrison officer, and I am a very ambitious and generous person." He also has an elder brother, who is famous in the world, born in Jinshi, and serves as an official in the sixth branch of Beijing. ”

Speaking of this Wyeth brothers, He Renlong, who has been dull, seems to have some eyebrows fluttering, and can't help but arouse Li Xianzhi's interest. So he said: "Sure enough, I am tired of He Shoubei's recommendation." ”

He Renlong stopped praising and said with a smile: "That's nature. ”

The two of them came to greet Hui Xianyang at the gate of the king one after the other. When Fang went out, he saw a person wearing a brocade robe, stepping on riding boots, holding a flame treasure horse standing in front of the door, with a majestic and majestic posture. When I got closer, I saw that he had a white face, bright eyes, a square nose and a wide mouth, and he really showed a talent.

He Renlong drank the reins and tied the horse, and stepped forward to greet Hui Xianyang. Then, he was introduced to Li Xianzhi, and the two exchanged names and surnames and met each other. When Hui Xianyang heard that Li Xian's move was a person, he immediately admired him, and returned to the flower hall of the inner hall together, and the next person added seats, cups and plates. The three of them sat down, He Renlong sat on the main seat, and Hui Xianyang tried his best to let Li Xianzhi sit on the upper seat, and he played sideways to accompany him.

At the banquet, he first made some polite gossip and drank seven or eight glasses of wine. He Renlong changed the topic and asked, "Is that the virtuous brother of the You family good?" ”

Li Xianzhi said: "Brother Dingyu was killed by the martial arts, and he was awarded the command of Tongzhi, and he was sent to patrol the border as a garrison, and fought a battle outside the Great Wall, which was extremely dangerous, but fortunately the eldest brother of the You family came to save him, so he escaped." After returning to the Beijing Division, he waited for a few days, and the military department made meritorious contributions, was promoted to commander, and served as a guerrilla in Yongguan. I waited for Brother Dingyu to go to work before I came back. ”

He Renlong and Hui Xianyang listened to it, and asked Li Xianzhi to tell him about the battle in the Black Mountain Pass, and it was a lively listen. In the end, the three of them were a little drunk, Li Xianzhi and Hui Xianyang talked about the poetry article again, He Renlong didn't understand much, he just cared about drinking, and got drunk first.

After a long time, it was only at dusk that it dispersed. Li Xianzhi and Hui Xianyang said goodbye and went back to their homes.

After that, but if there was no official business, the three of them would get together, or sit and drink together, or go out of the city to hunt, which was very happy.

After a long time, He Renlong suddenly asked about Li Xianzhi's birthday. Li Xianzhi didn't know what to do, so he said it in one bite, and He Renlong remembered it in his heart.

After some time, the weather became hotter, and Li Xianzhi didn't want to be in the heat, so he stayed in the house and read. Jin Shun'er, who ran an errand for his father, who was guarding the door, came in to report: "There are people outside the door who ask to see them." Li Xianzhi was still reading, his face was not raised, and he asked, "What kind of person is it?" Jin Shun'er said with an all-red name on the ground: "It's a majestic man, and there is a post here." ”

Li Xianzhi put down the book in his hand and took the post to read, but it was Hui Xianyang who came. I got up busily, put on a silk shirt, and put on shoes to greet him. When he arrived at the door, he looked at Hui Xianyang and asked, "Brother Hui wasn't away on business, why did he come back suddenly?" ”

Hui Xianyang said: "Some idle errands that are not tight are sent away indiscriminately, and they only arrived home last night." ”

Li Xianzhi asked again: "Brother He came back together, why didn't you come together?" ”

Hui Xianyang said with a smile: "Brother He went back to the city with me, but I came this time because I was entrusted by Brother He to see Brother Xian. ”

Li Xianzhi was puzzled: "Since Brother He has returned to the city, he has come to me, why do you entrust Brother Hui to come?" ”

Hye-hyun just laughed, but didn't answer. Li Xianzhi had no choice but to let him into the mansion and ask later.

Li Xianzhi led Hui Xianyang to visit the old lady Li Mingshan first, greeted him, and then moved to the study. A few scholars set up a clay stove in the corridor outside the study, boiled a pot of tea to cool off, and brought it up. Li Xianzhi asked Hui Xianyang to eat tea and asked again.

Hui Xianyang took a sip of tea before he said slowly: "Since we got along, Brother He and I have admired Brother Xian's talent and character very much. Brother He is a generous and straightforward person, and he has a sister who is very young, so he wants to marry you, and it is not easy to say it himself, so he asked me to talk about it. ”

Li Xianzhi suddenly heard the news, and he didn't know what to say for a while, so he was stunned.

Hui Xianyang said: "The marriage event, the words of the matchmaker of the parents' order, should have been said by the old lady. I also thought of our brotherhood, so I came to talk to you first. ”

At this time, Li Xianzhi came to his senses and understood that He Renlong wanted to marry his sister-in-law to him. Thinking of He Renlong's appearance of five big and three thick, he beat like a sheepskin drum hidden in his heart.

Hui Xianyang saw that Li Xian's face was embarrassed, and knew what he was thinking, so he smiled and said: "Don't worry about the virtuous brother, the sister of the He family is not similar to her brother at all, although I have never seen it in person, but I am often in the house, I have heard her speak through the screen, and I have also seen her embroidered female red, and the little poems she wrote, she is really virtuous and gentle, and her talent is outstanding. ”

Li Xianzhi was slightly embarrassed by Hui Xianyang's heart, and smiled: "That's not what I thought. ”

Hui Xianyang wanted to say something more, but he stood up again for a while, and said after a long time: "There is one more thing that I want to tell my virtuous brother about earlier." ”

Li Xianzhi asked what it was. Hui Xianyang said: "The brothers and sisters of the He family died early, the eldest brother is the father, and he brought up Miss He with one hand. ”

……

It turned out that when Li Xianzhi was seventeen or eighteen years old, Mrs. Li once thought of telling him a bedroom, invited many matchmakers, and asked many young ladies from large families. Li Xianzhi was the idea of later generations after all, and he couldn't accept this deformed custom, so he only used the imperial examination as a priority every time. At that time, the customs of all the ladies of some status families were not exempt from vulgarity, and only poor peasant families often had to work in the fields, so there were a few who did not bind their feet.

Now, Hui Xianyang said that Miss He did not bind her feet, and Li Xianzhi had a good impression first. I heard him say that he was both talented and beautiful, virtuous and virtuous, and he did not refuse. Just as he was hesitating, Hui Xianyang said again: "In this way, Brother Xian is not objected?" ”

Li Xian ran out of ideas for a while, and Hui Xianyang only acquiesced to him, and said: "Brother He has invited Jiazun to be the matchmaker, and he will come to the house in a few days to discuss with the old lady." After that, as if he was afraid that Li Xianzhi would regret it, he took his leave and hurriedly walked away.

Leaving Li Xianzhi worried in his heart, he didn't know what to do. Pick up the book and look at it again, where to read it, just pacing back and forth in the house, pacing back and forth, my heart is full of distractions, I can't think of a reason, I simply cross-mindedly, it is a blessing or a curse, it is a disaster that cannot be avoided, and Hui Xianyang will never lie to himself if he wants to come.

Li Xianzhi, like a prisoner on death row who was about to be executed, was anxious until the evening, and was confused until dawn, and his heart finally slowed down.

At noon that day, Li Xianzhi was gossiping with his father without a ride, and Father Jin stumbled in and said, "A distinguished guest is coming." As he spoke, he placed a bright red name tag on the table. Li Xianzhi glanced at it and saw that it was written "Hui Chengfang, the master in white", - Hui Chengfang is the father of Hui Xianyang, in his early years, he was awarded the director of the Nanjing Ministry of Industry, and he lectured on Cheng and Zhu Zhixue every day, known as the master of Guanxi, and later resigned and returned home and became a squire.

The father and son of the Li family got up together and went out to greet them. Mr. Hui got down from the sedan chair, holding a shiny bamboo cane, silk shirt and brocade shoes, and his beard and hair were all white, quite a bit of fairy wind bones.

Mrs. Li stepped forward and saluted Mr. Hui, and Li Xianzhi knelt and kowtowed. Seeing the salute, Mrs. Li led the way, and Li Xianzhi helped Mr. Hui to follow. Sit inside and watch the tea. Li Xianzhi knew that the old gentleman was coming, so he went out under the pretext.

Mr. Hui said about his relatives, and said: "The He and Hui families are friends in the world, and my virtuous brother of the He family died early, and the affairs of the nephew in the next life have to be taken care of." I don't know what Master Li thinks? ”

Master Li said: "I really accept the love of the old man, dare not be ordered?" It's just that I don't know how much my niece is expensive? Can it interfere with my son's life? ”

Mr. Hui smiled and said: "This is not worrying, Linglang Bazi my nephew He has already asked in my heart, please Mr. calculated, He niece Xiao Linglang is four years old, this year is seventeen years old, destiny is compatible, must be a good couple." ”

The He and Hui families are very famous local squire families, and there have been many civil and military officials, and the Li family is more than enough. At the same time, the old lady heard that her son had already given the eight characters to others, thinking that she must be willing in her heart, and she had already thought about hugging her grandson, so she responded happily: "If you can climb high, you can't ask for it, please be thoughtful about the old man left and right." ”

When Mr. Hui heard this, he was overjoyed, sat down again, got up to say goodbye, and Mrs. Li stayed and sat again.