In the eighteenth year of Yongping, the first day of the first month.

The tumbling wheels finally crushed the seventeenth year of Yongping.

The past will eventually pass, and the sound of firecrackers wakes up the beginning of the new year.

From the first day of the first month to the fifteenth day of the first month, Zhang Xiang didn't go out much.

Every morning and Qin Elegy practiced in the courtyard of the east room, and in the afternoon, he accompanied Zhao Hanyan to feed the fish, and then collected grain from the imperial court with her, and the ordinary days passed in a flash.

Zhao Hanyan was very attentive to this matter, in addition to Zhang Xiang's own understanding of the court, he also told him not to be sloppy in doing this, the task assigned by the imperial court to the local imperial family is to study the influence that this imperial family represents in the local area, whether it can satisfy the imperial court, which also means the weight in the eyes of the imperial court in the future.

In this regard, Zhang Xiang just reassured her that after the New Year's Eve, he would discuss this matter with the government.

"Donkey, if this thing is done, if the father knows, he will be happy in his heart, even if he can't enter the office, his father will pay special attention to you in the future, if you can get mixed with an idle position, then no matter what happens in the future, you can always say a word in the court."

On the night of Yuan Xi, the Horse Mansion had dinner early, and in the lake-view pavilion in the courtyard of the east room, the two husbands and wives sat snuggling, and Zhao Hanyan held his hand.

Zhang Xiang snorted and said to her: "It doesn't matter if my father is important or not, as long as you can let your brothers and sisters know that you have a colt who can do things." ”

Zhao Hanyan looked at him: "This matter was handed over to the crown prince Zhao Zhe to host, and the household department assisted the prince, the prince will definitely personally supervise it, and he will definitely be particularly attentive to this matter, because if he does this matter well, he should be able to go out with the army, and if he can make achievements in military power, his position as prince will be more stable." ”

Zhang Xiang smiled: "Those princes, princes, what their status is, it has nothing to do with us, as long as they don't bully you in the future, then we will live our own lives and do our own things, it is enough." ”

Zhao Hanyan snorted and said with a smile: "Gao Ping is really the first time to see a person like Gao Ping who is full of confidence in everything and fearless to anyone. ”

Zhang Xiang showed a little smugness: "The princess is really complimented." ”

"Well, that is, all along, in Gao Ping's eyes, the colt is a weirdo."

"Oh, where's the blame?"

"Hmm... Isn't it weird? can make "When is the bright moon, this kind of ancient term, can make the cloth business the first way, and also opened a news channel that has never been seen before in the Ming Society, and even caught the assassin who committed the assassin with his own strength, and also made a cake like the one on the birthday, ordinary people can't do it at all! The most important thing is that the horse has such a talent, but he has never compared with the ordinary scholars, nor does he like to participate in literati gatherings, so resourceful, but he gave all the credit to the government, and he was not invited at all, and he never oppressed people with his identity in the cloth business, but he did a serious and regular business, and never suppressed others. ”

"Oh? So I'm so famous? Zhang Xiang snorted: "In the eyes of the princess, am I such a weirdo?" ”

Zhao Hanyan nodded lightly: "Isn't this weird?" ”

"Then what could I be weirder!" Zhang Xiang joked.

"Oh, can the pony do it?"

"No, there is no mystery when you come out."

"Oh, does the colt want Gao Ping to guess?" Zhao Hanyan asked, she remembered the speculation that Zhang Xiang might have a huge force behind him, which had always been the reason why she had always been unsteady in her heart so far.

"Ha, the princess blames that!" Zhang Xiang got up and stretched, and said with a smile: "Today's New Year's Eve, the lights in the city are bright, and it sounds even more lively than the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival. ”

"Let's go, Gao Ping won't go, there are still many affairs in the house that have not been dealt with since the first day, and I have to ask the money shopkeeper and Mr. Du to help."

"I'll deal with this when I'm free!"

"There are more important things to do after Yuanxi, and this kind of affairs in the house will be handed over to Gao Ping, and Gao Ping can still do this kind of simple thing."

"Oh, then I'll go out later." Zhang Xiang nodded, then got up.

"Colt."

"Huh...?"

Zhao Hanyan showed a warm smile: "Have fun, don't come back too early." ”

Zhang Xiang smiled slightly and nodded slightly.

Oh, this Yang Li left, there are almost no friends in Pingzhou City, and he can't find anyone to play when he goes out, it's nothing more than wandering around and looking at the New Year's Eve in Pingzhou City.

The light scene of the night of the New Year's Eve is even more than the Mid-Autumn Festival, Zhang Xiang did not take a carriage, but walked along the lively street on the bank of Qinhuai all the way, there are delicious tastes, there are fun things to see, the lanterns on both sides of the street are entangled, and the whole street is bright.

The sound of singing in the teahouse, the sound of drinking and guessing in the restaurant, the cries of selling sugar gourd strings on the street, and the sound of people coming and going to ask for warmth, are intertwined in the whole street.

Such a grand scene, if it is placed in Zhang Xiang's modern world, it is no different from a bustling metropolis.

And in this era, Zhang Xiang feels more full of life.

He walked all the way and soon came to a restaurant called Yuexiu Lou.

There were people coming and going at the door of the restaurant, Zhang Xiang looked at it for a while, and just when he wanted to leave, he suddenly saw a person he knew walking in the distance.

The man saw him too, quickened his pace and hurried towards him.

"But..."

The man was just about to speak, but Zhang Xiang interrupted him with a smile and waved his hand: "Yang Zhutou, don't be polite in such a scene, just call me sir." ”

The person who came was Yang Lin, the head catcher of the government office.

He was dressed in civilian clothes, and he didn't carry a close-fitting broadsword, and he looked a lot more gentle.

Yang Lin arched his hand and said, "Is Mr. alone?" ”

Zhang Xiang nodded: "This New Year's Eve, come out for a walk." ”

Yang Lin smiled and pointed to the Yuexiu Building next to him: "In this case, how about that gentleman go in with Yang for a drink?" As for the assassin, Mr. gave all the credit to Yang, and Yang had not yet found a chance to repay Mr. ”

Anyway, there was nothing to do, so Zhang Xiang nodded: "Please." ”

The two entered the restaurant and went upstairs all the way.

Upstairs, the guests are basically overcrowded, most of them are businessmen dressed up to talk about business together, or a few families who came out to play on New Year's Eve, and a few tables of scholars got together, and many people who knew Yang Lin also greeted him after seeing him, and Yang Lin was also a bold return gift.

It can be seen that Yang Lin's popularity in Pingzhou City is usually very good, and none of these people who greet him are particularly polite to him.

Of course, there are also a few people who know Zhang Xiang, but they are all smart people, and they just say hello to him.

The second shopkeeper found a corner by the window for the two of them to sit down, and then served a few dishes and a pot of wine.

Zhang Xiang smiled: "Isn't Yang Zhutou on duty tonight?" ”

Yang Lin faced him, and his smile was also a little honest: "Sir, this New Year's Eve, it is rare for the government to let us go home to reunite with our families, and there are officials on duty tonight, so I am naturally more relaxed." ”

"Then you still have the heart to come out and stay at home with your mother and children?" Zhang Xiang quipped.

Yang Lin said: "The insider felt a little cold a few days ago, and her body was unwell, and her sister also came to visit relatives, and several children made me have a big head at home, so I had to go out for a walk, I originally wanted to ask a few officials and brothers to drink together, but they either accompanied their parents or accompanied their mothers, so I had to be alone." ”

"Then it seems that we are both dead tonight." Zhang Xiang laughed.

Yang Lin said: "Didn't the princess come out with Mr.?" ”

"There are a lot of cumbersome affairs in the house from the past year to the present, and she has to deal with some first, and she doesn't want to come out." Zhang Xiang replied simply.

Yang Lin didn't ask any more, and then continued to talk to Zhang Xiang about family life.

After drinking for a while, Zhang Xiang said to him: "By the way, after the New Year's Eve, the Pingzhou government will start to collect grain from all over the country, I haven't had time to discuss this matter with the Zheng governor's mansion, I don't know if he has any plans on his side?" ”

Yang Lin shook his head: "I don't know much about this matter, the prefect is generally discussed with the two gentlemen of Tongzhi and Tongju, I met Mr. Tongzhi a few days ago, and I happened to learn some from him, he came to Pingzhou City to visit the prefect of Pingzhou City a few years ago, according to that, the conversation was not very good, and the prefect was still angry, and then those county orders left tremblingly. ”

"Oh!" Zhang Xiang nodded.

He just asked casually, Yang Lin, the head catcher, didn't know much about government affairs, and he could only know when he met Governor Zheng.

While the two were talking, Zhang Xiang caught a glimpse of a group of scholars coming up from the staircase not far away.

Led by Zhou Yi, Wu Yuxiang, and then there were also a few talented people he had met a few times, and then there was a young man dressed in silk and a businessman.

This young man was a little arrogant, and Zhou Yi and the others were also more polite to him.

From a few conversations, I also knew that they came here to eat, drink, and get together.

After seeing the group of scholars enter a private room, Zhang Xiang also turned around: "Who is that?" seems to be a businessman, why are Zhou Yi so polite to him? ”

"Sir, that's the son of the Hou family, Hou Jingtang." Yang Lin said to him.

"Hou Jingtang?" Zhang Xiang thought for a while, felt that this name was a little familiar, and then suddenly smiled: "Oh, is that Hou Jingtang of the Hou Ji cloth merchant Hou family?" ”

Yang Lin nodded.

The three major cloth merchants in Pingzhou, Hou Ji, Liu Ji and Zheng.

These three major cloth merchants listened to Huang's shopkeeper when Zhang Xiang once opened a cloth shop.

These three major cloth merchants almost monopolized eighty percent of the market in Pingzhou City.

In addition, this Hou Ji is also specially for the supply of silk and silk to some dignitaries and dignitaries in the capital, and several cloth villages have also been opened in Bianjing.

Liu Ji is a veteran cloth merchant in Pingzhou, and it is also the largest cloth merchant in Pingzhou, mainly because Liu Ji has a long history, with a history of more than 200 years.

The Zheng family was a latecomer, famous for a kind of hemp silk, which was specially provided for women from large families in Pingzhou.

Before Zhang Xiang opened the cloth shop, these three had always been the overlords of cloth merchants in Pingzhou City, and the others could basically only drink some soup.

But last winter, after Zhang Xiang's animal skin and satin seized a little market, the business of these three companies also shrank a little, and when the shopkeeper Huang talked to Zhang Xiang about these three cloth merchants, Zhang Xiang heard him mention Hou Jingtang's name.

No wonder this sounds familiar, it turns out that he is the son of the Hou family.

Zhang Xiang shook his head and said to Yang Lin with a smile: "Now that Yang Li has left Pingzhou, now among the younger generation of the Pingzhou City Scholar Clan, Zhou Zhiyuan and Wu Yuxiang are the best, how can they be mixed with businessmen, they have always looked down on Shang Rao!" ”

"Sir doesn't know, they're friends." Yang Lin explained to him: "Hou Jingtang's talent was once as famous as Zhou Yi, but his Hou family was a businessman, and later this Hou Jingtang gave up the scientific examination and took over the family's cloth merchant business, so he rarely got together with the scholars in Pingzhou City, and today should also be the night of the New Year's Eve, so he came out to gather." ”

"I see." Zhang Xiang was stunned.

At this time, I suddenly heard a burst of cheers coming from outside the private room where Zhou Yi and the others had entered before.

Zhang Xiang and Yang Lin also looked up.

It turned out that a group of people gathered outside Zhou Yi and other Rao's private rooms, clapping and cheering, and from time to time there was a sound of chanting from the private room.

Don't think about it, a group of readers are gathering and composing poems and lyrics again.

Although Zhang Xiang doesn't hate this kind of atmosphere, as a modern person, he feels very twisted.

If you can compose a few poems, you wish others didn't know, just like getting rich everywhere you go, with a thick gold chain around your neck.

Although it is a kind of elegance and a pastime and entertainment for literati in this era, you don't need to come to it at the same time!

This is also the reason why Zhang Xiang never likes to participate in this kind of scholar gathering, and since his Mid-Autumn Festival last year shocked the Pingzhou scholar circle, at the beginning, the three or two heads often received such invitations, but they were all rejected by him.

As a result, in his Pingzhou scholar circle, some envious, jealous and hateful scholars would talk about him later, thinking that he was arrogant, and relying on his identity as a concubine, he looked down on people, and even worse, he was famous and famous, those words were not written by him at all, but a hermit in his mouth. Over time, Zhang Xiang received fewer and fewer such invitations, and now there are basically none.

This made Zhang Xiang a lot easier, but he didn't know that this made him not have much integration in the Pingzhou Shi circle, which is the so-called unsociable, but because he was a colt, no one would talk about him on the bright side.

Of course, even if Zhang Xiang knew, he would only laugh it off and be unwilling to pay attention to it.

Reading Rao has a high status, especially at the gathering of the first talents in Pingzhou such as Zhou Yi, as long as it is a poetry and lyrics, there will be a group of good people to watch and cheer, this time on the second floor of the restaurant, most of the guests were attracted to the past.

Zhang Xiang's interest was also missing, and he proposed to Yang Lin to go out for a walk.

Yang Lin also nodded.

After paying the money, the two of them planned to leave.

"Pony..."

But at this moment, someone behind him suddenly stopped him.

He looked back and saw Zhou Yi and a scholar walking towards him, and it was Zhou Yi who stopped him.

"Brother Zhou." Zhang Xiang turned around, first pretending to be surprised, and then smiled at him.

Zhou Yi walked quickly in front of him and said, "I heard that someone was here just now, and the horse was also here, so I didn't believe it, but when I came out to take a look, I just saw it." ”

Zhang Xiang said to him: "I also met Yang Zhutou by chance, so I came in to drink some wine and was about to leave." ”

Zhou Yi hurriedly said: "Today is the night of the New Year, why should the horses be in a hurry?" Since Zhou saw the horse, if he didn't invite the horse to have a drink, it would be Zhiyuan's faux pas. ”

Zhang Xiang waved his hand: "Brother Zhou, I have almost drunk Yang Zhutou, and I don't know that Brother Zhou is here, otherwise I will definitely go to toast." ”

Zhou Yi said: "It's not too late at this time, donkey, please, just introduce a friend to the colt." ”

In front of so many faces, Zhou Yi is already like this, Zhang Xiang is naturally not good to postpone it again, if he pushes it again, he will not give him face, he, the first talent in Pingzhou, will lose face in front of so many people, it is estimated that he will be embarrassed.

Zhang Xiang and Yang Lin followed Zhou Yi into the private room.

As soon as the two walked in, the man sitting in the right seat wearing silk got up and said to him: "In Xiahou Jingtang, I have heard the name of the horse for a long time, and I have seen the horse. ”

Zhang Xiang saluted him back and said: "Hou Gongzi's name, Ming Heng has already heard of it, according to Hou Gongzi's former and Zhou brothers' talents. ”

"Haha, that's all old things, not worth mentioning." Hou Jingtang waved his hand magnificently: "Now Hou is just a businessman, dealing with silver all day long, but he doesn't dare to mention any more talents." ”

After greeting each other as acquaintance, Zhang Xiang also sat down.

Then the readers in a circle toasted him with a glass of wine, and after more than a dozen glasses of wine, Zhang Xiang almost couldn't find the southeast and northwest, and he had drunk a lot with Yang Lin before.

Hou Jingtang's three cups were blocked by Yang Lin.

After that, Zhou Yi proposed that Zhang Xiang happen to be here, so he asked him to be a referee for you to see whose words are good tonight.

Everyone cheered in unison, and Zhang Xiang could only agree.

Then, the poetry conference of this group of talented people began to continue.

Listening to their crooked thoughts, Zhang Xiang only felt a little dizzy in his head, got up and walked to the window.

While blowing the wind and looking at the lively street scene outside the window, from time to time I look back and comment on the poems made by everyone, anyway, a few blind comments, whoever is famous is who does a good job, and if there are objections, they will argue again.

After some comments, no one had a problem with his evaluation, after all, everyone here knew his level of lyrics.

Soon it was Hou Jingtang's turn, after listening to the words he made, Zhang Xiang also secretly praised in his heart, this son does have two strokes, and the level of the words made is not much worse than Zhou Zhiyuan, but it should not have been done for a long time, so its artistic conception is almost hot, but it is also better than many people.

At this time, Zhang Xiang, who was looking out the window, was suddenly attracted by a carriage slowly coming from the street.

He couldn't help but sigh.

Isn't that the princess's carriage?

He thought he had seen it wrong, so he hurriedly shook his head, and then looked over, it was indeed Zhao Hanyan's carriage.

What is she here for?

A question mark popped up in Zhang Xiang's mind.

He continued to look, and then saw that the carriage had stopped in front of an embroidery shop opposite Yuexiu Building, and after that, Zhao Hanyan and the slave walked down from the carriage.

The master and servant stood in front of the embroidery shop and looked at the embroidery.

Soon, a woman came out of the embroidery shop and started talking to them.

Because of the distance, Zhang Xiang naturally couldn't hear anything from them.

It's just that the two of them seem to be hanging out.

Isn't the princess not coming out! How did it come out again.

Zhang Xiang is also full of question marks.

"Pony..."

was watching, Zhou Yi had already walked to his side, called him, followed his gaze, and after seeing the princess, Zhou Yi showed him a clear look: "It turns out that the concubine saw Her Royal Highness the princess." ”

Zhang Xiang turned around and said, "It's okay, you continue." ”

Zhou Yi smiled: "Donkey, we've all finished it, it's your turn." ”

"My turn?"

"That's right, if the colt doesn't show his hand on this occasion, I'm afraid everyone present won't want to!"

Zhang Xiang shook his head: "Brother Zhou, I drank too much and can't do it, so don't embarrass me." ”

Zhou Yi said: "Horse, this is not Zhiyuan difficult for you, you look at the people present, everyone wants you to make another masterpiece, every time the horse shoots in the past, it is a masterpiece, spread out, I Pingzhou Shizi is also honored, today's New Year's Eve is such a grand scene, the horse can not shirk." ”

"I can't do it!" Zhang Xiang looked around at the onlookers, but still shook his head.

Hou Jingtang got up and said: "The horse, Hou has never seen the horse before, and he has not been able to meet the horse, but the poems written by the horse Hou have already been like thunder, and he admires it in his heart. ”

Zhang Xiang showed a wry smile: "Brother Hou, it's not that Ming Heng doesn't appreciate the light, he really can't do it!" If you don't change it, I'll make a song for you. ”

Zhou Yi hurriedly said: "Eh, how can this poem be changed, tonight is the New Year's Eve, how can there be such a grand occasion when you change it." ”

Zhang Xiang was already muttering in his heart, these people are really annoying, seeing Zhao Hanyan, he would already want to go down to find her.

He looked back again, and Zhou Yi followed him too.

I saw that Zhao Hanyan and the slave had already followed the woman from the embroidery shop into the mausoleum Zheng

Seeing his eyes, Zhou Yi smiled and said, "Isn't the princess in the horse's heart, why don't you send someone down to invite the princess up?" ”

"No need." Zhang Xiang waved his hand.

Looking at Zhongrao's eyes, Zhang Xiang was also a little impatient, he just wanted to leave quickly, and with the strength of the wine, he shouted: "Pen and ink are waiting." ”

Soon, under Zhou Yi's arrangement, rice paper, brushes, and inkstones were brought up.

Zhang Xiang glanced at the rice paper, then looked around again, the brush was stained with ink, and then turned around and wrote directly on the wall of the private room.

Of course, his handwriting is still ugly and crooked.

When he finished writing the first sentence, the people present did not discuss it because of the ugly font, but were shocked by his first sentence: Thousands of trees bloom on the night of the east wind...

Zhang Xiang's movements did not pause at all, and then wrote: Blowing down, the stars are like rain. BMW carved cars are full of fragrance. The sound of the phoenix flute moves, the light of the jade pot turns, and the fish and dragon dance all night.

After writing the first half of the book, Zhang Xiang finally paused, and then looked up at the window, he also saw Zhao Hanyan's figure just now, and only then did he think of this Yuan Xi in his heart.

The crowd of onlookers read, and the expressions on their faces can no longer be described as shocked.

The layman looks at the bustle, and the insider looks at the doorway.

Zhou Yi, Wu Yuxiang and Hou Jingtang couldn't hide the exclamation on their faces.

Zhang Xiang turned around and dipped the pen in ink on the inkstone, and then wrote the next que on the wall again: Moth, snow willow, golden wisps, laughter and dark fragrance. Everyone is looking for her thousands of times...

… Suddenly looking back, the man was there, in the dim light...

After writing, Zhang Xiang wrote the word 'Yuan Xi' at the end in a chic manner, and then threw down the pen and said to Zhou Yi: "Brother Zhou, everyone, I am leaving." ”

With Zhang Xiang's departure, the entire Yuexiu Building boiled......