Seeing that Huang Zhen was ashamed and fled, the banquet of several people continued.

The topic turned to Fang Zhongyong again.

Zeng Ye said: "It is really unexpected that Wenyuan was able to win the head of the case this time. I've heard people talk about how much of a gift so-and-so went to Xia Mansion these days, and so on. From this point of view, this Xia Gong's personality may not be as unbearable as the rumors say. ”

Yan Juhou smiled: "I don't know. Let me give you an allusion, you probably know Xia Zhu's personality.

When Xia Zhu was young, his father Xia Chenghao was still serving as a guard in the palace at that time. One day, a Taoist priest said to his father, 'Your son has a fairy fate, and he will be a supreme minister in the future, but it is a pity that he will fall in the future.' It's better to learn from me to cultivate immortals, and you can get the right fruit of immortals. Later, Xia Zhu served as a judge for several years and met the Taoist priest again. The Taoist priest said, "Your immortal fate is decreasing, and now you can only be an earth immortal when you cultivate immortals." Later, Xia Zhu became the governor of the state, and when he saw the Taoist priest again. The Taoist priest waved his hand and said, 'Your immortal fate is gone, and you can no longer practice.' After that, Xia Zhu never saw the Taoist priest again.

What do you say, what has Xia Zhu done over the years? ”

Zeng Ye continued: "That Xia Zhu's father died in the state post because he was a military officer, and the imperial court comforted Xia Chenghao's family and rewarded Xia Zhu with a small military attache named 'Third Class Messenger'.

One day, Xia Zhu took the collection of poems he created, waited on the way home from the retreat of Prime Minister Li Xin, waited left and right, and finally saw Prime Minister Li Xin and a team of people retreating from the court, so he stopped Prime Minister Li Xin's horse's head, bowed down, and respectfully dedicated the collection of poems to Li Xin. Li Xin read the poem 'The mountain bee waist is broken, and the stream swallowtail is divided' was very appreciative, and continued to read, the whole volume is full of good verses.

Two days later, the next day, Prime Minister Li Xin went to the court, presented Xia Zhu's poetry collection to Emperor Zhenzong, and said that Xia Zhu's father died and his family was poor, please change his clerical position. The first emperor appointed Xia Zhu as the chief secretary of Danyang County, Runzhou, which can be regarded as a civil official. Otherwise, he's still being his Qiu Ba! ”

Fang Zhong couldn't help but complain about the big mouth of the Song Dynasty.

What people say and do, can't they have a little personal secret? No wonder Zeng Gongliang, that big fool, would print the highest military research result "Wujing General Essentials" all over the world, and sent a copy to Western Xia and Northern Liao.

Yan Chengyu, who has a very low sense of existence, finally has a line: "Two brothers, what do you say?" A few of our talents always have to come to the door to meet the master, you just say what to do, right? ”

"What to do? Cold! According to my meaning, there is no need to pay attention to that wicked villain, how can he wait for me? Yan Juhou was dismissive of Xia Zhu.

Zeng Ye was much more stable: "It is reasonable to meet the master after enterprising, and I still have to meet him." And that Xia Zhu has quite an official reputation, and it is not useless. If he is promoted day by day, we will be a strong enemy in Pingbaishu, and the wise man will not do it. If Demao doesn't want to go, he can let the foolish brother do it for him and lead Zigu, Wenyuan, and Zhongrong to go. It's just a face-to-face, and it's not an insult to me. ”

The next day, Zeng Ye bought some stationery supplies, but it was only ten or eight dollars, and led Zeng Gong, Fang Zhongyong, and Yan Chengyu to Xia Mansion to meet the master. While he was waiting in the porter, he saw a group of people go in, and half a cup of tea came out.

Looking at the dress, they should all be this year's show talents. One by one, the Confucian shirts and scarves are all rushed when they come and go, uh no, they are rushed when they come, and they are even more excited when they go.

After all, the identity is different, and the housekeeper of the Xia Mansion personally came forward to receive a few people, and said very sincerely: "The last few times I visited, the disciple was ignorant and treated the distinguished guests slowly. My lord has already punished him severely. This time, the lord specially instructed that if the sons came again, they would have another banquet to make up for the rudeness of the last time. ”

A few people were busy and didn't dare.

Entering the inner hall, Xia Zhu had already stood up and greeted him, and said with a smile: "The old man is entangled in mundane affairs, and he treats all the talented people in his hometown slowly, which really shouldn't be!" ”

Xiucai spoke on behalf of Zeng Ye: "Lord Taishou is busy with official business. It's an honor to be able to take the time to meet each other, and the kid and the others are very honored. Lord Meng Taishou does not give up, does not think we are despicable, and simply pulls out Mao Cai, which is really a fortunate thing for us! I would like to thank you all for this. ”

Xia Zhu said with a smile: "It's all due to your talents, how dare the old man be greedy." The teacher's words can be rested! ”

Fang Zhongyong is not good at always letting Zeng Ye stand up to thunder, and said: "Although the official family is not allowed to call the examiner by the seat teacher, Lord Taishou has hard work in reviewing the test papers, and there is merit in promoting us." It doesn't hurt to shout to the teacher in private to talk about your heart! ”

Xia Zhu said with a smile: "In this way, the old man will bear it." Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. ”

Yan Chengyu whispered to Zeng Gong: "Have they always spoken so sourly? ”

Zeng Gong whispered: "It's just a temptation." When we meet for the first time, we always have to try to come and go, so as not to offend people unintentionally. ”

"What did they probe for?"

Zeng Gong said: "How do I know? I don't like temptation. ”

Later generations have a unified reputation for those who are constantly laughing, except for certain professions, "smiling tigers".

It is said that the smile comes from the gorilla's expression of fear and submission, and that humans, as the highest primates, have evolved into the outward manifestation of happy and pleasant mental activity. But that's a relatively low-level, naïve mental activity of a human being. Advanced, such as Xia Zhu and others, use the smile as a mask that can be worn on the face at any time, and of course, it can also be taken off at any time.

Since seeing Xia Zhu, Xia Zhu laughed once and smiled three times, even if Fang Zhongyong was narcissistic, he didn't dare to think that he had reached the point where everyone loved flowers and saw flowers bloom.

What about you when you are a gold bar? Anyone who sees it wants to take a bite.

The so-called banquet, five short tables, one person and one seat, the meal system is also.

The ancient rhyme is quite a bit, but when you kneel and sit with your waist and abdomen straight and your hands on your knees, it is a little uncomfortable. Yan and Zeng are both eunuchs, and the ancient etiquette is very familiar, but it is peaceful. Poor Fang Zhongyong, a rural baby, where did he suffer such an elegant sin. After struggling to support it for a while, I felt a pain in my calves.

The cutlery is also a mess of Yade. The bronze cup, the lacquer feather, and the bronze chopsticks weighing about half a catty pick up the beans, who knows the taste.

The dishes are normal. A plate of charred soybeans, a plate of tofu, a serving of celery, and a plate of carp for hard vegetables.

It's just that the carp's tail is charred, what's the situation? The cook missed?

Xia Zhu explained with a smile: "This official is from a slightly poor background, and he doesn't have any savings when he travels around. I wanted to imitate the Tang Dynasty's 'Burning Tail Banquet' to entertain you, but I was shy in my pocket. Only one carp can be taken and its tail is burned, which means to burn the tail. I wish all young talents to leap into the dragon gate as soon as possible and go straight to the clouds. Gentlemen, drink to win! ”

Fang Zhongyong complained about Xia Zhu's slamming of the door, and at the same time raised the heavy bronze cup and toasted.

Don't even say it, this cup is a good thing. If an Assassin stabs him with a sword, it can be used as a throwing weapon as well as a block. As for the feathers, they are completely useless, and the water contained in them is used to rinse their mouths after eating fish.

It's so dangerous, Fang Zhongyong didn't drink it. Otherwise, he would have been regarded as a turtle by a group of ancient turtles, and he would have been depressed to death.

After "full of wine and food", the usual show was staged.

Xia Zhu said in a tone of promoting his juniors: "Fang Zhongyong's poetry is superb, and Zeng Gong and Yan Chengyu are also extraordinary. Today's elegant affairs, how can there be no poetry to help the wine. Butler, on the double spring wine, change the giant wolf. The second and third sons, try to sing it. "I secretly said proudly in my heart: the old man is familiar with Zhuge Liang's seven methods of observing people, "asking him to see his ambition by right and wrong", "looking at his changes with rhetoric", "consulting his knowledge with strategy", "telling him to see his courage with difficulty", "drunk with wine and looking at his nature", "looking at his honesty with his profit", "looking at his faith with things". Let's look at the old man's knife test today.

Looking at Xia Zhu, who had the demeanor of a famous man of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, Fang Zhongyong secretly sneered, who can still have clear eyes and a straight waist when he is drunk. Do you want to use Zhuge Liang's method of viewing people on me, don't dare to blow anything else, get drunk with wine? With my body, which has been soaked in edible alcohol for many years, let go of it, can I drink you to the point of doubting life, do you believe it or not? As for poetry, is that a thing?

Fang Zhongyong, as a representative of the freshly baked Xiucai, said: "I don't know what Lord Taishou is talking about? ”

Xia Zhu said very gracefully: "Each has its own aspirations. ”

Fang Zhongyong thought for a moment and said: "The kid heard that there is a sea in the east, ethereal thousands of miles, try to make a song "Oceanwide", please make an axe."

The danger is not in the chest, why not the clouds floating through space? The night is quiet and the sea is 30,000 miles, and the moon is bright and the wind is blowing down. ”

Xia Zhu commented: "Very good! Broad-minded and ambitious! ”

Zeng Gong said: "The kid is not as wise as Wen Yuan. In the twilight of spring, after the rain, the scenery in the south of the city is very beautiful, and there is an old work. The rain has passed through the pond and the water is full of embankments, and the mountains are high and the roads are east. The peach and plum blossoms are all blooming, but the green grass is the same color. ”

Xia Zhu smiled: "Don't be too humble. This poem is also fresh and elegant, and it has deep meaning, which is very rare. Yan Chengyu can have a good sentence? ”

Yan Chengyu was puzzled: "The kid is the most useless." If it is a limited question, you can still deal with one or two, please ask the adult proposition. ”

"Let's take flowers as the theme, there is no limit to poetry."

Yan Chengyu thought for a while before he said, "That kid will make a song "Golden Wisp Song".

The cave is deeply hidden. Laughing at the world, thick fat and greasy powder, such makeup. Recognize the hazy bright moon, and don't allow the east wind to steal. Partial touch, words and people are thinking. Yesterday was slightly cloudy and rainy today, and the good spring light is limited and there is no surplus. Willing for me, for a while. Who bakes and dyes the ice silk mist? Love is in love, soft strips shine on the water, and the makeup is beautiful. The outer shadow of the green shade fence in the corner of the wall is printed with the ice of the window. Separated by a clear and dark place. It's not that Aunt Feng's affection is too thin, it's that the soul at the bottom of Yingying's tree is difficult to confess. Spring is twilight, easy to feel. ”

Xia Zhu thought for a while and said, "It's not as good as an uncle!" ”

He added: "You are still a little restrained." Although the old man has a reputation, in fact, he only understands a little bit of poetry. In the former Tang Dynasty, there were 100 poems by Li Baidou wine, and it seems that he drank too little wine. Drink to win! ”

A few people drank a large glass with them.

A pound of about 30 degrees of liquor went down, Zeng Ye, Zeng Gong, and Yan Chengyu were already crumbling, only Fang Zhongyong's face was only slightly red.

Xia Zhu was secretly surprised and said, "Zhongyong can drink a thousand cups? ”

Fang Zhongyong hurriedly humbled himself: "The kid is young, in fact, he is no longer strong enough to drink, he is just barely trying to hold on." Tomorrow I will definitely have a splitting headache and shout that I am going to quit drinking. ”

Xia Zhu said with a smile: "Cao Mengde has clouds, how to solve his worries, only Du Kang." It's okay for young people to get drunk occasionally, and the scholars are romantic! If the old man is a few years younger, he will definitely go to the Goolan courtyard often. Zhongyong, do you have a familiar fan? ”

What kind of rhythm is this, is to go to piao cha together

G? I don't want to be a brother-in-law with you, and I don't have that hobby, do I? Although this is also one of the four irons in life, I don't want to be too irony with you!

Fang Zhongyong made a shy look and said: "The kid's family is poor, and he has never been to Goolan Washe. ”

Xia Zhu laughed and said, "It's honest." Today's wine is exhausted, there is no need to force it to stay, the old man will give you the old work when he was virtuous and square, etc., thinking that he would be able to solve the test.

The palace is dressed in the sun and the moon, and the flag in the inkstone moves the dragon and snake. There are 3,000 words of vertical and horizontal ritual music, and the Danqi day is not oblique. ”

After Fang Zhongyong and his party left, the housekeeper was not happy: "These people are ordinary, why does the young master treat them well?" ”

Xia Zhu sighed: "Ah Fu, you have followed me since you were a child, and you have long asked you to open your horizons, but you just don't listen." The officialdom is seriously tilted, and the young master and I tremble every day, like walking on thin ice.

That Yan Chengyu is the second son of Uncle Yan Tong, how can he be contemptuous. Even if this person is mediocre, but with Uncle Yan's popularity, he can expect to be rich and prosperous in his life. And Zeng Gong, who seems to be wooden, will be a generation of grandmasters in time, and he should not be underestimated. The most interesting thing is that Fang Zhongyong, who is calm in his heart, and wants to pretend to be young and frivolous. If it's a coincidence, it's not something in the pool. I can't say, in the future, we will have to look up to him and ask for everything! ”