"Madame, please? This...... Not very convenient, right? ”

Fan Jin was a little surprised in the face of this invitation. In front of a noble person like the Xu family, he actually doesn't even have the qualifications to be eye-catching. Among the pilgrims, there are a few famous Confucians who are from high births or quite famous, and they are more than a step higher than their literary names.

Of course, there is a relationship with Zhang Shunqing, and with the great achievement of cowpox, the friendship between the two is different from the past. But inviting to the inner house to meet Mrs. Mu is still a bit abnormal. Mrs. Mu of the Guogong Mansion is in charge, and it is said that she is a very powerful character, and she invited herself to go, I am afraid that it is not as simple as saying thank you.

Fan Jin, who instinctively sensed that something was wrong, was about to find an excuse to refuse, but Xu Weizhi had already pulled his arm and pulled Fan Jin up.

"Brother Fan, the rules in my family are like this, my father calls you ten times, and you don't have to answer one sound. My mother coughed, and my father and I had to respond. Since my mother said that you can go, then you can go, so you don't have to care so much. Hello brothers, what is there to worry about. Come, I'll take you to the inner house. ”

Xu Weizhi led the way, Fan Jin followed, passed through a few hanging flower doors, and came to the inner house. There are all women here, only Xu Weizhi and Fan Jin, who are quite eye-catching. Zhang Shunqing, Miss Xu Liu and the young woman of the Xu family were playing rich and famous together, and they were using a framing order to send an opponent to prison, but when they saw Fan Jin coming in, they were slightly stunned, and then they fell on Mrs. Mu, who was in the middle of the hall and was in the main position.

Mrs. Mu is only forty miles this year, because she is well maintained, she is not old, and her appearance is not only beautiful, but she has a little more graceful and luxurious lady's atmosphere. Although her eyebrows and eyes are beautiful, she always gives people a sense of oppression, which is a bit like the kind of female boss who started a business from scratch and worked hard with a net worth of hundreds of millions in Fan Jin's previous life. People are very shrewd and courageous, but at the same time they are not easy to deal with, and most of them will die miserably if they offend her.

According to the rules of the juniors seeing the elders, kneeling and kowtowing, Mu took the initiative to beckon Fan Jin to come closer, and gave him a seat. looked at Fan Jin up and down, asking some short questions from his parents, as if entertaining his nephews in his later life. The tone and attitude are extremely kind and approachable, but it is precisely because of this approachability that Fan Jin always feels a little strange.

"Fan Gongzi, the portrait you painted saw the old body, and it was really the national hand in the world, it was Qiu Ying Tang Yin, and it was not as good as you. There are a few portraits of the old body, but this one of you is in my mind. In Jiangning, I have seen a lot of talents, but if I am not afraid that you don't like to hear it, ordinary scholars, I really don't want to see them, and I don't take them seriously. Fan Gongzi has such a ability, so that he can enter the eyes of the old body. can not only write articles and paint, but also know so much knowledge, he will be a pillar of the Ming Dynasty one day. The old man turned around and asked Guogong to write a book and enter Beijing, and protect Fan Gongzi for an official position. ”

Xu Weizhi smiled: "Mother, you are confused. Fan Gongzi is a lifter, and he has to take the exam, so why do you need his father to protect it. When the time comes, you can enter the Hanlin Academy, Qingliu Huaxuan, unspeakably expensive, according to the officialdom, it is called standing and soaring, which is much stronger than Baoju. ”

"Shut up! Not a spark of decency! Mother didn't ask you, who let you interject randomly? If you talk more, don't think about going out in the next few days of the Chinese New Year. ”

After reprimanding his son, Mu smiled at Fan Jin again, "Look at my memory, but I forgot about it." This day counts...... But it's not too early. Now in Beijing, is there still a boat? ”

Fan Jin said with a smile: "If you go back to Mrs., Jiangning is a big wharf, if you want to find a boat, you can always find it, at most, it takes a little more effort, but it shouldn't be difficult to find." ”

"I wish it were, but I can't say it. This year, Jiangning was hit by a disaster, and there were many fewer boats than in previous years, and no one knew if there would be any more in this month. If you miss the exam date, you will have to toss it in vain. Besides, even if you catch the ship, I'm afraid it will be too late to enter Beijing, and it will be too late to prepare, and you can only use one percent of the ten costs, which is unfair to Fan Gongzi. In fact, the old man has an idea, Fan Gongzi, please refer to one or two. It's better that you don't take the test in this subject, study here in Jiangning for a few years, and it's not too late to end the next subject. It just so happened that Miss Zhang didn't come to Jiangning once, and since she came, she always had to stay longer. Our Jiangning is different from Guangdong, when it comes to Shangyuan, the lanterns will be lively, let's say that the lights of our Guogong Mansion are broken every year and people break their heads to rush to see them. Thinking about it here, I happened to accompany the eldest lady to watch the lights, and Liu'er could spend a few more days with her sister. ”

"Thank you Madame for your kindness, it's just that the eldest lady has to make up her mind about this matter, and Xiaosheng doesn't dare to call the shots."

Mu Shi nodded: "That's a good thing, men don't have to listen to women more, and they don't have to suffer." But your own Lord did it. We don't talk about looking at the lights, let's get down to business. The cowpox thing you got is a great thing, if it had been done a few months earlier, Liu'er would not have suffered this suffering. But good things have to be done by good people, otherwise they will be messed up. I know Weizhi's temperament, he will never be able to do such a serious thing, and if he is handed over, good things will get worse. Feng Si is a Jianghu person, I can't believe it. If you want to do things well, you have to be a talented person like Fan Gongzi to preside. This is a major event in Jinan to save the people, Fan Gongzi will not refuse, right? The imperial examination is always for the sake of being an official, but being an official does not have to go through the imperial examination, as long as this thing is done, the old body will let the national prince go to the book, and make this matter clear to the long live and the queen mother. ”

Speaking of this, Mrs. Mu paused, and her voice was slightly lower, "Retreat, you and Wei Zhi are friends, and in the eyes of the old man, you are like your own nephew, so you don't need to say anything about the scene, you can say a few intimate words." There are no papers in the field, all articles are fake, there is one life, two luck and three feng shui in the field, and the most important thing is the connections. Let Long Live the Queen Mother know you first, and then make a solid career, and then end the next subject, which examiner dares not to record you, Long Live there will not agree first. Weizhi, this kid can't talk on weekdays, and since he got to know him, he began to learn to take the right path, think about doing business, and learn to be a serious person. You can stay here for a few more years, so that you can help the old man discipline his son. Are you two going to do business together? Wei Zhi is not this material, you stay to help, this business can really be done. When the time comes, the old body will arrange for you to retreat, if you can't get into the jinshi, talk to the old body. ”

Invite yourself to stay in Jiangning? Fan Jin was stunned, it sounded like the other party was really thinking about his own interests, and what he said made sense. At least for myself, there is nothing to lose. But...... If you stay by yourself, it is impossible for Zhang Shunqing to stay, and it is inevitable that she will leave her to stay in Jiangning.

"Thank you Madame for your kindness, it's just that Fan still has some things to deal with in Beijing, so he can't help but go. Moreover, Xiao Sheng also thought that Jingli had opened his eyes and increased his knowledge, and he didn't care too much about whether he could win in fame. ”

Mu said with a smile: "Indifferent to fame and fortune, he is really a celebrity." This kind of character is good, and you can't draw such a good picture without such a character. In this case, the old body is not reluctant. Weizhi, you go and ask Fan Gongzi if there is a ship going north on the dock recently, find out our own relationship, try to arrange the shipping schedule, the sooner the better, and the boat should be comfortable, don't let your sister be wronged. I heard that the canal has not been very peaceful recently, and there are still water robbers infested, so I will say hello to Uncle Jiang when I come to pay New Year's greetings, and borrow two warships to escort him, so I can't be careless. ”

"Mother, don't worry, my son has a number."

At this time, Zhang Shunqing had already come over to greet Mu, but he said that he wanted to leave. Mu Shi was stunned and said, "Why do you have to leave so early?" Didn't you say you were going to stay tonight? ”

"Back to my aunt's words, it is said that I want to live, but my niece's body is really not angry, I thought it was good, but I had a headache for a while. This is a day of joy, but if you get sick, won't it ruin everyone's happiness? My niece doesn't dare to bear this burden, so I can only take leave in front of you and go back to rest first. ”

Mu Shi hurriedly said: "But it matters? Do you want to call a Lang Zhong to take a look, Mr. Lu in the front hall has very good medical skills, let him take the pulse? ”

"No need, it's just a little bit of the root of the disease, just go back and rest."

"In this case, I don't dare to stay, Weizhi, pass the sedan chair class at the door, and send the eldest lady home. Virtuous niece, I must come early tomorrow morning, otherwise my aunt will not be relieved and will go to see you. If you have compassion for me, you have to come. ”

Since Zhang Shunqing left, Fan Jin naturally didn't say anything, said goodbye to Xue Wu, and walked out with the sedan chair. Xu Weizhi called someone to prepare a sedan chair, and there was a female dependent left in the inner house. Looking at the direction of the door, Mrs. Mu sneered,

"The little girl stared at her tightly, and kept saying good sister, look at what your sister is like now, she is about to become a monk, can't she let her be a sister? With you, the prime minister, you can't find what you want, so you have to dominate this. Zhang Jiangling is domineering, and giving birth to a girl is also very domineering. ”

"Madame......" The mother-in-law named Camellia looked at her hostess from the side, and Mu waved her hand and said, "I'm fine." A little girl can't be angry with me. Our family has a big business, and it is easy to find someone, but it is not easy to satisfy Liu'er and have a good character. Find it with your heart, if you find it, everything is closed, and if you can't find it, I have to fight with Zhang Jiangling for a son-in-law! ”

Zhang Shunqing's body had actually healed around the age of a child, and now he was sad again, Fan Jin was also a little nervous, and he didn't say a word on the way back. When they arrived at home, they ordered Fan Zhigao and them to boil hot water, and he looked at Zhang Shunqing's face and asked:

"What's wrong with you? Give me your wrist and let me take the pulse. ”

"I ...... I contracted the cold again, and I want to recuperate in Jiangning for a month, Brother Fan, are you going to leave or stay? ”

"Needless to say, naturally I stayed. In fact, it's nothing to be sick for a month, Mrs. Fang Cai Mu said, you have to put lights on the Shangyuan Festival, when you are recuperating in Jiangning, I will go and show my hand, cooperate with Xu Weizhi, and get a few good-looking lights to come out, so that they can open their eyes! ”

Zhang Shunqing snorted, "Okay, it turns out that Brother Fan has long wanted to stay, and he still wants to have more dealings with the Xu family, and then show off some skills, will there be a certain sister of the Xu family who admires Brother Fan's talent and is willing to trust him for life?" knew this earlier, and the little sister would not be a villain in vain. ”

"You're just ...... Sure enough, it's pretending to be sick? ”

"Of course, how else would I go? Really, I thought that my aunt was a reasonable person, and I didn't want to encounter my own children's affairs, and I would be confused. I called you to the inner house and asked me a long question, and I knew that most of them had other thoughts, so tell me quickly, what did she tell you. ”

Fan Jin said with a smile: "Mrs. Mu said that the Xu family has a daughter who looks like a fairy, and has never been suitable, so she wants to recruit me as a son-in-law and give me half of her belongings." ”

"Then you shouldn't go down? With these things, which one still goes to the imperial examination and seeks fame? If you don't go, my little sister will change into men's clothes and recruit a son-in-law on your behalf. ”

The two laughed loudly, Fan Jin recounted Mrs. Mu's words, and Zhang Shunqing sneered a few times, "Good calculation." Let me go to Beijing, leave Brother Fan in Jiangning and run around with his Xu family, and over time, I will give birth to other things...... I really didn't expect that the kindness to help people come out of the show. The sixth sister is very honest, this matter must have nothing to do with her, it must be her aunt's trouble. ”

Fan Jin said: "Forget it, don't mention it, it's understandable for parents to love their children." It doesn't hurt if things don't work, anyway, Feng Lao has a boat there, which can guarantee that the fourth day of junior high school will leave, and everyone can't tear their faces. I won't come to Jiangning in the future, and it has nothing to do with me what she means. It's just a point, if you pretend to be sick and come back, it's not good to take you out to set off fireworks. I bought some fireworks and came back, but I didn't have to put them off. However, I did find a good place to watch the fireworks. He pointed to the top of his head, "The house of the Guogong Mansion is tall and sturdy, and you can see it clearly here like fireworks." ”

Crazy, must be crazy! Zhang Shunqing climbed carefully along the ladder, reminding himself that he shouldn't be like this, but at the same time, he was inexplicably excited because of this irrational behavior. Maybe deep down in her heart she is not a lady, but a wild girl? I should have rejected such a ridiculous proposal and felt disgusted, why did I feel happy now that I had actually climbed the ladder?

Countless thoughts swirled in my mind, and before I knew it, I had climbed to the top, and a pair of strong arms stretched out, and picked up the girl wrapped in a ball from the ladder directly, and hugged her to sit on the roof. There was a faint sound of firecrackers in the distance, and Fan Jin said: "The time is almost up, according to customs, is this called keeping the New Year?" ”

"Huh?" The wind on the roof was very cold, but the girl did not feel cold at all in the arms of her lover, or because she was wearing too much, from her body to her heart, it was strangely hot. She curled up in Fan Jin's arms and asked, "I heard that the rules of the Cantonese New Year are different from here." ”

"Yes, the wind is different for a hundred miles, and the customs are different from place to place."

"Then Brother Fan will tell me about it, okay? I want to learn it in the future...... Maybe I'm going to learn the customs of the Cantonese people for the New Year. ”

The night breeze is blowing, the lover is on the side, in Zhang Shunqing's memory, every year during the Spring Festival, the family sits around the table, drinks and laughs, and it is the first time to climb to the roof to watch others set off fireworks in the cold wind outside. As a girl's family, it is obviously impossible to spend the Spring Festival in such a shabby way. But tonight, when she curled up in Fan Jin's arms, listening to him tell about the rules and anecdotes of the New Year in Guangdong, she only had happiness in her heart and no grievances. In her future life, she will spend a number of luxurious, lively or joyful Chinese New Year's Eve, but this Chinese New Year's Eve vigil that belongs only to two people will undoubtedly be one of the happiest Chinese New Year's Eve memories in her life.

Bang!

There was a bang in the distance, a silver light pierced the sky, and the fireworks had already begun.

Silver snakes dance wildly in the air, deducing countless exquisite figures. Under the silver light, Zhang Shunqing's face as bright as a peach blossom in March was reflected, smelling the faint fragrance, looking at the peerless face, from the girl's eyes, Fan Jin could read the expectation and desire. The two approached each other with a sharp heart, grabbing each other's lips, and Zhang Shunqing also completely let go on this night, extremely bold and active.

When the lips and tongues of the two separated, Zhang Shunqing's trembling voice sounded in the intermittent sound of firecrackers: "Brother Fan, I'm drunk, help me back to the room." ”[.]