Lu Mansion, Aunt Feng's yard.

After winter, Aunt Feng moved to a small building to the west of the courtyard, saying that it was warmer here.

The room she lived in was a strange one, small in size, on the second floor, and she had to go up through a wooden staircase of almost seventy-five degrees. The stairs are also narrow, and when people walk on them, their feet are slightly larger, and it is easy to step on them.

Upstairs, it was a small room full of splendor, which seemed a little dim, and only a ray of sky light came from the east, which made the eyes that had adapted to the darkness dazzle for a while.

Walking along the light, you will come to a terrace.

Generally speaking, from such a high position, standing on the balcony, you can see a good view.

But there is something strange here, unlike the other balconies in the house, which are tall and spacious, but here it is shrunk back three feet, sandwiched in the middle by two sloping walls, and the two ends are not leaning.

From the balcony, there was no view at all. In front of me were all densely clustered green tile roofs, and I could only see a slender passage at my feet, and a few maids rushed underneath.

After watching such a scene for a long time, people can't help but feel chest tightness and shortness of breath, as if they are about to be locked by this boundless roof.

According to the shape of this small building, it is clearly the embroidery room of the young lady who has not been out of the cabinet, and it also has a strong architectural style of a large family in Shanxi.

This was originally Mrs. Guan's courtyard, and this embroidery building was also prepared for Miss Lu San. In ancient times, the rich and noble lady had to live in the embroidery building until the day she got married when she was fourteen years old.

However, Miss San is an active person and has never spent a day here. And Aunt Feng was greedy for the big place here, so she snatched it from Mrs. Guan.

It was almost dusk, and after five days of sunny days, the weather finally had a tendency to deteriorate. In the evening, the sky was covered with lead clouds, and it looked very hazy.

The northwest wind is blowing, which makes people feel cold.

Looking at the space in front of him that was filled by the roof, Second Master Lu only felt that his heart was blocked for a while, as if he had eaten a mouthful of cow's hair, couldn't swallow it, and couldn't spit it out.

Aunt Feng was like a cat curled up in a pile of furs. Sobbing in a low voice: "Master, you haven't been here for a while." This time, Xuan'er ...... Xuan'er seems to have changed as a person, when he looks at people, his eyes are green, and he is afraid of people.

As soon as he heard his son's name, Second Master Lu was even more annoyed in his heart, snorted, turned around, and walked towards the house.

A big girl hurriedly stepped forward and closed the door to the terrace.

Second Master Lu: "It's just that he didn't win the promotion, this is only the first time he has participated in the township test, and it is normal to be lucky if he wins, and it is normal if he can't win." What is the occasion of the township test, the adults of this Manchu Dynasty, there are not many who are in the first test. I can't stand this frustration, how did you teach this son? Something that doesn't make a difference! ”

"What I teach my son, I am a woman's family, and it is your father's responsibility to discipline my son. also said that what about me, what's wrong with Xuan'er, Pingli is elegant and gentle, what's wrong. Unlike your other two children, one is a rebellious beast who is rampant, domineering, disloyal and unfilial, and the other is fornicating with men outside, and the Lu family's face has been lost by her. ”

Hearing Aunt Feng mention Lu Shuang, Second Master Lu's teeth creaked, and his fists were clenched so much that he was about to pinch out the water. was about to explode, thought about it, but forced himself to hold back the anger, and roared to the maid in a low voice: "You go downstairs, I want to talk to Madame." ”

"Yes, sir." The maid also realized that something was wrong, and her face turned pale with horror, and she hurriedly went downstairs with a salute.

When the little maid's footsteps disappeared from the stairs, Aunt Feng said, "There are not many people who have passed the first exam?" It's really going to laugh off people's big teeth, isn't Lin Tingchen also taking the exam for the first time, his talent is lower than Xuan'er, why did he win? Also, Lu Changping said that he hadn't read a few pages of a book, and he was a rammer who only knew how to play naughty, so he couldn't get it. Could it be that he is more talented than Xuan'er? ”

Lu Erlao sighed: "Who can tell the things in the imperial examination field clearly, Lu Chang, a little brute, and Lin Tingchen actually won, it's really surprising, perhaps, this matter can only be explained in six words, time and luck!" ”

"Cluck, cluck." Aunt Feng suddenly burst into laughter, laughing so much that Second Master Lu was a little confused.

Second Master Lu: "What are you laughing at?" ”

"Giggles." Aunt Feng was still laughing.

Second Master Lu was annoyed: "Sluts are rampant, stop quickly!" ”

"Giggles, slut, that's right, I'm a slut in the master's mind, and you're telling the truth today." Aunt Feng sneered: "Master, don't think that you can hide those fame halls you make behind your back, really think I'm a fool?" ”

Second Master Lu was puzzled and snorted: "I, Lu Wei, do things uprightly, what you said is not clear." ”

"Still pretending?" Aunt Feng shouted sadly: "Don't think that I don't know anything when I stay in the yard all day, if Lu Chang is really lucky, I have nothing to say." But have you ever thought about it, with his talent, how can he get the second place, is it possible? ”

"yes!" Lu Er was stunned: "It's impossible, the examiner is not blind." ”

"Giggles, you've finally admitted it." Aunt Feng was even more sad and indignant: "It must be that you spent money to open up the joints, and I told the examiner in advance that they would take your sister-in-law." There is a difference between the concubines, in vain you still pretend to care for Xuan'er here with me, but in your mind, the weight of the big house is heavier after all. What a hypocrite, phew! ”

"It's possible, but ......" Second Master Lu was reminded by Aunt Feng, but his heart moved: "Maybe it's really Madame who made the money from me...... No, the examiner of this issue, Bao Yingxia, is an upright gentleman, and it is impossible to follow his path. As for the deputy chief examiner Lu Fengyi, she has just been promoted to the Ministry of Officials, and she is so popular, how can she ruin her future for a mere amount of money, it is impossible. ”

Speaking of this, he must have shook his head: "Auntie must have misunderstood, things will not be what you imagined." ”

"Didn't you really use the money to favor one over the other?" Aunt Feng stopped sobbing and looked at Second Master Lu.

"It's really not me, cheating in the field is a felony, I'm not stupid. However, if it's ......"

"If it's the old lady's favor, who would dare not give him the old man's face." Aunt Feng suddenly understood, and gritted her teeth: "It must be the old lady who handed the examiner a message, and they took Lu Chang." I think the old lady's heart has gone astray. ”

Second Master Lu sighed: "The old lady prefers Lu Chang and Lu Shuang, and the people in the house all know it, who can have a way, it's a pity that Xuan'er." ”

Aunt Feng cried again: "What's good now, Xuan'er has become like this." Master, you have to think of a way anyway, or you go and beg the old lady. ”

"What can I do now to ask the old lady, I have finished the exam, and I can only wait for another two years." Second Master Lu felt uncomfortable when he saw his beloved woman so sad.

He stepped forward, touched the back of her hand with his hand, and soothed her softly.

"Besides, since the release of the list, the old lady came out to see that the students were cold, and he has been having a fever. Now I have been raising it in the house for many days, but it is not good. I, as a son, can't stand it in my heart, how dare I disturb his old man's house? ”

"The concubine naturally knows about this, and there are people who ask for peace every day." Aunt Feng saw that her husband's tone was relaxed, and she seemed to see hope, and said: "Master, didn't you tell the concubine before the exam that the old lady asked for a few confessions for the children in the house, Xuan'er is like this now, and she is bored in the courtyard all the time, but I am afraid that she will really get sick." It's better to let him be an official, this person can't be idle, if he has something to do, he is in a cheerful mood, and he will be normal. He is an official and preparing for the exam at the same time, maybe he will be successful in two years! ”

Indeed, as Aunt Feng said, for this township test, Lu Bing used his prestige and power in the court to ask for a few copies of the Lu family's children in advance. Among them, there are two best, one is the temple of Yuanma Temple, which is the official of the six-grade imperial court. The other is the judge of the salt envoy of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, from the six products.

At the beginning, she had already agreed with Master Lu that once Lu Xuan was lifted, she would let him go to be the temple of Yuanma Temple.

In the past few days, Aunt Feng has been thinking about this in her heart. It's a pity that the old lady is very sick, and the second master Lu has always stayed by his side to wait, and he can't find a chance to say it. Today, I finally couldn't help it, so I asked the maid to invite him over.

Second Master Lu frowned and said, "In my heart, I naturally wish Xuan'er would be this temple, but he is just a talent. And this official position is the official of the court of the sixth grade, and he is not qualified to do it. ”

Aunt Feng: "Is there really such a rule?" ”

Second Master Lu nodded: "An official above the seventh rank is an official of the imperial court, and according to the rules, it can only be held by a person from a Jinshi background, because as long as he is an official of the imperial court, the imperial court will have to seal the order." Lifting people can only be officials below the seventh grade, and they cannot exceed the system. This time, if Xuan'er is hit, he is not afraid to use the relationship of the old lady. The problem is that he is not even a lifter, and this thing cannot be done at all. ”

"I don't care, you'll have to figure it out anyway." Aunt Feng shouted.

was scolded by her, and the second master Lu was furious: "You slut, you ordered me to come, presumptuous!" ”

After speaking, he flicked his sleeves and went downstairs angrily.

Behind it was Aunt Feng's hoarse cry.

When I went downstairs, because I didn't pay attention, Lu Er's foot broke and almost fell to the ground, only to feel that his ankle hurt so much, and he limped when he walked.

"This, if you give her three points of color, you will open a dyeing room!" Second Master Lu was so angry that his chest was blocked.

After walking for a while, I finally finished the slender passage downstairs.

The front of me finally opened up, it was a big garden, the cold wind and water came, and the irritability in my heart finally calmed down.

The pain in his feet was even worse, and he was about to take off his official boots to see what was going on, when he heard someone sighing over there, and read: "Walking in the remote night pavilion, after the Qingming Dynasty, I gradually felt hurt in the spring twilight; A few rains and winds are coming, and the hazy moon clouds come and go.

Peach and plum are in the spring darkness, who is on the swing, laughing softly. There are thousands of hearts, and there is no place in the world. ”

Listening to the voice was Lu Xuan, who was reading Li Houzhu's "Butterfly Love Flower".

The voice was poignant, especially the sentence "every arrangement in the world" made people's hearts tighten.

Second Master Lu didn't care about the pain in his feet, and hurriedly looked for a voice: "Xuan'er, Xuan'er, is it you?" ”

No one answered, but seeing a bare grape trellis, Lu Xuan was looking up at the sky, looking at the already dark sky with dementia, and the saliva at the corner of his mouth dragged out a long strip.

"Xuan'er, what's wrong with you, why are you like this?" Second Master Lu felt a lot of pain in his heart, and couldn't help but grab his arm and keep shaking it.

Lu Xuan was eating and laughing, and began to read again: "When I heard that the world's talkers gathered, I don't need to seal the marquis of ten thousand households, I just wish to know Lu Hangzhou...... Eat, good article. When it comes to writing articles, I'm not as good as Wu Jie. But his things are so well written, it's hard to look at, and I can't help but imitate them, copy them, and sigh at them...... With this person's poetry and articles, no one else needs to do it. God is not fair, since he gave birth to a Lu Xuan, why did he give birth to a Wu Jie......"

"Xuan'er, Xuan'er."

"Okay now, Wu Jiezhong is raised, and he is about to spread his wings and fly high, but I still have to be confined to the small world of the Lu family, even if I want to compete with him, I don't have a chance. Do I have to lose to him in my life, I'm not convinced, I'm really unconvinced! ”

"Okay now, I'm off the list, even Lu Chang, a fool, has been hit, and I'm really the laughing stock of the world."

"Lin Tingchen, Lin Tingchen, you white-eyed wolf, are you also laughing at me?"

Seeing that his son was really stupid, Second Master Lu's eyes were hot, and he looked at his son solemnly: "Xuan'er, you can rest assured." Even if you don't get promoted, Dad has to find a good official position for you, you wait. ”

As soon as he gritted his teeth, he let go of Lu Xuan's hand and strode towards Uncle Lu's courtyard.

Lu Yi, the uncle of the Lu family, was freshening up, and when he saw the second brother coming, he was stunned for a moment, and said with a smile: "Second brother, why haven't you changed your clothes yet, there are two happy events today." One is that the scholars in the school come to thank you and me, and the other is that Lu Chang, the kid, takes a concubine. Two good things come together, and it's just so lively. ”

Second Master Lu didn't answer, sat on the chair and took off his boots, but saw that the ankle of his left foot was swollen like an egg.

The maid in Master Lu's room was frightened, and hurriedly brought the medicine and wine, but he waved his hand and drove out of the house.

Master Lu: "Second brother, what's wrong?" ”

Second Master Lu: "Brother, can you and I go to my father's place again to see if we can ask for an official position for Xuan'er, this matter cannot be delayed." Xuan'er, it seems that something is wrong. ”

"What's wrong with Xuan'er?" Master Lu was taken aback and hurriedly asked.

Second Master Lu hurriedly told the eldest brother about the scene he saw on the road just now.

Master Lu was shocked: "In this way, I really can't think of a way, let him be an official, so as not to think too much and think of himself as a demon." However, those two official positions are both appointed officials, and it is obviously inappropriate to let Xuan'er do it. The old lady had been sober for a while, and it had already been arranged. The position of the temple of Yuanma Temple was given to Lin Tingchen, and after he married Shuang'er. Jiangsu and Zhejiang read the salt envoy and the judge gave Chang'er. Other official positions are not suitable, and there is no good place to go. ”

Second Master Lu looked depressed: "My brother is in charge of Nanya, is there really no way?" ”

Master Lu frowned, took a sip of a cup of tea, walked around the room again, and suddenly said, "But there is a good place that is just right for Xuan'er, but this matter still needs the nod of my father." ”

Second Master Lu: "What official position?" ”

"It's not big, an official of the eighth grade, and the deputy of the Ministry of Industry is just vacant. It is precisely because the official is not big, but it is easy to arrange, and the officials can go to the old lady to send a letter to the past. ”

"One from the eighth grade ......" Lu Er was a little disappointed.

Master Lu smiled: "Second brother, do you know why this position has been vacant and not filled?" ”

"Why?"

"Because no one wants to go, there is a master over there who is not a good waiter." Master Lu smiled: "The Ministry of Industry Camp is now repairing the Yuxi Palace in Xiyuan. ”

"Ahh Second Master Lu opened his mouth wide, what the three words of Yuxi Palace represented, no one knew better than him, it was the residence of Grandpa Banzai.

Master Lu continued: "This maintenance project has been contracted to two very difficult characters, and the deputy of the Ministry of Industry last time was because he offended these two masters, and now he is still in prison and can't get out." ”

"Where is the sacredness of the contracted project?"

Master Lu said: "These two people are father and son, the father's name is Li Wei, the son's name is Li Li, the second brother, you have heard of these two people." Nowadays, these two masters are very popular in the capital, and they can be said to be feared by everyone. ”

"Li Wei and Li Li, I haven't heard of the two of them."

"That's right, you haven't heard of their names a few years ago, that's because these two people are still restrained and don't dare to mess around." Master Lu smiled and touched his chin: "However, recently, Li Wei's daughter was pregnant, and she indulged without restraint." ”

"It's a little surprising that a daughter is in charge of her father and brother."

"I'm not surprised!" Master Lu said: "This Li Wei's daughter is amazing, it is the current Concubine Li of Yuwangfu." ”

"Ah, it's them. This is the future uncle and uncle! "Second Master Lu seems to understand something.

Master Lu said: "Xuan'er is outstandingly talented, if he can be the deputy of this institute and make good friends with Li Wei's father and son, it will be of great benefit to his future and our Lu family in the future." Also, Yuwangfu already owes our Lu family a favor, Xuan'er goes to be this official, presumably the Li family's father and son will also take care of him. ”

"Good!" Second Master Lu excitedly put his hand on his forehead: "That's good, that's good, I'll go and ask Daddy." ”

"Don't, your feet, rest here with me first, Daddy will let me talk about it." Master Lu stretched out his hand and held him down: "Wait a minute, I have to attend the banquet!" ”

After waiting here for a long time, and after changing his clothes, Master Lu came back: "Second brother, the matter has been done, and the old lady agreed." ”

Second Master Lu hurriedly stood up: "Thank you, big brother." ”

"You, you're just too spoiled. Our Lu family loves children, not only you, but even the old lady is also drowning on Chang'er and Shuang'er, and they are used to them. Master Lu smiled bitterly and shook his head.

As soon as Lu Shuang was mentioned, Lu Er's face changed: "This disgusting thing that corrupts the door style, when I see Wu Jie later, I will definitely take down this disciple." ”

(To be continued)