On the afternoon of the 23rd of the eighth month of the leap month, Zhang Yuan went to the west of Zhang to ask the eldest brother Zhang Dai to go to the banquet of Wang Binglin, but saw the third brother Zhang Cao standing in front of the door under the white skin Panasonic and Lu Yungu politely conceded, last night Zhang Dai brothers of West Zhang came to Dongzhang to drink, Zhang Cao did not come, Zhang Yuan wondered, Zhang Cao loves to join in the fun, how can he not come to the banquet, is he inferior, now I know that it is Zhang Cao's four-month-old son who is sick and has a high fever, Shaoxing famous doctors are the best at pediatrics, Zhang Cao used to be a little bad with Lu Yungu, When I met Lu Yungu on the road, I rolled my eyes and ignored it, and now for the sake of my son, I have to put down my shelf-watching Lu Yungu and the boy who carried the medicine basket walk away, Zhang Cao said: "Today, Fang knows the spirit of being a doctor, and there is really a time to ask him." ”

Zhang Yuan said with a smile: "Only with good medical skills can you be vigorous, otherwise you will be beaten." ”

Zhang Cao laughed and said: "There is a joke that a doctor healed a bad person, was bound by his family, escaped in the middle of the night, and went to the water to return. Seeing his son Fang reading "Pulse Jue", he shook his head and said: 'My son can slow down his reading of medical books, or it is important to learn to swim', I wonder if Lu Yungu's son has learned to swim? Suddenly woke up to Lu Yungu was treating his son, this joke couldn't be told, so he asked Zhang Yuan what was going on, and learned that he was going to Wang Siren's house to drink, and he didn't care whether Wang Binglin invited him or not, and said: "Then I'll go too, my rebel son howled and cried last night, if it wasn't for my son who had already been killed, go, go, drink together." "Let Fu'er go in and report it.

Zhang Dai came out with the healthy servant Feng Hu, the three brothers and Wuling, Laifu, Nengzhu, Feng Hu four servants together in the direction of Yuewang Bridge, Laifu carried a burden of Zhang Yuan's thanksgiving gift, along the way the people saw Zhang Yuan are smiling faces and called each other "Xie Yuanlang", Zhang Yuan also did not hesitate to be polite - Zhang Dai smiled: "Jiezi, you really make me jealous, originally I was nineteen years old in the middle of the move is a very interesting thing, now let you this eighteen-year-old Xie Yuanlang go down, it is not as good as the original student scenery." ”

Zhang Cao laughed: "He Shengyu is Liang." ”

Zhang Yuan smiled: "Then what should I do, if I don't know the spring of the year, I will give the champion to the eldest brother." ”

Zhang Dai laughed.

From the West Zhang Zhuangyuan to the Yue Wangfu three miles of more than three miles, and then two miles past is the Xinghua Temple, in front of the Xinghua Temple is to meet Uncle Yao Jian, Uncle Yao Jian also came to Wang Binglin's famous banquet, said to the three brothers of the Zhang family: "At the end of the time, the feast has not yet begun, I will take you to meet a person, just behind this Xinghua Temple——"

Zhang Cao said: "Beautiful nun? ”

Uncle Yao Jian said with a smile: "Zhuji genius Chen Hongshou, the character Zhanghou, the son of Zongzi should have heard of it." ”

Zhang Daixi said: "Painting idiot Chen Zhanghou, the master apprentice of the famous Lantian Uncle in Hangzhou, I have seen the leaves of the Water Margin characters painted by Chen Zhanghou, which is wonderful, and Ni Yuanlu admires it - how can Chen Zhanghou be in Xinghua Temple?" ”

Uncle Yao Jian said: "His mother died of illness in February this year, his brother and he fought for land, Chen Zhanghou simply gave all the family property to his brother, and moved from Zhuji to Huiji with his new wife to settle down. ”

Zhang Yuanxin said: "Isn't Chen Hongshou Chen Laolian, known as the Ming Dynasty for three hundred years, there is no such brush and ink, and the figure painting is a must, well, go and see it." ”

Laifu four people waited in front of the temple gate, the three brothers of the Zhang family followed Uncle Yao Jian around to the back of Xinghua Temple, and saw several houses near the river, surrounded by a one-person high fence wall, small buckle firewood, then an old servant came to answer the door, saw that it was Uncle Yao Jian, then opened the door and let them in, and said: "My son is painting." ”

Zhang Yuan followed Uncle Yao Jian to Chen Hongshou's study, and saw a young Confucian student in a white crown and white robe concentrating on painting, this Confucian was about eighteen or nine years old, and he didn't raise his head, but said, "Please take a seat." "Paint on your own.

Of course, this Confucian is Chen Hongshou, Zhang Yuan and a few people stood on the side to watch him paint, the painting should be a Taoist immortal, the goddess scattered red, the feather coat is gorgeous, Chen Hongshou pen very fast, must draw the face of a character in a moment, and straighten up and look carefully, and then put the pen like the wind - the sunset fell outside the White Horse Mountain, the light in the study suddenly dimmed, Chen Hongshou still concentrated on painting, only lowered his head a little, and then a maid came in to light the lamp, Zhang Yuan gently pulled the sleeve of the eldest brother, and Yao Jianshu and Zhang Cao withdrew together.

When he went out of the fence, Zhang Cao praised: "Sure enough, the painting is good, the characters are vivid and spiritual, and the pen is wanton." Zhang Cao's father Zhang Baosheng is a famous painter of calligraphy and painting, although Zhang Cao does not learn and has no skills, but since childhood, his appreciation ability will not be low.

Zhang Yuan suddenly remembered that Chen Laolian was still a master of printmaking, and said: "I don't know if I can ask Chen Zhanghou to draw illustrations for the books of our Hanshe Bookstore, Feng Menglong's "Yu Shi Mingyan" is reprinted, and forty illustrations are needed. ”

Zhang Dai said: "We'll come to him again when the feast is over." ”

Wang Siren was full of guests in front of the house, from the entrance hall to the hall set up a total of more than 30 seats, Wang Binglin was circling around, entertaining in all directions, seeing Zhang Yuan and the four people, a little greeting, and said: "Jiezi, why did you come at this time, you follow me to sit inside." "Arrange Zhang Dai, Zhang Cao, Uncle Yao Jian and Zhou Menong to have a seat, Zhang Yuan followed him into the inner courtyard - Zhang Yuan asked Laifu to carry the gift to go in with him, and came to the small courtyard on the west side of the inner courtyard, three years ago Zhang Yuan lived here when he learned Bagu Wen from Wang Siren, which can be called the West Wing Courtyard, and the Moon Cave Gate is where Mrs. Wang and Sister Jingshu, Sister Yingzi and other female dependents live, there are six seats here, all of them are Wang clansmen and relatives, Wang Binglin let Zhang Yuan and his three wives and brothers sit together, Zhang Yuan said: "Senior brother, Teacher Wang is far away in Yuanzhou, My brother can't thank Shien in person, and wants to kowtow to my mother, I don't know if it's okay? ”

Last year, Zhang Yuan, a student of the supplementary school, also went to Mr. Wang's house to kowtow to his wife-Wang Binglin said: "I'll ask first." Called a little maid over, gave a few instructions, the little maid went, and after a while trotted back and said: "Mrs. said no, Mrs. Zhang's mind Mrs. knows, please ask the eldest young master to entertain Zhang Gongzi." ”

Wang Binglin smiled and said to Zhang Yuan: "There are many guests today, and my mother will accompany the clan daughters over there." ”

Zhang Yuan knew that Mrs. Wang was quite dissatisfied with him, and Senior Sister Yingzi was eighteen years old and had not yet married, so he was delayed, so he nodded and said: "Senior brother will go to greet the guests, don't worry about me, by the way, senior brother, my township trial production art is placed in those gift boxes." ”

Wang Binglin said: "Then I'll take it in first." He asked his three wives and brothers to accompany Zhang Yuan to have a few more drinks, and then went.

Wang Binglin's two brothers-in-law and one brother-in-law are very good at drinking, and they admire Zhang Yuan very much, and the three brothers take turns to toast Zhang Yuan, and the wine at the banquet today is Jinpanlu wine in Jinhua Mansion, which is stronger than Shaoxing wine, Zhang Yuan does not dare to drink more, but it is not the enthusiasm of Wang Binglin's three wives and brothers, and each of them drank a glass, and then said: "Three brothers, the younger brother really can't drink, and he will be disappointed when he vomits." ”

There was a plate of fried anchovies on the feast, cooked very deliciously, Zhang Yuan couldn't help but think of the scene when the Hou County Commander invited Mr. Wang to dine at the county government that year, when he was at the same table with the younger sister of the infant Zi, the younger sister was dressed as a beautiful young scholar, the younger sister liked to eat anchovies, and the two anchovies on the plate were eaten by her alone-"Zhang Gongzi——"

A little maid walked over quietly, gently tugged at the sleeve of her original coat, and walked away.

Zhang Yuan drank the residual wine in the cup, sandwiched a piece of anchovy into his mouth, and then got up and said: "The three benevolent brothers, they are not strong enough to drink, and they are out of company, and they are out of company." ”

Out of the small courtyard of the West Chamber, Zhang Yuan saw the little maid standing under the courtyard wall and waiting for a few wild geese to come to the red side, and when he approached, the little maid immediately said: "Zhang Gongzi, my second lady wants to see you, please come here." Led Zhang Yuan around to the back of the small courtyard in the West Chamber, where there was a small door, and the back garden was on the side of the small door - the little maid said: "Zhang Gongzi, please wait a moment, my second lady will come soon." With that, he half-closed the door and walked quickly.

There are no lights, there is no moon in the sky, only a few cold stars are blinking, the back garden is dim, the faint light from the half-hidden door can not sweep away the heavy night, Zhang Yuan can not see anything, but can smell the fragrance of flowers and trees and the fishy smell of the earth, this situation, Zhang Yuan is most familiar with the novels and operas of the Ming and Qing dynasties, and the back garden is privately engaged for life, but unfortunately he is not an unmarried scholar, "The Legend of the West Chamber" and "Pearl Tower" are plausible - since the last time in the dark corner of the garden Mu His Excellency hugging and kissing, Zhang Yuan can no longer deceive himself and face up to his relationship with Senior Sister Yingzi, Senior Sister Yingzi can't marry someone else, only he can marry, but the problem of status is a mountain between the two, Senior Sister Jingshu's words are still in her ears: "Zhang Jiezi, you can't think about a dignified man?" Do you really want my sister to be haggard for you for the rest of your life? ”

Zhang Yuan stood still for a long time by the line of light that came out of the crack in the door, like a stone statue, for a long time, the footsteps were broken, the little maid came back, and said anxiously: "Zhang Gongzi, my second lady doesn't know where to go, and the maid can't find her——"

Zhang Yuan said: "It doesn't matter, you go back, I'll stay here for a while, this garden flowers are very fragrant." ”

The little maid said: "Then the maid will look for it again, don't worry, Zhang Gongzi." ”

Zhang Yuan said: "Don't ask people everywhere." ”

The little maid said, "The maid knows." Turning to leave, he suddenly heard a laugh from someone in the depths of the flowers and trees in the garden, and then said, "Apple, I'm here." ”

Zhang Yuan and the little maid Qingping were taken aback, and they were both taken aback, and they quickly recognized that this was Wang Yingzi's voice, and Qingping shouted: "Second Miss——"

Wang Yingzi walked to the faint light, in a goose-yellow dress, holding a book in her hand, her eyes were big, and she said with a smile: "Qingping, you go out, it's okay." ”

The little maid Qingping said "oh", looked at Zhang Yuan, and then looked at the second lady, went out of the back garden, covered the small door, and the first line of lights cut off, and the back garden was suddenly dark-"Senior brother." ”

Wang Yingzi approached, there was a faint body fragrance, a soft hand reached into Zhang Yuan's palm, Zhang Yuan held it, and said with a chuckle: "Scared me a lot, has my junior sister been watching from the side?" ”

Wang Yingzi said with a smile: "Let's see if the senior brother will be impatient and impatient." ”

Zhang Yuan said: "It's so dangerous, the gentleman is cautious." ”

In the dark, Wang Yingzi smiled crisply and asked, "Senior Brother Fang Cai stood here motionless, what were you thinking?" ”

Zhang Yuan said: "Senior sister is hiding in the dark and watching me stand here motionless, what does junior sister think?" ”

Wang Yingzi's voice lowered and said, "Senior brother is not happy, isn't he-"

Zhang Yuan said: "It's not unhappy, I'm just thinking about how to make my junior sister happy." ”

Wang Yingzi grinned, and her depressed mood immediately became cheerful, and said: "I'm not unhappy, I've always been happy, and I laughed for a long time after learning that my brother and senior brother Jie Zi were both in high school." The scroll in his hand gently touched Zhang Yuan's chest, "This is the township trial production art of senior brother, I read the first seven articles, senior brother is really well written, pure and elegant, impeccable." ”

Although it was a heavy emotion, Zhang Yuan couldn't help but feel relaxed and happy when he saw the smiling and smiling junior sister, and said with a smile: "Senior sister is better than me, fortunately, senior sister is a woman and can't go to the exam, otherwise my junior sister will take away my Xie Yuan." ”

Wang Yingzi smiled: "It's difficult, senior brother has only learned to enter the realm for thousands of miles, and I can't catch up." ”

Zhang Yuan said: "Aren't I still here?" ”

Wang Yingzi lost her voice, leaned over, squeezed Zhang Yuan, Zhang Yuan hugged her, as if she was avoiding the garden at dusk, and after a while, Wang Yingzi let out a long breath and chuckled: "It feels so good, Senior Brother's heart is pounding against me - Senior Brother, let's go over there and talk under the flower stand." After saying this, he smiled "sneering" and said softly: "My mother's sister has a sister to help me cover up my support - senior brother, do we look like cheating?" ”

Senior Sister Yingzi is really speechless, Zhang Yuan is speechless.

Wang Yingzi took Zhang Yuan's hand and walked through the dim flowers and trees in the back garden, Wang Yingzi said: "I can walk around this garden with my eyes closed." ”

After staying in the dark for a long time, Zhang Yuan can also distinguish things dimly, follow Wang Yingzi around a rockery, and see a flower shed, the flowers and leaves are withered, only the vine branches are left, there is a long wooden chair in the shed, sit on the wooden chair and look up, the sparse branches and dead leaves are dotted with bright stars, the stars of the autumn night, the deeper the night, the brighter - Wang Yingzi sat close to Zhang Yuan, pointed to the small lantern hanging on the side of the garden wall not far away, and said: "That is the lantern I brought when I came out just now, and I will take it to light the way later." ”

Zhang Yuan said: "No, I'll go back to the front yard later." ”

The two of them sat next to each other under the empty flower shed, and they didn't really want to hug and make love, Zhang Yuan was of course restrained, but Wang Yingzi felt that he could live very quickly if he could be so close to Senior Brother Jiezi, and the two of them talked for a long time, until a small maid appeared under the lantern on the garden wall over there and called "Second Miss, Second Miss, the feast is dispersed," and the two separated.

Wang Yingzi responded: "Wait a minute, I'll go back immediately." He took Zhang Yuan's hand and walked back to the small door over there, and said when he parted: "Senior brother, I wish you a smooth journey to Beijing, and you will have a successful spring next year, and you will have to show your ambitions in life." After a pause, he said, "I just talked so much to my senior brother, and my senior brother also understands my intentions." ”

The waning moon is like a hook, rising from the side of Xinghua Temple, sprinkling holy clear light, reflecting the eyebrows and eyes of Wang Yingzi, which is extremely moving.

(To be continued)