After this catastrophe, Liu Yong returned home, and after meeting with Xie Yuying, he explained the matter, and the two hugged and cried. After Liu Ming's maneuvering, Qinglou **zi finally agreed to let Xie Yuying redeem himself at a non-trivial price.

On the day of redemption, Xie Yuying was dressed in plain clothes, with a few clothes, and the sisters of the Qinglou hugged each other, dressed as a woman from a good family, and went with Liu Yong. The two rented a few tiled houses next to Liufu and lived a small life.

At this point, the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl finally met, and a good story began.

Half a month later, it will be the day of the release of the test list.

In the early morning of autumn in Fei County, the red glow is as brilliant as a brocade. The autumn breeze passes, and the grains are fragrant.

In front of the fork in the road leading to the official road in Fei County, there were two rows of people waiting on the side of the road, looking anxious.

Today is the release day, and the upper and lower levels of the Liufu are all moving. Some of them came to the official road to greet them, while others waited inside the house.

The official road greeted Steward Wu of Liufu.

In the distance, there was a long neighing of horses. Everyone was looking forward to it, but they saw the smoke and dust rolling on the road and the sound of horses' hooves.

In the flash of light, Liu Yuanzhi had already rushed to everyone on a horse.

"Sir!" Steward Wu hurriedly took the reins, and his eyes showed eagerness: "Master, what is the news on the list?" ”

This Liu Yuanzhi rode a horse to see the list in a hurry early in the morning.

Liu Yuanzhi had an ugly face, jumped off the horse, covered his hips and shouted: "Damn, what kind of horse is this, running so fast, Lao Tzu died all the way." If it weren't for Lao Tzu's attention, the buttocks would be scattered. ”

"I've worked hard, sir!" Steward Wu immediately laughed.

"Damn, serve the people!" Liu Yuanzhi remembered a sentence that his son usually said.

After a while, Steward Wu led Liu Yuanzhi back to the mansion.

Mrs. Liu and Liu Yong were waiting restlessly in the lobby. Seeing his second brother coming back, Liu Yong hurriedly asked:

"Second brother, how's it going?"

Everyone held their breath, everyone didn't sleep well all night last night, just waiting for Liu Yuanzhi to report the news, although the bags under their eyes were stacked and their spirits were depressed, they were all forcibly supported.

Liu Yuanzhi cleared his throat, looked at everyone, and said, "...... Pour me some tea! ”

Liu Yong couldn't cry or laugh, and immediately asked his subordinates to bring tea. Liu Yuanzhi saw that everyone was staring at him, and it didn't matter, he slowly skimmed off the floating dust with the tea lid, and looked calm, as if he was drinking kung fu tea.

Sipping one bite at a time, Liu Yuanzhi's sound of sucking tea made everyone feel so anxious to hear it. But there is no way, who made the family work so far to report the news.

It took Liu Yuanzhi a lot of effort to finish drinking a cup of tea, and Liu Yong said sarcastically: "Second brother, I usually swallow dates when I see you drinking tea, and I will govern it in one gulp." It's good now, at this critical juncture, I drank kung fu tea. I wonder if you want another drink? ”

Liu Yuanzhi raised his head: "Another cup, another cup." ”

Old lady Liu's face sank, and she knocked on her crutches and said, "Yuanzhi, so many people are waiting." Hugh is messing around. ”

"It's hard, Dad." Liu Yuanzhi sighed: "You ask the three changes, is the question of this exam difficult?" The men in front of the list burst into tears. ”

Liu Yong took the exam and saw the exam questions in person, so he had to say: "Compared with previous years, this year's questions are obscure and difficult to understand. However, according to Ming'er's talent, it should be possible to record a person qualification......" Liu Yong said, his voice getting softer and softer, and in the end he lost his confidence.

Mrs. Liu bowed her head and said: "If you can be shortlisted for the provincial examination, it will be extremely rare." ”

Mrs. Liu's tone has been set, and the rest of the family members will say a word to me. This is said to be normal for both good and bad performance in the exam. The other said that even if it is a lifter, it is not easy to get it, and tens of thousands of candidates in Qingzhou, a total of more than 20 lifters, can be regarded as a fight out of the encirclement.

It's just that at this time, Liu Yuanzhi's face became more and more gray, and he shouted: "You all want him to take a lifter, but ah, this kid is not angry......"

Hearing the words "no anger", Mrs. Liu's eyes darkened, and she forcibly held on to the seat and asked, "What's wrong?" ”

"This kid, you want him to take the test. But, he's just willful......" Liu Yuanzhi sighed, seeing that everyone was staring at him with pale and nervous faces, he suddenly raised his eyebrows and smiled, "Get you a good yuan, the first in the state." Tell me, are you angry? ”

At this time, there was a sudden chaos in the hall, and only Liu Yuanzhi was heard crying for his father and his mother.

"Daddy...... I was wrong, and I won't beat around the bush anymore. Don't whip me with your shoes! ”

"Third brother, third brother, don't stuff the stinky socks in my mouth, okay? I know that I am wrong, and it makes you fearful. ”

"Sister-in-law, don't stab me with a feather duster......"

At this time, Liu Ming was dressed up and participated in the Luming banquet specially designed for the new imperial examination. The deer song banquet began in the Tang Dynasty, and the song of "Deer Song" must be played first, and then the song of "Deer Song" must be read aloud to enliven the atmosphere and show the talent of a certain public. "Deer Song" was originally from a musical song in "The Book of Poetry Xiaoya", with a total of three chapters, and the first sentence of the three chapters is "Yo Yo Lu Woo, Apple of the Wild Food". "Yo Yo Deer Song, Eat the Song of the Wild".

Because "deer" and "lu" are homophonic, symbolizing promotion and wealth, it has this name.

At the Luming banquet, Liu Ming, as Xie Yuan, naturally led the way and won the glory of sitting with Wang Tong. At this time, Wang Tong and Liu Ming seemed to have nothing happening, and they were close to each other.

As for why Wang Tong took himself first, maybe it was his own article, maybe it was Ouyang Xiu's letter, maybe it was other reasons. Liu Ming didn't want to guess anymore. He calmly accepted the toasts and envious eyes of the new imperial examination people, talking about the scene, drinking fine wine, and admiring the bright moon.

Suddenly, the feelings of the people seemed to be closer, and by the power of alcohol, some cried, some laughed, all drunk, immersed in this night......

The Luming Banquet was held for three consecutive days, and Liu Ming was already calloused when he heard the compliments. After tossing for many days, he finally returned home under the escort of the post station soldiers.

In the house, it is full of guests, and congratulatory gifts are frequent.

The twenty counties in Qingzhou, once every three years, can be apportioned to each county, and there is only one qualification. This Xie Yuan, I don't know how many years it will take to get my turn.

After Liu Ming learned about the Yuan Dynasty, every household in Fei County, men, women and children, were all beaming, their faces were bright, and after tea and dinner, they discussed this Liu Ming.

When Liu Ming returned home this time, as usual, a bunch of guest squires surrounded him. He was already a little bored, and he missed Apricot in his heart. He wondered why he couldn't see the apricots. If it was usual, Xing'er would have come out, but today, she has reached an hour, and there is no trace of the other party.

He found Xiao Rou who was eating candy and hurriedly asked, "Hey, where are the apricots?" ”

Xiao Rou licked the lollipop and screamed: "Ah, Xiao Mingzi, why don't you salute when you see this palace?" ”

"Salute quickly, you." Xiao Rou stretched out her hand and patted Liu Ming's head, "Have you forgotten the rules in the palace?" ”

Liu Ming's face was black, and he had to bend down, and said embarrassedly: "Weichen see Niangniang......"

"Flat, let's talk about it, why bother the palace......" Xiao Rou croaked.

"Where's Apricot?" Liu Ming said eagerly.

"Oh, there is another high-ranking family in the state, who has come to propose marriage to Miss, and Miss is worried about this matter." Xiao Rou gestured.

Liu Ming frowned: "Why is there someone who wants to propose marriage?" No one wants the women in Qingzhou? Everyone is staring at our apricots. ”

"You don't know, our miss, there are a lot of people chasing after you now. Miss likes to write those very sour poems, love, love. The scholars liked it very much. Xiao Rou pretended to be cold.

An older maid next to him leaned over and said, "Young Master Ming, the person who proposed marriage this time, the Liu family in Lingdong, is a world friend with our master, and has opened more than a dozen restaurants in Qingzhou, and there are still people in the family who are officials. So...... The old man can't wipe this face......"

Liu Ming regretted a little in his heart, although his relationship with Xing'er was guessed by Yang Liwu, but for others, it still belonged to the feeling of holding the pipa and half-covering his face. After all, they are still distant cousins, and they have not officially made a marriage contract. Yang Liwu's divorce is known to the whole county. Therefore, it is not surprising that outsiders come to pick up leaks.

In the past, the relationship between brother and sister was a disguise, in order to put Yang Liwu. Unexpectedly, Yang Liwu didn't prevent it, but it caused a lot of trouble.

As he spoke, he heard a loud voice in the outer hall, "Lingdong Liu's family has arrived!" ”

The reputation of the Liu family in Lingdong, Liu Ming has also heard of it. The industry is indeed very large, and it also involves the business of some imperial merchants in the palace.

He was in the side room, looking out through the crack in the window.

I saw two middle-aged men with rich faces and gorgeous clothes, leading a thin and white young boy to the old lady Liu.

"Lingdong Liu Bi, please say hello to Liu Ye." One of the middle-aged men bowed. The shopkeeper Liu was also humble and polite, pointing to the young man on the side and saying, "Recently, I have been frequently disturbing the princess, and it is still the marriage of the dog." ”

Mrs. Liu leaned on crutches and responded: "Shopkeeper Liu, you and I haven't seen each other for many years......"

"yes...... Old lady, I have always wanted to visit you. I'm a son of a ......" Shopkeeper Liu pointed to the young man next to him, and said helplessly: "I don't know what kind of demon I have?" Be sure to marry your family's apricot. I told him, how can our Liu family climb the high branches of the Liu family? ”

Old lady Liu smiled slightly, and said calmly: "Little Young Master Liu, it is really difficult to be warm. It's just that...... The foundation of the family is thin, and the little girl is stubborn and willful, I am afraid that she is not worthy of the noble son. ”

Hearing this, Liu Ming breathed a sigh of relief in the inner hall. Regarding Xing'er's feelings, he didn't say it to the old lady. However, the other party knows it.

Shopkeeper Liu frowned, and was slightly dissatisfied in his heart. He was naturally a kind word just now. His family's industry is much larger than that of the Liu family. 's own son is also a talented person and knowledgeable. Moreover, the family background has accumulated thousands of gold, and it is also quite famous in Qingzhou. Whether it is a beautiful lady or a small jasper, it is said that there are a lot of upside downs.

At such a price, to marry a distant niece of Liufu, that is to give Liufu face. Unexpectedly, the other party did not appreciate it.

Fortunately, Shopkeeper Liu has long known that this Liu family is difficult to bite, and he still has backup.

He turned sideways slightly, pointed to the tall middle-aged man next to him and said, "This is my cousin, who is the one who eats the imperial court......"

Old lady Liu bowed slightly: "Dare to ask what county you work in Qingzhou?"

Many wealthy families in Qingzhou have relatives working in the yamen, and it is not uncommon for them to even know the county.

The tall Zhongnan man, with a national character face and an official face, chuckled, but didn't answer.

Old lady Liu then asked, "Could it be that she is serving in the state capital?" ”

"No, no." Shopkeeper Liu shook his head, and then introduced with a smug face: "It's not in the state capital, it's in Bianjing." This cousin of mine is a member of the Ministry of Rites in Beijing......"