Sunday, February 23, 1642.

On the civilian wharf in the western part of Long Island, a short-shirt-class clipper ship that has been refitted to receive migrants from Nanshan overseas to the capital Manchester City has docked. The immigration management system that has been implemented for more than 20 years has allowed this group of Ming immigrants who have passed the second health quarantine as early as Nanshan Port to enter the immigration management area of the port smoothly.

A young scholar dressed as a scholar walked out of the cabin deck with a servant, looking a little tired because of the long sea trip, even considering Sven's etiquette, he couldn't help but stretch his waist.

There were constantly Ming immigrants disembarking one after another, but the young scholars, who were obviously much more well-dressed, obviously did not plan to go ashore together among these people, but stood by the boat and looked at the bustling and unfamiliar town scenery in front of them.

The multi-storey buildings with upright shapes and bright windows, geometrically symmetrical block gardens or green belts, the wide and regular black-gray streets with snow-white lines, the colorful shops and shops along the streets, the flow of people in different clothes, and the urban public transportation railcars drawn by heavy pack horses shuttle by......

The young scholar watched for several minutes, his face maintaining some disdain, but his eyes showed an unconcealable surprise and admiration, and the servant behind him was already stunned at this time.

“…… Compared with the cities along the way, the streets of this place are more prosperous, and the side branches are also a little eastern, and this former state of the remnants of the sea is still a bit imposing, and it is worthy of being a gorgeous Jingyi place. But everywhere is bright and flashy, extravagant whitewashing, the Chinese people are mixed and indistinguishable, what is the difference between the strange costumes and Taixi Fanyi, and the desolation of the sages and saints can be seen......" The young scholar muttered his final evaluation to himself, not noticing that only himself and the servants were left on the deck of the ship at this time.

"Is it Mr. Cao Xiulin?"

A young Chinese man wearing a badge from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs boarded the boat. He politely stretched out his hand to the scholar who was watching the cityscape.

"Yes, this official is Cao Xiulin, the head of the shogunate of the Ming Dynasty."

The Ming scholar glanced at the other party's hand stretched out in front of him, and was slightly stunned. Thinking that he wanted to check his identity, he tidied up his shirt and bowed his hand, then took out a letter from his sleeve and handed it to the other party's outstretched hand without humility or arrogance.

"This official has a large staff Xuanwei Department and a large official Yan Sicheng Yan personally issued a large staff through the sea road customs guide plate (passport), and there is a Guibang Nanshan official office to stamp the entry seal, you can verify it." Cao Xiulin's body stood straight, and the arrogance of the Ming literati was inadvertently revealed.

"Hehe, Mr. Cao has worked hard all the way. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has received the information in advance. So I was sent to arrange Mr. Cao's accommodation in the embassy area. ”

The Chinese staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who immigrated to Huamei as a child, withdrew their hands awkwardly at this time, and did not care about the difference in etiquette between the other party and the mainland of Huamei, but very politely pointed to the southern district of Manchester on the north shore of the harbor.

"You don't have to be polite, this official was ordered by Lord Yan to visit the eldest son, and he should first meet the seventh lady and the young lady. Please also lead the way. ”

The eldest son in Cao Xiulin's mouth refers to Yan Xianfeng, the eldest son of Yan Sihai. And the Seventh Lady and the Young Lady. It refers to the seventh aunt who settled in Huamei immigrants to take care of the children of the Yan family and Yan Xianping, who married into Huamei.

After speaking, Cao Xiulin lifted his shirt and walked towards the boat ladder with his body straight.

……

Two months earlier, Yan Qigu and Yan Xianping received news through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that an official had been sent from the homeland of the senior officials to express their condolences on behalf of the senior officials and that Yan Sihai and Yan Sihai, who knew the same knowledge, had come to visit the children of their relatives in the United States.

Yan Sihai and Yan Sicheng's concern for the confidants and families of their relatives in the United States. Naturally, Qigu and Yan Xianping were very happy. The former cleaned up the Manchester City Yan Mansion early, while the latter temporarily ended the training of recruits in the Caribbean and took leave to return to Manchester City to wait.

In order to show respect for the envoys sent by the homeland, several firecrackers were set off in front of the Yan Mansion in the southern district of Manchester City. It attracted the attention of the residents of the surrounding community. When a carriage stopped in front of the Yan Mansion, a temporary guest guest of the Yan Mansion hurriedly greeted him.

Cao Xiulin, who had already changed into a Ming official uniform, stepped out of the carriage in high spirits, first politely arched his hand to the gorgeous citizens watching around, and then walked into the door with dignity under the guidance of the master of ceremonies of the Yan Mansion.

"Interesting...... It's been 20 years, and you can still see the officials of the Ming Dynasty in Manchester City! One of the first batch of Chinese senior technicians who immigrated to Huamei looked at the back of the young Ming official who walked into the Yan Mansion in surprise, and lowered his voice to explain to the people who were watching the excitement around.

"Didn't the eldest lady of the Yan family come from Daming at the beginning, the head of the Yan family is a feudal official in Daming! You don't know, the eldest lady of the Yan family married here, but she is a relative! No matter who it is, if Daming and our China and the United States want to have a deep relationship, they must first visit the Yan Mansion here! Another Chinese citizen also said preconceivedly, while proudly giving a thumbs up to the Yan Mansion.

"Diplomats of the East? Looks young...... God willing, may it bring us good luck. A European-American citizen passing by muttered something incomprehensibly, which caused a burst of laughter.

……

"The lower officials comforted Cao Xiulin, the capital of the shogunate, and met the seventh lady and the young lady."

Although the Shogunate of the Shogunate was only a small local official of the Eighth Rank in the Ming Dynasty, Cao Xiulin also thought that he was a member of the Ming Dynasty, and he only bowed slightly to the two female figures of an old man and a young man sitting in the living room lobby, and raised his hand, even if he had completed the salute.

"Lord Cao has worked hard from afar, and Ping'er and I are also very happy to get the news, and we hope that people can arrive safely and safely! Quick, please take a seat! Ping'er, Lord Cao's coming this time shows that your fourth and eighth uncles still remember us very much! ”

The seventh aunt, who has been pampered in Huamei for many years, although she is over forty years old, is more graceful and wealthy than a few years ago, and at this time, she is smiling as the leader of the Yan family's Lumei clan branch, responsible for receiving the envoys sent by her cousin. It's been a long time since I've seen such a formal dress in the old country of the Ming Dynasty, and the seventh aunt actually said that her eyes were red.

"It's rude." Cao Xiulin walked to the side and sat down with great culture, then raised his head and began to formally look at the two women who had only heard of it before and who were quite important in the family of Dayuan Yan.

His eyes swept over the two women who were said to be the beautiful backers of the Yan family, and finally landed on Yan Xianping, who was side by side with the seventh aunt. Cao Xiulin couldn't help but cry out in surprise.

Yan Xianping has changed into a gorgeous winter fashion Han skirt, which is said to be a gorgeous Han skirt, which is essentially a modern style dress with a lot of oriental classical decorations.

In fact, the surprise caused by the dress did not make Cao Xiulin too shallow and gaffe, but the temperament of a naval officer with a straight chest and a head that the other party had cultivated for a long time did not have the graceful demeanor of the imaginary Yan family's eldest lady at all, but a kind of military momentum similar to Yan Sihai's, which was not angry and self-assured, which made Cao Xiulin feel a chill in his back for no reason.

What's more, Yan Xianping's appearance at this time was also the same as Cao Xiulin, showing a restless expression.

“…… Lord Cao had been traveling at sea for several months, so he went back to the foreign embassy to rest for a day. Tomorrow night, Yan Mansion will prepare a thin banquet, and invite adults to appreciate the light, and then the children of Yan Mansion will come to meet the adults. ”

As the half-painful greetings unfolded one after another, the seventh aunt seemed to see her niece's strange appearance, and thought that there was something abruptly hidden. Hurry up and end the meeting that has just begun.

"The lower official thanked the seventh lady and the young lady for their hospitality, and said goodbye first." Cao Xiulin lowered his head. Politely get up and give your hand. Then exited the living room.

"Ping'er, why did you look at Lord Cao just now?" Qigu touched the shoulder of her niece beside her, and her voice was very low and low.

"Seventh aunt, it sounds like this Lord Cao is not my fourth uncle's person, and he didn't come to visit me." Yan Xianping frowned beautifully. As if he was still thinking, "In and out of the words, I am quite interested in Brother Feng." ”

"That's true if you say so." The seventh aunt was also slightly stunned. Blinked his eyes a few times, as if he also felt a little taste.

……

The next day.

"Su Zining, Taiwan sent someone to visit the Yan Mansion in Manchester City, and Yan Qigu sent an invitation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday afternoon, saying that she invited the two of us to dinner tonight." After the National Assembly was adjourned, Yan Xiaosong grabbed Su Zining's arm at the door.

"Well, you know, the invitation was delivered to my house yesterday. is a matter of eight grades, saying that it is Yan Xianfeng, the eldest son who came to visit Yan Sihai, is not a big deal. Didn't you already arrange for someone to go to the reception before? I had a meeting after dinner and I didn't go. Su Zining sorted out his coat, a little absent-minded.

"I heard that Yan Xianfeng is now working as a trial clerk in the Qingcheng District Court of Haizhou...... Yan Sihai sent someone over at this time, I'm afraid it was for another purpose. Yan Xiaosong thought about it and felt that there were other meanings in it.

"There is a purpose and it is public, who would let his heir stay in someone else's house all the time, and make him feel like a hostage. A few years ago, Yan Sihai called people from Guò Pearl Island more than once to bring us a message, hoping that his son would return to Taiwan soon. I'm sorry for you to say hello tonight! Su Zining smiled, patted the other party's shoulder, turned around and walked out of the door.

At seven o'clock in the evening, the reception dinner held by Yan Mansion for Cao Xiulin started on time.

Under the tradition that clan relations and elder authority are still higher than Yiqiē, even though Sun Yang, the husband of niece Yan Xianping, is the chief of staff of the country's rear admiral, Qigu is still the leader of Huameiyan Mansion, and she is an absolutely unanimous figure internally, and many times, Qigu's opinion even Yan Xianping has to follow.

In order to avoid the inheritance contradictions within the family, Qigu and the side branch of the Yan family chose to naturalize Huamei ten years ago, and now the Yan Mansion can be regarded as a local Chinese tyrant family in Huamei. With the help of her niece's and son-in-law's family, Qigu and other Yan family side branches owned a large area of farms and orchards in Haixiang Township, Haizhou Vineyard Island, and also bought some private shops in the capital Manchester and Dongfu and Xianglin Towns in Haizhou. Every year, the income of various industries of Yan Mansion is also 20,000 US dollars, and the life of the old and young is naturally very nourishing, and it is easy for Qigu to buy a high-grade dinner.

In the spacious and bright banquet hall of the Yan Mansion, the servants shuttled non-stop, and a table full of various traditional or fashionable dishes was set up, and there were maids standing around to serve at any time.

Huamei forbade any family to keep domestic slaves in any form, so these maids were actually all domestic service contract workers signed between the Yan Mansion and the local labor company, and on the surface, they became a kind of servants to show the status of the family.

The people who participated in the dinner, in addition to the side branches of the Yan family, also specially invited Yan Xiaosong, Minister of Foreign Affairs of China and the United States, and Chang Kun, who is now in the high position of the mayor of Huamei Jersey City. The latter is now well-known and prestigious in the Chinese-American community. He will always have a polite and intimate attitude towards Yan Mansion.

It is said that Chang Kun has been looking for a family of in-laws for his eldest son, and after Gao Pan's attempt to cross many families, Zhou Ruo, the daughter of the seventh aunt, was naturally regarded by Chang Kun as the easiest target, so he often ran to Yan Mansion to make friends when he had nothing to do.

But today, Chang Kun is just a foil, and Yan Xiaosong is still the focus of everyone at the dinner. This big man, who has guided the Yan family step by step from twenty years ago to the present, is already a storage that the Yan family can never avoid and must deal with carefully, and for Chang Kun, it is like a compliment for food and clothing.

Unlike the children of the Yan family, who were called by the seventh aunt to take turns to toast, Cao Xiulin, who was sitting at the bottom of Yan Xiaosong. There was a little absent-mindedness from beginning to end, which made Yan Xiaosong and Yan Xianping a little confused.

"Lord Cao has just arrived in my country's Beijing Division, but is he adapting?" After a few polite words, probably because he felt that he should "make a difference", Chang Kun triumphantly picked up his wine glass and got up. Gestured to Cao Xiulin on the opposite side.

"The city is magnificent, and the Chinese people have the style of the former Song Dynasty. It lives up to its name...... In the next generation, Yan Xuanxuan comforted the adults and the adults who knew the same knowledge, and respected the adults and the adults of Chang for a cup. After a few polite pleasantries. Cao Xiulin also gradually adapted to the atmosphere, and had to get up and bow to the two gorgeous officials whose status was far higher than his own by more than one or two.

"That's natural, our Chinese and American dynasties uphold the orthodoxy of the Zhou system, the republican rule, and accommodate all rivers. Standing proudly in the West Sea. Now the wind and rain are smooth, the national prestige is strong, and all the people are respectful! Chang Kun shook his head habitually, taking a bite of what happened to China and the United States. Hearing this, the young children of the Yan family, who had moved to Huamei for many years, were all smiling.

"Hehe, my Ming Dynasty inherited the mandate of heaven, the Holy Son of Heaven ruled the four seas, and Dingding Shenzhou has been for nearly three hundred years, and it is the respect of the mother country of all nations." Although Cao Xiulin was smiling on his face, there was already a faint anger in his eyes.

"Mr. Cao, don't be restrained, today is a family banquet in the Yan Mansion, and Mayor Chang and I are just guests, and we don't have any official status." Yan Xiaosong glanced at the other party, who was wearing a high-sounding Ming eight-grade official uniform, and smiled secretly in his heart, but he was still very polite on the surface.

"I was entrusted by Lord Tongzhi to visit the eldest prince this time, why haven't I seen it?" Cao Xiulin looked around at the people present, said unhurriedly, and deliberately smiled and raised his hand to Qigu and Yan Xianping to salute.

"Brother Feng is working as a trial clerk in the Qingcheng District Court of Haizhou, even if he receives the news and asks for leave, it will take some time." Yan Xianping suddenly felt that the messenger sent by his hometown was speaking strangely, and he couldn't help but feel secretly disgusted in his heart.

"Since this is the case, then the lower official is waiting for the eldest prince here. The journey is tiring, Cao is not strong enough to drink, so today is the case for the time being, and he is guilty......"

After speaking, Cao Xiulin got up quite unexpectedly, bowed his hand to the people present, and turned around and left. His move immediately made the other Yan family members at the banquet look at each other, and they were all a little worried that this would offend Yan Xiaosong, who was difficult to get a trip to the Yan Mansion.

Yan Xiaosong had an expression that probably sensed the other party's temper, smiled disapprehantly, and turned to talk to Yan Xianping about Sun Yang.

……

The guests all left one after another, and the Yan Mansion regained its calm. Under the electric light, Yan Xianping walked around the study with a frown, very dissatisfied with Cao Xiulin's words and attitude an hour ago.

"How could the fourth uncle send such a person! There's nothing serious about it, and Chang Kun's sycophants are raising the bar. Yan Xianping stopped and looked back at Qigu, his expression very displeased.

"It should be a person who has only defected to your eighth uncle not long ago, and he has become an official in the big man because of the way your eighth uncle tried his best to recommend scholars. It is not surprising that some Ming scholars have a dead temper. Qigu thought for a while and said her judgment, "However, you are still careful, this Lord Cao is entrusted by Lord Tongzhi one by one, and he doesn't mention Sihai for half a word, is it because there is something wrong with the master?" ”

"Could it be that the fourth uncle and the eighth uncle are not in harmony......"

Yan Xianping fell into contemplation again, remembering the eighth uncle Yan Sicheng, who was only a few years older than him. In my impression, Yan Sicheng was the elder who doted on him the most when he was a child, and he was also Yan Sihai's younger brother, and he was the only scholar among a bunch of reckless men in the Yan family.

"The eldest has been strong in recent years, your fourth uncle is in his prime, and with the assistance of your eighth uncle, he is counting on being able to take good care of the Yan family's hard-won family business over the years......" The seventh aunt sighed, feeling a little glad that she chose to lead part of the Yan family's side branches to settle in Huamei, "The family is big, and it is inevitable that some people will be red." I heard that those children who are famous and Xianlin are not successful. Your seventh grandfather is already old, and he can't take much care of the big things in the clan. In order to take care of the relationship between Huamei and the big people, I didn't come to Manchester City to retire, and I lived on Pearl Island for most of the day, which made me feel very uncomfortable all the time...... I've figured it out these days, if Feng'er doesn't return to your fourth uncle, it will give others a chance to take advantage of......"

"They dare!" Hearing this, Yan Xianping raised his eyebrows on the spot, and slapped it on the desk with one hand, "Daddy personally handed over the senior member to the fourth uncle, fourteen years ago, when the Ming Dynasty and Zheng Zhilong were eyeing each other, those people in the clan were eager to change their names and surnames, if it weren't for my husband and the Chinese Navy traveling a long distance, how could they have a peaceful birthday today?!" ”

"You, you, the mother of three children, are still so anxious...... I'm just guessing, I can't take it seriously. When the wind comes back in a few days, let them see each other. Seeing that her niece's temper was coming again, the seventh aunt hurriedly pulled the other party's arm to soothe, "If you don't worry, why don't we send a telegram to Pearl Island first and let your seventh grandfather inquire?" ”

"Well, just do what the seventh aunt says!" Yan Xianping thought about it, things can only be like this, and he also calmed down the feelings a little. (To be continued......)