In front of Zeng's house outside the West City Gate, the two little servants hurriedly dismounted, and they didn't care about talking to the gatehouse, so they rushed into the courtyard panting and panting, and shouted loudly: "Great joy, great joy, madam, second young grandmother, eighth miss, great joy." ”

When the second entered the courtyard, Zhu was stunned, stood up hurriedly, and asked the second daughter-in-law Chao Wenrou and Banniang, who were guarding on both sides, "But did you hear the good news?" ”

"Yes, mother, my daughter heard it too."

Banniang rushed out of the door while responding to Zhu's questioning, and saw the second brother's little servant running in front of him with a red face.

"Miss Eight, I'm hit."

"Who got it? Say it. ”

The little guy couldn't take care of taking a breath first, and reported in one breath: "It's all hit, the second master, the fourth master, the fifth master, the ninth son, and the third master of the third room, as well as Juelang, several masters of our family, all of them." ”

"You mean, the second brother, the fourth brother, the fifth brother, the ninth brother, and Brother Zijing, Brother Zifu, Brother Zijian, and Jue'er, all hit?" Banniang confirmed one by one excitedly.

"Yes, yes." The little guy was busy answering.

Zhu's overjoyed voice came from behind him: "Really? ”

"Madam, this is a big thing, how dare the little one lie, it's the list that the little one went to see in person, not only the eight middle schools in our family, but also the sixth aunt. The second master sent the little one to the house to report the good news, just because he was worried that Mrs. and the second young grandmother and the eighth lady were in a hurry at home. I didn't dare to delay for a moment, but there were too many people in the city, so it was delayed until now. Our family also has to be prepared, and the people in the yamen who report the good news should arrive in a while. ”

Listening to what this little guy said in one breath, Chao Wenrou was like in a dream, and she wanted to cry and laugh.

"The sixth aunt was also hit?" When Zhu heard this, he thought that not only his son was hit, but his son-in-law was also hit, and he was overjoyed, and asked, "What about the seventh aunt?" ”

The little guy shook his head: "Seventh Aunt's ...... I didn't see the small one, maybe the small one saw the wrong eye. ”

Zhu was overjoyed, but he couldn't help but feel a little regretful, if it wasn't for the boss's illness and failure to refer to it, maybe he could go to high school this time. is the seventh aunt, who is also a rare talent, and he is only in his twenties, and he will have opportunities in the future, so it is a pity that compared to the peerless glory of the eight children and grandchildren in the family, it is nothing.

Not to mention Zhu and Chao Wenrou, even Banniang was stunned there.

When the current department began to make it clear that Ouyang Gong was the main examiner, Lu Qiqi once said that Ouyang Gong, as the leader of the literary world, hated the most in his life was the "Taixue style" that was a pile of words, obscure, and abandoned, and the reason why the officials used him as the main examiner was to eliminate the shortcomings of the literature, seek the innovation of poetry and literature, and take a group of truly talented scholars.

And Ouyang Gong will also take advantage of this opportunity to reverse the "Taixue style" that has been rampant for many years, this big exam, all strange and dangerous articles, will be abandoned, this has always insisted on the text for the Tao of the Zeng family, and even the country's real talent and learning, will be an excellent opportunity, not afraid of Zeng Zigu and others will not be successful.

It's just that Banniang thought about the second brother and a few people, but she expected the beginning and ending, but she really didn't expect it to be such a real HE ending.

"Reward, Banniang, give this child a big red seal." Zhu's face was full of can't hide it.

"This is still under the orders of my mother, and my daughter has prepared it in the morning." Hearing the joy of her mother's mother who had not seen her for many years, Banniang was also very happy. rewarded Xiao Si with a purse with gold naked, and hurriedly ordered people to carry out two baskets of copper coins for the people in the city who came with the good news team in the yamen. And the official who reads the good news is a small gold nude with another champion and first-class patterns.

Several elder brothers were all successful, and even the twenty-year-old Jue'er and the eighteen-year-old little ninth brother were also selected, one of the eight jinshi, one subject of all the middle school, it is more difficult than a family to be admitted to eight Tsinghua University and Peking University at once, and it was still in the same year, but I am afraid that the whole Song Kingdom will not be able to find a second one. What a glory is this?

While talking about the reward, a large number of maids and wives at home have poured in, and the little maids shouted high school all the way into the door, how could these maids not hear? It's another channel of joy.

Zhu asked Chao Wenrou to help her go to the front yard and put incense on the tablet on the incense tablet that had been undoubted, until this time, Zhu Fang shed tears.

A few years ago, Da Lang and Erlang participated in the Spring and Autumn two exams, but they did not win, and then they were delayed twice because of their filial piety, this time they changed Lord Ouyang as the main examiner, but they didn't think about it, except for Da Lang who missed the trip due to illness and failed to enter Beijing, the other sons and eldest grandson Jue Lang were all in one fell swoop, so how could she not be excited? If the old man is still here, how can he be happy?

Not to mention how the Zhu family is, Banniang still needs to ask the little brother and the ninth brother and Jue'er what is the ranking, you know, although it is a jinshi, the top three rankings are different, and the impact on the future career is also very great.

Before she could speak, the person from the yamen who reported the good news had already arrived.

When he received the good news, gave a reward, and sent away the eight or nine people who reported the good news, the second brother had led his brother home, but the eight niangs saw that the people were not together, and exclaimed: "Second brother, what about Brother Zijing, Jiulang and Jue'er?" ”

Zeng Zigu smiled bitterly: "Where else can I go?" Someone snatched it away. ”

Snatched?

Before Banniang woke up, Gorou was already laughing: "When someone's son-in-law went." ”

Banniang was embarrassed: "The ninth brother and Jue'er are just that, after all, they are teenagers in their teens and twenties, but Brother Zijing ...... "That's a family with a son who is three or four years old." If this was forced to become a relative, Lu Qiqi would have lost his sister-in-law for nothing, and he would have killed him angrily?

She happened to be laughing here, and sure enough, Cao Cao Cao arrived, Lu Qiqi walked in leisurely with square steps, and hugged his fists at Zeng Zigu and the others to congratulate: "A few brothers are very happy, and seventeen have come to beg for wine." ”

Seeing that his sister-in-law was not there, he couldn't help but wonder: "Why isn't Zijing here?" ”

Seeing Banniang's embarrassed face, Wulang's face was evil, Zeng Zigu's face was helpless, and Lu Qiqi felt bad: "That kid won't be?" ”

"Brother Seventeen is wise!" Banniang said sincerely.

How can this really be reasonable, the fathers and mothers of the Great Song Kingdom are really crazy, and the beautiful young man is just robbing, that kid is the father of a few years old, on Yushu Linfeng, even he is not as good, and there are people who will rob it? What kind of vision is this?

"No, his twenty-odd baby father also snatched it with that eyeless one, right?"

Catching a son-in-law under the list, isn't it the triennial unveiling day, which is more lively than being on the list? On this day, thousands of people are empty, and what they are looking at is not the list, but whether the future Jinshi masters who are on the list can become their sons-in-law!

Gorou gloated: "You're still worried about whether your sister-in-law will become someone else's son-in-law." ”

"Really caught? Just Zijing's kid? How old is the baby's father? "The grand occasion of catching a son-in-law under the list, Lu Qiqi has also happened a few times, but it can happen to his own family, which is still incredible.

"But no, don't be surprised, Master Lu, our Zijing is personable, and I still see that a new science and technology master in his fifties was robbed by someone."

This time, even Banniang didn't believe it, and someone in his fifties robbed him to be his son-in-law?

Shiro said on the side: "Don't believe it yet, I'll look at it too." Fortunately, we entered the teahouse early, and the little guy sent to see the list, Zijing and Jiulang still have the youthful temperament of Jue'er, and they can't bear to take a look, but there is no return? This is also the fast escape of our brothers, or they will not be able to come back. ”

Before the words fell, I heard someone laugh out loud, and everyone laughed back, but it was Chao Wenrou who was hiding her sleeves and laughing.

Shiro and the others were embarrassed to get up.

Chao Wenrou secretly glanced at the disheveled Zeng Zigu, on the day the list was released in the capital, the whole family of the daughter to be married in the capital went out to grab the son-in-law, she had also seen it, and it was also funny when she saw her husband's appearance.

Zeng Zigu was looked at by his little wife, Rao is always warm, and he was a little embarrassed.

"Let's all go into the house, my mother is waiting for you in the hall."

But he didn't worry about the three being tied up.

It was a question of whether the only sister would become the next cousin, but Lu Qiqi was anxious: "I said a few brothers, how about finding Zijing's kid?" ”

"What's the hurry? Where to find it this time? A few of them can come back safely, it's good, don't worry, Ming'er can keep it and come back safely. You still don't believe in your sister-in-law? ”

Lu Qiyi also smiled when he thought about it, although there are also those who were snatched home, and divorced their wives because the woman's conditions were too good, how could Zijing be such a person? Besides, most of those who divorced their wives were moved because they robbed his family, the women married too much, and their own families were poor.

The Zeng family is short of money? Not to mention the Zeng family, how can his Lu Seventeen's sister be comparable in terms of dowry, waiting for idlers, etc.?

Thinking about it like this, this benevolent brother calmed down.

The group went to the main hall of the front yard, Zhu sat on the top, several brothers stepped forward and gave a big salute, Zhu Xian had cried, at this time his eyes were red, he was gone, Zijing and Jiulang and Jue'er, and he also knew that the Great Song Dynasty was very good at catching his son-in-law, and it was not strange, only to the brothers standing in front of him: "This time, your brothers, and Jue'er are all high schools, and your mother is worthy of your father under Jiuquan, and so on, I have visited the same department, met the teacher, participated in the Qionglin banquet, and have a year's leave to return to my hometown and province, and then I can take office, and you will also go back to your hometown, Sacrifice to your ancestors and return to Beijing. The second daughter-in-law has not returned to her hometown until she married into our Zeng family, and she will go back this time. ”

"It's nature." Zeng Zigu responded.

Because Zeng Ziye was unable to refer to it this time, although he was a fellow subject and eight jinshi, the world had not heard of it, and Zhu felt a little regretful in his heart. Thinking that Zeng Ye is also in his forties, he has stumbled to this point, but although he can't refer to it, his son is in high school, and he must be able to make up for that shortcoming.

How can the brothers of the Zeng family not know their mother's thoughts, only their own high school, it's not good to say much, Zeng Zigu comforted a few words, and Wulang smiled on the side: "Mother, although we are in it, we should be happy, only Zijing, Xiao Jiu and Jue'er still don't know where they are, why don't we send a few to find it first?" ”

At this point, the people in the room couldn't help but laugh.

Zhu thought for a while and said with a smile: "Where can I find these thousands of families?" Don't panic, there are such things in front of the list every year, we don't have to worry, if you get the evening, someone will always deliver a message or send someone to come. Zijing doesn't care, Xiao Jiu and Jue'er, if it is really the right person, our family can also consider it, and maybe it can also achieve a good story. High school jinshi, and can set a family affair, can you just be happy? ”

Only then did he talk about the ranking of several people, and when he asked, he was surprised, Zeng Zigu was not in a high ranking, only the second and eighth places, but the small nine, but he was the top two in the second class. Several other people are also outside the top two, although the ranking is not high, but it is not ranked outside the hundred, which is also excellent.

The Zeng family was overjoyed and busy. The next day, Nuan Niang also came to Zeng's house, because Lu Seventeen had to go to the Yamen Council, and sent Nuan Niang to inquire whether Zeng Zijing had returned safely.

A few years ago, Lu 17 and Nuan Niang got married, and Lord Cai was very satisfied with this son-in-law who was now highly valued by the official family because of his outstanding achievements in agricultural affairs.

Banniang has always been busy with business, and her brothers are preparing for the exam, so she has not been idle either, so she and Nuan Niang have not seen each other for a long time. Seeing Nuan Niang coming to the door, she brought Nuan Niang to see the Zhu family, and reported that Brother Zijing was sent back late at night. Although he can't achieve marriage, I heard that the Zeng family is an eight-jinshi, how can he not leave him to eat and drink? When he had finished eating and drinking, he sent his servants to bring him back.

Nuan Niang laughed when she heard this: "After you returned from your house, I chattered for half the night, saying that if my sister-in-law is shaken, I will definitely beat up your family's new master." ”

Banniang also laughed.

"I heard that Jiurou and your nephew Kakuro were also arrested, but now they can go home?"

"How can it be so easy?" Banniang smiled, "I'm still being detained, I only sent someone to speak, no, the second brother and the fourth brother, as well as the brother Zifu and the fifth brother, went to negotiate separately." My mother said, if people are really suitable, our family might as well watch it. ”

"Ouch, that's good, someone asked me to ask your Xiao Jiulang and Jue Lang a few days ago."

"I can't be the master of this, Jue'er's side, I always have to squeak with my sister-in-law and eldest brother, as for Xiao Jiu, this kid has the biggest idea, I think that this time the two families are also busy in vain. But if you really have a suitable one, you might as well help us look at it. ”

The two talked for a while, and Nuan Niang asked with a smile: "What did you say about the marriage with Di Jia Erlang?" In addition to serving, I was busy with several of your brothers participating in the Spring and Autumn Festival, and now that your brothers are all in the middle, it is time to be busy with your marriage. What month is it set? When my mother came to see me a few days ago, she asked. ”

Banniang was asked by her, but also blushed, last summer just in addition to the clothes, the Di family came to the door to discuss marriage, because it was a marriage given by the official family, all the ceremonies have passed, and now there is only the matter of marrying.

"It's in May. There weren't many days left. Banniang said simply, "It's you, I heard from Brother Seventeen that you were pregnant, and it was when you should take care of it at home, you are good, running around all over the world, without your mother-in-law to take care of you, you are too unorthodox." ”

Nuan Niang glanced at her: "In the past, you were my eighth sister, and you just trained me, but now I am your seventeenth sister-in-law, how can you talk to your sister-in-law like this?" ”

"Yo, sister-in-law, you're really not ashamed." Banniang scolded with a smile, and wanted to go up and tickle her again, but she was worried that she had just become pregnant and didn't dare to make too much trouble.

Thinking about Lu Qiqi and Nuan Niang, it is also something that Banniang has never thought of before. The fate of people is really strange.

For Liu Rushui, Banniang and Lu Seventeen have never mentioned it since then, as if such a person has never appeared in their lives.

Later, his father-in-law Cai Junmo probed Lu Seventeen's meaning, saying that he wanted to allow his own warm mother to him, Lu Seventeen had no deep impression of Nuan Niang, but he also went in and out of Cai's mansion many times, and knew that Nuan Niang was good friends with Ba Niang, and only vaguely remembered that it was an innocent and splendid little girl.

Banniang was still a little worried.

can see that after Lu Qiqi and Nuan Niang got married, Nuan Niang was still naïve, and she loved to smile more and more, and even her eyebrows were full of sweetness all day long, so she breathed a sigh of relief.

Because of the eight jinshi, the capital was in an uproar, and even the official family felt that it was a famous family of poetry and books in the autumn rain, so the brothers of the Zeng family had not yet entered the court as officials, and they had registered with the official family, Zeng Zigu and Ouyang Gong strongly recommended him, and he had a great talent in the past, and he was not worried about the future.

On the list this time, there are also the two brothers of the Su family. Speaking of which, because of Zeng Zigu, Su Zizhan lost the first place. Speaking of which, this matter is also related to Ouyang Gong.

Speaking of which, it was an oolong incident, which was very safe.

When Ouyang Meng's master was reading the papers, he saw Su Zizhan's article and felt that such an article could be written by his student Zeng Zigu except his own student, who else could write it? He was the chief examiner, so he avoided suspicion, so he ranked Su Zizhan's paper as the first and second.

But in fact, the amazing and brilliant strange article is not from Zeng Zigu, the ranking is to be determined, after opening the book, I know that it was originally the article of Comrade Su of the National People's Congress, so the future Su University Scholar, because of the self-humility of the examiner, has become a champion.

It's just that in the future, although the scholar of Su University lost the champion, after the news of this oolong incident, it was a literary talk. The limelight has overshadowed the champion of the department, but it has not affected his reputation as a world-class talent.

However, it was said that although Xiao Jiulang Zixuan and Zeng Jue's uncle and nephew were arrested in front of the list, they failed to achieve a good story in the end, because the daughters of the two families were really average, although the official media were sent to Zeng's house several times, only the Zhu family did not agree. In order to apologize, the Zeng family sent two very generous return gifts. The two families also felt that their daughters were not a good match regardless of their moral and talented family background, and because the Zeng family did not agree to get married, their attitude was very sincere, so they had to give up in the end.

After the Qionglin banquet and the thank-you banquet, I played with the fellow scholars for a few days, and said that they would return to their hometowns, but because the marriage of Banniang was imminent, the brothers simply finished the marriage of Banniang, and then returned to their hometowns to worship their ancestors.

At the end of May, Banniang Shili Red Makeup married to the Di family, and the brothers were busy with Banniang's marriage, so they returned south by waterway. This road Zeng Zigu has come and gone several times, with different circumstances and different moods, but this time it is a real return of glory, and he travels along the way and returns.

Xiao Jiulang is the youngest, but he is the highest-ranking pro-furnace handler, and he can't help but be proud of his youth, full of spirit, but when he mentioned that the eldest brother and the second brother returned from killing feathers, rumors spread in Nanfeng City, the limerick poem that satirized the two elder brothers who failed to go to high school, "There are two swallows between the eaves, a pair flies and a pair comes", as well as the bold words of Baniang's "Zeng family is full of scholars", I can't help laughing: "If the eighth sister is unmarried, come back with us this time, it should really make those people think about it, should they kneel in front of my Zeng's house to ask for guilt." ”

was said by Jiulang, everyone remembered the events of the year, and couldn't help but cry.

Zigu reprimanded: "Ninth brother, don't say it again in the future." ”

Jiulang stuck out his tongue: "I'm just joking, you are all brothers, and I only say such crazy things in front of my own brother." ”

At the end of the year's leave, every man's appointment came down.

At this time, Ouyang Gong rewarded the waiter of the Ministry of Rites for compiling the "Book of Tang", and was promoted to the deputy envoy of the privy council. Therefore, Ouyang Gong recommended Zeng Zigu, a new science and technology scholar, and Zeng Zigu was left in Beijing to serve and entered the History Museum to take up the post of editing books.

This official is not big, but it is an enviable position.

Although Zeng Zigu was not appointed as a proofreader because he was a new science scholar and his qualifications were too shallow, he was highly regarded by the emperors because the history museum was valued by successive emperors.

The so-called "choice of the pavilion of the national dynasty is handsome in the world, and once in this position, he becomes a celebrity." "And the museum in terms of official promotion, there are special beads to take care of, the Great Song Dynasty civil official transfer has different regulations on whether there is a background or not and whether to take a post, the high-level officials of the central government, mostly elected by the pavilion, famous ministers and virtuous ministers, out of the pavilion eight or nine out of ten, which means that Zeng Zigu's road to office, the starting point is high.

When they received the summons, all the Zeng family rejoiced.

As for the other brothers, some served as local judges or ministers to join the army, some served as general judges in the state government, and some served as county magistrates. For a while, except for Zeng Zigu who didn't need to pack his luggage because he stayed in Beijing, Zhu and Chao Wenrou were busy every day without touching the ground, packing up their luggage for Zifu Wulang and other brothers, and assigning accompanying servants.

Zhu was worried about the problem that a few brothers were away and no one took care of them, and Banniang smiled: "Why should my mother worry about this, but it is not a difficult matter, the ancestral house has the eldest brother and sister-in-law Zhao to watch, the school house is managed by Mr. Chen, and the family business is taken care of by a special person in the Tian Yi clan, so let several sisters-in-law take office with their brothers, as for the ninth brother and Jue'er, send a few capable housekeepers to take care of it." It's just that the fifth brother has some trouble. Because the fifth sister-in-law has to take care of the business, the second old man of the martial family is already old, and he is afraid that he will not be able to leave for a while. It's better to write to ask the fifth sister-in-law what she means. ”

When Zhu thought about it, he had to do so.

Wu Sanniang quickly replied to the letter, and the family was really inseparable, but fortunately, Gorou was in the position of Changzhou general judge, and it was not too far from home, so he only sent someone to take care of it. Poor Fifth Brother Zeng has been married for a few years, and he and his wife are getting together less and leaving more.

Only husband and wife have been separated for a long time, it is not a matter, although the Zeng family has no concubine style, in the end it is not a good thing for young couples to be separated for a long time, Banniang wrote a letter to Wu Sanniang, suggesting that she cultivate a few capable stewards and shopkeepers, learn to delegate power to others, and have Master Wu in Nanfeng, after a year or two, she will be able to leave.

Wu Sanniang felt that Banniang had lived in the capital for a long time, but in the past few years, the business had already done the entire Great Song Kingdom, and she had won the court award by borrowing from the court a few years ago, and she had become an imperial businessman, but although she was not there, her business had never been in any trouble. In terms of business and management, Wu Sanniang is not inferior to Banniang, since he followed Banniang's advice, and he didn't need Banniang to say more, he did things properly, and two years later, he took the child to Wulang's appointment.

Who knew that a loving couple had only been together for more than a year, and Wu Sanniang had just given birth to a pair of dragon and phoenix fetuses, and Wulang went due to an emergency. Wu Sanniang was heartbroken, she and Wulang have been in love for many years, gathering less and leaving more, I don't want to just think about gathering, my husband died of a sudden illness, if it wasn't for the three children in front of me, Wu Sanniang almost couldn't stand it and went with Wulang.

The white-haired man of the Zhu family sent the black-haired man, and he was also seriously ill.

Banniang couldn't help but think of the strange look of compassion in the eyes of the Ziyang Daoist when he was in Magu Mountain in the past, when he looked at Wulang, maybe all this was predestined a long time ago, Rao was born in two lives, and she was heartbroken. Thinking of the deep meaning of the jade pendant that Daoist Ziyang gave her, she couldn't help but be confused.

After all, among the brothers and sisters, Gorou is the brother who is the most compatible with her, and he is sad.

But I don't want to be sad here, Goro's Lingshu has just returned to his hometown, like a thunderbolt in the sky, and the news that Zeng Ziye has also died of illness has come again. Banniang only felt that she was sad and numb. Although she was five months pregnant, she insisted on returning to Nanfeng with her brothers.

Because she is pregnant with her second child, and she has always been in excellent health, and the fetus is stable, Di Yong can't be entangled, but now that he has become the deputy commander of the palace, where is it good to take leave? I had to say hello to Li Yong, and borrowed someone's wife to escort him, because I was afraid that Banniang would only have Cang'er by her side, so I didn't feel at ease, so I simply invited Xu Shisan, who had already served in the Military Horse Division, to take leave and send Banniang back to Nanfeng.

Banniang returned to Nanfeng again, and the ancestral house had already doubled, although the Wei Garden where she lived was still there, but it was a matter of fact. In addition to being sad, sitting under the crape myrtle tree in the courtyard, the autumn sun is high, the sky is blue, and the wind is coming.

Thinking of life and death, my heart was relieved.

In the following decades, there was no mourning for the Zeng family, and the mother Zhu lived until she was 72 years old, and her children and grandchildren were around her knees and enjoyed all the glory.

The second brother successively served as a librarian, revised and compiled historical books, and was named a great Confucian. Famous through the ages.

The other brothers were the worst, and they also achieved the position of prefect. However, the disciple of Xiaojiu Xuan, the official to participate in political affairs, was the right minister, the ruler of the country, and the extremely popular minister, and also became the highest official and the most controversial person in the history of the Zeng family.