Jin Cheng's home is a small courtyard with two in and two out. As soon as Jin Cheng bolted the carriage, a middle-aged woman walked out of the courtyard, slightly chubby, with a pair of big eyes on her red face, wearing a coarse cloth and thin cotton jacket, walking in front of Jin Cheng in a few steps, and pulling Jin Cheng's left ear.

"Stinky Ah Cheng, why did you go out for so long this time, you still know how to come back...."

"Qiao Niang, don't mess with it, hey, aren't I coming back?"

Zhang Yue thought to herself, this must be her aunt Lu Qiaoniang, I have heard that my aunt is straightforward, and my uncle is afraid of the mainland, and he loves this wife very much. hurriedly stepped forward and shouted crisply,

"Hello aunt!"

Lu Qiaoniang paused for a moment, then let go of Jin Cheng's ears, and a smile immediately filled her face.

"This is Yue'er, she looks so handsome, people like it at first sight, your uncle told me in his letters before, I guess it should be here in the next few days, and you will treat this place as your home in the future, haha! I'm tired along the way, let's get inside..."

Lu Qiaoniang took Zhang Yue's hand and entered the house. Although Jin Cheng's home is not very large, it is very neatly furnished, and there are some strange-shaped wooden and iron instruments in the yard.

In the evening, Lu Qiaoniang made a table of sumptuous dishes to entertain the two uncles and nephews. At the banquet, Jin Cheng told Lu Qiaoniang about the boy in the inn. Lu Qiaoniang sighed when she heard it, and also helped to comfort Zhang Yue.

Zhang Yue saw that the matter had come to this point, it was useless to be sad, and his mood had improved a lot, so he only hoped that this boy could escape, and even if he was killed, he would be able to ascend to the Western Heaven Elysium as soon as possible.

Since then, Zhang Yue has lived in Jin Cheng's house. There are a lot of trivial things in Jincheng Yamen, and she is not at home during the day, before Lu Qiaoniang was alone at home taking care of housework, lonely and boring, but now she has Zhang Yue as her companion, Lu Qiaoniang has no children herself, seeing that Xiao Zhang Yue is lively, cute and sensible, I like it very much! is as good as her own daughter, Zhang Yue sees that her aunt is warm and loves herself, and she also respects her aunt sincerely. After a few months, the two got along like a mother and daughter. Jin Cheng saw that the two got along so well, and he was really happy in his heart.

After getting along with her aunt for a long time, Zhang Yue learned that her aunt turned out to be a descendant of the famous craftsman Lu Ban, and her skills were very powerful, and the strange instruments in the yard were made by her aunt's skillful hands, each with its own wonderful use. Zhang Yue saw her aunt buckle a wooden humanoid thing in front of the stone mill in the courtyard, and the wooden man began to squeak and grind, and tirelessly, until her aunt twisted the wooden man again.

Zhang Yue thought it was very interesting, so she asked her aunt for advice, and Lu Qiaoniang saw that Yue'er was interested in mechanism science at a young age. Happy to teach her. Zhang Yue is smart by nature, and a lot of ingenuity can be penetrated at a glance, and after a long time, Zhang Yue actually got a glimpse of some of the ways of the mechanism. I also try to make small things and enjoy them every day. Lu Qiaoniang saw that her niece had similar interests with her, and she taught her everything.

In the evening of that day, Jin Cheng returned home, had dinner, and chatted with his wife and niece.

"I won't go to the county office tomorrow, the old master of Xuanwei Academy on Wuling Mountain on the outskirts of the city has celebrated his seventieth birthday, and I will go to pay homage tomorrow. Qiao Niang, I asked you to buy the birthday gift ready, right? ”

"Rest assured, you're ready." Lu Qiaoniang chuckled.

Zhang Yue's heart moved, "Uncle, are you talking about Mr. Ye Yingming?" ”

"Exactly, Yue'er, you are so young, you still know Mr. Huanchu?!" Jin Cheng exclaimed.

"Uncle, I studied calligraphy with my uncle for a few years when I was a child, and my uncle accidentally got a copy of Mr. Huanchu's codex, the treasure is very good, someone paid a lot of money to buy it, and my uncle was reluctant to sell it. So I was very impressed with this gentleman. ”

"Oh, I see, Mr. Chu's words are hard to find, and he has a very strange temper, even if your prince and general come to ask for words, ignore all of them, your great uncle's luck is really good. I heard that Mr. Huanchu had helped the emperor when he was young, and the emperor had a decree to give him freedom. Therefore, even if those high-ranking officials and nobles can't ask for words, they can't force people to oppress people, and in the end they have to return empty-handed. ”

Hearing his uncle's admiration so much, Zhang Yue was even more curious about this young gentleman.

"Uncle, how do you know Mr. Huanchu? Is it his friend? ”

"How dare my uncle call him a friend, your aunt and I were favored by Mr. Huanchu when we were young, so I was fortunate to meet Mr. Huanchu a few times, Mr. Huanchu has a very strange temper, I brought a lot of gifts to thank him, he loves to ignore it, and finally your aunt made a few dishes, let me give it to him, he actually ate them all, and he was very happy! Ha ha! Jin Cheng seemed to think of something when he talked about this, and said to Lu Qiaoniang,

"Qiao Niang, you get up early tomorrow and cook your best eight-treasure cinnamon fish and honey sauce pork knuckles, and I will bring them to Mr. to eat."

Lu Qiaoniang hurriedly said: "Okay, but, Ah Cheng, I have bought more birthday gifts this year, you can take so many birthday gifts alone, can you still take the food box?" What if it is overturned? ”

"Yes! The academy has a law that does not allow female dependents to enter, and you can't accompany me! Jin Cheng was worried.

"Or, let Yue'er go with you, I'll dress Yue'er up as a boy tomorrow, and let her help you hold the food box all the way, the people in the academy haven't seen her, so they won't attract attention!" Besides, Yue'er hasn't taken her to the Wuling Mountain in the suburbs for so long, just to enjoy the scenery of the mountains. There is a piece of Danguilin in Xuanwei Academy, and the osmanthus should be full of branches this season, which is something that outsiders can't see if they want to see. Yue'er, do you want to go? ”

Zhang Yue's heart was very moved when he heard this, and he hurriedly shook his uncle's arm, "Uncle, I really want to go!" ”

Jin Cheng nodded, "Ugh! Okay, then Yue'er will follow, when you get to the academy, Yue'er must be obedient! ”

Zhang Yue immediately agreed simply.

In the early morning of the second day, Lu Qiaoniang curled Zhang Yue's hair and dressed up as a child in Tsing Yi, Jin Cheng held a birthday gift with both hands, Zhang Yue carried a food box, and the two uncles and nephews walked up to Wuling Mountain.

This foggy spirit mountain peaks and peaks, clouds and mist, between the peaks, the valley is deep and the wall is dangerous, the mountain stream and the stream, the long flow is endless, and the scenery is particularly charming.

Zhang Yue followed his uncle all the way to enjoy the scenery in the mountains, and it was nearly noon before he arrived at the gate of Xuanwei Academy, which is located on the Pomo Peak, Zhang Yue raised his eyes and saw that there were four beautiful and beautiful characters written on the plaque in the middle of the gate of the academy - Xuanwei Academy.

At the entrance of the academy, there were a few people standing with their heads held high, saying this. The man at the head is in his early thirties, wearing a black gown, and his face is upright. Next to him was a young man, about twenty years old, dressed in a white robe, with a face like a crown of jade, and a smile on his face. Behind the two of them were several young men in dark blue robes, standing on either side in a regular manner. The two were talking about something. On one side, I saw Jin Cheng and the others walking up the stone stairs.

Jin Cheng hurriedly stepped forward and said to the first one: "Mr. Bai is polite!" I haven't seen you for many years, but your style is still the same! ”

Several people at the door turned their heads to look at the two of them when they heard the sound, and the man in his early thirties had the same expression, looked at Jin Cheng, and replied,

"Oh, it's Jin Zhutou, are you here to congratulate the teacher on his birthday again this year?"

"Yes, Lord Bai, the villain doesn't dare to forget Mr. 's great kindness, and I came to congratulate Mr. on his birthday today."

Lord Bai nodded slightly, noticed Zhang Yue, who was dressed in men's clothes behind Jin Cheng, frowned, and said sharply, "Jin Zhutou, why did you bring outsiders here for this year's birthday." Don't you know that the academy has always forbidden outsiders to enter? ”

"Don't be angry, Lord Bai, this boy is my own nephew, my daughter-in-law specially made a few favorite dishes of the old house owner today, worried that I, a rough man, was clumsy, not only carried the birthday gift, but also took the food box, and knocked over the food box on the way, so I asked my nephew to help bring it over."

The man surnamed Bai wanted to say something, and the man in the white robe next to him laughed softly, "Jin Zhutou came in time, the family teacher also mentioned your wife's eight-treasure guiyu a few days ago, senior brother hurry up and let him in, the master is waiting to eat Mrs. Jin's specialty dishes." ”

The white lord didn't say anything more, and said to a young man next to him: "Qingfeng, you lead Jin Zhutou to Xinjianzhai to see the master." ”

"Yes, Uncle Bai," the young man in Tsing Yi agreed, turned around and led the two into the academy, Zhang Yue carried the food box, and when he passed by the man in white shirt, not only did he look sideways, but the man in white also glanced at her intentionally or unintentionally. Zhang Yue smiled at him and thanked him. The man was stunned for a moment, then the corners of his mouth rose and he bowed slightly at her.

Entering the academy, Zhang Yue felt that the whole academy was really big, and the buildings in the academy and the surrounding scenery were perfectly matched, which was very ingenious, making people feel very comfortable. Zhang Yue was dazzled all the way.

Zhang Yue and Jin Cheng followed the young man through the spacious courtyard in front, turning left and right all the way, and stopped at the door of a small courtyard at the back of the academy.

The young man turned to Jin Cheng and said, "Jin Zhutou, you take the food box and follow me in, your nephew, I'm afraid you have to stay outside the hospital and wait, you know that Mr. doesn't like to see outsiders." ”

"Okay, kid, just wait for me under this tree, don't run around." Jin Cheng said and pointed to a large laurel tree not far away.

"Okay, uncle!" Zhang Yue agreed very obediently.

Jin Cheng immediately entered the courtyard with the young man in Tsing Yi. Zhang Yue saw a large stone under the tree next to him, so he sat on the stone to rest.

At this time, it was not yet noon, after walking the mountain road all morning, Zhang Yue felt a little hungry, and remembered that he had brought some golden silk jujubes from his hometown, which was a specialty of his hometown Xingji, sweet but not greasy, Zhang Yue liked to eat it most on weekdays, and when he came out of Xingji, Zhang Yue specially asked his mother to bring a big bag.

Zhang Yue took out the purse from her arms, took out a few dates, threw them into her mouth, and chewed them slowly, and the sweet fragrance of the dates immediately filled her mouth. She sat on the big rock, eating small dates, admiring this piece of Danguilin, her legs swaying back and forth leisurely, and at this moment, a low and deep voice suddenly came from behind her,

"The skin is thin and the flesh is thick, the core is small and fine, the fruit is rich, little doll, what are you eating is a special product of Xingji?"

"Ah, ahem—" Suddenly, someone spoke, Zhang Yue was startled, the jujube kernel in his mouth stuck in his throat, and he coughed a few times before he spit out the jujube kernel.

She jumped off the big rock, and when she turned around, she saw an old man silently beside her, wearing a square scarf, a dark green collared robe, and leather boots. The old man's hair was gray but his face was ruddy, his gray beard was floating on his chest, and his eyes were blazing, and these two eyes were staring closely at the little jujube in Zhang Yue's hand at this time.