Xingyuan Mansion, Bei'an Street, and Shen Mansion occupy almost half of the long street.

As the sun set, the two mighty stone lions in front of the Shen Mansion squatted quietly in the afterglow of the setting sun.

The sound of horses' hooves was heard, and a moment later the two horses stopped in front of the house.

The county magistrate wearing a dark robe turned over and dismounted, silently looking at the imposing gate of the Shen Mansion.

Shen Yun stepped forward to knock on the door, and waited for a quarter of an hour before the porter came to push the door.

"The eldest young master is back! Come in. The porter sneered.

Shen Yun snorted dissatisfiedly: "Next time open the door to be smart!" ”

The porter did not make amends, but responded in one fell voice, and went out with a smile and led the two horses into the shed.

Shen Ye entered the house without squinting, and went directly back to the courtyard where he lived.

Shen Yun originally planned to go to the back kitchen to get some cooked food, but he didn't want to come back empty-handed.

Shen Ye was untying his robe in the room, and when he came in with a strained face, he couldn't help but laugh and said, "What a big deal!" This is not the case. ”

As he spoke, he untied the purse on his waist and threw it over, "Buy whatever you want to eat, just bring me something to satisfy your stomach." ”

Shen Yun took the shriveled purse, sighed imperceptibly, turned around and walked out.

As the night deepened, there was no one in the courtyard.

The candles in the room were weak, and Shen Ye stood up, ready to call someone to light a few more candles.

The night breeze blew, and a black shadow rolled into the courtyard as light as a swallow, and walked briskly towards the main house.

As soon as Shen Ye opened the door, he happened to see Shen Yun who raised his right hand at the door, ready to knock on the door.

The county magistrate looked downward, and by the faint light, he could barely make out that he was holding two Hu cakes wrapped in oiled paper in his left hand.

The county magistrate frowned, "Just two cakes?" ”

Shen Yun nodded expressionlessly.

"Have you eaten outside?"

Shen Yun shook his head.

The county magistrate raised his forehead and sighed: "Come into the house, I'll call someone to make a pot of tea, and light one more candle." ”

Shen Yun nodded and entered the house in silence.

As soon as the prefectural commander walked down the small steps, he saw a group of people coming in from the gate of the courtyard.

"Big brother, why didn't you inform your brother when you came back? I just came back from eating and drinking, otherwise I would have come over to talk to my eldest brother early. The voice is kind and warm, like a spring breeze.

The man who spoke was eighteen or nineteen years old, with a slender figure and a silver-white robe, which stood out in the dark night.

It is Shen Ji, the second half-brother of the county commander.

"I came from Meizhou, I was tired, and I wanted to rest early, so I didn't disturb everyone in the house." Shen Ye said lightly.

Shen Ji walked closer and said warmly: "Big brother seems to have lost some weight!" A few years ago, the younger brother said that he would take two cooks to Meizhou, but the eldest brother refused. Now that he is thin like this, it hurts to see people. ”

Shen Ye raised his eyebrows and said with a smile: "Second brother, I'm afraid I'm dazzled, I haven't lost weight." It's that the second brother has lost a lot of weight than during the New Year's Festival, but he is so worried that he loses his appetite? ”

"The younger brother has indeed lost weight again, but he lost his appetite because he missed the eldest brother." Shen Ji said with a smile.

Seeing that the two of them had been talking for a long time, the courtyard was still dark, and the servants in the courtyard came out to serve tea, so they couldn't help but scold angrily: "Where are all the people dead?" Don't you see the two masters here? ”

Shen Ye stood there quietly looking at the person in front of him.

The second brother who is polite and polite, even if he starts a fire, is also delicate.

The footsteps sounded suddenly, and a few little maids came out of nowhere, serving tea and lighting the lamp, and after a while, the courtyard was bright.

"Big brother, let's go in and talk?" Shen Ji asked.

Shen Ye nodded, turned around and went into the house.

The room was no longer dark, and there were a few more lights and candles to illuminate every corner.

Shen Ji came in and saw a hu cake on the table, and couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Big brother, are you going to eat this at night?" How can a hu cake fill your stomach! ”

Shen Ye sat down at the table, picked up the cake, and asked, "Second brother, do you want to taste it?" ”

Shen Ji's face changed, and he angrily scolded the little guy next to him: "Why don't you go to the kitchen and give the eldest brother a whole table of banquets!" Then the master who cooked today slapped the board fiercely. ”

The little guy was startled, and hurriedly answered yes, and ran out quickly.

Shen Ji came over and sat down, and slapped the table angrily, "Knowing that the eldest brother is back, he is still so lazy, how can it be unreasonable!" ”

"Second brother, dissipate your anger." Shen Ye said calmly.

Shen Yun stepped forward to put away the cake, and then retreated to stand behind the county commander.

"The eldest brother comes back this time, if you stay for three or four days, the younger brother will take you to a good place." Shen Ji said.

Shen Ye picked up the white porcelain teapot on the table, poured himself a cup of tea, and saw the second brother looking at him with a smile on his face, so he took out another cup, poured hot tea, and handed it over.

Shen Ji hurriedly took it with both hands, but he didn't drink it, his fingers knocked on the wall of the cup one by one, and he sat there waiting for the eldest brother to reply.

Shen Ye drank a bowl of tea, felt that the hunger in his stomach had weakened a little, and then said slowly: "I will return to Meizhou the day after tomorrow." I'm afraid I don't have time to accompany my second brother. ”

Shen Ji suddenly looked disappointed, and asked tentatively, "Big brother, why don't you stay a few more days this time?" Father's side, it's up to me to convince. ”

"Not necessarily. This time, it was my father who sent an urgent letter to me, so I took two days to come to Xingyuan Mansion. Meizhou is riddled with affairs and cannot be delayed. Shen Ye said.

"Yes. Although the county orders are not as good as their father's festival envoys, they are all official bodies and need to be diligent every day. Shen Ji smiled, "I'm the only one in white clothes, traveling all day long, calling friends, and doing nothing......"

Shen Ye glanced at him and said seriously: "The third brother is also a white cloth. ”

"How can my eldest brother make fun of me like this!" Shen Ji laughed. The third brother is only seven or eight years old, how can he compare!

Shen Ye said: "Second brother, don't worry. What should come, will come. ”

At this time, three or four maids came in one after another with freshly cooked dishes, and after a while, the table was full of six dishes and one soup, plus a bottle of Luofu Chun.

"A cup of Luofu Chun, far away from the roses." Shen Ji said, picked up the bottle, poured a full glass, and handed it to Shen Ye, "Big brother, try this wine, it tastes excellent." ”

Shen Ye glanced at him, picked up the wine glass, and drank it all, there was no spicy taste of wine, but sweet and mellow.

"How?" Shen Ji stared at his eldest brother's expression and asked.

Shen Ye put down the wine glass, frowned and said, "It's too sweet." ”

Shen Ji said with a smile: "This wine is made of peach, sweet and mellow, with an endless aftertaste. The younger brother liked it the first time he drank it. Big brother may wish to take a few more sips, in addition to the spicy taste of the wine, you can also taste the sweetness. ”

Shen Ye nodded, but stopped pouring wine, picked up chopsticks and ate the food.

Shen Ji saw that the eldest brother only ate vegetables and didn't drink alcohol, so he poured himself a drink, and sighed again and again: "It's really a jade liquid!" This wine should only be in the sky, how many times can you smell it in the world! ”

looked at Shen Ye who was dedicated to eating, and said with a smile: "Big brother, there are only two bottles of this wine in the whole house, one bottle for my father and one bottle for me." The younger brother deliberately took it to drink with the eldest brother, but he didn't expect the eldest brother to like it. ”

Shen Ye replied: "You regard it as a treasure, and others abandon it as if you were a shoe, but you have different preferences." The second brother is sincere, and the eldest brother understands it. ”