Lin Guangzu, the prefect of Guangxin, had already had dinner and was drinking tea in the small hall of the back garden of the house, and after Zeng Yu congratulated him on the New Year, Fang Han smiled and asked: "Zeng Sheng, how are you at home during the New Year?" ”

Zeng Yu said: "Your Excellency Lao asked, the students' families are fine." ”

Governor Lin nodded, and handed the two letters to Zeng Yudao: "The letter sent by the shop was sent in a hurry, these two letters were written to you by Yan Shifang and Yan Shaoqing, Yan Shaoqing is the eldest grandson of Yan Ge, right, it seems that you are urging you to go to Fenyi, you can open the letter now and take a look, if you really want to go to Fenyi, this government will give you a small survey card, there are post stations along the road to provide food and accommodation, and if there are difficulties, you can also let the post office help solve them, which is very convenient." "Ordered the servants to give Zeng Yu a seat and serve tea.

Zeng Yu said: "Thank you." "First open Yan Shifang's letter, but it turns out that Yan Shifang has already written a letter to Yan Song and Yan Shifan about the marriage of Zeng Yu and Ying Zi to ask Yan Song and Yan Shifan for instructions, Yan Shifang is really a sincere gentleman, the letter is honest, there is nothing to hide, he said that Yan Shifan's reply is light, and he does not take Zeng Yu's marriage proposal as a thing, Yan Shifan's letter also said that if Zeng Yu can go to the capital by bus this year to participate in the examination and the title of the yellow list, then this family matter can be considered-

In Yan Shifang's view, cousin Yan Shifan said this is tantamount to refusing Zeng Yu's courtship, because he knows the difficulty of the imperial examination, he participated in the township examination of several subjects before and after the name of Sun Shan, although Zeng Yu is quite talented, and the eight-strand essay is also done well, but it is almost impossible to think of the township test and the test Lianjie, he Yan Shifang has seen how many eight-strand literary masters are trapped in the field for half their lives, and his cousin Yan Shifan wants Zeng Yu to ask for marriage as a young jinshi, which is purely to make things difficult for Zeng Yu, just like coercing Mount Tai to surpass the North Sea, it is an unfinished task, So Yan Shifang directly apologized to Zeng Yu, saying that he couldn't be the master of marrying the baby to Zeng Yu, which was a pity-

After the letter, Yan Shifang invited Zeng Yu to go to Fenyi to teach again, saying that the children in the clan missed Zeng Yu, and praised Zeng Yu for teaching in simple terms, especially Shaoqing, it was simply necessary for Zeng Yu to teach, Shaoqing and his mother Cao discussed that if Zeng Yu wanted to prepare for the township exam and could not go to Fenyi, then please ask Zeng Yu to Nanchang, the Yan family also has a mansion and garden in Nanchang, and Zeng Yu can live there while teaching Yan Shaoqing to prepare for the exam.

After reading Mr. Yan Er's letter, Zeng Yu sighed secretly, Yan Shifan's refusal was expected, there was nothing to complain about, what kind of family background was Yan's family, how could he climb high with a small show, if he was a young jinshi, he would be a good match, but he also knew the difficulty of the imperial examination, and he stumbled in the exam, he was not very sure that he would be able to test the Chinese style in the township this autumn, let alone try it.

opened Yan Shaoqing's letter again, the young Yan Shaoqing in the letter was envious and admired Zeng Yu's legendary experience of fighting wits and courage with the bandits, saving hostages, and making great contributions, and the letter talked about the marriage of Zeng Yu and Yingzi but Yan Shifang's attitude was very different, Yan Shaoqing was very optimistic about this family business, saying that his father Yan Shifan had agreed to the marriage of Zeng Yu and Yingzi, as long as Zeng Yu won the imperial examination, this marriage would be harmonious-

Zeng Yu shook his head and smiled bitterly, Yan Shaoqing was dressed in brocade and jade food, and at the age of fifteen, he was already a scholar in the cabinet of the seventh grade, where did he know the difficulty of the imperial examination, the young Yan Shaoqing was a little blind to him, presumably thinking that Mr. Zeng was talented and rich in the five-car imperial examination.

Yan Shaoqing repeatedly asked Zeng Yu in the letter to continue to teach him poetry and books, and go to Nanchang if he didn't go to Fenyi, anyway, Zeng Yu was going to rush to Nanchang in August to participate in the township test, so it was better to leave to live in Nanchang Yan's mansion a few months earlier, so that he could not only review the poems and books and study the eight stocks, but also guide him to read and practice words by the way, and ask Zeng Yu to reply to him as soon as possible-

Governor Lin slowly tasted the tea, staring at Zeng Yu who was reading the letter, Zeng Yu didn't seem very happy, after a while, Governor Lin estimated that Zeng Yu had finished reading the letter, and asked: "Zeng Sheng, does the Yan family want you to go?" ”

Zeng Yu nodded and said: "Yes, Shaoqing Gongzi invited students to Nanchang to study with him, saying that in this way, students can also prepare for the township exam." ”

Governor Lin said with a smile: "This Yan Gongzi respects his teacher and thinks about you very much, what else do you have to worry about?" ”

Zeng Yudao: "Students still don't know if they can pass the re-entry examination on the road? ”

Lin Zhifu shook his head and smiled: "You are Huang Xuedao's proud protégé, with the spirit of a new student, how can Huang Xuedao let you bump into your literary luck in this year's township test - could it be that you didn't write a composition in the last scientific examination?" ”

Zeng Yu said: "The student's essay is complete and complete. ”

Lin Zhifu said: "Then what are the concerns, you must pass this record test, and the Dao will be notified to all the students at the beginning of next month, and you will go to Fenyi or Nanchang after you get the exact news, don't let Yan Gongzi and them wait in a hurry." ”

Zeng Yu retreated.

It was already dark, Lin Zhifu asked the yellow head to send Zeng Yu back, the yellow head soldier called a messenger to carry the lantern together, out of the north gate, Zeng Yu let the two messengers go back, he himself paced slowly along the moat, the crescent moon in the sky hung high, the water edge was sparkling, the city sang and drummed, the outside of the city seemed a little deserted, the wind blew, it was still very cold.

Zeng Yu shook his body and thought: "I can't get rid of the relationship with the Yan family, Yan Song is faint and old, Yan Shifan is arrogant and lascivious, the fall of the Yan family is inevitable, can I still give Yan Shifan advice to avoid the crisis?" Not to mention that Yan Shifan doesn't take me seriously, even if he takes me seriously, I don't have the ability to turn the tide, I really think that I can change the world by crossing once, what did I do earlier, now I just want to make my life and my family's life better. ”

In life, there are always all kinds of unhappiness, it's not interesting to be lustful all day long, it will only be more impetuous and empty, but remembering his promise to Lu Miaoxiang and can't do it, Zeng Yu is still not very happy in his heart, it's too difficult to try the township test and the meeting to try Lianjie, and it's purely difficult to take this as a condition for marrying a baby, it's just a matter of taking a step at a time, let's take a step at a time, just do your best-

Back at the house, Zhu Dedong and Ji Erlang were already half drunk, Zeng Yu drank two glasses casually, and didn't mention it that night.

On the sixth day of the first lunar month of the next day, early in the morning, the cook of the Ji family cooked three pots of noodle soup, and more than 30 people in the house used the noodle soup.

The passenger ship of the Ji family has been moored at the dock and waiting, the paper industry of the Ji family in Goose Lake has done a lot of work, the famous Lianshi paper is exported to the north and south of Beijing, the literati and ink writers in Suzhou and Hangzhou like to use the history paper to paint, Zeng Yu no longer has to worry about practicing calligraphy and painting with paper, last time Ji Erlang sent twelve knives of Lianshi paper, this time he gave thirty-six knives of various fine lead mountain paper, Zeng Yu is ready to try to splash ink landscapes, that kind of painting is more paper-consuming.

Before the Lantern Festival, there were few people who went far away, and the wharf was still relatively deserted, Zeng Yu and his entourage were much more lively when they came to the wharf, great-mother Zhou and Grandma Ji said goodbye, the girl Ji Zhi pulled Zeng Yu's mother with one hand, and held Niuniu with the other, tears filled -

Grandma Ji smiled and said to her great-mother Zhou: "Old girl, look, Xiaozhi is so close to you, it seems to be her own daughter." ”

Great-mother Zhou stroked the back of Ji Zhi's delicate hand and said: "Yes, I have a relationship with Xiaozhi, like my own daughter, Niuniu and Xiaozhi are also very close, but it's a pity that they have to be separated after only a few days, I am really reluctant." ”

Ji Zhi had tears on his eyelashes, and said softly: "Goose Lake is not far from here, and my daughter can come to visit her godmother again in a few days." ”

Great-mother Zhou Shixi said: "That's great, Xiaoyu can't grow up at home, he always has to go out to study and make a living, the house is very deserted, if Xiaozhi can come to accompany me, it would be great." ”

Grandma Ji said: "Okay, let Xiaozhi come to visit you in March and April." ”

Over there, Ji Erlang once again asked Zeng Yu to find a suitable son of a good family for his little sister Ji Zhi as a son-in-law, Zeng Yu said: "Second brother Ji, don't worry, I will pay attention to Shangrao, and I will ask Cousin Zheng to help with the search over there, and I will always find a knowledgeable and courteous Ruyi Langjun for Ji Zhi's little sister." ”

The Ji family boarded the boat one after another, Zeng Yu also prepared a few boxes of gifts for the porter to carry on the boat, but the gifts sent by the Ji family were incomparable, Grandma Ji also left a servant woman to help Zeng Yu's mother take care of the housework, this servant woman is the daughter of the Ji family, the so-called family daughter is the daughter born after the servant who sold herself to the Ji family and the servant girl of the Ji family became married, she was born as a member of the Ji family, there is no personal freedom, this servant woman surnamed Du, in her forties, her husband died early, but she did not leave a son and a half daughter, Du is loyal, not stupid, quite good at cooking, She is very diligent in her work, and she can't be idle every day, Grandma Ji told her to serve the new housewife well, and Du nodded with tears in her eyes-

The long planks that were placed on the shore and the side of the boat for people to get on and off the boat had been removed, and Grandma Ji, Ji Erlang, Li and Ji Zhi stood on the bow of the boat and waved goodbye to Zeng Yu's family who saw them off on the dock, but they saw the two men stretching their necks all the way to find Zeng Yu's side, and said respectfully......

The boat slowly rocked from the shore and sailed down the river to the southwest, the figure on the shore gradually became smaller, Ji Erlang saw Zeng Yu go first with those two tolerances, and couldn't help but say: "Brother Zeng Xian is very respected by Governor Lin, and I asked Brother Zeng Xian to talk about things again." ”

Ji Zhi couldn't hold back his tears, and went back to the cabin to wipe his tears, Li helped Grandma Ji and Ji Erlang to stand at the bow of the boat, Grandma Ji asked, "Erlang, what did you just say to Zeng Yu?" ”

Ji Erlang said: "My son asked him to find a son of the good family for Xiao Zhi as a son-in-law, and he agreed." ”

Grandma Ji sighed softly and didn't say anything.

Li spied on his mother-in-law's mind, and said cautiously: "I tested Grandma Zeng's tone, Zeng Gongzi is not married, Xiaozhi's appearance is worthy of Zeng Gongzi, our Ji family is also a famous family in Lead Mountain, why didn't my mother-in-law mention this matter to Great-grandma?" ”

Ji Erlang was dumbfounded, he hadn't thought about it.

"You have a heart." Grandma Ji glanced at her daughter-in-law Li and said, "Of course the old woman has this meaning, but the sophistication of the people lies in the fact that ' Knowledge' two words, great-grandma said that these days ago, the matchmaker almost stepped on the threshold of the Zeng family, but Zeng Yu couldn't look down on any of them, and drove the matchmakers away, I don't know if there are already favorite famous ladies outside, even the great-grandmother is not very clear, you say how we can talk about the matchmaker for Xiaozhi at this time, isn't this embarrassing for the family, we are accompanying Xiaozhi to recognize the godmother, but it has become a door-to-door matchmaker, if it becomes a matter of course, if people refuse, where will my old face go, then I can't wait to find a crack to get into, besides, Xiaozhi has just dissolved the marriage contract with the Hekou Wang family, and hurriedly wants to marry the Zeng family, which doesn't make great-grandma and mother and son look down on us！ ”

Li's heart is happy and convinced, Jiang is still old and spicy, and her mother-in-law is much more thoughtful about things, if she is reckless and reckless, it is indeed inappropriate, and said: "Mother-in-law is very right, but my daughter-in-law still has a fate with my Xiaozhi and Zeng Gongzi."

Grandma Ji shook her head: "Don't think about that, it would be great if Zeng Yu could help Xiaozhi find a good family in Shangrao." ”

The river turned, the wharf was gone, the sound of the oars hit the water, the passenger boat went in the direction of the lead mountain, and the discussion of the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law stopped.