After all the children in the ancestral hall are called to worship, it is the children in the square to worship.

This time, there is no roll call, and under the chanting of the celebrant, the three bows are performed in unison.

When the sacrifice was over, the light was bright.

Each branch and each house went out of the square from three sides in order, walked down the 360 steps of the mountain ladder, and waited for the servants and maids and chariots and horses in the roll shed erected under the mountain mausoleum, and everyone went with them, and each went home to change into a large-sleeved dress, and prepared to participate in the family banquet.

On Chinese New Year's Eve, there was a banquet for everyone, and the uncles, grandparents, cousins, sons and nephews of the five branches and each room were all present, that is, the Xiao clan members who entered the ancestral hall to worship, a total of more than 600 people. The family banquet is set up in the Ming Hall of the Guogong Mansion - it is not opened on weekdays except for receiving orders and the general meeting of the clan. The hall is covered with a red carpet, and on the north wall hangs a huge picture of Cangshan blue sea orchids, with sandalwood mountains below, and a three-foot-high Rui beast copper charcoal tripod in the corners of the four walls. The seven carved doors on the south side were opened, and the servants entered and carried them to the table.

A total of 310 cases were set up at the family banquet, one case for husband and wife, and one case for each brother and sister. At the back of each case were two slaves and maidservants.

In the case of Xiao Yan and Xiao Cheng, the two looked at each other with disgust, glared at each other, snorted, flicked their heads, and moved their bodies outward, as if they were unlucky when they approached each other. Princess Anping's eyes looked over, and she smiled: "I really love each other!" The maid twitched the corner of her eyes: Princess, where did you see that you love each other?

The chime bell rang melodiously, and the banquet began.

Before starting the soup, serve the soup. After drinking the first soup, it is divided into wine, pulp and drink, adult men and women drink alcohol, and drink pulp and drink under fifteen. After the soup is drunk, the first sake is served, and the music of the rakuko on the east and west sides is played. After three beatings, the second wine is played, and the musicians play a family carnival. After the three meals, it is the third wine, respecting the patriarch, and playing the sound of the crane. and three meals, the fourth wine......

Xiao Yan secretly compared with the banquet etiquette of the scholar clan she had learned, and she was speechless in her heart, and said secretly: This kind of family banquet is a ceremony, not a meal.

From the sixth wine, it is the elders who take the examination of the children.

Those children who have gone to clan school must raise their spirits and be ready to be named by their elders at any time to report their academic homework this year.

These are all things that the Xiao children are used to hearing, but they are new to Xiao Yan, who is attending the Chinese New Year's Eve banquet for the first time, and she listens carefully and listens to almost every word. Xiao Yan's versatility opened Xiao Yan's eyes, each is really different, each has its own outstanding, she can't help but warn herself, don't underestimate her cousins and cousins because she was praised by her brother and sister-in-law as "gifted and intelligent".

The family banquet etiquette is cumbersome, stop when the chopsticks should be stopped, and raise the lamps when the lamps should be raised, most of this kind of occasion is not full, not to mention that most people's minds are not on the diet, although these foods are cooked with all the color, flavor and taste. All the children over the age of six in the banquet, including the girl, must concentrate on the possible questions and tests of the patriarch and uncles, if they can't answer or answer wrongly, they will not only lose face and become a laughing stock in the clan, but also usher in strict discipline in the next year, even if they are five-year-old children who participate in the family banquet, they must also pay attention to etiquette and do not go on a business trip and lose face to their parents. In this way, there are really few people who are relaxed. Like Xiao Yan, who is engrossed in being fresh and engrossed, he doesn't feel embarrassed, and thinks in his heart how to respond if he is himself, this kind of posture that seems to be relishing is even more hateful in Xiao Cheng's eyes.

At the family banquet, this kind of examination involves four categories: literature, history, economics, and art, and the patriarch and the elders at the banquet can ask questions, answer correctly and encourage them, and answer them incorrectly to reflect on their deficiencies and make up for them in the coming year, so as to urge their children to learn.

After the ninth drink, Xiao Jun asked Xiao Cheng: "What is bravery?" ”

Xiao Cheng said: "The courage of one person is unstoppable, and it is called a hero." ”

Xiao Jun asked again: "What is the solution of being brave and ruthless?" ”

Xiao Cheng said: "If you are not brave, how can you meet the enemy?" If you don't fight ruthlessly, how can you deter foreigners and subdue the Quartet? ”

Xiao Xuan laughed angrily, looked at Xiao Huan and said: "I heard that yesterday, Ah Cheng competed with General Lu's San Lang, and almost broke Lu Sanlang's legs, he was really brave and 'ruthless'!" ”

Xiao Yu's expression was sharp, and he looked at Xiao Cheng, "Is there such a thing?" ”

Xiao Cheng straightened up, "Father, the child competes with Lu Ziming, and the loser admits defeat." ”

Xiao Jun said: "Yes, yes, I heard that Ah Cheng won Lu Sanlang's big eating horse." ”

When the people in the audience heard it, most of them understood that Bacheng was Lu Sanlang's good horse that Xiao Cheng took a fancy to, so he took it by force. It's okay if it's someone else, but Lu Sanlang's father, Lu Zhimao, is the general of the Hexi Army, and one of Xiao Yu's right-hand men, how can he be born because of a good horse?

Everyone is in their hearts, I don't know what to do with the head of the family?

I heard an elegant and gentle voice and said: "My nephew doesn't know about this matter, and my nephew is really guilty when Uncle Lao asks me." It was Xiao Cong who spoke.

Xiao Yan, Xiao Yan's cousin and the lord of the Nineteenth Lang, smiled and said, "It seems that the second brother's ears and eyes are more sensitive than ours, and you should sit in this Hezhou Thorn History." ”

The assassin of Hezhou is Du Jun, who was born in a family with the surname A, and is also a civil official sent by the imperial court to check and balance the governor of Hexi. Xiao Yan's words were to ridicule Xiao Yan for not having the strength to use it on outsiders, and to run to set off infighting.

There was laughter from the table.

Xiao Jun glanced at this half-brother, scolded secretly, and said with a look on his face: "The third brother's father and son still don't know about this matter, how can I know?" It's just that Ah Wei happened to pass by Xilin Mountain, and met Lu Jiazaburo being carried back by his entourage, so he asked a few more questions when he was concerned. ”

Xiao Cheng immediately glared at Xiao Wei, who was sitting in front of him: Xiao Twelve, it turned out that you told the secret!

Xiao Wei was like being stabbed in the back, and looked back slightly, seeing Xiao Cheng's glaring, he also replied without showing weakness: You dare to do it, and you don't want people to say it?

Xiao Cheng snorted, and a nonchalant look appeared on the young man's handsome face, "Just Lu San's two hits, with that good horse is bad." ”

Xiao Xuan said: "Look, our Ah Cheng is really a young hero, and it is really condescending to be placed in the rear army of the Qiwu Army." - Eighth brother, do you say? ”

The Qiwu Army is the middle army of the five armies under the command of the Hexi Governor's Office, which is commanded by the Metropolitan Governor himself, and the garrison is in Hezhou, and it is divided into the five armies in the front and right, of which the rear army is Xiao Yu's half-brother Xiao Ang.

Even if he was sitting on his feet, Xiao Ang raised his eyes, his face carved like white stone was angular, and his voice was as hard as stone, "The rear army is not brave, how to protect the rear wing of the army?" ”

Xiao Yan ha: "What the eighth brother said is very true. Looking at Xiao Yu in the main seat, "Third brother, you said yes?" Ha ha. ”

Xiao Yu's handsome face was dignified, "Confucianism says that a gentleman must not be brave. Those who are not brave are cowardly, but those who are brave and unrestrained are reckless! Xiao Cheng, you are brave enough to take people's horses, and you are a gentleman's festival, do you know what is wrong? Speaking of the back, the voice has become harsh.

Xiao Cheng gritted his teeth, got up and knelt down in the aisle on the side of the dining table, "Xiao Cheng knows his mistake." ”

"After the banquet, you will return the horse to the Lu Mansion and apologize to General Lu and Lu Sanlangjun. - Xiao Xiangdong, after the banquet, you escorted Xiao Cheng to General Lu's mansion. ”

"Whoa." Xiao Xiangdong, who was standing behind Xiao Yu, responded with a fist.

Xiao Cheng looked stunned, but he didn't dare to argue, and lowered his head and kept his head silent.

Xiao Yu snorted coldly, "What's the matter, you're still not convinced?" ”

Xiao Cheng said: "The child doesn't dare. ”

"Don't dare? I see you dare anything! Xiao Yu raised his voice, although he was not angry, the natural majesty had made the Ming Hall silent. A gentleman is brave and benevolent, brave and righteous, knows what he should do, and does not act recklessly. Look at your arrogant state, how can you have the gentleness and humility of a gentleman of the half-point clan? Your eighth uncle is kind-hearted, and it is inconvenient to scold you considering the feelings of his children and nephews, which has grown your temperament. Anyway, your eighth uncle doesn't care about you, so let Cao Jingun weigh and weigh how brave you are. ”

Xiao Cheng was stunned for a moment, and suddenly raised his head.

Many of the people at the table were shocked, and a few people gloated when they heard this. Princess Anping raised her eyebrows, and Mrs. Tai, who had been holding the Buddha beads with her eyes down, also raised her eyes.

Cao Yuandu, the military master of the cavalry, was named after the golden gun. There are only 5,000 cavalry troops under his command, but they are the elite of the cavalry elite, and the strict selection and training are famous in the whole Hexi. If you want to enter the Xiao Cavalry Army, no matter what your background, you must first enter the reserve regiment to weigh, and after training, you can only enter the Xiao Cavalry Army, it is said that dozens of people die in the reserve regiment every year, and they cannot bear the cruel training and die. Xiao Cheng is a concubine and a princess, it is not difficult to find an important position, even if he seeks military merits, he does not have to be put in the Xiao Cavalry Army. Xiao Yu's punishment is not heavy, it is really unexpected, and it also convinces many Xiao children, and at the same time has a heart of fear, the head of the family is so ruthless to his son-in-law, if they are in chaos, it is not worse than Xiao Cheng?

Xiao Jun sighed: "The third brother governs the family like the army, and he really admires the brother." ”

Governing the family is like governing the army, and words must be done.

Xiao Fang, Xiao Xi, Xiao Ang, Xiao Xu, and Xiao Yan, who were about to intercede, had to swallow their words, and Xiao Yan even secretly scolded Xiao Yan for being cunning.

Xiao Cheng only reacted at this time, but his face was happy, and he immediately kowtowed, and said loudly: "The child will definitely obey General Cao's teachings and not lose his father's prestige." ”

Xiao Jun secretly sneered, "Reckless and stupid, it's not fast to send you to death", and his beard curled.

Princess Anping saw Xiao Cheng's expression of joy when she had fulfilled her wish, she snorted in her heart, and glanced at Xiao Yu with slanted eyebrows: Okay, you Xiao Jingxi, go back and settle accounts with you!

Listening to a laugh, Xiao Yu's seventh cousin Xiao Yu turned the dagger in her hand and said: "I look good at the third brother, why don't you put these two little ones in my Jingnan Army for training?" ”

The Xiao family's sons and nephews in the seat all hissed secretly, if Cao Yuandu's Xiao cavalry army is a mad army, and the Jingnan army guarding the Qingfan land is a wild army, and when it comes to fighting, it is called a madman, also known as the Guangye army, and the army sweeps through the field, that is a light! - This aunt of theirs is a bandit who is even more of a bandit, do you want to bring the son of the head of the family to the anger of the bandit?

Xiao Yu, who was glaring at Xiao Cheng jealously, was overjoyed when he heard this, and immediately looked at his father expectantly, and couldn't wait to nod his head immediately.

Xiao Yu was also a little helpless about this seventh cousin in his heart, and coughed and said, "These two children are still young, let's talk about it when they are a few years older." ”

Xiao Yan sneered, his light brown eyes stared at Xiao Yan, his red lips smiled, revealing snow-white teeth, and his tongue added to his lips, as if a cheetah was eyeing his prey, his eyes turned to look at Xiao Yan with a lost face, and said with a smile: "Xiao Seventeen, Xiao Nineteen, my aunt is waiting for you." ”

Xiao Yan's heart moved, his eyes flickered, Xiao Yan's eyes lit up, and even his face, which had always looked gloomy, brightened.

Xiao Yu suddenly felt a headache.

There are nephews who want to laugh but don't dare to laugh.

Xiao Yu's husband Lang Huanyi glanced at her, and Xiuya's face showed a smile, as if to say, "You are naughty again." Xiao Yu shrugged her shoulders, she was really in tune. Godson and nephew...... Well, she admits that she is very interested in the third brother's sudden appearance of the third son, that face, although the sores look quite frightening, but the vaguely recognizable eyebrows, hehe, how does she feel a little familiar?

Mrs. Tai moved her fingers to the Buddha beads, and said slowly: "New Year's Day, what are you doing in the army?" ”

Xiao Yu immediately bowed sideways and said respectfully: "What my mother taught me is that it is the children who don't know the general situation and disturb the good days. All the juniors in the hall bowed straight together and pleaded guilty.

Mrs. Tai waved her hand, "That's it, let's talk about something festive." ”

Xiao Cheng knelt on the carpet in the aisle and said loudly: "It's my grandson's fault, just punish my grandson for telling a joke that I heard recently, and make your old man laugh." Saying that, he told a joke about two cats fighting for mice but being snatched by a wild dog, which really made Mrs. Tai laugh, Xiao Yu's dignified face also showed a slight smile, Princess Anping stared at Xiao Yan coldly - the eldest son is annoying!

Everyone in the audience laughed funny, but Xiao Yan smiled forcefully, and was secretly annoyed in his heart, Xiao Cheng was referring to Sang scolding Huai, wasn't he scolding him for being nosy with rats?

Xiao Cheng returned to his seat in laughter, his eyebrows fluttered on the young man's handsome face, and he had the frustration of being punished heavily, but his back was straight, and he was even more proud.

Xiao Yan was vaguely aware of the dark tide in the seat, it seemed that the Xiao family was not a group of harmony, and Xiao Cheng's expression also surprised her a little, and Xiao Shixi, who she hated, was not without merit.

(l~1`x*>+``+