At the beginning of the unitary year, the people of the Xiao clan all said goodbye and left, and went back to their respective homes to prepare to participate in the New Year's banquet at home in the evening.

The New Year's banquet is called a family dinner in the folk, and it is called a small family banquet in the family, and it usually starts after the second quarter of the unitary party, because the wine banquet should continue until the time of the child, and the New Year's wine is drunk to say goodbye to the old and welcome the new, and the New Year's ceremony is performed.

The New Year's banquet of the Guogong Mansion is scheduled to start at the beginning of the Xu, the banquet is placed in the Changqing Hall, located on the central axis of the Guogong Mansion, located in the north of the Ming Hall, south of the Neihuan Gate, and is the hall of five rooms wide after the Ming Hall.

There are four seats and 19 cases in the church.

The north is the main seat, with three cases, in the center is the seat of Mrs. Tai, the east is Xiao Yu, and the west is Princess Anping.

There are three cases on the east side, one case of Xiao Cong and Shen Qingyi, and the next one is Xiao Cheng's case and Xiao Yan's case.

——The Tang Dynasty respects the east, and the east seat at the family banquet is the seat of the heir.

The first place on the west seat is the case of Xiao Zhang's husband and wife, and there are five cases behind Xiao Zhang's wife, three sons and two daughters, one case, except for the eldest son, the other four children are young because of their young age, and they all have nursing mothers kneeling next to them to serve. Under Xiao Zhang's husband and wife, in alphabetical order, are Xiao Ke, Xiao Jue, Xiao Se, and Xiao Long, each with one case.

The south seat is Xiao Yu's three cases of concubines - Lu Xianjun in the side room, and Liu and Gao in the concubine room, one case each.

In Datang, a concubine is a concubine of a grade, and the upper fifth grade can be called a side room. Concubines, on the other hand, are non-graded and generally cannot attend family dinners unless they have children. Of course, there are exceptions, such as being very favored by the lord of Lang, Xiao Yan's nineteenth brother Xiao Yan once pampered a concubine who was young and beautiful, and placed her seat on the right of the concubine who had children during the New Year's banquet, and within two years, the concubine died of "dystocia", Xiao Yan just sighed for one night, and the second day was red and green as usual, such as the beautiful concubine into the continuous, this kind of thing is very common among the nobles of the family, and the family has more than a dozen concubines are considered less. Like Xiao Yu's status, it is rare to have only five concubines, and one of the concubines died because of the death of her young son, so there are only one concubine and three concubines. According to the system, he is the prince of the first rank and the governor of the first grade, he can have ten concubines, and he is regarded as six grades, but Xiao Yu is on the table with "only one concubine", and asked the Lu family to be the county monarch from the fifth grade, so there can be no more concubines, but there is no limit to the concubines without grade - so far there are only three concubines, which is very rare among the heads of the Gaomen family.

Among all the family members, only Xiao Yan's mother, Shang Niangzi, did not attend.

Xiao Yan was a little sad, but she was glad that her mother never attended the family dinner.

She couldn't imagine her mother sitting on the concubine's seat, which was by no means her mother's place!

She lowered her eyebrows and clenched her right hand tightly under her big sleeve.

She will definitely take her mother away from the Shaw family!

The hall was very quiet, only the twenty-five mothers Xiao Long and Xiao Zhang's daughter Xiao Mi were lively and laughing, and the eyes of Xiao Se and Xiao Hong, the eldest son of Xiao Zhang, who were forced to talk, showed helplessness in their eyes: Can this sister be quiet for a while?

Everyone else is quietly drinking tea or wine and pulp, children are eating fresh fruits, and some are sitting still, the atmosphere in the hall seems to be quiet, but there is always a sense of stagnation and tension, which makes the servants and maids feel inexplicably nervous.

Xiao Cheng drank the fruit wine, and there was a dryness in his heart that had not disappeared since he was born in front of the ancestral hall, and saw Xiao Seventeen sitting under him in a grand manner, the dry fire became more and more vigorous, but he felt that the silver mask was dazzling and tight, thinking of the sore under the mask, I didn't know whether it was true or false, and I felt even more breathless in my heart, and slammed the wine cup and said evilly: "Ugly eight monsters!" ”

"Ugly" is a great insult to the scholar Langjun.

Xiao Yan thought that his mother was not in a good mood, and when he heard the words, he squinted at him, and his eyes clearly expressed two words: idiot.

The fire in Xiao Cheng's heart ignited with a "click", and his left arm punched her waist with a fist. Xiao Yan's right palm turned into a knife and cut horizontally. In the blink of an eye, the two fought for a few rounds. Xiao Cheng didn't take advantage, he shot more violently in anger, and then he heard a "bang", and his left hand was blocked back by Xiao Yan, and the wide sleeves fell on a few marigolds, and the wine spilled onto the hem of his clothes.

The servant behind him, Shengyu, hurriedly stepped forward to clean up.

Xiao Cheng kicked over angrily, "Clumsy slave! ”

Xiao Ying on the opposite table sneered, "Since you are clumsy, don't do it." As he spoke, he took out a dagger from his sleeve, threw it with his right hand, flew out more than two feet away, and pierced it on Katsuyu's thigh.

Sheng Yu was in pain, but he didn't dare to say anything, he only covered the bleeding part with his hand, and bowed down with a pale face and kowtowed.

Xiao Cheng beat Xiao Xiao to serve by the "Four Wins", the feelings are different, he can bully his people, but he does not allow others to bully half a point, slapped on the case, and shouted angrily "Xiao Jue!" Marigold tossed it with a strong wind.

Listen to the whistling sound, and you will know that if you hit your body, your bones will break.

Nanxi's Liu exclaimed in surprise, and his face was discolored.

Xiao Jue's right fist slammed out.

"Bang!"

The marigold was shocked and flew back, Xu is strength was deflected, and the marigold smashed into Xiao Yan's masked face with a sharp wind.

Xiao Cong and Shen Qingyi's eyes were cold at the same time.

Xiao Zhang was secretly happy in his heart, and watched the play with his hands in his hands.

Xiao Yan stretched out her right hand and gently and skillfully held the calendula's foot, as if the breeze had sent the calendula to her.

Xiao Long's excited face and eyes suddenly lit up, as if stars were popping up, the two little hands snapped, and the sweet and glutinous voice smiled: "Brother Seventeen is so powerful!" Xiao Mi also wanted to clap her hands, but when she saw the eyes of her eldest brother Xiao Hong, she put it down.

Gao's face has changed, and he can't wait to stuff his daughter's words back: Little ancestor, your praise is going to offend people!

Xiao Zhang, Xiao Cheng, and Xiao Jue's faces all changed.

Especially Xiao Jue, he knew that punch, and he didn't spare any strength at all, but Xiao Seventeen caught it lightly, what does this mean? It shows that Xiao Seventeen's internal force is definitely above him!

And this, anyone in the hall with a little eye can think of it.

Xiao Zhang was shocked and jealous in his heart.

Xiao Cheng felt resentment and shame in his heart, and the left arm he was fighting with Xiao Yan was still aching...... When did Xiao Seventeen become so powerful?

Xiao Cong and Shen Qingyi sighed together, happy in their hearts: they deserved to be slapped in the face.

Xiao Yan got up and handed the golden cup to Xiao Cheng, and said regretfully: "Brother Fourteen is going to change the wine cup." The mouth of the marigold cup was shaken by Xiao Yu's fist, and it was naturally useless.

Xiao Yu's gloomy face became even more gloomy.

Marigold was smashed by the strength of his fist, indicating that his internal strength had not yet been controlled, and he was just past Yu and lacked softness - did Xiao Seventeen's words slap him in the face? It's a pity that the tone is really hateful.

Xiao Zhang was thinking about the possibility of winning over Xiao Seventeen, if he became Xiao Si's help in the future...... His eyes froze.

Xiao Cong had already instructed Xiao Chengzhong: "Take someone down to treat your injuries." The voice was cold, unusually gentle, and it was clearly angry.

Xiao Chengzhong responded, called two guards, and carried Sheng Yu down.

A slave maid quickly came up and exchanged for a marigold. The carpet wasn't stained with blood, but it didn't need to be replaced.

Xiao Qing's cold gaze swept over Xiao Cheng and Xiao Ying, and said, "Chinese New Year's Eve, Fu Yan New Day, do you want to use knives and blood to congratulate?" ”

Xiao Ying looked innocent, "Fourth brother, I am teaching the house slave on behalf of the fourteenth brother, but I am not intentional." ”

Xiao Cheng snorted coldly, "The dog takes the mouse." ”

Xiao Jue sneered, "I'm a dog, isn't Brother Fourteen also a dog?" ”

Most of the faces in the hall are dark, isn't this scolding the family?

It's really getting worse and worse the more you talk about it.

Xiao Cong smiled, and his cold voice became calm, "Xiao Fourteen, Xiao Ten."

Nine misconduct, disrespectful words, after the banquet punished copy of the "Analects" and "Book of Filial Piety" once. This flat voice is more chilling than the cold words - unconvinced? If you don't accept it, copy it twice or three times...... Until serving.

Xiao Cheng and Xiao Ying wisely closed their mouths.

As the eldest brother of the prince, Xiao Cong definitely has the power to punish them.

"If someone copies it on his behalf, the penalty will be doubled." Xiao Cong's faint sentence made the faces of the two of them collapse, and the next sentence made the two of them lose half of the idea of cheating, "The ability to identify calligraphy, although I am not as good as my father, I have also learned three or four points." ”

The two teenagers wailed at the same time.

Xiao Cheng glared at Xiao Jue: It's all your fault!

He hated copying the scriptures the most, and he hated copying all the books.

Xiao Jue glared at him: I blame others for stirring up trouble first!

What he hates most is copying the Analects, damn gentle and humble, it's all bullshit!

After he decided to copy the book, he would have a fight with Xiao Fourteen, and Xiao Seventeen!

Xiao Jue picked up the pure gold wine cup and drank it up, and raised the empty cup to Xiao Yan for a shake, his eyes full of challenge.

Xiao Yan placed a two-eared dragon jasper cup on the table, she held the ear with one hand, and also raised it.

Raising the empty wine cup to salute each other, at the banquet of the Tang Dynasty, is the etiquette of challenge and battle.

The eyes of the two touched in the air, as if there was a flash of "crackling" fire.

Xiao Long's excited little face turned red, clapped his hands, and shouted, "I'm going to watch the battle." "I can't wait to go to the martial arts hall now.

Gao's forehead, her daughter obviously didn't teach her like this!

Then I heard a voice come in: "What kind of battle are you watching?" ”

Hearing this, everyone got up and looked at the flowers, birds, and jade screens at the door.

Princess Anping and Xiao Yu helped Mrs. Tai in, and it was Princess Anping who spoke.

The slaves and maids stepped forward to serve the three masters, and after sitting on the barrier, they removed their duties.

The three of them walked out of the barrier, and everyone bowed and saluted, "I've seen Mrs. Tai, I've seen Guogong, I've seen Madame!" ”

The three of them took their seats on the north seat.

Princess Anping was still red, her beautiful eyes looked at her, and she said with a smile: "It seems that everyone loves each other very much." ”

Everyone: "......"

Xiao Long said in a glutinous voice: "Mother, just now the nineteenth brother and the seventeenth brother made an appointment to fight. ”

"Oh, I really love each other, so close that I have to greet them with my body." Princess Anping said.

Xiao Jue, Xiao Yan: "......"

Xiao Ke lowered her head and couldn't help laughing, sure enough, as soon as she, the princess and mother-in-law, opened her mouth, others couldn't speak, and the feeling of being speechless made people want to grab the land.

A smile also appeared in Mrs. Tai's eyes.

The corners of Xiao Yu's eyebrows jumped, his eyes looked at Xiao Cong, and he said in a majestic voice: "What's the matter?" ”

Xiao Cong's words were concise: "The fourteenth brother and the seventeenth brother fought a few times, the fourteenth brother fell into the lamp, kicked the slave, the nineteenth brother threw the slave, the fourteenth brother threw the lamp, the nineteenth brother hit the lamp, hit the seventeenth brother, and the seventeenth brother took the lamp." The child punished the fourteenth and nineteenth brothers for misbehaving and making disrespectful remarks, copying the "Analects" and "The Book of Filial Piety" again. ”

Xiao Yu had a cold face, "Add a punishment." ”

Xiao Cheng and Xiao Ying looked bitter, and Xiao Cheng struggled unrelentingly: "Can you punish others?" Xiao Yu looked at him coldly, and wanted to add it again? Xiao Cheng didn't dare to make a sound.

Princess Anping smiled and said: "It's really difficult to be a brother, brotherhood is deep, and each of them writes the Vimala Sutra once." ”

Xiao Cheng and Xiao Jue's eyes were dark, and they didn't want to spend this year.

Everyone's faces were very exciting, "brotherly love" or something......

There are only a few children with a confused face: difficult brothers, brotherly love, what does this have to do with the Vimala Sutra?

Xiao Mi asked Brother in a whisper.

Xiao Hong felt cramps in his heart, how did he answer this?

Xiao Cheng felt that he had to go out to breathe, comfort and comfort his fragile heart, and straightened up and saluted: "Please allow the child to retire and change clothes." ”

Princess Anping smiled, "Go and come back quickly, don't want to pee." ”

Xiao Cheng wanted to go crazy, he really went to change clothes, not that change (toilet).

Princess Anping had already ignored her son, and ordered left and right: "Have a banquet." He added, "Shishilang's case has less drinks, so I have to change my clothes after a while." ”

Xiao Yan burst out laughing, feeling that he really liked the princess.

Xiao Cheng felt so embarrassed, glared at Xiao Yan fiercely, and quickly withdrew from the table with a wooden face.

The banquet music was played in the hall, and the servants and maids went up to remove the wine, tea, and fruit table, and serve the food table.

Half an hour later, the music stopped, and the feast began.

Xiao Yu said with a gentle complexion: "Today's family banquet, there are no outsiders, and there is no need to be restrained." ”

The crowd responded in unison.

As usual, the first wine is to respect the world and promote peace, the second wine is to honor the family, the third wine is to the wife, the fourth wine is to the prince and his wife, the fifth wine is to the prince and the lady, the sixth wine is to Xiao Cong and other brothers and sisters, and the seventh wine is to the concubine and the lord and wife......

By the time he drank the fifth wine, Xiao Cheng had already changed into clean clothes and returned to the table.

After drinking thirteen glasses of wine, it was time to come, and the food table was removed and the New Year's snack was served.

Mrs. Hai was going to bed, and Chinese New Year's Eve was no exception, and everyone gave her a New Year's salute in advance and sent her off the table.

Xiao Yu and Princess Anping sent Mrs. Tai back, and there were already singing and dancing in the hall, and several children were protected by nurses and slaves to light firecrackers outside Changqing Hall.

After a while, Xiao Long pedaled back to the hall, shook off his shoes in front of the barrier, and ran to Xiao Yan's side and pulled her arm, "Brother Seventeen will take me to light firecrackers, okay?" ”

Everybody has seen it.

Xiao Cheng's face darkened, Xiao Long loved to stick to him in previous years!

Xiao Yan was stunned, not knowing how the youngest sister found her, but her heart softened by the soft voice, and said with a smile: "Okay." He bowed to the north seat, picked up the girl like jade snow, and walked out of the hall wearing silk sandals.

In the courtyard in front of the hall, there has been a courtyard fire, a pile of firecrackers, a pile of burning spices, the whole front of the hall is full of different fragrances, there are two huge lamp trees erected on both sides of the east and west, the fire trees are very dazzling.

In front of the hall, the fire trees and silver flowers, the hall is full of singing and dancing, Xiao Yan misses the quiet Qingning Courtyard and his mother in the rich and noble noise of this courtyard.

The child's heart is very sensitive, "Isn't my brother happy?" Xiao Long hugged her neck, and her two pupils shone like black grapes under the lantern in front of the hall.

Xiao Yan smiled, "Happy." Holding her in front of the hall, he jumped up, and without picking a pole, he threw a few pieces of bamboo directly into the fire, and retreated to listen to the crackling sound.

Xiao Long clapped his hands and laughed, and said, "Brother, let me throw it, let me throw it!" ”

Xiao Yan took a piece of bamboo handed by the servant to her, picked her up and swept her to the front of the fire.

Xiao Long threw bamboo and had a good time, "Brother, come again, come again!" ”

Xiao Kuan, Xiao Ning, Xiao Mi, and Xiao Shou all looked at it with envy, they really wanted to throw firecrackers in the air like this!

But they can't rob Uncle Seventeen with Aunt Twenty-Five!

The four children are so entangled.

Xiao Mi rolled his eyes and commanded a guard standing under the corridor, "Hold me and light firecrackers." ”

The guard hesitated, and picked her up cautiously.

Xiao Kuan's eyes lit up, and he then ordered the guards to hug them and throw firecrackers.

These guards were not as unscrupulous as Xiao Yan, and they didn't dare to jump too close to the fire, but this was enough to make the children happy, and they all screamed and laughed, and even the singing and dancing music in the hall couldn't stop the screaming laughter of these children.

Xiao Cheng's face became darker and darker, "Brother is so powerful!" "Why does that sound so disturbing

This! Ah Long is a little conscienceless, who likes the new and hates the old.

Xiao Yu's gaze was a little soft, but he only disappeared in an instant, waved his hand to stop singing and dancing, and began to compare the homework of several children in the past year.

Princess Anping was not interested in this, so she beckoned Shen Qingyi and Sun Yunxin, two daughters-in-law, and accompanied her to the lights outside the hall to watch the children play.

Xiao Yan was holding Xiao Long and jumping to the top of the hall of Xinuan Pavilion, Xiao Long excitedly pointed to the sky and said What star is this, what star is this...... Xiao Yan smiled and praised: "Ah Long knows a lot. Xiao Long laughed, and didn't feel that the mask was blown cold by the wind, so he kissed it very loudly, and said, "Brother, let's go over there, go over there." Xiao Yan scurried around on the roofs of the east and west houses with the child in her arms, and listened to her chirp very patiently, not annoying at all. Xiao Long felt that this brother was really good, unlike the fourteenth brother, who didn't say a few words and thought she was arguing, let alone the nineteenth brother, when he saw his face, he always thought that he had robbed him of the pine nut cake - Xiao Yu would probably be angry if he knew her thoughts, when everyone likes pine nut cake?

"Brother, accompany me to light firecrackers." "Brother, I want to see the light tree." "Brother, go over there." "Brother, this way, this way." Princess Anping seemed to have returned to Daming Palace, and her only brother smiled softly at her, letting her call her back and forth...... Brother now, I'm afraid he resents her, right? Because of her, she can only be an idle king.

"Mother." Xiao Mi turned her head and saw her mother, and ran over with her hands open, "Mother hug." He hurriedly saluted Princess Anping, "Grandmother." Turning her head and shouting, "Fourth aunt." ”

Princess Anping waved her hand to Sun Yunxin, "You go play with the child." He took Shen Qingyi and walked out along the east corridor, and beckoned to the roof of the West Warm Pavilion, "Seventeen. ”

Her voice was not loud, but Xiao Yan heard it. Holding Xiao Long and falling, he patted the child's head, "Go play with your nephews." Xiao Long glanced in the direction of his mother-in-law, smiled and nodded, and ran to harass Xiao Kuan.

Xiao Yan walked to the east corridor and saluted: "Mother, fourth sister-in-law." ”

Princess Anping waved her hand, "Go out for a walk." He turned back to Shen Qingyi and said, "You look at the children." ”

Shen Qingyi responded, looking at the backs of his mother-in-law and Xiao Yan one after the other, with thoughtful eyes in his eyes.

The two of them went out of Changqing Hall, to the north is Mingtang, along the way there are light trees, hanging all kinds of lanterns, colorful, the road is dazzling and bright.

There was also a pile of court fires in front of the Ming Hall, the fire was blazing, and several slaves were throwing spices into the fire, and when they saw the two coming, they knelt down and saluted from a distance.

Princess Anping waved her hand, motioned for them to get up, walked up the white stone steps in front of the Ming Hall, stood on the steps and looked at the starry sky and said, "Tonight's Daming Palace is also bright and dazzling." ”

Xiao Yan looked up at her, "Is my mother homesick?" "The princess must have missed her mother, too.

"Home?" An Ping smiled fairly, the mother concubine has passed away, and the only relatives she cares about may still resent her.

"I remember one year," she looked at the fire in front of her, "playing with firecrackers and playing out of the rack, several brothers and sisters scuffled together, and my father didn't let the palace people pull the fight, haha I can't say that I can't slap my face...... At that time, we were all very jealous, because Father only had one person in his arms, and we were allowed to scuffle just to make her laugh. ”

Princess Anping looked stunned, but there was a bit of gnashing of teeth in her voice.

Xiao Yan thought to himself, the one who was held by the saint must be the most favored, alas, it turned out that the princess was not loved by her father when she was a child. She suddenly felt sympathy in her heart, approached her, stretched out her hand to pull ......the princess, and comforted: "The saint must miss you in the palace" After thinking about it, she felt that this was not convincing, so she said, "The fourth brother, the fourteenth brother, and I all love you." ”

Princess Anping smiled back, stretched out her hand to caress her head, under the starry sky and the light tree, those eyes became more and more gorgeous and bright, and these eyes were staring at her deeply, "Ah Yan, you remember, I am your dearest person." ”

Yes?

Xiao Yan didn't understand in her eyes, she wanted to say that her mother was her dearest person, but looking at the princess's gentle eyes, she couldn't say anything, thinking that the princess might need comfort, so she didn't say anything, and her long eyelashes hung softly under her eyelids.

Princess Anping sighed, stretched out her hand to hold the child in her arms, if she hadn't seen it, it would be fine, but now that she has seen it, she always has to protect it.

What kind of thoughts did the Qingning Yuan have about Ah Yan, it really can't be reassuring.

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