Li Hao said to Yan Fu: "That is because my grandfather is seriously ill and his family is in the middle of the road, and my aunt has to marry someone as a concubine to turn around the family." The family my aunt married later became an official in Beijing, and now lives in Jiying Lane, surnamed Sheng. At first, I didn't know the specifics, but then my mother told me specifically. Now that my aunt has passed away, only one cousin is still alive, so when I came to Bianjing, I should go and see it. ”

Yan Fu listened and said; "The Sheng family in Jiying Lane, I've heard that his family originally came out of Tanhua and then married the daughter of Yongyi Hou, right."

Li Hao said: "Yes, it's that family, why is their family very famous in Bianjing City." ”

Yan Fu said: "That's not it, it's just that Sheng Hong is serving in the Rite Academy, and now he is also a five-grade." I've dealt with him, and I've heard people mention it later. Oh, by the way, now that my father has also been promoted to Beijing, you are here, and you should visit my house when you have time. ”

Li Hao replied: "Since it is so, it should be." After visiting Mr. Yongshu first, the Sheng family still saw what my mother meant, and then I went to visit my brother's house when I had time. ”

At this time, Yan Fu suddenly thought of something and said: "By the way, there is one thing you have to know, now Mr. Yongshu is a bachelor of Hanlin, and it is rumored in the DPRK and China that this examination may be presided over by Mr. Yongshu. You have to study it seriously and see what Mr. Yong likes in his style, so that it can be safer to try. ”

When Li Hao heard this, his heart moved and said: "There is also this matter, it seems that I have to spend my heart and mind to study Mr. Yong's literary style." ”

Yan Fu said: "Just pay attention, I won't bother you." Settle down in these days, and I will come back to you in a little while. ”

Then got up and left, and Li Hao followed him out to see off the guests.

Then he went back to rest, and slept until noon on the next day. When Li Hao arrived at the main hall, he was just in time for dinner, and after eating, everyone returned to the main hall to talk about things.

Li Hao said: "Mother, when are you going to go to the Sheng family?" ”

Wei replied: "Tomorrow, I will go to the Sheng family to see Minglan first, and then I will go together when I choose a good day." ”

After Li Hao heard this, he said: "That's okay, in addition, when the teacher came, I asked me to visit a good friend, who was the original Ouyang Zhizhou, and now he is a bachelor of Hanlin in Bianjing." I have asked my senior brother, the day after tomorrow is the day when the officials are resting, and I will go to Ouyang Mansion first. As for the Sheng family's side, if you want to go that day, make an appointment in the afternoon, and when I come back from Ouyang Mansion, I will go together. ”

Wei said: "Since your teacher explained it, then you naturally have to listen." As for the Sheng family, it's not in a hurry, I'll talk about it when I come back. ”

Li Hao listened and said: "Cousin Minglan is here, the Sheng family can't be too lazy after all, otherwise it will be okay with us, but it will hurt Cousin Minglan after all." ”

Wei listened to this and nodded yes. After sitting down for a while, Wei was a little tired again, so Li Jian accompanied him back to the room to rest. Li Hao was sober, so he picked up the gun and stick brought from Yangzhou to exercise his body, since he was about to participate in the children's test to the present, Li Hao stopped practicing every day, and now he is just practicing, and when he sees Ouyang Xiu, he is afraid that he will have to continue reading and be busy with the test.

The next day, Wei took people to the Sheng Mansion. When Minglan received Wei's, she was naturally very happy, and then took Wei's to see her grandmother. I went to see Mrs. Wang together, and agreed to come to visit tomorrow afternoon. Then the two went back to the room and chatted for a while, and Wei went home.

After setting a date to visit Shengfu, Li Hao set off to Ouyang Mansion on the morning of the rest day with Fu Deng and the prepared gifts, and looked at the high-rise buildings on both sides of the road, the houses lined up one after another, the street vendors hawking, and pedestrians coming and going, which was much more prosperous than Yangzhou City.

When Li Hao arrived at Ouyang Mansion, he gave Master Qin's greeting post and handed over the gifts, and was ushered into the gatehouse to sit down. After a while, someone came to lure Li Hao into the main hall, and Fu Deng waited for Li Hao to come back in the gatehouse.

After Li Hao entered the main hall, he saw Ouyang Xiu. I saw that he was nearly fifty years old, with a moderate figure, wearing a crown of hair on his head, his body was stubborn and handsome, as decent as a small ginkgo tree, his eyes were shining with the brilliance of wisdom, keen and deep, and at the same time, the years had left his skin wrinkled like a knife, and he wore a collar of clay gold plain gauze robes, white socks underneath, and a pair of black socks on his feet, which gave people the impression that he was shrewd and capable.

Li Hao immediately bowed and saluted: "Hello Lord Ouyang."

After Ouyang Xiu saw it, he asked Li Hao to get up and sit down. said: "I am a confidant and friend of your teacher, don't be so polite, call me an uncle, don't wronged you." ”

Li Hao hurriedly got up and said, "Where is this, it should be my honor." ”

Ouyang Xiu raised his hand to let Li Hao sit down and speak, and after Li Hao sat down, he said, "Brother Qin wrote to me, let me teach you some knowledge after you come to Beijing." But now that you have solved the yuan in high school, it is not bad to think that you are full of knowledge here. I'll come up with some questions for you these days, and when you're done, send them to me, and I'll explain to you how to tell them. ”

Li Hao said: "Then it will trouble my uncle." ”

Ouyang Xiu smiled and asked, "By the way, after the word "water tune song head", are there any new poems?" You must know that when your water tune song came out, it was widely circulated. Even the official family heard about it, and they even invited me to ask about it later. ”

After hearing this, Li Hao said: "Although the little nephew has also done some poems in Yangzhou later, it is still a lot worse than the water tune song head, and there may not be too much circulation." ”

Ouyang Xiu said, "Oh, I'll take a look at it." Then he asked his servants to bring up pen and ink.

Seeing this, Li Hao wrote down a few poems that he had copied over the years and handed them to Ouyang Xiu, who took them and read them carefully. said: "Although these poems are not as talented as the water tune song head, they are much better than most articles that only know how to pile up words, and are sinister and difficult." ”

After Li Hao heard this, his heart moved, and he at least understood that Ouyang Xiu didn't wash his style, and then replied modestly: "Uncle praised it falsely." ”

Then Ouyang Xiu and Li Hao talked about Master Qin again, knowing that Master Qin was unwilling to go to Beijing. Said; "Brother Qin is open-minded, but it's a pity that he was injured by this officialdom, and it is difficult to display his ambitions."

Ouyang Xiu later talked to Li Hao about being a minister in the same hall with Master Qin and participating in the Qingli New Deal together, and he felt a lot of emotion after speaking, but he didn't know whether it was for Master Qin or for the failed Qingli New Deal.

After waiting for a while, it was not too early to see that it was getting dark. Ouyang Xiu asked: "Let's have lunch with me today, I'll tell you some things about the exam in the afternoon, and then come up with some questions for you to do." ”

Li Hao replied: "I won't bother my uncle today, my family has a relative in Bianjing." I made an appointment to visit my parents in the afternoon, or I would ask my uncle to come up with some questions first, and I would bring them back, and then I would come back to bother when I was done. ”

After Ouyang Xiu heard this, he said, "It's okay, then I'll come up with ten questions first, and you'll come to me after you finish it." I'll explain it to you then, and don't stick to the customs, just come at that time. I'll make arrangements with my subordinates, and if I don't let the government come back, you can go to the study and stay and read the book. These days, your aunt and my sons have returned to their hometown, and when they come back in some time, I will introduce them to you. ”

Li Hao saluted, and then took the question and put it away. He returned to the concierge to pick him up and went back to his house.

When they arrived at the mansion, the Wei family had already prepared a bunch of gifts to send to the Sheng Mansion together.

Li Hao looked at it and said: "Mother, isn't this too public, didn't my mother say that my cousin is not in a very good situation in the house, and such fanfare may not be a good thing for my cousin." ”

Wei said: "Your cousin has suffered since she was a child, should I prepare more gifts for her, and it is not enough to increase her face?" ”

After hearing this, Li Hao replied: "Mother, I didn't mean that, the gift was naturally to be given, but not so much." The others might as well be folded into silver tickets, and then it would be better to give them to my cousin in private. In this way, my cousin has no lack of face, and secondly, I can also get some practical benefits, wouldn't it be the best of both worlds. ”

Wei thought about it, and probably felt that it was right, so he asked people to take some down.

When everything was arranged, they set off together for Shengfu.