Ye Long stood under the eaves of Qi He's new house, looking at the red background plaque slowly hanging on the gate, the golden light shimmering; He smiled, walked a few steps back and forth, smacked his lips, and listened to the subordinates on both sides: "This new house is according to the master's instructions, everything that should be done has been done, and all the work is completed." ”

"Hmm......" Ye Long rubbed his hands and said with a sigh: "You people, none of them are as good as Cheng Congyuan, and I need to do this kind of thing myself." It's a pity that such a capable person goes to accompany my unfilial son. The subordinates all bowed their heads. Ye Long crossed the threshold with his feet raised, the gate opened, and the two rows of green bamboos planted in layers greeted him, protecting a belt of bluestone pavement, and passed through the winding and winding way, so that the shade of the bamboo forest was gone, and the sunlight overflowed on his body.

Ye Long finally arranged the completion of the work, and his body was really a little sore, so he deliberately stopped and basked in the sun with peace of mind.

"How?" Ye Long heard the rattling of the stone road behind him, but he never looked back.

"Someone from the imperial court?" After Ye Long heard the man's confession, he immediately woke up, and walked under the gate in a blink of an eye, and there were two stout men, wrapped in black robes—two of them who came back to congratulate him on his promotion. The two laughed loudly at Ye Long, and Ye Long also smiled slightly, and slowly walked down the stone steps. "The two messengers are here to repair the ancestral hall?"

"Exactly. How dare we forget Lord Ye's instructions, and it took a lot of twists and turns to do it! At the beginning, I told the emperor, and the emperor said that I should consider ...... We went to invite the general, and the general persuaded him, and the emperor agreed. ”

"Which general? He speaks so smartly......" Ye Long raised his eyes to look at them, and the two smiled: "You don't know, it's the son of Dengzhou Hou Liuliwen, named Liu Zhennian; During this period of your absence, General Liu went south to conquer the barbarians, and asked for peace on the table, which boosted the majesty of the Celestial Empire, and was promoted to the chief soldier and horse of Gyeonggi, this kind of thing...... Just invite him. ”

"A person in charge of the army, what do you care about this......" Ye Long muttered a few words.

The two of them said: "In the end, the province agreed to give your eldest brother the title of 'Zhongjing', and the plaque of the 'Ye Zhongjing Ancestral Hall' can be hung." ”

"Also, Master Ye has been teaching the imperial history of Zuodu for a long time, and he should go to Beijing." After hearing this, Ye Long sighed and said, "I don't know, the affairs of this ancestral hall are not finished yet, and I have caught up with some recent affairs at home, so I can't spare time." But since the emperor is urging, it is not good to have a grudge against the court, and he can leave in about five days. But you are also very busy, if you think about bringing me into Beijing quickly, this can also be understood. ”

The two men glanced at each other, and said to Ye Long with a smile: "The emperor can afford to wait, and the villains can afford to wait." Your family is the largest mansion in Jinan, the meal must be good, if there is no business, we would like to stay here for half a lifetime. Ye Long laughed for a while, and immediately shouted loudly: "Go into the house to prepare a meal, so as to comfort the two messengers!" ”

"Master, the master is leaving, tell you to go out and send it off." A subordinate bowed down and reported to the study. Ye Yongjia was still reading with his head bored, his eyes never moved, and his mouth did not respond, only caring about his sage writings. Cheng Congyuan immediately stood up and said, "You go back and talk to the master first, and you'll come in a while." I'll take my master out. The man did as he promised.

Cheng Congyuan turned around and dragged Ye Yongjia and persuaded: "I have locked up the master for a few days, but the master is still unstable." What is he doing about this? Let's go. Ye Yongjia snorted unwillingly, stood up, and looked at Cheng Congyuan for a while, his stomach full of resentment. He wanted to scold a few words, but he forgot about it and went out honestly. He stepped out and saw that ladders had been erected on the doorposts on both sides, and several people had nailed new plaques on high places, "Zhongjing Ancestral Hall"; Ye Long commanded under the door. Ye Yongjia bowed early, but Ye Long didn't speak; So he bent there, stiff.

"Sir." Cheng Congyuan said in a reminding tone. "Oh......" Ye Long lowered his head and looked at Ye Yongjia with his spare eyes, "He's honest?" Still is...... I can't wait to come out when I hear about moving to a new home? Cheng Congyuan glanced at Ye Yongjia, and he hurriedly responded: "In the past few days, my son has read the articles of the sages diligently, and has also written a few articles that are almost decent, and I invite my father to take a look. When he had finished speaking, he trotted back to the house, but when he heard his father speak, he turned around and stood still, his face pale.

"You don't have to. Cheng Congyuan is really good at teaching. Before the words landed, Cheng Congyuan's knees fell to the ground first, and his eyes were full of determination:

"If the master has anything to say, I won't defend the suspect slave. But the slave has been with the master for so many years, and he has never given the young master an opportunistic method, let alone written an article for him. ”

Ye Long realized that his words were serious, and hurriedly pulled Cheng Congyuan's arm: "You hurry up." I didn't mean that. You are a loyal and strict man, and the whole house knows it, how can I doubt you? I'm just angry for a while, angry at this unfilial son and uneasy! Cheng Congyuan stood up with Ye Long's force, and didn't forget to look back at Ye Yongjia quietly, seeing that he raised his head indifferently and looked around; Looking forward again, Ye Long had already arranged the sedan chair and helped a few subordinates to pick it up. Cheng Congyuan strode forward and grabbed the sedan curtain.

Ye Long leaned out and asked what was the matter, and Cheng Congyuan said, "Master is going to Beijing?" ”

"That's right."

"After moving to Qihe, who will take care of the affairs of the family?"

"My wife has never been in charge, and now that she is old, it is time to enjoy her life. The affairs of the family are hard for you. Cheng Congyuan lowered the curtain, but Ye Yongjia shouted behind him: "Father, have a safe journey!" Father, be careful in the court! When the father comes back, he will see his son in the middle of the lift! ”

Somehow, Cheng Congyuan watched the sedan chair go away, and when he heard Ye Yongjia's last words, he couldn't help but feel a little weak, and his body sweated, as if he had been viciously stabbed to the heart by a knife, and his heart hurt a little. He covered his heart and came back, Ye Yongjia asked what was going on suspiciously, and he replied.

Cheng Congyuan returned to the mansion, his lofty status made those ordinary slaves dare not disobey, and when they saw Cheng Congyuan giving orders, they all pulled up their legs and did it. But Cheng Congyuan knew his duty very well, and he was still making a request to the old lady and Ye Yongjia on the side, and the old lady naturally nodded in general.

Cheng Congyuan wrote a list and divided three groups of people, asking them to move things according to the list, and in less than three days, all the things that needed to be moved arrived at Qihe's new residence, which made Ye Yongjia wait to get up. Cheng Congyuan went to Xinfu first, checked it according to the list, arranged for someone to move things in, and when the work was done, he took out to greet Ye Yongjia - Ye Yongjia happened to come over.

"Mr. Cheng, thank you for your hard work."

"What's this, go in and rest for a while."

"The ...... of building an ancestral hall"

"You don't need to worry about it," Cheng Congyuan said with a calm smile, "Before I left, I sent someone to supervise the works of the ancestral hall, and there are enough people over there, so there will be no delay in the work on both sides." ”

Ye Yongjia sighed: "Mr. Cheng is really thoughtful! ”

They walked through the bamboo forest path, and walked around the side gate several times, and those with names such as Zhai and Yuan on the way all followed the original name, but did not feel that there was any general difference with the house in Jinan. Ye Yongjia sat in the room where he was entertaining, listening to Cheng Congyuan's repeated instructions, as if after his father left, the house was even more united. Although he can enjoy himself, but the imperial examination in Qiuyue is gradually approaching, so he can only study harder than before.

Cheng Congyuan is naturally very busy, not only need to deal with official affairs day and night, but also squeeze out time to teach Ye Yongjia to learn, the old lady persuaded him to entrust some things to his subordinates, but Cheng Congyuan resolutely opposed: "Your Ye family has been sincere to me for more than 40 years, and I can't wait to do it until I die!" ”

On the last day before the exam, Ye Yongjia went straight to midnight until the lights were darkened, and before going to bed, Cheng Congyuan did not forget to take a few stacks of manuscripts from the students, saying that it was to see how the article was written, Ye Yongjia didn't think too much about it, and handed it to him directly. Cheng Congyuan's eyes showed some hesitation, and after a while, he took the manuscript with rough hands.

He hurried back to the room where he was resting, and took a candlestick to the corner of the wall, lit it, the faint light yellowed and unclear, but it happened to shine on the manuscript in his other hand. Cheng Congyuan looked at it a few times roughly, and didn't dare to make a sound, but sighed heavily in his heart.

However, there is always a way. Cheng Congyuan pondered, his eyes wandering at the candle.

……

The rooster crowed, and Ye Yongjia woke up. He hurriedly dressed and changed his clothes, ran to the meeting room, and saw Cheng Congyuan outside, so he hurriedly made a salute and went to the room to meet his mother. After a few sips of tea, he hurried on his way, followed by a few minions - it was personally dispatched by Cheng Congyuan. Ye Yongjia urged the horse to the road, the sun was rising little by little, and he entrusted all his hopes to it: he only wished that his fortune would follow the sun.

The expedition had not yet begun, but it was already crowded outside. Ye Yongjia dismounted, and several minions around him stared around vigilantly. "Alright. I'm not an important member of the court, so where is the danger? You don't have to put a stand on my shoulder. The minions bowed their heads. Ye Yongjia sat on the platform at the door, and several people gathered around the opposite side to talk, all talking about the fact that the court strictly forbade all living beings to communicate with each other, Ye Yongjia just listened to the story, as if it had nothing to do with him. After all, after he is famous, such a dirty thing will not happen.

didn't wait long, the candidates inside came in, Ye Yongjia entered the room, and the people outside locked the door. As soon as Ye Yongjia took the pen, he remembered the matter of the joint, so he used "Knowing its injustice and speeding" as the question, but it was written very briskly.

After a few days of exams, although Ye Yongjia was idle in the apartment, he still pretended to read, his voice was louder than usual, and he pretended to be extremely calm, but he was very worried in his heart, I was afraid that what he said to his father would become a lie, and he would inevitably be angry when he came back, and he would lock himself up for a few days. However, a quick knock on the door made Ye Yongjia relieved, he loudly ordered the servant to open the door, he strode forward, and saw a grim man with a solemn face, holding the newspaper in his hand, the big red newspaper was extremely dazzling in the sunlight, Ye Yongjia could hardly open his eyes. Joy quickly jumped from my heart to my face, and I couldn't suppress the ecstatic expression at all. He fell to his knees and saw the slowly open post; large characters embroidered with gold; The crown and belt of the poor are so dazzling...... He didn't remember the contents of the post, as if he was half-asleep, and it was all a little confused. But he still did not forget to put the incense case for the post, kowtowed reverently, and then handed it over to the messenger. Ye Yongjia didn't want to stay for a while, so he hurriedly found the stable, informed the minions, and ran around regardless of the official and wild ways.

The news of Ye Yongjia's promotion spread far and wide, and the people didn't talk about it, but some of the clans of Jinan Mansion gritted their teeth and hated it, although they still sent people to celebrate on their faces, they were all indispensable.

Ye Long was far away in the capital, and after hearing this, he still found time to write a book for his family, Cheng Congyuan opened the letter, and recited it aloud: "Hearing the things at home, the glory on the list, Yu Xinyue is full of words, but Yu Shun, Yu Zhi also reads ...... This son is stubborn and has no other skills, but he is very literate, and he is young to guide him with a pen, and he actually wrote his own book...... Disobedient, but tried it, it was not bathing Shun force, what else could it be? The ancient is a gentleman, for the righteousness of virtue, not limited to respect and cheapness, Yu Shun worries about the family and worries about the teaching, Qi teaches and Qi family, not a gentleman? …… Yu Che earnestly comforted Yu Shun, Yu Shun did not live up to Yu Shun's ......" Cheng Congyuan's eyes were red, a few tears rolled out of his eyes, and his voice was slightly crying, but he didn't let himself cry loudly, so he flicked a few teardrops casually, slowly put down the letter, and instructed his subordinates to say:

"The master is so good to me, and I have to treat the master benevolently...... You are going to advocate paving, well, you have to line up for ten miles, all dressed in red satin, and you want the master to see that this is the Ye family! ”

Ye Yongjia traveled from Jinan to Qihe in only half a day. Cheng Congyuan's invitation to advocate the guard of honor had already been arranged, and they were draped in red satin, and under the sun, they were like sporadic flames; Seeing a few horses in the distance gradually ascending to the official road, he immediately raised his hand and picked up the sheng. Standing in front of the earthen wall, rows of sheng are lined up, about dozens of branches;

But the sound was not noisy, it was blowing in an orderly manner, and the soft sheng played in unison for a while, becoming so sonorous and powerful. As soon as Ye Yongjia approached, the guard of honor dispersed, clustered around Ye Yongjia on the left and right, and blew the sheng to open the way; In front of the gong flashed, Xiao's guard of honor, and then showed Sheng's guard of honor, and then there were many teams in the back, as soon as they saw the opening of the way, they avoided one after another, and several flames retreated layer by layer, approaching the walls on both sides, turning into two red-hot fire dragons, and objects such as sheng flashed, like the golden lins of dragons; Those golden lins swayed, and the three music sang in unison, low and majestic. The people outside the earthen walls seemed so irregular in the vocal music and fire arrays that they all huddled together, shouting and shouting.

Until Ye Mansion, he heard someone in the mansion cough a few times, and in an instant, Baile was extinguished, and the fire gradually subsided—Cheng Congyuan walked out of the gate steadily.

He saw Cheng Congyuan's face at a glance, and for some reason, Cheng Congyuan had already changed his face and smiled briskly: "...... Lord, look at my celebration method, okay? Ye Yongjia also looked proud, and after landing heavily, he held the horse with one hand and said with a smile: "I have never seen the scene you arranged in my life!" But Mr. Cheng is such a thrifty person, are these honor guards too expensive? ”

Cheng Congyuan pouted: "Alas, the master just has to be happy, I have a sense of proportion in these things!" After speaking, he asked again: "I don't know how to put the list down, what is the order?" ”

Ye Yongjia couldn't think of it for a while, so he said vaguely: "I only remember what I wrote about the joint of the provinces, and after the examiner read my article, he seemed to be a little uncomfortable and a little annoyed...... But I still earned a lift to come back! Cheng Congyuan was about to go home, he seemed to be thinking about something, but he didn't look at the road well, his feet slipped, his waist flashed, and he was about to be planted facing the ground. Ye Yongjia hurriedly stepped forward and dragged it, Cheng Congyuan slipped a few steps on his feet, and before he stood up, Ye Yongjia asked Cheng Congyuan with concern how he was. Mr. Cheng was panting with fright—his head almost hit the threshold.

"It's okay! I am happy! Cheng Congyuan dusted off his dark cloth clothes and walked towards the house with a laugh.

Since the young master of the Ye family was raised, the hospitality affairs in the house have become complicated: there are frequent families and officials in Jinan to congratulate, and there are many people who have come to the same year to tie up. Ye Yongjia is very annoyed with these interactions, and he has not seen anything for a few times, if he can't push it off, he only blames his subordinates to get busy; Later, it was Cheng Congyuan's hard work that made him slowly adapt, but after all, he was still a little annoyed.

This Ye Mansion is still in charge of Cheng Congyuan! Ye Yongjia started the fire and thought so.

Ye Long came back about a day or two later, and he couldn't help but be happy, but even if he was happy, he straightened his face, walked home, and scolded Ye Yongjia first: "Don't think that it is easy to take the exam, I don't have to study hard." If you are still as grinding as before, let alone lock it for a month, you should lock it for a year! ”

Ye Yongjia responded in a low voice. Ye Long glanced at Cheng Congyuan again, and smiled: "The affairs of this family are also thanks to Yu Shun." There are a lot of people coming these days, right? ”

"There are a lot of people who have come in the past few days, but all of them are dealt with by the young master, and I am only busy serving." Cheng Congyuan deliberately pushed the credit to the master.

When Ye Long heard this, he also deliberately looked at Ye Yongjia.

His son was so anxious that he was sweating, and sweat was shining on his cheeks. He couldn't help but explain with a smile: "This is also Mr. Cheng's work." ”

Ye Yongjia really didn't want to stay here, so he waited until his father asked and got up to leave, before he dared to wipe the sweat beads on his face with his sleeve. I wanted to go out with a few minions for a while, but now I have to go to the study to lock myself up for a while.