On the fourth day of October, it was the 60th birthday of Gu Zhengde, the old lady of the Gu family's room, Gu Kaizhen prepared a birthday gift early in the morning, and took his wife and children to Fucheng to celebrate the old lady's birthday.

Gu Zhengde has been an official for most of his life, and he has countless protégés and colleagues. At this time, people come and go outside the gate of Fucheng Gufu, and there is an endless stream of guests who come to celebrate their birthdays, and the whole alley is very lively.

"Yo, Master Sun, it's too far away. Inside please, inside please. Gu Kaili was full of smiles, standing at the door and busy socializing with the visiting guests.

"Second brother!" Gu Kaili saw Gu Kaizhen's family from a distance, and walked over with a smile, "It's been a few days, my nephews have grown taller." The nieces have brought them too, right? Don't stand, go in and talk, Father is waiting for you. ”

There were many guests today, and the door was crowded, Gu Kaili didn't say too much to greet, and after taking their family to the inner courtyard, he went out to continue to greet the guests.

The guests from outside were joking and having fun in the courtyard, and everyone in the Gu family gathered in the hall to prepare a birthday gift to the old lady. In the main hall, Gu Zhengde was dressed in formal clothes, sitting upright, and accepting everyone's congratulations.

Gu Zhenglu, the old lady in the second room, stepped forward, bowed his hand slightly to Gu Zhengde, and said: "I went to patrol Zhuangzi a few days ago, and I met a strange stone, so I bought it, and today I dedicated it to my eldest brother as a birthday gift, and I wish my eldest brother a long life." ”

With that, he beckoned, and the men walked in carrying a stone half a man high and with a peculiar shape, which looked like the word "longevity".

Gu Zhengde squinted his eyes and said, "It's really strange, it's really rare, the second brother has a heart." ”

Then, everyone rushed to offer Gu Zhengde's birthday gift.

"My son Gu Kaiqi dedicated to my father a wolf pen produced by Rong Fangzhai, which is made of the best hair on the tails of hundreds of weasels, and the writing is the most delicate and smooth."

"My grandson dedicated to my grandfather a pair of Dong Xuanzai's "Eight Scenes of Autumn Xing", and I wish my grandfather good health!"

"Nephew Gu Yuanzhao, I gave my uncle a leather jacket for northern tribute, seeing that the weather is cold, this one is thick and windproof, and it is very warm."

Gu Zhengde stroked his beard and accepted them one by one with a smile. Gu Kaili took out a gift box from his sleeve, stepped forward and handed it to him: "This is sent back by Xuan'er to entrust me to my father, he said that he used to hear you complain about your eyes, so he bought this pair of dioramas from a foreigner, and it is said that it is very clear after wearing it." He has official business on him and can't come back, but he still remembers you. ”

"Really?" Gu Zhengde picked up the dioscope and tried to put it on, "Well, the vision is really clear, it's hard for him to miss me, an old man, thousands of miles away, he didn't hurt him in vain, hahahahahaha." "The things sent by the eldest grandson who loves the most, Gu Zhengde naturally likes how he likes it, and caresses his beard.

Everyone observed the words, and when they saw this, they hurriedly complimented: "Xuan'er is worthy of being the grandson of the old man who grew up, and he is promising, and caring, what a filial piety!" ”

At this time, Gu Mingan held a brocade box in his arms and said to Gu Zhengde confidently: "Grandfather, I want to give you a birthday gift, and that is the only one!" ”

In the curious eyes of everyone, he turned his head and ordered: "Come on, close the doors and windows!" And the curtains, too, are down! ”

Soon, the room was pitch black, and only vague figures could be seen. Seeing that Gu Ming'an didn't take it out for a long time, Gu Kaili frowned and said, "Second brother, what are you going to do?" ”

Gu Ming'an was not in a hurry, until there was no light in the room, and when he saw that everyone was stretching their necks, he opened the lid of the box: "Grandfather, just take a look!" ”

The moment the box was opened, a dazzling white light suddenly emitted inside, making everyone's eyes narrow, and in an instant, the room was like day.

Gu Ming'an held the night pearl in both hands, and said proudly: "My grandson asked people to go to the South China Sea to find the night pearl half a year ago, and it took a lot of hard work to find this largest and brightest one." ”

Gu Zhengde took the night pearl and looked at it carefully for a while, and couldn't help but be amazed: "It's really rare, the old man has seen a lot of night pearls, but none of them are as bright as this one, An'er has a heart." After that, he put the Night Pearl back in the box and ordered someone to put it away.

Gu Yunxiao also took his younger brothers forward and said: "Grandsons Gu Yunxiao, Gu Yunlin, and Gu Yunji wish my grandfather happiness like the East China Sea, and longevity than Nanshan!" This is our birthday gift for you. As he spoke, he presented a calligraphy and painting that had been prepared in advance.

"Three people will send a painting, and they will be childish." Maybe he was a little carried away after just getting a few words of praise, Gu Mingan said disdainfully on the side.

Several people gave a birthday gift, and it wasn't just Gu Yunji who did it, such as Gu Kaixiang, the third uncle of the concubine, who only prepared a gift. Only Gu Mingxuan, a grandson who has grown up in front of him since childhood, will strive to offer filial piety at this time. Like Gu Yunji's family, they only come and go once or twice a year, a birthday gift is enough, no one will say anything, Gu Mingan obviously wants to stir up trouble.

Although Gu Yunxiao's illness was greatly cured, his body was still a little weak, and he was ridiculed by Gu Ming'an in front of the court at this time, and his breath was blocked in his chest, and his lips were already a little pale.

"Who said that," Gu Yunji took a step forward, looked directly at Gu Ming'an and said, "We still have something to come up with." Come on, bring it up! ”

Soon, a glass jar as large as a bucket was carried up, filled with a bottle full of pale yellow liquid, and there were many round fruits at the bottom of the bottle.

Gu Yunji introduced: "This is the green plum wine made by the grandson's family, I heard that my grandfather was good at wine during the Dragon Boat Festival last time, but when I was older, I always felt that drinking hurt my body, and I didn't dare to drink more." This plum wine has a unique flavor and is suitable for grandfathers because it can relieve fatigue and prevent diseases. ”

"Although green plums are also produced locally, the amount of fruit acid is small. This green plum fruit is produced in Fuzhou Mansion, the flesh is thick, the juice is more, it is my eldest sister Gu Yunyi specially entrusted people to travel thousands of miles to transport it quickly, by our brothers and sisters to select the fruit, wash the fruit, pick the best of the best, and use the best rock sugar and liquor brewing, and finally by my father personally sealed the altar, put it in a cool and ventilated place to wait for its fermentation, it took a year before and after, this became this altar of plum wine. ”

This is a half-truth, the wine is real wine, and the green plums are indeed produced in Fuzhou Prefecture, but they are not made by themselves. Gu Yunji heard that Gu Zhengde was good at wine, and after returning from the Dragon Boat Festival last time, he bought an altar from Fuzhou Mansion and came back, preparing to give it to him this time.

Gu Yunxiao thought that Gu Yunji wanted wine because he was greedy, so he didn't take it to heart, but he was stunned by his words at this time, and he didn't react at once. Gu Yunlin also had an expression that I didn't know, and looked at him desperately.

Gu Yunji only pretended not to see it, and his face did not change when he lied, and said as usual: "Although this green plum wine is cumbersome to make, it is not worth much money in the end, and it is not as unique as Ming'an's cousin's Night Pearl, so Fang Cai was embarrassed to take it out openly in the hall, and originally wanted to give it to his grandfather in private." ”

Gu Zhengde took a small glass of green plum wine and put it under his nose and smelled it, then put it in his mouth and tasted it, and said:

"Well, sure enough, it's crisp in the mouth, sweet and sour, mellow in taste, good wine! Although this green plum wine is not uncommon, it is difficult for your family to work together and make it yourself for a long time. What's even more commendable is that you know how to converge and not fight, which is very good. ”

As soon as these words came out, Gu Ming'an, who had just been in the limelight with the Night Pearl, was competitive and competitive, and he didn't know the general situation, so angry that his face turned the color of pig liver.

Gu Kaiqi, who had lived in Fuzhou Mansion for a period of time, was very familiar with green plum wine, and he also poured a small glass and tasted it, but he drank the familiar taste of a famous winery in Fuzhou Mansion, he glanced at Gu Yunji meaningfully, did not expose it, and echoed: "It is indeed a good wine." ”

Thinking of the last Dragon Boat Festival Gu Ming'an made it difficult, it was Gu Yunji who unexpectedly relieved himself, and also borrowed Gu Kaili's hand to teach the other party a lesson, Gu Zhengde felt more and more that this grandson was different, and the more he looked at it, the more satisfied he became: "I heard that you took the first case in this year's Huating County County Examination, and your father sent me the paper to read, and the writing is very good, quite ancient." ”

This compliment is amazing, and the people around him suddenly looked sideways and looked at Gu Yunji with admiration.

Soon, the time for the feast came, and everyone walked out of the main hall and took their seats.