Early in the morning of the day after tomorrow, the Lu family prepared two cars, Mao Xiang and Wang Yi took one, Mao Xiang's sister took the green beads, and Cuimo and Cuixiang took one in the middle, and Lu Er rode a mule to follow, and went out of the city gate to the northeast Dahong Mountain.

Although it is late autumn, the south is still covered in greenery, the fields on both sides of the official road have been harvested, and the villages in the distance are hidden among the trees, and the various fruits are dotted with bright colors in the thick green. Although there are successive droughts in the north, Xiangfan is smooth and rainy, so in late autumn, there is a bumper harvest everywhere. This official road is also very lively, can parallel two carriages on the wide road, cars one after another, mostly in the direction of Dahong Mountain, pedestrians on both sides of the road are also three or three, most of them are leisurely.

Before the hour, the car had already arrived at the foot of Dahong Mountain, and instead of continuing along the official road, it drove towards a slightly narrower road on the right, slowly drove up the mountain, and stopped in front of a courtyard with a tall wall. As soon as everyone got out of the car, a young woman came out of the door, followed by Xue Xiangyun and Ye Qi, who were Xue Ding's wife. After everyone saw the ceremony, they walked into the Chrysanthemum Shadow Courtyard together.

Everyone came to the living room and sat down, and Sister Mao Xiang said: "What a lot of effort it took to choose such a good place to entertain." Came early in the morning, right? ”

Mrs. Xue smiled: "We just arrived for a while. Please Xie Yuangong to eat, nowhere is it too much. ”

Mao Xiang hurriedly bowed his head and said, "Madam is too polite, just because my sister said that the two families are good, otherwise Mao Xiang would never dare to be so presumptuous." ”

At this time, a maid held two large plates of fresh chrysanthemums of various colors, put them on the table next to them, and then said with a smile: "Please choose flowers." ”

Everyone stepped forward and chose chrysanthemums to put on their heads. Sister Mao Xiang only paid attention to Ye Qi, and saw that she only chose a slightly larger golden silk chrysanthemum, lightly inserted it into her right hair, and was dressed in green, the more red her lips and teeth were white, her eyes were rolling, and she couldn't help but praise in her heart: "What a handsome girl!" ”

The steward of the courtyard walked into the living room, bowed and saluted, "Do you want me to lead you to enjoy the flowers first?" ”

Mrs. Xue asked Sister Mao Xiang, "How is it?" ”

Sister Mao Xiang said: "Okay! I heard that all the good chrysanthemums are in the Chrysanthemum Shadow Courtyard, and today I have to see it for a long time. ”

Everyone got up and walked to the back garden with the steward, through several flower halls, along a verandah, zigzag, all the way to the cinnamon fragrance, the sound of the water murmuring, came to a round door, engraved two words "chrysanthemum shadow". As soon as you enter the door, everyone can't help but marvel, the whole garden is full of ten acres of square circle, the size of the flower garden is different, the height is high, the ups and downs are at will, all kinds of chrysanthemums in the garden compete for beauty, white as snow, red as fire, purple shengxia, make people dizzy.

The steward led everyone to tour at will, answered everyone's questions as he walked, and said casually: "That is the purple dragon lying in the snow, the petals are purple and red, representing good fortune and purple qi from the east." This white is the Yaotai jade phoenix. This flower is as green as jade, and it is a green peony. You see, the one that looks like a phoenix spreading its wings from a distance is the phoenix feather, the petals on her top are brownish-red, and the bottom is yellow, and the flowers are spreading in all directions, like a phoenix spreading its wings? The crowd was amazed.

The steward said: "Ordinary chrysanthemums are easy to raise, but some precious varieties are more rare, and we not only have complete varieties in the garden, but also some are more rare." Please come with me. ”

He led everyone to a flower room, where the chrysanthemums were all strange and colorful, and the flower shapes were strange. The steward introduced them one by one and said: "This is Huangshi Gong, the inner and outer petals are hugging, the golden flowers, but the center of the flower has a green halo." This is a ten-zhang bead curtain, the petals are the thinnest and longest, the flowers bloom like a waterfall, this one is white, that one is pink and white, and there are light yellow and green. Look at this mane Dust, the color of sandalwood, the petals are like silk, or upright, or scattered. There is also this green robe with green petals at the end, white in the middle, and red at the end. This black chrysanthemum is black with red, and this fairy Ganoderma lucidum is yellow inside and purple outside. ”

He led everyone to another place: "This is the most rare, the flower is huge, the same flower is red and yellow, the petals are upturned, dense and slender, and it looks like a pair of mandarin ducks playing in the water from a distance, so it is called mandarin duck chrysanthemum." ”

Sister Mao Xiang and Mrs. Xue glanced at each other and couldn't help but smile.

Everyone hadn't yet enjoyed the whole garden, and it was already noon, so the steward asked Mrs. Xue, "The garden is too big, why don't you eat first?" Then enjoy it slowly. ”

Mrs. Xue said, "Then eat first." ”

Everyone went out of the garden and came to a flower hall called Huiju, the banquet was placed on a round table, Mrs. Xue sat on the main seat, the top was Sister Mao Xiang, and the rest of the people sat in their own priorities.

Mrs. Xue said with a smile: "Our family Xiangyun knows that Mao Gongzi is good at drinking, so he specially brought Qiu Lubai from home, which was brought by her brother from Hexi, and she is usually reluctant to drink it at home, saying that the wine is clear, mellow and strong." ”

Sister Mao Xiang said: "Then we can't drink this wine." ”

Mrs. Xue said: "There is also carmine." ”

Sister Mao Xiang said: "You can drink some of this." ”

The maid came up to pour wine, and Wang Yi thanked him: "I don't know how to drink." ”

Mao Xiang persuaded: "You can also taste such a good wine." ”

Wang Yi said: "Brother Mao, you know me, and you will pour it as soon as you drink it." ”

Sister Mao Xiang said: "Then you can also drink some carmine, it's not intoxicating." ”

Mao Xiang laughed at himself: "Then I'm left with a drunkard?" ”

Mrs. Xue said: "Sister, you also accompany Mao Gongzi to drink autumn dew." ”

Xue Xiangyun hesitated a little, and said to Sister Maoxiang: "Sister Xiangyun, I know how much you drink, and General Xue may not be able to drink you at home." ”

Xiangyun smiled: "Look at what Sister Mao said, it seems that I am a female drunkard." ”

Ye Qi glanced at it with a smile, Xiangyun suddenly realized that she had just said that she was a drunkard, and now she said that the female drunkard had some traces, so she couldn't help blushing, and said generously: "Then give up your life to accompany the gentleman, anyway, they are all close relatives and friends, and they are not afraid of jokes when they are drunk." ”

After three rounds of drinking, Mao Xiang sighed sincerely: "I really don't know if I don't see it, chrysanthemums are usually just ordinary, but I don't want to have so many varieties, and some are even more unheard of." ”

Sister Mao Xiang also said: "Not only is it good-looking, but the name is also good." Listen to this fairy Ganoderma lucidum and green peony, I don't think it's worse than peony flowers. ”

Xiangyun said: "Chrysanthemums are the hidden flowers, not in the spring to compete with the flowers, but the color of the flowers is not worse than the flowers." ”

Mao Xiang's eyes swept over Ye Qi, raised his glass and drank it all, and said: "It's not that chrysanthemums are favored among flowers, and this flower is even more flowerless." ”

Ye Qi said with a smile: "After seeing such a good flower and drinking such a good wine, Xie Yuangong must have a good poem for us." ”

Xiangyun clapped his hands and said: "Yes, yes, Brother Mao must write a few poems today to live up to this scene." ”

Mao Xiang smiled: "I can only be a poor sour person who can only write eight times of time, how dare I mention writing poetry." ”

Ye Qidao: "Mao Gongzi must think that we are illiterate and have failed your good poems." It doesn't matter, Sister Xiangyun can read your poems. ”

Xiangyun turned around and pinched Ye Qi's face lightly, and scolded with a smile: "Narrow little hoof, if you don't make fun of me, you won't be able to get by, right, see if I don't pour you a few cups." As he spoke, he picked up the autumn dew in front of him and was about to irrigate the leaf seven.

Ye Qi begged for mercy while hiding, and begged: "Good sister, spare me, my sister's age novel is wrong, but I don't dare to make fun of my sister at all." ”

Sister Mao Xiang pleaded: "Poor one, Sister Xiangyun will spare her." Seeing that Xiangyun was no longer drinking, he continued: "Seventh sister is not wrong, we have you the most knowledgeable here except for Wang Xianggong." ”

Xiangyun was ashamed and annoyed: "Sister Mao, you also make fun of me." After speaking, he looked at Mao Xiang and said, "Brother Mao, you have to write a poem today, otherwise you will really look down on everyone." ”

Mao Xiang saw that everyone was looking at him and laughing, so he had to pick up his wine glass and say, "I can only offer ugliness." ”

The maid who was waiting next to her joked: "The paper, ink, pen and inkstone have already been prepared." ”

Mao Xiang drank the wine in the toast, got up and came to the big case next to the paper and ink, picked up the pen and slowly sucked the ink, bowed his head and muttered for a moment, and suddenly looked up and said, "Bring the wine!" ”

Xiangyun personally took a large lamp, poured it full of autumn dew, and handed it to Mao Xiang with both hands. Mao Xiang held a pen in his right hand, took the big cup in his left hand and drank it all, and wrote with a wave:

Take advantage of the frost to try a visit, and the wine glass and medicine cup will not be drowned.

Who planted it under the moon before the frost? Where is the autumn on the edge of the fence?

The wax clogs are in love from afar, and the cold groaning is not very happy.

If the yellow flower is relieved of the poet, he will hang the head of the cane today.

Write at the bottom: Juying Courtyard visits the chrysanthemum opera pen. Then he turned around and smiled: "Sacrifice ugliness." ”

Wang Yi praised from the bottom of his heart: "Good poems, good words." The crowd praised it.

Xiangyun held another cup of autumn dew and said, "Brother Mao, please drink this lamp, I have something to say." After Mao Xiang finished drinking, she said: "This ink treasure is to stay in the other courtyard, and I also agreed to ask the manager of the other courtyard, so please make another poem for Brother Mao, I want to take it home." ”

Sister Mao Xiang said: "It should be, Sister Xiangyun spoke, don't say one, eight out of ten songs have to be written." ”

Xiangyun said again: "This time I want to limit the topic, and ask Brother Mao to write a poem for the best chrysanthemum." ”

Mrs. Xue said: "The steward said that the mandarin duck chrysanthemum is the rarest. ”

Sister Mao Xiang hurriedly said: "That's right, I like that one the most, it's not only rare, it's really good-looking." ”

Mao Xiang nodded and said, "Then I'm reluctant to make it difficult." After speaking, he slowly lowered his head and paced. After a while, he walked back to the desk, reached out with his right hand to get the pen, and raised his left hand and said, "Come on." ”

Xiangyun had already poured a lamp and handed it to his hand, Mao Xiang took it and drank it all, and wrote with a pen:

Mandarin duck chrysanthemum

Han Peng's soul is old and romantic,

Blossoms and branches are also headed,

Thousands of years of hatred,

There are still butterflies in late autumn.

Wang Yi couldn't help but applaud and praised: "Brother Mao is really a seven-step material. Ye Qi also nodded and said, "It's really worthy of Xie Yuangong." ”

Xiangyun's eyes were shining, he gently dried the ink, carefully put it away and handed it to the maid, and instructed: "Put it away carefully." Then he poured a full glass of wine and handed it to Mao Xiang, and he also picked up the wine glass and said, "Thank you, Brother Mao, I toast you." The two of them raised their glasses and drank together.

At this time, the steward of the other courtyard came in with a smile and said: "Thank you Xie Yuangong, the county guard has instructed me to ask Xie Yuangong's ink treasure to stay in the Juying Courtyard, now I can make a difference." The small ones don't have any filial piety, enter a few crabs, this season is full of sharp umbilical paste, please try it. A few maids behind him brought up a few plates of crabs, all of them six to seven taels in size, ruddy and shiny.

Sister Mao Xiang said: "This is good, it's rare to have such a big one, but you have to taste it." ”

So everyone sat down again and ate the crabs.

Ye Qi didn't seem to be good at eating crabs, so he picked up one and looked left and right, and then looked at others, but put it down. Mao Xiang didn't eat much, so he tore a leg and chewed it into slag and spit it on the plate. Xiangyun's hands seemed to be specially made for eating crabs, so he relied on a pair of chopsticks, and after a while, he peeled a complete crab, piled up the crab meat and crab paste in the crab shell, poured ginger vinegar sauce, and saw the eating image of Mao Xiang, he couldn't help but sneer, handed over the peeled crab, and said with a smile: "You really eat ginseng fruit." ”

Mao Xiangzha pushed his hand and said, "You give it to the seventh girl." ”

Ye Qi pursed his lips and smiled: "That's for you, I don't want it." ”

At this time, Sister Mao Xiang also peeled one and handed it to Ye Qidao: "Eat me this." Ye Qi thanked him and took it.

Xiangyun was about to give it to the green beads, but there was already a maid on the side to help peel one of the green beads, so she had to hand it over to Mrs. Xue and said, "Sister-in-law, give it to you." ”

Mrs. Xue smiled: "I will break it and eat it myself." ”

Xiangyun simply handed it to Mao Xiang and said, "Take it and eat it!" I can't look at your eating face. ”

Mao Xiang had no choice but to take it with both hands and thank him again and again.

Sister Mao Xiang and Mrs. Xue looked at each other and smiled, but did not speak.