Time flickered, and in a blink of an eye, it was dinner time. At that time, Xun Yue first found the lower place of Mu Lin and the others, and graciously led them to the dining room of the inner garden.

Entering the hall, everyone sat down, and after Xun Yue shouted "serve", the servants served the dishes one after another.

Lin Mu and the others have lived in Xun Mansion for about a month, but they can enter the dining room of the inner garden to eat, but it is the first time, and seeing that the dishes on the table today are all delicious and delicious, Lin Zongbian's heart suddenly became puzzled, and immediately quipped and asked: "Hehe, Master Xun, tonight is a big deal, this table is full of sumptuous dishes... Isn't it a special send-off banquet for our brothers?"

Xun Yue knew that Lin Zongbian was very intelligent, and he would definitely see the strange thing, but fortunately, he had already prepared a response before, so he laughed and said, "Brother Lin has wronged me with this!

Lin Zongbian smiled and waved his hand: "That's not it, it's just that these 'crystal fish', 'yellow finch steamed buns', 'honey-stuffed cockles', and 'steamed goose' are all famous dishes in Gusu, and they are usually only available at the main banquet, why today..."

Xun Yue pretended to be displeased and said: "Brother, don't be suspicious! I just got a new chef in my house today, and this new chef naturally wants to show his skills to look after the house, otherwise wouldn't he be blind to my silver taels?" After speaking, he laughed to himself twice, and continued: "Come, come, please use chopsticks to taste it, and by the way, help me evaluate the craftsmanship of this chef." ”

Although Mu Lin and the others were puzzled in their hearts, the master did not reveal the truth, and it was inconvenient for him to investigate further, so he had to eat with chopsticks.

After three rounds of wine and five flavors of food, Xun Yue picked up the wine jug, got up and poured wine for everyone at the table, and then raised the wine glass and said: "It's been really hard for Brother Lin these days, and when the masterpiece is completed, I will definitely thank you." ”

Lin Zongbian raised his glass and said: "What did Chief Xun say, but my two brothers are a lot of trouble! ”

Lin Zongbian and Xun Yue only cared about complimenting each other, but left Mu Beiting and Mrs. Xun aside. However, Mu Beiting and Mrs. Xun also had their own concerns, and they didn't want to participate in the conversation, but they just ate and drank with their heads bored. During this period, Mrs. Xun couldn't help but sneak a few glances at Mu Beiting, and there was a pity in her heart, and she sighed secretly: "Such a peugeot person, how can he not have a commensurate family background, if he can be like this Lin Zongbian, then it is... Alas!"

Mu Beiting could naturally feel the burning gaze cast by Mrs. Xun, he unconsciously became restrained, he didn't eat the food, and he only drank a few sips of wine casually.

At this moment, a person suddenly broke in from outside the door, he was panting, looking panicked, holding a letter in his hand, and after entering the door, he didn't care about saluting, and went straight to Xun Yue.

Seeing this, Xun Yue's brows immediately furrowed, and he scolded: "Li Gui, why are you so ignorant of the rules! Don't you see that I am entertaining distinguished guests?"

Li Gui hurriedly bowed and explained: "The old lady is angry, the two masters are not strange, this matter is too urgent, and the small one will collide so violently." ”

Xun Yueqi said: "What happened to make you so flustered?"

Li Gui licked his lips and said astringently: "Something happened to Uncle Ma in Shanxi! This is a letter brought by the Ma family, please take a look at it." As he spoke, he handed the letter to Xun Yue.

When Xun Yue heard this, his expression tightened, and he did not shy away from receiving the letter, so he opened it and read it on the spot, but when he saw that he saw ten lines at a glance, he finished reading the entire letter in a short time.

During this period, his complexion gradually became sad as his gaze moved downward, and in the end, he began to choke and cry.

Seeing this, Mrs. Xun on the side hurriedly took the letter and looked at it in front of her. After a while, I heard her exclaim, "Ah! Brother Ma has passed away? How is this possible? We met him two months ago, and he was in good health and full of energy at that time, so why did he suddenly die of illness?"

Xun Yue wept and said: "People are in trouble and blessings, and we are not nearby, how can we know what kind of fatal illness Brother Ma has... Oh, Brother Ma, my good brother, why... Woo..."

Mu Lin and the others looked at such a scene, and they both felt like falling clouds, and after a while, Lin Zongbian asked softly: "Shopkeeper Xun, what the hell is going on?"

Xun Yue raised his hand to wipe away the tears on his face, and sighed faintly: "Brother doesn't know, my real name is Ma Yousan, I followed him to learn the ability to do business in the early years, and he was extremely kind to me in this life." At the beginning, I wanted to respect him as a teacher, but he didn't want to, saying that he was six years older than me, and he was not enough to be a teacher, but he asked me if I had the heart to marry him. For this proposal, I can't ask for it, even if I bow to heaven with him and become Jinlan brothers. To put it bluntly, the friendship between me and Brother Ma is the same as the friendship between you and Brother Mu. Alas, it's a pity that for the rest of my life, I will be separated from him forever..."Speaking of this, I couldn't help but cry.

Seeing that he was grieving, Mu Lin and the others couldn't help but comfort him in unison: "Master Xun, please also mourn and change." ”

Xun Yue waved his hand and shook his head, so sad that it was difficult to say a word. Mrs. Xun was also crying, but seeing that her husband was heartbroken, she hurriedly got up and stood behind him, put her hands on his shoulders, lowered her body and whispered, "I know that you have pain in your heart, why don't you go to the back hall to rest for a while?"

Xun Yue shook his head, calmed down for a moment before slowly saying, "You go and arrange the carriage and horses, and tell the groom that he will leave immediately, and I will rush to send Brother Ma on his last journey no matter what!"

Mrs. Xun frowned and hesitated: "It's getting late today, why don't you leave early tomorrow morning?"

Xun Yue's face sank, and he instantly raised his eyebrows and shouted: "Do you want to make me an unkind and unrighteous person? Don't say it's tomorrow, even if you wait a little longer, I won't be able to wait!"

Mrs. Xun saw that her husband was furious, and she didn't dare to delay any longer, and after bowing to Mu Lin and the others, she hurriedly went down to make arrangements.

Seeing such a change, Mu Lin and the others were both surprised in their hearts, and after glancing at each other, their eyes showed sympathy.

Mu Beiting persuaded softly: "Shopkeeper Xun should not be too sad, so as not to hurt his body, if there is anything here that needs the help of my brothers, please give orders." ”

Xun Yue lowered his head, let out a long sigh, and said to himself after a while: "My eldest brother is as kind to me as a mountain, in the past years, we were in the same boat through thick and thin, if it were not for his support, how could I be where I am today." Originally, I had agreed with him that I would let his son-in-law marry my daughter at the end of this year. I don't know..."

When he said this, he choked up again, and could no longer utter a word.