On May 5th, the Dragon Boat Festival, in the early morning, the sky has just brightened, and Miluo County begins to be lively, and every household gets up very early on this day to prepare for the celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival.

Some economically minded small families will carry their own bags of zongzi to the market to sell, after all, many people from other counties and townships in Yuezhou come to Miluo County to participate in the Dragon Boat Festival celebration.

Most of them came to watch the dragon boat race in the afternoon to cheer on their county's dragon boat team.

According to the practice of Yuezhou government, the twelve counties under Yuezhou take turns to hold the Dragon Boat Festival celebrations, the highlight is the dragon boat race, no matter which county won the championship in the dragon boat competition that year, this county is the blessed land of Yuezhou in the following year, so it will be so lively.

The Xu family has become the home of this year's Dragon Boat Festival, so they naturally attach great importance to it, and the servants and maids got up when they got up, and the old man also got up when he was old, and he got up an hour earlier than usual.

Xu Changqing, the patriarch of the Xu family, looked particularly energetic today, his eyes were bright, his voice was very loud, and he found a few places where he was not fully prepared when he got up in the morning, and loudly scolded the people, while the eldest prince Xu Heyuan took the big and small stewards of the house to be busy and improve in an orderly manner according to his father's instructions.

Seeing that Xu Changqing was so energetic, Xu Heyuan, who went in and out, occasionally glanced at it, with some worry in his eyes, Xu Changqing took the "Red Blood Pill" given by Shantongzi Lao Dao in order to look energetic today, and he was really energetic and full of momentum.

But Xu Heyuan heard that this "red blood pill" is made of a variety of precious medicinal materials, supplemented by the essence blood of a girl, it is a kind of tiger and wolf medicine, and the effect is good when taking it, but if you take it for a long time, you will suffer endlessly.

Usually Xu Changqing is also more resistant to this elixir, but today in order to avoid a lack of energy, Xu Changqing still chose to take it, fortunately, the effect of the red blood pill is good, making him energetic, as if he is twenty years younger, and he has endless energy all over his body.

After Xu Changqing came to the spirit, he also paid attention to some details that he usually didn't pay attention to, and it was already close to Chenshi, and among the sixteen people in the Xu family's other 'Chang' generations who were still alive, only nine of them had arrived, and seven of them had not seen any traces, which couldn't help but make Xu Changqing a little annoyed.

Three days ago, Xu Changqing convened a meeting of clan elders, asking everyone to gather in the Xu family's room at three o'clock today, and then everyone went to the county government to invite the old men in the county government to go to the Xu family ancestral hall to prepare to start today's Dragon Boat Festival memorial activities.

However, these elders of the Xu family have long been accustomed to glory and wealth by virtue of the prestige of the Xu family over the years, and they must sing every night, and they will never get up if they don't sleep until three o'clock in the day.

The nine masters who came also barely arrived here with the efforts of the housekeepers and servants, and the seven masters of the Changzi generation did not get up at all.

Xu Changqing was furious, and three more people came, and the remaining four subordinates from Master Xu's mansion came one after another, reporting that the master was sick or had an urgent matter and couldn't come, so he only made Xu Changqing angry.

Today is a good day, Xu Changqing is a person with a strong sense of the overall situation, and he tried to suppress his anger, and decided to settle accounts with them after today, or take his twelve brothers to Miluo County first.

Just as everyone was about to get up, suddenly the second housekeeper walked into the second hall quickly, hurriedly walked behind Xu Changqing, and said a few words in his ear, Xu Changqing's face changed unconsciously.

Xu Changqing hurriedly asked people to call Xu Heyuan, and among the other masters of the Xu family, there were also people who were good at observing words and feelings, and hurriedly asked: "Patriarch, but what's the trouble?" ”

When he spoke, he immediately attracted the attention of other people, the Xu family has been dominant in Miluo County all these years, and they really haven't heard of any troubles that can't be solved, and some young and rough people shouted: "Second brother of the patriarch, is there anyone in Miluo County who dares to get along with our Xu family? As soon as you give the order, I will take my men down to destroy him." ”

Xu Changqing said angrily: "You still give me a stop, I haven't caused trouble recently." Since everyone is here today, let's discuss this matter together. ”

Seeing that Xu Changqing was so serious, all the Changzi Xu family members calmed down, ready to listen to the patriarch.

Xu Changqing said: "Brothers, do you still remember Brother Changze?"

"Ah!" many people exclaimed, and the rough man before shouted: "Changze? That's Brother Jiu, right? Didn't he die in the north a long time ago?"

Xu Changqing shook his head and said: "Lao Jiu is not dead, and he has returned to his hometown in fine clothes, today he asked to enter the ancestral hall to meet his parents, what do you say?"

Many people were stunned, and some people said: "It's a good thing that Lao Jiu is back, when Lao Jiu went a little wronged, now that he is back, the brothers in the family are left with us people, and now we are not short of money, of course, we must be courteous and welcome him back." ”

Xu Chang glanced at him innocently and said: "I don't feel sorry for money, but Lao Jiu's parents left suddenly, and he disappeared again, and in the end, we didn't set up a tablet for Lao Jiu's parents in the ancestral hall, how can we worship now?"

"Oh, that's hard. The person who spoke before sat down in a sneering manner, and said in his heart that your Changfang felt that Lao Jiuyi's pulse was broken and the incense was broken, so there was no spiritual position, and it was better not to interfere in this kind of thing.

The rough man said: "Second brother, then you have to let the ninth brother come in first, it's strange that I haven't seen him for many years." ”

Xu Changqing twisted his beard and said: "I haven't seen each other for so many years, I don't know if Lao Jiu still has a grudge against what happened back then, so he hurriedly put it in, in case something happens, we won't end well, and it's not good to delay today's business!"

The rough man had no choice but to say, "Second brother is right! Then it's up to you to make an idea, right?"

Xu Changqing said: "Brothers, although there is no tablet of Lao Jiu's parents in the ancestral hall, but I am grateful for Uncle Wu Cai's contribution to the family back then, and I still set up a spiritual seat in the house.

As for the county government, they won't let Lao Jiu go, after all, he has been missing for so many years, and suddenly appeared with us, it's not easy to explain to the government, everyone says it's okay?"

The rough man praised: "The second brother is worthy of being the patriarch, and he can still remember to set up a spiritual seat for Uncle Wu Cai, if Changze can stay in Miluo this time, I suggest that Uncle Wu Cai's spiritual seat be moved into the ancestral hall." ”

Xu Changqing's face was hot, if he didn't understand this brother's character, he must have thought that the other party was sarcastic about him.

At this time, Xu Heyuan walked into the second hall quickly, Xu Changqing hurriedly made arrangements, and Xu Heyuan hurriedly took the second housekeeper out.

Xu Changqing seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and said to the brothers: "Now that there has been a delay for some time, let Heyuan receive Lao Jiu first, let's go to the county government to invite the county commanders, it's not good to delay the auspicious time." ”

The Xu family happily agreed and prepared to go out to the county government.

All of a sudden, people called horses neighing, countless servants, coachmen, and sedan chair drivers were busy, and the thirteen masters of the Xu family traveled together, and this pomp and circumstance must be big, so that everyone in Miluo County knew the pattern and power of the Xu family, which was the thing they were most concerned about.

On the other side, Xu Heyuan quickly came to the gate with the second steward, and saw Xu Jiuye who was brightly dressed from a distance, as well as Li Mao, who was dressed in black behind Xu Jiuye, and two small servants carrying gifts and burdens.

Xu Heyuan looked at Xu Jiuye's familiar face, and immediately judged that this was the ninth uncle-Xu Changze, he hurriedly walked over with a smile on his face, and shouted enthusiastically as he walked: "This must be the ninth uncle, if you miss the distance, the little nephew Xu Heyuan will greet you." ”

Xu Jiuye also looked at Xu Heyuan, who called himself a little nephew, this is the eldest son and eldest grandson of the old patriarch, Xu Heyuan, the only son of the current patriarch, Xu Jiuye left when he left, this little nephew was only nine years old, and it has been thirty years in a blink of an eye, if it wasn't for him reporting to his family, Xu Jiuye would definitely not recognize it.

Xu Jiuye said secretly, sure enough, his appearance is not good, his bearing is extraordinary, it seems that the good fortune of the long house has not been used up, Xu Jiuye arched his hand and said: "It turns out that it is Heyuan! I haven't seen you for so many years, you have grown so big, you are really a talent." ”

Xu Heyuan was already nearly forty years old, and when Xu Jiuye said this, he felt like a child, and he couldn't help but feel a little unhappy in his heart, but thinking that it was not appropriate to make chaos today, he squeezed out a smile and said: "Uncle Jiu, you are really joking, the little nephew will be forty years old next year, how can there be a talent." ”

Xu Jiuye smiled and said: "The Xu family is really blessed to have your long family in charge, why don't you see your father?"

Xu Heyuan hurriedly said: "Uncle Jiu, today the county commander has something to do with his father, and his father went out early in the morning and arranged for me to receive you here." ”

Xu Jiuye said with a sudden expression of realization: "Then I came here today is not the right time, or should I come back another day?"

Xu Heyuan smiled and said, "Uncle Jiu, look at what you said, isn't the little nephew qualified to receive you?"

Xu Jiuye said: "Haha, of course you can, you are the future patriarch of the Xu family, then I will come in and sit for a while, and I will go to the ancestral hall to worship my parents in a while, and I will ask the virtuous nephew to arrange it." ”

Xu Heyuan said: "Uncle Jiu, didn't you come today to worship Uncle Wucai and Uncle Grandmother? ”

Xu Jiuye nodded and said, "Okay, the auspicious time has not yet arrived, let's go and disturb it first." ”

The second housekeeper led the way in front, Xu Jiuye and Xu Heyuan walked side by side, Xu Jiuye introduced Li Mao as the head of his family's guards, and the two small servants in the back carried fragrant flowers and candles and some sacrifices.

Li Mao, Xiao Zhuzi, and Xiao Zhu looked relatively ordinary, and they were employees and subordinates, so naturally they didn't attract Xu Heyuan's attention, so they took them into the mansion together.

Walking to the first courtyard of Xu's mansion, Xu Heyuan did not enter the second courtyard, but took Xu Jiuye to turn left and turned to his own courtyard, so as to avoid the embarrassment of Xu Jiuye and other uncles of the Changzi generation.

Xu Jiuye had already guessed Xu Heyuan's intentions, he didn't break it, and continued to follow Xu Heyuan to the other courtyard.

As soon as he walked not far away, he heard the noisy sound of the chariot and horse people behind him, which was the sound of the old men of the Changzi generation leaving the house.

Xu Jiuye pretended to frown and said, "Virtuous nephew, why is the house so noisy, the people are too unruly." ”

Xu Heyuan hurriedly covered up: "Uncle Jiu is right, usually the house is relatively quiet, but today the Dragon Boat Festival is more lively at home, and it will not be so noisy when I get to the other courtyard for a while." ”

"Oh. Xu Jiuye answered, and followed Xu Heyuan into the courtyard.