The carriage stopped in front of the bamboo fence gate of Zhang Yuan's house. Zhang Yuan got out of the car. The driver and the two Jianshui turned around and went back without taking a sip of water.
Although Wu Ling went to the Kuaiji merchant with the young master today, he was never with the young master. He didn't know what happened during that period. He only knew that everyone in the merchant, from the master to the slaves, was very good to the young master, and also to this little book boy. He was rewarded with two coins, but Xiao Wu had never received so much reward.
Wu Ling was smarter and had already guessed that the Shang family in Kuaiji wanted the young master to be their merchant's son-in-law. That's right, the young master must have been attracted by the Shang family last time when he was playing chess and reciting poems in Dongtaoyuan. At that time, it was Xiao Wu who persuaded the young master to show his blind chess skills. If the young master married a Shang girl, wouldn't he, Xiao Wu, have made great contributions?
But what about Miss Wang Yingzi? Did she stop acting in "The West Chamber" halfway through?
Thinking of the bright moon at Mr. Wang's house, Wu Ling was filled with sorrow, and the joy of receiving the reward of two coins was diluted a lot.
"Young Master, Young Master"
Da Shitou ran out and reported: "Master, there are two things today. The county magistrate asked you to go and say something important. The other thing is that the Ruan Xiucai who came yesterday is here again. I said that the master is not here, please ask him." After leaving his address, Ruan Xiucai said a few words: "
He turned around and asked Xiao Shitou who had followed him: "Brother, please tell the young master those two sentences you have memorized." Xiao Shitou said loudly: "It turns out I owe you a life. It turns out I owe you a life.
Little Shitou originally remembered "I owe you a life" and repeated it a few times but it didn't feel right." So he changed it to "I owe you a life" without permission. "I owe you a life" finally became "I owe you a life". No matter how good Zhang Yuan is in reasoning and backtracking, he still can't connect "I owe you a life" with "I owe you a life". He asked doubtfully: " So Ruan Xiucai really said that?" Brother Shitou said in unison: "Yes, that's what he said." Zhang Yuan was puzzled at this time, and thought to himself: "I have no grudge against Ruan Dacheng, I just dreamed on the prostitute boat last night I scolded him a few times, and that person was obviously Yao Laiguan. Is this considered a grudge? It turns out that he owes a life. It turns out that he owes a life. Who owes whom a life?" Zhang Yuan shook his head. Ruan Dacheng was not a madman. He would come to the door and say something like this inexplicably. Brother Shitou must have heard it wrong. Brother Shitou was young and illiterate, so he was not very qualified as a doorman. He asked, "What else did Ruan Xiucai say?" He said: "Ruan Xiucai said that he was going back today and would meet the young master again in the future." This was reasonable and reasonable, but it was hard to understand "it turned out that I owed a life". Zhang Yuan didn't bother to pay attention to it, and went into the inner courtyard to see his mother first. When Zhang's mother, Lu, saw her son coming back, she hurriedly asked: "My son, tell me quickly, how do the Shang people treat you?" Zhang Yuan smiled and said, "They really treat your son as a son-in-law and are as warm and polite as a son-in-law." That's one sentence. Zhang's mother, Lu, smiled with bright eyes. She saw her son take out a scroll and unfold it to see a beautiful girl playing Cuju. She listened to her son repeating Shang Zhoude's probing words and how he responded at that time. Zhang's mother, Lu Shi smiled from ear to ear and said repeatedly: "Hurry up and hold the painting straight. Mom, I want to take a closer look. Well, is this Miss Shang's painting of herself? The painting is really good, and it vividly embodies the original saying: "Son, listen It is said that women who do not have their feet bound will have stronger children in the future." These words made Zhang's mother Lu completely fall in love with the Miss Shang who did not have her feet bound in the painting. It makes sense, as those rural girls who do not have their feet bound The child is really strong. Look at the big stones and the small stones. He has not seen any headache or fever in the six months since he came here. However, Zhang Yuan was very sick when he was young. Zhang's mother, Lu, thought to herself: "Of course my son can't marry a village girl. Then Ms. Shang who doesn’t bind feet would be the best.” She smiled and asked, “Then when will my son go to the merchant to propose marriage?”
Zhang Yuandao said: "My son wants to ask someone to go there the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow he will go and inform his uncle in Xi Zhang, and also write a letter to his father."
Zhang's mother, Mrs. Lu, nodded and said: "My son has considered it carefully. He is right to tell Xi Zhang that your father is too far away." There is no need to wait for his reply. Mom makes the decision for you. You can think of it.
My father will definitely laugh heartily when he hears this news. Please wait a little while writing the letter to your father. After the Geng Tie is completed, accept it. After accepting the offer, I will write to your father now."
Zhang Yuandao: "The son depends on the mother's arrangements."
Zhang's mother, Lu, was very happy. Old women are all face-saving and flattering, and Zhang's mother, Lu Jing, was no exception. She thought about what kind of cowgirl she was when Mrs. Ma from Zhishui Lane wanted to be a matchmaker for her son more than four months ago.
Miss Ma thought that her son's eyesight would never recover, so she would rush to marry someone randomly. Although she refused at that time, she was really sad. She never thought that less than half a year had passed, and her son was actually engaged to a girl from the Shang family in Kuaiji.
, how honorable it is to spread this word!
Thinking of another incident, Zhang's mother Lu asked: "Zhang E failed to get married, but now you have succeeded. Doesn't Zhang E want to hate you?"
Zhang Yuan said with a smile: "Don't worry about this, mother. Although the third brother has an impatient temper, he is not a narrow-minded person."
Zhang's mother Lu said: "Then Wang, Zhang E's mother, must be unhappy." Zhang Yuan said: "There's nothing I can do about it. It's not that I secretly robbed Zhang E. It's because the Shang girl didn't like him. Maybe he couldn't marry her.
I can't marry either." Zhang's mother, Mrs. Lu, laughed and said, "That's true, not everyone is happy. So should my son go to the county government office to see the county magistrate or to meet the great uncle of the Xi Zhang clan?
Zhang Yuandao: "It's the third quarter of Shenshi. It's still early. My son should go see Mr. Hou. I wonder what's the matter?" Zhang's mother, Lu, said: "Then my son should go quickly. Maybe the great master wants to see you. Take the exam.
Where is your knowledge?" Zhang Yuan took Wu Ling to the curtain hall on the east side of the County Yajie Love Hall, and saw a middle-aged man and two servants walking out with a look of resentment on their faces.
When the other customers saw Zhang Yuan, they came over to greet him with a smile and said, "Mr. Zhang, the county magistrate has been waiting for you for half a day." Then he pointed at the backs of the three people who just walked out and said, "
Mr. Zhang, does he know who that person is?" Just after meeting each other, Zhang Yuan saw that the middle-aged man's appearance was somewhat similar to that of Yao Fu. He knew that it was Yao Fu's relatives who came to give gifts and plead for mercy, so he said: "
I don’t know who it is. I haven’t seen it before. Is it Mr. Zhu’s friend?” Cuo Muke shook his head quickly: “No, no, this man is Yao Fu’s brother. He came to beg the county magistrate to let his brother go. He also brought
The county magistrate has sternly rejected him for five hundred taels of silver." Zhang Yuan thought to himself: "In the late Ming Dynasty, it was common for officials to ask for and accept bribes. The county magistrate Hou refused a bribe of five hundred taels. I wonder if he would be heartbroken?" Asked: "The county magistrate asked for and received bribes.
Has the trial of Yao Fuyi begun?"
Cuomu Ke said: "No county magistrate has accompanied Wang Tixue today to inspect various social schools in the county. He just came back not long ago. I was supposed to see you early in the morning."
Zhang Yuan asked: "Mr. Chu, why did the county magistrate call me?" Cuo Muke smiled and said, "It must be a good thing. I see the county magistrate smiling."
Cuomu Ke led Zhang Yuan to the Leshe Academy. The county magistrate Hou Zhihan was drinking tea alone in the small hall of the academy. The windows were bright and clean, and the warm sun was shining slantly. When he saw Zhang Yuan, Hou Zhihan smiled and said: "Sit down, Zhang Yuan, to drink tea with the county."
Zhang Yuan bowed respectfully, thanked the county magistrate, and then sat down. The waiter served the fragrant tea and then left.
Hou Zhihan asked Zhang Yuan where he had been in the morning. Zhang Yuan said: "Mr. Shang Zhou De of Kuaiji invited his students to appreciate the chrysanthemums." Hou Zhihan asked curiously: "Shang Zhou De, the younger brother of Shang Zhou Qu, how could he invite you to appreciate the chrysanthemums?" The marriage has not happened yet. Of course, Zhang Yuan couldn't say that Shang Zhoude was going to betroth his girl to him, so he said: "They are also family friends. I met her yesterday."
Hou Zhihan said with a smile: "It's too late to appreciate the chrysanthemums now. It must be that the chrysanthemums have faded and yellow flowers have accumulated all over the ground." Zhang Yuan said with a smile: "There are also those that wither after the cold and still bloom from the frost." Hou Zhihan stopped. After paying attention to whether the chrysanthemum was damaged or not, he looked at Zhang Yuan with a smile and said nothing for a while.
Zhang Yuan couldn't guess what County Magistrate Hou was thinking, and his scalp was numb when he saw it, so he asked: "Why did the county magistrate summon the students?"
"Good thing." Hou Zhihan said, "Do you still remember that day when I asked you at the Fuxue Palace Club whether you had ever been engaged?"
Zhang Yuan's heart skipped a beat and he felt very bad. He nodded and said, "Student, remember, the student said he would wait until he has made a new student before discussing the marriage."
Hou Zhihan said: "You have heard what Wang Tixue said to this county and Xu Fuzun yesterday. The county test is required, and the government test guarantees you to pass. The great master will test you personally during the Taoist test. There is no need for this county to tell Xu." The Palace Master will not stop you, but with the great master's appreciation for you, can you fail the Taoist test?" Zhang Yuan Weiwei.
Hou Zhihan was afraid that Zhang Yuan would be too proud, and that young people should not praise too much and would have to constantly supervise and admonish him, so he said with a straight face: "Zhang Yuan, since you have a plan to defeat Yao Fu, why didn't you tell this county earlier, is it possible that this county will still harm you?" Can’t you?”
Zhang Yuan hurriedly stood up and crossed his hands and said: "Students don't dare, students don't dare. The students were determined to learn the eight-part essay well to win against Yao Fu. It was some strategies arranged by the ancestors for the students, saying that this way they would be sure to win." Although Hou Zhihan knew that, he would definitely win. What Zhang Yuan said may not be the truth, but he doesn't want to pursue it. In this world, especially in the officialdom, it is almost impossible to find someone who will never tell lies and is absolutely honest. What is needed is to know the common interests. Hou Zhihan smiled again and said: "After this incident, you became famous. With your craftsmanship and Wang Tixue's appreciation, it is certain that you will be a student member of the county in the next year, so , this county thinks that you can consider getting engaged."
Zhang Yuan's mouth felt dry and he said: "The student is still young, so we don't want to discuss marriage for the time being. We'd better wait until we have a baby. That's what Jia Ci means."
Hou Zhihan didn't expect that Zhang Yuan was trying to dodge, and asked: "Do you know whose girl this county is planning to arrange for you to marry?" Before Zhang Yuan could speak, he smiled and said: "Haha, I was here that day. Miss Wang Er, who is dining with you at the dinner table, you must have known her identity since you have been studying at your teacher's house for several months. Yes, she is."
There is a lot of work at work today, which delayed me from typing, so the update is late. Thank you to the book friends for your monthly support. I will finish this second chapter no matter how late it is.