Chapter 4 National Memorial (Part 1) After being delayed for too long on the road, when Li Xu rushed to the wine table out of breath, everyone had been anxiously waiting for him. When he finally entered the door, they immediately gathered around and chatted with each other.
He scolded with a tongue-in-cheek tone: "You brat, you just became a school captain, yet you dare to entrust me with this? Are you feeling itchy today?"
"Brothers, don't blame me. I've been here a long time ago. I met a nasty guy on the way and was delayed by him. Today, I have to accept my punishment. I accept my punishment!" Li Xu pretended to be scared, and with a grimace, he handed over his hands to the youngest,
Of course, everyone couldn't really punish him, just scolded him a few times, and pulled him to his seat with a smile.
Huaiyuan Town is located near the Hu border. People usually sit on Hu stools to eat. The head of the household who gathered around the table does not live in a restaurant, so everyone had no choice but to follow the local customs and gather around three square tables. In this way, the relationship between each other was not the same.
It's more intimate than having one person per person and sitting down to drink in sequence.
The host had long known that the soldiers were borrowing the house and cooking stove today to host an official banquet for Liu and Li, so they planned it with great care. Later, they learned from the loud mouths of Wang Yuantong and others that they had been there before
The two adults, Liu and Li, who had rested at home, were appointed generals and lieutenants by the emperor today. They felt that they were full of nobility, and it spread that they were proud of their face.
They tried their best, so although the feast was a little simple, with no orchestral music or dancing girls to accompany them, it made everyone smile happily.
After three rounds of drinking, congratulations and thanks were finished, and everyone started to challenge each other with wine bowls. Liu Hongji had just been promoted to the rank of Chariot and Cavalry General. As a rule, the Ministry of War would ask him to recommend some capable subordinates. The generals in the food protection army had always been close to him.
Well, naturally there are opportunities for promotion. Who doesn't want to compete for a position that does not require risking on the front line and has a considerate and generous boss? Everyone has their own little plans in mind, and they are polite and complimentary to each other. After a while, the atmosphere of the banquet is changed.
pushed to climax
"Xu Zi, you're lucky!" Qi Po Ning came to Li Xu with a wine bowl, touched the bowl with Li Xu carelessly, and said, "In five months, I have been promoted from the captain to the captain. Brother, I am the third
The first time I saw someone getting promoted so quickly, what kind of fool did you stop me tonight? It’s not like someone is interested in you and is planning to make you your son-in-law!"
"It makes sense, it makes sense!" The whole room burst into laughter, and the sound made the window paper buzz.
Li Xu, nicknamed Zhongjian, already had a formal official position. Logically, he should be called Zhongjian's wise brother. However, he was young and easy-going, so Qi Po Ning preferred to call him Xuzi to show his closeness. He usually made some harmless remarks.
He also likes to start jokes with him, but Lao Qi's joke this time is obviously a little too clever. Li Xu doesn't understand what's so funny about it. Seeing everyone laughing so hard that they can't breathe, he is curious and pulls Qi Po Ning over.
He asked in a low voice: "Brother Qi, is there really a custom in Huaiyuan of robbing a son-in-law?"
"Pfft!" Wang Yuantong had just drank half a bowl of wine and immediately sprayed it onto the ground. He coughed loudly and said with a smile: "I cough, look, it's almost the same! Not much, cough cough, not much. Our Xuzi age, cough
Cough, appearance, cough cough”
Everyone laughed so hard that they almost lifted the roof of the house. After laughing enough, they all told Li Xu the allusion about wooing his son-in-law.
It turns out that since the Wei and Jin Dynasties, wealthy families have been very strict about marrying well-matched families. Really wealthy families are never willing to marry ordinary people. Even if ordinary people are extremely rich and have piles of gold and jade, those from famous families are so poor that they have no place to stand and sell their houses and land.
Dilemma, the former is not qualified to associate with the latter
However, the late emperor of this dynasty decided to open the imperial examination and select talents regardless of their origins, so many children from poor families also had the opportunity to join the dynasty as officials and become new nobles in one fell swoop. In order to improve their family status faster, some nouveau riche came up with a strange trick:
When choosing young talents as sons-in-law, they would go to the examination office in Beijing to wait. If there was a young boy from a poor family among the high school students who was not engaged, they would try their best to take it home and lock them in their daughter's boudoir for a night. After that, the rice would be cooked.
Now, high school students can't do this even if they don't want to get married. The poor boy gets a wife and the funds that will be sent to him in the officialdom in the future, and the poor family who suddenly got rich also has the opportunity to squeeze into the ranks of the rich.
"It's just a joke. I've never seen anyone actually do it. It's not a good thing to say. I guess Ziying will scold everyone for being hypocritical again!" Qi Poning finished telling the allusion and looked at Qin Ziying, who was silent on the side.
Explain with a smile
"My little brother was in a hurry that day. Brothers, don't blame me. In fact, none of you want to make your family prosperous. If it weren't for this, who would study hard or go to war!" Qin Ziying smiled and answered a room full of people.
Except for the warrior Xun, everyone else has some background. When his mind is clear, Qin Ziying doesn't want to offend all his friends just because he talks happily.
"Actually, the ups and downs of a family are not something that happens in a blink of an eye. Who has seen the palace of immortality? But Xuzi is successful at a young age, and there are probably not many people who are interested in him!" Liu Hongji was afraid that everyone would arouse Qin Ziying's sadness.
Pick up the wine bowl and join in the teasing team with a smile
Hearing what Liu Hongji said, everyone became more interested and asked Li Xu to tell the truth about who stopped him on the road. Li Xu was forced to tell the truth about how he met Yu Wenshiji on the way and was pulled by him to chat.
"Master Yuwen was very talkative, and I couldn't offend him, so I had to keep my ears open to listen to his lectures!" Li Xu shook his head and reported to everyone with a wry smile. As for Master Yuwen and what specifically he said, he covered it up in laughter.
"It turns out that he was dragged here by His Majesty's son-in-law, not by someone else!" Wang Yuantong never held back his words. After drinking, he even made fun of Yuwen Shiji's identity and asked with a smile: "
His Yuwen family is the most famous family in this dynasty, does he have a daughter to be married to?"
"I guess many Yuwenshu masters have always been diligent in sowing seeds!" Someone nearby promised that as a member of the food protection army, anyone who had experienced the inexplicable attack and fight would not have too much sympathy for the Yuwen family.
What a favorable impression
"That's very bad. Xuzi will suffer now. It is said that the men in the Yuwen family have always been born with women's looks, and their thoughts are as unpredictable as women. But the women in their family, haha, just fell in love with the men!"
"Poor, pitiful, pitiful young genius Captain Li!" Everyone looked at Li Xu with pity on their faces, as if he had become a lamb that had fallen into the tiger's mouth, waiting for the big tiger of the Yuwen family to bite him at the right time.
Li Xu was so upset that he turned around noisily and looked for other happy topics.
The topic at the wine table never settled on one topic. Everyone was happy and let it go. But Li Xu was inadvertently mentioned about something that was on his mind and lacked interest. After having a few bowls of wine, he quietly slipped away.
Returned to his seat
"You'd better be careful, people from the Yuwen family are always doing weird things!" Seeing that everyone's attention was diverted elsewhere, Qin Ziying secretly pulled Li Xu under the table and whispered.
"Does his family like to be difficult with others?" Li Xu thought for a while and quietly asked him for advice. Yixian, his hometown, is remote and the folk customs are relatively simple. Few people talk about the anecdotes within the imperial court. Therefore, Li Xu has knowledge about officialdom.
There is very little understanding, and it can even be said that it is basically blank. But Yuwen Shiji's weird behavior tonight is very suspicious. It is said that he is completely malicious, but there is no lack of harsh words in his words, saying that he is a kind reminder, Li
Xu can't see clearly what his motive is?
"Every family will do whatever it takes for their own interests. The Yuwen family is the big one and has more things to gain, so its style of doing things is more ruthless. The other families are smaller and have less things to fight for, so they look kind-hearted on the surface, but in fact they are all the way.
Good stuff!" Qin Ziying looked around and saw that no one was paying attention to herself and Li Xu, and concluded in an extremely low voice.
Ever since his fiancée was forced to run away from home by two old guys, Yu Wenshu and Mai Tiezhang, Qin Ziying's character began to become extreme, and his words were extremely sharp. Li Xu always practiced martial arts with him, knowing that he was in a depressed mood, so
He didn't mind being hurt by his words occasionally, but Qin Ziying's comments on some of the actions of the wealthy family were profound in Li Xu's eyes.
"Is the Yuwen family big?" Li Xu poured a bowl of wine for Qin Ziying and asked in a low voice.
Liu Hongji went to another table to thank his brothers, and the excitement moved to another table with him. Li Xu had something on his mind, and Qin Ziying was in a bad mood. The two happened to sit together and communicate secretly.
"Big, to say the least, it can be called the legacy of the royal family of the previous dynasty. During the transition between the previous dynasty and this dynasty, it contributed to the late emperor. He killed all his own clansmen and used them as catbags, so he was specially left by the late emperor to keep the fragrance of the Yuwen family until today.
Your Majesty, because of your meritorious service in suppressing the rebellion, you will be blessed with children, generals in the family, and ministers. In fact, he is just a sheep-herding slave. He only rose to power in a few days..." Qin Ziying used extremely brief and sharp words to Li Xu.
Introducing the background of the Yuwen family, using the utmost sarcasm and satire
Yuwenshu's original surname was Poyoutou. He was a slave of the Xianbei tribe who returned home after Dou Dou returned home. During Emperor Wei Xiaowen's reform, all the Xianbei people changed their surname to the Han surname. Poyoutou's master changed his surname to Yuwen. As a slave, he had to follow the ancestors of the Yuwen family.
With his unique vision during the changes of dynasties, he slowly established his own family. By the time of Yuwenshu's father, Yuwensheng, he had already become a general of the Zhu Kingdom in the Northern Zhou Dynasty.
In the first year of Emperor Kaihuang's reign, the Northern Zhou Dynasty was completely exhausted and the state was ceded to the Sui Dynasty. Many children of the Yuwen family were ignorant of current affairs and raised an army to rebel. Yuwenshu joined the army as a young man and killed all his people. He made great contributions to the Emperor of the Sui Dynasty and was promoted as an exception.
For the Shangzhu Kingdom, praise the Duke of the Kingdom
Later, in the Sui Dynasty's war to cleanse the south of the Yangtze River and pacify the Western Regions, Yu Wenshu's credit was not small. Of course, his greatest credit was to cultivate a handsome and unrestrained son Yuwen Shiji, who became a son-in-law with the current emperor.
"I'm so unlucky!" After hearing the origins of the Yuwen family, Li Xu muttered something in a low voice. Thinking that he had gotten into such a big trouble just now, he felt a little uneasy when he thought about Yuwenshi and his family.
Regarding the comment that Tang Gong Li Yuan was deliberately wooing him and not treating him sincerely, he felt even more depressed. Even the wine in his mouth suddenly turned bitter.
Seeing Li Xu's crying face, Qin Ziying thought that he was afraid. After thinking about it carefully, he comforted him in a low voice: "But you don't have to worry. With your generous performance on the general stage today, Mr. Tang will definitely miss you in his heart."
The Yuwen family has failed to win over you but they intend to embarrass you. With Mr. Tang here, they need to think carefully!"
"Justice?" Li Xu asked with some suspicion. During the day, he made a mistake in answering His Majesty the Emperor's question on the general stage, causing Tang Gong to quickly come out to explain that he was not deliberately taking care of his nephew. Thinking about it now, the situation at that time was very embarrassing.
For such a foolish behavior, Mr. Tang is being generous if he doesn't care about himself. How can he think that he is being righteous?
"If I were you, when the emperor asked about that sentence, the logical answer would be, 'I had never met Tang Gong before coming to Huaiyuan, and it was only when I got here that I realized that we were of the same race.' Rather than thinking that I am his son or nephew, your answer is tantamount to thinking that we are the same race."
Although Tang Gong's confidants have displeased many people, there are unpredictable consequences. At that time, in order to avoid the suspicion of nepotism, Tang Gong would definitely defend himself to the emperor. In private, he felt that you were grateful for the kindness and did not care about the present.
After being moved by Fu Gui, he will naturally think more highly of you and take a step back. Even if he does not accept your affection today, if others want to harm you even though they know that you are Tang Gong's confidant, it will be tantamount to directly provoking his Li family.
He doesn’t interfere!”
"Ah!" Li Xu opened his mouth wide. Half a piece of chicken was stuffed in his throat. He couldn't swallow it or spit it out. After listening to Qin Ziying's analysis, he finally understood that answering the emperor's question involved so many gains and losses.
Among them, since in the eyes of others, he is already a direct descendant of the Li family, it is no wonder that Yu Wenshiji came to the door to sow discord.
Look at Liu Hongji, who is holding a wine bowl and drinking with his brothers one by one at the table next to him, look at Zhou Wenyuan, who looks drunk but not drunk, but his eyes are extremely sharp, and look at Qin Ziying next to him, who is analyzing the situation for him seriously.
He suddenly discovered that there was so much knowledge about being a human being, which was far higher than the books he had memorized since he was a child.
"Look at those aristocratic families, all of them are gentle on the surface, but in fact they are very dirty inside." Qin Ziying was a little drunk, lying on Li Xu's shoulder, muttering vaguely, "But this world is just for them."
He looked at Liu Hongji, who was surrounded by everyone, and continued to whisper in Li Xu's ear: "If you want to do something serious, you must either attach yourself to a noble family or establish a family yourself, otherwise there is no way at all."
Strike everywhere!"
.......
"What I am most proud of in this life is that I have established a family and can leave you many generations of wealth!" In the Baili Company Camp, the old general Mai Tiezhang looked at his three sons and said with a smile. They were inspected by the emperor during the day.
, he suffered from some cold, and felt a little stiff in his bones when he returned to the camp at night. The army doctor and his sons all advised him not to fight for the merit of crossing the Liao Dynasty. The old general smiled and declined these kind suggestions.
At that time, the Chen Empire was wiped out, and countless people died in the sword. However, some of the wealthy families were able to survive and seek wealth in the new court.
It is always ordinary people who are unlucky. The more powerful a family is, the easier it is to survive the storm. General Mai smiled and looked through the night, as if he saw himself again yesterday.
I have personally established a family, the Mai family. This family is no worse than any century-old family. It is enough to be able to do this in life!
Drunkard's note: I have something to do today, so I can only update once. Thank you all for your subscription and support.
