Chapter 25 The Difficult Sutra of the Prime Minister's Family
At dusk and sunset, several waves of officials who had gone out to enclose the land came back one after another.
Yuan Long presented the planned map to Guo Zongyi with a look of embarrassment. He took the map and looked at it carefully while asking with concern: "What happened to Yuan Mansion?"
Yuan Ao smiled sheepishly and said with a guilty conscience: "I'm fine, I got bored waiting in the afternoon, so I stretched my muscles with Prime Minister Li."
Guo Zongyi looked at Li Gu who was standing aside with confusion, and the latter replied: "That's true. Yuan Fu was born in the army. He felt uncomfortable if he didn't practice for a day, so he asked me to fence with him for half an hour."
In the afternoon, Guo Zongyi saw with his own eyes that Li Gu chased him for several miles with a sword, but neither of them wanted to say anything and stopped asking. They just laughed and said, "I heard that Li Xiang is good at shooting, so you should use a bow."
Li Gu gritted his teeth: "I only regret that I didn't bring a crossbow."
Yuan Ao's face turned livid, and Guo Zongyi laughed loudly and pointed at the sunset: "After the matter is done, I will return to the city later."
"only!"
Li Gu responded, and then asked: "I'm afraid it's already Xu time when I return to the city. Your Highness lives alone in the mansion, and there may not be enough food to prepare. If you don't mind, I will go to your mansion tonight. I will prepare a small amount of wine to comfort Your Highness and you."
The hard work of the soldiers."
Li Gu's reason was very lame, but given his status, it was difficult for others to refuse. Guo Zongyi pondered for a moment, not knowing what his purpose was, and it was hard to flatter the old minister, so he nodded and agreed: "That's fine, that's all.
You’re disturbing Prime Minister Li.”
After saying that, he raised his feet and was about to leave. Li Gu quickly followed and asked about some taboo dishes.
Yuan Ao was stunned for a long time, then suddenly hit his thigh and cursed secretly: "This treacherous old thief is a lowly official with a knife and a pen!"
Li Gu was a scholar and had been a Jinshi, so naturally he didn't have the shame to let his own granddaughter come out to serve the wine.
But when his daughter-in-law brought a group of his children and grandchildren to visit him, he specially arranged for his granddaughter to sit in the front row. Unexpectedly, Guo Zongyi just glanced at them without stopping his eyes.
This couldn't help but sigh in his heart, Your Highness is truly a sincere gentleman.
At the banquet, everyone sat in a circle, changing cups and drinking wine, and it was very lively.
Since the Tang Dynasty, when Hu Feng was introduced, many living habits of the Han people have changed.
Speaking of gatherings for drinking alone, the original tables, low tables, and stools have become large tables and high chairs, the wine containers have changed from bottles and spoons to pourers, and the drinking vessels have evolved from wide and short glasses to
The materials of the slender stems and curved cups have changed from crude wood and pottery to exquisite gold, silver and porcelain.
The tableware of the Li family is all made of Xing kiln white porcelain. There are nearly a hundred pieces of plates, cups, bowls and bowls, all of which are silver-like and snow-like, with a fluctuating light and shadow.
Even though they haven't tasted the dishes, the tableware can whet the appetite of the guests.
Li Gu led his two sons Li Ji and Li Gong to accompany him. The eldest son Li Ji was about thirty, handsome in appearance and well-behaved. He had been an official with kindness in his early years. Now he is from the seventh rank of Zhongshu Sheng Youbu Que, and the second son Li Gong is less than two years old.
10. He is wearing a Confucian shirt and has an elegant temperament. He is still studying in the Imperial College and is a student of the Imperial College.
The two of them had known Li Fang and Lu Duan for a long time, and Yuan Long was a familiar person, so there was no silence at the table.
The most respected person present was Guo Zongyi. He was toasted by several people and drank six glasses in a row before he had time to eat and be served.
After a little bit of cushioning, he responded politely, which flattered the four young people.
At this point, Guo Zongyi was already a little drunk, and Li Gu proposed a drinking order. Boss Yuan Long was not happy. He muttered: "Xiang is a rough man. Li Xiang is obviously bullying this person because he has not read a few books. Why don't we come and throw pots?"
how?"
It was suitable for all ages to throw the pot, and everyone happily agreed. At that moment, someone held a three-eye copper pot with a wide belly and a narrow mouth and placed it in front of the hall.
This kind of pot is specially made. There is a copper ball inside the pot cavity. If you throw it with a little force, the arrow will pop out, and you will have to drink a large cup of wine as a penalty.
Li Gu took out four arrows and offered them to Guo Zongyi, saying: "Your Highness, please go first."
Guo Zongyi took it generously, then stood up and came to the line. He held the arrow shaft and took a slight aim. With a flick of his wrist, the arrow was thrown out. There was a clear clanking sound. The arrow shaft jumped into the bottle mouth and jumped a few times.
After jumping, he failed to jump out and landed firmly in the pot.
"Okay!" Everyone in the hall applauded.
Guo Zongyi smiled slightly, picked up another arrow, and threw it out in the same way. This time it fell into the mouth of the pot on the right side. This is called Lianzhong, and the one just now is called Youchu.
After shooting four arrows, one of the three hits was missed. This result must be considered good.
Next was Li Gu. Unexpectedly, he hit all four arrows and won applause from the crowd. Yuan Long seemed to be too drunk and hit two of his four arrows and one of them leaned on the pole.
In the end, Lu Duan missed an arrow and was fined three cups.
When everyone drank until the end of the day, they saw that the curfew was about to begin, so they reluctantly stopped the banquet.
Yuan Long was drunk again and was carried out by his subordinates. Guo Zongyi waved goodbye to Li Gu, got on the carriage prepared by the Li family, and returned home.
After sending the guests away one by one, Li Gu returned to the study with a smile, where Li Ji was already waiting in the room.
Li Ji handed over a cup of tea soup and asked, "Aye called me here, but do you have something to say?"
"That's right." Li Gu took a sip of tea and, taking advantage of his half-tip drunkenness, asked directly: "What do you think of promising Yu'er to His Highness?"
Li Ji was startled and woke up immediately. He stood there for a long time before shaking his head: "Why did Aye push her into the fire pit?"
Li Gu was furious when he heard this. He put down the teacup heavily and cursed: "Shuzi! Why is it a fire pit?"
"Your Highness is the eldest grandson. If he ascends to a great position in the future, Yu'er will have to be locked in that deep palace for the rest of his life. What is it if it's not a pit of fire?" Li Ji stiffened his neck and retorted.
Li Yu is his only daughter, and he has no son now. Seeing the world changing hands frequently, he naturally does not want his precious daughter to enter the palace.
Li Gu naturally knew this truth. He sighed heavily and said sincerely: "We are born in troubled times. Who in this world has not had a rough life, and who dares to protect three generations of wealth? I think Guo Shuai and His Highness are both very human beings. They will be able to bring peace to the world in the future."
, it must be this father and son. If you marry the emperor's eldest grandson, even if it becomes a bit colder in the future, you won't have to worry about it for the rest of your life, so what's the disadvantage?"
"But I just want Yu'er to live out her life safely and happily. Even if she doesn't get married, my son can support her for the rest of her life." Li Ji said quietly.
Li Gu snorted loudly and scolded: "You're confused! It's always been like this when men get married and women get married. In a hundred years from now, even if you and I are left with gold and silver, she is a half-old woman with no children, so what?"
Can it be defended?"
Li Ji's expression was stagnant. He couldn't think of a way to retort, so he tilted his head and said firmly: "In any case, we can't let her marry into the royal family."
Seeing that he had given in, Li Gu sneered and said, "It's up to you whether His Highness likes our family or not. Anyway, let's ask Yu'er what he means first. She has also met Your Highness today. If she is interested, we can do it."
As for the elders, it is better to just go with the flow."
"This... how to ask this?" Li Ji looked embarrassed and spread his hands.
"Some things don't have to be asked!" Li Gu blew his beard and glared angrily.
After pondering for a moment, he suddenly raised his head and asked, "Is your younger brother going to join the army to defeat Yan?"
Although Li Ji didn't understand why he asked about his younger brother, he still replied: "Exactly, the army will be setting off in the future."
"He went to Yanzhou to quell the chaos in the country. Tomorrow you will bring your sister-in-law Youzi to the house to take good care of him, so that he can feel at ease on the front line."
"Yes." Li Ji responded with his hands raised, and then asked: "But what does this have to do with Yu'er's matter?"
Li Gu sighed slightly and looked a little lonely. He, Li Gu, was also a great man. He didn't expect that his two sons were not very successful. Seeing that he was getting older, he was afraid that his time was running out. After a hundred years, this Li Gu would
If the family is in their hands, it will probably decline.
That's why he thought of betting on Guo Zongyi while he still had a certain status, even if it meant marrying off his precious granddaughter.
After sighing for a long time, he looked up and saw that Li Gong was still standing there. Waiting for him to explain, Li Gu had no choice but to wave his hands helplessly and said: "Just do it, you will understand later."
