At noon, Xie Xuan arrived as promised. This time it was not a big battle, but he came with only one entourage.
When they met, they asked: "How did you sleep last night?"
Li Hui smiled and said: "Sleep very well. Extremely quiet."
Xie Xuan smiled and said: "That's good. But I didn't sleep well. I was scolded."
Li Hui said in surprise: "Who scolded you?"
Xie Xuandao: "Who else could it be? My fourth uncle. He blamed me for not inviting you to see him. He said that I didn't know how to treat guests. He said that since you came from afar, I should invite you to live at home. He blamed me for leaving you here.
I’m going home here.”
Li Hui smiled and said, "That's not necessary. You have already arranged it very well. Your fourth uncle is too polite. I'm even a little flattered."
Xie Xuan waved his hand and said with a smile: "No. He just lost yesterday. Yesterday he played against Wang Jiaerlang and lost three games in a row, losing his beloved white jade chessboard. He was unhappy, so he looked for bad luck with me. I
We are all used to it. Hahaha, you are a bad chess player. You find someone to play chess every day, but you are still not convinced when you lose. Now that you have played well, you have lost the chessboard, and you will never play chess again. Hahaha."
Xie Xuan was unabashedly gloating. Li Hui felt funny in his heart. It turned out that Xie An was a bad chess player. It turned out that he would take it out on others when he lost in chess. It turned out that the relationship between Xie An and Xie Xuan's uncle and nephew was not what he thought.
The style is cool and mysterious, but so down-to-earth.
Although he didn't see Xie An in person, the tension in Li Hui's heart was reduced a lot. He suddenly realized that people like Xie An were actually just ordinary people with warmth. It was not that they were all good at playing music, chess, calligraphy and painting.
Absolutely, even if you lose at chess, you will find ways to make trouble for others.
All the famous names and figures of this era who are shrouded in aura are real people living here.
…
The entrance to Wuyi Alley is incredibly quiet. On the bluestone drum at the entrance of the alley, there are even a few birds scratching at the half-melted snow.
Li Hui stood at the entrance of the alley and looked in. There was no grandeur as imagined, no cornices and ridges as he imagined. In the Wuyi Lane in front of him, the flat blue brick floor and mainly black and white houses on both sides were swaying.
Green bamboos, quiet environment. Ordinary, it seems like an ordinary city alley.
However, Li Hui clearly felt the unique temperament and energy here. You can say that you know who lives here in advance, so you have a psychological impression. But it is true that Li Hui felt a strange
the breath.
Compared with the noisy market on Qinhuai Hebei Street at the entrance of the alley, with cars and horses circulating, and men and women flowing in, this Wuyi Alley looks particularly calm and peaceful. The sun shines quietly in the alley, covering everything in it. It is bright in the sun and dim in the shadows.
, giving people a strong sense of contrast.
"Brother Li Hui, what's wrong with you? Let's go." Xie Xuan stood still, looked at Li Hui who was standing still, and said with a smile.
Li Hui breathed a sigh of relief, cupped his hands and said with a smile: "I feel a little nervous. After all...it's my first time coming here. Brother Xie's family is my wealthy family in Jin Dynasty, so I feel a little nervous."
Xie Xuan laughed and said: "What are you afraid of? We don't eat people. You have known me for a long time. Am I a vicious spirit?"
Xie Xuan actually understood Li Hui's mood and the difference between a poor family and a wealthy family. Xie Xuan knew it very well. Although he didn't care about it, Li Hui would definitely have some other emotions in his heart, which was normal.
Li Hui smiled and said, "That's not what I meant."
Xie Xuan winked and said: "However, you have to be careful about my fourth uncle. He does have a bad temper and may embarrass you. But, I have everything."
Li Hui smiled and nodded. Xie Xuan led the way, and Li Hui followed, and the two slowly entered Wuyi Alley.
Walking in the alley, it feels very strange. There are continuous white walls on both sides, and the lush green flowers, trees and bamboo forests are exposed in the wall. Everything is very quiet, as if walking through a deserted corridor. But soon, the streets and alleys became quiet.
He turned at a smooth angle and turned to the west. The scene in front of him suddenly changed.
There were carriages, horses and passers-by in the alley in front of the gatehouse. Several young men in black robes were standing and talking in the alley. Servants in green clothes were carrying boxes and cages from the carriage, got off the car and walked towards the gatehouse. There were several people dressed in luxurious clothes.
Children were chasing and playing around the lampposts in the alley, fighting for a noisy sepak takraw ball hung with colorful cloth strips.
When passing by the talking young men, they were talking loudly. Li Hui was interested in listening to what they said. They seemed to be talking about the music at a banquet last night.
"I still think the "Phoenix Cry" music is the most beautiful. The violinist played it very well last night. I cried when I heard it. The phoenix sings in Qi, soars in Yong, and lives in the phoenix tree. Its sound is like
Blood, its feathers are like rainbows! Great praise!"
"Although the song Fengming is good, I think it is not as good as the song "Qingfeng". The ensemble of piano and flute is like a hill in the breeze. Although it is not brilliant and complicated, it is more simple and natural. The key is that there is a mysterious feeling in nature.
meaning."
"..."
Li Hui and others walked by, and the young men stopped to watch Xie Xuan arrive, and unconsciously hid to the side. There seemed to be fear in their eyes. However, when they saw Li Hui wearing ordinary clothes, they all
Frowning.
After the two walked over, the people started arguing again.
Xie Xuan snorted and said, "Those losers from the Wang family talk about these useless things every day. It's so funny."
Li Hui turned to look at Xie Xuan and said with a smile: "They seem to be afraid of you."
Xie Xuandao: "I often beat them. What about the Langya Wang family's children? I beat them like beating a leather drum."
Li Hui was surprised and said: "Are they the descendants of the Langya Wang family?"
Xie Xuandao: "That's right. The Wang family are all trash."
Li Hui smiled bitterly and was speechless. That was the Langya Wang family. In Xie Xuan's mouth, he seemed like an ordinary family. It was ridiculous that the Wang family's children were often bullied by him. But Li Hui suddenly remembered what he had heard in Juchao County
Xie Xuan talked about the engagement between her sister Xie Daoyun and the Wang family. At that time, Xie Xuan was also filled with righteous indignation. Perhaps Xie Xuan's dissatisfaction with the Wang family was somehow related to this matter.
After walking several hundred steps, we arrived at the foot of a tall but ordinary gatehouse with white walls and black tiles. Standing on the steps were two servants in green clothes. Seeing Xie Xuan's arrival, they hurriedly bowed and saluted.
Xie Xuan smiled and said: "We are here. Please come."
Li Hui originally thought he would see the Xie family's grand gatehouse and magnificent mansion. However, he did not expect that the Xie family's gatehouse was so simple, which made him feel quite disappointed. He straightened his clothes and followed Xie Xuan into the gatehouse. In front of him was a white screen wall.
Blocking the line of sight. When Li Hui walked around the screen wall, what he saw in front of him stunned him.
What you see is a spacious and magnificent house. The size of the courtyard alone is comparable to that of an ordinary house. A road inlaid with gravel leads to the tall main house in the front hall. Surrounding both sides of the main house, planters
There are a large number of flowering trees. They vary in height and are very luxuriant. The remaining snow covers the trees, making them verdant. They should be evergreen flowering trees even in winter.
On the west side of the yard, a tall and straight rockery fish pond stands, surrounded by tall trees that have fallen leaves. On the east side, there is a row of penthouses, black and white and square. There are also green trees planted around the flower beds.
In the courtyard, servants in green clothes were busy sweeping and carrying things, feeding horses and washing the floor. After a cursory glance, there were as many as twenty or thirty people.
Only then did Li Hui realize that the simplicity on the outside was all an illusion. The Xie family's mansion in Wuyi Lane, Chen County, just had a courtyard in the front, which was enough to show the aura of a wealthy family. Although there were no carved beams and painted buildings and complex
landscape, but this should be related to the taste of the owner. The spaciousness of the entire front yard already shows the appearance of a wealthy family.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg. When Xie Xuan led Li Hui through the front yard, Li Hui saw more male and female servants, more houses and courtyards, and more flowers and trees. Li Hui unconsciously thought about it in his heart.
Comparing this place with the south residence of the Gu family in Wu County, the conclusion is that the Xie family is at least two or three times larger than the Gu family's residence in Wu County. There are at least six or seven more courtyards. The landscape decorations are also much more grand and outstanding.
In one word, it means big and simple, not complicated, not oppressive. All the rockery trees seem to exist naturally there, without any artificiality or modification.
In the capital city, every inch of land is valuable. On the banks of the Qinhuai River, there is such a huge mansion. This is the strength of the Xie family in Chen County, and this is the style of the wealthy family of the Jin Dynasty.
Entering the flower hall of Xie's mansion, Xie Xuan finally stopped. The servants brought tea and snacks. Xie Xuan asked Li Hui to sit down as he pleased without being formal. He went back to his residence to change clothes, leaving Li Hui waiting in the flower hall.
.
Li Hui stood in the flower hall and looked at the furnishings in the room. The walls of the flower hall were spotless, and there was a picture of a lady and a calligraphy and painting hanging on the wall. Li Hui carefully looked at the inscription and inscription, and found that the picture of a lady was actually made by Gu Kaizhi.
Calligraphy is the work of Wang Xizhi.
Li Hui smiled bitterly and thought: The Xie family's calligraphy and paintings are obviously authentic. They are hung so casually on the wall of the flower hall. If future generations of collectors find out about this, they will definitely go crazy.
There is also a Yao Qin in the corner of the room and a bamboo flute hanging on the wall. Apart from that, there are only two small tables, a few futons and a bamboo flower stand with orchids in the corner.
Adhering to the simple style of Xie's mansion, this room is also the same. But now Li Hui knows that this so-called simplicity is just an appearance. Every furnishing here is actually extraordinary. For example, the calligraphy and paintings of Gu Kaizhi and Wang Xizhi on the wall
For example, the Yao Qin and the Bamboo Flute, although Li Hui didn't understand them, judging from the simple shape and black and red color and texture, they are definitely valuable items.
The simplicity of the Xie family is the appearance, and the luxury is very low-key. On the contrary, this is the most excessive kind of luxury.