In the few days before Zhou Jun left, the princess held a grand banquet in the palace. Not only did she invite relatives and friends in the palace, but she also entertained many familiar acquaintances and tribesmen in the outer garden.
After several days of flowing water banquets, Zhou Jun could not remember how many drinks he drank and how many friends he met.
On the last day before leaving, he specially cooked some of his specialty dishes and planned to have a farewell banquet with his family.
At this last family dinner, those present included Zhou Dinghai and Luo Sanniang, Zhou Ze's family, Pang Gong and Yuping, as well as Zhou Jun's wives, concubines, and children.
Before the banquet started, the prince-in-law went into the kitchen and was busy preparing dishes. The cook in the mansion looked on in surprise.
Sun Aying and other soldiers were not surprised. They first helped the servants bring meat and vegetables, and then helped Zhou Jun process the ingredients.
While Zhou Jun was cooking the dishes, he was chatting with Sun Aying.
Zhou Jun: "I heard that some people found their mothers-in-law again?"
Sun Aying said: "This month, six more soldiers have found a sweetheart and plan to propose marriage."
Zhou Jun: "It's a good thing that men should get married when they're old and women should get married when they're old."
Sun Aying: "I have told my master what you want. If you get married and want to stay, I will join the command of Captain Luo and join the Yulin Guards' branch army."
Zhou Jun: "How many people are willing to stay?"
Sun Aying paused in his movements and said: "Twenty-nine people."
Zhou Jun nodded: "You tell Anyuan and let him do the paperwork for the transfer of these people."
Sun Aying opened his mouth, and finally couldn't help but say: "My master is kind, but he treats his subordinates too leniently."
Zhou Jun poured the ingredients into the boiling oil, and with a sizzling sound, he smiled and said to Sun Aying: "Getting married, having children, starting a family and establishing a career are some of the major events in a man's life. If you use loyalty to restrain your subordinates, you will be able to
They violate human ethics and may end up being distraught."
Sun Aying sighed slightly.
Zhou Jun flipped the spatula and asked again: "Ah Ying, you are already a grown man, so you don't plan to start a family?"
Sun Aying was stunned for a moment, and then replied: "Drawing the family to lead the family may become a fetter. Aying only wants to follow the master's family and achieve success."
Zhou Jun smiled and did not say more about this topic. Instead, he asked about another matter: "How is the expansion of personal guards going?"
Sun Aying: "The guards were expanded from two teams to four teams, from one hundred to two hundred people. The newly recruited soldiers are from the refugees in Bachuan. They have good foundation and high understanding. What they lack is just the ability to kill the enemy in battle.
experience."
Zhou Jun: "Intensify your training. When we get to Shazhou, I'm afraid there will still be a tough battle to be fought."
Sun Aying cupped his hands and replied.
After the dishes were cooked, Zhou Jun said to the cooks not far away: "Put the dishes into plates and put them on the table as soon as possible. Don't let the dishes get cold."
After saying that, Zhou Jun left the kitchen and walked straight into the hall.
Entering the banquet hall, Zhou Jun saw Zhou Ze's son Zhou Shang, who took out a calligraphy book and was seriously teaching the several-month-old Zhou Xiao how to speak calligraphy.
As the eldest son of Zhou Ze and Yu Junniang, Zhou Shang inherited his mother's intelligence, but he also inherited his father's rigidity.
According to the eldest brother Zhou Ze's story, once Zhou Dinghai took Zhou Shang to visit the Western Market.
On the way, Zhou Dinghai met his former friend. The latter noticed that the jade pendant around Zhou Shang's neck was warm and expensive, so he asked where he bought it.
That jade pendant was the longevity tablet that Yu Jun asked from the temple, and it was worth a lot of money. In order to brag about his family's wealth, Zhou Dinghai laughed and said that if the other party really liked it, he would give it to him.
The friend knew Zhou Dinghai's nature well, so he didn't take it to heart and made a few jokes.
Unexpectedly, the young Zhou Shang, listening to the conversation between the two, actually took off the jade pendant and handed it into the hands of his friend.
The friend was shocked and wanted to return it.
Zhou Shang did not accept it and said it bluntly: A gentleman does his best, is faithful in his words and righteous in his deeds.
Zhou Ze and Yu Junniang later heard about this incident, supported Zhou Shang's approach, and gave the jade pendant to the man. As for Zhou Dinghai, Luo Sanniang scolded him bloody...
After thinking about this, Zhou Jun walked up to Zhou Ze and asked, "Has the palace issued an imperial edict to relocate?"
Zhou Ze had grown a goatee and was usually serious about words. He looked more sophisticated and profound than before. He nodded to Zhou Jun and said: "Qian Ling has entered the Shangshu Province, and I will be transferred to the position of a doctor in the Ministry of Revenue next month.
"
Zhou Jun: "The household department involves finance and taxation, and everything is complicated. My brother pays attention to everything."
Zhou Ze sighed: "Erlang, how many kilograms do I have? I know clearly in my heart that I have to jump several levels this time and take on such an important task. Brother, I really don't know what to do. If things go wrong, won't you lose your reputation?"
?”
Before Zhou Jun could speak, Lady Yu Jun came over and said to the former first, then she said to Zhou Ze: "It is all the credit of Erlang that my husband was able to move to the position of doctor. We, husband and wife, should remember this kindness."
Yu Xin. Erlang's trip to Shazhou to retreat from Tubo, quell the rebellion, and rebuild the Daqi trade route is a major event that benefits the country and the people. The brothers of the Zhou family, both internally and externally, should be both prosperous and devastated.
Erlang is working hard outside, and we husband and wife should help each other, how can we be cowardly before fighting?"
Hearing what Yu Junniang said, Zhou Ze shrank his neck and did not dare to speak any more.
After hearing this, Zhou Jun nodded slightly, then glanced at Zhou Shang who was reading, and finally said to Yu Junniang: "Xiao'er has few study companions in Bieyuan, and Shang'er is very smart and eager to learn, so why not let the two of them get along more with each other?"
Some?"
Madam Yu Jun nodded with a smile and agreed.
After talking to Zhou Ze and his wife for a while, Zhou Jun returned to the table.
Pang Gong was in high spirits today. He kept drinking while watching Zhou Xiao playing around.
Zhou Jun came to Yin Yu's side, and the two exchanged glances.
Then, Yin Yu picked up Zhou Xiao, came to Pang Gong's side, and said: "Pang Zuo has taken care of Fu Erlang a lot, and he loves Xiao'er. I am grateful for my kindness, so I have a request right now."
Seeing Yin Yu coming, Pang Gong asked again and quickly put his hands on the ground and left the case. The chief inspector said: "Princess Zhonghe, but I have orders, so please give me instructions."
Yin Yu said with a smile: "Zuo Jian was originally a close servant of Queen Zhenshun. He is proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting. I intend to ask Zuo Jian to be responsible for Xiaoer's elementary education."
Pang Gong's eyes widened, he was half awake from the wine, and he stammered in his words: "Let... let the old slave take charge... Mengxue, if this message is going to be spread, I'm afraid, I'm afraid there will be some..."
Yin Yu looked back at Zhou Jun and said to Mr. Pang: "Both Erlang and I agree to this matter. You just need to teach with your heart."
When Pang Gong heard this, he burst into tears. He leaned his head deeply on the ground and said slowly: "I thank the princess for your kindness."
Zhou Jun breathed a sigh of relief when he saw this.
Just then, a servant came to report that there was a guest outside the door.
Zhou Jun: "Guest? What kind of guest?"
The servant hesitated for a while and then said: "Go back to the Prince Consort, that man is an old Taoist priest, and his surname is Luo."
An old Taoist named Luo?
Zhou Jun recalled carefully and suddenly remembered a person, Luo Gongyuan.
The most famous Taoist priest during the Kaiyuan Tianbao period, who had a close relationship with him several times.