The aroma in the study is overwhelming, but it's not the scent of sandalwood and powder, but of wine, coriander and coriander.
Wang Xian and Lu Yuan, two others, were sitting cross-legged on the couch around a small machine. The small machine was not a tea set, but a copper hot pot. The bottom of the pot was made of fine silver charcoal, which was smokeless and ash-free.
In the pot, chicken and duck are used as soup, and fish fillets, chicken fillets, magnolia slices, tenderloin slices, vermicelli are cooked in a simmering manner... The aroma is overflowing and makes people's mouth water.
"In the coldest month of winter, sitting around a hot pot and drinking 30-year-old daughter's red wine, I wouldn't change it even for a god." Zhou Yang took a piece of fat and tender fish fillet, put it in his mouth and started to enjoy it.
"That's true." Yuan Lu was very quiet and restless. Now he has left the herbal medicine shop to his son to take care of, and he concentrates on traveling between Huguang and Zhejiang. Although he has suffered a lot, his vision and mood are much higher than before. "Zhang
Why is this sloppy land god so reluctant to go up the mountain? Isn’t it just for this mouthful of wine and meat?”
"Haha, that makes sense." Wang Xian laughed and said, "Lao Lu's talking skills are really great."
"It's still far behind adults." Mr. Lu took a sip of wine with some satisfaction and praised: "Thirty-year-old Nuerhong is indeed extraordinary, good wine and good wine."
"I don't understand a little bit," Zhou Yang said strangely: "It is said that this daughter's red was buried by a Shaoxing family on the day their daughter was born. How could there be a thirty-year-old daughter's red? Is it possible that the daughter of a Shaoxing people is thirty years old?
Can’t get married?”
"That's good." Lu Yuanwai chuckled and said, "Isn't that what Old Zhou likes?"
Wang Xian just took a sip of wine and squirted it out, laughing until he burst into tears.
Zhou Yang also laughed in amusement and said: "Okay, this is the right one. If you eat fruit, you know how to pick it when it is ripe. The same is true when looking for a woman, so you are sexy and energetic."
"Thirty is like a wolf, and forty is like a tiger," said Lu Yuanwai, who also laughed with tears: "No wonder my family Yifan said that your housekeeper comes to my place every two days to buy three whips of wine."
"He drank it by himself," Zhou Yang said angrily, "I'm very strong." Seeing Yuan Lu's disbelief, he wrote in a letter: "I'll see Zhenzhang at Yunxiang Pavilion tonight."
"Who is afraid of whom?" Lu Yuanwai said disdainfully: "When the time comes when I can no longer be afraid, I won't carry you back."
"Don't worry, I'll carry you"
Seeing the two men pushing up the cow, Wang Xian could only cough twice and said: "You two, there are still minors here."
"Sir, now that your spirit has been strengthened, you can come with us to see more." Lu Yuanwai sincerely invited.
"Fuck you," Zhou Yang cursed in a low voice, "If Aunt Wang finds out, why don't you hang us up and beat us?"
"It's true." Wang Xian wiped his sweat and said, "My father doesn't dare, how can I have the courage?"
Several people were drinking and eating meat, and chatting about meat and fish without scruples. They all felt extremely happy. When they were full of wine and food, they took off the hot pot cups and plates and replaced them with fragrant tea, and then they got to the main topic.
"Sir, our plan may have to be postponed," Lu Yuanwai said solemnly: "There has been some unpleasantness between Lianghao and the county."
"I know." Wang Xian nodded and said, "The people from Yanhao came yesterday and told me about that."
"Jiang Zhixian has gone too far." Zhou Yang's smile faded, with an angry look on his face as he said: "When Mr. Wei was here at the beginning of the year, he refused to acknowledge the guarantees he made and even the deeds he signed. He has already informed both of us.
Home, the contract will be terminated and re-signed after the Chinese New Year.”
"I really didn't expect Jiang Zhixian to be such a person," Wang Xian sighed: "Back then, he swore that he would obey Cao Cao and not change the regulations set by Lord Wei." He paused and said, "When Wu Wei fell out with him,
After coming to Pujiang to complain to me, I wrote to Jingli and informed Mr. Wei of the matter."
"Has Mr. Wei replied to your letter?"
"Back." Wang Xiandao: "He said he had written a letter to question Jiang County Magistrate, but because it was difficult for officials from other places to understand the importance of business names and chambers of commerce, he could not talk to the prefect or officials in Beijing. He could only ask
We figured it out ourselves."
"Hey..." Zhou Yang and Lu Yuanwai both sighed. The Ming Dynasty still had a strong emphasis on agriculture and neglect of commerce. The emphasis on commerce in Jiangsu and Zhejiang has always been disliked by officials. If only Mr. Wei could not understand it.
They, they won't be grateful.
"Master Wei is really helpless in this matter." Wang Xian explained for them: "Actually, Magistrate Jiang is just a cover. People are easy to change and their nature is hard to change. Even if he changes his nature, he will not be able to change so quickly." There was a pause.
Said: "Behind this, there must be those unwilling big businessmen who are causing trouble. Speaking of which, they also blame us. Mr. Wei and I were too anxious to promote a group of new rich people to replace those big dogs. But we left too early, and we haven't yet
Once you have established a foothold, you will be transferred by the imperial court. It is normal for the big players to counterattack. It would be strange not to counterattack."
"That's the truth," Yuan Lu agreed: "It seems that Magistrate Jiang had something to do with them, and that's why they led him by the nose."
"What's the handle?" Zhou Yang asked.
"It's not important." Wang Xian said coldly: "A group of people who have healed their scars and forgotten the pain will have to live in a house for three days if they don't wear it."
"Master Domineering is always so domineering." Zhou Yang said with admiration: "Come to think of it, the emperor is not as anxious as the eunuchs. Those guys are just a bunch of chickens and dogs in front of you. What do we have to worry about?"
"Having said that, your metaphor doesn't make sense." Seeing Wang Xian's domineering side, Lu Yuanwai also made up his mind and said with a smile: "If you want to be a eunuch, just go ahead and don't involve me." He said that he wanted to please Wang Xian.
He smiled and said, "I wonder how your plan will be worked out?"
"The secret must not be leaked. If you tell it, it won't work." Wang Xian said with determination: "You go back and tell them so that they can celebrate the New Year with peace of mind. I will go back to my hometown to worship my ancestors during the New Year and I will take care of this matter."
The shadow of the famous tree of "Hao Le", and thinking of Wang Xian's glorious achievements in the past, both Zhou Yang and Lu Yuanwai made up their minds and no longer worried about this matter.
"But you two can't rest." Wang Xian added: "We must step up preparations for the sports club. Now every chamber of commerce is eagerly looking forward to it. Our plan cannot be postponed. It must be opened on the eighth day of the first lunar month."
"Sir, this is inappropriate. It's easy to talk about other things, but if Jiang Zhixian can't pass the test, we will force the business to open, and there will definitely be endless troubles in the future." Lu Yuanwai frowned.
"He will definitely be there to cut the ribbon. You can give him an invitation when you get back." Wang Xian said lightly: "Anyway, put your heart in your stomach and take bigger steps. Don't be afraid of pulling your balls or the sky will fall.
I'm holding on"
Zhou and Lu were very excited when they heard this and said: "Okay"
The guests came around like a lantern, as if they had made an appointment. After you sing, I will appear on the stage, but no one will meet anyone.
After seeing off Zhou and Lu, the third uncle came with more than a dozen tribesmen. Now Wang Xian did not dare to greet him himself, so he quickly sent someone to the Yamen to call his father back.
Wang Xingye hurried back, kowtowed to his third uncle and said, "Uncle, why are you here in person? Isn't this a violation of etiquette?"
"I'm bored at home, so I came here to visit you." The third uncle pulled him up and said, "Get up, get up, your father and son are now officials. They are the parents of the people, and my uncle must respect them."
"That's what outsiders say. In our family, we still consider seniority." Wang Xingye didn't dare to ask for help, so he invited his third uncle to sit down with him.
Sit down, Wang Xian and others will accompany you, and those below you can only stand.
"They came this time to pay an account to their employer." The third uncle nodded, and his son handed a copy of the report and accounts to Wang Xingye. "I have been farming your family's land for a year, and you are kind and don't ask them.
I have to keep silent."
Wang Xingye didn't answer, and said with a smile: "My uncle is joking. The fields still belong to the brothers and nephews. I am just a nominal person. What kind of accounts should I look at?"
"Brothers must settle accounts clearly. Even if they send names, they must be submitted in accordance with the deed. You must not mess with the rules." The third uncle insisted on letting him take it.
Wang Xingye had no choice but to take it and take a look. The accounts were densely packed with more than a dozen tenant households, and a total of three shi of rice was given to him... With Lao Wang's current appetite, it was not enough to fill his teeth. Otherwise, he would not be so generous. Moreover.
When the tribesmen go back, they will naturally receive large and small packages of gifts in return, and those who didn't come must also be taken care of. With so many tribesmen, even two or three hundred taels of silver will not be appreciated...
But there have always been people who have served as officials. In this era, the clan is one. When you become an official, you have to let your clan members get the glory. Don't think about it the other way around. Moreover, the invitation card also lists the years of clan members.
The gifts...all kinds of miscellaneous fish, pheasants, rabbits, chickens, bacon, all kinds of dried vegetables...and the little white rabbits and little ducks that Yin Ling caught to play with were also very thoughtful.
After another good reception and a full meal, the third uncle asked the clan members to go outside to have some private conversations with Wang Xian and his son.
"If anything happens to your uncle, just give me your orders," the father said, feeling dizzy from being praised, and was not afraid of Feng Da's tongue flashing.
"It's the new year, and the scientific examination is about to start again." The third uncle, leaning on crutches with both hands, looked at Wang Xian kindly and said: "I heard that Zhongde has already signed up?"
"Yes," the father nodded and boasted: "This kid is making great progress now. I said you are already a government official. Now, why bother taking the exam?" Then he looked at Wang Xiandao: "But he said no, old man
The Wang family hasn’t produced a scholar yet, so in order to win face for our family, we have to take the exam.”
"..." Wang Xian is so sweaty, is this the case? You may be saying the opposite, but that's his father, so he can only let his talk go unchecked...
"Good boy, really good boy." The third uncle praised him profusely: "If Wang Jin and the other gangsters were half as smart as Zhong De, we would be the first to be crowned the king of the Wang family."
"Uh..." Dad smacked his lips and said, "Wang Jin and the others also want to take the exam, right?"
"Look at you, a grandfather." The third uncle said with a smile, "You are so patronizing of your own son that you have forgotten that your three grandsons also have to take the exam."
"I haven't forgotten, I haven't forgotten," Dad was half awake from his wine and said with a smile, "What does uncle mean?" (To be continued)