"Isn't this embarrassing?" Zhao Yu was polite.
"What are you embarrassed about? Grab a few golden melon seeds and give them to the children to celebrate. Changxu, take some too." Xiao Chen said, "Xiao Ye, Xiao Yu, take these little ingots and All the copper coins were carried out to share with the brothers outside. We have worked so hard during the Chinese New Year, and now they are at our door again, so we have to give them a reward."
Zhao Yu and Liu Changxu were overjoyed. Sure enough, each of them grabbed a handful of golden melon seeds and put them in their arms. Ling'er grabbed two more handfuls and stuffed them into them. The two of them walked away with heavy bags in their sleeves and smiles on their faces.
"Aren't these two guys here specifically to fight Qiu Feng?" Xiao Chen came to his senses only after they left.
Not long after the person who gave the reward left, they came. Is there such a coincidence?
"Who made these fireworks?" Gongsun Shenwen asked Ling'er.
"Crazy brother, are you awesome?" Ling'er said proudly.
"Madman?" Gongsun Shenyan was surprised, "A madman can't create such exquisite fireworks."
"His nickname is Madman, but he is actually... also crazy." Ling'er said, "But he is clever and can do anything."
"Oh, that's probably an expert." Gongsun Shenyan said.
"Mr. Gongsun, you are known as the fourth most skillful craftsman in the world. Can you make fireworks?" Ling'er asked.
"What's the point of trivial skills?" Gongsun Shenyan said proudly.
"Hey... Mr. Gongsun, please don't brag." Ling'er was dubious.
"Why are you bragging about doing something with a little effort?" Gongsun Shen said, "It's just that I'm too old to do these things."
"You don't have to do the fireworks, old man, but there is one thing you have to do tomorrow morning." said the fat man on the side.
"What is it?" Gongsun Shenyan asked curiously.
"It's a red envelope for money." The fat man said, "You are the eldest in the family now, and you are also the senior in the world. We all have to pay you New Year's greetings tomorrow. Are you embarrassed not to give me a red envelope?"
"Wow!" Gongsun Shenyan was surprised, "I didn't expect that the majestic capital of the capital would have such a bad habit!"
It was still dark early the next morning, and Fatty Ling'er and others, who had stayed up all night, were sleeping soundly, but Xiao Chen had already gotten up, washed himself, changed clothes, and took Xiao Yu and a few people with him without even eating breakfast. A brother of Xuan Yiwei went out.
Because today all the ministers in Beijing have to go to the palace to pay New Year greetings to the emperor and hold a grand congratulatory ceremony. After that, they have to follow the emperor to the imperial mausoleum in the suburbs to offer sacrifices, and they have to burn watches and incense. It’s a whole mess of procedures. It takes a whole day.
Xiao Chen came out early and did not go to the palace first. Instead, he went straight to Lin Qi's house. Lin Dongyang still had his mother in the house, and he himself was in prison. Xiao Chen, his love and reason, should come to the old lady. Happy New Year.
Lin Qi was surprised when he saw Xiao Chen, Brother Xiao, why are you here? Shouldn't you go to pay New Year's greetings to the Emperor? Why are you coming to my house?
Xiao Chen said why are you so anxious about paying New Year greetings to the emperor?
How can the emperor be as important as us old ladies?
Has the old lady gotten up yet?
Old Mrs. Lin was happy to see Xiao Chen and was not polite to him. She sat in the hall and kowtowed from him. After the ceremony, she asked Lin Qi to help him up and took out a red envelope she had prepared long ago, "Good girl, Take the money to suppress evil spirits!"
"Oh, I have to thank the old lady for the reward!" Xiao Chen took it with both hands and put it in his arms with a smile.
"Brother Xiao, I wish you a happy New Year!" Lin Qi asked Xiao Chen to sit down, but he knelt down.
"Get up, I don't have a red envelope for you. Didn't you see me wearing court clothes? Make up for it later." Xiao Chen said with a smile.
"Ah, you guys are not that senior, right?" The old lady smiled, "You, my kid, are friends with me in Dongyang, so why are you calling me brothers with my grandchildren?"
"Let everyone talk about it." Xiao Chen said, "Otherwise, everyone will be very awkward when calculating these etiquette."
"That's what I like. By the way, you came out so early in the morning. You must have not eaten, right? I will meet the emperor later and have to work for another day. You are young, the weather is cold, and your stomach is It’s okay if we don’t make up for it, I’ll ask my wife to cook some glutinous rice balls, drink a few bowls of soup with water, and let the men come over too!”
Lin Dongyang is from the south. During the Chinese New Year, he does not eat dumplings but eat glutinous rice balls. This can be regarded as a difference in customs between the north and the south.
Xiao Chen and the others were not polite. They sat down and each of them ate several bowls of sweet dumplings. There was a slight sweat on the forehead, and there was warmth in the stomach. In Xiao Yu's words, it was really enlightening!
Knowing that Xiao Chen was going to court, the old lady didn't stay. She only made them sweat and urged them to get up quickly.
"How can you say this? Mr. Dongyang is in despair, and the old lady still gives such a heavy reward." Xiao Yu and several Xuanyi Wei brothers also received the red envelopes from the old lady. When they came out and opened them, they found that they were pure The small ingots made of gold are heavy in the hand, each weighing twelve ounces.
"Actually, the Lin family still has several properties in Jiangdong. They were sealed during the previous property raids. After the emperor pardoned Mr. Dongyang's death penalty, he also specially issued an order to unblock several properties." Xiao Chen said.
"Didn't the censors impeach Mr. Dongyang for corruption and bribery? How could the property be returned to him without being confiscated?" Xiao Yu wondered.
"Lin Dongyang was originally a wealthy family in the south of the Yangtze River. His business was very big before he became the governor, so those properties are considered his ancestral property, but they are not the result of corruption. In fact, with his rich family background, he is so shrewd. People like this are not corrupt at all, and the reason why he was punished was just a groundless crime." Xiao Chen said.
"Since it was unwarranted, the emperor should let him go. What's the point of always being locked up in prison? Besides, even Wang Ruhai was let go, so why not let him go?" Xiao Yu said.
"Lin Dongyang is a capable minister, but he has a somewhat arrogant temperament. He does things boldly but does not stick to trivial matters. The emperor imprisoned him in prison, probably because he wanted to temper his temperament." Xiao Chen said.
"Why would the emperor re-enable him?" Xiao Yuqi asked.
"That's not surprising." Xiao Chen said, "At first, he was only removed from the title of governor, but he was not deprived of his rank, so reactivating him was just a matter of a word from the emperor."
"Oh... In addition, after all this trouble, Lin Dongyang has probably seen clearly what kind of person Li Shi is, and will not follow him anymore from now on." Xiao Yu said.
"By the way, that's the truth. The boy is quite smart." Xiao Chen said with a smile.
"I was already smart, but it was your boss who made me use my talent for an underestimation." Xiao Yu said with a smile.
"Oh, why are you so swollen?" Xiao Chen said.
"This is a joke, but I think that boy Lin Qi is really overqualified for following us." Xiao Yu said, "If you ask me, this boy is a dragon. His future is limitless, and his fame and achievements may not be here. Under the Father!”
"Your boy is not only smart, but also has the ability to recognize people." Xiao Chen said, "You are right, the fat man also said that 'Jin Lin is just a thing in the pond, it turns into a dragon when it encounters a storm!'"
