Reuniting old friends after a long absence is already a happy event, but if it is a reunion of close friends, it is even more rare.
Zhao Shilang and Master Lu met at Ganquan Academy when they were young students. Later, they took the exam together, became Jinshi in the same year, and became officials in the same dynasty.
But later on, the two people took different paths. Zhao Shilang went further and further in the officialdom, and now he has become the de facto Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, and it will not take long for him to become a regular official and become a serious Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs.
Lu Anshi, on the other hand, returned to Jiangdu, began to study in Jiangdu, and wrote books and commentaries. He not only wrote several annotations on sage books, but also wrote many articles of his own, which were compiled into collections. He was already recognized as a Jiangzuo scholar. A great scholar.
At this time, the two people were very happy to meet again after a long separation.
After the two of them entered Jiankang City, they took a carriage all the way to Minister Zhao's house. Then Mrs. Zhao of the Zhao family and the wife of Zhao Yanzhou, the eldest member of the Zhao family, took Miss Lu to the backyard to rest.
At this time, Shen Yi asked his two maids to go home first, and he also followed everyone to Zhao Shilang's house.
After arriving at the house, Zhao Changping and Lu Anshi took their seats in the living room. After sitting down, Zhao Shilang personally poured tea for Mr. Lu, then lowered his head to take a sip of tea and said, "If I remember correctly, Jizhong is in Jiankang." There are several students, and when you, the teacher, return to Jiankang, no one from those few people comes to greet you, it’s really outrageous.”
Minister Zhao said in a low voice: "When I see them one day, I have to teach them a lesson for you."
Master Lu shook his head.
"I didn't tell them. They already have their own families. There is no need to come to welcome me, an idler. This time I come to Jiankang, and I have to stay for a while. They will know the news later and come to see me. That’s me.”
Zhao Shilang looked at Lu Anshi and smiled: "The room has been packed a few days in advance. My dear brother and niece can live in my house with peace of mind. If they don't live here for a year and a half, they won't even think about going back."
Shen Yi, who was accompanying him at the side, also coughed after hearing this and said, "Uncle, my nephew also has a mansion in Jiankang, and there are many vacant rooms..."
Minister Zhao frowned.
He glanced at Shen Yi and said, "Zi Heng, if you have elders in Jiankang, you would take Jizhong's father and daughter to live with you. It is filial to the teacher and it is reasonable. But now that you live in Jiankang, you How can the Lu family’s niece live in the house easily?”
It has to be said that Minister Zhao saw things sharply.
Shen Yi looked at Master Lu helplessly.
Lu Anshi thought for a while, and then said to Shen Yi: "Brother Changping is right. It would be more suitable for me to live with him. Anyway, it's not too far away. It doesn't make any difference where I live."
Shen Yi nodded helplessly.
He now lives in Jiankang. It can be said that he is the head of the family. It is indeed inappropriate for the Lu family and his daughter to live in Shen Yi's home. It is a bit like they have gone to their son-in-law's home.
After deciding where to live in a few words, Shen Yi said nothing more. After all, he was a junior and it was not convenient for him to interfere in the affairs of his elders.
Zhao Changping and Master Lu sat together and chatted for a long time. The Zhao family's banquet was finally ready. Zhao Changping took Master Lu with him and entered the Zhao family's dining room. They exchanged glasses and had a good conversation.
Shen Yi and other juniors sat down next to keep company.
Because they had a good relationship with Zhao Er, the two of them sat together and chatted happily about some gossip about Jiankang City while eating.
This time, the rules at the Zhao family's dinner table were finally not so strict. After all, Minister Zhao himself was doing the talking, so naturally he would not restrain the younger ones.
This Fengfeng Banquet was originally late, it started in the afternoon, and it went on until the evening without noticing. When the sky got a little dark, Zhao Shilang was still toasting Master Lu, and he drank it all in one gulp. He said with a smile: "When you resigned from Jiankang and said you wanted to return to Jiangdu to study, I felt sorry for you at that time. In the blink of an eye, so many years later, Jizhong has become a great scholar in Jiangzuo and a famous scholar in Jiangdu. In comparison, he has become a great scholar in Jiangdu. As the elder brother, I have become a coward who clings to power and position."
Master Lu also drank a glass of wine, smiled and shook his head: "Those who are not great Confucians are just what others think. Whether they are officials and scholars, or farming and weaving, they are just making a living in the world. There is nothing vulgar."
Hearing this, Minister Zhao couldn't help but admired.
“Jizhong’s level has become higher and higher in recent years.”
He smiled and said, "Maybe in a few years, I will have an epiphany and become a saint."
When the two old friends were talking, Zhao Er on the side slapped Shen Yi with his shoulder and whispered: "My old man, I haven't been so happy for a long time."
Shen Yi also secretly glanced at Master Lu, smiled and said, "My husband is the same."
The atmosphere of this wedding banquet at home was very pleasant.
When everyone had almost finished drinking and was about to leave, a servant of the Zhao family hurried in and bowed his hands respectfully to Minister Zhao: "Master, someone is here from the palace, and there is an edict."
Zhao Changping looked calm, turned to look at Master Lu, and said with a smile: "I will wait in Jizhong for a moment, and I will go to answer the imperial edict for my brother."
The Zhao family servant lowered his head again and said, "Master, the imperial edict... seems to be for Master Lu."
Minister Zhao frowned slightly.
After being startled for a moment, Master Lu stood up gracefully, smiled at Minister Zhao and said, "I'm afraid Brother Changping will have to wait for a while."
Minister Zhao also stood up and said, "I'll go with you."
The two old brothers left the table together, and a group of juniors also got up and came to the front yard of the Zhao family. At this moment, a eunuch in blue was already standing in the front yard waiting.
Master Lu glanced at the eunuch, then bent over and knelt on the ground.
The young eunuch stepped forward, helped Master Lu up, and said with a smile: "Your Majesty said, sir, you are a gentleman from the south of the Yangtze River. There is no need to kneel down. Sir, just stand and listen."
Master Lu lowered his head and said thanks.
The little eunuch then unfolded the scroll in his hand and coughed.
"Order..."
After a series of parallel prose, the little eunuch read the main text.
"I heard that your reputation as a virtuous man has spread all over the Yangtze River, and I have long wanted to meet you. However, I have been living in Jiangdu for a long time and have no chance to meet you. Now that I heard that your husband has arrived in Jiankang, I am very happy. I invite you to come to the palace to teach me..."
The general meaning is to let Mr. Lu enter the palace.
After reading the edict, the eunuch handed the imperial edict to Master Lu and said with a smile: "Your Majesty has heard of Mr.'s name for a long time and wants to see him."
Master Lu took the imperial edict with both hands and bowed his head first to thank him. Then he looked left and right, then looked at the little eunuch in front of him, and asked: "Little father-in-law, are you entering the palace today?"
"It's getting late today."
The young eunuch glanced at Lu Anshi, who was smelling of alcohol, and said with a smile: "In addition, your Majesty will invite you to come to the palace tomorrow as your Majesty has had a long journey."
"Well…"
Master Lu nodded and said, "I understand. I will go to the palace to pay homage to Your Majesty early tomorrow morning."
The little eunuch nodded, bowed his head to Master Lu, and then left with his two followers.
After the young eunuch left, Master Lu came to Zhao Shilang with the imperial edict in his hand, and said in a helpless tone: "If nothing else, our Majesty has very smart ears and eyes."
Minister Zhao laughed.
"Most likely, they invited you to become an official. In the years since you have been hiding in Jiangdu, Jizhong, there have been several requests from the imperial court to call you to become an official, right?"
Zhao Shilang laughed and said: "The imperial court summoned you and you didn't come. Now that you are here, Your Majesty will probably blame you."
The master turned his head, handed the imperial edict to Shen Yi for safekeeping, and then smiled freely.
"It's a blessing, not a curse. It's a curse that cannot be avoided."
