As the end of the year approaches, the Wu family is very lively.
Last year, Wu Chong served as the transfer envoy to the west of Beijing. As an official, Wu Chong's wife Li took Wu Anshi, Wu Anchi and Qi Niang to Luoyang, Xijing.
Li's trip to Luoyang this time can be described as a return to her hometown in fine clothes.
Li's grandfather, Li Jue, was a descendant of the Li family of the Tang Dynasty.
During the Taiping and Xingguo years, Li Jue served as an official with the Nine Classics Shi Brown, and he once passed the judgment on Jianzhou, where he met Wu Daiwen.
When it came to his father Li You's generation, the two families made a marriage contract.
When Li Jue and Li You were on their official tours, they both took Li family through or touring Luoyang. Chang'an was mostly destroyed by war in the late Tang Dynasty. Although Luoyang was damaged, most of it has been restored.
Nowadays, Luoyang is a prosperous and prosperous place. For the Eastern Capital of Li Tang Dynasty and the divine capital of Wu Zhou Dynasty, when Li returned here, he seemed to feel the atmosphere of the prosperous Tang Dynasty of the Li family. He also liked the elegance of Luoyang's characters very much. .
This time Wu served as the transfer envoy to Xijing and became the highest administrator along the way. Li family naturally brought his children here, as well as Li family's royal relatives who stayed in the east capital.
When the Wu family arrived, the local officials and gentry gave them a warm welcome, so it is not an exaggeration to say that they were returning home in fine clothes.
Li and his family visited Luoyang for nearly half a year before returning to Bianjing.
On New Year's Day, everyone in the Wu family was busy posting Spring Festival couplets.
The maids in the house were cleaning the yard inside and outside, and the lights flashing in the distance were the bustle of Bianjing City during the New Year.
Fan Zuyu, the nephew of Wu Anshi's wife Fan, came to visit Wu Anshi today. The two Wu Anchi brothers also hope to have someone to take care of them in the future.
In the eyes of the Wu brothers, Fan Zhen was famous for his articles and historiography, and Fan Zuyu was not inferior, and now he was attracted by Lu Gongzhu. Fan Zhen personally came forward to marry his nephew, and now the Fan and Lu families are engaged.
As for Wu Chong's second daughter, she also married Lu Gongzhu's son, Lu Xiji. In this way, Fan Zuyu and the Wu family have another layer of relationship.
The officialdom is like this, with layer after layer of network of relationships, as long as they are related by relatives, or integrated into one circle after another through marriage.
The three of them were chatting, and Wu Anshi asked casually: "What's so special among your classmates?"
Fan Zuyu said with a smile: "Among my classmates, there is a man named Sun Guo. He is a disciple of Shao Yichuan. He is extremely skilled in Yi studies."
Wu Anshi said: "I met Mr. Yichuan when I went to Xijing. He always rides in a small car and is pulled by one person. I didn't know it at first. I only found out after others told me. I am lucky enough to see the style of a famous man."
Fan Zuyu said: "What my uncle said is true. I heard from my classmate that Mr. Yichuan often travels in Luoyang in a small car except on windy and rainy days. He will be picked up by one person and come there casually. I also heard that he has a good relationship with the rich prime minister, and the rich prime minister is now in public." We also built a house next to Tianjin Bridge."
"There is also Huang Haoyi, whose poetry is excellent and he can complete a poem in a hundred steps."
"Huang Lu, a soldier from Shaowu, not only writes well but is also generous and righteous."
When it comes to these two people, everyone feels that they are not as famous as Shao Yong's disciples, but in the scientific examination, the examiner will not take care of you just because you are Shao Yong's disciples.
No one was interested.
"The other person is Zhang Yue, a person from Pucheng, whose name is Duzhi..."
Wu Anchi was stunned and said: "What? Are you He Zhai?"
Fan Zuyu said: "Yangzhengzhai."
Both of them looked stunned. They didn't expect Fan's nephew to live in the same room as Zhang Yue.
Several people had different expressions.
Wu Anshi never revealed the news that the Wu family and Zhang Yue had agreed to get married because she was secretly annoyed with Zhang Yue. As for Wu Anchi, he didn't say anything, but he mainly didn't have much confidence in Zhang Yue's passing the Jinshi within five years.
Now that Fan Zuyu heard Zhang Yue's name, everyone fell silent for some reason.
Wu Anchi explained: "This chapter has some contact with us."
Fan Zuyu was surprised when he heard this: "Is it true? But he has never mentioned it in Taixue!"
As for Zhang Yue, except for his brother and sister-in-law, he never mentioned his marriage to the Wu family.
"oh?"
After hearing this, Wu Anshi said calmly: "This person has never been generous."
Fan Zuyu couldn't refute what he said. Wu Anchi smiled and said, "Don't take it to heart. What do you think of this chapter?"
Fan Zuyu said: "Sanlang is a man of sharp intelligence, but he never talks too much. He is eager to learn and can write, but he never shows off his literary talents among his classmates. He is upright and can be respectful and conceding when getting along with his classmates."
Wu Anchi praised: "It's not that it's ungenerous, it's just that the key point is not exposed."
Fan Zuyu smiled and said: "That's right. I usually learn from it secretly and agree to compete in the future. But although he and I are competitive, it does not hinder our friendship."
Fan Zuyu looked proud when he said it.
"Yes, he recently wrote an article and a couplet, did you know?"
"Oh, he also wrote an article?" Wu Anchi asked.
"Yes, the official gave him the same family background as Sanzhuan, but he wrote a few poems. However, this poem was very touching, and it is now widely copied in Bianjing."
"Is this happening?"
This time it was Wu Anshi and Wu Anzhi's turn to remain calm.
Especially when Wu Anshi heard what Fan Zuyu said, her mood went from low to high, then from high to low, and finally from low to high again.
Zhang Yue was actually granted the same birth certificate by the emperor?
Although Tong Sanzhuan was not of a decent family background, and it was difficult to be elected, for the Wu family, the most difficult thing was family background, that is, the qualifications to be an official, and everything else was not a problem.
As long as Zhang Yue is an official, even if he is not a Jinshi, it is reasonable for Wu Anshi. Even if you don't get Jinshi in five years, you can still be careful.
Unexpectedly, Zhang Yue actually resigned from such a great opportunity.
It's just... Is he so sure that he will be a Jinshi in five years?
Wu Anshi was speechless when he heard that Zhang Yue resigned from Tongsan and passed away. However, Fan Zuyu's words about Zhang Yue were actually spread among the scholars, which was a big surprise to them.
Later, I heard from Fan Zuyu that they had only left Bianjing for half a year, and so many things had happened to Zhang Yue?
Fan Zuyu said: "I think if the officials insist on giving rewards, they will probably be born together with Jinshi. Recently, several people have come to inquire about Du's marriage."
"Then what can he say?" Wu An asked anxiously.
"Du Zhi never mentioned in Taixue whether he was married or not. He only pays attention to his studies and doesn't ask about anything else. Even classmates like us who get along day and night don't ask him about his personal matters on weekdays."
"How did this happen? Could it be..." Wu Anshi suddenly interrupted Fan Zuyu's words.
Fan Zuyu didn't know what he said wrongly, so he looked at Wu Anshi with a bewildered expression and thought to himself, why did his aunt marry such a person.
After Fan Zuyu left, Wu Anshi returned to her room with an annoyed look on her face.
Seeing him like this, Mrs. Fan asked: "Is Silang okay?"
Wu Anshi said: "It's okay, but I heard another thing from him."
Mrs. Fan served Wu Anshi to change clothes while listening to his words. She smiled slightly and said: "This Zhang Sanlang has not even been admitted to the imperial examination, but he has already been awarded the rank of Tongsanzhuan. In the future..."
"How about the future?"
Fan said with a smile: "It's nothing. When Zhang Duzhi was in Pucheng, I thought he was a bit powerful, but I didn't expect him to be so amazing. After all, my father's vision is outstanding, and he can stand in front of humble people. A wise eye recognizes talent. This kind of vision..."
Wu Anshi said: "How can this be done? Now he is the second poet. If his literary fame spreads far and wide, the officials will directly give him a Jinshi origin for the sake of his good writing. When the time comes, he will be directly appointed to the official position without going through the imperial examination." Now that I have an excuse, isn’t it possible for me to go back on my word?”
Mrs. Fan smiled and said, "What are you worried about? The government hasn't issued a decree yet, so it's still unreasonable. Besides, even if the decree is really issued, a person who is born with the same Jinshi is not from a Jinshi background or a Jinshi."
"So what if I am a Jinshi? People's eyes can see the sky?"
"People's hearts are separated from each other. Seventeen will still be a concubine in the end. What's more..." Wu Anshi thought of what she had done to Zhang Yue before, "I have to talk to mother about this matter, but my father is not in Beijing now, otherwise there will be claims ”
As he said this, Wu Anshi stamped her feet and went out.
When Mrs. Fan saw Wu Anshi being so anxious, she quickly said, "Why are you so anxious? It's cold outside, so put on some clothes before leaving!"
Wu Anshi ignored him and opened the door and left. Fan was about to order his servants to take the clothes and chase after him, but Wu Anshi came back and said: "It's so cold, so wear a shawl and fox fur before going out."
Mrs. Fan smiled when she heard this and said, "That's right. We're not in a hurry. Besides, isn't there Bachelor Ouyang as a guarantee?"
Wu Anshi nodded, slapped her forehead and said, "I forgot about it for a moment."
When Wu Chong asked Ouyang Xiu to act as guarantee, Wu Anshi thought it was making a fuss out of a molehill. Now...
At this moment, Zhang Yue was drinking with Tang Jiu in a wine shop outside the city.
But when Tang Jiu saw several large bowls in front of him and was drinking from one bowl after another, there was no need for any snacks. As for Zhang Yue, he also ate from a sea bowl the same size as Tang Jiu drank.
With such a bowl of white rice piled high, Zhang Yue ate a plate of bean sprouts with relish.
Whenever Zhang Yue had free time, he would go out to Taixue to drink and dine with Tang Jiu. However, Tang Jiu only focused on drinking, while Zhang Yue only focused on eating. The guests in the restaurant laughed and called the two of them "wine bags and rice bags."
At the end of the year, there are few people in the wine shops, and every household in Bianjing is busy celebrating the New Year.
When Zhang Yue and Tang Jiu arrived, the two foreigners stayed in Bianjing. On weekdays, whenever Zhang Yue has free time, he comes to accompany Tang Jiu to show that they share joys and sorrows.
After finishing a large bowl of rice, Zhang Yue continued to add more rice. The waiter smiled and said: "This scholar has a good appetite."
Zhang Yue touched his belly and saw that Taixue's food was getting worse and worse. It was just poor quality, but he still wasn't full recently.
What's more, Zhang Yue was still growing up when he was like this.
Nowadays, for Zhang Yue, nothing is more fragrant than fragrant white rice.
Zhang Yue cooked another half a bowl of rice. The store owner added another plate of soybean curd and watched Zhang Yue cook the rice with interest.
As for Tang Jiu, he ordered three triangles of wine and two kilograms of cooking cakes.
Seeing that the two of them were about to have a good meal, outside the wine shop, a man wearing a swastika and dressed like an army officer strode into the wine shop, with a military officer behind him. This soldier still has a heavy burden on his shoulders.
Although Tang Jiu beside Zhang Yue seemed a little drunk, he stood up and clasped his fists and said, "I've seen the governor, why are you here?"
After hearing this, Zhang Yue already understood who the visitor was and ignored him and continued to eat.
The two exchanged a few words.
Most of them are words that recall the past. Tang Jiu had a good temper.
The last governor smiled and said: "Tang Jiu hasn't seen you back for so long. Brothers, I miss you so much. Now, brother, I will invite you back on behalf of the brothers. Look, these clothes and bedding are all prepared. Look when Go back?"
