A group of people were sitting in the hall. Although Guo Xin was the only military general, everyone seemed to regard him as a member of the same circle. They chatted with each other about interesting things about the government and asked Guo Xin for military advice from time to time. The civil servants in the Privy Council and the military warriors Their opinions were quite different, and Guo Xin listened to their conversation with each other with great interest.
Wang Pu was on the side personally pouring wine for everyone to add to the fun, adding a few words from time to time, and the atmosphere in the banquet became more and more intense. Unconsciously, everyone started talking about Guo Wei's strategy to regain Youyan.
One of them said: "The three rebellions have been put down, and the morale of the imperial army is at a high level. After the weather gets warmer this year, we should ask Duke Guo to continue to lead troops northward to recover Ying, Mo and other states. First, we can relieve the Khitan's worries. After the territory is stabilized, we can then plan other."
The opponents immediately said: "The national treasury is already empty and exhausted, how can we support the use of troops? If the army and the Liao people stay in Hebei for a long time, you and I will drink the northwest wind!"
At this moment, some more people came to the door. Among them was an old man wearing a purple robe with a young child in his arms. Guo Xin knew that this person was Wang Pu's father, Wang Zuo, who came with his one-year-old grandson.
Wang Zuo also served as an official in the imperial court, and was also the deputy envoy of the Third Division and Wang Zhang's deputy. However, although Wang Zuo, Wang Zhang and Wang Jun are all named Wang, they have no family relationship with each other.
Everyone stopped arguing and stood up together to salute Wang Zuo at the door.
Wang Zuo, who was holding his grandson, was obviously in a good mood. Wang Pu introduced everyone to his father. Wang Zuo nodded his greetings one by one, until Guo Xin spoke: "It turns out to be Guo Erlang! Guo Lang's heroic appearance on the polo field earlier made my memory fresh. Recently, I have often heard my son say that Erlang of the Guo family is braver and smarter than ordinary people. It is a great honor to come to my humble house today and sit in the first place with me."
Guo Xin hurriedly said politely: "Where! Your Majesty lives in the imperial court and is a minister of the humerus. How dare you, the younger generation, to entrust me to the throne? Please take your seat."
Wang Zuo did not refuse, and then Wang Pu called his other three sons and introduced them to the guests.
Wang Pu's sons were born early, and the eldest son, Wang Yisun, was almost at the age of tying his hair. Although the other two sons were young, they already showed the appearance of being knowledgeable and courteous in their behavior and speech. Guo Xin looked at the three children and thought of his three younger brothers who still had a naughty temperament at home. Children raised by different families are indeed different.
Not long after, the ceremony of "testing the throne" began. The ceremony of "testing the throne" was to seize the week. The servants laid out a brocade mat in the middle of the hall and placed wooden swords, books, paper kites, gold and silver and other objects. Wang Pu took his youngest son and put them there. Among them, everyone gathered around to watch.
The youngest son crawled among them, and soon he stretched out his little hand to grab a meat pie. Everyone held their hands and laughed, but the youngest son didn't stop. He grabbed the meat pie with one hand and opened his other hand to reach for a book.
Now everyone stopped laughing and started congratulating and complimenting him.
"Wang Sicheng has given birth to a good son. Holding it in his hands shows that he will be talented in scriptures and history in the future, and the family business will be inherited."
"This son will be blessed in the future, and the Wang family will have a long-lasting official career."
Wang Pu's face was very happy. He picked up his youngest son and handed it into the hands of the maid. He said with a smile: "It's good for children to like poetry and books, but if my family can have a son to fight in the military, like General Guo, he will conquer distant people. How can it be done?" Isn't it better? It's just that the child has chosen this way, and we only hope to see with our own eyes the day when the world is peaceful, so that when the child grows up, he can show off what he has learned."
Wang Zuo was also sincere and applauded, and everyone returned to their seats to continue the banquet. During the banquet, Wang Zuo and his son raised their glasses to Guo Xin frequently, and talked with everyone present about the political affairs of the third envoy Wang Zhang.
"The princes' tax collection is too strict. The land tax of this dynasty is higher than that of previous dynasties. Anyone who breaks the prohibition on salt, wine, etc. will be sentenced to death! How can the people not feel sad? The military expenditure of this dynasty is huge, but there is no shortage of donations. It’s nothing more than bringing peace of mind to the people!”
Guo Xin heard it. Wang Zuo seemed to be dissatisfied with his boss Wang Zhang's tax policy, but Wang Zuo should know that Wang Zhang was his brother's father-in-law. Guo Xin did not want to get involved in their dispute and was about to drink. , but happened to hear Wang Zuo take the initiative to ask him: "But I heard that the prince wants to go out to the town. Does General Guo know about this?"
Guo Xin immediately smiled and said: "Since it is not clear that the Duke and the Wang Envoy are the same in the same office, the younger generation will naturally have no way of knowing."
Wang Zuo then smiled and finally said no more.
The banquet lasted until dusk, and the host and guest had a good time, and the guests excused themselves to Wang Zuo one after another. Wang Pu still dared not compliment Wang Pu's drinking capacity. Last time at Fengxiang Mansion, it was Guo Xin who helped him back to sleep. This time, he fell drunk on the table before he even had the mood to write poems.
Guo Xin rode home and felt a little drunk when he was blown by the cold wind. Fortunately, there was no suggestion that he was riding drunk at this time. When he returned to his house, he happened to see his mother Wang's carriage entering the house, and Guo Xin was ready to go and greet her.
Guo Xin got off his horse and asked the servant driving the cart next to him: "Where has my mother been? Why did she come back just now?"
The servant didn't reply, so Mrs. Zhang on the carriage opened the curtain: "It's Xiangguo Temple. A while ago, I followed my brother Yi's advice and went to Xiangguo Temple to listen to the Dharma. I met a mage in the temple who can divine fortune and misfortune of Yin and Yang, which is very effective! "
Guo Xin stepped forward to help Ms. Zhang down, and then he discovered that his plump sister-in-law Ms. Wang was also in the car.
Mrs. Wang said: "I have been out with my mother for a long time, and my feet are sore. Brother Yi, please come and help me."
"Sister-in-law, we are all part of the same family." Guo Xin glanced at Mrs. Wang, but only extended his arm to let her help her get out of the car.
Guo Xin walked with the women to the courtyard. Zhang was still excited about today's experience and continued what he had just said: "Brother Yi must not believe it. Today I asked the mage to divine for you and Brother Qing to calculate your brothers." Both of them have happy events this year, and one of them is marrying a wife, and the other is having a baby, so the Fu family has just replied and wants to marry my family? How can that mage be so effective!"
Guo Xin curled his lips in an incomprehensible way, Yuan Ren was a member of the Fu family, could he tell the truth?
But he knew that the more Mr. Zhang trusted Yuanren, the more confident he would become in his plan to use Yuanren's place to resettle his family, and he immediately echoed: "It seems that my mother has really met an eminent monk, so she should congratulate my sister-in-law in advance. "
The expression on Mrs. Wang's face after hearing this was not good or bad. Guo Xin felt bored and only talked to Mrs. Zhang.
Before his father Guo Wei came back, Guo Xin accompanied Mrs. Zhang back to her residence. As expected, Mrs. Zhang was no longer excited as soon as she sat down, and gradually looked tired. The three of them chatted for a while, and Guo Xin and Mrs. Wang left quickly.
Guo Xin walked outside the courtyard gate and was about to say goodbye to Wang, but Wang asked, "Brother Yi, have you drank?"
Guo Xin nodded and said, "My friends are having a banquet today, so I drank some to make my sister-in-law laugh."
Wang laughed after hearing this, and then said: "Brother Qing also went out for a banquet at noon. I have been sitting in the carriage for a long time, and I still feel very dizzy and my feet are weak. I want you to see me off." Just go back."
Guo Xin said: "I'm afraid the master will see it badly, so I'll call the maid."
"Why bother?" Mrs. Wang stopped Guo Xin who was about to call someone, "A sister-in-law is like a mother. Brother Yi just said that we are all one family. There is no need for Brother Yi to help me and send me to the front of the yard. stop."
Guo Xin nodded in agreement, then lowered his head to guess what Wang was thinking.
On the way, Mrs. Wang also mentioned Yuanren and asked, "Does Brother Yi believe the divination that his mother asked for at Xiangguo Temple?"
"If it's a good thing, I'll believe it. There's no harm in believing it anyway."
"I don't believe it. Brother Yi doesn't know, right? Last year you and your father fought in Guanzhong, and only Brother Qing went hunting with the official family. He accidentally fell off his horse on the way. Since then, the place has been no longer good. Originally, that place I was pregnant at the time, and the result was..."
Guo Xin stopped and held back his words. It was best for him not to comment on this kind of thing.
Wang saw him stop and stopped walking. She stretched out her hand to smooth out the messy hair on her temples, revealing a jade bracelet on her forearm and wrist.
Guo Xin noticed that this action might be caused by alcohol, and he suddenly felt uneasy.
Wang actually took two steps closer, and Guo Xin could already hear Wang's gentle breathing in his ears.
"So if you want to get pregnant as the divination says, I'm afraid you won't be able to rely on Brother Qing. But you and Brother Qing are brothers, aren't we also a family? Brother Qing probably won't come back until the evening..."
Guo Xin took a deep breath and finally interrupted Wang to continue: "I'm already drunk today. I won't be able to remember anything until tomorrow morning, so I'm going to leave now. I'd like to apologize to my sister-in-law if I'm rude!"
