After Chen Xueyun worked hard in the academy for a whole month, she finally had a long vacation, this time it was spring break. It was now mid-March, and Ding Mingsi's reputation had been established in the capital, and many people rushed to ask for their help.
After he brought the news of the holiday back to Dingmingsi, the most excited person was Jing Yu. Chen Xueyun was confused. Jing Yu didn't live like he was on holiday every day, so why was he still so excited when he received such news.
Chen Xueyun made a decision - to go home to visit relatives.
He is from Danzhen County in Yangzhou, and they met at the end of last year. Thinking about it at this time, time really flies by and is as ruthless as water.
Of course Jing Yu would be happy to accompany him home to visit his relatives, even more than Chen Xueyun himself. Huang stayed behind as a guard, and Song Qian also volunteered to stay. He showed signs of a breakthrough. The rest of the people were willing to accompany Chen Xueyun to Yangzhou to visit her relatives, and Chen Xueyun was naturally happy.
Everyone's route is the same as before, first go to Longzhou, meet old friend Wang Xingyuan, and then take his family's fast boat to Yangzhou. After landing, the four of them rented some horses and headed to Danzhen County, which was very close to the canal, a day's journey away.
Yangzhou is richer than many states I have visited before. The streets are neatly paved with bricks. There are wooden poles on both sides of the road with lanterns hanging on them. It is a bit like the layout of the roads in Jing Yu's previous life. Pedestrians were all dressed in fine clothes, and only vendors and cart drivers wore ordinary clothes.
What makes Jing Yu strange is that after entering Danzhen County, most pedestrians on the road will take the initiative to say hello to Chen Xueyun, and the common title is "Second Young Master Chen". He looked at Chen Xueyun who kept returning greetings to passers-by, smacked his lips, and was about to ask, but he ended up at his destination.
A majestic mansion stands on the side of the road, with a plaque reading "Chen Family" on it. This is the gate of the Chen family, which is usually closed. Today is special. The second young master returns home, so it would be more grand. It was even more spectacular than the Qiao family. Jing Yu's hands trembled. He felt a sudden distance between himself and Chen Xueyun. How could the gentle scholar in the past become so strange.
"You... aren't you the one who left the family business alone... to go to school?" Jing Yu associated Chen Xueyun with Wang Xingyuan's son.
Chen Xueyun smiled and said: "That's not true. I just happened to be attracted by a great scholar and was accepted into the academy."
The four people dismounted and handed the horses to the Chen family's grooms to take care of them. As soon as you enter the gate, there is an artificial pond in the center, with a rockery in it and a patio above it. There are several koi carps in the pond. Walking along the stone path and passing through the corridor, you arrive at a lake, an artificial lake.
There is a Caihu Pavilion here. Father Chen is sitting on a stone bench, quietly waiting for his son's return.
"Dad, I'm back." Chen Xueyun ran forward excitedly and greeted her as usual.
Mother Chen came from the corridor on the other side, carrying a drawer of food boxes filled with various pastries. Jing Yu was amazed by Chen's mother's appearance. She was a woman in her forties, but her skin was still fragile. Her figure swayed when she walked. It was impossible to tell her age just by looking at her back.
Qiao Xu behaved cautiously from beginning to end and did not dare to speak. Chen Xueyun did not realize why she was so abnormal today and just told her to eat more sweets. Father Chen and Mother Chen smiled kindly and looked at these young people, their smiles getting brighter.
It was Chen Hongzhuo who spoke first. He was still a father figure: "You guys might as well introduce yourselves so that I can get to know you better."
"I... I... am Qiao Xu, my father Qiao Bai." Qiao Xu blushed and finally finished her sentence.
Chen's father was surprised and said, "Your Majesty, you are the general who governs the country?"
"Exactly." Qiao Xu nodded.
Jing Yu didn't feel this burden: "Jing Yu, I am appointed Sicheng of Dingming Division."
"Young talent, with such achievements at this age, will be formidable in future generations." Father Chen praised.
Ningqu must not reveal his true identity: "My daughter is from Lin'an, Ningqu."
Chen's father had many witty words: "Such a beautiful woman is a perfect match for Jing Xianshi. They are a match made in heaven." At his age, he could still see the relationship between Jing Yu and Ning Qu.
However, as an elder, I have a problem, that is, I often habitually ask certain questions. Father Chen now looked at Qiao Xu: "Miss Qiao, do you have a sweetheart? Have you ever been married? Do you need me to introduce some to you?"
Qiao Xu's face seemed to be dripping with blood, and she tightly grabbed Chen Xueyun's clothes.
Chen Xueyun understood the meaning: "Oh, dad! Don't ask so many questions. Miss Qiao is in her prime, and she has a lot of time left."
Father Chen nodded and did not ask any further questions.
After the four of them had finished their meal at the Chen Mansion, Chen Xueyun was going to take them to visit the academy where he used to study, which was a famous academy in Yangzhou.
Today, there is only one academy in Yangzhou where eight-level scholars sit, and that is Plum Blossom Academy. Chen Xueyun's teacher was the eighth-level Confucian scholar. He was chosen by the Confucian scholar when he participated in a poetry meeting and was accepted as his student.
The entire academy was filled with a sense of great righteousness. It must have been the great scholar who had set up a ban near the academy to ward off evil spirits. Chen Xueyun brought up a waist card and everyone entered the academy smoothly.
There was the sound of reading in the academy, and Chen Xueyun led the three of them straight to the teacher's residence. As if he had foresight, the scholar opened the courtyard door early and sat in the center of the courtyard to read the scrolls. There was a sword placed in the corner of the yard. Jing Yu stepped forward to observe it. The sword was two feet and five inches long. It was indigo blue and had a few lines of characters crookedly engraved on it.
"This is my sword. It's bookish. But because I haven't reached the sixth-level Heavenly Tribulation Realm yet, I'm not strong enough to hold this sword." Chen Xueyun explained.
The great scholar said indifferently: "Scholarly is a sword left behind by a ninth-level great scholar more than a hundred years ago. It not only contains Haoran's righteousness, but also has a sword spirit."
Jing Yu saw the signature on Da Ru's hand scroll, which seemed to be Da Ru himself, Ming Yanzhong.
"It's a pity that I have to go to the capital, otherwise Master Yan will definitely be able to help me overcome the catastrophe and gain great righteousness." Chen Xueyun looked regretful.
Yan Zhong, a great scholar, stroked his beard and sighed: "Practice depends on the individual. Apprenticeship is just a way. Confucianism and Taoism are the truths you must understand. In those days, the sage Wang Shouren asked his true heart and understood the truth. In one day, he reached the tenth level and stayed with heaven and earth forever. , so majestic. You must also follow the example of the sages and go your own way."
"I am being rude when students are being taught." Chen Xueyun seemed to realize something.
After bidding farewell to the scholar, everyone returned to the mansion. Only then did Jing Yu know why Chen Xueyun was called the Second Young Master Chen. Chen Xueyun has an eldest sister and a younger sister. He is Chen Hongzhuo's only son. The name Xueyun was originally intended for her sister. Later, Chen's father advocated naming her sister Chen Xiayun, and the name Xueyun was passed on to the second son.
The younger sister's name is much simpler than that of the two older brothers, she is Chen Qingbo.
Chen Xiayun was born weak, wore a veil, and her appearance was unclear, but looking at her mother, one could guess that she was a beauty. Chen Qingbo is a little fat, perhaps because he is young and eats too much. Because Jing Yu heard from Qiao Xu that she had the same body shape when she was a child.
Chen Xueyun is still very proud of his sister, and he praises her gushingly: "Looking at the whole of Yangzhou, my sister is one of the most talented women. She is often invited to participate in various poetry gatherings and has some friendships with many ladies from aristocratic families. Within five years, She may be famous in the entire Dalin poetry circle. She is nearly 20 years old and has not yet found a good family. My father has been worried recently. Brother Jing, you came here alone, maybe my father passed my sister to you. "
"Ah, I'm not interested in your sister. You should ask Song Qian to come over and take a look." Jing Yu waved his hand quickly.
Chen Xueyun slapped the table: "Forget it! My sister has ambitions. She wants to become a poet, and everyone will definitely support her. It doesn't matter even if she doesn't get married. The most important thing is to live a transparent life."
Jing Yu also agrees with this point of view.
Chen Xueyun immediately became depressed: "But my sister has been acting abnormally since last year. She used to go home directly after attending a poetry meeting somewhere, but since that day she has never left the house again, and she rarely even leaves the boudoir. For Invitations to various poetry gatherings were avoided. My father was very worried and sent people to inquire many times. The result was that my sister was in good condition and there was no serious problem. "
He looked around, then put it close to Jing Yu's ear: "I suspected that my sister was entangled with something unclean, so she went insane and locked herself in the boudoir so as not to disturb us."
"It's okay, there is no evil spirit in her body." Ningqu moved his gaze to a distance and said unhurriedly.
"Why is that? I feel that my sister's failure to go out may affect her reputation outside." Chen Xueyun was a little anxious.
Jing Yu began to review the details just now, and he first asked the first question: "Does Chen Xiayun always wear the veil on his face?"
"Yes." Chen Xueyun replied without hesitation.
"Is there anyone she knows who wants to harm her?"
Chen Xueyun thought for a moment and shook her head: "I don't know."
Jing Yu continued to ask: "What happened at the poetry meeting that day?"
"I don't know either."
Jing Yu cursed, this was because he didn't know anything after asking three questions. No wonder he privately concluded that he was possessed by evil spirits. The breakthrough in this matter was Chen Xiayun herself and her communication circle, the poetry meeting that day. If I go directly to find Chen Xiayun, I'm afraid I'll be rejected. Simply sorting out her communication circle will take a long time. At the moment, I can only look for clues about that day's poetry meeting.
"Do you know where the poetry meeting was held that day?" Jing Yu asked the last question.
"In the home of a prince." Chen Xueyun ordered his servants to get a map with red circles painted on it, which he had drawn before.
"Then go to the scene to collect evidence." Jing Yu decided to leave immediately, and he might even be able to go there for dinner.
This prince is the eldest son of Emperor Dalin's second brother, Prince Ming. He was also interested in Chen Xiayun, so he specially held a poetry meeting and invited many families to participate, including the Chen family. However, Rong Maodian had not seen Chen Xiayun again since the poetry meeting. He was also very puzzled. He also tried to send letters and hold a second poetry meeting, but he did not get a reply from Chen Xiayun.
Just when Prince Ming was anxious, Chen Xueyun came to visit. (To be continued)
