Southern Qi Fenghua Record

The flowers and trees in the front garden are flourishing, butterflies are flying, and the fragrance of flowers and wine is mixed together.When he got closer, he saw a dozen or so handsome men sitting under the long pavilion in the garden. Everyone was looking at the Xixing Pond, shaking their heads and reciting poems.As for Xia Houyuan, the old god was sitting by the side drinking tea, occasionally chatting with the young boy who came forward to compliment him, with a gentle expression like a Confucian.

Xia Houshu stopped, hid in a green shade, and carefully identified. In the pavilion, apart from a few familiar children from aristocratic families, there were also a few face-to-face teenagers dressed as Confucian scholars, except Wang Yukun, the son of Prime Minister Wang's family.

It seems that the news is wrong.Xia Houshu finally breathed a sigh of relief.

However, Wang Yukun probably also rejoiced that he didn't come, because Xia Houyuan, who had killed countless enemies, unexpectedly came up with a topic for a dozen young men to compose poems on the spot.With Wang Yukun's superficial talent and knowledge, in front of these new imperial examination candidates with real talents and knowledge, he must be shamed.

But Xia Houshu still didn't understand why his father, a strong military general, invited all the heirs of civil officials to write poems at home with great fanfare, so he hid silently behind the rockery and watched the changes.

There are lush flowers and plants around the rockery, and a round stone table and two stone benches are placed in a small space, as if specially placed for eavesdropping on the speeches in the pavilion.The most important thing is that this place is not far from the pavilion, so you can hear them talking, but the other party can't see them.

Xia Houshu sat down on the stone bench, and then asked Yunxi to bring some pastries, otherwise it would be quite boring just sitting so stupidly.

Yunxi got the order, and quickly followed the order obediently.

All the talented scholars in the pavilion were very interested, especially the new imperial examination candidates. After all, being favored by the Duke of Yue would be of great benefit to their official careers.After a little deliberation, everyone used the pens, inks, papers and inkstones that had been prepared to show off their literary talent one after another, and then chanted and circulated to each other.

Xia Houshu didn't have much experience in poetry, but listening to his father's praise, he seemed to feel that several young people among them were really talented.

But the more this happened, the more puzzled she became.

Among the husbands-in-law of the two cousins, the eldest brother-in-law Han Tingyu is capable of both literature and martial arts, but he is the young city lord of Jinfeng City and has no military position; the future second brother-in-law He Ziyan, who has already been engaged, is the son of a Taiwei and is currently in the Jinwu Guard. He is also an all-rounder in civil and military affairs.Why did her husband-in-law choose from among the literati?Is it because she thinks that she is not knowledgeable enough, so she chooses a man full of knowledge to be her husband?Or does the father hope that Xiahou's son-in-law will abandon martial arts and follow literature from her?

Seeing that the literati in the pavilion became more and more enthusiastic, and the applause came out one after another, the pastry in Xia Houshu's mouth gradually lost its taste, and he was even less in the mood to continue listening.

She can't understand such a different way of choosing a son-in-law.

Xia Houshu threw half of the pastry back into the plate, got up and left without interest.

Yunxi didn't know why, so she had to put the remaining pastries back into the food box and followed Xia Houshu's pace.

There are unforgettable harsh days in summer, but it is the most vigorous and splendid season for most of life. The garden is full of hibiscus flowers, pomegranate flowers, peony and crape myrtle competing to bloom, colorful and fragrant.Xia Houshu walked along the other direction of the garden for a while, and then wandered aimlessly in circles in the garden - this is a habit of hers, as long as she encounters things that she can't figure out or is not sure about, she will be at a loss. The purpose keeps going in circles.

Seeing her girl's anxious expression, Yunxi handed the pastry to a maid who happened to be passing by, and followed her every step, expecting her to say something to him.

I don't know how long they turned, a man came up to them and asked them the way.

Xia Houshu recovered his senses and looked at the other person. He was handsome, tall and handsome. He looked familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen him.

The man was afraid that he would be abrupt, so he didn't dare to look directly at Xia Houshu, so he hurriedly lowered his head and reported his family background: "Xiaosheng Wang Yuzhen, the prime minister is my father, and today he was invited to the banquet thanks to the great love of the Duke of the country. The scenery is unique, and I lost my way without paying attention, and I hope the girl can help guide me."

In fact, Wang Yuzhen was dragged by his younger brother Wang Yukun to taste the new cheese made for him in the small kitchen before going out today.He didn't think too much about it at the time, and drank a bowl of cheese while thanking his brother for his kind invitation. At that time, he only thought it was sweet and delicious, and it tasted better than the ones he had eaten in the past.However, when he arrived at the Duke of Yue's mansion, he started to have diarrhea within half an hour, so he kept running to the latrine.

In the beginning, the servants in the mansion enthusiastically led him to go to the toilet, but the number of times was too high. Not only did the people in the same company laugh at him for losing his manners, but he himself felt embarrassed to continue to trouble others, so he searched all the way according to his memory.Unexpectedly, the Duke of Yue's mansion is too big, and the front garden where they live is full of rockery and ponds, with winding paths leading to secluded places. He turned left and right and couldn't find the original path.

Xia Houshu suddenly realized, and only then remembered that he had just seen him in the pavilion.She had investigated the Prime Minister's Mansion before, and she also knew some anecdotes and secrets about the Wang family.This man named Wang Yuzhen is the eldest son of Wang Chonghou, and his character and knowledge are higher than that of his son Wang Yukun. Because of his low birth, the early death of his biological mother, and the fact that the current Mingjia County Master who is in charge of the inner house is very powerful, he has never been able to get Wang Yuzhen. The prime minister's attention, on the contrary, favored Wang Yukun, who was mediocre, so that Wang Yukun became arrogant because of his favor, and developed a bully temperament who was not afraid of anything.However, the Wang Yuzhen in front of him has a temperament that is not stained by mud.Xia Houshu had a good impression of him, so he asked him where he was going.

Originally, eating, drinking and drinking are all human nature, but in front of the two girls, Wang Yuzhen said it implicitly.After Xia Houshu listened carefully, he saw that he was touching his abdomen with his hands from time to time, and his facial expression was also very subtle. It was hard to endure it, and then he realized that he had eaten his stomach and wanted to find a place to go to the toilet.

Before Xia Houshu could answer, Yunxi blushed and pointed him in the direction.

Wang Yuzhen is a person who knows etiquette, so he didn't ask much else. After thanking him, he blushed and went in the direction Yunxi pointed.

Looking at the back of Wang Yuzhen going away, Yunxi murmured: "I see that the prince of the Wang family is very polite, is he the same person as the prince you mentioned?"

"Of course not." Xia Houshu replied, "I was talking about the son of the Wang family, but this one, although older, is the son of a concubine."

It was not Wang Yukun, the ignorant son of the Wang family, who wanted to study in Ye State's public school, but Wang Yuzhen, who was quite talented.With Wang Yuzhen's appearance, character, and talent, even if Wang Chonghou gives more advice, or puts in a few good words for him outside, he won't be in his twenties and still achieve nothing.

"So it's like this..." Yunxi was very regretful, "That's a pity."

"What's the pity?" Xia Houshu said with a smile, "I don't care about the difference between the son-in-law and the son-in-law. The son-in-law may not be worse than the son-in-law, at least in terms of character and knowledge, this Wang Yuzhen is better than the son-in-law of the Wang family. It's just that No matter how good he is, he will not be within the scope of his father's choice."

Hearing what she said, Yunxi suddenly remembered a rumor she had heard, and said, "I heard that the eldest son of the Wang family was married before, but he passed away in less than a year because of his poor wife. , and did not leave a son and a half daughter behind. I see that he is much older than our second son, so I don't know if there is a reunion now. I want to invite him to a banquet today, but it's just by chance."

Xia Houshu naturally knew that Wang Yuzhen didn't have a sequel, and given his current situation, it might not be easy for him to do so.After all, Wang Yukun has also reached the age to discuss marriage. Anyone who intends to cling to the Wang family will be willing to marry his daughter to Wang Yukun, so how can he even look at him, the unpopular eldest son.But these are off topic.After she finished investigating Yi Wu's matter, she avoided people and things in the prime minister's mansion, and she didn't want to get involved in the slightest.

Her father is more wealthy than her, so there will be Wang Yuzhen in the banquet list this time. Firstly, it is because Wang Yukun and other literati are studying in the Duke's Mansion of Ye State, inviting one to offend others.Secondly, he didn't want others to see through his mind.

Xia Houshu shook his head to drive away those messy thoughts, and said earnestly in the conversation: "Yunxi, if you have time to pity a young master of the prime minister's mansion, you might as well pity me first."

Yunxi looked ignorant, and asked in a low voice, "Girl, what do you feel sorry for?"

Xia Houshu reminded: "A little girl like a flower like a jade, I am forced to marry a stranger I have never met before, am I not pitiful?"

Yunxi thought about it for a while, then shook his head like a rattle, and said solemnly: "I see that the few young masters invited by the Duke today are quite good. They must be knowledgeable and good-looking. The master is also like a mirror in his heart, and he can't pick mistakes. You don't know the girl now, and when the marriage is settled in the future, it won't be too late for you to get to know it slowly. "

It was like a chicken talking to a duck, Xia Houshu pursed his lips, shook his head disinterestedly and left.

What she didn't know was that Wang Yuzhen had already guessed her identity from her attire. After all, the Duke of Yue's mansion currently had only one daughter in Beijing.But he was also aware of his identity and dared not have any thoughts about Xia Houshu. When the people who came behind him asked him where he had been just now, he just talked about his difficulties in embarrassment, and didn't mention anything else.

In the afternoon of that day, after Xia Houyuan hosted a banquet in the mansion to entertain all the talents, he specially ordered someone to escort them back safely one by one, which can be described as the utmost care.And he himself was a little drunk, and was supported by the guards back to his room to rest.Zhong Yuqing quickly wiped his face with a wet handkerchief, and then sighed deeply.

Xia Houshu couldn't guess what kind of medicine was sold in his father's gourd, so he had to go to his mother to find out the truth, and Zhong Yuqing's words just confirmed Xia Houshu's guess-Xia Houyuan really planned to choose a person with both ability and political integrity from the current imperial examination. Son-in-law, as for the other princes and princes, they are just foils.

After hearing what his mother said, Xia Houshu was even more confused.

The marriage of gentry children is often connected with the prosperity of the family.According to Xia Houshu's understanding, most of the current imperial examinations come from poor backgrounds, and very few of them are wealthy, let alone those who are in the same family as Xiahou's family.Although she herself doesn't have too much prejudice against the rank of the family, but her father cares so much about the honor and disgrace of the family, doesn't it mean that she doesn't mind now?

It is said that noble children come from poor families. It is not that people born in poor families are smarter and more diligent than those born in rich families, but that children from poor families must pass the scientific examination if they want to enter the official career. Years of studying hard in the cold window, he also cherishes the fame and other external things that he has earned through his hard work.As for the children of aristocratic families, most of them are on the way to official careers. When the children of poor families are still on the starting line, they may have already stood at the finish line, and most of them are free to play in the world.

Is there really such an outstanding person among the poor families of the current department?