Since I met you, people are dying every day

Ye Sirui looked at Xia Shu subconsciously.Xia Shu walked over through the crowd and whispered to him, "I'll accompany you." Ye Sirui nodded.

When he was the magistrate of Linxian County, he cooperated well with Anshunhou He Quan, and he entrusted Anshunhou a lot to help the remnant party of Guishanli Jinjian Association, and later he was promoted because of his recommendation.But Ye Sirui was always wary of him in his heart. After returning from the capital, he had no contact with him except for posting a post to thank him for his recommendation according to the etiquette.After all, after watching He Ying's performance in Jingzhong, who knows what role the Marquis of Anshun, who seems to be indifferent to fame and wealth, played in this chaotic party struggle?

Ye Sirui pushed the door in a daze to go out, but Xia Shu grabbed the cotton cloak on the chair and put it on for him.They both walked out the door side by side.It was still snowing outside, and the children were having snowball fights in the yard.

A snowball happened to hit the steps and rolled to their feet.The few children who had just been playing in the yard became quiet all of a sudden.

Ye Kuang trotted down the steps and bowed, "My nephew was playing around and disturbed Uncle Rui. It really shouldn't be. My nephew knows his mistake!"

Ye Sirui clearly saw that the snowball was not coming from his direction, but pretended not to know, "It's just a joke, what's wrong? Don't play too late, and be careful not to catch a cold."

Ye Kuang and the others obediently agreed, and when they walked over, they started laughing again.

Marquis Anshun rested in the gatehouse.When he went out on a snowy night, he didn't bring any servants with him. He took off his scarlet cloak and put it on casually.Ye Sirui saluted him as soon as he saw him. "Master Hou, why did you come here alone?"

"It's not alone, there's also a boy driving the carriage, in the carriage." An Shunhou nodded casually, and was also very kind to Xia Shu who was standing aside like a wooden pile. "Are you disturbing the dinner of the two of you?"

"Not really, but a few old friends talking." Ye Sirui said, "The concierge is not a place to receive guests, Lord Hou invites you in the room."

"I'm indeed here as a guest, but since you have other people here, I won't bother you. It's not good to mobilize people." Marquis Anshun still spoke kindly, with a smile on his face all the time.He took out a black lacquered food box behind him, "It's just some candied melons and sticky cakes made at home. My wife asked me to send some relatives and friends."

Ye Sirui thanked him in fear, and signaled Xia Shu to accept it. "It's just some things, it's fine to send a boy over here, why bother to go there in person?"

"I haven't had a chance to see you since I came back from the capital. I heard that you solved the case of cheating in the imperial examination?"

Alarm bells sounded in Ye Sirui's heart.The matter of cheating in the imperial examination was as he had expected, it was reduced to a minor matter by the emperor, and only a few officials from the Northern Party were selected to deal with it. .But Ye Sirui knows a lot, and those high-ranking northerners are probably already on His Majesty's blacklist. "It's just a trivial matter, Lord Prison is concerned."

An Shunhou looked as if he really asked the question casually. "Okay, since the things have been delivered, I don't want to stay any longer. It's too late to hurry, so I'll take my leave first. Ziqi, happy new year, I'll invite you to visit the mansion after New Year's Eve."

No matter what the New Year, I have to visit my house to pay New Year's greetings.Ye Sirui quickly thanked him again, and personally sent him out to the carriage.

After sending He Quan away, Ye Sirui was still muttering, but Xia Shu dragged him into the concierge, closed the door, brushed off the snowflakes from his shoulders, grabbed his hands into his own to warm them, and looked at him The pale face scolded: "Not long after I went out, my hands became cold and my face turned pale. You still care about others, but you don't care about your own body, and you don't know how to take a hand stove when you come out."

"Where did it get to that point?" Ye Sirui didn't care, but when he heard that Xia Shu cared about him, he still laughed happily. "There is a brazier burning in the room, go back quickly."

Xia Shu held his hand tightly until both hands were a little cold, then raised Ye Sirui's hand to his mouth and took a few breaths, then rubbed it carefully until he felt warm, and then he was satisfied. release. "I'm carrying the food box, let's go."

The children in the yard were still playing around, Ye Sirui greeted them as he hurried back to the house: "Don't be crazy, it's time for dinner, go back to the house to warm up!"

They went back to the house, but the house was very quiet.Both Ye Fu and Ma Lu were guessing the purpose of Marquis Anshun's visit, but it was difficult to communicate with his wife because his wife was next door.Nanny Wang wanted to serve Ye Sirui, but she had to accompany the two wives and play dominoes with a maid who made up the numbers.Fortunately, one of the two wives has a husband who has been the magistrate of Bapin County for many years, and has long looked down on fame and fortune. Also harmonious.

"Master Hou is generous, and personally sent melons and sticky cakes, everyone, don't worry about playing, eat something, and prepare for the banquet."

Wang Momo got this opportunity, quickly pushed the card to another maid, and came out from the inner room. "It's not true what the master said. The kitchen is almost ready. First worship the Kitchen God, and then start the meal."

Ye Kuang also came back with a group of children.Now the wives didn't care about wiping the cards, they all came out to take care of the children, and the maids and servants also got active.

Ye Kuang's coat was wet, so naturally Wang Momo stepped forward to change his clothes and warmed him with Tang Pozi.Seeing Feng Anbo's order, Ye Sirui walked over and led him to sit down by the brazier. "How is the book reading?"

Feng Anbo was as honest as before, and replied solemnly: "Mr. said, you can read "University" now." He looked a little dazed.

"Hey, that's not bad." Ye Sirui wanted to say a few words to him, but was urged by Wang Momo to sacrifice to the stove, so he had to withdraw first.Before leaving the house, Xia Shu insisted on stuffing him with a hand stove when no one was paying attention.

Ye Sirui held the warm hand stove, and his heart was also warm.

The 23rd of the twelfth lunar month is a small year, and it is also a day for people to sacrifice to the stove. It is said that on this day, the stove prince will ascend to heaven and report to the Jade Emperor the good deeds or bad deeds of the family in the past year. This also determines the future fortune of the family, so it is very important.Ye Sirui doesn't believe that there are some of them, it's just a custom.

The Stove King's niche is located at the back of the kitchen, and the statue of the Stove King is enshrined in the niche. There are incense candles in front of it, and sacrifices such as stove sugar and sticky cakes.When offering sacrifices to the stove, the women had to avoid it, so Mother Wang waited outside.Ye Sirui knelt at the front while the tea was burning incense, Xia Shu was half a step behind and knelt by his side, Ye Kuang knelt at the end, holding a big red rooster in his hand.

Ye Sirui poured the wine, took the lead in prostration, and muttered words, nothing more than praying for the Stove Lord to bless the family with safety and reunion.After worshiping, he got up and shouted: "Let's take it!" and poured the glass of wine on the head of the big rooster in Kuang'er's arms.The chicken flapped its wings and cooed, and the ceremony was considered over.Ye Sirui breathed a sigh of relief, and quickly asked the servant to take the rooster, and took the offerings to the main room to distribute to the guests.

Ye Kuang's new clothes were wet with wine.But he was still very interested in this once-a-year event, so he didn't care. Ye Sirui urged him to go back to his room and change again.

The male and female guests sat at a small table separately, and they were not particularly particular about it. They were only separated by gauze curtains, and Cha Ming and Wang Momo led the servant girls to serve them.The children were going to sit together, but fortunately another table was opened for them.

The small New Year's Eve dinner, the kitchen is very careful, I am afraid that everyone will get tired of eating big fish and meat, so I will study it in a different way, and the small shrimp buns can be swallowed in one bite, and the sauce is decorated with patterns, and the fruits and vegetables are carved into various shapes. flowers and plants.The ladies were full of praise.

Wine is of course indispensable.Ye Sirui, with the posture of getting drunk and resting, ordered people to bring out all the old wines.Ma Lu is used to drinking, and drinking is a must to bond with the yamen servant brothers.Ye Fu is a native of the border. He grew up drinking military wine since he was a child, and his drinking capacity is also unusual.Ye Sirui is not very clear about Xia Shu's drinking capacity, but when he drank with him, he returned drunk.After all the calculations, he was the one with the worst drinker capacity, Ye Sirui secretly ordered Chaming to prepare the scented tea for hangover.

As usual, the first cup was toasted by Ye Sirui as the host: "Today is New Year's Eve, and it's also a day to welcome the new. Everyone here is Ziqi's old friends, so there's no need to say polite words. Ziqi has a drink first." As he spoke, he raised his glass proudly and drank it down, resisting the heat and turning the glass over.

Ma Lu took the lead in applauding, Ye Fu followed suit.The maids and servants filled the wine glasses, and everyone was lively, toasting and drinking together.Wang Momo had already arranged for the servants, and after the first glass of wine, the firecrackers outside the door exploded.The children clapped their hands excitedly when they heard the noise.After the firecrackers were set off, the fireworks were lit again.Fireworks are still a rarity in ordinary people's homes, and now the children don't even have time to eat, so they run out to watch fireworks.Even the two female relatives were a little moved.Fortunately, they ate a lot of snacks before, so they are not afraid of being hungry.

After two glasses of wine, the heat came up.A table of men took off their cloaks one after another, and began to drink wine lively.Ye Sirui felt that the breath he exhaled became hot, and he looked at Xia Shu with a blushing face.

Both Ma Lu and Ye Fu came to toast, Ye Sirui accepted the first cup, but declined the second cup.For those who refused to come, Xia Shu came up to drink for him.Ye Sirui hurriedly patted his back to comfort him.

The atmosphere was getting hotter and hotter, and everyone began to talk about drinking orders, but they were just sayings for blessings, or poems, which could rhyme, just for auspiciousness.

The atmosphere was lively when the door was suddenly knocked open, and the cold wind rolled in with snowflakes.

"What's going on?" Ye Sirui blushed from drinking, but his consciousness was still clear, so he asked the female relatives to avoid him, and walked out by himself.

"Master, this man is kneeling outside and kowtowing desperately. No matter what, he won't go back! He said he wants to see Master Ye Fu!" The boy who reported the letter rushed ahead, followed by another one, wearing a bamboo hat, who looked like a crop. Chinese.

Ye Sirui looked back at the table, Ye Fu was also surprised, and said: "Today is the new year, the county government has closed the pen, if you have anything to do, go to the new year!"

"It can't be delayed!" The people in the hall knocked their heads violently, "My lord, there is a man lying in the snow, dead... dead!"