Promotion and fortune in Song Dynasty

Although no one has deliberately publicized it, and the movement of the distant relatives of the original owner of the manor was not too big, but the news of the change of ownership of the small manor on the outskirts of the city spread like wildfire in a small area, attracting some curious discussions.

Those who are most concerned about this are the students who are studying in the private school closest to this manor.

"Uncle Yong, Uncle Yong."

Amidst the repeated calls of friends, holding a book in one hand and propping his chin in the other, the young man with a weak crown who was reading and wandering unconsciously finally came to his senses: "What's the matter?"

Li Shu repeated helplessly: "I've been calling you for a long time, surely you didn't hear what I just said?"

"I'm sorry," Ouyang Xiu put down the book uncomfortably, coughed lightly, and argued, "It's just that you were talking to Qi Yun and the others just now?"

Those scholars headed by He Qiyun are mostly from relatively superior family backgrounds, although their tempers are not bad, but after all, they have less communication with him from a poor family background, and it is difficult to get along with him, it is just a nod of friendship as a classmate.

They can eat at both ends, only Li Shu, who is quite rich in his family, but because of his friendship, he values ​​Ouyang Xiu very much.

Li Shu snorted softly, and finally forgave his distraction: "They didn't just come to talk to me."

It turned out that He Qiyun, who was the most well-informed, heard the news that the small manor between the state city and the private school had changed hands from somewhere, so he deliberately led the students to visit.

Hearing this, Ouyang Xiu was very puzzled.

The manor has changed hands, what has it to do with them?

I don't know the identity of the new owner, we haven't met at all, let alone been invited, and the other party has never called a gathering.

It was too abrupt for them to come to pay a visit rashly.

"Qi Yun didn't go into details about the reason," but Li Shu had other thoughts: "It's just that in my opinion, the people who lived there were not easy to get along with, so I don't need to pay attention to it. I don't know what the new owner is. With Qi Yun taking the lead, it should be no problem to say hello together."

Hearing that the consul was vague about the reason, Ouyang Xiu frowned, and he didn't want to go, so he refused: "I think it's still..."

"Just take it as a trip with me," Li Shu stopped him with a smile, "You just study at home, it takes a long time, right?"

He knew very well that his good friend, who was outstanding in his studies and was regarded as a leader in Suizhou City, had been a little depressed since the beginning of the first few months when he was released from the examination field, but unfortunately failed due to falling off the rhyme.

The reason why Uncle Yong was forced to go was not because he really wanted to join in the fun, but because he didn't want to see him alone.

Now that the words have come to this point, Ouyang Xiuzong was reluctant, and after a long sigh, he nodded and agreed.

Two days later, no matter what He Qiyun's real purpose was, this young scholar with long sleeves and good dance skills managed to gather sixteen classmates, and after leaving school early one day, they walked towards the manor talking and laughing.

On the way there, He Qiyun finally explained the reason why he wanted to visit the new owner of the manor that he had never met before: "Before the new owner surnamed Lu moved into the garden, he even sent his servants to visit the bookstore in the city. , bought a copy of all the books on the mat..."

Hearing this, these young students couldn't help but sigh with envy.

Although Suizhou is only a thousand miles away from Bianliang, the capital, the situation is quite embarrassing, because for hundreds of years, "no one has been born", it can be said that "the products of mountains and rivers have no beautiful materials, and the tribute of the land is supreme". state.

Few people moved in, and many people moved out. Among the people who moved in, they were either poor and had to flee, or they were distant relatives related to the local people, but there had never been any high-ranking officials or dignitaries. Or a well-known intellectual among scholars.

In such a general perception, a young gentleman suddenly appeared with both the financial resources to own a small manor and the elegance to read and collect books, which inevitably aroused strong curiosity.

After He Qiyun successfully attracted the discussion among his classmates, he didn't say any more, but he still had other ideas in his heart.

Someone in his family works in the government office. Although the official position is not high, but because of this, he can be politely called a yamen when he walks outside.

His relative who held an official position in the government office once mentioned him veiledly, saying that he is the new owner who recently moved into the manor. , trying to make friends with one or two.

It's not that He Qiyun didn't have Dumei's thoughts, but he thought about it, since the other party moved here, he has been shutting himself out, and has no intention of making friends with others... If he came to visit alone, it would be too abrupt and deliberate. Make the other party feel rebuttal or suspicious.

In this way, it is not beautiful.

So he gritted his teeth and simply invited his classmates together, which became a "famous teacher".

He Qiyun's carefulness really concealed his original intention very well.

It was the time of his mother's funeral, and Lu Ci, who was somewhat disheartened about everything, was notified by his servants that when a group of local scholars came to visit, he was slightly surprised, but had no intention of looking into it.

Lu Ci: "A student from a nearby academy?"

"Master Lang, do you want us to find a reason to send them back?"

No matter how slow-witted people are, they can gradually detect that the master who is much more silent than before is not in a good mood, so when he speaks, he is a little cautious.

"No problem." Lu Ci shook his head: "Let the envoys make a few pots of tea, and invite them to sit in the main hall. I'll go and change first, and I'll come later."

After setting up the manor, handling the funeral, and posting the letters, he stayed at home all day long and didn't have much contact with the outside world.

But he has a gentle temperament, and he can't be so cold as to turn a blind eye to a group of young scholars who take the initiative to release goodwill.

However, this linen filial piety dress is extremely simple, but it is not very appropriate for meeting outsiders.

Lu Ci changed into a suit that was still made of linen, but the style was more complicated, and he wore waist jade, boots, long hair on the right side, and loosely tied on the other side, so that he could do it without haste. Came to the reception hall.

When they came, there were a group of scholars talking and laughing. After being welcomed into the main hall by the servants and seated one by one, holding hot tea, they unconsciously quieted down while waiting for the host to arrive.

Although the Lord Lu they want to visit has not shown up yet, and some of them have been in and out of the mansion which is much more luxurious than this one, but they feel that this place is shrouded in an indescribable majesty, which makes people uncomfortable Dare to act rashly.

Ouyang Xiu wanted to relax a bit. After taking a sip of hot tea in a gentle manner, he raised his eyes calmly, and looked openly at the study room next door, where the door was wide open and there were many books inside.

He Qiyun's news is indeed correct.

Ouyang Xiu pursed his lips, and then lowered his eyes covertly after a while, so as not to let others notice the longing for the pile of books in his eyes.

His father died early, and since he was a child, he followed his widowed mother to his uncle and moved here. However, his uncle's official rank is not high, and he has to take care of their mother and son, making his family even poorer.

It is already difficult to afford him to study in a private school, and it is too reluctant to purchase additional books.

Besides, he knew that he had already caused great trouble to his uncle's family by living in another family, so how could he brazenly ask for the purchase of expensive books?

Fortunately, I have a good friend Li Shu. The Li family is relatively well-off, and I would like to let him borrow some books to go home and read.

But so many books...

Ouyang Xiu sighed.

He still saw it for the first time.

I hope that the owner of this book is a true love of books, not arty people, so that they will not let their bright pearls secretly cast.

Ouyang Xiu's worries were completely dispelled after Lu Ci appeared.

Followed by the servants, this young man who walked into the hall gracefully and calmly, dressed in plain linen filial piety and tall and tall, had an unbelievably handsome appearance.

Although he had long hair on the right side, he didn't look embarrassed at all, but he added a bit of unconcealable lazy coquettishness, which mixed with the gentle and majestic temperament of his body, making it hard to look away.

Like the other students, Ouyang Xiu was unknowingly overwhelmed by his aura. They didn't come back to their senses until the other party sat down on the main seat and spoke with a slight smile.

Lu Ci briefly explained that he had just moved here, and his mother had recently lost his mourning, so Fang had never had the heart to meet outsiders.Now that they come to the door, I am very happy in my heart, but during the filial piety period, drinking and banquets are not allowed, so I have to treat them with coarse tea, which is still hopeless.

He made such an explanation in a pleasant manner, which made the students who were vaguely worried that his sudden arrival would offend the master's family heaved a sigh of relief.

Compared with other people who simply admired Lu Ci's bearing, He Qiyun, the leader, cared more about the identity and origin that Lu Ci had never mentioned before.

However, he neither dared to ask directly, nor dared to lead the topic in that direction in front of those gentle eyes. The words were brewing in his mouth for a long time, and finally became a sentence: "... Wen Lu... Mr. Lu There are hundreds of volumes of books nearby, I wonder if we can have the cheek to feast our eyes on them?"

'Gong', which sounded like a polite address with only a little hesitation, was actually a test made by He Qi Yun who had the courage to do so.

If the master surnamed Lu is just a commoner, and he is about the same age as them, then anyone with a sense of propriety will not be willing to be a "gong" character that symbolizes an elder.

Hearing this, Lu Ci raised his eyes slightly, smiled lightly and looked at He Qiyun, who was pretending to be normal, but was actually extremely nervous. A family of good talents and beautiful jade, it turned out to be a blessing of a family."

——Sure enough!

Thinking of this, He Qiyun couldn't help but thump when he met Shang Lu Ci's gentle gaze, always feeling that his hidden temptation had been clearly seen by the other party.

He couldn't hide his guilty conscience, and lowered his head involuntarily.

And after Lu Ci's joke, under the expectant eyes of the blushing crowd, he not only agreed to He Qiyun's request, but also generously offered to ask them to come to borrow books at any time in the future.

The other scholars, who didn't know He Qiyun's probing thoughts, were so happy that they couldn't help themselves after getting this promise that they didn't dare to dream about in their dreams. They stood up one after another and bowed their hands to this generous Mr.

Among them, Ouyang Xiu was the most excited, and he also performed the most sincere and sincere ceremony.

How could Lu Ci not be able to tell who was sincere and who was guilty.

However, although he could see at a glance that He Qiyun's ulterior motives were not about drinking, he didn't intend to expose the embarrassment, let alone feel the slightest disgust.

After all, in the final analysis, scholars study hard and go to the examination room in order to stand out.

And people with active minds and more contacts are destined to be better at pursuing official careers, and if they have the talents and learning to match them, they will be like a fish in water.

He Qiyun is still young, and his skin is too thin, so he must feel a little ashamed.

But it's not disgusting or disgusting, Lu Ci is more willing to associate with, and admires, the young man who is sincere and straightforward.

He smiled tolerantly, and couldn't help but linger on Ouyang Xiu's long robe that looked thin in the early spring and was still patched in a very hidden place.

After the students happily led by the servants into the study, he casually asked the steward, "What is the name of that blue-shirted scholar, and what is the situation at home?"

The butler naturally didn't know.

After he was questioned, he ordered someone to fetch the name card that was written temporarily when all the people came to visit. After comparing the names and surnames, he sent people out to inquire, and at the same time handed the name card to the Lord Lang.

Obviously, in order to make a good impression on him, everyone showed their best calligraphy skills, and the blue-shirted scholar was no exception.

After seeing the three words 'Ouyang Xiu' that were so clear at a glance, Lu Ci was slightly taken aback and shook his head dumbly.

How can it be so coincidental?

One moment he thought that He Qiyun's drunkard's intention was not to drink, but the next moment he knew that the real 'drunkard' was right in front of him.

The author has something to say: Notes:

Ouyang Xiu's father, Ouyang Guan, died when he was four years old. He was a military judge in Taizhou at that time.Originally, as a judge, his salary was generous, not only enough to support his family, but also to entertain guests. However, Ouyang Guan spent a lot of money and was not good at managing money, so that after his death, his family was poor and unable to support himself.Moreover, before Ouyang Guan married Zheng, he had a marriage with Mao and had a son, but for some reason, his relationship with him was very bad, even if his eldest son came to visit later, he also received a cold face.The eldest son had a good relationship with Ouyang Xiu, and after many years of Ouyang Guan's death, he was recognized by Ouyang Xiu himself, and he was able to recognize his ancestor and return to his clan.

After Ouyang Guan's death, Ouyang Xiu and his younger sister (who later married Zhang Guizheng, but soon became widowed...), had to go to Suizhou with their mother, Zheng Shi, to join their uncle Ouyang Ye (the second uncle Ouyang Dan never did anything in his life. official, and has been living in his hometown, and has no intersection with Ouyang Xiu's family), and has been receiving many favors from him since then, teaching him by precept and example.The Zheng family has always been "self-supporting in food and clothing", and attaches great importance to his son's education, and has a profound influence on Ouyang Xiu.

The first time Ouyang Xiu got off the stage was when he was 17 years old, and he also failed in the solution test because of "Yi Guan Yun". ("The Biography of Ouyang Xiu", written by Chen Ming)