The Gathering in the Clouds was originally a reception banquet organized by Wang Haoming, a political scholar in Guizhou, for Cui Xiangxian. But being disturbed by the "unscrupulous" Ye Xiaotian, the whole banquet changed its taste.
Afterwards, anyone's poems and strategies seemed to lose their taste. Cui Xiangxian, Wang Haoming and others were of course lacking in interest. Talking grandiosely, boasting the situation, I feel uncomfortable all over.
The Banquet of Qiyun ended hastily, and Wang Haoming and Cui Xiangxian left in the same car.
Sitting in the car, Cui Xiangxian still feels resentful and resentful when he thinks of having a good and elegant feast and being disturbed by such an idiot as Ye Xiaotian. Wang Haoming said comfortingly: "Xiang Xian, why bother with this matter? Your moral articles are famous all over the world. If you compare yourself with such a vulgar person, others will not laugh at him, but you."
Cui Xiangxian let out a long breath and said, "Brother Haoming, if he is really an idiot, even if he speaks harshly, I won't take it seriously. I am a scholar, how can I be as knowledgeable as that kind of person? But this Ye Xiaotian still has the status of a scholar, what a shame for scholars!"
Wang Haoming smiled lightly, and said, "Don't worry, he is a scholar, and he will soon be gone."
Cui Xiangxian's eyes lit up, and he said, "Brother Haoming, you mean...?"
Wang Haoming said: "Guizhou's culture and education are not prosperous, especially in Tongren. It's ridiculous that Zhang Yi has always boasted of being romantic, and he hasn't produced a single scholar in five years under his rule. I taught Li Zhongyin a lesson in the early years of Tongren Mansion. Saying that he can't change his mind, he will be dismissed from the position of teaching. Who knows that in just a few months, Tongren will have a talent like Ye Xiaotian... "
Cui Xiang suddenly said: "I'm afraid there is a big way to go."
Wang Haoming sneered and said: "In my opinion, I'm afraid it's not that there is a big way, but that there must be something wrong. This year's "year-old test", I will go to inspect it in person. I will not go anywhere else, but I must go to Tongren. At that time..."
Cui Xiang heard this first, and couldn't help smiling knowingly.
The so-called "year-old test" is a re-examination every year after a scholar is admitted. This move is to prevent scholars from failing to make progress in their studies. If a scholar who participates in the "year-old examination" fails the examination, he will be deprived of his qualifications as a scholar.
And this "year-old test" is not tested by the local government and examiners who selected him, but by people sent by the higher education and political office to evaluate. This is why Li Zhongyin has not selected a scholar for five consecutive years. It's too bad, even if he wins, he will still be deprived of his reputation as a scholar during the "yearly examination", why bother
It wasn't until Wang Xuezheng severely criticized Li Zhongyin's political achievements, and Li Zhongyin was forced to do so, that he decided to deal with it by falsifying for the time being. As long as Ye Xiaotian's talent and learning are not too overwhelming, and when the Xuezheng Yamen sends someone to take a test next year, he can give him some gifts and bribes, maybe he can be fooled.
But today Ye Xiaotian went wild in the Qiyun Pavilion, insulting Cui Xiangxian and a group of scholars, Wang Xuezheng, the host of the banquet, also felt that his face was dishonored, and he couldn't help being really angry. Usually he sent people to various places to preside over the "New Year's Examination", but now he decided to go to Tongren in person, naturally he was determined to win Ye Xiaotian's reputation as a scholar, so Cui Xiang's anger disappeared after hearing it first.
After Wang Haoming finished speaking, he frowned again, and said to Cui Xiang in doubt: "By the way, what happened to the poem that Ye Xiaotian chanted just now? It's obviously nonsense, why did you praise it so much? "
Cui Xiangxian blushed, hesitated for a while, and then told the truth to his friend from the same school: "Hey! Brother Haoming, you don't know, that treacherous little thief Ye Xiaotian didn't make that doggerel at all, but came from Tongren The handwriting of the magistrate Zhang Yi."
Wang Haoming was startled, and said: "Ah! Fatty Zhang..."
Cui Xiang smiled wryly and said: "That's not true! When I returned to my hometown, Zhang Yi hosted a banquet for me. During the dinner, I smugly recited this nonsense doggerel, and said it was his new work recently. Of course this poem is nonsense, But how do you ask Yudi to answer?"
Although Cui Xiangxian was a procurator and a student in Guizhou, and he was in charge of the judiciary, prison and education in Guizhou. Wang Haoming thought for a long time, thinking to himself that if Zhang Yi recited this poem in front of him, he would probably have to praise it unconscionably, and the two couldn't help looking at each other and smiling bitterly...
After Cui Xiang first arrived in Guiyang, he lived in Wang Haoming's Office of the Prosecutor's Office. The two of them had just returned from a banquet, and both were a little drunk. After returning to the government office, they each dispersed and went to their own residences to rest for a while.
When Wang Haoming arrived at the flower hall of the back house, he ordered his maidservant to bring him a bowl of hangover soup. While he was slowly sipping it, a shrewd boy hurried in and whispered a few words to his ear. .
Wang Haoming frowned slightly when he heard this, and said strangely: "Xia's family in Hongfeng Lake? Didn't we meet at the banquet just now? Why is he coming to visit again? Please invite him in!"
After a while, a tall old man with a red face rushed in with strides, and the boy couldn't catch up even if he trotted. The tall old man stepped into the flower hall, and when he saw Wang Haoming, he arched his hands, and said in a rough voice: "Wang Yacha, Xia is polite here, and if you take the liberty to disturb him, I will ask for forgiveness."
Wang Haoming hurried up to meet him and said, "Brother Xia, why are you talking so politely? Hurry up, hurry up, please take a seat. Come on, let's have some tea!"
Wang Haoming ordered the maidservant to serve Father Xia a cup of tea, then asked with a smile: "Mr. Wang and Brother Xia were drinking and having fun in the Qiyun Pavilion just now, but I don't know if there is something that I can't talk about face to face, so I have to rush here What time?"
Father Xia frowned, seemed a bit embarrassed, and said, "Wang Yacha, I, Xia, am a big bastard, and I don't know how to talk around the bush, so I won't talk to you politely. I'm here today just for one thing. Thing, our Xia family needs a quota for candidates this year!"
When Wang Haoming heard this, he stayed there for a long while before he said, "Brother Xia, your Hongfeng Lake Xia family has never paid much attention to the imperial examination, why this year..."
Father Xia said impatiently, "Don't I just care? Wang Yacha, you are also a student of politics in the province. Whoever is admitted and who is not admitted is just what you say. You can tell me clearly. This quota, Will you give it or not?"
Wang Haoming said hesitantly: "Actually, the imperial court has always taken care of the big chieftains, and has always tacitly allowed some places to be allocated to the children of the chieftains who are eager to learn, but are not very educated. It's just you, brother Xia. Since you intend to ask for a quota, you should have proposed it earlier. Now that all the chieftains have greeted you, if there are any changes..."
Before he finished speaking, Father Xia stared at him, and said: "Isn't this a list that hasn't been published yet? There is nothing you can't change. Wang Yacha, you don't have to be embarrassed, you just need to allow me a quota, and other things You don't have to worry about it, if anyone is unwilling, you tell me, and I will break up with him!"
Father Xia stretched out his big palm-like hand, slapped the table with a "bang", and shouted: "His grandma, for so many years, my old Xia family has never asked for a recruitment quota. I want one this year. I want one." I don’t believe it anymore, who the hell dares to tease me to make me unhappy!”
Wang Yancha hurriedly persuaded: "Brother Xia, calm down, calm down. This... is reasonable, since you, brother Xia, have opened your mouth, and this year's quota of candidates, all chieftains should let one come out. That's all! Brother, I promise you first. It’s just that you chieftains need to trouble your brother to say hello.”
Father Xia turned his anger into joy and said, "If it makes sense, I'll tell them when I turn around."
Reluctantly, Wang Yanzha ordered someone to fetch a pen and ink, held the pen in his hand, and said to Father Xia: "But I don't know the name of the person that brother Xia wants to win. If he has never participated in the examination of this subject, even if the little brother I want to take care of it, but I can’t do anything.”
Father Xia said: "Don't worry, that person must have participated in the current subject examination. His surname is Ye, and he is the Ye Xiaotian who sang a good poem in the Qiyun Pavilion today! Hehehe, he is quite talented." ?”
Wang Yacha was stunned for a moment, his expression was sour, he was determined to find someone to take away Ye Xiaotian's reputation as a scholar, but now he is going to make him a scholar? Wang Yacha hesitated for a while, before he said with some displeasure: "Brother Xia, this Ye Xiaotian...he doesn't look like Xia!"
Father Xia said angrily: "Who says it's not? But... I don't know what medicine my old man took wrongly. He insists on giving that bastard a job. What can I do?"
※※※
After Ye Xiaotian and Xia Yingying left Nanminghe and returned to Guiyang City, Yingying brought Xiaolu and Xiaowei back to Xiafu. Along the way, Yingying was much less cheerful than usual. She has always been carefree. In fact, there is nothing in the Xia family that needs her to worry about. Now she has begun to learn to think about things.
Both career and love can make people mature. For women in this era, there is almost no career, and the only thing that has the greatest impact on her is love.
For a girl like Yingying, once she likes someone, she won't think too much about those related factors. In the eyes of a girl like her, reason can never overcome emotion. But that doesn't mean she's completely ignorant of the difficulties ahead. She would also think about how she would face it if that day came, or how to solve this problem.
Xiaolu quietly observed Yingying's expression, and whispered to Xiaowei: "Yingying seems to have something on her mind."
Xiaowei couldn't help laughing and said: "How is it possible, we Yingying never have anything in mind."
Xiaolu shook his head and said, "People will grow up. I think she really has something on her mind. I'll ask her later."
Yingying returned to her residence, and sat on a swing in the garden, slouching her body for a while, biting her lower lip in a daze.
Xiaolu walked gently to her side, supported the swing, Yingying looked up at her, then slowly lowered her head. Xiaolu said softly: "Yingying, if you have something on your mind, you might as well tell me."
Yingying shook her head and said nothing, Xiaolu went around in front of her, squatted down, and stared at her with big eyes. After a stalemate for a while, Yingying finally couldn't help but said quietly: "Brother Xiaotian... is... the venerable of the Gu God Sect."
Xiaolu slightly raised his eyebrows: "Gu God Sect? Sounds familiar..."
Yingying told Xiaolu about the situation of the Gu God Sect that Ye Xiaotian introduced to her, and Xiaolu suddenly widened his eyes: "Twenty years? You mean, at most twenty years, he has to leave you and go to the deep mountains and old forests Go? What’s the difference between that and becoming a monk?”
"Hush!"
Yingying quickly looked around, and whispered: "Brother Xiaotian is such a smart person, he will definitely come up with a solution. My father didn't agree with me being with him at first, if I know about this The thing... I told you as if you were the best sister, so don't tell it. "
Xiaolu nodded hastily: "Yes! I understand, I understand! I will definitely not say it."
After a stick of incense, in a corner at the end of the winding corridor, Xiao Wei stared wide-eyed and said: "What? Twenty years, how can it be, Yingying will only be in her thirties after twenty years, is it necessary to Widowed for him?"
Xiaolu hurriedly said: "Hush! Keep your voice down. Yingying gave him all her heart, can you make her change her mind? I think, there may not be a solution to this matter, I think you are the best My sister just told you, so don't tell it."
Xiaowei nodded hurriedly: "Yes! I understand, I understand! I will definitely not say it."
After two incense sticks of time, among the vines on the rockery, Xiaowei complained to Xiaofang, the personal maid beside Yingying's mother, with a sad face, "You know, Xiaolu and I are going to marry with Yingying. But that guy two Ten years from now, I will become a monk, what should I do then?"
Xiaowei pursed her lips and said, "Of course I can't compare with Yingying, but I'm also the little princess of the Qunye tribe! It's enough for sisters to serve a husband together, and I can only be with him for twenty years." Husband and wife, just thinking about it makes me feel aggrieved."
Xiaofang's dark eyes widened, and she said in surprise, "It's only been twenty years, ah, uh...you three get one share, that means one person has been married to him for six or seven years. It's a big loss."
Xiaowei sighed and said: "Who says it's not? But Yingying is determined, she already knows about this, and she still likes him. Yingying said that he will definitely come up with a solution, but I don't know if it's true. Hey, let's go." Take it step by step. By the way, I only told you as if you were the best sister, so don’t say it.”
Xiaofang nodded hastily: "Yes! I understand, I understand! I will definitely not say it."
After three incense sticks, the other three of Mrs. Xia's four maids, Xiaoying, Xiaoxue and Xiaoli stared wide-eyed and listened to Xiaofang's vivid and eloquent explanation of Ye Xiaotian's going to "become a monk" in twenty years. After Fang finished speaking, she warned again: "I only told you as if you were the best sisters, so please don't say anything!"
Xiaoying, Xiaoxue and Xiaoli nodded like chickens pecking rice: "I understand! I understand! I will definitely not say it."
After four sticks of incense, Mrs. Xia knew about it, and then, Mrs. Xia and Mrs. Xia, who had just returned home to report to me, also found out...
As a result, Yingying, who is growing up, learned the first lesson of her life class: women cannot keep secrets!