Gu Yu and Gu Ba Niang were shocked for a moment. It seemed that fate was still following its path.
However, what Gu Shiba Niang cared about was the fate of her family, and as for others, she had no intention of changing it.
In the last provincial examination, Gu Hai replaced Gu Yu and became the head of the case. This time, the head of the case falls on Gu Yu. Is this fate changeable or unchangeable
In other words, everything is subject to variables and depends on fate
The firecrackers were lit by someone unknown. After receiving the news, the government office also sent people to congratulate them. The alley of the Gu family suddenly became crowded.
Gu Shiba Niang's expression changed, her eyes were slightly confused, and she stayed away from the excitement.
"Eighteen Niang," noticing the difference in her demeanor, Ms. Cao reached out to touch her shoulders and asked in a low voice, "What's the matter? Are you tired?"
During these days, her daughter suddenly became busy. Every time she went to visit Shunhe Hall, her daughter was busy working, and all kinds of medicinal materials piled up in the backyard.
"It's okay," Gu Shiba Niang smiled at her and saw that the third grandmother Huang Shiying, who was surrounded by people over there, had already gone to the patriarch's house, so she pushed Cao and said, "Mom, let's go."
A Jie Yuan and a Hui Yuan emerged from one sect. This was a great event that had never happened in Jiankang Mansion. It was also a happy event for the entire Gu family, and a celebration was indispensable.
The banquet was held lively for three days, and almost all the dignitaries of Jiankang City came to participate. Of course, more focus was placed on Gu Yu. After all, the weight of Huiyuan is much heavier than that of Jieyuan. .
The palace examination will not be held until after the new year, and compared with the provincial examination, the palace examination is to determine the ranking. This kind of ranking will basically not change any more. Unless there is some treasonous behavior, then the examination will be successful. It is a certainty that the three hundred people will be promoted to official positions.
This means that the first champion of their Gu family is about to appear.
The people in the Gu clan also deliberately wanted everyone to focus on Gu Yu, so as the mother and sister of the 150th Jinshi, Cao and Gu Shiba Niang seemed to be left out a lot.
Gu Shiba Niang didn't care about this. She had no time to participate, and she didn't want Cao to attend. Gu Hai was not at home, so the mother and daughter closed the door and invited everyone from Shunhe Hall and the servants at home. Homelanders, celebrate happily.
When the night was dark, the small garden was still lively, and several maids could not hide their excitement, chattering around Mr. Cao.
"I wonder if the young master will come back?" They prepared the dishes, poured the wine, and served the fruits. They served Mr. Cao extremely attentively.
Because the boys who reported the news came directly from the announcement office and knew nothing about it except the ranking.
"I will definitely come back to celebrate the New Year." Gu Shiba Niang said with a smile.
"The young master will be able to get married this time when he comes back for the New Year."
"It's not that after the big one, the small one..."
The young maids chatted and laughed together. Mr. Cao was a kind person, and Gu Shiba Niang was informal and only required loyalty and sensitivity from them, so everyone laughed and joked casually.
"If the young master gets married during the Chinese New Year, then next year my wife will be able to have a grandson..." The servants and wives also joined in the fun.
Mr. Cao smiled with tears in his eyes. Is it easy to become a Jinshi? It wasn't easy. Even if Gu Hai passed the exam smoothly, how many students failed and how many of those who took the test were gray-haired and hopeless throughout their lives.
For example, her husband, Gu Leyun, had exhausted all his energy and blood in this big exam, and was unable to enjoy the official position he had found so easily.
And Gu Hai is not yet seventeen years old...
Cao's tears finally fell, "Okay, okay..." She reached out to wipe her tears and said casually.
"Madam, this is a happy event." The servants and wives hurriedly persuaded with a smile, and the clever little maid poured wine and brought it up.
Mrs. Cao didn't drink alcohol originally, but on today's happy occasion, she reached out to take it and took a sip. When she raised her head, she saw her daughter opposite, turning her head to give instructions to the two young men and the maid.
Under the light of the lamp, her daughter's face was cold and translucent, and the joy between her brows did not add much smile to her eyes. Her expression was as calm as a dry well.
Cao's tears suddenly burst out like springs. All this was brought about by her daughter, and the reason why her daughter was able to bring all this was because she crawled out of the Yama Palace...
"Eighteenth Mother..." Mrs. Cao put down her wine glass, walked over, hugged her daughter and cried.
Gu Shiba Niang was giving some instructions to the servants and maids who were going to the capital, and was suddenly shocked when Mrs. Cao hugged her and started crying.
"My son, you are in so much pain. I feel so bad for your mother..." Mrs. Cao choked while holding her.
Is it bitter? It seems that she is no longer so miserable, at least not like when she was first reborn. It was probably because she was confused at that time and didn’t know what her future would be. Now she is determined and has clear goals, and although her life is not as satisfactory as she expected, it is still there. She was in control, and with Liu Gong's affairs, she had too many things to consider, so she fell asleep at night without dreaming until dawn.
"Mom." Gu Shiba Niang laughed and reached out to stroke Mrs. Cao's back to comfort her, "I'm fine, I'm really fine."
While looking at the panicked maid opposite, he asked with his eyes how many glasses of wine he had had.
The servant girl looked down and held out a palm.
Gu Shiba Niang laughed even more. Ms. Cao had never drank alcohol. She had eaten five drinks without knowing it, so she was not drunk.
"...You want to marry a good family, marry a good family..." Ms. Cao choked and murmured.
"Okay, I will definitely marry into a good family, my parents-in-law will love me, and my husband will respect me..." Gu Shiba Niang smiled along with her words and motioned to the servants to help Mrs. Cao up, "Mom, you go and have a rest. , I have enough energy to choose a good wife for my brother. If my brother doesn’t get married, how can I get married? "
Mrs. Cao responded with tears in her eyes and was helped away by the servant woman.
Most of the servants and maids left with Mr. Cao, and the banquet in the small garden suddenly became deserted. It was almost the Mid-Autumn Festival, the moonlight was cold, and autumn insects were chirping.
A maid took the cloak and gave it to Gu Shiba Niang.
"Have you remembered what I said?" She came back to her senses and looked at the servant girl in front of her.
"Remember it, miss." The four of them agreed in unison.
"Then go ahead and set off early tomorrow morning." Gu Shiba Niang said.
The four of them left in response.
The small garden with many flowers and trees suddenly became deserted. The night wind blew, bringing with it the cold dew. The little girl couldn't help but shiver, but looking at Gu Shibaniang sitting quietly at the table, drinking slowly, no one dared to step forward to persuade her.
This young lady of mine has always said that what she does is what she does, and the servants just follow her orders.
Gu Shiba Niang drank a glass of wine and asked someone to fetch a xun. A low and long music played in the cool moonlight. Almost at the same time, there was music outside the courtyard wall, but it was not a xun, but a A strange musical sound.
Gu Shiba Niang had never been exposed to these musical instruments in her previous life, and she knew they were just zithers, zithers, and flutes. The sound sounded like a flute but different.
However, it is extremely beautiful to harmonize with the sound of Xun.
When the song ended, a smile appeared on Gu Shiba Niang's face, and she raised her hand to greet the maid who was standing quietly beside her.
"Go and invite the guests outside to come in for a drink."
The maid looked a little puzzled, but she left in response. Gu Shiba Niang ordered the maid to bring hot dishes and new wine. She saw the maid leading a young man in a light green silk shirt to strode over. It was Xin Chaoyang, behind him Two beautiful maids followed closely with Qin and Xiao in their arms.
"The eighteenth lady is very happy." He stretched out his hand to express his thanks, and a deep purple flute in his hand attracted attention.
"The eldest young master's joyful expression is so graceful." Gu Shiba Niang couldn't help laughing.
"It's just vulgar and vulgar." Xin Chaoyang smiled and sat down generously, "But don't worry, little lady, all the vulgar gifts of real gold and silver have been given to me."
Gu Shiba Niang laughed and signaled the little maid to pour some wine. Xin Chaoyang was not polite and picked up the wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.
The little maid poured it in again, Xin Chaoyang picked up the wine glass and looked at Gu Shiba Niang.
"Excuse me for not accompanying you. I've already had a few drinks, and I'll get drunk if I eat any more." Gu Shiba Niang said with a smile.
Under the swaying lantern, a faint blush appeared on the girl's face, and a brilliance that she had never seen since they met was faintly shining in her eyes.
Ever since he met her, this little lady had always left him with a calm impression. Xin Chaoyang couldn't help but be a little curious. If this little lady was drunk, would she reveal her unknown true nature
But this opportunity must not be easy to come by. Xin Chaoyang smiled and drank it all in one gulp.
"Were you playing the flute just now?" Gu Shiba Niang held her chin in her hand and looked at the instrument that was slightly shorter than the flute that he placed on the table.
Xin Chaoyang picked it up and showed it to her.
"Like a xun, like a chi, the sky will protect the people." He said with a smile.
Gu Shiba Niang suddenly realized that she couldn't help but stretched out her hand to take it and examined it carefully in front of her eyes, "So this is what I was talking about."
"It is rare among the people, but elegant music always exists in the palace." Xin Chaoyang said.
Gu Shiba Niang smiled and said, "So, the eldest young master is a real person."
Xin Chaoyang smiled but did not answer, and stretched out his hand to take it, "Today is a good day, and the eighteenth lady is having a happy event again, so Chaoyang is showing off her ugliness."
After saying that, he put it to his lips and started to play the sound. The maid behind him was already sitting on the spot, playing the piano and playing the harmonious tune. Compared with the first xun sound, it was more beautiful.
The moonlight is like a train, the phoenix and bamboo are swaying, the lotus lamp is like a shadow, the young man is elegant, the maid is delicate, the sound and color are harmonious and pleasant, this scene is like in a painting.
The maid who was standing aside pouring wine listened to the sound and saw someone in her eyes. She was stunned for a moment. She tilted the wine bottle in her hand and left the wine without knowing it.
The song ended, and the place fell silent.
Xin Chaoyang looked up and saw Gu Shiba Niang opposite her still holding her chin with her hand, her eyes slightly closed, her face as cold as the moon, but a line of tears running down her cheek.
"I, Gu Shiniang, never dreamed that I would live like this..." She murmured, her voice low and inaudible.
She seemed to see herself under the moonlight, as humble as a mouse, anxious and uneasy, looking up at everyone around her, trembling and cautious, fearing that her words or expressions would be wrong, and she would be despised.
Never thought that there would be a day when so many people would be so respectful and cautious towards her, and never thought that a day would come when the famous Smiling Man would be so elegant for her.
What is all this because of
She suddenly slapped the table, covered her face and laughed, but this laughter revealed a sadness that went deep into her bones.