Dress to be a celebrity

Chapter 72

Although the yard that Huan Ling gave to Song Shibei was rented now, it was renovated very meticulously: a small yard with three entrances, there is a well in the yard, a kang is installed in the house, and the stove is installed outside the wall, which is warm and smokeless.The main rooms were replaced with glass windows made of small pieces of glass, one for the bedroom and one for the study.

Later, the two elder brothers of the Song family moved in to live in the east and west rooms of the main house, and Huan Ling hurriedly found someone to fix the stove and replace the windshield and transparent glass windows in the west room.No oil lamps are used in the room, and all are bright butter candles, which have less smoke than leather wax and do not suffocate the eyes.

In the new year, there are narcissus in marigolds and silver stands in the room, wintersweet and crabapple are planted under the windows, and the flowers in the courtyard can see spring from winter.

As soon as Song Shi entered the yard, he wanted to praise the little brother Huan for his hard work, but seeing that his elder brother seemed to have some opinions on him, he swallowed the words in his stomach, and took out the new book bought from Jianyang to distribute to the eldest brother and the second brother when he entered the door.

Most of the books are printed by famous southern writers; there are several sets of "Zhongxiaoyue Family General", "Xinzheng Popular Novels", "The Romance of the Eight Immortals", "Zhenwu Fuyao Biography", "Red Lady "Legend" and other newly-launched storybooks and novels; there are also Soviet-style embroidery patterns and shoe patterns that mothers and sisters-in-law can use.

In addition to the books, there are Su-like robes, gauze caps, rhinoceros belts, jade hooks, purses for my brother... The cloth and satin for my mother and sister-in-law were delivered home a few years ago, but when he came by himself I also bought some new clothes, shoes, socks, head jewelry, etc. from Suzhou, Hangzhou and Nanjing, and I can take them back with my family when they return home to report.

They are a group of scholars, they are more restrained when buying clothes and jewelry, and they buy stationery just like visiting a duty-free shop abroad. They have scanned a lot of lake brushes, rice paper, Hui ink, and Duan inkstone. One set of stationery and one knife of rice paper; the two young children who couldn't write well were not given such good paper, and they replaced it with Jiangxi rough-edged paper.

A pair of twin nieces were born in the second elder brother's house, and they have to prepare two sets for each of them. It's good for them to use them when they grow up.

Song Shi rummaged through the box from the moment he entered the door, and the two elder brothers were so tired of looking at him, they pulled him out of the box, pulled his collar and pressed him on the chair, nagging: "Why do you buy so many things? We only do shopping along the way, do you still have time to study?"

Where can I just buy things!A lot of reading!

When he went to Beijing the year before last, he still had time to write a small thesis, but this time he was too busy to take care of it—busy!Doing mock exams every day, and doing a few real questions given by Fu Juren, a famous writer in the same industry, he didn't even think of checking the balance in the backstage several times a day!

He sighed: "Fortunately, I came here by boat. The river in the south is not frozen, so I can review on the boat safely. It is also spring in Shandong and Hebei. The river has thawed, and I can sit for a while longer. Much more comfortable in a carriage."

Even if he walks by water, he eats more fish and shrimp every day, but less fresh vegetables, fruits, and livestock and poultry meat. He is quite gluttonous all the way.

What this said is heartbreaking.The eldest brother was not willing to talk about him anymore, so he quickly asked the boy to buy fried meat pies at the entrance of the alley, and then went to the kitchen to cook a mung bean rice, and cut a plate of donkey meat, roast chicken, smoked sausage, and sauced meat from home...

Pad his stomach first, and then ask the kitchen to cook big dishes.

Song Shi heard what his elder brother said was the same as the name of the dish, so he quickly took his hand and said, "No need for anything else, elder brother, let's have some donkey meat fire... ham and pancakes will do."

The eldest brother pinched his moist red cheeks, and said distressedly: "I'm so thin, it must be because I can't eat well and sleep well on the boat. How can I just eat a pancake?"

Eat some ready-made snacks to fill your stomach, and then ask someone to roast lamb, steam lamb head, stew pork knuckle, croquettes, buy a whole roast goose outside, and cook a pot of lamb for the children at night.

The second elder brother sat inside and followed Zhizui's arrangement: "Isn't there salted duck eggs from Baiyangdian? Pick two big ones and cut them for Shiguan'er to serve with rice! There are also dried persimmons from our house, stuffed drunk dates, and fried duck eggs. Sesame candies and chestnuts boiled in sugar water were brought up for him as tea, and the chef was asked to make red fruit cheese to digest his food——Shi Guaner ate light fish and shrimp all the way, and eating too much meat suddenly was not easy to digest.”

Song Shi happily drank tea and ate desserts, and then got into a mess, and asked someone to take out Fujian fermented bean curd, Jinhua ham, Tianmu bamboo shoots, pickled olives, Nanjing hawthorn candy, and salted duck from his cage.

A lot of these meals were intended for Huan Ling, but the brothers were still a little annoyed when they mentioned Huan's family, so Song Shi decided not to mention it, lest the brothers feel that their elbows were turned outward, and they would eat him more. vinegar.

As for the gift to Senior Brother Huan Xiao... I can only say that his test results are the best gift for the teacher.

Then this time you can pass the exam.Mr. Huan Fang has worked hard to teach him for more than two years, and now he has not even lost a duck. If he accepts a wave of students who failed the exams as gifts, how will they live this spring.

He also felt a little stressed, gnawing on sesame candies to relieve stress.

In the courtyard, the family members brought by the three brothers of the Song family and the cook from Beijing hired by Huan Ling were all in a hurry. When the sun was about to set, they finally arranged a table for a welcome feast.

The courtyard was brightly lit, and the glass windows of the main hall were smoked with white mist by the heat of the food in the house. There were faint voices and laughter from inside, and the aroma of the food wafted over half of the courtyard. .

Huan Ling opened the courtyard door with snacks and shochu, walked around the screen wall and saw this warm scene.

This winter he lived in his own home, and often had dinners and banquets with his grandfather and uncle's family. He had also seen the prosperity and prosperity of the palace with his own eyes, but nothing could compare to the warm smell of food and the sound of laughter flowing from this small courtyard. .

This place is clean and full of human kindness, and it is what he misses and looks forward to... the home.

He walked swiftly, faster than the family members who answered the door. After a few steps, he reached the front door of the main room, opened the curtain by himself, and called out: "Brother Song, Second Brother Song, Shi... Junior Brother."

Big Brother Song and Second Brother Song stared dumbfounded at the sudden appearance of the host. Song Shi was also a little surprised that he could come, but he was also vaguely happy——there was a dismantled salted duck on a plate with crushed ice patterns, and it was still there. Without moving chopsticks, the little brother ate the duck brought from the south, so he didn't have to wait for his grades as a gift.

Before the two elder brothers could speak, Song Shi stood up and greeted with a smile on his face: "Brother, is this a free value? Come as you come, why don't you get any presents, we are not outsiders, sit down and drink some hot tea... ..."

He also ordered the family members who were setting the dishes: "Prepare a pair of bowls and chopsticks for my brother, use a wine sieve to heat the wine, and then make a few more dishes. Brother Huan doesn't eat much meat, so there are still some frozen dishes in the kitchen. Ginger vinegar fish? Cut a plate of fish jelly, a plate of clear sauce meat, stir-fry a dish of coriander meat, a dish of fragrant dried chives, stew a piece of Shandong cabbage, and make a soup.”

After raising such a big brother, now he is devoted to his senior brother, even ordering food for him!

The elder brothers were so jealous that they wanted to send Huan Ling out of the house, but they rented the yard for them, and the younger brother's Jie Yuan was tested by them, so there was absolutely no reason to be rude.

Not only can't rush, but now that my younger brother is back, I have to formally thank him.

The wine that Huan Ling brought hadn't been warmed yet, but the wine they bought from the market had already been hot. Brother Song and his two younger brothers toasted to Huan Ling, thanking him for taking care of Song and teaching him to read all these years. As his examiner, after entering Beijing, he arranged accommodation for the family of three and other matters.

Huan Ling was a little flattered, and subconsciously glanced at Song Shi first.

Song Shi stood neatly behind his brothers, raised his glass and toasted him, and said with a smile: "I have been taught to read and write by my senior brother all these years, and I have learned about Yuan from the exams given by my senior brother. The brothers want to thank the teacher on my behalf." , It’s also a matter of course. Not only brother, I also want to thank senior brother for renting this yard for the brothers and taking care of it all the time.”

Only then did Huan Ling let go of his arms and drank their brother's wine, and replied with a smile: "Since it is the thank-you wine, I naturally want to drink it. But if you want to thank the teacher, this glass of wine is not enough—" He deliberately dragged his voice out, He glanced at Song Shi with a half-smile.

Song Shi's heart tightened suddenly, for fear that he would say something that he didn't dare to listen to, let alone let his brothers listen to him.And the brothers of the Song family also tensed up a bit, wondering how this senior brother of the Huan family would show off in front of their two elder brothers that Guan'er had a deep affection for him.

Fortunately, Huan Ling didn't hang them for too long, and quickly added what he had to say: "If you don't say anything about this subject, you have to get a second-class Jinshi, so I can be worthy of me, the house teacher who chose you as Jieyuan."

He drank the wine with a smile, pointed to the book he had brought, and said, "The Holy Majesty has ordered the two chief examiners of this subject, one is Mr. Chunfang Youyude, Hanlin Attendant Master Zeng Qi and Master Zeng. I asked someone to borrow the old collections of essays and poems of the two examiners. The two brothers and Shi... the younger brother took advantage of the few days before the exam to read more. It’s also good to vote for the examiner’s preference.”

This gift is very important.The three brothers didn't have any relatives and friends who were officials in Beijing, and they didn't have any contacts in the same year. If they inquired about the examiner by themselves, they would have to wait a few days later, and it was rare to find the examiner's anthology so quickly.

Huan Ling being able to send these to them has improved the chances of the pilot test. Not to mention Song Shi who relied on him before, even Song Xiao and Song Yun, the two elder brothers who think he robbed him of his younger brother, have to say sincerely. Thanks.

If this younger brother can be admitted to Jinshi, he will be sent to his family as a godson!

The banquet was enjoyed so much that by the end of the meal, it was already past the curfew time.Huan Ling, as a senior officer, can walk at night with the dental badge on his waist, but he has a little bit of alcohol, and it is easy to freeze when he goes out with wine in cold weather...

Song Shi should have kept him overnight with winks, but out of concerns that some straight men often have, he rubbed his hands there for a long time, but he didn't say the phrase "senior brother lives with me".Huan Ling couldn't wait for him to stay overnight, so he had to say to himself: "Neither the ancestors of this subject nor I know how to be an examiner. I can often come here to help my two brothers and juniors review, but it's getting late today..."

Second Brother Song said cheerfully: "We can now know the identities of the two examiners. It is thanks to Brother Huan Xian that we have obtained their masterpieces. How can we bother you too much? According to me, this courtyard is far away from the imperial city. It’s not too far away, my virtuous brother was wronged here tonight, and then I will ask the servant to come home to get new clothes tomorrow morning, it’s better than rushing home in the middle of the night in the cold and tired.”

But the yard is small, there are only three rooms in total, it is not appropriate for Mr. Huan to share a room with his brother, so he moved to the elder brother's room and let Mr. Huan live in his bedroom!

Brother Song contended: "Brother Huanxian is the housekeeper of our current official, how can he live in the West Room, or I should pack up and live with you, and let Brother Huanxian live in the East Room."

According to love and propriety, he should live in the upper room, and there is no reason to squeeze the west wing like Song Shi.Brother Huan regretted tidying up the west chamber at this time - if he hadn't tidied up, the two elder brothers of the Huan family lived in the main room today, and he would be able to have bedtime conversations with his junior brother again and say goodbye.

Forget it, let's talk about Shiguan'er's pilot test.

He looked at the lights in the west chamber, and fell asleep soundly. However, the brothers Song Xiao and Song Yun who lived in the same room were excited by the examiner's news, and studied the two examiners of this subject.

Mr. Zhang is the second assistant, and they have naturally memorized the poems he wrote, but it is difficult to see articles such as essays, historical theories, literary theories, and current essays.As for Master Zeng, because of his low official position and lack of reputation, although he has many works, it is even more difficult for them, non-local students, to copy them.

Huan Ling's trip really helped them a lot. Although their brothers may not be able to pass the pilot test after reading a few articles, they can do it!

The second elder brother Song Yun sighed: "I used to think that if Minister Huan presides over the exam, I would rather not even take the exam! But I don't want to accept his grandson's help now, and I don't have the backbone to throw away the book ..."

Brother Song said: "It's not about us being spineless. Don't you think that Huan's treatment of us is different from those in his family? After all, he grew up with Shi Guan'er, and the matter of adults is also involved. It’s not on him alone.” Anyway, Dad let go, and they couldn’t control it, so let Shi Guan’er study with his senior brother in the future.

He pondered over the past few years, and always felt that this Huanling horoscope belonged to Wang's younger brother, and it wouldn't hurt to ask them to get close.