Since the garden was still under construction, there was nothing to do, and the weather was cold, so everyone only gathered in the verandah. Although those peonies are rare, I will get tired of watching them for a while. In the afternoon, the wine feast was over, and everyone slowly dispersed.

In addition to Xu Ping's colleagues in the back garden, there were also celebratory crowds in the small courtyard next to him, who were entertained by Xu Chang. These people are some merchants and neighbors nearby, and many colleagues and officials did not come themselves, but sent their subordinates to send a gift, which can be regarded as a friendship with Xu Ping.

Now that Xu Ping is an official, Xu Chang, as the chief housekeeper, is naturally rising, and with a group of officials who are about the same status as himself, Xu Chang is already called Xu Shilang. This is still Xu Chang's restraint, when he first came, many people greeted him, and it was Xu Shangshu who opened his mouth, which scared Xu Chang.

The servants in charge of these officials' families had their own circles, some of whom were sent out by their masters to take charge of affairs, and some of them were well-off, living in high-ranking mansions and compounds, and their families were also called by slaves, which were no worse than ordinary rich people. With money comes the pursuit of vanity in status, and ordinary rich people are still called by outsiders, so they are naturally higher.

On the second day, as Wang Gongchen said, it was spread in Kaifeng City, and there were peonies in full bloom in winter in the Yongning Marquis Mansion outside the city, which were extremely gorgeous. And the more it spreads, the more miraculous it becomes, from just a red peony, it soon becomes a five-color flower, shrouded in auspicious light.

One more day, the magical story will come out. It is said that when Xu Ping was an official in Yongzhou, he led his troops to attack Jiaozhi, and a god appeared and gave Xu Ping a magical seed, saying that it could bloom at four o'clock after planting, which was auspicious for the country.

On the same day, Cai Xiang, who often wrote to Xu Ping, came with a letter, asking Xu Ping why he did not take the initiative to dedicate it to the imperial court because he was so auspicious. Let him hurry up and remedy it, so that he can rest the mouth.

Xu Ping looked at Cai Xiang's letter and was speechless for a while, and he didn't know how to answer. After thinking about it, I still put this letter away, and when my family is ruined for a while, this letter can be sold for a few dollars. Cai Xiang's words, once Empress Dowager Liu asked him to write a screen in the palace, he didn't do it, and the more he went to the back, it must be more valuable.

As for the auspiciousness of the country, those who read the books of the sages and sages still believe in such nonsense, and the answers are superfluous.

Because of his new home, Xu Ping did not have an easy time during this winter solstice holiday, and he was so busy with all kinds of chores that he had no spare time. Like other rich and noble families, this kind of thing is helped by all kinds of capable subordinates, and they are still idle. Xu Ping is an ordinary family, where is there anyone available in a hurry? I can only keep myself busy.

At noon that day, Xu Ping instructed the workers who had worked to sit alone in the back garden. Lin Suniang asked someone to send a few side dishes, heated a pot of wine, and Xu Ping ate and drank to relieve his boredom.

The warm sunlight shone into the verandah, and the hustle and bustle were closed outside the wall, Xu Ping squinted his eyes slightly, enjoying the leisure time at noon. When this new home is built, I don't have to worry about it, and I can be so leisurely every day.

Just as Xu Ping was wandering outside the world, Xu Chang hurriedly came in from outside.

Xu Ping was awakened by the sound of footsteps, opened his eyes, and asked Xu Chang, who came in in a hurry: "What's the matter?" ”

Xu Chang said: "Da Lang, the chief of the stone pavilion in the palace is here, saying that there is something wrong and is waiting outside the door." ”

Xu Ping hurriedly stood up: "Oh, please hurry!" The head of the stone pavilion is a person in the palace, and he can't go out easily, since he is here, there must be something important. ”

With that, Xu Ping walked out of the back garden and greeted him outside the door.

Shi Quanbin brought two small yellow doors to stand at the door, saw Xu Ping come out, and the two came up to greet each other.

Xu Ping took Shi Quanbin's hand and said, "How can the pavilion chief be free today?" The winter solstice is such a busy day. ”

Shi Quanbin smiled and said to Xu Ping: "You have a new mansion here, why don't you say anything?" The official edict will give you 500 taels of silver to help you build a new one. ”

Xu Ping hurriedly thanked him and looked left and right, but he didn't find that the little yellow door standing on the side was carrying silver. It's not easy to ask about this kind of thing, so I have to keep it in my heart and let Shi Quanbin go home.

When he arrived at the courtyard, Shi Quanbin issued an edict, and Xu Ping took over the incense case. has the credit in Yongzhou, and the relationship between Li Yong and his family, Xu Ping can be regarded as a close minister of the emperor, and it is normal for the emperor to reward some money for the construction of the family. However, the stroke is much smaller, Li Yonghe is 5,000 taels as soon as he makes a move, not counting the money to buy a house, and he will get a discount when he goes to Xu Ping.

After handing over the holy decree, Shi Quanbin said to Xu Ping: "Today is still the winter solstice holiday, it is not good to open the inner library, wait for a few days, Yun Xing sent a subordinate with an edict to the inner library to receive the silver two." ”

Xu Ping had no choice but to agree. There are still a lot of procedures for getting things from the inner storehouse, and it is really difficult to get things out during the holiday season. But when the time comes, when my family goes to get it, I have to go up and down, but I can't get it.

After doing this, Shi Quanbin approached Xu Ping and asked in a low voice: "It is rumored in the city that there are peonies blooming in winter in your newly built Yongning Marquis Mansion. The official family also felt novel, so let me ask, is it true or false? ”

It turns out that this is the real purpose of Shi Quanbin's coming, the peony that blooms in winter, the emperor may not care much about it, but the favored woman in the palace is very curious. The women in the palace are idle every day, and they don't care about this. Zhao Zhen's temperament was nagged by a woman beside him, so he sent Shi Quanbin over. Fortunately, he knew that he couldn't ask for it in vain, so he sent five hundred taels of silver over, and the idea was to buy flowers.

Xu Ping said to Shi Quanbin: "There are flowers, and the pavilion chief will come with me." ”

The two of them went all the way to the back garden, and the two small yellow doors followed closely behind, both with nervous faces. I don't know which favored beauty these two little yellow doors are, I don't think it's Shi Quanbin's person, and Xu Ping is not easy to inquire.

When they arrived in the back garden, Shi Quanbin and the two small yellow doors saw the peonies in Youkou at a glance, which were still flowers and bones a few days ago, and today there are already two flowers in full bloom, which are even more gorgeous.

"Sure enough, there are peonies, and they are blooming!"

The three of them shouted almost together, full of joy. If you can bring it back, you will definitely be able to win the favor of the master.

Xu Ping led the three of them into the verandah. It was noon, the damper of the stove was sealed, the fire was small, and the verandah did not seem much hotter than the outside, and the three of them did not feel it.

Shi Quanbin gathered in front of a few pots of peonies, looked left and right, and sighed: "It's really a good flower." If it's spring, this flower is not necessarily so rare, but in the cold winter, it is not easy. ”

A small yellow door came up to look at it, and said, "Didn't you say five-colored flowers?" It's also auspicious! It's an ordinary peony here! If it weren't for the cold winter season, there would be more of this kind of flower in the spring garden! ”

Xu Ping has been busy at home for the past two days, and he hasn't heard of rumors in the city, so he asked inexplicably: "It's an ordinary peony, where did the five-colored auspicious flowers come from?" ”

Shi Quanbin glared at the little yellow door who spoke, and said: "Those are just rumors in the market, foolish people and foolish women say that they are here to have fun, where can they be taken seriously!" Peonies in winter are already extremely rare! ”

Xiao Huangmen just muttered in his mouth, and didn't pay attention to Shi Quanbin's words.

Xu Ping watched from the side, and didn't know what to say. The women in the palace were jealous, and the servants who served were also divided into different forces. Shi Quanbin is the person next to the queen, and the queen is not favored now, and others really don't pay much attention to him.

After seeing the flowers, Shi Quanbin said to Xu Ping: "Such a good flower, put two pots in the palace, and the emperor's side will also look festive." ”

Xu Ping said: "I know what the pavilion chief means, but this peony is all driven by heating to bloom and moved to the palace, but I'm afraid it won't be able to grow." By that time......"

The little yellow door on the side interjected: "What kind of heating is urging?" This flower is obviously blooming well here, and if you don't believe it, it won't be able to grow it in the palace! Could it be that the palace is not as good as you? ”

Shi Quanbin pulled Xu Ping, shook his head secretly, and signaled not to meet this little yellow door.

The queen is from a large family, although her temper is stubborn, she still has basic etiquette, and she is strict with her subordinates. The newly favored beauties are different, most of them are from small families, and they are not particular about these conveniences, and they don't even have any rules for talking and doing things. Emperor Zhao Zhen doesn't know what's going on, he just likes these women from poor families, and almost all of them are favored.

Xu Ping looked at the little yellow door with an unconvinced face, and said to him: "Why don't you bring this flower back for you, if it withers in the palace, how about asking you for the crime?" ”

Xiao Huangmen shut up and didn't answer, and he didn't speak angrily.

Xu Ping didn't bother to pay attention to him, the really powerful chamberlain in the palace, the minister of the court and the central government also gave a little face, a beautiful woman who served by his side, and he was still pretending to be out of the palace, and he really didn't know what his surname was. In the palace, this kind of small yellow door may not have the opportunity to talk to the emperor, and it is not as high as the status of the little guy who guards the door outside in the Xu family.

Pulling Shi Quanbin to the side, Xu Ping pointed to the waterway on the side: "Pavilion Chief, have you seen it, next to the waterway is the fire channel, and there is a stove burning outside, and the four seasons in this verandah are like spring, so that peonies can bloom in winter." If you want to make peonies bloom in the palace in winter, I'm afraid that you have to build such a fire road. ”

Shi Quanbin said: "If you build it, there are a few pots of flowers in the palace to decorate, and it also shows a peaceful atmosphere." Do you have any skilled craftsmen here, recommend a few I will bring into the palace and build a verandah like this in the palace. ”

"But unfortunately, two days ago, colleagues came to me to celebrate, and Wang Zhongyi also wanted to build a copy. I have a subordinate Sun Qilang in my family, who is the best at these, and is now busy in the Wang family. ”

Shi Quanbin said: "Since that's the case, let's talk about it later." ”

The two little yellow doors have been surrounding the peony, and Xu Ping and Shi Quanbin have left a distance, Shi Quanbin looked left and right, and said in a low voice: "Yunxing, I heard that you are leading the compilation of the regulations of the three divisions?" ”

Xu Ping didn't know what Shi Quanbin meant, and replied, "Yes, it hasn't officially started yet." ”

"Hurry up, there will be a new division at that time, I just begged to go and raise it, find an excuse to come out of the palace."

Xu Ping was taken aback: "Is the situation in the palace bad?" Are you in such a hurry to get out? ”

Shi Quanbin had a sad face, just shook his head, and didn't say anything more. (To be continued.) )