In the study outside the East Mansion, Zhu Kui sat alone in the room, sending people under the fence during the period of filial piety, it was inconvenient anywhere, and even a maid did not dare to tease.

Every morning I went to visit my nephew who was raised by Xu Hao and his wife, and the wife and concubine could stay with my wife, but I had to hurry out to practice martial arts and study. If you have the heart to go to a corn garden, it is inconvenient for men and women, and no one in the garden wants to play with her, even if it is two sisters. It is not uncommon for him to associate with Xu Yu and a group of scholars, and he wants to go out to play but has no money.

In the past, he spent money like a tide, and now the Zhu family is not as good as before, but he is used to being lavish, so he can't help but be very uncomfortable.

Tian Wenhai walked in with a smile, this Tian Wenhai was Liu Yun's confidant and master back then, and later defected to the Zhu family.

"The owner doesn't go out for a walk?" Tian Wenhai sat down and said: "Shicai passed by the Qinhuai River in his later years, and saw that the river was crowded with painting boats, and the sound of a pipe flute was pleasant. It turns out that today's gathering of famous prostitutes from all families has come to the Hundred Flowers Festival once every three months. There are as many tourists on both sides of the strait as ants, so why is the owner depressed at home alone? Why don't you walk on the river later? ”

If you go out, you have to spend money, but Zhu Kui has no idea, although he has been worried about not receiving money for several days, after all, he has to support his wife and concubine and other family members, and there is no spare money for him to squander. At this moment, hearing Tian Wenhai say that it was so lively outside, he was suddenly full of interest, and all his worries and worries were left behind, and he said with a smile: "You wait, I'll go back and change my clothes." ”

Walked back to the room, changed into a set of novel clothes, carried a dozen taels of scattered silver, took a hammering golden palace fan, staggered out, and brought a small servant.

Out of the East Mansion and went straight to the Qinhuai River, to the riverbank, sure enough, there were countless painting boats on the water surface coming and going, and bursts of singing came and went in the wind. There are too many pedestrians to stand on. Zhu Kui asked the servant to hire a medium-sized pleasure boat, planning to go directly to the river to play, so as not to be squeezed around on the shore and stinking with sweat.

Tian Wenhai was a little disappointed, because Zhu Kui didn't pick up the prostitutes or buy wine and food, so he took the boat so dryly? It seems that the dark path is really out of money. If it weren't for the Zhu family and the Xu family as a backer, he would have switched to someone else a long time ago.

For a long time, the little guy hired a boat in the distance, and it took another half a day to row over. Stop at the shore. Zhu Kui waited impatiently, but did not express his dissatisfaction as before, and thoughtfully helped the elderly Tian Wenhai to get on the cruise ship, and ordered the boatman to go to the place where there were many painting boats.

The state-owned Qinglou was swept away, but it did not affect the Fengyue industry in the slightest. History has changed, and with the substantial increase in overall national strength, the vitality has been restored in just a few years, and the fierce competition in which a hundred flowers are blooming seems to be even more prosperous than before.

The Qinhuai River is an inland river, and hundreds of boats are densely packed together in the section of the river where Zhu Kui is located. You can only move forward slowly one by one. The guests on the other ships were not in a hurry, some cabins were seated with two or three people, some were four or five people, almost all friends gathered together.

Some cabin curtains cover it. You don't have to ask the ladies who are serious inside; There are also a lot of men and women sitting together, ranging from seven or eight people on a boat, male and female students, Qinhuai prostitutes, businessmen and celebrities, and all of them have any identity except officials.

At this moment, it is already afternoon, and there are all kinds of lanterns hanging inside and outside the ship. People either chant poems, or taste bamboo and silk, or sing songs. Or talk about current affairs, in short, people's boats are very lively.

Compared with others, Zhu Kui was annoyed and said: "Oh, I'm confused, why didn't I invite a few friends to come?" At least pick up a few sisters, there are only two people on our boat, you and me, cold and lonely, and being seen by the neighboring ship is not only tasteless but shabby. ”

Tian Wenhai said in his heart, you have no money! smiled: "It's nothing, each other's boats are on the boat, we can see and hear, isn't it the same as we brought a woman?" You see, there are all men and women in these ships, and our one alone is unique, and people may envy you for your elegance! If you're lucky, maybe you'll be invited to board the ship by a lonely lady? Ha ha! ”

"Don't talk nonsense, in the past, there may have been a bold young lady who invited a reader, but today it is absolutely impossible." Zhu Kui laughed dryly, "We were pressed down, the two of us sat facing each other, and what else was unique, don't you feel blushing?" ”

Just chatting and drinking tea, while looking at the women on the boat and commenting on the beauty and ugliness.

Suddenly, a large painting boat came down from the top, leaning against the side of the boat, and there were boats in the front, back, left and right, and no one could squeeze out for a while.

The boatmen were busy negotiating loudly, and Zhu Kui saw that there was a handsome young man in the painting boat, graceful and beautifully dressed, sitting cross-legged in the middle of the cabin, and there were seven or eight scholars standing behind him.

There are four fan sisters sitting on both sides, one plays the piano and sings, one is responsible for pouring wine, and the other is responsible for serving vegetables to the young man.

The young man closed his eyes slightly, played the beat in his hands, and listened to the song of the courtesan, with a leisurely expression. This made Zhu Kui very emotional, before he had an accident, why wasn't he this pomp every day? Who in Jinling City doesn't know the name of Zhu Ergongzi?

Where is this person sacred? Zhu Kui saw that he was romantic, and he looked like a man among the gods, as if he had seen Xu Hao's father and son.

The young man opened his eyes and looked at him and nodded slightly. Zhu Kui then got up and walked to the bow of the boat, coughing lightly, it turned out that one of the pink sisters was named Yihong, who had been good friends for many years.

Yi Hong was turning around with a wine jug to call people to burn wine, when she heard someone coughing, she raised her head, and saw that it was Zhu Kui, who she hadn't seen for many days, and nodded with a smile, but she was not as attentive as before, obviously knowing that something bad was wrong with the Zhu family.

Zhu Kui was accustomed to the warmth and coldness of people, so he didn't get angry, and asked, "Yihong, who brought you out?" ”

Yi Hong said across the boat: "It's this Yan Gongzi, he came from Henan, and he arrived in Beijing for a few days. Today, because of the flower meeting, I called my four sisters early in the morning. Yo! Childe is so happy on the boat, why don't you bring a few people? ”

Zhu Kui's face turned red, and before he could answer, the young man had already walked out and arched his hand at him: "If Brother Ren is not presumptuous, why not bend over and talk?" ”

Zhu Kui sighed in his heart, and said in his heart that I had fallen to such a point? The foot had already stepped over disobediently, bowed to each other, the young man invited him into the cabin, and the four pink sisters stood up and saluted.

The young man invited Zhu Kui to sit down again, and each reported his name, this Yan Gongzi claimed to be the son of Yan Rong, Bo Yanrong, Yongxing, Henan, and he was in the same vein of Jingnan.

"It turned out to be the elder brother of the Zhu family, forgive the younger brother for being rude." Yan Gongzi hurriedly and respectfully gave Zhu Kui a deep salute, and Zhu Kui smiled and supported, which made it more intimate.

"Brother, who else is on the boat? Why don't you come and sit down? ”

"It's better to be respectful than to obey."

After Tian Wenhai came over, Yan Gongzi immediately ordered the banquet to be set up, and the three of them drank happily. During the banquet, Zhu Kui saw that this Yan brother was like a river, and he dabbled in the four books and five classics of astronomy and geography, and he was much stronger than himself, and he felt like he hated to see each other late.

People are also bold in their shots, and they rewarded the four fan sisters with a lot of valuable gadgets. Zhu Kui, who only brought a dozen taels of silver, also pretended to give a reward, but Brother Yan insisted on refusing, so he rewarded each person with twenty taels of silver for him.

In this way, Zhu Kui liked the other party even more, and asked, "Why did my brother come to Jinling?" If there is something difficult to do, I will do my best for my brother. ”

Yan Gongzi said embarrassedly: "I'm not afraid of my brother's jokes, my little brother has been reckless since he was a child and can't read, so Jing Enmeng has a small future, and he was selected to go to the ministry for this trip." Because of the first time he entered Beijing, the mountains and rivers everywhere are enough to linger, the younger brother set off from Henan last year, and stayed in each place along the road for a few days, until a few days before arriving in Jinling, and did not dare to meet the parents. Alas! In the past two days, I have played everywhere, worthy of being the gold powder of the Six Dynasties, the eternal romance, the little brother hates to grow old here, and the brother does not laugh at the frog at the bottom of my well. ”

Zhu Kui smiled: "No." ”

The two pushed the cup and changed the lamp, and it was like a familiar sight. Yan Gongzi asked how many prostitutes there were in Jinling City? Zhu Kui knew everything, and Yan Gongzi proposed to invite Zhu Kui to take a good trip another day, and he said that he had seen and heard about it in a beautiful name.

Unconsciously, the sun went down, and the entire Qinhuai River was lit up on both sides of the river, and the bank was full of colors, the water in the river was light and shadowy, and the long painting boat for dozens of miles was endless.

However, the court had a rule that it was not allowed to stay up all night to have fun, so the two of them went ashore unsatisfied. On the occasion of separation, Yan Gongzi asked Zhu Kui's residence and said that he would definitely visit him in the future.

Zhu Kui returned to the mansion and said to Tian Wenhai: "My brother is not a group of people, and he is generous, how can such a friend not be devoted to making friends?" Not to mention the origins. ”

"yes!" Tian Wenhai is also envious of people's romance and gold, when King Yan raised troops to go south, how many heroes and generals made a fortune? Especially those who have been stationed outside all the year round, Emperor Tiangao is far from being rich.

It stands to reason that Zhu Kui should inform Xu Hao of this matter so that he could take Yan Gongzi to meet him, but because the Xu family was in charge of him everywhere, Xu Hao did not let him inherit the title, so he would rather drag it out and wait for his nephew to grow up, because he couldn't help but feel a little resentful in his heart and didn't want to see Xu Hao.

Probably Xu Hao and others are not available to everyone, and Yan Gongzi is the third in the family, unless his father specifically asks him to do so.

Early the next morning, Zhu Kui had just gotten up, and the housekeeper came in and said, "There is a young master Yan who asks to see him by name." ”

"Come in, that's my friend." Zhu Kui hurriedly called for invitation, got dressed and came out, and met each other in the study.

Zhu Kui thanked him for his interruption yesterday, thought about it and said: "Presumably, the virtuous brother also knows what happened to my family, and now he lives in the Xu Mansion, I will take you to meet the masters of the Xu family." ”

Yan Gongzi hurriedly said: "How can the junior brother be qualified?" Besides, I don't want to be restrained as a junior, and my brother must not do that. ”

"Then forget it." Zhu Kui smiled: "I don't want to change it, and I don't want to ask for it." In that case, I will immediately set up the wine, invite several brothers of the Xu family and friends from the world, and we will not get drunk today. ”

"Isn't that more restrictive?" Yan Gongzi smiled and said: "The younger brother entered Beijing for the first time, and he has never had a friendship with the brothers of various families. Besides, I still have to go and bow down at home, and my brother will spare me, otherwise I will leave Beijing tonight. ”

Zhu Kui thought about it for a while, which brother of the same generation doesn't complain about the New Year's holidays? Especially for the New Year, it takes at least three or four days to go around non-stop. The elders can worship in groups, but the younger generations cannot. (To be continued......) R1292