June 17th is Xu Yongjian's birthday. The Xu family will hold a grand ceremony for him every year. These are the affairs of Xu Panlong, the second Duke of the Xu family. There is no need to distribute invitations, and those who need to come will naturally come. Ordinary relationships cannot enter the Xu family's door.

At dusk, Xu Yongjian came back from the sanctuary and had just gotten out of the sedan chair, "I've seen my father!".

Xu Yongjian looked up and saw that it was his eldest son Xu Jinglong. He just said 'um' and walked into the mansion. Xu Jinglong followed him. When he entered the mansion, Xu Yongjian couldn't help but look back at his son. From the bottom of his heart, he was satisfied with this. Although he was not by his side as a child, he followed his wife in his hometown, studied hard, worked hard, and won the imperial examination with his own strength. He came to Beijing five years ago and made a great success, and his knowledge was amazing. He was admitted to the Wuzi Department of the School of Wuzi and could have stayed in the capital to serve as a editor of the Hanlin Academy, a sixth-rank companion. However, he volunteered to be the magistrate of Jiangnan to serve as a seventh-rank magistrate. It was three years last month and went to the Ministry of Personnel in the capital to report his duties. The three-year assessment was a special grade, waiting for the reassignment of official positions.

"When did you come to the capital?", he turned around when asked.

"Five days ago, I was busy renting a house again, so I didn't come to greet my father."

Xu Yongjian did not mean to blame him. When he came to Beijing five years ago, he had agreed to move out and live in another place after he became an official. If he had not insisted repeatedly, this son who was full of hatred would not even want to stay in his mansion for one more day. Living for more than a year was considered to give him enough face. What annoyed was that he divorced his mother for the sake of his future and married a daughter of a noble family. He kept his son in his hometown and ignored him for more than ten years. He felt guilty about Xu Jinglong, so he naturally lost his confidence.

"I have already prepared for you and will take up his post at the Ministry of Personnel." Xu Yongjian knew that if he didn't say it at this time, he would not have the opportunity to talk about the serious business. Xia Zhan would come today and was busy with social engagements. After the banquet was gone, his son had already left.

"No! I want to go back to Hanlin Academy." The Hanlin Academy has a great chance of promotion. Besides, the cultivation of his mentor Luo Yan is much better than being under Xia Zhan's command, so Xu Jinglong answered so firmly.

Xu Yongjian wanted to have an attack, but he still endured it. "Don't rush to make a decision, think about it!".

Xu Jinglong did not refute anymore and followed his father into the mansion. Apart from the etiquette in the officialdom, Xu Jinglong did not please Xia Zhan, and sat with his stepmother's family. After drinking, he left first when the banquet was about to part.

Cao Tong, the ninth prince of the capital, ranks first, which is indisputable. It is because of his leg disease and he cannot become an official, but he is outstanding in both articles and calligraphy. Besides, his business is surging, he is really a phoenix among people, and he is known as the "Great Young Master". Xu Jinglong can rank second, and he visited the literary master of the capital five years ago, showing his talent. Moreover, he only joined Qingliu and drew a clear line with his father on the faction, and gained a good reputation. Besides, he was inherited by his father, and was also a show of talent, gentle and elegant, and was also very eloquent. He surpassed many young masters in the capital, and was known as the "Great Young Master Wenjie".

Xu Jinglong’s newly rented house was in Wenda Street in the southeast of the outer city. When he returned to his small courtyard, he followed Sun Lu and knocked on the door first. The one who opened the door was Sun Lu’s father, "Young Master! You’re back!".

"Uncle Sun!" Xu Jinglong treated Sun Lu's family like his relatives. Without their care, he would not have been able to study without any worries. His mother had gone, so he brought them to the capital together.

When he arrived in the yard, an old woman came up to meet him. Xu Jinglong shouted affectionately: "Ah Mom!".

The old woman nodded happily, "Young Master! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, my mother doesn't have to worry about it." Xu Jinglong raised his hands and turned around.

She was Xu Jinglong's mother's maid, his wet nurse, and Sun Lu's mother. She was worried that Xu Jinglong would be treated unfairly, so she walked forward with concern and patted the dust on his clothes. Her eyes were looking at Xu Jinglong's expression, and she felt relieved after she was sure that she had nothing to do.

When he arrived at the living room, a young woman was making tea, and there was a boy of 14 or 5 years old next to him. After seeing Xu Jinglong sit down, he immediately handed the teacup in front of him, "Young Master! Please have tea." Xu Jinglong just nodded slightly, took the teacup, scraped the cover of the teacup a few times, and slowly drank the teacup.

She is Sun Lu's wife, named Cailian, and the maid of the deceased wife. It was Xu Jinglong who asked the wife to make the decision and marry Sun Lu, who was as close as his brothers. The favors of the two generations made the Sun family devote allegiance to Xu Jinglong.

I saw the little boy run in and stretch out his right hand, "Uncle! Where is the fruit?"

At this time, Xu Jinglong remembered what he promised him. Seeing that Sun Lu who came in later had no package on his hand, he smiled and said, "Look at Mendun is anxious! Your father put away two big bags. If you don't eat too much later, it will be a Mendun." As he said that, he gently scraped the forehead of Mendun. This is Sun Tao, the son of Sun Lu, and his nickname is Mendun.

"I made my son spend money again, and I spoiled my Sun Tao. Don't do this next time." As a mother's Cailian, she never asked her grandfather to take a small famous party. She hoped that her son would be more promising in the future. Of course, this would require Xu Jinglong to educate and cultivate it.

"It's not worth much money. Since Ying'er disappeared, I have regarded Mendun as my child from the bottom of my heart. From now on, I will always be close to him if there is any delicious food at home." After Xu Jinglong said that, he lowered his head and thought.

Cailian knew that he was thinking about his lady and daughter Xu Ying again, so she immediately pulled the Mendun, "Let's go! Mom takes you to eat the fruits bought by the uncle." She winked at Sun Lu as she walked. Sun Lu knew, and after his wife and son walked past, she followed her out of the living room.

After being retired, Xu Jinglong's mother was overly sad and her health became worse and worse. She was raised by medicine. Eight years ago, she never thought that her three-year-old daughter had a serious illness. Her wife became mentally ill due to excessive sadness. Her mother was hit hard and followed her in less than a month. Last year, her wife committed suicide by swallowing gold and finally got rid of it. The departure of three generations and three consecutive blows made Xu Jinglong exhausted and had not recovered yet.

The next evening, Xu Jinglong had been waiting at the Luo Mansion gate. Seeing Luo Yan get off the bridge, he immediately went forward to salute, "Students pay homage to their mentor!"

When Luo Yan, the Minister of Cabinet, saw his proud disciple, he felt in no way. "Just wait at home, I must have been here for a long time, right?"

"Students know their mentor's habits and calculate the time they came. It didn't take long before they arrived."

Luo Yan reached out and said, "Go! Let's talk at home!" Seeing that Xu Jinglong was polite, he pulled his hand and entered the mansion together.

Who would have thought that the Grand Secretary of the Palace, Minister of the Cabinet, and the official title of the first rank, lived in the second-level courtyard, and rented it. Xu Jinglong came here no less than ten times and had seen his father's luxurious mansion. He had to impress the demeanor of the Qingliu leader and the leader of the six integrity Luo Yan.

When he came to the living room to sit and serve tea, Xu Jinglong took a look. It was still the same as three years ago. The decorations and decorations in the hall were still the same as before, and there was no addition. Xu Jinglong secretly admired him in his heart and couldn't help but ask: "Hello, have you collected a lot of lonely books in recent years?"

Luo Yan just smiled, "It's just a few books! There are two rare engraved books that King Yu took away at a high price, alas!", Loving to collect books, calligraphy and paintings is Luo Yan's only hobby. As long as there is a lonely book passed down from generation to generation, even if you lose everything, you will be unwilling to lose everything. But when he met King Yu, a royal nobleman who had a fortune, he wanted to collect all the rare objects in the world. How could he not make Luo Yan feel upset?

"King Yu is an obsessed person. He will definitely cherish it and will not bury the engraved book." Xu Jinglong did not forget to enlighten him.

Luo Yan nodded frequently and said yes, but the good thing was not in his hands, just like a cup of cold water that had no taste, and his heart was sizzling. Seeing that his disciple was looking at him and calming down his mood, "What do you think about your future job?"

"Hanlin Academy is quite suitable for me. I wonder if I can give me my previous position." After all, I boasted about Haikou in front of my father, and whether it is realized depends on my current mentor.

"Oh! I'll try to do it, but I'll definitely stay in the Hanlin Academy." Luo Yan will definitely do it with his heart if he doesn't fight an unprepared battle. This is his usual style.

"Then I would like to thank my teacher! As long as I am in the Hanlin Academy, I will accept any position." Xu Jinglong said this against his will. It's okay to be promoted. Anyone who has been demoted to another level will feel uncomfortable.

Luo Yan is most considerate of others and nods to appreciate it, "Very good! A Confucian scholar can teach you!"

"I haven't been in the capital for a few years. I heard that a versatile talent in civil and military affairs has come up with. What does the master think of Tang Tong?" Although he only came to the capital for a few days, Xu Jinglong recorded some strange stories in the officialdom.

"Don't care about this person. Although he has some skills, unfortunately no one supports him, it's just a flash in the pan." Luo Yan said this and sorted out Tang Tong's relationship clearly. Chen Huaide ignored it at all. Naturally, the other three companies in the Four Reputies would not help each other, and even suppressed them, and there was no chance to make a comeback.

"I heard that the Sino-Japanese War may be the main test of the Sino-Japanese War, so the situation will be hard to say at that time." Xu Jinglong looked at the long term and inadvertently reminded him.

Luo Yan was stunned when he heard this. This is something he had never thought of. But he still said stubbornly: "It's hard to say what happens in the future. Jinglong, as long as you seize the opportunity, it's like this. It's not just one step or two to get rid of him."

Xu Jinglong nodded repeatedly, his future was the most important, nodded in agreement, "What the master said!".

Luo Yan valued Xu Jinglong so much, mainly because the two of them could talk about it, from the government affairs of the court to the strange stories of the mountains and fields, and even their interests and hobbies, and they were happy. Xu Jinglong and Luo Yan mentioned some local experiences, first asked each other's opinions, and then agreed with them. They rarely refuted Luo Yan's views, even if they had different opinions, they also mentioned them very tactfully. This is Xu Jinglong's cleverness. Observing the flattery of the eyes, Luo Yan was very happy and regarded it as a copy of himself.

"The master once mentioned the Three Yi of Jiaoling to me. Last year, by chance, I met a friend of Liang Ji's entourage. I heard from the entourage that the Three Yi is three disabled, the lame man is Liang Ji, the deaf man's surname is Mao, and the blind man's surname is Tong."

Xu Jinglong was very confident when speaking, and it must have been verified, and Luo Yan couldn't help but believe it. "That's all?"

"The three of them are all geniuses. The three of them can get together because they are matched by the deaf man surnamed Mao. Only Liang Ji is from Jiaoling. I don't know who the others are. The only sure blind man is a Taoist priest." Xu Jinglong stopped talking, probably only knew these.

"Who would notice that these two useless people who have no chance to become officials are the only one who has made a name for themselves. The other two are willing to be hermits. Let's go and find them here?" Luo Yan couldn't help but sigh.

Seeing that he was a respectful student, Luo Yan asked, "Can you tell me about this?"

Xu Jinglong shook his head repeatedly, "The master is the first to know. I am the same as my mentor. I sincerely hope that someone can defeat Cao Shu, how can others know about it?"

Luo Yan nodded frequently, feeling sincerely happy for such a student, "Let the Cao Party dig slowly, it can only be leaked by others, not us." He stared at Xu Jinglong while speaking...

Xu Jinglong understood and nodded deeply, "I meant exactly that, and it won't come from me."

After having dinner in Luo Mansion and continuing to talk, I really forgot my age and knew my friends until the hour of Hai.
Chapter completed!