Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 22 Zhou Mingyuan's Invitation

At this time, Lu Zongde suddenly felt a little regretful. He shouldn't have threatened the other party to this extent in order to seize his property.

Although he bears the largest share of these debts, even if he really sells the residential land, it will not only benefit him.

But now, after all this, Lu Beigu may not hate others, but he definitely hates himself.

If the other party really becomes a high-ranking official by then, will he let him go?

Zhou Mingyuan suddenly seemed to understand and asked, "Huh? I wonder why you are all at Brother Lu's door? Are you here to give me holiday gifts like I am?"

"Nothing, nothing."

Lu Zongde was in a state of confusion. Seeing that Master Zhou was here, it was impossible to get back the guarantee letter that he had signed and sealed. He had no choice but to settle for the next best thing and get back the borrowed money and interest.

Both parties exchanged money and IOU.

After getting the IOU back, Lu Beigu handed it to Pei Yan for safekeeping. The creditors divided the money and dispersed.

The crow on the elm tree at the entrance of the alley watched the commotion for a long time, then felt bored and flew away with a flap of its wings.

"Thank you so much, Brother Zhou."

"Small things."

Zhou Mingyuan had the servant place the gifts in the courtyard, then said, "Oh, by the way, besides my father asking me to bring some holiday gifts, I came here today for another reason. The various states in Shu have some established customs. They usually organize elegant gatherings like wine flowing and water swaying to welcome new students."

Lu Beigu was a bit amused and confused: "Brother Zhou, are you so sure that I can get into Luzhou Prefecture School?"

"With Brother Lu's talent, admission to the provincial academy will be a natural outcome."

Zhou Mingyuan hesitated for a moment, but finally revealed his true purpose: "The elegant gatherings are held in rotation. This year it's Luzhou's turn to host. I heard that they will also invite outstanding figures from the provincial schools of Meizhou, Rongzhou, and Jiazhou. I have to prepare poems and lyrics, and I'd like Brother Lu to help correct them."

Lu Beigu had heard that Zhou Mingyuan had a very solid knowledge of calligraphy and calligraphy, and his essays were neither outstanding nor bad, but his poems were really average.

In fact, who among those who can enter the provincial school or even pass the imperial examination has poor knowledge?

It's just that I'm not good at poetry and songs, so it would definitely be awkward in such social occasions.

So Lu Beigu immediately understood what the other party meant and nodded, "That's easy to say."

Although Lu Beigu was not very good at poetry and songs, as long as he was given time, he would improve very quickly. If he really wanted to attend the provincial school reunion, it would be at least three months later, and by then his level would be enough to cope with it.

As for plagiarism, Lu Bei would never do it unless it was absolutely necessary or he really couldn't think of it.

On the one hand, Lu Beigu felt that plagiarism was not a skill, and writing by oneself was the real skill; on the other hand, if he did not understand the tricks involved, he might be able to plagiarize for a while, but could he plagiarize for the rest of his life?

The "Poem of Child Prodigy" which has not yet been published said it well, "Knowledge comes from diligence, thousands of books are read by the window of a firefly, which are enough for three winters. Who will laugh at my empty stomach?"

Lu Beigu always believed that only the knowledge he gained through hard work and study could never be taken away by others and he would never use up all of it.

Zhou Mingyuan's eyes and brows relaxed when he got the approval.

"In that case, I won't bother Brother Lu anymore."

When the carriage bells faded away, Pei Yan, who had been very nervous, immediately bolted the gate.

She leaned her back against the door and patted her pounding heart with her hand.

The morning breeze blew down a few peach blossoms, which stuck to her sweat-soaked temples like spots of faded rouge.

"Sister-in-law?"

"Is that really it?" Her throat rolled twice, her voice so soft that it was almost inaudible. "Is it solved?"

"It's solved. No one will cause trouble again."

Pei Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Lu Beigu turned his head and saw that Tofu had jumped onto the stone table at some point and was secretly licking the crumbs that had fallen from the food box with her pink tongue.

There were shiny crumbs on Tofu's beard. When he saw that he was discovered, he probably knew that he was in the wrong, so he didn't dare to fight. Instead, he immediately lay down and exposed his belly to show his disobedience.

When Lu Beigu lifted it up by the scruff of its neck, it meowed with an unsatisfied look.

"Mom! Can we eat too?"

Seeing that everyone had left, Lu Yuchi and his younger brother Lu Yanqi also came out.

The child's innocent question broke the solemnity. Pei Yan wiped her face, stood up, picked out a "Zitui Yan" from the food box and handed it over.

"Eat slowly with your brother, don't choke." She stroked the gold-painted winding branch pattern on the edge of the food box with her fingers, but it felt a little unreal.

After a busy morning, the whole family was hungry.

Pei Yan went to bring out the prepared cold food porridge. In the coarse earthenware bowl, a few pieces of tender elm seeds floated on the white surface of the porridge.

Lu Beigu opened the stack of food boxes next to him, and the top box revealed neatly arranged "snow yogurt". This kind of dessert made of glutinous rice and goat's milk is very easy to melt and must be kept in a food box covered with ice.

As for the bottom, it is a box of crystal clear "crystal sashimi", which is made by boiling fish and then condensing it into jelly. When sliced, it trembles slightly like lake ice in early spring.

“I haven’t eaten it in years.”

Pei Yan was a little absent-minded for a moment.

Looking at the mist in the distance, Lu Beigu was also inspired.

He softly recited Han Hong's "Cold Food Festival" from the pre-Tang Dynasty: "Spring flowers are everywhere in the city, and the imperial willows are leaning in the east wind on Cold Food Festival."

"At dusk, candles were lit in the Han Palace, and light smoke drifted into the homes of the five marquises." Pei Yan's voice gradually lowered. "In Kaifeng, at dusk on the last day of the Cold Food Festival, the emperor would really send envoys to give the ministers new fire."

Lu Beigu's expression changed, and he asked tentatively, "My sister-in-law never told me why our family moved back to our hometown from Kaifeng?"

Pei Yan lowered her head and pursed her lips.

At this moment, the gate was suddenly knocked again.

"Who?"

"Madam Pei, it's me."

Pei Yan opened the door, and Aunt Wang came in with a basket on her shoulder, smiling widely, her eyes glancing at her.

Her eyes flicked back and forth between the snow yogurt and the crystal minced meat. She tutted twice and said, "If you ask me, Young Master Lu should have passed the imperial examination long ago. Madam Pei, you too, are hiding such a talented scholar. I've been worrying about this for nothing."

"Aunt Wang, what's the matter?"

"Blind, it's nothing urgent, just bringing you something."

Aunt Wang placed the basket of locust leaves on the stone table with a bit of heartache, and the willow leaf silver hairpins on her temples rustled.

"Eating locust leaves during the Cold Food Festival is good for removing toxins from the five internal organs. You can use them to make cold noodles."

After saying that, he left reluctantly.

"She's afraid that I'll hold a grudge against her." Lu Beigu sneered.

"This is the nature of people in the market who look down on the inferior and praise the superior. You don't have to take it to heart, or you'll end up living a tiring life."

Pei Yan shook her head and put the locust leaves under the tree.

After dinner, the family of four went out together. In the Song Dynasty, the Cold Food Festival and the Qingming Festival were not clearly distinguished, but the Cold Food Festival was much more important than the Qingming Festival, so they had to go to the graves to sweep the tombs the day before.

At this time, Gulin Town was shrouded in hazy morning mist.

According to custom, fire and cold food are prohibited during these three days. Wheat cakes and ring cakes prepared in advance are placed in front of every household, and willow branches are used to insert date cakes and placed on the door lintel.

However, you cannot burn paper money when visiting graves on the Cold Food Festival. Instead, paper money must be hung on the trees in the tomb, which is the so-called "breaking money".

Lu Beigu first helped Pei Yan clear the weeds around the graves of his parents and elder brother, and then placed funeral offerings in front of the graves.

A strong wind blew, and the coins were blown up by the mountain wind, like a group of gray butterflies that were suddenly startled and flew away.

The two children are sensible, but they don’t understand things that well.

At that time, they didn't know how terrible the separation of life and death was. They didn't feel sad when they saw the flying paper money, they just stared at it.

"Bei Gu's essay received the highest score." Pei Yan poured a cup of wine and poured it over the grave, her voice so soft it was barely audible. "The magistrate thought highly of him."

Under the roots of the tree next to it, a few clumps of newly grown rushes swayed gently in the wind.

This kind of rush has extremely strong vitality. Even if it is completely trampled into the mud, new shoots will grow after a rain.

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① Sophora japonica leaf cold noodles is a traditional cold food originated in the Tang Dynasty. It is made by mixing flour with sophora japonica leaf water, cutting it into cakes, strips, threads, etc., cooking it, and then rinsing it with cold water before eating. It was originally a palace food. "The Six Codes of the Tang Dynasty" records that "the Taiguan ordered the provision of sophora japonica leaf cold noodles in summer, and it was also provided to the meals of officials of the ninth rank and above at all court meetings and banquets." In the Song Dynasty, it evolved into a delicious summer snack in the market. The cooking methods in different places gradually became different. In addition to sophora japonica leaves, it can also be made with chamomile juice, or with mandarin fish, sea bass, and shrimp as toppings.

(End of this chapter)