The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

(Thanks to Taoist Yehe for donating!)

Su Jin waited on her till evening. Although Yan Biyun was seriously ill, she never forgot Rou Niang's illness, and urged Su Jin to go back and take care of Rou Niang. Home.

In the evening, after the rain, the sky is sunny and the sky is full of colorful clouds.

In the car, Su Jin breathed the fresh fragrance of flowers and trees after the rain, and her mood improved greatly. One of them was unconscious at home, and one of them was sick in Yan's house. This day was extremely debilitating. At this moment, he could finally breathe a sigh of relief. At least Yan Biyun The disease should be a serious obstacle.

In the early morning of the next day, Su Jin changed his slumbering appearance, got up early and played some fists and kicks in the yard with Wang Chao Ma Han and others, then bathed and shaved, regained his head and face, and after breakfast, ordered Xiao Sui'er to prepare a generous gift and sit down. Get on the carriage and go straight to Ouyang Xiu's mansion. [

Walking on the street, but hearing the sound of firecrackers, it seemed that there were many wedding events on the street. Su Jin wanted to find out why, and went straight to Ouyang Xiu's mansion.

Ouyang Xiu has not yet returned from the court, but the housekeeper at home is very polite, especially after reading Su Jin's famous post, knowing that this is Mr. Su who has made great contributions to Yangzhou and Luzhou with his lord, he is immediately respectful and respectful. He was able to do something, and asked the handyman to wait for Ouyang Xiu outside the palace gate, fearing that Ouyang Xiu would have something else to do.

When Chunyang rose to a height of two or three feet, Ouyang Xiu hurried back, and as soon as he entered his courtyard, he shouted: "Master Su, oh... I've kept you waiting for so long, I'm so rude, why didn't you send someone to let me know in advance?" Let me tell you, I will ask for leave today and not go to court."

Su Jin thought: This Ouyang Xiu is so cute, why don't you go to court just because of me?But even though the words were false, they really nourished people's hearts, so he got up and saluted and said with a smile: "How dare you delay Ouyang Zhongcheng's official duties, I'm just asking for some private affairs."

"Speaking of which, your brother's business is my Ouyang Xiu's business. Sit down, Lao He, go and make a cup of new tea for Mr. Su. The distinguished guests will naturally want good tea." Ouyang Xiu laughed.

The housekeeper hurriedly said: "My lord, it's already brewed, and that's what I want to drink."

Ouyang Xiu raised his eyebrows and said: "Old He is always prudent in his work. Yesterday when Master Chen, the Shaoqing of Dali Temple, came, Lao He was not willing to make new tea. It seems that Brother Su has a lot more face than him."

Su Jin laughed and said: "Isn't it true that Ouyang Zhongcheng looks down on me? I always help my subordinates to take care of me. I have been wanting to come to Beijing for more than two months, and I have no time to spare. Today I am here to make amends, Sui Er , go out and ask Xiao Zhuzi to bring over some gadgets we prepared on the carriage."

Xiao Sui'er agreed bluntly, turned around and went out, and after a while Xiao Zhuzi came in with a big box in his arms, looking cautious, there must be something valuable in the box.

Ouyang Xiu said with a straight face: "Brother, do you still need these between us? Take it away, I can't take your things."

Su Jin smiled and said: "Lord Ouyang has a clean sleeve, as the chief official of Yushitai, he naturally has to lead by example, but I am not giving you any gold and silver treasures to bribe you, just some tasteful gadgets, if you want to put them in my place It’s just ruining it and handing it over to the adults, that’s what you get.”

Ouyang Xiu's appetite was whetted, and he just smiled and didn't speak. Su Jin smiled and opened the box with his own hands, but Ouyang Xiu was dazzled when he saw all kinds of objects in the box.

Su Jin stretched out his finger and pointed: "I have heard that Ouyang Zhongcheng has a brilliant literary talent, and he is also a master in writing poems and lyrics. I have a half-foot Duan inkstone, three boxes of high-quality Hui ink, eighteen large and small lake pens, and three rice paper knives in my collection. Where I am, it is a bright pearl that casts a dark shadow, in the hands of Ouyang Zhongcheng, it will write an article that reflects the past and the present, let me read it happily, please be sure to accept it."

Ouyang Xiu originally thought it was some gold, silver and jewelry, and he would not accept such things. First of all, Ouyang Xiu was not greedy for money, and Yushitai was always talking about the corruption of officials, so how could he take the lead in collecting them? In terms of bribery, he added 120 four cautions; but Su Jin's move hit his weakness directly. Although Ouyang Xiu's reputation in the court was not good, it did not hinder his first-rate literary talents. When everyone has to give thumbs up, in the final analysis he is just a literati.

What literati like most is of course the things in the study room. The more great the writer is, the more he pays attention to these things; You can ignore it, but you must have some spare money in your pocket and add a few dice; while addicts can ignore everything, but they must have things to entertain; this.

Su Jin still didn't give up, still pointing to the things in the box one by one and said: "This is a three-color pen holder... Jun kiln's brush washer, this is a brush lick... this is Shuicheng... inkstone drop... This is Baiyu's paperweight...the inkstone screen...the ink bed...Zijin's paper knife..."

Ouyang Xiu couldn't breathe, his eyes were wide open, this is really the complete set of study that he dreamed of, although he also has these things in his study, but there are very few of them that meet this standard, he can take any of them and put them in his study There are more complete sets; I was quite satisfied with the study rooms I collected, but now, it looks like a frog at the bottom of a well, which is extremely ridiculous.

Su Jin saw Ouyang Xiu's expression in his eyes, and secretly smiled in his heart. Although Ouyang Xiu tried his best to cover up, his expression could be disguised, but his eyes could not.

In fact, Su Jin's invitation to Ouyang Xiu to protect the media was a deliberate act of soliciting. Although Ouyang Xiu spoke for himself several times in the hall, Su Jin was always worried about this person; just like Zhao Zhen suddenly learned that he had opened a warehouse to release food Similarly, Su Jin always felt that Ouyang Xiu was the one who informed the secret. [

Regardless of whether he informs or not, Ouyang Xiu still wants to win him over. He told the emperor that he still has a way to survive. If he spreads his big mouth in the court, he will have no way to survive; Ouyang Xiu himself is also disadvantaged, but after all, he is not the main culprit, and Su Jin can only lose his head, so whether it is asking Ouyang Xiu to protect the matchmaker or giving these important gifts, it is all Su Jin's way to win over and block the mouth. These things have long been wanted to do But at this moment, he just took the opportunity of asking him to protect the media to give it away, and others can criticize it.

"This...it's too precious...I...I can't...accept it." Ouyang Xiu's tongue couldn't straighten.

Su Jin smiled and said, "What is this? It's nothing compared to how the adults take care of the subordinates. By the way, there is a small stone here, which was pressed under the box, and I almost forgot about it."

Su Jin carefully took out a small wooden box the size of a palm from under the box, and after gently opening it, there lay a bright yellow stone about one and a half fingers long and about the size of a pigeon's egg; Su Jin took out the stone and handed it to Ouyang Xiu He said in his hand: "The lower official prepared a seal. I wanted to find someone to help my lord engrave it, but when I thought that my lord was proficient in the art of gold and stone, other people's engraving would be unsatisfactory, so I brought the stone intact; Zhongcheng Take a look, sir, is it worth using?"

Ouyang Xiu's heart was beating wildly. He held the stone and looked left and right. He got up and went to the entrance of the hall. He raised the stone up to the sun and watched it carefully. But under the sun, the whole stone had a golden halo, and it seemed to be stagnant. As transparent as it is, it looks gentle and noble, extraordinary.

Ouyang Xiu quickly turned around, came to Su Jin's side and said, "This... what kind of jade is this?"

Su Jin smiled and said: "You are a master of gold and stone, but you came to ask me. In my opinion, it is just a yellow stone that can't be used for building walls and can't be killed by hitting people."

Ouyang Xiu knew in his heart that this was the top-quality Shoushan Tian Huangshi. The legend in the world that "one tael of Tian Huangshi, ten thousand taels of snowflake silver" is a bit exaggerated, but the preciousness of this kind of stone is rare in the world. Not cheap.

Ouyang Xiu had a heart to say, but this is exactly what he dreamed of, no matter what else, but this stone is worth more than 20 guan, plus these other things, the total price exceeds [-] guan, Su Jin gave it away at once Such a huge gift for me, what is this asking me to do?Could it be that there is something wrong with the law that he needs to excuse for him?

If you love it, you love it, Ouyang Xiu has a heart, ask first before talking, don't be dragged into the pit by this kid again just because of the 20 pennies.

"This...brother Su is so kind, I am really ashamed to be an official. Just now you asked me to help you with something. I don't know what it is?"

Su Jin knew that Ouyang Xiu had learned to be good, and this time he didn't see the rabbits and would not scatter the eagles, so he cupped his hands and said, "I want to ask Ouyang Zhongcheng to help me as a matchmaker, and ask Yan Sansi to hire Miss Yan's family as my wife. I have thought about civil and military matters, and only Ouyang Zhongcheng is suitable, so today I sincerely come here to ask for permission."

Ouyang Xiudao: "That's it?"

Su Jin said: "That's all, don't ask for anything."

Ouyang Xiu said unwillingly: "Is there nothing else?"

Su Jin said: "Master Ouyang is not willing?"

Ouyang Xiu heaved a sigh of relief, and said with a smile: "How could you not want to? It's my honor. You and the daughter of the Yan family are a match made in heaven. I thought the emperor would come to protect the matchmaker, but I didn't expect it But this honor, unspoken, rests on me."

Su Jin bowed to the bottom and said: "I am very grateful. I am already preparing the dowry at my home. Why don't my lord follow me to the humble house, and then I will order someone to carry the dowry to follow you to the Yan Mansion for the dowry?"

Ouyang Xiu said in astonishment, "Is it today?"

Su Jin said: "It's better to hit the sun than to choose the day, so why not today?"

Ouyang Xiu laughed loudly and said, "You are so anxious, are you afraid that the daughter of the Yan family will fly away?"

Su Jin smiled and stretched out his hand and said, "My lord, please move!" [

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