The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

The two of them headed to Su's House at Desheng Bridge in the same car. The sound of firecrackers was still heard along the way, and the sound of gongs and drums was heard from time to time in the streets and alleys. There were even crowds of people gathered and discussing. It seemed that there was really a happy event.

Su Jin asked in surprise: "What day is it today? Why is the street so lively?"

Ouyang Xiu frowned and thought for a while, "Today is not a holiday, so I am also very puzzled." Suddenly Ouyang Xiu slapped his thigh and said, "Oh, I forgot! Today is the day when the Beijing East-West Road Jiefang Test will be released. Let’s try, these people are here to celebrate, yes! It must be like this.”

Su Jin said in amazement: "Release the list? Didn't you say that the list will be released on the [-]th? Today... oops, today is the [-]th. I forgot about it. I didn't send anyone to the Gongyuan to look at the list in the morning, so I don't know if I won or not. .”

Ouyang Xiu laughed and said: "Your brother must be in high school. Yesterday he was seated at the same table with Mr. Pan Guangqi, the transfer envoy of Jingdong Road. He is the chief examiner of Jingdong East Road this year, and he is also in charge of marking and judging. He said at the banquet that the standards of this year's exams are average. In previous years, there were three outstanding candidates whose poems, prose and questions were all amazing, but they had not been ranked, and he did not know the names of those candidates, and had already sent the test papers of the three to the Ministry of Rites for discussion Judging the rankings, maybe your brother Su is among them." [

Su Jin waved his hands and said with a smile: "Lord Ouyang, don't cancel it. Whether you can win is a question, let alone be among the top three, or don't want to. It is serious to marry Miss Yan home as soon as possible. Young talents are like crucian carp crossing the river." , don’t accidentally let others snatch it.”

Ouyang Xiu pointed at Su Jin and laughed loudly: "Steal your wife? Is this man desperate? Besides, which young talent has the ability of my brother? Ten champions can't compare with my brother."

Su Jin knew that it was a compliment, but she couldn't help but feel flustered, and the two looked at each other incredulously.

The car passed the Desheng Bridge and drove towards the alley where Su's house was located. The carriage stopped suddenly and almost hit Su Jin and Ouyang Xiu in the car against the wall of the car. He reprimanded loudly: "Little Zhuzi, what kind of carriage are you driving? Are you going to kill someone?"

Xiao Zhuzi jumped out of the carriage, opened the curtain and smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry, Mr. Ouyang, the front is blocked and the entrance of the alley is blocked. It seems that something happened."

Surprised, Su Jin hurriedly asked: "What direction, is it from our house?"

Xiao Sui'er stood on the shaft of the car and looked forward, and replied: "Master, it seems to be our house, the alley is full of people, one of them is blocked by the river, and they can't get in half a step ahead."

Su Jin was startled, and thought to himself: Is this old dog Xia Song making trouble again?Don't make mistakes in the family, if a lot of people are killed or injured, it is really unbearable.

He hurriedly said to Ouyang Xiu: "My lord, stay in the car first, and go down to see what happened."

Ouyang Xiu said: "I'll go to see it with you." After saying that, he got out of the car first.

Su Jin couldn't help but he got out of the carriage, looked up, and sure enough, as Xiao Zhuzi said, there were dense crowds from the gate of his house all the way to the Bianshui River, and the people behind were still gathering and squeezing forward. Not sure what happened.

Su Jin stretched out his hand to grab a commoner who was trotting forward and said, "Brother, what happened?"

The commoner gave him a blank look and said: "It's nothing, you son and brother also came to compete with us for reward money, it's really outrageous."

Su Jin was scorned for no reason, and couldn't figure it out, so he hurriedly asked, "What reward?"

"Cut! The junior high school surnamed Su in the house is Xie Yuan, a new division on the East-West Road in Beijing this year. How dare you say that you are not here to receive the reward? Don't hold me, and before Xie Yuangong shows up, I will hurry up Good location to go."

Su Jin's mind buzzed, and suddenly it went blank. He grabbed the man's sleeve tightly and said, "What, say it again?"

"Well, you are really, don't pull me, you can't get the money in a while, you have to accompany me."

Su Jin let go of the man's sleeve, and the man rolled his eyes and ran forward, straight into the crowd.

Xiao Sui'er and Xiao Zhuzi grinned and laughed happily, while Su Jin stood there blankly, with mixed emotions in his heart, both joy and sadness. [

"How? I'm right. Congratulations to Brother Su. Congratulations to Brother Su. He really lived up to everyone's expectations and won the first prize. Listen, the sound of firecrackers and gongs and drums are starting to sound. It must be the people who announce the good news are urging you. The master has come out to meet you, let's go."

Ouyang Xiu laughed, and walked forward holding Su Jin's hand. The crowd was so dense that he couldn't get in, so he heard the sound of firecrackers and gongs and drums inside. Nuo: "Congratulations to the senior official of Su Zhai Su Yujin, Jie Yuan, the head of the east and west roads in high school, I am here to send a letter of congratulations, and I sincerely invite Xie Yuangong to come out and meet."

At the entrance, Wang Chao Mahan blocked the entrance to prevent people from entering. Huanniang stood in the middle and explained with a smile: "My son-in-law hasn't come back yet, please wait a moment, the reward is being prepared, and all the villagers are indispensable."

Someone shouted: "Su Jieyuan is so lucky, Mrs. Xie Yuan is also a prosperous woman. In the future, Mr. Xie Yuan will surely rise steadily."

Huanniang was mistaken for Mrs. Xie Yuan, her face blushed, and she said repeatedly: "Thank you all neighbors and folks, don't be impatient, I will send someone to find my son and come back immediately."

Seeing so many people gathered, waiting for a long time, and Su Jin not coming back, Wang Chao was a little anxious; what Wang Chao was most worried about was that someone would secretly follow and make trouble when there were many people. Be very careful.

"Miss Huanniang, why don't I go find the son-in-law, and let Ma Han, Zhao Hu, Zhang Long and other brothers take care of me here. Don't teach anyone to enter the house. If it doesn't work, I will reward you first."

Huanniang said: "But it's up to Brother Wang to decide. You go to find the young master. He went to Ouyang Zhongcheng's mansion. Don't waste your time."

Wang Chao said: "I can save it."

Turning his head to give a few words, he stepped on the firecracker paper all over the floor and squeezed out; just a few steps out, he heard Xiao Sui'er's voice from the outside of the crowd shouting: "Brother Dynasty, we are a son, you can't squeeze outside!" Come in, get us in quickly."

Wang Chao was overjoyed, and hurriedly turned his head to call Ma Han and Zhao Hu to come over. The three of them crushed all the way, causing countless white eyes and cursing, and finally made a bloody road to join Su Jin and others.

"Everyone give way, Xie Yuangong is back, let's make way." Someone recognized Su Jin and shouted, the crowd suddenly became commotion, and turned their heads to look around.

Dynasty Ma Han Zhao Hu formed an iron triangle to protect Su Jin and others. Xiao Zhuzi bravely took the lead with a whip in his hand. Several people squeezed in and soon became the focus of everyone's attention.

"That's Duke Xie Yuan, that's Duke Xie Yuan, that's right, I know him, and I pass by this alley every day." Someone shouted loudly.

Su Jin clasped his arms and said with a smile: "Fellow folks, I'm being polite to Su Jin. Thank you for your love. How about making a way out? Don't step on it and don't hurt it. Thank you very much."

The crowd responded one after another: "Duke Xie Yuan, congratulations, congratulations."

Su Jin smiled back and said: "We are happy together, thank you very much."

The crowd finally gave way spontaneously, and Su Jin and Ouyang Xiu finally arrived at the door safely. Huanniang patted her chest in relief and said, "Master, you are back."

Su Jin patted her hand as a sign of comfort, then turned to all the people in and out of the alley and said, "Fellow folks, everyone who sees has a share, and everyone has a reward, but the humble house is too small to invite you in for tea, how about it, I Order people to take you to Linshuiju to set up dozens of tables. Please sit down for a while. Don’t leave at noon when you can see Su Jin. Don't care about the good wine, how about getting drunk and full after eating and drinking, how about a red envelope for each person before going out?"

Everyone applauded, there is a reward and a big meal, this Xie Yuangong is generous enough, and after a while, Tolerance will have to send an official document from the Ministry of Gifts to notify him. When Tolerance arrives, he and others will not be popular. So they all agreed.

Su Jin asked Zhao Hu to take all the people to Linshuiju, wrapped up all the upper and lower tabletops, and held a feast to reward the neighbors.

After sending everyone away, Su Jin breathed a sigh of relief, looking back at everyone at home, everyone looked at each other and laughed, all of them were very happy. [

Ouyang Xiu said with a smile: "It seems that there is no way to send the betrothal gift today, and I will have to wait a few days before I can be a matchmaker."

Su Jin said: "Why don't you go? It's early in the afternoon, and the bride price is ready-made, so let's go right away."

Ouyang Xiu laughed and said, "Can you still leave? The Ministry of Rites will send official documents from the high school in a while, and officials who are acquainted with each other will come to congratulate in a while. How can you leave?"

Su Jin said in amazement: "This is really not the time for Xie Yuanzhong, I have an appointment with the Yan family."

Ouyang Xiu rolled his eyes and said: "Others want to go to high school, but today you got the first place in the test and you still complained, and those who failed to hear it will drown you with saliva; how about it, you treat guests at home , the old man brought a dowry to help you matchmaker, if you are not present, the Yan family will not be too fussy, but just ask someone from the family to go with me."

Su Jin cupped his hands and said: "So, Mr. You Lao has worked hard. I will let Huanniang go with you. Huanniang is my Su family. She can decide what to do."

Ouyang Xiu laughed and said, "Today is your brother's double happiness day, as the so-called 'bridal chamber wedding night, the time of the gold list', the two great joys in life, your brother monopolizes them today."