Wei Ni

Chapter 104
Luoyang City at dusk is always lively and warm.

The smoke curling up from every household was colored by the setting sun; the common people hurried home after a day of business or labor, greeting acquaintances along the way, and being gently pulled by the breeze. while some old men and women walked out of the house, half blaming and half pampering loudly calling for their playful children to come back quickly.

But in the streets in the west of the city, at this time, there are horses and chariots coming.

Xia Houhui and the others who stood outside the small house to greet them felt overwhelmed.

Because when these chariots and horses came to the small house in an orderly manner, the servants who came with the chariots and horses could not help but move the money they brought to Xiahou Hui's house.As for the person dressed as a steward, he came to Xia Houhui and saluted with a smile on his cheeks, and said loudly, "The infantry captain congratulates General Xiahou on his wedding. A little gift is not a respect."

After saying that, he took a few steps back very modestly, and before Xia Houhui could answer, he turned around and led the chariot and horses away.

But Xia Houhui didn't have time to answer either.

As soon as the steward stepped aside, stewards from other families stepped forward to salute and congratulate him.

"Lieutenant Shesheng congratulates General Xiahou on his wedding"

"Shangshu's right servant shoots"

"General of the Guard."

"Scattered riding regular attendant."

"Leadership"

"The Inspector of Jingzhou."

Nearly ten families came to congratulate, nearly twenty horses and chariots, and all kinds of wealth or elegant things almost filled the courtyard of the small house.

Needless to say, these people must have been ordered by Emperor Cao Rui to congratulate them.

Cao Rui even prepared these fines and silks.

It seems that He Zhiren knew it.

For example, the right servant She Weizhen, the leader of the Central Committee Yang Ji, the general of the guard Jiang Ji, and Gao Tanglong, the regular servant of Sanqi, and others, although they all met and had an intersection with Xia Houhui, they were not friendly enough to give gifts to congratulate.

Especially to them, Xia Houhui is just a junior.

Even if it's for the sake of official career, sending people to congratulate should be in the name of the juniors in the family, how can it be in their own name~
And Guanqiu Jian, who was in a relationship with Xiahou Huiping, had already returned to Jingzhou.

How did he know the exact day Xia Houhui got married?

Not to mention Bian Lin, Captain of the Infantry, and Zhen Xiang, Captain of Shesheng.

Bian Lin is the second son of Mrs. Bian's younger brother Bian Bing, and Zhen Xiang is Mrs. Zhen's nephew. They are relatives of the emperor Cao Rui's grandmother and his biological mother. Neither of them had any intersection with Xia Houhui.

Moreover, when Emperor Wen Cao Pi was in power, he had explicitly prohibited foreign relatives from participating in politics.

Now, if it wasn't for the emperor Cao Rui's instruction, how could they take the initiative to make friends with Xiahou Huihexi~
Therefore, after He Xi's car drove away, when everyone returned to the house to have a banquet again, Chen Tai couldn't help saying with emotion, "I'm the best in my generation for the grandeur of the young and holy family."

Chen Qian, Fu Gu and others also echoed.

In this regard, Xia Houhui kept being humble, and did not forget to bow his hands to the north to pay tribute to the emperor.

After the banquet and everyone said their goodbyes and left, when he stood under the eaves with his hands behind his back and watched Uncle Sun and others sort out the congratulatory gifts, instead of showing joy on his face, he frowned slightly.

The emperor Cao Rui gave him too many favors today, which made him feel uneasy.

The so-called tree is beautiful in the forest, the wind will destroy it.

Although he recognized his identity as a lone minister a long time ago, he was just an insignificant person in the temple before, even if he was not liked by the public officials, he would not be retaliated against.Just like a cicada that keeps singing outside the courtyard in midsummer, it disturbs people's leisure and is very annoying, but it won't make people feel angry to kill it.

But now, he is already a backbone general.

It is a certainty that he will return to Luoyang, the capital, to take up a post in the near future. With the emperor Cao Rui's generous attitude, he will welcome the attention and vigilance of the public and officials.

In any case, he is the descendant of Qiao Pei, no different from the clan.

It is the cornerstone on which the emperor relies to consolidate the country.

And now he is mistaken for the initiator of the Emperor Cao Rui's rectification of the accumulated abuses in the farmland, but he will be regarded by the public officials as a knife in the hands of the Emperor.

It is a knife to fight against the ministers and rectify the current malpractices.

Therefore, the public officials and officials will always be on guard against this knife becoming sharp, and will even break the knife when they have the opportunity to make trouble.

Especially after today, he will be completely insoluble in the clan.

Previously, he was expelled from his family by his eldest brother Xia Houheng, and was disliked and alienated by some clans because he recommended Du Shu and refuted Cao Zhen's attack on Shu, which made the clan feel that he did not have the consciousness of being united; today's emperor Cao Rui His deeds will cause Cao Shuang, Xia Houxian and others to feel jealous towards him.

Yes, it is jealousy.

Because you don't suffer from widowhood, you suffer from inequality.

The emperor Cao Rui gave Xia Houhui more grace and authority, and naturally gave them less.

They are both clans, and the meritorious service of their fathers is no worse than Xia Houyuan's. Why does Xia Houhui, who became an official later and younger, get more honors?
Even if Xiahou Hui's army is slightly better than them, it should be on par with them.

If they come from behind, how can they be convinced!
This is why Xia Houhui frowned.

Of course, good luck and bad luck depend on each other, and everything has disadvantages and advantages.

Xia Houhui, who has always been worried that "time does not wait for me", has also been devoting himself to military merits in recent years, eager to enter the temple and have the right to speak above the court.The favor shown by the emperor Cao Rui today is like giving him a reassurance.

Moreover, he himself doesn't care much about the opinions of the officials and other clans.

It doesn't matter if there is no successor for the clan superintendent, or whether the nine-rank official system makes the noble family sit big, these are hidden dangers of Wei State, but the diseases of Cao Wei Sheji are not only these.

Why in history, the turmoil after Sima usurped the Cao Wei regime was only the three rebellions in Huainan?
And among them, only Guanqiu Jian is the real loyal minister of Cao Wei?
Its roots were planted as early as Wei Wu Cao Cao period.

Whether it was in the period when Wei Wu Cao Cao started his business, or later when he was seeking the foundation of the Han Dynasty, he admired the stick technique, ruled the people with violence, and conquered endlessly.After Cao Pi was established on behalf of the Han Dynasty, he still didn't know how to change, and the people were safe without age. It can be said that they have lost the hearts of the people for a long time!Now, since the emperor Cao Rui succeeded to the throne, extravagance prevailed, the farming system collapsed, and the scholars were like slaves; and with the rise of the noble families, the taxes were passed on to the common people, so that the foundation of the Cao Wei community was never strengthened.

In this way, even if Xia Houhui successfully stopped Cao Shuang and Sima Yi, it would only treat the symptoms but not the root cause.

If you want long-term peace and stability, you should carry out reforms to eliminate the accumulated evils and tedious policies, and spread favors widely; appoint talents and enable them, so that the scholars and common people can do their best.

Therefore, if Xiahou Huide takes power, he will naturally push for many changes.

More or less, it will also violate the interests of the gentry families and clan heroes, and sooner or later they will offend them.

So, why bother to care about their opinion.

Furthermore, what the government and the public now think of him is that he has an upright temperament, and he dared to face the ministers in front of the court even when he was humble. After the emperor Cao Rui showed his favor, some like-minded people will inevitably come to him.

In other words, it allowed him to lay a solid foundation for his path to power.

Help achieve what you want.

The only bad thing is that the timing is wrong.

It's too early.

His position is still in Shouchun, Huainan, and before he returned to Luoyang to take up his post, and before he had time to make arrangements, the emperor Cao Rui put him in front of the stage to attract the attention of the government and the public.

It is taboo to be honored without foundation.

It's like standing on the roof and falling down, at most it's just a broken bone, and it's over after recuperating.

But standing on the top of the mountain, if you fall down, you will be smashed to pieces!

There is no room for maneuver!

Ugh.
Looking at Uncle Sun and others sorting out the presents, Xia Houhui sighed quietly in his heart.

And Wang Yuanji was scrutinizing his expression carefully.

She had also stood under the eaves for a while, but Xia Houhui, who was lost in thought, never noticed it.

He seemed to be worried about something.

It's just that the emperor is so gracious, what else does he need to worry about?

Seeing Xia Houhui frowning solemnly, Wang Yuanji was also thinking in her heart, and after a while, she finally asked, "Is your husband worried?"

Her voice is a little low.

So much so that Xia Houhui, who woke up from his thoughts, didn't hear what she said clearly.

After regaining his senses, he couldn't help looking sideways at her and asked, "Xijun just now, are you asking me something?"

Wang Yuanji is not tall, about reaching Xiahouhui's neck; and Xiahouhui is very majestic, when the two stand side by side, she looks even weaker.

Therefore, when Xia Houhui asked back, his tone was as slow as possible, and his voice was very soft.

Lest it frighten her.

"It's nothing."

Maybe she felt Xia Houhui's kindness, she raised her head slightly and smiled, and then continued, "I just feel that my husband has a sad face. Well, is it because your majesty favors Tron, that you are worried about your husband?" ?”

"Ah."

Nodding his head, Xia Houhui also smiled and said, "It's not really worrying. It's just that 'a tree is beautiful in the forest, and the wind will destroy it'."

If a tree is beautiful in the forest, the wind will destroy it?
Hearing this, Wang Yuanji raised her eyebrows in surprise, then lowered her head and murmured a few times.

When he raised his head again, his smile was like a flower, his eyes were already full of luster, and he praised without hesitation, "My husband's words are thought-provoking. You deserve to be famous in Luoyang for your literary fame when you were young."

uh~
Does the allusion of Mu Xiu Yu Lin not exist yet?

Xia Houhui was taken aback for a moment.

After a while, he purposely put his hands behind his back and put his chest out, pretending to be smug, and said brazenly, "Of course! If I hadn't been well-versed in both civil and martial arts, and my talents were above the world, how could I have been recruited as the son-in-law of the Wang family!"

"Puchi~"

Wang Yuanji laughed out loud after hearing this.

He couldn't help lowering his head and covering his mouth with his hands, his brows were crooked, his face was reddish, half smiling and half shy.

"Hehe~"

She laughed a few times, and when she calmed down and raised her head again, Xia Houhui looked her in the eyes and continued, "I am not liked by the clan, and there are not many good friends in the capital, so that I can make you happy." Today there are few guests and the marriage is simple, I am ashamed of my gentleman."

"Well, it's okay."

Wang Yuanji, who answered, lowered her head again, her voice was like a gnat, "I don't care about this. All I need is my husband."

What do I need?
Hearing this, Xia Houhui was a little confused, and just about to ask a question, but found that she, who was just a little shy on her face, was faintly red in her ears at this moment.

Uh, does it mean, "As long as it's me, it's fine"?
Xia Houhui raised his eyebrows and smiled at the corner of his mouth, but he was only thinking about asking.

Instead, he talked about other things in a soft voice, "I saw that Xijun was quite familiar with making tea that day, so he probably likes tea too?"

"Well, my father doesn't drink alcohol, but likes to drink tea. When I was learning how to make tea, I also tasted how it tasted, and gradually got used to drinking tea."

This time Wang Yuanji's voice was very crisp.

After answering, he added a sentence following the Huatou, "it seems that my husband doesn't like tea."

"It's not that I don't like it."

Shaking his head slightly, Xia Houhui smiled and said, "Although I usually drink alcohol, I don't dislike drinking tea. It's just that I drink tea, not tea soup. Well, what's the difference? I can't tell for a while. If I have free time in the future, I will brew the tea soup, and Xi Jun will know it once he tastes it."

Drinking tea?

And is it soaked instead of boiled?
Faced with such remarks that were completely opposite to those who drink tea in the current world, Wang Yuanji's face was full of puzzlement, and her eyes were full of splendor.

"it is good."

She responded softly, and she stopped talking.

Because at this time, Uncle Sun, who had already recorded all the congratulatory gifts in the courtyard and sent all the servants and maidservants back to the other room, walked over, saluted and said, "Liu Lang, my lady, the congratulatory gifts from each family have been arranged properly."

"Okay, thank you Uncle Sun."

Xia Houhui nodded, and said with a smile, "Great them to have evening food. You can eat wine and meat, don't be restrained." After a pause, he added, "By the way, Uncle Sun, don't forget to give everyone Someone send some bounties."

"Ok."

Uncle Sun left as promised, and cheers resounded in the small house.

At this time, a little maid walked over quickly and bowed to Xia Houhui, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated to speak, she just peeked at Wang Yuanji.

Well, she is Wang Yuanji's dowry maid, she is only twelve years old and has a tender face.

But Wang Yuanji, whom she had sneaked a few glances at, ignored her, let alone looking at Xia Houhui, and lowered her head, grabbing her sleeves and kneading them.

Because it was already dusk at this time.

The guests have already left, and even the servants have gone to eat at night, so it is time for the couple to continue the marriage process.

For this, Xia Houhui was well aware of it.

With a smile, he stretched out his hand and fiddled with the wedding tassel tied to Wang Yuanji's E'e cloud bun, and then he took Wang Yuanji's hand, and walked slowly towards the new house in the back room.

To, husband and wife sit together.

The dowry maid brought a small pottery tripod filled with lamb meat from the outside, and placed it gently between the two of them.

The two share food with bamboo chopsticks, which is a ceremony of "community in prison".

Immediately, each holds a Hebei cup facing each other and drinks; drink half of it, and then drink it up after exchanging. This is the ceremony of "Heyi".

After drinking, Xia Houhui leaned forward, reached out and untied Wang Yuanji's wedding tassel from Wang Yuanji's hairpin; picked up the small dagger on the table, cut off a strand of each other's hair, and handed it to the maid to comb together with the wedding tassel, hiding it Store in a container.

This is the ceremony of "untying tassels and knotting hair".

After finishing these, the dowry maid walked out of the back room quickly and closed the door from the outside.

Outside the door, the servants and maidservants who received rewards drank wine and ate meat, laughing and talking.

(End of this chapter)