Wei Ni

In mid-winter and November, Xia Houhui returned to Luoyang.

Returning again after a year, it feels like nothing has changed in the capital.

Even the faint earthquake that shook the roof tiles a few days ago did not affect the life of this city. It was still the bustle of officials, nobles, carriages and horses, and the bustle of scholars and common people.

But when Xia Houhui and Ding Mi came to settle down in the small house in the west of the city, they discovered the change.

He did not recognize his own house.

His original home in the city was a gift from his uncle Wang Su when he got married. It was just a small house with a courtyard and three or four rooms on the second floor.

But what caught my eyes now was a magnificent mansion with a large area, a very high lintel, and red and red couplets engraved on it. Standing outside, you can see the many floors of buildings in the mansion, and the side of the mansion in front of the door. There is also a double-eaves verandah-style stone platform with the words "Bochang Pavilion Houfu" engraved on it, which looks extremely majestic and graceful.

Even the Anning Tinghou Mansion of his eldest brother Xia Houheng cannot compare.

The only thing not beautiful is that there are no servants standing in front of the mansion, and there is no concierge to greet him.

Is this my home?

When did I become so flashy and prodigal? I am so rich!

Regarding Gao Di, why didn't my family write a letter to tell me?
Xia Houhui stopped outside the door of the mansion, but did not step in for a long time.

Ding Mi, who also stopped with his horse, was amazed and said with emotion, "Zhiquan is so favored by the emperor, it's extraordinary."

Needless to say, when he saw the words "Bochangtinghou Mansion", he knew that this mansion was built recently by Emperor Cao Rui for Xia Houhui.

Well, not bad.

Qin Lang's mansion is no less impressive.

And as soon as he was awarded the official title and had no great achievements, the emperor Cao Rui gave him a high rank.

It’s just that, with such a big house, how many people do I have to support and how much money do I need to maintain it?
Xia Houhui said to himself in a very hopeless tone. He turned his head and smiled at Ding Mi, then he opened the door and walked in.

As expected, the mansion was empty and lifeless.

But soon someone heard the sound, and a figure appeared from the corridor. It was the steward Sun Lou.

"The master of the family is back!"

As he walked out in a hurry, he was stunned for a moment, almost staggering and falling, then he let out a cry of surprise, and sighed with relief, "The master of the house is finally back!"

Huh?
What happened?
Hearing this, Xia Houhui couldn't help but feel a little strange.

And Sun Lou, who was born in a family, had no taboos and started pouring out his grievances without waiting for him to ask questions.

For example, after the mansion was completed, many people came to visit one after another, asking about the date of Xia Houhui's return and the congratulatory gifts. Although Sun Lou rejected them one by one because the head of the family was away, he still couldn't stop the enthusiasm of a follower. I was disturbed quite a bit.

For example, Xia Houhui's family currently has a serious shortage of servants.

With only fifty households, he was busy farming during the busy farming season, and helping with papermaking, ink-making and other matters during the slack farming season. In addition, he had previously purchased the Shiquan Pine Forest, built a thatched cottage, planted fruit trees, and repaired running water. Tingluo, what the hell, there's no way anyone can be spared to take care of this mansion in Luoyang City.

Although there was nothing in the mansion, Sun Lou could take care of it by himself, but seeing the number of fallen leaves and weeds increasing day by day in the mansion, he felt really uncomfortable with the guilt of wasting everything~
Besides, he also has something to do.

In his eldest brother Xia Houheng's horse-trading business, he helped carry the deer glue and planned profits, etc., but it was he who took care of it.

He was so busy that he lost a lot of weight in the past two months.

There were many more trivial things like this, which made Xia Houhui smile as he listened.

"Okay, okay, stop complaining."

Waving his hand, Xia Houhui nodded and smiled, "In two days, I will ask your father to mobilize two people. Well, this is my cousin Ding Mi and Ding Yanjing, who will live with me from now on. Just now you said it was time to welcome us. Let him take care of the delivery."

After saying that, he introduced Ding Mi, "This is Sun Lou, the steward, who takes care of everything in the house with his father and uncle. If Yan Jing needs anything, just look for him. Well, all the houses in this mansion In the courtyard, Yan Jing can choose to live in it. I will go to the palace to thank you and report my return. You two can be at ease."

"only."

"Okay, let's go on our own."

There was no talk all the way to the Sima Gate of the South Gate.

When he asked the soldiers on duty to pass the message, Xia Houhui thought for a while and then asked the commander to report to the military office first, and then go to see the emperor. After all, the report is just a matter of recording your name, but the length of time you have to meet him is not under his control.

His official position is still a backbone general, and he still belongs to the commander of the central army. Although it is only in name and Xia Houxian has no power to instruct him, the reporting and other procedures still go through the central commander.

However, after he waited silently for a moment, it was the emperor's attendant who led him in.

Xiahou Xian is with the emperor now?
Xia Houhui was a little confused and looked up at the sky.

It is not yet noon, and it is the time when the emperor is in charge of the East Hall. For example, Xia Houxian and the military guard general Cao Shuang should be on duty outside the East Hall.

And the attendant did not lead him to the east hall, but to the Ganoderma Pond.

Ganoderma lucidum pool is located behind the court and on the right side of Lingyuntai. It was excavated and built in the third year of Huangchu (222) by Emperor Wen Cao Pi. It is one hundred and fifty paces long and two feet deep. There is a flying viewing tower on the top, four pavilions and fishing platforms, and in the center there is a crane boat and a guide boat.

It also often served as a place where the emperor and his courtiers could travel and have fun together.

However, he was already at the Ganoderma lucidum pond before noon. Could it be that Emperor Cao Rui has neglected his government now?
With a vague understanding, Xia Houhui went to the pool and happened to see the emperor Cao Rui and his ministers on the boating pool, drinking wine, singing, and laughing. Some people seemed to have drunk too much, and they took off their hats and pulled them apart while they were drunk. The clothes and dancing people are screaming something, which is quite bohemian. It's like taking cold food powder.

Could that drunk guy be Wei Wu's pretender He Yan?

"General Xiahou, your majesty has just said that if the general arrives, he will go there in a small boat to have fun."

An attendant came over with a small boat and saluted Xia Houhui.

"No."

Seeing the smoky scene, Xia Houhui refused without thinking, "You can confess to His Majesty on my behalf. Just say that I drowned several times when I was young, and now I am still as afraid of water as a tiger and dare not float on a boat."

Uh?
Such an answer left the attendant speechless for a moment.

Perhaps, he never thought that someone would dare to directly reject the emperor's wishes.

But he didn't dare to say anything more.

After being stunned for a moment, he finally responded, rowed over to Chi Xin, and reported to the imperial ship.

There was no fear on Xia Houhui's face. He just stood upright by the pool, squinting his eyes to observe the changes on the ship.

People who are good at shooting have excellent eyesight and ears.

So he also discovered that since the attendant approached the royal ship and bowed to answer the emperor, everyone on the originally noisy ship fell silent, and even the drunken people were restrained by the people around them.

Then, a few people approached the emperor and seemed to be saying something. They shook their heads and raised their arms in an exaggerated manner, showing their indignation, but Cao Rui did not react.

After a while, Emperor Cao Rui got up and got off the imperial ship alone, and took a small boat to the Gedao Diaoyutai.

The attendant who had just come to summon him to the boat rowed towards him quickly. Before he arrived, he shouted, "General Xiahou, your Majesty ordered the general to move to the Diaoyutai."

"only."

In response, Xia Houhui hurriedly walked around the pool, but in the end he was not as fast as Cao Rui in the small boat.

When he entered the fishing platform in the pavilion, Cao Rui, who had a lot of wine stains on his clothes and cuffs and slightly messy hair, was already sitting there, looking at him with his head slightly raised.

It was obvious that he was very unhappy with Xiahou Hui's behavior.

Especially when he was in Huainan last time, he also learned that Xiahou Hui was sending troops to Huaiyin, and he had to go back and forth by boat.

In the summer and autumn when the Huaihe River surges, people dare to float on boats, but now when faced with a small pool, they actually disobeyed orders in public and claimed that they were "fearful of water like a tiger"! ?

"I, General Hui of Zhongjian, pay my respects to Your Majesty."

Xiaozhi walked in, knelt down and sat upright, while Xia Houhui bowed and paid homage.

Emperor Cao Rui did not speak immediately, but looked at him for a moment, and then asked in a cold voice, "Zhiquan is afraid of tiger evil? Or is it me?"

"Return to your majesty, all ministers will be afraid of you."

After hearing this, Xia Houhui responded respectfully, "It's just that if the tiger wants to bite Chen Hui, Chen Hui will fight hard; if your majesty wants to kill Chen Hui, Chen Hui will just wait to be killed."

"Um"

This answer made Cao Rui's face light up.

But after hesitating for a moment, he finally couldn't help but scolded, "I was just in an occasional mood, having fun with my close friends, and there was nothing out of line. If Zhiquan doesn't want to join in the fun, just say thank you politely, why would you disobey me?" Put an end to my evil deeds!”

"Chen Hui is terrified."

After bowing his head and confessing his crime, Xia Houhui showed no trace of shame on his face and said loudly, "Your Majesty, the promise of a thousand people is not as good as the care of one man. I have few talents, little knowledge, and no virtue. I only dare to die because I dare to speak out." Just serving you."

you!
Involuntarily, Cao Rui raised his eyebrows again.

But after his chest rose and fell rapidly several times, he finally sighed helplessly.

After being the king for many years, he knew that there was a difference between ministers and ministers.

For example, he cannot ask for a minister who is pragmatic and can benefit the country, but also has the character to please the emperor.

Moreover, compared with the previous "A Fang Gong Fu", Xia Houhui now just said "fear water like a tiger", and he has already restrained his temper.

Alas, that’s all.

Shuzi should not force too much on this.

Emperor Cao Rui, who had forgiven himself for a while, relieved his dissatisfaction. When he asked Xia Houhui to get up and take his seat, he changed his words, "Child Quan is dusty and dirty, and he doesn't know how to take a bath and tidy up his appearance before meeting the king." ?”

"Your Majesty, if you don't know the truth, I won't dare to hear it."

Xia Houhui, who sat down as he was told, showed a smile and said, "When I returned to the capital, I learned that your Majesty gave me a high rank for me. I felt so deeply about it that I didn't dare to neglect it. If I take a shower and tidy up my appearance before thanking you, I won't be able to show my favor." Extremely grateful.”

"How dare Shuzi make such lies! Hahaha~"

This also made Cao Rui feel better immediately. He laughed and cursed, and then asked jokingly, "I have given him a high rank. Are you happy about it?" (End of this chapter)