The new era of chaos begins in the Song Dynasty

Chapter 456: Smell the Green Plum

Zhang Lei and Li Xi's visit really surprised Li Gefei and his daughter, but Li Gefei and Li Qingzhao really didn't understand why they were so high-profile?

It should be noted that Zhang Lei and Li Qingzhao were friends regardless of age difference. It was Zhang Lei who helped Li Qingzhao become famous for her poetic talent in Bianliang. Although they were not father and daughter, their friendship was comparable.

There is no need to say much about Li Xi. He and Li Gefei have a mutual understanding. Although they are not close friends, they are almost like that.

Now the two of them made the home visit so ceremonial that Li Gefei was quite confused.

The next day, in full view of everyone, Zhang Lei and Li Xi came to Li's house in their best attire. Li Gefei sent his nephew Li Jiong (son of Li Gefei's elder brother Li Shuhe) to wait outside the main gate of the Li's house to receive them respectfully according to etiquette.

Li Jiong greeted the two men as a junior, and then respectfully led them in through the main gate.

When they arrived in front of the hall, Li Gefei came out and was about to greet his two close friends, but he was so surprised that he almost lost his manners.

There was no other reason, it was just that the appearance of Zhang Lei and Li Xi shocked Li Gefei so much.

You have to know that Li Gefei and Zhang Lei are only one or two years apart in age, and Li Xi is about the same age. The three of them have been encouraging each other since they were young. Now they are all in their fifties, and it is natural for their hair and beards to be gray and their bodies to be old and decayed.

However, the two good friends who appeared in front of Li Gefei at this time looked just as young as they did twenty or thirty years ago.

Or it should be said that these two guys did not have such a transcendent and handsome temperament when they were young.

Zhang Lei and Li Xi looked at Li Gefei's shocked expression, but they both burst into laughter at the same time.

The three people are so familiar with each other that even though Zhang Lei and Li Xi returned to their youth, Li Gefei still found the most familiar thing in them - friendship.

Of course, facing his two good friends who were as energetic as young men, Li Gefei couldn't help but feel envious.

He asked his doubts without hesitation: "I only heard that you two disappeared separately, but how did you become like this? Could it be that you met an immortal?"

Li Gefei only asked the question, but Li Jiong, who was acting as a servant beside him, had already pricked up his ears, his gossip spirit and curiosity burning in him.

Zhang Lei was not stupid enough to say something so important in public, so he laughed and said, "I didn't expect that a gentleman like Brother Wenshu would actually believe in immortals and gods? I don't have any affinity with immortals, but I do have affinity with Zhu Chen right now."

Li Gefei was stunned. The relationship between Zhu and Chen?

Li Gefei was a top figure in the world who was well-read in poetry and books, so of course he would understand what Zhang Lei meant.

The so-called Zhu-Chen theory comes from the five-character ancient poem "Zhu-Chen Village" by Bai Juyi of the early Tang Dynasty, which describes a village called Zhu-Chen Village. There are only two families in the village, the Zhu and the Chen families. They have intermarried for generations, showing the deep connection between the family and the village.

From then on, "the good relationship between Zhu and Chen" was often used by literati and scholars to describe the close relationship between the two families formed through marriage. The fate of Zhu and Chen also means marriage.

Li Gefei said: "Wen Qian (Zhang Lei's pen name) is joking. I only have two children, A Bao and Dou Chong Er. A Bao has already been promised to someone else, and Dou Chong Er is still young. How can there be any connection between Zhu and Chen?"

Having said this, he suddenly glanced at his nephew Li Jiong next to him, and wondered if Zhang Wenqian wanted to be a matchmaker for his nephew?
Although Li Jiong was also considered a scholar, his talent and fame were far inferior to those of Li Gefei's family.

Li Gefei knew that his nephew had limited qualifications and it would be difficult for him to pass the normal imperial examination and enter the officialdom, so he secured a place for him as a student in the Imperial College several years ago, preparing him to follow the path of "Sanshe (one of Wang Anshi's new policies, replacing the imperial examination with school education)".

Li Jiong and Zhao Mingcheng were classmates. In history, Zhao Mingcheng got Li Qingzhao through Li Jiong, but in this dimension, due to Chen Shen's early intervention, Zhao Mingcheng had not yet used Li Jiong's hidden line, and the "Plan for Climbing Flowers" was aborted.

In fact, Li Jiong was seven or eight years older than Li Qingzhao, and he married and had children earlier. However, Li Jiong's wife died of illness a few years ago, and he had not remarried yet. Especially with a civilized uncle like Li Gefei to rely on, he was considered a half-high-quality unmarried man, and there were many good families who wanted to marry him.

Zhang Lei and Li Xi were both extremely intelligent people in the world. How could they not see the doubts in Li Gefei's mind?

Li Xi said, "Brother Wenshu, don't be confused. We are here for Abao."

Li Gefei frowned even more deeply and said, "A Bao? What Ying Zhong said might be a little inappropriate! A Bao has already been promised to Chen Shen of Xiangzhou, so what else can we say?!"

Not to mention that Li Gefei was not the kind of elder who was easily tempted by new things. Moreover, the most direct reason why Li Gefei became famous all over the world and was regarded as the number one disciple of Su's family was the influence of the poem "Ink Plum" written by Chen Shen on the wall of Li's house.

Moreover, he knew that his proud daughter had long been in love with the boy. However, because they had not seen each other for many years, Li Qingzhao felt a little resentful, so she often showed some temper when exchanging poems with Chen Shen.

Li Qingzhao's mind and courage were even greater than those of ninety-nine percent of men in the world. If she had not secretly submitted to that guy, how could she have acted like a little girl in front of him.

Li Xi said with a smile, "Brother Wen Shu, don't be upset! We are here on the orders of Mr. Chen from Xiangzhou. On the Double Ninth Festival, when the yellow flowers are everywhere, Mr. Chen is here with a green carriage and a fine horse, dressed in gorgeous clothes and beautiful crowns, to marry Miss Li! Wen Qian and I are here just as the guests in advance to make the forewarning and set the rules! There will be several more groups of guests later, all of whom will come according to the six etiquettes!"

Li Gefei then turned his annoyance into joy, with an expression of uncontrollable surprise on his face, but he said modestly: "It's just a trivial matter between two children, how can I trouble you two gentlemen to be the guests in front of me!"

Zhang Lei pretended to be helpless and said, "Brother Wenshu, you don't know that we owe Mr. Chen a huge favor, one that we can never repay in our lifetime. Being a guest of honor is just a small thing!"

While the three of them were chatting and laughing, they entered the hall according to etiquette, took their seats, and began to discuss the procedures and precautions of the "Six Rites".

During this period, Li Gefei sent Li Jiong to the backyard to call Li Qingzhao over.

Not long after, Li Jiong returned alone with a wry smile on his face, holding a piece of light-colored Xue Tao paper in his hand.

Li Gefei and his companions were puzzled. They took the Xue Tao paper and looked at it carefully. They saw a poem "Dian Jiang Chun" written in small calligraphy with hairpin flowers on it:
After playing on the swing, I stand up and straighten my slender hands lazily. The dew is thick and the flowers are thin, and my light clothes are soaked with sweat. When I see a guest coming in, I take off my socks and take off my gold hairpin. I walk away shyly, leaning against the door and looking back, but I smell the green plums.

Turning to the back of the poem, there were a few more lines written:
When the yellow plum blossoms have fallen and the chrysanthemums have bloomed, to whom can I tell the sorrows in the quiet night?

After the others read the poem, Li Gefei looked a little embarrassed and said with a wry smile, "A Bao is being naughty again, which makes Wen Qian and Ying Zhong laugh."

Zhang Lei and Li Xi burst into laughter.

Zhang Lei laughed and said, "It seems that my niece is very resentful! No problem! No problem! Let Mr. Chen to relieve himself tomorrow. I think with his poetic talent, he will definitely have some good words to comfort Miss Qingzhao's resentment!"

Li Gefei's face twitched a few times, but he couldn't help laughing and said, "I'll have to wait and see! If that kid fails to perform well on the spot, I won't agree! Hahahaha——"

As they were talking, a flowerpot outside the window in the hall fell to the ground with a crash, and then a figure in goose yellow clothes was seen walking away gracefully, with a hint of shame and anger in his eyes.

Li Gefei and the other three looked at each other in silence for a moment, and then they laughed happily.

(End of this chapter)