An Feng Bamboo Horse

?Xia Pingchang was buried, and a ceremony was held for seven days and seven nights.Xia Anfeng didn't go anywhere, and stayed in front of his younger brother's coffin until he followed the funeral procession and watched the nanmu coffin being lowered into the cemetery, then slowly walked back to the house.There was a drastic change in his family, and his mind was heavy, so he didn't try to find out the news about Bu Zhangbai in the capital for a while.

Mrs. Hou Ye has been sick since the day her youngest son died, and finally she was bedridden and dying.Xia Feng went to visit her twice and then stopped showing up.On the contrary, the two aunts, whom she had always been hostile to, took turns taking care of her in her room.

Xia Zun guessed that everything was done by the eldest son, but he still failed to find any real evidence.Although Mrs. Hou was seriously ill, Xia Feng did not show her filial piety to her, but she still insisted on not telling the truth. She never mentioned any connection between Xia Feng and the deaths of Qin Jiuxian and Xia Pingchang; and there was no other circumstantial evidence. There is nothing to do for a while.

The number of times Ding Guohou stayed in the book garden became more and more frequent, and the stay time became longer and longer.If it is not necessary for business, he almost never leaves the house, and never leaves the library for meals and bedtime.

The master is depressed and doesn't care about foreign affairs, and the servants are listless and unable to raise their spirits.

The time sequence is approaching early summer, but the Hou Ye Mansion still has a desolate, deserted and decaying atmosphere.

Xia Anfeng got up this morning and went to visit Mrs. Hou Ye first, as a son of man, and then went to Shuyuan to pay his respects to his father.

Passing through the front hall, I heard voices coming from the middle of the room. One of the clear and elegant voices was very familiar: "Bu Zhangbai's birth as a Jinshi today is all due to the careful cultivation of the Marquis over the past ten years... I am grateful to the Marquis." ..."

Xiaobai is back?

Xia Anfeng stood still, ecstatic in his heart, and swept away the haze of these days.He hurriedly picked up his steps and rushed to the front hall, and he saw the familiar thin back, saluting his father Ding Guohou, and said: "Bu Zhangbai already knew about Brother Chang that day. I went back home with Brother Feng to pay my respects; however, the imperial examination is coming soon, so I delayed my progress, so please don't blame the Marquis."

Marquis Dingguo waved him away from saluting, and said: "The palace examination is a big event, so we shouldn't delay it."

In the past few days, Xia Zun rarely showed a ray of joy on his face. He asked Bu Zhangbai to sit down and talk, and looked at him with admiration.He said: "Father Hu has no sons. Jingchen's son really lived up to everyone's expectations. He took part in the imperial examination for the first time, passed three tests in a row, and was awarded a Jinshi background. If he knows someone in the spring, he should smile."

When Bu Zhangbai heard him mention his dead father, his facial expression moved unconsciously, and Xia Zun said again: "Tell me slowly about your participation in the palace examination in the capital."

"Yes." Bu Zhangbai recounted the grand occasion of the palace examination in a soft voice, saying that the emperor set a question for the exam, and more than forty of them answered with pen and ink on the spot; After answering in the affirmative, the emperor looked rather strange...

When he said this, Xia Zun was stunned, but he didn't ask any further questions.

Bu Zhangbai said: "The emperor still remembers the great crimes committed by the Bu family when they led the battle at a young age. If it hadn't been for the princes who were watching by the side at that time to say good things for Bu Zhangbai, I am afraid that they might not be able to win the prize even if they were born as Jinshi this time. superior."

He said one way, one side paid attention to Xia Zun's reaction, seeing the latter averted his eyes and went to take the teacup on the table, he sneered inwardly.

Xia Zundao: "Fortunately, Bu Shuai is highly regarded in the court, and several princes are willing to speak up. Brother Zhang's official career must be smooth sailing in the future."

Bu Zhangbai said: "I don't dare to expect extravagantly, Bu Zhangbai only hopes to wash away the stigma of the Bu family—" Before he finished speaking, Xia Anfeng rushed forward from behind and hugged him tightly, "Little Bai! !"

He hadn't seen Bu Zhangbai for a long time, and he was always in a sad and miserable state of mind. When he suddenly saw him return home, he was overjoyed. Hug up and turn around in the hall.

Bu Zhangbai was suddenly embraced by him, and the familiar breath of the red-haired boy rushed into his nostrils. He was so shocked that he almost couldn't control himself and stretched out his arms to hug him back.

Dingguo Hou shouted: "Let go of Brother Zhang, there are no rules for such a big man!"

Xia Anfeng still hugged Bu Zhangbai's waist tightly, and said to his father: "Father, what can I talk about slowly, Xiaobai just came back, and he greeted you non-stop, and you asked him again and again There are so many, it should be a breather.”

Marquis Dingguo frowned, and Bu Zhangbai hurriedly said: "Master Hou, Zhang Bai wants Brother Feng to lead him to visit Brother Chang's tomb...I wonder if Master Hou will agree."

Although he came back this time for another purpose, he really wanted to pay homage to Xia Pingchang, and then talk to Xia Anfeng alone.

Xia Zun sighed: "You two go, and return to the city before dark."

The green pines and ancient cypresses are lush and tall, tall and green among the mountain peaks.A new tomb stands on the edge of the mountain pass, the loess is still fresh, the fruit in front of the tomb is still fresh, and a few incense candles are curling up.

Bu Zhang laid a few sticks of incense on white and prayed softly.Xia Anfeng lowered his head and squatted aside to burn a few stacks of yellow paper.

After Bu Zhang paid his respects, he glanced at him a few times. The red-haired boy looked disconsolate. The joy he had just seen when he first saw him disappeared before the reality of his third brother's death.

Bu Zhangbai said softly, "Brother Chang, did he slip into the water?"

He guessed in his mind, just like what Xia Anfeng thought on the way back to the house on his horse.

Xia Anfeng said: "I heard that the third brother's residence caught fire unexpectedly, he inhaled a lot of smoke, and he woke up after a few days. As soon as he woke up, he yelled to go to the pond to watch the fish. Taking a break by the pond—" He didn't want to call Mrs. Hou Ye his "mother" in private, preferring to call her "madame". Accidentally trampled on one of them and fell into the water. Madam rushed to catch it, but she didn't catch it, and almost fell into the water herself. When she managed to stabilize her body and climbed ashore to call for help, there was no servant nearby. Stay in the book garden When my father arrived, my third brother..."

He didn't continue to speak, but turned his head to one side, his face became more gloomy.

First, there was an inexplicable fire, and then the embankment was loose. How can there be such a coincidence in the world?

Bu Zhangbai stretched out his hand and took the initiative to hold Xia Anfeng's palm hanging by his side.

The red-haired boy lowered his eyes, clenched his palms unconsciously, and said in a hoarse voice: "It's all right to kill me, but he can even kill the stupid third brother, they are born of the same mother!! Do you know I know, what else did he do to Commander Qin? The charred corpse in the third brother's residence—"

"He will have his retribution." Bu Zhangbai said softly, "No matter who you are or what you do, there will be retribution in the cycle of karma."

"Retribution?" Xia Anfeng sneered, "We have no real evidence, everything is based on conjecture. Madam must know something, but Madam is eager to protect the calf and refuses to reveal a word. If this continues, helplessness will only fuel his arrogance. ? Dad intends to deprive him of his position as the son, so what excuse is he looking for now to abolish him as the son?"

The two of them had finished going to the grave at this time and were walking down the mountain, when Bu Zhangbai heard that Xia Zun intended to deprive Xia Feng of his heir's right of succession, he was shocked, and held Xia Anfeng's hand tightly: "You said Lord Hou is going to abolish the heir? Then who will inherit it? You??"

Xia Anfeng shook his palm suddenly, and was taken aback, and said, "Xiaobai, you don't have to be so excited. Although my father has expressed his feelings for me, how can I be this material! Inheriting Dingguohoufu, Me? If I can’t do it, I can’t do it, and I don’t have any achievements, who will obey me? It’s impossible.”

"You don't want to be a prince, how can you be a prince, just be your free and easy second son..." Bu Zhangbai grabbed his hand, looked straight into his eyes, his palm was sweating.

Xiaobai really thinks that I am not such a material...

Xia Anfeng has always been very self-aware, and has never had any unreasonable thoughts about the position of the son, but Bu Zhangbai's reaction to this matter is so intense, he has never imagined it.I had no choice but to smile wryly, and said, "Okay, okay, I know how heavy I am, so you don't need to emphasize..."

Bu Zhang blushed, "I didn't mean to belittle you, don't get me wrong."

Xia Anfeng patted his shoulder lightly, and said with a smile: "Of course I know that you have good intentions for me, why are you thinking wildly?"

As he said this, another thought suddenly popped up in his mind. Xiaobai passed the provincial examination, general examination, and palace examination one after another. Now he is a Jinshi, and he will become an official soon. teenager.He himself grew up with Xiaobai, but in vain relying on his status as the second son of Lord Hou's mansion, he has nothing to do. The gap between the two has widened a lot.

In another five or ten years, as my father said, Xiaobai's official career will be smooth sailing, and he will rise to the top, but he is still a playboy, so what face will he have to hang around Xiaobai again, boasting that the two are close friends? friend?

"Xia Anfeng?"

After he said those words, he suddenly fell into a trance, dazed, even though Bu Zhangbai wanted to comfort him again, he restrained himself and only called him by his name. "Xia Anfeng."

Xia Anfeng regained his composure, and said in his heart that Xiaobai has a promising future, and he will shine brightly in the future, so I should be happy for him; why is he so caressing and worrying about gains and losses?

He shook his head, shrugged off those distracting thoughts, changed the subject, and said, "Actually, I should ask you, you...you have won a Jinshi, didn't the imperial court arrange an official position for you?"

Bu Zhangbai said: "The emperor granted me a Jinshi background. Before I could report to the Ministry of Officials, I hurriedly hired a carriage to go to Xiafu..."

Xia Anfeng couldn't be moved, and listened to him again, "However, I can't stay here for too long, I still have to go to Beijing again and obey the dispatch of the official department. I heard that I will examine my character, morality and ability based on my personal ability and expertise. Then arrange it to a suitable position as appropriate. If there is no suitable vacancy, it is possible to remain idle there."

Xia Anfeng said eagerly: "If you don't need to be an official for the time being, you can stay in my Lord Hou's mansion, and we will be together for a little longer." If he really left the mansion to become an official, the days when the two of them would be together like this would probably be numbered.

Bu Zhangbai lowered his eyes and sighed: "How many people who participated in the scientific examination don't want to serve as an official and benefit one side? They have no ambitions but no room to display them, and life will be difficult."

They walked slowly to the foot of the mountain, and the horses pulling the cart were leisurely chewing the grass roots on the ground.

Xia Anfeng jumped onto the shaft of the chariot first, then pulled Bu Zhangbai into the chariot, and untied the rope.The horse knew the way back, and before the young master could raise his whip, he walked back to the city on his own.Xia Anfeng said: "It's not hard, don't you have me to accompany you? If you want to read, you can still read in the mansion as you used to, and no one will disturb you."

Bu Zhang said with a white smile: "Those Four Books and Five Classics were only read to cope with the exams. Now that they have passed the exam, of course they have to read some books that are truly world-class. It's just for a while, and I don't know where to find some good books. Look, after all, I can't let myself just sit around with nothing to do."

Xia Anfeng slapped his thigh suddenly: "Do you remember that there is a Pearl Pavilion in my house? My father put a lot of military books, classics and histories of the Warring States Period in it, as well as strategies and theories of the Five Dynasties, and orphan books of political strategists." , There are so many things, you can borrow them to see."

Bu Zhangbai's eyes brightened, and he hesitated again: "Yizhu Pavilion...Yizhu Pavilion is a place that only the descendants of your Xia family can enter. I am an outsider, so it is very inconvenient."

"What does that matter, didn't we play hide-and-seek in it when we were young?"

"It was a child playing around and not sensible; now that he is an adult, it would be out of courtesy to go in again." But looking at Bu Zhangbai's appearance, he clearly wanted to go.

Xia Anfeng didn't take it seriously: "You grew up in my Xia Mansion since you were young, and you and my father love each other like a father and son. Don't you go tell my father that he won't agree to you? It's just a small thing like reading a book, isn't it? It doesn't matter if you break into a forbidden place like Shuyuan."

Bu Zhangbai still hesitated, Xia Anfeng said: "How about this, I'll take you in at night first, you can see if there are any books you like, if there are any, how about I borrow them from my father for you?"

Bu Zhangbai hesitated for a while before saying: "Then... let's sneak in and have a look."