The two of them chatted all the way until they parted ways at the exit. Ling Tianfang continued his duty while Lou Xiaoyi went straight to the south of the city.
It was all a joke and no one would take it seriously. However, one had to admit that some things could be solved in a joke. He did not need anyone to open the city gates for him. He only needed to know the layout of the city guards.
This was the last resort. He did not wish for this day to come.
In Zhaoye City, he was checked many times. Every time he passed by a square, there would be soldiers checking him. Because he did not have the road sign issued by the Zhaoye City's yamen, they would check him every time he passed by. Even a good-tempered person like him was annoyed.
When he arrived at the Zhaoye Square, a place where high-ranking officials and nobles gathered, a few soldiers directly led the way. On one hand, they might want to curry favor with the Fenwei General's Mansion for a reward. On the other hand, they also wanted to see if he was a relative of the General's Mansion.
When he arrived at the General's Mansion, there was another series of cumbersome procedures. If the gatekeeper could not make the decision, he would inform the housekeeper of the outer mansion. The housekeeper would report to the higher ups. When the master was still not there, he would look for the mistress of the inner mansion. When Lou Xiaoyi could sit in the small living room and drink tea, it was already past lunchtime.
From time to time, there were rustling sounds outside the window. It was a few naughty children peeping but did not dare to come in. The small living room was a more private place. This was to some extent a recognition of Lou Xiaoyi's identity.
However, no real master came out to welcome him. Even his cousins were probably busy and were not there like the General. However, he knew that if Major Lou was still alive, the welcome would start from the gate, or even the gate of Zhaoye City.
It was human nature. How many people in the world could treat everyone equally regardless of whether they were poor or poor? He could not do it himself. Why should he blame others?
It was not until the end of the afternoon that a housekeeper came to apologize. He said that the First Lady of the inner mansion invited Young Master Lou over for a chat. The First Lady was his second aunt. She had a third-rank title, which was far inferior to his mother. However, because of the presence of a man, his second aunt's third-rank title was much more valuable than his mother's first-rank title.
After all, they were in Night Reflection City. The luxurious mansions here were unimaginable in a small place like Pu City. There were countless doorways, winding corridors, and many twists and turns. Finally, they arrived at a place that looked like a small garden. He had heard from his mother that Second Aunt loved flowers.
He did not feel any envy in his heart. On the contrary, he felt that it was not as natural and simple as his own fu. After seeing the desolate changes of the Gobi Desert, which stretched as far as the eye could see, he had lost interest in all man-made sceneries. The only thing that interested him was, where did his father, Lou Sima, live when he was in the limelight? Who was living in that place now?
There was an awning in the middle of the small garden. Seven or eight women were either standing or sitting. Four of them were dressed as masters, while the rest were servant girls and older female servants. There were all kinds of rare and exotic fruits on the table in front of the table.
However, he didn't know who the First Madam was. She was the one that everyone was crowding around. Lou Xiaoyi walked forward unhurriedly and bowed deeply.
"Nephew Xiaoyi pays his respects to Aunt!"
A junior should actually kneel in front of an elder, especially one who he had not seen for 20 years since he was born. However, he was now a scholar, so he could choose not to kneel. It all depended on whether he was here to ask for help or not.
Lou Xiaoyi's knees were a little stiff. Other than his mother and Aunt Cai, he had never kneeled to anyone before. Therefore, he just made a perfunctory gesture. Based on his temperament in his previous life, it was impossible for him to kneel to this kind of indifferent relative.
His stomach was still hungry! His likes and dislikes had always been straightforward!
Second Aunt was a noble lady who was used to big occasions. It was impossible to tell what she liked or disliked on the surface. After some introductions, he learned that the other two were his cousin-in-law, and the last one was a noble lady who came to the Yao fu as a guest.
After a series of conventional and courteous greetings, the cousin-in-law next to him began to beat around the bush to find out why he was here. This made Lou Xiaoyi immediately realize the family style of his second uncle. When it came to the women in the harem, the men's plans were flawless.
"Aunt Qiong, you know that Xiaoyi is here to deliver a letter to my second uncle on behalf of my mother. In addition, you are also here to play at night for a while to broaden your horizons. When you go back, you will be able to talk about it!"
Aunt Qiong laughed. "That's right. Pu City is a place with high mountains and far water. I don't know why Aunt chose to stay in such a place. Our relatives live far away and don't even have the chance to visit you!
Xiaoyi should have come long ago. After all, Ye City is not comparable to other places. In terms of prosperity, which city can compare to it? However, you came at a bad time … "
Second Aunt, Yao Wangshi, coughed softly and stopped her daughter-in-law from speaking. It was inappropriate for a woman like her to speak about such important matters of the country. It was better for her to leave it for her husband to teach him a lesson when he returned.
"Xiaoyi, you are already a scholar. Did you come to the capital to further your studies? Your cousin Hao is in the Wen Yang Pavilion. He can arrange for you to go there and listen to his lessons. They are all scholars who have been studying for decades and are well-known in the Ye Kingdom. If you are taught by them, you will improve very quickly! "
For people like them, if there was nothing to talk about, they would just talk about the imperial examinations. However, for Lou Xiaoyi, this was a sore spot!
The Wen Yang Pavilion was a place similar to the Imperial College in his previous life. His cousin, Yao Zihao, was the most promising person in the next generation of the Yao family. He was in his thirties and was a scholar. Now, he was writing history in the Wen Yang Pavilion and waiting for the opportunity to be an official.
Lou Xiaoyi was too lazy to listen to this, so he did not beat around the bush at all.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Auntie. Little Yi has been tired of studying since he was young, and he doesn't like the intrigue and intrigue in the bureaucracy. Therefore, this literary examination was forced by my mother. For this, she even spent money and asked someone else. If the literary examination is like this, then there's no need to mention the literary profundity, the literary canon, and the literary champion.
Therefore, I came to Ye Kingdom this time to have fun. I have no other intentions! "
Lou Xiaoyi's answer successfully reduced Yao Wangshi, who originally did not want to spend too much time on him, to less than a quarter of an hour. After he was brought to his residence by the servants, the female masters in the little garden could not help but sigh. They all knew the past of the Lou Manor, especially Yao Wangshi, who had personally experienced the glory of the Sima Manor at that time. It was truly a place where there were scholars to chat and laugh with, and no one was an amateur. Unfortunately …
"This child, he looks like a talented person, but I did not expect him to be so unambitious. When Sima Lou first entered Zhaoye, he was a talented person. I don't know how many ladies were attracted to him, but in the end, it was your sister-in-law who took advantage of him. Life is unpredictable, but his only son … "
Yao Wangshi pursed her lips. "My sister-in-law is the one who is bad! Without her connivance, without her reclusion, this child would not have become like this. In life, if one does not advance, one will fall behind. Because of one failure, one will see through the world and live in seclusion. If all of them are like this, how many people will be left in the Ye Kingdom?
If one fails, one can just climb back up. If the father is gone, the son will take over. Only this way can one maintain the prosperity of the family. Yet, he went to learn from those who failed … "
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