Chapter 20 Huan Mansion Banquet

The weather this morning is exceptionally clear, especially in the countryside of Qiao County, where the air is fresh and the flowers and plants are luxuriant, making the sky even more blue and boundless.Cao Cao and Xia Houyuan believed that the horses were walking forward in the open field. In fact, they didn't know where they were going, they just came out for a walk.The Xiahou brothers were able to help Cao Cao's marriage a lot, and they only took a rest for two days.But Xia Houyuan was unsteady, and it didn't matter whether Cao Cao was newlywed or not, he called Cao Cao out as soon as he had free time.

Cao Cao had a sleepy look on his face, watching the tall and fat Xia Houyuan galloping back and forth on a big white horse, but he couldn't cheer up - he was still disappointed by the unsatisfactory bride. Cao Ding praised her like a flower at the beginning, but Cao Cao was discouraged when he saw the bride on the wedding day. What he admired was the kind of quiet and elegant woman, but his Mrs. Ding was obviously not: she was older than Meng De. One-year-old, Meng De's huge body made Meng De look very short. In addition, he was not outstanding in appearance, with a dark round face and a pair of squint eyes.In short, all good rhetoric is destined to miss her. Although she is not very ugly, she is just the kind of mediocre woman who cannot be admired.Cao Cao was displeased, so he simply borrowed wine to relieve his worries, and he had a drink with Ding, the drunkard who sent his relatives, and got very drunk. When he was lying in the bridal chamber, what appeared in his mind was the beautiful maid who came with his wife as a dowry .

"Meng De!" Xia Houyuan reined in his horse, "Don't look so sad! Isn't it just that the mother-in-law is ugly?" Cao Cao lowered his head and smiled wryly: "It's easy for you to say! She's not your wife, so of course you don't feel shabby!" "What's so shabby and not shabby?" Xia Houyuan was a rough man who had never been educated, and he said everything outside, "She is also a lady of the Ding family. If you say shabby, you will blow the lamp into your arms at night." Huh, aren't they all the same?" "Stop talking... that's all! I won't tell you this!"

"Speak to your heart!" Xia Houyuan said with a naive face, "When you become Xiaolian and become an official outside, won't you be able to find a beautiful little wife in the future!" When Cao Cao was disturbed by him like this, he suddenly felt that the haze was swept away, and he also joked: "Then don't bother you..." He yawned, "I really can't figure it out. What's the point of messing around here? It's hard for you to panic." "When you get tired of it, practice martial arts. How about you practice with me?" "I dare not practice martial arts with you." Cao Cao knew Xiahou Miaocai's ability.

"That's right!" Xia Houyuan stopped his horse, "There is a lot of excitement today." "What's the fun?" "Master Huan's house has a banquet, let's go for a walk!" "The Huan family in Hexi?" Cao Cao had heard rumors, "They haven't invited me, so I won't go." "It doesn't matter, please my elder brother." "Oh? Is Yuan Rang familiar with the Huan family?" "I'm not familiar! He doesn't bother to talk to a rich man like Mr. Huan! It's just that the Huan family knows that his elder brother is famous, so he wants to put money on his face. It's not that you don't know my elder brother, how can you like him?" Their house? Anyway, if he doesn't go, I will too!" Xia Houyuan said while fiddling with the reins.

"You can't say anything if you go, but they didn't invite me!" "It doesn't matter! You are the son of a high official, and the Huan family wants to curry favor with you, but they are afraid they won't be able to! If you go to Mr. Huan, you won't be so beautiful that you can jump into the room?" "Then I won't go either." Cao Cao said and yawned again, "Yuan Rang looks down on this kind of local rich man, and I won't give him money." "You are the same as my elder brother. You are a fucking brain! The Huan family has prepared good wine and good food today. Maybe there are some kabuki, dancers and so on. Why don't you go to eat, drink and have fun? Do not wash the boat with clear water? If you don’t eat, you don’t eat for nothing, if you don’t drink, you don’t drink for nothing! Let them eat hot food and drink spicy food, and the good things are all cheap?”

Cao Cao was overwhelmed with joy when he heard it: "Okay, okay! I'm going to accompany you through these few happy words to you." As he spoke, he whipped the horse's buttocks, and the two of them galloped across the wilderness one after the other. superior.Cao Cao didn't go home either, so he went to Xiahouyuan's house to change and wash, and went to Huan's house without knowing Xiahoudun's sound. The Huan family in Qiao County was the descendant of Huan Tan, a famous official of Emperor Guangwu.Na Huan Tan had a handsome appearance, a good knowledge of scriptures, and was proficient in rhythm. His reputation at the time was second only to Yang Xiong, but he was dismissed from office because he did not believe in prophecy and contradicted Liu Xiu.Since then, the tribe has been unsuccessful, and the population has gradually withered.However, even though the Huan clan's family fortune has declined, they are still the leading landlords in Qiao County. Although none of their clan members are high officials above the county level, they are no less than the Cao and Ding clans when it comes to farm property.In particular, a large manor was built in a very grand style, and there were more than one hundred tenants under him.Mr. Huan was rich in wealth and had cultivated several nephews who studied, but he was always unwilling to accept the decline of his family's reputation. He always wanted to make friends with famous people to gain a good reputation, but Cao's and Ding's families never bought it.

It so happened that there was a Xiahoudun from the nearby Han family. When he was fourteen years old, someone insulted his teacher, and he actually killed that person. Since then, his fame has spread.Master Huan then moved his mind, determined to have some friendship with this Xiahou Dun.Unexpectedly, Xiahou Dun didn't agree with it. Over the past few years, Mr. Huan always excused himself when he asked him to invite him tomorrow, which made Mr. Huan feel a little discouraged. Mr. Huan was in a good mood today, because Zhou Jing, the nephew of Mr. Peixiang, passed by the Huan's manor on a safari, and while begging for a bowl of water, Mr. Huan found out the details, and tried his best to keep him to entertain him. He also invited the three elders from the village to greet him, which inevitably sent another invitation to Xiahou Dun.Master Huan didn't expect someone from Xiahou's family to come, but in the afternoon, his family reported that Mr. Xiahou had arrived.He was so beautiful that he went out to greet him, only to realize that it was not Xiahou Dun who came, but Xia Houyuan, a younger brother of some clan, and he also brought another free food, so he felt a little awkward.But after hearing Xia Houyuan's introduction, that unattractive young man turned out to be the eldest son of Cao Song's family, Da Honglu, he was suddenly shocked, and he really felt that his face was exposed to the sky!

Master Huan hurriedly let them in respectfully, and personally let Cao Cao, Xia Houyuan and Shiqian's nephew Zhou Jing be the guests of honor.At the beginning of the banquet, they asked the family members to make a toast and asked their nephew Huan Shao to toast them. They were so busy that it took them a long time to sit down. "Today, the three distinguished guests came here. I am very grateful, and I feel very prosperous... I have heard the names of these young masters for a long time, and I just met them today. Really, really..." Mr. Huan searched for words of praise, With an unnatural smile on his face.Cao Cao and Zhou Jing were amused to see his fearful expression, and looked at each other.

"Master Huan is so polite!" Xia Houyuan didn't care, just lowered his fat head and stared at the dishes on the table and said, "Originally, my brother was going to come in person today, and everything was ready, but who knew he was going out But I suffered from abdominal pain. You always think about it, if such a good food and drink can’t bear the abdominal pain, wouldn’t it be a waste? Brother turned around and saw that I was fat and fat, so he sent me here.” This remark was sarcasm, and Cao Cao found it even more amused when he heard it.But Mr. Huan seemed to be too beautiful, and he didn't notice at all: "Master Xiahou is sick? Is it important? I have some good medicine for stomach qi, but I don't know if it's right for the disease. If you don't mind..."

Huan Shao on the side couldn't listen anymore, got up suddenly, poured a full cup of wine, walked up to Xia Houyuan in three steps and two steps, and said solemnly: "I have heard the names of the two sons for a long time! Xiahou Yuanrang once had a friend, a wonderful talent It's the first time I met you brother, seeing the king's food can serve as both of you, and you are so angry that you don't let the rice bag go, you are really a good person." Cao Cao also sneered when he heard his words, and when he was about to speak, Huan Shao turned his face and said to him: "Mr. Cao is from a famous family, and his grandfather enjoys a high reputation in the palace. Your father and two uncles are officials in the court." The voice is very good, and Wang Fu's old attendant, Duan Jiong and Duan Taiwei are all praised by everyone as a generation of Zhongliang. I have heard of the son's name for a long time, and I will know it when I meet today..." Huan Shao's words came to an abrupt end here. Yang Neck drank the wine, then ignored Cao Cao and went back to his seat. Cao Cao was very angry: this is clearly calling his grandfather a eunuch and calling his father a traitor.However, his words were so impeccable that he couldn't criticize anything, and while furious, he also lamented that Huan Shao's tongue is so good. Such a commotion naturally made the scene cold, and everyone bowed their heads to eat.Others were fine, but Xia Houyuan's natural roughness messed up the cups and plates in a short while, and said to himself from time to time: "This bone has broken my teeth!" Everyone looked reserved, but Cao Cao was sitting on the table. Beside him, I couldn't help laughing. "Why is Mr. Cao laughing for no reason?" Huan Shao asked expressionlessly. Seeing that he came to provoke again, Cao Cao couldn't help gritted his teeth and secretly hated, determined to take revenge, and said, "It's nothing! I remembered something from the past." "Oh?" Mr. Huan was cold for a long time, and now he finally interrupted, "Mr. Cao is knowledgeable and talented, so why not tell us about it for everyone to hear." "Okay!" Cao Cao put down his chopsticks, "Jiawei Hou Chen Zun is the most hospitable person. Whenever a guest passes by, he always pulls the guest in, asks his family to close the door tightly, and removes the car cover from the axle of the guest. Throw it into the well. This way the guests can’t leave even if they want to!” "Hahaha!" Zhou Jing listened, and couldn't help laughing when he thought of how Master Huan kept him alive in the morning. His smile made Mr. Huan's face turn red and white; Huan Shao couldn't sit still any longer, he put the cup away and said, "My nephew is farewell!" As he spoke, he flicked his sleeves towards Cao Cao and strode forward. walk away. Uncle Huan was even more upset: "What's the matter? It must be something wrong with my nephew's family. Please don't mind... Butler! Go and call the kabuki who was found at noon." After a while, the butler came in with a kabuki and a boy.When Cao Cao looked up, he suddenly felt refreshed, and a burst of warmth came straight to his heart: this kabuki is slim and graceful, with a handful of beautiful hair buns, embellished with bright silver crested hairpins, and wearing a scarlet embroidered long skirt , with clear water silk threads embroidered with flowers, the hem dragging to the ground.A pair of big looking eyes, thin eyebrows like a crescent moon, a fair amount of rouge powder on her face, vermilion on her mouth, and gold earrings on her ears-although she is dressed in bright red but not gaudy. The kabuki stepped forward to salute everyone, Cao Cao looked at her carefully, she was at most seventeen or eighteen years old, but her manner was dignified and generous without being vulgar.Especially those white and tender jade arms like lotus root, before it sings, it feels a little bit comfortable. "Sing two verses of the well-known tune to make all the distinguished guests happy!" Mr. Huan said, stroking his beard. "No!" The kabuki agreed with slightly parted lips, and hurriedly raised her hand to signal Tong'er to have fun.The little boy is only eleven or twelve years old, with braids and a blue shirt. He looks smart and cute. When he saw the greeting, he raised his flute and blew lightly.Everyone didn't pay much attention to it at first, but when they listened carefully, it was like dripping water from a cold spring, swallowing bitterly.The kabuki crooned: 〖There is a scorpion, what is the truth?Your wine is both purpose, and your food is good.How is it a different person? The brothers ganged up on him.Cuta and Nvluo are applied to pines and cypresses.I don't see a gentleman, and I feel worried; Seeing a gentleman, the common people said a few words. If there is a scorpion, what will be the real dimension?The wine is the purpose, and the food is the season.How is it a different person? Come brothers.Nvdiao and Nvluo are applied to the pine.I don't see a gentleman, I worry about it; When you see a gentleman, you are almost ashamed of a concubine. There are those who are inferior, and the real dimension is the first.Your wine is both purpose, and your food is both Fu.How is it a different person? brother nephew uncle.Like that rain and snow, first gather dimension graupel.There is no day for death and death, and few see each other. Happy wine tonight, a gentleman's banquet. 〗 The more Cao Cao listened to it, the more surprised he was. This kabuki did not sing ordinary folk songs, but actually sang a tune from "The Book of Songs Xiaoya", which is really different. Cao Cao lived at the foot of the emperor in Luoyang for a long time, but he had never heard such a refined tune. Today, he did not expect such a skilled kabuki to exist in this remote village. "Not good! Not good! There are a lot of brothers, uncles and nephews, and what are they dying or mourning? How frustrated!" Xia Houyuan shook his big head. Cao Cao was taught by his fourth uncle to read it well. He originally liked this song very much. Seeing what Xia Houyuan said, he also deliberately echoed: "We are two villagers in the mountains and fields, but we don't understand such elegant songs. If there is a cheerful one, just sing it casually." Come!" Said Mie squinting at her intentionally. When the kabuki heard him say the word "Fengya", she knew that he knew the origin of the song, but when she heard him say that she wanted to sing worldly and cheerful songs, she knew that he was deliberately embarrassing herself.So he turned his mouth towards Tong'er, and Tong'er's flute suddenly changed to very joyful, and the kabuki also sang and danced: 〖Jiang Zhongzi, never go beyond me, never break my tree. How dare you love it?Afraid of my parents. Zhong can be pregnant, and the words of parents can also be feared. Jiang Zhongzi, never cross my wall, never break my mulberry tree. How dare you love it?Fear my brothers. Zhong can be pregnant, and the words of the brothers can also be feared. Come Zhongzi, never go beyond my garden, never break my sandalwood tree. How dare you love it?Afraid of talking too much. Zhong can be pregnant, and people can be afraid of talking too much. 〗 Her bright voice and light dancing steps, like a peony swaying in the wind, caused the housekeepers and servants in the hall to stare inward with wide-eyed eyes; several old villagers also put down their chopsticks to watch attentively; Zhou Jing He couldn't help smiling knowingly; Xia Houyuan shook his head when he heard it; Master Huan was so beautiful that he clapped his hands.When Cao Cao saw that she was singing another song, he admired her very much in his heart. He kept a straight face on purpose and waited for her to finish singing, but then he said: "It's rare that you still know this cheerful song. Yankewei' is not a good word after all!" "Oh?" The kabuki straightened her skirt and said with a smile, "Your taste is really high! Doesn't this suit your taste?" "Then change to another one!" Cao Cao was a little emotional. "What do you want to change, my lord?" The kabuki's tone was full of resentment, "I see that you are not an ordinary person because of his outstanding attire, but who knows you are so picky! Do you want me to sing secular obscenity songs? Although my family is humble But they are also the children of a decent family, no matter how poor the family is, no one forced us to do it! Three Baisi Wuxie is a gentleman's song, if you don't like this gentleman's joy, son, you don't know what your son is?" "Haha..." Everyone laughed in unison. "Look!" Cao Cao also said with a smile, "I just said a few words, and she got a lot of words, and she went round and round to call me a villain... Whatever! Just sing a song! " The kabuki couldn't help laughing, and said: "Since the young master has chosen it, I have a very novel song here, let me sing it to you!" Sing up: 〖Long distance Altair, a Han girl in Jiaojiao River. Slender hands are pulled out, and the sticks are used. All day long, weeping like rain. The Milky Way is clear and shallow, and it is a little bit different. The water is full of water, and the pulse is speechless. 〗 Cao Cao's heart skipped a beat!She is a beautiful and talented girl, but unfortunately she has been reduced to a kabuki in her life.Thinking of the face of the filthy wife at home, it's like a cloud and a mud.But Mrs. Ding is very virtuous, and now he is Xiaolian who is waiting to be promoted, so he has to pay attention to his words and deeds at this time, so he can only turn thousands of emotions into a helpless wry smile... After the kabuki left, the awkward atmosphere became very harmonious.Cao Cao found that Shiqian's nephew, Zhou Jing, was quite knowledgeable. The three elders were very kind, and even Mr. Huan seemed to be a good and kind squire. So everyone respected each other, had three rounds of wine and five flavors, and it was enjoyable.