Chapter 219 Ye Dacai's daughter is looking for a husband! (Part 2)
This guy was standing next to a dark-skinned, bearded, and bell-like-eyes man in military uniform. I guess this rough man must be Long Fengyang? But think about it, Long Fengyang is the commander of the military region of Jianghuai Province, so it is not surprising that he can sit at the top of Ye Duo's family banquet.
At this moment, there was a burst of lively drum music outside the hall, and the MC sang loudly, "The old birthday star has arrived——"
Jiang Chengfeng turned around and saw Ye Lingshuang, who was wearing a bright red dress and had a rosy face, walking in from the door with the help of an old lady with white hair and a kind face. Ye Duo, Ye Shengxian and the other two followed behind the old lady.
Wherever the old lady passed, the guests stood up to congratulate her.
After Ye Lingshuang helped the old lady to sit on the armchair in the main hall, the old lady smiled and waved, motioning everyone to sit down.
Just as everyone sat down, a servant from the Ye Mansion ran in hurriedly, shouting, "Master, the emperor sent someone to deliver a gift!"
Everyone stood up, but at this moment, a sharp voice came from outside the door, "On Madam Ye's 70th birthday, the Emperor specially rewarded her with 100 agates, 1,000 taels of gold, and 500 pieces of brocade!"
Old Lady Ye and others hurried forward, but saw a young eunuch holding an imperial edict coming in. Old Lady Ye and others knelt down to thank and accept the order.
The young eunuch hurriedly helped Old Madam Ye up and said with a smile: "The emperor specifically told us that Old Madam Ye is old and doesn't need to kneel down to thank you! In addition, the emperor said that Old Madam Ye's 70th birthday is a blessing from heaven to our Northern Tang Kingdom. The emperor specially wrote a couplet as a gift for the old lady!"
The emperor bestowed the couplet, which was the emperor's own handwriting, and was a great honor for his subjects. Everyone present was envious, and Ye Duo's face flushed with excitement. He knelt down and took the couplet with both hands.
When I opened the couplet, I saw only two lines of words written on it - Three thousand red shoes follow the South Pole, and seven thousand rosy cups enter the North Hall.
Ye Duo ordered his servants to mount and hang the couplet, and personally sent the young eunuch away. With the emperor's birthday couplet as a highlight, Old Madam Ye looked even more radiant and joyful.
After returning, Ye Duo knelt beside Old Madam Ye and said respectfully: "I, Ye Duo, congratulate you on your longevity and good health!"
Ye Lingshuang and Ye Shengxian also knelt down and said loudly: "Grandson (daughter) congratulates grandmother on her thousandth birthday!"
Old Madam Ye was very happy and asked everyone to stand up.
The children and grandchildren congratulated her, which was the first step of the birthday ceremony. Afterwards, the guests came forward to congratulate her. Old Madam Ye’s 70th birthday was considered a truly blessed and long life, so many officials came to flatter her.
However, even when celebrating a birthday, there is still a certain order. According to the order, Long Fengyang was the first one to be celebrated. Although this guy was very reluctant, he couldn't go against Ye Duo in such an occasion, so he had to stand up and pretend to respond.
The last family to celebrate the birthday was the Shen family, the only merchant family that came today. Shen Ruoyan was very generous and gave Madam Ye a gift to celebrate her birthday.
As soon as Shen Ruoyan left, Zhu Kewei stood up and ran over. He knelt down in front of Old Madam Ye with a plop and said loudly: "Kewei and my father, congratulations to the old man for living as long as the Southern Mountains!"
Originally, this guy should have been in the middle to celebrate the birthday, but he deliberately stayed behind and even kowtowed, with a strong intention of trying to please Ye Lingshuang.
Madam Ye was in a very good . She smiled and raised her right hand, saying, "Young Master Zhu, you are too polite! Duo'er, why don't you help Young Master Zhu up!"
Ye Duo came over, helped Zhu Kewei up, and said with a smile: "Nephew, please stand up!"
Zhu Kewei smiled and glanced at Ye Lingshuang who was standing beside him, then he cupped his hands and said with a smile: "I would also like to write a couplet as a gift for the old birthday star, to express my congratulations to the old birthday star!"
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the hall applauded and cheered, and at the same time they finally understood the reason for the Zhu family's last congratulations. It turned out that this young master Zhu wanted to use writing birthday couplets to please the Ye family.
Old Madam Ye smiled. She liked the young man very much, so she said with a smile: "Okay, okay! Then please write it quickly, Mr. Zhu. I can't wait!"
Soon, a servant brought the four treasures of the study. Zhu Kewei saluted to Old Madam Ye again, then picked up the thick wolf-hair brush, pondered for a moment, and wrote two lines on the large white paper - childlike face, white hair, and the demeanor of a centenarian, with the posture of a pine or cypress, and the demeanor of an old man of seventy.
The handwriting was strong and powerful, and the couplets were neat and appropriate. Old Madam Ye liked it very much and praised it repeatedly: "Young Master Zhu is very talented, I admire him!"
At this time, Ye Lingshuang leaned close to Madam Ye's ear and whispered a few words. Madam Ye was stunned at first, and then laughed heartily, "Come to think of it, I also like this couplet! Since Young Master Zhu has such a refined taste, I will also come up with a couplet. How about everyone try to write the second couplet?"
The old birthday boy has posed a difficult question. This is a way to please the Ye family and it is also a happy thing. Everyone in the hall is rubbing their hands and looks eager to try.
Madam Ye pondered for a moment, then said aloud: "My first couplet is 'Longevity is poured over the wine cups, and the spring breeze fills the room! '"
Most of the civil servants sitting in the hall were experts in poetry and songs, but after the old man gave the first couplet, no one responded for a long time.
Zhu Kewei did this to please the Ye family, but also for another ulterior motive. At this moment, he lowered his head, glanced at Jiang Chengfeng not far away with a sinister look, and a sarcastic smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.
Jiang Chengfeng had already seen Zhu Kewei's expression, sneered in his heart, leaned close to Zhao Dashao's ear, and whispered: "Master, do you have any solution?"
Young Master Zhao shook his head and said, "I don't know how to do this, I can't think of it!"
Jiang Chengfeng grinned and whispered something into Young Master Zhao's ear. Young Master Zhao immediately smiled and stood up and said loudly, "I know the second line!"
Zhu Kewei was stunned, turned around and saw that it was not Jiang Dazhu, and he was slightly relieved. However, he also knew Zhao Zikang. This guy was good at eating, drinking, whoring and gambling, but he was not suitable for such a high-IQ activity as writing couplets!
For a moment, everyone's eyes were focused on Young Master Zhao. Shen Ruoyan was very surprised and asked Jiang Chengfeng in a low voice, "What did you say to your cousin?"
Jiang Chengfeng shrugged his shoulders and said with a smile: "This is none of my business! It's all because of the young master's outstanding talent that he figured it out himself!"
Shen Ruoyan glared at Jiang Chengfeng, only to see Young Master Zhao shaking his head and reciting: "Songshan is more majestic than the South Pole."
As soon as this was said, everyone applauded. Everyone was a connoisseur, and they could naturally judge the quality of a couplet. Even Zhu Kewei had to compliment him.
Zhu Kewei was robbed of his chance to be in the limelight. He glared at Young Master Zhao and remained silent in anger.
