Zhang Muke was worried about Xu Wei's loss of the draft letter. When the prefect Lin talked to Zeng Yu, he went to the room of the hall to inquire. Xu Wei and the two soldiers had searched all the rooms, and the books and papers on the desk were cleaned up, but the draft paper was not found and disappeared.

If the draft of ordinary letters is lost, it doesn't matter, but this is a letter to Hu Zongxian, the governor of Fujian and Zhejiang. If any secrets are leaked, who can bear the responsibility in the government office?

So Zhang Muke hurried to report to Prefect Lin, and Prefect Lin hurriedly asked Zhang Muke: "What does Mr. Xu say?"

Zhang Muke said: "Mr. Xu didn't say anything, but judging from his anxious look, he must have to find the draft page."

Prefect Lin frowned and said, "Go and take a look." After leaving the back hall of the Nanya, he ordered, "Call up all the yamen runners and servants who were on duty in the hall last night, and no one is allowed to be left out. If anyone fails to summon, he will immediately arrest him.

Zeng Yu followed Prefect Lin to the room of the house quietly. He saw Xu Wei’s dust on his robes and jacket on the eaves. He looked up and saw Prefect Lin coming over, and then went up and bowed, "Some trivial matters have alarmed the Lord of the Mansion. If you have a crime, you will lose a copy of the letter. As long as it is not spread, it will be fine."

When Magistrate Lin heard Xu Wei say this, he felt even more nervous and said, "Don't worry, Mr. Xu, there are only so many people coming and going in this office. That letter will definitely be found."

Xu Wei said: "It doesn't matter if you can find the best, but it doesn't matter if you can't find it, don't make people panic."

All five major servants of the government office arrived. First, they checked the servants and slaves on duty last night and summoned all of them to question. Prefect Lin looked fierce, and the five major servants Li Ran was in danger. All the servants below looked frightened.

Zeng Yu and Xu Wei stood in the corridor and watched, Zeng Yu whispered: "This is a bit big."

Xu Wei smiled and said, "It's okay. The government office has been living a peaceful life for a long time, and it is inevitable that someone will be lazy and lazy. This can be regarded as a loophole-finding early warning exercise."

After a while of questioning, there was still no news about the missing manuscript paper. Prefect Lin was impatient and ordered all 12 yamen runners who were on duty and served in the house last night, and all 16 servants and servants were imprisoned. Several of the yamen runners and servants who were serving in the house guest rooms were even more required to use sticks. Prefect Lin had a preference for sticks and often used sticks to suspects.

Zeng Yu sighed lightly: "Can this clamp stick be used casually? I don't know how many good people have died in ancient times. Xia Chaofeng's son's calves were pinched by clamp sticks. He is not a fierce and stoic thief. Who can withstand this torture? Even a bear will be beaten to be a rabbit. I dare say that when these yamen servants use clamp sticks, they will all admit that they stole the draft paper. As for why they steal, there are many reasons, but to retrieve the draft paper, hey, how is it possible?"

Xu Wei shook his head and smiled, saying, "The bear will consider himself a rabbit. This is better than playing. Now the play is almost done. You can't let innocent people suffer. My old Xu is about to appear. Brother, you can continue watching the show?

Zeng Yu smiled and said, "Look at Brother Xu's acting skills."

Xu Wei coughed and walked over to Prefect Lin and said, "Master Master, don't torture these people. After all, it's just a piece of draft paper. I just remembered something below. After making the draft last night, I was afraid that the paper would be blown away, so I put a piece of scallion candy on it and pressed it on it. When I woke up early, I found that the first paper and scallion candy were gone. Could it be that the hungry rat stole the candy and dragged the draft away by the way?"

Zhang Muke, who was on the other side, lit up and said, "Mr. Xu is right. There are many mice in this house. When the mouse stole the candy, it dragged it away. As long as you search the mouse's hole, you will definitely find Mr. Xu's draft paper."

Prefect Lin ordered these yamen servants to search for rat holes in this row of guest rooms, and even dig three feet into the ground to find Mr. Xu's draft paper.

Those servants and servants who heard that they were going to be imprisoned and were so scared that they were out of their minds. At this time, they were not working hard. They searched carefully at the corners of the walls and corners, and they didn't even have time to find hooks and other tools, and they just used their hands to dig them out.

Before the prefect Lin and Xu Wei could speak a few words, a yamen runner shouted: "Master, Master, I found it, I found it." Then a soap-coated yamen runner ran over like flying, with one leg lowered, holding a piece of paper in both hands, and presenting it as if he was offering treasures with joy.

Zhang Muke took the paper ball, spread it slightly, brushed the soil on it, and handed it to Xu Wei, saying, "Mr. Xu, see if it's this piece of paper?" Zhang Muke has been to Mu for many years and is very cautious. Xu Wei attaches so much importance to this draft paper, so of course he doesn't want to look at it.

Xu Wei glanced at it, recited a few words loudly, and said with a smile: "It's this one, it's really dragged away by a mouse. This mouse should be on the clamp, haha."

The tense atmosphere in the palace suddenly became relaxed. Prefect Lin, Zhang Muke and others were all smiling. Xu Wei said: "I blame myself for being careless. Not only did I disturb the Lord of the House, but I almost caused innocent people to be punished. I was guilty."

Zhang Muke smoothed out and said, "Just find it, everyone is happy."

Zeng Yu said goodbye to Prefect Lin. Prefect Lin was in a good mood and said, "Just go to the office to have two drinks with Mr. Xu."

Zeng Yu said: "The student has asked Mr. Xu to drink so hard at night and talk to the two families of Yan's family at noon."

Magistrate Lin said: "That's good. The Yan family has come from afar and has to have a good hospitality. This is counted as the expenses of the government office - Huang Lao, who brought Zeng Xiucai to the household department to withdraw five taels of silver."

Huang Lao was the yellow-headed servant. Huang-headed servant came forward, nodded and bowed, "Mr. Zeng, the younger one, took Zeng, to the household department."

Xu Wei took a few steps and whispered: "It's great, the official food and drink." He laughed loudly and turned back to the guest room.

Huangtoumao followed Zeng Yu and said with a flattering look on his face: "Fan Mazi and his two offended Zeng Hunter. Before the villain could report to the master of the mansion, Zeng Hunter said how to punish them?"

Zeng Yu said: "No need, let them restrain themselves and don't do these things to blackmail good people."

"Yes, yes." The yellow-headed servant nodded like a chicken pecking at the rice: "But this time they still have to teach them some lessons丨How dare they cheat on Mr. Zeng, wouldn't they be dying?" He also said: "Xia Guiyu, the son of Mr. Zeng, has ordered the prison guards to take care of him more, and he will never suffer."

Zeng Yu said: "Thank you Huang Bantou, just do things according to the law, neither do you follow the law nor do you misunderstand the law."

The Huangtou Jun once again "yes, yes," led Zeng Yu to the department room to collect five taels of silver and sent Zeng Yu out respectfully. Sixi and two Yan's family members were waiting by the Yimen Gate and returned to the house outside the north gate. Yan Jian even brought a gift to Zeng Yu's mother, a marten mouse coat, a pair of silver-padded gold-inlaid jewelry, and other miscellaneous gifts, which are convenient for long-distance carrying and not easy to break-

Yan Jian said: "The eldest young master and Grandma Cao ordered the young man to come to Shangrao and see Mr. Zeng safe and sound. He also wanted to go to the mansion to kowtow to Grandma Zeng before going back."

Fan Huyuan said: "I left for the afternoon and returned to Fenyi. The eldest young master was worried about waiting for news from me."

Zeng Yu said: "The two of you have worked hard for a long distance and have to rest for a night before leaving. They live in a humble house. After returning, they told Mr. Shaoqing that I had to keep you two. Mr. Shaoqing will not blame you. Moreover, I have to write long letters to Mr. Yan Er and Mr. Shaoqing respectively, so I can go wherever I can go in the afternoon."

Yan Jian and Fan Huyuan were very happy. They also wanted to rest for a night before going on the road. However, Young Master Shaoqing ordered them to return to report the news immediately when there was news of Mr. Zeng's safety. They didn't dare to delay it. Now, with Mr. Zeng's words, Young Master Shaoqing would definitely not blame him and the other ones, so he happily came to Zeng's house outside the north gate and wanted to kowtow to Zeng Yu's mother.

In the hall, Wu Chunze and Zheng Shi were having a chat while cooking on fire. When they saw Zeng Yu, Wu Chunze shouted: "My brother Jiuli asked me to find it easy. I came to you and have a drink after the exam yesterday, but I didn't see you. I came here at the morning of the morning and waited for a long time."

Zeng Yu smiled and said, "Sorry, I'm sorry, you can give me three big cups at noon."

Zheng Shi said: "Brother Wu, I can't compare to Jiuli's alcohol tolerance. At noon, I will drink one cup and three cups, so I can compete with each other."

Zeng Yu ordered Sixi and Laifu to buy a jar of good wine, Shangrao's special dishes, savory vinegar chicken, and the sauce-flavored goose were good, so I bought one each, and bought the rest of the mutton and live fish for Chu Niang to cook.

After giving the order, he was about to lead Yan Jian and the others into the inner courtyard, but Sixi said, "Young Master, yesterday, Yuan Laoke sent a basket of fish, two big white geese, a goat, and two boxes. I don't know what gift it was."

Zeng Yu said in surprise: "I sent it yesterday? Why don't I know?"

Sixi said: "I sent it in the morning. Wasn't the young master taking the exam then? Last night, the young master came back at the banquet at the government office late. I went to find Xia Chaofeng again early this morning, and I never told him."

Zeng Yu shook his head. Yuan Zhong and his son's passenger ship had already gone far away. These gifts were not back. It would be fine if fresh fish, live sheep, and big white geese. Those two boxes were unknown. It would be too expensive. He said, "Then buy a jar of good wine. Eat fresh geese, and fresh fish are better."

Yan Jian and the other two followed Zeng Yu in and kowtowed to Zeng's mother Zhou, and then withdrew. Zeng Yu asked him about Yan Shaoqing's situation after leaving Fenyi. They also got some news about Lu Miaoxiang and Yingzi. Yan Shaofang wanted to put Yingzi into the genealogy, but Lu Miaoxiang opposed it and said that it would not be too late to enter the genealogy after the marriage was settled, so Yan Shaofang had to let her.

The chef Yu was very quick to do things. After a while, he had killed a goose, and asked Sixi to help pluck the hair. Sixi sent Laifu to pluck the goose feathers and said he was going to buy wine.

When the kitchen was busy, Zeng's mother Zhou would come to help. Today, because there were foreign customers, it was difficult to show up in public. When Zeng Yu came back and had more customers, he felt that there were not enough people in the house, which was quite inconsistent with the decent family with fame.

Lai Fu Zhonghou was sent to the group by the chef Yu's branch and served dishes, just like a restaurant client. At the beginning of noon, some food and dishes were served first, divided into two tables, Zeng Yu, Zheng Shi and Wu Chunze, Lai Fu, Si Xi, Yan Jian, Fan Huyuan and Wu Chunze's servants, and the meals of Zeng's mother Zhou and Niu Niu were taken into the inner courtyard by the chef Yu. Zeng's mother Zhou ate lighter, and basically did not eat pork and mutton, only some fish, eggs and small meat.

Zeng Yu and Zheng Shi and Wu Chunze competed with each other, and after three rounds of wine, Zheng Shi and Wu Chunze were half drunk. Zeng Yu was not drunk except for blushing. At this time, someone knocked on the door. Zeng Yu said, "Is it because Mr. Xu Wei and Mr. Xu came to the door when he smelled the smell of wine?" He went to open the door, but saw that it was a 50-year-old woman. Looking at the face, he asked, "Who is the mother-in-law looking for? This is Zeng's house."

The woman smiled and looked at Zeng Yu up and down, but asked without answering, "Are you the scholar's son of Grandma Zeng?"

Sixi ran over, and Sixi also drank two glasses, her face was full of redness, and her mouth was full of oil when she ate fat goose, and she said, "Young Master, this is Liu Erma. She often comes to the house and says she wants to be a matchmaker for the young master."

The old lady Liu Erma smiled and said, "I still have a hint of my body. I saw the young master of the Zeng family at first sight. The young master Zeng has a full heaven, a square pavilion, colorful eyebrows, delicate eyes, talented and knowledgeable.

"Okay, okay." Zeng Yu quickly interrupted the woman: "My Liu Er, please come in. My mother is in the inner courtyard. If you talk, I will accompany a few friends." He bowed his hand and went back slightly.

Zheng Shi asked: "Isn't it Mr. Xu?"

Zeng Yu watched the Liu Mama go into the inner courtyard through the corridor and smiled and said, "It's a matchmaker. When we meet, we are full of heaven. We are well-educated and have a lot of knowledge and are so funny."

Wu Chunze had six or seventy-six points of drunkenness and said with a smile: "It's that Liu Erma, the first matchmaker in the North Gate area. His mouth can turn his beauty and ugliness around."

Zheng Shi smiled and said, "I don't know whose lady admires our Jiuli Brothers. You must first find out clearly. Don't marry Dongshi and come back."

Zeng Yu said: "If you don't talk about those, let's drink, Brother Wu, you still owe a glass of wine, drink."

After drinking for a while, Zheng Shi and Wu Chunze were both drunk and fell down. Zheng Shi helped him to sleep in the wing room. Wu Chunze's servant went to the city gate to hire a carriage to take Wu Chunze back to Wu Village. Zeng Yuze did it himself, brewed a pot of tea, and drank it slowly. At this time, Niu Niu came out and opened her eyes wide and said, "Brother, have your friends left? Mom asked you to go in and talk."

Zeng Yu brushed Fu Niu Niu's forehead and asked, "Did Liu Erma come to me to match?"

Niu Niu nodded and smiled, "Yes, it's been around for more than a dozen times, as if she wants her mother to agree immediately.

Zeng Yu said: "Whose daughter is it? Let my Niu Niu go and see it first. Niu Niu guards the first level. Niu Niu doesn't see it correctly. Never mind - so many matchmakers come to the door to say they are kissing, so we must also carefully choose, right?"

Niu Niu smiled, her little head kept lit, and suddenly said softly: "Brother, Niu Niu actually likes the little fairy who came to our house the day before yesterday--"

Zeng Yu burped and said, "Little Fairy, my brother can't marry you."

Niu Niu blinked and asked, "Why?"

Zeng Yu said: "Because, because the little fairy can't marry, she wants to cultivate to become a real god."

Niu Niu said "Oh", looking very regretful, and after a while, he said, "Brother, go in, mom and Chen Erma are waiting."

Zeng Yu picked up the teacup and drank it all. He was about to follow Niu Niu into the inner courtyard. When someone knocked on the door, Sixi went over to open the door. Zeng Yu walked to the hall and saw another matchmaker, and said to Niu Niu: "I won't go in for now. Niu Niu takes this mother-in-law in and talks to her mother." He said in his heart: "When the matchmaker meets the matchmaker, see who can speak."

Zeng Yu sat down and continued to drink tea. While chatting with Yan Jian and Fan Huyuan, he heard someone knocking on the door. Zeng Yu shook his head and said, "Isn't it a matchmaker again?"

Yan Jian smiled and said, "A handsome talent like Mr. Zeng is still unmarried. That's really rare. The matchmakers will naturally fight for it."

Sixi went to open the door, and it turned out that he was a matchmaker who came in again. These matchmakers came in the morning. They heard that Zeng Yu would be at home in the afternoon, so they came again, preparing to persuade Zeng Yu to marry a daughter of a certain family in person.

Not long after the third matchmaker entered, someone knocked on the door again. Zeng Yu said helplessly: "Sixi, Yu Qian should not close the door, just go in and out."

I heard a Shaoxing accent laughing loudly, "Is my brother so hospitable? The house is allowed to enter and exit."

Zeng Yu quickly got up and came out of the hall, and saw Xu Wei walking in alone, and said with a smile: "It turns out to be Brother Xu, why did Brother Xu come here alone?"

Xu Wei said: "I visited the cottage twice. Uh, I have a bad word. I am a good citizen of the Ming Dynasty and have no intention of being in the world. Of course, I have the talent of Wuhou." As he said, laughing, he was indeed very crazy.

Sixi was still talking to someone in front of the door, but it was the two soldiers with swords. Xu Wei ordered them to go back first and get up early tomorrow to pick him up. He wanted to drink with Zeng Xiucai and sleep with his hands on calligraphy and painting.

Xu Wei was a master of calligraphy and painting who influenced future generations for five hundred years. Zeng Yu would not miss this good opportunity to study. He also had a calligraphy and painting studio in the front yard, which was to prepare friends to talk about calligraphy and painting when they visited. After all, outsiders were inconvenient to go inside the study room in the small building in the inner courtyard.

Zeng Yu asked Sixi to carry dozens of his past drafts to the front yard calligraphy and painting studio, and asked Xu Wei to give advice one by one. Xu Wei looked at a few ink paintings and exclaimed: "Brother, you are not asking me for advice, you are showing off.

Zeng Yu said sincerely: "My brother may have some strange thoughts, but his heart and hands cannot correspond. The drawings are often plausible. My brother also saw this ink, so I asked me to give advice from my heart."

Xu Wei suddenly asked: "Brother, how can I be good at painting?"

Zeng Yu said: "A ten talented man in Yue, although I am ignorant, how can I not know my brother's name?"

Xu Wei was flattered and was very happy, but he sighed, "No matter how good the calligraphy and painting are, it is not enough to make a living. Calligraphy and painting are always needed to help. If I were a Jinshi and Hanlin, then I would be full of people who ask me to call and painting. But I am just a little scholar, trapped in the field for twenty years. When I was very down a few years ago, I sold paintings to make a living. A painting only sold a hundred ten cents, and my Xu Wei's painting is worth hundreds of cents?"

This last rhetorical question shows Xu Wei's indignation and pride. Xu Wei is a tragic genius like Van Gogh. His talent was rarely appreciated by others. He was poor and destitute. After his death, he shined for hundreds of years. Masters like Zheng Banqiao and Qi Baishi are willing to be slaves and dogs under his disciples. What a praise this

Zeng Yu said: "My brother's talent is as talented as the spring and snow. There is no need to be praised by ordinary people. It is enough to have three or five friends to appreciate it. Our generation is not about selling money to sell it. It is because we really like this. We don't let me write or draw, and we feel uncomfortable all over."

"It's very true." Xu Wei laughed loudly, stroked Zeng Yu's shoulders and sighed: "Those who know me are also Brother Zeng.
Chapter completed!