"Nephew Han, please take a seat first!" Compared to Han Che's calmness, Han Zhengyi seemed more excited. He pointed to the seat closest to him with his right hand and spoke!
"Thank you, uncle!" Han Che's face was indifferent, making it impossible to tell what he was feeling at the moment. However, the courtesy he showed was impeccable. Moreover, Han Zhengyi would not care about these small details at this moment. His smiling eyes were staring at Han Che in front of him, and his eyes were full of satisfaction!
"I wonder what important matter has caused you to call me here today?" Han Che did not ignore the look in Han Zhengyi's eyes, and he also felt that Han Zhengyi had no intention of harming him at this moment, so he smiled faintly and spoke!
Han Zhengyi saw Han Che's straightforward question, and the smile in his eyes and the excitement on his face faded slightly. He took the teacup with one hand and said hospitably, "My dear nephew, there is no need to be so polite. You and Shao Mian passed the imperial examination in the same year, and now serve in the same court. You are also good friends, so there is no need to keep mentioning the term 'your humble official'!"
Seeing Han Zhengyi speak like this, Han Che did not hesitate, but nodded with a faint smile, and followed Han Zhengyi's words and said, "Han Che understands! Thank you for your respect for Han Che, uncle!"
Han Che's politeness made Han Zhengyi smile and shake his head, then he said, "My dear nephew, you are too modest! You and Shao Mian are both top scorers, how can you look down on me? It has been two months since Shao Mian was ordered to escort the King of Chu to Youzhou. I miss him very much! And my dear nephew, you are similar in age and character to Shao Mian, so I specially invited you here today to chat and relieve my boredom. I hope I didn't waste your time!"
Upon hearing this, Han Che immediately stood up and bowed, saying, "Why would you delay? Although Han Che and Shao Mian are separated in the fields of civil and military affairs, they cherish each other and regard each other as good friends. Since the uncle wants to see Han Che, Han Che is naturally happy to do so!"
"Okay, okay! Sit down quickly!" After hearing Han Che's words, Han Zhengyi laughed out loud, and motioned Han Che to sit down with one hand, his face full of joy. "There aren't many children in my Han Mansion. With Shao Mian gone, it's become even more deserted! If my nephew has nothing to do in the mansion, he can come over. It's just a matter of adding a pair of bowls and chopsticks!"
Han Zhengyi's enthusiasm really surprised Han Che. However, after hearing his last sentence, Han Che showed a look of difficulty on his face, which was seen by Han Zhengyi who was staring at him the whole time!
"What's wrong? Is there something difficult happening in the Han Mansion?" Words of concern burst out instantly!
After he finished speaking, even Han Zhengyi himself felt that he was a little rash, and explained again, "If there are any difficulties, as long as my uncle can help, I will definitely help you!"
Seeing Han Zhengyi's face full of concern, Han Che smiled elegantly and then began to explain, "Uncle, you misunderstood! It's just that Han Che's sister is still living in the mansion, so Han Che will naturally accompany her for meals. I'm afraid..."
After hearing Han Che's explanation, Han Zhengyi nodded, a trace of inquiry flashing in the depths of his eyes. After taking a sip of tea to moisten his throat, he spoke again, "Apart from your sister, my nephew Han's parents are still alive, right?"
Hearing the question in Han Zhengyi's words, Han Che half-closed his eyes, his mind turning over and over again, and then he spoke, "In the Han Mansion in the capital, my sister is the only relative! My parents are in the countryside and have not come to the capital!"
"Why don't you bring your parents to the capital? My nephew is young and promising. Now he has been appointed as a scholar-official by the emperor and serves as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy. This is a matter of honor for the family. You can bring your parents to the capital to enjoy the happiness of family!" Han Zhengyi continued to speak, his eyes shining with a subtle exploration!
These words only caused Han Che to raise his head slightly, a comfortable smile appearing on his face. He then spoke, "Han Che's parents are both honest country people. They originally wanted to bring them to the capital to live out their days, but they couldn't get used to the prosperous life there. In addition, the affection between fellow villagers is very deep, so they would rather stay where they are and only let my younger sister come to the capital. I hope my younger sister can learn the manners of a lady from a noble family!"
Han Zhengyi listened carefully to Han Che's words, staring at his expression closely. He found that Han Che's eyes flashed with happiness, and even his words revealed a hint of joy. This made Han Zhengyi's eyes flicker slightly, but he still smiled and said, "It is said that parents' orders cannot be disobeyed! Although I can't fulfill my filial piety in front of my parents, obeying my parents' wishes is also the way for children to be filial! But I am very curious about what kind of parents could raise such an outstanding man like my nephew! But, in this case, aren't all my nephew's ancestors from the capital?"
"Yes! My parents took my sister and me to cultivate a few acres of thin land at home, and later they collected some money for me to go to Beijing to take the exam!" Han Che replied lightly with his eyes half lowered!
Han Zhengyi saw him lower his eyes at this moment, and the teacup in his hand turned slightly in a circle, but a trace of doubt flashed in his eyes. "But my nephew's words and deeds seem to me to be very decent and dignified, no different from the young masters in this capital! If my nephew hadn't said it himself today, I really wouldn't believe that my nephew's family is a farming family! It shows that your father and mother are also cultivating you with all their heart!"
Hearing this, Han Che's heart tightened slightly. He then raised his head, staring calmly at Han Zhengyi, and slowly spoke, "Although my parents are just ordinary people, they often taught me that as the eldest son in the family, I should be steady! But they doted on my younger sister more, which also made her a lively person!"
Hearing Han Che mention Han Yu, Han Zhengyi also smiled. Although the young lady of the Han family was not yet famous, from the reply of the servants who had inquired about the news before, the young lady of the Han family was indeed very lively, which was consistent with what Han Che had just said!
It seems that Han Che did not hide too much when facing his own problems!
However, looking at Han Che's indifferent expression, Han Zhengyi always felt that the conversation between the two was polite but not heartfelt. Han Che seemed to be answering his questions one by one, but he did not reveal too much about the Han family!
This made Han Zhengyi feel depressed, but he also understood that since Han Che was able to win the top spot in liberal arts, his strength was naturally beyond doubt, and he was also on guard against others. It was unrealistic to expect him to tell the truth with just one conversation!
"Knock, knock, knock!" At this moment, there was a knock on the door outside the originally quiet lobby!
"Who is it?" Han Zhengyi paused his communication with Han Che and asked in a deep voice!
"Master, it's me!" The voice of Han Mansion's housekeeper came from outside the closed door!
"Come in!" Putting down the cooling tea in his hand, Han Zhengyi smiled apologetically at Han Che. When he saw the butler step into the hall, he asked, "What happened?"
The butler glanced at Han Che first, then answered Han Zhengyi's question, "Master, the butler of Han Hanlin's mansion is outside the mansion gate. He said that Miss Han has an urgent matter and asked Han Hanlin to go back!"
Listening to the housekeeper's explanation, Han Che's originally calm brows suddenly frowned. He then stood up and bowed to Han Zhengyi and said, "Uncle, I'm sure there must be something in the mansion that I can't solve. Han Che will take his leave first!"
Seeing the anxiety in Han Che's eyes, although there were still many questions in his heart that he hadn't asked, Han Zhengyi could only nod and say, "Since there is something going on at home, then my nephew Han should go back first! If there is anything that cannot be resolved, you can send someone to tell me!"
"Thank you, uncle!" After saying that, Han Che turned around and left the lobby under the guidance of the Han Mansion's housekeeper and walked towards the gate of the Han Mansion!
"Although he is a man, if you look closely at his eyes and eyebrows, they look very similar!" The door curtain leading to the backyard from the lobby was gently lifted, and Mrs. Han walked in with shock in her eyes, and whispered to her husband!
After hearing his wife's comments, Han Zhengyi nodded in agreement. "They are indeed very similar, and the more I look at them, the more they look alike! But this child is too cautious. After asking for a long time, his answers are still superficial and only limited to some superficial things! It seems that finding a breakthrough with Han Che is really not easy!"
Seeing a hint of frustration in her husband's tone, Madam Han placed the hot tea she had brewed in Han Zhengyi's hand and said gently, "We've only met once, why are you so discouraged? As the saying goes, dripping water wears away stone. If you interact more with Han Hanlin, I believe you will be able to get more information! What's more, Shao Mian won't stay in Youzhou all his life. Bringing Shao Mian back can also let Shao Mian..."
"No!" But before Mrs. Han could finish her words, she was interrupted by Han Zhengyi in a stern voice!
Mrs. Han was slightly stunned with a faint smile on her face, but she looked at her husband with worry. She knew that only in this matter would her usually gentle husband show such a stern expression!
Han Zhengyi noticed the worry in Madam Han's eyes, put down the teacup, took Madam Han's right hand and patted it gently, "Now is not the time! Don't worry about it, I will take care of it!"
Seeing Han Zhengyi's resolute expression, Madam Han could only nod along with his words...
Han Che followed the Han Mansion's steward out of the Han Mansion. Sure enough, he saw his own mansion's steward leading two horses to guard the gate of the Han Mansion. He stepped forward and asked, "What happened?"
The distance between the two mansions is not too far, but the housekeeper was leading a horse and had a worried look on his face. This was a bit strange!
"Master!" Seeing Han Che finally come out, the butler immediately stepped forward to salute, and then whispered a few words in Han Che's ear. Han Che's face suddenly became solemn, and he immediately took the reins from his hand, sat on the horse, and rushed to the Han Mansion with his butler!
After a while of galloping, the newly renovated Han Mansion gradually came into Han Che's sight. At this time, there were several palace servants standing at the door of the Han Mansion. They stood outside the door with solemn expressions, and there were several horses beside them. They must be waiting for Han Che's arrival!
"Have you invited the person into the mansion for tea?" Han Che quickly jumped off the horse and threw the reins directly to the doorman. With a calm expression, he quickly walked into the mansion with the butler!
"Don't worry, sir. The maids have already served good tea! Although the eldest lady is the one in charge of the mansion, she is still a woman after all. I will immediately ask my servant to go to the Han Mansion to ask you to come back!" The butler followed Han Che very quickly and replied very quickly after Han Che asked questions. It can be seen that he is well-trained and it is enough to show that Han Che has a keen eye for people!
As they were talking, the two of them had already arrived outside the front hall. Han Che gradually slowed down his pace. After his breathing became steady, he suddenly lifted the door curtain with one hand and walked in with a faint smile. "I'm sorry for keeping you waiting for so long, eunuch! It's truly my fault!"
Hearing Han Che's voice, Eunuch Yu immediately put down the teacup in his hand, and his shrewd eyes immediately looked towards the door. He saw Han Che in casual clothes stepping over the threshold, bowing to him with both hands. He immediately stood up and smiled, "Han Hanlin, you are too polite!"
Han Che noticed Eunuch Yu's subtle movements, and seemed to understand but was not sure!
This Eunuch Yu is a big shot around Emperor Yugan. Although he is an eunuch, he can make most officials of the previous dynasty pay their respects to him!
But just now, with his identity and rank as a sixth-rank Hanlin Academy editor, Eunuch Yu didn't need to stand up at all, but he put down the teacup in his hand and stood up when he stepped into the hall!
For a moment, this small action caused countless thoughts to turn over in Han Che's mind! However, these thoughts only stopped in his mind, and the expression on Han Che's face did not reveal the slightest bit!
"Please take a seat, eunuch! I wonder what important matter has brought you here today?" Unlike other officials who would flatter Eunuch Yu upon seeing him coming, Han Che simply asked the question in a casual manner. Although he had a faint smile on his face, he seemed distant and polite, without any intention of trying to please him!
Eunuch Yu also took in all of Han Che's reactions. His mind simultaneously recalled everything that had happened to Han Che since he went to Beijing for the imperial examination. He smiled knowingly and said, "I just heard from the housekeeper that Han Hanlin is out today! Now that Han Hanlin is dressed in casual clothes, I guess he's out meeting friends! The weather is gradually getting warmer, and it's indeed a good time to go out and meet friends! I heard that during last year's Autumn Examination, Han Hanlin stayed in Prince Chen's mansion because of a fire in the inn, and that he made a good friend there, Kong Hanlin. I wonder if Han Hanlin is going to see Kong Hanlin today!"
There was something else in Eunuch Yu's words. His seemingly complicated and circuitous words not only revealed to Han Che that he knew everything about Han Che, but also made Han Che clear that what he knew, Emperor Yu Gan must also know clearly. He hoped that Han Che would not take a detour and recognize the wrong master!
How could Han Che not understand the meaning behind Eunuch Yu's words? Just from the mention of 'Prince Chen', Han Che already knew what was going on. He also knew that the other party would not be sent away so easily today. Then he smiled and said, "I have always admired your wisdom! But today, you were wrong! I just left the capital, but because I have been in the capital for so long and have not yet fully appreciated its beautiful scenery, I couldn't help but stop and wait! If I had known you were coming today, I would have been waiting at home! Besides, I and Hanlin Kong have different rest days, so we really can't get together!"
Han Che explained in a low voice, still keeping a polite smile on his face, and was not angry at the sudden warning from Eunuch Yu just now!
Moreover, his words pointed out that what Eunuch Yu had just said was "wrong" rather than "wrongly guessed", which was enough to tell Eunuch Yu that he had understood all the previous warnings and hoped that Eunuch Yu would not misunderstand him!
Sure enough, after hearing Han Che's explanation, the smile in Eunuch Yu's eyes deepened! After all, some things cannot be faked. The Hanlin Academy's rest days have always been recorded. When he returns, he only needs to look through the record book to distinguish whether Han Che's words are true or false!
Eunuch Yu's face lit up with a smile as he slowly spoke, "Han Hanlin is truly a man of letters and ink, truly elegant and refined! However, today I must ask Han Hanlin to accompany me to the palace to meet the Emperor!"
Hearing this, Han Che's heart skipped a beat. He calmly turned his gaze to Eunuch Yu, who was smiling exceptionally brightly, and asked tentatively, "Please tell me, Eunuch! Did Han Che do something wrong to offend His Majesty..."
Before Han Che could finish his guess, Eunuch Yu raised his hand to stop him from thinking any further. He simply suppressed his smile and spoke in an enigmatic voice, "If you made a mistake in the Hanlin Academy, the head scholar would punish you. His Majesty is so busy with all sorts of affairs, why would he worry about such a trivial matter? Han Hanlin, don't be nervous. I've been chatting with you here for half a day, and I think it can't be a bad thing. You should quickly send me to the palace to see His Majesty! But don't keep His Majesty waiting for too long!"
Seeing Eunuch Yu say this, Han Che's uneasiness became more and more obvious. He immediately stood up and said respectfully, "Please wait for a moment, Eunuch. I will go inside to change into court clothes and then go to the palace with you immediately!"
Seeing how attentive he was, Eunuch Yu smiled and nodded. "Please, Han Hanlin! But please be quick and don't delay too long!"
"Yes!" After he finished speaking, Han Che winked at the butler who was waiting at the door. The butler immediately stepped forward to add hot water for Eunuch Yu, while Han Che quickly walked towards the backyard!
"Yu'er!" Just as he was about to step into the courtyard where he usually lived, he saw Han Yu standing at the gate with an anxious look on his face, his little head looking out frequently, as if he was waiting for him!
"Brother, you are finally back! Did Eunuch Yu give you any trouble?" Seeing Han Che's figure, Han Yu breathed a sigh of relief!
"Don't worry, he didn't make things difficult for me! However, the emperor ordered me to go to the palace immediately!" After hurriedly comforting Han Yu, he saw Han Che had already stepped into the inner room, closed the door with his backhand, and quickly changed into casual clothes!
"Strange, have all the affairs in the court been resolved? The emperor actually has time to see you? Could it be that he..." Hearing the meaning of Han Che's words, Han Yu keenly realized that something was wrong. He stared at the closed door with a frown and spoke in a low voice!
However, the person in the inner room was concentrating on changing into court clothes and did not respond to Han Yu's question!
"Brother?" Han Yu spoke softly when she didn't get a response from Han Che, but she found that Han Che had already opened the door. He was wearing the uniform of a sixth-rank official, and the expression on his face was more solemn than before!
"I'm leaving!" Seeing the worry in his sister's eyes, Han Che smiled lightly and patted Han Yu's shoulder, then turned around and walked out of the room!