Ye Zelin shook his head, "Why would I blame you for anything?"
Hua Fushu said, "I didn't want to smooth things over. I turned around and saw my father, and he was so happy. I was afraid that you and grandfather would quarrel, so I interrupted you."
Ye Zelin said, "Don't overthink it. I'm not unhappy. It's rare for Grandfather to take the initiative to celebrate the New Year with us. Although Father didn't say anything, I can see how happy he is. I just didn't want to eat Grandfather's red bean cake. When Grandfather asked me to eat it, I remembered what happened back then."
Hua Fushu understood his feelings. She said, "Grandfather won't do anything in front of everyone."
Ye Zelin sighed, "I know my grandfather wouldn't add anything to the red bean cake, but I still can't get over it."
"Let's not talk about this anymore." Hua Fushu felt a little sorry for Ye Zelin. Although they were all grandsons of the Ye family, the old general treated each of them differently. He could love a grandson to the bone, but he could also hate a grandson so much that he would even kill him.
The two returned to Guanju Pavilion. Ye Zelin took out a small brocade box and gave it to Hua Fushu, "This is a New Year's gift for you."
"For me?"
Hua Fushu took the small brocade box and opened it. Inside was a hairpin with plum blossoms carved out of jade on the top. On the side was a butterfly with its wings spread out, ready to fly. There were a few tassels hanging from the bottom of the butterfly's wings.
This hairpin is not new in style, but it is very exquisitely made.
She took out her hairpin, looked at it for a few seconds, then looked up at Ye Zelin. Her clear almond eyes couldn't hide the joyful smile, "This is the first time you've given me a real gift."
That white jade phoenix-head hairpin was not a gift from Ye Zelin to her. No one wanted the phoenix-head hairpin anymore, so Ye Zelin thought of giving it to her.
Seeing that her words were not precise, Ye Zelin corrected her and said, "This is my first New Year's gift to you."
He took a step back and bowed to Hua Fushu, "Happy New Year! May you enjoy the New Year and be safe every year."
Hua Fushu bowed in return and said, "Let's share the joy and happiness together. I also wish you a long life, and may spring come to you every year."
"Thank you, ma'am."
"Thank you, husband."
The two looked at each other and smiled.
The next day was the first day of the new year. The old general had agreed with the Duke of Rong's Mansion that he would go there to pay New Year's greetings today.
Hua Fushu got up early and dressed up. She wore a lilac dress, put on makeup, and painted her eyebrows.
Ye Zelin placed the hairpin he had given her into her bun, looked at the lush flowers in the mirror and said, "My father gave my mother the Melting Moon Pear Blossom, and I give you the Lovebirds of Love. Do you like it?"
Hua Fushu touched the hairpin of the step-shaking ornament, her face rosy with joy, "I like it."
In the morning, the old general took his whole family to visit the Duke of Rong's Mansion to pay New Year's greetings, but he did not bring Xu with him. A respectable family would not bring concubines or maids out.
In the afternoon, Ye Zelin took Hua Fushu to the Kong family to pay New Year's greetings.
Many people went to the Kong family to pay New Year's greetings. In addition to the Kong family's relatives, most of the people who came to pay New Year's greetings were Kong's students or disciples.
People came one after another to pay New Year's greetings, almost breaking down the threshold of the Kong family's house. Perhaps even Mr. Kong didn't know how many students he had taught.
It can be said that Mr. Kong has many disciples.
Ye Zelin and his friend met Ling Zhiheng's family at the door of the Kong family. They also came to pay New Year's greetings.
Ling Zhiheng's father, Minister Ling, is one of Mr. Kong's formal disciples and one of Mr. Kong's most valued disciples. The Ling family and the Kong family are both in the capital, so the Ling family must go to the Kong family to pay New Year's greetings no matter what.
The two men met Mr. Kong, chatted with him for a while and then returned home.
The second day of the Lunar New Year is the day when married women return to visit their parents' home. Hua Fushu's parents' home is in Sunian, so Ye Zelin should accompany her to visit her parents' home on the second day of the Lunar New Year.
The imperial examination was approaching, and Ye Zelin spent all his time preparing for the exam except for the visits he had to make. He had no extra time to accompany Hua Fushu back to her parents' home.
Hua Fushu also knew that Ye Zelin was too busy to go back to her parents' home, and it would be inappropriate for her to go back alone, so she sent a letter back to Su Nian before the second day of the New Year, telling her parents that she would not go back to her parents' home, and would go back to visit them when she and Ye Zelin were free.
She hadn't told Ye Zelin yet that she wouldn't be going back to her parents' home, but Ye Zelin had already spoken first. He said with deep apology, "Fushu, I should go back to Sunian with you to visit my parents. The imperial examination is coming up soon, and I really can't spare the time. Can I go back to Sunian with you after the examination?"
Hua Fushu smiled and said, "We agreed that we'll go back to Su Nian after the exam is over. Don't stand me up then."
Ye Zelin said confidently: "No."
Hua Fushu took Ye Zelin's arm and said, "I know you're fully focused on preparing for the exam. Apart from visiting the Rongguo Mansion and the Kong family for the New Year, you didn't even go to the Ling family. You must not have the time to accompany me back to my parents' home. I've already written to my parents, telling them that I won't be going back to my parents' home. I'll go back to see them when we're free. Although we didn't go back in person, I sent someone to send the New Year gifts back."
After the fourth day of the New Year, Ye Zelin returned to the Kong family private school to attend classes. Mr. Kong was very strict with the students who were about to take the imperial examinations and only gave them five days of annual leave.
The annual vacation is over and students must return to private school on time.
The old general is still the person in the general's mansion who is most opposed to Ye Zelin taking the imperial examination.
The Ye family had been generals for generations, guarding the western border. This was an ancestral precept passed down from generation to generation, and no one had ever violated it. Ye Zelin's insistence on taking the path of a civil servant was a violation of his ancestors. As the head of the Ye family, the old general would not allow Ye Zelin to deviate from the family's ancestral precepts.
As a father, Ye Shiheng no longer stops Ye Zelin.
The old general was fighting alone, so he changed his strategy. He wanted to know why Ye Zelin wanted to take the imperial examination. Perhaps if he knew the reason, he would be able to dissuade him.
He found Hua Fushu, who was the one in the family who supported Ye Zelin the most in taking the imperial examination. She must know why Ye Zelin insisted on taking the imperial examination.
The old general told Hua Fushu why he wanted to know the reason why Ye Zelin took the imperial examination. Hua Fushu was surprised and looked at the old general in a daze.
Everyone knew that the old general did not allow Ye Zelin to take the imperial examination. He threatened to beat Ye Zelin to death several times and even said that he would remove Ye Zelin from the Ye family tree. How could he ask Ye Zelin why he wanted to take the imperial examination?
It's so weird.
The old general is so strange.
"What are you looking at? Take those bulging dead fish eyes of yours away." The old general shouted. He just wanted to ask Ye Zelin why he wanted to take the imperial examination. What was so strange about it?
He was very normal. Hua Fushu's expression clearly showed that he thought his grandfather was going to do something big.
Hua Fushu retracted her protruding dead fish eyes, no, her wide-open almond eyes.
The old general asked Ye Zelin why she wanted to take the imperial examination, and what should she say.
She doesn't know much.
Ye Zelin wants to take the imperial examination. On the one hand, he has the talent and ability, and on the other hand, the people behind Ye Zelin need some support.
As for whether there were other reasons why Ye Zelin insisted on taking the imperial examination, she had no idea.
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