Great Song Super Scholar

Chapter 153
Wujiang County is full of large and small lakes, and small rivers run through these lakes like ropes, and small towns and villages are distributed between the lakes and rivers.

Due to sufficient water and heat, fertile land, and the development of agricultural technology, since the Song Dynasty, the grain output in the Jiangnan area has continued to increase, and one mu of land can already produce as much as four or five shi. It began in the Song Dynasty.

The convenient transportation and developed economy have made the Wujiang area a place of hidden dragons and crouching tigers since ancient times, and countless invisible rich people hide in the small towns between the lakes.

The Zhu family, the richest man in Pingjiang Mansion, lives in Shengze Town, the southernmost town in Wujiang County.

Shengze Town is about the same size as Mudu Town, but the handicraft industry here is more developed. There are more than 300 brocade and cloth weaving workshops and tens of thousands of looms in the town.

Zhu's Mansion is located in the northeast corner of Shengze Town. It is a huge house covering an area of ​​more than 500 mu. There are more than [-] people from Zhu's three brothers and their descendants, plus servants and maids. [-] people.

Of course, the Zhu Mansion also has its own dedicated pier. There are more than a dozen exquisite and luxurious painting boats docked on the pier all year round. These are the special boats of the Zhu family owner. Just like cars, they can board the boat at any time and travel to all parts of the world through the water system extending in all directions.

In the afternoon of the next day, the boat that Fan Ning took arrived at Shengze Town and sailed slowly towards Zhu's private pier.

"Little official, are you sure you have a good relationship with the Zhu family?"

The boatman was a little worried. Everyone on the boat knew that the wharves of wealthy and wealthy families were managed by special personnel, and people were generally not allowed to dock lightly. Zhu's wharf was even stricter.

"No problem, just stop."

The boatman dubiously steered the boat into the waterway dedicated to the pier, and slowly approached the pier.

Just at this time, a small boat sailed from the opposite side, and seemed to want to get on the pier ahead of Fan Ning's boat, but it was still a step too late, and Fan Ning's bow had already docked on the pier.

The boat behind had to slow down urgently again, the strong inertia still caused the two boats to collide heavily, the boat shook violently, Fan Ning squatted down quickly, and barely stabilized his body.

"Little officials, be careful!" Someone shouted from behind.

Fan Ning looked back and saw a [-] or [-]-year-old boy on the back of a boat in a state of embarrassment and fell on the top of the deck, with his back facing the sky, as if a piece of oily skin had been wiped off his arm by the side of the boat.

He got up in pain, raised his head, and stared at Fanning angrily.

At this time, a few people on the shore came rushing over, the one running in front was the steward of the dock, and behind him was a young boy in a brocade robe, about sixteen or seventeen years old.

The dock manager was angry and anxious, and he opened his mouth and angrily shouted at Fan Ning's boatman: "Where is your boat, how can you stop at will!"

The boatman bowed and apologized repeatedly. Fan Ning saw that there was no special sign where they stopped the boat, and he felt a little unhappy. Zhu's family was always courteous in Mudu Town, but how could they become a little rude in Wujiang.

But thinking that the other party is just a dock manager, although his attitude is not good, it does not represent the Zhu family.

In fact, Fan Ning could also guess why the steward was in a hurry. His master was probably waiting for the ship behind him, but he didn't expect his own ship to dock first. He felt that he couldn't explain to the master, so he acted a little frustrated.

Fan Ning cast his eyes on the young man on the shore, and saw that he was of medium build, wearing a yellow and black brocade robe, a jade belt around his waist, and a small golden crown on his head.

Fan Ning heard from Zhu Pei that she has many uncles and brothers, 50 to [-] people, and more than [-] sisters. It is a very big family, but not all the children of Zhu's family are well-educated. She doesn't like the Zhu family's children either.

Fan Ning stepped forward, cupped his hands and said to the young man in brocade clothes on the shore, "I'm from Wu County, and I'm here to visit Mr. Zhu!"

The young man in brocade robe ignored Fan Ning, he said to the boat behind: "You go aboard this boat, brother Liu Xian, you go ashore from the boat!"

The boat leaned on the boat, and the boy on the boat helped the boatman get on the boat, and went ashore directly from the boat. When he walked past the boat, he gave Fan Ning a hard look.

Fan Ning suddenly felt that this young man looked familiar, where did he seem to see him?I lowered my head and thought about it, but couldn't remember it all at once.

"Liu Xiandi, congratulations to the high school boy." The boy on the shore warmly welcomed the guests.

Fan Ning suddenly knew who this young man was. Liu Ran, boy No. 2, had seen him when he was queuing up for the exam. He was being identified at the time, no wonder he looked familiar.

This is the case when you are admitted to the Boys' Examination. Everyone has heard the name for a long time, but they have never met the real person.

"Oops! Your arm is broken."

The young man in brocade clothes on the shore found that Liu Ran's arm had been scratched with a large piece of skin, and blood beads came out. He immediately said urgently: "Hurry up and bandage him in the mansion."

"I'm fine!"

Liu Ran glanced back at Fan Ning again, and snorted dissatisfiedly, "Going all the way, just for fear of losing a little bit of money, who are you!"

Fan Ning was taken aback, this is Liu Ran who is No.2 on the boy list?

Fan Ning originally wanted to apologize to him and get to know each other better, but he didn't expect that Liu Ran would speak so harshly. Who is stealing the way?

Fan Ning bowed lightly and said, "Brother Liu is too humble!"

"You—" Liu Ran was so angry that she couldn't speak for a while when Fan Ning responded with a word.

"Is this young man a guest of my Zhu family?"

The young man in brocade looked Fan Ning up and down. Although he didn't speak harsh words, the tone of his words was already not very polite.

Fan Ning nodded slightly, "Fan Ning is in Xiawu County, and I'm here to visit Mr. Zhu!"

"You are Fanning!"

Liu Ran's gaze suddenly became astonished, and his face slowly swelled into the color of a pig's liver. After a long while, he bowed reluctantly and said, "I'm Liu Ran, you should know!"

Fan Ning smiled slightly, "I've heard about you for a long time, but today is the first time I've seen Brother Liu, so don't worry about Brother Liu's arm!"

Although Liu Ran was dissatisfied with Fan Ning, he couldn't express it in this situation, especially when the other party was Tongziqian No.1, so he could only swallow his dissatisfaction and forced a smile.

"I have nothing to do with it. Collisions between ships in the river are common. I was sorry just now."

Fan Ning smiled, and turned his gaze to the boy in brocade clothes, "You are also Zhu Pei's elder brother!"

When Fan Ning mentioned Zhu Pei suddenly, the faces of the other two were not very good, and an imperceptible trace of jealousy flashed in Liu Ran's eyes.

The young man in brocade clothes said with a smile: "Xia Zhu An, this is Zhu Pei's fifth elder brother. You must be looking for my great-grandfather! I guess it's your first time here. In fact, it's a little closer to the north gate from the front pier. No, I'll take you there!"

"Then thank you, brother Zhu."

"You're welcome, please follow me."

Zhu An led Fan Ning up the steps and went around to the east, while Liu Ran followed beside him unhurriedly. He secretly glanced at Fan Ning from time to time, and the look in his eyes was very complicated.

"Brother Liu, how do you plan to review next?" Fan Ning found a common topic and asked Liu Ran with a smile.

"I haven't figured it out yet, maybe I have to go to Beijing in advance, where is Fan Xiandi?"

"I may go to Beijing tomorrow or the day after tomorrow."

"You came to Beijing so early?" Liu Ran's eyes suddenly became a little vigilant.

"Go to Beijing and see the world!"

Fan Ning said with a smile: "It is always good for me to get in touch with more educated people."

"That's also—" Liu Ran laughed dryly.

"Fan Ning, where are you going to live in the capital?" Zhu An asked with a smile in front.

"I haven't figured it out yet, I should stay in an inn!"

"How about you live in our Zhu family's house in the capital?" Zhu An continued to ask tentatively.

Fan Ning shook his head, "Thank you, Brother Zhu, for your kindness, but there's no need, I'm not the only one coming to Beijing, but also two friends, it's more convenient to stay in a hotel."

"That's right, the inn is more free."

Zhu An chuckled, but exchanged glances with Liu Ran quietly.

After a while, they came to a gate. Zhu An told the porter, then turned to Fan Ning and said with a smile: "This is the gate of the north courtyard. Grandfather lives here. You just go in with the porter."

"Brother Zhu won't go in?" Fan Ning asked puzzled.

Zhu An shook his head with a smile, "I want to go through the gate of the east courtyard, and the third grandfather and one room enter through the gate of the west courtyard. Although the three houses have interlinked doors, they are usually locked, so it is not convenient."

It was only then that Fan Ning realized that the three brothers of the Zhu family lived in the same house and had different courtyards, and this Zhu An should be the grandson of Zhu Yuanjun, Zhu Pei's second grandfather.

"Thank you, Brother Zhu! Brother Liu, see you later!" Fan Ning smiled and cupped his hands, and followed the concierge into the mansion.

Seeing Fan Ning's figure disappear, Zhu An said to Liu Ran lightly: "You don't have to be too nervous, Xiao Qiniang won't fall in love with him."

Liu Ran was silent for a moment and said, "I still want to go to Beijing as soon as possible!"

"whatever!"

Zhu An glanced at him, and said earnestly: "You still have to focus on preparing for the imperial examination when you come to Beijing. I want to remind you that only if you are admitted to the Jinshi, you will have the opportunity to marry Xiao Qiniang in the future. Everything else is fake. It doesn't matter how much my grandfather likes you."

Liu Ran nodded, "I understand!"

(End of this chapter)