The Concubine Wushuang of Red Mansion

Chapter 117
According to the established plan, the ship will dock in Huai'an for supplies.

After walking further south for five or six days, we arrived in Suzhou. From Suzhou, we changed the river channel and headed east to Jiangning.

"Tomorrow, the ship will dock in Huai'an. I'll have someone take you to Huai'an for a stroll. You can buy whatever you like."

After having dinner together, Jia Cong and Daiyu sat by the window drinking tea.

Daiyu looked at Jia Cong with wide eyes, "Third brother, don't you know that girls can't show their faces outside?"

"Are you a girl? You are so young, only seven years old, so you are obviously a girl." Jia Cong said with a smile.

Seeing Daiyu puffing up her cheeks again, like a little hamster, Jia Cong said seriously, "There is an ancient saying that reading thousands of books is not as good as traveling thousands of miles. Do you know why?"

Daiyu shook her head. Although she knew the meaning of this sentence, the third brother always had a new interpretation every time. Therefore, she knew that the third brother must have a deep meaning when he asked this question.

"When you read thousands of books, they are confined to your study room. Although there are thousands of worlds in the books, they are only some rational understandings that enter your eyes. But when you measure the world with your own feet, it is Perceptual knowledge, the two kinds of knowledge are different in people’s feelings.”

Daiyu thought for a moment. She couldn't understand the meaning of these words, because the farthest door she had ever left in her life was the second door.

She traveled thousands of miles by water from Suzhou to Kyoto, but she was still on the boat. Even though she saw the whole world, she only looked out of the boat window, and her vision was so small.

"Will Third Brother come with me to see it?" Daiyu was inevitably timid.

Jia Cong keeps his filial piety. If he goes shopping openly, it will not be appropriate for him to fall into the eyes of others. Although he is very bold in many things, he also knows that if he really acts recklessly and does not follow any etiquette, he will definitely be ostracized and abandoned by this society. .

Daiyu, on the other hand, is timid and scared only because she has never been out. Once she steps over the threshold and enters the outside world, her courage will inevitably grow.

The reason why women in ancient times had long hair and short knowledge was because their world was limited to the backyard and they had never seen anything before. How could they have any knowledge?

As for Jia Cong, the reason why he is willing to let Daiyu know something is because in terms of blood, Daiyu is his cousin. In terms of emotions, when he was reading "A Dream of Red Mansions", Jia Cong has always been deeply attracted by Daiyu. attract.

She was so pitiful. She had been living in the backyard of Jia's family with no one to rely on. For ten years, the only man she had seen was Baoyu.

Because it was too novel and too scary, Daiyu couldn't help but ask, knowing that her third brother couldn't go shopping.

"Don't be afraid!" Jia Cong knew that it was difficult to take the first step, but after taking the first step, the subsequent steps were very exciting. "I will ask Uncle Kui to accompany you. He is an old man. Let him Bring your own soldiers to watch over you. You can take Zijuan and the two nuns with you, and nothing will happen to you."

Xia Jin pretended to be a public servant this time and sent people from the capital to follow. The leader was Baihu Mu Bin, and Jia Cong also sent him to lead a few people to follow Daiyu.

Daiyu was both excited and nervous. She tossed and turned all night long and didn't fall asleep until midnight.

Jia Cong got up a little late in the morning. Jia Cong had already practiced boxing and was practicing archery.

Daiyu had finished her breakfast and led a group of maids and women. Uncle Kui led people who were scattered around her. She turned back three times and landed on the shore.

Huai'an Prefecture is also a large city. It governs six counties and controls two states. It has a developed economy, prosperous commerce and culture, and flourishing culture and education.

After entering the city gate, there was an endless stream of people coming and going. On both sides of the street, in addition to rows of shops, people carrying goods, jugglers, selling candied haws, etc. Daiyu was overwhelmed by all these.

The carriage stopped in front of a silver building. Grandma Wang helped Daiyu get out of the carriage. She looked at the towering silver building in front of her, feeling a little confused.

"The second master said that he should take the girl to the silver building first. If the girl likes any jewelry, buy it first. Although the girl has not paid filial piety now, she will save it for the time being so that she can always use it in the future."

Grandma Wang thought about the arrangements the second master had made for the girl, with smiles in her eyes, "After visiting the Silver Building, I went to the largest restaurant in Huai'an to eat Huaiyang cuisine. She said that the girl was from the south. She must have been thinking about this for a long time. The taste is gone.”

"After that, let the slaves take the girl to the cloth shop. If there are fabrics of any color that she likes, buy some. Then go to the bookstore. The girl likes to read books the most. You should also buy some to read on the ship or in the future. "

Daiyu pursed her lips lightly, and the joy and sweetness in her heart surged like a spring, "It all depends on grandma's arrangements!"

This day went very smoothly. Daiyu didn't come back until it was getting late. Behind her, the carriage was loaded with a cart full of things that she had bought casually while shopping.

Jia Cong came to the side of the boat to greet her, and saw that although she could not hide her tiredness, she was smiling all over her face. When she walked, her steps were very brisk, and she seemed to be in a good mood.

"How?" Jia Cong stretched out his hand, took her hand, and pulled her onto the boat.

"That's great!" Daiyu let go and looked Jia Cong up and down, "Third brother, are you sorry that you can't go with me today?"

Jia Cong laughed and said, "It's a pity, but there is still a future. When we pass by here again in the future, I will ask Sister Lin to be my guide and take me around the city of Huai'an."

"I've been shopping on several streets, and there's a stall with really nice juggling. The juggler is a girl, she's only twelve or thirteen years old, and she's really good at it..."

As Daiyu said this, she walked with Jia Cong into the cabin. The lights and starlight intertwined, reflecting on her jade-like face. The faint sadness between her eyebrows seemed to have been melted by the fireworks in this world, and the crimson color beside the Sansheng Stone Pearl Immortal Grass seems to have taken root in this mortal world, and the past has faded into smoke. In the end, she is just an ordinary daughter in this mortal world.

It's just that she is smarter and more beautiful than ordinary daughters.

Before Jia Cong set off, he had already sent someone to deliver a message to Yangzhou Yanyan Yamen. When the ship docked at Yangzhou Pier, Yangzhou Magistrate Zhong Kuang sent an assistant officer to receive him and wanted to treat Jia Cong to a meal.

Since Jia Cong was not going to eat his meal, he sent Jia Ping to greet him for a few words. The assistant officer also felt that it was easy and he made peace with him.

The ship waited at Yangzhou Pier for about half a day. The Lin family did not send anyone to come. Jia Cong was also a little worried, so he asked Jia Ping to take people to Yangzhou to inspect the Yanyamen. After asking, it turned out that Lin Ruhai had gone to the official office three days ago. .

"Where did you go to the office?" Jia Cong asked.

"The person who delivered the letter earlier stayed at the Yamen, fearing that Mr. Lin would have something to ask when he came back. I heard from people in the Yamen that there was a rebellion at the salt field, and Mr. Lin and Mr. Zhao, the Lianghuai Salt Transport Envoy, went there. On the other side, the Yangzhou General Soldier also led his troops, I think it must be something serious."

Jia Cong had no choice but to let the ship sail again, and he went to talk to Daiyu himself.

Daiyu sat in front of the window and cried. Her mood was extremely complicated during this trip. She was worried that she would disappoint her father by not staying at Jia's house. She was also worried that her father would not be able to accommodate her if she came back, which would make his father worried. She was also worried. Something like that happened in the Jia family, which bothered his father.

Although she went to Kyoto in September and came back in just a few months, she missed her father every day.

Unexpectedly, after returning, he did not see his father.

"My uncle has gone out on business, and the person who was sent to deliver the letter did not meet him. Since there are no elders in the family, in my opinion, it is better for Sister Lin to go to Jiangning with me first."

Jia Cong said, "Jiangning is very close to Yangzhou, and it is very convenient to travel. Whether by land or water, it doesn't take much time. My sister is with me, and I have a companion while I observe my filial piety. It's my sister who doesn't want to Will you stay with me?"

Daiyu hurriedly collected her tears and shook her head gently, "My mother passed away before, and my grandmother sent someone to pick her up. My father was afraid that I would be alone at home with no one to teach me, so he sent me to my grandmother's house. Now, something happened there. It is unfilial to come back in a hurry without having made arrangements with my father in advance."

"There is nothing you can do if the matter is urgent, and there is nothing you can do at that time!" Jia Cong comforted, "Since my uncle is not on patrol at the salt yamen, and he doesn't know when he will come back, I must be worried about leaving my sister alone in the yamen. My sister will talk to me first Let's go to Jiangning together. When my uncle comes back, after finishing the matters at hand, I will definitely go back to pick up my sister. "

Daiyu was worried that Jia Cong would send her to the Xunyan Yamen and leave her alone. There were only a few aunts from her father at home, so how could she live off her aunts.

Since the third brother is willing to take her to Jiangning, she can do anything.

Along the way, the two of them got along day and night, and they were closer than brothers and sisters. Daiyu's reliance and trust in Jia Cong was no less than that of Lin Ruhai.

In the afternoon of the next day, the ship docked at Jiangning Pier. Jia Cong stood on the board and looked around, seeing a dark crowd gathering on the pier.

Could there be other people arriving at this time?He was confused.

A long red carpet stretched from the pier to the street, and the scene had been cleaned up.

A middle-aged man, wearing a Confucian robe, walked quickly.

He had a pale complexion, an elegant temperament, a beard under his chin, and a pair of eyes that were bright and restrained. He said to Jia Cong, "Junior brother, I am the senior brother of the Xiong family, and I am here to pick you up!"

Jia Cong hurriedly stepped forward to salute and looked around the shore in confusion, "I wonder who else is docking here today?"

"No, only junior brother!" Xiong Tingyan was also sizing up this junior brother. Seeing that he was not yet young, but more than calm, he was relieved, "junior brother has good handwriting and literary talent. There are many students here in Jiangnan. I admire you. I heard that my junior brother arrived today, so I came to greet you!"

Jia Cong understood immediately and laughed, "Are you taking the exam for me?"

"Although they are a little rude like this, the law does not punish everyone. There are more people. Junior brother, please bear with it if you can!"

Xiong Tingyan met Jia Cong for the first time. This was a so-called friendship, but he really didn't take Jia Cong out of sight. He taught him this way because he saw that his junior brother was younger than his son.

Jia Cong didn't notice it, but he didn't care about these students in his heart.

Yu Qingtang Meng Jixi also came over. He and Xiong Tingyan are both from Jiangnan and have some friendship. He reminded Jia Cong and said, "Brother, there are many children from Jiangnan aristocratic families here!"

But Jia Cong didn't take it seriously, "I'm just here to keep my filial piety. Could it be that I have offended these people and they will dig up my ancestral grave?"

Xiong Tingyan and Meng Jixi were both stunned.

Although Jia Cong only read the Hanlin classics of the eighth rank, he himself was a concubine of the Ningguo Mansion, and his mother was a third-rank imperial conferred by the emperor. He was also the prince's companion, and he had the honor of copying and embroidering the Tao Te Ching for the Emperor's birthday banquet. The blueprint of the scriptures is no less than an angel to these officials in the south who are far away from the capital.The officials of Jiangning Mansion were waiting on the pier, and there were a large number of students. When they saw Jia Cong coming, they all pointed and pointed, obviously not paying attention to him.

Jia Cong, still wearing plain clothes, quickly got off the boat. Facing the towering crowd, he did not feel timid. Instead, he stepped forward steadily and met with the officials of Jiangning Mansion. He was generous and generous. There was no trace of timidity, and everyone was surprised.

Ma Yan, the prefect of Jiangning, said, "Master Jia Xiao, I am half a native of Jiangning. This time I am returning to my hometown with honor. I will prepare a simple banquet to greet Master Jia Xiao. I also ask Master Jia Xiao to give me a favor."

Jia Cong was returning home to support his soul. Logically, he did not need to alert the local officials. However, because he donated the 13 taels of silver, the emperor not only ordered an official ship to be arranged, but also ordered officials at the inns along the way to provide convenience.

Although Jia Cong did not disturb the inns and counties along the way, everyone in the world knew that Jia Cong had the power of the holy family.

"Logically, Master Ma is hosting a banquet, and Cong shouldn't refuse it. However, the situation this time is really special. How dare Cong leave his grandfather's and mother's coffins aside and go to the banquet. This is really unfilial, and he also invites Master Ma to join the banquet." Forgive me, adults!”

As he spoke, Jia Cong bowed his head to the end. His sincere attitude and sad face were really touching.

Ma Yan also knew that if Jia Cong was really capable, Jia Cong would definitely refuse this vegetarian feast, and he was just being polite.

Ma Yan didn't expect that Jia Cong really refused. He thought it was Xiong Tingyan who pointed him out, and said with a smile, "Presumably, Mr. Xiong has made arrangements a long time ago, and I seem to be redundant."

Before Xiong Tingyan could speak, Jia Cong said with a smile, "Even if my senior brother has prepared it, it's appropriate. Today, Cong is here for private matters, not for official matters. How can I nag Mr. Ma?"

Ma Yan nodded and touched the long beard under his chin. He already appreciated Jia Cong. The boy lived up to his reputation.

A local student came forward and said, "Brother Yuanze, I am Li Zheng, a student from Jiangning Academy. I am named Jie Zhong. I have always heard about Brother Yuanze's name. He is an expert in poetry and writing. I bought Brother Yuanze's latest collection of poems from Yu Qingtang the day before yesterday. , the mouth is full of fragrance after reading, and the aftertaste is lingering. Today, Brother Yuanze is returning home to the south. I shouldn’t come to disturb you. However, we admire Brother Yuanze’s talent. I wonder if we can pay a visit in the future? "

Behind Li Zheng, there were many students looking over with different expressions.

Jia Cong knew the thoughts of these people very well. Scholars looked down upon each other, and no one wanted their talents to be suppressed by an eight-year-old child.

"My mother went to the west, and I never repaid my kindness. I only felt guilt and longing for my late mother. The three-year period of filial piety is easy to pass, and I don't want to waste a moment. If you brothers want to talk to Cong about poetry and calligraphy, please give Cong a message. Let’s make an appointment again in some time, three years from now!”

One of the students shouted, "Jia Cong, you are a famous child even though you are only three feet tall. You are telling the truth. I don't believe it. I came here to discuss the art of poetry and calligraphy with you. Your mother recently died. We are also sorry, do you think you don’t even have half an hour?”

"Yes, I don't want to spend time on people like you. Insight into worldly affairs is knowledge, and understanding of human feelings is an article. You don't even understand the most basic human feelings and sophistication, so what qualifications do you have to talk about knowledge? Look at you today. For the sake of welcoming me, I would like to advise you that it is easier to learn than to be a human being, so you should learn to be a human first!"

Too arrogant!

"You..." This person is also a student of Jiangning Academy, and his family is also a local prominent family. Otherwise, he would never have the confidence to provoke Jia Cong in front of everyone.

Standing out from the crowd, Xu Geshen was trembling with anger and sneered, "Sure enough, people in the capital and noble children have such good opportunities. I have never dreamed of being able to be ranked in the Imperial Academy. You are three feet tall." Children, relying on the merits of their ancestors and receiving such honors, do they really think that they are great?"

Jia Cong didn't even know the man's name. He only saw a tall man in his twenties, wearing a Confucian scholar's uniform with fluttering robes and a scholarly air. He asked calmly, "Who is this brother?"

"I...I am the Xu family of Jiangning." Xu Xuezi's chest puffed up, feeling very aloof.

"do not know!"

Jia Cong didn't care that this man was so angry that he said, "I've never heard of it! The honor of obtaining the Hanlin Classics was given by the emperor. If my brother is dissatisfied and feels it's unfair, you can tell the emperor what it has to do with me. ?
The achievements of my ancestors of the Jia family are real. Who makes the ancestors of the Xu family not have meritorious deeds?Why do you, brother, behave like a three-year-old child, watching others eat sweets but rolling around on the ground and acting mischievously when you can't get any? "

When literati quarrel among themselves, they always say that half should be kept and half should be left, and the other half should be felt by the other party. No one has ever been so direct as Jia Cong.

But every word he said seemed to make sense, and the students who were watching were speechless. They could only watch Xu Geshen being hurt and angry, but they could do nothing to help him.

"Brother Jia is really direct when he speaks, and he is not afraid of losing his grace." Xu Geshen was trembling with anger, "Who is a three-year-old kid who acts up when he can't get candy? Brother Jia needs to speak clearly today!"

"That's you!" Jia Cong became more direct and said impatiently, "Whose family doesn't have high-ranking parents? Whose high-ranking parents have achieved enlightenment and become immortals, and will never go to the west one day? What if one day, your family also encounters When something unfortunate like Cong's happened, Cong also stopped him halfway and asked you to write poems and articles. How would you feel if you put yourself in his shoes?"

"Cong has always heard that the south of the Yangtze River is a land of prosperity. You are all people who have read poetry and books. What do you mean by reading? Is it just for officialdom? In Cong's view, the first important thing about reading is to understand reason. If you can even read at least If you don’t understand the truth, how can you serve as an official in the future, how can you serve the people, how can you protect a country, how can you live up to the emperor’s favor and live up to your own heart?”

Jia Cong sneered, which made all the students blush. They felt that today's move, blocking the road just to question the other party's knowledge, was really a shameful thing.

On the first day Xiong Tingyan interacted with his junior brother, he saw that although he behaved calmly, his words were sharp. He scolded these people so hard that they couldn't hold their heads up. Although he offended the Jiangning students and made enemies in the Jiangnan literary world, he still felt that Feeling free to express one's thoughts, it is particularly refreshing and refreshing.

Ma Yan never imagined that things would reach this point.

Jia Cong's poems are constantly coming from the south. Every poem is a masterpiece. However, Jia Cong is still a seven or eight-year-old child. How can he not make people jealous?
Therefore, everyone doubted it, including himself.

It was inevitable that the students from Jiangning were close to the water tower and rushed here to watch and provoke.

Who would have thought that this child's tongue was as sharp as a knife, and no one dared to rip off his sharp edge when the knife saw blood.

Of course, Jia Cong had the advantages of status and situation. He had a title, an official status, and his mother had recently died, but he also had the disadvantages of age and knowledge.

Ma Yan didn't notice any of these disadvantages. He had an aura that was not inferior to anyone's, and he fully utilized the advantages of his stance.

One person can be worth thousands of troops.

Seeing that the students from Jiangning were defeated, and the situation became even more unbearable, Ma Yan hurriedly came to smooth things over, "Although I and others have never seen Mr. Jia Xiao's handwriting, I can read every poem of Mr. Jia. There is no sentence that is not perfect. Mr. Jia Xiao, these students come here because of their reputation. I am so eager to ask for poems, please forgive me! "

Jia Cong also knew that in the face of doubts, the best way was to compete with these people, but in this way, he would fall behind.

He didn't want to be coerced even more.

The reason why he is so disrespectful to others today is that he wants to use this method to gain some peace for himself in the next three years.

Along the way, he saw the decline of people's livelihood. In such a world, if you don't have real skills, it's difficult to even gain a foothold. In the next three years, he plans to spend all his time learning skills.

There is no need to compete with others for temporary motivation.

Jia Cong was silent, and Ma Yan looked particularly embarrassed.

Xiong Tingyan stepped forward and said, "Master Ma, I know that so many people are questioning my junior brother's talent. I can understand this. After all, this junior brother is too young. If it weren't for my father's fault, even I would have to I questioned it. But today is really not a good day."

He paused and said, "In three years' time, my junior brother's filial piety period will expire. At that time, my Xiong family will be the host and I will invite you all to drink Quhu at my Xiong family manor. You can have a look at my junior brother's literary talent, and it will also be a blessing to the world. How about someone being a witness?”

Xu Jishen was not happy and said loudly, "Uncle Xiong's words are wrong. Three years later, Brother Jia will no longer be eight years old!"

Xiong Tingyan choked.

Jia Cong smiled and said, "What Brother Xu said is really strange. Three years later, Cong will turn 11 years old. Although he is three years older, is it possible that at these three years, Brother Xu's age is like living on a dog's body?"

Xu Jishen's face turned red with embarrassment, and he felt depressed in his heart, but he couldn't say a word. Who made him impulsively ask such a stupid question just now?
Jia Cong walked forward, and the students all stepped out of the way. Seeing that he was dressed in plain clothes, with steady steps and a harmonious temperament, everyone was unwilling to accept it, but thinking that he also had the ability to be crazy, no one dared to compete with him.

After changing vehicles, Jia Cong and his party went to Jurong County.

Jia Cong had previously sent people to Jurong County. He originally planned to buy land to build a house, and the land would also be used as sacrificial fields. Three years later, when he left, he arranged for stewards and tenants to stay here to take care of the fields and maintain them. His maternal grandmother's grave.

It happened that an official was promoted and sold two hundred acres of land and a manor here, so Jia Cong bought it without hesitation.

Although his maternal grandfather and mother are buried in their hometown, there is no need to disturb the Zhong family, and they will not occupy the Zhong family's ancestral graves.

But on this day, Li Zhenghe, the patriarch of Zhongjia Village, brought a dozen young and strong men to help.

The patriarch was Zhong Yunzhi's cousin, named Zhong Yunhui. He was nearly sixty years old. He had a slender face, a long beard, and wore a Taoist robe, giving him a rather immortal air.

After saluting in front of Zhong Yunzhi's grave, Zhong Yunhui looked Jia Cong up and down again and said, "Speaking of which, you are my great-nephew. Back then, something like that happened to my fifth cousin. My Zhong family is far south here, and I am in the middle of the court." There is no one around, so even though we sent people to Beijing, they didn’t help much.”

He looked at Zhong's graveyard and said, "I also sent people to try to rescue your mother, but she had no choice but to... and then became pregnant again, so I had to give up. This time, you came back with your soul, why didn't you save your maternal grandfather?" Buried in the Zhong family’s ancestral grave?”

Jia Cong once again thanked the Zhong family for their help, "After my two maternal grandfathers died, they wandered away for nearly ten years and could not return to their hometown. Since I refused to let my mother be buried in the Jia family's ancestral grave, I also wanted her to be compensated. My wish is to reunite with my grandfather. This is also very good. I think my grandfather and I will also be willing to do so."

His two maternal grandfathers could be buried in the Zhong family's ancestral grave, but his mother could not. How could he let his mother live alone?
Zhong Yunhui also knew this and was grateful for his filial piety. He pointed to the village not far away and said, "You are not far from Zhongjia Village. If you need anything, send someone to tell you. The village is full of Zhongjia people. Since you are There is no need to see the grandson of the Zhong family!"

Originally, Jia Cong was only an eight-year-old child, but Zhong Yun could talk to him, but he didn't dare to look down on him at all, and even showed some flattery unconsciously.

Jia Cong naturally understands this kind intention. Needless to say, strong dragons cannot suppress local snakes. He will live here for two or three years. Distant relatives are not as good as close neighbors. He must have a good relationship with the people of Zhongjia Village.

The manor is a five-door courtyard with a mountain behind and a river in front. The long river winds around from the west of Zhongjia Village and goes all the way forward.

Outside the courtyard is a high wall. Three months passed in a flash, and Jia Cong and Daiyu spent time in this courtyard.

　The Jia Cong book next door had better grades than mine, and I saw it seemed to be cut.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)