Goose Three Kingdoms

Chapter 621 East and West Halls
The annual Double Ninth Festival banquet was held as scheduled.

Inside Chongyang Tower, in the west hall on the second floor, Chen Qun sat together with a group of officials and craftsmen who had been awarded titles for their various skills.

I thought I would not be able to adapt to it, but these marquises and officials who were originally craftsmen had already attended a banquet last year.

After another year of experience, they generally became calm and composed, completely different from the rough and wild demeanor that Chen Qun had expected.

None of the craftsmen spoke loudly, which formed a sharp contrast with the noisy and bustling East Hall.

Instead of drinking and having fun, these craftsmen discussed with each other, seeking inspiration for breakthroughs and development of their own industry skills.

But the main topics revolved around steam engines, which was different from the topics related to hot air balloons that were popular among scholars.

A craftsman who came from the Sijin Duwei Mansion talked about several common ways of using steam engines around him. He did not talk about things related to coin minting, but talked about the saw blades driven by steam engines.

He took the used plates and bowls on the table and stacked them up and down, demonstrating in a vivid way how the steam sawmill worked.

There was only one steam engine in the Sijin Duwei Mansion, but the power provided by this steam engine was enough to meet the Sijin Mansion's coin minting task.

Ma Liang wanted to produce beyond the plan, but was also limited by the shortage of materials.

This will free up time and manpower to study other things.

The steam sawmill was one of the more mature designs, which could saw a log that took two people to hug vertically into uniform boards.

The craftsman said with emotion: "In the future, when the army goes out to war, the craftsmen in the camp can quickly make wooden boards, and the barracks and camps of the officers and soldiers will be several times stronger. We will no longer be afraid of enemy attacks."

Chen Qun listened quietly, and another craftsman asked: "For such a good invention, what reward did the shogunate give?"

"There's only some money and food. They said they'd give the mansion two more places next year."

The craftsman looked helpless and explained to the people around him: "We are still a step behind. The Grand Marshal is at the Chencang Shipyard, where they have already built a sawmill. People in the government still don't believe it, so they took a closer look while on business. The sawmill in Chencang is more accurate, and the sawn wood can be loaded on the ship after a little polishing."

Another person sighed: "This must have been created by Sima Qian. Sima Qian was well versed in the Mohist Canon and the skills of various craftsmen. It is difficult for us to catch up."

"Fortunately, the Grand Historian helped the Grand Marshal start his business, otherwise how could we be so happy today?"

An experienced craftsman raised his glass and said, "Let's congratulate the Grand Marshal and the Grand Historian. May they live forever!"

"He Wannian!"

The craftsmen around him raised their glasses, and Chen Qun mingled among them, without standing out.

After working as a handyman at Chang'an University for nearly two years, his skin has become rough and he even looks more like a craftsman when mixed among craftsmen.

The craftsmen here were knighted before him, and many of them became professors or managers, so they are in better shape.

The craftsmen knew each other and didn't pay much attention to the newcomer Chen Qun when they chatted.

It was difficult for Chen Qun to humble himself and take the initiative to strike up a conversation, so he behaved rather introverted and shy, and just ate and drank in the West Hall.

From time to time, servants would come with a dining cart, remove the empty bowls and plates, and refill them with dishes.

Stews and stir-fried dishes are the main dishes, and thanks to the bumper rapeseed harvest this year, they can eat such sumptuous stir-fried dishes.

Chen Qun had been suffering from a long-term lack of nutrition, which could not be replenished in a short period of time. No one talked to him, and he was afraid of being recognized, so he simply focused on eating and drinking.

As the banquet was in full swing, the noisy East Hall suddenly became quiet.

Chen Qun was also surprised and looked around. A craftsman on his left saw his confusion and said with a smile: "You don't know, they are going to distribute the royal chrysanthemum wine."

The craftsman on the right also spoke up and told Chen Qun: "Lord Chen, please be vigilant and don't let anyone take away this rare treasure from the immortal family. If it weren't for the Grand Marshal's guards patrolling back and forth last year, many people's chrysanthemum wine would have been withheld."

Chen Qun nodded repeatedly, and saw the shogunate guards moving a wine jar with a sticker on it that read "One jar holds thirty-six bowls, and the jar is always full."

The craftsmen stood up one after another, and the guards who came in carefully poured the wine using the new bowls they brought with them.

A blooming chrysanthemum floats in each bowl of wine, and the wine jar is finally lifted upside down to drain out all the remaining wine.

In the east hall, Zhong Yao and Kong Rong sat together, and asked in a low voice: "Imperial Chrysanthemum Wine has the effect of strengthening yang and nourishing the body. Wen Ju has benefited greatly from it. Why is it that mine is always a little lacking?" Every time he attended the Double Ninth Festival banquet, Zhong Yao would be very virile for a period of time. During this period, his wives and concubines were favored, but they were all infertile.

Most of the other people who attended the banquet would have a baby boy in the summer or autumn of the following year.

Kong Rong also knew what was the most vulnerable part of Zhong Yao's heart. If someone else asked him, Kong Rong would just make a joke.

But this was Zhong Yao, and Kong Rong did not want to cause trouble, so he thought seriously: "Mr. Yuan Chang, the inside story is beyond my ability to tell."

Seeing Kong Rong hesitant to speak, Zhong Yao nodded slowly... This might not be a problem that could be solved by having two more concubines.

Unfortunately, the chief priests and Taoists of the Taiping Dao did not like fortune-telling, and he could not find a suitable fortune-teller for a while.

He also had a premonition in this regard. If he didn't separate from his original wife, he would never be able to have children in this life.

But his wife also comes from a prominent family, and divorcing her at such an old age would have a bad impact.

Kong Rong saw that Zhong Yao understood what he meant. He didn't believe that this old man Zhong Yao only had his wife and concubines at home. He must have tried them outside as well.

But if you haven't conceived yet, it means the problem may lie in some mysterious matters like "feng shui".

Either Zhong Yao's fate was like this, or there was something wrong with his wife. Only the legal wife could have such a great influence on his fate.

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Zhong Yao then asked: "Wen Ju lives in the government and knows a lot of people. He might recommend a fortune teller or a divination master. Then I can ask him about it."

Kong Rong frowned. After Zhong Yao came closer, Kong Rong whispered, "Zhu Jianping read people's fortunes after entering Guanzhong. This displeased the emperor, so he was punished for reading the fortunes of patients seeking medical treatment in Zhongnan Mountain. If you are interested, you can go to Zhongnan Mountain with your family to seek medical treatment, find Zhu Jianping, and ask him to read your fortune."

Zhu Jianping was a capable man. Not only did Kong Rong know him, but Zhong Yao had also met him several times.

He also quickly realized that there was only one person in this level who could decide everyone's future and destiny, and Zhu Jianping, the fortune teller, had obviously touched the bottom line.

Even though Cao Cao and Yuan Shao were afraid of Zhu Jianping's mouth, they did not dare to offend such a person and let him do what he wanted.

But how could a person like Da Sima take Zhu Jianping's "mysterious" threat seriously?
Now the belief in Taishi Wengong has emerged in Guanzhong. People carve Taishi Wengong's image on bricks, stone tablets, pillars, or simply carve statues of the god to ward off evil spirits.

Not only the Taiping Dao believers, but also ordinary people and slaves had this hobby.

If Zhu Jianping could really communicate with ghosts and gods to murder the Grand Marshal, then the ghosts and gods might not be able to stop Tai Shi Wengong's halberd.

Zhong Yao was worried and did not linger after the banquet. Most officials were like this and were eager to go home.

In order to avoid the disputes between the main wife and the concubine, the main wife Jia lived in the Sili Xiaowei Yamen in Chang'an; and the concubine Sun lived in Ganquan South Township.

In the villa, the concubine Sun had already dressed up and prepared some refreshments for Zhong Yao to sober him up.

Zhong Yao strode in and saw Sun, with her face brightly made up, lying on the couch.

Two little girls, about five or six years old, were reciting the Book of Songs by shaking their heads. They were the daughters of slaves who were adopted by Sun and raised here to entertain and relieve his loneliness.

Zhong Yao coughed twice and said to the two girls, "Calamus and Cornus, you two go play outside."

"Here."

The two little girls suppressed their joy and responded crisply. They lowered their heads and walked around Zhong Yao, then turned to face Zhong Yao's back, lowered their heads and backed away to the threshold, then turned around and left.

Hearing them running away, Zhong Yao turned around and quickly closed the door.

At this moment, his face was ruddy and he was in high spirits. He walked towards the bed impatiently. Sun, who was dozing off, seemed unaware of it and screamed in a low voice when he was suddenly attacked.

Then the two men started to wrestle. Zhong Yao's punches were powerful and hit the vital points directly, but Sun's pair of soft palms seemed to have the strength of ocean waves, which Zhong Yao could not easily break.

After a fierce battle, Zhong Yao wanted to fight again.

Sun brought him some tea and snacks, and then she rested her head on Zhong Yao's legs and said, "If it still doesn't work out this year, you should make a decision."

There are two possible decisions: divorce Jia or adopt a child from his younger brother's family.

(End of this chapter)