Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

In the fifteenth year of Jiazhao, in mid-March, in Yongxuan Street, north of the capital.

After several days of rain, the sky cleared up and the sun was shining brightly this morning.

Yongzhen Street in the north of the city has lost the bleakness of rainy days. The streets are bustling with people, and the shops on both sides are full of goods. The shopkeepers and their clerks are smiling and attentive.

Among them is the newly opened Hongxing Southern Goods Store, which specializes in selling fresh and dried goods from the land and sea of ​​Jiangnan. It is popular among the people of Shenjing, and the store is crowded with customers, and business is booming.

The owner of this southern goods store is said to be from Jinling and has deep roots in the Jiangnan area.

The store not only sells common dried southern goods, but also rare fermented dried goods from land and sea. Therefore, not only ordinary people would come to buy, but also officials and wealthy people would patronize the store.

The shop assistants were running back and forth, busy selecting and weighing goods for the customers.

A freight carriage was parked in front of the store. A thin and hunchbacked servant was struggling to unload boxes of goods from the carriage and stacking them neatly in front of the store.

At this time, a spacious and exquisite carriage slowly stopped in front of the store. The shopkeeper was a sharp-eyed and astute businessman. When he saw the majesty of the carriage, he knew that the owner was either rich or noble.

He hurried out of the shop to greet them. The driver was two sturdy young servants, both dressed as servants in a wealthy mansion.

One of the servants got off the carriage and said to the shopkeeper who came up to him, "The young lady of the mansion wants to go to the store to do some shopping. It is inconvenient for the family members to go in and out. Can you go to the inner hall to select southern goods?"

When the shopkeeper heard this, he understood that there were countless officials and wealthy families in the capital, and the women in these families had complicated rules and many taboos.

Since the servant said she was a girl from the mansion, she must be an unmarried young lady from a wealthy family. Such a rich girl would never show up in public so easily.

He smiled and said, "Many high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital are from the south. They often come to the store to buy things. They don't like crowding in the store, so the store has always prepared an inner hall for people to enter."

The boy nodded and returned to the carriage, whispering a few words into the carriage. The shopkeeper saw two middle-aged maids getting off the carriage, supporting a young girl wearing a veil.

The girl had a slender and graceful figure, and looked no more than thirteen or fourteen years old, just past the age of thirty-three.

Although she was wearing a veil and her face could not be seen clearly, her dress was exquisite and elegant, and her movements were graceful and moving, like a fairy floating on the water, with a unique rhythm.

It seemed as if every move of this girl had been guided by rules for a long time, which was why she had such aura.

After the girl got off the bus, she was holding the hand of a little girl. The girl was just beginning to grow her hair, but she was pretty and had a pair of big, black eyes that moved around very lively.

The shopkeeper had seen many daughters of officials, but he had never seen one with such demeanor, which surprised him a little.

Moreover, when the girl went out in a carriage, she was not only accompanied by two servants, but also by two supporting maids, and even a little maid. Such a grand occasion could only be brought by a noble and wealthy family.

The shopkeeper became even more afraid to be negligent, and quickly called his wife to receive the girl into the inner hall.

He then said to the servant who was carrying the goods at the door, "Xiao Rong, don't move the goods yet. Go to the warehouse and get some of the newly arrived high-quality southern goods. Bring some to the inner hall for you to choose from."

The thin servant quickly agreed, put down the goods in his hands, and ran into the warehouse to select the goods.

……

In the inner hall of Hongxing Southern Goods Store, Lingguan took off her veil, revealing her pretty and delicate face, which made the proprietress stunned when she saw it.

Then she came to her senses and her expression became more attentive and respectful. She was also used to doing business, and when she saw the girl's demeanor, she knew she could do a big business.

Lingguan said, "I heard that the southern goods in the store are good. Please pick the best ones from the store and bring them over. I want to buy some for my family."

After a while, the servant who was moving goods at the door just now had brought in various southern goods one after another and filled the round table in the middle of the hall.

Lingguan was looking at a shelf against the wall in the inner hall, on which were displayed some rare birds and southern products from land and water in the south.

These rare southern birds and goods were either extremely scarce or had miraculous health-promoting and nourishing effects. They were not easily available to ordinary people and were sold to high-ranking officials with wealthy families.

Lingguan pointed to a piece of gray-black scales on the shelf and asked, "How much is this pickled southern alligator meat?"

The shop owner looked surprised, as this kind of alligator meat is unique to the south and few people in Beijing can recognize it.

She saw that although the official was graceful and charming, she was just a teenage girl, yet she had such broad knowledge.

She smiled and said, "Young lady, you are really well-informed. This is the armored alligator meat from the south. However, we only have this two-jin piece left in our store, and it has already been reserved by a master from the Ministry of Rites.

This alligator meat is pickled with top-grade medicinal herbs and is very effective in treating pharyngitis. Is there anyone in your family who suffers from this disease?"

Lingguan smiled and said, "Since we don't have any stock, it's not a big deal. We can buy it next time when the store has it."

……

The reason why Lingguan could recognize the scaled alligator meat at a glance was not only because she grew up in the water town of Suzhou and had seen a lot of this kind of southern goods.

Moreover, this kind of southern armored alligator meat can not only treat pharyngitis, but also has a miraculous effect on nourishing the voice. Opera performers in Suzhou and Yangzhou often use alligator meat to stew soup to maintain their voice.

Lingguan's master was a famous female role in the south of the Yangtze River. She had a long-term habit of eating alligator stew.

When Lingguan was a child, she learned opera from her master. She saw the master demonstrate singing to the little sisters and then urge them to practice their voices and singing. There was often a bowl of alligator meat stew on the small table next to her.

Because Lingguan was extremely talented in learning opera, she was always loved by her master, who even gave her special treatment in private. She often shared in the master's stews, which was one of her few happy memories.

This is why she could recognize the armored alligator meat at once.

Although she no longer makes a living from performing arts, vocal training and singing are still her hobbies. Besides, the third master at home likes to listen to her singing the most, so it is natural for her to nourish her voice.

But there is no rush for this kind of thing. Since the store is out of stock, I can just buy it next time.

Last time, she and Wu'er prepared food for Jia Cong. She occasionally mentioned that southern dried goods are easy to preserve and have unique flavors, so Jia Cong was very interested.

Among them, Lingguan was not only from Jiangnan, but also worked as a handyman in the kitchen of an opera troupe when she was young. She often cooked southern dishes and was most familiar with these pickled southern foods, so she volunteered to buy them.

She left the shelf and returned to the round table filled with top-quality southern goods. She selected six or seven kinds of southern lake seafood and pickled goods, then asked the maid to pack up and leave.

After Lingguan and his men left, the servant named Xiaorong, with his back hunched, worked hard to pack up the southern goods that Lingguan had left behind.

The shop owner took the piece of armored alligator meat off the shelf.

He said, "Xiao Rong, this piece of armored alligator meat has been pickled and dried. You should send it to the residence of Mr. Huang from the Ministry of Rites. The address is in the account book No. C at the counter..."

……

Shenjing, Qingliufang, Huang’s House.

In the study, the desk was piled with various books. Huang Hongcang was reading the books and taking notes from time to time.

He was over forty years old, with gray hair on his temples, but he had been brilliant in his youth, and ranked second in the palace examination in the 19th year of Yong'an, and his talent was known throughout the world.

He had experienced the turbulent times of the Yong'an and Jia'zhao dynasties. At that time, the capital city underwent a great change, the former emperor abdicated, and the new emperor ascended the throne. He was just leaving the Hanlin Academy and entering one of the six ministries as an official, and luckily avoided being implicated in the purge.

After twenty-four years in official career, he has encountered many twists and turns along the way. Now he is the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites. Although it cannot be said to be a smooth journey, it can be said that his career is stable.

However, ever since he ascended to the position of Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, officials in the court have privately rumored that Huang Hongcang's career will inevitably end at the position of Right Vice Minister.

All the six ministries of the Zhou Dynasty had the positions of left and right vice ministers. The left vice minister was the second-in-command of the ministry and the default successor to the chief minister.

There is only one character difference between the Right Vice Minister and the Left Vice Minister. Although it cannot be said that there is a world of difference, there is a clear difference in rank.

Everyone in the court said that Huang Hongcang was limited to the position of Right Vice Minister, which simply meant that he had no ability to turn right into left and had no hope of becoming the top civil servant in the six ministries.

This was undoubtedly a great mockery and humiliation to Huang Hongcang, who was only over 40 years old, in the prime of his life, ranked third, and the second in the imperial examination.

However, such private rumors among court officials were not groundless nonsense.

When the root of the problem is, Huang Hongcang has been too strict and upright in his official career for many years. He does not know how to advance or retreat, and he does not know how to blend in with others. Such a person is destined to find it difficult to reach the top of the officialdom.

Let’s not talk about the distant past for now. Among the candidates selected as the chief examiners for the Spring Examination, among the most powerful officials, none of them had a temperament like Huang Hongcang.

Wang Shilun, Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, became famous at a young age and had an early career. He understood twists and turns, was good at making progress based on evidence, and was very shrewd.

Cai Xiang, a college student in the cabinet, was known as a brave man. He was pragmatic and sought to be employed. He disdained the teachings of Confucius and Mencius and was always fierce and ruthless in dealing with his political enemies and offenders.

The Minister of Personnel Chen Mo has a smooth and changeable temperament, is full of wisdom and resourcefulness, and is best at finding the right path in a crooked way and protecting himself.

Li Dekang, the Minister of Works, is clever, smooth, and good at scheming. His interpersonal skills are more outstanding than his talents.

These people and Huang Hongcang have very different personalities. To put it bluntly, they are not moral gentlemen, but the fact that they all became the top officials is able to illustrate the underlying logic of the officialdom.

Judging from the way of navigating official circles alone, Huang Hongcang is far inferior to these people. It is understandable that it is difficult for him to take shortcuts to become a high-ranking official.

But it does not mean that Emperor Jiazhao dislikes ministers like Huang Hongcang, because the emperor can use his integrity and loyalty.

This time, Emperor Jiazhao appointed Huang Hongcang as one of the chief examiners for the Spring Examination in order to use Huang Hongcang's seriousness to balance Wang Shilun's reclusiveness and Chen Mo's tactfulness, making the Spring Examination more fair and peaceful.

……

Just as Huang Hongcang was studying the classics, a young woman came in from outside the study. She had a beautiful and dignified appearance, dressed in simple and neat clothes, and holding a teacup in her hand.

She said, "Father has been working harder these days, studying classics until late at night and getting up before dawn to study hard. You should also take care of your health. I have just made some ginseng tea for you, so drink it while it's hot."

Huang Hongcang glanced at his daughter and said with a smile: "As a father, I know my limits. The Spring Examination affects the career prospects of students all over the country. The emperor has appointed me as the chief examiner, and I dare not neglect it in the slightest.

On the 16th of this month, the chief examiner of the Spring Examination and his subordinates will go into seclusion in the Imperial Academy. The test questions will be sent to the palace for the emperor to review and approve. The test will begin on the 18th, so there is not much time left.

The emperor personally appointed three chief examiners, each with different responsibilities. Grand Secretary Wang Shilun set questions on the Four Books and Five Classics and contemporary essays, while the Ministry of Rites official Chen Mo compiled imperial edicts and judgments.

As a father, I have to set the questions for this year's spring examination, which is a heavy responsibility.

In the imperial examinations, students have always had to pass the college examination and the provincial examination, and the eight-part essay was the most important factor in passing the examination.

But the situation is different when the imperial examination enters the spring examination, because the candidates are the best scholars, all of whom are well-educated and talented.

The eight-part essays ask questions about the Four Books and the Five Classics. The study of the classics is the foundation of a scholar, so although there are still differences in the performance of candidates in the eight-part essays, there is no huge difference. "

The young woman came from a scholarly family. Although she was a girl, she had been taught by her father since childhood and was also a learned woman. She listened with great interest to her father's casual talk about the imperial examination.

He said, "Father, what you mean is that although there are differences in the quality of eight-part essays among the candidates, the better ones are all of the same kind, and the difference is not that great. The key to the ranking of the imperial examination is the policy questions?" Huang Hongcang smiled and said, "You are right. All the candidates who can enter the imperial examination have mastered the eight-part essays, but practice makes perfect. It is difficult to show their true colors in the examination hall.

Therefore, the ratio of policy questions to examination questions is crucial for candidates to pass the imperial examinations.

Moreover, the palace examination after the joint examination only tests policy questions.

The questions are not only based on the Four Books and Five Classics, but also on the teachings of hundreds of schools of thought, and their meaning is all-encompassing.

When asking the emperor's will, the middle government's advice, and the people's opinions, one needs to quote extensively and be pragmatic, take into account the doctrine of the mean, and demonstrate one's unique purpose in making decisions.

The Four Books and the Five Classics are the teachings of the sages and wise men, and questioning and discussing current affairs are the methods of governing and governing the people.

The third test of the imperial examination is policy essay, which is the best test of a candidate's knowledge, vision and courage.

There can be no mistakes in the questions for policy essays, as they are related to the selection of talented people for official careers. As a father, I have to spend more time thinking about and formulating the test questions, so as to live up to the favor of the emperor and the heart of the scholars. "

The woman smiled and said, "Father is the second place winner of the imperial examination. He is famous for his talent and integrity. He is well-known in the scholar community. He has put so much thought into this. The questions he prepared for the spring examination this year will definitely not meet the court's expectations for selecting talents."

Huang Hongcang's eyes flickered with some unclear meaning, and he sighed: "I have been in official career for decades, but my temperament makes me afraid that I will never be able to make a success again.

Although he had been an official in the Spring Examination before, this was the first time he was chosen as the chief examiner of the Spring Examination, which was the greatest honor for a civil servant.

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If I can strive for perfection and complete the Spring Examination this time, my father will have no regrets in his official career..."

……

When Huang Hongcang said this, he became a little agitated and his breath was boiling. He couldn't help but coughing continuously. He picked up the ginseng tea brought by his daughter and took a few sips before he calmed down.

Perhaps it was the casual conversation he had just had with his daughter, which was Huang Hongcang's heartfelt words, that actually stirred some emotions.

In addition, the policy essay topic had been making him rack his brains these days, reading classics and thinking hard. At this moment, he suddenly had an idea and hurriedly picked up his pen to write on paper.

His daughter was also well-versed in literary matters. When she saw her father like this, she knew that the casual conversation between father and daughter just now had probably touched upon the literary thoughts in her father's heart.

Who knows, the topic of the essay for this spring's imperial examination will be revealed at this moment. She was happy for her father and stood aside silently, allowing Huang Hongcang to concentrate on writing.

An unknown amount of time had passed, and the boiling hot ginseng tea that the woman had brought in had already turned cold to the touch. Huang Hongcang was about to put down the brush in his hand.

He looked at the ink-stained rice paper on the desk, which was covered with densely written vigorous characters. He looked relieved and a smile appeared on his face.

The woman asked, "Did father succeed in making the test?"

Huang Hongcang smiled and replied: "It's basically ready, just need some polishing."

He had just finished speaking when he couldn't help coughing a few times. He went to get the ginseng tea, but found that the tea was cold.

Huang Hongcang has had a long-term pharyngitis. Every spring, he has a dry cough that is difficult to stop. He needs to take care of himself with medicine and food. He should avoid being exposed to the wind and catching cold, and should avoid eating raw and cold food. Naturally, he can no longer drink the cold tea.

The woman said with concern: "Father's throat disease needs to be taken care of. The gates of the Imperial Examination Hall are locked for nine days during the Spring Examination. If the throat disease gets worse and he is not allowed to go in and out for treatment, it will be very troublesome.

Today, the Hongxing Southern Goods Store will deliver freshly prepared armored alligator meat. My daughter asked the cook to make a soup for my father to eat a few times before he goes to the Imperial Examination Hall, which will also help relieve his throat pain. "

……

As the father and daughter were talking, a servant came in to report that Mr. Sun Shouzheng, the censor of Yongzhou, was here to visit.

Huang Hongcang's expression froze slightly after hearing this, and he asked, "Did Lord Sun bring any gifts when he came to visit?"

The book boy replied, "Master Sun only brought a basket of oranges, saying that they were given by a neighbor who came to Beijing, and brought them for you to taste."

Huang Hongcang smiled slightly and said, "Please come to the study to meet me, Lord Sun."

The woman standing by was confused, for she knew very well that her father was an upright official, honest and selfless, and had a good reputation both inside and outside the government.

When an official colleague came to visit, why would he ask whether he had any gifts? This was really against my father's nature.

But when he heard that the official had only brought a blue tangerine, which could not be considered a gift at all, he became pleased again and invited the official to his study to meet him.

You should know that the general way of entertaining guests is to invite them to the main hall to serve tea, and invite them to the study to entertain guests, all of which are to show friendliness.

Huang Hongcang saw his daughter's confused expression, so he guessed what she was thinking and said with a smile, "Sun Shouzheng is from Hangzhou Prefecture. He was ranked second in the imperial examination that year and has quite some talent.

However, he came from a poor family and had no connections. Although he ranked well in the imperial examination, he had wasted years in officialdom and was previously only a seventh-rank censor in Yongzhou.

But this man is upright and respects courtesy, loyal and outspoken. Last time, Weiyuan Earl Jia Cong inherited the title of Rongguo, Jia Cong's uncle Jia Zheng violated the patriarchal etiquette and occupied Rongxi Hall, the main hall of Rongguo, and refused to leave.

All the officials in the court pretended to turn a blind eye due to the power and reputation of the old nobles of Rongguo Mansion. Only Sun Youdao abided by the etiquette and spoke frankly in the memorial, which was praised by the emperor and promoted to a higher rank.

There are not many people in the court like Sun Shouzheng who are upright and righteous.

I saw that he came from a humble background, had considerable talent, and had no one to help him in the officialdom, so I recommended him to the Ministry of Rites as a co-examiner for this spring's imperial examination. I thought he came to my house this time to express his gratitude.

If he brings valuable gifts such as gold or silver when he visits me this time, it would be a great disappointment to my father, who would think he had made a mistake.

But he only brought a basket of oranges from his hometown, which shows that this person is indeed sincere and is someone who can befriend and support each other. "

After hearing this, the woman finally understood that her father was the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, and naturally he was committed to upholding the patriarchal etiquette.

As for the deeds of Weiyuan Marquis Jia Cong, she had heard a lot of rumors from the market and had heard them like thunder. Naturally, she knew the story of the hereditary succession of the Rongguo Mansion.

What Sun Shouzheng did was exactly what his father wanted, and he showed a simple and sincere demeanor when he came to visit. No wonder his father treated him so well.

At this time, the servant boy outside the door came to report that Lord Sun had entered the inner courtyard, so the woman left through the back door of the study.

……

In the study, Sun Shouzheng came in, sat down, and accepted the tea served by the maid.

He then solemnly bowed to Huang Hongcang and expressed his gratitude. The two exchanged a few pleasantries and then the topic turned to the Spring Examination.

Sun Shouzheng had always been a low-ranking official. If he had not been unexpectedly commended by Emperor Jia Zhao for impeaching Jia Zheng, he would still be an inconspicuous seventh-rank censor.

All civil servants in the court were proud to take part in the Spring Examination, let alone such prestigious titles as chief examiner or co-examiner.

Even being an errand boy for the Spring Examination was a matter of great honor and a noteworthy achievement in one's official career.

Like Sun Shouzheng's original official position and connections, because he was honest and straightforward by nature and had no connections in the capital, he was in a situation where his parents didn't love him, and even cats and dogs ignored him.

Although he unexpectedly made a comeback by impeaching Jia Cong, he was specially praised by Emperor Jia Zhao and promoted to a higher rank.

However, later on, because of his instigation, a farce broke out in the court where officials from various departments jointly impeached him, which made Sun Shouzheng see the deeper meaning of the incident to some extent.

If those officials really followed the rules of etiquette, how could a small official like me, a seventh-rank official, stand out?

He had studied hard for more than ten years and was well educated, having passed the imperial examination. Although he was honest and straightforward, he was not stupid. He could naturally see the truth behind it, which was nothing more than the Holy Spirit's will.

The current emperor has promoted him to a higher rank out of the ordinary, so he is not so foolish as to think that he can really win the emperor's favor. The emperor is just using him as a model and a cover.

Sun Shouzheng even guessed in his heart that it was uncertain whether the emperor would still remember him after the storm.

If from now on he went from being an official of the seventh rank who was ignored by everyone to becoming an official of the seventh rank who was ignored by everyone again, it would not be too surprising.

……

Therefore, under this special situation, he was able to be valued and recommended by Huang Hongcang, a senior official of the Ministry of Rites, and was promoted to such an honorable position as a co-examiner of the Spring Examination.

Even though there were as many as eighteen examiners for the Spring Examination, for an unknown minor official like him, being listed among the examinees was still a great honor and a great favor from Huang Hongcang.

Although it is rare for an official to be promoted to a higher level, having served as a co-examiner in the Spring Examination is a rich resume for a long-term official career.

After learning the good news, he was so grateful to Huang Hongcang that he even had the urge to give him a generous gift to express his gratitude.

Fortunately, although he is straightforward in character, he is also a wise man.

Thinking of Huang Hongcang's reputation as an upright and honest official, could it be that he promoted a little-known official like me just for his own thank-you gift?
So, he wisely gave up his inner impulse and just visited Huang Hongcang with a basket of oranges from his hometown, and this behavior was exactly what Huang Hongcang wanted.

……

In the study, Sun Shouzheng was grateful for the support, and Huang Hongcang also felt that he had met a fellow traveler, and the two of them talked in harmony.

Sun Shouzheng had never been an official in the Spring Examination, but Huang Hongcang had been an official for twenty years and had served as a co-examiner in the Spring Examination twice, so he had extensive knowledge and experience in this area.

Therefore, Sun Shouzheng asked Huang Hongcang for advice on important matters related to the exam, which became the topic of their conversation.

The two chatted for several cups of tea before they stopped talking.

Sun Shouzheng was about to say goodbye when he accidentally saw many books stacked on Huang Hongcang's desk. One of the books was placed at the corner of the table. It was inscribed with "Liu Jichuan's Writings", which moved his heart slightly.

Huang Hongcang smiled and asked, "Has Juzhou ever read Liu Jichuan's article?"

Sun Shouzheng looked a little ashamed and said, "I have heard of Liu Jichuan's name, but I have never read his works. Liu Jichuan's books are rarely printed and sold, and are rarely seen on the market.

The reason was that Liu Jichuan was an official of the former Song Dynasty. He was stranded in Nanjing. When Emperor Taizu proclaimed himself emperor, he missed the old dynasty and wrote articles among the people to criticize Taizu's change of dynasty.

Emperor Taizu had a broad mind and was a great sage ruler. Naturally, he would not share the same views as the literati of the previous dynasties.

However, due to the high status of Taizu, later generations avoided mentioning Liu Jichuan when they sought to teach him.

Therefore, his articles were not widely circulated..."

Huang Hongcang said with a smile: "This is a thing of the past that has passed for almost a hundred years. Even Emperor Taizu laughed it off, let alone us, the descendants.

In fact, regardless of Liu Jichuan’s pedantic behavior, his talent and writing are still very admirable.”

Sun Shouzheng asked: "Since you said so, I really want to read his writings carefully, but there are very few copies of Liu Jichuan's writings on the market. I don't know where you bought them."

Huang Hongcang smiled and said, "You asked me about this, otherwise it would be difficult to find out. This book is only printed in the Xiao Family Bookstore on Wenhan Street in Shenjing." (End of this chapter)