Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 1348 Visit

George, Alexander, Jon Brown, and his parents settled in Hong Kong in the 1970s, where they grew up. However, they attended university in the UK and are familiar with both places, speaking basic Chinese.

His family originally ran a saddlery business, but due to the impact of the Hong Kong property market, the business has declined. In addition, due to the 97 issue, his parents and brother have returned to the UK to develop their careers.

Because he was the second son, he couldn't inherit the family business and had been working outside the family, in industries such as finance, real estate, lottery, and hotels. It was through the hotel industry that he met Wang Dawei.

The biggest difference in mindset between foreigners and Chinese is that they do not resist working, they do not have the Chinese mentality of "better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of an ox," and they do not have the spirit of "why should kings and generals be born with special privileges and be on the verge of rebellion at any time?"

For them, inheriting a business, starting a business, or working are all careers, requiring dedication and effort, and all can lead to success and recognition. International business practices also guarantee this; many real-life celebrities are actually employees, yet their achievements and reputations are no less than anyone else's.

This includes social status. This is unimaginable here, so there's no point in constantly comparing and contrasting things. The broader environment can't be changed at will, so it's simply not comparable.

It's like calling it "aligning with international standards" when prices rise in other places, but calling it "national conditions" when prices fall in other places. Where can you find justice?

They follow others' lead but refuse to learn the essence, resulting in a hodgepodge that's neither fish nor fowl—that's the reality of our country! The reality of our country is about who benefits.

They keep talking about the people, but in reality, all the rules and regulations have absolutely nothing to do with ordinary people.

……

On October 6th, Xiaowei and Chen Hui met George, Alexander, Jon, and Brown, who had returned from Hong Kong with Wang Dawei, in the front yard reception room.

George sported a classic British-style flowing parted haircut, his chin was shaved dark, his eyebrows were thick, giving him a sharp look, and his tall nose added a touch of arrogance.

The two shook hands and sat down on the sofa.

Compared to Americans, who have little history, the British have a much richer history and still follow the system of the Presbyterian Council. So, from the moment he entered the courtyard, George was awestruck by this ancient royal garden.

"May I have a look around? This place." Before even getting to the point, George asked for a tour.

"Okay." Xiao Wei thought for a moment and said to George, "However, because one of my elders lives inside, according to regulations, you need to sign a confidentiality agreement, have your identity information copied, and you cannot disclose the contents of the visit or take photos."

Of course, this only applies to the inner courtyard; you can do whatever you want here.

David Wang acted as the translator. Although George himself could communicate in simple Chinese, he had to translate when it came to serious matters to avoid misunderstandings.

George raised an eyebrow: "An elder?"

Wang Dawei said, "Yes, the chairman's position is equivalent to that of a cabinet minister in your country. Big gun."

"Wow!" George exclaimed excitedly. "Yes, I want to visit. It's unbelievable, I'm so surprised. Please forgive my rudeness."

After giving George a confidentiality agreement to sign and put his fingerprint on, Xiao Wei called Wang Jiwei over, and the three of them accompanied Wang Dawei and George on a tour of the yard.

"This is the soldier in charge of security for this compound. We will be touring with him, so please do not do anything that might cause him to misunderstand." Xiao Wei solemnly introduced Wang Jiwei to George through Wang Dawei.

Wang Jiwei, with a stern face, carefully checked the belongings of the two men, then stood silently by their side.

The exquisite and beautiful covered corridors, the intricate and dazzling thousand-layered eaves, the ingeniously carved hanging flower gate, the tall red walls and green tiles with upturned eaves, the startled bird bells, the meticulous paintings, the various postures of the mythical beasts, the upright and solemn main house and the spacious courtyard with old trees, all of which frequently drew George's admiration.

Shi Li stood by and introduced George and David Wang.

This girl studied architecture in college, but by some twist of fate she ended up becoming Dong's assistant. However, she has a solid foundation in her field, and after arriving, she has been studying the courtyard inside and out. Right now, she has left the two men completely stunned.

The restoration of this courtyard cost a lot of money. It was completely restored according to the regulations at that time. The Qing Dynasty's nobility system was quite complicated, with two systems: one for imperial relatives and one for concubines. Prince, duke, beile, and beizi were the highest-ranking super-rank nobility, while beizi was the lowest rank for a prince.

Then come the Dukes of the State, the Dukes of the State, the Dukes of the State who are not included in the Eighth Division, and the Dukes of the State and the Dukes of the State. Below them are the four-level generals who are responsible for protecting the country, assisting the country, serving the country, and bestowing favors. These are the members of the royal family.

The concubines of ministers were of the five ranks of duke, marquis, earl, viscount, and baron, plus the ranks of light chariot and cavalry captain, and the ranks of cloud and grace cavalry captain.

Members of the imperial clan were ranked from the fourth rank to higher ranks, while wives of high-ranking officials were ranked from the seventh rank to higher ranks.

The rank of a minister's concubine was only that of a duke, below the rank of a beizi, and theoretically on par with a duke. In reality, since dukes and their assistants were all members of the imperial clan, the actual rank of a duke was certainly lower, roughly equivalent to not being among the top eight.

The courtyard house that Xiaowei bought is a Prince's Mansion, which belongs to the highest-ranking noble mansions. It has a very high standard and many parts are the same as those in the Forbidden City.

During the Qing Dynasty, only the residences of princes and dukes could be called "Wangfu" (王府), while those below them could only be called "Fu" (府). However, those from Beile upwards could use certain items from the imperial palace in their residences. Those below Beizi could not use such items and had to imitate others, thus their status had to be downgraded.

The Prince Dun's Mansion.

Of course, that's only a part; if it were the entire prefecture, that would be a huge amount.

Prince Dun, Aisin Gioro Yinzhen, was the tenth son of Kangxi. During the struggle for the throne among the nine princes, he supported the eighth prince. However, when the fourth prince ascended the throne, he suffered a terrible fate. He was stripped of his title and imprisoned under a pretext and was not released until the second year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign.

The one who convicted him was none other than the eighth prince, Yinzhi, whom he supported.

Chen Hui had to consult numerous sources to unearth these old stories from the imperial archives of the Forbidden City, confirm the owner of the house, and find the blueprints before the restoration could be completed.

During the Qing Dynasty, the residences of princes and dukes of the rank of Beizi and above were all archived and had as-built drawings.

The five-courtyard house we have now is only the eastern section of the former Prince's Mansion, considered an auxiliary residence. The main residence and garden are long gone. According to regulations, the main residence of the Prince's Mansion should have been a seven-courtyard house.

Chen Hui once wanted to buy the western part of the yard and turn it into a garden, but Xiao Wei refused. That would be a bit too boastful.

Guided by our young tour guide Shi Li, we spent over half an hour touring and appreciating the entire courtyard.

When he heard that this was just a side room of the Prince's mansion and not the main residence, George opened his mouth wide and exclaimed that it was unbelievable.

"Zhang, I greatly admire the ancient Chinese culture. Should I buy such a piece?"

(End of this chapter)