Lu Tao asked Yang Shixiang to bring a letter and five bolts of fine cotton and five pieces of yarn to Zhang Ruoxi. In the letter, he reported that his wife and children were safe and congratulated his brother-in-law Zhang Yuan for being the first to take the Shaoxing High School Examination. Other than that, Lu Tao did not say anything else.
Zhang Ruoxi asked Zhang Yuan to ask Yang Shixiang how the Qingpu Lu family is doing?
He couldn't go to Baihualou to drink flower wine, so Zhang E stayed behind to eat mung bean porridge with Zhang Yuan, Yang Shixiang, and Jin Bozong. Several side dishes pickled by Cuigu were very refreshing, as well as coir raincoat pancakes and steamed pancakes, which were all quite delicious.
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Speaking of the severe drought in the south of the Yangtze River, Yang Shixiang said: "There is no drought in the Songjiang area. After Jiaxing, you can see the land is dry everywhere. I am afraid that half of the eleven prefectures in Zhejiang Province were affected. Jiangnan is originally a land rich in grain. This disaster,
The impact is huge.”
However, Zhang E said with excitement, "In two days, the 100 and 8 generals of "Water Margin" will start a procession to pray for rain. They will surely move God and send him rain."
Zhang Yuan asked, "Third brother, have you found those red-haired ghosts Liu Tang and Yi Zhang Qing Hu and Sanniang?"
Zhang E hurriedly asked, "Do you know everything?"
Zhang Yuan asked curiously, "What do I know?"
Zhang E laughed and said, "It seems to be God's will. Just ask the red-haired ghost Liu Tang and Yi Zhang Qing Hu Sanniang, do you know who will play these two people?"
Zhang Yuan's heart moved and he frowned and said, "You want Mu Jingyan and his daughter to dress up these two people?"
Zhang E patted Tui and said, "Exactly, Jie Zi, you must agree, otherwise the thirty-six heavens and seventy-two earth evils will not be complete. It takes a lot of effort to find all these people. Those family members are almost gone, and they are still like that."
I was watching Mu Jingyan and his daughter while your two nephews were riding mules on the stone bridge, and it suddenly occurred to me that Mu Jingyan would play Liu Tang, and Mu Zhenzhen would play Yi Zhangqing."
Zhang Yuandao said: "They are not very similar either."
Zhang He said, "Mu Jingyan already has a yellow beard, so she just needs to dye her hair and beard a little redder. Mu Zhenzhen is not very tall, so she can barely look tall even if she wears high-soled shoes. The most rare thing is that Mu Zhenzhen is still beautiful."
If you have martial arts skills, let Mu Zhenzhen hold the sun and moon swords, which is the best thing - you have to tell his father and daughter about this, because I promised him and his daughter five taels of silver before, but they refused."
Natural disasters are unforeseen. There is no way to think about it and just make fun. Zhang Yuan shook his head and smiled and said, "Okay, I will tell them two later."
Zhang E said impatiently, "Call me now."
Zhang Yuan asked Wu Ling to summon Mu Jingyan and Mu Zhenzhen. After a while, Mu's father and daughter arrived.
Zhang E said to Mu's father and daughter, "Your young master has agreed that you two will come to Xizhang tomorrow to dress up, and the day after tomorrow you will have a parade to pray for rain."
Seeing that Mu Zhenzhen seemed a little reluctant, Zhang Yuan said, "Zhenzhen, praying to gods for rain is considered an important event in this county. It doesn't hurt for you to participate."
But Mu Zhenzhen said: "Young Master, this Zhang Qinghu Sanniang has a husband."
Zhang E paused and laughed, saying, "You mean that Wang Dwarf Tiger? Hahaha, it's not like he really wants to betroth you to him. Even if you are willing, Jie Zi won't."
Mu Zhenzhen quickly shook his head; "My maid refuses."
Zhang Yuan smiled at Mu Zhenzhen and said, "Zhenzhen, if that Wang Dwarf tiger dares to come close to you, you will kick him over."
Mu Zhenzhen lowered his head and said nothing.
Seeing Mu Zhenzhen's reluctance, Zhang Yuan said to Zhang E, "Forget it. If Zhenzhen doesn't want to, don't force her. It's easy to find beautiful women with tall stature. Zhenzhen is young and doesn't dress like her."
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Zhang E was very displeased and said, "Jie Zi, you can't even control your own maid. How can a woman pamper you like this?"
Mu Zhenzhen hurriedly said, "Third Young Master, the little maid is willing. The little maid was just worried that it would be difficult to walk with high-soled shoes."
Zhang E immediately laughed again and said, "You are not a foot-binding person. What are you worried about? Okay, it's settled." He then said to Zhang Yuan, Yang Shixiang, and Jin Bozong, "Please come together to see the heroes of the Water Margin tomorrow."
Extravaganza.”
After Zhang E left, Zhang Yuan, Yang Shixiang, and Jin Bozong went to the back garden for a walk and a long talk. The Touqi River had no water, and the river was overgrown with weeds. The upper floor of the three-couple two-story wooden building in the back garden was already under construction, and the upper floor had not yet been built.
capped.
Yang Shixiang was not very concerned about the drought in Shanyin and said: "Brother Jiezi, I have brought 500 articles on the craftsmanship of people from Qingpu, Huating and Shanghai counties this time, and asked Brother Jiezi to select 120 articles from them to comment on.
I'm willing to pay you one hundred and fifty taels of silver." He added, "Brother Jiezi, don't shirk your politeness. I run a bookstore. It's natural to pay for people to choose essays. Our friendship between you and me is friendship. This money
You must accept it. I have already brought the money."
Last time in Qingpu, Yang Shixiang said that he would be paid one hundred taels of silver, but now it has been increased to one hundred and fifty taels of silver. This is naturally because Zhang Yuan, the head of the Shaoxing Prefecture, is famous. Fame means profit.
The party and society in the late Ming Dynasty were essentially interest groups. Regardless of how interests could be achieved, the scholars in the late Ming Dynasty were far less noble than those in the previous generation. There were many scholars doing business. Zhang Yuandao said: "Well, I will comment carefully next. I can't let this choice go."
I lost Brother Yang’s capital.”
Yang Shixiang laughed; "Brother Jiezi has taken advantage of the prestige of the county examination and the prefectural examination. This book is bound to be a big seller. Not to mention Huating and Shanghai counties, in Qingpu alone, there are more than 3,000 children and more than 10,000 scholars.
, as long as one out of ten buys the book, then the capital can be saved." Jin Bozong said: "It is not impossible that people in neighboring counties are competing to buy, and those who buy books only follow the trend."
Yang Shixiang was ambitious this time. He wanted to use Zhang Yuan's selected book to open up the book markets in Huating and Shanghai counties. If he could sell the book in these two counties, his bookstore would make a lot of money, he said;
"Brother Jie Zi, I have one more thing to ask of you. I would like to ask your master, Mr. Jizhong, to write a preface to this anthology. This is also to borrow from your master's reputation."
Yang Shixiang is very business-minded, Zhang Yuan said, "Okay, I will take you two to visit Teacher Wang in two days."
Talking about the Lu family in Qingpu, Yang Shixiang said, "To be honest with brother Jie Zi, the Lu family in Qingpu may be in big trouble. Before I left, Lu Tao told me not to tell you those things, so as not to worry my sister."
Zhang Yuan asked, "Does the Dong family of Huating want to occupy the Lu family's 200 acres of mulberry fields?"
Yang Shixiang said curiously, "It turns out that Brother Jiezi already knew how to avoid trouble.
Zhang Yuandao said, "I'm just guessing, because I know that Chen Ming, the rebellious slave of the Lu family, took away the land deed of the Lu family's two hundred acres of mulberry fields. If there is big trouble, this is probably what happened."
Yang Shixiang said, "As Brother Jiezi expected, the Dong family of Huating sent people to take over the two hundred acres of mulberry forest in early May. Lu Xiaolian reported it to the county government. Magistrate Li also knew that the mulberry forest was the ancestral property of the Lu family.
, but Chen Ming could not be caught and there was no witness. The Lu family lost the land deed and there was no physical evidence. Moreover, County Magistrate Li did not dare to embarrass the Dong family because the Songjiang prefect was a protégé of Dong Xuanzai. Such cross-county disputes would be handled by the Songjiang Prefecture.
After coordinating the trial with Qingpu and Huating counties, County Magistrate Li could only ask the police to repatriate the Dong family's divination people, saying that the mulberry forest was still in dispute and the Dong family had no right to take over.
It’s just that the two hundred acres of land that was clearly Lu’s property has now become a disputed area. Lu’s silkworm farmers can no longer pick mulberry, how can Lu Xiaolian not be angry!”
At this point, Yang Shixiang paused and said: "As far as I know, Magistrate Li will most likely not be an official in Qingpu next year, and there will be a new magistrate to succeed him. With Dong Xuanzai's contacts, it is impossible for the new magistrate to protect him anymore."
If the Lu family becomes the Lu family, then the Dong family will blatantly come to occupy the Lu family's mulberry fields."
Zhang Yuan was silent for a moment and asked, "How is Lu Yangfang doing lately?"
Yang Shixiang smiled and said, "Since Brother Jie gave him a lesson last time, Lu Yangfang rarely hangs out in the Qingpu market. I heard that I went to Huating last month, but I don't know what happened."
After chatting for a while, Zhang Yuan said, "The two wise brothers are tired after coming from afar. Let's rest early today. Tomorrow, we will serve wine to the two wise brothers."
Because the small building in the back garden was not yet habitable, Zhang Yuan arranged for Yang Shixiang and Jin Bo Zong's five people to live in two wing rooms in the front hall.
The Bu people lived in another room, which was indeed a little cramped. Zhang Yuan apologized and said that he had neglected the two of them. Yang Shixiang and Jin Bozong both said, "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. It's just right to live like this. Sooner or later, I can ask Brother Jiezi for more advice."
After arranging the accommodation for Yang and Jin, Zhang Yuan returned to the inner courtyard and saw that there was a light in the study. He walked over and took a look. His sister Zhang Ruoxi was teaching Mu Zhenzhen to write. Seeing Zhang Yuan, Zhang Ruoxi said: "Xiao Yuan, come and see
The Huashan Monument is really written with great penmanship."
Zhang Yuan walked over to take a look, and Mu Zhenzhen quickly stood up and stood aside. Zhang Yuan looked at the large characters on the desk. They were well-organized, and his pen was full and vigorous. He praised it, "Zhenzhen writes well. My sister taught me well."
square."
Zhang Ruoxi smiled and said, "It takes talent to practice calligraphy. Zhenzhen's handwriting is very powerful, but it's a pity." She said to Mu Zhenzhen, "Zhenzhen, go and pour a cup of tea for Xiaoyuan."
After Mu Zhenzhen left, Zhang Ruoxi asked Zhang Yuan what Yang Shixiang had said?
Zhang Yuandao said, "Sister's previous worries were not wrong. The Dong family of Huating came to occupy the two hundred acres of mulberry fields. Fortunately, County Magistrate Li was still willing to uphold justice. The two hundred acres of mulberry forests were not occupied by the Dong family for the time being. However, this matter
Procrastination is always troublesome, Lu Weng is of course unwilling to give in, and my brother-in-law is also anxious now."
Zhang Ruoxi sighed quietly and suddenly asked, "Xiao Yuan, you said you could help your brother-in-law, how should you help him?"
Zhang Yuandao said: "The time has not come yet, so I have to pass next year's Taoist examination."
Zhang Ruoxi hurriedly said, "Yes, Xiaoyuan, don't think too much, just concentrate on studying and preparing for the exam. Sister is not in a hurry. Anyway, the situation is like this, and there is no rush. At most, you will not be able to save the two hundred acres of mulberry forest."
Zhang Yuandao said: "As long as my brother-in-law is in charge of the family, I will definitely help him regain the two hundred acres of mulberry forest. Does Mr. Dong think that the mulberry forest will belong to them after the land deed is obtained? This is unreasonable. Even if the mulberry forest property is transferred, there must be an original owner."
His eldest son endorsed it. If my brother-in-law had not endorsed the land deed, the mulberry forest would never have returned to the Dong family. But now we have no way to deal with it, we can only discuss it in the long term."
Zhang Ruoxi felt a little relieved when her brother said this. When she saw Mu Zhenzhen coming in with tea, she went back to the west building to rest.