On the third day of May, the study clock struck nine o'clock. Zhang Yuan took Shang Danran out, accompanied by Mu Zhenzhen, Yun Jin, Wu Ling and the old servant Fu Cheng. Yesterday, Zhang E sent Fu'er to reply.
, He said that the Great Father will hold a lotus flower party in the Liyuan Garden on Dragon Boat Festival. The garden will be free on the third day of the Lunar New Year, so you can go and play. He has sent a message to thank the gardener and please do not allow outsiders to enter the garden on the third day of the Lunar New Year——
Shang Danran knew the general rules well. Even though her husband Zhang Yuan had made the arrangements for the garden visit, she still had to ask her aunt Lu for instructions. Although she knew that her aunt would definitely agree, this etiquette cannot be omitted——
It is about three miles from Dongzhang to Liyuan. The weather is already quite hot in midsummer. Zhang Yuan wanted to call a sedan for Dan Ran to ride in, but Dan Ran was willing to walk. She was wearing a curtain hat with a white gauze hanging from the edge to cover her face.
Live, the white gauze is thin and does not affect the vision, but from the outside looking at Dan Ran's face, it is like looking at flowers in the mist, which has a hazy beauty. Zhang Yuan has always believed that beautiful women wear veils to hide their appearance and increase temptation, especially for Dan Ran,
My feet are not bound, I walk light and fast, my veil is fluttering like a lotus in the wind——
It is a custom in Vietnam to go out for fun before and after the Dragon Boat Festival. You can also see scholars walking with their wives in the market. When they see Shang Danran, who is wearing flat silk shoes and walking briskly, they all look at him in amazement. Everyone recognizes Zhang Yuan now.
Did Zhang Yuan marry a wife who did not bind her feet?
Zhang Yuan ignored those surprised looks and said to Shang Danran: "Changing customs starts today."
Shang Danran was still a little shy and whispered: "I'm going to be made fun of."
Zhang Yuan said: "What are you making fun of? Footbinding breaks bones and muscles, harms people's physiology. Such evil customs are the ones that should be laughed at and despised. Next time the Hanshe Society gathers, I will clearly state my opposition to women's footbinding and write a long article to demonstrate the reasons for footbinding.
Harmful." He lowered his voice and said, "I love indifferent Tianzu the most."
Shang Danran smiled slightly and felt proud as he walked beside Zhang Yuan.
When they arrived at Panggong Pond, a cool breeze suddenly came, carrying moisture. Zhang Yuan smiled and said: "Smell it, Dan Ran, this wind smells like usnea tea."
Suddenly I heard someone say: "The spring breeze is like wine, the summer breeze is like tea——"
When Zhang Yuan looked back, he saw his eldest brother Zhang Dai approaching quickly with a sun umbrella, and two boys behind him carrying food boxes. Zhang Yuan hurriedly asked: "Isn't the Liu family's sister-in-law here?"
Zhang Dai had a look of hesitation on his face, waved his hand and said, "Don't mention her." He bowed to Shang Danran and said, "Brother Shang, my wife is good."
"Well, brother." Shang Danran returned the courtesy to Zhang Dai calmly.
Zhang Yuan pulled Zhang Dai aside and asked what was going on. Zhang Dai was very unhappy and muttered: "That stupid woman said that women should not be exposed to the public and go out to play, so she refused to come."
Zhang Yuan shook his head. The eldest brother failed miserably in this big gamble on marriage. He married such a pedantic woman and refused to even play in his garden. She never left the door and never took a step forward. Needless to say, she definitely had no interest at all. No wonder the eldest brother was depressed.
Immediately, I comforted my eldest brother with a few words. When I arrived at the gate of Liyuan, Xie Yuanding was already waiting. Zhang Dai and Zhang Yuan both gave Xie Yuanding a reward. While they were talking, a sedan chair arrived, followed by Neng Zhu, Fu'er and
Two maids——
Zhang E came down from the sedan chair, and then helped down a tall and thin woman. This woman had fair complexion and a cool temperament. This was Zhang E's wife, Qi. It seemed that she was also very smart. Otherwise, how could she handle the wild horse like Zhang E?
.
Seeing Zhang Dai, Zhang Yuan had arrived first. Zhang E smiled and held his hands in his hands: "Brother, Jiezi, ah, brother Shang's wife, foolish brother is polite."
Mrs. Qi was a little hesitant. Shang Danran's second sister-in-law was her aunt. This generation is really a bit chaotic——
However, Shang Danran had already stepped forward and called Zhang E "third brother" and Qi "third sister-in-law". Now that they have arrived at the Zhang family, of course they have to follow the Zhang family's seniority.
Zhang Dai felt even more depressed when he saw Shang's wife being so virtuous and elegant compared to his Taoist wife.
As the group walked around Xiaomei Mountain, they felt a breathtaking green atmosphere, with red flowers shining in their eyes. Pavilion lotus leaves spread continuously on both sides of the covered bridge, completely covering the water surface.
The young stamens are in bud, the wind blows from the pond, the lotus leaves dance lightly, the lotus flowers quiver, it is so beautiful.
Zhang Yuan smiled and said: "I smelled the fragrance of usnea tea in the wind before, but it turned out to be the fragrance of lotus." Suddenly, his heart moved, and he remembered the night he sent Wang Weilai to stay at Meihua Zen. He said goodbye when passing by the covered bridge.
For more than a month, the lotus flowers have been in bloom. Not only are the eyes full of green lotuses and red buds, but the fragrance of the lotus is refreshing. Now, Xiu Wei is far away in Songjiang. Well, my sister should have returned to Qingpu, and Xiu Wei will also come to her side.
?
Shang Danran and He'e's wife Qi joined hands to talk. Zhang Yuan went around to the Plum Blossom Zen alone. Seeing that the room was empty, he couldn't help but feel a little melancholy. He still missed the girl in his heart. Suddenly he saw a thin bamboo pole leaning on the corridor.
But it was the fishing rod made by Xue Tong that was left here——
Zhang Yuan took the fishing rod, went out from the back door, and asked Wu Ling to dig two earthworms to make fishing bait. Then he fished on the Basixiang Pavilion. As soon as the bait entered the water, fish took the bait. When the fish swallowed the bait firmly, he lifted it up.
It’s a bass that’s more than half a foot long——
Shang Danran and Qi walked up to the pavilion, shaking their gauze fans. They were surprised and happy when they saw the bass caught by Zhang Yuan flapping in the open space in the pavilion. They stood by the pavilion and did not dare to step forward. Zhang E rushed up.
, stepped on the fish, and said happily: "Steamed seabass, delicious." He ordered Fu'er to go back and ask someone to bring the stove and charcoal fire, and he wanted to have a feast in this Liyuan.
Zhang Dai said, "I'll make arrangements for our brothers to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival in this garden today." He hurried away.
Both Shang Danran and Qi had heard their husbands talk about the crab party at Xianglu Peak on the ninth day of September the year before last, and they were very much looking forward to it.
Nengzhu tied the gills of the bass with a straw rope and kept it in the pond under the pavilion to prevent the fish from dying and becoming unpalatable.
Zhang E asked Zhang Yuan for a fishing rod. He wanted to teach Qi how to fish, so Zhang Yuan took Shang Danran to Xia Shuangxuan and Wuluo Temple. As they walked, he said, "Dan Ran, have you seen Xiao Wu's ridiculous look?
He tries to please Yun Jin in every possible way, but he is not here to serve me, he only shows courtesy to Yun Jin, but Yun Jin is indifferent to Xiao Wu."
Shang Danran pursed his lips and smiled. He looked back and saw that Wu Ling and Yun Jin were not following him at the pavilion. He said, "Xiao Wu finally started to grow taller."
Zhang Yuandao: "Xiao Wu is seventeen years old, Yun Jin's New Year's Eve, right? I don't know what Yun Jin means to Xiao Wu. Ask Yun Jin for me someday."
Shang Danran smiled and said, "Mr. Zhang, would you like to order the Yuanyang Booklet?"
Zhang Yuandao: "It's time for male students to get married, and it's time for female students to get married. If both parties like it, they can get married next year or the year after."
Shang Danran said "hmm".
There are thousands of green bamboo poles planted behind Wulu nunnery. The fishing rods made by Xue Tong must have been picked here. Passing behind the nunnery, the skin and eyebrows are all green, but there is a vegetable garden behind the nunnery, which must have been planted by Gardener Xie.
The melon stand was a farmhouse style. Zhang Yuan went in and picked two bitter melons and came out. Shang Danran giggled and said: "Stealing vegetables——"
"Stealing vegetables." Zhang Yuan also laughed, holding up two pieces of bitter melon and said: "This bitter melon was brought back from Nanyang by the eunuch Sanbao. There were no bitter melons before in China. Eating bitter melon in summer can clear away heat and relieve the heat."
After walking around the garden and returning to the Perch Pavilion, I saw Zhang E also caught a four-gill bass. He and Qi laughed at each other. Zhang E said: "When my father built the garden, he had hundreds of four-gill bass bought from Songjiang."
Put it in this pond, and now it is multiplying."
After a while, Zhang Dai came, bringing his maid Su Zhi, two healthy servants carrying the stove and charcoal, and a cook who brought Magu wine, corn millet, fried dumplings, and bacon.
——
Zhang Dai is a gourmet. Although he does not cook the dishes himself, he gives instructions to the cook on how to cook the sea bass. The sea bass should be steamed with Jinhua ham, bamboo shoot slices, shiitake mushrooms and coriander. After it is half cooked, add ginger, shredded green onions, rice wine and other condiments——
The lunch was sumptuous, and there were three food tables on the Basixiang Pavilion. Zhang E, Zhang Yuan and his wife each raised their tables to raise their eyebrows. Zhang Dai was so envious that he had no choice but to use delicious food to relieve his boredom.
After lunch, Zhang Dai cooked tea himself. Zhang Dai created a unique orchid snow tea. He took Rizhu tea from the northern foot of Longshan Mountain and roasted it using the method of making usnea tea. When cooking the tea, he added jasmine. The tea color is like bamboo shoots with green powder.
At first, it is like the dawn on a mountain window. The sun shines through the paper. The tea is poured into a white tea cup. The fragrance is like orchid and the color is like snow. It is called orchid snow. Even Zhang Yuan, who is not very good at tea tasting, drank half of the cup.
Later, I felt the fragrance lingering on my lips and teeth, and praised: "Brother, my tea art is going to surpass the Peach Leaf Crossing Minwen River."
Zhang Dai was quite pleased with him and praised him humbly: "How dare you? Mr. Wen has been immersed in tea skills for decades, which is not what a young boy like me can do."
Around the beginning of the day, I heard the dragon boat drum beats getting louder and louder on the other side of the Fu River. It seemed that the dragon boat racing was about to begin. The small competition on the third day of the third grade and the big competition on the fifth day of the fifth grade. Zhang Yuan and others were about to go to the Fu River to watch the dragon boats. A servant from Xi Zhang came over.
He ran over with his head sweating profusely and said to Zhang E: "Third Young Master, Lu Mei is about to give birth. Madam tells you to go back quickly."
Zhang E was a little overwhelmed. He was still not mentally prepared to become a father.
Qi said to Zhang E, "Husband, let's go back quickly." He said goodbye to Shang Danran and promised to see each other more often in the future.
Shang Danran calls Mrs. Qi "Third Sister-in-law", and Mrs. Qi calls Shang Danran "Sister Shang" because Shang Danran is one year older than Mrs. Qi——
The afternoon sun was blazing, and it was five or six miles from Liyuan Garden to the Fu River. Shang Danran still refused to take the sedan chair, and wanted to walk with Zhang Yuan. She said she was not tired, so Zhang Yuan let her go, and the group came to Xixi.
Outside Guo Shuimen, one could hear the beating of drums, and four five-foot-long dragon boats on the river broke through the water, vying to be the first. People watching the dragon boats on both sides of the Fu River and on the Yuewang Bridge cheered one after another——
Zhang Yuan was busy socializing, and scholars kept coming to greet him. Shang Danran, Mu Zhenzhen, and Yun Jin retreated to one side, watching the dragon boat race under the shade of the locust trees on the shore, but they didn't know that there was the Yuewang Bridge half a mile away.
On the stairs, someone is looking at her and Zhang Yuan——
That was Wang Yingzi. He and his sister Wang Jingshu took an ox cart to the bridge to watch the dragon boat race. They saw Zhang Yuan and Shang Danran from a distance. Wang Jingshu said: "Yingzi, have you seen it? The couple is very loving and holds hands together."
tour."
Wang Yingzi was silent for a while and then said: "Sister, go back and read and write."
Wang Jingshu said: "The book has its own golden house, its own thousand bell millet, its own beauty like jade - baby's posture, what is in the book you are reading?"
Wang Yingzi said: "Sister, why do you have to be so utilitarian? Do you have to have these things to study? I just love reading. Reading makes sense and makes me knowledgeable. That's enough." He added: "Brother, please ask the servants to collect my books tomorrow."
I gave some books to Brother Jie Zi, and those books should be useful for the provincial examination and the general examination."
Wang Jingshu shook her head and said: "Sister, I really don't understand you——"
The oxcart turned around and headed east of Yuewang Bridge. Wang Yingzi looked at Zhang Yuan who was talking to Zhu Sheng from the car window and murmured to herself: "It's very simple. I just like it."
…
One day after the Dragon Boat Festival, Wang Binglin personally went to Shanyin to deliver a book case to Zhang Yuan and said: "Jie Zi, you have a look at these books. I have read them. It is useful to open them, but I am dull and do not understand deeply.
"
Zhang Yuan flipped through the books and found out that these books were collected by Junior Sister Yingzi, and some of them were written and compiled by Yingzi herself. He said to Wang Binglin: "Thank you Junior Sister for me."
Wang Binglin patted Zhang Yuan's arm and said with a smile: "I hope you will win again and again." The topic changed and he said: "The Grand Master has gone to various prefectures to preside over scientific examinations and will be in Shaoxing before the end of the month. You were last year's tribute, so there is no need.
I still have to take the exam."
Not all scholars can participate in the rural examinations. They must be selected. Before the end of May in the Zi, Wu, Mao, and You township examination years, the academic officials will go to various prefectures to convene examinations for the first- and second-class talents.
He is eligible to take the provincial examination in August. Zhang Yuan was the first person to take the provincial examination last year and qualified for the provincial examination without taking the scientific examination. If he fails in the provincial examination this time, then Zhang Yuan, who is a junior high school student, will have to take the scientific examination first if he wants to take the provincial examination.
——
Zhang Yuandao: "Senior brother will definitely be able to pass the first-class exam. Then we will go to Hangzhou together."
Wang Binglin shook his head and said: "I really don't have enough confidence. I'm not afraid of Jiezi's teasing. If Yingzi were me, I would have no problem getting a first class in the exam. Look at her summary of how to do the eight-legged method. I'm far behind." He stood up and said, "Okay.
, I’ll take my leave first.”
Zhang Yuandao: "Senior Brother Wang, please come back after lunch."
Wang Binglin spoke politely.
After seeing off Wang Binglin, Zhang Yuan returned to his study by the Toumo River. He usually receives guests and makes friends here. Before Shang Danran came to the wooden building, he would first ask Yun Jin to see if there were any foreign guests, who would be waiting here.
It’s Mu Zhenzhen——
The book case sent by Wang Binglin is lying quietly on the table. It is made of bamboo, waterproof and tough. It should be a newly made book case, and it still has the fragrance of bamboo——
Zhang Yuan carefully checked the books among them. In addition to books on the Spring and Autumn Period such as "Spring and Autumn Decree" and "Reading Zuo Fuyi", there are also selected works of famous eight-part essays such as Gui Youguang, Tang Xianzu, and Dong Qichang, and three volumes of "Zhejiang Township Examination Head"
"Seven Excellent Works Award", these should be selected by Wang Yingzi from the vast pile of eight-part essays. The most beneficial thing to open is that in the corner of the bookcase are two volumes of Wang Yingzi's reading notes and summary of eight-part essays.
Law--
Zhang Yuan flipped through the volume of "How to Make Eight-legged Legs", and Wang Yingzi wrote in flowing regular script:
"When doing the eight-legged method, one can be familiar with the wonders of ancient prose, and then obey the rules of contemporary prose, cultivate one's mind, understand the theme, open up the mind of the ages, and express one's own achievements, then naturally it will not be the present, nor the ancient, but the
The writings of the time are the writings of the time, not the ancestors but the ancestors. If you have the intention to imitate the writings of the time, it is not the writing of the time; if you have the intention of imitating the ancestors, it is not the ancestors. For example, a poet must want every sentence to be true, and it must not be true.
Du: For example, the Linchi family must want Bibi to be the king, but he must not be the real king. What is it, because he is shackles to the ancients and his talents cannot come out..."
Zhang Yuan nodded while watching. Junior Sister Yingzi summarized it very well. This is a step further than Teacher Wang Siren who only talked about eight-part grammar from a technical point of view——
Zhang Yuan read page after page carefully and came to the examiner's chapter on Yingzi's Theory. The example he cited was Xu Guangqi's essay "Shun's Dwelling in the Deep Mountains" from the Yuan Dynasty Examination Paper. Why was this article "Yingzi's Analysis" first reviewed by the examination room?
After being deposed, he was promoted to No. 1 by CEO Jiao Hong? The reason is that Xu Guangqi incorporated Wang Yangming’s philosophy of mind, which is very different from orthodox Confucianism, as well as the thoughts of Zhuangzi and Laozi in his article——
——Although Yangming’s philosophy of mind has flourished since the end of Jiajing, traditional Confucianism is still the mainstream of official thought. Therefore, it is normal for the examiner to oust Xu Guangqi from the test paper. It is also a heretical thought. Xu Guangqi failed the provincial examination five times in a row.
It's normal, but when Xu Guangqi took the sixth provincial examination, he met the president Jiao Hong. Jiao Hong was a great Confucian who followed Yangming's philosophy and advocated the integration of the three religions. When he saw Xu Guangqi's craftsmanship in the book, he was filled with admiration.
First, it may seem like a good story about the imperial examination, but it actually has profound internal ideological reasons, and accidents contain necessity——
When Zhang Yuan saw this, he couldn't help but slap the table and scream. He felt suddenly enlightened, and felt extremely happy in his heart. He felt more confident about his August Provincial Examination——
"Zhang Lang, why are you so happy?"
Shang Danran walked in and asked with a smile.
Zhang Yuandao: "Once the troubles in my heart are solved, I can't help but be ecstatic!"
Shang Danran looked at the manuscript in Zhang Yuan's hand. The calligraphy was obviously a woman's calligraphy style. She knew that Wang Siren's son had just come here, and the box and book should have been sent by Prince Wang. She asked, "Who can explain it to Zhang Lang?"
Confused?"
Zhang Yuan hesitated for a moment and replied: "Miss Wang Yingzi."
Shang Danran said "Oh" and said, "Let me take a look at this section." She took out the book "The Method of Making Eight-Part Composition" and looked at the chapter "On the President", thinking of what Zhang Yuan said to her the day before yesterday.
Regarding the examiner's confusion, and Xu Guangqi's confusion after failing to write the paper, Wang Yingzi's chapter is dedicated to solving Zhang Yuan's confusion. The analysis is very good. This is not a matter of destiny, but something else.
Inevitability——
Shang Danran praised: "Miss Wang is really a great talent, but it's a pity that she is a girl."
Zhang Yuan smiled and said nothing.
Shang Danran didn't ask any more questions and just said, "Mr. Zhang, do you want me to read to you?"
Zhang Yuandao: "Okay, let's finish reading this book on the eight-legged method."
Shang Danran sat down opposite Zhang Yuan, wrote the manuscript and recited:
"——Today's famous Eight-gut masters either talk about Jiju, some are talented, some are fond of words, some are quoted from Zishu, or some imitated from Jibu——"
Seeing Zhang Yuan on the other side of the desk with his eyes closed and listening, Shang Danran suddenly thought: "Does Zhang Lang imagine in his heart that Wang Yingzi is reading to him?"
This thought was so annoying that Shang Danran quickly collected his mind and concentrated on studying.
…
On May 23rd, Editor Wang of Zhejiang Tixue came to Shaoxing Prefecture and presided over the Yimao scientific examination of more than 4,000 students from eight counties in Shaoxing Prefecture. 800 students were ranked first and second class. This
Eight hundred students qualified for the provincial examination in August.
Before leaving Shanyin, Wang Tixue made an exception to summon Zhang Yuan and encouraged him. In the August provincial examination, Wang Tixue will serve as the deputy examiner. Naturally, he hopes that his protégé Zhang Yuan can go to high school——
Regarding the examiner, Wang Tixue said to Zhang Yuan: "It is rumored that Gengxu Ketan Qian Shouzhi will be the president of the Zhejiang Provincial Examination. I don't know if it is true, but you can try to figure out Qian Shouzhi's craftsmanship in advance. He is a famous eight-gu master. No matter whether he comes or not,
Zhejiang hosts the provincial examination, and it is always beneficial to learn its craftsmanship."
Money received is Qian Qianyi.
————————————————————
The 5,000-word update has arrived, and the curtain has been raised for the Yimao Township Examination. Please vote for encouragement.