The five-bay, nine-bay mansion faces the street to the south and the water to the north. It has deep halls and majestic ridges. The beams and eaves are all decorated with vermilion. The exterior walls are bright and the interior is grand and deep.
On the two wings, there are also corridors, verandas, warehouses, kitchens, side rooms, and side rooms, layer upon layer, forming a huge building complex. The Shang family in Kuaiji, a family of officials, is no less than the number one scholar in Shanyin Xi Zhang.
The carriage stopped outside the wall gate of Shang's mansion. Zhang Yuanyue got off the car and saw the six wooden wall doors all open. A group of people came out to greet them. The one at the front was six-year-old Xiao Jingwei. Her little
The man dragged the maid Fanghua forward with all his strength. The maid Fanghua originally wanted to hold her back to prevent her from running around, but at this time she was dragged by her and stumbled, "Brother Zhang Gongzi, I knew when I heard the sound of the carriage.
Brother Zhang Gongzi has arrived."
Xiao Jinghui broke away from his maid Fanghua's hand and ran to Zhang Yuan. Suddenly he remembered something, two little
He folded his hands on his lower abdomen, twisted his body slightly, bent his knees slightly, looked down at his toes with his bright eyes, gave Zhang Yuan a blessing in a very formal way, and said in a crisp voice that was neither gentle nor serious: "Zhang Yuan
Young Master, please be well."
Six-year-old Xiao Jingwei is wearing a thick brocade and mink fur coat. She looks a little bloated, but she looks even cuter.
Zhang Yuan quickly returned the gift: "Hello, Miss Jingwei." He straightened up and looked at Shang Zhoude and others who were coming out. He felt warm in his heart. Although it was his first time here, he felt as friendly as if he were home. It felt so good. Well, this
He has decided to make Shang's son-in-law.
Shang Zhoude and two brothers from the same clan welcomed Zhang Yuan into the wall gate. There were five entrances to the five-room, nine-bay mansion. The first entrance was the foyer, with wing rooms on both sides, and then there was the main hall through a courtyard. There was a couplet hanging on the hall:
, "Reciting poems and books is how you can enjoy the ways of Yao and Shun: plow the fields and dig wells, and stick to this to serve as a citizen of Emperor Xi."
There are nine official chairs of yellow pear wood in each row of the main hall. There are many hosts and few guests. Zhang Yuan looked a little lonely sitting there.
Drinking tea and chatting were all Shang and Zhoude's questions. Zhang Yuan answered. Shang and Zhoude first asked about what happened in Minglun Hall yesterday. Zhang Yuan explained in detail that the eight-part eight-part fight in the Confucian hall can be said to be a best-of-three defeats. Yao Fu tried his best to
He tried every means to make things difficult, but in the end he failed miserably. Shang Zhoude and others were shocked and laughed. It is rare for a dignified student to be so shameless. Now that the dust has been settled, Yao Fu has no chance to stand up.
It is possible that Zhang Yuan's reputation has become so great that even the Grand Master has rewarded him. However, this year is not the year of the Taoist Examination. Otherwise, the Grand Master could immediately replace Zhang Yuan as a student. Now he has to wait until the year after tomorrow.
Zhang Yuan is only fifteen years old this year, and he will be a student member of the county at the age of seventeen the next year. He can still be regarded as a young and ambitious businessman. Zhou De asked: "I heard that Mr. Zhang had an eye disease a few days ago. Is he well now?" This must be concerned.
If the eye disease recurs and leads to blindness in the future, it will be a disaster for his little sister Shang Danran.
This is equivalent to a pre-marriage physical examination. Zhang Yuan answered cautiously: "My junior's eye disease suddenly occurred in early April. It was mainly caused by excessive anger, impatient temper, and excessive fondness for sweets. After careful treatment by the famous doctor Mr. Lu Yungu, he was cured in mid-July."
He has basically recovered. Dr. Lu only told him to cultivate his mind and eyes in the future and "don't use your eyesight too much."
Shang Zhou De said: "It's not right for Mr. Zhang to study too hard."
Zhang Yuandao: "So the younger generation now mainly listens to books and reads as a supplement."
Zhou De of Shang Dynasty laughed and said, "Let's go. Mr. Zhang passed by and I could recite it in my ears. It's very good, very good."
Shang Zhou De's original concerns were dispelled, and he asked some more about Zhang Yuan's family affairs, about Zhang Yuan's father Zhang Ruiyang, and about Zhang Yuan's brother-in-law Lu Tao. At the same time, he carefully observed Zhang Yuan's demeanor.
He is irritable, without a trace of impatience, and always answers clearly and clearly.
Zhou De of Shang Dynasty was very happy and said to himself: "My younger sister Danran went on a blind date in Changtao Garden. She didn't like Zhang E from Xi Zhang, but she fell in love with Zhang Yuan from Dong Zhang. She really has a unique vision. This is a good marriage."
"
Moreover, Zhang Yuan's family background is not bad. All in all, it is Shanyin Zhang's family. Although he is a bit poorer at present, as soon as he gains fame, the land slave will automatically come and attach a Yuan. It is obvious that he knows why I invited him here today.
When asked about these trivial matters, he answered patiently and with great sincerity, very good, very good. However, Zhang Yuan said that it was a bit inappropriate to call him junior. If Dan Ran married him, he would be my sister-in-law. How can I call him junior? Xiao Hui also called him junior.
His brother Mr. Zhang is really messed up. Well, I’m not busy correcting it now. We’ll talk about it after we get engaged.”
The maid Fanghua held Shang Jinghui's hand, and Shang Jinglan was also there. Sanmuren stood by the small door between the side hall and the main hall, watching Zhang Yuan talking to the elders of the Shang family. Xiao Jinghui asked Shang Jinglan softly:
"Sister, is uncle taking the test for Mr. Zhang? Mr. Zhang has answered a lot of questions. You must have answered them all correctly. Look at my uncle, he is smiling so well."
Shang Jinglan's voice was softer and a little proud: "You don't understand this, right? My uncle wants Aunt Danran to marry Mr. Zhang as his wife."
, Jing Hui opened his bright black eyes in surprise, and his mouth also opened wide.
The maid Fanghua was afraid that Xiao Jingwei would be embarrassed if she said it loudly, so she hurriedly leaned over to pick her up and retreated to the side hall. Shang Jinglan also followed and scolded: "What is your name? There are guests.
Yes, this is very rude, you know!"
Shang Jing frowned slightly and said, "If my little aunt marries Mr. Zhang's brother, won't we no longer have a little aunt?"
Shang Jinglan smiled "scoffing", indicating that her sister's question was too childish and she didn't bother to answer it.
The maid Fanghua hurriedly said: "How come there is no aunt anymore? Miss Danran is still Miss Jinghui's aunt. Xiaowei can always go to your little aunt, um, and Mr. Zhang."
Shang Jinghui suddenly became happy and asked Shang Jinglan, "Why did my sister know about this first and I didn't even know about it?"
Shang Jinglan said: "Who told you to fall asleep as soon as your head touched the pillow? I heard about it when my mother and Liang mother talked, hehe."
People in Shaoxing call children who are good at eavesdropping on what adults say, meaning they are shrewd and may not seem to be paying attention, but in fact they have listened to all the secrets told by adults. Shang Jing twisted his body slightly and said, "Sister,
Why don't you wake me up? My sister is not good."
Shang Jinglan curled his lips and said, "Why am I being naughty? It's because you're so sleepy that you can't hear anything interesting. Who can blame you?"
Shang Jinghui got out of the arms of his maid Fanghua and said, "Then I'll ask my little aunt."
The maid Fanghua quickly grabbed her and said, "You can't ask Miss Danran, she will be embarrassed."
Shang Jing said "oh" slightly, stretched out his hand to let his maid Fanghua hug her, and then whispered in Fanghua's ear: "Fanghua, my little aunt is going to marry Mr. Zhang's brother, what's going on? 9
"
Fanghua replied: "It means getting married and becoming husband and wife."
Shang Jingwei asked in a softer voice: "What about getting married?" When asked, the little girl was still shy and buried her face in the neck of the maid Fanghua without raising her head.
Now I asked the maid Fanghua. Fanghua was only sixteen years old and knew little about men and women. Her neck was tickled by Xiao Jingwei. She smiled and shrank her neck and said: "That's right, just two people can do it."
We are together, not separated."
Shang Jinghui said "Oh" and nodded his head, as if he understood it completely and stopped asking any more questions. This made the maid Fanghua breathe a sigh of relief.
In the main hall, Shang Zhoude saw that some things had been said, but some things should not be said in a crowded place, so he said: "Master Zhang, please come to my eldest brother's study to sit down and look at the calligraphy and paintings. I also have some things to discuss with Mr. Zhang in depth."
Zhang Yuan stood up, bowed to the other Shang clan members present, and then followed Shang Zhoude through another courtyard to the third entrance. Shang Zhoude led him into a large study room with bookcases full of antiques.
He said: "This is where my eldest brother used to study. My eldest brother is Jinglan, the father of the two sisters Jinghui. He is now an official in Beijing. He likes to collect calligraphy and paintings. Mr. Zhang can take a look at it."
Zhang Yuan felt ashamed and said, "This junior can only read a few sour stereotypes, and has not yet dabbled in calligraphy and painting."
Shang Zhoude smiled and said: "This dynasty takes the imperial examination as the foundation of the country. Scholars get fame first and then talk about other things. My eldest brother also specialized in eight-part essays back then. It was only after he became a scholar that he thought about collecting calligraphy and painting for appreciation." As he said, expand
One scroll showed a picture of Yi Ge galloping horse, and he said: "This is a picture of Cao Ba's galloping horse copied by Zhao Songxue. It contains a poem by Wang Yulin of the Southern Tang Dynasty, and the calligraphy and poetry are all excellent."
When Zhang Yuan was admiring Zhao Meng*'s calligraphy and painting, Shang Zhoude unfolded another scroll with new paper and ink, and painted a wisteria stand, a girl playing Cuju under the flower stand, and two butterflies chasing Cuju. "Master Zhang, come and take a look."
How about this picture?" Shang Zhoude looked at Zhang Yuan's expression.
When Zhang Yuan looked at the girl in the painting, his eyes were full of Shang Danran's. The dancing feet were light and nimble, and the flat embroidered shoes were exquisitely painted. Zhang Yuan immediately understood why Shang Zhoude asked him to look at the painting. The bow-soled embroidered shoes were worn by women with bound feet. They were flat-soled.
Embroidered shoes mean that there is no foot binding. Shang Zhoude is very euphemistic. I think he will have to discuss women's foot binding with him next, and test his tone. This is the last step. If he has tinea pedis and looks down on women who don't have their feet bound, then Shang
Zhou De must have immediately changed his face. After seeing off the guests, he went back to his house to show off one of the chrysanthemums. Zhou De didn't want Shang to waste too much effort, so he spoke out first. He said, "This junior thinks that women with bound feet are not allowed in the world."
What he enjoys doing is just clinging to bad habits, which will lead to self-mutilation and lifelong suffering. If all the women in the world are as talented as the one in the painting, wouldn't it be a good idea not to hide it from Uncle Shang Shishu? The younger generation once told Jia Ci that when you marry, you should not have your feet bound.
woman."
Shang Zhoude actually felt quite helpless that his younger sister Shang Danran did not bind her feet. He was a little worried that Zhang Yuan would have a grudge against this, but he had a high status in the Shang family and Zhang Yuan had also seen his younger sister Shang Danran's beauty, and her feet.
It's not so big that it's scary, so Zhang Yuan won't refuse the marriage because of this matter. But when he heard Zhang Yuan say this, he was really surprised and happy. He couldn't help but exclaimed: "Wonderful! Wonderful.