This is related to the division of Chengdu’s pattern.
It is customary for the emperor to sit north and face south. The Forbidden City, the Prime Minister's Palace and the residences of meritorious nobles are all located in the north of the city. Outside the east of the city, there is the Zouma River that meanders southward to Guangdu County. It goes up along the Longquan Mountains to guard the east to Chengdu.
The dangerous pass "Jintang Gorge" [Note 1] has always been a place where the imperial court garrisoned troops and stored warehouses and armored soldiers. The south of the city is where merchants, porters, butchers and handymen gather. If a large family wants to build a mansion in the city, this is the first choice.
West of the city.
Find the way along the way, and take a look.
Compared with the majestic and majestic mansions of distinguished nobles in the north of the city, although the mansions of aristocratic families in the west of the city are also lined up row upon row, with pavilions and pavilions competing for beauty, they are grand and magnificent with red couplets and engraved scripts, and lack some solemnity and nobility.
The Liu surname in Chengdu is a rare family where "three generations share wealth and clans live together".
Therefore, there is no embarrassment of "it is difficult to live in the capital".
On the contrary, the buildings built by the Liu family are so majestic and graceful that even the Qin Mansion cannot compare with them.
When Zheng Pu arrived, he looked up and sighed secretly.
With such a scale, it would not be an exaggeration to say that it is a prince's home if there is a verandah-style double-eaves stone tower in front of the house to symbolize family status.
Slowly walking forward, he handed the bamboo slips left by Liu Yin to the guard outside the door. Without waiting outside, he was welcomed into the other wing to rest and escape the heat.
After a while, there was a sound of hurried footsteps, and Liu Yin's majestic body came into view.
Before anyone could reach him, a loud bell-like sound had already reached his ears.
"Zijin arrived late, so Brother Yu can wait for a while! Hahaha..."
Liu Yin's eyebrows widened and he walked forward with a big smile. He didn't bow to the red tape and directly took Zheng Pu's hand affectionately and pulled him to the inner hall. "It's almost noon and the summer heat is in full swing. Zi Jin will follow me in."
I'm so scared, let's go see that house again."
"It's disrespectful."
Zheng Pu nodded and smiled. As they walked side by side, he also made a joke and said with emotion: "If I had known that brother Xiuran's family was so wealthy, I would have shamelessly accepted the gift of a house when we were in Shifang Mulberry Garden!"
"Zi Jin dares to do anything evil?"
Liu Yin, who had long been familiar with Zheng Pu's temperament, glanced sideways at him and said in a slightly provocative tone, "It's not too late now!"
"Brother Xiuran treats guests like this, and he is not afraid of being punished by the elders in the family with sticks!"
"When I have guests, I should play the drum, harp, and sheng; if I hurt my friends, I should use harsh words!"
"You are a despicable fellow, Liu Xiuran is so! Hahaha~~~~"
"Hahaha~~~~~ Zheng Zijin is a sour scholar!"
...........
Joking, laughing, and walking.
All the way through the Moon Gate, passing pavilions, corridors and pavilions, you finally entered Liu Yin's house. The two of them were seated separately as host and guest. Liu's servants and maids presented them with well-soaked lamb wine, melon and fruit preserves and other things.
After a while, I raised the cup and invited you to drink together.
Liu Yin waved his hand to dismiss the servant, leaned forward slightly, leaned over and asked softly, "Zijin, I entered the Prime Minister's Mansion the day before yesterday. It's night, so you're staying the night?"
"Well, the Prime Minister's official duties are complicated and he is strict in his management. He only summoned me at dusk and gave me instructions until midnight."
Zheng Pu nodded and explained, "That's why I stayed overnight in the superintendent's house."
Immediately, he sighed again, "I was crowded into a military tent with many soldiers. It was so disturbing that I almost couldn't sleep. I didn't come to look for Brother Xiuran yesterday."
Hearing that Zheng Pu and Prime Minister Zhuge Liang were sitting and talking until midnight, Liu Yin's eyebrows were raised, and he was inexplicably surprised. When Zheng Pu said that he had no sleep, he couldn't help but smile, "Zijin has been in the mulberry garden for a long time, and he is used to being elegant, so naturally he can't bear it.
The soldiers are vulgar."
After a pause, he said with sincerity and joy, "So, Zijin's talent and learning have caught the attention of the Prime Minister!"
"Ha, it's a fluke!"
Without being modest, Zheng Pu nodded and smiled.
After saying that, he lowered his face and lowered his head to think for a while, then looked at Liu Yin and asked, "Brother Xiuran, you and I have the same temperament, so I will speak frankly. The Liu family in Chengdu can be said to be very wealthy, but I don't know how many people in the family are engaged in martial arts."
?Well, what I am asking is, if you are an official in the army, how many pieces of music can your family help you to bring with you?"
Um?
Suddenly, Liu Yin's face flashed with strange colors.
He did not answer immediately, but lowered his eyebrows and stroked his beard while thinking.
It's not that Zheng Pu violated the Liu family's taboo by asking this question.
Since the Yellow Turban Rebellion, it has been normal for aristocratic families to build forts and gather private soldiers to protect themselves. The Liu family in Chengdu is a very wealthy family, and the clans share wealth and do not divide the family. There are many acres of land and they are chasing the profits of merchants. There are no less than one person in the family who specializes in swordsmanship.
The number is five hundred. If in times of crisis, the clan members gather together and give swords and armor to the villagers, strong guards, etc., the number will be more than a thousand.
But the Liu family already has sons and nephews serving in the prefectures and counties, so they will not use too much of their heritage for the imperial court.
After all, Liu Yin is not the head of the Liu family now, and the elders of the clan mostly hold the view of being mature and settling down.
"I know the meaning of Zijin's question."
For a long time, Liu Yin raised his head, bowed his hands in greeting, and then said softly, "My family knows that I have always been fond of martial arts, and they also value it. If I join the army, I will be given forty or fifty retinues, which is what I should do. If there is a promotion to the rank,
, a number of nearly a hundred is not necessarily impossible.”
"Forty or fifty is enough!"
With a look of joy on his face, Zheng Pu nodded repeatedly, looked over and said, "I listened to the superintendent's instructions yesterday. If there are no accidents, I will definitely conquer Nanzhong! By then, if Brother Xiuren doesn't treat me as
Since we are humble, you and I will go together and build achievements together!"
"Great kindness!"
After hearing this, Liu Yin immediately clenched his fist and waved it hard, overjoyed.
He also raised his wine cup and invited him warmly, "This is going to be a big show! Come, Zijin, let's have a drink!"
"drink!"
............
The matter was decided, so the two of them did not dare to drink heavily and turned to chatting and laughing.
After a while, when he saw that the heat had subsided a little, Liu Yin called his followers to prepare their carriages and horses, and went to find a good house.
According to what Zheng Pu said, "not seeking spaciousness and high tiles, but seeking purity and peace of mind", Liu Yin found a small house at the corner between the west and south of the city.
It was originally a merchant who traveled to Nanzhong all year round and used it to store goods.
However, due to the rebellion in the southern counties, he had no sales and had a lot of money on credit. He had long wanted to sell his land and house. However, at that time, the former Lord Liu Bei was in great power, and the scholars and common people were in panic, and no one cared about him.
Therefore, it was just right for Liu Yin to find it.
Zheng Pu got off his horse, looked inside and outside for a moment, and felt happy.
This house is close to the city wall and is often patrolled by garrison soldiers, so there is no worry about safety. There are no extravagant carvings and ornate carvings inside, and the jade railings and rockery are exquisitely decorated. It is a perfect place for a quiet residence.
"The one who knows my heart is brother Xiuren!"
After a heartfelt compliment, Zheng Pu thanked him and asked, "I wonder how much this house is worth?"
To this, Liu Yin did not answer, but took him to a low wall, pointed at the Yiyue Gate, winked and smiled, "Go through this Moon Gate, and this is my new residence. Zijin is here.
The small house is what the merchant sold me for!"
When Zheng Pu heard this, he immediately became speechless.
Then, he shook his head and smiled bitterly, "I didn't expect that I would be tricked by Brother Xiuran and forcefully give me my house as a gift."
"This is what I learned from the "Six Tao" annotated by the late Master Zijin! Hahaha~~~~~"
"Hahaha~~~~~"
The two looked at each other and laughed.
After a while, Zheng Pu put away his smile and nodded to Liu Yin, "It's a blessing to live next to Brother Xiuran. I just want to have a banquet and get to know a general for Brother Xiuran."
