Eight hundred and thirty sixth chapter Jiangnan children
After entering February, scholars from all over the world arrived in Chang'an one after another. Scholars gathered in Chang'an and it was extremely lively.
That morning, a 500-stone passenger ship sailed on the Qujiang River. Two young scholars stood on the bow, and two attendants followed behind them carrying book boxes.
These two scholars were both in their early twenties, one was named Xiao Zhenye and the other was named Xie Changming. Both of them were wearing scholar uniforms, plain scarves on their heads, and long swords on their waists, and they were particularly energetic.
Both of them came by boat from Jiangnan, and after half a month's journey, they finally arrived in Chang'an.
"There's no need to be in such a hurry, there's still some way to go ashore?"
Seeing that they were anxious to get ashore, the boatman smiled and said: "We are still outside the city in Qujiang. You should at least go into the city to talk!"
Xiao Zhenye turned around and gave a few instructions to his entourage, who put down his burden again.
"This is Qujiang Pool!"
Xie Changming looked at the scenery on both sides with interest. It was his first time here. He pointed to a large garden in the east and asked, "What is that place?"
The boatman smiled and said: "That is the Royal Garden Furong Garden. Since last autumn, it has been open to officials and their families of fifth-rank and above officials. There are tourists outing there, all the family members of the eunuchs."
Xiao Zhenye frowned, "Why not let all the people go?"
"Weiyang Palace is open to everyone. A ticket is fifty cents. It is said that there are also restaurants and inns inside, which must be very expensive. You two can go and check it out if you have a chance."
Xie Changming suddenly became interested and happily said to his friend: "Weiyang Palace is not bad. I have heard about its name for a long time. We can go and have a look."
Xiao Zhenye curled his lips, "If there's anything good to see, it's just a way to gain fame and reputation. If you can, open the Furong Garden so that poor people can go in and have a look."
Xie Changming sighed and said helplessly: "You're here again, don't be so cynical, okay? There are rules everywhere, so why don't you just let people in your Xiao residence?"
"Bullshit rules. I just hate these high-ranking people for their extravagance. They don't care about the life and death of the people. Do you know that the wine and meat in the rich family smells bad, and there are people freezing to death on the road!"
"Okay, I won't argue with you anymore!"
Xie Changming asked the boatman: "Where should we get on the boat?"
"If you two have a specific location, you can mention it. If you don't mention it, we usually dock at Dongshi Pier."
"Brother Xian, your Xiao family should have a house in Chang'an, right?"
Xiao Zhenye shook his head, "The Xiao family has a mansion in Luoyang and an official residence in Chang'an. It was confiscated by Zhu Si. Now it is occupied by someone else. I can only live in an inn. Where is Brother Xie?"
"The Xie family is relatively weak in the officialdom. They don't have a house in Chang'an. Like you, they can only live in an inn."
"Then let's go ashore at Dongshi! It's closer to Xuanyangfang and Hepingkangfang there, what do you think?"
Xie Changming smiled bitterly and said: "My father does not allow me to live in Pingkangfang. He said that if I dare to go to that kind of fireworks place, he will break my legs and cut off my monthly salary for a year, so I can go to Xuanyangfang."
Bar!"
"Then let's go to Xuanyangfang! The same goes for our family, we don't allow our children to wander around outside."
Both of them unanimously decided to go ashore at Dongshi Pier. At this time, the ship entered Chang'an City. Xie Changming was surprised, "Excuse me, boatman, did you enter Chang'an like this without a city gate?"
"It turned out that there were checkpoints, but later the checkpoints were cancelled. In fact, it is useless to have city gates. Now the city gates and square gates of Chang'an City are not closed, and people still leave the city in the middle of the night."
"Ah! This is really not easy."
Xiao Zhenye curled his lips, "Do you believe this kind of official lie? They must have changed from overt management to covert management! Hiding somewhere to monitor, I don't believe that the government will really let it go?"
The boatman smiled and said: "Don't believe me, sir. There really is no secret surveillance. If we are Zhu Si's spies, why don't they come to check us?"
"Because you are not one at all, why come to interrogate you?"
"But how do they know I'm not?"
The boatman and Xiao Zhenye argued fiercely for a long time with no result. At this time, the boat arrived at the dock.
The two settled the boat payment, and Xiao Zhenye deducted another hundred coins from the boatman as the price for arguing with him.
They landed on the shore, and two attendants picked up book boxes and followed behind. Xie Changming glanced at it, pointed not far away and said with a smile: "There is an inquiry point for imperial examination scholars over there. Let's go and take a look."
Xiao Zhenye curled his lips and was about to speak, but Xie Changming stopped him, "Don't complain anymore!"
Xiao Zhenye swallowed the words on his lips and could only mutter in a low voice: "You know how to do this kind of superficiality, and you have the ability to make the imperial examination fair!"
The two came to the inquiry point and saw a few tables in an open space with several officials sitting behind the tables. There is basically an inquiry point for imperial examination scholars like this in Chang'an next to every major city gate.
The Municipal Passenger Terminal is the largest waterway passenger terminal in Chang'an, so there is also an inquiry point here.
"Excuse me... Do we need to register here?" Xie Changming asked.
"Both of them are scholars who took part in the imperial examination this year?"
"Exactly!"
"Excuse me, where are you from?"
"I am from Changzhou and he is from Yuezhou."
The official nodded and said, "That's right. If your hometown has a Jinzou Yuan in Chang'an, then the Jinzou Yuan will arrange your boarding and lodging registration. But if your hometown does not have a Rhythm Yuan in Chang'an, you can find a place to live by yourself.
Let us help.”
"You can get free room and board if you enter the academy?"
"That's not the case. You should pay for it yourself. It's just a little cheaper. Then everyone will live together. When you enter the exam, they will arrange an oxcart to pick you up. If you pass the exam, someone will be sent to announce the good news."
The two understood, Xiao Zhenye said: "We are scholars from Yuezhou and Changzhou in the south of the Yangtze River. We must not have entered the Academy. Can you introduce us to a better inn?"
"No problem, you two can come and register."
This kind of accommodation registration is relatively simple. Just your name and place of origin are enough. When it comes to registration, it is much stricter. In addition to your own information, you must also report your place of origin and family background. The names of your father and grandfather, and whether you have official positions or titles must be clearly stated.
Accommodation registration is mainly for people in the same state or neighboring states to live together for easy management. Of course, you have to find a place to live by yourself, and you are welcome to do so, but you will encounter some inconveniences.
An official held a distribution map and said to the two of them: "The scholars in the Jiangnan area mainly live in the four quarters of Yongle, Jing'an, Guangfu and Jingshan. There are temples, houses and inns here. You can make your own.
Choice, accommodation prices are uniformly stipulated by the government, and there will be no random extortion. Temples are the cheapest, with accommodations costing ten cents per day, followed by private houses, which cost thirty cents per day, and then small and medium-sized inns, which cost fifty cents per day, and famous big inns.
It’s eighty cents per day, and these are the prices for a single room. If two people live in one room, it can be reduced by half.”
The official gave them a printed accommodation list, which was densely packed with inns, houses and temples in the four quarters.
"You can look for it yourself. If we arrange it, we will arrange it for Wutong Inn, Qianjiang Inn, Majia Inn, Shuangling Inn, which are medium-sized inns, and of course, there are several big inns."
"Where's the meal?" Xie Changming asked.
"You usually have to take care of your own meals, and some inns also provide them. However, eating in Chang'an is very convenient. There are both expensive and cheap ones. They are open day and night. You can rent an oxcart to go to Xi'anmen Street. You can find all kinds of food there, from all over the world.
But one thing I must warn you is not to visit brothels. Once caught by the inspection team, you will not be admitted no matter how well you do in the exam. It is considered morally tainted."
Xiao Zhenye curled his lips and asked: "If we don't want to live in the place you designated, will there be any trouble?"
The official laughed and said, "You don't have to force this. You can live anywhere you want, but let me explain to you why it is better to live together. This year's announcement is a combination of announcing the good news and publishing the announcement. The announcement will be one day later. Living together is mainly convenient for announcing the good news."
, it is convenient to receive congratulations from fellow villagers, and at the same time, fellow villagers live together, taking care of each other, and making new friends.”
"Let's discuss it!"
Xiao Zhenye pulled Xie Changming aside and whispered: "I always feel that the government must have a conspiracy to do this, and I'm afraid it is to facilitate monitoring of us."
"You..."
Xie Changming was really confused. "Why don't you believe anything? You think the government is uneasy and well-intentioned. You have to find a place by yourself. I will listen to their arrangements."
"Okay! Okay! Okay! Just live together."
Xiao Zhenye murmured in a low voice: "You have to be careful when you go out."
Xie Changming ignored him and said to the official: "We are willing to accept the arrangement and hope to find a big inn."
"no problem!"
The official found an oxcart for them and ordered: "Send them to Yonglefang and Wenbo Inn!"