Red Mansion Reader

Chapter 26 Adding wine and returning to the lamp to reopen the banquet (first change)
In the end, Chen Heng went back to the previous inn to open the shop. There was no other way, no matter how heroic he was, he had to bow his head to the three words of hunger, cold and poverty.After all, no one can keep his head up forever, unless he has a canopy to shelter him from wind and rain.

The environment in Tongpu is very bad. People who come to Yangzhou in this season are either literati, scholars, honorable and wealthy businessmen, or small people who come here to make money from these people.The three big men who slept in the same room with Chen Heng were such people.

Among them are two cousins ​​from Shanxi, who are a little younger.There was a middle-aged man who came from Zhejiang.They all heard about the prosperity of Yangzhou, and they didn't want to stay at home to farm, so they came here to see if there was a chance to make a fortune.

Regarding the appearance of Chen Heng and his son, like every passer-by who meets by chance, they are very talkative, and they love to chat about what they have seen and heard from all over the world.

Among them, Brother Chen, who is from Zhejiang Province, has stayed in both Jinling and Yangzhou.He commented on them in this way: The streets of Jinling belong to the princes and princes, who love to ride horses and roam the streets.I like everything lively and fresh.Most of the Jinling people live in the alleys, except for the necessary stalls, it is actually difficult to notice them in the sun.

Because your eyes will only see those young men in fresh clothes and angry horses.

Yangzhou is different. Yangzhou City has a strange charm that makes every Yangzhou person flock to the streets to enjoy the colorful world in front of them.But unknowingly, they are also supporting the wealthy salt merchants in the sky.

Speaking of this, Brother Chen licked his upper lip and said with emotion: To be honest, Yangzhou City is still more suitable for living.At least the wealthy businessmen can get some good money, but with the sons of princes and princes, all you can encounter is trouble.

After Chen Heng listened, he could only answer with a long silence.After leaving Shanxi Village, when the excitement of seeing Yangzhou City dissipated, the real side of the world was exposed like a rock after ebb tide.

Shanxi Village is Shanxi Village, and Yangzhou City is Yangzhou City.

One side separated by land is another world separated by people.

When resting that night, Chen Heng was lying in the innermost part of the bunk in his father's arms.The quilt covering his body has the unique smell of the rainy season. The young man sleeps in his clothes and walks into the deep moonlight.

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In the early morning of the second day, when Chen Heng woke up, Brother Chen hadn't come back yet, and the cousins ​​from Shanxi had already gone out.Taking advantage of this time, he opened the book and read for a while.After Chen Qi bought sesame seed cakes from outside, the two of them ate breakfast in a hurry. Brother Chen, who had been working outside all night, returned to the house tiredly. The few of them exchanged a few words, and Brother Chen fell asleep at the end.

In order to avoid disturbing his rest, Chen Heng picked up the book and walked outside the inn, looking for a secluded corner.This is a stone pier by the river. There are few people and sunshine, and you can watch the gurgling river, which is suitable for reading.

Chen Qi obeyed Zhou and Gu's instructions, and never left his son's side for half a step.Even if he was reading, he would silently stand by, neither making a sound nor moving.

Wait until the book is finished and the daily homework is done.Chen Heng is ready to go to the government office to register. This is a necessary process for everyone who takes the government examination. The government must determine how many people will come for the examination.

The yamen at noon was very quiet, and the clerk in charge of recording was sitting in a side room of the yamen. When he opened the documents made in Taixing County, he made a suspicious sound.His gaze paused again on Chen Heng, and he picked up the document called 'Facebook' again.

"Small and thin, yellow and round face, no mole, thick eyebrows."

This is the content of the face book, which is used by the government to check whether the candidates have been impostors.Generally, when candidates confirm to take the test, they can go to the county to make a copy.After passing this test, it is useless.

Wait until the next time you participate in it, and make it again.After all, it takes more than ten years for someone to take the imperial examination.Such a long time span, it is impossible that there is no change at all.

After everything was approved, the Yacha congratulated him inexplicably and asked him to leave the name of the inn he was staying in.Chen Heng didn't know what to congratulate, so he just assumed that the other party was wishing him a smooth exam.

After finishing everything, the rest is to go back to the inn and wait for the government test.As long as Chen Heng makes sure not to get sick in the next time, then the trip to Yangzhou will be more than half successful.

When it was time to eat dinner, something happened.The shopkeeper deliberately came to the door and said: Someone came to the inn and asked for Chen Heng by name.Chen Heng himself was also a little strange. When he walked into the lobby, he turned out to be a stranger he didn't know.

Seeing that the visitor was dressed in extraordinary clothes, there was a bit of arrogance hidden under his expression.Although he came to the inn to find someone, but he was standing outside the inn, as if unwilling to step in.

"Dare to ask brother what's the matter with looking for the boy." Chen Heng stepped forward and asked.

The man stroked his beard a few times, smiled all over his face, and said, "But the chief case in Taixing County——Chen Heng."

"It's down."

"Hahaha, congratulations to Mr. Xiaolang, congratulations to Mr. Xiaolang, my master was entrusted by the magistrate, and I am here to invite Mr. Xiaolang to the mansion for a talk."

"I don't know who your master is? What's the matter if I find it." Chen Heng was a little confused, and didn't have much affection for this man who sounded very powerful.

"My master's name is Feng Zhu, a well-known salt merchant in Yangzhou. I'm the second-class steward in the mansion. You can call me, steward Huang. It's really a happy event to congratulate you."

The man clapped his hands, and a soft sedan trotted over from the alley.He pointed to the stopped sedan chair, and said again: "I also invite Mr. Xiao Lang to get on the sedan chair. The master has already prepared a banquet in the mansion, and I will wait for Mr. Xiao Lang to arrive."

Where did Chen Heng agree, his father went out to buy dinner and hasn't come back yet.Just as he was about to refuse, the bearer who didn't know when he came around behind him, set him up on the left and right, and stuffed him into the sedan chair.

"Wait... wait a minute, my father..."

"Mr. Xiaolang, don't panic, there will be an innkeeper from your family's side to inform you." Steward Huang lowered the curtain and said, "Get up the sedan chair."

Before Chen Heng could sit still in the sedan chair.The four bearers had already carried it for more than ten steps. Seeing Guanshi Huang's actions, he was really domineering, and there was no chance for people to refuse.

After a little panic, Chen Heng smiled wryly, and couldn't help comforting himself: If you come, you will be safe.It's useless to be tense all the time. It's better to keep calm and plan your next response.

The left and right government exams are coming soon, and no one would murder a scholar at this time.Especially for a case chief like him, if he missed the exam without reason, it would be a top priority for any county government.

Wanting to understand this, Chen Heng simply closed his eyes in the sedan chair, recalling the articles he had memorized in his mind.After a while or so, Chen Heng heard the phrase 'get off the sedan chair' from outside.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Guanshi Huang pulled up the curtain, poked his head out with a smile, and said, "My lord, please get off the sedan chair. The master has been waiting for a long time."

That being said, when Chen Heng got off the sedan chair, there was not even a decent visitor at the gate except for a few concierges.Chen Heng didn't care either. He looked around and couldn't see anything in the dark.

He could only walk towards the mansion without changing his expression under the guidance of Guanshi Huang.But as soon as he stepped through the gate, he was immediately shocked by the sight in front of him.

The three men on the left and the three maids on the right were each holding lanterns. They stood on both sides of the road and bowed slightly to salute.

Shopkeeper Huang was used to this, and only made a gesture of please.A group of people continued to walk towards the mansion, passing through the rockery and ponds in the middle, and turned several turns, which really made everyone dizzy.

Why can Chen Heng see the environment clearly?God is so pitiful, the goddamn salt merchants hung lanterns all over the mansion, and even hung a Kongming lantern with bamboo knots on the rockery, which is really beyond evaluation.

Finally, he came to a hall, and when Chen Heng walked in, there were already seven scholars sitting in it.The scholar has his own maid to serve him, but they are not from the same group as the lamp bearer, their clothes are more gorgeous, and their appearance is also higher.

Guanshi Huang led Chen Heng to his seat and sat down, and immediately stepped back.He was replaced by a well-mannered maidservant who made tea for him with a smile as soon as she came up.Chen Heng is only an old monk, he does not watch or drink.

At this time, a person walked out of the screen, dressed in an ordinary way, with a faint smile on his face, seeing Guanshi Huang following behind him, Chen Heng thought he was Master Feng, but when the other party opened his mouth, he said:
"Everyone, I am Ji Changgui, the chief steward of the mansion. Today I cordially invite you here. The master wanted to come here in person. But unfortunately, a distinguished guest came to visit the mansion today. He and the master have been friends for many years. The master really couldn't get away, so I had to let me come and accompany me. I hope all the distinguished guests will be happy."

Ji Li Gua said a lot, it was nothing more than inviting people to come, and then leaving them to hang out.The scholars who are doing are very ambitious.Unavoidably, someone raised an issue, "You invited the person, and you paid for the crime. I don't know what kind of distinguished guest made your government do such an insulting thing."

Good question, Chen Heng couldn't help nodding his head to this early bird.

Guanshi Ji seemed to be waiting for his question. Hearing this, he smiled and raised his voice, "He is the Duke of Hanlin, Mei Banshan."

The scholars were a little flustered when they heard this.The person who asked the question before quickly got up and bowed.

Imperial Academy?Mei Banshan?
Chen Heng raised his eyebrows slightly, not knowing for a while whether this person was someone he knew when he was watching the Red Mansion.

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In fact, Mei Banshan is not called Banshan, Banshan is the name he gave himself.His real name is Mei Jin, and his character is Changlong.Because of his first-hand landscape painting, he called himself Banshan.

At this time, Master Feng was pulling Mei Hanlin and chatting in another small hall.There was a landscape painting in front of the two of them, Mei Hanlin was in charge of appreciating it, and Master Feng was in charge of listening.

"I can draw such freehand brushwork on raw paper, except for the Qingteng layman from the previous dynasty. There is no other person in the world."

Mei Hanlin was full of praise, and deliberately picked up a handkerchief to wipe his hands before pointing his finger on the paper.He closed his eyes slightly, as if he was feeling the trace of the brush stroke on the paper.

"Is this paper divided into raw paper and cooked paper?"

Faced with Master Feng's question, Mei Hanlin couldn't help but shook his head, opened his eyes and said, "Cooked rice paper, ink drips on it like water droplets. Raw rice paper is different, just a drop of ink can soak its back and smudge out."

Speaking of this, Mei Hanlin sighed again, he really didn't know how to explain to Master Feng, how superb his skills are, to control the wandering brush and ink and unrestrained raw rice paper.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt a mountain standing in front of him, making people daunting.It's as if everyone who loves poetry reads the works of Banxian and Dongpo, and feels the talent in them far surpassing anyone else.

Master Feng listened for a long time, but he didn't understand.He just laughed at the side and said, "When the servants brought it up, I just said it was well painted. If it wasn't for you today, how would I know that it is such a rare treasure."

"It's a pity that such a vulgar thing falls into my hands. It's a waste of money. It's better to accept the half monkey and hang it in the study in the future. When I see it in the future, I can still think of my old friend in Yangzhou."

"Is this true?"

Mei Hanlin couldn't hold back for a while, for a person like him who knows how to paint and loves to paint, he was as happy as he was when he was a senior high school scholar when he got a pair of authentic Ivy Layman's paintings.

　Try to do three more today, don't sleep until you finish writing.These three shifts are to make up for yesterday.After arriving home at seven o'clock tomorrow, there will be three shifts, which is an apology.Because the update was delayed due to things, it caused trouble for everyone.I also hope that everyone will be happy.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)