The Red Chamber begins with a bastard

Chapter 119 Strategy Master?

Early in the morning of the second day, when the sky was just getting dark, Jia Huan, Liu Shouzheng and others met at the north gate of Tongzhou City and headed towards the Pine Garden together.

Pine Garden is located about twenty miles north of Tongzhou City. It is a large manor, which belongs to the property owned by Shen Wanwan, the richest man in Tongzhou.

This Shen Wanwan's real name is Shen Fu, and he is in the water transportation business. Because of his huge family wealth, and his generous and generous, generous, generous, generous, so he was given the nickname Shen Wanwan, but he is born to be arty and likes to make friends with scholars. On a whim at the beginning, following the example of the ancients, the Qixi Festival was held in Pine Garden, and students from all over the world were invited to make friends through literature, and all the expenses were borne by them.

At the beginning, the Qixi Festival in Pine Garden was not well-known, and there were very few people who participated in it. However, after several sessions, it gradually became famous, and more and more people participated in it, and its influence became greater and greater. Later, even local officials such as Xuezheng and Zhizhou occasionally attended to support.

Therefore, the examinees flocked to it more and more, and the scale of the Pine Garden Qixi Festival became bigger and bigger, and the expenses became more and more exaggerated. However, Shen Wanwan never got tired of it.For example, Wen Kui of the last Qixi Festival received a set of real estate in Tongzhou City as a gift.

At this moment, the sun is rising and the wind is blowing. The weeds on both sides of the official road are still covered with crystal dew. The nearby wheat fields are golden. The farmers are busy harvesting, and the air is filled with the smell of soil and grass.

On the official road, there are groups of scholars walking together, either riding in carts, riding horses, walking, or sitting on donkeys. They smile lightly and have long gowns fluttering. It is in full bloom, attracting village women and girls working in the fields to peek at it one after another.

Jia Huan and the students of Diecui Academy all rode in carriages, but they were crude carts that could seat several people. A dozen or so people hired three carriages in total. Everyone sat side by side, bumping and swaying. It's very pleasant to talk about the sky and the earth while enjoying the scenery of the four fields.

Tiehu, Shitou, Zhao Guoji, and Jin Shu drove a carriage and followed far behind, neither disturbing Jia Huan and the others, nor being disturbed by Jia Huan and the others. As far as their level is concerned, those "people who know what to do" can't hear it. Benevolent.

After about half an hour, everyone finally arrived at the Pine Garden. Looking around, they saw red walls and green tiles, shaded by green trees, occupying half of the hillside. It was really an extremely luxurious manor, probably occupying an area of It is tens of acres, and a wall seven or eight meters high has been built, just like a small castle.

The main gate of Pine Garden is next to the official road, paved with fine sand, and many willows are planted on both sides of the road. Walk along the sandy road for tens of meters to reach the gate of the village. There is an open space in front of the gate, and two ancient pines stand tall. The pavilion is like a cover, very quaint, it is estimated that this is the origin of the name of Pine Garden.

At this moment, many ox carts, horse carts, donkey carts, and even sedan chairs have parked in the open space. The eyes are full of young students with fluttering long gowns and square scarves on their heads. They gather in small groups to call for friends , so lively.

Jia Huan and the others parked the carriage and walked towards the gate of the manor. At this time, a group of scholars happened to be walking across the road. When Zhang Zhilong saw it, he immediately laughed and said, "Isn't that Gu Xingbang, classmate Gu? Come on." Come, hurry up and meet Mr. Jia."

All the scholars in Pinnacle Academy suddenly burst out laughing!
It turned out that the person who came here at this time was the scholar of Donglin Academy, and the leader was No. 3 Gu Liben in the government examination. He had made a bet with Liu Shouzheng that no matter who won the first case in the government examination, he must perform the ceremony of a disciple when meeting.

Let's say that when Gu Liben met Jia Huan and the others head-on, his complexion changed a little, he subconsciously slowed down, and was hesitating whether to turn around, but Zhang Zhilong's eyes were sharp, and he stopped him immediately.

Gu Liben blushed with embarrassment, and the other scholars of Donglin Academy were also very embarrassed, feeling rather shameless.

After a few seconds of stalemate, Gu Liben turned his heart away, and actually came to Jia Huan, clasped his fists deeply and said, "Student Gu Liben, I have met Mr. Jia!"

There was another burst of laughter in an instant.

Jia Huan stepped aside slightly, and said calmly: "It's just a joke, you don't have to take it seriously, student Gu."

"Once a gentleman speaks, it's hard to follow. Mr. Jia is better than Gu, and the student is willing to gamble and admit defeat!" After Gu Liben finished speaking, he bowed again, and then backed away. In this way, he won a burst of applause.

Seeing this, Zhang Zhilong and the others didn't continue to make things difficult, so let's forgive others.

Liu Xianglian looked interesting, so she asked Jia Huan what was going on in a low voice. Jia Huan briefly recounted the past, and the former couldn't help smiling after hearing it: "Although this student Gu is frivolous, I hope to admit defeat and dare to act." If you dare to do something, you are still a man.”

At this time, everyone had gone up the stairs to the gate of the manor, only to see that the gate was round, with a stone plaque built on the top with the word "Pine Garden" written on it. Publicity, quite powerful.

There is also a couplet on both sides of the gate of the village: listen to ten miles of pines and smell a hundred acres of osmanthus.

Although this couplet is concise, it has an artistic conception, and it also has a bit of local tyrant atmosphere, which is in line with Shen Wanwan's identity.

As Jia Huan expected, a checkpoint was set up at the entrance of the manor. Anyone who entered the house had to write a passage of the Four Books and Five Classics by heart, and those who could not write it out by heart, or whose handwriting was ugly, were not allowed to enter. Sneak into it to eat and drink.

Jia Huan and the others were all Tongsheng who passed the government examination, which was naturally not difficult for them, so they passed the test easily.Although Liu Xianglian's literary talent is average, she is also literate. She took part in the county examination in her early years, so it was not a problem to memorize a paragraph of Analects, and she passed the test smoothly. waiting.

Let's say that after everyone entered the manor, they were led by Zhuang Ding to a osmanthus forest. Osmanthus trees as tall as a person can be seen everywhere. Some osmanthus trees have already bloomed yellow and white granular osmanthus flowers, which are fragrant and refreshing!

There is an open space behind the sweet-scented osmanthus forest, and a clear stream is meandering and gurgling, obviously flowing water from the hillside, and a stage has been set up on the opposite side of the stream, and operas are being performed. Sitting on the ground among the sweet-scented osmanthus trees on this side of the stream, chatting and watching opera.

Jia Huan and the others found an open space under the sweet-scented osmanthus tree to sit down on. Liu Xianglian pointed to the row of futons by the stream and asked, "Why are those futons not sitting on? What's so special about them?"

Zhang Zhilong said with a smile: "Of course there are particulars, even this stream has particulars. This place is called Guipu, this stream is called Xiangxi, and the futons beside the stream are called eighteen talents, following the example of the eighteen scholars of Hongwenguan in Tang Dynasty. Not everyone is qualified to sit on it."

Liu Xianglian wondered: "Then who is qualified to sit on the futon?"

Jia Huan was also very curious, and looked at Zhang Zhilong, who said with a smile: "Naturally, they are the eighteen students with the most outstanding talents and learning. As the head of my Shuntian Mansion's examination case, classmate Jia can naturally take a seat. , the heads of the other seven prefectures in Beizhili can also occupy one seat, so eight seats have already been taken, and the remaining ten seats will be selected among other students. As for how to choose, it is unknown, anyway, every Every temple is different.

After the eighteen talents are in place, it will be the highlight - Qushui Liushang. At that time, the eighteen talents will show their talents. The judges will judge who is the literary leader of this Qixi Festival, and will give generous rewards. The first Wenkui was awarded a real estate in Tongzhou City, and the other 50 Xiangxi talents also received rewards ranging from [-] taels to [-] taels. "

Liu Xianglian said with a smile: "The rewards are generous, and fame and fortune are gained. No wonder there are as many people participating as crucian carp crossing the river. Member Shen is generous."

Jia Huan also had to admire it, no wonder Shen Wanwan was so successful in business, this marketing method can be seen, what Qixi Wenhui, what Xiangxi Eighteen Talents, what Qixi Wenkui, just this gimmick is enough to attract people .

At this time, Liu Xianglian joked: "If the third master Huan wins the championship in one fell swoop this time, maybe he will also get a real estate in Tongzhou City as a gift. When he arrives in Tongzhou in the future, even if the inn is full, there is no need to worry about having no place to stay."

Everyone also booed, Jia Huan just said modestly, with his current family background, it is not difficult to buy a house in Tongzhou, but it is okay if someone gives it away for free, so if there is a chance to win Wenkui, He will not hesitate to be an official copy of the text.

Everyone sat idle for about half an hour, the opera suddenly stopped, and the actors on the stage retreated behind the scenes. Jia Huan's heart skipped a beat, probably some important person was about to enter the theater.

Sure enough, soon a group of people came strolling up the stream. Wherever they passed, all the scholars stood up and saluted with fists, and announced their names loudly: "Under XX, I have met Master Xuetai, Master Zhizhou, and Master Zhizhou." I have passed Liu Shoubei, and I have met Yuanwai Shen!"

"My God, this time not only Xuezheng is here, but Master Zhizhou and Tongzhou Defense are also here." The crowd let out bursts of exclamation.

Liu Shouzheng, who is so steady, couldn't help saying excitedly: "This year's Pine Garden Qixi Festival is probably the most grand one."

Jia Huan looked around and saw a person wearing a fourth-rank official robe, about 50 years old, with a thin face and piercing eyes. This person should be Sun Chengzong, the admiral of Beizhili.

The name Sun Chengzong is so famous that Jia Huan couldn't help being startled when he first heard it.

Because Sun Chengzong was the most famous anti-Qing general and strategic master in the late Ming Dynasty, he proposed and built the famous "Guan Ning Jin Line of Defense". The Guan Ning Jin Line of Defense effectively prevented Nurhachi and Huang Taiji from going south. Unfortunately, due to various reasons, Sun Chengzong was transferred back from the front line and returned home angrily.

(End of this chapter)