Brother Rong of Red Mansion

Chapter 10 Disciples of Shixun
  Jia Qiang is famous for wearing blue.

Today I am wearing a set of moon white narrow sleeves with an indigo riding horse (cover armor).

Looking from a distance, he is dressed in blue, with a straight and handsome figure. Holding a treasured bow in his hand and a quiver hanging on his waist, he looked at the god flying towards him, looking very heroic.

When Jia Rong saw him, she felt as sick as if she had eaten a fly, and couldn't help cursing her bad luck. But on the surface, he still had to pretend to be very happy.

"Brother Qiang, I wish you good health."

Jia Rong pretended to greet her warmly, walked out of the second door with Jia Qiang, ordered a few followers, strode through the main courtyard, and came out of the corner door of the main entrance.

******
  Ningguo Mansion is located in Ningrongfang, a square-shaped residential area covering an area of ​​approximately 1 square kilometer (1500 acres).

Rongguo Mansion and Ningguo Mansion face south and occupy more than half of Ningrongfang. They are 600 meters wide from east to west and 940 meters long from north to south, covering an area of ​​about 846 acres.

Coming out of the main entrance of Ningguo Mansion, there is a street, 1 steps wide from north to south (5 step = 39.24 feet, measured according to the land ruler = 1000 meters), meters long from east to west, named "Ningrong Street", also known as "Ningrong Front Street". The prosperity of its streets and markets and the abundance of people all reflect the peaceful and prosperous age of the Zhou Dynasty.

At the door of Ningguo Mansion, there are two large stone lions. There is a plaque hanging on the door, which reads: "Ningguo Mansion was built by imperial decree" in five large gilded characters.

On Taiji, there are two long benches divided into eight sections at the main entrance, and there are about ten strong men wearing melon-skin caps on their heads, straight green clothes and red waistlines sitting in a row.

At this moment, he was standing on Taiji, talking, laughing and eating melon seeds.

Jia Rong and Jia Qiang came out of the corner door. The disciples stood up one after another, swarmed around them, and saluted, "Uncle Rong, I wish you good health, and Master Qiang, I wish you good health!"

"Blessed and healthy."

Jia Rong smiled and nodded, glanced at the bustling scene on the street, walked down Taiji, took a deep breath, and climbed onto his horse skillfully.

The same is true for Jia Qiang.

The main entrance of Ningguo Mansion is tens of meters east, and there is an east corner door facing the street. Entering from the east corner door are the stables and servants' rooms. Today, brothers Jia Rong and Jia Qiang are going out. A horse servant has already brought two Hequ horses, equipped with harness, and waiting outside the main gate.

These two horses are well-proportioned in size, with substantial bone mass and plump muscles. One is as dark as ink, and the other is as clear as azure, without even a trace of hair. They are the "BMW Horses" among Hequ horses.

Each horse can be sold for more than 50 taels of silver in the horse market, and it is one of the standard equipment for the disciples of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

What's more, the horses are fully equipped with leggings, girth, saddle pads, sweat pads, pedals, saddles, and reins. They are all made of fine leather craftsmanship. A set costs at least ten taels of silver, which is even more valuable.

This is the price of Jia Qiang's mount.

Jia Rong is even more extraordinary!
  On the back of his black horse, he wore a set of "Purple Line Seats".

This is a cushion used by senior officials when riding horses. It weighs one hundred taels and is also a symbol of status.

The court etiquette stipulates: "Only military attachés, deputy envoys and above and deputy envoys can use it, and other officials are not allowed to use it. The new one is more than one hundred taels, and the wages are not included. When it is bought ready-made, it is about fifty taels."

A set of harness and a horse were worth one hundred and seventy taels of silver, and even lower-ranking officials in the capital were intimidated by it. Not to mention Sheng Dou Xiaomin. It was a luxury unique to the aristocratic children of the Zhou Dynasty and a reflection of class status.

There is no doubt that this is transgression!
  However, since the Yongxing Dynasty, the customs of the Zhou Dynasty have changed, and the use of items beyond the grade specifications by the hereditary nobles has become very rare and not a big deal.

Is this a source of trouble? Jia Rong disagrees: It’s the lack of power in one’s hands.

******
  Jia Rong rode a black horse, walking in the bustling streets and alleys, heading to Rongguo Mansion in the west.

For social invitations like the Dongping County Prince's Mansion, the Jia Rong brothers would habitually join one person.

After walking less than a stone's throw (the distance from when the arrow is sent to the ground, about 120 to 150 steps, according to the prescribed rule, it is 192 meters to 240 meters. If it is insufficient, take 180 meters.), the Jia Rong brothers came to Rongguo Mansion. main entrance.

"Uncle Rong is in good health!"

"Second Master Qiang is in good health!"

Arriving at the gate of Rongguo Mansion, the gatekeeper immediately came forward to greet him.

"Where's Uncle Lian, have you come out?"

Jia Rong sat on his horse and asked about the door of Rongguo Mansion.

"not yet."

Before Menzi finished speaking, a handsome young man with silver-white narrow sleeves and a gold-red hood came out of the corner door next to the main entrance of Rongguo Mansion.

"What a slut."

Jia Rong's eyes narrowed, and she immediately got off her horse and went forward to worship with Jia Qiang.

"Second Uncle Lian, I wish you good health."

When Jia Lian saw the two brothers Jia Rong and Jia Qiang, he was also very happy and said: "Brother Rong, brother Qiang, I am in good health. Have you brought the fine cook in the house?"

"I brought more than twenty people, as well as some vegetables, fruits, peacocks, deer, deer, Siamese pigs, green sheep, bear paws, and fresh catfish.
  Prepare for barbecue. "

Jia Rong smiled and said, "I'm just waiting for Uncle Lian to be our brother's boss."

"Haha, let's go then." Jia Lian walked down Taiji, came to a Hequ horse with hair as shiny as chestnut, and suddenly got on the horse. The luan bells are ringing and the horses' hooves are clattering.

Three aristocratic children, Jia Lian, Jia Rong, and Jia Qiang, rode a tall horse and were surrounded by a large group of servants and servants, walking eastwards from Ningrong Street.

The traders and people on the street looked envious and evaded to make way for him.

Ningrongfang is in the west of Shenjing City. Jia Rong and others walked out of Ningrong Street to the east, which is the central axis of Shenjing City, "Yu Street", also known as "Suzaku Street".

The exquisite cooks, servants, and servants from the Ning and Rong mansions came out from the east side of the back street, carrying chicken and duck cages or pushing carts, carrying pigs, beef, mutton, and kitchen utensils, and were waiting on Zhuque Street.

"Second Master Lian (Second Master Xiaorong, Second Master Xiaoqiang), may you be in good health!"

Seeing Jia Lian, Jia Rong, and Jia Qiang approaching on horseback, the servants of Ning Rong and Ning Rong's mansion quickly stepped forward to greet them, and then followed the three of them to the Dongping County Prince's Mansion.

******
  Dongping County Prince's Mansion is located in the east of Shenjing City.

As soon as Jia Rong, Jia Lian and Jia Qiang walked out from the east side of Ningrong Street, they saw from a distance that on Zhuque Street, the descendants of various distinguished families came out from various towns and gathered together in one place. .

Ningrong, the second ancestor of Ningrong, had a prominent position and was rewarded by Emperor Taizu. Ningrongfang is located in Fangshi, the second row on the right, south of the imperial city and west of Zhuque Street.

Today, there is a banquet held at the Prince of Dongping County. The disciples of Shixun who live to the west of Yujie all gather on Yujie, riding on their tall horses, calling each other to make friends.

Jia Lian, Jia Rong and Jia Qiang are also socializing.

Not far away to the north, I saw the prince's grandson's brother from the Beijing County Prince's Palace and Xining County Prince's Palace also coming out and hurriedly came forward to pay their respects.

Behind him, the sons of Shixun from General Hou Bozinan's mansion also came and joined them. They were lively with each other and headed to Dongpingfang together with countless servants and boys.

******
  South of the Imperial City and in the first row of buildings east of Zhuque Street, according to the architectural specifications that are symmetrical to those of the West City, there is a founding county prince's palace with a different surname - Dongping County Prince's Mansion and Nan'an County Prince's Mansion.

At this moment, Dongpingfang was noisy and lively, with children from various families gathering and cars and horses flowing like a stream.

Qu Yuan's "Li Sao" song says: "Made lotus flowers to make clothes, and gathered lotus flowers to make clothes."

This is the origin of Jia Rong's name.

Wang Yi, a writer of the Eastern Han Dynasty, added: "Hibiscus, also known as lotus."

Jia Rong was crowned last year, so Jia Zhen gave him an extension of the title of "Lotus".

At this moment, Jia Rong came all the way, riding a tall horse, and followed Jia Lian to visit the noble children of various families. Those brothers were calling "Brother Lianhua" one after another. He also called each other by his cousin's name with his hands crossed.

Teenagers who don't have a cousin call them "so-and-so brother" to express their closeness.

The children in the palace are different again, and they must be added as "wangsun" to show respect.

In this way, Jia Rong dressed up in anger and started socializing in the circle of noble children for the first time since time travel.

From Zhuque Street to the east corner gate of Dongping County Prince's Mansion, it was only two miles, but Jia Rong seemed to have walked for a long time. After walking a few steps, he would stop to pray and chat and socialize. The etiquette is complicated and the names are different, which makes people feel tired.

Finally, Jia Rong rode to the east corner gate of Dongping County Prince's Mansion.

Dongping County Prince's Mansion is larger than Ningguo Mansion, occupying a city alone. Like Huifang Garden, the "Qiongying Garden" in the palace has an east corner gate facing the street. You can enter the garden directly from Dongping Street without disturbing the family members in the palace.

The Qiongying Garden in Dongping County Prince's Mansion and the Huifang Garden in Bining State Mansion have different scenery.

The various scenic spots are characterized by "largeness, wonder and elegance", fully demonstrating the magnanimity of the royal palace.

The scale and height of rockeries, pavilions, and attics are also higher than those in Ningguo Mansion. This is also one of the privileges of the palace. Jia Rong has really attracted a lot of attention along the way.

On the first day of Xiaoshu, Ma Li was born. The hydrangeas in Qiongying Garden are in full bloom, ranging from red, blue, white, green, purple and yellow. Dozens of hydrangea flowers are in full bloom, filling the whole Qiongying Garden with their fragrant and bitter fragrance.

Logically speaking, this is a good time to enjoy flowers, so it would be so elegant to hold a poetry club reception.

Pity.

There was a lot of noise and noise in Qiongying Garden, and the children from various houses were playing with hawks and dogs, and they were very playful.

Some were drinking, some were talking and laughing, some were shooting swans, some were talking about poetry, and some were clapping and applauding as they asked the troupe to juggle ten times.

There are also hundreds of fine cooks competing in cooking skills in a big show. It was hot and full of smoke, filling the entire Qiongying Garden.

"Is this the social circle of ancient nobles?"

Jia Rong stood in this antique painting, as if she had become a little person in the painting.

"Brother Lianhua, come and shoot swans!"

Mu Wangsun placed a row of swans in the arrow path of Qiongying Garden, and the sons of several princes, grandsons and princes were very happy. Suddenly, several brothers who usually hang out with Jia Rong waved to him to come over. In an instant, Jia Rong's eyes lit up.

"Hey, here we come!"

(End of this chapter)