Brother Rong of Red Mansion

Chapter 3 Shooting Garden
  Jia Rong opened the post and found a piece of Xuelang paper with a few lines of big characters:
  "Mu Yunmu, a fellow disciple from the same hometown, holds this book in his hand, Brother Lianhua:
  "It's been more than a month since we last saw each other. Tomorrow is Tiankuang Festival, the Yang energy is very strong and the Yin is very low. I set up swans in the garden and invite my brother to come. I'm lucky to see you with my fists and fists. I'm very grateful. !

"On the fifth day of the sixth lunar month in the seventh year of Long'an, Mu Yun paid homage to me again."

After Jia Rong finished reading the letter, she couldn't help but smile and said, "I was just about to have a naughty fight with my disciples, but by chance, King Mu sent a message and invited me to go to the Shooting Garden tomorrow. Mei Xiang, please change me into a military robe quickly and bring me the treasure bow. Go to the garden to learn some lessons."

"Sir, in the past we were just crazy and naughty when we laid siege to the garden. No one is taking it seriously anymore. I just brought a few skilled cooks here to let my brothers learn about the good cooks and cooks in our Ningguo Mansion. That's all."

Grandma Sun also advised, "That's right. The warm breeze comes as soon as Xiaoshu comes, and it's the time when the heat is as hot as boiling food. I'm so tired that I'm sweating. It's better to be exposed to the cold wind. It's better to listen to mother and don't go."

"Sir, it's so hot outside that it's not as cool as the room. But Grandma Sun is here, why not spend more time with her?" Chuntao also suggested.

"I say one thing and you say three. It makes my head hurt. Stop talking. I have made up my mind. Go and get the military robe." Jia Rong shook his head helplessly and ordered Mei Xiang and Chuntao to give him Change clothes.

Mei Xiang and Chuntao had no choice but to take out a rose-purple narrow sleeve patch, a honey-coloured horse, and accessories such as a small belt, a ribbon ring, and an eggplant bag.

"Pair it with three things to look more heroic."

After Jia Rong finished dressing, Mei Xiang looked at it carefully, then added, instructing Chuntao to take out a "three things with knives, chopsticks and forks" from the cabinet, and put it on a small belt, which complemented the bright red eggplant bag with gold lines and moiré patterns. .

It makes Jia Rong calm, fierce and heroic, and his whole person exudes a heroic and high-spirited spirit.

"How majestic!"

Jia Rong stood in front of a Western soda-lime glass mirror. Looking at the heroic young man in the mirror, she couldn't help but smile at the corner of her lips and her eyes showed joy.

Just as Jia Rong was changing her clothes, a voice came from outside the door asking, "Uncle, Sun Heng is waiting outside the door."

"Let him wait a moment."

Jia Rong ordered Chuntao to go and deliver the message, while Mei Xiang and Grandma Sun continued to serve Jia Rong to dress up.

After a while, Jia Rong strode out of the main room wearing a big hat, a quiver hanging from his waist, holding a soap-carved lacquer bow in his right hand. A young man and a servant girl were waiting respectfully in the courtyard, eager to say hello.

"Brother, you came just in time. I was about to go to the garden to learn some lessons. Let's go together."

The young man waiting in the courtyard is about eighteen or nineteen years old. He wears a corrugated cap and a green dress with straight skirt. He has a red waist. He has handsome features and is of medium height. This man is Grandma Sun's eldest son, Sun Heng.

"Yes."

Sun Hengdui smiled and followed Jia Rong.

"Brother Rong, come back soon. Brother Heng, take care of me. I'm careful because I've caught a cold wind."

Grandma Sun was worried, so she chased her out and shouted an instruction. Jia Rong and Sun Heng responded with a smile, and immediately disappeared outside the three-story ceremony door.

******
  The garden of Ningguo Mansion is in Huifang Garden in West Road Courtyard.

Come out of Jia Rong's courtyard, walk a few steps west, turn around and go through the second gate and enter the main courtyard. The second gate is the dividing line between the inner house and the outer house. There are people guarding both inside and outside. When Jia Rong came, all the servants, women and boys greeted him. Seeing Jia Rong dressed in military uniform, with a quiver and bow hanging from his waist, all the boys admired his heroic attire. Jia Rong was happy after hearing this. He randomly ordered a few boys and strode through the main courtyard towards Huifang Garden in the west.

Entering Huifang Garden is a completely different world.

This is the garden of Ningguo Mansion, with pavilions, lakes, mountains and rocks, and corridors paved with smooth cobblestones extending in all directions, with winding paths leading to every scenic spot in the garden.

It was midday in June in Jixia, and the sun was shining brightly above my head, making it feel warm on my body. Entering Huifang Garden, there are rockeries, shade trees, and cool breezes from streams, rivers, and lakes. The cool breeze hit Jia Rong's face, and all the summer heat disappeared in an instant. She felt refreshed and strode inside.

After walking a few hundred meters, I walked in the garden and looked out. I could faintly see the cornices on the east side, revealing half of the palace. The animal heads on the eaves are arranged neatly in rows, reflecting colored light in the sun, as if holding the sun and spitting out the moon. A gust of breeze blows, and the eaves bells hanging under the eaves are crisp and refreshing, which is refreshing.

That is the ancestral hall of the Jia clan.

Passing by the Jia Clan Ancestral Hall, Jia Rong walked north. After a short walk, the Yong Road turned east, looked at the Conglv Hall in the distance, crossed the Shishi Bridge, and walked into the rockery stone path. After a few steps, my vision suddenly opened up and I entered a pavilion nestled against the mountain. After admiring the scenery for a while, we walked to the northeast and passed a few pavilions. The main buildings of Huifang Garden were within easy reach.

The first thing that catches the eye is Dengxian Pavilion.

In Chapter 13 of the original book, after Qin Keqing's death, Jia Zhen arranged for her to be buried. The place where Sister Feng cried was the Dengxian Pavilion.

After Ruizhu was hit and killed, he also died here.

"Good place."

Jia Rong walked into the pavilion and found that the scenery was indeed excellent. Climbing up and down, it was like walking on a cloud. After Jia Zhen died, arrangements were made for him to rest here.

Coming out of Dengxian Pavilion and walking north is Doufengxuan.

In the thirteenth chapter of the original work, after Qin Keqing died, Dai Quan, the Prime Minister of the Daming Palace, came to express his condolences. Jia Zhen was teasing Fengxuan to entertain him. And spent 1200 taels of silver to donate to Jia Rong the official position of a fifth-grade dragon forbidden captain.

Passing through Doufengxuan is Tianxiang Tower.

This is the place where Qin Keqing hanged himself, and it is also the joyful scene of Ning Guo Mansion.

In the eleventh chapter of the original work, the Ning Mansion held a banquet here to celebrate Jia Jing's birthday, and Sister Feng was also here to order a play and have wine.

Going east from Tianxiang Tower, passing through the hall is the arrow path under Tianxiang Tower.

In the seventy-fifth chapter of the original work, Jia Zhen once set up swans in the arrow path and invited hereditary princes from various families to come here after breakfast every day to practice archery, which made the Ningguo Mansion a mess.

After walking around the main buildings of Huifang Garden, Jia Rong thought that he had already arrived, so he continued to the northwest of Tianxiang Tower without stopping.

There is a body of water, and a pavilion is built along the water. A small bridge leads to Ruoye Creek, and a winding path connects to the rooftop road. The clear water flows through the rocks, and the fragrance flows from the fallen fence. A pavilion facing the water overlooking the back street is called "Ningxi Pavilion". It is the place where Jia Jing, Jia Zhen and other gentlemen eat wine and have fun in the eleventh chapter of the original work.

In just half an hour, Jia Rong took a general tour of Huifang Garden in Ningguo Mansion, which was quite interesting.

"It's such a big garden, about 322 acres, which is equivalent to the size of 30 standard football fields."

Jia Rong stood in Huifang Garden with high spirits, ambition revealed in her eyes, "When Jia Zhen dies, everything here will be mine!"

Jia Rong wandered around for a long time, then returned to the archery path of Tianxiang Tower and asked the boys to set up snipers. He set up a bow and shot arrows to practice his shooting skills. Standing outside the target area, Jia Rong raised his chest and raised his head, pulled the string like a full moon, looked straight at the red circle of the target in front of him, adjusted his breathing rhythm, and felt that the arrow and the red circle were in a straight line. Then slowly release the bow string and let the arrow slide out naturally.

"call out!"

The arrow shot out suddenly like lightning.

"Boom!" There was a dull sound from the archery target. In the red circle of the target made of hemp rope, an eagle-feathered arrow penetrated half an inch deep, and the black oil arrow shaft buzzed and trembled. In an instant, the boys who were watching cheered.

"Shot!"

"Uncle, you are good at archery!"

"It hit the bull's-eye, I'm really a great shot!"

Jia Rong looked at the arrow in the red circle of the target, with unexpected joy in her eyes, "You actually hit it?"

He didn't expect such a result.

I hit all the marks on my first shot and suddenly had a good start. I was so happy!

"The archery methods in my memory are indeed useful." Jia Rong's archery skills were taught by Ningguo Mansion's master who paid a lot of money. Because he had to socialize with the Spyker children in shooting games, Jia Rong often practiced and was able to hit one of three arrows.

Unexpectedly, the first arrow hit the target. I was really lucky today!

Pulling out the second carved feather arrow from the quiver, Jia Rong pulled the string again like a full moon, adjusted his breathing, and looked through the arrow with his right eye at the red circle on the target.

"call out!"

Jia Rong gently played the string.

"Boom!" There was a dull sound from the archery target again.

The second carved-feather arrow was right next to the first one, deeply embedded in the red circle of hemp rope.

The boys who were watching were once again in high spirits. Unexpectedly, Jia Rong's second arrow could also hit the target. They all applauded and praised Jia Rong's shooting skills. Jia Rong was only praised as a master archer with "always hitting a hundred shots".

Jia Rong was surprised.

"Can the second one hit the bullseye?"

He shook his sore arms, and the Sun Heng brothers squeezed his shoulders to loosen the bones. After Jia Rong took a breath, he pulled out the third carved feather arrow, stood outside the arrow's reach, and released the string again.

"Boom!" There was a dull sound from the archery target, and the third eagle-feather arrow hit the red heart again.

"Hit again!"

"Spot on the bull's-eye!"

"Uncle, you are a good archer, three arrows hit three times!"

Jia Rong's performance opened the eyes of the boys. All three arrows hit the target, pushing the atmosphere in the arrow path to a climax.

"Uncle, one more arrow!"

"Yes, keep up the good work!"

All the boys surrounded Jia Rong, clapping their hands and making noises.

Before Jia Rong could speak, the two Sun Heng brothers standing next to him became angry and shouted loudly, "Hey, you wretched buffalo fucker, shut up now! You are such a noble man, but you can still laugh at me!" For fun? If you dare to make a fool of yourself, I will fill his mouth with shit."

Sun Heng scolded all the boys. The boys looked at him and saw that he was the elder brother Jia Rong. They all sneered and shut up as they dared to be angry but dared not speak.

Then, Sun Hengdui smiled and persuaded, "Sir, after shooting three arrows, your arms must be sore. It's better to save some energy and take a break before practicing again. As the saying goes, you can't eat hot tofu in a hurry. Master Cui, who teaches archery, said Okay, this archery requires one to relax, don't be too quick. It won't be good if you hurt your muscles and bones."

"Okay, it's my brother who loves me." Jia Rong listened to Sun Heng's advice, handed him the soap-carved lacquer bow, turned around and walked towards the chair under the wall.

Tables, chairs and benches were set up there, and vegetables, fruits, tea, drinks and other items were prepared. The fruit is the popular cherry bayberry, and the tea is June Fairy Tea.

Not to mention cherry bayberry, they are all in season in June. This tea is not vulgar, and it is not something that ordinary people can afford to drink.

This is a summer herbal tea with Liuyi Powder, Artemisia annua and lotus leaves as the main ingredients. It has the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, diuresis and relieving summer heat. It has to be cooked by a dedicated person, which requires more than a dozen processes. Non-aristocratic families are not so particular.

Eat a few cherries and drink a cup of fairy tea.

Jia Rong regained her energy, stood up slowly, took the soap-carved lacquer bow from Sun Heng, walked outside the target, pulled the string again like a full moon, and fired an arrow calmly.

"Dole!"

Another sharp shot, firmly hitting the red-circled bullseye.

But before the boys could cheer, a crisp cheer suddenly came from the sky above the arrow path - "Big brother is good at archery!"

Jia Rong turned around and looked around, and saw a young man wearing a net scarf, a golden lotus petal hairpin, and a dark blue dark flower patch walking in the hall of the arrow path.

This person has beautiful features, pink face and red lips. He is a few inches taller than Jia Rong. He looks handsome and has a graceful manner.

"Second Master Qiang!"

All the boys saw him and greeted him one after another.

(End of this chapter)