Brother Rong of Red Mansion

Chapter 30 Jia Zheng
  Jia Rong entered the Nuan Pavilion. The furnishings in the pavilion, the curtain cages were made of silk and satin, and the lampstands were gilt and inlaid with various precious stones. Everywhere is simple and elegant, low-key and luxurious, showing the aristocratic style of Rongguo Mansion.

There is a huanghuali hardwood canopy bed by the window. The curtains are rolled up on the bed. A middle-aged man in rich clothes is sitting upright by the bed, with a used pillow on his right arm, smiling and talking to a man. All the guests chatted.

This person wears a soft Tang scarf on his head, a dark brown silver gauze robe with velvet edges, lined with a tooth-colored sweatshirt, and a pair of blue and white cloud-patterned shoes on his feet, stepping lightly on the footrest.

He was swinging a Taoist fan made of bamboo strips and decorated with red sandalwood handles happily.

At first glance, it seems to have a somewhat elegant and mysterious meaning.

This person is the second master of the Rongguo Mansion, Wai Lang, a member of the Ministry of Industry of the fifth rank of Dazhou, Jia Zheng and Jia Cunzhou.

In addition to Jia Zheng, there were six or seven people in the hall, all wearing hand-operated Taoist fans and wearing various gauze Taoist uniforms. They looked like retro scholar-bureaucrats, revealing the artistic conception of "connecting to the mysteries to escape the summer heat."

This was the "retrospective" movement initiated by the scholar-bureaucrats of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Since the Yongxing Dynasty, the Great Zhou Dynasty has been at its peak. The wealthy merchant class, led by Jiangnan and other places, began to obtain official positions ranging from the ninth to the seventh rank through donations and gain social status.

Then the wealthy merchant class also imitated the scholar-official class and wore silk and brocade. Their costumes were more exquisite than those of the scholar-official class. Transgressions are repeatedly prohibited.

Someone commented: "Nothing is noble or base, and those who obey will prosper day by day."

The "noble" here refers to nobles and officials, while the "low" refers to wealthy businessmen and nouveau riche.

The clothes and hats of the Great Zhou Dynasty have a very important political significance, which is "to clarify the superiority and inferiority and to distinguish the nation."

Needless to say, there is no need to say more about the nationality. The extended meaning is the "ban on barbarism". "You are not allowed to wear two pieces of Hu clothes. It is forbidden to wear hair, vertebrae bun, Hu clothes, Hu language, and Hu surname."

This is the traditional Confucian "defense against Yi and Xia".

Another political meaning of Zhou Dynasty's clothes is to express superiority and inferiority. Link clothing with social status and occupation. There are strict systems for what kind of rituals and music match different social classes. From the emperor to the slaves, there is a strict etiquette system.

Now, wealthy businessmen imitate the clothes of scholar-officials, which makes the scholar-official class feel threatened.

What right do these illiterate nouveau riche pariahs have to wear the same clothes as noble officials? Isn’t this disruptive to social order?
  Therefore, the scholar-bureaucrat class in the Great Zhou Dynasty launched the "return to ancient times" movement.

Ditch the cap and put on a kerchief.

Because scholars can wear small hats like common people, but common people cannot wear square scarves. This is the so-called "the superiors can take care of the inferiors, and the inferiors must not assume the superiority."

In addition, new costumes are transformed based on the concept of "retro", such as turbans of Han, Jin, Tang, Zhuge, Dongpo, Chunyang, etc.

Xiao Shen Yi, Yang Ming Yi, and Eighteen Scholars Yi, which were popular in the former Ming Dynasty, re-entered the class of scholar-bureaucrats in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Especially in Jiangnan, headed by Suzhou and Hangzhou, the scholar-bureaucrats "dressed in demons" were unconventional and unconventional, wearing red and green, and men pretending to be women, which made people gasp in admiration.

Facing the dazzling crown scarf, the wealthy businessmen were collectively dumbfounded. The expression is too youthful and cannot catch up with the appreciation level of the scholar-bureaucrat class. The square scarf that can flaunt one's status is more down-to-earth.

In response to this, the scholar-officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty showed a satisfied smile: Huh, the nouveau riche want to rely on money to fight us? How naive!

This class struggle with clothing as the starting point of the contradiction ended with the defeat of the wealthy business class and the complete victory of the scholar-bureaucrat class.

******
  When Jia Rong entered the Nuan Pavilion, what he saw was a group of scholar-bureaucrats dressed in red and green, with gorgeous costumes, embodying the artistic conception of "tongxuan to escape the summer heat".

"My great-nephew would like to pay my respects to the second master. I have met all of you gentlemen."

When Jia Rong came in, he first bowed to Jia Zheng and then bowed to the guests.

When facing different people, the etiquette used is different. Jia Zheng sat still, only nodded slightly, with satisfaction in his eyes.

But all the guests in the hall returned the courtesy and bowed to Jia Rong.

"Hello, Uncle Xiao Rong."

All the pilgrims were doing their courtesy, and one of them, a middle-aged man wearing a square scarf and a lychee red robe, stroked his short beard and said with a smile: "I was just talking to you about the Qiongying Garden today, how small it is!" Uncle Rong is here, what a coincidence."

This man is of medium build, with a white face and short beard, and looks quite smart and capable. His surname was Zhan Guang and his courtesy name was Ziliang. He was good at painting fine buildings. He usually played chess and chatted with Jia Zheng. He was the first closest person to Jia Zheng.

"Exactly. Today, Uncle Xiaorong just kept quiet and became a blockbuster."

Another thin middle-aged man wearing a pure sun scarf, purple dark clothes and red shoes also nodded with a smile.

This person is called "Shan Pinren", and he is also a Qingke husband beside Jia Zheng. He is accustomed to talking about ancient times, and has a sharp tongue. He is a man who talks sweetly and speaks sharply.

In the sixteenth chapter of the original work, in order to welcome Jia Yuanchun to visit his relatives, he went to Suzhou with Jia Qiang to hire teachers, purchase girls, buy musical instruments and other things.

"When I first looked at Uncle Xiao Rong, I felt that there was a faint heroic spirit between Uncle Xiao Rong's brows. Sure enough, he really has a bit of the style of the second ancestor Ning Rong. This time he won the first place, and the men on these streets will be like this again. Don’t dare to underestimate our Jia family anymore.”

A middle-aged man with a long beard wearing a square scarf and a silver-red Taoist robe also stroked his beard and said with a smile.

This person is called "Cheng Rixing", he is the owner of an antique shop, and he is an expert in painting, especially beauties and ladies. He is also the first closest person to Jia Zheng.

Other Qing guests, such as Wang Erdiao, who was good at playing chess and opera; Ji Haogu, who was good at playing the piano; Hu Silai, who was good at Chafang City secret knowledge; Bu Guxiu, a romantic frequenter in the brothel, etc., were also They all praised Jia Rong with their witty remarks.

"Gentlemen, you are so ridiculous. I was born late in life just by luck. I learned a few tricks in archery. I am not as good as the second master and you gentlemen. What I study every day is the way of saints with small words and great meanings. We are both disciples of saints. I am really ashamed that I was born in late years!" "

Jia Rong was a graduate of the Imperial College who had been donated by Zheng'er Ba Jing. He blended in with this group of scholar-bureaucrats and felt at home like a fish in water.

Keep your head clear, come and go, talk to each other and be polite.

However, after hearing what Jia Rong said, Jia Zheng, who was sitting on the huanghuali hardwood canopy bed, couldn't help but look solemn, clenched his fists, and said seriously:
  "Brother Rong, there is no need to be humble!

"The achievements of our ancestors were earned by fighting on the battlefield with swords and spears! You can practice martial arts and win the first prize at the garden party. It can be said that you have earned face for our Jia clan and our close family friends. We are here The officialdom is also prosperous, and it can be said that the education is good.

"I heard that you intend to seek a position in the Beijing camp. This is a great thing to restore the glory of your ancestors. No matter what others say, I support it!

"The family is so weak. If our children and grandchildren don't work hard, how can we have the face to meet our ancestors a hundred years later?

"Brother Rong, if you need anything in the future, just come to the house to find me.

"As the saying goes: Brothers fighting tigers, father and son go into battle. Although you and I are not father and son, nor are we brothers. But as the elder of the clan, I should always protect you from wind and rain. As long as I can do it for you, I am duty-bound!"

Jia Zheng's face was solemn, and his tone revealed intimacy, trust, and firm expectations.

In an instant, Jia Rong's heart was shocked, and she suddenly felt the long-lost trust and support. A warm current flowed through my heart, and my whole body warmed up.

"Yes, grandnephew, thank you second master for your support."

Jia Rong cupped his hands, made a long and deep bow, and saluted someone wholeheartedly for the first time.

This trust comes so hard!

(End of this chapter)