There are a row of grain ships parked near the wharf. Songjiang Prefecture is responsible for transporting 50,000 shi of white grain to the inner government every year. Since July this year, it has been transporting grain in several batches in northbound. The thirty ships that are about to set off today are transported. The grain ship is the last fleet to transport white grains in the north this year.
On the dock was a middle-aged man in his forties, wearing a new plain Confucian robe, looking into the distance, with excitement and nervousness on his face.
A 14-year-old boy stood next to him, wonderingly: "Dad, are you so serious? After all, you are an elder, and Brother Rui treats people very kindly, why is this..."
"The little brat will be more regular later." The middle-aged man glanced at him and said, "I really think that the name of the clan brother is a brother? That is the prince of the Shangshu Mansion. I didn't see that the masters of the legitimate branches of each house were flattering and flattering..."
The boy curled his lips and said, "If you don't talk about Brother Rui, Brother Jue is here, you are not an outsider... Is your father still okay with Dabin?"
This young man is not a person, but a son of the sect family. Chen Jue was from his cousin and former classmate Chen Huan. The middle-aged man next to him was Chen Yu, the grandfather and nephew of the clan leader.
The Shen family is a large household in Songjiang. The number of land in each house is tens of thousands of hectares, and there are four places for white grain and grain growth under their name.
It is said that in the early years of the founding of the Ming Dynasty, there were not two gentry who became rich because of the position of grain chief. However, the current world is not as good as in the early years. There are many waterways and checkpoints, and the one that is popular in the yamen. It is too much to consume white grain to go north
Even if the court pays more than one tael of silver for one stone of white grain, it can go north to the waterway and go to the capital yamen, with many checkpoints and a little unlucky. The expenses for favors are greater than those for the court. It is good not to pay for it, but there is really no oil or water.
Such a useless position is something ordinary gentry can't be said to have to make a fortune. However, there are several gentry clans in Songjiang, who are just selling favors to local parents. Hello, I, everyone.
Chen Yu also had a scholarly reputation, but he didn't even get the qualification to finish the provincial examination for many years, so he lost his ambition. When the clan arranged errands, he took on the errands of Baijie. Even if he was harder, he was still very motivated. As the backing of the clan clan, there is no need to worry about losing money and there will be a slight subsidy among the clan at the end of the year.
Although the name of grain chief is 50 people in Songjiang have white grain and grain, and they don’t have to go to Beijing every year. The number of people in Beijing has been sorted out before, three or two years. This year, the grain in Beijing has grown up, and it is sunken. Fish was not included, but because Shen Rui, Chen Jue and others returned to Beijing, Chen Yu changed his hand with other grain chiefs who went to Beijing this time, in order to take care of Shen Rui, Chen Jue and others for more convenience.
As the saying goes, "Water is three-point risky when you go to the north. Even if you have no risk of water bandits, it is still hard for a boat to go to the river for two months. However, the fishing fishing did not need the master of the Zongfang to speak, and took the initiative to respond. I was happy to accept this matter, and I even brought my son out.
He was not annoyed by his son's retort, and said slowly: "Even if you are close relatives, you have to have more contact to date blindly. There are hundreds of people in the Songjiang tribe, and Jue Gepeng's family is here, and I am only here during the holidays. What is the cousin who met before? The second wife of the second wife went south two years ago and selected the clan nephew from the clan to take office. He didn't choose anyone else. He chose Brother Ling of the Third Family and Brother Ling of the Ninth Family? Didn't he even shipped all the way? Going south, the friendship comes from...the silly boy, think carefully..."
Although Chen Huan knew what his father said was reasonable, he was still a little awkward: "Even if the second wife is now noble, my father will not go to Beijing. What are you doing with me like this?"
"I have a short-sighted and ready-made thigh. I can't hold you when I have something to do and I can't hold you. I can't. I can't see that you brothers and I can't make you a scholar. Thank you, but what about your nephews? The Shen family’s poetry and books are passed down from family, and the business is fundamental. As long as a juren comes out, you will have a day to go to Beijing... If you didn’t rely on the second house master, you would have a teaching position in Jiangnan? , it's not a bad thing. To be honest, Brother Jue has already succeeded, but he is not a member of the clan. Although he is all related by blood, the legitimate branch is not good for Dalala to get close to Brother Jue. It's better to be more familiar with our family than ours. Cheap... If this line is tied up, even the legitimate branch will think about our good things..." Chen Yu said with a little pride.
Chen Huan drooped his head and sighed in his heart.
When I was in the clan, although the descendants of the legitimate house were a little stronger, the common houses of the side branches were not despised. We are almost the same clan brothers. Now it is different. The officials and ordinary families have fame and fortune. There is a difference between the identity and status of the book and time passes, and the difference will become bigger and bigger.
Shen Rui, Chen Jue, and Chen Quan and others all got up early and had breakfast in the fifth room.
Although Shen Rui had already said "Go to the capital again" after the banquet last night, like Chen Qin, Chen Bao, and Chen Jia, the brothers who had friends with each other, still got up early to see him off. As Shen Rui's Bensheng brother, Chen Jin naturally did not leave.
However, the other side of the sect room did not show up because of the injury and the Shen Jie did not show up. The master of the sect room came here in person and brought Brother Xiaodong and Brother Xiaotong with him.
Brother Xiaotong is Chen’s eldest son. When Chen Jue left Songjiang, he was just a child in the clan school. Now he is a teenager in his teens.
Seeing Master Zongfang talking to Master Hong, others around Shen Rui, Brother Xiaotong walked to Chen Jue and whispered: "Uncle Fifth..."
Chen Jue frowned and said, "Why did you mess with me? OK, I'm tired of getting up early."
Brother Xiaotong took out a big brocade box from his sleeve and said nervously: "It was my father who sent my nephew, it was my father who ordered my nephew to bring it to his fifth uncle..."
"Didn't Cheng Yi give it all yesterday? Why do you have one?" Chen Jue raised his eyebrows and said, "I'll get my heart, let's forget about the things, you can take them back... This fifth uncle is so terrible, even if it's not a good idea. I'm not used to it, I always have to learn to change my words."
When Xiaotong was admitted to the clan school, he was always with him, the uncle Chen Jue, but he was a child. He didn't have any contacts with him many times last year. He couldn't help but feel unfamiliar when he met this year. Chen Jue was sad about the great master's death and was not in the mood to coax him. My little nephew, I didn't have any contact.
Now that I saw the parting, the young little brother Tong felt uncomfortable and his nose was sour. He whispered: "But Uncle Wu is Uncle Wu, so it's not okay to call him privately?"
Seeing him so childishly, Chen Jue smiled instead.
He touched Xiaotong Brother's head and said, "Wrong, I'm not the fifth uncle anymore, I need to change my words in the future," Uncle Jue San,... The ranking has changed, and finally the name is still this, why don't I still me? ?Who will I be..." The next sentence was a man who was talking to himself, unheard.
Brother Xiaotong seemed to understand, but he held the brocade box in his hand and felt that he was changing his mouth, but he was not used to it and couldn't open his mouth.
Chen Jue smiled and ignored Brother Xiaotong. He walked to the master of the zongfang, brought a little complaining, "It's true, I said I won't ask you to come..."
There is not even a serious name, and it is rude to the outsider's eyes.
The master of the Zongfang family did not think it was offended, so he touched his beard and said, "I have always gotten up early. Even if I can't come, I'll get up at home... I'll go to the pier for a walk, it's fine... …”
"It's Mid-Autumn Festival now, and this morning and night is not a joke. Are you still a young man?" Seeing that the master of the Zongfang was just a coat, Chen Jue frowned and took off his cloak. , put it on the master of the Zongfang.
"No, no, be careful of catching a cold..." The master of the Zongfang was about to push it away. How could Chen Jue give in? He still tied it to the master of the Zongfang.
"You kid... are so disobedient..." The master of the Zongfang patted Chen Jue's arm and sighed in a low voice.
Chen Jue held the arm of the master of the sect room, and still had a smile on his face, but it looked even worse than crying.
Master Hong and Chen Qi and his son were both stunned.
It is said that the master of the Zongfang loves his youngest son, but now he sees him. The father and son get along too casually, unlike the father and son, who look like a father. However, it is not annoying, but it makes people feel sad.
The younger generations Chen Jin, Chen Qin, and Chen Bao did not think there was anything wrong with Chen Jue's etiquette. Seeing the father and son get along like this, I felt a little envious.
Even with the blood of the relatives, they are no longer a family. Chen Jue was able to return to Songjiang this time because of attending the funeral. If there is no accident in the future, it will probably be the same. He could not say that life and separation is separation from death. Thinking of this, everyone sighed secretly in their hearts.
The five-bedroom house is resting for half a year and will return to the capital next year. Brother Xiaodong is also here because he is with Shen Rui and Chen Jue. He was a common person in the Beijing New Year Festival. Chen Jin, Chen Qin and Chen Bao are determined to be the imperial examination, thinking that he will meet sooner or later. Therefore, the most uncomfortable ones are the master of Zongfang and Xiao Tong.
Brother Xiaotong was there at the age of his life, but he felt a little reluctant to let go. However, the master of Zongfang stared at his young son and couldn't bear to take his eyes away. Although he was talking to Mr. Hong and his son just now, his eyes never left Chen Jue. Chen Jue did not take the brocade box in Brother Xiaotong's hand. He was not surprised, but he felt even more sad.
The group left the five rooms, and the ones who took a car and the ones who rode a horse, and arrived at the Guanliang Wharf.
Chen Yu brought Shen Huan and had already welcomed him. There was a young man in his thirties next to him, but he was dressed as an official.
Seeing the master of the Zongfang, the official stepped forward and said politely: "I have met Uncle Shen..."
The master of Zongfang was surprised and said, "Isn't this the Lu family Sanlang? It's just Bailiang going north, why are you going to Beijing?"
The young man took him helplessly and said, "The Zen master went north from his ancestral courtyard last year and has not returned yet. My nephew went to the capital to pick up the Zen master after being ordered by his grandfather..."
"In this way, Zen Master Hongshan is now in the capital?" The master of Zongfang was surprised when he heard this and looked at Shen Rui: "Does Brother Rui know?"
Shen Rui shook his head and said, "This is the first time I heard from me... My family master and I were taken care of by the Zen Master in Xilin Temple. If I knew that Zen Master was on a list in the capital, I would have gone to visit me soon..."
The young man looked at Shen Rui, but was a little unsure. In three years, Shen Rui changed a lot, without any childish appearance, and his facial features were also opened.
After hearing the conversation between Master Rui and Shen Rui, he showed joy: "It's really that Brother Rui is so tall, I really don't dare to recognize him for a while..."
Chen Quan stepped forward and clasped his fists and said, "It's my little brother, I've seen Brother Lu San..."
Xilin Zen Temple is a private property of Lu's family. Chen Quan lived in the past for three years, but it was not arranged by the elders of the fourth house, but by Chen Li's arrangement.
The Lu family is also a big surname in Songjiang, second only to the Shen family and the He family. They also have contacts and relatives with the Shen family.
Chen Li's deceased mother is the daughter of Lu's side branch. When Lu Sanlang talks about it, he is considered a Chen Li's cousin.
When Shen Rui was filial to Zen Master Xilin, Chen Li was also filial to his mother. He often came to the door to talk to Zen Master Hongshan. He admired his name as the top scholar. Many Lu family children went to the Zen temple to listen to lectures, including Lu Sanlang, the son of the legitimate branch. .
Because of his cousin relationship, Lu Sanlang met Chen Li several times in the Zen temple and was quite close to Shen Rui.
Like Chen and He families, as local gentry clans, they all focus on studying and career, and their legitimate children look down on the position of small officials in the county government.
However, because of the orders of the ancestors, Duke Deheng, the descendants, scholars, farmers, industry and commerce, were unable to help but rely on their talents and understanding. The descendants of the legitimate branch were not the same as officials, even if they were doing business directly with the abacus.
In a county's government affairs, money and grain are the leader, and households are the heaviest.
Huating County is a large county with several household officials and officials as the head of the officials.
Even if Lu Sanlang has family background support, he is still able to be a clerk at this age by his real ability. Even a family elder like Master Zongfang has praised Lu Sanlang for being able to do so, but he is not good at studying. The college entrance examination I barely passed, and I became famous for the students and were inferior in the exam every year. I could only lose my mind. It was a pity...
With the help of Shen Yu, the uncle of the tribe, the person responsible for transporting grain to the north was Shen Rui's old acquaintance, and the master of the Zongfang family also wanted to let go of his heart.
The grain ships here were loaded and counted last night. Shen Rui, Chen Jue and others also took their luggage on the boat last night, waiting for dawn this morning.
Seeing that the time was almost the same, Lu Sanlang said goodbye to Master Zongfang, Chen Qi, Chen Jin and others, and took Shen Rui, Shen Rui and others on the ship.
When the grain ship left the pier, it was already dawn.
Looking at the river, the master of the Zongfang sighed.
"Grandfather, Uncle Jue San's cloak has fallen..." Brother Xiaodong looked at the master of the sect room and said.
He was in Beijing a few years ago and changed his words early.
The master of the Zongfang looked down at his body and said to himself: "This kid is so tall that he is as tall as me..."
Chen Qi brought his brothers forward and said, "Uncle Hai, get on the bus, the wind is hard by the river..."
The master of Zongfang nodded, greeted Brother Xiaotong, and turned to the carriage.
The others were older and rode horses with them.
"Since I'm back, should Brother Xiaodong take the boy's test next year?" Chen Qi asked casually.
Brother Xiaodong nodded: "Yes, I'm going to come back at the end of this year..."
"The Beijing Academy has gathered famous teachers. Brother Xiaodong has been studying for many years. What do the teachers there say? Are you sure about the college entrance examination?" Chen Qi asked.
Brother Xiaodong was not satisfied when he heard this, but he felt more sad: "The teacher said that if the test is about the same in Beijing, it is hard to say here in Nanzhili, it depends on luck..."
Chen Qi said deeply: "Who makes us a big province of articles? People educate early, other places are easy to have a college entrance examination, and the provincial examination is tragic. In Nanzhili, the college entrance examination is dead. After the college entrance examination, I will never touch it for a lifetime. There are many people who go to the provincial examination, but you are young, so you don’t need to worry too much. You took the third exam three times in the third uncle’s college entrance examination.”
Chen Jin passed the imperial examination when he was young, and he didn't feel that it was so difficult. Chen Qin and Chen Bao were both worried when they heard this.
The group returned to Shenjiafang and arrived at the entrance of the alley. The boys from each room came forward to bid farewell to the master of the Zongfang and went to their own houses. The master of the Zongfang and his party continued their carriage and returned to the Zongfang.
House in the clan house, west yard.
Lying on the bed, looking at the door from time to time, when he saw Brother Xiaotong coming in, his eyes lit up, and he hurriedly raised his body: "I'm back... I've given the things..."
Brother Xiaotong was worried and took out the brocade box from his sleeve...