It was Shen Jue's turn to throw the wine pick. He rolled up his sleeves, stood up, shook the lottery tube in his hand, and shouted: "Let's have a drink together."
As he murmured in his mouth, he kept shaking his hands vigorously, and threw out three or four lots at once.
Shen Jue glanced at it quickly, picked up a "self-drink" and "shared drink" and put it aside, saying: "That's it." After saying that, he put the other lottery sticks back into the tube.
Next to him was Shen Gui, who picked up the lot and read out: "The white head brings spring and we get drunk, and the east wind blows through thousands of tears. Drink a cup for yourself, drink a cup with those with the same Geng, and drink a cup with those with the same surname. The lot is signed with The fifth person on the right."
This word about wine sounded sad. Shen Rui didn't know why, but when he thought of the judgment in "A Dream of Lou Lou", he felt a little ominous. However, Shen Jue was in a good mood. He raised his finger and said with a smile: "One cup after another, I also shook it out." Those who drank three cups will be signed.”
Except for the four people with the foreign surname, everyone else ate as much as they could. Shen Rui, Shen Qin, and Shen Bao also had two drinks in a row, and the wine table was very lively for a while.
The third person on Shen Jue's left hand was Shen Qin. He took the lottery tube and shook out a wine lot. Shen Kun picked it up and said, "If you enjoy a glass of wine before you are alive, why do you need to have a thousand-year name after you..."
The more he thought about it, the softer his voice became, and everyone else at the wine table was stunned.
If Shen Jue's words about drinking were only slightly ominous, then this sentence is much more straightforward, including "before death" and "after death". Even a teenager, listening to this talk of life and death, felt in his heart uncomfortable.
Shen Bao frowned and said: "How can there be such a wine lottery? It's not disappointing."
Shen Jue laughed twice and said: "It's just a few random sentences, who cares what he really means. Brother Kun, think about the rest."
Shen Kun looked down at the lot again and said: "Drink one cup for yourself, and everyone will drink one cup together. The lot will be for the fourth person on the right."
Everyone filled a glass and ate together, but in the end they lost interest and the wine table became a little boring.
When Shen Quan saw this, he didn't throw the wine pick, but weighed the wine jar and said, "It's only one glass of wine per person, so let's divide it."
Everyone was a little tipsy and eager to take a few more bites, so they all nodded in agreement.
Shen Rui stood up, took the wine jar and went over, starting with Guo Sheng, and filled the glasses with everyone in turn. Finally, when he waited for himself, there was only a shallow bottom of the glass. When Shen Rong and Shen Gui saw each other, they drank it. I drank half a glass with him.
Everyone stood up, first Shen Rui thanked everyone for their compliments, then everyone thanked Shen Rui for being the host, and then everyone clinked their glasses and drank the wine.
A lunch, three rounds of wine and five dishes, took an hour and a half, and everyone was bloated and burping.
Two and a half kilograms of white wine reached each person's head. Some of the drinkers were just a little tipsy. Some of the drinkers, such as Shen Jia, Shen Gui, and Liang Chuansheng, were helped out by others. They waited until they went downstairs. When they saw the wind, they were even shaken and couldn't stand firmly.
Liang Chuansheng had just sat next to Guo Sheng, and the two of them had developed some friendship over the meal, so Guo Sheng offered to take Liang Chuansheng back.
Shen Gui and Shen Rong got on Shen Jue's carriage.
Shen Jia is here, Shen Rui and Shen Quan are helping her get on the carriage.
The remaining Shen Qin and Shen Kun got on Shen Bao's carriage.
The shop of Shen Huan's second brother's house was at the entrance of the alley, so he was not in a hurry to go home and went to his second brother's house to sober up. The remaining two people, Zhou Hengzhi and Chen Qinglin, had eaten very little just now and had a good drinking capacity. The two of them went to the bookstore to read new books together.
The fourteen people were divided into six or seven places and left each other. Shen Ruiyin was the host. After watching everyone leave, Fang got on the carriage and saw Shen Jia sitting on the side with her eyes closed, and there was already a slight snore. Shen Quan was sitting on the other side, watching Shen Jia distracted.
Shen Rui told the coachman to drive slowly, then lowered the curtain and got into the carriage.
"Third brother, is Brother Jia okay?" Shen Quan asked: "I haven't seen Brother Jia drink a few drinks, how can he be so drunk? But Brother Jia is usually simple, this wine is good, and he is not noisy or noisy."
Shen Quan sighed and said: "He has a wine shop at home, and he has been drinking wine since he was sensible. How can he get drunk so easily? Today he feels uncomfortable, and he drank Choujiu, and he got drunk after just a few drinks."
Hearing this, Shen Rui took a closer look at Shen Jia. There was a slight frown on his honest face, which indeed concealed a gloomy look.
"What's wrong with him?" Shen Rui asked.
What can this honest man have on his mind? He is so miserable?
"Brother Jia is also leaving the clan school," Shen Quan said melancholy: "If I were still here, he would probably have to study until next year. Now that I'm not here, he can't keep up with Professor Fuzi's progress, and he's just dawdling around."
Even the children of the Shen family are not all talented in reading. Shen Jia is not enlightened. He entered the Mongolian School at the age of six and was not promoted to the "Xia Yun Class" until this year. You must know that most of the others are eleven years old. She was promoted at the age of twelve. After entering the Xia Yun class, Shen Jia was at the bottom of every monthly exam and was last for ten consecutive months.
It's not that he doesn't work hard, he usually follows Shen Quan and works hard with books in hand, but there are no results. Most of the master's homework is not understood by him. In the past, Shen Quan always asked Shen Quan to help teach him the first and second time. .
Because of Shen Quan, Shen Rui "loves the house and the bird" and has a good impression of Shen Jia, an honest child. Hearing this, he said: "If it was just for this, I wouldn't drop out of school. I will tell Brother Jia a second time about the good books." Already."
Shen Quan shook his head and said: "It's not a problem to always rely on others. Jiage really has no talent for studying. It will be a matter of time before he gives up his homework. He will be sixteen years old next year and is already a man. He has to start learning to help. Doing work at home. Why are the number of people in the spring plowing class several times that of the summer plowing class? That’s because the tribesmen who don’t follow the path of studying have become literate and learned some scriptures and then went home.”
"If the children of the clan don't study, what will they do?" Shen Rui asked.
Although it has been more than 80 years since Emperor Yongle moved the capital to Beiping, the population in the north has gradually increased, but it is still not as densely populated as the ten southern provinces. Among the ten southern provinces, South Zhili, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi have the largest population. In South Zhili, except for Nanjing Outside the city, Suzhou Prefecture, Changzhou Prefecture and Songjiang Prefecture are the most densely populated.
At this time, the total population was 60 million, the total land was 600 million acres, and the per capita land in the country was ten acres, but the land in Huguang and Guangzhou accounted for one-third of the country's land. The remaining two-thirds were occupied by Princes, officials, and local wealthy families annexed half of them, and the rest were ordinary people. As a result, people everywhere had fewer acres of land.
In the Songjiang area, the average family only has three or four acres of land per person, and those with dozens of acres of land to their name are considered well-off families.
Although the Shen family has many side branches and concubines, their living conditions are different. Some have been members of the eunuch family for many generations, and the land and property passed down from their fathers and ancestors can be used for a lifetime;
"Everyone can do anything. Those whose families are wealthy will help their elders with household chores and help their brothers who are studying; those who are from ordinary families may be engaged in farming, setting up a workshop, or learning to do business, and they must always find a way to make a living. ." Shen Quandao: "How many brothers like you and me are able to live without worries about food and clothing because of their parents' influence?
"When I look at these classmates in the class, they seem to be taking exams," Shen Rui said.
Shen Quandao: "How can the road to the imperial examination be so easy? There are quite a few of these people who are dedicated to studying. In addition to you, there are also Brother Jue, Brother Qin, Brother Bao, Brother Rong, Guo Sheng, and Chen Qinglin. A few people, most of the others are just joining in the fun and pretending to be children."
This is just one class in the Shen Family School. There are seven people who want to study as a career, accounting for half of the students. This ratio is really not low. Only in the place where Jiangnan literary style flourishes can studying become so easy and cheap. It is so remote. In such a land, it would be good to have a rural private school in eight villages for ten miles.
Among the seven, only Chen Qinglin has passed the county examination. Among the remaining six, except Shen Rong, who has to wait two years, the other five are planning to take the county examination next year.
The number of people admitted to the county examination in Huating County every year is 20, and the number of applicants is ten times that. However, compared with children from poor families, this level is not difficult for children from scholarly families. As long as you have solid skills, you can pass it once or twice If you come down, you can always get through it.
When it comes to the prefectural examination, it is not difficult. Because Songjiang only governs two counties, and the number of places is determined based on the number of people paying food. The most difficult thing is the college examination, compared with Jinling, Suzhou, Kunshan and other places where talented people gather. , Songjiang has become a rural place again. Compared with those Fang scholars taking the exam at the same time, Songjiang students really have no advantage. Those who can pass the college exam in one go are the best in the county exam and the government exam.
While talking, the carriage arrived at the door of Shen Jia's house. Shen Quan and Shen Rui helped Shen Jia out of the carriage.
Shen Jia's family also lived in Shenjiafang, just in the back street of the five-bedroom ancestral house. Shen Jia's mother was a simple woman. She came out to thank the two of them and stayed with them to have tea. Shen Quan declined and went out with Shen Rui.
The carriage returned to the front street and stopped at the door of the fourth house. Shen Rui got off the carriage.
Shen Quan asked: "My mother is back at this time. Brother Rui, do you want to ask how the He family's trip went today?"
Shen Rui waved his hand and said, "No, it would be disrespectful for me to go to see my aunt while smelling drunk. Anyway, it's a foregone conclusion. It's useless to think about it. If I have the time, I might as well read a few more pages of the Four Books."
Shen Quan smiled and said: "You are deaf to what is going on outside the window and only read the books of sages."
Shen Rui smiled and said: "Third brother said hello to my aunt on my behalf, and said I would trouble my aunt. I will remember it in my heart. I am grateful to my aunt for taking the trouble for me."
Although Mrs. Guo went out today to respond to the relationship between the clan elder and Shen Juren, Shen Rui was also involved. If she had not been worried about Shen Rui, with her behavior, Mrs. Guo would never have participated in Shen Juren's continued marriage. thing.
Shen Quan looked at Shen Rui carefully and saw that he had no strange expression. He was puzzled and said, "Just pay it back. I'm afraid Brother Jin will feel uncomfortable."
Shen Rui said: "The government school only takes one day off every ten days. When I go home at twenty, this matter should probably be spread."
Shen Quan remembered something and said, "By the way, Brother Jin's birthday is on the 16th day of the winter lunar month. It's not tomorrow. He will probably go home to celebrate his birthday. Since you are the younger brother, don't forget to prepare a gift. Fortunately, I remembered it. , or I really forgot to remind you..."