"There are wild grasses and flowers beside the Zhuque Bridge, and the sun sets at the entrance of Wuyi Alley. In the old days, the swallows in front of the Wang Xie Hall flew into the homes of ordinary people."
The ten-mile Qinhuai area in Nanjing has always been the most beautiful place with the most beautiful scenery, the most developed commerce, the strongest cultural atmosphere, and the place where most dignitaries live.
There is a small garden here. It is not large in area, but it is quite exquisite and unique, with ancient charm and elegance. What is even more rare is that this 600-year-old garden looks inconspicuous from the outside, but it can be compared with the Humble Administrator's Garden, the Lingering Garden, and the Jichang Garden.
It is also known as one of the “Four Famous Gardens in the South of the Yangtze River”.
If during the period of the Ming Dynasty's fall and Qing Dynasty, when the Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty were prosperous and regular and unfortunate, Qianlong would stop here when he went to the south of the Yangtze River and inscribed the word "Zhan Yuan". "Zhan Yuan" would become the name of this garden passed down to future generations. Later,
It would also become the residence of Yang Xiuqing, the Eastern King of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Later, during the Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty, it would be completely destroyed by war.
This garden was originally the residence of Xu Da. After the decline of the Xu family, the garden changed hands several times. In the Southern Ming Dynasty, the Zheng family and the royal family had many marriages, and the holy family relationship continued. This famous garden was bought by the Zheng family and became a family
One of the industries. Therefore, now, the word "Zhanyuan" on its bluestone door is not "Zhanyuan", but "Changping Houfu".
Now this famous garden has been kept intact, and after six hundred years of time, it has completely shed the childish feeling of "the trees, small walls, new paintings and old paintings". The ponds and pavilions are green with moss, and the lush forests and tall bamboos exude a simple and bookish atmosphere.
Look more beautiful.
…
Several electric lamps in the study emit steady and soft light through the glass shade of the palace lantern. On the small red sandalwood shelf, curls of sandalwood creep out of the Xuande stove. Several pieces of charcoal are burning in the copper brazier, and the charcoal glows and dims under the beating flames.
It's warm and comfortable indoors.
On the narrow red sandalwood table, a thin Yanghao Hu pen was dipped in 70% ink. It hesitated for a moment and then wrote down a few lines of elegant regular script:
Tea
fragrant leaves, buds
Mushike, Aimengjia
Carved white jade, woven red yarn
Choo-fried yellow pistil color, bowl of quchen flowers
The queen of the night invites you to accompany the bright moon, and the morning brings you to the morning glow.
I have washed away all the people of the past and present without getting tired. How can I boast that I will be drunk and in chaos?
"Well, the title of this pagoda poem is good, and it fits the shape of the fan."
Zheng Yucong, the daughter of the Marquis of Changping, stood beside the table, grinding ink and saying with a smile.
This Marquise is very gorgeously dressed, wearing a Chanel "little black dress" that is popular in the upper class society, but she wears a large Ming-style armor and a dazzling diamond bracelet, which is very nondescript. She probably feels that in her own home,
Really don't care.
Changping Hou Zheng Gongyin also stood on the other side and lost no time in praising:
"Well, the more I write this word, the more skill I get."
"By the way, what can you write for him on the back of the fan?" Zheng Yucong asked again while rubbing the ink.
The other girl who was writing waited until she finished writing the last word before she picked up her pen and said:
"Don't write anything and find someone to draw it yourself."
"Hehe, cousin, you'd better give him a few strokes at least. You mentioned the words on the front, who would dare to draw on the back. Tomorrow, his fan only has one side, and that side must be white."
The writing girl tilted her head and looked at the fan, then signed the three characters "Zhu Yourong", took the small yellow seal of a square field, printed the small oval seal of "Zhu Mingshengchang", then put down the pen and said with a smile:
"Then there's nothing to be afraid of... Hehe, Cong Cong, please be gentle with your ink. This case is my uncle's treasure. We in the Ming Dynasty may be the first to have such a complete red sandalwood case, hehe.
, I don’t even have it there. If you splash some ink on it, I won’t be able to leave by then.”
Zheng Gongyin stood aside and said with a smile:
"That's not the case. When the time comes, Rongrong can just give his uncle a piece of Ru kiln at your place."
"Did you hear that?" Zhu Yourong laughed, "My uncle wants my Ru kiln porcelain to compensate him, so what are you going to compensate me for?"
Zheng Yucong smiled slyly:
"Hey, I heard that Prince Edward of England is coming to celebrate the New Year. I'll go talk and compensate him for you!"
Zheng Gongyin said hurriedly:
"Thrilling!"
"Cong Cong," Zhu Yourong interrupted, still smiling and asked, "Look, who is the next one written to?"
Zheng Yuqing stuck out her tongue, looked at the list next to her, and reported:
"The wife of the British Ambassador wants to ask for a fan, the Prince of Siam wants to ask for a scroll, Foreign Minister Xu Gelao wants to ask for a banner, and... wow, Empress Dowager Sadamei of Japan! She also wants to ask for a fan. Well, there are also
There are many...Oh, cousin, you are so pitiful."
"Oh, there's no way," Zhu Yourong leaned back in the huanghuali armchair, took the brass hand stove, stretched his legs, and said comfortably, "Uncle's garden here is so nice, I hid here just to pay off my painting and calligraphy debt...
Empress Dowager Sadamei? Alas, although Japan always helped the Qing Dynasty, the old lady was still pretty good. Last year during the Spring Festival, she even asked the ambassador to send me 'Wagashi'. Hehe, it is said that she made it herself... Prince of Siam?
I’ve seen that young man, and he’s quite handsome. Cong Cong, what do you think of him?”
"cut."
"hehe."
"Rongrong," Zheng Gongyin said with a smile, "your aunt is showing a movie to the guests in front. Don't you want to watch Chaplin's new movie?"
"Who are the guests?"
"No one, just a few people from our own family, and two ambassadors and their wives."
"Ambassador? Forget it," Zhu Yourong shook his head slightly, "I want to go out, and the rules are very strict. Besides, this is a comedy, and I can't laugh in front of a foreign ambassador. It's annoying. Uncle, let me watch it alone tomorrow."
Zheng Gongyin smiled and said:
"That's fine."
Zhu Yourong understood what his uncle was implying, so he took the initiative and said:
"Uncle, that Xiang Xiaoqiang is still waiting in front, right?"
"Yes, can you see him now?"
Zhu Yourong glanced at the wall clock and yawned. Zheng Gongyin was about to complain in his heart when Zhu Yourong nodded and said:
"Let's meet."
Zheng Yucong rang the bell and ordered the maid to announce the arrival.
"Oh, these cabinet ministers..." Zhu Yourong held the hand warmer, looked down at his toes, and said slowly with a sad look on his face, "To be honest, this cabinet is becoming more and more unpopular."
When Zheng Gongyin heard this, it was not convenient for him to interrupt, so he just coughed dryly.
The maid's voice came from outside:
"Mr. Xiang, please come in."
Zhu Yourong stopped talking and stared at the door with interest, thinking about what his uncle said about the legendary young agent of British MI6.
A young man walked in slowly, handed his coat and hat to the maid, and looked around at the people in the room with a sullen face, as if he was unhappy.
Zhu Yourong waved his hand and said with a smile:
"Given..."
Before he could finish the words "Give me a seat", the young man had already spotted a cushioned rosewood chair in front of him and sat down.
…
Xiang Xiaoqiang was quite unhappy tonight. He was arranged by a big shot to attend a meeting in the East Factory. He didn't get a single word out of that, so he sat there like a passerby for two hours. The problem was that he sat there for two hours and still waited.
Such a sad result.
Then the fat marquis invited him to his house for supper for no apparent reason, and said he wanted him to meet someone. But when he arrived at the garden, he was left alone in the side hall. The supper was quite good, and there were quite a few.
It's delicious, but with his current mood, even dragon meat can't taste good. But someone is playing a movie in the living room next to him. A large group of people are laughing and laughing. The voices sound like they are men and women.
, and a few foreigners. The happier they laughed, the more depressed Xiaoqiang became. He thought to himself that when you called me here, you really just wanted to treat me to a supper!
Finally, he waited until almost eleven o'clock. Finally, a maid came to call him. She still raised her chin arrogantly and stared at the ceiling:
"Hey, your name is Xiang Xiaoqiang, right?"
That was a bummer. If Xiang Xiaoqiang hadn't been thinking about the person he wanted to introduce to him, he would have yelled at her. But he still endured it and replied politely:
"Yes, sister, what are your orders?"
"Tch, what can I say? It's our young lady who gave me the order. Just follow me."
Xiang Xiaoqiang sweated, couldn't he? Why did their lady ask me to go?... It couldn't be what I imagined?! He asked carefully:
"Miss? What are your orders, Miss?"
"Hey, why are you asking so many questions? Just come with me quickly," the maid said impatiently, "What are you thinking about? I just want you to tell her how you saved people yesterday. Hey, tell her carefully.
Count yourself lucky, you may still see today..."
Damn it! Xiang Xiaoqiang was so angry that he punched several cases, causing the fruits in the fruit bowl to jump out.
He said in his heart that you, the great marquis, called me here just because you wanted me to tell stories to your daughter to amuse you! How do you say this? Even a Buddha would get angry!
The maid was startled by him, said "Ah", jumped to the side, and slowly backed away, with a look of horror on her face:
"You...what do you want to do? Ah, you...don't come over..."
Holy shit! Xiang Xiaoqiang was completely speechless. He looked at the ceiling, took a deep breath, and thought silently:
Mr. Zheng is a popular marquis... the uncle of the Ming Dynasty emperor... he has a high position... If you want to save Qiu Qiu, you can't offend him... If you can't save Qiu Qiu, you can't offend him if you want to live well in the future... So you can't
Offend his daughter... I can tell her daughter whatever she wants me to say... It doesn't matter if I talk about it under the covers...
After a while, the anger subsided and the smile crept up again:
"Haha, sister, please lead the way."
The maid was so frightened by him that she looked at him secretly and did not dare to be arrogant. She lowered her head and whispered:
"Then, Mr. Xiang, please come this way."
…
Xiang Xiaoqiang came in, first nodded to Zheng Gongyin and said:
"Master Hou!"
Then he sat down on the Taishi chair, facing Zhu Yourong, and crossed his legs, shaking.
Zheng Gongyin's face slowly turned pale, and he and his daughter looked at each other. Both father and daughter had panic expressions on their faces. Zheng Gongyin was about to scold him, but when he saw Zhu Yourong raised a finger to stop him, he swallowed his words back.
Zhu Yourong slowly sat upright, put the stove on the table, leaned forward, held his chin, and squinted his eyes to look at the young man opposite him.
The young man also narrowed his eyes and looked at her.
Zhu Yourong looked up at Zheng Gongyin and then at Zheng Yucong. The two shook their heads, both looking puzzled.
Seeing that this young man really didn't seem to recognize himself, Zhu Yourong became even more interested. He slowly picked up the tea cup, scraped the tea leaves, and drank while blowing the tea. He stared at Xiang Xiaoqiang intently, with a very interested smile on his lips.
It seems that he is deliberately trying to force the other party to speak first.
She thought it was fun, but Xiang Xiaoqiang's patience was limited and he wasn't ready to waste it with her.
Xiang Xiaoqiang said patiently:
"You two Miss Zheng, please listen to what I have to say..."
"puff--"
Zhu Yourong squirted out all the tea in a sip, spraying all over the cup and some of it splashed on Xiang Xiaoqiang's brand new pants.