The Red Mansions

Chapter 3
When the servant left, Jia Heng changed into a bunt in the house, took a sword, and came to the courtyard to practice martial arts. In his previous life, he borrowed Daoist scriptures in the temple and learned martial arts from a friend of his grandfather who had forgotten his age. That man passed on his boxing skills and weapons, including the [-]-way Qiangang Sword and the Liuhe Sword. Later he joined the army and learned some fighting and capturing techniques in the army. .

Jia Heng held the long sword in his hand, opened his posture, and warmed up.

It has to be said that the bones of this body have been beaten well, and it has saved him a lot of effort.

bass……

The long sword was unsheathed, with a cold light, and the sound of the sword was like the chant of a water dragon, clear and violent, and the stirring wind of the sword rolled up the leaves in the courtyard and flew up.

With a body like a swallow, he turned around and stabbed. The bamboo in the courtyard was stabbed by a sword that was as thick as the baby's arm.

"Good swordsmanship!"

The sound of applause was heard, the sound was thick and rough.

Jia Heng's face paused, and he raised his eyes to look at the person, and saw that the speaker had a Chinese character face, a young man with a beard under his chin, wearing a black crown hat, and a shallow scar on his face, and said with a smile: "So It's Brother Cai."

There are two people, the one on the left is about sixteen years old, cousin Jia Heng, named Dong Qian, who is a small school in Wucheng Bingmasi, and the other is Cai Quan, the nephew of the wet nurse Cai's family. He is a small officer of the Beijing Camp of the Imperial Army.

Chen Hanguo first imitated the system of the Tang and Song Dynasties, and when Emperor Taizong imitated the Ming system, he set up twelve regiment camps in the Shenjing of the Han Dynasty, and the twelve princes of the four kings, eight princes and twelve princes were in charge of the military power.

In addition, a capital division was established at the local provincial level, and the military department was in charge of the army of the guards. At the beginning of the country, this was in consideration of quelling the chaos after Zhu Ming was destroyed as soon as possible, and partly inherited the system of Zhu Ming I. For one thing, the post of Jiedushi in the Tang Dynasty was mixed in the army.

Therefore, local guards and Jiedu envoys went hand in hand, and the nominal chief of the Beijing camp was also the Jingying Jiedu envoy.

Cai Quan laughed and said, "Da Lang, even if he is in the army, his martial arts skills are still among the best."

At this time, Mrs. Cai said, "Go ahead, you will know nonsense every day. Dalang wants to study for the imperial examination to be an official butcher. Why do you want to be Qiu Ba?"

"Auntie said that, what's wrong with Qiu Ba? It's also the emperor's food, serving the court." Cai Quan smiled and said loudly.

Mrs. Cai glared at her nephew, and said: "When Miss Dong left, she said that I want my brother to become a Jinshi. If you continue to stir up trouble, I will not obey you."

On this side, Jia Heng led Cai Quan and Dong Qian into the room to talk, a maid named Gui Xiang poured tea, Jia Heng smiled and said: "You two brothers, why are you so free today, come and see me?"

"Isn't this what your cousin said, you came here to take a look after you were injured, you're in good health, I just saw you in such a way, and you're in good health." Cai Quan said with concern.

Jia Heng said: "Brother Lao Cai is worried, it's just some skin trauma, and it will be fine after a few days."

Dong Qian said with a smile: "It's not that my brother said that you hang out with Jia Rong every day. If you want to find a job in the army, you won't insult my brother's martial arts."

Cai Quan also echoed and said: "Yes, brother, this year is getting more and more difficult every day. It is better to find a living. Now Jiubian is the time to employ people. With the courage and ability of my virtuous brother, I will make a living in the future." Wouldn't it be nice to have an errand, get ahead, and get a daughter-in-law to seal your wife's shade?"

The reason why he urged Jia Heng to join the army was also a little selfish. The children of the Jia family joined the army as a small school under him, and no matter what, they had to attract the attention of the remaining members of the Jia family in the army. Even if the resources were leaked, it was enough for his official career. The above is inexhaustible.

Jia Heng sighed, and said: "It is also Heng's wish in his life to go to the army as a small soldier, fight with swords and guns, and regain the glory of the former Rong and Ning, but..."

He read the history of the country, and he knew that Jiubian was also established after the Ming Dynasty. After two generations of emperors, Taizu and Taizong, they fought hard to block the turmoil of the grassland outside Jiubian Town.

Then a hundred years passed, and with the long-term peace of the country, Wen Tian and Wu Xi, the grassland tribes outside the nine borders gradually recovered their vitality, and the land outside the pass gradually fell. Decades ago, Liaodong was even more It was the rise of the Jurchens and the establishment of the Great Jin Dynasty. Every autumn when the horses are fat and the horses are fat, they will lead troops to invade the border.

"Brother Cai, to tell you the truth, I intend to become an official through the imperial examination."

The country has been in peace for a long time, and the group of civil servants has expanded, and it has become a prime minister of civil servants. Especially today, although since he came to the throne, he has great ambitions and wants to quell border troubles and bandits. The cabinet has changed twice, but the civil servants Borrowing weight, still not losing a cent.

Thinking that Jia Yucun was also born as a literati, and finally got the help of Jia's family, and was awarded the post of Grand Sima (Shangshu) of the Ministry of War, which is the glory of the golden signboard of the two lists of Jinshi.

Cai Quan was surprised and said: "The imperial examination is the real way. I don't think Brother Jia really has such ambitions?"

Dong Qian also looked moved and said: "Isn't my cousin the one who hates reading the most on weekdays? How did you get enlightened today?"

Just now, I felt that my cousin had changed his appearance more and more, and his temperament was much calmer.

Jia Heng smiled lightly and said: "Speaking of which, I was woken up by Mr. Liang Shilang's stick the day before yesterday. If a man stands in the world, he should study more and be sensible. Otherwise, in the eyes of the other young masters, I will wait for you." Jiu Wufu is nothing more than a small person who is not worth looking at."

"Brother Jia, that's quite a good statement. Like Guan Yunchang, he never leaves his hand, and has a rough grasp of righteousness. Although I, Lao Cai, don't like poor scholars with sour prose and fake vinegar, I also like to listen to storytelling about ancient times." Cai Quan nodded. He said with a smile, there was a bit of strangeness in his eyes.

He thought to himself, this Jia family boss thought he just had a bit of brute force, didn't he want to have such insight?

Everyone was talking, Jia Heng said: "I also want to ask Brother Cai, where can I sell good horses?"

Regardless of studying and taking the imperial examination, martial arts cannot be left behind.

Cai Quan said: "There are horses in the horse market, but they are all bad horses. I'm afraid it will take a lot of effort to find a treasure. Why do you want to learn how to ride and shoot?"

Dong Qian said with a smile: "If my cousin learns to ride and shoot, I have a master who is a master of riding and shooting, so I can teach you."

Jia Heng nodded, and said: "I really plan to learn it recently, I don't know my cousin, where is that master now? If it's an apprenticeship, how much training do I need to prepare?"

Dong Qian said with a smile: "That expert, named Xie Zaiyi, used to be a hundred households in the army. He offended his superiors because of his drunken mistakes. Now he is only serving as the gatekeeper at the city gate. If you want to learn, prepare more wine and meat." gone."

The so-called Chengmen school lieutenant is actually an ordinary soldier, and this is what he has been scolded to the end.

Jia Heng nodded and said, "It's not too late, let's go and have a look now, and buy a few books along the way."

After everyone was talking, Jia Heng talked to Mrs. Cai, and followed Dong Qian and Cai Quan to the outside.

……

……

Fusheng, the god of the Han Dynasty, is crowded with people and the streets are noisy. Jia Heng first bought some food and wine, then walked across Ningrong Street, and headed for the city gate.

In the capital city of Shenjing, Anhuamen, near noon, Jia Heng finally saw Xie Baihu, whom Dong Qian was talking about, in a dilapidated house next to Anhuamen.

Xie Baihu squatted on the stone pier in the courtyard, wiping a knife with a rag, Fan Yangli's helmet was casually placed aside, squinting at Dong Qian, and then cast his eyes on Cai Quanhe On Jia Heng's body, he secretly thought that there was a little doll in the army, and he frowned and said, "What's the matter with such a mobilizing teacher?"

Dong Qian said: "Brother Xie, let's come and see you."

"It's not a year or a festival, what's so interesting about me?" Xie Zaiyi snorted coldly, looked up at the gift boxes and the food and drink in the hands of several people, and said, "Being polite to others, one must ask for something, let's talk about it. What's up?"

Dong Qian said with a chuckle: "There is indeed one thing, I need to trouble Brother Xie."

At this time, Jia Heng took over the conversation, stepped forward and clasped his fists and said: "I heard that Brother Xie is good at riding and shooting. After I become Jia Heng, Ning Guogong, I want to learn the art of riding and shooting from Brother Xie."

Xie Baihu sneered, and said: "Ning Guogong's descendant? I didn't see it, your Jia family didn't find any kind of martial artist, why did you find me for entertainment?"

As he said that, he took a look at Jia Heng, and saw that his clothes were simple and plain, and he already guessed about the reason.

I'm afraid it is already a distant branch of Ningguo Mansion.

(End of this chapter)