Promotion and fortune in Song Dynasty

Since Lu Ci's status is not what it used to be, not many people dare to visit him openly.

But it was obvious that whenever Lu Ci took Di Qing out for a stroll, he would always 'run into' some people who 'coincidentally passed by'.

There are scholars wearing plain shirts, facing the snow-white winter scenery, and reciting their favorite works leisurely with their eyes closed; Some of the rich servants who managed to accost...

Faced with this endless means, Di Qing really thought it was just a coincidence at first, but later he was dazzled and dumbfounded.

What surprised him was that Gongzu could still deal with it with a smile on his face.

Those scholars who dare not come up directly for a chat and think that their talents are underappreciated are obviously the best to deal with.

If the poetic talent is really good, Lu Ci will nod his head; if the talent is mediocre or if there are mistakes and omissions, he will pretend that he has never heard of it and just chat with Di Qing.

The little lady is reserved, and her tricks are nothing more than throwing flowers and fruit scented handkerchiefs from a distance in return, even if she is brave, she just sings a tune composed of his poems from a distance, hoping to attract his attention .

For them, Lu Ci only smiled back without discrimination, and then politely took Di Qing and his servants to change jobs elsewhere, and did not give them more opportunities to interact.

As for those wealthy businessmen who tried their best to give him gifts, Lu Ci pushed the big ones away, and the remaining ones that had something to do with Lu's mother's business could be counted as favors, and he didn't accept them on the spot, but invited them three In the future, I will come to the street where he lives to participate in the banquet organized by him.

Di Qing was slightly puzzled by this, and couldn't help asking: "Grandfather doesn't want to accept gifts from them, why didn't he reject them all?"

Lu Ci smiled: "Although it is a good thing to be cautious, everything must be reversed. Although you have avoided the suspicion of accepting bribes by doing this, it has also chilled the hearts of the elders in my hometown. Now that the New Year's Day, although they talk to me Not familiar with each other, but at this time, most of the innocuous little gifts have no intentions, just want to be happy, or to make peace of mind. If you are regarded as a tiger wolf, you will retreat, even if the intention is just to avoid falling behind. If you get the censor's excuse, you will be involved in troubles in the future, but in their eyes, I am afraid that you will have an extra layer of self-proclaimed arrogance and inhumanity after you get ahead, which is a big taboo in communication."

He didn't care too much about the good reputation of being approachable, but it was purely Lu's mother who didn't want to leave the 'homeland' to make a good business, so he naturally had to cooperate a little bit.

Di Qing realized something, and after pondering for a moment, he said again: "It's just that the grandfather pushed it for a while, and after three days at the flowing water feast, they will present the gift again in a fair manner, and it will be even more difficult to push, and more people will see it." , it is impossible to impeach the grandfather and go back to the hometown to collect money."

Lu Ci smiled and said, "I have arrangements for this, so you can rest assured for now."

While the two were talking, a person suddenly appeared in front of them.

This person was dressed in a scholar's shirt, looked polite, and saluted Lu Ci first: "I ask Lu Zhigao to forgive you for disturbing me."

No matter how big an official Lu Ci has been outside, for those ordinary Mizhou people who don't know the complicated names, they prefer to call him 'Lu Sanyuan' or 'Lu Lang' affectionately.

Even Di Qing, who had never met them before, could hear the love and intimacy of Mizhou people for his father-in-law from the lazy title, and couldn't help feeling proud.

However, the person in front of him sounded well-behaved and had a respectful attitude, but he somehow felt that the visitor was not kind.

Lu Ci smiled slightly: "But it doesn't matter."

This person bowed again, did not raise his eyes, still bowed his body slightly, and his words were not so polite: "There is a message from an old friend of Lu Zhi, I heard that last night there was a lamp burning banquet, silk and bamboo music and dancing, very extravagant. But I don't know if you still remember the simple meals we ate together in the academy?"

Although it was the first time he heard such provocative words, Di Qingyuan was on guard, and now his eyes were sharp, as if the thorns all over his body were about to explode.

Lu Ci stretched out his hand lightly, obviously so graceful that he didn't seem to use half of his strength, but he held down Di Qing who was on the verge of breaking out.

The so-called "burning lamps and drinking banquets" did happen.

But that was Lu Ci, who had returned to his hometown after all his clothes, formally entertaining his old classmates and old friends in a formal restaurant.

Whether it's wine or dishes, they are no more luxurious than the wealthy in the city. The so-called 'extremely extravagant' is a malicious nonsense.

Lu Ci also knew the reason for causing kindness and revenge.

After all, during the banquet, he helped bring the manuscripts of poems, and those who shyly asked him to comment all corrected them one by one.

Different from the perfunctory dealing with outsiders, who only talk about good things and not bad things, for these people who have been friends with classmates, no matter whether they are familiar with them in the past or not, and how sincere they are when asking them to correct them, he will seriously discuss every day. The advantages and disadvantages of the article are picked out, and then the direction of improvement is summarized.

This kindness can obviously make those who know it well aware and full of gratitude.But for those scholars who claim to be extraordinary and just want to get affirmation or praise from him to prove that the examiners who failed them have blind eyes, it is a great humiliation and blow.

If Lu Ci's words were praiseworthy, then with this discerning eye, Lu Ci's three-yuan title would be worthy of their name in their mouths.

But what Lu Ci said was to point out the flaws that they didn't want to admit, which almost made their proud works useless.

They were unwilling to admit the facts, and became extremely angry from embarrassment. They naturally disdained Lu Ci's three yuan that he got by luck, and even developed outright resentment.

The extravagance and scenery of entertaining many people naturally became a thorn in the flesh of those who had attended the banquet and witnessed it with their own eyes.

Even though he knew that this familiar person was probably someone who went to the banquet last night and asked him to correct the work, and he must be an "old friend" in this population, Lu Ci was neither angry nor angry.

He raised his eyebrows slightly and smiled softly.

Di Qing was surprised to find that after this very light laughter, Gongzu's extremely beautiful eyebrows suddenly revealed a bit of arrogance and sharpness that was completely different from the usual gentleness and modesty, which was breath-taking.

Lu Ci calmly looked at the other party who was embarrassed, and asked slowly: "I also send a message to that old friend. I don't know why we had a rough meal together back then?"

The man backed away with an ugly expression on his face.

Lu Ci leisurely watched his rather embarrassed back, smiled at Di Qing who was stunned, and commented indifferently: "You see, for some people, resentment is so unreasonable and inexplicable. "

When Di Qing came back to his senses, he was still very angry.

However, although he is proficient in some dirty words of cursing people in the countryside, he dare not say them in front of his father-in-law, so as not to pollute his father-in-law's ears.

So he held it back for a long time, and only choked out this sentence angrily: "This person really doesn't know what is good and what is bad! From this point of view, he failed the exams repeatedly, but it is a retribution of heavenly law, and the retribution is not good."

Lu Ci laughed and said, "Why are you angry with him? After last night's banquet, he must be far more than the only one who hates my pair of fish for not knowing their pearls."

Di Qing frowned and said, "If I had known this before, it would be better for Gongzu not to agree to correct their poems from the beginning."

"No problem." Lu Ci smiled slightly: "Most of these people who hate me will never be able to pose any threat to me in this life."

Just relying on some sour words that dare not speak their real names?

ridiculous.

Three days later, Lu Ci really invited the head of the Li family who had tried to capture Zhu Shuo as his son-in-law, and Liu Zai, a well-known and respected gentry in Mizhou, to help him host this grand event that included all the previous events. In the city of Mizhou in the past year, it can be called a running water mat for familiar old people.

When merchants and merchants with belongings that they wanted to give to Lu Ci came to the door in an endless stream, Di Qing personally supervised Lu Ci's servants, compared the gift list, opened the lids one by one, and returned to a Go to the warehouse that has been rented in advance.

Such a blatant act of accepting property from merchants fell into the eyes of everyone. Although it was not obvious on the surface, it stirred up a thousand waves behind the scenes.

Those who hoped for Lu Ci's good luck could not help but whisper in their hearts, worrying that this was too careless, and might become the basis for attacking Lu Ci; Hou, small merchants who worried that Lu Ci would be dissatisfied after being compared to others; and those who harbored ill intentions towards Lu Ci, thought they had a big handle, and jumped for joy.

In any case, on the bright side, the running water banquet is still very lively.

Although I don’t know why, there is no drink, and the dishes are full, but the ingredients are not expensive, but considering the large number of guests, and most of them are just for fun, I want to see how this extraordinary Phoenix is ​​now It looks good, and the seats are only second, so I am not picky about the audience.

Even the beggar who had no fixed place to live on the street was not driven away, but was allowed to approach carefully, and clumsily took the bowls and chopsticks to eat a warm and full meal. He was sincerely grateful to this wealthy Lu official.

Two hours passed in a flash, and the banquet, which can be called a feast for the guests and hosts, gradually came to an end.

Just when everyone had gathered enough to see the excitement of this rare Wenqu star and was about to go back to their places, and then busy, Lu Ci waved his hand to stop the music, and smiled and asked Mr. Li and Liu Zai to follow him up the steps. Kai read the densely packed and long list of gifts just now.

What kind of medicine is sold in this gourd?

The gift-giving merchants were at a loss for what to do, they couldn't help looking at each other, and gradually felt a little uneasy.

As a result, after reading, Lu Ci and the elders Li and Liu solemnly bowed their hands to them, and continued to announce with a smile: "...After the banquet, the two elders, Li and Liu, will host the banquet, and the funds raised will be invested in the new Keats Bureau', used to build the 'Keats House' to accommodate Jimin, every other day, until spring, will supply 'Keats Porridge' for the hungry people to eat... Everyone who donates generously, your name and surname should also be inscribed on Keats On the stele..."

Hearing this, the stunned crowd came to their senses and knew what was going on.

Lu Ci had been prepared for a long time, and with the gift that could not be turned down as the principal, after everyone saw it, he temporarily set up the "Keats Bureau" and handed over the relevant specific matters to Mizhou's chief executive officer. The two famous old men didn't really fight each other.

Seeing that he was still in a daze, Lu Ci already made a lot of money, turning the hot potato he sent into a charity donation for the poor, and the most famous one became the donating merchant and the two enthusiastic gentry in charge, which inevitably made them feel complicated .

...That's all, at least he has a good name.

The author has something to say: Notes:

1. Regarding the irony of Lu Ci, it was actually adapted from historical facts. The real masters were Song Xiang and Song Qi in the Northern Song Dynasty, known as the "Second Song Dynasty".

Xiao Song is a very interesting character, which will be written later.

Once on the night of the Shangyuan Festival, when Da Song was reading "Book of Changes" in the study, he heard that Xiao Song was lighting up lanterns and drinking drunkenly with singing girls. The night banquet is extremely extravagant. Do you still remember eating rough rice in Zhou Xue together on Yuan Ye?After listening to Xiao Song, he smiled and asked the visitor to take the message back and said: "I also sent a message to my husband. I don't know why I ate coarse food back then?" ("Born in the Song Dynasty: Talking about the General Altar of Shilin in the Northern Song Dynasty")

2. The social influence and participation of the gentry are very high. The most important social organizations such as clans, township treaties, community warehouses, and academies are all initiated, organized, established and presided over by the gentry.

The dominance of folk charity in the Song Dynasty gradually shifted from religious groups to gentry groups. For example, Liu Zai, a gentry in the Southern Song Dynasty (there was such a person, but his name and surname was misappropriated by me 2333), once "corrected comrades" three times, opened "porridge Bureau" to give porridge to the homeless and hungry people who have no food to survive, and to take in the homeless and hungry people in monasteries.The first "Porridge Bureau" lasted from October of the second year of Jiading (1209) to March of the following year, and rescued more than 4000 hungry people every day; In January, the maximum number of eclipses reached 16; the third "porridge bureau" lasted from February to April in the first year of Shaoding (1223).The living are worthless. ("Song: The Dawn of Modern Times")