Love of Friends in the Red Chamber

The palace examination was held on April 21. Before dawn, Jia Cong put on his tribute uniform and waited for his number to be called outside. The tribute scholars lined up and filed in according to the order in which the rankings were released. They kowtowed upwards and then took their seats in sequence in the east and west verandas of the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Nothing is more difficult than expressing and aspiration."

It just so happened that apart from the Four Books and Five Classics, what Jia Cong really studied and mastered was Sima Gong's "Historical Records", and he began to write eloquently. He was so focused on writing that even a man in a yellow robe walked up to him I leaned over to read his articles carefully, but I didn't notice it until I heard Mr. Shen Boyue coughing lightly, and realized that the emperor himself was patrolling the examination room.He didn't dare to look up at the holy face, and quickly bent down on his knees to plead guilty, but he heard a clear and gentle voice saying: "What is the crime? You sit down and just answer the paper." Jia Cong looked at the gold thread on the corner of the robe in front of him. Kesi's Youlong kowtowed deeply, then stood up with his head down, sat down tremblingly and continued to answer the paper.

When I handed in the papers, I found out that the minister who supervised the collection of papers was Lin Jiarui. Master Lin smiled gently at Jia Cong with encouragement in his eyes. , He kept walking, his sleeves flung out in an arc, and he just felt comfortable, like a tired bird like a forest - success or failure depends on it, but he feels good.

What Jia Cong didn't know was that behind him there was a gaze following his background, at this moment the man smiled and said: "This young man is very interesting, Lin Qing, go and show me his test paper." Lin Jiarui quickly cupped it with both hands, and the emperor just glanced at it and said with a smile: "This son has written a good handwriting. Everyone at that time learned Guange style, but he has learned Zhao Mengfu's handwriting." Then he read the article again, Commented: "Well, narrative analysis, it is very rare to be familiar with the old man, and he can be regarded as a young man." Lin Jiarui naturally said yes repeatedly.

What else is there to say?When the Minister of Paper Reading went to Wenhua Hall to read the paper, he naturally put the paper read by Meng Shenglan first. However, when the emperor hand-picked it, the emperor said: "Although it is a good story to achieve one's ambition at a young age, after all, everything can't be exhausted. There must be room for it.” Lin Jiarui took it seriously, and said, “This is His Majesty’s love for this child.” So the emperor used a red pen to mark a point on Jia Cong’s paper, and put it in No.3.

However, Jia Cong didn’t know about these things. Only after he issued the imperial edict on the [-]th, did he know that he had become a scout of the new science. All kinds of rewards and gifts were piled up in the Aojing Hall, and Madam Cai was so happy that she couldn't help but laugh from ear to ear. Even Xia He, who complained every day, stopped clamoring for a house.

In the evening, everyone gathered in Jiamu's room to talk happily and talk about tomorrow's ceremony. Jin'er brought the imperial court's reward of the new Ketanhua court dress and three-branch nine-leaf crown to Jiamu to watch. Jia Amnesty, Jia Zheng, etc. were also present. Jia Zheng inevitably told Jia Cong some rules and etiquette for the audience, but Jia Amnesty said happily: "After tomorrow's ceremony, the Holy Majesty will issue the imperial list and hang it on Chang'an Street for three days. New scholars go out from Zhaodemen on the left and Zhenzhen on the right." Dumen, a group of three people follow the list and come out from the middle of the Meridian Gate. Only the Holy One can step on the stone road in the middle of the Danbi, so the middle road of the Meridian Gate will never be opened unless the emperor travels, but there is only one exception, which is the new branch. From this, the ceremony after the biography of a first-class Jinshi reveals that this is a privilege that even princes and prime ministers cannot enjoy, and the emperor values ​​talents, and the grace of the emperor is long and thick." Looking at Jia Cong as he spoke, the more he looked at it, the more he fell in love with him. He patted his son on the shoulder, and praised: "Good boy, honor your ancestors, it is not in vain for me to give birth to you."

Jia Cong thanked Jia Cong with a wry smile, and everyone else laughed. Mother Jia did not show Jia She good looks as usual, but smiled and nodded. Everyone naturally agreed, then Li Wan wiped his tears and said, "I only hope for Lan Er It would be good to be as promising as Third Uncle Cong." Only Jia Zheng and Mrs. Wang were troubled, seeing Baoyu Muzhi Mujue's idiot, sorrow and hatred, it was hard to express.

Tanchun then said: "After the imperial examination, there will be the imperial examination. This is the selection of a scholar from the Imperial Academy. Cong'er is young. It is best to enter the Imperial Academy, so as not to be an official in other places."

Jia Lan was willing to change the subject because her mother was crying just now, so she explained to Jia's mother: "The imperial examination is also very important. It is the basis for Jinshi to appoint officials. , Poetry, Fu and other forms, calligraphy is the most important, and it is difficult for those who are not good at calligraphy to be superior, and Uncle Cong's calligraphy is superior."

But Jia She laughed and said: "You two only know one thing, not the other. The imperial examination is only for Jinshi who are second-class and third-class. The imperial court has always been the rule. , No. 1 awarded the editor of the Imperial Academy, what kind of auspicious scholar is nothing to worry about." Saying this, she became a little complacent, and even Mrs. Xing felt that her face was extraordinarily glorious, and Mrs. Wang was extremely disgusted. hate.

In this way, in the early morning of the third day, Jia Cong got up at four o'clock, finished grooming, put on his top robe, first kowtowed in Jia's mother's room, then went out to take a car, and entered the palace surrounded by all the servants.Luan Yiwei has already set up a halogen book Fajia in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, playing Zhonghe Shaoyue in Danbi, and the Ministry of Rites and Honglu Temple set up a yellow case in the middle of the East Ying and Danbi in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. There is a cloud plate under it, and a colorful pavilion outside the Meridian Gate, with royal battle and drum music, which is really royal and grand.

The princes, ministers, civil and military officials each stood in court uniforms on the left and right of Majesty Dan. The Xinke Jinshi wore court uniforms and a crown with three branches and nine leaves on their heads.Jia Cong stood in the second place in the east row, and in front of him was Meng Bin, the No. [-] scholar in the new department. The No. [-] scholar had to recite the form of gratitude on behalf of the Jinshi. Ever since he lined up, Jia Cong had heard Meng Zhuangyuan chanting, knowing that he was practicing his speech, and felt amused.

It wasn't until Jia Cong's feet were sore from standing that the auspicious time came.The official of the Ministry of Rites invited the emperor to take the emperor's clothes and lead him into the Hall of Supreme Harmony.At this time, the Zhonghe Shaoyue played the Longping movement, and only three whips were heard from the steps below, which was crisp and melodious.After the whip was sounded, Danbi played the Qingping movement with great music, and the ministers who read the scrolls and other officials knelt three times and kowtowed nine times to the emperor.Shen Dashi entered the hall and took out the yellow list from the yellow case in Dongying, and gave it to the Minister of Rites, and put it on the yellow case in the middle of Danbi.At this time, Danbi Dale played again, and the officials of Honglu Temple introduced new Jinshi to their positions, and read out the imperial edict: "In the year of Wushen, on the day of Xuyuemao, we will test the tribute scholars all over the world. Give Jinshi's background, and the third grade bestows the same Jinshi's background." Then pass the call of the officials, and each person will go out and bow to the ground according to the ceremony, and say long live, after the roll call, the drums and music are masterpieces, from the bachelor to the third rank and above. And the new Jinshi all perform three kneeling and nine knocking rituals, and Zhonghe Shaoyue plays the movement of Xianping.Then the champion of the new department came out of the class and recited the form of gratitude. This was an old practice, but the champion of Meng was probably too nervous, and he stuttered while reading, which made people frown.After reading it with great difficulty, the emperor issued a reward, and the Hall of Central Harmony gave a banquet. After receiving the banquet, he returned to the Hall of Supreme Harmony to give thanks.

After all this, although it was late spring weather, Jia Cong was sweating profusely, and his court clothes were soaked through.Tired and hungry after coming out, Cai An came to greet him with a smile, and helped Jia Cong into the car. There was already a food basket in the car, which contained a plate of steaming noodle tea and a plate of hot noodle dumplings.Jia Cong took a sip of the sweet and stomach-warming noodle tea, heaved a sigh of relief, and said, "My boy, this one is too much to eat." Cai An chuckled, and said, "Third Master, this is the most famous tea on Chang'an Street. Snacks are usually not allowed to enter the house. The servants bought them and tasted good. Today they are discussing outside. I must be hungry when I come out, so I bought them for filial piety at the time, and I will use them while they are hot. The banquet at home has also been set down."

Jia Cong nodded: When a person is developed, even the servants who serve him are more attentive than before.He ate a few more hot noodle dumplings, which were stuffed with zucchini, egg and shrimp skin. Although the stuffing was vegetarian, they were fresh and fragrant, extremely delicious, much better than the high-grade imperial banquets he had eaten.When I returned to Jia's mansion for a while, there were indeed banquets and relatives and friends. When Jia Cong came back, everyone smiled and started a banquet.During the banquet, I talked about Jia Cong's article, this one said "The princes lament, the emperor uses Jia", and the other praised "It reads like a beautiful brocade of a famous flower, which is dark but new; it is also like the clear waves of Taiye, and the bright stars."

In the midst of the excitement, before the wine had passed three tours, the court's decree came down: Feng Jia Cong was edited by the Hanlin Academy, awarded Jinshi and a plaque, and gave gold medals, colored satin, imperial food, robes and hats, etc., Jia Cong Kneel to receive Xie En in front of the incense table.Jia Amnesty invited the imperial envoys to have tea, and after seeing off the guests, he took Jia Cong to the ancestral hall in person, and placed the rewards on the incense table, and the plaque of Jinshi and rank was also hung high on the gate of Rongguo Mansion.For the next month, Jia Cong competed for food and drink, and there was no peaceful day. There were hairpin flower banquets for Jinshi of the same department, teacher appreciation banquets, fellow countrymen banquets, congratulatory banquets for relatives, and return invitations—less than half a month, Jia Cong So a rash of herpes developed on my waist, and I got "snake sores", which was very painful.

For a while, I asked the doctor to take the medicine again, and I was so busy that I turned my back on my back.Jia Cong knew that it was caused by his nervousness and poor diet during this period of time. He was afraid of laughing at others, so he closed the door to thank the guests and took good care of himself. He drank Longdan Xiegan Decoction every day. Reduce comfrey, raw land, scutellaria baicalensis, mountain gardenia, bupleurum, etc.; after half a month, I was cured, and then I went to the Hanlin Academy every day to respond to errands.

He finally calmed down here, and went to the Hanlin Academy every day in an orderly manner. Because he was young, there was not much work in the Imperial Academy, and he only followed his room teacher, Master Shen, to compile "Tong Yao of Ancient and Modern Classics and History", and he no longer had to study stereotyped writing. Articles, instead, focus on more interesting classics and history, and even ancient and modern miscellaneous books and strange essays, which are very regular.

But Mrs. Xing said that ever since Baoyu and Baochai got engaged, she had started to worry about herself. That night, she uncharacteristically sent her dowry nun Wang Shanbao's family to invite Jia She to come to the upper room to discuss matters.Jia She has many concubines, it is rare to come to Mrs. Xing's room, and Mrs. Xing does not court him. It is very rare to see him here, so she picks her teeth after dinner.

Mrs. Xing invited Jia She to sit down and brought tea herself. Jia She took a sip of the tea and said, "What's the matter, just tell me quickly." Mrs. Xing smiled and said, "I just want to ask the master to discuss Cong'er's marriage."

"Oh?" Jia She became interested as soon as he heard it, "Which one have you spotted?"

Seeing him like this, Mrs. Xing became more confident and said: "I thought that since Baoyu in the second room was married to Miss Bao from the Xue family, and Cong'er was also married to him, I will hire Miss Lin for him. The master thinks, Miss Lin is the granddaughter of the old lady. All these years, her heart aches. Everyone in the family knows that the old lady wants to keep Miss Lin in Jia's house. Naturally, she should be assigned to Baoyu. Like it, relying on the power of the empress in the palace, she insisted on pointing Miss Bao to Baoyu. Now the old lady is distressed and angry, if the master asks Miss Lin for Cong'er, it will follow the old lady's heart; let alone Miss Lin She is the master's niece, her family background is noble, not to mention her appearance, even though she lost her parents, now the Lin family is also rich and powerful, why would the master not do it?"

Why did Jia She say: "That's true, but Miss Lin's dowry has been used to build a garden, even if the old lady cares about her, there is still a limit..."

Mrs. Xing laughed and said, "Oh, sir, think about it, how much does the old lady love Daiyu, how can she treat her badly? The old lady has saved herself since she was a girl, and it is nothing more than leaving it to Daiyu and Baoyu. If you don't marry Daiyu, then you will give it all to Baoyu. Also, I usually chat with Aunt Lin, and from what she said, Mrs. Lin didn't send all her belongings to Beijing with confidence. Half of it was handed over to the Lin family, so the Lin family also prepared a dowry for Daiyu."

Jia She's eyes lit up: "I know that the construction of the Grand View Garden cost two or three million taels of silver from the Lin family. If there is still such a share, it really can't fall into the hands of outsiders—you can ask the old lady tomorrow, see the old lady." Should the wife agree, and the Lin family don't know if they treat Daiyu so well, do they want to use her to climb high branches?"

Mrs. Xing clapped her hands and laughed: "Oh, my lord. The old lady naturally agrees. Now that Cong'er has won the Tanhua, isn't she the most promising of her children? As for the Lin family, to be honest, I think Aunt Lin is not the best. It's not someone who counts on his niece to climb high, and we all know that Miss Lin will be rationed to Baoyu. After all, this is not a good thing for the reputation of the girl's family. The Jia family—from every aspect, Cong'er is the best candidate."

At present, the husband and wife have discussed it, and they will go to visit Jia's mother the next day. Jia's mother is very happy, and the eldest son and daughter-in-law will be more happy again.Turning around, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law called Sister Feng, and discussed that Yang Qing's wife would be a matchmaker and go to the Lin family to ask for marriage.Aunt Lin was in the middle of her heart, so she said to discuss with Daiyu. Daiyu didn't say anything at first, so Aunt Lin analyzed it with her in detail. In addition, she didn't have any ill feeling towards Jia Cong, and this time Jia Cong got a chance to find a flower, just like herself. Father was the same as before, and recently she often dreamed of her mother, and when talking to her, she also intended to marry her to Jia Cong, so she nodded aggrievedly.

So the two families hired, passed the ceremony, and happily arranged the marriage.