Not long after, a servant from the mansion came to greet Wang Zhi and go to the dining room for breakfast.
Wang Zhi went there in response. When he entered the dining room, he saw his two children and the Zhong family were already seated, and there was also a beautiful woman in her early twenties with hair tied up in a bun. This attire meant that she was married and she was Wang Zhi's. Sister-in-law, Wang Hang’s mother-in-law, Mrs. Liu.
"Uncle is here, sit down and eat quickly."
Mrs. Liu gave Xiao Wang Hang a mouthful of hot porridge, watched Wang Zhi come in, and greeted him with a smile.
"Good morning, sister-in-law."
Wang Zhi responded enthusiastically and wanted to tease the little guy, but seeing A Niang's still dark expression, he could only sit down.
There are soup cakes, steamed buns, fried dough sticks, glutinous rice cakes, porridge and several plates of side dishes on the dining table. Breakfast is very simple. They are all bought on the street. Each portion only costs more than ten cents, which is more cost-effective than lighting a fire in the house to cook. There were a lot of people, there was no technology or hard work during this period, and no one was worried about health issues.
Wang Zhi had just sat down and picked up a bowl of soup cakes before he took two bites when he heard Xiao Wang Ling say from the opposite side: "Cui'er, why don't you eat?"
Tweety?
What Tweety?
Is there a servant named Cui'er in the house? Why don't you know?
Wang Zhi raised his head and looked at his sister, and saw little Wang Ling asking her mother.
Looking at A Niang again, he saw A Niang looking at him with a dark face. Wang Zhi screamed inwardly, stopped eating the soup cakes, picked up two steamed buns and ran away.
"Stop!" Mrs. Zhong slapped her chopsticks and shouted.
"Um...Auntie...I just remembered that there is a policy test in the school today. I have to get there quickly, otherwise it will be too late." Wang Zhi turned around and forced a smile.
"Do you still know that you are a prince?"
"Tell yourself how many times you have been to Taixue this month?"
"Every time I say I'm going to school, I either go out to fool around or go to fight. I haven't settled yesterday's matter with you, so what do I want to do out there!!"
Mr. Zhong had a serious face, and his son couldn't lift his head.
"Tui'er, beat him." Xiao Wang Ling was standing by, fearing that the world would not be in chaos.
"Hit uncle, uncle is a bad guy." Xiao Wang Hang was also waving his little fist beside him.
"Shut up and eat your food. If you dare to waste food again, I will beat you to death."
Xiao Wang Ling finally got angry and was scolded by her mother, so she obediently lowered her head and slurped the steamed buns one bite at a time.
Just after the scene calmed down, Mr. Zhong spoke again: "Your father wrote a letter yesterday."
"Has Dad returned from writing? Did he say when he will be back? And eldest brother, he said he wanted to send me a big white horse. Has he found it?"
When Wang Zhi heard the letter from his father, he immediately smiled and asked questions one after another. When he saw that his mother's face was getting darker and darker, he wisely shut his mouth.
Mr. Zhong glared at his son and said, "Your father said that the rebellion has been put down. It will take more than a month at most. He will return home after the follow-up matters are arranged."
"Oh ha, great, daddy and eldest brother are finally coming back!"
Wang Zhi happily trotted up behind Zhong and pushed her shoulders. Little Wang Ling also danced and celebrated loudly, and even little Wang Hang laughed. Although he didn't understand why his uncle and aunt were so happy, his father He had just turned one year old when he and his eldest father went to fight against Fangla. He could not even walk. He had no memory. It was just that children's happiness was very simple. When adults were happy, he was also happy.
Seeing the happy expressions of her three children, Mrs. Zhong finally lost her sullen face and comfortably enjoyed her son's massage. She said, "Your father said in the letter that he will go to Cao's house to settle your marriage when he comes back this time." , after all, the current situation is unstable, I don’t know when I will leave and I won’t be able to return home for a few years, so the marriage must be settled as soon as possible, for the sake of the Cao family, lest people think that I, the Wang family, have other thoughts.”
"But…"
Wang Zhi hesitated to speak. He was a little excited, but at the same time he was a little depressed. He, the eldest son, had never felt depressed before. It was only in terms of personal feelings. He was at a loss for two generations.
"But what?"
"But the young lady of the Cao family said that she doesn't like me. She said that she likes men who can settle down the world with their pens and men with martial arts. She doesn't like an ignorant dandy like me."
Hearing this, Mrs. Zhong chuckled and said: "Silly boy, what does a little girl's family know? What girl's family doesn't like a man with both civil and military skills? But this ideal is an ideal, reality is reality, life is nothing more than daily necessities, etc. Just get married and get used to it."
"Besides, this matter of marriage, parents' orders for a matchmaker, how can a little girl like her speak for it? My Wang family and Cao family are family friends, and we have always been in the same boat. Your marriage has been decided since you were young. If the Cao family does not marry, their reputation will be ruined and they will not be able to gain a foothold in the world."
Zhong seemed to have recalled something as he spoke, and said with emotion: "Earlier, I didn't like your father either. I felt that he was incompetent in literature and martial arts, and had nothing but recklessness. But later on, I experienced a lot. Seeing that other families have a lot of feathers, I feel that your father is quite good. At least he never flirts with women outside. He only has this family in his heart. For a woman, this is enough."
Mrs. Liu was also comforting at this time: "Yes, uncle, you are still young, it is normal to be playful. How can a young man of your age not be playful? As long as you can take care of your family and love your wife after you get married, Son, not looking for flowers and willows outside is more important than anything in the arts or martial arts."
Mr. Zhong nodded and said, "Yes, you should learn more from your father and your eldest brother and go less to places with fireworks, so as not to ruin your reputation and make people think that my Wang family is not good at educating children."
Wang Zhi looked around at Wang Fu's absence and said aggrievedly: "Oh, mother, I told you, I'm only going to accompany them. Talents need beautiful women to show their reputation. There are so many talented people in Imperial College. They don't want to go there." How to stand out."
In the Song Dynasty, literati and students all needed literary spirit, which is explained by the literati's reputation.
There is no fixed appreciation standard for these poems and songs. Personal preferences and styles are different, and the aesthetics are naturally different. But when a person becomes famous and is sought after by everyone, and has a celebrity effect, the taste of the public will also tilt accordingly.
It is easier to win the favor of high-ranking officials and nobles when you have literary talent. If a student can be appreciated by academic officials and examiners, he can reach the sky in one step.
When the imperial examination system was still in place, candidates from all walks of life would go to Beijing in advance to build a reputation. This is why.
Where does this literary spirit come from? Naturally, it comes from word of mouth.
Is there any place where good stories are more likely to happen than in a place where talented people and beautiful women gather together with fireworks?
Moreover, the brothels at this time were essentially different from the brothels of later generations. It was not just a matter of men and women. Most of them were prostitutes who were prostitutes rather than prostitutes. Most of them came from famous families and were forced to enter brothels after being impoverished. However, they were good at playing music, chess, calligraphy and painting. It can be said that he has both talent and appearance.
Of course there are women who sell themselves in brothels, but their number is extremely rare, and most of them only serve one person, no different from lovers.
There are places that are purely engaged in the flesh and blood business, but they are not called brothels, but kilns. They are of a lower grade, and dignitaries and talented people rarely go to places like brothels.
Naturally, Mr. Zhong knew that the customs of this dynasty were such that literati would gather in Fireworks Alley and Willowland to recite poems and write lyrics. Since his son had entered Imperial College, he would have to deal with those warblers and swallows, but he suddenly thought of what happened last night. 'Tui'er' couldn't help but get angry again.
"Don't be too happy too early. Your dad said in the letter that this March, you will have to take the public examination and enter the inner dormitory no matter what. As long as you enter the inner dormitory and wait for your father to come back and do some activities, you will be able to do something. If he takes an official position and goes to the Cao family to propose marriage, it will be easier for him to open his mouth and the Cao family will look high on him."
Wang Zhi was dumbfounded when he heard this. He had taken the exam four times and failed every time. Later, he gave up and came to the conclusion that the civil service path was not suitable for him.
"Auntie, why did you let me do literature and my eldest brother do martial arts in the first place? Look at my muscles."
Wang Zhi said as he lifted up the sleeves of his arms and showed them, "Look, with my eldest brother's small body, if I punch him, our family will have a banquet on the spot."
"Begging for a beating!"
As soon as Mr. Zhong raised his hand, Wang Zhi dodged away. Looking at his son who was hiding behind Xiao Ling'er, only his head was visible. Mr. Zhong also said helplessly: "You were very smart when you were a child. Who would have thought that when you grow up, you will not be as smart as you?" When I was a child, I don’t know if I had a high fever one year and burned out my brain.”
"Auntie, was my second brother very smart when he was a child? Is he smarter than me?"
Xiao Ling'er looked dissatisfied.
Zhong asked her, "How many poems can you recite?"
Xiao Ling'er clasped her little fingers and muttered to count, and then affirmed: "Eight poems, I can recite eight poems. Where was my second brother when he was a child?"
"Your second brother, you can recite 300 Tang poems at the age of three. You are already ten years old this year and you can recite eight poems. Are you ashamed?" Zhong said while scratching her nose.
"Ah? Second brother was so powerful when he was a kid!"
Xiao Ling'er turned back to look at his second brother, her eyes filled with little stars.
The second brother Wang was also a little confused at this time. He couldn't remember most of the things from his childhood. As for the three hundred Tang poems, thirty is too much to think about now. Many poems can only be remembered one or two sentences. I think it may be that later generations at that time The memory has just traveled through time, and many things are still fresh in my memory. Now as time goes by, the impression of that memory is getting weaker and weaker.
Of course, the atmosphere has been heightened to this point. If you don't pretend to be a pen at this time, you will be punished by God. Wang Erlang immediately cleared his throat, touched Wang Ling's little head and said proudly: "That's it, your second brother, I have been with you since childhood. You are witty, smart and eager to learn. You should learn from me, your second brother, and be a good boy who is sensible and listens to your second brother."
"Uh-huh!"
Xiao Ling'er nodded her head like garlic. Her second brother, who could recite 300 Tang poems at the age of three, completely conquered her young heart. Looking at her three-year-old nephew who still needed to be fed by his sister-in-law, Xiao Ling'er felt more attached to her second brother. It's worship.
