Huiyin Garden was originally the garden of Bai Juyi in the Tang Dynasty. Later, after several transfers, it came into the hands of the Zhang family. It is known as a house of five acres and a garden of ten acres, with a pond of water and thousands of bamboo poles. During the Jingkang period, the Zhang family fled, and Wang Xiao hunted into Luoyang. It had already become ownerless.
After entering the city, Wang Xiaolie ordered his men to register all the ownerless houses and not allow them to be occupied privately. Some with beautiful scenery will be renovated and turned into parks open to the public. This place is located in the outer city, a bit remote, and few people come here.
Wang Xiao ordered Cui Qing to bring wine and food, got the fishing gear himself, and invited Zhang Qi to go fishing in Huiyin Garden.
When he arrived at the pool, Cui Qing placed a small table with wine and food on it, and then went aside with his soldiers. Zhang Qi and Wang Xiaolie were left alone.
Wang Xiaolie took out the fishing gear in a nonchalant manner, picked up a fat earthworm, hung it, and threw it into the water. Asked Zhang Qi: "Zicai, do you like fishing?"
Zhang Qi said: "Back to Xuanfu, Xiaomin is not good at this. To be honest, today is the first time."
Wang Xiaolie smiled and said: "That's just right. When I was a boy of six or seven years old, I took a bamboo pole to the river to fish in the summer. I fished here and there, but only caught a few small finger-long fish. The last one was accidentally caught. I fell into the water and was beaten by my mother when I got home. From then on, I stopped doing this. The water bamboo in Huiyin Garden is the best in Luoyang. We can enjoy the scenery and chat here. If you can’t catch a fish, just let it go.”
Zhang Qi said: "This is the best!" He hung the bait on the hook and threw it into the water.
Wang Xiaolie poured wine and invited Zhang Qi to drink and fish at the same time.
After drinking, put down the glass. Wang Xiaolie said: "Brother Zhang is also an official. His fathers were officials in the court. Why don't you take the scientific examination?"
Zhang Qi said: "In recent years, my father has passed away and my mother is frail and sick. It is no longer easy for me to maintain a livelihood for my family. How can I dare to take the scientific examination? And I heard people say that the scientific examinations in the second year of Jianyan and this year are all similar examinations." , even the third person who has passed the exam has no official title.”
Wang Xiaolie nodded: "Yes, there is still a Jinshi in the second year of Jianyan who has a white body. It's okay if you don't take the scientific examination. Wait until the world settles down and then think of a solution."
Zhang Qi said: "I think so too."
Wang Xiaolie was about to speak when he suddenly noticed the fish floating in the water moving. He raised his hand and lifted the fishing rod. But I saw a red carp on the hook, waving its tail desperately. This carp is not small, it looks like it weighs more than two kilograms.
Putting away the fishing rod and taking out the carp, Wang Xiaolie couldn't help but feel surprised. Can you still catch fish with your skills? And also caught a red carp. Wang Xiaolie turned around and said to Cui Qing: "Come, come quickly, protect me!"
Cui Qing was stunned for a moment after hearing this, not knowing what Wang Xiaolie meant.
Wang Xiaolie pointed to the bamboo basket and said: "Bamboo basket, get it quickly! Otherwise, if it takes too long, the fish will die!"
Cui Qing hurriedly came over with the bamboo basket, put the carp in it, and put the bamboo basket into the water. The fish caught in this way cannot escape and will not die due to lack of water.
Zhang Qi said: "Xuanfu is so lucky! Not long after I set the hook, I caught a big carp!"
Wang Xiaolie said: "Perhaps no one has come here for too long. When the fish see the bait, they will eat it. It is really good luck to catch a red carp. When we go back, let's release it here. The pond here The fish in it are not as delicious as the carp in Luohe River."
Zhang Qi said yes. I also pulled up my fishing rod and took a look, but there was still no fish.
After packing up the fish, Wang Xiaolie was in a good mood and drank several glasses of wine. I ate another piece of melon and was still satisfied.
Re-baited and tossed the hook into the water. After watching the bait in silence for a while, Wang Xiaolie calmed down. He said to Zhang Qi: "My sister means that you two will get married in the autumn. I wonder if your family has chosen a date?"
Zhang Qi said: "Find someone to settle the matter. But my mother still feels dissatisfied. She is looking for any wise people around, so she has to ask herself."
Wang Xiaolie said: "It's already mid-June now, it's getting late, don't delay."
Zhang Qi said yes.
Wang Xiaolie added: "After you get married, how are you going to live? You can't continue to sell calligraphy and paintings. Although my sister didn't grow up in a wealthy family, my salary can still allow her to live a comfortable life. You can't marry into Life in your family has become tight."
Zhang Qi smiled awkwardly. He said: "My mother has discussed this matter with me many times, but we haven't come up with a suitable solution yet. I want to do business, but I am really not good at it. I want to be an official, but I have no fame."
Wang Xiaolie said: "If I want to be an official, it will not be difficult given my status. But I have always thought that an official is a public weapon and should not be given and received privately. I come from a small family and don't have many relatives. But I can also do this. Officials, that one is also an official, occupying the position, what about those people who are really talented and learned?"
Zhang Qi said: "I just thought about it and didn't do anything."
Wang Xiaolie nodded: "Of course it doesn't matter if you think about it, don't really want to do it. Let's get married, and you can live a good life. Make more money, and don't treat yourself badly. If you don't think of what to do for a while, I can An idea."
Zhang Qi was overjoyed. He said hurriedly: "I wonder what Xuanfu has in mind?"
Wang Xiaolie said: "You are in the calligraphy and painting business, and you have grown up in painting, so why not just do this? When I was in Xiangyang, there were several Hanlin officials waiting for imperial edicts, and they gathered under the Xuanfu Division for various reasons. They may have Those who are good at landscapes, or good at flowers and birds, are all masters of the world. These people are not suitable to be officials. But if it is completely pushed to the private sector, it is also unreasonable. I want to build a painting academy that is half official and half private. What do you do? ?”
Zhang Qi said: "I don't know what half-officials and half-citizens mean?"
Wang Xiaolie said: "Semi-officials, these people have official status, receive government subsidies, and also accept government tasks. For example, the Huizi we printed was painted by these people. Half-miners, these people They are not officials, and of course they have no rank. In their daily life, in addition to painting things for the government, they also sell calligraphy and paintings. The money they get is of course their own."
Zhang Qi nodded: "So that's what it means. It's a little different from the previous imperial edicts of the Hanlin Academy."
Wang Xiaolie said: "Of course it's different. The reason for being semi-official is because the government always needs some calligraphy and painting. If you buy it, the price is too high and it's not appropriate. Official status is worth some money. With that With this status, the calligraphy and paintings sold are more expensive. The reason why they are half-citizens is because if they are raised by the government, the government does not have so many calligraphy and paintings for them to paint, which is a waste of salary. So half-officials and half-citizens can be regarded as taking what they need. "
Zhang Qi thought for a while. He said: "Although I am good at painting, my level is really limited. As an official, who will obey me?"
Wang Xiaolie smiled and said: "You are my brother-in-law, who can dissatisfy you? The Taizhao here can draw and sell his paintings. The higher the skill, the more money he will sell. If the skill is not good, no one will buy his paintings. . You are just managing them with chores, so why should I obey you?"
Zhang Qi nodded, somewhat understanding what Wang Xiaolie meant.
To put it bluntly, this official cannot be treated as a normal official. Because the people under my command are all really capable and can make a living for themselves. Their status is determined by their own level, not by themselves. Taking care of these people yourself is a bit like doing odd jobs.
(The next chapter will be tomorrow morning, sorry.)
