On the first day after returning to his hometown, what happened on this day was actually different from what Song Erniu had imagined before.
There are many ways in Song Erniu's imagination, but they are basically inseparable from the word "showing off"... For him, the reason why he went to such great lengths to return home in fine clothes was largely to satisfy his inner vanity. …
Yes, Song Erniu is such a vulgar person.
I have worked so hard to get rich. If I don't show it off, wouldn't I be wasting my money?
Humans are social animals, and most of the satisfaction people feel is not because of what you get, but because you get something that others cannot get.
Comparison is the deep source of happiness.
Song Erniu is just a layman, he just wants to let the people in his hometown know that he is successful... In the past, you looked down on the cowherd boy who thought he would accomplish nothing, and he became a millionaire!
So before returning to his hometown, Song Erniu actually imagined a lot of grand scenes... It's just a pity that when he actually arrived home and met his parents, many of the things he had imagined before suddenly became not so important. .
For example, Song Erniu had thought before that on the first day he returned to his hometown, he would give out red envelopes to the villagers one by one...for no other reason than to let the elders in his hometown know that he, Song Erniu, was prosperous...and prosperous. I have not forgotten the people in my hometown and will give them red envelopes... and then naturally enjoy the compliments and even envy and hatred of the elders in my hometown!
For this purpose, he specially prepared a lot of cash and gold coins... As for handing out red envelopes, handing out banknotes is so light that it doesn't feel shocking. It would be much better to just hand out gold coins.
It doesn’t need to be much. One gold coin is issued to each person. In fact, the cost is only a few hundred yuan. After all, the population of Shuangshan Village is not large. Apart from the young and strong labor force who go out to work, the number of people staying in the hometown is estimated to be only a few hundred. people.
Spending hundreds of Chu Yuan, you will gain the compliments, envy, jealousy and hatred of the whole village.
Song Erniu thought it was a very cost-effective business.
But when the matter came to an end, Song Erniu simply forgot about it.
When the housekeeper asked him in the evening if he would still give out the red envelopes... Song Erniu thought for three seconds and finally said: "We won't give out the gold coin red envelopes anymore. We will give some of the local specialties we brought back from America to our relatives." Just go.”
"Tomorrow you will send someone to meet with the town officials and tell them that I plan to donate a sum of money to repair the junior primary school in the village and the upper primary school in the town, and prepare a scholarship to reward students with good academic performance and poor families!"
Directly throwing money away is not always a good idea. Just give some souvenir gifts as a token of appreciation, and then do something really reliable for the folks: supporting education.
After so many years of working outside, Song Erniu knew the importance of studying... If he had attended junior high school when he was a boy, he wouldn't have been working to death on the factory assembly line and earning less than a few bucks when he went out to work. money.
When he arrived in America and started doing business, it was also because of his insufficient education that it was very troublesome to deal with many things. For this reason, he hired many tutors at high prices to teach him.
However, how many people can be like him and hire several tutors to teach them?
This kind of expenditure is not something ordinary people can afford, and it is not even something ordinary adults would do if they have money.
The best time for a person to study is when he is young.
After this time point, it will be difficult for most people to improve culturally. Economic ability is a difficulty, and driving force is even more difficult.
Therefore, Song Erniu wants to provide some financial support to the junior primary school in his hometown and the senior primary school in the town, so that the children in his hometown can obtain a better education level in primary school.
As for the future middle school and even college stages... He, Song Erniu, is not their father, so he can't control that much!
Even if he wants to provide larger-scale education funding, he will go to the place where his company is located, that is, Jinshan Prefecture to do it.
From the perspective of businessmen like Song Erniu, charity and career are often linked... Charity in Jinshan Prefecture can win the favor of the local government and allow companies to gain more support. At the same time, it can also I can better integrate into the local upper class society.
As for making large donations to my hometown where I don’t know how many times I will come back in the next few decades, that is really charity...
It's okay to have a small fight, but it's not necessary to go further.
After all, Song Erniu is still a common person!
Song Erniu got up early the next morning... To be honest, he didn't sleep well that night. There were so many things in his mind that he didn't fall asleep until midnight, and then woke up again in the morning. , once I wake up, I can’t fall asleep again.
In the morning, Song Erniu, accompanied by his eldest brother Song Daniu, went out to visit several relatives, brought some American native products, and gave some red envelopes to several elder relatives.
In the afternoon, I discussed with my family and clan elders about ancestor worship. Ancestor worship is also an important part of Song Erniu’s trip back to his hometown!
Although this will not be Qingming or any other festival, and it is not suitable for worshiping ancestors, Song Erniu has come all the way back from America, and it is impossible to stay in his hometown for too long. He will set off again in a month or two at most. Returning to America, I don’t know when I will come back next time.
So I had to do the sacrifice first regardless of the timing.
So, I quietly took the big red envelope from the housekeeper, and looked at the fortune teller who showed Song Erniu's approximate itinerary... After making some calculations very conscientiously, I finally patted my chest in front of the clan elders and said, five days later it will be It is a very good day for worshiping ancestors. There is no other day in the coming year that is more suitable for worshiping ancestors!
This time is very important...
It was too early. The preparations for the sacrifice were too hurried, and they couldn't do it even if they wanted to... But it was too late, and Song Erniu didn't have enough time... After all, he had a lot to do when he got home, and there was a blind date waiting for him later. How can we arrange a sacrifice in the midst of a blind date and even subsequent marriage arrangements...
Therefore, the fortune teller will look at the time to arrange the itinerary. Of course, he will also follow the arrangements in the almanac.
Everyone can see the various good days in the almanac, and he can't fool him casually. After all, he has to choose an auspicious day for sacrifice that is written in the almanac.
Therefore, after all the calculations, only five days later are suitable... In the lunar calendar, it is an auspicious day for sacrifices. With the buffer time, the sacrifices can be prepared and arranged, and it will not be too late, affecting subsequent blind dates or even marriages, etc.
Everyone was very satisfied!
The fortune teller got a big red envelope. The clan elders were very satisfied when they heard that it was a good and auspicious day. Song Erniu's time arrangement was also very good.
The next day, Song Erniu continued to be busy. He brought gifts and went to visit his childhood teacher who had taught him for many years...well, that is, the village's primary school teacher.
Even though industry and commerce were developed in the Da Chu Empire, it was still a traditional feudal dynasty at its core. The imperial officials had always set their own standards for governing the country with benevolence and filial piety, and still followed traditional social moral concepts, focusing on heaven, earth, king, and Dear, teacher.
Leaving aside the two prefixes of heaven and earth, they basically only exist verbally...but the last three are very important.
Jun, refers to loyalty to the emperor and patriotism... This has always been the focus of the etiquette work of the Great Chu Empire. From primary school textbooks to university textbooks, and even to various government-run newspapers in society, the concept of loyalty to the emperor has always been A highly respected concept.
In order to promote this concept, the Chu Empire even wrote biographies of loyal ministers for some famous figures who were loyal to Chongzhen, fought to the death, and resisted the Chu army in the pre-Ming Dynasty, and spoke highly of their loyalty and patriotism... At that time, the generals of the Chu State wanted to cut off the heads of these people and hang them on the city walls to publicize their illustrious martial arts...
But now, they are repairing the tombs of these loyal ministers in the late Ming Dynasty who once resisted the Chu army and publicizing their deeds!
Tell people that their loyal and patriotic behavior is worthy of praise...
He also criticized some of the Ming courtiers who betrayed the Ming Dynasty in the late Ming Dynasty... Even some of the courtiers who betrayed the Ming Dynasty actually defected to the Chu Empire and thus became the emperor's courtiers... but they were still selected. Criticize part of it.
The most important thing here is to emphasize the establishment of a universal social concept of loyalty to the emperor and patriotism, so that people know that loyalty to the emperor is the only correct thing.
Today's Chu people have been indoctrinated with this concept since they were primary school students. When they become adults, they experience long-term baptism of relevant information. They are very receptive to the concept of loyalty to the emperor.
In the early days of the Chu Empire and now, there has been a great change in attitudes towards different ministers in the late Ming Dynasty... In the early years, some loyal ministers in the late Ming Dynasty, such as Lu Xiangsheng, were slandered and criticized, and Lu Xiangsheng was almost not included. He is said to be a corrupt official, a reactionary die-hard member of a decadent dynasty...
But now, the propaganda caliber has changed again, and it has begun to praise Lu Xiangsheng for his loyalty to the emperor and patriotism and his final fight to the death!
These criticisms or praises are not Luo Zhixue's personal preference for them, but purely out of the need for political propaganda...
In the past, the foundation of the empire was not yet solid, and it was extremely vigilant about the remnants of the Ming Dynasty, such as the old and the young. It not only destroyed human bodies, but also continued to smear the Ming Dynasty in public opinion, thereby confirming its own Chu Empire. Dynastic correctness, etc.
But now, the foundation of the empire has been extremely solid, and the so-called remnants of the Ming Dynasty have long been wiped out. People even have a dislike for the Ming Dynasty decades ago.
The empire was too lazy to slander the Ming Dynasty. Instead, it began to promote the Ming Dynasty in a more positive way, such as the emperor's defense of the country, policies such as discord, and propaganda for some loyal ministers. The overturning of Lu Xiangsheng's case was the most typical one. example of.
During this period, the Ministry of Rites and Education of the Chu Empire no longer cared about the people's favorable opinion of the Ming Dynasty, but began to pay more attention to the construction of social ethics and morality.
Loyalty to the emperor is the most important part.
However, the concept of loyalty to the emperor is not independent, but is paired with other concepts, such as relatives... which means filial piety to relatives and obedience to elders, and this is also the filial piety in the benevolent and filial rule of the country that the empire's top officials continue to promote.
Loyalty and filial piety, these two words have been paired together since ancient times!
When talking about loyalty, you cannot leave out the word filial piety!
The former means military affairs, the latter means family!
What Confucianism often talks about is cultivating oneself, managing one's family, governing the country, and bringing peace to the world. In fact, loyalty and filial piety are at the core.
The teachers in Heaven and Earth are also part of the traditional social ethics. Respecting teachers and respecting the Tao is one of the basic morals of a wide range of society.
The Great Chu Empire is no exception!
Therefore, the teachers in the Da Chu Empire actually had a very high social status... they were very respected by people. The official even used the word "Mr." as a special term to refer to teachers as a sign of respect... Teachers used to be generally called "Jiao Xi" and "Shan Chang" , or titles such as tutor, teacher, sir, etc. However, many titles, such as teacher, are just job titles and cannot show respect.
The title "teacher" is a general title, not only referring to teachers, but also including elders...
So the official simply used the word 'sir' as a proprietary honorific for teachers!
When Song Erniu returned to his hometown, he spent the first day with his family, and the second day with his family and clan elders, talking about such important things as ancestor worship.
It reflects filial piety!
On the third day, he brought a generous gift to visit his childhood teacher, showing respect for his teacher...
The visit this time was different from the visit to relatives yesterday. There was no ostentatious pomp, and even the gifts were not simple local products. Instead, they rode in an ordinary carriage in a very low-key manner, wearing traditional blue Confucian clothes. service, and the gifts chosen for the visit are also carefully selected gifts.
A good set of pen, ink, paper, and a picture of cold bamboo... It seems elegant, but it is actually very expensive!
The stationery was nothing, but the painting of cold bamboo was the work of a well-known painter, and it was very expensive... If his teacher was short of money that day, he would sell it for two to three hundred yuan in a minute.
Giving gifts to scholars should not be too vulgar...
But it can't be too cheap... What does it mean that a big boss like you comes back to see the teacher and gives him such a shabby gift? Look down on me?
So in order to avoid trouble, Song Erniu chose a set of stationery and a set of calligraphy and painting on the advice of his previous secretary, which was elegant yet thoughtful...
The trip to visit the teacher went smoothly. His teacher had actually forgotten that there was a person like Song Erniu... After all, when Song Erniu was a boy in school, he was neither one of the talented ones with good academic performance, nor was he naughty. That group belongs to those who are neither above nor below, and have no sense of existence.
It was only in recent years that there were rumors that Song Erniu had made a fortune in America, and his teacher recalled that he had such a student.
When Song Erniu came to visit, he was naturally happy... After all, his student became a millionaire, which was a good thing anyway.
Furthermore, Song Erniu was also very good at dealing with people, especially the painting he gave him, which was very popular with the teacher.
After visiting the teacher, Song Erniu rested at home for a few days, chatted with his parents, and went to the garment factory run by Brother Song.
This garment factory is small in scale and mainly deals in canvas work clothes. This kind of clothes is strong and wear-resistant and is very suitable for workers to wear when working.
During this period, Song Erniu also continued to inquire about the situation of the Chen family in the county, but still had no formal contact...
One is from a well-established scholarly family. Even if they want to get married, they have to do it slowly. There are all kinds of rules. Moreover, they are actually a little worried about Song Erniu. After all, Song Erniu became famous in America. Everyone knows that he is rich and wealthy, but the Chen family actually doesn't know the specific situation. Therefore, the Chen family also knows about Song Erniu's situation through Brother Song and others.
One is a newly wealthy person. Although Song Erniu wants to marry a legitimate daughter from the upper class, he does not want a legitimate daughter from the upper class. He is also sending people to quietly inquire about the Chen family's legitimate daughter. Situation, such as appearance, personality, etc.
Both parties are inquiring about each other's situation, and will not enter the so-called blind date process until the basic investigation is clear.
After all, to be honest, this is a marriage between two upper-class families, and it involves a lot of things... If nothing else, the betrothal gift alone is an astronomical figure for ordinary people... and there are also some business matters. Cooperation, for example, after the Chen family heard that Song Erniu was investing in building a factory in the country, they politely asked if they could also take a ride and take a share...
Well, if Song Erniu, a suddenly rich man, wants to marry the direct daughter of the Chen family and borrow the reputation of the Chen family's century-old scholarly family, he has to pay a price, right...
After all, this is not free love, but a marriage between two families.
Without benefits, what kind of marriage is there...
As for the Chen family, once the Chen family's legitimate daughter gets married, she will have to follow Song Erniu back to America to live. It's hard to say how many times she can come back in the future.
Moreover, the Chen family has certain concerns about the low social status of the Song family and the impact on the reputation of the Chen family.
In fact, both parties have quite a lot of concerns. It's not just that they talk about marriage in the first place, but they can get married in the back.
However, this kind of inquiry always has its head. After Song Erniu successfully completed the ancestor worship in his hometown, he also got more detailed information about the Chen family and the Chen family's legitimate daughter.
As he expected, the Chen family really only had their reputation left... Everything else, especially their assets, were almost in deficit, and in order to maintain a decent life in this upper-class society, the expenses could not be too small, so they began to sell off Some real estate.
According to what I heard about the daughter of the Chen family, her personality should be pretty good, and as for her appearance, I got a sketch of her. She looks dignified and ladylike, and her figure and appearance are not bad either. It looks pretty good.
But it's hard to say whether it's true or not. Song Erniu felt that it was still necessary to get in touch with the direct daughter of the Chen family in person. If she was not ugly, then Song Erniu felt that this marriage was still feasible.
But it still depends on what the Chen family means... As for the marriage, both parties must feel good about it.
So, he told his elder brother about the relevant ideas.
Afterwards, Brother Song went out to have tea with the eldest son of the Chen family, watched a play, and fully exchanged opinions.
When he came back later, he told Song Erniu that the Chen family was quite satisfied with Song Erniu's personal situation, that they were quite willing to marry, and that they recognized the need for further in-depth contact between the two parties.
Brother Song has made an appointment with the eldest son of the Chen family to take their families to Feng Lai Peak Road on the outskirts of the county to see flowers on the morning of the day after tomorrow. The eldest daughter of the Chen family will also go there.
At that time, as long as Song Erniu follows him, he will naturally be able to see the direct daughter of the Chen family.
While Song Erniu was talking to Brother Song and discussing how to deal with the specific matters of the flower viewing tour the day after tomorrow, in a large traditional Jiangnan garden in the western suburbs of the county, a young woman listened silently to the man in front of her. The young lady's eyes turned red at these words.
After a long time, the middle-aged lady sighed and said: "Mom, this is for your own good. Although the Song family is not well-known at home, they are a new industrial and commercial elite. I heard that Song Erniu is also an industrial and commercial tycoon in Jinshan, America. He is quite famous. Fame; people have inquired about Song Erniu’s mother, she is a gentle and capable person, you won’t be wronged if you get married!”
"And the situation at home...you also know. Your father is in the government office every day. He doesn't care about the family except getting money. Your eldest brother is worried about the family every day. Not long ago, the wages in the textile factory could not be paid. You My sister-in-law had to sell the shop she bought as a dowry to raise money!"
The young woman raised her head, stopped the tears in her eyes to prevent them from falling, and asked softly: "I know, so I didn't object...just...just..."
The next moment, the young woman lowered her head and covered her face. Tears fell from her fingers and wet the already slightly old carpet...
(End of chapter)
