Chapter 26: Add Wine, Turn on the Lights and Resume the Banquet (First Update)

Chen Heng finally returned to the previous inn to sleep in a common bed. There was no other way. No matter how heroic he was, he had to bow to the three words of hunger, cold and poverty. After all, no one can always hold his head up unless he has a tree canopy to shelter him from the wind and rain.

The environment of the common bed was very bad. At this time of year, those who came to Yangzhou were either literati, nobles and wealthy businessmen, or small people who came to make money from these people. The three big men who slept in the same room with Chen Heng were such people.

Among them were two cousins ​​from Shanxi, who were slightly younger. There was a middle-aged man who came from Zhejiang. They all heard about the prosperity of Yangzhou, and they didn't want to stay at home to farm, so they came to see if there was any opportunity to make a fortune.

Regarding the appearance of Chen Heng and his son, they were very talkative like every passerby who met by chance, and loved to chat about what they saw and heard from all over the world.

Among them, Brother Chen from Zhejiang had been to both Jinling and Yangzhou. He commented on them like this: The streets of Jinling belong to the sons of princes and nobles, who love riding horses and parading. I like everything that is lively and new. Most people in Jinling live in the alleys. Apart from the necessary stalls, it is actually difficult to notice them in the sun.

Because your eyes will only see those young men in bright clothes and riding horses.

Yangzhou is different. Yangzhou City has a strange charm that will make every Yangzhou person flock to the streets to enjoy the colorful world in front of them. But they are also holding the rich salt merchants in the sky without knowing it.

Speaking of this, Brother Chen licked his lips and sighed: To be honest, Yangzhou City is still more suitable for making a living. At least the rich businessmen can get some oil and water, but with the princes and sons, you can only encounter trouble.

After listening, Chen Heng could only answer with a long silence. After leaving Shanxi Village, when the excitement of seeing Yangzhou City dissipated, the real side of this world was exposed in front of him like a reef after the tide receded.

Shanxi Village is Shanxi Village, and Yangzhou City is Yangzhou City.

The land is separated by one side, and the people are separated by one world.

During the night rest, Chen Heng was protected by his father and lay in the innermost bunk bed. The quilt covering him had the unique smell of the plum rain season. The young man slept with his clothes on and walked into the deep moonlight.

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The next morning, when Chen Heng woke up, Brother Chen had not come back yet, and the cousins ​​from Shanxi had already gone out. Taking advantage of this time, he opened a book and read for a while. When Chen Qi bought sesame cakes from outside, the two hurriedly had breakfast. Brother Chen, who had worked outside all night, returned to the house tiredly. After a few simple exchanges, Brother Chen went to sleep.

In order to avoid disturbing him to rest, Chen Heng took the book and walked outside the inn and found a secluded corner. This is a stone pier by the river. There are few people and sunshine, and you can look at the gurgling river, which is just right for reading.

Chen Qi abided by the instructions of Zhou and Gu and did not leave his son's side. Even if he was reading, he would silently stay by his side, neither making a sound nor moving around.

After finishing his studies and daily homework, Chen Heng can prepare to go to the government office to register. This is a necessary process for everyone who takes the government exam. The government needs to determine how many people will take the exam.

The government office was very idle at noon. The yamen runner in charge of recording was sitting in the side room of the yamen. When he opened the document made by Taixing County, he made a surprised sound. His eyes paused on Chen Heng again, and then he picked up the document called "Appearance Book".

"Small and thin, yellow and round face, no mole, thick eyebrows."

This is the content of the appearance book, which is used by the government to check whether the candidates have been impersonated. Generally, only when the candidates confirm to take the exam can they go to the county to make a copy. After this exam, it will be useless.

When you take the exam next time, you have to make it again. After all, some people take the imperial examination for more than ten years. With such a long time span, it is impossible that there will be no changes at all.

After everything was verified, the yamen runner inexplicably congratulated him and asked him to leave the name of the inn where he lived. Chen Heng didn't know what to congratulate, so he just thought that the other party was wishing him a smooth test.

After everything was done, the only thing left was to go back to the inn and wait for the test. As long as Chen Heng made sure he didn't get sick in the next period of time, this trip to Yangzhou would be a big success.

When it was time for dinner, something happened. The shopkeeper came to the door and said: Someone came to the inn and asked for Chen Heng by name. Chen Heng himself was a little surprised. When he walked into the lobby, it turned out to be a stranger he didn't know.

Seeing that the visitor was dressed in extraordinary clothes, his expression was a bit arrogant. Although he came to the inn to find someone, he stood outside the inn, and seemed unwilling to step in.

"May I ask what you want to see me for, brother." Chen Heng stepped forward and asked.

The man stroked his beard a few times, smiling, and said, "It's Chen Heng, the first in the Taixing County case."

"It's me."

"Hahaha, congratulations, young master, congratulations, young master, my master was entrusted by the prefect to invite you to the mansion for a chat."

"I don't know who your master is? What does he want to see me for?" Chen Heng was a little confused, and he didn't have much good feelings for this man who sounded very important.

"My master is Feng Zhu, a well-known salt merchant in Yangzhou. I am the second-class steward in the mansion, and you can call me Steward Huang. This time, I really have something to congratulate you on."

The man clapped his hands, and a sedan chair trotted over from the alley. He pointed to the stopped sedan chair and said, "Please get on the sedan chair, young master has prepared a banquet in the mansion, waiting for you to arrive."

If Chen Heng is willing to agree, his father has not come back yet since he went out to buy dinner. Just as he was about to refuse, the sedan bearers came around behind him, lifted him up from left to right, and stuffed him into the sedan.

"Wait...wait a moment, my dad..."

"Young man, don't panic. The innkeeper will inform your family on your behalf." Manager Huang put down the curtain and said, "Get up the sedan."

Before Chen Heng could sit firmly in the sedan chair. The four bearers had already carried the sedan chair for more than ten steps. Seeing how this Huang Guanshi was acting, he was really overbearing and had no chance of rejection.

After a little panic, Chen Heng smiled bitterly and couldn't help but comfort himself: As soon as it comes, let's take care of it. It's useless to be nervous all the time. It's better to stay calm and plan the next response.

The imperial examination is about to take place, and no one would try to murder a scholar at this time. Especially for a case manager like him, if he misses the exam without any reason, it will be a top priority for the county government in any place.

Wanting to understand this, Chen Heng simply closed his eyes in the sedan chair and recalled the articles he had memorized. After a moment or so, Chen Heng heard the word "get off the sedan chair" from outside.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Manager Huang pulling up the curtain, smiling and sticking his head out, saying: "Young gentleman, please get out of the sedan quickly. The master has been waiting for you for a long time."

That said, when Chen Heng got off the sedan, there was no one at the gate to greet guests except a few concierges. Chen Heng didn't pay attention either. Under the dark light, he looked around but couldn't see any clues.

He could only follow the guidance of Manager Huang and walk towards the house without changing his expression. But as soon as he stepped through the door, he was immediately shocked by the sight in front of him.

Three men on the left and three maids on the right each held lanterns. They stood on both sides of the road and bowed slightly to salute. Before Chen Heng could react, they had already taken a small step to hold the lanterns around Chen Heng.

Shopkeeper Huang was accustomed to this and only made a gesture of invitation. The group of people continued walking towards the mansion, passing through rockery ponds and turning several corners, which really made everyone dizzy.

Why can Chen Heng see the environment clearly? It's so pitiful that the damn salt merchant hung lanterns all over the house, and even hung a Kongming lantern from a bamboo joint on the rockery. It's really beyond evaluation.

Finally, he came to a hall. When Chen Heng walked in, seven scholars were already sitting inside. There is a maid serving the scholar, but she is not the same person as the lamp holder. Her clothes are more gorgeous and her appearance is better.

Manager Huang led Chen Heng to sit down and immediately stepped back. He was replaced by a maid who walked gracefully and made him tea with a smile as soon as she came up. Chen Heng only became an old monk and entered the state of trance, without watching or drinking.

At this time, a person walked out of the screen. He was dressed normally and had a slight smile on his face. When he saw Manager Huang following him, Chen Heng thought he was Mr. Feng, but he didn't expect that the other person would say as soon as he opened his mouth:

"Everyone, I am Ji Changgui, the chief steward of the mansion. I warmly invite you all to come here today. I originally wanted to come here in person. But unfortunately, a distinguished guest came to visit the mansion today. He and I have been close friends for many years. I really can't get away, so I have to I would like to invite you to come and accompany me, and I hope that all of you will be kind to me."

After all the chatter, it was nothing more than inviting people over and then leaving them alone. Most of the scholars who are doing this are high-spirited people. Inevitably, some people would complain, "You invited me, and you have to pay for the sin. I don't know what kind of distinguished guest made your house do such a disgraceful thing."

That's a good question. Chen Heng couldn't help but nod at this outstanding person.

Manager Ji seemed to be waiting for his question. Hearing this, he smiled and said with a louder voice, "He is none other than the current Hanlin Duke, Mei Banshan."

The scholars were a little flustered when they heard this. The person who asked the question before quickly stood up and bowed.

Mr. Hanlin? Mei Banshan?

Chen Heng raised his eyebrows slightly, and for a moment he couldn't figure out whether this person was the one he knew when he saw Red Mansions.

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In fact, Mei Banshan is not called Banshan. Banshan is the name he gave himself. His real name is Mei Jin, also known as Changlong. Because he was good at painting landscapes, he nicknamed himself Banshan.

At this time, Mr. Feng was holding Mei Hanlin and chatting in another small hall. There was a landscape painting in front of them. Mei Hanlin was in charge of appreciating it, and Master Feng was in charge of listening.

"Except for the previous dynasty's Ivy Teng layman, there is no other person in the world who can draw such freehand brushwork on raw paper."

Mei Hanlin was full of praise and specially picked up the handkerchief to wipe his hands before putting his finger on the paper. He closed his eyes slightly, as if feeling the traces of his pen on the paper.

"Is there any distinction between raw paper and cooked paper?"

Facing Master Feng's question, Mei Hanlin couldn't help but shake his head, opened his eyes and said, "On cooked rice paper, ink drops on it are like water droplets. On raw rice paper, it's different. Just one drop of ink can soak into its back and cause the ink stain."

At this point, Mei Hanlin sighed again. He really didn't know how to explain to Mr. Feng how skilled he must be to control the wandering pen and ink and the uninhibited raw rice paper.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt that a high mountain was standing in front of him, which was daunting. It's like everyone who loves poetry reads the works of Ban Xian and Dongpo, and feels their talents that far exceed anyone else's.

Master Feng listened for a long time but didn't understand. He just smiled and said: "When the servant brought it up, I just said that it was well painted. If it weren't for you today, how would I know that it is such a rare treasure."

"It's a pity that such a vulgar thing has fallen into my hands. It's a waste of natural resources. Banshan Gong might as well accept it and hang it in the study. When he sees it in the future, he can still remember that there is an old friend like me in Yangzhou."

"Are you serious?"

Mei Hanlin couldn't hold back for a moment. For someone like him who knows and loves painting, getting an authentic painting by Qingteng Jushi is as happy as the imperial examination he passed.

I will try to update three times today and not go to bed until I finish writing. These three updates are to make up for yesterday. Tomorrow, after I get home at around 7 o'clock, I will also update three times as an apology. I am sorry for delaying the update because of something, which has caused trouble to everyone. I hope everyone will forgive me.