prosperous age

Chapter 173 172 Jiujiang, Nanjing, Beijing
Outside the gate of the commander of the Jiujiang Guard, four soldiers stood there, rubbing their skin boredly, looking around.

At this time, most of the adults living in the city will also go home, and only those living outside the city will stay in the yamen to rest.

The four of them were still thinking in their hearts, when the adults had left, it was time for them to sit down and rest for a while.

At this moment, two people walked out of the gate of the yamen, and four soldiers stood up quickly.

"Did Wei Meng go back to Jiujiang City? Call everyone out for a drink tonight."

It was Zhang Shigui who spoke. At the beginning of the year, Zhang Qing stepped down from the position of commander and acquaintance, and he took over as the commander of Jiujiang Guard. Now he comes to the Yamen on duty every day, but his son Zhang Hongfu, who was supposed to come along, has gone somewhere.

The other one is naturally Wu Zhankui, he is also one of the only two promotions due to his military exploits, he was successfully promoted to the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Wei Commander by virtue of his military exploits, but he also poured a lot of money into Nanjing in private.

After all, it is true that there are military exploits, and the court also has rewards from the court, but that is just a reason for you to be promoted.

"I came back the day before yesterday. I went to my place yesterday and said that I would visit my father-in-law tonight."

Wu Zhankui said with a smile, "Is it drinking at home or?"

"Let's just go home. I'll ask someone to prepare it when I get back."

Zhang Shigui replied very simply.

"Speaking of which, the imperial examination is over, and I don't know how the Guangde exam is going."

Wu Zhankui looked up at the sky and said.

"Well, I can't control this. Wei Meng returned to Jiujiang City, probably because he wanted to come back and wait for the news. Calculating the time, there should be a result in two or three days."

Zhang Shigui naturally understood that it would take about ten days to spread the news from Beijing to Jiujiang, but didn't the results of the palace examination come out?

As soon as they left the house, before the horses were brought by the soldiers under their command, the sound of "cracking" firecrackers came from the street far away. The movements of the two people's hands paused, and they looked over together.

As the sound of firecrackers approached, the sound of gongs, drums and suona also reached their ears, a festive tune.

The two looked at each other involuntarily, and Zhang Shigui said, "It's not like marrying a bride, will you try? I remember that no one in Jiujiang Mansion seems to be on the list these few times, and I don't know what it is."

Both Wu Zhankui and Zhang Shigui stood there without getting on their horses, just waiting for the people from over there to come over and see what was going on.

Not long after, another commander made people from the yamen come out, and they were all attracted by the excitement in the distance.

Not long after, the festive procession approached.

"The one in the magistrate's yamen, that's Zhang Dian, right? Master Lin is also there."

A commander looked at the team coming over there and said.

"It won't be true, will it?"

Wu Zhankui already had a premonition at the moment, but he wasn't quite sure.

In fact, after Wei Guangde left, Wu Zhankui asked someone about the results of the Jiujiang Mansion's general examinations, and the result was duck eggs.

However, the scene in front of him really shocked his thoughts a bit.

Before, Wu Zhankui really didn't have any hope, but since all the people in the yamen came here, he couldn't help but think about it.

Wu Zhankui kept some thoughts in his heart, especially such bad feelings, so he naturally wouldn't say them out loud.

Sure enough, Zhang Dian, Master Lin, and others from the magistrate's yamen saw a few people outside Commander Wei's yamen from afar, and immediately stepped forward with a smile on their faces and said, "Congratulations, Mr. Wei Guangde, your office, can be counted as a gift for this time." Our Jiujiang Mansion has a lot of face, the test scores are 271, and the Beijing News has won the yellow first. '

Wu Zhankui was excited when he heard this, grabbed Master Lin's hand and asked, "What about the good news?" '

"Hey, take it easy, it hurts."

When Master Lin was grasped by Wu Zhankui, he immediately felt a bit strong, and his hands felt pain from the grip and shouted hastily.

Wu Zhankui let go immediately, and said with a smile, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"Don't dare to have trouble with me, my lord."

Master Lin also immediately returned to his smile and said.

"Master Lin, don't be surprised. This Wei Guangde is Wu Tongzhi's nephew. It is inevitable that you will be excited when you send this good news."

Zhang Shigui quickly explained, so as not to make people unhappy.

"No respect, no respect, it turns out that Wu Tongzhi is Master Wei's uncle, so you can't get away with this glass of wine."

Master Lin also smiled.

At this moment, the envoy Zhang Dian next to him has already taken out a yellow happy report and handed it to Wu Zhankui with both hands, and said with a smile: "A few days ago, I heard that Wei Zhenfu was promoted to be a thousand households, and I don't know if he is in Jiujiang Prefecture or not." Well, if Wei Qianhu was not in the city, Wu Tongzhi would have to handle this glass of water and wine. '

Wu Zhankui opened the happy announcement, and immediately beamed with joy, "I'm here, I'm sure it's enough."

Zhang Shigui also joined in when Wu Zhankui opened the happy news, but not only him, but also a few things around him have already been read on the good news, and it really says Wei Guangde, the test score is 271, and there is a big seal of the Ministry of Rites on it Covered, genuine good news about the exam.

Those who reacted quickly immediately ordered to their own soldiers: "Go back to the mansion and say, I'm going to have a wedding at noon today." '

After finishing speaking, he put his hand on Wu Zhankui's shoulder and said with a smile, "Master Tongzhi, this will fall on you."

"Good talk, good talk."

Wu Zhankui accepted the words cheerfully, and then ordered his soldiers to order food from the best restaurant in Jiujiang Mansion, and arranged for someone to deliver news to Wei Meng's Mansion, and handed over a soldier who guarded the gate, "Go inside and tell the adults, today's time is right." Come out for a drink at noon."

After a series of instructions, he smiled at everyone: "My brother-in-law went back to the city two days ago, and he is also waiting for news. Let's go and beat the local tyrants. If we don't serve the best food and wine in Jiujiang City, we will tear it down today." to his house."

When the two fast horses rushed out of the city gate of Jiujiang Prefecture and galloped towards Ruichang County and Hukou County, the two mansions in Jiujiang City were also bustling with firecrackers outside the gate. Many dignitaries, gentry and wealthy businessmen came to congratulate them one after another.

At this time, on the wharf outside Nanjing, a young gentleman also boarded the boat, and told the boatman, "Let's set sail."

The boat left the pier lightly and sailed into the middle of the river, then spread its sails and went upstream under the force of the wind.

The young man looked at the vastness of the river and then looked back at the towering Nanjing City Wall in the distance, with a smile on his lips.

Thinking back to last year when I talked with my sister about the topic of getting married in a male university and a female university, I found the younger sister's extremely shy look very interesting.

His mother is gone, and his father only cares about his half-brother. It is not easy for him and his own sister to depend on each other, and he has to worry about his sister's marriage.

The young man sighed in his heart, and turned his head to look at the front of the river.

Before, my father thought that the other party's family status was too low, and also, for a family like myself, my sister's marriage partner must at least be a family of Jinshi or a military officer above the third rank.

It's all right now, my father has let go and let himself go and see, I hope everything goes well.

In that mansion, his younger sister was his only concern.

Gradually, the boat sailed far away.

Capital, Jiujiang Guild Hall.

Several soap officials stood in the hall holding trays, waiting for the tributes to come out.

Not long after, he was overwhelmed and came out with Wei Guangde, Zhang Ke and Xia Kefan behind him.

"Master Jinshi, please accept the Jinshi uniform."

The leading official bowed and saluted.

Wei Guangde knew that the palace examination was actually just the beginning of the entire palace examination ceremony. After the palace examination, there would be a grand ceremony of passing on people, a feast of honor and grace, and the number one scholar would express gratitude on behalf of all the Jinshi, pay homage to the temple of the ancestors, and perform the ceremony of explaining dishes.

There are many procedures in the palace examination, and it is not a simple examination.

Looking at the things in the tray, Jinshi clothes and boots, several people hurried forward to take them with both hands.

"Tomorrow's ceremony will be passed on, and all the rules and regulations will be the same as the imperial examination. Please don't waste the time."

The leading soap official reminded again.

"Thank you."

"It's work."

Wei Guangde and the others thanked them politely, and then asked someone to reward them, and the officials left happily.

Wei Guangde looked at the Jinshi's crown on the tray. The hat was a bit special. The main body was a black gauze hat, but the wings were quite short, only about five inches long, and there was a ribbon about a foot long on the wings.

Jinshi uniform is a dark blue Luopao, edged with green silk, with wide sleeves, leather belt with blue horns, decorated with black horns, and tail hanging down behind.

There is also a locust wood wat board, which Wei Guangde feels is similar to those worn by the ministers except for the color of the clothes.

"Go to bed early tonight, and get up early tomorrow."

At this moment, Xia Kefan looked carefully at the Jinshi uniforms in the tray and said.

"Yeah, it's getting up early again."

Lao Kan also nodded, Yin Shi went to wait outside the Daming Gate tomorrow morning, and then participated in the Ceremony of Chuanlu, but there were not many of them in this class.

"Go back to the house and rest, and see who the hairpin is in the morning."

The hairpin flower is the honor that only the top scholar can get among the Jinshi, and there is no other honor even if it is the second place in the list.

Everyone knew the details. Jin Da could be said to be the most popular candidate for the champion before, but the relationship between him and Yan Song and his son was so tense, and the champion would probably fly, but I don’t know who won the title of champion in the end. It is said that all four of the top five are possible.

At night, in the back house of Wei's family in Jiujiang Mansion, the hustle and bustle of the day finally calmed down. Wei's mother and Wei's father were also discussing unsettled matters in their bedroom.

"My son has already passed the examination, and it seems that Jinshi is about to enter the court as an official, so let's talk about how much money to send to the child so that he can clear it up there."

Ever since Wei Guangde left Jiujiang Mansion, Wei's father was quite normal, but in Wei's mother's opinion, his son must be nominated for the gold list, and he was almost at the top of the list.

Father Wei was a little dismissive of this before, after all Wei Guangde is still young, he doesn't think it's good for a child to be an official at such a young age.

It's just that he didn't expect Wei Guangde to really win the old Wei family's spirit and pass the exam once.

Counting it, Wei Guangde failed once in the provincial examination, and he won consecutive battles in other imperial examinations, which is very good.

"I still say that, send 1 taels, I think it's enough."

Father Wei sat by the bed and said: "At the beginning, I told Xiaoer that I would give him another 5000 taels of silver if he came to Beijing. Now I promised to give 1 taels, which is already quite a lot. It is enough for him to live in the capital." '

"But don't you say that it costs a lot of money to reciprocate on the official level? There is no shortage of money at home, at most it's the boss's little thing."

Mother Wei still insisted that what Father Wei said to send 1 taels of silver to Wei Guangde was too little.

"I gave him 1 taels of silver in Guangde at the beginning, which is already a lot. If you give him another [-] to [-] taels according to your intention, then the boss will leave too little. How can I say that Wencai is the eldest son? Should inherit more."

The current Ming Dynasty, from top to bottom, operates according to the eldest son inheritance system, which is also the most basic principle of the patriarchal system.

Naturally, the Wei family couldn't get away with the vulgarity. The so-called "establishing a son is not based on virtue, and establishing a son is based on nobleness rather than being good."

Although the "Daming Order·Household Order" of the Ming Dynasty clearly stipulated: "All the sons and sons of the concubine, except for the influence of officials, should be the eldest sons and grandchildren first. They analyze the family property and property, regardless of wives, concubines, and maidservants, and only divide them equally according to the number of children." "For the sons of adulterers, the number of children and half of the share; if there are no other children, the successor shall be established as the heir, and the share shall be shared equally with the sons of the adulterers; if there is no successor, the full share shall be allowed to be inherited."

But in real life, or in the eyes of most people, the bulk of the family property is still given to the eldest son, that is, the eldest son. The Ming Dynasty implemented the monogamy system.

Of course, you can also take concubines.

As for the provisions of the Daming Order, not many people paid attention to it, and perhaps only after the family had a dispute over property would it be implemented in accordance with this order, and the premise was that there was no will.

Father Wei naturally thinks the same way. As his eldest son, Wei Wencai should get most of his savings.

Wei Guangde was given 2 taels of silver, almost one-third of the family property, and it was enough.

But obviously, Wei's mother still felt that there was less for the youngest son, and half of the family property should be given to Wei Guangde.

"Forget it, let's wait for the results of the Guangde Palace Examination to come out. After all, with his ranking, he should only be the top three, and he may not be able to stay in the capital."

Father Wei looked at his wife and said: "If Guangde can stay in Beijing as a Beijing official, we will send 2 taels of silver to him. If he is sent abroad, it will be 1 taels." '

Speaking of this, Old Wei frowned again and said: "If you really want to go to the local area, he may not need any money, I think it's better to repair the book and give a notice, and the money should be handed over to Zhang Hongfu to help release it.

I remember that Guangde once said before that it seems that he earns more money from lending than buying land, so he didn’t use the money I gave him to buy land. Not only is good land not easy to buy, but the main reason is that he feels money Earn less. "

"He knows what a fart. If this is the case, then 1 taels of silver can be used to buy him all the land. How can it be better to buy land and earn stable money when lending it out? Now that the child is a Jinshi, our family can also use his. Buy more fields in the name, and write a letter to the boss later to talk about it."

When Wei's mother heard Father Wei say that the idea of ​​land came alive again, the family used to have no serious official status, and it was difficult to escape the tax after buying the land, but now it is different, the son has become a Jinshi, and with the tax-free official status, the family can also It's fair to hoard the land.

"I think it's okay to buy some land for the boss. The boss should not object, and they will all be named Guangde. I will write a letter to talk about it later."

Father Wei nodded and said.

(End of this chapter)