The Red Mansions

chapter 46
Guozijian, Wencui Pavilion

Listening to Song Yuanzhi's joke, Jia Heng neither denied nor admitted, but just smiled and said: "Mr. Song thinks this strategy is feasible."

Song Yuan's words are somewhat close.

Song Yuan smiled and said: "Tomorrow, I will ask the carpenter to order some floor-to-ceiling signs, and let all the districts follow the same procedure."

Song Yuan took the position of Juren and served as a recorder in the pavilion, almost handling the routine work of the entire Wencui Pavilion library management.

In fact, it is considered condescending.

If you become an official, you can even become a county magistrate in a remote place, but Song Yuan, in order to prepare for the exam in Beijing, from the high-spirited in his early 20s to his early [-]s, almost disheartened, he simply took up the post of secretary in the Imperial College , is also convenient for exam preparation.

Jia Heng nodded, and when the two were talking, they could hear the sound of clanging.

The Wencui Pavilion was also knocked out, and the supervisors in the pavilion were urged to leave. In half an hour, they would be locked.

Song Yuan smiled and said: "Put these papers away and lock them in the cabinet first. It's getting late, so it's time to go back."

As he spoke, he locked the jute paper in his hand into the cabinet, then turned around, raised his head and asked, "Is Zi Yu staying in the pavilion for all his board and lodging?"

Generally speaking, if there are relatives outside, they will not live in prison.

Jia Heng smiled and said, "I'll go back too."

"Is it on Ningrong Street?" Song Yuan asked.

Jia Heng nodded and said, "The wicker alley on Ningrong Street."

Song Yuan said with a smile: "That's a part of the way. I came in a carriage. I can take you for a while on the way. You can go up and pack your things first."

Jia Heng cupped his hands in thanks, then turned around and went back to pack his things.

Song Yuan looked at the young man's leaving back, twirled his short beard with his hands, and thoughtful expression appeared on his face, "The people of Jia's family really have something strange."

Since he went to Beijing at the age of 20, he spent more than ten years in the capital, and finally married a wife and had children in the capital, bought land and property, so he was familiar with the dignitaries in Beijing, but he also knew a thing or two about the Jia family.

"The family of a hundred-year-old prince may produce one or two outstanding children at any time, and establish a family at the top of the family, so that the family can be revived." Song Yuan thought.

After a while, Jia Heng took his belongings and an umbrella with him and left the Imperial College with Song Yuan, and boarded a carriage driven by an old servant. go.

On the carriage, the two were talking.

Song Yuan said with a smile: "Ziyu, it is reasonable to spend more time studying scriptures and essays to take part in the second county examination. If there is anything you don't understand in the Four Books, just ask me. Don't look outside. Don’t dare to say anything else, this test of talent is sure to win.”

This time, compared to being drunk in the Zuifeng Building, and in front of Han Hui, what he said actually had a bit of a pompous meaning, which was obviously much more sincere in private.

Upon hearing this, Jia Heng said gratefully: "Thank you Mr. Song, if you have any questions, I will definitely ask you."

Song Yuan smiled and said: "I've been thinking recently about the imperial examination. After all, it's the stage of advancement. The key lies in the ability to manage affairs. If you don't know practical things, even if you become an official, you will be deceived by treacherous subordinates. There is going to be a problem, but fortunately, although Ziyu is young, he has already seen the talent for managing affairs, which is very rare."

This truth is also the truth that Song Yuan gradually realized after bumping into a wall in the examination room and earning a living in the capital. He saw Jia Heng's talent on display and his handling of people and affairs before, so he said a few words with emotion.

"Sir, it's absurd." Jia Heng's complexion changed, and he said: "But what you said is not bad. The so-called insight into world affairs is knowledge, and the sophistication of human feelings is writing. It's good to study and learn... Whether it's meritorious deeds or morality, it's all right. Four characters in the unity of knowledge and action."

Song Yuan's eyes lit up when he heard the words, and he muttered in his mouth that insight into the world is knowledge, and understanding of human feelings is fourteen characters, and he said with a smile: "Ziyu's words are really aphorisms, thought-provoking, and I don't know which great sage it is." What I said is really every word, every word is difficult."

Apparently, Song Yuan has had this kind of understanding in recent years, but he can't sum it up. Now that he suddenly hears meaningful words, he feels the comfort of meeting a confidant.

Jia Heng laughed and said, "I forgot who said it, it's just a moment of emotion."

Naturally, these words are not original to him, they come from... "Dream of Red Mansions".

Well, speaking of it, it has something to do with his unmarried wife Qin Keqing, which is recorded in the original novel of A Dream of Red Mansions, but there is a picture of "Burning Weeds" hanging in Keqing's room, and these horizontal couplets are pasted on both sides.

Song Yuan smiled and said, "I heard from Zisheng and Wendu earlier that Ziyu also wrote a script?"

This was originally said by Han Hui casually at the beginning, but Song Yuan didn't pay attention to it at the beginning, so naturally he didn't ask carefully.

Firstly, it is the most disgusting to ask the bottom line, and secondly, I really didn't pay much attention to the little boy Jia Heng.

Jia Heng was stunned for a moment, and said frankly: "It's just that I am too shy to write articles to make ends meet."

Song Yuan was surprised: "Have you ever brought a manuscript?"

Jia Heng thought about it for a while, and said, "I only brought two chapters with me, sir, do you want to read it now?"

There were candles on the four beams of the carriage, and the interior of the carriage was as bright as day. From this, it can be seen that Mr. Song's family should be well off.

Seeing Song Yuan nodding, Jia Heng took out the manuscript from his cloth bag.

Song Yuan nodded, took the manuscript, and read it. When he saw the word "Linjiang Immortal", his complexion was slightly shocked, he raised his eyes, and said in a low voice, "Ziyu is really talented."

Then, read down again.

This Song Junya was also a child prodigy when he was young. Not only can he read ten lines at a glance, but his reading speed is also very fast, and his eyes seem to be inseparable. After reading the second chapter, he felt lost, and said in a complicated tone: "It's really majestic, and the grammar has been refined by the classics. , the plot and the picture book are bizarre, this is a good book, it should be clear!"

At first I thought it was the fantasy of young people, maybe some thick and colorful prose, but unexpectedly, the writing of history is like rafters, and the words are like knives.

Jia Heng said: "Mr. Song is too famous."

It is worth mentioning that no matter how good his memory is, it is impossible for him to write out the Three Kingdoms that he read in his previous life verbatim. Naturally, there will be something of his own in the style of writing and words.

Looking at the scriptures and history in the previous life, it is inadvertently revealed.

Therefore, this compliment, he still has some points... well deserved.

Song Yuan reluctantly handed over the manuscript, saying: "If Ziyu has the following, please let me have a look."

Jia Heng nodded and said, "I'm usually in the pavilion."

Song Yuan said again: "Manuscripts like Ziyu's should not make the pearls dusty, and they should be shown to the world as soon as possible. There are square engravings in the prison, so they should be printed as soon as possible."

As the highest capital of the country, Guozijian could not have institutions such as publishing houses. Its printed handouts and books have their own workshops.

When Jia Heng heard this, his face paused, and he said: "This manuscript has been promised to be printed in Hanmozhai for publication."

Song Yuan sighed and said, "That's really a pity."

Suddenly, thinking of something again, Song Yuan hesitated for a while, but still asked: "I don't know how much money is required for the manuscript?"

Jia Heng pondered for a while, and said: "Two liang once."

Song Yuan said with emotion: "This price... is considered a common price for newcomers, but if you use the engraving in Jianzhongfang, Ziyu may get some more money to polish his pen."

Jia Heng couldn't help laughing, and said: "At the beginning, it's a pity that I didn't know Mr.

Song Yuan smiled and said: "However, Hanmozhai has a wide range of contacts, and it is said that the owner behind it has strong financial resources. If Ziyu's book is a bestseller in the world, it may be possible to renegotiate the price."

Jia Heng said: "I hope so."

While the two were talking, the servant outside the car window said in a sombre voice, "Master, you're home."

Jia Heng said: "Mr. Song can just get here, I'll go down and walk, it's not far ahead."

Song Yuan smiled and said: "At first I wanted to invite you to have a drink at home, but I was in a hurry, fearing that the reception would not be good, so let's do it tomorrow, and I will let my servants see you off, and go home first."

After finishing speaking, without waiting for Jia Heng to refuse, Song Yuan lifted the curtain of the car first, and said, "Old Wu, send Mr. Jia off for me."

(End of this chapter)