mtl008 Chapter 260: Inside and Outside the Wall
Chapter 260: Inside and Outside the Wall
Chen Sanlang didn’t pay much attention to clothes, but in an era with clear class distinctions, those who wore short jackets were the working people, that is, standard peasants.
Standard scholars all wore scholar's robes and a square scarf on their heads.
When people see you wearing a cloth robe, they know that you are at least a tongsheng. As you pass the examinations for becoming a scholar and a juren, your clothing can change from cloth robes to silk robes. This is strictly regulated by the level of your studies.
As for Chen Sanlang walking on the street in a short jacket, it was harmless and no one cared. But if he went to a bookshop to copy books, people would talk about it. However, the thin and handsome Chen Sanlang had to show his certificate of being a student every time before anyone would let him copy books to make money.
I gave up my study time every day to go to various large bookstores to copy books, just to be closer to the stars in the night sky, so that it would be easier to find out about Wang Jinyi, just in case I could meet Wang Jinyi by chance...
Huo Ying thought that Chen Sanlang was honest and trustworthy, and he was also extremely talented. With just four people gathered together, he actually established himself in the wood industry. Now he has dealers in the city and a fixed profit. Now there are officials, businessmen and wealthy families who specifically ask for his designs and productions.
In just over a month after arriving in Xunyang Prefecture, he received several orders. Seeing the money flowing into the Four Brothers' Woodworking Shop, Huo Ying knew very well that all this was inseparable from Chen Sanlang. Without him, he would be alone and might still be doing odd jobs at the dock.
During this period, Huo Ying kept asking Chen Sanlang to make money, which annoyed Chen Sanlang, but he had to make money before he could go to see Wang Jinyi, so Chen Sanlang had to reduce his rest time and use all the available time to review.
It is easy to make money in the provincial capital, this is Huo Ying’s perception.
Chen Sanlang thought that being closer to the stars in the night sky in the city would be beneficial for his imperial examination.
Chen Sanlang and Huo Ying reached a consensus that they both wanted to stay in Xunyang City after the autumn examination!
After buying the ready-made scholar's robe, Huo Ying and Chen Sanlang, wearing the new robe, went to the provincial school.
Chen Sanlang took Huo Ying and walked along the government school, street by street. On the corner of the street, there was a wooden sign that read "Yongxing Lane".
Walking along Yongxing Lane, there is a quiet lane with residential houses. There are 12 households in the whole lane. The two of them walked slowly in front of each door unintentionally.
In front of a simple gate, Chen Sanlang stopped and looked at the house number: No. 9, Yongxing Lane.
Inexplicably, a special feeling came over him. Chen Sanlang looked at the wind-eroded wooden door for a few more times and left silently.
Chen Sanlang and Huo Ying were walking all the way to see the examination room. On the road, a carriage with the Wang family emblem hanging on it passed by them. A young scholar in the carriage lifted the curtain and looked out, and his eyes met Chen Sanlang's.
After a quick glance, they both looked away.
The carriage stopped at the side door of the Wang family's old house. The young man jumped off the carriage briskly, stood in front of the door and looked for a long time, then walked around to the front door of the Wang family and stood still. He straightened his half-worn cotton robe from top to bottom and looked deeply at the wooden plaque on the lintel in front of him.
The powerful words "Wang's House" made Wang Shuyan a little excited. Suppressing the surging emotions in his heart, he went back to the side door, raised his hand, and gently knocked on the door.
The doorman opened the corner door next to him, poked his head out, looked at the young man and asked:
"Excuse me, who are you looking for?"
The servant behind Wang Shuyan said:
"This is the Third Master from the mansion. Go and report. The Third Master is back!"
A group of little kids jumped out of the carriage that followed behind. There were six of them, big and small, all of them looked about five or six years old. They all looked at the servant at the door curiously.
Wang Jinyi only heard that her third uncle Wang Shuyan had returned when the eldest wife sent someone to pick up Wang Yueyi.
Wang Jinyi was full of imagination about his third uncle. What kind of person was this young genius who passed the imperial examination and became a scholar in just four years and made his uncle hate studying by his own efforts?
The question mark on her face was too obvious, and the mother smiled and tapped her daughter's forehead, "Go and do your own thing. I'm afraid there will be a family dinner tonight."
Wang Jinyi thought that she still had a quarter of an hour to practice calligraphy, so she hurried back to the study. Before she could write a few words, Mo Yu came in and said, "The old lady sent someone to take Miss to the upper room. Someone is waiting outside the gate."
Wang Jinyi glanced at the timer and saw that it was less than a quarter of an hour, so she continued writing without getting up until Mo Yu reminded her, "Miss, it's a quarter of an hour."
Wang Jinyi stood up and washed her hands to report to her mother. Another maid came to the gate of the second courtyard and said:
"The old lady said that the young lady should go directly to the main hall in the front yard."
When Wang Jinyi rushed to the front yard, he saw a lot of people standing outside the main hall door. They were all men in the family. Those who were reviewing at home to prepare for the autumn examination were all there. They were all gathered together chatting about something, and no one noticed that someone had come in the second gate.
Wang Jinyi approached with four maids but no one noticed her, so she had to cough loudly to remind everyone of her presence.
As expected, the brother was the first to see his sister. He strode up to Wang Jinyi and asked:
"Why are you here, Jin'er? Are you looking for someone?"
"My grandmother sent someone to call me here."
"Then go in, Jin'er, you know what? Third Uncle is back, and grandparents and Third Uncle are all here!"
Wang Wendong walked with his sister to the main hall while giving instructions. Wang Jinyi suddenly remembered, "Brother, do you need to prepare anything for your exam? I'll come out to find you later."
"Jin'er, everything is ready in the public school. It's the same for everyone. Don't worry. I heard from mother that you are so busy every day that you go to bed very late..."
As the two brothers were chatting, the maidservant beside their grandmother came out and led Wang Jinyi into the main hall.
The grandparents were sitting in the middle of the main hall, and a young man was sitting below them. When Wang Jinyi looked at him curiously, the young man also turned around and looked at the girl who had just stepped in.
Wang Shuyan thought that his second brother was lucky enough to have a good daughter.
Wang Jinyi had two buns on her head, with no decoration except for a simulated velvet flower.
The top and skirt are both the same light green fine-woven suit, with a few fluttering butterflies on the skirt and a few falling petals on the left shoulder, making the simple clothes vivid in a different way.
Before meeting this niece, Wang Shuyan thought that his second brother and sister-in-law were both very good-looking, and this child would not be bad either.
But I was still surprised when I saw her today. The girl walked towards me slowly. On her pretty face, a pair of phoenix eyes contained a smile. Her fair and attractive face was full of bookish air. Her whole demeanor showed that she had excellent family education.
Wang Jinyi took a look at the legendary Third Uncle. He was wearing a gray-blue, half-worn coarse cloth robe. He looked very capable. His black hair was tied up in a bun with a wooden hairpin inserted in it.
His face was a slightly darker wheat color, and under the long eyebrows that were unique to the Wang family, he had a pair of steady black eyes, which were looking at him calmly and distantly.
Wang Jinyi walked slowly into the main hall, greeted her grandparents, and then greeted her third uncle separately.