Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

"Look, my dear brother, this is the article that the foolish brother wrote with all his heart and soul according to the eight-legged method."

Li Hanzhang, who had disappeared for a month, happily found Ju Ming and brought the article as if he were offering a treasure.

Bai Chongyan stood beside him, his face full of joy: "Brother Kezhen and I went through the Jinshi's articles in the past ten years and specially selected those with the characteristics of eight kinds of writing to study. After a month of concentrating on the appreciation, we finally gained a lot."

These two gentlemen actually studied the eight-part essay.

Zhu Ming took over the article written by Li Hanzhang and just started reading it when Li Erlang started talking nonstop.

Li Hanzhang said: "Those outstanding Jinshi eight-part essays probably have one thing in common. That is, between the same part, the sentence patterns should be alternately long and short, and the pens should be scattered and complementary, just like the imperial examinations in the past. Writing in this way, It is the most powerful one, with just a few words it can move mountains and oceans."

Bai Chongyan added: "Among the eight parts, all the parts can be opened and closed. Either you want to rise first, suppress it first, or you want to suppress it first, rise first, or you want the thesis to be reversed first, or the antithesis first to be corrected."

Zhu Ming suddenly felt guilty. If this thing spreads, I am afraid that all candidates all over the world will have to write the eight-legged essay.

It was a literary style that countless candidates in the Song Dynasty had summarized over a hundred or two hundred years, and they directly formulated detailed templates for classic articles. When entering the examination room, you only need to follow the routine to stuff them in - it depends on who can stuff them best.

Li Hanzhang said: "After only one month of research, we have achieved such a harvest. In two years, when we arrive in Bianliang, we will surely be a blockbuster!"

Bai Chongyan also gained confidence in taking the Jinshi examination and said, "Thank you very much for your guidance, my dear brother Chenggong. I will definitely be rich in rewards in the future!"

"I dare not take credit." Zhu Ming responded modestly.

After chatting about eight-part essays for a while, Bai Chongyan asked: "Is your father at home?"

Ju Ming said: "I went up to the mountain to cut trees. I invited a few tea farmers to cut down the trees on the ground and dry the wood in the shade."

Bai Chongyan said: "My father has something to invite me."

"Is it okay to come back to your house tomorrow?" Zhu Ming asked.

Bai Chongyan said: "Of course you can, you can do it in the morning and in the afternoon."

Li Hanzhang also sent an invitation: "In one month's time, it will be my father's birthday. Brother Juncai and I will go back to Yangzhou together. Why don't you go to Yangzhou City with me? With my great talent in understanding the Three Classics, my brother has arrived. Yangzhou Academy will definitely shock the world."

"Let's go next time. I'm very busy this year. After all, I haven't even repaired the hut yet." Zhu Ming declined politely.

Li Hanzhang cupped his hands and said, "Then I will be in Yangzhou City, waiting for my dear brother to come to you sooner or later."

After sending these two people away, Ju Ming went back to the house to get the harness.

The bridle is made of cooked sheepskin. It would be better to use cowhide, but that stuff is not easy to buy.

The mouthpiece and stirrups are directly made of mulberry sticks.

The saddle is the shabbiest, made of softened linen stuffed with reed flowers and sewn together like a pillow. This kind of saddle will make your butt hurt after sitting for a long time.

After equipping Cornucopia with the complete set of harness, Zhu Ming climbed onto the horse with a bamboo whip in hand.

He didn't dare to ride too fast, firstly because his skills were not good, and secondly because the roads in the village were narrow, so the speed was like riding a donkey.

Ju Ming inquired about it and found out that horseshoe masters could only be found in the county.

But this official horse cannot enter the city, so for the time being, we can only make do, and don't use up its fleshy hooves too much.

After not walking far, I met a villager who greeted me with a smile: "Is Zhu Xiucai going up the mountain?"

Ju Ming said: "Go up the mountain, Uncle Zhou just came back?"

The villager said: "Look at the wheat in the field and figure out when it will be harvested."

"Then you go well." Ju Ming said.

It is now the fifth lunar month, and the wheat should be harvested. After harvesting the wheat, summer grain must be handed over.

The summer grain for the fifth-class households is one piece of silk from seven households.

From the first to the fourth class households, it is not that simple. They must pay according to the number of acres. If the family doesn't have enough money, they can sell the wheat themselves. The big landowners can take advantage of the small people through the money and grain exchange business.

Sometimes, after the people had just exchanged wheat for money, they suddenly said that they would give silk or grain instead this year... This situation was extremely common, and the government and the gentry played together.

The wheat fields in the whole village are already green and yellow, and the waves of wheat are swaying when the mountain wind blows.

Ju Ming was riding a horse on the mountain road, feeling indescribably comfortable. Unfortunately, when he reached the steep place, he had to dismount and lead him.

These days, Cornucopia often walks on mountain roads, and the good-looking Hehuang horses are almost turning into mountain horses.

I walked slowly to my own forest, and there was a piece of land where the trees had been cut down and were being leveled for building a house.

Zhu Guoxiang is directing the logging, and the wood is piled up.

There was also some wood that was sawed into short and short sections.

Ju Ming pointed to the sawed wood and asked, "What are these used for?"

"Growing mushrooms," Zhu Guoxiang took out a cloth bag, "These are the wild mushrooms I picked. You can take them back to make strains. Many chemicals are not available, so you can only use local methods, and the effect will definitely not be that good."

Ju Ming suddenly became interested and asked: "When will the Ganoderma fungus be prepared?"

Zhu Guoxiang said: "I haven't found mature Ganoderma lucidum yet."

Ju Ming looked at the cleared piece of land: "This place is quite far from the water source. After building a house and living in it, life may be a little inconvenient."

"I have no choice, this is the most suitable place," Zhu Guoxiang said, "If it doesn't work out, I'll stay at Mrs. Shen's house for two more years. As for this place, it is specially used to grow mushrooms and Ganoderma lucidum."

After explaining the matter to the woodcutter, the father and son led the horse down the mountain.

When passing by the cornfield, I encountered several tenant farmers working.

In more than a month, the corn seedlings have grown to 80 centimeters tall, the sweet potato seedlings have also been cut, and the newly planted beans have begun to sprout.

It's a prosperous scene, and there is hope for a bumper harvest this year.

Zhu Guoxiang said: "The planting area is too small, and corn must be pollinated manually, otherwise the yield will be greatly reduced."

"When the time comes, I will be busy again." Zhu Ming has experienced firsthand that farming is really tiring.

…

eight days ago.

Zhang Guangdao and Bai Sheng escaped by boat with their children.

They didn't dare to paddle upstream because that side was Xiabai Village. If the novice takes action and there are pursuers behind him, he will be blocked from both ends.

You can only go downstream.

After dark, the sky is dark.

The two rowed to the other side, abandoned the boat and ran up the mountain. The bandits searched behind them for a while, and finally gave up the pursuit.

When the temperature dropped at night, Zhang Guangdao took off his clothes and wrapped the child. The wound on his right rib finally stopped bleeding.

After finally staying up until dawn, Bai Sheng asked, "Is Brother Zhang Wu going somewhere?"

"No." Zhang Guangdao shook his head sadly.

Bai Sheng sat on the ground slumped: "I have nowhere to go."

Two grown men, holding a one-and-a-half-year-old child in their arms, were sitting in the forest, feeling lost.

The world is vast, where is their shelter?

Frustrated for a long time, Zhang Guangdao began to mutter to himself: "We can't go to Xiabai Village. Bai Zongmin is too close to Yang Jun. He will definitely arrest us. The nearest village downstream is Heiyangba. It takes a long time to go by boat, and it's I don’t have any acquaintances either. I’m injured, so I’m afraid I won’t be able to stay, but Mr. Chen there recognizes me. Let’s continue into the mountains. There are still some runaways in the mountains. Let’s ask for some food for the children first.”

Bai Sheng said in surprise: "Where are the runaways in the mountains? Brother Zhang Wu even knows about this?"

Zhang Guangdao sighed: "I have been selling salt with Brother Yao (Yao Fang) since I was fourteen years old. We have traveled all over the country. The official inspections want to catch us, and the big salt lord can't tolerate us. Each person could carry twenty or thirty kilograms of illicit salt and go into the ravine to sell it to those who had escaped from the household. They worked hard and could not earn much. To be honest, their life was not as good as that of rural tenants."

"Brother Zhang Wu is very capable. When I was fourteen, he was still herding cattle in the village." Bai Sheng said with admiration.

Zhang Guangdao said: "Don't call me Brother Zhang Wu from now on. I am the third eldest brother in the family, and Zhang Wu is the seat of Heifeng Village."

"Then I'll call you Brother Zhang." Bai Sheng changed his words.

Just as he said this, the child in his arms burst into tears.

Zhang Guangdao stood up and said, "The child is hungry again. Hurry up and find some food."

The two of them walked hungry for a full day, and finally arrived at a refugee settlement in the mountains before dark.

There are only seven or eight families living on mountain spring water, reclaiming wasteland and servicing some barren mountainous areas.

Just like an old horse knowing its way, Zhang Guangdao soon came to a house, knocked on the door and shouted: "Uncle Du, I am Zhang San, who sells salt."

The door opened quickly, and a young man came out: "Brother Zhang, my father has been dead for two years. If you don't come to sell private salt, we runaways in the mountains can only go to Baishitou to buy salt by ourselves. The salt there Not to mention it was more expensive, and it was very difficult to walk all the way. My father broke his back while going down the mountain, and the family had no money for medical treatment...My father, my father stopped eating and starved to death, saying that he would not be a burden to the family."

Zhang Guangdao was silent when he heard this.

The young man said, "Come in quickly. The baby is crying so much. I'm afraid she's starving."

After staying at this house for one night, Zhang Guangdao felt that this was not an option.

The refugee in the mountains was too poor, and he didn't have much money with him. He couldn't always rely on the poor for financial support.

After some discussion, Bai Sheng said: "It's better to vote for Brother Zhu."

"Which Brother Zhu?" Zhang Guangdao asked.

Bai Sheng said: "It was those two foreigners. At that time, I wanted to grab the horse."

Zhang Guangdao asked: "Have they gained a firm foothold?"

Bai Sheng said: "In Shangbai Village, I heard that Mr. Bai was appreciated by others and sold them 20 to 30 acres of land. I also heard that Mr. Zhu received the magic and was very good at farming."

Zhang Guangdao shook his head: "I was being chased by Heifeng Village, and Shangbai Village is too close. If the news leaks out, I'm afraid it will bring disaster to that place."

Bai Sheng said: "Don't be afraid of Heifengzhai, but Old Bai is not afraid. He has been the chief clerk for more than 20 years, and has also been the custodian for more than 10 years. His father has also been a custodian. There are many poor officials in the county. , are all promoted by their family. Even the county magistrate wants to give the old member Bai an outside appearance, how can the bandits dare to rob it?"

Zhang Guangdao thought carefully, but still couldn't make up his mind.

Bai Sheng continued: "The old Bai Yuanwai and the young Bai Yuanwai had a falling out a generation ago, and the villagers gathered to fight for shops and land. I heard from the elders that hundreds of people were fighting at that time, and it was nothing compared to The bandits are weak. The young member Bai... bah, Bai Zongmin is with Heifeng Village. If we go to Bai Village, the old member Bai will definitely be willing to accept us."

"He is an old fox and doesn't want to cause trouble." Zhang Guangdao shook his head.

Bai Sheng said: "If anyone else can't do it, Brother Zhang San will definitely do it."

Zhang Guangdao thought over and over again and decided that he could give it a try. The worst he could do was to stay down and work as a housekeeper for Old Bai: "We can't go along the Han River. We have to take a detour in the mountains, bypassing Xiabai Village, and starting from the back of Shangbai Village." Go down the mountain."

Bai Sheng praised: "Brother Zhang is still capable. I don't know that there is a mountain road that can be walked."

Zhang Guangdao took out all the money he had, bought some grain from the fleeing households in the mountains, and made it into dry food to take with him.

After walking on the mountain road for seven days, we finally reached the back mountain of Shangbai Village.

Just like Zhu Ming and his son, they were both in a state of embarrassment when they came down the mountain, and the child also had a high fever.

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