Chapter 22: Trouble Has Arrived (Part 2)

  I have a bad habit of not liking to leave drafts, new books are uploaded every day with at least three updates, each update is 3-4k words, but the time on the new book chart will be less than twenty days, so I can only rely on everyone's recommendation votes and collections to support it.

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  It just so happened that there was a learned and talented fortune teller who came from afar to the Central Plains. One day, he got into a conflict with some rascals in the capital city. I saw that he was an outsider who had come to the capital with difficulty, so I went up to help him out of trouble and became acquainted with him. He taught me some miscellaneous knowledge, including physiognomy and mathematics, as well as these symbols. Unfortunately, he returned home later, and there were some things I didn't learn thoroughly.

  "Western Learning."

  "It's not all, some are Western knowledge, some are ancestral knowledge. I compare them and merge them, just like abacus mouth decision. While teaching my son, I am also exploring and improving myself. But as I said earlier, human energy is limited, and if I divide my attention, I fear that I will never pass the imperial examination again."

  After Song Jiugong, he didn't even want to participate in the imperial examination.

  This is the best reason, would the imperial court send people to Europe for verification? If they really went, Song Ji would still welcome them, and then the Song Dynasty would know how vast the sea is, how high the sky is, and how far the earth is, and it will no longer be self-aggrandizing. If the imperial court sought verification from the Jews, there should have been a group of talented people who came to the Song Dynasty not long ago, they still remembered some knowledge of the Western world, and also proved that what they said was not in vain.

  "No wonder those who have been teaching Chinese for so many years in Zhongyuan have always been unknown."

  "Confucius spoke of benevolence and righteousness, the I Ching discussed yin and yang. Eastern civilization alone is not perfect, Western civilization is also imperfect. It's like yin and yang, only when combined can sparks fly. The other day, Dr. Yan said that foreigners are barbarians, but how can we look down on them? The Khitans were also considered barbarians. There are five grains: millet, glutinous rice, ordinary rice, wheat, and legumes. Wheat was introduced from the West, as stated in the Zhou Song, 'Yu lai mu, di ming shuai yu', where 'mu' refers to wheat. It's a blessing from heaven that we got it from the West, otherwise how could it have been transmitted from the Western Regions to the Central Plains during those backward times? Otherwise, we would still be relying on beans and sorghum as our main food.

  The strong country of Tibet was able to rise quickly because they knew how to take what others had. They took the decimal system from India, making calculations easier, and China's advanced paper-making technology, facilitating the spread of civilization. In a short time, they annexed numerous small and large countries and even defeated the powerful Tang army led by Gao Xianzhi.

  Just as individuals must learn from others' strengths to become knowledgeable, a country must also take what other countries have to offer in order to become stronger." Song Jiuyue's mouth ran like a runaway train, but in his heart, he was secretly thinking that it was fortunate, otherwise there would be a gaping hole.

  "Bring it?" Cai Gong almost let Song Jiu faint, and asked again: "Jiulang, I heard that someone measured the answer to your first question, is it six inches, yes or no?

  "Really measure it?" Song Jiuzhang opened his big mouth, saying six feet and six inches, if he said six zhangs and six feet, or sixty-six zhangs, what would be used to measure? But someone came up with an answer, so there was no need to hide it. He picked up a pen and first drew a parabola, writing how to solve it, only a few formulas were needed, but he still had to write more to explain the relevant principles and formulas, and how the formulas were derived. This writing became a long-winded essay of nearly a thousand words, with over a dozen geometric diagrams. He said: "As long as you grasp these mathematical principles, similar calculations become very simple, why bother using measurement?"

  Tsai Gonggong treasured a few pieces of paper and put them in his bosom, saying: "Jiulang's great righteousness, it seems that Premier Zhao really misunderstood you."

  Song Jiuyi smiled, and Zhao Kuangyin strongly ordered the decree to be issued, turning dozens of scholars into artisans. What could he use to block it? It's better to say some grand words to win over this fierce man's favor. Maybe in the future, it would make things easier for himself. This era is not like the previous one; even if you have tens of millions of wealth, if the government wants to deal with you, it can turn into zero assets overnight. Whether there is goodwill or not, this eunuch is very important. Song Jiuyi thought for a moment and found a small jar, wrapping the remaining eel and turtle with oil paper, saying: "Cai Neishi, after entering the palace, you can eat them hot at night."

  "Thanks," said Cai Gonggong with a smile as he left.

  This is what I call giving gifts!

  Yu Ping watched, always with a smile on her face. Many nobles said that Song Jiu was bold, and that he had come from his previous life, so the feudal system had little influence on him. He was bold, but in a good way, that is to say, he had guts, was clever and resourceful. To have a promising future, these two qualities were essential. Yu Ping saw Song Jiu's courage, seeing that he was not as constrained as some of the other young masters, nor was he an old hand at dealing with eunuchs for the first time. This was also courage, to see the eunuch in the palace and talk freely, to continue talking without restraint, this eunuch could sell Song Jiu out without him even knowing it, this was also courage and wisdom.

  The more I see it, the more I like it.

  Zhu San said: "Younger brother, the Emperor has taken notice of you. It seems that even without the imperial examination, you can still enter officialdom. Congratulations!"

  Cui'er grasped Yu Ping's hand and said in a low voice: "Wife, you are really clever."

  Yu Ping gave a look, meaning to let Cui Er be calm.

  Song Jiuxiao chuckled: "Brother Zhu, if one enters officialdom by relying on clever tricks and cunning, they can only be a low-ranking official of the eighth or ninth grade for their entire life. It's not worth being such an official."

  Being an official is great, but spending one's whole life as a minor ninth-grade official is also quite pathetic. What a frighteningly big hat! He then said, "Let's go watch the dragon boat racing."

  Then looking at Yubing, you are lonely and unbearable, come to the river, chat also chatted, look also looked, eat also ate, also want to go home. Yubing said with a hint of resentment: "Jiulang, do you despise me?"

  Song Jiu isn't a fool, he should understand, but it doesn't make sense. This isn't what's sung in the opera. Logically speaking, such a beautiful and talented courtesan like Yu Ping would like Li Jia, so why did she fall for him instead? Compared to Lu Sheng, Song Jiu is just a poor boy. Apart from his family's large but worthless mansion, he only has a few hundred bolts of silk bestowed upon him by Zhao Kuangyi. In terms of talent, apart from copying others' work, his poetry and lyrics are extremely mediocre. He may have some skills in arithmetic, accounting, and other minor arts, but these aren't recognized in this era. As for family background, his parents died early, leaving him an orphan. And as for social status, if not for the imperial decree earlier, he would still be just a commoner. That's why Yu Ping said that Song Jiu could only marry her out of compromise.

  Song Jiuyi couldn't understand, and he was also worried that such a beautiful woman had never been seen before, and her life was one of luxury and comfort. Song Jiuyi didn't want to play with her, but rather wanted to marry her and spend the rest of his life with her in peace. Liang Shiyu was a good person, but Han Shizhong was a high-ranking official, so she was considered a good person. Yue Fei was unfortunate, he rose to prominence late, his first wife eloped with another man, they divorced, and she remarried, and was even used by Han Shizhong to humiliate Yue Fei, and afterwards played a trick on him.

  That famous general's daughter, Song Jiu could only reminisce in midnight dreams. After the passion had passed, he also had to admit that Zhao Kuangyi and Yu Ping were right, whether it was Pan Mei or Shi Shouxin or other generals' daughters, would they be willing to marry their daughter to this poor young man?

  But Yu Ping was also skeptical, however, looking at her pitiful appearance, he said: "If you're not afraid of losing face, then come with us to watch the boats."

  "Don't be afraid," Yutong said loudly.

  A few people went to Big Sister's house to gather, Zhu San whispered in Song Jiu's ear: "Xian Di, just give up."

  "From?"

  "You've already eloped with someone else's daughter-in-law, are you going to use your own money to openly buy her back and marry her, or what?"

  "Go!"

  Arrived at the eldest sister's home, the eldest sister and brother-in-law, mother-in-law and father-in-law, two children were preparing at home. Seeing Yu Ping, the eldest sister was stunned, pulled Song Jiu to one side and asked: "Little Jiu, why did Yu Ping come again?"

  "Sister, today is a holiday, she saw the festive atmosphere outside was thick, felt lonely, so came to the river to join in the excitement."

  "Haven't you ever been in contact with her before?"

  "Sister, I've never been to Beiwaguo either, how did you come and go?"

  "Why did she come back to the river again and again?"

  "She thinks I'm handsome."

  "Less fragrance is beautiful, I'm worried..."

  "What's there to fear? I have no money, no fame, just a few broken-down houses. If she doesn't fear me, why should I still be afraid?"

  "You may not have money, but now you also have a reputation."

  “She is more famous.”

  Song Jiu made sense, and his elder sister was equally perplexed. However, as a woman who had seen much of the world, she could discern the way Yu Ping looked at her brother - it was not right, clearly the gaze of someone looking at their lover. Song Jiu feared she would think wildly, so he added: "Elder sister, I have one more thing to tell you. Just now, an imperial envoy arrived with a decree, appointing me as the National Supervisor and Doctor."

  "Really."

  "It's true, but I refused."

  "Are you looking for trouble?"

  "Elder sister, listen to me," Song Jiu explained, "there will be plenty of opportunities to become an official later on. This is called casting a long line to catch a big fish."

  Big sister was still unhappy: "The big fish in the river is not yours, only the fish that has been caught is yours." Regretful, almost to the point of beating her chest and stamping her feet, if she had known earlier, it would have been better to drag her brother home for the holiday, then declare at her own home, dare he refuse?

  The three families gathered together and went to the riverbank to watch the boats.

  On the banks of the Bian River, crowds of people gathered to watch the dragon boat racing. Although it had not yet begun, the East Water Gate and the West Bian River, which led to Jinming Pool, were already filled with excitement. The main venue for the dragon boat racing was also located here, and sometimes even the emperor would lead his ministers to come and watch. There were also dragon boats on the Jinshui River and the Wuzhang River, but only Cai Shui was not suitable for it. However, there were also dragon boats on the section of the Cai Shui River outside the city.

  What Song Jiun appreciated most about this era was the thick festive atmosphere. Neighbors would visit each other, and the rich had a sense of humanity. At least when an old lady fell down while crossing the road, several people would rush to help her up without worrying about being extorted by her family members. Therefore, even Confucius couldn't say that Guan Zhong was wrong - one must grasp both material wealth and spiritual well-being; otherwise, no matter how rich a society is, it will still be a declining one.

  The only thing that was not beautiful was that many soldiers and guards stood on the riverbank, as if facing a great enemy.

  In the past, the Dragon Boat Festival was a joyful occasion, with friendship being the second priority and competition being the third. However, due to the hatred between the people of the two rivers, it evolved into a PK (player killing) first, joy second, and competition third, with friendship... gone to hell.

  The dragon boats rowed to the center of the river, but instead of rowing towards the water, they were rowing towards each other's bodies. Two years ago, this resulted in a loss of life.

  As a result, starting from the Dragon Boat Festival, officials would warn the leaders of each boat not to fight or brawl, and whoever did so would be arrested and exiled to Sand Island. However, on the day of the festival, the officials of Kaifeng County were still very tense.

  The river sections were also different, with the Bian River splitting into two from the Xiaotutou Bridge. This split in the water flow created a change in direction, which would merge again at the Futu Rainbow Bridge outside the city, creating another change in direction. Moreover, as the Bian River flowed towards the city center, it became narrower and more turbulent, making some sections of the river strange and rapid.

  As a result, both sides dared not PK (player kill) each other anymore and focused their energy on racing the dragon boats instead. The dragon boats were fast, but too long and narrow, with the bow almost level with the water surface at top speed. However, this made it easy to have accidents when passing through turbulent sections of the river.

  The spectators didn't care, they saw several dragon boats desperately rowing forward, shouting and cheering, with great enthusiasm.

  Fortunately, nothing happened all the way. At dusk, the dragon boat stopped, and tourists gradually dispersed, with a few returning home. Sitting on the stone bench, Yutong looked at the sky, the late afternoon glow was bright and moving, the unpolluted sky was lovely and beautiful, the blue sky was like a piece of jade, the clouds were crystal clear like glass threads. Yutong lazily stretched her waist: "Jiulang, your home is still better, rich with human touch, I don't even want to leave."

  These words... really make one's thoughts run wild.

  Song Jiubai didn't understand the situation and changed the subject: "Why don't you stay for dinner before leaving?"

  Reheat the leftover dishes, and also get the zongzi that Big Sister Bao made. Then bring out the Huangjiu wine to drink after dinner. After sending Yubi to Bianqiao, on the way back, Zhu San teased: "Younger brother, since they wanted you to stay, why didn't you stay?"

  "She is a real Qing girl, what did she leave behind? Instead, it ruined her reputation."

  Zhu San was shocked and respectful. In Northern Song Dynasty, the concept of chastity was not too emphasized, but it's impossible to say that it was not valued at all. The so-called true virtuous woman was a virgin, in that occasion, still being a virgin at the age of twenty, how could she not be respected?

  The next day, Song Jiu continued his holiday and went out of the East Water Gate to that sandy islet. He stopped having unrealistic fantasies about that young woman from a good family. In this era, if you want to stand out, first, it's power; once you put on the hat of a strange skill, don't think about it anymore. Second, it's wealth; keep thinking about the golden dream.

  After thinking for a while, I returned home and was about to open the door when I heard a pleasant female voice behind me: "Brother, it's him."

  The voice was familiar, and Song Ji turned his head to see the little girl he had been dreaming of. She was wearing a goose-green long dress that reached her feet, with a slender figure, eyes like lacquer, eyebrows like paintings, and a small face as white as jade with a hint of red. It seemed as if she didn't come from this world. However, her gaze was not friendly at all, her almond-shaped eyes were wide open in anger, and she pointed at Song Ji with her hand: "Big brother, second brother, third younger brother, it's him."

  Song Jiu only then noticed that there were still two young men standing beside her, a youth, and two robust family guards. The five people who were going to take his life all wore standard pu dao knives. The girl pointed at Song Jiu, the two family guards in their thirties didn't move, but the two young men and the youth drew out their pu dao knives and rushed towards Song Jiu.

  Song Jiubao's head wasn't small, and these two young men's heads were big too. Moreover, Song Jiubao had sharp eyes, and the clothes on their bodies were all beautiful silk fabrics. As the son of a high-ranking official, how could his clothes be inferior? This was indeed a case where one needed power to have power, family background to have family background, and weapons to have weapons - how could he possibly be an opponent? Not good, it seemed that big trouble had found its way to his doorstep. Song Jiubao turned around and ran away immediately.