Becoming a Saint by Leisure Reading - Chapter 48
The time is September, it is already the third of autumn.
The temperature in the morning was a little cold, but it does not decrease the enthusiasm of the businessmen. In the three hundred and sixty squares of the central capital, the smell of food wafts on every road. A gust of wind blows, and the spicy soup full of pepper is refreshing, and the big pancakes sprinkled with sesame seeds are fragrant, which makes people have an appetite. The old-fashioned ramen restaurant is chanting “Er Xi” and “Red Soup”, as if it can make the business more prosperous, and the stalls with hot oil pans on the street are not to be outdone, and the seasoned food is thrown into the oil. In the pot, the sizzling sound, rolling and frying, the oil is yellow and crisp. In this compartment, the young ladies of the less extinguished families, who are neatly dressed, put on a variety of hand-made pastries, which are exquisite, and you can smell the sweetness in the air after a few steps; in the other compartment, a burly man fished out a piece from the cauldron. He got boiled meat, chopped it, poured a spoonful of red oil juice on top, wrapped it in a dough cake, packed it with lotus leaves, and handed it to the buyer…
At this time, the teahouses on the street also pulled down their signboards with gilded characters that said “Wake up early”. The young lackey stood at the door with a smile on his face. He was holding a water basin in front of him, full of piping hot water as he shouted: “Wake up early…”
With this shout, he woke up the entire capital.
”Wake up early” is a custom in Beijing. Anyone who doesn’t rush to work with a mouthful of hot food will come to this teahouse with their favorite breakfast food, wash their face with the water in the hot tub, walk inside, and pick a seat. Next, listen to the gentleman on the stage read the imperial court’s newspaper, break down the current situation, and start the day slowly. This is “wake up early”.
When Daxuan was created, some officials suggested that “Wake up early” is the common people’s arrogant discussion of the government, please stop and wake up early. Taizu said angrily that people in the world could not know the affairs of the world, and even sent eunuchs from the Qing family in the palace. Under the leadership of the first eunuch, they settled in various teahouses and taverns and shared the daily imperial edicts with the people except for the secret and important matters. Reciting for seven days in a row made word officials shut up. Since then, anyone who goes out to “wake up early” can shake their heads proudly, raise their thumbs up, and shout “Wake up early for the imperial edict” with three points of pride and three points of arrogance, very domineering.
…
Nan Yuanxi took a pancake in his mouth and walked quickly through the crowd. Last night, Xiao Hexiang somehow lost her temper and tossed herself all night before she woke up three-quarters of an hour late.
Thinking of Xiao Hexiang, Nan Yuanxi felt a tenderness in his heart. He never imagined that in the land of fireworks, he would find the love of his life. What about the women in the brothel, if he could, he would like to marry Xiao Hexiang right away tomorrow, carrying her in a large sedan chair into the house.
It’s just that Xiao Hexiang’s redemption funds are too high.
Nan Yuanxi took a bite of the pancake. His southern family was once prominent when the country was founded, and his ancestors also had great Confucian figures. However, one generation is not as good as one generation. It has been passed down for hundreds of years. When it came to his generation, he finally returned to the light, which made him awaken the talent of “reading through”. It’s a pity that his talent is limited, and after 20 years of studying, he has stopped at the “writing realm”. He thought that he still lacked the guidance of famous teachers, so he sold his family property and traveled thousands of miles to Zhongjing.
But what is the city of Zhongjing? Millennium ancient capital, the first good place. He has no power, no connections, and low talent, so naturally, he can’t even find a way to post.
In order to make contacts, he frequently held literary conferences, but the participants were all on par with him. In the blink of an eye, there was no progress in apprenticeships for half a year, but only his money had almost been consumed.
In the end, someone said that they could help him find a copying job in Wenchang Pavilion, but it only required a lot of money. At that time, Nan Yuanxi was like grabbing the last straw, and he fought with each other. In the end, the bamboo basket was empty and he was coaxed out of money.
When all his thoughts were lost, it was Xiao Hexiang who held Nan Yuanxi, who wanted to commit suicide by throwing himself into the river. This brothel woman had participated in Nan Yuanxi’s literary meeting several times before, but was overwhelmed by Nan Yuanxi’s rhetoric. ”
”This concubine thinks that even though Lord Lang is not good at poetry, classics, and meanings, but he can analyze current affairs, and the boring official documents when in Langjun’s mouth, it becomes very lively and vivid, easy to understand, why don’t this gentleman consider becoming a ‘Shuowen’, and maybe he can get the attention of nobles. No matter how bad it is, you can save some money. “
Xiao Hexiang’s words awakened the dreamer.
Saying Shuowen is a profession born with the custom of “wake up early”. They took the imperial palace newspaper and read it to the guests who came to wake up early. The higher-level of Shuowen could also analyze the hidden secrets that were not written in the palace newspaper, and even predict the trend of current affairs. Being able to be named “teacher.” is enough to show his high status. From time to time, some people say that Shuowen has been favored by nobles and recommended to enter the court or be accepted as an aide.
Nan Yuanxi listened to Xiao Hexiang’s advice and really found a way out that suits him to show his strengths. It has only been half a year of hard work. The name of “painting mouth Nansheng” is a little famous. Mr. Shuowen of “North Wind Tower”, one of the teahouses, and earns thirty taels of silver a month.
I heard yesterday that there is an important news report today, but I don’t know what it is. Being late is a big taboo for a Shuowen. So Nan Yuanxi quickened his pace again…
…
”Morning guests, Nan Sheng is polite.” Hurry up, Nan Yuanxi finally arrived at the Beifeng Building in time, took the copy of the Di newspaper from the shopkeeper, and hurried onto the stage.
”Mr. Nan, a certain family saw you running all the way on the road. You must have been lingering with Xiao Hexiang, and forgot the time!” A familiar morning guest was teasing below, causing a kind of laughter.
”Don’t talk nonsense!” Some fans of Nan Yuanxi also retorted, “If you are lingering with Xiao Hexiang, Mr. Nan will definitely not be able to get out of bed in the morning, how can he run all this way…”
The crowd laughed again.
Nanyuan interest: (￣ェ￣;)
Sir, are you defending me? Is Nan Yuanxi so useless in your eyes?
Nan Yuanxi coughed twice, signaling the audience to be quiet.
”Everyone, let’s talk about the joke later, let’s get to the point, let’s talk about today’s newspaper.” Nan Yuanxi forcibly held his decorum, picked up the newspaper in his hand, and only glanced at it. A look of disbelief appeared on his face, and then he read it several times.
A guest below was impatient and shouted, “Mr. Nan, what’s wrong? But the barbarians have invaded?”
Someone continued: “Could it be that the demon clan has come to fight the autumn wind again?”
Nan Yuanxi quickly gathered his mind and put down the daily newspaper. In this short period of time, he had completely memorized the daily newspaper.
”Everyone, don’t worry, it’s not a monster. There is only one thing in the newspaper today. Our Majesty of Daxuan canonized Chen Luo aka Chen Dongliu of Wan’an County, Qingzhou, as Lord of Wan An!”
There was an uproar underneath.
”Chen Luo? Who? Never heard of it!”
”Lord of Wan An, is this a real title? Isn’t it the most controversial issue to bestow kingship or lordships these days?”
”My dynasty has an ancestral system, and I cannot be awarded a title without merit. Where is this Chen Luogong?”
”How old is Chen Luo? Is it Confucianism or Taoism?”
Nan Yuanxi took advantage of the commotion, took a sip of tea, suppressed the surprise in his heart, and gestured to suppress it, the voice below gradually quieted down, and Nan Yuanxi continued to speak.
”Chen Luozhe, nineteen years old, after being loyal and fierce, wrote a piece of “Tale of Zhong Kui”, which can be recited to obtain the power to ward off ghosts. Moreover, those who do not have the talent for reading can also recite it.”
”The full text is as follows-“
…
Almost at the same time, all “Wake Up Early” teahouses and all Shuowen teachers in Zhongjing slowly read out “The Tales of Zhong Kui”.
”Zhong Kui, a native of Zhongnan Mountain, Shaanxi Province, was talented at a young age…”
At the same time, at Wansheng Main Gate of Zhongjing City, a carriage slowly drove into Zhongjing.
Sitting in the carriage, the great scholar Wei Yan, the new Lord of Wan An——
Chen Luo!
