Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Trouble and theft in the garden
Meanwhile, Baorong noticed the chariot and immediately pulled out a fresh piece of paper. With just a few strokes, he sketched the lady's appearance within the chariot's canopy. The scene was truly beautiful, but he was afraid of offending others, so he could only sketch a rough outline first and then complete the painting when he returned. Putting away the painting, Baorong spread out another piece of paper. This place was located next to a rockery. Although there were few people coming, the scenery was very beautiful, and he could also get a general idea of the entire garden.
If it is said that Erlang of the Zhen family has some talent in reading, then Baorong is no less talented than Erlang in painting.
Baozhu touched her nose in disappointment. As for her and her elder brother, they were probably just ordinary people who opened a restaurant to make a living.
It was almost dusk. Although it was quiet here, the lively scene of the Jinming Lake Dragon Boat Race could not be seen in its entirety. Baozhu pulled Baorong along, and the two sisters went back together to look for A Niang, Aunt and others.
Although the wives of these petty officials were somewhat arrogant towards the common people, they did not make things difficult for Xu since she was brought here by Aunt Zhen. Some of them were even curious and asked about interesting things in Suzhou, the most famous ingredients, and the most delicious foods.
Xu has always been carefree. After all, she is used to doing business and knows what people like to hear. Therefore, she picks out jokes to tell and often flatters in her words, which makes the listeners feel very comfortable. As a result, quite a few people talk to her.
When Baozhu arrived, a lady was laughing and wiping away tears from the corners of her eyes because of Xu's words.
Someone also saw the princess's carriage and asked curiously, "It's supposed to be Prince Jing'an's turn to open the ceremony today, but why is there only the princess? The prince hasn't arrived yet?"
It turned out that the lady just now was none other than Princess Jing'an. This princess was a well-known philanthropist, and it was said that she had funded the construction of several orphanages. Since the princess had come today, it seemed likely that Prince Jing'an would be the one to ring the gong to start the competition.
Someone suddenly started talking, and someone who knew more about the situation continued, "I heard that the prince wanted to take the Qinlou singing girl as a concubine, but the princess didn't want to, so she made a fuss about it—"
"The princess cried before the queen, and the matter of taking a concubine was finally dropped. However, Prince Jing'an and the princess have been strangers ever since..."
Princess Jing'an's family is the only daughter of the prime minister of the current dynasty, and her aunt is the Empress Dowager. Before she got married, she was the envy of everyone in Bianjing City. Now, after being married to Prince Jing'an's mansion for more than ten years, the couple has become a pair of resentful lovers.
The ladies were silent. Every family has its own problems. Although the wealthy families may seem prosperous, they may not be as comfortable as their small families.
I thought that Prince Jing'an would come to kick off the ceremony today, but he still hadn't arrived at the appointed time. I only saw Princess Jing'an, accompanied by a group of attendants, going up to the Linshui Tower. The dragon boats were already waiting to set off by the water. An eunuch came up to remind her, so she pressed her hand and took out a token from her waist.
"I have come here on the orders of the Empress Dowager to kick off the Dragon Boat Festival races. The team that wins first place today will be rewarded with one hundred taels of gold and one hundred pieces of silk. I will also reward one hundred pieces of forging and ten fine horses."
A clear, gentle yet firm voice spread from the platform to all directions, making the team on the water, which was already eager to try, even more lively.
Baozhu could only see a silhouette of Princess Jing'an on the high platform overlooking the water. She looked dignified and like an inviolable goddess.
It is a hot day now, and the sun is so strong that the skin is burning. There are many men with their sleeves rolled up and bare chests on the dragon boats. Just showing their strong arms makes people feel strong and powerful.
"Zheng!"
"drink!"
The moment the gong sounded, all the dragon boats on the shore came out in full force, their oars swinging back and forth to create a regular wave. Groups of people on the shore cheered in unison, each cheering for their favorite team.
The people outside the garden either climbed up trees or brought up racks, craning their necks to look inside.
The ten dragon boats sped through the water like sharp arrows.
rise!
change!
urgent!
brake!
The people watching on the shore also breathed a sigh of relief, fearing that the boat would capsize if they made any mistakes.
Grandma Zhen was the most excited. She had placed a bet on the street earlier. In addition to betting on the team of her cousin Hengzhi, she also bet on the most popular team. The leader was said to be the Inspector of the Right Army of Bian Jing. Although he was only an eighth-rank official, this man was the Inspector of Bian Jing City appointed by the government. He was both civil and military, and was a genius in solving cases.
As expected, the dragon boat that the inspector general was on was now in the first place.
Baozhu was horrified as she watched, but Baorong had already spread out the paper and ink and started painting.
The shouting on the shore became louder and louder. Most of the good seats were taken. The Linshui Tower was a place only the rich and powerful families could go to. Therefore, Baozhu Zhurong could only stand on one side, with Xu, A Zhong and the eldest brother guarding them in the middle to watch the fun.
There were musicians beating drums on the shore to liven up the atmosphere, and the tight drum beats made the dragon boat seem even more anxious.
Even the people watching the excitement on the shore were clenching their fists nervously, not to mention the team paddling in the middle.
For some reason, one of the boats lost its power and failed to turn the bend, and immediately capsized. A group of people scattered and fell into the water. When they got up again, they were soaked. A burst of laughter suddenly broke out among the crowd watching on the shore.
Seeing that they couldn't catch up, these people had to push the boat over and pulled the overturned boat back to the shore. When they got up, there was another round of discussion. The man's name and family background were immediately revealed. A group of people lowered their heads, covered their red faces, and avoided everyone's sight.
Several teams over there were also vying for the top spot. Grandma Zhen was very sharp-eyed. She just clapped her hands and said that Hengzhi was second. After a burst of rapid drumbeats, the ranking in the lake was determined.
The dragon boat that the Right Inspector was on took the lead, and Princess Jing'an called him on board. He jumped up and landed on the shore in the next moment. This young man was not very old, and his future was limitless.
Looking at the team from the Imperial College behind, the students were also exhausted and panting. Nowadays, being an official not only requires family background and talent, but also the six arts of a gentleman, all of which must be mastered. Therefore, knowledge is one aspect, and martial arts are also required on the other hand. Otherwise, if they are sent to serve as officials in remote areas, their frail bodies will not be enough. Therefore, students in the capital also learn some riding and shooting. Even Hengzhi's cousin is proficient in riding and shooting.
The Right Inspector had paid his respects to the princess and received his reward, then he joined the team without paying any attention to details. A group of people threw him high into the air and caught him steadily, and cheers immediately rang out in the arena.
The team from the Imperial College where Heng's cousin was located was second and received many rewards. Those who played were all future pillars of society, so Princess Jing'an summoned a group of people to present them with rewards and gave them some words of encouragement.
Baozhu sighed in her heart. Students from small places mostly devoted their minds to books. Whether it was dragon boat racing or polo or cuju, they were often regarded as not doing their job properly. However, Kyoto was a place of outstanding people and there were countless wealthy and powerful people. They would definitely devote themselves to the cultivation of their descendants and ask for special guidance in both literary and military strategies.
At a glance, the playboys in Beijing are either those who have become rich suddenly or those who have no one to discipline them, and have become dissolute over time.
If there are clear-headed and upright elders in the family, they will not want to see the younger generation like this. Even if the younger generation cannot be helped no matter what, such a noble family will decline after a few generations, but the moral character and deeds passed down by the ancestors will also be reflected in the words and deeds of later generations. If there is a talented person among the younger generation, the day of the family's revival is just around the corner.
In addition to the dragon boat races during the Dragon Boat Festival every year, there are also competitions such as polo and cuju. There are prizes for the winners, but the competitions are not as grand as the dragon boat races, so the prizes are naturally not as great. There are also two stages in the park, one for performing magic tricks, and the other far away for performing southern opera.
There are many places to play in this garden, and there are imperial guards patrolling everywhere. There is no strict separation between men and women. In short, after walking around for a long time, there is still a lot of excitement to see.
There were countless minor officials in Bianjing, and the common people of the Zhen family did not dare to move around freely for fear of offending important people, so they only took small paths with fewer people. Although they could not see everything, they could still see most of the excitement.
Being able to see the true prosperity of the dynasty, Baozhu felt that her life was not lived in vain. Erlang looked at the elegant and luxurious wives of officials on the high-rise building by the water, and then looked at his parents and sisters. The house they bought at home was prepared for his studies, and he secretly vowed in his heart to let his family live a better life.
If Baozhu knew what her second brother was thinking, she would feel guilty. The family had been living a good life in Gusu. They didn't seek wealth and honor, but only hoped to live a peaceful life. Who knew that they would be noticed by the Sun family? Now they have to leave their home and career to go to the capital to find a way out. Everything has to start from scratch. At their age, their parents really can't run anymore.
Dalang looked at the crowds in the garden and thought that if he could set up a small stall and sell some snacks, it would be very profitable. Thinking of this, he asked Baozhu, "This Bianjing City is really big. Although we don't have the money to open a restaurant, it doesn't cost much to set up a stall. Why not find a chance to ask around?"
Baozhu naturally agreed. She had also saved dozens of strings of cash. There were many festivals in this dynasty, and the city of Bianjing would be bustling during each festival, so even small vendors could make a profit.
On the other hand, Baorong just followed Baozhu closely to watch the fun. Her painting just now also attracted some people to watch, and some even wanted to buy a painting to hang up, but the price offered was really low. Besides, the whole family had to rely on her aunt to enter the garden to watch the fun today, and it was even more reluctant to embarrass her aunt.
There were stalls on the street outside the wall that stretched as far as the eye could see. Xu and Zhen's father thought they had some skills, so they comforted each other and thought it wouldn't be difficult to make a living in the city of Bianjing.
As for Grandma Zhen, her family feels at ease knowing that she is so happy.
The family talked and laughed about going to look for Auntie and Grandma Zhen. She was watching acrobatics at the stage and was tired after walking around for the whole morning. In order to congratulate them on their new home, Zhen's father specially booked a table at Fanlou today, and the two families would go there to try it at noon.
Baozhu walked a few steps and suddenly felt that her hair bun was a little loose. She touched her head but couldn't find the hairpin she had put in earlier. In order to look decent today, she wore fashionable clothes and jewelry in Suzhou City. Her parents loved them very much and bought her and Baorong some expensive jewelry every year since they were young. The hairpin she wore today was the turquoise and butterfly-inlaid gold hairpin she had bought earlier this year.
"I'll look for it along the road, you guys go find grandma first." There aren't many people passing by along the road here, so it should have fallen nearby.
Baorong loved to follow her elder sister, so she refused to go with her parents. She just handed the easel to her elder brother, and held the rest of the things in her arms like treasures, and followed Baozhu back to find the hairpin.
She had only taken two steps back when she brushed past a man in green clothes. No one knew where he came from, but he walked so fast without even looking up that he almost broke Baozhu's shoulder bone. Baozhu frowned, rubbed her painful shoulder, and looked back at the man. He was not tall, and he lowered his head, so she didn't notice his face. She only saw a red mole on his temple.
In short, the whole person looked weird, and Baozhu was unhappy. She had to be careful with everything in the garden, and her parents were waiting, so she couldn't waste time. She had to forget about it and lowered her head to search slowly on the roadside.
She walked all the way to the rockery, but still couldn't find the hairpin. She felt regretful, but she had to give up. It would be bad to let the whole family wait for her to find the hairpin alone.
The two sisters decided to look again along the road, but if they really couldn't find it, they would just give up.
When they came out from that road, they saw the scene outside was in chaos. Baozhu was afraid that something might happen, so she prepared to jog to find her aunt's family. But before she could go there, she heard someone shouting from behind.
Baozhu turned around and saw that it was the inspector who had made such a big splash in today's competition.
"There was a theft in the garden. A noble in the garden lost a beloved item. Miss, have you seen any suspicious people passing by just now?" The inspector's face was a little dark due to being exposed to the wind and sun for a long time, but his features were handsome. He was wearing a short suit for today's dragon boat race, and the people following him should be his subordinates, who also looked awe-inspiring.
All the gates to Jinming Pond were sealed, so the thief must still be in the garden. "Just now, I did see someone run into me in a panic, but I'm not sure if it was the thief you're looking for. Could you tell me what he was wearing?"
"He was wearing a blue cloth, not very eye-catching."
The gentleman didn't say much, but Baozhu understood that the two sides were in agreement, and immediately said,
"Yes, the man who bumped into me just now was a man in green. He was short and walked with his head down, so I couldn't see his face clearly. He had a red mole on his temple. He looked ordinary, but he had silk shoes on. He ran southwest."
Thanks to her habit, although she didn't have a photographic memory, it was good to be able to remember something. Baozhu thought for a long time and wrote down everything she could say. At the same time, Baorong squatted on the ground and drew the man's figure with just a few strokes. The two of them took the painting and immediately chased after him in the southwest direction. From a distance, they could hear a thank you blown by the wind.
There are so many people patrolling today, yet there are still thieves. Not only is this extremely inappropriate, but it also happened to an important person.
Although the inspector has not said it explicitly, now that there is such a big fanfare, I think this noble lady is the princess who opened the ceremony today.
Although there is no strict protection between men and women in this dynasty, if a thief stole the princess's personal belongings, Princess Jing'an would inevitably be gossiped about if the news got out. However, no one would know what the theft was for, or why the thief only stole the princess's things.
The author has something to say:
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