The welcome luncheon was held at the Zhouqiao Palace.

After the luxurious carriage passed the Zhou Bridge, Zhao Hao saw a brand new five-bay archway with four big characters "Brother Second Place" inscribed on it!

Now that he was knowledgeable enough, he recognized it as Wang Shizhen's work at a glance.

After passing through this archway, there is another one behind it, with "Huiyuan Bangyan" written on it.

The first archway boasts about Wang Xijue and Wang Dingjue both winning second place in the imperial examination, while the second archway boasts about Wang Xijue's amazing feat of first winning the imperial examination and then winning second place.

Of course, it is indeed worth bragging about. After all, it is a story that people still talk about hundreds of years later.

A family would be thankful to have one such memorial archway. Wang Mengxiang, who was in the same car with him, was still not satisfied and said:

"Good things come in pairs, so we should be content, but since three gives birth to all things, I feel that it would take three memorial archways to be complete."

Three lives and three worlds, Zhao Hao complained in his heart.

However, thirty years later, Wang Xijue's son Wang Heng would once again stage a good drama of father and son both being runner-up in the imperial examination.

Thinking about the future, after the two memorial archways, another memorial archway of "Father and Son Both Win the Imperial Examination" will be erected. Zhao Hao couldn't help but sigh secretly that the Wang family is really destined to win the imperial examination.

But I guess by then Old Wang will regret that there is no top scholar in his family.

Anyway, people will never be satisfied...

~~

The carriage drove directly into the Wang family's two-story gatehouse, which was five rooms wide and magnificent, and stopped in the extra-large sedan hall that could accommodate five sedans at the same time.

The blue robe and felt hat describe a capable servant who opens the car door, places the footstep, and helps the master and guests get out of the car.

Then Wang Mengxiang led Zhao Hao and others along the long double-eaved corridor to the Jianshan Hall where the banquet was held.

Along the way, Zhao Hao discovered that the shapes and styles of all the stained glass windows in those ordinary corridors were completely different.

Looking into the garden through the windows, which are either square, round, fan-shaped, or in the patterns of swastikas, crabapples, or kui patterns, you can see a new scene with every step outside the window. Outside each window is a wonderful landscape painting.

Zhao Hao knew that the Wang family's wealth was no longer superficial, but was hidden in their bones. They had completely washed away the face of nouveau riche and cultivated the connotation of a noble family.

Otherwise, no matter how rich he is, Wang Shizhen will not be related to them, right?

Zhao Hao couldn't help but wake up secretly. He decided to be more restrained in the future and not be so eager to stick the words "This young master is rich" on his face.

Although the Ming Dynasty was as materialistic as it was four hundred years later, the society’s aesthetics and style were not interrupted.

The newly wealthy have thousand-year-old families like the Wang family of Langya to emulate, so their aesthetic taste will not be distorted, and they will not regard glittering gold and gaudy things as beauty.

Only after studying in this way for a long time can the new nobles gradually acquire connotation and become new aristocratic families.

~~

The Jianshan Hall where the banquet was held was five rooms wide, with eaves ten and a half feet high, and had a grandeur and spaciousness rarely seen in Jiangnan architecture.

Sitting in the hall and looking out, there is no common lotus pond or waterside pavilion outside, but a huge rockery that is more than two meters high and has a circumference of more than ten meters.

It is covered with green grass, colorful flowers, gurgling water and chirping birds, just like a real mountain.

"Well, okay, I take it back..." Young Master Zhao slapped himself in the face and said, "The urge to show off wealth is really a human instinct, and it can never be stopped."

Seeing Zhao Hao staring with his eyes wide open, Wang Mengxiang didn't dare to brag about it himself.

"You have Yufeng Mountain in Kunshan, but we don't even have a mountain in Taicang." Wang Shimao, who was sitting next to him, introduced with a smile:

"My uncle's grandfather, Mr. Xinjiang, vowed to pile up earth from all directions and move stones from Taihu Lake to build a mountain for Taicang to control the Feng Shui."

Zhao Hao thought to himself, this kind of thing doesn't seem very auspicious. Just like Genyue...

However, after building this mountain, the Wang family seems to be getting more and more prosperous.

Forget it, I won’t think about unscientific things anymore.

He exclaimed: "Jianshan Hall is well-deserved of its reputation..."

“Hahaha.” Wang Mengxiang laughed happily and said, “You are far inferior to my nephew. I heard from Mr. Wenshan that you dug a pond and built a pavilion on a real mountain in Jinling. You are going to build the largest private garden in the world.”

Wen Zhengming's sons made a living by designing gardens for the rich, appraising antiques, and entertaining guests, wandering among the rich in Suzhou and Songjiang. Naturally, they were also frequent guests of the Wang family.

"Mr. Wenshan, you are exaggerating. No matter how big Xiaocang Mountain is, it is still a barren mountain. It can't be considered a garden." Zhao Hao said with a modest smile.

"Doctor, why should you be so modest? Everyone in the Ming Dynasty knows that you have a keen eye and can see things that ordinary people cannot. You have a pair of skillful hands that can turn stone into gold." Wang Shimao also smiled and echoed:

"When the garden is completed in the future, please allow us to come and congratulate you and enjoy the beautiful scenery."

"That's right. When the time comes, I'll have to be thick-skinned and stay for a few days so I can come back and brag to others." Wang Mengxiang laughed.

The guests in the hall also started to flatter Zhao Hao, and Mr. Zhao felt a little embarrassed because of his thick skin.

~~

After the beautiful maid served the wine and food, Wang Mengxiang personally held the pot and poured wine for Zhao Hao.

"No!" The three disciples stood up and shouted, "Our master is not yet an adult!"

"My master can just drink fruit juice." Hua Shuyang poured Zhao Hao some freshly squeezed bayberry juice.

Zhao Hao smiled apologetically and said, "I'm sorry, uncle. My father was too strict. I dare not drink before the ban is lifted."

"Oh, haha, Zhao Zhuangyuan is too strict..." Wang Mengxiang laughed when he heard it: "It doesn't matter what you drink, the feelings are the same."

Then he poured wine for himself and Wang Shimao, stood up with the wine, and led the crowd to welcome Zhao Hao's arrival.

After drinking it all, the maid poured the old man a second glass of wine. Wang Mengxiang picked it up and said to Zhao Hao with gratitude:

"My son was able to win the second place again this time, all thanks to Dr. Zhao's careful teaching. His elder brother wrote that the boy was living and eating at Dr. Zhao's house, which really caused Dr. Zhao a lot of trouble."

As he spoke, Mr. Wang and Zhao Hao drank the whole drink, held his hand and said sincerely: "I really don't know how to thank the doctor. Gold and silver jewelry are too vulgar, and antiques and calligraphy and paintings are not what the doctor likes."

Zhao Hao felt very relieved when he heard this. It seemed that Jin Yang had already told his father that he didn't like antiques with poor liquidity.

As for gold, silver and jewelry, although this young master has no shortage of them, but the love for them is eternal...

"It just so happens that your father has just arrived in Kunshan and your county has suffered from a flood. How about I donate some food to alleviate Mr. Zhao's worries?" Wang Mengxiang said sincerely.

"My Wuyang and Shuyang were the first to study under the doctor, and now they have both graduated from high school. Although the Han family's financial resources are far less than my uncle's family, our intentions are the same. Let's try our best to donate a little to your county."

"This..." Although Zhao Hao knew that things were not that simple, he still felt very useful.

The other party knew why he came here, and not only did he not avoid him, but he also took the initiative to donate food. In addition to letting him drink at ease, he also gave Mr. Zhao enough face.

"Then I would like to express my gratitude to the people of Kunshan on behalf of you." Zhao Hao quickly stood up, looked solemn, and bowed deeply to each of them.

"Hey, Doctor, don't be polite." Wang Mengxiang quickly supported him and said with a sincere smile: "We are as close as a family, why should we differentiate between each other?"

"Thank you very much." Zhao Hao thanked again.

ps. Second update. I’m not in a good condition today, so I’ll make sure to update three times.