The garden covers an area of no more than four or five acres, the house, the pavilion pond, the flowers and trees are well laid out, the entrance is to shine on the wall, followed by the hall, there are tea houses on both sides, the piano room, a two-storey three-wing library building is the most eye-catching, the library building is the inner courtyard of living, there is a Buddhist hall on the right side of the inner courtyard, the green lamp futon, the yellow scroll is full of books, Jiao Hong worships the Buddha, advocates the confluence of the three religions, and has many studies on the Buddhist scriptures - Jiao Hong, who is already seventy years old, every time he says that he does not release the volume, the pen does not stop, at this time he is sorting out the notes of his lectures in Jinling and Xin'an in recent years, "Jiao Qiaohou Q&A", Seeing Zhang Yuan and Zong Yishan, Jiao Hong was very happy, but said: "Zhang Yuan, your incident in Huating this time has also made a big fuss, and the six departments of Nanjing have spread all over the place, and many officials have followed the source and knew that you are my student, so they asked the old man here." ”

Zhang Yuan said respectfully: "The students didn't dare to make trouble, but it was just the right time for their meeting, and in Dong's Fish and Meat Township, the people were extremely angry, and there was finally an embankment burst." When the matter was about to be said in detail, it was explained to Teacher Jiao in detail - Jiao Hong was silent for a long time, Fang asked Zong Yishan's parents if they were okay, and learned that they had been placed in the home of his brother-in-law in Qingpu Zhang Yuan, Jiao Hong was quite relieved, and said: "Yishan, since your parents have been settled, then you will help me sort out the bibliography here first, and then Xu Tu will find a way out." He also said to the three brothers of Zhang Yuan: "The three brothers of Ru have entered the Guozijian to study, then they must be determined to study diligently, do not waste time, the new Nanjing Guozi Priest Wine Mr. Gu Taichu is the first in the twenty-sixth year of Wanli, the palace will test the flower, for the person to be quiet and profound, and the knowledge is profound, in view of the recent years of the Guozijian academic slack, Gu Sacrificial Wine should be strict with the regulations, supervise the life and work classes, and reproduce the grand occasion of the Yongle period when the Southern Prison was full of talents - Mr. Taichu is my friend, and he will take care of you, you just need to concentrate on studying. Do not cause trouble according to the young man's surname. ”

Zhang Yuan and the three of them only said yes, and when they returned to the dock when the second drum was over, Zong Yishan stayed in the garden, and his luggage had been picked up by Laifu and Feng Hu on the boat, and when Jiao Runsheng sent the three Zhang Yuan brothers out, they invited each other to come to the garden at noon for a banquet.

On the morning of June 16, the three brothers of Zhang Yuan invited a porter as a guide to see where the Guozijian was, and the group went northeast from the Zhimaying Wharf, passing through the Yuanyuan on the way, because they were going to come here for a banquet at noon, so they did not go in at this time, the porter led everyone to walk three or four miles to Chengxian Street, Nanjing Guozijian is the north of Chengxian Street, the south of Jiming Temple, the northwest is Qintiantai, and then it is the Xuanwu Lake with thousands of acres of blue waves. There are nearly 3,000 prison dormitories (rooms), Yongle 20 years, the south prison is prosperous, there are more than 9,000 prison students, the preparation of regulations, the prosperity of humanity, unprecedented, and now, the decline of the south prison, far less than the grand occasion of the year - Zhang Yuan asked Laifu and Wuling to find a quiet courtyard near Chengxian Street, no matter how expensive the rent is, as long as it is not more than two miles away from the Guozi prison, clean and tidy, then lease it, although I heard that the prison students must live in the men's prison room, but Zhang Dai, Zhang Cao, Zhang Yuan have servants and servants, These servants must not live together in the number room, must live in a rented house nearby - at noon, Zhang Yuan brothers rushed to the garden, and Jiao Teacher father and son had lunch, afternoon tea papers, Zhang Yuan is Jiao Hong's disciple, Jiao Hong naturally wanted to ask him about the past half a year of study, Zhang Yuan will have read the books and understanding to the teacher recently, Jiao Hong is quite appreciative, said: "Hear more, see more is the trick of long knowledge, the heart of the surname, this more heard and more see is not hearsay, but more heard and choose its good people and follow it, Seeing more and knowing this, this is the learning of the saints, words are not helpful, they must be practiced-"

Zhang Yuan and Zhang Dai listened to Jiao Hong's lecture for half an hour, and felt that they had gained a lot, Jiao Hong's knowledge was pragmatic and easy, and it was by no means comparable to Wang Xue's empty talk about his surname, Zhang Yuan said: "Where is the instructor of Guozijian who has a teacher who speaks so thoroughly, and the students don't go to Guozijian anymore, they will serve the teacher in the garden, and they will be exposed to it, and it is better than being in Guozijian." ”

Jiao Hong said: "Don't underestimate the people who do learning in the world, Gu Taichu, the southern superintendent of the sacrificial wine, is rigorous in his studies, and I often ask him for advice." ”

Zhang Yuan said: "Although Gu Saijiu's knowledge is good, he will not teach me patiently like you, teacher." ”

Zhengsi Sacrificial Wine is the official of Guozijian Zhengyin, equivalent to the president of Central University, and generally does not teach in person - Jiao Hong said with a smile: "The old man is old and frail, and he is not much to say, and he is afraid to write books, and he does not have much time to teach you. ”

Zhang Yuan said: "The teacher has to teach you a lesson. ”

In fact, Zhang Yuan has a strong self-learning ability, as long as there are books, the reason why he came to Nanjing Guozijian, studying is only one aspect, and the other is to make friends, in order to understand the officialdom and market of Nandu, find the disadvantages of social government and politics, and think about the solution - Jiao Hong is used to taking a nap in the afternoon, and now because Zhang Yuan and Zong Yishan are two disciples, the interest is high, so he will talk for a while, then he will go to rest, let his son Jiao Runsheng accompany the guests, Jiao Runsheng asked Zhang Yuan about the Han Society, said that he also wanted to participate, Zhang Yuan was naturally very welcome- Jiao Runsheng said: "Brother Jiezi, there is one thing I want to remind you, Nanjing Guozijian Siye Song Shimian is Dong Qichang's protégé, I'm afraid it will make it difficult for you, of course, Gu Saijiu has a good relationship with his father, a few days ago Gu Saijiu came to the garden to discuss Jinshi with his father, and my father said that your brother will go to Guozijian to study, Gu Saijiu said that he likes young talents the most, and Gu Saijiu will take care of it, you yourself say that you should pay a little attention. ”

Guozijian Siye is the fifth product, assisting in the management of all affairs in the prison for sacrificial wine, which is equivalent to the vice principal of real power, Dong Qichang is a big tree, intertwined, Zhang Yuan is implicated in a lot of trouble, but Zhang Yuan did not feel that he was reckless and rash to fall Dong, he is not a moral model, let alone a good gentleman, he will offend more people in the future, otherwise who will not eat and wait for death, and said: "Thank you Brother Jiao for reminding me, I will pay attention." ”

Zhang Cao sneered: "What can a five-grade scholar do to us!" ”

Jiao Runsheng said: "Brother Yan Ke doesn't underestimate the prison officials, and he has no power over outsiders, but for the prisoners, it is condescending, and now it is better, there is little corporal punishment, and before Zhengde, the school officials often beat the prisoners, and the prisoners were beaten to death and disabled. ”

Zhang Dai nodded and said: "Brother Jiao is right, I heard my father talk about the story, Song Ne, who sacrificed wine during the Hongwu period, was known for being strict, and the prisoners were unbearable to abuse, some hanged themselves to death, and some were starved to death-"

"Ahh Zhang Cao glared and said: "Big brother, are you scaring me, is this the Guozi Prison, this is simply a prison of the Criminal Department, the three of us brothers have come all the way here to find death?" ”

Jiao Runsheng smiled and said: "That was something that only happened before Zhengde, at that time, the scholars were authoritative, and the supervisors were afraid of the students like tigers, but in recent years, they have been reversed, the prisoners are arrogant, and the scholars dare not control it, but Gu Xijiu is said to be strictly rectified when he takes office." ”

Zhang Yuan said: "It's okay to be stricter, just don't beat and kill at every turn, then who dares to enroll." ”

Jiao Runsheng said: "Exactly, during the Hongwu and Yongle years, the government and the opposition are in ruins, and a large number of civil officials are urgently needed, directly removed from the ministry, so the aspiring scholars are unwilling to be officials through the prison students, for fear of being despised by others, they would rather work hard to be a student or raise people, just hoping that once they are in the Jinshi, they will raise their eyebrows - of course, Xian Kunzhong is to study and prepare for the next year's township examination, not to be an official through the prison students, which is very different. ”

…… The three Zhang Yuan brothers had dinner in the garden, bid farewell to Jiao Taishi and went back to the Maying Wharf to rest, and went to the Nanjing Ministry of Rites to sign up in the morning, Zhang Dai and Zhang Yuan are regarded as years of tribute, and they have to take the entrance exam, and then arrange classes to teach according to the test results, Nanjing Guozijian has set up six halls, which are justice, Chongzhi, Guangye, cultivation, sincerity, and the surname, of which the three halls of justice, Chongzhi, and Guangye are considered primary classes, and the second hall of cultivation and sincerity is the intermediate class, and the rate surname hall is the senior class. Zhang Cao, the prisoner, spent 1,200 taels of silver to buy it, but he didn't need to take the entrance exam, and was directly transferred to the Hall of Justice to study.

In the evening, the three Zhang Yuan brothers had dinner in a restaurant near the wharf, slowly paced back to the Qinhuai River, sat on the bow of the boat to enjoy the coolness, and saw the full moon on June 17 as clear as a mirror, the waves of the heart, and the silent moon. ”

Zhang Cao immediately proposed: "How about going to Wuding Bridge to visit Wang Weigu, by the way, visit Li Xueyi, and compare Wang Weigu and Li Xueyi, who is the first in the song?" ”

Zhang Yuan said with a smile: "The third brother said that there is no need for an exam, and he can go to drink flower wine tonight, which is very good." ”

Zhang Cao said: "Jiezi, don't spoil the fun, don't fake Taoism, go together." ”

Zhang Yuan said: "The third brother asked me not to be disappointing, but don't say that I am a fake Taoist at every turn-"

Zhang Cao said: "Okay, okay, don't talk about you, let's go together, maybe it won't be easy to come out after being imprisoned, the girl in the Youlan Pavilion is looking forward to us going every day, looking forward to it, how can we bear it." Laughing out loud - I heard a delicate voice like a yellow warbler on the side of the boat and said: "The gossip of the arranger behind the back of the Yanke Xianggong really makes the little woman disdainful." ”

When Zhang Cao turned his head to look at it quickly, he saw that a small boat had been anchored to the side of the boat at some point, and the girl Wang Wei stood at the head of the boat, looking up at the three of his brothers, with a teasing smile on her face.

(To be continued)