During the Wei and Jin dynasties, there was a strict hierarchy of social classes, and the gate lord clan was the upper class, that is, the wang clan; The Hanmen Shu are the lower class, also called the Han people. The scholars were undoubtedly extremely wealthy and noble families, but the Hanmen Shu clan was not all poor, but also included those middle and lower class bureaucrats. Of course, there are also classes that are separated between the Wang clan and the Han clan, that is, the Shi clan who gradually declined and the Shu clan who slowly rose to the rank of Shi clan. The Shi clan is not something that can be formed in one or two generations. If someone's ancestors have no status for several generations, even if his own generation is a big official, has more land, and has more money, he will be looked down upon by the scholars and will still be classified as the Shu clan. This is quite different from the great eunuchs of later generations who could become the upper class of society by themselves. There is a saying in the West that "three generations cultivate a nobleman", but the formation of the Wei and Jin Shi clan is more than three generations. The specific symbol of the gate lord clan is that there are often two big black pillars in front of their house, the left pillar is called "valve", and the right pillar is called "reading". Because the ancestors of these great families often had military exploits, this period paid special attention to the glory of the ancestors. They often erect two large pillars outside the door, and write on them the military exploits and glory of generations, and are proud. Their descendants were under the shadow of their ancestors, and they became officials for generations, and over time they became wealthy families.

However, the scholars are not so easy to be, and if they don't get it right, they will worry about their lives, and even be wiped out. Behind Cao Wei's replacement of the Han Dynasty and Sima's replacement of Cao Wei, there were all major scholars entrenched in the imperial court vying for power and profit. The two changes of dynasty have consolidated a group of scholars, and also destroyed a group of scholars, so it is very important to choose sides. The scholars who were not exterminated, the old ministers of the Han Dynasty became the ministers of Cao Wei. Similarly, Cao Wei's former ministers naturally became ministers of the Jin Dynasty. Therefore, these scholars do not have to worry about being implicated because of the change of dynasty, the exploits of their ancestors on the valve reading pillar in front of their mansion are still shining and dazzling, which is their most worthy of showing off.

The Shi family is a family of gate lords.

The head of the grange led Shu Yan, Zhixin, Ruoxin, and Xia Tingchang to the door of Shifu. The mansion sits north and faces south, occupying half of the street. In front of the gate of the house were several tall horses, and several carriages, some of which were drawn by a single horse and some by two horses.

Shu Yan and the others walked in from the gate of the house, bypassed a shadow wall, and looked north, the courtyard was deep, and the houses with blue bricks and bright tiles were tall and spacious, layered on top of each other, and there was no end in sight. There was the sound of talking and laughing in the main hall, and there were bursts of silk and bamboo from time to time. Tian Fu led them to the main hall, and then walked in to report it. Shu Yan looked inside outside the door, and it turned out that Shi Hui and a group of scholars were gathering inside, drinking and talking. Shu Yan didn't go in, just stood outside, and listened to the shouting inside: "Why are you so ignorant of the rules, what kind of occasion is this?" I'm here with a few celebrities, why are you bringing some miscellaneous people here? Sweep our interest! "These people have always regarded themselves as high and looked down on the people of the Shu family.

Tian Fu was reprimanded by Shi Hui, but he didn't dare to refute it, and replied with a smile: "The head of the family, it is the Xia Pavilion Chief of Shujiazhuang, as well as the Shu family and the Han family, who have already reported to you yesterday, and they are here to discuss the sale of land with you." ”

Shi Hui looked out and saw that it was an old man with three children. This old man, needless to say, is the pavilion chief, who is nothing in his eyes. The three children, a boy and a half years old, were not very old, and wanted to be the same age as his son, but with their hair tied; There is also a girl about the same age, with a double bun on her head and a pair of big watery eyes, pure and good-looking; There was also a boy behind him, who looked very young in size and age. Needless to say, it must be the children of the Shu family and the Han family.

Shi Hui saw it, and he had the heart to go out and talk to them about the sale of land, but he was afraid that these scholars would laugh at him for delaying his fun for these mundane things. He thought about it, and said to Tian Fu: "I'm here to accompany the guests, you go and accompany them to Xinuan Pavilion to sign the land deed." ”

Tian Fu replied: "However, the specific purchase method has not been discussed, and you need to make the decision." ”

Shi Hui said impatiently: "Dozens of acres of fields, what is it, you can discuss it with them yourself!" ”

"I will definitely negotiate the price for the head of the house, but this title deed involves signing, how can I sign it on behalf of a servant."

Shi Hui thought about it for a while, and said, "Since they are three children, then I will do the same, let the little boy replace me." ”

After Shi Hui finished speaking, he turned around and closed the door, Tian Fu walked out of the main hall, and took Shu Yan and their group to the west to Xinuan Pavilion. Although it is not the main hall here, it is also quite exquisite, with delicate carved windows, hanging a big red satin tent, there is also a warm couch inside, there is a warm stove in the middle, and there is a good fragrant tea on the carved mahogany case.

In the backyard of Shi's house, Shi De had just dressed up, and two nurses waited for him to wash, one carrying a basin of warm water, and the other helped him wash his face and dry it.

Shi De sat on the couch, and the nurse shouted outside: "Ah Miao, wait for the young master to eat." ”

Suddenly, a blonde Xianbei maid brought a bowl of longan lotus seed porridge from the kitchen.

This little Xianbei maid's name is Ah Miao, and she is a little older than Shi De, and she can't see any difference from the Chinese except for her golden hair and slightly strange eyes. She has lived in the Chinese circle since she was a child, so she is very fluent in Mandarin. Ah Miao has a docile personality, and since she entered the Shi Mansion, she has been serving Shi De for three years. She was still a little stubborn, thinking that since she was bought to serve the young master, she must serve him well.

Ah Miao held the bowl in her left hand, and fed Shi De porridge with a small silver spoon with her right hand, and as soon as a spoonful of porridge was delivered to Shi De's mouth, Shi De shouted: "Pig, you, it's too hot!" ”

A Chinese maidservant next to her called Ah Yan, and snatched the bowl from Ah Miao's hand, "You Xianbei maid, do you want to burn the young master?" After speaking, he blew with his mouth and sent the porridge to Shi De's mouth, "Come, young master, don't be angry, it won't be hot if you blow it." ”

Shi De blocked the bowl away: "Die, die, you die!" Get out of here, who wants you to blow! ”

The white porcelain bowl fell to the ground and shattered with a "snap", Ayan failed to flatter the master, but was scolded, there was no way, so he could only endure the grievances, clean up the broken bowl, and go out with interest.

Ah Miao brought a bowl of porridge again, didn't enter the house first, stood outside the door, and let the cold air cool the porridge for a while, until her little hands were a little red from the cold, and the temperature of the porridge was just right. She brought it into the house and fed Shi Shi for most of the bowl.

While feeding, she coaxed: "Young master, it's cold, eat more to keep out the cold." ”

"If you don't eat it, you have to go to the study, or that damn old gentleman will be urged again."

"Well, Mr. Zhu has been waiting for you for half an hour."

"I don't understand what he's anxious about! Hengzhu is eating in my house, my family's money is supporting him, my Ah Weng has already said, when I am eighteen years old, he will send me to study in Taixue, do you still need him? Hum! ”

As he was talking, a little servant came over and said, "I know the young master, the head of the family told you to go to the front." ”

"Go to the front? Why? It can't be that Mr. Zhu went to my Ah Weng to sue me, right? Or maybe I broke a jade ring yesterday, that's not it, or ...... Anyway, my father told me that most of the time it was not good, so I would talk about it for a while. Shi De muttered in his heart, screaming at this bowl of porridge.

Ah Miao was afraid that Shi De would be scolded if she waited for a long time, so she asked the little guy: "Why is the head of the family looking for the young master?" ”

The little servant replied: "I heard that it is a matter of buying land to build a water mill, and the head of the grange has brought the person who sold the land and wants to sign the land deed." But the head of the house was accompanying the guests, and he didn't have time to go, and the other party was a few children, saying that the young master also knew each other, so he asked the young master to sign the title deed with them. ”

Build a water mill? How many children? I still know them? The Shi family also has more than one water mill, and Shi De usually doesn't care about those things. But as soon as he heard that he knew them, he asked, "Where are they from?" ”

"Shujiazhuang people."

Shi De suddenly remembered that time in his own manor on the bank of the Ru River, his father and the head of the Grange wanted to buy Shu Yan and Zhixin's land to build a water pile. And that day, he made Zhixin angry and cry again, Zhixin's image that day, he still wants to laugh when he thinks about it now.

Thinking of Shu Yan and Zhixin, he was obviously very excited, and hurriedly stood up and ordered Ah Miao: "Quickly bring my fox fur over." ”

Ah Miao dressed him and followed him to the Xinuan Pavilion.

As soon as Shi De entered the door, he saw a few people sitting in the room, he saw Shu Yan first, and asked strangely: "Hey, Shu Yan, if I'm not mistaken, the two of us are the same age, and we haven't reached the age of fifteen yet, why did you tie up your hair first?" You poor people really don't know how to be polite. ”

Shu Yan didn't rush to answer him, but asked rhetorically: "Shi Gongzi, it shouldn't be a violation of etiquette for me to tie my hair up early, right?" I naturally have my reasons for bunching my hair. But is it against etiquette for you to call a person with his hair tied up by his first name? ”

Shi De was retorted by Shu Yan and argued forcefully: "I don't call your big name 'Shu Yan', do you have a cousin?" ”

"The word is not there for the time being, but you can at least call Brother Shu, or something else, or even call nothing, it's better than that!"

In the era when names and characters are used together, people are most taboo to be called by their first names when they become adults, and their names are only used by their elders or on formal occasions, and others must not call them casually. Peers and familiar friends can only call each other, and juniors can't even call table words.

Shi De tilted his head and said disdainfully: "Hmph, I don't care about you, you can't call your name if you tie up your hair, if you wear a crown, I still have to kneel down and call you Your Majesty?" ”

Shu Yan didn't think it was interesting to argue with him about this. He didn't really care about Shi De calling him by name, after all, he was still a minor. Shu Yan was angry with Shi De's insulting words.

"Shi Gongzi, I still have a lot of things at home, not as leisurely as you, Zhixin and I are here to talk to you about the sale of land, I don't want to argue with you."

As soon as he heard Zhixin, Shi De hurriedly looked at the girl next to Shu Yan: there was a double bun on the top of her head, and the rest of her hair naturally drooped to her sideburns and shoulders, although she didn't apply grease powder, her face was naturally delicate and white, and she was wearing an ordinary red kudzu skirt - Zhixin didn't dress up in detail before going out, but she was already a little beauty embryo.

Shi De couldn't help but think of that time in the countryside, Zhixin was dirty, and he humiliated her with the verses on the "Book of Songs", but he didn't expect her original appearance to be "hands like soft pancreas, skin like clotted fat".

"Wow, it turns out that you really have hands like soft pancreas and skin like clotted fat......" This time he was sincerely out of praise for Zhixin.

Unexpectedly, Zhixin glanced at him and replied: "The rat has skin!" ”

Shi De immediately remembered that day when Shu Yan and Zhixin used the words in the "Book of Songs" to fight back against him, and immediately blushed.

Tian Fu was afraid that these children would stiffen and mess up the serious matter, so he hurriedly came over to play a round: "Little brothers and sisters, don't mention the old things again, you were all young at that time, you were not sensible, you were not sensible." I'm a few years older now, so it's not the same. ”

As he spoke, he arranged for Shi De to sit on a single couch, while the rest of the people sat on a large couch. Instructed Ah Miao: "Pour tea." ”

At the beginning of the negotiations, although on the surface the buyers and sellers were the Shi family, the Shu family and the Han family, they were still minors after all, but in fact Tian Fu and Xia Chun were negotiating.