svetikya Chapter 107 Polo Club by Jinming Pond
Chapter 107 Polo Club by Jinming Pond
Chapter 107 Polo Club by Jinming Pond
Both Lin Xiaoniang and Wei Xiaoniang had more experience than they had accumulated as concubines.
Lin Xiaoniang managed to stay in the Sheng family by seducing Sheng, and apart from her official status, she was not much worse off than the legal wife in other aspects.
Although Wei Xiaoniang came from a scholarly family, the Wei family was not a wealthy or influential one.
She was carefully selected by Madam Wang to deal with Consort Lin, with the aim of making her compete with Consort Lin for the emperor's favor.
But she not only didn't compete with Lin Xiaoniang for favor, she never fought or grabbed anything, appearing to be indifferent to worldly affairs.
This shows that he wasn't very smart.
When teaching Minglan, he always made her hide her shortcomings.
Even after Minglan arrived at Old Madam Sheng's place, she continued to conceal her true abilities.
But Grandma Sheng taught her inner beauty.
Assuming that Wei Xiaoniang didn't die in the original drama and Minglan didn't go to Old Madam Sheng's side, Minglan, who was raised by Wei Xiaoniang, would most likely have the same personality as Wei Xiaoniang when she grew up.
However, their experiences cannot be the same.
The situation is different when the principal wife teaches the children. Although some principal wives are vicious, most principal wives will not do anything to the illegitimate children as long as they do not feel threatened.
Even if she is not attentive to her children's upbringing, she would not teach them the ideas of being a concubine, as her biological mother did.
That day, Wang You returned home. When he got off the carriage and entered the mansion, the gatekeeper greeted him and said, "Second Young Master, the Eldest Young Master has returned."
"Big brother is back?"
Wang You was overjoyed upon hearing this and hurriedly entered the mansion.
I jogged all the way to the main hall, but didn't see anyone.
Wang You patted his forehead and went to Jingxin Hall again.
Sure enough, before even entering the hall, they could hear their grandmother and Madam Feng talking.
"There's a polo match in a couple of days. You and your mother can go and play. If you see a girl you like, keep an eye out for her. Even if she comes from a higher social class, I'll swallow my pride and go to her house to ask for her hand in marriage. They'll give me some face," said Old Mrs. Wang.
Wang Zhuo blushed slightly upon hearing this, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
Normally, it's quite common for boys with maids to lose their virginity at the age of twelve or thirteen.
Such maids could not be considered concubines. After marriage, when the principal wife entered the household, she would either be given some money to send her away, or she would be kept until she became pregnant before being promoted to concubine.
Although it was somewhat cruel, they were all enslaved and had no right to choose.
People like Sheng Changbai, who are mature beyond their years, are all the same.
He later married Hai Chaoyun, and after she entered the household, he dismissed all his original concubines.
Only the most inconspicuous one was left, and even that was praised by everyone.
But Wang Zhuo was different; before he could even make a move on the maid, he went to Luoyang to study.
He usually lived in the Imperial College and only had one personal attendant by his side.
Whether he usually goes to brothels is unknown.
"Big brother!"
Just then, Wang You ran in with a happy expression.
"Second younger brother!"
Wang Zhuo was initially delighted to see his younger brother, but then his expression turned somewhat embarrassed.
He didn't know if Wang You had heard what his grandmother had just said.
"Grandmother, Mother."
After exchanging greetings, Wang You sat down next to Wang Zhuo and started chatting with him.
"The county examination in Bianjing is probably quite difficult. Are you confident, big brother?" Wang You asked.
Although Bianjing was the seat of Kaifeng Prefecture and the capital, it still held county-level examinations.
The county examination was the preliminary examination for the imperial examinations. It was conducted at the county level, and the seat of a prefecture was also considered a county.
However, because Bianjing had a large population, and the children of officials in the capital could also participate in the county examinations in Bianjing, two examination halls were set up in the east and west, and the number of examination halls was calculated as if there were two counties.
Even so, the competitive pressure is still unmatched in other places.
Some officials even sent their children back to their hometowns to take the county-level examinations.
Although it's a long and tiring journey, it's still better than failing the exam.
It is true that most officials in Bianjing were eligible for hereditary titles, but it was naturally best to pass the examinations on one's own merit.
Moreover, those who have official titles and pass the county or provincial examinations and are then granted official positions through hereditary privilege will receive different treatment than those who have never participated in the imperial examinations.
Even so, the competition for the county-level examinations in the two counties east and west of Bianjing was far more intense than in other places.
"I'm not very confident about the provincial examination, but I'm quite confident about the county examination," Wang Zhuo said confidently.
He has studied for so many years and received instruction from renowned teachers; he has never slacked off.
If you can't even pass the county-level examination, then you've really wasted your time studying.
"It's good to have confidence."
Wang You laughed and said, "Then let's go to the polo match in a couple of days, big brother, to join in the fun and relax."
Seeing the smile in Wang You's eyes, Wang Zhuo knew perfectly well that he had overheard his grandmother's words and glared at Wang You with a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance.
"Hehe." Wang You chuckled.
When Wang Min returned in the evening, the family was finally reunited.
That evening, a family dinner was held, which was quite lively.
Two days passed in a flash. On this day, Wang You finished packing and went to meet up with Madam Feng.
After waiting in the main hall for a while, Wang Zhuo walked in somewhat awkwardly.
Today, Wang Zhuo was dressed in a moon-white, wide-sleeved long robe, embroidered with bamboo leaves. His hair was tied on top of his head with a copper crown and secured with a white jade hairpin.
He was also holding a folding fan, which made him look quite flamboyant.
Madam Feng nodded in satisfaction, while Wang You winked at him.
"It's getting late, let's go," said Madam Feng as she stood up.
The two brothers followed behind their mother, followed by the maids.
"Could you stop looking at me so strangely?" Wang Zhuo felt a little embarrassed by his younger brother's gaze.
"Now I finally understand what it means to admire one's parents when one is young, and to admire young women when one is lustful," Wang You said, blinking.
Wang Zhuo blushed and explained, "My mother told me to dress like this."
"Mother probably just told you to get ready properly, she didn't specify any clothes for you, did she?"
Wang You laughed and said, "With shoulder straps, you can wear wide-sleeved clothes without any problem, but the weather isn't hot today, so why are you carrying a fan?"
"I—" Wang Zhuo didn't know how to refute for a moment.
Young men often harbor romantic feelings, and when they reach marriageable age, it's impossible for them to have no fantasies about their other half.
Although marriage is a major life event and is arranged by parents, the stirrings of desire within one's heart cannot be suppressed.
Wang You didn't dare to continue teasing him, otherwise he would have crushed the young man's heart in his pursuit of love.
"Don't be angry, big brother. If you take a fancy to any girl later, just tell me and I'll help you," Wang You said with a smile.
"Will you help me?"
Wang Zhuo said irritably, "What can you do to help me?"
"Why is it that big brother is so slow to understand?"
Wang You blinked: "Those who can participate in the polo match are not ordinary people, and they are not engaged, so there are no concerns about social status or other aspects."
The only concern is that the girl's family is too prestigious and she wouldn't be interested in our family.
"Your younger brother is a student of Scholar Hai. With that connection, who wouldn't look up to our family?"
For a moment, Wang Zhuo was at a loss for words to refute.
The reason why so many officials' wives attend polo clubs is not only for socializing, but also primarily for matchmaking.
Many people mistakenly believe that the Song Dynasty was feudal and not as open as previous dynasties.
This is not entirely wrong. While the atmosphere in the Song Dynasty was not as open as in the Tang Dynasty, it was not as closed either.
The idea that women should not leave their homes was a phenomenon that emerged after the rise of Neo-Confucianism.
These days, it's not unusual for women to go out for leisure.
Otherwise, the Sheng family wouldn't have allowed Sanlan to study under the same roof as male students.
Under normal circumstances, unmarried girls would only associate with the children of families they had a good relationship with.
Strictly speaking, the polo club is not a matchmaking event, but rather a platform for couples who are interested in each other to meet.
For example, when a family's son reaches marriageable age, the parents choose from a few suitable candidates.
There's no point in just hearing what others say compared to seeing it for yourself.
But since things haven't been settled yet, it's easy for rumors to spread if you rush to visit.
Madam Wu organizes two polo matches a year, providing them with a platform.
Besides, there are also some like Wang Zhuo who are of marriageable age but have not yet found a spouse, and they think of coming to the polo match to take a look.
But regardless of whether it's the former or the latter, both must be unmarried.
Therefore, at polo matches, the younger generation who come with their elders are either already married or, if not married, cannot be engaged.
Wang You said that because he had become Hai Wenqing's disciple, others would look at the Wang family with more respect, which was fine.
The Wang family may seem prestigious, but Wang Min's official rank was not high, so it was all show and no substance.
Although it was Wang You who became Hai Wenqing's disciple, Wang You was a member of the Wang family. Given the clan concept of the ancients, the Wang family would naturally be looked up to.
The important thing is that Wang You already held an official position.
If celebrities taking on students is like angel investing, then Wang You's official position is like already making a profit and proving his ability.
Although the prodigy test and the imperial examination are not comparable, how many of the wealthy families in Bianjing could produce a son who passed the imperial examination with flying colors?
Most of them didn't get their positions through connections; it's better to have a child prodigy try.
Once you have an official position, the rest depends on your background and abilities.
Although Hai Wenqing was only a fifth-rank Hanlin Academician, he would be promoted very quickly after leaving the Hanlin Academy.
It's not unusual for someone to become prime minister in just a few years.
With Hai Wenqing around, as long as Wang You doesn't do anything reckless, his future won't be bad.
In turn, they will naturally take care of their elder brothers; that's what family is all about.
Wang Zhuo found it all strange, and it took him a while to realize what was going on. He glared at her and said, "How old are you? Is this something you should be worrying about?"
"What are you two whispering about?"
Just then, Mrs. Feng, who was about to get on the bus, turned around and said, "Hurry up and get on the bus!"
"oh oh."
Wang You responded and quickly ran towards the carriage behind.
Soon after, Wang Zhuo also boarded the bus. The coachman reminded the two to sit firmly and then cracked his whip.
The two brothers stopped joking and Wang Zhuo curiously inquired about Wang You's experience of becoming an apprentice.
Upon learning that his younger brother had become a student of Scholar Hai, he was both happy for his brother and filled with curiosity.
Given Hai Xueshi's reputation, even if he were to take a top scholar as a student, that scholar would not refuse as long as he didn't have a teacher.
He didn't understand why Scholar Hai would accept Wang You as a student.
This isn't meant to look down on Wang You; it's simply a matter of doubt.
"Your younger brother has a full forehead and is a dragon among men. It's a wise choice for you, teacher, to accept me as your student," Wang You said with a smile.
"Stop joking around," Wang Zhuo said, glaring at him.
Wang You then recounted what had happened.
"Did you say those four cautionary lines?"
Wang Zhuo said in disbelief, "The teachers are all guessing which great Confucian scholar who doesn't care about fame and fortune said these four lines, and they even made us write an article based on these four lines."
"Genuine, guaranteed!"
Wang You laughed and said, "When you become the elder brother of a great scholar, how happy will you be?"
Wang Zhuo snapped out of his daze, rolled his eyes at him, and said, "Don't be too happy yet. There are still quite a few people who say that these four lines are too vague and that the author is just trying to gain fame."
"normal."
Wang You said nonchalantly, "Aside from the words of sages, whose words are never questioned or refuted?"
In modern terms, this behavior would be called "leeching off" or "蹭流量" (a Chinese internet slang term meaning to piggyback on someone else's popularity).
There is never a shortage of people in the world who like to put forward unconventional views and opinions.
Although some speculate that it was written by a great Confucian scholar, this has not been confirmed.
Even if it is proven to be the work of a great Confucian scholar, no one will be targeted for rebuttal because of this.
If something makes even a little sense, it can instantly make you famous, and naturally, some people will do it.
"Since you wrote these four lines, why didn't you make them public, and instead went to the Sheng family to borrow them for study?" Wang Zhuo asked, puzzled.
Simply revealing his identity would immediately make Wang You famous throughout the world.
Moreover, Hai Wenqing's acceptance of Wang You as a student, and his even permission for Wang You to study at a private school like the Sheng family's, puzzled him greatly.
"These four sentences cannot represent my knowledge. If they were made public, countless scholars would probably try to make a name for themselves by stepping on me."
Wang You shook his head and said, "Moreover, Scholar Zhuang's ability to teach and nurture students is not bad."
At first, Ouyang Xiu said that he was too young, but he became famous too early and was praised and fawned over, which made him arrogant.
Later, Wang You realized that this was only one aspect of the reason.
Most importantly, he will arouse jealousy, and countless scholars will want to step on him to make a name for themselves.
The fact that Zhang Zai's four lines have been passed down through the ages speaks volumes about the excellence of their core ideas.
However, these four lines are not like poems, songs, or essays that can directly demonstrate talent and learning.
Given Wang You's age, he's bound to be looked down upon.
But these four lines could make Wang You famous throughout the world, and in the eyes of scholars, they were naturally the best stepping stone.
Wang Zhuo thought about it for a moment and understood the reasoning. When he heard Wang You praising Zhuang Xuejiu, he pressed for more information.
Wang You then recounted Zhuang Xuejiu's teaching methods, and after listening, Wang Zhuo exclaimed in admiration, "In terms of teaching and nurturing students alone, the teachers at the Imperial Academy cannot compare to Zhuang Xuejiu!"
The teachers at the Imperial Academy were all renowned, though most of them could not be considered great Confucian scholars, they were still quite famous.
Although he is quite capable in teaching, he often likes to spout grand principles.
The two brothers chatted idly along the way, and after some time, the carriage stopped.
"Young master, we've arrived," Stone's voice came from outside.
Wang You and Wang Zhuo got off the carriage and stood on it. They saw that many tents had been erected on both sides of the empty polo field.
The polo match had not yet started, and the polo field was bustling with people strolling around.
Far to the west of the polo field, a cluster of buildings can be vaguely seen.
That is the royal villa – Jinming Pond.
Madam Feng stepped forward to straighten the brothers' clothes and instructed them, "Stay with me for a while and don't run around."
"Yes, Mother!" the two brothers replied quickly.
Let's go!
As she spoke, Ms. Feng walked toward the polo field.
"Hehe, Madam Chen, go ahead, I'll come talk to you later."
At the entrance of the polo field, Madam Wu had just finished dealing with an official's wife when she turned around and saw a mother and her two children walking towards her.
"Madam Feng!"
Madam Wu greeted her with a smile, saying, "Why didn't Madam Wang come? I was thinking of visiting her, but I've been busy with the polo match and haven't had a chance."