Chapter 0001: The Arrival of the Golden Fish

Young Lord, look, this is the great river

Young Lord? Young Lord?

In moments of leisure, exchange some walnuts with the Hu people again

"Hahaha, is it really so!" Liu Hong suddenly laughed. The young servants, in their haste, had not brought any fishing gear, so they sent someone to the nearby villagers' homes to buy a few fishing tools, which they hurriedly brought before Liu Hong. Liu Hong jogged back to the ox cart, took some good meat from it, and ran back. Two young servants followed him closely as he ran. The chubby boy, panting heavily, reached the riverbank, took off his shoes without caring about the dirt, and simply sat down on the ground. The young servants exchanged glances, unsure how to advise him, as he hung the lamb meat on the fishing rod and prepared to fish.

On a winding and twisting official road, a group of people and horses is progressing leisurely

Hejian State, Boling Commandery, Raoyang County, Xiedu Pavilion

The chubby boy happily hung a plump piece of lamb on the fishing rod, then pretended to sit cross-legged by the riverbank, closing his eyes and striking a pose of a reclusive master. The surrounding attendants shook their heads, hoping that a fish would bite; if not, they feared that this young lord would cry and throw a tantrum. Without the matron present, who could possibly manage him

With the support of the young servant, Liu Hong walked over with great interest. In front of him was a river, but it was not very wide, and the water flow was not particularly fierce. Riders were drinking their horses not far away. Upon seeing this, Liu Hong could not help but feel disappointed. The grand vision of a vast, surging river that he had originally anticipated was instantly shattered. His thick eyebrows knitted together in frustration. The young servant noticed the dissatisfaction in the young lord's heart and quickly said, "Young Lord, this is a tributary of the great river, but it can be considered a small stream. When you grow a bit older, you can personally visit the great river. At that time, gathering friends by the riverside to compose poetry and enjoy music would be quite delightful, wouldn't it?"

This is your folly; the goal is to catch big fish. If I were to bring back only small fish, would that not cause my mother to look down on me? Moreover, you do not know that in the past, Duke Qi Fei was able to fish without bait, so why can I not do the same?

Liu Hong opened the carriage door, and two young attendants rushed over to assist him down from the carriage. Liu Hong was only nine years old, not very tall, with his hair styled in a topknot. He wore a splendid red robe and black trousers, adorned with a jade-colored belt. On his left, he had a fragrant pouch, and on his right, a multicolored floral sash. A chrysanthemum hung by his ear. Although his attire was quite flamboyant, he did not appear particularly striking. This was not due to the chrysanthemum, as it was fashionable for men to wear flowers, but rather because of his physique—plump and short. Despite the well-fitted clothing, he could not be considered handsome, at best he had a certain cuteness.

This line of horsemen was traversing the official road, with two riders leading the way. The riders were tall and robust, their yellow steeds moving forward at a leisurely pace. They were equipped with swords on their left, spears on their backs, and each horse had a yellow crossbow hanging on the left side and a quiver of arrows on the right. Such armament was indeed enough to instill fear and trepidation in those who beheld them, causing everyone they encountered to avoid them.

Those who are informed understand that this is the current spring outing of the Jie Du Ting Hou, while those who are not aware might mistakenly think that a wealthy family is moving their residence

The Eastern Han Dynasty imposed strict regulations on civilian weapons, with strong crossbows being explicitly prohibited for private ownership. Carrying a yellow crossbow in public would be roughly equivalent to brandishing an AK-47 on the streets in later times, which would indeed be quite terrifying for the common people, except in certain countries where individuals possess AK-47s.

Um... the young servant scratched his head and thought for a moment, then frantically gestured to another young servant. The other young servant quickly said: "The young lord can sit and fish! There are plenty of fish and shrimp here; if we catch some to take back, the mistress will surely be happy!"

Just like that, after merely half a stick of incense had passed, the chubby boy began to feel restless. He frequently lifted the fishing rod to check if there were any fish biting, and this action made the young attendants feel that their hopes had become even more distant.

The chubby boy's face turned red, and it was unclear whether it was from shame or anger. He shouted, "Don't worry about any flying bears; I want to fish like this. If I can't catch a big fish today, then you can forget about coming back with us!" The young servant lowered his head and said nothing further

A gentle breeze blows, and the sunlight is mild

Is it possible that Fei Neng is referring to Fei Xiong Jiang Taigong

Looking at the attire of the young master, the servant felt a mix of amusement and exasperation. It was evident that he had secretly changed his clothes in the carriage. The young lord was merely a child in his early years; why did he feel the need to emulate those roguish wanderers?

Ah, do you still know of my existence as the mistress? Kneel before me!

By the riverbank, the storm seemed to be slowly gathering. The young servants held their breath, afraid to speak, and even the distant riders drinking their horses stayed hidden away. Liu Hong's brow furrowed tighter, just as he was about to erupt, the fishing rod suddenly dipped. The chubby boy was nearly pulled into the river, but fortunately, the quick-witted young servants around him swiftly grabbed him and helped him lift the fishing rod. Could it be that there are indeed big fish in this stream? Or perhaps fish that eat mutton?

Outside the carriage, a young servant holding an incense burner smiled and said: "Young Lord, we have arrived, we have arrived"

The woman did not speak, turned around, and returned to her residence. The crowd felt something was amiss, immediately closed the main gate, and hurriedly moved the large fish to the main room on the right side

Oh?

The Han Dynasty was a period of great importance, during which there were strict regulations regarding the paths people took. There was the imperial road for the emperor's travels, the official road for those of the rank of five or higher, and the post road for the couriers and station masters. As for the common people, it was best for them to stay at home and engage in farming, without the need to concern themselves with any roads

It is March, and the spring scenery is just right

This statement sounds very familiar, and the young servant was momentarily taken aback, unsure of how to retort. After a moment of thought, he replied, "This lamb is too large; there are likely no fish of that size in this small stream that could be caught!"

In the ninth year of the Han Yanxi era, during the Bingwu year

The entire Xie Du Pavilion is Liu Hong's private fief. When a group carrying goldfish entered the pavilion, the young servants shouted, "Auspicious omen! A great auspicious omen! Report the auspicious omen!" This outcry attracted many villagers, who came running upon hearing the news. When they saw the golden fish in the ox cart, they all gasped in astonishment, and some even knelt down to pay their respects. The sound of auspicious omens quickly spread throughout the entire Xie Du Pavilion, and the young servants, filled with excitement, hurried towards the Marquis's residence, for this was a tremendous achievement! The current emperor values auspicious omens highly; if this reaches the heavens, the Young Marquis can advance further, and how could their own benefits be any less?

Young Lord! This... fishing requires catching some earthworms, as the fish do not eat mutton...

Liu Hong was taken aback, but he did not pay it any mind. He first finished eating the walnut in his hand completely, then rolled up the car curtain and poked his head out.

Then what am I waiting for

In such a mood, the crowd hurriedly arrived at the front of the Marquis's residence. The vermilion gate had long been wide open, and news of auspicious events had already reached the Marquis's household. Following behind was a throng of common folk, clamoring to keep up. In this atmosphere, the chubby boy was also somewhat excited, having completely forgotten the disrespect shown by the young servants. He clapped his hands and shouted as the door slowly opened. A woman dressed in a crimson jacket hurried over, accompanied by a group of household servants. Although she was merely a woman, she carried herself with considerable authority. Upon her arrival, the crowd quickly bowed and greeted her as 'Mistress'.

You are not a fish, how can you know that fish do not eat

At the tender age of nine, the young marquis Liu Hong lay languidly on the carriage, secretly delighted in his heart. How pleasant it is to be out and about! At home, every action and gesture must adhere to propriety; a slight misstep could result in a beating. The most dreadful part is when his mother would cry while punishing him, leaving him trembling with fear. Now, under the pretext of going out to enjoy the spring and gain knowledge, he could finally indulge himself a little. Liu Hong cheerfully picked up a walnut that had already been cracked open and began to eat. Eating while lying down is truly comfortable!

The crowd struggled to pull up the fishing rod, and before them was a large fish shimmering with golden light, thrashing on the line. The chubby boy shouted with joy, and the young servants widened their eyes, quickly helping him to reel in the big fish. Once the fish was on shore, it lay still, appearing to be dead. The crowd hurriedly gathered around to take a look; the fish was estimated to weigh around one hundred pounds, its scales entirely golden, with two long, slender whiskers at the corners of its mouth. In their astonishment, the young servants were left speechless, while the chubby boy was delighted. The fish was nearly as large as he was, and he was unafraid, stepping forward to touch its scales, muttering something under his breath.

Behind the rider, there is an exquisite carriage, drawn by four fine horses that lower their heads and take small, careful steps, not daring to cause any significant jolt to the carriage. The carriage is entirely made of mahogany, adorned with cloud and dragon patterns on both sides, and embellished with fierce birds and beasts. Following the carriage, two servants are jogging, one holding incense and the other carrying a censer. Behind them are five or six ox carts, all without roofs, some loaded with food containers, others carrying fine grains and meats, and still others transporting alfalfa and mustard greens. There are even carts filled with various garments and headpieces, also decorated with fierce birds and beasts.

"Hurry, hurry, return to the residence!" The young servant finally came to his senses and shouted loudly. Immediately, everyone became flustered. A few people directly stuffed the chubby boy into the carriage, hardly tidying up anything. Several others lifted the goldfish and placed it onto the ox cart, urging the horses to gallop straight towards the marquis's residence!

While eating walnuts, I couldn't help but ponder that the Hu people have many good things. When I grow up, I want to become a wandering knight, just like Zhang Ziwen, and travel to the Western Regions, roaming the world with a sword in hand