Chapter 005: Encountering an Old Friend in a Foreign Land
Zhao Jiaran has been here several times. Tianping is a well-known place for appreciating maple leaves. The maple trees are beautiful, and the peaks are not high, with an elevation of only 200 meters, making it the highest peak among the Lingyan mountains. The summit is flat and can accommodate hundreds of people, hence the name Tianping Mountain. Even in his current state of mind, Zhao Jiaran still enjoys this place
Zhao Jiaran did not dare to be disrespectful and quickly replied, "Brother Sima, I did not expect to encounter you here"
Parking and sitting in love amidst the maple forest at dusk
"Better to be prepared than to be caught unawares," Zhao Jiaran replied. In fact, he thought that perhaps saying, "The stones from other mountains can serve to polish jade," would be more appropriate. However, he did not wish to explain further to Zhao Yong. Seeking help from Jia Sidao was Zhao Jiaran's risky move, and it was also the only opportunity he could think of.
Two individuals tied their horses at the entrance, and before they could enter, a group of people emerged from the courtyard. One of them looked somewhat familiar, prompting Zhao Jiarun to take a few more glances. That person also looked back. After a moment of mutual gaze, the person spoke first, "Isn't this Brother Zhao?"
Although he always makes an effort to remind himself to eat one bite at a time and to do things one at a time, Zhao Jiaran still feels a strong impulse to find a place to plant cotton as he picks up the smooth, low-absorbency towel. It is not that he is simply having a whim today; every so often, Zhao Jiaran experiences such an impulse.
When the others heard this, they also stopped in their tracks. The one in the lead asked, "Sima, is this young man an old acquaintance of yours?"
Having grown accustomed to this way of waking up, Zhao Jiaran leisurely took off his clothes first. Dressed only in a pair of silk underwear, he sat cross-legged inside the cabin, contemplating his grand business ventures.
The hairstyle of a bun and the tying of hair are symbols of adulthood, whether one is an adult or still a minor. Those with the same height often find themselves somewhat apprehensive in the presence of someone with a bun. Upon seeing that Zhao Jiaran no longer had the hairstyle of a child, Zhao Yong remarked: "Third Young Master, you are already quite tall. This reassures me."
"Beautiful!" Zhao Yong exclaimed, unable to contain his admiration as it was his first time here
In fact, he has never asked anyone; he has only been here before and still has some memory of the road
"Those people... won't mislead us about the way, will they?" Zhao Yong asked, somewhat uneasily
As a water city, Suzhou has many bridges. At the time of crossing the bridge, a beggar approached with a broken bowl to beg for alms. Zhao Yong noticed that Zhao Jiaran had no intention of giving out any change, so he stepped forward and shouted a few words to drive the beggar away. The two of them led their horse through the city. Before long, they passed through the northwestern corner of the city, and several large courtyards suddenly appeared ahead.
After having breakfast and resting for a while, the two rode out on horseback. They traveled along the official road for more than an hour and soon saw mountains in the distance. The mountains were densely covered with trees, appearing to be a vibrant red. In the sunlight, it seemed as if they were ablaze.
After Zhao Jiarun washed his face and wiped his body, Zhao Yong had already brought in the meal. While eating the meat dumplings, Zhao Yong said in a muffled voice: "Third Young Master, the horses are ready. But do you know the way?"
If the chancellor does not assign any work, Zhao Jiaran can only return home with an empty official title and rely on himself for sustenance. The likelihood of not being valued by the chancellor is quite high, and Zhao Jiaran naturally needs to consider what he should do in such a situation. The best response, without a doubt, is to return to his hometown and find a way to earn money under the halo of being a successful candidate.
He is not an old acquaintance. He is my contemporary, the one who passed the highest imperial examination at the age of thirteen, Zhao Jiaran" Sima quickly introduced to the person beside him
Parking and sitting in love amidst the maple forest at dusk
Zhao Yong no longer spoke much; he changed the subject, "Third Young Master, this time we are not going to the government office's territory. You must stay close to me and absolutely must not let any kidnappers or con artists see you". Zhao Yong's demeanor clearly indicated that he was not joking.
"Inquire about the best blacksmith in the area." Zhao Jiaran was not as excessive as Zhao Yong; he tucked a small handful of maple leaves into his pocket and held one leaf in his hand.
Zhao Yong has been with me for several months, and Zhao Jiaran knows that this is the most implicit statement Zhao Yong has made. Zhao Jiaran calmly replied: "It should be correct"
Zhao Jiaran did not wish to respond. Gusu is located in a plain, which is naturally different from the mountainous region of Fujian. He urged his horse forward and arrived at the grove of maple trees, the farthest point from Tianping Mountain, but Zhao Jiaran reined in his horse. Without dismounting, Zhao Jiaran sat in the saddle, touched the maple tree, and sniffed the maple leaves. Zhao Yong imitated him and then praised, "Third Young Master, these maple leaves are quite fragrant"
From a distance, smoke could be seen rising from the courtyard, and as one approached, the sound of clanging and hammering became more audible. Zhao Yongxi said, "Third Young Master, the person who guided you is indeed reliable. It is fortunate that he was able to describe this place so clearly from such a distance"
Suzhou, like other bustling cities of the Song Dynasty in this era, is very lively. Upon seeing two horseback travelers with small bundles on their backs passing by, the innkeeper called out to inquire if they needed accommodation, while the food vendors loudly advertised their signature dishes.
Inside the car next to me, there are the voices of a man and children, likely a father teaching his kids to recite this famous poem about appreciating maple leaves. It is not only Zhao Jiaran who enjoys the view of the maple leaves; on the road to Tianping Mountain, there are cars, horses, and sedan chairs. Even if it does not reach the level of luxury cars filling the streets, it is still quite lively
Without thinking for long, Zhao Yong naturally brought in a water bucket, with a silk towel draped over the edge. "Third Young Master, wipe your body."
The two walked side by side, holding the stems of the maple leaves. Zhao Yong, while smelling the leaves, asked, "Third Young Master, what are we going to Suzhou for?"
The number of vehicles in Suzhou seems to be greater than that in Quanzhou, Zhao Yong couldn't help but sigh
Zhao Yong asked in confusion, "Why do we need to inquire about blacksmiths in Suzhou when there are many good blacksmiths in Quanzhou?"
Frosty leaves are redder than the flowers of February
Zhao Jiaran replied with a calm demeanor, "I have already inquired about it."
These individuals were momentarily taken aback, and their gazes quickly turned to Zhao Jiaran. According to common sense, even officials should show some respect upon seeing a successful candidate. However, the way these individuals looked at Zhao Jiaran resembled that of observing some rare and exotic creature
A young scholar can astonish everyone in the court, but it is merely astonishment. Those in power will continue to act according to their own interests, and it is impossible for Zhao Jiaran to bring about any change. The authority to allocate work is held by the current Prime Minister, who is either Dong Huai or Ding Danian.
Zhao Jiaran picked a small handful of maple leaves in his hand, dropped a word "Go," and turned the horse's head towards the direction of Suzhou City
Frosty leaves are redder than the flowers of February
Such behavior caught Zhao Yong off guard. He looked at Zhao Jiarun's back and then glanced at the fiery red peaks of the maple leaves. If he were to speak from the heart, Zhao Yong certainly wished to linger here a while longer, but his duty was to take care of Zhao Jiarun. Reluctantly, Zhao Yong imitated Zhao Jiarun and plucked a few maple leaves, then, with a sense of reluctance, turned his horse's head to follow Zhao Jiarun.
In this era, there were no cotton garments; ordinary families wore linen clothes, while wealthy families donned silk and satin. Some have described the style of the Song Dynasty with the phrase 'the attire of commoners and the farmers in silk shoes.' From Zhao Jiaran's personal experience, this was also due to the absence of better textile alternatives. In the 21st century, even the wealthy do not use pure silk products in their clothing.
Zhao Jiaran remained silent as he continued walking towards the blacksmith's shop. Given the large amount of smoke, it must be smelting iron on its own. When later generations arrived here, they only heard that this blacksmith's shop was quite remarkable. He had no trust in talk of a century-long heritage, yet he did not expect it to be true
Zhao Jiaran made no comment; he had already undone his hair when he was washing earlier, and now his hair was disheveled. He reached out to touch it and found that it had already dried. Zhao Jiaran took a bamboo hairpin from his luggage and skillfully twisted his hair up. He placed the bamboo pin horizontally at the base of his hair, using his left hand to coil the twisted hair around the pin tightly, making several turns. He then tucked the final strand into the bun he had formed. He secured the bun with a hair tie. A simple bun was thus completed.
As dawn broke, Zhao Jiaran awoke from his slumber. Raising his head to gaze at the rosy clouds on the horizon, Zhao Jiaran could not help but recall the great fire in Quanzhou. He touched his forehead and felt his hands were drenched in sweat. Struggling to sit up, he noticed that his clothes were stuck to his back.