When the second year of Jianzhong Jingguo was about to pass, Jiehe Market, a newly emerging northern commercial city, was in a prosperous and lively manner.

Unlike the crowded, noisy and prosperous everywhere, which was filled with fire and cooking oil, although the prosperity of Jiehe Market is far from as high as possible, it seems to be solid and unshakable.

Although the walls of Jiehe Shang City are a bit low, they are made of red bricks and stones, giving people a solemn and inviolable feeling. They are completely different from the tall surrounding Kaifeng Prefecture, but there are collapsed rammed earth walls everywhere. If the height of the city wall can be increased in the future, it may become a nightmare for all attackers!

Most of the roads in the city are good and wide, and they also have hard pavements made of gravel, which are very flat and have no bumpy places. The road surface with Kaifeng Prefecture has been disrepaired for a long time and water accumulation everywhere is distinctly contrasted.

There are many buildings that have been built or under construction on both sides of the road, and many of them use red bricks. However, the owners have painted a layer of white lime outside the red bricks, and only a few walls that have not yet been painted are red. However, these white or white and red brick buildings also give people a strong and durable feeling.

Unlike all other cities in the Song Dynasty, Jiehe Shang City is not a square city, but a semicircular city. The indoor roads either lead straight to the center of the semicircle or are arc-shaped, like the annual rings of trees, arranged half and half circles, intersecting the straight road leading to the center of the circle.

The center of the semicircular city is an open square, close to the banks of the Jiehe River and the pier. The square is surrounded by tall buildings, at least three floors, and there are even "high-rise buildings" as high as four floors like the Republic Building.

The "Central Square" and the nearby pier, the river bank is probably the most lively place in the city. Two or three wazis have opened and there are still archery shooting ranges at the gate. A large group of men with different dresses are gathering there, most of them are carrying bows and arrows, and they are testing on the range. Occasionally, men with excellent archery skills shoot one by one, which will attract a burst of cheer. It seems that archery is the most popular sport in this businessman's city.

What is even more surprising than Kaifeng Prefecture is that there are many people dressed in Confucian scholars here with long swords. The Song Dynasty did not prohibit the people from holding swords, but Confucian scholars still did not like swords very much. If it is unnecessary, few Confucian scholars are willing to go out with swords. However, seven out of ten men wearing Confucian uniforms here in Jiehe carried swords!

A group of carriages and horses walked into the south gate of Jiehe Market. The team of carriages and horses attracted a lot of attention. Because there were many men dressed in Confucian scholars among the group, and these Confucian scholars who were walking did not carry swords and bows and arrows, they looked a little weak, and they were obviously not "doctoral students" in Jiehe Branch of Yuntai Academy Palace outside the city.

From time to time, a man with a bearded and sturdy face poked out his head and looked at everything around him with his eyes like a copper bell.

This man, with a rough appearance, is his teacher of martial arts and good writing, Hou Zi and Hou Zhongliang.

That's right, this is the convoy that Hou Zhongliang went north to invite Wu Haogu to discuss Taoism. He did not come alone, but also brought many Kaifeng scholars who were interested in Jiehe Market and Yuntai Academy.

Jiehe Business City, which miraculously developed, also had a huge reputation in Kaifeng Prefecture. This title is not only in the business world, but also in the academic world. Especially after the book "A Trial of Practical Proof" was stolen in Kaifeng Prefecture, many scholars who did not think of Wu Haogu and Jiehe Business City also became interested, so they walked with Hou Zhongliang and went north to open their eyes.

A nephew from the Hou family from Huayin County was riding a horse and walking beside Hou Zhongliang's carriage. He saw several Confucian scholars with long swords shooting arrows outside a huge tiled door. He shook his head and said, "How come the Confucian scholars here are so good at martial arts? Do they usually not read the books of saints, but dance with swords all day long?"

Hou Zhongliang smiled and said, "Dancing a sword and playing with a sword is not contradictory to reading the saint's books. Even the saint himself is good at fencing and archery. But the saint knows that they cannot act on courage alone, but must conquer people with virtue, so even if the saint has force, they do not use it."

The nephew of the Hou family pondered for a moment, and while thinking about Hou Zi's words, there was a sound of applause. It turned out that a Confucian scholar who shot archers had used his unique skills of shooting, and the arrows he shot hit the bull's eye, which attracted a lot of cheers.

"Sir, the Confucian scholars here all look very brave and fierce. It seems that they have not realized the true meaning of a saint conquering people with virtue."

Hou Zhongliang touched his bearded man and smiled and ordered: "Stop, let's go and have a look."

The carriage stopped on the side of the road. Hou Zhongliang lifted the curtain, got out of the carriage with the help of a disciple, and then walked towards an archery range located in front of Wandawazi's door.

The person who was in charge of this shooting range was a man from Kaifeng Mansion. He was originally a thug under Liu Ergou. After Liu Ergou arrived in Jiehe Shang City, he became Wandawazi's shopkeeper. He jumped from his brothers and helped him watch the venue.

When the ex-rogue saw Hou Zhongliang being powerful, he thought he was here to shoot archery, so he stepped forward and sang a fat man: "Is this hero here to sign up for the archery competition?"

hero?

Hou Zhongliang is a great scholar. People generally call him "Teacher" or "Mr.", which is the first time people call him a hero. Moreover, he is wearing a Confucian shirt and an Yichuan hat (a hat designed by Cheng Yi). How can he look like a hero?

And what is the archery competition?

"I dare to ask," Hou Zhongliang bowed, "What do you mean by archery competition?"

"Oh," the man heard Hou Zi's Guanzhong accent, and then heard his question. He knew that he had just arrived at Jiehe, so he changed his name: "Sir, have you just arrived at Jiehe?"

"My husband has indeed entered the city." A disciple of a marquis replied.

"No wonder," the man smiled, "The things on Jiehe are indeed different from those on the south side. Not only are the leaders of the Chamber of Commerce, but the Shifeng is also more martial. This Lao Shizi archery competition was funded by Jiehe Chamber of Commerce, and a reward was offered. The top ten in the competition had high rewards. Now the shooting ranges set up in front of each store are only registered for the test shooting.

The gentleman is a moral gentleman at first glance, and I think he doesn’t like the trick of archery.”

In fact, Hou Zhongliang can shoot arrows, and his father Hou Ke is also a Guan Xue master of Yunwen and Wu, so naturally he will not educate his son to become a Confucian scholar without any power.

However, when Hou Zi grew up, he realized that Confucian scholars should focus on seeking Taoism and morality, and should not pursue force, so he no longer practiced archery and fencing. Now that he has not practiced for many years, his skills have become unfamiliar.

"Of course my husband disdains the martial arts skills," said a disciple of Houzi, "but why are there many people dressed in Confucian scholars here trying to shoot?"

"Hi, most of these Confucian scholars came from Yuntai Academy... Most of them were Confucian scholars who came to study in the Northern Dynasties, and they were all from Wenwen and Wu."

Hou Zhongliang glanced at the Confucian scholar who had just shot out the continuous arrow. He was a boy who looked only fifteen or sixteen years old. At this time, he had already put away the laminated bow with the main material of the horns and was carefully removing the three uneven arrows from the straw target.

The Confucian scholars in the north cannot calm down and study! Hou Zhongliang looked at the boy, felt a little regretful, sighed, withdrew his gaze and asked again: "Brother, ask again, how to get to Yuntai Academy?"

"Sir, I'm going to Yuntai Academy... It's not close, and I haven't been there much. Why don't you find someone to take you there."

"Then it's a labor."

"No, no, I will come if I go."

The Wan Dawazi's guy who was in charge of the archery competition turned around and soon led the young Confucian scholar who had just finished packing up the three-way arrows to the Houzi.

"I met Mr. Yelu Dashi, a disciple of Xiayuntai Academy."

The young man reported his name and turned out to be Yelu Dashi, a disciple of Wu Haogu. After joining Wu Haogu's disciple, he did not stay in Jiehe, but returned to Xijin Mansion before New Year's Eve last year. His parents and a pair of younger siblings are now in Xijin Mansion. He went back to spend the New Year with them. He did not go south again to Yuntai Academy and wait for the start of school.

During this period, I heard about the "Bow and Arrow Competition", so I signed up with a few classmates, and showed my hand during the test shooting.

"Yelu Dashi?" Hou Zhongliang frowned slightly. Why are there disciples of the Liao royal family in Yuntai Academy? Although Confucius once said that there is no difference in religion, the Khitans are the enemies of the Song Dynasty after all! If the traitors of Xining knew about this, they would probably have to make a fuss. Wu Haogu might have to get into big trouble.

"I dare to ask Brother Yelu," Hou Zi couldn't turn his head and left, so he asked, "How should I go to Yuntai Academy?"

"Sir, are you going to the school?" Yelu Dashi looked at the powerful scholar in front of him, and did not dare to be small, so he asked respectfully, "Did you come to the school to be a professor?"

"No," said Hou Zi, "I came here to find Wuke Province as Mr. Yichuan's instructions."

"Oh," Yelu Dashi smiled, "I didn't have my family teacher here. He went to Haizhou a few years ago and would be able to come back with Mr. Dongpo in about ten days."

"Mr. Dongpo is also coming to Jiehe?" Hou Zhongliang was stunned, "Also, do you call Wuke Province a teacher?"

"Yes," Yelu Dashi nodded with a smile and said proudly, "The young student was admitted to the Jiehe Branch of Yuntai Academy with the first place, so he won the favor of the guest province and was admitted to the school."
Chapter completed!