During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, there was a strict division of social classes. The nobles and nobles were the upper class, that is, the noble families; the common people from the poor families were the lower class, also called the Han people. The noble families were undoubtedly very rich and noble families, but not all the common people were from poor families.

They are poor people, including middle- and lower-class bureaucrats. Of course, there are also classes that are separated between the noble families and the Han family, that is, the gradually declining gentry and the common people who are slowly promoted to the gentry. The gentry is not two generations in one generation.

It can be formed from generation to generation. If someone's ancestors have no status for several generations, no matter how big an official they are in their own generation, no matter how much land they have, or how much money they have, they will still be looked down upon by the gentry and still be relegated to the imperial family.

They are common people. This is quite different from the high-ranking officials in later generations who can rise to the upper class by their own efforts. In the West, there is a saying that "three generations cultivate a nobleman", but the formation of the gentry in the Wei and Jin Dynasties took more than three generations. The specific signs of the gentry are

That is, there are often two big black pillars in front of their houses. The pillar on the left is called "Valve" and the pillar on the right is called "Yue". Because the ancestors of these aristocratic families often have made military exploits, this period pays special attention to the honor of ancestors.

.They often erected two large pillars outside their doors and wrote on them the military exploits and glory of generations, making them proud. Their descendants were protected by their ancestors and served as officials for generations, and over time they became wealthy noble families.

However, it is not easy to be a nobleman. If you fail, your life may be in danger, or even your family may be destroyed. Behind Cao Wei's replacement of the Han Dynasty, and the Sima family's replacement of Cao Wei, there were figures of the major noble families entrenched in the court fighting for power. The two changes of dynasties

, consolidated a group of nobles, and also destroyed a group of nobles, it was very important to choose sides. The old ministers of the Han Dynasty who were not exterminated became ministers of Cao Wei. Similarly, the old ministers of Cao Wei naturally became ministers of Cao Wei.

He became a minister of the Jin Dynasty. Therefore, these nobles did not have to worry about being implicated due to the change of dynasties. The achievements of their ancestors on the gate pillars in front of their houses still shined brightly and dazzled the eyes. This was their most valuable asset to show off.

The Shi family is a noble family.

Gianzhuangtou led Shu Yan, Zhixin, Ruoxin, and Xia Tingchang to the front of Shi's mansion. The mansion faces north and south and occupies half of the street. There are several tall horses and several carriages tied in front of the mansion.

, there are those pulled by one horse and those pulled by two horses.

Shu Yan and others walked in from the gate of the mansion, walked around a screen wall, and looked north. They saw a deep courtyard, tall and spacious houses with blue bricks and bright tiles, stacked on top of each other, and they could not see the end at a glance. There were people talking and laughing in the main hall.

From time to time, there were sounds of silk and bamboo. Tian Fu led them to the main hall, and then walked in to report. Shu Yan looked in from outside the door, and it turned out that it was Shi Hui and a group of nobles gathering inside, drinking and talking. Shu Yan

Yan and the others didn't go in, so they stood outside and heard someone yelling from inside: "Why are you so ignorant of the rules? What is the occasion? I'm having a gathering with a few celebrities here, why are you bringing some idle people here? Clean us up.

Interested!" These people always regard themselves as noble and look down on people from common people and poor families.

Tian Fu was scolded by Shi Hui, but he did not dare to refute, and replied with an apologetic smile: "The head of the family is Chief Xia Ting of Shujiazhuang, as well as the Shu family and the Han family. They reported to you yesterday. They are

I came to discuss selling the land with you."

Shi Hui looked outside and saw an old man and three children. Needless to say, this old man was the chief of the pavilion. The chief of the pavilion was nothing in his eyes. The three children and one half-year-old boy were not very old.

, I really want to be the same age as his son Shi De, but with his hair tied up; there is also a girl about the same age, with a double bun on her head, a pair of big, clear eyes, pure and beautiful; and there is a boy behind him, looking at

He looks very young in both stature and age. Needless to say, he must be a child of the Shu family and the Han family.

After Shi Hui looked at it, he wanted to go out and talk to them about selling land, but he was afraid that the nobles would laugh at him for delaying fun for such mundane things. After thinking about it, he said to Tian Fu: "I am here to accompany the guests, you

Go accompany them to Xinuang Pavilion to sign the land deed."

Tian Fu replied: "However, the specific method of buying it has not been discussed yet, and it is up to you to make the decision."

Shi Hui said impatiently: "Just a few dozen acres of land, it doesn't matter. You can discuss it with them yourself!"

"I will definitely negotiate the price for the owner, but the land deed involves signatures. How can I, a servant, sign on my behalf?"

Shi Hui thought about it and said, "Since they have three children, I will do the same. Let the young master take my place."

After Shi Hui finished speaking, he turned around and closed the door. Tian Fu walked out of the main hall and led Shu Yan and his party westward to Xinuang Pavilion. Although this place was not the main hall, it was still very elegant, with exquisite carved window edges and red satin hangings.

There is also a warm couch inside, with a heater in the middle and brewed fragrant tea on the carved mahogany table.

In the backyard of Shi Mansion, Shi De had just put on his clothes. Two wet nurses were waiting for him to wash up. One was carrying a basin of warm water, and the other was helping him wash and dry his face.

Shi De was sitting on the couch, and the wet nurse shouted outside: "A Miao, wait for the young master to eat."

After a while, a blond Xianbei servant brought a bowl of longan and lotus seed porridge from the kitchen.

This little Xianbei maid's name is A Miao. She is slightly older than Shi De. Apart from her golden hair and slightly strange eyes, she can't tell any difference from the Chinese. She has lived in the Chinese circle since she was a child, so

She speaks Mandarin fluently. A Miao has a gentle personality. She has been serving Shi De for three years since she entered the Shi Mansion. She is still a little stubborn and thinks that since she was bought to serve the young master, she must serve him well.

.

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

A Chinese maid named A Yan next to her took the bowl from A Miao's hand and said, "You Xianbei maid, do you want to burn the young master to death?" After saying that, she blew the porridge with her mouth and sent it to Shide.

In front of his mouth, he said, "Come on, young master, don't be angry. Just blow it and it will make it less hot."

Shi De blocked the bowl and said, "You are the one who will die if you die! Get away, who wants you to blow!"

The white porcelain bowl fell to the ground with a "chirp" and broke into pieces. Ayan failed to flatter her master and was scolded instead. There was nothing she could do but endure the grievance, clean up the broken bowls, and go out wisely.

A Miao brought another bowl of porridge. She didn't go into the house yet. She stood outside the door and let the cold air cool down the porridge for a while until her little hands were a little red from the cold. At this time, the temperature of the porridge was just right. She brought it in

House, Shi De ate more than half a bowl.

While feeding her, she also coaxed her: "Young Master, it's getting cold. Eat more to keep out the cold."

"If you don't want to eat, you have to go to the study, otherwise that damn old gentleman will hurry you up again."

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

"I don't understand why he is anxious! After all, he is just making a living in my house, and my family's money is supporting him. I, Aweng, have already said that when I turn 18, I will be sent to study at Taixue University. I still need it.

Him? Huh!"

Just as he was talking, a young boy came over and said, "Young master, the master of the house has asked you to go to the front."

"Going to the front? Why? Could it be that Mr. Zhu went to my Aweng to file a complaint against me? Or maybe he broke a jade ring yesterday, which doesn't matter, or... in short, my father calls me Dadu

There's nothing good to do, let's just wait for a while." Shi De muttered in his heart, complaining about the bowl of porridge.

A Miao was afraid that Shi De would be scolded if she waited too long, so she asked the boy: "Why is the master looking for the young master?"

The boy replied: "I heard that we are going to buy land to build a water basin. The head of the farm has already brought the land seller to sign the land deed. But the owner of the house is accompanying a guest and has no time to go. There are several children on the other side.

The young master also knows them, so I asked the young master to sign the land deed with them."

Jianshuidi? How many children? Do I know them? The Shi family has more than one Shuidi, and Shi De usually doesn't care about those things. But when he heard that he knew them, he asked, "Where are they from?"

"People from Shujiazhuang."

Shi De suddenly remembered that time in his family's manor on the bank of the Ru River, his father and the head of the farm wanted to buy the land of Shu Yan and Zhixin's family to build a water pile. And that day, he made Zhixin cry again, Zhixin

He still wanted to laugh when he thought about the image that day.

Thinking of Shu Yan and Zhi Xin, he was obviously very excited. He quickly stood up and told A Miao: "Bring me my fox fur quickly."

A Miao dressed for him and followed him to Xinuang Pavilion.

As soon as Shi De entered the door, he saw several people sitting in the room. He first saw Shu Yan and asked strangely: "Hey, Shu Yan, if I remember correctly, we are the same age, not even fifteen yet."

Well, why did you tie your hair up first? You people from a poor family really don’t understand etiquette."

Shu Yan was not in a hurry to answer him, but instead asked: "Master Shi, if I tied up my hair early, it shouldn't be a violation of ethics, right? I naturally have my reasons for tying my hair up. But you are facing a person who has tied up your hair."

Is it against etiquette to call a person by his first name?"

Shi De was retorted by Shu Yan and argued forcefully: "I don't call you by your given name 'Shu Yan'. Do you have a nickname?"

"I don't have a cousin name yet, but you can at least call me Brother Shu, or something else, or even nothing, which is better than that!"

In an era when names and words are used together, people are most taboo about others calling them by their first names after they reach adulthood. 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 by their first names.

The younger generation can't even call me cousin.

Shi De tilted his head and said disdainfully: "Huh, I don't care about you. If you tie up your hair, I can't call you by your name. If you wear a crown, I have to kneel down and call you Your Majesty, right?"

Shu Yan felt that there was no point in arguing with him about this. He didn't really care about Shi De calling his name, after all, he was still underage. What made Shu Yan angry was Shi De's words that insulted the poor family.

"Mr. Shi, I have a lot of things to do at home. I am not as leisurely as you. Zhixin and I are here to talk to you about selling land. I don't want to argue with you."

As soon as he heard Zhixin, Shi De quickly looked at the girl next to Shu Yan: she had a double bun on her head, and the rest of her hair naturally hung down to her temples and shoulders. Although she didn't apply makeup, her face was naturally delicate and white, and she was wearing

Ordinary red kudzu skirt - Zhixin didn't dress herself up carefully before going out, but she was already a little beauty.

Shi De couldn't help but think of how dirty Zhi Xin looked in the countryside that time. He even humiliated her with a verse from the Book of Songs. He didn't expect that her original appearance was really like "hands as soft as pancreas and skin as condensed fat."

.

"Wow, it turns out that your hands are as soft as pancreas and your skin is as creamy as butter..." This time he was sincerely praising Zhixin.

Unexpectedly, Zhixin rolled her eyes at him and replied: "A rat has skin!"

Shi De immediately remembered how Shu Yan and Zhi Xin used the words in the Book of Songs to fight back against him that day, and immediately suppressed his blush.

Tian Fu was afraid that these children were stiff and had messed up serious matters, so he hurried over to smooth things over: "Brothers and sisters, don't mention the old things anymore. You were still young and ignorant at that time.

You're not sensible. How many years have you grown now, you can't be the same as before."

As he spoke, he arranged for Shi De to sit on a single couch and the others to sit on a large double couch. He ordered A Miao: "Pour tea."
Chapter completed!