The three of them walked along the streets of Pingyangfang for half a pillar of incense, and then passed through a few small alleys to a low door, on which a lantern was written in a few big characters: Tongfu Inn.

Guan Lang explained beside him: "This Tongfu Inn is the place where the down-and-out scholars of Pingyangfang gather, and it is quite convenient to go to all parts of Qingzhou City, and even some peddlers and pawns come here to rest, so the rent here is cheap, and many people live for several years. ”

Qin Chuan saw that the door was mottled and the dim firelight reflected the lanterns, thinking that the house price here must not be too expensive, so he turned around and asked Lao Dao: "Let's rest here tonight, if you think it's appropriate, you can't let people cheat." ”

Lao Dao nodded, and started to walk forward.

Qin Chuan asked Guan Lang: "Dare to ask the little brother his surname, I was really grateful for selling my calligraphy at a cheap price before, and now he brought us here." ”

Hearing Qin Chuan talking about the calligraphy, Guan Lang hurriedly diverted the topic, for fear that Lao Dao would know the price: "You're welcome, my name is Guan Lang, the land of Guanzhong, the stars are bright." ”

Seeing this, Qin Chuan said to Guan Lang: "Okay, remember, Brother Guan." Then he followed the old way and walked forward.

In the inner hall of the Tongfu Inn, there was an old man with scattered hair who was dozing, and woke up when he saw the sound of footsteps, and saw that the person who came was Guan Lang, and walked over with the two, so he said: "Yo, isn't this Guan Ye, why did you come back so early today, this month's rent is ready? If not, you can only take your luggage tomorrow morning and get out." ”

Guan Lang hurriedly stepped forward and said: "Shopkeeper Wu, I have a good memory, you remember me with so many tenants, if you don't get money today, I will hurry over to honor you." So saying, he took out the money from the cloth bag and handed it over.

Shopkeeper Wu lit the dry cigarette and took a hard breath, making the entire inner hall of the Tongfu Inn full of smoke, and when he saw the silver money, he showed his mouth full of yellow teeth: "You owe the longest house money, and it is difficult to forget." I can't imagine that someone really buys the things on your stall, I'm afraid you haven't made a lot of money. If you pay the money diligently, I can live for a few more months, no, what are the two of them doing?" Shopkeeper Wu saw that there were two people standing behind Guan Lang, who seemed to be Taoist priests who traveled all over the world.

Guan Lang opened his mouth and said: "This is a friend I just met, I want to find a place to stay, after thinking about it, it is only suitable for you to be the shopkeeper Wu." ”

Shopkeeper Wu squinted his eyes and asked, "How many days do you two stay?" ”

Qin Chuan replied: "Shopkeeper, stay for one night today, and talk about it tomorrow when you are still in Qingzhou City." ”

Shopkeeper Wu asked again: "Heaven, earth, Xuan, and Huang, which one does you live?"

Qin Chuan secretly laughed in his heart, just this dilapidated inn was actually on the same level as the martial arts rivers and lakes, so he opened his mouth and asked, "What is the difference between heaven, earth, Xuan, and Huang." ”

At this moment, Guan Lang replied beside him: "In my opinion, between the words of the sky and the earth, you don't live, everyone else stays together as a family, the room is too big, and it is a waste for you to live." The yellow character is a pawn of the peddler, where the Jianghu Lang lives, and there is a large shop inside, and it is not safe for people to talk and talk about it, so it is better to live in a Xuanzi room like me. Just this one night, no more than a few coins. ”

When Qin Chuan heard this, he glanced at Lao Dao and saw that Lao Dao had no objection, so he asked, "Shopkeeper, how much is a night between these Xuanzi?"

Shopkeeper Wu drooped his eyelids and said, "Two hundred dollars." ”

Qin Chuan thought about the meat sandwich shop that he had almost been deceived before, and asked with palpitations in his heart: "Is this two hundred dollars an hour, or half a day." ”

The shopkeeper Wu cleaned up the dry tobacco, re-lit it and said: "My Tongfu Inn, Tong Su is not bullied, and the two hundred dollars will sleep until this time tomorrow." ”

Hearing this, Qin Chuan took out the silver money and gave it to the shopkeeper Wu, then glanced at Lao Dao and said, "Let's go, Lao Dao, we have a place to sleep tonight." ”

Lao Dao stepped forward and took the wooden number plate of the shopkeeper Wu, glanced at it and said, "Thank you shopkeeper, let us borrow it for one night." ”

Shopkeeper Wu still drooped his eyelids and replied: "If this little Taoist boy feels that his body is cold, I have some medicine here to relieve it." ”

The old Taoist said without replying: "Thank you for your kindness, I hope you don't need it." With that, he walked towards the room of the Xuanzi.

Guan Lang asked in the back: "Two fellow Daoists, you are acquainted with Shopkeeper Wu, otherwise this Shopkeeper Wu's famous stinky temper would even take the initiative to care about you." ”

Qin Chuan replied: "How can we know Shopkeeper Wu, otherwise we wouldn't have given the house money." ”

Guan Lang thought that Qin Chuan still had a lot of money on him, and at this moment, in order to get closer, he said: "Seeing that you have worked all night, you must not have eaten tonight, let's go, let's go to the back to make a side stove, eat and sleep again." ”

Lao Dao heard that there was something to eat, so before Qin Chuan could answer, he said with a full mouth: "Okay, well, I have nothing in my stomach at the moment, and I really can't sleep." ”

Qin Chuan glanced at the old way, but he was helpless, it was indeed that the meat bun was not full, and his stomach was also croaking.

The three of them came to the back kitchen of the Tongfu Inn, where many people were already sitting and eating, and many of them were reading books. Seeing Lao Dao and Qin Chuan coming in in Taoist robes, these scholars only glanced at them and continued to eat, after all, this Tongfu Inn was full of people, and it was not surprising that a few people from the Dao Sect came.

Guan Lang said to a bloated woman: "Sister-in-law Niu, three people, play the side stove." ”

The woman named Sister-in-law Niu looked back and saw that it was Guan Lang, and replied angrily: "You can't take credit tonight." ”

Guan Lang couldn't help but say confidently in front of Lao Dao and Qin Chuan: "How can I, Guan Lang, be a person who pays on credit, oh, the new account and the old account are counted together, and you are indispensable." ”

Guan Lang said, took out the silver money in his hand and glanced at it, and Sister-in-law Niu said with a smile when she saw this: "Find a place to sit." The dish will come right away. ”

This side stove is the food that the powerful and the poor people in Qingzhou City love, and the emphasis is on cooking food in the hot soup base, especially in autumn and winter, this side stove is more suitable for warming up the body and driving away the cold.

The three of them sat next to each other, and at this time, a white-clothed scholar next to them said: "Who do you say about this temple, I wrote such a skillful article, they can't even look down on it, it's just a group of wine bags and rice bags." ”

At this time, another Tsing Yi scholar accosted: "Shhh, the voice is quieter, now no one knows that this temple is controlled by the family, and ordinary people want to enter the temple, but it is more difficult than climbing to the sky." ”

The white-clothed scholar continued: "If I am a martial arts cultivator, I must go to the capital and kill those people who are vegetarians. ”

The scholar in Tsing Yi glanced around and whispered: "I heard the gentleman of the book talk about it before, saying that this capital is intricate and heavily guarded, and many foreigners have made trouble here in vain, but there was a person before, who killed the capital for some reason, and provoked the defenders of the capital to take action, but he still couldn't suppress it, and finally it was Chen Zhenren of the Taixu Palace who came to his aid, so he seriously injured this person." ”

When the white-clothed scholar heard this, he yearned for it infinitely: "This person is really so powerful, he can actually stir up a bloody storm in the capital, and he can still retreat with his whole body, this martial arts cultivation is probably unfathomable." ”

Although the martial arts rivers and lakes are not connected with the road to fame sought by scholars, some strange things about the martial arts rivers and lakes are often reported.

The man in Tsing Yi took a sip of wine and said: "At that time, the storyteller was in high spirits, saying that this person had a worldly spirit that although thousands of people had gone to him, but no one knew where this person went later. However, this man is said to be a swordsman. ”

Hearing this, Qin Chuan glanced at Lao Dao, at this moment Lao Dao was taking a sip of hot water, with his hands on his cuffs, because of the cold, his body shrunk together, how could he have the appearance of a master outside the world. Qin Chuan sighed silently in his heart, although Lao Dao was also carrying a sword box, but it was obvious that he was a talisman master, it seemed that a martial arts powerhouse with world-class spirit was definitely not him. But it's right to think about it, how can someone who can even dig out the wrong seal enter the capital and find someone to seek revenge.

Just when Qin Chuan was in a daze, Sister-in-law Niu brought up the side stove, the bottom of a hot pot made of copper charcoal was filled with charcoal, and the tray contained small plates of beef, tofu, vegetables, noodles and other things, as well as three small bowls of dipping sauce.

Lao Dao praised beside him: "I can't imagine that in Pingyang Fang late at night, there is a side stove to eat, which is really a beautiful thing in life." ”

Sister-in-law Niu heard about it, but she didn't appreciate it: "Whether it's delicious or not, you have to pay." Guan Lang, if you don't pay this time, then you don't want to stay at the Tongfu Inn next time. ”

Hearing that this back kitchen can still be credited, the white-clothed scholar before asked: "Sister-in-law Niu, you said before that your back kitchen never takes credit, why can this little brother be?"

Sister-in-law Niu has a bold temperament, and at this moment she replied in a loud voice: "If you are as shameless as Guan Lang, and would rather ruin the reputation of the scholar than give money, then you can also pay on credit." ”

The white-clothed scholar blushed and bowed his head to eat silently.

But Guan Lang was like a person who had nothing to do at the moment, adding tofu to the copper charcoal hot pot, and calling Lao Dao and Qin Chuan to eat it quickly.

Qin Chuan was not polite when he saw this, and sandwiched a piece of tofu, which was very hot in the mouth just now, but the taste was delicious, and Qin Chuan kept hazing, but the chopsticks in his hand still kept clipping.

Lao Dao scolded beside him: "Slow down, rabbit cub, no one will rob you." After that, he put the beef that had just come out of the pot into the dipping sauce, and was satisfied and asked Sister-in-law Niu to bring a pot of spirits.

Guan Lang filled the wine glasses of the three of them, picked up his own cup and drank it all, so spicy that he opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue without speaking, and after a long pause, he asked, "The two Taoist leaders have traveled from other places. I saw that you were not familiar with Pingyang Fang, and I thought you must have come from somewhere else. ”

Qin Chuan stuffed his mouth with vegetables, and said vaguely: "We are the people of Qingzhou City, but the Taoist temple is in the wilderness, except for going into the city to catch the market and coming to Qingzhou City, but we all go back on the same day, after all, this Qingzhou City is expensive, if we are here for a long time, we can't afford it." ”

When Guan Lang heard this, his mouth began to be less spicy, but his heart was a lot colder, so it sounded like these two were the scattered Daoists of the Mountain and Wild Taoist Temple, not the sects or clans of the family. But Guan Lang thought that Qin Chuan was wary of himself, so he was lying that he was a wilderness Taoist temple, so Guan Lang still asked without giving up: "I still know a lot about the Taoist temple in Qingzhou City, and I dare to ask which Taoist temple the Taoist chief is." ”

Guan Lang thought very clearly, if it was a person from other places, he would not be so familiar with the Taoist temple in Qingzhou City.

Qin Chuan scratched his head and replied thoughtfully: "Our Taoist temple, just me and Lao Dao, there is no name for this Taoist temple." It is to enter from the Guanshan Pass and walk dozens of miles inside. ”

When Guan Lang heard this, his heart was really cold, it seems that what Qin Chuan said is true, this Guanshankou is a wild place in Qingzhou City, sparsely populated, and there are no wealthy families living there. It's just that I am so willing to spend money tonight, but I didn't expect to invite two poor Taoist people.

Guan Lang thought for a while, and thought to himself, this night sold Qin Chuan's calligraphy that no one cared about, and it can be regarded as taking a big advantage of them, so it is not a loss to invite them to eat a side stove.

Qin Chuan saw that Guan Lang was in a daze, gave a glass of wine and said, "Brother Guan, what are you doing in Qingzhou City? ”

Guan Lang drank another glass of wine and said in a daze: "My father and mother are from Qingzhou City. As far as I can remember, my father went to the capital to take the exam and never came back, and I heard that he had won the exam and married a wife and had children in the capital, so he didn't care about us. My mother was widowed for more than ten years, and finally died of depression in the first few years, forced to make a living, I sold my property and set up a stall in Pingyang Fang to make some money for a living. And that sister-in-law Niu is my former neighbor, and she has watched me grow up since I was a child, so I can be cheeky and credit. ”

Hearing this, Qin Chuan continued to ask: "Then do you have any plans for the next step, but are you going to continue to set up a stall in Pingyangfang?"

Guan Lang put down some beef, sandwiched a mouthful of hot cabbage and whispered: "I don't have any plans, because of my biological father, so I looked down on those scholars since I was a child, and I spoke high-sounding words, saying all kinds of bad things about the temple, and finally squeezed into the temple. It's just that I still want to go to the capital, first, to see if I can win fame, and second, to see if I can find that negative man. ”

Qin Chuan also nodded and said: "In this case, it is better to go to the capital, but it will cost a lot of money to go to the capital for thousands of miles, so you can be ready." ”

Guan Lang sighed and said, "When is it ready, when is it time to go." ”

Qin Chuan was silent when he heard this, but he was really powerless.

The three of them continued to eat the dishes in the pot, and after drinking the pot of wine that they had ordered again, Guan Lang was about to take out the money to settle the bill and leave, but Sister-in-law Niu said without replying: "Seeing that you are so embarrassed today, let's give it together next time." ”

Guan Lang thanked Sister-in-law Niu with a smile, and said separately with Lao Dao and Qin Chuan: "The two of you have a good conversation tonight, but you are a little drunk, so I won't accompany you to chat." Turn right along the porch and you'll be in your room. ”

Lao Dao saluted Qin Chuan, said goodbye to Guan Lang and returned to his room.

I saw that the room was simply furnished, with two elm beds in it, a desk next to it, a candlestick on it, and a couch by the window, and nothing else.

But fortunately, the room is clean, which is enough for what Lao Dao and Qin Chuan said.

After Qin Chuan washed it briefly, he lit the candlestick, looked at the notebook he bought from Guan Lang, and saw the pen flowing, skimming and colluding, and he couldn't understand who the payment was.

Lao Dao was humming a small tune next to him, but he was so unhappy.

Qin Chuan opened his mouth and asked, "Old Dao, this cursive script is the same as your ghost drawing, you may be able to understand the text on it." ”

Lao Dao yawned and said: "A master in Buddhism, he writes well in cursive. If you look closely, you might be able to taste some Zen. ”