Fengxian Lou received a guest in the afternoon, about twenty years old, with a long figure, thick eyebrows and big eyes, but his eyebrows were wrinkled, and he seemed to have infinite concerns. Seeing that he was only one person, the shopkeeper ordered half a catty of cooked beef and a plate of celery and bean curd, and then asked for a jar of apricot blossom spring old wine, drinking it by himself.

I don't know if he was waiting for someone or what, he occupied a table alone and drank until the time he left. At this time, the store gradually became inert, and groups of three or five were looking for empty tables to sit. Some guests saw that he occupied a table alone and had the intention of sharing a table to eat, but he scolded him away. When the people saw that he was a drunkard, and that he was not good at fighting, they had to find another place to sit.

The June day was unusually hot and humid, and it made people feel irritable. Fengxian Building has windows on all sides, and there is a breeze blowing from time to time. This guest sits right in the east window, overlooking the street view under the window, the air outlet is cool and pleasing to the eye.

A few more guests came in, and when they saw that there was no place to sit in the hall, they left again in a hug. The shopkeeper was really angry when he saw that the customer in his hand was gone, and glared at the customer fiercely.

The customer had just raised his head and drank a large glass of wine, and he didn't even see the shopkeeper's cold eyes. The shopkeeper couldn't bear it anymore, stepped forward, bent down and made a deep gesture, and said with a smile: "This master, the wine is almost drunk, I think it's better to go home and rest, it's not good to drink too much." ”

The guest squinted at him with drunken eyes, slammed the wine glass in his hand to the ground and scolded, "Grandma, are you afraid that your grandfather will have no money?" Or don't you think you are a child? Grandma's, what's so great about a child, it's a big deal that the master will take the exam next year. Shit Gao Wenhan, I'm going to kill him sooner or later! I'm going to take revenge for not being on the list. I don't have a surname. ”

Yes, this guest is none other than Gu Zhao. The age difference between him and the prefect Gao Wenhan is more than ten years because of the relationship between fellow villagers. Gu Zhao is also clever and eloquent, and the two have been friends for three or four years. Before the Pingyang Mansion exam, Gao Wenhan got acquainted with Dailuo from Xinghuayuan. Gao Wenhan fell in love with Dailuo at first sight and decided to marry his family. I don't want my mother to be reluctant to give up this first card, so it has to be 30,000 taels of silver. How can Gao Wenhan have so much money in his hand?

Gu Zhao thought about life, and when he saw that Gao Wenhan was sad for the silver, he offered a plan and said: "Why don't you take the ready-made silver if your lord has it?" ”

Gao Wenhan was surprised: "Where is the ready-made silver?" ”

Gu Zhao grinned. whispered a way. Gao Wenhan pondered, he has been an official for more than ten years, and most of them are Beijing officials who can't oil and water. It was not easy to be transferred to the prefect of Pingyang, so he did such a big thing, in case he was denounced, the black gauze hat on his head would not be guaranteed.

Gu Zhao saw him hesitate. He continued to persuade: "There is no need for adults to come forward in this matter. It's all based on Gu Zhao outside. ”

Gao Wenhan thought about Dailuo, what better way could he get money besides this method? He gritted his teeth and nodded.

Gu Zhao was overjoyed, said goodbye to Gao Wenhan, and hurriedly went to Zhang Luo. Gu Zhao is not stupid, he borrowed Gao Wenhan's official hat to seek some benefits for himself. He claimed externally that the scholar spent 10,000 taels of silver to try to pass the test, and internally he said 8,000 taels to Gao Wenhan. He made two thousand taels of silver by selling it.

This thing was done without leakage, but it happened that Gao Wenhan and Master Lu Wang had tea that day. Lu Wang said idly: "Recently, there have been some rumors outside that are unfavorable to adults. Did adults know? ”

Gao Wenhan was shocked and asked, "This official is doing things above board, what rumors will there be?" ”

Lu Wang put down the teacup in his hand, smiled slightly, looked at Gao Wenhan and said, "Lu Wang naturally believes that adults do things above board, but outsiders don't know who adults are. Lu Wang heard that the adults bought and sold the joints of the examination room in this spring, and a scholar received 10,000 taels of silver. The adults have received the money, but these scholars are steadily passing the test? ”

Gao Wenhan's expression changed slightly, then he smiled and asked, "Does Master believe that this official is a person who sells official beards?" In this change of expression, Gao Wenhan has scolded Gu Zhao's grandmother dozens of times. He never imagined that Gu Zhao would dare to earn his silver.

Lu Wang smiled: "People are terrible, what Lu Wang said doesn't count." ”

Gao Wenhan felt sorry for the two thousand taels of silver that Gu Zhao had swallowed at this time, how could he be in the mood to talk to Lu Wang and find an excuse to send Lu Wang out. After Lu Wang left, Gao Wenhan was resentful, and thought, I still treat Gu Zhao as a friend, but I can't imagine that he can earn this kind of money? He is ruthless to me, and I am unrighteous to him. After the government test, Gao Wenhan actually criticized Gu Zhao on the paper: The literature and science are not clear, and the words do not reach the meaning, how can this kind of bullshit article be used? Eighteen big characters were written, and Gu Zhao's scroll naturally failed.

Let's say that although Gu Zhao got more than 10,000 silver, he was also very uncomfortable in the end, but he felt that he was losing his heart and it was difficult to find Gao Wenhan's theory. At home that day, I was scolded by my father, and I was irritable, so I came to Fengxian Tower to drink.

Coincidentally, Qian Shen and Mencius also returned to Pingyang a few days ago. On this day, I made an appointment to come to Fengxian Tower for a drink. They went upstairs to see that it was full, and they were about to go to another house for a drink. Qian Shen's eyes were sharp, and he turned his head to catch a glimpse of Gu Zhao sitting in the east facing the window, but he was drinking alone.

Seeing that he occupied a table by himself, he was already depressed, not to mention that he was still his sworn enemy. Qian Shen pulled Mencius, pointed at Gu Zhao and said, "Grandma's, the road is narrow!" ”

When Mencius saw that it was Gu Zhao, he was also a little angry in his heart, so he lowered his face and said, "Let's go, let's sit over there." ”

Qian Shen was about to talk to Gu Zhao about something, so he naturally agreed. The two walked to Gu Zhao's table together, and sat down as if no one was around. Gu Zhao was so drunk that he said dizzily: "Eh, you are blind, don't you see anyone here?" Get out of here! ”

Qian Shen was so hot that he couldn't wait for him to finish speaking, he slammed the table and scolded: "Damn Gu Zhao, open your eyes and see who I am?" Qian Shen, I was about to settle accounts with you and return my money! ”

The wine glass was shaken over, and the wine in the cup spilled out and flowed onto the corners of Gu Zhao's robe. Gu Zhao picked up the wine glass and put it straight, glanced at Qian Shen with drunken eyes, and said with a crooked smile: "Alas, who is this?" ”

Qian Shen pointed at Gu Zhao and scolded: "Grandma, you show me clearly, I am Qian Shen, you can charge me 10,000 taels of silver." ”

Gu Zhao reluctantly opened his eyes, stared at Qian Shen for a while, and suddenly said, "It turned out to be Qian Ye." I'm really sorry, I heard that you also fell off the list? ”

Qian Shen was annoyed, poured a cup of tea on the table on Gu Zhao's face, and shouted, "It's not that I fell off the list." What did we say at the beginning, collect my money and ensure that I am on the list. your grandma, things didn't work out, you have to return my money, right? ”

Gu Zhao was not angry, grinned, wiped the tea on his face with his sleeve, and said: "Qian Ye is angry, I didn't collect the silver, if you want silver, go to the Kochi Mansion." ”

Qian Shen said angrily: "You said it lightly, if you accept my money, I won't look for you?" You said that you gave it to the Kochifu, and the Kochifu can say that the money was confiscated, and it was originally based on personal ability to make the list. ”

As soon as the words fell, I saw Gu Zhao's face change color instantly. He stood up and wiped the wine and food on the table to the ground, and said with thick eyebrows: "Now he is relying on me?" He wants to confiscate your money, and the snail of Xinghuayuan will marry home? Where did he get the money? Gu Zhao is also a victim, and he swears that he will confiscate your silver, and Gu Zhao will be kicked to death by a donkey when he goes out! ”

Qian Shen also stood up, reached out and grabbed Gu Zhao's collar, and shouted: "I don't know if he confiscated my silver, but I handed it over to you with my own hands." Now, I'm just looking for you for money! If you pay me back the silver, let's finish this holiday, otherwise you will either die or I will die today. ”

Gu Zhao also held back his anger in his heart, grabbed the long shirt on Qian Shen's chest with his backhand, and said: "Death is death, let's die together and pull down!" ”

For a moment, the two were deadlocked. Seeing that this was not good, the shopkeeper was afraid that it would affect his business, so he had to come forward to apologize and say, "Two masters, what are you talking about?" Everyone sit down, do you have something to say? ”

Mencius also persuaded Qian Shen and said: "Brother Qian, let it go first, there are many people here, people can see jokes!" ”

Qian Shen said angrily: "You let him go first!" ”

Mencius had no choice but to say to Gu Zhao with a straight face: "You let go first!" ”

Gu Zhao let go, Qian Shen also let go of his hand, and scolded the visitors in the store with horizontal eyes: "What do you see?" Can I pay for watching a play? ”

The drinkers in the store were afraid of causing trouble, so they pretended to drink as if they had nothing to do, and some were afraid of things, so they hurriedly settled the wine money and left.

Qian Shen and Mencius sat down again. Qian Shen said to the shopkeeper: "Clean up the table, bring me a pot of white chicken, a plate of sauce elbows, a plate of peanuts, and a cilantro fungus, we will eat first, and then ask for it if it is not enough." The shopkeeper bowed down and agreed. The guy in the shop ran over with a rag in his hand to wipe the table and clean up the plate fragments on the floor.

At this time, Gu Zhao was drunk and sleepy, and he struggled to stagger away. The shopkeeper hurriedly stopped and said, "Master, the wine money hasn't been settled yet?" ”

Gu Zhao rolled his eyes and asked, "What you have is money, how much silver do you say?" ”

The shopkeeper replied, "It was originally three dollars of silver, plus these tea cups and plates, and the master would give me two dollars." ”

Gu Zhao snorted and said, "The tea cup and plate asked him for money." If he doesn't make trouble, can I drop the teacup? ”

As soon as he said this, Qian Shen, who had just sat on the stool sulking, was annoyed again, rubbed the ground and stood up again and said, "You dropped the teacup yourself and did my?" Didn't you bring an umbrella when you went out, complaining about the rain? Can't pull the and complain about the small pit? Do your own women steal men and complain about Lao Tzu Niang? ”

Gu Zhao was so angry that his face was red and white for a while, and in anger, he turned around and overturned the table, threw himself in front of Qian Shen, and slapped it, and Qian Shen's left cheek immediately swollen. Out of instinct, Qian Shen didn't think about it, and slapped Gu Zhao twice in a row.

Immediately, the two were entangled. Seeing this, the customers in the store dodged and got out of the way. At this time, Mencius was afraid that the Qian gentry would suffer a loss, so he had to help stop Gu Zhao, forming a situation where two people surrounded one person. Although Gu Zhao is only one person, he relies on the strength of wine, but he has some brute strength, and he beats people when he sees people, and smashes things when he sees things. Seeing that he couldn't stop the three of them, the shopkeeper was worried that he wouldn't be able to do anything about the matter, so he hurriedly sent his men to report to the official. (To be continued......)