Kaifeng South City, the traffic is busy, the flow of people is like a tide, on the long street, the street vendors are dense, the shops welcome customers, a scene of hustle and bustle in the city.

On the corner of the street, next to a bun shop, there is a small stall. The stall is very simple, a narrow wooden table, covered with an old tablecloth, a bamboo pole at the corner of the table, a banner hung on it, and a stack of white paper is neatly placed on the table, and then pen and ink.

The owner of the stall is the former pseudo Tang Hanlin bachelor and the waiter of the Ministry of Rites, Zhong Mo. At this time, Zhong Mo no longer has the demeanor of high-ranking officials and celebrities, his head is wrapped in a gray scarf, dressed in cloth, and he is burying his head, writing in a hurry, and writing letters.

In front of him, a young man, without stopping, said: "...... I am now on an errand in Kaifeng Mansion, tell my mother, I will go home immediately, plus the pension given by the imperial court, it is enough for our brothers to marry a lady. Let my mother help our brothers see the little lady in the nearby village, and when I go back, we will get married.

Also, if I go back to my hometown, I can still get 50 acres of land, and then I will not be afraid of starvation, and I can still work as an errand in the township.

Tell my brother that when I go home, I will be able to live a good life, let him serve his mother well, and if my mother is wronged, I will definitely beat him when I go back.

And ......"

Soon, the three pieces of letter paper were covered with words, Zhong Mo put down the pen, skillfully folded it, sealed it, and asked the man in front of him: "Dare to ask the recipient respectfully?" ”

The young man standing in front of Zhong Mo had rough skin, a tall figure, strong and powerful, and stood like a pine, but his right hand was missing two fingers, which added to his courageous spirit, and he was obviously a soldier who had retired due to injury. A verbose sentence, but exceptionally simple.

The young man said, his eyes were shining with tears, Wen Zhongmo asked, was stunned for a moment, and said, "What? ”

Zhong Mo said: "It's the name of the recipient!" ”

"Oh, you literati, your name is called your name, what do you say! My eldest brother's name is Zhou Zhang, the camphor of the camphor tree! The young man grumbled in a thick voice.

Seeing this, Zhong Mo couldn't help but smile bitterly: "You're right, but you're pedantic!" ”

With that, he quickly wrote his name on the envelope, picked it up and blew on the wet ink.

"What I told you, did you write it down? Is there anything missing? When the young man saw it, he couldn't help but ask Zhong Mo.

Zhong Mo said: "Not a word is missing, if you are not at ease, you can find someone to check it!" ”

The young man smiled: "No! No! ”

As he spoke, he took the letter, took out six copper coins from his arms, and handed them to Zhong Mo: "Thank you, sir!" ”

"One more! A letter costs only five cents! Zhong Mo said.

The young man replied, "Sir has helped me write so many words, just take my gratitude!" ”

After speaking, as if carrying a treasure, he took the letter into his arms with a smile on his face, said goodbye, and prepared to go to the post station and send the letter back to the village. He is a retired sergeant, and he has both preferential treatment and security by passing the official post to deliver messages, and he is fast.

In recent years, under Liu Chengyou's attention, the post newspaper system of the Han Dynasty has become more and more perfect, and the local government is still very cooperative in building post roads and post stations.

Zhong Mo put away the copper coin slowly, picked up one and looked at it, looking at the words "Qianyou Tongbao", he was a little distracted for a moment, but he put it into his arms very quickly.

Now in his down-and-out career, Zhong Mo is already a little used to it......

In the course of Liu Chengyou's southern expedition, two Tang ministers were detained, one was Sun Sheng, and the other was his Zhong Mo. After Sun Sheng reached a peace treaty between the Han and Tang Dynasties, he could not bear his "humiliation", felt that he had failed the Tang court, and he couldn't think about it, so he committed suicide directly.

Zhong Mo didn't have the courage to go with the flow and be in the ranks of the Han army. As a minister of a defeated country, as a trophy of others, it is very humiliating. But in the Northern Han army, at least there was no need for food and clothing.

After arriving in Tokyo, Zhong Mo's life was not easy, as if he had been abandoned. On the side of the army, he was directly handed over to the Ministry of Rites, and the officials in charge of the Ministry of Rites didn't care, just a prisoner, and he wanted to be treated as a state guest, no. was sent to Kaifeng Mansion, and when he went to Kaifeng Mansion, he had no intention of caring about him, and let him make a living by himself, because of his identity, he was only checked by officials on a regular basis.

Then, Zhong Mo began his destitute career in Tokyo. The things that were a little valuable on the body had been used clean when they were looted or used up by officials, and they were penniless, so they had no choice but to give up their three clothes, exchange some money, change into old clothes, and find a family next to Nanshi and rent a house to live in.

After that, the dignified Zhong Shilang, a scholarly scholar, began to worry about firewood, rice, oil, salt, eating, drinking, and Lasa every day, and was very bitter. Fortunately, there was still a pen, and with the rest of the money, someone was found to build this table and buy some paper. On weekdays, he makes a living by writing letters and lawsuits to people, and he has been doing so until now.

This kind of downtrooping career is very difficult for the pampered Zhong Mo, but helplessly, after abandoning the "arrogance" of the doctor, he has to bow to reality and suffer for the stomach.

Zhong Mo didn't think about escaping, and the officials of Kaifeng Mansion were very perfunctory in their care of him. However, when I think of the long and long journey, the most important thing is the issue of identity. Once out of the city, in the territory of the Han Dynasty, how to avoid such checkpoints and cities, as long as they are checked, if there is no way, I am afraid that my life will not be guaranteed.

As the sun rose, the blazing light shone on the table, and it became hot, and Zhong Mo sat there, closing his eyes and recuperating, not moving. For nearly an hour after the man who begged for faith left, no one patronized him, and his business was very bleak, and he didn't take the initiative, so he sat there......

Above the market, it was still lively, as the temperature gradually increased, it was always sunburned, Zhong Mo couldn't stand it anymore, opened his eyes, and his spirit was a little trance-like and hungry.

He sighed heavily, looked at the sun, smiled wryly, got up and began to pack his things.

"Mr. Zhong, went back so early?" At the bun shop next to it, the owner noticed it and asked loudly.

Zhong Mo raised his head, pointed to the top of his head, and said, "This gentleman is very poisonous and unbearable!" ”

Seeing this, the shopkeeper walked out, holding an oiled paper bag in his hand, handed it to Zhong Mo, and said, "These are the four buns left in the morning, if Mr. doesn't dislike it, take it and eat it first!" ”

The owner of the shop is a thin middle-aged man, short in stature, with a little greasy on his honest face, and his skills in making steamed buns are very good, Zhong Mo has also tasted them, and the taste is very good.

Zhong Mo immediately planned to pay for it, but seeing this, the shopkeeper hurriedly stopped him: "No! No! The rest can't be sold, and it's a waste to keep it......"

After so long, he is barely familiar with it, but looking at his calm gaze looking at himself, he can't help but wonder if he has something to ask for himself. It's just a trance, Zhong Mo can't help but sigh to himself, he has fallen to this point, are you still afraid that this small people in the market will have a plan?

did not refuse, Zhong Mo took it and saluted him: "If there is another day, it will be repaid a hundred times!" ”

Hearing this, the shopkeeper waved his hand directly, looked at Zhong Mo and said, "Mr. Zhong, I see that you are also a scholar and can write lawsuits, why don't you go to the government to ask for a position?" ”

Zhong Mo just sighed, didn't say anything, and arched his hand: "Farewell!" ”

With the help of the shop owner, Zhong Mo packed up the tables and chairs, tied them with a hemp rope, carried them on his back, and walked out of the city step by step......

Zhong Mo rented a house, which is also an ordinary family, which is far away from Nanshi, so every time he goes back and forth, he has to go very hard.

Back at the residence, panting and sweating, the housewife heard the sound and came out, and when she saw Zhong Mo, she immediately stepped in and said, "Mr. Zhong, it's so early, you're back!" ”

There was a helpless smile on his face, even if the house was simple, it was also under the fence. Wiping the sweat from his face, he said to the fat woman: "It's too hot, it's really hard......"

"I wrote a letter today!" Zhong Mo took out the six copper coins from his arms, stepped forward, and handed them all to the woman: "I'm tired of eating for the next two days!" ”

As he spoke, he took out the bun again, gave half to the woman, and said with a smile: "For the children, the meat is filled!" ”

After looking at Zhong Mo twice, the woman took it all, shook her head, and sighed.

After washing up a little, I returned to the humble room with an unobstructed view, and the two buns were in my stomach and I regained some strength. Spread out the paper, dip the ink into the pen, think about it for a while, and write it. During this time in Tokyo, in addition to the bleak life, Zhong Mo wrote his "Tokyo Experience" in this quiet room in his spare time.

Before she could do so, the door was pushed open, and the woman broke in.

"What advice does sister-in-law have?" Being disturbed, Zhong Mo was not angry and asked.

The woman was holding a bowl of rice in her hand, covered with some vegetables, which were oily, and put it directly in front of Zhong Mo, pressed it on his manuscript paper, and said in her mouth: "Give me your dirty clothes, and help you wash them by the way, don't you scholars, haven't you always been particular, how can you stand the smell without washing your clothes for so long......

Listening to the woman's words, Zhong Mo's old face was slightly red, no one was waiting for him, he had washed his clothes twice in the past month or so...... Smell it a little, and the smell on your body is still obvious.

got up and bowed to the woman: "I'm really ashamed to be here!" Thank you very much! ”

Seeing him like this, the woman shook her head again, cleaned up the room for him a little, and took out the dirty clothes. As soon as she stepped at the door, the woman suddenly turned her head and looked at Zhong Mo, a little embarrassed: "Mr. Zhong, can you teach my children to read and write when you are free?" If the family is poor, the teacher will make up for it later, but every day in the future, the family will cover you with two meals. ”

Zhong Mo was slightly stunned, noticing the little expectation in the eyes of this rough woman, Zhong Mo smiled kindly at her: "It's just a trivial matter, why worry about it!" I am alone, and I am already grateful to live in a noble place, so I don't talk about the teacher's ceremony......"

Hearing this, the woman immediately smiled, very happy, and a little excited: "I have been watching Mr. Zhong for a long time, you are a good person!" ”

For some reason, being issued a "good person card" by this vulgar woman, Zhong Mo felt a rare feeling in his heart.

The door was gently closed by the woman, Zhong Mo lowered his head, sniffed at himself, smelled the sour smell, and was not uncomfortable at all. Looking at the bowl of food on the table, it was still steaming, and he didn't blame it for wetting his manuscript paper, so he picked up the bowl and shaved it in his mouth, gobbling it up......