As Duan Jingcheng expected, Han Xiufeng and his entourage changed ships from Yichang and went down the river to Yangzhou via Jiangning, and then changed ships from Yangzhou to the north along the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal.

No one had been here before, and on the way I happened to meet a man who went to Beijing to take the exam, and the four of them followed the person through the Lugou Bridge ferry and entered the city from Guang'anmen.

I thought that I didn't have to pay taxes with Du San, but Du San's military department survey didn't work in the capital, and even the old man who was rushing to take the exam was extorted ten taels of silver by the tax collector at the city gate, Han Xiufeng didn't dare to make trouble at the feet of the Son of Heaven, so he bargained and finally paid three taels.

Although the road from Ba County to the capital was frugal, it still used more than 180 taels of silver, and did not dare to spend it indiscriminately when entering the city.

I don't know how cold it is until I get to the north, Pan Er's face is frozen purple, he looked at the courtyard in front of him, put down his luggage and asked, "Young master, is this here, is there no mistake?" ”

I passed by several guild halls just now, each one more magnificent than the other, and the courtyard in front of him was not only magnificent but also tattered, Han Xiufeng was also stunned, and subconsciously turned around and asked: "Big brother, didn't you come here once three years ago, you should have a little impression, isn't it here?" ”

"It seems like this is it, just go in and ask." Du San's face was also purple from the cold, if it weren't for Han Xiufeng having two cotton clothes and borrowing one for him to wear, he didn't know what it would be like to freeze at this time.

Han Xiufeng didn't want to be frozen outside like this, so he walked up and knocked on the door: "Is there anyone?" ”

"Here we go!"

The door creaked open, and a short, thin old man came out and asked, "Who are you looking for, what's the matter?" ”

"Uncle, may I ask if this is the Chongqing Guild Hall?"

"You're from Chongqing?"

"Yes, the late surname is Han, the word Zhixing, and the name of Ba County. This is my eldest brother, surnamed Du, and also from Chongqing, and we all came to the capital to fill the vacancy. ”

"Fill in the gaps, I thought you were going to take the test in Beijing." The old man was a little disappointed, but he still welcomed everyone into the courtyard, and asked as he walked towards the hall: "Master Han, Master Du, you two look at the noodles, dare to ask how many products the official residence has, what do you plan to make up?" ”

"I'm not afraid of your old jokes, I was born in the late years, and I can't get famous, so I can only donate a nine-grade candidate for inspection. My eldest brother is a Wuju person, and he came to the capital three years ago. ”

The old man lifted the dirty curtain, welcomed everyone into the hall, and while roasting the fire on the stove, he couldn't help but laugh and said: "Boy, I have seen a lot of donors, go around the street, it is estimated that nine of the ten flag people have donated officials, and the lowest is also the top of the seven grades, why don't you donate a big one, what's the use of donating a nine-grade inspection, and I have traveled thousands of miles to the capital!" ”

"Listen to what you mean, isn't this lack easy to make up?" Han Xiufeng asked embarrassedly.

"There is no shortage in the world that is easy to make up, don't say that you can't make up for this shortage, even if you make up for it, what can you do? Jiupin inspection, hahaha, I laughed to death. ”

Du San and Han Xiufeng have not only gotten along day and night in the past two months, but also shared hardships, so they really couldn't listen to it anymore, and said unhappily: "Old man, my second brother only donated a nine-grade inspection, can you live in it, you always give a word!" ”

"This is the Chongqing Guild Hall, and you are all from Chongqing, so you can naturally live." The old man picked up the purple clay pot and looked at the two of them with a smile: "But the guild hall has the rules of the guild hall, you first look at the example of the residence hall on the wall, the Beijing official let the alternate and candidate, and the alternate and candidate let the meeting test and the court test." The hall is so big, there are six rooms in total, and there are only four empty ones, and the court will open Enke after the New Year, and if you come to a few people who will try, you will have to move out and find a place to live for yourself. ”

"We have a lot of people in Chongqing, but as far as I know, there are not many people who come to the capital to try."

"I mean if," the old man put down the purple clay pot, and continued: "And in our Chongqing Prefecture and even the whole of Sichuan, there are not many officials in Beijing, and foreign officials are also not comparable to Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Huguang. There are not many officials, there will not be many contributions, and there is no shop for rent, so in order to maintain the hall, each of you has to pay a tael of fees. ”

"This is as it should be," Han Xiufeng hurriedly opened the package and took out an ingot of silver and a letter: "This ingot of silver is about five taels." ”

"Okay, I'll take it for the time being, and if the lifters can't live in a few days, I'll give you half of it." The old man accepted the money, picked up the letter, saw the payment on the envelope, and asked in surprise: "Boy, do you know Master Gu?" ”

"Recognize, this letter is what Master Gu asked me to give to you."

"Say it earlier, you sit first, I'll take a look first." The old man opened the letter in front of everyone, read it carefully, and then raised his head and smiled: "Since it was recommended by Master Gu, then it is not an outsider, you live in the two rooms in the east first, the stove is ready-made, go to the alley to buy some charcoal to bake the fire, and you can also boil water on the stove for cooking." Running all the way here, you must be tired, rest for two days, and when you are free, I will take you to the provincial pavilion to seal the knot. ”

Han Xiufeng thought that the fifty taels of silver were not in vain, so he hurriedly thanked him, and then asked, "Your old surname?" ”

"Free of your surname, the second oldest in the family, Mr. Qian, who lives in the West Wing, calls me Fei Er, you also call me so."

"You are always an elder, we can't shout like that, let's call you Second Master Fei."

"It's also okay to call Second Master Fei." The old man smiled, and then turned back and said: "Boy, since you are a martial artist, you are from the six products of the thousand president, there is no need to go to the provincial pavilion to find the seal of the end of the Baoju, I have been in Beijing for so many years and just recognize a military department's pen style, I can't catch up today, tomorrow morning to take you to the military department." ”

Du San was overjoyed, and hurriedly arched his hand and said, "Thank you Second Master Fei, let Second Master Fei bother." ”

"Don't rush to thank you, I recognize it, but if you want to make up for it, you have to make up for it."

"Second Master Fei, how much silver does it cost for someone like me to make up for a good shortage?"

"The more the merrier, as long as you are willing to spend money, even the door can always make up for it!"

Mr. Qian, Du San didn't dare to think about it, and said with a bitter face: "Second Master Fei, don't be afraid of your old jokes, I don't have much silver with me, I only have one hundred taels on me, and I have to leave a few dozen taels for entanglement." ”

Second Master Fei didn't think about knocking on his bamboo pole to earn his silver, and he also didn't expect him to bring such a little silver to the capital, subconsciously looked up at Han Xiufeng, and saw Han Xiufeng nodding embarrassedly, and couldn't help laughing: "Since there are only a few dozen taels, it doesn't matter if you don't play a little bit, just prepare two door bags." ”

"How much does a door bag cost?" Du San asked awkwardly.

Fei Erye said lightly: "A door bag is stuffed with a thousand money tickets, if you don't have money tickets on you, I can help you change them, I have exactly two." ”

Han Xiufeng couldn't help but ask: "Second Master Fei, how much silver do I need for this shortage?" ”

"Although your lack is not big, it is not so easy to make up for it, I estimate that it will cost four or five hundred taels, and you have to find the right person."

"Just find the right person?"

"You have to wait to find the right person, if you are lucky, you will have to wait for three months, and if you are unlucky, you will not be able to make up for it after two or three years."