1

Xiaolong and Jin Zi came to the most prosperous street in Han, and stopped in front of a goulan called Biyuntang, and Jin Zi said, "Brother Long, what is Goolan place?" Xiaolong said: "Goolan is also called the theater, it is a place for people in the city to entertain, there are often artists singing and telling stories here, I used to come here often to watch the palace tunes, puppet shows, acrobatics, you don't look at the outside looks big, it can accommodate three or four hundred people." Kaneko asked, "Shall we listen to the music?" Xiaolong smiled: "In the future, you can listen to music here every day." ”

Xiaolong said to the strong man guarding the door: "Brother, is Tian Ren there?" The man hurriedly asked, "May I ask which uncle are you?" "Thunder." "Oh, Brother Long? The master had already instructed that as long as Brother Long came to watch the play, he would not be charged a penny. Xiaolong said: "I'm not here to see the play, I'm looking for him to have something." The man said, "Please come with me, the master has been looking forward to your coming." ”

Xiaolong and Jin Zi entered the hook fence with the man, and saw that it was resplendent and luxurious, and the spacious hall had dozens of tables and chairs, and there were four or five people sitting on each table and chair, and in the middle of the hall was a stage, which was wide and bright, and there were seven or eight operas singing. The big man arranged Xiaolong and Jin Zi to sit down in a room, turned around and left, and after a while he heard the sound of rapid footsteps outside the door, the door was suddenly pushed open, and a middle-aged man about forty years old broke in. ”

Xiaolong smiled: "Brother, Brother Long is here to ask you for help." ”

Tian Ren said: "Brother Long, you are the elder brother, I am the younger brother, today the brother came to beg the younger brother, won't it break me?" Brother Long has something, although he is told, how can he talk about asking for words. ”

Xiaolong said: "Thank you brother for still looking up to Xiaolong so much, but now it is not what it used to be, Xiaolong is now a bricklayer, and he is no longer a big brother." ”

Tian Ren said: "Although Brother Long no longer cares about the affairs of the rivers and lakes, his prestige still exists, and who is disrespectful among the brothers?" Leng Jibing originally planned to go to the brick kiln to collect some silver, but later heard that Brother Long was working there, so he didn't dare to go, haha. ”

"Leng Jibing? Is that the Xiaoice stick in Shuixi, Guizhou? Xiaolong asked.

Tian Ren said: "It's him, he didn't run behind your ass before, but now he is also a big brother." ”

Xiaolong said with emotion: "Alas, they have all grown up, and they used to be a little hairy child." ”

Tian Ren hurriedly said: "Yes, yes! As long as Brother Long is willing to come out to do things, I will still be your little brother, you just need to beckon, I dare to say that at least half of the brothers are willing to follow, why should Brother Long go to the brick kiln to suffer that way? ”

Xiaolong said: "Good brother, you know, after I came out, I swore that I would never ask about the affairs of the rivers and lakes again, and I would no longer associate with the people on the rivers and lakes. Thunder said as he pointed to his chest.

Tian Ren saw that Xiaolong's tone was firm, so he had to sigh and shake his head regretfully.

Xiaolong pointed to the gold and said to Tian Ren: "Brother, my Xiaolong has never begged anyone, this girl is the sister of my good friend, today Brother Long made an exception to ask you for a favor, arrange an easier job for her, and have to ensure her safety, you treat her as if she were my own sister." ”

Tian Ren patted his chest and said: "Brother Long, don't worry, it's your own sister, who is also my own sister, and I will come to work tomorrow, and I will cover all the food and accommodation, and the salary is easy to say." ”

Xiaolong said again: "I still have one more thing to ask for, brother, lend me a hundred taels of silver for the time being, and pay you back slowly in the future." ”

Tian Renxi said: "Brother Long, don't say one hundred taels, as long as you open your mouth, five hundred taels will do, and the younger brother is afraid that you will not speak." ”

2

Xiaolong took Tian Ren's one hundred taels of silver, took the gold to Hanzhong City to play around, and when it was almost time to get out of school at the Mengguan Pavilion, the two came to the door of the Mengguan Pavilion to wait for Xiaohu. Xiaolong stuffed ten taels of silver into Jinzi's hand, and Jin Zi hurriedly asked, "What is Brother Long doing?" Xiaolong said: "You can use this bit of silver." Jin Zi was busy returning the money to Xiaolong, and Xiaolong said: "No matter what, you have to accept it, if you don't accept it, how can I deal with Brother Liu Zhiping." Jin Zi saw that Xiaolong's tone was firm and not pretentious, so he accepted the silver and replied: "Brother Long, you have been back for more than a year, why have you been suffering in the brick kiln, since the brothers are willing to help you, why don't you?" Xiaolong looked at Jinzi's lovely face and said with a smile: "You are still a girl, when I went to prison, your tiger brother was the same age as you, and when you have the age of tiger brother in the future, you will understand." ”

Xiaohu happened to come out of the Mongolian Pavilion, and the three of them met each other, greeted each other a few words, and walked home together. When passing by the lotus pond, Xiaolong said to his younger brother as he walked: "Xiaohu, hasn't Chunhong always wanted to live in the city?" I borrowed some money from a friend, and you can take it and buy a house in the city, and I will move to the brick kiln to-morrow, so that I don't have to go back and forth every day. ”

As soon as Xiaohu heard this, his footsteps immediately stopped, and when Xiaolong and Jin Zi saw it, they also stopped, looking at Xiaohu. "Brother, where did you borrow the silver? Gone to your friends again? Xiaohu's expression was a little ugly, and his tone was a little questioning.

Jin Zi looked at the dragon, and then at the tiger, and felt that the harmonious atmosphere suddenly became tense.

Xiaolong smiled and said with a very relaxed look: "Where? It was my best friend before, and now he is rich, and his business is doing a lot, and seeing that I just came out with nothing, he took the initiative to help me. Seeing that his younger brother didn't believe it, Xiaolong added: "People are doing regular business, I don't believe you ask for gold." ”

Xiaohu looked at Jinzi, Jin Zi didn't know whether to nod or shake his head, although Jin Zi didn't have deep experience, but he also knew that Tian Ren's Biyuntang hook bar was not something that ordinary businessmen could open, and there was no deep black and white background, so no one dared to get involved in this kind of industry easily.

Seeing that Jin Zi didn't say anything, Xiaohu said: "Brother, since your friend voluntarily lent it to you, you can buy a house by yourself, marry a daughter-in-law, and live a good life." ”

Xiaolong smiled again: "Ha, my brother is used to being free alone, how can he stand the restraints of women?" The houses in the city are large and beautiful, and Chunhong has said it several times......"

"No, she's just an insatiable person," Xiaohu interrupted his brother: "Brother, did she say something to you again?" She's mean, don't mind. ”

Xiaolong suppressed his smile and said: "Xiaohu, you and Chunhong are doing well, and my brother will feel at ease working in the brick kiln, otherwise, what good will my brother do when he comes out of prison?" This money is absolutely regular, you can rest assured. ”

Xiaohu said: "Then you don't want to live in the brick kiln, you said when you went home last year that our brothers will never be separated, have you forgotten?" ”

Xiaolong thought for a moment and said, "Okay, then our whole family will live in the city." ”

3

At the dinner table in the evening, four people ate around the table.

Xiaohu's face was happy, he took a piece of tofu and sent it to Ma Chunhong's bowl, and said happily: "Chunhong, brother gave us a sum of money to buy a house in the city." ”

Ma Chunhong's face was originally gloomy, but when she heard this, she immediately turned cloudy and sunny, with a smile on her face.

Xiaolong said: "The house next to the tofu shop on Qingtian Street in the city is good, called Shuntianlou, the landlord asks for seventy taels of silver, I have ninety taels here, you take it and buy it, and the remaining twenty taels can buy some furniture and objects, and we will move in after half a month." ”

Chunhong was full of joy, and smiled and attacked Xiaohu and said: "Look at you, you have been teaching in the Mengguan for more than ten years, and you can't even afford a house, and my brother can buy a house just after he comes out of the prison cell, you are really incompetent." ”

Xiaolong smiled and defended his younger brother: "Don't blame Xiaohu, the income of being a gentleman is not high." ”

Chunhong still chattered: "People have lived in a new house within a few years of being a gentleman, eating meat and drinking oil, wearing gold and silver, going out to ride a high horse, entering the house and wearing ayaluo, your brother is really stupid, he is still the same after more than ten years, it is not as good as a stall seller who sells piglets and firewood." ”

Jin Zi said: "Brother Tiger is an honest man, and an honest man has the blessing of an honest man, although he makes less money, he is stable and down-to-earth." ”

"Yes, Jin Zi is right, I used to be in prison for eighteen years because I was not honest, and now in retrospect, I still have a good temperament," Xiao Long said after taking Jinzi.

Ma Chunhong sneered and said: "Brother Long, in fact, I would like to be like you back then, get rich vigorously, and then stay in prison for ten or eight years, it is better than being poor outside, you feel miserable inside for eighteen years, you don't know the days when my brother and I are outside...... Alas, what's the difference between that and going to jail, it's better to stay in a cell. ”

"Chunhong ......" Xiaohu kept his head down to eat and didn't talk, and seeing that Ma Chunhong was becoming more and more disagreeable, he couldn't help but stop it.

"Isn't it? For more than ten years, I have been angry with others, and you said, "Ma Chunhong is unrelenting."

Xiaolong said: "Chunhong, it's all bad to blame my brother, when my parents passed away, I specially told me to take care of Xiaohu, I always thought that as long as I worked hard in the rivers and lakes, as long as I became a big brother, as long as everyone was afraid of me, I could protect my younger brother very well, but I was wrong, it was because I was too public, but I hurt Xiaohu." When I was in prison, Xiaohu was only fifteen years old, the same age as gold, and Xiaohu was helpless at that time, thanks to your family to take care of him, otherwise I really don't know what he would be like now. I'm out now, and the reason why I'm out of the rivers and lakes is that I don't want to be separated from Xiaohu anymore. Speaking from the heart, brother is very grateful to you for taking care of Xiaohu for so many years. ”

Xiaolong was heartfelt, sincere, Xiaohu, Ma Chunhong, and Jin Zi were very moved when they heard it, the three of them were speechless for a while, and the cheerful dinner table was full of sadness in an instant.

Seeing this, Jin Zi broke the silence and smiled: "Come, eat, tomorrow my sister-in-law will go to settle the house, and it won't be long before I move, this year, I will go to the new house for the New Year." ”

mentioned going to the new house for the New Year, Ma Chunhong's face instantly turned from cloudy to sunny, and he said happily: "Yes, let's go to the new house for the New Year, Jinzi, you also come." Suddenly the atmosphere was lively again.

4

Jin Zi is mainly responsible for the scenery behind the stage in Biyuntang, and he doesn't have much work every day, which is quite easy. Tian Ren took care of Jin Zi meticulously, and those lustful people under his command knew that Jin Zi was the master's sister, and they didn't dare to think about it, so Jin Zi was also at ease.

The winter in Hanzhong is particularly cold, and months pass.

The gold was thrifty, and after a calculation on this day, he had saved sixteen taels of silver, plus the ten taels given by Xiaolong, and the gold suddenly felt that he had a lot of money on hand, and he couldn't help but be full of joy. On this day, it was cold, the snow was falling, and there were not many things in the hook bar, so Jin Zi took time to go to the street, ordered a few winter clothes for himself in the tailor shop, and bought some gifts and hurried to Xiaohu's house, ready to invite Xiaolong Xiaohu and Ma Chunhong to the restaurant for dinner.

Xiaohu and Ma Chunhong have moved into a new home in the city, a two-story brick building, and a small courtyard. From Biyuntang Goolan to the brick kiln to pass through the Mongolian Pavilion, Jin Zi came to the door of the Mongolian Pavilion when he was out of school, but he waited left and right and did not see the tiger come out, so he went straight into the Mongolian Pavilion to look for it.

When I arrived at Mr.'s study, I was about to knock on the door, and suddenly heard someone talking inside, Jin Zi looked in through the window, and saw an old man reprimanding Xiaohu, Jin Zi listened carefully, and only listened to the old man: "Zhao Liang, his father Zhao Xiangshan is the state government's teaching, you don't know, he relies on the teachings all day long, he is a little overlord, and everyone can't afford to mess with him." Besides, if he is going to leave in half a year, you will turn a blind eye and pretend not to see it, which is a good thing for yourself and for the Mongol Pavilion. I heard Xiaohu argue in a low voice: "Curator, it's okay if he wants to run amok outside, but he asks for money from his classmates, how can I, as a gentleman, care?" The old man said angrily, "Can you manage it?" You're causing chaos in the Mongolian Pavilion! ”

The old man caught a glimpse of someone outside the window, so Jin Zi had to pretend that he hadn't heard anything and walked to the door and asked, "Brother Tiger is still not going home?" Xiaohu hurriedly introduced to the old man: "Curator, this is my sister. When the old man saw that Sister Xiaohu was coming, he didn't say anything more, and said lightly: "Okay, this matter will be discussed tomorrow." ”

After the old man left, Jin Zi found that there were bruises on Xiaohu's face, and asked in surprise, "Brother Hu, who are you?" Xiaohu disguised: "It's okay." "Was it beaten by a student?" Kaneko asked angrily. Xiaohu smiled bitterly: "There is no justice in this world, Jinzi, why are you here?" Jin Zi said: "I am on vacation today, and I specially came to invite Brother Hu, Brother Long and sister-in-law to dinner." When Xiaohu heard the music, he smiled and said, "Is the gold rich?" Okay, then we'll eat in a restaurant outside today, but I'm in for a treat. "No, I'm in for a treat," Kaneko insisted on making her own.

Xiaohu and Jin Zi left the Mengguan and came to the Xiaohu brick kiln, just when the brick kiln was finished, I heard that Jin was going to have a treat, Xiaolong laughed and said: "We are rich now, and we have to learn from men to invite guests to dinner." Seeing that Xiaolong laughed at the fact that he was a woman, Jin Zi was unhappy in his heart, and said, "What about women?" In the past, Fan Lihua went to the west, after Mu Guiying was in charge, in ancient times, Hua Mulan joined the army, and now there is Tang Sai'er against Ming, why can't I invite my brother to eat stew? Xiaolong smiled: "Okay, Jin Zi has ambition, we will eat you today." ”

Xiaolong and Jin Zi talked and laughed freely, so unhappy, but frightened Xiaohu. When Xiaohu saw Jin Zi mention Tang Sai'er, he was shocked, his face changed greatly, and he hurriedly stopped: "Jinzi, Tang Sai'er is my Ming anti-thief, a Chinese banshee, suppressed by Emperor Chengzu back then, sentenced to death, and ended up with a stinking end of 10,000 years. ”

Seeing Xiaohu's panicked appearance, Jin Zi couldn't help but laugh, and said: "Brother Tiger is so timid, I'm not afraid, if Emperor Chengzu doesn't lose his virtue first, how can there be a woman in the country who resists later?" ”

Xiaolong said: "Jinzi, although Brother Tiger is timid, his worries are not unreasonable, now the court is full of eagles and dogs, and our ordinary people are monitored for every word and deed, and we need to be cautious in our words and deeds in the future, so as not to invite unwarranted disasters." ”

Jin Zi said: "Hmph, you are afraid, I am not afraid." ”

Xiaolong smiled: "Okay, okay, Jin Zitian is not afraid of the earth, it's the female hero of today, let's go, invite me and Brother Tiger to dinner." ”

Jin Zi said: "And my sister-in-law." ”

Xiaohu said: "Sister-in-law, you don't need to call it, she has already eaten at home at this time." ”

Jin Zi saw that it was still early, how could Ma Chunhong eat, Xiaohu's words must be a prevarication, but think about it, Ma Chunhong is cunning and mean, Xiaolong came out to live must be related to her cold words, Xiaohu must not want his wife to ruin the interest of the brothers, so he found this excuse to shirk. Jin Zi was clever, and he didn't break the weakness of the tiger, so he pretended to complain about himself and said: "Oh, it's all my fault, I should have informed my sister-in-law earlier." ”

At this time, Hanzhong City, the ground is white and the wind is cold, and the snowflakes are as big as hands.

The cold wind was howling outside, the snow was dancing for thousands of miles, and the three of them tightened their collars and braved the snow to move forward. Entering the hotel, the lobby was full of friends, and the shopkeeper ordered Xiao Er to lead the three of them to the empty table in the lobby and sat down.

Seeing Jinzi's face flushing, Xiaolong asked bitterly, "You can't adapt to the winter here, right?" In the future, try to go out as little as possible, and don't get a cold. ”

Jin Zi said: "I'm okay, Brother Long, you still have to work in such a cold?" When Kaneko saw that the dragon was dressed in a dusty cotton garment, and there was a lot of dust on it, he came over and slapped it on the dragon.

Xiaolong smiled: "Brother Long has thick skin and is not cold. ”

"Oops! What do you do? Dirty! A shout that bordered on a scream startled the gold, and the three men and three women sitting next to him were gorgeously dressed and behaved magnificently, and a woman in her twenties covered her nose and sharply accused the gold and the dragon.

Seeing this, one of the three men and three women stood up and pointed at Jin and Xiaolong and scolded: "Get away, you have to shoot the dust outside and clean it before coming in." ”

Another woman complained: "I don't go home to wash up before going out, it's so dirty to eat and not let others eat, it's true." ”

"What is the home of the local peasants who went to the city to beg for food, and you let him wash it there?" The other woman scoffed.

Xiaolong and Xiaohu Zhuoshu were embarrassed and at a loss for a while, Jin Zi became angry and shouted, "Do you have any money? Why are you reluctant to eat in the private room, and what is the nobility to eat in the lobby? ”

The man who was angry earlier was even angrier and scolded: "I don't have any money? When I came, the private room was full, otherwise who would have eaten in the lobby. You dare to say that I don't have any money, see how I clean you up. ”

The man was about to pounce and hit someone as he spoke, but Xiaohu stopped him suddenly and begged: "The good man is angry, my sister is not sensible, and the good man wants to be like her." Xiaohu kept saying kind things and apologized, but Jin Zi's face was full of anger and did not look afraid at all, while Xiaolong sat on the stool and clenched his fists, his eyes full of bloodshots.

More than a dozen tables of guests in the lobby watched the quarrel between the two tables, and the shopkeeper also hurriedly came over to persuade the three men and three women.

The woman who started screaming said, "It's okay not to beat her, ask this dead girl to kneel down and apologize for us, and then get out." "Yes, kneel down and apologize, and then get out, the three of them are here, tell me and others how to eat, do you say?" Several other people also chimed in, shouting at the shopkeeper and the many guests in the lobby.

Xiaohu was frightened by this scene, and hurriedly said: "Let's get out, get out of the ......" turned around to pull Xiaolong and Jin Zi away, where are the three men and three women willing to follow, grabbed Xiaohu and did not let him go, six people surrounded Xiaolong, Xiaohu, and Jin in the middle, and had to kneel down to apologize.

"Smack......

After a sound, the fiercest man was slapped in the face, and he almost fell to the ground after a few steps.

A man of medium stature and wearing a mink coat appeared in the middle of the six, and the other five were so frightened that they quickly retreated to their own table and sat down obediently, not daring to put another fart.

"Hurry up and apologize to Brother Long!" That's humane.

Jin Zi turned out to be Tian Ren at a glance, Tian Ren is enthusiastic and bold on weekdays, like Xiaolong and Xiaohu, he is a kind big brother, Jin Zi is very strange, how could Tian Ren make these six arrogant and domineering villains become obedient in the blink of an eye?

The man who was beaten was still hesitating, Tian Ren's eyes showed a fierce light, and he asked coldly: "Didn't you understand?" ”

Where did the six people dare to disobey, and honestly knelt down to apologize to Xiaolong and Jin Zi one by one: "The villain has eyes and does not know Mount Tai, and he hopes to forgive his sins." ”

Tian Ren pointed at Xiaolong, turned his head to the six people and was about to speak, Xiaolong pressed Tian Ren's hand, Tian Ren turned his face back to look at Xiaolong, Xiaolong shook his head gently.

Tian Ren wanted to say to the six people, "Do you know who he is? "Seeing that Xiaolong didn't want to be public, he had no choice but to give up." Brother Long, I'm in the private room on the second floor, let's eat together when I go up. Tian Ren bowed his head and invited Xiaolong, Xiaolong saw that it had become like this, and he couldn't be happy to sit in the lobby to eat, so it was better to change places, since Tian Ren was invited, he nodded and agreed.

Tian Ren took Xiaolong, Xiaohu, and Jin Zi into the private room on the second floor, and there were two strong thugs standing at the door of the private room, and there were three strong men sitting at the dinner table inside, Tian Ren said to the three strong men: "You go back first." The three of them agreed and left, Tian Ren pointed to the table full of wine and meat, and instructed the thug at the door: "Withdraw, go to the table again, remember to ask for a plate of snail meat." ”

Xiaolong smiled: "Brother, remember the snail meat." ”

Tian Ren said: "Of course, Brother Long's favorite dish, always remember." ”

Xiaolong sighed and said, "It's not what it used to be! Now I can't even afford to eat snail meat, if it weren't for your Tian brothers to remember the old love and help each other, Xiaolong would be swept out of the house today. ”

Tian Ren persuaded: "Brother Long, why do you bother? The tiger fell in Pingyang and was bullied by dogs, and Longyou Shoal was played by shrimp, I really don't understand you. ”

Xiaolong smiled and didn't answer, just picked up the empty wine bowl and said, "Brother, it doesn't matter if the food is not served, give me a bowl of wine first." Tian Ren saw that Xiaolong didn't want to talk about it, so he had to smile, personally picked up the wine jar, and poured three full bowls for Xiaolong, Xiaohu, and Jinzi.