Blood spurted out with a "poof" and just fell into a clay pot in front of Zhang Liu. In a moment, the chicken's blood was exhausted, and Zhang Liu threw the rooster into the dirt pit and reached out to another bamboo cage containing chickens beside him. "Xu Guan, you can find your own water to drink, you're welcome. Eighteen miles of shop Yang Daguan's family set up a birthday feast, and your uncle arranged wine and food. He went out early in the morning and was probably back soon. Is there no class in the school today, or is Old Master Yang going out to drink and go crazy again, leaving you ...... alone? ”

Zhang Liu asked while killing chickens. The hands and feet were very neat, and in an instant, there were already four corpses in the pit.

"My dad is back, let me bring some mushrooms and dried beef!" Li Xu couldn't bear to listen to Yanyan continue to ruin Old Master Yang's reputation, and interjected in a low voice.

"That's a good idea, I'm worried about running out of dishes. It's already autumn, where to find so many fresh times? Hearing this, Zhang Liu thrust the sharp knife into the mud ground beside him, jumped up, and ran quickly to Li Xu's mount tied to the door.

"There are also four raw cowhides, which have not been nitrated. My dad asked me to bring it to my uncle......" Li Xu said as he untied the gift from his mount. The blue and white mule was frightened by the smell of blood on Zhang Liu's hands, and snorted while desperately shrinking back.

"Isn't it two, how is it four?" Zhang Liu asked in surprise, and without waiting for Li Xu to explain, he clapped his hands and said: "Ha, it's just right now, yesterday I went to visit the old Liu's family who sells herbs, and his family is worried about the government's collection of raw hides." I sent him a charcoal in the snow, and just took advantage of the situation to slaughter him, avenging your uncle's vengeance for asking for medicine in the spring! ”

After speaking, he wiped his bloody hand on the jet-black apron a few times. Picked up two cowhide rolls and flew away.

Li Xu couldn't cry or laugh, so he had to stay and clean up the rest of the mess for Yanyan. Only then did he put the chickens in the pit together, picked up the clay pot containing the chicken's blood and was about to put it into the kitchen, when he heard a string of sharp laughter outside the door, and Lord Yanyan had already finished his business and rushed back.

"How can this make you a scholar, you shouldn't do rough work. Let God know that he will offend me, let go, let go! Zhang Liu shouted, and snatched the clay pot with his hand. He sat down on the stool with crossed legs, grabbed the corners of his clothes and wiped a handful of sweat, and gasped: "That Mrs. Liu, I will give her a skin?" came to the door to save her family's life, and she was embarrassed to bargain with me. provoked me, pulled her legs and left, didn't she cry and chase out? Hehe, one hundred and fifty pieces of meat is good, and we won't take any of them for white money (Note 10)! ”

After saying that, he untied a brand-new burlap pocket from his waist and held it in his hand, making a noise.

"One hundred and fifty pieces of meat is good? Don't want white money yet? Li Xu's eyes immediately widened larger than eggs. His father was a merchant, and he also helped him calculate the accounts of ordinary groceries. According to the market of the Great Sui Dynasty, three cents can be exchanged for half a bucket (Note 11) of brown rice. Even if it is the white money issued by the new emperor, a piece of raw hide cannot be sold for fifty wen. It is good to exchange two raw skins for one hundred and fifty pieces of meat, which is already a typical act of robbery while the fire is burning. If you send charcoal to others, you will also be embarrassed to say it.

Seeing that his nephew's face was changing rapidly, Zhang Liu immediately "understood" the reason, reluctantly untied the money bag, and muttered in a gnat-like voice: "Your father has traveled thousands of miles to sell goods abroad, and the capital should be recovered." The plug is cheap, and it has not been nitrated, it looks quite big, but it is not forbidden. It's good to give you twenty pieces of meat, I don't know if it's enough or not? ”

Looking at Li Xu's slowly revealing angry face, Zhang Liu's tone gradually became cold: "Otherwise, I'll add it to thirty for you, no matter how expensive it is, we'll hurt the face of our relatives!" ”

"Leave twenty of them for you to make fat powder, and give the rest back to Xu Guan!" A voice came coldly from the door, startling Zhang Liu and Li Xuju.

When the two heard the sound, they looked up and saw Zhang Baosheng holding a basket of sprinkled vegetables and a basket of large pieces of tofu, leaning at the door, panting.

"No, uncle, that's not what I mean. My dad said it was for my uncle, along with these dried mushrooms and dried meat. He usually drinks the wine brewed by his uncle, and if his uncle needs anything, of course he should do his best! Li Xu hurriedly walked over and took the burden from his uncle's shoulder.

"I just mean, my brother-in-law is doing a big business, so why don't you care about these little money! When did you come back, and why didn't I hear any movement? Zhang Liu hid the money bag behind his back and said with a smile while beating his back for her husband.

"As soon as I arrived at the intersection, I saw you rushing out of Lao Liu's house like a fire. I shouted at you several times, but you didn't hear me. Wondering what's going on? When I came back, it turned out that I went to someone else to rob it! Zhang Baosheng glanced at his mother-in-law and reprimanded angrily. Lao Liu's family digs medicinal materials and sells them for money, and they can't earn 100 Wen a year, so it's good, all of them have been copied for you! ”

"I'm trading fairly, looking for someone else, he can't buy it at this price. Who doesn't know that in recent days, the hides and skins in the market have been out of stock! Zhang Liu's listened to her husband's count, and immediately increased the intensity of the beating, "Besides, when you got sick a few years ago, didn't he take the opportunity to sell the ginseng beard of his old Liu family for a sky-high price." It's all in business, why should I care about the difficulties of his family! ”

"Light, you tap!" Zhang Baosheng was beaten and grinned, and he couldn't argue with his mother-in-law no matter how much he debated, so he had to give up this topic. glanced at Li Xu, who was carrying vegetables into the kitchen, and discussed with his wife in a low voice: "Thousands of miles away, when is my brother-in-law not a life-saving business." Don't be so greedy, we have received two raw skins from others, and we already owe a big favor. If we swallow the capital of the other two raw hides, the God of Wealth will also scold us for having no conscience! ”

"Favor, that bow, but the county town Master Zhao didn't sell it for three dollars, and you didn't give it to him without frowning. My own relatives, what are so many things! Zhang Liu put on a picture of sacrificing his life and wealth, and deliberately shouted loudly.

"You mother-in-law!" Zhang Bao was afraid that his nephew would hear this, so he quickly pulled his wife to the corner of the courtyard. Blocking the sunlight outside with his body, he scolded in a low voice: "How can you talk like that? After so many years, when did my brother-in-law come back and not bring us dry goods? The family is benevolent and righteous, and we always have a good word if we are cheap, and we have no conscience? Besides, Xu Guan, this child, which month won't come to help? For us, it's like a father and mother, there are many people who read in the relatives, which one has such a conscience as him?! ”

"I know you blame me for not giving you a son!" Zhang Liu shrank in the corner of the wall, aggrieved. After a long time, I still couldn't resist my husband, and I reluctantly untied the money bag hidden in my waist. His eyes poked into the bag, gritted his teeth, closed his eyes and handed over the money bag, and muttered with a crying voice as he handed it over: "He said he didn't want it, but you didn't hear it." Besides, without me to bargain, my brother-in-law wouldn't be able to sell it for so much money! ”

As he spoke, tears had fallen from the corners of his eyes, "Here you go, give as much as you love." Just because I didn't see it! ”

"Alas, you mother-in-law!" Zhang Baosheng scolded helplessly. picked up the money bag to find Li Xu, but found that his nephew didn't know when he had left, a few chickens with dried blood, two baskets of dried mushrooms, a bundle of dried meat, and two raw hides, neatly stacked under the window. Basking in the autumn sun, it exudes warmth.

After escaping from his uncle's house, Li Xu found that he had nowhere to go. There were few teenagers of the same age in the nearby villages, and those with more well-off families had already gone to the school to study. Those whose families are more poor should follow their elders to the field as half a strong laborer, or fall into their own identities and go to the store as apprentices to save their own rations. It was the morning, and no one had a lot of time to waste except for the scoundrels in the county.

After walking away for a while, Li Xu had a good idea. He quickly ran back to his house, first brought the blue and white mule back to the livestock pen, and put the grass and water on it. Then I ran to the kitchen and found some dry food to fill my stomach. Then he went back to his hut, took off his robe, and put on a sackcloth short. Then he picked up the bow given by his uncle yesterday, grabbed half a pot of arrows that he used to shoot, and rushed to Daqingshan outside the village.