After Xia Xiang and Xiao Wu returned to the inn last night, it was already midnight. Most of the guests in the inn have already slept. The two of them returned to the room lightly, but did not sleep.

Xia Xiang and Xiao Wu came to the courtyard and set up a table, and a tablet was placed on the table—it was the immortal tablet given by Cao Shujun, and the names had been written on it at this time—Xia Lai, Xia Go.

When the moon is in the sky, the night is quiet, it is the time to pray for blessings, Xia Xiang lit three pillars of incense, looked at the moon and worshipped, and recited the words in his mouth: "I wish Xia Lai Xia to be safe and sound, and turn evil into good fortune." I pray that the summer will come and go without illness and disaster, and that there will be no worries about longevity. ”

Although Xiao Wu had never seen Xia Lai and Xia Go, he also admired Xia Lai Xia and Xia to give up his house to follow Xia Xiang's feat, and also prayed for Xia Lai Xia to go to incense with Xia Xiang.

"When my generation reads the books of sages, we should worship ghosts and gods and stay away, how can we worship gods and worship ghosts and insult the reputation of scholars!"

Xia Xiang and Xiao Wucai bowed, and a disapproving voice came from behind them, and then the figure flashed, and a handsome but rugged scholar flashed out of the corridor, he was only wearing underwear, his hair was scattered, and he obviously met by chance at night.

"My husband's affairs, where do you have to talk nonsense?" Xiao Wu glared at the visitor very dissatisfied, but in the night, his rather lethal eyes did not pose the slightest threat to Fang Fang, because the other party could not see his demonstration at all.

The other party strode to Xia Xiang's approach, glanced Xia Xiang up and down, and arched his hand and said, "In Xia Shen Bao, Qiantang people's clan." This brother is handsome, isn't he from Fujian? ”

In the tone, there is a lot of disdain and contempt.

Xia Xiang naturally heard the meaning of the other party's words, although Daxia was enlightened and clear-minded, it had inherited the wind of regional discrimination since the Spring and Autumn Period. Mencius called the Chu people "the people of the southern barbarian scorpion tongue", when the Great Xia was founded, Taizu used to open the country with the generals are all northerners, Taizu carved the stone forbidden and said: "The descendants of later generations are useless Nanshi as a phase." ”

After serving as prime minister, Su Qu, a northerner who had been a high school scholar at the age of nineteen, believed that "it is not appropriate for the south to go to the country and have more crowns", and resolutely opposed the promotion of southerners to important positions.

One day the emperor asked Ou Yangming if he knew Hou Pingpan, and Ou Yangming replied very proudly, he didn't know who Hou Pingpan was, he was a northerner. The implication is that he is ashamed to know Hou Pingpan, who is a southerner.

As a northerner, Ouyang Mingming was known for his intelligence when he was young, and once had a little friend fall into the water tank, and when other children were panicked, he hurriedly took out a stone and smashed the water tank and saved the little friend, so he left a good name. Ou Yangming once accused Hou Pingpan of "being scheming like Fuzhou", and also said in front of the emperor that "the Fujian people are cunning and dangerous, and the Chu people are easy".

Since the summer, many books about the northern customs are recorded as "simple and loyal", "strong and loyal", "diligent and brave", and about the south is - two Zhejiang: "good and enterprising, eager for profit, and the ingenuity of the strange skills", Guangnan "people are light", Jiangdong "customs are arrogant and brittle", Suzhou is "arrogant and extravagant", "Changsha people like litigation the most, and the number is difficult to govern", and Sichuan Rongzhou "the name is reversed, and the etiquette is not known"...... If yes, etc. Even at the beginning of the founding of the Great Xia, the biggest punishment for courtiers was not to dismiss officials, but to be demoted to the south of the Yangtze River as officials.

Later, Daxia dominated the world, crossed the Yellow River in the north, and then took the land of Shangjing, Baishan and Heishui, and as far as Mobei, and the view of the region was not eliminated. Fortunately, the national strength of Daxia is flourishing, and the land south of the Yangtze River was originally desolate in the past, but now it is extremely prosperous. Previously, the Nanren in the broad sense of the word moved south from the Jiangnan area to Fujian, Lingnan and Hainan. If you go back a few decades, the land of Qiantang is also a barbarian land in the eyes of the northerners.

Xia Xiang was originally an authentic northerner, but he was a little more handsome, not as rough as the person in front of him. Xia Xiang smiled: "Brother Tai has good eyesight, and Xia Xiang is a Fujian clan." ”

"In the lower Shen bag." Shen Bao thought that he had broken Xia Xiang's origin with one sentence, and there was a lot of pride in his expression, "In this way, it's no wonder that you worship gods and ghosts, and the Fujian people are cunning and suspicious." But I still want to advise you, you are also a person who reads poetry and books, and it can be seen that you have also passed the exam, and you are not an ignorant country man, why do you want to do such a thing that damages the reputation of the reader? ”

Xiao Wu was not convinced, and stepped forward: "What nonsense are you talking about?" My husband doesn't worship gods and ghosts......"

Xia Xiang smiled slightly, waved his hand to stop Xiao Wu, and after he finished worshipping step by step, he asked unhurriedly: "Brother Shen, I have two things that I don't know, and I ask you to solve my doubts." First, the Min people are cunning and suspicious, it is Ou Yangming's rhetoric, so how many Fujian people do you know? How many Min people have you worked with? Second, I set up immortal tablets for two friends whose life and death are unknown, and pray to God to bless the two of them with a safe and eternal life, how can it damage the name of the reader? For those of our generation who read, benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom, and faith are the foundation. Your groundless accusation that the Min people are cunning and suspicious is unjust and rude. Without asking clearly, I decided that it was unkind and unwise for me to worship gods and worship ghosts. Dare to ask Brother Tai, where is your gentleness and frugality? ”

Shen Bao was stunned for a moment, his face was surprised and puzzled, his face turned from red to blue, and he suddenly came to the front of the immortal tablet, held it in his hand, glanced at the name on it, and asked, "Who are Xia Lai and Xia Qu?" ”

Xiao Wu was enraged by Shen Bao's unreasonable behavior, he was furious, took a step forward, pushed Shen Bao away, snatched the immortal tablet in Shen Bao's hand, respectfully put it back in place, and glared at Shen Bao angrily: "Who they are has nothing to do with you." You are rude and very rude, you have read the books of sages for several years, and you claim to be a reader, hmph, even I am not as good as an illiterate retinue. ”

"You!" Shen Bao was angry from his heart, he thought that he had the upper hand in terms of both geographical and psychological advantages, and he wanted to teach Xia Xiang a good lesson, but he didn't want to be forced back by Xia Xiang as soon as he opened his mouth, and before he could fight back again, Xiao Wu choked him a few words, where could he stand it, he immediately burst out, flew out with a kick, and kicked at Xiao Wu, "I'll teach you a lesson for Brother Xia, a boy who is not big or small." ”

Xiao Wu couldn't dodge, he was kicked in the right leg by Shen Bao, his body shook, he didn't fall, but he didn't fight back, but his face didn't change, his hands hugged his shoulders, and he looked at Shen Bao indifferently.

"Brother Shen, tampering with other people's immortal tablets without permission, beating people without saying a word, have you read other people's sage books?" Xia Xiang was also a little angry, "Come, come, come, today's matter, you and I have to distinguish between right and wrong, whether it is Wubi or Wendou, you decide." ”

"How is Wubi, and what about Wendou?" Shen Bao thought that there was nothing wrong with what he did, it was Xia Xiang and Xiao Wu's fault, and since he was learning moral articles, it was necessary to educate Xia Xiang and Xiao Wu well.

"Wubi is that you and I are fists and kicks against each other, whoever falls to the ground first loses. Wendou is like a moral article, to see who can persuade whom, who is the winner. Xia Xiang put his hands behind his back and had a confident expression, "Take your pick, and I will accompany you to the end." ”

Shen Bao said almost without thinking: "It's too insulting to fist and kick each other, Wen Dou, Wen Dou." The matter is caused by me, I will give way to you, and you will ask the question first. ”

"My question is already out, you just have to answer it." Xia Xiang was solemn and serious.

Shen Bao thought about something, and patted his head: "Yes, yes, I haven't answered the two questions you just asked." Okay, now to answer you, first, I have never worked with the Min people, nor do I know the Min people, and the Fujian people's cunning and suspicious words are indeed just listening to Ou Yangming's words. Second, to set up a longevity tablet for friends whose life and death are uncertain, and pray for a safe and eternal life for the two, which will not affect the name of the scholar. ”

Xia Xiang was stunned for a while, he thought that Shen Bao would fight the basis of reason, and he didn't want Shen Bao to be honest, so he actually admitted it all, which surprised him, and he couldn't help but lose half of his anger in his heart, and said with a smile: "So, you will admit defeat?" ”

"How can you admit defeat?" Shen Bao came to Xiao Wu, stretched out his hand and patted the footprints on Xiao Wu's legs, smiled apologetically at Xiao Wu, and continued, "First, although I don't know the Min people and have never worked with the Min people, since Ou Yangming blames the Min people like this, it can be seen that the Min people are indeed like this. With Ou Yangming's reputation and prestige, even if he was prejudiced against the Min people, his words were not the words of a saint, but they were also reasonable, not unbelievable. Second, I didn't know that you were praying for a friend whose life and death were uncertain, and I thought you were worshipping the dead ancestors, the so-called ignorant ones are not to blame, I have no malicious intentions, and I am also kind to maintain the name of the scholar......"

"......" Xia Xiang was speechless, he was so sophistry, he couldn't cry or laugh, "Brother Shen is so eloquent, I admire it." Brother Shen is right, those who don't know are not to blame, let's put aside the matter of clearing the names of the scholars, and talk about the Fujian people. ”

"Okay, what does Brother Xia think, I'll listen to it." Shen Bao saw that Xia Xiang took a step back, thinking that Xia Xiang was discouraged, smiled confidently, and did not forget to make a grimace at Xiao Wu.

Xiao Wu twisted his face to the side in a huff, raised his left leg and kicked it on his right leg, impartially, and the footprints were exactly where Shen Bao kicked just now.

Shen Bao was amused by Xiao Wu's childish actions.

"Brother Shen is studying, he must know that he has crossed to the south?" Xia Xiang asked with a smile.

"Of course I know." Shen Bao replied calmly.

"Yongjia Rebellion, the clothes of the south, the beginning of the eight tribes in Fujian", including the surname Lin, Huang, Chen, Zheng, Zhan, Qiu, He, Hu eight surnames, the Central Plains clan, after entering Fujian first settled in northern Fujian and Jin'an, and then gradually spread to the coast of central Fujian and southern Fujian, known as "the first large-scale southward migration of the people in the Central Plains, but also the first great integration of the Han people and the Fujian people in the north!

"I don't know if the cunning Min people that Ou Yangming said refer to the Min people before the well-dressed Nandu crossing, or the current Min people?" Xia Xiang didn't give Shen Bao time to think, and then threw out the question.

"Naturally, it's the current Fujian people......" Shen Bao didn't have time to think about it, he replied casually, and only after finishing saying did he realize that something was wrong, thought about it slightly, laughed, and bowed to Xia Xiang, "Brother Xia is so sharp." ”

After the eight surnames entered Fujian, the current Fujian people are a fusion of northerners and southerners, and it is difficult to distinguish whether they are northerners or southerners. Xia Xiang's words made Shen Bao's arguments contradict themselves like a dealer who sells both spears and shields, whether he praises the sharpness of spears or the hardness of shields.

"The land is divided into north and south, and people are not divided into north and south." Xia Xiang saw the opportunity to act, although Shen Bao was impatient and nosy, he was not an unreasonable person, he smiled, "I can't hide it, Brother Shen, I am not from Fujian, but from Lingshou County, Zhending Mansion." ”

"Huh? Are you a northerner? Shen Bao was shocked on the spot, opened his mouth wide, his face was incredulous, and after a while, he smiled awkwardly, "Ashamed, ashamed!" It's because I have eyes and don't have beads, I made a preconceived mistake, and I asked Brother Xia Haihan. ”

"If you know your mistakes, you can change them, and you are a good child." Xiao Wu snorted a few times, still hating Shen Bao, "Self-righteous, preconceived, scolding and beating, Shen Langjun, there are really a lot of mistakes you want to correct." ”

"Change, change one by one, change everything." Shen Bao didn't say a word, bent down and wiped the footprints on Xiao Wu's legs with his sleeves, and after wiping them, he straightened the immortal tablet, and then respectfully put on the three pillars of incense.

Xia Xiang secretly admired Shen Bao's actions, if a person is not a sage, who can be without fault? After that, it can be changed, and it is very good. Although Shen Bao is a little impatient, he can be kind and good, and he is also a person who can be friends.

Xia Xiang and Shen Bao didn't know each other, the two hit it off at first sight, and at the invitation of Shen Bao, Xia Xiang went to his room to talk for two hours. The more the two talked, the more speculative they became, and they hated each other.

…… After talking about his acquaintance with Shen Bao, Xia Xiang smiled and raised his glass, and Shen Bao also raised his glass and said, "Come, I will give Brother Xia and Brother Zhang a glass." Brother Zhang is an authentic Fujian person, if I hadn't met Brother Xia first and eliminated the prejudice against the Fujian people, Brother Zhang and I might not have known each other! ”

Zhang Hou squinted his eyes and smiled slightly, clinked glasses with Shen Bao, and drank them all: "That's not necessarily." It is true that I am a Fujian person, but I never care about the contempt of the northerners for the Fujian people, and the contempt in words and deeds is useless, and when I am in power, I care about the northerners and southerners, who dares to despise me, and if I am dismissed, I will be killed, and in front of authority, where is there any reason? ”

Xia Xiang's heart sank, Zhang Hou is resolute in encountering problems, if he becomes a big weapon in the future, I am afraid that he will also be a decisive person.

Shen Bao didn't think much about it, after a few glasses of wine, he was a little drunk, reached out and took the wine jar to pour wine for Xia Xiang and Shen Bao, raised the jar to take a look, and said, "Huh": "Which prince's industry is the good prosperity ever, so good, it turns out that even wine is produced." ”

There is a seal at the bottom of the altar, and the seal is four large characters in seal style - good times are always there.

The management of business in Daxia is very standardized and strict, and not all restaurants can brew and sell their own wine. The restaurants in Daxia can be roughly divided into three categories: Zhengdian, that is, the big restaurant with the right to make wine. Foot shop, that is, a restaurant that does not have the right to brew liquor and needs to wholesale liquor from the main store. Puhu Restaurant, that is, a small retail restaurant.

The Daxia restaurant industry is very developed, not only in Beijing, but also in Sijing and Chengdu, Quanzhou, Hangzhou, restaurants, wine flags can be seen everywhere. The most magnificent in Lin'an is the "Sun Dongzheng store" in the city, only the "Cai Lou Huan Gate" - the restaurant of Daxia is to attract guests, usually use bamboo poles to build a gatehouse at the door of the store, surrounded by colorful silk, this is called "Cai Lou Huan Men" - there are three floors high.

In Shangjing, Haojingchang is undoubtedly the largest restaurant with the highest grade and the largest scale in Taipingju, which can receive more than 1,000 guests.

However, compared with the good times in Fanlou, the good times are often in the Taiping residence. Fan Tower is the highest landmark building in the capital, with a total of five floors, and when you climb to the top floor, you can look down at the forbidden and have a panoramic view of the situation in the palace.

The restaurant where Xia Xiang and the others are located is a good time in Taipingju. There are a total of ten restaurants in Shangjing City, and Taipingju is only one of the medium-sized restaurants.

"All the people cheered to go to the green, the horses were like swimming dragons, and the carts were like water. Threes, threes, twos and twos compete to buy flowers, and there are 300 Qinglou wine flags. "The wine industry in Lin'an is no less developed than that in Beijing. The list of well-known restaurants in Lin'an includes government-run restaurants such as Hele Building, Zhonghe Building, Taihe Building, Hefeng Building, Chunfeng Building, West Building, Taiping Building, and Fengle Building, as well as private restaurants such as Xichun Building, Sanyuan Building, Appreciation Building, Huayue Building, Rixin Building, and Wujian Building. Among them, there are 300 private rooms in Taihe Building, which can receive 3,000 guests every day.

Due to the extremely developed commerce of Daxia, the main store, foot shop and even the household, in order to attract customers, all attach great importance to signboards. The signboard is the wine flag and the wine curtain. It is not enough to have a wine curtain, some restaurants also put up a three-dimensional signboard, that is, the words "Zhengdian" and "Fragrant Mash" are written on the outside of a rectangular box, and then a candle is built into the box, which is bright and shining at night, which is particularly eye-catching.

Even some restaurants that have the right to make wine will hire courtesans to endorse the newly brewed wine. "The Qiantang prostitute Yan Ruyu is new to red makeup one by one. Asked what the end of the canal was doing, and the wine of the imperial capital was newly ripened in August. "The courtesans are showing up their flowers, hanging out a long banner with a long pole, and the book reads" A certain library selects a famous master winemaker to brew a high-quality and spicy wine, which is the first in the middle."