"Thank you Xia Langjun for your righteous words." Cao Shujun only realized the conversation between Xia Xiang and his father just now, obviously talking about Tao Yuanming's retreat, but in fact, he was still detouring for his affairs, and at the same time, he was grateful in his heart, and at the same time, he was convinced by Xia Xiang's plan to transfer flowers and trees, "Listening to Xia Langjun's words, I really feel better than reading a book for ten years." If I had known Xia Langjun for a few years, I might have already learned something. ”

Xia Langjun's words...... Not without reason. Cao Shuli has always opposed Cao Shujun's learning, and Xia Xiang's words were reasonable and impassioned, she was agitated for a while, and she had a sense of sudden enlightenment, and she couldn't help but think, "What does Daddy think?" ”

Cao Yongguo sat back in his seat, picked up the teacup, took a sip of tea, and was silent for a long time.

After a long time, he got up again, looked up at the Yuanming Hidden Picture on the wall, suddenly shook his head and sighed, wanting to say something, but suddenly a fierce cough made him unable to stand up.

The housekeeper Cao Lin hurriedly came in from outside the door, and Cao Shuli helped Cao Yongguo from left to right. Cao Lin patted Cao Yongguo on the back, and glared at Xia Xiang not without blame: "Xia Langjun has provoked the family to take the initiative again?" Niangzi and San Lang are too, the head of the family is sick and can't move, and you don't know it. ”

"It's okay, it's okay." Cao Yongguo waved his hand, shook his head and said, "I don't blame them, it's just that the old disease has relapsed, and it's no wonder that Xia Langjun is even more blamed." ”

Although Cao Yongguo said this, Xia Xiang felt that he couldn't go away, and when he saw that it was getting late, he offered to leave.

"Xia Langjun, wait a minute." Cao Lin took out a letter and handed it over, "I just sent a letter from the porter, saying that it was sent by the old man from the wonton stall in the night market. ”

Wonton stall old man? Xia Xiang was puzzled, took the letter, and before he opened it, he even said that he was surprised: "What a flowing regular script." I can't imagine that there are such characters in the market, Daxia is heavy on literature, and the folk reading atmosphere is flourishing, which is indeed a good thing...... Huh, how so? ”

Halfway through his words, Xia Xiang's face suddenly changed.

"What's wrong?" Cao Shujun now regarded Xia Xiang as a confidant, and when he saw Xia Xiang's face change greatly, he immediately asked, "Xia Langjun, if there is a need, I will come forward." ”

Xia Xiang regained his composure in a moment, put the letter away, and smiled easily: "It's okay, the stall owner's surname is Ma, Uncle Ma is also interesting, saying that I saved his life just now, he accepted my copper coin, and he didn't want to go, so he sent a letter to invite me to eat another bowl." Haha, interesting, really interesting. ”

Cao Shujun believed it and laughed. Cao Shuli's eyes flashed, and she quietly glanced at Xia Xiang a few times, with a trace of doubt and uneasiness in her eyes.

"Gong Cao takes care of his body and says goodbye." Xia Xiang bowed his hand, "Although the weather is hot now, but the cold disease is treated, Cao Gong must not be careless, and it is good to treat it with medicine in time." ”

Cao Yongguo returned the salute, and when Xia Xiang and Xiao Wu walked out of the living room door, they remembered something, and suddenly asked, "Li'er, did you ever tell Xia Langjun that I have a cold disease?" ”

Cao Shujun went to send Xia Xiang, Cao Shuli stayed by Cao Yongguo's side, and when Cao Yongguo asked, she hurriedly withdrew her gaze staring at Xia Xiang's back, and said: "No, Xia Langjun and I didn't say a few words in total, how could I talk about my father's illness?" Why did Daddy ask this...... Ah, no, how could Xia Langjun know that his father was suffering from a cold disease? Could it be that he still understands medicine? ”

Cao Yongguo looked out with deep eyes, and said thoughtfully: "I'm afraid this Xia Xiang has a great background...... He was very knowledgeable, and he had learned a lot, much like a man. ”

"Li Dingshan?"

"No, it's Song Chaodu!"

At this time, the night was dark, most of the night markets had dispersed, and the wonton stalls facing Caofu had also been closed, and the stall owners and their wives were gone. Standing at the door of Cao's Mansion and taking a deep breath of the cool breath brought by the Anding River, Xia Xiang was in a good mood.

"Xia Langjun, the money lures you and collects it." Cao Shujun sent it to the door of Cao's mansion, and the intention of befriending Xia Xiang became stronger and stronger, although Xia Xiang had not yet convinced his father, he was already impressed by Xia Xiang's talent, handed over the money, and asked, "Where to stay?" I'll visit you another day. ”

"All the inns." Xia Xiang was also polite, took the money and put it in his sleeve, and smiled, "Cao Sanlang, I wrote it down, I will charge you fifty yuan of money, and he will pay you back fifty and a half thousand yuan one day." ”

"Haha, Xia Langjun, I appreciate your confidence and courage the most." Cao Shujun laughed strangely, and suddenly lowered his voice, "After you enter high school, come to my house to propose, my sister has not yet married, after you marry her, we will be a family." ”

Xia Xiang was stunned, and then smiled: "Little lady Cao is gentle and delicate, beautiful and delicate like a flash in the pan, I yearn for it." When it comes to marriage, we still have to be cautious. Don't say it, don't say it, I'm looking forward to Cao Saburo coming at the Quanyou Inn, there is a great thing that can just fall on you. ”

"What's the matter? Come on. "Where can Cao Shujun still hold it, I want to know it clearly now.

Xia Xiang was very calm, laughed, waved at Cao Shujun, turned around and walked away. Walking fast like flying, sleeves like the wind, free and elegant.

Cao Shujun was stunned for a while, suddenly slapped his palms, and said loudly: "Come on, come on, quickly prepare good grass and good fodder, I will personally feed the horses and treat my BMW Fuma well." ”

A bright moon hangs high in the night sky, the moon is bright and the stars are sparse, and occasionally a few white clouds float by, thin as a veil, it is difficult to hide the fragrance and brightness of the bright moon.

"Sir, Little Lady Cao was born dignified and beautiful, behaved decently and generously, and has not yet been married, what a good couple."

"Sir, I've been busy for half a night and made fifty dollars, and this business is really done."

"Sir, although Cao Saburo has a frivolous attitude, he is not a frivolous person, and he is worth befriending. But it's too scary for you to promise him 500,000 yuan a day. His fifty yuan is a gift, not a loan, and he doesn't have to pay him back. Take 10,000 steps back, even if you want to pay him back, at most you can pay him back 50,000 consistently, how can you casually say 500,000? If he falls into his mouth, how can he not afford to pay it back then? ”

"By the way, sir, why did Ma Xiaosan send a letter to you? What did the letter say? ”

As soon as he got out of Cao's Mansion, Xiao Wu regained his youthful temperament, he looked similar in age to Xia Xiang, but his temperament was completely different from Xia Xiang's calm and calm, and he kept asking questions along the way, the previous question was just asked, and before Xia Xiang answered, the latter question came out again.

Xia Xiang ignored him, just buried his head and walked, silent on the surface, but uncertain in his heart. Ma Xiaosan's letter is only more than 100 words, but it reveals amazing news.

Because Ma Xiaosan only listened to the words of Dong Si and Dong Qiniang, and did not know the real cause and effect of the matter, he was vague in the letter, only briefly reminding Xia Xiang to be careful. However, Xia Xiang still felt the ups and downs in the capital, because the emperor was seriously ill, and was staging a big drama of eight immortals crossing the sea to show their magical powers.

It turns out that in addition to the third prince, there is also a prince who is looking for the whereabouts of Mr., which prince is it? Xia Xiang became more and more interested in Li Dingshan's origin.

It's just that what Xia Xiang didn't know was that when Ma Xiaosan wrote the letter, one was in a hurry, the other was eager, and he forgot to write down two important things, one is that Yan Hao had already sent someone to Zhongshan Village to find Xia Xiang's mother, wanting to find out his whereabouts from Xia Xiang's mother's mouth. The second is that Xia comes and Xia goes to the catastrophe and does not die, and now one person goes north and one person goes south.

"Sir, there is water in a thousand rivers and a thousand rivers and a thousand moons, so the bright moon on the head will shine on the Anding River at this moment, and it will also shine on the Hutuo River?" Xiao Wu didn't know what Xia Xiang was thinking, and he was still full of interest and kept talking, "Will the water of the Anding River and the water of the Hutuo River finally flow back to the sea when they are combined?" ”

It is common sense that all rivers return to the sea, and Xiao Wu's words were not surprising, but a word woke up the person in the dream, Xia Xiang suddenly stopped, looked up at the bright moon in the night sky, and muttered to himself: "All rivers return to the sea, all countries come to the dynasty, whether it is the three princes, or several princes, whether it is Mr. Li Dingshan or Cao Gong, or Song Chaodu Song Shilang, well, plus a mysterious and unpredictable good scene, all point to the same person......"

"Who?" Xiao Wu's eyes widened, curious and ignorant.

"Who else can there be, of course, the saint today." Xia Xiang rolled his eyes, thinking so in his heart, but said, "No one, hurry back, rest early, and get up early tomorrow morning." ”

"Why wake up early? There will be no exams tomorrow. Xiao Wu was instantly taken away from the topic by Xia Xiang.

"Because something big is going to happen tomorrow morning." Xia Xiang said casually.

"What's the big deal?"

"You'll find out tomorrow morning."

"Sir, now reveal a thing or two, or I won't be able to sleep......"

"Sir, sir, wait for me."

Xia Xiang laughed, his feet did not stop, and he strode into a meteor.

The moon is silent, lonely and eternally shining on the earth. The prosperous and grand Shangjing is all shrouded in the light of the bright moon. In the palace under the moonlight, outside the Wende Palace, several eunuchs were whispering, and in the Funing Palace, several palace maids were napping with lanterns. Outside the palace, the forbidden army patrolled in formation.

In the houses thirty miles south of the palace, there are voices of parents scolding their children. Thirty miles to the south, the houses are low and dilapidated, already on the outskirts of Shangjing, and the sound of barking dogs is heard from time to time, far and near, echoing in the depths of the alleys.

Thirty miles to the south, we went out of the capital. Not far out of the city, there is a wood. The woods are not big, less than ten miles in radius, are some common big trees in the north, elms, willows, locust trees, pine trees, not precious trees, but provide a place for pedestrians to rest. There are countless clearings in the forest, and if it is daytime, there are many tea shops, taverns, cold drink vendors, and simple inns to stay in. Most of the people who stay here are the guest officers who come to Beijing, it is late when they pass through this place, and they go to Beijing for 30 miles, if they rush overnight, they are too tired, and they stay here for one night and set off early tomorrow morning, which is also a good thing. There are more than a dozen inns in the forest, and most of the time they are full.

Because there is everything in this forest, after tiredness, there is such a treasure land for eating, drinking, and resting, which is a great joy in life, and those who have good things will call this forest a happy forest.

In the happy forest at the fourth watch, the pedestrians had already fallen asleep peacefully, and only a few early morning stall owners had just gotten up, set up a stove and lit a charcoal fire, preparing for the upcoming guest officers. Every day, there are no less than thousands of passers-by who pass through to Shangjing, and as long as there are dozens of people to eat, it is enough to support their families.

Li Guanyu has been selling early in Happy Forest for ten years, starting to work at the fifth watch every day, closing the stall at noon, and earning 200 wen in half a day is commonplace. Although 200 wen is not much, it is enough for him to drink a little wine and cut a piece of pork every day. Sometimes when he met a generous guest officer, he would reward more than ten more than ten texts, and he would save it so that he could ask for a concubine in the future.

This year is the year of the big exam, and now that the big exam is approaching, there are many more scholars among the guest officials who come to Beijing. Li Guanyu still remembers that yesterday there was an examiner named Shen Bao, who ate ten articles early, and chatted with him about some customs and customs in Beijing, and because of his interest, he raised his hand and rewarded him with a tael of silver.

One tael of silver was equivalent to a thousand wen, and he was so happy that he almost didn't jump. This became the cornerstone that inspired him to fulfill his dream of taking a concubine.

It would be nice if I could meet a guest officer like Shen Bao again today, Li Guanyu set up a stall while dreaming. His breakfast was fried dough sticks, tofu brain, pickles, and homemade spicy dishes, as well as his top-secret weapon, Lee's hot sauce. Lee's hot sauce is a special side dish prepared by him himself, and the taste is exquisite, and there is no other branch of this one.

As soon as the pot was put up to boil the oil, before the first fritter was put into the pot, two fast horses arrived. Immediately, there were two people, one black and one white, one fat and one thin, similar to black and white impermanence. Both of them are well-dressed, with knives at their waists, their eyes flashing, and their expressions are awe-inspiring.

The two tied the horse to the tree, sat down with a golden knife, and the black fat slapped the table and shouted: "A pound of fritters, two bowls of tofu brain, salty, not sweet." A bowl of hot sauce, a large bowl, not a small plate. Hurry, shopkeeper, and hurry to go. ”

Li Guanyu has read countless people, and it can be seen at a glance that the two of them are official errands, and they have official orders in their bodies, so they dare not slack off, they fry fried fried fritters hard, sent tofu brain and hot sauce, and hid aside peacefully, not daring to ask for half a reward.

The black fat took a bite of the fritters hard, and said indignantly: "Mu En, Yan Hao Yan Taiwei sent my brothers and two brothers to Zhongshan Village, Lingshou County overnight to find out the origin of an unknown junior, how many big things to do in Beijing, if you have to do such a big thing, it is obviously an excuse to let the two of you go out of Beijing, and it is too bullying." Why should he send me and me when they are not under his rule? Why don't you send the Zhou brothers? ”

Mu En waved his hand and smiled: "Huaguan, don't have this idea." Captain Yan is the benefactor of the two of us, and he has the grace to save his life, so it is natural for him to do things. He didn't send his subordinates, and he didn't want the matter to leak out, which was his trust in the two of us. Although Zhongshan Village is located in a remote area, it is a place where Li Dingshan has been dormant for three years. At that time, I really have to find out some major news, and I can get into the ears of the three princes, and the two of us will have a bright future. ”

"That being said, I'm afraid that I won't get anything in vain. When there is really something to gain, the hard work belongs to the two of us, and the credit belongs to Captain Yan alone. Huaguan ate the fritters in three bites and two bites, and was not full, so he slapped the table hard, "Shopkeeper, another pound of fritters." ”

Li Guanyu had long expected that one pound of fritters would not be enough for the two of them to eat, and at the moment when the two were talking, another pound was fried. Listen to Huaguan's orders, and send it in a hurry.

Without saying a word, Hua Guan picked up a fritter and took a bite, his face changed, and he spit it out: "Phew, what is it?" It's bitter and astringent, shop, are you opening a black store? ”

Li Guanyu's face turned pale with fright, he hurriedly took the remaining fritters and took a bite, and said with a sad face: "Guest officer, the same noodles and the same oil, why is it bitter and astringent?" ”

"Is my mouth fading out of the bird? Or did you eat a lot of in your mouth? Hua Guan was furious, put the knife on the table, stepped on the stool with one foot, and opened his eyes, "You take another bite and try it, and then dare to stare at your eyes and say nonsense, believe it or not, Lao Tzu slashed you with a knife!" ”

Of course Li Guanyu doesn't believe it, in broad daylight, no, although the sky is not yet bright at this time, the east has been white, bright and prosperous, who dares to kill people in public? His fritters are delicious, and everyone in the happy forest knows it, Hua Guan not only ruined his reputation, but also said wildly, where can he stand it, and immediately slapped the table.

"Don't bite it, I know very well what my fritters are. But what kind of goods are you, I don't know. The blood is spewing people, making something out of nothing, just wanting to eat the overlord meal. If you don't have any money, you can say it clearly, two catties of fritters and two bowls of tofu brain, I can still afford it! Li Guanyu was not to be outdone, and ridiculed each other. He thinks he is well-informed, he has seen everything, and it is not for nothing that there are more arrogant and arrogant officials than Huaguan, and in the end they were all defeated by his three-inch incorruptible tongue, he believes that Huaguan does not dare to make trouble endlessly, and the laws of Daxia are complete, and there are many restrictions on officials.

Mu En originally wanted to persuade Hua Guan to stop at first, but he didn't want Li Guanyu to dare to be so domineering as a small early stall owner. Although he persuaded Hua Guan not to complain about Yan Hao's orders, he also complained about this arrangement in his heart, but he didn't want to say more, after all, it was useless to say, he could only obey the order. But I didn't think that I could eat a stomach if I ate early. He usually restrains his emotions and does not get angry easily, but once he has an attack, it will be a fire.

Hua Guan was furious, rolled up his sleeves, raised his hand and slapped Li Guanyu: "It's against you, think Lao Tzu wants to eat overlord meal?" Think Lao Tzu has no money? Lao Tzu is rich, Lao Tzu just looks at you unpleasantly, thinks your fritters are as bad as, you don't eat them for nothing, and you still want money? A slap in the face is worthy of you. ”

Li Guanyu was slapped coldly, half of his face was swollen, and when he saw that the other party was moving, he suddenly softened, and he didn't want to fight for a length with his three-inch tongue, so he hurriedly bent down and bowed: "I'm sorry guest officer, it's the fault of the small one, the small one doesn't dare, and the little one doesn't dare anymore......