Gradually entering September, it can be regarded as entering autumn.

Although there will be times when it is extremely hot, there are still a few of them, especially in the afternoon, when the weather will gradually get much cooler.

Walking on Shiquan Street, this old man with a delicate face, but in fact, he was already full of gray hair, and he was very relieved, at least he was enjoying the tranquility and casualness in his eyes.

Probably a few decades ago, it was also from this side, when the Japanese invaded Suzhou, and the city was full of corpses, and the child walked out of the pile of dead people, and ate all the dry food along the way, so he could only eat the roots.

In this way, he lived for several days by eating the roots of trees and drinking dew, until even the roots and the dew were eaten.

However, in the four strong walls, there was obviously the smell of wine and meat being spoiled, and it was clear that some people were willing to give alms, but they were stopped by others, so the wine and meat would rather be spoiled and poured out than eaten by people outside the courtyard walls.

The child was already dizzy from hunger, so he regretted that he hadn't eaten the Guanyin soil a few days ago.

Until I finally fainted, and then it seemed that someone brought food, probably the rotten wine and meat, and it was still out.

But I can't care about so much, grab it and eat it, even if the taste seems to be wrong, maybe I will die after eating, but so what, I am really unwilling to starve to death.

The child chewed the food in his mouth until he fell asleep, and then woke up in the starry night, looked at the dead man lying beside him, and finally realized that it was not rotten wine and meat that had been thrown out, but ......

The old man gently stroked his gray hair, chuckled, and muttered to himself, "Human flesh is really the most unpalatable thing in the world...... It's a pity that I can't eat it. ”

With a smile on his face, facing the sunset that was about to be lost, the old man turned around and walked into Daru Alley.

At this time, the alleys have become quieter, and most of the literati have long since retreated, except for some literati gatherings, which are the Qinglou Song Garden, and I think only these places can make them adapt to their existence.

Not all literati are like this, there are always people who are worried about the country and the people, and take the world as their own responsibility, but now they have to go home and study hard, waiting for the imperial examination in the coming year, so that they can win the first place in one fell swoop and serve the country in the future.

However, these did not seem to have any effect on the old man.

The sky was a little dark, especially at this time, Daru Lane was very quiet, but fortunately, the door of the teahouse was still open, and there was no intention of closing.

There were also a few scholars sitting and drinking tea in the teahouse, and there was no surprise to the guest who walked in, but there was no guy who came to greet him, so the old man walked to the person at the counter by himself.

The old man on the counter was tapping on the abacus, and he probably didn't expect that there would be customers at this time, so when the shop walked into the old man, he didn't notice it until the man had already walked to his side.

"A pot of Tieguanyin ......," the old man smiled faintly.

Shopkeeper Liu, who was knocking on the abacus to keep accounts, changed slightly, because the sudden voice was so sharp, it seemed to be made deliberately, not like a normal person talking.

He hurriedly looked up, and saw the old man with clear eyebrows, full of white hair, but without a trace of beard.

"It's a father-in-law...... "Shopkeeper Liu worked in Deyue Building in the early years, but he also knew some fathers-in-law of the Weaving Bureau, and now when he sees this old man, he does look a little alike, but he can't confirm it, and when he was muttering in his heart, the old man suddenly smiled.

"I heard that Tieguanyin is your signature here...... So I came and tasted it. The old man's face was soft, but he was kind and kind, and people couldn't bear to refuse.

Shopkeeper Liu didn't think much about it, and hurriedly beckoned the guys who were having dinner in the back hall to come over for tea, and he was still calculating the accounts, so he replied casually: "It was okay a few years ago...... Now I'm afraid it's not a signboard. ”

"Oh?" The old man hesitated for a moment, and was busy curious: "Why is this ......?"

Shopkeeper Liu sighed and said helplessly: "There is no one in the court...... Business is not good......"

It was just a few casual words, and it was also a voice that had not been confided for a long time, and now it was said to this stranger so inadvertently, but Shopkeeper Liu soon realized that he had said too much.

He coughed dryly, and hurriedly said, "Please come in the guest officer...... Xiao Er will be able to serve tea soon......"

The old man didn't mean to move, but said, "There are people in the court who are really easy to do...... It's just that sometimes some people are also in danger, but they are not as good as no one. ”

Shopkeeper Liu didn't understand what he meant, but he didn't think much about it, and hurriedly beckoned the old man to sit in a window position, and it happened that Xiao Er had already brought hot tea.

The old man sniffed the fragrance of tea and smiled, "But it's good tea...... How about Shopkeeper Liu sit down with me and talk? ”

Shopkeeper Liu was stunned for a moment, but looking at the unrefusable look on the other party's face, he had to nod and said, "Then let's talk...... I don't know what the guest officer wants to talk about? ”

"In Xia Qi Yao......" the old man smiled: "Talk casually, it's nothing to do." ”

Shopkeeper Liu nodded, his face was slightly embarrassed, he arched his hand, and sat opposite Qi Yao, looking at the heat from the teapot with a pair of eyes, and sighed: "Mr. Qi is here for the first time?" ”

Qi Yao replied and said, "When I walked through here, it was also a teahouse, but it was not called this ...... I'm afraid I've already changed people. ”

Shopkeeper Liu smiled faintly and responded, "I didn't care about it before...... However, Jiajing changed its signboard in 40 years...... The young master took this shop and has been in business so far. ”

"Forty years of Jiajing, but it's been a few years." Qi Yao stepped forward to pour tea, then took a sip, showed a satisfied smile, and then said, "But it's been ten years." ”

Shopkeeper Liu was suddenly stunned, and only after a moment did he sigh and said, "If Mr. doesn't say it, he doesn't care about it...... When I said this, it was like a dream, and it had been ten years. ”

Qi Yao only smiled and didn't speak, Shopkeeper Liu picked up the teacup and took a sip, and suddenly said curiously: "Listen to Mr. Accent...... It's not like it's Gangnam......"

Qi Yao waved his hand and said, "I am from Suzhou Mansion...... Later, I went to the capital, and I stayed there for too many years, but I spoke with a Beijing accent...... A native of Kunshan, Suzhou. ”

I just asked casually, so I didn't care much, the tea was still drinking, but it was not early, the shop was a little dark, and there was nothing to do, so the shopkeeper Liu continued to drink tea.

"The business of this shop is not very good......

In fact, I was still thinking about the recent situation on Zhang Quan's side, so we didn't pay much attention to it, listening to the other party's questioning, Shopkeeper Liu came back to his senses for a long time, and hurriedly said: "It's better during the day, and ...... at night." That's it. ”

Qi Yao laughed lightly, and suddenly said, "Wake up eight guests...... It's an interesting name, I don't know what it means. ”

Shopkeeper Liu hurriedly shook his head and said with a wry smile: "The name of the store was given by Gongzi, and now he is no longer in Suzhou, but he can't tell Mr. ”

"Out of the way." Qi Yao still had a smile on his face, like a warm breeze suddenly coming in winter, a little abrupt, and he pondered for a moment before he said: "I also saw the shop with this plaque on Yulong Street a few days ago...... But it's not a teahouse, it's like a vendor in Liaodong. ”

“…… It has nothing to do with my family......" The voice was a little annoyed, and the shopkeeper Liu snorted lightly and said coldly: "The eight guests are now in a recession, and the shopkeeper has a lot of silver...... but took our name. ”

Qi Yao's heart moved slightly, and he secretly thought about the truth of the other party's words, if what he said was true, then the shopkeeper Zhang on Yulong Street had borrowed this plaque for money, and it had nothing to do with Shen Wuyan.

As far as the eye could see, the shopkeeper Liu in front of him had a resentful face, obviously all this was not pretended, and he was already convinced in his heart.

Shopkeeper Liu still drank tea, crying: "When the eight guests woke up and drove all over Yulong Street...... Even the whole street has been named, and now this little person has taken the name, which is really sad. ”

"But there's nothing sad about it...... The comeback is unknown...... Qi Yao smiled and said, "Your Shen Gongzi is very talented, and he will definitely be able to turn over again in the future." ”

Shopkeeper Liu chuckled lightly and said, "Sir's words are not very useful...... Now there is only this shop left in Xingbake, two talented shopkeepers, and they have to go to other people's shops to help earn money to maintain. ”

"In this way, even the shopkeeper was invited by the shopkeeper?"

Qi Yao's eyes were slightly downcast, and he asked hurriedly.

Shopkeeper Liu suddenly put the teacup on the table, and suddenly asked, "I didn't mention that the shopkeeper's surname is Zhang ...... How does Mr. Qi know......

Qi Yao's face was suddenly slightly red, and because his face was smooth, the redness was even more obvious, his eyes suddenly wandered, and he coughed a few times in his mouth, explaining, "Is there one...... I misheard that......"

"No...... I heard you right. Shopkeeper Liu's mother stared at him tightly and said curiously: "Mr. Qi is really a master...... I didn't say it, but you know. ”

Qi Yao hurriedly shook his head, then got up and bowed his hand to Shopkeeper Liu, and said, "It's not early today...... There are still some things to deal with in the lower house, so I will leave...... See you ...... soon."

Then, under the dazed face of Shopkeeper Liu, Qi Yao walked out of the shop quickly, just throwing a silver ingot at random and not looking back.

Looking at the figure in the distance, Shopkeeper Liu suddenly showed a smug smile, and muttered softly: "There are not many places where there are eunuchs in Suzhou...... But if you are like this, probably only the Weaving Bureau has. ”

In the empty lobby, there was no longer a single guest in the teahouse, and the sky had already darkened, so that the whole shop was very quiet.

Daru Lane is even much quieter than Lilac Lane, and now the shop at the end of the alley to the mouth of the alley is even more lonely.

An old man walked out of the depths of the alley with heavy steps, then sat on a chair in front of the shop, looked up at the big golden characters, couldn't help but sigh softly, and muttered: "One is in Liaodong, and the other is still in the capital prison...... I don't know how long I'll live. ”

Saying this, the old man couldn't help but smile, then looked at the distant sky, and suddenly smiled again: "In life, it is enough to have one or two confidants......