South Street, beside the city wall, surrounded by many pedestrians, all talking, pointing fingers, and not knowing what happened. Huaizhu and Huaiyu squeezed into the crowd and found that there was an imperial list posted on the city wall. This is the year of Dabi, the imperial court set up a Longmen examination, and invited Xuanwen and Wu to go to Beijing to seek merit.

Huaizhu and Huaiyu looked at the emperor's list, turned around on the street, returned to Lijiazhai, entered the thatched hall, and bowed to their mother: "Mother is above, worship by the child!" ”

"Son, hurry up, come to your mother as soon as possible!" Mrs. Li, Mrs. Xu, helped up the two beloved sons and said.

Li Huaiyu said: "The imperial court opened the Longmen examination, and my brothers and sisters also wanted to go to Chang'an to take the exam, but there was no travel expenses, so I came back to discuss with my mother!" ”

The old lady was gloomy for a while, and she didn't know what to say, but suddenly she seemed to think of something, and said: "The only way to do this is to go to your father-in-law's house in Wujiazhuang in the south of the city to borrow a silver tael." When your brother gets an official position in the future, and then he goes to the door with the money and profits, I don't know what your two brothers want? ”

"I don't know who my brother will go?" Huaizhu asked.

The old lady said: "In my mother's opinion, you are a reckless person, so let your second brother go!" ”

Huaizhu said: "Mother, the second brother is going to ...... I couldn't be more reassured. The so-called desire to harm others is indispensable, and the desire to prevent others is indispensable. What if my father-in-law has unconscionable intentions and harms my second brother? ”

The old lady said angrily: "Slave, do you dare to spend the belly of a gentleman with the heart of a villain? According to my mother's understanding, your father-in-law is your family's friend of eight worships, how can he harm your second brother? ”

Huaiyu said: "Eldest brother, relax, I'll go and go back quickly." ”

The old lady suddenly panicked, and settled down and said, "Son, remember your eldest brother's words, don't settle down in the Wu Mansion at night!" ”

"Mother, I remember! Then you and your eldest brother are good, and you are gone! Li Huaiyu said goodbye to his mother and eldest brother, left Lijiazhai, and went to Wujiazhuang.

Lijiazhai in the north of the city is a total of fifteen miles away from Wujiazhuang in the south of the city, and the scenery along the way is needless to say. Li Sheng arrived outside Wujiazhuang, only to see the Sumu building, the sea pavilion beam wall, Zhu Yuan Biwa, under the steps outside the gate, two stone lions squatting left and right, two family members stood on both sides of the gate, and the word "Wu Mansion" hung horizontally above the lintel.

Precisely:

The wolf eats the water of a thousand rivers,

The tiger walks thousands of miles of mountains,

As soon as the gentleman is down,

It's hard to tell you.

Li Huaiyu approached the steps and saluted the two family members: "Two gate soldiers, dare to ask if this is the gate of Wu Chenggong's mansion?" ”

One of the housekeepers said, "Exactly." Who are you? ”

Li Sheng said: "I am Li Huaiyu, the second son of Li Jiazhai in the north of the city, and I am the second aunt of your family. ”

The family took two steps forward and said contemptuously, "Oh, so you are my second aunt's father?" Hmph, look at your poor and sour appearance, you still want to be my aunt? If you want me to report to the outside staff, then you can take out the errand money? ”

Li Huaiyu ignored him, and said in his heart: "It's really a tiger falling in Pingyang and being bullied by dogs, and the dragon diving to the bottom of the sea is being played by shrimp!" ”

Another family member said: "Wu Jin, Wu Jin, you just fucking came out of the grass kiln door, and you can't recognize the begging person?" You see that the two of us are standing outside the door all day like the doordog, why should you embarrass a down-and-out person? According to me, you better go back and report to the outsider! ”

Wu Jin shook his sleeves and said: "Hmph, if I want to go to you, I won't give an errand to ask for food!" ”

The famous Ding glanced at Wu Jin and said, "Go and go, can you be tired to death by a report?" What a power eye! ”

In a luxurious living room, sitting a sixty-year-old man, wearing a black brocade crown, a brown brocade robe, and thick-soled boots, is Wu Chenggong, the owner of Wujiazhuang.

The housekeeper ran back and bowed and bowed, and said, "Report to the master, there is a person outside the door who asks to see you." ”

Wu Yuanwai picked up the teacup on the wooden table and tasted the tea, and said, "Wu Lai, who is coming?" ”

Wu said: "It is Lijiazhai in the north of the city, and my second aunt Li Huaiyu came here to join his relatives." ”

"Oh? He's finally here. Wu Chenggong put down the teacup, stroked his beard, and said, "You will bring him back, don't be rude!" ”

Wu Lai took the order to leave the hall, and said in his heart: "My family is really a good person. He walked out of the door, led Li Sheng into the living room, and stepped aside to wait.

Li Sheng knelt down and saluted: "Father-in-law is above, please accept the courtesy of the son-in-law!" ”

The staff stood up and helped Li Gongzi up, and said, "Virtuous son-in-law doesn't need to be polite, please get up quickly!" After Li Sheng sat down sideways, he instructed his family to prepare tea and dinner for him and treat him warmly. After Li Sheng's tea and dinner were finished, the staff asked: "Today is the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, why didn't your brother come?" ”

Li Huaiyu sighed and said: "Father-in-law, the imperial court has opened the Longmen examination, and my brother also wants to go to Chang'an to take the examination, but the family is poor and can't afford to raise the travel expenses. ”

"Oh, so you're here to lend the silver taels?" Wu Chenggong stroked his beard and smiled reluctantly.

Li Changcheng exhaled and said, "Exactly." When my two brothers get a half-official position, they will definitely return it in the future! ”

Wu Yuanwai smiled faintly and said softly: "A virtuous son-in-law does not need to be polite. Although your brother has never married my two daughters, Ling Tang and I were friends for eight years during his lifetime, and the old man is very pleased that you can come here to join your relatives today, and you must not mention the word 'interest' again in the future. He paused for a moment and said excitedly: "I hope that your two brothers will be named on the gold list as soon as possible, and marry my two daughters, and then the old man's heart will be settled!" ”

"As long as the son-in-law will soar one day, he will never dare to forget the grace of his father-in-law." Li Sheng was grateful, and fell to his knees.

"Virtuous son-in-law, after your father died, your mother and son were helpless, and I couldn't rest assured, but unfortunately in order to protect your mother's reputation, I have not been able to fulfill my responsibility to take care of you." Wu Chenggong's face showed shame, helped Li Huaiyu up, and said heroically: "You can come to my village today to borrow money, and the old man will prepare some silver taels for you to repay your father's leadership back then." He was a little sad and muttered, "Alas! It's all because I put all the gold and silver into the warehouse, and I don't have much loose silver on hand, so I have to go to Luoyang Money Village to bring you hundreds of taels of silver back! Virtuous son-in-law, you can live in my house with peace of mind, and when the old man brings back the money, he will definitely not miss you to go home at night. ”

Li Sheng said helplessly: "That is the case, the father-in-law will go back quickly, and the son-in-law will wait for you!" ”

Wu Chenggong instructed Wu Lai to lead Li Ergongzi into the library to take care of his life, and ordered Wu Jin outside the door to prepare a horse and go to Luoyang City with him.

Li Huaiyu suddenly remembered his brother's instructions before leaving, and thought to himself: "There will be no danger today, right?" ”