Under the East City Gate, there are many farmers selling melons, fruits and vegetables grown in their fields, and there are also vendors selling some ordinary small items sitting on the ground, shouting at pedestrians.

There is a small noodle stall on the side of the road, although it is only built with simple thatch, but in addition to the place below, there are four square tables, which are much better than those small vendors who sit on small stools or sit directly on the ground.

Xiao Zao on the side was busy with a woman in her thirties, her hair was simply coiled, and although her clothes were simple, it was difficult to hide her charm, and she was seven or eight points similar to Xiao Lingling. Now that it's time for dinner, there are already three tables full.

Xu Mingyuan and Zeng Qingyi walked to the noodle stall, Xiao Lingling had already trotted out, took the teapot and teacup in Xu Mingyuan's hand, and shouted to the woman below with a smile: "Mother, Brother Mingyuan and Sister Qingyi are here." ”

That woman is Liu Sanniang, Xiao Lingling and her mother, who has opened a noodle restaurant at the East City Gate for ten years, and is known as Noodle Xi Shi. Liu Sanniang's husband is a fast catcher in the yamen, so although Liu Sanniang opened a noodle restaurant on the street, no one dared to cause trouble.

Liu Sanniang threw all the noodles in her hand into the pot, covered the pot, and looked at Xu Mingyuan, who was carrying vegetables and fruits, and complained: "Why are you so polite with your aunt, you and the Taoist chief have nothing on the mountain, these are all given to you by everyone, you can take them all back, Auntie doesn't lack anything." ”

"Auntie, just take it, isn't it too much, I've been to the academy these days, I haven't eaten on the mountain, you also know my master's virtue, let him cook by himself, it's better not to eat." Besides, today we have to rub two bowls of cold noodles, and we have no silver, so we can only take this offset. Xu Mingyuan put the fruits and vegetables in his hand and said with a smile.

"Academy?" Liu Sanniang was a little puzzled, and then said in disbelief: "You mean the Chongzhou Academy in the south of the city?" ”

Xu Mingyuan nodded, sat down at the remaining table with a smile, and said a little proudly: "Isn't it Chongzhou Academy." ”

"You kid can blow it hard, most of the people who can enter Chongzhou Academy are officials and wealthy businessmen, and the rest are extremely intelligent scholars, just you can enter the academy if you wander around the streets all day long, and go out with the Taoist chief from time to time to cheat and eat and drink?" Liu Sanniang scooped up the noodles in the pot and said with a look of disbelieving.

"Auntie, don't believe it, Zeng Qingyi is the granddaughter of the dean of the academy, you know, you just ask her." Xu Mingyuan picked up the herbal tea on the table and poured a cup, pointed to Zeng Qingyi who was standing aside and said.

Liu Sanniang looked at Zeng Qingyi and said with a smile: "What is Qingyi still standing for, hurry up and sit down." Mingyuan, this kid really entered the academy? Is the teaching of the academy caught in the door? ”

Zeng Qingyi sat down opposite Xu Mingyuan, listening to Liu Sanniang's words, she didn't know what to do, after all, Xu Mingyuan was brought into the academy by Master Zeng. Zeng Qingyi thought about it, then nodded and said, "Xu Mingyuan has entered the academy. ”

Seeing Zeng Qingyi nodded, Liu Sanniang, who originally thought it was Xu Mingyuan's bragging, couldn't help but be stunned, and then showed a look of joy, put down the wooden spoon in her hand, walked to the table in two steps, looked at Xu Mingyuan and said: "They all say that Chongzhou Academy is a place for officials and masters, Mingyuan, you have to study hard, and you will come back with a champion in two years." ”

"Well, that's natural, but it's not two years, I'm going to take the autumn exam in the autumn this year, if I can get the lift, I'll go to Chang'an to take the spring exam and the palace exam in the spring next year." Xu Mingyuan nodded and said with a smile, looking at the heartfelt smiles on Liu Sanniang and Xiao Lingling's faces, he also felt warm in his heart. In the past three years of getting along, they have long treated him like a relative.

Xu Mingyuan easily pushed the herbal tea he had just poured in front of Zeng Qingyi, but Zeng Qingyi didn't drink a sip of the pot of herbal tea that Xiao Lingling had brought before.

"You, you've been clever since you were a child, but you're planning to take a scientific examination when you enter the academy, so you're too anxious." Liu Sanniang shook her head and said.

"Zhu Ziyan knows what the imperial examination is, thinking that it will help people write a few letters to the family, and there is a glimmer of hope for ten years of hard study, how can you be admitted in two months after entering the academy." At this moment, a middle-aged scholar in a half-worn cyan robe sitting at the adjacent table snorted coldly and reprimanded, his face a little angry.

Xu Mingyuan turned his head and saw that this middle-aged scholar surnamed Liu, living in Dongcheng, was said to have been a scholarly family, but his family was in the middle, and he failed to pass the imperial examination for more than 20 years, which can be described as depressed. Although this Liu scholar has no ambition, he thinks very highly of himself, and he basically doesn't interact with his neighbors on weekdays, even if his neighbors ask him to help write something, he refuses.

Without waiting for Xu Mingyuan to reply, Liu Sanniang was already squinting at the scholar surnamed Liu, and sneered: "We Mingyuan is only eighteen, and with his cleverness, the middle move is not a matter of hand." I think it's because some people don't have this ability, but they want to pretend to be high, I'm afraid that they are seventy or eighty years old and have to sigh that the way of heaven is unfair, and the opportunity has not yet come. ”

Xu Mingyuan's shoulders trembled slightly, and he almost laughed out loud, Liu Sanniang's ability to harm people has not regressed at all, and she is worthy of being called one of the four heavenly kings of Dongcheng by the women of Xicheng back then. And Liu Sanniang's voice for herself like a calf protector also moved Xu Mingyuan a little.

Zeng Qingyi also covered her mouth and chuckled, took a sip of the cup of tea that Xu Mingyuan poured for him, and looked at Liu Sanniang with a smile. Xiao Lingling also stood aside and giggled.

After listening to Liu Sanniang's words, the scholar surnamed Liu's face turned red, and he stood up suddenly, his fingers trembled slightly, and he pointed at Liu Sanniang and said loudly: "You...... You, what do you know about a woman, how can you understand the words of the sages in the book, ignorant and foolish? ”

The scholar surnamed Liu was so angry, but Liu Sanniang's face remained unchanged, and she said with a smile: "I don't know what the words of a sage are, but I also know what shame is. ”

At this time, the people sitting at other tables were also pointing at the scholar surnamed Liu, and everyone was not used to his words and deeds on weekdays, so naturally they would not save face for him at this time.

The scholar surnamed Liu saw that everyone was standing on Liu Sanniang's side, and his tongue couldn't argue with her, his face became more and more red, he slapped the chopsticks in his hand on the table, turned his head and left, and said: "Sharp-toothed and sharp-tongued people, when I reach the first, I will definitely make you look good." ”

But before he went far, Liu Sanniang said unhurriedly: "Yo, you are always in such a hurry to leave, and the face money has not been paid, my family has no ability, but if you meet someone who eats white food, the water and fire stick in your hand is more harmful than what I said." It's not that you haven't reached the first time, even if you go to the yamen, and the reason is also with me. ”

The scholar surnamed Liu paused, turned around with some difficulty, took out a few Tongbao from his arms and threw them on the table, and left quickly in the laughter of everyone.

Xu Mingyuan glanced at the back of the scholar surnamed Liu, gave Liu Sanniang a thumbs up, and said with a smile of admiration: "Auntie, you are really a lotus flower, and your witty words are full of pearls, even Liu Shusheng, who has been studying sage books for decades, has been defeated in your hands." But you're not one less guest. ”

Liu Sanniang slowly picked up the treasures, and said a little proudly: "With his little bit of Taoism, two sentences can choke him to death." What's one less guest, there is never a shortage of customers in our store, but we can't let people look down on it, I've let out all the big words, you have to give me a top score. ”

Without waiting for Xu Mingyuan to speak, Xiao Lingling said, "Mother, your noodles have been served for a while." ”

"Oops, I almost forgot to make cold noodles for you." Liu Sanniang's face changed slightly, and she hurriedly put the copper coin in her hand, walked quickly to the stove, lifted the lid of the pot, and fished out the noodles in the pot. Then the noodles are immersed in cold well water, and when the noodles are cold, the noodles are taken out and scattered on a clean board, drizzled with some sesame oil, put them in a bowl, and then pour in the secret sauce and seasoning, sprinkle with chopped green onions and shredded cucumbers, and a bowl of cold noodles is completed.

Eating a bowl of cold noodles in summer can be described as a very refreshing thing, especially made by Liu Sanniang, which is numb, spicy, salty, sweet, fragrant and refreshing.

Xu Mingyuan ate a large bowl of cold noodles with a large amount of cold noodles, put down his chopsticks, burped, looked at Xiao Lingling, who was holding his chin with both hands and looking at him in a daze, and smiled: "What is Xiao Lingling thinking, thinking so intently." ”

Xiao Lingling was startled by Xu Mingyuan's voice, her little face turned red, and she quickly shook her head and said, "Lingling didn't think about anything. ”

"Lingling came back and told me that you didn't marry Qingyi, now I'm afraid I'm not ashamed of what you're thinking." Liu Sanniang said with a smile while giving the guest a following.

"Mother......" Xiao Lingling called out a little shyly, lowered her head, and her face turned a little redder.

Liu Sanniang didn't continue to tease Xiao Lingling, but looked at Xu Mingyuan and said: "Mingyuan, you are not too young, it stands to reason that it is time to get married, and the Taoist chief is not in a hurry at all, or your aunt and your uncle will help you sum it up." If you want me to say that you and Qingyi grew up together, this childhood sweetheart is two little guesses, where to find a more suitable one. ”

Zeng Qingyi was eating noodles in small bites, this cold noodle was delicious and refreshing, which suited her appetite very much, but after listening to Liu Sanniang's words, she couldn't help choking, her face turned red, and she covered her mouth and coughed.

Xu Mingyuan hurriedly poured her a cup of herbal tea and handed it over, then looked at Liu Sanniang with a wry smile and said, "Auntie, don't worry about it, the Zeng family is a big family in Jiannan Dao, and I, a poor Taoist priest with no father and mother, where can I climb it." Childhood sweethearts, don't you have to pay attention to a household, right? ”

Hearing this, Liu Sanniang sighed lightly and looked at Xu Mingyuan with some pity.

"Stupid Mingyuan, do you really think so?" Zeng Qingyi, who took a sip of herbal tea and stopped coughing, looked at Xu Mingyuan's eyes, and asked in a somewhat cold voice.

------------ thanks to quasl, dragon song Fuji, and Gongzi Qingmo for their tips, thank you for your recommendation votes.