After two days of driving, Xiao Tong finally arrived in Chang'an City again.

The two carts of watermelons are enough to weigh 2,3400 catties, in order to prevent the bumps in the road from damaging the watermelons, Xiao Tong put a thick layer of straw around the bottom and four walls of the carriage, and walked on a smooth and easy-to-walk road, not daring to be too slow or too fast, careful along the way, but finally arrived.

When he arrived at the place, Xiao Tong didn't dare to stay, so he walked directly to the official office of Honglu Temple with people and watermelons.

Although Xiao Tong is the governor of the palace, he is from the official position of the third grade, but because he is a foreign official, he did not directly meet the emperor's power, and if he wants to pay tribute to the emperor, he can only follow the rules, first register with the Honglu Temple, and then screen and submit it to the officials under the Honglu Temple, and then the Honglu Temple master Bo will be screened and handed over to the Honglu Temple.

The last time the Pei family's green vegetables were also Xiao's relatives, and they knew a lot about the process. The watermelon brought by Xiao Tong this time is several grades higher than the green vegetables last time, which is because Xiao Tong is full of confidence in this tribute trip.

The carriage stopped in front of the right side door of Honglu Temple, Xiao Tong jumped out of the car, and ordered the accompanying master to hold two watermelons and follow him slowly through the side door.

Inside the side entrance is a separate small courtyard, which is a special selection place opened by Honglu Temple to facilitate the tribute of local officials, and there is an assistant official in charge of reception.

Xiao Tong took Xiao Wan into the small courtyard, and there were already more than a dozen people waiting in line there, almost all of them were one master and one slave, the master was in front, and the back was still holding or carrying the local specialties they were going to select.

The arrival of Xiao Tong and the two did not attract the attention of these people, everyone's thoughts were all on the selection assistant in front, and the special power they brought could not be outstanding. Whether they can leave their names in front of the emperor because of this and then rise to prominence is all on the mouth of the assistant.

What's more, the number of places to pay tribute is limited every year, and all the local officials who appear in this courtyard are basically considered to be in a competitive relationship, and one more person is elected, there will be one less place, and everyone is hoping that there will be as few people here as possible.

Xiao Tong also knows the joints. After coming in, he was silent, and lined up at the end of the line with Xiao Wan's rules, waiting for the inspection of the officials in front.

Xiao Tong didn't know what his surname was, but the last time he brought the vegetables over for selection, it seemed that it was this Wang Zuo who recommended the vegetables with his discernment, so that Xiao Tong had a chance to be promoted.

It's just a pity that Pei Youdao's short-lived ghost is not enough to succeed and more than to lose, and he was originally given a good opportunity to be promoted and make a fortune, so he made him angry, and almost let Xiao Tong not even keep his original three grades.

"What is this crooked melon and cracked date? The appearance is so ugly. No matter how good the taste is, it is difficult to get into the elegant hall, take it away! Next! ”

The voice of Wang Zuo came from the front, and obviously, the specialty of another place was eliminated.

An elderly official sighed and left with his entourage disappointed, and Xiao Tong's position moved forward one more.

"Well, this tastes good, but there are already similar things in the tribute, and they taste even better than yours. Next! ”

"This is good, both in appearance and taste. Well, stay! Come here to register, stay in the post house for a few days, and when there is news, someone will naturally notify you! Next! ”

"No, next!"

“…… Next! ”

Of the more than a dozen souvenirs in front, only one was fortunate enough to be kept. All the others were sent out by Wang Zuo without saying a word or not being able to pass it, and soon, it was Xiao Tong's turn for the two of them.

The previous official sighed and left, and when he heard Wang Zuo shouting for the next, Xiao Tong hurriedly bowed forward. An assistant official, although he is just a petty official who has not yet entered the stream, if he only talks about the grade, Xiao Tong is more than one grade or two grades higher than him, but now, after all, he is asking for others, and the posture he should have is to put it out.

Xiao Tong arched his hand at Wang Zuo, and said politely: "Yin Xiaotong of Taiyuan Mansion, I have seen Wang Zuoguan!" ”

"Xiao Tong? Taiyuan Mansion Yin? Wang Zuo's eyebrows raised, and his face suddenly sank, "I remember you, last time it was those greens you brought that won the jackpot, and my little assistant also won a lot of rewards for his meritorious recommendation, and I have to thank you for speaking of it!" ”

"The official said that he was laughing!" As soon as he heard the word reward, Xiao Tong's heart was stunned, looking at Wang Zuo's face, how could he be a little happy and grateful?

There is no need to ask, because of the sudden loss of tribute by Qingcai, the Wang Zuo official in front of him must have suffered a lot of punishment, otherwise he would not have made such a face as soon as they met.

Is this a narrow road?

"Jokes? Then Lord Xiao thought that Wang was joking. Wang Zuoyan laughed twice at Xiao Tongyin, glanced at the watermelon in Xiao Wan's arms, and said, "Why, Lord Xiao is not enough to yin Wang once, and he still wants to do it again?" ”

"The official Wang misunderstood, Xiao was also one of the victims of the last Qingcai incident, who would have thought that the Pei family ......"

"Okay, okay, I don't have time to listen to your nonsense here," Wang Zuo directly interrupted Xiao Tong's words, and waved his hand without giving a good face: "Where did you come from, where do you go back, just these things you brought, you don't need to look at or screen, three words, you can't pass it, if you want to pass the preliminary screening from me, there is no door!" ”

After speaking, Wang Zuoyan slapped the table, and directly let Xiao Tong and the two of them blow out, and when he went out, Xiao Wan was unsteady with his hands and feet, and a watermelon in his arms fell to the ground, and he fell to pieces, and the bright red melon was sprinkled on the ground.

"My lord, this ......" Xiao Wan held another watermelon in his arms, looking at the one on the ground that was broken by him, and his face was crying without tears.

came full of hope, but only to go out and meet a villain, and was blasted out without even passing the initial selection, what is the matter?

"If it's gone, it's gone, let's go!"

Xiao Tong's face is very ugly, the king of Hades is good-looking, the little ghost is difficult, and today he has encountered this difficult little ghost. This trip to Chang'an, I'm afraid it's going to be in vain.

"Master," seeing Xiao Tong turn around and leave, Xiao Wan couldn't care about the watermelon that fell at the door, and quickly caught up, "Master." Why don't we go to the palace of that Wang Zuo in the evening, maybe we will have some money and a chance to turn around." ”

"Meet him?" Xiao Tong snorted coldly, "You can figure it out!" I think that no matter how bad my Xiao Tong is, he is also from the Taiyuan Mansion of the third grade, and he can be regarded as a party leader, let me go to visit a watchdog who is not in the grade? I'd rather stay in Taiyuan for the rest of my life! ”

Although Xiao Tong wanted to be promoted, he was not so lowly as to grovel to a doorkeeper.

"Then ......" Xiao Wan continued to suggest: "Why don't we think about other ways, isn't this Honglu Temple still a master Bo and a temple, and a temple, or let's find a way to ask for a meeting or two?" ”

"I think so." Xiao Tongdao: "But the question is, those people can be seen if we say we want to see them?" None of the officials who came to pay tribute from all over the country did not want to meet them secretly and privately, but they had never heard of anyone being received by them, and the higher the position, the more they had to avoid suspicion, and this road would not work at all. ”

"But ......"

Xiao Wan wanted to persuade again, but was directly interrupted by Xiao Tong: "Don't worry, my Fu Yin may still be a character in Taiyuan." But in Chang'an, who knows you? Since there is no hope of paying tribute. Don't pull the watermelon out again, just sell it in a place, and go back to make up for the melon money treasury! ”

"Sold?" Xiao Wan was a little dumbfounded, and rushed over with them for hundreds of miles, just to sell some melons for money? Do they lack this little money?

"My lord, don't you still have a few classmates in Chang'an? Why don't we go back ......?"

"Do you think this official would not have thought of this?" Xiao Tong sighed lightly and said: "Last time, the old man had already begged them once for the matter of green vegetables, if there was no problem with the green vegetables, it would be fine, but now the problem is that a few of them may also be affected because of the matter of green vegetables." How can this official still have the face to meet them again? ”

Looking at the appearance of the Wang Zuo, you can know that he must have suffered a lot of losses in the matter of Qingcai's withdrawal of tribute, otherwise he would not have seen Xiao Tong as if he had seen an enemy.

Although Xiao Tong's classmates are not as shallow as Wang Zuoyi, and their likes and dislikes are written on their faces, it is difficult to ask them to help again.

"Is there really nothing there can be done?"

"Everyone who can think of this official has already thought that selling the watermelon is not the way to do it, if the watermelon in Chang'an can also cause a sensation like when Taiyuan was at the beginning, then we don't have to take the initiative to come to the door, Honglu Temple will also rush to find us."

"It's just that Chang'an City is so big, I'm afraid that the two truckloads of watermelons we brought can't even turn over the waves, and I'm afraid it will be difficult to get what I want!"

Xiao Tong sighed softly, if it wasn't really that there was no way, why would he follow the example of the Tang Mansion to do this business?

People who don't have a backer really can't afford to be hurt!

Xiao Tong raised his feet and got into the carriage, Xiao Wan followed with a watermelon, and the group left Honglu Temple in disgrace.

Not long after they left, an official in thin clothes walked out of the main gate of Honglu Temple slowly, and inadvertently swept his eyes to the watermelon that was accidentally dropped by Xiao Wan at the left side door.

At this time, two handymen in charge of cleaning began to clean up the rotten melon on the ground, and half of the melon skin and melon pulp were swept into the sewage bucket by them.

"Watermelon, sure enough, it's watermelon!" Without taking care of the two miscellaneous servants, the chief officer squatted directly on the ground, picked up a piece of watermelon that was not stained with too much dust in both hands and looked at it carefully in front of him, and muttered in his mouth: "The flesh is red and green, crisp and moist, how can there be such a fresh watermelon in Chang'an?" ”

"Where did this watermelon come from?!" The Lord Bo turned his head and asked loudly to the two handymen.

The handyman pointed to the inside of the side door, and said respectfully: "It seems to have been brought out from Wang Zuo, and the little ones saw that the things fell to the ground and no one picked them up, so they came over and prepared to clean up the ......."

"Wang Lin?" The chief official was stunned for a moment, and then stood up with a happy face, and walked quickly to the inside of the side door with the rotten melon in his hand. (To be continued......)