Li You got off the boat, and then remembered that his palanquin and entourage had been sent away by him, and he didn't find the palanquin and boatman nearby. In desperation, the inspector had to walk on his own legs.

He wants to go back to Xishui Town, because he can't even stay in the county seat. The cloud girl is certainly attractive, but compared to being caught between two sides and not being a person, and possibly provoking Master Chen, it is more important to have her own future, and go back to the inspection department to avoid these things.

When Li You arrived at home, he alarmed his father, who was already asleep, and he stopped Li You in the atrium in his coat. Li You confessed: "I don't want to disturb my father." ”

Father Li said: "Okay, I have ordered it, and you will call me when you come back." Originally, I sent someone to the county to call you home, but I heard that you were fortunate to be left by the Tongzhi master of Wupin to invite you to eat and drink, and even the county Cheng didn't have this face that week. ”

Li You, who was rarely praised by his father, smiled bitterly in his heart, is this wine so delicious? But there is no need to mention these useless things in front of his family, Li You showed off and said: "That is, now I am much better in the county than Zhou County, and I am much stronger than your father." ”

Father Li's face was proud, and he stroked his beard and said, "It's worthy of my son." How many tens of thousands of people in the county, Tongzhi Master only invites you to eat and drink on the boat, and I heard that there are good women to accompany you, so close to not avoid suspicion, I must be very familiar with the Lord Wupin. ”

In order to satisfy his father's vanity and provide his father with a topic of bragging among the neighbors, Li You continued: "It's not my son who brags, but the same master who also asks me, and my son thinks it's no good, so he won't do it for him." ”

Li Zhutou, who has knelt for officials all his life, feels honored and smiles with his old face. "My son is really capable." He said: "There is another thing I almost forgot to mention, the one named Li Zheng in the next room, thanks to your blessing, I have passed the exam in the county, and I should go to Fucheng to continue the exam in August. ”

What the? Go and ask Lord Wang? I thought that I didn't have any handle to ask Wang Tongzhi, so I came to such an accident... Isn't it equivalent to going to the old man to ask the king for a sheep in the mouth of a tiger? Li You suddenly exclaimed: "No! ”

It turned out that his cheap nephew Li was about to take the Xiucai exam, and the county tried it in the first half of the year. In the second half of the year, the prefectural examination in August and the prefectural examination in September were all held in the prefectural city, and it was time to see it.

Hearing Li You's refusal, Father Li was puzzled: "It couldn't be easier for Master Tongzhi to test for a place, a small favor, and some gifts, he shouldn't have any reason not to help you." Why don't you go and ask him? ”

A simple favor in exchange for a big problem that may cause Chen Zhixian is a loss, no matter how you look at it, it will be a loss. Li You refused again: "It's true that you can't ask him, my son has his own reasons." ”

"Today, the old patriarch came to the house to talk about this and ask you what you do."

Li You hurriedly lowered his body and self-deprecating: "Son, I, a small standby acting inspector, am humble and ant in the officialdom, even if I hold a position, I am a real Jiupin Sesame Official." Where there is a doorway. The Nafu test is a joint test for the children of the entire Suzhou Prefecture, and there are many people with backgrounds and talents, how can the son be able to sustain it. ”

Father Li nodded and said, "I said the same thing, back to the patriarch." But then I learned that you got on the boat of the same master to eat and drink together, so I thought, it's just a government test, and it's not just a matter of directly appreciating a talent, and it's not a matter of saying a word to the same master. So I'm going to the old patriarch again..."

"You still received money from others?" Li You suddenly interjected and asked.

Father Li subconsciously said: "Ah, if you don't say it, I forgot to... Bastard boy! You have to push back on a small matter, and you don't recognize your six relatives as an official, how can there be such a truth in the world! Li Zheng's examination of talent is a major event for my Li family, how can you be so ignorant! How much money you need will naturally be made up by the clan, what kind of heart do you have. ”

Li You said: "It's not about money. It may be possible to spend a penny, but you have to owe a favor that is difficult to repay. ”

Father Li said angrily: "Wouldn't it be better if you don't spend money!" I have already agreed to the request of the old patriarch, you will excuse me left and right, and teach me where to put face in the clan? ”

Li's father used to be a servant and a head catcher, and he dealt with the common people a lot, and he paid attention to the simple sale of a hammer that paid money with one hand and delivered with the other, and he didn't understand the mentality of not talking about money in the officialdom, and he didn't know how much he owed favors, and he felt that he owed favors as if he was helping his relatives.

Don't talk about money, it looks very simple and has no cost, but the consequences may be more troublesome, in officialdom, owing favors is often more serious than owing money, at least the money is easy to borrow and there is a quantity, but how to calculate favors?

Inspector Li and his father really couldn't make sense of this problem, and they couldn't stand it at home by this retired head catcher, so they left in one go, planning to go to the inspection department to sleep, but there was another surprising incident.

However, he said that the scribe on duty tonight in the inspection department was the scribe Guan, and he comfortably poured himself a drink in the class room, drank some wine, and put a few side dishes on the table, and ate it openly. In the middle of the night, when he was at ease, he suddenly saw Li You break in, he was so shocked that he opened his mouth and forgot to close, the beans fell out of his mouth, and the hand holding the chopsticks trembled slightly, and he didn't know what to be nervous about.

Li You looked at the official tone and said, "Oh, tonight is your night duty, do a good job." Just drink to refresh yourself, don't make mistakes. He muttered in his heart that this person's surname was unstable and unbearable, and he trembled with fright when he saw the official suddenly check the post.

Nodding again, he said, "I'll go to sleep in the back, there is something important to wake me up." ”

Guan Shuyi watched Li You's figure disappear into the backyard, and then let out a long breath and relaxed and sat down again.

Over there, Li You entered the bedroom, and the handyman lit a candle and went out. Li You sat down and looked around, the bedding was complete, and when he was about to go to bed, he suddenly remembered a question: "These pillows and quilts will not be left by the old man..."

Thinking of this, Li You was reluctant to strip and go to bed. Sitting bored, he went back to the front yard.

However, he said that the scribe Guan continued to eat and drink, and the black shadow in front of him flickered, and he saw Li Xunjian appear, and he was frightened again, and the chopsticks in his hand fell on the table unconsciously.

Li You became suspicious, these years in the official government, is there such a poor psychological quality? sat quietly opposite Guan Shuren, and joked: "Could it be that there is a thunder that is deafening and alarming Guan Hero?" ”

"No, no, no. I saw that the adults were like city gods patrolling at night, and the gods were majestic, how could their subordinates not be shocked! The scribe came to his senses and said busily.

Is this a very special compliment from you? Li You was so amused that he almost couldn't help laughing, so he chatted with the scribe Guan. Suddenly remembered the conspiracy of the big fish in the silk weaving industry to eat the small fish that I learned about today, how to take a bite of it but didn't have a clue, and asked casually: "Does the scribe know how to run a business?" ”

Guan Shushu arched his hand and said: "My lord asked, and my subordinates have a little experience about this." ”

Li You just said it casually, but he didn't expect this Guan scribe to dare to say it according to his words.

"This business pays attention to three points, wealth, power, and people. Wealth is the capital of wealth, power is power, and people are talents. Running a business depends on how much wealth, how strong you are, and how many people you have. ”

It sounds a bit interesting, Li You compares his situation in his heart, and it is a bit in the county, but there is no money, and there are no people. He asked, "Do you have to have all three of these things in order?" ”

"Not necessarily. In the past, it was said that the king of Zhou had two thirds of the world and achieved great achievements; The Three Kingdoms Wei and Jin Dynasty are also two-thirds pattern, which can unify the country. It can be seen that there are two of the three points, but not all three points are not necessarily complete. Can't you recruit people if you have money and power? Can't the powerful still borrow money? If you have money, can't someone buy it? ”

Li You listened to the freshness and boasted: "I didn't expect that what you learned in your chest is a bit interesting, so let's talk about it in detail." ”

Guan Shushu didn't care about being proud, looked at the hour and said, "It's late at night, please go to sleep, adults." It's good for the subordinates to be on duty here for the night, and the subordinates must say it in detail if they are free, so don't let the adults have to rest tonight. ”

Li You's suspicions rose again, there must be something wrong with this Guan scribe, he deliberately rubbed his feet and didn't leave, and the anxious Guan scribe's heart was like an ant in a hot pot.

Seeing that the fourth watch was more than halfway, suddenly the door ran into the class room and shouted: "There is an eyeliner to report, someone at the dock is transporting smuggled salt!" That's about a thousand pounds! ”

Li You took the case, but he didn't ask the doorman, and directly turned his head to the Guan scribe and shouted: "What's the matter!" "Judging by his performance tonight, it must have something to do with him!