"Dad, don't blame me. ”

Li Beixiang said secretly.

"Little Xianggong, who are you?"

Wang Chaoyang looked at Li Beixiang with a sluggish expression, and he didn't know what to do for a while.

"Alas, there is a chance that life is unsatisfactory, that person will not meet some ditches and bumps in his life, just get through it, life will go on, there is no need to keep dwelling on the past. ”

Wang Chaoyang sighed, stood up, and gently patted Li Beixiang's shoulder.

"Old parents, my heart is bitter. Woooooooo

Li Beixiang covered his face, pretending to cry, and from time to time secretly looked at Wang Chaoyang through his fingers.

"My lord, the meal is here. ”

A sharp shout sounded, and I saw Zhao Sanwa running in like the wind.

"My lord, these are all Wenxianglou's signature dishes. It cost a lot of money to the villain, you see......"

Zhao Sanwa was holding a huge food box in her hand, bending over, her eyes gurgling.

"I knew you were going to do this, okay, let's go through the public account as before. ”

Wang Chaoyang took the food box from Zhao Sanwa's hand, then waved his hand and said in a low voice.

"Come on, my lord, the price of Wenxianglou has increased this time, and this table of meals has cost ten taels of silver!"

Zhao Sanwa bowed and slowly retreated.

"Greedy!"

After Zhao Sanwa disappeared completely, Wang Chaoyang looked at the direction in which Zhao Sanwa disappeared and scolded secretly.

"Old parents, what are you?"

At this time, Li Beixiang put away his posture just now, after all, pretending to cry is not a good errand.

"Are you okay?"

Wang Chaoyang stopped and looked at Li Beixiang.

"Back to my old parents, listening to your words is better than reading for ten years. I figured it out that life should not only dwell on the past, but also look forward. ”

Li Beixiang said calmly.

"Haha, that's good, that's good. It's like a reader. ”

Wang Chaoyang immediately held his beard and laughed.

"Old parents, you ...... just now"

Li Beixiang looked at Wang Chaoyang with some curiosity, it stands to reason that they are all in the same yamen, then Zhao Sanwa is on an errand under Wang Chaoyang, even if the relationship between the two is not good, but Wang Chaoyang doesn't need to be one thing in front of him and one thing behind him, right? Besides, if Wang Chaoyang is dissatisfied with Zhao Sanwa, he can take action to rectify him, there is no need to curse him like this, right?

"Alas, you don't understand, you don't understand. ”

Wang Chaoyang shook his head and sighed helplessly.

"Everyone says it's good to be an official, but I think it's just like that. ”

"Oh, how can you say it? Isn't it good to be an official? In this county, you can be regarded as the emperor of the soil, and you have the final say on everything, what's wrong with this? Bailizai, how many people envy it. ”

Li Beixiang took out a pot of wine from the food box and poured a glass for Wang Chaoyang first.

"Old parents, please!"

Li Beixiang picked up the wine and toasted.

"Please!"

Wang Chaoyang gently touched Li Beixiang, then covered his mouth with his sleeve and drank it all.

"Good wine!"

Wang Chaoyang put it down and praised.

"Alas, life is unpredictable. Although this county order is called Baili Zai, only I know the difficulties in it. ”

Wang Chaoyang held his beard, looked into the distance, and said melancholy.

"When I saw the emperor in the Jinluan Palace, I thought that I must benefit the people. Oh, but what about it, when I came to the place, I realized the difficulty. These local officials and officials are all passed down from father to son, son to grandson, and from generation to generation. Among them, all kinds of intermarriage, all kinds of entanglements. Over the centuries, the relationships have been intertwined. ”

"Don't look at them as just small officials, but they still have a lot of energy. There is a sentence called Ningja scarlet robe first auxiliary officer, Mozhao County Ya a small official. What do you think?"

Wang Chaoyang half-squinted his eyes and looked at Li Beixiang.

"Oh?

Li Beixiang put down the chopsticks in his hand and looked at Wang Chaoyang.

"Haha, there are so many doorways in here. Those petty officials belong to the lowly nationality and cannot take the imperial examination. If they can't pass the imperial examination, then they can only be a small official in this life, and they will not be rich and expensive in their lifetime. Moreover, it has been like this for generations, and there is no chance of promotion. But it is precisely because of this that these petty officials died of the heart of promotion and turned to make money. Fishing desperately, don't care if you can spend it or not, just catch it anyway. Some small officials who have been inherited for a long time have no less wealth in their families than a first-class official. It's just that you can't see it from the outside. ”

Wang Chaoyang explained carefully.

"But what does that have to do with that?"

Li Beixiang was puzzled and looked at Wang Chaoyang.

To be honest, Li Bei is also in a state of confusion now, does this money have anything to do with the previous sentence?

"Haha, haven't you understood the Tao here?"

Wang Chaoyang laughed, pointed at Li Beixiang, and laughed.

"How long does a function stay in one place? It means five or six years to die, and after five or six years, it will be transferred. But what about these little officials? They won't be transferred, they'll keep working until they can't do it anymore. If you think about it, after offending an official, as long as you hold on for five or six years, there is no. But what if you offend the little official? Then it's completely over. Also, this little official has always only done one job, and he has been doing it for generations. Think about it, if I don't have a good relationship with them, do you think I can be so secure? Just find me something to do, it's enough for me to be anxious. ”

Wang Chaoyang picked up a peanut and threw it into his mouth.

"But, before that, the old parents said that he was greedy, what is this?"

Li Beixiang picked up a piece of pork, put it in Wang Chaoyang's bowl, and poured him full of wine.

"These little officials don't have any other skills, they just like to be greedy for money. How much are these drinks worth? Five taels of silver to death, but he asked me for ten taels of silver. Besides, why should I pay these ten taels of silver, my annual salary is only more than 100 taels of silver, and this meal is equivalent to my month's salary, why should I pay it?"

Wang Chaoyang drank wine and said slowly.

"This Huaiyang County is poor, very poor. There is nothing, there are no crops in heaven and earth, and the people do not have enough to eat, but they still have to pay taxes. If you think about it, isn't this the life of those people? But what can I do? What can I do? These taxes are set by them, and they can't do anything less. I also want the people not to pay, but I really can't do it. Those wealthy businessmen did not pay a penny of silver, and all the taxes fell on the heads of the ordinary people. Alas, the way of the world. ”

Wang Chaoyang was drunk, he put down his chopsticks, pointed to the east, and scolded.

"The emperor is framed in the high imperial city, and what the emperor hears every day is bullshit such as good weather and the well-being of the people. How many words of the real words reached the ears of the emperor? Those people controlled the imperial history of the science and the affairs of the science and the province, and they were not used to seeing who impeached whom. How does the emperor know which one is loyal and which is the traitor? Isn't it all based on the mouths of those people? When they meet a shrewd emperor, their tricks may not be very effective, but when they meet an emperor who does nothing, that impeachment is accurate. Those who are impeached will lose their official positions at least and lose their lives at worst. Over the years, I don't know how many loyal generals have died at the hands of those people. Alas, the world is declining, people's hearts are not ancient, traitors are in charge, and the sun and moon are dark. ”

When Wang Chaoyang said this, he suddenly lay on the table and cried bitterly.

"A few years ago, the emperor didn't know who he was bewitched, and he actually wanted to become an immortal by alchemy. Hehe, for the sake of alchemy, the taxes are constantly increased, and the people don't care about the life or death of the people. This is not the end, the savages in the north broke through the pass in February this year and plundered 3,000 miles, and my north is erosive for thousands of miles. But what about the emperor? Sitting in the palace and talking about the scriptures, I don't know if the emperor really doesn't care or doesn't know about it at all. ”

Wang Chaoyang held back the words in his heart, and there was usually no one to confide in, but now he finally met a scholar, and the words in his stomach were like pouring beans from a bamboo tube, and he said them all.

After so many years in Huaiyang County, Wang Chaoyang has long seen it, and the current court is full of black smoke and miasma, even if his words are heard by those people today, there is nothing they can do. He was already the county commander of the poorest county in the entire Huayang Empire, where else could they demote themselves? Could they still kill themselves?

Wang Chaoyang pointed to the east and said indignantly.

"This world, those officials, are either flattering others or flattering others. ”

Wang Chaoyang sighed.

"Old parents, you're drunk. ”

Li Beixiang put down his wine glass and said softly.

"Come on, help the adults to go back to the room and pay attention. ”

Li Beixiang shouted into the courtyard.

"It's coming!"

A man who looked like a butler ran over.

"My lord, go back to your room and rest. ”

The housekeeper helped Wang Chaoyang up and slowly walked towards the house.

"Lao Wang, you can arrange a place for the little minister. ”

Wang Chaoyang pointed to Li Beixiang and said to the housekeeper.

............

There was no word for the night, and the sun rose the next day.

"The little minister got up quite early. ”

Wang Chaoyang was boxing in the courtyard when he suddenly saw Li Beixiang stretching out of the room.

"I've seen my old parents, but I didn't expect my old parents to know how to box. ”

Li Bei arched his hand.

"What kind of boxing is this, it's just exercise. ”

Wang Chaoyang put away his fists, casually took the towel on the table next to him, and wiped his face.

"I forgot to tell you something yesterday, but today I suddenly remembered. ”

Wang Chaoyang put down the towel in his hand and walked towards Li Beixiang.

"What?"

Li Beixiang was a little puzzled and looked at Wang Chaoyang.

"In fifteen days, it will be the continent test of the entire Yangzhou continent. You said you didn't have a reputation, so I thought you'd give it a try. ”

Wang Chaoyang looked at Li Beixiang's eyes and said in a deep voice.

"Continental test?"

Li Beixiang was a little puzzled, why did he let himself take the test of that continent, his ability to run half a bottle of water was not embarrassing enough.

"Yes, in previous years, in the entire sixteen counties of Yangzhou, only our Huayang County did not have any scholars to participate. If it is not this year, it is estimated that the entire Huaiyang County will not be able to do well. So, I want you to give it a try. ”

Wang Chaoyang said.

"Although you can only participate in the continental exam, it is not a big problem for me. Xiucai is generally the county exam, that is, to participate in the county exam, as long as it passes, it is Xiucai. But there have been no scholars in Huaiyang County for more than ten years, and the people here, who have a little bit of wealth, have gone to other places. There are only a few peasants left, and they can't read a single big character. Therefore, for so many years, Huaiyang County has not participated in the continental examination. Besides, only by passing the continental examination can you truly be called a scholar. Only by becoming a lifter can you further go to the Jinshi examination. ”

Wang Chaoyang put his hands behind his back, looked up to the sky and sighed.

"What do you mean by the old parents?"

Li Beixiang still doesn't quite understand, I haven't even passed the county exam, I haven't even been a showman, how can I participate in the continental exam? Could it be that the examiner of the continental exam and you are old acquaintances? As long as I say a word, I can pass the exam?

"Since you are the only scholar in our Huaiyang County, then you can be exempted from the exam, and I can directly point you to Xiucai. In this case, you can go to the continental exam. ”

Wang Chaoyang looked at Li Beixiang with a pair of bright eyes.

"Is that okay?"

Li Beixiang hesitated.

Isn't this a practice of favoritism? If this is discovered, won't it be the end?

"Haha, the old man is a county order, and the old man's words in Huaiyang County still have some weight. The old man said that you are a showman, then you are, and it is not the turn of others to intervene. ”

Wang Chaoyang looked up to the sky and smiled, unquestionablely.

"Well, but my level is really limited, if I fall off the list, won't it be a loss of face for my old parents?"

Li Beixiang didn't want to take the national test at all, he knew what level he had, and he was good at writing, but if he wrote an article, he would really be blind.

"It's okay, if you can't win, you can't win, as long as you go. ”

Wang Chaoyang patted Li Beixiang on the shoulder and encouraged.

"Oh well. ”

Wang Chaoyang has said everything about this, if he doesn't go, wouldn't he be a little ignorant. After all, people invited themselves to a meal yesterday, and besides, they are idle when they are idle, so it is better to go and have a look.

"Okay, that's it. Then the little minister will leave tomorrow. ”

Wang Chaoyang nodded with a smile.

"So fast?" Li Beixiang said in surprise.

"Our Huaiyang County is quite far away from Yangzhou, and the mountain road is rugged, so it is also appropriate to leave early. ”

............

The next day, Li Beixiang stood in the courtyard and listened to Wang Chaoyang speaking to the few officials and a few guards.

"Zhao Sanwa, you take these people and escort the little minister to Yangzhou City safely to participate in the continental exam, do you understand?"

"When are you leaving?"

Zhao Sanwa hunched her waist and said with a smile.

"Let's go today. ”

Wang Chaoyang said with a straight face.

"Okay, but this plate ...... entangled"

Zhao Sanwa's two eyes purred, and the last word was long.

"Go to the account and get it, well, just get thirty taels of silver." ”

"What thirty taels?

When Zhao Sanwa heard that it was thirty taels, her eyes immediately straightened.

This is thirty taels, and it costs about two or three silver to eat and live in a restaurant along the way, and if you come back, you only eat one meal a day, and it will cost you one or two silver to die. In addition to these, he still has more than 20 taels of silver left.

My God, that's more than twenty taels of silver!

Not only Zhao Sanwa, but even a guard behind him had his eyes green at this time.

"My lord, Zhao Sanwa can't let Zhao Sanwa carry this silver, if he is allowed to carry it, it is estimated that it will all fall into his pocket. ”

This is always called Li Sanfatg, a big man with a black face and a beard, and he speaks in an urn voice.

"And you mean to let you take it?"

Wang Chaoyang frowned slightly and looked at Li Sanfat.

"Li Sanpang, don't spew blood, what do you mean it fell into my pocket? We can't eat and live in a hotel along the way? These things don't cost money? Plus the little minister is here, can we make the little minister eat and live poorly? We can't arrange for good food and drink? This silver is not enough, I have to add it to it." Now that you are touching the skin of your mouth, what do you mean by falling into my pocket?"

Zhao Sanwa exploded in an instant, only to see that he was angry at this time, glaring at Li Sanpang, and looking like he would not give up.

"Ahem, let's do it, each of you will bring fifteen taels of silver, and how to distribute it along the way, you can discuss it yourself. ”

Wang Chaoyang thought for a while and came up with such a solution.

"Alright, you go down first. ”

Wang Chaoyang waved at those people, and after they all went out, he looked at Li Beixiang again, and at the same time said to the housekeeper: "You go and bring the thing I prepared." ”

"Yes, sir. ”

The butler then withdrew.

"I don't have to think about it to know that it will go into their pockets, but it won't work if you don't pay it, and if you don't, they won't go. After all, there are a lot of bandits and thieves along the way, and some more people are safer. ”

"Sir, here it is. ”

As he spoke, the butler came over with a plate.

There were four silver ingots on the plate.

"Here are eighty taels of silver, take it with you. Go to Yangzhou Zhou City to participate in the Zhou test, this is not good for no money, this hotel, food and everything costs money, plus in case of winning, the reward is also indispensable. So, take the money with you. ”

Wang Chaoyang picked up the silver ingot and put it in Li Beixiang's hand.

"It's unacceptable. ”

Li Beixiang pretended to be panicked and hurriedly refused.

"It's okay, I said you can take it. Although Huaiyang County is very poor, I am not poor. If you want to take it, you can take it, what is your mother-in-law doing?"

Wang Chaoyang feigned anger.

"Then I have to be respectful than obey. ”

Li Beixiang couldn't refuse, so he had to accept the silver.

............

"Little Xianggong, get in the car. Time to go. ”

Zhao Sanwa pulled a carriage and urged Li Beixiang.

"Old parents, go first. ”

Li Beixiang arched his hand at Wang Chaoyang, then turned around and walked towards Zhao Sanwa.

"Take care. ”

Wang Chaoyang stood at the gate of the county ya, looking at Li Beixiang who was slowly leaving in a carriage with a calm face.

"Next to the grass on the ancient green brick road, drink turbid wine to persuade the sunset.

I hope that you will have nothing to do this journey, and you will talk about love and righteousness tomorrow. ”

Wang Chaoyang looked at Li Beixiang, who was gradually leaving, and suddenly shouted: "Butler, bring wine." ”

"Wow, kick. ”

The butler walked like a fly, and quickly took out a pot of wine and two wine glasses from the county office.

As a person who has followed Wang Chaoyang for many years, the housekeeper certainly knows what Wang Chaoyang is thinking at this time.

"Good wine, bring a glass to the little minister. ”

Wang Chaoyang flipped over the two wine glasses, asked the housekeeper to pick up one of them, and sent it to Li Beixiang.

"Little minister, take care. ”

Wang Chaoyang raised his wine glass and looked at Li Beixiang.

Li Beixiang took the wine glass handed over by the butler and held it towards Wang Chaoyang.

"Little minister, drink this cup together. ”

Wang Chaoyang shouted loudly and toasted each other from afar.

"Let's drink this cup!"

Li Beixiang echoed, then tilted his head and drank the wine.

Wang Chaoyang looked at Li Beixiang, also tilted his head, and drank the wine.