After Li Zheng and the others visited Mrs. Tan, Mrs. Tan couldn't rest assured that these two disciples were relieved, and on this day, she took the finished pastries and prepared some things, and took Tan Yin Honeysuckle to visit the two.

Li Zhengxi eats jujube cakes, Tan Yin has been busy since yesterday, glutinous rice flour soaked all night, the dates are also cooked, the core is removed, the mat outside is afraid of trouble and does not peel, Tan Yin also went to the skin, mashed into puree, got up early this morning, and made cakes in the kitchen with honeysuckle.

Tan Yin placed the rice cakes in front of the stove, her eyes couldn't open for a while, and the beads of sweat flowed down her black sideburns, and her hands were not idle, so Honeysuckle stepped forward to wipe her sweat.

After honeysuckle saw that his girl was busy, the son of the Li family got up early in the morning and ran around the city to buy Xue Meiniang for the girl, and Tan Yin made jujube cake by herself, and the two really had a relationship.

It was a cloudy day, but it rained halfway through, and when we reached the east of the city, the rain became heavier and heavier, like pouring beans.

The houses in the Liujia Hutong are one after another, the alleys are narrow, the carriage has to stop outside, and the honeysuckle holds an umbrella to pick up the lady and the girl, and the attendants of the Lu family accompany a few people to ask people all the way to find it.

The alley was muddy, and after a while, Tan Yin's embroidered peony satin shoes that Tan Yin had specially changed in the morning were wet and dirty, and her skirt was also covered with mud. The road was littered with garbage, foul-smelling feces, urine, fruit peels, vegetables, and even dead wild dogs and wild cats.

After walking for about a quarter of an hour, he finally found a place to live, and Li Zheng and Zhang Zi were waiting outside the door early in the morning to greet them.

In the courtyard of the second entrance, there are more than ten rooms in total, except for the three rooms where the main family lives, the rest are rented to all kinds of people, some are doing small business, some are working as men in nearby shops, some are coming to Beijing to do business, and there are these poor scholars who came to Beijing to catch the exam, Li Zheng Zhang Ziqing rented one of them, and when he came in along the way, he could still hear the crying of children.

When I entered the room, in addition to the two beds, there were two tables with many books on them, and there was almost no place to stay, but fortunately, the room was clean. It's just that the corner of the house is leaking a little rain, and I am using a basin to catch it, only to hear the rain dripping down.

Li Zheng dragged out a few stools, beckoned a few people to sit down, and asked the rest to sit directly on the edge of the bed, and then went to dial the charcoal basin for the fire to make the fire burn more vigorously.

Mrs. Tan saw that this place was so simple, and sighed in her heart, knowing that it was not easy to live in the capital, both of them were from poor families, especially Li Zheng was even more bitter, even though he was already a lifter, he already had a fortune, this time he came to Beijing, Tan Jun also funded the two of them to tattoo a hundred taels of silver, but it cost a lot to make friends in the capital.

"It's hard for you to study here! How are you two eating? But you can get used to it. Mrs. Tan asked.

"Back to my wife, although there is a kitchen for everyone, we don't burn much, basically take the host's food, I wasn't used to it at first, but it was okay later."

"I've brought your favorite jujube cake, you can try it while it's hot." Tan Yin said.

Li Zheng has been peeking at her since Tan Yin came in, and he was a little embarrassed in front of Mrs. Tan, seeing that she took out the jujube cake, sandwiched a piece and put it in her mouth, the familiar taste, remembering that she often made it for herself when she was in Wujiang, and her heart was very sweet.

After chatting for a while, they knew that the two had already gotten acquainted with some officials and scholars, and one of the Suzhou officials had promised to recommend them and help them introduce other officials.

After a while, it was almost noon, and Mrs. Tan said, "Ziqing, you take me to the kitchen, and I will cook at noon to treat your stomachs." ”

Mrs. Tan took the others to leave to cook, leaving only Li Zheng and Tan Yin, and Tan Yin understood that this was her mother who let the two of them talk more alone.

Since leaving their hometown of Wujiang for a year, the two have only met once, although there are letters to know some information, but in the end it is inconvenient to communicate and the words are not smooth.

Li Zheng looked at her mud-stained skirt and wet shoes, and said embarrassedly: "Ayin, this place is simple, but I have wronged you." ”

Tan Yin saw him staring at his shoes, his feet shrunk, and he retreated into his skirt, "What grievances do I have, you have lived for so long, I have been wronged for a while!" ”

Li Zheng smiled and looked at his sweetheart in front of him, "Ayin, I want you to live a good life, but I can't wronged you like this." ”

"I'm not a young lady, I'm just a country girl, I have hands and feet, and I can't live any life."

The two complained to each other, their hearts were connected, and they were indescribably happy and satisfied.

"Ru Cheng, do you like Shangjing?"

"Of course, this is the center of the empire, the place of the best and the best of the world. I told you last time that there were many gatherings in Beijing, and I often had a sense of enlightenment and enlightenment in politics, literature, and entertainment, and I often had the feeling of being enlightened and enlightened, just like countless famous teachers leading the way, in less than half a year, I have made a lot of progress in my studies. Li Zheng was very excited, he was steady and old, and it was very rare to see such a look.

"Ayin, what about you?"

Tan Yin looked at Li Zheng, who was so excited, and said: "I've only been here for ten days, how can I feel anything, I just think that Shangjing is so big, bigger than Hangzhou, full of people and shops, very crowded and lively, different from my hometown." ”

"Ayin, I know you are homesick, but it is unlikely that we will live in our hometown in the future, and we may only be able to return to our hometown when we are old."

Tan Yin was stunned, she had never thought about this problem, deep down she always thought that Li Zheng would grow old with her in her hometown, and never thought of staying away from her hometown.

Li Zheng saw her confused appearance and said, "Ayin is not afraid, there is me!" ”

Tan Yin snorted and nodded slightly.

"Ayin, there are many people and things in the capital, and we will never see them in our hometown in our lifetime. Shangjing is the greatest city in the world. You can see the top talents and know what it means to gather the essence of heaven and earth; You can hear the most beautiful poems and articles, and know what it means to be not amazing and endless; You can see the best calligraphy and paintings, and know what it means to be like a dragon; You can hear the most beautiful songs, know what March is and don't know the taste of meat; You can eat the most delicious dishes and know what it means to feast; Many people have told me that living in Beijing is not in vain. ”

Seeing that Li Zheng was so excited, the corners of her mouth twitched slightly and smiled: "Why didn't you say that you could see the most beautiful girl?" ”

Li Zheng immediately blushed, "How can you be beautiful!" ”

"Looks like I've seen quite a bit!"

"Listen to me, some meetings are unavoidable, but I never let people accompany them, and I don't look at them." Li Zheng hurriedly argued.

Tan Yin looked at him tightly with a tense face and didn't say a word.

Li Zheng was anxious, "Ah Yin, you have to believe me, how dare I!" Besides, I have you, why do I want someone else to do it! ”

Tan Yin continued to look at him, didn't speak for a long time, and Li Zheng was so anxious that he sweated out.

Suddenly, Tan Yin burst out laughing, "Look at you're in a hurry." ”

"So you're kidding me." Li Zheng was angry and funny.

"Ayin, if I go to high school, I'm afraid I will be a petty official in Beijing first, and then there will be more money, I will take my mother over, and then rent a bigger house, and then I will propose to my master and wife, and we will get married in Beijing, you think this is good." Li Zheng said eagerly, staring at Tan Yin, not letting go of every expression on her face.

Tan Yin blushed, nodded and said, "I'll listen to you...... In fact, whether I am high or not, I can do as much as I want, I have a dowry, I know medicinal materials, and I can also help my female relatives see a doctor. ”

"I can't use your dowry, and I have to rely on you to make money to support my family, so am I still a man?"

"We're a family in the future, why don't you see me!"

Young men and women always have infinite longing and yearning for the future life, and the two of them enthusiastically imagine the future.

"I heard my eldest cousin say that there is also a small courtyard in the west of the city, the front and back yards can be planted with flowers and plants, the price is not too expensive, the outside is paved with bluestone bricks, it is very close to the Bowen Academy in the northwest of the city, there are many bookstores around, it is convenient for you to read books, and we will go there to rent it in the future!"

Li Zheng has always loved cleanliness, and there is no way to live in such a place where dirt is hidden.

"Okay, it's all up to you."

"Don't worry about money, this time I went to Hangzhou, my mother took me to meet the manager of the dowry shop, and my mother said that I would be a dowry in the future."

"With my money, we will save some flowers, it will definitely be enough, and you can keep your dowry and use it slowly."

"Mine is not yours."

Li Zheng stroked Tan Yin's side face with his hand, his skin was smooth and greasy, his face was red, and he smiled: "My good girl, there are many fashionable things in the capital, I have never heard of or seen these clothes, jewelry, and rouge gouache, your dowry buys more food and clothing, and you dress up beautifully, but you can't let the master and wife feel that I have treated them badly." Looking at the rose silver hairpin she gave her on her head, I remembered that the last time I went to Lufu, the maids wore gold and silver.

Tan Yin said coquettishly: "Then I will dress you up too, anyway, you look good in whatever you wear." ”

"Okay, it's all up to you, dressed so much that I can't even recognize my mother." Li Zheng said with a smile.

"By the way, will Auntie agree with us?" Tan Yin suddenly thought of Mother Li, like a basin of cold water suddenly poured on her head.

"My mother had a hard time, and she didn't want us to have a relationship before, but she was afraid that it would delay my future. Now that I have sought fame, you and I grew up as childhood sweethearts, and the master is my mentor, the two families know each other, and you are such a good girl, why should you object. Li Zheng said, when talking about a good girl, his face was narrow.

"Make you poor!" Tan Yin said angrily: "I'm just afraid that my aunt will dislike me." ”

"Mother knows my intentions, if you are more filial and considerate to her, she will not hinder the two of us." Li Zheng said firmly.

"Then what if she doesn't want to!"

"Then I will kneel and beg her until she agrees, my mother feels sorry for me and is reluctant."

Seeing that Li Zheng was so sure, Tan Yin also put her mind at ease, "Then I'll be with you!" ”

The two of them had made up their minds and clasped their hands.

Seeing that Mrs. Tan and her entourage had been gone for a long time, afraid that they would come back at any time, Li Zheng said: "By the way, you and I are both in Beijing, there are many people and many rules, no better than my hometown, it is not easy to meet." In the future, if you want to see me, let Honeysuckle tell me that we will go to Lanruo Temple in the west of the city, which is close to your aunt's house, and if you go to the incense and do not attract attention, if I want to see you, the same is true. ”

"Okay, I'll wait for you over there."

After a while, Mrs. Tan came back with Honeysuckle, and Zhang Ziqing, who didn't know where to run, also came back.

Put away the books on the table, and use the desk as a dining table, Mrs. Tan and Honeysuckle made a table of hometown dishes, smelling the fragrance of day and night, Li Zheng and Zhang Ziqing, who had been tossed by the diet in the capital for half a year, finally feasted.

Soak the dried whitebait from Taihu Lake brought from home, and the scrambled eggs of whitebait are tender and smooth. Salted white water fish is fragrant and chewy, and has always been the main dish of Taihu Lake farmers. The braised pork is bright red in color, rich in fragrance, fat but not greasy. The old hen soup has been simmering for a long time, so fresh that her eyebrows are about to fall off. Vinegared cabbage is sour and crispy. Li Zheng and Zhang Ziqing tasted the familiar taste, almost cried, and ate several bowls of rice.

After eating, the rain stopped, and Mrs. Tan and Li Zheng chatted alone for a while before leaving.

When I went back in the evening, the mother and daughter chatted for a long time, Tan Yin told her mother about Li Zheng's plan, Mrs. Tan also talked to Li Zheng today, and the mother and daughter were temporarily settled, waiting for the Beijing test to be announced.