Unveiling day.

Early morning.

Zhao Fu returned to his dilapidated home.

Zhao Fugui sat on a stone bench in his septuagenarian mother's house, with a steaming stove at his feet and a handful of dry wood underneath. He was holding an old and yellowed copy of "University" in his hand, and the corner of his eye looked at his mother's bed from time to time. The old man who came a few days ago said that his mother had a stomach problem and had to eat more than a dozen liquid foods a day. Especially when you wake up, you must immediately eat millet porridge that has been stewed for more than two hours. Zhao Fugui has forced himself to get up and stew millet porridge before the third watch for a few days, even though he is young and energetic, he can't help but doze off at this moment.

"Hmm...... Tomorrow when you enter the city lord's mansion, you must ask the city lord of Hezhe to send someone to settle down well!" "Thinking that he stood out in the weak crown test and was selected by the city lord as a secretary, it means that he is about to leave this family and his old mother, and he can't serve like this. Thinking of this, Zhao Fugui, who has never asked for help, had to make up his mind.

"Ahem......." Zhao Fugui hurriedly put down the book in his hand, and an old man on the bed, with a wrinkled face but not yet emaciated, struggled to get up, and grabbed Zhao Fugui's two big hands. His face, which was still a little ruddy, quickly turned pale after two coughs. Zhao Fugui gently patted his mother's back. He clumsily turned on the red-hot stove, but he had never done any of these things before, and he was addicted to the Four Books and Five Classics, which made this pot of porridge scorched. The old mother saw it, looked at her son with loving eyes, and said in a hoarse voice with difficulty: "Gui'er, it doesn't matter....... my mother's illness won't last a few days, I can live to see the people of our old Zhao family become big officials, and the good family that your sister married ....... content.......

Zhao Fugui put two spoonfuls of porridge in a small bowl and put it to his mouth and blew it gently. "Mother, don't say that. Tomorrow, as soon as I enter the Hefu, I will ask the city lord to arrange for the best Langzhong to treat you, and arrange the most thoughtful servants to serve you...... Don't say these frustrating words!"

The dazzling sunlight outside the window shone in and splashed on the old man's pale face without hesitation. She took a sip of porridge and began to dizzy as soon as the sun shone on her head, which has been the case since the onset a few days ago. "Mother's life, it's useless, when you're old, you still have stomach problems, which has dragged you and your sister for five or six years....... you are a scholar, my mother never dared to trouble you, but Zhao Yi was dragged down by me at a young age, fortunately, she married a good family, after you become an official, you must take care of their little two....... you must not let your sister and brother-in-law live a hard life again......."

In the cough, Zhao Fugui thought of his sister Zhao Yi, and he couldn't help but have mixed feelings in his heart. Since her mother contracted a stomach problem six years ago and could no longer support the family, Zhao Yi became the owner of the family. She got up early every day and was greedy for darkness, not only going to other people's houses to do farm work but also coming back to weave and sew clothes, but she never shouted a word of bitterness, and she did not complain about herself, the man in the family, because she firmly believed that her brother wanted to study and become an official and make a fortune. But watching my sister's original fair skin gradually fade, her delicate little hands grew many calluses, and her innocent smile was gradually crushed by the burden of life. Shame and guilt kept him speechless. Fortunately, a few months ago, a person surnamed Li fell in love with Zhao Yi, and the two met by chance at the market, when Li Chukuai beat up the gangsters who were stirring up trouble in Zhao Yi's cloth stall, and the two fell in love at first sight and soon became married. I heard that life is quite good, and sometimes I send money home. But in fact, there are very few quick catches, and Zhao Yi's monthly balance is just enough for Zhao Fugui and his mother's daily expenses. After his sister left, he had to take care of his mother, and his mother's condition deteriorated, and Zhao Fu knew the hardships of supporting his family, and he felt a thousand guilt for Zhao Yi.

"Mother, you still need to say this! Lao Li is hardworking and capable, upright, I will definitely recommend him to the city lord, and I will definitely let him be promoted! When the time comes, you and your sister will definitely be able to live a good life! You can put down your heart and recuperate!" Zhao Fugui comforted.

The old mother drank a small half bowl of porridge, and began to feel the same discomfort in her stomach as a few days ago, and could not speak, but looked at her son lovingly.

"The medicine is almost ready, I'll go out and get it. Zhao Fugui said, took out a few firewood at the bottom of the stove that had not been burned to ashes, put it aside, and put the remaining millet porridge in a corner. The mother's illness requires small, frequent meals and a high frequency of eating. He pushed open the door and was about to walk out, but found that there was a person standing at the door of his mother's room, followed by two Confucian scholars with extraordinary demeanor.

Zhao Fugui couldn't help frowning, but seeing that the other party's clothes didn't look like a vulgar philistine, he suppressed his anger and asked in a deep voice, "You broke into my door?"

The young man at the head smiled gracefully, took the bamboo basket held by one person behind him, stuffed it into Zhao Fugui's hand and said: "Zhao Gongzi don't need to panic, Xiaosheng's surname is Liu Jingfan, and the word is Jing." Xiaosheng's brother-in-law is Qiao Xuebin, who competed for a seat with Gao Li Gongzi in the official examination, Gongzi should have heard of it, right?"

Zhao Fugui breathed a sigh of relief, looked at the two people behind Liu Jingfan, both holding two bamboo baskets in their hands, and maybe they would take out two gold bars from them in a while. He had seen Qiao Xuebin's poems and essays, and at that time, he only felt that his thinking was very agile and his thinking was very deep, but he was a little deficient in the details. It's just that Qiao Xuebin was dressed mediocre at the beginning, and Zhao Fugui always thought that he was born in cloth. But today, it seems that this Qiao Gongzi is probably a businessman's son, but he is just trying to cater to him, pretending to be unpretentious and looking down on fame and fortune. Thinking of this, Zhao Fugui glanced at Liu Jingfan with some contempt, "Master Qiao has performed so well, and the official will definitely not be smaller than Zhao." How dare Zhao accept a gift from Lord Qiao? Lord Qiao must also be born in cloth clothes, but with a romantic figure like you around him, he must also be a person in the business world to have such bright clothes, right? Shinong and industrialist, in the end, there is still a difference, this gift Zhao can't accept. ”

Liu Jingfan listened to Zhao Fugui's words, and knew that he didn't know that there was a new family called the Qiao family, and he was also very dissatisfied with his rude behavior of breaking into the house just now, so he had to smile and say, "Zhao Gongzi misunderstood." Master Qiao was born in the Jianzhu Qiao family, not in cloth clothes. ”

Zhao Fugui was taken aback when he heard this--"Jianzhu Qiao Family," when did they have a family? Could it be that they were lonely and unheard? It is impossible! Although he has the Confucian scriptures in his hand every day, he also knows quite a bit about the affairs of this side of the world......

"Zhao Gongzi, our family only entered the ranks of the family five years ago, and it is not surprising that you don't know. But you must know that six years ago, the crown prince visited Heishui City, Lord Qiao Zhenglang, and now General Pei's henchmen and staff members sacrificed their lives to save the son of the prince's favorite concubine Concubine Liang in the Wanxing Lake. ”

Qiao Zhenglang ...... Qiao Zhenglang. Yes, Zhao knows this. It turns out that you are the newly established family back then? Zhao is lonely and unheard, and he is offended. After Zhao Fugui understood, he sincerely apologized.

Zhao Gongzi said seriously. But you actually mention it like this, you know that our Jianzhu Qiao family is also quite well-informed!" Liu Jingfan said with a smile, and then hugged his fists and said: "Just now, I didn't wait for the etiquette to be careful, and I actually trespassed into Zhao Gongzi's house, in fact, I don't want to delay your time to serve Lingtang." You are the first talent in the weak crown test, and you can even be selected as an official by the city lord on an exception. Since our Qiao family is a family, we have admired your literary talent for a long time, and I ask Zhao Gongzi to accept it. ”

"It's troublesome to Liu Gongzi, Zhao is better to be respectful, and ask Liu Gongzi to say hello to Qiao Lao on my behalf. Zhao Fugui stood solemnly, gave Liu Jingfan a flat thank you gift, and agreed. There's nothing to excuse in the first place. Zhao Fugui also made a small calculation in his heart - after the conference tried, the power of Blackwater City was bound to be redistributed to a considerable extent, if he was poached by those big families who were not too much more than you, and how could he show his ambitions? Moreover, the relationship between the Qiao family and the crown prince was extraordinary, and the opportunity for him to show his strength in the future would also be greatly increased...... Just as he was thinking about these ideas, the old mother's cough happened to come into his ears, and Zhao Fugui hurriedly said, "Can you wait here for a while?" Zhao still needs to ......." But Liu Jingfan stretched out his hand to block his gaze on the medicine stove on the ground, Liu Jingfan smiled gently: "Among the medicines prescribed by Lang Zhong, the locust leaves are the main medicine, right?"

Zhao Fugui looked at Liu Jingfan in surprise, "That's right, where did Liu Gongzi know?"

"Zhao Gongzi might as well take a look at what is in his hand first, and then consider whether the medicine prescribed by Tulang, who doesn't know a few big characters, is reliable, or the meeting gift given to you by the Qiao family. ”

Zhao Fugui glanced at the basket, and immediately shouted: "This ....... such a good oriental ginseng!"

"And that's not all. Lingtang has been plagued by stomach cold all year round, and this batch of oriental ginseng has been stuffed with the power of yin fire blessed by the masters, which has a peculiar effect of keeping out the cold. There are also multi-flavor adjuvants in this basket and a recipe I listed, Zhao Gongzi will decoct Lingtang according to my formula, three meals a day as usual, avoid spicy food, I dare to guarantee that Lingtang's condition will get better in January!"

Zhao Fugui trembled and held the piece of oriental ginseng soaked in essence everywhere in his hand, and he was almost about to cry in front of Liu Jingfan. He made a strange gesture with both hands, which was a humble thank-giving ceremony in the Blackwater Etiquette, a courtesy of showing gratitude from the bottom to the top. "Liu Gongzi is so kind, how can Zhao repay him!"

Liu Jing stepped forward to hold his hand and said, "Zhao Gongzi, don't say that." You are a genius in the sky, how can you delay your future for such trivial things as firewood, rice, oil, and salt? Our Qiao family is just doing a favor, but we all think that you don't have to worry about Lingtang's illness, we all want to have one more good official in Blackwater City and one more good official in Qinshan Kingdom!"

Zhao Fugui nodded again and again, and Liu Jingfan said again: "Zhao Gongzi doesn't have to worry about Lingtang, the prescription in this furnace has already been changed by me." This oriental ginseng is as strong as fire, and as soon as the martial fire is boiled, the effect will be immediately opened, and it can be sent to Lingtang in the time of a cup of tea!"

Zhao Fugui was grateful for a thousand thanks, but every sentence came from the heart. After calming down his excitement, he asked, "Brother Liu, how did you know about my mother's stomach cold?"

Liu Jingfan sighed when he heard this, and said slowly: "Ling Tang's disease, when we were still civilians in cloth clothes, we were doing business in the barbarians, stuffed with bitter cold, we ordinary people often couldn't bear it, and there were many people who got Ling Tang's disease. ”

"That'...... Is there any hope for a cure for this disease?"

Liu Jingfan shook his head, "This ....... can only be said to be powerless with the current ability of our Qiao family." ”

After that, Liu Jingfan took a bamboo basket from the hand of a person behind him and handed it to Zhao Fugui, who didn't dare to slack off and hurriedly took it.

"Zhao Gongzi, you are a weak crown and try to take off as an official in one fell swoop. Although the official position may be smaller than that of many people who are selected by the official examination, looking to the future, your future must be the brightest among this group of newcomers. My brother-in-law has a strange personality, and I am afraid that he will offend some people from time to time. Although he is twenty-eight or nineteen years old, he is still a child's temper. In the future, you will have many more chances of promotion than others, and please give him a hand when the time comes. Although he is not well received in doing things, he still has some ability and ambition. ”

Zhao Fugui nodded: "Lord Qiao Xuebin's talent, Zhao has also seen it." Don't worry, with his ability, even if I don't say it, the city lord will definitely be able to see it!"

"Zhao Gongzi is so refreshing, then please look at this gift, are you still satisfied?"

Zhao Fugui followed Liu Jingfan's instructions, put his left hand into the bamboo basket, and carefully used his fingertips to pull out a long coral with a strange style and dazzling brilliance.

Countless beautiful words rippled in Zhao Fugui's heart, listening to Liu Jingfan's slow introduction, he carefully looked at this ingenious coral. - "This is a tributary of the lower reaches of the Longmen Canal in the imperial capital, and the name is the long coral produced in the Yuelong River. The Yue Long River is connected to the open sea, and many exotic animals have appeared in Hanoi. The climate along the Yuelong River is like spring all year round, which promotes the formation of corals. Long coral is a specialty of the Yuelong River, with a history of 500 years, and its characteristics are ......."

"Ahh......h This ......."

Zhao Fugui pointed to a small dragon-shaped golden seal at the end of the long coral, and was speechless in shock.

"Liu Jingfan, this is the prince's thing!"

Liu Jingfan's voice was slightly deep: "Brother Zhao, the prince has always been good friends with my Qiao family, is there anything abnormal with him giving us gifts?"

"But ....... you dare to give the prince's things to others? This, this is a great crime of disrespect! If this matter spreads, you and I will know the consequences!"

Looking at the indignant Zhao Fugui, Liu Jingfan's face sank a little.

.......

A quarter of an hour later, Liu Jingfan and the two servants behind him walked out of the dilapidated gate where Zhao Fu returned home, and Liu Jingfan's face was cloudy.

Walking on the blazing path illuminated by the morning light, Liu Jingfan suddenly stretched out his hand to the person behind him, "Bring me another one to see." ”

There was the sound of a basket flipping. After a while, the servant, dressed as a Confucian student, trembled and said, "Childe, another dragon Hushan...... Gone......."

"What!" Liu Jingfan turned his head and immediately raised his slap and glared at the servant. I saw the servant trembling and took out a piece of paper from the bamboo basket and handed it to him.

"Since this dragon Hushan is originally to flow to the wind, why take two of them with you?"

Signed by Qiao Liangyan.

"Damn! Last night, my brother-in-law also told me that I was afraid that Zhao Fugui would not accept the prince's things! Today, Liangyan will play such a game for me again? It won't be these two guys who will work together to fuck me!"

Liu Jingfan glanced at a stone house not far away, which was Xiang Liufeng's home, which was quite close to Zhao Fugui's home, and the house was at least a little bigger than Zhao Fugui's home. There is also a small vegetable garden in front of the door, planted with some peppers.