Xucheng is located in the east of the capital, 500 miles away from Chang'an, that is, the city that has just passed. Now less than five miles out of the city, Xu Lang followed, which inevitably aroused suspicion.

"Since you are from Xucheng, why don't you look for companions in the city, but join me, a stranger?" Xue Ji asked suspiciously.

Xu Lang's face was a little embarrassed, and he replied stubbornly: "I was strapped for money at home, and my parents didn't allow me to take this road, so I insisted on leaving and escaped by myself, and now I don't even have a penny to entangle......

Telling people about the poverty of his family and begging for alms, he is already embarrassed, not to mention that he is a scholar with a very thin skin. It took a long time for him to say: "I saw that the son's car was spacious, so I wanted to ask the son to take a ride, and I will definitely repay the son's great kindness if I find a way into Beijing!" ”

Originally, it was not a difficult task, and Xue Ji was also happy to make friends and get to know scholars, but he was ...... Thinking about it, he looked at Shen Yurong on the side, a little hesitant.

Shen Yurong guessed a few points when he saw his expression, and leaned close to him and whispered: "If the husband is interested, just respond, it's always good to know more friends." ”

Seeing this, Xu Lang suddenly understood, slapped his forehead, and said: "I will definitely not exceed the courtesy, if the son doesn't like it, it's okay to sit outside the car with the coachman!" ”

Xue Ji's attention was not here, and he didn't continue with his words, thinking about it and asking: "There should be a lot of candidates in Xucheng, why do you fall in love with me if you don't go with your fellow villagers?" ”

Xu Lang looked embarrassed, scratched his head and said: "Those noble sons don't look down on me on weekdays, I pull their faces ...... them."

Before Xue Ji could answer, Shen Yurong couldn't help but laugh and said, "Then do you think my husband is poorer than them?" ”

"Not really, it's better to not know each other than to know each other."

Xu Lang's voice became smaller and smaller when he said this, and he just had the courage to test it, thinking that the two of them would not refuse him if they were born with kind eyebrows, but now it seems that it is difficult.

Xue Ji also understood when he heard it, he didn't want to lose face in front of acquaintances, it was normal for people. It's just that...... After looking at it carefully, there was a faint judgment in his heart, so he opened his mouth unhurriedly.

"Since you want one, don't shout when you come and go. My name is Xue Ji, a native of Jiangling. Fortunately, no brother! ”

This big ups and downs made Xu Lang not react for a while, and he was stunned for a moment before he exclaimed happily: "Childe, no, Brother Qing's great kindness, I will repay you in the future!" ”

"Not necessarily." Xue Ji waved his hand, turned his head and said to the shopkeeper: "Arrange a rest for Xu Gongzi, and settle my account." ”

Xu Lang was still immersed in joy, and Xue Ji had already turned around and returned to his room with Shen Yurong.

Inside the house, Shen Yurong put down the burden, took off Xue Ji's robe, and lifted the teapot on the table to pour him a cup of tea. Seeing this, Xue Ji couldn't help but sigh at the virtuousness of the Shen family's woman, and sighed that he hurriedly pulled her to sit down and rest: "Madam, don't be busy, where are you so particular when you go out, you are often uncomfortable when you see you on the road, now it's time to rest." ”

Shen Yurong didn't refuse, just sat on the couch next to him and closed his eyes to recuperate. Suddenly, he remembered something, and asked, "Why did you answer that poor boy?" ”

Xue Ji glanced down at her, smiled and said, "Didn't Madam say that it's always good to know more friends?" ”

Shen Yurong raised his head and met his eyes: "That husband thinks he is a friend?" ”

"Isn't it?" Xue Ji was noncommittal.

Shen Yurong shook his head and said, "What he said is three points true and seven points false, I don't think it's so simple." ”

Xue Ji stretched out his hand to put his arm around her shoulder, and the two got a little closer before they heard him say, "Do you see a few poor boys talking so humbly and politely?" Although he looked embarrassed, his temperament couldn't cover it, and he was clearly not a poor boy or a pedantic Confucian. ”

"Then why did you take him with you?"

Xue Ji smiled, nodded his forehead and replied, "If he is not a poor boy, then he must have a last resort to ask us." If we don't have this amount of money, we should spend money to buy a favor, and maybe he has a big background? ”

In the next few days, there was one more person in Xue Ji's car, Xu Lang. The Xue family's carriage and horses are spacious, and they don't feel crowded when there is one more person, Xue Ji and Shen Yurong don't care about outsiders, they still chant poems and play the flute, and they can hear the sound of the car all the way.

Xu Lang didn't feel bothered, he was just bothering others to have such a seat, and he could listen to this Yale for nothing, of course he wouldn't be disgusted. When he came out of the next post station, Xue Ji also bought a jar of wine, and invited him to drink it together when he was bored on the way: "Brother Wubo, if you know each other, just drink a glass and make friends." ”

Xu Lang handed over the wine glass, and a warm current welled up in his heart, and he was quite moved. I didn't expect him to be so bold and make up the reason why he could still be treated sincerely by the other party, even if he didn't make the list this time, it would be worth having such a friend. "Thank you, childe...... Clear. ”

Xue Ji listened to him change his words, smiled a little more, raised his glass and drank it all.

The two of them had a glass of wine, and their feelings quickly heated up, and in recent days, they were chatting in the car about the past and the present, and it was not difficult to hear from the conversation with Xu Lang, this is by no means the knowledge that a poor boy can have, Xu Lang does not deliberately hide it, although he can't explain it, he doesn't want to deceive him, Xue Ji respects him and doesn't ask him, he will explain sooner or later.

Open the curtain to see, the trees on both sides of the road are getting fewer and fewer, and it is rare to pass through a few villages again, there are more patrols on both sides of the sparse and sparse, the sky is gradually darkening, and finally the city gate in front of the city is majestic, the word 'Chang'an' on the city is tough, the atmosphere is majestic, the capital has arrived.

When there were soldiers in the city to investigate, Xue Ji handed over the pass, and showed the test documents with Xu Lang, and the soldiers guarding the city opened the door and allowed the passage after seeing it. The carriage drove into the city, the outside of the car became more and more lively, and then went to the city, occasionally you could see a few people in official uniforms passing by, Xue Ji's heart beat hard, he finally arrived in the capital, he was finally going to the official career!

Before the car stopped, Xue Ji looked at Xu Lang and asked, "Does Brother Wu have a place to live?" ”

Xu Lang thought to himself secretly, and counted the few people who knew each other well in Beijing, and it must not be a problem to stay. "Yes, I feel ashamed of bothering my brother for so many days, brother, don't worry about me anymore!"

Xue Ji listened, held his hand with both hands, and said straightly: "Brother Wubo!" The word trouble is visible! ”

The carriage stopped under the restaurant in the city, Xue Ji raised the curtain and looked up, the plaque was impressively written with the words 'a drunk thousand autumns', and he couldn't help but sigh, the name of the restaurant in Beijing was also atmospheric.

This name is magnificent, and it is also heroic, just like Xue Ji's intentions, so he said to Xu Lang: "I am also relieved that Brother Wubo has a place to live, I see that this restaurant is good, why don't you go in and have a drink and then settle down?" ”

"Good, very good!"

This drink until the moon rises in the clouds, the street lights are bright, the evening breeze blows, the street is full of signs, and Chang'an in spring is a little more poetic.

The two talked more and more, opening their mouths like a river gushing, and Shen Yurong added wine on the side, and took a few words from time to time, Xu Lang couldn't help but sigh when he heard it: "Mrs. Xue is really a talented girl!" Good fortune! ”

Xue Ji laughed and took Shen Yurong into his arms: "I often sigh, God treats me well, give me such a good blessing hahaha!" ”

After the two of them drank the perfect wine, tasted the delicacies in Beijing, and got out of the door of 'a drunk thousand autumns', it was time to part ways.

Xue Ji looked around and asked, "I'm going south, what about Brother Wubo?" ”

Xu Lang pointed to the side of the fork and responded: "I'll go to the west, don't pass by." ”

"Toad Palace!"

"Dengke and the first!"

The two looked at each other and laughed loudly.

"When the title of the gold list is titled, you and I will have another appointment to have a drink!"

Xu Lang watched Xue Jiche drive away, turned the bamboo basket behind him, took out a letter from his sleeve, plunged into the path on the side, and groped for it.

"A drunken west side...... The third fork in the road should be here. ”

Xu Lang looked up and looked around, and suddenly his eyes lit up, yes! On the door on the east side is the plaque he is looking for, Xu Lang is overjoyed, and he comes forward to knock on the door.

"Uncle! I'm Wubo! ”

The door opened a crack, and the people inside looked through the crack, and hurriedly shouted into the room: "Master! It's Xu Gongzi! ”

The uncle in Xu Lang's mouth is named Liang Jian, and he came out to greet him after listening to the call of his subordinates, and his eyes were full of disbelief: "Why did your father suddenly allow you to come?" ”

"Whatever, I'm all here, my uncle can't shut me out, right?" Xu Lang didn't care about the door, he drilled in, and only after entering the courtyard did he let go and unloaded the things behind him.

"You came by yourself? If my brother-in-law knew, ......" Liang Jian had a headache when he heard it, thinking about it carefully, his brother-in-law's officialdom couldn't finish tossing, how could he have the time to calculate this account, so he only sighed with hatred: "I really owe you in my last life!" ”

Liang Jian looked him up and down, seeing that his clothes were shabby and his hair was messy, he couldn't help but be surprised: "How did you come to Chang'an?" ”

I couldn't say enough when I mentioned this Xu Lang, and when I told Liang Jian all the way, I saw and heard all the way into the main hall: "You don't know, I met a good brother, this Xue Qingzhi ......"

South of Chang'an City

I don't know whose mansion was built so magnificently, even Prime Minister Chu Qiu's house is not as big as it. What's even more amazing is that such a large mansion is uninhabited all year round, what is the reason for this?

Tonight, a carriage stopped in front of the mansion, and two people, a man and a woman, walked out of the car, apparently husband and wife. Take a closer look, it is Xue Ji and Shen Yurong. The mansion was empty for many years, and finally someone moved in.

Stepping into the gate, Xue Ji looked around, there are rockeries standing next to the fish pond, the bamboo shadows on both sides of the cloister are mottled, there are stone tables and chairs in the pavilion, and drinking tea in the pavilion must be elegant in your spare time.

Xue Ji secretly sighed, it is indeed a good place, but I don't know why the Shen family has such a big mansion in the capital...... Suddenly remembering something, he turned around and shouted again.

"Wang Qu!" Wang Qu was a coachman who drove all the way, and just set up the carriage and horses to come in, Xue Ji thought that there was no one else in the house now, so he could only call him first, "You help me to investigate, who are the people who live in the road where Xu Lang went." ”

Wang Qu was obviously stunned: "All, all of them?" ”

Xue Ji hesitated for a moment, and then made up his mind before saying, "Just pick someone who has something to do with Xu Cheng for me." ”