"How do you see that?" Xu asked.

The three of them looked curious, not familiar here. There is no worry in his eyes, and he is afraid that he has something to rely on. If my guess is correct, the three of them just wanted to come and see it. Zheng Changqing said.

"That's right. So what can we see? Xu Wen continued to ask.

"Naturally, we do what the guests want to see." Zheng Changqing smiled: "There is just one thing to say, generally speaking." Male artists don't stay overnight and don't see anything. ”

"Oh, why is there such a rule? This is not the same as the Qinglou. Lin Jing asked.

"It's mostly because of the money. Without innocence, we male artists are worthless. This is no better than the Qing people, all male artists are like this.

Male artists can only live by fame and reputation, of course, there are also talents who don't care about these. But if you really have talent, how can you do this? Zheng Changqing shook his head and said.

"Are you innocent then?" Xu asked.

"It's not." Zheng Changqing directly vetoed: "There was once a noble man who admired my face and summoned me to the house.

In the final analysis, it is still a cheap business, not yourself. Zheng Changqing sighed. Even if the noble man took pity on me, he didn't ask for anything from me. I was able to preserve some of my reputation. ”

"Can you say anything like that?" Lin Jing asked curiously.

"Since the three guests want to come to see and learn, they naturally can't listen to it and hide it." Zheng Changqing said:

"Actually, I'm not afraid of three jokes. We fold the laurel building before and after the five, although each entry is higher than the previous one, but it is also like a deep boudoir embroidery building, and there is less freedom.

The artists in the first two can also go out to participate in some activities, and the last two artists have to weigh even going out to eat.

Wait until we get to the fifth entrance. Daily food and talk should be reported. It's stricter than the ladies who couldn't make a forest in ancient times. ”

Zheng Changqing made up tea for the three of them again, and asked: "I look at the three of them, it doesn't seem like those who like poetry, I don't know what you want me to do?" ”

"I like to hear stories, tell me your story." Xu asked.

"I don't really have a story. It has been 19 years since the establishment of the Great Sui Dynasty, and it can be regarded as Guotai Ming'an.

It's just that I didn't have a good time, and my parents and family were already lost in the war. Later, he was taken in by the owner of this Zhegui Building. Teach me writing etiquette so that I can have something to eat.

It's just that I took the Xiucai exam twice later, and I was fortunate to be in the second time, but I still don't know how to make a living, and there is no way to study, so I can only be this artist.

According to our own rules, if we don't pass the exam twice, we can't let the master train anymore.

Begin to repay the kindness of the Lord's house. ”

"Then the name of this Zhegui Building is not true? Someone won the top prize? Xu asked.

"Sort of. When the Great Sui Dynasty was first established, the first three imperial examinations were held every other year. Uncle Liu participated in the second imperial examination.

We have rules in this industry, and at most we only show talents. When it comes to lifting people, it is a taboo.

Who knew that Uncle Liu was actually hit by the case, and he was valued by Xuezheng, and his reputation even spread to the ears of the county commander. There is no way, Uncle Liu can only take the test again. Who knew that he would be admitted all the way to the top prize later.

You must know that it was not as good as it is now, if we can be sure of being admitted now, we can no longer be an artist. Even if there is only one chance, it is a great kindness.

And before the imperial examination is completed, we will not be allowed to come out to pick up guests, so if we stuff some money, even officials can do it.

But Uncle Liu had already begun to receive guests, and the strange household registration problem that was not found in the first instance was found in the review.

Coupled with the help of people with a heart, Uncle Liu has long been difficult to ride a tiger. Later, the emperor was kind and allowed him to participate in the Luming banquet and praise officials in the streets. Later, he was poisoned and drunk.

After that, we stood firm and changed the name to Zheguilou. It's not a secret, it's just that people don't want to talk about it. Zheng Changqing sighed again when he talked about this.

According to the official system of the Great Sui, it is not considered meritorious to be famous in the examination, only the preferential treatment in etiquette such as not kneeling when seeing officials, and the punishment is unintentional to ordinary people. There will also be no school field rice as a school tonic.

"Mengmeng, you have hit someone's sore spot." After a while, Lin Jing asked Xu.

The guest laughed. People in the rivers and lakes, where there will be no difficulties. If I take care of these sore spots all day long, I won't be able to live my life. Zheng Changqing can see it.

"What do you usually do with your guests? What about weekdays in private? Lin Jia finally asked a word.

"Actually, the guests came and they were nothing more than chattering and games. There's a lot to talk about, whether it's seasonal festivals or current political events. Or just talk about the Tao, poetry and songs, etc.

The game is also divided into lyrics, songs, calligraphy and painting, wine and chess. Even eagles caught chicks and played. The main thing is to see what the guest wants.

I'm not afraid of guest jokes, but the most we do on weekdays is to read books in class. We always feel that we have insulted Sven in private, but we always have to rely on this Sven to survive.

Usually in the morning, all kinds of gentlemen give us lessons, or have a little time to practice on their own. In the afternoon, the reception of guests begins and ends in the evening. Zheng Changqing said.

"So you've been doing this all day, why are you so boring." Lin Jing said.

The girl smiled. Although the Great Sui is open-minded, it may not be able to tolerate us. Now it's easy to get a glimmer of life, but I don't dare to act rashly. Zheng Changqing replied.

"Then what will you do in the future, marry a wife and have children?" Lin Jing asked.

"It's nothing. According to our host, there are rules for receiving guests from the age of fifteen to the age of forty-five.

A while ago, there were already a few elderly people who left their jobs, some went to become teachers, and some did some simple business.

Don't look at us artists, there are still some connections in the real world, and it's no problem to spend your old age.

Of course, there are also people who meet someone they like and will choose to leave early. However, if you sign a contract, you may not be able to come up with a sum of money at once. Zheng Changqing said.

"And what about your income?" Xu asked.

Zheng Changqing added some tea to himself: "It depends on what grade, artists make money by receiving guests, and the price is calculated once an hour." Basically, there are five grades according to the courtyard where they are located.

The first person to pick up a customer can get one or two silver for an hour, and the reward is counted separately. This is the bottom of male artists.

From the second to the third, the account is divided, twenty-eight to four-six. This is a tip, which is already quite considerable.

When it comes to the fourth entrance, it costs one or two gold for every hour of receiving customers. However, at this time, it is mainly relied on tipping. At this level, it is already the top card of the owner and a cash cow. It is this group of people who bring the highest income to the owner.

To the fifth level, which is my level. Eating and drinking must not be worried, five taels of gold in an hour, how can it be enough to spend.

But because all the guests are not small, there are many instructions. There are a lot of things that can't be done.

And at this level, the owner doesn't have to make too many arrangements for us, so it's a bit like a partnership.

Basically, several artists in the fifth entry are preparing to retreat, which is not our affection. It's really because I can't help myself. ”

Zheng Changqing glanced at the three of them, and when he saw that the three of them were curious, he knew that these three people only listened to a story, and didn't care much about the twists and turns. This made Zheng Changqing think that these three girls were really not small.

"I just saw some male guests coming to you, what do you think?" Lin Jing asked curiously.

Zheng Changqing was stunned for a moment, then smiled again: "I have a gentleman's regular customer now. In his words, 'love matters have nothing to do with men and women'.

In fact, we artists didn't understand these words very well at first. It's just that the owner has also done training, and Gu has also done it.

It was only later that I learned that there were more than a hundred people of all kinds, and this land of smoke and dust was not a good place. There are genuine ones, but not too little. Most of them are here to see a strange thing.

The owner is still benevolent and righteous, and he has not done that ** business. It's also a little ridiculous to say, we artists pay the most attention to the reputation of the style. ”

Zheng Changqing shook his head and continued to drink tea.

The three of them asked many questions, and one by one they turned into curious babies and asked everything. Things like whether you live here, whether you have someone you like, what you plan to do in the future, etc.

Zheng Changqing also made many replies, saying that this is only a place to receive guests, and there is another place to stay.

I asked for more than an hour before I was ready to stop. At this time, Zheng Changqing tea has been brewed twice.

The three of them finally planned to let Zheng Changqing go, and Xu Wen rewarded ten taels of gold and prepared to go out to settle the bill.

Zheng Changqing also sent it to the door of the Zhishou Pavilion as usual.

When I arrived in the front hall of Zhegui Building, I saw the black-clothed steward again.

"Have the three guests gained knowledge today, and are they still satisfied?" The steward asked.

"But I didn't know that before." Xu Wen said as he handed over the jade card.

"It's not comparable." The steward did not accept the jade plate, and explained: "The token of Zheguilou will not be taken back when it is sent, and it should be a commemoration."

A few people only deposited five taels, and now they can pay another five taels of gold. ”

Listening to the words of the steward, Xu Wen looked at the jade card in his hand, the jade material was barely in his eyes, and the words on the card were terrible, and it looked like the plaque of Zheng Changqing's Zhishou Pavilion, which may have come from the hand of one person.

"Not bad." Xu Wen praised softly, and then took out another five taels of silver.

After the three of them came out of Zhegui Tower, Xu asked and asked, "Which of you holds this brand?" ”

"Mengmeng, this is what you took over, of course you took it." Lin Jing called Mengmeng's name and smiled.

Lin Jia also refused.

Xu Wen was helpless, although there was nothing unbearable about this trip to Zheguilou, he didn't want to take it himself.

"Changsheng, you can take this brand." Reluctantly, Xu Wen called out a thousand illusion Taoist soldiers dressed as Taoist children and rewarded him with the brand.

"Thank you, Lord!" Changsheng didn't care where this brand came from, and happily took it.

"Let's go! Let's go to the Red Sleeves now! Lin Jing became excited again.

At this time, the moon is high. The three girls shouted at the door of Zhegui Building to go to the red sleeves, which attracted the attention of passers-by for a while.