Jiangning Chengxi Li Mansion. Li Yuanqing, the head of the family, is fifty-two years old this year, and his family has a big business. Although he is just a businessman, he has several cousins who are officials, and the third brother of his wife Lu is the head catcher of Jiangning. A daughter married to a county order in Yangzhou, and a daughter married to a lifter, is currently the historian of the Hanlin Academy, and belongs to the six-grade petty official, but as long as he survives, he has a great future.

Li Yuanqing was originally a three-room concubine, with a total of seven sons and five daughters, and she was scattered. Although the sons are all unsuccessful, the daughters climb high branches one by one, and in Jiangning County, he is the richest man. On this ground, he also has a bit of face.

is in his fifties, and his son's affairs have broken his heart, and he doesn't want to care about it anymore. He was lying on the Taishi's chair, enjoying a rare silence. The maid took a fan and drove away the heat, while the maid cut the chilled watermelon on the table, carefully buckled the seeds, and spooned small pieces to feed him.

This nourishing life is not worse than that of the official master, what is he dissatisfied with?

"Master, someone from the Dong family is here." The housekeeper came in and said.

"Hmm, which Dong family?"

Jia Ding said: "The wife of the Dong Hai family in the east of the city, the Zhao family, came over and said that she would talk to the master about the marriage of the second young master. ”

Li Yuanqing heard Zhao's frowning, and his eyes were disgusted: "I begged her several times for that unsuccessful son before, hmph, now that something has happened to her family, she thinks of me." ”

He ate a few pieces of chilled watermelon and a few more grapes. The family couldn't get an answer from the master, so they could only wait.

When Master Li was satisfied, he asked the maid to wipe her mouth with a silk, got up and said, "Let's go, go and meet." ”

When he arrived at the hall, Zhao smiled: "Outside the staff, my family's business is taken care of by your old man." I haven't come to thank you, no, it's July, it's going to change seasons, bring some fine silk, silk, and silk today, and make clothes for your wife. Speaking of which, my sisters and I haven't caught up in a few days, and they're fine. ”

Master Li knew it and replied: "They are all good, if Mrs. Dong is free, she can go to the inner hall to talk to them." ”

Zhao was stunned, he had nothing to say, Grandpa Li followed and played sloppy, this is definitely not the time to go to the inner hall to catch up with her wife. She sneered: "It's all a family, and I'm not in a hurry to see my sisters, outside the staff, the concubine is here today, and I want to discuss one more thing with your old man." ”

Master Li instructed the family to look at the tea, revealing his usual false smile: "Mrs. Dong, I have been friends with my husband for many years, so you can say anything." ”

Zhao was anxious about his son, and said straightly: "I see that Li Bin, this child, is dignified and filial, and he is also familiar with my Yan'er. ”

Li Yuanqing was not in a hurry, picked up the hot tea, and blew it gently. said casually: "As far as I know, your daughter has a marriage contract with Zhangzhuang Yitianhu. ”

Zhao hurriedly argued: "That Tian She'er, how can you be worthy of my daughter." Chen Yuan said that Qiu Yu only talked about marriage in high school, and he thought that he knew that he was not successful, so he found an excuse to withdraw from the marriage. Even if he doesn't retreat, the concubine will retire from this family business. ”

"Is that true?"

"How dare the concubine deceive you."

Li Yuanqing showed a mysterious smile, Zhao's person has no heart, what she said must be true. However, now the Dong family stall is a life lawsuit, which is more serious. Once Dong Mingquan is sentenced to death, the Dong family is the family of the prisoner, who will do business with his family in the future? The Dong family is finished.

"The concubine only hopes that for the sake of the family's face, she will ask someone to rescue her."

What? Rescuing a condemned prisoner? Li Yuanqing's face changed, and his small eyes were slightly dark. He is a businessman, and he can run his family business so big, relying on not only his power, but also his brains.

At the feet of the Son of Heaven, it is difficult. If you are a little careless, you will never recover, and now the Dong family is a mess, and basically no one dares to take over. And to rescue a condemned prisoner? That's the ability to get to the sky. He put down the teacup: "Since Chen Yuan only talked about whether to withdraw from the marriage after the autumn season, let's talk about it after the autumn season." ”

After the autumn, the grass grew on the grave of the son after the autumn. Zhao was in a hurry: "Outside, I'm going to get out of the marriage now, and I'm going to get out of the marriage now." ”

Li Yuanqing said sharply: "Mrs. Dong, if you go to get married now, and then marry the dog, won't the people of Jiangning think that I have taken away the love of others, and let me put my old face in the future." I do business in Jiangning, because I have a good reputation, never embarrass others, does my wife want my Li family to move out of Jiangning? ”

"This, this?" Zhao was stunned. If you want to say that the Li family is a serious businessman, and Li Yuanwai is a good person who never does black-hearted things, she doesn't believe it if she is killed.

"If the dog can't make it, if you can't climb your daughter, the marriage will be suspended."

"Outside the staff, the concubine is ......"

Li Yuanqing turned around: "Butler, send off." ”

The Zhao family was so stunned, they were sent away by the Li Mansion, and they didn't even confiscate the gifts they brought.

——————

Let's talk about Xuanwu District, Chen Yuan came out of the Li Mansion, and estimated the time, it should be two o'clock in the morning. At this time, the street was empty, only the sound of insects was heard, and in the distance, there was the sound of watchmen banging on the bangs.

There is already a curfew, homes are closed, and without acquaintances, it is impossible to complain. Those who wander outside in the middle of the night are either homeless or traitors, who dares to take them in. The government also clearly stipulated that no one except relatives should be taken in after the curfew, and violators would be severely fined.

Therefore, Chen Yuan was miserable, wandering on the streets, and he was going to sleep on the streets tonight. What about the evil feudal society, the hotel? What about the lodge? Why can't anything work when it's my turn.

Complaining is complaining, but fortunately it's summer, and it's okay to sleep on the street for a night. Think about it, even in the 21st century, aren't there people who sleep on the streets and sleep in bridges and holes, and when you think about it, you can only comfort yourself, and you will suffer hardship, uh, you will get used to suffering in the future.

He saw a pavilion with wooden chairs, suitable for making do, ready to go there.

The moonlight at the beginning of the month is not long, it is already westward, and it is not very clear to see the road, Chen Yuan has no lights, he walks into the pavilion with a deep foot and a shallow foot, and when he gets closer, he finds that there is still a person in the pavilion.

No, I have company on the street. Chen Yuan spoke up: "Uncle, it seems that we are really fated to have a friendship on the street." ”

The old man was also stunned, he didn't think that there would be anyone coming, there was a figure moving in the distance, and the old man raised his hand slightly, signaling not to be nervous. The figure in the distance did not come.

Chen Yuan didn't notice this, and went to the chair to lie down.

The old man said: "In the middle of the night, why are you staying here?" Not afraid to cruise and catch you? His speed of speech was ordinary, but it was a bit authoritative.

Chen Yuan is now single, but he is not afraid of these, and said with a wry smile: "If you are caught, at least you don't have to sleep on the street, at least there is a place to shelter from the rain." He suddenly remembered a satirical story about a man who had no fixed place to live and relied on constant crimes to go to prison to protect himself from the elements. Of course, this is an ironic story, if he is really caught in Daming's prison, he will have to shed his skin if he doesn't die, so he doesn't want to be arrested.

The old man seemed to hear Chen Yuan's helplessness, and said: "You don't even have a place to live, so to speak, when today's son is dim, the governance is not effective, the arrogance is extravagant, the expropriation is tyrannical, and the people are not living?" ”

If others heard the old man's words, they would be busy saying damn it, saying that it was a big rebellion, Chen Yuan didn't care, and said: "Today's Yongle Tianzi is very good, compared to Emperor Qin and Han Wu, it is not bad." However, there are thousands of Chinese people, and no matter how wise Yongle is, he is also a person. Birth, old age, sickness and death are common things for people. If I have suffered badly, how can I complain that the Son of Heaven has not governed me effectively? ”

Chen Yuan's words "Yongle" have already committed a taboo, and the old man heard that it was comparable to the Qin Emperor Han Wu, so he didn't think it was angry, and was interested: "You say, when today's son is comparable to the Qin Emperor Han Wu?" I see that you are also a scholar, and you should know that they have expanded their territory and made great achievements. ”

Chen Yuan said with a smile: "When today's son made several expeditions to Mongolia, defeated the attacks of Tatar and Warat several times, protected my Ming frontier, and allowed the people to engage in production in peace, how could it not be a merit." In other words, it is said that Song Ren Zongren is benevolent, but he is partial to Jiangnan and was oppressed by Liao and Western Xia. Under the rule, the people swallowed their voices and endured their anger, especially in the frontiers, and the people did not even live with dignity. ”

When the old man heard this strange insight, he laughed, he hadn't been so happy for a long time.

Chen Yuan turned over and said strangely: "By the way, uncle, I don't look like a poor person, why are you here in the middle of the night?" ”