Although the snow still shows no signs of melting, the vivid green emerging from the gray and black of the big trees is always a reminder that spring is indeed coming.

In an inn in the south of Yecheng, there was a lot of alcohol, and several people were lying on the desk, their wine glasses were messy.

The best antidote to sorrow is wine.

The shopkeeper stood in front of the cabinet, instructing Xiao Er to do his work, and at the same time quickly pulling the abacus with his hand. The sharp triangular eyes still glanced at the full store from time to time.

"There are more and more people staying in the hotel these days, and the shopkeeper, I'm afraid our guest rooms are not enough......" The shopkeeper was worried.

The shopkeeper didn't even raise his head and said, "What's there to be afraid of?" If there are not enough guest rooms, then they will be freed up. ”

"Vacate? Where did it come from? It's all full of ......," Xiao Er's voice became smaller and smaller under the watchful eye of the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper glared at him with hatred, "You stupid, don't you just throw these poor scholars out?" ”

Xiao Er was stunned, "The ......, the shopkeeper, this, this is not very good, right?" ”

"What's so bad?" The shopkeeper snorted and told him in a low voice, "I heard that the envoys of the Southern Dynasty are coming to Yecheng, and when the time comes, the Khitan, Turkic, and Goguryeo will send envoys to Yecheng, and there will be a lot of people in Yecheng at that time, and all the inns may not be enough to live in." Let's free up a few more rooms, and then we can earn a few more dollars when the price increases! ……”

The shopkeeper instructed him: "When these drunkards wake up, you tell them that our inn is going to increase the price, and if they are willing to pay, then they can continue to live, if they can't afford it, get out of Lao Tzu as soon as possible!" ”

"Oh......" Xiao Er scratched his head and looked at the four drunken figures, all of whom looked like quiet Confucians, but their clothes were not very bright, and one of them was covered with patches.

This is a scholar who lingers in Yecheng, and he comes here to make a name for himself.

Just like the North Drift in later generations, these scholars can also be called Ye Drift.

Most of them come from poor families, with great ambitions, hoping to be appreciated by nobles, ascend to the sky in one step, and enter the court.

In ancient times, there were many scholars who had such ideals like this, but very few could realize them, and it was even more difficult and bitter than a carp jumping over the dragon gate.

They have no family background, no way, only rely on the knowledge brought by the shabby books that have been passed down for more than ten generations at home, hoping to win a lifetime of glory for themselves.

Ideals are always at odds with reality.

Backfire is the norm.

Some people may have extraordinary talents, but they lose at the starting line from the start.

How can the children of the poor family fight the wealthy lords?

Naïve, alas!

The shopkeeper has followed the shopkeeper to take care of the inn for so long, and I don't know how many scholars like them have seen, most of them came with ambitions and left with a dejected face.

The small inn ushered in the send-off, I don't know how much I lived, and I didn't know how many people I walked out, so I was struggling on the road of hope.

There is no noble son from a poor family, this is probably fate......

So even if the shopkeeper couldn't bear it, he could only tell them such a cruel reality.

Maybe it's better to break their unrealistic dreams as soon as possible, go home early to see their wives and children, and stop wasting time in a prosperous place like Yecheng.

Although the shopkeeper couldn't understand such a truth, he didn't think it was worth it for them.

He's seen too much, and it's very difficult.

When the guests at that table woke up leisurely, he stepped forward and bowed and said, "I'm sorry for the guest officers...... Our inn will increase the price from today, from 30 yuan a day to 50 yuan a day, and the food and wine will be counted as ......."

The scholar, who was still a little smoky, woke up when he heard this, and asked in disbelief, "How much do you say?"

Those who can read are obviously not really poor, otherwise how can they have the capital to wander in a gold cave like Yecheng?

Most of them are families of small landlords, but there is a saying in the Tang Dynasty: "It is not easy to live in Chang'an." It was reflected that it was the same in Yecheng earlier, and it was the same to burn money if you wanted to take root in Yecheng, which was much better than Chang'an in the Han and Tang Dynasties.

The money they brought was not small for them, but once they arrived in Yecheng, it was simply not worth mentioning, and buying a respectable meeting gift for the nobles could empty half of the money they brought at once.

Not to mention, to live in Yecheng for a long time.

The small rich family is absolutely unsupportable.

Fifty yuan is not a small amount, in this era, three yuan can buy half a bucket of brown rice, and this fifty yuan is only their room fee, not counting their daily meal expenses.

Save money and eat frugally, but still sit and eat empty.

They have been wandering in Yecheng for many years, and there is not much money left on them, and many of them even put down their bodies to settle accounts and copy documents for the rich to make money.

It's just to be able to sustain it here.

But all of a sudden, I was told that the rent had skyrocketed.

They can't afford it anyway!

Haven't they been defeated by the rejection of the powerful, not by the heat and coldness of the world, but they are forced to leave Yecheng because they can't afford to pay the rent?

This is already the cheapest wine store in Yecheng!

That's why his reaction was so big when he heard it at first glance, and his eyes were as red as rabbits.

The others were also awakened by him, muttered to their feet, and asked, "Zichuan, what's wrong?"

The scholar from Zichuan pointed to the shopkeeper and said, "He said that the rent of this inn will soon rise to fifty yuan a day!" ”

"What?!"

Everyone's drunkenness was swept away.

"Isn't yesterday still thirty a day? Why did it nearly double all of a sudden?"

They were anxious and stared at Xiao Er.

"A few guest officials don't know, the Southern Dynasty and the Khitan, Goguryeo are going to come to the envoys, there will be a lot of merchants to Yecheng, the guest room is not satisfied, the shopkeeper said, to add money, otherwise we will lose ............ compared with other stores, and please forgive me."

Xiao Er didn't dare to look at their red eyes.

"Too much deception!"

A gentleman slammed the table and said, "Your shopkeeper is so open-eyed to see money, and the price has risen so outrageously, that person can live?"

"I have heard that businessmen are seeking profits, but now I know!"

The shopkeeper over there came over slowly, touched his beard and said, "If you can't pay, then I'm sorry, everyone, the small shop also wants to make money." ”

The attitude is kind, but resolute.

If they can't pay their rent today, then they have to be swept out of the house anyway.

He doesn't want to be in a loss-making business......

Everyone also calmed down a bit, thought about it, and one of them smiled and asked: "At this time, it is inevitable that the shopkeeper will increase the price, but is this price ......, too high?" ”

The shopkeeper's eyelids didn't lift, and he said firmly: "The price of this store is very fair, go and see, is there any place near here with a lower price than here?" ”

"Alas......" one person closed his eyes and said bitterly: "I could have supported it for a little longer, but at this price, I really can't support it......"

"I have been studying hard for many years, but my dream is broken...... Lamentable...... Alas! ”

"Why don't we go back......"

Someone said what was in their hearts at the moment.

"That's all it takes......"

One person muttered to himself in pain, they came with great expectations, lived in Ye for a year, and did not succeed. They are unwilling, really unwilling......

Just when they have to make a choice.

A person dressed as a shabby scholar broke in excitedly, "Zichuan, Wenxing, go to the city tower to see where it is, it is plastered everywhere, and today we will open an examination and recruit talents in Ye!" ”

Everyone was stunned, silent.