After eating for a long time, it was dark, and there was no one listening to the story.

The real farming season has arrived.

Zhu Ming announced that "Journey to the West" would be suspended, and the update would be resumed only after the rice planting was over.

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law took the children to rest, and even the silkworm babies were fed in advance, and they had to get up in the middle of the night to prepare to go up the mountain.

Every household in the village is like this, recuperating and waiting for work.

Zhu Ming, who has to tell stories every night, is actually a little uncomfortable, sitting alone in the courtyard and watching the stars.

Zhu Guoxiang was also bored, walked under the eaves and said, "Sleep." ”

"It's probably not eight o'clock, so let's sleep on wool." Zhu Ming misses his mobile phone and computer.

Zhu Guoxiang came behind his son and slapped it down: "Wool!" Thread! Can you talk well? I'm your dad too! ”

Zhu Ming covered the top of his head: "Dean Zhu, please respect yourself, the gentleman does not move." ”

Zhu Guoxiang no longer spoke, sat silently beside his son, and looked at the stars together boredly.

It's cloudy, and there aren't a few stars to look at.

After sitting for a while, the cold wind suddenly rose, and the spring thunder surged.

A few raindrops fell on his face, but Zhu Ming still sat still, and his clothes were not wet...... That's weird!

It's the rain season, and the drizzle gets heavier as it falls. The father and son, who were bathed in the drizzle, soon couldn't stand it anymore and packed up the bench and went back to the house in a panic.

There were no stables, and the thin horses were usually kept in the yard, but at the moment they hid under the eaves with their hooves.

Night, spring rain.

Bai Chongyan held an oil-paper umbrella and a lantern in his hand, strolling leisurely through the fields, followed by a maid who also played an umbrella.

It's just that the road is a little slippery, and the dashing Bai San Gongzi almost threw himself into the field after eating.

"Lang Jun be careful!" The servant hurriedly grabbed it.

Bai Chongyan pretended to fail, a little embarrassed, steadied his feet and said, "It's not in the way." ”

Before the rain, Bai Chongyan was still in his garden, traveling with his friend Li Hanzhang at night. couldn't swim up in the rain, so Li Hanzhang went to sleep, and Bai Chongyan just took the time to see the Zhu family's father and son.

Regarding the reputation of his old friend, Bai Chongyan is reluctant to make a noise, and it is best to solve this matter quietly.

"Bang Bang!"

The maid knocked on the courtyard door.

"Which one?" Mrs. Yan was old and didn't sleep deeply, so she was soon awakened by the sound of knocking on the door.

Zhu Ming had already gone to the eaves to put on a hat, and said loudly, "I'll go and see." ”

The courtyard door opened, and the eyes were facing each other.

Bai Chongyan lifted the lantern, saw Zhu Ming's appearance clearly, put down the lantern and said, "Little Zhu Xiucai? ”

"Exactly," Zhu Ming looked at the other party's clothes and the servant who followed him, and guessed, "Bai Sanlang-kun?" ”

"Not bad." Bai Chongyan smiled.

Zhu Ming got out of the way: "San Langjun, please come in!" ”

They walked through the small courtyard, and before they reached the house, Mrs. Yan had already put on her clothes and came out.

Bai Chongyan handed the lantern and the oil-paper umbrella to the maid, and saluted: "Meet my aunt!" ”

Mrs. Yan said happily: "San Lang is back, come and sit in the house!" ”

Not long after, Shen Yourong also heard the noise, got dressed and came over to meet the guests.

The oil lamps were lit, the bean fire was swaying, and everyone sat around the table.

Bai Chongyan's eyes swept to Zhu Guoxiang and asked, "This Zhu Xianggong, when and where did you and I travel and study together?" ”

Zhu Guoxiang said honestly: "Today is the first time I have met San Langjun. ”

"So, you're blatantly lying?" Bai Chongyan's expression was calm, and he didn't see any anger.

Zhu Guoxiang said: "It's about the reputation of Shen Niangzi, and it has to be like this." ”

Bai Chongyan didn't dwell on this, and continued to ask: "The two accents are very strange, I don't know where Sang Zi is?" ”

Zhu Guoxiang said: "I came from Guangnan Road. ”

Guangnan Road is probably Guangdong and Guangxi, where there are all kinds of dialects, not to mention that Bai Chongyan is from Hanzhong, even southerners can't understand it.

The father and son had already discussed, and their hometown was Quang Nam.

Bai Chongyan asked: "Which state and which county in Guangnan?" ”

Zhu Ming replied: "Liuzhou, Liucheng County." ”

As far as the administrative division of the Song Dynasty is concerned, it would be good for Zhu Ming to remember all the roads, where is the specific state and county? He has a college roommate's hometown in Liucheng, so he simply used this place under his false name.

Bai Chongyan, who had never set foot in the south of the Yangtze River, really couldn't ask any further.

"What are you doing in Xixiang County?" Bai Chongyan said again.

Zhu Ming said nonsense without blinking: "My father and son are also a small family business in Liucheng." Because of the evil of the local heroes, he had to leave his family and business and go away. Traveling to various state armies, doing some small business in peacetime. Last year, he took out all his property and purchased a batch of Jiangnan goods, which he planned to transport to the northwest for sale. Unexpectedly, when I met a water bandit on the Han River, the boat was robbed and people were killed, and my father and I jumped into the water to escape, but we were lucky not to be caught by the water bandits. ”

Bai Chongyan pointed to the top of Zhu Ming's head: "Two of these hairs? ”

Zhu Ming explained: "Penniless, without food, cut off his hair and pretended to be a monk, trying to get some food along the way to fill his stomach. ”

Zhu Guoxiang interjected: "I picked up a horse halfway, although it is skinny, it is extremely human. Even if we were hungry, we would not be willing to kill the beast. Because the beast followed, whether it was begging for food or turning into a fate, the villagers along the way were unwilling to give it food. ”

"Thanks to Mrs. Shen's kindness, otherwise my father and son would have starved to death." Zhu Ming added.

Bai Chongyan frowned and was silent, of course he didn't believe one-sided words, but he couldn't find a loophole to debunk it.

Shen Yourong left silently, quickly brought the "Three Character Classic", held it in both hands and handed it to Bai Chongyan: "San Lang, look at it." ”

The servant immediately got up and moved the oil lamp closer.

Bai Chongyan read through the light, and his face gradually improved. Most of the knowledge allusions in this "Three Character Classic" have been learned, and they are not too profound.

It's a simple but excellent children's book.

Moreover, those who can compile such Mongolian learning materials must have read many books, and their knowledge is not comparable to that of ordinary scholars.

A scholar who can compile the "Three Character Classic" needs to be abducted and deceived in the mountain village? That's too much of an overkill!

Bai Chongyan is a scholar, and the Zhu family's father and son are also scholars, so they can naturally get closer to each other.

While Bai Chongyan was reading the "Three Character Classic", Zhu Guoxiang went to get a lake pen.

After reading it, Bai Chongyan praised it from the bottom of his heart: "Good article! ”

"San Langjun, please look at this pen," Zhu Guoxiang held the brush with both hands, "This thing is valuable, and it is kept close to you all the way, so you can only bring it when you escape." ”

Bai Chongyan said, "Fetch clean water." ”

The maid and Shen Yourong acted at the same time, and quickly brought a bowl of water.

Bai Chongyan moistened the pen with water, skimmed it and held it vertically, carefully examining the tip of the brush. Then he flattened the tip of the millimeter, observed it for a while, skimmed it again, then pressed it the paper, and then picked up the pen and continued to observe.

After completing these steps, Bai Chongyan was already happy.

Then he weighed the barrel again, tested the center of gravity, and gently stroked it back and forth.

Bai Chongyan sincerely admired: "Sharp, Qi, round, healthy, the best of the best." ”

Zhu Guoxiang began to repeat the sales content of the clerk: "San Langjun, please look at the sharp edge of this pen, which is the section of the pen tip that is translucent, and the craftsman calls it 'sunspot'." This pen is made of wool, which is too cold in the north and the goat hair is too soft to be sharpened. Only by choosing goats from the south, grazing in spring and chewing mulberry in winter, the wool is tender and fine, so that it can become a front. It is also necessary to choose the hair of the goat's neck and armpits, a goat, and finally produce four or two strokes. And these four taels of wool, those who can produce 'sunspots', can have at most one or six dollars. ”

Zhu Ming helped beside him: "Bai Lotian has history as proof: pick one out of ten million!" ”

Bai Chongyan was still in shock, and Zhu Guoxiang suddenly sighed: "It's a pity that I didn't have the opportunity to see Zihao, that is the real best." Only take a handful of hairs on the back of a hare, a thousand hares, and only pick out one or two purple hairs! ”

In the eyes of the villagers, the Bai family is a great family.

In fact, it's just a local tyrant in the countryside. Not to mention looking at the entire Lizhou Road, even if he is out of Xixiang County, Bai Chongyan is only an ordinary scholar.

Where had he ever used such a good pen?

Don't say use, I've never even seen it!

Under the explanation of the father and son, Bai Chongyan began to pay attention to the strokes, and there was indeed a small handful of translucent. He pressed lightly with his fingers, it was soft, tough and thin, Bai Chongyan's heart beat wildly in an instant, he really met the best goods today.

The modern aquaculture industry is booming, and brush materials are easy to obtain, so this kind of good quality can be bought for a few hundred yuan.

But in ancient times, although there were many sheep in the south, there were only one, two, or six dollars of wool available for each sheep. Among the two or six coins of wool, we have to continue to eliminate the too short ones, and we have to cut off the too long ones, how much is really usable?

"Are you going to sell?" Bai Chongyan pressed his excitement and forcibly held back his voice without trembling.

Zhu Ming said: "There is a fate to sell goods. ”

"What is the price?" Bai Chongyan didn't know how to bid at all.

Zhu Ming glanced at his father, in fact, they are not easy to price, they can only be calculated based on the prices of grain, salt and other prices.

Zhu Guoxiang said tentatively: "How about three hundred runs? ”

The average household property in the remote areas of the Northern Song Dynasty was about 20 yuan (including houses, land, cattle, furniture and other types of property).

The average household in a slightly affluent area has an average property of about 50 kan.

The average household in a few extremely wealthy areas has an average household property of nearly 100 yuan.

And the first-class households in the southwest mountainous areas, even the richest people in a county, have total assets of only a few thousand.

Three hundred is a lot of money!

300 runs, you can buy 300 big fat pigs in Kaifeng.

The price in Xixiang County is cheaper, and you can buy at least four or five hundred big fat pigs.

Buying a brush with 300 yuan, Bai Chongyan, the son of a local tyrant, also felt pain. This is not the rich Jiangnan, how much money can the local tyrants in the countryside of Hanzhong have?

Take the old white man's family as an example, counting all the fixed assets, he can barely be called a family fortune, which is just the living expenses of the Empress Dowager Longyou for ten days - Zhao Gou is the emperor in the south, and the empress dowager is very frugal, and the daily living expenses are only 1,000 yuan.

As for the Bai family's cash, it can last for five or six thousand, and it is still the savings of several generations.

The old white family, the ancestors and grandchildren have struggled for several generations to save the living expenses of the queen mother for a few days, and they are very capable.

Gritting his teeth, Bai Chongyan said: "Three hundred guan is too expensive, if it is only thirty guan, I will buy it!" ”