Bai Ze returned to the county guard's mansion.

He walked directly to Teng Zijing's study and found that his old buddy was picking up his pen and writing hard.

"Knock knock."

Bai Ze tapped the floor a few times with his foot.

"Hehe, you're back?"

Teng Zijing put down the brush and looked at Bai Ze with a smile, and Bai Ze also looked at him and asked, "What are you writing?" ”

"Write a letter to a poor scholar in Dongyang County, tell him about my study experience back then, and encourage him."

Teng Zijing put down the brush and said with a smile.

"The one who breeds horses?" Bai Ze asked.

"No, no, no, he's just surnamed Ma." Teng Zijing said patiently.

One person and one dog can communicate without barriers, and Bai Ze did not use words, but used animal language.

Teng Zijing is very knowledgeable.

When he was young, he had a heroic righteousness, and after knowing the destiny of heaven at the age of fifty, he could understand the beast language of birds, beasts, insects and fish.

Of course.

It is also possible that in order to be able to communicate with his good brother without barriers, he secretly went to find the beast language learned by the master.

"Bai Ze, ......"

Teng Zijing slowly raised his head, and said with a deep look in his eyes: "I feel that I am afraid that my time is running out." ”

"All my life, I have been worrying about the country and the people, and in the last moment, I want to do something I want to do, you can accompany me."

After speaking, there was a look of remembrance in his eyes, and he smiled freely: "Even though I am dying of old age now, I am still the former scholar who rushed to take the exam...... Let's go through the road to Beijing again to catch the exam. ”

Bai Ze was silent for a moment, and for some reason, his heart was a little sour.

Does it start on this road and end on this road?

Eventually, he nodded, "Okay." ”

So, the next day, it was dawn, and one man and one dog set off.

Teng Zijing left a letter in the study, informing him of the reason, so that the family should not worry.

……

There was a light rain in the sky.

On the muddy mountain road, an old man with white hair carried a bookcase made of bamboo and a twig on his back, and walked with difficulty.

Next to him, there was a large snow-white dog.

Today, the big dog is no longer spotless, but all four feet are covered with mud, and he is slightly embarrassed.

It was already innocent, but it had gathered all the extraordinary, like an ordinary dog, walking in the mud with the old man.

Isn't he, too?

Now you are a county guard, and you are old and frail, but you don't bring any entourage, and you are carrying a bookcase on your back.

It's a tribute to the dreams of their youth.

It is also a tribute to their friendship in this life!

"Wow!"

Bai Ze shouted twice, meaning, let me carry the bookcase.

"No, I can still carry it."

Teng Zijing was out of breath, but said with a smile: "A scholar, if he can't even carry a bookcase, how can he enter Beijing to take the exam?" ”

Seeing this, Bai Ze didn't say anything anymore, but just slowed down.

A man and a dog, walking in the drizzle.

A few days later.

They climbed a few more mountains, crossed several rivers on a ferry, and even paid the toll honestly when they crossed a pass.

Now they are not county guards, nor are they big demons.

Finally, in the evening, they came to a ruined temple overgrown with weeds.

"It's back here again......"

Teng Zijing looked at the dilapidated vermilion wall, his wrinkled face showing a look of remembrance.

Bai Ze also had complicated eyes.

Sixty-eight years ago, it was here that he was almost roasted and eaten by a group of beggars, and it was this man next to him who saved him.

It's just that the young scholars at that time are now dying, and time is running out......

The saddest, but things are not people!

"Let's go to the Buddha hall to hide from the rain and bake some clothes, you're also wet."

Teng Zijing said with a smile.

So, a man and a dog entered the Buddha hall.

The door of the temple was lost many years ago, and it may have been burned as firewood by passers-by.

Even the windows are gone, and the cold wind pours in from the outside, making a "whine" sound.

The Buddha statue in the center of the Buddha hall has long been covered with a layer of spider webs, and the paint is seriously peeling, and the color is mottled.

"Ding, ding, ding!"

Teng Zijing took out the flint, picked up a few dead branches from the corner, and lit a fire.

These dry firewood may have been brought by foxes and jackals, and these wild creatures like to find branches to nest in, but they do not stay in one place for long.

"Crackling......"

The fire burned, the dry wood inside burst and made a sharp sound, and from time to time a few sparks rose from the flames.

Teng Zijing took off his shabby Xiucai robe and baked it, and as the water vapor steamed, his face also showed a look of exhaustion.

After all, at the age of eighty-eight, it is still a little unbearable to travel day and night like this.

"I'll go out and get something to eat."

Bai Ze said in a low voice.

"No need, there are two cold steamed buns in the baggage, you can eat them after roasting."

Teng Zijing said with a smile.

Bai Ze hesitated for a moment, and finally nodded.

Mortals have a mortal way of life, and in a life of poverty, there is no solace for the soul.

This trip to the capital, if it is not necessary, he will not use demon power.

It's like the old guy won't use his status as an official eunuch, and he won't use too much money.

They're going back to the way they used to be.

is looking for the former self, but also saying goodbye to each other, after all, this is the last time in this life......

From now on, I will live in the world forever, see the vicissitudes of the world, joys and sorrows, but ...... I'll never see you again.

Just then, several voices were heard.

"Hahaha, good luck this time!"

"Yes, I really wanted to sleep and picked up the pillow, this little thing, I'm afraid it has to be three or four pounds, enough for us to fight tooth sacrifices."

"Quick, there's a fire over there, let's go!"

I saw four or five beggars walking in with their shoulders hooked, and the leader carried a muddy little black dog in his hand.

"Woo Woo ......"

The little black dog struggled violently, but it was carried by the skin on the back of its neck, and it was difficult to break free.

"This talented man, how about borrowing a fire?"

A beggar said politely.

In the mortal world where everything is inferior, only the reading is high, and the status of the reader is very high.

At least, the social status is relatively high.

Even the thieves who block the road and rob usually don't dare to rob the scholars who rush into Beijing to take the exam, let alone these beggars.

"You're going to roast this puppy?"

Teng Zijing asked.

"yes......"

A beggar said as a matter of course, but the next moment, when he saw Bai Ze, he suddenly knew that he had met a dog lover, and coughed dryly: "Ahem...... We couldn't help it, we hadn't eaten for days. ”

Teng Zijing hesitated for a moment and said, "How much is this puppy, sell it to me." ”

"If you want to buy it, five taels of silver."

The leading beggar said with a smile.

Teng Zijing frowned, these people dared to open their mouths? His whole body was only about three taels of silver.

Even if it is three taels of silver, it is not a small amount for ordinary people, I am afraid that I will have to save for two or three years.

"Don't be angry, Master Xiucai, we don't mean to buy and sell, if you don't buy it, you won't buy it, let's borrow a fire, and when it's cooked, we can share a piece of meat with you."

The leading beggar laughed.

"Five taels is five taels, I bought it!"

Just then, a young voice rang out.

Everyone looked towards the gate, only to see a gorgeously dressed boy, with a tall, scribbled scholar, into the Buddhist hall.