The time entered early autumn, and on the official road from Ji'an Mansion in Xiangfan County to Xiangyang Mansion, the capital of Xiangfan, two young people led a donkey and walked unhurriedly. The young man in front was dressed in a green Confucian shirt and wore a square scarf, and the young man leading the donkey in the back was slightly shorter and short, but a white hosta was inserted between the buns on his head, indicating that he was also a famous scholar. The Great Sui established the country with martial arts, but from the beginning of the Hongzhi period, the implementation of Chongwen and suppression of martial arts, the imperial examination of scholars, vigorously selected talents from the common Han people, and abolished the system of the sons of the family of high families to take official positions. In order to improve the status of scholars, it is stipulated that after studying and gaining fame, they are exempted from all miscellaneous labor, and they can wear square scarves and Confucian shirts, wear hostas on their heads, and do not worship officials.

The two young people were dusty, and it could be seen that they had been walking on the road for a while, but the weather in early autumn was fine and the climate was pleasant.

The two young people are both from Jichun County, Ji'an Prefecture, the young man in Confucian shirt is named Mao Xiang, and the young man in short clothes is named Wang Yi. Mao Xiang just got the Xiucai exam this year, and now he is rushing to Xiangyang Mansion to participate in the Autumn Festival, Wang Yi is not only his classmate, but also his companion. Originally, Mao Dad was going to hire a car and let the slaves at home send Mao Xiang to take the exam, but Mao Xiang had to walk to Xiangyang Mansion, saying that "if you read ten thousand books, you have to travel thousands of miles", and you don't want slaves to see you off. Mao's father had to bother to ask Wang Yi to accompany his son, because Wang Yi's family was a "attached household" of the Mao family when he was a child, and he was only "denaturalized" from the Mao family when he was 10 years old, and he played with Mao Xiang since he was a child. Mao Xiang went to study in the county private school at the age of 14, and Mao Xiang's father spent money to invite Wang Yi to study together, which can be regarded as a companion. This year, Mao Xiang won the first place in Xiucai, and Wang Yi also took the epiphysis. Wang Yi's father died early, and the mother and son depended on each other, so Wang Yi has always been grateful to the Mao family, originally because there was no entanglement, Wang Yi did not plan to go to the county town to catch the exam this year, but Mao Dad proposed that he should be entangled, and asked Wang Yi to accompany Mao Xiang to catch the exam, and there was a response on the road, Wang Yi's mother and son immediately agreed. And although Wang Yi is younger than Mao Xiang, he has sold medicinal herbs, tea and mountain goods in the county and the government when he was a teenager. As for Mao Xiang, he was clamoring to take the exam on foot alone, but in fact, he had already discussed with Wang Yi and asked Wang Yi to accompany him, but Wang Yi was afraid that his father would not be at ease, so he didn't dare to agree without permission.

The official road approaching Xiangyang Mansion has become wider and smoother, and there are more travelers on the road, with tall trees on both sides of the road, and it is still green and pleasant in early autumn. From midnight to noon now, although he walked nearly thirty miles, Mao Xiang didn't feel tired at all, turned around and said to Wang Yi with a smile: "Huosheng, you have been muttering on the road to be careful of people, be careful of people, look at so many people on the road now, are you afraid?" "Huosheng is Wang Yi's nickname. Wang Yi also smiled and said: "Young master, it's not yet bright in the morning, and there are few people on the road, aren't I a little worried." ”

Mao Xiang said angrily: "Here you are again, how many times have you said it, don't call the young master, don't call the young master, now you are also a meritorious person, do you call the young master to scold people?" ”

Wang Yi smiled: "It's hard to change your words when you get used to it." ”

Mao Xiang said: "Call my word, otherwise call Brother Mao, otherwise outsiders will say that I don't know how to count." ”

Wang Yi said: "That's not enough, I've been calling the young master since I was a child." ”

Mao Xiang said seriously: "I know that you are kind, and you must always remind yourself not to forget your roots, but you have already left your nationality and are not attached to the household." Besides, gratitude is not in words, I have always regarded you as a brother, isn't it better to be commensurate with brothers? ”

Wang Yi paused for a moment and said, "Yes, Brother Mao!" ”

Mao Xiang became happy and said, "Brother, it's time to drink some wine." ”

Wang Yi shook his head: "Dad explained that you can't drink alcohol on the road." Besides, in addition to a lot of homeless people along the way, I also found a lot of people dressed in rivers and lakes, so be careful. ”

Mao Xiang said disappreciably: "Even if you encounter a robbery, don't you give them the silver on your body, let's dress up like this, they dare to kill if they rob money?" ”

Wang Yi smiled and said: "Give him the silver, let's go to Xiangyang Mansion for food?" ”

Mao Xiang waved his sleeves and said: "That can't be, we are serious scholars now, and when we go to the town market, we can exchange a few taels of silver by selling words." ”

Wang Yi said: "Brother Mao's words are good, and the scholars and politicians praise it, and they will definitely be able to sell it, so I won't be miserable?" ”

Mao Xiang said: "Seriously, I will go to Xiangyang Mansion tomorrow morning, nothing will happen, I will listen to you all the way, I didn't drink a sip of wine, and now it's almost here, I should drink a sip of wine to relieve fatigue." ”

Wang Yi shook his head and said: "It's useless, when you go to the eldest lady's mansion tomorrow, even if you are drunk, it has nothing to do with me." ”

Mao Xiang said angrily: "Why are you so reluctant, is my father's words a holy decree?" Don't you know how much I drink, and you can't drink less to relieve fatigue! ”

Wang Yi hesitated for a moment: "Then a dime of wine." ”

Mao Xiang suddenly smiled, and said with a flattering smile: "Two corners." ”

Wang Yi said: "Just a corner." ”

Mao Xiang's eyes rolled and he smiled: "It's easy to say." ”

As he spoke, a house appeared at the intersection in front of him, and he faintly saw the wine curtain shaking. Approaching and finding that it is a large point shop, here is still an intersection, there are more pedestrians, and there are a lot of mat sheds along the road, selling food, wine, tea, and fruit. All kinds of people get up early and go out, and this is the time to rest and sharpen, so it is quite bustling and lively.

Wang Yi picked a shop with a house and a well in the backyard, which was relatively clean. Xiao Er saw that it was two scholars, and he also led a donkey, knowing that it was a Xiucai who went to Xiangyang Mansion to catch the exam, so he hurriedly stepped forward and greeted him politely, leading the two to an empty table to sit down. Wang Yi led the donkey to the backyard by himself, handed it to another fellow, unloaded the luggage on the donkey, and placed it properly before walking to the table. But I saw that two pairs of dishes and chopsticks and two corners of wine were already placed on the table, and the man was serving a bowl of stew and a bowl of fish on the table. Mao Xiang picked up the chopsticks and nodded at Wang Yi and said, "Hurry up, come and eat." ”

Wang Yi ignored the presumption, and said to the guy: "Who let you drink?" ”

The guy pouted: "This minister." ”

Mao Xiang said: "Oh, Huosheng, didn't you say that you should have a drink." ”

Wang Yi turned his head to Mao Xiang and said, "If you say it's good, it's a dime of wine." ”

Mao Xiang smiled: "One person, one corner."

Wang Yi shook his head and said, "I don't drink." ”

Mao Xiang pretended to be surprised: "What should I do then?" If you say that you have a dime of wine, I will serve a dime of wine to one person. ”

Wang Yi said to the man, "We only need a dime of wine." ”

The man was embarrassed and said, "Xianggong, the wine has been sifted out, and it is not easy to pour it back." ”

Mao Xiang said: "Yes, yes, Brother Wang, you should drink less." ”

After Wang Yi sat down, he said to the guy, "Little Er, put on two boxes of rice." Then he brought a dime of wine to himself, and said to Mao Xiang, "If I don't drink, you can only drink a dime." ”

Mao Xiang took a big sip of wine, picked up a piece of fish and ate it, and said vaguely: "Then whatever you want, you can pack it and take it away, otherwise you will pour it." ”

Wang Yi was silent, feeling a little breathless. At this time, someone outside the shop laughed and said, "What a coincidence, I met two fathers here." The two looked out of the shop together, but they were the strangers.

This Taoist is a Taoist priest who has only arrived in Jichun County in the past few months, and later traveled to Maojiazhuang. He helps people tell fortunes, and also has several sets of means to drive away evil spirits and filth, and can also treat bruises, and happened to meet a little girl who went up the mountain to pick tea and broke her foot in Maojiazhuang, he helped the little girl to get the bone right, and smeared some of its own plasters, and the little girl was able to limp in less than a week. Although he is a Taoist priest, but there is no oily head and smooth brain of the rivers and lakes, Mao Dad likes to talk to him, so he stayed in Zhuangzi for a while, so Shang and Mao Xiang, Wang Yi are also familiar, before the two of them rushed to the exam, he said goodbye and left Maojiazhuang, saying that he continued to travel, unfortunately met on the road today.

Mao Xiang and Wang Yi hurriedly got up, let the people sit down at the table, the shop guy was serving two bowls of vegetarian dishes, Wang Yi asked the guy to take another pair of chopsticks, and ordered another bowl of stew.

The people who are not tall and elite are elite, but they are not obscene, but they seem shrewd and strong. He first asked the two of them to sit down, then put the Taoist priest trick in his hand against the table, sat down, and said with a smile: "There are not many days after leaving Maojiazhuang, I didn't expect to meet two sons on the road to Xiangyang Mansion, Mao Gongzi is going to Xiangyang Mansion to participate in the Autumn Festival, right?" ”

Mao Xiang smiled: "Isn't it, the chief of the road is also going to Xiangyang Mansion?" ”

The Taoist said: "Yes, it's going to be autumn soon, don't those talented candidates like to calculate how lucky they are, and I can also earn some loose silver to wrap up." ”

Mao Xiang said: "Aren't you afraid that you can't count accurately, and those showmen who fail to make the list will trouble you?" ”

The Taoist smiled: "I am proficient in Mai algorithm, Zhouyi gossip, I know everything about physiognomy and words, I know astronomy and geography, and the fate of a person's life is not missing. ”

Mao Xiang laughed: "You old way, just blow it hard, when you are King Wen of Zhou." ”

Wang Yi interjected: "The head of the road will calculate whether Brother Mao can be admitted to the undergraduate program. ”

The Taoist waved his hand and said, "Don't count, from the first time I saw Mao Gongzi, I looked at Mao Gongzi's appearance, and I knew that Mao Gongzi must be successful in this subject." ”

Wang Yi said: "What are the credentials? ”

"Mao Gongzi should be a talent at the age of 15, at that time, the Xuezheng Lord was afraid that the son was young and suddenly became famous, but he delayed the avenue and pressed the son, and afterwards he was afraid that the son would be discouraged, so he specially entrusted the county master to give his hosta to the son, and explained his hard work. Childe is gifted and intelligent, and he studied hard afterwards, and he was the first in the college examination this time. ”

Mao Xiang was surprised: "How do you know this? ”

Wang Yi thought for a while and said, "Needless to say, it must have been told by Daddy Mao." ”

The Daoist laughed and said, "Little brother is really smart. When I was in the village, my father didn't tell me anything. ”

He said angrily: "My dad likes to show off with others. ”

Humane: "I hope that my son will become a dragon, and the hearts of parents all over the world are the same." ”

Wang Yi pushed a corner of wine to the hand of the Taoist and said, "It just so happens that the Taoist is here, please drink." ”

The Taoist excused himself and said: "Childe's wine, how embarrassed am I to drink it, Childe is at his own convenience, I'll just come to the box lunch." ”

Wang Yi said: "I never drink. ”

The Daoist was puzzled: "Then this is-" He caught a glimpse of Mao Xiang smiling evilly, and understood in his heart, and laughed: "Then the poor road will be disturbed." ”

The three of them continued to chat while eating. Wang Yi asked: "Dao Chang has walked a lot, do you think there is any difference on the road this year?" ”

The Daoist said: "The little brother can also see that there are indeed fewer merchants on the road this year, and there are many more homeless people. He lowered his voice again and said, "There are still a lot of people in the rivers and lakes." ”

At this time, the shop was already full of customers. Wang Yi also lowered his voice and asked, "Yes, does the Dao Chief know the reason?" ”

The Daoist sighed and said, "Alas, last year and this year, there were severe droughts in the four northern counties one after another, and many people in the north went south to beg. In addition, there are many people in the southeastern counties and little land in recent years, and many people have no land to plant, and they are also in exile, and they have no land to live in. ”

Mao Xiang wondered: "Hasn't the southeast always been rich?" ”

Wang Yi said: "The southeast is rich, but most of the land has been annexed by the high-ranking magnates in recent years, and ordinary people just rely on renting land for cultivation and paying taxes, so they can't afford to support a family." ”

The Taoist looked at Wang Yi and said, "Wang Xianggong knows a lot about the people's livelihood in the world." ”

Wang Yi said calmly: "I have been poor since I was a child, and I can barely make a living by imposting for a family, so I am naturally more concerned about begging for a living. ”

Mao Xiang said: "Huosheng has followed the monk Ran to read and write since he was a child, and the monk has traveled all over the world, and he has an understanding of the world's successes and people's livelihood."

The Taoist nodded and said, "That's it, I also admire Monk Ran very much." ”

Monk Zhiran came to Jichun County more than ten years ago, he was a monk with a degree, he could have practiced in the county and even in the big temple of Ji'an Mansion, but he came to Wan'an Mountain near Maojiazhuang, and found that it was suitable for practice, so he settled in Maomao, and has been until now. Wang Yi's mother was a strong believer in Buddhism, and although her family was poor, she often gave up porridge and rice. Monk Zhiran also liked Wang Yi when he was a child, and from the time he was 6-7 years old when he helped the impostor's cattle herd, he often went to the place where he herded cattle to teach him to read and write. When Wang Yi was older, he began to go up the mountain to pick tea, collect medicine, and collect firewood, and often went to live in the broken temple of Monk Ran, and read until late at night, so it was not difficult for him to go to the county to study privately. Mao Xiang has been playing with Wang Yi since he was a child, and often goes to Monk Ran with Wang Yi. But the monk never taught Wang Yi to read scriptures and Buddhist scriptures, he had many miscellaneous books, all kinds of history books, let Wang Yi read by himself, he said to Wang Yi: When you grow up, you must go to the outside world and have your own world, these books will let you understand the world earlier.

Mao Xiang then asked, "Then the government doesn't care about these hungry and homeless people?" ”

At the beginning, the imperial court ordered the local government to strictly control it, and found that the displaced people were sent back to their hometowns, but the displaced people returned to their hometowns without land to cultivate, and they still had to wander around, and they couldn't manage it. ”

Mao Xiang shook his head and said: "This is not good, the homeless people have no life, and after a long time, it is inevitable to become traitors, steal and rob, and even take risks." ”

The Taoist said: "Yes, there have been more and more gangs and Daomen in recent years, especially the Wudoumi Sect, which has become more and more popular. ”

While speaking, Wang Yi had finished eating, and the wine of the two had also finished drinking, Mao Xiang asked, "Dao Chief, two more corners of wine?" ”

Wang Yi glanced at Mao Xiang, and when he saw it, he said with a smile: "Enough is enough, when you go out, drink less and drink less." ”

Mao Xiang laughed, and the two also began to eat.

Wang Yi will post the account and lead the donkey to the backyard, the man has helped the donkey feed the grass and drink, Wang Yi wrapped the bookcase on the donkey's back and tied it properly, and led it out of the gate. The trio set out on their way.

That night, the three of them rested in an inn. Nothing to say.