The cold wind at night was like a woman crying, but in the Liu family's house, there was faint laughter in the courtyard.

Tomorrow in autumn, Liu Zide, the youngest son of the Liu family, will also be down early in the morning. Wang Chunzhi, the aunt of the Liu family, specially made a good dish to celebrate her son's imminent departure to the science field.

The table is full of chicken, duck and beef, and there is a bird's nest in the middle. Wang Chunzhi picked up the small cup of bird's nest and sent it to his youngest son, smiling very happily: "My son, after eating this cup, it will be a few days of hardship for tomorrow to go to the house." ”

Autumn three times per day, three days and nights, nine days and seven nights have to stay in the house, eating, drinking and sleeping can not come out, not to say that it is bird's nest, even the dry food is very choked.

Liu Zide was dressed in a brand-new satin suit, and drank the bird's nest in front of him, his eyebrows slightly hooked, hiding two points of uncontrollable pride.

Naturally, he is proud, the silver of the chief examiner of the Ministry of Rites has been sent, and as soon as the autumn season passes, he will also become a lifter like his brother, and then wait, he will be an official, and he will no longer be the son of a noodle seller in the future.

Thinking of the name "Master", Liu Zide smiled a little more.

His brother Liu Zixian was a little depressed between his eyebrows, and said in a low voice: "The appetite of the people in the Ministry of Rites is getting bigger and bigger, and they actually sit on the ground and raise the price......"

A few days ago, the person at the other end of the Ministry of Rites replied, saying that he owed some money for the delivery, and added another eight hundred taels. Eight hundred taels and eight hundred taels, a full thousand six hundred taels of silver, that is a huge amount of money that many ordinary people can't spend in their lifetime!

For the sake of this 1,600 taels of silver, the family scraped together and emptied their savings, and Liu Zixian also lost all the money he had saved in the past year and a half. Although they are brothers, they feel uncomfortable in their hearts.

Wang Chunzhi saw his unhappiness, rolled his eyes, and said with a smile: "More is more, fortunately, our noodle restaurant business is also good, when Zide wins the list, he also points to the official, you two brothers have become officials, and you are still worried that the money will not flow to our family?" In the long run, there will be many good days ahead! ”

This was said auspiciously, and Master Liu Liu Kun couldn't help nodding: "Yes, officialdom is not afraid of spending silver, but I'm afraid that I can't spend it if I have silver." If you have a good way, it will be much easier the day after tomorrow. After that, he sighed suddenly, "Our Liu family had to be sneaky in setting up a small stall in the capital back then, and now it can be regarded as a breakthrough." ”

As soon as these words came out, several people at the table were a little embarrassed.

At the beginning, the Liu family set up a stall in Shengjing Hutong to sell noodles, and was often bullied by local merchants, but in just a few years, there was a shop in the most lively Qi'er Street, the eldest son became an official, and the younger son also had a bright future. In the past, those neighbors who looked down on them no longer dared to chew their tongues in front of them, and everyone came to compliment. Looking ahead, those days of groveling and wagging their tails and begging for mercy, like disappearing waves, are long gone.

It's not easy.

Liu Zide stuffed a shrimp ball into his mouth, grinned, and his tone was a little impetuous: "Of course, our family has two moves, and it is a rare honor to put them in the capital, which is much more powerful than the kid from the Lu family in Changwu County back then......"

At this point, as if mentioning a well-known taboo, Liu Zide suddenly closed his voice, and the surroundings instantly fell silent.

Liu Zixian's brows were furrowed, and Liu Kun's face was even more unsightly. Oh, but Wang Chunzhi laughed again: "After all, tomorrow will end up for a few more days, and we won't have to suffer this hard life at all!" Without mentioning Fang Cai's name in the words, it was as if he had crossed some secret between them.

Liu Zide hurriedly responded: "Yes, yes, it's all done, my mother is waiting at home for good news!" ”

Eating and drinking during the banquet, because of tomorrow's business, Liu Zide didn't dare to use more mistakes, after eating some, he went to the back room to rest, Liu Zixian also slept, Wang Chunzhi cleaned up the table and returned to the house, Liu Kun was sitting at the table and picking up the wick.

The wick was cut off, for example, it was brighter, and in the solidified light, Liu Kun sat stiffly, like a piece of diseased wood about to wither.

The wind blew in from the window, and the shadows on the wall swayed. Wang Chunzhi closed the window and took off his shoes and went to the bed. Xu is autumn day suddenly cooled down, she tightened her clothes, shrunk down, and leaned against the wall. The candlelight reflected on her wrist, which looked a little empty without the heavy gold bracelet that had been before.

The gold bracelet was given to her by Liu Zixian after he took Yulu to give her, a full amount of gold, and her son's affordable filial piety taught her to be happy for half a year.

However, a few days ago, the bracelet was exchanged for silver and sent to the Ministry of Rites.

She looked down at her empty wrist for a while, and suddenly spoke: "Master, I dreamed of that kid from the Lu family last night." ”

As soon as she finished speaking, the strong wind outside blew the window that had just been hidden open for a while, making a "bang" sound, which startled her and hurried to look.

Liu Kun, who was sitting on the edge of the couch, was also shocked, but calmed down in an instant, and reprimanded: "What nonsense? ”

"It's true!" As if there was an outlet for fear, Wang Chunzhi couldn't help but shrink into the wall again, "I dreamed that he came to our house, and he stood at the door without saying a word." She shuddered, and lowered her voice a little, "Master, my eyelids have been beating non-stop lately, and I feel uneasy, will something happen?" ”

Liu Kun's black and yellow face shrugged, and reprimanded: "The silver has been sent out, what can happen!" Women are just multi-minded, what are they thinking about? ”

Wang Chunzhi was silent when he heard this, and lay down on the wall alone, leaning back against Liu Kun and muttering: "If you don't say it, you won't say it." ”

Wang Chunzhi fell asleep, Liu Kun was still sitting cross-legged on the edge of the couch, and the shadow fell on the ground with a paradoxical shadow, like a Kunpeng spreading its wings.

His father, who died early, gave him the word "Kun" back then, hoping that he could spread his wings like Kunpeng and fly high and far. Liu Kun also believes that he will be able to get ahead one day. However, his heart is higher than the sky, his life is thinner than paper, he has no family background and no talent, and he has been wandering for most of his life, but he can only earn hard money to live in the village in Changwu County.

His cousin Lu Qilin is a completely different person from him, he is good looking and knowledgeable, and even if he has a son, he can read better than his two boys. Liu Kun always has some subtle jealousy towards this cousin, but fortunately, Lu Qilin is probably a scholar's arrogance, and he has no talent and ambition but does not understand human feelings, so that in the end, he can only be a mediocre teacher in Changwu County. So that subtle jealousy was washed away.

Liu Kun stayed in Changwu County until he was thirty-five years old, and finally couldn't stand such a hopeless day. So he borrowed money and silver to take the family to the capital, vowing to live a famous life.

Shengjing is good, splendid and picturesque, gold powder buildings, and the ground is full of wealth and glory.

But this glory has no part of them.

Liu Kun's family came with raging ambitions, but they hit nails one after another in this charming wealth. There is no place for them in the splendid scenery, and no matter how big the Kunpeng wings are, they can't fly people with ladders.

He has no knowledge and no way, so he can only set up a stall in Shengjing Alley Hutong, and also sell the most common eel silk noodles in Changwu County.

Since ancient times, it has been easy to pass and hard days. Liu Kun didn't know how long he had survived, he thought that the money he had saved over the years would probably be able to build a small shop on Que'er Street.

Who knew that it was good, but at the end of the day, the owner of the house suddenly rose by a hundred taels of silver. All the savings of his family had been sold, all the neighbors who could borrow had been borrowed, and the money was like dead wood that had been grinded hard, and there was no longer a trace of it.

The shop was not finished, and he returned home in despair, and it was at that time that he saw Lu Qian, who was in the dust.

Lu Qian......

The night outside the door was miserable, and Liu Kun's eyes flickered.

Lu Qian is Lu Qilin's son and nephew.

This nephew's temperament is not as old-fashioned and solemn as his father, like the warm spring sun in March in Changwu County, bright and chic. He can read again, he is good-looking, and he has a pure heart, which is hard to hate.

Liu Kun also likes him very much.

The two sons he gave birth to by himself were not successful, he was too lazy to care, but Lu Qian liked to follow him. It's probably because Lu Qilin is too old-fashioned, while Liu Kun looks much kinder. Lu Qian likes to follow him to fish, catch loaches, and catch crabs in the brook in the evening. The neighbors next door all said that compared to Lu Qilin, he looked like Lu Qian's father.

It's just that after he went to Beijing, except for a year and a half of letters with the Lu family, there was no contact.

Many years have passed, the bright and dashing young man looked much calmer, Liu Kun was surprised and delighted, but Lu Qian's smile was very reluctant.

Lu Qian came for Lu Rou's funeral.

Lu Rou died.

Liu Kun had known this news for a long time, and he was very sorry in his heart. When Lu Rou first married in Shengjing, he also visited Liu's house once. It's just that she is married to a wealthy businessman, and the rules in the family are big, especially her mother-in-law, who is extremely mean, and Liu Kun is not good at coming to the door repeatedly with a cheeky face, and gradually no longer communicates.

Liu Kun thought that Lu Qian was here to mourn, but Lu Qian told him that Lu Rou's death had another hidden meaning.

Lu Rou was killed.

The secret in Lu Qian's mouth was shocking, and Liu Kun was also shocked. The young man is just as broken as he was a teenager, gritting his teeth and gambling on the curse to seek justice for the eldest sister who died in vain.

"Brother Qian, this is not a joke. Do you know how big an official the Taishi is...... He stomped his feet, and the whole Sheng Kyoto was going to tremble three times! You rushed out rashly to sue him, not to mention overturning the case, even your father and mother will be involved, listen to your cousin, go back, otherwise you won't even be able to save your life! ”

At that time, he persuaded Lu Qian like this.

But Lu Qian didn't listen at all.

Although the young man's temperament is very different from his father's, the stubbornness in his bones is the same. He looked at Liu Kun: "Uncle Cousin, my sister is dead, I know the truth but I have to shrink my head and forbear, those people can still be high up when they do evil, there is no such reason in the world." ”

"Lang Lang Qiankun, at the feet of the Son of Heaven, there are grievances but no complaints, and there are no bends, don't you think it's ridiculous?"

"Even if I die, I will seek justice for my sister."

He is too young to know the power of this world, and he can easily break the backbone of a family.

Liu Kun couldn't persuade Lu Qian, so he had to watch Lu Qian go to the trial court in a desperate way, like a moth pounced on the dense net that had already been weaved.

Sure enough, it didn't take long for Lu Qian's wanted warrant to appear on the streets of Shengjing. What kind of insult to others, theft of property, these messy charges are all over the portrait person, he looked at the small words of the reward of one hundred taels of silver, and thought to himself that the people in the trial court are really generous.

He dragged his tired and numb body home, Wang Chunzhi was crying at home, saying that the shop at the end of Qi'er Street could not be rented, but the deposit was not returned, and they had to save a deposit of fifty taels of silver for a long time. Zide and Zixian went to confront the shopkeeper and were beaten and thrown out.

The family was in a mess, and the son's abuse and the woman's crying were mixed together, which made him have a headache, and he felt sad and sad, and he was not as happy as the life in Changwu County. He fell asleep unconsciously in the midst of the noise, and when he woke up it was late at night, and someone called him in his ear: "Cousin, cousin! ”

Liu Kun raised his head.

Lu Qian was standing in front of him, he had come at night, his eyes were embarrassed and a little anxious.

"Brother Qian?" Liu Kun sat up straight, not knowing what to say for a while.

Lu Qian said: "Uncle Cousin, Fan Zhenglian, the judge of the Criminal Court, and the Taishi Mansion have secretly colluded to slander me and put me in prison. He walked a few steps to the jar in the middle of the house where the dried fruit was kept, and took out a piece of paper wrapped in a letter from the jar.

Liu Kun was surprised: "What is this?" ”

Lu Qian smiled, at this time, he actually laughed too, his eyes seemed to be a little cunning: "Evidence." ”

"Evidence?"

"The evidence that my sister left me at that time, I thought about it, Uncle Cousin, your worries are not wrong, so when I went to find Fan Zhenglian, I hid this thing in your house first. Today is the one who came to take it. ”

He walked up to Liu Kun again, was silent for a while, and then said solemnly: "Uncle Cousin, now that the arrest notice has been issued, I am a sinner, and I can't stay here to trouble you." ”

Liu Kun asked, "Then what will you do in the future?" ”

"Naturally, I will continue to find a way to get justice for my sister. Uncle Cousin," he lowered his eyes slightly, "If I die, don't care about my body, wait for you to write a letter back to Changwu County to deceive my father, how long can you deceive." But," he laughed again, with a bit of youthful nonchalance, "I don't think I'll fall into his hands so easily." ”

He waved his hand: "I'm leaving." ”

The young man was about to disappear at the door, as if he was going to completely disappear into the boundless night of Shengjing.

Liu Kun said: "Wait! ”

Lu Qian turned around: "What's wrong?" ”

This was supposed to be the time to part, and he should have told this younger person who had grown up, but at that moment, for some reason, Liu Kun inexplicably remembered that in the arrest notice he saw on the street during the day, a reward of one hundred taels of silver came in.

One hundred taels added up to just enough for him to take down the coveted shop on Que'er Street, and it was also enough to solve the current chaotic situation at home.

Lu Qian asked, "Uncle Cousin?" ”

Liu Kun shook his head and blurted out: "Brother Qian, stay tonight, there are officials everywhere outside." ”

"Then I can't stay, cousin, if I stay here and are discovered, you will also be implicated."

Saying that he was about to leave again, Liu Kun grabbed him.

Lu Qian was puzzled, Liu Kun swallowed his saliva: "You have been hiding outside in Tibet for the past few days, and you haven't eaten well, and you don't know when this walk will stop, you wait, I will ask your cousin to make you a bowl of eel noodles." Let's finish eating noodles and then leave. ”

couldn't resist Liu Kun, so Lu Qian had to agree to stay for a moment longer. Wang Chunzhi was hurriedly called up by Liu Kun to cook noodles, and he was extremely unhappy in his heart, and scolded: "He is a wanted criminal!" You still have to make noodles for him to eat, you are not afraid of being affected, I am still afraid! ”

Liu Kun's eyes flashed: "Yes, he is a wanted criminal." ”

It's also a sum of money that can take them through this difficult time now.

Suddenly, Liu Kun put the fragrant noodles in front of Lu Qian, Lu Qian picked up the chopsticks and feasted, and smiled at him while eating: "After so many years, Auntie's craftsmanship is still the original taste." ”

Liu Kun also laughed, laughing and laughing, and when he raised his head again, Lu Qian's head was already hanging in the crook of his arm—he had put enough drugs in the bowl, even if it was an elephant, it could be poured.

Under the faint light, half of Liu Kun's face was invaded by light and shadow, and he looked at the young man's sleeping face expressionlessly. He thought that Lu Qian had offended the people of the Taishi Mansion, and sooner or later he would die. Rather than die in the hands of outsiders in an unknown way, it is better to go through your own hands again, so that you can still make some contribution to their family.

One life, one hundred taels of silver, can rent a noodle restaurant on Que'er Street.

And that "evidence", maybe you can get more.

Wang Chunzhi, who had gone to report to the official, came back and whispered behind the door, so he stood up and walked over......

"Smack-"

Before the door was closed, the wind outside swept a door open, and it swayed in the night, interrupting Liu Kun's thoughts.

So he got up, and walked over, as he had done that night—

With a "click", the door was locked.

……

The long wind blew through the banners of the lonely Confucian students' homes, and also blew the lanterns of the rich and high-ranking officials' homes. There was laughter and tears on this night.

In the room, Lu Tong was putting incense in front of the small Buddha cupboard.

Yin Zheng walked in from outside the door, smiled and said: "Tomorrow in autumn, the little guy next to Young Master Dong has just come to buy the medicinal tea of Zheguiling, and I said a few auspicious words in the name of the girl, so that Young Master Dong will be happy." ”

Lu Tong smiled faintly.

In the autumn of this year, Dong Lin will also go down. His lung disease is much better now, and a few days in the barn will not make a difference. Mrs. Dong didn't think about letting Dong Lin go to high school, she just wanted Dong Lin to watch the scene, so that the ladies in Shengjing could see that his son was in good health, and he was by no means the sick man in the rumors.

Dong Lin's good impression of Lu Tong is almost undisguised, and Yinzheng feels that the reason why Dong Lin is out this year is because he wants Lu Tong to take a look. Men, in front of their sweethearts, always perform like a peacock, even though this behavior may be stupid in the eyes of the other party.

Yinzheng thought for a while: "Then Wu Xiucai is going to end tomorrow, won't the girl ask the Bodhisattva for him?" ”

Lu Tong stretched out his hand, took the incense on one side and lit it on the candle.

In the small Buddha cupboard, the Bodhisattva stared at her with compassion, indifferent and compassionate.

She bowed three times, put the incense in the cage, and spoke softly.

"Then I wish him to be on the gold list, take the lead, be famous all over the world, and win the Toad Palace."