It has been raining for three days and three nights. The road was muddy, which slowed down the speed of travel. It was a day later than expected, and it was only after entering the boundary of Nanfu County. When I arrived outside the county seat, it was already night, and I couldn't enter the city.

Chen Tang decided to find a village in the suburbs, spend the night, and enter the city tomorrow.

Calculating the hour, it is only about seven o'clock in the evening, but the surrounding villages are all dark and dark, and the lights are blind.

On top of the carriage, wind lamps were hung to illuminate the road, and it was headed for a nearby village.

"Woohoo!"

As soon as they arrived at the entrance of the village, a family dog barked wildly in the village.

Ah Bao was wearing a lily robe and a hat, and jumped out of the car, carrying a wind lantern in his hand. He had experience, found the largest house in the village, went up and knocked on the door. This house is supposed to be the residence of the village squire, the place is spacious, and after living in it, you can buy some food.

Tuk tuk!

"Is anyone at home? We are passing merchants, and we are too late to enter the city. Find a place to spend the night and give money. ”

All the way south, sometimes you can't live in an inn, you can only find farmers to spend the night, Ah Bao is familiar with this.

Strangers often mean danger, and ordinary people are secretly wary and will not accept them easily. But if you give money, you have to negotiate.

After waiting for a while, but no one responded, Po patiently knocked on the door again and said the words again.

After a while, there was a cough, and then footsteps began, babbling, and the door opened.

A gray-haired manzi, holding an oil lamp, leaned out and looked at Po with a wary face.

Ah Bao took off the hat and smiled: "Old man, we are passing merchants, it is raining this day, it is quite cold, and there are female dependents in the car." I want to find a place to spend the night, give money, and ask you to give it a convenience. ”

The word "give money" is deliberately heavier.

The old man thought for a while and said, "I have to tell my son-in-law that he agrees." ”

"Okay, I'm tired. ”

Po stretched out his hand and stuffed a medium coin over.

The old man continued, hehe, and smiled: "Wait a minute." He closed the door, turned and went in.

After a while, the door opened, and the old man came out, followed by a young man with a beautiful face and the appearance of a scholar. It's just that it looks like the clouds are clouded between the eyebrows, and it looks very depressed.

At this time, the carriage rushed over, Chen Tang got out of the car, and arched his hand: "In Xia Chen Tang, passing through your land, I want to find a place to stay, and please give me a convenience." ”

The young man looked at him scrutinically, looked at him a few times, and then returned the salute: "Xiaosheng Wang's surname, his name is 'Mo'." You can go to my house and stay in the courtyard for 100 yuan a night. ”

This price is significantly higher.

Ah Bao was about to open his mouth and bargain, but Chen Tang took the lead and agreed. The wind and rain are drifting, the cold is deep, and I am too lazy to grind my lips for a little money.

gave the money at the moment, and the old man led the way to the side courtyard.

The courtyard was vacant, and there were three rooms in it, but there were only wooden beds and bedding in the rooms, all of which were not served.

Ah Bao complained: "In this place, I dare to charge a hundred yuan, but Wang Sheng is a scholar, and he is making money in the dark." ”

Chen Tang smiled: "Maybe people are in urgent need of money, so they are willing to let us live in." ”

After a pause, he said, "After a day of driving, I was hungry." You go and ask if there are any chickens and ducks that are sold, even if the price is high, you can buy them and cook them on the fire. ”

"Good. ”

Ah Bao answered, so he went to ask the old man.

About a quarter of an hour later, Po came back with an old hen and a bundle of greens. However, his face was full of depression, and when he asked, it turned out that he had been slaughtered again. The price of this old hen can be bought for two in normal times. He grinded for a while, and then the other party sent a handful of vegetables.

There is a room in the courtyard, Ah Lai and Ah Bao began to clean up, pots and pans, oil and salt, etc., all with their own.

Rusi made it for most of the hour, although the chicken soup was not stewed enough, but it was almost there, and the meals were all good, and they were ready to eat.

This excitement alarmed the owner Wang Mo and came over with a woman. This woman is in her early twenties, looks handsome, and looks a little pitiful.

Wang Mo said that this is his wife.

Everyone exchanged a few words of greeting and gradually started to talk about the topic.

Chen Tang came to Nanfu County for the first time, and wanted to inquire about the customs of the county, but Wang Mo flickered, avoided the important and trivial, and did not say much of anything substantially useful. Instead, he knocked on the side and asked about Chen Tang's identity.

At the beginning, the gold list was announced to the world, and there were lists in various state capitals and counties, and after reading it, people who were interested would naturally leave an impression on the names of the people on the list, especially the top three. However, the world is huge, and there are many people with the same name and surname. Chen Tang didn't want his identity to be exposed for the time being, so he casually perfunctory the past.

After talking for a while, Wang Mo and his wife said goodbye and left, and went back to the room to rest.

It's not early, and the wind and rain tend to get bigger. After eating and drinking, and after washing, Su Ling and the others were ready to sleep.

There are three rooms in the courtyard, which is just the right arrangement. This night, Ah Bao didn't have to sleep in the carriage anymore.

said that Wang Mo and his wife returned to the bedroom, lit candles, and were relatively silent.

After a while, his wife asked, "Husband, is that Tanhualang?"

Wang Mo shook his head and smiled bitterly: "I don't know, it should be the same name." If it's Tanhualang, how can you get here?"

The woman sighed: "That's right." ”

Wang Mo said: "It's not early, go to bed and rest, and when you save enough money, I will take you away and fly away." ”

The woman said, "But this business is ......."

"If you can handle it, you can dispose of it...... I can't live this day. ”

Wang Mo said, his face showing grief and indignation.

The woman even wept: "Husband, it's all my fault." ”

Wang Mo hugged her in his arms: "Don't do your business......"

As he spoke, there was a bang, and the door was kicked open, and a man broke in.

Seeing the handsome-looking man with a touch of evil charm, Wang Mo was taken aback: "You, why are you here tonight?"

The man smiled and said: "On a stormy night, the interest is high, and you should be looking for a little lady." ”

The woman listened, and her face was pale.

The man glared: "Wang Shusheng, Ben Langjun is here, you still haven't gone out." ”

Wang Mo's face was so angry that his face turned pale, his fists clenched, but he finally lowered his head and left the room.

"Husband!"

The woman called out in a mournful voice.

The man smiled evilly: "The little lady called this, Ben Langjun's bones are about to be crispy, and I will come." ”

Fluttering up, he pressed the woman to the table. The woman struggled, and she didn't dare to shout, but she couldn't stop crying.

Wang Mo closed the door and went out, full of grief and indignation, and couldn't bear to hear the painful cries of his own lady inside. With red eyes, he walked out, and finally came to the side courtyard, and when he saw that the lights were still on inside, he looked at it in a daze, and came from his heart, and began to cry bitterly.

Under the lamp, Chen Tang was doing his homework, and when he heard the crying, his brows furrowed, and he couldn't help but put on a piece of clothing and walked out, and asked, "Wang Gongzi, what are you crying for?"