From the West Gate Wharf to the direction of the county seat, walk about half a mile, is the Hanshan Taoist Temple.

The Taoist temple courtyard is solemn, the red stone wall and black tiles look solemn, and the bronze door is magnificent. The believers came in and out, and the incense was in full bloom, and it was a thriving scene.

The ancient view of Hanshan has a history of thousands of years, but it has been tepid and not very famous.

It wasn't until the current master of Hanshan Zhenren took over this ancient temple twenty years ago and personally sat in the ancient temple to promote the immortal law, that the Hanshan ancient temple became famous and the incense became more and more prosperous.

Su Chen once heard the fishermen of Zhouzhuang say that this Hanshan real person has great powers, can tread the waves on the big rivers and lakes, knows everything in the world, and pinching his hands is even more exhaustive, and it is extremely powerful.

Hanshan Zhenren is recognized as a peerless master, and his fame shocks the entire thirteen counties of Wu County, and even the county commander wants to see Hanshan Zhenren, and he has to personally visit the Taoist temple.

However, in recent years, Hanshan Zhenren rarely stayed in the Hanshan Taoist Temple, and they all traveled all over the world and made friends with masters from all walks of life.

Unless ordinary people have hit the luck, they can rarely see him in the Taoist temple. On weekdays, when you come to the Hanshan Taoist Temple, you can usually only meet the five disciples and disciples of the real people in the temple.

The legend of the real people of Hanshan made Su Chen, a twelve-year-old ignorant boy, have great awe for the ancient view of Hanshan.

More than ten years ago, when Su Chen was born, the old master Hanshan Zhenren once saw him and gave him a name.

Su Chen was full of admiration and curiosity about this cold mountain Taoist temple, but he had never entered the temple to watch it, and he was quite regretful in his heart.

He was now in tattered clothes, and he didn't dare to enter the ancient temple, but he just bowed respectfully from afar a few times, which could be regarded as a token of gratitude. Thinking that if he made a fortune in the future, he would come and put in a few more pillars of incense.

Su Chen passed the Taoist temple, walked for another half a mile, and soon entered Gusu County.

The streets of the city are more prosperous and lively than the Ximen Wharf, and the horse-drawn carriages of all sizes are flowing endlessly, and there are bustling crowds everywhere, which is naturally not comparable to the poor and remote Zhouzhuang.

The main street is lined with all kinds of clothing shops, grocery stores, pharmacies, money shops, pawn shops, blacksmith armory shops, jewelry shops, restaurants, post houses, and so on.

Of course, there are also small goods vendors who carry burdens, play gongs, and sell along the streets, and all kinds of juggling troupes begging for money at the street corners.

In contrast, there are only a few small grocery stores and butcher shops in Zhouzhuang, and there are no other high-end shops and jugglers.

Every time Su Chen came to Gusu County, he was dazzled and envious of the people in Gusu City. I always thought that one day I would be able to live in a prosperous place like Gusu County.

But I've always just thought about it, and I don't dare to take it seriously.

Now, he is forced to leave his hometown and come to Gusu County to beg for a living, but he is very sad and gray.

If you want to live in the prosperous place of Gusu County, it is difficult everywhere, just finding a job to earn money to eat, and finding a place to sleep are the two top problems.

On the way to the county seat, he only ate a cold and hard nest, and after driving for most of the day, he was hungry and tired.

Su Chen went to the shops along the streets of the city to ask, as long as there was chores, he was willing to do it, but there was no store to recruit young men who were more than ten years old, and he touched the ashes of his nose.

After an hour of finding nothing, Su Chen walked down the street with a low expression.

Passing by a large courtyard of a wealthy family by chance, several fierce and vicious dogs suddenly popped out of the courtyard, barking at Su Chen, Su Chen couldn't help but look horrified, and ran away.

The vicious dogs chased all the way, Su Chen was so frightened that he got into the alley, accidentally stepped on the stinky ditch, his calves were trembling, and he ran a few streets and alleys in one go, hiding in a remote corner, before he got rid of the vicious dogs.

Su Chen took a breath and wanted to rest in the corner.

I looked around, but I was stunned again.

The remote corner where he was hiding was actually a beggar's den.

Four or five ragged beggars, young and old, lay in a row, twisting fleas and basking in the sun, and on the ground lay several sets of tattered wooden bowls and tiled bowls, which were used to beg for rice money.

In recent years, the number of displaced people in Gusu County has increased a lot, and it is not uncommon for such groups of beggars to nest in the county.

A young beggar with a Chinese face leaned on the corner of the blue brick wall in a big way, with an unkempt chicken nest on his head, and only a delicate and beautiful porcelain bowl in front of him was obviously the leader of this group of beggars.

"Little brother, do you want to join my old Zhu's beggar's nest?"

When the young beggar saw Su Chen breaking into the corner, they all looked at him with strange eyes.

"No! I'm just passing by. ”

Su Chen hurriedly waved his hand and shook his head.

"It's not to join the gang, then you're here to rob me of Zhu Laoba's territory? Phew, looking for death! Drown you with a mouthful of spit!"

The young beggar leader suddenly showed a fierce expression, spit at Su Chen, and glared at him with hatred.

Su Chen jumped up in fright and dodged the spit.

He was spit on by this beggar for no reason, and his heart was annoyed. It's just a matter of encountering a splash skin before, but I didn't expect even the down-and-out beggars in this county to bully him so ruthlessly.

Su Chen kicked over angrily, kicked over the porcelain bowl of the stinky beggar's leader, and ran away.

"Oops~!Lao Tzu's baby flower porcelain bowl is broken, the brothers grabbed this stinky boy and beat him to death!"

When the young beggar saw that the most precious flower porcelain bowl was kicked by Su Chen, it hit the corner of the wall and shattered, and he couldn't help screaming in pain, screaming and scolding.

Su Chen was chased by a swarm of beggars and fled in shock.

It was almost evening when the beggars stopped retreating and hurried to beg for food.

Su Chen was covered in dirty mud, tired and hungry, and walked on the streets of Gusu County in embarrassment.

He looked up at the setting sun.

The cold wind in the evening gradually rose, the clothes were cold, and there was a sour feeling in my heart, and I wanted to cry without tears. It's really unlucky, and drinking saliva is cold.

After working all afternoon, I didn't find a job, and I was either chased by vicious dogs or chased by beggars, so I didn't encounter anything good.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to find a job in the county for a while, and I won't have a place to stay tonight. ”

Su Chen tightened his shirt and pondered.

I haven't eaten all day, and I can barely endure it.

But the bitterness of freezing in the cold night is the most difficult, and it is easy to freeze to death on the street.

Su Chen originally didn't plan to trouble his brother Ah Chou, after all, Ah Chou was also a young man who worked in the inn, and his life was not easy.

But at the moment, there is no other way but to go to the Aquila Inn to find a clone to borrow a night. Survive the cold tonight, and tomorrow the sun will come out to warm up, and then make plans.

Su Chen came to the entrance of Ximen Street, outside the door of the Sky Eagle Inn, where business was quite prosperous.

Soon, he saw the young man who was scrambling in the lobby of the Skyhawk Inn, and even smelled the strong smell of wine and meat wafting from the inn, and his mouth was greedy.

The Eagle Inn is one of the five major gangs in Wu County, and it is very famous in Gusu County, and is one of the most high-end restaurants, and a place where high rollers often come.

The inn is luxurious and heroic, with three floors of attics, and the lobby and private rooms are often full.

Today's Sky Eagle Inn is particularly lively, Wang Da shopkeeper, all the chefs and more than a dozen guys are extremely busy, busy entertaining a Layue banquet for Sky Eagle Door guests.

Hundreds of strong men wearing brocade robes of the same color and carrying swords at their waists, according to the dignity and humility of their status in the gang, gathered in the attic of each floor of the inn, pushed the glass and changed the lamp on the wine table, noisy and hissing, drinking wine and eating meat in a big bowl, and it was very lively.

Several old men in brocade robes riding high-headed horses appeared, and it seemed that the big men of the Aquila Gate were also present.

"Welcome to the arrival of Li Da Protector and Wang Tang Master!"

"Oh, Mr. Liu, you can count it! The banquet has been prepared inside, and the big guy is waiting for your old man. ”

The shopkeeper of the inn Wang Da hurriedly came out with a few big guys, leading the horse for the old man in the brocade robe, flattering and complimenting, and kept busy.

Su Chen saw that the inn was full of high-rollers wearing the brocade robes of the Heavenly Eagle Gate, and he was in and out of the inn, but there was only fear left in his heart.

He used to hear the fishermen and adults in Zhouzhuang say that these high-rollers of the Tianying Gate go up to the official mansion and go down to the rivers and lakes, and they eat both black and white. often oppresses the fishermen of Zhouzhuang, and the exploitation methods are worse than those of the officials, which makes people change their style.

The high-rollers in the Aquila Gate are not easy to provoke, and if they are not careful, they will be beaten with punches and feet.

Su Chen was very in awe of these high-rollers, and he didn't want to come to this Sky Eagle Inn alone on weekdays.

In this inn, Su Chen is only familiar with the young man Ah Ugly.

Ah Chou is the same age as him, with a cyan fetal scar on his cheek, which looks a little ugly, and he has no friends in the Sky Eagle Inn and the county town, and is often bullied by the big guys in the inn.

However, Su Chen knew that although Ah Chou was ugly, he had a good heart, and the two became good brothers, and every time he came to the county seat, he would play with Ah Chou.

"Brother Chen, why are you here!"

Ah Chou was wiping the chair and cleaning up the leftover cold soup on the table, when he saw Su Chen appear outside the inn, he couldn't help but be surprised, so he wanted to run out and say hello to Su Chen.

Suddenly, a big hand fell from the sky, grabbed Ah Ugly's ear and dragged it hard, and the angry voice of the shopkeeper Wang came from behind him, "Ah Ugly, you are lazy, you are lazy, don't go and clean up the table!"

"Oops, my ears have fallen out, and they have fallen off~!

The ugly ear was hurt and screamed like a pig, and begged the king's treasurer for forgiveness.

In the restaurant, many high-rollers who ate meat and drank wine couldn't help laughing when they saw this scene, and they were very happy to slap the table.

Su Chen didn't dare to approach the Sky Eagle Inn, but waved his hand to Ah Chou from a distance to let him get busy first, and he nested in the corner of the street opposite the inn, waiting for the inn to close at night.

As a handyman, Ah Chou is busy serving tea and pouring water for the high rollers of the inn, and I am afraid that he will not be free until the evening closes.

Su Chen looked at the sky, it was already evening.

It is estimated that in the evening, these high rollers will be full of food and drink, and they will leave.

He was also unfamiliar with the rest of the county, and he was afraid of taking the wrong road, so he didn't dare to wander around at night, but just stayed in the corner of the street, enduring hunger.

It's not easy to be a buddy at the Skyhawk Inn, and Ugly serves dishes to the guests, but if he is a little sluggish, he will be scolded by the big shopkeeper.

There are also some high-rollers who have a violent temper, and if the guys are a little lazy in serving tea and food, they will be pulled by a big-eared scraper and beaten with meat and vegetables.

Su Chen shrank in the corner of the wall, watching from a distance, feeling very sad for Ugly.

It's too pitiful to be a young man in an inn, busy and tired, and from time to time he has to be beaten and scolded by the big shopkeeper and high-rollers.

He is in Zhouzhuang Water Town, although his life is very hard, and he often eats the last meal without the next meal, but he will not be abused and beaten like this.

On weekdays, my father and mother were busy fishing in the big lake, and they let him catch fish in the countryside and small rivers, climb trees to dig birds' nests, pick wild vegetables in the fields, and find something to eat by himself. He was used to being at ease, and no one was in control of him.

Su Chen lamented in his heart, not knowing whether it was for Ugly or for himself in the future.

In the future, he will find a job as a handyman in the county, and I am afraid that he will live a life like Ugly, who is bullied all day long.

...

The sun was setting, and it was getting late.

In the middle of the night, the men of the Tianying Gate in the Sky Eagle Inn were full of food and drink, drunkenly hugged each other and said goodbye, and left separately, and the Sky Eagle Inn was closed.

There were a few more bruises on Ah Chou's face, and his ears were red and swollen, obviously beaten and scolded by the shopkeeper and those Skyhawk Gate high-rollers. But I finally made it to the end of the inn, and my face was full of excitement.

Those high-rollers of the Sky Eagle Gate ate and drank casually, and there were many dishes left.

A large number of leftovers that can't be eaten, Wang Da's shopkeeper is rare to show kindness today, and let the chefs and guys pack and take them back to their homes.

Even the lowliest, the lowliest, got a lot of them.

He used a big lotus leaf to wrap all the leftover dishes, as well as a large ball of leftover rice and minced meat, and then greeted Su Chen, who was hiding in the corner of the inn to avoid the wind, and returned to the backyard of the Eagle Inn excitedly.

The backyard of the Sky Eagle Inn is huge, and it is a place for the cooks to cook, wash vegetables, and do chores.

In the corner of the yard, there is a firewood house stacked with straw and firewood, which is the residence of Ah Chou.

Su Chen saw that Ah Chou's nose was blue and his face was swollen, and he was very guilty and said: "Ah Chou, I've caused you trouble! ”

"What are these words, we are brothers. If you don't come, I will be beaten by the shopkeeper every day. Come, Brother Chen, you finally came to the county seat, I will treat you to a delicious meal today! There is half a stewed pork knuckle meat bun, and a small half braised crucian carp!

This is a good thing cooked by the chef of our inn, which is completely different from our own white boiled fish, adding a few large spoons of vegetable oil, pure white salt and more than ten spices, stir-fried in the pot over high heat, very fragrant!"

Ugly eyebrows fluttered as he spoke, excitedly putting the poached food on the ground.

Su Chen smelled the strange fragrance and swallowed his saliva.

His family is a fisherman in Zhouzhuang, so naturally he can often eat lake fish and river shrimp. Most of the fish and shrimp in this Tianying Inn were sent by Zhouzhuang fishermen.

However, the fish cooked at home is completely different from the fish fried in the inn.

The method of cooking fish at home is very simple, boil it directly in a crockpot pot, and when it is cooked, you can scoop it up and eat it.

The taste is white, light, and very fishy.

If you can throw some salt and green vegetable leaves into the crockpot pot, add a little oil foam, and smell the aroma of oil and salt, it is quite a luxurious way for the fishermen of Zhouzhuang.

Like the chef of the Sky Eagle Inn, he stir-fried braised crucian carp with a spoonful of oil, a handful of salt, and more than ten unknown spices in an iron pot, which was a luxury that the fishermen of Zhouzhuang could not imagine.

Su Chen had never tasted such a delicacy, but he had often heard from Ah Chou.

"No, you can eat first! After eating, there is only one bite of rice left, a little vegetable juice, and just give me a taste of umami. ”

Su Chen felt a little envious in his heart, but he still refused.

He came to find Ugly, to have a place to stay for a few nights to avoid the pain of freezing at night, and to have a small bite of food without starving to death, it was already very troublesome Ugly, how could he take such a big advantage.

"What are you polite to me, I work in the inn, and I can eat such delicious food every day! ”

Ah Chou was anxious, and immediately pushed the food to Su Chen, as if if he didn't eat it, he wouldn't give him face.

In fact, he is a small man, and his position in the Sky Eagle Inn is at the bottom, and the leftover food and water left by the guests are divided among the other big shopkeepers, cooks and those big guys, and when it is his turn to be a little guy, there is naturally not much left.

On weekdays, he didn't even have a mouthful of leftover broth water, and he watched the soup and oil and water with greed, and the soup and water were divided by the big guys.

Only at the Layue feast of the Heavenly Eagle Gate like today, there will be too many leftovers of cold dishes, and everyone will have enough to share it, and he will be fortunate enough to get a share, which is rare once or twice a year.

"You first!"

"No, no, Brother Chen, come here. ”

The two teenagers pushed back and forth, smelling the fragrant pork knuckle meat buns, small half-tail braised pork and large bowls of rice, all of them were hungry to death, but no one refused to eat them first.

In the end, the two decided to divide half of each, so as not to shirk.

Su Chen and Ah Chou immediately devoured these "delicacies" and ate them to their heart's content.

Such a spicy delicacy is enough to keep them for months.

In the middle of the night, the lights in Gusu County are blind, except for the Qinglou kiln and the gambling house that do not close all night, there is no other night pastime.

Su Chen and Ah Chou were full of food and drink, so they nested in this firewood room and chatted, chatting about various interesting things about Gusu County and Zhouzhuang.