The three of them stayed overnight and walked for seven or eight days, but they didn't get out of Huazhou. On this day, it will be late, and I am still walking in the barren mountains and wilderness.

Liu Zhenzhen lifted the curtain and said to Xu Mo: "Hey, it's getting dark, I can't find the inn anymore, and I'm going to sleep in the wild tonight." ”

Red Line continued: "It's so late, where can I find an inn?"

Xu Mo asked the coachman: "When you walk on this road as an adult, do you know where you can find an inn? ”

"Where did you come from in the barren mountains and wilderness?" the coachman shook his head, and then added, "But a little further on, there is an ancient temple where you can rest." ”

Liu Zhenzhen was timid, and when she heard the word 'ancient temple', she couldn't help but shudder, and hurriedly asked, "What ancient temple?"

The coachman heard her fear, and responded, "It's long gone." But don't worry, girl, our traveling guests often stop there. Desolation is desolate, but there is nothing to be afraid of. ”

Liu Zhenzhen let out an 'oh', looking uneasy.

Xu Mo asked, "What did that ancient temple do in the first place?"

The coachman smiled: "It turns out that the son has not walked this road, speaking of that ancient temple, it was originally a Taoist temple, and now the plaque on the gate is still there, what is it called? It seems to be ...... It's Tongyuanguan, yes, Tongyuanguan, that's the name. ”

Xu Mo said again: "Since it is a Taoist temple, why is there no one left?"

"That was many years ago. The coachman recalled, "Let me do the math." As he spoke, he snapped his fingers and curled his fingers for a while. Cai said: "About sixty or seventy years ago, a strange thing suddenly happened in Tongyuan Temple, and the master of the temple at that time was called ...... It seems to be called Guangling Daoren. That night, Guangling Taoist gathered a group of disciples to preach in the main hall, and there was a disciple who sat down, as if he was called Ming Jing, who ate his stomach badly that night, and suddenly felt a stomachache, and hurriedly got up from his seat. Guangling Dao people saw it above. He asked, 'Ming Jing.' What's the matter with you?' Ming Jing stretched out his hand to cover his stomach, 'The disciple is going to the thatched house. ''Bastard. The Guangling Daoist scolded, "I can't even endure it for such a short time, what kind of Tao do you cultivate?" In the end, he waved his hand. Let the Ming Jing go out. 'Go and come back. The Guangling Taoist gave a last instruction, and continued to preach without waiting for the Ming Sutra. ”

Speaking of which. The coachman stopped suddenly. Hongxian was curious, and asked, "Did something happen to Mingjing?" This is exactly what Xu Mo and Liu Zhenzhen also wanted to ask, and when they heard Hongxian's question, they all listened patiently.

I only heard the coachman praise him, "The girl is right, the Ming Jing has gone out and never returned." The Guangling Taoist spoke for a long time, but when he didn't see the Ming Jing coming back, he was not happy, and instructed another apprentice: 'Mingyue, go and see what is wrong with the Ming Jing, did he die in the thatched house?'' Yes, Master. Mingyue reluctantly agreed, and went to the thatched house to find Mingjing. ”

Red Line was attracted by the coachman's story and hurriedly asked, "What's in the hut?"

The coachman said: "Girl, it's not that there's anything in the thatched house, but that Mingyue went and didn't come back." ”

Hongxian's eyes widened, "There are monsters in the Taoist temple and you eat them?"

The coachman shook his head, "Whether it's a monster or not, no one knows." Guangling Daoist sent two more disciples, one Ming Feng and one Ming Song, to find Mingyue and Mingjing. ”

Hongxian helped him add: "As a result, these two disciples went and didn't come back?"

"The girl is so smart. The coachman nodded, praised it, and then said, "In this way, the whole Taoist temple is afraid, and they dare not go out of the main hall." ”

"What happened later?" Red Line asked again.

The coachman continued: "The eldest disciple Ming Dao suddenly asked, 'Master, is there a rival coming to the door?' The Guangling Daoist felt reasonable, so he shouted at the Guanwai, 'Which Taoist is driving to Tongyuan Temple?' But the Guanguan is very quiet, where is there a little sound? The Guangling Daoist snorted and scolded: 'Pretend to be a ghost, apprentices, follow me out to have a look. As he spoke, the disciples looked at each other a few times, and everyone was very scared in their hearts, and no one dared to go out. At this time, a miserable scream suddenly came from outside the temple......"

"Who's that?" Red Line asked.

The coachman looked serious, "It's Guangling Dao people, that's the shouts of Guangling Dao people before they died." ”

Hongxian was surprised: "Even the Guangling Dao people are dead, what about his apprentices?"

The coachman sighed and said, "Of course, the apprentices of the Guangling Daoist are almost all dead. Only one of the youngest, Mingwu, escaped, and was also half-crazy and half-upset. As for these words, they came from enlightenment. ”

Hongxian asked again, "Did he say who did it?"

The coachman shook his head and said, "I don't know the way, I don't know who did it until I die." ”

Xu Mo listened to it, but he couldn't help but think: If Mingwu is crazy, whether he can believe what he says is worth studying.

But Liu Zhenzhen heard this story and became more and more afraid, "There have been so many deaths there, let's ...... Let's not go over, shall we?"

The coachman laughed, "Girl, this is the past sixty or seventy years ago, and even if there are dead people, they will have long since turned to ashes." Besides, over the years, what day has there been no foot guests to stay in Tongyuanguan? Although the girl can rest assured, Tongyuanguan is very safe, which I dare to guarantee. ”

Hongxian also said: "Sister Zhenzhen, don't be afraid, if something really happens, I will protect you." ”

Xu Modao: "In this case, tonight, let's go to Tongyuan Temple for a night's rest." ”

The coachman agreed, and the carriage continued onward, reaching a wooded field before dark. Tongyuanguan is in the middle of this wood, and a path passes through the woods, which leads right to the gate of Tongyuanguan.

The wall of Tongyuanguan has long been broken, and the plaque of the gate is full of dust.

There was a neighing and noise of horses in the courtyard, and there were already people in this Tongyuan Temple. The coachman drove the carriage in, and Xu Mo saw dozens of people at a glance.

These dozens of people are together, it should be a wealthy family with their family servants on a trip.

There are lanterns in the yard. Seven or eight luxurious carriages could be seen, as well as a dozen carts pulling luggage, a few big-footed women were making fires to cook, and a dozen middle-aged servants were carrying luggage.

The master and the lady sat in the main hall, and the whole hall was occupied.

Seeing Xu Mo and his entourage, a man in his sixties who looked like a housekeeper stepped forward and said lightly: "This is the official lady, you go to the side hall." Although the voice was flat, it had a tone that could not be refused. Suddenly saw the tiger under Xu Mo's crotch, and was taken aback again. glanced at Xu Mo. There was something strange about his expression.

The coachman looked back at Xu Mo, who didn't want to cause trouble and nodded to him. So the coachman drove the cart and turned left. This Tongyuan view occupies a large area. I'm not afraid of running out of space. Soon they came to a side hall.

The carriage stopped. The red line accompanied Yoo Jung-jeong out of the car. Xu Mo jumped off the tiger's back and walked towards the hall first. Liu Zhenzhen suddenly took a few steps forward and chased after her. whispered: "Look, this is the style of the official family, if you don't become an official, how can you get to this point?"

Xu Mo smiled faintly and did not answer.

Liu Zhenzhen said unhappily: "Hey, did you hear what I said?"

The red line was a few steps behind, didn't hear clearly, and asked, "Sister Zhenzhen, what did you say?"

"Nothing. Liu Zhenzhen glanced at Xu Mo, seemed to be a little disappointed, and casually dealt with the red line and said no more.

Xu Mo entered the side hall and looked around. The side hall was covered with dust, the altar was empty, and a statue of a god had been knocked down by someone, scattering mud on the ground.

The smell in the side hall was not very good, Liu Zhenzhen pinched her nose and went in to take a look, and then went out again, obviously not very satisfied with the environment here, and then said: "That's it, it's a pity that I didn't bring anything to eat, tonight, I'm afraid I'm going to sleep hungry." ”

Hongxian hurriedly said: "Sister Zhenzhen, I still have a box of rock sugar pear slices, let's eat them together." ”

Liu Zhenzhen smiled and hugged her shoulder, "Silly boy, what do these things do?"

Xu Mo instructed the coachman to clean the side hall, and then heard the conversation between the two, so he said, "I'll go out to find something to eat." As he spoke, he walked out.

Hongxian hurriedly asked, "Uncle Xu, where are you going to find something to eat?"

Xu Mo beckoned to the giant tiger, and the tiger came over, Xu Mo raised his legs and rode up, saying, "I'll see if I can find a hare or something in the woods outside, come back and roast and eat." ”

When Hongxian heard this, he suddenly became interested and shouted, "Uncle Xu, I'll go with you." ”

Xu Mo refused and said, "No, you can stay and guard." ”

said that without waiting for the red line to agree, he went out. He went out of the Taoist temple, and his psychic hearing released the squirrel, and he walked into the depths of the woods, and before long he hunted a roe deer and a hare returned. On the way back, I found some seasoning items by the way.

The roe deer was eaten by the tiger, and the hare was brought back and washed and stripped by the well water of Tongyuanguan.

The location of the wellhead of Tongyuanguan is near the main hall, and the group of people in the main hall are cooking by the well, busy non-stop. Xu Mo went directly to kill the rabbit, and others saw that he was followed by a tiger, and they were jealous, and no one dared to ask more.

After killing the hare, he brought it back to the side hall and roasted it. The three of them sat down, and the aroma of the barbecue soon emanated, and the entire Tongyuan Temple was full of strange fragrances. The coachman smelled the fragrance and drooled.

Xu Mo tore a rabbit leg for him, the coachman took it, and then sat aside to eat, just took a bite, and couldn't help but admire: "The villain has lived for more than forty years, and he has never eaten such delicious meat for so many years. ”

Xu Mo and the two girls shared other meats. Even Hongxian couldn't help but admire, "It's so delicious, Uncle Xu, I knew that your barbecued meat was so delicious, we really shouldn't have gone to the restaurant to eat." Tsk! Such delicious meat is that even our Tianshan Yutai can't eat it. "The little mouth is stuffed with meat, and the speech is slurred and inarticulate.

Duliu Zhenzhen disagreed, thinking: No matter how well the rice is cooked, it is just a cupboard. If he is willing to listen to me, study hard for a few years, and try to get out, he is not better than anything else? He has not studied much before, so what does it matter? As long as he is dedicated to learning, I will teach him for a few years, even if he can't win the top prize, what is the difficulty of being a jinshi? But ...... But how could he listen to me?

The chest is full of tenderness, and the stomach is full of sorrow. glanced at Xu Mo, and thought: I am a woman, even if I really win, how can I be an official myself? But looking at him like this, even if I let him be an official, can he do it?

Xu Mo didn't know what she was thinking.

At this time, the butler I saw just now suddenly walked over, with a smile on his face, and bowed from afar, "Everyone." Courteous. ”

Xu Mo asked lightly: "What's the matter?"

The butler still had a smile on his face. Glancing at the roast rabbit meat on the shelf, "The owner of the house smelled the fragrance and specially asked me to come over and ask, do you sell your roast rabbit meat?" He is willing to buy at a high price. ”

"Not for sale. "I don't want to think about it. He refused in one go.

The butler looked hesitant. wanted to say something more, but seeing Xu Mo's firmness in refusal, he didn't know how to speak. according to the power of his house. I wouldn't have been so polite to an ordinary person, but when I saw Xu Mo riding a tiger, it was very unusual, so I didn't dare to offend easily.

Liu Zhenzhen asked, "Who is in the house?"

The housekeeper said, "The master of the family is the eldest son of Gao Shangshu?"

Liu Zhenzhen was taken aback, and hurriedly asked, "But is it the high school of the household?"

The butler's face was triolated, "Exactly." ”

Liu Zhenzhen said again: "It is said that this year, Enke, Gao Shangshu is the chief examiner, yes or no?"

The housekeeper was full of pride, arched his hand to the north, and said: "That's the Hong'en today, the Son of Heaven's discernment." This is obviously a confession.

Liu Zhenzhen's face was happy, and she glanced at Xu Mo urgently. Xu Mo only felt inexplicable, and sat on the ground without moving. Liu Zhenzhen was anxious, picked up Xu Mo's knife with her own hands, cut a large piece from the rabbit meat, and presented it to the housekeeper of the high mansion, and continued: "It's a small meaning, it's not a tribute." Please ask the big housekeeper to say a few kind words in front of Gao Gongzi, and say that Xu Moduo of Xinghua Village, Tongming County, worships Gao Shangshu. ”

When the housekeeper heard this, his expression became arrogant, he took the rabbit meat, and asked casually, "Did you go to Beijing to take the exam?"

Liu Zhenzhen said: "It's the little woman's father-in-law." ”

The housekeeper then asked, "Your father-in-law's name is Xu Mo, which one is it?" When he spoke, a pair of eyes only stared at Xu Mo, as if waiting for him to speak. Xu Mo didn't look at him.

The butler was bored, and said, 'I know the way,' and turned to leave.

Liu Zhenzhen came back and complained to Xu Mo: "Why are you like this?"

Xu Moqi said: "What is this?"

Liu Zhenzhen said: "That person just now is the housekeeper of the Gao Mansion, and this year, Enke, and Gao Shangshu are the chief examiners." You're going to at least say hello to someone, like you just did, what do you look like?"

Xu Mo shook his head disapprenously, "It's you who go to the exam, not me who goes to the exam, what do I say to him?"

"You ......" Liu Zhenzhen looked annoyed, only said one word, then stopped talking, lowered her head, stretched out her hand and kept wiping her tears.

I thought to myself: He didn't understand my hard work at all, and he didn't even know how to say hello to someone and ask him to be an official, did he do it? And looking at his appearance, he didn't seem to be very interested in being an official.

Hongxian was full of doubts, and after the housekeeper of the Gao Mansion went, he finally couldn't help but say to Liu Zhenzhen: "Sister Zhenzhen, what are you doing with him rabbit meat?"

"Just now this person is the housekeeper of Gao Shangshu's Mansion, Gao Shangshu is the chief examiner of this department, and he is the teacher, and it is always good to have some friendships in advance. ”

Liu Zhenzhen patiently explained, and the red line seemed to understand whether she understood or not, and looked at her expression, most of them didn't understand. Seeing this, Liu Zhenzhen felt more and more lonely, and the delicious rabbit meat in her mouth felt tasteless.

When they had finished eating, they took the mats out of the carriage, spread them on the ground, and lay down on them to sleep. Liu Zhenzhen and Hongxian slept together, Xu Mo slept on another mat not far from them, and the coachman slept alone in the corner.

Liu Zhenzhen thought about her heart, and she couldn't sleep after tossing and turning. turned around, and by the moonlight outside the window, I happened to see Xu Mo's side face.

"Hey, hey!" Liu Zhenzhen whispered twice.

Xu Mo came to his senses, glanced at her, and said suspiciously, "What's the matter?"

Liu Zhenzhen thought for a while and said solemnly: "There is something I want to ask you, and you can answer me well." ”

Xu Mo said: "You say." ”

Liu Zhenzhen hesitated for a while, and then said, "If someone gives you an official to do, will you do it?"

Xu Mo smiled: "How can someone give me an official for no reason?"

Liu Zhenzhen said hurriedly: "I mean, if someone asks you to be an official, will you do it?"

Xu Mo didn't think about it, so he responded: "No." "The purpose of his coming to this world is just to see what new things are there, how can he have the heart to be an official?

"You...... You ......" Liu Zhenzhen was angry, pointed at him and said two words, her whole body trembled, and she couldn't say the rest of the words. Turning, he curled up and lay on his side in the middle, crying in a low voice. I was miserable in my heart, and I thought: If he refuses to be an official, even if I win the championship, what is the use?

Xu Mo frowned and said unhappily, "Why are you crying again?"

Liu Zhenzhen retorted angrily, "Do you care if I die?"

Xu Mo only let her eldest lady's temper flare up again, smiled faintly, and left her alone.

When Liu Zhenzhen saw this, she cried even more sadly.

Hongxian was woken up by crying, glanced at Liu Zhenzhen, and said strangely: "Sister Zhenzhen, why are you crying?"

Liu Zhenzhen wiped her tears and said, "I'm fine." ”

Red Line saw that she cried a lot more times, and she was used to it, and when she heard her say this, she didn't care when she said 'oh'.

"Sleep. Xu Mo said.

"Ahh

At this moment, a scream suddenly came from the courtyard, and then I heard a sharp woman's accent shouting: "Come on, come on, the eldest prince is gone." (To be continued......)