"Er Niu, what's going on? Did you not look at the road while driving and almost hit someone else?" Xu Jin asked in a low voice.

Erniu scratched his head and said aggrievedly: "Master, it was this scholar who suddenly rushed out to block the road."

Xu Jin knew very well that Er Niu was an honest man and would not lie about this matter, so he lifted the curtain and got out of the carriage, looked at the scholar who was blocking the way, cupped his hands and said politely: "Brother, why did you stop the carriage?

?”

The scholar in front of me was about twenty-three or four years old. He was wearing a square scarf. Although he was wearing thick clothes, his nose was still red from the cold. He cupped his fists and returned the greeting apologetically: "I'm sorry, I have no choice but to stop the car. Can you help me?"

Busy? Thank you very much."

Xu Jin raised his head and glanced not far away, and found that there were two other scholars sitting in a short pavilion for travelers to rest on the roadside. Some luggage and items were scattered nearby, and there was a bookcase (schoolbag) on ​​one of them.

I picked up a banner cut from yellow cloth, and it clearly read: I have been ordered to hold an examination.

In ancient times, candidates who came to Beijing to take the exam, especially those in remote places, would usually find other candidates to go with them. They would make flags made of yellow cloth and write the words "I will take the exam" on them.

Generally speaking, thieves will not touch them. Because those who go to the capital for examinations usually don't have much luck with them, and if something goes wrong, the local officials will strictly pursue them to the end, so the gain of robbing them is really not worth the loss.

Xu Jin couldn't help but feel something in his heart when he saw this banner saying "I'm going to take the exam". These darers also came to Beijing to take the exam. They probably wanted to hitchhike to Beijing with him, so he smiled and said: "I'm going to Jiangxi

Xu Jin from Shangrao County also came to Beijing to take the exam. What do you call this brother? How can I help you?"

The young scholar couldn't help but rejoiced when he heard this. He raised his hands and said: "It turns out that Brother Xu is also a candidate for the examination. I am Liang Kuan, a native of Shunde Prefecture, Guangdong. The two people in the pavilion are from the same hometown and same age. Please give me a ride, Brother Xu."

, just enter Tongzhou City."

Xu Jin was naturally willing to help with this kind of effort. It would be easier to travel with more friends. He immediately nodded and said: "It's okay, but there are women in the car, so I have to sit on the shaft of the car."

Liang Kuan looked a little unnatural and hesitantly said: "That... is no problem, but one of us is seriously ill in the same year. Can Brother Xu free up an empty car?"

Xu Jin's eyebrows furrowed slightly, not because he minded the other party's extravagance, but because Liang Kuan was hesitant when he spoke and his eyes were evasive, which probably meant that there were untruths in his words.

Xu Jin couldn't help but feel vigilant, and said calmly: "Brother Liang, the carriage behind is already full of luggage, I'm afraid it will be difficult to make room."

Hearing this, Liang Kuan wanted to persuade Xu Jin to throw away some of his luggage, but he was embarrassed to say it. After all, they met by chance, and this request was too much, so he hesitated.

At this time, a scholar in the short pavilion stood up and was about to walk this way. As a result, another scholar sitting next to him fell limply on the pillar, with his lifeless face facing this way.

Dabao blurted out and exclaimed: "Oh my God, it turns out he is a dead person. Bah bah bah, good luck and good fortune. No taboos."

Xu Jin's face darkened slightly, and he turned around to get on the carriage and leave.

Liang Kuan couldn't help but became anxious and said quickly: "Brother Xu, wait a minute, Brother Xu... Oh, it's not what you think. We are not bad people."

At this time, another scholar rushed over and begged with a sad expression: "This brother, I caught a cold when I was on my way to Beijing to take the exam. Unfortunately, I died in a foreign land. I just ask my brother to help transport my brother's body to

I entered Lian in Tongzhou City and was able to carry my coffin back to my hometown."

When Xu Jin heard this, he paused and turned around slowly. Xiaowan had almost lost his life due to the cold not long ago, so he felt the same way. He frowned and asked: "What on earth is going on? It's better for you two to speak frankly.

Report, otherwise I will be unable to help you."

It turned out that these three scholars were all from Guangdong. Liang Kuan was from Shunde, Guangdong, and the other two scholars were from Guangzhou, Guangdong. They were named Li Ruisheng and Li Ruiwen, and they were brothers of the same clan.

The three of them set out from Guangzhou together in early October and headed north to Beijing to take the exam. They changed boats and cars along the way and slept in the open air. It took them nearly two months to reach Jinling, and then took a boat to continue northward via the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal.

Guangzhou is located on the coast of Lingnan, and the weather is hot and humid all year round. It is naturally quite uncomfortable for people from the south to come to the cold and dry north in vain. Li Ruisheng, one of the three, caught wind and cold and fell ill when he entered Shandong.

Unsatisfied, his condition worsened day by day. When the ship passed Tianjin, he became seriously ill and died in a foreign land.

During the Chinese New Year, the boatman thought it was unlucky to carry dead people, and the other passengers on the boat also complained about it, so the passenger ship docked before it reached Tongzhou Pier. They would rather pay back the ship's fare than ask Liang Kuan and Li Ruiwen to get off the ship and take care of themselves.

Liang Kuan and Li Ruiwen had no choice but to carry the body of fellow countryman Li Ruisheng off the boat. They wanted to intercept the passing carriage on the official road heading to Tongzhou City. However, when those pulling the carriage heard that they were about to take away the body, they immediately shook their heads and waved their hands.

No, it would be unlucky to pull a corpse during the Chinese New Year!

Li Ruiwen and Liang Kuan had no choice but to take turns carrying Li Ruisheng's body on foot. However, the two weak scholars, carrying three people's luggage, couldn't bear it after walking for several miles.

Finally, Liang Kuan came up with an idea, pretending that Li Ruisheng was just seriously ill, and then intercepted passing vehicles. Unfortunately, the two of them did not have the talent to "deceive" and were discovered right from the beginning.

After listening to the two people's bitter and tearful narration, Xie Xiaowan and Yue'er in the car both had sour noses. Xu Jin was naturally very sympathetic, and at the same time secretly glad that Xiaowan had made it through safely. The man named Li Ruisheng

It's a pity that as a brother of the same clan, Li Ruiwen naturally has to take care of the funeral arrangements for his clan members and then carry the coffin back to his hometown. It is impossible for him to participate in this examination.

Xu Jin sighed softly and said: "Brother Liang, you should have said this directly from the beginning. Dabao, please throw away all the pots and pans in the car behind to make some space."

"Yes, Master!" Dabao agreed readily, but in his heart, the boss was not happy, and he wouldn't be happy with anyone else who would drag someone to death during the Chinese New Year. It's so unlucky!

Liang Kuan and Li Ruiwen were both grateful and ashamed when they heard this. The former said with shame: "Brother Xu is so righteous, I am really... very ashamed!"

"Brother Liang is also forced to do so. Don't worry about it. Brother Li, please forgive me and accept the change!" Xu Jin comforted.

Soon, Dabao unloaded the pots, pans and other items from the car and arrived in the capital soon. These things were no longer needed. In addition, Xiaowan and Yue'er took off the clothes from the car, packed them and hung them on the

If these personal belongings were placed with the dead on horseback, they would not dare to wear them again.

After everything was settled, Liang Kuan and Li Ruiwen carried Li Ruisheng's body onto the carriage, and then they all headed to Tongzhou City.

This place is only about ten miles away from Tongzhou City, so it took half an hour to arrive. Xu Jin asked Dabao to drive the carriage to help Liang and Li buy coffins, shrouds and other items. Until everything was settled, Xu Jin asked Liang and Li

The two said goodbye and left.

Looking at the two carriages driving away, Liang Kuan couldn't help but sigh: "Hanzhang, Xu Ziqian's ancient roads are so warm. We have to repay this favor in the future."
Chapter completed!