"Big brother... okay, let's... let's go catch... catch the loaches..."
This song is most beautiful when sung by a childish voice.
On the official road outside the mighty city, Li Shushen, who was on his way, heard this childish voice, and couldn't help but slow down and look towards the source of the sound.
I saw a little girl holding a small wooden stick and pushing her buttocks up the small slope beside the official road.
Maybe she was tired from climbing, so she stopped to sing a few words after climbing a few steps.
The singing was a bit sporadic, as if I was straining my throat.
Li Ming had never heard this kind of music before, and thought it was a slang song unique to Liangzhou. He simply stopped and said to Ma Tian beside him:
"I didn't expect that this Liangzhou folk song sounds a bit interesting, but the accent is very weird. I have never heard it before in my whole trip..."
As he spoke, he turned to look at Martin.
But he saw that the other party was so stunned that he stood there in a daze, seeming to be thinking about something.
"Brother Youchang, what's going on? Why do you look so ugly?"
Li Ming also said that the other party was too tired from traveling all the way, "Wuwei City is ahead of us. After we arrive, we will rest for a few days..."
After Martin woke up with a start, there was a slightly panicked look on his face.
This is the first time since Li Ming has known him that he has seen him lose his temper like this.
Seeing Li Ming looking at him worriedly and curiously, Ma Tian forced himself to smile:
"Hearing this song, I couldn't help but think of some old things, which made Shu Shen laugh."
"An old story? Could it be that Cheng Youchang once came to Liangzhou and heard this song?"
Li Ming couldn't help but asked doubtfully when he saw Ma Tian's appearance.
Ma Tian shook his head and denied, "Have I ever been to Liangzhou?"
Then he pointed to the small slope not far away, "But the song sung by the girl, although the pronunciation of the song is not very clear, I have definitely heard the rhyme of the song."
Li Ming also looked at the girl who had climbed to the top of the hill and said in surprise:
"Is there still this thing? Could it be that this girl is an old friend of Youchang?"
After hearing this, Ma Tian's expression changed greatly.
But before he could speak, the girl on the slope had probably realized that the two of them were talking about themselves.
Immediately, I used the wooden stick in my hand to hum and perform a few tricks, and it turned out to be pretty good.
At the last moment, he stopped his momentum and pointed at the two of them and shouted:
"Who are you? Tell me your name quickly!"
Li Ming saw it interestingly. He took a few steps forward, raised his head slightly, and found that although the girl's clothes did not look too complicated, the corners of the clothes swayed, and there was a faint texture of fluidity.
He was horrified, knowing that this girl's family background should not be underestimated.
After careful observation, I saw that there seemed to be a figure moving behind the hillside, which seemed to be the girl's servant or something.
After making this discovery, he gave up the idea of teasing the girl and immediately raised his hand:
"We are scholars who went to Wuwei to take the exam. When we heard the little lady singing, we lost our composure and caused any offense. Please forgive me."
On the surface, he seemed to be speaking to the girl, but in fact, he was speaking to the people behind her.
When the girl saw him like this, she blinked and then scratched her head with her hands, as if she didn't know how to answer.
At this moment, a woman's angry voice was heard in the distance:
"Feng Xiaoniang! You're running around again, see if I don't tell your mother to go!"
When the girl heard this voice, her face suddenly changed. She didn't care to talk to Li Ming, she quickly turned her head and shouted:
"I'm not running around! I'm scouting for the enemy!"
As she spoke, she climbed down the hillside on her hands and knees and disappeared behind her.
At this time, Ma Tian hurriedly walked to Li Ming, pulled him forward and said hurriedly:
"Uncle Shen, leave quickly!"
Li Ming asked in surprise while being half-pulled forward by Ma Tian:
"Why did you lose your temper so much?"
"I think the family background of that girl just now is not simple. You and I are away from home, and we are new to Liangzhou. It is better to have less to do than to have more to do."
"Right……."
As they talked, the two quickened their pace and rushed towards Wuwei City.
Just behind them, the voice of the Zhang family's young lady suddenly sounded:
"Enemy? What kind of enemy? You don't learn it well at a young age! I think you are the enemy!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Xiaosi was seen dragging Feng Shuangshuang out from behind Xiaopo while scolding him.
Feng Shuangshuang's short legs kept swinging in mid-air and shouted:
"I didn't run around..."
Then he stretched out his hand and pointed at the two figures in front of him who were about to walk away, "Auntie, look, those two people just talked to me!"
Zhang Xingyi looked in the direction she pointed, but when she glanced at it, she couldn't help but be a little stunned:
Why does that figure in front look familiar?
Taking advantage of Zhang Xingyi's distraction, both of them twisted their bodies, broke free from her hands, and ran away.
Zhang Xingyi was furious, and the thought that just emerged was thrown to the back of his mind: "Don't run!"
How could Shuangshuang listen to her?
He turned the small slope on his hands and knees, kicked his short legs, and stumbled towards a certain rescuer.
It was spring and the flowers were blooming. Zhang Xingyi was wearing a long skirt. There were many wild flowers and grasses outside the official road.
Feng Shuangshuang was young, and she wasn't afraid of having her clothes hung up, but Zhang Xingyi didn't dare to go there directly like her.
She stamped her feet and shouted anxiously behind her:
"There are worms in the grass, be careful!"
Then he cursed at his entourage, "What are you still doing? Hurry up and catch up!"
Not far behind the official road, there is a small, nameless river that goes westward and flows into the mighty moat.
A curtain was built around the river, indicating that the female relatives of wealthy families were out for a spring outing.
Behind the curtain, there was still smoke floating in the air.
Zhao Guang was humming an unknown song and busy beside the grill. It was obvious that he was in a good mood.
Sitting next to him was Huang Wudie, whose mouth was full of oil and kept putting food into his mouth.
"This is mushy. It's too hot. Be careful next time."
Huang Wudie's mouth was stuffed with roasted meat, and she even didn't forget to comment on it.
"Oh, okay, okay, I'll pay attention to this."
Zhao Guang turned over the grilled fish and barbecue in his hands and looked at Huang Wudie from time to time, his eyes full of tenderness and doting.
Guan Ji, who was sitting not far from the wind and basking in the sun, saw the loving look of the two of them and made a sound of disgust and turned over on the recliner.
Feng Yong, who was sitting next to her, smiled and said:
"Sure enough, only after getting married can a man truly grow up."
Feng Yong was used to Zhao Guang's unreliability, and suddenly seeing him like this surprised Feng Yong.
Huang Wudie heard Feng Yong's words with her sharp ears and answered loudly:
"Brother, after you got married, you have been living with your husband and your wife, and you have several children. Of course you don't know the pain of our separation."
After Zhao Guang got married, he and Huang Wudie spent less time together and more time apart in the past few years.
Seeing that Guan Ji is pregnant with her second child, not to mention Huang Wudie who has always been unwilling to lag behind, even the Zhao family is probably worried.
So now Mr. Zhao has gone to Nanxiang to recuperate, and Liangzhou has stabilized.
After Huang Wudie returned to Hanzhong and arranged for Mr. Zhao and his wife, he came to Liangzhou to meet Zhao Guang.
This is also a good thing.
"Don't talk nonsense! What is forever? At the beginning, we were separated for more than half a year?"
Feng Yong retorted.
Huang Wudie rolled her eyes, not knowing whether she was choking or something.
At this moment, a small figure suddenly broke in from outside the curtain.
Both of them wanted to run to their adults.
But when she saw her mother beside you, she decisively turned around, ran to Huang Wudie, and shouted: "Aunt Huang!"
When Huang Wudie saw Shuang Shuang, her eyes immediately lit up. She threw away the barbecue and immediately picked up Shuang Shuang: "Hey!"
At the same time, he kissed both sides on the face several times, and both sides' little faces were immediately covered with oil.
Although Huang Wudie did not get along with Guan Ji, she loved the children Guan Ji gave birth to.
But since Guan Ji learned last time that Zhang Xiaosi coveted the secrets of the Feng family, she began to strictly discipline Ah Chong.
Just like now, Governor Feng wants to go fishing in order to relive the leisurely days of the past.
Ah Chong was also forced to hold a small fishing rod and sit upright next to the adults to learn fishing.
Because my grandma said, this is about cultivating one’s moral character.
Seeing his son constantly glancing at his sister with an envious look, Governor Feng wanted to let him play.
But the sky is huge and pregnant women are the biggest. Now even Huang Wudie doesn't dare to stimulate Guan Ji.
How could Governor Feng dare to express his opinions on Sanniang's godson?
So I can only let my son suffer.
At this moment, Zhang Xiaosi came back angrily and complained to Feng Yong:
"Brother-in-law, don't just look at Ah Chong, but also discipline Shuangshuang, otherwise she will become a crazy girl!"
How old is the child?
Ah Chong is already suffering enough, why do you want to make more trouble?
Feng Yong asked lazily:
"What's the matter?"
"Look at what her clothes are like. How can she still look like a girl in such a wild place?"
When Huang Wudie saw it, she quickly put both of them on the ground, and then whispered something in her ear.
Both nodded, halted their horses, suppressed their blushes, and suddenly shouted to this side:
"Brother-in-law!"
This sound stirred up a hornet's nest.
Governor Feng jumped up immediately.
Guan Ji turned her head suddenly and stared over there.
Zhang Xingyi's little face turned pale at first, and then immediately turned red again.
Only Ah Chong was so frightened that he could no longer hold the fishing rod in his hand, and looked at his parents and aunt with a confused and frightened expression.
Huang Wudie laughed, picked up both of them, turned around and ran away.
"Zhao Erlang, come here!"
Governor Feng rolled up his sleeves and said, "How long will it take to bake? I wonder if your sister is hungry?"
Zhao Guang looked at Huang Wudie who was missing, then at his brother who was looking at him angrily, his elder sister who was staring coldly at him, and his little sister who was staring at him with gritted teeth...
The sun was clearly shining brightly tomorrow, but he suddenly felt very cold.
"It's really a bit chilly! Liangzhou is very different from Shu."
People in Shu had already put on thin shirts at this time, but in Liangzhou, they still had to add an extra coat.
When the steward who received the two people heard Li Ming's words, he couldn't help laughing and asked:
"Is this your first time coming to Liangzhou, sir?"
"Yes, I originally set out in September last year, but I unexpectedly came to Hanzhong. News came that the roads in Liangzhou were blocked by heavy snow last year, so I had to wait until spring started before setting off."
Martin answered:
"I heard that there was a snowstorm in Liangzhou last year, and the price of food in Shu also increased!"
"I haven't returned to Shu for two or three years!"
The steward was actually from Shu. Hearing what Ma Tian said, he seemed to have started talking:
"That's right. The white disaster in Liangzhou last year was indeed serious. In recent years, food prices in Shu have rarely risen so high."
"Hey, let's not talk about those barbarians. It's a good time. It happens that Feng Junhou is appointed as the governor of Liangzhou."
"Even if it is high-priced grain, it must be transported from Shu to rescue people first. Otherwise, I don't know how many fewer people will die in previous years."
"It would be great if Liangzhou could produce as much grain as Shu..."
As the steward said, he handed two pieces of paper to the two of them: "Here, fill them in first."
"What is this?"
"Can you read the registration form? Can you write?"
As expected, it is the place where King Feng Gui is in charge, and it has a very Nanxiang style.
The two of them, who had spent a lot of time in Nanxiang, suddenly felt like they had arrived in Nanxiang.
"I understand, I will definitely do it. If not, who would dare to take the exam?"
Martin rushed to finish his answer, and then whispered to Li Ming: "The exam has begun."
Li Ming was a little confused.
Martin did not elaborate, but just asked:
"May I ask if you have pen and ink?"
"Yes, there are pens and ink on every table over there."
This is a place specially used to receive participants in exam classes, with several rows of desks arranged.
There are high tables and low cases, chairs and kneeling cushions. It seems that the Liangzhou Governor's Office has taken into account the different habits of scholars in different places.
After the two found a seat and sat down, Li Ming glanced at the steward.
Seeing that the other party was already holding a book and reading it by himself, he lowered his voice and asked:
"Brother Youchang, the exam you just mentioned..."
Martin shook the registration form in his hand: "Although there is no threshold for the exam, this is the invisible threshold for the exam. Only those who can read and write can participate."
Li Ming suddenly realized.
He also thought that the Liangzhou Governor's Office wanted to use this thing to find out his own details.
Thinking about it, it is true. The world has been in chaos for decades, countless people have fled into hiding, and the household registration system has long been corrupted.
How could people like Feng Guiwang expect to rely on this to understand who the visitors are?
After the two of them finished writing, the steward took the registration form and looked at it carefully, and couldn't help but admire:
"This word is really good!"
He stood up and became more enthusiastic than at the beginning: "This is the number plate. You two go out and turn left. Someone will arrange it for you two."
As he spoke, he handed over two signs with "Ding 43" and "Ding 44" written on them.
"In the next three months, you two will officially enter the examination class. If you can pass these three months, you can enter the next stage."
The steward said with a smile.
Martin tried to find out: "Can you tell me what the exams in these three months are about?"
"Well, someone will arrange it."
The manager laughed, but refused to explain clearly.
But when he saw his accommodation, Li Ming couldn't bear it anymore:
"Um...the two of us live in the same room?"
When the waiter who brought the two of them heard this, he immediately became happy:
"Two people? Sir, how can such a big house only accommodate two people? This is a four-person room. If anyone comes again in the future, four people will be accommodated."
"What?!"
Although Li Ming has endured hardship compared to the direct descendants of the Li family.
But in terms of accommodation, I never thought that I would live in the same house with others for a long time, and there were still four of us.
Perhaps seeing some reluctance on Li Ming's face, the waiter added another sentence:
"This gentleman, this house is actually pretty good."
"You two must have heard that Liangzhou suffered a major disaster last year. People's livelihood was difficult and the government was short of money and food."
"But even so, they provide free accommodation to the scholars who come from all over the world. All the food and food used are the people's fat and the people's anointing!"
Hearing that the waiter actually said these words, Li Ming's face felt hot.
Looking at the background where the waiter was leaving, Martin smiled thoughtfully: "It's interesting."
"Uncle Shen, it's better to be at home when you're away from home. Especially in the governor's office, this is the first time since the Han Dynasty that we have held open examinations to select talents."
"How to take the exam and how to choose are all unknown. We should be cautious in our words and deeds. Just like living in this house, it is not possible to say that it is also part of the exam."
"Is this considered a test?" On the second day, Li Ming pointed to everything in front of him and asked Ma Tian tremblingly, "Youchang, are you sure we are not here as coolies?"