"Okay, I haven't seen what a big caravan looks like!" Li Xu put down the bowl and replied cheerfully. Suddenly, he understood what his father meant, widened his eyes, and murmured: "Dad, you, you
says…….!"
"Dad is getting older, and I want you to run across the Great Wall for me!" Li Mao did not dare to look into his son's eyes, and tried to repeat his meaning in a calm tone.
"I, my policy theory is the best in the school. I, I can write the entire Analects silently! I..." Half of the biscuits in Li Xu's hand fell to the ground. At this time yesterday, his father was still discussing with himself whether to take the exam or not.
Once upon a time, he was admitted as a Jinshi, but today, he has become a businessman on his behalf.
That was not his dream! In Li Xu’s dreams, he had been admitted to the imperial examination and stood in the court, and he had also held a horse and dominated the battlefield. The most common dream was to wear an official uniform and go to the county school in Shanggu County.
Buy a big house nearby, bring your parents in, have something to eat and drink, and have Zhao Er in charge, Old Baldy Yang and other figures in the scene obey you. In the dreams of all teenagers,
The only thing I didn't do was become a businessman like my father. Every year, I traveled across the Central Plains outside the Great Wall, exposed to the sun and rain, and couldn't make a lot of money. I also had to be bullied by government agents, clan elders, and local ruffians.
It has already entered autumn, but the weather is still as hot as midsummer. Zhang Baosheng, the shopkeeper, moved a mazaar and sat in front of his small restaurant, watching the sunset and blowing the cool breeze with his tongue out.
This son-of-a-bitch weather is as miserable as a son-of-a-bitch’s life. The heat penetrates to the bones, and even the breath is sticky and wet, as greasy as the stains on the edge of the stove. On the official road, people come and go.
The dust carried by passers-by floated in the air, and unknowingly turned the upside-down "rail" (Note 1) on the wall of the restaurant into a mud ball. It was black and shriveled.
It also exudes a trace of sour smell, which makes people lose their appetite even more when smelling it in their nostrils.
If it was in the early years, Zhang Baosheng would still be in the mood to fill up a bucket of well water and wipe clean the "fence" on the wall and the smoky signboard above his head. In the Shanggu and Hejian areas, this "fence" represents a restaurant.
Like the hotel, like the official script sign above the head, it was the face of the owner. At that time, his restaurant had just opened, and it was a good year in the Renshou Year, and the "meat good" (Note 2) he brought in every day was
There were more than a dozen. Occasionally, if you were lucky enough to meet a big customer, you could earn half a piece of silk. It was at that time that the house filled in Zhang Baosheng's house and the fifty acres of land near the Yishui River were purchased.
At that time, Zhang Baosheng remembered that he wanted to wipe the plaque above his head that read "Youjian Inn" three times every day. This plaque was written by Zhang Baosheng after spending three sheeps polishing it, and was written by Master Yang from Qiu Yi County School.
Old Master Yang once served as the recorder of Mr. Yang Su, the Duke of Yue. If he hadn't loved the simple and friendly people here, he would never have settled in Shanggu County. Although the plaque he wrote while drunk was not as "ruyi" as "Linfeng"
It sounds eloquent, but it is more appropriate and natural. Think of the traveler who suddenly saw the words "youjian inn" on the official road that can't be seen at a glance, and suddenly felt hungry and thirsty, so he walked in and stayed for a while.
Overnight, it is expected to eat two bowls of wheat rice and drink a few cups of turbid wine.
Unfortunately, the good times did not last long, and the Year of Renshou came to an end soon. Immediately afterwards, the reign became a great cause. After the wise and powerful new emperor came to the throne, he first built the Great Wall and then opened the canal, which completely destroyed the savings in the treasury. You say
He has completely ruined his family business, so he should stop, but he didn't! At the beginning of this year, I didn't know where I heard the saying "when a benevolent king ascends the throne, all nations will come to court", and I strongly invited the Khans of all countries
They gathered together in Luoyang and ordered that all places along the way must splash water on the streets, pave the roads with loess, shop and restaurants, and prohibit barbarians from asking for money when eating or drinking.
People say that the emperor is a sage, and everything he sees is reflected in the same pupil, that is, one eye sees two shadows, which is twice as clear as an ordinary person. But the sage does not know how to pay for meals. Shanggu County is close to
On the border, there were frequent exchanges between Xi people, Khitans, and Turks. Everyone had been interacting for a long time, and it was impossible to tell who was a Hu'er and who was a Han. With the emperor's preferential treatment order, there were immediately more Hu people in the four fields. Really,
Teams of fake and fake barbarians ate along the official road like locusts, as if the locals owed them a previous life. After all this trouble, everyone did not know what benefits the old emperor had gained. Zhang Baosheng knew his own.
For this reason, the owner of the tavern resigned, dismissed the waiters, and gave half of the fifty acres of land by the Yishui River to others. In the past, when he came home every day, the old man would coax him to fill the house happily, but now his face has turned cold, wishing that he was here.
Sleeping on benches in the tavern in the front yard.
The tavern, which has no money to hire a waiter and cannot afford to support the hard-working waiters, is naturally becoming more and more deserted. Zhang Baosheng, who used to be so busy every day, is now free. After noon, he can move the mazaar and look forward to the sunset. The sunset is ten minutes.
When the neighbors come home after a busy day, if any one of them can sell half a catty of wine, his last hope of making money for the day will be fulfilled.
Although the business has been deserted, the taxes in the yamen still have to be paid. A few days ago, Mr. Zhao Er, the errand boy of Mr. Li in Yixian County (Note 3), came to the door to take care of him. This year, "youjian inn" will have to pay extra.
Five pieces of raw cowhide. Zhang Baosheng begged for it, so Zhao Er, in charge of the house, reduced the number of cowhide from five to two for the sake of two jars of sesame oil and a jar of aged flower carvings, but required that it must be completed before winter.
Deliver the goods to the county, otherwise Zhang Baosheng will be responsible for any consequences.
Youdao is known as "the county magistrate who broke his family and the prefect who skinned his family". Zhang Baosheng knew the consequences of failing to pay taxes. Several of his colleagues in the county are now living in inns (prisons) opened by the government.
It is said that there are two meals a day, including "fried pork slices with bamboo shoots". Every now and then, bloody people are carried out from the back door and thrown into the wilderness to feed dogs. However, the government does not allow the people to kill cattle, sick cattle, and mutilated cattle.
Cattle have always been in short supply. Even if he could find a way to use donkey skins to top up the supply, Zhang Baosheng would still have to find a place to find donkeys?!
There were gradually more and more people walking on both sides of the official road. The villagers from the wealthy families were carrying wooden shovels and leading their animals to the owner's house to do the work. These people didn't know how to buy Zhang Baosheng's water and wine, so Zhang Baosheng couldn't muster up the energy to say hello to everyone.
.Looking straight at the end of the official road, looking forward to the stars and the moon, looking forward to the merchants returning from beyond the Great Wall. Only they have the best leather goods in their hands, and only they can give Zhang Baosheng hope to continue to survive.
"Uncle Baosheng, business is good today!" Beside the official road, a young man on horseback raised his whip and pointed his halberd.
"Wuzi, thanks to your elder brother, we had three groups of guests today, and the kitchen is not cold!" Zhang Baosheng stood up, beating his numb legs, and agreed loudly.
The young man from Zhang Da's family who greeted him in the front village was Zhang Baosheng's nephew according to his seniority. Although the two families stopped moving together after Zhang Baosheng opened a restaurant and went into business, they are still in the same ancestral hall and share the same bloodline.
The closeness between them can never be separated.
"My father said, if you really can't support yourself, just close the inn! There are so many juniors in the clan, no matter what, we won't let Uncle Baosheng starve!" Wu Wazi rode his horse and took a few steps forward, then turned around.
, pointed at him with the whip and said.
"I'm sorry for bothering you, my brother, Wu Wazi. I'll send someone back to bring a jar of wine to rinse my mouth out!" Zhang Baosheng tried his best to straighten his already somewhat burdened waist and responded calmly. Wu Wazi was the top student in the county school.
It is said that he had the opportunity to be promoted by the county and go to the capital to take the scientific examination. In front of such a young man with a bright future, he did not dare to act like an uncle. As for Zhang Baoliang, the father of Wuwazi, Zhang Baosheng only
Pretend you didn't hear it. Last year, the inn couldn't be opened. So I asked this family to borrow money. The price Zhang Baosheng paid was to sell thirty acres of good land. If he really closed the inn and returned to his family to retire as he said, Zhang Baosheng estimated that he had the remaining
Twenty acres of good land had to change owners.
"Thank you, Uncle Baosheng. I will send someone to get it later. My father loves nothing else but this one!" Wu Wazi said with a smile and said goodbye to Zhang Baosheng. He patted his mount and melted into the afterglow of the setting sun.
"Alas!" Zhang Baochang sighed. He doesn't blame heaven or earth, he blames himself for not having a son who is also studying under Mr. Yang in the county school. If he had a son with a bright future like Wuwazi, those in the yamen
Who among the helpers, the gangsters in the village, and the elders of the clan dare to block the door and bully others?
Thinking of the county school, some hope suddenly surged in his heart. His nephew was also studying in the county school. In terms of reputation, talent and learning, he was no worse than Wu Wazi. Since the Zhang family's Xiao Wu could rush home from the county school today, he
Maybe his nephew Li Xu will come back. If he can meet him, the difficulties he is facing may be solved.
With the idea of giving it a try, Zhang Baosheng did not close the door with disappointment as before. Instead, he beat his sore back and continued to look towards the official road. As expected, after about a cup of tea,
A blue and white mule ran up the official road, and on the mule's back, a tall young man with slender arms bowed to him from a distance.
"Uncle, are you busy today? Do you want me to help you wash the dishes?" As the young man spoke, he had already arrived in front of the inn. With a press of his hand and a lift of his leg, he jumped off the mule's back neatly and put on the reins.
He lightly tied the horse to the hitching post and walked in with his feet.
"I can't do it, I can't do it, Xu Guan, you are a scholar, you can't do such a despicable job!" Seeing that the young man was serious, Zhang Baosheng quickly stretched out his arms to stop him. His oily and twisted arms did not dare to touch the dirty green shirt of the young man.
, was squeezed back continuously.
"What's wrong with you? After reading, you are no longer my uncle? If my mother hears this, she will definitely come to your door to argue with you!" The young man gently pushed Zhang Baosheng's arm away with his hand, and nimbly squeezed into the inn.
There is nothing much to do on the first floor, which can only accommodate a dozen tables. Due to the lack of business, many places where people don't often sit are covered in dust. Li Xu doesn't want his uncle to think that he can only talk, so he takes off his clothes.
Wearing a long gown outside, he grabbed a rag and wiped all the tables and chairs, then fetched a ladder, climbed up the door beam, cleaned up the smoky inn sign to its original appearance, and then took off the old "fence" on the wall.
I found a new one from the kitchen and replaced it. Then I put the items away and got a wooden basin to fill my face with water.
Zhang Baosheng watched from the side, feeling warm and comfortable in his heart, as if he had drank half a pound of daughter's red wine. He had no children, and his two daughters rarely returned home after they left the palace. After his wife died, he did not continue to fill the house after his death, and did not continue his incense.
, so he always regarded Li Xu as half a son. Seeing his nephew preparing to say goodbye, he suddenly remembered that he had not seen his child for more than two months. His big hand touched his waist several times, but he did not find a suitable one.
With the greeting etiquette, he slapped his forehead hard and said: "Look at my memory! Don't rush home yet. I brewed several jars of old wine for your father according to the recipes passed down by the barbarians.
If you cross the water, hang it on the back of a mule and take it back to keep your father warm in the winter!"
"That won't work. How much effort did it take you to make this jar of wine? It's more serious to keep it and sell it. Besides, my father went to the outside of the Great Wall to do some shopping, and it will be a while before he comes back!" The young man put his gown on his body.
He refused while rejecting it loudly. (To be continued)
