Zhang Yue returned to the county town at noon.
Thinking about this, his brother was still busy at the shop on Chema Street. Zhang Yue thought about it and decided not to go home yet and go to the shop on Chema Street to see his brother.
When I arrived at the shop, I saw that business was a little slow. The snow on Xianxia Ridge had not yet melted, and the Jiangpu Post Road across Xianxia Ridge was still difficult to travel, so there were not many merchants at the moment.
The waiter smiled and said, "Sanlang is here. What do you want to eat and drink?"
Zhang Yue said: "Is brother here?"
“Da Langjun was invited by Xu Dutou and will be back in half an hour.”
Zhang Yue nodded and said, "Let's eat together."
“Okay.”
The waiter wiped the table skillfully.
Not long after, Zhang Yue was brought two plates of vegetables, one with fresh bamboo shoots and one with rolled pork (Dongpo Pork). Zhang Yue took a bite of the fresh bamboo shoots and it was crispy in his mouth, and then he took a bite of the rolled pork. It was simply delicious.
This rolled pork is simmered in wine and sauce, and the fresh bamboo shoots are stir-fried in a pot.
When he first opened a restaurant to make stir-fry dishes, Zhang Shizhang spent a lot of effort to buy a six-ear iron pot, which cost him dozens of dollars.
Then the waiter brought Zhang Yue a bowl of hot soybean soup and several large pancakes.
After drinking soybean soup to warm up his body, Zhang Yue picked up the cooking pancake and took a big bite. His own cooking pancake was bigger and more fragrant.
Zhang Yue ate and drank with all his heart. Soon he saw a group of five people arriving at his shop.
Zhang Yue took a look and realized that there was no place in his life where he didn’t meet again. Isn’t this Huang Haoyi?
Huang Haoyi was stunned and said: "Sanlang, what a coincidence."
Zhang Yue said: "Yes, Silang, why are you going out now? Why don't you stay at home for a few more days?"
Huang Haoyi said: "I heard from the teacher that the two Zhejiang roads have not been peaceful in recent years, and there are often bandits and bandits plundering them. It was my first time to travel far away, so I came to Pucheng early to wait and see if there were any business travelers traveling northbound. It would be best if I could
Heading to Bianjing."
Zhang Yue suddenly said: "I see, then I will also help Brother Huang to inquire about it and see if I can be a companion along the way."
Huang Haoyi smiled and said: "That's the best. I came to Pucheng this time to find you. I was expecting to visit you, but unexpectedly I met you here."
"That's natural. If Shiro doesn't come to find me, I will be annoyed."
Huang Haoyi smiled.
Zhang Yue immediately asked the waiter to bring some more food.
Huang Haoyi came to Beijing this time with a long attendant, a book boy, and two Xiang soldiers from the county. The two Xiang soldiers wore leather hats on their heads and each held a whistle stick in their hands.
Zhang Yue looked at the leather hat on the head of the soldier, it should be Fan Yangli.
Looking at TV and movies, it looks like a soldier from the Song Dynasty has a helmet like this. In Water Margin, Lin Chong wears a fan Yangli on his head and holds a wine gourd at the tip of his spear. That is a classic scene.
Now this Fan Yangli is the standard equipment for the Xiang army's rural soldiers. As for the iron helmet, it seems that it is only equipped for the imperial army.
The two of them asked themselves to accompany them, and the soldiers sat down to eat together. A few people said they didn't dare, so they just sat at another table. Soon Zhang Shi and Xu Dutou had returned to the shop.
Zhang Yue stood up and left the table with a smile: "Brother! Xu Dutou!"
Zhang Shi asked as soon as he saw it: "Third brother is back. Did Xuezheng agree to let you go to Beijing?"
Zhang Yue nodded.
Zhang Shi was overjoyed when he heard this. Xu Du, who was standing aside, was already rushing to say: "Congratulations to Da Lang, congratulations to San Lang."
Zhang Shi said with a proud face: "Back then, my second brother was so great that he was not even recommended by the state to go to Imperial College. But you have become one."
Zhang Yue said: "Second brother, the Jinshi exam is ten times more difficult than mine. Besides, after I enter the capital, I have to take another exam before I can be considered a Taipei student. If I fail, I have to come all the way back."
Zhang Shi smiled and said, "Since I asked you to go to Beijing, why would your trip be in vain?"
"Brother, this Huang Silang came to Beijing with me. He went to take the imperial examination."
Zhang Yue introduced Huang Yixing to his elder brother, Xu Dutou.
After the two parties greeted each other, they sat down again. Zhang Shi heard that he was a student at the State University and was enthusiastic about joining Zhang Yue in Beijing. He immediately called the cook and said: "Cut three kilograms of mutton and make a big bowl of fish soup!
Go quickly, go quickly!"
With that said, he took out some money and asked the waiter to go to the wine shop next door to get a drink for 50 or 60 cents.
Then Zhang Shi greeted again: "We have wine and meat, so feel free to eat and drink."
And the followers at the other table, Xiang Jun also benefited from it.
Huang Haoyi said to Zhang Yue in a low voice: "Da Langjun is really generous and has the style of Meng Chang. He is worthy of being Zhang Zihou's brother."
Zhang Yue said: "Is my second brother also so generous in Beijing?"
Huang Haoyi said: "It is very refreshing to hear what my brother said in the letter. He is a kind-hearted person. It can be said that wealth is more important than righteousness."
Being kind to your friends, but also to your family? Is there anything wrong?
Zhang Yue couldn't help but curse.
“What are you talking about?” Zhang Shi asked.
Zhang Yue did not mention to Zhang Shi face to face the marriage between Huang Haoyi and his second brother and sister, but said: "Silang was worried that the road between Zhejiang and Zhejiang was not peaceful, so he came here early to see if there were any business travelers going north."
Xu Dutou smiled and said: "What do you mean? Although the road has been uneven recently, bandits have never robbed scholars who came to Beijing to take exams. Bandits also respect scholars, and some have even forced scholars to go up the mountain and become kings of the mountain."
Everyone burst out laughing after hearing this.
Zhang Yuexin said that indeed art comes from life, and even Wang Lun, the scholar in white, has an artistic prototype.
Xu Dutou smiled and said: "It's better for you to go alone. If you follow the merchants, if the thieves target us, we will suffer together."
At this time, Huang Haoyi said: "This is the capital, today is different from the past. In the past, scholars who came to Beijing to take the exam were issued post coupons by the court, and they had food and accommodation in the post station. They could also use carriages and horses to deliver the post. Thieves will not be able to do it if they don't open their eyes.
I can’t get along with them.”
"But now we are recommended by the county to study in Beijing. How can those thieves recognize us? Besides, the two Zhejiang roads are really not peaceful recently. I heard that there was a case in the state before. A scholar was killed along with three servants while traveling.
In the wild, all the gold and silver around me was robbed, and my head was cut off. I still don’t know who was able to do it.”
Xu Du’s head was so robbed by Huang Haoyi that he felt a little embarrassed. If it had been anyone else, he would have thrown a glass of wine over him. But the scholar who went to Beijing to study at Imperial College was still a Jinshi major, and he really couldn’t afford to offend him.
Xu Dutou forced a smile and said: "Mr. Huang Silang is right, it's always right to be careful. There are always a few thieves who don't know what to do in these thousands of miles."
While everyone was eating, Huang Haoyi and his followers found a shop nearby to stay.
Zhang Shi and Xu Du said: "The county is sending two soldiers to accompany Sanlang to the capital. It would be best to find a few who know the basics. It seems that in the past, I heard that some people were unwilling to use money, so they went to the prison camp to find a few pretenders.
Xiang soldiers, those treacherous people, let alone taking care of people on the road, they are like ancestors."
Xu Dutou smiled and said: "How can you be so ignorant? They are all ignorant. The superiors have to deal with it just now. For the sake of Sanlang going to Beijing, who dares to offend the future husband."
Zhang Shi felt a little reassured and said: "But I heard that the boundary between Zhejiang and Zhejiang has been somewhat chaotic recently. The third brother is only fourteen years old, so I'm really worried about going to Beijing like this."
Xu Dutou thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll find a powerful person for you."
Zhang Shi smiled and said, "That's really great."
Xu Dutou thought for a moment and said, "But in the final analysis, I still have to find someone who has committed a crime for you."
Zhang Shi changed his face and asked, "What's the origin of this love?"
Xu Dutou said: "This man turned out to be an envoy to arrest Linzhou. He was good at martial arts, but for some reason he hated the previous magistrate of the state. He was accused of drinking and getting away from important criminals, and was assigned to the state. Lieutenant Pengxian cherished his talents and
Just ask the county magistrate to get it and send it to him."
“If you don’t worry about Third Brother, tell Captain Peng and ask him to follow you to the capital, so that everything will be safe for thousands of miles.”
Zhang Shi patted his leg and said, "There are still such talents. It would be great if you would lend them to Third Brother. I will go to Peng County Wei to ask for them."
Zhang Shi immediately told Zhang Yue: "Come with me to the Wei Mansion in Peng County."
Zhang Yue agreed.
Zhang Shi rushed to Peng Mansion with Zhang Yue.
Zhang Shi saw Peng Xianwei, but when he saw him, he smiled and said: "This is not the eldest son of the Zhang family, Mr. Sanlang, how come you have time to come here?"
Zhang Shi smiled and said: "Sanlang was recommended to the Imperial Academy by the state, and I'm here to tell the young man the good news."
Peng Xianwei laughed loudly, looked at Zhang Yue and said: "Okay, okay, Mr. Sanlang has finally made his mark."
Zhang Yue stood aside with Xiao, and Zhang Shi took care of everything.
Zhang Shi smiled and said: "It was Zhao Asi who forced me to do this in the first place. If it weren't for the care of the young master, how could Sanlang be where he is today? Our Zhang family will be forever grateful for this kindness."
Peng County Lieutenant smiled and said: "Dalangjun, please don't say good things. You see, you came to me this time for something else besides announcing the good news."
Zhang Shi smiled and said: "I am indeed here to announce the good news, but I also ask the young master to support me personally."
Peng County Lieutenant smiled and said: "Except for your Majesty, I can't control the whole county, but the others are easy to talk about. I don't know which one it is?"
Zhang Shi followed Xu Dutou's instructions and said the man's name.
Peng Xianwei smiled and said: "Dalangjun is good at picking people. I have already used this person. Who can I use if I lend it to you?"
Zhang Shi smiled and said: "Who doesn't know that the young master has many talents? Now that Sanlang is going to Beijing to take the Imperial Examination, someone must protect him on the way. Please ask the young master to be accommodating."
Peng Xianwei smiled and said: "For San Lang's sake, I will agree to it."
Immediately Pengxian Lieutenant summoned a soldier and asked, "Where is Tang Jiu?"
The soldier replied: "Drinking in the gallery."
“How long have you been drinking?”
“Drink all day long.”
Zhang Yue was surprised. What is the concept of "drinking for a day"?
“Call him here.”
Peng Xianwei smiled and said: "I am willing to release him, but Tang Jiu is not willing to follow you to the capital to see you. Don't sit here."
Zhang Shi Zhang Yue sat down and waited.
Soon a drunk man came into the hall and sang to Captain Peng County without looking at Zhang Yue Zhang Shi.
Peng County Wei said: "Tang Jiu, do you dare to go to Beijing for business?"
“It’s not just me, Tang Jiu, who dares to go to Salmon Island as long as he has wine to drink.”
“Then you ask them?”
The drunk man looked askance at Zhang Shi and Zhang Yue.
Zhang Shi said: "I would also like to ask a strong man to protect my younger brother when he goes to Beijing. We can discuss the expenses on the way."
“What are you going to Beijing for?”
“Tai Xue, the border between Zhejiang and Zhejiang is not peaceful recently, please ask strong men to protect you.”
The drunkard said: "It's easy to say, I don't want any other expenses, just three bowls of wine in the morning, three bowls of wine in the afternoon, three bowls of wine in the evening, and three bowls of wine in the break."
Zhang Shi was surprised and said, "How can we travel without twelve bowls of wine?"
The man smiled and said: "Thirty or fifty bowls of wine every day will not stop me from killing people and stealing."
Zhang Shi thought about it after hearing the words, and immediately said: "Okay, I promise you!"
