He had a pleasant chat with Yan Qing, and when Xiao Tang was about to find a way to introduce him to Xiao's home, Yan Qing suddenly saw two or three idle men at the door of the store, looking inside the store. He told Xiao Tang: " Please stay with me." Then he walked towards a few idle men.
Xiao Tang was curious. He looked around and saw that Yan Qing seemed to have handed over all the money he had just earned to those idle men. He also frowned and asked one of the idle men something. He immediately felt worried. Huo Qi, those few don't look like kind people, Yan Qing, an orphan wandering the market, why should you give them money!?
Xiao Tang immediately stood up, walked to the door of the store and shouted to one of the idle men: "What are you doing!? What are you doing with Xiao Yi's money?"
The idle man rolled his eyes strangely and cursed: "What blind thing..." But when he turned around and saw Xiao Tang, his face immediately changed and he exclaimed: "Oh my mother!! "
Xiao Tang was shocked by the idle man. Did you see a ghost in this surprise? The idle men immediately put on a flattering and submissive look and said: "You guys are If you don’t recognize your own grandfather, you can’t help but recognize Xiao Yingxiong! That day when Xiao Yingxiong left Daming Mansion, the young ones were lucky enough to have met Xiao Yingxiong’s face.”
Xiao Tang suddenly realized, and he asked: "Let me ask some of you, why do you want to take Xiao Yi's hard-earned money?"
The idle man hurriedly said: "Xiao Yingxiong, we didn't force Brother B. It was Brother B who took the initiative to find us and said he was willing to repay the gambling debt owed by the Xu family."
Xiao Tang turned to Yan Qing and asked: "Xiao Yi, what on earth is going on?"
Yan Qing smiled calmly and said: "How dare I trouble Brother Xiao? I was helped by the Xu family when I was in trouble, and now Xiao Yi is capable of making money. The Xu family is also pitiful now, but their relatives ran away after gambling. They But after taking on this debt, I should repay the favor, and I can afford it."
Xiao Tang roughly understood what was going on. Yan Qing had been favored by others, and when his benefactor's family was chased for gambling debts, he, a young man who was as rootless as a duckweed, resisted their debts... .Look at Yan Qing, although she is casual and indifferent, she actually has her own character.
Xiao Tang admired Yan Qing even more and said: "Xiao Yi, since I am the owner of the market town, it is easier to get the money than you. I know you have the ability to make money, but how long will it take to clear it?" You want to pay off that gambling debt? I’m willing to help you, but it won’t cost me much money, so why should you refuse my kindness?”
Yan Qing heard the same thing, but although he was young, he was such a shrewd person. He could feel that Xiao Tang wanted to help him, but his kind attitude towards him seemed a bit too much, and it was just an act of kindness. ? Yan Qing quickly rejected this answer in her heart. What makes a young man like him worthy of being used?
If Yan Qing saw others being courteous to him for nothing, he would never accept it as he knew how to protect himself. But firstly, Xiao Tang is now well-known in Daming Mansion, and secondly... although Xiao Tang's attitude towards him is very strange. , but it definitely doesn’t seem to be plotting against him.
After some thoughts flashed through her mind, Yan Qing smiled again, bowed to Xiao Tang and said, "If I shirk it again, it will be unpleasant. In this way, I will thank Brother Xiao."
Look, this Yan Xiaoyi is such a good boy. He is much easier to talk to than the stubborn Wu Song at that time... Xiao Tang couldn't help but secretly curse in his heart, waiting for him to ask those idle men what they were obeying. I couldn't help but feel happy when I saw a man in a gambling house. It turned out that their boss was General Shi Yong.
It would be easier to talk. Xiao Tang was not in a hurry and ordered a few idle men to go back and retaliate against Shi Yong. After eating, he took Yan Qing back to the Tangwukuo store. After saying goodbye to Lu Junyi, he went to Shi Yong with Yan Qing, Xiao Yi and Xue Yong.
Yong over there.
On the way, Yan Qing and Yan Qing inquired further about the reason. It turned out that the person he was talking about running the Xu family was a middle-aged scholar, and his wife only sewed clothes to support him. The two of them also supported their son Xu Guanzhong to study hard in the cold, but Xu Guanzhong's uncle was so good.
The gambler ran away again, which made their family even worse.
Xu Guanzhong? Isn't he the friend of Yan Qing in Water Margin who is well versed in astronomy and geography and has a genius but lives in seclusion in the mountains? This is really a series of unexpected surprises. Even if Yan Qing is not involved, Xiao Tang still wants to help this talented man.
When Xiao Tang and others arrived at the place where Shi Yong was hanging out, it was just a shabby mud-roofed house in a remote place. Usually the door was hidden and there was a waiter, so only familiar gamblers were allowed in. There were only five or six tables inside.
Dice, a few broken bowls and some copper coins for gambling, it couldn't even be considered a gambling house.
In fact, the Song Dynasty strictly prohibited gambling. Gambling was punished with a cane, and even the crime of theft was punished.
Those who stop the master and those who come out of Jiuhehe are the same). In certain periods and places in the Song Dynasty, even gambling was a serious crime of beheading (Taizong issued an edict in the second year of Chunhua: Anyone who gambles in the capital will be arrested by Kaifeng Prefecture
, offenders beheaded).
By the time of Huizong, although gamblers were not frequently beheaded, according to the "Song Xingtong", gambling was allowed only on the three major festivals of New Year's Day, Winter Solstice, and Cold Food.
However, in the Song Dynasty, when commerce was booming, regardless of official status, the pursuit of entertainment was much greater. From the emperor's official family to the traffickers and lackeys, there was a strong gambling habit. It was because gambling caused too many social problems that the government went down in some periods.
Rectify the law seriously.
But not only were gambling houses opened in the Water Margin, but there were many cases of Li Kui, a young prison boy, gambling and stealing gambling funds. Many court officials and literati also enjoyed gambling, but most of the heavy laws related to gambling were still suppressed.
Shi Yong, a person at the bottom of society, suffers from hardship.
But even though Shi Yong was in despair, as soon as he learned that Xiao Tang recognized Yan Qing as his little brother, he patted his chest wildly and said that the twenty taels of silver he owed, together with the interest on the gambling debt, had all been wiped out. He raised his thumbs and praised
Yan Qing shouldered the debts of the Xu family, and his loyalty was worth paying.
Shi Yong's attitude made Xiao Tang very embarrassed, and he quickly said: "It is only natural to pay back debts. Besides, I, Xiao Tang, don't lack these twenty taels of silver, so I can just repay it for his Xu family."
"These are two different things!" Shi Yong's eyes widened and he said in a deep voice: "Brother Xiao, you are looking for me, Lao Shi, just to give me face. How can I ask for money from you? If others owe me, then
As for the official emperor, I, Shi Yong, also want to ask for it!!"
Huh! Did you use the trick you played with Song Jiang in Water Margin on me? Xiao Tang shook his head with a wry smile and ordered Xiao Yi to take out a total of about thirty taels of money and silver. He couldn't help but put it on the gambling table.
Shi Yong suddenly became anxious and said, "What are you doing?! I told you not to ask for money from you!"
"These are two different things!" Xiao Tang imitated Shi Yong's eyes and said loudly: "This is not to pay off your gambling debt, but to treat you and your brothers to a drink!"
※
When Xiao Tang, Yan Qing and others arrived at the residence of Xu Guanzhong and his parents, they found that it was even worse than Shi Yong's mud and tile house. The cracks filled with straw still let in a few bits of biting north wind.
A few square stacks of books, two shabby wooden beds and some cooking utensils, it can only be described as a house with bare walls.
Xu Guanzhong's father looked a bit bookish, but he was honest and frightened when he saw strangers such as Xiao Tang, Xiao Yi and Xue Yong coming to the door;
He looked at Xiao Tang and others warily.
But when Xiao Tang saw Xu Guanzhong, who was twelve or thirteen years old, his temperament was completely different from his parents:
Xu Guanzhong has a pair of bright eyes. Although he is not as handsome as Yan Qing and has a bit of ruthlessness, his elegant temperament, delicate eyebrows, fair skin, and delicate facial features make him extremely handsome.
Beautiful boy.
Yan Qing's handsomeness exudes "movement", while Xu Guanzhong's expression exudes "quietness". If they stand together in a few years, they will definitely be handsome men of the level of Pan An and Song Yu. If they are to be given another
Yan Qing and his two beards are very consistent with Xiao Tang's idea of Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou in Gu Long's works.
Yan Qing explained the purpose of her visit to the Xu family's parents, and they looked happy and kept bowing to Xiao Tang to thank her. When Xu Guanzhong learned that it was Xiao Tang who came, his eyes couldn't help but brighten a little more, and he said happily: "Your Excellency
Is this the famous Xiao Yishi in Daming Mansion?"
Xiao Tang smiled and shook his head and said: "I don't dare to be a righteous man. I just did something that someone should have done a long time ago."
Xu Guanzhong sighed and said: "Confucian scholars are not as good as knight-errants, so what's the use of hanging up the curtain for nothing? It's better to live a free and easy life like Xiao Yishi."
When Xu's father heard this, he scolded Xu Guanzhong several times. Yan Qing smiled and said to Xiao Tang: "Although Guanzhong wants to obtain fame, he has always been very enthusiastic about knight-errant affairs."
Xiao Tang nodded, and it was indeed true. Xu Guanzhong, who had outstanding literary talent in Water Margin, did not become an official in the court, but instead took his mother to find a peach blossom paradise to live in seclusion? Although Xu's father seemed to have great hopes for Xu Guanzhong.
, but with Xu Guanzhong’s nature, I’m afraid this will disappoint him.
"You two and your son don't know what to do next?" Xiao Tang said to Xu Guanzhong's parents: "Although this matter is over, it's freezing cold. I don't think you two have anything else to keep out the cold at home. It won't get colder anymore.
That’s not the way to go.”
When Xu's father and Xu's mother heard this, they were also frowning, but now even food is a problem. Xiao Tang saw this and hit the railway while it was hot: "I don't think it's better than this. I have a young accountant in the inner courtyard of the market town and a needlework lady who is good at sewing.
What if you don't mind it and move to my house? This is just convenient for the young master to study hard."
How could he not accept the pillow that was given to him while he was dozing off? After hearing this, Xu Guanzhong's parents thanked him again. Although Xu Guanzhong only thanked Xiao Tang along with his parents, the joy on his face was beyond words.
Xiao Tang looked at Yan Qing again with a smile and said, "Now that Guan Zhong's family has been settled, what are Xiao Yi's plans?"
Yan Qing thought about it and realized that he already had an idea, but he still said: "With Brother Xiao's generosity, naturally he won't take that money seriously. It's just that he will not be rewarded for no merit. Xiao Yi is willing to be with Brother Xiao."
I will repay my kindness by becoming a servant in my house."
Listening to the implication of Yan Qing's words, it seemed that she was still being polite to herself, deliberately keeping a distance from herself in the euphemism. This made Xiao Tang feel a little anxious, and he said seriously: "Brother Xiao Yi is living on the street, I still don't forget
How can we, the Xu family, be so kind to such a loving and righteous person? You and I are not masters and servants. From now on, we will treat each other as brothers, and we will never talk to anyone outside of the family!"
Having said this, any further words would be pretentious, so Yan Qing stopped trying to evade, and instead said with a carefree smile: "Brother is on top, please bow to me!"
