No matter if you are a human or an immortal, you can still farm for me after traveling through time!

Since the temperature dropped, Li Sanlang moved out of his room and slept on a kang with his two children, which saved a lot of firewood.

The kang in the room is not bigger than the one at home, but now that Li Erlang is back, they can squeeze in and sleep on it.

After dinner, Li Erlang read with the two children for a while, and when he saw it was almost time, he sent them to wash their feet and go to bed.

Seeing the two children lying down on the kang, Li Erlang turned around and called Li Sanlang, asking him to put on his clothes and take the hot water bottle for a walk in the garden.

The two brothers carried a lantern and came to the quiet garden.

The night sky was foggy, dark clouds were rolling, and a cold wind was blowing. Li Erlang turned around and leaned against the stone mountain. The wind lantern cast a hazy circle of light between the two of them.

"This time when he went to the south of the Yangtze River, Yue Lang encountered another adventure similar to the one Miss Lu had. He first found a calligraphy in Yuezhou Qiling Temple. It read, 'There is no construction without destruction, destruction leads to construction, adversity will eventually give way to good times, risk of death leads to life, there is always a way out!' Twenty-five large characters. Yue Lang guessed that these words not only hinted at his situation but also hinted at the current situation where there is no construction without destruction." Li Erlang summarized the key points of the complicated matter and told them to Li Sanlang.

"After the painting and calligraphy at Qiling Temple, Yue Lang accidentally fell into another painting during Mr. Zhao's feast and landed in a salt lake. In the lake there was an island in the middle of the lake. On the island stood a stone pagoda. In the pagoda lived a Buddhist woman whose identity was unknown."

Li Sanlang looked at his brother and took note of every detail that Li Erlang said.

Salty lake, island in the middle of the lake, stone pagoda, Buddha statue, and woman.

"Although no direct evidence has been found, Yuelang speculates that the woman is related to the events of the eighth year of Baoying." Li Erlang's voice became lower and lower, and Li Sanlang took another step forward with a serious expression.

"Yue Lang found a note that said 'Second kill of Yang Huang'."

"Ah...!" Li Sanlang exclaimed in a low voice, and immediately remembered something in the academy. He then said, "Second brother, when the academy talked about who was the governor of Longxi, someone speculated that it was the Marquis of Pingyao."

Most of the people in Qingshi Academy have prominent identities. Not to mention their character, they have also been taught knowledge and education since childhood. They know the consequences of spreading rumors. More importantly, the academy will not allow groundless rumors to spread to everyone. Since they are spread like this, it means that these words are credible to a certain extent.

Those who know some of the inside story have ways to get information from their families in Chang'an. If the government does not deliberately block the news, there is nothing wrong with the news spreading here.

After analyzing the reliability of the news, Li Erlang nodded and said, "I thought it would take some effort to contact General Yang. If he is really the governor of Longxi, I will have the opportunity to meet him in the future."

"The county government will display the identity of the governor before the New Year. All speculations can be confirmed by then." Li Sanlang did not ask his brother what he would do after seeing Yang Huang, but asked about the scroll: "How did Brother Ji fall into other paintings?"

"Yue Lang and I have been thinking about this for a long time but we still have no answer, but one thing we can be sure of is that the signatures on these calligraphy and paintings are all 'Bai Qingshan Monk'."

Li Sanlang held the hot water bottle and thought: "Bai Qingshan monk... Bai Qingshan..."

He had never seen the Salt Lake Stone Pagoda, but Brother Ji had traveled to a real place through the scroll. If the Salt Lake Stone Pagoda was real, then the thatched cottage and pine forest should also be real, both of which were certain places. The monk had been to these places and used the real scenery as a reference to paint these two scrolls.

A hundred years ago was the heyday of Buddhism. The saying that there was a temple every ten steps or a hundred steps was not nonsense. Shandan, as part of the trade route, was naturally deeply affected. In order to expand their influence, many temples built Buddha statues, carved caves, and engraved murals to attract more and more pilgrims.

With more pilgrims, the incense naturally increased. Many temples accumulated unimaginable wealth, and then they used the money to start pawning and lending businesses. Relying on pilgrims and loans, the scale of the temples became larger and larger, and the decorations in the temples became more and more gorgeous and extravagant.

During this period, many famous "eminent monks" were born. It is not known whether they were truly enlightened or not, but their influence was real. Countless people made a fuss to meet the monks and listen to their lectures. Many dignitaries also paid the monks to write inscriptions and paint paintings.

During that period, it was very popular to have monks paint. No matter whether the monks were famous or unknown, as long as they had Buddhist seals on their paintings, people would buy them.

As Emperor Hui ascended the throne, he slowly suppressed Buddhist temples. Those temples with weak foundations and no support gradually could not hold on. Countless once glorious temples lost their popularity overnight. The originally magnificent Buddha statues had their skin peeled off, revealing the clay body inside. After years of wind and sun, they eventually turned into dust on the ground.

"I have never heard of this Baiqingshan monk. He may have been a monk during the heyday of Buddhism. It is still unknown whether he is still alive today." Li Sanlang searched his brain and found that he had not heard of any stories or rumors about this "Baiqingshan monk". "Tomorrow I will go to the library of the academy to check if there is any record of this monk in the mountain records and human geography."

Li Erlang responded, "Yeah." He was not surprised by Sanlang's idea of ​​going to the academy to find an unknown monk. Instead, he felt that it was very likely that some clues could be found.

"From Brother Ji's calligraphy and painting, we can see that the paper is rough, the ink is not good, and it is not any kind of ink nowadays. The painting method and skills are also different, so it has been a long time since the painting was made. Although rough paper and inferior ink are used, this monk is not as unknown as he looks..." Li Sanlang looked at the dark garden. The swaying dead branches made rustling sounds, and the fallen leaves on the ground rolled in the rustling sound. In the quiet wind, he continued: "That Buddha seal... Second brother, you said that the painting of the Salt Lake Stone Pagoda was soaked by the servant's water, and the whole painting was a mess. Only the Buddha seal has neither soaked nor faded, and it is as bright red as if it had just been printed."

"The color is pure, and the bright red color never fades. The raw material of the ink of this Buddha seal is cinnabar." Li Sanlang knows all about these stationery items. "Add moxa and castor oil to the red cinnabar, and knead it to make the best ink. The better the ink, the more expensive it is. It is the red with yellow that we see today."

"Sanlang, do you mean that the monk Bai Qingshan deliberately used inferior paper and ink to deceive people?"

Li Sanlang shook his head slightly: "I'm not sure if he did it on purpose, but he is definitely not a monk who can only use inferior paper and ink to paint. Whether it was intentional or he had to do it, we have to find out his identity to know."

"In this case, Yue Lang and I will split up with you."

"Second brother, what are you doing...?"

"Tomorrow evening I will take Yuelang to Baiqing Mountain. I will not be back home at night. You and Silang Yulang can just wait at home."

The reason for not going during the day was not only because of Ji Qingyue, but also because I didn't want to attract attention. Although the temple was closed now, the mountain was not closed. There were still many people going up the mountain to collect firewood during the day. It would be difficult to explain if someone saw us.

"You and Brother Ji should be careful."

At this time, the wind gradually grew stronger, and the candle in the lantern was shaken by the wind, and the light swayed along with it.

"It's cold now. They should be asleep. Let's go back to the room and continue talking."

It was indeed cold after standing for a long time, so Li Sanlang followed his brother back.

The two returned to the room, where a kang was burning, making the whole room warm. As expected, the two children fell asleep.

Li Erlang touched his brother's hands and feet. He was covered with a quilt and the kang was heated, so he naturally couldn't feel cold at all. His face was flushed.

Hearing the noise of the two returning, Ji Qingyue, who had been waiting on the bridge for a long time, stamped his feet and said angrily: "Why didn't you bring me along when you were chatting? Are you talking about private matters between brothers?"

After taking a shower, he came to the bridge and called Li Erlang, but heard Li Silang say that they had gone out to talk in private.

Li Erlang quickly explained: "I wanted to say something to comfort Sanlang, but before I could finish my words, the wind started to blow outside..."

"Is Sanlang anxious?" Ji Qingyue thought about it and knew what problem Li Sanlang might have encountered.

Although Li Sanlang likes to think a lot like Li Erlang, he is not like his elder brother. Li Erlang is half the boss of the family. He finds strategies to solve problems when encountering problems. He has much more practical experience than Li Sanlang. Li Sanlang is a scholar who has spent most of his life in schools. With his elder and second brothers in front of him, he has no chance or even permission to deal with problems. In terms of culture, he is the undisputed number one among his brothers and sisters, but he cannot compare with Li Erlang in solving problems.

Li Erlang wanted to do something, but Li Sanlang wanted to do something but was powerless to do it, so he could only put his hopes on the imperial examination, thinking that after passing the examination he would have the ability to help his brother.

After entering the house, the two brothers took off their cloaks, sat in front of the painting and talked in a low voice with Ji Qingyue.

"Yeah, it's just like the county exam. When I thought about failing, I got so anxious that I couldn't sleep or eat." It was a rare moment for Li Sanlang to show his vulnerable side in front of his two brothers.

Ji Qingyue did not deny Li Sanlang's feelings. He nodded and said, "If I heard that my family would be in a miserable situation in the future, I would be as confused and uneasy as you." He said with a self-deprecating smile, "Not if. When I saw your future fate, I was indeed so sad that I cried and screamed. After I came back, I was afraid more than once that I would not be able to change the future."

"To be honest, your second brother and I are not completely sure that we can change the future, but we have thought of countless ways out. It is not necessary to go to Chang'an. Going to Chang'an is just the best way." Ji Qingyue's words were loud and clear, "Sanlang, it doesn't matter if we can't go to Chang'an. If we can't protect the people, we can protect our families. You are a scholar now, you can do things according to your ability. Think about what you can do."

Facing Ji Qingyue's question, Li Sanlang looked at his brother. Li Erlang did not speak, but looked at him with a serious expression and burning eyes.

He is a scholar and has a certificate with him, so he does not need to go to the battlefield. Although his status is low, it is very useful. Now he is familiar with the operation procedures of the county government and knows many people of extraordinary status. He only needs to spend some money to get a pass and other documents, and it will not be difficult for him to leave Shandan when the time comes.

"I have never revealed what the future will be like for any of you, but Erlang can guess from my escape that the ending will not be good, and it is indeed true." When Li Erlang really heard Ji Qingyue say this, his heart sank, but he quickly recovered.

"Li Sanlang, you were in Chang'an in the second year of Guangde."

This sentence instantly brought the depressed Li Sanlang back to his senses. He looked at the painting on the wall with surprise.

"If the emperor is fine, the second year of Guangde is the ninth year of Baoying. When I saw the future, it was April and the imperial examination had not yet begun. But you were already in Chang'an at that time. There is only one possibility..." Ji Qingyue did not continue, but waited for Li Sanlang to confirm it himself.

"That is to say... I passed the imperial examination and became a juren in the sixth year of Baoying." Li Sanlang murmured.

"In my opinion, you have already passed the exam once, proving that you are definitely capable of passing it, so this time will be no different, you will definitely pass it!"

Li Sanlang's eyes became more and more determined. He turned to look at Li Erlang and said, "Brother, I will definitely pass the exam!"

Li Erlang finally raised his hand and patted his brother on the shoulder, encouraging him: "You will definitely pass the exam!"

The state of mind can affect a person's ability. When Li Sanlang doubts his ability, he will be affected by the negative emotions that continue to arise in his heart. Ji Qingyue forcefully feeds Li Sanlang chicken soup, hoping that he will not be unconfident.

This chicken soup is not fake. Ji Qingyue really believes that Li Sanlang can pass the exam. He just lacks the little confidence because he has been staying in the academy for a long time and lacks the care of his family. Now he is just helping him regain his confidence.

Li Sanlang encouraged himself in his heart. The heart that was missing just now was now miraculously complete. He suddenly felt that even if he didn't sleep tonight, reading books and solving problems all night would be no problem.

"Sanlang, what Yuelang said is exactly what I want to say. You must remember not to put too much pressure on yourself, and don't think that everything is on Yuelang and me."

"I understand, Second Brother, Brother Ji."

After the chicken soup time, Li Erlang asked about the business again: "What exactly is going on with Hu Shang's case?"

Nowadays, garlic is related to their income. If it cannot be transported to Chang'an and sold, they will not get any share.

Li Sanlang has always been paying attention to the county's movements, and with the relationship with the academy, he must have known more than ordinary people. "Before my second brother went to the south of the Yangtze River, County Magistrate Hong wanted to check the account books of the Hu merchants. The specific results are unknown. Afterwards, the Hu merchants turned hostile, and the Chamber of Commerce took the lead in uniting the merchants and caravans under it to strike many times. The scale is getting bigger and bigger, and the influence is getting wider and wider. During the autumn harvest, the Hu Merchants Chamber of Commerce used their usual tricks and colluded with the ruffians under it to prevent the Fengzu Merchants from harvesting garlic."

"My eldest brother said that they brought knives into the village and wanted to destroy the garlic field without listening to any debate or attempts to stop them. The two sides started fighting after pushing and shoving each other. Fortunately, my eldest brother and his men also brought knives so they did not suffer any loss." Thinking of this, Li Sanlang felt scared. If my eldest brother and his men had not brought knives and had been stabbed during the fight, it would have been good enough if they had not lost their lives. However, based on Hu Shang's past tactic of procrastination, it would have been extremely difficult to get justice from them.

Ji Qingyue asked: "What happened next?"

"Later, County Magistrate Hong arrived with his troops and took the troublemakers and my brother back to the county government office. After routine questioning, the matter came to no avail." Li Sanlang knew the difficulties involved. Even if County Magistrate Hong was willing to handle the matter fairly, the Hu merchants were not the kind of force that could be easily controlled.

Commercial taxes are the bulk of Shandan's tax revenue, and among these commercial taxes, the largest portion is the commercial taxes on Hu merchants. Once Hu merchants refuse to pay taxes, it will trigger various financial crises.

Now the Hu merchants are on strike and refusing to pay taxes in order to force Magistrate Hong to compromise. If the county government does not have enough money, many things will become a mess.

"The Hu merchants are too powerful. Shandan is just a small county and is short of manpower. The county government is short of money, not only for the salaries of its employees, but also for the maintenance of various facilities, welfare and security. This can easily lead to doubts and dissatisfaction among the people." Ji Qingyue then dissected the crisis behind the lack of money, "What does the Hu merchants want County Magistrate Hong to compromise on?"

Without Li Sanlang's explanation, Li Erlang could guess what the Hu merchants wanted: "They just want to monopolize the garlic, not allow anyone to share the garlic profits, and want Fengzu Merchants to leave the northwest."

Hu Shang is too domineering.

Li Sanlang confirmed his brother's guess: "Hu merchants have always been like this. The previous county magistrate compromised."

The previous county magistrate, Zhou Lanjian, used the doctrine of the mean quite well. He not only ensured the status of the Hu merchants and maintained the normal operation of the Shandan after collecting taxes, but also made big things small and firmly blocked the people's mouths from seeking justice, hid all the darkness and made people feel that everything was fine.

The New Year is coming soon. In this atmosphere which should be joyful, if we continue to allow the foreign merchants to strike and evade taxes, it will surely cause panic among the people of Shandan.

I wonder what County Magistrate Hong will do?