dressed as a scholar

He didn't get a good night's sleep at night, and Fang Yu got up a little late the next day, and it was already broad daylight when he opened the door. After a quick wash, he had breakfast in the inn, and hurriedly started his day's journey again.

This time starting from Huining County, the number of scholars I met along the way was several times more than that on Yuncheng Road. Those who traveled in twos and threes, those who rode in ox carts and donkey carts, in short, the official road was full of students rushing to take the exam.

Fang Yu recalled some experiences of rushing for the exams in the past two times. Although reading has always been the way for people all over the world to make a fortune, and there have always been many scholars, but with the improvement of the status of scholars in the past few years, this year, he is obviously able to I feel that the number of people in the rural examination has increased significantly, the number of people has increased, and only a few people are admitted, and the competition is visible to the naked eye and then becomes bigger.

"Brother Sheng Jia!"

The air in the morning was fresh and cool, Fang Yu rolled up the curtain to look at the scenery on the road, and unexpectedly saw the person he met in the restaurant yesterday beside the official road. , seemed particularly abrupt among a group of white-faced scholars.

Fang Yu saw that there were no chariots or horses around, and Sheng Jia came all the way on foot. He had already set off at some time, and had traveled more than [-] li.

It was very boring for him to be alone, so he asked Sheng Jia to come up and walk together, one person left, and two people also walked.

"Brother Fang is from somewhere, I think it must be from his family."

Fang Yu handed over a cup of tea and said, "I'm kidding, I'm from Yuncheng, I'm not a queen, but my family is worried about my hard work in rushing to the exam, so I specially arrange it in the car to be more comfortable, and it doesn't hurt to be frugal. "

Sheng Jia nodded: "Sincerity."

"Xiaosheng often hears about Yuncheng. We are a wealthy county under the Yongjiang Mansion. There are occasional businessmen in Linya County who come to do business. I heard that they are all from Yuncheng. I also like to buy in Linya. The population is reversed and sold in Yuncheng." His words revealed a longing look: "It's a pity that Xiaosheng has never had the opportunity to go to Yuncheng to see its scenery."

Fang Yu said with a smile: "If you get fame after the country test, brother Sheng can also reward me with a trip to Yuncheng."

"Yeah, I hope there will be no more accidents this time, but when I meet such a blessed person as Brother Fang during this trip, Xiaosheng will definitely be blessed with some blessings."

Fang Yu was a little puzzled: "Accident?"

Sheng Jia sighed and said: "This is the third time Xiaosheng has come back to rush for the exam, and he failed to enter the exam room the first two times. Brother Fang must be careful when he arrives in Fucheng. There are many students rushing for the exam, but not everyone reads the sage books into their hearts. of."

"Brother Sheng can say that Fucheng is like a bush of thorns."

"Brother Fang, don't believe it. It's the first time for Xiaosheng to rush for the exam. Seeing that the exam is approaching, he ate badly in the inn before leaving. He vomited and had diarrhea and was sent to the hospital. He missed the exam. I rushed all the way to Fucheng and failed the exam, but I got a chance to see a doctor in Fucheng." Sheng Jia shook his head and said, "Yuan Xiaosheng also thought it was because of his careless gluttony that his stomach was ruined, but there are not only Xiaosheng in the city. One person, there are more than ten or twenty candidates like me."

"Everyone has doubts in their hearts, but the answer they get is that they are not acclimatized. Although the food in Fucheng is different from other places, they are just some special dishes. Xiaosheng's family is poor, so how can he try the local food? The daily food is quite satisfactory.”

Fang Yu frowned, it was indeed strange to say so.

"Brother Fang, when you arrive in Fucheng, don't covet the prosperity of Fucheng. Try to live in a small courtyard in a folk alley. You can study for a few days to adapt to the environment, and you can avoid the inn that is full of fish and dragons."

Fang Yu nodded, he had to learn the painful lesson from those who came here.

"The second round of rushing for the exam, the students also prepared and prepared in many ways. However, a landslide flooded the road, and after a long detour of several hundred miles, the exam had already started when they arrived in Fucheng, and they missed the time for rushing to the exam." Sheng Jia said. The past is also bursts of sighs: "Since passing the college entrance examination, the young students in the rural examination have not been able to pass the exam. This year, they encountered misfortune. These gangsters are really hateful. I am a poor scholar who has no money, but I have to do this." Poisonous hands."

It was not only Sheng Jia who felt that his exam was bumpy, Fang Yu was also amazed that it was so difficult to catch up for the rural exam, wouldn't it be even more difficult to take the exam in Kyoto.He comforted Sheng Jia and said, "Fortunately, the culprits did not harm Brother Sheng's life. If you are close to death, there will be good luck in the future."

"Here, let me borrow a good word from Brother Fang. No matter what, Xiaosheng will definitely enter the examination room this year. Even if he fails the exam, it will fulfill Xiaosheng's wish."

Along the way, the two chatted happily, Sheng Jia and Fang Yu talked a lot about reading, with someone as a companion, the time was much easier to pass.At night, the two found a village to rest together, and continued on their way early the next morning. When they arrived at Yongjiang Fucheng, it happened to be noon, which was much earlier than the expected arrival time.

Fang Yu listened to Sheng Jia's opinion, no matter how enthusiastic the younger brother of the inn in the city yelled, he would not be moved if he boasted that his inn was comfortable, so he followed Sheng Jia to the folk alley and spent a little more time walking I found a secluded private courtyard and rented it for a month and a half including the time to start the exam and look at the rankings after the exam.

The homeowner collected eight taels of silver, and the two were split in half, which was only four taels.

Fang Yu exclaimed: "It's so affordable."

Minxiang is located in the middle of Fucheng, and it is only a stick of incense to walk from the examination room. The courtyard is large enough to accommodate seven or eight people. They each live in a room. The groom is arranging a room, and there are still vacancies.In addition to the large yard, it is also clean and tidy, and everything in the kitchen is readily available.

While packing his things, Sheng Jia said, "Actually, it's not really a good deal. It's just that Huining County is too black-hearted, and the cost of the prefectural city is low. If it is reported that the prices in the prefectural city exceed the norm, you will go to jail. The magistrate posted a notice early in the morning, prohibiting any merchants in the city from raising prices to slaughter scholars during the rural examination period. Naturally, the merchants dare not make mistakes. Therefore, the cost of the prefectural city is a little higher than that of the small county town, but it will not be high outrageous."

Fang Yu couldn't help wondering: "Since there are notices in all the prefectures and cities, why would a fortress like Huining County dare to ask for such an overwhelming price?"

"Huining County is far away after all. It's not like no one went to the government office to report it before, but it has long been a collusion between the government and the business. I don't even want to borrow some money. How can I really care about the price increase of the merchants."

"Brother Sheng is Bai Xiaosheng."

Sheng Jia said with a smile: "It's just that there is a shortage of money, so there are only a few more things to inquire about. Brother Fang, let's rest early today. After driving for so many days, I am really tired. Take care of yourself early. If you have the spirit, you can write better articles even in the examination room.”

"Brother Sheng is right."

When Fang Yu returned to the house, the groom brought hot water, he washed up, wrote a letter to his family to report his safety, and told his place to rest.

At noon the next day, he went out to look for Li Yun and Ji Yunlu in the south building of the city. He originally said that he would come to Fucheng together, but the two of them could not go together earlier than he left. Get together in a restaurant.

.......

Fang Yu worked hard in rushing for the exam, and Qiao Hezhi didn't have time to spare at home these days. The autumn harvest has already begun to deliver food to the shop. Originally, these things had their own regulations, but after all, it was the first time, and the boss still needed to spend some time. , Go to the shop to collect it in person.

Apart from the matter of the autumn harvest, Fang Yu’s selection of manuscripts also fell on his head. Fang Yu’s trip has been more than a month, but the publications of Shuchazhai can’t stop. He followed Fang Yu to select manuscripts many times before. Apart from working hard, it is not difficult for him.

It's just that he stayed in the study at night and lit a few candles alone. The figure who was buried in front of the desk in the past was gone, and the study seemed to be much more empty.

He stood alone at the window, and heard the insects and frogs in the garden, the sound was very loud.Counting the days, Fang Yu should have arrived at the county seat, and he had only been there for three or two days, yet he felt as if he had been there forever.

After a little distraction, thinking that the manuscript had not been selected yet, he sat down where Fang Yu often sat, and began to sort out the manuscript.

All right, a gust of wind suddenly blew up and the window wasn't closed, blowing a few of his manuscripts to the ground. He quickly bent down to pick them up, but when he buried his head, he found a hidden compartment under the table.

Qiao Hezhi was quite surprised. He often accompanied Fang Yu to study here, but he didn't know that there was a hidden space here.He pursed his lips and snickered: "I must have hidden my private money here."

Let's see how many family properties he has, he secretly opened the grid, and a heavy pile of things fell down with a click: "There are so many!"

When he took it out, he was greatly disappointed. It was not a bank note title deed in the dark grid, but a basic blue book.

He glanced at the cover, a copy of Lianxiang Companion, a wild history of the embroidered couch, and a pair of butterflies... It looked like a play script, but the play script had to be hidden so tightly, and it was not allowed to be left open. He sees.

Qiao Hezhi snorted softly. He opened the pages of the book and opened his eyes wide. The book was actually a picture of little people entangled together. He quickly closed it and threw it aside. He went to flip through the other two books, but they were also the same. Content.

His heart skipped a beat, and he stood up abruptly, his face blushing.

Who would have thought that Fang Yu would hide such a small book secretly in the study room, thinking that this person would be flipping through it when he was away, he would be annoyed: "I don't take the book seriously at all, and my mind is not right. If you don’t pass the provincial examination, let’s see if I don’t throw these books in your face.”

He walked out of the study angrily, he was not in the mood to choose manuscripts, but when he reached the door, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Looking back at the book case, he moved his eyes, pursed his lips, bowed his head and walked back quickly, with a red face, he sandwiched those books among other poems and books, and trotted back like a thief. own house.