The bear child of the Red Chamber, Jia Cong

King Xiang envoys went to Beijing to investigate with Kou Agui's photo.Both Kou Agui and Chao Xun are quite free, and they are comfortable teaching Kou Debao to distinguish colors and shapes at home every day, or taking him out to learn about street things.

Kou Debao fell in love with the Sanxian Noodles at an old shop at the intersection of the street, and passed by there every day because he couldn't walk.The three of them went to eat every day.This morning they came to eat Sanxian noodles again. There were many people in the shop, and a Confucian scholar shared the table with them, chatting casually.The Confucian scholar called himself Zou and was an official in the state of E.I was ordered by the Shangguan to come to Hunan to do business, and I have plenty of time to wander around.But I inquired about where there are places to visit in Changsha.

Chao Xun said with a smile, "I've been to Changsha countless times, but I don't know where it's fun."

Kou Agui said: "I have heard of several places." Then he talked about Dingwangtai Tianxin Pavilion and other historical sites.

Chao Xun said: "What's so interesting about these things. Markets and temple fairs, opera houses and teahouses, or Yudai Street, Confucian Temple Ping are the fun places. We usually don't go far, just stroll around, so we don't know much about it. If Mr. Zou just wanted to relax, the Guanmao Street ahead is bustling, and we’ll drop by and point you to it later.”

Mr. Zou smiled and cupped his hands and said, "Thank you. I just need to buy a few earth instruments."

After eating the noodles for a while, Kou Agui wiped Kou Debao's mouth.Chao Xun smiled slightly when he saw that Kou Debao's face was covered with flesh in just over half a month, and he didn't look like a little monkey anymore.The four of them got up together and headed towards Guanmao Street.

When we arrived at the intersection, we saw many people around us at first glance.Kou Debao is curious, and his father and Dr. Chao have been getting used to it recently, so he wants to drill in.Kou Agui was afraid that the crowd would bump into someone, so he held him back and refused to let him go.Chao Xun asked a passerby to inquire.

It turned out that a father and daughter came to visit relatives in Changsha, but the relatives could not be found, and the old man fell ill.The girl lent money to treat Lao Tzu's illness, but he was not cured in the end.Now my father is dead, and the debt is also owed.In desperation, he sold himself on the street to bury his father.The passer-by clicked his tongue and said: "It's a pity that it looks beautiful, and the writing is so neat."

After hearing this, Kou Agui temporarily handed over his son to Chao Xun, and squeezed in to have a look.Chao Xun took out a toy from his pocket to tease Kou Debao, leading him away from the crowd.Suddenly Kou Agui came out and said with a smile: "Who did the third master promise to buy cloth tigers for yesterday? Let's go and buy them."

Mr. Zou hurriedly asked: "What about the one who sold his body to bury his father?"

Kou Agui said: "The appearance is really outstanding, and the filial piety is very pitiful. The handwriting is really good. It's a pity, it's not sure where it will fall."

Mr. Zou looked at Chao Xun and said, "How much does she want? Why don't I buy her and let her go, it's better than falling into prostitution."

Chao Xun and Kou Agui blurted out at the same time: "No."

The two looked at each other, and Chao Xun cupped his hands and said, "Mr. Zou, just pretend that the two of us didn't say anything."

Mr. Zou hurriedly said, "You two, what's wrong?"

Kou Agui hesitated and looked at Chao Xun.Chao Xun thought for a moment, then led them to a secluded place by the side of the road.Nai said to Mr. Zou: "Sir, if you want to help her..." He asked, "Ah Gui, how much will she sell for?"

Kou Agui said: "Go back to the third master. I owe 70 taels of silver, plus 20 taels of coffin money, the total cost is 90 taels."

"You said just now that she is pretty?"

"Excellent."

Chao Xun said: "Mr. Zou ask that girl, she really wants to sell herself. If she is sincere, you can hire a small car to go to the market. Now that all countries in the Federation have abolished slavery, the supply of goods in the market is tight, and young and beautiful women are really in short supply. If she can write, selling for 500 taels will not be a problem, and she will be able to sell it soon. At that time, after paying off the debt and coffin money, she can still get 410 taels of private house. Be generous and give the driver two taels of money, and Four hundred and eighty taels."

Kou Agui couldn't help but laugh, and Mr. Zou couldn't help but laugh.Kou Agui laughed and said, "Third Master just said that he sold himself sincerely. Is there any dishonesty in selling one's body?"

Chao Xun said with a smile: "If you don't sell yourself sincerely, you can pass through Guanmao Street and you will find Taiping Street. The HSBC bank on Taiping Street has a small loan service. She can apply for an emergency small loan from that bank, and the bank will pay for her. For the 90 taels of silver, she went to work in a factory arranged by the bank and used her wages to pay off the debt."

Mr. Zou nodded and said, "Mr. Chao didn't let me buy her because of this?"

"That's not true." Chao Xun said, "Our Xiang country has had good luck in recent years, and there are many factories and shops. It is not so difficult for those who are lazy and can write to earn 90 taels. It is just inevitable that some women rely on their youthful appearance. Mei, don't want to work hard. I would rather be a concubine of a rich family, and I can have a number of slaves. 90 taels is not a lot, and ordinary people will definitely not buy her. I don't think Mr. Zou looks like a wealthy person. That woman has been reduced to the point of selling her body, and she even bought a coffin for 20 taels of silver for her father. It can be seen that she was used to being extravagant before she fell into trouble. Can Mr. Zou afford her?"

"This..." Mr. Zou really hesitated.After a while, he asked Kou Agui again, "Agui, you also mean that?"

Kou Agui smiled and said: "I didn't think so much about the third master. I just saw that the creditor had a vicious face, but he was stepping on a pair of old cotton shoes, unlike the master who was willing to lend 70 taels of silver to outsiders. The woman is still not sure what her origins are, and I can't guarantee whose family's enemy hired a fan from the brothel to set him up for the kind-hearted and soft-hearted son. Let's meddle in that nosy business."

Chao Xun nodded again and again: "Ah Gui's words are reasonable. In fact, as soon as I heard about this, I felt something was wrong."

Kou Agui asked, "What's wrong?"

"I can't tell." Chao Xun said, "The doctor's intuition."

Several people smiled and said goodbye.Mr. Zou still missed the woman, and he kindly reminded her to go according to what Chao Xun said.

Chao Xun and Kou Agui led Kou Debao to wander the streets.I bought a few gadgets, and there is a fortune-telling booth in front.The fortune teller saw the two idlers and hurried to solicit business.

Chao Xun laughed and said, "I'm an atheist. Ah Gui, do you count?"

Kou Agui said: "Fortune will come or go. I am a slave, everything is decided by the master, so it is useless to count."

The two will leave.Unexpectedly, Kou Debao took a fancy to the flags hanging on the booth, and after staring at him for a long time, he went to see his father.Chao Xun said, "How much is your flag? I bought it."

The fortune teller pinched his beard and said: "This gentleman has a full sky and a square radius, and he will have a bright future in the future. I will calculate a hexagram for him. How about giving this flag to my little brother without your heave money? If the calculation is accurate , Mister will reward the villain after becoming a high official."

"No need." Chao Xun said, "I don't believe it, so it's useless. You don't have to sell it." He pointed to an embroidery workshop across the street and said to Kou Debao, "Debao, shall we go there to buy this flag? "

Kou Debao immediately nodded, and pulled Kou Agui to run to the opposite side.The three of them ruthlessly left the fortune teller behind.After a while, Mr. Zou came over.The fortune-teller said with a low smile, "Don't take the bait." He told the story again.Mr. Zou nodded, turned around and went to the embroidery workshop as well.

In the embroidery workshop, Kou Debao saw so many colorful objects that he forgot the fortune-telling flag just now.Mr. Zou stepped into the embroidery workshop, cupped his hands and shouted, "Mr. Chao!"

Chao Xun hurriedly returned the courtesy, "Mr. Zou, it's a coincidence."

"It's not a coincidence." Mr. Zou said, "I specifically searched for Mr. Chao and asked all the way." Nai said, "Just now I followed your words to persuade the woman who sold her body to bury her father, and she was grateful to go to HSBC. Then he said to Kou Agui, "That big man is not the creditor. The creditor was afraid that the news of forcing people to sell themselves in the street would not be good, so he hired him to watch for two hundred Wen."

Kou Agui nodded and said: "So that's how it is, this slave pretends to be clever."

Chao Xun said, "I still don't think it's quite right."

"What's wrong? Third master, don't talk about the doctor's intuition."

"It's the doctor's intuition." Chao Xun said, "I can't explain why, but I think that woman is weird anyway. I don't want to look at her, I just want to run away." Mr. Zou's eyes flickered.

After a while, Kou Debao saw an embroidered handkerchief, and Kou Agui bought it.Kou Debao giggled while holding the handkerchief.Chao Xun asked: "Speaking of which, when did you become rich? Recently, you have a lot of money."

Kou Agui laughed and said: "Third Master forgot, earlier the Elder Master rewarded 20 taels of silver, and Chao Niangniang also sent a little eunuch to reward the slave with two purses."

Chao Xun muttered, "Upstart. You are really generous, and you don't even save two dollars."

Kou Agui said: "In any case, the food and clothing are all the master's expenses, and the slaves usually have nowhere to send the money."

Mr. Zou didn't buy anything, so he left after a while.

Near noon, Chao Xun, father and son of the Kou family entered a small restaurant, and immediately saw Mr. Zou arguing with someone with two strings of earthenware in his hand.It turns out that the restaurant is not big.Mr. Zou sat down at a table first.A large group of people came next door and wanted to move his table to make a bigger table.Mr. Zou thought they were not soft-spoken and refused to give.Dong Guy tried to persuade him for a long time, but both sides were very angry and couldn't persuade him.

Chao Xun listened amusedly, and said, "It's just a table. Everyone came here to eat, so you won't be hungry after arguing for half a day? Why don't you eat first, and then fight when you're full?"

Everyone lost interest in an instant.The clerk had already moved another table for that group of people, who shouted "eat" and put their hands away.Mr. Zou was a little embarrassed, so he invited Chao Xun to have lunch with him, and he was the host.Chao Xun couldn't refuse, so he had to comply.

The four sat down.After drinking two cups of wine, Mr. Zou asked: "I was in the embroidery workshop just now, and I heard Brother Ah Gui say, 'Chao Niangniang sent the little father-in-law to reward you with two purses. Empress?"

Chao Xun's eyebrows moved slightly, and he said calmly, "Exactly."

"Oh!" Mr. Zou stood up and said, "I never thought Mr. Chao was a nobleman."

Chao Xun waved his hand and said, "My nephew Fang is a nobleman, I don't count."

Mr. Zou said: "I have heard that Concubine Chao is very talented and talented. I don't want to meet Mr. Chao today. It is really a great honor."

Chao Xun said with a cold face: "My sister is just an ordinary side concubine, she can't be called 'virtuous and talented'."

Mr. Zou said with a smile all over his face, "Mr. Chao is too modest. Now, in Xiangguo, who doesn't know that His Highness Six's "Fu of Linfeng" is famous all over the world? His Highness is young, and Chao Niangniang has taught her personally since childhood. If it weren't for... ..."

Before he could finish speaking, Chao Xun twitched the corner of his mouth twice, and interrupted: "First of all, the 'Fu of Linfeng' is not entirely written by the sixth boy himself. His husband has revised a lot for him, which can be said to turn iron into gold." Kou Agui called "Third Master" twice, but Chao Xun ignored him. "Secondly, the four words "famous and moving the world" are too nonsense. Even my uncle, who is a direct relative, didn't move, how could he move the world? Which blind-eyed Qing Ke is boasting, and it should be sent out."

Mr. Zou said without any embarrassment: "The little official thinks that His Highness the Sixth Highness can write that article at his age, which is obviously like a dragon and a phoenix. It is impossible to say that he will become a master in the literary world in the future."

Chao Xun squinted at him for a long time before saying, "I would like to borrow your good words."

Mr. Zou smiled, took a sip of wine and said, "I don't know what Mr. Chao thinks, how is your son?"

Chao Xun said: "Whatever love is, has nothing to do with me."

Mr. Zou said: "The little official is not from Hunan, but just chatting. Why don't Mr. Chao treat you as a friend when we meet by chance?"

Chao Xun said: "Meeting by chance is nothing to be happy about. Besides, the son can't be a prince, so bother to figure out what he's doing."

Mr. Zou unconsciously leaned forward: "What does Mr. Chao mean?"

Chao Xun said: "Do you think that the Western Chu Alliance can survive until the heir succeeds? I don't even look at what the federation looks like. Especially your E country, if I am a federation, I will definitely pick the E country first."

Mr. Zou was taken aback: "Why?"

Chao Xun said: "You pay the most miscellaneous taxes, you are the most extravagant princes, you have the least population, and you have the weakest foundation. You are almost at the end of your life and you still treat the people well. Aren't you the first to die?"

Mr. Zou gave him a good look.After a long time, he clapped his hands and said: "Mr. Chao is really not simple." Nai sighed softly. "To be honest, the purpose of this little official's trip is to seek help from the Xiang Kingdom." Chao Xun was taken aback.Mr. Zou sighed again.

It turned out that there was civil unrest in E country a while ago.The reason was that a few unsightly officials colluded with each other to increase taxes privately. If a few families could not pay, they set fire to their houses in cold weather and sold good officials for money.A group of thieves and bandits jumped out from nowhere, the leader was named Pan, and they stood in front of the fire house and uttered nonsense to incite the people to rebel.His daughter is skilled in martial arts, and she beat up the government servants who came to collect taxes.Then the father and daughter jumped up and down in E country to communicate with each other.Now that winter has already entered, farmers have nothing to do; factory workers are also resentful because they have to start work in the cold.So they were bewitched by these two people one after another.Now the country of E is full of wind and rain.

After hearing this, Chao Xun said: "Severely punish those small officials according to the law, come to ask me what Xiangguo can do."

Mr. Zou said: "The lord has killed the culprit in the street, but the bandits still haven't left, and the people's grievances have not been settled. There are few soldiers in the country of E. Our lord is afraid that there will be trouble again, so we are here to ask your country to borrow some elite soldiers."

Chao Xun said with a smile: "Borrow officers and soldiers from other countries to guard against unarmed civilians, and you won't be afraid of being laughed at if you tell them."

Mr. Zou sighed, "Who says it's not?" He took another sip of wine, "Young Master Chao, in your opinion, would your lord be willing?"

Chao Xun said, "Yes."

Mr. Zou was pleasantly surprised: "Really?"

Chao Xun said: "Our lord has nothing to do. Even so, it may not be able to help your lord. The one who collects the most taxes is your lord himself. What's the use of killing a few minions. If he doesn't cut taxes soon, Without the Federation's intervention, the people below rose up to rebel first."