To The Land of Nevernight

The October Dynasty, the Cold Clothes Festival, is the day when the poor send cold clothes and lovesickness sends red beans.

Unlike Jinling, Gusu Mansion is very particular about the cold clothing festival.Gusu people don't like the Cold Clothes Festival, but the weather is getting colder. When the Cold Clothes Festival comes, they wear an extra autumn dress.However, Suijin Street was bustling today, and I saw a wealthy and luxurious restaurant standing beside Qianqiu Building at some time.

Suijin Long Street was full of voices.Shopkeeper Yao stood at the door of Qianqiu Tower, watching the scene from afar.

The small owner of Tang's logistics, Tang Xiaosanyuan's means, no one in the merchants in Gusu Mansion knows.Leaving aside his strange logistics business, Shopkeeper Yao knows that the reason why the golden strands in the Treasure Pavilion of the Tang Family can sell so well, and that it is better than gold among the wives and ladies of the Gusu Mansion, is because of Tang Shen's tricks. !

However, today is really strange, Tang Shen's restaurant just opened, he didn't make much noise, he just invited a lion dance team at the door and set off firecrackers.

"What is this Tang Shen doing?" Shopkeeper Yao looked carefully, but couldn't make out a clue.

Tang's Logistics had spread the news about the restaurant's opening a month ago. Today, the Tang's restaurant is already full, and new customers are also coming in an endless stream.Shopkeeper Yao watched outside for a while, then called a waiter, "Go to Tang Sanyuan's restaurant and see what kind of tricks he's up to."

The clerk said: "Boss, their restaurant is specialized in the business of xia gong. Do I want to order pot xia gong when I go?"

Shopkeeper Yao snorted coldly: "You just go, can I still lose money to you?"

"Okay!"

The guy shopkeeper Yao is looking for is the smartest sophomore in Qianqiu Building, named Zhang Miaoer.Zhang Miaoer got the order from shopkeeper Yao, so he didn't go to the opposite restaurant immediately, but quietly changed his clothes.He left Qianqiu Tower, walked to the restaurant, and looked up.

"Xixia Tower?" Although Zhang Miaoer could read, she only knew a few big characters, so she didn't understand the meaning of this sentence at all.

A scholar walked by him, looked at the words and said: "It must be called Yuehu Xianxianyu, and the finely held rosy cups are shining with gold! It's such a beautiful building, I must see if there are really rosy cups in it." gold!"

Zhang Miaoer muttered: "Scholars are sour." Then he walked in with this man.

As soon as Zhang Miaoer stepped through the door with her front foot, and before her back foot came in, a little girl ran over in a hurry. "Guest officer, our Xixia Building is already fully booked today."

Zhang Miaoer: "Ah, then I have no choice but to leave?"

Xiaoer: "Please stay here. Guest officer, sit here. If you want, you can wait here for a while. If someone finishes eating, I will call you."

Zhang Miaoer was surprised: there is such a saying?

Qianqiu Restaurant is the best and most expensive restaurant in Gusu Prefecture, and it is often full of customers.If you want to come to Qianqiulou for dinner, you usually have to make a reservation in advance.But Qianqiulou never said to the guests, "You sit next to me and wait" because Qianqiulou is not bad for this business, and the guests usually can't wait that long. Faster for restaurants?

Zhang Miaoer followed the little girl suspiciously, and came to a hut waiting for guests.Zhang Miao'er was a little flustered by this little girl's hospitality, thinking that the other party saw that she was a spy from Qianqiu Tower.Zhang Miaoer entered the room, and was surprised to find that there were already seven or eight people in the room.He took a look, and found waiters from two restaurants in it.

The three looked at each other in embarrassment, but didn't say anything.

Zhang Miaoer was surprised, after he sat down, he only heard a clanging sound from the high platform in the room.On the high platform, a tall and thin old storyteller knocked on the gavel, and the sound of the huqin sounded. The storyteller said: "But in the last years of the dynasty, there were wars of heroes fighting for deer. Jinling Mansion, a certain fishing village, was full of red. The light is shining in the sky, the auspicious clouds are in the blue sky, and only the cry of a baby is heard, it is croaking to the ground!"

There was another sound of gavel, Zhang Miaoer's heart was shaken, and unconsciously he heard the story of the storyteller.

The story told by the storyteller is completely different from that of ordinary teahouses.

It is about the last years of a certain dynasty, and a child prodigy came out of Jinling Mansion.This child prodigy knew a hundred characters at the age of three and could recite poems at the age of five.At the age of eight, he was able to speak well. At the age of ten, he won the Jinling Mansion's Tongshi Xiaosanyuan. At the age of 12, he got to know the yuan, which is even better than that of Tang Shen.However, at this moment, he was envied, poisoned and assassinated, his hands were crippled, and he could not speak.

Zhang Miaoer was filled with righteous indignation, even if the villain was arrested and taken to the government, so what, the child prodigy is useless and has been humiliated in every way.Those who used to fawn on the child prodigy all spoke ill of each other.The prodigy's father also died of a sudden illness, leaving him alone, dumb and disabled.But he studied poetry and books every day and never gave up.

On this day, he was pushed into the river by his vicious stepmother. Seeing that the prodigy was about to die, an old man passed by, rescued him, and healed his useless hands.

"I'm just a doctor. I can't cure your dumbness. It's fate to meet you, so you can do it yourself!"

With his newly healed hands, the child prodigy endured the pain and wrote a sentence on the ground: "It doesn't matter if I am dumb, I can speak with both hands. If I become an emperor in the future, I will reward my benefactor with hundreds of temples, and the incense will last for thousands of years!"

Zhang Miaoer shouted: "Well said!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the guests in the hut all said: "Okay! Even if you are dumb, let those little people who are stalking you have a look!"

Zhang Miaoer was fascinated by this, when the waiter who had entertained him earlier came in: "Guest officer, your seat has arrived."

Zhang Miaoer was taken aback: "Ah?"

"You go and sit upstairs, you can eat food."

"..."

Zhang Miaoer left reluctantly, and he ordered a pot of the cheapest Boxia offering.When the pot of Boxia was served, he was surprised to find that it was different from what he had eaten before.Thick bone broth with fresh green vegetables.Put the thinly sliced ​​mutton into the pot and dip it in some dipping sauce specially provided by Xixialou.

"Wonderful! This turned out to be the Paxia offering!"

Zhang Miaoer ate in full swing, and had temporarily forgotten the story of the storyteller.After eating the Paxia offering, he felt thirsty, so he picked up the cup to drink, but suddenly found that there was no tea in it.He picked up the kettle on the table and wanted to pour it for himself, when he saw a young man running over quickly, picked up the kettle before him, and filled it with tea.

"Guest officer, the water is a bit cold, I'll change it for you."

"Ah...uh, good..."

After eating a dish, Zhang Miaoer's chopsticks picked up the last dish, and the plate was taken away by the sharp-eyed waiter.When the food was hot, Zhang Miaoer took off his outer shirt, and the waiter immediately helped him put the clothes away.

Zhang Miaoer ate heartily, he has never had such a good Paxia Gong, the dishes are no worse than those in Qianqiu Restaurant!

After eating, Zhang Miaoer was still not satisfied, Xiao Er brought a wet cloth and said, "Please clean your hands, sir."

Zhang Miaoer was stunned for a moment, suddenly felt as if he had become a master.When he returned to Qianqiu Tower, he was still dizzy, feeling like he was stepping on a cloud, unable to figure out the bottom line.

Shopkeeper Yao asked: "Then what the hell is Tang Sanyuan doing?"

Zhang Miaoer was at a loss for words: "This..."

"Huh? Is there something different about Xixia Tower?"

Zhang Miao'er thought of the stories he hadn't heard, as well as the delicious Boxia offering, and the meticulous service.He was so drunk that he was drunk even without drinking. "There's something strange about this Xixia Building, shopkeeper, I'll go check it out tomorrow, and I'm sure I'll be able to find out what's wrong with him!"

Shopkeeper Yao frowned: "Okay."

On the first day of opening, the business of Xixia Building went from Sishi to Shenshi, and at night, it was still brightly lit.

No one understands why so many guests are willing to go in and wait for half an hour before eating a pot of Boxia offering.But when shopkeeper Yao found out that something was wrong, that Zhang Miaoer had already escaped quietly, and changed to another shop. Shopkeeper Yao couldn't find anyone at all, so he could only be angry with himself for seeing things wrong.Zhang Miao'er would also like to work as a clerk in Xixia Building, but the clerks in Xixia Building are not so easy to work, and ordinary people can't even get in.

The business of Xixialou is booming. Although it doesn't grab the business of other restaurants, if they can go to Xixialou, the guests will usually go.They are even willing to go to the waiting room to wait, and hear the story of the child prodigy who won the world told by the scholar.

At the end of October, Lin Accountant came to announce the good news to Tang Shen, who was practicing calligraphy.

"...The business is very good." After reporting the accounts for this month, the accountant Lin said: "Little boss, at first I didn't understand why you took care of those late guests. Now it seems that you really Gao Ming! Many guests don’t come here just to eat the Boxia offering, but to listen to the books. It’s really wonderful to eat the Boxia offering for listening to the book! Why don’t you let the storyteller speak in our restaurant? A lecture hall, so that guests can eat food and listen to books at the same time."

Tang Shen stopped writing: "Let them listen to books while eating? Oh, wouldn't they be able to eat forever and refuse to leave!"

Accountant Lin came to his senses: "I'm stupid. My little boss, it's also your book that's so good, it's so heart-wrenching." Accountant Lin shyly said: "To be honest, I also listened to it for two days. That little child prodigy will kill all the villains together!"

"I just wrote the outline of the story. It was the two storytellers you found in accountant Lin who wrote brilliantly, and expanded my rough story into an incomparably subtle one."

Accountant Lin: "Young master, please don't be modest. It's just that the story is almost finished. Does Xiaodong have a new story?"

Tang Shen was taken aback: "Are you almost finished?"

"Yes."

"So fast...well, I don't have any stories to tell." Tang Shen was a man of science and technology in his previous life. He had only read a few online novels, and his brain cells had been burned out to be able to write an ancient version of a face-slapping novel. , more tiring than the scientific examination.He thought for a while, and said: "The most important thing in Gusu Mansion is talents! So, accountant Lin, let's hold an essay solicitation conference and invite scholars from the entire Gusu Mansion to contribute to our Xixia Building!"

Accountant Lin had long been used to Tang Shen's whimsical ideas, but he was still surprised after hearing this essay competition.He asked Tang Shen how to do this essay competition, and Tang Shen explained to him roughly.The accountant Lin said happily: "Don't worry, little boss, just leave it to me to handle it."

In winter, the business of Xixia Building is even better.

At the beginning of the twelfth lunar month, Tang Shen went to Jinling Mansion to apply for the next year's provincial examination at Jiangnan Gongyuan.

The township examination, also known as Qiuwei, is held once every three years, usually in August.There is still more than half a year to go, Tang Shen knew that it was impossible to get Jieyuan, but he decided to take the provincial examination, otherwise the next one would be three years later.According to his current level, he is [-]% sure of taking a Juren. If he can win the first place in one fell swoop next year, he does not plan to continue the exam.

Tang Shen didn't tell anyone about this, but he felt that Liang Song should have noticed his little thoughts.But in the daily lectures, Liang Song never relaxed towards him, he was strict everywhere, and Tang Shen was miserable.

Tang Shen complained bitterly: "Sir, every day I have to write two essays on making art and one poem on test posts. There are very few students in Gusu Prefecture who are as diligent and assiduous as scholars!"

Liang Song snorted: "When I was young, I was studying and wrote three articles every day. I never stopped. In addition, I had to choose one book from the Four Books, Five Classics, and Confucian classics and copy it every day."

Tang Shen: "..."

"Are you still human..."

"Ok?"

"Nothing nothing, the boy didn't say anything."

Liang Song rolled up a book, and tapped Tang Shen lightly on the head: "Tomorrow, report to the Jiangnan Tribute Academy?"

"Yes."

"Then there is no need to write tomorrow's art making and test post poems."

Tang Shen was overjoyed, this was really the best news he had heard these days, it was more exciting than the hot pot restaurant making more money!

It only takes half a day to take a boat from the Grand Canal to Jinling Mansion.

Tang Shen got off the boat and went to Jiangnan Gongyuan with Yao San.He saved his student status in the Jiangnan Tribute Academy and got a name card. With this name card, he can come to the Jiangnan Tribute Academy to apply for the provincial examination in July next year, and take the scientific examination in August.

Now that he came to Jinling Mansion, Tang Shen went to Jinxiu Pavilion to have a look.He came at an unlucky time, Fang Da, the treasurer of Jinxiu Pavilion, was not there, and the shop assistants didn't know Tang Shen either.Tang Shen stayed in Jinxiu Pavilion for a quarter of an hour, and he found that the best seller here was still soap, but other than that, the best seller was not soap, but golden strands!

"What a strange thing. Is it true that people in Jinling Mansion are so rich?"

A clerk heard his words and said with a smile: "The guest officer is not a local."

Yao Sandao: "We came from Gusu Mansion."

"Oh, then you should have seen the golden thread? That's right, the golden thread in the Gusu Mansion is definitely not as good as our Jinling Mansion. After all, you need to know that this golden thread got an inscription from Liang Daru in the Gusu Mansion, saying yes' Moer Snow Willow Golden Thread', 'Looking back suddenly, the man was in a dimly lit place'. In Gusu Mansion, the golden thread also got an inscription. Just look at that, 'Smoke Cage Cold Water Moon Cage Sand' is exactly what it said What a golden strand decorated with white sand and clear water!"

Tang Shen looked in the direction of the assistant's finger, and saw the middle sample of Jinxiu Pavilion, hanging a banner with seven characters inscribed on it——

Smoke cage cold water moon cage sand!

This word has a smooth charm and a horizontal posture of pen and ink.One stroke, like thousands of miles of clouds, has a soul-stirring magic.

Tang Shen looked at the inscription below, and said in surprise: "It turned out to be him?"

The waiter said: "The guest officer actually knows Wang Xianggong?"

Tang Shen shook his head and said, "I don't know him, but I was lucky enough to see this person's calligraphy." Tang Shen visited Liang Song's home for the first time, and once admired a piece of "Dongchuang Chrysanthemum". His name is Wang Zifeng.

The waiter said with emotion: "The guest officer is also a blessed person. The golden thread was inscribed by Wang Xianggong himself. Our wives and ladies in Jinling Mansion admire Wang Xianggong very much, so they will naturally buy golden thread, which is why it sells better than soap! "

At night, Tang Shen and Yao San returned to Gusu Mansion.

On the second day, Tang Shen called Accountant Lin to ask him about the sales of soaps and essential oils, and Accountant Lin came to him one by one.

Tang Shendao: "Jinling Mansion is really an anomaly! How can essential oils sell more than soap? The people in Jinling Mansion either have mental problems or are extremely rich. It seems that I have to find an opportunity to ask Jinling people to help me who is poor and destitute. !"

Of course, Tang Shen was just talking. Now he is living comfortably in Gusu Mansion. If it is not necessary, he has no plan to go to Jinling Mansion to work.

As the New Year approached, on the eighteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, Ziyang Academy held the last lecture before the holiday.

Tang Shen came to the academy early, only to see Fatty Sun running over from afar.He was wearing a thick cotton coat and a fox fur hat, holding a thermos in both hands, like a big ball.

Tang Shen laughed, and said, "You are no different from last year."

Sun Yue didn't react at first, and when he recalled: "Well, you Tang Shen, at this time last year, you said that fat people are not afraid of the cold, and that I wear a lot. Why, you don't wear much? Yes. You can take off your cotton coat!"

Tang Shen: "How could I fall for your aggressive method?"

Sun Yue snorted.

But after a long time, many people came to the classroom of the academy. Before the lecture, everyone started chatting.

"At this time last year, refugees blocked the west gate of Gusu Mansion. I was really scared to death at that time. Fortunately, this year is a lucky year, and the weather is good. I hope it will be the same next year!"

"Next year will be the three-year autumn, I really hope I can pass the exam this time."

"Why am I not?"

"By the way, I heard that next year's Jiangnan Tribute Academy's provincial examination examiner is likely to be a bachelor of Luo Zhenluo. He should have been the one in the provincial examination two years ago, but he suddenly contracted a strange disease. The emperor said that the examiner's quota is reserved for him. Come on, give it to him next time."

"Then I have to inquire about the news first, to know what Bachelor Luo likes."

The scientific examinations of the Jiangnan Gongyuan and Shengjing are the most favored by the officials. Every time even the rural examinations have to send third-rank college students as examiners to invigilate the exams.

Sun Yue stretched his ears to listen to the gossip, and said in a low voice: "I have to find someone to ask this Luo Dashi about his preferences. I have never heard of him before. I don't know if he likes to read "Spring and Autumn" or "Book of Changes". I have to prepare well."

Tang Shen: "I have never heard of this person."

An old scholar said with a smile: "It's not easy to know the preferences of Master Luo? The bright moon shines among the pines, and the clear spring rocks flow upwards. He is a serious member of the Songqing Party!"