The bookstore shopkeeper gave Li Xiucai a deep look and asked, "Do you know Yan Da?"
Li Xiucai said, "You mean the gangster who kidnapped the young master of the Wei family?"
As a casino thug, Yan Da had no relationship with a scholar like Li Xiucai before. Li Xiucai devoted himself to studying, and he really didn't know this person before.
But recently he found out.
The eldest young master of the Wei family ran off with a gangster... No one in Donggu County knows it.
I don't know why the Wei family didn't hide it...
"I heard that this Yanda is a casino thug, always beating people!"
"Why did the shopkeeper ask him?"
"It's a pity Wei Lingxiu, willing to fall..."
…
In addition to Li Xiucai, several scholars said one after another.
This bookstore is owned by the Wei family in Fucheng, and the shopkeeper, who is a side branch of the Wei family, is also surnamed Wei. At this moment, the shopkeeper Wei glanced at these talents with a special interest, and said, "If you want calligraphy, I have to ask first."
"Can you get an answer in more than a few days?" Li Xiucai asked.
"Wait in the store for a while, and you'll have an answer soon." Shopkeeper Wei said.
"He's actually in the store?" Li Xiucai was extremely surprised.
Shopkeeper Wei nodded, took the "Three Character Classic" that Li Xiucai returned to him, and went into the backyard.
When he entered, Yan Jing was copying a famous person's commentary on "The University".
Shopkeeper Wei leaned over to take a look, and saw a surprisingly good word.
The shopkeeper Wei is literate, but has no fame. He left a message that Jing was copying books in the bookstore, and also wanted to form a good relationship, but because he was afraid of causing trouble, he did not publicize it.
I didn't expect Yan Jing to be able to write such words...
Shopkeeper Wei said, "Yan Jingze, I have something to call you."
"What's the matter with the shopkeeper?" Yan Jing asked, not copying the book after speaking, but took a travel note next to him to read.
He always wanted to learn more.
Shopkeeper Wei asked, "How did you write this character?" Although he could not read well, he still had the ability to appreciate it. The character Yanjing is really good!
If it weren't for this, those scholars wouldn't think it was written by calligraphers.
"I practiced according to the words that are not for sale outside." Yan Jing said.
Shopkeeper Wei: "..." The words on the outside are actually not the original work of the previous dynasty, but a copy, but it is enough to be fake, so it is very valuable, and it is the treasure of their shop.
"What's the matter?" Yan Jing looked at Shopkeeper Wei and suddenly realized something: "Someone saw my words?"
Shopkeeper Wei didn't hide it, and directly told the situation outside, and also said that they returned the "Three Character Classic".
"Who are those scholars?" Yan Jing asked.
Shopkeeper Wei explained their identities—he basically knew all the scholars in Donggu County.
Is Li Xiu a Linsheng? Yan Jing was very surprised.
Shopkeeper Wei said, "That's right, he is one of the students from Donggu County, and there is a high possibility that he will be admitted to Juren."
Yan Jing's heart was moved, and he immediately said: "The shopkeeper, tell him that as long as he is willing to bail for me during the county examination, this "Three Character Classic" is his, and I am willing to write another word for him."
In the bookstore, Li Xiucai and others were anxiously waiting, and they were a little puzzled: "Then everyone, are you actually staying in this small bookstore?"
"That person may be from the Wei family in Fucheng. When he came to Donggu County, he stayed in the bookstore temporarily."
"I don't know what kind of person he is!"
…
They read the Three Character Classic for a long time yesterday, but not a single word was altered!
That person is not only good at calligraphy, but also extremely patient, which is admirable.
While waiting, they saw the shopkeeper Wei coming out.
Li Xiucai hurried up to meet him: "Treasurer Wei!"
"Li Xiucai, that person is willing to give you a calligraphy treasure." Shopkeeper Wei said.
"How many silver taels do you want?" Li Xiucai asked hurriedly.
"He only has one request... let you bail for him in the county examination next year." Storekeeper Wei said.
Li Xiucai and others were stunned: "Bail for him?"
People who can write such words must be very knowledgeable in their opinion, and they must be not young.
They have long since made up the image of a middle-aged literati in his forties and fifties.
But now, that person actually asked them to bail for him? Did they hear it wrong
"Yes, if you are willing to vouch for him, he will give you this "Three Character Classic" and give you a calligraphy treasure." Storekeeper Wei said.
Li Xiucai always felt that all this was too strange: "Can he come from this county? Can he be born innocent?"
The corner of Mr. Wei's mouth twitched: "His native place is in this county, and he was born innocent." On Yanda's household registration, it is clear that he is a "peasant".
"I'm willing to vouch for him!" Li Xiucai said, "I wonder if I can meet him?" Could it be that everyone is so addicted to calligraphy that he never took the exam
Li Xiucai thought a lot for a while, but shopkeeper Wei said, "Yes, please come in."
Hearing this, Li Xiucai looked happy, and followed the shopkeeper Wei and went inside, but as soon as he entered the inner courtyard, he saw a very tall man.
Jiangnan people are generally not tall, and the poor are especially short, but Li Xiucai's family is rich and not short.
But even so, this man is much higher than him.
Such a tall person... Li Xiucai blurted out: "Big talk?"
He had met Yan Da before, but he didn't pay attention to it at the time. It wasn't until after Wei Lingxiu's incident that he got to know Yan Da.
This kind of person, Li Xiucai despised in his heart and disdain to associate with him. He pointed to Yanjing and asked the shopkeeper Wei: "Why is this person here?"
Shopkeeper Wei ignored Li Xiucai, and instead looked at Yan Jingze: "Master Xiucai is willing to bail for you."
Hearing the words of shopkeeper Wei, Li Xiucai and others were stunned.
Just now, they only promised to vouch for the calligrapher who wrote the "Three Character Classic", but they didn't promise to vouch for this big word, and this word is big... Does he need to vouch for it
Guarantee so that he can borrow money
"Manager Wei, what do you mean by that?" Li Xiucai asked.
Shopkeeper Wei pointed to Yan Dao: "The Three Character Classic was written by him."
Li Xiucai and others: "..." Are they still dreaming and haven't woken up
While Yanjing was discussing with Li Xiucai about guaranteeing himself, on the other side, his casino subordinates were already drinking and chatting with the county government's catcher.
By the way, catching fast is a "cheap industry", their descendants can't take the imperial examinations, so as not to humiliate the gentleman, not only that, they can only receive about ten taels of silver from the county government every year, and it is no problem to support themselves. But it is difficult to support a family, so they often think of other ways to "make money".
It is a trivial matter to receive respect from others, and extortion can also be done, and it is more common to go to the casino part-time as a thug.
Let's just say it before, Yan Da is very familiar with them and has some friendship.
The magistrate of Donggu County, surnamed Zhu, just came to Donggu County not long ago.
In a relatively prosperous county like Donggu County, the local gentry has great power. Many county officials have come, and they can't manage affairs outside the county government. is one of them.
But the local gentry will not oppress the common people, the common people are good for everyone... So even if the county magistrate can only do things according to the local rules, there are still some political achievements and filial piety. In a few years, you can get promoted and go elsewhere to make a fortune.
But it's always frustrating.
Fortunately, no matter how big the local rules are, things like the county test are still managed by the county magistrate.
The county examination after the year was very important to the magistrate of Zhu.
One day, Magistrate Zhu was wandering in the county office when he suddenly heard a few arrests saying, "That bully, Yan Da, is actually concentrating on his studies?"
"Indeed! After the young master of the Wei family taught him a few sage books, he swore that he would never be idle and concentrate on reading!"
"Anything like that?"
"This is still fake! Our Donggu County is truly outstanding, and the county magistrate is even more polite. He can even make a bully like Yan Da start reading!"
…
The county magistrate of Zhu had a wealthy family and some skills, so he was able to come to such a wealthy and successful county to be the magistrate.
The only bad thing about coming here is that there is nothing to do and it is too leisurely, so that Magistrate Zhu likes to listen to people gossip.
He had heard of that big thing.
He had a good impression of Wei Zhiyuan. After all, this person has been teaching in Fucheng and didn't make trouble for him, but recently, he has a lot of opinions on Wei Zhiyuan.
No matter how wrong his own children are, they should be educated behind closed doors. Wei Zhiyuan even kicked his son out of the house, and there was a lot of commotion...
But those things had nothing to do with him, so he just watched a joke and asked people who Yan Da was.
Didn't that say that he has been running rampant in the countryside? Are you starting to read now? And such a thing
The magistrate Zhu hurriedly called the arresters to inquire.
The few catchers said: "Sir, we also heard about it."
"I heard that Yan has an unforgettable ability, and I plan to take the county test next year!"
"He has been copying books in Wei's bookstore recently."
…
As he was talking, a catcher quickly said: "Sir, if this bully turns his back on his wrongdoing and starts to study, but his political achievements?"
The county magistrate moved in his heart, thought about it, and said, "I'll go to the Wei family bookstore to see!"
He has nothing to do with him, so it's better to watch the fun.
Yanjing went to his subordinates yesterday because he saw that the former officials could actually take "probation of bullies" as a political achievement, so he asked people to find a way to say a few words in front of the county magistrate.
He also did not ask the magistrate Zhu to take him as a political achievement, as long as he could make an impression in front of magistrate Zhu.
After that, he naturally had other ways to let the magistrate Zhu pay attention to him.
For example, he has already planned to do "good deeds" everywhere after saving some money.
As for what kind of deeds to do... Let his subordinates cooperate and fall into the water, and he staged a diving in front of the county magistrate to save people, is it still very simple!
If you try to let the magistrate know his talent, the magistrate Zhu can treat him differently as long as he is not pedantic.
You must know that there are more scholars in one county than other counties, which is also a political achievement!
It's just that Yan Jing didn't expect that his hand-practiced calligraphy would actually work so well, and he didn't know that Magistrate Zhu loved gossip, so he planned to come and see him.