"Brother, what kind of person is Xu Jing?" Hua Ling asked suddenly.
"In his early twenties, it is said that both his parents have died, and he is the only one in the family." Yan Shi said while looking around vigilantly.
"It's great that such a young man has such a literary talent." Hua Ling sighed, "I really want to see him soon."
Yan Shi keenly noticed that when they mentioned Xu Jing, the surrounding voices seemed to be much quieter, and Yan Shi gently put the dagger into the sheath.
Walked into Xiaxi Village without any danger, there were not many people in the village, but everyone had vigilance in their eyes when they saw them, and some even clenched the things they held in their hands, as if they were going to be with them in the next moment. It's a fight to the death.
Yan Shi frowned slightly, the village seemed a little strange.
"Excuse me." Qu Liushang asked a friendly-looking person, "Where is Xu Jing and Xu Jieyuan's house?"
"Are you here to look for Xu Jing?" The vigilance in this man's eyes was no less than that of others. He looked them up and down with his eyes, as if he was judging whether what they said was true or not.
"Exactly." Qu Liushang replied.
"Who are you? Why are you looking for Xu Jing?" The man continued to question.
"We are scholars, and we met with Xu Jing in the Juren exam before, so we met." Qu Liushang made up another set of lies, "Xu Jing invited us to come as guests at that time, but it was delayed by something, so we came now."
The man looked at them for a while, as if he believed it, pointed back with his hand, and told them where Xu Jing's house was.
This village is not very big, it seems that there are only a few dozen households.
Hua Ling got off the donkey and walked slowly beside Yan Shi: "Brother, do you think this village is a bit strange?"
When they passed in front of the person, the person looked at them very vigilantly. Not only that, some people have naked desire/desire in their eyes, which makes people very uncomfortable.
When they entered other villages before, the villagers also looked at them, but they just looked at them curiously, it was nothing.
Yan Shi squeezed Hua Ling's hand tighter: "Don't be afraid, this place is inconvenient for transportation, I'm afraid some people have never even been out of the village in their entire lives. When they see outsiders coming, they will inevitably be curious."
Hua Ling nodded and didn't ask any more questions.
The whole Xiaxi Village looks very poor, and Xu Jing's family looks even poorer. Not to mention anything else, just say that the outside gate is dilapidated, and I don't know how many years it has been corroded by wind and rain. It seems that the whole gate will melt when touched. For the powder.
Qu Liushang carefully pushed the gate open, and there was a quiet path at first, with vegetable gardens on both sides of the path, but there were no vegetables at this time of year.
It was dark in the house, and there were no lights on.
Qu Liushang knocked on the door: "Excuse me, is Xu Jieyuan at home?"
Immediately afterwards, there was a sound inside, the sound of someone walking, and the back door opened.
Standing in front of them was a young man with a handsome appearance and tall stature, but he was thin and thin, but his eyes were very energetic, as if light was about to shoot out from them.
Qu Liushang brought out the usual rhetoric again, Xu Jing's eyes shone even brighter, with a slight smile on his face: "Brothers, please come inside."
Yan Shi and Hua Ling went in first, and Qu Liushang waited for them to go in before he followed.
Xu Jing's house can really be described as a barren house. The most valuable thing is probably the wardrobe, but the wardrobe is also crumbling. I'm afraid it will fall apart suddenly.
Xu Jing looked very happy, but also a little cramped. He rubbed his hands on his clothes and asked them to find a place to sit down. There was only one chair in the whole room, and it was still limping.
Xu Jing asked them to wait a while, then ran outside to bring back a few big rocks, took out some rags from the cabinet, spread them on them, and then asked them to sit down again.
Yan Shi looked at the stone on the ground and expressed his rejection in his heart.
"A few brothers didn't eat, right? I just happened to be cooking." Xu Jing rubbed his hands again awkwardly, "It's just
There is nothing good to entertain you all, please don't dislike it, brothers and sisters. "
Xu Jing's saying that he had no good things to entertain them was not a polite way of saying, Xu Jing's family really had nothing.
Hua Ling looked at the bowl of rice and a plate of pickles on the table and refused.
Seeing the three of them not moving their chopsticks, Xu Jing looked even more embarrassed.
Yan Shi picked up the chopsticks and took a bite of the rice first: "This rice tastes good, it's soft and delicious, and it also has a fresh fragrance."
Xu Jing rubbed his hands on his clothes in embarrassment: "This rice is granary rice issued by the imperial court. I have to say that the imperial court is very kind to us students, allowing me to eat rice. There are many people in my village I can’t even eat rice, and usually I’m reluctant to eat dry rice when I’m alone, so I cook rice into porridge.”
Yan Shi understood, seeing them coming, he did something good on purpose.
Hua Ling didn't want to eat at first, but when he heard what Xu Jing said, he picked up chopsticks and started to eat. Seeing that the prince and princess had eaten, Qu Liushang had no choice but to follow suit.
After Hua Ling took a bite of the meal, he asked Xu Jing, "Xu Jieyuan, why is this place so poor?"
Xu Jing replied: "Our Xiaxi Village is surrounded by mountains, the land is barren, and the crops we plant will not be harvested in ten years. Moreover, the place is remote, the roads are rough and difficult, and there is no place for odd jobs."
Yan Shi said: "Brother Xu is truly amazing to be able to pass the exam for Xie Yuan."
Xu Jing scratched his head in embarrassment: "Didn't the ancients have a saying?" Heaven will send a great mission to a scholar, and he must first suffer from his heart, his muscles and bones, and his body. "Although the life here is bitter, it is also a kind of tempering for me, so that I can serve the court better in the future."
"Brother Xu, to tell you the truth, I am also the candidate for this year." Yan Shi said, "I will also go to the imperial city to catch the exam next year, and then I hope to go to high school with Brother Xu so that I can serve the court. I don't know what Xu Jing wants to do in the future official?"
Xu Jing smiled stupidly: "It doesn't matter what kind of official, as long as it is an official who can do things for the people."
Yan Shi also smiled, and spoke to him casually.
Qu Liushang asked curiously: "Brother Xu, there is one thing I don't understand. It stands to reason that there are not many people in Xiaxi Village who can read, so how do you read Brother Xu's books?"
Xu Jing explained: "My family is poor, and you all have seen it. When I was seven years old, my mother suddenly fell ill and owed a lot of foreign debts for my mother's medical treatment. Fortunately, in the end my mother Her illness was cured, and she lived for a few more years. In order to pay off the debt, my father had to leave his hometown and go to other places. This trip lasted for a year. When he came back, he said that he was a long-term worker in a rich family. The big family There is also a young master who is about the same age as me, and the master hired a master to teach him to read, but the young master does not want to study and often sneaks out to play, and is very angry with this master, and often punishes the young master."
Speaking of the past, Xu Jing had a slight smile on his face: "My father didn't understand at that time, so he told the master that no one in our village could read, but he lived his whole life. And your family If you have a big career, it’s nothing if the young master doesn’t study, and you won’t starve to death if you inherit the family business in the future, and you don’t eat hot food every day. The master of that family is a good man, and he doesn’t get annoyed when my father says that. Instead, he talks patiently My father said why he must let the young master study."
"I even talked about a lot of things about children from poor families who shined in the lintel after studying in high school. My father was moved when he heard it. My mother's health has not been very good, and they only have me as a son. My father always said that I did not have a son. Brothers and sisters, I am afraid that I will be too lonely after they leave. Now I heard the master talk about reading and so on, so he wants me to study too. It is also a coincidence that the book boy who accompanied the young master at that time was redeemed by his family. It happened that there was a shortage of a book boy, so my father took this opportunity to tell the master that he wanted me to be a book boy, and he didn't need any monthly money, as long as I could learn to read and read, that would be fine."
"My father has never been lazy when working at the master's house, and the master has a good impression of my father, so he agreed, so I had the opportunity to study with the young master."
"When I was eight years old, I became the young master's book boy, and I stayed by his side until I was seventeen. I didn't come back until my mother was critically ill again, and I never came back.
been out. "
Yan Shi saw the hidden longing in Xu Jing's eyes, and talked to him casually.
"By the way, dear friends." Xu Jing said, "It's best not to walk around outside."
Yan Shi and Qu Liushang glanced at each other: "Why?"
Xu Jing said vaguely: "This is for your own good, don't ask too much about anything else." When he said this, the expression on Xu Jing's face became a little serious, changing from the previous look.
Yan Shi thought about what happened when they first entered the village, and his doubts became even worse. What secrets does this Xiaxi Village seem to be hiding
After dinner, Xu Jing arranged accommodation for several people. Fortunately, although Xu Jing's family is poor, they still have a spare room.
"My parents lived in this room when they were alive." Xu Jing took Yan Shi and Hua Ling to a room in the east after learning that Yan Shi and Hua Ling were a couple. I used to live with people, but I often clean it, and now I can live with people. As for Brother Qu, you have to feel wronged and share a room with me."
Because Yan Shi and the others came, Xu Jing lit all the oil lamps that he was usually reluctant to light, and it was still early for dinner, so he was not in a hurry to go to bed. Yan Shi and Xu Jing sat under the lamp and chatted. Xu Jing's knowledge and literary talents were indeed very good. When the two hit it off, they became more and more excited as they talked, and they didn't go back to their rooms to rest until very late.
Hua Ling was so sleepy that she almost fell asleep when she touched the pillow.
Yan Shi is very energetic, he always feels that the whole Xiaxi Village is leaking a little weirdness, if he doesn't figure it out, he won't sleep in peace.
Yan Shi tiptoed down to the ground, and quietly pushed the door open, the door of Xu Jing's house made a sound as soon as it was pushed, Yan Shi had to be extremely careful to ensure that there was no sound at all.
He went outside, there were no stars in the sky tonight, it was extremely dark, which made it easier for him to move.
When Yan Shi first arrived here, he didn't plan to go too far, he just planned to wander around Xu Jing's house.
He performed lightness kung fu, jumped out of the wall, and ran westward.
Yan Shi entered the courtyard of a family, and was far away from the house, he could hear a woman's cry and a man's roar, as if a man was beating a woman
Yan Shi frowned, not wanting to look any further, so he turned and left the courtyard.
He went to another house, this house was more peaceful than the previous one, but there were occasional men's roars, Yan Shi went in and took a look, and it turned out that a man was roaring at a woman, and this woman was obedient , Half a point dare not resist.
Yan Shi was planning to go back here, but when he turned around, he suddenly saw a little light from the window of the family, and there were people moving around the window, which attracted his interest.
People in Xiaxi Village are poor, and there are too few people who are willing to light oil lamps at night. Even scholars like Xu Jing are reluctant to light oil lamps, let alone others. Therefore, when the oil lamps were lit in this house, Yan Shi became a little curious.
He walked there lightly, and when he got to the bottom of the window sill, he poked a little gap with his dagger and looked inside. There were four men sitting or standing inside.
"The three men who came today are so good-looking." One of the men said, "They are all prettier than girls."
Yan Shi's heart skipped a beat, he was talking about them.
Another man snorted coldly: "What's the use of being good-looking, she's not a girl."
Another man disapproved and said: "What's wrong with men? Don't you know that men and men can get married now?"
"Men and men can also get married?" The man's voice suddenly rose, "This is possible!"
Yan Shi frowned slightly. Since the establishment of the Dayuan Dynasty, laws have been enacted to allow men to marry each other. It has been a hundred years. This Xiaxi Village is really remote, but they don't even know about it.
A man patted him on the shoulder and said, "What's the matter, let me tell you, there are a lot of men marrying men out there, it's just a common thing to marry women already."
"This this… "
The man still seemed unwilling to believe it, and he continued after a while, "Even if a man can marry a man, I won't like a man either."
There was a man who clicked his tongue a few times: "That's the three men you didn't see coming today. They look so good, it's not an exaggeration to say that they are heavenly immortals." There was a little lewdness in this tone. Feeling a little uncomfortable.
The remaining two men also echoed: "You can squeeze water out of those tender faces, no wonder some people like to play with men, and I like this too. You know the Li Er's family, that woman looks like It's not bad, but compared with the three men today, they are really one in the sky and one in the bottom."
"Don't bully me here," the man still didn't believe it, "I don't believe that there are such good-looking men in this world, even if they are good-looking, I don't like them, thinking about being with a man feels disgusting. Okay, you guys are going back too, it's so late and I have to go to bed."
Immediately afterwards, he heard someone walking outside the house, Yan Shi hurriedly walked out from under the window, and hid in a place where no one could see. After those men had gone far away, he returned to Xu Jing's house with lightness kung fu. .
There is a small warehouse next to the main house, Yan Shi didn't pay much attention to it when he came here. But now, he walked over like a ghost.
Compared with the main house, the small warehouse is more dilapidated. The door is locked, and there is only one small window on the wall. Now this window is tightly nailed from the outside by wooden boards. When Yan Shi hadn't come close, he vaguely heard a slight movement inside. He thought it was a mouse at first, but when he put his ears on the wooden board, he felt a faint and heavy breathing sound inside.
Yan Shi has practiced martial arts, so his eyesight and hearing are better than ordinary people, and now that the night is quiet, he can hear every sound clearly.
Yan Shi frowned slightly, but he wasn't sure if there was someone inside. If it was really someone, why was he locked there? Tomorrow, I have to find a reason to go in and have a look.
After making up his mind, Yan Shi tiptoed open Xu Jing's door that shattered when he touched it, and went back to the room.
Hua Ling slept soundly, kicking off the quilt. Yan Shi covered the quilt for him with a smile, and went to bed to rest.
When he woke up again, Xu Jing had already prepared breakfast.
After taking a random bite, Yan Shi took Hua Ling to the courtyard for a walk, accompanied by Xu Jing.
After Yan Shi asked what kind of crops are suitable for growing here, the conversation turned to the small barn I saw last night: "Brother Xu, why is this barn locked? But is there any food in it?"
Hearing Yan Shi mentioned the warehouse, Xu Jing's face flashed a look of uneasiness: "There are some, but not much, we can't grow too much grain in this field."
Yan Shi bounced the stones that had been prepared before Xu Jing didn't pay attention to the warehouse, and there was a sudden noise in the warehouse, which startled Xu Jing.
Yan Shi said: "Brother Xu, there are mice here. Quickly open the door, and we will catch the mice for you."
Xu Jing refused: "Brother Yan is a guest from afar, how could I let you do this kind of thing, I can catch the mouse myself in a while."
Hua Ling tilted his head: "But there's food in there, and you don't know how much food will be wasted if you catch the mice a moment too late. We have a lot of people, and we will catch the mice for you soon." After Hua Ling finished speaking, she made a gesture. Rolling up his sleeves, it seemed that the mouse was right in front of his eyes.
"It's cold outside, brothers and sisters, let's go back to the house." Xu Jing didn't answer Hua Ling's words, and quickly changed the subject.
When Xu Jing said this, Yan Shi wanted to see what was in there even more. Later, he took advantage of the space in the latrine and walked around the barn, but the barn was very tight, and anyone with a little gap The place is blocked up, which looks tighter than the house they live in.
Yan Shi picked up the lock again and weighed it, so he could only give up and go back to the room.
When it was almost noon, Xu Jing went to the kitchen to cook. Yan Shi shared last night's discovery with Hua Ling and Qu Liushang quickly: "Master Qu can open that lock?"
Qu Liushang said: "It can be possible, but the lock will be invalid after opening it."
The things above are different from what Yan Shi thought. If they did this, Xu Jing would never agree to join him again.