Encounter Taotie by chance at the beginning and practice longevity skills

Xianmeng looked at the small shop curiously and asked with some confusion: "What kind of business is here?"

The maid smiled and replied: "This is a pawn shop. Guests can mortgage their belongings to us in exchange for a certain amount of money. If the guest needs it, he can redeem his own with the original money plus a certain amount of interest within the agreed time." thing."

"If the agreed time comes, the mortgaged items will belong to our pawn shop, and we can sell the items."

Xianmeng nodded and asked, "I see that Li Fang left here just now. He seems to have redeemed something very important to him."

This time the maid was a little surprised: "Sister, your ears are too good. Judging from your clothes and your ears, you must be a legendary martial artist."

Xianmeng smiled slightly and did not answer.

The maid said: "Miss, are you here to pawn something?"

The general rushed to say: "We are just here to take a look. Does Li Fang come here often?"

The maid said politely: "Miss, we cannot reveal the customer's privacy here. Are you his friends?"

Xianmeng said: "Well, we can be considered classmates. We studied in the school together."

The maid smiled and said, "If you two want to get to know Li Fang, why not go to Li Fang's shop, which is over there." After that, the maid led the two of them out and pointed in the direction. "One mile over there, there is a store called Li's Shop, which is their home."

Xianmeng thanked the general and went to the place pointed by the maid.

Xianmeng and the general walked along the busy street. Along the way, they saw a dazzling array of shops and stalls on both sides of the street, with busy people coming and going around them.

After about a mile's journey, they arrived at a small shop that looked simple and a bit old-fashioned, with a signboard "Li's Shop" hanging at the door. The store is not big, but it is clean and tidy, with a hard-working and simple atmosphere.

This is a noodle shop.

Since it is not meal time, there is no one there.

The arrival of Xianmeng and the general alarmed an old man who was settling accounts.

The old man said respectfully: "Boy, what would you like to order?"

Xianmeng said: "Then let's have two portions of your signature noodles."

The old man shouted toward the inside: "Xiao Fang, make two portions of noodles."

A response came from the kitchen: "Okay."

Just when the old man wanted to ask the two of them if they wanted to drink, someone from the law enforcement hall outside the door broke in and said:

"Old Li, you have to pay taxes today. Show me your account books for this month."

The old man respectfully took out the account book from the table and gave it to the people at the Law Enforcement Hall, and said, "Master, take a look."

The Law Enforcement Hall officer looked at it and said, "Not bad. I made a profit of 20 taels of silver last month. I should pay 5 taels of exchange tax, plus 2 taels of deed tax and 3 taels of door stall tax. The total is 10 taels of silver."

The old man took out a few broken pieces of silver from his pocket and handed them to the official: "Sir, look, this is 10 taels of silver."

I saw this person weighing it with his hands and said, "Something's wrong, it's only 9 taels."

The old man understood instantly, took out another tael of silver and said, "Master, it was indeed 9 taels just now. Take less. Take less."

The officer from the Law Enforcement Hall took the money and smiled: "Hey, not bad, not bad. It's okay, you are busy, I have to go to the next one."

The old man said: "My lord, please stay." After that, he took out the account book and said, "My lord, you haven't stamped it yet."

The person from the Law Enforcement Hall scratched his head and said, "Look at my memory. I'm sorry, Old Li Tou." After saying that, he took out a small seal and printed it on the account book.

As the Law Enforcement Hall personnel left, the old man's face became a little heavy. He put down the account book, returned to his usual friendly smile, and said to Xianmeng and the general: "Wait a moment, you two, your face will be ready soon."

Xianmeng asked with some confusion: "Old man, wasn't the first time you just gave me 10 taels of silver?"

The old man sighed: "Little girl, you don't know something. If you don't give them some benefits, they won't be so reasonable. I didn't understand when I first came here, but I suffered a big loss."

The general looked even more puzzled after hearing this.

The old man continued: "Originally, I am a country boy, but the noodles I make are delicious. The villagers suggested that I come to the city to open a shop, so I came."

"When I first came here, I was just like you. They charged 10 taels for tax, so I paid 10 taels. But they didn't stamp my account book, and they came over to collect it again the next day."

"When I refused, they put me in jail, beat me 10 times and starved me for three days before releasing me."

Xianmeng was a little angry after hearing this: "How could they do this?"

The general was not surprised, because she had known about the master's bribery of Liu Shoutai before.

The general said: "Xiaomeng, it's normal." Then Xianmeng received a message from the general in her mind: "Master said that when you are weak, it is normal to spend money to seek protection. When you are weak, master still He often bribes Liu Shoutai."

Xianmeng calmed down after hearing this. Although Brother Xianren had told her before, she was still a little confused when they met for the first time.

At this time, Li Fang came out with two bowls of noodles. He was also shocked when he saw the two girls, and he stammered a little: "Second and second, please use it slowly. I still want to thank you today."

The old man was also surprised when he heard Li Fang's words: "Do you know each other?"

Xianmeng said: "Old man, we are actually Li Fang's classmates."

As Xianmeng said, the general took out the little turtle in his pocket, dipped some soup noodles in it and fed it to the little turtle.

Li Fang also said with some embarrassment: "Dad, these are Mr. Shangguan's childhood sweetheart and maid I mentioned before."

When the old man saw these two people, he was so excited that he knelt down and said, "You two are the female relatives of Mr. Shangguan. I kowtow to you."

Xianmeng quickly helped the old man up: "Old man, it's not a big deal."

But he sighed helplessly: "Hey, girl, don't think that one tael of gold is nothing to you, but it is life-saving to us."

Xian Meng listened carefully.

The old man continued: "His mother left early, and I was the only one who raised him up. As you can see, there are no days for us little people to get ahead in Chihei City. So the only thing I miss about my son is Let him study and get a good reputation."

Li Fang was a little unhappy: "Dad, I'm not that kind of material. I think it's good to open a shop here. I can live well by earning 10 taels of silver a month. Why do I have to spend money to study? .”

The old man said: "Shut up, is it easy for your father and I to earn the money we have worked so hard to provide you with food and drink, just like asking you to get a good name and honor your ancestors. Think about it, we are bullied here, not because the superiors don't have Man, think about it, if you were a high official, who would dare to collect taxes from your father and me?"

Li Fang stood aside silently and stopped talking.