Be a master through ancient times

There were rustling sounds in my ears, sometimes it was as close as the head of the bed, sometimes I couldn't hear it clearly, and I didn't know if it was a mouse or a cockroach.

Chu Ci lay stiffly under the blanket, unable to sleep at all.Zhang Hu was fine, he put the stools together to form a bed, wrapped himself in a quilt and fell asleep.

After the slight snoring sound came, Chu Ci was even more miserable. He covered his ears, and silently recited the "Humble Room Inscription" in his mouth, and he did not know how many times before he gradually fell asleep.

……

"Master, are you awake?" As soon as Zhang Hu entered the door, he saw Chu Ci lying on the bed with his eyes open.

Chu Ci turned to look at him and said, "Ah, wake up, what's wrong?" He just woke up, and his mind was still a little groggy.

"Then get up and eat quickly! There are already many people outside!"

Chu Ci remembered that he still had to find those juzi to inquire about the situation today, so he turned over and got up.He wore several clothes underneath and a padded jacket outside. Fortunately, his figure was always thin, otherwise he would look bloated.

Because the hot water has been almost used up, Chuci used well water.Fortunately, well water is generally warm in winter and cool in summer, otherwise, Chu Ci couldn't help shivering as he looked at the layer of ice forming outside the big water tank.

No wonder people say that things are more expensive when they are away from home, but people are cheap when they are away from home. How well he is treated at home!

After washing up, he took Zhang Hu to the dining hall, and paid for a day's meals, which was sixty Wen.This is actually cheaper than restaurants, these days they eat restaurants, someday it will cost one or two hundred cash.

But when Zhang Hu brought out the food, Chu Ci was dumbfounded. There were two steamed buns, a small bowl of clear porridge, and a small dish of radish and pickles on the plate.

He couldn't help looking at the table next to him, and found that everyone had the same bowl.Yes, let's eat!There were only a few slices of radish and pickles, and Chu Ci was worried that he would not be able to eat these things, but Junxiu frowned as soon as he took them in. Could it be that the salt seller was beaten to death?No more money for salt!Why is it so salty!

Chu Ci got up and went outside to spit it out, and then came in to drink some porridge and water before feeling better.Looking at the others, they all took small bites. A single radish can make up half a bowl of porridge. From this point of view, this is still too much.

Chu Ci only ate one steamed bun, and didn't want to eat the rest.Zhang Hu seemed to be taking advantage of it, and pulled the other steamed bun and pickles that he hadn't touched to him and ate them.

After eating, Chu Ci wanted to ask other people about the situation, but these scholars all had a solemn face, with a feeling of rejecting others thousands of miles away, and Chu Ci was also powerless.

"Let's go." He said to Zhang Hu, and then saw a scholar walk in from the door, took out two Wen coins from his purse, wrapped a steamed bun and went out.

"Brother, do you also think that food is salty?" Chu Ci approached and said hello.

"Are you talking to me?" The scholar was stunned for a moment, looked around, and said hesitantly when he saw that no one else was present.

"That's right, I saw that you only ate one steamed bun, so I guessed that you must not be used to that pickle!"

The scholar smiled bitterly: "If you don't want to, you really can't."

"Where do you start with this?" Chu Ci looked at this person, he looked about 30 years old, with a thin body, and he didn't look like a high-end crowd.

"My family is poor, and I only live on steamed buns and clear water every day. Are you a newcomer? I am from Liangjiaqu, Chuanlin Prefecture, Xijiang Province. Where is your brother?" The scholars here usually do not communicate with each other. is silent and poor.This meeting met a cute newcomer, and Liang Benchang became interested in talking.

"I am from Changxi Village, Yuanshan County, Ganzhou Prefecture, named Chuci."

"You are Xie Yuanlang of this year's township examination? I am Liang Benchang, the Juren of Jiayou for 37 years."

Jiayou 37 years?Chu Ci did some calculations in his mind, could it be that this person has been here for five or six years?

"Brother Liang is lucky to meet you. When I came yesterday, I saw that there seemed to be a restaurant outside. It happened that I was not full. If Brother Liang doesn't mind, you might as well go with me." Chu Ci wanted to ask him something.

Liang Benchang also saw what he was thinking, that's why he talked so much with him, and when he saw his invitation, he nodded in agreement.

A year or two ago, he would never have imagined that he could put down his figure and be this guide.There was a disaster in my hometown, and it was a problem to have enough food. Now it has been more than a year since I sent money.He made a living by copying books, and he had to dodge so as not to be discovered.It's ridiculous to say that a Juren is in his position.

Chu Ci didn't know the melancholy in his heart. When he arrived at the restaurant, he ordered two baskets of buns, a bowl of lean meat and egg porridge, and a few dishes of refreshing side dishes, and he asked Liang Benchang to eat.

Although Liang Benchang tried his best to restrain himself, he still seemed a little eager.He hadn't known the taste of meat for three months, and now he was eating big steamed stuffed buns full of meaty aroma, wishing to burst his stomach.

"I was rude just now, and Brother Chu laughed at me." Liang Benchang wiped his mouth and said.

"Brother Liang has a real temperament, he is a cheerful person. I am new here, and I still need to rely on Brother Liang to take care of me. If Brother Liang is free, you might as well tell me about the places to avoid in the capital."

"Brother Chu doesn't know something. In this capital, the most important word is tolerance. Don't quarrel with others easily. We live here, which is different from those big families. Also, if your family is not bad , and I’m not used to living in the Xijiang Guild Hall, but I can rent a room at Wenxingfang, which costs about seven or eight taels a month. There are also scholars around, and it’s a clean place.” Before that, Liang Benchang lived there.

"Thank you, Brother Liang, for your suggestion. Ci is very grateful." Chu Ci raised his teacup and offered him a toast with tea instead of wine.

"By the way, the students in the surrounding guild halls will set up a club every Lunar New Year's day, so that the students can communicate with each other."

"It's an elegant thing."

"Elegant things are indeed elegant things, but every time you start a society, each person needs to pay one or two taels of silver to the president, which will be used for the expenses when forming the society." Liang Benchang smiled wryly.He had to participate every time in the past, and every moonlight had to remove two taels of silver for this aspect of spending.It's been a long time since he joined the club. When he saw those people who formed the association before, they all hid their faces and left.

The capital is really a place where money is spent like water!One tael of silver per person is placed in a small county town, and the society can be used for more than half a year.

Chu Ci decided to attend once or twice at that time. If the atmosphere is good, he will participate a few more times. If the atmosphere is not good, he will just study behind closed doors and ignore these things.

……

After separating from Liang Benchang, Chu Ci took Zhang Hu to find someone.

What he was looking for was the person on Mr. Xu's invitation post, and then asked this person to vouch for him.

During the examination, the candidate must be guaranteed by the provincial capital official. The person on the invitation card is a fourth-rank official who worships the Shaoqing of Dali Temple, which is equivalent to the president of the Supreme People's Court in modern times.According to Mr. Xu, this man was a good friend of the same year when he took the test, and he was upright and cunning.

"Master, is this the place?" Zhang Hu looked at the carved gate in front of him, and after confirming that there was a big colorful lion hanging in front of the gate, he asked happily.

"Yes, that's right, this is the Mu Mansion." The surname of the person on the greeting card is Mu, and it is written on the cover that Brother Yuanxiu personally invited him.

"Let's go up and knock on the door."

Chu Ci stepped up the steps, and before he reached the door, he blocked two spears in front of him.The guard at the door shouted: "The house of the fourth-rank officials is an important place, and idlers are not allowed to approach."

"Thank you, I'm here to visit Master Mu."

"My lord, did you just meet him as soon as you said you would? Pass a greeting card to the side door first!"

"Thank you both." Chu Ci snubbed his nose, then led Zhang Hu around to the left, and he saw a side door as big as an ordinary house.

A small window was opened next to the side door, and there was a person sitting by the window inside, and there were many people queuing up outside the window to hand out postings.

Dali Temple is in charge of prisons, and there are countless people who want to see him.Chu Ci wanted to go to line up, but Zhang Hu rushed over first.

"Master, you wait under the sun, I stand here and line up."

Chu Ci nodded, without arguing, he found a place to bask in the sun slowly.

There was no wind in the capital today, and the sun was warm on his body. Standing under the wall, Chu Ci felt a little drowsy.

"Master, we're almost here." Zhang Hu yelled vigorously, and Chu Ci opened his eyes only to realize that he seemed to have dozed off.

He walked over, and the man just took the greeting card from Zhang Hu.He glanced casually, then widened his eyes again.

"Master Xu was originally under Mr. Xu's family. Why didn't you come in directly, instead of queuing up, it seems that we are negligent. The villain, let someone inform you, come in and sit down, and drink a cup of hot tea first."

"Thank you very much." Chu Ci didn't know that Mr. Xu's face was so big.

……

"My lord! There is a greeting card here, do you want to read it now?"

Master Mu sat at the table, held a cup of tea in his hand, and took a few sips: "Which one is it from? Didn't I say, don't take the unimportant ones?"

"This greeting card was handed over by Mr. Xu from Yangxin Mansion, do you want to read it now?"

"Brother Xu? Take the post here."

Mu Yuanxiu took the invitation card, opened it, and asked, "Where is the person who voted for the invitation card now? Hurry up and invite him!"

"It's at the concierge, and I'll call for someone right away."

Chu Ci sat for about a cup of tea before seeing someone pass it on.He adjusted his clothes, and then asked Zhang Hu to wait here, while he walked slowly behind him.