91-100

Chapter 91

The town is so small that everyone knows which children are good and which are naughty. There are several opinions about why Lin Zhen sent his stepson Gu Shuanzi to study with Master Xu. Some say that he is loyal and righteous. He is still so good to his stepson even after his husband died. He would not be so good even if it was his own child. Some say that he is stupid. Gu Shuanzi does not look like a likable child. Even if Lin Zhen supports him to study, he will not respect Lin Zhen when he becomes successful in the future. He may even drive him out after getting married. Another opinion is that all this is a show by Lin Zhen for others to see. If he had not made money from Qian Jingyuan and Gu Da, he would not be able to open this shop. The money spent on Gu Shuanzi is just a drop in the bucket. It is just a pretense.

Now Gu Shuanzi is going to take the Tongsheng exam. Those who like to watch the fun are talking about this and that every day, waiting to see the joke of Lin Zhen's empty-handedness.

"That's right. He just went to study with Master Xu last year. I thought I heard it wrong when he said he was going to take the Tongsheng exam before the New Year." Lin Zhen and Shopkeeper Cen had the same idea. Gu Shuanzi was not very old, so he just needed to practice and exercise his courage. It would be better if he could pass the exam, but it didn't matter if he didn't. "Shopkeeper Cen, you eat first. I'll go make something for the child. By the way, I remember the shopkeeper's wife said she wanted to eat a small cake last time. I'll make it after the child takes the Tongsheng exam and ask her to try it then."

"Okay, I'll tell her when I get back. She'll definitely be happy." Shopkeeper Cen is a wife slave. He is more attentive and considerate to his wife than to his children. Since Lin Zhen opened this snack restaurant, he comes for half a month every month, either spicy hot pot or milk tea. In the summer, he never stops having sour plum soup.

The small cake that Lin Zhen made some time ago was even more amazing. When he saw the sky and the earth, he wanted to just use the gap between his teeth to get a little bit.

Lin Zhen ignored the business in the shop in front and took Gu Shuanzi back to the backyard, steamed white rice, fried a few dishes, waited for him to finish eating and let him go to sleep for a while, and when it was time, he woke him up and went to the county government office with him.

The three-day exam was over in the blink of an eye, and several children, including Gu Shuanzi, were pale. It was obvious that the three-day high-intensity exam was very tiring. Wang Qin hung behind Gu Shuanzi like a little tail, constantly comparing the answers to the test papers with him. Sometimes he was so happy that he wanted to jump up, and sometimes he almost cried out loud. His expression was so rich that Lin Zhen wanted to laugh.

He patted Wang Qin's head and said, "Don't think about it after the exam. The answers on the test paper will not change because you think about it. If you can't do it this time, try again next year. As long as you are persistent, you can grind it through with water grinding."

Huang Yuwen, Chen Xing and others were not sure if they could pass the exam, so they filled in the answers that were next to each other when doing the questions, regardless of whether they were correct or wrong.

After the exam, the next step was to wait for the county government to post the results in half a month.

In the county government, the county magistrate, the chief clerk and the secretary were the first to review the papers. They would pick out the papers with large blanks, irrelevant answers or too many mistakes. These were the first to fail. Then they would take the remaining papers to the county magistrate, who would select the top 60.

It took a lot of time to read more than 300 papers. The chief clerk was sitting behind the desk and reading the papers. He saw the legal advisor coming in and said, "Have you finished reading the papers over there, brother Wan? You're much faster than me?"

Wan Cai drank the tea on the table without any politeness, and walked to his side to read the papers on his desk and said, "I haven't finished reading them yet. The quality of this class of students is really sloppy. It's okay if they don't answer the questions well, but there are not many words that can be read

. It hurts my eyes." Both of them are locals. Wan Cai's position as a legal advisor was passed down from his family, but the chief clerk was different. He was a scholar who had no hope of passing the imperial examination for many years. It happened that the county government was recruiting people at that time, so he signed up and passed the examination of the county magistrate without spending a penny. Although the two people with different backgrounds usually respect each other, they are the only ones who know the inside story.

So Wan Cai was a little confused when he came here. Could it be that this Wan was kicked in the head by a horse and came to get close to him?

But since Wancai had come, he couldn't close the door and call him out, so he casually said, "I do have a few decent ones here, not as bad as Brother Wan said."

"Oh, what are their names?" Wancai looked like he wanted to know.

The chief clerk shook his head, "I just glanced at them casually, how can I remember so many things in my head? But the final decision on whether they are good or not still depends on the adults, and what we say doesn't count."

There was a problem. The chief clerk looked at Wancai's look and felt that something he didn't know must have happened, and the trigger of this matter might be on himself, so Wancai was so active, but after thinking about it, he still couldn't think of anything worth Wancai's attention recently, so he could only wait and see. Wancai

was actually looking for Gu Shuanzi's test paper, and now was the best time to take action. The test paper was in the hands of the three of them. As long as they found it and destroyed it, the other two would not notice that one or half of the test paper was missing. It would be troublesome if he presented it to the county magistrate, and it would be difficult to take action.

Wan Cai pretended to be very interested in the few acceptable papers mentioned by the chief clerk, and took a paper next to the chief clerk: "Wang Qin? I remember that the son of the Wang family who is good friends with Brother Lu is called Wang Qin, and his handwriting is not bad."

Wang Qin has been studying with Master Xu for almost two years. He has been forced to practice his handwriting for two years. If his handwriting is not good, Master Xu's reputation will be ruined.

The chief clerk did not hide his friendship with the Wang family and said: "It is indeed him."

"Let me take a look," Wan Cai said to the chief clerk while holding Wang Qin's paper, "his answers are also good, and he wrote a lot. He must be among the top 60."

"..." The chief clerk was very upset when he heard this. Although Wang Qin was the son of his good friend, looking at Wang Qin's paper, even he himself said what Wan Cai said. Wang Qin's answer was not very bad, but it was not good either. It could only be said to be mediocre, stuck on the line that could be marked as failed and submitted to the county magistrate for a look.

If he didn't know Wang Qin's father, the chief clerk might have chosen the first option in a few seconds, but for the sake of their long-time friendship, he let it go. After all, there was no fixed number of papers to be submitted to the county magistrate, and it would not be unfair to other students if he submitted one more. The power of life and death of whether he was among the top 60 depended mainly on the county magistrate, and he would also have an explanation to Wang Qin's father.

And then Wancai thought that Wang Qin and Gu Shuanzi were in the same examination room, and they were sitting not far from each other. Since Wang Qin's paper was already at the top, Gu Shuanzi's paper must be in the lower papers or in the stack that the chief clerk had looked at.

He flipped through them casually, and the papers passed by his fingers one by one. The names on them came into his sight one after another. Suddenly, his fingers stopped, and his eyes glowed.

Gu Lin.

That's right, this is it.

Wan Cai immediately wanted to pull out Gu Lin's test paper, but there was a hand pressing on the test paper: "Brother Wan, you came all the way here to look through it. Could it be that there are relatives of yours among the students of this class and you want to help your relatives?" Wan

Cai's hand was already holding Gu Lin's test paper, and he said with a fake smile: "Brother Lu, you really wronged me. I heard from Brother Lu that you had seen some good test papers, and I wanted to take a look too."

The chief clerk took the test paper in his hand to the other side: "No matter how good they are, they are not all test papers for the Tongsheng examination. Brother Wan really cares too much about it."

Wan Cai looked at the chief clerk with unkind eyes and withdrew his hand, knowing that this old man who had been at odds with him for many years had become suspicious. If the destruction of the students' test papers was done quietly, only heaven and earth knew about it, and he himself knew about it, then it would be just a trivial matter. But if this old man knew about it, he would not be able to bear the accusation of disrupting the imperial examination.

He smiled and said, "Brother Lu is really making a fuss over nothing. It's just two test papers."

"Since Brother Lu won't let me see them, I'll go back and treat Brother Lu to a drink another day."

"Brother Wan, take care. I won't see you off." Given their relationship, it would be more appropriate for them to drink his funeral wine. Looking at Wan Cai's leaving back, the chief clerk sat on the chair for a while and pulled out the test paper that Wan Cai had just been holding. He saw the words "Gu Lin" written next to the name. Then he looked at the student's answers and nodded. "Okay, okay, that's exactly what you mean."

Then he suddenly remembered that this was the test paper that Wan Cai came to find. Originally, he thought that Wan Cai wanted to put this test paper into the pile for initial review to give this backdoor student a chance to gain some points. But now he is a little uncertain. This test paper is definitely ranked first among those he has seen, so why would Wan Cai bother to do this?

The chief clerk couldn't figure it out, so he first put Gu Lin's paper into the pile that had been passed, and then took it up and put it into the abandoned bamboo basket after a while. It was impossible for him and Wan Cai to reconcile, and there was no possibility for the two families to shake hands and make peace. The paper handed over by this student undoubtedly made Wan Cai get what he wanted. If he wanted to blame someone, he should blame this person for being related to Wan Cai.

The chief clerk looked at the paper of the student named Gu Lin in the bamboo basket and began to read the following.

More than 200 papers were coming to an end on the fourth day. Seeing that he would have no chance if he didn't take action, Wan Cai was restless, but he didn't dare to act rashly. That day, he suddenly heard that something happened at Lu Zhubu's home, and hurried out. He couldn't help clapping his hands and sighing that even God was helping him. He immediately found a reason to get rid of the people at Lu Zhubu's office and slipped in without anyone noticing.

The county government office was not big. Except for the courtroom in front, there were places for their subordinates. The layout was the same. On the day when Wan Cai and the county magistrate were supervising the exam, he saw the county magistrate look at Gu Lin's paper and casually said that it was okay. He thought it would pass the initial review without any problems, so he didn't even look at other places. He went directly to the pile of papers that had passed the initial review that Lu Zhubu had divided.

But he couldn't find it after flipping through most of them.

"Why is it not there?" Wan Cai flipped through all the papers, but didn't even see the shadow of Gu Lin's paper. "Impossible?"

Thinking that his eyes were blurry, Wan Cai slowed down and flipped through it again. "Could that old guy know that I want to take his paper and hide it in advance?"

Suddenly, footsteps were heard at the door, followed by the voice of the servants saluting Lu Zhubu: "Master Zhubu."

Wan Cai didn't expect Lu Zhubu to come back so soon. He cursed inwardly and swept his eyes around the room. He moved his body and hid under the resting bed in the room.

Lu Zhubu pushed open the door and walked in. He was halfway there when he met the servants of his family. They said that the matter had been resolved and he didn't need to go back, so he turned around and went back to the county government office.

He looked at the papers left after the first review, glanced into the discarded bamboo basket, and retracted his gaze.

All the papers had been reviewed and could now be handed over to the county magistrate, who would make the final decision.

Lu Zhubu took the papers that had passed and walked to the county magistrate's office.

Wan Cai hid under the bed trembling with fear. When he could no longer see Lu Zhubu's feet, he quickly climbed out from under it and saw that the papers that had passed the first review on the table were no longer there. He cursed the old man for being so anxious and delaying what he wanted to do.

He didn't dare to stay here and be caught by Lu Zhubu, so he slipped out while the servants outside went to the toilet.

The papers that the three of them had reviewed for the first time were quickly handed in. The lazy county magistrate had to complete the selection of the top 60 within the next eleven days.

This is County Magistrate Yu Xi#

Time passed slowly. Half a month is just a blink of an eye for many people, but it was like a year for the students who were concerned about the results of the Tongsheng exam.

On the day when the county government was going to post the results, Wang Qin, Huang Yuwen and Chen Xing came to call Gu Shuanzi early in the morning. Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen were accompanied by servants, and Chen Xing was alone. Wang Qin turned left and right, wishing to trample the backyard down: "It's over, it's over, I don't think I can pass, what should I do, my mother just wanted to go with me, I'll take everyone and run away."

Huang Yuwen said: "You have to go back, auntie has to know."

"I don't care, it's okay if it's a little later."

"If I were Gu Lin..." Wang Qin looked at Gu Shuanzi, who was not anxious at all as usual, and just wanted to cry for a while.

In fact, he was not the only one who felt the same way. Huang Yuwen and Chen Xing also felt the same way. This year's questions were too difficult. They felt exhausted when answering the questions. They were not optimistic about their chances of passing the five exams. However, neither of them was as loud-mouthed as Wang Qin, so they kept it to themselves.

Gu Shuanzi walked up to them and said, "Let's go and see the list."

Lin Zhen naturally followed them. As soon as they walked out of the shop, the shop owners who also opened shops around them said, "Boss Lin, are you going to accompany kid Gu to see the results of the Tongsheng exam? Let's congratulate Boss Lin first."

"Gu kid only started studying last year, but he took the exam this year. I heard that the Tongsheng exam is very difficult, and many people didn't pass it. Why didn't Boss Lin stop him? We can't be too hasty."

Chapter 92

Lin Zhen has heard too many of these words. There are even more extreme ones, such as those who think that Gu Shuanzi failed the exam and that it was a waste of time. In addition, those who still hold on to the matter between Lin Zhen and Qian Jingyuan say that Lin Zhen wanted to rely on Gu Shuanzi to pass the exam and thus change his own reputation.

Lin Zhen pretended not to hear them and did not take them to heart.

Soon, the group arrived at the county government office. There were so many people who came to see the list, even more than on the day of the exam. Adults and children squeezed forward desperately.

Lin Zhen said to Gu Shuanzi, "Let's wait for them to see it first. There are so many people, and we don't know when we can squeeze in."

"Oh, Uncle Lin, why are you like Gu Lin? Just now on the road, he said that there would be a lot of people, and it doesn't matter if you come a little later. Don't you want to see the list earlier?" Wang Qin was anxious and said to the two servants who came with him, "You two must squeeze in to see our names."

"Yes." The young master of the family gave the order himself, and the two servants naturally rolled up their sleeves and squeezed in like squeezing sardines into a can.

Huang Yuwen, who was usually gentle, couldn't help it. Like Wang Qin, he ordered the servants around him to see the list. Only Chen Xing, who was alone, and Gu Shuanzi, who was not anxious, were left.

"Dang--"

A gong sounded suddenly in the noisy crowd, and a team of yamen runners walked out of the county government. The yamen runner holding the list of this year's Tongsheng exam walked in front, followed by two yamen runners, one of whom held a wide knife and the other held a gong to remind the students to move away from the place where the list was posted, and then posted the list.

Boom!

The already crowded crowd became even more crowded, like a small zombie siege.

Lin Zhen and a few children stood a little further away, looking at the somewhat crazy scene, and felt that they had underestimated what the imperial examination meant to people at that time. If it was just the Tongsheng exam, what about the Xiucai exam, Juren exam, Jinshi exam, and even the Palace exam? No wonder Fan Jin became crazy after passing the exam.

"I passed, I passed!" A middle-aged student in his forties saw his name on the list and happily grabbed the shoulders of his old wife beside him, almost jumping up with joy. The people who hadn't squeezed in yet looked at him enviously and squeezed in even harder, hoping that they could also pass, while those who didn't find their names were lost, as if they had lost their lives. After studying for

many years, not even passing the Tongsheng exam was really too torturous.

Seeing them like this, Wang Qin, Huang Yuwen, Chen Xing and others were even more nervous, licking their lips and picking their fingers.

Suddenly, the servant next to Huang Yuwen, who had squeezed in to see the list, came out with messy hair, "Master, Master--"

"How is it, did you see my name?" Huang Yuwen could no longer sit still, and ran to the servant.

The servant took several breaths before breathing evenly: "Yes, I saw your name, it's the 25th!"

Huang Yuwen was stunned, and then he grabbed the servant's hand tightly: "Really! I'm the 25th!"

"I saw it clearly, it's really the 25th."

"Good, very good." Huang Yuwen is the youngest child in the family. The whole family loves him from top to bottom. They also coveted great expectations when sending him to school. From the beginning, they were aiming for him to pass the imperial examination and become an official. Huang Yuwen usually doesn't show it, but the pressure on him is much heavier than Wang Qin, who can give up at any time.

Now he has finally taken this step smoothly and lived up to the expectations of his family.

The servants around Wang Qin hadn't come yet, but he couldn't help it and asked the people around Huang Yuwen: "Did you see my name?!"

The servant said: "I also saw Master Wang's name, ranked 59th."

Wang Qin's body softened immediately. He was ranked 59th and was almost thrown out. He patted his chest and said: "It's not bad, I won't be punished when I go back."

Chen Xing heard that both of them passed and wanted to know his own, but he was just Wang Qin's follower, so he didn't dare to order the servants around Huang Yuwen, so he ran directly into the crowd.

Wang Qin, who finally came back to life, still remembered Gu Shuanzi and asked the servant: "Did you see the name Gu Lin? He learned better than us, so the nouns should be in front."

They were often together, so the servant knew the name Gu Lin, and frowned and said: "I didn't see Master Gu's name, maybe I was too anxious and didn't notice it."

Gu Shuanzi and Lin Zhen's hearts moved, and there were some ripples.

Suddenly, someone in the crowd asked, "Who is Gu Lin?"

"He seems to be the son of the owner of Zhenyouwei Snack Shop on Zhazi Street."

"It's him?"

"What happened to him?"

Chen Xing, who had gone to check his results, ran back and said, "Gu Lin, you are the first."

The name Gu Lin spread among the crowd along with the first place. The voices that were mixed with most of the rumors when entering the examination room changed at this time.

Gu Shuanzi knew that he had studied well, but he also understood the truth that there are always people who are better than you. Hearing that he had taken the first place in the five Tongsheng exams, he couldn't help but show a little joy. He looked at Chen Xing: "What about you?"

The expression on Chen Xing's face was indescribable: "I'm in forty-third."

The four of them, one first, one twenty-fifth, one forty-third, and one fifty-nine, all passed this exam. As long as they pass the four Tongsheng exams in the prefecture, they will be real Tongshengs and have the qualifications to participate in the provincial exams and become scholars.

A scholar may not be worth much in other places, but in the town, he can open a school like Master Xu to recruit students, completely separate from the poor people, and not have to rely on the weather for food.

Lin Zhen rubbed his kid's head: "I didn't expect you to do so well in the exam. Let's go home and celebrate."

Gu Shuanzi's first place in the five county exams soon spread with the return of the students. Those who spoke in a sarcastic way either pretended not to see Lin Zhen or approached him warmly as if they had not said anything before.

Lin Zhen's celebration for Gu Shuanzi was limited to his own home. He cooked a delicious meal. After all, this was only the first half of the Tongsheng exam. He had to go to the city to take the second half. It was not a good thing to be too ostentatious. Even when the eldest and second brothers Lin sent things to ask him about it, he only said that he passed, and did not say that Gu Shuanzi got the first place.

The town's Tongsheng exam was held in February, while the prefectural city's Tongsheng exam would not start until April. However, the town was far from the prefectural city, so half a month after getting the results, Lin Zhen began to make arrangements to go to the prefectural city. He also learned that Chen Xing's family really couldn't raise the money to go to the prefectural city, so he simply took him along, as well as Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen, who did not need his care and had their own servants to take care of them.

Gu Shuanzi also learned a few years later that his Tongsheng exam was very dangerous. The county magistrate's legal advisor and the chief clerk had their own thoughts and threw his paper into the pile of failed papers. If he hadn't handed in his paper in advance that day, the county magistrate had seen his paper and had some impression of him. When he reviewed it for the last time, he didn't see his paper and asked a question casually. He might have been stuck in the hands of the legal advisor and the chief clerk.

The county exam was supervised by the county magistrate, legal advisor, chief clerk, and county magistrate. As long as he succeeded once, he would just do it.

In April, the Tongsheng exam began. Because the more important provincial exam was coming up, this Tongsheng exam was a little bleak in comparison, but the students involved also felt nervous.

Half a month later, the government office posted the results of the Tongsheng exam, and Gu Lin's name appeared in the first place again.

The provincial exam was no longer an exam for a small town, and there were students from all over the country.

The first place among thousands of people was far from being comparable to the first place in the county exam.

Huang Yuwen did not perform well this time, and narrowly missed the last place. Chen Xing's ranking was similar to his, and he was also one of the last few.

Wang Qin, who barely passed the county exam, was not so lucky this time. He searched for more than ten times but still could not find his name, so he did not pass the exam.

Because the prefectural exam for admission of scholars was held only once last year, and the next one would be held two years later, Chen Xing returned to the town to continue studying with Master Xu. Huang Yuwen, who passed the exam as a student, and Wang Qin, who did not pass the exam, were sent letters from their families to stay in the prefectural city. The Huang and Wang families had already found a teacher for them, and they must have some results in the imperial examination.

Lin Zhen originally planned to take Gu Shuanzi back to the town, but the prefectural city, which was much more prosperous than the town, gave up his idea. He simply gave the shop in the town to Brother Lin and Brother Lin as a share, and gave them the recipe for spicy hot and sour plum soup cold noodles, and asked them to give him 30% of the net profit every quarter.

Originally, he had a 40% profit, but since Lin Xiaoyao had worked with him for several years, he gave Lin Xiaoyao one of the profits and wrote a letter asking Lin Xiaoyao to come to the city to work with him.

Two years later, the unknown Gu Lin suddenly won the first place in the provincial examination for recruiting scholars and became the top candidate in the provincial examination. Then people followed the clues and found out that he was the first place in the Tongsheng examination two years ago.

After becoming a scholar, Gu Shuanzi had more schoolwork and read more books. He could scare people to death by searching for broken pens.

And he had already invested in the preparation for the provincial examination three years later.

In the spring of the 45th year of Qianhui.

In the most prestigious Huaishan Academy in the city, the students bowed to the teacher and said goodbye. After the teacher left, they packed up and walked out.

Huaishan Academy has been in operation for a hundred years. The teachers who teach must be at least Juren, and there are also Jinshi and a third-rank official who resigned and returned to his hometown. It has attracted countless students to study here.

Most of the students who came from far away to study rented houses, while those with rich families bought courtyards and brought their wives and servants to take care of their daily life.

As for those who originally lived in the capital, it was more convenient, and they could go home after school.

It was just the beginning of spring, and it rained a little, as if they had returned to winter. Everyone was still wearing winter clothes, a black robe, a white quilted undershirt inside, and a belt of the same color around the waist.

This was the uniform robe of Huaishan Academy. Students must wear this robe to enter the academy, otherwise they would not be allowed to enter the academy.

Gu Lin put all the books into the new schoolbag he made this year, and walked out with it on one shoulder. He was fourteen years old this year, fifteen years old in lunar age. His height soared in the second half of last year, almost the same as the tallest student in Class A.

The price of rapid growth in a short period of time was that he was too thin. The black robe of the academy was blown by the wind, and the big sleeves were blowing, as if he was going to ride the wind away.

It was raining and the customers in the store could not leave, so Lin Zhen asked the waiter to add a stack of melon seeds and a pot of tea to each table. He was taking a pen to do the bill and suddenly saw Gu Lin collecting his umbrella under the eaves. He put down the account book and walked up to him: "Why are you wet? Didn't you have an umbrella with you?"

Lin Zhen's height had been fixed a few years ago, only 1.7 meters after rounding off. He looked at Gu Lin, who was as tall as him, or even a little taller, and felt that he had fed the child too successfully. Who could have seen that Gu Lin was like a kitten when he first took over.

Gu Lin folded up the oil-paper umbrella and placed it outside in a drain tube specially used for umbrellas: "It's windy and rainy over there at the academy, and some of it was blown away."

"I don't know what's wrong with the weather. It's so cold even in spring," Lin Zhen looked at the wet hem of his wide sleeves and the robe that stuck to his calves, "Go take a hot bath, I'll make you some ginger soup."

"Boss Lin, this is your son who studies at Huaishan Academy. How old is he this year? Has he got married?"

"He's only fourteen this year, how can he get married." Several people in the store are old customers. They all know that Lin Zhen has a son studying at Huaishan Academy, and they also know that Gu Lin is very knowledgeable. Not only is he in Class A, but he is also the top student in Class A. He will take part in the provincial examination this year.

The person who was talking did have this in mind. He looked at Gu Lin and said, "You can wait and see for now. It will be the right time to get married when you are fifteen or sixteen. I have a niece who is exactly the same age as him. She is kind-hearted and pretty. She is a good match for him."

Lin Zhen looked helplessly at his little boy whose hair stood up a little. He hurriedly said, "Let's wait and see in two years. The guests can eat first."

Lin Zhen didn't know what was wrong with Gu Shuanzi. He was always a little weird in the past year. Whenever he heard someone talking about marriage to him, his expression didn't change much, but it was cold. If someone talked about marriage to him or introduced him to a good man, he would be even worse. He wanted to make the person who was talking run away immediately. It was not

until these two days that he came up with some clues. Maybe he had brought him up since he was a child, so this kid regarded him as his biological father. He thought that if he married or he married, he would not be so close to him, and he was making trouble.

Five years ago, when he came to the capital, Lin Zhen used the money he earned from running a shop to rent this shop. At first , he sold spicy hot pot and cold noodles like the previous snack shop. Gradually, he had more spare money, so he rented the shop next to it, connecting the two sides. One side sold spicy hot pot, cold noodles and hot pot, and the other side specialized in selling milk tea and small cakes.

Up to now, he has saved nearly 10,000 silver.

Behind the shop is the living area. Since he rented the two shops together, he deliberately put the place for cooking ingredients on the right side, and the left side is where he, Gu Lin and Lin Xiaoyao live.

Lin Zhen took out the new custom-made clothes he had just brought back yesterday from the box and put them on the hanger in Gu Lin's room: "There is hot water on the stove, add cold water and you can use it. Oh, and..."

Lin Zhen turned his head and found that Gu Lin was standing two steps behind him, facing him with a more handsome face as he grew older. He didn't know how long he had been standing there.

Chapter 93 The

original body's memory contained Gu Da's face, but Gu Lin only looked three-tenths like Gu Da. The only thing he inherited was his height. He was over 1.7 meters tall at the age of 14. No one knew where he would end up.

He was born with an unfeeling face. Although he was handsome, he made people feel that he was difficult to approach.

Lin Zhen couldn't help but sigh that time passed so quickly. It seemed as if he could touch his head casually yesterday, and he could hold him on his knees the day before yesterday. In the blink of an eye, he had become an adult, and he was taller than him...

Lin Zhen was really confused about the fact that Gu Lin was taller than him, and he still couldn't react to it.

It was also from this time that he gradually stopped calling Shuanzi, because it didn't match Gu Lin's current appearance, it was too weird.

Lin Zhen really wanted to take two steps back and put some distance between him and the boy, so that he could not look down at him. Gu Lin spoke first: "Uncle Lin, if someone asks me about my marriage in the future, you can say that I have a boyfriend who is engaged to me. I will marry him after I pass the imperial examination, so that they don't have to ask again."

"?"

"Do I know the boyfriend you have an engagement with?" Gu Lin never lied, and Lin Zhen was shocked.

Gu Lin looked at him: "Just tell them so."

Lin Zhen realized that he felt that it was troublesome to deal with those people every day, so he used this excuse to evade people. But it was okay this way. Fourteen years old was indeed a little young, and he was in the critical period of studying. If he passed the imperial examination, he would be assigned to an official position somewhere, and it would not be too late to consider marriage later.

Lin Zhen nodded: "Okay, I'll do as you say in the future. How are your studies recently? Are they going well?"

"It's the same as before. The teacher teaches very hard," Gu Lin said, "I got the first place in this exam, and the dean rewarded me with an inkstone."

"Our Shuanzi is amazing," Although Lin Zhen received modern education, he is not a top student. He feels a sense of respect for Gu Lin who can continue to be a top student among a bunch of top students. This is a sense of pride that I raised him. His two slightly round eyes looked at Gu Lin with joy, "Show me your inkstone later, and see how it is different from the ones sold outside.

Gu Lin was stared at with such an eager gaze, and his whole body was stunned for a moment, and his tone suddenly became anxious: "Uncle Lin, I'm going to take a shower. "

He picked up the clothes that Lin Zhen brought over and went to the room specially used for washing on the side of the wing.

Lin Zhen watched him take a few big strides and turned into the bathroom. Without thinking too much, he scraped a few pieces of old ginger, added sugar and boiled it into ginger soup. After a while, Gu Lin came out after taking a bath, changing into his newly customized sky-blue robe. The silk ribbon around his waist was white, hanging from the waist to the calf, swaying with the movement of Gu Lin walking.

Lin Zhen handed him the boiled ginger soup: "Why did you wash your hair too? It's so cold."

Gu Lin gathered his hair aside and wiped the water with a cloth towel: "It's uncomfortable."

"I don't know who you inherited this cleanliness from. "Lin Zhen meant what he said. He felt that he was a man. Although he loved cleanliness, it was enough for him to take a bath and change clothes every two days.

Gu Lin was different. He had to take a bath in the morning before going to school and before going to bed at night. It was just because his long hair was troublesome that she had no choice but to follow his rhythm and wash once every two days.

Moreover, this kid's hair was longer and thicker than his, so it was troublesome every time he washed it. As

Lin Zhen spoke, he put the ginger soup in his hand, got up to get a new cloth towel and a hair dryer, added a few pieces of red-hot charcoal in it, and used the cloth towel to hold the porcelain hair dryer to scoop his hair over.

The distance between the two people was suddenly close, there was the spicy smell of ginger soup, the smell of bath beans, and a hint of inexplicable smell emanating from Gu Lin.

After living together for so many years, Lin Zhen no longer hid anything in front of Gu Lin. He immediately lowered his head and sniffed at his collar: "Did you get something contaminated somewhere today? What a strange smell? "

Gu Lin paused as he was holding the bowl. He could feel his body suddenly changing. And what kind of taste was that? He and Lin Zhen were together every day, and they ate and used the same things, without any difference, except for what he had just done in the bathroom.

Gu Lin moved aside a little, his voice hoarse with puberty: "The ginger soup is too spicy, I'll add some sugar."

"?"

"Spicy?"

He always ate the soup the way he made it, and suddenly he said it was spicy?

Lin Zhen looked at Gu Lin's back, touched his nose, and poured a little from the pot of ginger soup to taste it. The taste was just right, the spiciness and sweetness of ginger intertwined into an acceptable taste, and even a bit of good taste.

Lin Zhen put the bowl down and sighed. Children in puberty were too strange.

Gu Lin, who had fled in a panic, looked at Lin Zhen outside through the window in the kitchen. Lin Zhen seemed to be forever frozen in time, thinking of himself from When Gu Lin picked her up from the grave, her eyebrows were long and curved, her eyes were round and childish, but the corners of her eyes were charming and lingering.

He drank the ginger soup in the bowl without adding sugar.

The rain came quickly and left quickly. After it stopped, a few rays of sunset appeared in the sky, as red as the dye used to dye auspicious objects during the New Year, and the roofs of the houses were all reflected in red.

Gu Lin told Lin Zhen that he accidentally spilled sugar on himself when he went to add sugar, so he took another bath.

Soon, the sky darkened . Lin Xiaoyao came down, led the waiter to clean both sides of the store, and returned to the backyard, picking vegetables and cooking with Lin Zhen.

After so many years, Lin Xiaoyao stayed in the store every day. His skin is much whiter than before. His face is somewhat similar to Lin Zhen, but not as delicate as him. In the eyes of others, his appearance is better than many people. The

first year when the three of them came to the capital, the store business was busy. In the second and third years, there were people who came to ask Lin Zhen and Lin Xiaoyao about marriage. Lin Zhen asked him what he thought, and knowing that he had no such idea, he refused them all.

However, the people in Liyu Village in the town have asked about this matter every time they wrote in the past year. If it were closer, I am afraid they would want to put Lin Xiaoyao in a sedan chair and carry her to her husband's house immediately.

You know, Lin Xiaoyao is already 21 years old this year, and other brothers and sisters would have children running away at this age.

It was difficult for Lin Zhen to ask when Gu Lin was around. After Gu Lin returned to his room, he said: "Dad sent another letter this month, saying that he had found a family in the town for you and asked you to go back to see it. "

"Our store is so busy, how can we spare the time? I'll write a letter and send it back later to let father go back."

"But I saw in father's letter that if you don't go back, he will come to the capital to find someone," the two have been together for so many years, and there is no need to say more about their deep feelings. Lin Zhen said, "I want to ask you what you think. Do you have no such plan in recent years, or do you have plans but are not finalized?"

"..." This question hit the point. Lin Xiaoyao didn't know how to answer. He looked at his brother, and after a while said, "I don't want to hide it from you, and I won't hide it from your third brother. I have someone I like, but him and I... are like mountains and seas between us. There is no possibility at all."

"Is it Zhong Yan?"

"Yes. "

Lin really understood.

In fact, he had a vague feeling before that every time Zhong Yan came, Lin Xiaoyao would talk less than usual, and unconsciously became a little shy, but Zhong Yan...

It's not that Zhong Yan is not good, on the contrary, he is too good.

He passed the imperial examination in the year when Gu Lin took the examination for the Tongsheng, and was famous far and wide. The dean of Huaishan Academy in the prefectural city was also very fond of him and personally wrote a letter to let him study at Huaishan Academy. However, he was unlucky in the imperial examination three years later. He fell into the water on the way to the examination and got a serious illness. He had to give up the imperial examination that year. Otherwise, he would have been a Jinshi now.

Last year, he also brought Chen Niangzi and his grandmother to the city, and copied books by himself. Chen Niang still worked in Lin Zhen's shop, and the two families had close contacts.

A few days ago, Lin Zhen heard Chen Niang say that Zhong Yan was not young anymore, and he was looking for a girl, and might get married next year.

"Third brother, I know it's impossible for me to be with him, but I don't want to go back and get married," Lin Xiaoyao showed a painful look, "So be it, I will go to Ci'an Hall to adopt a boy in the future, and raise the child, which can be regarded as leaving a care for myself."

Lin Xiaoyao was very clear about the gap between himself and Zhong Yan. Zhong Yan was a juren, and now there were so many people in the city who wanted to marry their daughters and boys to him, and he and he were obviously different in generation, and he was his junior, so no one could think of them together.

Lin Zhen could give advice and take care of other things, but he was really blind to emotional matters.

Having said that, saying anything else would only add to the trouble, so Lin Zhen simply changed the subject: "Has the manager who came to our store before made any moves recently?"

"No, the thing he said probably didn't work out."

"It doesn't matter if it doesn't work out, it's just a few cents less, but that person is very arrogant, don't neglect him even if the business doesn't work out."

"I know."

With the two stores now open, Lin Zhen has plenty of money, but according to the regulations, if you buy a store and the net profit exceeds 500 taels a month, you will be considered a merchant and pay merchant tax.

Gu Lin is studying at Huaishan Academy, and being a merchant will affect his imperial examination, so Lin Zhen's milk tea and cake shop has always been limited, with a limited amount each month, and will close after it is sold out, and reopen next month. He also has

to take care of the Malatang hot pot restaurant. Originally, according to his idea, he could merge another store to expand the business two years ago, but now he can only think about it.

The business of dealing with the wealthy families was something he had accidentally realized. He made whatever they wanted and presented it in a fancy, expensive package. He earned a lot of money and it was easy, and it was not counted in the store's profit.

It was considered good to have one or two such deals a month, but it was just a little extra and could not make him a fortune.

Chapter 94

The prosperity of the capital city is not comparable to that of a small town. Before dawn, the sound of cart wheels selling water and night incense can be heard, as well as the sound of neighbors getting up to wash and call their children.

The profit of the store cannot exceed the fixed amount of five hundred taels a month, so Lin Zhen did not want to be a diligent person. He pulled up the quilt and covered his head, and fell asleep in an instant. It was not

until the spring sunshine shone through the window that he yawned lazily, lifted the quilt and got out of bed. When he went out, he saw Gu Lin, who should have gone to school long ago, was still there. He couldn't help but calculate the time: "Why didn't you go to school today?"

"The academy organized students to go to Luoxia Mountain outside the city for an outing today. They will gather at the city gate at two quarters of the morning."

"Your academy picked a good day." Lin Zhen thought of the rain yesterday and couldn't help but hold back a smirk. These scholars in wide robes and big sleeves are afraid that they will be stuck in the mud, one step deep and one step shallow, and each of them will become a little cat.

His eyes sparkled: "Do you want to bring food?"

This is a kid going on a spring outing with his classmates. When Lin Zhen thought of Gu Lin eating with a group of peers, he thought it was fun.

Gu Lin said: "The college has arranged, Uncle Lin, students can bring their families with them. Do you have any urgent matters to deal with today?"

"Can I go too?" Lin Zhen is not a person who works hard. He has visited several places in the past few years since he came to the city, but the traffic is not smooth at this time, and he can't walk far. It doesn't seem interesting to go there once or twice.

He likes to be free. He didn't think too much when Gu Lin was still young a few years ago. Now Gu Lin is fourteen years old and is about to take the provincial examination and take the examination for a juren. He is slowly growing into an adult, and the idea in his heart has come up again.

He wants to walk around and experience different customs and cultures in person. It would be best if he could be a traveling businessman, which would be more interesting.

Gu Lin nodded, "Uncle Lin is my closest relative, so of course he can go. I heard that the pear blossoms on Luoxia Mountain are famous far and wide, and the villagers nearby will use the pear blossoms to make all kinds of food. Uncle Lin can go and try it."

Lin Zhen has been in the food business for so many years, and he has no resistance to things he has never eaten, so he immediately agreed, "Then I'll change my clothes, and you go to the front of the shop to tell your uncle."

Zhong Yan is also studying at Huaishan Academy, and he might go on this spring outing. It's not a problem for Gu Lin to bring one more person, but Lin Zhen thinks it's better to forget it.

According to how much Xiaoyao cares about Zhong Yan, meeting him will only make it harder to let go and more painful, so it's better not to meet him.

Lin Zhen quickly changed into a milky white robe. He is a boy, and a widow whose husband has died, so the color of his clothes naturally can't be too bright, and plain colors such as black, white and gray are most suitable.

Moreover, boys are different from men, and the clothes they wear are slightly different. For example, the one he is wearing has a round collar, a row of cloth buttons that are buttoned diagonally, slightly wide sleeves, and wide hems. It can be worn with pants or skirts, and looks a bit like the dress style of women in the Qing Dynasty.

In the past, in Liyu Village and the town, most people struggled to make ends meet, and many boys may have worn old clothes that were modified by their fathers and brothers. They were not elegant and inconvenient to work.

It was different in the capital city. There were many wealthy families here, and the literary style was prevalent. There was a clear distinction between boys, women, and men.

Gu Lin was a student at the academy, so he naturally couldn't wear a short brown shirt as he pleased.

Lin Zhen wore a pair of pants inside, casually tied his thick hair to the top of his head, braided it, and tied it at the end with a hairband.

Looking at the blurry figure in the bronze mirror, Lin Zhen looked sideways, took out a cloth belt from the closet, tied it around his waist, and instantly the long gown that looked a bit androgynous and looked like a skirt looked about 70% neater.

Not bad, not so awkward anymore.

He walked out and said to Gu Lin who was waiting for him in the yard: "Let's go, it will be too late if we delay any longer."

Gu Lin was a little dazed. He knew that Lin Zhen was good-looking, but Lin Zhen rarely dressed like this. The round collar made his slender white neck nowhere to hide, just like the wild rice that had just grown out of the water, as if it was sweet.

Pure and straightforward, with delicate eyebrows and eyes.

Walking down the steps, Lin Zhen found that his adopted son was lost in thought and waved his hand in front of him: "Hey, Gu Shuanzi."

"..." Gu Lin blinked with a hint of concealment and walked out with him. It was still early, and there were not many people eating in the shop. There were only two or three kittens. When they saw Lin Zhen and Gu Lin coming out from the back, they were stunned and stared at them blankly. When they got outside

, there were more people watching. The brave ones stared straight at them, while the timid ones looked at them secretly.

Gu Lin frowned slightly, shortened his steps, and walked shoulder to shoulder with Lin Zhen.

When he was almost outside the city gate, Lin Zhen saw from afar a group of students from Huaishan Academy gathered there. Huang Yuwen and Wang Qin, who were also studying at Huaishan Academy but not in Class A, saw Lin Zhen and Gu Lin and came over to greet Lin Zhen first: "Uncle Lin."

"You two came early, but you didn't bring anyone with you?"

That year, Gu Lin, Huang Yuwen, Wang Qin and Chen Xing came to the city to take the Tongsheng exam. Gu Lin got first place, Huang Yuwen and Chen Xing fell behind and barely passed, and Wang Qin didn't make the list.

Huang Yuwen and Wang Qin's families were not short of money, and they thought there were more teachers to choose from in the city, so they left the two here and sent servants to take care of their food and daily life.

The two took the Tongsheng exam and the prefectural exam for the admission of scholars that year. Wang Qin worked hard for two years and finally passed the Tongsheng exam. Huang Yuwen failed the first time and finally passed the second time.

As for Chen Xing, because his family had no money, he had been studying with Master Xu in the town. Gu Lin and the other two hadn't heard from him for several years.

If Huang Yuwen and Wang Qin once had a sense of superiority over Gu Lin and Lin Zhen because of their family background, now there is no sense of superiority at all.

They read the same books and used better pens, ink, paper and inkstone than Gu Lin, but no matter how hard they tried, they could not touch the corner of Gu Lin's robe. It was really frustrating.

Huang Yuwen said, "When Wang Qin and I came, we asked them to make their own arrangements. They serve us all day long. It's rare for them to have a day off."

"That's good. They have been away from their parents and brothers and come here for four or five years. It's okay for them to have a day of fun." The children played together. Lin Zhen was no stranger to the people serving them. There were old and young, all of them were slaves of the Huang and Wang families who sold their bodies, and they were all respectful to the two masters.

Suddenly, when they were chatting, a voice came from the front, asking them to gather according to the different classes of A, B and C. Huang Yuwen was in the middle class of B, and Wang Qin worked in the class of Tongsheng B. After hearing the news, they said goodbye to Lin Zhen and Gu Lin and went to find their own classes.

Gu Lin also took Lin Zhen to where his class was. When passing through the crowd, the students of the academy recognized him and made way for him.

"That's Gu Lin from Class A. I heard that he got the first place in this exam again."

"As the first person in Class A, he must have won the provincial exam this time."

"Who is the person he brought with him?"

"I'm afraid he is his brother. He actually brought his brother with him."

Class A was in the front, right next to the teacher who led the academy. Gu Lin stood still and saluted the teacher: "Student greets Master Ren."

The old man called Master Ren looked to be in his fifties, with a goatee, a few silver threads in his hair, and a majestic face.

He was the teacher of Class A who specialized in teaching classics. Naturally, he had a good impression of Gu Lin, a student with outstanding talent. When he saw Gu Lin coming, a rare gentleness appeared on his majestic face: "This outing is to let you students who have your heads buried in books and classics all day long have some experience."

"Yes, students will remember it." Gu Lin politely. Although he was tall, his overly thin figure looked like a bamboo that had just emerged from its shell and became a green bamboo.

Lin Zhen, who was standing one step away from him, couldn't help but admire him. It was worth it that he had been taught to hold his head high and his stomach in since he started studying. Who knows how many girls he will attract in the future.

According to the academy, the accompanying family members were divided into husbands and wives and boys and men. Husbands and wives were in one group, and boys and men were in another.

Lin Zhen was a widower, so he was naturally assigned to the group of female relatives. Then he found that there were very few husbands and wives. There were only more than 30 wives and wives among hundreds of students, and they were all relatively old. I think because of the reputation, the wives, husbands and young men of those students' families didn't want to show up. There were more

young boys and men, most of them were brothers or elders of the students. It was a very respectable thing to be able to study in Huaishan Academy, and it was nice to go outing with them.

As soon as Lin Zhen arrived among the women and husbands, his overly young face and different attire from most other boys attracted many people's attention. They had just seen clearly that the student who brought Lin Zhen here was from the Class A class, and that student was also talking to the teacher of the academy, and he was also handsome.

Their children were also in Huaishan Academy, so they were naturally familiar with Huaishan Academy. Those who could be in the Class A class must be extremely knowledgeable in the academy.

The middle-aged woman who was closest to Lin Zhen, wearing a bean green jacket and a Autumn Fragrance colored horse-faced skirt, looked at Lin Zhen and said, "My husband is very handsome. I am ignorant and have never seen him in the city before. I don't know his surname."

When someone spoke to him, Lin Zhen nodded to the woman and said, "Madam, you are too polite. I am not from the city. I just moved here a few years ago. It is normal that I have never seen him."

"As for my husband's family, his surname is Gu."

"So it is Mr. Gu. My husband's surname is Luo. It is the Luo family that does porcelain plate business in the west of the city. When Mr. Gu is free in the future, you can talk to me to relieve his boredom." Mrs. Luo's words just now were just a test. She thought Lin Zhen was the brother of that student, but she didn't expect that he was actually the father of that student. He looked too young.

To say that when she first saw Lin Zhen, she only thought that this boy was too handsome and a little bit enchanting, but she changed her impression a little after listening to him speak.

Lin Zhen felt a little strange because of what he had just said about his husband's surname being Gu. Although he was Gu Da's husband and Gu Lin's stepfather, Gu Da had died and he had never lived in Datianzi Village. When he returned to Liyu Village, everyone called him Zhen Ge'er or Lin Ge'er. When he went to the town and the capital, he was called Boss Lin. That name was really too unfamiliar.

Chapter 95

Huaishan Academy divided the classes into three categories: A, B, and C. The three categories were further divided into A-up, A-middle, A-down, B-up, B-middle, B-down, C-up, C-middle, and C-down. There were also students like Gu Lin who had passed the exam for a scholar, and Wang Qin who had only passed the Tongsheng exam and were striving for the title

of a scholar. There were many students, and their families came from different classes. Lin Zhen soon learned from the chat that most of the thirty or so people were from the A class, and there were only two families from the B class and the C class.

"Mr. Gu and Mr. Gu are good at educating their children. My daughter Luo'er admires Mr. Gu very much and often talks about Mr. Gu's excellent knowledge in front of us. It happens that Mr. Gu is here today, so I want to discuss with you and let our children be like Mr. Gu." Mrs. Luo was obviously a talkative person. After talking to Lin Zhen, she talked to him about her children in a very authentic way.

According to the court regulations, if a store operates 500 taels, it will automatically be incorporated into the business register. The Luo family's porcelain plate business should not be big.

But Mrs. Luo's tone was very strong. Lin Zhen expected that Mrs. Luo's family should have other ways to make money, and they were not from business.

He replied: "My husband has passed away. The child has become a useful person on his own. I, as a father, can't teach him anything."

"I'm really sorry. I don't know my husband..." Mrs. Luo didn't expect Lin Zhen to be a widow. She apologized quickly. The man who was secretly watching Lin Zhen didn't expect that Lin Zhen could raise a child so well after losing her husband. She couldn't help but admire Lin Zhen.

A man with a round face said: "My child also talked about Gu Xiucai. He is the youngest in Class A, but he studies very well. He also said that he wanted to be friends with Gu Xiucai, but he couldn't get close to him."

Lin Zhen thought this man with a round face was quite interesting. His expression was very lively when he spoke. He couldn't get close to Gu Xiucai and sighed three times, which made people laugh.

Lin Zhen said to him, "Gu Lin has always had a cold face since he was young, and he rarely smiles at people."

"Then I have to tell my son what Mr. Gu said, otherwise he will keep complaining to me whether he has offended Mr. Gu in some way."

"Haha." When Lin Zhen thought of the way that Gu Lin would shoot cold arrows when others approached him, he simply told him what happened with Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen when Gu Lin just went to school with Mr. Xu several years ago.

Outing is not a rush, so it is natural to walk leisurely while enjoying the scenery along the way.

So many young students wearing wide-sleeved long robes walked along the road, attracting pedestrians to look at them.

Lin Zhen, who successfully infiltrated the group of women and husbands, already knew which class their children were in, what their names were, and what they looked like. There were also those who were not sociable or unwilling to hang out with them, but Lin Zhen pretended not to see them.

Luoxia Mountain is not far from the city, and hundreds of people arrived quickly. Fortunately, God gave face and there was no sudden rain like yesterday. The soft sunlight was not blocked by clouds and sprinkled on everyone.

Luoxia Mountain is associated with the word "xia", and it is a jade color at this time of year. The towering mountain is planted with pear trees from the foot to the middle of the mountain. The pear flowers are blooming, and the light pear fragrance has become somewhat strong.

The mountain from the mountainside to the top is shrouded in clouds and mist, giving a feeling of the residence of immortals.

Not only they came for an outing, but also the people in the city, the nearby villagers, and the smart vendors set up stalls here. There are food, drinks, and fun things, which are dazzling and endless.

The students of Huaishan Academy wearing wide-sleeved long robes are too conspicuous, just like those modern stars traveling, people's eyes are all on them.

"He's a student of Huaishan Academy!"

"Then he must be a student, right?"

"Yes, my nephew goes to school there. Look, my nephew is there!"

"You are so handsome!" Some brave girl started the conversation, and immediately a group of young girls and boys started to say, "That one is handsome."

"That one is pretty and has a good temper."

"I think the one in the front is the best-looking, but he looks young."

"Which one?"

"The one in the black robe with the high nose." The girls and boys were talking, and they were afraid that their friends couldn't see him, so they pointed over and it was Gu Lin. Lin was really happy. It turned out that he was so happy to see other girls and boys like his own boy.

Not bad , not bad. The students of Huaishan Academy naturally couldn't just watch at the foot of the mountain. Under the leadership of the teacher, they divided into two rows and walked towards the mountainside. Lin Zhen took a look and called the round-faced husband: "Why don't we go buy some food and drinks? We don't know what's going on up there."

The round-faced husband was a little surprised. He had never bought things from these roadside stalls, but he was very happy to chat with Lin Zhen just now. He walked to Lin Zhen and said, "What do you want to buy, Mr. Gu?"

"I don't know yet. Let's wait and see." Lin Zhen also asked other people. Except for another woman in a blue jacket who was not conspicuous on the road, no one else bought anything. So he went to visit the stalls with the two who had the same idea. When the vendors saw the three people in good clothes, they shouted even harder: "Pear blossom cakes, fragrant and sweet pear blossom cakes, Madam and husband, buy two to try."

According to this Luoxia Mountain, the vendors were also very clever, adding more or less pear blossoms to the ingredients, which was very elegant. Lin Zhen and the two shopped around and bought shortbread, green rice balls, and honey water with pear blossoms from the vendor who was dressed the cleanest and served the best food. The honey water was in a bamboo tube and you could drink it by unscrewing the lid. Speaking of which, this unscrewable cup was brought by Lin Zhen. He used it for the milk tea and plum soup in his shop, so he specially went to the carpenter's shop to make it.

The carpenter thought this cup was very convenient and gave him ten taels of silver to make and sell this cup. After a few years, this thing is no longer rare and can be seen on these small vendors. The three of them walked back with their things and fell at the back of the pile of women and husbands. After a while, someone from the academy came up and said, "Ladies and husbands, this is a place reserved by our Huaishan Academy in advance. You can enjoy it. The pavilion next to it is ready to quench your thirst with tea and drinks." Luoxia Mountain is vast and the mountains are high. The hundreds of them are like ants here. The oldest of the three, the round-faced husband, spoke to this man, then looked at Lin Zhen: "Where do you want to go, Mr. Gu?" "This place is good, there are pear blossoms everywhere anyway, if you don't look for those remote and quiet places, it's almost the same."

The round-faced husband was amused by his indecent and unsubtle words, and looked around. Yes, there were pear trees and pear blossoms everywhere. If you don't look for those extreme beautiful scenery, it's the same everywhere. So the three of them walked to the nearest pavilion and planned to sit down there. Suddenly, a few young women saw the three of them walking towards the pavilion, and they quickened their pace and walked in first, sitting on the coolest side of the pavilion facing away from the sun. Originally, whoever arrived first would sit down, and the three of them didn't think it was a big deal.

But when Lin Zhen took two more steps forward, he saw the figure in the pavilion and frowned fiercely: "This is really a narrow road for enemies." Cai Jinzhu, who arrived before him, also saw him, and her eyes were instantly filled with malice and disgust, "It turned out to be you, how dare you come to the city, you are so brave!" There were people on both sides, and when they heard her say this, everyone around them looked over. The one who played with Cai Jinzhu was a little arrogant, shaking his handkerchief and asked: "Who is that, and is it worth your anger?"

Cai Jinzhu snorted with a sneer: "It's the bitch I told you about before, who seduced my husband, used his money to open a shop, and turned around to blame him. I didn't expect that she would follow me to the capital city like a dog-skin plaster. It's really bad luck!"

The round-faced husband and another woman who followed Lin Zhen couldn't help but look at Lin Zhen when they heard it. They had just walked with Lin Zhen and had a good impression of Lin Zhen. Who would have thought that they would hear something different here, and for a moment they didn't know whether they should stay here.

Lin Zhen's expression sank. If it was somewhere else, he could pretend that he didn't hear Cai Jinzhu's call. It's better to have less trouble than more. But today, students from Huaishan Academy came here for an outing. Gu Lin was a student of Huaishan Academy. He couldn't let Cai Jinzhu's words become a "fact". He couldn't let Gu Lin be looked at with strange eyes by others.

He looked at Cai Jinzhu: "Madam, you are so arrogant. Is this prefectural city yours and I can't come here?"

"Besides, the petition in which Madam wronged me is still in the county government office in Anyuan Town. Do you want me to copy it and stick it on your forehead? Or are you illiterate and want me to read it to you word by word?"

Cai Jinzhu instantly remembered the fifteen strokes of the board she was beaten with, and her buttocks subconsciously hurt, but she immediately remembered that this was not the county government office, but her hometown prefectural city, where her father was looking after her. She was afraid that Lin Zhen would not go to the prefectural government office, and if he went there, he would never come back.

"A silver tongue--"

"You are not as good as Madam, who is confusing right and wrong. It is obvious that you can't control your husband, but you are better at knocking the shit pot on other people's heads."

"Lin Zhen!" Cai Jinzhu was like a cat whose tail was stepped on. She almost jumped up. A few words about not being able to control her husband almost made her lose her mind. Qian Jingyuan, that bastard, has not taken her seriously since she and Lin Zhen had a lawsuit. Every day, he either drinks or stays in his room all day without coming out.

In the past few years, Cai Jinzhu has not been pregnant. Old Lady Qian urged her several times but to no avail. She simply gave Qian Jingyuan several concubines and ignored her words when she first got married.

Now there is a little bitch in the mansion who takes advantage of her pregnancy to tease her every day, thinking that she can't do anything to her because she has an illegitimate child.

Cai Jinzhu rushed to the pavilion like a whirlwind, with an aggressive momentum.

Lin Zhen looked at her: "This is a place that Huaishan Academy has marked out in advance. Although I don't mind you wrongly accusing me and attacking me with rumors, the academy is noble and will not tolerate you disrupting and running wild."

Chapter 96

The eyes of the people who followed Cai Jinzhu flickered. They were relatives who had some relationship with Cai Jinzhu. Their families relied on Cai Jinzhu's family to leak some benefits to them, but Cai Jinzhu's father was a cannibal. He would never look at anyone without money and power. Their family could only set their sights on other people in the Cai family.

For example, Cai Jinzhu, although she was arrogant, was inexplicably loved by her father. They came to explore the way for their family.

Before Cai Jinzhu brought them here, she said that this place was reserved by Huaishan Academy, so that they could open their eyes and see the young talents of Huaishan Academy.

Several of them have not yet married, so how could they not have any ideas about the students of Huaishan Academy? If they fall in love with a student with good knowledge and a chance to pass the imperial examination, it would be better than those ugly ones that their family liked.

But as Lin Zhen said, they came here secretly after all, and it would be embarrassing for others to know.

Cai Jinzhu felt a little scared when she thought of the reputation of Huaishan Academy, but she snorted and laughed at Lin Zhen, who used to sell food on the street, "Why are you, a peasant, putting on airs in front of me? I don't know how you got here. If the people from Huaishan Academy find out, just drag them out." The

round-faced man who was standing with Lin Zhen didn't want to get involved at first. He and Lin Zhen were not related, and he didn't know whether what Cai Jinzhu said was true or not. But after a few words, he didn't look down on Cai Jinzhu at all, and said, "The word 'mixed' doesn't apply to the three of us. Unfortunately, we came here with Huaishan Academy. As for you..."

"Outside the city gate, I didn't see it when the women and husbands of Huaishan Academy gathered."

Cai Jinzhu's nephew was also working at Huaishan Academy, and she also learned from her sister-in-law that the academy would bring students to go outing today, and they could invite people from home. Her sister-in-law felt that her nephew was not honorable to work at Tongsheng B, so she didn't come. She was fed up with Qian Jingyuan's dead look and the old lady Qian's special way of smoothing things over. She wanted to find a good-looking and poor scholar among the scholars, just like she did with Qian Jingyuan that day, and divorce Qian Jingyuan if she found one.

Who would have thought that she would meet Lin Zhen here.

Her face changed slightly: "Do you have relatives studying in Huaishan Academy?!"

The round-faced husband saw that the woman in front of him who was whining at the beginning was a bully who only picked on the weak and picked on the weak. He raised his eyebrows and said: "Mr. Gu's child is in the A class. Oh, by the way, he won the first place in the recent exam."

Cai Jinzhu looked like it was impossible, you must be lying to me. Five years ago, she investigated Lin Zhen thoroughly and knew that he was just a farmer, his family was poor, and he had a bad temper. Although the stepson was studying with the teacher in the town at that time, how could he be a student in the A class of Huaishan Academy and won the first place.

When the few little followers behind her heard what the round-faced husband said, their expressions changed, and they hurried up to light the candles. Cai Jinzhu: "Cousin, let's go quickly, if we are discovered by the people of Huaishan Academy..."

"What if we are discovered!?"

What if we are discovered?

They will be kicked out.

They are not like Cai Jinzhu, who married for the second time. They all want to have a good reputation and find a good husband's family.

Seeing that they could not persuade Cai Jinzhu, several people simply dragged her away.

Lin Zhen turned to the round-faced husband beside him and said, "Thank you, Mr. Yu, for speaking out for justice."

The round-faced husband waved his hand and said, "If you don't do anything wrong, you don't have to be afraid of ghosts knocking on the door. Those unruly people sneaked in. Even if I'm not here, you can handle it yourself."

"That's what you say, but how much have you really done? I must thank you." Lin Zhen felt that this round-faced husband was very much to her taste. She took out a shortbread from the ones she just bought and handed it to the round-faced husband. "The gift is small but the sentiment is great. Mr. Yu must not refuse."

There are many people who try to get close to the round-faced husband on weekdays. They can't wait to stick to him if they have a little relationship with him. No one has ever been like Lin Zhen, using a piece of cake to say that the gift is small but the sentiment is great, as if he is very grateful for what happened today, but it's too late, so he is very free and easy.

Yu Fulang smiled and took the cake: "The disturbing one is gone, let's go into the pavilion and rest for a while, my feet hurt after walking such a long distance."

"Very true, I used to be able to carry a backpack and walk dozens of miles on the mountain road, and my skin and flesh have been pampered for a few years since I came to the city, but I feel sore in just a short while." Lin Zhen called the woman who was traveling with them and sat in the pavilion.

Luoxia Mountain has beautiful scenery. Except for winter, people often come to play all year round. Even the pavilion is often cleaned and renovated, and it doesn't look dilapidated by wind and sun at all.

Lin Zhen leaned on the fence, looking at the dense pear blossoms around him, and took a few deep breaths of comfort. Just as he said just now, the calluses on the soles of his feet have been slowly replaced by tender flesh after coming to the city for a few years. Just coming here from the city gate, his calves are trembling. He is no longer the person who could carry a backpack of New Year's goods with Lin Adie and climb dozens of miles of mountain roads to visit his uncle's house for the New Year a few years ago.

"From what Mr. Gu said, you are not from Fucheng?" The round-faced man sat upright, looking dignified and majestic.

Lin Zhen, who was leaning lazily against the fence, nodded: "No, I was originally from a small village called Liyu Village in Anyuan Town under the jurisdiction of Fucheng. Later, I did business in the town, and came to Fucheng because my child took the Tongsheng exam."

"I heard Mr. Yu speak very good Kyoto dialect, so he is not from Fucheng either." It is said that the local environment and soil nurture the local people. Although it is not possible to have one dialect in each village here, there are still some differences.

Lin Zhen has been doing business in Fucheng for several years and has heard many languages ​​from other places. Kyoto dialect is a bit like modern Mandarin, but it is mixed with the current flavor and is easy to recognize.

The round-faced Mr. Yu nodded: "I was born and raised in Kyoto, and only came to Fucheng last year." He

came to Fucheng last year, and his child is enrolled in Huaishan Academy this year. It seems that this child is also a top student who should not be underestimated.

The three of them were chatting leisurely in the pavilion. The woman who came with them was a little reserved at first, but she gradually opened up under the words of the two. After the three of them finished eating the small biscuits they bought and drank half a cup of honey water, four or five women and husbands who had gone up the mountain with them but were not with them came over and said hello: "Just now, the people in the academy said that the students are going to hold an archery competition. Do you two husbands and wives want to go and have a look?"

The students' archery competition?

That means his children are also in the list.

Lin Zhen would naturally not miss it. He said to Mr. Yu who was enjoying the cool air with him and the woman: "Let's go and have a look, maybe we can cheer for the children."

"Come on?" The lady who came with them didn't understand, "How to cheer, it's uncomfortable to get oil on your body."

"..."

Lin Zhen was silent, and then he turned his head and said: "Don't we always put oil in cooking? The more oil we put, the more fragrant the dishes will be. Children's archery is just like cooking. When they see us next to them, they will get more and more excited!" Oh

my God, why is this a bit weird.

Unexpectedly, the woman understood it immediately: "That's right, the child will be happy to see us, and his grades will naturally improve. Let's go."

Lin Zhen knew from the conversation just now that this woman was a real child slave. Everything was based on her child. As long as it was good for the child, she would do it without saying anything.

He and Yu Fulang behind him smiled at each other and followed.

There were quite a lot of family members who came to watch the children's archery competition. The team gradually grew larger along the way, and there were some boys and men in it. The two parties consciously kept a distance.

Lin Zhen was 1.7 meters tall, which was considered tall among the women and husbands. He saw the students sitting on the ground from a distance. In front of them, there was a rare flat place with two arrows with tail feathers stuck on the erected target.

When the people from the academy saw them coming, they took them to the reserved place without flattery or indifference: "We have dealt with the weeds and shrubs here, and placed clean cloths. Madam and husband can see the students shooting arrows here. There is also fragrant tea over there, and someone will deliver it by then."

It should be said that it is worthy of Huaishan Academy. It is not easy to move so many things up just for an outing.

But Lin Zhen really couldn't enjoy the tea at this time. There was pepper and salt, and a bunch of messy things. In his opinion, it was not tea, it was soup, and it was a strange soup.

Honey water is better.

According to his height, he found a seat a little further back that would not block others. Mr. Yu and the slave lady also sat down. Although the mud under the cloth was a bit uncomfortable on their butts, it was not unacceptable.

Lin Zhen had sharp eyes and found that although everyone in the venue was dressed like a scholar, there were more than a dozen people who were obviously different from the people from Huaishan Academy. They sat alone in a group and were vaguely watched by the people from Huaishan Academy.

Suddenly, Master Ren, who had talked to Gu Lin, walked to the old man in his sixties among the dozen people. No one knew what they said. One of the dozen people stood up and walked to where the bows and arrows were placed.

Lin Zhen saw something. These dozen people should be from other places to challenge the academy. Huaishan Academy's outing plan was temporarily changed.

The academies that Huaishan Academy would have to deal with should be the famous academies in other prefectures. Even if it is not good, it may still be a tit-for-tat situation.

I have to say that Lin Zhen guessed right. Huaishan Academy's outing to Luoxia Mountain today is an annual arrangement. Who would have thought that as soon as they arrived at the mountain, they would meet students from Bingzhou Chenxia Academy. Both places are major states with a strong literary style and have produced many scholars, politicians and high-ranking officials.

However, Huaishan Academy focuses on classics and classics, while Chenxia Academy focuses more on practical work. Politicians and high-ranking officials from the two states often hold opposing opinions, so that the students from the two states don't see eye to eye. After

a few words of disagreement, today's archery competition began.

Chapter 97

"Wenxuan, there is no bow suitable for you here, just pick one at random."

The old man who was talking to Master Ren stroked his beard and successfully ignited the anger of hundreds of people from Huaishan Academy with one sentence. What does it mean that there is no bow suitable for you here, just pick one at random? They don't take Huaishan Academy seriously. They are really a group of barbarians who only know how to do stupid things and don't know how to adapt! After

the old man finished speaking, he looked at Master Ren: "I heard that Huaishan Academy has accepted several students with decent qualifications since I came to the city. It just so happens that the students I lead will also take part in the provincial examination this time. If everything goes well, they will be able to meet in the joint examination in August next year. Let's learn from each other and enhance their relationship."

Haha.

Master Ren's majestic face showed a smile that was more terrifying than not smiling. He couldn't say anything else to these uninvited barbarians, and said: "You are still the same as before." Just as annoying.

The old man had been dealing with Master Ren for many years, and he knew what the other party was thinking without him saying anything. He said, "Just as we said just now, for every person sent out by our academy, your academy will send out one person, and each person will have three arrows. The party with more arrows in the end will win. How about that?"

The arrow was on the string and had to be shot. What else could he do? Master Ren nodded. Since it was just an archery competition, there was no need to pick all of them from Class A. There were also people in other classes who were not as good at classics, but were quite talented in archery. "Sun Ze, you come to compete in the first round."

The age of the scholars was not all in their teens like Gu Lin. There were also slightly older ones in their twenties. However, Huaishan Academy would not accept the old scholars over 30 years old who could be seen everywhere outside. After all, Huaishan Academy accepted those who could make some progress in the imperial examinations, not ordinary people who had taken the exams for many years but still had no reputation.

The same was true for Chenxia Academy, which had only a dozen people. Even the old man could see that he had good facial features and was a handsome man when he was young.

So everyone who stood out looked good, pleasing to the eye, and full of vigor, which made Lin Zhen happy while drinking honey water.

The two students who took the lead saluted each other very friendly, and then tied up their wide sleeves with the long leather strips of sleeves.

"The first match, Chenxia Academy student Shen Wenxuan, against Huaishan Academy student Sun Ze."

As soon as the voice fell, Chenxia Academy shouted loudly: "Shen Wenxuan, don't be soft, we will give you a celebration banquet if you win!"

"Shen Wenxuan, Shen Wenxuan, Shen Wenxuan."

Shen Wenxuan also raised his bow and arrow, and his flying eyebrows were like a little tiger that had just been released.

On the other hand, Huaishan Academy was reserved and silent, just looking at Sun Ze in the field. Soon, the game between the two sides began. Two teenagers of about the same age, about 17 or 18 years old, pulled their bows one after another, and the arrows with tail feathers flew out with a swoosh. Only two loud sounds were heard, and the two arrows hit the target a hundred steps away.

There were two people recording beside the target, one from Huaishan Academy and the other from Chenxia Academy. They each reported the above results, "Chenxia Academy Shen Wenxuan, eight rings. Huaishan Academy Sun Ze, eight rings."

Luoxia Mountain has many trees, and this flat land was hard to come by. The target was a hundred steps away, and there were some trees in the middle that blocked the target. It was a very good result.

No one expected that the first arrow of the first round would be so intense, and both of them got eight rings.

The two people who stood still quickly put on the second arrow.

"Chenxia Academy Shen Wenxuan, eight rings."

"Huaishan Academy Sun Ze, seven rings."

The third arrow. "Chenxia

Academy Shen Wenxuan, eight rings."

"Huanshan Academy Sun Ze five rings."

Since the second arrow, Huaishan Academy Sun Ze fell behind by one ring, the atmosphere was a little tense. By the third arrow, many people just kept their mouths shut. Not only the students, but also the family members who came for the outing were also worried. Huaishan Academy was the face of their city, but now they lost in the first game to Chenxia Academy.

In contrast, the atmosphere of Chenxia Academy was different. After winning, Shen Wenxuan returned to the team and was surrounded by a group of people. The sound of talking and laughing was not concealed at all.

The man with a high nose and deep eyes looked at a student from Chenxia Academy who was slightly gloomy than the others and said, "This Huaishan Academy is too vulnerable. They don't know that although Wenxuan is not as good as you and me in archery, he is as calm as Mount Tai. As long as the first arrow hits the position, the next arrow will be in that position."

The student sitting cross-legged next to this person was wearing a luxurious robe and a jade crown. His eyes were not on the people of Huaishan Academy, nor on Chenxia Academy, which won the first game. He just sat in a less rigorous posture.

The student who was a little gloomy was not angry when he didn't get his answer, and continued to watch the fun.

The second archery match began.

Lin Zhen sat there, drinking honey water from time to time. It was already the fourth match. Chenxia Academy had only lost one of the second and third matches, with an overall score of two to one. Therefore, the fourth match was crucial. If they lost this match, they would not have to compete in the remaining matches. Huaishan Academy would have been defeated. If they won this match, the match between Huaishan Academy and Chenxia Academy would be evenly matched.

Master Ren tightened his hands on his knees and looked at Gu Lin in Class A: "Gu Lin, you will do this match."

"Yes, Master." When his name was called, Gu Lin stood up from the ground. The black wide-sleeved robe on his body brought a breeze and dropped a few green grass clippings.

Someone on the silent Huaishan Academy shouted, "Gu Lin, knock them out!"

In an instant, Huaishan Academy, which had been suppressed for a while, immediately became like a frying pan with water poured into it.

"Gu Lin, show them the power of our Huaishan Academy!"

"Do you think our Huaishan Academy is deserted? We'll beat them to a pulp!"

Hundreds of people shouted together, their voices almost reaching the sky.

The family members, who were also holding back their anger, saw that Huaishan Academy was so confident, which was unusual for them. They became more curious about the student who was about to participate in the fourth competition, and asked the people around them who this student was and why so many people were cheering for him.

Lin Zhen put his hands together at his mouth: "Gu Lin, come on!!!"

Gu Lin in the field seemed to have sensed something, and just like when he was a child, he looked at Lin Zhen with pupils that were slightly darker than those of ordinary people, and nodded in the direction of Lin Zhen.

Lin Zhen smiled and waved vigorously.

Chenxia Academy won two games, and seeing Huaishan Academy like this, they couldn't help but look at Gu Lin. They saw that this student still had a childish face, but his height was already outstanding among a group of students. He was very thin, with a thin waist and long legs. His face was handsome and unfeeling, and he looked not easy to approach. The

student who just won the third game said to the student who was about to face Gu Lin: "Judging from the reaction of Huaishan Academy, this student's archery skills should be very good. You have to be careful not to capsize in the gutter, or we will laugh at you for a long time."

The teacher of Chenxia Academy also knew the importance of this competition, and sent out students who were not weak, even stronger than the previous three.

The teased student looked at Gu Lin, who was tall but not as old as himself: "Don't look at those show-offs. Wait, after this match, tell them to go home."

"The fourth match between Chenxia Academy and Huaishan Academy, Shen Lezhi and Gu Lin."

Shen Lezhi was not as tall as Gu Lin, only as tall as Gu Lin's eyebrows. He walked up to Gu Lin and said, "Are you the best in Huaishan Academy?"

Gu Lin pinched one end of the leather sleeve in his hand, and used the other hand to wrap the leather upwards. His fingers were long and bony, and his ring finger was slightly longer than his middle finger. He looked very handsome holding the leather, but there was also an inexplicable feeling that he was not pinching leather, but holding a sharp weapon that could hurt people.

Facing Shen Lezhi's question, he pressed the wrapped leather into it, and looked at Shen Lezhi with dark eyes: "People in Chenxia Academy are as talkative as you."

Shen Lezhi almost couldn't hold back the anger in his chest due to his straightforward tone.

He said to Gu Lin: "Okay, very good, I want to see if your archery skills match your temper."

Gu Lin did not comment, tied up the other wide sleeve, walked to the place where bows and arrows were placed, picked up a bow that was not painted and had no extra patterns, then drew three arrows and returned to the field.

He stood with his legs slightly apart, and the bow that was slightly shorter for his height was pulled open by him, holding the bow in one hand and pinching the tail feathers of the arrow in the other.

The wide sleeves tied with leather clearly outlined the lines of his arms, and the silk ribbon on his waist quietly hung at his calves. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, and the arrow in his hand and Shen Lezhi's arrow shot out at the same time, and with a "ding" sound, they were nailed to the target fiercely.

The people from Huaishan Academy who were keeping score looked over quickly, their eyes bursting with joy, and they shouted loudly: "Gu Lin from Huaishan Academy, nine rings. Shen Lezhi from Chenxia Academy, nine rings."

The high score of nine rings only appeared once in the previous three competitions. Although the people from Chenxia Academy also shot nine rings, they got off to a good start. As long as they perform steadily in the next two arrows, they have a great chance of winning.

The gloomy-looking student on the sidelines said to the person next to him: "This person is really good. The first arrow was not thrown away by Shen Lezhi."

Shen Wenxuan, who was in the first competition, said: "This person is called Gu Lin? He is from Class A of Huaishan Academy, right? He just walked out from the front."

"No matter if he is from Class A or any other class, Shen Lezhi will not lose to him."

Lin Zhen on the sidelines was impressed by his own little boy's handsomeness. That figure and the way he drew the bow, wow, he could hear the exclamations of many wives and husbands.

Shen Lezhi didn't expect that Gu Lin shot the same number of rings as he did. His expression became more stable. He pulled out the second arrow, and soon, the result of the second arrow came out.

"Gu Lin from Huaishan Academy, ten rings."

"Shen Lezhi from Chenxia Academy, nine rings."

The third arrow.

The two people shot their arrows one after the other, and with a hiss, Gu Lin's last arrow actually broke the second arrow that had hit the ten rings from the tail to the head, nailing it firmly there, and the white tail feathers of the arrow were still trembling.

Shen Lezhi, who shot the arrow only a few seconds later than him, had his pupils widened a little, and the arrow in his hand deviated from the track, and finally shot softly at the outermost edge far away from the bull's eye.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!"

"Gu Lin Gu Lin Gu Lin!!!"

The author has something to say:

Lin Zhen: I used to not believe that the ring finger is longer than the middle finger, and that part is particularly majestic.

Gu Shoufu: Now?

Lin Zhen: I believe it QAQ

Chapter 98

The only two words on the field were Gu Lin, one after another.

Master Ren felt relieved and looked at the old man beside him: "This round, our Huaishan Academy won."

Master Ren treated Gu Lin like his own nephew. This child showed his talent in the Tongsheng Examination, won the first place in the provincial examination, and gave him countless surprises after entering Huaishan Academy. He had never seen such a smart and hardworking child. As long as the classics and the six arts of a gentleman were in front of him, there was nothing he didn't know, as if he was born with one more thing than others.

It's just that his temperament is a little gloomy and a little lonely. He didn't have any particularly good friends in the academy for several years.

But this little flaw is not a problem in front of his outstanding talent. Master Ren believes that he will shine in the provincial and imperial examinations next year, and even some clan children will not be able to compete with him.

The people from Chenxia Academy, who had never thought that Shen Lezhi would lose, fell silent for a moment. In the last arrow, it was clear that Shen Lezhi was distracted by Gu Lin, and even lost the most basic accuracy, and only got an ugly four rings.

The gloomy-looking student from Chenxia Academy looked ugly, looking at Shen Lezhi, and wanted to say something but was interrupted: "I'll do the last game."

The gloomy-looking student looked at the man in the luxurious robe beside him in surprise: "I can go, why bother you."

Ji Lizhi said: "His archery is better than yours, you can't beat him."

Unexpectedly, Ji Lizhi actually gave Gu Lin such a high evaluation. The gloomy-looking student looked at Gu Lin who was untying the leather sleeves in the field. Well, this man is so arrogant and rude, let the chief of their Chenxia Academy teach him a lesson, so as not to let people forget that the officials of Bingzhou in the court are more powerful than their officials of Luozhou.

Ji Lizhi walked into the arena and said to Gu Lin, "In the fifth round, I will compete with you."

Gu Lin's leather sleeves were half untied, and his wide sleeves had already hung down a little. He looked at Ji Lizhi and said, "This is the rule set by the two academies. Each person will compete in one round."

Ji Lizhi didn't care at all, "Unless the person who competes with me next is better at archery than you, otherwise, Huaishan Academy will definitely lose."

The two of them spoke loudly, and everyone sitting around heard it. The people from Chenxia Academy looked indifferent, while those from Huaishan Academy were vaguely worried. The best archer in their academy was Gu Lin. Since this person from Chenxia Academy could say this in front of so many people, he must have something to rely on, then...

The old man from Chenxia Academy spoke first, "Since Lizhi has... Brother Ren, please agree with this idea. "

Master Ren looked at Ji Lizhi and frowned: "Could this student be Ji Lizhi from the Bingzhou Ji family?"

The old man touched his beard and nodded: "Yes, it is this boy."

Master Ren's heart sank a little: "I heard that he is both civil and military, he can speak eloquently at the age of three, he passed the examination for a scholar at the age of seven, and became a juren the following year. His reputation has spread to Kyoto. How could he be in Chenxia Academy?" The

Bingzhou Ji family is the largest clan in Bingzhou. His great grandfather followed Taizu and was known as a counselor who calculated everything in the world. After helping Taizu win the world, he was named the chief assistant. In the following 100 years, many famous court officials and literary masters emerged from the Ji family. It is truly one of the great aristocratic families in the Dayu Dynasty.

And in this generation, the most famous is Ji Lizhi. Others say that he is like his great grandfather and has a great reputation.

Master Ren knew that a clan that had stood for a hundred years would be extremely strict in cultivating the next generation. The six arts of a gentleman were as simple to them as eating and drinking.

But poor children like Gu Lin were different. They had only a short time of contact, and they did not have a strong family background to support them in buying BMWs and bows worth thousands of gold. They also did not have so much time to learn these things. They could only gain a foothold among these noble families by accumulating more knowledge about the imperial examinations. This was also where Chenxia Academy and Huaishan Academy competed with each other. Chenxia

Academy only accepted children from noble families, while Huaishan Academy accepted everyone.

"I don't know what's going on. Maybe he thinks our Chenxia Academy has good Feng Shui."

Master Ren would be surprised if he believed this. He looked at the two people in the arena and the anxious students of Huaishan Academy around him and said, "Since Chenxia Academy has this intention, Gu Lin, you should still play the fifth game. But you have already played one game. The win or loss of the fifth game has nothing to do with you. Just do your best."

This is his most promising disciple. Master Ren doesn't want to break his character because of a game. It can also be regarded as a precaution for the students of Huaishan Academy. Gu Lin has already won a game for Huaishan Academy. If they lose the fifth game, they are not allowed to blame Gu Lin.

Gu Lin saluted: "Yes, Master."

He tied the half-untied leather strap again and took three arrows again.

Ji Lizhi, who came to get the arrows like him, said: "I have been learning archery since I was a child, and it has been fifteen years now. In order to avoid making people feel unfair, I--"

He hadn't finished speaking when Gu Lin, who was standing next to him, suddenly drew his bow and put an arrow on it. Ji Lizhi only heard the sound of an arrow breaking through the air, and saw a touch of white tail feathers in the corner of his eye. He turned around amid the exclamations of the crowd, and saw an arrow nailed to a pear tree not far away, forming an angle with the flower branches that grew horizontally, just catching the fallen bird's nest. The big bird that was flying in panic was landing on the bird's nest, and the newly hatched chicks inside were chirping, not knowing at all that they almost fell from the tall tree just now.

"There is no fairness or unfairness in this world, only doing and not doing."

Gu Lin put down the bow and arrow in his hand and walked into the field.

Ji Lizhi stood there, looking at the bird's nest supported by arrows, and raised his mouth: "Interesting." Ji Lizhi

walked to the field. He was wearing a silver-red robe similar to the style of the students of Huaishan Academy, but it made people feel luxurious at first glance. He wore jade, fan bags, purses and other things around his waist, a ring on his right thumb, and a white jade crown on his head. He was not an ordinary rich man at all.

He said to Gu Lin: "If the two of us stand here to compete in archery, it will take a while to tell the winner. So, you and I will each ride a horse, blindfolded, and ask them to throw objects in the air. The one who hits all three arrows wins. How about it?"

Riding on a horse, blindfolded, and shooting things thrown in the air, relying only on ears to hear the sound and determine the position, not only tests the charioteering in the six arts of a gentleman, but also requires extremely high archery skills.

Many students present asked themselves in their hearts whether this request was feasible, and all lowered their heads.

Gu Lin still had the same expression as before: "Yes."

Since both parties agreed to the rules, the people below quickly led the horses up. The two horses were ridden by people from Chenxia Academy, one black and one red.

The black one was obviously very familiar to Ji Lizhi, and it nudged him with its nose as soon as it came up.

Chapter 99

Gu Lin walked to the side of another reddish-brown horse, grabbed the saddle, stepped on the stirrups, and his thin body fell on the horse's back like a flying swallow.

He was tall and had long legs, and looked particularly light and agile.

But the people in Chenxia Academy were all children of aristocratic families who had been dealing with archery and horse riding since childhood. Just looking at his movements, it was clear that he was not used to riding horses. He just learned the movements but not the spirit.

The people in the academy didn't know where they got two pieces of cloth from, and handed them to Gu Lin and Ji Lizhi. Gu Lin took the cloth strips, covered his eyes and tied a knot behind his head. In an instant, it was dark in front of his eyes, and he could only hear the rustling voices of the people around him, the birdsong in the mountains and the wind.

According to the competition rules made by Ji Lizhi and him, the horses under their crotches cannot stop when the two are shooting arrows, otherwise they will lose regardless of whether the three arrows hit the target.

Gu Lin held the reins with one hand and the longbow with the other.

The people watching on the sidelines had already held their breath involuntarily, fearing that they would affect Gu Lin's performance.

Suddenly, students from both academies stood by with embroidered purses, fans, books and other things: "The fifth competition between Huaishan Academy and Chenxia Academy, Ji Lizhi, Gu Lin, starts now."

"Go." As soon as they spoke, Gu Lin and Ji Lizhi urged their horses at the same time. The horses immediately spread their hooves and ran away in the not very spacious field. The two blindfolded people riding on them only relied on the direction of the sound to identify each other's position and control the horses under them to avoid collision.

Suddenly, the students of the academy threw things in the air with all their strength, a purse with jade beads hanging on it, and a folding fan.

"Swish-"

"Swish-"

Two arrows flew out like meteors chasing the moon, hitting the folding fan and purse in the air, and shot into the pear blossom forest with the remaining force.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!"

"Hit, Gu Lin hit it!"

"Ji Lizhi also hit it!!!"

"..."

After shooting the arrow, Gu Lin controlled the reins to turn the horse's head. His tall nose was half covered by the cloth strip, but the horse's speed was not slow at all, making people wonder if he had a third eye, otherwise why wouldn't he be afraid of hitting the tree and being thrown off by the horse.

Lin Zhen looked at the boy on the horse and thought of the boy's appearance just now. Whether he was galloping or bending the bow to shoot the arrow, it was like flowing water.

Maybe others don't know, but in the past two years, the first person to get up every day was not himself, nor Lin Xiaoyao, nor even the waiter who came to work in the store, but Gu Lin.

He silently pulled the bow in the backyard, a thousand times in the morning and evening, regardless of rain or shine.

There were many bows that he had broken, just like the piles of brushes that were worn out from writing.

Lin Zhen knew that Gu Lin was very talented and a smart child, but Gu Lin was also a hardworking child. He had his own plans and places he wanted to reach.

The second arrow.

The third arrow.

The surrounding noises shook the birds in the forest so much that they flapped their wings and flew away. Judging from the sound, Ji Lizhi frowned slightly and took off the cloth covering his eyes.

The people from Chenxia Academy looked a little strange. When they saw him take off the cloth, they came over to take the bow and arrow.

"Where are my arrows?" he asked Shen Wenxuan who came to take the bow and arrow.

Shen Wenxuan, who had come into contact with him and understood his temper, was a little afraid to look him in the eye: "Shen Lezhi went to pick them up."

Soon, the people who went to pick up the three arrows came back. In order to ensure that no one cheated during the process, the people who picked up the arrows crossed each other, and the arrows they picked up were kept in the same state as when they hit the object and were not pulled out.

Shen Lezhi and another student placed six arrows in front of Master Ren and the old man. Everyone stretched their necks to look over. They saw that there were three arrows with white tail feathers and three with black tail feathers. The three arrows with white tail feathers hit a folded fan, a purse, and a ring. No one knew who put the ring in. The hole in the middle was just enough for the arrow head to pass through. A slight difference would have missed the target.

The three arrows with black tail feathers also hit an exquisite purse, a jade ring, and a small walnut-carved object.

Master Ren and the old man had seen the arrows used by the two before the competition. Gu Lin used the one with white tail feathers, and Ji Lizhi used the one with black tail feathers. Both of them hit all three arrows, and the objects they hit were different.

Master Ren nodded in delight and said to the old man from Chenxia Academy: "It seems that this round, your Chenxia Academy and our Huaishan Academy have tied."

The old man was a little surprised by this result. Who is Ji Lizhi? He is the most outstanding young generation of the Ji family in Bingzhou. He is a proud child of heaven with unlimited prospects praised by the emperor himself. But he actually tied with a student from Huaishan Academy in Luozhou. Who would believe it if he told others.

But the old man has been a fox for so many years after all. He said: "Chenxia Academy and Huaishan Academy are as close as family. They are both places that students all over the world yearn for. There is no dispute, so why should we argue about who is better? It's just that students play together and learn from each other." Master Ren

snorted in his heart. You didn't have this attitude just now.

He stood up, walked to Gu Lin's side, and looked at Gu Lin: "Very good, you are worthy of being a student from the Class A of Huaishan Academy."

As he said this, he announced the result of the two academies being tied to the students and their families who were watching. The students and families of Huaishan Academy who had lost two games in a row before the fourth game were very satisfied with this result. After all, they had seen with their own eyes that Gu Lin defeated Shen Lezhi very beautifully in the fourth game, and tied with the student from Chenxia Academy who was obviously amazing in the fifth game in such a wonderful way.

As soon as Master Ren finished speaking, the students of Huaishan Academy rushed to Gu Lin, surrounded Gu Lin, and even threw him into the air.

"Hahahahaha." Help, that kid is too funny, he still had a cold face when he was thrown up, which was particularly funny compared to the students below.

Maybe he laughed too happily, and Gu Lin, who was thrown up, noticed him and looked at him.

Lin Zhen smiled with eyes curved, and gave him a thumbs up, "You are great."

Gu Lin, who had a cold face, relaxed like ice melted by the warm sun.

No one knew when the people from Chenxia Academy left. Seeing that the sun was about to set, Huaishan Academy also counted the number of students and divided into two teams to go down the mountain as they did when they came.

Lin Zhen still walked with those husbands and wives. Unlike when he came, those who had not greeted him before because of his appearance and his plain clothes came up to talk to him, and every word they said was about Gu Lin.

Especially some of them, they didn't even bother to hide it, and asked Lin Zhen directly if Gu Lin was married and whether they had good girls in their families.

Lin Zhen was afraid that the boy would be weird again, so he quickly said, "Although he is young, he

has his own ideas. I can't make decisions for him." "He told me that he has a crush on someone and he will marry her after he passes the imperial examination."

"Gu Xiucai actually has a crush on someone?!"

"Which girl is so lucky." The frustration of asking about marriage was endless. Anyone who watched the archery competition today would be moved. It would be a pity if such a good young man was not given to his own girl.

Lin Zhen smiled and didn't respond. He didn't know who the boy liked.

Normally, he went to school in the morning, came back after school, ate, washed, practiced calligraphy and read books. Except for going to the bookstore to buy books and copy books, I really didn't see him have any private time. Almost every day, every moment, he was under his eyes. If there was something wrong, he would definitely find out.

Could it be the daughter of some teacher in the academy?

Lin Zhen shook his head. The child has grown up and has her own ideas. Maybe she can become a grandmother in a few years.

The long team arrived outside the city gate. After dispersing, they took their families home.

Gu Lin, who was already the focus of everyone, walked up to Lin Zhen amid the voices of "Gu Xiucai" all the way: "Uncle Lin, let's go home."

At this moment, the sky was a little dark, and everything seemed to be covered with a layer of gray fog. Lin Zhen felt that Gu Lin's gaze on him was very heavy, so heavy that it almost pressed on him.

Moreover, he was already taller than himself, and would become taller and taller in the future. This damn oppressive feeling.

Lin Zhen hummed and walked back shoulder to shoulder with Gu Lin. Suddenly, Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen ran up, "Uncle Lin, Gu Lin, we will go with you."

They also saw Gu Lin's two archery competitions today and admired him very much, especially Wang Qin, whose voice was hoarse.

He looked at Gu Lin and said, "Gu Lin, how did you practice? How come you are so good at archery?"

Lin Zhen was afraid that his little boy would end the conversation, so he said, "He draws the bow a thousand times every morning, and does the same thing every night. He has never stopped since he entered Huaishan Academy." "

!!!" Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen stared with their eyes wide open, unable to believe it.

The six arts of a gentleman, etiquette, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics, are courses offered by Huaishan Academy, but they are still mainly based on the classics of the imperial examination, poetry and essays. Not many people spend time on them, as long as they can fool around.

Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen did not expect that Gu Lin would draw the bow so many times every morning and evening, and he would draw it for years.

Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen, who were originally a little jealous, bowed to Gu Lin and could not say anything else.

At the entrance of the alley, he parted ways with Wang Qin and Huang Yuwen. The two had spare money at home and bought shops in good sections of the road. Lin Zhen's shop was on a street dedicated to business.

He didn't feel it on the way home, but when he got home, Lin Zhen felt that his feet hurt badly. He quickly poured water to soak his feet. Just as he took off the socks on one foot and put it in, Lin Zhen suddenly screamed "Ah!"

Gu Lin, who was getting clothes in the house and preparing to go to the bathroom to take a shower, rushed out when he heard the sound, "Uncle Lin!"

Lin Zhen was sitting on a stool, one foot on the ground, the other still wearing shoes and socks. His eyes were slightly wet because of the pain.

Seeing Gu Lin rushing out, Lin Zhen felt a little embarrassed that he had lost his elder style, and waved his hands: "It's okay, it's okay, I didn't notice that my feet had blisters, and it hurts a little when the hot water is scalded."

Chapter 100

He sat on a stool, the foot on the ground was not small, but the toes were round and the flesh on the soles was white. Because of the pain from the hot water, the toes were slightly curled up, looking a bit pitiful.

He was about to stand up and add some cold water, but Gu Lin held his shoulders: "Take off your socks, I'll change the water for you."

"Don't you want to take a shower?"

"It's okay to do it later." Gu Lin squatted down and picked up the basin, went to the water tank in the bathroom and added two buckets of cold water, stretched out his hand to test the water temperature to make sure it was not hot anymore, and brought it to Lin Zhen's stool.

He looked at the blisters on Lin Zhen's toes and heels, frowned, and went to take out the small medicine box that he always had on hand: "Uncle Lin, I'll pick the blisters for you and apply some medicine."

"I can do it myself, you put the medicine next to me, and there are needles, check with the light."

"There are two on the side, you can't reach them." Gu Lin looked at him and stated the facts in a straightforward manner.

Lin Zhen looked at his feet. Indeed, there were two blisters on the outside of his feet. The location was a bit tricky, and it was not convenient to do it by himself.

He looked at Lin Xiaoyao who was still busy in front, and looked at the child he raised, "Okay, then I'll wash it first, and you can pick the blisters for me after I'm done."

"Okay." Gu Lin opened the small medicine box, which contained the commonly used powder for treating wounds, and some herbal medicine bags for treating typhoid fever and headaches. These were prepared by Lin Zhen. He said that sometimes if he felt uncomfortable in the middle of the night and the medicine store was not open, he could deal with it at home.

Look, it's being used now.

Gu Lin blew the fire stick, lit the oil lamp, and put the needle that was slightly longer than the ordinary sewing needle on a slightly lower flame to roast it. He heard the sound of two feet stirring the water in the basin in his ears, and saw two white mint-like feet in the water from the corner of his eye.

The owner of the feet was troubled by blisters, and moved his toes from time to time, like jade.

Round and cute.

Lin Zhen had washed his feet and was about to bend down to wipe them. Gu Lin, who had moved a stool to sit next to him, suddenly reached out and lifted his feet onto his knees, and wiped the water droplets off his feet with a towel.

"!!!" Lin Zhen quickly retracted his feet.

But he was sitting on a stool without a backrest, not a chair, and his body fell backwards without support. In panic, Gu Lin leaned forward, supporting him with one hand behind his back and holding his feet with the other.

Lin Zhen blinked, "You, let go of my feet, I can wipe them myself."

Gu Lin supported his back and made him return to his previous sitting position, looking at him with dark eyes, "It's just a matter of convenience. You are my Uncle Lin, so what's wrong with wiping your feet."

...

That's true, you are taller than me, which makes me a little uncomfortable.

Lin Zhen moved his feet: "Then you should wipe the blisters quickly. We still have to go shopping tomorrow. We have to go early to buy fresh ones."

"I will take a day off from school tomorrow and go with you."

"Take a day off?" "

The teachers took into consideration that everyone is tired from the outing today."

"Oh, your academy is very good." Lin Zhen really thinks that Huaishan Academy is very good. No matter if you are rich and powerful or poor students, as long as you have the ability, they will not refuse anyone.

If it were Chenxia Academy in Bingzhou, Gu Lin, Wang Qin, and Huang Yuwen would not be able to study, so they could only find a teacher to follow like in the town.

As he said that, Lin Zhen's gossiping heart was aroused. Looking at Gu Lin's high nose bridge and drooping eyelashes, "Do the teachers in your academy have girls of the same age as you? Will they meet in the academy?"

Gu Lin put his two feet together on his knees, and his ankles were connected to his slender calves. The soft calves were slightly pressed out of the flesh because of the fit with his legs.

Gu Lin pinched his foot and pierced the first blister with the long needle in his hand: "The teachers don't live in the academy, their families are all in the city, and our academy does not allow girls and boys to enter." "

Ah?" Lin Zhen had previously guessed that the person he liked was a girl from the teacher's family. He was a little disappointed to hear him say that, and he actually guessed wrong.

Gu Lin quickly picked all the blisters on one foot and started to pick the other foot.

Lin Zhen was born with fair skin, the kind that was dazzlingly fair, and his skeleton was smaller than that of the boys, but he ate and drank well all year round, so he was not thin, and his flesh was very soft when pinched.

Being pinched by Gu Lin, who was two shades darker than him, the extreme white and light honey color intertwined...

It made people want to crush this whiteness.

Lin Xiaoyao, who came from the front to get something, saw the two people under the eaves at a glance. Seeing Lin Zhen's feet resting on Gu Lin's legs, and Gu Lin lowered his head to pinch his feet and pick his blisters, a string in his heart was faintly touched.

He didn't know why he walked over in such a panic. "Third brother, Xiaolin, what are you doing?"

All the blisters had been picked, and Gu Lin was applying medicine to his wounds. Lin Zhen looked up and said, "I have blisters on my feet. Xiaolin is applying medicine for me. Have you cleaned up the front?"

"Not yet. The weather is getting warmer. I'll get some insect repellent bags and put them in the corner..." When Lin Xiaoyao heard that Gu Lin was just picking his blisters, he felt relieved and felt guilty for having such thoughts.

What's wrong with the two fathers and sons? It's just picking blisters.

Lin Xiaoyao smiled and shook his head to get the insect repellent bags.

But a bolt of lightning struck Lin Xiaoyao's head. They were not like Gu Lin and Gu Da. His third brother was a husband and a son. No matter where they were, children at the age of nine or ten should keep a proper distance from the daughters and sons in the family, as well as their parents.

If Gu Lin picked Gu Da's blisters, anyone would think that the father was loving and the son was filial.

But it was Lin Zhen. His stepfather, a husband. Lin Xiaoyao squeezed the hand holding the medicine bag tightly and went back to the eaves. At this time, the medicine on Lin Zhen's foot had been applied, and he had returned to his room.

No one knew what he was doing. Only Gu Lin was bending over to pack the small medicine box. He was still wearing the black long robe with wide sleeves. Because he was not yet old enough to wear a crown, his hair was only tied with a headband. His long hair fell down, almost to his thighs.

He saw Lin Xiaoyao and nodded politely: "Uncle." Lin Xiaoyao looked at him, trying to see a trace of something on his face, but unfortunately, she didn't see anything. Gu Lin was still the sensible and polite child, except for his unique personality, there was nothing wrong with him.

Lin Xiaoyao looked at his back as he put the small medicine box away and patted his forehead. It's my fault, because I have someone I like, everyone looks like me. Xiaolin has read so many books of sages, it's my shallowness. The next day, Gu Lin, who was on leave from school, followed Lin Zhen and Lin Xiaoyao to the market to buy ingredients for the store. As the hot weather was approaching, cold drinks that had been on hold for a few months could be put back on the shelves. Therefore, saltpeter for making ice was the biggest item purchased this time.

Lin Zhen asked Lin Xiaoyao to buy other things, and he took Gu Lin to a store that specialized in groceries to buy saltpeter. The city was prosperous, and buying a bag of saltpeter at a time would not attract attention. After all, there were more than what was bought, and the shopkeeper would not ask what it was used for. Saltpeter was cheap, and it was not a valuable item, so it would be okay to take more.

Lin Zhen has been here for a few years and has become familiar with the owner of the grocery store. Seeing that there are many new things in the store today, he asked, "Where do you get these things from, shopkeeper? There are so many varieties."

Lin Zhen picked up one at random. The pine nuts were very plump, large and fragrant, and they were completely different from the ones the shopkeeper bought before.

The shopkeeper saw that he knew the goods and said, "It's a caravan of merchants from the north. They brought a lot of things to sell. Isn't Mr. Lin's store a food store? Go and take a look. The goods are excellent."

Lin Zhen had already peeled two pine nuts. Sure enough, the pine nut kernels were very large. He handed one to Gu Lin and ate one himself. The pine nuts had a strong unique fragrance and were indeed rare and good goods.

He said to the shopkeeper, "Please send a bag of saltpeter to my shop. I'll go see where the traveling merchants are."

"It's right in front. You can see it if you walk two or three hundred steps forward."

Various kinds of crushed nuts are used in small cakes. Seeing such good pine nuts, Lin Zhen couldn't miss it. He took Gu Lin to find the traveling merchants.

Soon, he saw what he was looking for. Several men who were obviously taller than the people in the city and much stronger were setting up stalls. There were goods on the stalls for everyone to see. There were large pine nuts, hazelnuts, mushrooms, and ginseng that was not old but in good condition, as well as valuable things such as Ganoderma lucidum.

Lin Zhen squeezed in. He wanted to buy pine nuts, hazelnuts, and mushrooms. He also wanted to buy some. He also wanted to buy some ginseng and Ganoderma lucidum. He could also use them at home.

But he didn't have that much silver on him, so he asked the man at the stall loudly: "Boss, I don't have that much silver on me, how about you ask someone to help me deliver the things, and I'll give him the silver and ask him to bring it back."

"My home is on Sitong Street, and I do business there."

The tall, dark-skinned man showed a mouthful of white teeth: "No problem, I'll get whatever you want for you, and ask A'er to deliver it to you."

Lin Zhen didn't expect it to be so straightforward, so he immediately told him what he wanted, and filled two bags with it.

The merchant named A'er grabbed a bag in one hand without saying a word, put it on his shoulder, and said in a tiger voice: "Where are you going?"

Wow, the two bags are at least 300 kilograms, and he carried them up like he was carrying toys, and it looked very easy.

Lin Zhen looked at the mountain-like figure named A'er, who was leading the way. He was quite interested in this group of merchants and asked, "Where in the north are you from? How long did it take you to come to our Luozhou?"

A'er said, "We are very far away, next to the Che Luo Kingdom. There are only three or four months without snow in a year, and it is difficult to grow food, so we have formed a group of dozens of people to pull these things out to sell."

Lin Zhen has read some books and knows that Dayu has a general relationship with the Che Luo Kingdom. It snows all year round there, and the ground is frozen solid. Those who commit crimes but are not sentenced to death are exiled there.

I didn't expect that these merchants were from there.