Chapter 120

If we hurry up and deliver the letter from Fucheng, we can arrive in two and a half days.

"Dong dong dong."

When there was a knock on the door, Xu Yi was practicing Hu Lei Tai Chi with Zhang Tiegou in the yard.

Both of them were stunned, and then Xu Yi thought of something and went to open the door himself without A Xu.

Seeing that the messenger was outside to deliver a letter, Xu Yi thought that these were the days when the exam results would be released. If there was a letter, it might be from Fucheng.

Xu Yi asked, "May I ask, sir, is it a letter from Fucheng?"

"Exactly." The messenger took out the envelope and handed it to him, and said a few words of congratulations.

"The fifth prince of the Xing family has been elected and ordered me to come and deliver the letter. It's really gratifying. I have to go to the Xing Mansion to deliver the letter, so I won't say more."

After he said that, he didn't leave in a hurry. He just meant He looked at Xu Yi deeply.

Xu Yi was overjoyed when he heard that Xing Yuesen had won the exam. He was not new here, so he naturally knew what Mr. Cha was waiting for. He quickly called A Xu to get some money and gave it to Mr. Cha as compensation for his hard work.

The poor man took the reward and left with a smile.

"This Xing Wulang can do it. I didn't expect that he won the exam." Zhang Tiegou said in disbelief.

Xu Yi smiled: "He has studied harder and harder this year, and it is not easy to win the exam."

Since ancient times, studying has not been as easy as imagined.

There are tens of thousands of people taking the scientific examination in each state capital. It is really difficult to stand out among thousands of people.

Besides, it's almost spring after the exam. I'm afraid Xing Yuesen will have to take the provincial exam again soon after returning home from his trip to Fucheng.

"Will Mr. Xing be going to the capital to be an official in the future?"

A Xu and A Jin looked at Xu Yi and asked curiously.

Xu Yi thought for a while and said slowly: "It's hard to say. Brother Xing has to go to Kaifeng first to participate in the Qiu Dynasty. After becoming a Jinshi, the officials will allocate official positions according to the situation. Some will stay in various ministries in Bianjing, while others may It's hard to say whether they were sent to other places. "

Although business students can now participate in the imperial examination and become officials, they also suffer from the exclusion of other students.

No matter which dynasty you are in, it is not easy to be an official. Class level symbolizes your status, which often leads to various phenomena of bullying your colleagues.

Not only are they easily drawn into various party struggles, but they are also forced to take sides. Measurement, management, strategy, wisdom and hard work are all important.

Xu Yi came back to his senses, looked at A Xu and the others who were full of curiosity and innocent yearning for being an official, and shook his head slightly.

"Next, let Brother Zhang take you to practice again. I'll go to the study first."

"Okay, leave them to me." Zhang Tiegou patted his chest and agreed without hesitation.

He has been practicing Hulei Tai Chi for two decades and is now in high spirits.

"Brother A Xu, how about you come and meet me?"

A Xu was stunned, raised his face and looked at such a tall man like him, hesitating a little.

Xu Yi stopped halfway and turned around helplessly and shouted to him: "Don't bully children."

Zhang Tiegou retorted: "I didn't!"

Xu Yi: "..."

Ignoring them, he took the letter and entered When he got to the study, Xu Yi opened the envelope and took out the letter paper inside.

The first thing that catches the eye is a few greetings, written in a carefree and unrestrained handwriting, which shows the joy that cannot be concealed.

Then the following lines told Xu Yi the results of their exam. Except for Xing Yuesen, Tao Qinghao and Xin Shengyuan all failed.

Xu Yi didn't have much surprise. Although these two people were talented in reading, they were not diligent enough and they were still young. After all, the scientific examination is so difficult. Since ancient times, not many talented people have been able to pass the examination in their teens.

Xing Yuesen was able to pass the examination at the age of twenty-four, which is already a very outstanding person among the students in Yanting County.

The letter did not tell them when they would return, but Xu Yi was already thinking about how to prepare gifts.

For such a big happy event, the Xing Mansion will naturally hold a banquet, and it will be a very domineering flowing banquet. Every household in the city can come to the mansion to have a banquet.

This running water mat was also very particular. Two days later, Xu Yi received an invitation from the Xing Mansion.

Those who hold the invitation can enter the Fuzhong Garden to have a banquet. Different from the running water banquets in the front yard, the banquets here will be met by many wealthy people in the city. Maybe the county magistrates and lieutenants will come to participate. must.

...

A few days before the opening of Xing Mansion's Shuishui Banquet, Xu Yi was worried about Zhang Tiegou's marriage.

Village Chief Zhang was reliable and quickly found a matchmaker for Zhang Tiegou who looked good.

When the matchmaker's mother saw Zhang Tiegou, she first frowned with dissatisfaction, then held her handkerchief to fan the wind and said, "Zhang Orion, I'm afraid it won't be easy for you to marry someone with your image. Otherwise. "How about you buy some decent clothes first?"

When everyone heard this, their eyes fell on Zhang Tiegou.

It was a hot summer day. He was wearing short brown clothes and his arms were bare. His skin was tanned and shiny, and there were old scars on his arms, which looked very menacing up close.

In addition, he had a rough appearance, and because he hunted all year round, he had an unconcealable anger on his face, like a butcher who slaughtered pigs and sheep, and his body aura was similar to that of a butcher.

If a timid little lady bumps into her, who wouldn't be afraid?

After the matchmaker mother said this, she asked him to put on a show and put on a long gown and a headscarf.

"If you wear it like this, I won't be able to use it."

Xu Yi took a deep breath: "..." What a sharp mouth.

Zhang Tiegou was so moved that he immediately took Xu Yi to a clothing store to buy clothes.

Xu Yi had no choice but to go with him.

They took Uncle Liu's car to the nearest ready-made clothing store. As soon as they entered, they were blinded by the dazzling array of styles in the store.

Zhang Tiegou was like a headless fly, confused as he couldn't find Bei: "This, this is too much." He looked embarrassed, "If it's not good, brother, I'd better not change my clothes, I'm pretty good. Yes, it’s not damaged, so why can’t it work?”

Xu Yi said, “It’s already here, so let’s pick it up.”

He held a dark blue gown, gestured in front of Zhang Tiegou, and shook his head with dissatisfaction.

It's too dark, and his face looks even more fierce.

He also picked up a crescent-white blouse with a round neck and wide sleeves, but when he put it on Zhang Tiegou, it looked neither fish nor fowl.

The matchmaker's mother made an unkind comment: "What you are wearing looks like a black bear sneaking through the scholar's clothes. No, no, no, take it off quickly."

"Ahem."

Next to them, Xu Yi and Village Chief Zhang were reminding the matchmaker to be polite. Some.

Zhang Tiegou scratched his head and ran to change his clothes in embarrassment.

When he came out, the matchmaker's mother personally picked out some green bamboo-colored narrow-sleeved tunics for him.

"You can change these pieces. If they fit, then these are the styles. If it still doesn't work, you can only change it back to short brown." The matchmaker mother said.

Facing the few people who were still in a daze, the matchmaker shook her head proudly and said with a smile: "This kind of thing has to be left to us women. You officials and gentlemen don't have as vicious a vision as us."

Xu Yi and Village Chief Zhang immediately said: "Mother Matchmaker is right."

As expected, Zhang Tiegou changed into a green bamboo-colored tunic, and he did not look so tall and strong. Instead, he had broad shoulders and narrow waist, with a resolute expression. , the hostility is not so strong anymore.

"It's not bad, I just want these two clothes." The matchmaker's mother was very satisfied and asked the waiter to wrap up the clothes.

Zhang Tiegou smiled happily, and he willingly paid for these two pairs of brown clothes, which were worth several shorts.

After buying clothes, you should also pay attention to other details.

The matchmaker's mother disliked Zhang Tiegou's face, which was as black as coal and turned red and peeling from the sun.

"You have to work every day, what's wrong with it being dark?" Zhang Tiegou retorted gloomily.

The matchmaker's mother crossed her legs, nibbling the melon seeds in her hand, and said with a smile: "This little lady loves white-faced scholars so much. You are so black, you are as good as those farmers working in the fields. That little lady from the Li family looks so good." She is so delicate and tender, if you want to marry her, she must be worthy of her."

The matchmaker is very good at deceiving people. When she saw Zhang Tiegou's love, she had already been seduced by the young lady of the Li family. .

If she doesn't work hard, there is no guarantee that this person will become the daughter-in-law of another family.

Besides, the young lady in the city has no worries about getting married. If the Li family hadn't suffered a lot this time and lost their previous good marriage, they wouldn't have come up with such a vile idea. It does give the hunters in the wild a chance.

If the hunter cannot seize the opportunity, don't blame her as a matchmaker.

Whatever she said, Zhang Tiegou wouldn't listen.

These days, in order to save money, he went up to the mountains to hunt under the sun every day. The prey he caught was brought to the city to sell, and he was exchanged for several strings of silver.

Now that I have bought the clothes, I also need to dress up my face.

But the sunburn on my face is worrying if I want it to heal in a short time.

When Xu Yi found out, he showed him the sunburn on his face and said, "It's not serious. Just boil some honeysuckle water and apply it twice with a face towel." After

he finished speaking, he asked A Jin to go to the pharmacy to grab some. Honeysuckle asked Zhang Tiegou to take it back.

Zhang Tiegou hesitated, his face was too dark, and he couldn't see the blush and said: "Brother Xu, do you have the kind of prescription here that can make people pale?"

"Huh?" Xu Yi looked at him in surprise.

Zhang Tiegou scratched his head and said, "The matchmaker said my face was too dark and would scare Miss Li, so she asked me to find a way to darken my face."

Xu Yi: "..."

He stared at Zhang Tiegou and found that he didn't He was joking, and said with a smile: "There is a recipe that can beautify the skin, but it won't work in a short time."

"Whether it works or not, let's do it." Zhang Tiegou bit his back molar, he really wanted to Marry Miss Li.

Even if he was laughed at, his face would turn pale anyway.

Xu Yi sighed and agreed.

"That's all, I'll prescribe facial cream for you. You can apply it on your face for five days. If it works, you can apply it regularly in the future."

Zhang Tiegou clasped his fists gratefully: "Brother Xu, I'm so grateful to you!"

Xu Yi said: " There’s no need to thank me, just remember to pay for the medicine.”

That night, Xu Yi went into the pharmacy and gave him a prescription for facial cream.

This facial cream is similar to the facial mask mud used in modern times, except that it uses natural medicinal ingredients.

It mainly uses a dozen medicinal herbs such as Asarum, Chuanxiong, Angelica dahurica, Angelica and Trichosanthes.

First grind all the medicinal materials into fine powder, sift it into a texture like wheat flour, then pour it into a small pot, put it on the stove, then add lard and melt it to refine it.

After the concocted facial fat cools, it will gradually solidify into a paste. Then you can scrape it into a clay pot, seal it, and bring it to Zhang Tiegou the next day.

For the sake of safety, Zhang Tiegou stayed at Xu Yi's house these days.

During the day, Zhang Tiegou practiced boxing and sparring with Xu Yi in the yard; after noon, he went to work as a laborer in a large household in the city, carrying goods; in the evening, he went to work as a guard for A Xu, selling medicinal wine; after closing the stall, he returned Afterwards, I lay down and applied facial grease.

While they were busy with Zhang Tiegou's affairs, several mule carts departed from Fucheng and rushed to the outside of Yanting County.

...

"I'm finally back..."

Xin Shengyuan lay on the window sill, admiring the wild scenery.

Tao Qinghao next to him also had the same casual attitude as him, half leaning on his arm, and said with a smile: "I don't know how many people will be waiting for us at the city gate."

"Those people are all waiting for Xing Wu." Xin Shengyuan corrected.

He sat back. He couldn't have come to greet them anyway.

However, there were hundreds of students in Yanting County taking part in the imperial examination this time, but only two passed the examination.

In addition to Xing Yuesen, the other person who passed the exam was a student in his forties. He studied hard for more than thirty years and took the exam for so many years before passing the exam.

The two of them chatted for a while, then looked at Xing Yuesen, who was half-squinting his eyes to rest.

After the results were released, Xing Yuesen could not stop, either to meet his parents or to be invited by other candidates. These candidates were all going to Beijing to attend the Spring Festival this year and could not refuse.

Over the past few days, Xing Yuesen has lost a lot of weight.

"Xing Wu, why don't you ask Xu Yi to prescribe a medicinal diet for you when you go back?" Tao Qinghao suddenly spoke.

Xing Yuesen opened his eyes and looked at him: "Why?"

Tao Qinghao smiled and said: "You have just passed the examination, and you are so tired just from socializing. How long is the road ahead? Why don't you get better?

" Danyipao said, "It makes sense."

Before he could finish his words, there was a burst of lively noise outside.

Then, the rider sitting on the top of the vehicle shouted happily: "Gentlemen, there are many people waiting to greet you at the city gate."

"It seems that Master Ling is here too? Hey, there are also Fang Jiaoyu and the teachers!" Tao Qinghao lifted the curtain and looked towards the city gate. He vaguely saw some people and shouted out in surprise.

This time, it was really lively.

...

On this day, Xu Yi got up early, washed and changed his clothes, and came to the city gate without stopping.

Unexpectedly, before he reached the city gate, he saw from a distance that the city gate was surrounded by a dense crowd of people.

Everyone is here to wait for Xing Yuesen and the others to return to the city.

The county magistrate ordered that the person must be brought back in a glorious manner.

Naturally, the people below had to make arrangements carefully. Xing Yuesen and his team had just arrived at the city gate with their mule cart. Not to mention Xu Yi's figure, they were invited by the county magistrate's master without even saying a few words to his family. The government office is here.

After the crowd dispersed, Xu Yi squeezed around their mule cart.

When Xu Yi saw that Mr. Xing and the others were there, he saluted and called someone before going to look for friends he hadn't seen for months.

When they saw Tao Qinghao and Xin Shengyuan, they were standing side by side and chatting with several students who were several years apart in age.

The two of them chatted and laughed happily, the childishness and youthfulness on their faces faded away, and they became more restrained and calm like adults.

At this time, when they saw Xu Yi, they immediately left behind those classmates and quickly came to Xu Yi.

"Xu Yi, do you miss me?" Xin Shengyuan said happily, "I miss you so much. If Xing Wu hadn't been so busy these days, I would have wanted to come back from Fucheng."

Tao Qinghao He laughed loudly: "Xinyao was so stupid in Fucheng. It was so boring."

Xu Yi: "..." Well, being steady is his illusion.