The late Ming Dynasty in the living room

Chapter 16 Liu Ji invites scholars

Who would have thought that these refugees would actually keep their word.

Liu Scissors thought of bright red tomatoes, golden eggs, green onions... and suddenly felt a little hungry.

This tomato was a rare thing, and he knew that even the adults in the county could not eat it if they wanted to.

And the beef stewed with potatoes... In fact, at Liu Scissor's age, his appetite is not as good as before, but since he arrived at this refugee camp, he has not eaten a grain of rice left in his bowl.

Well...except for one time...

Especially the two apprentices he brought with him, they acted like starving ghosts every time they ate. When others saw it, they thought I, Liu Scissor, was treating them harshly in the shop!

For example, this morning, the food in the cafeteria was relatively light. Each person was provided with a large piece of egg, a bowl of rice porridge, and steamed buns for free.

As a result, these two things were not counted until I was full, and I had to secretly put two more in my pocket.

It's a good thing that the people in the cafeteria didn't see it, otherwise Liu Scissors would have lost his old face.

Just when Liu Scissor felt a little hungry, Manager Liu personally brought several people over with food in his hands.

When several tailors saw him, they immediately stopped what they were doing and stepped forward to greet him.

Mr. Liu is very polite and courteous, and those of them who earn jobs cannot rely on him.

"Haha, please excuse me, Mr. Liu, the food looks particularly delicious today."

Liu Scissors took the food and said with a smile.

Lao Cai over there also started to have a big meal, and praised: "Lao Cui's craftsmanship is nothing to say, I heard that the county restaurant still refuses to have him, tsk tsk! How blind are those people?" "

Liu Ji listened to them and suddenly interrupted: "Today's food was cooked by the fat lady."

..., the two people's flattery came to an abrupt end.

Liu Scissors picked up the food silently with chopsticks, and then said after a while: "At least the food is pretty good-looking."

Turning around, he called to his apprentice who had just finished cleaning up and was about to go out: "You haven't finished eating the steamed buns this morning. Take it out and give it to me."

Liu Scissors silently gnawed on the dry steamed buns and explained: "Suddenly I wanted to eat something light."

Liu Ji also nodded to express his understanding, then put a bottle of water in front of Liu Scissors, then dug into his arms and took out two steamed buns.

"Master Liu, I want to ask you if you know a scholar named Yan..."

Liu Ji has a mission, which is what Fang Yu said before, "do it right away, do it now."

But not a single person in the Ming Dynasty was literate. His eyes darkened. Where could he find it?In the county town?He was really afraid of being beaten out.

In the end, old man Fan, who fired the brick kiln, said that there was a scholar in his village who failed to succeed in the exams and was now so poor that he could hardly afford to eat.

"Are you talking about Yan Jing Sheng Yan Xiucai from Shiting Village?"

Liu Scissors had already hit the head after a little thought, but when it came to this Yan Xiucai, he didn't have a good impression.

Of course, it's not easy for him to slander others behind their backs.

"Yan Xiucai... has some talent and learning, but he is a bit... too focused on certain things. I'm afraid it won't be easy for you to find him to teach."

Liu Xiangjiao said hesitantly, and Lao Cai behind him became impatient.

"What's too important is to save face!"

Lao Cai plucked half a bowl of rice. He couldn't eat anymore, so he simply put the bowl away and sat down here.

Liu Ji quickly raised his hand to ask for advice.

Lao Cai said: "Let me tell you one thing. Everyone in Laishui County knows this."

"Two years ago, when Yan Jingsheng was not yet married, one day the county magistrate went to the City God's Temple to offer sacrifices and brought two pig heads with him."

"Originally, the two pig heads were taken away by the county magistrate. The magistrate saw that Yan Jingsheng was pitiful, so he gave him two pig ears. Yan Jingsheng took the pig ears home and was reluctant to eat them, so he dried them and hid them on the bed. Underneath." At this point, Lao Cai laughed and said, "He hid it for more than half a year, until one night a thief from another village broke into Yan Jingsheng's house. He rummaged around and couldn't find anything. Something valuable.

The thief scolded me, it was really unlucky that a scholar was poorer than me!
This was heard by Yan Jingsheng. He was afraid that his family background would be publicized by the thief and lose face, so he found the pair of pig ears and chased them for four or five miles, trying to give the pig ears to the thief. "

Liu Ji was stunned when he heard this. Is there such a stupid person in this world?
Seeing Liu Scissor shaking his head, Liu Ji knew that what Lao Cai said was indeed true.

Lao Cai's words were not finished yet: "Not only did he give the pig ears to the thief, he also told the thief that he would still have some when he comes back during the Double Ninth Festival."

Lao Cai then told Yan Xiucai a few things, most of which were about him trying to save face and suffer.

For example, he once went to a relative's house for a wedding banquet. He searched over and over but couldn't find any decent clothes, so he simply wore a singlet and went out. It was the coldest month of winter.

To be honest, after hearing these things, Liu Ji's impression of Yan Xiucai was extremely bad, but Mr. Fang was pressing hard, and he really couldn't find another candidate.

I had no choice but to bite the bullet and ask Lao Cai: "In your opinion, Master Cai, he is so poor. If I go to invite him, can he come?"

Lao Cai shook his head: "I think it's hard for me. Although this Yan Xiucai didn't win the lottery, he can write well. He can earn a living just by writing couplets for others. But he can't save this face, so he relies on the county That little bit of relief is enough to hold on."

Liu Ji:......

"but……"

Just when Liu Ji felt a headache, Lao Cai suddenly protracted his voice. He only started to speak, but his eyes were fixed on the steamed buns in his hand.

"Haha." Liu Ji smiled and quickly handed over a steamed bun.

Lao Cai then said: "He has an old father-in-law who has a bad temper and never regards him as a scholar..."

At night, Shiting Village.

A dilapidated house at the east end of the village was lit with dim lights.

The scholar Yan Jingsheng held up a book and lit the lamp, reading with gusto.

Behind him was the scholar's wife, her soft and frail figure reflected on the earthen wall. She was leaning against the corner, tinkering with something.

The faint sound rang for a long time, and Yan Xiucai finally got impatient and scolded: "Why are you messing around here instead of making some food? The people listening are really upset!"

The scholar lady's movements stagnated for a moment, and then she said timidly: "There is no more rice or noodles at home."

After Yan Jingsheng heard this, he felt a little upset. How could a scholar worry about daily necessities?And such words always make him feel incompetent.

Nowadays, in addition to the annual ten kilograms of "teaching fees" required by the county (lamp oil), the distribution is quite timely, but Milu has been suspended for a long time.

Originally, the family still had several acres of thin farmland, but due to an accident and a red incident, all of it had been mortgaged.

If the talented scholar hadn't gone back to her parents' house every now and then to ask for something, Yan Jing might have starved to death long ago.

How can this go on.

Yan Jingsheng's heart was heavy, but he still managed to save his face and reprimanded: "If you don't have rice noodles, what's the use of talking to me? Can you conjure up some rice noodles just by staying in that corner?"

The scholar lady finally got up and left the corner, holding a ball of fine thatch with black grains in her hand, and said: "I thought there would always be some omnivorous food hidden in the mouse hole, but who would have thought that the mouse is no longer there."

Well, even the mice knew they couldn't stay in this house.

Yan Jingsheng has no interest in reading, and now his stomach is empty. Tomorrow morning, tomorrow noon, tomorrow...

"Tuk! Tuk! Tuk!"

Yan Jingsheng almost thought it was his stomach growling, but when he realized it, he realized that someone was knocking on the door.

"Is Yan Xiucai at home?"

Someone shouted outside, and the voice was unfamiliar.

(End of this chapter)