Aspirations

Chapter 42
Chapter 42 Great Desires

Jin Jia turned a blind eye to Teng Zhengyuan and turned to leave. Of course it was wrong. Teng Zhengyuan had something to ask for, but he despised medical skills and despised doctors. Sir, what Brother Teng just said is very offending, it was his words of anger at the moment, please don't take it to heart, sir."

"Haha, hahahaha." Jin Jia was originally furious, but after Teng Zhengyuan finished his violent words, he was relieved, took a few steps and then stopped, "Teng Zhengyuan, you are so eloquent. I don't want to argue with you , since you said that being a doctor is a profession of all kinds of craftsmen, just for making a living, okay, I will charge you a hundred yuan for your diagnosis and treatment. Bring it here!"

Jin Jia stretched out his right hand, with a narrow smile on his face: "If this old man visits a doctor, he will not be able to prescribe a prescription for three hundred wen. Because you are a scholar, you only accept one hundred wen, and bring it here."

"I, I..." Teng Zhengyuan's face was blushing, and he said out loud, but he had no money in his pocket, let alone a hundred pennies, he couldn't take out even ten pennies, so he had to sneer, "The doctor's parents' hearts, if The patient's life is in the breath, are you still unable to see the money without diagnosis and treatment?"

"Fate depends on breathing. As for you..." Jin Jia laughed, reached out and took out a hundred Wen and handed it to Teng Zhengyuan, "I must have never had a full meal after entering Beijing. , and did not bring dry food, you are not sick, you are obviously dizzy from hunger. I will send you one hundred cash to have a full meal, and I will guarantee that the medicine will cure the disease. Hunger is also a disease, but it is not easy to cure. "

"Hungry...what's the disease?" Teng Zhengyuan wanted to push away Jinjia's [-] wen, but Jinjia couldn't help but put it down and left. His face swelled even more, and he turned to see Cao Shuli, "Little lady, this..."

"Hunger is a disease of poverty." Cao Shuli covered her mouth and lowered her head with a smile, and hurriedly followed Jin Jia, "Poverty and disease need money to be treated."

The veins burst out in Teng Zhengyuan's hand, and he clenched the hundred-wen copper coin in his hand tightly, blushing as if he was about to drip blood: "A gentleman is poor, a villain is too poor... A gentleman will not be eaten!"

Wu Yongwang snatched the Baiwen copper coin from Teng Zhengyuan's hand, and bowed to Jin Jia's back to express his gratitude: "Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Baiwen, and I will repay you in the future." He glanced at Teng Zhengyuan again, and laughed, "How about you?" Continuing to be poor here, I went to eat."

Teng Zhengyuan was furious immediately: "The hundred texts are the medicine given to me by the master, how can you take it away? A gentleman is always poor, and a gentleman is always poor. Brother Teng, can you read your book for nothing?"

Wu Yongwang didn't care about these things, and ran away: "If you can catch up with me, I will pay you back."

"Stop, old man Wu, if you don't stop, I will break up with you." Teng Zhengyuan was in a hurry, and rushed to catch up.The two had a great time running one after the other. Fortunately, some of the scholars who finished the examination in the examination room cried loudly, others laughed, some sang loudly, some danced, and the two of them ran under the sun. Look striking.

Xia Xiang and his party came to Haojingchang in Taipingju Restaurant, which is where Zhang Hou hangs the inscription. The three of them went to the third floor with Zhang Hou's beautiful jade card, asked for a seat by the window, and took their seats.

When seated, Shi'er insisted on sitting on the right side of Xia Xiang, but was pulled away by Cao Shujun.Shi'er was not reconciled and wanted to sit on the left side of Xia Xiang again, but was snatched up by Shen Bao. She sat on the right side of Zhang Hou very unhappily and glared angrily at Cao Shujun and Shen Bao.

Cao Shujun didn't have the mind to pay attention to Shi'er's resentment, but he was really annoyed by Shi'er's indomitable stare, so he stuck out his tongue at Shi'er, and smiled: "Shi'er, do you mean me? If it's true If you are interested, please report your birth date."

"What do you want me to do with my birthday?" Shi'er didn't really like Xia Xiang, she just wanted Xia Xiang to be with her, so she could be proud in front of Zuo'er. She didn't know who Cao Shujun was. also.

"I'll figure out if you are compatible with me. If they are compatible, you marry me." Cao Shujuan raised his eyebrows, he had already seen Shi'er's little thoughts, just now Shi'er and Zuo'er you come to me Fighting in the dark, he can see clearly.

"Why should I marry you? I don't want to marry you, I want to marry Mr. Xia Lang." Shi'er puffed up her cheeks.

"If you marry me, Zuo'er will listen to your instructions. Zuo'er is my maid, and I am her master." Cao Shujun didn't believe that Shi'er would not be fooled.

"Really? Zuo'er really listens to you?" Shi'er didn't look like a lady at the moment, but more like a girl with a pretentious temperament.

"That's natural. Zuo'er grew up in my parents, and if she didn't listen to me, I kicked her out, and she would end up on the street with nowhere to go." Cao Shujun blinked his eyes and smiled slyly, "Why, Marry me or not?"

"Well..." Shi'er bit her lip, her eyes flickered, and she glanced at Zhang Hou, "I want to discuss with the second brother."

"Shi'er, don't be fooled." How could Zhang Hou not know that Cao Shujun did it on purpose, so he didn't want to pick up a cheap brother-in-law, and said hurriedly, "Cao Sanlang don't want to bully Shi'er, she is still young and only acts out of her liking. No scheming."

Cao Shujun smiled bluntly: "Shi'er is innocent and innocent, causing people to pity me. I have no malicious intentions. If Shi'er really wants to marry me, I will accept it."

Zhang Hou said with a smile: "Cao Sanlang has a reputation?"

"White clothes."

"Shi'er doesn't marry ordinary people." Zhang Hou smiled lightly, although indifferently, there was a hint of condescension in his smile.

"That's fine, it's better to marry Brother Shen." Zhang Hou thought that his words would irritate Cao Shujun, but Cao Shujun didn't care, he waved his hand at will, and chatted with Xia Xiang.

Zhang Hou was so angry that he almost didn't choke. He thought that Cao Shujun really liked the moment, but he didn't want Cao Shujun to just say it casually and not take it seriously, which made him feel humiliated.

But Shi'er grinned: "Whether it's ordinary people or high-ranking officials, it's easy to find priceless treasures, and it's rare to have a lover. As long as there is love and righteousness, that's fine. Brother Chen, do you think I'm a good match for Mr. Xia Lang, or you?" More suitable?"

Shi'er was so bold and direct, which was beyond Shen Bao's expectations. Shen Bao thought about it seriously, took another sip of tea, and thought that he would say something serious, but he just vomited. Tone, said three words: "I don't know."

Everyone was slightly amused by his serious avoidance.

Zhang Hou ordered food and wine.After serving the food, Zhang Hou and Shen Bao talked about taking the exam. The two argued about who was the champion, and they had a lot of fun. However, Xia Xiang and Cao Shujun were bowing their heads and whispering that it was good to be in the emblem, and they could not argue.

The reason why Cao Shujun urgently wants to meet Xia Xiang is because he has made his first good scene in the emblem.Dad's condition worsened, a huge stone fell to the ground in his heart, and all his thoughts were put on the emblem.During the three days when Xia Xiang took the test, he did not rest for three days and three nights, and finally produced his first finished product.

It's not that Cao Shujun wants to give the emblem to Lian Ruohan for appreciation, so he can take the opportunity to reach a cooperation with Lian Ruohan, but he is obsessed with it.

Cao Shujun's eyes were bloodshot, his spirit was low, and he was yawning, but he still fought hard and wanted to win Xia Xiang's approval.Xia Xiang took over Cao Shujun's jade series - Cao Shujun named Hao Jingchang's emblem as jade series - after taking a closer look, I have to say that both the carving and the pattern are meticulous and meticulous. It is not exquisite. On the outermost gold circle, there are colorful auspicious clouds carved. On the inner silver circle, there is a variety of fonts that say "good scenery is often stacked together. On the innermost copper circle, it is fine and simple. The pattern is quite the style of the Warring States period.

In the middle part is a huanghuali wood carving the size of a copper coin. On the front of the wood carving are the four characters "good times always exist" in seal script, and on the back are the four characters "jinyumantang" in official script.

Xia Xiang played with it for a while and was full of praise: "Ingenious and exquisite, Cao Saburo, who did you learn your skills from?"

Cao Shujun looked smug, and raised his head with a smile: "There is no teacher, he is self-taught. Mr. Xia Lang, if even the young lady sees this, will she not want to marry me because she admires my peerless talent?" ?”

What happened to Cao Shujun today, he first wanted Shi'er to marry him, but now he has Lian Ruohan's idea - Xia Xiang has already learned that the surname of Hao Jing Chang's master behind the scenes is Lian Ruohan, not the national surname Xia. , and it is not the surname of any second-rank or higher official in the dynasty, but it is even more confusing to Lian Ruohan's origin-does he really want to marry a wife, or is he stimulated by something?
"If even the little lady admires a peerless talent, she also admires me. What has it to do with you?" Xia Xiang smiled and rubbed the jade ring in his hand, and took the good things to himself without hesitation, "From the medicine bed to the medicine chair to the jade ring, But it's all out of my whimsy..."

"How could you do this?" Cao Shujun rolled his eyes and said dissatisfiedly, "You have a sister, why do you still have thoughts about the little lady? You can't be so greedy!"

"Famous, wealthy, beautiful wives and concubines, people's big desires." Xia Xiang laughed, and after laughing, he said seriously, "You don't know why I have confidence that the person that the little lady looks up to is me, not you. "

"Why?" At this moment, Cao Shujun realized that Xia Xiang's words of admiration were just to bring up the topic, and he didn't really mean anything. A flash of inspiration flashed in his mind, and he slapped his head and smiled, "I understand, I understand, what you mean Does it mean that Yu Lianhuan can't satisfy Miss Lian, and further improvement is needed?"

"It's not too stupid." Xia Xiang saw Cao Shujun's understanding, and smiled knowingly, "With the knowledge and character of Lian Xiaozi, as soon as the name of Jade Lianhuan entered her ears, she was not interested. "

"What's the best name?" Cao Shujuan suddenly thought of something wrong, and asked, "No, no, you have never met Miss Lian, how would you know what Miss Lian likes? You are deceiving me on purpose. ?”

Xia Xiang nodded honestly: "I have never met Lian Niangzi, and I have never had a short conversation with her. It would be nonsense to say that I know her preferences. But..." He deliberately paused. When I looked around, I saw Zhang Hou and Shen Bao chatting happily, one of them was silent for a while, no one paid attention to what he and Cao Shujun were saying, and then he continued, "If you want to know a person's preferences, it's not You must know the person who is familiar with the person, and you can also learn something from the person’s articles and actions.”

"The problem is, even the little lady has no articles..." Cao Shujun winked and smiled, as if he had caught Xia Xiang's weakness.

"The article is not necessarily an article on paper." Xia Xiang smiled implicitly, "The external style and inner decoration of Haojingchang, the name and flag of Haojingchang, the way Haojingchang operates in Daxia, and Good Fortune is always a VIP card. Good Fortune is always open only to restaurants, tea shops, and inns. Let’s not talk about whether there are caravans. Anyway, there is no business scope of brothel brothels. for people."

Cao Shujun was confused by what Xia Xiang said, his eyes were straight, and he was stunned for a while before he came back to his senses: "Xia, Xia Langjun, how can you think of the preferences and behavior of the master behind the scenes from these common things? I see you when you see it often, but you never think about it. Come on, what is Miss Lian's likes and behavior?"

The first thing Xia Xiangchu did when he came to Beijing was to infer from Hao Jingchang's inability to open a brothel that the master behind the scene should be a woman. Besides, he discovered many problems.It's just that he kept it deep in his heart and never said it to outsiders.

Now that he wants to join forces with Cao Shujuan to open the door of good times, there is no need to hide from Cao Shujuan his liking for Lian Ruohan and his guesses as a person.He picked up a peanut and put it in his mouth, chewed a few mouthfuls without hesitation, and then said slowly: "The sage sees the small and knows the cuteness; Also... I am not a saint, but I also know that looking at the drop of water, you can see the ocean, and you can see the whole leopard. Looking at the mighty and turbulent river, what he said was 'the dead are so stubborn, they don't give up day and night'..."

Cao Shujun nodded and said: "This statement is reasonable, and I completely agree with it. For example, in the eyes of ordinary people, it is a common thing, but in the eyes of masters, it is Bai Yuncang. The supreme avenue of the vicissitudes of the dog world, if you can realize the mystery from it, you can live forever..."

"Stop, stop." Xia Xiang hastily interrupted Cao Shujun's interest in talking about mysteries, knowing that when Cao Shujun talked about the supreme way, he would talk endlessly for three days and three nights, "good times always come Why not open a brothel? Of course, it has something to do with Lian Xiaoniang being a woman, but it also shows one thing, Lian Xiaoniang is upright, strong and self-reliant, and she is unwilling to become a woman dependent on a man."

The status of women in Daxia is much higher than that of previous dynasties. Not only can women choose their husbands, but they can also take away their dowry when they reconcile and leave. Men can divorce their wives, and women can also initiate reconciliation.At that time, femininity prevailed, and there were many cases where women proposed to reconcile and divorce because of the incompetence of their husbands.

"What else?" Cao Shujun nodded in agreement with Xia Xiang's statement. There are living examples around him. His sister, Cao Shuli, has been independent since she was a child. to her.

"What's more, the external style and internal decoration that are always in good times are luxurious but not gorgeous, noble but not luxurious, rich and powerful but not vulgar, what does that mean?" Xia Xiang intends to test Cao Shujun .

"I don't know." Cao Shujuan admitted his shortcomings very straightforwardly, "I don't study much, so don't tease me, just tell me what you want to explain, I just listen."

"It shows that even the little lady was born in a wealthy family, and she has been rich since she was a child. She has seen a lot of luxurious things and seen too many famous mansions. Therefore, the good times are always on the outside of restaurants, teahouses, and inns. The inner decorations all reflect her background, preferences and calmness." Xia Xiang continued, "The matter of the guest card shows that even the good fortune of the little lady is always among the guests, and she is as ordinary as us. Common people, there are also high-ranking officials and dignitaries, even kings and grandchildren... Such a well-informed young lady Lian has a high vision and extraordinary taste. It must not be speculated by common sense. Cao Sanlang, you still think your jade Can Lianhuan catch the eyes of Miss Lian?"

Cao Shujun had a chicken leg in his mouth, which was one of the famous dishes in good times, Immortal Chicken. He was dumbfounded and said vaguely: "It's amazing, it's amazing, Mr. Xia Lang, brother Xia, you can definitely be with me!" Di Renjie is on par, and even Song Bei might be willing to bow down to him."

"Don't talk nonsense, how can I compare with Di Xiang? It can't be compared with Song Bei and Song Bei." Xia Xiang is not humble, but compared with Di Renjie and Song Bei, he really lamented that they are not good at solving cases. It goes without saying that Di Renjie was once the prime minister of the Tang Dynasty. Although Song Bei was only a fourth-rank criminal officer in Daxia, he was a well-known Qingtian. He rehabilitated countless unjust cases in his life, and his kindness and virtues have been left in the history of the people.

Of course, then again, he doesn't focus on solving cases, nor is he comparable to Di Renjie and Song Bei.

"How about this, since the jade ring has been formed, let's keep it first, and I will make another one according to your wishes, and then give the two items together to Miss Lian, and see which one she likes more." Although Cao Shujuan admired Xia Xiang's meticulous insight and speculation were not completely convinced, so he left a suspense and wanted to give it a try, "If she likes Yu Lianhuan, I will win, you are not allowed to treat Lian Xiaohuan again." The lady has unreasonable thoughts. If she likes the emblem newly made according to your wishes, then you win, and I will no longer have restless thoughts about the little lady... how about it?"

(End of this chapter)