Do you know that it starts with Meng Tong?

"Haha, Brother Wei and Brother Chen, we meet again. I know that with your talents and knowledge, you will definitely not be able to defeat you in the county examination!"

Tao Dazhi came up to him with a grin on his face. His narrowed eyes were bright and bright, giving people a sense of shrewdness. However, after he smiled, his shrewdness turned into a look of honesty.

Everyone greeted each other and exchanged greetings. Wei Chen also introduced Sheng Changbai to Tao Dazhi.

Sheng Changbai did not look down upon Tao Dazhi because he came from a merchant family, and greeted him respectfully.

Tao Dazhi also had a good impression of this approachable young master. After handing over his hand, he talked endlessly about his experience in Jiangning during this period.

Only then did Wei Chen realize that the fat man in front of him, who was not very good-looking, had actually won the No. 3 spot in the Jiangning County Examination.

Jiangning County is attached to Jiangning City, and is tied with Shangyuan County as the two most prosperous counties in Jiangning Prefecture. It is a place where Jiangnan culture gathers, and various prodigies emerge in an endless stream. It can be said to be the place with the most fierce competition in the county examination.

However, Tao Dazhi was able to stand out and get third place in the county examination. If such talent and knowledge were placed in an ordinary small county, I am afraid that the head of the case would be easily captured.

Speaking of which, Tao Dazhi was often second in the monthly classes at the free school. Even Lu Qingzhou and He Jinchao, who were born in formal academies, could not compare with him.

Thinking of this, Wei Chen looked at Tao Dazhi with more and more playful eyes.

This little fat guy is really hiding his secrets!

I heard that Wei Chen and the others had been studying hard behind closed doors since they came to Jiangning and had not gone out for shopping yet. Tao Dazhi showed surprise on his face and immediately wanted to take the three of them to wander around the city to have a good appreciation of Jiangning, the capital city of Jiangnan. style.

"Brother Tao, you're not going to invite us to take a bath in your bathhouse, are you?"

Chen Jun smiled bitterly and shook his head: "There are still more than ten days before the government examination. I don't have time to go out and play. Don't hurt me!"

"Brother Chen misunderstood."

Tao Dazhi waved his hand and said: "The place I want to take you to is not some Qin Pavilion, Chu Pavilion or garden pavilion, but is closely related to this imperial examination!"

"Is it related to the government examination?"

Hearing Tao Dazhi's words, a look of surprise flashed across the faces of Wei Chen and Sheng Changbai.

Chen Jun couldn't wait to say: "Where is it, Brother Tao, don't be so secretive and tell me quickly!"

Tao Dazhi chuckled and did not answer. He just said mysteriously: "You will know when we get to the place. Don't worry, I won't let you down!"

Chapter 44: Talking about Dreams in the Zen Room

Every year as the government and township examinations approach, there are three major industries in Jiangning City that are bustling with activity.

One is the inn.

The second is the brothel.

The third is the temple.

The place Tao Dazhi took Wei Chen and the others to was Qixia Temple, a large temple in the east of the city.

According to Tao Dazhi, this is the place where Ye Shutong, the former champion of the dynasty, stayed before going to the provincial examination.

It is said that when Ye Shutong spent the night in the temple, he had a strange dream. He dreamed that a dog jumped on the table and barked at him. There was a bunch of bamboo under the table.

After Ye Shutong woke up, he went to the abbot of the temple and asked what the dream meant.

After hearing the content of the dream, the abbot immediately smiled and saluted Ye Shutong, congratulating Ye Shutong for winning the first prize.

Ye Shutong was surprised and happy, and hurriedly asked the abbot: "I haven't even passed the provincial examination, how can I be the top scholar?

The abbot laughed and said: "Master Zhuangyuan, if you think about it carefully, a dog is a dog. It is lying on several cases, and the cases have two legs. When combined, doesn't it become the word "Zhuang"?"

Ye Shutong was overjoyed after hearing this and asked the abbot: "What does the bunch of bamboos under the case mean?"

The abbot said: "That is a shortcut for you to get the top prize. You have to guess by yourself."

Ye Shutong wanted to ask more questions, but the abbot waved his hand and smiled without saying a word.

Ye Shutong thought hard all night and finally understood that a bunch of bamboo was the word "strategy". This was God's reminder to him to specialize in policy questions!

Later, as the abbot said, Ye Shutong successfully passed the provincial examination. The next year, he won the first prize in the palace examination and won the first prize.

After Ye Shutong's story spread, many scholars who came to Jiangning to take the prefectural and provincial examinations would come to Qixia Temple to stay overnight before the exams, hoping that a god would give them a dream and give them guidance on how to win the top prize. .

Now that the imperial examination is approaching, scholars from all counties are pouring into Jiangning, and many of them come to Qixia Temple because of its reputation. As a result, the monks' room in Qixia Temple is full and it is difficult to find a room.

Although the number of guest rooms in the temple is tight, Tao Dazhi is a local leader in Jiangning. This kind of thing will naturally not be difficult for him. He bribed the monks in the temple early and reserved a Zen room for himself.

However, I didn't expect to meet Wei Chen and others before. There was only one room in the meditation room, so four people could only squeeze in.

Wei Chen was helpless. The story Tao Dazhi told sounded sensible, but in Wei Chen's opinion, it was just a story made up by the monks in the temple to attract customers. How could it have any credibility?

But seeing how convinced Tao Dazhi and Chen Jun were, even Sheng Changbai persuaded Wei Chen to stay. Wei Chen couldn't say anything more and had no choice but to agree to sleep in the temple's Zen room with the three of them for one night.

The next day, the sky brightened.

The four of them woke up one after another and exchanged the dreams they had had that night with great interest.

Chen Junxian said: "I dreamed last night that I was growing cabbage on the wall. I don't know what the meaning is."

Tao Dazhi immediately looked worried and said: "How can we survive growing vegetables on the wall? Brother Chen, isn't this all in vain? This dream is dangerous!"

"No and no."

Sheng Changbai shook his head and said, "Grow vegetables on the wall. I think Brother Chen is going to high school!"

Tao Dazhi slapped his head: "Yes, the wall is high, isn't it a high school!"

Wei Chen cupped his fists and said, "Congratulations, Brother Chen, for doing such a good job, the government examination is no longer a problem!"

After Wei Chen finished speaking, Sheng Changbai and Tao Dazhi also congratulated Chen Jun.

Chen Jun scratched his head and felt happy.

Then, the three of them

Ask Tao Dazhi what he dreamed about.

Tao Dazhi was stunned for a long time, then suddenly blushed and hesitated to speak.

Under the questioning of the three people, he slowly told his dream.

"I dreamed... I dreamed that my cousin and I were lying on the same bed."

After Tao Dazhi finished speaking, the other three people stared at him with strange expressions, which made Tao Dazhi's heart go crazy. Only then did the three of them burst into laughter.

"Hahahahaha, Brother Tao, you are not dreaming from a god, you are dreaming of lust without hesitation!"

"As the saying goes, what you think about every day is what you dream about at night. Let me see, this cousin is probably Brother Tao's dreaming sweetheart, right?"

Tao Dazhi blushed: "Me and Wanmei are childhood sweethearts who are getting married. And although we are lying on the same bed, we are back to back, and we have not exceeded the courtesy!"

"Back to back?"

Sheng Changbai was thoughtful when he heard this, and suddenly his eyes lit up and he said: "I understand, this dream indicates that Brother Tao should turn over!"

Tao Dazhi was slightly startled: "My Tao family has been in business for generations. If I want to turn over, wouldn't it mean I turn over into a noble family?"

"So, what Brother Tao had was an auspicious dream!"

Wei Chen and Chen Jun congratulated each other repeatedly, but they were just winking and smiling. Tao Dazhi was so embarrassed that he quickly changed the subject and said, "What kind of dream was Brother Sheng having?"

Sheng Changbai recalled: "I dreamed that I was wearing a blue shirt and robe, with a round collar and straight sleeves, a student sword on my waist, and riding a big blue and white mule..."

Wei Chen listened for a long time, but didn't hear any valuable information, so he had to interrupt: "Brother, please get straight to the point!"

"Why are you so anxious? Isn't that what I was about to say?"

Sheng Changbai glared at Wei Chen and continued: "I was walking on a small road with many big trees growing on both sides of the road. After walking for a long time, I suddenly felt something behind me, so I looked back!"

"What did you see when you looked back?"

Chen Jun and Tao Dazhi both came closer curiously, wanting to hear what Sheng Changbai had to say.

Wei Chen rolled his eyes and said helplessly: "Brother, what you've said so far is all nonsense. Hurry up and reveal the answer to the mystery for us!"

Sheng Changbai smiled slightly, coughed slightly, and then slowly said: "I looked back at that time and saw Wei Xiandi standing behind me holding six bloody heads. It was so scary. Do you think this dream is weird? ?”

Chen Jun and Tao Dazhi looked at each other, nodded and said, "Brother Sheng, this dream is indeed weird!"

Tao Dazhi curiously asked Wei Chen: "Brother Wei, are you too rough with Brother Sheng on weekdays? Why are you so cruel in your dreams?"

Wei Chen scratched his head, also puzzled.

I'm usually very nice to Bolan, but why does he actually become a murderous maniac in his heart?

Am I that terrible...?

Wei Chen hurriedly asked Sheng Changbai: "Brother, you have interpreted the dreams of Brother Chen and Brother Tao before, so you should be able to interpret your own dream, right?"

Sheng Changbai waved his hand and said seriously: "He who helps others does not help himself, and a healer does not heal himself."

Wei Chen had no choice but to look at Tao Dazhi and Chen Jun: "You two, what do you think?"

Tao Dazhi smacked his lips and asked, "Brother Sheng, can you clearly see the face on that head?"

Sheng Changbai shook his head and said, "My face is covered with blood, so I can't see it clearly."

Chen Jun pondered for a moment and then asked: "May I ask Brother Sheng, how did Brother Wei dress up in your dream?"

Sheng Changbai still shook his head: "I can't remember clearly."

Wei Chen said speechlessly: "Brother, you clearly remember the irrelevant things in the front, but why can't you remember the most important things in the back?"

Sheng Changbai spread his hands with an innocent face, and the three of them had no choice but to put the matter aside for the time being.

Tao Dazhi and Chen Jun turned to ask Wei Chen: "Brother Wei, you also slept in the Zen room last night, but what did you dream about?"

Wei Chen glanced at the two of them and sighed: "You two, you all slept to death last night, snoring all night long, Brother Chen in the first half of the night, Brother Tao in the second half of the night, one after another, how can I have the time to dream! "

Tao Dazhi looked embarrassed and said, "Brother Wei, it's my fault. I dragged you here with good intentions, but I didn't expect that this would happen and keep you awake all night."

Chen Jun also said: "Brother Wei, you should wake us up."

Wei Chen thought to himself, who knows if you are angry when you wake up? If you wake up and kick me away in a daze, then who should I talk to to reason with you?

But he said: "It's not that I can't, but that I can't bear it!"

Tao Dazhi and Chen Jun were moved after hearing this, and said in unison: "Brother Wei is such a kind person!"

Chapter 45: The Palace Master sinks into silence

April [-]th.