"Sir, the pier is just ahead!"

Old Yutou held a carriage and sat on the shaft with his son Yu Chuer. The roof of the carriage was covered with black sheds and the curtains were made of green cloth. In the carriage, Wang Zhong sat holding a book. There were luggage beside him, and Wang Erxi carried it on his back.

With one sword, he opened the car and looked at the busy and noisy streets outside.

"Hmm!" Wang Zhong hummed, but he still didn't put down the blue book in his hand, and his eyes were still on it.

"Young Master, it's Brother Shi and the others!" Wang Erxi, who had been looking out the window, suddenly spoke out. The book in Wang Zhong's hand closed in response. Dang even leaned over and looked in the direction Wang Erxi pointed. Sure enough, he saw Caobang Yangzhou.

The helmsman of the branch, Shi Heng, led several men with knives and sticks to stand by the roadside.

"parking!"

"Hey!" Fortunately, the carriage only walked slowly. Old Yu gently pulled the reins, and the carriage stopped.

"Master Stone!" Wang Zhong jumped out of the carriage first and bowed his hands to Shi Heng and others: "We haven't seen you for a long time, Master Stone is still as charming as ever!"

"Let us pay homage to the young master!" Shi Heng led a few people and bowed their hands to Wang Zhong in greeting.

Shi Heng said: "I heard that the young master is going to Tokyo to participate in the examination next year. I and several brothers are here to see you off."

"Thank you so much, Master Shi, for your kindness!" Wang Zhong cupped his hands and said, "In the future, our family's business will still need Master Shi's care!"

"Master, please rest assured. Although I, Shi Heng, have never read a book, I still know what loyalty is. In the past few years, Master has taken such good care of our brothers. He always thinks of us whenever good things happen. We brothers all think of you. Master,

An Xin is preparing for the exam in Tokyo. Here in Yangzhou, with my brothers Shi Heng and Caobang here, no one dares to cause trouble at the young master's family."

Shi Heng patted his chest and assured Wang Zhong.

"That's a lot of work for Master Shi!" Wang Zhong cupped his hands and said.

Shi Heng looks like a middle-aged man in his forties. In fact, he is only thirty-five years old this year. He is in the prime of life. However, because he has been wandering on the water all year round and is exposed to the sun, he naturally looks older than those who are pampered and well-off.

.

"We are all family members, so there is no need to say anything to outsiders!" Shi Heng said with a smile on his face, his words were quite bold and full of charlatanism.

However, Shi Heng immediately changed his voice and said: "The water has not been very peaceful recently. Young master, you really don't need us to escort you?"

Wang Zhongdao: "I understand the kindness of Master Shi, but I am not going alone this time, but with our Sheng Tongpan from Yangzhou, taking a government ship. I am white, so it is difficult to bring too many people with me.

The second brother and the second grade of junior high school follow, and it is enough. Even if we really encounter a fish in the water, we will have our own officers and soldiers to deal with it."

Shi Heng was stunned for a moment, then realized, "That's it! I didn't think about it!"

Since Wang Zhong was taking someone else's boat, it didn't matter if he only took one or two people with him. If he took more people, who would be responsible if there were problems on the way? Wang Zhong was no longer a human being inside and outside.

"Then let's wish you a safe trip to Tokyo, a gold medal, and a glorious ancestor!" Although Shi Heng was a rough man, he had traveled a lot and heard a lot, so he could pick up one or two idioms.

.

"Good words from the helmsman of Chengshi!"

After bidding farewell to Shi Heng and others, Wang Zhong led his people to the side of the ship. Not long after, Sheng Hong, Chang Bai and Wang Ruofu's family all arrived.

The luggage and other things had been delivered to the ship in advance yesterday. Seeing Sheng Hong coming, Wang Zhong hurriedly greeted him and greeted everyone in the Sheng family. After Sheng Hong said goodbye to his family, he followed Sheng Hong to the dock. Get on the brig.

As Sheng Hong stood on the deck and waved goodbye to everyone on the dock, the ship set sail and slowly sailed out of the dock. Looking at the gradually disappearing dock, the two of them also looked away.

"Is Zihou confident about this trial?"

Sheng Hong stood on the bow of the boat with his hands folded, looking far into the distance. He didn't know if he was looking at the river scenery on both sides of the bank, or at the ships that were constantly coming and going from south to north.

The big boat under his feet was riding the wind and waves, all the way upstream. Feeling the breeze blowing on his face, Wang Zhong replied: "But do your best and listen to fate. Whether you pass or fail, seven points of the imperial examination depends on talent and learning, and the remaining three points have to be seen." Luck!"

"What do you think Zi Hou will be like about his luck?" Sheng Hong asked again.

Wang Zhongdao: "Although destiny is determined by fate, luck moves with the situation. I am confident that I still have some eyesight. Now I am lucky enough to meet such a bole as my uncle. If there are no accidents in this trial, it will be smooth sailing."

"Hahahaha!" Sheng Hong said with a smile: "Zihou compared himself to that thousand-mile horse?"

Wang Zhong smiled and said: "Since ancient times, those with high talents must be proud. They dare not be arrogant, but they are also somewhat arrogant!"

"Okay!" Sheng Hong threw up his sleeves and put his hands behind his back, and said loudly: "Young people are full of energy, as they should be!"

"I still need to trouble my uncle to give me some advice!" Wang Zhong said.

"Don't worry, Zihou. Although I am only a low-ranking official of the sixth rank, my Sheng family still has some old ties in the court. I also have several close friends who were of the same age and are now serving in the capital."

"Thank you uncle!"

Although the two did not speak outright, they both knew what each other was talking about. In the imperial examination, in addition to being talented and well-written, you also have to satisfy the examiner. After all, the examiner who marks the examination is also a human being. People have their own preferences. In the imperial examination, even Yang Wuduan, who was ordered to write lyrics, was so talented that the world recognized him, but even this husband failed repeatedly, let alone others.

"Zi Hou is seventeen this year, right?" Sheng Hong changed his tone and suddenly asked Wang Zhong's age.

Wang Zhongdao: "But he is already seventeen!"

Sheng Hong turned to look at Wang Zhong and asked with a half-smile: "Now that I have no relatives, my brother and sister, have you ever thought about your life-long affairs?"

Wang Zhong shook his head and said somewhat self-deprecatingly: "The student was born in a peasant family. Although he has gained the fame of being a civil servant, he is still just a white man. He has no official or position. He has no direct relatives to rely on and no family to support him. How can a lady be so good? I can like students!"

"Zihou's words are a bit belittling!" Sheng Hong disagreed: "Zihou, I am Huainan Road Jieyuan, how can I be so contemptuous of myself!"

"Uncle, forgive me!" Wang Zhong hurriedly bowed and apologized: "It's not that students are belittling themselves, it's really their own affairs that they know."

Sheng Hong did not argue with Wang Zhong, but suddenly asked: "Does Zihou have a girl he likes?"

Wang Zhong shook his head and said: "The imperial examination has not been completed, how dare students distract him!"

Sheng Hong nodded and said, "In that case, let's wait until spring before we discuss this matter!"

Even so, his evaluation of Wang Zhong couldn't help but be a little higher.

It was night, and the ship was parked at the pier of a small town. Wang Zhong was sitting in the cabin. He couldn't help but sigh as he thought of what happened with Wang Li a few days before departure.

After living under the same roof for nearly two years, Wang Zhong couldn't see Wang Li's thoughts. It was just because of her face and the moral values ​​engraved in her bones that Wang Li restrained herself and hid her feelings in her heart. Bottom of my heart.

But when she learned that Wang Zhongyong was leaving for Bianliang, Tokyo, to attend the spring festival next year, Wang and Li's heart began to waver.

If Wang Zhong passes high school in one fell swoop and is sent out as an official, it will not be so easy for Wang Li to see Wang Zhong again.

Moreover, if Wang Zhong is a high school student and becomes a Jinshi at the age of eighteen, the girl who wants to marry Wang Zhong will be like the crucian carp crossing the river.

Once Wang Zhong is married and has a wife, Wang Li, as Wang Zhong's sister-in-law, has no chance of being with Wang Zhong.

With all kinds of sorrows welling up in her heart, Mrs. Wang Li could only drink to drown her sorrows. With the help of alcohol, she finally took that step.

Wang Li also knew that there was no possibility between her and Wang Zhong, so Wang Li refused Wang Zhong's first proposal without hesitation and chose the second one without hesitation.

Although Mrs. Wang Li was a widow, she only had a daughter like Wang Qianer. More than ten years later, Wang Qianer got married and had a husband as she wished. What about Mrs. Wang Li?

Mrs. Wang Li was reluctant to leave the Wang family, her daughter, and even more reluctant to leave her brother-in-law Wang Zhong, who had saved her from fire and water and supported her and her daughter.

So Mrs. Wang Li desperately wanted a son, a son who belonged to the old Wang family, to continue the family lineage, and to continue the legacy of her rotten gambler husband.

Wang Li used this reason to convince herself, and under the influence of alcohol, she approached Wang Zhong.

Wang Zhong could guess that with Wang Li's temperament, making such a decision, he had gone through a lot of entanglement and even struggle deep down in his heart.

So Wang Zhong didn't refuse. To be honest, although Wang Li's appearance was not bad, it was just above average, far from the point where Wang Zhong would throw away his bottom line.

But that night, looking at that poor woman, his sister-in-law, Wang Zhong finally softened his heart.

Send her to remarry? Or do you want her to be a widow with her niece Wang Qier for the rest of her life?

It would be better to follow her wish and give her an heir to satisfy her wishes.

As for his own reputation, and even the opinions of others, they are not important to Wang Zhong.

As long as that poor woman can feel at ease!

As for the problems that may be faced in the future, it is up to Wang Zhong to solve them.

I played chess with Sheng Hong on the boat every day, discussed articles, and played the harp and flute with the river views on both sides of the way to the left. It was so enjoyable.

Sheng Hong really didn't expect that Wang Zhong was so proficient in musical instrument music theory.

Unfortunately, after passing Huaiyin and heading northwest along the Bianhe River, the scenery on both sides of the river gradually ceased to be as vibrant as south of Huaiyin, and instead took on a sense of decay and desolation in autumn.

As time goes by and you go north, this situation becomes more and more obvious.

By the time Wang Zhong and Sheng Hong arrived in Bianliang, it was almost mid-October. They traveled upstream along the canal and spent half a month finally arriving in Bianliang, Tokyo.

"Just stay at my place with peace of mind. When you find a suitable place, it won't be too late to move there!" Sheng Hong pulled Wang Zhong and said.

Wang Zhong was quite dumbfounded by Sheng Hong's enthusiasm, but staying at Sheng Hong's house was indeed more convenient than staying at an inn: "In that case, I'm going to bother my uncle!"

"That's right!" Sheng Hong laughed and said, "Let's go, let's go! I've already ordered people to go ahead and clean up the house!"

The Sheng family's house in Bianliang City is located in Jiying Lane in the west of the city. Although it is close to the city gate, the location is excellent. It was originally built by Sheng Hong's grandfather, the ancestor of the Sheng family, in the early years. It is now in Tokyo City. , an ordinary private house costs hundreds of guan, and a house in a slightly better location costs thousands of guan. A house like the Sheng family's house in Jiying Lane is impossible to buy today without tens of thousands guan. .

And it’s the kind that has a price but no market.

Tokyo is big and not easy to live in!

After moving into the Sheng family, Sheng Hong not only had to go to the household department to report on his work, but also had to walk around and take care of things. Wang Zhong stayed in the guest room of the Sheng family, reading and practicing martial arts every day. In his free time, he also played the piano. Xiao, Liao Wei is lonely.

However, living in someone else's house is not a long-term solution after all. When Wang Zhong first arrived in Tokyo, he asked Wang Erxi to ask his brother from the Cao Gang branch in Tokyo to help the tooth hunter find a suitable house.

Although Wang Zhong is now rich, there is no need to suddenly buy a big house. The family is too small to live in it, and a clean place like Jiying Lane, where the Sheng family is located, is expensive. Near the Yamen, housing prices are higher.

Wang Zhong's gaze retreated again and again, until he retreated to the East City and South City where civilians lived together. In the area east of the South City of the Outer City, he found a courtyard with two entrances. Although it only had two entrances, it occupied a large area, especially The yard, the front yard and the middle yard are very spacious, and the price is reasonable.

The surrounding environment is quite quiet, with a river next to it and a well in the courtyard. After crossing the bridge and walking about a hundred steps, you will find the market, making daily life quite convenient.
To be continued...