The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

Xiao Sui'er took the money and put it on the stage, but Huan Niang hurriedly stopped her and said, "I'll do it."

Xiao Sui'er handed the money to Huanniang suspiciously, and Huanniang walked onto the stage slowly from the side, holding the string of money, and handed the bounty money to Xu Dongdong with both hands.

Su Jin was moved. Huanniang was expressing her respect for Xu Dongdong with such actions. To respect her is to respect herself. From this, it can be seen that Huanniang is a woman with self-respect, so don't be too presumptuous in front of her from now on. yes.

With tears in his eyes, Xu Dongdong put the money into the floral cloth bag he brought with him, and the middle-aged scholar on the side sang loudly: "Mr. Su, Mr. Yan, you will reward me with a thousand cash, thank you!"

Xu Dongdong followed the rules and saluted Wanfu on the stage. Su Jin and Yan Biyun stood up and clasped their fists in return.

Xu Dongdong sang another song "Xuemeixiang", which is Liu Yong's new work, and the lyrics say:

The scenery is bleak, and the dilapidated building is surrounded by clear sky.

Song Yu responded to the sad autumn mood at that time.

The lonely smoke in the fishing market is cold and blue, and the remnant leaves in the water village dance with sorrow and red.

The sky of Chu is broad, the waves are soaked in the setting sun, and thousands of miles melt away.

facing the wind.

Think of beauties, don't worry about your face, and calm down your eyebrows.

It's a pity that in those days, there were no traces of rain and clouds.

Elegant posture and beautiful posture are in harmony, falling flowers and flowing water suddenly east and west.

Without resentment or lovesickness, I will pay Zhenghong as much as I can.

It has to be said that Liu Yongnai is a great poet of the present age. This poem is full of sincerity, and the lines reveal the affectionate feelings of memories, revealing a touch of sadness; Su Jin thought, maybe this has something to do with his current situation. At that time, if it wasn't for Chen Shishi, Xu Dongdong and the others to treat him sincerely and make money to support him, he might have nowhere to stand.

Su Jin suddenly wanted to meet this Liu Yong. After all, Su Jin's interest in Ci began from Liu Yong's "Yulin Ling". Some regrets.

Su Jin whispered her thoughts into Yan Biyun's ear, and Yan Biyun frowned and said softly: "I have to remind you, Liu Qi's reputation is notorious, and people in the world say that he is a... He really doesn't look like a man; if you make friends with him, it may damage your reputation."

Su Jin looked at Yan Biyun and said, "Then what do you think of me?"

Yan Biyun said: "What can I think about you, I'm just afraid of others' comments."

Su Jin smiled and said, "Then I have nothing to worry about. Anyone who likes to chew their tongues can chew their tongues. I don't bother to care about these things."

Yan Biyun smiled and said, "Do what you want, slave... I will always stand by your side."

After Xu Dongdong on the stage sang a song, he saluted and went backstage. Su Jin hurriedly ordered Huanniang to go up to greet her and convey to her the idea of ​​asking her to introduce Liu Yong.

Huanniang found her behind the backstage curtain, and after telling her about it, Xu Dongdong seemed to hesitate.

"Girl, it's not that my family doesn't know how to advance and retreat. It's because Brother Qiqing doesn't like to see outsiders. He's not in good health recently, and the autumn cold has come again, and he's coughing a bit. The slave family really can't make decisions for him, so as not to cause him to fall ill."

Huanniang thought for a while and said, "Do you know who wrote the song "Shui Tiao Ge Tou" that you sang just now?"

Xu Dongdong said: "Didn't the slave family just say that it was written by a student surnamed Su from Yingtianfu, what's the matter?"

Huanniang said: "If the person who wrote the words of this word goes to visit him, will Mr. Qiqing see him or not?"

Xu Dongdong said in surprise: "Could it be that... that Mr. Su is..."

Huanniang nodded and said: "My young master came from Yingtianfu, he is the student of Yingtiansu you mentioned."

Xu Dongdong rejoiced and said: "Then I must ask Mr. Ling to sit in the humble house of the slave, Qiqing...Mr. Qiqing is with me, he has been friends with Mr. Su for a long time, Mr. Su will go to see him, I am afraid it will be him I can’t even ask for it.”

Huanniang said: "The two of them are sympathetic to each other. I think maybe his illness will get better because of this."

Xu Dongdong nodded happily and said: "It must be beneficial, so what are you waiting for? Please come with me."

Huanniang hurriedly went back to the stage and told Su Jin about it. Su Jin said happily, "Let's go quickly, and finally we can see everyone's dignity."

Yan Biyun was extremely careful, and when he heard that Liu Sanbian was lying at home with a cough and asthma, he immediately ordered someone to go outside and buy something to nourish the lungs, such as pear paste candy, grapefruit and citrus, and left the cottage; the middle-aged scholar saw that Su Jin wanted to He shouted in his heart to Amitabha, that Mr. Liu will come to take revenge in a while, sending Su Jin and others away at this moment is like sending away the plague god, and sent them out of the Washe door with gratitude, watching the group disappear into the crowd Fang Changshu Take a breath.

The crowd followed Xu Dongdong out of the Xiangguo Temple Square. Xu Dongdong, who had changed back to ordinary clothes, was no different from an ordinary woman. Her head was covered with blue silk, but her still beautiful face had left the footprints of time. She stood in the crowd, Who can recognize that this is the oiran lady who caused a sensation in Bianliang City more than ten years ago.

"Several officials and ladies, the residence of the slave family is at the corner of the South Gate. The road is a bit far away. The slave family brought a car. I don't know how many of you condescend to the slave family's broken car or hire a car yourself?" One of the parking places on the north bank of the Bianhe River When he arrived, Xu Dongdong stopped and asked with a flushed face.

Su Jin was a little strange, why did he blush when he said this, he seemed a little embarrassed, and soon his doubts were answered, it turned out that the car Xu Dongdong was riding in was indeed a broken car as she said, and what was even more incredible was that Well, the one pulling the cart was actually a little scalper.

Su Jin understands that the animals that pull carts are actually divided into classes. Rich people ride in horse-drawn carts, while those who are not very rich ride in mule carts and donkey carts. Bullock carts are usually used by rural people to pull goods and sell vegetables. Riding an ox cart shows that the family's financial situation is in a state of extreme poverty.

Xiao Sui'er frowned and said, "Sister, we have a big cart, why don't you take our cart, how can you ride in this bullock cart?"

Su Jin rolled his eyes and thought, "This is too straightforward. Doesn't it hurt people's self-esteem?" Before Su Jin could speak, Yan Biyun clapped his hands and said with a smile: "Why can't I sit? I heard that the bullock cart is safe to sit on. And it is convenient to enjoy the scenery, I will try it anyway, I don’t care if you sit or not, I want to sit anyway.”

Su Jin hurriedly said: "I want to sit too. This little yellow ox pulls a cart quite powerfully. Brother Yan, I want to try it too."

Yan Biyun smiled slightly, and climbed onto the bullock cart first. The bullock cart was a flatbed cart without a roof, and the frame was filthy. Yan Biyun didn't seem to care, and sat on the cart after getting on the cart , smiled: "It's really different, come up quickly."

Su Jin laughed and said, "Here we are." He got on the bullock cart and sat down beside Yan Biyun.

Xu Dongdong showed gratitude, as smart as she was, how could she not understand the intentions of these two young masters, this was to relieve her embarrassment, everyone knew that the bullock cart was bumpy and the cold wind blowing on it, how could it be any fun .

"Master Xu, why don't you sit with them in the carriage at the back, I'm afraid the bullock cart won't be able to carry many people." Yan Biyun laughed.

Without saying a word, Xu Dongdong quickly got into the ox cart, sat down at the rear of the cart, and said softly: "The two young masters are kind and considerate. I don't know, I can't sit in a carriage. Once you get used to it, you won't have to suffer." Then he called the old servant who was driving the carriage to leave.

Everyone was dumbfounded, the young master and Miss Yan got into the bullock cart, and the rest of the servants had three luxurious carriages to sit in, so what should they do?

Su Jin waved his hand and said, "What are you dawdling in? Get in the car and set off."

The crowd had no choice but to get in the car, and a group of people crossed Bianshui from Xiangguo Temple Bridge and headed south along Baokangmen Street; A middle-aged woman in a cloth dress was sitting, and the scene was quite strange.

Some people speculated that the family must have encountered difficulties. The two young masters must be used to rich clothes and rich food. The carriage at home is gone but they still want to go out by carriage. The two actually sat on it complacently, they really don't know the feeling of sorrow in the world.

The ox cart was slow, and it took half an hour to turn right onto Quyuan Street, and another half an hour to go south, but it was about to exit Suzaku Gate. Replaced by ordinary people in cloth clothes, skirts, short clothes and small jackets, the streets are full of dirty monkey-like children playing back and forth. This is not only a suburb, but a slum.

Su Jin and Yan Biyun kept exchanging glances, and both of them knew in their hearts that Xu Dongdong, Liu Sanbian and others must be unable to rent a house in the bustling area of ​​the city, so they moved to live in this poor area. Over the years, being able to live safely here, the two of them respected the former oiran Xu Dongdong in awe.