Xiaoyaoshanjun

Chapter 28 Take a Break

After walking out of the black shop for a while, I forgot all the unhappy things in my mind.

The two of them were walking on the official road, Tian Buli was pushing his cart and overtaking other cars one by one, so he had no time to think about anything else.

When pushing the cart past passers-by carrying goods, villagers going to the market, and strong men doing unknown things, and going around the foot of a mountain, we arrived at the foot of the mountain where we could see the city wall in the distance.

"Take a rest! I feel uncomfortable!"

The one who felt uncomfortable was not Tian Buli who had been pushing the cart at a fast pace for an hour, but Mr. Bing who was sitting motionless on the cart.

The sick man was really feeling uncomfortable. He felt as if all his energy had been shaken away. His face was pale and he looked in agony.

Tian Buli hurriedly stopped the car and took down the gourd hanging on the handlebar.

"Sir, drink some water slowly, don't drink too much, sit for a while and then we can go."

"Okay." Mr. Bing took the gourd and drank a sip of cold water.

Tian Buli also took out his water gourd and drank water. After taking a sip, he remembered the bad things that happened this morning.

"The water is cold. That rubbish store doesn't even provide a sip of hot water. How cruel!"

Tian Buli cursed, and the doctor put down the gourd and then went over to help put it back.

Seeing this, Mr. Bing said, "There's nothing wrong with cold water. It tastes good to me."

Tian Buli put the gourd in a special place, "The contents of our two water bottles are different. I sweat a lot, so the gourd contains more salt water. Sir, you are weak, so the gourd contains more sugar water."

Mr. Bing then realized this matter. No wonder the two of them had to share two gourds to drink water.

"I see, it's thanks to Lord Lao!"

Tian Buli sat down on the dirt road covered with weeds and said with a smile, "Don't be so polite. When you pass the imperial examination, I'll have to thank you for protecting the few acres of land in my family."

Mr. Bing smiled and said, "You will definitely pass the exam next time, and maybe even pass the imperial examination before me. Besides, the world is peaceful now, and the people are prosperous. Although there are many taxes and levies in our county, there are not many corvée labor."

"Look at the fertile fields outside the city. There was a drought only seven or eight years ago. The past six or seven years have been bumper harvests. The country is peaceful and the people are safe. It's a good time for scholars like me to strive for fame."

Tian Buli also felt that it was not bad that he was not born in an era of war, chaos and rampage of demons.

Now is a peaceful time, and the court also respects culture and suppresses military power.

Tian Buli stood up and looked at the country road in the distance and the farmyard between the fields.

The small courtyard was located at the foot of a hillside about a hundred meters away from the road. There was a ditch on the road and it looked like an ordinary home.

There is not just one family nearby, but farmhouses of other villagers can also be seen.

"Sir, you are right. I was reminded by you and thought of something I had neglected. Let's go to that family and bother them."

Mr. Bing also stood up and looked towards the house that Tian Buli was looking at.

"What are you doing there?"

Tian Buli smiled and said, "Of course I should wash my face, pack my things, drink some water and eat something, rest for an hour or so, and then go into the city after I'm ready."

"Sir, please come with me. Let's walk for a while and get some rest. This country road is not easy to walk on, so be careful."

Tian Buli pushed the cart down the slope. There were ditches on both sides and the road under his feet was bumpy. Fortunately, it was not easy to rain in spring and there were no heavy objects in the cart, so the road was not too difficult to walk on.

Mr. Bing didn't quite understand this, and only started asking after he followed Tian Buli forward.

"Can't we just wash our faces and rest in the city? Why would we need to stay in a place we don't know? What if we run into some bad guys..."

Tian Buli smiled and said, "Bad guys are those who intend to be bad guys. The possibility of running into bad guys for no reason is much smaller than running into bad guys in a black shop." "We went to eat and rest because you look too messy now, sir. Your hair and clothes make you look like a poor scholar."

"Let's go wash our hair and tidy up our clothes. Even though we can't change the fact that we are poor, we still need to pay attention to other things."

"Just let me talk later. If you encounter a rogue or a bully, I will be the one to make amends or smile at you. Sir, please try not to talk."

Mr. Sick frowned, "Why must we do this? Can't we just go and take the exam?"

Tian Buli still felt that it was important to dress up, and consoled him, "Sir, don't be afraid of trouble. Whether it's an exam or something to do, sometimes the more anxious you are, the harder it is to get things done. Just think of it as me being hungry, let's eat something."

When Mr. Bing heard Tian Buli say this, he naturally couldn't refuse.

At this moment, he saw the ends of his hair again, "My benefactor is right, my hair is indeed a little messy."

Tian Buli smiled and said, "You need to trim your beard too!"

Mr. Sick was in a much better mood and stroked his chin and the beard under his chin with one hand.

"My benefactor, if you want a beard as long as mine, it will take at least ten years. This kind of thing won't happen quickly."

Tian Buli smiled and said, "I won't argue with that. I feel younger and more handsome without a beard."

Mr. Sick smiled and shook his head, "You'll only be treated as a brat if you do that. Beards are beautiful."

Although Tian Buli has his own aesthetic, he does not refute the aesthetic of the times like Mr. Bing.

Even in his own perception, a man with a long beard like Mr. Bing looks handsome and elegant, it's just that Tian Buli himself doesn't want to grow a long beard.

It seems that men who practice Taoism generally have long beards, with long eyebrows and beards.

As soon as the two arrived at the gate of a farmhouse, they saw an old man chopping wood and an old woman sewing something at the door.

The dog in the yard started barking immediately, and the chickens and ducks also became lively.

When Old Man Qiao saw the two men standing at the gate of the yard, he put down his axe and carefully wiped his hands on his waist.

"Who are you two looking for?"

Tian Buli bowed with both hands and said politely, "We are scholars from Yanque County who are going to the capital to take the imperial examination. We didn't get enough rest last night, so we would like to wash our faces and eat something at your house. We will bother you for half an hour. I wonder if you can do that?"

Old man Joe's wife came over and looked at the two young men eagerly.

Old man Qiao said hurriedly: "It's convenient! It must be convenient! Come in and sit down! No!"

As soon as Old Man Qiao agreed, he quickly put his hands in front of him to stop them from entering, "My house is shabby, I'll give you some wine and meat, but don't come in."

Tian Buli smiled and said, "We are not a wealthy family, we are all poor, and we are here to disturb you, so how could we dislike rags?"

Old man Qiao's wife explained carefully, "We have a coffin in our house. Please forgive me, sir, for bringing bad luck to you."

After hearing this, Tian Buli said, "It doesn't matter. We scholars are here to get promoted and make money. Seeing a coffin is not bad luck, it may be good luck."

When Old Man Qiao heard Tian Buli say this, he felt embarrassed to stop him.

The two old men invited the two guests into the house to rest. The old woman went to heat up the food, and the old man brought out the wine he brewed himself to make wine with the unknown creature.

"No, I have to go to the city soon. Drinking might delay my trip."

Tian Buli didn't want to try to make wine with unknown creatures, especially since the sick man next to him was in poor health and couldn't withstand this kind of folk method.

The old people didn't know what to talk about, but fortunately Tian Buli was good at chatting, and let the sick man comb his hair and tidy up his clothes. After he was dressed decently, he said goodbye to the two enthusiastic old people.

(End of this chapter)