After returning to his hometown, Du Zhongxiao visited the magistrate and other officials, and was invited by the villagers to drink every day, never stopping. After more than half a month of such days, Du Zhongxiao was really tired of it, and he excused himself from going out no longer because he was not in good health.

The weather is getting hotter day by day, and Du Zhongxiao sits by the pool in the back garden, blowing the cool breeze and reading some idle books.

Tao Qiqi came in from outside and saluted to Du Zhongxiao's side: "Official, there is a guest outside, who calls himself Wu Kejiu. I heard from people in my family that I used to have some festivals with officials, but I didn't know how to see or see. ”

Du Zhongxiao shook his head: "This person is a big family in the township, and he used to oppress me when my family was down. I heard that his family had been severely corrupted over the years and had been retributed, and I saw what he did. ”

Tao Qiqi hesitated for a moment before he said: "I heard from Daddy Qin, who was the gatekeeper, that when the official returned to his hometown, this person came to visit. Daddy Qin has not allowed him to come in, but he didn't expect this guy to come every day, and the wind and rain continued. Daddy Qin was really bored, so he asked me to ask the official. ”

Du Zhongxiao was stunned for a moment and asked, "Has he been here for more than ten days?" ”

Tao Qiqi nodded: "Not really." I don't know what's wrong with this person, the official doesn't see the guest, but he is pestering. ”

Du Zhongxiao sneered: "What else can there be?" Back then, he took advantage of our family's despair and humiliated us to the fullest. Later, when I became a jinshi, no matter whether it was the yamen or the villagers, it was inevitable that they would be angry for me. It's been more than three years, and I heard that his restaurant has fallen into ruin, and I can't hold it anymore. Forget it, you bring him in, and I'll see you. I don't see him, I'm afraid that he won't be able to raise his head in the township for the rest of his life. ”

Tao Seventeen agreed, turned around and went out.

Du Zhongxiao put the book in his hand and was stunned for a while. Life is so wonderful, when his father's whereabouts were unknown, and he was so depressed that he sold sheep's hooves for a living, Wu Kejiu didn't take himself seriously at all. At that time, he wanted to force Yueniang as a concubine, and thought it was a charity to the Han family, but he didn't think that there would be today. In good conscience, after Du Zhongxiao became a jinshi, he did not hit Wu Kejiu, and he didn't even mention his name. But Du Zhongxiao didn't mention it, and the others didn't forget it.

In the eyes of the yamen, what is a big local household? Fan Zhen was okay when he was there, and he didn't deliberately bully Wu Kejiu's family, but the officials below curryed favor with Du Xun and made a fuss about his restaurant, making him constantly lose money. When Fan Zhen left office, the new one was a county magistrate, and he was no longer so polite. not only made the Wu family's restaurant lose money, but also sent all kinds of heavy duties to his family. Wu Kejiu served as a yasman for half a year, and was sent to the capital by the county order to escort a batch of official goods. From the time Lin Ying left, he deliberately gave him a rotten one, and when he arrived in the capital, he didn't accept it, and Wu Ke lost it for a long time.

Half a year ago, the Wu family's property was basically empty, and only a few hundred acres of land in the countryside remained. Without the support of the government, the small landlords were extremely aggrieved, and all kinds of errands were not broken, and the Wu family could not support it.

Du Zhongxiao returned to his hometown, and his family told him about Wu Kejiu. What can Du Zhongxiao do? I had to ignore it. Everything the yamen did was based on the law, and he had not made a fake lawsuit to trap him.

With a sigh, Du Zhongxiao got up and paced by the pool. From Wu Kejiu's experience, we can see how correct he was in deciding to study and take the Jinshi exam. Without this official body, what can you do even if you make money? If you're not careful, that's what happened.

When Du Zhongxiao was thinking wildly, Tao Qiqi brought Wu Kejiu in and came over to greet him.

Du Zhongxiao looked at Wu Kejiu, but in just three years, his hair was gray, his face was withered, and he seemed to be dozens of years old, where was he still arrogant and domineering.

Seeing Du Zhongxiao looking at himself, Wu Kejiu bowed his hand: "I heard that the official came back, so Xiaomin came to ask to see him." It's just that I haven't been able to do anything about it, and I haven't seen the officials until today, and I hope to forgive my sins. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "You and I have no friendship, what if we see each other?" What if you don't see it? It's better not to see each other than to see each other. ”

Wu Kejiu's face was a little sad, and he said: "In the past, the people were ignorant and offended the officials, and they have today's misfortune. I also hope that the officials and gentlemen will not remember the old evils, so let them go. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "It's strange, you bullied me that day and arrested me in prison without authorization." Since Fan Zhixian came, we have reconciled, and I have never mentioned your name again. I haven't done anything to you in the first place, so why don't you let it go? ”

Wu Kejiu was speechless for a while, and after a long while, he said: "Although the official didn't say anything, the status is there, and there are always people who want to cater to your mind and embarrass me." In the past few years, my family's restaurant has lost money, and even the savings have been lost because of the errand in front of the ya. Now he only lives on two or three hundred acres of thin fields in the countryside, but he is still oppressed by the township, and he continues to work every day. How can you live this kind of life? ”

Du Zhongxiao shook his head: "I don't care how your family is doing." I didn't use my official status to oppress you, even if you had a deep hatred with me back then. Don't worry, I didn't target you before, and I won't do anything to you in the future, just live your life. ”

Seeing that Wu Kejiu listened to his words, stood there without speaking, and did not leave, Du Zhongxiao said strangely: "Could it be that you still expect me to help you now?" There is no such thing as a good thing. Blessings and misfortunes are self-inflicted, everything is done by yourself, don't complain. ”

Seeing Du Zhongxiao's resolute attitude, Wu Kejiu sighed: "I just want to ask the officials to tell the yamen that our grievances and grievances are enough in the past three years, don't target my family anymore." For the sake of the villagers, what if the officials say a word? ”

Du Zhongxiao laughed when he heard this: "When you arrested me into the yamen and lynched me back then, why didn't you look at the faces of the villagers?" What do I have with you? I have made it clear that I have never taken revenge on you as an officer, so what did I say when I went to the Yamen? ”

Wu Kejiu said: "Even if the officials don't attack me, aren't those officials coming to slap you?" ”

Du Zhongxiao laughed: "What nonsense are you talking about? In the past three years, no one in my hometown has ever asked me to do something, what do you want me to do? You have today, it's just that you have done too much evil in the past, and evil has evil retribution. You've already seen me when you come to see me, and if there's nothing else, don't send it! ”

Wu Kejiu was a little distracted for a while, and after a while, he arched his hand and said: "If an official knows the county, he should naturally know how people like me who have offended you will be treated locally." The official was awarded the Jinshi, and he did not use his official body to bully me, and the little heart was grateful. But without the orders of the officials, my family is so difficult, where is there a place in Linying County? The officials have pity, I still have two or three hundred acres of thin fields at home, and the officials happen to be buying land to build a village, so why don't you buy those fields too? The fields were sold, and the small ones went elsewhere to earn a living. ”

Du Zhongxiao shook his head: "Everyone in the county knows that you had a grudge against me back then. If I buy your land, won't I give people a handle and guess that I am bullying you behind my back? If you want to sell land, sell it to someone else, I have already chosen a place. ”

Wu Kejiu stood there, feeling discouraged for a while, speechless. Du Zhongxiao would rather buy land in other places than buy his house at a low price, and if others know about it, wouldn't he have to run on himself? Life in the world, it is difficult to send charcoal in the snow, and it is easy to fall into the well, at this time, your own land can only be sold at a low price. originally thought that Du Zhongxiao Zhongjin had been an official for so many years, but he had not avenged the revenge of the year, he was a good talker, and Wu Ke came to try his luck for a long time. As long as Du Zhongxiao said a word, the Wu family could get rid of their current situation. Where did you think that Du Zhongxiao did not take revenge, but the feud that was concluded back then was not so easy to solve, and Wu Kejiu would not say a word.

At this time, Wu Kejiu understood that his family had only one way to move, and Lin Ying couldn't live anymore. Otherwise, his family would be bullied to death by the yamen and fellow villagers sooner or later. sold the land and went to join his cousin Cao Jucheng, who was in the Jinshi, maybe he could make a comeback.

However, if Du Zhongxiao doesn't buy the Wu family's land, can his family's land still be sold?