Wu Kejiu wanted to interrogate Du Zhongxiao and Han Lian in the afternoon, but he didn't expect that the liquor of the bad liquor was too strong, so he drank two more glasses greedily for a while, and fell asleep. It wasn't until the third pole on the second day that he and Cao Jucheng arrived at the small courtyard where Du Zhongxiao was held.

Chen Jiejie picked up the two of them at the door early and said, "Those two people's mouths are too tight, and they have to be tried by the labor staff in person." ”

Wu Kejiu said: "It's okay, the little dog of the Du family is so angry that I am ruthless, and I am about to come to entertain him." ”

As he spoke, he staggered through the door.

Wu Kejiu didn't enter the house either, but just ordered Du Zhongxiao and Han Lian to be escorted to the courtyard.

Seeing Du Zhongxiao's hair scattered and his face full of tiredness, Wu Kejiu said loudly: "Scared, you little thief, now be hard with me!" ”

Du Zhongxiao looked at Wu Kejiu's appearance and said coldly: "Why are you?" This is the place of the official family. ”

An archer moved a chair, Wu Kejiu sat down beautifully, stilted Erlang's legs and said, "Naturally, it is the place of the official family, otherwise how can you be obedient?" Today you are doing it for your subordinates, and see how I amuse you! ”

"You are not an official or an official, why did you come to interrogate people?" Du Zhongxiao looked at Chen Jiejie who was standing on the side, and couldn't help frowning. "It is not in accordance with the law to let a civilian come and try the case. At the section level, this matter can be big or small, and you can't be confused! ”

Chen Jiejie said: "What nonsense are you talking about! You two thieves and bootlegged wine, where do you still have so much to say! The Han family is the foot shop of 'Qixiangju', secretly selling other wine, and the bad thing is the capital of the Wu family, and the junior staff will naturally come to judge you. ”

Wu Kejiu clapped his hands: "Yes, the section level is older than officialdom, and I am most familiar with these things." Han Lao'er sells other wine in the store, but it's my family's capital that is bad, isn't it just a thief stealing my family's things? I won't come to the trial, which one will be judged! ”

Hearing this, Han Lian said loudly: "How can this guy reverse black and white!" Obviously, you didn't give me wine on credit, and you wanted to spoil my family's food and clothing, forcing us to find a way to find wine to sell. How can it come out of your mouth, but it has become my bad rule! ”

Cao Jucheng, who was standing on the side, said: "This old man, now he is still cunning!" My cousin has taken a fancy to your daughter, what a good thing, but your father and daughter are holding back. I don't give you wine on credit, so that you can think clearly and don't miss the future. Who would have thought that you would dare to find other liquor to sell in the store, this is not a thief! ”

Seeing that a few people were entangled, Du Zhongxiao said loudly: "The justice of the world is at ease in the hearts of the people, no matter how you reverse black and white, we always occupy a rational word." Tell us what you are going to do today! ”

"Refreshing!" Wu Kejiu slapped his thigh. "I'm most annoyed by mother-in-law like a woman's mother-in-law, and since you know it so well, that's fine. Han Lao'er is my foot shop, and he should sell our wine, and no one in the world can break this rule. How much money you have made from selling wine in the past few days, show me the accounts honestly, and get back the money that should be shared with 'Qixiangju' first. ”

Du Zhongxiao listened to it and just sneered. Wu Kejiu is really right, the Han family should sell the wine of "its Xiangju", but "its Xiangju" does not sell the wine of the Han family, that is another matter. Now Wu Kejiu feels that he has the upper hand, and he even wants money from selling wine, but his heart is dark.

Wu Kejiu said again: "I have repeatedly said that the little lady of the Han family is very good-looking, and it is really a pity to live a hard life with you." I will send a kind heart and let her come to my house to be a concubine, give you more money, and have a good life for you in the future. ”

Han Lian listened, took a sip, and didn't bother to pay attention to Wu Kejiu.

Wu Kejiu couldn't help sneering when he saw Han Lian's appearance, and said, "Also, your recipe for making wine with sake lees also wants to tell us as soon as possible." Look, you have broken the prohibition of brewing moonshine, and this sin is not serious. ”

After Wu Kejiu finished speaking, Du Zhongxiao ignored him and said to Chen Jiejie, who was standing on the side: "Jiejie, you are a public servant in the yamen, not the dog leg of the Wu family." We were arrested, but we let the people of the Wu family come to interrogate, and when we see the officials in the future, I am afraid that you will not be able to explain. ”

Hearing this, Wu Kejiu couldn't hold back any longer, and shouted: "You little thief, with sharp teeth and sharp mouth, don't suffer some hardships, you must be unwilling to confess honestly!" Come on, set it up, hit it three or twenty times first, let him wake up! ”

As soon as the words fell, two big men stepped forward and held Du Zhongxiao.

Du Zhongxiao's arms slammed into the fold and shouted: "In broad daylight, you dare to lynch in an official place?!" ”

Wu Kejiu waved his hand again and again: "There is a lot of nonsense! Hit, hit, hit! ”

This small courtyard used to hold prisoners, and there were ready-made canes. At that moment, the two big men took small sticks, pressed Du Zhongxiao to the ground, and beat him hard twenty or thirty times regardless of it. In a moment, blood flowed from Du Zhongxiao's buttocks.

Wu Kejiu saw it and said viciously: "I beat you thief, and only then did I get a bad breath out of my chest!" ”

Du Zhongxiao took a deep breath, forcibly endured the severe pain, and said to Wu Kejiu in a deep voice: "The little member has a generous gift today, and I must remember it in my heart." The mountains do not turn around, and one day, I will repay you twice! ”

"Dare to be hard-mouthed! You poor billet still want to turn over one day? Your dead ghost daddy, last year passed the liberation test, how beautiful! He only thought that he had been released from Benzhou, and when he arrived in Kaifeng Mansion, he would be named on the gold list, and he would be an official from then on. Frightened, it's not the last gray to come back, almost starve to death on the road! Don't you want to learn from your father? Hmph, look at you are a poor life, and you dare to think about those things? ”

Wu Kejiu has been studying since he was a child, although his talent is limited, he has been exposed to it for so many years. For him, Zhongjinshi is very good, but his article can't be on the table, so he retreats to the second, and can get out of Benzhou, and being a township Jinshi has become the biggest pursuit. The Wu family is rich and powerful, and there are many uses for raising people's status. Unexpectedly, Du Xun was relieved last year, which made Wu Kejiu envious and hateful. This time, I chased Du Zhongxiao and didn't let go, and there was no anger at Du Xun's liberation last year.

Du Zhongxiao looked at Wu Kejiu, and his eyebrows were cold. After this incident, he has a clearer understanding of this era. If you want to live well in this world, the first thing is to have money. There are a lot of ways to make money in my head, but I lack an introduction, as long as I start, I don't have to worry about the money coming in. As long as he survives, his father will find the right person in the state city and get through this crisis safely, and he will definitely be able to solve the problem of money in the future. To live well, the second is to have status. How does it count as status? Be an official.

Between money and officials, officials are fundamental. The Song Dynasty was different from the Ming Dynasty, after more than 100 years of turmoil in the late Tang Dynasty, the folk families had been swept away, especially in the north, which was already the world of bureaucrats and small landlords. is the Wu family, which has also made its fortune in recent decades, and it used to be just a small family. That is, Shi County ordered to ignore things, otherwise a county official would be enough to make them frightened.

To be an official, the most convenient way is to take the Jinshi examination. Since yesterday, Du Zhongxiao has carefully checked the possibility of being admitted to the Jinshi, and finally came to the conclusion that the Zhongjinshi is not a very difficult thing. At this time, the imperial examination was still in the process of further reform, and the most important thing for Jinshi was fu, followed by treatise and poetry, and strategy. Poetry is the most important, followed by discussion and strategy. Poetry does test the level of literature and the ability to understand the classics comprehensively, but the most important thing is that they are all traceable and qualified. That is, as long as you are attentive and willing to work hard, it is not too difficult to make mediocre and satisfactory poems. As long as you are stable in the imperial examination, the possibility of winning is very high. Because regardless of whether it is the release test or the provincial palace test, the first reason for falling is the rhyme and not Chinese. For example, Ouyang Xiu, who was familiar to later generations, the reason for the first two falls was rhyme. This is also why the proportion of Jinshi among the people in Kaifeng Mansion is particularly high, and they naturally have an advantage in this regard.

Du Zhongxiao came from the soul of later generations, and the biggest advantage of the exam is that he is accustomed to exam-oriented education, which is exactly what the readers of this era lack. I can't write an embroidery article, and I try to write an article that meets the requirements, but I am better than others.

The flogging he had just received was attacked, and there were bursts of pain in his body. Du Zhongxiao frowned, and secretly swore that after this time, he must study hard and strive to take the Jinshi exam in the shortest possible time. Jinshi doesn't need to be famous, just be an official.

Wu Kejiu had no experience in torture, and when he saw that Du Zhongxiao's lower body was dripping with blood, he thought that he had beaten him hard, and since then this thief has remembered himself. But I didn't know that flogging looked scary, but in fact, the damage to people was limited, and Du Zhongxiao's injuries were not serious.

Chen Jiejie naturally understands. However, he was just helping Wu Kejiu and helping this rich kid to breathe a sigh of relief, so naturally he didn't say anything.

After beating Du Zhongxiao, Wu Kejiu said to Han Lian: "Lao'er, you see it, no matter how hard you are, you will be like that little thief!" ”

Han Lian looked at Du Zhongxiao's angry face, his eyebrows were locked, and he sighed and said, "Outside, what do you want?" ”

Wu Kejiu listened to it and said, "You old man, why are you still pretending to be confused here!" How many times have I said that I will obediently let your daughter come to my house as a concubine. It is not difficult for me to set a ten-year term for you, and I will give you the money from the best calculation. After ten years, she will never stop her from getting married, and I will still have a dowry for her. Even if I have children, I will raise them at home, and I will not be dragged down. ”

With the current social atmosphere, Wu Kejiu's words are as if they are justified, and he feels that he is a great favor to the Han family. It is common for a girl from a poor family to look a little beautiful, and it is common for a young woman to go to a rich man's house as a maid and a concubine. At this time, most of the concubines were hired, and they also had a number of years. When he reached the age limit, he came out of the master's house, was in his twenties, and had some savings, so it was not difficult to find a good family to marry.

It is precisely because of this atmosphere that Wu Kejiu does not understand the Han family's refusal to let Han Yueniang be his concubine. It's obviously a benefit to the Han family, how can it be like harming them?