Because of the New Year's celebration, tossing until late at night, everyone has some reasons. The Xu family is a businessman and does not strictly abide by etiquette, so Zhang Sanniang asked everyone to go back to sleep.

Xu Ping felt that as soon as he hid, he closed his eyes when he heard his father calling his name outside the door. I got up in a daze, opened the door, and saw Xu Zheng standing outside with a lantern, so he asked, "Daddy, I just fell asleep, what happened in the middle of the night?" ”

Xu Zhengdao: "Child, it's about to be the end of the day, and you will also come to kowtow to your ancestors." ”

Look at the horizon, a round and a half moon has reached the western sky, and in the second half of the night, there is a faint sound of drums outside.

The time of the Winter Solstice Festival begins when the ugly time is almost over, but it is not exactly the second half of the night. The people also came with the time of the imperial court, and it was selected by professionals in the end.

Yawning, Xu Ping followed his father to the offering table and bowed respectfully. As a parent, Xu Zheng is the hardest working tonight, it is said that Xu Ping is also old, and he has to accompany his father to do these things throughout the whole process, one is to help his father do things, and the other is to learn this set of etiquette. China's thousands of years of traditional culture have been passed down from generation to generation, from father to son, and from son to grandchild. However, Zhang Sanniang felt sorry for her son, so she just asked Xu Ping to sleep.

After sacrificing his ancestors, Xu Zheng completed the task and went back to sleep by himself. It's just that Xu Pingdong tossed for a while at night, and he didn't feel sleepy anymore, standing in the yard in a daze.

The sound of drums outside became clearer and clearer, and the procession of worshipping the heavens began to approach the state bridge and march towards the city gate. Xu Ping was very interested in going out to have a look, but unfortunately his father specially explained that although there was usually no curfew in Kaifeng City, tonight was different from the usual time, and he had to wait until dawn to go out.

Standing in the courtyard and listening for a while, there was no end to the music outside, and I didn't know how long the line was.

After all, he couldn't stand the cold of winter, Xu Ping went back to his room, lay on the bed, and fell asleep again in a daze.

Early the next morning, Xu Ping had just finished washing, and before he had time to eat breakfast, he heard a loud voice shouting outside: "Brother, why don't you go to play with me when you arrive in Tokyo?" ”

Xu Ping listened, smiled and shook his head, why did Li Zhang, this kid come early in the morning, and he was not afraid that the winter wind would freeze his nose.

came out to see him, Li Zhang said: "I heard Grandpa Duan say that you came into the city yesterday, why don't you wait for me when you arrive at my house, let's go play together!" ”

Xu Ping said: "You are not small, you can't talk with your brain." What day is it? Want me to wait for you at your house! You are also the eldest son in your family, doesn't your father pull you to worship your ancestors? ”

Li Zhang hasn't understood these times yet, he just kowtows, and he doesn't take ancestor worship seriously.

After chatting for a while, Xu Ping asked Li Zhang: "Have you had breakfast?" ”

Li Zhang said: "I came to you as soon as I got up, and I haven't eaten yet." I'm counting on the way, and I should be here just in time for dinner. ”

Xu Ping smiled and shook his head, he really shouldn't be an outsider.

After breakfast, the whole family has to go out to play. Xiuxiu wanted to follow Xu Ping, but Xu Ping and Li Zhang wanted to go to the bookstore near Xiangguo Temple to buy some reference books for the imperial examination, if it was nothing in normal times, Xiangguo Temple and Xu's shop were only separated by a royal street, but today the royal street was closed, it was very inconvenient, Xiuxiu had to follow Zhang Sanniang and Dou'er around the door of the house. Xu Zheng was going to the shop to watch first, and then he took the time to look at Duan Lao's courtyard.

After many detours, Xu Ping and Li Zhang came to the gate of Daxiangguo Temple.

Most of the emperors of the Northern Song Dynasty paid equal attention to Buddhism and Taoism, and the plaque of Xiangguo Temple at this time was written by Emperor Taizong. After experiencing Zhou Shizong's ban on Buddha, Buddhism ushered in a golden age, Xiangguo Temple expanded again and again, covering a vast area, it has long been unable to be described as a temple, and has become one of the core business districts in Kaifeng City.

As soon as you arrive at the main road by the Bianhe River near Xiangguo Temple, there is a flow of people and many vendors. Especially for those who wander around and sell their goods, because the imperial court explicitly does not collect taxes from these people, they are even more abundant, such as all kinds of snacks and all kinds of fruits.

Xu Ping came from his previous life, and what he was most afraid of was this kind of crowded scene of festival tourists, and when he saw the dense crowds, his scalp was numb, and he said to Li Zhang: "Let's go faster and go straight to the book market." ”

Li Zhang was a little unhappy: "Since you're here, why don't you take a tour by the way?" Today's winter solstice, the people of the city have come here, even the nobles of the court, and they also use this holiday to eat, drink and play here. The two of us are not dragged down, we can just let it go and watch it! ”

Xu Ping smiled bitterly, he was really tired of watching people in his previous life, even if there were beautiful women in the crowd, he had no interest in watching them. No matter how beautiful it looks, can it be compared to the pleasing eyes in the core business district of the big city in the previous life?

What I was most afraid of was the annoyance of crowding, and I didn't care about Li Zhang's mood, I just dragged him all the way to find a place to sell books.

Xiangguo Temple here is concentrated in Kaifeng City's most bookshops, on the variety of the version of the whole, when it is the most in the world, not only the literati of the Great Song Dynasty come here to shop, the envoys of the foreign dynasty also often secretly come from here to get a few good books back. What is outrageous is that even the imperial court's newspaper and concert have to be sold here, which can be described as varied.

Xu Ping had already inquired with Lin Wensi, and when he saw the signboard of "Meijia Bookstore", he pulled Li Zhang in.

A clean and tidy guy greeted him and smiled before speaking: "It's so cold outside, the two of you are working the road, hurry up to the brazier to bake the fire." ”

If you are doing business, you can't ask as soon as you enter the door: "What do you buy?" "That's the number of small shops in the countryside, like these big shops in the capital, all of which make you feel as if you have entered a home as soon as you enter the door, serving tea and pouring water, serving you carefully and never asking you what to buy. Even if you really don't buy it, just come in for tea and rest for a while, they still send you out with a smile all the way.

Xu Ping saw that this little guy had a kind face, so he asked him: "I want to buy some imperial examination books, what do you have here?" ”

The little guy said: "Xiucai wants to buy scriptures?" Or are they annotated? ”

Xu Ping thought for a while before saying: "Don't want that, just give me as many poems as the people of Jinshi High School who took the examinations during the scientific examinations of the past few dynasties." ”

"The guest officer is really on the right track, the bookstores around here, if you say these, my shop is the most complete! Let's go to the brazier and warm up, and I'll get it for you. ”

As he spoke, he led Xu Ping and Li Zhang to the brazier.

The two sat down, and the little maid went to find the books Xu Ping asked for, and someone else brought tea.

Xu Ping'an was sitting and drinking tea, and Li Zhang couldn't sit still, looking around there.

After a while, the little guy came over with several books, put them in front of Xu Ping and said: "This is the collection of the top three in the imperial examinations from the early Tang Dynasty to this dynasty, can the guest officer be satisfied with it?" ”

Xu Ping casually took a look, these things have to be experienced slowly, not at a glance, he just flipped through the printing and looked at the beautiful printing, the handwriting was clear and neat, and he paid attention to the two paragraphs without typos or omissions.

The little guy smiled on the side: "The guest officer can rest assured, the store has accumulated a reputation for many years, and there are no typos in it." And they are all recently printed and proofread according to the new edition of the "Jade Chapter". ”

Xu Ping closed the book: "I want all of these." Is there a collection of booklets? It is all to be done during the imperial examination, and it is best to have a review. ”

The little guy said: "This is naturally available, and there are several kinds of famous gatherings, which one do the guest officers want?" ”

Xu Ping couldn't say why, so he had to say: "Bring them all!" ”

The little guy held five or six more booklets, and his face was already smiling: "Can the guest officer be satisfied?" ”

Seeing that Xu Ping finished reading it, the little guy said again: "In addition to these, there is also a collection of gifts made by famous artists in this store, do you want to take a look at it?" ”

There are two situations in the preparation of the proposed questions, one is that someone specially writes the question as a mock exam, and there are also wonderful ones, or they invite famous experts to do the questions. There is also a kind of literary master's work, that is, he writes his own topic, which is also very valuable.

Xu Ping hesitated for a while, according to the comparison of his previous life for the postgraduate examination, the most valuable practice questions are real questions, and mock questions can be done or not. However, now the preparation for the imperial examination is actually narrow, and the key is to understand the spirit of it, as for the skills such as literary style, it is not really important.

In the end, he nodded and said, "If there are wonderful episodes in recent years, bring them to me as well." ”

When the little guy heard this, he had a smile on his face, and he seemed to turn around.

Li Zhang sighed as he watched it, he thought that coming to Xu Ping early in the morning would take him to some interesting place. I didn't expect to buy a book, and looking at this posture, I used him as a coolie. Today, the court is pounced, and there are gambling games everywhere in Kaifeng City, and he still wants to find a chance to fight for luck on the road, and now he is carrying a bundle of books on the road, and this idea is broken.

Xu Ping finally bought two collections of proposed topics, which can be regarded as broadening his mind. and Li Zhang came out of the bookstore, each carrying a thick bundle of books.

After walking a short distance, Li Zhang said, "Brother, take a break." When you get to Xiangguo Temple, it doesn't matter if you don't take me to play, the roast pork here is the most famous, so you have to take me to eat. When we were done eating, we hired a donkey and carried the books back. Relying on the two of us to carry it, I'm afraid I'm going to be tired! ”

At this time, Xiangguo Temple is also famous for its wine and meat, not only there are many monks who are addicted to alcohol, but also monks who specialize in opening shops to sell barbecue, slaughtering and selling a dragon, and even recruiting prostitutes to accompany the wine. Especially at this time, a roast pork in Xiangguo Temple is the most famous, and it is a signboard in Kaifeng City. "Roast Zhu Yuan" was originally called "Roast Pig Courtyard", which is specialized in barbecue, Yang Yi Yang Danian, a scholar of the Hanlin Dynasty of Zhenzong Dynasty, liked this delicacy the most, and the monks who roasted pork were familiar with it, and felt that it was unsightly to use this name directly in the temple, so they helped them change it to "Roast Zhu Yuan".

Xu Ping had already heard of this delicacy, and the most important thing was the barbecue sold by the monk, so he was inevitably a little curious, so he said to Li Zhang: "You have a point, it's still early anyway, so it's better to go and have a meal." ”

Li Zhangyile: "My brother knows my mind best!" ”

I didn't feel tired, and I carried the big bundle of books and took Xu Ping around and around to a shop.

Xu Ping saw that the inside was no different from the usual shop, he was the same as a supervisor, and he greeted him with a few servants inside, so he asked Li Zhang: "Why is it that the one who sells meat is not a monk?" ”

Li Zhang smiled: "What did my brother say! Where do those monks dare to come forward directly to do this business, of course, they have to hide their eyes, otherwise they will not be taken by Kaifeng Mansion! Relax, as long as the things sold inside are from Xiangguo Temple, why bother with these details! ”

After speaking, he leaned into Xu Ping's ear and whispered: "My brother has always been informal, but in front of the monks of Xiangguo Temple, don't call them monks in person, otherwise you will eat them." ”

Xu Ping remembered that the monks in Kaifeng didn't like to call them monks, but to call them masters or something, just avoid those two words.

smiled and entered the store with Li Zhang.