The next day, Shi Yannian was sent away, but Xu Ping still felt uncomfortable, so he still stayed at home and did not go out. It's just that someone specially instructed Lu Pan, the director of the wine shop, to let him go back to the village if he sees Sang Yi.

It was only on the third day that Sang Yi found the village, and when he saw Xu Ping's face, he hurriedly asked: "I heard that the little owner had an accident a few days ago, it's not a big deal, right?" ”

Xu Ping said: "It's nothing, it's just a little cold." Is there any news about Xiucai? ”

Sang Yi nodded: "I followed that Qin Er for a few days, and I really found those two masterminds." ”

"Who is it? Where is it? Xu Ping hurriedly asked.

This incident has worried Xu Ping for a long time, and he is anxious to know the answer.

Sang Yi said: "I followed Qin Er to a ruined temple to find them, for fear of startling the snake, but I just watched from a distance and didn't come forward." Listening to their speeches, they were all from Guanzhong's Xianggong Jinshi, one was named Zhang Yuan, and the other was Wu Jiuxia. Because this department is down, there is no entanglement, so I got this thing. ”

It turned out that after separating from Xu Ping that day, Sang Yi followed Qin Huailiang back to his hometown in the countryside, and waited for another day to track down and find that the two Fang Shi happened to be staggered with Xu Ping's affairs.

Xu Ping talked with Sang Yi for a while, but there was no more information, so he had to go to the town in person to see the situation and then decide where to start. Is it to find out the thief of Granny Hong first, and report to the official mansion to sweep away the two people, or catch the two first, and then clean up the thief.

Before the discussion was properly discussed, a Zhuang guest came to report, saying that Lin Wensi was looking for Xu Ping outside and asked him to go to Baisha Town with him, and there was something.

Xu Ping didn't dare not listen, cleaned up, and walked out of the village with Sang Yi.

When he got outside, Lin Wensi saw Sang Yi and hurriedly greeted: "It turns out that Sang Xiucai is also in the village." Captain Cao Baochen returned to Beijing to report on his work, and a junior invited him to the town to drink. It just so happened that we were going together. ”

Cao Baochen is Cao Wei, the first general of the Great Song Dynasty at this time, who was degraded again and again because he offended Ding Wei. Now that Ding Wei has fallen, the imperial court is going to reinvigorate.

Although Sang Yi is a Jinshi as a profession, he is a good man, and when he heard that he was going to see this legendary general, and he would drink at the same table, he naturally went happily.

Xu Ping had already seen a sergeant standing on the side of the road, leading his horse and waiting there, and hurriedly ordered Zhuang Ke to lead his horse. This is a piece of hard work for his teacher and father-in-law, and when he has the opportunity, he will take him to meet the upper class of this era, and have a chance to show his face famously, thinking that he will plan later.

When he came back this time, Xu Ping had already made up his mind to become an official, and he would no longer be angry with some petty officials, and there would be more and more such things in the future.

The first pass of the imperial examination in the Song Dynasty was the examination of the state government, and the qualification to participate in the examination depended on the guarantee. The privileges of the officials at all levels varied, but at least there were a few guarantors with the status of tribute. At this time, Xu Ping's reliable guarantor is the teacher Lin Wensi, who has worked together for a long time, and Guo Zhi, the county master, may also be counted as one. Before the next subject starts, he has to get to know a few more guarantors in order to qualify for the release exam. Fortunately, Kaifeng Mansion has a lot of township tributes, and it is not difficult to find a guarantor.

Of course, there is really no way to spend money to buy it, and there is always a move to exchange your reputation for money. However, the guarantor is jointly and severally liable, and if the person who recommends someone who does not learn or know, he will also be punished.

Xu Ping rode a horse, Lin Wensi and Sang Yi rode a donkey, and followed the sergeant sent by Cao Wei to Baisha Town.

As soon as I arrived in the town, I saw a large circle of people gathered in the drunkard pavilion from a distance, including the sergeants brought by Cao Wei and the residents of Baisha Town. Cao Wei was born in Jiangmen, has been in the northwest for a long time, has outstanding military achievements, and is a hero of this era. With the lively nature of the people of the Great Song Dynasty, they naturally will not let go of this opportunity to see the living.

Parting the crowd, the three stepped forward to salute.

Cao Wei pointed to a person beside him: "My junior recommended to me that the wine here is good, saying that it is powerful, mellow and delicious, and you must come and taste it." After saying it a few times, I had free today, and Mr. Lin happened to live near Zuo, so I came over to have a drink together. ”

Lin Wensi said: "The captain is polite. The wine here is made by my son-in-law, and it is indeed strong, and anyone who loves wine must praise a few words. ”

Xu Ping knew that this was to promote himself, and hurriedly stepped forward to salute: "Xu Ping, a grass man, has seen the captain!" ”

After this period of polishing, although Xu Ping is not handsome and extraordinary, he also has a heroic spirit.

Cao Wei looked at it and nodded: "Ling's son-in-law is really a young hero." I heard this junior say that he is not only clever, but also familiar with battle formations, and even he has lost to you. Yes and no? ”

Xu Ping had already seen that the person next to Cao Wei was Zhao Zi, but he didn't expect him to be able to climb this big tree, so he hurriedly replied: "Taiwei praised it." It's all play, how can it be taken seriously? ”

Cao Wei smiled, and it was not good to mention this matter in front of Zhao Zi, but he just kept it in mind.

Everyone sat down, and Cao Wei said again: "I think the couplets on this pavilion are very interesting, and they must be written by people who really love wine like life, and the handwriting is also extraordinary." I wonder who wrote it? ”

Lin Wensi said: "Taiwei has a discerning eye! This is written by Shi Manqing of Song Cheng. A few months ago, Mrs. Li Yuanbo passed by the village on business, drank this wine and thought it was interesting, asked him to bring a few jars to Manqing, named the wine, and inscribed this couplet on the pavilion. ”

Cao Wei said: "I have long heard that there is a Shi Manqing who can drink alcohol in the world, but I have always worked outside, and I have no chance to see it, which is a pity!" Since you're here today, why don't you invite him over for a drink? It's also an elegant thing! ”

At that moment, he called a sergeant beside him and asked him to bring his name back to the capital to invite Shi Yanlai.

This is Cao Wei is in a good mood and wants to join in the fun. The most important thing is another point, Zhang Zhibai, who has the grace of knowing Shi Yannian, served as the privy deputy envoy at this time, although he was excluded from the ruling and had no real power, but in the end he was the nominal deputy military head of the Great Song Dynasty. Cao Wei was excluded by Ding Wei a few years ago, and he was a few governors in Jingdong, but he was re-recruited at this time, and he also had the heart to open up this joint.

It is inevitable that politicians will always have these careful thoughts when they interact with each other, and they are all human nature.

Xu Ping instructed the wine shop to take out the wine that was stored here, but there were only two small jars on the table, and Cao Wei said embarrassedly: "It's unfortunate that the Taiwei came, there are only so many of the best wines." ”

Cao Wei looked at Xiaotan and said, "Is this wine really so precious?" ”

Xu Ping said: "Don't dare to hide it from the captain, a hundred catties of good wine is only a catty, and it is not much." ”

Cao Wei asked Zhao Zi beside him again: "Virtuous nephew, what do you say about this wine?" ”

Zhao Zi blushed a little, and replied honestly: "Don't hide it, this wine is too expensive, I can't afford to drink it, and I never have a drop in my mouth." ”

Cao Wei sighed: "Poor Zhao Dujian died young, and you will suffer." Go back with me today, and take a hundred and ten yuan from the house for you to use. ”

Zhao Zi is the age when he spends all his time drinking, and the money is always insufficient, so he hurriedly thanked him. His father has been in the northwest frontier for many years and is Cao Wei's colleague, so he doesn't need to be polite.

The Song Dynasty said that it was important to emphasize literature over military force, but it cannot be so simple to generalize. To put it in detail, it should be that the political status of the civil servants is high, and the income of the military generals is high. Since the Taizu Dynasty, the military generals have been raised by high-ranking officials, and they have never been treated badly. As for Wenchen, he knows the righteousness and respects the high position, and the methods are different.

As for the real meaning of this, Zi said: "The gentleman is said to be righteous, and the villain is to be profitable." "Treat Wenchen with the way of a gentleman, and treat the military generals with the way of a villain, this is the fundamental reason why Wenchen looks down on military generals, and it is not only because of the difference in political status.

Although Cao Wei was squeezed out by Ding Wei, he still took the observation envoy with him, and he was still generous, and he was not embarrassed at hand.

After comforting Zhao Zi, Cao Wei said again: "Since this wine is so precious, don't drink it all at once, leave a jar for me to take away, and find a few friends to taste it together." The little master just take out the high-quality wine you have here, let's drink it first, and the jar will be opened when Shi Manqing comes. ”

Xu Ping was a little embarrassed: "Sue Taiwei, the reason why there are only two jars of this wine left is because it was drunk by the Shiguan people a few days ago, and it was too late to brew it for a while." ”

Cao Wei was taken aback: "I heard that Shi Manqing is down, where did he get so much money?" ”

Xu Ping said: "It was the grass people who invited him." ”

Cao Wei looked at Xu Ping and smiled: "You are generous!" ”

Xu Ping said: "Shiguan saved my life, what is this wine!" ”

Thinking of Cao Wei's many years of service in the army, his heart moved, so he told the events of the previous few days, and finally said: "The grace of saving lives, where is a few jars of wine!" ”

After listening to Xu Ping's words, Cao Wei's expression became solemn, and he asked Zhao Zi beside him: "Virtuous nephew, in your opinion, what is the origin of those five people who killed people on horseback?" ”

Zhao Zi sighed: "Do you need to say this, listening to the description of the little master, nine times out of ten it is the forbidden army that came out of the big camp." It's just that I don't know what kind of character, so bold! ”

Cao Wei thought for a while and slowly spoke: "The military camps near here are one in Wansheng Town in this county, and one in Luguan Town of Wei's family in neighboring counties. As long as you are a member of the forbidden army, you can't get out of these two places. ”

"Come on," Cao Wei turned around and beckoned to the personal soldiers behind him, "Take my name thorn, go to these two camps separately, find the main general, and ask them to hand over the people!" ”

The two pro-soldiers answered the promise and got on their horses.

Watching the two horses leave, Xu Ping was dumbfounded, but he didn't expect Cao Wei to have this temper. It's just that he is now a tiger descending from the mountain, and I don't know if it will work.

Since his father Cao Bin, the Cao family has been in charge of the army for generations, both father and son are famous generals, Cao Wei is valued by the first emperor, and his prestige in the army is extremely strong.

Xu Ping has been worrying about how to find out the five people that day these days, and at this time, he is also happy. As long as these five people are subdued and follow the vine, they will not worry about finding the person behind the scenes.

(Note: There was a mistake before, Zhao Zi's father Zhao Shilong should have been killed in the third year of Tiansheng, and Zhao Zi should not have been added to the army in the second year of Tiansheng at this time.) This is what I didn't check carefully, but now it's hard to change, please forgive me. ）