Xu Hao was lying on the wooden bed dying, and was beaten twice in a day, feeling the grievance in his heart. Fortunately, the Mu family didn't play really, otherwise a small life would have to be confessed.

In any case, the expected goal was finally achieved, and when the Duchess of Qianguo learned of his identity, she was polite and instructed the steward to clean up a guest room.

There are just some skin injuries on the body, the Mu family smeared Xu Hao with wound medicine and sent a bowl of decoction, but Xu Hao didn't drink it but poured it out, youth is the capital, just rest for a night.

Before dawn on the morning of the second day, Xu Hao was already dressed neatly, and he simply freshened up with the cold and biting well water, and exercised alone in the yard. After the sky was bright, the subordinates brought gruel and side dishes, and after eating, they came to the study with the little girl.

The teacher was yesterday's examiner, still smiling. In addition to Xu Hao, there are three companions, one is Zhao Hesong, a young man in his twenties, with good looks and medium stature, and the whole person looks like a talent. One is Feng Quan, a distant relative of the Mu family, who is twenty years old this year, with a sallow complexion, black and thin, and a black mole on his mouth.

There is also a talented Zhou Peng in his thirties, a very handsome and elegant middle-aged man, who is a neighbor nearby, and his fame is very famous.

greeted each other and saluted each other, the two Xiucai were born with a child and a Bai Ding, although Xu Hao was a Bai Ding, he was the youngest and forgivable, and no one looked down on him, so everyone would be regarded as classmates in the future.

The teacher didn't pay much attention to Zhao Hesong and Zhou Peng, the two talents, firstly, there was nothing to teach, and secondly, as a showman, he came to study as a companion, either for another purpose or in the middle of the family.

Obviously, Zhao Hesong belongs to the former, and after staying in the capital for a long time, he has exhausted his entanglement, and the guest Mu family is waiting for the next imperial examination. Zhou Peng belongs to a scholar who can't operate, he has been sitting and eating for many years, and his life is very poor, and he came to Mu's house for those few taels of silver.

Xu Hao is also a salaried guy, and the teacher is also not very enthusiastic about him, only Feng Quan is a disciple who has given fifty taels of bunches, and in addition, Mu Ang, the third son of the Mu family, who has not yet met.

The teacher ordered the two Xiucai to teach themselves, so that Xu Hao read "Xiaoya", Feng Quan read "National Style", and he sat down and tasted fragrant tea.

Xu Hao is at peace when he comes, frowning and reciting in his heart word by word, there are places that he can't understand and words that are not allowed to be pronounced, so he asked Zhou Peng next to him nearby, this Zhou Peng is very easy-going, in short, he takes the trouble to explain.

At this time, the books were all in traditional vertical without punctuation, and most of them were boring, and it was naturally very painful to read for modern people who had not even entered the door. If you want to become a reader, the most basic thing is to memorize the entire Four Books and Five Classics, deeply understand their meaning, and read a wide range of books, so that you can quote the classics and come easily, which is why Xu Hao resists studying.

Xu Hao likes to read and Chinese studies, but he doesn't like to read dead books and be a nerd. But since he is a companion, he will also take this matter seriously and will not be lazy and slippery.

After most of the day, the twelve-year-old Mu Ang came with two scholars, who were busy laying out soft mats, putting hot tea and snacks, and putting the warm foot stove before leaving.

Xu Haoxin, who was a cold bystander, said that if he went to study in his own school, he would also be treated with this kind of treatment, and he was originally quite at ease, but why did he feel so dazzling when he changed the environment?

At this time, the teacher was in good spirits, got up and walked to Mu Ang's seat, and asked him to read "Xia Meng", not wanting Mu Ang to be unable to pronounce a single word, Xu Hao almost laughed, it seems that the teacher is also new.

In the face of his own owner's son-in-law, the teacher showed great patience and personally taught word by word, who knew that Mu Ang was like a piece of wood, and he forgot it after teaching. The teacher took the trouble to continue to read it, and I taught it forty or fifty times in a row.

Xu Hao saw Mu Ang's hands playing with something in his sleeves under the table, and remembered that today was the first time they met, so he didn't see it.

Until noon, the teacher with a dry mouth waved weakly to let everyone rest for the time being, and just as Xu Hao and the others got up to send off Mr., Mu Ang jumped up and rushed out of the door like a monkey.

The teacher smiled helplessly and left with a sad expression. Feng Quan said with a smile: "In the morning, I instructed my subordinates to prepare a few more dishes, and everyone will taste them together." ”

Zhao Hesong took the opportunity to ask, "What's the matter with the third son?" I don't even know a word? ”

"He, that's on purpose, and he knows a hundred and eighty." Feng Quan smiled mysteriously.

"Rotten wood cannot be carved." Zhao Hesong probably also understood that when he was a child, he saw such a stubborn schoolboy, and his intention was nothing more than Mr. Qi, and over time, he let it go freely.

At this time, Zhou Peng asked Xu Hao: "I don't look like you haven't studied, why can't you even understand Xiaoya?" ”

Xu Hao replied: "When I was a child, my sister taught me to read and write, and I didn't read. ”

"I see." Zhou Peng nodded, and said very enthusiastically: "If there is anything you don't understand in the future, just ask me, I'm afraid that Mr. won't have time to teach you." ”

"Thank you, Brother Zhou, I'll send you a bundle when I go back." Xu Hao said with a smile.

"Ugh." Zhou Peng sighed and said with a wry smile: "I won't hide it from you, I have also been a private school teacher, but this countryman is careful, at first more than 20 students were barely enough for my whole family, and then gradually various excuses were delayed, and at every turn they said that the year was not good or there was a lack of manpower in the fields, and often only a few students came to class for a few months, and I closed the private school in a fit of anger." ”

Zhao Hesong said: "Then Brother Zhou still has to go to the entrance examination next year?" ”

Zhou Peng nodded: "That's natural, I don't have any skills except for studying, even if I sell my property, I have to continue to take the exam." ”

While talking, a few boys came in with food boxes, Feng Quan instructed them to put the food on the table, the two Xiucai pretended to excuse themselves, but they just sat down at the dinner table, Xu Hao sat down with him, picked up the dishes and chopsticks and ate.

"Yes, you're welcome." Feng Quan praised it and asked with a smile, "Brother Xu is a local?" ”

"From Xiaojia Village."

"Oh."

Feng Quan immediately stopped asking, and his attitude was three points more affectionate, it seemed that he knew who the Xu family in Xiaojia Village was.

After lunch, Xu Hao walked around the inner house alone, walking in front of a two-person high pink wall, the arch was open, and no one guarded it.

Since no one was watching, Xu Hao walked in, and saw that it was a garden, and the sheep intestine path at his feet was paved with white stones, and in front of him was a fish pond, about two or three acres large, and there were many willows planted around.

It's already winter, and there's nothing to see, but you can imagine the beauty of spring and summer.

There is a long corridor by the pool, all of which are carved and carved balustrades, and outside is a row of ancient pines, of varying lengths and sizes, there are hundreds of them, and it seems that at the end of the corridor is an octagonal pavilion.

Xu Hao's footsteps stopped in the corridor, and he didn't take the opportunity to find out, but turned around and went back the same way.

On the Shufang Pavilion, there are all kinds of celebrity poems and paintings hanging on the wall, fluttering embroidered bead curtains, precious ancient tripod treasures, endless exquisite furnishings, Mu Ningxue is painting carefully under the window.

Zhiyan on the side said: "It seems that that person is a righteous gentleman, turned around and left." ”

Mu Ningxue didn't speak, and with a slight twist of her wrist, she dotted a touch of bright red cinnabar on the plum branch on the painting.