Rise From the Humble

The sunset is infinitely good, but it is almost dusk.

At dusk, the city wall of Huaining County was shrouded affectionately by the setting sun, submerged in her arms, and dyed a rose red.

Facing the back of the setting sun, a dusty young man walked up, casting a long shadow in the afterglow of the setting sun. The young man was carrying a bag, his body was covered with dust, and his green shirt was also stained with a lot of grass clippings. He looked up at Huaining County, which was close at hand, and a smile could not help but appear on his honest face.

Hurry up slowly, even took a carriage of a kind uncle on the way, and finally arrived at Huaining County before sunset.

This young man was Zhu Pingan who was going to the county seat to take the exam. Zhu Pingan escaped from the girl and went straight to the county seat. On the way, he met a peddler who had been to Xiahe Village to sell in the alleys, and asked him to bring him home a few cents. Apart from his safe message, it can be said that Zhu Pingan has never stopped walking.

The four seas are peaceful, and all directions are peaceful. At this time, Huaining County is crowded with people, cars are like water, and horses are like dragons.

Zhu Pingan blended into the crowd and walked slowly towards the city gate.

You have to pay a penny to enter the city, but you don't need to pay when you leave the city. When it was Zhu Ping's turn, the guards saw that Zhu Pingan was wearing a green shirt and long robe, so they asked Zhu Pingan what he was doing in the city. When the soldiers guarding the city heard that Zhu Ping'an was a scholar who participated in the boy's examination, they immediately respected him a lot, which was completely different from the way he treated the passers-by in front of him.

Learning is valuable than anything else. Zhu Pingan, who walked into the county with his luggage on his back, once again felt the connotation of this era represented by this sentence.

Strolling in the streets of Huaining County, what you feel is the impression of antiquity. This is a real, prosperous ancient county life, not worse than modern cities. They have two styles, one is modernized with reinforced concrete, and the other is ancient style and ancient ink painting.

At dusk, the city is still bustling and bustling. The streets and alleys paved with bluestone slabs, the shops on both sides are thriving, and the clothes of pedestrians passing by are fashionable and clean, which perfectly shows the affluence of the people living here.

Zhu Ping'an walked here with a bag on his back, and he really felt like a bumpkin entering the city.

The most urgent task now is to find an inn, settle down, have a hot meal, take a hot bath, change clothes, and finally have a good sleep.

Zhu Pingan walked towards an inn called Yuekelai with his luggage on his back. The inn was a three-story building, and there were many diners in the lobby. Outside the inn, a neatly dressed young man had a white towel on his shoulders. Seeing Zhu Pingan When he came, the waiter greeted him warmly.

"This guest officer, do you want to be a top student or stay in the hotel?"

"I want to stay in the hotel." Zhu Pingan answered with a smile.

"Okay, guest officer, please come inside." The waiter stretched out his hand and bent down to guide Zhu Ping'an into the store. After entering the store, the waiter shouted loudly, "Shopkeeper, this young master wants to stay in the store."

"This young man is a coincidence. There is only the last guest room left in this hotel."

Soon, a wide and fat shopkeeper came over, a middle-aged fat uncle in his forties, with a shiny face.

"Could you please let me see the guest room?" Zhu Pingan heard that the shopkeeper said it was the worst first-class guest room, and couldn't help but think of the toilet in the Stephen Chow movie he had seen in his previous life. Room.

"Of course, you can come with me, my lord." The shopkeeper was easy to talk to.

Zhu Pingan followed the shopkeeper to the backyard, which was almost a room in the innermost corner. When he opened the door, the room only had the most basic bed and table. Although it was very clean, the lighting was not good. Reading hurts the eyes, Zhu Ping'an is not very satisfied with this house.

"The number of students coming to the city to catch their exams has increased day by day. This room is also the last one in our store, and the other inns in the city are almost overcrowded." Seeing that Zhu Ping'an was not satisfied with the house, the shopkeeper reminded him.

"How much is this house, how many days do you live in, how about one or two months?" Zhu Pingan asked the price casually.

"One hundred cash a day for a short stay, and two taels of silver a month for a long stay." The shopkeeper stretched out his palm and gestured.

Ahem, a room like this is still so expensive, almost ten times more expensive than in Kaoshan Town. Although Zhu Ping'an made a small fortune today, he is not willing to be taken advantage of. Father worked hard to drive the car for a day, but the rent was enough for mother to sew purses for two days, no way.

"Sorry for bothering you." Zhu Ping'an cupped his hands to express his apology.

"It's okay, young master, but you can go to another house. If you can't find a place to live, my store is open for you. Hehehe, of course, if this room is still available." The shopkeeper smiled indifferently. .

"Thank you, uncle." After Zhu Ping'an thanked him, he left Yuelai Inn with his bags on his back.

Walking on the street, Zhu Pingan also met many scholars wearing long gowns. The weather was extremely cold, and many of these people were holding folding fans, as if pointing the country.

Next, Zhu Ping'an also asked three inns of different sizes. Smaller rooms are slightly cheaper, lower-class rooms cost 90 renminbi a day, renting them for 223 renminbi a month; larger rooms have the same price as Yuelai Inn, and the other is more expensive than Yuelai Inn up some. However, it is a pity that this inn is full, only the more expensive inn still has a few rooms, but the shopkeeper insists on not lowering the price.

It seems that this is indeed the case in the market, and it should be the same in other inns. Zhu Ping'an is about to return to Yuelai Inn, rent the last-class room, and go outside to read at worst.

"Is there a pig in front?"

Then came a familiar cry.

Zhu Ping'an turned his head and saw that the uncle who had changed into new clothes was walking towards this side with several other students.

Uncle Zhu Shouren and several other students saw that Zhu Ping'an's body was full of dust, grass fragments on his green shirt, and his forehead was still red, and they felt more balanced.

"Uncle still has spare money, let's share it with the pig." Zhu Pingan said this sentence first after seeing his uncle Zhu Shouren approaching.

Then I saw my uncle Zhu Shouren as if he had swallowed a fly.