Magistrate Fan and the two clan elders were drinking and dining with brother Li Su. Li Zhu and Li Jin came out. Li Jin called his brother, but Li Zhu ignored them and walked away.
Mrs. Gao took Li Shuo back to the courtyard where she lived. Along the way, she kept chirping and saying that she still felt like she was at a loss. Li Shuo was upset when he heard that. Seeing that he was approaching the courtyard gate, he stopped and refused to leave.
Mrs. Gao was chattering to herself, but Chunfang, the eldest maid, pulled her sleeves and reminded her with her eyes. Suddenly she realized that her son was no longer around. She looked back and couldn't help but yelled: "Son, where are you standing and what are you doing?"
Li Shuo was so angry that he asked after a while: "My mother wants to separate the family from her third brother?"
"Uh, what did you say?" Gao was caught off guard by the question.
"I know my mother has wanted to do this for a long time, but I don't agree!"
Mrs. Gao clapped her hands together: "Silly boy, I do everything for your own good!"
"How could mother do such a thing?" Li Shuo interrupted her:
"It was Aunt Qian who helped her father's coffin return to her hometown for burial. She also brought back the imperial pension and the money that my father had donated during his lifetime and gave it to my mother.
If it weren't for Aunt Qian, what would we, mother and son, have been doing all these years? How could my mother be well-fed and well-fed, with servants and maids taking care of her?
Now that we have to drive her mother and son out, it is really hard to calm down. Please forgive the child for not being able to obey!"
"You!" Mrs. Gao didn't know what to say for a moment, so she could only order him through gritted teeth: "Go back to the house and talk!"
She walked in front, followed by Li Shuo, and then the maids who didn't dare to breathe.
The last person entered and turned around to close the courtyard door.
After a while, Li Dan poked his head out from the gate of the North Courtyard, looked here suspiciously, then walked gently to the door and slowed down to listen to the noise, and then continued walking forward.
He was carrying a few books tied together with ropes, and he was not wearing the usual short brown clothes today. Instead, he was wearing a plain scarf and dark clothes. However, Beixi asked Beixi to help wrap the cuffs with a green belt for convenience. action.
Hearing the faint scolding coming from the upper room in the south courtyard, he raised his eyebrows in surprise.
Just as he was about to walk over, he suddenly saw the door open a slit on the side, and a little girl of eleven or two years old jumped out, hurriedly beckoned and said softly: "Cui Xi, come here, come here!"
The little girl turned around, closed the door, and ran over, smiling and saying, "Is Sanlang going out? Hey, why are you dressing up like a scholar today?"
"How can you say it's just pretending?" Li Dan clicked his tongue, pointed to the possessed body in the courtyard and asked her: "Is mother coming back from an outing? Why did she lose her temper in the house as soon as she came back? Are you blaming the fifth brother again?"
Cuixi looked back, pulled him away for a few steps, and then whispered:
"The second grandma just went to discuss matters with the county master, the eldest master, the third master, the seventh master, and the old gentleman from the clan school.
I don’t know why Wulang disobeyed the second grandma’s wishes on his way back, so he lost his temper!”
"With so many people discussing things, is there something serious going on at home?" Li Dan was surprised.
"What is a 'big situation'?" The little girl didn't understand, and continued: "There are still a lot of people here? The third master also brought Erlang and Shilang with him! Oh, by the way, why didn't I call you Sanlang?"
"Me?" Li Dan pointed to his nose and said with a sneer: "Am I considered a member of this family? Grandma doesn't love my uncle and he doesn't love me.
But having said that, if I really go back to my grandpa’s house, my grandma and uncle will treat me better than I do here!”
"What are you two doing here?" Li Dan just finished speaking when he heard a voice shouting from the entrance of the alley.
When he looked up, he saw Li Yan standing at the entrance of the alley with his hands behind his back, followed by Chang Sui Lin Zifu.
Li Dan bowed and said, "I'm going to pay tribute to my third uncle. My nephew was going to return the borrowed book when he met Cui Xi and started talking together."
"My maid has been told by Second Grandma to tell the doorkeeper that Wu Lang has disobeyed Second Grandma, so he will be grounded for five days."
He just said he could go out, why was he grounded again? Only then did Li Dan realize that Cui Xi came out for this reason, and couldn't help but secretly make a face.
"Humph! They are all inefficient lamps!" Li Yan cursed angrily.
"Uncle Third, what's going on? Who made you angry?" Li Dan was a little confused when he saw him cursing.
Li Yan puffed up his cheeks and did not answer. Later, Lin Zifu quietly told: "My master and Erlang are angry." After saying this, he motioned to Cui Xi to bow and leave quickly.
"Shut up!" Li Yan shouted without looking back. He looked up at Li Dan and unexpectedly found that he was much more refined today. He couldn't help but sigh:
"Sanlang, Sanlang, if you study more and study diligently, why would Third Uncle be so angry?"
Seeing that Li Dan was still confused, he waved his hand: "That's it, that's all, you go do some serious things. I have to change my clothes and go to the front hall to dine with the guests." After saying that, he sighed and turned to the door of his house.
In the front alley.
When Lin Zifu passed by Li Dan, he whispered in his ear: "The eldest master asked my master to adopt Erlang as his eldest son in front of the county magistrate. The master couldn't refuse, so he was sulking!" After speaking, he quickened his pace and trotted off.
He went after Li Yan.
"Hey, Erlang is adopted by the eldest brother? No wonder Li Jin is so honest lately!
In the past, he always wanted to compete with me in everything, and I thought he had changed his temper. It seemed that there was such a good thing ahead of him, so this kid deliberately restrained himself to show off himself in front of his uncle." Li Dan laughed.
Laughing, shaking his head and talking to himself.
He didn't mean to target Erlang, but felt that he was too hypocritical and utilitarian. It's not surprising that there is such a person among brothers. His fingers are not the same length when they are spread out.
Li Dan went out and walked to the street, looking left and right.
After crossing two streets, he gradually entered the market. Suddenly he stretched out his hand and patted a young man of seventeen or eight years old who was looking up at people playing with flags: "Gu Da, do you know where Yang Xiaoyi is?"
The man raised his thick eyebrows. When he turned around and saw it was him, he smiled and said, "Sanlang, are you looking for him? He should be in the back streets of Ma City."
"What are you doing there? He's not Yazi (an ancient name for an agency)?" Li Dan frowned.
"It is now." Gu Da grinned and said: "A man from the North came to sell horses.
Sanlang, you know that the army is suppressing bandits in Xianxia Ridge, and the current market price of horses is not low, so Xiao Yi volunteered to do his business."
Li Dan shook his head secretly, this Yang Xiaoyi didn't have anything serious to do on weekdays. He used to sneak around, but after following him, he didn't dare anymore, so he helped out in the market.
But where has he ever sold horses? It would be a lie if he didn't. Thinking of this, Li Dan patted Gu Da on the shoulder and quickly walked towards the horse market.
Far away, the unique smell of the horse market has drifted into my nostrils, and at the same time I can hear the roar of people.
After walking a few steps, I saw a group of people gathered together. There were several voices arguing inside, one of them was Yang Xiaoyi.
"According to you, this horse is only suitable for pulling carts and plowing fields, and is no different from that donkey? What a fart!"
"Hey, brother Xiao Yi, don't curse! Look at you, you don't know the business but you still have to stand up for others. Is this business so easy to mess up? To be honest, I have been working in Li Biao for eight years, what kind of horse have I not seen?
This horse, judging by its size and frame, can handle a weight of six or seven hundred kilograms reliably. It is indeed a good horse, so we gave it a price of fifteen taels.
But you insist on saying that it is a war horse and the price is fifty taels? Gee, this is too outrageous! Let my colleagues here see if what I said is true or not!"
Li Dan rolled his eyes, why are they all acquaintances? Needless to say, Yang Yi, Li Biao is a member of his own family, and is still one generation below Li Dan.
He walked outside the circle and looked up. Suddenly his eyes lit up and he shouted secretly: "What a horse!" He pushed through the crowd and squeezed to the front. The two people who were quarreling with red faces and thick necks stopped when they saw him come in.
Yang Yi clasped his fists and shouted: "Brother Dan is here, you are knowledgeable, come and help me judge!"
Yang Biao also held up his hand and smiled: "Hey, how come Third Uncle has time to come to the horse market today? But he wants to find someone to help him travel?"
Li Dan ignored Yang Biao, just put the book into Yang Yi's hand and said, "Take it, don't lose it." Then he walked straight over to check on the horse.
This is a red-maned jujube gelding, with white forehead to the bridge of the nose and all four feet and wrists. It has a saddle on its back and a leather bridle and iron stirrups.
But for some reason, her eyes were dull and her head was downcast. When she saw him coming over to rub her, she didn't even move.
"Where is the owner of this horse?" Li Dan asked.
"There." Xiao Yi pointed with his hand, and Li Dan noticed a guy lying half-lying in the haystack behind the horse, snoring loudly.
What kind of person can sleep like this when others are buying and selling their own horses? Li Dan was a little stunned. He looked at the man and then looked back at the listless horse.
In this era, having such a horse is much better than having a BMW and an ox in later generations.
It's a pity that in this remote small county in the south with dense river network, the ignorant villagers in the countryside would think that this huge horse, which is over ten feet long, is just an ordinary draft horse.
Li Dan tilted his head to observe the man and saw that he was wearing blue cloth with straight sleeves and a pair of cowhide leather boots with cloud heads. He was obviously injured by tall grass and shrubs while walking on the road. Even the cloth scarf under his head was scratched.
It turned into strips of cloth, showing the embarrassment while walking.
In his arms he held a scarred long-handled copper-headed shackle, and at his waist was a Yanling knife with a wooden sheath.
According to the laws of this dynasty, those traveling with weapons must have a road guide issued by the government, otherwise the guard can detain and imprison them along the way.
This man dared to sleep while carrying a weapon in broad daylight. Firstly, he must have real skills. Secondly, it shows that he probably has some background.
"Hey, brother, don't sleep, Li Sanlang is here to see your horse!"
Li Biao, being smart, stepped forward and kicked the sole of the man's boot. Unexpectedly, the man's snoring suddenly stopped, he suddenly stood up, held up the flail and shouted:
"Which scoundrel dares to touch your grandpa?" Li Dan stepped aside and gave way, which frightened Li Biao into saying "Oh my God" and hid behind Li Dan.
"Brother Yang, wait a minute! This Li Sanlang, whose father was the former magistrate of Dongchang Prefecture in Shandong Province, is here to see your horse." Yang Yi shouted from behind.
Only then did Li Dan find out that this person's surname was Yang, and he thought that Xiao Yi got close to him and won his trust because of the same surname, right?
"Oh?" The man then looked at the young man dressed as a Confucian scholar attentively. He realized that his shackles were almost reaching his chest, so he quickly retracted them and cupped his fists:
"You are a reckless person. Shandong Yang is careless and polite. He almost collided with you because of his ignorance. Please don't blame me, sir!"
Yang Dayi? Li Dan laughed when he heard the name: "It's me who disturbed my brother's rest, why should I be blamed?"
After speaking, he pointed to the horse: "I came to see Brother Yi for something, and I was attracted by your horse. I don't know why you want to sell the horse. Isn't it better to keep it for transportation?"
"Uh, what did you say? I didn't understand." Yang said carelessly. Li Dan understood immediately and immediately changed to Mandarin with Shandong accent and said it again.
"Hey, who wants to sell a good horse?" Yang Dayi smiled bitterly: "I'm desperate now.
On the way, I met a lake bandit who lost his way and took the wrong path. I wandered between the ditches and lakes for more than half a month, and some money was stolen from me by some thieves.
This business trip is really unlucky! If I don’t sell the horse, I won’t even have money for food. I’m afraid I won’t have any hope of returning to the Northland in this life!”
After listening to his words, Li Dan felt that there was something very interesting about him. Seeing the man's boldness, he became interested in making friends and said:
"Brother Yang is on a business trip? Then this horse will be even more unsaleable. Otherwise, how will you be able to reply to Shangguan in the future?"
Yang Dayi smiled and said, "I just heard from Xiao Yi that your mansion was once the prefect of Dongchang?"
"Oh, my father was an official there during his lifetime. Ten years ago, the old river (the old course of the Yellow River) overflowed, and my father accidentally fell into the water and passed away while working on the embankment."
"Hey!" Yang Dayi's bell-like eyes opened even wider: "Isn't it Mr. Li Wencheng?"
"It's my father. Your Majesty also knows?"
"Half of Shandong Province knows this!" Yang Dayi quickly bowed: "I am from Gaotang Prefecture, I was fourteen years old, and I was at the construction site with my father on the day of Mr. Li's accident.
Later, I heard that the emperor also gave his wife a title? Well, my father also said that a southerner came all the way to Shandong to be an official, but we couldn't keep it, so we couldn't bear his wife, children, and children.
I didn't expect to see Mr. Li's descendants today. Please stand still, sir, and I would like to pay my respects to Mr. Li on behalf of the elders in my hometown!" After saying that, he bowed deeply.
Li Dan didn't expect that this seemingly rude man could be so polite and polite. Since he was worshiping his own father, he couldn't avoid being worshiped as a son on behalf of his father, so he had to stand there and accept his worship in a polite manner.
Then he pulled him up and said, "So my brother has suffered a lot, so he must be starving. Let's go, let's go, the sun is already high. I'll treat my brother to a few glasses of water and wine to relieve his fatigue."
Yang Dayi originally wanted to make excuses, but as soon as he opened his mouth, his stomach growled unsatisfactorily.
Li Dan laughed loudly and pulled him up to walk away. Yang Dayi could only smile awkwardly and asked him to wait a moment. He turned around and took out a batik flower cloth bundle from the haystack and picked it up on the shackles.