Qi Yu maintained a cautious attitude towards Shopkeeper Qian's sudden attentiveness. The weather vane was turning too fast, which was a bit unbelievable.
Does he repay evil with kindness?
This is illogical. If he really had such a high consciousness, he would not do the ridiculous thing of selling one product to two owners.
Ms. Zhou said, "He was courteous when he came. It seems he wanted to resolve the previous conflict. Our two families don't have any big grudges. Why don't we each take a step back and let's get over it."
Although what his mother said made sense and was indeed what happened, Qi Yu always felt that something was wrong.
As the saying goes, if something goes wrong, there will be a monster. Especially for those who are trying to be attentive for nothing, you should be more vigilant.
Liu Quan hesitated and seemed unwilling to say more about this.
"Madam, tell me the truth, otherwise I won't be able to calm down and read a book."
"Okay! But after what I said, you must not be angry, let alone delay your studies."
"good!"
Liu Quan spoke eloquently and calmly, but to Qi Yu's ears, every word he spoke was shocking!
"Actually, Shopkeeper Qian is not a bad person..."
It turns out that the coffin crisis is not as simple as imagined, and there is an unknown side hidden in it.
When he first returned the coffin, shopkeeper Qian didn't want to make things difficult, so he just returned it if he didn't want to earn the money. Unexpectedly, Qi Qiuchuan came over to persuade him, which triggered a series of things that followed.
At first, the Qi family accepted the debt for the coffin, but then Liu Quan reasonably used the coffin for Yan Fuzi's funeral, cleverly resolving the debt crisis.
Qi Qiuchuan was not happy after learning about it. He hurriedly found the shopkeeper Qian, and then offered the idea of buying two owners for one product. Shopkeeper Qian was also obsessed with money and did this, but later it was self-defeating and he ended up in a mess.
Later, Qi Yu succeeded in winning the prize and received a letter from Master Yu. Only then did Shopkeeper Qian realize that the Qi family had really changed. If the trouble continued, it would be even more difficult to end it.
So he asked someone to come over and make peace, and Liu Quan also expressed his goodwill for reconciliation.
Until one day, shopkeeper Qian suddenly discovered that he was being used.
That night, on his way back from measuring a certain family's tomb, he found Mrs. Bao plucking wheat seedlings in Qi Yu's field. She cursed shopkeeper Qian for being an old fool who couldn't even sell a coffin.
He also said that this was the best opportunity to crush the Qi Yu family, otherwise, these lands would become their own again.
Shopkeeper Qian suddenly realized that Qi Qiuchuan had blocked his gun...
Two days later, Liu Quan came. She also brought a calligraphy by Qi Yu - "The Harmony of Generals and Prime Ministers", saying that she hoped that the two families would put aside their past grievances and get back together.
If there is a step that follows the trend, is there any reason not to go down?
Shopkeeper Qian was very remorseful, so he told Liu Quan what he saw that night. He also said that he was being used and kept in the dark, which was really cowardly, and he would definitely take revenge if he got the chance in the future.
However, he couldn't figure out how to take revenge.
Liu Quan gave him a prompt: Qi Qiuchuan's house has a fish pond.
So Qi Qiuchuan's fish turned over.
As for this basket of mountain chestnuts, it should be regarded as shopkeeper Qian's return gift for the gift.
"Qi Qiuchuan? Humph!"
Qi Yu was so angry that he gritted his teeth. He really didn't expect that these things would have such a cause and effect.
Liu Quan hurriedly advised: "I didn't want to tell you, but if you insist on asking, don't delay your studies because of your temporary anger."
Qi Yu calmed down and said: "Don't worry, ma'am, I'm not angry, but I will definitely work hard to get better. When our family really becomes strong, I wonder who would dare to bully me like this!"
"You're right to think so!" Liu Quan curled up the corner of his mouth and said with a balanced face: "His family has harmed our crops, but his fish have also died..."
Zhou was deliberately avoided, so naturally she didn't know this. She kept mumbling: "His second uncle is really stingy. He killed so many fish and didn't even mention giving two to our family."
…
Let's talk about Qi Qiuchuan. Afterwards, he found a knowledgeable person to inspect the fish pond and concluded that the water quality was polluted. He didn't know the specific pollution.
The first thing that everyone, including Qi Qiuchuan and his wife, thought of was that someone was deliberately seeking revenge. In other words, this must have been done by an enemy.
But who could this faceless enemy be?
After analysis, Qi Qiuchuan actually eliminated the Qi Yu family and everyone in the village first.
Oh why?
Qi Yu felt confused: being ignored like this?
Liu Quan felt confused. She was already ready for the two families to scold each other.
Second Aunt Zhang, who was good at inquiring about information, told the reason: Qi Yuanli, the third son of the Bao family, had caused trouble to the young lady in Xicun not long ago. It was probably someone from the woman's side who had done the fish pond thing.
And emphasized that this is a typical act of revenge!
Oh...this logic is reasonable and there is nothing wrong with it.
Colored tidbits always spread the fastest. Within a day, everyone in the village had heard about it.
Qi Qiuchuan's third son is indeed nothing. No, retribution is coming!
Qi Yu smiled and passed by, pretending not to care.
I still have to focus on studying, there are government exams coming up, and time is tight.
In order to improve learning efficiency, Qi Yu also specially drew a small portrait of Yin Jun. Whenever he is so sleepy that his eyelids are about to fight, he only needs to take a look at it, and the low battery status will become a full health resurrection.
Liu Quan was busy working in the fields. The wheat seedlings could not be saved, but the land could not be left empty, so he planted some vegetables instead.
After planting the vegetables, she went to the market to pull a few feet of cloth and sewed some decent clothes for her husband. Now that her family was rich, she no longer had to buy the cheapest cloth.
The prefecture examination is different from the county examination. You have to go to Fucheng to take the examination. In the eyes of country people, Fucheng is a very big city, so naturally you can't dress too shabbily.
Qi Yu specially asked his wife to buy him a folding fan from the market.
It's very cold in spring now, where can I use a fan?
Qi Yu smiled mysteriously and didn't explain much. He thought of the scene when he first met Yin Jun. Didn't that boy like to use a folding fan to pretend to be elegant?
It seems that the only thing I can do is to be more elegant than him!
This is the importance of props. In a word, we don’t want to be cool, we just want to have fun.
…
Everyone in the village knows that the elder man of the Qi family is currently preparing for the exam, so no one from the neighbors comes to disturb him. Delaying the student's study is indirectly ruining his future.
Not only Taoists but also scholars also talk about retreat.
However, there are exceptions to everything, and there are really unscrupulous people here.
That morning, a man who looked like a butler came to ask for an audience with Qi Yu. Liu Quan declined because he was studying hard and it was inconvenient for him to meet guests. The butler didn't say anything, left an invitation and left.
During lunch, Liu Quan took out the invitation and showed it to her husband.
After opening it, I saw the words on it: Qi Yu Tai Jian, Yi Fan Ran Er... I sincerely invite you to visit the house. The signature is: Meng Lanshan.
In addition, the address of the invitation was also indicated, somewhere in the city of Yongchuan Prefecture.
First of all, this gentleman called him by his first name, which was obviously a tone that he regarded himself as an elder. But after thinking about it, he really couldn't remember such a number one person. Zhou and Liu Quan also shook their heads one after another, expressing that they did not know him.
My family is a small farmer's family in the countryside, and I can't even get in touch with people in Fucheng.
Then there is no doubt that this Meng Lanshan is a stranger.
But, ‘who’ is he?
"The wording of this invitation is exquisite. I think Meng Lanshan must be a scholar."
Liu Quan smiled and said: "Maybe he is an acquaintance whom you have forgotten. Anyway, you have to go to Fucheng to take the exam. Since you are on your way, you might as well pay a visit at your convenience."
"Well, that's fine. If I have time, I can go over and meet him. It wouldn't be considered a loss of etiquette." Qi Yu thought for a while and responded.
…
Time passes day by day, and the time for the government examination is gradually approaching.
Fucheng is a large city at the state capital level, located in the center of the entire jurisdiction. For Qi Yu, it is still unfamiliar there.
To be on the safe side, the wife urged her husband to leave early and not to count the time too much.
The journey to Fucheng is about two hundred miles, and the road is not familiar, so it is really better to go earlier.
Although Qi Yu always emphasized that he should travel lightly, Liu Quan still gave him a heavy burden.
He brought nothing less for food and daily necessities on the road, and even prepared a large pile of change of clothes, which was enough for him to wear.
It is human nature to make a poor family rich.
Liu Quan specially took out twenty taels of silver and asked her husband to take it with him. He was a foreigner three miles away, and what he feared most in a foreign country was being embarrassed because he had no money.
Don’t panic when you have money, and you will always be like this.
On the way to Fucheng, you have to pass through the county seat. After knowing this, Zhou reminded: "During the county examination, your two uncles took care of you a lot. You were fed and housed. They were too much."
It costs less; when you pass through the county this time, remember to buy something and sit there so that your two aunts can stop gossiping."
Qi Yu thought so too, so he agreed.
As for the luggage, in addition to clothes, Qi Yu also put in paintbrushes and paints. They aren't heavy anyway, so let's take them with us.
It's not easy to go to Fucheng, so why not take a look at the calligraphy and painting market? If you don't pass the exam, you still have to find a way to survive. Selling calligraphy and painting becomes the top priority.
If you are lucky and meet a suitable seller, you may be able to earn some travel expenses.
Whenever her son takes exams, Mrs. Zhou becomes nervous. All she can do is to offer more incense to her ancestors, so that the dead old ghost underground can take advantage of it and bless her son more.
In addition, Ms. Zhou also believed that the first-class champion chicken must be eaten. It was because of eating this dish that her son became more flexible during the county examination and passed the examination in one try.
Before eating the chicken, Qi Yu smelled it specially and after confirming that there was no 'big tonic', he ate it with confidence.
Liu Quan was startled and wished he could take out his hand and twist him to death.
…
It was a spring sleep, but Qi Yu got up early in the morning before dawn.
The weather is nice today and it's time to set off.
Breakfast is still a bowl of hot egg noodles, which has become a regular meal for Qi Yu before he goes on a long trip.
"Come on, don't look anymore."
"Um……"
There were two figures standing guard outside the shadowy gate. Qi Yu was walking with his book basket on his back, looking back until he couldn't see anymore, then he calmed down and strode forward.
According to the original plan, I would first go to my uncle's house to sit down, then I would stop at my second uncle's house, and finally transfer to Fucheng.
The eldest uncle was busy with business and did not entertain him well. Qi Yu was very considerate and did not stay long. After saying a few words of thanks, he went directly to the second uncle's house.
Zhou Dashui and Mr. Cao were very happy to see their nephew coming and received him warmly.
"Ama, don't get any more gifts next time you come here. It would be better to save the money for studying. This is called good steel being used on the blade."
Mrs. Cao looked at the rich gift basket and said with a smile: "You just worry so much. My nephew is a capable person. He can make money by just painting. Will he still be short of money?"
Zhou Dashui's eyes widened: "What do you know? My nephew is still white now, and he will have a lot of money to spend in the future! I have heard that the further you go on the imperial examination road, the more money you will spend."
Mrs. Cao's smile froze, and she lowered her head and remained silent.
Qi Yu felt warm after hearing these words, and quickly thanked his uncle for the reminder.
"Second uncle, come and take a look at this invitation. You know many people. Have you heard of this gentleman's name?"
"Hmm... Hey! Meng Lanshan! Ah Ma, when did you meet Mr. Wenzhu?"