After three rounds of drinking, everyone was more or less drunk except for a few wealthy ladies who came over to keep us company.
The Second Young Master of Song Dynasty from Chaishi City looked at Bai Qi with drowsiness in his eyes and said:
"Brother Bai, we really envy you for being able to join Tongwen Hall and become the instructor's apprentice.
We were born in Heihe County, and it is not easy to break into Yihai County.
After all, the scenery of a small place is not as good as the famous one in the city, the glory of one's ancestors, which makes people yearn for it! "
Bai Qi twitched the corner of his mouth. These young men had their eyes set high above their heads and never considered a lowly man with muddy trousers as a human being.
There was plenty of fish and meat every day, adequate food and clothing, and servants to take care of him, but he still complained that he didn't get enough.
Little did they know that the life they lived was something that ordinary people could not hope for after generations of hard work.
"You can take advantage of all the benefits and benefits in the world!"
Bai Qi cursed secretly, with no expression on his face. He just stretched out his chopsticks to pick up vegetables and immersed himself in eating and drinking.
This table was probably quite expensive, and there were two plates of delicacies made of precious fish.
You shouldn't be able to buy a hundred taels of silver, so how can you waste it?
"How many local snakes are hiding in Yihai County? There are so many ruthless people with powerful methods. How can it be so easy to gain a foothold?"
He Tai shook the wine glass in his hand and sighed:
"You and I are very prestigious in Heihe County, but when you enter a big city, others may not know who you are.
With three registered households and six households, if one day you can leave your household and become a registered citizen, you will be considered a master! "
Miss Zhu from the Shenshou Sect was quite delicate, she covered her mouth and smiled softly:
"Among the three major families in Heihe County, Yufang has the closest relationship with the Pai Gang. What else is the He family worried about? Have the Nu family heard that your father has prepared a generous gift and plans to send you to the city to get a job as a tax collector? .”
As soon as this statement came out, the originally quiet gathering immediately became lively. Even the children of wealthy businessmen at the other table who could not say a few words joined in with shamelessness and began to flatter him.
"The young master's family is really well-connected! The tax collector is a fat man. He goes to the countryside every year to collect tax from various counties. Wherever he goes, he can become a boss and be favored by others!"
"I heard from my relatives that my promotion went smoothly. I am expected to follow a Taoist official as a boy and learn a few alchemy and spells."
"Tsk tsk, this is amazing. Maybe I will be admitted to the third level in the future. I will not be admitted to the Taoist level. I will feel proud to be a noble one!"
"The young master's family will become prosperous in the future, so don't forget us..."
In an instant, He Tai became the center of attention in the field, like a star holding the moon.
Bai Qi, who just now was being discussed by everyone because he was a disciple of Tongwen Hall, immediately became dim.
Even Han Li from the Tianying Martial Arts School who vaguely occupied the top spot couldn't help but look surprised when he heard this and leaned closer.
You know, it is easy to enter the city, but difficult to take root.
If you can find a promising job in Yihai County, such as the leader of a platoon gang or a tax collector in the government, you will be called "Master" in the future.
"I wish my sister to stop talking nonsense. There is no way that things that haven't been revealed yet can be spread to the outside world. Please don't make noises."
Even though He Tai said this, he couldn't suppress the upward curve of his mouth.
The secretive look on her face made her even more convinced of what Miss Zhu said.
Suddenly, Yulan Shaodong's ordinary young face seemed to have an outstanding temperament inexplicably, as if a strange brilliance called "Beautiful Future" emerged.
“The children of fishermen want to go ashore to buy land and get rid of their lowly status, while the descendants of their owners want to go to the big cities and become lords.
People's hearts are not enough, and everyone has their own way of living. "
Bai Qi didn't care, silently stood up and gave up his seat, and walked to another table with the wine glass:
"Brother Yong, the fish stall will open in the next two days tomorrow. Remember to come and support us."
Deng Yong, who was respected in the Broken Knife Sect, could not squeeze into the central seat of this party at this time, and could only play a small role in cheering up and cheering up the atmosphere.
Seeing Bai Qi taking the initiative to answer the question, a hint of gratitude flashed in his eyes:
"I will definitely bring all the junior brothers from Duandao Sect to give you a good congratulations, Brother Xiaoqi!
Yesterday, I heard that you were able to catch baskets of precious fish and make more than 600 taels a day, which shocked the entire Dongshi! "
Bai Qi was stunned for a moment, then showed a look of satisfaction.
He followed Ning Haichan out early in the morning, and he really didn't know how much money Liang Sanshui gave him for his catch.
Now when I hear it, it is indeed kind!
Although there were quite a lot of treasure fish in the large basket, there were about eight or nine of them, but the portions were all average, so the name didn't mean much.
Adding in other good goods and excluding the commission, you can get five hundred taels, which is considered a profit.
I didn’t expect it to go far beyond that!
"I really want to thank Brother Shui for taking care of me."
In the past, Bai Ah Qi would have been extremely excited when he heard more than six hundred taels of snowflake silver.
But after being polished and trained by Tongwen Hall, he immediately converted it into enough for ten days of practice.
Then the heart is like still water, without any waves.
"Brother Yong, why are these young masters and young masters so eager to break into Yihai County?
With their wealth, wouldn't it be easy to buy a house in a big city? "
Bai Qi lowered his voice and asked quietly.
"Oh, Brother Qi, you don't know something.
The three major families in the county, as well as the various martial arts schools, all belong to six households.
Those who were not exempted from taxes were not exempted from sins. They could only ride in sedan chairs, not horse-drawn carriages. They had to kneel before entering the yamen and kowtow before officials.
For example, it's like the tax collectors who came from the county town a while ago. Their positions may not be great, but if you annoy them, they can get together and give you a reason to resist the law.
If there is no upward relationship, he will be charged immediately and it will be difficult to clean up.
It can be said that the sky is not responding and the earth is not working! "
Deng Yong's family sells private salt and often interacts with county officials, so he knows the inside story best:
"The king of hell is easy to deal with, but the devil is difficult to deal with, that's the reason.
Only by relying on the Pai Gang who swallowed up Yihai, or relying on the government of Longting, could they not be easily manipulated.
The three families are able to control all the businesses in Heihe County, and no one covets them, precisely because they each have their own way to the big city. "
Bai Qi rubbed the wine glass with his fingers, trying to figure out the taste.
Just like in ancient times, after becoming a squire, the next step was to take the imperial examination and earn fame.
In Chixian Shenzhou under the rule of Long Ting, these young masters are bent on entering Yihai County, not for the purpose of making a living.
What they seek is a channel to a higher level and a higher level of power.
I have been living in Heihe County for a long time, and I can only become a master after practicing to death.
Even if you have some talent and qualifications, it may be difficult to break through the third level of practice.
Just look at the bears, eagles, tigers and leopards.
Dragons cannot be raised in shallow water.
People like Ning Haichan and places like Tongwen Hall.
Appearing in Heihe County is abnormal in itself.
"The county town is not easy to mess with. The Pai Gang swallows up Yihai. It is so powerful that it almost covers the upper and lower reaches of Nuyun River. There are many masters under its command.
The people on the blacklist account for half of them! It is more difficult to enter the Yamen. Those Taoist officials have high eyesight and extremely strict qualifications..."
Deng Yong sighed. His family was quite wealthy, and of course he had thought of going to the city.
It's a pity that the reality is cruel. His background as a private salt dealer, which was considered respectable in Heihe County, was thrown into the vast Yihai County, and he was like a small fish and shrimp straying into the river, unable to make waves at all.
"Brother Qi, you don't have to worry. If you can graduate from Tongwen Hall, there will definitely be a place for you in the big city."
"Why?"
Bai Qi raised his eyebrows and became interested.
"Teacher, he has a good reputation in Yihai County..."
Deng Yong answered vaguely, as if he had some taboo.
"That plaque?"
Bai Qi thought about the scene he saw when he first visited Tongwen Hall.
Gold paint on black background, one-horned lion head.
In the middle are the four characters "Yihai Hidden Dragon"!
"I hope it is a good reputation, not a bad reputation..."
Bai Qi's heart tightened, and he vaguely felt something was wrong.
Ning Haichan didn't look like a master who did evil and bullied others.
It makes no sense that it would cause some serious trouble, and let me, the apprentice, suffer along with it, right?
