The moon sets and the sun rises.
On the streets, people were laughing and celebrating another day of survival.
For poor people, survival is the most important thing.
Zhou Dagu came to the county town early, took the horse that he rode away from Master Zhu yesterday, and stood in front of Master Zhu's house.
At sunrise, he came out from home.
In the early spring of March, the sky was slightly cool. He stood at the door and looked at the people passing by. His heart calmed down unconsciously.
Regardless of his past life or this life, he always likes to watch other people's lives. He remembers that when his business became big, he bought a front house at a crossroads.
The house is not for business. From the outside, there is only a small door and a large floor-to-ceiling window.
Floor-to-ceiling windows can only see the outside from the inside, and people outside cannot see inside.
Zhou Dagu hides behind the window every day, watching other people's happiness and peeping at other people's joy. He hides his envy in the excitement, but deliberately keeps himself lonely out of fear.
"Squeak..." The door of the small courtyard was pushed open from the inside.
Master Zhu looked up and saw the student standing outside the door. He was holding the horse and standing at the door looking at the crowd with his head lowered. There was dew on his temples. It looked like he had been standing for a long time.
Master Zhu felt complicated in his heart: "Da Gu! You have been here for a long time! Why don't you come in!"
Zhou Dagu turned around and saw his master with a smile: "I'm afraid of disturbing your rest. Didn't you tell me that you have been busy with the childbirth test recently and slept very little. I finally managed to sleep a little longer today, so I stood at the door a little longer. It’ll be okay!”
Master Zhu was moved for a moment, remembering what he looked like back then.
It was snowing heavily in winter, so I stood in front of the teacher's house like this, not daring to disturb the teacher. The famous preaching teacher in the capital opened the window and saw me, so he took off his cloak and covered himself.
Master Zhu sighed, thinking about his performance over the years, being demoted from the capital all the way to Xiangzhou must be a disgrace to his husband!
Zhou Dagu quickly took out the glutinous rice dumplings made by his sister from his arms and handed them to his husband: "Sir, my sister made these in the morning. I ate two. You must have missed breakfast! You can try the taste." !”
Master Zhu took the glutinous rice cake and nodded: "It's still hot! I'm interested!"
"You don't have to come so early. Today is the luncheon, and I have to go to the county government to prepare the test questions for the children's examination. You can come with me!"
"But!" Master Zhu's face darkened: "You have to live the Tongsheng test on your own, and it's impossible for me to help you!"
Zhou Dagu led the horse and walked in front: "Don't worry, if I don't have this ability, I will never tell others that I am your student when I go out!"
County government.
Master Zhu followed the two scribes into the inner office.
Zhou Dagu was sitting bored in the county government office. When he saw someone in need of help, he stepped forward to help. Although Master Zhu was a scholar.
But in Xiangzhou, which values martial arts over culture, his status is surprisingly high.
The clerks knew Zhou Dagu's identity and smiled at him more often.
That's the good thing about the county government. If you don't know someone, you'd rather try to please them without making any effort than offend them.
As the sun rose to the south, many important figures from Cai County walked into the county government office.
The inner hall of the inner yamen was decorated early. When the big shots entered the inner hall, they followed the guidance of the minor officials and took their seats.
Zhou Dagu was still standing at the door when he suddenly heard the shouts of people from the county government. He asked the clerk next to him: "Brother, who is this gentleman?"
"Xiangong Zhou, please don't bully me. You have already entered the country as a Confucian scholar before taking the Tongsheng Examination. Your future is unlimited. How dare I agree to call me little brother? This is the third-in-command of our county government, Mr. Zhang." !”
"Oh!" Zhou Dagu looked at him with a slightly complicated look: "Master clerk? Third in command? Then he must be a big shot. Brother, I don't know what we have as chief clerk!"
The clerk handed over his hand: "Our chief clerk is very capable, and he is in charge of the education and security of the county. I heard that he is still related to the county captain."
Zhou Dagu cupped his hands and muttered silently: "Education?"
Naturally, he knew all these things. It was not really about who was more powerful, the county captain or the chief registrar. It mainly depends on the power in the hands of the two.
The fact that the chief bookkeeper can clearly suppress the county captain shows that he not only has power in his hands, but also the superiors appreciate him!
Zhou Dagu leaned against the stone pillar and sighed, it’s not easy to deal with!
There was a shout outside the county government office, and everyone tilted their heads and looked outside.
"Master Wang is here!"
The crowd fell silent.
Zhou Dagu suddenly smiled. This is the county government. There can only be one person called "Master" in the county government, and that is the county magistrate.
Wang Yuanwai dared to address him as "master" in the county government office. It was obvious that he did not take the county magistrate seriously.
Also, the county magistrate and the county magistrate are both foreign officials.
Zhou Dagu heard from the clerk who burned the documents that the county master's family was somewhat powerful. He just came out to gild and left, and was unwilling to take care of such trivial matters. Generally, the county magistrate was involved in matters in the county.
But looking at the current situation, the chief clerk came out to greet the guests, but the county magistrate never came out.
Either the county magistrate is putting on a show, or... the work below is difficult to carry out!
Master Zhang stepped forward to greet him: "Old Wang! I've had a hard time waiting for you lately!"
A man came in from the door, with a dark face, a beard, and a pale complexion. His hands were hidden in his sleeves. After passing through the Blood Dragon Valley, Zhou Dagu was more sensitive to blood energy.
He noticed that Mr. Wang's blood was indeed lacking.
Could it be that what those three stupid thieves said was true?
Wang Yuanwai held Master Zhang's hand and said, "Brother Zhang, what are you talking about? I'm busy these two days, otherwise I would have visited your house long ago!"
Master Zhang teased: "Could it be a recent happy event? I heard that Lao Wang recently wanted to take a concubine!"
"It's not about taking a concubine. I've recently fallen in love with a little girl, and I want to marry an equal wife!"
"Hey! Are you, Mr. Wang, sincere?"
"Hey, no matter how great a hero you are, you still can't deal with beauty!"
"Then I want to ask for this wedding wine!"
"Easy to say! Easy to say!"
Chief Secretary Zhang led Wang Yuanwai to the inner hall. Before Wang Yuanwai entered the inner hall, he suddenly stopped and looked back at a young man in front of the clerical warehouse: "You little official, you have been looking at me since I entered the door. Brother Zhang, Are the people in your county government so unruly?"
The young man lowered his head and held his hands in his hands: "Exceptor Wang, I am not from the county government. My surname is Zhou. According to etiquette, you should call me brother!"
The county government office was silent, no one dared to speak.
Yuan Wang laughed loudly: "Is it your kid?"
"Don't worry, this guy didn't lie. He is my future brother-in-law. I heard that you were still in prison. I wanted the chief clerk to take care of your useless relative, but I didn't expect you to come out on your own! "
"Thank you, Mr. Wang, for your concern. I'm out and I'm fine!" Zhou Dagu stood up straight and smiled.
"Just come out. I was thinking of meeting you tomorrow night, but I didn't expect to see you at the county government office!"
Wang Yuanwai held his belly in his hands and said: "Boy Zhou, you should be careful. Even though you are my uncle, I still have to educate you. Your parents are gone, and there are some rules that no one will teach you!"
Zhou Dagu's expression remained unchanged, but murderous intent arose in his heart.
"We are close relatives, and I should teach you that not everyone can come in to this county government office. Don't embarrass us just because you can get some food by coming in! All the people who come here are famous people."
"Butler, give him a few taels of silver and take him to play in the alley next to Piaoxiang Building. Don't smear the eyes of the big shots! Hahaha!"
Piaoxiang Building is a goulan, and the alley next to it is a happy place for some low-life people.
Zhou Dagu was angry in his heart, but he didn't show it. He was too weak. Now that he showed his anger, in the eyes of the people sitting in the inner hall, he was like a child having a temper.
He held up his hands and was about to speak when the door behind him suddenly opened.
"I was working on the questions for the children's test inside when I heard a roar outside and had no choice but to put down my pen. I thought it was a little person like Du Zhoumu, but I didn't expect it was a big shot like Wang Yuanwai talking!"
Master Zhu smiled: "Why, my disciples can't come to a place like this?"
Everyone bowed their heads in awe, and the king did not dare to speak. He was not afraid of offending Master Zhu, but was afraid of offending Du Zhou Mu and being sent to the Zhou Mu Mansion.
Master Zhu walked down the steps and looked at Master Zhang: "Why, there is no place for a little person like me here?"
Master Zhang stepped forward quickly: "I don't dare, Master, please come inside!"
Zhou Dagu walked up to the left-hand seat under the high platform amid the admiring eyes of everyone.
Master Zhu sat down, lowered his head and spoke softly to him: "Don't panic, that little guy Du Zhoumu is my senior brother!"
Zhou Dagu's waist suddenly straightened.
