Li Chou couldn't sleep all night, and his heart was filled with turmoil.
Hearing movement outside the room, Li Chouxin also got up from the bed, opened the door and walked out.
Outside the house, Ling Ziwei was watering flowers in the yard, her purple sleeves swaying gently in the wind, and a strand of hair hanging down from the side. Looking in front of her, coupled with last night's experience, Li Chou's heartbeat couldn't help but speed up.
"Good morning, Mr. Chouxin." Ling Ziwei greeted Li Chouxin politely when she saw him walking out.
Li Chouxin was stunned, "...Good morning, Miss Ziwei."
"Master, what are your plans today?" Zi Wei asked.
"Miss Ziwei, don't always call me young master. From now on, please call me Brother Chouxin." Li Chouxin looked at Ziwei.
Ziwei blushed and said, "I know, brother Chouxin."
Li Chouxin then said: "Ziwei, I want to go out for a walk today to familiarize myself with the situation in Eling, so that it can be convenient."
"Brother Chouxin, wait for me for a while." After Ziwei said that, she ran into the house.
After a while, he changed into men's clothes and walked out of the room, "Brother Chouxin, let Ziwei accompany you, so that you can be taken care of."
Li Chouxin saw Ziwei's expectant look, so she nodded, "That's fine."
The two were about to go out when Zhu Wei also changed into men's clothes and shouted from behind: "Brother and sister, wait for me, I want to go too."
In the end, the two had no choice but to take Zhu Wei out with them.
The three of them left the medicine shop and walked to the busiest place in Eling. On the way, Li Chouxin thoughtfully bought breakfast for the two girls.
There was nothing unusual along the way. As I continued walking, I was suddenly attracted by the excitement in front of me. The three of them heard the sound and walked over. They saw that the roadside in the middle of the three-way road was filled with people and there was a lot of people.
Li Chouxin took a closer look and was filled with doubts. How could it be so lively this early in the morning? Slowly raising his eyes, in front of the crowd was a particularly conspicuous building, three stories high, splendidly decorated on all sides, with copper bells and lanterns hung at every corner. Looking at the plaque again, the words "Two and Two Floors" were written on it. It makes people confused.
Li Chou looked at Ziwei doubtfully, but Ziwei also understood.
"These two floors are actually Hu Jin's property, but they are all managed by Yan Zefa. It is said to be a brothel but guests are never allowed to spend the night here. It is said to be a restaurant, but there are singers and dancers accompanying them to drink, and it is mandatory to enter the store. Spend more than 2 taels, drink more than 2 taels, and the most important thing is that the current owner of this building is also named Er Liang, and she is the daughter of Yan Zefa."
After listening to Ling Ziwei's introduction, Li Chouxin's doubts were solved a lot. "This building is quite novel. Business must be very good on weekdays, right?"
"That's not necessarily true, because the consumption level is stuck there, and most people are not willing to spend two taels of silver on this meal. Most of the people who come are children from rich families and dignitaries, and few ordinary people come in and out." Ling Ziwei explained.
Li Chouxin looked at this building and couldn't help but feel that there must be some ulterior secret, so he stepped forward and looked in the crowd to see what was so lively. Zhu Wei was also holding the sleeves of Li Ke and Ziwei tightly, for fear that they would be squeezed away by the crowd accidentally.
"I am Mr. Xu Sanqiu, the chief gentleman on the second floor. I usually recite poems and write poems in the building for the entertainment of guests. Today, I was entrusted by the building owner to set up a stage here to make friends with literature. Of course, if I think you are not good at writing, I will be there next to you. There is also martial arts, if anyone can beat me or win in that martial arts competition, he will be able to enter and exit the second and second floors tonight, all consumption will be free, and he can also meet the owner of the building." I saw a person standing in front of the door and said loudly .
Li Chouxin looked at the man and saw that the man was thin with a slight stoop on his back. He was dressed in a long green dress and had a shriveled face. A pair of mustaches and beards on his chin were connected to his chest. In front of him, his eyes were small but lively. He was holding a cattail leaf fan in his hand and stroking his beard with the other hand. He looked somewhat literary and popular.
"This Xu Sanqiu is amazing. I heard that he was a Jinshi in his early years and was a good writer. However, he was removed from his official position due to personal life style problems and was demoted back to his hometown. He was never hired, so he ended up living here. Fortunately, he was favored by the poster. People who appreciate talents can stay here for eight years on the second and second floors. In Eling City, no one can compare with Wen Neng." The melon-eaters on the side were about to strip Xu Sanqiu's old information.
"Stop making any noise, the competition will begin now. You should choose between a martial arts competition or a literary competition as soon as possible. Please be prepared after making your selection." Xu Sanqiu said seriously.
"Is this Xu Sanqiu really that powerful?" Li Chouxin asked Ziwei curiously.
Before Ziwei could answer, Zhu Wei jumped in and said, "Of course, even though this old man is ugly, he really has some ink. A few years ago, we had a champion in Eling. I heard that Xu Sanqiu was this The most talented person in Ling, the number one scholar didn't believe it, so he wanted to compete with Xu Sanqiu. In the end, he humiliated himself. Later, he couldn't stand the criticism of others and angrily jumped into the Eling River and committed suicide. This Xu Sanqiu It’s awesome.”
"Let's go, let's go. It's impossible for me to compete with you. If you want to enter the second and second floors and have fun, go to the nearby martial arts competition. I will definitely catch you." Zhu Wei looked at Li Chouxin with a smirk on his face.
Li Chouxin wanted to take this opportunity to go into the building to check it out, but when little Zhu Wei said this, she really wanted to go to the second and second floors to be relaxed and happy, and she felt a little embarrassed for a moment.
Ziwei saw the clues and asked Li Chouxin in a low voice: "Brother Chouxin, do you have any plans?"
Li Chou didn't hide anything, "I thought the second and second floors were not that simple, so I thought I would take this opportunity to go in and check it out. I was also afraid that your two sisters would misunderstand me and think I wanted to have fun, so I did this." Difficult."
"I know that brother Chou Xin is not that kind of person. If you are determined by your brother's doctrine, then let's go up and compete. I believe that brother's skills will be no problem." Ziwei said to Chou Xin with a smile.
But Li Chouxin said: "A martial arts competition will easily expose your strength, so I decided to fight in a literary competition."
As soon as these words came out, the two sisters Ziwei and Zhu Wei were startled and looked at Li Chouxin in disbelief.
"Brother Chou Xin, don't go up and ask for trouble just for the sake of face. I think you can still compete with martial arts in a down-to-earth way, so that we won't have to see you embarrassed later," Ling Zhuwei said.
Ziwei nodded in agreement.
Li Chouxin saw that the two of them were worried and said slowly: "It's no problem. Let's see how I perform later."
At this time, Xu Sanqiu said: "Who dares to fight with me?"
Li Chouxin walked forward slowly, "I'm willing to give it a try."
"Anyone who comes, please tell yourself." Xu Sanqiu looked up and down at the handsome young man in front of him.
"I am Li Chouxin. I send my sorrow to Mingyue, the medicine shop merchant." After Li Chouxin said this, the audience burst into laughter.
"This herbal medicine vendor is here to join in the fun. He doesn't study pharmacology and comes here to compete in literary talent. It's funny! Let's see how he ends up later."
"That's right, I don't take Mr. Xu seriously at all. He is really a ignorant boy."
"That's right, that's right..."
For a moment, everyone in the audience saw that it was a medicinal materials vendor who came to compete, and they immediately exploded.
But Li Chouxin said: "Since ancient times, heroes have not asked where they came from. I think literati should do the same, right, Mr. Xu?" After speaking, he looked at Xu Sanqiu with burning eyes.
Xu Sanqiu looked at Li Chouxin's eyes and felt a strong sense of oppression. He was startled and said, "Brother Li is saying, you will find out later whether you are really talented or just a fool, so please don't be impatient. "
"May I ask Mr. Xu, what is the content of the competition?" Li Chouxin asked Xu Sanqiu seriously.
Xu Sanqiu looked at Li Chouxin in front of him and felt an indescribable feeling, but this feeling made him feel extremely bad. "As a literati, if you can only read, read and write nonsense poems, you are not a literati. I can only say that I am not." Illiterate and truly educated people cannot say that they are proficient in all kinds of music, chess, calligraphy and painting, but there are three things they must possess, and that is poetry, calligraphy and painting, poetry is poetry, writing is calligraphy, and painting is of course painting." Preface Sanqiu introduced clearly and logically. G.
"Mr. Xu, stop talking in circles. What are you comparing to? How else to compare?" The spectators on the side really couldn't stand a mother-in-law like Xu Sanqiu.
"Don't worry, today we will compete in poetry, calligraphy and painting, but it is not just as simple as poetry, calligraphy and painting. It is divided into three steps. First, write a poem based on the topic, and then write your own poem on paper. There is no limit to the font. The third is to use poems to paint, expressing the artistic conception in the poem in the form of paintings." After all, the preface to Sanqiu is not telling the truth.
"Mr. Xu, please come up with a question." Li Chouxin looked at Xu Sanqiu.
After hearing this, Xu Sanqiu stroked his beard with one hand, raised his head and looked at the clouds, thinking for a moment, and said slowly: "So each of them wrote a poem with the theme of being a guest, and then wrote it with his favorite calligraphy, and finally Painting, and the final result will be decided by everyone present to vote.”
Just as Xu Sanqiu finished speaking, he saw the attendants on the second and second floors walking out of the door carrying two desks, placing them between Xu Sanqiu and Li Chouxin. There were all kinds of writing brushes of various thicknesses and sizes on the desks. Lay out a stack of good plain paper and wait for the two of you to start creating.
I saw Xu Sanqiu taking the lead in exerting his strength, fanning the cattail leaf and stroking his beard while pacing back and forth. He seemed to have an inspiration, and after a while he chanted:
Don't worry about Jiang Shuidong when you are young
Waking up from a dream and trapped in Jinlou
After singing, please the audience
Not knowing where to go
Xu Sanqiu has expressed his inner feelings vividly. It seems that although he has had no worries about food and clothing on the second floor these years, he has also been stuck in a pleasing job. He wants to get out, but he doesn't know how to do it. Where to go.
Li Chouxin nodded after listening to Sanqiu's poem in the preface, "To express my experience of living on the second and second floors in this way, it not only describes the frivolity of youth, but also the desolation of the future. It can be considered a good poem."
After hearing this, everyone in the audience applauded and said, "Mr. Xu, if you write it yourself, it will be much better."
After a commotion, everyone focused their attention on Li Chouxin, while Ling Ziwei and Ling Zhuwei on the side were extremely embarrassed, fearing that Li Chouxin would make a fool of himself.
Ling Zhuwei even got closer and said, "Brother Chou Xin, I don't think it's going to work. It's better to admit defeat now than to make a fool of yourself later. You'd better go to the martial arts competition."
Ling Ziwei pulled Ling Zhuwei: "Zhu Wei, don't disturb Mr. Chouxin's thoughts. Maybe he can write a poem. If he can't write it, it's okay. No one will take it seriously. Besides, Mr. Chouxin. ....."
Before Ling Ziwei finished speaking, she heard Li Chouxin chanting:
Eling wine and crape myrtle
How long does it take to return from north to south?
But there will be many drunken guests tonight
Returning to a foreign country as home
Li Chouxin had just finished reciting, and everyone on the side praised him: "What a sentence, but it will make you drunk tonight, and you will feel like you are returning to a foreign country." This person is much better than Xu Sanqiu in terms of character and ambition.
At this time, Xu Sanqiu was also shocked by Li Chouxin's poem about living in a foreign country. He had been writing for many years and had never encountered such a difficult opponent. He could not let down his guard in the next calligraphy and painting, and must use the strongest means.
Ling Ziwei and Ling Zhuwei were still staring at Li Chouxin in front of them in shock, with expressions of disbelief on their faces. In just a moment, Li Chouxin could write such a poem, which really surprised and surprised the two of them and brought them back to their senses. Come, Ling Zhuwei suddenly said: "Sister, did Brother Chouxin mention you in his poem just now?"
A blush suddenly appeared on Ling Ziwei's face. She recalled Li Chouxin's poem just now. The first line was "Eling fine wine accompanies Ziwei." Could it be that Mr. Chouxin was really talking about himself? What he wanted to express was that he came to Hubei. Ling, do you have some wine to accompany you? The more Ziwei thought about it, the faster her heart beat.
Xu Sanqiu asked unwillingly: "Master Li, since you have written the poem, please tell everyone what it means."
Li Chouxin looked at everyone with confused expressions on their faces, and then explained: "When you come to Eling with fine wine and crape myrtle, how often do you go back and forth from south to north? It means that when you come to Eling, although it is a foreign country, you have fine wine and crape myrtle to accompany you. I don’t know when I’ll be back.” After that, Li Chouxin looked at the crape myrtle and explained: “And this crape myrtle can be a blooming crape myrtle flower, or of course it can be a human being.”
"But if you are a drunk tonight, a foreign country can also be considered your hometown. The meaning is that since you have arrived in a foreign country, as long as the wine tonight can make you drunk and unwilling to wake up, even a foreign country can be regarded as your hometown."
After Li Chouxin finished explaining, everyone clapped their hands and applauded. Ziwei was also confused by the explanation just now, and her face was hot.
"Brother Chou Xin is too biased. He actually wrote about my sister, and he wrote it so emotionally. It's too biased, huh!" Ling Zhuwei said with an unhappy look.
Xu Sanqiu saw that Li Chouxin had stolen his limelight and said disdainfully: "Although the poem is good, if you want to win the competition, it depends on your performance in the next two games. Master Li, please also write down the poems." After that, Man Man Looking at Li Chouxin with contempt, he also picked up a pen and started writing on the paper.
Li Chou saw in his heart that the preface to Sanqiu had started to write in a decent manner, but he took off the wine bottle from his waist and took a sip, leaving everyone confused.
Xu Sanqiu soon presented his writing work to everyone. They saw that the calligraphy was composed and yet free and easy. The whole painting looked very harmonious and was considered a good product.
Xu Sanqiu was immersed in everyone's praise for a while, raising his hands to express thanks from time to time.
Li Chouxin also put away the wine bottle, stepped forward and took a piece of white paper from the table and threw it into the air. Others thought that Li Chouxin was about to give up the competition. Just as everyone shook their heads, the paper stood vertically in the air and spread out. After Li Chouxin dipped in ink, he jumped up with his pen, high in the air, waving and spraying ink, surprising everyone. In a moment, a few lines of large characters appeared on the paper. Although it was not as continuous as the sequence of Sanqiu, the flow was strange and the amplitude was uncertain. On the contrary, it is very calm, honest, and solid, but at the same time it constantly exudes a sense of informality, transcendence, and magic, which is really amazing.
Li Chouxin slowly fell to the ground, and the paper on which he wrote the poem also fell. Li Chouxin held it with one hand and showed it in front of him. He only heard the sound of clapping and applause filling the surrounding area.
Xu Sanqiu saw that Li Chouxin was so accomplished. Although he was dissatisfied, the victory or defeat was naturally known. He stepped forward and said, "Young Master Li is really secretive. He must have extraordinary attainments in martial arts."
However, Li Chouxin said: "Mr. Xu looks down on me, but I just had a master in my early years and only learned a few basic moves of fists and feet."
Xu Sanqiu saw that Li Chou didn't want to express himself, so he said: "There is no need to compete in the third round today. Judging from the comparison of the first two games, Mr. Li won. If he continues, Mr. Xu will just humiliate himself. Mr. Li His attainments far exceed Xu's, and Xu's admiration comes from him."
Seeing Xu Sanqiu's behavior, Li Chou said politely: "Mr. Xu's words are serious. Mr. Xu's sword is still young. It's just a fluke. Let's discuss it again when we have the opportunity in the future."
"As long as Mr. Li is willing, that's natural." Xu Sanqiu said while inviting Li Chouxin to the second and second floors.
But Li Chouxin waved his hand and said: "It's too early to enter the building now. Besides, I'm here for the first time and want to get acquainted with it during the day, so I'll bother you sir to make a note of it for now. When the sun goes down, Chouxin will definitely come and get drunk with you. .”
"It doesn't matter, that's very good. Then Xu will be waiting for Mr. Li to come." Xu Sanqiu replied.
Li Chouxin turned around, took the two daughters of the Ling family with her, and quickly left the crowded crowd and began to wander around, very leisurely.
The scene that happened downstairs was naturally caught by Yan Erliang upstairs, who became interested in Li Chouxin and ordered the secret guard behind him: "Go and find out who this Li Chouxin is?"
On the way, Ling Ziwei suddenly asked with a worried look on her face: "Young Master, are you really going to the second and second floors tonight?"
Li Chouxin replied: "Of course, since these two floors are related to Hu Jin and Yan Zefa, there is nothing wrong with going there. Maybe we can find out something."
But Zhu Wei said with a weird look on her face: "Brother Qianxin wants to go to a flower bar. He just made my sister fascinated by a poem. If we enter the second and second floors, the singers and dancers inside will be easy to find." , very happy."
Hearing this, Ziwei's face, which had recently regained her composure, suddenly turned red again.
Seeing this, Li Chouxin said with some embarrassment: "You little girl, you seem to have embarrassed your sister. Don't worry, I just went in to investigate, it won't be like what you said."
After a day of shopping, Liu Chouxin became quite familiar with Eling. In the evening, after Li Chouxin sent Ling Ziwei and Ling Zhuwei back to Sanmiao Hall, she changed her clothes and rushed to the second and second floors.
When they were about to go out, the Ling sisters were chatting and laughing in the yard. They saw Li Chouxin changing clothes and about to go out.
Ling Ziwei stepped forward and said: "Young Master Chouxin, be careful. The second and second floors should not be as simple as they appear."
Ling Zhuwei suddenly interrupted: "Sister, what are you worried about him for? You see that he has changed his clothes. He must be going to drink flower wine. What dangers can there be in drinking flower wine, right, Brother Chouxin!"
Li Chouxin looked at the two sisters, smiled, and said: "It's okay, I have a sense of discretion. I just went to see today. If I can get any results, it would be better. If not, it will be a lot easier with this method."
After saying that, Li Chouxin headed towards the second and second floors to keep the appointment with the sun.
