Hu Mingde returned home in Qiaotou Town with a sigh.

  As the Lunar New Year approaches, everyone in the family is at home, busy with preparations for the holiday. For a frugal family like theirs, the Lunar New Year is a big deal.

  Hu Mingde and his elder brother and sister-in-law closed the door to talk, Hu Mingde first told what Mr. Yao had entrusted him with, looking at his sister-in-law who was frowning and shaking her head non-stop, and his elder brother who was tightly furrowing his brow, then said: "...Mr. Yao said that he has spoken with Constable Xia, the matter is settled, next year's county examination, I will be made a Xiucai. It was because of this sentence that I agreed to it."

  Zhao's wife and Hu Da's eyes widened together.

  "Big brother and sister-in-law, think about it. If I become a Xiucai, our family will no longer have to work as laborers or pay taxes. Just this one thing alone, how much can we save in a year?"

  Besides, if our family becomes a Xiucai's family, among the four occupations of scholar, farmer, artisan and merchant, our family will take a step forward from farming to being a scholar, that is, half an official family. In this area of dozens or hundreds of miles around us, there are not a few Tongsheng, but how many Xiucai can be found?

  And if our family becomes a Xiucai's family, how many people will surrender and devote themselves to us? Even if we only accept grain as payment for the difference, how much will we get?

  Big brother, big sister-in-law, once we take this step, our family will be like heaven and earth compared to what it is now. We'll be half an official's family, a renowned scholarly family, and when the younger generation talks about marriage in the future, everything will be completely different.

  "This opportunity is too rare, Big Brother and Sister-in-law, don't you think?" Hu Mingde hastily continued to persuade.

  Zhao's wife's eyes lit up, and she nudged Hu Da, "Old Three is right, we're just a small county of Yan Guan, how many Xiucai do we have? Look at the Xiucai family in the city, what kind of wealth they've accumulated now! Their family was so poor back then, we all saw it with our own eyes. Every year when there's a big event in the county, Xiucai would sit together with the county magistrate, laughing and chatting!"

  "It's good that it's good, but you haven't even returned to your mother's home in the past two years. The argument a few years ago was so intense, and now this matter has to be handled by your younger brother. Didn't you say that your younger brother is controlled by his wife?"

  What a wonderful thing, Hu Da also hated that he couldn't take a bite of it, but thinking about how his wife had quarreled with her family to such an extent, there was no use even thinking about it.

  "They have a scholar in Xigou Town, and this scholar cannot just be good for himself, he must also teach his neighbors and correct the customs of the people. This is what the sages said. The imperial court has repeatedly prohibited this kind of licentious worship, but Xigou Town has produced such an ungodly and unghostly licentious worship. If Hongqing doesn't quickly go to the government office to confess, when it's discovered later, he will be held responsible as a scholar. We're all doing this for Hongqing's own good."

  Hu Mingde worked as a clerk in the Constitutional Court for several years, and his views were different. After saying a few words, Hu Da and his wife Zhao Shi nodded repeatedly, but they were all thinking of Zhao Hongqing's family!

  "Get in the car, let's go for a ride, hurry up!" Zhao Dajie was a decisive person and immediately made up her mind.

  Hurry up and go harness the carriage, thought for a moment, and personally went to move a pile of salted chicken, salted fish, and salted pig's head onto the carriage. This trip was to ask for something from someone, it wouldn't be good to go empty-handed.

  Zhao's wife changed her clothes and came out, took one look at the half-car loaded with chickens, fish, pigs, and sheep, and was a bit unhappy. "Look at you, always like this, really can't do anything about it. This trip is to discuss business, not visit relatives, what's the point of all this stuff? Moreover, the car is all loaded up, where are people supposed to sit?"

  "It's just going to talk about things, asking for people's help, it's not good to go empty-handed." Hu Da explained.

  "Hey, that's my own brother, not some outsider, do you need to bring gifts just to talk? You're being too polite. Besides, didn't you hear what Old Three said, this is also for their own good. And even if we put that aside, the matter hasn't been settled yet, nothing has been decided, so why send gifts first? What if the gifts are sent but the matter doesn't get resolved, can you just take them back? Move them down first, there's no room to sit in the car."

  "What Big Sister said also makes sense." Hu Mingde continued, "Just now I thought about it again, Big Sister and Hong Qing are biological siblings, as close as can be. This mess is with Hong Qing's wife, in my opinion, this time we go, let's just invite Hong Qing out to talk, this is a big deal outside, not something Hong Qing's wife should handle, originally she shouldn't have been told."

  "Lao San is right!" Zhao's sister-in-law repeatedly agreed, her younger brother had always listened to her since he was a child, what a good younger brother, it's just that after he got married... this daughter-in-law wasn't chosen well!

  Hudai also felt that his brother's words were extremely right, and he hurriedly moved the chicken, fish, and meat back onto the cart, harnessed the mule, and had Zhao Dajie sit inside. Hudai and Hu San sat on either side of the front of the cart, with Hudai driving the large cart as they trotted along the road towards Xigou Town.

  They arrived at Xigou Town, and Hu Da stopped the big cart in front of the Fen Cha Puzi's door on the other side of the town. At this point, there was no one inside the Fen Cha Puzi. After stopping the cart, Hu Da and his wife Zhao Dajie entered the only elegant room, while Hu Mingde walked quickly to the Zhao family to call out Zhao Hongqing for a talk.

  About twenty or thirty steps away from the Zhao's house, Hu Mingde stopped and called over a little boy who was running wildly in the street. He handed him a large banknote and said, "Go to the Zhao's house, find Old Man Zhao, and tell him that an old classmate is passing through Xikou Town and would like him to come out for a drink and a chat."

  The little kid took the money and ran to the entrance of Zhao's house, banging on the door non-stop, shouting at the top of his lungs. Before long, Zhao Hongqing hastily came out of the courtyard, standing on the steps looking left and right.

  He is an idle person, and he is most enthusiastic about being asked to drink and talk by others, but unfortunately, there are very few people who come to find him.

  "Hong Qing Ge." Hu Mingde stood dozens of steps away and waved at him.

  Zhao Hongqing saw that it was Hu Mingde, and hastily took a few steps forward with a delighted expression. "It's Sanlang! You're a busy person, how did you manage to come over today? Come on in and take a seat."

  Hu Mingde pulled him towards the tea house while laughing and said, "This trip is specifically to look for Brother Hongqing, let's go find a place to sit and talk."

  The town was not big, Hu Mingde pulled Zhao Hongqing and soon entered the tea house, entered the elegant room, Zhao Hongqing saw his sister and brother-in-law, stunned.

  His wife and sister started quarreling as soon as they met, this thing is the most distressing, annoying and unsolvable in his life of twenty years. Now that he sees his sister, his first reaction is to start a fight, so he has to hide quickly.

  Hu Mingde pushed Zhao Hongqing, who was about to escape, into the room and blocked the door. He loudly ordered a few delicious snacks and a jar of fine Huangjiu wine to be sent over. As for whether anyone else heard him, he didn't have time to worry about that right now.

  "Sister, how..." Zhao Hongqing dodged and evaded, not daring to look at his sister.

  Zhao's wife scowled, her face full of resentment, and jabbed a finger at his forehead, "Look at you, you're so useless! No wonder you can't control your wife, instead you're being controlled by her."

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