Chapter 347 The Price of Pens, Inks, Paper and Inkstones
It was already noon when the carriage arrived at Yangzhou Mansion.
Shi Xiaoliu and Shi Zelan entered the city gate. After looking at each other, they decided to go to the vegetarian restaurant first.
At the door of the vegetarian restaurant, they met Shi Shi who was delivering the food. They looked at each other, and then Shi Xiaoliu and Shi Zelan stepped aside.
Shitou smiled and said: "You two brothers are here to have a meal, please."
The expression on his face was very enthusiastic, but the expression in his eyes was very peaceful.
Shi Xiaoliu and Shi Zelan nodded lightly at him, and they went directly into the vegetarian restaurant.
After they sat down and ordered, Shi Xiaoliu called Shi Zelan: "Stone doesn't recognize us anymore."
There was a bit of disappointment in his tone, and Shi Zelan looked at him : "If he can recognize us, we will have to examine him, right?"
Shi Xiaoliu nodded silently. This time they came out and changed their faces again.
They had a meal at the vegetarian restaurant and then left the vegetarian restaurant with the packaged dishes.
When they walked outside, Shi Xiaoliu sighed to Shi Zelan: "The guests at the vegetarian restaurant really don't like to gossip."
Shi Zelan looked at him and smiled. : "We didn't say much during the meal."
"We went to the teahouse at this time, and it was probably past Mr. Novel Book's storytelling time."
Shi Zelan said with a smile: "Then are you going? Or have you decided not to go?"
Snowflakes were floating in the sky again. Shi Xiaoliu reached out to catch the snowflakes and turned to Shi Zelan and said: "Of course I'm going.
This kind of weather is not suitable for walking on the street."
The two of them looked at the people taking shelter from the snow on the street, and they followed them to the eaves of the shops on the street.
Going south, along the way, I heard someone shouting: "Go quickly, the government has issued an announcement."
Shi Xiaoliu immediately said to Shi Zelan: "Let's go see the government first Announcement.”
They followed the crowd, and after a while, they finally reached the place where the government posted the announcement
A policeman was already standing on the side of the announcement board, following the people who came to see the announcement, explaining the content of the announcement.
Shi Xiaoliu and Shi Zelan squeezed in to read the announcement and found that the officer's explanation was more detailed.
“It’s not easy to build roads in such a snowy weather.”
“Fortunately, it’s labor.”
"In the spring, the government arranged corvee work.
My eldest brother went to my house, and this time it is my second brother's turn."
"Let's break up. This time we are building a mountain road. After you go to work, be careful of avalanches."
Shi Xiaoliu and Shi Zelan followed the people away and heard them murmuring: "It must have come from above, the prefect would be here at this time. The matter of labor.
The previous magistrate and the current magistrate are officials who are willing to care about the people below. ”
Shi Xiaoliu turned to look at the expression on Shi Zelan's face, and reminded him in a voice: "Sister Lan, don't pity the laborers casually."
Shi Zelan secretly glared at him: "I'm not stupid. ."
Shi Xiaoliu glanced at her and sighed: "If you want to do what you say, you can't be soft-hearted and help."
"I know. Xiaoliu, I told you, I don’t care about the life or death of strangers, really?”
"Haha."
After listening to Shi Zelan's words, Shi Xiaoliu only smiled "haha" at her twice.
They went to Nancheng Tea House, went in and ordered a pot of tea, and listened to the guests chatting while drinking tea.
“The stories Mr. Novel Book has told recently are not as amazing as before.”
“He was a child who didn’t know anything before, but now he finally understands some things.” “Yes, before. Listening to him tell the story, I was sweating while listening to him finish the story. ”
"What are you afraid of? He didn't talk nonsense. It's all true things that happened."
"You also said, don't you think about the scholar who will take the big exam next year? His classmates said he has a good chance of getting on the list. "
" Mr. Novel Book didn't say anything bad about their family, so he wouldn't mind. "
"You, I am getting older in vain, and I still say whatever I want outside without restraint.”
"I'll come here a few more times. If the story told by Mr. Novel Book is too ordinary, I might as well listen to his master."
"Then you have to come early. His master is very busy now. I heard that someone Line up to go to his home to become a disciple."
"Isn't his master accepting a new apprentice?"
"I heard that he has not accepted one, and said that he will wait until Mr. Xiao Shushu starts teaching. Will accept apprentices."
Shi Xiaoliu and Shi Zelan exchanged glances and continued to listen to everyone.
"The government has issued an announcement about arranging forced labor. Have any of you seen it?"
Someone entered the teahouse from outside. Someone immediately stood up and said, "Didn't I already serve once in the first half of the year?" "
"It's not a labor force, this time it's a labor force."
The man sat down slowly: "Working in this weather is also hard."
"Your family. There are so many brothers, they can take turns doing labor service.”
"Bah, there are many brothers in my family, and there are also many children in the family.
If someone is working hard in such snowy weather, who will be frozen, who will support so many children in the family?"
Shi Xiaoliu and Shi Zelan sat in the teahouse for a while, seeing everyone talking about the same theme.
The two of them didn’t want to linger any longer in the teahouse. When they left the teahouse, Shi Zelan said to Shi Xiaoliu: “Let’s go to the bookstore.”
“Okay, I want to buy a book. A set of pens, ink, paper and inkstones, what do you want?”
Shi Zelan thought for a while and said: "I also want a set of pen, ink, paper and inkstones."
The two went to the bookstore, went in and read for a while, and then looked at the price of pen, ink, paper and inkstone.
Shi Xiaoliu thought about it and said to his boss: "We want two sets of pens, inks, paper and inkstones of decent quality, and the price must be affordable."
The boss looked back and forth at Shi Xiaoliu and Shi Zelan for their characteristics. Clothes, he sighed softly, searched inside the counter, and took out two sets of pens, ink, paper and inkstones for Shi Xiaoliu and Shi Zelan.
“Three taels of silver.”
The owner reported the price, and when Shi Xiaoliu saw Shi Zelan nodding, he directly counted the money and gave it to the owner.
He took two sets of pens, inks, paper and inkstones, took a deep breath, and asked his boss: "Our brothers are interested in medicinal herbs. I would like to ask if there are any books on this subject?"
The boss shook his head. : "No, you don't need to go to other bookstores to ask for information, there will be no such book.
If you are really serious, go to the medical clinic and try it. Can you join the apprenticeship?"
Shi Xiaoliu and Shi Zelan thanked their boss for the tip, and they walked out.
The owner looked at their backs and shook his head, then sat down silently and sorted the things on the counter.
Shi Xiaoliu and Shi Zelan left the city and rented a carriage directly.
On the way, Shi Xiaoliu said to Shi Zelan: "It is really not easy for a farmer's family to provide a scholar."
Shi Zelan looked at him: "Yes."< br>
Shi Xiaoliu was silent for a long time and then sent a message to Shi Zelan: "Sister Lan, do you think Shijiazhuang cannot provide enough education for all the clan members?"
"When I left, I was too young."
Shi Xiaoliu thought about it seriously and said, "Yes. I remember that we can all read, even little girls can read. ”