Chapter 33 33 The situation is tense

Chapter 33 33 The situation is tense

Blessings arrive on the second day of the first lunar month: Firecrackers are set off for the New Year; the reunion dinner is delicious; people are reunited and joyful; the family is happy and blessed; the peace talisman is a cover for the home; the lucky lot is drawn; everything goes well in the new year !

"Mr. Zeng, there is really nothing we can do about the store. Mr. Zhang insists on going upstairs. There is really nothing we can do about it."

At this moment, the shopkeeper had already hurried to the wine table and carefully informed Zeng Yuanshu of the situation. After all, the third floor was booked today, but he could not hold the Young Master Zhang steady.

Zeng Yuanshu heard the arrogant voice downstairs early in the morning. There were not many people in Pengze County who dared to deny him face like this, so one person came downstairs.

Looking at the Xiangyun girl with a pale face, Zeng Yuanshu knew that in fact they had just suffered a disaster in the fish pond, but he did not expect that this person who was so busy celebrating the New Year would not stop bickering and fighting. , but now that the New Year has not even ended, I’m looking for a place again.

"Let them come up."

Zeng Yuanshu didn't want to make things difficult for the people in Jingshui Tower. This was not his style.

Over there, Wei Guangde knew who was coming after Wu Dong quietly explained. He was also a famous family in Zepeng County.

The three major families in Zepeng County are Zeng Chen and Zhang. This Zhang Haochu is now the eldest brother of the younger generation of the Zhang family. He is usually just arrogant, but he does not do anything to bully his neighbors. Although he met Zeng Yuanshu, he was not on good terms with her. , but at least nod, it’s still okay in terms of face.

However, the bad relationship between the two has only happened in the past two years. They are both scholars, so they naturally compete for fame.

The last time they took part in the imperial examination, both Zeng Yuanshu and Zhang Haochu went. Everyone was happy to pass the county examination, but things changed when they got to the government examination.

After the results of the government examination were announced, Zeng Yuanshu, Wu Dong and Ma Xiang all successfully passed the test and won Tong Sheng. However, Zhang Haochu, who had promised to capture Tong Sheng at the beginning, failed the examination.

It turns out that failure is normal. More than 90% of candidates fail in every exam. In fact, everyone knows it.

But the bad thing was that the day before the results were published, when a dozen Zepeng students were discussing the exam questions, Zhang Haochu also ridiculed the articles written by Zeng Yuanshu and Wu Dong, thinking that they had no hope of taking the exam.

After the list was published the next day, Master Zhang Haochu was very disappointed and left Jiujiang Fucheng without saying a word.

Normally, this matter would end here, but when Zeng Yuanshu, Wu Dong and others returned to Zepeng County happily, they found out that just two days ago, there were rumors in Zepeng County that they bribed the prefect to teach him. , there were rumors that he had obtained the qualification to be a child student.

Such rumors spread quickly and had already spread all over the world by the time they returned to Zepeng County.

In fact, the qualifications for childbirth in the Ming Dynasty are really worthless to be honest. They don't have any preferential treatment. They are just the qualifications to participate in the college examination.

Generally speaking, local officials, that is, county magistrates and magistrates, would turn a blind eye during the county examination and let the children of local wealthy families pass smoothly, and would not deliberately impose thresholds.

Zhang Haochu probably thought that it was for this reason that he would pass the childbirth examination very smoothly. However, an accident happened unexpectedly. He did not follow common sense this time as the prefect of Jiujiang.

Zeng Yuanshu asked someone to investigate the source of the rumor, and soon found out that the rumor was first spread by a servant of the Zhang family. It was hard to say whether it was Zhang Haochu's instruction.

Everyone is well aware of many things. Children of big families generally would not spread such rumors. After all, the prefect is involved. Although this is Zepeng, the prefect may not know what is going on here.

Of course Wu Dong and the others also told Zeng Yuan about this matter, but they couldn't say much. They didn't know whether it was Zhang Haochu who said it or his friends who wanted to please him. When the servants heard this, they thought it was the young master who failed the exam. the truth.

Zeng Yuanshu also approached Zhang Haochu in private, but Zhang Haochu ignored him and said with a smile that "you are not afraid of a slanted shadow if you are upright," which made Zeng Yuanshu angry to death.

There were even more rumors after that, and it was said that the college examination also bribed the joints, and the Jinke scholars would definitely win. It was also said that if they failed, it would be because the news was leaked, and they were afraid that they would not be able to escape the public opinion.

In short, it completely blocked Zeng Yuanshu's path to the college entrance examination. No matter whether they passed or failed, they couldn't escape from cheating.

The conflict between the two parties finally broke out after Zeng Yuanshu and others failed in the college entrance examination. The two groups met unexpectedly in a restaurant in Zepeng County. At first, they used guns and sticks in their words and made insinuations. Finally, the angry few people finally fought.

Fortunately, the few scholars were used to being domineering, and their fighting ability was indeed not very good. Although they all had bruises on their noses and faces, they were not serious, just superficial injuries.

After that, the number of entourages the two went out increased rapidly, and they almost always had a big fight when they met.

As for the elders of the two families, they did not come forward on this issue. They seemed to want to test the abilities of the younger ones.

This is what Wei Guangde guessed. Anyway, he knew that he had done something before.

Wei Guangde glanced at his cousin. This was the future Lord of Qianhu, but he actually had no fighting ability at all. It was hard to say.

"They are fighting like this, and the county magistrate doesn't care?"

Wei Guangde was surprised and asked in a low voice.

"It doesn't matter. If you don't have a good reputation, you won't be punished by an official.

If someone breaks something, they will pay for it, and no one will sue the officials. As long as no one is killed, everything will be fine. "

Wu Dong whispered to Wei Guangde: "Our county magistrate is a true gentleman who practices the way of a gentleman. What he preaches is to rule by doing nothing. Anyone who complains to the officials should be sent back to the villagers for mediation.

If you really want to sue the official, just give it a try first if it is justified or not.

In his eyes, those who cause trouble are unruly people, disobedient to the king, and have no etiquette and humility in their hearts. "

Hearing what his cousin said, Wei Guangde felt speechless.

"What should we do if there are disputes in the county now? Just resolve them privately?"

"Of course, in the end it depends on who has the bigger fists and the tougher background.

I heard that there are no more than ten lawsuits in our county a year. When I report it, it is said that the county has good governance and the local people are gentle and live and work in peace and contentment. Anyway, our Zepeng County does not pick up lost items on the road and does not close its doors at night. "

Speaking of this, Wu Dong himself laughed.

Now the Zeng family and the Zhang family almost have a fight every month. Sometimes he would ask his followers to help him when they met. His followers were all generals raised by Wu Qianhu and were good at fighting.

"This Chinese New Year celebration is not going away. Will there be a fight today?"

Wei Guangde asked in a low voice.

When he said this, the eldest brother Wei Wencai's eyes were already shining.

"Normally, there should be a fight."

Wu Dong's answer made Wei Guangde feel speechless, and it seemed that he was also a little eager to try.

While he was talking, people had already come up. Not only Zhang Haochu and a group of friends and followers around him, but also the people brought out by Zeng Yuanshu and Wu Dong, the entire third floor was full of people.

But the shopkeeper of Jingshui Tower was wiping his sweat on the side, waiting for the next war.

Zeng Yuanshu didn't wait for Zhang Haochu to speak, he slapped the table with his right hand and stood up and said: "Zhang Haochu, I didn't teach you enough last time. You dare to come here to ask for a beating during the Chinese New Year."

After saying this, he turned to Madam Liu and Xiangyun and said, "You have nothing to do with me here. Go down."

Facing the two groups of people who were at war with each other, the people in Fanghua Building were already trembling with fear. When they heard Zeng Yuanshu's words, they hurriedly bowed to the two groups and fled downstairs.