The person who came was a man in his forties, tall and handsome, wearing the uniform of a third-rank official.
Although this man had a smile on his face and seemed very easy-going, he subconsciously made people dare not look down upon him.
Li Laoer vaguely felt that this person looked familiar, but he really didn't recognize him. Looking at Mr. Wen and Liu Zhiheng, although they were both smiling, their expressions were a bit defensive.
An idea flashed in Li Laoer's mind, and he finally woke up. This person was probably the eldest son of the Wang family, Wang Zechen, who was an official outside.
Sure enough, the man stepped forward, smiled and held his hands, "Master Yushi, Master Liu, it's early for the court today, and it's boring to go home. I want to have a drink of tea with Uncle Zhongshan. I wonder if you two can be accommodating?"
Wen Wen The gentleman frowned, but Liu Zhiheng smiled more and more "kindly" and said: "Oh, it's Mr. Wang Zechen. I haven't seen him for several years.
" What Mr. Wang said, although we are on good terms with Mr. Li, we can't Make the decision for Uncle Li. If others heard Mr. Wang's words, they would think that we were holding Uncle Li as his own slave to discipline him. Wang
Zechen raised his eyebrows, raised his hands and apologized: "I was not careful with my words. Don't be offended, Mr. Liu. I have been away for many years and suddenly returned to Kyoto, so I am still a little uncomfortable." "
With his posture so low and so many people watching around him, even if Liu Zhiheng still wanted to stop him, there was no good reason.
Li Laoer took two steps forward and said with a smile: "Mr. Wen, Mr. Liu, it just so happens that I I'm a little thirsty. You might as well have a cup of tea with Mr. Wang. You two go to the Yamen first to get busy. I, an idle person, have nothing to do. As long as Mr. Wang is not afraid of wasting his time, I can afford to accompany him no matter what. "
Liu Zhiheng and Mr. Wen looked at each other. Although they were still a little worried, they could only nod.
Mr. Wen said, "Okay, didn't I say that Cyclamen has launched a new dish? Let's go have a meal at noon?
"Okay, I guess I'll go back early and wait for you first. " "Li Laoer responded, and Mr. Wen and Liu Zhiheng left.
Li Laoer was left smiling and walking with Wang Zechen.
Li Laoer was not nervous at all and asked casually: "When did you come back, sir? I heard that you have been traveling abroad? "
Wang Zechen said with a smile, "Yes, I have been out in the field for seven or eight years. I received a letter from home a few years ago saying that my father was ill and my ineffective younger brother was even more crazy. I was worried about it, so I quickly wrote a letter to beg the emperor to transfer me back. . "
The Emperor's kindness is so great," Li Laoer turned around and bowed his hands to the palace, "The Emperor is the most kind and considerate of his ministers. He is not like us, a small family, who is petty and can't get through anything..."
The two of them were walking and laughing. , people who don't understand think they have been friends for many years.
But who would have known that every word they spoke was quarrelsome, and they wanted to make each other more than a dozen bloody holes!
They walked out of the palace gate and got into the Wang family's carriage.
Wang Zechen saw Li Laoer looked at the interior of the carriage with great interest, and he had a high opinion of this uncle with a mud-legged background.
"Uncle Li, you are getting on my carriage. Aren't you afraid that I will do something bad to you?" " "Unfavorable?" Li Laoer was very surprised and said with a smile, "How come? I don't think Mr. Wang has any reason to be unfavorable to me? I'm even waiting for Mr. Wang to apologize to me! After all, Mr. Wang is such a smart person. , you don't know anything about the previous conflicts between our two families...
"At least when it comes to my eldest brother, Wang Qiusheng, the son-in-law who was snatched away by your Wang family, you should say goodbye to your father and your brother. Can't live there? "
Li Laoer said this unceremoniously, and his face turned cold, "Mr. Wang is a merchant, he has little education, and it is understandable that he is arrogant. Mrs. Wang is old, and it is understandable that he is confused. .
"But Mr. Wang is an important minister of the third rank. He is an official outside and is also the parent of a common people. If you don't distinguish right from wrong, then there is no need for us to drink tea today."
Wang Zechen was silent for a moment, then finally smiled, "Uncle Li is serious. , Wang was just joking."
Li Laoer raised his eyebrows and did not respond. The eldest son of the Wang family is very cunning. He just showed his sword first, but unfortunately it was like piercing cotton, without any effect...
Soon, the carriage They arrived at the door of a teahouse. Both of them were wearing official uniforms. As soon as they got off the carriage, they were warmly welcomed upstairs by the shopkeeper, who opened the best box.
Li Laoer frowned slightly, which aroused Wang Zechen's curiosity and asked: "Uncle Li thinks this teahouse is not good, then let's find another one?"
Li Laoer shook his head and asked: "Does Mr. Wang know how to open this private room and serve tea?" Including snacks, how many taels of silver do you need?"
Wang Zechen thought he couldn't afford the money, so he replied: "One tael or eighty taels is enough. Uncle, feel free to order the tea and snacks you like. I agreed to treat you today. ."
Li Laoer waved his hand, "Master Wang, does he know how much a pound of japonica rice costs in Xindu now? A full fifty cash! This is already the highest price in the past twenty years, and when we drink tea, we have to drink it. Two hundred kilograms of japonica rice!
"These 200 kilograms of japonica rice, mixed with whole grains and wild vegetables, are enough for a family of five to survive for half a year. Mr. Wang was born into a wealthy family, so maybe he doesn't think so, but our family is an ordinary farmer. Even now, my mother is a noble woman, and she still has to pull weeds in the vegetable garden.
Wang Zechen was unhappy when he heard this, and finally turned cold, "Uncle Li, are you saying that I made the mistake of inviting you to tea today? " Mr.
Li shook his head and did not give in at all. "It's a good mistake. I don't know. I just feel that I can't afford it." The Wang family has this money, so why not build a porridge shed and accumulate virtue and do good deeds? There is really no need to waste it on me, because the matter between our two families cannot be solved with a sip of tea.
"Uncle Li has made up his mind to become an enemy of our Wang family? " Wang Zechen straightened his back and looked a little proud, "It's not me, but none of the ten Li families may be our Wang family's opponents." We, the Wang family, have accumulated hundreds of years of experience and there is absolutely no way we are afraid of a bunch of idiots! Li
Laoer sneered and responded: "Whether you're afraid or not, we can't say." But, you said that our Li family is mud-legged? Yes, we are indeed mud-legged, but there is nothing wrong with being born mud-legged.
"Master Wang is back from Sichuan, so he should know that there are moso bamboos in Sichuan, right?! Standing in the mountains, he has been silent for four years and lowered his head to take root. When the spring breeze of the fifth year rises, he will be there every moment. The skyrocketing price may have reached the sky in just a few days.
"Our Li family is like this bamboo. Aren't you also afraid of the speed of our Li family's rise, so you invited me to tea so politely?" Otherwise, with your Wang family's methods, you can crush us to death, and you will definitely not waste this free time! "
Li Laoer's eyes were bright and frightening. He knocked on the table and continued with a mocking face: "Your Wang family has accumulated hundreds of years, just like that tall building. It is indeed majestic, but no one has seen that the foundation of the tall building is rotten, right? It's hard to get up from a tall building, but to fall down, you may only need a kick from an outsider!
"Of course, it may not fall down with just one kick, but it doesn't matter. We, the Li family, have many children and grandchildren! With one kick per person, we guarantee that it will get what it wants and break it into pieces!"