The place to gamble is in a small alley near Yaowang Temple.

At first glance, it is not conspicuous. In fact, what people want is not conspicuous. You should know where you should know, and you should not know what you should not know.

As far as Xue Tingyan knows, there are no less than five big bookmakers opening this kind of gambling game, and as for small bookmakers, it is even more numerous.

In order to hide people's eyes and ears, before each start of the trial, these dealers will invite many people to cast their nets around. Regardless of whether it is a gambler or any identity, as long as the person comes, the dealer will pay a hard fee when leaving.

Because the dealer's shot is generous, many people are willing to do this job. There are some examples of people who go to the exams, civilians, and even local snakes, beggars, horse-drawn carriages, etc., everywhere.

This atmosphere, coupled with the wide range of people involved, can be regarded as a gamble for all people.

No matter how much you play, you will buy as many bets as you want. Of course, this is only for normal people. In fact, there is dirt and dirt in it. I do n’t know how many pickles are hidden.

The reason why Xue Tingyan knew it was because he had paid special attention to these after returning to Beijing. He even defeated his opponents and used his own interests.

Looking back, Xue Tingyan didn't think much, so he followed Mao Badou and Li Datian into a house in the alley.

The house was also inconspicuous. Someone was guarding in front of the door. When approaching, someone opened the door.

Once inside, the scenery suddenly changed.

The outside was so deserted that I couldn't see it at all, while the inside was a magnificent group, and people who didn't know it thought it was a casino.

Blue sky and white day, but inside is brightly lit.

The venue is very large, divided into two floors.

There are three walls facing each other, and on the middle wall there are many tags with red letters on black background, all of which have names written on them. A lot of papers were posted on the wall to the west. A closer look showed that the deeds of the hangers on the wall were all attached to it. This is for people's reference.

As for the wall to the east, more than half of it is still empty. Those hanging on this wall are all relatively unpopular. But once someone buys their bet, the dealer will list it on the wall.

There were many people coming and going in the field, and people came in from time to time.

There are all kinds of people dressed up, there are old and young, scribes, people who are dressed up as scholars, ordinary people, and businessmen who are rich at first sight. Another thing is the ground ruff of the ground snake, the prostitutes whose clothes are exposed occasionally, only you can't think of, there are no people who can't see here.

It can be seen that this place is not open for one day or two days, and the dealer has a large background, and there is actually the exchange of Rongsheng ticket.

This word is also representative, as long as it is the ticket issued here, once hit, you can go directly to the Rongsheng ticket number to exchange for silver without going through the dealer.

This is also a way for some dealers to attract people. The government does not guarantee this kind of betting. Buyers are naturally afraid that the dealer will eat black, but the ticket number will be different. The dealer runs away, and the ticket number bears. To a large extent, the privacy of the bettor is also guaranteed, in the end this is the heel of the emperor. According to Xue Tingyan, many senior officials will order people to bet in private, and there are not many of them.

Xue Tingyan's eyes dimmed, looking around the huge venue.

It was very noisy and noisy, many people were standing in one place in twos and threes, talking about something. These sound streams come together and become a buzzing sound.

"Ting Yan."

It was Mao Badou who was calling him, and Xue Tingyan looked over.

"How are you watching? Shall we buy some notes first?"

The environment can easily affect a person. Looking at this kind of scene, individuals can't help but eager to try.

"If you want to buy it, it's not necessary. Buy a few bets with Xiao Da Xiao Nao, it's just fun."

Mao Badou complained: "You make me want to buy more and I don't have any money. You know Yan Ran manages me tightly. Looking at the decent man who is a decent person, but his wallet is empty, and there are no more than twelve silver in his pocket. "

There was a complaint in his mouth, but there was no complaint on this face, but it made people feel a little sweet, and people wanted to hit him when they looked at it.

Li Datian had this impulse, because Mao Badou, the man who used to be Lin Yanran in all things, made people who were so virtuous before Taoer now also control him. He didn't want to let Tao'er be in charge, but he was a **** brother for a woman.

While talking, the three went to bet together.

The place to bet was under the wall in the middle, and two long strips were placed, and a few people were sitting behind the strips.

As I stepped closer, the most striking thing was the hanging tags on the top row of the wall in the middle. Not only is it bigger than the listing below, the word on it is also many times larger, so people can see it at a glance.

There are five listings, which are the most popular scholars this time.

They are Yang Guangzhi in Shaoxing, Qi Wenwen in Hangzhou, Zhao Pinhe in Jiaxing, Wang Xiu in Fujian, and Zhuo Hejun in Suzhou. The odds of these five people are the lowest, almost reaching the ratio of one to one, that is to say, if you buy one or two, the payment is also one or two, and almost no money is made.

The most people can buy these people, because the odds are low, which means that many people are optimistic about these people. Although it does not make money, at least it does not lose money. Many people have this mentality.

The odds will change from time to time depending on how much bet. Xue Tingyan looked at it, the lowest was the top row, and the lower the odds, the higher the odds.

The lowest one is one, and the highest one is four. On the east side of the wall, because there are some unpopular hangers on it, a maximum of one odds is eighty.

Mao Badou took out the silver and bought some surnames first, that is, bets on the surname.

Because Li is a big surname, he is not in the guessing game, but Mao and Xue's surname, he pressed a little. In particular, the surname Xue was the most pressed. He gathered a total of twelve silver coins. One by one, one by one, he bought himself for three or two, but instead bought ‘Xue’ for seven or two.

The manager of the dealer still joked with him, saying that Xue was a surname, why did he think of suppressing Xue.

Faced with Xue Tingyan, Mao Badou squeezed his eyebrows and replied, "This is the red luck word I picked up in the temple. I burned incense and burnt the light. I cut the chicken's head and worshiped it.

The manager laughed and said nothing. As far as he knew, there were not many surnamed Xue's endings, and no popular characters. But if there is a fool to send the money, he will not refuse it.

In fact, there are more such fools. In order to be a good sign, he bought his surname before the exam, and the administrator even guessed whether this person was the surname Xue.

Thinking this way, a silver coin was handed next to him and said, "I pressed" Xue "twenty-two."

It is Li Datian.

He said in his mouth, and raised an eyebrow at Mao Badou, which clearly meant to say, you see you are not generous with me, although my family is in charge of me, it is also the thing that distresses me most. I am more than you.

Mao Badou was upset and fell, and before he could speak, Xue Tingyan made a noise.

He smiled and pulled out a silver ticket from his sleeve, saying: "Since you buy" Xue ", then I will buy it a little too. I won't buy more than one hundred or two."

That matter was written on a piece of paper with the dealer's seal and the Rongsheng ticket number printed on it, stating the bets placed by several people, and filled in the odds, before printing a small seal on it.

There are four big characters carved on the small seal, fortune is prosperous. Then it was handed over to Xue Tingyan and others.

According to the rules, he said that if he was successful, he could go to the Rongsheng ticket exchange, but not only did he not put it in his heart, Xue Tingyan and others did not listen.

Because Mao Badou and Li Datian took hold, Xue Tingyan was brought to the side.

"Hurry, how come there is so much silver?" Mao Badou's eyes were jealous and red.

But he knew that all three of them were throwing hands at the shopkeeper. The so-called throwing hands at the shopkeeper means nothing, no matter what money. Before he left, he exchanged twelve silver coins for all kinds of sweet words, and Li Datian changed for twenty-two. Why did Xue Tingyan have so many hundred or two.

"Don't you know your family?"

Mao Badou thought about whether he was hiding a private room in Xue Tingyan's back, how could he poke to Zhao'er. Who asked this kid to slander him, say bad things about him back, and spread it to Yan Ran's ears through Zhao Er's mouth. If he hadn't worked hard, he would act bitterly, Yan Ran would definitely not be good to him.

But he kept looking for opportunities to retaliate, but unfortunately did not find a suitable opportunity. When he thought that he would get revenge immediately, Xue Tingyan would be scolded by Zhao'er's ear and he was excited.

This man was too substituted, and Lin Yanran's way of packing him up was now on Xue Tingyan's head.

Why did Xue Tingyan don't know what Mao Badou was thinking, Feng Danyun said lightly: "Zhao'er said, these people look down on people, let me not be soft, I don't lose, so when I go out There are not many silver in the purse, just install a few hundred or two. "

Hundreds of two!

Not to mention Mao Badou, even Li Datian was jealous.

But there is no way to get jealous. Whoever asks a few people to rely on his wife-in-law to find a daughter-in-law will naturally be short-hearted.

"You must have stepped on **** in your last life before you can marry you."

Xue Tingyan's eyes dimmed and said, "You mean Yan Yan is bad?"

Mao Badou quickly said: "I didn't say that, don't misunderstand me."

After a while, the three of them chatted around and looked around again. During the meeting, Mao Badou also met a few acquaintances and talked with them for a while.

While Mao Badou talked to others, Xue Tingyan went to buy some notes.

These bets were picked from the east wall, but he did not place his own bet.

After leaving here, Mao Badou was still curious to ask him if he wanted to leave himself.

Xue Tingyan said that it is not the right time.

In fact, Xue Tingyan still has some hidden worries in his heart, but he didn't speak out these hidden worries.

On the sixth day of February, the examiner for the self-union examination was finally awarded.

In addition to the two chief executive officers, there are also eighteen room examiners, just like the rural examination. There are also internal and external curtain officials, and the selection of these officials will not be disclosed in advance. It is only known on the day of the declaration.

Someone had long been guarding the street outside the Meridian Gate, and saw teams of guards rushing out of the palace and heading directly to the official residence of the officials above the imperial edict.

These officials hurriedly put on their official uniforms and took the luggage prepared by their family members, and were hurriedly taken outside to the afternoon to hear the announcement. After gratitude, he was forbidden to stay and was sent to the tributary by the Imperial Guard. Those who didn't know thought it was an escort.

During this period, the streets along the Dadao Street were full of people. In addition to ordinary people, these people naturally had test-taking examples.

When this pedestrian passed by, the crowd dispersed, and news flowed into the various governments at a very rapid rate. Of course, these were hidden under the countertop.

On the seventh day of February, Xue Tingyan and Mao Badou went to bet again.

Compared with before, here is more popular. The number of people responsible for accepting bets has expanded from four or five to more than a dozen. From time to time, people dressed in ordinary clothes come in hurriedly and leave in a hurry after placing the bet. Those who don't know think this is what they are doing.

On this trip, Xue Tingyan still didn't bet.

Outside the gate, he looked at the gray sky, and the hidden worries in his heart were even more serious.

Until the night, it was dark outside and he went out again. This time he was alone and did not call on Mao Badou and Li Datian.

After more than half an hour, he came back from outside and greeted Zhaoer. He looked at him with a little worry, and asked, "What's wrong with you? Why didn't you stay where you were, where did you go?"

"Go out and breathe."

Zhaoer didn't ask much, and said, "Then take a break, Hong'er has fallen asleep, you still have to get up early tomorrow,"

On the eighth day of February, less than three shifts later, Xue Tingyan and they got up.

After a busy shower and breakfast, the luggage was prepared in advance, and the carriage was hired in advance. He moved all the luggage into the car, and the group hurried to the tribute courtyard.

Li Datian and Mao Badou have both been here, and they are both familiar with the road. Although Xue Tingyan had never been here, but in the dream, two people led the way, and there was no strangeness.

When the carriage was unable to walk, the three of them got out.

This time with the previous experience of Mao Badou, when Lin Yanran prepared Mao Badou's pole, Zhaoer and Xue Taoer also prepared their respective men. With a pole, this large pile of luggage is not afraid to be taken away.

The three men said goodbye to their daughter-in-laws, picked up their luggage with a pole, and continued on to the tribute courtyard. During his revenge, Mao Badou deliberately said that this time it was three sand monks. The three laughed and scolded for a while, so they didn't need to elaborate.

When I arrived at the tribute courtyard, naming, searching, and entering the dragon gate were no different from those of the township test. After all the candidates were admitted, the gate of the tributary was closed tightly again, and Jiacheng's ninth year's meeting of the unitary department began.

The process of the examination is roughly the same as that of the township examination, with three consecutive examinations and three sessions.

The first day of admission, the next day of the show, the second day of the next day, and so on.

On the tenth day of the tenth day, a few people recruited children and did not do business, so they hired a carriage to wait. Xue Tingyan played first, then Li Datian, and finally Mao Badou.

Without further ado, the group hurried home, and the three had a good meal and fell asleep. After waking up, I still eat, eat and then sleep, there is almost no extra time to chat. On the second day, just like the eighth day, I went to the examination room again.

After these three exams, not to mention that Xue Tingyan and three of them had peeled off their skins, and even they were very tired. Fortunately, I finally finished the exam and waited for the list to be released in March.

In the following days, the taxis entering the exam entered an unprecedented relaxation stage. It is also a variety of tea parties, poems and cocktail parties, especially the fireworks in the alleys of the Eight Great Hutongs.

Unlike before, this time Xue Tingyan's rare enthusiasm actually pulled Mao Badou two out every day.