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墨書 Inktalez
Perhaps it was true that a thousand cups are too few for friends who understand each other. Li Xin watched as the two became increasingly animated, deeply agreeing with this sentiment. In his view, such an occasion was somewhat inappropriate, considering that it involved the people of two opposing nations conversing.
Our military position is still intact, while Feng Ting is undoubtedly a member of the Zhao State's Huayang Army. Could it be that these two generals from Qin and Zhao are frivolously discussing national affairs?
Perhaps caught up in their excitement, Feng Quji overlooked something very important. Realizing this, he quickly stood up to apologize to Luzi. Upon discovering that the person across from him was indeed Luzi from Prosperity Record, he recalled that the Big Shopkeeper of Prosperity Record also seemed to have the surname Lu. After confirming the identity of the other party and learning that he was indeed Lu the Shopkeeper from Prosperity Record, he hurriedly expressed his regrets for any previous rudeness and hoped for the Big Shopkeeper's understanding.
Luzi was not one to hold grudges; he brushed off the matter with a laugh. After they exchanged drinks, he asked Feng Quji how he came to Linzi and learned that Feng had left home without a clear destination. Hearing about Qi State's rapid development along the way prompted him to take a detour to take a look.
Having left in haste, he did not bring much money with him. Now, his pockets were nearly empty, and he did not want to lower himself to beg. After going hungry for two days, he could no longer endure it. He changed into his last decent outfit and went to the best tavern in the capital to find a meal.
Li Xin, who had never held a good impression of Feng Quji, chuckled and said, "Why does Huayang Jun's eldest son have to come here to eat a free meal? Don't you know? A single meal here costs several taels of silver!"
Feng Quji couldn't help but sigh dramatically; a single coin can thwart even the greatest heroes!
Upon hearing this, Li Xin intended to warn him that things were not so simple. Generally speaking, if you eat at an ordinary tavern, it's just a meal; at most, you might get into a fight over it. But places like this high-end restaurant are often backed by officials. To put it bluntly, there could even be hidden stakes involved. If you dare to eat here, facing accusations is inevitable.
Luzi slightly shook his head as if indicating that Li Xin did not need to say such things and then said, "If Brother Feng does not mind, why not stay temporarily by my side? We have no formal agreements between us; if you wish to leave one day, you can do so at any time."
For Feng Quji at this moment, Luzi's words felt like a blessing from heaven. Just a few days ago, he had applied at Prosperity Record but was turned away without even an interview. One sentence had shut him down completely, causing him—who had always believed in his own abilities—to stumble hard.
Prosperity Record only recruits twice a year: in April during spring and September during autumn; they do not hire outside of these times. If one wishes to join Prosperity Record and become part of their team, it's not something anyone can just walk into. He needed to hurry back and prepare for next month's interview!
Well-read as he was, Feng Quji was also starving and had no choice but to look for work. Forget waiting until next month; he might starve within the next couple of days! Thus, he asked if there were any odd jobs available or if he could help with cleaning duties.
Is this person someone who does rough work? It's obvious at a glance. Someone like Feng Quji, with delicate skin and soft hands, doesn't even have calluses; who would believe he can clean? The result was predictable—he was directly kicked out.
Scholars always have their pride. Even when living under someone else's roof, they still want to see the height of the eaves. It is said that Prosperity Record is the best developing establishment in Linzi, and from then on, Feng Quji was determined to focus solely on this place. Even after being turned away this time, he refused to give up, resolutely deciding to persist until next month's examination.
The fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitter cold; only those who have endured the hardships of studying will truly understand this saying. Compared to many talented individuals in society, Feng Quji has suffered greatly. Therefore, he remains confident in his literary talent, having started recognizing characters and practicing writing at the age of three; since then, he has never stopped.
As for whether he can ultimately be selected by Prosperity Record, that question is not even in doubt.
At this moment, hearing Shopkeeper Lu's warm invitation, Feng Quji was moved to tears. He had always thought his suffering was the worst in the world, but experiencing it firsthand made him realize that what he once considered suffering was nothing compared to true hardship.
What good is it to be well-read and ambitious if you cannot find someone who appreciates you? If you don't steal or rob and refuse to bow your head when faced with difficulties, you will starve without anyone coming to your aid!
Forced by circumstances, Feng Quji began to doubt his former beliefs about not begging for food. Yet, deeply ingrained in him was the idea that dying of hunger is trivial compared to losing one's integrity, which reminded him repeatedly during sleepless nights.
If it weren't for the hope still in his heart—to persist until he could enter Prosperity Record and showcase his ambitions—how could he bear to lose face as a scholar? The more he thought about it, the sadder he became, and he couldn't help but cry out loud as if trying to shed all the grievances he had ever felt.
Alas! This is what life is all about! A person can only talk about other matters after they have filled their stomach. When faced with the choice of living for survival or dying for one's beliefs, how many people can truly maintain their faith unchanged?
High-end restaurants typically prepare resting places for guests who drink through the night. Luzi saw Feng Quji unable to contain his sorrow and signaled Li Xin and Chang Yu to step back. It was getting late; there was no need for these two to sit around wasting time.
Hearing the sound of the door behind him moving, Feng Quji regained his composure. After all, this was in front of Luzi; showing weakness would invite disdain. Looking around, he realized only two people remained in the room. He quickly nodded gratefully at Big Shopkeeper and apologized repeatedly.
Lu Ziran and Feng Quji gathered their spirits and started anew. Because our tomorrow will be better—that is hope!
Since the cloud has dispersed, Luzi told Feng Quji to go next door to rest, as the inn had already arranged a room. After having breakfast tomorrow, they would return to Prosperity Record to report!
After the newly hired assistant took his leave, Luzi returned to the table and poured himself a drink. For him at this moment, encountering Feng Quji was an immense gain. What seemed like a casual meeting gradually revealed some issues that were just the tip of the iceberg.
Compared to those processes that unfolded naturally, this kind of epiphany-style intervention was far more exhilarating!
As Luzi drank, he began to reorganize the entire event from the beginning. The current intelligence needed to be revised due to Feng Quji's appearance. It was now clear that Feng Zhiyuan and Feng Ting were not the same person; this was no longer in doubt.
It could now be assumed that what was locked up in Wild King City Prison was Feng Zhiyuan, not Huayang Jun Feng Ting. Therefore, Feng Ting should still be with the Zhao Army or in his Changzi County City.
The reason this matter could not be confirmed for the time being was mainly because after capturing Feng Zhiyuan, Luzi considered that Changzi County City was about to become a battlefield and, according to relevant regulations, directly withdrew all Intelligence Personnel from Prosperity Record.
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