The 12th Gathering of Virtuous Dwellings Grand Opening
Sun Baozi's face turned ugly, his complexion turned into a sauce color. Being surrounded and scolded by so many people, it was really unbearable. This made Sun Baozi secretly warn himself not to easily provoke Ximen Qing again.
This little guy may be small, but his connections are even bigger than the county magistrate's. In Qinghe County, he can summon a hundred responses with just one call, and it's not something that can be trifled with!
Sun Baozi snorted coldly and then fell silent, retreating into the crowd.
Seeing Ximen Qing's weakness, the crowd no longer surrounded and scolded him, but instead turned to Ximen Qing and asked: "Ximen Little Official, what happened at Yanggu Wine Tower?"
Everyone was puzzled and couldn't understand what this signboard and stone tablet meant.
Ximen Qing chuckled and waved his hand lightly, stopping the surrounding crowd from talking. Ximen Qing said: "Uncles and elders, today Yanggu Wine House has officially changed its business. Although it's still a wine house, but the rules have changed! If you want to come in and eat again, you'll have to follow the new rules. Haha, if it makes any of the uncles and elders unhappy later on, please forgive me!"
Ximen Qing finished speaking, and the people around him were stunned for a moment, then looked puzzled. Do you need to set rules when eating at a restaurant? What kind of restaurant is this?
Under the gaze of onlookers, Ximen Qing pulled down the red cloth from the signboard and also lifted the red cloth from the stone tablet.
Suddenly, the three characters "Ju Xian Ju" on the signboard were revealed, exuding a strong atmosphere. The stone carvings on the stone tablet also showed great momentum, with the inscription reading: "Gather the benevolent and righteous people of the world. All heroes of benevolence and righteousness, when consuming in the store, can enjoy half price; those who are short of money can do so for free."
This is the rule, the rule of the gathering place!
Seeing the rules on the stone tablet, the crowd still looked puzzled. A middle-aged man with a long face asked: "Little official, what is called a benevolent person? This generalization is too big, haha, I'm still a decent person, I don't know if I count as a benevolent person or not!"
Ximen Qing smiled and pointed to a middle-aged man in coarse clothing at the back of the crowd, saying: "What is a benevolent person? It's someone who has integrity, justice, and filial piety. If they have one of these three qualities, they are considered benevolent! Just like Mr. Tao Qian! Mr. Tao Qian was originally a talented man who could enter the imperial court as an official. However, for his seriously ill mother, he gave up being an official, gave up getting married, and took care of his mother alone for over ten years. After his mother passed away, he guarded her grave for three years to fulfill his filial piety. This is what it means to be a benevolent person!"
After finishing, Ximen Qing made his way through the crowd and arrived in front of Tao Qian. He bowed deeply to Tao Qian and said respectfully: "I admire Mr. Tao, everything is free for Mr. Tao when he comes to my store!"
Although Ximen Qing was only ten years old, his demeanor and tone of speech were not comparable to those of a ten-year-old child. Therefore, when facing Ximen Qing, everyone present did not treat him as a ten-year-old and ignored his age, thinking that what he said carried authority and had great credibility. After Ximen Qing spoke, the crowd's gaze towards Tao Qian completely changed, and they no longer thought the scholar in front of them was useless.
Tao Qian was a man of great wisdom, but because he was filial to his mother and observed mourning rituals, he wasted his youth. Originally, he should have entered the imperial court as an official with a high status, but now he is poor and humble all his life due to his filial piety! As a scholar, he has no ability to bind chickens, how can he live well in a dark and corrupt world? In recent years, he could only help people write letters to make a living, which was extremely miserable. Ximen Qing understood his situation and secretly helped him many times, while also having an unusual understanding of him. How could Ximen Qing let go of such a talented person? In the future, when establishing his own power, how could he not recruit talented scholars? And Tao Qian was the first one!
Tao Qian originally came to see the excitement, but didn't expect the excitement to land on his own body. Upon hearing Ximen Qing's praise, Tao Qian showed no surprise or pride. His expression was calm and composed, although he wore rough clothes, but exuded a refined elegance. A person like this is obviously not ordinary at first glance!
Tao Qian smiled slightly and bowed his head to Ximen Qing, saying: "Ximen's kindness is too great, how can Tao, a humble scholar, be worthy of the words 'loyalty and filial piety'? Moreover, being filial to one's parents is a natural principle, it is our bounden duty. On the contrary, it is Ximen who can bear the weight of the words 'kindness and righteousness'!"
He thought that such a wise and talented person would be arrogant, but towards the ten-year-old Ximen Qing, he didn't have any haughty expression at all. It was just because when his mother passed away that year, it was Ximen Qing who provided him with fifty taels of silver to hold a grand funeral for her, letting her leave with a smile on her face. In Tao Qian's heart, Ximen Qing was his great benefactor!
Ximen Qing said, "Mr. Tao is being too serious. Filial piety and righteousness are indeed the heavenly way and human ethics, but how many people in the world can actually do it? Those who can do it are truly filial and righteous individuals. Ha ha... please come in, Mr. Tao!"
After finishing speaking, Ximen Qing bowed his body and stretched out his hand to invite.
Tao Qian's body trembled and his eyes became slightly moist.
After all these years, he has seen too many worldly vicissitudes and experienced too much human coldness. Others have always been sarcastic towards him, but only this young boy in front of him is full of praise for himself. If this were to be told to others, it would be a bit laughable. But to Tao Qian, it was more precious than gold. For someone with great ambitions, gold is just dirt, while other people's trust is the most valuable!
"Thank you, young Master Xi Men. I, Tao, will repay this kindness in the future!" Tao Qian muttered to himself, and then calmly walked towards the Gathering of Virtuous Scholars. At that moment, Tao Qian seemed to be walking on air, with an unprecedented aura that commanded respect from all under heaven!
After Tao Qian entered, Ximen Qing turned around and said to the others: "Hehe, all uncles and elders, this is the rule of Ju Xian Ju. Filial people, kind people, loyal people, as long as they are recognized by the world, can come in and consume. Money is tight and free, no problem at all! Of course, all uncles and elders can also enter inside to eat, but the price can only be 90% off, hehe, please forgive me!"
Ximen Qing finished speaking and the others surrounding him suddenly burst into a clamor.
Just listen:
"Come on, young master, you're being too kind by opening up the Gathering Virtue Hall. How could we possibly have any complaints? Hehe, besides, it's our honor to be able to dine with someone as virtuous as yourself. And on top of that, you even gave us a 10% discount! I think the most virtuous person here is actually the young master! Gentlemen, don't you agree?"
"That's right! The young official is indeed a man of kindness and justice. We admire him! This Gathering of Virtuous Scholars has been well-organized, well-done!"
······
Seeing that everyone had no objection, Ximen Qing smiled and said, "Everyone, please go inside to have a meal!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a crowd of people surged in from outside the door, more than the usual number of diners.
Not far away on the main street, Zhang Tian Shi, wearing a worn-out Taoist robe, smiled and nodded secretly at Ximen Qing.
"Doing things with precision and integrity, kindness and righteousness go hand in hand, indeed the virtue of a benevolent ruler! Hehe......"
At the same time, in a luxurious wine tower not far from the Ximen Qing's residence, an old man in his sixties with a luxurious silk shirt was coldly staring at Ximen Qing. The old man was short and balding, looking extremely comical. At this moment, he was staring at Ximen Qing in front of the residence with a heavy and impatient face.
"This young whippersnapper is getting more and more arrogant! He's only ten years old now, what will he be like when he grows up? Looks like I need to make some plans!"
PS: Collect and recommend votes, thank you!
