Chapter Twelve: The Scholar's Worries

  The scholar smiled silently, the two sentences he recited on the beach earlier were his masterpiece, unfortunately, there were still two sentences that he couldn't think of, and he couldn't help but feel a little regretful...

  "Xiucai, take a look, is this what you call good poetry?" Yang Bo paced back and forth, savoring Xiucai's poem once again.

  Xiucai didn't know what Yang Bo was trying to say either. What's the meaning of "poetry comes from life" and "we should be on good terms with the military household"? I'd like to fight, I'd even like to take you down together, but can I win? It's really beyond my comprehension!

  Yang Bo's words were like clouds and mist to the scholar, who could only nod in agreement. The scholar wasn't stupid; he knew that at this moment, all he had to do was nod, because if he dared to shake his head, trouble would ensue...

  Yang Bo seems to be in a good mood and talks more "Xiucai, tonight I plan to discuss some things with everyone, you come too"

  The scholar continued to nod, but suddenly his heart skipped a beat. Could it be that Yang Bo was planning to accept him? Whether the scholar liked it or not, the contract had already been signed, and as long as Yang Bo was willing, he would be a slave for life, with no hope of advancement in this lifetime. However, among the people around Yang Bo, he was the most miserable.

  Through his observations, the scholar discovered that Tie Niu was the most respected by Yang Bo, Xiao Mo Xiang was the most capable, and Xiao Yu Lan was the youngest and most favored. Yang Bo seemed to have handed over all the silver tickets he had cheated to her for safekeeping. Dog Er was only scolded by Yang Bo when he made a mistake, while Yang Po often rebuked Duo Zi, but if Duo Zi made a mistake, Yang Bo would let him off lightly. Only the scholar was treated miserably, with Yang Bo not only looking at him disapprovingly but also constantly mocking and ridiculing him.

  Thinking of this, the scholar's arrogant and proud personality resurfaced: "You're just a small hundred-household, a rough and unrefined martial artist. In the past, even if it were the county magistrate who saw me, Wang Zhuo, he would have to offer me a seat and tea. Although I may be in a lowly position now, I will eventually soar through the nine heavens. Are you envious?"

  Just thinking of his current status, the scholar couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness...

  Yang Bo didn't have time to bother with the petty squabbles in Xiaocai's mind, and said to himself: "Xiaocai, you see, I'm a person who doesn't usually talk about reason, but towards the people around me, I've always been protective. We're all able to get along together, after all, there must be some fate between us..."

  The scholar was completely confused, what does this Yang Bo want to say, who the hell has a fate with you?

  "Anyway, I have to find a way for you to make a living. There are several small positions available in the past two days, and I plan to let you try." Yang Bo hesitated for half a day before finally squeezing out a sentence from his heart.

  The scholar was suddenly struck by a thunderbolt, and for a moment, his mind only echoed with three words: "Seeking a way out, seeking a way out, a way out, a way out..."

  When Xiucai raised his head, he was already in tears. "Who the hell told me that this small flag for collecting grain and paying rent is a few grades? I want to retake the eight-part essay exam, I want to take the official path..."

  Yang Bo thought that the scholar was so excited that he couldn't speak, so he warmly encouraged him: "Do a good job, I'm watching you. I know you're grateful in your heart, don't secretly go back and set up a memorial tablet. I've never liked that sort of thing, it should be open and aboveboard..."

  After waiting for Yang Bo to finish nagging, the scholar was about to leave in a daze, but his feet seemed to be filled with lead blocks "Should I stand up or not..."

  "Wait a minute..." Yang Bo suddenly thought of something and called out to the scholar, "There's one more thing, don't blame me for not reminding you, stay away from Xiao Yulan, she's only 12 years old! Don't think I don't know what you're thinking in your heart, do you know what happened to someone who had ideas about her before? Her brother Xiao Moqiu..."

  Yang Bo searched for half a day and finally found an egg, which he crushed in front of the scholar.

  The scholar was taken aback and silently opened his mouth.

  "Don't give me that nonsense about being a gentleman, I know your type all too well... You'd better just stick to peeping at the widow's bath. Yang Bo carelessly wiped his hands on his pants, and spent another twenty cents to educate the scholar."

  The scholar remains as still as a wooden chicken.

  "What color is Widow Wang's face in Maojiatun?" Yang Bo suddenly asked.

  "Not bad, barely worthy of consideration...". The scholar was momentarily speechless.

  "Get out! If someone reports to me, when the time comes, you'll still have to be cut off!" Yang Bo was extremely dissatisfied with the scholar's gaze and waved his hand, indicating that the scholar should quickly get lost.

  Just then, Zhang Dogzi rushed in, shouting loudly "Young master, Young master, Bi Lao has arrived"

  "What's all the fuss about? It's just arrived!" Yang Bo scolded Dogzi with a straight face, and hastily ran out.

  In the distance, two ox carts were rumbling towards Ma Family Village. The one in the back didn't have a canopy and was piled high with things. Xiaomo Xiang stood beside the cart handle, waving at Yang Bo from afar, followed by a trail of little kids.

  When the red-haired foreigner got off the car, a group of children who were following the ox cart saw that a fluffy red foreigner had actually come down from the car and were so scared that they scattered in all directions. Several of them panicked and stood on the spot, crying loudly.

  Yang Bo burst out laughing and walked forward to greet him. Bi Fangji bowed his hands from a distance: "I hope you're doing well since we last met?"

  Yang Bo smiled and waved "Father Benbo has worked hard..."

  Bi Fangji didn't even have time to chat with Yang Bo, he took out a handful of candy and wanted to give it to the few kids who were still crying, but unexpectedly those little guys cried even louder. Not long after, the parents of several children rushed over with pale faces, grabbed their own children and ran away without looking back...

  Yang Bo burst out laughing and said to Bi Fangji, who looked a bit embarrassed: "Come on, Father, I've prepared the best house for you within hundreds of miles around here."

  "I see that Old Brother Zhi is forcing a smile, as if he's encountered some kind of difficulty?" Bi Fangji and Yang Bo walked side by side in front, while Gou'er Mo Xiu led the ox cart behind, with many people peeking out from the roadside.

  "Originally, the priest can also see fortune-telling, alas, it's hard to say. The priest just arrived and will rest early tonight, tomorrow we'll go take a look together." Yang Bo shook his head, he had been thinking about how to improve the efficiency of cooking seafood for several days, but unfortunately, there was no clue.

  "With careful planning and hard work, we have finally achieved this success. Why doesn't Yang Bo show any signs of joy?" Bi Fangji looked at Yang Bo's official uniform with a smile and asked.

  "They say there are three great joys in life: getting promoted, becoming rich and one's wife dying. I haven't experienced any of these yet, so what is there to be happy about?" Yang Bo sighed and shook his head.

  Two men walked and chatted, Yang Bo told the situation of these two days. Hearing that Yang Bo made a big noise in Qianhu Village, borrowing the tiger skin of Qingzhou Prefecture to set up an ambush and turning over Hu Datou, he was shocked and lost his color: "How dare this idle good prefecture have such a big temper? If someone reports it to Lord Chen, how will they end it?"

  "Father worries too much, this Hu Dahu is just a local rascal, who would stand up for him? Do you think those who pretend to be Chen's men are rare? At least I gave them silver..." Yang Bo said nonchalantly.

  "You're fearless and dare to do anything, I think there's nothing you wouldn't dare to do." Bi Fangji shook his head and sighed. "In two days, I'll write a letter and mention a few words in it, let's consider it as laying the groundwork for you first."