This matter, the Chen family was in the wrong from the start, and Chen Ke wasn't entirely innocent either, so it's only right that he should apologize. But thinking about it, having to go to that person's house, first eating humble pie and then swallowing his pride... and still having to act subservient, Chen Ke got a splitting headache.

  That's easy to say, after all, for the sake of his little sister, he could endure it and just let it go. The second condition set by the Liu family was the real reason why he was so upset... It should be said that brothers getting married is not a rare occurrence, and the other party is also reasonable. However, a distressing incident that had been bothering him for many years, weighed heavily on his mind:

  River, east, lion, roar!

  Su Dongpo that scoundrel publicized it, and even people a thousand years later know that Chen Xiliang's son is afraid of his wife. Chen Jichang this kid, not allowed to drink flower wine, can't keep song girls, often punished by kneeling, sometimes even beaten... has been laughed at for a thousand years!

  If Chen Jichang was a masochist, it didn't matter, as long as he and his wife were happy with each other. But after Chen Xiliang's death, he separated from Liu Shi and never saw her again for the rest of his life... It can be seen that this guy had no happiness to speak of.

  History has taken a small turn, seemingly back on track... but Liu Lang is Chen Ke's childhood friend, saying that an older brother is like a father is not an exaggeration at all. I ask you, how can an older brother bear to push his younger brother into the fire pit for the sake of his own happiness?

  So this matter cannot be answered, and we have to make another plan. But this thought, it's also impossible to say to others, even Chen Xiliang can't say... Is it possible that your future daughter-in-law will send your youngest son to the position of Secretary-General of the Fear of Wife Association, and be ridiculed for a thousand years? Do you believe Chen Xiliang can send him to see a doctor?

  One night of thinking yielded no results, so I can only put this matter aside for now and think of a solution when I see Cao again. Let's focus on the main task at hand first.

  At night, Chen Ke was sleeping drowsily when he heard a noise in the courtyard. He got up to take a look and saw that it was Chen Xiliang's book boy, who was saddling a donkey.

  "Where is this going?"

  "Master is going to court." The book boy was no longer the one Chen Xiliang had brought from Sichuan... The original book boy, after Xiaoliang's misfortune, had run off somewhere.

  "So early for court?" Chen Ke looked up at the sky, which was still bright with stars: "It's only the fourth watch."

  "You think it's easy to be an official." The front hall door opened, and Chen Xiliang, who had already changed into his court attire and worn a windbreaker, took a white lantern from the hand of the maid Lan Pei: "I've disturbed you all, let's see if we can move the donkey pen to the back tomorrow."

  "No need, we slept like dead pigs." Chen Ke shook his head and said, "Have you eaten?"

  "It's better to sleep a bit more than to have time to eat." Chen Xiliang smiled and said, "Outside the Temple of Waiting, there are people selling breakfast."

  "That's right." Looking at the three black characters "Zuo Siyan" on the lantern, he burst out laughing and said: "Old dad is carrying this thing, or else people won't know who you are."

  "It's just that others don't know." Chen Xiliang smiled and said, "All officials above the rank of Cai Zhi must carry a lantern like this when attending court; otherwise, in the dark, they might be mistaken for thieves by the night patrol soldiers and arrested."

  "Isn't it said that Bianliang City doesn't have a night curfew?"

  "That's the outer city, and the inner city still has to be closed." Chen Xiliang smiled and said: "Don't be curious, go back to sleep quickly. In the morning, Lan Pei and others will take care of you, don't worry about eating... Today, rest well at home and don't go anywhere."

  "Ah." Chen Ke nodded and sent Chen Xiliang to the door, thinking that it was no wonder he had gone to sleep after dinner... Just for this reason, being an official in the capital is not worth it. He went back to his room and slept for a while, just as he was drifting off into a dream, the sound of iron plates clanging came from outside again. "At five watches, no need for the morning drum report, the iron plate's clang clang announces the dawn" Apparently, the fifth watch had arrived, the monks had come to call out the time, and also did a weather forecast... This set of customs originated in Bianjing and spread throughout the south of the Yangtze River.

  When the sound of the newspaper delivery went away, there were gradually sounds outside, today it's impossible to sleep anymore, so I had to get up, sit cross-legged, breathe in and out... This is a set of Qingcheng Neigong passed down by Song Duanping's father, after diligent practice, although unable to fly on the roof or walk on walls, but can have clear ears and eyes, and be immune to all diseases, it's already very good.

  It is said that Song Fu initially assisted Chen Xiliang in governing the county, and due to his outstanding performance, Chen Xiliang was promoted ahead of schedule, and he also rose to the position of chief clerk... According to reports, next year's imperial examination will also be held in the capital.

  After inhaling and exhaling, he indeed felt refreshed, and after having breakfast, Chen Ke left the house under the escort of his brothers.

  He didn't intentionally want to go against Chen Xiliang, it's just that there was something he should have done yesterday, but due to a momentary lapse in attention, he forgot.

  That's saving money. The several of them had a total of 60,000 yuan in IOUs on their bodies...

  Little sister's heart is as thin as hair, and she had already written down the address of Jiaozipu on her notebook. Chen Ke then inquired all the way, arrived at Dongdu Jiaozipu located at Dainei Xijiao Lou Street, opposite Xidian Qian Si... It's good to be right across from the Wei Shubusi Command Department, absolutely no need to worry about being robbed.

  Dongdu Jiaozipu is a two-story street shop on Xijiao Tower Street, which is not eye-catching among the shops. Ordinary people would hardly believe that it hides wealth that rivals a country's.

  Chen Ke and several others went in, only to see a first floor that resembled a pawnshop. Simple tables and chairs were arranged with the sign "Good fortune is born" hanging above. Behind high cabinets and railings sat several attendants who gazed indifferently at the young intruders... Judging from their age and attire, they must have been blind wanderers.

  A shop assistant walked up with a professional smile and said: "May I ask what can I help you gentlemen with?"

  Chen Ke didn't say a word, and instead pulled out a gold coin with a pattern of inverted leaves on it.

  As soon as he saw the gold coin, he immediately took it with both hands and examined it carefully. After confirming that everything was in order, the smile on his face became more genuine: "Please go upstairs to the noble guest lounge."

  "Hey, there are already gold card users in this era", Chen Ke secretly thought it was strange. This little sister had given him a gold coin, which was used to prove his identity.

  The servant lifted the green silk curtain and sent them upstairs, where they found that the furnishings were quite different from before... On the fragrant desk was placed an ancient bronze incense burner from Bo Mountain, from which a faint scent of incense wafted out.

  On both walls hung four famous landscape paintings, with four armchairs made of sandalwood placed below. On the floor was a valuable Persian rug with peony flowers.

  After the shop assistant left, the shopkeeper invited him to the back room and a slender servant girl brought tea. Chen Ke lifted the tea lid and took a look, it was still that kind of fragrant and thick one, suddenly lost interest, put the teacup back.

  At this moment, the curtain was lifted, and a middle-aged man dressed in dark golden brocade, wearing a rather ridiculous small blue hat on his head, appeared before Chen Ke and others with a smile, bowing slightly and saying: "Greetings to all the young masters."

  Although he speaks fluent Bianliang dialect, this person has a head of black curly hair, high nose and deep eyes, and at first glance, he is not Han Chinese.

  However, there were many foreigners in Bianjing City, and there was no lack of such people with colored eyes, so Song Duanping and several others just slightly stared blankly before responding to the greeting. Only Chen Ke stood there, still staring at the small blue hat on his head, and after a while, he swallowed his saliva and asked: "Are you Jewish?"

  The man didn't quite understand his intention and shook his head.

  "An Israeli?" Chen Ke asked again.

  "Huh? Are you saying... a musician?" The man asked somewhat uncertainly.

  "Right?" The pronunciation was almost the same, Chen Ke nodded and said: "Your hometown is in Jerusalem. When slaughtering animals, do you always remove the leg tendons?

  "Really." The man's face showed surprise and said: "Unexpectedly, young master, you are so familiar with our music industry."

  "I don't know much about you now." Chen Xiao said calmly: "It's just from your hat and the pattern on this gold coin that I guessed it... Ah, yes, each of your banknotes has such a 'flipped leaf' pattern on all four sides. I remember, this is a special symbol of your nation."

  "The young official indeed understands us well." The man smiled and nodded, "In the Song Dynasty, the 'Jiaozi' was handed over to us, the Yue people, to be in charge of it."

  "How did you end up in Great Song?" Chen Ke had long been curious about the patterns on Jiaozi, and now that his guess was confirmed, he naturally wanted to ask for clarification.

  According to our elders, when Taizu founded the country, our clan members returned from overseas and presented Western cloth as tribute to the imperial court. Taizu told us: "Return to my China, follow the ancestral customs, and stay in Bianliang." He allowed us to become subjects of the Great Song and settle down in Bianliang. After a pause, he continued: "Because we don't eat pork and are also people with colored eyes, the imperial court mistakenly called us 'Blue-Hat Huihui' or 'Sinew-Pulling Huihui'... In fact, it's absolutely not the same thing, so we call ourselves 'Yicile Ye People'.

  As he spoke, he looked at Chen Ke with a smile and said: "Those who can address us correctly must be sincere good friends. Let me introduce myself, my surname is Bai, my name is Bai Yaming, my courtesy name is Ping Rang, and my Buddhist name is... Ben Yaming." For a monk, telling someone his Buddhist name means treating him as a friend.

  Chen Ke's former factory boss was an Israeli, so he is still very familiar with the taboos and preferences of this nation. This nation has a very stubborn inertia, which has hardly changed even after a thousand years.

  So the two of them had a very pleasant conversation, and Bai Yaming even invited him to visit their place another day, Chen Kai happily agreed... However, he also wouldn't take it too seriously, these guys are more sticky than monkeys.

  After they had chatted for a while, Bai Yaming finally got down to business and asked: "I wonder what brings Sanlang here?"

  "Save money." Chen Ke said: "Didn't I just say that? I've just come out of Shu and brought some money with me, it's safer to keep it here with you."

  "Our store has this business." Bai Yaming said: "I don't know how much money Sanlang has?"

  "Sixty thousand taels." said Chen Ke.

  Jews, Song Dynasty officials going to court on time and white lanterns, intersections... none of these are nonsense. In other words, apart from adjusting characters for the sake of the plot, I basically don't make anything up.

  （）