As the midsummer comes, the weather is getting hotter and hotter. It rained heavily a few days ago. I thought it would be cooler for a few days after the rain, but I didn’t expect that as soon as the rain closed, the big sun was hanging in the air, and the rain on the ground was steaming, causing the weather to be wet and hot, making people feel like staying in a big steamer, which makes me feel so uncomfortable.

Yuan Gongyu pulled his sleeve with one hand and fanned himself with a bamboo pole with the other hand. He hung a guise on it, and wrote four big words "Writing Letters" on it. The words were as meaningful. He lived by writing letters to others. After all, many people in the Tang Dynasty were illiterate. If they wanted to write letters to their relatives, they had to write them on their behalf.

"This ghost weather still makes people unable to survive?" Although he kept fanning with his sleeves, Yuan Gongyu still felt so hot that he felt uncomfortable and couldn't help but mutter. As soon as he finished speaking, a luxurious carriage galloped past him, bringing a strange cool breeze.

Yuan Gongyu could guess that there must be an ice basin in the carriage of such a nobleman, and people sat in it very cool. In contrast, he could only sit under the sun on the side of the road, waiting for a foolish person who could not read a big word to write a letter, and then earn a few hard money. This huge gap really made him feel uncomfortable.

Yuan Gongyu is a scholar. Although he was from a poor family, his family supported him in full support. He was very smart. Even the teacher who taught him praised him as a genius and would be the top scorer in high school in the future. The imperial examinations of the court last year, and Yuan Gongyu was also recommended to take the exam. He was ambitious to win high school in one go, even if he failed the top scorer, he could still win the imperial examination. For this reason, he also submitted the papers everywhere and made sufficient preparations before the exam, but he did not expect that he would fail the exam in the end.

Yuan Gongyu was arrogant since childhood, but he did not expect that the imperial examination would fail, which made him feel embarrassed to face his fellow villagers and elders. Maybe he would be ridiculed by some people when he returned, so he simply stayed in Chang'an and planned to study hard for a few more years, and then he would give it a try when the court next time he held a statutory examination and selected a scholar.

However, it is not easy to live in Chang'an. Whether it is rent or daily food, clothing, housing and transportation, it is all more expensive than elsewhere. Yuan Gongyu's family is also very poor. When he came to Chang'an, his family was already full of all his heart, so the money he brought with him was quickly spent. In desperation, he thought of making a living by writing letters for others.

Originally, Yuan Gongyu wrote letters for people at the entrance of a large temple in Chang'an. Not only were there many people, but many of the people who came to burn incense and worship Buddha were praying for their relatives in the distance. After burning incense, they missed them in their hearts, so they found a letter writer in front of the temple and wrote a letter to their relatives in the distance. Therefore, Yuan Gongyu's daily income was also good, and at least he could support himself. Occasionally, he could save some money to find a friend to have two drinks in a tavern.

"I don't know what happened to the imperial court, but I actually sealed the temple gate, which made me a scholar, go to a mixed place like West City to make a living!" Yuan Gongyu complained again. He was also a noble scholar at the beginning, but in the past two years he wrote letters to people under the guise, and people of all kinds of people from all walks of life were inevitably exposed. As a result, after two years, he also became more philanthropic.

It turned out that the temple gate that was seeking life was blocked, and Yuan Gongyu couldn't find a suitable place for a while, so he came to the busiest western city in Chang'an City. However, because there were many people here, any empty spaces on both sides of the street had long been occupied by others. Fortunately, Yuan Gongyu found a huge building in front of the gate of the yard, and the open space next to it was full of various debris. Although it was a little dirty and there were no trees covering the sun, at least no one was competing for territory with him, so he also set up a stall here.

However, although there are many people coming in and out of Fangmen, few people stop to ask Yuan Gongyu to write letters. After all, most of the people who come here are merchants. Since they are merchants, even if they are illiterate, there will be literate people around them, so naturally there is no need to spend money to let others write letters.

Yuan Gongyu sat on the side of the road and watched the pedestrians and vehicles coming and going, especially some vehicles that were obviously taken by dignitaries, and his face couldn't help but show a hint of envy and jealousy. If he had been able to pass the Jinshi, he might have been one of these people now, but now he could only look at them with envy. He sat on the side of the road with hunger and had to endure the scorching heat that seemed to be about to get into the fire.

Thinking of the above, Yuan Gongyu couldn't help but sigh inwardly. It was almost noon, and the sun above his head seemed to burn people. Yuan Gongyu felt thirsty at this time, but the water he brought today had been drunk, and it was time for lunch at this time, which made him thirsty and hungry now, and his stomach was still ringing like a drum.

At that moment, Yuan Gongyu reached out and touched his arms, but only found five copper coins, which was the last little money on him. If he couldn't get a business this afternoon, he would probably have to be hungry at night. In fact, he didn't eat this morning, but just poured a stomach of cold water and went out to set up a stall, but he didn't even finish a business.

Yuan Gongyu was determined to save money and keep it for dinner at night so that he could hold on for another day tomorrow, but he felt so hungry and was extremely thirsty. Especially when the stall buying Hu cakes on the opposite side came out of the tempting fragrance, which was the greatest torture for him.

In the end, Yuan Gongyu couldn't help it, but he was reluctant to buy Hu cakes. Instead, he came to a steamed cake shop next to him. The steamed cakes cost two cents each, which was much cheaper than Hu cakes. He was shameless and told the old lady who sold steamed cakes for half a day. Then he bought three steamed cakes with five copper coins. Then he filled the gourds he brought with him with water. Then he returned to his stall and ate one and a half steamed cakes in one breath. But he was reluctant to eat the rest. He planned to keep one for the evening and eat another half tomorrow morning, so that he would have the strength to set up the stall tomorrow.

Yuan Gongyu was only in his twenties, and it was the time to eat the most. The poorer he was, the more he could eat it. After eating a steamed cake, he didn't feel anything in his stomach. In the end, he could only fill half of his stomach with cold water, barely resist hunger, and then sat listlessly at the stall waiting for the person who wrote the letter to come to his house. If he was lucky, he might have business in the afternoon.

However, when people are unlucky, they can even get stuffy when drinking cold water. Yuan Gongyu sat in the sun for an afternoon. He saw that the sun was about to go down, but he didn't even have a business to come. Although the sun was not so poisonous, the weather became even more stuffy. The clothes on his body were sticking to flesh, which made people feel indescribable.

"Heaven is about to give a great responsibility, and people must first suffer their minds and minds, exhaust their muscles and bones, starve their bodies and be empty..." Yuan Gongyu encouraged himself with the "Mencius" on his back, while preparing to close the stall and go home. However, at this moment, he suddenly heard a noise in front of the gate, and then many pedestrians surrounded him.
Chapter completed!