Now that the scientific examination period has been announced, the scientific examination will probably be soon.
Zhu Pingan's focus of study was on the imperial examinations. The imperial examinations were based on the curriculum of the county and prefectural schools, with the Four Books, the Classics, the Complete Works of Nature and Ethics, and the Outline of Zhu Xi as the core. He no longer studied rituals, music, and books. The imperial examinations did not test rituals and music books. The types of questions in the imperial examinations were generally the classics, books, righteousness, tables, and strategies. Oh, sometimes members were asked to recite. Zhu Pingan practiced the above content and question types in a targeted manner.
In addition, Zhu Ping'an's study intensity has also increased a lot compared to before. He gets up about half an hour earlier in the morning and goes to bed half an hour later at night than before.
Although the imperial examinations were generally conducted by the education officials in each county and prefecture, sometimes the education officials would also adopt the methods of "hanging examinations" and "classified examinations". "They would travel around and work hard, and they would be the only ones who would take the exams. When it came to the big exams, they would entrust the prefectures and counties to conduct classified examinations and conduct joint examinations." Hanging examinations refer to the education officials visiting a prefecture and transferring students from other prefectures to this prefecture for examinations. Classified examinations mean that the education officials would entrust county officials to conduct examinations on the students, and then send them to the provincial capital for examinations by the education officials. Hanging examinations would make the students suffer a lot, and classified examinations, because they were conducted by county officials, were prone to corruption. The ideal way of imperial examinations was for the education officials to personally conduct them on schedule.
In addition to studying and reviewing, Zhu Ping'an also continued to write a few thousand words on "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" that he had told the scheming girl last time. Although it took up a lot of time, he just regarded it as practicing calligraphy.
Mother Chen also prepared delicious food for Zhu Ping'an in various ways, stewing, boiling, steaming, frying, pan-frying, pickling, boiling... She used all kinds of cooking methods, and made sure Zhu Ping'an was full at every meal, fearing that he would not get enough nutrition.
"Zi'er. How about we not take the exam?"
One day, Chen was looking at Zhu Ping'an at the dinner table and suddenly spoke.
Not only Zhu Ping'an who was eating happily was stunned, but even Zhu's father, elder brother and Zhu Pingchuan who were standing beside him were stunned.
A few days ago, mother Chen was happily bragging to everyone that her son was going to take the imperial examination. His enthusiasm was much higher than Zhu Ping'an. Chen loved to show off. Regardless of whether Zhu Ping'an could pass the examination or not, just taking the imperial examination was enough for Chen to show off.
Therefore, what Chen suddenly said now surprised everyone.
"What's wrong, mother?" Zhu Ping'an swallowed the chicken in his mouth and looked at his mother Chen in surprise, puzzled.
Mother Chen looked at Zhu Ping'an with distress, "Mother saw that you were too tired from studying, and I made delicious food for you these days, but it didn't make you fat. I saw that you lost weight. Let's not take the exam."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Ping'an was so moved by his mother Chen's deep maternal love that he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"Why does a boy have to be so fat?" Father Zhu took a bite of the meat pie and said casually without caring.
Then
Zhu's father's words stirred up a hornet's nest.
"Zhu Shouyi, this isn't your flesh, so of course you don't feel bad!" Mother Chen put her chopsticks on the table and glared at Zhu's father. Then she saw the meat pie in his hand and snatched it from his mouth. "This meat pie is for Zhu'er and Dachuan, not for you!"
Then, mother Chen placed the meat pie with a missing corner in front of Zhu Ping'an.
Ahem. Looking at the meat pie that Zhu's father had taken a bite of, Zhu Ping'an could not help but smile bitterly.
"Mom, I am growing taller. I am gaining weight. Look, my son has grown a lot in the past few days." Zhu Pingan said as he stood up from the table. He gestured above his head twice to show that he had grown taller.
"How can he grow so fast?" Mother Chen was in a much better mood after being interrupted by Zhu Ping'an, and she said with a mixture of tears and laughter.
"Brother. You've really grown taller." The eldest brother Zhu Pingchuan also spoke at the right time. He was speaking from the heart. He felt that his second brother had really grown taller in the past two days.
"Really?" Mother Chen's eyes lit up. Her eldest son was just like his father and would not tell lies.
"real."
Zhu Ping'an and his elder brother Zhu Ping'an said in unison.
Then, Mother Chen's mood improved a lot, and she no longer mentioned asking Zhu Ping'an to skip the exam.
Zhu Ping'an put the meat pie with a missing corner back into Zhu's father's bowl in a timely manner.
Father Zhu looked at the meat pie, then at Chen, and didn't dare to say anything.
"What are you looking at? Just eat your cake. Who would want to eat something you've already bitten?" Mother Chen rolled her eyes at Zhu's father and scolded him.
After hearing Chen's scolding, Zhu's father grinned and started eating.
"Look at what you have achieved!" Mother Chen couldn't help laughing.
The atmosphere at the dinner table suddenly became harmonious, and the family enjoyed their breakfast happily. The living standard of the Zhu family has been improving significantly in recent years. Zhu's father has made a lot of profit from driving an ox cart, and his eldest brother Zhu Pingchuan has also made a lot of profit in the mountains. His mother Chen's needlework can often supplement the family income. Last year, Zhu's father bought ten acres of paddy fields and ten acres of dry fields in Xiahe Village. Together with the original fields, the Zhu family is now considered a wealthy family in the village.
Especially after Zhu Ping'an passed the imperial examination and became a scholar, the Zhu family's status in Xiahe Village was greatly improved. Now when his mother Chen goes out, others rush to greet her, making his mother Chen happy every day.
The eldest brother Zhu Pingchuan's marriage is also stable, and he is just waiting for the twelfth month to win the sister Juan'er to marry him. Zhu Ping'an has been studying for many years, but he has never met this eldest sister-in-law, but he has heard that she is quite good. Especially the eldest brother, he is very satisfied with this eldest sister-in-law, and often finds ways to get close to her. In the past, the eldest brother's father-in-law often hindered him, but since Zhu Ping'an passed the examination for Tongsheng, especially the examination for Xiucai, the eldest brother's father-in-law not only turned a blind eye, but also occasionally took the initiative to go out for a walk.
In short, everything is going well for the Zhu family.
Compared with Zhu Ping'an's family, the Zhu family in the old house is a little jealous. Although Grandpa Zhu and grandmother are complimented when they go out, they can always feel that there is some ridicule in the villagers' compliments.
Old Master Zhu often sighed in the yard, wondering how good it would have been if he had not separated out his second son's family.
"I heard from the second brother's family that Zhuer is going to take the imperial examination again." The grandfather said something to the grandmother who was picking vegetables while sitting on the chair.
“The fate hasn’t even been decided yet, and the second son’s family is talking as if he’s passed the exam.” The grandmother who was picking vegetables curled her lips.
"What do you know? It's a great achievement to be able to take the imperial examination." Grandfather took a puff of his cigarette.
"You should smoke less. You were coughing for a long time last night."
When my grandmother heard this, she was stunned for a long time. She looked up and saw that my grandfather had lit another cigarette. She put down the food in her hand and tried to dissuade him.
"Just two puffs." Grandfather pursed his lips.
The Zhu family's old house returned to silence, with only the sounds of chickens, ducks and pigs. (To be continued)
ps: I will try my best to write a few more chapters today. The preliminary estimate is about four chapters. I hope that everyone who has monthly tickets will vote for me. Thank you.