Xue Tingxiang slept until it was dawn before getting up. He sat up from the bed, picked up the question bag that had been under him and slept all night, and then began to collect the bed.
The bedding was neatly folded and stacked on the ground in the corner of the house, with furoshiki padding under it. He put the question bag in the book bag and hung it in front of him. He took the washbasin, the mug, and the cloth towel, but he washed in the water tub.
Along the way, candles were still lit in many halls, and the candidates were immersed in writing their questions. Suddenly, I heard footsteps, and subconsciously looked up at the pedestrians. Xue Tingxiang saw the candidates who were still full of energy yesterday, and now they are all exhausted, some with messy buns, and some with mucus in the corners of their eyes.
At this time, Xue Tingxiang, who was holding a washbasin and obviously preparing to fetch water to wash, looked like an outlier, which did not match the atmosphere of Gongyuan at all.
Not only the candidates looked at him, but also the trumpet army who watched him all night. They all thought that this person was here to test people? Don't be afraid to go through the motions.
Just as Xue Tingxiang had just turned his back and went to the end of the alley to fetch water to wash and wash, a trooper standing not far away suddenly moved. In addition to patrolling the entire lane, there is also a trooper in every ten huts who is in charge of monitoring, walking around from time to time to see what the candidates are doing.
At this time, the name of the army moved, and the candidates who saw it regarded him as a patrol, and did not take it to heart. No one noticed that the number army entered one of the number sheds, and came out in an instant, with a puzzled look on his face.
Xue Tingyan cleaned his face and brushed his teeth with green salt before returning with the basin.
When he was about to get to the hut, he saw that the horned army who was in charge of patrolling their area had moved their positions. Before, they were clearly standing in front of the door of No. 4 Huozi, but now they suddenly turned to the door of No.8 Huozi. Xue Tingxiang was number 7, but he didn't take it to heart. These numbers were always on the move, and there was no rule that the other party must stand in a certain position, otherwise he would monitor the candidates.
Because of his attention, the other party glanced at him, and he also looked at the other party. Immediately after passing by, Xue Tingxiang entered the house.
He put the washbasin in a corner, and when he was going to get a copper pot for breakfast, he suddenly found that his things had been moved.
Xue Tingxiang has a habit. This habit is learned from childhood and recruiting children. That is, what is used must be returned to its original place. That is to say, don't put things randomly, where you put them last time, and the next time you go there to get them, they will definitely still be there, so that you can avoid finding things all the time.
His pot was moved. His two small copper pots should have been placed on top of the test box, but they were placed on the ground next to the test box. If it is an ordinary person, he will definitely not pay attention to these details, and just forget about it. It was a pity that he met Xue Tingxiang. He was very sure that someone came to this house after he left, and even turned over his things.
He didn't go to check the test box, he didn't seem to find all this, and took out the noodles from a sunken table above the test box.
These noodles are rolled out in advance, cut into thin pieces, and then left to dry in the shade. This kind of noodles can be kept for ten days and a half without spoiling. Generally, no one is willing to spend such effort. It is good to eat and roll. But Gongyuan is not so convenient. With these noodles, you can eat it in a bowl, which not only fills the stomach but also nourishes the stomach.
Xue Tingxiang made himself a bowl of egg noodles, served with pickles, and ate it.
This time, he didn't dare to hold on, and stopped when he was 80% full. He took the pots and bowls to wash, washed his face and washed his hands again, just now he came to the exam and took out the exam paper from the book bag that had been hanging in front of him.
The examination papers for the rural exam are standardized, unified on red grid paper, one foot long and four inches wide, with twelve lines per page and twenty-five characters per line. Each question is a three-page examination paper, all numbered, in which the first half of the first page is written with the question, and the following is the text.
The seven questions have a total of twenty-one pages, and one word cannot be wrong, otherwise the question will be ruined.
The Gongyuan also distributed a dozen sheets of white rice paper as manuscript paper, which can generally be drawn up on the manuscript paper.
Xue Tingxiang seemed to be taking the township exam for the first time, and it was strange to see everything.
After grinding the ink, he wrote the first topic on the manuscript paper, and then began to stare at the topic.
There were bursts of footsteps and low voices outside, it was time for the trumpet troops to change. Candidates can rest at night, for example, their hearts are as big as Xue Tingxiang, but these trumpet soldiers can't even blink their eyelids, and they have to stare at all the candidates.
Xue Tingxiang didn't raise his head, and concentrated on thinking about the question, but he could feel four eyes fell on him, and immediately moved away.
There was another person in front of the No. 8 Gate of Fire, but it was obvious that this person was not as cautious as the previous one. He seemed to be very curious about Xue Tingxiang and always came over from time to time.
Xue Tingxiang finally started to write the first word as if he didn't realize it.
The first title of the Four Books is: When the Son of Heaven has the way, ritual and music conquests come from the Son of Heaven.
The title comes from "The Analects of Confucius. Ji Shi": "Confucius said: If there is a way in the world, then the rites and music will be conquered, and the emperor will come out; if there is no way in the world, then the rites and music will be conquered, and the princes will go out..."
The general idea is that the sage believed that the ritual and music conquest was a major national event, and its decision-making power belonged to the emperor, so as to maintain the autocratic aspect of national unity. Otherwise, the government will go out in many ways, and there will be no orders, and there will be more prohibitions.
When Xue Tingxiang saw this question yesterday, he was a little secretive.
Without him, this question appeared many times in the examination room of the township examination in the previous dynasty, especially during the reign of Emperor Hongwu and Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty, the three subjects of Yi Chou, Ding Chou and Geng Chen were all asked this question. The meeting was held under the heel of the emperor, and its purpose is self-evident, but to emphasize the emperor's supreme decision-making power and the great unity of the country.
If this question is asked later, if it is not in line with the current situation at the time, it is completely a vassal, in order to flatter the emperor.
The reason why Xue Tingxiang was so secretive was precisely because he felt that Huang Mingzhong was shrewd and capable on the outside, but in fact he was a wine bag and a rice bag on the inside. You patronize to look good, and you are also grateful to the emperor for his great grace. It is not impossible to flatter the emperor, but where can you place it as your teacher
The emperor's words are counted, what are the ministers headed by Wu Ge Lao
stupid! stupid! stupid!
Xue Tingxiang said three stupid words in his heart, but the words he wrote were completely opposite, and they praised the virtues.
"As long as the governance and transformation of governance are in the world, the system is unified in the people.
Gai Li Yue conquest, the emperor's system is also. The system comes from the Son of Heaven and does not move downwards. How can it be possible unless the governance is prosperous
In the past, when the Master talked about the power of the world, his meaning was like saying, the ruler is clear and the minister is good, and he will govern his actions, and the court will not fail in power. . .
…
And the government of conquest is always within the monarch's outline.
Therefore, it is the time when the world has the Tao, not the future. "
…
The weather is good today, the wind is sunny, and it is still a little hot at noon.
After writing the four book questions in one breath, Xue Tingxiang put down his pen and reached out to rub the bridge of his nose.
The trumpet army standing in front of the fire character No. 8 has never moved his position. Even if he occasionally patrolled back and forth, he eventually returned to that place.
That place is just diagonally opposite the number seven of the fire character, you can faintly see every move here, but it will not be too bright. Xue Tingxiang took advantage of the opportunity to raise his head and swept away, feeling pity for the colleague next door, but he didn't know how frightened he was now.
Alas, it was him who implicated each other.
The candidates sitting next to him were really frightened.
This old man with a thin face and a mustache is in his 40s. He has also come to the township exam five times. He believes that if he cheated, he might have been recruited many years ago. A person who is so conscientious and dedicated to the cause of the imperial court is now being watched like this. Is it really like what his mother-in-law said, he has a face like a thief
Feng Mao got the test questions last night and wrote them all night. He wanted to take advantage of the momentum to finish all the inscriptions. It is important to know that the township exam is a three-day test. In this harsh environment, people's mental strength is not as good as day by day. He has tried to write slowly, or to complete several questions in time intervals, but the time will never be enough to write until the end, and the later articles are obviously not as good as the previous ones.
It's like the first two times, he was very confident, but he still missed it, all because he was old and his spirit was not as good as before. The art of war does not also have a cloud: one blow, another decline, and three exhaustion.
Therefore, he has to take advantage of the momentum to complete it in one fell swoop, and then slowly revise the transcription, so that there is enough time.
This time he is sure to hit the mark.
It's a good idea, and the plan is very good. Who would have wanted to meet a black-faced hell king.
Feng Mao really wanted to tell this soldier that he could be called him, could he stop sticking in front of him? He really didn't cheat!
Xue Tingxiang put the ink on the manuscript paper dry before putting it away in the book bag in front of him. He planned to come and make lunch.
He turned around in the pile with his back on his back, and after a while, he brought out a bowl of chicken wings with meat.
The meat of these chicken wings has been removed from the bones, cut from the middle, sprinkled with seasonings and marinated for a day. It can be expected that the taste will not be very good, but it is better than nothing, that is the condition.
He took the rice and meat to wash, and came back with water. The rice is used for cooking, and the meat in the wings is used for frying. The meal was ready in no time, and it was almost unbelievable. He lifted the small copper pot from the wind stove, lifted the lid, and bursts of rice fragrant overflowed, and drifted down the alley along the wind.
So fragrant!
Everyone who smells it thinks so, but when the smell of the fried chicken wings wafts out, it becomes mouth-watering and hungry.
Damn! In the end is this to test people, or to have a picnic!
There are those distraught scholars, who simply can't answer the questions, and don't write any more. They walk out of the number house and walk back and forth, pretending to let go.
Sure enough, it was the guy from the No. 7 Huozi!
Mother, when I came to the Gongyuan, I was still cooking porridge, and now I'm still frying meat. This makes them who can only eat the steamed buns that have been searched and messed up, how should they live!
It seems that there are a lot of candidates who come out to let their winds go out, and some of the trumpet troops are afraid of chaos, so they order them to stay idle when they have nothing to do! Don't look at the candidates who end up for the first time and are afraid of these numbered troops. Some old oilers are not afraid of them. They come here every three years, and they have become old friends and acquaintances. !
It's quite a bit of a broken pot, but these horns really dare not provoke these people.
These people are shameless and famous. I'm not afraid that hooligans will fight, but I'm afraid that Xiu is a hooligan. There was a township test before, and there was a number army who couldn't stand the indifference of these people and deliberately found fault. The examinee who was found to be wrong immediately lay on the ground and howled, saying that the military lord bullied the examinee and wanted to knock his head to death in the Gongyuan.
This is no joke. If a student dies in the Gongyuan, they will definitely be investigated. If the other party didn't cheat or disturb the Gongyuan, but died in vain for no reason, not only the number one army would be held accountable, but also the classmates would not be able to escape.
After all, in general, scholars are much more expensive than military men. No one wants to give these people a wink when they leave the examination room. This is also the reason why these trumpeters treat these scholars very harshly in the Gongyuan, because it is difficult for them to raise their eyebrows in front of scholars.
One of the candidates has been shaking back and forth in front of Xue Tingxiang several times. The trumpet soldier standing in front of the No. 8 gate of Huozi glared at him countless times, but he still turned a deaf ear.
Just as the chicken wings were fried, Xue Tingxiang shook the chopsticks in his hand at him: "Would you like some?"
"Me?" The man was surprised, and immediately disappeared.
After a while, the person turned back, with a broken bowl in his hand.
"Tsk, they were so rude, they broke a gap in my bowl, don't laugh at me, brother."
The black-faced number army finally couldn't help but stepped forward: "No. 13 of the fire word, who allowed you to talk to people, hurry back to your number house!"
Huo Zi No. 13 glanced at him: "Tsk, why are you so fierce? Eating a piece of meat hinders you, and delays your fussing, so be careful, I will sue the President!"
"you-"
"What am I? Look at my bowl, is there any entrainment?"
He fiddled with the broken bowl twice in front of the black-faced horn army, looking like you can't help me. The black-faced army was so angry that he could not wait to slap the man to death.
"That's all I have. I'll give you half of it. Go back to the number house, so as not to cause unnecessary trouble."
Huo Zi No. 13 took the meat, smiled happily, and said, "Tsk, they are too timid, they are just paper tigers. Well, I won't hurt you anymore, just eat the meat." When he turned around and wanted to leave, he Chong Xue Tingyan smiled brightly, and said, "Brother, I see you as Qiyu Xuanang, young talent, this time I will definitely succeed."
"Tongzhong!"
"Bless you!"
With that said, the man walked away with a bowl and shaking his head, still humming a ditty. But if you listen carefully, you can tell that he is humming a little song, obviously studying in college.
Humming a little song is an extravagant sound, insulting the Gongyuan, but you can go to university, who dares to say that you can't go to university? No one dares to say!
Xue Tingxiang burst into laughter, looked up at the horned army staring at him, and asked with a smile, "Master, do you want to come too?"
The black-faced army glared at him fiercely: "Don't make trouble, otherwise..."
Otherwise you look at it!
Under the burning gaze, Xue Tingxiang finished his lunch. After collecting the pot and washing the dishes, he did not elaborate, and after returning, he took out the manuscript paper again and continued to write the question.
I kept writing until the sunset fell and night was about to fall, and the seven questions were finally finished.
At this time, the alley that had been quiet for a long time became lively again.
After two days and one night, many people have gradually become accustomed to the atmosphere of Gongyuan, and by this time, all seven questions should have been written, and they are just waiting to be transcribed. In addition to being relaxed, I also became comfortable and comfortable, and I was no longer in a hurry. I ate when I was hungry, and slept when I was sleepy. When it was time for dinner, I naturally came out to cook.
Dinner was noodles. After eating, Xue Tingxiang washed the dishes as usual.
When he came back, he brought a small pot of water, which he planned to boil and drink later.
The alley is narrow and people come and go. He carefully guarded the small pot, but unfortunately he was hit by someone. The person who hit him was the black-faced soldier. A pot of water made him soaked all over.
"Why don't you watch while walking, are you alright?"
The candidates in the nearby dormitory all looked at this place with sympathy in their eyes. Some candidates enter the Gongyuan in just one of these clothes, and they wear them for three days. If they get wet at such a time, not to mention that they will catch a cold tomorrow in wet clothes. How can they write questions in such clothes.
The black-faced number army looked at Xue Tingxiang indifferently, but his eyes were on the book bag on him.
Xue Tingxiang seemed to be a little flustered, and hurriedly took out some dizzy manuscript papers from his book bag, and shouted: "My draft, I wrote the draft for a whole day and night! I have finished writing my questions, just wait. Transcribe!"
what!
The students who witnessed all this were even more pitiful in their eyes.
The two days' work was ruined in one fell swoop. Although the township examination consisted of three exams, each taking three days, these three days included the time of yesterday's admission and roll call. That is to say, before sunset tomorrow, you must appear, and there is only one day and one night left. And the essay is a masterful one. Whoever dares to say that he can write the same wonderful essay again will be able to write the same wonderful essay. Who knows that the energy of the candidates on the first day is the most abundant, and the essay will naturally be better than the latter.
"You hit me, but I didn't hit you!" the black-faced soldier said angrily.
Some other trumpet troops heard the movement and came to ask what was going on. Xue Tingxiang told him what happened in a sad tone, and the manuscript paper in his hand was still reluctant to throw it away, like a mourning concubine.
"This is an accident, and he didn't do it on purpose. Do you have spare clothes? Hurry back to the number house and change your clothes. If the wind doesn't blow at night, be careful of catching a cold. There are two days left, just rewrite it. "
What else could it be? It can only be this way.
Xue Tingxiang returned to the house, put down the blue curtain, and changed into a suit after a while. After that, I saw him sighing continuously and crumpling the manuscript paper at times. Candidates who have taken the test twice know that in his state, this time, it is probably in suspense. Whether the question can be completed or not, it is still two words.
For a while, there are those who are sympathetic and those who are gloating, so I won't go into details.
The next day, Xue Tingxiang was still in the same state. Occasionally someone passed in front of him, and they all shook their heads and sighed. Fire character No. 13 also came once, and even braved the limelight of being reprimanded by the No. 1 army, and comforted him a few words. The guilt in his eyes was just on the surface. He probably misunderstood Xue Tingxiang because of him. The No. Army takes revenge.
In fact, by the morning of the third day, many candidates had already handed in their papers. Chen Jian handed in the papers at this time, but he did not leave, but waited for others.
The time for the second row was noon. This time, I only saw Lin Miao and a few other students from Beilu Academy. They came out of the Gongyuan fully exhausted. Li Datian, Mao Badou, and Xue Tingxiang were not seen.
Chen Jian was a little worried in his heart. He originally thought that Ting Yan must be earlier than him. Who would have thought that he didn't come out for so long? Could it be that something happened
For this reason, he just held his tired body and did not leave, stubbornly waiting. Seeing this, Lin Miao asked the others to go back first, while he stayed and waited with Chen Jian.
The third row is Shi Shi, this time both Li Datian and Mao Badou came out.
The two had tired faces, and they felt a little sorry when they saw that the teacher and Chen Jian were waiting for them. But it was immediately discovered that Xue Tingxiang was not there, what about people
People haven't come out yet.
Knowing this from Chen Jian's mouth, both of them were shocked, thinking that something must have happened.
Seeing the evening, the fourth row was also released, but I still didn't see Xue Tingxiang's people. Since then, I no longer suspected that something must have happened, and Xue Tingxiang never left the examination room.
"Teacher, what should I do?"
Lin Miao frowned: "Wait, there is the final clearing, when the court will come out. Don't worry, although my Beilu Academy doesn't cause trouble, but I'm not afraid of trouble, if anyone dares to bully them, they will definitely Let him come and go!"
This is probably the most ruthless thing that Lin Miao, who always treats people with kindness, has said.
Hou Si also stayed by his side, and after hearing the words, he said, "What Mr. said is that my Beilu Academy is not easy to mess with."
In the Gongyuan, Xue Tingxiang finally wrote the last word.
He looked at Huozi No. 13 who had been standing outside with some guilt. In fact, the paper for Huozi No. 13 had already been written and handed in, but he was unwilling to leave. No matter how the army threatened, they would not move like a mountain.
The key point is that these No. 1 troops can't do anything about him. Gongyuan doesn't stipulate that they have to leave after finishing the exam.
Then he stayed with Xue Tingxiang for a whole afternoon until night fell.
The trooper who cleared the field had already come here, and Xue Tingxiang stood up: "You are too stubborn."
"It's my intention, it's none of your business."
Xue Tingxiang shook his head and laughed, and suddenly raised his voice: "Hand in!"
"You finally handed in the papers? I've never seen someone more diligent than you, the last one!"