"Is Uncle Chen acquainted with the owner of the Qingyuan Academy?" Xue Tingxiang asked curiously seeing Boss Chen's indignation.
Boss Chen stroked his beard: "I'm ashamed to say it. I was a classmate with him when I was young, but I was not good at school and only passed the exam as a child student, but he was a scholar in one fell swoop, and he was still a junior student. Unfortunately, the luck was not good, and I never To be able to raise people in the examination, after many years of wasted, he has no intention of starting a career, so he will return to his hometown to inherit his father's career to teach and educate people."
"It won't be bad luck all the time." Xue Tingxiang said.
If he remembered correctly, the director of Qingyuan Academy Lin finally passed the exam three years later. At that time, the whole town was a sensation, and the director of Qinghe Academy, Gao Youzhi, was so angry that he almost vomited blood. At that time, he was planning to leave the Qinghe Academy and go to the Shen family's family school to study, and happened to hear something.
Boss Chen thought that the young man was just comforting him, and smiled: "Your blessing."
Xue Tingxiang was not ambiguous. He bowed his hands and said, "Thanks for Uncle Chen's suggestion, but there are still trivial matters at home. When everything is in order, the boy will go to the Qingyuan Academy to study."
"You're so simple, you're not afraid of being implicated and hindering your fame?" Boss Chen asked curiously.
"The kid hasn't entered school yet, so what is his fame? Besides, the court has always attached great importance to the selection and recruitment of talents. If it is really talented, the magistrate Hu would not dare to block it too much."
"I can't see that you have high ambitions. Well, since you dare to go, I will help you to introduce one or two. Although my classmate is rigid and inflexible, he is not good at words, but his knowledge is first-class. It is no problem for a scholar to preach and teach a scholar.”
"Then thank Uncle Chen first."
For a few days, Xue Tingxiang and Zhao'er went out early and returned late.
Someone from the Xue family had asked twice, and Zhao'er said to take Xue Tingxiang out to get some air, so as not to be suffocated. The people in the big room showed contempt, and Mr. Xue couldn't help shaking his head. After that, no one asked any more questions, and most of them knew that Xue Tingxiang was going to lose. Maybe the two children in the second room also have a good sense of psychology, so they will break the jar and not read books, but run around and play.
You must know that even if the talent is like Xue Juncai, he has read books for many days at home to prepare.
In the blink of an eye, it was five days.
This day was no different from an ordinary day.
The morning in the farmhouse is always busy. After a night, all the livestock in the family have to be served, and the whole family has to be tossed to eat. After breakfast, the men go to the ground and the women do housework at home.
If there is some difference, it is that Xue Juncai had two more poached eggs in his bowl than others at breakfast.
Due to Old Man Xue's beating some time ago, the Zhao family no longer dared to open fire to open a small stove for the people in the big room, but today is also seeing that the days are unusual, so they can't hold back.
Originally, Xue Tingxiang didn't have it, or Mrs. Yang saw that her father-in-law looked bad, so she took the initiative to take care of Mrs. Zhao's request for two eggs and put them in the bowl for him.
Xue Tingxiang wanted to recruit each other, but he didn't, but unfortunately he couldn't beat him.
For the sake of one egg, the two of you whispered each sentence below, and Mr. Xue above looked particularly heavy.
But the life of the country people is like this, no matter how heavy the heart is, the livelihood cannot be left behind. When You Qi was rushing to plough in the spring, Mr. Xue still took his two sons to the field to work for a while, and he didn't come back until three poles in the sun.
The fact that the two children of the Xue family are going to have an exam has long been spread in Yuqing Village.
It's not that there are no weird things, but most people can still understand what Mr. Xue is doing. It's not easy for a countryman to earn a little money, and no one's money is floating in the river. If there is a way, no one will do this.
Knowing that today is the right day, I let my children watch in the village. Seeing that some strangers went to Zheng Lizheng's house, these hairy children ran into the field, shouting "there is someone coming from Lizheng's house". The adults stopped planting the land, so they picked up their hoes and hurried back.
In a short time, the large yard of Zheng Lizheng's house was full of people, and more villagers were rushing here.
There was a commotion in the yard, and everyone was gossiping while discussing today's events.
In the room, Zheng Li was talking with a middle-aged man in a scribe's shirt and a flat scarf.
This person has a long and thin face, with a pale complexion and slightly swollen under the eye sockets. It doesn't look very good, but the identity seems to be extraordinary, and he actually sits in the main seat.
And Zheng Lizheng could only sit aside.
Gu Pan has a different temperament from ordinary people. This person is Qiao Xiucai, who has a face in the nearby Shili Ba village.
Long ago, Zheng Lizheng had thought about it. At the Xue family's side, Xue Qingshan came forward to invite someone. If he didn't expect it, it should be his father-in-law Yang Zhong. Yang Zhong was just a boy, so he would invite a scholar.
On the one hand, it seems that he is selfless, and on the other hand, it is a good time to show his prestige.
"Qiao Xianggong, if you drink tea, I will order someone to urge you."
Qiao Xiucai waved his hand indifferently: "Don't worry."
Just as he was talking, there was a loud noise outside, but it was Patriarch Xue who came with someone.
However, it was not Patriarch Xue, but an old man who was over half a hundred years old. This old man was of medium stature and dressed the same as Qiao Xiucai. He was also dressed in a scholar's shirt and a flat scarf on his head. Obviously, even if he was not a scholar, he was still a child.
Sure enough, when Qiao Xiucai saw the old man, he hurriedly stood up from his chair and saluted.
"I never thought that it was Senior He. Late Sheng is so polite."
"Don't be too polite, sit down."
This He Xiucai was the one invited by Patriarch Xue to preside over this competition.
Zheng Li was right. At first, Xue Qingshan did plan to invite his father-in-law, but unfortunately, this matter was rejected by Patriarch Xue.
It was only then that Patriarch Xue knew that Xue Qingshan was so stupid. He said that he did not shy away from relatives, but this was not the case. This was not obvious. Since he feels that he is sure to win, why should people let people slip through the cracks, so this matter is taken over by him.
In his heart, there are several surnamed Zheng who will not miss the opportunity to show off. He originally planned to invite this Qiao Xiucai, but it was too late, so he could only delay the relationship and invite He Xiucai.
After giving each other some courtesy, the two gentlemen sat down on the main seat.
Zheng Lizheng and Patriarch Xue sat beside him.
"Brother Lizheng is bothered."
"Don't bother, don't bother, I'm right here, how can I not show up if there is something in the village."
When you come and go, you seem to be pleasant, but there is a subtlety in the words. During this period, a few old people walked in from the outside, but it was a few village elders from Yuqing Village, Old Man Xue, Xue Qingshan and others also came.
Another uninvited guest was Xue Qingshan's father-in-law Yang Zhong.
Yang Zhong was in his fifties, and he was born with a plump figure. He didn't look like a scholar, but like a landowner with a fat brain. As soon as he came in, he got close to Qiao Xiucai and He Xiucai, but unfortunately these two gentlemen were reluctant to pay attention to him.
Xue Qingshan sat with him at the end.
The Weng and the son-in-law are considered beautiful. Those who can sit here are all highly respected people in the village, but because of their identity as a child, they can sit in the hall. You must know that even Old Master Xue has no seat, so he can only stand on the side.
"I don't know if the Lord is here?" He Xiucai asked when almost everyone was here.
Patriarch Xue looked at Father Xue, and Xue Qinghuai, who was beside him, said hurriedly, "Come here."
Just as they were talking, the villagers who were besieging the door gave way, and two teenagers walked out of the crowd.
These two teenagers are all short brown, and at a glance they know that they are from a poor family.
The one headed by him is gentle and handsome, with a slender body. Although he is simply dressed, he is quite personable. The one at the back is half head shorter than the one at the front, and his body seems to be a little weak, and the person seems to be a little introverted.
But when the two came to the hall and were scrutinized by everyone, they had some clues.
The older one is not bad, but he always pulls his sleeves intentionally or unintentionally, as if his clothes don't fit. The younger one has been standing neither humble nor arrogant, the half-drooping eyes not only do not make people despise, on the contrary, it feels that the younger generation should respect the elders.
Therefore, it seemed that the older man was looking straight at everyone, a little too abrupt. It is good to have self-confidence, but a humble and respectful attitude is indispensable when the younger generation faces the elders.
All this happened in an instant. Qiao Xiucai and He Xiucai, who were sitting on the main seat, had their initial judgment on these two younger generations.
"Student Xue Juncai, student Xue Tingxiang, I have met all the elders."
He Xiucai nodded, and while Qiao Xiucai nodded, he asked curiously, "Ting Yan? Does this name have any meaning?"
Xue Tingxiang was stunned for a moment, then Fang Zuoyi said: "Xue, it means to follow. The student's great-grandfather was also a student, and the biggest regret in his life was not being able to pass the exam. Although my Xue family was born in a poor family, they have not been through generations. Forgetting the last wishes of the ancestors, while settling down, he has been committed to making the children of the clan read and literate, so that they can understand the truth of life.
"It is important to know, read more, you will have hills and valleys in your heart, and you will have poetry and literature in your belly. The younger generation adheres to the wishes of their ancestors. Although they are young and lacking in knowledge, they have great ambitions and hope that one day they can continue the path that their ancestors walked, and continue to do so. Go down."
These remarks are very well-balanced. They say that they are too polite, or they say something about reading, being an official, serving the court, making a living for the people, and creating peace for the world. They all seem to be deliberately showing off. After all, they are still young boys, not even a child.
And Xue Tingxiang's remarks just echoed his age knowledge, and even more filial piety because of the ancestor's last wish.
After listening to Qiao Xiucai, he stroked his beard and said, "Okay! What a big ambition!"
This praise made everyone's eyes focus on Xue Tingxiang.
Most people don't understand what it means, only Qiao Xiu is exaggerating the dog of the second room of the Xue family.
The shock was as complicated as Patriarch Xue, and the look in Xue Tingxiang's eyes implied excitement and admiration. He is the patriarch, and he always takes honoring the clan as a major responsibility. Xue Tingxiang's remarks not only praised his ancestors in front of others, but also inadvertently showed the unusualness of the Xue clan, which made his face extraordinarily glorious. Unconsciously, he straightened his back.
Some are secretly scolding this son for being cunning, and even using the occasion to make a public appearance.
He still upholds the last wishes of his ancestors, who asked him to uphold it was just boasting! How could I not have seen this son so eloquently.
"The elders in your family took this name for you, but they have high hopes for you."
When Qiao Xiucai said this, it was embarrassing again, but it was the Xue family who were embarrassed.
Just when Patriarch Xue and others were afraid that Xue Tingxiang was ignorant to tell the reason, he politely said, "The younger generation will definitely study hard and live up to the expectations of the family."
Xue Qingshan couldn't sit still.
Today, Japan is for the examination of Xue Juncai and Xue Tingxiang, who is eligible for admission. The examination has not yet begun, and Qiao Xiucai's words have the meaning of encouragement and approval of the other party.
He couldn't help but interject: "Two seniors, can we start?"
Only then did Qiao Xiucai realize that he was talking too much, but since he said it, he would naturally not take it back in his capacity, and Xue Qingshan's words obviously made him feel embarrassed. He was slightly unhappy, so instead of avoiding it, he nodded in appreciation to Xue Tingyan, and then went to take a sip of the tea on the table.
During the process, there was a certain sense of seeing Xue Qingshan as nothing, which made his face suddenly darken. But he didn't dare to have any doubts at all, he just smiled and sat back.
Qiao Xiucai put down the tea cup, handed over to He Xiucai and said, "Senior He, look at this—"
"Then let's get started."
"You are a senior, or you are the master."
Qiao Xiucai is a polite word. He is only in his thirties, he is already a scholar, and he may be a scholar in the future, but He Xiucai is already old, and the possibility of winning is very small. That's why it was obvious that He Xiucai was the main player, but when Qiao Xiucai spoke, He Xiucai didn't interrupt, or even blamed him for taking the lead.
The way of the imperial examination is like this. It pays attention to seniority and seniority, but also pays attention to potential.
A scholar like Yang Zhong who fails the exam all his life will be an old boy when he grows old. But if one can pass the exam as a scholar, even if one is over 500 years old and the other is still a weak young man, he can still be on an equal footing and meet with his peers.
Just like Xue Qingshan was about to call himself a junior in front of Qiao Xiucai, and Qiao Xiucai gave him a face, he could only bear it. And although Qiao Xiucai gave He Xiucai too much courtesy, He Xiucai put him first in his words and deeds.
Few of the people present understood these truths, but Xue Tingxiang understood it, which made him even more anxious to pass the exam.
"Where are you two in your studies now?"
"The four books have been studied, and now I am diligently reading the "Book of Songs" in the Five Classics." Xue Juncai answered first.
He Xiucai set his sights on Xue Tingxiang.
He pondered for a while, and said, "I learned four books, but I can only read and not understand."
He Xiucai didn't say anything, but Zheng Lizheng seemed to be puzzled and said, "If I remember correctly, you and the handsome boy Kaimeng are right after each other. How can you fall behind so much in your studies?"
Xue Tingyan remained silent, but Xue Qingshan's eyebrows twitched.