Transmigrating to the Ming Dynasty’s Imperial Examination

Chapter 50

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"This is the real Cui Meiren's brushwork. It's as vivid as yours, and it's like drawing the real shape according to people. Those imitated paintings outside can't draw such a face and expression!" Anshun Bo Xue Jue Unfolding the picture presented by Wang Xiangzhen, he was amazed as he twisted the side of the silk framed outside the painting.

Guan Yu's face in the picture is like a jujube, with long eyebrows and phoenix eyes, and he is majestic; Zhao Yun is gentle and handsome.

As expected of Cui Meiren's paintings, although the brush power is slightly weaker, it is not inferior to Gu Changkang and Wu Daozi in writing spirit.

This is still a hero he drew in the air. On the portrait at the beginning, it was as if a little Wang Xiangzhen was standing on the painting, and he was about to shoot an arrow at someone!

Xue Jue played for a long time, then raised his head and smiled at Wang Xiangzhen who presented the painting: "Although this is your filial piety, I can't just accept it as an elder. How much money did you spend to receive this? I will definitely give you the two pictures, no excuses!"

Wang Gongzi stood up and saluted, and said with a smile: "The boy knows that Uncle is honest and upright and does not want to accept the benefits of others, but I didn't spend half a cent on this painting. To be honest, the painter is very indifferent to fame and fortune. I don’t want to seek fame with my painting skills, let alone make money from it, and occasionally I will give people a painting for nothing. How can I use this painting for nothing to earn Uncle’s money?”

An Shunbo stroked his beard, frowned and asked, "Who is this Cui Meiren? I don't think her style of writing is like this Ruan Sheng who wrote the inscription. Can you invite Yongping to let me see it?"

After that, I remembered that Cui Meiren'er was inconvenient for a woman to travel thousands of miles to the barracks, so she quickly asked: "I am not a person who covets beauty at my age. Countryside, I just want to make a name for her."

Wang Xiangzhen originally thought of making a name for Cui Xie in Beijing, but he didn't like to be in the limelight, and he put on such a glamorous name, which was not conducive to the scientific examination. "After all, he doesn't like to meet people, and even the name 'Cui Meiren' is just a name given to him when he sells paintings. In fact, he doesn't care about the reputation of beauty and ugliness. He is also stubborn, so I'm afraid he won't come to meet him. The lower official has pleaded guilty to the uncle here on his behalf."

Anshun Bailuo was a little disappointed, but he loved painting, not a painter, so he was afraid if he didn't see it.

He didn't bother to guess whether that Cui Meiren was Wang Xiangzhen's concubine or a confidante, he just asked him: "Since she is the same as you, then tell me what you want. As long as I can get it, I won't. will be stingy.”

Wang Gongzi had long waited for his words, got up and cupped his hands, and said in a loud voice: "I don't want anything else, I just want to have the opportunity to serve the country on the front line!"

It is best to let him go to Datong and face the little prince of Tatar; otherwise, Liaodong will also be successful.

An Shunbo had always seen his active mind and deliberately looking for pictures to please him. He thought that he should be seeking officials and wealth, but he didn't want to be a strong man who took the initiative to kill the enemy at the border. He couldn't help but feel a little cherished.

- A few days ago, he had seen Wang Xiangzhen's portrait of Xu Chu's attire. The tendon and flesh were firm and compact, and the arms were thick, which must have been trained by diligent practice of bowing and horses.

It is a pity that such a person of lofty ideals is buried in an ordinary guardhouse. If you simply promote him, it won't take much effort for yourself.

Xue Jue looked at Wang Xiangzhen and asked, "Are you really willing to go to the border to serve the emperor? Those Tartar border gangsters are not like the loose thieves you have seen in the pass, and the little prince's subordinates are even more cunning and brave. , killing thousands of people, aren't you afraid of death?"

Wang Xiangzhen closed his eyes, but his expression became firmer: "It was that King Tartar who killed and kidnapped countless people in Daming, and that was why Xiaguan wanted to go to the border to resist the enemy. Killing one prisoner there can save many people in Daming, but Xiaguan only wants to kill Strive to kill the enemy, and die without regret!"

Since he was a child, he has been practicing bow and horses. Is it true that he will inherit the post of his father's commander in order to be a hundred households? Even if you really want to take the father's post, you have to have some meritorious deeds, just be a playboy, not to mention the court, the brothers and soldiers under him will not obey him!

Uncle Xue slapped his palms and smiled: "Okay! Have ambition! If the people who gave me gifts all these years are like you, as long as you kill the enemy for the country, why don't you get rid of the troubles in Daming, and why don't you worry about Hetao! The old man will let you go. How do you feel?"

But the deployment of troops is a matter of the Ministry of War. Xue Jue is only a general in the camp temporarily guarding Yongping Guard, and it is not easy to get Wang Xiangzhen to Datong, so he thought of a roundabout way: "You follow me temporarily in Yongping Guard. You will fight in the frontier battles, save a few battles, and then I will move you to the avant-garde of the government under my direct control, and it will be much easier to transfer to the capital."

Although Wang Xiangzhen looked like a burly and agile hero, he had to see with his own eyes how he fought on the battlefield. If he is just born to grow up, but he does not dare to step forward in battle, such a person will have to return him to the right guard of Xingtun; , it will also be convenient to mobilize in the Jingying bathroom in the future.

Xue Jue supervises Yongping Guard and wants to assign a hundred households below to be his personal guard, but it is just a matter of posting. He saw that there were 300 sets of Three Kingdoms famous generals' papers in his hand, so he simply took a set of Guan Yunchang's, wrote a few lines on the thick green uniform that did not block the pen, and inserted the portrait and robe into the In the card slot, he ordered his personal soldiers to be sent to the Dudu's Mansion.

The commander-in-chief of the rear army, Chen Ying, was in direct charge of the right guards in Xingtun. If he wanted to adjust the guards, he had to get the consent of the chief officer.

Chen Ying opened the letterhead and looked at the dragon flying and phoenix dancing above. Liao Liao was about to fill the letterhead with a few lines, and chuckled lightly, "This is An Shunbo who finally got the letterhead, so he couldn't sit still and wanted to show it off to me. Yes. Last time I invited him to see the four beautiful pictures, but he refused to give it to him, this old man will remember me to this day. "

As soon as the Three Kingdoms paper entered Tongzhou, he went to buy a few boxes. When he bought it earlier, An Shunbo probably didn't know there was this.

While asking someone to take the note paper to write the notes for the tune, he instructed his servants: "Set up a set of military general's notes and a set of Wenchen's notes, and attach them when replying to the old uncle. They are located in the remote area of Yongpingwei, so they bought a note. It's not easy, it's convenient for us to buy in Beijing, we have to take care of him."

Chang Sui put a box of notes for him to see, and then asked, "Cui Meiren's paper came out again a few days ago, and it was very fragrant. The front yard steward went to Tongzhou to buy a few sets, do you want to put a few sets as well? Zhang sent it over?"

Chen Ying said with a smile: "No, no, they need some kind of beauty paper in the place where they fought. You can send a set to the inner court, and my wife and I will share it in the evening. By the way, the Six Talents Ping Sanguo has a new one. Is it? I also told people to keep a close eye on it. If there is a new one, I will send it over. That Tang Ning commented really deep into my heart, full of wit and ingenuity, and I don’t know when he will take the exam in Beijing. See you guys."

He was not the only one who thought so. When the students of Yongping Prefecture went to Beijing to participate in the rural examination, almost everyone was questioned about their origin and place of origin. Those who could be related to Qian'an were pulled over to ask about the six talents.

After Guo Yong and other ten Qian'an candidates entered Beijing, they were blocked in the inn all day long. In today's poetry club and tomorrow's amusement park, Gonghou's mansion has packaged a theater ticket to invite them, and a certain lady has combed Zhi wanted to treat guests... Even when he went downstairs to have a meal, there were people watching, sighing while watching, "The genius who criticized "Three Kingdoms" actually likes to eat this dish."

The six people who had written criticism received the post with a soft hand, and they didn’t dare to come out. They asked the inn’s second child in a daze: “Why do so many people want to invite us? Although we wrote some comments to the Three Kingdoms, it was published in the end. What do these people mean when they insist on looking for us?”

Xiao Er smiled and said, "Aren't you talented? For example, talented people are treated this way. They always have to participate in poetry fairs or something, and show their faces at the gate of the official's house. Those talents from Jiangnan who come during the exam are more skilled than you. already."

Guo Caizi participated in the exam for the first time, and he couldn't help asking others: "Could it be that I have little knowledge? Brother Tang and Brother Wang used to be loved by adults like this?"

Wang Zhichang touched his face and felt that it was not the result of his getting older, growing a beard and growing attractive, and simply asked: "But because Cui Xiao..."

Xiao Eryi patted his leg: "You really know Cui Meiren!"

... we don't know. We recognize Scholar Cui.

They all know the origin of the name Cui Meiren, but as an orthodox literati who grew up reading the Four Books, they all dislike the name. When someone asked about "Cui Meiren", they naturally couldn't say that it was Cui Xie's nickname, otherwise wouldn't it be tantamount to admitting the title for him

Everyone looked at each other, gritted their teeth and said, "We only wrote a few comments at the invitation of the businessman who compiled the book, and we don't know the rumors."

Knowing that others were looking for them just for that glamorous name and nothing serious, they simply said that they wanted to prepare for the exam, and they closed the door and desperately rushed to the front, for fear that if they failed the exam, they would be said to be unworthy of their name and not worthy of commenting on "Three Kingdoms".

In the blink of an eye, on the sixth day of the eighth lunar month, Ni Yue and Dong Yue, the graduates of the Hanlin Academy, were accused of being the examiners of the Shuntian Prefecture Township Exam.

On the ninth, twelfth, and fifteenth exams of the eighth lunar month, the scholars all seemed to have peeled off their skins.

But thanks to the popularity of "Three Kingdoms", even Jin Yiwei, who was on the field, had heard their names, so he showed mercy and didn't tell them to wait for the search outside sweating profusely, but searched them in advance, and they were still inside the field. They are arranged in a good location that is not exposed to the sun and does not leak rain. A few people took the title of genius, and during the exam, they carefully planned the chapter, pondered the text, and made sure that the paper was refined and refined. It was not until the three candles given in the venue at night were burned out that they were willing to hand in the paper.

After the three exams, the ten candidates from Qian'an still don't know whether they will be successful or not, but they have all made up their minds - quickly pack up and leave Beijing, and send someone back to watch on the day the results are released, but they can't stay there and call People are spying on their relationship with "Cui Meiren'er"!

When all the candidates came back from the atmosphere of the examination room and prepared themselves to make friends with talented people, they found that the Fuxiang store where they lived was empty. And the ten students who came from Qian'an left the capital early and set up a monastery in a small temple outside the city. They only waited for the Yin list to come down on the second day of September, and went back to see if they had picked them up.

Qian'an City is also closely watching the results of this township examination.

When the magistrate of Qi was transferred to the county, he caught up with a flood, and then there was some drought in the next two years. It can be said that his career has come to an end. He is not the kind of person with background and wealth. Finding this county magistrate has already exhausted his family's strength. If he gets another evaluation, he will have no hope in the future.

He worked tirelessly to manage rivers, repair canals, persuade farmers to cultivate mulberry, and even wished he could accompany the boat to Beijing when he escorted taxes and grains. one term. And the tribute award under the rule is also a very important part of the inspection, which is more important than paying the food and taxes. If he can appoint a few people before he leaves office, his evaluation will be much better, and it will offset some of the floods and famines. influence.

So when the list was released on the second day of September, he sent his confidants to watch the people who announced the good news in Xia County.

Qian'an Wang Zhichang was ranked 120th, Wang Pu was ranked 79th, Tang Ning was ranked 64th, Guo Yongzhong was ranked 20th... One name after another spread to the county, not only Qixian Cheng was so excited that his fists clenched, and Sun Jiaoyu and the two instructors almost cried.

In Qian'an, there were only one or two students in a division of Chinese style in previous years. Three years ago, the Gengzi division did not win a single one, but this year under his rule, he has won four Juren! He presided over the repair of the county school, and his efforts to rebuild the temple school to persuade the school finally paid off. If these four can be admitted to the jinshi exam next year, he can be regarded as leaving some recordable achievements for the county in the past three years...

Qi county magistrate's eyes were sore, and he hurriedly ordered people to go to various houses to congratulate him.

All the people below came in to congratulate, because someone said: "We six talents have three Chinese styles in one fell swoop. In the future, Qian'an will also be like Jiangnan, and it will also become a hometown of talents!"

It was only then that Qi Sheng remembered that three of the four Chinese-style talents were selected from the "Six Talents Criticize the Three Kingdoms", and he couldn't help laughing: "The owner of the bookstore also has some eyesight, and the ones chosen are really from our county. Talented man. In the future, we will invite him to come when we hold the fawn of the deer, and let them have a drink with the master of the bookstore, which is considered an elegant thing."

By the way, the master is not really a woman, is it

Qi Sheng was a little unsure, so he ordered his servants: "Just ask the man who is the master of his family to come, don't ask for women. Don't mix men and women at our serious banquet and make that bad sound."

The office of Hufang came up with a smile and said in a low voice, "The master is definitely not a woman. Their deeds are all run by small ones, and the master of the master's family also recognizes that it is the master of the Cui family of the archway, Lang Zhongfu. Cui Xie, the son of his family, also has a reputation for being a beauty. He didn't like his concubine, but the courtyard behind the bookstore was settled in the early years to the Dasheren of conductor Wang, and the son of Wang kept a room outside. room… "

This commander Wang is really big-hearted, and his concubine is returned to the Cui family, called Cui Meiren'er, and he is not in a hurry.

When the magistrate Qi heard this flamboyant lawsuit, his head jumped, and he frowned and said, "How can someone like that be kept in a good bookstore? Since the yard was given to others, why don't you rent a place anymore... That's all, these dirty things. The bad rumors are not allowed to be spread again in the future, they are all well-behaved for me, and if the reputation of the people is ruined, I will not take a big lever against you."

It's rare for such a prodigy to have published a book as virtuous and knowledgeable as "Four Books of Dialogues", how can this romantic reputation hinder his future!

The book office smiled and said, "The little one's mouth is tight, either he didn't dare to say this in front of his old parents, and even the little wife would never hear a single star in her sleep! Then this time, the little deer's feast is still called to come. Participate?" One side is the commander, and the other is the Ministry of Beijing official, whoever stretches out his finger can kill him, how dare he spread such words indiscriminately.

The county magistrate looked at him and snorted heavily, and said, "Shut up! It's better to yell. Since they all know each other and are all students from this county, it's even more time for them to sit together and get together. But after the banquet, I I have to take care of his bookstore!"