Song Dynasty.
Hedong Road.
Bingzhou.
This place was also known as Jinyang, and was later promoted to Taiyuan Prefecture. Although the three were not on the same administrative level, the three names were all familiar.
For example, Li Yuan raised an army in Jinyang, which was the land of dragon prosperity in the Tang Dynasty. Another example is that a fat actor introduced himself with loud and penetrating lines:
"My surname is Di, my name is Renjie, I am from Bingzhou, I have the same official position as Fengge Yingtai Pingzhangshi, I have deposed the envoy, and I am also the governor of Youzhou. I have been ordered to supervise all important military and political affairs in Youzhou!"
When Di Jin followed his relatives and walked into Di's ancestral hall, this scene appeared in his mind. He sighed silently, full of nostalgia: "I really want to watch "Detective Di Renjie" again!"
This is not a random association.
In this life, he is a descendant of the Di family in Taiyuan, Shanxi. This lineage regards Di Renjie, the former prime minister of the Tang Dynasty, as its ancestor. It has been more than 300 years since it took root in Bingzhou in the early Tang Dynasty.
It sounds amazing, but in fact, in the Tang Dynasty, the Di family in Taiyuan was not just a wealthy family with good fortune and misfortune. In the chaotic times of the late Tang Dynasty, when all the ministers were trampled on the streets and the heads of powerful people were everywhere, the Di family in Taiyuan was He was not given special attention by the rebel army, and many people in the clan survived.
Of course, after five generations of troubled times, the Di family declined even more during the Song Dynasty, when the millennium of land changed to 800 owners and social classes moved very fast.
During this Winter Solstice Festival, only a scattered group of more than thirty people from various clans gathered here. There were no high-ranking officials or wealthy people. Even if they were called local big families, they were barely able to do so.
But even so, the steps of ancestor worship are still meticulous.
Clean the hall, take a bath the day before the sacrifice, prepare five plates of fresh fruits and vegetables, spoons, chopsticks and other utensils, wear sacrificial clothes on the day of the sacrifice, drink wine and burn incense, and the eldest son officially performs the sacrifice: "On the tenth day of the eleventh month of the third year of Tiansheng , the fourteenth generation grandson Di Yuanchang, announced to the ancestors of the Di family that today is the beginning of the solstice of the Yang solstice. I will pursue the original purpose of repaying you. I will not forget the ceremony. I will be prepared to pay tribute to the shame of the common people. I still enjoy it!"
Di Jin followed the clan members and made three tributes in an upright manner, his manners already fully adapted.
In fact, half a year ago, when he woke up and found that he had arrived in the Song Dynasty, he was numb.
To be fair, he really likes history, those great lives that once existed, those thrilling moments of decision-making, and those regrettable regrets about his family and country...
But hobbies and physical presence are two different things.
The working people of the farming dynasty have always been in danger. Not to mention the troubled times of changing dynasties, in peacetime there are natural and man-made disasters, oppression by officials, and any small change can overwhelm a hard-working family.
And Di Jin's current identity is that of an ordinary scholar with no ancestral reputation.
But there is no other way but to try to adapt and find a new way out for yourself.
After the three offerings were completed, the ancestor worship came to an end. Everyone exited the ancestral temple and returned to the main hall.
The elders of each room took their seats, reminiscing and chatting, while the younger ones stood.
Di Jin was also one of those waiting quietly, but Di Yuanchang, who was presiding over the ceremony, looked over and smiled: "Shi Lin!"
Di Jin stepped forward and saluted: "Uncle."
Although he has not yet reached the crown, he has already taken the title of Shi Lin.
The word "official" often evolves from the name, which is a supplement or explanation of the name, and also has the meaning of expectation. The word "official", to put it more elegantly, means a smooth official career, to be outstanding in the Hanlin Academy, and to put it more bluntly, it means to want to be a Jinshi. I want to be an official!
This is what Di Yuanchang meant at this time: "Shi Lin, you are talented and intelligent. You have studied hard since you were young and never let go of the papers. I am not a well-educated person. I can't pass the knowledge of your prodigy in the school, but I always look forward to your high school... The exam is coming soon, so don’t slack off in reviewing and preparing for the exam!”
The imperial examinations of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, which are familiar to later generations, had a total of six examinations, while in the Song Dynasty there were only three examinations. One was the local examination, the other was the provincial examination held by the Central Ministry of Rites, and the last one was the palace examination to meet the emperor.
Relatively speaking, the Interpretation Examination and the Provincial Examination are more critical. This first Interpretation Examination is actually held in the autumn, which is still more than half a year away, but for the Di clan people who are looking forward to having a Jinshi, it is indeed imminent.
Di Jin, in particular, was a real prodigy and had won the prodigy examination.
The official name of the child prodigy examination is Tongzi Ke, which existed in the Tang Dynasty. It was even more valued in the Song Dynasty. The famous minister Yan Shu stood out from it and was given a Jinshi background. He caught the eye of Song Zhenzong and loved him so much that he was once raised as his godson.
Yan Shu, now thirty-six years old, is already the Deputy Privy Envoy.
This example inspired countless people.
When Di Jin was nine years old, as a child prodigy in Bingzhou, he was recommended to take the exam in Beijing.
He passed the exam.
It's a pity that the child prodigy examination is tested after all, and "officials are destined to be exempted from the exam." Even if they pass the examination, only a very small number of outstanding ones will be directly awarded official positions, and most of them will only receive the qualifications for selection or financial rewards.
Di Jin was the latter. He received the cloth and money rewarded by the court, and then everything went as usual...
Without an official status, return to Yuanzhou, study, enter school, take the imperial examination, and pass the imperial examination. Work hard!
But after this, he finally gained a halo, and many relatives regarded him as the hope of revitalizing the family.
"Pinning the hopes of a clan on a fifteen-year-old boy? That's right. Jinshis of this era do have the ability to change the fate of a clan!"
Facing the eager eyes, Di Jin bowed: "My nephew dare not slack off at all. He should try his best to take the exam and win the title, but..."
He paused, lowered his head slightly, and stopped talking.
Di Yuanchang immediately said: "But are there any difficulties? The whole family is here, don't worry about it, just tell me!"
Another uncle sighed: "I have been to Sixth Brother's home. It is too poor. The four treasures of the study, including pens, inks, paper and inkstones, are all missing. The oil lamps are making more smoke, which is bad for the eyes. I have candles at home. I will send them tomorrow." go!"
Another tribesman said: "The books from Fujian Yinfang are not good. We should use the ones produced by Guozixue. My family doesn't have much money, but I never save money on buying books. If Brother Liu wants to borrow books, just come to my house." !”
When it comes to studying, everyone is very excited and talking about it.
Even if the conditions at home are average, we are willing to do our best to help.
Students before the college entrance examination always have the highest status!
Di Jin was not polite and made a formal request: "Today's literary world is dominated by Xikun style, with gorgeous words and chapters and exquisite use of allusions. However, the gentleman in my school is not good at this style of writing..."
Di Yuanchang suddenly realized: "Being an official means that there is a lack of guidance from famous teachers?"
Di Jin nodded: "I want to attend Jinyang Academy to study."
In the Song Dynasty, private schools or academies tended to focus on early education, while academies in various places covered everything from Yi Ya enlightenment to Confucian debate.
But before Fan Zhongyan launched cultural education, the threshold for academies was generally high. Jinyang Academy in Taiyuan was similar to a top private school, and it was not easy to attend classes there.
The hall fell silent, and many clan members were silent. It was not that they were not enthusiastic, but they really couldn't help.
Di Yuanchang thought for a while, exchanged glances with the other two uncles, and said in a deep voice: "Shilin really should go to the academy. Although my Di family is not as powerful as before, it is still a bit thin, so I should go and ask for a place! "
Di Jin bowed and saluted sincerely: "Thank you, elders!"
In the third year of Tiansheng, 1025 AD, in the early days of the Renzong Dynasty, Queen Mother Liu E was in power.
It has been more than sixty years since the founding of the Song Dynasty, and society has tended to be stable. However, the trend of Xixia has taken hold. Li Yuanhao is ambitious and sharpens his sword. The Liao Kingdom, which signed the Chanyuan Alliance, is also ready to move south and wants to plunder. However, due to various reasons , and ultimately failed to resume war.
Generally speaking, this is a relatively peaceful era. The success rate of rebellion is not completely impossible, but it is really not very high. After all, in the background of the feudal era with a dark tone, ordinary people will endure silently as long as they can survive. .
At this stage, Song Ting is not that inappropriate.
Even so, Di Jin still didn't want to be a feudal commoner with a huge risk factor. After initially adapting to ancient life, his planned life path was to take the Jinshi examination.
It’s a cliché, but it’s a grand road.
How much effort will be spent in later generations to take the official examination? Today's Jinshi is equivalent to the selection of department-level officials, or the selection of academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. What an honor it is once you reach high school!
Studying is not for anything else. After all, it is to make a difference and to have enough food and clothing.
After walking out of the lobby, Di Jin faced the direction of the ancestral temple and bowed again.
Back then, you were always called Dounan, but now as a descendant, you cannot bury the reputation of your ancestors...
Go forward! Go forward!
