Once you have experienced one or two failures, you will become less reckless when you act.
After giving his master Yan fifty and a half taels, Zhang Xuezhou finally figured out how to apply for an official position correctly.
In the final analysis, this is still the method of donating money mentioned by Sang Hongyang, but compared with spending hundreds or thousands of gold at every turn, the appetite of small officials is not that big, and they can barely get by by sending some money.
"I remember you said you heard about thirty or fifty coins from someone else. Who was that someone else?" Zhang Xuezhou asked in a low voice.
"Just...many Confucian scholars talked about this, so I got in and listened!"
After receiving the money, the master's father was very happy and answered happily.
"Some of them carried ten or eight, some carried twenty or so, and the most were thirty or fifty. These people found their names when they posted the list, and they talked happily in low voices. They also said that they had no money. It’s impossible to even pass the screening. The more money you collect, the better the position will be!”
"in this way!"
"I heard that the first batch of people who had no money were very particular about the amount of money they had. Even if they hung one and a half taels on a bamboo slip, they would be hired. Later everyone knew this method. It's not enough if they have less money."
"So that's it." Zhang Xuezhou nodded and said, "Do you know when the imperial court will conduct its third search for talents?"
"It seems I didn't say it!"
The master's father grabbed half a tael of money in his hand.
He stared blankly for a few seconds, only to feel that the half a tael of money he had asked for had lost so much joy.
If the court does not seek talents, even if he knows how to apply for an official position by stuffing half a tael of money into a bamboo slip, he will not be able to become an official.
"But the imperial court will definitely recruit talents again!"
Master Yan forced himself to cheer himself up, and then looked at Zhang Xuezhou eagerly.
This made Zhang Xuezhou take a few steps back.
"I'm not free now, and I don't want you to pay me back. I have nothing worth selling to you. We won't see you again!"
Zhang Xuezhou waved his hand and quickly withdrew from the thin crowd.
This made the master's father open his mouth, and he could no longer continue with his thought of following Zhang Xuezhou for free.
"If I just told Ning Cheng and the others about you, then I wouldn't be willing to die for you!"
Considering that he and Zhang Xuezhou had only met a few times, Zhu Fuyan felt that he had no feelings for Zhang Xuezhou, so it was normal for him to betray each other when he was in trouble.
Moreover, he did whatever Zhang Xuezhou told him, and he did not owe anything to Zhang Xuezhou.
People like him are trustworthy and have a very noble character.
He thought for a while, and finally felt that it was Zhang Xuezhou's loss that Zhang Xuezhou didn't take him seriously.
Of course, Zhang Xuezhou wasn't too bad, after all, he gave him fifty taels that he didn't have to pay back.
"I hate rich people!"
Thinking that fifty and a half taels was probably a drop in the bucket for people like Zhang Xuezhou, Master Yan felt a little resentful, and he even hated himself for not asking for more before.
"I want to be rich!"
I hate it, but Zhu Fuyan’s goal is indeed to become a rich man.
He was fed up with living without money and was unwilling to continue living like this.
"I don't know when His Majesty will seek talents for the third time," the master's father said in a low voice: "There are so many places in Chang'an City that need money. It's hard for me to sleep on the street!"
As long as you become an official, you will have money. With money, you will be able to eat well and eat well, and you will even have various cultivation techniques, elixirs, and magic weapons. Just thinking about it, Zhu Fuyan felt that this is what he should do. Want life.
He thought about it for a while, and finally found a place near Jing Zhaoyi's mansion to sleep on his stomach to save energy.
On the other side, Zhang Xuezhou, who was in low spirits, got rid of his father Yan and went to the West Market to find Rong Tianding and others with a look of dismay on his face.
As the third-ranked character in the provincial adult examination, Zhang Xuezhou did not expect that he would fail twice in a row.
This kind of thing cannot be entirely attributed to bad luck, but to the change in Zhang Xuezhou's way of life that has brought about social incompatibility.
He never thought that relying on the side tricks he got from Zhang Qian was not reliable. Instead, the best way was to put money in the bamboo slips for self-recommendation.
"If someone else picks up fifty, I'll pick up one hundred!"
When passing by a shop selling bamboo slips, Zhang Xuezhou made some gestures and then bought a large roll of bamboo slips.
"Brother Dongfang!"
"Brother Hongyang!"
When they returned to their own store, Rong Tianding and Xu Yuan were not there as usual, while Sang Hongyang was waiting in the store to return from harvesting grain.
The millet used for seed production in the stalls was divided into piles of equal sizes. It was obvious that Sang Hongyang was indeed extremely bored.
When Zhang Xuezhou appeared, Sang Hongyang suddenly became more energetic and stretched out his hand to say hello.
But he also had a strange look on his face.
There was no reason for this. Zhang Xuezhou failed again. As usual, he could not find the three words "Dongfang Shuo" in the list of newly appointed officials.
Of course, this isn't too bad.
Naturally, you won’t be happy if you’re not hired, but everything is not okay if you’re hired.
The new emperor was very concerned about recruitment, and would read every resume submitted.
When the first batch of people were hired, Xintei once complained that "all the people with connections who are involved in cliques and selfish pursuits have been recruited. I don't know how many people here can be used in the future."
When the second batch of people were hired, Xintei complained again that another group of people came in with bribes and money. These people were a little clever, but they were used in places they shouldn't be used. This trend cannot last long and needs to be investigated carefully. Just check it out'.
Obviously, the new emperor knew everything about recruiting talents to serve as officials.
Although Sang Hongyang didn't understand why the new emperor didn't deal with the first group of people, he knew that the new emperor would definitely deal with the second group of people. This included not only the officials who were reviewed, but also the job seekers who bribed and gave money. Talk about prison, but it will be very difficult for these people to be promoted in the future.
Although Zhang Xuezhou has not become an official, he is an innocent man and will not cause these disasters.
"Brother Dongfang is unhappy because of his official position," Sang Hongyang asked in a low voice.
"exactly!"
Zhang Xuezhou didn't mind and nodded directly in agreement.
"I heard that most of the people who were hired in the second batch put some money in the bamboo slips they applied for. Unfortunately, I was not sensible at the time." Zhang Xuezhou hissed, "Now we can only wait for His Majesty to recruit talents for the third time!"
"Your Majesty will definitely recruit talents again, Brother Dongfang just wait and see" Sang Hongyang said with a strange expression: "But Brother Dongfang must not do anything sensible!"
"What do you mean? Please give me some advice!"
Zhang Xuezhou was stunned.
He had already bought a large roll of bamboo slips and was going to stuff one hundred to two hundred and a half taels into the bamboo slips to ask for an official, but Sang Hongyang's words obviously did not recommend this.
It is not difficult to choose whether to believe in Zhu Fuyan or Sang Hongyang.
The master's father Yan was inquiring about the news at the bottom, while Sang Hongyang took the high-end route and knew the news in the palace. If the other party did not recommend it, then this matter would not work.
"I'm not completely sure, but the third group of people will probably find some typical examples." Sang Hongyang said in a low voice: "I estimate that all these sensible bamboo slips will be sent to the palace, and then none of them will be recorded. Even these I will never have a chance to hold an official position in the imperial court in the future!"
"in this way?"
Zhang Xuezhou took a breath of air.
He just felt that Sang Hongyang was really a noble person.
If the other party hadn't given him a friendly reminder, he would not have failed as an official, but would have completely given up on his hopes of becoming an official.
Although this is just Sang Hongyang's guess, the other party's guesses will not come out of thin air.
If Zhang Xuezhou really imitates the second batch of people and does some 'greatly clever' things, he will have no end in sight.
(End of chapter)
