Now at the end of the year, there are many more people in the county school.
When Fan Zhongyan carried out the reform, he ordered the prefectures and counties to establish schools. Scholars were required to study for three hundred days and then listen to the pre-autumn examination.
Completing 300 days of class hours in two years is really a lot. Now that the autumn exam is coming, students who have less than 300 days of class time must rush back, otherwise they will be disqualified from participating in the exam in the second year.
Zhang Yue walked into the county school dining hall, and there was the sound of chopsticks and spoons stirring rice bowls everywhere.
It was bone-chilling cold outside, but in the simple house, students sat on unpolished fir tables and chairs. The smell of food filled the surroundings, and the sound of people chewing was mixed with the stirring of pots and pans.
Such a poor life is sometimes more memorable than the time of prosperity and wealth.
Zhang Yue glanced at it and continued talking to several of Guo Lin's 'Yue Zhai' classmates.
When Zhang Yue walked into the dining hall, students from all the counties looked over.
"Sanlang!"
"Sanlang!"
When Zhang Yue passed by, people kept swallowing their food and stood up to say hello to him.
Zhang Yue smiled and greeted his classmates one by one.
"Sanlang, the ginger fermented rice in your restaurant is also delicious."
"Brother, you did a good job. Have you finished eating? I'll ask the waiter in the store to deliver it to your house."
"Sanlang is very happy, but I don't dare to take advantage of Sanlang anymore. It's up to me how much it costs. I'll buy some more to give away."
"Then thank you Brother Liu for taking care of my business."
"Sanlang, Sanlang, my friends and I are going to a restaurant to eat. Would it be more economical if I gave you your name?"
"Hey, it's too late to be happy that Brother Yu is here to reward you. We classmates from the county school are all ordinary. If you go to my restaurant to eat, you will get a bowl of ginger soy sauce as a gift. But remember, don't show it to others."
"Okay, thank you very much, Sanlang. Your ginger is really good."
"Sanlang, I heard that you recited the Nine Sutras alone?" Everyone stopped their chopsticks to take a look.
"Yeah, I'm ashamed."
"It's amazing, it's amazing, this time it's going to be a blockbuster."
"I don't dare to take it. I'm just giving it a try. If it doesn't work, please don't laugh at me!"
A group of classmates laughed and said: "Haha, Sanlang, among the economics students in our county, you are ranked second and no one is ranked first. Don't be humble."
"If you don't succeed, who will?"
Zhang Yue smiled, held fists and chatted with his classmates for a few words, then walked to the front of the stage and picked up his own bowl of second-class food. The second-class food in the restaurant today was ready, including three large cakes, steamed eggplant, boiled radish, winter bamboo shoots, and a spoonful of spicy vinegar.
Zhang Yue walked back with the rice bowl and saw someone saying, "Sanlang, sit here!"
It turned out to be the chief of the restaurant. He and several people occupied a large table. The left and right sides were empty, while the other tables in front and behind were full.
Zhang Yue, Guo Lin and other classmates carried rice bowls and walked to the chief's table.
One person couldn't help but said: "Sanlang, did you bring ginger soybean today?"
Zhang Yue smiled, immediately took out a jar, put it on the table and said, "Everyone can eat together."
The chief reprimanded: "I'm not afraid of other people's jokes either."
The man burst out laughing and said, "The chief doesn't know, but I just tasted the ginger soybean and the roasted vegetables and pork from his restaurant. These are my steamed buns. Sanlang, don't let me go outside."
In the Song Dynasty, cooking cakes were today's steamed buns. Steamed buns were steamed buns with less fillings, while steamed buns were steamed buns with more fillings.
Zhang Yue took it unceremoniously, and Guo Lin also took out his pickles to share with everyone.
Everyone is sharing food at the table, you let me go, I push it, and they keep talking and laughing, having a lot of fun.
There was an old student on the side who didn't know who Zhang Yue was, so he couldn't help but ask: "Who is this person? Are all economic students so good these days?"
Others laughed and said, "How come you don't even recognize Zhang Sanlang?"
"I have been ill and absent from school in the county for the past six months. If it weren't for the fall exam next year, I would have missed more than 100 days of listening and reading, otherwise I would still be at home."
"So it turns out that this is how Chapter Saburo's brother became a Jinshi. He abandoned his official position because he was not as good as his nephew..."
"I've heard of it. No wonder it's like this. I was a classmate of Zhang Erlang for two years, so I know him well. Why did his younger brother not enroll in the Jinshi major but the economics major?"
"It's a long story. Zhang Sanlang was admitted to the county school with a pass on the Five Classics, and now he is also a scholar of Yi and Zhou Li in Jingsheng Zhai."
"Ah? It only takes one year to study two classics. No wonder, no wonder, as the saying goes, like brother, like brother."
"Now he is going to take the nine classics and take eleven exams during the public examination. Not only the Jingsheng Zhai, but also the Jinshi Zhai are shaken by this incident."
The other party said: "This is amazing! If you can really pass the Nine Classics undergraduate course, you will be ranked sixth in the Jinshi A Division. Those with lower Nine Classics or the same background will be the same as the Jinshi B Division."
"Yes, this time I met Zhenzhang. How old is Zhangsaburo this year?"
"fourteen."
The other person ate it and exclaimed: "It's only fifteenth after the Chinese New Year. You can apply for child prodigy."
Another person laughed and said: "It is said that someone who is thirty years old can learn the scriptures, and fifty years old can become a Jinshi. But in this chapter, Sanlang learned the scriptures at the age of fifteen, which is too fast."
"Whether he succeeds or not depends on how well he performs in the Nine Classics test."
At this moment, there was also a person coming to the county school teacher's studio.
"Green ants have newly fermented wine, and there is a small red clay stove. It's getting snowy in the evening, can I have a drink?"
But I saw Assistant Professor Sun laughing loudly, chanting and walking to the teacher's studio of the county school Hu Xuezheng.
"Assistant Professor Sun is here, it's really disappointing to welcome him from afar."
"I don't dare to take it seriously. Hu Xuezheng is so happy when he drinks this little wine. The smell of the meat is really greedy..."
Hu Xuezheng put the wine cup on the table and said with a smile: "This is ginger fermented meat and roasted pork made by the food shop in this county. I ordered my servants to buy it in the snow. Can the assistant teacher give me a favor and taste it?"
Assistant Professor Sun smiled and said, "I have something to discuss with Xuezheng. In that case, the two of us chatted while having a drink."
Hu Xuezheng looked stern and said quickly: "Assistant Professor Sun, please sit down."
Hu Xuezheng understood that this public examination was different from the private examination.
The county school's private examinations are conducted behind closed doors, but for the once-a-year public examination, not only the county magistrate takes the exam in person, but the state school also sends people to supervise it, so Assistant Professor Sun came to Pucheng.
A small stove nearby was simmering wine, and the aroma of ginger and roasted meat on the plate filled the room.
Hu Xuezheng and Assistant Professor Sun shared a glass of wine with a pair of chopsticks.
After three glasses of wine, Assistant Professor Sun stroked his beard and said, "Envoy Cai Zhuan is coming to Pucheng."
When Hu Xuezheng heard this, his chopsticks stopped and he couldn't say a word for a while.
Assistant Professor Sun laughed and said, "Drink and drink. Envoy Cai Zhuan is here to inspect the local officials and count the prisoners. As for the county academic promotion, he comes second."
Hu Xuezheng breathed a sigh of relief.
The road transport envoy is equivalent to the highest administrative officer along the way. As a transport envoy, he does not squat on the road all day long to guard the road, but must regularly inspect the states and counties along the road.
This month I will patrol this military state, and next month I will patrol another military state. There is no time to stop.
Hu Xuezheng said: "Although I didn't come here for this public examination, being stuck at this moment always makes me feel anxious. In some places, I even asked an assistant to teach me."
Assistant Professor Sun laughed, drank a cup of hot wine, and his internal organs were immediately warmed. Then he took a large piece of aspic and chewed it: "It's easy to talk about. Xuezheng, this ginger fermented soy sauce is really fragrant."
Hu Xuezheng smiled and said: "This ginger fermented sauce comes from Zhangjia Food Store. When the assistant teacher returns to the state this time, I will give him a few more cans."
"Then thank you Hu Xuezheng. The envoy was in a state of depression because of the incident involving the Jinjiang Order and Zhang Gong. He was embarrassed by the boss of the imperial court. But you don't have to worry too much. Cai Gongxian is well-known far and near, and he also likes to raise money. Xian, this public examination coincides with Mr. Cai coming to the county. You can recommend some good people to the county. In this way, you will have a good reputation and the county will have a good reputation. Mr. Cai may also be happy to see it."
Hu Xuezheng said with a smile: "There are only so many talented people in this county. Among the Jinshi Zhai, there are... and many more wise men, all of whom are proficient in writing and have outstanding talents. As for the Jingsheng Zhai, Zhang Yue Zhang Sanlang is the most recommended. "
"Oh? That's Shozaburo who wrote prodigy poems and passed all five classics in the county school entrance examination."
Hu Xuezheng nodded and said, "It's him."
Assistant Professor Sun stopped, took a hot towel to wipe his face, and then said: "I have seen this guy before, but I can't explain why."
Hu Xuezhengdao: "This son is erudite and not exhausted, and he is diligent and tireless in practice. He was ranked first among economics students after only one year of school. In fact, he and his two brothers can be regarded as the best for a while."
Assistant Professor Sun couldn't help but ask: "Reciting the meaning of the scriptures requires hard work. Is this kid really studying so hard?"
Hu Xuezheng said with a smile: "I have never done this before. I am ashamed to say that I reprimanded this boy for sleeping during the day after he entered school. But seeing that his homework was really outstanding, I had no choice but to turn a blind eye."
"Actually taking a siesta during the day?" Assistant Professor Sun couldn't help laughing and said, "Before I was released as an official, I didn't dare to take a siesta during the day. How long will he take a nap during the day?"
"Hearing is an hour, every day."
Assistant Professor Sun said: "Then you read very late at night? It's not surprising that the lights are on at three o'clock and the chickens are on at five o'clock."
Hu Xuezheng shook his head and said: "I never go to bed as soon as the second watch is over. Others asked him, and he also said that study is valuable in perseverance. The most useless thing is to light up the chicken at the third watch and the fifth watch, and be exposed to the cold for ten days in one day."
Assistant Professor Sun sighed: "If Mr. Yan Lu were still alive, I would definitely give him a slap in the face after hearing this!"
Hu Xuezheng said: "It's unbelievable. There are also students in the county school who are like this. They think that Zhang Sanlang must be working hard secretly because he is so lazy in his studies. When someone slept with him, he stayed up for seven nights to keep an eye on him. Did Zhang Saburo start reading at midnight in the middle of the night, and the result..."
Assistant Professor Sun and Hu Xuezheng both sighed.
"How does he study?"
"Someone once asked me, and he replied that he just listens carefully to the professor's teachings on weekdays, writes homework every day, and reads before the monthly exams. There is nothing else."
"Isn't this deceptive?" Assistant Professor Sun sighed.
"However, he did extremely well in his private examination, and within half a year he had already become a scholar of the Yi and Zhouli classics. Students who read the Yi and Zhouli classics asked Zhang Sanlang about anything they couldn't understand, and he answered them one by one. Never bored, just like a famous teacher setting an example."
Assistant Professor Sun was speechless upon hearing this.
"Every night, he would pay for a big candle, light it indoors, and read with his classmates at night. He never slacked off for a day. If perseverance is said to be valuable in learning, then he is a person with perseverance, so he practices what he preaches. And yet tireless!”
When Assistant Professor Sun heard this, he couldn't help but nod his head and said: "That's good!"
"That's right, he was the only one to take eleven exams in the nine-class exam this time."
Assistant Professor Sun said: "No one has dared to do this before in the county's public examination of economics and biology, right?"
Hu Xuezheng nodded and said: "Indeed, it's not that no one dares to apply for the Nine Classics, but it's too tight. There are eleven public exams, which need to be completed within three days. Each exam requires one hundred scriptures, fifty Mo Yi, and ten Da Yi. This Eleven scenes in three days, don’t we have to write from sunrise to dusk?”
"Even if you can answer the questions, you are still tired and your hands are sore."
Assistant Professor Sun said: "But if this boy can answer it, it will be a good story. I remember that one meridians can understand the nine, two meridians can understand the eight, three meridians can understand the seven, five meridians can understand the six, and the nine meridians should understand the five!"
Hu Xuezheng said: "That's right. Passing five means you are qualified."
"If this boy can understand the six and seven, why not give him the first place in the scriptures?" Assistant Professor Sun said.
"How about recommending the Imperial Academy?" Hu Xuezheng asked.
Assistant Professor Sun hesitated when he heard this: "In a state, only two or three people are recommended to the Imperial College every year by the imperial examinations. Moreover, the final decision on this matter has to be made by the state."
Hu Xuezheng said: "In the Imperial Provincial Examination, the Jiu Jing's background is only Tongliu."
Assistant Professor Sun said: "In the past, those who were born in the provincial examination of the Nine Classics should have at least mastered six. However, since the official came to the throne, the Jinshi subjects have become more and more important, and the results from all subjects have become less and less. Even if the Nine Classics are proficient in seven, you may not be able to master one of the Nine Classics. Origin.”
"As for passing the Nine Classics undergraduate course, it is even more difficult. You can only get two or three people in each subject, which is equivalent to the first grade of Jinshi."
"But let Zhang Sanlang take the exam first! If you are outstanding, recommend him to the envoy. He always likes to support the underachievers!"
At this point, both of them laughed.
Just a few days before the public examination, Zhang Yue gave Hu Xuezheng a few cans of ginger from his shop.
Hu Xuezheng smiled and said: "You often send these here, and others think I'm greedy for you. I'll give you the money as soon as I send it."
Zhang Yue said hurriedly: "Wouldn't it be a disgrace to me to learn to be a good person? What's the value of brewing wine in my own shop? Just tell others for me after you learn to be a good person. If you say it with such a high moral and respectable status, others will definitely know it." I think it’s delicious. Are you afraid that the customers won’t come to your door then?”
Hu Xuezheng stroked his beard and smiled and said: "You are such a clever talker. Anyway, I never accept anything from other students, but I only favor you. But don't worry about anything else. You have reported eleven games, so don't even think about it. I will tell you the questions clearly, so you can pass the exam based on your own ability!"
"Thank you Xuezheng, Xuezheng has this intention."
Hu Xuezheng said: "So you are pretty sure?"
Zhang Yue said with a smile: "Students don't dare to say this. I will try my best to live up to Xuezheng's cultivation."
Hu Xuezheng said: "You take the exam carefully. If you pass the fifth grade, don't come to see me in the future. If you pass the sixth grade, I can ask the county magistrate to exempt you from the fasting expenses for a year. As agreed, only second-class meals are allowed." , if you want to wait for a meal, you have to pay extra!”
Zhang Yue smiled and said: "It is better to learn from me and know what the students want. What if I can understand Qi?"
Hu Xuezheng smiled slightly and said: "You don't need to ask me about this. It's not my decision, but I will help you fight for it."
"Student, thank you Xuezheng!" Zhang Yue said sincerely from the bottom of his heart.
Hu Xuezheng smiled slightly and said: "Sanlang, if you are a good student, go take the exam and make a name for yourself. Don't want to be said to be Zhang Erlang's younger brother all day long. Even if it is not for the family, you must fight for yourself! Go!"
After Hu Xuezheng waved his hand, Zhang Yue also left the room and said silently: "Thank you Xuezheng for your teaching!"
