Zheng Wangfeng was wearing a light blue gown and was shaking a folding fan in his hand.
Qian Hui is wearing a long gown of red ink color, and the mutton-fat jade pendant around his waist is particularly conspicuous.
Cheng Wanwan saw that there was a lot of mud and grass on their brocade boots, and sighed inwardly, if he doesn't like Dahe Village, why should he stay here?
Zheng Wangfeng closed the paper fan, cupped his hands and said, "Brother Qian and I came here to find Brother Cheng to study with us. I wonder if Brother Cheng is at home?"
Cheng Wanwan smiled and said, "Zhao'er and Xiaozheng should have gone to the Zhao family ancestral hall to study. It's quiet there."
There were workers working at home all the time, and there were people coming and going everywhere. Even Cheng Zhao, a man who only read books about sages, was a little restless and always wanted to come out to help, so Cheng Wanwan asked the two of them to go. Went to the Zhao Family Ancestral Hall, which is spacious and bright, with many tables and chairs, and a great learning atmosphere.
Although there was a learning atmosphere, Shen Zheng didn't want to go at all and was dilly-dallying along the way.
He couldn't reach the place that usually took him a few hundred steps to reach, even after waiting for a quarter of an hour.
Cheng Zhao paused and said coldly: "When the county magistrate comes to Dahe Village next time, I will report today's events truthfully."
"Hey, you are so ungrateful!" Shen Zheng hit him on the shoulder, "We are laying the floor together every night. If you don't help me, just forget it and go to my father to complain. Huh, I'm angry!"
Cheng Zhao had a headache.
He used to really dislike a playboy like Shen Zheng, but after spending so many days with Shen Zheng, he gradually gained a deeper understanding of Shen Zheng. This guy is actually very smart, smarter than him. Every time Seeing that Shen Zheng was not doing his job properly, he felt that good study material was wasted, which made him feel regretful.
He patted Shen Zheng on the shoulder and was about to say something when a father and daughter came over.
The road was very narrow. Cheng Zhao pulled Shen Zheng to the side and gave way, but the father and daughter suddenly knelt down in front of Shen Zheng with a plop.
"Master Shen, the common people have no way to repay your great kindness, so they can only bring their daughters to kowtow to you!" The tall and thick man burst into tears, "In the next life, the common people will work as cows and horses to repay you. Your kindness!”
The little girl kept kowtowing, but luckily it was a muddy ground, so it didn't hurt her head.
Shen Zheng quickly helped the man up: "I'm not an official, you don't need to kowtow to me, get up quickly!"
The man wiped his tears and said: "My mother has been ill for more than a year. During the autumn harvest, she forced herself to plow rice. After her condition worsened, she invited Dr. Zheng to see her and said she might not be able to survive this month... If it hadn't been for Master Shen. I helped invite the most powerful doctor in the town to diagnose the pulse, and also helped pay for the medical expenses. How could the child's mother save her life? Master Shen is the great benefactor of our family!"
The little girl choked with sobs and said, "My mother said that she will sew a pair of red brocade socks for Master Shen with her own hands, which means a good start. She hopes that Master Shen will take the imperial examination for high school!"
The man nodded: "Master Shen will definitely become the number one scholar in high school in the future and become a parent official who benefits the people!"
The men in the village had heard of the word number one scholar, but they had no idea what it meant. Shen Zheng felt guilty for no reason.
If he can be admitted as a scholar, his ancestors will burn incense, so he can't even dream of becoming the number one scholar.
Afraid of having higher expectations from the father and daughter, he said a few perfunctory words and dragged Cheng Zhao away quickly.
He didn't say anything more about not wanting to study, and just sat in the classroom and read.
Two trees were planted at the entrance of the Zhao family ancestral hall. Shen Zheng and Cheng Zhao were sitting in the shade of the trees. The light was bright but not dazzling.
The two of them were reading quietly when footsteps came from the door of the ancestral hall.
Shen Zheng was not a focused person. He raised his head as soon as he heard the sound. When he saw the two people in front of him, his brows suddenly furrowed: "What are you two doing here?"
Zheng Wangfeng said with a gentle temper: "I would like to discuss the Four Books and Five Classics with Brother Cheng."
He walked over, stood in front of Cheng Zhao, held the paper fan in his hands and said, "Brother Cheng, are you willing to take the time to discuss this with me in detail?"
Cheng Zhao instinctively wanted to refuse, but the words of his second aunt came to his mind inexplicably.
He pursed his lips and said, "Brother Zheng, please speak."
Zheng Wangfeng talked eloquently: "Nowadays, the imperial court is recruiting talents. Even so, there is still a lack of real talents. How to find real talents is a question that the superiors have been thinking about. This is also a policy question. I wonder what Brother Cheng has to say. ?”
Cheng Zhao stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "Actually, the imperial examination is a way to select talents. In addition, there are..."
Qian Hui couldn't help but interrupt: "You can also spend money to donate to an official position. A distant cousin of our Qian family donated tens of thousands of taels of silver and became a minor official..."
Cheng Zhao twitched his lips: "Donating officials is to alleviate the financial difficulties of the imperial court and has nothing to do with selecting talents."
Shen Zheng was sitting on the chair carelessly, and it was obvious that Cheng Zhao was a little impatient to deal with these two people.
One of these two people is the son of the county magistrate of Fenghuang Town, and the other is the son of a wealthy businessman. Cheng Zhao, a poor scholar, can't afford to offend him. Of course, although his father is also the county magistrate, he can't offend Zheng Wangfeng too much. die.
Shen Zheng rolled his eyes, turned around and walked out of the ancestral hall.
Zheng Wangfeng watched his figure disappear at the door, with an unknown smile on his lips.
So what if Shen Zheng received a commendation from the prefect, but he had no ambition at all and was afraid that he would not even pass the exam to be a scholar.
If you fail to pass the examination as a scholar, everything is in vain.
Zheng Wangfeng pulled Cheng Zhao and continued chatting for less than a cup of tea.
Zhao Sidan ran in like a wind, grabbed Cheng Zhao's sleeve and ran out: "Cousin, my mother asked you to help chop wood!"
Shen Zheng, who followed him in, was a little speechless. Cheng Zhao couldn't carry it on his shoulders or lift it with his hands. Aunt Zhao had never let Cheng Zhao chop firewood, so the little four-tongued guy couldn't find a better excuse.
Cheng Zhao cupped his hands and said, "Brother Zheng, Brother Qian, you have also seen that there is something going on at home that we really can't get away from. Let's talk about this issue tomorrow."
He followed Zhao Sidan and walked out.
Shen Zheng shook a big leaf and sighed: "Do you think Cheng Zhao is as well-off as we are? He has to get up to work before dawn. If he doesn't work, there will be no food. Aunt Zhao is his second aunt and not his biological mother. , I definitely won’t feel bad for him. Let’s not talk about it anymore, I’m going to help his brother with the work.”
He turned around and left.
Qian Hui sneered: "The college examination is about to come, but I still do farm work. I really don't know what I'm thinking."
Zheng Wangfeng opened the folding fan: "This is his own choice and has nothing to do with us."
He and Cheng Zhao were both top-notch A students in Nanfu Academy. His father invited him to give private lessons, but Cheng Zhao was chopping firewood in the village every day. During the academy examination, he would definitely beat Cheng Zhao, and from then on Nanfu The number one student in Fu Academy is Zheng Wangfeng.
He decided to study in a carriage. The carriage could make tea and the seats were cushioned, making it more comfortable.
Zheng Wangfeng walked in front, Qian Hui followed.
The two walked carefully on the muddy ground, trying not to get their brocade boots dirty. After walking a few steps, a pretty girl walked towards them.
