The four merchants behind Zhao Mengqi chatted for a few words before paying and leaving.
The waiters in the restaurant were also quick with their hands and feet. They immediately cleared up the place and welcomed the next batch of guests.
They are five scholars. Judging from their clothes, they should have different family backgrounds, even some disparities. It is somewhat strange to be together.
One of them, a man with a brocade robe and a jade belt, was eighteen or nineteen years old. He was probably a yamen official. The young man he was "holding hostage" with his arms around his shoulders must be a few years older than him. The coarse linen robe he wore was not torn but also very old.
The Jinpao yamen pushed the young man in sackcloth onto a chair and said, "Brother Hongguang, please sit down!"
The young man in linen clothes had a wry smile on his face, "Jing Shen, why do you want to invite me to dinner again today? It's always like this, but Brother Yu has nothing to repay, and I feel really uneasy."
Jing Shen sat down next to him, but seemed to still be prepared for him to escape, "Brother Hongguang, you are overthinking. Today is not a dinner treat for you, but a dinner for our studio."
"That's right. I've been waiting for the five of us to be in the same room for more than two years. After the government exam is over, it's time to go our separate ways. It won't be easy to get together in the future." Another person with a round face helped.
Hong Guang was a little surprised, "Even if we have a meal, shouldn't we still be ranked at the bottom?"
Jing Shen said disapprovingly, "Originally, among the five of us, Brother Hongguang was the only one who had a chance of passing the exam. However, when you took the exam, you were still ill and didn't even finish answering the papers. So you were definitely going to fail. So where are we?" We have to wait until the results are released."
"Besides, you don't plan to read anymore, so we don't want to hang around anymore..." The little round face spread his hands.
Hong Guang was shocked, "Huh?! I stopped reading out of necessity. Jing Shen, Cong Yi, Zhang Ze, Liang Miao, why are you doing this!?"
Jing Shen said calmly, "I know my own business. I'm not good at studying at all. If my father hadn't forced me, I wouldn't have entered a private school. Haha, fortunately, I entered a private school and met Brother Hongguang. I benefited a lot, so I didn't I am still as confused as before. Since Brother Hongguang is leaving the university, there is no point in me staying. It just so happens that my father has found a future for me, so I might as well give it a try."
"Oh? Could it be that your uncle found an official for you?" Hong Guang was a little confused.
Jing Shen shrugged, "My father is just a judge, and he has not made any merits, so how can he be granted the title of wife? I have to thank Brother Hongguang for his teachings. I have read some books attentively in the past two years. Although poetry I haven’t made much progress in the classics, but I am still good at arithmetic. No, the Royal Bank has just been established and is short of manpower. My father asked His Highness King Yan for a favor and let me go and try out the job."
When Zhao Mengqi heard this, he realized that this boy was the son of Zhou Chengji, the general judge of Pingjiang Prefecture.
A few days ago, Zhou Chengji mentioned it to him. At that time, he was a little surprised. He admired Zhou Chengji's forward vision. You must know that in later generations, many officials liked to arrange their children to work in banks.
Nepotism is unavoidable in the power field at any time. As long as he is qualified for the position, Zhao Mengqi is not very repulsive to it. After all, he also needs to win people's hearts.
At this time, Hong Guang was sincerely happy for Zhou Jingshen, "Royal Bank, that is very good. Although there is no official title, it is actually better than many idle officials. What about you three?"
The round-faced Li Congyi smiled and said, "Actually, I'm still staying in the government school, but I just want to enter the medical school. I passed the interview with Chongtai Physician a few days ago, and I can enroll next month."
"Medical school? You are already 21, it is still too late to study medicine?" Hong Guang was stunned.
Li Congyi blinked, "I have read some medical books before, and I know a little bit about it, and the trauma department does not have high basic requirements. Anyway, everyone is learning from scratch. What is needed is a bold, careful and steady hand. Hehe, I was greedy when I was young. I learned embroidery skills from my mother, but I never thought I could use them in medical skills..."
"I'm still studying in the government," Cheng Chize said, "but I'm going to the Agricultural College. As you know, my family is in the flower business. I've been playing with flowers and plants since I was a child. Learning this can be considered a bit of a foundation, and even if I don't have anything to do with it in the future, If you have no future, you will have to go home and inherit the family business."
Finally, it was Yue Liangmiao's turn, and he said gloomily, "My family wants me to stay in the government school and try another science exam, but I don't want to."
"Then what are your plans?" All four classmates looked at him.
Yue Liangmiao's face turned red, and after a while he finally said, "I...I actually want to go to Dongwei to apply."
"What?! Are you going to be a soldier!?" The four of them were surprised.
"What's wrong with being... a soldier?" Yue Liangmiao frowned, "Why don't you bring a Wu hook and collect the fifty states in Guanshan? Please go to Lingyan Pavilion for a while, as if you are a scholar and a marquis of ten thousand households? His Highness King Yan has said many times that you should pay more attention to literature than to literature. Wu is wrong. Those who can protect their families and country are real men and heroes! Now that the Central Plains is in ruins and the Tartars are oppressing them, it is the time to pledge oneself to the country. I am fortunate to have the same surname as Yue Wumu, and I should take him as my surname. Role model, be a good man who stands upright and upright!"
"The soldiers under the command of King Yan look unusual. They have strict military discipline and are very kind to the people. They are also very high-spirited. They are very different from the soldiers I have seen before. Speaking of which, I have also had I want to be in the middle of it, but my body is so thin that I can't carry it on my shoulders or lift it with my hands." Hong Guang was full of emotion.
Then Zhou Jingshen said sarcastically, "Liang Miao, don't get excited. We are not saying that being a soldier is not good... However, I heard that Dongwei recruits only those who are fifteen or sixteen years old. You are already eighteen, so you shouldn't be able to go." If I go to another army, I'm afraid I won't be able to get ahead. You and I have heard about the bad habits in the army."
"I know this." Yue Liangmiao nodded and whispered, "I have inquired carefully. Dongwei recruits generally only recruit people around fifteen years old. They say they are to avoid too many bad habits. However, if they are proficient in writing, they can pass the test. If so, the age requirement can be relaxed appropriately, and I think I should be fine."
"Actually, it is said that after mastering the science of trauma, there is a high probability that he will serve in the military and be called a military doctor. In this way, I can be regarded as joining the army." Li Congyi patted Yue Liangmiao on the shoulder, "Hey, maybe you will be a military doctor in the future. You have to rely on me to save your life..."
"Crow's Mouth!" Cheng Chize laughed and scolded, pushing Li Congyi, and then looked at Yue Liangmiao, "Everyone has his own ambitions. It's definitely not a bad thing for you to join the army, Liangmiao, but are you sure you can convince your family? After all, your family has thousands of acres. I don’t have to worry about food and drink, and I definitely don’t want you to live a life of licking blood from the edge of a knife.”
Yue Liangmiao shook his head, "My father is very stubborn and talks about restoring the glory of our ancestors every day. He always hopes that I can become a Jinshi in high school, so I don't dare to talk to him about it. I planned to apply secretly, but I was not selected. That’s all, but if he enters Dongwei, I don’t believe he would dare to come to the military camp to catch me.”
Hearing this, Zhou Jingshen was so excited that he slapped the table, "Okay, Liangmiao! I usually see you wilting, but I didn't expect you to be so decisive! I admire you!"
"Come on, let's have a drink." Cheng Chize raised his glass, "Now, Brother Hongguang is going to be a teacher at Tianzhuang Primary School. We also have our own visions. Maybe we will be far apart in the future. I hope our friendship will always be strong and full of happiness. Drinking this cup, I wish you all a bright future and great ambitions!"
The five people were full of enthusiasm, their glasses were dry, and they were full of endless longing for their future.
Zhao Mengqi, who was eavesdropping, was not only surprised by the choice of the five people, but also felt happy in his heart.
Among scholars, farmers, industry and commerce, scholars ranked first. Scholars had a strong sense of superiority and despised people from other industries.
Now that Zhao Mengqi is trying to change the Song Dynasty, talents are indispensable in all walks of life. However, most smart people in this era are crowded on the single-plank bridge of the imperial examination. It is actually very difficult to change their ideas.
The students in these five prefectures at present, perhaps because they are "stupid students" but relatively self-aware, have given up on the imperial examinations and passively or actively re-chosen their life paths. This is naturally what Zhao Mengqi likes to see.
Although the vast majority of scholars still hold traditional views, these five people may be just small non-mainstream figures, a drop in the ocean, but at least this change gives Zhao Mengqi hope.
..
