I go to the ancient imperial examinations

Chapter 129 The Beggar's Siege
On February [-]th, the wind and snow that lasted for several days finally stopped, but the snow in the shady place did not melt, and it made people shiver in the morning and evening.

Murata wrapped his cotton-padded jacket tightly, and rubbed his frozen hands after entering the house, "There are still three days until the county test, why is it still not sunny?"

"Cunzheng, drink some hot water to keep you warm." Mrs. Li poured a cup of hot tea and handed it over. Since the day it snowed, she has been struggling with it. The snow finally stopped, but it was still so cold.

"Mother, don't worry, I'm not afraid of the cold, and my clothes are also thick." Zhan Feiyu comforted with a smile, compared to a real farm boy, he was already much better.

This year is a bit of a cold spring, and Meng Tong, who participated in the county examination, is too young to sit in the examination shed for a whole day, which is indeed very painful.

Especially poor peasants, they can only wear a few more layers of single clothes to keep warm. After all, clothes with interlayers cannot enter the examination room.

Whether it's Village Zheng, Mrs. Li and Boss Zhan sitting silently by the side, no matter how distressed he is, Zhan Feiyu can't stop taking the exam.

"However, Xiaoyu is good at studying, so he will definitely pass the exam this time!" Muramasa's deep voice was finally a little more relaxed and smiling.

Regardless of talent, Xiaoyu's study is really hard work, and Chen County Magistrate values ​​​​Xiaoyu, so it is certain that he passed the county examination.

Zhan Feiyu pursed his lips and smiled, "Mom, I have packed all my things. I will go back to Zhuangzi after dinner, and Shiliu will go directly to the examination room. It's too cold, so you don't have to come here."

This time, county magistrate Chen decided to take five exams. In addition, before entering the exam room, he had to check his identity, search his body, etc., and it would take a lot of time. It must be more convenient to live in a farm.

Boss Zhan wanted to speak, but Li looked over. Boss Zhan lowered his head again, but he made up his mind that No. 16 must go to the county and let Xiaoyu take the exam alone. Boss Zhan was not at ease.

At noon, He Sheng drove the carriage to the village to pick up Zhan Feiyu, but at this moment, the sides of the carriage were crowded with villagers.

"Xiaoyu, take the exam hard, don't be afraid, you are still young, you can't do it this year, and you can take the exam next year."

"Whether you, mother-in-law, can speak, Xiaoyu will definitely pass the exam."

"Haha, that's right, Xiaoyu is our little child prodigy in Shangsi County. If she can't pass the exam, who can pass the exam?"

The villagers laughed loudly. They didn't care about the cold weather. You said each sentence with the most sincere blessings.

"Don't get down, don't freeze." The old patriarch raised his hand to stop Zhan Feiyu, who was about to get off the carriage, with a gratified smile on his wrinkled and kind face, "It's the first test, don't panic, you usually If you study hard, you will pass the exam.”

"Grandpa, I know, you should go back quickly, it's too cold today." Zhan Feiyu hurriedly said, the wind picked up in the afternoon, and it blew on his face like a knife. Grandpa can't stand it at this age freeze.

"Okay, grandpa must take care of his health and wait for your good news." The old patriarch nodded with a smile.

"Xiao Yu, the wind is too strong, you get into the carriage and sit down." Muramasa said.

Looking around at the villagers who came to see him off, the villager yelled, "Everyone, make way. After Xiaoyu passes the exam, there will be a running water mat in the village. Let's have a good time."

After a while, the carriage slowly disappeared from everyone's sight. Who would have thought that the little girl two years ago would come to this point.At the beginning, when the clan in the village asked Xiaoyu to study, many people had opinions in their hearts.

But now every household can sell vegetables, and a workshop has been built at the foot of the back mountain. Working in the workshop can earn one or two taels of silver every month, and the money is getting more and more. The people of Jinlin Village are very grateful to Zhan Feiyu.

"When Xiaoyu gains fame, our Jinlin Village will be more prosperous in the future." The old patriarch's voice choked with emotion.

"Old patriarch, I will support you." The village is holding the arm of the old patriarch, and took the words with a smile: "When the weather warms up, we will build the private school, and then there will be more scholars in the village!"

The prosperity of the Zhan clan cannot depend on Xiaoyu alone, but Xiaoyu has made a good start, and it will get better and better in the future!
"Haha, it is said that those little babies in the county start studying at the age of three or four, and my two sons of bitches will be sent to private schools at the age of three. It is better to study for a few more years than others."

"Third brother, you are showing off that you have twin sons!"

"Old Wu, your little girl is also clever, and the private school has been built, so don't be reluctant to part with the money!"

"Is this me someone who picks and search? Villager Zheng said before that children in the village don't want to study, and they will be rewarded if they read well. My Erya will definitely study!"

The gathered villagers walked home slowly, read the book, and became sensible!Even if he can't take the imperial examination like Xiaoyu, he can still go to work in a workshop, maybe he can even be a manager. There is hope for this day.

……

In a blink of an eye, three days had passed, and before dawn, He Nuan entered the bedroom with hot water, not surprised that Zhan Feiyu had already dressed.

"Ah Nuan, comb my hair first." Zhan Feiyu quickly tied up his clothes. In order to adapt to the weather, there was no charcoal in the house for the past two days, and he was shivering in the cold in the morning.

Looking at Zhan Feiyu who was sitting obediently in front of the dressing table, a smile flashed in He Nuan's eyes. The young lady could write well with her hands, but she couldn't comb her hair.

He Nuan combed her hair and said, "It's still early, I asked the kitchen to make small wontons and hard-boiled eggs. Miss, it's fine to eat more in the morning, just drink less water."

"Okay." Zhan Feiyu touched the bun that had been fixed, admiring it, not only is it beautiful but also stable, unlike the hair I combed myself, it would definitely fall apart after a large movement.

After everything was tidied up, lanterns were hung on both sides of the carriage to illuminate it, and He Sheng drove the carriage towards the county seat.

Two quarters later.

"Woo!" He Sheng reined in the reins, and the carriage stopped.

A group of beggars in ragged clothes suddenly appeared on the official road. At first glance, there were three or forty people, blocking the official road.

"Grandpa, please give me something to eat." The old beggar with disheveled hair yelled at the top of his voice, but he was definitely full from the sound of his voice, otherwise he wouldn't have the strength to shout .

"We've been hungry for three days! We can't walk anymore!" The beggar sat down on the ground, as if he was really tired and paralyzed.

"There is food in the carriage!"

In the group of beggars, voices could be heard from time to time. Suddenly, someone threw a handful of copper coins in the direction of the carriage, and the scene was completely chaotic.

"This is my father's, get out!"

"Don't rob, who dares to rob me of my money!"

"There are silver coins! There is silver in the carriage!" A few handfuls of copper coins are enough to drive a group of beggars in ragged clothes crazy, let alone broken silver.

He Sheng's eyes turned cold, and the whip in his hand pushed back the beggars who were pushing over, and then slammed the whip on the horse's buttocks. The horse screamed in pain, raised its hooves and galloped forward.

"Ah!" The beggars who were picking up money yelled in horror. No one thought that He Sheng would dare to hit people with a carriage, and rolled over to both sides of the official road in fright.

"The carriage hit a man to death! Don't let him run away!" It wasn't just someone who shouted.

The old beggar who was picking up copper coins was suddenly pushed out and fell in the middle of the road with a bang, his whole body was stunned.

At this moment, if the carriage didn't stop, the old beggar would surely die under the hooves of the horse; but once it stopped, twenty or thirty beggars would rush forward, and the carriage would definitely be unable to leave.

On the horse not far away, Zhan Feiyu was tightly wrapped by a thick cloak, leaving only a small head exposed, "Big brother, did someone from the same family or the Qin family instigate it?"

In the past few days, Shangsi County has been very strict. The police patrol the streets from time to time. The local ruffians are warned not to cause trouble, and the beggars blame them and arrange them to live in the ruined temple.

Several merchants with examinees are still giving out porridge for half a month in the ruined temple, accumulating charity for their children in order to pass the county examination, so so many beggars must not be local to Shangsi County.

"It's related to the Qin family, sit still." Yin Wuyan said in a deep voice, wrapping Zhan Feiyu's waist with one hand and the rein with the other, the horse galloped instantly.

The beggars surrounded the carriage, but they didn't notice the galloping horse, and even if they did, they couldn't stop it.

"Empty?" As the curtain of the carriage was lifted, a man among the beggars frowned, and quickly turned his head to look at the steed that had gone away, and the expression on his dirty face instantly darkened.

"Ah!" Suddenly, the beggar who was picking up the copper coins on the ground exclaimed, "There are officers and soldiers coming..."

A group of beggars raised their heads abruptly, and at some point they were surrounded by the officers and soldiers of the Nanxuan Guard. In the light of the morning light, the silver sword gleaming made all the beggars tremble with fear.

"Take them all away!" The leader Xiaoqi gave an order, and the officers and soldiers rushed forward, and tied up the group of beggars who deliberately made trouble in a short time.

At the same time, on the East Street leading to the examination room, one carriage after another was congested, and the lanterns hanging on the carriages illuminated the dark night.

"I know there are many people, but I don't know there are so many." Zhan Feiyu stretched his neck and looked forward, unable to see the end at a glance. It seemed that the carriages of the entire Shangsi County were gathered here.

"Shangsi County is a medium-sized county, and there are at least three or four hundred candidates for each county examination." Yin Wuyan replied, slowing down his horse and passing slowly from the far left side of the street.

Three or four hundred candidates can finally pass the county examination, but less than 50 people pass the county examination. The key is that this is only the first one, and there will be government examinations and hospital examinations after that. In the end, there are only a hundred people who can get the title of scholar. Zhan Feiyu has to sigh with emotion. difficult.

There are more than 300 examinees, plus the adults who send the exam, the noise gathers together, and it is lively to watch.

"Big brother, I can just go to line up by myself." Zhan Feiyu looked up at Yin Wuyan beside him.

Someone just came and took the horse away, leaving the basket and the stove behind.

Zhan Feiyu is now wrapped in a thick cloak, and holding the heater in her hand is not too cold, but she is worried that Yin Wuyan, who is carrying the test basket, will feel too noisy, and there are too many people, if someone brushes past him, he must not Habit.

"It's okay." Yin Wuyan said with a low and indifferent word, holding the test basket in his left hand, and resting his right hand on Zhan Feiyu's shoulder, he put the person by his side and went to the front line.

The test shed faces south from the north, and there are east and west gates in the south, surrounded by wooden fences, and there is a large courtyard. The north of the courtyard is the main entrance, called Longmen, and behind the Longmen is a large courtyard for candidates to wait for their names.

At this moment, every 50 people lined up in a line, and Zhan Feiyu came early and was not in a hurry to stand in front. Instead, he was at the end of the line, and Yin Wuyan was still standing on her right.

"Little brother, is this your daughter? Come to take the exam too?" The middle-aged man wrapped in a wolf fur coat couldn't help asking. It was the first time he saw a little girl come to take the exam, and he stared at Zhan Feiyu. After looking at Yin Wuyan several times, he looked at Yin Wuyan in a strange way, this must be a rich man!
Zhan Feiyu suppressed a smile, shaking his shoulders.

Yin Wuyan was wearing a black robe today, his face was disguised, his complexion looked a little darker, and he looked 25 or [-] years old, and with that indifferent aura, it was not surprising that he had an eight or nine-year-old daughter.

"Little brother, the tall one in front is my youngest son. I killed a tiger a few years ago, and now I have money to send my youngest son to study." The name of the fish.

But looking at her chubby little face, the man said enthusiastically: "As the saying goes, meeting is fate, why don't we set up a family with a son and daughter? My youngest is very smart."

Uh... Zhan Feiyu's smile froze, and the topic jumped too fast.

Still ignoring the people around him, Yin Wuyan took the copper heater and handed the test basket to Zhan Feiyu, and took off her cloak, "Let's go."

"Yeah." Nodding obediently, Zhan Feiyu walked forward quickly with the test basket in hand.

Catcher Fei smiled and motioned Zhan Feiyu to put the test basket on the table. The person who searched Zhan Feiyu was a fat aunt who used to be in charge of guarding female prisoners in the county government.

In addition to food and water, there were also pens and ink for the exam in the exam basket, and Catcher Fei checked them one by one.

The fat aunt who searched was very polite to Zhan Feiyu, and checked that there was no entrainment. Her inner clothes were single clothes, and the outermost was a warm silver fox fur without lining. "Okay, Miss Zhan, please."

Zhan Feiyu walked towards the main entrance of the test shed, that is, the Dragon Gate, and in response to the good omen of Yu Leaping over the Dragon Gate, Zhan Feiyu stopped and looked back.

The lights were dim, and Yin Wuyan's figure stood impressively under the light. Zhan Feiyu still showed a bright smile across the distance, and then strode into the dragon gate.

Standing in the yard, Zhan Feiyu looked around and received many kind looks. Although she was studying in the county school, her name had already spread all over Shangsi after Wan Yunhao was poisoned to death. county.

When he saw Zhan Dalang not far away, Zhan Feiyu was slightly taken aback, and then he figured it out. Mr. Xie planned to marry his youngest daughter to Da Lang. No matter what the situation of the second room was, Mr. Xie would definitely support Da Lang to study. .

Turning his head away abruptly, Zhan Dalang clenched his hands tightly, with resentment and hatred on his face, but in the end it turned into unwilling indifference. In the past, he was the eldest grandson of Zhan's family, and he was a scholar who could take the imperial examination, but Zhan Feiyu After entering school, everything changed.

Before, Zhan Dalang also hated him, and even wanted to take revenge, but as Zhan Feiyu's reputation became more and more famous, Zhan Dalang was discouraged, and he only dared to curse secretly in his heart.

Qian Pingchao withdrew his gaze, and was not surprised that Zhan Feiyu could enter the examination room on time, but old man Huang didn't want her to take the county test, so there must be another way.

(End of this chapter)