Good son-in-law of the Ming Dynasty

"What is he doing looking at the inner house?" Xie Ziran is an upright person, but he didn't think of anything else. Hearing what the maid said, he couldn't help asking curiously.

The maid snorted, and said angrily in a low voice: "What else can I do, isn't it just coveting my lady's beauty... Huang Xiucai is already old, and he still thinks about toads and wants to eat swan meat."

"Ha, so that's the case." Speaking of beauty, it seems that Miss Nian doesn't have one.Xie Ranran had only met Ms. Nian a few times when he came to Professor Nian before, and he did not say more than three sentences in total.

In his impression, Miss Nian was yellow and thin, with a lot of freckles on her nose, she was just an ordinary woman.

What kind of eyes is this Huang Dong, who actually fell in love with Miss Nian.

Xie Tianran traveled all over the world for many years, and he didn't think so of what kind of woman he hadn't seen before.

However, on second thought.Huang Dong is almost forty, and his family is quite poor.Professor Nian is well-known in Fengxiang Mansion, and has many connections in official circles.Huang Dong is really not good enough for his young lady, no wonder this maid is so angry.

Seeing the smile on Xie Ranran's face, the servant girl was immediately annoyed and said, "Mr. Xie, are you still smiling?"

Xie Ran hurriedly said: "I don't laugh, I don't laugh."

After talking, the two walked into the yard in front of Nian's house.

Then I saw a woman rushing out with a wooden basin, apparently out to dry clothes, whoever it was if it wasn't Miss Nian.

Probably because she suddenly saw the maid leading Xie Ziran in, Miss Nian was taken aback.Busily put it in the wooden basin, Yifu: "I have seen Mr. Xie."

"Hi, Miss Nian." Xie Ziran cupped his hands.

Miss Nian blushed, and hurriedly turned around and entered the next room. The moment she entered the door, she suddenly looked back at Xie Ranran.

Xie Ranran was thinking about the matter between her and Huang Dong, and found it interesting, his eyes fell on Miss Nian's back, thinking in his heart: Huang Dong is a bad character, he likes to take shortcuts the most.If he were really allowed to marry Miss Nian and become Mr. Nian's son-in-law, the current embarrassing situation could be changed with Master Nian's contacts in the officialdom.To put it harshly, when the time comes, Professor Nian only needs to write a letter of recommendation to Qiu Yue, asking him to be a master in the army.Over the course of a year, dozens of taels of silver have been entered into the project, but it is better than being poor in Fufeng County.

Miss Nian turned her head suddenly, and the eyes of the two met.

Miss Nian was so ashamed, the freckles on her face were red, she hurriedly turned her head and rushed into the house.

Xie Ranran's heart also moved. Thinking of Huang Dong's idea of ​​Miss Nian, he felt inexplicably uncomfortable.

"Could it be that I'm actually attracted to Miss Nian? Hehe, it's impossible. Xie is a good man with ambitions all over the world, how could he be willing to start a family so early. Besides, Miss Nian is really...not a very talented person... Although marrying a wife Marry a virtuous man, but his wife is too ugly, and I can't help myself."

Thinking in my heart, I entered the main room, where the old gentleman was already sitting there waiting.

The teacher and the student said a few words, and Professor Nian asked, "Jun Fu, did you see General Qiu Yue at the front line in Ningxia this time?"

Xie Ran hurriedly said: "If you go back to the professor, see you."

Professor Nian nodded: "Speaking of which, the old man and General Qiu Yue are old acquaintances. You are my most valued student. This time, you must have caught his eye. I heard people say that this time the Shaanxi Provincial Examination Master Su Mu, Master Su Ziqiao, who is the chief examiner, is patrolling education and administration in Ningxia, northern Shaanxi, is there someone in sight?"

Xie Ziran: "Returning to what Mr. Su said, I see. Speaking of it, it is also the students' good luck, but General Qiu ordered the students to escort Student Su to the south. During the half-month journey, the students and Bachelor Su got along day and night, and gained a lot."

Professor Nian was overjoyed, stroking his beard and said joyfully, "Scholar Su was the number one scholar in the previous palace examination, and his knowledge and skill are naturally the best in the world. It is your luck that you can win him. go."

He was extremely satisfied and proud.Thinking to myself: The old lady is still big. Qiu Yue knew that my students were going to take part in this year's provincial examination, so he deliberately arranged for Xie Ziran to escort Su Mu to the south.It seems that it should not be difficult for Xie Ziran to be a candidate in this provincial examination.

The township examination is a national talent ceremony, and candidates who want to use tricks in the examination room will be decapitated for a felony.

But if he could get some word from the chief examiner in advance, it would be within the scope allowed by the imperial court.

As far as Professor Nian knew, there was no provincial examination.Once the chief examiner sent by the imperial court came to Xi'an, the local officials and squires would warmly receive them, thinking that the examiner was careless for a moment, slipped his mouth, and leaked out the questions.

Xie Tianran is a shrewd person, and after getting along with Su Mu for more than half a month, how could he not succeed.

Professor Nian still has great confidence in Xie Ziran. If one of his students can be selected as a candidate, he, as a teacher, will also have a bright face.

After Professor Nian laughed, he asked again: "Junfu, when are you going to Xi'an?"

Xie Ranran: "Professor Hui, the students have just returned to Fufeng, and there are still a lot of family affairs that need to be dealt with. It will be delayed for ten days and a half months. They should be able to leave in the middle of the month."

But he didn't want Professor Nian to be very upset by these words. He snorted and said seriously, "What's the matter? You are the only one in your family. There is no high house to support you, no wife and son, and nothing to worry about when you are naked. Isn't it just thinking about your business? It’s just business, a scholar who doesn’t read sage’s articles, full of copper stink, what’s the point? Everything is inferior, only reading is high, even if you are rich, what’s wrong with you? merchants?"

Professor Nian became more and more excited as he spoke, his voice gradually increased, and finally, he slammed a row of coffee tables.

Heartbroken, he said: "Yes, the old man knows that you have suffered a lot in the past. If you were not in business, you would not be able to study and make progress. But now you are considered to be a hundred acres of fertile land. If you have nothing to do, you just throw money randomly on the street. You are too rich. A scholar, When you are restrained and reserved, gentle and modest, judging by your current appearance, do you still look like a scholar?"

"You don't have to worry about food and clothing now, but you don't want to be happy for a while. It's more important to study and become an official. Business, I want to stop."

Professor Nian's outburst of temper naturally alarmed Ms. Nian and the maid. Xie is an old man with the most sensitive five senses. He found two women's heads shaking outside the window. You don't need to guess to know who they are .

Xie Ranran's heart moved: Is Miss Nian really interested in me, Xie Ranran?

It's a sin, it's the daughter of a mentor, Xie Tianran can't think about it.

He shook his head hurriedly, putting the thought behind him.

Naturally, Xie couldn't understand the meaning of the old master's words.But, now that you have money to study, you don’t need to do business anymore.If you only focus on the exam, the imperial examination is the right way. If you continue to do business like this, even his teacher will lose face.

But naturally, Xie didn't take it seriously. What's wrong with doing business, no one would think he had too much money.Don't say that you are not an official now, even if you become an official in the future, you will need money in the officialdom.Without money, the same will not work.

Now as an official, if you don't have power connections, if you want to be promoted, you have to use money to manage it.

Studying requires money, and being an official also requires money.

More than 100 years after the founding of the Ming Dynasty, the signs of Shangpinwuhanmen became more and more obvious.

Of course, Xie naturally wouldn't say this to the old master, and he couldn't explain the truth for a while.

He interrupted and asked, "Professor, isn't the previous autumn in August, why is it arranged in early September this year?"

Hearing Xie Ziran's question, Professor Nian stopped teaching and replied: "Yes, according to the imperial examination system of our dynasty, the township examination is held in the provincial capital of each province, and it is held every three years. The examination dates are in Zi, Wu, Mao , Autumn and August of the next year, also known as Qiu Wei, is the Zhengke. When the new emperor ascends the pole, birthday, and celebrations, the Jiake is Enke. At that time, the imperial court will select the chief examiner to test the "Four Books", "Five Classics", and policy questions , Stereotyped Essays, etc., the subjects of each dynasty are different. Those who pass the exam are called Juren, and there are three exams, each for three days."

"However, the exam is scheduled for August, but it is only for the provinces in the Guan. Places like Shaanxi and Liaodong have border troubles and a vast territory. Like Shaanxi, a candidate from Tianshui set off from the local area to the provincial capital in June. It’s about to start in January, so how much time do you have to study your homework? Therefore, if the examiner thinks it is necessary, he can make it to the court and postpone it for half a month. Therefore, it is not surprising that today’s Shaanxi provincial examination is scheduled for the first day of September.”

"Oh, that's how it is. The students have been taught." Xie Ziran suddenly realized.

"Jun Fu, you can get the fame of a scholar after four years of study. Although you have studied in private schools for many years in the early years, it is only a few years since you went to the examination room. I have taught students for so many years, and you are the only one who can be worthy Achievement. The old man is still very confident that you will get the title of Juren in this year's provincial examination. However, there are no absolutes. It is better to go to Xi'an earlier and study your homework. You are a restless person by nature. This old man is afraid that you won't be able to calm down and study, and you will miss your future. If you give me a letter of approval today, when will you be able to go to Xi'an?"

After talking for a long time, he came back again.

Xie Ranran felt helpless, he planned to wait until before the exam before going to Xi'an.There are so many affairs in the store, and it takes ten days and a half months to deal with them.

I had no choice but to reply depressedly: "Mr. Hui, the student plans to go to Xi'an in ten days."

"That's good, that's good." Professor Nian heaved a sigh of relief, showing a rare smile on his face.

At this time, suddenly, the voice of Nian's maidservant sounded outside: "Hey, who are you, why are you intruding, do you know where this is?"

Then, another person's voice appeared hoarse and sounded quite old: "Miss, miss, aunt, what are you doing here, go home quickly."

But this person's voice was very familiar, Xie Ranran suddenly remembered that this hoarse person was a distant relative whom he had just invited home to take care of his daughter a month and a half ago, also surnamed Xie, and the family usually called her Mrs. Xie.

Xie Tianran was surprised, why did she come here, maybe her daughter also came.

Sure enough, her crisp voice came: "Xie Xiucai, Xie Xiucai, are you in there? I heard that you have come back, can you find out about my parents?"