Powerful Song Dynasty

Chapter 2
In the county school, Wang Xiu reported to an old scribe who was about [-] years old. The process was also very simple, nothing more than whether there was any crime during this period.

The Song Dynasty was extremely tolerant in selecting scholars, whether they were scholars, farmers, businessmen, monks or Taoists, they could participate in the military state examination.However, there are restrictions if you have excellent content. Not everyone is eligible. Except for non-natives, you are not allowed to participate in the state test. Those who commit crimes, fight and do not care about their parents are all ineligible to participate in the test.Scholars from the county school were paid attention by the local government to judge whether they were qualified to participate in the examination.

In the bright and bright schoolhouse, the old scribe's expression was half a smile, and he glanced contemptuously at Wang Xiu who had just entered, and casually said to a fat man at the table: "It's useless for you to sign up, I'd better save a few round trips." .”

"Knowing that there are tigers in the mountains, I prefer to go to the mountains of tigers."

Wang Xiu couldn't see the fat man's face, but he could only see the pile of fat trembling and sweating profusely. This guy can really talk nonsense, probably enough for a tiger to eat.

After the old scribe recorded the names, the fat man turned around contentedly, smiled at Wang Xiu, and said humorously: "Idiot Wang, we are really suffering brothers and sisters."

Wang Xiu rolled his eyes and scolded you fat man in his heart, who is your brother and sister, he ignored the fat man.

"You idiot, why don't you pretend to be upset with me, cut it." The fat man glanced at Wang Xiu contemptuously, flicked his sleeves and left.

The old scribe's cloudy eyeballs wandered around, glancing at Wang Xiu from time to time, and said after a while, "Wang Dalang, you fought with Popi this morning, and you came back so soon?"

Wang Xiu smiled wryly. It is true that good things do not go out, and evil things travel thousands of miles. He touched the bruised skin on his face, and said softly: "The students have suffered a great loss because of the rascals looking for trouble."

The old scribe's words obviously meant something, and he answered cleverly, positioning that the other party was looking for trouble, he was not fighting but protecting himself.

"Well, although you are a rascal, you are a gentleman and you really shouldn't fight." The old scribe stroked his gray beard and looked at Wang Xiu meaningfully.

"What the old man said is true." Wang Xiu had a headache. The other party was holding on to the scholar. He really couldn't tell. It was related to whether he was eligible to participate in the examination. He must not be careless. Once he was caught, he would have no hope of the imperial examination. , This is the biggest failure in life.

Drunkards don't mean to drink!Glancing at a book on the table, he hesitated a little, gritted his teeth and took out a small bag containing broken silver and a lot of money, and said with a forced smile: "I am very knowledgeable, the student wants to buy the book you always read. If it helps, I hope Lao Su will help me."

Look at this kid on the road!Your brain has become brighter?The old scribe twirled his beard and smiled, his old face twisted into a blooming chrysanthemum.Then again, the salary of the subordinate officials in the prefectures and counties is only two guan and one stone per meter per month. If you don't find something for the students to show filial piety, it can be described as extremely poor.

However, he was still a little worried. Wang Xiu had never honored him with a single penny, so he just wanted to make an excuse. Unexpectedly, the idiot was enlightened. Looking at the small cloth bag, it was estimated that there were seven or eight pieces of silver.The excuse is a bit abrupt, but it still makes people very comfortable. Anyway, this famous nerd can't pass the test, so it's okay to give him a favor.

"It's just a book, I'll just give it to you to read." The difference between Wang Xiu and the old scribe couldn't be easily believed. exiled.

Who is Wang Xiu, once the proud son of heaven, who has never seen such a man, how can he not know what this old boy is thinking, there are differences between the past and the present, but the human heart remains the same, ever-changing and inseparable from it.

Successful people don't care about temporary gains and losses, and they don't know how to be a human being. How can they be superior?Endure, endure this breath!

He lowered his voice, pretending to be sympathetic, and said in a low voice: "Students don't dare to take Lao Su's favorite books. If Lao Su can bear the pain and give up, the students are really grateful." The sour words!Enduring a toothache, he took the dirty book in his hand and turned a page, and continued to say bitterly: "Lao Su Yadao, classics, righteousness, poetry and prose are very important, but miscellaneous studies are a magic weapon for self-cultivation. It can be seen that Lao Su is deeply To receive the teachings of the sages, it is indispensable for students to ask for advice from time to time."

These words make people happy, the old scribe is an unsatisfactory person, some people say that he was taught by the sage, and he suddenly felt that he was born at an untimely time, the contempt for Wang Xiu just now, and immediately made a magnificent change, smiling Mimi He sighed and said: "Ah, it's a pity that the old man has beautiful articles in his chest, but he has to endure the pain of the knife and the pen, time and fate."

Wang Xiu's teeth were so sour that she had goosebumps all over her body, but she had to hold back her smile and said seriously, "Old Su Dade, the students really appreciate it."

"Okay, from now on, we need to study more and avoid hanging out with those warriors. By the way, Zhongli will also participate in the literary meeting five days later. If you come, you will pay fifty coins." The old scribe circled the name with a big stroke of a pen. , he sighed for a long time, as if looking at himself in pity.

Wang Xiu's heart throbbed. The broken silver and big money were saved by the Xie family. They can buy a stone of high-quality japonica rice!It ran out in no time.

Just calm down, the thought of Wenhui being mentioned slipped away again.

The Wenhui is a place where scholars from the county school communicate with each other, and even a place where they learn in disguise.Some people don’t want to go to the state to study, and there is no one to guide them to study at home. Instead of handing in some money and silk every time, regular literary meetings between teachers and scholars are held. The state is also encouraging.

Can you not encourage it!Various expenses are huge these years, and the scholars use the money to communicate, which saves a lot of expenses for the state and county. Mosquitoes are meat no matter how small they are!

Wang Xiu is a sensible person. If he was yesterday, he might not feel it. He only knew how to study hard, but today he understands that this is a good opportunity to learn. He said one thousand words and ten thousand, two words 'no money'.

Fifty Wen is hard for a man!There is only three Wen in Shun's pocket.

He hesitated, but was noticed by the old scribe, and asked, "What's the matter, Dalang, are you still not leaving?"

Wang Xiu took a deep breath and said with an embarrassed smile, "Old Su, fifty Wen is too much, isn't it?"

The old scribe spent his whole life studying in the county, how could he not see Wang Xiu's thoughts, he also knew about the Wang family's affairs, for the sake of Wang Xiu's filial piety, he said slowly: "Fifty essays can't be less."

"This." Wang Xiu was in trouble. It was impossible to ask for money at home, and his eyes were darkened to make money outside.

"However, there is an errand, if you are willing to do it, you can earn thousands of dollars, and you will be spared the fifty cents." There was a hint of cunning in the old scribe's muddy eyes.

Wang Xiu's eyes lit up, and said, "I don't know what kind of errand it is?"

"Boss needs to repair the household registration, and needs a scholar with neat lower script. Seeing that you are usually stupid, but you write neatly. One volume of household registration is [-] yuan, and it is limited to two days. Do you want to do it?"

This is hard work!A volume of household registration is not thick, but it is fine brushwork and small script. The workload is huge and the time is tight. The subordinates of the county government are too lazy to do it. Every time they hire unknown poor scholars to do it. Except for the extremely poor, few people are willing to accept live.

Wang Xiu regretted giving all the money to the old scribe, so he might as well keep dozens of papers for himself!There is no medicine for regret in the world, and good opportunities must not be missed. Although the old scribe is greedy, he still has a bit of conscience. He nodded heavily and said: "One volume, delivery in the afternoon of the day after tomorrow."

The old scribe's face was smiling like a chrysanthemum, and he was able to sit and get a hundred coins again. He was really smart in doing this, and he was more pleasing to Wang Xiu's eyes when he was proud of it. He took out an empty volume and said in a gentle voice, "Hurry up and go back." Bar!"

It turned out that I was ready to find someone to take advantage of, but I had to bow my head under the eaves!If I have money, will I still do this?Wang Xiu pursed her lips and left, leaving the old scribe with an innocent face to admire herself there.

When he got home, he found Wang Cheng's face was ashen, and he kept walking in the house. Mrs. Xie was sitting on a high-back chair with a sad face, and there were two large red-painted wooden boxes in front of the door, and asked strangely: "Dad, Mother, this is."

Wang Cheng snorted coldly, but did not answer, but Mrs. Xie wiped away her tears with a handkerchief, and said, "Brother, you are back, you go back to your room to read first."

Seeing the expression of the two elders, Wang Xiu felt bad for a while, and immediately walked to the wooden box, opened the lid, her eyes were straightened, and the corners of her mouth turned up, and she said with a smile: "It's really a road that never ends."

(End of this chapter)