Over there, besides, with the Zhou brothers and a group of literary friends, gathered at a table to eat and drink. Zhou Dingcheng, who was supposed to sit at the table of the clock, also came over to have fun, he just didn't like to talk to people he didn't know, in the Zhou family, he usually hid in his room to write and paint, or he took the two boys out to enjoy the scenery.

"Xiaoyou, I'm also a little vulgar, congratulations," Zhou Dingcheng raised his glass to congratulate.

"What's this, Wenbin is the first name in Suzhou Mansion in the thirteen-year-old exam, I'm still two years late. "Besides, I really didn't feel any joy in my heart, after all, it was just a children's test, and the first place didn't make much sense.

"Sooner or later, as long as you pass the exam, you are all heroes, and if you don't pass the exam, you are all bears. Wen Bin took a big sip of wine and said with great interest.

Obviously, this situation reminded him of the grand occasion when he was admitted to the top of Suzhou Mansion. On that day, the Zhou family's color shed occupied a whole street, and the people who came to congratulate them came in waves, just like rushing to the market at the end of the year.

Everyone thought that he could make persistent efforts and go to the next city in the township test, and fight to come back. It's a pity that when he was seventeen years old, when he took the township test for the first time, he took three exams and was deposed for foul play in the first one.

This was the first time in his life that he suffered a blow and felt the cruelty of fate. In the dark, it seems that there is really a force that controls him, controls everyone, and this is fate.

This theory, known as fatalism in later generations, was decadent, unhealthy, and could even break into feudal superstition, but in the Ming Dynasty, this was the truth of the universe.

"Besides, I'll take the township test again next year, do you want to participate?" Wen Zhengchen asked.

"I don't want to, I'll talk about it later. And shook his head.

Whether it is a township test or a general examination, it is held once every four years, not every year. Even if it is once every four years, and there is a quota limit each time, in the long run, there are still too many people who raise people and scholars, and a huge literati group is formed, and they slowly become vested interests. During the reign of Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty, it was the stage of rapid development of this situation.

Zhou Wenbin raised his glass and said: "Wise, I was too anxious last time, but not only did it not have a good result after the game, but it backfired." ”

Thinking of the last time he was deposed, his heart still hurts.

"What's this? There is a senior in my clan, who has been in the middle of the field all his life, and then everyone persuaded him not to take the exam, but he said that he either wanted to be lifted, or he liked to eat the vermicelli buns in the examination room. Wen Zhengchen laughed.

Everyone laughed, during the township examination, candidates have to stay in a cage-like room allocated by the examination room for three days and three nights, one exam a day, candidates can bring their own food, but the government still has to make some preparations, after all, there are candidates from poor families, in case they faint from hunger in the examination room, the government will be in trouble.

So some people say that participating in the township test is just to eat the fixed vermicelli buns, which is just a kind of sad self-mockery.

Zhou Wenbin said leisurely: "This vermicelli bun, I hope I eat it again, I don't want to eat it again in this life, let me tell you, I will vomit when I see the bun now." So what soup dumplings, crab roe buns, and crystal buns are now in my house have been removed from the recipe. ”

Zhou Dingcheng said disappreciably: "You are called choking and giving up food." No wonder I want to eat a steamed bun, I can't make it, the kitchen doesn't say this reason, it's that reason, it turns out that the cause is you. ”

Wen Jie smiled from the side: "You haven't eaten less buns, don't you buy them at the noodle shop every few days?"

Zhou Dingcheng sighed: "How can it be as delicious as it is at home, I still ate crystal buns once when I came back five years ago, it was really delicious, but unfortunately I can't eat it anymore." ”

Zhou Wenbin said with a smile: "It's hard to say, I'll go to Zhengchen tomorrow and tell the kitchen to make crystal buns for you before leaving." ”

Wen Zhengchen said with a greedy expression: "Then can you bring me some." ”

"No, I can't see it, let alone bring it, I want to eat it myself. Wen Bin refused.

Wen Jie took the opportunity to curry favor and said: "Brother Zhengchen, I'll keep it for you, when you come, I'll give it to you secretly." ”

Wen Zhengchen stepped up and said: "Wen Jie, crystal buns are delicious, and vermicelli buns are also to be eaten. ”

"I haven't thought about it yet, so I'll just wait and think about it, and I'll take the test with him. ”

Zhou Dingcheng looked at the two of them and said funny, "You two are not tired of being entangled in the sky, and you will be together in the next examination room." Besides, I'm going to go to Jiangxi to collect medicine in a few days, and you will go with you from the deep mountains and old forests?"

Wen Jie was surprised: "Really?"

"If there's anything true or false, you ask him. By the way, you said that you are ready to set off after the children's test, has the time been set?" Zhou Dingcheng asked.

Besides, he felt that Zhou Dingcheng might be saying kind words, so he said: "Let's go a few days." It won't affect Zhou's seniors' writing and painting, right?"

"I really don't want to go with you, but I can't bear to let you go alone, in case you are eaten by leopards and wild boars, who do I ask for calligraphy and paintings? Zhou Dingcheng said helplessly.

Besides, he also wondered in his heart, he only asked Zhou Dingcheng once when he sent calligraphy and paintings before the boy's test, Zhou Dingcheng said that he had to think about it, and then there was no follow-up, and he didn't want him to take the initiative to bring it up.

What is the reason for this? My father seemed to be sure that Zhou Dingcheng would accompany him without regrets, and he did not make any requests. What's the secret?

If Zhou Dingcheng was really born in Wudang, and his father took refuge in Wudang Mountain in his early years, the common denominator between them is just that. If his father and Zhou Dingcheng had known each other before, it would be impossible for him not to notice it at all, and of course, there was no need for his father to hide a little.

So, is there any secret hidden in the place where the medicine is collected during this trip?

"Besides, do you really want to go to the mountains and old forests to collect medicine?

"It's nothing, I used to collect medicine from my father when I was young, and I was used to sleeping in the open. In the past few years, because I had to study, my father didn't let me go anymore. Besides, I said.

Everyone showed surprised expressions, they really didn't expect that they all thought that they had grown up in a greenhouse just like themselves.

"Boy, don't be stubborn, I'll see if you can endure the bitterness when the time comes. Zhou Dingcheng said.

Wen Zhengchen showed a puzzled expression and asked, "Uncle Zhou, why did you accompany him?"

Zhou Dingcheng is a well-known "thorn", no one buys his account, why is he willing to put down his body, endure so much hardship, and be a bodyguard, this thing is indeed a bit weird.

"Because where he's going, I'm going too, and I'm just going to go. ”

Zhou Dingcheng replied simply, then turned his face to look at the people at their table, but actually told everyone not to ask this question. Everyone also saw that he seemed to have something on his mind, so they all shut up and began to drink.

"By the way, didn't Zhengming say that he was coming? Why did he miss the appointment again?" Zhou Wenbin suddenly remembered.

Wen Zhengchen shook his head and smiled bitterly: "He is now Brother Bohu's follower, he is on call, and he was caught on hard work." I can't help myself. ”

When I heard Wen Zhengming's name, I felt depressed. He didn't know how many times he had planned these days, he wanted to see Wen Zhengming, there was clear news, where was Wen Zhengming, but when he arrived, either Wen Zhengming had just left, or he didn't come at all. Only one thing is certain, he has always been with Tang Bohu, and the two of them plan and design a huge garden together.

It is said that Wen Zhengming was not interested in this, and he did not understand architecture, so Tang Bohu just caught him.

Wen Zhengchen turned his head to look at the situation and said with a smile: "Don't worry about it, you can always see it." In the past, he was drier than me, and these days have made Brother Bohu miserable. ”

"Will you take the next township test next year?" Zhou Wenbin asked.

Wen Zhengchen replied: It should be the end. I asked him, and he was hesitant, but I knew him, and if he was allowed to pass a township test, he would definitely not be able to stand it. ”

"That is, Brother Zhengming's talent is not under Brother Bohu, and I want Brother Bohu to pass the exam in one fell swoop, what a scenery it is. This time it's Brother Zhengming's turn. Zhou Wenbin sighed.

"If you want to think like this, the two of you are really staggered, you are both people who can pick up the crown of Xie Yuan, but there is only one Xie Yuan. Wen Zhengchen said.

Zhou Wenbin sighed and said, "I don't dare to think that it is not surprising that Xie Yuan is really so easy." ”

Zhou Dingcheng, who had never spoken, took over at this time: "Exactly, you are still young, you have not seen it, and you have not really experienced the sadness of the examination room, and I have not experienced it, but I have seen a lot." You just said that going to the deep mountains and old forests is hard and dangerous, but in fact, the hardest and most dangerous thing in this world is the imperial examination. ”

"But there are also those who have a smooth journey and are on the rise. Wen Zhengchen was a little unconvinced.

"You've read too many novels, and you think you'll be a solution and a champion in the next exam. Let's talk about Tang Bohu, three years ago, he got a solution, and he thought that Lao Tzu was the first in the world. My temperament is also becoming more and more arrogant, and sometimes I can't look past it. I'm afraid I'm going to have to fight and suffer in the future. ”

Zhou Wenbin and the others felt uncomfortable when they heard this, Tang Bohu was the idol of these people, their spiritual leader, and his appeal was a few points greater than that of Lian Daning. If these words were not from Zhou Dingcheng's mouth, they were afraid that they would be shooting the case, and they would look at each other angrily.

After that, Tang Bohu, who had infinite scenery, really planted a big heel fight, and fell to the bottom and failed to stand up. This is a later story, so I won't mention it for the time being.

"Uncle Zhou, you are rich and famous now, but you have no fame, if you are asked to choose again, one side is the rich one, and the other side is the champion of the Jinshi, which one do you choose. Wen Zhengchen asked.

Zhou Dingcheng was speechless, this question really can't be answered.

On the one hand, you can get power, and on the other hand, you can also get wealth, which is the dream of every scholar. For thousands of years, it is this sentence that has inspired scholars in all dynasties to study hard, in order to develop in the future, and then the power and money can be exhausted.

So in the Ming Dynasty, I don't know who came up with a tricky and strange proposition: if you want to be rich or famous, you can only choose one. Is he willing to be rich and noble all his life, but he has no fame, or he is the top student in high school, but he waves goodbye to wealth.

In practice, this will not happen, and the person who is the top student in high school will never be poor, but this is how the proposition is set. Therefore, too many literati fell into it, felt that they could not choose, and in the end, almost all of them chose fame, preferring to abandon wealth and nobility.

This is the same as the proposition of "mother and wife fell into the river at the same time, which one do you save first?", there is no solution.

Zhou Dingcheng thought for a long time, but finally said: "Neither of these is important to me, as long as it can make me live a happy life like this." If there are national treasure-level calligraphy and paintings for me to enjoy every day, it is to make me a god, and I will not go. ”

"Uncle Zhou, I digress. You have to choose, you can only choose one, you choose that?"

Zhou Dingcheng didn't answer, but asked, "Boy, how do you choose?"

"My choice is the same as yours. Besides, he said.

He really thinks like this, you don't want fame and wealth, as long as you can live a stable life, while practicing medicine, while reading, writing and painting, it is a fairy-like life.

"Good boy, it's really my generation. Zhou Dingcheng patted him on the shoulder and said approvingly.

"Uncle Zhou is cheating, and he is not allowed to choose. "Wen Zhengchen is unrelenting.

"You kid, when you get my age, you'll know that these two really don't matter. What is important is what is usually in front of you, but you ignore it. ”

Zhou Dingcheng suddenly spoke Zen words. After hearing this, everyone seemed to have a deep meaning, and they couldn't help but bow their heads and chew on its meaning. How did Zhou Madzi suddenly change a person.

"Senior, do you really plan to accompany me to Jiangxi?"

While others are not paying attention, he asked quietly. This question hangs in my heart, and it is really uncomfortable.

Zhou Dingcheng nodded, then looked at the people around him, and then looked at the situation, this time he sighed: "The little bird is going to spread its wings and fly high." ”

Besides, I heard it inexplicably, and suddenly felt that there was really something in common between him and his father.

This common place seems to hide a kind of crisis, even a murderous opportunity, that can erupt at any time.

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