In February, the spring is warm and the snow is melting, and the mountains are ushering in a good season.

Zhang Yue and Guo Lin are both studying in an orderly manner, preparing for the county school entrance examination.

And before the exam, they have to write ten public papers.

Xingjuan is the imperial examination culture since the Tang Dynasty, and the reader should dedicate the poems he is proud of to the examiner before the examination, and he will be familiar with them.

If you send a few articles after an interval of a few days, it is called a warm roll.

In the Song Dynasty, there was a system of vague names. At first, in addition to the provincial examination with a vague name, the examination is still not vague, and even the examination is also vague after the Tiansheng Year, so the imperial examination atmosphere is much better, and he no longer grabs his head to go to the line of scrolls and wants to go through the door and the joint, and it is gradually fair for the poor scholars.

The name is only to solve the test, and when it comes to the first layer of the county school record test, it is still not a name. But the atmosphere of the imperial examination has changed, and some people feel that there is no need to go through such a big deal anymore. But in fact, it is not, the line paper still has to be submitted, so at least it seems that I understand the rules.

Speaking of the papers, the habit of warm rolls was regarded as a first-class backdoor disadvantage in the Tang Dynasty, otherwise the Song Dynasty would not have a vague name system, but then again, all candidates can do papers, but if you don't do the papers, then you are sick.

In the county examination, in the end, whether or not to admit or not depends on the opinion of the examiner.

According to Guo Xuexue's words, the county school record test said that there were five people in Jinshizhai and ten people in Jingshengzhai, but there must have been candidates who passed the list, and the exam was just a formality.

And they have to compete with the rest of the people for the final spot.

If the article can be appreciated by the county order, you can get the qualification for the general list first, if not, you still have to go back to the exam.

So here's the problem.

Candidates for the Jinshi Department can send poems and essays that they are proud of on weekdays, so what do the candidates of the Jingshi Department who only rely on rote memorization send? At home, I wrote a note on the scriptures and sent them to the examiner, saying that I wrote them silently at home, what is the difference between this and taking off my pants and farting.

But in the end, there is a way, so write 'righteousness'.

During the Qingli period, Fan Zhongyan carried out the imperial examination reform, which added the content of the examination for the candidates of various subjects, and the last one had to test ten 'great righteousness'. It wasn't until after Fan Zhongyan's failure to change the law that the general righteousness was abolished in the recent examinations.

The great righteousness is the great meaning of 'subtle words', that is, the examiner extracts a few sentences from the meaning of the scriptures, and then asks the candidates to use the annotations of the scriptures to deal with them and then polish the inventions.

This is actually somewhat similar to the study of chapters and sentences, compared with the Ming and Qing Bagu texts, but there are no formal constraints.

Guo Xuezhi asked Guo Lin and Zhang Yue to write ten 'righteousness' articles to submit to the county order within ten days.

Guo Lin is very serious about writing about 'righteousness', and people who read books have such thoughts, and writing a shocking article is a blockbuster, and Luoyang paper has been appreciated by nobles after being expensive, and has been on the rise since then.

Guo Linzi is no exception, looking at his serious posture, it seems that he wants to integrate his hard work of reading for so many years into these 'great righteousness'.

As for Zhang Yue, his interest was indifferent, mainly because of the prejudice against Baguwen in later generations, so he really had little interest in Baguwen. And speculation through the scroll is really not a good chance. Some people still read the poems and words, but the righteousness was really not seen by anyone in the Song Dynasty.

The most important thing is that Zhang Yue has another way. If it weren't for the fact that the Pucheng County Order is still a little righteous and has a good official reputation, Zhang Yue would have been dedicated to going through the back door a long time ago.

Guo Lin had no way, so he put all his hopes on the scroll.

Although Zhang Yue thought so in his heart, he still wrote the Ten Righteous Paths. After all, the process still has to be followed.

Once you've written it, you'll have to submit it.

Normally, you have to go to the county seat. However, Guo Xuejiu had already inquired about it, and in a few days, the county order would go to Chenwu Village, not far from Wuxi, to inspect the nongsang, and then they could go to the face to face to make the papers, which was much better than sending them to the county government and not even seeing them in person.

For this reason, Guo Xuezhi asked the village old to inquire about the whereabouts of the county order, and after inquiring several times, he finally determined the next date and itinerary.

Just three days later.

It was not dawn that day, and the master got up to cook for Zhang Yue and Guo Lin.

After the two of them ate a half-full vegetable soup, they went out with stars and moons, and the rolls were all placed in the roll bag and placed close to their bodies.

Before leaving, Guo Xuezhi explained that the two of them would look for Li Zheng when they arrived in Chenwu Village, and he had already done it.

Before the hour, when Zhang Yue and Guo Lin rushed to Chenwu Village, they thought they would see a scene of loess mat road and golden drums singing in unison, but they didn't see anything, not even a bird.

Guo Lin found an old farmer and asked, "Old man, I heard that Lingjun came to the township to inspect today, I don't know when he came?" ”

Guo Lin didn't ask, but when he asked, the old farmer immediately scolded: "I don't know which thief and bird, I robbed Lingjun halfway......

"Huh?"

Zhang Yue said in his heart, this is the Water Margin?

The old farmer's speech was slurred, and the two of them asked for a long time to understand the reason.

It turned out that the county order did come to inspect Chenwu Village today, and it was almost there, but the people of the former village halfway to Chenwu Village had to pass through a bridge, and they were unloaded last night.

"Who is so arrogant and unreasonable? What are the means of making such a degrading disorder? ”

"Who else could it be? It's the seedling who regards wealth as his life, I'm fucking it! The old farmer scolded.

Zhang Yue and Guo Lin glanced at each other, it was really where they didn't meet in their lives.

"Why would Miao Yuanwai rather offend the people of a village than intercept Ling Jun at his place!"

"How do I know?"

Zhang Yue asked, "Okay, then the old man told me how to go to Qiancundang?" ”

The old farmer said, "The bridges have been dug up, and the road has to be detoured for two hours." ”

Guo Lin and Zhang Yue glanced at each other, so what should I do? You'll have to go around it, too.

So Guo Lin and Zhang Yue set off to wade through mountains and rivers and rushed to the village outside Miaoyuan.

There are many places on the road to wade through water, not to mention the cold water of the stream, and you must be careful to wet the roll bags. Zhang Yue was exhausted all the way, and here he also wanted to sincerely greet the old lady outside the Miao Yuan.

The two of them finally arrived at the ground after noon, and this time it was really early in the morning and rushed to a late meeting.

The entrance of the village is an avenue, leading directly to the county seat, which is sprinkled with loess, and there are two rows of mulberry trees on the left and right sides of the road, and a two-wheeled caravan with a curtain is parked on the avenue at the entrance of the village.

Obviously, the county order has entered the village.

There were also a few men standing at the entrance of the village who were five big and three rough and said: "There are nobles in the village today, and if you don't have anything to do with them, avoid them quickly." ”

Guo Lin stepped forward and said, "I'm here to see Ling Jun." ”

"Oh? Who are you? Why did you come to meet Lingjun? The leader looked Guo Lin up and down, and the octopus looked a little unkind.

Zhang Yue is about to ask Guo Lin not to tell him directly, can you manage it directly? A few of them did not dare to stop the scholars.

But Guo Lin said honestly: "We have a few volumes to present to Ling Jun for review. ”

Several people showed a sudden look, and the man said: "Ling Jun is tired, it is inconvenient to see guests today, you better go back!" ”

Guo Lin hurriedly said: "How can this be made?" We walked all the way to see Lingjun. ”

"I'm sorry, we are ordered not to let strangers into the village."

Guo Lin was so anxious that he was about to cry at the moment, how many days he had written, if he couldn't hand it over to the county order in advance, his years of hard work would be in vain.

"No, I have to go in today...... Even if you climb it, you will climb in. ”

Hearing Guo Lin say this, several villagers were on guard as if they were facing a great enemy.

And Zhang Yue looked at the village at this moment, but suddenly waved his hand and said, "Sanniang...... Sanniang...... Here......"

Guo Lin heard Zhang Yue say this, followed his gaze, but at this moment, he suddenly turned his back with a big red face and said, "Senior brother, let's come back another day......"

Zhang Yue: "??? ”

"Senior brother! Look at me! Zhang Yue hugged Guo Lin's waist hard and pulled him back like a tug-of-war.

"Senior Brother, Senior Brother Zhang, what are you doing here?"

The moment Guo Lin heard Miao Sanniang's voice, he suddenly stopped struggling, and the whole person seemed to be drained of energy.

Zhang Yue held Guo Lin and reluctantly smiled at Miao Sanniang and said: "Senior sister hasn't seen you for a long time, we want to meet Ling Jun, these people refuse, senior brother has to break in, don't you pull me to pull senior brother?" ”

"I see!" Miao Sanniang suddenly smiled and said, "They are my classmates, not outsiders, let them in!" ”

"Yes, Sanniang." Several people immediately got out of the way.

"Come in."

Immediately, Miao Sanniang led the way, and Zhang Yue and Guo Lin followed aside.

"Senior sister, why don't they let us in?"

Miao Sanniang smiled and said: "This is what Daddy meant, he took a lot of effort to invite Lingjun here today, not to let my unsuccessful brother enter the county school." ”

"I see." Zhang Yue suddenly understood.

Guo Lin hurriedly said: "Sanniang, then I don't know if it will disturb us if we go in like this?" ”

Zhang Yue turned his head and glanced at Guo Lin, full of disdain.

Miao Sanniang smiled: "Don't bother if you don't bother, don't I know my brother's ability to study?" Since I was a child, I haven't been as good as Dalian. ”

"Just a few days ago, my father heard Xiangshi say that my brother will have a big luck in the next two years, so he is convinced."

Guo Lin and Zhang Yue both laughed when they heard this.

Zhang Yue said in his heart, if Miao Yuan really had a way in the county order, he would not make such a trivial means as digging off the bridge.

Miao Sanniang said: "My father and Ling Jun have eaten at the ancestral hall now, and you are waiting outside the ancestral hall, and when Ling Jun comes, you will hand over the scroll." ”

"Isn't it a prophet member?"

Miao Sanniang smiled and said: "Senior brother, you are really a sincere person, with my father's temperament, will he be willing?" ”

Guo Lin lowered his head and said, "Sanniang, you don't hesitate to offend your father and brother, but you also want to help me and my junior brother, right?" ”

"No, just to vent the bad spirit. Who made Daddy never look at me with a straight eye. Miao Sanniang clenched her hands and said.

Guo Lin and Zhang Yue were waiting at the door of the ancestral hall, and at this time, some villagers saw that the situation was not right and wanted to persuade them to quit. But I wanted the county order to be inside, and Miao Sanniang was on the side, so I didn't dare to make a mistake.

At this time, the county order has been slowly paced out from the ancestral hall.

Seeing that there were only about 30 people in the county order in the past, he talked with Miao Dalang outside the Miao Yuan, and walked like a leisurely stroll on the other hand.

Just now during the banquet, he had already seen that this Miao family man was not the material for reading, and he asked a few words and didn't know where he flew, but fortunately his cronies brought the conversation back, and the scene was already very embarrassing.

But the reason why he is still very enthusiastic about the seedlings is because the seedlings are willing to contribute. There is no way, the minister in the yamen does not have enough money, and the subsidy for the job field is just that.

When he was a scholar, he couldn't get used to this kind of autumn wind behavior, but in the position of the county magistrate, everything was difficult, so sometimes he had to bend down to pick up money.

After a while, the county magistrate walked out of the ancestral hall and saw two young people waiting there.