Wu Sanfu was chatting happily with a group of Gongzi and a group of students from Shanhai Academy, beckoning Liao Fuzi and others to drink tea, drink and eat food, as if they were the masters, and they couldn't see the slightest displeasure.

"Xuexia, what are you talking about with Gongzi Wei there? Come and play, call Wei Gongzi to accompany Liao Fuzi to drink. Wu Sanfu laughed, looking very happy.

Wu Xuexia pursed her lips, almost speechless for her second brother, secretly wondering why the difference between the second brother and the eldest brother is so big? Or was it not born by a father? Not to mention that I feel sorry for my family, it's just that I went out with so much silver this time, you can't be so close to Wei Bao, who took so much of our silver, right?

Wu Sanfu is such a personality, as long as there are many people, even if Wu Xuexia took out a silver ticket of 10,000 taels of silver in front of him just now, he didn't take it very seriously.

Because Wu Sanfu knew that the Wu family's family business, tens of thousands of taels of silver, was just a drop in the bucket.

Wu Sanfu didn't care about Wu Xuexia's words for not replying to herself, and continued to have fun with a group of people, he, a girl, did not respond to herself in nine out of ten sentences, and she was already used to it.

Wu Sanfu was dissatisfied with his sister's conversation with Wei Bao on the railing outside the second floor, and felt that the Wu family was a rich and rival country, and his sister was willing to be inferior like this.

Wei Bao secretly glanced at Wu Xuexia, who was looking at the scenery, and felt that Wu Xuexia's side face was really beautiful, the spring breeze caressed her face, slightly blowing the hair on her forehead and temples, and the black green silk seemed to tease her heart a little.

However, Wei Bao just took a sneaky glance like this, and then returned to normal, he had a strong sense of defense in front of beautiful women, especially in front of a beautiful woman like Wu Xuexia, who had a prominent family background and was arrogant, and he would not let himself look like a toad wanting to eat swan meat! Never be a toad, never want to eat meat.

Wu Xuexia is willing to talk to Wei Bao, and feels that talking to Wei Bao is very different from others, and it is precisely for this reason that Wei Bao is equal to her and never accommodates her.

Even if she deliberately flirted and released an ambiguous atmosphere, it was as if Wei Bao was a son, and she had become a maid.

Wu Xuexia has never tried to communicate with a man from this angle.

Wei Bao and Wu Xuexia talked for a while, the two of them returned to the hall and dined with everyone, Wei Bao's maritime chamber of commerce hall was well decorated, although the hall of Yongping Mansion was not as good as the general hall of Shanhaiguan, but it was still a little more upscale than the Wu family's inn.

It's not that the Wu family's financial strength is not as good as Wei Bao's, in fact, even if Wei Bao obtained the qualification for showing talent by buying Wang Tiqian by luck this time, and in the process, he made a windfall, Wei Bao's family property is at most about one-tenth of the Wu family, and the strength of the two is still not in the same dimension.

"Now that you are a showman, your identities are different. The government is only in charge of the county, and the townships and villages are under the control of the local squire, and the county order management places also follow the advice of the squire, and invite the squires to observe the opening of the court. The squires combined with the clan power could manage the division of property, repair the local temple roads, and in short, the affairs below the township were managed by the squire. And the condition for being a squire is to be a showman or a lifter, or a retired official. Wu Sanfu said happily to more than a dozen poor students who had just been admitted to Xiucai.

A total of 19 people passed the examination, of which 15 people from Shanhai Academy, except for Zheng Zhongfei, who was not embarrassed to follow him to the Maritime Chamber of Commerce, including Wei Bao, there were 14 talents gathered here.

Except for Wu Sanfu and Wei Bao, the remaining 12 people are all children of the poor family, Wei Bao was originally a child of the poor family, but no matter how you count it now, it is also a big landlord, and it can no longer be counted into the cold family.

"Xiucai is still much worse than lifting people, and you can receive a small amount of money. Exemption from taxes and forced labor for individuals. The court saw that the county-level officials did not kneel. You can be a private school teacher. Wang Dongming said with a smile: "However, we don't have a few private schools here, so they still think about how to eat well first." ”

Wei Bao smiled indifferently, and was not unhappy because of Wang Dongming's words, because he was no longer a child of a poor family, indeed, Xiucai is good for everyone, but in the rich, it can be magnified into a political aura, and in the poor, this education is still not enough, it is too low.

"Xiucai and lifting people naturally can't be compared, in addition to the privilege of Xiucai, in addition to the privilege of Xiucai, immediately after the lift, more plates will be sent to the Beijing Entrance Examination. Give more money every month. When you see all the local officials, you basically don't have to kneel. Wang Canhua added.

Wang Dongming, Wang Canhua and Fang Anping, these sons, did not have a talent in this trip, so they are still just children, so for these new talents, it is a little sour.

A group of poor people didn't care, they didn't have time to speak, they didn't care about talking, because the wine and food provided by Wei Gongzi were too rich, and they ate and drank desperately, and their mouths were full of oil and water.

It's not that they have forgotten etiquette, this is really a kind of human instinct, even if Wei Bao just entertained such a sumptuous meal a few days ago, but they have been poor for too long, they have never enjoyed this kind of life, as long as there is good food, it is easy to take care of the image.

Wei Bao listened to their words, and secretly thought in Daming, Xiucai's treatment was not ordinary.

It seems to be much more powerful than the college students of later generations, all along, Wei Bao has only equated Xiucai's academic qualifications with high school graduates in later generations, and now it seems that it is more than that!

However, speaking of which, Xiucai's identity is not as ubiquitous as college students in later generations. There are only a limited number of places in each place, and there are only 40 in the North Zhili, 30 in the Zhili Prefecture, and 20 in the county. Therefore, if you are admitted to Xiucai, it can be regarded as the ancestral tomb is smoking.

This trip to Wang Tiqian's people got 19 talents at one time, or is it a place like Liaoxi that has not seen a single talent over the years, how much strength is this?

"Although I can't catch up with the lifter, once I am admitted to Xiucai, my status in society is not ordinary, I am respected locally, and I also have various privileges. Not only can it be exempted from errands, there is no need to kneel when you see the county, the county cannot be punished at will, and you can see the county in case of business, etc. Xiucai is one of the pillars of the local gentry class, and in the local villages, we can represent the "knowledgeable and knowledgeable" scholars in the future. It is often used as a channel of communication between ordinary civilians and the government. When encountering local disputes, or when civilians have to deal with the government, they often have to come forward only after a show. In the event of a wedding or funeral or a New Year's festival in the homes of ordinary people, there are also habits such as asking the village to help write couplets and sacrifice accounts. A poor talent wiped his mouth, looked like a talented man, and said proudly.

"Yes, the most valuable thing is to be exempt from forced labor!" A humble showman answered.

The conscription at the end of the Ming Dynasty was very heavy, especially in western Liaoning.

What is forced labor, to put it bluntly, ordinary people must work for the government for free, without pay, pure obligation.

And once he is selected for Xiucai, the family can be exempted from the forced labor of two men. Others are tired and tired, but those who have talents at home can play chess and drink tea under the big tree, leisurely.

Xiucai can be exempted from paying public rations. In ancient times, the common people had to pay public grain to the state, and in the past, they paid a lot of money.

And once there is a talent in the family, the whole family can be exempted from paying public rations. In ancient times, when food was scarce and food was regarded as life, not to mention how affordable it was.

Xiucai can use slaves. In the Ming Dynasty, the imperial court clearly stipulated that the common people were not allowed to use slaves and maids in their homes, that is, if you were a landlord, no matter how much money you had, you could not use slaves and maids, otherwise you would be "severely punished according to the law".

And once you win the show, your status is improved, and the state can use slaves and maids according to the regulations in order to prove your privileges, which is different from the ordinary people.

Xiucai can be exempted from punishment, once the common people break the law, dragged to the court, and the officials rush up, no matter if you are beaten first, you will be given a dismount, even if the rich people are not exempt from the pain of flesh and skin.

And if you are a showman, you can't be arrested and interrogated casually if you break the law, let alone tortured, even if you kill someone, the county magistrate will not dare to beat you, because you have the privilege to be exempt from punishment. If you want to be beaten, you must also report your fame to the provincial school and government after the fame is removed.

Xiucai also has the privilege of dressing. Xiucai can wear a long shirt with a disc neck, a square scarf on his head, and long boots on his feet. Everywhere Xiucai goes, his temperament and identity are obvious, and everyone respects three points when he sees it.

And the common people who have no merit and fame are strictly forbidden to wear it like this, and only Xiucai can have this privilege.

In ancient lawsuits, as soon as the common people arrived in court, one of the actions was to kneel down to the county magistrate first, and then state the case, even if it was a landlord or a wealthy businessman, he had to kneel.

And if you are a showman, you can stand swaggeringly, and sometimes the county lord will show you a seat.

The people next to him knelt on the ground with brushes, and Xiucai had the privilege of standing tall, which was awesome.

In addition, Xiucai can also directly meet the county magistrate, and scolding people can also be exempted from responsibility, and ordinary people do not have this right. Even those officials in the county government didn't dare to eat at the same table as Xiucai.

This kind of privilege of Xiucai shows that the ancient society respected and attached importance to knowledge, once the family won a Xiucai, it was a person with merit and fame, and he stepped into the privileged class, and even the rich businessmen and landlords and squires respected you for three points when they saw you.

Wei Bao has been listening to everyone talking, but he didn't make a sound, in Wei Bao's opinion, Xiucai can only be regarded as entering the threshold of a scholar, and it is far from the realm, if you can't take the exam, you can generally only engage in careers such as master or lawyer.

is like Fan Jin, who was a sour Ding Xiucai who everyone despised before the lift, and immediately turned over and became a master when he won the lift, although it was exaggerated, but there was also some basis for reality.

Wei Bao's audience talked about it lively, and Liu Chunshi was summoned in a timely manner.

Liu Chunshi, as Wei Bao's entourage, kept standing by the wall with great interest and did not sit down.

Everyone originally thought that although this person was also wearing the clothes of a scholar, he was just a person like Wang Qiuya, who acted as Wei Bao's scholar, and they didn't care about it.

"Master, my subordinate is my enlightened teacher, and most of my characters are learned from him." Wei Bao introduced Liu Chunshi with a smile, saying that Liu Chunshi was his subordinate, on the one hand, in order to elevate himself, and on the other hand, to wait for Liu Chunshi to help him persuade those poor men to prepare!

In Wei Bao's opinion, although these poor talents have no confidence, but after being admitted to the show one by one, they are also a little fluttering, and they feel that their strength is in place, which is not good, it must be a small blow!

Liu Chunshi hurriedly came over to give a salute: "Good master, good sons." ”

Liao Fuzi was a little sluggish because he lost a lot of silver and was in a bad mood, so he just hummed lightly and continued to drink stuffy wine.

Because Wu Sanfu and the others had never seen Liu Chunshi, they simply didn't bother to slack off, and directly filtered out Wei Bao's words.

Wei Bao smiled and continued to introduce Liu Chunshi: "My subordinate is not simple, although he did not study in our Shanhai Academy, he is the third place in this academy examination!" ”

Yes?

Is it also a showman? Or third place? Second only to Zheng Zhongfei and Wu Sanfu?

Wu Sanfu and other sons, as well as a group of new talents, only then did they take a serious look at Liu Chunshi, Liu Chunshi is in his thirties, with rough skin and black skin, although the clothes are good, but it is still difficult to hide the temperament of the villagers, if it is not for Wei Bao's emphasis on the introduction, plus the blessing of the identity of the third place, it is indeed a very inconspicuous and extremely easy to ignore kind of person.

At this time, a group of poor students got up one after another and bowed their hands, and met each other politely with Liu Chunshi.

"It's good that if you are not a student of our Shanhai Academy, you can also be admitted to Xiucai." Liao Fuzi also put down his wine glass and looked at Liu Chunshi with appreciation.

Liu Chunshi said with a smile: "Meng Fuzi praised, it's really embarrassing, I have taken the exam more than ten times, this time I was protected by Gongzi, and I was lucky to be a talent, there is really nothing commendable." ”

This is Liu Chunshi's good behavior, Wei Bao has emphasized how to treat these people before, or point out that this scientific expedition, one of the people present is counted as one, and they all rely on his relationship to get the show, and if they get a show, they will float, but they will die quickly.

After all, Xiucai's meager court support is not enough to support his family, and besides, it is so dark in Liaoxi, how many copper plates do you plan to get from the officials? Layers of deductions, in the hands of Xiucai, it is a problem to even buy a cake every month.

None of the people present were stupid, they were obedient and listened, and immediately guessed the joints.

"Wei Gongzi, this college exam is a bit strange, admitting so many candidates at one time, is it because everyone is blessed by you?" Wu Sanfu couldn't help but ask.

Wei Bao smiled slightly: "How is it possible?" Where do I have such a great ability to walk to the Ministry of Rites? As for fraud or something, it's a violation of the laws of the Ming Dynasty, and I won't do it. However, seeing that Liaoxi and Liaodong have not been able to produce even a show talent for so many years, I am in a hurry, and I have to pray to the sky, and there are also some. ”

Burst.

Where would everyone believe Wei Bao's nonsense of praying to the heavens? Hearing Wei Bao say this, everyone immediately understood, where are there so many coincidences in the world? This time, the performance passed 19 talents, and it was obviously Wei Bao who made a force from it!

However, Wei Bao is to give force to the overall situation, not to him personally, which is difficult to get a handle, and Wei Bao's mouth is so tight, he can't find any clues from Wei Bao himself.

"Wei Gongzi, what a genius! Make such a big gamble, and then spend your time behind your back, so that so many people can pass the test and show their talents! Fortunately, Wei Gongzi himself was on the first list, otherwise, not only would the silver of the force be wasted, but also the compensation for so much gambling money. Wu Sanfu sighed.

Everyone also felt that Wei Bao's matter this time was so mysterious, and they sighed for a while.

Wei Bao smiled slightly, extremely calm: "It's very mysterious, when the list opened today, I thought I would definitely not be able to pass the Xiucai exam, and I wanted to die at that time, but it was a danger that I had never encountered in my life." ”

Everyone listened to Wei Bao's indifference, and saw Wei Bao's open and honest attitude, treating everyone as friends, and laughed together, even Liao Fuzi, Wang Dongming, Wang Canhua and Fang Anping also laughed.

Although they are all unhappy about losing a lot of silver to Wei Bao, but after the incident, they are all people with family backgrounds, and people without family backgrounds dare not play so big, think about it, if Wei Bao loses today, I am afraid that it will be hundreds of times worse than them.

"No wonder before the list was opened, Wei Gongzi was a little frightened, which was very different from his usual gentle and elegant behavior, so it was." Wu Sanfu had a suddenly realized expression, and poured Wei Bao a glass of wine himself: "This glass of wine, I with Wei Gongzi, and I was shocked by Wei Gongzi." ”

Wei Bao stood up with a smile: "Let's have a drink, but let's not drink too much at noon, there are many people at night, and we must drink a lot of wine, so let's save some strength." ”

When everyone heard Wei Bao say this, they laughed together and drank a big glass of wine happily.

At this point, if you don't understand the joints behind you, you're almost an idiot.

Then Wei Bao asked Fan to accompany a group of rich boys, and asked Liu Chunshi to accompany a group of poor students to eat and drink, in fact, to let them exert their strength.

Fan's task is to help Wei Bao socialize with the rich son's buddies, build a good relationship with everyone, and take care of each other in the future, after all, the Tiandi business is now considered to have a foothold in Beizhili and Liaoxi, and Wei Gongzi is now a student, and he will have to have contact with local government affairs and business in the future.

Liu Chunshi's task is to win over the poor students who are not obsessed with fame and fame, and have talents, and let them go to Weijiazhuang, as for the local arrears of these people, Wei Gongzi is willing to pay on his behalf, as long as he joins the Tiandi firm, these silver, Wei Bao is not serious, and now Wei Bao is eager to seek talents, especially the local heroes.

This is the intention of Wei Bao Lane Alumni Association.

The banquet was hearty and the atmosphere was high.

Wei Bao sneaked aside to drink tea and rest.

"It's really yours, it turns out that what kind of classmates are you doing, just to attract people?" Wu Xuexia didn't know when she arrived at Wei Bao's side, and said softly.

Hearing this, Wei Bao looked up at Wu Xuexia, and pointed to the chair beside him with a smile: "Miss Wu, please take a seat." ”

Wu Xuexia sat down, looked like I knew everything, and looked at Wei Bao: "You want to make friends with the children of rich families to improve the prestige of the Wei family, and you also want to win over poor students to improve the knowledge of your locals." Combined with the fact that you have built walls on the periphery of your area and cultivated a large number of fields, you have great ambitions! ”

"This has wronged me, what ambition can I have? It's just that I hope that educated people can study with peace of mind, and I hope that the people in my area can live and work in peace and contentment, so that they will not wander around, freeze to death and starve to death in other places in this year of great disaster. What kind of ambition is this? Wei Bao replied with a smile.

Wu Xuexia snorted softly, looking like she didn't need to explain.

"You can act better than an actor, anyway, I can't get anything out of your mouth." After a while, Wu Xuexia couldn't help but complain when she saw that Wei Bao didn't speak.

Wei Bao smiled slightly: "I never act with you, every sentence is true." Wei Bao said, took out the original 'deed of sale' from his arms and handed it to Wu Xuexia!

Wu Xuexia took it and looked at it suspiciously, and knew what it was at a glance, and looked at Wei Bao in surprise, she didn't expect that Wei Bao would suddenly return this thing to her at this time?

"Aren't you afraid that there will be no restrictions in the future? If my Wu family wants to deal with you, it is still as easy as crushing an ant. Wu Xuexia said.

"Crush to death, crush to death, die in your hands, and it will not be in vain." Wei Bao said with a smile: "There is also the one in the hands of my friend Jinyi Wei Qianhu Luo Yangxing, I will ask someone to bring the letter and ask him to bring it to me, and there will be no threatening relationship between us in the future." ”

In fact, Wei Bao had long wanted to return the deed of sale to Wu Xuexia, thinking that thing was too pediatric, who could threaten it? Using this method can only make a girl always panic, and other than that, it is useless.

Wu Xuexia held the deed of sale, her face was red, and her nose was sour.

"What? You won't be moved and want to cry, right? Don't tear it yet? Wei Bao laughed.

Wu Xuexia silently tore up the deed of sale, spread out a small snow-white palm, and the pieces of paper were immediately blown around by the spring breeze and fell on the street.

Wei Bao secretly thought, this is littering, this habit is hateful.

"Now I owe you a little favor, and I'll stay at night to help you. If it weren't for me, those rich children who used to study in Shanhai Academy wouldn't be able to buy your account! Wu Xuexia suddenly clenched her fists and said to Wei Bao firmly, as if she had made some kind of determination.

Wei Bao sweated, "I don't want to exchange anything, I don't need you to help me, and I don't have as much ambition as you think, I just hope that this world can be a little fairer to people from poor families like me." ”

"The world will never be fair." Wu Xuexia is only 15 years old, but she said like an old man who has seen through the red dust: "With a background like yours, no matter how rich you are, it is useless, unless you can enter the official road and achieve such a high position as a province to seal the territory, you may be recognized." However, if you want to buy officials, at most you can buy the state capital, you have already reached the top, and you will never be able to reach such a high position as a province to seal the territory, and even if you can get there, I am afraid that you will have to be sixty years old. ”

"You know everything." Wei Bao smiled: "If I don't have the age of sixty, I won't buy an official!" In the autumn, I will give you a meritorious back, and next spring I will try the palace test, all the way to the gold list title, and then enter the Hanlin Academy, local experience, before the age of twenty, a province will be closed! Enter the Ming Cabinet before the age of thirty! ”

Burst.

Wu Xuexia was amused by Wei Bao, as if she had just heard the funniest story in the world, her beautiful eyes smiled, she squinted at Wei Bao, and did not speak.

"What? Don't you believe it? Wei Bao asked with a grin.

"Do you think you're Ganro? Daming entered the cabinet before the age of thirty? My father didn't dare to think about entering the cabinet in his life, where are you better than my father? Wu Xuexia sneered, but her heart was warm, thinking that Wei Bao said this to herself, should she be 'confessing' to herself in disguise?

Ganluo was Xia Cai at the end of the Warring States period. The grandson of Gan Mao, a famous minister of Qin during the Warring States Period, a famous young politician. Gan Luo has been smart since he was a child, and at a young age, he worshiped under Lu Buwei, the prime minister of Qin, and let him be a young concubine. At the age of twelve, he sent an envoy to Zhao State, and the envoy planned to let Qin State get more than a dozen cities, and Gan Luo was given the title of Shangqing (equivalent to prime minister) by Qin Wangzheng (later Qin Shi Huang) for his merits, and rewarded fields and houses.

Wei Bao really didn't confess anything to Wu Xuexia, he just drank some wine, was in high spirits, and told her the officialdom route he longed for, and replaced it with Xu Rui, Fan Xiaolin, Wang Qiuya, whoever sat next to him, he might have said what he just said at this moment.

"I really don't need your help." Wei Bao smiled: "I understand the kindness." ”

"I'm going to help you! You don't want and can't, unless, you don't let my second brother drink with you and drive him away. Wu Xuexia pouted.

Wei Bao didn't know whether to be happy or unhappy, and he didn't know what to say.

He doesn't like women to help him, which would undermine the dignity of men.

Last time I collected land in the township and collected the arrears, in fact, Wu Xuexia had already helped him once, but it was not so obvious, but Wei Bao kept it in mind.

If it weren't for the gambling money collected this time, it would be difficult to return it to the Wu family alone, Wei Bao would have wanted to return all the money of the Wu family.

However, that may make the Wu family feel that he is scared and easy to bully, and it may also cause the dissatisfaction of other gamblers to come to him to ask him for the gambling money after the rumors are revealed, which is not in accordance with the rules.

"Then you're not interested in me, are you?" Wei Bao winked narrowly at Wu Xuexia, on such a bright spring afternoon, it was still very pleasant to chat with a super beautiful woman in the attic next to the charming and antique ancient city street.

Wu Xuexia's pink face instantly blushed, "Hey, can you be thicker-skinned?" Who is interesting to you? ”

"The key is that what identity do you use to help me?" Wei Bao smiled: "You are not my subordinate, nor are you any relative of mine, we don't seem to have a marriage agreement, it's not good, right?" ”

Wu Xuexia was stunned, and when Wei Bao said this, it felt really true.

"Isn't it? So before you speak, go through your brain. Wei Bao laughed.

"Say I'm brainless?" Wu Xuexia glared at Wei Bao angrily, and then walked away with a ruddy little mouth.