In fact, the small table smashed and came forward to prove it, in addition to proving that Fang Zhongyong was not a strong-willed hero, it also proved that the stamina of Shuangquan Wine was very great.

The next day, Fang Zhongyong, who had a splitting headache, changed his underwear again, and just forced himself to read with lofty ideals such as having both fish and bear's paws, Zeng Ye's bad friend came again with his ignorant brother Zeng Gong.

As soon as he entered the door, Zeng Ye said: "Why does Wen Yuan have to sharpen his gun at this time. If you have that effort, it is better to ponder a good poem, and it is better to submit it to this year's examiner. If you enter the eyes of the examiner, the so-called road test is just a passing scene. ”

Fang Zhongyong is deeply disgusted by the bad behavior of loud noises that affect the reading of good students, but it is a pity that there is no teacher to report. If Mr. Liu was here, hum, it would definitely make Zeng Ye's hand swollen like a bear's paw. Fang Zhongyong reluctantly looked away from the book, and couldn't help but feel a little depressed. It was not easy to see it, and it was in vain.

Zeng Ye said that he knew, it was a dry confession.

The Song Dynasty inherited the Tang system, and in addition to carrying forward the imperial examination system, the system of recommendation and favor was also inherited, which gave some people with special circumstances a chance to blend into the system. As mentioned above, Yan Shu was recommended by Zhang Zhibai, the governor of Jiangnan, when he was thirteen years old, so that he could directly participate in and be awarded an official in the following year.

But recommendation is different from grace. There is only one condition for Enyin, your father's official rank is enough, or your ancestors have "shed blood for the party and the state". Then, on the emperor's birthday, the suburbs that occur once in three years, or before the retirement of the fathers, there is a chance to make up for the officials.

Referrals are different. Because the laws of the Song Dynasty stipulate that if someone is misgoverned or corrupt, the recommender is also jointly and severally liable. If you are not close to each other, unless you are a talented person, or a famous Confucian, you can't recommend it. It is by no means like the Tang Dynasty, when a certain poet wrote a proud work, he ran to a certain high-ranking official to submit a book. A certain high-ranking official looked at it, high, really high. How could such a great talent not be recommended to the imperial court? As a result, a poet who was originally unknown "became famous all over the world in one fell swoop".

According to Fang Zhongyong's understanding, the prosperity of Tang Dynasty poetry was inseparable from the dry confession system. You don't need to read hard, you don't need a background, as long as you have a few poems that are well written, you can become a master. Writing poetry is really a shortcut to the end of the career, in fact, it is the same as the prevalence of the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Of course, if you don't have the goods in your stomach, you will only bring shame on yourself if you rush to the papers. Therefore, all the works that have been carefully crafted are mature masterpieces. But because it requires people to do things, the waist pole can't be stiffened, and it is congenitally insufficient, and no matter how hard you work the day after tomorrow, it will be cheesy. To this end, these literati who want to be recommended do their best to push through the old and bring forth the new, so that a certain high-ranking official can look up to him.

Among them, the most famous is Meng Haoran's "Lindongting Lake Presents Zhang Chengxiang": "The level of August Lake is too clear. The steaming cloud Mengze shook Yueyang City. If you want to help without a boat, you will be ashamed and sage. Sitting and watching the anglers, there is nothing to envy the fish. "Although it is a dry poem that asks for people, it is also written in a majestic manner. When I was about to say with a grudge, everyone is fishing, when will I have the opportunity to try my skills? I also patted Prime Minister Zhang Jiuling's horse very tactfully, I am like Jiang Ziya fishing by the Wei River, waiting for you, the King of Wen who is looking for talents, to discover? This horse is fresh and refined, fat but not greasy, and it is really a model for future generations.

In comparison, the level of other literati is much worse. Another Tang Dynasty poet, Zhu Qingyu, wrote a seven-character quatrain "Recently Tested on Zhang Shuibu" to Zhang Ji, a member of the water department of Han Yu's big disciple, before the exam: "The red candle was stopped in the cave room last night, and I will worship my aunt in front of Xiaotang." Makeup lowered his eyebrows and asked his husband, is there a thrush depth or not? "After the candle night in the cave room, I want to visit my in-laws in the morning, groom carefully, ask my husband shyly, and draw my eyebrows in depth and shallowly.

The usual explanation is: this poem uses the context of the newlywed to compare himself to the new daughter-in-law who is about to meet her in-laws, and compares Zhang Shuibu to her aunt (in-laws) to listen to the truth and reality. The metaphor is popular and ingenious.

Fang Zhongyong felt a strong smell of "comrade". Do you still need to make a face? Do you want to offer chrysanthemums for the introduction of a few water department members?

I don't know what Zhang Ji thinks, whether he thinks he is an aunt or a husband, there is no way to verify. It is said that after Zhang Ji saw it, he appreciated it greatly, and replied to the poem "Reward Zhu Qingyu": "Yue Nu's new makeup appeared in the mirror, and she knew that she was more silent. Qi is not expensive in the world, and a song is worth ten thousand gold. He greatly praised Zhu Qingyu's "appearance", and even thought that his "Song of Lingge" was worth 10,000 gold.

Fang Zhongyong likes chrysanthemums, but it doesn't mean that he likes to be admired by others. He can't do such a euphemistic "invitation" to others to taste his chrysanthemums no matter what, but it is extremely difficult to write a poem comparable to "Lindongting Lake for Zhang Chengxiang". You can't say like Li Bai's "Shang Li Yong": I am a talent, if your company does not admit me, it must be a great loss for your company!

Besides, it depends on the person to intervene. The official position and reputation are high, find a nobody to recommend you, funny? Another point is that morality and reputation should be good. Once someone recommends you, it will be a situation of both prosperity and loss. If the referee is ruined, you, the person who was recommended, will also be unlucky. So, it's a two-way process.

A magistrate said, how do you know if the person who wants to recommend you is morally corrupt and will be ruined in the future?

Ordinary people don't know, but who Fang Zhongyong is. That's a traverser who knows 4,000 years before and 1,000 years later! Although I don't learn history very well and don't know much about many details of the Song Dynasty, I still know a little about the celebrities recorded in the history books, such as the chief examiner in Zeng Ye's mouth and the object of the preparation of the intervention.

Xia Zhu is also called Xia Yinggong and Xia Wenzhuang Gong by those who respect others, and those who despise others say that he is "greedy and insidious, looting people's wealth, and accumulating many kabuki", in the words of later generations, he is "morally corrupt, has a huge amount of property of unknown origin, and has long-term improper relationships with many ladies", and is a proper target of criticism and defeat.

But Xia Zhu is amazing, after several ups and downs, like Xiao Qiang who can't be killed, he finally made the privy envoy and twice worshiped the same Zhongshu Men Pingzhangshi (acting prime minister), named the British Duke, and after his death, he gave the Taishi Zhongshu Order and Shangshu Ling, and called "Wenzhuang".

Although Xia Zhu governed the local area quite well and spared no effort to crack down on political opponents, he made few achievements externally, and belonged to the standard "internal fighting for insiders, and fighting for outsiders". For such people, Fang Zhongyong has always been respectful.

However, he still felt a little strange about Zeng Ye's statement that he wanted to meet Xia Zhu. couldn't help asking: "Then Xia Zhu is only the governor of Hongzhou, so he shouldn't be able to manage the road test, right?" If you go to beg him, won't you beg for fish because of the wood? ”

Zeng Ye explained: "This is actually the practice of previous years. That Xia Zhu was degraded for corruption, and he did not follow the routine to pacify the envoy all the way, so he could only govern the boundary of Hongzhou. If it sinks like this, it's just that, I don't want Xia Zhuguo to have some talent and govern Hongzhou in an orderly manner. This is not recently, there are rumors that Xia Zhu will be promoted to the secretary of the Criminal Department, and the entire Jiangnan West Road has to be given a few thin noodles, right? There is nothing to say about the high and low praise of officialdom. That's why I'm a brother today.

If it's just for the sake of fame, it's really not worth asking for help. It is expected that with Wenyuan's talent and learning, he is the head of the Fuzhou case, and there is no possibility of falling. Even if it is Zigu, it is not a problem to take the test to show talent. But I heard that Xia Zhu is small, not a magnanimous and elegant gentleman. If everyone else went to pay tribute to the poems, Duxian and Zigu did not go. There are too many people who go, he may not be able to remember, and those who don't go are afraid that he must hold a grudge.

I have asked Zigu to write a poem at will, and you can write one too. It is not good for him, so he has the heart of recommending it at first sight. It can't be too bad to let others despise our brothers. ”

Fang Zhongyong thought about it for a while, and admired Zeng Ye's old age. If there is no reminder from Zeng Ye, I am afraid that I will not be able to think of anything to do, and even if I think of it, I will probably disdain to go there because I despise Xia Zhu. It seems that this friend is really good! Thinking of this, he bowed and said, "Thank you Brother Shumao for mentioning it." This is what the younger brother will do. After thinking about it for a while, I wrote "Climbing Yuntai Mountain": The scenery on Yuntai Mountain is good, but the scenery is the same as the four times. The jade dew moistens the body with three dividends, and the flowers are fragrant. The high mountains and flowing water are serely, and the birdsong is deep and the charm of the stream is raised. But the search for knowledge often stops, don't let the water flow empty.

After Zeng Ye saw it, he felt that it was okay, so he asked Fang Zhongyong to write a letter of worship and go straight to the Zhizhou Yamen.

When I arrived at the yamen and asked, I learned that Xia Zhu did not live in the back yamen like an ordinary official. After being instructed, I arrived at Xia Zhu's mansion.

After all, it is a well-known love for money, and people come and go in front of Xia Zhu's house, which is as lively as a market, which can really be described as "a market". Since it is a "city", the people who come and go must be Brother Kong Fang, Brother Baoquan and the like.

Zeng Ye pointed to the people who came in and out: "What do you guess these people do?" ”

Fang Zhongyong said with a smile: "Could it be that they are all here to deliver poems?" Look at some people's outfits! ”

Zeng Gong said: "It can't be all readers! Look at those brains full of fat and the like, there must be no doubt that they are businessmen! That Xia Zhu is very hospitable! ”

Zeng Ye stopped the younger brother of the "angry youth": "I am waiting under the roof of others, and I can't say these cool things in front of others." What good is it to offend people plainly? Zigu, you should remember the truth that evil comes from your mouth! ”

Zeng Gong pursed his lips and remained silent, and Fang Zhongyong hurriedly made a round: "Shang Jia is not useless, and it is harmless for Lord Xia to interact with Shang Jia. Zigu's jealousy and hatred seem to be in the wrong place? Without further ado, hand over the famous poems and texts! ”

When I saw Menzi, I handed over the name card and poems. The man opened the name card and saw that the payment was "Tong Sheng XX", and his face was pulled down. He didn't answer the poem, but just stretched out a hand and shook it twice. Zeng Ye is also a door clear, this is to pay respect. Pretending to be distressed, he took out half a tael of broken silver.

The man saw that the silver was impure, and he looked a little disdainful. Reluctantly accepted the silver, and then the door opened his mouth: "That's all? Don't have a gift list? ”

Zeng Ye was also stunned at this time, we are here to deliver poems and texts, not to give gifts, do we still have to prepare a generous gift? Menzi got angry: "You poor scholars, are you stupid to read?" Do you think that like the previous dynasty, you can get the support of my family with a few nonsense poems? ”

Zeng Ye started his own performance again, what "the family is poor", what "I implore the court to help, be sure to present the poems to the adults". Menzi was so entangled by him that he had no choice but to say: "You are so noisy." To tell you the truth, even if I hand in the poems, you won't be able to pass them from the housekeeper. At most, I will remember a name and report it to my master. If there is no gift, even if you are the reincarnation of Li Taibai, I don't want my master to say a good word. Zeng Ye pretended to thank him again before leading Zeng Gong and Fang Zhongyong away.

As soon as he left the door, Zeng Gong said angrily: "This door is hateful! That Xia Zhu is also hateful! Fang Zhongyong didn't care: "The prime minister's door is a seven-grade official." Isn't it a big deal for people to collect some door respects? Why should Zigu be angry. Zeng Gongyu was indignant: "The master is known by the servant." That Xia Zhu was called a capable minister in vain, but he was so uncultivated. How is this kind of behavior different from soliciting bribes? Fang Zhongyong said: "The world is full of knowledge!" There's no need to be angry about these little things. Today, I admire Shu Mao's acting skills very much, which is an eye-opener! It's just that clumsy man, I can't see the preciousness of the silk shirt on your body, and I don't know that you are playing around. ”

Zeng Ye was also very proud of his performance, and laughed: "Who is impatient to deceive a subordinate." It's just that I've been shy lately, and I can't afford any gifts, so I have to beg others. I only took pity on my half of the silver, and only got a name to remember. What a loss! Wen Yuan, you have to compensate me, that's a year's ration money for more than a dozen of our master and servants! ”

Fang Zhongyong looked at Zeng Ye, who was possessed by the drama spirit, and secretly complained: Is it enough for you to pay for a meal if you still have a year's rations and more than a dozen people? Don't study, it's a waste of talent, hurry up and make a film to receive the Oscars!