The canopy boat is like a nimble swimming fish, shuttling in the Qinhuai River, which is densely populated by boats, and soon goes out of the city, two pieces of wood pulp are rippling to open the spring water, and the boat is fast and steady, heading upriver towards Fangshan.

Wu Fuzhong said with a smile: "Brother An's boat is so good, I don't know if I think it's an old boatman." ”

An Huzi smiled proudly: "Who said that I am not an old boatman, don't look at my age, I can follow my mother to row a boat to make a living since I was seven or eight years old, and I can row a boat to cross the river alone at the age of ten. ”

"Brother An rows a boat for a living, and he can study hard and be admitted to the Royal Academy, which is really admirable for the younger brother."

An Huzi shook his head embarrassedly, "You think highly of me, if I can be admitted to the academy like this, then the academy will not be worth much, and I didn't take the exam to enter the academy." ”

"Brother An didn't take the exam?" Wu Fuzhong frowned and asked.

"Yes, but not what you think. Ma Houye sent someone to find us and my mother in Chuzhou, saying that they had been looking for us for many years. Then I took us to Yingtian to eat and live, and I wanted to be able to follow the Hou Ye to lead the horse and drive in the future, but who knew that I was called into the academy.

This is not in line with the rules of the academy, I heard that Hou Ye also had an awkward quarrel with the old mountain chief for this, but unfortunately I am stupid, I have been in the academy for more than half a year, but I can't learn things, and I lost Hou Ye's people. ”

"Oh, I see. Brother An don't have to be discouraged, you may just not find the trick, in fact, reading can be as simple as manipulating a boat. Wu Fuzhong groaned and asked curiously: "I don't know why Marquis Ma takes such care of your mother and son?" ”

"Hou Ye said that this is what he personally promised me to the dead ghost Lao Tzu, as for the reason why it is inconvenient to tell you, hehe......"

"I'm really sorry, I unintentionally asked Brother An's sad things."

"It's okay, the sad days are over, and the good days are ahead." An Huzi quickly flicked the oars, and the boat rowed forward faster.

After walking along the Qinhuai River for more than half an hour, the originally somewhat desolate river beach began to become more houses, from thatched houses to ordinary wooden houses, and then to exquisite villas, just like stepping from the poor countryside to the bustling city in one step.

The canopy boat stopped at a small pier on the east bank, and An Huzi tied the rope and took Wu Fuzhong ashore, passing through the neat and clean streets and onto the official road.

On both sides of the official road, there are many small merchants and vendors, and no matter who walks by, they have to shout, and it is very lively one after another.

Wu Fuzhong kept his head down and looked at the clean and smooth cement road under his feet, and hid his feet from time to time, obviously never seeing the cement floor.

An Huzi explained with a smile, "This is called a cement road, it can be refreshing to walk, and I am no longer afraid of rain, and Hou Ye said that it will be repaired from Fangshan to the city in the future." Let's go quickly, or the cafeteria will be over. ”

An Huzi pulled Wu Fuzhong to trot along the official road, crossed the archway into the academy and went straight to the cafeteria, one by one the students wearing scholar's robes came out of the canteen with rice bowls and went to the sink to wash the dishes.

An Huzi grabbed two of them casually, "I didn't bring my rice bowl to borrow for me, I'm dying of hunger." ”

The person who was robbed was not annoyed, and handed the chopsticks to An Huzi, "Remember to clean the bowl and give it to me again!" ”

"Don't worry, make sure the brush is clean." An Huzi took Wu Fuzhong into the cafeteria, it was almost past the meal, and there were only a few scattered students lying on the table in the huge canteen.

An Huzi went to the window and put the chopsticks in his mouth, and handed over the rice bowl in his hand, "Mother, quickly serve me rice, if I want to eat braised pork." ”

A woman who looked a little like An Huzi by the window, saw him and scolded: "It's too late, there is no braised pork." Didn't you go to the city to pick up people and come back so soon? I'm lazy again, I can't even do my errands if I don't study, but are you worthy of Master Hou? ”

"How can I be lazy, the Spring Festival is not over yet, no one has come all the way to catch the exam, I only received one today, he was very hungry and brought him back early to eat."

An Huzi said and pointed to Wu Fuzhong behind him, Wu Fuzhong hurriedly came to the window and saluted, "The little nephew has seen my aunt." ”

"Ouch, what a handsome baby, Si Swenwen knows at a glance that he is a good child raised by a big family, and he will definitely be able to be admitted to the academy."

Aunt An was very enthusiastic, and the leftovers he picked up for Wu Fuzhong put the spiky in his rice bowl, and finally gave him a big bowl of seaweed egg drop soup, Wu Fuzhong didn't feel such kindness for a long time, he only felt that his heart was warm, and he couldn't bear to refuse, but he found a table and sat down and pushed the soup to An Huzi, "Little brother really can't eat eggs, Brother An can drink it himself." ”

"Can't even drink soup? This soup is very fresh, you are really not blessed, so I can drink it myself. An Huzi pulled out two diced pieces of meat from his rice bowl, "Oh, this meat is for you." ”

When Wu Fuzhong handed over the letter of recommendation issued by the Xinghua County Ya to the scribe in charge, An Huzi couldn't help but be surprised, "You are so young that you were recommended by the Yamen!" ”

In the early years of Hongwu, it has always been this kind of local talent policy recommended by the central government, and when he found a good seedling who could read, he hurriedly sent it to Yingtianlai, and there was no way that many prefectures and counties even had vacancies in the county order, not to mention teaching professors, there were no conditions for cultivating talents, and those who could be directly recommended by the yamen would probably not have a bad foundation, but there were still very few people of Wu Fuzhong's age.

The scribe looked at the official seal of the Xinghua County Ya Hongtong, and said to An Huzi: "It can't be fake, it's true." In ancient times, Ganluo was twelve years old, Cai Wenji was six years old to distinguish string sounds, and our Hou Ye was not also a young man who was full of wisdom and scheming to fight Hongdu to conquer Pingjiang, how can knowledge and ability be judged by age, some people have elm heads, and fifteen or sixteen are not open. ”

"Okay, you're making fun of me, see if I will let you take my boat in the future." An Huzi smiled and joked with the scribe.

The scribe directly opened a note to An Huzi, "I didn't go to Guozijian but came to our academy without going to Guozijian, so naturally I can't treat it badly." I haven't heard of the one recommended by the state and county who can't pass the test, not to mention that it is still from the land of Jiangnan Wenhua, and this one will go directly to the warehouse to get something. ”

Out of the house, An Huzi complained to Wu Fuzhong, "You kid is not very old, but you can hide things in your heart, and you don't tell me earlier, sincerely see if I am ugly." ”

"Brother An, don't be annoyed, the younger brother is absolutely honest and deceitful, so I apologize to Brother An." Wu Fuzhong said and saluted An Huzi.

An Huzi hurriedly dodged away, "Where am I so stingy, let's go, I'll take you to the academy for a walk, familiarize yourself with it." ”

An Huzi first took Wu Fuzhong around the academy, showed him all the novelties in the academy, and was about to take him to the treasury to get something, but Wu Fuzhong pointed to the corner of the academy and exclaimed: "Brother An, there's a fire there!" ”

"Don't worry, it's not a fire, it must be Master Hou and Mr. Bo who are fighting for luck!"

"Angry chicken?" Wu Fuzhong smiled in surprise, "This chicken is still divided into angry and uncompetitive?" ”

"Chickens that lay more eggs are naturally more competitive, haha......" An Huzi suppressed his laughter, "Actually, I don't know what it is, if you are interested, let's go and see it together." ”