Zhou Lu is a person who is not satisfied, he got an article for nothing, he didn't have much gratitude in his heart, but he picked and choose, and knocked on the door early the next morning, holding the manuscript and saying, "Lou Gongzi, you have a problem with this article." ”

Lou Ji was stunned for a moment, Zhou Lu took the opportunity to bypass him, entered the courtyard and went straight to the house, asked the old servant of the Lou family to make tea, put the manuscript on the table, turned to the original author who followed up and said: "First of all, the number of articles is too small, only one 'use the people to time', how can you get ten or eight, as far as I know, others have at least three." ”

Lou Ji couldn't cry or laugh, "That's it." ”

"Add a few more, for Lou Gongzi, it's just a matter of an hour or two."

Lou Ji shook his head, "'Use the people with time' means that you can't be in a hurry to govern the country, it's right to pacify the frontier, it's right to eliminate thieves, it's right to build palaces, dig canals, etc., but it can't be carried out at the same time. The people's power cannot be exhausted, and exhaustion will inevitably lead to national decline; The people's will must not be completely lost, and if it is lost, the country will be in turmoil......"

Zhou Lu listened blankly, took a sip of the tea sent by the old servant, and asked, "Just add two and make three." ”

Lou Ji laughed angrily, "Don't you understand? I suggest that the imperial court decentralize the implementation of political affairs to save the people's strength, and of course lead by example in my own articles: one is one, no one cares about this one, and I will not write the second one. ”

Zhou Lu finally woke up slightly, "Oh, I see, you ...... I didn't understand it. ”

"Why bother talking nonsense about obvious things?"

Zhou Lu sneered, and suddenly got up, "In that case, I'll leave first, I'll invite you in a few days, let's have a few drinks." ”

Zhou Lu walked out, and the building did not send guests, but the old servant of the family sent it to the gate, and said after coming back: "Childe, it's not that I talk too much, this Zhou Gongzi is rich and powerful, who in the school doesn't want to make friends?" Childe is also a big boss, and he should find a way out for himself......"

Lou Ji was very surprised, although the old servant took care of him for many years, but after all, he was the master and servant, the two rarely communicated, and never said anything if it was not necessary, he didn't even know what the old servant's surname was.

"The other sons have all started a family, son, you ...... Alas, I don't know what imprisonment is, but I think, Childe is the son of a great general, and there is no way out? As long as you care in your heart and associate with useful people, you will always find a way. ”

"Ma Gongzi is not considered a 'useful person'?" Lou Ji asked with a smile.

"Master Ma is good, but ...... Forget it, I'm a subordinate, how can I be qualified to make irresponsible remarks about my master's friends? ”

"There are no outsiders here, you and I don't think of master and servant, you can say everything you have to say."

The old servant scratched his head, "I just said it casually, don't take it to heart, let alone say it to Master Mahou." ”

"Don't say it."

The old servant scratched his head again, "Master Mahou...... How so? I drank with his servants, and they all said that their master was of good character, and that he had no talent to say, but ......."

"What's it?"

The old servant pondered for a long time before saying, "How do you say a word?" What is high and what is far ......"

"So ambitious?"

"Yes, everyone thinks that Ma Hou Ye is so ambitious, not a down-to-earth person."

"Haha, Ma Gongzi's ancestor is the son of heaven in the former dynasty, and his heart is naturally higher than others."

"It's great that my ancestor was the emperor, but I don't need to talk about it all the time, after all, this is not the previous dynasty, the emperor's family name is Zhang, not Ma. Childe, you are different, but you are afraid that others will know that you are the son of a general. ”

Lou Ji was slightly stunned, "Just because of this?" ”

"You have to be down-to-earth, you want to fly to the sky, isn't it chaotic? Gongzi should have more dealings with his brothers, or people like Zhou Gongzi, to find a serious future. The old servant became more and more energetic, sighed, and persuaded: "Son, be content, back to the big tree of the Lou family, still worried about the lack of shade?" If you still feel wronged in such a family, people like us still have to throw themselves into the river, hang themselves, and wipe their necks? ”

The old servant cleaned up the teapot and teacup on the table, "The words are not rough, please pay attention to the son, I will never talk more in the future." ”

"I'd love to hear you say that, but—everyone has their own aspirations."

"I don't understand Childe's ambitions, but I just think that Childe hasn't even decided on a marriage yet, so I'm worried about you."

"I'm only eighteen."

"Anyone else is eighteen years old and even has children."

"What about you? Got married at the age of eighteen? ”

The old servant laughed dryly, "When I was eighteen years old, I really got married?" It's a pity that my life is not good, my daughter-in-law died within two years, and I didn't leave a son and a half daughter, leaving me alone to survive to this day. ”

"Why don't you remarry?"

"Hey, we subordinates have other ways to live, and it's not for Childe to understand. I've got a bunch of work to do. The old servant hurried away.

There were no classes in the Luxue Hall, and Lou Ji studied at home, so he didn't go out for a few days, and he didn't go to Ma Wei's place until this afternoon, when someone called him to listen to things in the general selection hall.

This time he came relatively early, the general and staff had not yet arrived, and more than 30 children of the Lou family were chatting, talking about the military situation of Qin and the two states, envying the generals who were sent to suppress the bandits, thinking that they would be able to make meritorious contributions, but unfortunately they could not seize such an opportunity.

Lou Ji walked slowly through the crowd, approaching the brother in charge.

His name is Lou Shuo, Xingqi, specializing in managing family affairs, at this time he is talking to several close brothers, his father is not around, he is much taller than usual, "Liang Taifu's grandson did not become a general, he was so angry that he wanted to go to the palace early in the morning to slander His Majesty and slander the general, but he waited for a day, and he didn't even enter the palace gate." He also instructed the imperial envoy to impeach the general, but no one dared to come forward. Haha, Mrs. Liang is also old and confused, and he dares to compete with the general. ”

Everyone said yes, laughed in unison, Lou Ji didn't laugh, nodded deeply to Lou Shuo, and then stepped aside.

This trick worked well, and it didn't take long for Lou Shuo to come alone and ask suspiciously, "Do you have something?" ”

Lou Ji motioned to Seventh Brother to go farther away with him, and said seriously: "How long has Seventh Brother been in charge of affairs by the general's side?" ”

"Huh? What do you want? ”

Lou Ji arched his hand and said: "The foolish brother has a benefit to give to the seventh brother." ”

Lou Shuo's expression slowed slightly, looked left and right, and whispered: "What benefits?" ”

"Our Lou family has already produced three generals, three assassins, four county guards, and countless miscellaneous officials, doesn't the seventh brother want to go out and stand alone?"

Lou Ji's face sank, "This kind of thing has to be decided by the general...... No matter what I do, I'm better than you. ”

"Of course. If Brother Qi doesn't want to listen to it, forget it, if he wants to listen, I will boldly point out the reason why Brother Qi can't leave the house. ”

"The general didn't let me leave the house because he trusted me!" Lou Shuo was very annoyed, turned around to leave, and immediately turned back, "Come and listen, you dare to talk nonsense, I will tear your mouth apart." ”

Lou Ji smiled, "How dare you." The reason is actually simple, the seventh brother only cares about people and does not push people, because he only has hard work in the general's heart, and there is no merit. ”

Lou Shuo was silent, and Lou Ji continued: "The foolish brother is bold and outspoken, the seventh brother is not good at civil and military, arithmetic, and hospitality, and he is not good at taking care of some chores at home, when will he have the opportunity to go out?" ”

"Hey, straight enough, you're saying nothing for me."

"For the sake of the seventh brother, the foolish brother didn't dare not tell the truth. Besides, the seventh brother still has a chance, those who know people are wise, and those who know themselves are clear, although the seventh brother does not have a skill, he can recommend someone with a skill to the general. May I ask Brother Qi, who has been in charge for so long, have you ever recommended one or two people to the general? ”

Lou Shuo sneered: "You want me to recommend you." ”

"The foolish brother has this intention, and this is also the benefit that the foolish brother gave to the seventh brother."

"Hey, kid hubris."

"Not being arrogant is not enough to show my talents."

Lou Shuo laughed, attracting the attention of the others in the hall, "You're done?" ”

"That's it."

"Okay, depending on my mood, everyone is happy if I am recommended, but if I am not recommended, I will also suffer in front of the general."

"Please pay attention to Brother Seven, if the general never forgets Qinzhou, please ask Brother Seventh to say a good word for me, I happen to have some thoughts about Qinzhou, maybe I am thinking about the general."

"What thoughts?"

"I can only say it to the general in person."

Lou Shuo snorted, flicked his sleeves and walked away, meeting with the others, and never took care of the building again.

The general came, and this time he discussed with the staff about trivial matters, but there were many interests involved, and how to distribute them was a difficult problem.

The staff retired, Lou Wen lectured to the children and grandchildren in the hall as usual, he was in a good mood today, scolded a few words in general, and left in a hurry, without giving anyone a chance to speak.

"The general has married another concubine, and he will be the groom tonight......" a son whispered, both ridicule and envy.

Lou Ji couldn't speak directly to the general, so he could only wait for the recommendation of the seventh brother Lou Shuo.

This is a few days, the general didn't believe it, the East Palace has already graded the articles of the people in the Temptation Hall, Ma Wei ranked first in the first class, and the building fell into the tenth in the second class.

Lou Ji learned the news on the way to the Temptation Hall.

Zhou Lu greeted the servant angrily, stuffed a few pieces of paper into Lou Ji's hand, and said coldly: "I thought that Lou Gongzi was a talent, who would have thought ...... Second class tenth, wasting my name on it. Alas, if I had known this, I should have begged Ma Wei, it was nothing more than a little more difficult, and there was always a way to get his article. ”

Lou Ji didn't expect this to be the result, but looking at the manuscript, it seemed to be much longer than the original manuscript he wrote, so he read it roughly and said angrily: "This is not my article." ”

"How not? It is...... Oh, by the way, I added four more to make up the 'Five Policies for Current Affairs', and if so, I wouldn't even get the tenth in the second class. ”

Lou Ji suppressed his anger and returned the manuscript to Zhou Lu, "It's my fault, Zhou Gongzi won't ask me for articles in the future." ”

"Don't want it, don't want it anymore. You have a good relationship with Ma Wei, introduce me to him, and I'll buy his articles in the future. ”

"I don't know him well." Lou Ji stepped forward, Zhou Lu caught up and nagged, thinking that Lou Ji owed him a favor and should help him once.

There is no class in the Temptation Hall today, and the scholars announced the results, asking everyone to wait until noon, and then go to Qianzi Lake to meet the prince together.

Everyone congratulated the first and third class three, all of them gearing up, wanting to leave a good impression on the East Palace outside the article.

Hearing the pedant, he beckoned to Lou Ji, who got up and came to the pedant, bowed and saluted, "What advice does Mr. have?" ”

"I don't see your name on it." The pedant pointed to the list on the table.

"The disciple was stupid, so he didn't write it."

"Well, it's okay, people are self-aware, since there is no rank, you can be a scholar for me today, the East Palace does not allow me to take idlers, and no one holds the bookbox for me."

"Thank you, sir."

Hearing the pedant, Ma Wei nodded in the distance, signaling Lou Ji to go out and speak.

There was no one outside the school, Ma Wei said: "A good article has been ruined by a black-haired dog." ”

"It doesn't matter."

"There is no brother to fight, and the foolish brother is the first to rank, maybe I can take the opportunity to inquire from the East Palace...... We need the news. ”

This was the first time that Ma Wei showed signs of urgency.