The draft of the Ming Dynasty had a strict system, just like women participating in the imperial examination, Zhang Yan, the queen of Zhu Youxiao of the Ming Xi Sect, was selected all the way through the draft, passing five levels and cutting six generals from the people, defeating 8,000 show girls in the same period. Therefore, it is recorded in the history books that she is very beautiful, it should not be exaggerated, choose one out of 8,000 people, and only if she is not beautiful can she have a ghost.

However, there are too few people like Zhang Yan who can become queens and concubines through the draft, most people can only be an ordinary palace maid, nominally the emperor's woman, but in fact she is just a slave, forced to engage in heavy manual labor, beaten and scolded, without any status and power, from now on can not start a family, can not enjoy the joy of parents and brothers, can not have love, no one cares about injuries and illnesses, and after death, she is directly thrown to the "Jingle Hall" for cremation, like throwing away a dead puppy. Life is not ordinary miserable.

Therefore, the people of the Ming Dynasty were reluctant to let their daughters enter the palace, as soon as they heard that the emperor was going to draft a girl, they hurriedly found a husband for their daughters. In view of this, those bachelors are waiting for the emperor to draft a daughter, so that they can find a daughter-in-law.

In the evening, Zhu Ao took Di Lina to the Yunxi Inn where Sheng Yong stayed, the scale of the Yunxi Inn was much smaller than the Yuelai Inn where he lived, which was basically equivalent to the current street hotel, and with Sheng Yong's net worth, he could only live there.

Sheng Yong saw that it was yesterday's big customer who visited, so he immediately stood up and poured water, and said with a smile: "I didn't expect the little brother to really come to find him, do you want to sell a few more pairs of words?" With the favor of the last time, I will definitely give the little brother a discount this time. ”

Zhu Ao didn't refuse, sat on the edge of the table, and rummaged through the utensils on the table a few times, while Di Linaza stood behind him obediently, with her hands on her lower abdomen.

In the past three years, the vassal king has already developed the kingly spirit of Zhu Ao, and regardless of the identity of the host and guest, he said magnificently: "Mr. Sheng must have also come to Beijing to take the exam." ”

Sheng Yong said with a look of shame: "Little brother is really good eyesight, he has already taken the exam twice, this is the third time, if he fails the exam again, he is really shameless to face Jiangdong's father." ”

Zhu Ao secretly enjoyed in his heart, it was better to suffer setbacks, and it was easy to be poached after setbacks, and said with a smile: "It's okay." There is a good thing to grind, after this experience, presumably Mr. will be able to win this time. ”

Sheng Yong poured a cup of tea for Zhu Ao, smiled, and said: "Then borrow the little brother's auspicious words, if it is peaceful today, there is no place for heroes." ”

It seems that he is a landlord who is not talented, eager to express himself and realize the value of his life, although Zhu Ao likes it, but he is not anxious, he can't eat hot tofu in a hurry, and he will seem to be cheap, and said with a smile: "Today's saint is wise and martial, never superstitious about the imperial examination, and if he wants to join the WTO to be an official, there is not only one way to take the imperial examination." Don't you see that Yan Zhenzhi has never participated in the imperial examination? Sir, you can send some poems and the like to the powerful people of the current dynasty, and maybe someone will appreciate you. ”

Zhu Yong didn't expect his words to reach Sheng Yong's sadness, only to see Sheng Yong sigh softly, and said very sadly: "I voted, I voted early." I don't know how many votes I have cast, but they are all sunk in the sea, and there is no echo. ”

Sheng Yong's words expressed the sorrow of the children of the poor family, countless children of the poor family have been studying hard for ten years, just thinking about changing their fate with their talents, but when they really go to society, they will find that their talent is not a fart at all in the eyes of the powerful and rich.

In their opinion, the poetry and prose of these so-called talents are not as useful as a dance of their concubines, or even as useful as the parrots they raise, at least they can make themselves happy.

Because in peacetime, the work done by officials is the simplest thing, to put it bluntly, as long as you are literate, you can do it, you are not related to others, why should people use you?

The official position is a scarce resource, just because you write two articles well, it will be given to you, that is too cheap for you, what about an article that is not very well written? It's not that it can't be done.

Zhu Ao looked at Sheng Yong's depressed look, and remembered the scene when he was looking for a job in later generations, at the beginning, he thought that he could go to work in a better unit with his higher education and excellent professional courses, but the later he came, the more disheartened he became, because he found that in the eyes of those who are high, it doesn't matter if your professional class is better or worse, the key is how much benefit you can bring to others.

In the end, I had no choice but to go to a middle school to teach geography, and I had to pass layers of exams to get the official establishment. In this world, there are too many wasted talents, and the key is to see if you have that luck.

"Sir, don't be frustrated, the so-called natural talent must be useful, you can continue to submit, I believe that someone will appreciate your talent." Zhu Ao comforted slowly, it was not that he was saying kind words to Sheng Yong, but that Sheng Yong's experience touched his inner world, so he comforted him sincerely.

Sheng Yong raised his eyes to look at this gorgeously dressed and extravagant young man, and then quietly glanced at Di Linazha, who was standing behind him as pretty as a fairy, and a thought suddenly flashed in his heart: Could he be the son of that noble family, and he has taken a fancy to my talent?

Sheng Yong's heart was excited, it seems that the stories written in the history books are not completely deceitful, there are really people who look at the thatched house and are thirsty for talent, just like a person who fell into the river suddenly grabbed a life-saving straw, almost didn't stand firm, and said very excitedly: "Could this little brother be the son of that adult's family?" Want to be on the right trail? ”

Zhu Ao smiled, and said in his heart If I hadn't crossed over, knowing your performance in the Battle of Jingjing, I wouldn't bother to pay attention to you, and you didn't have the word talent written on your face, how do I know if you are genuine? At this point, there is no need to beat around the bush, directly open the skylight and say something bright, saying: "It's not a secret, I am a retinue of King Su, and in the past two days, King Su has given me a holiday, and I was able to walk around and meet Mr. I see that Mr. writes well, and he is also a learned person, King Su is now expanding his territory for more than 2,000 miles, and he urgently needs talents to help him govern the place, I don't know if Mr. is interested? ”

It turned out to be King Su's entourage, Sheng Yong knew in his heart that King Su's reputation in recent years was too big, and there was no one in the entire Ming Dynasty who didn't know the reputation of King Su, he knew that this King Su was also a man of great talent and ambition, and he also had a certain future if he followed him.

However, Sheng Yong had a trace of unwillingness in his heart, he wanted to be in the court and enter the prime minister, the bull's ear of the world, and run to a small feudal country to be an official, even if he did well, I am afraid that he would not have the opportunity to leave a name in history in the official history, his eyes rolled several times, and he obviously hesitated for a long time and said: "King Su is eloquent, and he is also very admired." It's just that the road to Hexi is long, and it can't be decided in one or two days, can you consider how many days later? ”

Zhu Ao has never been difficult to employ people, and it is useless to pull it hard if his heart is not here, and he has to lose his own value, and said with a smile: "Life events, naturally you have to think carefully." In this way, King Su is not a casual person, I will take you back a few articles and ask him to take a look, you can think about it here, and in three days, how about I come to you again? ”

"Then it's a deal." Sheng Yong agreed very happily, then walked to his bookcase, rummaged through and found a few strategies that he thought he had written well, handed them to Zhu Ao and said, "Then it's troublesome little brother." ”

Zhu Ao glanced at the manuscript roughly, and saw that most of them were still military, no wonder no one paid attention to the military in this era of peace, those generals who led the troops were hereditary officers, who would listen to your sour show? But then again, what else can we talk about without talking about the military? There are only a few ways to govern the country, everyone has said it over and over again, can you still say that the flowers are not good?

Zhu Ao casually handed Sheng Yong's manuscript to Di Linazha, who was standing behind him, and then stood up and said, "Since that's the case, then let's make a decision, and we'll see you in three days." ”

Sheng Yong also arched his hand, and saluted: "Then thank you little brother, little brother and madam, please go slowly." "Anyway, he personally sent Zhu Ao and Di Linazha to the door, although taking refuge in King Su is not the most ideal way out in his heart, but at least it is a road, he is already in his thirties, he has long passed the age of innocence, he has long since ceased to hope to become a hit, and has long learned to leave a way back for himself.

After Zhu Ao and Di Linaza greeted Sheng Yong respectively, they rushed to the Yuelai Inn together, they still wanted to play for another day, so they were still staying at the inn tonight.

However, today is a double blessing. Zhu Ao and Di Linaza had just returned to the room, and before they could tell me and me, the door was knocked by the innkeeper.

Zhu Ao opened the door, introduced the innkeeper very politely, and said with a smile: "What is the shopkeeper doing here?" ”

The innkeeper's face turned into a flower, and when he walked in the door, he arched his hand at Zhu Ao, and said with a hint of flattery: "The son is polite, and I am here to tell the son about family affairs." ”

Zhu Ao and Di Linaza were all stunned, there is such a good thing in these years, a wife can live in an inn, they looked at each other for a while, Zhu Ao smiled and said: "Thank you for the kindness of the shopkeeper, but you see that I already have a wife." ”

The shopkeeper hurriedly waved his hand, and said with an indifferent look: "A man's husband, what's the big deal about marrying three wives and four concubines?" To tell you the truth, I am telling a niece in the next place, and yesterday I have told my niece about the appearance of the son, and she said that she is willing to be a concubine to serve the lord and the lady. ”

Di Linaza couldn't help but purse her lips and smile when she heard this, she was originally a concubine, but now some people treat her as a genuine lady, but I don't know what medicine is sold in the shopkeeper's gourd? is so eager to send her niece, is there something unspeakable?

Zhu Ao was stunned, he had only lived here for a day, this boss actually fell in love with him, and he wanted to marry his niece to him, his vision is really good, could it be that he knows his identity? said with a smile: "I am not a local, I am a merchant from the Northwest Su Kingdom, I came to the capital this time to do business, and I will leave soon, I am afraid that my niece will not want to follow me to the northwest land." ”

"This ......" the shopkeeper was embarrassed when he heard this sentence, there is a saying that the daughter who marries far away is the child of her parents, and the transportation is still so convenient in modern society, let alone ancient times, he hesitated for a moment and said: "Dare to ask the guest officer if he can stay in the hotel for one more day, free of charge for board and lodging, and then make a decision after I have asked the host?" ”

Maybe you can catch a beautiful woman by eating and living in vain, this kind of good thing naturally can't be missed, Zhu Ao was interested for a while, isn't this the legendary affair, I couldn't ask for it in my previous life, and now I hit the widow's head and how can I miss it, and said with a smile: "Since the shopkeeper is so gracious, then it's good to stay for a day, and I hope to forgive me for the disturbance." ”

"It's okay, it's okay." The shopkeeper waved his hand again and again and said politely: "Dare to ask what kind of business the guest officer is doing?" It seems to be the main house explanation in the next, too. ”

"Silk, tea." Zhu Ao said lightly. It is not surprising that there were too many merchants who bought silk and tea from Jiangnan and then shipped them to the northwest to sell them to the Western Domain.

The shopkeeper secretly glanced at Zhu Ao again, saw his graceful demeanor, and looked like a person who had not suffered much, and expected that his business was doing well, at least it was a big business, and he didn't need to do rough work, and the beautiful woman next to him was also very kind-hearted, and she would not treat her niece poorly in the future, so she had an idea and rhetoric in her heart, and arched her hand at Zhu Ao, and said with a smile: "I know, congratulations to the boss for making a fortune." In the next first go. ”

With that, he slowly exited the door, and then gently closed the door. Zhu Ao politely said "no delivery" and did not send it out.

After sending the boss away, Di Linaza smiled and took Zhu Ao's arm and teased: "Congratulations to the king, there is another one more in the harem." Although she was also a little jealous in her heart, she also knew that as a king, Zhu Ao would definitely not have fewer women, at least not limited to the four of them, after all, they all have old age and decrepit times, and men always like young people. Instead of being unhappy with the grumpy king now, it's better to look away, as long as you are happy when you are with him, isn't it?

Zhu Ao took Di Linazha's hand, led her to sit on the edge of the table, and said with a smile: "Guess why he is so anxious to send his niece out." ”

Di Lina Zha Bingxue is smart, and she figured it out after a little thought, but she is a smart person in the end, and she knows that she shouldn't say something, so she rolled her eyes, pouted, and said cutely: "The concubine is stupid, I really can't guess it, and I ask the king to show it." ”