The leader of Jinding Mountain's talent is seriously carrying out his own exercise activities. Since the end of the autumn harvest in the cottage, Zhang Mengcheng was very pleased to get a bumper harvest again, and he also began to seriously prepare to recover his state.

Fortunately, all other work in the cottage has been carefully managed by Zhang Mengcheng, and there is already a charter. Moreover, the grassroots managers he has cultivated have grown up, and there is no need to continue to trouble the leaders of Xiucai in everything.

In addition, the children in the cottage cottage have successively added several substitute teachers. So Zhang Mengcheng finally has more free time and can start to adjust his state.

After the aerobic exercise in the afternoon, Zhang Mengcheng came to the Jinding Mountain martial arts arena to prepare for the activities, and then started his anaerobic exercise.

After several months of recuperation, Zhang Mengcheng's injuries actually healed in early September. Although Zhang Mengcheng recovered well, he still did not follow his eldest brother Zhang Mengjin into Dongchuan to suppress thieves.

It's not that Jindingshan needs a leader to sit in charge, Dongchuan Thieves' Nest is now being suppressed by the imperial army, and Jindingshan doesn't have to worry about the threat of thieves at all.

Mainly because Zhang Mengcheng encountered the problems that Zhang Zhaoen also encountered before, and his whole person was almost fat. In order to recuperate Zhang Mengcheng's body, the eldest brother, the second brother and his wife Cai Qixian and others successively fed him a large number of supplements.

In addition, they did not allow Zhang Mengcheng to do any form of exercise during the recuperation period, so Zhang Mengcheng raised a lot of fat.

Now after more than a month of hard workout, Zhang Mengcheng still hasn't been able to fully adjust his body back, which makes him feel a little panicked. However, the benefits are not without benefits, after gaining weight and exercising again to lose weight, Zhang Mengcheng found that his lung capacity and endurance seemed to have increased compared to before.

After finishing the preparatory activities, Zhang Mengcheng walked in front of a large stone in the shape of a long way. There are intervening places on the left and right waists of this big stone, and the name is called Shirenzi, and some people are used to calling it Jiyong Stone.

The 掇 (duō) stone in the martial arts examination is to carry this thing. Since the beginning of the Jiajing Dynasty, the martial arts of the Ming Dynasty have increased the test of "strength". In the Chongzhen period, the stone and the dancing knife were still an important part of the martial arts examination.

The general requirement is to lift the stone to the chest and abdomen, and then use the abdominal force to turn the bottom of the stone to the left and right sides of the body once, which is called "dedication", if it can be completed within one time, it is qualified. However, this requirement may change depending on the region or at different times.

According to the information that Zhang Mengcheng heard during this time, sometimes he just asked to lift the stone and walk a few steps; In other cases, the test taker is asked to raise the stone stilt with both hands above his head before throwing it out. If, after completing these requirements, the test taker does not blush or pant for breath, it is superior.

It may sound simple to the average person, but if you listen to the weight of the stone stilt, you will understand how difficult it is.

Although the style may be a little different in different places, the stone rafts are generally divided into three standards: 200 catties, 250 catties and 300 catties.

These standards are already quite amazing, Zhang Mengcheng had heard that there were heavier stone stumps, and the standards had reached an exaggerated level of 500 catties.

I heard that in last year's Jingshi Wuju examination, it seemed that a stone coffin of 500 catties was set up, but Zhang Mengcheng didn't know if anyone had lifted it. (Note 1)

The person who can lift this thing is already quite a great strongman, not to mention having to complete the requirements of the martial arts exam.

Zhang Mengcheng could only force himself to dig 250 pounds of stones before he was injured, and now that he has done a lot of muscle training after becoming fat, he still stays at the standard of 250 pounds.

Although the martial arts examination is not just about stone, Zhang Mengcheng still hopes that he can reach the standard of 300 catties of stone before the Shaanxi Wuju Township Examination in October of the sixth year of Chongzhen.

Because Zhang Mengcheng heard that most of the lifters who participated in the martial arts exam, even those who were at the bottom of the list, chose the standard of 300 catties. And in the martial arts test of the Jingshi in the future, there will be more powerful challengers. (Note 2)

"Up."

Zhang Mengcheng shouted and successfully lifted the stone stump in front of him.

He tried to lift the two hundred and fifty pounds of ashlar above his head, but in the end he still did not succeed. Zhang Mengcheng felt that he couldn't support it, so he hurriedly threw the stone stilt out.

The heavy stone slammed into the ground, and the vibration caused by it made people panic.

Xiucai sat on the ground tired, gasping for air. He sighed in his heart that those people who were rumored to be able to lift five hundred catties of stone stalks, if there were such people, would they be monsters.

"Xiucai, don't work too hard, let's rest for a while."

At this time, Zhang Mengcheng's wife, Cai Qixian, came over and persuaded her husband to rest for a while.

After she saw Zhang Mengcheng's failure to dig the stone this time, she spoke again and persuaded: "Don't work so hard, if you really get to the examination room, just lift the stone and walk a few steps." Even you can't lift it, so I don't believe that there are so many people in this world who can lift 300 pounds of stone. ”

Zhang Mengcheng stabilized his breathing, and then said to Cai Qixian with a smile: "There is a sky outside the world in this world, and there are many things outside the world. Let's not be too arrogant, if the martial arts will be such a person when they try, then I will be the one who makes a fool of myself. ”

"But this heavy stone is of little use, just some strength. The real battle fight, life and death are in an instant, it is more to see who is more courageous, whose sword and gun skills will be stronger. My father and eldest brother have said that if they have practiced a fifty-pound stone lock on weekdays, it is enough to deal with most of the grass coars. ”

Cai Qixian naturally understands the truth that there are people outside the world, but she is familiar with the war and grew up in the den of thieves, so she really doesn't understand the use of the trick of digging stones.

"It's really not very useful, in fact, the same is true of the dancing knife. But the imperial court is good for this, and the martial arts is to test it. Since we want an official position, we can only rely on the temperament of the imperial court. ”

Zhang Mengcheng himself also thinks that the stone and the dancing knife are not of great use, but since he has decided to participate in the martial arts, this thing still needs to be trained hard.

Cai Qixian looked at the pit smashed by the stone lint on the ground, and thought that if Zhang Mengcheng was careless during the practice and let the stone rugzi hit himself, Cai Qixian's heart began to furle.

She also inquired about some stone digging, and heard that some martial arts candidates accidentally smashed their instep and became lame when carrying this thing.

Some of the people who were badly injured either died of their injuries in the end. Either they just couldn't withstand the blow and directly chose to commit suicide. Cai Qixian didn't want her husband to end up regretting it for life because of this, so she continued to persuade her.

"I've heard that whether it's martial arts or literature, many people who participate in scientific expeditions will choose to cheat. Some stuff the examiner with silver, and some simply impostor. Xiucai, you just practiced well, maybe you will be squeezed down by these people. So why do you have to work so hard, just look for a way. ”

Cai Qixian is right, the phenomenon of cheating in the imperial examination in the Ming Dynasty is indeed not uncommon.

Just like Chongzhen's four-year martial arts, he couldn't stand the chaos when he tried to Yu Shi Lu Zhenfei, and said directly: "Recently, Ma Bu has been playing two games, buying arrows, topping names, and replacing them, and it is a matter of course." The officers of the prison and arrow gave many instructions, and they went up and down. If the three are not combined, those who cannot hold the bow in their hands will be discriminate. (Note 3)

In last year's Di Bao, the imperial court directly pointed out this situation of "habitual behavior". Cheating is a common phenomenon in the country's talent ceremony, which is really shocking.

However, since last year's martial arts examination, there was such a big movement, which led to the appearance of the martial arts hall examination. Then the imperial court should have a rectification of the cheating phenomenon of martial arts.

Moreover, Zhang Mengcheng and his future martial arts route, if he can go all the way, he will finally succeed in the palace test. In front of the emperor, it is still very advantageous to have excellent skills.

Therefore, Zhang Mengcheng believes that whether the content of these martial arts tests is really useful or not, he should still face it seriously.

"The way to cheat in martial arts is not so easy to find, and the martial arts of the imperial court only had a cheating case last year, and most of them will be reined in in the future. Okay, let's not talk about that. My eldest brother's son's full moon wine, will Second Brother Cai and your father come? ”

Seeing that Cai Qixian still seemed to have something to say, Zhang Mengcheng didn't want to dwell on this matter, so he directly changed the topic.

"I just received a letter from them, and they said that they would come to participate, and by the way, come to Jinding Mountain to see if I'm doing well."

Cai Qixian heard Xiucai talk about his mother's family, so he stopped talking about martial arts.

"Now that the big bosses of Jindingshan and Artemisia are fighting thieves in Dongchuan, they will not be able to come back for a while. My eldest brother's son's full moon wine, I still don't want to be too lonely. ”

Zhang Mengcheng also knew about the situation of Dongchuan's thieves before, so he could judge that Zhang Mengjin should not be able to come back in time.

Cai Qixian also knew that her husband attached great importance to this banquet, so when she invited her mother's family before, she also said it very solemnly.

But then again, few people in Baoan County dare not give Jindingshan's face.

"You can rest assured, the face of Jinding Mountain, the people with heads and faces in Baoan County will be given. When the time comes, the magistrate of Baoan County, Hou Sanguang, will definitely send someone to support him. As long as you want, half of the people in Baoan County can be invited over. ”

Zhang Mengcheng thought that his sister-in-law might be a little worried, although the second sister-in-law had been with her, but it was better to let his wife go over to accompany her.

"Sister-in-law, you can talk to her about it, she has always wanted to have a son. This time it finally came true, but my eldest brother couldn't come back in time to accompany her because of business. She has been staying in the room and can't come out now, and she must be a little depressed. ”

Zhang Mengcheng's sister-in-law had returned to Jinding Mountain to recuperate before giving birth. This is because the conditions in Jinding Mountain are better, and there are more relatives and acquaintances.

In addition, because of customs, the thinking of people in this era is different from that of later generations. There are various taboos for women to go to confinement after giving birth, and they also require women not to go out of the house for a single step during the confinement time.

In order to avoid unnecessary trouble, the eldest brother Zhang Mengjin asked his wife to return to Jinding Mountain early in the morning.

"Don't worry, my second sister-in-law and I spent a lot of time with my sister-in-law. Tell some fun things every day to make my sister-in-law happy, and my sister-in-law is also very open-minded, and there is no way for the eldest brother (Zhang Mengjin) to come back. And with you presiding, my sister-in-law doesn't worry about what will go wrong with the full moon wine. ”

After Cai Qixian married to Jinding Mountain, although she did not have much contact with her sister-in-law who lived in the military fort in the north. But in the few opportunities they had to meet, they still talked quite a bit. Now that she has returned to Jindingshan, her sister-in-law has become an intimate relationship with Cai Qixian who has nothing to talk about.

What Zhang Mengcheng was worried about, his wife Cai Qixian solved it very well. Coupled with the previous remarriage incident of Che Jibao's widow, Zhang Mengcheng sighed that he really married a virtuous helper.

Next, Zhang Mengcheng and Cai Qixian talked about some other things, although the views between the husband and wife are not all the same, but they have a great reference to each other, and their actions are full of tacit understanding. They have decided to invite some people to sing in the village, and Zhang Mengcheng, the little nephew's full moon wine, will definitely be quite lively.

PS: Note 1: It is recorded in the 91st volume of the "National Legend", "The knife is from one hundred and twenty catties to eighty catties, and the stone is from five hundred catties to two hundred and fifty catties." Other historical materials also have the saying of 500 catties of stones, for example, in the "Yutang Huiji", there is also a record of Chongzhen's four-year (Xinwei) martial arts examination, "The martial arts field originally stopped riding and shooting, and Xin did not add a knife and stone." knives of the third class, from one hundred and twenty catties to eighty catties; Stone third class, from 500 catties to 250 catties. However, after the content of this paragraph, this document also says that "that is, you can really lift 500 catties of stones, dance knives 120 catties, and if you are powerful, you will be honest and powerful, and once you encounter the enemy, you will use it", and the tone shows that there should not be many people who can lift 500 catties of stones.

In the fourth volume of "Taiwan Foreign Records", there is a record of Zheng Chenggong's Iron Man Army, the content is quite exaggerated, and it is actually "each can lift 5,000 people who travel all over the church with 500 stones". There were 5,000 people who lifted 500 catties of stones, which is too exaggerated. Considering that Jiang Risheng's "Taiwan Extralogy" has a lot of novel romance, this content should only be an exaggerated description of the novel.

Note 2: Referring to the "List of Test Questions in Jiangnan Wuxiang", in the martial arts examination in the eleventh year of Guangxu, from 90 to 97, they were all 300 catties of stone. The end of the Qing Dynasty is to this extent, so the end of the Ming Dynasty should not be worse than this.

Note 3: Volume 49 of the "Chongzhen Long Edition", after the entry of Jiazi in August of the fourth year of Chongzhen.