Fan Ning really didn't expect that the fourth uncle Fan Tongzhong would come, he and the fourth uncle have not seen much in the past two years, and they will only meet by chance during the New Year and major festivals.

However, Fan Ning also heard that Zhu Yuanfu also valued him very much, and even provided him with a scholarship from the Zhu family.

Basically, the wealthy everywhere will focus on cultivating some outstanding talents from poor backgrounds for their own use, and the Zhu family is the same, and Gao Fei, the county commander of Wu County, is an outstanding talent funded by the Zhu family.

It is said that the Zhu family has sponsored dozens of outstanding poor children to study, although there are quite a few of them, but how can the fourth uncle be so virtuous and why Zhu Yuanfu values it so much, which really makes Fan Ning puzzled.

"A-Ning, I didn't expect our uncle and nephew to participate in the imperial examination together!"

Fan Tongzhong took a sip of tea and said with a smile: "It's a good story to spread it." ”

If you pass the test, it's a good story, and if you don't pass the test, it's a joke.

"Is there anything that the fourth uncle is looking for me?" Fanning asked with a faint smile.

"Actually, it's nothing, it's just that I'm more widely informed, and I want to reveal a little bit of the inside story to you, which will be of great benefit to you in doing the question."

"Thank you Fourth Uncle for your concern!"

Fan Tongzhong stretched his neck and lowered his voice, for fear that the voice would be a little louder and someone else would listen to the secret.

"Let me tell you two news, the title of this argumentative essay is 'Shun Youchen Five People and the World Rules', the news is absolutely reliable, and it took me two times to get the topic."

Fan Ning was amused in his heart, before the exam, all kinds of guessing questions came out one after another, and the questions were serious, just like the real thing.

He asked quietly, "What about the other news?" ”

"Another piece of news is about the examiner Zhou Zhen, someone investigated in Qizhou and found that he had a good relationship with Fu Bi."

The second news, Fan Ning, is a little interested, which is related to Zhou Zhen's political color.

Generally speaking, the political inclination of the examiner has a greater impact on the candidate's countermeasures, for example, a very conservative examiner must have a negative attitude towards the answer sheet that is eager for change and innovation.

Fu Bi is a more complicated person, in Fan Zhongyan's reform, he is Fan Zhongyan's right-hand man, but when it comes to Wang Anshi's reform, Fu Bi is a resolute opponent.

But it cannot be said that Fu Bi does not support reforms, he only opposes Wang Anshi's radical reforms, especially the Qingmiao Law.

It can only be assumed that Fu Bi supports moderate reforms and is more of a reformist.

Therefore, if it is determined that Zhou Zhen and Fu Bi are good friends, they think that Zhou Zhen is a reformer, and then vigorously criticize the conservative old law in the countermeasures, which is very wrong.

However, Fu Bi attaches great importance to people's livelihood, and Zhou Zhen should be the same.

"What, you don't believe the words of the fourth uncle?" Seeing Fan Ning smiling and silent, Fan Tongzhong couldn't help but ask with some dissatisfaction.

"I don't believe it, but I'm very grateful to the fourth uncle for telling me in time."

Fan Tongzhong rubbed his hands happily, and said: "The second news is for you for free, but the first news is that Uncle Fourth spent two times to buy the topic, why don't we share it, how about half of one person?" ”

Three black lines appeared on Fanning's forehead, he thought that the fourth uncle would be a little good in the past two years, but he didn't expect that he was still a virtue in the past, and he changed his way to ask for money, but now the idea actually hit his head.

Fan Ning thought for a while and smiled: "We also bet on a few imperial examination questions in Xuezheng, is the fourth uncle interested?" ”

Fan Tongzhong's eyes lit up, not everyone can get this kind of resource for Zhao Xuezheng's questions, he spent two times to buy the exam questions is pure nonsense, but Zhao Xuezheng's questions are real benefits.

He hurriedly waved his hand, "Between our uncle and nephew, don't mention the money." ”

He's a little clever enough to know that he has to give up his little abacus first.

Fan Ning said unhurriedly: "Zhao Xuezheng thinks that the main examination of Zhou focuses on Mencius, advocating the people as the priority, and the monarch as the light, and the countermeasure questions can start from the people's livelihood. ”

Fan Tongzhong was stunned for a long time and asked, "But..... Where is the subject of the charge? ”

Fan Ning laughed, "Fourth uncle, Zhao Xuezheng is not the roundworm in the stomach of Master Zhou, how can he bet on a specific topic."

But Zhao Xuezheng thinks that the countermeasure question is to test the people's livelihood, which is enough, as long as you have enough understanding of the people's livelihood, no matter what kind of topic it is, you can deal with it, especially in agriculture, it is recommended that the fourth uncle work hard. ”

Fan Tongzhong left disappointed, for him, he needed to get the accurate topic, and then pay someone to do it, just telling him a range didn't mean anything to him.

Fan Ning stood at the door and watched Fan Tongzhong go away, and he couldn't help but shake his head secretly.

In fact, Zhao Xuezheng didn't bet on the topic at all, Fan Ning was for the sake of his uncle and nephew, hinting that the fourth uncle was going to take the agriculture exam, as long as the fourth uncle found a few more articles on persuading farmers, he could write a good countermeasure essay.

But even such an article, it is estimated that the fourth uncle Fan Tongzhong can't do it, and if he wants to be admitted to the imperial examination at such a level, it is undoubtedly a fool's dream.

At this time, Xuezheng Zhao Xiuwen came from behind and asked with a smile, "What good news did your fourth uncle bring you?" ”

"He brought me a question, saying that the topic of this year's imperial examination was leaked, what is it called'Shun has five ministers and the world is governed'."

Zhao Xiuwen laughed, "This question is a county exam question from three years ago, and your fourth uncle still remembers it." ”

Zhao Xiuwen smiled and asked, "What else is interesting news?" ”

"There is also about the chief examiner Zhou Zhen, there is news from Qizhou, saying that he has a good relationship with Fu Bi."

Zhao Xiuwen nodded, "This kind of news has always been very eye-catching, it was like this thirty years ago, every candidate will speculate about the examiner's personality, likes and political leanings, from the solution test to the provincial test. ”

"Does Xuezheng think this speculation makes sense?" Fanning asked again.

Zhao Xiuwen smiled slightly, "This is the benevolent see the benevolent, and the wise see the wise." ”

"What do you think?" Fanning was still unwilling and continued to get to the bottom of it.

Zhao Xiuwen shook his head, "According to my experience, if you don't care about the examiner, then you won't be influenced by the examiner, because you won't cater to him to do the questions, and you won't go to extremes easily."

For example, some candidates feel that Zhou Zhen and Fu Bi are close, so they think that he is a reformer, and then when they do countermeasures, they will often take a clear stand, support reform, and criticize the old system, thinking that they will be favored by Zhou Zhen.

I don't know if I can get Zhou Zhen's favor, but I know that this kind of paper may not even have a chance to be put on Zhou Zhen's desk, and it will be 'clicked' at the deputy chief examiner or the ordinary examiner! 'It's dropped, and few examiners will like the sensationalizing papers. ”

Fan Ning nodded silently, Zhao Xuezheng was right, the sword will not only lose its true colors, but it will often backfire, and maintaining its true colors is the king.

．．．．．．．．

Changzhou County School is located in the south of the city, not far from the examination institute, originally part of the Pingjiang Provincial School, and later the two were split, and the county school occupies significantly less land than the Provincial School.

In terms of scale alone, Changzhou County School is not as good as Wu County School, but the quality of Changzhou County School is the best in Pingzhou Prefecture, which can be seen only from the number of people who take the exam each time.

Of course, this also has a lot to do with the population composition of Changzhou County, more than 200,000 people in Changzhou, more than 70% of them live in the county, and there are very few towns outside the city, but there are a few towns in the north.

It is precisely because the county has a large population that the affluence of the residents is generally higher than that of Wu County, and the parents' investment in their own education is also stronger than that of Wu County, so that talented teenagers emerge in endlessly.

Every time the imperial examination for boys is examined, Changzhou County has to take away most of the tribute places.

This year, Cheung Chau County is even stronger, and a few months ago they have publicly shouted the slogan of taking five tribute places.

There are still three days before the imperial examination, and the ten county scholars are also gathered in the Changzhou County School for final preparations.

In a spacious lobby, 10 county magistrates from Cheung Chau County sat in a row, and a middle-aged man was explaining to them the situation this year.

This middle-aged man's name is Guo Yun, only thirty-seven or eighteen years old, and he is currently a scholar in Changzhou County.

Perhaps because of his youth, Guo Yun seems to be very strong and dares to take the initiative, ordinary people dare not say that he has all the places, but he dares to say it publicly, without considering the feelings of other counties.

However, although he is more arrogant, he still has real talent and real learning, or his wild words are just a strategy, and he still attaches great importance to his opponent in private.

Guo Yun also drew a situation chart and said to the ten young county soldiers: "Although our overall strength this year is much stronger than in previous years, we must not take it lightly, and only by knowing ourselves and knowing the other can we win all battles."

In fact, we also have opponents, and according to what I know, we have at least three opponents, one each in Wuxian, Wujiang and Kunshan.

The first name of the county magistrate in Wu County is called Fan Ning, it is said that he is Fan Zhongyan's cousin, but he was born poor, I heard that he began to learn some tea in the county, I know that he is not a scholarly family, such an opponent is terrible, he is a real genius. ”