After lunch, the three of them came to the Zhu's money shop next door, Zhu's money shop is an extremely important industry of the Zhu family, and it is also one of the top ten money shops in the Great Song Dynasty, there are more than 30 branches in various parts of the Great Song Dynasty, north to the Daimyo's Mansion, south to Guangzhou have its stores, and Mingren and Mingli are going to Fuzhou also have a branch.

Of course, the most branches are still in Pingjiang Prefecture, and there are five counties in Pingjiang Prefecture, each county has a branch, but the head office of Zhu's money shop is in the capital.

The most lucrative business of money shops is money lending, but it is also very convenient for merchants to deposit money, especially when they withdraw money from other places.

For example, if Mingren and Mingli asked for 10,000 taels of silver to go to Fuzhou, they could not go to Fuzhou with the silver on a boat, but deposited the silver at the money shop in Changzhou County, and the money shop gave them the money code words and vouchers, and they could withdraw money directly from the Fuzhou money shop as long as they showed the code words and vouchers at the money shop in Fuzhou.

The money shop also has another function, which is to take care of the valuables of customers.

Fan Ning walked into the store and smiled at the shopkeeper: "Shopkeeper An, it's been a long time!" ”

The shopkeeper of the money shop was a white and fat middle-aged man, and when he saw Fan Ning, he hurriedly handed it over: "It turned out to be a small official, congratulations to the little official for winning the first place in the boy's test!" ”

Now Fan Ning is a celebrity in Pingjiang Mansion, and the streets and alleys are talking about him, his appearance, his family, his experience, etc., and various stories about him have also begun to circulate in various schools, becoming an inspirational example for the young scholars in the school.

As for the wealthy families of Pingjiang Mansion who want to marry their daughters to him, there are countless wealthy families, but at present, Fan Ning has not encountered this trouble.

Fanning took out a deposit slip, handed it to the shopkeeper and said with a smile: "The stone I stored here last time, I plan to take it away." ”

"No problem, that stone is quite heavy, do you want the shop to prepare an ox cart for the little official?"

"Thank you very much!"

After a short time, the two men carried a piece of topaz the size of a water tank onto the ox cart, and the three of them also got on the ox cart, and Fanning said to the coachman: "Go to Pan Yufang!" ”

"Got it, little official, please sit down!"

The coachman flicked his long whip, and the ox cart slowly started and drove towards the east of Changzhou County.

"A-Ning, this topaz is actually so big?" Akihito and Mingli couldn't help but widen their eyes as they looked at the topaz with the size of the water tank in front of them.

"This topaz was given to me by Mr. Zhou, it is very rare, generally topaz is about the same size as a goose egg, my topaz is already large, and this topaz is even more unique."

Fan Ning gently stroked the topaz and said: "The locals call this topaz phoenix egg, I think this name is good, and it will be called phoenix warm jade in the future, which will be more attractive." ”

"Then what are you going to do with this piece of jade?"

Fanning smiled slightly, "I'll know right away!" ”

．．．．．．．

Pingjiang Mansion has been a place where jade craftsmen have been concentrated since ancient times, and the most brilliant jade carvers of the Great Song Dynasty have gathered here, among which Pan Yulang is the best among the jade carvers, Pan Yulang's real name is Pan Xiu, and Yulang is everyone's affectionate name for him.

Pan Yulang is nearly sixty years old, three years ago has been sealed, his jade workshop is currently run by his eldest son, several apprentices take over his banner, continue to carve.

Hearing that it was the first place in the Tongzi Department to visit his father, Pan Yulang's son did not slack off, and hurriedly went to the inner hall to inform his father.

After a while, an old man with a childish face came out of the inner house and asked with a smile: "The old man is Pan Yulang, what's the matter with the little official?" ”

Fan Ning bowed and saluted, "The junior has a carving, I want to implore the senior to help!" ”

Pan Yulang's face showed embarrassment, and he said for a while: "The old man has been sealed for three years, and his hands are rusty, I'm afraid I can't serve the petty officials." ”

"Isn't it okay in special cases?" Fanning continued to ask.

"It depends on the special circumstances, and the old decay still needs to be familiar, and it will take a long time."

Fan Ning took out half of the jade that Zhou Liang gave him and handed it to Pan Yulang, Pan Yulang took the jade and laughed, "Since it is entrusted by Zhou Gong, even if I fight for this old life, I have to serve the little official again, I don't know what the little official wants to carve?" ”

Fan Ning was overjoyed and hurriedly asked Mingren and Mingli to carry Tian Huangshi in.

At this time, Pan Yulang's son whispered: "It's better to let the child take action on behalf of his father!" ”

Pan Yulang shook his head, "In my life, there is only Duke Zhou's great kindness left unrepaid, if this matter is not over, how can I spend the rest of my life with peace of mind?" ”

"Then let the child assist the father and fulfill his last wish!"

Pan Yulang nodded, "Yes!" ”

Akihito and Mingli had already carefully moved in Tian Huangshi, which weighed thirty catties, and put it on the table.

Pan Yulang looked around and said in surprise: "This is Shoushan Huangshi?" ”

Fanning smiled and nodded, "Exactly, I call it Phoenix Warm Jade!" ”

"The name of Phoenix Warm Jade is good, the locals call it Phoenix Egg Stone, it is very suitable for carving, I don't know what the little official wants to carve?"

Fan Ning took out a picture scroll and slowly unfolded it, the painting was an incense burner, surrounded by nine dragons, which was designed by Fan Ning himself and painted by Lu Wensheng, a famous painter in Wu County.

"Can this incense burner be carved?"

Pan Yulang was taken aback, and said for a while: "I can carve the incense burner, but Kowloon is a forbidden thing, and petty officials are very risky!" ”

"It's okay, I was going to give it to today."

When Pan Yulang heard that he was going to be dedicated to the Son of Heaven, he didn't dare to be careless, and looked around the water tank-like Tian Huangshi for a quarter of an hour, taking every detail into account, and finally nodded.

"Give me three months to finish it for you before the New Year, but the labor fee is a little expensive, and it takes three hundred yuan!"

Fanning was overjoyed, just in time to complete it before entering Beijing.

"Then we'll make up our minds!"

．．．．．．．

Fan Ning rushed back to the county school in the afternoon, and this evening, the county ordered Gao Fei to hold a banquet to entertain the scholars who were admitted to the examination, which is a rule that has been handed down for a hundred years, and all counties and townships should greatly praise the children who have been admitted to the examination, showing the importance that the county monarch attaches to persuading the students.

For many candidates from poor families, this is also an important moment for them, in addition to the county awards, there are also rewards from various townships, and all kinds of rewards are summed up, at least hundreds of acres of fields.

Not only will they be exempt from servitude, but taxes will also be halved, which is a crucial step in moving people from poor children to squires.

The other is marriage, although it is not a real fame in the official sense, it is only a qualification to participate in the provincial examination.

However, among the people, they have a high social status and are very attractive to many wealthy but low-status merchants.

Merchants need to improve their social status by marrying with people, and people need the wealth of businessmen to improve their economic status, and the needs of both parties are very complementary and they hit it off.

It's just that lifting people is a relatively scarce resource, and they can sell it at a price and seek to maximize benefits through marriage.

Although Cheung Chau County missed in the children's test this year, it only won one place.

But in the adult exam, Changzhou still maintained a strong position, taking away half of the places, Wu County was not bad this year, and was admitted to eight lifters and two tribute lifters.

The celebration banquet was arranged in Juxian Building, in addition to several county officials, scholars, and teachers, there were more than 100 gentry from all walks of life in Wu County.

Ten people sat at the main table, Fan Ning sat next to the county magistrate Gao Fei, Su Liang sat next to Fan Ning, and on the other side of Su Liang was the county Cheng Yang Han.

The status of the two tribute examiners is obviously higher than that of the juren, not because Fan Ning took the first place in the exam, but because the boy test first represents the county government, and their glory is directly the glory of the government.

Goofy is giving a speech to everyone with a wine glass.

“．．．．．． Ten years of cold window, sharpening today's harvest, I wish the people here can get better results in the provincial examination next year, come, we bless them, do this cup! ”

Everyone raised their glasses and drank all the wine in their cups.

Next is Xuezheng speaking, at this time, Su Liang whispered to Fan Ning: "I heard that Zhao Xuezheng is going to be promoted to Fuxuezheng." ”

"Really?" Fanning asked in surprise.

"I also learned today that the government has been empty for a whole year, and everyone is competing for this position, originally Changzhou County Xuezheng Guo Yun had the highest voice, but this time the Changzhou County children's test failed miserably, our Wu County has a great advantage, and Dong Zhifu is biased towards promoting Zhao Xuezheng."

Looking at Zhao Xuezheng, who was speaking enthusiastically, Fan Ning couldn't help laughing, no wonder Zhao Xuezheng looked like he was a lot younger, it wasn't easy! After 20 years in the position of county school administrator, he is finally about to be promoted.