"What do you mean

Su Chen looked at Fang Yuan tentatively and said.

He led people over to arrest Zhang Ji, but was stopped by the people of Sanjia Village.

But in the face of those Diao people, Su Chen actually didn't take them to heart at all.

It was only when I heard that some people said that Sanjia Village was sheltered by Fang Yuan, so they didn't dare to forcibly arrest people.

"Let Si Gong come out to see the official."

Fang Yuan pondered for a moment and asked people to go next door and call Si Gong.

Vandalizing billboards is interfering with the policies of the state government, and the crime is very serious.

However, the people of Sanjia Village have prevented the arrest of people, and if they are forcibly arrested, the impact will definitely be great.

Now we are about to popularize the imperial examination, but we are forcing people to walk, contrary to the implementation of the imperial examination, we must first understand the situation before talking.

"Master Thorn, you called me?"

Sigong Wang Wenshu walked out and saluted Fang Yuan and Su Chen.

"Zhang Ji of Sanjia Village, Liaoshan County, do you know?"

Fang Yuan looked at him and said.

"Know a little."

Wang Wenshu said with a shudder.

"Tell him about him, and don't hide it."

Fang Yuan said in a deep voice.

"This Zhang Ji participated in the imperial examination five times during the Wude years, but he failed every time."

"Xiaguan has presided over his three imperial examinations, and I have also seen his papers, and his handwriting and strategy are quite good, but he is a little ugly, so he has not been able to pass the exam."

"The last time he made a fuss in the examination room, threatening to be unfair, saying that the imperial examinations were all founded for the children of the family, and he was imprisoned for a few days, and then his old mother was seriously ill, orphans and widows, and was put back."

Wang Wenshu saw that Fang Yuan had a straight face, and didn't dare to hide anything, so he said slowly.

"Just because it's ugly?"

Fang Yuan frowned and said.

The imperial examination in the Tang Dynasty was more bizarre, with four talents and three realities as the talent selection criteria.

The four talents are body, speech, writing, and judgment; The three realities are virtue, talent, and labor.

The body means that it is healthy and good-looking, and the appearance should be ordinary and handsome.

This judgment is the local officials and examiners, and whether they are ugly or not is a matter of their words.

This gives the local invigilator a lot of power to directly eliminate candidates from average backgrounds.

Of course, they don't dare to ask for it if it's really ugly, after all, they have to go to Beijing to catch the exam after the township exam, and the officials will check it.

"We can't help the rules of the imperial court."

Wang Wenshu said.

"Go down."

Fang Yuan waved his hand and said a little helplessly.

If someone secretly interferes, Fang Yuan can still set things right.

But the problem of the imperial examination itself, Fang Yuan had no way to solve it.

It is a matter for the whole country, not a state or county.

"Yes."

Wang Wenshu breathed a sigh of relief and left.

"Master Thorn, do you want me to lock him up?"

Su Chen said in a deep voice.

He felt that since it was a policy provision, Zhang Ji had committed a crime and could be arrested justifiably.

"I'm going to take a look."

Fang Yuan thought for a moment and shook his head.

Tang ruled the country with filial piety, and Zhang Ji supported his eighty-year-old mother and was respected.

If he is arrested, it will not be said that the government is at fault, but at least the implementation of the imperial examination will be resisted.

It is also a good thing to see for yourself, if the appearance is acceptable, it can be used to carry out the imperial examination.

"Yes."

Su Chen was stunned for a moment, and then it should be.

After deciding, Fang Yuan took Zhang San and Wang Wenshu and set off.

It didn't take long for Fang Yuan and a few people to arrive at the entrance of Sanjia Village.

I happened to meet the head of Sanjia Village, who was replacing the billboard that had been cut.

"Lord Thorn Shi? Meet Lord Thorn! ”

When the village chief of Sanjia Village saw Fang Yuan, he was immediately startled.

I thought it was a mistake, and I rubbed my eyes before I dared to salute Fang Yuan.

The villagers who were working on the side didn't know Fang Yuan, but when they saw their village chief saluting, they also hurriedly saluted.

"No courtesy."

"Village chief, take me to Zhang Ji's house."

Fang Yuan waved his hand and said politely.

"Master Thorn Shi, Zhang Jihim, his mother is almost ninety, can you open the net, and our village will help repair the billboard."

The village chief pleaded.

Word has spread that Zhang Ji cut the billboard.

The villagers all felt that Zhang Ji was very aggrieved and felt unfair for Zhang Ji.

But cutting down the billboard was not a trivial matter, so the village chief took the initiative to repair the billboard with a few villagers.

"Don't worry, village chief, I'm not here to arrest Zhang Ji."

"I'm here to see if Zhang Ji has real talent and learning, and I want to give him a chance."

Fang Yuan chuckled.

The old mother is almost ninety.

It is a rare old age in this era.

In case a fuss takes Zhang Ji's old mother away, it will be news for all miles.

"So it was, so it was"

"I'll just say that Lord Thorn Shi is a good person, a good official, and those bastards are still suspicious. Lord Thorn Shi's side, please. ”

The village chief breathed a sigh of relief and said excitedly.

He asked the villagers to continue their work and walked towards the village with Fang Yuan.

Su Chen, who was following on the side, glanced at Fang Yuan in surprise, and quickly lowered his head to follow.

Fang Yuan came to Sanjia Village for the second time, and he didn't go into the village to see it the first time.

When I came in this time, I found that every house in the village was mud houses, and a slightly better one could be made into a pipa courtyard.

Generally speaking, they are all villagers in a difficult environment, and they can't see that any family is rich, and there is no mansion.

It didn't take long for the news of Fang Yuan's arrival in Sanjia Village to spread, and many curious villagers came around, and they even greeted Fang Yuan with the boldness.

Most of Fang Yuan responded, and he was very close to the people, which deepened the impression of the people on Fang Yuan.

Soon, Fang Yuan came to a mud house.

From the outside of the dilapidated guardrail, the two doors of the earthen house are broken on one side, and the threshold is also decayed.

Looking inside, it was empty, there were some wet grooves on the ground, and I felt that the air was filled with the smell of decay.

Looking at the top of the groove, there are tile cracks, and the sunlight is shining through the cracks, and the rain is dripping down from the cracks on rainy days.

"Zhou Zun, this Zhang Ji may be very lazy."

Zhang San leaned over Fang Yuan's ear and whispered.

When Fang Yuan heard this, he didn't respond, and looked at the village chief on the side.

The village chief didn't hear it, he had already walked into the guardrail, ready to call someone.

However, as soon as he entered the yard, he saw Zhang Ji's old mother collecting firewood on the side.

"Aunt Zhang, is Zhang Ji here?"

The village chief said in a loud voice.

It instantly attracted the attention of Fang Yuan and others.

Following the village chief's voice, I saw an old woman sitting on the ground.

The old grandmother's hair was completely white, her face was sallow, her bones were scrawny, her waist was bent, and she struggled to pile up the firewood on the ground neatly.

The first call of the village chief did not attract the attention of the old woman, and the second shout did not until the third voice came up to her.

"Alas~, the village chief, you want to scare me to death~"

Aunt Zhang's body flicked, and she said with her right hand stroking her chest.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Zhang, where is Zhang Ji now?"

The village chief smiled wryly, embarrassed.

"What are you looking for Zhang Ji for?"

"Then, did those people arrest Zhang Ji?"

Aunt Zhang is not old and confused, and when she heard that the village chief was looking for Zhang Ji, she immediately looked around.

Soon seeing Fang Yuan and the others at the door, his face suddenly showed a panicked look, and his voice became flustered.

"That's Lord Thorn Shi, not Zhang Ji."

The village chief said in a loud voice.

But at this time, Aunt Zhang didn't seem to hear it.

She turned over and knelt on the ground, kowtowing in the direction of Fang Yuan.

"Please don't arrest Zhang Ji, please don't arrest Zhang Ji, it's all my fault, you have to arrest me, arrest me."

Aunt Zhang cried and pleaded.

People who are almost ninety years old, whining and crying like knives cut on everyone.

There were villagers watching around the scene, shaking their heads and sighing, unable to see the scene in front of them.

Fang Yuan also sighed in his heart, and walked quickly towards Aunt Zhang, and Zhang San and the others also quickly followed.

"Aunt Zhang, Lord Assassin Shi is not here to arrest Zhang Ji."

The village chief was embarrassed, and hurriedly squatted down, and said while helping Aunt Zhang up.

Aunt Zhang was skinny, and with a little force, his whole body was helped up.

However, Aunt Zhang was bent over and couldn't stand up straight, and her current height might be one meter.

"Aunt Zhang, you misunderstood, I'm not here to arrest Zhang Ji."

Fang Yuan just walked over, hugged Aunt Zhang, and said in a good voice.

After touching Aunt Zhang's hand, Fang Yuan sighed in his heart: it was cold and dry.

"Really, really, isn't it?"

Aunt Zhang is not pleading.

looked at Fang Yuan, and then at the village chief.

There were tears in the corners of her eyes, and her body trembled, and she was scared a lot just now.

"It's really not, I promise in the name of the village chief!"

The village chief patted his chest and said.

After speaking, he looked at Fang Yuan in a sneer, feeling that he was talking too quickly.

However, Fang Yuan didn't blame him, Aunt Zhang might trust the village chief more at the moment, and it was better for him to say this.

"That's good, that's good, it scares me to death."

Aunt Zhang patted her chest and said with a sigh of relief.

"Aunt Zhang, this is Lord Thorn Shi, I want to see Zhang Ji, where is Zhang Ji?"

The village chief took the opportunity to ask.

"What did you say?"

"I can't hear clearly behind my ears."

Aunt Zhang stood on tiptoe and leaned her ears to the village chief.

"I asked, where is Zhang Ji?"

The village chief was helpless and spoke louder.

"I'm going to the vegetable patch, and it may take a long time to come back."

Aunt Zhang pointed to the side.

"There is a vegetable patch over there in Zhang Jijia, walk over and ask for a stick of incense, we?"

The village chief said quickly.

However, before Fang Yuan could make a decision, there was a hurried voice outside the courtyard.

"Mother, mother, mother"

A middle-aged man squeezed through the crowd and walked in.

He was lame, his skin was dark, and his facial features were quite correct, except that he had a bald areata on the top of his head.

Soon, Zhang Ji walked in front of everyone, and after seeing that his mother was fine, he noticed Fang Yuan and the others.

"You, you?"

Zhang Ji was startled and took a step back.

He didn't know Fang Yuan, nor did he know Su Chen, but he knew the official uniforms worn by Fang Yuan and Su Chen.

A history of assassination, a county order, and a possible long history, and a group of state officials.

I just cut down two billboards to vent my anger, and I need so many big people to catch myself?

"Zhang Ji, this is Lord Thorn Shi, why don't you hurry up and salute?"

The village chief reminded from the side.

"Grass, grass people meet Lord Thorn Shi."

Zhang Ji was so frightened that he took a step back.

He swallowed his saliva before he could barely compose himself and salute.

"No courtesy, no need to be formal, this official is here to talk to you, not to arrest you."

"Village chief, you let the villagers go back separately, it is not good for so many people to surround here."

Fang Yuan said indifferently.

"Yes, yes."

The village chief hurriedly responded.

Let go of the hand that was holding Aunt Zhang, and go to the door to drive the villagers away.

Soon, the villagers left, and the village chief came back again, watching Fang Yuan wait for the next step.

"You take Aunt Zhang aside first, the official wants to talk to Zhang Ji alone."

Fang Yuan pondered for a moment and said softly.

"Okay."

The village chief should be, come over to support Aunt Zhang.

"My lord, Zhang Ji knows that he is wrong, don't you arrest him, okay?"

Aunt Zhang didn't hear what Fang Yuan said, but when she saw that the village chief was going to take her away, she thought that Fang Yuan was going to arrest Zhang Ji.

"Aunt Zhang, don't worry, I'm not here to arrest Zhang Ji."

Fang Yuan smiled.

"Aunt Zhang, don't worry, Lord Assassin Shi is a good person and a good official, and if he says he won't be caught, he won't be caught."

The village chief said loudly from the side.

Aunt Zhang was relieved and followed the village chief aside.

"Thorn, Lord Thorn Shi, do you want a bowl of water?"

Zhang Ji said nervously.

"Then let's have a bowl of water."

Fang Yuan nodded indifferently.

Looking at the situation at the scene, there was no place to sit.

Eventually, Fang Yuan walked over to a stone under a pomegranate tree and sat down.

Zhang San and Su Chen looked at it, but finally did not sit down.

Soon, Zhang Ji came back, brought back two bowls of water, gave them to Fang Yuan and Zhang San, and prepared to leave.

"Alright, let's have these two bowls of ours, and they can drink them themselves if they need them."

Fang Yuan waved his hand.

He had already seen Zhang Ji draw water directly from the well.

For rural people, drinking water is like this, they don't have the concept of boiling, and it's a waste of firewood.

"See, forgive me."

Zhang Ji said to Zhang San and the others.

Zhang San shook his head and said that it was okay, while Zheng Jiu went directly to fetch water.

"Zhang Ji, this official learned that you cut the billboard of the state capital."

Fang Yuan's expression froze, and he said in a deep voice.

"Thorn, Lord Thorn Shi forgive me, the grass people are angry and have done stupid things, please forgive your sins, forgive your sins."

Zhang Ji was startled and almost knelt down.

"This official is not here to hold you accountable, but I won't take it as an example."

Fang Yuan's face was still calm.

"Yes, yes, yes."

Zhang Ji breathed a sigh of relief, and his back was about to sweat.

"This official came this time because I heard that you have some talent, so I want to give you a chance."

"But if the official says sorry, with your image, even if the official is willing to give you a chance, the officials will not give you a chance."

Fang Yuan sighed.

If you only have a patch of alopecia areata on the top of your head, you can barely pass by changing your hairstyle slightly.

But if the leg is also lame, the problem will be big, and the official department will definitely not be able to pass the pass.

is as awesome as Li Chengqian's identity, and his status is shaken because of his lameness.

"I wasn't like that then!"

"My legs are not lame, and my hair is not so small!"

Zhang Ji was suddenly a little angry, and said in a deep voice full of hatred.

Fang Yuan frowned and looked at Wang Wenshu, who came with him.

"Zhang Ji's legs were still good when he took the last imperial examination, and alopecia areata was not so big."

Wang Wenshu explained.

He didn't know what happened next.

"Do you still want to participate in the imperial examination now?"

Fang Yuan pondered for a moment and looked at Zhang Jidao.

"If you don't want to, you can't pass the exam."

Zhang Ji shook his head and sighed.

"Will you still denounce the darkness of the imperial examination?"

Fang Yuan continued to ask.

"Master Thorn Shi, I, I won't dare next time."

Zhang Ji was startled and waved his hand again and again.

He drank a little wine that day, and thought about what happened to him, and he had done something wrong.

"Hmph, you don't dare now, do you know how difficult it will be for the official to carry out the imperial examination because of your behavior?"

Fang Yuan snorted coldly.

If it weren't for the particularity of Zhang Ji and the special situation, he would not be sitting face-to-face now.

"With all due respect, it's better for Lord Assassin Shi not to bother with the implementation of the imperial examination."

Zhang Ji smiled, but gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice.

"How so?"

Fang Yuan frowned and said dissatisfied.

Zhang San and the others also stared at Zhang Ji with unkind expressions.

"It's hard to read, it's hard to go to the sky."

"It's so difficult to study, what kind of imperial examination do you participate in?"

Zhang Ji sighed.

At this moment, his eyes are full of vicissitudes and ends.

"Tell me how difficult it is to read to get to the sky."

Fang Yuan's brows furrowed even deeper, and he said in a deep voice.

(End of chapter)