"Since it's a temporary competition, you can write it now, so that you can show your ability." Xu Chengyu paced in the courtyard with his hands behind his back, "This time, I don't test poetry, I don't test the four books, I don't test current politics, I only test discussions." There is no limit to the number of words, no angle to the angle, no time limit, just finish writing. Listen, the topic is - the way of the minister. ”

"The way of a minister?" Hearing this, Gu Yunji and Fang Zigui were a little surprised.

Xu Chengyu smiled slightly: "Everyone in the world knows that my Luxi Academy is famous for the imperial examination, so my disciple Xu Chengyu naturally wants to become an official." Above the officialdom, how to do things, how to communicate with colleagues, and how to serve the king are all profound knowledge. ”

"I'm going to take this as a title to see what you think and what your heart is. In the end, there are different opinions on how to be an official. Whether it is incorruptible, or upright, or wise and self-preservation, there is no conclusive conclusion, and I will only choose the one that is closest to my thoughts from your papers. That's all for you, you two, let's start answering. ”

After hearing these words, Fang Zigui seemed to have made a decision, and immediately began to write.

For Gu Yunji, the most important thing in this competition is not how to answer the questions, but to understand Xu Chengyu's mind and answer in this direction. But he didn't know Xu Chengyu, nor did he know his attitude on the issue of being a minister.

I can only gamble. Gu Yunji thought secretly.

Recently, he has felt more and more that the Great Xia Dynasty he is in is a parallel time and space to his previous life, and the current time node is probably in the middle and late Ming Dynasty. In the middle and late Ming Dynasty, party strife gradually emerged, and the civilian-official group became a huge force, and could even compete with the emperor, so this era may also be the same.

I heard Gao Cheng say that Xu Chengyu was still pulling the sleeve of the first emperor when he was young, which shows that he is inclined to a certain extent that courtiers should have their own persistence and bottom line, and they are not blindly catering to the emperor and losing the ethics of scholars.

In other words, Xu Chengyu believes that the courtiers should not be afraid of the power of heaven and dare to correct the emperor's mistakes, and those so-called courtiers should be grateful for the grace of the emperor and be loyal to the emperor's remarks may not be agreed with by him.

So, Gu Yunji followed this idea and quickly finished writing the article.

"Chief, the student has finished answering." Almost at the same time as Gu Yunji handed over the papers, Fang Zigui also stood up and presented his papers not to be left behind.

Looking at the two volumes in front of him, Xu Chengyu hesitated, but still picked up Fang Zigui first.

Seeing this, Fang Zigui showed a smug smile at Gu Yunji. Gu Yunji didn't bother to pay attention to him, and just stared straight at Xu Chengyu to see the change in the expression on his face.

Xu Chengyu's expression was as usual, nodding and smiling from time to time, and there were not too many changes in his face. After a while, he finished reading the volume and said to Fang Zigui: "Well, in just a few months, Zigui's article has made great progress, not bad." ”

Fang Zigui's chin raised slightly when he heard this, and his tail was almost cocked proudly. Then, Xu Chengyu picked up Gu Yunji's roll and looked at it.

Obviously, the content of the two volumes is about the same length, but this time Xu Chengyu looked at it for a longer time, his brows were sometimes frowned, sometimes soothing, so that people couldn't understand what he was thinking in his heart. Gu Yunji was at a loss in his heart, he was so nervous at the moment that his hands were all sweating, and he stared at Xu Chengyu intently.

Staying until now, Su Qi, who was watching the whole process, was also a little anxious, and leaned over and whispered to Gu Yunji: "Why did Xu Shanchang look at it for so long, what did you write?" Is it sure to beat Fang Zigui? ”

"I don't know why he's been watching it for so long." Gu Yunji let go of his fingers that were pinched white, "As for whether you can beat Fang Zigui, to be honest, I'm not sure." ”

At this time, Xu Chengyu suddenly laughed: "Hahahahaha!" Good! Good! Good! He said three good words in a row, which shows the joy of his mood.

Xu Chengyu put down the scroll in his hand and looked at Gu Yunji with blazing eyes: "'The Holy Son of Heaven will rule with his hands down, and all the ministers will follow the order. 'Well said! There is also the distinction between loyal ministers and good ministers, loyal ministers welcome and serve, trap the king in injustice, and have no name. The good ministers advise the king, make the kings and ministers harmonious, and the good name will be passed on forever, which really speaks to the old man's heart! ”

As he spoke, he walked over and patted Gu Yunji on the shoulder with joy: "I'm really right, you kid, you're too appetizing for the old man!" ”

Seeing this, Gu Yunji finally fell a big stone in his heart, his spirit relaxed, and a smile appeared on his face.

Fang Zigui looked at the situation in front of him, his face was incredulous, and he picked up Gu Yunji's scroll and looked at it again and again.

Xu Chengyu turned around, looked at him and said, "Zigui, your writing is not bad, you have the style of an ancient minister, but unfortunately it is not what the old man wants." This is also the reason why I don't accept you as an apprentice, you are very hard working and talented, but you and I are not people on the same path, and there is no fate of master and apprentice. ”

"If you look at each other's papers, you can understand the differences between yourself and each other."

Hearing this, Gu Yunji also picked up Fang Zigui's scroll and looked at it. Throughout the article, Fang Zigui is describing how to be a rich and noble clean official and a good official, and at most two sentences are mentioned to be loyal to the monarch and not to form a party for personal gain, without focusing on the relationship between the monarch and the minister that Xu Chengyu is most concerned about.

His writing is very good, and his rhetoric is a little more gorgeous than Gu Yunji's, and he does have some ability. It's a pity that his thinking is framed too much, and the article seems to tell from beginning to end that the king is a minister, and he must stick to his duty as a minister, and he lacks some vision and courage for the public of the world.

After looking at this for a long time, Fang Zigui also understood the gap between the two, he raised his head and asked Gu Yunji: "How did you think of these from the words "The Way of Being a Minister?" ”

Gu Yunji said: "It's very simple, the minister, between the monarch and the people, the upper is the king, and the lower is the people." For thousands of years, there is no end to the change of dynasties, and loyalty to one dynasty and one monarch will eventually come to naught, not a long-term way. ”

"The world is the world of the people, the king sits in the world, the courtiers rule the world, and the people enjoy the world. As a courtier, you must speak for the people, think about the country, advise the king, and cherish the people's strength, this is a good minister. What the king likes, what the evil king hates, seems to be loyal, but it is actually a great traitor. My generation is familiar with the scriptures and history, and we should have our own ethics and conduct, and take it as our duty to advise the king. ”

After hearing these words, Fang Zigui came back to his senses for a while, he glanced at Gu Yunji deeply, and said, "I've been taught." Xu Shanchang's personal disciple, you deserve it. Ignoring the others, he turned around and walked away.

Su Qi looked excited: "So, Gu Yunji won?" ”

"Yes, he won." Xu Chengyu walked over with a smile, "From today onwards, you Gu Yunji will be my closed disciple." ”

Gu Yunji knelt down directly without hesitation: "Disciple Gu Yunji, meet the teacher!" ”

Xu Chengyu stroked Dayue, helped him up, and said, "Hahahaha, don't worry now, come to my private house tomorrow, let's officially worship the teacher!" ”