"Thank you, my lord, but our family doesn't accept gifts, so I'm bothering you to make a trip, do you want to come in and have a cup of tea?"

In the valley of the southwest mountainous area, when a young man, accompanied by a short middle-aged man next to him, turned down one visitor after another, a stout woman standing behind them reluctantly spoke:

"There are so many things, you have to take them all hundreds, right?"

"What about hundreds of dollars, although we are poor, every penny is clean."

The short, middle-aged man turned back to his mother-in-law and spoke, but the language of the two was not official, and others might not be able to understand it.

"There shouldn't be anyone left, let's close the door and eat."

Seeing that no one had come for a long time, the young man spoke in official dialect and closed the door of his courtyard.

There was no reluctance on the young man's face, but he felt that his father was right.

"Since Jianghuai can be admitted to the middle school students, he will definitely be able to be admitted to the Juren and Jinshi examinations in the future!"

Reading out his son's name, Jiang Dari said proudly, as if he was the one who was admitted to the students.

Jiang Huai couldn't help but smile when he heard this: "There are more than 20 students in the entire Xijiang Town, and I am just an inconspicuous ordinary person among them. ”

"It can't be the same!" Jiang Dari raised his voice: "Their parents have been big officials, and they can only participate in the imperial examination by the imperial court to pardon them, but you are different." ”

"There are more than 400 serf families in Xijiang Town, and you are the only one who has been admitted to the students."

"When I go out for a walk, there must be a lot of people who want to ask me for a drink, and when the time comes, I'll twist my head, it's not that I don't drink rice wine!"

Jiang Dari was very energetic and circled around the courtyard with his hands behind his back, as if he was performing his popular scene on the street.

Jiang Huai watched his father play treasure, and he didn't say anything about him, but was very happy.

Although his father was happy for himself, he always had some inferiority.

Now that he has passed the student examination, he has also become confident.

"Tuk Tuk!"

Suddenly, the courtyard door rang again, Jiang Dari hurriedly put away his voice, and Jiang Huai tidied up his clothes, turned around and opened the courtyard door.

"Mr. Qi?"

"Congratulations to Nephew High School!"

The courtyard door opened, and what greeted him was Qi Jingzong, the father of the little lady of the Qi family, who was wearing a wide robe and big sleeves at this moment, standing in the bluestone alley outside the courtyard gate to congratulate Jiang Huai.

Jiang Huai didn't expect Qi Jingzong to come to congratulate him, so he deliberately turned sideways and made a gesture to invite him in.

"I'm not going in."

Qi Jingzong shook his head with a smile, and then said, "This year's township exam, are you going to participate in the virtuous nephew?" ”

Normally, the township examination is held once every three years in the provincial capitals of various provinces, usually in the autumn, because it is held in autumn and August, it is also called the autumn examination, only those who have obtained the qualification of show talent are eligible to participate in the township examination, and the examination is called lifting.

The examination after the township examination is held in the spring of the second year after the township examination in the capital, presided over by the Ministry of Rites, and only the people of each province can participate, and the examination is called Gongshi, and the first name of the examination is Huiyuan.

One to two months after the examination will be held in the capital palace examination, the palace examination is presided over by the emperor himself, only the examination qualified tribute scholars are eligible to participate, the examination is collectively called Jinshi, the palace examination is divided into three admissions, the first first to give the Jinshi and the first, the first name champion, the second name of the list, the third name of Tanhua.

These things are known to everyone who participates in the imperial examination, so Qi Jingzong will come to inquire about it, after all, there are still more than five months before the township examination is held, if Jianghuai is confident, then maybe he can try.

"I won't participate this year, Wang Jiaoxi said that he would recommend me to go to the capital to study in middle school and Taixue, and I want to finish middle school and then participate in the imperial examination."

Jiang Huai said what he thought, but after Qi Jingzong heard it, he asked, "You are already sixteen this year, right?" ”

"Seventeen." Although young, Jianghuai behaves very precociously.

"Imaginary seventeen, after five years of middle school, it will be twenty-two."

Qi Jingzong meant something, and said with a smile: "Participating in the township examination will not affect your studies, it is better to take a township examination before departure, in case of high school, when you go to the capital to study in middle school, you can also study while participating in the imperial examination." ”

Qi Jingzong's words were not unreasonable, but Jiang Huai was very curious about why Qi Jingzong said that.

"Actually, I say this, mainly because I want you to worship me as a teacher, and if you get a jinshi in the future, you can help my family get rid of their crimes."

Speaking of this, Qi Jingzong blushed a little, and Jiang Huai was also surprised: "Didn't the little lady allow the Yellow Scripture to lift people?" ”

What Jiang Huai meant was why Qi Jingzong didn't let Huang Jing help their family get rid of their crimes.

After all, in his impression, since the imperial court announced seven years ago that the children of Yunnan criminals could also participate in the imperial examination, and that high school scholars could help people get rid of their crimes, or serve as teachers, and teach Jinshi to get rid of crimes, more than 100,000 Confucian students in Yunnan began to devote themselves to the booming private school and teaching movement.

Because of this, before the official school entered Yunnan, the style of study in Yunnan had begun to rise, and it had the tendency to dominate the imperial examination in the southwest region.

If it weren't for the implementation of official education in Sichuan Province later, perhaps Yunnan would have left the other four provinces behind.

In the whole of Yunnan, only western Yunnan has implemented official learning, mainly because the local government has accepted hundreds of thousands of ministers and relatives who have committed crimes in Jingjing, and the proportion of sinicization is extremely high.

"I'm ashamed to say ......"

In the face of Jiang Huai's inquiry, Qi Jingzong was also ashamed and said: "The exemption of Zhongjin Shi stipulated by the imperial court is only limited to parents, brothers, sisters-in-law, and nephews, and does not include fathers, mothers, and wives. ”

"Therefore, even if Huang Jing wins the Jinshi in the future, he can only help his family get out of his nationality, and my family ......"

Qi Jingzong shook his head and sighed, Jiang Huai also flashed the face of the little lady of the Qi family in his mind when he heard this, and couldn't help hesitating: "Even so, do you still want to get married?" ”

"This ......" Qi Jingzong didn't know that Jiang Huai liked his daughter.

To be honest, if he only has one daughter, then it doesn't matter who she wants to marry, but he still has two sons.

Although the two boys are not very old, they are very naughty, and even his own daughter, the sister, can't control them, so he doesn't expect his two sons to be able to enter high school in the future and get rid of the family.

Therefore, using his daughter to marry Huang Jing is just so that Huang Jing can take care of these two brothers-in-law in the future.

He had also considered Jianghuai, but Jianghuai was only a potential student after all, but Huang Jing was already a lifter.

If it weren't for Huang Jing's insistence on participating in the examination, then Huang Jing would at least be able to get an official position from the seventh rank now, which was enough to protect the three clans locally.

Qi Jingzong's hesitation made Jiang Huai's eyes pass through a trace of disappointment, and then bowed down: "In this matter, the kid still needs to ask Wang Jiaoxi." ”

"Okay, then I'll take my leave and go home." Hearing that Jiang Huai was going to ask Wang Jiaoxi from the primary school, Qi Jingzong knew that this matter was out of play.

"Mr. Qi walks slowly......"

Jiang Huai walked out to give gifts, and Qi Jingzong also shook his head with a wry smile and left.

When he walked away, Jiang Dari said in a strange manner: "It turned out that I was exchanging my daughter for something and people, but it didn't change well." ”

Jiang Dari can't speak official words, but he can listen, so he naturally knows Qi Jingzong's idea of marrying a daughter.

When he was a serf, he didn't watch the drama of his own toast marrying and exchanging interests with other toasts.

"Don't be fooled by the little lady of the Qi family."

Jiang Dari reminded Jiang Huai, and Jiang Huai bowed his head, but he was still a little disappointed.

When he heard that Huang Jing couldn't help the Qi family get rid of his crimes, he thought that Qi Jingzong would end this marriage contract, but he didn't want him to mean it at all.

He likes the little lady of the Qi family, not the Qi family.

The little lady of the Qi family married Huang Jing, and she herself is a member of the Huang family, so she can naturally get rid of her crimes, but her parents and brothers can't get rid of her crimes.

What does her parents and brothers have to do with herself?

What's more, Qi Jingzong didn't help his family much, if it wasn't for his own admission this time, then he would probably be a stranger to his family after marrying his own daughter.

In the end, Wang Jiaoxi of the school helped him so much, and if he wants to apprentice, he should also worship him.

Thinking of this, Jiang Huai turned to his parents and said, "Where is the thing sent by the Yamen just now?" ”

"In the main hall, you won't give it to Qi Jingzong, right?" Jiang Dari looked at his son vigilantly.

"No, I'm going to school to give it to Wang Jiaoxi." Jiang Huai shook his head and mentioned Wang Jiaoxi, who recommended him to go to the capital to study in middle school.

"That's fine, I'll add some more to you!" Hearing that his son was going to give gifts to Wang Jiaoxi, Jiang Dari hurriedly walked into the courtyard and handed over a set of paper, pen, inkstone and ink to Jiang Huai from the Yamen of Xijiang Town.

Western Yunnan is not as good as Luzon, Luzon official school has only been implemented for a few years, and the literary style is too shallow, but Western Yunnan has gathered hundreds of thousands of literate Jing Nan criminals, that is, the small Xijiang Town can stably produce more than 20 students every year, so the students are naturally not so valuable.

The kind of commendation of the Luzon Yamen, Xijiang Town simply cannot afford it.

"Kiln ......"

Suddenly, there was a sound of armor outside the alley, and the three members of the Jianghuai family stretched out their heads to look out of the alley, and the neighbors and neighbors beside them also opened their doors and looked out of the alley.

Some people didn't think it was lively enough, so they ran out into the street to see.

"Why are there so many soldiers?"

Jiang Dari was speechless, and Jiang Huai said: "Two months ago, Wang Jiaoxi said that some Tusi in the west were restless and attacked the people who built the post road several times, so I let you stay at home in the first half of this year." ”

"Now it seems that the movement in the west seems to be a bit loud, and now this momentum has at least mobilized thousands of soldiers and horses."

"Thousands of soldiers?" Jiang Dari's eyes lit up: "Then I have to go and see." ”

"I'll go too!" Jinhua followed her husband out.

"Slow down!"

Jiang Huai looked helplessly at his parents, who loved to join in the fun, and then closed the door of the courtyard, and took a detour to the school with a pen and paper.

However, to his surprise, it seems that there are more than 1,000 troops coming this time, because the three main roads in Xijiang Town are all troops marching from east to west, and the heavily armed march seems to be attacked at any time.

Sensing that something was wrong with the atmosphere, Jiang Huai quickened his pace and walked to the school gate a quarter of an hour later, but the sight of the school at this moment made him gasp.

Thousands of soldiers surrounded the place and guarded it well.

"Who's coming?"

A small flag officer patrolling the street in front of the school saw Jiang Huai and immediately questioned him.

"Student Jianghuai, come to the school to find Wang Jian to teach."

Jiang Huai saluted more than ten steps, he still respected the soldiers of the Ming army very much, after all, if they hadn't destroyed the Tusi of Mona Village, then his family would still be serfs.

"Student?" The little flag officer glanced at the young Jiang Huai in surprise, and then signaled, "You come with me." ”

"Thank you, general......" Jiang Huai's general, the little flag officer was full of joy, and even his steps were much brisker.

He took Jiang Huai to the front of the school, and there were two thousand-household officials and more than a dozen hundred-household officials standing here talking and laughing.

Such a battle made Jianghuai inevitably suspect that the soldiers and horses passing through Xijiang Town this time might be a guard.

"Boss, this student is here to find General Wude."

The boss made all the generals turn around, and the title of General Wude in his mouth made Jiang Huai behind him gasp.

General Wude is the loose rank of the positive five grades, although the scattered rank does not have power, but the weight of the three words of the positive five products is enough to make some counties with real power have to be treated carefully.

"What the old man said is true?"

Jiang Huai remembered the bull that Wang Jian once bragged about, and couldn't help but really wonder if Wang Jian had really followed the current prince of the East Palace to fight.

"I'll ask General Wude if he knows him."

One of the hundred household officials spoke to the two thousand household officials, and the latter also nodded and turned sideways.

Seeing this, the Baihu official trotted into the school, and after a short time, he ran out and said, "Please let this student in." ”

"Yes!" When the little flag official heard this, he hurriedly led the way for Jianghuai, and such a move also flattered Jianghuai.

It was the first time he had stayed with so many military attachés, and although he was now a member of the academy and could talk to some county officials, or he could meet officials without bowing to them, after all, he had not yet exercised the qualifications that came with these statuses.

In a daze, he was taken into the school by the little flag officer.

Since it is the day of the moon, the students of the school have been on vacation today, and the school has become a temporary rest camp for the army.

The dense tents covered the school playground, and many soldiers with their armor off were laughing and laughing.

That number will not be less than 5,000.

"It's here, you go in, remember to knock on the door."

The little flag officer took Jiang Huai to the door of a classroom on the first floor, and Jiang Huai also expressed his gratitude when he heard this, which made the little flag officer a little embarrassed.

"I've never been saluted by the old man."

After that, he knocked on the door for Jiang Huai himself, and pushed the door open after hearing the word "enter".

Jiang Huai walked into it, and what he saw was several military attaches with their armor off their armor and familiar faces sitting in front of them.

"Jianghuai, you came just in time, come and thank Wang Dudu, if it weren't for Wang Dudu, I wouldn't be able to help you go to the capital to study in middle school!"

Sitting on the chair, a man in his thirties with an ordinary appearance and a medium stature but an empty right sleeve hurriedly spoke, and his words shocked Jiang Huai.

There are only three people who can be called governors in Ganya County......

The first is Qu Neng, who once climbed Gaoligong Mountain, the second is He Fu, who accompanied the Mu family father and son to guard Yunnan, and the third is Wang Xuan, who has sheltered western Yunnan for more than ten years.

The first two have already been knighted, so it is sarcastic to call the governor, but the latter, although he has been repeatedly promoted, is still stuck in the official position of the governor and has not been able to go further.

Jiang Huai looked over, but saw that the man sitting in front of Wang Jian had thick eyebrows and a broad face, his eyes were firm, his temperament was very steady, and he seemed to be younger than Wang Lian, at most in his early thirties.

"Boy Jianghuai, see Wang Dudu!"

In front of Wang Xuan and Wang Lian, Jiang Huai did not claim to be a student, because that identity was not worth mentioning.

"Get up." Wang Xuan smiled and spoke, his voice was a little simple, different from the coldness that Jiang Huai thought.

"He's the student you recommended?"

After signaling Jianghuai to stand beside Wang Huan, Wang Xuan asked Wang Jian himself.

Wang Jian nodded when he heard this, and grinned: "I feel that he will definitely be able to help us talk in the future." ”

Wang Huan's words made Jiang Huai speechless, and if he wanted to help Wang Xuan speak, he had to at least become an official in the court, and not lower than the five grades.

To be honest, although Jiang Huai has some confidence in himself, he is not confident enough that he can become a Zhengwupin Beijing official.

"Since it's the person you recommended, then I don't doubt it."

Wang Xuan bowed his head, looked sideways at Jiang Huai and said, "Do you want to participate in this year's autumn boudoir?" ”

"This ...... I haven't decided yet, so I want to ask Wang Jiaoxi......"

Jiang Huai spoke a little stumbling, but this was normal, and no one laughed at him.

"Why did you suddenly want to ask me this?" Wang Jian was surprised, he remembered that Jianghuai was not such a eager person, and didn't he say yesterday that he wanted to settle down for a few years before taking the township test?

"That's the case......" Jiang Huai told him about Qi Jingzong coming to him just now and persuading him to participate in the autumn boudoir, but he didn't say anything about Qi Jingzong letting him apprentice.

He had a feeling that if he said this, then Qi Jingzong would definitely not be able to eat and walk around.

"This old loach must want you to worship him as a teacher and help him get rid of his guilt in the future!"

With everything in his ears, Wang Jian immediately began to scold, which was also the reason why Qi Jingzong left in a hurry after knowing that Jiang Huai was going to ask Wang Lian.

"His arm was lost in the Battle of Tieling."

Wang Xuan spoke to Jiang Huai in a deep voice, which made Jiang Huai's breath stagnate.

If he knew that Wang Lian's hand was lost in the Battle of Jingjing, he would definitely not come to ask about it, and now he couldn't help but worry about Qi Jingzong in his heart, for fear that he would lose his life because of his words.

"Forget it, it's all in the past, they didn't break the law, and his brother is dead, so I'm too lazy to meet him."

Wang Jian knew that Jiang Huai liked Qi Jingzong's daughter, so he deliberately behaved open-mindedly, worried that Wang Xuan would find trouble with Qi Jingzong.

"If only you could see it." Wang Xuan was very calm, and after comforting him, he looked at Jianghuai.

"That's it, you pack up your things on May 15, and I will ask someone to pick you up and go to Yongchang to gather, this time Yunxi recommended seventy-six students to study in the middle school in the capital, but there are only twenty-seven students like you."

"Although Qi Jingzong has bad intentions, but his suggestion is also reasonable, participating in the autumn boudoir can not be delayed for a few days, this time you can give it a try when you pass through Kunming, it doesn't matter if you fail, the imperial examination in the future will mainly focus on science and policy, and the proportion of classics and historical books will only decrease year by year."

"Xie Dudu pointed out...... Jiang Huai was respectful, and Wang Xuan also looked back at Wang Jian when he saw this, and did not treat Jiang Huai as an outsider at all.

"This time, the scale of the white-clothed rebellion between Mengyang and Mubang is relatively large, and I have gathered the soldiers and horses of Ganya, Nandian and Yongchang to prepare to go deeper, and it is estimated that it will take a long time."

"I deliberately stayed in Xijiang today, mainly to see how you are doing, and now I am relieved to see how you are doing."

After that, Wang Xuan stood up, and Wang Jian also stood up.

Wang Xuan glanced at Jiang Huai, and after scanning his eyes around him, he smiled and said, "Okay, you masters and apprentices have a good chat, we will leave Xijiang Town early tomorrow morning." ”

"Don't forget to ask your soldiers to help us clean up the school's drains and weeds." Wang Xuan opened his mouth with a big grin, while Wang Xuan smiled and nodded, and then walked out of the classroom.

When he left with the military attachés, Jiang Huai breathed a sigh of relief, looked sideways at Wang Lian, and complained a little in his voice: "Teach Xi, you hide it from me......

"I'm hiding it from you?" Wang Lian's expression was disgusted: "Didn't I tell you when I was in class, I fought with His Royal Highness the Prince." ”

"Who knew what you said was true, and you didn't say that you and Wang Dudu also knew each other!" Jiang Huai wanted to cry without tears, and he was still a little scared when he thought about it now.

"Am I going to tell you all about my birthday?" Wang Jian was not angry, and at the same time looked at Jiang Huai and said:

"In the future, I will have less dealings with those Jingnan and criminal ministers, this group of people has a lot of hearts, they are humble and gentlemen on the surface, but they are dirty and dirty in secret."

"If they had given us a way to live, we wouldn't have gone south."

"In addition, to be honest, just now I heard that Qi Jingzong came to you, and my heart was still a little hanging, for fear that he would marry his daughter to you."

"It's good that he was blind and didn't marry his daughter to you, otherwise I would have regretted it."

Wang Jian did not elaborate on his relationship with Wang Xuan, but only advised Jiang Huai not to get too involved with Qi Jingzong.

Jiang Huai also understands the truth, Wang Jian said in class about Jingnan, but in and out of the words, it was how they were forced by the imperial court and finally had to go south.

However, his strength alone is too weak after all, and for the western Yunnan where the ministers gathered, although they did not dare to talk about the Jingnan in public, they would always discuss their "innocence" in private.

Jiang Huai didn't believe that they were innocent, after all, as far as the people he came into contact with, at least eight out of ten people with a background of Jingjing crime and crime looked down on them, former serfs.

Although the tone is modest on the surface, he secretly dislikes it, only the little lady of the Qi family does not dislike him, so Jianghuai will like the little lady of the Qi family.

But......

Thinking that Qi Jingzong still wanted to marry the little lady of the Qi family to Huang Jing, Jiang Huai still couldn't stop feeling uncomfortable.

He was too young, and although he tried his best to hide it, he was still noticed by Wang Lian.

Wang Jian patted him on the shoulder: "Don't think about the little lady of the Qi family, I said that you are a toad in the pit, and you have never seen the world." ”

"You wait, wait for you to go to the capital, it won't take a month, I guess you can't even remember the appearance of the little lady of the Qi family."

"Students don't ...... that" Jiang Huai replied with a red face, but Wang Jian patted him on the shoulder: "When I went to the capital, remember to go to the sixteenth floor to play." ”

"Sixteenth floor? What's that for? Jiang Huai was puzzled, but Wang Jian smiled: "You'll know when you go, but remember to bring more money and learn a lot of things." ”

"Hmm......" Although I don't know what the sixteenth floor is, Jiang Huai still listens to Wang Lian's words.

It's just that Jiang Huai was very puzzled why a person like Wang Jian would appear in western Yunnan, so he was curious: "Jiaoxi, how can a person like you come to a small place like Xijiang Town." ”

"Naturally, it's because you have a good climate here, and when you come here, my broken arm feels a lot better."

Wang Jian touched his hand, and then slapped Jiang Huai's buttocks: "Okay, go home, you can leave the paper, pen and ink." ”

"The student is leaving."

Suddenly slapped on the buttocks, Jiang Huai was startled, and walked out of the classroom quickly after leaving his things.

Seeing him leave, Wang Jian touched his beard at this time, but he thought that this hand had just slapped his buttocks, and hurriedly let it go.

When Jiang Huai walked away, Wang Jian put his hand on his waist, figuring out the iron plate hidden in his robe, and didn't know what he was thinking......

(End of chapter)