The hall of the "Juyuan Hotel" was full of scholars and their scholars who were taking the examination, and everyone was a little anxious because they had to screen the students of the same name, wondering whether the future identity screening would be related to themselves? Will it be beneficial or disadvantageous to themselves? The Chinese-style people holding the newspaper in their hands were praying in their hearts that the officials would not come to the "Juyuan Hotel," hoping that this screening had nothing to do with them; there were no Chinese-style scholars, and they secretly hoped that the officials who had screened their identities would come to the "Juyuan Hotel." In that case, there might be a chance for the salted fish to turn over.

Not long after, the "opportunity" really came, and the deputy chief examiner Wang and his entourage came to the "Juyuan Hotel" and instructed the shopkeeper to clean an upper room as a place for identity screening. Then let a proctor go to the hall and send Weng Junding to the room for questioning.

"Me?" Weng Junding was taken aback, he never expected that the strange thing of identifying thousands of candidates would fall on him. Weng Junding shook his head and smiled bitterly, and followed the invigilator into the room.

Lord Wang had no shelf, and as soon as he saw Weng Junding enter the door, he preemptively said, "Come, sit here, you don't have to salute." ”

Weng Junding respectfully obeyed his fate, walked to the chair, took a seat, and sat down in front of Lord Wang, waiting for his questioning.

"Your name is Weng Junding?" asked Lord Wang with a smile.

"Yes, the student is Weng Junding. ”

"Where is the fairy town?"

"A native of Baling County, Yuezhou Prefecture. ”

"Oh?" Lord Wang paused, and then asked, "Today's newspaper sent a report of '69th place on the high school B list', did you take it?"

"Yes, the newspaper came to report the good news, and the students naturally took it. Weng Junding took out the newspaper slip on his body and asked Lord Wang, "Is there anything wrong?"

Lord Wang took a look at the newspaper in Weng Junding's hand, and said to him with a smile: "It's really wrong, this '69th place in the high school B list' is another Weng Junding, not you." ”

"Another Weng Junding......? Who is he?" When he was called into this room, Weng Junding realized that the person with the same name and surname was related to him, and now when he heard Lord Wang say it, he was still surprised. Rao is Weng Junding is detached and free, with the attitude of "I can't make it to the list, and I will start again after three years", but the newspaper in his hand turned out to be someone else's, which is too funny. At this time, he was really a little uneasy.

"We haven't seen him yet, but we know that he is from Yunmeng County, De'an Prefecture. Why? You haven't met?" Lord Wang didn't seem to be joking.

"We, you say that the two of us with the same name Weng Junding have met?" It's so unbelievable, Weng Junding was said by Lord Wang, it was just a puzzle for Zhang Er King Kong.

"He's also in this "Juyuan Hotel", haven't you ever seen each other?"

Weng Junding thought about it for a long time, and felt that all the same years who lived in this "Juyuan Hotel" should be in the hall, and there were only a few people who came and went in the past few days, could it be that Weng Junding with the same name and surname just left the address of the "Juyuan Hotel" at will, and the people were not here at all? Otherwise, how could the dragon see the head and not the tail? In confusion, Lord Chao Wang shook his head slightly.

Lord Wang raised the newspaper in his hand and said to Weng Junding: "We will find this Weng Junding soon." However, I still want to apologize to tell you that the fame on this newspaper is indeed that of Weng Junding in Yunmeng County, De'an Prefecture, so this newspaper cannot be returned to you, please understand. ”

Weng Junding was helpless, since it was someone else's fame, what was the use of returning the newspaper? He tried to calm himself down, and said without humility or arrogance: "Then, can the student leave?"

Lord Wang nodded and made a "please" gesture.

Weng Junding stood up, waved at the three officials in the room, turned around and walked towards the door.

"Wait. Lord Wang approached Weng Junding, stretched out his hand and patted Weng Junding lightly on the shoulder, and said with a pun: "'Don't know if you are blessed'? ”

"Thank you for your teachings. Weng Junding didn't look back and walked out of the room quickly.

Lord Wang instructed the shopkeeper and his men to find the "Juyuan Hotel" and ask them how many scholars lived in Yunmeng County, De'an Prefecture. The guy hurriedly went to the counter to get the registration list, and after checking, there was only one scholar from Yunmeng County, named Gong Zhai Nai. When Lord Wang saw it, he immediately laughed and said, "Quickly pass on this student named Gong Zhai Nai's question." ”

Gong Zhai Nai was in the lobby of the hotel at this time, and he arrived as soon as he called. Like Weng Junding, Lord Wang invited him to take a seat and asked, "Your name is Gong Zhai Nai?"

"Back to adults, students are. ”

"Do there other test takers in your county live in this hotel besides you?"

"Back to adults, there shouldn't be, only students. ”

"Look, is this the exam paper you answered?" Lord Wang motioned to the examiner to show him Gong Zhai Nai's "ink scroll".

Gong Zhai Nai took the paper and looked at it roughly, then returned it to the invigilator and said to Lord Wang: "Lord Hui, this is exactly the test paper that the student answered. ”

"That's right. Okay, you can step down. Lord Wang said.

The scholars sent off Lord Wang and the others, turned back to the hotel hall, and asked Weng Junding and Gong Zhai Nai about the details of identity screening. Chen Wenqi saw Weng Junding's frustration on his face, and asked, "Brother Weng Nian, why is your face so ugly?"

"No, no. It's just that Lord Wang just now retracted the report below, saying that there is another 'Weng Junding', and he can't turn a corner at the next moment, and it will be good later. Weng Junding does not hide it, to tell the truth, although it is difficult to afford to put it down, it is not pretentious.

"Ah, your newspaper has been taken back......? Doesn't that mean that your fame ...... you?" the people were amazed.

"Brother Gongnian, what's the matter with you, what did Lord Wang ask you to ask?" Chen Wenqi asked Gong Zhai Nai again.

"Didn't ask anything. I only asked how many scholars lived in the store in Yunmeng County, De'an Province, and I replied that I was the only one. The king took out another scroll and asked me to identify whether it was the one I had answered, and when I saw that it was my handwriting, I replied yes. ”

"Lord Wang didn't say anything else?"

"No, I just laughed and said, 'That's right. And he called me out. Gong Zhai Nai was also at a loss.

Chen Wenqi asked Weng Junding again: "Brother Weng Nian, did Lord Wang say anything to you?"

Weng Junding still looked a little distracted, and when he heard Chen Wenqi's question, he hesitated for a moment before he said: "Oh, when I was about to go out, he stopped me, patted me on the shoulder and said, 'Don't pay too much attention to what happened just now'." ”

"Weng Junding, Gong Zhai Nai......" Chen Wenqi muttered to himself, suddenly walked to the counter, asked the hotel guy for a pen and paper, and wrote the names of Weng Junding and Gong Zhai Nai on the paper.

Everyone didn't understand what Chen Wenqi was doing, and was about to ask each other, Chen Wenqi smiled and saluted Weng Junding and Gong Zhai Nai, and said, "Congratulations to Brother Weng Nian, Brother Gongnian." ”

"Where does the joy come from?" the two were stunned.

"Of course it's a mid-lift. ”

Weng Junding said: "Brother Chen, don't take it under it, I can't stand the toss anymore." ”

"How dare you joke about such a big event? I dare to guarantee that Brother Weng Nian is not only a winner, but also one of the 'Five Classics'. Chen Wenqi said affirmatively.

This time it was everyone's turn to be surprised, on what basis did Chen Wenqi decide?

Shen Lingshan was worried that Chen Wenqi would go insane because he didn't get hit, so he hurriedly walked over and asked in a low voice, "Big brother, are you ...... Are you alright?"

Chen Wenqi was stunned for a moment, and it took him a long time to react, and he hurriedly said to her: "It's okay, it's okay, you see that the eldest brother is not normal." They did win, and they should have been fourth and sixty-ninth respectively. ”

"Big brother, how do you know?" Shen Lingshan was still not at ease.

"Hehe, do you think, why did the record stop after the report reached the fifth place? This is because when the roll call officer sang the name 'Weng Junding', which was the fourth place on the high school B list, he clearly remembered that he had sung this name before, so he checked it on the transcription list, and sure enough, he found that the sixty-ninth person on the high school B list was also 'Weng Junding'. Since there are two 'Weng Junding,' will their fame be displayed and their fame will be put on the line? That is to say, will the 'Weng Junding,' who is the fourth person in the high school B list, receive a report from the 69 people? Therefore, this is the story of Lord Wang going to the hotel to find out the origins of the two young brothers and taking back the newspaper in the hands of Brother Weng Nian. Chen Wenqi said his inference in one breath.

Everyone was suspicious of what he said, especially Gong Zhai Nai, who was not sure in his heart, and asked: "Even if there are two 'Weng Junding', what does it have to do with the following?

"If it weren't for this coincidence, I wouldn't really dare arbitrarily identify the two of you, but look at this. Chen Wenqi unfolded the blank paper in his hand in front of everyone.

There are two identical names on it:

"Weng Junding".

"Gong Zhai Nai".

The crowd read aloud.

"Yes, it's right to pronounce 'Weng Junding', and it's also right to pronounce 'Gong Zhai Nai'. The reason why Lord Wang even said, 'That's right, is that he understands the reason for the appearance of two 'Weng Junding'; as for Lord Wang to take back Brother Weng Nian's report and say, 'Sai Weng lost his horse and knows whether he is blessed', it is to imply that Brother Weng Nian is the 'Five Classics Kui' in high school. It's just that Brother Weng Nian was entangled in the frustration of receiving the return slip and losing his fame and fame, and he didn't understand it. ”

Just when everyone was about to doubt their beliefs, there was a sound of horses' hooves, and they heard the newspaper shouting outside the door:

"Good news——, the old man of the Gongfu Zhai Nai, Yingji Youke Lake Guangcheng announced the political envoy Sixiang test, and the sixty-ninth person on the high school B list was raised-".

"Quick, get the silver bounty. Gong Zhai Nai smiled, ran to the room to get the silver, and stuffed it into the newspaper's hand.

"No, sir, the master has already given a reward. The newspaper quickly pushed the silver away, jumped on his horse and left quickly.

Gong Zhai Nai was holding the newspaper in one hand and the silver in the other, a little at a loss.

Chen Wenqi smiled and said to him: "Okay, you can reward Brother Weng Nian later." ”

As he spoke, a more chaotic sound of hooves sounded, and I saw two horses galloping towards me, and in a blink of an eye they arrived at the door of the hotel, where two newspapermen, one sifting gongs and the other raising a report, shouted:

"Good news——, Weng Junding, the old man of Weng Mansion, should announce the political envoy Sixiang test, and the fourth place in the high school B list will be raised-".

"Ho, it's true. Everyone cheered in unison, secretly marveling at Chen Wenqi's ability to do things like a god.

When Weng Junding stretched out his hand to receive the newspaper, Gong Zhai Nai walked up and handed Weng Junding the silver tattoo, asking him to reward the newspaper.

Weng Junding was honored as the "Leader of the Five Classics", swept away the previous frustration, pushed away Gong Zhai Nai's hand with a spring breeze, and said: "Brother Gongnian doesn't have to be like this, the right to congratulate Brother Gongnian is here." Then I will take the money and give a reward. After speaking, he ran back to the room, took two large ingots of silver, gave them to the two newspapers, stuffed one for each, and said: "The two of you are hard, a little meaning, not a respect, please smile." ”

The two newspapers excused themselves slightly, then took the money and rode away at a gallop.

Chen Wenqi stepped forward and said to Weng Junding: "Congratulations to Brother Weng Nian for climbing the immortal laurel, stepping into the clouds, and becoming famous in one fell swoop." ”

"Tong......xi" people receive congratulations when they are generally politely replied with a sentence of "Tongxi", Weng Junding was about to say it by the way, and suddenly realized that Chen Wenqi was not Chinese, at this time it was a little inappropriate to say "Tongxi", and hurriedly swallowed back the word "Xi" that was about to blurt out, and changed his mouth and said: "Brother Chen's talent is outstanding, and his fame is above us, and there are three newspapers that have not been reported, and Brother Chen should be among them." ”

"Hehe, this is the Huguangbu political envoy Sixiang test, Wuchang City is also so big, you said 'Juyuan Hotel' is the Jinluan Palace, all the talents are here? Presumably that Xie Yuan and Ya Yuan have already been sent elsewhere to report the good news. Brother Weng Nian doesn't have to be comforted, didn't you say that if you don't get into the undergraduate, you will definitely come back in three years, and you won't be discouraged in the next. Chen Wenqi was calm and calm, and he did not have the slightest pretentiousness to save face.

Shen Lingshan came to the 'Juyuan Hotel' early in the morning to accompany Chen Wenqi to wait for the release of the list, and they talked about the scientific expedition in the same year for half a day, and there was no opportunity to interject. Looking at the end of the good news, Chen Wenqi still has no signs of Chinese style, and he is both unfair and worried, for fear that Chen Wenqi will not be able to accept the blow of Sun Shan. At this time, he said to Chen Wenqi:

"Although I don't know what the literary talent and knowledge of the eldest brother is, from the experience of the past few days, the wisdom of the eldest brother is by no means inferior to others. If the eldest brother does not have a Chinese style, it is not that the eldest brother's article is bad, but that the examiner has no eyes and misses the talent; three years later, the eldest brother will come again, and if he meets an examiner who can discern pearls, the eldest brother will be able to win the award in one fell swoop. ”

"Who is so bold as to scold the current scientific examiner behind his back for having no eyes, aren't he afraid of committing the crime of slandering and scolding the officials of the imperial court?" said a person who suddenly walked in outside the door, with a smiling face.

Chen Wenqi looked up and saw that it was the older inspector who was patrolling the Gongyuan Mansion that day, and hurriedly got up to salute: "Students, wait to meet your lords." ”

"Hehe, don't be polite. The old man took the liberty of asking, are you Chen Wenqi?" the old man finally couldn't hold back and asked happily.

"Back to adults, the student is Chen Wenqi. I wonder how adults know?"

"Little brother, this is the third time we've met in a few days. The first two times I didn't have time to ask the name of the little brother, this time, I guessed it. The old man answered the question, and his words were a little inexplicable.

Chen Wenqi was a little confused, and he didn't know what to say for a while. The old man seemed very happy to see Chen Wenqi, and then said: "The little brother is not only good at writing, but it seems that his popularity is also very good, and it seems that there are still people who are fighting for you just now, right?" The old man still had a smile on his face, and he didn't look angry at all.

Chen Wenqi hurriedly said: "Ah, it was this Yang Gongzi who said it casually, and he didn't blame the examiner, please don't say that you know with the examiner." ”

The old man looked at Shen Lingshan, nodded slightly, and said, "This little brother has some knowledge. He is right, if there is no Chinese style for a talent like Brother Chen, then the main exam is indeed blind. The old man paused and continued: "Fortunately, although this examiner is not discerning, he still has some vision. As he spoke, he shouted out of the door: "If you don't report the good news at this time, when will you wait?"

"Bang-bang

As soon as the words fell, a deafening gong sounded outside the door, everyone followed the sound and looked out of the door, a large group of people stepped into the door, the first three, one in the middle of the hand to report the note, two people carrying the gong stood on his left and right.

"Good news——, Chen Wenqi, the old man of Chen's Mansion, announced the political envoy to the township test, and the first place in the high school B list was raised-".

"Ah, big brother is the new branch Xie Yuan. As soon as Shen Lingshan heard that Chen Wenqi was at the top of the high school rankings, her worries for half a day came to naught, and the excitement in her heart was even greater than that of Chen Wenqi himself, and she couldn't help but take Chen Wenqi's hand. Seeing this, Rui Zhu quietly pulled the corner of her clothes, shook her head slightly, Shen Lingshan knew that she was out of shape, and her face was immediately full of shame, and she quickly let go of her hands and dodged aside.

Chen Wenqi suppressed his excitement, instructed Jing Xing to go to the room to bring silver taels, rewarded three newspapers respectively, and returned the gifts with the same years who came forward to say goodbye. After being busy for a while, I found that the old man who came in earlier was still sitting upright, smiling. At that moment, he confessed his sins in the same year as the others, turned around and walked in front of the old man, bowed deeply, and said: "The students are happy to patronize, and they have neglected the adults, and I implore the adults Haihan." ”

At this time, one of the several people who came in behind walked out and said to Chen Wenqi: "Chen Jieyuan, this old gentleman is Liu Jian Liu, the chief examiner of Hu Guangcheng's announcement of the political envoy and township examination, why don't you hurry up and see it?"

As soon as he heard that the old man in front of him was the chief examiner of the Guangxiang test in Kehu, Chen Wenqi hurriedly greeted the group of the same year, knelt on the ground, and shouted: "Students××× see the master of the university." ”

Liu Jian stood up, raised his hands upward, and said again and again: "You don't have to be polite, please get up quickly." ”

Chen Wenqi thought of the first two meetings with Master Liu, and couldn't help but feel ashamed, and after standing up, he bowed to Liu Jian again, and said guiltily: "I used to be too abrupt in front of the teacher, and I asked the master to forgive me." ”

Liu Jian shook his hand and said: "Lao Yu and Chen Jieyuan have met three times, one is the village veteran, one is the inspection room, and the other is the township examiner, but Chen Jieyuan is consistent, humble and polite, which shows that Chen Jieyuan's literary talent and character are excellent, how can he talk about abruptness and forgiveness?"

"Today, Wenqi is lucky in the Chinese style, and he deeply feels the grace of the teacher, and then Wenqi is the protégé of the teacher, or please call the teacher 'Wenqi'. ”

"Even so, that's fine. Liu Jian glanced at the examinees in the hall, and said loudly: "Lao Yu is the chief examiner of the political envoy department and township examination for Hu Guangcheng, and he feels a great responsibility to select talents and recommend talents for the country. In the past few days, thanks to the great help of my colleagues and the joint efforts of the exam-taking talents, I am finally fortunate to have survived my life. People often say that 'only Chu is talented', this autumn, the old man really feels that the land of Huguang is indeed full of talents, extraordinary. Only because of the emperor's order, there were only 79 people in Huguang Township, and the old man and his colleagues had to endure the pain and give up many erudite talents. I hope that you who are not yet Chinese-style do not be presumptuous, and can not 'fear of smiling in the hometown', go back to study hard, go to the next level, and one day, you will be able to 'spring breeze proudly, one day to see all the Chang'an flowers. ’”

Luo Di Xiucai, who was present, was already disheartened and shameless, and was said by the examiner, and his blood was full of blood and he regained his self-confidence. Everyone said that Renzi Qiuqiu would definitely come again.

Seeing off the examiner Lord Liu, all the scholars said goodbye to each other, returned to their respective rooms to pack their luggage, and prepared to leave home tomorrow.

These days, Chen Wenqi and Weng Junding have been very close to each other, and they have the meaning of seeing each other late, and now they are both high school "Five Classics" people, and they have nothing to talk about. Because of taking the Yuezhou merchant's boat, he had to board the ship to rest at night, and when he left and right, Weng Junding took his suits and came to Chen Wenqi's room, talked for a long time, and agreed to go to Huangzhou Mansion to meet Chen Wenqi next spring, and then the two of them went to Beijing together to take the examination hosted by the Ministry of Rites. Chen Wenqi carried Weng Junding's luggage and sent it to the Yangtze River Wharf near the Guanyin Pavilion in the west of Wuchang City before waving goodbye.

Chen Wenqi returned to the "Juyuan Hotel", and Shen Lingshan and Ruizhu were still waiting in the room. Chen Wenqi smiled apologetically at Shen Lingshan and said, "This day's noisy people have neglected Miss Shen. ”

Chen Wenqi suddenly changed his words, stunned Shen Lingshan for a moment, and said: "Why did the eldest brother suddenly become polite again?" Oh, I understand, Chen Gongzi understands Yuan in high school, and he will definitely soar in the future, standing above the temple, how can I and the grass people call him brothers?"

Chen Wenqi hurriedly said, "Miss Shen, don't be careful. The girl bowed and bowed down, and felt deeply honored in the next. It's just that the girl is white and flawless, and if you ignore the difference between men and women, it will inevitably damage the girl's reputation. What's more, we have already said that the girl occasionally disguises herself as a woman, and in front of unwitting others, we are brothers, and other than that, we still treat each other with courtesy. ”

Shen Lingshan heard him say that, her heart was both sweet and lost, so she deliberately said rudely: "Yes, my family's enemies are powerful, and ordinary people avoid them. Chen Gongzi still left far away, and it was better not to make this trip to the troubled waters, so as not to delay Gongzi's good future. ”

Chen Wenqi knew that Shen Lingshan was excited, and he couldn't help but confess his true thoughts: "Miss Shen is serious. In my heart, Miss Shen is my righteous brother, and the affairs of the girl's family will never stay out of the matter. ”

Shen Lingshan thought to herself, this person is really pedantic. I also thought that if he was not so square, but acted lightly on the grounds of swearing brothers, he would definitely not like it. After thinking about it, he said to Chen Wenqi: "It's good that the eldest brother remembers it in his heart." As for the matter of my enemy, my mother and uncle have said that they must stab the enemy with their own hands, and will never pretend to others, even if they are righteous brothers, they will not succeed, and I ask my eldest brother for forgiveness. ”

Shen Lingshan no longer insisted, Chen Wenqi finally breathed a sigh of relief, and then mentioned the matter of going home tomorrow.

Although they have only known each other for a few days, after several tests of life and death, the two are a little melancholy about the upcoming parting. Especially Shen Lingshan, because she was hiding from enemies, she has lived in loneliness since she was a child, except for her mother, uncle and Yahuan Ruizhu, who is regarded as a sister, she has no friends to make friends with. Chen Wenqi is suave and talented, especially Shen Lingshan risked death to save him in a dangerous situation, and countered Gou An to send false information to save him, as well as cutting cloth wisely, boiling water and boiling money, etc., all of which reflect Chen Wenqi's erudite, resourceful, chivalrous, and different customs of personality charm, so that Shen Lingshan has a feeling of "looking for him thousands of times in the crowd, and suddenly looking back, but that person is in the lamplight". Suddenly, Chen Wenqi was leaving, Shen Lingshan seemed a little uncomfortable, but there was no reason to stay, so he said quietly: "I met my eldest brother Pingshui, and I hated to see each other late." Being able to meet the eldest brother and marry Jin Lan is really the happiest thing in the younger brother's life. In just a few days, it will pass in a flash, and tomorrow will be goodbye, when will we meet again? Wuchang Mansion is a place that must be passed through to enter Beijing, if the eldest brother has not forgotten the younger brother, when the 'bus' goes to Beijing in the spring of the next year, please come and see how the younger brother is?"

Chen Wenqi was also full of regret at this time, seeing Shen Lingshan sad, he hurriedly said: "The ancients said: 'Confidants in the sea, if the end of the world is next to each other', Wuchang Mansion and Huangzhou Mansion are connected to each other, far from the ends of the world. Next year, before the 'Spring Witch' enters Beijing, I will make a special trip to visit my stepmother and Miss Shen. At that time, we will have to see if Miss Shen's fist and foot kung fu has improved. ”

Shen Lingshan was overjoyed when she heard that Chen Wenqi had promised to visit her next year, and her spirit was much better, so she immediately playfully hugged her fists: "The apprentice must practice diligently and live up to the high expectations of the master." ”

The two looked at each other and smiled. Early the next morning, Chen Wenqi went to the Shen Mansion and the prefect's yamen to bid farewell to Han Mei and Han Ming respectively, and returned to Chenjiazhuang with Jingxing.