Time flies, and in a blink of an eye, winter goes to spring. In March, it is time to take the imperial examination every year. Xiao Ling packed his luggage and came to Long Ding's residence. looked at Long Ding, who was concentrating on the same thing: "Uncle Long, I'm going to go out to get famous, and I'm here to say goodbye to you today." ”

Long Ding raised his head and looked puzzled: "Are you not happy here?" Imperial examination, hmph, go and serve that Mongolian Tartar?"

Xiao Ling was firm: "I went to get famous, not to serve the outsider. The husband stands in heaven and earth, and in his lifetime, he should do his best to serve the people and benefit the people in the world. ”

"For children who have not been in the world, many things are far from being as simple as you think. If you want to go, go. In today's world, the status of the southerners is humble, and you have to be careful everywhere outside, and endure it if you can. Do not act in vain, it is better to save your life and return. ”

Xiao Lingyu didn't understand what he said, but he heard the concern in Long Ding's words. At the moment, he bowed to Long Ding: "Ling'er knows, I will be careful with everything." So I went. He will definitely come back to see you someday. ”

Xiao Ling said goodbye to the deaf and dumb second uncle again, and Lu Ping came to see him off. This way, I took leave to go home to visit relatives. At that moment, the two brothers went down the mountain together and headed towards Linyang Village.

The Yuan Dynasty was a feudal regime established in 1271 AD by the Mongol aristocracy. The imperial examination system practiced by the Mongol rulers was overtly ethnically discriminatory. At that time, the whole country was divided into four kinds of people: one was the Mongols, the second was the Semu people, including the Western Xia, the Hui and other ethnic minorities in the northwest, the third was the Han people, including the Han people under the rule of the Khitan, Jurchen and the former Jin Dynasty, and the fourth was the Nan people, which referred to the Han people south of the Yangtze River and the ethnic minorities in the southwest. The important official positions of the state were held by the upper echelons of the Mongols and Semu people, so the imperial examination was dispensable for the Han and Nan people at that time.

The imperial examination of the Yuan Dynasty was held once every three years, and it was divided into three levels: the township examination (provincial examination), the meeting examination (the Ministry of Rites examination), and the imperial examination (palace examination). At all levels of the examination, the Mongols and Semu people were taken separately from the Han and Nan. In the township and hui examinations, the Mongols and Semu people only take two exams, while the Han and Nan people have to take three exams. During the imperial examination, although all four types of people were asked a question, the first two types of people were limited to more than 500 words, while Han Chinese and Nanren must have more than 1,000 words. In terms of test content, the questions of Mongolians and Semu people are relatively easy, while the questions of Han Chinese and Nanmen are more difficult. If the Mongols and Semu are willing to take the examinations of the Han and Nanren, the official positions awarded after winning the middle school can be increased by one grade. At that time, the Mongols discriminated against and restricted many races, especially the rule and defense of the southerners.

Xiao Ling and Lu Ping returned to Linyang Village and each met their parents. After that, they all gathered to discuss Xiao Ling's entrance examination.

Lu Tianwu roughly introduced the general content of today's imperial examination, and then looked at Xiao Ling with deep meaning: "For example, if we are foreigners today, it is very difficult for us ordinary people to become officials. Even if you are fortunate enough to be in the middle of the imperial examination, under their coercion, the career will not be smooth. Therefore, Ling'er, I know that since you were a child, you have set the imperial examination as your goal, and learning and excelling are the goals, which in itself is also the goal of every scholar. However, now that you haven't caught up with the good times, Ling'er can't be proud of your career. Don't be too discouraged, people of insight are now living in hibernation and not entering the world. Don't push yourself too hard. ”

Xiao Ling listened, but there was a pain in his heart: "Uncle, actually, I have also thought about what you said. I won't be too obsessed, the imperial examination is just a dream of mine, no matter what, I want to see what the imperial examination is like. Actually, I'm not happy to let me cater to the Mongolian Tartars. After speaking, I thought that I couldn't practice martial arts by myself, and I couldn't show off my ambitions in this imperial examination. What can you do in this life, what is the benefit? I can't help but feel at a loss in my heart.

Lu Tianwu: "I have entrusted someone to handle the registration for the township test, and there are still ten days before the exam, so I will go to Yongzhou Road to participate in the township test, and it will take a few days on the road." I've taken care of everything, and I'll take Ling'er out tomorrow. I used to have a good friend on Yongzhou Road, so we can visit first. ”

Xiao Shengyi and his wife stayed in Linyang Village all the year round and did not know much about the world. On weekdays, I am basically accustomed to listening to Lu Tianwu arrange big and small matters. There is not much to say at this point.

The next day, Xiao Ling followed Lu Tianwu to Yongzhou Road. It will take a few days to reach the Yongzhou Road situation. The Yuan Dynasty set up a province, called Lu, which is equivalent to the current provincial capital. After Yuan Shizu unified the world, although he suppressed all parties, compared with wartime, there was some economic progress. The prosperity of Yongzhou Road is not comparable to Linyang Village. Pedestrians are in an endless stream, and the shouts and shouts fill the streets and alleys. All this is also full of curiosity and freshness in Xiao Ling's eyes, and Xiao Ling is also jumping up and down along the way, after all, he can't help but be excited when he first arrives in the prosperous world.

After a short walk, the two came to a cloth shop. Lu Tianwu stood at the door of the cloth shop and looked at the busy shopkeeper inside: "Lao Hu, do you remember me?"

The owner of the cloth shop was a man about 50 years old, with a smile on his face, and he looked at Lu Tianwu when he heard the voice: "Isn't this Brother Lu, haha, I haven't seen you for so many years." You're still the same. Come on, come on, sit inside. There was a bit of joy in his words.

The shopkeeper's name is Hu Yuan, in the past, Hu Yuan met robbers on the way to buy business, and when the robbers wanted to kill people and sell goods, Lu Tianwu happened to pass by, so he pulled out a knife to save him. Since then, the two have known each other, and in several interactions, they have fallen in love with each other and become brothers.

After Lu Tianwu returned to seclusion, he rarely went out and had less contact, but the relationship with Hu Yuan did not weaken. This Hu Yuan is a businessman, he is relatively tactful, but he is very righteous, and he has always remembered that Lu Tianwu saved himself from the knife back then, and after the two became brothers, he did not treat Lu Tianwu as an outsider.

Hu Yuan opened several cloth shops on Yongzhou Road, and the business was very good. married his wife Liu, and gave birth to a daughter under his knees, named Hu Yue, fifteen years old, who usually helps Hu Yuan run a cloth shop.

Hu Yuan introduced the two into the cloth shop and entered the inner hall. called a buddy, arranged the business in the store, and took Lu Tianwu and the two to his house.

Hu Yuan has been running businesses for most of his life, earning a lot of money, buying a piece of land on the outskirts of the city, building a house, and a large yard. It can be regarded as a relatively wealthy family. When Hu Yuan arrived at home, he arranged for someone to call Hu Yue, and instructed the Liu family to arrange a banquet to catch the wind for Lu Tianwu and the others. Lu Tianwu seems to be used to this. watched Hu Yuan busy.

After a while, a girl in red ran in and saw Lu Tianwu, but she was surprised: "Uncle Lu, you finally came to see Yue'er." I want to die for the moon. You'll need to spend a little more time. Yue'er also wants to learn more from you. Hehe, I have practiced all the boxing techniques you taught me last time. ”

Lu Tianwu smiled back, and he was also happy to see Hu Yuechu become a beautiful girl: "Uncle Lu, I will not let you down this time." Then, he turned around and pulled Xiao Ling over: "This is my nephew Xiao Ling, fourteen this year, one year younger than you." You know each other. ”

At this time, Hu Yuan also came over: "Yue'er, you take Ling'er to the house." I still have to catch up with your Uncle Lu. Don't get involved. ”

When Hu Yue heard this, she pulled Xiao Ling and took him to the courtyard to spin around. The Hu family is front and back, the houses are scattered, and there are courtyard gardens between them. The two walked all the way, and Hu Yue explained vigorously. Tell interesting things about her in the courtyards of these houses. Xiao Ling listened with relish, and echoed some praises and envy along the way. also listened to Hu Yue happily. Unconsciously, the two came to the back garden of the Hu family.

But see this back garden, trees, stones, scattered. The arrangement of the layout in the middle has a special mind. From the outside, it is beautiful and quiet. Exploring inside, it seems that there is another world.

Hu Yue looked at her back garden with a smug face: "Finally, I will take you into my back garden to play, hehe, you just need to follow me all the time, the scenery here is beautiful." ”

Xiao Ling looked at it, but he could see at a glance that this back garden was just a simple phantom array. This illusion can only conjure up some beautiful scenery for people to enjoy, but it has no other effect. Hu Yuan has a wide range of friends on weekdays, and among his many friends, there are also people who know some formations.

Hu Yuan is extremely fond of his only daughter Hu Yue on weekdays, so he asked someone to set up this array for Hu Yue to play. This Hu Yue usually likes some strange things, and he also feels wonderful about the unusual scenery that this magic array can change. Therefore, whenever outsiders come to the house, they will bring the wonderful scenery of enjoying this phantom array.

Xiao Ling has studied the way of formation very deeply, and naturally he can't see this small phantom array. But seeing Hu Yue's enthusiastic face, he followed her all the way. But see the scenery of the phantom array change. One moment it was full of silver flowers, the other was a ripe fruit forest, and occasionally a few white rabbits were running in front of me. In Xiao Ling's opinion, the level of these scenes is too simple, and the duration of maintenance is very short. Along the way, Hu Yue explained extremely hard, but Xiao Ling listened casually.

When she walked out of the back garden, Hu Yue saw Xiao Ling's flat face, and was a little surprised: "Xiao Ling, don't you think it's fun to have such a wonderful scenery?"

Xiao Ling smiled slightly: "I've seen a more magical scenery than this, or I'll conjure it up for you to see." Xiao Ling saw that Hu Yue liked the illusion so much, and saw that her illusion array had many flaws, so he couldn't help but want to change into a more beautiful illusion array.

Hu Yue had a look of disbelief: "Uncle Lu still praises me for the wonder of my back garden, can you make a better one?"

Xiao Ling didn't say anything at the moment, turned around and ran into the back garden again, moving the stones inside a little bit. ran out again, pulled Hu Yue and ran into the back garden. This Hu Yue looked all the way, and saw that the scenery of the back garden has changed greatly, there are more scenes of illusion, and the scenery is clearer and more vivid. He stared at Xiao Ling with wide eyes for a while, with an incredible look on his face.

Xiao Ling's young temperament, he usually dismantles the formation by himself, or Long Ding is by his side to guide him, but he rarely shows his formation skills in front of others. Seeing Hu Yue's expression now, he was also proud for a while, and he couldn't help but carefully change this phantom array. The scenery of the fantasy realm naturally became more wonderful, which also made Hu Yue excited.

Subsequently, Hu Yuan prepared a banquet for the two and arranged accommodation for the two. In this way, the two lived in Hu's house and waited for the time for the imperial examination to come.