I saw a handsome man standing outside the door. The scholar was wearing green clothes, with his hair tied and a crown, and he was carrying a book basket. However, there was nothing awkward about him. On the contrary, he looked more Confucian.
Moreover, this person is full of righteousness and talent, and is almost on the verge of becoming a top grader.
Xu Qingxiao is now a high-ranking scholar, and the literary pool is thirty-six feet tall. He has the qualifications of a literary sage, so he can naturally see the ability of other Confucian scholars to nourish their qi.
"Student Chen Xinghe, I met the teacher."
When he saw Zhou Ling, Chen Xinghe immediately saluted, perhaps because there was an outsider present, so he looked even more solemn.
"kindness."
Zhou Ling nodded, and then immediately spoke.
"Xinghe, this is a new student who has just been admitted as a teacher. His name is Xu Qingxiao. He is your classmate. He will go with you for the Nanyu Prefecture imperial examination."
"I asked you to come here to tell you about this government examination. By the way, you can study with him together."
Zhou Ling pointed at Xu Qingxiao and said.
Xu Qingxiao immediately bowed her hands.
"Junior brother has met senior brother Chen."
Xu Qingxiao was very polite.
And Chen Xinghe's eyes couldn't help but fall on Xu Qingxiao.
Chen Xinghe did not expect that his teacher called him back so that he could study with others.
But he looked at Xu Qingxiao.
Well, he looks pretty good, very delicate, but his clothes are average.
Much better than the previous ones.
Thinking of this, Chen Xinghe nodded, his cold expression softening a little.
"Well, Junior Brother Xu is welcome."
He replied calmly, which seemed a bit cold to ordinary people, but in Zhou Ling's eyes, it was a little different.
Because some students had met Chen Xinghe before, but Chen Xinghe's attitude towards others was very arrogant. It was good to say a favor, but he didn't expect to say another word.
This is a little strange.
Zhou Ling was a little puzzled, but in fact it was not that Chen Xinghe didn't understand etiquette, it was just that he cared about appearance very much and really didn't want to pay attention to ordinary-looking people.
Xu Qingxiao is pretty good-looking and can be considered handsome. Although not as good as herself, she is not much different. If she had different clothes, she might be able to compare with her.
So Chen Xinghe has a slight affection for Xu Qingxiao.
"Go in and talk."
Zhou Ling opened his mouth and led the two of them into the study.
The study was dark and cool. Chen Xinghe took off his book basket and sat down. Xu Qingxiao also sat down, but his eyes fell on Zhou Ling.
"Xinghe, the teacher called you here not just for studying together."
"In this government examination, the teacher made inquiries and found out some things, so he sent someone to look for you overnight."
Seeing Chen Xinghe's arrival, Zhou Ling spoke directly and told the fundamental reason why he came to him.
"Is the government examination different this year?"
Chen Xinghe spoke. From this sentence, it can be judged that Chen Xinghe has participated in the government examination more than once.
Xu Qingxiao didn't speak, he just listened quietly. After all, he had no source of information or foundation about Confucianism, Taoism and imperial examinations, so it was better to listen carefully.
"Well, this year's government examination is different."
"In the first year of the new dynasty, His Majesty the Wei Dynasty attached great importance to the imperial examinations. In the past, the imperial examinations were reviewed by the emperor, and the top three were sent to the capital for review by the university."
"And all the article papers in this year's prefectural examination must be sent directly to the graduate school. The graduate school will review them. The top three papers in each prefecture will be selected and handed over to His Majesty for his review."
Zhou Ling said slowly, explaining the differences this year.
As soon as he said this, Chen Xinghe couldn't help but look surprised.
"Your Majesty personally approved it?"
He spoke, looking surprised.
Xu Qingxiao was also a little surprised. The imperial examination was not a capital imperial examination. There were four to five hundred palaces in the Wei Dynasty. Counting the top three of each palace, there were more than 1,500 articles.
The emperor had so many things to do every day that he might not have enough time to review memorials every day. How could he possibly read the imperial examination articles?
Jingke's article is not bad. After all, it represents the highest level of scholars in the three years of the Wei Dynasty. The imperial examination is held once a year. Is this reasonable?
"The king is diligent in his work."
Xu Qingxiao muttered in her heart, but didn't say anything.
"Well, the new dynasty has arrived, and the empress has ascended the throne. This is a change that has never happened in ancient times. It is natural for your majesty to be diligent in your work. As for the specific reason, this is the holy will. We cannot make any assumptions and we should not speculate."
"But this is a good thing for us scholars, especially for you. If the article you write is selected as the top three and can be reviewed by the Holy Spirit, it will be a great good thing."
Zhou Ling didn't know why. The only thing he knew was that the emperor valued scholars so much, which was a good thing for them.
"I understand. If this is the case, then the student will not be clumsy this year."
Chen Xinghe opened his mouth, nodded, and said something extremely pretentious.
As soon as these words were said, Xu Qingxiao and Zhou Ling couldn't help but be stunned. Fortunately, this was not their first contact with Zhou Ling, but Xu Qingxiao was a little stunned.
This sounds very interesting.
"Okay, you guys should study hard these days, and I will help you think about it and see what will happen in this exam. If you win the bet, you will get twice the result with half the effort."
"Let's go eat first."
Zhou Ling didn't say anything else. After taking a short rest, he called the two of them to eat.
"I'm not very hungry, just read a book."
Chen Xinghe shook his head. He stood up and took out a book from the basket and read it alone.
Zhou Ling knew his character and called Xu Qingxiao to have dinner.
"Qingxiao, go and have a meal. People who practice martial arts cannot go hungry."
"kindness."
Xu Qingxiao didn't show any pretense. He was really hungry, so he got up and left.
Just hearing what Zhou Ling said made Chen Xinghe a little curious.
After Xu Qingxiao left, Chen Xinghe couldn't help but speak.
"Teacher, what is the origin of Qingxiao?"
Chen Xinghe said calmly.
"I don't have any background. I am a county government official. I am just a material for studying. I have developed a love for talents as a teacher."
Zhou Ling replied.
"Yamen servant?"
Chen Xinghe was surprised this time.
If you say he is a poor scholar, there is nothing to say, but a government servant?
It's not that Chen Xinghe looks down on Xu Qingxiao, but reading is not just about literacy. There are too many ways of doing things, including poems, songs, articles and strategies. Doesn't it take decades or even decades of knowledge to accumulate these things?
Moreover, Xu Qingxiao was a government official, which meant that he did not have much time to study.
The so-called "hard study" means that most scholars basically need to be literate as children, and then start reading all kinds of books without being distracted. Some poor scholars even do not go to work in farming, and their wives support the family.
This kind of thing happens everywhere.
That's why Chen Xinghe was surprised.
Of course, the most important thing is that Xu Qingxiao has to take the government examination. This is the fundamental reason.
"Well, can't government officials study?"
Zhou Ling asked.
"That's not true. How many years has Junior Brother Qingxiao studied?"
Chen Xinghe does not look down on Xu Qingxiao. Although he is arrogant, he does not discriminate against others. He just has a cool appearance.
"Calculating, it should be there in three or four days."
Zhou Ling calculated carefully and came up with this answer.
"Third and fourth days? Teacher, are you kidding the students?"
After hearing this answer, Chen Xinghe couldn't calm down anymore.
After studying for three or four days, you have to take the government examination?
Isn't this a joke?
"do not get excited."
"You have your own plans as a teacher. In short, you only need to remember that your junior brother is extremely talented and is a piece of rough jade. The reason why he takes part in the government examination is not to hope that he will be selected, but to get to know some people and prepare him for the future.
Make plans.”
Zhou Ling patted Chen Xinghe on the shoulder. It was hard for him to tell Xu Qingxiao about Xu Qingxiao's overnight success. It was not because he was afraid of hurting Chen Xinghe, but because he was afraid of hurting Chen Xinghe.
The latter instantly understood what Zhou Ling meant.
"Understood."
Chen Xinghe nodded and said nothing more.
"Okay, let's go have a meal as master, and I'll ask your master's wife to bring you some."
After Zhou Ling said this, he left with his hands behind his back.
But before leaving, Chen Xinghe spoke up again.
"Master, I'm about to enter the first grade, next month at the latest."
Chen Xinghe was very indifferent. He looked at the book in his hand, looking cold, handsome, and very stylish.
However, Zhou Ling, who left with his hands behind his back, just said calmly after hearing this again.
"oh."
After saying this, he went to the dining room.
Chen Xinghe was left a little confused.
???
What does this mean?
Master, are you deaf?
I said I was almost finished.
You gave me this reaction? Shouldn't you be shocked?
Oh what does it mean?
Pretending to be calm? Do you think you are handsome like this?
Okay, you're hurting me.
Zhou Ling's answer made Chen Xinghe unable to calm down, but he didn't dare to express his complaints. He could only lower his head and read hard. He must be admitted before the imperial examination.
And at the same time.
An uninhabited mountain range in Ping'an County.
A group of people gathered, and in front of them were three corpses.
The leader is Cheng Lidong.
His face was still pale, as if he was terminally ill. He was holding a handkerchief and covering his mouth and nose, but his eyes were cold and terrifying.
"Master Cheng, we have already lost seven brothers. If we continue to be consumed by him like this, I'm afraid all the brothers will die here."
Someone spoke, lowering his head and looking embarrassed, but he had to say it.
"Do I need you to tell me?"
Cheng Lidong glanced at him coldly, and the latter immediately trembled slightly and lowered his head deeper.
"He practiced the second volume of magic, which should be the magic hidden in Ping'an County. It solved the poison in his body and broke through the level. Otherwise, he would have no chance of winning in front of me."
"But there's no need to worry. I'll send someone to send a letter to Fujun, and real experts will be sent to arrest him within three days."
"The only thing I ask you to do right now is to guard Hao Lai and don't let him escape."
When Cheng Lidong spoke, he turned his back to everyone and said in a cold tone.
"yes."
Everyone obeyed the order.
And at this moment, a figure came quickly.
"grown ups."
He rushed over, knelt in front of Cheng Lidong and said.
"Sir, my subordinate discovered what Xu Qingxiao was writing at home today. After Xu Qingxiao left home, he sneaked into the house and excerpted what he wrote for your Majesty to review."
The other party spoke and handed over his booklet at the same time.
"write?"
Cheng Lidong groaned, then took the booklet and slowly opened it, and soon a few lines of words appeared.
But soon Cheng Lidong frowned.
Because these characters are not ancient Wei characters, they are very strange.
He pulled out his long sword and wrote on the ground in the booklet one by one.
The font is weird.
Cheng Lidong didn't understand it at all, so he tried to write it down but didn't understand what it meant.
"When I get back, I'll go to the prince and ask him to ask a Confucian master to come and write these words with Wen Xingtong. Maybe he can know what they mean."
Cheng Lidong thought to himself.
"Walk."
The next moment, Cheng Lidong spoke and left with his troops.
On the ground, traces of simplified Chinese characters were left.
Its content is.
[First, never act out of emotion]
[Second, never miss a single bad thing]
[Third, the referee is absolutely fair and beautiful]