The two people in front of the door, an old man and a young man, stood with their hands behind their backs, looking very impressive.
Seeing the three brothers arriving, the two of them looked at each other for a moment, and then they both bowed their hands and saluted. The three brothers were a little confused, as no guests had ever visited their door.
It's different now that he's been awarded Jinshi? But he still returns the favor quickly.
"My Excellency Dr. Kong Yingda..."
"Chang'an Maritime Academy sacrifices wine to Ma Zhou."
The three brothers had little information and had never heard of the reputations of these two people, but they knew their positions.
Moreover, the old man and the young man both had Hebei accents, so as soon as they heard it, they knew they were meeting a country party, and they immediately felt more familiar with them.
Li Yiyan and Li Shangde always looked up to their cousin Li Yichen, so they saluted each other again and announced their names. It was Li Yichen who asked, "Are you two here looking for our brothers?"
Kong Yingda showed great courtesy and responded with a meticulous courtesy: "I came to the door rashly, I will disturb you a lot, I hope you won't be offended."
Ma Zhou looked at Kong Yingda and knew that today's trip was probably in vain.
The purpose of his coming here is obvious. Chang'an Maritime Academy was just established, so it is natural to recruit talents. Is there anyone easier to fool than the new Jinshi?
It's just that he doesn't quite understand why Kong Ying came here.
As an imperial college founded by the imperial court, they have always been arrogant and just sit back and enjoy their achievements. That is their style, right? Why did they send Kong Yingda to meet the middle-ranking Jinshi? Wouldn't it be easy to go to the Ministry of Civil Affairs and transfer people directly? When did you learn to condescend and be condescending?
He once again confirmed Kong Yingda's origin in his mind.
This man has a good reputation. He naturally knows that Kong Yingda is from Hengshui, Hebei Province. He is a descendant of Confucius and a great scholar of Confucian classics. Regardless of his family background, reputation in the literary world, or personal academic achievements, he is beyond the comparison of Ma Zhou and other juniors.
.
Moreover, Kong Yingda was also a Jinshi in Confucianism during the Kaihuang period of the former Sui Dynasty. He was one of the batch of Confucian masters who emerged during the Kaihuang period, and his status was very high in the minds of some people.
It's just that Kong Yingda has never been a high-ranking official, and coupled with the impact of the war in the late Sui Dynasty, his reputation cannot be communicated both internally and externally.
What is particularly worth mentioning is that this man was recruited by the King of Qin Li Shimin a few years ago and became one of the great bachelors of the Prince of Qin. Later, he also served as an assistant to the Imperial Academy under Li Yuan. The label was too clear and the impact on his career can be imagined.
And know.
But having said that, with his thorough reading of classics and history and various academic achievements, he will be respected by people wherever he goes, and his official position, family background, etc. are not very important in comparison.
You must know that the word "Great Confucianism" is as heavy as a thousand pounds in this world. To be called a "Great Confucian" by others, even if you are a commoner, you can easily talk and laugh like a great Confucian, and have no business dealings...
Those people who have good friendships with Kong Yingda are all extraordinary. Even if they are affected by politics and cannot be in high positions, most of them will automatically avoid them unless they encounter a fool who doesn't care.
When a scholar encounters a soldier, there is no reason to explain.
This is what surprised Ma Zhou. Brother Li Yichen didn't fancy Jinshi, but in front of Kong Yingda, he could only be regarded as a latecomer. Why should Kong Yingda treat him so seriously? No matter how you look at it, it doesn't feel right.
Could it be that you were squeezed out in the Imperial College? Then why not come to Chang'an Maritime Academy...
Ma Zhou murmured in his heart that he thought he should find someone to ask about the current situation of the Imperial College.
Whether it is Chang'an Maritime Academy or Chang'an Academy, they actually lack two things, one is the official recognition from the court, and the other is the foundation.
Even though both places were built by the imperial court, they do not have the nature of imperial offices like the Imperial College. Everyone in the Imperial Palace has a formal imperial rank.
However, Chang'an Maritime Academy and Chang'an Academy are not considered to be officials except for offering wine. They are employment-based and do not count as serving in the imperial government.
In addition, their respective backgrounds are too weak, which makes it difficult to recruit talents or recruit students.
Otherwise, Li Xuandao and others at Chang'an Academy would not want to use the imperial examination to promote the reputation of the academy. This is obviously an move to build a foundation for the academy.
And he, the Chang'an Maritime Academy, was full of sincerity when he came to drink wine in person.
Of course, if the three Li brothers were not from Hebei, Ma Zhou would not have put in so much effort. After all, his status is no longer ordinary now.
When it comes to employing people, the concept that everyone maintains has not changed much. The first is relatives, and the second is township party members. These are relatively reliable figures.
Nowadays, there are very few talents in Hebei. Above the imperial court, the world is dominated by the Kansai and Jin people. Now the people from the south of the Yangtze River are gradually occupying a place, and they have to be subdivided into the three regions of Jiangzuo, Jiangyou and Shuzhong.
As for places like Hebei, Henan, and Shandong, although there are still some outstanding figures now, it is hard to say in the future. It can be said that the talents are withered and there are no successors.
At that time, all the famous families in the hinterland of the Central Plains were seriously injured, and it would take a long time for them to recover.
………………
At this time, Ma Zhou glanced at Kong Yingda, rolled his eyes, smiled and said to brother Li Yichen: "It seems that the three of you have never heard of Dr. Kong?"
The three brothers blushed at their ignorance. Li Yichen asked: "I haven't asked for advice yet..."
Ma Zhoudao: "Liu Zhuo and Liu Shiyuan are the great scholars in Hebei Province. Do you know that?"
Li Yichen quickly stated that he was not without knowledge, "Of course we brothers know about our predecessors and sages, and have read his almanac, nine chapters of arithmetic notes, etc., but I heard that he died a few years ago..."
Kong Yingda glanced at Ma Zhou and said, "Master Liu is a virtuous person who will shine through the ages. He is not just talking about it, but he is offering wine and keeping his virtues."
Needless to say, Liu Zhuo was a great sage from Hebei Province. He was said to be a great Confucian, but in fact he was an astronomical scientist in the world. His contribution to the astronomical calendar was almost unparalleled.
This statement was not limited to China, but was made worldwide at that time. For example, he calculated the positions, operating cycles, speeds, etc. of the five major planets in the solar system. Based on this, he also deduced the time and duration of solar and lunar eclipses.
Laws, do you think they are serious or not?
Li Chunfeng and others who later became famous were all younger brothers than him. What’s even more ridiculous is that when people later talked about Li Chunfeng, most of them only remembered a push-back picture, that kind of nonsense... and they knew Liu Zhuo.
There are even fewer people, which is simply a tragedy.
If Liu Zhuo could recruit many disciples and publicize his writings, he would most likely be the second Confucius in Chinese history. Unlike Confucius, he would be the father of astronomy.
As for Kong Yingda, he studied under Liu Zhuo, but unfortunately he could only learn the classics and righteousness...
………………
Kong Yingda was a serious scholar, and a gentleman could be deceived. Ma Zhou didn't take Kong Yingda's warning seriously, he just said "forgiveness" and that was it.
Then he smiled and said to the three brothers: "Dr. Kong studied under Senior Liu... Well, this is not the place to talk. Standing at the door is not the way to treat guests.
It is better to sit down and talk. With Dr. Kong here, you, a scholar of the Ming Dynasty, can ask more about the meaning of the scriptures. Dr. Kong is a master among us, and a moment with him is worth ten thousand gold."
A spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold. Well, Kong Yingda is much more expensive. What Ma Zhou said is quite damaging.
The three brothers suppressed their laughter and quickly invited them in.
Kong Yingda was very well-educated and not as knowledgeable as Ma Zhou. Shi Shiran followed the three brothers and was let into the small courtyard.
The servants appeared out of nowhere, carrying food boxes, and regarded this place as their own home. The courtyard was very narrow, with only two rooms, and you could tell that they were all occupied by people, so they moved tables and chairs out of the rooms.
The food and wine were placed in the yard.
I also had to drive away a donkey tied in the courtyard...
The Li brothers were a little embarrassed. It was extremely embarrassing for young people to expose their embarrassment in front of others.
Compared with Kong Yingda, who is taciturn and can be at ease wherever he goes, Ma Zhou has experienced hardships, been tired, begged people, and done things, so he is well-versed in people.
When everyone sat down, Ma Zhou smiled and said: "When I came to the capital, war was raging. I had a narrow escape from death along the way. I was lucky enough to come to Chang'an and was already in poverty. I couldn't find a place to stay."
have to.
It took a lot of hard work before I entered the shogunate's house. I was kicked out a few years ago and lived in a temple..."
At this point, he looked at brother Li Yichen and sighed: "You brothers are not from a wealthy family, but you have caught up with the good times and are much better than me. Come, let's have a drink and be able to compete with Gao Xian."
Sitting together is one of the joys of life, and drinking is the best."
The three Li brothers were drooling all over the floor. This kind of encounter was a bit fantasy for them, and they also felt the joy of being in the middle.
If they had not won the Jinshi, these two would not have come to visit, so the two brothers Li Yichen and Li Yiyan were full of longing and longing for their future lives. Even Li Shangde, who had failed, was no longer so sad...
Several people raised their glasses, and after a brief gesture, they all drank.
Kong Yingda smiled and said: "Are the three of you hungry? Don't talk too much. Let's eat some food first."
Kong Yingda is over 50 years old. He seems to be in good health, gentle and elegant, behaves in a measured manner, but not rigidly, and speaks in a leisurely and unhurried manner. He inadvertently looks like an elder.
That kind of magnanimity, full of poetry and calligraphy, is exactly what scholars want to achieve by cultivating their moral integrity.
Even Ma Zhou was secretly envious. When dealing with such people, no matter how clever he was, he felt like he had nowhere to put his efforts, and it was easy for him to develop emotions such as admiration and self-esteem.
The three brothers over there have become as docile as sheep. As fledglings, they really have no comparison in front of these two people. The reason why they can meet these two outstanding people is actually because they were born in Hebei.
The three brothers were intimidated by their momentum. Even though they were hungry, they kept holding on to the scholar's pretense and chewing slowly, which was very painful.
The two people didn't care about this, and they drank two glasses of wine while going back and forth.
Ma Zhou then asked: "Why didn't the doctor show up at the literary meeting at Chang'an Academy not long ago? In terms of talent and learning, not many of those people can compare with the doctor, right?"