"Brother Cao, you and I have been studying all morning. We are hungry. How about having lunch first?"
Cao Yun happily agreed.
The two of them left the woodshed together and came to the lobby of the inn.
The waiter from the inn came up and said hello to the two of them.
"What do you two guests want to eat?"
Lu Wenzhao said.
"Stay the same as before!"
"Steamed buns, hot water, and a plate of pickles!"
Steamed buns with hot water and pickles are the cheapest food in this inn.
Both of them are so poor that they live in a woodshed. Naturally, the food they eat is mainly about filling their stomachs. Don't even think about eating well!
The two of them didn't occupy a table in the hotel lobby, but just found an empty table in the corner and sat down.
Not long after, the waiter came out carrying hot steamed buns, a plate of pickles, and a bottle of hot water.
Place them one by one in front of the two students.
The waiter said.
"Take it easy, both of you!"
It was obvious that the steamed buns served by the waiter were larger than those served at other tables, and the plate holding the pickles almost popped out.
Although the two of them said nothing on their faces, they were grateful in their hearts.
Although the innkeeper's waiter did not provide any help to the two of them openly, this kind of detailed care can warm people's hearts even more.
…
The two people here were eating, but the waiter on the other side returned to the counter with a tray.
The shopkeeper was immersed in fiddling with the beads on the abacus, and from time to time he picked up the brush to write down something in the account book, looking attentive.
However, although the shopkeeper was busy with his hands, he seemed to have eyes in the back of his head.
As if he saw the curiosity on the waiter's face, he asked directly.
"Just ask whatever you want to ask. It makes me feel uncomfortable just to look at you!"
The waiter smiled coquettishly, looked vaguely at Lu and Cao in the same corner, and asked.
"Shopkeeper, I just want to know why you take such good care of those two poor friends!"
"The room they live in, although it is said to be a woodshed, has better lighting than some lower rooms, and is more secluded."
"You asked me to pick out big steamed buns for them when they were eating, and gave them plenty of pickles, and even sent tea to their rooms..."
"why?"
"They are so poor! Why do you want to take care of them?"
The shopkeeper glanced sideways at the waiter and said angrily.
"How about I be the shopkeeper and you are the waiter?"
"They are indeed poor now, but they came to Beijing just to take the exam. No one can predict what will happen in the future."
"What if they can pass the exam this time? Wouldn't that mean they fly up a branch and become a phoenix?"
"Now it's a good sale and a good relationship, that's for sure!"
The waiter then asked.
"But there are quite a few scholars staying in our inn who have come to Beijing to take the exam. Why does the shopkeeper just take care of these two of them?"
The shopkeeper stopped fiddling with the beads on the abacus and said with a smile.
"Today is the rehearsal ceremony for His Majesty's enthronement ceremony, and the soldiers of the imperial court will be passing through Nanjing."
"In the entire city of Nanjing, most people have gone to watch the fun!"
"Look at the students in our inn who went to Beijing to take the exam. There are still a few who insist on studying in the inn instead of going out to watch the excitement."
"Is it just those two people?"
"Based on how hard the two of them are working now, even if they fail to pass the exam this time, they will definitely be on the gold list in the future!"
The waiter had a look of surprise on his face, nodded vigorously and said.
"I understand, little one!"
The shopkeeper glanced at the waiter and said.
"You still have to learn!"
After that, he continued to lower his head and settle the accounts.
Just counting the beads on the abacus, it seems like I can never finish fiddling with them.
…
Lu Wenzhao and Cao Yun were having lunch, white steamed buns with pickles, but they ate it with gusto.
At this moment, a group of luxuriously dressed and flamboyant young men came in at the door of the inn.
Although most of these people were students and wore Confucian shirts, they did not have the bearing of scholars.
One of them laughed arrogantly when he saw Lu Wenzhao and Cao Yun's food.
"Haha, you are really poor!"
"White steamed buns are just pickles, who scholar eats this?"
"How about you call me grandpa and I will take you to have a feast at the Qinhuai River?"
Steamed buns and pickles are definitely good food for ordinary people in this era, but not everyone can afford to eat them every day.
But for scholars, it’s a bit of a shame!
After all, not everyone can afford to read books of this era.
A simple literacy or illiteracy has already divided people's classes.
No matter how poor a scholar is, as long as he can write and do calculations, he will most likely live a good life.
Seeing this, everyone around laughed loudly.
"Hahaha, Mr. Li, please don't say that, maybe people will enjoy eating steamed buns and pickles!"
"Yes, Mr. Li, these two poor people are very wrong. I'm afraid they haven't even seen meat!"
"They may not be used to eating meat. If they just eat one meal like this, they might just run away and die!"
"..."
Lu Wenzhao was extremely angry when he heard this and clenched his fists.
But he held back and said nothing.
Cao Yun, on the other hand, gritted his teeth and said.
"My family is really poor and we really can't afford meat!"
“My studies are all supported by my family’s frugality in food and clothing!”
"But it doesn't matter if I can't eat meat now, I will make sure my family can eat meat in the future!"
Scholars in ancient times liked to take care of the clan power in order to become officials.
The reason is actually here.
Many people were able to study for the imperial examinations because they relied on the support of the entire clan.
If you want to combat clan power, the most important thing is not to split up clans, but to introduce compulsory education.
The cost of education in this era is very high. Except for those big landowners and big businessmen, ordinary small landowners and small businessmen simply cannot afford the cost of education.
Only a whole clan can support a few scholars!
How could the scholars who were supported in this way not turn around and take care of the clan after they became officials in the imperial examination?
The reason why today's clan power continues to grow is actually entirely because the clan controls the upward path for its children.
Who can study and who cannot study, the clan has the final say!
As long as compulsory education can be achieved, the clan will lose its most fundamental basis for existence.
As long as we can continue to cut off the economic interests of the clan power and let the clan power decline completely, it is not impossible.
Lu Wenzhao didn't say a word, but just dragged Cao Yun out of his room.
Just behind them, Mr. Li was still acting strangely.
"Yo yo yo, you are so poor and want to take the imperial examination?"
"Have you been taught by a famous teacher? Have you been cared for by elders in your family? Have you ever participated in poetry and literature gatherings?"
"Hahaha, you don't think you just have to work hard to take the imperial examination, do you?"
"If your efforts are effective, why should you be reincarnated?!"