"I, Li Hui, pay my respects to Mr. Lu and all the envoys." Li Hui bowed and saluted.
Lu Na glanced at Li Hui lightly and said in a deep voice: "No need to be polite, just present it."
Li Hui hurriedly responded and stepped forward to present the evaluation voucher with both hands. An old man beside Lu Na reached out to take it and handed it to Lu Na's hand.
Lu Na glanced at it and said in a deep voice: "Mo Yan, let's get started. It's getting late and everyone is tired. It's best to finish it early."
The old man is the magistrate of Wu County, his name is Zheng Min, and his courtesy name is Mo Yan. He is an official subordinate to Dazhongzheng. The rest of the people are local officials under the jurisdiction of Wujun. The Zhongzheng review is a collective review with Dazhongzheng as the main body, and of course the final decision is made.
Naturally, he is a great official.
Chen Min nodded, turned to Li Hui and asked with a smile: "Little Prince Li Hui, are you only seventeen years old this year?"
Li Hui nodded and said: "Yes."
Zheng Min smiled and said: "You are seventeen years old, but you are a bit calm. Which clan are you the son of in this county? There are not many nobles with the surname Li in Wu County. Could it be that you are the son of the Li family in Nancheng? Or the son of the Li family in Dongxiang.
Jun?"
Li Hui knew that this was about asking about his origin. So he bowed and said: "Reporting to the envoy, I am not from Wu County. I moved to Wu County from Danyang County with my mother since I was a child. My mother is from the Gu clan. As for my origin...
…It’s the Danyang Li family.”
"Oh? Danyang Li family?" Zheng Min turned her head and looked at the people around her in confusion.
"The Zhao family in Danyang County is a wealthy family, and the Sun family is also a wealthy family. The Li family in Danyang... I haven't heard of them being a wealthy family," said an official nearby.
"Yes, I have indeed never heard of him. I wonder who your father is, Mr. Li Hui, and what his official position is. Is there any ancestral connection?" asked another person.
Before Li Hui could answer, Lu Na said in a deep voice: "Brother Mo Yan, don't ask about your family background. Li Hui Xiaolangjun was a talent recommended to the court in his own name by the brother of Dong Wengqian of the Gu family. Li Hui
Mr. Li Hui is the deputy manager of my South House in Wu County. You have all heard about the diversion of water for irrigation at Gu's East Lake Manor. It was Mr. Li Hui who came up with the idea. Gu Qian felt that he
He has some talents, so I recommended him to participate in this review."
Everyone was suddenly stunned, and the eyes they looked at Li Hui immediately changed. They didn't know Li Hui's identity before, and thought he was the son of a noble family, so they were a little cautious. Now they heard that Li Hui was just a steward of the Gu family's south residence, and
They were all relieved that the recommendation was not in the name of the Gu family, but a personal recommendation from Gu Qian, the owner of the Gu family's south residence.
To put it bluntly, this is a relationship household, and it is a relationship household with a loose identity. Gu Qian's recommendation in his personal capacity explains everything. If Gu Qian really values this person, why not recommend Li Hui in the name of a descendant of the Gu family? Those are two different things.
.To be recommended by the Gu family’s children is to treat someone seriously and as one of our own. To be recommended in one’s own name is to be treated as an outsider.
As for things like diverting water for irrigation, these people have no interest in it, and they don't think it's anything great. These agricultural matters are meaningless to these people. It's just like a skilled craftsman who makes good things with good craftsmanship.
It's impressive, but a craftsman is a craftsman, and his low status will not change just because he is good at his craftsmanship.
After Li Hui's background was clarified, all those who participated in the review had already locked Li Hui's grade in the low-grade category. Since he was born in a poor family, there was no possibility of becoming a high-grade person.
"Little Mr. Li Hui, I won't ask about your family background. Now let's move on to the second knowledge test. Don't be nervous. It's very simple. Just write a few words or compose a poem. I can also take a look at yours.
Calligraphy, I know your knowledge." Zheng Min smiled.
"Mo Yan, aren't you making things difficult for him? In my opinion, forget it." Lu Na said with a smile.
Lu Na actually had good intentions. He was afraid that Li Hui would make a fool of himself on the spot. Besides, the person recommended by Gu Qian had also greeted him, so why bother him and make him look embarrassed on the spot.
If he went back and told Gu Qian about this, wouldn't Gu Qian blame himself? He knew that Li Hui was just a steward in his house, and he was just here to go through the motions, so why did he expect him to write any words or compose any poems?
"Hahaha, that's fine. In that case, there's no need to write words or compose poems. Let's move on to the next item. Well... there's actually nothing to say about the next item. For the aspect of virtue, the Yamen can go to the south.
I understand. You are young, have not done anything big, and have no criminal record, so I won’t ask. Mr. Li Hui, that’s the end of today’s evaluation. The grade evaluation will be announced in three days.
Then you can look at the list. Mr. Li Hui, you can retire." Zheng Min said with a smile.
Li Hui stood there in a daze. It was over so soon? It took only a few words for others to burn incense and a cup of tea for him? This was too fast. This was obviously not a good thing.
"Chief Cao, go call the next person. There should be not many people left." Zheng Min said to Chief Cao.
Chief Cao hurriedly replied: "There are four more people. It should be over before noon. The remaining four are not descendants of the noble clan."
As soon as this was said, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They had been busy all morning and everyone was a little tired. The rest were all from poor families, so there was no need to come step by step because there was no need. Finally, they were able to call it a day and have a drink.
Manager Cao walked out, only to find that Li Hui was still standing there. So he said, "Li Hui, why don't you leave?"
When he asked, everyone's eyes focused on Li Hui again.
Lu Na smiled and said: "Li Hui, you can go back. By the way, go back and see Dong Weng and say hello to me."
Li Hui said in a deep voice: "Master Lu, I have read books and practiced calligraphy."
Lu Na was stunned for a moment and then understood what Li Hui meant. He said that asking him to write and write poems was to embarrass him. Li Hui was afraid that after hearing this, he felt that he looked down on him and hurt his self-esteem.
"You mean, you want to show off?" Luna frowned.
Li Hui bowed and said: "Since I am participating in the Zhongzhengpinzhuang, I will show myself in order to obtain the best results. No matter what the result is, I will never leave any regrets."
Zheng Min frowned and said, "Li Hui, I said you don't have to do it, so why waste your time?"
"No, what good words and poems can he write? Hasn't he disgusted us enough this morning?" someone next to him murmured.
Indeed, this morning, it was a kind of torture to criticize the calligraphy and poems written by these young people from a large family in Wu County. Everyone has had enough of those poor poems and calligraphy. The children of the large family have a special status and cannot be ignored.
However, because these poems and calligraphy must be archived and submitted. Although it has little impact on Zhongzheng's final product, this is a necessary process.
This is not necessary for people like Li Hui and other children from poor families, because they must be of the lowest rank and have no chance to be promoted to official positions. Of course, they do not need to submit reports.
Therefore, Li Hui's insistence on showing off himself seemed unnecessary. Everyone felt that this kid was a bit shameless and disgusting.
"Lu Shijun, if I just leave like this, I will not only feel sorry for myself, but also make Dong Weng embarrassed. Dong Weng personally recommended me to participate in the Zhongzheng review, which is a great respect for me. What will happen to me?
Isn’t it embarrassing for Dong Weng to leave without showing any signs? Others will also doubt Dong Weng’s vision and say that he doesn’t know people well. Recommending a person who is incompetent will harm Dong Weng’s reputation. Therefore, I would like to ask
Mr. Fu and all of you, please give me a chance to show off, at least let me explain something to Dong Weng." Li Hui bowed.
Li Hui didn't hope to change anything, he just resented being so slighted. Since they felt that they were making a fool of themselves by writing poems and writing poems, he had to give them a little shock. As for the results of the review, Li Hui had already seen it.
After I came out and revealed my origin, I no longer saw any respect in the eyes of these people. So, it doesn't matter anymore.
Lu Na originally thought that Li Hui was ignorant, but the reasons given by Li Hui were valid. He didn't want Li Hui to make a fool of himself and lose Gu Qian's face, but did this mean that Gu Qian had no vision? There was no guarantee that Gu Qian would not
If you think so, why not let Li Hui write a poem? It won't take long.
So Lu Na smiled and said: "In that case, then you can write a poem for us to review and comment on."
Li Hui bowed to express his thanks, and the clerk came forward and spread yellow paper on the table in the middle. The inkstone on the table had already been ground, so there was no need to grind it freshly.
Li Hui came to stand in front of the desk and slowly rolled up his sleeves. Everyone was a little curious at this moment. What kind of poems could this seventeen-year-old boy from a poor family, the steward of Gu's South House, write?
What words came out? Not in expectation, just out of curiosity.
"Please lend me a pen." Li Hui said to the scribe.
As soon as these words came out, everyone around them shook their heads. Just the act of Li Hui borrowing a pen showed that he could not write any good calligraphy. Anyone who is proficient in calligraphy attaches great importance to the brush, and can even be said to be picky.
To write well, you must use a brush that you are comfortable with, rather than borrowing a temporary brush. Otherwise, the softness and hardness of the brush bristles, and the size and type of the pen will affect the feel of the brush.
Li Hui didn't even bring a writing brush, but he came to borrow one, which shows that he is not a person skilled in this art.
Everyone was actually waiting to see a joke.
Lu Na smiled and said: "Bring a tube of wolf hair to Mr. Li Hui."
The clerk agreed, went to the pen stand next to him and took out a tube of langhao pen and handed it to Li Hui. Li Hui thanked him, dipped the pen in the ink, and after dipping the ink evenly, he lifted the pen and hung it on the paper, thinking slightly.
Li Hui had a lot of poems in his belly, and any one he picked out would be a masterpiece. After all, this was the advantage of being a time traveler. However, Li Hui considered the characteristics of the Jin Dynasty, where the scholars here loved to explore some fantasy and mystery.
The same goes for things and styles of poetry. Naturally, you have to adapt to what they like in order to amaze them, but you can't just record a song casually.
"Li Hui, a short poem is enough, no need for a long essay." Lu Na said, stroking his beard. He didn't want Li Hui to think about it for too long and waste everyone's time.
Li Hui nodded and started writing. After a few moments, a small poem appeared on the paper. After Li Hui signed "Danyang Li Hui", he put down the pen and stood up.
Zheng Min on the side stretched her head to read the poem. There was a smile on her face, but in just a moment, the smile disappeared and she showed a surprised expression. She reached out and picked up the poem paper.
"Ah...this poem..." Zheng Min couldn't help but exclaimed.
Lu Na said: "Brother Mo Yan, what's wrong?"
Zheng Min seemed unconscious, just staring at the verses on the paper and moving his lips, as if he was in a daze, and his expression was excited.
Lu Na felt strange, left his seat and walked over, took the poem paper from Zheng Min's hand, and slowly recited: "The flowers are not flowers, and the fog is not fog. It comes in the middle of the night and goes at dawn. It comes like a spring dream, and it goes like a morning."