From time to time, the laughter and laughter of the students can be heard.
Except for a few who are slightly older, most of the students are in their teens or 20s.
At this time, he has a hairpin on his head and a blouse on his body. He is young and successful. He is naturally high-spirited when talking and laughing, and looks down upon heroes.
Everyone was chatting and laughing for a while, and then Walrus Gan walked into Minglun Hall. Everyone hurriedly pressed the chat button and saluted the academic administration.
Walrus Gan smiled and said: "As the saying goes, to be an official, you must make a good appearance, and you must compete first when you succeed. When I entered Pan, I was also young and frivolous like you."
The sentient beings couldn't help but smile when they heard this, and the tense atmosphere relaxed a lot.
Walrus nodded with satisfaction, then waved his hand lightly, and a scribe came forward and distributed Confucian red flag silver to the students, six or eight dollars each, for the purpose of encouraging students.
Seeing that the money was obtained, everyone couldn't help but smile.
Although the Jiangning family has many wealthy families, not every member is from a family. This sixty-plus silver is also a good source of income for those members who have no money left.
After the reward, it’s a hairpin feast.
The hairpin banquet after the college examination is much grander than the banquet after the government examination, and the various rules are more complicated.
After Wei Chen finished a set of etiquette and returned to his seat, a thin layer of sweat broke out on his forehead.
Under Walrus Gan's scrutinizing gaze, no one dared to eat or drink, and even the slightest move of their chopsticks was done slowly.
Seeing that everyone was so restrained, Walrus Gan deliberately livened up the atmosphere and said with a smile: "Everyone, if you have nothing to do, why don't you make a drinking order. If you eat food instead of drinking as a penalty, what do you think?"
Wei Chen was a little surprised when he heard this. Hai Xuezheng was serious and meticulous when presiding over the college examination, which made people awe-inspiring. Unexpectedly, he was quite easy-going in private.
Since the academic master made this suggestion, the students present naturally agreed one after another.
Although the drinking order requires some ingenuity, it is still just a way of entertainment among literati, which is much easier than reciting poems and composing poems.
Seeing that everyone agreed, Walrus nodded, twirled his beard and said with a smile: "Four words or eight sentences. My topic is [Unclear, clear, easy, hard, rare]. Well... let's start from the beginning of the case. Let’s get started.”
The so-called four words and eight sentences means that the questioner speaks four long sentences in a row, but only the second half of the sentence. The answerer must complete the four half sentences. Not only do they rhyme, but they must also conform to the proposition of the questioner.
Walrus Gan looked at Wei Chen. Wei Chen pondered for a moment and then replied: "Snow in the sky is not clear or white; when it falls to the ground, it is clear and white; snow turns into water, it is easy; water turns into snow, it is rare and rare."
Everyone continued to say good things, and Walrus Gan also stroked his beard and smiled. Wei Chen immediately put a chopstick of boiled mutton into a small plate and winked at Sheng Changbai who was not far away: "Brother Zecheng is next."
Sheng Changbai was slightly startled when Wei Chen pointed him out.
He usually only studies classics and articles, rarely socializes with people, and has really never been exposed to the "little ways" of drinking wine.
However, the Sheng family is also a heirloom of poetry and calligraphy, and the people in the family are all literati. Sheng Changbai has been influenced since he was a child, so he will not be stumped.
After pondering for a moment, Sheng Changbai read: "The ink in the inkstone is unclear; when the words are written, it is clear; the ink turns into words, it is easy and easy; the words turn into ink, it is rare and rare."
Walrus Gan glanced at Sheng Changbai appreciatively, nodded and said: "Good."
Sheng Changbai bowed slightly, picked up a chopstick of boiled mutton, and then ordered Chen Jun to take the next one.
Chen Jun thought about it for a long time and couldn't figure it out, so he had no choice but to knock the bowl with his chopsticks and drink a cup of Xuanjiu with a wry smile. Fortunately, the Xuanjiu was actually just water and could not intoxicate anyone.
The frustrated Chen Jun turned to Tao Dazhi and said with ill intentions: "Brother Tao, it's your turn, take it."
Unexpectedly, Tao Dazhi had already prepared. He pointed at the wine pot on the table and said with a smile: "The wine is in the pot, it's not clear; when it's poured into the cup, it's clear; if I want to drink wine, it's easy; if the wine wants to eat me, it's easy." , rare and rare.”
After hearing this, everyone staggered into laughter, but there was no way to say that Tao Dazhi answered the question by mistake. Chen Jun looked at Tao Dazhi winking at him proudly, and could only admit that he was unlucky, and turned away depressedly.
When Wei Chen and Sheng Changbai saw this scene, they couldn't help but smile at each other.
The hairpin banquet came to an end, and Wei Chen and his friends walked out of Ti Xuedao Yamen.
At this time, it was drizzling outside, and the river was clear, reflecting the bright moonlight. Wei Chen stood in the middle of the street, letting the rain splash and wet his clothes.
He listened to the sound of raindrops falling on the eaves, and couldn't help but think of the scene when he left home to study at Sheng's Free School two years ago.
Time flies, and the young man who was penniless at that time is now a student in a government school, with a bright future waiting for him.
At this time, Sheng Changbai walked up to Wei Chen holding an umbrella and called out softly: "Good brother."
Wei Chen came back to his senses, looked at Sheng Changbai, Chen Jun, and Tao Dazhi beside him, grinned and said: "Everyone, we are either going to study in the government or in the county, and we are about to go our separate ways. Why don't we meet and see Who will be on the Spring List first and be passed on to the Golden Palace? How about it?"
After hearing Wei Chen's words, everyone smiled and praised her. Sheng Changbai couldn't help but feel a surge of pride in his heart. He clasped his fists and said, "Everyone, as brother Wei Xian said, when we meet in three years for the Spring Festival, I will wait for you." Let’s fight together again!”
Everyone responded with a roar: "Okay!"
……
The next day.
Wei Chen got up early and bid farewell to Chen Jun who returned to Youyang with Sheng Changbai. Then he went out of the city gate, carrying gifts, to the small lakeside courtyard where Zhuang Jun lived in seclusion.
Wei Chen stepped forward to knock on the door, and soon an old servant came out to open the door. It was Uncle Fu who was accompanying Zhuang Jun: "It turns out that the young master is here, and he is waiting for you inside!"
Wei Chen nodded, handed the gift to Uncle Fu, and walked in familiarly.
In the courtyard, Zhuang Jun was sitting on a wicker chair reading a book. When he saw Wei Chen coming, he immediately put down his book, looked at Wei Chen and asked, "You are here, how did you do in the academy exam?"
Wei Chen bowed and said, "I don't dare to live up to the teacher's expectations. I was lucky enough to get the case. My disciple is now a student in the school."
"Yeah."
When he heard that Wei Chen had taken the head of the hospital examination case, Zhuang Jun had no expression of surprise on his face. It seemed that this was just a matter of course.
"Don't slack off when you enter a university. Don't look down on those old scholars because you think you are a college student. They have been studying for many years and have a much better foundation than you. They may be late bloomers."
"Disciples should remember the teacher's teachings."
Wei Chen bowed his head and said yes, then paused and said: "This disciple is actually here because he has something to ask the teacher."
Zhuang Jun raised his eyelids and said calmly: "What's the matter?"
Wei Chen opened his mouth and said: "Although my disciple has not reached the top, he has already entered school, so I would like to ask the teacher to give him a calligraphy!"
Zhuang Jun pinched his beard and said: "In ancient times, people were crowned at the age of twenty. Nowadays, scholars usually hold the crown ceremony at the age of sixteen. You are already twelve years old after the New Year. Although you have not reached the age of crowning, you are already a student.
, you rarely interact with others, and it is really not appropriate for your peers to call you by your first name."
Wei Chen said softly: "The student has this intention, so he came to invite the teacher."
Zhuang Jun stared at Wei Chen, half-smiling but not smiling, and said: "Since you worship Walrus Gan as your master, why not ask him to give you a calligraphy? He comes from a well-known family and is an academician in Jiangnan. He still has some advice for you. Please
The words he gives you will be of great benefit to you in the future."
"As for me..."
Zhuang Jun shook his head and laughed at himself: "I am just a poor scholar with no official position, idle in the mountains, and only an old servant by my side. It is really useless to give you a title."
Hearing Zhuang Jun's words, Wei Chen could only smile bitterly in his heart.
Teacher, teacher, you are already old, why are you still so arrogant?