More than half a month after the end of the autumn period, Qiuci Town announced that it would release the results in the courtyard of the government.
Xu Fanghai got up early and was waiting in the courtyard before dawn.
When the clerk posted the list of successful candidates on the high board, Xu Fanghai nervously looked for his name in the crowded crowd.
After a lot of effort, when Xu Fanghai finally saw his name, he couldn't help but shout "Hello".
Just when he was satisfied and wanted to leave, a name he saw in the corner of his eye stopped him in his tracks.
Thinking that he was dazzled, Xu Fanghai rubbed his eyes and looked at the list carefully, and found that among the business candidates, Lu Ensheng's name was clearly on the list.
After confirming again and again, Xu Fanghai walked out of the crowd, hired a carriage, and rushed towards the town market in Baishan City.
After arriving at the new city in the north of the town, Xu Fanghai made some inquiries and finally learned about the branch of the Lu Family Trading Company in Qiuci Town.
After finding the manager of the Lu Family Trading Company, Xu Fanghai told him his purpose.
When the steward heard this, he was also surprised.
More than half a month ago, the young man from the Lu family came back from the examination room and did not eat for a whole day and night. He only said that he did not answer the questions well and he was afraid that he would not be on the list this year.
The branch in Kucha Town wrote a letter informing Chang'an of the result.
The Lu family was a merchant family, and after receiving this letter, they completely gave up on the possibility of having the first person to be elected to the family.
But now, someone suddenly came and said that Lu Ensheng passed the Qiu Wei period and won the imperial examination. Everyone was shocked.
Lu Ensheng, who was sorting out the grain list in the back warehouse, heard a servant coming to report that he had won the lottery.
At first it was disbelief, then doubt, then excitement, and finally he rushed into the business hall, shouting with joy.
Lu Ensheng saw Xu Fanghai, grabbed his hand, and shouted with joy: "Mr. Xu, I won the prize!"
Before Xu Fanghai could say anything, the steward on the side reminded Lu Ensheng: "Master, this Alang came here specially to report the news. Don't forget the lottery."
Lu Ensheng suddenly understood, and quickly said to the accounting room on the side: "Go and get a generous gift!"
Xu Fanghai waved his hand and said to Lu Ensheng: "Any candidate who passes the Qiu Wei Examination will have to go to the government office to file a lawsuit within ten days."
Lu Ensheng nodded quickly.
Xu Fanghai added: "There will be spring next February, and the location will be Liangzhou City. I plan to leave next month for Shicheng Town. What are your plans?"
Lu Ensheng thought for a while and then replied: "Since I can win the exam this time, maybe it is really God's favor. I plan to go to Liangcheng to participate in the Spring Festival and give it another try."
Xu Fanghai: "Well, hurry up and pack your bags. I'll come back to find you in a few days."
A few days later, Xu Fanghai and Lu Ensheng packed up their gear and set off from Qiuci Town, heading east towards the Daqi Commercial Road.
Because Daqi Commercial Road is located in the desert, every year in November, the environment becomes harsh and impassable.
Therefore, the two must arrive in Shicheng Town before October.
When passing through Yanqi Town, Xu Fanghai told Lu Ensheng that he had old friends in the town and planned to stay for a few days. The latter nodded in agreement.
Xu Fanghai first took Lu Ensheng to Yinglong Temple in Yanqi Town.
When Lu Ensheng was in the temple, he was a little surprised when he saw Xu Fanghai kowtowing and bowing nine times to the dragon statue. He couldn't help but ask: "Are you a Yinglong believer?"
Xu Fanghai nodded and said: "When I first came to Anxi, I was not a Yinglong believer. After traveling around a lot, I gradually became a believer."
Lu Ensheng knew that there were many Yinglong believers in Anxi Duoyinglong, even in the Lu family trading firm.
The Yinglong Sect is different from other religions in that believers can believe in other religions, and its teachings are not strict. It emphasizes inclusiveness, so it has spread widely and has many followers.
After visiting Yinglong Temple, Xu Fanghai took Lu Ensheng to Yuli County, south of Yanqi Town.
There are dozens of huge villages in Yuli County, the largest of which has more than 5,000 people.
These villages have wooden fences and sentry gates. They are more like penal colonies for prisoners than villages.
Seeing the confusion on Lu Ensheng's face, Xu Fanghai explained to him: "The people in these colonies are all servants of the imperial court. Most of them are from Hebei. The remaining ones are said to be from Chang'an and Luoyang.
A sold slave."
Lu Ensheng was a little surprised: "Why did the imperial court keep the slaves here? Is it to force them to work?"
Xu Fanghai smiled, took out a badge from the Marshal's Mansion from his arms, and handed it to the guard at the village market.
After seeing it, the latter turned around and went to the guardhouse.
Not long after, a school captain came out of the guardhouse, and he seemed to be quite familiar with Xu Fanghai.
After the two had a conversation, the captain of the guard station asked Xu Fanghai to register the information and then ordered the door to be opened.
Lu Ensheng, who witnessed all this with his own eyes, was full of surprise. When he followed Xu Fanghai into the village market, he kept looking at the people beside him, and finally couldn't help but ask: "Who is Xu Lang?"
Xu Fanghai put away his badge and said with a smile: "Don't make random guesses. He is just an unknown person from Hebei. He was appreciated by the nobles, so he was able to broaden his horizons and take on the job."
Xu Fanghai took Lu Ensheng into the village ancestral hall.
In the center of the main hall of the temple, there is a statue of Yinglong made of clay, with countless plaques on both sides.
Xu Fanghai waved away a group of playful children and found an old man enjoying the cool air in the backyard of the temple.
Xu Fanghai raised his hands towards the old man and said, "Tan Qi Weng."
The old man known as Tan Qiweng looked over after hearing this, nodded and said with a smile: "Fang Hai is here."
Xu Fanghai: "A letter came from Qiuci Town. We need 120 craftsmen and 100 weavers now."
Tan Qiweng thought for a while and replied: "The Yanqi Town Council made a review last month. Thirty-seven households in the village have completed the learning targets and have been allowed to leave here."
Xu Fanghai: "Qi Weng will give me the list later, and Fang Hai will go and talk to the council."
Lu Ensheng on the side was confused and asked: "Qiuci Town needs people, why should we tell Yanqi Town?"
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Tan Qiweng looked at Lu Ensheng and asked Xu Fanghai: "Is this... your friend?"
Xu Fanghai: "There is something that I haven't told Qi Weng yet. Fang Hai and this young man have already passed the Qiu Wei period and have become a public servant."
Tan Qiweng's eyes lit up and he said: "You won the imperial examination? This is a great thing! We Hebei people have come to Anxi since then. Although many of them have gone to work in the four towns, those who have passed the imperial examination have
There are very few, but Fang Hai has given us a lot of face!"
Xu Fanghai explained to Lu Ensheng at this time: "Back then, the Tang army conquered Fanyang. Many people from Fanyang City and surrounding counties were registered as official slaves by the court and moved collectively to Yanqi Town."
"The Anxi Protectorate also built a village market in Yuli County, south of Yanqi Town. All official slaves from the east will be imprisoned here for a period of three years and are not allowed to go out."
Lu Ensheng was stunned: "In the past three years, the Anxi Protectorate has forced you to perform labor to repay your sins?"
Before Xu Fanghai could speak, Tan Qiweng laughed and said: "We thought so at first... At that time, many people were worried that they would be like cattle and horses, forced to work until their physical strength was drained, and finally die here.
Unexpectedly, not only did we not be forced to work here, but there were also study halls, crafts workshops, Yinglong Temple, etc.”
"All people who are moved into the village, regardless of gender, old or young, must read and write, learn a skill, and then be familiar with Yinglong's teachings. In addition, food, shelter, medicine, etc. are all provided. To be honest,
Living here is even better than living in Hebei. Therefore, at first, some people who moved here were afraid, some were homesick, and some were resentful. Later, after living for a long time, everyone gradually adapted to it.
, they all expressed their gratitude to the Anxi Protectorate and stopped thinking about anything else."
Xu Fanghai continued: "The Anxi Protectorate has made a three-year agreement with all the village officials and slaves, but it does not mean that people will be locked up here for three years. As long as a family can read, write, learn skills, and teach
If you have saved enough points from reading and working, you can apply to leave in advance and start living in other places in Anxi."
Hearing this, Lu Ensheng finally understood: "So, Xu Langqian helped those who were leaving here find jobs."