Chang'an in March was extremely lively. In a few days, the imperial examination, which had been suspended for twenty-five years, would start again. This important decision of the imperial court has touched the hearts of thousands of scholars.
In the past twenty years or so, the culture of the Tang Dynasty has been wandering in darkness. The slogan "Everything is inferior, only martial arts is good" has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people in the north. Martial arts is the leading one, literature is monopolized by aristocratic families, and county schools,
State studies were gradually replaced by family studies, and family studies were associated with strong family politics, which led to the gradual emergence of aristocratic families in the Wei and Jin Dynasties in the Tang Dynasty.
The reopening of the imperial examination has been called for many years, but has always been opposed by the aristocratic family and the Guanlong Group. However, with the vigorous promotion of Prince Li Shi, all parties made compromises, and finally the imperial examination of the Tang Dynasty was restarted after a 25-year interruption.
prelude.
However, more than twenty years of silence still made it difficult for ordinary poor children to climb the imperial examination. This imperial examination was actually a competition between powerful families and small and medium-sized local wealthy families.
More than 70,000 scholars recommended by various state governments gathered in Chang'an. They will compete for 120 places. This year's imperial examination will be co-sponsored by the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial College. Wang Kuan of the Imperial Academy will serve as the chief examiner, and Yan Zhenqing, the minister of the Ministry of Rites, will serve as the chief inspector.
More than 70,000 scholars gathered in Chang'an, which also brought huge business opportunities to Chang'an. Especially Pingkangfang, where brothels and taverns gathered, was brightly lit day and night, and there was constant noise and laughter.
Before it gets dark, the Taibai Restaurant is filled with scholars. In addition to paying homage to the calligraphy masterpiece "Journey into the Wine" left by the poet Li Bai on the second floor, the scholars will then taste the famous Meishou wine in the capital.
Everyone gathered together to drink and chat, talk about current affairs, criticize the shortcomings of the imperial court, and guess the topics of the first scientific examination.
"I heard that the Tibetan envoys are coming to the court. What does this mean?" a scholar from Longyou said loudly.
"Hasn't Tubo been fighting with the Uighurs for Tocharo and Hezhong? Why did they turn around and turn to the Tang Dynasty again? Could it be that they have another intention?"
"It's hard to say. I heard that the relationship between Tubo and Tuyuhun is on the verge of breaking down. I guess if the Tibetans can't recover their troops, they may have to join forces with the Tang Dynasty to deal with the Tuyuhun and use the help of the Tang Dynasty to kill the Tuyuhun."
"After killing Tuyuhun, wouldn't the Tang Dynasty control Hehuang again? Would Tubo do such a thing?"
"Haha! You don't understand. The Tang army cannot go to the plateau and can only control Hehuang and Lintao. But the Tuyuhun army is adapted to the plateau. They pose a greater threat to Tubo. It was originally a dog raised by him. How could he know
If this dog wants to bite its owner back, of course it will be beaten to death."
"Recently, the imperial court has taken great action on the border areas, and has restored three surrendered cities. Is the imperial court going to consolidate the border areas and start to curb the influence of local vassal towns?"
"Shh! Stop talking nonsense and drink! Drink! This Meishou wine is really good. I will buy two bottles later and take them home to honor my father."
There was a middle-aged man sitting in the corner of the first floor of the restaurant. After listening to the comments of the scholars, he shook his head, called the bartender to pay the bill, then got up and left.
This middle-aged man was Xue Tao's father, Xue Yun. He was originally a doctor in the Ministry of Rites, but now he was transferred to the East Palace to serve as the prince's horse washer. The vigorous imperial examination basically had nothing to do with him, and he lived a very leisurely life.
Xue Yun was born in a famous family in Hedong, but he was not his legitimate son, he could only be regarded as a distant relative, and his family background was not very good. He had no house in Chang'an, so he could only rent in Yongpingfang in the west of the city, and his monthly rent cost him nearly half of it.
This is also the dilemma of most middle and low-level court officials. The rent in Chang'an is too expensive and they can't bear it.
Recently I heard that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is planning to build a group of small official residences in the south of the city to provide residence for middle and low-level officials of the fifth, sixth and seventh grades. Xue Yun is very looking forward to it. He is a fifth-grade official and has been an official for more than ten years.
There should be a chance.
Xue Yun had a strong personality. He would stand up and speak out when things he didn't like. He didn't know much about the rules of the officialdom. He often wrote letters to criticize the shortcomings of the imperial court. In the words of later generations, he was a middle-aged angry young man.
Xue Yun had no children, only a precious daughter. Xue Yun raised her as a son from an early age and taught her to read and write poems. As a result, Xue Tao's character was also very cheerful and rarely had the coquettishness of a girl.
However, Xue Yun's wife, Han, was a bit of a philistine. Han was the daughter of his mentor. His mentor, Han Dao, was a famous scholar in Luoyang. He liked Xue Yun's talent, learning and character, so he betrothed his daughter Han to him.
When Xue Yun returned home, his wife Han took off his robe for him, frowned and said: "I went to drink again. My family's expenses are tight this month. I have to pay three months' rent. Husband, please save a little, otherwise I will have to pay for it again."
I have to go to Luoyang to ask dad to borrow money, how embarrassing it is!"
"I know, I won't do it again."
"You always say you won't do it again."
Mrs. Han complained and then asked: "Go and find out if the official residence has been allocated. I heard from Mrs. Yang that their family seems to be on the list."
Mrs. Yang is the wife of Yang Lin, a doctor in the household department. The relationship between the two families has always been very good. Mr. Han often chats with Mrs. Yang.
"Don't listen to those gossips. You have to wait for the official announcement from the court."
Han complained: "You know that when the official announcement is made, people are looking for connections behind the scenes, but you do nothing. Will you be responsible? By the time the announcement is made, it will be too late."
"What way do you want me to find?"
Xue Yun suddenly raised his voice and said with great dissatisfaction: "Am I the kind of person who goes out of his way to flatter others? If I were to engage in crooked ways like those villains all day long, I would rather not have that house."
"Okay! Okay! Everyone in the world is drunk, but you are the only one who is awake, okay? I'll just say a few words, why are you angry?"
Xue Yun also realized that he should not be angry with his wife, so he softened his tone and said: "Actually, I am very satisfied now. I used to offend too many people in the Ministry of Rites and was ostracized everywhere. Although I am a little more leisurely in the East Palace now, following the prince, in the future
The prospects are good, it’s not too late for others to envy you!”
Han murmured in a low voice: "I don't think there is anything good about it. Qingshui Yamen has no oil or water at all. If you were in the Ministry of Rites, now the imperial examination would have broken the threshold of our family."
Xue Yun was too lazy to discuss this issue with his wife, so he changed the topic and asked: "How is Tao'er?"
Speaking of her daughter, Mrs. Han suddenly remembered something and quickly took out a small bag from her arms and opened the small bag. Inside was a sapphire the size of an apricot.
"Husband, look at this. I found it in Tao'er's room. Do you think it's worth it?"
Xue Yun glanced at the gem and was suddenly startled. He quickly took the gem and took a closer look. His eyes widened, "You said...this is Tao'er's?"
"Anyway, I found it in her room. She put it in a bookcase box. I found it accidentally. Why, is it valuable?"
Xue Yun was shocked for a while and said: "His Royal Highness the Prince also has a gold-inlaid sapphire like this on his waist pendant. He told us that this is the best sapphire in the world. One such gem can be exchanged for a five-acre house in Chang'an."
,How could Taoer have such a thing?"
Han's eyes suddenly lit up. This gem could actually be exchanged for a five-acre house in Chang'an. Fortunately, he didn't sell it at a low price.
"I don't know either, it's just in the box on her bookcase."
Xue Yun sighed and said, "Hey! Don't touch Tao'er's things. The things placed in her bookcase are all her favorite things."
"Of course it is my favorite thing to be able to exchange for a house, and it is also my favorite thing now."
Xue Yun had nothing to do with his wife, so he had to say: "Give the gem back to her first, and then ask her where it came from. If she is willing to give it to you, you can exchange it for a house."
...........
Xue's house is a very ordinary small courtyard, with two entrances, both inside and outside. It occupies seven parts of the land and has more than a dozen rooms. The outside is where the old housekeeper and five or six servants live, and the inner house is where the couple and their daughter Xue Tao live.
, the rent for such a yard in the area near Pingkangfang is at least ten guan per month, but Yongpingfang is a gathering place for middle and low-income people, so the rent is slightly cheaper, but it still costs five guan per month.
Xue Yun's salary plus various subsidies only amounted to twelve guan a month, and the rent accounted for nearly half of it. Their family lived a relatively poor life, but they were an official family after all, and they also had a few servants. The old housekeeper followed
Xue Yun has lived there for thirty years. He bought two little maids when he was a child, and a cook who was brought here as a dowry by the Han family.
What Xue Yun loves most is books. Several rooms in the inner house are filled with books. Influenced by her father, Xue Tao likes books very much. Unlike other young ladies, she has no rouge and not many clothes, but she has all kinds of books.
There are more than a dozen large boxes. Xue Tao is sitting at the desk practicing calligraphy. In front of her is a framed piece of calligraphy. It is the poem "Linjiang Immortal" written by Guo Song. In fact, this poem is written by Xue Baochai in "A Dream of Red Mansions"
s work.
Although Guo Song could not write lyrics and poems, his calligraphy was excellent, vigorous and powerful, and quite popular. Xue Tao was copying Guo Song's calligraphy.
At this time, someone knocked on the door outside and heard her father's voice, "Is Tao'er asleep?"
Xue Tao quickly put away Guo Song's words, and then said: "I haven't slept yet, father, please come in!"