When things calmed down again, Tang Hezheng and the others smiled and said to Zhao Shouzheng, "I thought you were a kind and gracious elder, but I didn't expect you to be an expert at teasing people."

"Yes, it was clearly his own poem, but he insisted on saying it was written by his son, which made Huang Jieyuan feel ashamed." Shi Jinchen bowed deeply to Zhao Shouzheng and said, "So it turns out that you didn't want to write poetry before, deliberately hiding your talent! Your literary talent is not much inferior to your son's."

"Of course, although the disciple is better than the master, how can the disciple be without the master?" Fan Datong finally jumped out of the cabin and said proudly, "My nephew's poems were all taught by you, brother?"

"Don't listen to his nonsense." Zhao Shouzheng waved his hands and said, "I definitely didn't write this poem."

"Oh, there are no outsiders here, brother, stop pretending." His peers did not believe him, and shook their heads and laughed, "We have also seen your son, he is only fourteen or fifteen years old, although he is a genius, how can he understand these human pleasures?"

"Yeah, he hasn't even been to the twelfth floor, let alone entered the bridal chamber." Tang Hezheng and others burst into laughter, saying that this was not something a young man could do.

"Uh..." Zhao Shouzheng thought about it. If this gets out, people will say that my son has been visiting brothels since he was a child. Oh my god, how can he find a wife? So he waved his hand and said vaguely, "Okay, I admit that it wasn't my son. You can say whatever you want."

"Okay, I won't embarrass you, brother." Of course, the candidates couldn't make things difficult for the eldest brother, so when he didn't deny it, they assumed he admitted it. So they changed the subject and said, "We're going north to take the exam this month, brother, you have to go with us."

"You don't have to worry about this matter. I will charter a few ships and we will head north together." Zhao Shouzheng took the responsibility generously.

The candidates were naturally very happy and expressed their gratitude profusely.

Who wouldn't love such a rich and talented brother?

~~

At dusk, the rain stopped and the fun of the trip was over.

The pleasure boat stopped at the Wuding Bridge Pier, and the candidates got off the boat and said goodbye.

The sedan bearers had been waiting for Zhao Shouzheng at the dock. When they saw the master getting off the boat, the umbrella bearers hurriedly opened their umbrellas to greet him. The bearers also lowered the poles and waited for the master to get on the sedan.

Zhao Shouzheng waved his hand and said, "It's too long to take a boat ride. Let's just walk."

"Yes." The servants responded hurriedly, carrying the sedan chair and following behind Zhao Shouzheng and Fan Datong.

Walking along the Qinhuai River for a distance, Zhao Shouzheng suddenly whispered, "It's been hard for you these days."

"Ah?" Fan Datong was stunned, with a puzzled look on his face. "Why do you say that, brother?"

"A newly-minted scholar has suddenly gained power and doesn't know how to restrain his words. He might have said something provocative. Please don't take it to heart," Zhao Shouzheng said apologetically.

He has never been familiar with worldly affairs, and Zhao Hao is also a hands-off manager. These days, Fan Datong is the one who runs around to arrange literary gatherings, hire pleasure boats, invite singing girls, find a garden... and all the other miscellaneous matters.

Zhao Shouzheng judged others by himself. If he had failed the imperial examination and had been faced with a group of upstart scholars who were arrogant and impetuous all day long, he would have definitely become discouraged.

"Hey, what do I think of it?" Fan Datong suddenly laughed and said, "Brother, you are overthinking. I have survived the world by relying on my thick skin. How many times have I been looked down upon over the years? If I care about it once, I lose."

He smiled proudly and said, "Besides, now that my brother has passed the imperial examination, he can support me. I feel very good about it."

Zhao Shouzheng saw how happy he was doing it and couldn't tell whether he was telling the truth or just lying to himself.

But no matter what, now that he had escaped from the quagmire, he naturally wanted to help this brother who had shared hardships with him. He whispered:

"Why don't you come with me to Beijing this time? I heard that my nephew has connections in the Ministry of Personnel. I'll see if I can find you a position so that you can have a livelihood."

Students can directly become officials, which is called "Ministry Selection". However, if you wait in line honestly, you may not get your turn even after a hundred years. Basically, it depends on who has money and connections.

Zhao Shouzheng dared to say this, naturally he had discussed it with Zhao Hao, and felt that it should be possible to secure a lucrative position of an eighth or ninth rank assistant minister for Fan Datong.

"No, no, absolutely not." Fan Datong shook his head like a rattle. "I am such a scoundrel, and I am still an official? I am afraid I will be dismissed and investigated in a few days. What if I am forced to be exiled? Wouldn't that be worse than death?"

"Besides, your son is still in Jinling and has assigned me a lot of errands. How can I leave?" He said with a smile: "I don't have any big ambitions. I just run errands for you two and do things for you. It's good to be free."

"Hey, you're still young..." Zhao Shouzheng wanted to persuade him again.

But Fan Datong didn't want to continue the conversation. He jumped away, bowed to him and said, "It's settled. I'll come to see you tomorrow."

"Oh, okay." Zhao Shouzheng had no choice but to wave his hand and say goodbye to Fan Datong.

When Zhao Shouzheng turned around, he found that he had already reached the door.

Zhao Hao happened to get off the carriage, walked up to him and whispered, "Father."

"Son, did you see it?" Zhao Shouzheng asked, pointing at Fan Datong who was walking away.

Zhao Hao nodded, and the father and son entered the mansion while talking.

"Do you think what he said is true or false?" When Zhao Shouzheng encountered something he couldn't figure out, he usually didn't bother to think about it and just pushed it to his son.

"I'm afraid even he himself can't figure it out." Zhao Hao shook his head and sighed softly, "He has lost himself for too long..."

"Ah, I think so too." Zhao Shouzheng nodded in agreement and looked at his son and said, "Is there any way to help him?"

"We have to wait until he comes out by himself." Zhao Hao replied softly: "Let's do this for now, and wait until the time is right to see if we can give him a push."

"Then let's take care of him first." Seeing that his son took Fan Datong's matter to heart, Zhao Shouzheng put his worries aside and joked, "Anyway, my son has taken care of a whole street, so he is still one step away."

"Of course no problem. My father needs such a person by his side." Although Zhao Shouzheng was still a juren, Zhao Hao had already begun to plan to find a team of assistants for him.

"Yes, then I am relieved." Zhao Shouzheng nodded happily. Suddenly he remembered something and stretched out his arm to grab Zhao Hao's neck. He asked angrily, "Tell the truth. Have you ever been to a brothel?!"

"I'm still a child..." Zhao Hao rolled his eyes as he was strangled: "You can strangle me to death, but I've never been to that kind of place."

"So, what's the story behind the poem 'Green Grass in Front of the Twelve Towers'?" Zhao Shouzheng was unwilling to let him off easily. He puffed his beard and glared at him, asking, "How could you bear to pay a thousand gold coins for a smile? Who is it that you are missing? Which beautiful woman lives on Changgan Road?"

Zhao Hao could only blame himself for doting on his father too much, giving Zhao Shouzheng so many poems and lyrics at once. Now, even the excuse that he learned them from listening and reading was no longer effective.

He had no choice but to struggle and shout:

"This is all imaginary, it can't be true!"

"That's right. Without this imagination, how can my son be a little Li Bai?" Zhao Shouzheng was indeed easy to trust Zhao Hao, so he let him go and reminded him seriously: "But my son is still young, it's best not to even have any imagination, otherwise it will delay your growth..."

Zhao Hao was speechless.

ps. The fifth update, 800 votes and more updates will be sent, please give me monthly votes and recommendation votes! ! ! !