Chapter 51
Chapter 51
After watching the officers escorting the prisoners leave, Ji Yuan had not yet left.
Sure enough, when the sun was high in the sky and Ji Yuan was almost done with taking leave, Ji Li appeared.
Ji Yuan just looked at Ji Li and chuckled.
A compulsive gambler, that's how his life will be.
If he was not the one who withheld the money that Ji Yuan's father earned from his life, there were people who abused little Ji Yuan.
Ji Li paused and didn't dare to look Ji Yuan in the face.
Ji Li was also hit with a stick, but he was not hit as hard and was released early.
It was because he was released early that he knew what happened in the government office yesterday.
A scholar, a man with honors, was directly dismissed from his official position.
Ji Li had studied for three years after all, so he naturally knew how important fame was.
But Li Yaozhong was stripped of his official position just like that. I heard that the documents have been sent to the provincial capital, and I guess the news will come out soon.
When I heard that Li Yaozhong was taken away by his family, I went crazy.
The official status is about to be lost.
Not even a scholar anymore.
This was a calamity for a man who had devoted half his life to the imperial examination.
Li Yaozhong kept calling Ji Yuan's name, saying that it was all his fault and that it was all his fault.
But everyone already knew what happened. If Li Yaozhong hadn't been jealous, if he hadn't wanted to curry favor with the new county magistrate, how could this have happened?
The Li family is still crying, men, women, young and old are all crying, and they even called back their daughter and son-in-law who had married out.
But what can we do about it?
They have no way to deal with Ji Yuan.
Ji Yuan is about to hold a scientific examination.
The only hope is to curse that he won’t pass the exam this time.
Then I felt despair again.
So what if I fail the exam this time?
With Ji Yuan's intelligence and knowledge, he will be able to pass the exam sooner or later.
It seems to be a recognized fact that he will become a scholar sooner or later.
Ji Li staggered away, not even daring to look at Ji Yuan.
At the same time, he secretly swore in his heart that he would make money, and when he made money, he would throw the money in front of the sour scholar.
But how can he earn it? Everything in his house now belongs to Ji Yuan.
Not only that, he also owed gambling debts to the gambling house in the neighboring county.
Or would you really go there to work?
They said that he could work there to pay off his debts, and since he could read and write, it seemed he could also manage the accounts.
Besides, if I go to work in a gambling house, maybe I can work and have fun at the same time.
Ji Yuan looked at his back with his eyelids drooping slightly, and no one could tell what he was thinking at the moment.
"We have to go back to school. If we don't go now, we'll be late."
He only asked for an hour's leave, and if it weren't for Ji Li, he wouldn't even have needed to ask for it.
Returning to the county school, Ji Yuan subconsciously walked towards the C-level hall. As soon as he pushed open the door of the C-level hall, he remembered that he was no longer having classes there.
It's break time now, all students in Class C, look here.
It’s still the same old rule, while the B-grade halls are preparing for the county exam, the C-grade halls are doing the rest, so everyone is relatively relaxed.
Li Ting walked over quickly: "Ji Yuan! Are you okay?!"
"It's okay, it's all over." Ji Yuan said with a smile, "It happened too suddenly, so I didn't tell you."
"Then why didn't you tell me? I'm in the county town." Qian Fei said quickly.
Even Liu Rong nodded: "If you encounter such a big thing, you have to tell us. My grandfather also said so."
We have been classmates for two years. Although there were some frictions at the beginning, we became good friends after getting to know each other.
The friendship among classmates is very rare. This is one of the rare places where identity and background are not considered and the only thing that matters is learning.
I enrolled in the spring of Huayuan's 32nd year, and this year is the spring of Huayuan's 34th year, exactly two years.
Ji Yuan smiled: "I will definitely tell you next time if there is anything."
"Bah, bah, bah, don't say things like that!" Qian Fei almost covered his mouth.
Li Ting also sighed, but fortunately, just as Ji Yuan said, everything is over.
"By the way, you have been promoted to the second-class hall, so you should go to the second-class hall." Li Ting said, "We have moved your things for you. You will still be seated in the same place in the second-class hall."
Ji Yuan also knew about this, and he asked the teacher about it when they moved.
Ji Yuan naturally didn't mind and was very grateful.
Ji Yuan said with a smile: "I'm used to it. I've been coming to the C-level hall for two years. I'm used to walking this way."
The other people in Hall C couldn't help laughing either.
Yes, it’s been two years, it’s easy to get used to it!
Seeing that the class was about to continue, Ji Yuan said hello to everyone and went to the B-class hall.
Class B Hall and Class C Hall are not far from each other, and the environment and layout are similar, but there are fewer people inside.
After two years of various examinations, there are only forty-four students left in the Class C class.
In total, eleven people were brought to court from the year before last to the year before last.
However, this number of people is still the largest among the three halls of the county school.
The second-class hall also has to go through two entrance examinations, and some who pass the examination can go to the first-class hall.
Anyway, adding up all the numbers, the number of students who first enrolled at Jiyuan has increased to thirty.
There are more people?
It’s easy to understand.
In comparison, it is simpler to upgrade from Class A to Class B.
It is roughly equivalent to lenient admission and strict graduation, so naturally there are more people in Grade B halls.
There is no need to worry that the number of students in Grade B classes will exceed that of Grade C. If nothing unexpected happens, new students will be recruited by the end of the year.
The last one is the A-class hall.
In the past two years, the teaching quality in Zhengrong County has improved, and the number of students in the first-class scholar class has increased from 15 in the beginning to 25 now.
The admission to the A-class hall was even more strict, after all, only those who passed the imperial examination or those who could not continue their studies would be allowed to leave.
From this perspective, as long as the country is peaceful and prosperous, the number of scholars, the lowest level of achievement in the imperial examination, will indeed gradually increase.
What Magistrate Nie said about the numerous talented people in the provincial capital and the two capitals was not an exaggeration.
There is no other way, everyone still has to take the exam.
Ji Yuan has already felt that the imperial examination track seems to be getting more and more competitive.
During a certain period of his time and space, many scholars gave up their studies and went into business, which shows how many scholars there were.
There are now twenty-five people in the Class A hall.
There are thirty people in the B-class hall.
There are forty-four people in Hall C.
All together, there are still three more than two years ago.
If we recruit more people by the end of the year, the number of people is estimated to exceed 120.
Based on Ji Yuan’s current understanding of the county school, the teacher must be worried about the food and drink for so many students.
It’s really not easy.
The teacher usually looks smiling and seems very leisurely, and he is not very busy in the county school, but in fact he has a lot to do.
When they arrived at the Class B Hall, the teacher was already giving the class. Ji Yuan bowed first, and the teacher nodded: "Go and sit down."
Other students greeted him secretly.
There are many familiar faces in the B-level hall.
Cai Fenglan, Chang Qing and others who came in last year.
There are also Jiang Ke and others who came in this year.
In fact, among the six people who came in this year, except Ji Yuan who is preparing for the exam, the other five are not participating in this year's county exam.
But since they came to Class B Hall, they might as well learn with everyone else.
But the learning progress here is so fast that even the most hardworking people feel they can’t keep up.
Cai Fenglan and his friends flipped through the books very quickly.
As soon as the Master opened his mouth, they knew what he was going to say.
If this knowledge point is too simple, the teacher will simply skip it.
The teacher on the stage had taught them before, but his teaching style was completely different. At that time, he was very slow and leisurely.
It’s not like now, they don’t understand a lot of what we say.
The entire Class B Hall is basically filled with this kind of terrifying atmosphere.
I used to think that Cai Fenglan was only interested in studying, and I would feel very stressed when sitting with them.
Now I realize that your class is full of Cai Fenglans.
This feeling is horrible.
As the top few students in the third grade class, Jiang Ke and his classmates found that they were illiterate.
Although this statement may be exaggerated, it really cannot keep up with the progress.
Is this the B-level hall?
Or is this a second-level class for intensive review and preparation for the big exam?
No wonder the Bingdeng Hall was herding sheep at this time.
All the pressure is on Class B Hall!
Jiang Ke and his four companions breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Ji Yuan.
Fortunately, fortunately, there is one more like them!
But Jiang Ke still looked at it suspiciously.
This is an era, perhaps different from theirs.
Ji Yuan sat down at his seat, and Li Ting and Qian Fei helped him tidy up his desk, probably because they were worried that he had too much to do.
The classmates all wanted to care for him, so they helped him in this way.
Ji Yuan opened the book, and Jiang Ke finally breathed a sigh of relief when he saw him moving slowly.
But after a while, Ji Yuan actually caught up with the Master's progress. Most of the time, he didn't even need to flip through the book. He just remembered whatever the Master said.
The Master spoke so fast today, it seemed like he could write down everything?
Ji Yuan can indeed write.
After studying with Dr. Luo for a year, Ji Yuan has already become accustomed to this teaching method.
He learned calligraphy from Master Fang, and also practiced it by copying books on a daily basis. He can write quickly and well.
Not long after sitting down, Ji Yuan directly integrated into the environment of Class B Hall.
Jiang Ke and the other four were almost in despair.
What on earth were they thinking? They thought Ji Yuan would be the same as them.
Ji Yuan studies even harder than Cai Fenglan!
How could they have forgotten!
By the way, Ji Yuan is taking the exam for the scholar this year, so he is also in the team preparing for the exam.
There were thirty people in Class B, and they were the only five rookies, trembling in fear among the others who were preparing for the exam.
The progress of Class B Hall is indeed very fast.
After all, being able to get in here proves that they have solid knowledge and have passed the examination of the masters and doctors.
Not only that, people like Cai Fenglan have also studied here for at least one year.
At this time last year, Cai Fenglan, like Jiang Ke, almost failed to keep up with the progress.
After a year of study, I was almost the same as others.
The whole morning passed, and the teacher of the Four Books had already explained the Great Learning and the Doctrine of the Mean again. He did not mention the simple things, but only mentioned the important points of knowledge.
Lunch was delivered by servants of the county school, so students didn’t have to go to the cafeteria at all.
Everyone also has some snacks to ensure that everyone has enough energy.
The afternoon time is divided into two parts. One part is given by a teacher of the Five Classics, who also explains the knowledge points.
The second part mainly talks about articles, how to write an article, how to start and how to end, which are also review contents.
This was Jiang Ke's first contact with Ji Yuan.
Jiang Ke and others are fine. Since they won’t take the exam until next year, they can just follow along and study this year.
The times have changed, and he will be taking the exam this year.
Therefore, Mr. Guo would give him private tutoring at night.
Regarding this point, everyone in Class B Hall had no objection.
Not to mention that Ji Yuan was hardworking, secondly, it was only a matter of time before Ji Yuan was admitted to the county school, and he did not take up other people's time.
In other words, with such great study pressure, others who come to Jiyuan’s class would probably not be able to bear it and would leave.
Apart from anything else, Ji Yuan has been exercising till now, and whenever he has some free time, he will try to paint the pine and cypress trees he sees.
What others think is hard work is just his leisure time.
For such classmates, we can only admire them.
Dr. Yin just felt a little regretful because the evening time should have been his.
But now that the county exam is approaching, we should prepare for it first.
Ji Yuan's sudden participation in this year's county examination disrupted many plans.
After thinking it over with the teacher, Dr. Yin still thinks this is the best approach.
They were determined to rectify the morale of local students, and intended to target the most outrageous Li Yaozhong as a target, and of course they also wanted to seek justice for Ji Yuan.
But this matter will definitely affect Ji Yuan, and the only way to solve this problem is to let him pass the exam quickly.
With Ji Yuan's learning ability and solid basic skills, the two believed that passing the county exam would not be a problem.
As for the provincial examination, it depends on the situation.
Fortunately, there is still more than a month after the county exam, so there is still time to study.
In addition to the different learning tasks, there is another thing to do.
Speaking of which, this incident was the key to the defamation case that occurred some time ago.
A guarantee letter from a student taking the Tongsheng exam.
The teacher prepared for the future and asked the new students in the second-class hall to apply for guarantee letters in advance.
Unexpectedly, Li Yaozhong and the others thought that Ji Yuan would take the county exam this year, which was why so many things happened before.
The guarantee letter is divided into two parts, one is the joint guarantee of five people, and the other is the document written by the elder.
Now, for Ji Yuan, the latter is no longer a problem, as the certification document from his teacher Master Zhao is absolutely correct.
After that incident, Magistrate Nie had no intention of changing the letter of guarantee, as he did not want to snatch the political achievements of Lord Lin.
But the former's five-person guarantee was unsuccessful.
Five-person guarantee means that the five candidates taking the exam will vouch for each other to ensure that the other party will not cheat and that they themselves will not cheat.
If one thing goes wrong, everyone is doomed.
Jiyuan's guarantee letter was signed together with his classmates who had just entered the B-grade hall this year.
Now he is taking the exam this year, and other classmates are taking it next year, so it definitely won’t work.
After Ji Yuan was called to the Research and Study Office, Dr. Yin explained, "The exam is less than 20 days away. This year, all other students have already found guarantors, so we can't add another one."
"Fortunately, there is another way. Find a scholar who is on government stipend to guarantee you. This is also called government stipend guarantee. I have already told the students in the first-class hall about this matter. If any of them are willing, they will look for you tomorrow."
"If no one comes to look for you tomorrow, Doctor, I'll find another way."
The methods of securing marriage bonds varied slightly from dynasty to dynasty.
There are roughly four types of security systems in Tianqi State.
The first is what was mentioned before, that the students guarantee each other, with five or ten people guaranteeing each other.
The second is what Dr. Yin mentioned, and only those who are on government stipends must be recognized by the official school.
As mentioned before, there are many types of scholars.
Only the scholars with top grades in the county school can be called scholars on government stipend.
The students on government stipends not only have a good reputation, but to put it bluntly, they are scholars with a regular salary. All their food and drink utensils are provided by the government. They can even eat at the same table with the teachers. This shows how different they are.
In the entire county school, there were only seven scholars who received government stipends.
The third one is even more troublesome. You need to ask the village elders, the neighbors around, and many teachers for help.
The fourth is to let the government intervene.
There are many students in the county school, and we know their backgrounds well, so they are the most suitable. Secondly, it depends on their character and whether there are top scholars to guarantee you.
Three or four are more suitable for those who have connections in the family or official circles.
I guess if the stipend doesn't work, Dr. Yin will help him get the third or fourth one.
Ji Yuan thanked Dr. Yin and said that he had really troubled them too much.
The doctors and professors didn't think anything of it.
It is said that when students meet a good teacher, they will be ecstatic.
Little do people know that if a teacher meets his favorite disciple, he would really want to teach him everything.
It's just a guarantee letter. The teacher and doctor in their county school will definitely help with it.
Today it depends on whether there is anyone in the A-class Hall who is willing.
Anyway, Instructor Yan has already talked about this with the students in the A-grade hall.
This is all voluntary.
The matter of stipend security concerns the safety of the students themselves.
If something happens to the person you are guaranteeing, the subsequent provincial examinations will be implicated.
This year is the year of the provincial examination.
I will go to the provincial capital to take the imperial examination in August.
Although it is only the 16th day of the first lunar month and there are still several months to go, the tense atmosphere has already arisen.
Therefore, it is normal that the Class A hall is unwilling to act as a guarantor.
Ji Yuan and the others just need to wait patiently.
If there is, there is. If not, it will just be a little more troublesome.
Taking an exam suddenly can indeed cause a lot of trouble.
Doctor Luo saw this and comforted him, "Don't worry too much. If it doesn't work, Doctor, please go to the government office for me. Magistrate Nie should be willing to give me this favor."
What this means is that if it doesn't work, he will go to County Magistrate Nie to issue you a certificate.
Ji Yuan smiled embarrassedly, he would not refuse this and thanked him sincerely.
Today is the sixteenth day of the first lunar month.
All procedures for taking the exam will end before the 25th of this month.
However, judging by how cautious the students were, it was estimated that in the entire Zhengrong County, only Ji Yuan's exam registration form was left unfilled.
Fortunately, Ji Yuan had a good idea in mind. Instead of worrying about those things, he might as well prepare for the exam first.
The registration form needs to be filled out.
You have to learn, too.
Students in the second-grade hall who were preparing for the county examination naturally had to study late into the night.
Many candles were lit in Hall B, and everyone did not go back until late at night.
Jiyuan's things have been moved to the dormitory in Yideng Hall.
My roommate is a former student of B-Class Hall, and this is the first time they are classmates.
Although everyone is curious about the era, more attention is paid to books.
Class B dormitories hold four people in a room, and have the feel of a university dormitory. There is even a bookcase at the head of the bed, and the desk at the foot of the bed is even more spacious.
There are a lot of student books here, and everyone’s cabinet is full, including their own insights and books they bought before.
One of them also said: "The books on my desk cannot be moved, the books on the floor next to the desk cannot be moved, but the books in the bookcase can be flipped through at will."
Another person also said: "If you have any books, we can take turns reading them."
"We are all older than you. If there is anything, just tell us directly."
Compared with the young and lively students in Class C, the classmates in Class B are more like stereotypical nerds.
Most of them are between seventeen and twenty-five years old.
But such nerds are equally pure, they look stupid, but they have countless knowledge in their hearts.
Some people may feel it’s hard when they see the top students studying hard.
In fact, the top students are addicted to the joy of studying. To put it in one sentence: "Studying is like climbing mountains. Isn't it joyful to conquer mountains one by one?"
Ji Yuan took out the rare books in his hand and said, "I copied these. If you are interested, you can take a look."
The books copied by others may not be clear.
But the beautiful official script of that time was absolutely clear and distinct.
The four of them took turns reading and did not go to bed until the early morning, and got up at around the early morning.
I go to bed at two and get up at six. The King of Hell praises me for my good health.
When Ji Yuan got up, he habitually lowered his voice so as not to disturb his roommates' rest.
Unexpectedly, just as he put on his clothes, the other roommates also woke up. T was a little surprised to see Ji Yuan get up.
I thought I was early enough, but I didn't expect that the era was even earlier.
When getting up in the morning, Ji Yuan said that everyone should exercise. Even if it was not strenuous exercise, they should at least stretch their muscles.
After all, there is still another day of study.
Of course, he also had to wait for news from the first-class students.
Speaking of which, Jiadengtang is also very busy this year. We have to work hard for the exam in August.
Ji Yuan went to the bamboo forest again, and as usual, practiced calligraphy first, and then did a set of radio gymnastics.
After that, Li Ting and Qian Fei also arrived.
The three of them hadn't seen each other for a while, so naturally they had a lot to talk about.
But Li Tingqianfei knew that he couldn't delay Jiyuan too much, as he would take the county exam this year! He had to work hard!
Li Ting was filled with emotion. He and Ji Yuan had met on the way here. They took the county school entrance exam together. He was the first person to know each other.
He was still in the third-class hall, but Ji Yuan had already finished studying the Four Books and Five Classics. Not only was he admitted to the second-class hall, he even had to take the examination for a scholar.
They all have the same starting point, but the difference is so huge.
Li Ting was just sighing with emotion. He saw Ji Yuan's talent and hard work.
Qian Fei is similar.
Ji Yuan is younger than them, but he is making rapid progress.
But even though they know they can't compare, they are still trying their best to catch up. As good friends, the gap between them can't be too big.
"We also said that we would take the entrance exam at the end of this year, and maybe we will continue to be classmates in the B-grade hall next year. Now you are taking the county exam, so I guess you will go directly to the A-grade hall in April?" Qian Fei had no doubt about Ji Yuan's ability, but he felt a little regretful that they could not be in the same classroom.
Li Ting comforted him: "We are all studying in the same county anyway, it's not like we are separated."
Ji Yuan laughed: "It's hard to say whether I can go to the first-class hall."
"The first-class halls are all scholars, who knows if I can pass the exam."
"Sure you can."
These words were not spoken by Qian Fei and Li Ting, but by the man in green shirt behind them.
Wearing a blue shirt and a scholar's cap on his head, he is a scholar from the first-class hall.
Qian Fei and Li Ting were not familiar with him, but Ji Yuan knew him.
I met him at the government office yesterday, and he spoke up for me.
Ji Yuan and others saluted, and the scholar was naturally one level higher than them, not to mention the scholar who was a student on government academy.
But, what is he coming here for?
Qian Fei and Li Ting were puzzled, and then they heard the scholar say, "I heard from Instructor Yan that you need to fill out the guarantee letter again. Do you need a student from the academy to guarantee you?"
When Ji Yuan saw him coming, he guessed about 70% of the answer. Now that he heard Mr. Zhang mention it, he became even more certain.
"Yes, I changed the exam date to this year, so the previous guarantee is invalid."
Sure enough, Zhang Xun said, "Then I will be your guarantor. Bring me paper and pen."
Ji Yuan knew that he wanted to help him, but he didn't expect it to be so easy.
"Just tell me to write it." Mr. Zhang smiled at Li Tingqianfei who was spreading paper and grinding ink.
The two of them were almost stiff.
This is a scholar! A scholar from the first-class hall!
It’s rare to see it on weekdays!
But now he was speaking in front of them! Who wouldn't be nervous in front of someone with great achievements?
Those who can become a guarantor of government stipends must also be government stipend students, and can be said to be the ones with the greatest hope of passing the imperial examination in the entire county school.
Ji Yuan was stunned for a moment, then quickly spoke, but unexpectedly, several voices came from behind.
"What are you doing?"
"I asked you why you didn't have breakfast."
"Isn't it too much to take the lead like this?"
Several voices behind were talking and walking towards this side together.
Li Tingqianfei stepped back subconsciously.
These people were all wearing blue shirts, and they were all top-ranking scholars. They were still saying, "I agreed to be the nanny."
"Zhang Xun, ah Zhang Xun, you are such a thief."
Having said that, Ji Yuan and the others quickly saluted.
"Why are you being polite? We have shared the same hatred and enemies. Your words yesterday really helped us a lot." The student who spoke said, "It is really different to be reminded by the Jinshi County Magistrate."
"He does have real knowledge."
What Ji Yuan said was naturally some words to point out that not all scholars are like Li Yaozhong.
In order to explain, County Magistrate Nie gave a long comment on the knowledge of the students.
For the scholars who are going to take the imperial examination this year, it is like guidance from an expert. A little bit of pointers can help them improve a lot.
Ji Yuan not only rescued them, but also helped them gain such benefits. Everyone likes Ji Yuan.
Not to mention what happened later, it is no exaggeration to say that Ji Yuan was extremely clever.
If I went to the government office to help in the beginning, it was purely to protect the students of the county school.
The latter part is purely for the person of Ji Yuan.
Of course, I also feel a little guilty for slacking off in the middle.
Anyway, no matter what, everyone has a good impression of Ji Yuan.
Yesterday, when Instructor Yan talked about the matter of the stipend, the seven students from the first-class hall almost agreed immediately.
They were quite reserved in front of their instructor, but were secretly vying for the spot.
Being a guarantor for a little prodigy is a good job.
Everyone can see what kind of person Ji Yuan is.
He is a straightforward person who will avenge his enemies, but he is also a capable person who can help Ma Jia Tangyuan and his own village to live a good life.
From these things, we can also see his noble character. They must make friends with such scholars who have vision and broad minds.
Again, in everyone's eyes, it was only a matter of time before Ji Yuan passed the imperial examination and became a scholar.
Therefore, everyone looked at Ji Yuan with equality and a strong desire to make friends.
Would there be anything wrong in being a guarantor for such a person?
If Ji Yuan becomes famous in the future, maybe they will also be able to benefit from it?
This statement was of course a joke, but it also showed their recognition of Ji Yuan.
He was recognized by a group of students on government scholarships and was even treated as a friend by them.
Li Tingqianfei beside him felt alert.
What should I do? I feel like my position is about to be taken away?
They are Ji Yuan’s good friends.
Ji Yuan's letter of guarantee was written in a lively manner. When it came to Ji Yuan's family background, Zhang Xun paused as he heard that both his parents had passed away.
Ji Yuan said: "Don't worry, some things are in the past."
Speaking of which, after the incident was exposed, he had not yet gone to the graves of Xiao Jiyuan's parents to burn incense, and subconsciously said: "After the county exam is over, I will go and tell them about this, I believe they will be able to rest assured."
If they pass the exam, tell them the good news.
If you don’t pass the exam, that’s okay.
Since they are Xiao Jiyuan’s parents, they probably won’t blame him.
Zhang Xun put down his pen and stamped it with his own private seal. With his handwriting and seal, the letter of guarantee was completed.
The identity of a scholar also brings respect in the yamen.
This letter of guarantee from Zhang Xun is of great importance. When the time comes for the provincial examination, he can take it with him to the provincial capital.
Ji Yuan bowed his head in thanks. He seemed to be thanking a lot of people recently and had received help from a lot of people. He remembered all these favors.
Zhang Xun said: "I know you are smart and clear-minded. Prepare well for the exam. Once you pass the exam, the world will be vast for you."
As one of the best scholars, there was nothing wrong with Zhang Xun saying this.
He passed the examination from a student to a scholar, and he knew best that the world for a scholar was vast.
Even if this world only revealed a little bit, it was enough to amaze people like them who came from ordinary farming families.
Ji Yuan nodded. Now that all the documents were complete, he just had to hand them in to the instructor and wait for the exam.
County examination, February 6th.
It came really suddenly.
Fortunately, he is not afraid, as there are so many exams, big and small.
If you are afraid of the county examination, what will you do about the provincial examination?
Now that he is a student, he will definitely prepare well!
The instructor did not expect that the group of students in the first-class hall would write the stipends so quickly.
He probably guessed that they were willing to guarantee Ji Yuan, but he didn't expect it to be written so quickly.
I think he also recognizes Ji Yuan's character.
"Well, Magistrate Nie probably won't be wrong, just focus on preparing for the exam." The instructor said, "Actually, this matter is also my fault. I wanted to do it in advance, but someone took advantage of it."
Ji Yuan shook his head: "Master Lin also told me that if he had been more careful back then, my mother would not have passed away."
The teacher paused. He naturally knew what was bothering Lord Lin, so much so that he had been talking to him and Dr. Yin about it before he left.
Ji Yuan continued, “If a bad person does many wrong things and only does one right thing, he will be praised.”
"A good person who has done countless good things but neglected just one thing will be considered a bad person."
“It makes no sense to distinguish right from wrong in this way.”
"You and Master Lin have done a lot, and I can only be grateful."
The teacher looked at Ji Yuan, who was actually comforted by a little child.
Even Dr. Yin, who came over, heard the same sentence. He wanted to write a letter to his good friend Lord Lin right away.
Tell your friends not to feel sad about this matter anymore.
But on second thought, maybe Ji Yuan had said this to his friend? So he looked pretty good when he left.
"Good boy." The teacher, who usually always smiles, now shows real tenderness in his eyes, "Do well in the exam. I believe in your ability and knowledge."
As soon as Ji Yuan left, the teacher and Dr. Yin said at the same time: "I will go and deliver the guarantee letter for him."
The two looked at each other and decided to go together.
This matter needs to be finalized quickly.
The two groups of people in the Zhengrong County Government are still in the process of integration.
Magistrate Nie named a dozen of his own men and eliminated some of the minor clerks from the three shifts and six offices, and asked them to return to the capital.
The reason, of course, was to send him some local specialties, even the raw Fu Zeng dumplings, but he wouldn't have to come back in the future.
Using this excuse is considered to save face for his people.
However, with the addition of the previous staff and the current staff, the yamen has expanded its staff, and everyone still has some time to get used to each other.
When they arrived at the office, when they heard it was Ji Yuan's business, no one said anything and it was done neatly that day.
It was also that afternoon that the document reached Magistrate Nie.
Magistrate Nie looked at Bao Shu with deep emotion in his heart, and couldn't help but think of the county school with its excellent learning atmosphere: "They will hold a sacrifice ceremony at the Confucian Temple in early February, I will go there too."
The teacher breathed a sigh of relief when he knew that the guarantee letter had been completed. Then he took another deep breath when he learned that Magistrate Nie would also come to offer sacrifices at the Confucian Temple.
Forget it, just come.
The good thing about this greenhorn is that he won't give orders, so it's okay for him to come.
All the documents for the examination were ready, and Ji Yuan also wrote a letter to Master Zhao in Anji Village to let him feel at ease.
When writing the letter, Ji Yuan thought of the fields and houses that Anji Village had compensated him.
Houses are easy, but fields are troublesome.
Not to mention that spring plowing is coming soon, the fields must not be left idle. If left idle for one or two years, the fields will become wasteland, and it will take several times more effort to cultivate them again.
Seeing six acres of good land turned into wasteland? How could we tolerate this?
There is one method that works, which is to rent out the land.
Ji Yuan changed another piece of paper and asked Dahai to help him rent out the land to see who in the village was willing to farm the land. The price would be based on the market price.
He would not go back for the time being, as he was taking part in the county exam on a temporary basis. If he did not concentrate, he was afraid that he would not pass.
Although everyone around him thought that he would have no problem with the county exam, some even thought that he might even pass the provincial exam.
But how dare Ji Yuan think so.
Although there are countless talented people out there, those who can pass the exam must be well-educated.
After asking someone to send the letter away, Ji Yuan picked up the Four Books again.
I first read the Four Books in Anji Village.
That was when he learned the enlightenment books in a confused manner, and then quickly started to learn the Four Books.
Everyone is familiar with the names of these four books.
"The Great Learning", "The Analects of Confucius", "Mencius", and "The Doctrine of the Mean".
There are a total of more than 54,000 words. It’s nothing to read for the first time. Just memorize, understand, and follow the steps.
But after reading the Five Classics again, the world of the Four Books seemed different.
Not to mention, The Great Learning and The Doctrine of the Mean are two chapters excerpted from The Book of Rites.
Mencius and The Analects of Confucius are must-reads.
However, when compared with other books, the understanding is different.
In the 31st year of Conghuayuan, he studied the Four Books.
It has been thirty-four years since I read Huayuan, and every time I read it, I have different insights.
In addition, in the past two years, I have read a lot of annotations and commentaries on the Four Books, explanations of the Four Books, etc., and also read the imperial examination essays in recent years.
Mindset, vision, and knowledge all make these four books more profound.
These four classic books are indeed enough to study for most of your lifetime.
No wonder although the focus of the Tongshi examination is on the Four Books, only one article of the Five Classics is covered at most.
However, the curriculum of the county school requires that one must complete the study of the Five Classics before preparing for the Tongshi and the Xiucai examinations.
If you want to be more opportunistic, you can take the examination to become a scholar by studying the Four Books seriously. However, the rigid regulations of the county school have greatly improved the level of local students.
From this perspective, it is no wonder that the teaching level in their county is high and the proportion of successful candidates in the examinations is also high.
To achieve results in teaching, it is a matter of accumulating strength over time.
Ji Yuan had a hunch that the level of students who had come in over the past few years was truly high.
It is estimated that Zhengrong County will soon produce a juren, or even a jinshi.
The fact that Magistrate Nie praised the students of the first-class academy last time was also an indirect confirmation of this.
Ji Yuan shook his head and didn't want to think too much about it. He just decided to recite and read it again.
Time is running out, and the students in Class B are working so hard that they forget to eat and sleep, fearing that they may have forgotten some knowledge points.
Especially those students who have not taken the exam before are now trying their best to take it.
Ji Yuan, Cai Fenglan, Chang Qing, and his roommates would review each other's work and look for omissions in each other's articles when they had nothing to do.
The Five Classics class in the afternoon was equally concise, taught by either Dr. Luo or Dr. Yin, both of whom taught in great depth.
Regarding the format requirements of the evening article, Mr. Guo paid attention to every detail.
Even Ji Yuan could feel the tense atmosphere.
What is the difference between this and when he first entered high school and took the college entrance examination?
I only regret that I can't study for one more minute or sleep for one less minute, so I have to race against time to study.
If it weren't for the strict discipline of the instructors, some of the second-grade students would even want to sleep in the classroom.
After hearing this, Li Ting, Qian Fei and the others couldn't help but sigh, "No wonder Instructor Yan doesn't have time to take care of the Class C students. It turns out he's always watching over the Class B students, trying not to let them work too hard."
You can try your best, but if you go too far, you will be pulled back.
Isn't this what I studied for ten years?
If you don’t work hard now, when will you work hard?
Everyone's face was filled with nervousness and anxiety about the exam.
This tense atmosphere relaxed a little on the morning of February 1st.
On the first day of every month, everyone must go to the Confucian Temple to offer sacrifices.
It is also similar to the oath-taking ceremony for this year's county examination.
Last year and the year before, Ji Yuan came here as a student of the Third Grade Hall, although the grade rankings of the Third Grade Hall were also announced.
But last year, he didn't worry about this anymore, after all, he was always first.
When I watched it, I felt that everyone in Class B Hall was under a lot of pressure, with dark circles under their eyes.
This year I entered the B-grade hall, and I finally understood why.
Now thinking about myself when I was watching the B-level hall, it seems like a lifetime ago.
As the youngest in Class B Hall, he naturally stood in the front row.
The classmates at the back stood in line, all looking listless and yawning.
Jiang Ke and the other five people in Grade B who did not have to take the imperial examination this year had similar expressions.
The whole class is doing the paperwork. It's up to you to decide whether you will do it or not. You will be influenced by them unconsciously.
When he looked at his former classmates from Class C, shock was written in both of their eyes.
What's wrong with you!
Why so tired!
What's wrong with you!
I really continue to herd sheep!
unreasonable!
Both of them expressed this idea in their eyes at the same time.
It’s really unreasonable!
Unlike last year and the year before, the A-class hall was no longer as lazy as before and was also tense.
Yes, the provincial examination is coming.
If the Tongshi is a big test.
The provincial examination would be doubled in length and would be held every three years. If one failed once, one would have to wait another three years.
The pressure can be imagined.
But it is still February, and most of the focus is still on students in Class B hall preparing for the exam.
To the students' surprise, County Magistrate Nie also came today. He was wearing formal official uniform, and when he glanced at them, there was a look of relief in his eyes.
Magistrate Nie looked at the students below and felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity in his heart.
He was such a student a few years ago, also waiting for sacrifices in the clan school, so looking at the students below, especially those who were about to take exams, he couldn't help but feel a little bit of familiarity.
This is how he got through it back then!
The county magistrate had prepared his speech early, and the teacher wisely gave up his seat. This year's oath-taking ceremony was presided over by the county magistrate.
The teacher is not worried about this. Those who can pass the imperial examination have this level of ability.
"A scholar is someone who starts learning as a child and then studies and becomes an official."
"When one enters school, he is called a student. The first exam is for a scholar, the second is for a juren, and the last is for a jinshi."
"The first exam is the starting point of the imperial examination and the foundation for entering the officialdom."
"Entering the government seems simple, but in history books, it is extremely difficult."
"Since ancient times, the system of selecting officials for official positions has evolved from the ancient system of recommendation and appointment, to the later system of nine-rank selection, and to the current system of imperial examinations."
"It took thousands of years for scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans to be able to enter the government, for scholars and officials to rule together with the emperor, and for the government to be able to rule without restrictions on qualifications. It all depends on the right people."
Magistrate Nie continued, "Our ancestors once said that the imperial examination is an important task, and we should select talented people from the lowest stratum and seek their skills. This shows that our ancestors attached great importance to the imperial examination, and even more so to talented people from the lowest stratum."
"There is also a great scholar, Lu Kun, who said that the state's grace is now the most important thing for nurturing scholars. Once they become students, they are noble and upright; their neighbors respect them and dare not bully them; the government honors them and is unwilling to humiliate them; the prefectures and counties are responsible for all corvée work, and all lawsuits are handled by the government offices; the annual examination booths, cakes and fruits, bonuses, paper and pens, which are not the people's fat and blood; the annual banquets, colorful music, husbands and horses, and travel expenses are all for fame and fortune."①
What it means is that the country values you very much, and once you achieve success, you won’t have to worry about anything.
Neighbors will not dare to bully you, fellow villagers will respect you, and the government will give you preferential treatment.
The government will provide all food, drinks and study supplies.
When you are taking exams, there will be drums and gongs, all for you.
As long as you pass the exam.
It's all yours.
Many people in Class B Hall were attracted by Magistrate Nie's words.
Neighbors respect him and dare not bully him.
This made some students whose families were small and small look at them with awe.
There are only his mother and sisters at home, and they have been looked down upon countless times. If he passes the exam, his family will no longer be bullied, and he can truly protect his mother and sisters.
For people like Li Ting who have a stepmother at home, if he passes the exam, his father will pay more attention to him and he won't have to live under someone else's roof.
The government honors and respects people, and is unwilling to humiliate them.
Qian Fei and others made a secret decision.
If he passed the exam, his father wouldn't be bullied.
Poor scholars found the bonuses, paper, pens, and colorful music at the end very attractive.
They want this, they want it badly.
Studying for such a long time is so hard.
Isn't that what they are doing?
Most of the students present cheered.
The county magistrate is right!
When everyone was excited, Ji Yuan frowned slightly and looked at the teacher.
The teacher was obviously unhappy.
Later, Dr. Luo turned his face cold, and it was only after Dr. Yin advised everyone that their expressions eased.
Forget it, encouragement is really needed at this time.
Doctor Yin took two steps forward and said with a smile: "A gentleman studies to attain the Way, and a country selects its officials based on their writings. This is not to seek outside of oneself, but to say that writings are rooted in the heart, and writings are virtues."②
People with good moral character will use and practice the knowledge they have learned.
The country selects people based on their writings, but it still depends on the heart of the scholar. Your writings represent your virtues, so virtue comes first.
"Wang Shouren talked about the unity of career, virtue and career."
"I think the same is true for the junior high school entrance exam."
"Learn to apply what you have learned, learn to be useful, and thus set an example for the village, inspire the countryside, and earn the respect of the neighbors."
"The achievements of saints and sages lie in both the imperial examinations and the sacred learning."
Use what you learn, and it will be useful.
You can be a role model in the village, a role model for everyone, you can inspire people around you and make them respect you.
All of this is because you have read the books of sages.
Reading the books of sages can not only help you pass the imperial examinations, but also allow you to put your knowledge into practice.
Dr. Yin spoke calmly and calmly, calming down the originally fanatical students.
yes.
What they learn are always the teachings of sages.
It is not because of the imperial examination that they read the books of sages.
Because they have read the books of sages, they will naturally be admitted.
I was not admitted because I didn’t study well enough or carefully enough.
On the contrary, those external things are incidental.
The students in Class B, in particular, were immediately filled with shame.
They just thought of something.
Magistrate Nie subconsciously took a half step back.
This is what he has been learning.
This is also what he has always known.
Now, in the county school in the county town, which he had never heard before, he heard words that made him feel ashamed from the bottom of his heart.
Magistrate Nie moved his lips slightly, but no one knew what he was saying.
Maybe he is a Jinshi, or maybe he did very well in the imperial examination.
But it is far from being like the teachers, masters, and doctors here.
Compared with Mr. Yin, he is the ignorant one.
They both also encourage students to do well in the exams.
One who works hard for fame, wealth and power.
One uses saints as examples.
The old official looked at his young master and said nothing this time.
Suddenly I understood why the young master's uncle put him here, even though he was doing quite well in the Hanlin Academy.
But he must be transferred to another place.
Perhaps, this is what his young master is learning.
A good school can educate not only students, but also local officials.
Ji Yuan raised his head and worshipped the ancient sages and teachers together with his teachers and classmates.
Ji Yuan looked at the burning fireworks floating past the eyes of the ancient sages. It seemed as if he had traveled through thousands of years and saw the spirits of the ancient sages and teachers.
Career and moral achievements.
Two in one.
The Four Books' emphasis on self-cultivation, social harmony and peace in the country, and the Five Classics' emphasis on both discussing public affairs and matters.
These teachings of the sages may be misinterpreted, but they must ultimately return to their basics.
So whether it is the utilitarian imperial examination as County Magistrate Nie said, or moral conduct as Dr. Yin mentioned.
There is never any conflict.
Of course, we must keep our original intentions.
It's difficult. Very difficult.
Because if you want to keep your original intention, you have to do it for your whole life; if you make the slightest mistake, all your efforts will fail.
Ji Yuan suddenly thought of what Master Zhao asked him before he came to the county school.
Be eager to pursue this truth and be eager to serve the world.
Choose which one.
The former can be understood as the teachings of sages or as the utilitarian imperial examinations.
The latter can be understood as considering the interests of the people of the world, or it can be understood as taking the interests of the people of the world as personal gain.
Either way, there seem to be a lot of detours.
He thought again of the death of Xiao Jiyuan’s father and the death of Xiao Jiyuan’s mother.
It seemed that he had decided which one to choose.
Start over again.
If you don't do something, how can you be worthy of the books you read?
Do I really want to be like County Magistrate Nie, who only knows how to study and take the imperial examinations?
After reading books for so long and memorizing articles for so long, I finally became a reading machine.
This is not acceptable, he cannot accept it.
He wanted to accomplish something.
Let Xiao Jiyuan have enough food.
Seriously speaking, it is to ensure that people like Xiao Jiyuan in the world have enough food to eat.
This goal was too big to be achieved by a student like him.
But maybe one day in the future, he can do it.
When Ji Yuan paid his last respects to the sages and teachers, this goal in his heart was completely determined.
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