Great Song Super Scholar

Chapter 68 Second Round of District B

In the early morning, just as the city gate was opened, two knights in gold-embroidered robes came galloping from a distance. They galloped all the way, ringing bells in their hands, and the rapid jingle could be heard several miles away.

Pedestrians on the road gave way one after another, this is an urgent order to deliver urgent documents.

There is a shop number on the back of the robe. These two men are the messengers of the famous Wang Kuai foot delivery shop in Beijing. The express delivery business in Song Dynasty is very developed. There are more than [-] delivery shops in Beijing alone.

There are also five courier shops in Pingjiang Mansion. For example, Yangji Express in Mudu Town is the largest courier shop in Wu County. It is very convenient to send letters and goods.

Delivery delivery is generally divided into step delivery, ship delivery and horse delivery.

Step delivery mainly delivers slow items, ship delivery focuses on freight, and horse delivery is urgent delivery.

Since the two men delivered by horse, it was obvious that they were here to deliver an urgent letter.

The most urgent express delivery is called Jinzipai Urgent Foot Order, which is dedicated to delivering the emperor's emergency edict, etc. Private courier shops also undertake this kind of business, and the requirement is to travel five hundred miles a day.

However, ordinary horse delivery requires a daily journey of [-] miles, and it is necessary to change horses at various branches along the way.

In the Song Dynasty, express delivery using horses was generally very expensive, and the larger volume was slightly cheaper.

Like this trip, riding a horse from the capital to Pingjiang Mansion to deliver a letter would cost at least ten pennies.

It will be cheaper if it is delivered by step, at most a few hundred pennies.

Two messenger knights rushed into the county town of Wuxian County, and they came to the county government office. They got off their horses, ran up the steps and said to the government servant: "Tell you the county magistrate, there is an urgent letter from the capital!"

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Early the next morning, Jupe's gorgeous carriage stopped at the entrance of the inn.

It immediately caused a sensation among the participating scholars. This is the only carriage in Wu County, and it is pulled by three healthy horses.

We must know that during the period from Song Zhenzong to Song Renzong, there were only more than [-] horses in the Song Dynasty, which was far lower than the million horses in Liao and the more than [-] horses in Xixia.

The limited number of horses in the Song Dynasty firstly met the needs of the army, and secondly met the needs of the court and post shops. In this way, very few horses flowed into the people.

This is like the out-of-print luxury cars of later generations. Almost all the people who can ride horses are wealthy and wealthy.

Animal power in the north is basically dominated by ox carts and donkey carts, while water transportation is well developed in the Jiangnan area, so there is not much animal power, and horses are even rarer.

In many people's memories, it seems that only the county magistrate in Wu County is riding a horse, and no other horses can be seen, and there are no horses for rent even for walking.

But today, a gorgeous carriage parked in front of the inn, how could it not amaze everyone.

In fact, Jupe's family has two such luxurious carriages, one is used by the family, and the other is used to welcome and send off distinguished guests.

Zhu Pei is competing in Wu County these days, and this carriage for welcoming and seeing off distinguished guests is dedicated to her use.

As soon as Fan Ning came out of the inn, the door of the carriage opened, and Jian Meizi who was sitting beside him waved to him.

At this time, countless pairs of eyes looked at Fan Ning, which made Fan Ning feel uncomfortable. He didn't want to sit in such a gorgeous carriage under the eyes of everyone.

Fan Ning was about to decline, but Pei Guang reacted quickly. He was afraid that Fan Ning would offend Zhu Pei, so he gave another assistant teacher Zhang a wink. The two supported Fan Ning, one on the left and one on the right, and pushed him into the carriage.

"You feel ashamed to ride in my carriage?"

Zhu Pei, who was sitting in the back row, saw Fan Ning's reluctance, and she stared at Fan Ning very dissatisfied.

Jupe specially spent half an hour dressing himself up today.

She wore a sapphire blue satin dress, a gold silk belt around her waist, and a high-quality black gauze hat with a piece of jasper inlaid in the middle of the hat. cherries.

No matter how you look at it, she is a little beauty in men's clothing.

"How can I be dissatisfied with riding in such a beautiful carriage?"

Fan Ning looked at the decorations inside the carriage with a smile, "If someone invites you kindly, you have to be polite!"

After getting into the carriage, he immediately fell in love with the luxurious decoration inside the carriage. The seats were covered with silk and satin cushions embroidered with gold thread. My dear, the walls of the carriage were actually inlaid with precious stones.

He reached out and touched a ruby, "Is it true?"

"Look at your unpromising look!"

When Zhu Pei saw that Fan Ning touched the ruby, his eyes lit up, and he couldn't help curling his lips contemptuously.

But she is still very proud of herself, she likes to see Fan Ning revealing her true nature as a country boy.

"Let's go!" She waved her hand.

The carriage started and went around to the back door of the county school.

Yes!Fan Ning suddenly realized that the county school is opposite to the inn, and what is there to do in a carriage, does this girl have something to say?

He looked up at Zhu Pei, and Zhu Pei really had something to say.

"Fan Ning, it will be my grandfather's [-]th birthday in a few days, you should also come to participate!"

When Fan Ning heard her calling his name, he laughed and said, "Is this considered a formal invitation?"

"This yamen speaks, of course it is a formal invitation, but the premise is that you have to give me the Taihu Stone that you promised me, otherwise... Humph! Humph!"

"I can give it to you, but you have to return the Lingbi stone to me first!"

Fan Ning knew this little girl too well, and she would change her mind at any time if she didn't make an agreement with her in advance.

"I'm afraid not!"

Zhu Pei said casually: "I have already given that piece of Lingbi stone to my grandfather as a birthday gift."

"and many more!"

Fan Ning suddenly realized something was wrong, and hurriedly said: "Since you have already given the birthday present, why do you need Taihu Stone?"

Zhu Pei covered his mouth and snickered, and said solemnly again: "I asked you if you want the Taihu Stone as a birthday gift, and I'm going to participate in the fighting stone, little guy, do you understand?"

Fan Ning rolled his eyes, why!

The favor she owed her has already been paid off. The Taihu stone is so precious, she thought it was a stone on the side of the road, and she could pick up as many as she wanted?

Of course, she is a young lady from a wealthy family, and a few dozen taels of silver is similar to a stone on the side of the road in her eyes, but why doesn't she think about it for herself?
Zhu Pei looked at his words and immediately saw that Fan Ning was unwilling. She also understood Fan Ning. The harder he used, the less he would yield.

Contrary to her usual ferocity, she put on a delicate appearance, and said in a soft voice: "Ah Ning, I don't want your stone. Every year on my grandfather's birthday, there will be a stone fight. I just want to participate in the stone fight. After the fight I'll give it back to you later, a broken stone, do you think I'll be rare?"

Now the title has been changed to Aning again, how much this little girl wants that stone.

However, Fan Ning had another idea. Zhou Lin told him that Doushi was held in a small circle, and outsiders could not get in. This little girl wanted to participate in Doushi, which was a chance for herself.

Thinking of this, he pretended to ponder for a long time before slowly saying: "I can lend you the stone, but I have one condition!"

"Stinky boy, you still have conditions?"

Zhu Pei blurted out, and she suddenly realized that she had to use gentle means, so she said angrily, "Tell me, what's the condition?"

"I also want to participate in Doushi, you bring me, that's all."

Zhu Pei felt relieved, it was just a matter of raising her hands, she happily smiled and said: "Then we've made a deal, and I'll send you an invitation card when we go back."

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Not many students participated in the second round of competition today. There were only six students representing three schools.

Yanying School, School Affiliated to County School, and Changqing School, these three schools are the winners of each group in the first round of competition in District B.

Although they are only the sub-team, their strength is not weak, even surpassing the main team, like Changqing Academy, they just put the No.1 and No.2 of the national entrance examination in the sub-team.

Although there are few students today, there are many examiners. There are six examiners sitting in the town. The chief examiner is Zhang Ruoying, an elderly man in his 60s, and one of the four chief professors of the county school.

In addition to the examiners, the team leaders of the three schools are also allowed to observe, but they are not allowed to give any hints, otherwise it will be regarded as cheating in the competition.

"I'm afraid there will be partiality in today's game?"

Zhu Pei glanced at the seating arrangement, leaned forward and whispered to Fan Ning.

"How do you tell?"

"You can tell by looking at the seating arrangements. The affiliated school of the county school is actually arranged in the middle. As far as I know, many county school professors have taught them."

Fan Ning looked at the two contestants from the school affiliated to the county school. They looked rather thick, at least about 12 years old. Both of them were wearing white scholar's uniforms and flat scarves. From the back view, they were almost grown up.

The two have the advantage of playing at home, and they both have an irrepressible sense of superiority on their faces, looking at the other two schools triumphantly.

Today Yanying Academy is seat No. [-]. Opposite is Changqing Academy. Contrary to the school attached to the county school, the two students of Evergreen Academy are very low-key. Both of them are not tall, fair-skinned, and handsome like two young ladies. , wearing the same blue scholar uniform.

From the moment they entered the door until now, they have been very quiet.

"Boom! Boom!"

The bell rang for the official start of the game, and the two team leaders who were chatting outside the door hurried back to their seats and sat down.

At this time, the chief examiner Zhang stood up, glanced sternly around the crowd, and then said slowly: "Everyone knows the rules, so I'm just wasting time, but I want to explain today, because today the leaders of the three schools They were all present, so I hope that there will be no communication of any kind between the team leader and the students, otherwise they will be convicted of cheating, which will affect the school's final score in this competition."

After the chief examiner finished warning, he said, "Let's start! The first round of drawing questions!"

The boy who issued the question came forward with a lottery tube, and each school drew a lottery.

Zhu Pei rolled up her sleeves, revealing her white wrist like a lotus root. It took her a long time to pick out a lottery.

"See how lucky you are today?" She smiled and handed the lottery to Fanning.

Fan Ning slowly unfolded the topic, his eyes lit up, and he said with a smile, "It's actually a riddle!"

"let me see!"

Zhu Pei hastily stepped forward and looked carefully. It was really a riddle, and she immediately smiled.

"Today, the banner of the Yamen was successfully opened, and one of the enemy's spies was captured alive!"

The riddle is a word for "firefly" and a word for shooting.

Fan Ning's heart moved, this riddle appeared in "A Dream of Red Mansions", what a coincidence.

The question clearly requires a written answer. Fan Ning said a word in Zhu Pei's ear. Zhu Pei nodded, picked up a pen, wrote the answer on the paper, and then folded it.

For the other two teams, the affiliated county school drew five classics, while the Changqing school drew a poem titled Shangyuan.

Although Dean Liu couldn't make any eye contact with his students, it didn't hinder the tacit understanding between him and Fan Ning. At least Fan Ning looked relaxed, and Zhu Pei smiled, so he knew that the question was not difficult.

Moreover, Zhu Pei finished writing the answer quickly, which meant that the question was answered, and Dean Liu heaved a sigh of relief.

But Dean Liu has another worry. Just now he had a conversation with Dean Fei of Changqing Academy, and they were very worried that the affiliated school of the county school would give partial marks.

In the home game, the examiners are all from the county school, and the professors of the county school often go to the affiliated school to teach. The students participating in the affiliated school are naturally their lovers, so it's no wonder they are not partial.

"Dang!" A clear chime sounded, and the chief examiner shouted: "The time is up, please stop writing immediately."

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[A chapter will be added at noon]

(End of this chapter)