prosperous age

Chapter 163 Chapter 162
"Dare to ask, but Zeng Xingwu, Brother Zeng?"

After saying hello, seeing the other party nodding and being dazed, Wei Guangde knew that the other party might not remember him.

It’s not that he has a good memory, no matter how good his memory is, it’s impossible for Wei Guangde to remember everyone he’s met. The main reason is that this is the first scholar Wei Guangde met, and he’s also the brother of Zeng Yuanshu’s family. They are similar, so they can recognize people with two eyes.

"Wei Guangde, Pengze, I met you when brother Zeng returned to his hometown to worship ancestors and brother Yuan Shu was the host."

Wei Guangde could only introduce himself, say a few words, give a little reminder, and the other party will remember.

"Wei Guangde, I remember, we met in the restaurant by the river back then."

After Wei Guangde's reminder, Zeng Xingwu has met the master, and he really knows the young man in front of him.

Looking at Wei Guangde's clothes again, he was wearing a round collar student uniform, it was obvious that the other party was already a famous person.

"Guangde came to Beijing, is this for the examination next year?"

After all, Wei Guangde looked young, although he had some guesses in his heart, Zeng Xingwu only asked tentatively.

Back then when I was admitted as a scholar, this brat wasn't even a child.

Fast forward a few years, he was wearing this suit, and in this place, in fact, something has become obvious.

"I was lucky enough to pass the provincial examination, so I plan to try my luck when I come to the capital."

Wei Guangde still said modestly, this is also a common problem of literati in this era.

Of course, there are also arrogant ones, but that's not Wei Guangde.

"Oh, I didn't expect that."

When Zeng Xingwu told the truth at this time, he was very surprised. He never imagined that the elementary school boy back then would have a day to take the imperial examination with him.

Although he had guessed before, in his heart, he was more willing to believe that this was the city of Beijing that he followed his elders.

Zeng Xingwu's ability to read is considered outstanding in the Zeng family. Right now, his father is also studying, and even taking the imperial examination, but he is only a scholar, and he didn't even pass the exam.

Jiangxi's rural examination is no weaker than that of Huguang.

In fact, in this era, the most difficult rural exams are Nanzhili, Jiangxi, Huguang, and Zhejiang. This is the death group of the Ming Dynasty's rural exams.

"Come, come, find a restaurant and let's have a good drink or two. It's been a long time since we met. You are really good. It's only been five years, and you have already gone to the capital to participate in the test."

When Zeng Xingwu met old friends, they were old acquaintances. He also met several times in Pengze, especially Wei Guangde who copied stereotyped essays, and often went to Zeng's house.

Zeng Xingwu was very happy, he dragged Wei Guangde out, looking for a place to drink, only the owner of the bookstore gave the two of them a displeased look, but didn't say anything.

"Tell me, how did you take the exam these years, but it's really good. Did you get through the exam all the way?"

Indeed, counting the time and thinking about Wei Guangde's age, Zeng Xingwu thought that Wei Guangde just took the imperial examination in the past two years, and went all the way to the capital directly.

Sitting in the restaurant right now, the appetizers have already been ordered, but the restaurant is still cooking and they haven't served them yet.

Wei Guangde then recounted his experience in the imperial examinations over the years. In fact, it was very simple. He started taking the county examination at the age of 13 and went all the way until he failed the county examination.

After playing for three years and fighting again, he reached the capital. Wei Guangde felt that he had nothing to say, it was too simple.

Now that the food and wine were on the table, the two clinked glasses and ate a few mouthfuls of food. Wei Guangde then talked about the current imperial examination situation of Zeng Yuanshu and Zeng Yuanrui, which Zeng Shengwu was interested in.

Zeng Yuanshu is already a scholar, but he failed to make the list after taking the provincial examination twice. Zeng Yuanrui is still a child student and has to continue to work hard for the college examination.

What else can Zeng Xingwu say? There are many things in the imperial examination that are unclear. It doesn't mean that if you are talented, you will definitely be on the list.

After talking about his career in the imperial examination, Zeng Xingwu naturally wanted to introduce his situation.

Speaking of which, his road to the imperial examination was somewhat similar to Wei Guangde's. After being a scholar, he had to pass the provincial examination twice before coming to the capital to take the general examination.

It's just that it's the same, he also took the boy's test twice before, but it's not like Wei Guangde, he passed all the boy's tests at once, but he got a little bit of a low waist in the rural test.

"Your examination experience is similar to that of my mentor. He also passed the boy's examination once, then failed the provincial examination, and then passed the provincial examination for the second time."

Zeng Xingwu raised his glass, Wei Guangde walked away, and then he spoke.

"Your teacher, I don't know which senior it is."

Wei Guangde said very politely, Huguang people can teach Juren, which is amazing.

Remembering when he won the exam, returned to Jiujiang with the brigade, disembarked at Bengshan Fort on the way, followed his father to worship ancestors, Wei Guangde still stopped by to see Mrs. Sun.

Mrs. Sun knew that Wei Guangde Zhongju was so happy, he danced and danced. After all, he was Wei Guangde's teacher, and Wei Guangde has not found a teacher to preach. Speaking of which, apart from Wei Guangde's examiner teacher, Mrs. Sun is Wei Guangde's only teacher. Not excited?

During the dinner, Master Sun was drunk, still crying and laughing.

For an old scholar who has been in the exam for decades, but he failed the exam, he put his mind on the students, and finally it was effective.

Of course, Wei Guangde did not believe that Zeng Xingwu's teacher would be the same as him, probably some respected Confucian scholar in Huguang.

"It's very similar to you. My mentor is also a military household. Mr. Wei Taiyue of Jingzhou is an editor of the Imperial Academy."

Zeng Xingwu said with a smile.

"Mr. Taiyue, editor of the Imperial Academy."

Well, the name Mr. Taiyue sounds awesome when you mention it, but it seems that the title of editor of the Imperial Academy is even more awesome.

Although the editor is only a seventh-rank official, he is not a sesame official like a county magistrate, but he is old and powerful.

As for how powerful it is, it lies in the three words Hanlin Academy in front.

The Hanlin Academy is a Qingshui yamen, and it does support the top group of people in the imperial examinations of the Ming Dynasty.

As a rule, the top three in the palace examination were directly awarded the positions of editor to editor in the Imperial Academy, while the rest of Jinshi took part in the imperial examination, and the outstanding ones were admitted to the Imperial Academy as Shujishi.

Shujishi is just a job, not an official.

Shu Jishi will be disbanded three years later. At this time, there will be another exam at this time, and Shu Jishi will be awarded official positions. Among them, the outstanding ones will stay in the Imperial Academy to be awarded official positions such as editing and review, and those who are eliminated will be transferred to the Imperial Academy. Ministry or go down to local officials.

Why are they all willing to compete for the position of Qingshui Yamen? Then we have to talk about the old saying, "No one can enter the Imperial Academy unless he is a Jinshi, and no one can enter the cabinet unless he is an Imperial scholar", so he is also called "Prime Minister".

This Zeng Xingwu's teacher came from the Hanlin Academy, which means that he is a top existence among scholars in this era.

"Your teacher is really good. Why do you worship the teacher? The Imperial Academy is in the capital, but you are in Huguang?"

Immediately, Wei Guangde felt something was wrong.

"My mentor went back to his hometown in Huguang on sick leave to recuperate a few years ago. I was in Chengtian Mansion, not far from Jiangling County. At that time, I just failed the township examination, so I went to ask the teacher with the cheek.

Although the mentor said that he would not accept me as a disciple and only exchanged knowledge with my peers, I have always been his mentor. "

The Chengtian Mansion that Zeng Shengwu said was actually called Anlu Prefecture in the past, which is the place where Emperor Jiajing was born.

It's just because Emperor Jiajing was taken to Beijing to sit on the throne here, so Anlu Prefecture was upgraded to Chengtian Mansion.

Speaking of which, Zeng Xingwu was actually a fellow of Emperor Jiajing.

Well, there is an old pedant from the Imperial Academy to guide Zeng Xingwu.

Wei Guangde thought of this in his heart, and asked casually: "Brother Zeng, where do you live in the capital?"

"Huguang Guild Hall, what about you?"

"Jiujiang guild halls are all run in the village. It is more convenient to live in. After all, most of the people living there are from Jiujiang, so it is convenient to bring news or something."

Wei Guangde laughed.

"When did you arrive in the capital?"

The two chatted while drinking, and it was an afternoon before they knew it.

In the twinkling of an eye, it was the 29th of the twelfth lunar month. On this day, more than 20 members of the Jiujiang Guild Hall went to the Jiangxi Guild Hall to have a banquet. Naturally, Wei Guangde would not be left behind. He also wanted to make a good impression on Mr. Yan Ge, and he worked hard for his career. .

After all, Wei Guangde is already a juren now, even if he fails the general examination, at worst, he can use his connections to become an official as a juren, isn't it just for business?

Wei Guangde came here through transmigration, he didn't know what other people thought about it, after he came, he prepared for himself the way to be the head of the village and go to Chaoguan as a scribe.

Of course, these are useless now.

Originally, Wei Guangde wanted to go to Mr. Yan Shifan to brush his face, but after hearing about it for a month in the capital, Wei Guangde lost the intention to go forward.

He didn't know before that this person's reputation in the capital was not very good, not because of greed, but because this person was actually a kind of meat-vegetarian guy who kills both men and women.

These days, there are a lot of good people like Long Yang, but for an official like him, what kind of beautiful wife and concubine can't get him, and he has nothing to do with men.

Wei Guangde thought he was not handsome, but he was born in a military family, and his temperament was more or less different from the scholars around him, and he seemed more masculine.

Wei Guangde is not worried that Yan Shifan will let him go through the back door, he is worried that Yan Shifan will let him go through his back door.
I can't bear it.

When they arrived at the place, they bowed to the candidates who were waiting for the exam in Beijing. Wei Guangde knew some of them, and some of the seniors from the previous sessions knew who they were when they introduced them.

After that, candidates from other prefectures and counties came one after another, and soon filled the huge lobby of the Jiangxi Guild Hall.

The candidates are almost all here, and then the Jiangxi officials in Beijing will appear on the stage.

I don't know whether it was discussed or someone was coordinating. Anyway, it started from low-level officials and gradually rose to high-level officials.

Officials of the fifth and sixth ranks, to officials of the third and fourth ranks, these are already counted big figures in the imperial court, and the last ones to appear on the stage are naturally Yan Song, Yan Ge Lao and his son Yan Shifan.

At this moment, Yan Shifan is already the servant of the Ministry of Industry. Before that, Emperor Jiajing wanted to give him the title of Shangshu of the Ministry of Processing, but Yan Song declined.

This one is also a weird one. He didn't take the imperial examination, but he was just a yin student, that is, he graduated from the Imperial College, and he went directly to the third-rank high-ranking officials.

Those of his classmates, if they have a good relationship, will naturally rise to heaven, and those who have a bad relationship or are just playing with mud at the grassroots level.

At this time in the Ming Dynasty, most of the superintendents, as long as they have a little bit of pursuit, will continue the imperial examination after entering the Imperial College, hoping to pass the general examination and participate in the imperial examination, and become a student of the emperor. The supervisors are much older.

But this Xiaoge old man became an official as a supervisor, and then made his way to the top, and now he has achieved the nominal third-in-command position in the Ministry of Industry.

Yan Shifan's current official position is the right servant of the Ministry of Industry, and there are Shangshu and Zuo Shilang in front of him, but in fact he is already the head of the Ministry of Industry and controls the entire Ministry of Industry.

Yan Shifansheng is white and fat, and his neck is very short because of his fat body, which is completely different from the thin father beside him. a gene.

After the two entered the lobby, they naturally became the focus of everyone's attention. Not only the officials who had come before came forward to salute, but even their candidates who were waiting for the exam all came forward to salute one after another.

On this occasion, even if Wei Guangde wanted to do something to attract attention, it would definitely be impossible to remember him, so he could only pay attention when the banquet was toasting for a while, to see if he could find an opportunity to show his face in front of Lord Shoufu .

However, when the masters of Jiujiang Mansion came forward to pay respects, they saw that Wei Guangde was young, and the young master Yan Shifan who he didn't want to provoke was a little interested.

It was noisy before, and they couldn't hear their names clearly.

"Why is this candidate so young? What's his name?"

Yan Shifan looked at Wei Guangde and asked.

"My lord servant please be safe, Wei Guangde, a student from Jiujiang Prefecture, just passed the provincial examination this year."

Wei Guangde bowed his hands to Yan Shifan again, and then introduced himself.

"You are not very old."

After hearing Wei Guangde's self-introduction of his family name, Yan Shifan's eyes flashed imperceptibly.

"The student is sixteen this year."

Wei Guangde felt very uncomfortable because his household registration was checked.

"Father, this candidate is only sixteen, I'm afraid he is not the youngest candidate in this subject."

Attracted by Yan Shifan's voice, Yan Song also stared at Wei Guangde, stroked his beard and said, "Not bad, not bad, a good-looking talent."

"He's only 16 years old, and he's no worse than that Uncle Zhang. He was only [-] years old when he came to take part in the examination."

Yan Song and his son whispered a few words there, and Yan Song looked at Wei Guangde more kindly.

Without him, at the beginning he wanted to win over the young genius they were talking about, but in the end he ran away with the master, even though the master is also working under him now.

"Why didn't Huating come over?"

Yan Shifan said again.

"Today he is guarding Xiyuan, so he can't come."

Yan Song shook his head, and then said to Wei Guangde: "The exam is good, the emperor and the court need young talents to contribute to the country."

After the words were finished, Yan Song stared at Wei Guangde again and said: "Look at your temperament, I don't want to be a dead book, what do you do at home?"

"Father Wei Meng is currently the Governor of Jiujiang Weiwei."

When Wei Guangde left Jiujiang Mansion, the reward document from the capital had not yet arrived, and it had been a month since the Japanese pirates were exterminated, which shows the low efficiency of the Ming court.

"Jiangmen, not bad not bad."

In fact, when Yan Song said Jiangmen, he was flattering Wei Guangde, and the Wei family deserved the title of Jiangmen, they were just a family of low-level military officers.

(End of this chapter)