Xiangye

Chapter 179
The two laughed.

Li Zhen picked up the pen and wrote the word "zi" on the paper.

Shu Richang: "Sure enough."

Li Zhen was surprised: "What really is?"

Shu Richang smiled and said: "The title of Li Gong's question is "The Son Said on the River"?"

Li Zhen was taken aback, he turned his head and glanced at Shu Richang: "How do you know?"

Shu Richang stroked his beard and said, "Guess, Mr. Li, am I right?"

Li Zhenqiang said: "Whoever said that Zi was in Sichuan said, can't the old man say 'Zi is in Qi Wenshao' or 'Zi enters Taimiao', 'Zi Lu asked Zheng Zi, please benefit from the previous work, and say no tiredness', or 'Zi Ask Uncle Wenzi?'"

There are too many sentences with "Zi" in "Four Books". Confucius is Zi, Zilu and Ziyou are Zi, and Zigong is also Zi. With only one "Zi", why do you say that I want to publish "Zi"? Said "on the river"?
Well, it's just a coincidence.

Li Zhen said in his heart: "'Zi Zai Chuan Shang said: The dead are like husbands' is so famous, it's not surprising that Shu Richang just guessed it right. Well, I'll make a fool of myself first, and come up with the next question."

Immediately, he laughed and said, "Ri Chang, you are wrong."

After that, he picked up a pen and continued to write after the word "Zi" that "it is said that Zhong Gongyue" is a topic.

"It turned out to be this sentence, but I thought it wrong." Shu Richang nodded: "This topic is also appropriate for the rural examination room."

"Zi said Zhong Gong said" comes from "The Analects of Confucius? Yong Ye".

It means that when Confucius commented on Zhong Gong, he said: "The calves born by the farming ox have red hair and neat horns. Although people don't want to use it as a sacrifice, will the god of mountains and rivers abandon it? ?”

Confucius believed that a person's origin is not the most important thing, but that he should have noble morals and outstanding talents.As long as such conditions are met, it will be reused.On the other hand, this also shows that, as a ruler, when selecting and reusing talents, one should not just look at one's background and discard talents.

Hearing Shu Richang's words, Li Zhen felt happy and secretly smiled: I told you to guess the old man's question randomly, hehe, just to play tricks on you.

Immediately, he wrote the word "zi" on the title again, and asked, "Ri Chang, what do you think my title is?"

Shu Richang surrendered: "Gong Li, there are eight hundred sentences in the "Four Books" if there are not one thousand words. I guessed randomly just now, so don't make fun of me."

"Hehe, come on, since I said "The Son Said on Chuan Shang" earlier, you can use this sentence as the title. This is the second question of the old man." Seeing his embarrassment, Li Zhen laughed loudly, and said in Chuan Shang Completed.

Seeing the ridicule in Li Zhen's eyes, Shu Richang suddenly became angry.But my heart was still shocked: Sure enough, it is still the topic, it seems that I did not guess wrong.This Li Jijiu obviously planned to use this sentence as a test question, but he wanted to tease him, which made people feel helpless!

Literati, they all care about saving face.Even though he was a junior, Chief Examiner Shu still had some blood.He said calmly: "Didn't Mr. Li use this question in the end, it seems that I was right. Why don't you come up with the third question and ask me to guess?"

Li Zhen laughed loudly: "Ri Chang, the old man wrote a word earlier, and you guessed it randomly. Now, I haven't written a single word, so how can you guess. If this is the case, you will become a roundworm in the old man's stomach. "

"Li Gong, I don't think I should be the roundworm in your stomach." Shu Richang: "This is the third question..."

He intentionally draws out his tone: "Mr. Li's first two questions are based on the "Analects of Confucius". I heard people say that you specialize in the "Analects of Confucius". That's true. The third question comes from the Analects, but it doesn't make sense. Let's Disciples of Confucianism are learning the ways of Confucius and Mencius. The third question is neither "The Doctrine of the Mean" nor "The Great Learning". Yes, it should be "Mencius", Li Gong, how do I guess?"

Li Zhen was a little surprised: "I really guessed right."

"Let me guess the topic again." Shu Richang: "Among the first two questions, "Zi Zhi Zhong Gong Yue" talks about the purpose of the imperial court opening courses to obtain scholars, and "Zi Zai Chuan Shang Yue" says it is to study, then the third The question should also focus on this theme, so that people can cherish time. The sentence about learning in "Mencius" is only the sentence "the cock crows, and the fruit is good, and the disciple of Shun is also the disciple of Shun". I guessed it, it should be "Rooster Crows".

"Ah!" Li Zhen screamed with his mouth wide open as if struck by a thunderbolt, but was speechless again.

"Why, did I guess right?" Shu Richang was very pleased when he saw Li Jijiu was shocked, so he couldn't help asking with a smile.

"By the way, I guessed it right..." After a long time, Li Zhen sighed: "Ri Chang's mind is mysterious, and there is a chance of ghosts and ghosts. I am convinced. No wonder you went to take part in the imperial examination. After being a scholar, you passed three tests in one go , directly admitted to the Hanlin Academy, this effort in formulating questions and trying to figure out people's hearts is really the best in the world, I admire, admire!"

Seeing Li Zhen shocked by success, and seeing the old man's expression, Shu Richang's anger disappeared, and he said with a smile: "Mr. Li, you really think highly of me. Although I have passed the rural examination, general examination, and imperial examination smoothly, But at the beginning, it took nearly ten years to get the title of scholar. Also, if I really had the ability to formulate questions and figure out the examiner’s mind, I would not have won the first grade. But in the end, I was just a fellow Jinshi, and I reluctantly chose Jishi, the official career is also very bumpy. Speaking of the ability to take the exam, there is someone in Xi'an now."

Grandmaster Li: "Ri Chang, are you talking about Xu Xuan?"

Shu Richang: "Yes, it's him. People in Changzhou have always been good at reading. Editor Xu was the second best in the past, and the article is a good word."

Li Zhen shook his head: "This is a villain."

Shu Richang also had a look of contempt on his face: "Indeed, this person's character is really bad, it's a pity that he is so talented. By the way, Li Gong, you have misunderstood, but I don't have the ability to write questions. Really, these two questions You leaked it yourself."

Li Zhen was amazed: "I've thought of a good topic, but I've never told anyone about it, so how did I let you see it?"

Then Shu Richang mentioned that he was drinking on the city wall of Xi'an that day. Master Li Dazong was as drunk as mud, and said: "Changqi was very drunk that day, and he said in his mouth, 'Zi is on the river, the dead are like husbands, and they will not give up day and night. ...Life is too short, I have been born for ten years, how can I not get it, how can I not get it...' I guessed it, but I didn't want to guess it right."

Hearing him talk about this, thinking of the past 60 years ago, and thinking of his mother and wife who had been separated forever, Li Zhen felt great pain in his heart, tears welled up in his eyes, and after a long time, he sighed: "Days are long, you still don't know what to do?" I guessed right. That day, I actually dreamed of them. After so many years, they are still the same as before... She is not old yet... This is God's will!"

Seeing that Li Zhen was sad, Shu Richang said a few words of comfort, "Don't be sad, Mr. Li. The business is important. It's better to write the title quickly and ask the craftsman to engrave it."

"That's right." Taking a breath to calm himself down, Li Zhen picked up the pen and was about to write, when he suddenly wiped on the paper, erasing the two previous topics.

Shu Richang: "What's wrong with Mr. Li?"

"No, the topic has to be changed to something else." Li Zhen said calmly.

Shu Richang: "Mr. Li, why bother? Isn't it just because I guessed the question, and I'm not an examinee. Besides, this is God's will?"

"No, God's will is illusory. God's will is always high and difficult to ask. How can you be accurate. Although you are not a candidate for the long day, there are other people besides you at the banquet that day. If the old man is not confused, Gao Bu is also there. In addition There are also a few waiters." Li Zhen's face turned blue: "Since you can figure out the exam questions based on the old man's drunken words, so can others. It's hard to say, "The Son Said on the River" and "The Crowing of Chickens" These two topics are well known to everyone, if I bring up this topic again, the joke will become a big one. Once the court finds out, you and I will have nothing to do with it."

"Si!" Shu Richang was also aware of the seriousness of the problem, and said repeatedly: "Yes, yes, these two questions cannot be used." His voice changed.

That being the case, simply re-propose the question.

Anyway, the two great masters are both well-educated people, and they have already mastered the "Four Books" and "Five Classics", so it is not easy to come up with three questions.

Therefore, Li Zhen sneered and said: "I'm afraid that the examinees have known that the old man authorizes the "Analects of Confucius", maybe they have broken up the words and sentences in it, and made countless model essays. Well, this time, the old man chose to read from "The Analects of Confucius". "Questions."

So, he picked up the pen and quickly wrote three topics on the paper.

Shu Richang leaned his head over to have a look, and gasped again: "Mr. Li, this question is too easy for candidates? No...but it's difficult."

The three topics that Li Zhen wants to present are "Is it such a pleasure to have friends come from afar", "When I hear the Tao in the morning, I will die in the evening", and "I don't want to be myself".

"It's such a joy to have friends come from afar", "When you hear the Tao in the morning, you can die in the evening" are famous sentences in "The Analects of Confucius". as a topic.From childhood to adulthood, any scholar has not written a hundred times, but he has written it eighty times, and has been revised countless times by his mentor.

This topic looks simple on the surface, but it is actually difficult.The simple thing is that anyone can directly transcribe their old works on the test paper; it is difficult because everyone has done a good job, and if you want to write new ideas, it is terrible!

Li Zhen said coldly: "A rising tide raises all boats. Only in this way can we break out the top talents, and only in this way can we live up to the court's expectations of you and me."

"That's true." Shu Richang smiled wryly, "It seems that it is difficult to decide the winner of these two questions. The key lies in the third question "Wu Wu"."

I don't mean to be self-righteous or self-righteous.From "The Analects of Confucius? Zihan".Zi Jue Four: Don't mean, don't have to, don't be firm, don't be me.

This is the evaluation of Confucius by the disciples of Confucianism: Confucius has four unique learnings, not judging objective reality with subjective consciousness, not making mistakes of absolutism, and treating everything dialectically, not sticking to the rules but knowing how to adapt, and speaking the truth without holding my own opinion.

This question is a bit uncommon, only two words.Scholars who are familiar with Confucian classics are fine. I am afraid that some people will be confused for a while when they get these two characters.

This question tests the candidate's mastery of basic knowledge.

Grandmaster Li nodded: "I'll put this question in the third question. It's actually not difficult, just like the previous two questions, it really takes a lot of effort to write something new."

Shu Richang: "It's not only difficult for the examinees to write, but also for the examiners to mark the papers." Yes, these three questions are too difficult to write well. Li Gong is making things difficult for everyone!
Yes, because it is too simple.If everyone writes a standard composition, it will be too difficult to stand out among the four thousand candidates.

Candidates want to be on the list, maybe they have to be smart.

Although I don't know, but to be honest, this place where Mr. Li tried to sacrifice wine in Shaanxi Province is a bit like a new concept composition for later generations.

That being the case, Shu Richang sent the clerk up and ordered him to take the title and go to the engraver to engrave the title overnight.

In order to ensure the fairness, justice and openness of the township examination, and to learn the lessons of being guessed by others, the two masters did not dare to neglect and stayed up all night to supervise the printing of the test papers. .

(End of this chapter)