Come on, Your Highness

All those who take the examination of candidates (scholars), regardless of their age, are called Confucian boys, and they are customarily called Tongsheng.

And the real beginning of entering the battle of thousands of troops is the beginning of the hospital examination.

He Xichao didn't take the qualification test for children seriously at all. As long as he could read and read, he would be fine.

So this time he planned to see if there were any books about the college examination, preferably the papers from previous years.

Of course, the most convenient thing is to ask a teacher, draw the key points directly to give the problem-solving ideas, and provide one-stop service.

But these days, you can't worship a teacher casually. Apprenticeship is like worshiping a mountain. After worshiping tea and kowtow for the first time, you will not be able to tear off the label of a certain disciple for a lifetime. Before entering the court and becoming an official, someone's faction has been automatically classified.

He Xichao could of course ask Wei Guogong to find a teacher with a top degree, presumably the latter is also looking for him everywhere, but unfortunately he doesn't want it.

For now in this life, except for the Grand Prince's Party, he has no plans to join anyone's camp for the time being.

He Xichao wasn't in a hurry, he was still young, so take his time, the teacher he wanted to worship was naturally the best.

Now the Guozijian and the major academies have suspended their classes. Before the Spring Festival, they all went to the book market to buy some useful books. After all, next year will be the Spring Festival every four years, and they all want to work hard at the end, so It was quite lively.

He Xiang was going to register for He Xichao, so he dropped them off. Seeing so many people, he left behind two attendants, and said to Ah Fu, "Look at the young master, don't let anyone bump into you." He also said to He Xichao Said: "Master Xichao, take your time, this old slave will come as soon as you have completed your household registration. If you have anything to do, let Ah Fu do it."

He Xichao nodded, and walked directly to the largest bookstore.

At his age, his father and brother usually lead them to find a few enlightenment books, but he rarely sees them.

After all, a child of this age doesn't know all the characters. How can he know which book is suitable for him?It's just for fun.

So He Xichao came in with a servant, and indeed surprised many people.

The shopkeeper glanced at him, seeing that he was well-dressed and calm, so he let him go.

He Xichao looked at the rows of bookshelves. Although the books were neatly placed, they were all blue-skinned books at a glance. Except for their thickness, they all looked the same, and there was no clear classification. You really had to read each book by yourself. OK.

He just arrived, and when he saw when to go, he wanted to ask the shopkeeper to help him find it, but he found that there were a lot of people buying books today, and the shopkeeper was busy, and when anyone came to ask, he would always say, "Look for it yourself. In the old place, if there is something, there will be, if not, there will be nothing.”

He Xichao reckoned that if he asked, he wouldn't answer.

He Xi turned his gaze, wandering among these scholars who were reading and looking for books.

Some are novices, flipping through the books one by one, some are half-new and not old, and can roughly know the location of the books they need, while some are regular customers, who are very accurate and pick up after flipping through.

There were people coming and going in the bookstore, and there was a slight chatter between three or five groups of people, but it didn't affect others.

He Xichao saw a white-robed scholar who belonged to the regular customer category, and was also a gourmet, because he shuttled between different bookshelves, picking up all kinds of books.

He Xichao silently followed behind him, watching the books in his hand stacked up one by one, including local chronicles, miscellaneous travel notes, and legends...the last stack was placed in front of the shopkeeper and said: "Shopkeeper, help me I'll put it away, and I'll get it after the Spring Festival."

The shopkeeper is obviously familiar with him, and the conversation has become much warmer, "Don't worry, Mr. Xie, I will keep them well for you. By the way, Mr. Xie still didn't agree to you?"

Third Young Master Xie thanked him, sighed, and said helplessly: "No, I have told my father no less than a hundred times that I am not interested in being an official, so I just want to go around and see the customs. I have already found the team, but unfortunately my father forced me to die, so I had no choice but to let it go."

The shopkeeper shook his head with a broken smile, and said sympathetically, "Master Xie is really not easy, then you are..."

The third son Xie said: "Later, I talked about it, and my father finally agreed with me to travel far away, but the premise is that I have to participate in the Spring Festival next year and be on the second list of Jinshi. Time is running out, I will come to buy a few books to read, hug A temporary Buddha's foot."

As soon as this remark came out, He Xichao heard a low gasp from around him, and several scholars gathered together and muttered: "Xie San actually participated in next year's Spring Festival, it seems that there will be one less place in the apricot list."

"You are too ambitious for others, you should destroy your prestige. We have worked hard for four years, but we can't compare with a half-way monk?"

"Hey, Brother Wang, you don't know. This guy is a freak. Reading is like drinking water. The masters in the Imperial College love and hate him. If it hadn't been for reference, the last champion should be him."

"so smart!"

"Although we are not convinced, there is nothing we can do. His knowledge is better than ours, and he is more angry than others."

"Oh, that's over. Next year, I heard that there will be several gifted sons."

……

After saving those miscellaneous books for Xie San, the shopkeeper said: "Go to the first row of bookshelves. There are combined copies of the previous Chunwei papers, which should be useful to you. There are also a few commentaries written by great Confucians, and almost all candidates have them. One, look for it, I remember there are a few more, and when students from all over the world gather in the capital tomorrow, they will definitely be gone."

"Thank you shopkeeper." Xie San walked in.

He Xichao listened silently, and then told Ah Fu who was beside him, "Stay here and don't move." Then he walked towards that Xie San.

Xie San reads books very quickly. After rummaging through them, he collected all the books he wanted. He was about to check out when he suddenly felt his clothes being pulled. He turned his head, looked down, and saw a man just The child who reached his thigh looked at him innocently with wide open eyes.

The child was carved in pink and jade, with crooked eyebrows and eyes, and he smiled innocently and cutely. He said, "Brother, my name is He Xichao. I would like to ask you to do me a favor, can you?"

May I?

Of course it is possible.

Xie San looked at He Xichao who was smiling brightly. Compared with the pouting nephew at home, the more he liked this child, he subconsciously spoke a lot softer. He bent down and asked, "What does Young Master He want me to do for you?"

"Examination for a scholar, you have ambition, and the college entrance examination is not difficult. "The Analects", "Mencius", "The Book of Songs", "Book of Rites", and "Zuo Zhuan" are all these. After reading and memorizing, you can basically pass." Xie San briefly introduced the experience to He Xichao, then lowered his head, thinking of the child's age, he couldn't help but ask, "How old are you?"

"After the new year, you will be seven years old." He Xichao smiled and stretched out his two hands, making a gesture of seven.

Xie San: "..." He thought He Xichao was just looking at Xiao, but he didn't expect him to be really small, and he was too embarrassed to hit him.

He thought for a while and asked, "Then...have you read all those books?"

He Xichao replied: "I have seen it."

"Not bad!" Xie San was surprised. His two nephews are a year or two older than He Xichao, and they just finished reading "The Analects of Confucius". , mastering it well, two years may not be enough, right?"

Without even thinking about it, He Xichao said, "I've already recited it."

"what?"

"And what is said in the book, I understand."

Xie San: "..." Either He Xichao was lying to him with big words, or he was so precocious, but they met by chance, so there's no need to lie.

"So... you just need to learn how to make a fuss."

He Xichao nodded vigorously.

Xie San helped to pick a few books, thinking that now that the spring is approaching, the bookstores are all about the exam, and there are no particularly suitable books, so he said: "Where do you live, the books I used for the college exam a few years ago are all It’s still there, the annotations are all there, and there are a few papers, which are relatively complete, why don’t I give them to you?”

This time it was He Xichao's turn to be surprised, "Really?" But after thinking about it, he declined again, "But these must be very precious, Xichao can't accept them."

Even the notebooks of later generations of academic masters can be sold for a lot of money. He Xichao did this after the college entrance examination, so he can't take it.

Xie San was reluctant at first, but seeing He Xichao being so knowledgeable, he didn't hesitate, "I put it there to collect dust, you know they are precious, so you are better than ordinary people, it's an elegant thing to give good things to people who understand. Besides, if you really win the scholar, ah, you are only nine years old, tsk tsk, it is very happy to think that I have a share of the credit."

Xie San saw that he was an open-minded and open-minded person, so He Xichao no longer refused, but said: "Then Xichao thank you brother, don't worry, my name will definitely be on the list in two years' time."

"Okay, I'm ambitious. By the way, you haven't said where you live?"

"Lion Lane, Duke Wei's Mansion, just look for He Xichao."

Xie San was surprised, "Are you from the He family?"

"Yes."

Based on Xie San's family background, he still knows Wei Guogong, but Wei Guogong is not just a grandson... Uh, wait, he seems to have remembered what happened in Wei Guogong's mansion a few days ago, and he immediately felt a little sympathetic to He Xichao.

Thinking of Wei Guogong’s ability, he could just find a Confucian scholar who has read poetry and books to teach this child, but such a young child came to the bookstore to search for books by himself, accompanied by a young boy. It was really unreasonable, so he softened his heart: "Okay, I will send someone to deliver it tomorrow. Now, besides these, are there any other books you want to buy, brother thank you for finding them for you."

That feeling was good, He Xichao smiled brighter and brighter.

"Arithmetic, Bible planning, you still want to learn these?"

Nowadays, Confucianism is widely practiced, and the four books and five classics are also tested in the exams, and the arithmetic has been eliminated.Only petty officials will learn more about the classics in depth, for the purpose of counting people and money.

Of course, most people can learn arithmetic, even the mistress and first- and second-class maids in the backyard can do it. After all, it is also useful for calculating accounts.

He Xichao nodded, "Well, if you don't know arithmetic and don't know accounts, it's easy to be fooled by others."

This is very thoughtful, Xie San thought for a while and said, "Then it is enough to understand the first few chapters of "Nine Chapters of Arithmetic."

He Xichao asked, "Is it all?"

Xie San was stunned, "What?"

He Xichao took the not-so-thin book from his hand and said, "I've read this one, it's an elementary one."

Xie San was a little stunned, "That's not easy."

"It's okay, it's not difficult."

Xie San: "..." Hubu Shangshu is only at this level, it's amazing to be able to fully understand the algorithm inside, isn't it?

"There should be a more complete one. It's not that it has been revised several times. This book doesn't have a multiplication method."

"Nine Chapters of Arithmetic" is not just written by one person, but covers many algorithms. Every dynasty has people revising it and adding new content. Just like a big dictionary, there are detailed and basic ones, but it is not easy to see full version.

Xie San squatted down, looked at He Xichao weakly, "You know how to increase multiplication!"

He Xichao responded crisply, "But I didn't mention this at all."

This is elementary, of course it is impossible to have something so difficult to understand.

"Okay, I believe it now, you are really talented, and it's not difficult to be a scholar." You must know that there are very few people in this room who know this algorithm, let alone study it.

Seeing that he did not give up, Xie San said: "If you want the complete one, then you have to go to the palace to find it. There is the most complete one, but ordinary people can't see it."

He Xichao naturally knew it too, but it wasn't the time yet.

Seeing He Xichao's disappointed expression, Xie San rubbed his chin, "Actually, I have a more in-depth set. Although it's not as good as the one in the palace, it's detailed enough."

After all, "Nine Chapters of Arithmetic" is not like the Confucian classics, which are full of books in the market. Only those who like it will collect them. It is even more difficult to collect the whole set. It is not something that He Xichao can borrow whenever he wants.

He pursed his lips and asked cautiously: "Then... Brother Xie, can Xi Chao come to visit?"

The big clear and bright eyes looked straight at Xie San, revealing longing. The latter subconsciously wanted to hold his chest, feeling that it was melted, and he couldn't resist it.

If only my nephews were so well-behaved.

"Yes, but during the Spring Festival, from the 28th to the fifth day, there are many people in the family, so you can avoid these days."

"Okay." Xi bent his eyes, almost overflowing with joy, and asked, "Where does brother live?"

"Liuting Street, Xie's Mansion, it's easy to find."

He Xichao thanked him while thinking about Xie San's family background, and soon his smile deepened.

If Xiao Hong was here, he must know that He Xichao had thought of other ideas.

But Xie San, ignorant people are happy, "You're welcome, let someone notify you one day in advance, I'm afraid I won't be home." Then he asked, "Is there anything else?"

"Have."

An hour later, Xie San looked at the more and more books in Ah Fu's hands, and asked, "Xi Chao, to be honest, do you have a heart to explore the world like me?"

He Xi looked back at Xie San and shook his head.

"Then how do you see such a complicated book, and you have bought so many geography from various places?"

"I like to watch, but I'm too lazy to move."

Xie San tutted his tongue and said, "You kid is amazing, but put these miscellaneous books aside for the time being. It's not easy to say that it's easy to be a scholar. In just two years, it's better for you to focus on this."

"I know it in my heart, thank you brother for rest assured."

He Xiang had already finished his work and came back, so he was waiting in Book Alley.

Ah Fu loaded the books into the car, and when He Xichao said goodbye to Xie San, he suddenly said, "Brother Xie, can I trouble you with one more thing?"

"what?"

"Can tomorrow's books not be sent to the mansion, I'm afraid..."

Xie San understood instantly, "Then where are you going?"

"Just send it to grandfather, he will bring it back for Xi Chao."

Xichao's grandfather is Wei Guogong, who is in charge of the Ministry of War. Is this going to be sent to the office of the Ministry of War?

"Okay, thank you brother?"

It's not impossible, it's just weird.But thinking of He Xichao's situation, he was also afraid that the book would not reach him, so Xie San readily agreed, "Okay."

"Brother Xie, it's very kind of you." With a soft voice, coupled with that sincere and sweet smile, Xie San once again felt sorry for his two nephews.

The author has something to say: He Xichao: How can I find books by myself, I have to find out when to go.