Promotion and fortune in Song Dynasty

After visiting Master Li, Teng Zongliang naturally stayed at Lu Ci's house.

When Lu Ci bought the neighbor's house on the other side for expansion, he not only widened and heightened the original room, but also added two new guest rooms.

They said it was a guest room, but one of them was completely occupied by Liu Qi.

Even though he had returned to his hometown because he was admitted, most of the personal belongings he had bought in the past two years were still piled up in it. It was obviously Lu Ci's idea that he could not let others live in this room.

Lu Ci couldn't laugh or cry about this, so he had to arrange another room for Teng Zongliang.

Three days later, Zhu Yue also came back with the family certificate.

Just as Zhu Shuo said for Anlu Cixin before leaving, even though Zhu Shuo had some unhappiness when Zhu Shuo was on his own and withdrew all assistance, Zhu's father did not make things difficult for him, but readily accepted Prepared a family statement for him to take away.

Even his two stepbrothers were vaguely guilty and anxious when facing him.

Zhu said that when he realized it, he comforted his mother who was reluctant to let him go, and then had a frank and honest talk with them, which only delayed an extra day.

Don't say that he is doing well now, even if he is not doing well, with his kindness and gentleness, it is impossible to blame his bloodless relatives, the Zhu family who have treated him well all these years.

Just looking at them seeming to let go of their previous suspicions, but actually still showing a little uncomfortable expression, Zhu said that he couldn't help but miss the warm Lu family more and more.

After bidding farewell to Zhu's family, Zhu said that with a hope of returning home, he spent all his money and rented a good horse to drive back and forth.

What he didn't expect was that after only ten days since he left, there would be another new face at home...

Like Liu Qi, Teng Zongliang should have been promoted, but he didn't go as far as Liu Qi.

After being sent to the provincial examination, he regretted failing the exam and failed to enter the palace examination.

When Lu Ci mentioned Liu Jia Qilang, Teng Zongliang couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise: "The one Yu Yu mentioned, could it be the white-clothed Qingxiang who was dismissed from the palace examination and wrote the heroic "He Chong Tian"? Change Liu San to Liu Jingzhuang!"

Lu Ci was stunned for a moment, and replied, "It's him who is good."

Hearing that Liu Qi's reputation is not small, and the word "He Chongtian" is also very popular, Lu Ci couldn't help but secretly worried for him.

The more people know this poem, and the more people remember Liu Qi's name, the more it means that the other party's official career will be as difficult as it is in history.

Teng Zongliang has a chivalrous nature in his bones, he is not a person who will take the customs seriously, of course he admires Liu Qilang's courage, and said with a smile: "It's a pity, I didn't have more than a few days, so I can see this The demeanor of a white-clothed gentleman? Now the only way to get my long-cherished wish is to wait until I pass the provincial examination. At that time, I must trouble Yu Yu to introduce me one or two."

Lu Ci smiled: "Even if Brother Zijing doesn't say it, I should do so."

Teng Zongliang couldn't help but patted Lu Ci on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "I knew that Yu Yu is a cheerful person!"

Zhu said that when he entered the room, he happened to see such a scene: "..."

Lu Ci caught the slight sound of the door being pushed open, and looked out subconsciously. Seeing that it was Zhu Shuo, he couldn't help but stand up, and greeted him with a smile: "Brother Zhu is back! Is everything going well?"

Zhu said and nodded: "Brother Lao Yuyu is worried, everything is fine. I also sorted out the public documents on the way, so I made you wait for a long time, I am really sorry."

Lu Ci shook his head: "Nothing."

He took Zhu Shuo's family statement and glanced at it, and after confirming that there was no missing information, he looked at Teng Zongliang and said, "It's better to hit the sun than to choose the day, why not go to the government office to submit the pleading today, so as not to worry about it all the time?"

Teng Zongliang said with a smile: "Everything is up to you."

Zhu Yue frowned slightly, pretending to interrupt unintentionally: "This is...?"

It was only then that Lu Ci realized that he subconsciously regarded Teng Zijing and Fan Zhongyan, who were also famous in history because of the sentence in "Yueyang Tower" that has been passed down through the ages, as close friends, but he forgot the two people at this time. It's like we've never met each other.

He took Zhu Shuo with one hand and Teng Zongliang with the other, and said with a smile, "Brother Teng, named Zongliang, named Zijing, is the Baotou recommended by Mrs. Li; Brother Zhu, named Shuo, named Xiwen, is my sibling brother." .”

Teng Zongliang raised his eyebrows pretending to be surprised, and smiled kindly at Zhu Shuo: "It turns out that you are the brother Zhu who often appears in Brother Yu Yu's words!"

Zhu said that he had never had a special liking for people who were familiar with him and who liked to hang out with Brother Lu. Even Liu Qilang, who he likes writing very much, took a long time to make him change.

Teng Zongliang expressed surprise that although the emphasis was so exaggerated, he secretly frowned, but the language was still kind, so he returned the favor and smiled politely: "It's a pleasure to meet Brother Teng."

After a brief greeting, the two quickly exchanged a look, and unsurprisingly, they saw a somewhat similar disapproval in each other's eyes, and tacitly withdrew their bowing hands.

Next, one of them took Lu Ci's side, talking and laughing with Lu Ci, but ignoring each other openly.

Because the attitudes of the two were so natural that although Lu Ci felt that the atmosphere between the two was a bit subtle, it was difficult to tell why it was so.

...Teng Zijing and Fan Zhongyan, shouldn't they be close friends who hit it off, met each other in the same year, and understand each other's ideals and ambitions?

The more Lu Ci felt something was wrong, he didn't say anything, and just observed it calmly.

However, before he could think about it, Zhu Shuo suddenly brought up a topic that attracted most of his attention: "...these days when I came back to my hometown, I went to the street to buy some fine fine porcelain from the local area. Brother Yu Yu, would you like to have a look?"

Lu Ci raised his eyebrows, and said amusedly, "I was going to remind you that it's rare to go back. Why don't you buy some local specialties and resell them in Mizhou City. I just thought that you are always punctual, so I said If you go back and forth in ten days, you won’t delay until the eleventh. And it’s a little bit reluctant to run back and forth on the tenth, and it’s unrealistic to add some other tasks to you. Unexpectedly, you consciously , I remember."

It seems that Zhu Shuo has acquired a lot of business experience without realizing it.

Zhu said that he couldn't help laughing: "Because of the bumpy carriage and horses, it's inconvenient to carry, and the price is also high. I didn't buy much, so this is all I have."

Like presenting a treasure, he unwrapped the two sets of tea sets carefully wrapped and placed them on the round table in front of Lu Ci.

Lu Ci inspected it carefully for a while, then nodded with satisfaction: "White as jade, bright as a mirror, thin as paper, and sound like a chime, it can be called top-grade. What's even more rare is that you have traveled all the way without leaving a trace. Wen. If you agree, I will find a good buyer for you, and the price will not hurt you."

Zhu said hesitating for a moment, but still said: "May I only sell one set?"

Lu Ci said without hesitation: "Okay. Did someone make a reservation with you in advance?"

Zhu said with a little embarrassment: "... If you don't mind Brother Yuyu, please accept it."

Lu Ci was slightly surprised, and then couldn't help laughing: "Then I won't be too polite, thank you."

No matter how good an object is, it is also useful - he certainly deserves to use the best things.

The reason why it is not so particular at present is that it is temporarily limited by economic conditions.

Since it was Zhu's wish, and because the other party had little savings, it was not that he couldn't afford to give it away, so Lu Ci had no reason to refuse.

Seeing that Lu Ci told Zhu that they were happy, Teng Zongliang couldn't help being a little jealous, and suddenly reminded him: "Although the current government is well-organized and people are harmonious, merchants are not despised like they were in the previous dynasty, but there are always pedantic people who don't know how to adapt. Brother Yu is fine, Brother Zhu Forget it, when doing business and business, it is unavoidable to go against the way of Confucianism, so it is better not to let outsiders know easily."

After all, in the eyes of the mainstream scholars, 'You can get rich and honor by taking the first degree, and you can open the door to teach, so that you can be taught by the discipline', which is the correct way of Confucianism.Unless life is extremely poor, there is no other way, or they have failed in the examinations, most scholars still have the reservations of scholars and are reluctant to change their careers easily.

In particular, Lu Ci has already purchased real estate, nearly a hundred acres of land, and can afford to hire several servants. Even if he only relies on rent collection, it is enough to maintain his family.

In the eyes of many, there was little need for him to be distracted from running his business.

Lu Ci nodded. Although he agreed with Teng Zongliang's kind advice, he was still a little helpless: "It is true that there are many people who stick to the rules and keep the old Confucianism in their careers, but they don't know that if there are many businessmen, they will pay more taxes, which is also beneficial to the country and the people. What is my crime for being a businessman? Shame on the gentleman." Neighbor!"

"What is the crime of my business, the gentleman is ashamed to be his neighbor?"

Zhu said that he couldn't help but think about it again, and praised with bright eyes: "Brother Yu Yu's words are very reasonable!"

Lu Ci: "..."

His expression froze for a moment, and he forced a smile back after a while.

This sentence, if he remembers correctly, seems to be exactly what Fan Zhongyan said in the future - he was also tested in the paper.

Lu Ci simply sighed casually, but accidentally plagiarized what someone would say in the future in front of his own face. Even though Zhu Shuo didn't know about it and trusted him with all his heart, it was really awkward.

He changed the topic decisively, and forced Zhu Shuo to take a bath and wash up, let him have a good rest, and read together after waking up.

Facing Lu Ci's concern, Zhu said that he couldn't find an excuse to refuse, so he went honestly under Teng Zongliang's smiling gaze.

During the past few days, Lu Ci and Teng Zongliang studied together and took exams with each other, and both of them felt that they had benefited a lot.

He thought, even though Zhu Shuo and Teng Zongliang's first impression of each other was inexplicably not very good, but history has proved that the two sides are congenial, as long as they get along for a while, they will not worry about getting better.

After all, in the long time of preparing for the exam, in addition to repeatedly reviewing the classics that I have already mastered by heart, I also practice poetry, prose and policy theory.

Lu Ci has some experience in taking exams, but he still feels very insufficient in poetry and prose.

Teng Zongliang was just the opposite, otherwise he wouldn't just go to the provincial exam and regrettably fail.

The five of them went to the government office together the next day, handed in the prepared family papers, public files, papers and test papers, and returned together.

It will be a month before the official release of the lock hall notice for unlocking the test.

During this period, the three of them have been eating and living together, doing the final stage of review and sprint.

The only thing that confuses Lu Ci is that Zhu Shuo and Teng Zongliang, two friends who have been talked about because of "The Story of Yueyang Tower", have always had a good or bad relationship...

The author has something to say: Notes:

1. Although the scholars in the Song Dynasty also had part-time jobs to help sell wine to make ends meet, such as Huang Yu once "the family was poor, and he lived in the market, and he carried the book with him" "Zhu Wen Gong Wen Ji", but these were all forced choices.In order to maintain the Confucian profession, most of them rely on land rent or teach others to do Shuxiu.

Even in merchant families, one son is usually allowed to study, and the other son helps manage the family business.

For a detailed explanation of Confucianism, see "Song Dynasty Imperial Examination Society" p150

2. "White as jade, as bright as a mirror, as thin as paper, and as loud as a chime" is the standard of Jingdezhen pottery ("Yi Zhongtian Chinese History - Great Song Innovation")

3. What is the crime of my business, the gentleman is ashamed to be a neighbor - from Fan Zhongyan's "Poems of the Four Peoples"

4. If there are many merchants, there will be more tax revenue—from "Strategy for a Rich Country"